Background: Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is a novel healthcare technology, for which much research evidence has been published. The objectives of this work were to compare the oncologic outcomes of this technology across different study types, and to define patterns of adoption on the basis of the literature. Methods: A comprehensive systematic review of the literature was conducted using 1) existing systematic reviews, 2) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 3) observational studies. Outcomes of interest were overall survival, and total lymph node harvest. Outcomes were compared for congruence. Adoption was evaluated by means of summary expert opinions in the literature. Results: 1) Existing systematic reviews were of low to moderate quality and displayed evidence of overlap and duplication. 2) Laparoscopy was not inferior to open surgery in terms of oncologic outcomes in any study type. 3) Oncologic outcomes from RCTs and observational studies were congruent. 4) Expert opinion in the literature has been supportive of this technology, paralleling the publication of large RCTs. Conclusions: The evaluation of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer in RCTs and observational studies suggests that it is not inferior to open surgery. Adoption of this technology has paralleled RCT evidence.

Submitted by Samira Ramos (samira.ramos@unifenas.br) on 2018-04-23T21:22:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 João Paulo Marques.pdf: 1012005 bytes, checksum: 71d82a764900814bb8c03c30f77accce (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-23T21:22:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 João Paulo Marques.pdf: 1012005 bytes, checksum: 71d82a764900814bb8c03c30f77accce (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-11 / Brazilian coffee growers are becoming more and more concerned about the production of high quality coffees, with the purpose of producing special coffees, adding value to the final product. The production of special coffees gains force in the world market pleasing the palate of different consumers. Coffee beans have their intrinsic attributes modified by local characteristics such as altitude, temperature, lightness, rainfall index and relative humidity where the crop is located. Together with the climatic conditions of the place, the method of processing the grains by dry (producing natural coffee), wet (peeled coffees), moist with fermentation (pulped coffee) and wet desmucilador demultipled), confers changes in the quality of the grains produced. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between post-harvest processing and the chemical and sensorial attributes of coffee from three locations in Minas Gerais. The coffees of the different regions presented their own characteristics, which are conferred according to the type of processing to which the grains are submitted in the post-harvest period. The samples of peeled coffees from the three regions studied presented higher scores for the sensorial attributes, compared to samples of natural coffees. The chemical analysis of coffee supports, however does not replace the sensorial analysis aiming at the classification of coffee beverage quality. / Os cafeicultores brasileiros vêm a cada dia mais se preocupando com a produção de cafés com qualidade superior, tendo como propósito a produção de cafés especiais, agregando valor ao produto final. A produção de cafés especiais ganha força no mercado mundial agradando o paladar de diferentes consumidores. Os grãos de café têm os seus atributos intrínsecos modificados pelas características locais como altitude, temperatura, luminosidade, índice pluviométrico e umidade relativa de onde a lavoura se encontra instalada. Juntamente com as condições climáticas do local, o método de processamento dos grãos realizado por via seca (produzindo o café natural), por via úmida (cafés descascados), por via úmida com fermentação (café despolpado) e por via úmida com desmucilador (cafés desmucilados), confere variações na qualidade dos grãos produzidos. Objetivou-se com o presente estudo avaliar a relação entre o processamento de pós-colheita e os atributos químicos e sensoriais de cafés de três locais de Minas Gerais. Os cafés das diferentes regiões apresentaram características próprias, que são conferidas de acordo com o tipo de processamento a que os grãos são submetidos no período de pós-colheita. As amostras de cafés descascados das três regiões estudadas, apresentaram maiores notas para os atributos sensoriais, em relação às amostras de cafés naturais. A análise química do café apoia, entretanto não substitui a análise sensorial visando a classificação da qualidade de bebida do café.

Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram estudar as perdas de colheita, a composição morfológica, as dinâmicas de acúmulo e perfilhamento e, a densidade populacional de perfilhos sobre a variedade de cana-de-açúcar IAC86-2480 submetida a três métodos de colheita. No corte manual (MAN), as plantas foram colhidas por meio do corte com podão na base da planta. Para o corte mecanizado (MEC), a colhedora de forragem, regulada para altura de corte de 20 cm, foi tracionada por trator provido de sistema redutor, seguida por vagão forrageiro. Para o corte mecanizado seguido de rebaixamento manual (MEC+MAN), seguiu-se o mesmo procedimento do corte MEC, entretanto, após o corte, os tocos remanescentes foram recepados rente ao solo com uso de podão. A área experimental (0,34 ha) foi constituída por seis blocos, com 3 parcelas cada. As parcelas eram formadas por 8 linhas de plantio com 15 m de comprimento em espaçamento entrelinhas de 1,3 m. A produtividade colhida e a massa de forragem disponível no início do experimento (em t MV e MS/ha) foram similares entre os tratamentos (P>0,05). As perdas totais foram superiores (P<0,05) para o tratamento MEC+MAN, atingindo 18,5% da MV em relação à produtividade colhida. Entretanto, as perdas se tornaram similares (P>0,05) quando relativas à produtividade colhida em MS, variando de 17,7 a 25,7% para os tratamentos MAN e MEC+MAN, respectivamente. As perdas quantitativas e relativas das frações palha e cana ponta foram semelhantes entre os tratamentos (P>0,05), sendo a fração colmo responsável pela diferenças entre os tratamentos, gerando valores de perdas relativas à produtividade colhida em MV de 1,5% para MAN, 7,6% para o corte MEC, e de 12,7% para MEC+MAN. O número de toletes danificados foi superior (P>0,05) para o corte MEC+MAN, de um a cada 0,7 m. O número de plantas inteiras deixadas a campo foi superior (P>0,05) para o corte MEC, de uma a cada 1,5 m. As perdas totais geradas pelo corte MEC+MAN aumentaram em 8 unidades percentuais as perdas em MS, quando comparadas aos outros métodos. Sendo assim, o comportamento da colheita mecanizada (com ou sem rebaixamento) foi considerado satisfatório. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre a biomassa acumulada em MV e MS entre os tratamentos. O número final de perfilhos por metro foi de 16 para o tratamento MAN, 14 para MEC e 15 para MEC+MAN, e não diferiu (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos. Os perfilhos basais e de primeira ordem foram os principais componentes da população final de perfilhos. O perfilhamento aéreo apresentou valor máximo de 5 perfilhos/m para o corte MEC e perdurou por até 90 dias após colheita. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos para as variáveis de peso de planta inteira e colmo, altura, diâmetro, número de nós, número e peso de folhas verdes, senescentes e mortas, índice de maturação e grau brix. Os métodos de colheita não alteraram a composição morfológica, o padrão de crescimento e de perfilhamento das variáveis durante o primeiro ciclo de avaliação. / This research aimed to study harvesting losses, morphologic composition, dynamics of tillering and accumulation and, tiller density of sugarcane IAC86-2480 variety under three harvesting methods. In manual harvesting (MAN), plants were harvested to ground level, using a cutter. For mechanical harvesting (MEC), the harvester (adjusted for 20 cm from the ground) was pulled by a tractor and had a wagon attached to it to accommodate the harvested material. For mechanical harvesting followed by manual (MEC + MAN), the same procedures for mechanical harvesting were followed, however, after cutting, the remaining stalks were cut to ground level with a cutter. Experimental units (plots) (0.34ha) were composed in complete randomized block design, with six replications. Each plot corresponded to eight 15 m-long rows spaced 1.3 from each other. The losses were expressed in moisture and dry matter. Productivity and available forage (in t FM and DM/ha) were similar among the treatments (P>0.05). Total losses were higher (P<0.05) for MEC+MAN treatment, showing 18.5% of FM in relation to productivity. Nevertheless, losses became similar (P>0.05) when compared to productivity of DM harvesting, ranging from 17.7 to 25.7% for MAN and MEC+MAN treatments, respectively. Quantitative losses and losses related to straw and stalk fractions were similar among the treatments (P>0.05), stalk fractions accounted for the differences, generating values of relative losses in FM of 1.5% for MAN, 7.6% for MEC, and of 12.7% for MEC+MAN. The number of damage stalks was higher (P>0.05) for MEC+MAN treatment (one each 0.7 m). The number of whole plants left on the field was higher for MEC treatment (one each 1.5 m). Thus, the transit of the harvester over the crop, in the first cycle, determined the losses and damages increase to the harvest, although it was considered satisfactory. During regrowth and plant growth in the subsequent cycle, characteristics were evaluated monthly, as follows: No difference P>0.05) was found between accumulated biomass in FM and DM among the treatments. MAN harvesting showed DM accumulation rates higher than the others P<0.05). The final number of tillers by meter was 16 for MAN treatment, 14 for MEC and 15 for MEC+MAN, no difference (P>0.05) reported among treatments. Basal and linear tillers were the main components of the final population of tillers, being that the aerial tillering remained alive until 90 days after harvesting, and presented 5 tillers/meter maximum for the MEC harvesting. No difference (P>0.05) was registered among the treatments in relation to whole plant and stalk weights, height, diameter, knots number, number and weight of green, senescent and dead leaves, maturation rate and brix. Harvesting methods presented no changes in morphologic composition, tillering and growth standards of the variables analyzed during the first cycle of evaluation.

Submitted by Ricardo Cedraz Duque Moliterno (ricardo.moliterno@uefs.br) on 2016-01-26T21:38:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Disserta??o - Nat?lia Barroso - vers?o final Matura??o de frutos e viabilidade de sementes de Phy.pdf: 843714 bytes, checksum: 8ed525d974c00cbb3b373b4f5f92c3f3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T21:38:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Disserta??o - Nat?lia Barroso - vers?o final Matura??o de frutos e viabilidade de sementes de Phy.pdf: 843714 bytes, checksum: 8ed525d974c00cbb3b373b4f5f92c3f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-02 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / The Physalis genus occupies a prominent position in the Solanaceae family for fruit production for consumption in natura, by presence of poly-oxygenated metabolites and vitasteroids in their tissues, especially physalins, which are attributed some pharmacological activities. Due to large amount of seeds produced by fruits and the fact these seeds germinate easily in different environments, the species of this genus become easy grow. Predicting the ideal point of harvest can lead to increased exploration capabilities of this feature also contributes to obtaining more vigorous seeds for use in studies of propagation and conservation of this important genus. This paper aims to monitor the maturation of fruits and seed viability during fruit development stages. During flowering, the flowers in anthesis were tagged daily until obtaining the number of enough fruit for evaluation. P. ixocarpa fruit were collected at 15, 25, 35, 45, 55 days after anthesis (DAA). In a sample of 50 fruits, it is measuring the length, diameter, fresh weight, color, soluble solids, number and weight of seeds per fruit. The color and pigment content calyx were evaluated and correlated. To determine the quality of seeds at different times of maturation, newly harvested seeds and after drying at room were evaluated for water content, dry mass, germination and seedling emergence. The fruits of P. ixocarpa have more pronounced changes in color only in the calyx. Changes occur in the physical and chemical characteristics to 35 DAA, not differing significantly from the following stages. The physiological seed quality was highest at 45 DAA, indicating this is the best time of maturity for harvest seeds, when the calyx is completely or partially broken and has the yellow green and light yellow brown color and dark green fruit. / O g?nero Physalis ocupa lugar de destaque na fam?lia Solanaceae pela produ??o de frutos para consumo in natura e pela presen?a de metab?litos poli-oxigenados e vitaester?ides em seus tecidos, com ?nfase para as fisalinas, ?s quais se atribuem v?rias atividades farmacol?gicas. Devido a grande quantidade de sementes produzidas pelo fruto e o fato destas sementes germinarem facilmente em diversos ambientes, as esp?cies desse g?nero tornam-se de f?cil cultivo. Predizer o ponto ideal de colheita pode levar ao aumento da capacidade de explora??o desse recurso e contribuir para a obten??o de sementes mais vigorosas para serem utilizadas em estudos de propaga??o e conserva??o desse importante g?nero. Este trabalho tem como objetivo acompanhar a matura??o dos frutos e a viabilidade das sementes durante os est?dios de desenvolvimento do fruto. Flores em antese foram etiquetadas diariamente at? a obten??o do n?mero de frutos suficientes para as avalia??es. Foram coletados frutos de P. ixocarpa aos 15, 25, 35, 45, 55 dias ap?s a antese (DAA). Em uma amostra de 50 frutos foram obtidos o comprimento, di?metro, peso fresco, cor, s?lidos sol?veis totais, n?mero e peso de sementes por frutos. Foram tamb?m avaliados e correlacionados a cor e teor de pigmentos do c?lice. Para determinar a qualidade das sementes em diferentes ?pocas de matura??o, as sementes rec?m-colhidas e ap?s secagem em ambiente foram avaliadas quanto ao teor de ?gua, massa de mat?ria seca, germina??o e emerg?ncia de pl?ntulas. Durante o processo de matura??o, os frutos de P. ixocarpa apresentam mudan?as mais acentuadas na colora??o do c?lice. Ocorrem mudan?as nas caracter?sticas f?sico-qu?micas at? os 35 DAA, ap?s essa fase n?o foram observadas altera??es significativas. A qualidade fisiol?gica das sementes foi m?xima aos 45 DAA, indicando que esta ? a melhor ?poca de matura??o para a colheita de sementes, quando o c?lice encontra-se completamente ou parcialmente rompido e apresenta a cor verde amarelado e marrom amarelado claro e fruto verde escuro.

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No description available.

Farmers in Nepal lose about a third of their harvested grain due to postharvest handling and storage. This has led to food insecurity and economic losses. Despite the importance of postharvest, the grain storage system in Nepal relies on traditional storage structures like bamboo granaries. The incidence of storage pests is reported up to 100% in these structures. To minimize the storage loss, farmers use different grain protection methods including toxic chemicals. Multiple cases of pesticides-related poisoning and deaths have been caused by misuse and overuse of pesticides. To push safer, chemical-free alternatives like hermetic storage it is important to understand current pest challenges and management practices in Nepal. Adaptation of chemical-free pest management strategies like hermetic storage largely depends upon basic and applied laboratory research findings. Determining the baseline adult mortality under various hypoxia levels and subsequent insect emergence will help determine the effectiveness of a low oxygen environment in controlling <i>Sitophilus oryzae</i> (L.). This would increase our understanding of hermetic storage technology and help improve its application to both farmers and commercial users and serve as a possible substitute to traditional or chemical pest control methods. In chapter one, I report the result of the survey conducted in Nepal to understand i) current post-harvest storage practices and (ii) assessment of the best delivery approach for storage innovations. In chapter 2, I report the result from laboratory experiment conducted to understand the lethality of hypoxia at 5% oxygen level and below against <i>Sitophilus oryzae</i> (L.), which is a major storage pest reported by farmers in Nepal.

In rain-fed farming systems, a poor harvest can have broad and overwhelming effects on affected households. Smallholder farmers have to ensure that they have adequate food from one harvest to the other and enough inputs for the next farming season. Households consume more just after the harvest and the consumption levels decline as they move away from the harvest season. The study identified the ex-ante and ex-post adjustment mechanisms to seasonal food and input requirements. Special consideration was given to determine whether the probability of using a given adjustment mechanism to seasonality is the same in good, normal, poor and very poor years and whether household wealth has an influence on the use of adjustment mechanisms. Attention was also given to determining whether agricultural production and household wealth are reflected in observed seasonality in consumption. The study used cross-sectional data from 225 randomly selected households. The study relied on non-parametric methods of data analysis because the required dependent variables could not meet the parametric assumptions. The analysis showed that the probabilities of using some ex-ante and ex-post adjustment mechanisms for both food and input requirements by the non-poor households are not the same in good, normal, poor and very poor years. However, the poor households’ probability of using any of the identified ex-post adjustment mechanisms to seasonal input requirements is the same in all the years. The study established that household wealth affects the use of ex-ante and ex-post adjustment mechanisms to seasonal input requirements and ex-post adjustment mechanisms to seasonal food requirements after good, normal, poor and very poor harvests. The study further revealed that agricultural production is reflected in household seasonal consumption. However, the study failed to find a relationship between consumption and agricultural production in the post-harvest season after good and normal harvests. The study also showed that household wealth is reflected in food consumption in all the seasons of normal, poor and very poor years. However, no relationship was found between food consumption and household wealth in the post-harvest and rainy seasons after good harvests. The study further revealed that there is always a seasonal fall in consumption levels among households of all wealth strata despite the use of adjustment mechanisms. The situation worsens as we move from the good years towards the very poor years. The study suggests that the use of one size fits all type of interventions to minimise the seasonality problem cannot adequately achieve the required results for all households. It is important to know the way households from each wealth stratum respond to the seasonality problem and why they respond in such a way. Programmes that encourage strategic planning, agricultural production and wealth creation are necessary to reduce the seasonality problem. Furthermore, mechanisms which ensure that the benefits from government interventions reach the poor households are necessary. / Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Les réelles opportunités de croissance dont bénéficient les marchés liés à l'utilisation de fibres végétales en tant que renfort dans les matériaux composites sont intimement liées aux performances concurrentielles de ces fibres par rapport à celles de fibres de verre en particulier l’allégement, l’amortissement et l’isolation thermique. Dans l'industrie de la fibre de chanvre, le rouissage est le premier traitement appliqué aux plantes afin de faciliter la séparation des fibres de la partie ligneuse centrale de la tige. Ce traitement est actuellement réalisé de manière empirique en champ conduisant à l’obtention de fibres de qualité variable (couleur, morphologie, microstructure, composition biochimique, propriétés thermiques et mécaniques) ce qui constitue un frein à leur utilisation plus large dans des composites hautes performances. Par conséquent, la maîtrise du rouissage est primordiale. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de développer une approche globale de cette étape-clé de la production des fibres de chanvre en combinant à la fois l’étude du mécanisme biologique du rouissage, celle des caractéristiques intrinsèques des fibres et celle des émissions gazeuses et des odeurs associées à l’étape de rouissage. Différents items ont été particulièrement examinés :- L’influence de la durée du rouissage et de la période de récolte sur les caractéristiques intrinsèques des fibres de chanvre (couleur, morphologie, composition biochimique, microstructure, propriétés mécaniques, propriétés thermiques).- L’évolution des émissions de composés organiques volatils (COV) et de l'odeur lors du rouissage en champ.- La dynamique temporelle des densités de population des communautés bactériennes et fongiques pendant le rouissage- L'impact du rouissage en champ (climat méditerranéen) et du rouissage accéléré (conditions contrôlées en laboratoire) sur les propriétés microstructurales, thermiques et mécaniques d’un biocomposite polypropylène/fibre de chanvre / The natural fibres are increasingly used as reinforcements in polymer composites due to their challenging performances compared to conventional fibres in term of good specific mechanical properties, damping and thermal insulation. In the hemp industry, the retting is an upstream processing applied to the plants in order to facilitate the separation of fibres from the central woody part of the stem. This treatment is currently carried out in an empirical way in the fields that leads to a large variability in the hemp fibres instrinsic characteristics (color, morphology, biochemical composition, microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties) which limit their large use in high-performance composites. Therefore, controlling retting treatment is a crucial step. The aim of this thesis is to develop a global approach to this key step in the production of hemp fibers by combining the study of the biological mechanism of retting, the intrinsic characteristics of fibers and that of emissions volatile organic compounds and odors associated with the retting step. Different items were particularly examined:- The influence of retting duration and harvest period on the intrinsic characteristics of hemp fibers (color, morphology, biochemical composition, microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties).- The evolution of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and odors of hemp stems during field retting- Temporal dynamics of population densities of bacterial and fungal communities during retting- The impact of field retting (Mediterranean climate) and accelerated retting (controlled conditions in the laboratory) on the microstructural, thermal and mechanical properties of a polypropylene / hemp fibers biocomposite

The United States produces about 1.8 million tons of sugar annually. Approximately 75 per cent of this production is derived from sugar beets. The importance of the sugar beet crop in national and world economy is justification for research effort as a means to more economical production. It is desirable that sugar beet processing be carried out in the most efficient manner. More effective utilization of the sugar beet and its by-products will add stability to the sugar beet industry. For the past 170 years, since Achard found that sugar could be used for human consumption and that pulp might be fed to cattle, sugar processors have made limited use of the non-sugar constituents of the sugar beet. These materials have been disposed of almost exclusively as livestock ration supplements. The non-sugar constituents have been largely responsible for failure to extract all of the sugar from the beet (13). As a result they have been viewed with suspicion by most sugar beet processors. However, recent development suggest that the utilization of sugar beet by-products will constitute a more important phase of the sugar beet industry in the future. At this critical period in the sugar beet industry, it is difficult to overemphasize the need for a better understanding of the chemical constituents of the sugar beet and the effects of various physiological factors upon them. One of the non-sugar constituents of the sugar beet which has recently received attention is glutamic acid. This has been brought about primarily by the discovery that the salt, monosodium glutamate, has an enhancing effect upon the flavor and palatability of many foods. Using the sugar beet as almost the exclusive source of glutamic acid, a new industry (utilizing over 100 tons of beet molasses daily) has developed to manufacture and market this food seasoner (28). Preliminary investigations at the Utah Experiment Station (14) showed that of all the chemical constituents determined, glutamic acid was the most variable. This agreed with earlier work in this field (16, 42). Being highly variable this constituent is a chief contributor to difficulties in sugar processing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of some of the major agronomic factors, such as moisture, fertility, variety, and sampling date, upon the glutamic acid content of the sugar beet.