Evolution of factors affecting mechanical olive harvesting

Harvest efficiency is defined as the percentage of fruits harvested by total production. The percentage of fruits harvested is less than 100% when working with trunk shakers to detach olives. It is important to increase the percentage of fruits harvested in order to increase farmer’s income. This objective can be achieved knowing the evolution of the main factors affecting fruit detachment. Fruit removal force (FRF), fruit weight (P) and the ratio between them are important for harvest efficiency. Field trials took place for two years (2013-2014) in Vilariça Valley, northeast Portugal in an olive orchard with ‘Cobrançosa Transmontana’ cultivar. It was adopted a mechanical harvesting system based on a trunk shaker to detach fruits, and an inverted umbrella to collect fruits. Elementary operation times were measured in seconds to evaluate work rates. FRF and P were measured in the ripening period, to evaluate their evolution. In this paper are presented the preliminary results of the ratio FRF (fruit removal force)/fruit weight evolution during the ripening period (P) and the results of the equipment work rate (trees h-1). The ratio FRF/P has predominantly descendant values in the weeks before harvest, from 140 to 80 as a result of a FRF downward variation from 4.9 to 2.94 N and an upward variation of P from 0.0294 to 0.0637 N. The FRF/P ratio stabilizes the decline in the last week of November just before harvesting, registering in some cases a slight increase in consequence of FRF increase higher than P increase (contrary to the tendency of previous weeks). Equipment work rate showed values between 40 and 57 trees h-1, confirming previous results.

Characterization of patients undergoing noninvasive ventilation admitted in unit intermediate care

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is the application of a ventilatory support without resorting to invasive methods. Today it’s considered a credible therapeutic option, with enough scientiic evidence to support its application in various situations and clinical settings related to the treatment of acute respiratory disease, as well as chronic respiratory disease. Objectives: Characterize patients undergoing NIV admitted in Unit Intermediate Care (ICU) in the period from October 1st 2015 to June 30th 2016. Methods: Prospective study conducted in ICU between October 2015 and June 2016. In this study were included all patients hospitalized in this unit (ICU) and in that time period a sample of 57 participants was obtained. As data collection instruments we used a questionnaire for sociodemographic and clinical data and the Braden scale. Results: Participants were mostly male 38 (66.7%), the average age 69.5 ± 11.3 years, ranging between 43 and 92 years. They weighed on average 76.6 kg (52 and 150), with an average body mass index of 28.5 kg/m2 (20 to 58.5). With skin intact 28 (49.1%) with abnormal perfusion 12 (21.1%), with altered sensitivity 11 (19.3%) and a high risk of ulcer on the scale of Braden 37 (65%). The admission diagnosis was respiratory failure 33 (57.3%) and had different backgrounds. We used reused mask 53 (93.0%), the average time of NIV was 7.1 days (1-28), 4.8 days of hospitalization (1-18) and an average of 7.8 IPAP pressure. 11 (19.3%) of the participants developed face ulcer pressure.Conclusions: The NIV is used in patients with advanced age, obesity, respiratory failure and high risk of face ulcer development.