A review of optical methods for assessing nitrogen contents during rice growth

Concerns over the use of nitrogen have been increasing due to the high cost of fertilizers and environmental pollution caused by excess nitrogen applications in paddy fields. Several methods are available to assess the amount of nitrogen in crops. However, they are either expensive, time consuming, inaccurate, and/or require specialists to operate the tools. Researchers have recently suggested remote sensing of chlorophyll content in crop canopies as a low-cost alternative to determine plant nitrogen status. This article describes the most recent technologies and the suitability of different remote sensing platforms for determining the status of chlorophyll content and nitrogen in crops. Finally, the role of vegetation indices in nutrient assessment is explained. Among different remote sensing platforms, a low altitude remote sensing system using digital cameras, which record data in visible bands can be used to determine the status of nitrogen and chlorophyll content. However, the vegetation indices need to be correctly chosen for best results

Evaluation of Powdered Activated Carbon Efficiency in Removal of Dissolved Organic Carbon inWater Treatment

Materials and Methods: The increase of PAC for DOC reduction has done in three paths in the Isfahan water treatment plant (WTP). These paths including: 1) Intake up to entrance of WTP 2) Intake to exit ofWTP 3) Between entrance and exit of waterworks. The paths were simulated by the Jar test system. Then DOC and UV254 absorption were analyzed and SUVA parameter for samples and activated-carbon adsorption isotherm was calculated. Results: The injected PAC doses of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/l caused decreasing in

Multi-Spectral Images Tetracam agriculture Digital Camera to Estimate Nitrogen and Grain Yield of Rice at difference Growth Stages

Several methods are available to monitor the nitrogen content of rice during its various growth stages. However, monitoring still requires a quick, simple, accurate and inexpensive technique that needs to be developed. In this study, Tetracam Agriculture Digital Camera was used to acquire high spatial and temporal resolution images to determine the status of N and predict the grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Twelve pots of rice were subjected to four different N treatments (0, 125, 175 and 250 kg ha-1). Three replicates were arranged in a randomized complete block design to determine the status of N and predict rice yield. The images were captured at different growth stages (i.e., tillering, panicle initiation, booting and heading stage) of rice in each pot. N and grain yield were significantly correlated with NDVI (R2 = 0.78) and GNDVI (R2 = 0.88), especially at the panicle initiation and booting stages, respectively. The study demonstrated the suitability of using the Tetracam images as a sensor for estimating chlorophyll content and N. Moreover, the findings showed that the images revealed their potential use in forecasting grain yield at different growth stages of rice

Assessment of rice leaf chlorophyll content using visible bands at different growth stages at both the leaf and canopy scale

Nitrogen is an important variable for paddy farming management. The objectives of this study were to develop and test a new method to determine the status of nitrogen and chlorophyll content in rice leaf by analysing and considering all visible bands derived from images captured using a conventional digital camera. The images from the 6-pannel leaf colour chart were acquired using Basler Scout scA640-70fc under light-emitting diode lighting, in which principal component analysis was used to retain the lower order principal component to develop a new index. Digital photographs of the upper most collared leaf of rice (Oriza sativa L.), grown over a range of soils with different nitrogen treatments, were processed into 11 indices and IPCA through six growth stages. Also a conventional digital camera mounted to an unmanned aerial vehicle was used to acquire images over the rice canopy for the purpose of verification. The result indicated that the conventional digital camera at the both leaf (r = −0.81) and the canopy (r = 0.78) scale could be used as a sensor to determine the status of chlorophyll content in rice plants through different growth stages. This indicates that conventional low-cost digital cameras can be used for determining chlorophyll content and consequently for monitoring nitrogen content of the growing rice plant, thus offering a potentially inexpensive, fast, accurate and suitable tool for rice growers. Additionally, results confirmed that a low cost LARS system would be well suited for high spatial and temporal resolution images and data analysis for proper assessment of key nutrients in rice farming in a fast, inexpensive and non-destructive way

An Epidemiologic Study on Emergency Department Mortality

Introduction: Epidemiologic evaluation generally starts with recording the raw data regarding mortality, and healthcare managers should have a national plan executed for this purpose. Objective: The present study was planned and performed with the aim of epidemiologically evaluating mortality cases among patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) of a major hospital in Tehran, Iran in order to plan and provide proper equipment for decreasing the mortality of patients. Method: This cross-sectional study was performed in Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Iran. All cases of mortality, recorded in the ED of the studied hospital from 20 March 2016 until 21 June 2016, were included in the study. A checklist was prepared for gathering data and the clinical profiles of all the considered patients were reviewed. Using this checklist, demographic data, chief complaint, history of underlying disease, pathologic findings of imaging modalities, and cause of death were extracted from the patients’ profiles. Result: Over the mentioned period of time, in total, the data of 8420 admissions to the ED were recorded. Out of these patients, 76 (0.9%) had died, the mean age of whom was 67.66 ± 21.40 years. Based on these findings, among patients who had presented to the ED, 42.1% died due to the complications of heart attack and 13.2% died from complications caused by cancer. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, cardiovascular complications were the most leading cause of mortality in the studied ED and complications resulting from malignancy were in the second place. Trauma and accidents leading to intracranial hemorrhage were in the next places

Efficiency of Fenton Oxidation in Reducing High Concentrations of Humic Acid in Aqueous Solutions

Advanced oxidation processes produce hyperactive hydroxyl radicals that have a high potential for the oxidation of organic compounds. One of these processes is the Fenton process in which iron ion as a catalyst reacts with oxidants in an acid environment to generate the hydroxyl radical. This is an oxidation-reduction reaction in which the metal ion transfers an electron. The efficiency of this method is influenced by such different factors as pH, iron and hydrogen peroxide concentrations, initial concentration of the contaminant, and reaction time. This study was conducted to investigate the removal of humic compounds in concentrations above 10 mg/L via an advanced oxidation process with Fenton technology. For this purpose, samples of synthetic humic acids were prepared and the effects of pH, different considerations of ferrous sulfate and peroxide hydrogen, different reaction times on the removal and filterability of humic acids from aqueous solutions were examined. The optimal ratio was determined based on the impact level of hydrogen peroxide to iron ratio. Results showed that the highest removal efficiency of 80% was achieved under the optimal conditions with pH 5, a molar hydrogen peroxide/iron ratio of 3.3:1, an oxidation time of 40 min, an initial concentration of 10 mg/L humic acid, and a UV254 absorbance level of 0.04/cm. In general, the results indicate that the Fenton process is capable of significantly reducing the humic acid present in aqueous environments

Serum Immunoglobulin Levels in Splenectomized and Non-Splenectomized Patients with Major Beta-Thalassemia

Objective: Thalassemia is a common disease in many countries, in which several complications such as infections can occur. Although aberration in the function of the immune system could be a reason for such complication, a little is known about the status of humoral immune system in major beta thalassemia. In this study we measured serum immunoglobulins level in a group of patients with major beta thalassemia. Methods: Ninety nine patients with major beta thalassemia were enrolled in this study divided into two groups of splenctomized and not splenctomized patients. Serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels of these patients were measured and analyzed. Findings: Serum mean levels of IgG and IgM in patients of all ages in both groups were normal. The mean serum IgA level in the group of not splenectomized patients aged less than five years as well as in the splenectomized patients aged more than twenty years was increased. However, it was normal in other age groups. Conclusion: Although this study could not show any defect in the humoral immune system, evaluation of immunoglobulins could be useful to understand the relmarkable high rate of infection in the patients with major beta thalassemia

The Relationship between Organizational Intelligence and Organizational Agility in Teaching Hospitals of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Hospitals are the most important organizations in the field of healthcare services that require skilled personnel, necessary equipment, and suitable facilities; therefore, special attention to new and intelligent methods and also maximum use of intellectual abilities of individuals and organizations to increase hospitals agility seem to be necessary. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational intelligence and organizational agility in teaching hospitals of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, a total of 370 administrative and medical staff were included using stratified-random sampling. The required data were collected using Albrecht organizational intelligence questionnaire and organizational agility questionnaire. Results: The results showed that organizational intelligence had effect on organizational agility (path coefficient=0.537). Mean scores of organizational intelligence and organizational agility of the hospitals were 2.29±0.66 and 2.29±0.37, respectively. Age had effect on both organizational intelligence (path coefficient=0.693) and organizational agility (path coefficient= 0.55). Conclusion: The findings showed that increasing the organizational intelligence of the organization provides the context for having an agile organization and the organization will reach its organizational goals faster. Key­words: Organizational Intelligence, Organizational Agility, Teaching Hospitals, Administrative Staff, Medical Staff. ­Citation: Kiani MM, Bahrami MA, Montazeralfaraj R, Falah Zadeh H, Mohammad Zadeh M. The Relationship between Organizational Intelligence and Organizational Agility in Teaching Hospitals of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Journal of Health Based Research 2016; 2(2): 105-117