This study was performed in Las Brisas Oilseed property located in the Municipality of Puerto Wilches, province of Santander, Colombia. It was evaluated a harvesting procedure that modifies the ...traditional procedure adding an implement called "pepero" placed on the plate of the palm below the cluster for let the fruit to fall in it after the cutting process. With this procedure, it was not necessary to clean thoroughly the plates, as the fruits were few to collect. Using these method at least two herbicide applications over the plate can decrease annually and for the same reason leaf residues dropped from the pruning would reach their decomposition process, promoting the palm root system growth, thereby, increasing the absorption of nutrients from the fertilizer. During the evaluation, the proposed method reduced 63% of the harvest efficiency, however it was noted that adjusting harvest cycles to avoid clusters of mature young palms and working performance could be improved. We presented very promising application with the hybrid GOX which is replacing current materials as palm, this has small growth and has the tendency to attach the fruits, even than overriped.
Nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) and NRT3 or nitrate-assimilation-related 2 (NAR2) proteins families form a two-component, high-affinity nitrate transport system, which is essential for the acquisition ...of nitrate from soils with low N availability. An extensive phylogenomic analysis across land plants for these families has not been performed. In this study, we performed a microsynteny and orthology analysis on the NRT2 and NRT3 genes families across 132 plants (
) to decipher their evolutionary history. We identified significant differences in the number of sequences per taxonomic group and different genomic contexts within the NRT2 family that might have contributed to N acquisition by the plants. We hypothesized that the greater losses of NRT2 sequences correlate with specialized ecological adaptations, such as aquatic, epiphytic, and carnivory lifestyles. We also detected expansion on the NRT2 family in specific lineages that could be a source of key innovations for colonizing contrasting niches in N availability. Microsyntenic analysis on NRT3 family showed a deep conservation on land plants, suggesting a high evolutionary constraint to preserve their function. Our study provides novel information that could be used as guide for functional characterization of these gene families across plant lineages.
Egg yolk low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and soybean lecithin were evaluated as replacements for egg yolk in extenders used for the cryopreservation of brown-bear spermatozoa. The motility, viability ...and acrosomal status of post-thawed spermatozoa were analysed, and an egg-yolk extender was used as a control. The total antioxidant capacity of these extenders was tested. Soybean lecithin showed an effect that was dependent on the soybean concentration (2%, 3.5% and 5%) and source (Type A: 24% l-α-phosphatidylcholine, and Type B: 14–23% l-α-phosphatidylcholine). Only semen cryopreserved with 5% Type A soybean exhibited a sperm motility similar to that of semen cryopreserved in egg-yolk-based extender after thawing, although the sperm viability and acrosome status were not as high. Semen frozen in an extender containing LDL (10–15%) exhibited improved sperm viability in comparison with the control, but sperm motility was lower. The LDL-based extender exhibited a higher anti-oxidant activity than the egg-yolk extender and soy lecithin-based extenders. The extenders with higher anti-oxidant activity showed improvements in frozen sperm viability but lower semen motility. These results indicate that soybean lecithin did not have the same protective effect as egg yolk during the freezing of brown-bear spermatozoa but suggest that LDL (10–15%) could be a useful substitute for egg yolk in these extenders.
The most relevant endpoint in therapeutic HIV vaccination is the assessment of time to viral rebound or duration of sustained control of low-level viremia upon cART treatment cessation. Structured ...treatment interruptions (STI) are however not without risk to the patient and reliable predictors of viral rebound/control after therapeutic HIV-1 vaccination are urgently needed to ensure patient safety and guide therapeutic vaccine development. Here, we integrated immunological and virological parameters together with viral rebound dynamics after STI in a phase I therapeutic vaccine trial of a polyvalent MVA-B vaccine candidate to define predictors of viral control. Clinical parameters, proviral DNA, host HLA genetics and measures of humoral and cellular immunity were evaluated. A sieve effect analysis was conducted comparing pre-treatment viral sequences to breakthrough viruses after STI. Our results show that a reduced proviral HIV-1 DNA at study entry was independently associated with two virological parameters, delayed HIV-1 RNA rebound (p = 0.029) and lower peak viremia after treatment cessation (p = 0.019). Reduced peak viremia was also positively correlated with a decreased number of HLA class I allele associated polymorphisms in Gag sequences in the rebounding virus population (p = 0.012). Our findings suggest that proviral DNA levels and the number of HLA-associated Gag polymorphisms may have an impact on the clinical outcome of STI. Incorporation of these parameters in future therapeutic vaccine trials may guide refined immunogen design and help conduct safer STI approaches.
In the municipality of Tibu, a process of strategic alliances was started for small- and medium-sized oil palm producers with the support of a private company, the International Agency for ...Development (USAID), and the national government, incentivizing the creation of small-producer associations. This project has performed well in the region, generating positive effects for the region's economy. However, it has been observed that, among the small producers, some have good productivity and others have low productivity. The plantations share the same vegetative material, Dami-Las Flores, which was planted in 2005 and now has 8 years of production. The survey was conducted in October of 2013 on each of the plantations. After conducting the survey and processing the information with an evaluation matrix at the technology level, it was determined that the general technology adoption level of these plantations was 72.6%. It is recommended that the plantations increase characterization studies of the soil, conduct topographical studies, suitably prepare the soil, and design drainage systems where they are needed based on the studies.
Over the last 5 years, therapies for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have improved significantly, achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) rates of up to 100% in clinical trials in patients ...with HCV genotype 1. We investigated the effectiveness and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir in an early access programme. This was a retrospective, multicentre, national study that included 291 treatment‐naïve and treatment‐experienced patients with genotype 1 or 4 HCV infection. Most patients (65.3%) were male, and the mean age was 57.5 years. The mean baseline viral load was 6.1 log, 69.8% had HCV 1b genotype, 72.9% had cirrhosis and 34.7% were treatment‐naïve. SVR at 12 weeks posttreatment was 96.2%. Four patients had virological failure (1.4%), one leading to discontinuation. There were no statistical differences in virological response according to genotype or liver fibrosis. Thirty patients experienced serious adverse events (SAEs) (10.3%), leading to discontinuation in six cases. Hepatic decompensation was observed in five patients. Four patients died during treatment or follow‐up, three of them directly related to liver failure. Multivariate analyses showed a decreased probability of achieving SVR associated with baseline albumin, bilirubin and Child‐Pugh score B, and a greater probability of developing SAEs related to age and albumin. This combined therapy was highly effective in clinical practice with an acceptable safety profile and low rates of treatment discontinuation.
Nariño is a significant producer of lulo in Colombia, with the producers of the region found in the northern part of the department. The principal problems for the producers are the low levels of ...productivity and profit, which have led to increasing abandonment of this crop, losses of manual labor, and a reduction in the standard of living. The general objective of the present study focused on the application of multivariate analysis in order to reveal the characteristics of the production system, such as the elements of decisions. The results of surveys, interviews, and direct observations of the production units were analyzed through principal component and grouping analyses, using the Ward distance criterion. The studied lots were between 1,788 m a.s.l. in the La Florida District of the municipality of Colón and 2,480 m a.s.l. in the Botanilla District of the municipality of Cartago. Yields were low, although the majority of the producers in Colón obtained yields over 7.0 kg/ plant with a shared production system. The plantlets used for the establishment of the crops are produced by the farmers, few in number, and rarely bought. Chemical fertilization and phytosanitation predominate, although, in San Lorenzo, only organic fertilizers are applied during sowing; microelements are not applied in any of the municipalities. The harvest is commercialized by agrobusinesses with prices fixed by the venders. The analysis of the economic variables showed that those producers with a high number of plants were more efficient and obtained a profit of 488.4%, higher than the general average which was 202.5%.
The process of freeing trade that has been occurring in the country since the late twentieth century has uncovered a number of weaknesses and threats facing our business organizations these days, in ...particular for small and medium enterprises (SME). The overall objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between the Commercial Management system and competitiveness of industrial and agroindustrial SMEs in Tundama, Colombia, in order to generate viable recommendations to give these business organizations competitive advantages; the methodology used was based on a descriptive non-experimental methodology design. Notably, the business organizations studied in this research have high transaction costs when accessing input markets and services, which constitute a major obstacle to advancing technology adoption.
Carica papaya
L. plantlets, normally exhibit low rooting capacity when cultured in vitro. It has been suggested in other species that auxin concentration at root tissues, is the result of a reflux ...system driven by auxin influx transporters (AIT; AUX1/LAX) and auxin efflux transporters (AET; PIN), that regulates the mechanism of initiation and development of lateral roots. Therefore, in the present paper, we studied the structure, phylogeny and the expression patterns of the whole family of AIT and AET in
C. papaya
, and their possible relation with the limited capacity to generate adventitious roots of in vitro cultured papaya plantlets. We found 4 AUX1/LAX genes (CpAUX1, CpLAX1, CpLAX2, CpLAX3) and 6 PIN genes (CpPIN1, CpPIN2, CpPIN3, CpPIN4, CpPIN5, CpPIN6) within the genome of
C. papaya
. The expression patterns and levels of those genes were studied in stem-base and root tissues from
C. papaya
cv. Maradol plants under four different treatments: (1) in vitro plantlets without IBA (that did not generate roots), (2) in vitro plantlets treated with 2 mg L
−1
IBA (that did generate roots), (3) de-rooted seedlings treated with the same concentration of IBA (that also generated adventitious roots), and (4) intact seedlings used as controls. Histological studies made on the stem base and root tissues from all treatments showed that the IBA-induced roots were histologically equivalent, to those naturally formed in intact seedlings. In vitro plantlets non-treated with IBA had low expression of all auxin transporters genes in stem-base tissues and they were unable to produce roots. On the contrary, in vitro plantlets treated with IBA experienced a marked increase in the expression of most auxin transporters genes, in particular of CpLAX3 and CpPIN2, and they were capable to produce roots. Those roots generated in the IBA-treated in vitro plantlets, showed expression levels and patterns of auxin transporter genes, equivalent to those shown in both, the IBA-treated de-rooted seedlings, and in the naturally formed roots from intact seedlings.
This research addresses the general objective of environmental issues, focusing on the Environmental Management System model that can be applied to small businesses in the dairy industry in the ...Industrial Corridor of Boyaca, for which the Environmental Management Model based on the NTC ISO 14000 Standard was created. This is a case study of 10 small dairy companies legally established in the study area. The research results are presented initially with a description of the context and specific means of dairy production activity in the Industrial Corridor of Boyaca; a situational diagnosis was performed for the dairy chain of the department, and likewise the study configured the profile and characterization of the administration and environment of these companies in the study area, using the information collected through a survey of the businesses as the input. With the information obtained in the diagnosis, the Environmental Management Model for these organizations was designed.
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