Increased emergency department use by adolescents and young adults with eating disorders

Objective: This study describes patterns of emergency department (ED) utilization by patients who screen positive for eating disorders. Method: ED patients aged 14–20 years ( n = 1,920) completed a computerized questionnaire. The analyses compared the rates of ED use between patients who screened positive for an eating disorder and those who did not and examined the reasons for ED use amongst patients with eating disorders. Results: ED patients who screened positive for eating disorders were significantly more likely to have previously visited the ED and, on average, utilized the ED at a rate 1.6 times higher than patients who screen negative for eating disorders. The most common chief complaints among patients who screen positive for eating disorders were abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal‐related problems. Discussion: Patients with eating disorders utilize the ED more frequently than those without and commonly present for complaints seemingly unrelated to their eating disorder. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013)Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97531/1/22070_ftp.pd

Construction of genetic linkage map and QTL analysis of sinksize traits in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

A linkage map, primarily based on SSCP-SNP markers, was constructed using 188 F2:3 (F2-derived F3) mapping population progenies derived from a cross between two pearl millet inbred lines having diverse pedigrees. The parents had large differences for two sink size traits (grain size and panicle diameter), and also differed for panicle length. The skeleton linkage map covered 1019 cM and it comprised of 44 loci (detected with 24 SSCP-SNP, 10 genomic SSR, 6 EST-SSR and 4 STS primer pairs) distributed across the seven linkage groups. Average adjacent-marker intervals ranged from 14 cM on LG1 to 38 cM on LG6, with an overall mean of 23 cM. Using the F2 linkage map and phenotypic data collected from the F2 and F2:3 generations of the mapping population, a total of 18 putative QTLs were detected for the three sink-size components. Eight QTLs explained 42.7% of observed phenotypic variation for panicle length, with individual QTLs explaining 6.1 to 18.2% using the F2:3 data set. For panicle diameter, 5 QTLs explained 45.8% of observed phenotypic variation with individual QTLs accounting for 6.3 to 30.2%. Similarly for grain size, 5 QTLs explained 29.6% of phenotypic variation with individual QTLs accounting for 6.1 to 8.9%. Genomic regions associated with panicle length, panicle diameter and grain size co-mapped on LG6 between Xpsms88 and Xpsms2270, indicating the existence of a gene or gene cluster with major effects involved in the control of significant proportions of the phenotypic variation for all three sink-size traits. The QTLs for panicle length on LG2 and LG6 (LOD>3 in both F2 and F2:3 data sets), for panicle diameter on LG2 and LG3 (LOD>14 in the F2:3 data set) and for grain size on LG3 and LG6 (LOD>3 in both F2 and F2:3 data sets) were identified as promising candidates for validation prior to possible application in marker-assisted breeding

Adoption of Improved Sorghum Cultivars

Successful development of appropriate improved crop cultivars paves the way for their adoption by farmers. Adoption of improved cultivars is a necessary precondition for plant breeding creating favorable impacts on farm households. Impacts may be obtained through yield increases, quality improvement, reduction in unit cost of production and reduced production risks. This chapter is a compilation of information about the level of adoption of improved sorghum cultivars and factors influencing it. Adoption of improved sorghum cultivars was measured as a percentage of improved sorghum area in the total sorghum area. Based on their origin, adoption levels of improved sorghum cultivars were divided into four groups: (i) percentage of area sown to ICRISAT-bred cultivars; (ii) percentage of area sown to cultivars having ICRISAT parents; (iii) percentage of area sown to ICRISAT network cultivars; and (iv) percentage of area sown to non-ICRISAT (other) cultivars

Discerning combining ability loci for divergent environments using chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) in pearl millet

Pearl millet is an important crop for arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Genomic regions associated with combining ability for yield-related traits under irrigated and drought conditions are useful in heterosis breeding programs. Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) are excellent genetic resources for precise QTL mapping and identifying naturally occurring favorable alleles. In the present study, testcross hybrid populations of 85 CSSLs were evaluated for 15 grain and stover yield-related traits for summer and wet seasons under irrigated control (CN) and moisture stress (MS) conditions. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects of all these traits were estimated and significant marker loci linked to GCA and SCA of the traits were identified. Heritability of the traits ranged from 53–94% in CN and 63–94% in MS. A total of 40 significant GCA loci and 36 significant SCA loci were identified for 14 different traits. Five QTLs (flowering time, panicle number and panicle yield linked to Xpsmp716 on LG4, flowering time and grain number per panicle with Xpsmp2076 on LG4) simultaneously controlled both GCA and SCA, demonstrating their unique genetic basis and usefulness for hybrid breeding programs. This study for the first time demonstrated the potential of a set of CSSLs for trait mapping in pearl millet. The novel combining ability loci linked with GCA and SCA values of the traits identified in this study may be useful in pearl millet hybrid and population improvement programs using marker-assisted selection (MAS)

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of Aquaporin genes in pearl millet [ Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.] genotypes contrasting in their transpiration response to high vapour pressure deficits

Pearl millet is a crop of the semi-arid tropics having high degree of genetic diversity and variable tolerance to drought stress. To investigate drought tolerance mechanism that possibly accounts for differences in drought tolerance, four recombinant inbred lines from a high resolution cross (HRC) were selected for variability in their transpiration rate (Tr) response to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) conditions. The differential Tr response of the genotypes to increased VPD conditions was used to classify the genotypes as sensitive or insensitive to high VPD. Aquaporin (AQP) genes PgPIP1;1, PgPIP1;2, PgPIP2;1, PgPIP2;3, PgPIP2;6, PgTIP1;1 and PgTIP2;2 were cloned. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the cloned PgAQPs were evolutionarily closer to maize AQPs than to rice. PgAQP genes, including PgPIP1;1 and PgPIP2;6 in root tissue showed a significant expression pattern with higher expression in VPD-insensitive genotypes than VPD-sensitive genotypes under low VPD conditions (1.2 kPa) i.e when there is no high evaporative demand from the atmosphere. PgAQP genes (PgPIP2;1 in leaf and root tissues; PgPIP1;2 and PgTIP2;2 in leaf and PgPIP2;6 in root) followed a diurnal rhythm in leaves and roots that have either higher or lower expression levels at different time intervals. Under high VPD conditions (4.21 kPa), PgPIP2;3 showed higher transcript abundance in VPD-insensitive genotypes, and PgPIP2;1 in VPD-sensitive genotypes, while rest of the PgAQPs showed differential expression. Our current hypothesis is that these differences in the expression of AQP genes under different VPDs suggests a role of the AQPs in tuning the water transport pathways with variation between genotypes

Variability in Stover Quality Traits in Commercial Hybrids of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) and Grain -Stover Trait Relationships

Pearl millet stover is an important cattle feed particularly in arid areas and nutritional quality traits of the stover become more and more important. Eight commercial and two experimental hybrids of pearl millet were evaluated for stover fodder quality traits and their potential trade-off with stover and grain yield. The stover quality traits analyzed were nitrogen, in vitro digestibility and metabolisable energy content. Highly significant (P<0.01) variations were observed for grain yields (2860 to 4220 kg/ha), stover yields (range 3760 to 4930 kg/ha), stover nitrogen (0.62 to 1.10%), stover in vitro digestibility (37.6 to 46.7%) and stover metabolisable energy (5.26 to 6.88 MJ/kg). Stover nitrogen content was negatively associated with grain and stover yield but no such trade-offs were observed between stover in vitro digestibility and metabolisable energy contents on one hand and grain and stover yield on the other. Hybrid GK 1044 had the lowest stover nitrogen content (0.62%) and highest stover digestibility (46.7%) and metabolisable energy (6.88 MJ/kg), while MLBH 267 with the highest stover nitrogen (1.10%) and the lowest stover digestibility (37.6%) and metabolisable energy (5.26 MJ/kg). These two contrasting hybrids were re-planted on large plots in the second year and their stover tested in vivo with sheep as sole feed. Digestible organic matter intake was significantly higher in GK 1044 than in MLBH 267 (13.5 versus 12.5 gram per kg live weight) and nitrogen balance tended (P<0.10) to be more favourable in GK 1044 than in MLBH 267 (−0.008 versus -0.10 gram per kg live weight. These results show that among commercial high-yielding pearl millet hybrids, some can be found with high grain and stover yield, high stover digestibility and metabolisable energy. The observations from the feeding trial suggest that stover in vitro digestibility and metabolisable energy are more important than stover nitrogen content in determining stover qualit

Development of crop cultivars for increased and stable production in dry lands of the semi-arid tropics

Increasing the grain yield and its stability in dry lands of the tropics of Asia and Africa, as the horne to a vast impoverished humanity,'contipues to be a major challenge for agricultural research and development Development of genetically enhanced cultivars with high yield potential, appropriate maturity, an'd resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors is an effective approach to increasing and stabilizing the production in these regions. Advances possible through this approach are illustrated with the impacts made in pearl millet (Pelllliselul11 glaucum), a warm~season cereal; and chickpea (Cicer arielillum), a cool-season legume, which are amongst the five mandate crops of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAn. The research in this paper is largely the work done by ICRISAT in partnership with the national agricultural research systems and advanced research institutes. The convention,!l approach of enhancement both in pearl millet ang chickpea has been highly successful. Progress has also been made in the areas of molecular marker-assisted selection in both crops, and in wide hybridization and transgenic technology in chickpea to improve those traits that are less amenable to genetic manipulation through conventional methods of genetic enhancement

Persona-driven information security awareness.

Because human factors are a root cause of security breaches in many organisations, security awareness activities are often used to address problematic behaviours and improve security culture. Previous work has found that personas are useful for identifying audience needs and goals, when designing and implementing awareness campaigns. We present a six-step security awareness process both driven by and centred around the use of personas. This can be embedded into business-as-usual activities, with 90-day cycles of awareness themes. We evaluated this process by using it to devise a security awareness campaign for a digital agency. Our results suggest a persona-centred security awareness approach is adaptable to business constraints, and contributes towards addressing security risks