Chemical control of different Digitaria insularis populations and management of a glyphosate-resistant population

This study aimed to control different populations of Digitaria insularisby glyphosate herbicide, isolated and mixed, besides the combination of methods (chemical and mechanical) to manage resistant adult plants. Three experiments were conducted, one in pots which were maintained under non-controlled conditions and two under field conditions. In the experiment in pots, twelve populations of D. insularis were sprayed with isolated glyphosate (1.44 and 2.16 kg a.e. ha-1) and mixed (1.44 and 2.16 kg a.e. ha-1) with quizalofop-p tefuryl (0.12 kg i.a. ha-1). The treatment of 1.44 kg a.e. ha-1 of glyphosate plus 0.12 kg a.i. ha-1 of quizalofop was sufficient for adequate control (>95%) of all populations. Population 11 (area of grain production in Itumbiara, GO) was considered sensitive to glyphosate. Others populations were moderately sensitive or tolerant to the herbicide. In the field, the plants of D. insularis of one of the experiments were mowed and, in the other, there were not. Eight treatments with herbicides [isolated glyphosate (1.44 and 2.16 kg a.e. ha-1) and mixed (1.44 and 2.16 kg a.e. ha-1) with quizalofop-p-tefuryl at 0.12 kg a.i. ha-1), clethodim at 0.108 kg a.i. ha-1) or nicosulfuron at 0.06 kg a.i. ha-1)] were assessed, in combination with or without sequential application of the standard treatment, sprayed 15 days after the first application. The combination of the mechanic control with the application of glyphosate (2.16 and 1.44 kg a.e. ha-1) plus quizalofop-p-tefuryl (0.12 kg a.i. ha-1) or clethodim (0.108 kg a.i. ha-1), associated to the sequential application, was the most effective strategy for the management of adult plants of resistant D. insularis.

Volunteer RR® corn management in roundup ready® soybean-corn succession system

The present study evaluated the effects of cover crops (Pennisetum glaucum, Crotalaria spectabilis and Urochloa ruziziensis) associated with the application of herbicides {glyphosate; (glyphosate + haloxyfop-R); (glyphosate + fluazifop-p-butyl); (glyphosate + imazethapyr) and (glyphosate + imazaquin)} in soybean desiccation management for volunteer RR® corn control. The experiment was conducted under field conditions at Sinop-MT, during the 2013/2014 crop season, in a randomized complete blocks design with factorial scheme and four replications. The following parameter were evaluated: dry matter of cover crops and ground coverage rate, control of volunteer RR® corn present at the time of desiccation, dry matter, height and intoxication level on soybean plants caused by herbicides at 7, 14 and 28 days after emergence (DAE), control of volunteer RR® corn derived from emergence fluxes subsequent to desiccation management and soybean yield. The joint application of (glyphosate + haloxyfop-R) provided the best level of volunteer RR® corn control present at the time of desiccation. Satisfactory control (80%) of volunteer corn was obtained with the application of (glyphosate + imazethapyr). This treatment displayed an additional residual effect of imazethapyr, which efficiently controled volunteer RR® corn derived from fluxes subsequent to desiccation management, especially in treatments performed under U. ruziziensis straw. None of the herbicides used in desiccation management caused any significant effect on dry matter, height and phytotoxicity of soybean plants at 7, 14 and 28 DAE nor on grain yield.

In For a Penny, In For a Pound: The Management and Preservation of E-Theses in EPrints

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Factors associated with emergency department visits due to acute asthma

It is important to identify characteristics related to poor disease control and frequent visits to the emergency department (ED). The objective of the present study was to compare the characteristics of patients attending the adult ED for treatment of asthma exacerbation with those attending an asthma specialist clinic (AC) in the same hospital, and to determine the factors associated with frequent visits to the ED. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of consecutive patients (12 years and older) attending the ED (N = 86) and the AC (N = 86). Significantly more ED patients than AC patients reported ED visits in the past year (95.3 vs 48.8%; P < 0.001) and had difficulty performing work (81.4 vs 49.4%; P < 0.001. Significantly more AC than ED patents had been treated with inhaled corticosteroids (75.6 vs 18.6%; P < 0.001) used to increase or start steroid therapy when an attack was perceived (46.5 vs 20.9%; P < 0.001) and correctly used a metered-dose inhaler (50.0 vs 11.6%; P < 0.001). The history of hospital admissions (odds ratio, OR, 4.00) and use of inhaled corticosteroids (OR, 0.27) were associated with frequent visits to the ED. In conclusion, ED patients were more likely than AC patients to be dependent on the acute use of the ED, were significantly less knowledgeable about asthma management and were more likely to suffer more severe disease. ED patients should be considered an important target for asthma education. Facilitating the access to ambulatory care facilities might serve to reduce asthma morbidity.

Genetics of homocysteine metabolism and associated disorders

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid derived from the metabolism of methionine, an essential amino acid, and is metabolized by one of two pathways: remethylation or transsulfuration. Abnormalities of these pathways lead to hyperhomocysteinemia. Hyperhomocysteinemia is observed in approximately 5% of the general population and is associated with an increased risk for many disorders, including vascular and neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, birth defects, diabetes, renal disease, osteoporosis, neuropsychiatric disorders, and cancer. We review here the correlation between homocysteine metabolism and the disorders described above with genetic variants on genes coding for enzymes of homocysteine metabolism relevant to clinical practice, especially common variants of the MTHFR gene, 677C>T and 1298A>C. We also discuss the management of hyperhomocysteinemia with folic acid supplementation and fortification of folic acid and the impact of a decrease in the prevalence of congenital anomalies and a decline in the incidence of stroke mortality.

Antiretroviral therapy-associated dyslipidemia in patients from a reference center in Brazil

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of antiretroviral therapy on the lipid profile of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients before and after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This was a cross-sectional analysis of patients receiving HAART at a reference center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on the basis of medical records from 2002 to 2006. Patients were included if they had at least one lipid test or a clinical or laboratory diagnosis of dyslipidemia/lipodystrophy. Among the 692 patients, 620 met the eligibility criteria. The majority were males (66.5%), middle age (average 39 years), had a low educational level (60.4%), and low income (51.0%). HAART duration ranged from 11 days to 4.6 years, with a mean of 28.6 months (SD = ± 470.19 days). The prevalence of dyslipidemia/lipodystrophy nearly tripled (11.3% pre- and 32.4% post-HAART). Dyslipidemia was associated with older age (P = 0.007), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) + protease inhibitor (PI) regimens (P = 0.04), NRTI + non-NRTI (NNRTI) regimens (P = 0.026), the use of stavudine (d4T) in any regimen (P = 0.002) or in NRTI-based regimens (P = 0.006), and longer exposure to HAART (P < 0.000). In addition, there was no correlation between dyslipidemia and gender (P = 0.084). Only 2.0% of the patients received treatment for dyslipidemia during the trial. These results show a need for continuous monitoring of patients under antiretroviral therapy, particularly those using NRTI-based regimens, especially when combined with d4T and PIs. Secondly, interventions should be developed to correct metabolic changes.

Cyst infection in hospital-admitted autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients is predominantly multifocal and associated with kidney and liver volume

Positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has improved cyst infection (CI) management in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The determinants of kidney and/or liver involvement, however, remain uncertain. In this study, we evaluated clinical and imaging factors associated with CI in kidney (KCI) and liver (LCI) in ADPKD. A retrospective cohort study was performed in hospital-admitted ADPKD patients with suspected CI. Clinical, imaging and surgical data were analyzed. Features of infected cysts were evaluated by PET/CT. Total kidney (TKV) and liver (TLV) volumes were measured by CT-derived multiplanar reconstruction. CI was detected in 18 patients who experienced 24 episodes during an interval of 30 months (LCI in 12, KCI in 10 and concomitant infection in 2). Sensitivities of CT, magnetic resonance imaging and PET/CT were 25.0, 71.4, and 95.0%. Dysuria (P<0.05), positive urine culture (P<0.01), and previous hematuria (P<0.05) were associated with KCI. Weight loss (P<0.01) and increased C-reactive protein levels (P<0.05) were associated with LCI. PET/CT revealed that three or more infected cysts were present in 70% of the episodes. TKV was higher in kidney-affected than in LCI patients (AUC=0.91, P<0.05), with a cut-off of 2502 mL (72.7% sensitivity, 100.0% specificity). TLV was higher in liver-affected than in KCI patients (AUC=0.89, P<0.01) with a cut-off of 2815 mL (80.0% sensitivity, 87.5% specificity). A greater need for invasive procedures was observed in LCI (P<0.01), and the overall mortality was 20.8%. This study supports PET/CT as the most sensitive imaging method for diagnosis of cyst infection, confirms the multifocal nature of most hospital-admitted episodes, and reveals an association of kidney and liver volumes with this complication.

Prenatal management, pregnancy and pediatric outcomes in fetuses with septated cystic hygroma

It has been reported that, compared with simple increased nuchal translucency, fetal cases with septated cystic hygroma (CH) are more likely to face perinatal handicaps. However, pediatric outcomes and proper prenatal counseling for this anomaly have not yet been truly defined. We performed this study to determine pregnancy and pediatric outcomes of fetuses with septated CH. We searched records for cases with septated CH and collected data for structural abnormalities, karyotype analysis, and pregnancy outcomes. Fetuses born with septated CH were also evaluated for their pediatric outcomes. Sixty-nine fetuses with septated CH were enrolled in the study. Results showed that chromosomal abnormalities were present in 28 fetuses (40.6%), and the most common aneuploidy was Turner syndrome (n=14, 20.3%); 16 (23.2%) of the remaining cases, in which aneuploidy was not found, had coexistent structural malformations; 25 (36.2%) cases had normal karyotype and morphology. The total number of live births and infants with unfavorable neurologic follow-up were 13 (18.8%) and 2 (2.9%), respectively. Septated CH is associated with poor perinatal outcomes; therefore, karyotype analysis and ultrasonographic anomaly screening should be performed as initial steps, and expectant management should be offered to couples with euploid fetuses that have normal morphology.

Review of investment strategy, portfolio management, and scorecard based portfolio selection tool for direct property investments in Finland

The lack of research of private real estate is a well-known problem. Earlier studies have mostly concentrated on the USA or the UK. Therefore, this master thesis offers more information about the performance and risk associated with private real estate investments in Nordic countries, but especially in Finland. The structure of this master thesis is divided into two independent sections based on the research questions. In first section, database analysis is performed to assess risk-return ratio of direct real estate investment for Nordic countries. Risk-return ratios are also assessed for different property sectors and economic regions. Finally, review of diversification strategies based on property sectors and economic regions is performed. However, standard deviation itself is not usually sufficient method to evaluate riskiness of private real estate. There is demand for more explicit assessment of property risk. One solution is property risk scoring. In second section risk scorecard based tool is built to make different real estate comparable in terms of risk. In order to do this, nine real estate professionals were interviewed to enhance the structure of theory-based risk scorecard and to assess weights for different risk factors.

Development of a New Welding Product Quality Control and Management System Model for China

The Chinese welding industry is growing every year due to rapid development of the Chinese economy. Increasingly, companies around the world are looking to use Chinese enterprises as their cooperation partners. However, the Chinese welding industry also has its weaknesses, such as relatively low quality and weak management. A modern, advanced welding management system appropriate for local socio-economic conditions is required to enable Chinese enterprises to enhance further their business development. The thesis researches the design and implementation of a new welding quality management system for China. This new system is called ‗welding production quality control management model in China‘ (WQMC). Constructed on the basis of analysis of a survey and in-company interviews, the welding management system comprises the following different elements and perspectives: a ‗Localized congenital existing problem resolution strategies‘ (LCEPRS) database, a ‗human factor designed training system‘ (HFDT) training strategy, the theory of modular design, ISO 3834 requirements, total welding management (TWM), and lean manufacturing (LEAN) theory. The methods used in the research are literature review, questionnaires, interviews, and the author‘s model design experiences and observations, i.e. the approach is primarily qualitative and phenomenological. The thesis describes the design and implementation of a HFDT strategy in Chinese welding companies. Such training is an effective way to increase employees‘ awareness of quality and issues associated with quality assurance. The study identified widely existing problems in the Chinese welding industry and constructed a LCEPRS database that can be used in efforts to mitigate and avoid common problems. The work uses the theory of modular design, TWM and LEAN as tools for the implementation of the WQMC system.

Modernizing human resource management : the importance of values-based leadership in the Canadian federal public service /

Over the past several decades, many theories have been advanced as to why efforts to reform the public service have met with only limited success. Clearly, the role of leadership with respect to reform must be examined, since successful organizational leaders should be extremely accomplished in the promotion and protection of the values that underlie decision-making. The issue of effective leadership is particularly significant for the future of the public service of Canada. Large numbers of public servants in the executive ranks are due to retire within the next five years. Given their central role, it is vital that there be enough dedicated and committed public servants to staff future vacancies. It is also essential that future public service leaders possess the competencies and values associated with a world-class public service and, a new type of public organization. Related to this point is the importance of people-management skills. People management in the public service is an issue that has historically faced - and will continue to face - major challenges with respect to recruiting and retaining the leaders it requires for its continued success. It is imperative that the public service not only be revitalized and be seen as an employer of choice, but also that the process by which it accomplishes this goal - the practice of human resource management - be modernized. To achieve the flexibility needed to remain effective, the public service requires the kind ofleadership that supports new public service values such as innovation and which emphasizes a "people- first" approach. This thesis examines the kind of public service leadership needed to modernize the human resource management regime in the federal public service. A historical examination of public service values is presented to help determine the values that are important for public service leaders with respect to modernizing human resource management. Since replenishing the 2 ranks of public service leaders is crucial to ensure the quality of service to Canadians, leadership that supports career planning will be a major focus of this paper. In addition, this thesis demonstrates that while traditional public service values continue to endure, innovative leaders must effectively reconcile new public service values with traditional values in order to increase the possibilities for successful reform as well as achieve business objectives. Much of the thesis is devoted to explaining the crucial role of post-bureaucratic leadership to successful reform. One of the major findings of the thesis is that leaders who demonstrate a blending of new public service values and traditional values are critical to creating effective employment relationships, which are key to modernizing human resource management in the federal public service. It will be apparent that public service leaders must ensure that an appropriate accountability framework is in place before embarking on reform. However, leaders who support new public service values such as innovation and empowerment and who emphasize the importance of people are essential to successful reform.

Relating leadership, thinking styles, self-concept, motivation and stress management in education

Seventy-five principals and vice-.wincipals from public elementary and secondary schools in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada participated in this study. Participants provided ,information concerning their thinking styles, motivations, and the physical effects of stress. This information was examined to find out how satisfaction-oriented, and how security-oriented the thinking styles of the participants were. Second, the data were analysed to see how the thinking style orientations related to life style habits and the effects of stress. The satisfaction-oriented thinking styles scored higher than all of the security-oriented thinking styles by a wide margin with a small preference for the satisfaction-people-oriented styles labelled humanistic-helpful, and affiliative as opposed to the satisfaction-task-oriented styles labeled achievement, and self-actualizing. Although all eight of the security-oriented thinking styles scored well below all of the satisfaction-oriented thinking styles on the Life Styles Inventory, the perfectionistic style scored higher than all of the security-oriented styles by an impressive margin. The next highest scores were recorded by a cluster of three passive-defensive people-oriented thinking styles labeled approval, conventional, and dependent. The competitive style scored lower, and the styles labeled avoidance, oppositional, and power scored the lowest of all the defensive-security-oriented styles. These findings suggest that principals and vice-principals see themselves as relaxed, flexible, and satisfied with their ability to adapt to the stress levels they experience in their lives; however, there was some support for medical research findings that suggest that specific security-oriented thinking styles are associated with emotional stresses that contribute to the development of specific lifestyle habits, physical symptoms, and illnesses. Although the number of females in this study provides very limited generalizability, the findings of this study suggest that high achieving females tend to develop satisfaction-growth styles to a higher level than males, and they tend to use security-oriented styles to a lesser degree than males.

Noninvasive Clinical Assessment of Trunk Deformities Associated With Scoliosis

Besides the spinal deformity, scoliosis modifies notably the general appearance of the trunk resulting in trunk rotation, imbalance, and asymmetries that constitutes patients' major concern. Existing classifications of scoliosis, based on the type of spinal curve as depicted on radiographs, are currently used to guide treatment strategies. Unfortunately, even though a perfect correction of the spinal curve is achieved, some trunk deformities remain, making patients dissatisfied with the treatment received. The purpose of this study is to identify possible shape patterns of trunk surface deformity associated with scoliosis. First, trunk surface is represented by a multivariate functional trunk shape descriptor based on 3-D clinical measurements computed on cross sections of the trunk. Then, the classical formulation of hierarchical clustering is adapted to the case of multivariate functional data and applied to a set of 236 trunk surface 3-D reconstructions. The highest internal validity is obtained when considering 11 clusters that explain up to 65% of the variance in our dataset. Our clustering result shows a concordance with the radiographic classification of spinal curves in 68% of the cases. As opposed to radiographic evaluation, the trunk descriptor is 3-D and its functional nature offers a compact and elegant description of not only the type, but also the severity and extent of the trunk surface deformity along the trunk length. In future work, new management strategies based on the resulting trunk shape patterns could be thought of in order to improve the esthetic outcome after treatment, and thus patients satisfaction.

Studies on the bacteria associated with Penaeus indicus in a culture system

Ocean persists as a rich and renewable source of cheap protein for the whole world. Among the prawns/shrimps landed from the Indian Ocean and her backwaters, more than 90% are exported to affluent countries. The Indian white prawn Penaeus indicus, constitutes the major portion of the frozen shrimps exported from India every year. The present study is aimed at gathering information on the total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) associated with B. indicus, with special reference to eggs, nauplii, zoeae, mysis, and post larvae in hatchery, and juveniles and adults in culture pond. Simultaneously, IHB associated with E. indicus in its natural habitat also is studied for comparison. It is envisaged that this information will be highly useful for modifying the existing hatchery and pond management-practices.

An assessment of potential public health risk associated with the extended survival of indicator and pathogenic bacteria in freshwater lake sediments

Microcosm studies were performed to evaluate the survival of Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in water and sediment collected from the freshwater region of Vembanad Lake (9 35◦N 76 25◦E) along the south west coast of India. All three test microorganisms showed significantly (p < 0.01) higher survival in sediment compared to overlying water. The survival in different sediment types with different particle size and organic carbon content revealed that sediment with small particle size and high organic carbon content could enhance their extended survival (p < 0.05). The results indicate that sediments of the Lake could act as a reservoir of pathogenic bacteria and exhibit a potential health hazard from possible resuspension and subsequent ingestion during recreational activities. Therefore, the assessment of bacterial concentration in freshwater Lake sediments used for contact and non contact recreation has of considerable significance for the proper assessment of microbial pollution of the overlying water, and for the management and protection of related health risk at specific recreational sites. Besides, assessment of the bacterial concentration in sediments can be used as a relatively stable indicator of long term mean bacterial concentration in the water column above