Wood vinegar for control of broadleaf weeds in dormant turfgrass

Wood vinegar, a product of pyrolysis, can induce phytotoxicity on plants when applied at an adequate rate and concentration. The objective of this research was to investigate wood vinegar obtained from the pyrolysis of apple tree branches for weed control in dormant zoysiagrass. In environment-controlled growth chambers, white clover visual injury and shoot mass reduction compared to the nontreated control were evaluated after wood vinegar application at 1000, 2000, or 4000 L ha-1 under 10 or 30 C temperature conditions. Averaged across rates, wood vinegar rapidly desiccated white clover and caused 83 and 71% visual injury at 10 and 30 C, respectively, at 1 d after treatment (DAT). Averaged across temperatures, wood vinegar at 1000, 2000, and 4000 L ha-1 reduced white clover shoot mass by 56, 81, and 98% from the nontreated control at 10 DAT, respectively. In field experiments, weed control increased as wood vinegar rates increased from 1000 to 5000 L ha-1 in dormant zoysiagrass. The effective application dose of wood vinegar required to provide 90% control (ED90) of annual fleabane, Persian speedwell, and white clover was determined to be 2450, 2300, and 4020 L ha-1, respectively, at 2 weeks after treatment. Turf quality did not differ among the wood vinegar treatments and the nontreated control when zoysiagrass completely recovered from dormancy. Overall, results illustrate that wood vinegar resulting from the pyrolysis of apple tree branches can be used as a nonselective herbicide in dormant turfgrass, offering a new non-synthetic herbicide option for weed control in managed turf.

Functional Mechanisms

This chapter articulates a goal-contribution account of teleological functions. Teleological functions are causal roles that make a regular contribution to the goals of organisms. Goals can be biological or nonbiological. Biological goals are survival, development, reproduction, and helping. Nonbiological goals are any other goals pursued by organisms. Appropriate situations for the performance of a function are situations in which performing a function provides a regular contribution to a goal of an organism, unless there are more urgent functions to perform. Appropriate rates at which functions should be performed are rates that provide adequate contributions to the goals of an organism, unless there are more urgent functions to perform. Aside from the constraints imposed by tradeoffs between different functions, any condition that lowers the performance of a function below its adequate rate of performance in an appropriate situation results in malfunction.

Effectiveness of hands-on cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice with self-debriefing for healthcare providers: A simulation-based controlled trial

Introduction: The psychomotor skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation emphasized the importance of high-quality chest compression. This investigation examined the effect of self-debriefing and the different materials of debriefing during hands-on cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice for healthcare providers. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program involving emergency medical technicians in northern Taiwan. Participants were blinded to the study purpose and were allocated randomly using the black envelope method. All participants completed a 2-min pre-test of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation using a manikin. Those who were allocated to the control group received self-debriefing with knowledge of pre-test result. Those who were allocated to the experimental group received self-debriefing with an additional biomechanical information of performance of chest compression. A post-test was performed 30 min after the pre-test. Results: A total of 88 participants were enrolled with 44 in each group. There was significant difference of cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality after self-debriefing among all participants (pre- vs post-test adequate rate, 54.7% vs 67.5%, p = 0.028; adequate depth, 41.2% vs 69.5%, p < 0.001; full recoil, 35.9% vs 54.5%, p = 0.001). The analysis of effects of self-debriefing with additional knowledge of performance revealed no significant difference in any of the measurements (improvement in adequate rate, 11.3% vs 14.2%, p = 0.767; adequate depth, 29.6% vs 27.0%, p = 0.784; full recoil, 23.0% vs 14.1%, p = 0.275). Conclusion: Self-debriefing improved hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality whether or not biomechanical information of performance of chest compression was given.

Penskalaan Thurstone pada Aitem Thyroid Dysfunction Questionnaire (TDQ) Berbasis Gejala Biopsikososial

Thyroid function disorders can affect the biological, psychological and social conditions of the sufferer. This study aimed at developing a thyroid dysfunction questionnaire (TDQ) based on a biopsychosocial phenomenon, which is the impact of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The development of this instrument began with identification of the measurement objectives, domains and items. The procedures of Thurstone Scaling were done with analysis of content validity using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI), which were formulated by three experts of thyroid and endocrinology. Every item in the TDQ was determined through median analysis based on the valuation results done by 44 internists from hospitals and 44 doctors from Puskesmas (Public Health Center) with 11 categories of response (1-11). The results of CVR analysis ranged from 0.33 to 1.00 and the value of CVI was 78%. It showed that the experts had adequate rate of homogeneity to judge the relevance of the 33 items in TDQ. The median analysis showed that the 33 items of TDQ had scores ranging from 4 to 10. Thus, it was expected that the TDQ scores on this interval scale would facilitate observer to make an interpretation of the examination of thyroid function of the subjects. Keywords: Thurstone scaling, thyroid dysfunction questionnaire, experts’ judgment, biopsychosocial

WICKSELL ON THE AMERICAN CRISIS OF 1907

The article discusses Knut Wicksell’s interpretation of the American crisis of 1907, which he presented in a piece published in Swedish in 1908. Wicksell advanced, probably for the first time in the literature, a clear distinction between the “solvency” and “liquidity” of banks, and discussed its implications for the interpretation of crises. Moreover, he called attention to a third desirable attribute of a bank: “flexibility”; that is, the ability to satisfy credit demand at an adequate rate of interest. Wicksell linked that with his better known concept of the cumulative process and the stabilization policy associated with it.

Public Rates Of Return On Higher Education Investments, By State

Public rates of return on higher education expenditures are calculated by state. Benefits accruing to states from their investments in higher education are measured by differential tax revenues collected from college-educated citizens versus high-school-educated citizens. For most states we find an adequate rate of return on such investments. However, we conclude that in addition to monetary returns, state governments likely consider other factors when deciding upon expending resources for higher education needs.

Use of the starwheel sprayer for applying drying emulsion to sultana grapes to be dried on the trellis

The development of the starwheel sprayer for the application of drying emulsion to Sultanas is described. This sprayer consists, in its standard form, of three sets of six radially and horizontally arranged spokes. Each spoke is fitted with three wide angle, solid cone nozzles which spray near and inside the vine canopy. Spraying vines with the starwheel sprayer took one tenth of the time needed to spray the fruit to saturation by hand. Experiments indicated that at least 4000 l ha-1 of spray emulsion containing at least 1.5 per cent oil and 1.875 per cent K2CO3 were needed to obtain sufficient coverage of the fruit for an adequate rate of drying and to ensure good quality of the fruit. The colour of dried sultanas produced by trellis drying after spraying with the starwheel sprayer was darker and less uniform than the colour of fruit produced by rack-spraying and -drying. This appeared to be related to the system of trellis-drying in general rather than to the use of the starwheel sprayer. It is concluded that the starwheel sprayer successfully meets the requirements for applying drying emulsion to Sultanas to be dried on the trellis.

An indoor system for the study of biological aerosols in open air conditions

SUMMARYAn indoor system designed for the study of survival of airborne micro-organisms in closed conditions has been successfully modified to allow the effect of open air to be measured. It was found that the unidentified open-air factors which are toxic for many species of microbes and rapidly lost when enclosed in conventional laboratory apparatus could be retained in the system by continuous ventilation at an adequate rate. The rate required allowed examination ofEscherichia coliin aerosols generated from small amounts of material because of the short periods of ventilation required for appreciable viable decay to occur.The validity of the system was tested by comparing the survival ofE. coliin true aerosols with its survival when the droplets were held on microthread. An investigation of the role of relative humidity in open-air toxicity was included.