Importance-performance analysis of port’s services quality form perspective of containerized liner shipping

One of the important issues in port services is to evaluate the performance of the services. Without evaluating port services and their related components, these services cannot be considered desirable and its quality cannot be enhanced. However, the evaluation and the quality assurance of port services should be accomplished based on a scientific framework and a coherent framework to have desirable results. The importance-performance analysis model is an appropriate framework where each component is evaluated in terms of two dimensions of importance and performance. This study performs performance-importance analysis of ports’ services quality form perspective of containerized liner shipping in the Imam Khomeini port. In this exploratory study, 150 shipping lines experts are chosen, randomly in 2012. The study identifies 28 components of quality in port services and shipping lines’ experts are requested to evaluate these components in terms of two dimensions of importance and performance. Results reveal that there is a gap between the importance and performance of all port services components except three components of 6, 19 and 24. In addition, the results indicate that Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) model is capable of evaluating and assuring quality in port services and can precisely identify the strengths and weaknesses of the seaport system and provide guidance for strategy formulation for quality improvement

Effectiveness of Various Solar Light Traps With and Without Sex Pheromone for Mass Trapping of Tomato Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta) in a Tomato Field

Tuta absolute was a quarantine pest in Iran that has been recorded for the first time in 2009. The most conventional methods for control of this pest in Iran are chemical methods and mass trapping, although the efficiency of the latter method is not clear. In 2013, the efficiency of three common types of solar light traps with and without sex pheromone, along with water pan pheromone traps for control, were investigated. The experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design within in a tomato field. The treatments were Behroyan light trap (BL), Zist bani light trap (ZL), Russell light trap (RL), BL + pheromone, ZL+ pheromone, RL+ pheromone and water pan pheromone trap (WPT). Traps were checked weekly and the number of captured tomato leaf miner (TLM), Noctuid moths, Chrysopa sp., Coccinella septempuctata and Syrphid flies were counted. Mean weekly capture of TLM in BL, ZL and RL traps without sex pheromone were 9.11 ± 1.16, 4.94 ± 0.24 and 1.66 ± 0.7, while within traps sex pheromone were 54.72 ± 11.8, 42.05 ± 6.47, 39.02 ± 2.82, respectively. The mean weekly capture of Noctuid moths in the traps without pheromone were 16.92 ± 1.39, 25.39 ± 0.57, 1.49 ± 0.27 and with pheromone were 21.04 ± 1.72, 28.09 ± 0.95, 2.76 ± 1.39, respectively. Mean weekly capture of TLM and Noctuid moths in WPT traps were 47.13 ± 3.06 and 0.73 ± 0.27, respectively. The total attracted numbers of predators by the three light traps were not significant. In conclusion, traps baited sex pheromone (especially BL and ZL) could be used as eco- friendly tools for mass trapping of TLM and some key Noctuid moth pests in isolated tomato fields

Study of some biological aspects and development of integrated pest management program for the safflower fly, Acanthiophilus helianthi Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Iran

Acanthiophilus helianthi Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a pest of safflower and managing it because of its fecundity and concealed larval habitat is a challenge. Potential components of an integrated pest management program for A. helianthi were investigated at the Gachsaran Agricultural Research Station, in southern Iran from November 2008 to July 2009. For the life cycle studies, the infected flower heads were collected from an experimental field plot and were developed from egg to adult under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the first adults emerged gradually in mid April 2009. Female A.helianthi had a pre-oviposition period of 5.8 ± 1.0 days and the average fecundity was 27 ± 3.2 eggs. The eggs were laid in the bracts of flower heads singly or in clusters of 3-18. The Incubation period was 3.8 ± 0.6 days under field conditions and 3.4 ± 0.6 days under cage conditions. Three larval instars occurred, and the larval phase was 7-10 days. Males emerged earlier than females, but the longevity of the adult females (12 ± 3.0) was significantly greater than that of males (8 ± 1.0). Analysis of aggregated male and female sampling data showed that the gender ratio was 1:1.28. To evaluate the efficiency of different methods of fruit fly control on safflower, a field experiment was carried out. Five diverse methods, insecticides, baiting, cultural, Integrated Management and no treatment were assessed on weight of one thousand seeds, percentage of oil, percentage seed damage and harvest/ha. Integrated Management and insecticide control indicated best results with harvest potential of 1850 and 1723 kg/ha with a least damage of 5 and 8%, respectively. Since use of selective insecticides is one of the most important methods for pest management, the efficacy of six insecticides against A. helianthi infesting safflower were evaluated. Among the treatments Endosulfan 35% EC at 0.03% proved more effective followed by Chlorpyriphos and Monochrotophos

Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) as a Biological Control Agent of Lentil Weevil, Bruchus lentis, Under Laboratory Conditions

Stored-product pests in the family Bruchidae of Coleoptera represent important pests affecting legume seeds. The lentil weevil, Bruchus lentis Froelich (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) is one of the major lentil pests in Iran and in the world. The economic losses caused by this pest on lentil grow up to 40%. Synthetic pesticides are currently the chosen method to protect stored grain from insect damage. However, their widespread use has led to the development of pest strains resistant to insecticides and pest resurgence. In recent years, nonchemical methods, including biological agents are considered safe methods to control the stored grain pests. Positive characteristics of entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control factors of arthropod pests, introduce them as an appropriate option for controlling the integrated pest management of lentil weevil. In the present study, an isolate of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema feltiae, isolated from soils around Yasouj and based on morphological traits and morphometric data were identified.  Adult insects of lentil weevil were exposed to concentrations of 0; 500; 1,000; 2,000 and 3,000 infective juvenile/ml of distilled water at different temperatures (20, 23, 26 and 29 °C). Insects were placed on filter paper impregnated with 1 ml of nematode suspension in Petri dishes for three days. Mortality of the insects was recorded every 24 hours. The highest mortality was recorded after 72 hours, which represented 79.40%, at the concentration of 3,000 infective juvenile at 26 °C

Comparison of different methods to control fruit fly Acanthiophilus helianthi Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Iran

Problem statement: The safflower fly is one of the most important insect pests of safflower in Iran. Losses caused by larval feeding on receptacle tissue or seeds leads to disrupted plant activities, reduction in flower buds and ultimately, to decreased quality and quantity of crop. Approach: To evaluate the efficiency of different methods of fruit fly control on Safflower, a field experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Station in Gachsaran, Iran in 2009. Five diverse methods, insecticides, baiting, cultural, Integrated Management and no treatment were assessed on weight of one thousand seeds, percentage of oil, percentage seed damage and harvest/ha. Results: Damage percentage and harvest/ha varied significantly in various control methods. Integrated Management and insecticide control indicated best results with harvest potential of 1850 and 1723kg/ha with a least damage of 5% and 8% respectively. The minimum harvest (1103 kg/ha) and the most damage (39.4%) were recorded in plants where no treatment was applied. Bait trap method produced a harvest of 1405 kg/ha along with a damage of 20%. Conclusion: The results indicate the integrated management was significantly more successful compored to other methods

Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In an era of shifting global agendas and expanded emphasis on non-communicable diseases and injuries along with communicable diseases, sound evidence on trends by cause at the national level is essential. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic scientific assessment of published, publicly available, and contributed data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality for a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of diseases and injuries. Methods: GBD estimates incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to 369 diseases and injuries, for two sexes, and for 204 countries and territories. Input data were extracted from censuses, household surveys, civil registration and vital statistics, disease registries, health service use, air pollution monitors, satellite imaging, disease notifications, and other sources. Cause-specific death rates and cause fractions were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression. Cause-specific deaths were adjusted to match the total all-cause deaths calculated as part of the GBD population, fertility, and mortality estimates. Deaths were multiplied by standard life expectancy at each age to calculate YLLs. A Bayesian meta-regression modelling tool, DisMod-MR 2.1, was used to ensure consistency between incidence, prevalence, remission, excess mortality, and cause-specific mortality for most causes. Prevalence estimates were multiplied by disability weights for mutually exclusive sequelae of diseases and injuries to calculate YLDs. We considered results in the context of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income per capita, years of schooling, and fertility rate in females younger than 25 years. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered 1000 draw values of the posterior distribution. Findings: Global health has steadily improved over the past 30 years as measured by age-standardised DALY rates. After taking into account population growth and ageing, the absolute number of DALYs has remained stable. Since 2010, the pace of decline in global age-standardised DALY rates has accelerated in age groups younger than 50 years compared with the 1990–2010 time period, with the greatest annualised rate of decline occurring in the 0–9-year age group. Six infectious diseases were among the top ten causes of DALYs in children younger than 10 years in 2019: lower respiratory infections (ranked second), diarrhoeal diseases (third), malaria (fifth), meningitis (sixth), whooping cough (ninth), and sexually transmitted infections (which, in this age group, is fully accounted for by congenital syphilis; ranked tenth). In adolescents aged 10–24 years, three injury causes were among the top causes of DALYs: road injuries (ranked first), self-harm (third), and interpersonal violence (fifth). Five of the causes that were in the top ten for ages 10–24 years were also in the top ten in the 25–49-year age group: road injuries (ranked first), HIV/AIDS (second), low back pain (fourth), headache disorders (fifth), and depressive disorders (sixth). In 2019, ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the top-ranked causes of DALYs in both the 50–74-year and 75-years-and-older age groups. Since 1990, there has been a marked shift towards a greater proportion of burden due to YLDs from non-communicable diseases and injuries. In 2019, there were 11 countries where non-communicable disease and injury YLDs constituted more than half of all disease burden. Decreases in age-standardised DALY rates have accelerated over the past decade in countries at the lower end of the SDI range, while improvements have started to stagnate or even reverse in countries with higher SDI. Interpretation: As disability becomes an increasingly large component of disease burden and a larger component of health expenditure, greater research and developm nt investment is needed to identify new, more effective intervention strategies. With a rapidly ageing global population, the demands on health services to deal with disabling outcomes, which increase with age, will require policy makers to anticipate these changes. The mix of universal and more geographically specific influences on health reinforces the need for regular reporting on population health in detail and by underlying cause to help decision makers to identify success stories of disease control to emulate, as well as opportunities to improve. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licens

Five insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a rules-based synthesis of the available evidence on levels and trends in health outcomes, a diverse set of risk factors, and health system responses. GBD 2019 covered 204 countries and territories, as well as first administrative level disaggregations for 22 countries, from 1990 to 2019. Because GBD is highly standardised and comprehensive, spanning both fatal and non-fatal outcomes, and uses a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of hierarchical disease and injury causes, the study provides a powerful basis for detailed and broad insights on global health trends and emerging challenges. GBD 2019 incorporates data from 281 586 sources and provides more than 3.5 billion estimates of health outcome and health system measures of interest for global, national, and subnational policy dialogue. All GBD estimates are publicly available and adhere to the Guidelines on Accurate and Transparent Health Estimate Reporting. From this vast amount of information, five key insights that are important for health, social, and economic development strategies have been distilled. These insights are subject to the many limitations outlined in each of the component GBD capstone papers.Peer reviewe

Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Accurate and up-to-date assessment of demographic metrics is crucial for understanding a wide range of social, economic, and public health issues that affect populations worldwide. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 produced updated and comprehensive demographic assessments of the key indicators of fertility, mortality, migration, and population for 204 countries and territories and selected subnational locations from 1950 to 2019. Methods: 8078 country-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 938 surveys, 349 censuses, and 238 other sources were identified and used to estimate age-specific fertility. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate age-specific fertility rates for 5-year age groups between ages 15 and 49 years. With extensions to age groups 10–14 and 50–54 years, the total fertility rate (TFR) was then aggregated using the estimated age-specific fertility between ages 10 and 54 years. 7417 sources were used for under-5 mortality estimation and 7355 for adult mortality. ST-GPR was used to synthesise data sources after correction for known biases. Adult mortality was measured as the probability of death between ages 15 and 60 years based on vital registration, sample registration, and sibling histories, and was also estimated using ST-GPR. HIV-free life tables were then estimated using estimates of under-5 and adult mortality rates using a relational model life table system created for GBD, which closely tracks observed age-specific mortality rates from complete vital registration when available. Independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated by an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance and other sources were incorporated into the estimates in countries with large epidemics. Annual and single-year age estimates of net migration and population for each country and territory were generated using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model that analysed estimated age-specific fertility and mortality rates along with 1250 censuses and 747 population registry years. We classified location-years into seven categories on the basis of the natural rate of increase in population (calculated by subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate) and the net migration rate. We computed healthy life expectancy (HALE) using years lived with disability (YLDs) per capita, life tables, and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty was propagated throughout the demographic estimation process, including fertility, mortality, and population, with 1000 draw-level estimates produced for each metric. Findings: The global TFR decreased from 2•72 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2•66–2•79) in 2000 to 2•31 (2•17–2•46) in 2019. Global annual livebirths increased from 134•5 million (131•5–137•8) in 2000 to a peak of 139•6 million (133•0–146•9) in 2016. Global livebirths then declined to 135•3 million (127•2–144•1) in 2019. Of the 204 countries and territories included in this study, in 2019, 102 had a TFR lower than 2•1, which is considered a good approximation of replacement-level fertility. All countries in sub-Saharan Africa had TFRs above replacement level in 2019 and accounted for 27•1% (95% UI 26•4–27•8) of global livebirths. Global life expectancy at birth increased from 67•2 years (95% UI 66•8–67•6) in 2000 to 73•5 years (72•8–74•3) in 2019. The total number of deaths increased from 50•7 million (49•5–51•9) in 2000 to 56•5 million (53•7–59•2) in 2019. Under-5 deaths declined from 9•6 million (9•1–10•3) in 2000 to 5•0 million (4•3–6•0) in 2019. Global population increased by 25•7%, from 6•2 billion (6•0–6•3) in 2000 to 7•7 billion (7•5–8•0) in 2019. In 2019, 34 countries had negative natural rates of increase; in 17 of these, the population declined because immigration was not sufficient to counteract the negative rate of decline. Globally, HALE increased from 58•6 years (56•1–60•8) in 2000 to 63•5 years (60•8–66•1) in 2019. HALE increased in 202 of 204 countries and territories between 2000 and 2019. Interpretation: Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition. Tracking demographic change and the emergence of new patterns will be essential for global health monitoring. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licens