EFFICACY OF PRECISION-APPLIED IN-FURROW INSECTICIDE/NEMATICIDE AND SEED TREATMENTS ON POPULATIONS OF THRIPS AND NEMATODES IN COTTON

Thrips and nematodes can be serious early-season pests of cotton grown on the highly variable soil types common in the southeastern United States. I examined the effects of precision-applied aldicarb (Temik¨ 15G) and seed treatments (Aeris¨ and Avicta Complete Pak¨) on population dynamics of thrips and nematodes in management zones defined by soil texture as measured by soil electrical conductivity (EC). Research plots were established in cotton fields with variable soil types at the Clemson University Edisto Research and Education Center near Blackville, SC, during May of 2010 and 2011. Research plots were arranged in a three-way factorial design, with management zone (low EC, medium EC, or high EC), at-plant seed treatment (Aeris, Avicta Complete Pak, or none), and aldicarb rate (0, 0.51, or 0.86 kg/ha of active ingredient) as factors. Soil texture was significantly correlated with soil EC, indicating that using zone definition by soil EC provided distinct areas for applying differential control tactics for thrips and nematodes. Population densities of thrips (2010) and nematodes (2010 and 2011) were highest in the coarsest soils (low EC zones). Seed treatments were not as effective in controlling and suppressing thrips and nematodes as aldicarb. The addition of aldicarb to seed treatments increased the efficacy of these products. Although aldicarb under the trade name Temik 15G is no longer available for use in US agricultural fields, results from this study may serve as a model for future formulations of aldicarb that may become available

A Study of High School Summer Sports Camps: Is There a Way to Implement Summer Sports Camps at Lynn University that will Benefit all Aspects of the Overall Mission and Goals of Lynn University

Lynn University is a successful university in many phases. One area that Lynn excels in is athletics. The athletic department as a whole has won several national championships. Many programs are highly ranked nationally year after year. Within this success there is one aspect of college athletics that Lynn University does not have. There are no summer high school sports camps. Many other colleges utilize summer camps to aid their sports programs and universities as a whole. This research project contains a comprehensive study concerning summer high school sports camps. First the nature and purpose of the study are discussed. The literature review follows with a look at funding and what summer sports camps can bring to a university. Procedures and method of the study are the next area and finally the results and references. The research question for the study is, is there a way to implement summer sports camps at Lynn University that will benefit all aspects of the overall mission and goals of the University? Findings from the research are very positive. It is found that schools greatly benefit from high school summer sports camps. Unfortunately, for the time being, the likelihood of implementing camps is non-existent due to a major facilities conflict. The goal of developing a proposal for the implementation of the sports camps could not be attained. However, the study has been successful

Improving Patient Handover from the Pediatric Emergency Department to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Patient safety can be at risk during registered nurse handover, particularly when transitioning between high risk areas. According to The Joint Commission (2017), a standardized transition process should be implemented during patient handover. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of a standardized process with a cognitive aid on handover between a pediatric emergency department and an intensive care unit. Objectives of the project were to decrease conversion time in the emergency department, increase standardized process utilization, and improve patient outcomes, registered nurse perception and satisfaction, and patient proxy satisfaction. This evidence-based quality improvement project took place in a free-standing children’s hospital, and involved registered nurses (N=168) and patients. The Plan, Do, Study, Act model was utilized to direct change. Outcomes were evaluated using pre- and post-data collected from surveys, report reviews, and organizational reports. Implementation of a standardized process with a cognitive aid had a statistically significant impact on use of the standardized handover process and registered nurse satisfaction without increasing transition time. Sustained increase in compliance with the process was achieved with use of the cognitive aid. Improvement was attributed to multiple, evidence-based, and tailored implementation strategies. Implementation of a cognitive aid within an established workflow and compliance tracking is likely to increase and sustain use of the standardized transition process during patient handover and improve registered nurse satisfaction

A model for the X-ray nova A0620-00

The model involves a white dwarf accreting mass from a late-type subgiant companion. The transient behavior of the X-ray source is explained by the instability to mass loss of the companion (as in Algol-type binaries). The brightening, spectrum, and decay timescale of the optical counterpart are explained in terms of re-emission of X-radiation intercepted by the subgiant. It was concluded that A0620-00 can provide an excellent test case for numerical models of stellar atmospheres irradiated by an external X-ray flux

Artificial Intelligence Approach to the Determination of Physical Properties of Eclipsing Binaries. I. The EBAI Project

Achieving maximum scientific results from the overwhelming volume of astronomical data to be acquired over the next few decades will demand novel, fully automatic methods of data analysis. Artificial intelligence approaches hold great promise in contributing to this goal. Here we apply neural network learning technology to the specific domain of eclipsing binary (EB) stars, of which only some hundreds have been rigorously analyzed, but whose numbers will reach millions in a decade. Well-analyzed EBs are a prime source of astrophysical information whose growth rate is at present limited by the need for human interaction with each EB data-set, principally in determining a starting solution for subsequent rigorous analysis. We describe the artificial neural network (ANN) approach which is able to surmount this human bottleneck and permit EB-based astrophysical information to keep pace with future data rates. The ANN, following training on a sample of 33,235 model light curves, outputs a set of approximate model parameters (T2/T1, (R1+R2)/a, e sin(omega), e cos(omega), and sin i) for each input light curve data-set. The whole sample is processed in just a few seconds on a single 2GHz CPU. The obtained parameters can then be readily passed to sophisticated modeling engines. We also describe a novel method polyfit for pre-processing observational light curves before inputting their data to the ANN and present the results and analysis of testing the approach on synthetic data and on real data including fifty binaries from the Catalog and Atlas of Eclipsing Binaries (CALEB) database and 2580 light curves from OGLE survey data. [abridged]Comment: 52 pages, accepted to Ap

Powell Building

A detailed study of the fire and life safety systems was performed on the Powell Building located in Oak Ridge, TN. This report consists of both prescriptive and performance-based analysis. The prescriptive based analysis reviews the fire and life safety requirements in accordance with the applicable codes. The prescriptive portion of this report included life safety, fire suppression systems, fire alarm and detection systems, and structural fire protection. The performance-based analysis was used with viable fire scenarios to ensure that occupants could safely egress the building. This was accomplished by comparing the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) with the Available Safe Egress Time (ASET). Three fire scenarios that were initially reviewed included a workstation fire, loading dock fire, and auditorium fire. The auditorium fire was chosen for further analysis with and without sprinkler protection. The time expected for occupant egress (RSET) was calculated using the method described in the SFPE Handbook 5th edition. The RSET calculated for the auditorium was 3.42 minutes. Two models were prepared using Fire Dynamics Simulator to analyze the movement of heat and smoke through the compartment to determine ASET via certain tenability criteria. The Powell Building was found to be compliant with the prescriptive requirements in having more than adequate egress capacities, sound fire suppression and detection systems, and correct building construction. The performance-based models validate the importance of working sprinkler systems in the building’s fire protection strategy. Overall, the Powell Building can be expected to provide a reasonable degree of protection to its occupants in the event of a fire

Influence and power dynamics in client-consultant teams

© 2009, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide a clearer picture of the nature of power imbalance in client-consultant teams, which has negative consequences for the development and implementation of consultants' recommendations, and to outline ways how to avoid such an imbalance in the first instance. Design/methodology/approach – This is an empirical paper based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with clients and consultants from the strategic consulting sector in Australia. Findings – Taking a differentiated look at the roles and responsibilities of members of client-consultant teams, the authors propose that power within client-consultant teams is multidimensional and the outcome of the interplay of its different forms is not predictable. It is further argued that a power balance is crucial for achieving better results from consulting projects. Research limitations/implications – The findings are not generalizable, due to the small sample and the focus on strategic consulting. The results encourage further research in different types of consulting projects as well as studies based on observation of client-consultant interactions. Practical implications – The paper highlights the main points of concern for managers and consultants and provides some suggestions on how to achieve a balanced relationship. Originality/value – This paper's major contribution is in providing deeper insight into a hitherto underexplored issue of client-consultant interactions: the contested nature of power in client-consultant teams and the reasons and outcomes of power imbalance

Modular strategies: B2B technology and architectural knowledge

Business-to-business information technology systems are becoming increasingly important in firm supply chains. Utilizing the concept of modularity, this article clarifies the strategic implications of B2B technology. There are two generic B2B strategies: modularization, which allows a firm to rent out its internal capabilities to others in its industry; and architectural entrepreneurship, which alters the supply chain by allowing a central coordinating firm to facilitate arrangements that trust issues and information asymmetries had previously made impossible. Which modular strategy is appropriate depends on the role the focal firm plays in the supply chain and their supply chain indispensability. Only firms with deep architectural knowledge can take full advantage of these modular strategies