Spatial Optimization of Six Conservation Practices Using Swat in Tile‐Drained Agricultural Watersheds

Targeting of agricultural conservation practices to the most effective locations in a watershed can promote wise use of conservation funds to protect surface waters from agricultural nonpoint source pollution. A spatial optimization procedure using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool was used to target six widely used conservation practices, namely no‐tillage, cereal rye cover crops (CC), filter strips (FS), grassed waterways (GW), created wetlands, and restored prairie habitats, in two west‐central Indiana watersheds. These watersheds were small, fairly flat, extensively agricultural, and heavily subsurface tile‐drained. The targeting approach was also used to evaluate the model's representation of conservation practices in cost and water quality improvement, defined as export of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and sediment from cropped fields. FS, GW, and habitats were the most effective at improving water quality, while CC and wetlands made the greatest water quality improvement in lands with multiple existing conservation practices. Spatial optimization resulted in similar cost‐environmental benefit tradeoff curves for each watershed, with the greatest possible water quality improvement being a reduction in total pollutant loads by approximately 60%, with nitrogen reduced by 20‐30%, phosphorus by 70%, and sediment by 80‐90%.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112253/1/jawr12338.pd

Inverse Gaussian model for small area estimation via Gibbs sampling

We present a Bayesian method for estimating small area parameters under an inverse Gaussian model. The method is extended to estimate small area parameters for finite populations. The Gibbs sampler is proposed as a mechanism for implementing the Bayesian paradigm. We illustrate the method by application to household income survey data, comparing it against the usual lognormal model for positively skewed data. Key words/phrases: Finite population sampling, hierarchical Bayesian inference, lognormal model, MCMC integration, shrinkage estimates SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 28 (1) 2005: 1–1

Adaptive Targeting: Engaging Farmers to Improve Targeting and Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices

Targeting of agricultural conservation practices to cost‐effective locations has long been of interest to watershed managers, yet its implementation cannot succeed without meaningful engagement of agricultural producers who are decision makers on the lands they farm. In this study, we engaged 14 west‐central Indiana producers and landowners in an adaptive targeting experiment. Interviews carried out prior to targeting provided rich spatial information on existing conservation practices as well as producers' preferences for future conservation projects. We targeted six of the most accepted conservation practices using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and spatial optimization using a genetic algorithm approach. Fairly optimal conservation scenarios were possible with even the most limiting constraints of farmer‐accepted practices. We presented in follow‐up interviews a total of 176 conservation practice recommendations on 103 farm fields to 10 farmers whose lands were targeted for conservation. Primary findings indicated producers were interested in the project, were open to hearing recommendations about their lands, and expressed a high likelihood of adopting 35% of targeted recommendations. Farmers generally viewed the interview process and presentation of results quite favorably, and the interviews were found to build trust and make the targeting process more acceptable to them.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112239/1/jawr12336.pd

Extensive intraductal component positive carcinoma of breast: two year study with special reference to ER/PR/HER2NEU/Ki67 in a tertiary care centre of Barak Valley

Background: Extensive intraductal component positive carcinoma (EICPC) of breast is defined by Schnitt et al as-A. 25% or more of Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is present along the invasive lesion and DCIS is also present outside the area of invasive carcinoma. B. EICPC also include carcinomas in which DCIS is associated with a “small” (approximately 10 mm or less) invasive carcinoma or carcinomas. In Extensive Intraductal Carcinoma (EIDC) most of the cases were associated with recurrence when surgical margin status is not evaluated or focally involved. Our objective was to study the prevalence of EIDC and expression of estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)/human epidermal growth factor (HER2NEU)/Ki67(antigen identified by monoclonal antibody KI67) in those cases.Methods: It was a retrospective cross sectional study conducted over a period of 2017 to August 2019.All the histologically confirmed cases of EIDC was retrieved from the institute.Results: Out of 65 cases of invasive carcinoma 17 (26.1%) cases were positive for EICPC. Age of patients ranged from 27 to 73years with mean age of 43 years and 5 patients (29.4%) were postmenopausal. Most of the cases  i.e. 6(35.2%) had a ER+/PR+/HER2NEU- status with most of the cases having high 6(47%)Ki-67 index. According to the BLOOM RICHARDSON GRADING 14 cases were grade II (82.3%) and 3 cases were grade I (17.7%) and in pT and pN staging majority were stage pT1 - 7 (41.1%). Most of the cases were mastectomy cases 11 (64.4%) with a base free status except in one lumpectomy case where margin was involved.Conclusions: In this study majority of the cases were ER+//PR+/HER2NEU- with most of the cases having high Ki67 index. Evaluation of EIDC, along with the negative margin status is important to prevent recurrence

Genetic Affinities of the Central Indian Tribal Populations

Background: The central Indian state Madhya Pradesh is often called as ‘heart of India ’ and has always been an important region functioning as a trinexus belt for three major language families (Indo-European, Dravidian and Austroasiatic). There are less detailed genetic studies on the populations inhabited in this region. Therefore, this study is an attempt for extensive characterization of genetic ancestries of three tribal populations, namely; Bharia, Bhil and Sahariya, inhabiting this region using haploid and diploid DNA markers. Methodology/Principal Findings: Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed high diversity, including some of the older sublineages of M haplogroup and prominent R lineages in all the three tribes. Y-chromosomal biallelic markers revealed high frequency of Austroasiatic-specific M95-O2a haplogroup in Bharia and Sahariya, M82-H1a in Bhil and M17-R1a in Bhil and Sahariya. The results obtained by haploid as well as diploid genetic markers revealed strong genetic affinity of Bharia (a Dravidian speaking tribe) with the Austroasiatic (Munda) group. The gene flow from Austroasiatic group is further confirmed by their Y-STRs haplotype sharing analysis, where we determined their founder haplotype from the North Munda speaking tribe, while, autosomal analysis was largely in concordant with the haploid DNA results. Conclusions/Significance: Bhil exhibited largely Indo-European specific ancestry, while Sahariya and Bharia showed admixed genetic package of Indo-European and Austroasiatic populations. Hence, in a landscape like India, linguistic labe

Limiting Behaviour of the Mean Residual Life

In survival or reliability studies, the mean residual life or life expectancy is an important characteristic of the model. Here, we study the limiting behaviour of the mean residual life, and derive an asymptotic expansion which can be used to obtain a good approximation for large values of the time variable. The asymptotic expansion is valid for a quite general class of failure rate distributions--perhaps the largest class that can be expected given that the terms depend only on the failure rate and its derivatives.Comment: 19 page