IXIM: A new maize simulation model for DSSAT v4.5.

The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) is a suite of crop simulation models and associated tools for simulating growth, development, and yield of 25 crops. The maize simulation model in DSSAT is CSM-CERES, the modular version of CERES-Maize, which was first published in 1986. The newest release of DSSAT, version 4.5, provides users with the opportunity to run an alternative maize simulation model. IXIM (eeh-sheem), the Mayan language for maize, is a new, more mechanistic, maize simulation model fully compatible with DSSAT. The purpose of this work is to compare seasonal simulations of maize growth and N uptake using CSM-CERES and IXIM

Stakeholder involvement in systematic reviews: a protocol for a systematic review of methods, outcomes and effects

Background There is an expectation for stakeholders (including patients, the public, health professionals, and others) to be involved in research. Researchers are increasingly recognising that it is good practice to involve stakeholders in systematic reviews. There is currently a lack of evidence about (A) how to do this and (B) the effects, or impact, of such involvement. We aim to create a map of the evidence relating to stakeholder involvement in systematic reviews, and use this evidence to address the two points above. Methods We will complete a mixed-method synthesis of the evidence, first completing a scoping review to create a broad map of evidence relating to stakeholder involvement in systematic reviews, and secondly completing two contingent syntheses. We will use a stepwise approach to searching; the initial step will include comprehensive searches of electronic databases, including CENTRAL, AMED, Embase, Medline, Cinahl and other databases, supplemented with pre-defined hand-searching and contacting authors. Two reviewers will undertake each review task (i.e., screening, data extraction) using standard systematic review processes. For the scoping review, we will include any paper, regardless of publication status or study design, which investigates, reports or discusses involvement in a systematic review. Included papers will be summarised within structured tables. Criteria for judging the focus and comprehensiveness of the description of methods of involvement will be applied, informing which papers are included within the two contingent syntheses. Synthesis A will detail the methods that have been used to involve stakeholders in systematic reviews. Papers from the scoping review that are judged to provide an adequate description of methods or approaches will be included. Details of the methods of involvement will be extracted from included papers using pre-defined headings, presented in tables and described narratively. Synthesis B will include studies that explore the effect of stakeholder involvement on the quality, relevance or impact of a systematic review, as identified from the scoping review. Study quality will be appraised, data extracted and synthesised within tables. Discussion This review should help researchers select, improve and evaluate methods of involving stakeholders in systematic reviews. Review findings will contribute to Cochrane training resources

Adapting the CROPGRO Model to Predict Growth and Perennial Nature of Bahiagrass

The objective of this research was to modify an existing crop growth model for ability to predict growth and composition of bahiagrass (Paspalm notatum Flügge) in response to daily weather and management inputs. The CROPGRO–CSM cropping systems model has a generic, process-oriented structure that allows inclusion of new species and simulating cropping sequences and crop rotations. An early adaptation of CROPGRO-CSM “species files” for bahiagrass over-predicted growth during late fall through early spring, and totally failed in re-growth if all foliage was lost from freeze damage. Revised species parameters and use of “pest damage” offered only a partial solution. Three processes, absent from the annual CROPGRO-CSM model, contributed to prediction of excessive cool-season growth: (1) no provision for storage (reserve) structures, (2) lack of winter dormancy, and 3) freeze damage killed all leaves at once and resulted in crop death. In addition, the model lacked the CO2-concentrating effect of C4 photosynthesis in the leaf photosynthesis routines. Therefore, we modified the source code of CROPGRO to include these processes to improve biological accuracy of re-growth patterns and prediction of seasonal patterns of growth (Rymph et al., 2004)

Modeling the regrowth of forage grasses: simulating growth, partitioning, and carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

Reserves play an important role in plants undergoing stress. Plants adapted to defoliation use reserve compounds to regrow leaf area. Modeling grass regrowth should account for these processes. A field experiment was conducted in Gainesville, FL, to study herbage production, partitioning and mobilization of reserve compounds of two tropical grasses (Jiggs bermudagrass and Mulato-2 brachiaria grass), under the combination of two light levels ? 56% and 100% solar radiation, and two N rates ? 30 and 120 kg N ha-1 after each harvest. Herbage mass was quantified at harvest every 28 days.Resumo 379-7

Towards a comprehensive taxonomy and model of consumer complaining behaviour

The most widely used taxonomy of consumer complaining behaviour (Singh 1988) is limited in two respects: (1) it oversimplifies the key types of complaining behaviour - for example negative word-of-mouth need not just be a private action; and (2) it fails to appreciate that complaining behaviour often has two stages as certain CCB types (such as third party action) may only be entered into once other CCB types have failed to generate a satisfactory level of perceived justice. This paper offers a two-factor taxonomy of CCB which takes into account these issues. Complaint types are classified in terms of whether they are primary or secondary, and in terms of whether they are involved or uninvolved. This paper also offers a comprehensive model of CCB: which builds on the conceptual approach of Blodgett and Granbois (1992) by considering the whole CCB process as having four stages: (1) cognitive reasoning; (2) affective response; (3) triggers of consumer dissatisfaction responses; and (4) affective action. It is argued that there are eight major triggers of which lead to a main dissatisfaction response (or a set of responses); each trigger being made up of a number of dimensions. The paper concludes by discussing possible directions for future research

Preventing and lessening exacerbations of asthma in school-age children associated with a new term (PLEASANT) : Study protocol for a cluster randomised control trial

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly citedBackground: Within the UK, during September, there is a pronounced increase in the number of unscheduled medical contacts by school-aged children (4-16 years) with asthma. It is thought that that this might be caused by the return back to school after the summer holidays, suddenly mixing with other children again and picking up viruses which could affect their asthma. There is also a drop in the number of prescriptions administered in August. It is possible therefore that children might not be taking their medication as they should during the summer contributing to them becoming ill when they return to school. It is hoped that a simple intervention from the GP to parents of children with asthma at the start of the summer holiday period, highlighting the importance of maintaining asthma medication can help prevent increased asthma exacerbation, and unscheduled NHS appointments, following return to school in September.Methods/design: PLEASANT is a cluster randomised trial. A total of 140 General Practices (GPs) will be recruited into the trial; 70 GPs randomised to the intervention and 70 control practices of "usual care" An average practice is expected to have approximately 100 children (aged 4-16 with a diagnosis of asthma) hence observational data will be collected on around 14000 children over a 24-month period. The Clinical Practice Research Datalink will collect all data required for the study which includes diagnostic, prescription and referral data.Discussion: The trial will assess whether the intervention can reduce exacerbation of asthma and unscheduled medical contacts in school-aged children associated with the return to school after the summer holidays. It has the potential to benefit the health and quality of life of children with asthma while also improving the effectiveness of NHS services by reducing NHS use in one of the busiest months of the year. An exploratory health economic analysis will gauge any cost saving associated with the intervention and subsequent impacts on quality of life. If results for the intervention are positive it is hoped that this could be adopted as part of routine care management of childhood asthma in general practice. Trial registration: Current controlled trials: ISRCTN03000938 (assigned 19/10/12) http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN03000938/.UKCRN ID: 13572.Peer reviewe

3D immuno-confocal image reconstruction of fibroblast cytoskeleton and nucleus architecture

Computational models of cellular structures generally rely on simplifying approximations and assumptions that limit biological accuracy. This study presents a comprehensive image processing pipeline for creating unified three‐dimensional (3D) reconstructions of the cell cytoskeletal networks and nuclei. Confocal image stacks of these cellular structures were reconstructed to 3D isosurfaces (Imaris), then tessellations were simplified to reduce the number of elements in initial meshes by applying quadric edge collapse decimation with preserved topology boundaries (MeshLab). Geometries were remeshed to ensure uniformity (Instant Meshes) and the resulting 3D meshes exported (ABAQUS) for downstream application. The protocol has been applied successfully to fibroblast cytoskeletal reorganisation in the scleral connective tissue of the eye, under mechanical load that mimics internal eye pressure. While the method herein is specifically employed to reconstruct immunofluorescent confocal imaging data, it is also more widely applicable to other biological imaging modalities where accurate 3D cell structures are required

Predicting phenology of Vicia faba: Parameter estimation with CROPGRO-fababean model using multiple sowing date experiments.

Crop models have become valuable tools for designing efficient cropping systems, particularly once model reliability is documented for a given environment. For this use, the timing of crop phenology has to be accurately simulated to predict life cycle and the correct allocation of assimilates to yield components. The CROPGRO-Fababean model was developed based on adaptation of the generic CROPGRO legume model to simulate faba bean grown in Cordoba, Spain (Boote et al., 2002) but the model has not been tested extensively in other environments. Therefore, the model needs to be tested for additional environments, and may need to be modified to improve its reliability under a wide range of field conditions. For the initial model version, phase durations were calibrated against field data collected at Córdoba; however, the cardinal temperatures that affect phenology were derived from the literature. Because our goal was to use these parameters to make reliable predictions in new field environments, we propose that the best way to solve the coefficients is through a calibration process based on field data obtained under varying daily and seasonal temperature and daylength, similar to the method used successfully to calibrate the SOYGRO model phenology. The objective of this work was to determine quantitatively the effects of temperature and daylength on rate of vegetative node expression, time to flowering, time to beginning pod, time to beginning seed, and time to physiological maturity with the ultimate goal of making the CROPGRO-Faba bean model more reliable over a wide range of sowing date environments