Clinical features for diagnosis of pneumonia in children younger than 5 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is the biggest cause of deaths in young children in developing countries, but early diagnosis and intervention can effectively reduce mortality. We aimed to assess the diagnostic value of clinical signs and symptoms to identify radiological pneumonia in children younger than 5 years and to review the accuracy of WHO criteria for diagnosis of clinical pneumonia. METHODS: We searched Medline (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and reference lists of relevant studies, without date restrictions, to identify articles assessing clinical predictors of radiological pneumonia in children. Selection was based on: design (diagnostic accuracy studies), target disease (pneumonia), participants (children aged <5 years), setting (ambulatory or hospital care), index test (clinical features), and reference standard (chest radiography). Quality assessment was based on the 2011 Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) criteria. For each index test, we calculated sensitivity and specificity and, when the tests were assessed in four or more studies, calculated pooled estimates with use of bivariate model and hierarchical summary receiver operation characteristics plots for meta-analysis. FINDINGS: We included 18 articles in our analysis. WHO-approved signs age-related fast breathing (six studies; pooled sensitivity 0·62, 95% CI 0·26-0·89; specificity 0·59, 0·29-0·84) and lower chest wall indrawing (four studies; 0·48, 0·16-0·82; 0·72, 0·47-0·89) showed poor diagnostic performance in the meta-analysis. Features with the highest pooled positive likelihood ratios were respiratory rate higher than 50 breaths per min (1·90, 1·45-2·48), grunting (1·78, 1·10-2·88), chest indrawing (1·76, 0·86-3·58), and nasal flaring (1·75, 1·20-2·56). Features with the lowest pooled negative likelihood ratio were cough (0·30, 0·09-0·96), history of fever (0·53, 0·41-0·69), and respiratory rate higher than 40 breaths per min (0·43, 0·23-0·83). INTERPRETATION: Not one clinical feature was sufficient to diagnose pneumonia definitively. Combination of clinical features in a decision tree might improve diagnostic performance, but the addition of new point-of-care tests for diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia would help to attain an acceptable level of accuracy. FUNDING: Swiss National Science Foundation.

Post-market environmental monitoring of Bt maize in Spain: Non-target effects of varieties derived from the event MON810 on predatory fauna

The Spanish Government has established post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) as mandatory for genetically modified (GM) crop varieties cultivated in Spain. In order to comply with this regulation, effects of Bt maize varieties derived from the event MON810 on the predatory fauna were monitored for two years in northeast and central Spain. The study was carried out with a randomized block design in maize fields of 3-4 ha on which the abundance of plant-dwelling predators and the activity-density of soil-dwelling predators in Bt vs. non-Bt near-isogenic varieties were compared. To this end, the plots were sampled by visual inspection of a certain number of plants and pitfall traps 6 or 7 times throughout two seasons. No significant differences in predator densities on plants were found between Bt and non-Bt varieties. In the pitfall traps, significant differences between the two types of maize were found only in Staphylinidae, in which trap catches in non-Bt maize were higher than in Bt maize in central Spain. Based on the statistical power of the assays, surrogate arthropods for PMEM purposes are proposed; Orius spp. and Araneae for visual sampling and Carabidae, Araneae, and Staphylinidae for pitfall trapping. The other predator groups recorded in the study, Nabis sp. and Coccinellidae in visual sampling and Dermaptera in pitfall trapping, gave very poor power results. To help to establish a standardized protocol for PMEM of genetically modified crops, the effect-detecting capacity with a power of 0.8 of each predator group is given.

Production costs and fruit yield profitability in the initial harvest of custard apple trees

The aim of this study was to estimate the production cost and economic indicators associated with the production and sales of fruits from 20 custard apple progenies during the initial five harvests, in order to identify the harvest season from which custard apple exploitation becomes profitable, as well as the most promising progenies from an economic point of view. The fruit yield data upon which the present work was based were obtained during the period from 2001 to 2005, in an experiment that evaluated 20 custard apple half-sibling progenies, under sprinkler irrigation. The progenies were evaluated in a random block design with five replicates and plots consisting of four plants each. The exploitation of custard apple progenies only showed to be a profitable agribusiness after the fourth year. Before that, only A3 and A4 progenies in the second year, and P3 and P11 in the third year provided profitable incomes. Considering the methodological assumptions imposed concerning the time period analysis and the prices as of July 2007, the most important profitability indicators (operating profit, return index and equilibrium price) evidenced that the A4 progeny is the most recommended, although other progenies are also highlighted, such as FJ1 and FJ2. As already discussed, the progenies showing the highest average yields of five harvests are not always the most economically recommendable ones.

Características físico-químicas de physalis em diferentes colorações do cálice e sistemas de condução

Uma espécie que está sendo incorporada no cultivo de pequenas frutas é a physalis. Esta Solanaceae é considerada uma planta rústica que tem dificuldade de manter suas hastes eretas, seus frutos estão dentro de um cálice que os protege contra insetos, pássaros e condições adversas. o objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar as características físico-químicas dos frutos de Physalis peruviana em função das diferentes colorações de cálice e dos sistemas de condução utilizados. A colheita dos frutos foi realizada levando em consideração cinco diferentes classificações quanto à coloração de cálice: 1 (verde); 2 (verde-amarelada); 3 (amarelo-esverdeada); 4 (amarela), e 5 (amarelo-amarronzada), provenientes dos sistemas de condução "v" invertido e triangular. o delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com esquema fatorial 5x2 (colorações do cálice x sistemas de condução). A unidade experimental foi composta de dez frutos, sendo cada tratamento repetido três vezes. os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância (ANOVA), aplicando o teste de Tukey, ao nível de 5% de probabilidade de erro, para comparação das médias. As variáveis avaliadas foram: massa fresca do fruto, do cálice e total, diâmetro, firmeza, coloração da epiderme, sólidos solúveis totais (SST), acidez total titulável (ATT), razão SST/ATT e pH. o sistema de condução triangular, combinado às colorações de fruto amarela e amarelo-amarronzada resultou, respectivamente, em frutos com maior conteúdo de SST e razão SST/ATT. os maiores valores para massa e diâmetro de fruto foram alcançados quando os cálices se apresentavam amarelo-amarronzados, enquanto a maior massa total foi atingida quando os cálices tinham coloração amarela. Já para a massa do cálice, as maiores respostas foram obtidas nos de coloração verde. Conclui-se que physalis colhidos a partir da terceira fase (3) (cálice amarelo-esverdeado) apresentam o melhor conjunto de características físico-químicas, em ambos os sistemas de condução avaliados.

Soil nutrient availability and its impact on fruit quality of Tahiti acid lime

The Tahiti acid lime in Brazil is mostly grown in the São Paulo State. The value of this crop production ranks among the ten most important fruits in the country. The Brazilian exports of Tahiti limes have increased in the last years with a corresponding increased demand for superior quality of fresh fruits, which is affected by mineral nutrients. Therefore, this study evaluated nutrient soil availability and its influence on nutritional status of trees based on the determination of leaf and fruit nutrient concentrations, fruit characteristics, and post harvest quality. Eleven commercial groves with trees older than 4-yr and differently managed were studied. Plots with six trees in each grove were sampled for soil (0-20 cm depth layer), leaf and fruit analyses with three replicates. Correlation coefficients were pair wised established for all variables. The results showed that N leaf concentration was well correlated with green color of fruit peel as measured by a color index (r = -0.71**), and which was optimum with Leaf-N around 22 g kg-1. Leaf-Ca was inversely correlated with fruit water loss after 14-day interval from harvest (r = -0.54*) demonstrating that Ca plays an important role in Tahiti fruit shelf-life. Data also suggested that increased fruit K concentration correlated with increased fruit water losses during storage (r >0.58*).

Tree cover at fine and coarse spatial grains interacts with shade tolerance to shape plant species distributions across the Alps

The role of competition for light among plants has long been recognized at local scales, but its potential importance for plant species' distribution at larger spatial scales has largely been ignored. Tree cover acts as a modulator of local abiotic conditions, notably by reducing light availability below the canopy and thus the performance of species that are not adapted to low-light conditions. However, this local effect may propagate to coarser spatial grains. Using 6,935 vegetation plots located across the European Alps, we fit Generalized Linear Models (GLM) for the distribution of 960 herbs and shrubs species to assess the effect of tree cover at both plot and landscape grain sizes (~ 10-m and 1-km, respectively). We ran four models with different combinations of variables (climate, soil and tree cover) for each species at both spatial grains. We used partial regressions to evaluate the independent effects of plot- and landscape-scale tree cover on plant communities. Finally, the effects on species' elevational range limits were assessed by simulating a removal experiment comparing the species' distribution under high and low tree cover. Accounting for tree cover improved model performance, with shade-tolerant species increasing their probability of presence at high tree cover whereas shade-intolerant species showed the opposite pattern. The tree cover effect occurred consistently at both plot and landscape spatial grains, albeit strongest at the former. Importantly, tree cover at the two grain sizes had partially independent effects on plot-scale plant communities, suggesting that the effects may be transmitted to coarser grains through meta-community dynamics. At high tree cover, shade-intolerant species exhibited elevational range contractions, especially at their upper limit, whereas shade-tolerant species showed elevational range expansions at both limits. Our findings suggest that the range shifts for herb and shrub species may be modulated by tree cover dynamics.

Gas exchanges in peach palms as a function of the spad chlorophyll meter readings

The close relationship between the chlorophyll-meters readings and the total chlorophyll and nitrogen contents in leaves, has allowed their evaluation both in annual and perennial species. Besides, some physiological events such as the CO2 assimilation have also been estimated by chlorophyll meters. This work was carried out aiming to evaluate the gas exchanges of peach palms as a function of the chlorophyll SPAD-Meter readings. Three year-old peach palms from Yurimaguas, Peru were studied in Ubatuba, SP, Brazil, spaced 2 x 1 m in area under a natural gradient of organic matter which allowed four plots to be considered, according to the peach palms leaves colors, from light yellow to dark green. The SPAD readings and the stomatal frequency of leaflets were evaluated. The photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD, μmol m-2 s-1), the leaf temperature (Tleaf, ºC), the CO2 assimilation (A, μmol m-2 s-1), the stomatal conductance (g s, mol m-2 s-1), the transpiration (E, mmol m-2 s-1) and the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci, μmol mol-1) were evaluated with a portable infrared gas analyzer (LCA-4, ADC BioScientific Ltd., Great Amwell, U.K.). A linear increase in the CO2 assimilation as a function of the SPAD readings (y = -0.34 + 0.19x, R² = 0.99), indicates that they can be a rapid and cheap complementary method to evaluate in peach palms some important physiological events, such as CO2 assimilation.

Leaf nutritional levels in peach and nectarine grown in subtropical climate

The study evaluated the leaf nutritional levels of peach and nectarine trees under subtropical climate in order to improve the fertilization practices. The experiment was carried out in São Paulo state University, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of subdivided plots, in which plots corresponded to cultivars and subplots to the leaf sample periods. The evaluated peach cultivars were: Marli, Turmalina, Precocinho, Jubileu, Cascata 968, Cascata 848, CP 951C, CP 9553CYN, and Tropic Beauty, and that of nectarine was 'Sun Blaze'. The sample periods were: after harvest, plants in vegetative period; dormancy; beginning of flowering and fruiting (standard sample). Results indicated significant variations in the levels of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn for the sampling period and in N, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe and Mn levels for the cultivars.

Assessing changes in Cd phytoavailability to tomato in amended calcareous soils.

A plot study was conducted to assess changes in Cd phytoavailability to a tomato cultivar in an agricultural soil in Southeastern Spain amended in two different ways (A and B), under controlled conditions. The experimental soil corresponded to a fine-loamy carbonatic thermic Calcidic Haploxeroll (Soil Survey Staff, 1998). A) Soil was amended with a single application of sewage sludge from a municipal source that had a total Cd concentration of 0.5 mg kg-1 at a rate that represented a final average concentration in the mixture of soil and sludge of less than 50 µg Cd kg-1. B) The amendment consisted of the addition of a mineral fertiliser with the same amount of NPK as in the sewage sludge application. The final levels of Cd were supposed to be negligible. A plot series without amendments was also performed (C). DTPA plus triethanolamine, and ammonium acetate extractable fractions in soils were analysed for all the plots. The time-dependent Cd accumulation in different parts of the tomato plants was studied by means of a Cd salt treatment. For each block (A, B, and C) four levels of Cd (0, 3, 30, 100 mg kg-1) were added as CdCl2. There was a significant increase in plant Cd after the initial cropping. Tomato stems, leaves and fruits were analysed separately for Cd determination. Differential Cd distribution and accumulation in tomato parts was detected.

Strawberry yield submitted to different root pruning intensities of transplants

This study aimed to evaluate the growth of plants and the precocity of strawberry production under different root pruning intensities at planting time. Bare roots plants with 12 millimeters crown diameter produced in nurseries from the Patagonia region, Argentina were used. The planting was carried out on May 12th 2010 into experimental plots with non-fumigated soil. The treatments consisted of three cultivars (Camarosa, Florida Festival and Camino Real) and three pruning intensities (1/3, 2/3 and no pruning) on the total root length of the plants. The experimental design used was a randomized block design in a 3x3 factorial arrangement with three replications and 12 plants per plot and density of 11.1 plants m-2. Mature fruits were harvested from July 15th to December 14th 2010 and the production of fresh fruit was determined. There was no significative interaction between cultivars and pruning intensity. 'Camarosa' and 'Florida Festival' plants showed precocity and had the most abundant and heavier fruits during the precocity period. The different root pruning intensities did not affect the assessed variables. It was concluded that, in order to facilitate strawberry planting of the cultivars Camarosa, Florida Festival and Camino Real root pruning is possible, with no damages on plant growth and development, precocity and early fruit production.

Development of Servo Hydraulics of Veneer Lathe

Diplomityö tehtiin kansainväliseen, mekaanisen puunjalostusteollisuuden koneita, tuotantojärjestelmiä ja tehtaita toimittavaan yritykseen. Diplomityön tarkoituksena oli kartoittaa syitä viilusorvin teräpenkin asemoinnissa esiintyneisiin värähtelyongelmiin ja tutkia ratkaisuja niiden voittamiseksi, sekä sorvausvoimien määrittäminen. Diplomityön teoreettisessa osassa tutustuttiin viilusorvin, erityisesti sen hydraulisten servojärjestelmien rakenteeseen ja toimintaan sekä viilunsorvaukseen. Teräpenkin syötön servojärjestelmää tutkittiin teoreettisesti johtamalla suljetun piirin siirtofunktiot “asema/käsky” ja “virhe/voima” ja tulostamalla niiden taajuusvaste-kuvaajat, joista tutkittiin parametrien vaikutuksia järjestelmän toimintaan. Tulokset vahvistettiin simuloimalla. Todettiin nykyisen järjestelmän värähtelyongelmien johtuvan pääasiassa hydrauliöljyn joustosta sylinterissä. Parannuksina ehdotettiin suurempaa sylinterin halkaisijaa ja viskoosikitkakertoimen suurentamista. Diplomityön kokeellisessa osassa mitattiin viilusorvin servojärjestelmien toimilaitteissa esiintyviä voimia ja niiden perusteella laskettiin varsinaiset sorvausvoimat. Lisäksi tutkittiin teräpenkin syötön ja muiden servojärjestelmien asemointitarkkuutta sorvauksen aikana. Mittauksia varten diplomityössä suunniteltiin ja hankittiin kannettava mittausjärjestelmä.

Venäjän ruoan vähittäiskauppasektorin rakenne ja kehitys suomalaisen elintarviketeollisuuden näkökulmasta

This research paper focuses on the Russian food retail sector and its structure and development. At the moment it is one of the fastest growing markets today. The growth originates from high oil price, which has been accumulated to people’s wages. But even though the income increases, the share of food of all retail trade has been fairly stable. Thus, the consumption is shifting to products with more quality and value. The share of modern retail outlets is low, as the Russian retail sector is still very dispersed to traditional retail outlets such as kiosks, open markets and small grocery stores. The store chains are, however, becoming more and more significant. The biggest market for retailers is Moscow but nowadays the chains are expanding rapidly into the other regions. Even though the markets have not been saturated in Moscow, the best prospects for growth are in the regions. The most important factor restricting the growth in Moscow is the availability of real estate and land plots for stores. The market is moving forward to saturation, and a consolidation process will follow. This process has already started but not many acquisitions have been made so far. To this point the domestic chains have settled to form alliances. The chains are trying to enhance their power in price negotiations by forming purchasing alliances, introducing private label goods and using the regional expansion as a striking weapon. In order to follow the growing chains to other regions the producer must sell its products to the chains at favorable terms. Suppliers are strong in negotiations when they have a functioning distribution network, ability to JIT-deliveries, proper documentation policies, a strong brand, reliability in deliveries and a fair price. The size of the entry ticket, i.e. the listing fee may define the shelf space a producer gets in the stores.

Mating disruption with low density diffusers for the management of oriental fruit moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple orchards under subtropical climate in southern Brazil

The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta Busck, and fruit flies, Anastrepha fraterculus L., are the important apple pests under Subtropical climate in Southern Brazil, and control is normally accomplished with insecticides. An alternative strategy for the control of G. molesta is mating disruption, through the use of pheromones. Mating disruption strategies using a low density of dispensers (20) per hectare were tested in comparison with conventional pesticides for control of G. molesta in commercial Gala apple orchards in Fraiburgo, SC, for a period of five years. The average field efficiency period of mating disruption formulation over five years was 113 days. In this period the mating interruption index on mating disruption plots was 84.8% over five years. Damage to Gala apples by oriental moth larvae was low (<0.1%) in mating disruption plots but did not differ from conventional plots, except in the third year. The use of mating disruption allowed for an average reduction of 5.2 insecticide treatments per year in Gala orchards during field efficiency period. It was necessary to apply 1.0 and 1.2 applications of insecticide to control of G. molesta and A. fraterculus, respectively. Mating disruption with a low density of diffusers proved to be an effective alternative to conventional methods for control of G. molesta in Gala apple orchards in subtropical climate in southern Brazil.

Hakkuriteholähteen säädön suunnittelu

Diplomityö on tehty osana ETX-tutkimushanketta: 'Volyymiteholähteen suunnittelumetodien kehitys ja optimointi DFM-viitekehyksessä'. Työssä suunnitellaan hakkuriteholähteelle säätäjä. Tähän suunnittelun sektoriin syventyminen on teollisuudessa jäänyt monesti vähälle. Säätö on tavallisesti ajan puutteen ja apuvälineiden käytön osaamattomuuden tai puuttumisen takia suunniteltu kokeilemalla. Työssä muodostetaan jännitemuotoisesti säädetylle hakkurille piensignaalimallilla linearisoidut siirtofunktiot, joiden perusteella voidaan tarkastella hakkurin stabiilisuutta takaisinkytketyssä säätösilmukassa. Stabiiliustarkastelu tehdään taajuustasossa käyttäen Bode-kuvaajia. Näiden kuvaajien perusteella viritetään järjestelmään säätäjä. Säätäjän toimintaa aikatasossa tarkastellaan simuloimalla ja reaalisen laitteen toimimista laboratorioprototyypin avulla. Tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että jännitemuotoisella säädöllä flyback-hakkuri saadaan nopeaksi epäjatkuvalla käämivirralla. Mikäli halutaan hakkurin toimivan jatkuvalla käämivirralla, on syytä käyttää muita säätömenetelmiä, esimerkiksi huippuvirtasäätöä.

Prova de camp específica de valoració de la resistència en tennis: resposta cardíaca i efectivitat tècnica en jugadors de competició

Malgrat que la resistència específica del jugador té una influència directa sobre el rendiment en el tennis, un esport intermitent de llarga durada, les proves utilitzades per valorar-la no solen incloure tasques motrius properes a situacions de joc reals i poden ser considerades de baixa especificitat. L’objectiu d’aquest estudi és desenvolupar una prova de camp de valoració de la resistència específica en tennis (Specific Endurance Tennis Test, SET-Test), analitzant el comportament de la freqüència cardíaca (FC) i de paràmetres d’efectivitat tècnica (ET), per tal d’esbrinar una possible relació entre ambdós paràmetres i d’aquests amb el rendiment esportiu en jugadors de competició. Van participar set tennistes masculins, als quals els va ser administrada una prova triangular, progressiva, contínua i d’intensitat màxima conduïda per una màquina llançapilotes, durant la qual es va registrar la FC i, al mateix temps, paràmetres objectius d’ET (precisió i potència) mitjançant el càlcul de percentatge d’encerts i errors. S’observa un punt de deflexió de la FC (PDFC) en un 86 % dels subjectes estudiats, previ o coincident amb una disminució de l’ET (punt de deflexió de l’eficiència tècnica, PDET). Aquests dos punts mesurats de forma simultània al llarg de la prova es mostren relacionats amb el rendiment competitiu dels jugadors estudiats. Es conclou que la prova proposada sembla un mètode específic i vàlid per avaluar la resistència específica i la condició aeròbica en tennistes, tot i que calen més estudis per tal de confirmar les hipòtesis plantejades i la validesa externa de la prova.