Characterization and multivariate classification of grapes and wines of two Cabernet Sauvignon clones

The objective of this work was to assess and characterize two clones, 169 and 685, of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and to evaluate the wine produced from these grapes. The experiment was carried out in São Joaquim, SC, Brazil, during the 2009 harvest season. During grape ripening, the evolution of physical-chemical properties, phenolic compounds, organic acids, and anthocyanins was evaluated. During grape harvest, yield components were determined for each clone. Individual and total phenolics, individual and total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were evaluated for wine. The clones were also assessed regarding the duration of their phenological cycle. During ripening, the evolution of phenolic compounds and of physical-chemical parameters was similar for both clones; however, during harvest, significant differences were observed regarding yield, number of bunches per plant and berries per bunch, leaf area, and organic acid, polyphenol, and anthocyanin content. The wines produced from these clones showed significant differences regarding chemical composition. The clones showed similar phenological cycle and responses to bioclimatic parameters. Principal component analysis shows that clone 685 is strongly correlated with color characteristics, mainly monomeric anthocyanins, while clone 169 is correlated with individual phenolic compounds.

Biological aspects of Harmonia axyridis in comparison with Cycloneda sanguinea and Hippodamia convergens

The objective of this work was to evaluate the development, survival, reproductive capacity, and longevity of the Asian ladybug Harmonia axyridis in comparison with Cycloneda sanguinea and Hippodamia convergens. Coccinellid larvae and adults were fed daily with Schizaphis graminum. Ten couples of each species were isolated for evaluation of the adult phase. The duration of the larval stage of H. axyridis is the longest (10.2 days) and its adults are the heaviest (29.7 mg) compared with C. sanguinea and H. convergens. The three species showed similar percentages of survival during the developmental stages. An average of 82% of C. sanguinea, H. axyridis, and H. convergens larvae reached adulthood, which indicates that temperature (25°C) and the offered prey are favorable to coccinellid development. Harmonia axyridis produces a higher total number of eggs per female (1,029.2) than the other evaluated species. However, H. axyridis, which lives for an average of 147.2 days, does not show a significantly greater longevity than C. sanguinea (87.2 days) and H. convergens (134.3 days).

Epidemiology of apple leaf spot

Apple leaf spot (ALS) caused by Colletotrichum spp. is a major disease of apple (Malus domestica) in Southern Brazil. The epidemiology of this disease was studied in experiments carried out in the counties of Passo Fundo and Vacaria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, from February 1998 to October 2000. The disease was found in all the six apple orchards sampled in the growing seasons of 1997/98 and 1998/99. The fungus isolates associated with ALS fit the characteristics of C. gloeosporioides (75%), C. acutatum (8%), and Colletotrichum sp. (17%). The pathogen overwintered in dormant buds and twigs but not in dropped leaves or fruit mummies. Two sprays of copper oxychloride (at 0.3%) reduced the fungus initial inoculum by 65-84.6% in buds and 85.6-93.7% in twigs, but had no effect on the early season progress of the disease. Disease severity increased proportionally to elevation of temperature from 14 to 26-28 °C. At 34 °C, however, infection was completely inhibited. The duration of leaf wetness required for infection ranged from two hours at 30 °C to 32 h at 16 °C. The relationship of temperature (T) and leaf wetness (W) to disease severity (Y) was represented by the model equation Y = 0.00145[((T-13)1.78)((34.01-T )1.09)] * 25/[1+14 exp(-0.137W)], R² = 0.73 and P < 0.0001. Currently, this information is being used to manage the disease and to validate a forecast system for ALS.

Development of a warning system for wheat blast caused by Pyricularia grisea

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) blast caused by Pyricularia grisea is a new disease in Brazil and no resistant cultivars are available. The interactions between temperature and wetness durations have been used in many early warning systems. Hence, growth chamber experiments to assess the effect of different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35ºC) and the duration of spike-wetness (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 hours) on the intensity of blast in cultivar BR23 were carried out. Each temperature formed an experiment and the duration of wetness the treatments. The highest blast intensity was observed at 30°C and increased as the duration of the wetting period increased while the lowest occurred at 25°C and 10 hours of spike wetness. Regardless of the temperature, no symptoms occurred when the wetting period was less than 10 hours but at 25°C and a 40 h wetting period blast intensity exceeded 85%. These variations in blast intensity as a function of temperature are explained by a generalized beta model and as a function of the duration of spike wetness by the Gompertz model. Disease intensity was modeled as a function of both temperature and the durations of spike wetness and the resulting equation provided a precise description of the response of P. grisea to temperatures and the durations of spike wetness. This model was used to construct tables that can be used to predict the intensity of P. grisea wheat blast based on the temperatures and the durations of wheat spike wetness obtained in the field.

Quantification of incubation, latent and infection periods of Phakopsora pachyrhizi in soybean, according to chronological time and degree-days

ABSTRACT In experiments conducted in a growth chamber, the chronological time and the accumulated degree-days were determined for the duration of incubation, latent and infectious periods of Phakopsora pachyrhizi cultivars BRSGO 7560 and BRS 246 RR. Detached soybean leaflets were placed in gerbox-type acrylic boxes and inoculated with 20 x 103 uredospores/mL. The study was conducted at 12-h photoperiod and temperatures of 10ºC, 15ºC, 22ºC, 25ºC and 30°C for 30 days. Lesions and uredia/cm2were evaluated and the number of uredia per lesion was quantified after the beginning of sporulation. The sporulation potential was also quantified for cultivars BRSGO 7560 and BRS 246 RR. The steps of the infection process can be quantified based on both the chronological time and the accumulated heat. The cultivar BRSGO 7560 produced 4,012.8 spores/cm2 and BRS 246 RR, 7,348.4 uredospores/cm2. The largest number of uredia was produced at 25ºC in both cultivars; however, BRS 246 RR presented 372.7 uredia/cm2 and BRSGO 7560, 231.6 uredia/cm2. At 10ºC and 30°C, leaf infection did not occur in both cultivars.

Impact of elevated temperature scenarios on potato leaf development

The objective of this study was to simulate the impact of elevated temperature scenarios on leaf development of potato in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Leaf appearance was estimated using a multiplicative model that has a non-linear temperature response function which calculates the daily leaf appearance rate (LAR, leaves day-1) and the accumulated number of leaves (LN) from crop emergence to the appearance of the upper last leaf. Leaf appearance was estimated during 100 years in the following scenarios: current climate, +1 °C, +2 °C, +3 °C, +4 °C e +5 °C. The LAR model was estimated with coefficients of the Asterix cultivar in five emergence dates and in two growing seasons (Fall and Spring). Variable of interest was the duration (days) of the crop emergence to the appearance of the final leaf number (EM-FLN) phase. Statistical analysis was performed assuming a three-factorial experiment, with main effects being climate scenarios, growing seasons, and emergence dates in a completely randomized design using years (one hundred) as replications. The results showed that warmer scenarios lead to an increase, in the fall, and a decrease, in the spring growing season, in the duration of the leaf appearance phase, indicating high vulnerability and complexity of the response of potato crop grown in a Subtropical environment to climate change.

Climate risk in maize crop in the northeastern of Brazil based on climate change scenarios

This study evaluates the impacts of climate change on the agricultural zoning of climatic risk in maize crop cultivated in the Northeastern of Brazil, based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. The water balance model, combined with geospatial technologies, was used to identify areas of the study region where the crops could suffer yield restrictions due to climate change. The data used in the study were the time series of rainfall with at least 30 years of daily data, crop coefficients, potential evapotranspiration and duration of the crop cycle. The scenarios of the increasing of air temperature used in the simulations were of 1.5ºC, 3ºC and 5ºC. The sowing date of maize crop from January to March appears to be less affected by warming scenarios than the sowing in November and December or April and May.

Methodology for spatialization of intense rainfall equation parameters

The aim of this study was to generate maps of intense rainfall equation parameters using interpolated maximum intense rainfall data. The study area comprised Espírito Santo State, Brazil. A total of 59 intense rainfall equations were used to interpolate maximum intense rainfall, with a 1 x 1 km spatial resolution. Maximum intense rainfall was interpolated considering recurrence of 2; 5; 10; 20; 50 and 100 years, and duration of 10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60; 120; 240; 360; 420; 660; 720; 900; 1,140; 1,380 and 1,440 minutes, resulting in 96 maps of maximum intense rainfall. The used interpolators were inverse distance weighting and ordinary kriging, for which significance level (p-value) and coefficient of determination (R²) were evaluated for the cross-validation data, choosing the method that presented better R² to generate maps. Finally, maps of maximum intense precipitation were used to estimate, cell by cell, the intense rainfall equation parameters. In comparison with literature data, the mean percentage error of estimated intense rainfall equations was 13.8%. Maps of spatialized parameters, obtained in this study, are of simple use; once they are georeferenced, they may be imported into any geographic information system to be used for a specific area of interest.

Fuzzy modeling of broiler performance, raised from 1 to 21 days, subject to heat stress

ABSTRACT Given the need to obtain systems to better control broiler production environment, we performed an experiment with broilers from 1 to 21 days, which were submitted to different intensities and air temperature durations in conditioned wind tunnels and the results were used for validation of afuzzy model. The model was developed using as input variables: duration of heat stress (days), dry bulb air temperature (°C) and as output variable: feed intake (g) weight gain (g) and feed conversion (g.g-1). The inference method used was Mamdani, 20 rules have been prepared and the defuzzification technique used was the Center of Gravity. A satisfactory efficiency in determining productive responses is evidenced in the results obtained in the model simulation, when compared with the experimental data, where R2 values ​​calculated for feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were 0.998, 0.981 and 0.980, respectively.

The cost of excessive postoperative use of antimicrobials: the context of a public hospital

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the improper use of antimicrobials during the postoperative period and its economic impact.METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study by collecting data from medical records of 237 patients operated on between 01/11/08 and 31/12/08.RESULTS: from the 237 patients with the information collected, 217 (91.56%) received antimicrobials. During the postoperative period, 125 (57.7%) patients received more than two antimicrobials. On average, 1.7 ± 0.6 antimicrobials were prescribed to patients, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic being cephalothin, in 41.5% (154) of cases. The direct cost of antimicrobial therapy accounted for 63.78% of all drug therapy, this large percentage being attributed in part to the extended antimicrobial prophylaxis. In the case of clean operations, where there was a mean duration of 5.2 days of antibiotics, antimicrobials represented 44.3% of the total therapy cost.CONCLUSION: The data illustrate the impact of overuse of antimicrobials, with questionable indications, creating situations that compromise patient safety and increasing costs in the assessed hospital.

Implementation of a perioperative management protocol for patients undergoing orthopedic surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the initial results after the implementation of perioperative protocol in patients over 60 years of age undergoing surgical treatment for femur fractures.METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of patients older than 60 years who were hospitalized with femur fracture. They were operated under spinal anesthesia and analgesia by lumbar plexus blockade. Data evaluation was performed before arrival in the operating room during surgery, in the post-anesthesia recovery room and in the ward the next morning of the operation.RESULTS: 105 patients underwent various types of surgical corrections of the femur. The hospital stay ranged from three to 86 days. Fasting ranged from 9h15min to 19h30mn. Hypotension occurred in 5.7%. The duration of motor blockade ranged from 1h45min to 5h30imn. Maltodextrin feeding ranged from 50min to 3h45min and the time spent in the post-anesthetic care unit ranged from 50 minutes to 4 hours. Onset of oral intake in the ward ranged from 4hto 8h15min. The duration of anesthesia ranged from 14 to 33 hours. No patient required a urinary catheter, nor was transferred to the ICU. All patients were able to be discharged on the first postoperative day.CONCLUSION: The use of a protocol to accelerate the postoperative period may reduce the fasting time, length of hospital stay and provide faster i discharge n elderly patients with femur fractures.

Effects of laparoscopy on the cardiorespiratory system of brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) anesthetized with ketamine/ xylazine/ midazolam combination and isoflurane

Laparoscopy is not widely used as a tool to perform assisted reproduction techniques in South American cervids; thus, scarce information in literature is available regarding its effects and appropriate anesthetic protocols to perform it. This study evaluated the effect of laparoscopy on heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), saturation of oxyhemoglobin (SpO2) and rectal temperature (RT) of six female brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) anesthetized with ketamine (5mg/kg), xylazine (0.3mg/kg), midazolam (0.5mg/kg) combination i.v. and isoflurane. Twelve laparoscopies were performed and each animal was used twice with a 40-day interval. After anesthetized, the animals were placed in dorsal recumbency to perform laparoscopy procedure using abdominal CO2 insufflations (14.2 ± 2.39mmHg; M ± SE). The main events of the laparoscopy procedure were divided into three periods: animal without (P1) and with abdominal insufflation (P2) and abdominal insufflation with the hips raised at 45º (P3). As a control, the animals were anesthetized again 40 days after the last laparoscopy, and were maintained in a dorsal recumbency for the same average duration of the previous anesthesia and no laparoscopy procedure was conducted. The period of anesthesia for the controls was also divided into P1, P2, and P3 considering the average duration of these periods in previous laparoscopies performed. Data were analyzed through the (ANOVA) variance analysis followed by Tukey test and values at P<0.05 were considered significant. No significant differences were observed in the parameters evaluated at P1, P2 and P3 between the animals submitted to laparoscopy and control. However, the RR mean between P1 (38.8 ± 4.42) and P3 (32.7 ± 4.81); and the RT mean between the P1 (38.2ºC ± 0.17), P2 (37.6ºC ± 0.19) and P3 (37.0ºC ± 0.21) varied significantly, independent of the laparoscopy. These data indicated that laparoscopy didn't cause any significant alterations in the cardiorespiratory parameters evaluated, even though the anesthetic protocol used can cause a reduction in the RT contributing to development of hypothermia during anesthesia.

Genital immunization of heifers with a glycoprotein Edeleted, recombinant bovine herpesvirus 1 strain confers protection upon challenge with a virulent isolate

Venereal infection of seronegative heifers and cows with bovine herpesvirus type 1.2 (BoHV-1.2) frequently results in vulvovaginitis and transient infertility. Parenteral immunization with inactivated or modified live BoHV-1 vaccines often fails in conferring protection upon genital challenge. We herein report an evaluation of the immune response and protection conferred by genital vaccination of heifers with a glycoprotein E-deleted recombinant virus (SV265gE-). A group of six seronegative heifers was vaccinated with SV265gE- (0,2mL containing 10(6.9)TCID50) in the vulva submucosa (group IV); four heifers were vaccinated intramuscularly (group IM, 1mL containing 10(7.6)TCID50) and four heifers remained as non-vaccinated controls. Heifers vaccinated IV developed mild, transient local edema and hyperemia and shed low amounts of virus for a few days after vaccination, yet a sentinel heifer maintained in close contact did not seroconvert. Attempts to reactivate the vaccine virus in two IV vaccinated heifers by intravenous administration of dexamethasone (0.5mg/kg) at day 70 pv failed since no virus shedding, recrudescence of genital signs or seroconversion were observed. At day 70 pv, all vaccinated and control heifers were challenged by genital inoculation of a highly virulent BoHV-1.2 isolate (SV56/90, 10(7.1)TCID50/animal). After challenge, virus shedding was detected in genital secretions of control animals for 8.2 days (8-9); in the IM group for 6.2 days (4-8 days) and during 5.2 days (5-6 days) in the IV group. Control non-vaccinated heifers developed moderate (2/4) or severe (2/4) vulvovaginitis lasting 9 to 13 days (x: 10.7 days). The disease was characterized by vulvar edema, vulvo-vestibular congestion, vesicles progressing to coalescence and erosions, fibrino-necrotic plaques and fibrinopurulent exudate. IM vaccinated heifers developed mild (1/3) or moderate (3/4) genital lesions, lasting 10 to 12 days (x: 10.7 days); and IV vaccinated heifers developed mild and transient vulvovaginitis (3/4) or mild to moderate genital lesions (1/4). In the IV group, the clinical signs lasted 4 to 8 days (x: 5.5 days). Clinical examination of the animals after challenge revealed that vaccination by both routes conferred some degree of protection, yet IV vaccination was clearly more effective in reducing the severity and duration of clinical disease. Furthermore, IV vaccination reduced the period of virus shedding in comparison with both groups. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SV265gE- is sufficiently attenuated upon IV vaccination in a low-titer dosis, is not readily reactivated after corticosteroid treatment and lastly, and more importantly, confers local protection upon challenge with a high titer of a virulent heterologous BoHV-1 isolate. Therefore, the use of this recombinant for genital immunization may be considered for prevention of BoHV-1-associated genital disease in the field.

Assessing the Competitive Ability of Rhynchosia capitata; an Emerging Summer Weed in Asia

Rhynchosia capitata is a newly emerging threatening weed of summer crops in many Asian countries. We conducted 2-yr experiments to evaluate R. capitata competition with mungbean under irrigated conditions. Rhynchosia capitata was allowed to compete with mungbean for 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 weeks after planting and for full crop season. The competitive ability of R. capitata was assessed by measuring its dry weight, micro and macro nutrient contents and uptake; and its effects on mungbean growth and yield parameters. The results showed that full season weed competition produced highest dry weight of R. capitata and its macro and micronutrient contents and uptake. Yield and yield components of mungbean decreased in a linear fashion with increase in competition period of Rhynchosia capitata. Full season competition of R. capitata reduced the seed yield of mungbean by 49% and 46% during 2011 and 2012 respectively. In conclusion, damaging effect of R. capitata intrusion on mungbean yield is associated with duration of its presence in crop, accumulation of dry matter and the nutrient uptake by R. capitata, which otherwise should be available to crop.

Influence of first morning urine volume, fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin on first morning urinary albumin concentration

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of first morning urinary volume (collected on three different non-consecutive days), fasting blood glucose (determined on the first and third days of urine collection), and glycosylated hemoglobin (determined on the first and third days of urine collection) on the albumin concentration in first morning urine samples collected on three different days. We found 3.6% asymptomatic bacteriuria in the urine samples; therefore, every urine sample must be tested to exclude infection. One hundred and fifty urine samples were provided by 50 IDDM patients aged 21.9 ± 7 (12-38) years with a disease duration of 6.8 ± 5.8 (0.4-31) years attending the Diabetes Clinic at the State University Hospital of Rio de Janeiro. There were no differences in albumin concentration (6.1 vs 5.8 vs 6.2 µg/ml; P = NS) or urinary volume (222.5 vs 210 vs 200 ml) between the three samples. In addition, there were no differences in fasting blood glucose (181.9 ± 93.6 vs 194.6 ± 104.7 mg%; P = NS) or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1)(8.4 ± 1.3 vs 8.8 ± 1.5%; P = NS) between the first and third blood samples. Six patients (group 1) had a mean urinary albumin concentration of more than 20 µg/ml for the three urine samples. This group was compared with the 44 patients (group 2) with a mean urinary albumin concentration for the three urine samples of less than 20 µg/ml. No difference was found between groups 1 and 2 in relation to fasting blood glucose (207.1 ± 71.7 vs 187.6 ± 84.6 mg/dl), HbA1 (8.1 ± 0.9 vs 8.6 ± 1.1%) or urinary volume [202 (48.3-435) vs 246 (77.3-683.3) ml]. Stepwise multiple regression analysis with albumin concentration of first morning urine samples as the dependent variable, and urinary volume, fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin as independent variables, showed that only 12% (P = 0.01) of the albumin concentration could be accounted for by the independent effect of morning urine volume on the first day of urine collection. No urine samples showed a change in the cutoff level of 20 µg/ml of albumin concentration as the result of volume. Fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin did not influence the urinary albumin concentration. Considerable variability in urinary albumin concentration was found in the three morning urine samples with a mean intraindividual coefficient variation of 56%. In conclusion, in the present study, urinary volume had a minimal, though not constant, effect on first morning urinary albumin concentration. Day-to-day metabolic and clinical control of IDDM patients, except probably for ketoacidosis, should not contraindicate microalbuminuria screening in first morning urine samples