Research Notes : United States : Heterosis performance and combining ability in soybeans

Before hybrid soybeans can become a reality, two requirements should be satisfied: (i) an economical large-scale method of producing hybrid seed must be found, and (ii) heterosis for yield must exist. With the findings of genetic male sterility in soybeans (Brim and Young, 1971) interest has devel-oped in the potential productivity of hybrid soybeans. A method for produc-ing experimental quantities of hybrid soybean seed using genetic male sterility and green seed embryo was suggested by Burton and Carter (1983)

Research Notes : United States : The effect of the narrow-leaf gene in a segregating population

A single recessive gene designated Jn by Bernard and Weiss (1972) controls the inheritance of the lanceolate trifoliolate in soybean. They state that the narrow-leaf condition is associated with a high number of four-seeded pods, which they attributed to a pleiotropic effect of the Jn gene. No yield differences have been found between narrow and normal leaf types using isolines

Community mobilisation and health management committee strengthening to increase birth attendance by trained health workers in rural Makwanpur, Nepal: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background: Birth attendance by trained health workers is low in rural Nepal. Local participation in improving health services and increased interaction between health systems and communities may stimulate demand for health services. Significant increases in birth attendance by trained health workers may be affected through community mobilisation by local women's groups and health management committee strengthening. We will test the effect of community mobilisation through women's groups, and health management committee strengthening, on institutional deliveries and home deliveries attended by trained health workers in Makwanpur District. Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial involving 43 village development committee clusters. 21 clusters will receive the intervention and 22 clusters will serve as control areas. In intervention areas, Female Community Health Volunteers are supported in convening monthly women's groups. The groups work through an action research cycle in which they consider barriers to institutional delivery, plan and implement strategies to address these barriers with their communities, and evaluate their progress. Health management committees participate in three-day workshops that use appreciative inquiry methods to explore and plan ways to improve maternal and newborn health services. Follow-up meetings are conducted every three months to review progress. Primary outcomes are institutional deliveries and home deliveries conducted by trained health workers. Secondary outcome measures include uptake of antenatal and postnatal care, neonatal mortality and stillbirth rates, and maternal morbidity

Research Notes : United States : Heterosis performance and combining ability in soybeans

Before hybrid soybeans can become a reality, two requirements should be satisfied: (i) an economical large-scale method of producing hybrid seed must be found, and (ii) heterosis for yield must exist. With the findings of genetic male sterility in soybeans (Brim and Young, 1971) interest has devel-oped in the potential productivity of hybrid soybeans. A method for produc-ing experimental quantities of hybrid soybean seed using genetic male sterility and green seed embryo was suggested by Burton and Carter (1983).</p

Research Notes : United States : The effect of the narrow-leaf gene in a segregating population

A single recessive gene designated Jn by Bernard and Weiss (1972) controls the inheritance of the lanceolate trifoliolate in soybean. They state that the narrow-leaf condition is associated with a high number of four-seeded pods, which they attributed to a pleiotropic effect of the Jn gene. No yield differences have been found between narrow and normal leaf types using isolines.</p

Electronic Health Record Nudges and Health Care Quality and Outcomes in Primary Care

This article is not available on ChesterRep.Nudges have been increasingly studied as a tool for facilitating behavior change and may represent a novel way to modify the electronic health record (EHR) to encourage evidence-based care. Objective: To evaluate the association between EHR nudges and health care outcomes in primary care settings and describe implementation facilitators and barriers. Evidence Review: On June 9, 2023, an electronic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science for all articles about clinician-facing EHR nudges. After reviewing titles, abstracts, and full texts, the present review was restricted to articles that used a randomized clinical trial (RCT) design, focused on primary care settings, and evaluated the association between EHR nudges and health care quality and patient outcome measures. Two reviewers abstracted the following elements: country, targeted clinician types, medical conditions studied, length of evaluation period, study design, sample size, intervention conditions, nudge mechanisms, implementation facilitators and barriers encountered, and major findings. The findings were qualitatively reported by type of health care quality and patient outcome and type of primary care condition targeted. The Risk of Bias 2.0 tool was adapted to evaluate the studies based on RCT design (cluster, parallel, crossover). Studies were scored from 0 to 5 points, with higher scores indicating lower risk of bias. Findings: Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, most studies (79.6%) were assessed to have a moderate risk of bias. Most or all descriptive (e.g., documentation patterns) (30 of 38) or patient-centeredness measures (4 of 4) had positive associations with EHR nudges. As for other measures of health care quality and patient outcomes, few had positive associations between EHR nudges and patient safety (4 of 12), effectiveness (19 of 48), efficiency (0 of 4), patient-reported outcomes (0 of 3), patient adherence (1 of 2), or clinical outcome measures (1 of 7). Conclusions and Relevance: This systematic review found low- and moderate-quality evidence that suggested that EHR nudges were associated with improved descriptive measures (eg, documentation patterns). Meanwhile, it was unclear whether EHR nudges were associated with improvements in other areas of health care quality, such as effectiveness and patient safety outcomes. Future research is needed using longer evaluation periods, a broader range of primary care conditions, and in deimplementation contexts.Unfunde

Formulation Optimization of an Indomethacin-Containing Photocrosslinked Polyacrylic Acid Hydrogel as an Anti-inflammatory Patch

Photocrosslinked polyacrylic acid hydrogel, made from polyacrylic acid (PAA) modified with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), is a promising candidate adhesive for dermatological patches. In this study, we investigated the further availability of hydrogel as an adhesive for dermatological patches using a hydrogel containing indomethacin (IDM) as a model anti-inflammatory patch. From an orthogonal experimental study, we clarified the relationships between formulation factors and characteristics of model formulation. Formulations with a lower degree of swelling were prepared by increasing the degree of HEMA modification and the addition of Tween 80. Apparent permeation rate was increased by addition of l-menthol and Tween 80. A tendency for higher HEMA modification to be accompanied by the prolongation of the lag time of IDM was observed. To obtain an applicable anti-inflammatory patch, we conducted a formulation optimization study using a novel optimization method, a response-surface method incorporating multivariate spline interpolation (RSM-S). Consequently, a highly functional anti-inflammatory patch in terms of its adhesive properties and bioavailability was successfully obtained. Since a wide range of functions can be fully controlled by manipulating the formulation factors, photocrosslinked polyacrylic acid hydrogel is an attractive candidate adhesive for dermatological patches