An antenatal/postnatal intervention involving proactive telephone support and written materials was conducted among primiparas. Four hundred women, from the Split‐Dalmatia County, Croatia, were ...randomized between November 2013 and December 2016 into three groups: intervention (IG), active control (ACG) and standard care (SCG). Primary outcome was exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included breastfeeding difficulties, attitudes towards infant feeding, breastfeeding self‐efficacy and social support. Practice staff were blinded to group allocation. Of 400 women, 45 (11%) were lost to follow‐up, and final analyses were conducted on 129 (IG), 103 (ACG) and 123 (SCG) participants. EBF rates at 3 months were significantly higher for the IG (odds ratio OR 4.6, 95% confidence interval CI, 2.7 to 8.1; EBF 81%) as well as at 6 months (OR 15.7, 95% CI, 9.1 to 27.1; EBF 64%) compared with SCG (EBF 47% at 3 months and 3% at 6 months). Higher rates were also observed for the ACG at 3 months (OR 2.2, 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.8, EBF 68%) and 6 months (OR 2.3, 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.9, EBF 16%). Participants in the IG had the highest increase in positive attitudes towards infant feeding, in comparison to baseline, and significantly higher breastfeeding self‐efficacy. Participants in SCG experienced significantly more breastfeeding difficulties, both at 3 and 6 months, in comparison to AC and IGs. Written breastfeeding materials and proactive telephone support among primiparas are an effective means of increasing breastfeeding rates, decreasing breastfeeding difficulties and improving self‐efficacy and attitudes towards infant feeding.
We address randomized methods for control and optimization based on generating points uniformly distributed in a set. For control systems this sets are either stability domain in the space of ...feedback controllers, or quadratic stability domain, or robust stability domain, or level set for a performance specification. By generating random points in the prescribed set one can optimize some additional performance index. To implement such approach we exploit two modern Monte Carlo schemes for generating points which are approximately uniformly distributed in a given convex set. Both methods use boundary oracle to find an intersection of a ray and the set. The first method is Hit-and-Run, the second is sometimes called Shake-and-Bake. We estimate the rate of convergence for such methods and demonstrate the link with the center of gravity method. Numerical simulation results look very promising.
The lack of plant nutrients is a major problem for agriculture. Because of their essential role in the most important metabolic processes of plants, their deficiency depresses photosynthesis and ...disrupts the efficient operation of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this study, we investigated the gas exchange of common beans bean under the N, P, K, Mg, and Fe deficiency. The experiment was set up as a hydroponic, fully aerated, floating system in 6 hydroponic tubs. Each hydroponic tub contained 10 plants and was filled with a modified Hoagland nutrient solution. One group of plants was grown in a complete nutrient solution (control), while the other treatments lacked one of the following nutrients: N, P, K, Mg and Fe. During the experiment, gas exchange parameters: net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) were measured. At the end of the experiment, the nutrient content of the plant tissue was determined. Nutrient deficiency significantly affected all measured photosynthetic parameters and visual symptoms indicated that a lack of different nutrients affected the photosynthetic machinery at different points. Potassium deficiency lower stomatal conductance and increased mesophyll resistance to CO2 diffusion and/or RubisCO activity. Nitrogen and Mg deficiency affected chlorophyll synthesis and accelerated leaf senescence. Phosphorus deficiency caused less damage to gas exchange parameters probably due to protective mechanisms of reduced leaf area. Seed Fe content was surplus to sustain photosynthetic machinery during the early developmental phase.
Potato (
L.) is vulnerable to high temperatures, which are expected to increase in frequency and duration due to climate change. Nondestructive phenotyping techniques represent a promising technology ...for helping the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. In this study, three potato cultivars (Agria, Bellarosa and Desiree) were grown under four temperature treatments: 20/15 °C (T1), 25/20 °C (T2), 30/25 °C (T3), and 35/30 °C (T4). Multispectral and chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, 3D multispectral scanning, and gas exchange analysis were used to study the effect of moderate heat stress on potato morphology and physiology and select phenotypic traits most responsive to increased temperatures. The most responsive morphological traits to increased temperatures are related to decreased leaf area, which were detected already at T2. Increased temperatures (already T2) also changed leaf spectral characteristics, indicated by increased red, green, and blue reflectance and decreased far-red reflectance and anthocyanin index (ARI). Regarding chlorophyll fluorescence, increasing temperatures (T2) caused an increase in minimal fluorescence of both dark-adapted (F
) and light-adapted (F
') plants. Stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate, instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE), and intrinsic water use efficiency increased from T1 to T3 and decreased again in T4. Using recursive partitioning analysis, the most responsive potato phenotypic traits to increased temperature were leaf area projected (LAP), ARI, F
, and WUE. These traits could be considered marker traits for further studying potato responses to increased temperatures.
The lack of plant nutrients is a major problem for agriculture. Because of their essential role in the most important metabolic processes of plants, their deficiency depresses photosynthesis and ...disrupts the efficient operation of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this study, we investigated the gas exchange of common beans bean under the N, P, K, Mg, and Fe deficiency. The experiment was set up as a hydroponic, fully aerated, floating system in 6 hydroponic tubs. Each hydroponic tub contained 10 plants and was filled with a modified Hoagland nutrient solution. One group of plants was grown in a complete nutrient solution (control), while the other treatments lacked one of the following nutrients: N, P, K, Mg and Fe. During the experiment, gas exchange parameters: net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g.sub.s) and intercellular CO.sub.2 concentration (C.sub.i) were measured. At the end of the experiment, the nutrient content of the plant tissue was determined. Nutrient deficiency significantly affected all measured photosynthetic parameters and visual symptoms indicated that a lack of different nutrients affected the photosynthetic machinery at different points. Potassium deficiency lower stomatal conductance and increased mesophyll resistance to CO.sub.2 diffusion and/or RubisCO activity. Nitrogen and Mg deficiency affected chlorophyll synthesis and accelerated leaf senescence. Phosphorus deficiency caused less damage to gas exchange parameters probably due to protective mechanisms of reduced leaf area. Seed Fe content was surplus to sustain photosynthetic machinery during the early developmental phase.
Common bean u uvjetima nedostatka hranjiva Javornik, Tomislav; Poljak, Milan; Carovic-Stanko, Klaudija ...
Journal of Central European agriculture,
03/2023, Letnik:
24, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The lack of plant nutrients is a major problem for agriculture. Because of their essential role in the most important metabolic processes of plants, their deficiency depresses photosynthesis and ...disrupts the efficient operation of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this study, we investigated the gas exchange of common beans bean under the N, P, K, Mg, and Fe deficiency. The experiment was set up as a hydroponic, fully aerated, floating system in 6 hydroponic tubs. Each hydroponic tub contained 10 plants and was filled with a modified Hoagland nutrient solution. One group of plants was grown in a complete nutrient solution (control), while the other treatments lacked one of the following nutrients: N, P, K, Mg and Fe. During the experiment, gas exchange parameters: net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g.sub.s) and intercellular CO.sub.2 concentration (C.sub.i) were measured. At the end of the experiment, the nutrient content of the plant tissue was determined. Nutrient deficiency significantly affected all measured photosynthetic parameters and visual symptoms indicated that a lack of different nutrients affected the photosynthetic machinery at different points. Potassium deficiency lower stomatal conductance and increased mesophyll resistance to CO.sub.2 diffusion and/or RubisCO activity. Nitrogen and Mg deficiency affected chlorophyll synthesis and accelerated leaf senescence. Phosphorus deficiency caused less damage to gas exchange parameters probably due to protective mechanisms of reduced leaf area. Seed Fe content was surplus to sustain photosynthetic machinery during the early developmental phase. Keywords: transpiration, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO.sub.2 concentration Nedostatak biljnih hranjiva je veliki problem za poljoprivredu. Zbog njihove bitne uloge u kljucnim metabolickim procesima biljaka, nedostatak hranjiva smanjuje fotosintezu i remeti ucinkoviti rad fotosintetskog sustava. U ovome radu smo mjerili izmjenu plinova kod graha u uvjetima nedostatka N, P, K, Mg i Fe. Pokus je bio postavljen kao hidropon, plutajuci sistem u 6 hidroponskih kada. Svaka hidroponska kada sadržavala je 10 biljaka, te je bila ispunjena modificiranom Hoaglandovom hranjivom otopinom. Jedna grupa biljaka je uzgajana u kompletnoj hranjivoj otopini (kontrola), dok je kod drugih tretmana nedostajalo neko odredeno hranjivo: N, P, K, Mg ili Fe. Tijekom pokusa mjereni su parametri izmjene plinova: stopa fotosinteze (A), stopa transpiracije (E), provodljivost puci za H.sub.2O (g.sub.s), te intercelularna koncentracija CO.sub.2 (C). Pri završetku pokusa odreden je sadržaj hranjiva u biljnome materijalu. Nedostatak hranjiva statisticki je znacajno utjecao na sve izmjerene fotosintetske parametre, a vizualni simptomi ukazuju da nedostatak razlicitih hranjiva razlicito utjece na fotosinetski sustav. Nedostatak K smanjuje provodljivost puci i povecava otpor mezofila za difuziju CO.sub.2 i/ili RubisCO aktivnost. Nedostatak N i Mg je utjecao na sintezu klorofila i ubrzavao starenje listova. Nedostatak P manje je naštetio parametrima izmjene plinova vjerojatno zbog zaštitnog mehanizma smanjene površine lista. Sadržaj Fe u sjemenu bio je dovoljan za održavanje fotosintetskog sustava tijekom rane faze razvoja. Kljucne rijeci: transpiracija, stopa fotosinteze, provodljivost puci, intercelularna koncentracija CO.sub.2
ABSTRACTWe present the first intraoperative detection of a hyperplastic parathyroid gland with a positron emitter F-fluorocholine and handheld probe, with the estimation of the absorbed dose to the ...surgeon and surgical staff. Intraoperative positron emitter detection enabled the resection of a small parathyroid gland, resulting in normal postoperative values of PTH and serum calcium in a 69-year-old woman. Calculated whole-body dose to the surgical staff and surgeons’ fingers is well below the annual limits for exposed workers and the general public. Intraoperative F-FCH detection with handheld probe is a safe and feasible method for localizing small parathyroid glands.
Natural silicate materials, including zeolite clinoptilolite, have been shown to exhibit diverse biological activities and have been used successfully as a vaccine adjuvant and for the treatment of ...diarrhea. We report a novel use of finely ground clinoptilolite as a potential adjuvant in anticancer therapy. Clinoptilolite treatment of mice and dogs suffering from a variety of tumor types led to improvement in the overall health status, prolongation of life-span, and decrease in tumors size. Local application of clinoptilolite to skin cancers of dogs effectively reduced tumor formation and growth. In addition, toxicology studies on mice and rats demonstrated that the treatment does not have negative effects. In vitro tissue culture studies showed that finely ground clinoptilolite inhibits protein kinase B (c-Akt), induces expression of p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1 tumor suppressor proteins, and blocks cell growth in several cancer cell lines. These data indicate that clinoptilolite treatment might affect cancer growth by attenuating survival signals and inducing tumor suppressor genes in treated cells.
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the application of mycorrhizal fungal inoculum on “Cabernet Sauvignon” (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf gas exchange, yield parameters, as well as grape ...berry composition, especially regarding phenolic compounds. The experiment was conducted over two years under natural vineyard conditions of the Zagreb wine-growing area, the continental region of Croatia. “Cabernet Sauvignon” grapevines were grafted on SO4 rootstock, both being commonly used in all wine production areas in Croatia. Results obtained demonstrated that symbiotic grapevines, in general, expressed improved leaf gas exchange parameters and higher yield parameters, especially regarding the number of clusters per vine. It should be emphasized that mycorrhizal fungi affected higher total flavan-3-ols, total anthocyanins, and total polyphenols in berry skin in both experimental years. Despite variation in some yield parameters, generally, it is possible to obtain higher yields together with the improved phenolic composition of grapes.
Potato is grown worldwide, in some cases in very acid soils. Aluminum (Al) is a major limiting factor for crop productivity in acid soils. Al toxicity was studied mainly on plant roots, while less ...attention was given to its effects on leaves. Al tolerance observed in solution cultures has rarely been correlated with Al tolerance in acid soils. Al tolerance was assessed in 12 potato cultivars grown in nutrient solutions containing 0, 25, and 50 μmol Al L
−1
by its relative root elongation (RRE). The effect of acid soil with high level of exchangeable Al on leaf mineral content, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO
2
concentration, water use efficiency (WUE), and light use efficiency (LUE) was studied on cultivars, with the greatest differences in RRE (cv. Tresor, 63.1 and 42.5% and cv. Canberra, 23.3 and 19.2%, for the 25 and 50 μmol Al L
−1
treatments, respectively), grown for 49 days after planting (DAP) in acid and limed soil. Growth in acid soil significantly reduced concentrations of nitrogen (−18.51%) and magnesium (−27.17%) in the leaves in cv. Canberra and concentrations of potassium and copper in both cultivars. Canberra grown in acid soil showed a significant decrease in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, from 28 to 49 DAP, and in transpiration rate and LUE when averaged across all measurements, while cv. Tresor was not affected. Physiological disorders observed on leaves of plants grown in acid soil can be correlated with the differences in Al tolerance observed in nutrient solutions.
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