Growth and yield of seed potatoes after application of gibberellic acid to the tubers before planting.

The influence of GA on growth and yield of potato seed tubers (size 28-45 mm) was studied in field experiments on sandy soil in the late cv. Alpha. Different GA conc. were applied to seed tubers with or without sprouts by both dipping and spraying. The main purpose was to find a more suitable method of preparing seed tubers than the laborious presprouting in light method. This other method would allow mechanical planting, should not be laborious and should give a high yield of seed tubers. The application of GA accelerated emergence. GA also significantly increased the yield of the seed tuber fraction, probably by increasing the number of stems and thus the number of tubers/plant. GA accelerated tuberization, decreased the total tuber yields in one experiment, whereas in the other experiment an increase occurred. The best results were obtained if sprouted tubers were treated and under favourable growing conditions. Spraying was equally effective as dipping also in the 'spraying just before planting' treatment after heat shock. This means that application during mechanical planting seems to be possible, on the understanding that the GA conc. is not too high to prevent the occurrence of phytotoxic effects (45 mg GA/l caused small leaflets with yellow discolouration). The application of GA to seed tubers seems to be attractive especially in slowly emerging cv. or in cv. with a high proportion of large tubers. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

A Framework for Directional and Higher-Order Reconstruction in Photoacoustic Tomography

Photoacoustic tomography is a hybrid imaging technique that combines high optical tissue contrast with high ultrasound resolution. Direct reconstruction methods such as filtered backprojection, time reversal and least squares suffer from curved line artefacts and blurring, especially in case of limited angles or strong noise. In recent years, there has been great interest in regularised iterative methods. These methods employ prior knowledge on the image to provide higher quality reconstructions. However, easy comparisons between regularisers and their properties are limited, since many tomography implementations heavily rely on the specific regulariser chosen. To overcome this bottleneck, we present a modular reconstruction framework for photoacoustic tomography. It enables easy comparisons between regularisers with different properties, e.g. nonlinear, higher-order or directional. We solve the underlying minimisation problem with an efficient first-order primal-dual algorithm. Convergence rates are optimised by choosing an operator dependent preconditioning strategy. Our reconstruction methods are tested on challenging 2D synthetic and experimental data sets. They outperform direct reconstruction approaches for strong noise levels and limited angle measurements, offering immediate benefits in terms of acquisition time and quality. This work provides a basic platform for the investigation of future advanced regularisation methods in photoacoustic tomography.Comment: submitted to "Physics in Medicine and Biology". Changes from v1 to v2: regularisation with directional wavelet has been added; new experimental tests have been include

The significance of insecure attachment and disorganization in the development of children's externalizing behavior: A meta-analytic study

This study addresses the extent to which insecure and disorganized attachments increase risk for externalizing problems using meta-analysis. From 69 samples (N = 5,947), the association between insecurity and externalizing problems was significant, d = 0.31 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.40). Larger effects were found for boys (d = 0.35), clinical samples (d = 0.49), and from observation-based outcome assessments (d = 0.58). Larger effects were found for attachment assessments other than the Strange Situation. Overall, disorganized children appeared at elevated risk (d = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.50), with weaker effects for avoidance (d = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21) and resistance (d = 0.11, 95% CI: −0.04, 0.26). The results are discussed in terms of the potential significance of attachment for mental health

Persistent Socioeconomic Inequalities in Measles Vaccine Uptake in Ethiopia in the Period 2005 to 2016

Objective: This study aims to quantify socioeconomic inequalities-and the factors contributing to these inequalities-in measles vaccine uptake among children aged 12 to 23 months in Ethiopia between 2005 and 2016. Methods: Inequalities in measles vaccine uptake were investigated based on data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2005, 2011, and 2016. Concentration curves and concentration indices were used to measure the degree of inequality, and decomposition analysis was used to identify factors contributing to these inequalities. Results: The overall level of national measles vaccine uptake in Ethiopia exhibited an increasing trend between 2005 and 2016. As indicated by the concentration index of measles vaccine uptake, however, which was estimated at 0.202 (P Conclusions: Although the national measles vaccine uptake showed improvement between 2005 and 2016, socioeconomic inequalities in the uptake persisted over time. Efforts to improve the national immunization coverage should be accompanied by appropriate measures to address the inequalities

Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Siswa Pada Materi Penjumlahan Dan Pengurangan Pecahan Menggunakan Benda Konkret Di Kelas IV SDN Makarti Jaya Bahodopi Morowali

Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah untuk memeperoleh diskripsi tentang penggunaan benda konkret (kertas berwarna) sebagai alat peraga sehingga dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa di SDN Makarti Jaya pada materi penjumlahan dan pengurangan pecahan. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian tindakan kelas. Rancanagn penelitian ini mengacu pada model Kemmis dan Mc. Taggart yang terdiri atas dua siklus. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di SDN Makarti Jaya yang melibatkan 21 orang siswa yang terdaftar pada tahun pelajaran 2013/2014. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, bahwa, pembelajaran menggunakan benda konkret (kertas berwarna) membuat siswa mengikuti pembelajaran dengan antusias, ketakutan siswa akan pelajaran matematika berkurang serta siswa dapat menemukan sendiri cara-cara penjumlahan dan pengurangan pecahan yang penyebutnya sama, sehingga mereka tidak mudah lupa terhadap rumus yang sudah ditemukan

Critical remarks on our time and some of its most harmful illusions

In the first part, this article explores an important phenomenon of our time, i.e. the resurgence of revolutionary liberation movements. Basically, all revolutionary movements since the 18th century rest on at least two assumptions which, on closer inspection, are exposed as fallacies. The first one is the assumption that we humans are born free, and the second is the assumption of the zero sum. Both these assumptions are discussed critically, with the aim of showing how they help to give rise to all sorts of illusions that pose a serious threat to democracy and to standards of civilised behaviour in society. Attention is focused primarily on the phenomenon of radical Islamic terrorism and the ideology of “third worldism” that underpins much of the movements for postcolonial liberation. The second part of this article deals with the late-modern phenomenon of what could be called a “culture (or rather counter-culture) of rejection and indifference” which is currently prevailing, primarily in the most technically and industrially advanced societies. I argue that this counter-culture of uncivilised (even barbaric) and provocative behaviour emanates from an attitude of profound ingratitude, disrespect and a total lack of scruple. I conclude the article with some suggestions as to how this counter-culture could be effectively opposed and contained. What is needed is a thorough reflection on the preconditions for a genuinely civilised society. Together we must ask anew the age old question about the “good life” – for us as individuals, as a particular community and also for society at large. In wrestling with this question we can draw sustenance and inspiration from the classical sources of our tradition. In this regard, the humanities and particularly philosophy has an extremely important role to play.Eerstens ondersoek hierdie artikel ʼn belangrike verskynsel van ons tyd, naamlik die heroplewing van rewolusionêre bevrydingsbewegings. Basies berus al die rewolusionêre bevrydingsbewegings op minstens twee veronderstellings wat myns insiens albei drogredenasies is. Die eerste is die veronderstelling dat ons as mense vry gebore word, en die tweede is die veronderstelling van die nulsom. Beide veronderstellings word krities bespreek. Daar word aangetoon hoe hulle aanleiding gee tot illusies wat ʼn ernstige bedreiging inhou vir die demokrasie en vir beskaafde standaarde in die burgerlike samelewing. Die aandag word veral gerig op die verskynsel van radikaal-Islamitiese terreur en die ideologie van “Derdewêreldisme” oftewel postkoloniale bevryding. Die tweede deel van die artikel handel oor die laat-moderne verskynsel van wat mens kan bestempel as ʼn “kultuur van verwerping en onverskilligheid” (beter nog: ʼn antikultuur) wat sigself veral in die hoogs ontwikkelde samelewings laat geld. Hierdie antikultuur van onbeskofte en provokerende gedrag kom voort uit ʼn radikale houding van ondankbaarheid, disrespek en ʼn totale gebrek aan skroom. Die artikel sluit af met aanduidings van hoe hierdie antikultuur bestry kan word, en wat die voorwaardes vir ʼn beskaafde samelewing sou behels. Filosofie as aktualiteitsanalise – dit beteken dat die filosoof ʼn poging aanwend om die tydsgees aan te voel, onder woorde te bring en van vraagtekens te voorsien. “Tydsgees” is ʼn vae begrip. Dit is moeilik om dit vas te vang, want as evidensies, d.w.s. as geleefde praktyke, oortuigings, denkgewoontes en denktaboes geld dit meestal as vanselfsprekend, as versweë veronderstellings wat slegs selde tot openbaring kom. Dit het al ʼn gemeenplaas geword om te sê dat ons hedendaagse, moderne samelewings gekenmerk word deur die verskynsel van globalisering en sterk beïnvloed word deur die neoliberale lewensopvatting. Dié lewensopvatting berus op die vanselfsprekende aannames van ʼn tegnokratiese en progressiewe elite, wat op elke verstoring van sy wêreldbeeld reageer deur die verstorende faktore voor te hou as agterhaalde oorblyfsels uit ʼn oorwonne verlede. Dit lewer ʼn soort sprekerswins op, want dit maak van argumentvoering en debat ʼn botsing tussen verteenwoordigers van die toekoms en oorblyfsels van ʼn agterhaalde verlede. Wie wil na alles bestempel word as ʼn reaksionêr, as ʼn struikelblok vir vooruitgang? Ek wil in hierdie bydrae egter nie op die neoliberale gedagtegoed fokus nie. Ek wil eerder die aandag vestig op ʼn ander belangrike verskynsel van ons tyd, naamlik die heroplewing van rewolusionêre bevrydingsbewegings. Daarbenewens wil ek, in die tweede plek, stilstaan by die laat-moderne verskynsel van wat mens kan bestempel as ʼn “kultuur van verwerping en onverskilligheid” (beter nog: ʼn antikultuur) wat sigself veral in die hoogs ontwikkelde samelewings laat geld.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/akgeeshttp://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0041-4751&lng=enam2017Philosoph