A Multiple Criteria Decision System to Improve Performance of Federal Conservation Programs

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program and other voluntary Federal conservation programs follow a similar approach for enrollment. Consistent with the legislation, agency personnel identify eligibility criteria, suitable conservation practices, and a process to score, rank, and select applications for funding. Our research outlines a formal multiple criteria decision analysis system that is broadly applicable to current Federal conservation programs to score, rank, and enroll applications, and distribute program funds. Then, we apply the decision system to Indiana’s EQIP program using data from 2005. The incorporation of GLEAMS model improved our estimates of water quality impacts by reintroducing the spatial heterogeneity.Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis, Federal Conservation Programs, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, GLEAMS, Environmental Economics and Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Illustrative presentations of the failing heart in the acutely ill child: two case reports

Two cases of pediatric patients with heart failure are presented. One child presented with vomiting and the other a child with a history of asthma who had respiratory distress. Though their presenting complaints are common, the diagnosis was made based on careful examination and consideration of abnormal findings. Abnormal vital signs (tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension) or physical exam findings (heart murmur or gallop, right upper quadrant pain) can provide important clues to accurate and timely diagnosis

Atrial natriuretic peptide and posterior pituitary neurohormone changes in patients with acute schizophrenia

Conclusion: The obtained data indicate that the AVP level was higher, but OXT and ANP levels were lower in the patients having acute schizophrenia. Specifically OXT is related with reduced disease severity and increased functionality

A multiple criteria decision analysis model to improve performance of Federal conservation programs: A case study of Indiana Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

For conservation programs, such as Conservation Reserve Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), United States Department of Agriculture program administrators identify eligibility criteria, suitable conservation practices, and a process to score, rank, and select applications for funding. The existing selection processes of these conservation programs feature weaknesses documented by previous decision theory research including mismatched criteria, spatial homogeneity, and unintentional conversion of qualitative criteria to quantitative criteria. This dissertation conducted an in-depth research to assess the underlying multiple criteria decision analysis model of conservation programs, which ties the individual program components together in a formal, consistent model, and then apply the decision model to Indiana\u27s EQIP program using application data from 2005. The elements of Federal conservation programs are organized in a hierarchical structure. This analysis focuses on identification and measurement of attributes to assess the water quality objectives that are also outputs of Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems (GLEAMS) hydrologic simulation model. Then, I formulated the mathematical specification, selected the adequate multiple criteria method, and ranked the applications based on the environmental value they provided for each dollar spent. As expected, the total environmental value of selected applications with new ranking exceeded the total value of the 2005 Indiana EQIP selection process. Assessment and design of Federal conservation programs following formal procedures of multiple criteria decision analysis can improve program performance by enrolling more cost efficient applications and help avoiding common mistakes

A Multiple Criteria Decision System to Improve Performance of Federal Conservation Programs

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program and other voluntary Federal conservation programs follow a similar approach for enrollment. Consistent with the legislation, agency personnel identify eligibility criteria, suitable conservation practices, and a process to score, rank, and select applications for funding. Our research outlines a formal multiple criteria decision analysis system that is broadly applicable to current Federal conservation programs to score, rank, and enroll applications, and distribute program funds. Then, we apply the decision system to Indiana’s EQIP program using data from 2005. The incorporation of GLEAMS model improved our estimates of water quality impacts by reintroducing the spatial heterogeneity

National Characteristics of Emergency Care for Children with Neurologic Complex Chronic Conditions

Introduction: Most pediatric emergency care occurs in general emergency departments (GED), where less pediatric experience and lower pediatric emergency readiness may compromise care. Medically vulnerable pediatric patients, such as those with chronic, severe, neurologic conditions, are likely to be disproportionately affected by suboptimal care in GEDs; however, little is known about characteristics of their care in either the general or pediatric emergency setting. In this study our objective was to compare the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of ED visits made by children with chronic neurologic diseases between general and pediatric EDs (PED).Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the 2011–2014 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for ED visits made by patients 0–21 years with neurologic complex chronic conditions (neuro CCC). We compared patient, hospital, and ED visits characteristics between GEDs and PEDs using descriptive statistics. We assessed outcomes of admission, transfer, critical procedure performance, and mortality using multivariable logistic regression.Results: There were 387,813 neuro CCC ED visits (0.3% of 0–21-year-old ED visits) in our sample. Care occurred predominantly in GEDs, and visits were associated with a high severity of illness (30.1%highest severity classification score). Compared to GED visits, PED neuro CCC visits were comprised of individuals who were younger, more likely to have comorbid conditions (32.9% vs 21%, P < 0.001), and technology assistance (65.4% vs. 45.9%) but underwent fewer procedures and had lower ED charges ($2,200 vs$1,520, P < 0.001). Visits to PEDs had lower adjusted odds of critical procedures (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62–0.87), transfers (aOR 0.14, 95% CI 0.04–0.56), and mortality (aOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19–0.75) compared to GEDs.Conclusion: Care for children with neuro CCCs in a pediatric ED is associated with less resource utilization and lower rates of transfer and mortality. Identifying features of PED care for neuro CCCs could lead to lower costs and mortality for this population

A novel experimental and density functional theory study on palladium and nitrogen doped few layer graphene surface towards glucose adsorption and electrooxidation

At present, few layer graphene (G) and nitrogen doped few layer graphene (N doped-G) are firstly coated on Cu foil via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and G and N doped-G coated Cu foil is transferred to the indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate surface to obtain electrodes. Pd metal is electrodeposited onto the N doped-G/ITO electrode (Pd-N doped-G/ITO). Pd-N doped-G/ITO electrode are characterized with advanced surface characterization methods such as Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDX. Characterization results reveal that G and N structures are succesfully obtained and the presence of Pd on Pd-N doped-G/ITO is confirmed with SEM-EDX mapping. The cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are employed to examine glucose electrooxidation of G/ITO, N-doped G/ITO, and Pd-N-doped G/ITO electrodes. P-N-dopedG/ITO electrode exhibits the best glucose electrooxidation activity with 2 mA/cm(2) specific activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are also carried out to better understand the interaction of the molecules on Pd modified G (Pd-G) and Pd modified N-doped G (Pd-3NG) surfaces

A comparative experimental and density functional study of glucose adsorption and electrooxidation on the Au-graphene and Pt-graphene electrodes

At present, the graphene is covered on Cu foil with the 5 sccm hexane (C6H14) flow rate, 50 sccm hydrogen (H-2) flow rate, and 20 min deposition time parameters by the CVD method. The graphene on the Cu foil is then covered onto few-layer ITO electrode. Furthermore, the Pt and Au metals are electrodeposited on graphene/ITO electrode with electrochemical method. These electrodes are characterized by Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (SEM-EDX). The graphene structure is approved via Raman analysis. Au, Pt, and graphene network are openly visible from SEM results. In addition, glucose (C6H12O6) electrooxidation is investigated with cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. As a result, Pt-graphene/ITO indicates the best C6H12O6 electrooxidation activity with 9.21 mA cm(-2) specific activity (highly above the values reported in the literature). In all electrochemical measurements, Pt-graphene/ITO exhibits best electrocatalytic activity, stability, and resistance compared to the other electrodes. The adsorption of the C6H12O6 molecule is examined theoretically over metal atom (gold and platinum)-doped graphene surfaces using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The interaction between C6H12O6 molecule and OH adsorbed Pt-doped surface is stronger than that of OH adsorbed Au-doped graphene surface thermodynamically according to the reaction energy values. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Can We Determine The Time Elapsed Until The Birth In Preterm Premature Rupture Of Membranes (Pprom) And Preterm Labor (Pte) ? [Preterm Prematur Erken Membran Rupturu (Pprom) Ve Preterm Eylem (Pte)De Doguma Kadar Gecen Sureyi Belirleyebilir Miyiz?]

We aimed to determined; affect of clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic factors the time elapsed until the birth in midtrimester PPROM and PTE. Total 448 PPROM and PTE patients were conceived which applicant the Perinatology Department of zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education And Research Hospital between 2012-2014 years. PPROM group consisted of 237 patients, PTE group consisted of 211 patients. PPROM and PTE groups were divided into subgroups as cervical culture positive and negative PPROM and PTE groups. Risk factors of until the time of birth was determined by multivariate regression analysis in cervical culture positive PPROM and PTE groups. Cervical length measured by TVUSG=0,907, 95% Cl = 0,823-0,999 (p=0,047) and amniotic fluid index (or= 0,962, 95% Cl= 0,946-0,980 (p [Med-Science 2016; 5(2.000): 468-83