Evaluation Of Management Practices Research Articles

Observation of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment in The Biology Laboratory

This observation aimed to understand the laboratory regulations, assess the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the laboratory, evaluate management practices, examine the completeness of laboratory equipment and materials, and observe the arrangement of laboratory space, equipment, and materials. This research was conducted in the basic biology laboratory at a university in East Kalimantan. The method employed in this research involved interviewing laboratory assistants and observing the laboratory conditions. The observations indicated that Laboratory A and B had complete personal protective equipment. However, there were some differences. For instance, the equipment and materials were complete in Laboratory A, whereas in Laboratory B, they were incomplete because the laboratory was newly built. Another difference was in the usage of the laboratories; Laboratory A was used for practical sessions, seminars, and classroom activities, while Laboratory B was solely utilized for practical exams. For future researchers, it is suggested that laboratories be explored for both practical sessions and classroom activities, rather than just classroom spaces.

Influence of fungicide selection and application timing on take‐all root rot management under field and greenhouse conditions

AbstractTake‐all root rot (TARR) is a detrimental disease of ultradwarf bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis; UDB) putting greens frequently diagnosed where warm‐season grasses are grown. Since this disease is largely aggregated and variable under field conditions, field research is difficult and often yields inconsistent results. Multiple pathogens have only recently been associated with this disease, so practical management solutions such as fungicide efficacy and fungicide application timing have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to determine the influence of fungicide selection and fungicide application timing on take‐all root rot management under field and greenhouse conditions. In general, fungicides from the quinone outside inhibitor and/or demethylation inhibitor chemical classes provided the greatest reduction in take‐all root rot severity. Fungicide applications that were made when soil temperatures were between 77–86°F provided the greatest disease suppression. The in vivo greenhouse method developed in this research proved to be an efficient and consistent method to evaluate management practices such as fungicide efficacy on take‐all root rot. This research improves our understanding of fungicide efficacy and fungicide application timing for take‐all root rot management on ultradwarf bermudagrass.

Methodological proposal to assess management practices for incorporating benchmarking into the chilean construction industry

The Chilean construction market has grown considerably in recent years. This progress has generated strong competition among companies, which has forced a constant search for new strategies to generate a continuous improvement of their processes, to achieve better overall results. Among strategies for continuous improvement, it is possible to find tools such as Benchmarking, which involves knowing your own and your competitors’ performance, to meet the gaps. This research is aimed to develop a methodology for evaluating management practices of construction companies based on interviews which could be used as complement of the previous one developed by the Production Management Centre of the Catholic University of Chile at 2014, which was based on questionnaires. Research methodology consists of a literature review, revision of data collected during previous Benchmarking, definition of criteria to be considered in the new methodology and finally developing a questionnaire to interview managers or department heads to visualize how companies manage aspects such as production planning and scheduling, suppliers and innovation, among others. This is related to previous methodologies used to evaluate management practices worldwide in areas such as education, retail, manufacturing and health. A pilot experience was carried out on two construction companies to assess performance of the new tool in terms of application form, evaluation form, practices evaluated, among others. The interviews were conducted with key positions in the management of the company in areas such as production, quality, suppliers and others. The application of the new methodology allowed to observe major organizational differences between both companies and to understand aspects related to the interviews, such as: time of application, validation questions used, selection of respondents, among others. Previous experience will be used to correct and improve possible mistakes to be used in the future.

A Simple Low-cost Method for Accurate Canopy Density Evaluation of Citrus

The use of canopy density for crop production is a useful tool for evaluating management practices for informed decision-making and predicting crop yields. Traditional methods for analyzing canopy density include expensive equipment that requires advanced software and costly repairs, such as leaf area index analyzers, or equipment that can only be used during optimal weather conditions, such as light meters, that quantify photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), thus making it difficult for researchers to maximize the time needed for field research evaluations and data collection. Digital image analyses using technologically advanced cameras, such as smartphone cameras, have allowed new ways of collecting data without the need to purchase specialized instruments. Using a combination of smartphone cameras and ImageJ software, canopy density can be measured in any weather conditions for a much lower cost than that of traditional equipment. This low-cost, digital image analysis method was compared with traditional PAR measurements for ‘Valencia’ sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] trees with varying levels of canopy density. A strong positive correlation between the digital image analysis method and standard canopy density measurement method using PAR measurements (r = 0.79; P<0.0001) was found, indicating that this method can be used as an alternative to the PAR method. The digital image analysis method was also consistent when used during different weather conditions, whereas the PAR method was highly variable when quantifying the canopy when clouds were present in comparison with clear sky conditions. This novel method provides researchers and growers with an easy, flexible, consistent, and low-cost option for analyzing canopy density.

Quantification of water fluxes and soil water balance in agricultural fields under different tillage and irrigation systems using water stable isotopes

Sustainable agriculture should be based on management practices that improve resource usage efficiency and minimize harmful impacts on the environment while maintaining and stabilizing crop production. Both tillage and irrigation can have an influence on water resource usage and thus on hydrological processes within agroecosystems. However, it remains difficult to directly assess the effect of practices on water fluxes. Therefore, the objective of the study was to use oxygen and hydrogen isotopes (δ18O, δ2H) in the pore water of soil profiles as well as moisture contents for quantifying the soil water balance and fluxes. Covering all combinations, water content and isotope analysis in soil profiles were performed for 16 plots planted with winter wheat and managed with different tillage (conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), minimal tillage (MT), and no-tillage (NT)) and irrigation systems (hose reel boom irrigation with nozzles (BI), sprinkler irrigation (SI), drip irrigation (DI) and no irrigation (NI)). The results indicated that the more intense the tillage, the lower the water content. Among the irrigation systems, DI had the highest average water content. Tracing the isotope minimum of winter precipitation in pore water of soil profiles showed deeper percolation of water in the CT plots, which indicates higher water flow velocity for CT compared to other tillage variants. Considering both water content and water flow velocities resulted in average water fluxes ranging from 23 to 46 mm for six months (end of November to May). For the same time period, between 80% and 91% of the water contributed to evapotranspiration. The resulting evapotranspiration within tillage and irrigation variants decreased in the order CT>RT>MT>NT and SI>BI>DI>NI. Thus, the method revealed that the lower water content in CT fields is a consequence of both deeper water infiltration and higher evapotranspiration. Moreover, irrigation water contributed mostly to evapotranspiration, and drip irrigation showed the lowest evapotranspiration among irrigation systems. This study demonstrated that water stable isotopes can be used as indicators and are a promising method to quantify average water fluxes in agricultural fields with great potential for evaluating management practices.

Harvest and nitrogen effects on bioenergy feedstock quality of grass‐legume mixtures on Conservation Reserve Program grasslands

AbstractPerennial grass mixtures established on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands can be an important source of feedstock for bioenergy production. This study aimed to evaluate management practices for optimizing the quality of bioenergy feedstock and stand persistence of grass‐legume mixtures under diverse environments. A 5‐year field study (2008–2012) was conducted to assess the effects of two harvest timings (at anthesis vs after complete senescence) and three nitrogen (N) rates (0, 56, 112 kg N ha−1) on biomass chemical compositions (i.e., cell wall components, ash, volatiles, total carbon, and N contents) and the feedstock energy potential, examined by the theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) and the total TEY (i.e., the product of biomass yield and TEY, L ha−1), of cool‐season mixtures in Georgia and Missouri and a warm‐season mixture in Kansas. The canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to investigate the effect of vegetative species transitions on feedstock quality. Although environmental variations (mainly precipitation) greatly influenced the management effect on chemical compositions, the delayed harvest after senescence generally improved feedstock quality. In particular, the overall cell wall concentrations and TEY of the warm‐season mixtures increased by approximately 7%. Additional N supplies improved the total TEY of both mixtures by ~1.6–4.2 L ha−1 per 1.0 kg N ha−1 input but likely lowered the feedstock quality, particularly for the cool‐season mixture. The cell wall concentrations of cool‐season mixture reduced by approximately 3%–6%. The CCA results indicated that the increased legume compositions (under low N input) likely enhanced lignin but reduced ash concentrations. This field research demonstrated that with proper management, grass‐legume mixtures on CRP lands can provide high‐quality feedstock for bioenergy productions.

Development of Sustainable Coastal Benchmarks for Local Wisdom in Pangandaran Village Communities

Local wisdom is frequently used by communities in managing their coastal resources without a precise measure of sustainability. As a result, the government must develop a standard for determining the wisdom of these practices. This study aimed to create such a standard, followed by a trial to evaluate management practices in Pangandaran coastal tourism. This qualitative case study included a literature review, direct observations, and in-depth interviews with fish farmers and fishers. They are standardizing instrument criteria for sustainable fishery resource management-defined wisdom. Such wisdom is divided into fundamental thinking (factual knowledge) and management practices (procedural knowledge). Each consists of five criteria: ecosystem and resource management, planning, governance, technology, and social and economic development. Each criterion has a specific rating indicator and parameter. The results show differences in the level of wisdom between the fish farmer and the fishers. Regarding basic thinking, fishers’ wisdom level is weak in three out of five criteria. Fishers reach a moderate wisdom level concerning fishing gear and technical criteria and a strong level on social and economic criteria. In contrast, the fish farmer is moderate to strong for four criteria and weak for the resources and ecosystems criterion. Regarding management practices, in general, fish farmers and fishers have the same level of wisdom. Both are weak in the ecosystem and resources, planning, and institutional criteria, while the fishing gear criteria reach moderate levels and the socio-economic criteria reach high levels.

Evaluating Management Practices in Precision Agriculture for Maize Yield with Spatial Econometrics

Precision agriculture (PA) aims to provide data on soil, nutrient use, irrigation, and crops, to guide management strategic decisions towards an efficient use of inputs, increasing production and avoiding environmental problems due to excessive accumulation of fertilizers. In this paper, PA data from a large Portuguese farm producing maize were used to assess the effectiveness of agronomic management decisions concerning fertilizer and nutrient use, seed choice, and water content, in terms of crop productivity. The maize yield in 2017 and 2018 was modelled as a function of manageable inputs and unmanageable factors introduced as control variables. Panel spatial econometric methods were used for specification and estimation, to control for spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity. The model proved to fit the data remarkably well and could be a good reference for specifying models to explain maize production; thus, helping researchers who need to deal with the huge amount of data that normally originates from PA. Additionally, it can be considered another tool for farm managers, helping in the design and evaluation of their agronomic management decisions.

A noninvasive and integrative approach for improving density and abundance estimates of moose

AbstractAcquiring demographic data for moose (Alces alces) can be difficult because they are solitary in nature, they prefer densely vegetated and mountainous habitats, and they often occur at low density. Such data, however, are essential for long‐term population monitoring, evaluating management practices, and effective conservation. Winter aerial surveys are the standard method for estimating moose population parameters, but they can be logistically challenging, expensive, and subject to sightability correction, which necessitates the capture of study animals for initial model development. Herein, we demonstrate a noninvasive alternative approach for estimating population parameters of moose in northern Yellowstone National Park, where aerial surveys were attempted but proved ineffective. We determined individual moose genotype and sex using microsatellite polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA extracted from fecal pellets, integrated ancillary pellet sample data (i.e., metadata) in genotype analysis to aid in the identification of matching genotypes, and used spatially explicit capture‐recapture (SECR) modeling to estimate sex‐specific density and abundance. We collected 616 samples over 3 consecutive winters (Dec 2013–Apr 2016) and within 2 sampling occasions each winter. We recorded 514 captures of 142 individual moose (69 males, 73 females). Overall density ranged between 0.062 moose/km2 and 0.076 moose/km2 and averaged 0.034/km2 for females and 0.033/km2 for males. Abundance estimates were 150 moose in 2013 (female = 76, 95% CI = 55–105; male = 74, 95% CI = 54–103), 186 in 2014 (female = 95, 95% CI = 63–142; male = 91, 95% CI = 60–138), and 160 in 2015 (female = 79, 95% CI = 58–108; male = 81, 95% CI = 59–110). Average population sex ratio was 0.99 males/female. We demonstrate that SECR analysis of fecal DNA genotypes, using metadata in genotype analysis to help identify matching moose genotypes, is a promising alternative method for estimating sex‐specific density and abundance of a low‐density moose population in a mountainous and forested landscape.

Grazing rest versus no grazing stimulates soil inorganic N turnover in the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau

Little information is available on soil N cycling in the grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau under different grazing regimes, which is required to evaluate management practices with respect to soil N availability and dynamics. In this study, a 15N-labeled (15NH4NO3 and NH415NO3) incubation experiment was conducted to investigate gross N transformation rates in soils of the southeast region of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau (China) under no grazing, continuous grazing and grazing rest conditions. Compared with no grazing, continuous grazing significantly reduced the rates of mineralization, microbial NH4+ immobilization, autotrophic nitrification and NO3− consumption, but increased the ratio of autotrophic nitrification to microbial NH4+ immobilization and the ratio of the rates of total NO3− production to total NO3− consumption. This indicated that continuous grazing greatly decreased both the inorganic N supply capacity and N turnover but increased the NO3− production potential of the soil. By contrast, mineralization and microbial NH4+ immobilization rates did not significantly differ in the soils of the grazing rest and no grazing treatments, suggesting that a higher soil inorganic N supply capacity is maintained by grazing rest than by continuous grazing. In addition, grazing rest stimulated NO3− turnover, by increasing the rates of autotrophic nitrification, microbial NO3− immobilization and dissimilatory NO3− reduction to NH4+. Taken together, our study suggests that the most effective management practice for the sustainable utilization of local grasslands is a regime based on grazing rest, as it improved physicochemical and biological properties, which in turn increases N supply and N turnover.

Patterns and drivers of structure, diversity, and composition in species‐rich shrublands restored after mining

Long‐term studies of vegetation recovery following post‐mining restoration in low‐productivity, high‐stress areas are limited, but essential for understanding underlying ecological processes and evaluating management practices. This study's goal was to describe temporal patterns of recovery (up to 37 years) in vegetation structure, floristic diversity, and composition following post‐mining restoration at two sites, and identify potential drivers of restoration outcomes, in the nutrient‐poor, seasonally dry, species‐rich, fire‐prone kwongan vegetation of southwest Western Australia. Vegetation development is progressing and restoration measures are within range of native reference values, but there is large variation in both patterns observed and restoration outcomes. Several patterns described share similarities with post‐fire recovery of kwongan, and post‐disturbance recovery of other low‐productivity, high‐stress, fire‐prone systems. However, differences in some patterns between sites indicate differences in the underlying mechanisms of recovery. Many management and environmental variables emerge as significant drivers of restoration outcomes but age, fire, and the planting of seedlings account for the largest amount of variation. Adaptive management at both sites appears to be facilitating improved restoration outcomes over time. Using a combination of space‐for‐time, plot level, and linear mixed effects modeling perspectives to examine patterns provides greater insights into restoration recovery than a chronosequence perspective alone. This study will inform restoration practices and outcomes not only in kwongan but in other comparable systems also.

Formulation, application timing, and postapplication irrigation timing affect dislodgeable azoxystrobin from turfgrass

AbstractAzoxystrobin is a broad‐spectrum strobilurin fungicide used widely in turfgrass systems, including lawns. Previous research has shown that various management practices influence pesticide dislodgement from turfgrass; however, limited research has been performed to determine their effect on azoxystrobin dislodge. A field experiment was conducted in Raleigh, NC, to quantify dislodgeable azoxystrobin (0.61 kg ai ha−1) foliar residue from tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire] across formulations (sprayable or granular), application timings (AM [0700 h Eastern Standard Time] or PM [1400 h Eastern Standard Time]), and postapplication irrigation timings (4 or 48 h after treatment [HAT]). Sample collection occurred 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, or 16 d after treatment (DAT). Evaluated management practices affected dislodgeable azoxystrobin, most notably from 1 to 4 DAT. Sprayable azoxystrobin applied in the PM resulted in greater azoxystrobin dislodged (1.0–8.0% of applied) compared with AM (0.3–5.5%), which were both greater than granular azoxystrobin applied in the AM or PM (<0.1–2.8%) from 1 to 4 DAT. Within sprayable azoxystrobin, five times greater azoxystrobin was dislodged by delaying postapplication irrigation until 48 HAT (1.2–11.8% of applied) compared with irrigation 4 HAT (0.2–1.2%) from 1 to 4 DAT. Information from this study improves our understanding of factors affecting pesticide dislodge and can be incorporated into turfgrass management strategies to minimize potential human pesticide exposure.

Vitamin D and bisphosphonate therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus patients who receive glucocorticoids: are we offering the best care?

This study aimed to evaluate management practices for glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients using 2017 American College of Rheumatology guidelines as a gold standard. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a clinical database from the years 2011 to 2016. SLE cases with >90 days continuous prednisone use at doses of ≥7.51 mg daily were identified. Osteoporosis risk factors were assessed via chart review. The Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) score was estimated for patients > 40 years of age. Vitamin D, bisphosphonate prescriptions, and osteoporotic (OP) fractures were ascertained through chart review. A classification tree was used to identify the key patient-related predictors of bisphosphonate prescription. A total of 203 SLE patients met the inclusion criteria. The recommended dose of vitamin D supplement was prescribed to 58.9% of patients < 40 years of age and 61.5% of patients ≥ 40 years of age. Among patients aged ≥ 40 years, 25% were prescribed bisphosphonates compared to 36% who met indications for bisphosphonates per the ACR guidelines. Another 10% were prescribed a bisphosphonate, despite not having indication per the ACR guidelines, which was considered as overtreatment. Among patients aged ≥ 40 years, older age and a higher FRAX score for major OP fracture and hip fracture predicted bisphosphonate prescription. In a classification tree analysis, patients with FRAX scores (for major OP fracture) of ≥ 23.5% predicted bisphosphonate prescription in this SLE population. Among patients who had OP fractures in the follow-up period, nine (6.50%) were inpatients receiving appropriate GIOP care versus 12 (13.6%) who were inpatients not receiving ACR-appropriate care (p = 0.098). In clinical practice, fewer SLE patients with or at risk for GIOP are prescribed vitamin D and bisphosphonates than recommended by the 2017 ACR guidelines. Also, in this study, another 10% were prescribed a bisphosphonate, despite not having an indication per the ACR guidelines. Patients were most likely to receive a bisphosphonate prescription if they had a major OP FRAX score of > 23.5%.

Characterisation of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli from poultry litter and poultry carrying virulence genes for evaluation of poultry farm management

Abstract In this study, antibiotic resistance and virulence genes and clonal relationships among Escherichia coli isolates from poultry litter and healthy poultry were investigated on a farm with previous outbreak of avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) colisepsis, in order to establish a system for evaluating management practice and antibiotic use on poultry farms.

184 Review of animal welfare data for cattle and swine

Abstract Interest in the topic of animal welfare continues to grow as knowledge about the quality of life of food animals evolves. Improving management practices that enhance welfare conditions for livestock requires tools that allow livestock caretakers to assess and address animal welfare conditions effectively and practically on farms. Over the past several years, Elanco Animal Health has developed analytical resources for beef cattle and swine producers to inform them on trends associated with finished cattle mobility and mortality, and transport losses in marketed swine. This presentation will share findings from Elanco’s databases and the published literature to inform and foster discussion important to livestock welfare advancements. Relative to finished cattle mobility, data captured from 11.5 M head (2015–2019) demonstrate that cattle mobility continues to trend positively with approximately 90% of cattle observed with normal mobility conditions at packing plants (Edwards-Callaway et al., 2017); however, mortality trends and veterinary medical charges are higher over the past 5 years (2014–2018) when closeout data from 41.8 M head of beef cattle are evaluated across U.S. feedlots. Relative to market weight pig transport losses, an industry survey of 310 M pigs (2012–2015) indicate that averages for total dead pigs, non-ambulatory pigs, and total losses were 0.26%, 0.63%, and 0.88%, respectively (Yoder et al., 2017), which is similar to reported values in the literature (Ritter et al., 2009). Collectively, this information is important for measuring continuous improvement and determining where opportunities exist to evaluate management practices associated with herd health protocols, seasonal impacts, handling, and transport conditions. Animal welfare challenges are a non-compete issue for the livestock industry, and tools to assess these welfare topics are key to the enhancement of current practices and development of novel approaches to positively impact the role that livestock caretakers have on animal welfare.

Field evidence for positive certification outcomes on oil palm smallholder management practices in Colombia

Abstract The globalization of food systems has created new challenges for sustainability governance. Voluntary certification schemes, or eco-labels, have emerged as the primary mechanism to improve production practices in complex commodity supply chains. However promising, these programs are difficult to assess in practice, and evidence of their effectiveness is mixed. In the oil palm sector, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has become the standard for sustainable production but there has been no evaluation of whether certification actually improves social and environmental practices on farms. To our knowledge, this study provides the first farm-level assessment of certification programs in the oil palm sector by focusing on RSPO and Organic (IFOAM) certified smallholders in Magdalena, Colombia. We conducted field surveys to evaluate management practices using a case-control pair-wise matching approach and non-parametric tests to assess outcome variables between certified and non-certified groups. We found evidence for better environmental practices among certified producers including the substitution of synthetic fertilizers with organics, less agrochemical use, and larger areas of farms being set-aside for conservation. Socio-economic outcomes were mixed, with certified producers paying higher wages, but employing fewer workers due to lower yields. Price premiums were an important motivation for smallholders to both join and remain in certification schemes. In the degraded oil palm landscapes of Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America, certification standards could be improved by including provisions for increased habitat restoration on plantations and smallholder plots. We find that certification is making progress but is not a panacea for transforming the industry. Going forward, new strategies should be sought in tandem with certification to overcome smallholder informality, enhance inclusion, and capture more value in sustainable supply chains.

Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Sampling of Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) Infection in Captive Snakes Reveals High Prevalence, Persistent Infection, and Increased Mortality in Pythons and Divergent Serpentovirus Infection in Boas and Colubrids.

The aim of this study of serpentovirus infection in captive snakes was to assess the susceptibility of different types of snakes to infection and disease, to survey viral genetic diversity, and to evaluate management practices that may limit infection and disease. Antemortem oral swabs were collected from 639 snakes from 12 US collections, including 62 species, 28 genera, and 6 families: Pythonidae (N = 414 snakes; pythons were overrepresented in the sample population), Boidae (79), Colubridae (116), Lamprophiidae (4), Elapidae (12), and Viperidae (14). Infection was more common in pythons (38%; 95% CI: 33.1–42.4%), and in boas (10%; 95% CI: 5.2–18.7%) than in colubrids (0.9%, 95% CI: <0.01–4.7%); infection was not detected in other snake families (lamprophiids 0/4, 95% CI: 0–49%; elapids 0/12, 95% CI: 0–24.2%; and vipers 0/14, 95% CI: 0–21.5%), but more of these snakes need to be tested to confirm these findings. Clinical signs of respiratory disease were common in infected pythons (85 of 144). Respiratory signs were only observed in 1 of 8 infected boas and were absent in the single infected colubrid. Divergent serpentoviruses were detected in pythons, boas, and colubrids, suggesting that different serpentoviruses might vary in their ability to infect snakes of different families. Older snakes were more likely to be infected than younger snakes (p-value < 0.001) but males and females were equally likely to be infected (female prevalence: 23.4%, 95% CI 18.7–28.9%; male prevalence: 23.5%, 95% CI 18–30.1%; p-value = 0.144). Neither age (p-value = 0.32) nor sex (p-value = 0.06) was statistically associated with disease severity. Longitudinal sampling of pythons in a single collection over 28 months revealed serpentovirus infection is persistent, and viral clearance was not observed. In this collection, infection was associated with significantly increased rates of mortality (p-value = 0.001) with death of 75% of infected pythons and no uninfected pythons over this period. Offspring of infected parents were followed: vertical transmission either does not occur or occurs with a much lower efficiency than horizontal transmission. Overall, these findings confirm that serpentoviruses pose a significant threat to the health of captive python populations and can cause infection in boa and colubrid species.

Assessment of hydrology and nutrient losses in a changing climate in a subsurface-drained watershed

Studies assessing the impact of subsurface drains on hydrology and nutrient yield in a changing climate are limited, specifically for Western Lake Erie Basin. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of changing climate on hydro-climatology and nutrient loadings in agricultural subsurface-drained areas on a watershed in northeastern Indiana. The study was conducted using a hydrologic model - the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) - under two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). Based on analysis, annual subsurface drain flow totals could increase by 70% with respect to the baseline by the end of the 21st century. Surface runoff could increase by 10 to 140% and changes are expected to be greater under RCP 8.5. Soluble phosphorus yield over the basin in a year via subsurface drains could decrease by 30 to 60% under either emission scenarios. Annual total soluble phosphorus yield (soluble phosphorus loading to stream) from subsurface drains and surface runoff could vary from 0.041 to 0.058 kg/ha under RCP 4.5 and 0.035 to 0.064 kg/ha under RCP 8.5 by the end of the 21st century while the values from the baseline model were 0.051 kg/ha. This was attributable to the fact that future climate could have a greater increase in surface runoff than subsurface drain flow based on analysis of the different climate scenarios. Outputs from individual climate model data rather than ensembles provided a band of influence of watershed responses, while outputs from different timelines provided details for evaluating management practice suitability with respect to anticipated differences in climate. Results provide valuable information for stakeholders and policy makers for planning management practices to protect water quality.

2213-PUB: Management Practices in Indian Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) Participants With or Without Comorbidities in Real-World LEADD (Learnings with Experts to Advance Diabetic Dyslipidemia Management) Study

Background: Diabetes is India’s major health concern due to its high disease burden. Objective: Evaluate management practices in Indian T2DM participants with/without co-morbidities and risk factors based on ADA/AACE guidelines. Methods: A real world, prospective, cross sectional, observational LEADD study in T2DM participants conducted at 226 sites. Participants with informed consent, were enrolled. Demographics, disease family history, comorbidities, lab data, and treatment as available was analyzed with descriptive statistics. “n” signifies number of participants analyzed for each parameter. Results: A total of 4002 participant’s records were evaluated. Mean age was 55.7 ± 11.5 years (n=3822), 52.5% males (n=1697/3230) and 66.5% had BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 (n=1868/2808). Average duration of T2DM was 7.6± 6.0 years (n = 2855) with mean values of Hb1Ac 8.15± 1.7% (n=2577), LDL 117.7±37.6mg/dl (n = 2545) and serum creatinine 1.34 ± 2.5 mEq/L (n= 2086). LDL-C levels (≥100mg/dl), 69.3% (n = 1764/2545), non-HDL C high (≥ 160mg/dl) in 42.6% (n= 1039/2438) was analyzed. Most common comorbidities were: Hypertension (68.3%, n = 1826/2673), dyslipidemia (52.3%, n = 1399/2673). Rosuvastatin was given in 87% (n=2419/2757) participants. Hb1Ac ≧7% was in 77.7% (n=2003/2577), blood pressure &amp;gt;140/90mmHg (n = 596/1826) in 32.6% participants. In ≥80% participants with ASCVD/ASCVD risk factors were not prescribed antihyperlipidemic drugs per recommendation by AACE/ADA guidelines. Conclusion: Significant participants with Diabetes had hypertension, hyperlipidemia as co-morbidities. T2DM participants have high ASCVD risk, many participants with co-morbidities were not optimally treated to goal. A need to strive for stringent control of Hb1Ac, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, as per AACE/ADA guidelines, is desired for better patient outcome. Disclosure A. Unnikrishnan: Other Relationship; Self; Abbott, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Eris Pharmaceuticals, Ipca Laboratories Ltd., MSD, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. A.K. Das: None. B.D. Saboo: None. S. Kalra: None. Funding Dr. Reddy's Laboratories; Diabetes Care India

Estimating Forage Utilization with Drone-Based Photogrammetric Point Clouds

Monitoring of forage utilization typically occurs at sample locations, or key areas, selected for their presumed potential to represent utilization across pastures. However, utilization can vary greatly across landscapes and may not be well represented by traditional ground-based sampling without great effort. Remote sensing from satellite and manned airborne platforms offers spatial coverage at landscape scale, but their poor spatial resolution (satellite) and cost (manned airborne) may limit their use in monitoring forage utilization. High-resolution photogrammetric point clouds obtained from small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) represent an appealing alternative. We developed a method to estimate utilization by observing the height reduction of herbaceous plants represented by 3-dimensional point clouds. We tested our method in a semiarid savanna in southern Arizona by comparing utilization estimates with ground-based methods after a month-long grazing duration. In six plots, we found strong correlation between imagery and ground-based estimates (r2 = 0.78) and similar average estimate of utilization of across all plots (ground-based = 18%, imagery = 20%). With a few workflow and technological improvements, we think it is feasible to estimate point cloud utilization over the entire pasture (150 ha) and potentially even larger areas. These improvements include optimizing the number of images collected and used, equipping drones with more accurate global navigation satellite systems (e.g., Global Positioning System), and processing images with cloud-based parallel processing. We show proof of concept to provide confident estimates of forage utilization patterns over large pastures and landscapes, at levels of spatial precision that are consistent with ground-based methods. The adoption of drone-based monitoring of utilization of forage on rangelands could follow the paradigm shift already demonstrated by Global Positioning Systems and Geographic information systems technologies, where the initial high computing costs were reduced, use became the norm, and the availability of more precise spatial patterns was applied to prescribe and evaluate management practices.