Enhancing Nut Quality Parameters and Sensory Profiles in Three Almond Cultivars by Different Irrigation Regimes.

The climate change is already affecting many agricultural systems and human environments, and the implementation of adaptation strategies, especially those related to irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions, is urgent. In this regard, deep knowledge about the effects that irrigation has on the food quality parameters will allow us to estimate the potential benefits of deficit irrigation (DI) strategies. This work presents the effects on the quality parameters of three almond cultivars (Marta, Guara, and Lauranne) subjected to three irrigation doses: (i) full-irrigated treatment (FI) at 100% crop evapotranspiration (ETC), (ii) an overirrigated treatment at 150% ETC (150% ETC), and (iii) regulated deficit irrigation (RDI65) treatment, in which irrigation was done as in FI, expect during the kernel-filling period when this treatment received 65% ETC. According to experimental findings, the cultivar most sensitive to water stress was Marta, having the most significant improvements for RDI65. In general, the effects of the irrigation dose on the morphological and physicochemical parameters were not huge but some improvements were observed in key parameters such as the color and contents of specific sugars, organic acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. Thus, it can be concluded that the irrigation dose did not drastically affect the fruit almond quality, although it is possible to improve several key parameters when a moderate RDI strategy is applied.

[Synthesis and biological activities of new 1,2,4-triazol-3-one derivatives].

New 2-phenacyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-ones were obtained by the reaction of 5-alkyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-ones with alpha-bromoacetophenone in alkaline medium. Selective reduction of the side chain carbonyl group to hydroxy group was achieved with NaBH4. The reaction of some compounds containing a phenolic hydroxyl with 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride or benzyl bromide in the presence of NaOH led to tosylated or benzylated derivatives. The tosylation or benzylation at the alcoholic hydroxyl was carried out in the presence of sodium metal. Some of the newly synthesized compounds revealed an antimicrobial activity; 6 of 14 new compounds that were studied by the National Cancer Institute were found to possess antitumor activity.

Topographic pattern and apex location of keratoconus on elevation topography maps.

PURPOSE: To compare topography pattern and apex location in elevation and axial curvature topographic maps of keratoconic corneas. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 72 corneas of 42 patients who had one or more corneal findings of keratoconus with the elevation and axial curvature displays of the PAR Corneal Topography System (PAR-CTS) and 66 of these corneas with the axial curvature display of the Tomey Topographic Modeling System (TMS-1). Topography maps were evaluated for topography pattern and location of the cone apex. RESULTS: Axial curvature displays of the PAR-CTS and the TMS-1 showed good concordance in terms of topographic patterns (96% for right, 86% for left corneas) and apex locations of cones (92% for right, 80% for left corneas). On the other hand, low concordances were noted when comparing topographic patterns (35.3% for right, 36.8% for left corneas) and apex locations (47% for right, 38% for left corneas) on curvature and elevation mode displays of PAR-CTS. Apices were found in the inferotemporal quadrant in 65% of corneas evaluated with the PAR-CTS. This distribution is significantly different from the apex location in axial curvature maps (p < 0.04). Twenty-nine percent of corneas that showed an apex on the axial curvature mode of the PAR-CTS had a normal pattern, without a detectable cone apex, on the elevation mode display. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study clearly show the difference between elevation and curvature-based corneal topographic evaluation of keratoconus. Unlike axial curvature maps, the majority of apices on elevation maps are clustered in the inferotemporal quadrant. This new information about apex location in keratoconic corneas provided by elevation topography may have better diagnostic specificity than regional differences of curvature on axial curvature maps. Because elevation mapping shows the physical location of the cone, it may improve results of contact lens fitting and surgical management.