Decision-making tutor: Providing on-the-job training for oil palm plantation managers

Over the years many Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) have been used successfully as teaching and training tools. Although many studies have proven the effectiveness of ITSs used in isolation, there have been very few attempts to embed ITSs with existing systems. This area of research has a lot of potential in providing life-long learning and work place training. We present DM-Tutor (Decision-Making Tutor), the first constraint-based tutor to be embedded within an existing system, the Management Information System (MIS) for oil palm plantation management. The goal of DM-Tutor is to provide scenario-based training using real-life operational data and actual plantation conditions. We present the system and the studies we have performed. The results show that DM-Tutor improved students’ knowledge significantly. The participants found DM-Tutor to be easy to understand and interesting to use

Susceptibilities of two populations of Aphis gossiper Glover to selected insecticides

Two populations of Aphis gossypii were collected from cotton and melon crops treated with insecticides to control this aphid species. The  susceptibility of both aphid populations to pymetrozine, Pirimicarb, Oxydemeton-methyl and Imidacloprid was evaluated using leaf deep bioassays in Laboratory which were commonly used to control this aphid on both crops. Results showed that LC50 values of these insecticides against clones of cotton aphid were 452, 1427, 1810 and 209 ppm, respectively. LC50 values of the above mentioned pesticides against clones of melon aphid were 625, 688, 523 and 125 ppm, respectively. Lc50 data showed that aphids reared on melon was 2.07, 1.6 and 3.4 times more susceptible than cotton aphids to Pirimicarb, Imidaclopride and Oxydemeton-methyl and 1.4 times more resistant to Pymetrozine, respectively. In conclusion, it has been shown that clones of cotton aphid is on average 3.4-fold less susceptible to Oxydemeton- methyl, 2-fold less susceptible to pirimicarb, 1.6-fold less susceptible to Imidacloprid and nearly 0.7-fold more   susceptible to pymetrozine than clones of melon aphid. There was little difference in susceptibility to pymetrozine between the two populations. It is also suggested that continuous resistance monitoring should be conducted on a regional scale to identify the efficiency of compounds which are applied against this insect species.Key words: Aphis gossypii, cotton, melon, insecticide resistance

Biochemical characterization of digestive amylase of wheat bug, Eurygaster maura (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae)

Biochemical characterization of  -amylase in the midgut and salivary glands of Eurygaster maura was conducted. Results showed that -amylase activities were present in the salivary glands and gut. The activity of -amylase in the midgut and in the salivary glands was 0.098 and 0.057 U/ml, respectively. The pH of salivary glands and the gut was determined to be in the range of 5- 5.5 (for the salivary glands) and in the range of 6-6.5 (for the gut), using staining indicator. The optimum pH and temperature for salivary glands and midgut amylase activity was 6-7 and 35-40ºC, respectively. The stability of amylase was highest in the acidic pH (4-5). Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and Mg2+ inhibited the enzyme activity but, NaCl and KCl enhanced enzyme activity. Based on linear regression analysis of reciprocal starch concentration versus reciprocal amylase activity Km and Vmax were 0.11% and 0.04 mM maltose/min for midgut amylase and 0.298% and 0.071 mM maltose/min for salivary amylase, respectively. Sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that both midgut and salivary glands contain isozymes

A prospective study of the study of maternal and perinatal outcome in cases of eclampsia

Background: This is an observational analytical study carried out in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, in a tertiary care center to determine the factors influencing fetal and maternal outcome, prognosis and complications in booked and unbooked eclamptic cases.Methods: The present study is a prospective study of perinatal and maternal outcome in 50 cases of eclampsia, above 32 weeks of gestation, from 1st May 2013 to 30th April 2014. Patients with medical complications like anemia, preexisting hypertension, diabetes, vascular or renal disease, multiple gestation, polyhydraminos, etc. are excluded from the study. Detailed history, physical examinations were carried out and appropriate management instituted as per individual patient need. Follow-up of mothers up to 6weeks postpartum and neonates in the early neonatal period was done.                Results: Incidence of eclampsia is 0.64%, incidence of maternal mortality is 0.4% and perinatal mortality is 24%. 36% of patients developed complications. Maternal mortality was significantly high in patients with 6 or more episodes of convulsions. The most common cause of perinatal mortality is prematurity. Antepartum eclampsia with gestational age less than 36 weeks, BP >160/100, preterm births, low birth weight babies, low apgar scores influenced adverse perinatal outcome.Conclusions: Eclampsia still remains a major problem in developing countries. It is one of the important causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality due to lack of proper ANC, low socio-economic status and lack of education

A new report of terrestrial Parasitengona mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Trombidiidae) from Iran

During 2009, in the course of a faunistic survey of terrestrial Parasitengona mites in Jahrom region, Ronaldothrombium bellator (Southcott, 1986) (Acari, Trombidiidae) was collected and identified for the first time from Iran. It was collected as ectoparasite of an unidentified Araneae, which is a new host for R. bellator

Prophylactic Anticonvulsants in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose Prophylactic anticonvulsants are routinely prescribed in the acute setting for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, but some studies have reported an association with worse outcomes. We sought to characterize the prevalence and predictors of prophylactic anticonvulsant administration after ICH as well as guideline adherence. We also sought to determine whether prophylactic anticonvulsants were independently associated with poor outcome. Methods We performed a retrospective study of primary ICH in our two academic centers. We used a propensity matching approach to make treated and non-treated groups comparable. We conducted multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of prophylactic anticonvulsant initiation and its association with poor outcome as measured by modified Rankin score. Results We identified 610 patients with primary ICH, of whom 98 were started on prophylactic anticonvulsants. Levetiracetam (97%) was most commonly prescribed. Age (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–0.99, p < .001), lobar location (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.76–4.91, p < .001), higher initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.40–3.79, p = .001), craniotomy (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.51–6.20, p = .002), and prior ICH (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.10–5.07, p = .028) were independently associated with prophylactic anticonvulsant initiation. Prophylactic anticonvulsant use was not associated with worse functional outcome [modified Rankin score (mRS) 4–6] at hospital discharge or with increased case-fatality. There was no difference in prescribing patterns after 2010 guideline publication. Discussion Levetiracetam was routinely prescribed following ICH and was not associated with worse outcomes. Future investigations should examine the effect of prophylactic levetiracetam on cost and neuropsychological outcomes as well as the role of continuous EEG in identifying subclinical seizures

Sources and characteristics of summertime organic aerosol in the Colorado Front Range: perspective from measurements and WRF-Chem modeling

Abstract. The evolution of organic aerosols (OAs) and their precursors in the boundary layer (BL) of the Colorado Front Range during the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Éxperiment (FRAPPÉ, July–August 2014) was analyzed by in situ measurements and chemical transport modeling. Measurements indicated significant production of secondary OA (SOA), with enhancement ratio of OA with respect to carbon monoxide (CO) reaching 0.085±0.003 µg m−3 ppbv−1. At background mixing ratios of CO, up to  ∼  1.8 µg m−3 background OA was observed, suggesting significant non-combustion contribution to OA in the Front Range. The mean concentration of OA in plumes with a high influence of oil and natural gas (O&amp;G) emissions was  ∼  40 % higher than in urban-influenced plumes. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) confirmed a dominant contribution of secondary, oxygenated OA (OOA) in the boundary layer instead of fresh, hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA). Combinations of primary OA (POA) volatility assumptions, aging of semi-volatile species, and different emission estimates from the O&amp;G sector were used in the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) simulation scenarios. The assumption of semi-volatile POA resulted in greater than a factor of 10 lower POA concentrations compared to PMF-resolved HOA. Including top-down modified O&amp;G emissions resulted in substantially better agreements in modeled ethane, toluene, hydroxyl radical, and ozone compared to measurements in the high-O&amp;G-influenced plumes. By including emissions from the O&amp;G sector using the top-down approach, it was estimated that the O&amp;G sector contributed to  &lt;  5 % of total OA, but up to 38 % of anthropogenic SOA (aSOA) in the region. The best agreement between the measured and simulated median OA was achieved by limiting the extent of biogenic hydrocarbon aging and consequently biogenic SOA (bSOA) production. Despite a lower production of bSOA in this scenario, contribution of bSOA to total SOA remained high at 40–54 %. Future studies aiming at a better emissions characterization of POA and intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) from the O&amp;G sector are valuable

Disparities and guideline adherence in drugs of abuse screening in intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pattern of urine drug screening in a cohort of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients at our academic centers. METHODS: We identified cases of primary ICH occurring from 2009 to 2011 in our academic centers. Demographic data, imaging characteristics, processes of care, and short-term outcomes were ascertained. We performed logistic regression to identify predictors for screening and evaluated preguideline and postguideline reiteration screening patterns. RESULTS: We identified 610 patients with primary ICH in 2009-2011; 379 (62.1%) were initially evaluated at an outside hospital. Overall, 142/610 (23.3%) patients were screened, with 21 positive for cocaine and 3 for amphetamine. Of patients <55 years of age, only 65/140 (46.4%) were screened. Black patients <55 years of age were screened more than nonblack patients <55 years of age (38/61 [62.3%] vs 27/79 [34.2%]; p = 0.0009). In the best multivariable model, age group (p = 0.0001), black race (p = 0.4529), first Glasgow Coma Scale score (p = 0.0492), current smoking (p < 0.0001), and age group × black race (p = 0.0097) were associated with screening. Guideline reiteration in 2010 did not improve the proportion <55 years of age who were screened: 42/74 (56.8%) were screened before and 23/66 (34.9%) after (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We found disparities in drugs of abuse (DOA) screening and suboptimal guideline adherence. Systematic efforts to improve screening for DOA are warranted. Improved identification of sympathomimetic exposure may improve etiologic classification and influence decision-making and prognosis counseling

When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario

Abstract Near-Earth object (NEO) impact is one of the examples of high impact and low probability (HILP) event, same as the Covid-19 pandemic the world faces since the beginning of 2020. The 7th Planetary Defense Conference held by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in April 2021 included an exercise on a hypothetical NEO impact event, allowing the planetary defense community to discuss potential responses. Over the span of the 4-day conference this exercise connected disaster response and management professionals to participate in a series of panels, providing feedback and perspective on the unfolding crisis scenario. The hypothetical but realistic asteroid threat scenario illustrated how such a short-warning threat might evolve. The scenario utilized during the conference indicates a need to prepare now for what might come in the future, because even with advance notice, preparation time might be minimal. This scenario chose Europe for the impact, which may likely cope with such a disaster, through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) and other solidarity and support mechanisms within the European Union (EU), as well as with potential support from international partners. This short article raises concern about other areas in the world on how they may access NEO impact information and cope with such disasters. It also provides an idea on vast scale of such disaster vis-à-vis the current capacity of response systems to cope with a larger event in Europe or elsewhere. This scenario showed that planetary defense is a global endeavor. Constant engagement of the planetary defense and disaster response communities is essential in order to keep the world safe from potential disasters caused by NEO impacts.</jats:p