Background: Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are important renal replacement treatment in end stage renal disease (ESRD), but the comparison of quality of life (QOL) and causes of hospitalisation between the two modalities in China is lacking. In the present study, we compared the two modalities in a multi-center study. Subjects and methods: Six hundred and fifty four HD and 408 P...

Arguments are presented favouring the step-wise introduction of mechanisation into cane harvesting. The multi-pass "McConnel" system of whole stick harvesting offers such a phased introduction. Three machines are introduced in the following order as labour becomes scarcer a versatile loader, a reaping aid which leaves the cane in orderly swaths "inline", and a pickup cleaner-bundler which takes...