Higher Fertilizer Inputs Increase Fitness Traits of Brown Planthopper in Rice.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the primary staple food source for more than half of the world's population. In many developing countries, increased use of fertilizers is a response to increase demand for rice. In this study, we investigated the effects of three principal fertilizer components (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) on the development of potted rice plants and their effects on fitness traits of the brown planthopper (BPH) [Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)], which is a major pest of rice in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Compared to low fertilizer inputs, high fertilizer treatments induced plant growth but also favored BPH development. The BPH had higher survival, developed faster, and the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m ) was higher on well-fertilized than under-fertilized plants. Among the fertilizer inputs, nitrogen had the strongest effect on the fitness traits of BPH. Furthermore, both the "Plant vigor hypothesis" and the "Plant stress hypothesis" were supported by the results, the former hypothesis more so than the latter. These hypotheses suggest that the most suitable/attractive hosts for insect herbivores are the most vigorous plants. Our findings emphasized that an exclusive focus on yield increases through only enhanced crop fertilization may have unforeseen, indirect, effects on crop susceptibility to pests, such as BPH

Perceived quality of care and contraceptive use among social marketed and commercial health establishment clientele in urban Pakistan.

The objective was to examine predictors of perceived quality of care and contraceptive use and to provide more information on the influence of social marketing programs on quality of care and contraceptive use by comparing Greenstar social marketing outlets with other commercial health establishments. This study is based on an urban exit survey of 5,321 clients conducted in May and June 2001. Quality of care was measured in terms of features clients liked at the health establishments they visited. Predictors of contraceptive use include indicators of quality of care, social environment, exposure to channels of communication, exposure to Greenstar information, and background characteristics. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Of the clients interviewed, 5 1 percent were male; 89 percent were at least 25 years old; 93 percent had at least one child; and 72 percent had some schooling. The results show that perceived quality of care varied according to sex, years of schooling, and how often clients listened to the radio or watched TV. Significant predictors of contraceptive use were years of schooling, number of children, how often a client listened to the radio or watched TV, awareness of the Greenstar logo and what it represented, and perceived quality of care--closeness of the health establishment to home or work, affordable fees, availability of a doctor at the outlet, and knowledgeability of the provider. Results suggest that social marketing programs have an impact on both quality of care and creating a demand for contraceptives. Program interventions that increase the perceived quality of care at a health establishment may attract more family planning clients and increase contraceptive use among couples in Pakistan. (author's

Studies on uricase induction in certain bacteria

Three strains of Proteus vulgaris and two Streptomyces species were screened for inducible uricase formation. P. vulgaris (1753 and B-317-C), Streptomyces graminofaciens and S.albidoflavus showed inducible uricase activity, but P. vulgaris U7 did not show activity under the experimental conditions tested. Different amounts of constitutive and induced uricase were obtained by the four organisms using different culture media. The enzyme was induced in the producing organisms by different concentrations of different inducers, and uric acid was the mostpotent inducer. Using the optimal concentration of uric acid as inducer, the conditions of uricase induction in the test organisms were optimized. In P. vulgaris strains (1753 and B-317-C), theincubation temperature of 37 ºC, initial pH of culture media of 7 and agitation rate of 180 rpm, showed the highest level of uricase induction. In the two Streptomyces species, the uricase induction was optimized at 28 ºC incubation temperature and pH 7. The agitation rate of 200 and 220 rpm showed the highest induction activity in Streptomyces graminofaciens and S. albidoflavus, respectively. The highest levels of induced uricase were obtained at induction times of 140 min, 140 min, 42 h and 36 h in P. vulgaris 1753, B-317-C, Streptomyces graminofaciens and S. albidoflavus, respectively. The uricase was present as cell-bound enzyme in the producing organisms and no activity was recorded in the culture supernatants

Evaluating SUD/OUD Treatment Outcomes Related to Vocational Success for Previously Incarcerated Persons: A Review

The United States criminal justice system’s (CJS) primary purpose is for the rehabilitation of the individuals within it, which calls for a comprehensive evaluation and critique of its effectiveness. Though there are many variables of the CJS that can be evaluated, for those who are battling a substance or opioid use disorder, accessing treatment is particularly difficult. Further, upon release from the jail/prison system, such persons are often expected to maintain certain parameters such as holding a job. The complex interaction between all three of these variables (incarceration history, substance use history, and employment status) have not yet been evaluated together. A review of the extant literature on vocational outcomes as they relate to substance use treatments in prison clearly shows the limited success of these treatments for participants post-release. Such findings create curiosity about what might be missing in these substance use treatments, especially as they relate to employment. The purpose of the present manuscript is to investigate how these ideas have been historically documented and measured and subsequently to suggest a way in which to enhance the limited success of substance use treatments in the CJS. Vocational success is an outcome measure that takes into account, not only, traditional objective standards such as whether or not a person is employed, hours worked, etc., but also more subjective standards such as meaning- making in work which has not previously been included in prison-based substance use treatments. Such inclusion may increase vocational success and may lead to overall more positive recovery for individuals post-release. Future research recommendations are discussed

Influence of Sociodemographic and Stroke‑related Factors on Availability of Social Support among Nigerian Stroke Survivors

Background: Availability of social support has been identified as an important prerequisite for positive outcomes after stroke. There is however, little information on variables that influence the availability of social support after stroke. Aim: This study explored the influence of selected sociodemographic and clinical variables on social support of stroke survivors in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: One hundred stroke survivors undergoing rehabilitation at two tertiary‑care hospitals in Northern Nigeria participated in the study. Data on age, gender, living arrangement, marital, education and prestroke employment status, and time after stroke were obtained through interview, while poststroke disability was evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale. Social support was assessed with the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS). Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. A P value of less than 0.05 is considered as significant. Results: Univariate analysis showed that gender, education, and prestroke employment status were significantly associated with the availability of social support. In a regression model that accounted for 11 % of the variance in social support, prestroke employment was the only variable that independently influenced availability of social support (β = −0.33, P < 0.01) with previously employed stroke survivors having higher MSPSS score (5.28 [0.98]) compared to the unemployed (4.57 [0.82]). Conclusion: Employment is a known significant contributor to social network and was also found to influence significantly, the availability of poststroke social support in this study. Further studies are required to identify factors that more substantially influence the availability of social support after stroke.Keywords: Nigeria, Social support, Stroke, Stroke survivor

Use of Image Map, Frame and Multimedia Flash Target in Designing a Homepage Using Html

World Wide Web is built from a Web Page or known as the Home Page. While theirown home page created using HTML language.To create a Home Page that was good and interesting, of course, we try in any waygive a different look than usual, so that makes it look more alive and creating formsan interesting link to be clicked.No escape from making a link, the writer here tries to minimize access time /download from users that is by making an image that can be divided into several linkcalled with Image Map and Target Frame to make users more easily search and findcontents of the home page without having to return to the main menu so that it cansave time appearance on a home page

Identification of multidrug-resistant bacteria and Bacillus cereus from healthcare workers and environmental surfaces in a hospital

No Abstract

Leaf nitrogen determination using non-destructive techniques–A review

© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. The optimisation of plant nitrogen-use-efficiency (NUE) has a direct impact on increasing crop production by optimising use of nitrogen fertiliser. Moreover, it protects environment from negative effects of nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide production. Accordingly, nitrogen (N) management in agriculture systems has been major focus of many researchers. Improvement of NUE can be achieved through several methods including more accurate measurement of foliar N contents of crops during different growth phases. There are two types of methods to diagnose foliar N status: destructive and non-destructive. Destructive methods are expensive and time-consuming, as they require tissue sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis. Thus, many farmers find destructive methods to be less attractive. Non-destructive methods are rapid and less expensive but are usually less accurate. Accordingly, improving the accuracy of non-destructive N estimations has become a common goal of many researchers, and various methods varying in complexity and optimality have been proposed for this purpose. This paper reviews various commonly used non-destructive methods for estimating foliar N status of plants

In vitro regeneration of Pakistani peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) varieties using de-embryonated coteledonary explants

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) belongs to the family leguminosae and is one of the world’s largest oilseed crops. This study is the first report on peanut regeneration from Pakistan using four commercially released peanut varieties, that is, Golden, BARI-2000, BARD-479 and BARD-92. Longitudinally, halved cotyledons with removed embryos were employed as explants. Among various tested combinations of BAP and NAA, the best combination was 4 and 0.1 mg/L respectively. BARI-2000 proved to be the best responsive variety for in vitro regeneration in terms of number of shoots/explant (133.3%) and number of rooted plants/explant (124.99%). The optimized protocol, which is the first one in the country, would be used to incorporate important traits in future breeding programmes of peanut in Pakistan.Key words: Arachis hypogea, de-embryonated cotyledons, BAP, NAA, in vitro regeneration, Pakistan

HbA1c as a marker to reduce lower limb amputation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most serious and prevalent chronic diseases worldwide. One of the most common complications of diabetes in the lower extremity is the diabetic foot ulcer which is the precursor to ~85% of lower extremity amputations in persons with diabetes. Materials and Subjects: This is a case- control study which was carried out at Jabir Abu-Aliz Specialized Center, Khartoum State, Sudan between October 2006 and April 2007. Forty type 2 diabetes cases with septic foot (group 1 cases), 40 type 2 diabetes cases without septic foot (group 2 cases), and 40 healthy controls participated in this study. Their demographic data were collected. Serum HbA1c levels were estimated by affinity chromatography method. Results: The level of HbA1c was 9.947±1.40%, 7.908±0.45% and 6.462±0.07%. in group 1, group 2, and the healthy control respectively. There was significant increase in percentage level of HbA1c in group 1 cases compared to group 2 cases and healthy control (p = 0.002, 0.001 respectively). We found very low correlation between fasting blood sugar and HbA1c in group 1 cases (r = + 0.331; p=0.042). Conclusion: This study indicates that the progression to the complication of foot ulcer in type 2 diabetic patients was correlated to the level of HbAlc. These data may suggest a beneficial effect of considering measurement of HbA1c as a routine test especially for elderly diabetic patients with diabetes for long period. This may help to maintain blood glucose levels in the normal or near normal range and to provide an opportunity for patients to live out their normal life expectancies with minimal complications. Keywords: glycohemoglobin, neuropathy, septic foot, glycemic control.Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 3 (3) 2008: pp. 227-23