The Cotton Wizard: A Software Implementation of a Cotton Variety Selection Model

The Cotton Wizard is an implementation of a cotton variety selection model intended to assist decision-makers (including producers, farm managers, extension specialists, and breeders) in variety selection. The program uses objective cotton performance test data available from state agricultural experiment stations. The decision criteria for variety selection are based on expected economic return (mean net revenue) of a variety and the variability of returns (coefficient of variation). Total revenue is calculated from lint price and seed price, and lint and seed yields. Lint and seed prices are determined by their respective quality characteristics. Adjustments are made for costs that may differ among varieties, such as planting seed cost (seed and technology costs), harvest and ginning costs, and herbicide and insecticide costs in comparisons of transgenic and conventional varieties. Users are provided with information on varieties—such as mean net revenue (total revenue less costs), variability in net revenue, and agronomic characteristics—to aid in the decision process. The Cotton Wizard is available as a Web application.Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Production Economics,

Audio-visual instruments and multi-dimensional architecture in Visual Research Methods in Architecture.

This book offers a distinctive approach to the use of visual methodologies for qualitative architectural research

Application of DOT-MORSE coupling to the analysis of three-dimensional SNAP shielding problems

The use of discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo techniques to solve radiation transport problems is discussed. A general discussion of two possible coupling schemes is given for the two methods. The calculation of the reactor radiation scattered from a docked service and command module is used as an example of coupling discrete ordinates (DOT) and Monte Carlo (MORSE) calculations

Boolean algebra and the minimization problem

Call number: LD2668 .R4 1966 L33

Pre-pregnancy maternal BMI classification is associated with preschool childhood diet quality and childhood obesity in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of maternal BMI class pre-pregnancy (overweight/obese versus healthy weight/underweight) on childhood diet quality and on childhood overweight/obesity risk. DESIGN: Dietary data were collected using 3-day parental-completed food records for their children at ages 18 and 43 months. An index of diet quality was derived by classification of food items into core and non-core foods. Adjusted multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the effect of maternal BMI class on diet quality in their children. SETTING: Avon, UK. PARTICIPANTS: A 10% subsample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. 908 children provided complete dietary data at 18 months and 769 at 43 months. RESULTS: Children with overweight/obese mothers consumed greater amounts of energy from non-core foods than children with healthy weight/underweight mothers (0.20 MJ [48 kcal]/day more at 18 months (p<0.001); 0.19 MJ [45 kcal]/day more at 43 months (p=0.008)) in adjusted models. Diet quality deteriorated between 18 and 43 months (children reduced their dietary energy intake from core foods (p<0.001) and increased intake from non-core foods (p<0.001)). However, this change was not associated with maternal BMI class in adjusted models. Having an overweight/obese mother was associated with an increased odds of the child being overweight/obese at 43 months (OR 1.74 (1.17, 2.58)). CONCLUSION: Children aged 18 and 43 months with overweight/obese mothers are likely to have a poorer quality diet than those with healthy-/underweight mothers. Parents should be supported in discouraging the consumption of non-core foods in children at these ages