37 research outputs found
Mathematical modelling of adjuvant-enhanced active ingredient leaf uptake of pesticides
The global importance of effective and affordable pesticides to optimise crop yield and to support health of our growing population cannot be understated. But to develop new products or refine existing ones in response to climate and environmental changes is both time-intensive and expensive which is why the agrochemical industry is increasingly interested in using mechanistic models as part of their formulation development toolbox. In this work, we develop such a model to describe uptake of pesticide spray droplets across the leaf surface. We simplify the leaf structure by identifying the outer cuticle as the main barrier to uptake; the result is a novel, hybrid model in which two well-mixed compartments are separated by a membrane in which we describe the spatio-temporal distribution of the pesticide. This leads to a boundary value partial differential equation problem coupled to a pair of ordinary differential equation systems which we solve numerically. We also simplify the pesticide formulation into two key components: the Active Ingredient which produces the desired effect of the pesticide and an Adjuvant which is present in the formulation to facilitate effective absorption of the Active Ingredient into the leaf. This approach gives rise to concentration-dependent diffusion. We take an intuitive approach to parameter estimation using a small experimental data set and subsequently demonstrate the importance of the concentration-dependent diffusion in replicating the data. Finally, we demonstrate the need for further work to identify how the physicochemical properties of pesticides affect flow into and across the leaf surface
Moving Towards Technology-Based LGUs: A Review of Computer Literacy of Mariveles Barangays
Government organizations from national to local levels have been taking the path of computerization of documents and interconnectivity of transactions to improve public service
Canagliflozin and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes and Nephropathy
BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to 300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m 2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years
Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy
BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years
Ang pagkabuhay muli
In an attempt to avoid misrepresentation, we explore the roots and how it is currently, the psychological effects, the ethical considerations regarding taxidermy. Moreover, this is to be connected to the practices of taxidermy under the Filipino culture. The group plans on using the intercultural communication theory in integrating all the findings in order to make sense of it in the Philippines. The group found it to be the best theory to use as a guide because it states that what people perceive and experience has an impact on how the world looks like and people interact with it (Giri, 532). This paper would be the first to highlight a research on how taxidermy is viewed as a form of art and the ethical considerations behind it to be able to perceive the reasons how taxidermy affects taxidermists, business owners of taxidermy services, owners of taxidermied, and the people who are about to undergo taxidermy under Philippine culture
High Burden of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases in Preschool-Age Children in Masbate: A Decade of Implementation of the Integrated Helminth Control Program in the Philippines
This study aimed to describe the status of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) control in preschool-age children (PSAC) in four municipalities in Masbate Province, Philippines, a decade after the implementation of the Integrated Helminth Control Program. This cross sectional study, which included 1,224 PSAC, utilized Kato-Katz technique to determine parasitological status. Secondary data were reviewed to obtain deworming coverage in the selected municipalities. Results showed a prevalence of STH and a prevalence of moderate-heavy intensity STH of 72% and 41%, respectively, while the deworming coverage in the province in 2013 was 71%. None of the municipalities met the global target on prevalence of moderate-heavy intensity STH of below 1, while only Cawayan met the national target for STH prevalence of below 50%. The deworming coverage in the province was below the global and national targets of 75% and 85%, respectively. The failure to meet these targets may be related to challenges with coverage of mass drug administration, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), health promotion, and other factors, such as poverty. Recommended strategies to meet global and national targets include increasing access to deworming, improving WASH and health promotion and education, and addressing factors contributing to STH, such as poverty. The War on Worms Campaign, which improved helminth control outcomes in various sites in the country, may be adopted
Memory Fault Modeling Trends: A Case Study
In recent years, embedded memories are the fastest growing segment of system on chip. They therefore have a major impact on the overall Defect per Million (DPM). Further, the shrinking technologies and processes introduce new defects that cause previously unknown faults; such faults have to be understood and modeled in order to design appropriate test techniques that can reduce the DPM level. This paper discusses a new memory fault class, namely dynamic faults, based on industrial test results; it defines the concept of dynamic faults based on the fault primitive concept. It further shows the importance of dynamic faults for the new memory technologies and introduces a systematic way for modeling them. It concludes that current and future SRAM products need to consider testability for dynamic faults or leave substantial DPM on the table, and sets a direction for further research. Keywords: memory tests, static faults, dynamic faults, data backgrounds, fault models, fault coverage 1