Marriage and fertility in the developed countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Westoff, C F

1978-12-01

Most developed countries have reached zero population growth or less and, while population projections have often proved badly off-target, it seems that currently low fertility levels are the result of a long-term trend, which was interrupted in the last 100 years only by the still-unexplained postwar baby boom, and which will probably continue. The declining trend has accompanied economic development and modernization, which have transformed the economic value of children, making them a drain on resources rather than a source of income. The concomitant social changes seem largely irreversible: urban economy, the decline in traditional authority, universal, prolonged education, equality of women, low infant mortality, high consumer demands and sophisticated birth control technology are all here to stay. The theory that fertility exhibits a cyclical pattern based on people's perception of their degree of economic and social opportunity ignores the other elements affecting fertility behavior, especially the radical change in the status and expectations of women. Several trends in marriage and reproductive behavior in the U.S., Denmark and Sweden reinforce the presumption that fertility will remain low: declining number of marriages; postponement of marriage; increased tendency for unmarried couples to live together; instability of marriage shown by high divorce rates and declining remarriage rates; and increasing economic activity by women. The traditional institution of marriage is losing its economic, sexual, sociological and parenting rationales. Thus, declining fertility is both cause and consequence of changes in marriage. In Europe, where the decline is more advanced than in the U.S., governments are concerned that population growth will be too low and have instituted social welfare measures to induce and facilitate childbearing and childrearing. As women become more career-oriented, greater incentives will have to be provided. Manipulating immigration quotas

Female Labor Supply and Fertility in Iran: A Comparison Between Developed, Semi Developed and Less Developed Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Emamgholipour Sefiddashti, Sara; Homaie Rad, Enayatollah; Arab, Mohamad; Bordbar, Shima

2016-02-01

Female labor supply has been changed dramatically in the recent yr. In this study, we examined the effects of development on the relationship between fertility and female labor supply. We used data of population and housing census of Iran and estimated three separate models. To do this we employed Logistic Regressions (BLR). The estimation results of our study showed that there was a negative relationship between fertility rate and female labor supply and there are some differences for this relationship in three models. When fertility rate increases, FLS would decreases. In addition, for higher fertility rates, the woman might be forced to work more because of the economic conditions of her family; and negative coefficients of the fertility rate effects on FLS would increase with a diminishing rate.

An Agent-Based Dynamic Model of Politics, Fertility and Economic Development

OpenAIRE

Zining Yang

2016-01-01

In the political economy of development, government policy choices at a single point in time can dramatically affect a country's development path by impacting fertility, economic and political decisions across generations. Combining system dynamics and agent-based modeling approaches in a complex adaptive system, a simulation framework of the Politics of Fertility and Economic Development (POFED) is formalized to understand the relationship between politics, economic, and demography change at...

Has Culture Fulled the Great Fertility Decline in Developing Countries since 1960?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Cong; Madsen, Jakob; Moslehi, Solmaz

This paper suggests that secularization is one of the driving forces behind the great fertility decline that developing countries are currently undergoing. While large families are valued in gender-stratified and collectivist societies, individualistic and secular societies emphasize gender...... equality and low fertility. Standard fertility models extended with culture are estimated using data for 92 developing countries over the period 1960-2010. External instruments are used to deal with endogeneity. It is found that secularization and reduced infant mortality can explain the bulk...

Tunisia: high fertility stalls development.

Science.gov (United States)

Barberis, M

1985-01-01

Despite government policy enacted in 1964 to reduce fertility in order to hasten socioeconomic progress, population pressures continue to impair development in Tunisia. The birth rate fell 20% over the last 2 decades, but this accomplishment has been outweighed by a 50% decline in mortality rates. As a result, the rate of natural population increase has remained relatively constant at 2.5%/year. The initial decline in fertility that followed introduction of the national family planning program appears to have reached a plateau, explained in part by the resurgence of conservatism and religious fundamentalism and the consequent emphasis on women's childbearing roles. Unemployment in rural areas has led to widespread migration and unemployment is as high as 20% in the nonagricultural sector. Many young Tunisians lack adequate educational preparation to enter the labor force; in 1982, 27% of new job entrants could not read or write. The government's plan to decentralize development to stabilize population and achieve equilibrium between regions has been thwarted by the pace of population growth and limited resources. The rural regions where population is increasing the fastest are also the most difficult to reach with family planning programs. On the other hand, there have been some successes in this area when services have been adapted to the lifestyle and traditions of those in these isolated rural villages.

Fertility of Czech Females Could Be Lower than Expected: Trends in Future Development of Age-Specific Fertility Rates up to the Year 2050

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ondřej Šimpach

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Fertility is an essential aspect of reproduction or population replacement of each country. The challenge for demographers is to model fertility and also to estimate its potential future level for the purposes of population projections. In the case of the Czech Republic we have the population projections provided by the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO with overlooking of the total fertility rate in low, medium and high variant. These estimates despite being based on expert judgments, seem to be too positive compared to the past development of the time series of age-specific fertility rates. The aim of this paper is to assess the situation of fertility in the Czech Republic, to analyse the past development of the time series of age-specific fertility rates using one-dimensional Box-Jenkins models and multidimensional stochastic Lee-Carter approach. Together with found trend in time series and principal components estimated by Lee-Carter’s model a forecasts of age-specific fertility rates up to the year 2050 is constructed. Th ese rates are lower than those provided by CZSO in its three variants of the Czech Republic’s population projection, and therefore we discuss the causes at the end of the paper. We would like to point out that the potential future development of Czech females fertility could be lower than which are currently expected.

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2017

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zegers-Hochschild, Fernando; Adamson, G. David; Dyer, Silke

2017-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: Can a consensus and evidence-driven set of terms and definitions be generated to be used globally in order to ensure consistency when reporting on infertility issues and fertility care interventions, as well as to harmonize communication among the medical and scientific communities......, policy-makers, and lay public including individuals and couples experiencing fertility problems? SUMMARY ANSWER: A set of 283 consensus-based and evidence-driven terminologies used in infertility and fertility care has been generated through an inclusive consensus-based process with multiple stakeholders...... of the reproductive system, and increased standardization of fertility treatment terminology. Since 2009, limitations were identified in several areas and enhancements were suggested for the glossary, especially concerning male factor, demography, epidemiology and public health issues. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION...

Quantitative estimates of uptake and internal cycling of 15N-depleted fertilizer in mature walnut trees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinbaum, S.; Kessel, C. van

1998-01-01

In mature fruit trees, internal recycling is an important source of N for the growth of new wood, leaves and fruits. Using 15 N-depleted fertilizer, i.e. 14 N-enriched, N-uptake efficiency and the magnitude of internal N cycling were studied in mature walnut trees. Two kg of 14 N-labelled ammonium sulfate N were applied per tree, and compartmentation of N was followed over a period of 6 years by analyzing catkins, pistillate flowers, leaves and fruits each year for total N content and isotopic composition. Subsequently, two of the six labelled trees were excavated and analyzed for labelled-N content. The data indicate that mature walnut uses most of the N accumulated from soil and fertilizer for storage purposes, to be remobilized for new growth within 2 years, and about half of the total-N pool in a mature tree is present as non-structural compounds, available for recycling. (author)

STUDIES CONCERNING THE INFLUENCE OF BIODEGRADABLE SLOW-RELEASE FERTILIZER USE IN DEVELOPING THE CULTURE OF PETUNIA HYBRIDA SEEDLINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mona Popa

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Our research on the use of slow-release biodegradable fertilizers were applied to Petunia hybrida seedlings of the variety “White Surfinia”. Thus after 10 days subculturing procedure was to apply fertilizers containing NKP24 biodegradable and made in the form of sticks and granules with six concentrations of starch (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 50% quantaties (4-5 grams/ 1 pot. For each pot with of 8 cm diameter, we prepared a mixture of peat and garden soil in a rate of 1:1. During the vegetation periods, morphological analyses were made regarding the development of Petunia hybrida, cv. “White Surfinia”plants: the length of shoots and number of shoot. Average values recorded from morphological determinations after 1 month of starting experiments on biofertilizers influence on growth and development the seedlings of Petunia was demonstrated that the optimal variant was the fertilizer V5 with -25% WF (wood flour to 50% concentration of biofertilizers NKP24 (for both form of sticks A-big and B-medium and for fertilizer form C- granular the V6 variant with -50% concentration of biofertilizers NKP24, the petunia stem was recorded maximum of 58.92 cm length .The research is part of an international project FP7/2008 with the title "Forest Resource Sustainability through Bio-Based-Composite Development" – FORBIOPLAST. Multiple aims of FORBIOPLAST project are the valorization of forest resources for the production of bio-based products.

Development of Malaysian women fertility index: Evidence from Shannon's entropy

Science.gov (United States)

Jalil, Wan Aznie Fatihah Wan Abd; Sharif, Shamshuritawati

2017-11-01

A fertility rate is a measure of the average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years. Malaysia is now facing a population crisis and the fertility rate continues to decline. This situation will have implications for the age structure of the population where percentages of senior citizens are higher than percentages of people aged below 5 years old. Malaysia is expected to reach aging population status by the year 2035. As the aging population has a very long average life expectancy, the government needs to spend a lot on medical costs for senior citizens and need to increase budgets for pensions. The government may be required to increase tax revenues to support the growing older population. The falling fertility rate requires proper control by relevant authorities, especially through planning and implementation of strategic and effective measures. Hence, this paper aims to develop a fertility index using Shannon's entropy method. The results show that Selangor, Johor, and Sarawak are among the states with the highest values of the fertility index. On the other end of the spectrum, Terengganu, W.P. Labuan, and Perlis are ranked in the last positions according to the fertility index. The information generated from the results in this study can be used as a primary source for the government to design appropriate policies to mitigate dwindling fertility rates among Malaysian women.

Development of a health promotion programme to improve awareness of factors that affect fertility, and evaluation of its reach in the first 5 years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin Hammarberg

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Awareness among people of reproductive age about the factors that influence fertility and reproductive outcomes, including medically assisted reproduction outcomes, is generally low. To improve awareness about the potentially modifiable factors that affect fertility and reproductive outcomes, ‘Your Fertility’, a fertility health promotion programme funded by the Australian Government, was established in 2011. This paper describes the development and evaluation of the reach of the Your Fertility programme from its inception in 2011 to June 2016. Systematically recorded outcomes for the programme’s key focus areas and Google Analytics data were collated. Key achievements include developing and maintaining an internationally renowned website that experiences high growth and demand for fertility-related information; by 2016, over 5 million users had viewed more than 10 million webpages, and over 96,000 users had engaged in programme messages across social media. Programme messages have reached more than 4 million Australian social media users, and a potential audience of 150 million through media coverage across more than 320 media features. More than 4200 education and health professionals have completed online learning modules, and external partnerships have been established with 14 separate organizations. Data collected over 5 years indicate that the Your Fertility programme meets a need for targeted, evidence-based, accessible fertility-related information.

Fertility of women after exposure to internal and external radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polednak, A.P.

1980-01-01

Fertility was examined in 199 women exposed to internal and external radiation while employed in the radium watch-dial painting industry in Illinois between 1916 and 1929. In women with at least one live birth, mean log live-birth rate was significantly lower in the highest (estimated) ovarian-dose group than in the lowest group. In multiple regression analysis, intake dose but not duration of employment was a statistically significant predictor of log live-birth rate. There was no evidence for an increase in fetal deaths with increasing ovarian dose level (rem). This suggests that the findings on live-birth rate may not involve post-implantation dominant lethal mutations, but preimplantation losses could not be evaluated. Some possible explanations for these findings are discussed

Quantitative estimates of uptake and internal cycling of {sup 15}N-depleted fertilizer in mature walnut trees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinbaum, S; Kessel, C van [University of California at Davis, Davis, CA (United States)

1998-11-01

In mature fruit trees, internal recycling is an important source of N for the growth of new wood, leaves and fruits. Using {sup 15}N-depleted fertilizer, i.e. {sup 14}N-enriched, N-uptake efficiency and the magnitude of internal N cycling were studied in mature walnut trees. Two kg of {sup 14}N-labelled ammonium sulfate N were applied per tree, and compartmentation of N was followed over a period of 6 years by analyzing catkins, pistillate flowers, leaves and fruits each year for total N content and isotopic composition. Subsequently, two of the six labelled trees were excavated and analyzed for labelled-N content. The data indicate that mature walnut uses most of the N accumulated from soil and fertilizer for storage purposes, to be remobilized for new growth within 2 years, and about half of the total-N pool in a mature tree is present as non-structural compounds, available for recycling. (author) 31 refs, 2 figs, 4 tabs

International regulatory landscape and integration of corrective genome editing into in vitro fertilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Motoko; Ishii, Tetsuya

2014-11-24

Genome editing technology, including zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas, has enabled far more efficient genetic engineering even in non-human primates. This biotechnology is more likely to develop into medicine for preventing a genetic disease if corrective genome editing is integrated into assisted reproductive technology, represented by in vitro fertilization. Although rapid advances in genome editing are expected to make germline gene correction feasible in a clinical setting, there are many issues that still need to be addressed before this could occur. We herein examine current status of genome editing in mammalian embryonic stem cells and zygotes and discuss potential issues in the international regulatory landscape regarding human germline gene modification. Moreover, we address some ethical and social issues that would be raised when each country considers whether genome editing-mediated germline gene correction for preventive medicine should be permitted.

Third world programs confront adolescent fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

1978-08-01

Recently, there have been efforts to identify workable youth programs and effective research projects that could deal with the problem of adolescent fertility. Typical objectives identified at various conferences concerned with this problem included the following: 1) focus attention on the adverse medical and socioeconomic efforts of early pregnancy; 2) draw attention to the current dimensions of adolescent fertility and its changing patterns; 3) encourage development of programs; and 4) impress decision makers with the importance of programs for adolescents. These conferences express a sense of urgency in developing programs before teen-age pregnancy reaches epidemic proportions. Most of the projects already underway are still pilot efforts and have an impact on a very small sector of the population. Yet, they are positive steps toward a solution of the rising problems of adolescent fertility and help to identify workable solutions. A few of these projects -- underway in Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Cost Rica, Guatemala and Mexico -- are reviewed. The consensus of all conferences held to date has been that cross-cultural interchanges is crucial to the spread of programs and ideas that can be adapted to local conditions. 2 key recommendations have emerged from a meeting of donor and support agencies held in Washington, D.C. in May: 1) a major conference should take place during the International Year of the Child (1979) that would focus on early sexual activity and fertility and 2) an Adolescent Fertility Council should be appointed. An Adolescent Fertility Council would provide a structure to correlate and stimulate interaction, while recognizing that country and culture specific programs are essential.

Analysis of international practice patterns regarding postvasectomy fertility options.

Science.gov (United States)

Blach, Ola; Shridharani, Anand N; Sandlow, Jay I

2014-05-01

To review the management of postvasectomy fertility options by urologists with vs without andrology fellowship and compare the features of practice in the USA vs UK. We conducted an audit of all American Urological Association-affiliated urologists regarding their practice in managing men requesting vasectomy reversal (VR). Standards of practice were assessed against 10 index parameters deemed, by 1 UK study, to reflect best practice. Fisher exact test was used to test the hypothesis that management of postvasectomy fertility options and practice of VR are no different when undertaken by urologists with vs without andrology training and no different in the USA vs UK. Three hundred twenty-five of 645 US respondents (50.4%) practiced VR vs 178 of 213 (83.6%) in the UK; only 11.9% in the US and 10% in the UK performed >25 and >15 (P <.0001) VR/year, respectively. Compared with the UK urologists the US urologists offered more detailed information on all fertility options and/or outcomes, used microsurgical techniques more often, but less frequently counseled couples together, and referred patients to specialist centers for in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (P <.0001-.05). Only 74 of the US and 61 of the UK urologists were fellowship-trained in andrology. Most non-fellowship-trained urologists, in both the countries, performed <5 VR/year and were, statistically, significantly less likely to counsel couples about all fertility options, be conversant in in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection, provide individualized outcomes data, and use microsurgical techniques (P <.0001-.05). Significant differences exist in the standards of practice between both the US and UK urologists performing VR. Concordance with the indices of "best practice" improves with andrology training and increasing number of procedures performed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Postmating sexual conflict and female control over fertilization during gamete interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Firman, Renée C

2018-06-01

Males and females rarely have identical evolutionary interests over reproduction, and when the fitness of both sexes is dependent upon paternity outcomes, sexual conflict over fertilization is inevitable. In internal fertilizers, the female tract is a formidable selective force on the number and integrity of sperm that reach the egg. Selection on sperm quality is intensified when females mate multiply and rival males are forced to compete for fertilizations. While male adaptations to sperm competition have been well documented (e.g., increased sperm fertilizing capacity), much less attention has been given to the evolutionary consequences of postmating sexual conflict for egg form and function. Specifically, increased sperm competitiveness can be detrimental by giving rise to an elevation in reproductive failure resulting from polyspermy. Spanning literature on both internal and external fertilizers, in this review I discuss how females respond to sperm competition via fertilization barriers that mediate sperm entry. These findings, which align directly with sexual conflict theory, indicate that females have greater control over fertilization than has previously been appreciated. I then consider the implications of gametic sexual conflict in relation to the development of reproductive isolation and speculate on potential mechanisms accounting for "egg defensiveness." Finally, I discuss the functional significance of egg defensiveness for both the sexes, and sperm selection for females. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Evolution of sperm quality but not quantity in the internally fertilized fish Xiphophorus nigrensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, C C; Ryan, M J

2010-08-01

Species with alternative reproductive strategies are characterized by discrete differences among males in suites of traits related to competition for fertilizations. Models predict sneaker males should allocate more resources to their ejaculates because they experience sperm competition more frequently and often occupy a disfavoured 'role' owing to subordinance in intramale competition and female preferences for larger males. We examined whether sperm number and quality differed between male strategies in the internally fertilized fish Xiphophorus nigrensis and explored the relationship between sperm morphology and performance. We found sneaker males had similar testes sizes compared to courting males but ejaculates with both more viable and longer lived sperm. Sneaker sperm also had longer midpieces, which was positively correlated with both velocity and longevity. Our study suggests that the evolution of sperm quantity and quality can be decoupled and that the sperm morphology is likely to play an important role in mediating sperm competition through its effects on sperm performance.

Fertilizer Reduction Policies in Developed Countries: Suitability and Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LI Fang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study reviewed and analyzed the specific practices, implementation effects and applicable conditions of fertilizer reduction policies in the EU, US and Japan, explored the common laws and general conditions in the formulation of environmental orientation, and pro vided feasible policy recommendations for the formulation of fertilizer reduction policies in China. This study showed that fertilizer reduction policies in each country had their own advantages and disadvantages, and the applicable conditions were different. The EU's command and control policy was applicable to the situation of less farm households and the same agricultural planting type or farm type. The economic in centive policy in the US was applicable to the situation of more farm households, relatively perfect agricultural market system and sensitive price formation mechanism, while the public participation policy in Japan was applicable to regions with more relevant agricultural groups and strong economy. China should learn from each of these policies and make a comprehensive choice in the formulation of fertilizer reduc tion policies. Therefore, China should proceed from improving the agricultural price mechanism and the pollution-free agricultural products certification system as well as encouraging and supporting the development of large scale production units, and then promote the adoption of environmentally friendly technology through the guidance of market mechanism, ensure the effective implementation of environmental stan dards through farmers' integration and improve farmers' environmental awareness through propaganda guidance, so as to ensure the effective implementation of different types(command and control policy, economic incentive policy and public participation policyof fertilizer reduc tion policies.

Fertility treatment: long-term growth and mental development of the children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bay, Bjørn

2014-10-01

Fertility treatment has been associated with obstetrical and perinatal complications. It is, however, uncertain whether fertility treatment or parental subfertility is associated with long-term development of the children. We aimed to assess the growth and mental health of children and adolescents conceived after fertility treatment compared to spontaneously conceived controls. First, we evaluated all previous studies comparing neurodevelopmental outcomes between children conceived after fertility treatment and spontaneous conceived controls. The systematic review clarified methodological limitations in the existing literature on the long-term development of children conceived after medical assisted reproduction. Although several studies had been published, large, well-controlled studies with long-term follow-up and thorough statistical adjustments were still few. Second, we evaluated the children's mental health by assessing the risk of mental disorders. We studied a population of 555,828 children conceived after spontaneous conception and 33,139 children conceived after fertility treatment with follow-up in 2012 when the children were 8-17 years old. The absolute risk and hazard ratio of overall and specific mental disorders were estimated while adjusting for potential confounding variables. Further, we estimated the association between subtypes of procedures, hormonal treatment, gamete types and cause of infertility on the one hand and the risk of mental disorders on the other. Children conceived after ovulation induction had a low, but significantly increased risks of autism spectrum disorders, hyperkinetic disorders, conduct, emotional, or social disorders, and tic disorders. Children conceived after IVF or ICSI showed no increased risk, except for a small risk of tic disorders. There was no risk systematically related to any specific type of hormone drug treatment. Thus, the increased risks may rely on residual confounding such as unknown parental factors

Application of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for fertilization and development in birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Kiyoshi; Ono, Tamao; Mizushima, Shusei

2014-01-15

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technology in birds has been hampered due to opacity of oocyte. We developed ICSI-assisted fertilization and gene transfer in quail. This paper reviews recent advances of our ICSI experiments. The oocyte retrieved from the oviduct and a quail sperm was injected into the oocyte under a stereomicroscope. The oocyte was cultured for 24h at 41°C under 5% CO2 in air. The fertilization and development was assessed by microscopic observation. The fertility rate ranged 12-18% and development varied from stage II to V in trials. To improve the fertility rate, phospholipase C (PLC) zeta was injected with a sperm. It was increased to 37-50%. Furthermore, injection of inositol trisphosphate increased to over 85%. Quail oocyte can be fertilized with chicken sperm and so can testicular elongated spermatid. To extend embryonic development, chicken eggshell was used as a surrogate culture at 37°C after the 24h incubation at 41°C under 5% CO2 in air. It survived up to 2days thereafter. Finally, gene transfer was attempted in quail egg. The sperm membrane was disrupted with Triton X-100 (TX-100) and was injected with PLCzeta cRNA and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene in oocyte. The GFP expression was evaluated at 24h incubation at 41°C under 5% CO2 in air in the embryos. While the expression was not detected in the control oocytes, the experimental treatment induced blastoderm development (44%) of the oocytes and 86% of blastoderm showed fluorescent emission. In addition, PCR analysis detected EGFP fragments in 50% of GFP-expressing blastoderm. Our ICSI method may be the first step toward the production of transgenic birds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cancer and fertility preservation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lambertini, Matteo; Del Mastro, Lucia; Pescio, Maria C

2016-01-01

In the last years, thanks to the improvement in the prognosis of cancer patients, a growing attention has been given to the fertility issues. International guidelines on fertility preservation in cancer patients recommend that physicians discuss, as early as possible, with all patients...... of reproductive age their risk of infertility from the disease and/or treatment and their interest in having children after cancer, and help with informed fertility preservation decisions. As recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society for Medical Oncology, sperm...... data have become available, and several issues in this field are still controversial and should be addressed by both patients and their treating physicians.In April 2015, physicians with expertise in the field of fertility preservation in cancer patients from several European countries were invited...

Aspects of psychosocial development in infertile versus fertile men.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi; Binaafar, Sima; Ardakani, Zohreh Behjati; Kamali, Kourosh; Kosari, Haleh; Ghorbani, Behzad

2013-04-01

Infertility is one of the most difficult life experiences that a couple might encounter. Infertility as a bio-psycho-social phenomenon, could influence all aspects of life. While paying special attention to the psychological aspects of infertility in couples; many studies have investigated the non-clinical aspects of infertility, however, they rarely have evaluated the psychosocial development of infertile versus fertile men. We aimed to study the effects of infertility on psychosocial development in men. In fact, we designed the study based on "Erikson's theory of psychosocial development". We focused on the relationship between psychosocial development and some self-conceived indices. For this purpose, we divided the participants volunteers into two groups of cases (80 infertile men) and controls (40 fertile men) and asked them to complete a 112 (questions questionnaire based on "self description"). The statistical analysis was performed by SPSS (version 13) using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and analysis of covariance. A p-value stages (p stages. Infertility as a phenomenon had its own effects on the psychosocial development of infertile men. However, good coping skills are powerful tools to manage these myriad of feelings surrounding infertile men.

Fertility, immigration, and the fight against climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Earl, Jake; Hickey, Colin; Rieder, Travis N

2017-10-01

Several philosophers have recently argued that policies aimed at reducing human fertility are a practical and morally justifiable way to mitigate the risk of dangerous climate change. There is a powerful objection to such "population engineering" proposals: even if drastic fertility reductions are needed to prevent dangerous climate change, implementing those reductions would wreak havoc on the global economy, which would seriously undermine international antipoverty efforts. In this article, we articulate this economic objection to population engineering and show how it fails. We argue, first, that the economic objection paints an inaccurate picture of the complicated relationship between demographic change and economic growth, and second, that any untoward economic effects of fertility reduction can be mitigated with additional policies. Specifically, we argue that supplementing fertility reduction with policies that facilitate the emigration of younger people from developing nations to developed nations could allow for both global reductions in GHG emissions and continued economic stability. Further, we show that moral arguments against such unprecedented increases in immigration are unsuccessful. We conclude that population engineering is a practical and morally justifiable tool for addressing the twin evils of climate change and global poverty. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fertility of women after exposure to internal and external radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polednak, A.P.

1982-01-01

Fertility was examined in 199 women exposed to internal and external radiation while employed in the radium watch-dial painting industry in Illinois between 1916 and 1929. In women with at least one live birth, mean log live-birth rate was significantly lower in the highest (estimated) ovarian-dose group (i.e., greater than or equal to 20 rem) than in the lowest group (<5 rem). In multiple regression analysis, intake dose (proportional to alpha-particle dose to ovaries) but not duration of employment (relevant to external gamma-ray dose to ovaries) was a statistically significant predictor of log live-birth rate. There was no evidence for an increase in fetal deaths with increasing ovarian dose level (rem). This suggests that the findings on live-birth rate may not involve post-implantation dominant lethal mutations, but pre-implantation losses could not be evaluated. Some possible explanations for these findings are discussed

Fertility of women after exposure to internal and external radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polednak, A.P.

1980-01-01

Fertility was examined in 199 women exposed to internal and external radiation while employed in the radium watch-dial painting industry in Illinois between 1916 and 1929. In women with at least one live birth, mean log live-birth rate was significantly lower in the highest (estimated) ovarian-dose group (i.e., greater than or equal to 20 rem) than in th lowest group (<5 rem). In multiple regression analysis, intake dose (proportional to alpha-particle dose to ovaries) but not duration of employment (relevant to external gamma-ray dose to ovaries) was a statistically significant predictor of log live-birth rate. There was no evidence for an increase in fetal deaths with increasing ovarian dose level (rem). This suggests that the findings on live-birth rate may not involve post-implantation dominant lethal mutations, but preimplantation losses could not be evaluated. Some possible explanations for these findings are discussed

Evaluation of internal alpha-particle radiation exposure and subsequent fertility among a cohort of women formerly employed in the radium dial industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schieve, L.A.; Davis, F.; Freels, S.

1997-01-01

This study examined the effect of internal exposure to α-particle radiation on subsequent fertility among women employed in radium dial industry prior to 1930, when appreciable amounts of radium were often ingested through the practice of pointing the paint brush with the lips. The analysis was limited to women for whom a radium body burden measurement had been obtained and who were married prior to age 45 (n = 603). Internal radiation dose to the ovary was calculated based on initial intakes of radium-226 and radium-228, average ovarian mass, number and energy of α particles emitted, fraction of energy absorbed within the ovary, effective retention integrals and estimated photon irradiation. Time between marriage and pregnancy, number of pregnancies and number of live births served as surrogates for fertility. Radiation appeared to have no effect on fertility at estimated cumulative ovarian dose equivalents below 5 Sv; above this dose, however, statistically significant declines in both number of pregnancies and live births were observed. These trends persisted after multivariable adjustment for potential confounding variables and after exclusion of subjects contributing a potential classification or selection bias to the study. Additionally, the high-dose group experienced fewer live births than would have been expected based on population rates. There were no differences in time to first pregnancy between high- and low-dose groups. These results are consistent with earlier studies of γ-ray exposures and suggest that exposure to high doses of radiation from internally deposited radium reduces fertility rather than inducing sterility. 42 refs., 5 tabs

Bio fertilizer development incorporating nuclear technologies - Challenges and potentials to the industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairuddin Abdul Rahim; Phua, Choo Kwai Hoe; Ahmad Nazrul Abdul Wahid; Pauline, Liew Woan Ying; Ahamad Sahali Mardi; Mat Rasol Awang

2010-01-01

The development of bio fertilizer products, which involve incorporation of known microorganisms with desired functions, requires sterilisation of the carriers or substrates. Conventional sterilisation method using heat treatment or autoclaving has its limitations, especially in mass production of bio fertilizers. The Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) through its Bio fertilizer Project Group encourages the use of gamma irradiation for carrier sterilisation, capitalising on the quality of the final products following proper sterilisation. Gamma irradiation at doses of 30 to 50 kGy was found suitable for sterilisation, depending on the carrier materials. More deliberation is needed for bio fertilizer companies far away from the gamma irradiation facilities to utilise gamma irradiation services for their bio fertilizer carriers, on aspects of cost of transportation, sterilisation, storage and convenience of use. Evaluation of bio fertilizer products on crops in the field need to be conducted to assess their efficacy. Several isotope-aided trials have been conducted to evaluate nutrient use efficiency of several formulations of Nuclear Malaysia bio fertilizer products, involving vegetable and herbal crops, with varying results. The paper highlights trials in Nuclear Malaysia and Cameron Highlands. Presently, product evaluation is limited to use of the stable isotope, nitrogen-15, in particular when considering radiation safety in field trials. Having joint trials involving potential end users is still a challenge. (author)

The relationship between poverty and fertility in some less developed countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chin Ptc

1985-12-01

The author investigates the extent to which both absolute and relative poverty affect population growth in developing countries. Aggregate data from U.N. sources for 26 countries at various stages of the fertility transition are used. The results indicate that the most significant steps in reducing fertility would be more effective provision of basic human needs and reforms in land tenure. The need to distinguish between absolute and relative poverty in formulating population policies is noted.

Nano Fertilizers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice DAĞHAN

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Agricultural land is decreasing day by day due to erosion, environmental pollution, unconscious irrigation and fertilization. On the other hand, it is necessary to increase agricultural production in order to meet the needs of the developing industry as well as the nutritional needs of the growing population. In the recent years, nano fertilizers have begun to be produced to obtain the highest amount and quality of production from the unit area. Previous research shows that nano fertilizers cause an increase in the use efficiency of plant nutrients, reduce soil toxicity, minimize the potential adverse effects of excessive chemical fertilizer use, and reduce fertilizer application frequency. Nano fertilizers are important in agriculture to increase crop yield and nutrient use efficiency, and to reduce excessive use ofchemical fertilizers. The most important properties of these fertilizers are that they contain one or more of macro and micronutrients, they can be applied frequently in small amounts and are environmentally friendly. However, when applied at high doses, they exhibit decreasing effects on plant growth and crop yields, similar to chemical fertilizers. In this review, the definition, importan ce, and classification of nano fertilizers, their application in plant production, advantages and disadvantages and the results obtained in this field were discussed.

Feasibility of surveillance of changes in human fertility and semen quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, T M; Brown, E H; Venn, A; Mbizvo, M T; Farley, T M; Garrett, C; Baker, H W

2001-01-01

There is concern that male fertility is declining, but this is difficult to study because few men volunteer for studies of semen quality, and recruitment bias may over-represent the subfertile. The Human Reproduction Programme of the World Health Organization developed a protocol for multicentre studies of fertility involving a questionnaire for pregnant women to obtain time to pregnancy (TTP): the number of menstrual cycles taken to conceive. Male characteristics and semen quality will be determined in a subset of the partners. Our aim was to validate the TTP questionnaire, and to examine potential recruitment bias and feasibility of conducting large-scale surveillance of fertility. The questionnaire was administered to 120 pregnant women (16-32 weeks). Validation included internal reliability by consistency of responses, test-re-test reliability by repeat administration (20 women) and accuracy by comparison of gestational age from first antenatal ultrasound and menstrual dates. Internal reliability was high. Agreement between categorical responses on re-testing was very good (k > 0.8). In both the re-test and gestational age analysis, differences in TTP of 1 cycle were found (standard deviation recruitment bias. Response rates indicate the feasibility of surveillance of fertility in large maternity centres.

Fertility and Population Policy

OpenAIRE

Ouedraogo, Abdoulaye; Tosun, Mehmet S.; Yang, Jingjing

2018-01-01

There have been significant changes in both the fertility rates and fertility perception since 1970s. In this paper, we examine the relationship between government policies towards fertility and the fertility trends. Total fertility rate, defined as the number of children per woman, is used as the main fertility trend variable. We use panel data from the United Nations World Population Policies database, and the World Bank World Development Indicators for the period 1976 through 2013. We find...

Secondary maritime climate protection. The example of ocean fertilization; Sekundaerer maritimer Klimaschutz. Das Beispiel der Ozeanduengung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guessow, Kerstin

2012-07-01

In the focus of the current debate on the handling of climate change are strategies to prevent greenhouse gas emissions and the adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The author of the book under consideration deals with the climate engineering. Using the example of ocean fertilization, the standards of international public law are analyzed with respect to their applicability and suitability for the evaluation of the concept. The first part of this book describes the scientific background of the ocean fertilization. The second part is devoted to the existing law and recent developments in the field of ocean fertilization. The third part of this book proposes a reading of the international environmentally legal concept of the provision. The intention is to meet the target conflicts due to the different approaches and regulations according to international law.

Thinking and Countermeasures for Rational Utilization of Soil Fertility in Modern Agriculture Developping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WENG Bo-qi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Soil is not only an important foundation for agricultural production, but also is the safeguard of human survival. Soil quality is close-ly related with food safety and argo-ecological environment. Soil fertility is the support of modern agricultural development. Multiple disci-plines and specialties are involved in researches of soil cultivating process. Nowadays, the understanding of soil fertility has changed from a-gricultural production to environmental security and resource exploitation, even larger scales to ecological health and global soil change. In this review, the characteristics and inherent link between soil and agriculture were comprehensive expounded from the aspects of long-term fertilization trials, soil cultivation techniques, and modern agriculture development. The challenge and prospect faced in soil science research field were also analyzed. Finally, several suggestions and countermeasures were proposed to the researches of soil science in future.

Future fertility for individuals with differences of sex development: Parent attitudes and perspectives about decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Emilie K; Rosoklija, Ilina; Shurba, Angela; D'Oro, Anthony; Gordon, Elisa J; Chen, Diane; Finlayson, Courtney; Holl, Jane L

2017-08-01

Children, adolescents, and young adults (children/youth) with differences/disorders of sex development (DSD) face challenges related to future fertility; this may be due to variations in gonadal development, and, for some, gonadectomy performed to reduce the risk of malignancy. Childhood may be the only time for preservation of biological fertility potential for children/youth who undergo gonadectomy or have early gonadal failure. Fertility-related decision-making for these patients is particularly complicated, due to the need for parental proxy decision-making, potential discordance between gender identity and gonadal type, and uncertain future assisted reproductive technologies. This study aimed to assess: (1) attitudes regarding future fertility, and (2) healthcare needs for fertility-related decision-making among parents of children/youth with DSD. Semi-structured qualitative interviews about future fertility were conducted with parents of children/youth with DSD. Parents who had never discussed fertility with a healthcare provider were excluded. Grounded theory methodology was used to identify emergent themes and patterns. Demographics and clinical characteristics were assessed via survey and medical chart review. Nineteen parents were interviewed (participation rate: 60%, 14 mothers/5 fathers, median patient age at diagnosis 6 months (range 0-192), eight DSD diagnoses). The most common emergent themes are summarized in the Summary Table. Most parents identified fertility as a key concern, both at time of diagnosis and throughout development. Parents expressed difficulty with timing of disclosure about potential infertility to their children. Multiple preferences related to medical decision-making about future fertility and fertility preservation were expressed, including: a desire for step-by-step decision-making, and use of medically vetted information and research to guide decisions. This qualitative study provided new information about the perspectives of

Situation on the market of mineral fertilizers in 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arkadiusz Zalewski

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes international and domestic supply-demand situation on the market of mineral fertilizers. The article also analyses factors which had an influence on the increase of mineral fertilizers prices.

Adolescent contraceptive use and its effects on fertility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Antonio Sánchez-Páez

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Adolescent reproductive health is part of internationally agreed development goals. Unmarried adolescents are not commonly included in global monitoring of contraceptive usedespite the more severe consequences of unintended childbearing for them. Objective: We document levels and trends of contraceptive prevalence and demand for married and sexually active unmarried adolescent women aged 15-19 in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. We estimate the effect of adolescent contraceptive use and marital status on fertility and the impact of meeting current demand. Methods: We propose a fertility model informed by the proximate determinants framework separating adolescents by marital status. Linear Mixed Model estimates are based on aggregate data from 120 DHS surveys for 34 developing countries. Results: Increasing contraceptive prevalence has already reduced adolescent fertility by 6.8Š in Latin America and 4.1Š in sub-Saharan Africa. Meeting the total demand for contraceptives of unmarried adolescents would lead to an additional decrease in fertility of 8.9Š and 17.4Š respectively. Conclusions: Contraceptive demand and prevalence are generally higher for sexually active unmarried adolescent women than for those married. Increasing prevalence has already had an impact in declining fertility, but there is a potentially larger effect if high levels of unmet need are eliminated, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Such reduction would have a significant impact on adolescent health. Contribution: We provide evidence of the importance of contraceptive use of unmarried sexually active adolescent women in explaining trends in adolescent fertility. We estimate the potential effect of meeting the contraceptive needs of married and unmarried adolescents on unintended childbearing.

The effects of migrant remittances on population–environment dynamics in migrant origin areas: international migration, fertility, and consumption in highland Guatemala

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Carr, David

2010-01-01

International migration impacts origin regions in many ways. As examples, remittances from distant migrants may alter consumption patterns within sending communities, while exposure to different cultural norms may alter other behaviors. This paper combines these insights to offer a unique lens on migration’s environmental impact. From an environmental perspective, we ask the following question: is the likely rise in consumption brought about by remittances counterbalanced by a reduction in fertility in migrant households following exposure to lower fertility cultures? Based on ethnographic case studies in two western highland Guatemalan communities, we argue that the near-term rise in consumption due to remittances is not counterbalanced by rapid decline in migrant household fertility. However, over time, the environmental cost of consumption may be mitigated at the community level through diffusion of contraception and family planning norms yielding lower family size. PMID:21258636

Liquid Organic Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture: Nutrient Uptake of Organic versus Mineral Fertilizers in Citrus Trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus; Bermejo, Almudena; Legaz, Francisco; Quiñones, Ana

2016-01-01

The main objective of this study was to compare the performance of two liquid organic fertilizers, an animal and a plant-based fertilizer, with mineral fertilization on citrus trees. The source of the fertilizer (mineral or organic) had significant effect in the nutritional status of the organic and conventionally managed mandarins. Nutrient uptake, vegetative growth, carbohydrate synthesis and soil characteristics were analyzed. Results showed that plants fertilized with animal based liquid fertilizers exhibited higher total biomass with a more profuse development of new developing organs (leaves and fibrous roots). Liquid organic fertilization resulted in an increased uptake of macro and micronutrients compared to mineral fertilized trees. Moreover, organic fertilization positively affected the carbohydrate content (fructose, glucose and sucrose) mainly in summer flush leaves. Liquid organic fertilization also resulted in an increase of soil organic matter content. Animal-based fertilizer, due to intrinsic composition, increased total tree biomass and carbohydrate leaves content, and led to lower soil nitrate concentration and higher P and Mg exchangeable in soil extract compared to vegetal-based fertilizer. Therefore, liquid organic fertilizers could be used as an alternative to traditional mineral fertilization in drip irrigated citrus trees.

Effects of Simulated Mobile Phone Electromagnetic Radiation on Fertilization and Embryo Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hong; Qu, Zaiqing; Liu, Wenhui

2017-04-01

This study investigated the effects of 935-MHz electromagnetic radiation (ER) on fertilization and subsequent embryonic development in mice. Ovulating mice were irradiated at three ER intensities for 4 h/day (d) or 2 h/d for three consecutive days; the ova were then harvested for in vitro fertilization to observe the 6-h fertilization rate (6-FR), 72-h morula rate (72-MR), and 110-h blastula rate (110-BR). Compared with the control group, the 6-FR, 72-MR, and 110-BR were decreased in the low ER intensity group, but the differences were not significant; in the mid- and high-intensity ER groups, 72-MR and 110-BR in the 4 h/d and 2 h/d subgroups were decreased, showing significant differences compared with the control group. Moreover, the comparison between 4 h/d and 2 h/d subgroups showed significant differences. Mid- and high-intensity ER at 935 MHz can reduce the fertilization rate in mice, and reduce the blastulation rate, thus reducing the possibility of embryo implantation.

Localization of determinants of fertility through measurement adaptations in developing-country settings: The case of Iran: Comment on "Analysis of economic determinants of fertility in Iran: a multilevel approach".

Science.gov (United States)

Erfani, Amir

2014-12-01

Studies investigating fertility decline in developing countries often adopt measures of determinants of fertility behavior developed based on observations from developed countries, without adapting them to the realities of the study setting. As a result, their findings are usually invalid, anomalous or statistically non-significant. This commentary draws on the research article by Moeeni and colleagues, as an exemplary work which has not adapted measures of two key economic determinants of fertility behavior, namely gender inequality and opportunity costs of childbearing, to the realities of Iran's economy. Measurement adaptations that can improve the study are discussed.

[International conference on population and development in Cairo].

Science.gov (United States)

van Enk, A

1994-11-05

The UN Conference on Population and Development was held in Cairo in September 1994, and dealt with a range of sensitive issues that were eventually recorded in an action program. In addition, a sort of shadow conference was also held by various organizations. The precedents of this conference were the conferences held in Bucharest in 1974, which stressed the world crisis and population explosion, and in Mexico in 1984, where the first signs of the slackening of population growth induced less emphasis on family planning programs and more on the status of women. At Cairo again a crisis atmosphere reigned because rapid population growth has not been followed by rapid development. Birth control discussions also focused on ethical and religious norms, human rights, and emancipation problems. Most of all, the sustainability of development programs was stressed. Global decline of mortality combined with a continuing high birth rate has resulted in a population growth of 3% or more. In the course of 40 years the growth was 46% in industrialized countries as compared to 161% in the poorest lands. The total world population has reached 5 billion, of which only 20% live industrial countries. The influence of the AIDS epidemic on the demographic figures is not likely to be as much as anticipated a few years ago. Other problems are demographic aging, population decline (a below replacement fertility rate in Japan, Spain, and Italy), and uncontrolled internal and international migration (refugees in developing countries and flight to major cities). In the next 30 years almost two-thirds of the population of developing countries will be living in shabby, sprawling megacities. In 1989, in preparation for the Cairo conference, an international forum was held in Amsterdam on population. It dealt with the reproductive rights of women, the negative impact of structural readjustment programs on family planning, and the priority of women's education.

Effect of oviduct epithelial cells on the fertilization and development of sheep oocytes in vitro

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Peter; Irvine, Brendon J.; Armstrong, David T.

1994-01-01

The study examined whether co-culture with oviductal epithelial cells was of benefit to ovine in vitro fertilization ( IVF) and embryo culture procedures utilizing ·a well charac- terized culture system based on a synthetic oviductal fluid medium (SOFM) supple- mented with serum in a 90% N2, 5% 0 2......, 5% C02, atmosphere at 38.6°C. Two experiments were carried out. In Experiment 1, comparison was made between the frequency of fertil- ization and development of in vitro matured ( IVM) oocytes cultured in the absence (Group 1) or presence of oviductal cells for a 24 h (Group 2), 48 h (Group 3) or 96...... h (Group 4) period post insemination. In Experiment 2, comparison was made between the develop- ment of IVM oocytes fertilized and cultured in vitro for 7. 5 days in the absence or presence of oviductal cells with IVM oocytes which had been fertilized in vitro for 20 h in the pres- ence of oviductal...

[Women, fertility, development: the case of Rwanda].

Science.gov (United States)

Kabagwira, A

1992-08-01

Rwanda's high fertility rate and very rapid population growth have a negative impact on the welfare of women. Traditionally, women in Rwanda won the respect of their in-laws by having many children, on whom they depended for social status, help in agricultural work, and support in old age. Women also played a very important role in agricultural production in addition to their daily household activities. Migration of men and young people to urban areas has left many women totally in charge of agricultural production and has further deprived them of their limited leisure time. Low income, legal obstacles, literacy, custom and other factors limit women's resulting from their inferior social and juridical status conditions their reproductive behavior despite the development of a family planning program dating to 1981. The low level of female education is an important factor; 33% of women vs. 61% of men are literate. 25% of Rwanda's budget is devoted to education, but population growth has impeded progress Illiteracy implies a lack of receptivity to new ideas, including family planning. A 1983 fertility study in Rwanda showed that marriage age increased with education, from 18.8 years for illiterate women to 19.5 for those within 3-5 years. The number of children declined with the educational attainment of the mother, as did infant mortality rates. Considering the physical labor that women carry out, their repeated pregnancies are a handicap to the promotion of their own and their family's health. The prevailing high fertility exacerbates nutritional problems; some 20% of infants weigh less that 2.5 kg at birth. Efforts have recently been made to recognize the contribution of women and to elevate their status, such as improving their access to education, raising the legal marriage to 21, and prohibiting polygamy. The National Office of Population was created in 1981 to study population problems and take action to resolve them. The national population policy adopted in

Localization of Determinants of Fertility through Measurement Adaptations in Developing-Country Settings: The Case of Iran Comment on “Analysis of Economic Determinants of Fertility in Iran: A Multilevel Approach”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Erfani

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Studies investigating fertility decline in developing countries often adopt measures of determinants of fertility behavior developed based on observations from developed countries, without adapting them to the realities of the study setting. As a result, their findings are usually invalid, anomalous or statistically non-significant. This commentary draws on the research article by Moeeni and colleagues, as an exemplary work which has not adapted measures of two key economic determinants of fertility behavior, namely gender inequality and opportunity costs of childbearing, to the realities of Iran’s economy. Measurement adaptations that can improve the study are discussed.

Chinese culture and fertility decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, C; Jia, S

1992-01-01

Coale has suggested that cultural factors exert a significant influence on fertility reduction; countries in the "Chinese cultural circle" would be the first to show fertility decline. In China, the view was that traditional Chinese culture contributed to increased population. This paper examines the nature of the relationship between Chinese culture and fertility. Attention was directed to a comparison of fertility rates of developing countries with strong Chinese cultural influence and of fertility within different regions of China. Discussion was followed by an explanation of the theoretical impact of Chinese culture on fertility and direct and indirect beliefs and practices that might either enhance or hinder fertility decline. Emigration to neighboring countries occurred after the Qing dynasty. Fertility after the 1950s declined markedly in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and mainland China: all countries within the Chinese cultural circle. Other countries within the Chinese circle which have higher fertility, yet lower fertility than other non-Chinese cultural countries, are Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Within China, regions with similar fertility patterns are identified as coastal regions, central plains, and mountainous and plateau regions. The Han ethnic group has lower fertility than that of ethnic minorities; regions with large Han populations have lower fertility. Overseas Chinese in East Asian countries also tend to have lower fertility than their host populations. Chinese culture consisted of the assimilation of other cultures over 5000 years. Fertility decline was dependent on the population's desire to limit reproduction, favorable social mechanisms, and availability of contraception: all factors related to economic development. Chinese culture affects fertility reduction by affecting reproductive views and social mechanisms directly, and indirectly through economics. Confucianism emphasizes collectivism, self

Fertility preservation issues in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balduzzi, A; Dalle, J-H; Jahnukainen, K

2017-01-01

Fertility preservation is an urgent challenge in the transplant setting. A panel of transplanters and fertility specialists within the Pediatric Diseases Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) and the International BFM Study Group provides specific guide...

Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) impairs fertilization and early embryo development in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, David R J; McClure, Neil; Cosby, S Louise; Stevenson, Michael; Lewis, Sheena E M

2009-03-01

To determine the effects of sildenafil citrate, a cyclic monophosphate-specific type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitor known to affect sperm function, on fertilization and early embryo cleavage. This acute mammal study included male and female mice assigned randomly, the females sacrificed after mating and their oocytes/embryos evaluated at four time periods after treatment. Academic research environment. Male and female CBAB(6) mice. Female mice were injected intraperitoneally with 5 IU gonadotropin (hCG) to stimulate follicular growth and induce ovulation. They were each caged with a male that had been gavaged with sildenafil citrate (0.06 mg/0.05 mL) and allowed to mate. After 12, 36, 60, and 84 h, females were killed, their oviducts were dissected out, and retrieved embryos were assessed for blastomere number and quality. Fertilization rates and numbers of embryos were evaluated after treatment. Fertilization rates (day 1) were markedly reduced (-33%) in matings where the male had taken sildenafil citrate. Over days 2-4, the numbers of embryos developing in the treated group were significantly fewer than in the control group. There was also a trend for impaired cleavage rates within those embryos, although this did not reach significance. The impairments to fertility caused by sildenafil citrate have important implications for infertility centers and for couples who are using this drug precoitally while attempting to conceive.

Patient-centered Fertility Care: From Theory to Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Jafarzadeh-Kenarsari

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Healthcare areas, especially fertility care (commonly accompanied with high emotions, as well as long-term and recurring treatment periods could exclusively benefit from patient-centered care (PCC. Despite evident advantages of PCC, this approach has not been practiced as a routine procedure in current clinical environments yet, even in western developed countries. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the significance and different aspects of PCC, while emphasizing on patient-centered fertility care, its challenges, and applicable recommendations in this regard. Methods: This narrative review was conducted on 29 relevant medical and clinical papers (published during 1990-2015 collected using various national and international databases (e.g., SID, Magiran, Medlib, Google scholar, Proquest, Pubmed, Wiley, Science direct, and Scopus. Key words and phrases used in this review were “infertility”, “fertility care”, “childlessness”, “patient-centered care”, “patient-centered fertility care” “shared decision-making”, “infertile patient preferences”, and “patient involvement in fertility care”. Results: According to the literature, implementation challenges of patient-centered fertility care were reported as different individual and organizational factors. These factors include lack of professional motivation to change, underestimating the significance of patient-centeredness by healthcare professionals, difficulty in translation of feedback into concrete measures, lack of time and financial resources, insufficient experience of healthcare professionals with regard to identification of needs and preferences of patients, traditional organizational culture, and common misconceptions. Conclusion: Promotion of patient-centered fertility services requires the identification of infertile needs and priorities of individuals, designation of interventional and supportive programs based on sociocultural

Fertility desires and fertility outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bracher, M; Santow, G

1991-05-01

An Australian 1-in-1000 national probability sample conducted in 1986 yielded 2547 women aged 20-59 who provided detailed life histories on marital unions, childbearing, and contraception. Age specific fertility rates, desired family size, differentials in desired family size, desired fertility and achieved fertility, and sequential family building are examined. The results indicate that the desired family size at 1st marriage has declined only slightly over the past 30 years. 3 children are generally desired, and ver few desire 2. The constance of fertility desires in contrasted with the fertilitydecline to below replacement levels. Several reasons are suggested for the desired family size: the desire is for a family size within the family tradition and modified by the desire to have 1 of each sex, the desire reflects less on intentions but more on normative pressure to become a parent. Marrying is self selecting on the desire for a traditional family of at least 2 children. There is a rising age at marriage as well as a decline in marriages. Desired family size exceeds completed fertility. Period factors and personal circumstances affect fertility intentions. Future inquires should explore the multiple factors relating to fertility, rather than in comparing fertility desires and actual fertility. The data collected on age specific fertility were comparable to official estimates. The fertility decline was evidenced in all groups except teenagers. The decline was nearly 50% for those 20-24 years between the 1050's-80's, 33% for ages 25-29. Marriage patterns explain this decline in part. Between 1971-76, women aged 20-25 were married 37 months out of 60 months in 1971-76 versus 25 out of 60 months in 1981-86. Within the 25 year age group, marital fertility has declined and unmarried fertility, which is low, has risen, Women in a marital union of any kind has remained stable. Fertility within de facto unions, which is lower than within marriage, is higher than

Radiological impact of phosphate fertilizers on the agricultural areas in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fathivand, A.A.; Kashian, S.; Moradi, M.

2014-01-01

It is common practice to use phosphate fertilizers in the soil to raise crop yield. Natural radionuclides present in fertilizers are sources of external and internal radiation exposure. External radiation exposure is caused by gamma radiation originating from radionuclides in situ. Internal radiation exposure, mainly affecting the respiratory tract, is due to short-lived daughter products of radon which are exhaled from fertilizers. This paper describes the results of gamma spectrometric measurement of the concentration of the natural radionuclides namely 226 Ra, thorium-232 and potassium-40 in the soil samples from the fields using phosphate fertilizers. The radon concentration and exhalation rate have also been discussed. The values of outdoor annual effective dose are found to vary from 0.07 to 0.09 mSv/year in soil samples containing fertilizers, whereas the outdoor annual effective dose is 0.06 mSv/year in barren soil samples. (author)

Effects of simulated weightlessness on meiosis. Fertilization, and early development in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Wolgemuth, D. J.

1986-01-01

The initial goal was to construct a clinostat which could support mammalian cell culture. The clinostat was selected as a means by which to simulate microgravity conditions within the laboratory, by constant re-orientation of cells with respect to the gravity vector. The effects of this simulated microgravity on in-vitro meiotic maturation of oocytes, using mouse as the model system, was investigated. The effects of clinostat rotation on fertilization in-vitro was then examined. Specific endpoints included examining the timely appearance of male and female pronuclei (indicating fertilization) and the efficiency of extrusion of the second polar body. Particular attention was paid to detecting anomalies of fertilization, including parthenogenetic activation and multiple pronuclei. Finally, for the preliminary studies on mouse embryogenesis, a key feature of the clinostat was modified, that of the position of the cells during rotation. A means was found to immobilize the cells during the clinostat reotation, permitting the cells to remain at the axis of rotation yet not interfering with cellular development.

GPR56 is essential for testis development and male fertility in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Guangchun; Yang, Liquan; Begum, Shahinoor; Xu, Lei

2010-12-01

Testis development is critical for male fertility and continuation of the mammalian species. Essential structural components of testes are seminiferous tubules, which are lined by Sertoli cells and provide nutrients and physical protection for the maturation of sperm. Seminiferous tubule formation is initiated in embryos as testis cords and relies on their remodeling for maturation during development. Recently, three-dimensional image analyses showed that testis cords in different parts of embryonic gonads undergo distinct remodeling processes. How this asymmetric remodeling is regulated has not been investigated. We report here that the absence of an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor, GPR56, leads to partial disruption of seminiferous tubules and reduced fertility in male mice. The defects appear to originate asymmetrically in embryonic gonads, but subsequent to the initial establishment of testis cords, suggesting that GPR56 might act to establish a spatial and/or temporal cue for asymmetric cord remodeling during male gonad development. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Factors affecting the development of in vitro fertilization in camelids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trasorras VL

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In any program of in vitro embryo production, the ultimate goal is to develop high quality embryos being able to get a normal pregnancy and finally resulting in the birth of a healthy offspring, goal not reach yet in camelids. The application of assisted reproductive techniques, such as in vitro fertilization and subsequent in vitro embryo culture, can extend the knowledge of early embryonic development and make possible the increase of the population of genetically superior animals.

Cohort fertility decline in low fertility countries: Decomposition using parity progression ratios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krystof Zeman

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The long-term decline in cohort fertility in highly developed countries has been widely documented. However, no systematic analysis has investigated which parity contributed most to the fertility decline to low and very low levels. Objective: We examine how the contribution of changing parity progression ratios varied across cohorts, countries, and broader regions in Europe, North America, Australia, and East Asia. We pay special attention to countries that reached very low completed cohort fertility, below 1.75 children per woman. Methods: Using population censuses and large-scale surveys for 32 low fertility countries, we decompose the change in completed cohort fertility among women born between 1940 and 1970. The decomposition method takes into account the sequential nature of childbearing as a chain of transitions from lower to higher parities. Results: Among women born between 1940 and 1955, the fertility decline was mostly driven by reductions in the progression ratios to third and higher-order births. By contrast, among women born between 1955 and 1970, changes in fertility showed distinct regional patterns: in Central and Eastern Europe they were fuelled by falling second-birth rates, whereas in the German-speaking countries, Southern Europe, and East Asia decreases in first-birth rates played the major role. Conclusions: Pathways to low and very low fertility show distinct geographical patterns, which reflect the diversity of the cultural, socioeconomic, and institutional settings of low fertility countries. Contribution: Our study highlights the importance of analysing parity-specific components of fertility in order to understand fertility change and variation. We demonstrate that similar low levels of completed cohort fertility can result from different combinations of parity-specific fertility rates.

Amphibian fertilization and development in microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Kenneth A.

1993-01-01

chambers exposed to 1 g will be removed and observed within the GPWS using a dissecting microscope and camera system. On the basis of egg rotation and egg appearance, the 'best' and 'second best' frogs will be selected to contribute additional eggs. Using the two best frogs, 22 egg chambers will be loaded with eggs and fertilized. Eleven chambers wil be incubated at microgravity and eleven will be incubated on the centrifuge. At various times during the flight, chambers will be removed from the FEU and transferred to the GPWS where a formaldehyde-based fixative will be injected in order to preserve important developmental stages for in depth study following the flight. Five of the 22 chambers plus the eight fertilization test chambers will be returned to Earth with live tadpoles. The swimming behavior of these free swimming tadpoles will be examined within several hours of landing and some will be fixed for a detailed analysis of their inner ear, the otolity, the animals 'balance system.' Lychakov and Vinikov reported an increase in otolith size in tadpoles that developed (but were not fertilized) in space. Live tadpoles from the SL-J flight will be raised through metamorphsis for studies of maturation including an analysis of the effects of space flight on their ability to produce normal progency. Following the flight, the fixed embryos will be serially sectioned and stained using procedures that were developed for this experiment. The embroys fixed at the 2-4 cell stage will be examined for the distribution of cytoplasmic contents, including the various classes of yolk platelets, and the location and shape of the cleavage furrows. The gastrulae will be assessed for the normality of the complex cellular rearrangements that constitute blastopore formation and involution, i.e., the differentiation of the embryo into its specialized body parts. Using a new procedure, the gastrulae will be bleached which will enable the initial sperm entry point (SEP) to be located. The

Growth and development, nicotine concentrations and sources of nicotine-n in flue-cured tobacco plants influenced by basal n fertilization time and n fertilizer (15N)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zhijian; Tu Shuxin; Li Jinping; Xu Rubing; Chen Zhenguo; Cao Shiming; Wang Xuelong

2010-01-01

A field experiment with 15 N isotope tracing micro-plots was carried out to study the effects of basal N fertilizer application time (15 d, 30 d before the transplanting) of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) seedlings and nitrogen fertilization (with N and without N) on growth and development, nicotine concentrations and sources of nicotine N of FCT in Laowan (N 31 degree 27', E 111 degree 14', 1 130 m above sea level), a main tobacco production area of Xiangfan city, Hubei province. The results showed that both dry matter accumulation and nicotine concentrations of different parts of FCT increased with growing of plants. The concentrations of nicotine decreased with the ascending of leaf position before topping period, but just opposite after the removal of apex. The proportion of nicotine N from fertilizer to total nicotine N decreased with growing of FCT plants and the rising of leaf position. Applying N fertilizer significantly increased dry matter accumulation of shoot and the nicotine concentrations of different poisional tobacco leaves by 2.1-2.7 fold and 0.1-0.7 fold respectively. Compared with the basal fertilization time 15 d before transplanting, applying basal fertilizer 30 d before transplanting increased the dry matter accumulation and nicotine concentrations of flue-cured tobacco by 2.2%-8.0% and 6.3%-18.5% respectively. There was no significant effects of basal N fertilization time on the proportion of nicotine-N from fertilizer in organs of FCT plants at mature stage. These results suggested that properly putting forward the basal N fertilization time before transplanting make for decrease of nicotine concentrations and improvement of quality of FCT leaves, so as to improve its industrial utilities. (authors)

Fertility outcome and information on fertility issues in individuals with different forms of disorders of sex development: findings from the dsd-LIFE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Słowikowska-Hilczer, Jolanta; Hirschberg, Angelica Lindén; Claahsen-van der Grinten, Hedi; Reisch, Nicole; Bouvattier, Claire; Thyen, Ute; Cohen Kettenis, Peggy; Roehle, Robert; Köhler, Birgit; Nordenström, Anna

2017-11-01

To investigate fertility outcome in individuals with different forms of disorders of sex development (DSD), if assisted reproductive technology (ART) was used, and the patients' satisfaction with the information they had received. A cross-sectional multicenter study, dsd-LIFE. Not applicable. A total of 1,040 patients aged ≥16 years with different DSD diagnoses participated. A web-based questionnaire was filled out by all participants. The participants could chose to take part in somatic investigations including ultrasonography. Information on partner, number of children, ART, adoption and step-children, general health, presence of gonads and uterus, current education and economic situation, received information on fertility issues, and satisfaction with the information, was collected. In the total cohort, mean age 32 years, 33% lived with a partner, but only 14% reported having at least one child including 7% with ART, 4% adopted. Only 3.5% of the total cohort had been able to reproduce without ART, most frequently women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and only 0.7% of participants with other diagnoses. Of the participants, 72% had received information on fertility, but 17% were not satisfied with the information. Fertility outcome is significantly reduced in all types of DSD; however, fertility potential should be assessed individually. The satisfaction with how fertility problems have been discussed can be improved. The care of patients with DSD is complex, should be individualized, and new treatment possibilities incorporated. A close collaboration in multidisciplinary teams is therefore essential to improve the situation for individuals with DSD. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aspects on gametogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis of two deep-sea polychaetes from Eastern Atlantic cold seeps

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudron, S. M.; Hourdez, S.; Olu, K.

2017-11-01

We investigated two gonochoristic species of annelid polychaetes (one siboglinid and one polynoid) from cold seeps that ranged from 525 m to 3300 m in depth (Guiness, Worm Hole and Regab pockmarks) on the Gabon and Congo continental margins (Gulf of Guinea). Different aspects of gametogenesis (oocyte diameter, presence of ovisac, spermatozoa shape, and fecundity), fertilization (in vitro fertilization experiments: IVF) and embryogenesis (cleavage rate) were studied. The sampled siboglinid was a new species of Lamellibrachia and the second population of this genus in the Eastern Atlantic. Mean oocyte diameter was about 100 μm and fully-grown primary oocytes were stored in an ovisac, as in other studied siboglinids. The presence of a single spermatozoon was noted within an oviduct, indicating a possible internal fertilization. The rate of cell division at 6 °C was one cleavage every 20 h. Embryos developed normally to the blastula stage after 5-d post-fertilization at atmospheric pressure suggesting some pressure tolerance. The second polychaete was the scale-worm Branchipolynoe cf. seepensis that lives in commensalism in the mantle cavity of Bathymodiolus aff. boomerang. Anatomical reproductive features were similar to those described in B. seepensis from hydrothermal vents on Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with lecithotrophic larval development and continuous gametogenesis. We performed the first IVF carried out on gametes for any deep-sea polynoid species. Fertilization and development occurred but a number of abnormalities were observed demonstrating a limitation to embryogenesis at atmospheric pressure. The rate of cell division was three times faster at 8 °C than at 4 °C with a maximum stage of 8-cells reached after 72 h post-fertilization. We surprisingly observed some oocytes from the negative seawater control during IVF experiments cleaved to the 2-cell stage, demonstrating the possible occurrence of internal fertilization prior to IVF experiment or the accidental

An Agent-Based Dynamic Model of Politics, Fertility and Economic Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zining Yang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In the political economy of development, government policy choices at a single point in time can dramatically affect a country's development path by impacting fertility, economic and political decisions across generations. Combining system dynamics and agent-based modeling approaches in a complex adaptive system, a simulation framework of the Politics of Fertility and Economic Development (POFED is formalized to understand the relationship between politics, economic, and demography change at both macro and micro levels. First, a new political capacity measurement is used; and the system dynamics model is validated with the latest data. Second, the endogenous attributes are fused with non-cooperative game theory in an agent-based framework to simulate the interactive political economic dynamics of individual intra-societal transactions. Finally, macro and micro levels are connected with policy levers of political capacity and political instability by merging system dynamics and agent-based components. This paper also explores the agent-based model's behavioral dynamics via simulation methods to identify paths towards economic development and political stability. This model demonstrates micro level human agency can act, react and interact, thus driving macro level dynamics, while macro structures provide political, social and economic environments that constrain or incentivize micro level human behavior.

Fertilizer use among cocoa farmers in Ghana: the case of Sefwi Wiawso District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac Nunoo

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This study analyses factors that influence fertilizer use among cocoa farmers in the Sefwi Wiawso District in the Western Region, Ghana. Primary data were obtained from 200 cocoa farmers in the district. Descriptive statistics and ordinary least square regression analysis were used to analyse data collected. The results revealed that majority of the cocoa farmers were males and are getting old. Also farm size and price of fertilizer were significant factors affecting fertilizer use among cocoa farmers in the Sefwi Wiawso District in the Western Region. Moreover 74.5 percent farmers do not use fertilizer whereas 25.5 percent use fertilizer on their cocoa farms. The study recommends that Ghana government should further subsidise the price of fertilizer to make fertilizer more affordable to small holder cocoa farmers and also adopt strategies that hedge against price risk. In addition, illiterate farmers should be encouraged to undergo adult literacy programmes. Rural development policies should think about the importance of improving small-scale farmers? access to credit market. Furthermore, the extension unit of the Ghana Cocoa board and Ministry of Agriculture should be strengthened to educate cocoa farmers more on fertilizer usage. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i1.9939 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(1 2014: 22-31

Statement by Minister Peng Peiyun at the International Conference on Population and Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, P

1994-10-01

The speech of Madam Peng Peiyun, state counselor and minister of the State Family Planning Commission in China, before the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, emphasized 6 basic points about fertility decline. 1) Population as an issue is about development. The only solution is to work toward sustained development of productivity while promoting social and economic development in environmentally protected ways. 2) Governments should provide "acceptable, obtainable, and affordable" quality family planning services. Governments should help couples and individuals freely and responsibly decide on childbearing without coercion. 3) There is no one recommended model for reducing rapid population growth and enhancing development. Countries have different cultures, levels of economic development, population conditions, and historical traditions. 4) Women's status should be improved through expansion of opportunities for education, involvement in politics and economic development, legal protection of women's rights and interests, and "realization of gender equality." Women need more information, education, and counseling on reproductive health and family planning. Males need to take more responsibility for family planning. 5) International cooperation and government responsibility are required for stabilization of population growth and attainment of sustainable development. Developing countries need improved economic conditions, increased investment in population and development programs, and transfers of technology from developed countries. The principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit according to the spirit of the UN Charter should prevail. UN organizational support should function according to the principles of universality and neutrality. 6) China's goal is to achieve sustained economic growth and development, to meet the material and cultural needs of the Chinese people, and to improve the quality of Chinese life. Without

Fertility drugs and ovarian cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Aus Tariq

2017-06-20

The aetiology of ovarian cancer is multifactorial with both endogenous and exogenous risk factors playing an important role. The exact pathogenesis of ovarian cancer is still not well understood, despite the number of hypotheses published. Due to an increase in the number of women using fertility drugs, much attention has been focused on the long-term health effects of such drugs. Although fertility drugs facilitate the ovulation process, it is however associated with a significant increase in hormone concentrations, placing exposed women at increased risk of gynaecological cancer. Many clinical and epidemiological studies have examined the association between fertility drugs and ovarian cancer risk. Results from these studies have been contradictory, as some studies have reported an increased risk of ovarian cancer while others reported no increased risk. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that women who used fertility drugs and did not conceive had a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, compared to women who used fertility drugs and conceived and delivered successfully. This review discusses the effect of fertility drugs on the risk of developing ovarian cancer, providing details on four possible scenarios associated with fertility treatment. In addition, the limitations of previous studies and their impact on our understanding of the association between fertility drugs and ovarian cancer also have been highlighted. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Fertilizers in cereals crops. Effect of fertilization in grain quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melaj, Mariana

1997-01-01

In the last years the yields of the maize cultivation in the Pampeana production region have constantly increased, foreseeing higher increases of yield in the next years. Such increase is due, between other motives, to the use of hybrids of higher potential yield. There is a direct relation between the yield potential of a genotype and the nutrients demand, fact that constitutes one of the geneticists concerns. Maize hybrids reach its maximum expression when the plant is cultivated in good supplied soils with balanced quantities of nutrients that in several cases are reached with the practice of fertilization. The quantitative and qualitative vegetal response to the use of phosphate fertilizers depend of soils, of the environmental conditions, of fertilizer and the way of its application as well as of the maize hybrid that was used. To direct the practice of fertilization towards the reposition of the soil nutrients extracted by genotypes of high yield without producing excesses that increase costs and put in danger the environment, it is necessary to know the real coefficient used by the plants of the phosphorus available in the soils. The isotopic methodology allows to distinguish the phosphorus coming from two nutrient sources: soil and fertilizer, even in the juvenile phase of vegetal development and to evaluate the efficiency of fertilizers in plant nutrition. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the use of phosphorus coming from one of the phosphorus source available (soil, fertilizer), that should allow to increase and make more specific the knowledge's level of the different maize hybrids. This is obtained by determination of the grade of use of nutrient (of the soil) and of the nutrient of fertilizers, evaluating the qualitative and quantitative responses to fertilization

Knowledge base to develop expert system prototype for predicting groundwater pollution from nitrogen fertilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ta-oun, M.; Daud, M.; Bardaie, M.Z.; Jusop, S.

1999-01-01

An expert system for prediction the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater pollution potential was established by using CLIPS (NASA's Jonson Space Centre). The knowledge base could be extracted from FAO reports, ministry of agriculture and rural development Malaysia report, established literature and domain expert for preparing an expert system skeleton. An expert system was used to correlate the availability of nitrogen fertilizer with the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution in Peninsula Malaysia and to identify potential groundwater quality problems. An n-fertilizer groundwater pollution potential index produced b using the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution yields a more accurate screening toll for identifying potential pollution problems than by considering vulnerability alone. An expert system can predict the groundwater pollution potential under several conditions of agricultural activities and existing environments. (authors)

Census-linked Study on Ethnic Fertility Differentials in Lithuania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aiva Jasilioniene

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Fertility transformations observed since the early 1990s and their determinants have been rather thoroughly investigated in Lithuania. There are fairly numerous national and international studies devoted to this topic, mainly based on survey data. However, none of these studies looks into the effect of ethnicity on fertility. It is, to a large extent, caused by limitations of sample survey data. This study demonstrates potentials of census-linked fertility data to estimate robust and nationally representative parity-specific period fertility measures by ethnicity. The findings of this first systematic study of ethnicity-specific fertility differentials in Lithuania indicate that ethnicity does matter for fertility even in such ethnically homogenous country as Lithuania. Fertility among Lithuanians is higher than in the other ethnic groups, especially among Russians. Lower fertility in the Russian ethnic group is mainly explained by differences in the risk of having the second child. Importantly, this disadvantage remains significant even after controlling for selected compositional characteristics including urban-rural place of residence and education. The approach used in this study may be applied for Latvia and Estonia, where national minorities constitute substantial shares of the entire populations and significantly contribute to overall fertility levels.

Development of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) treated with mineral fertilizer and manure at optimal and water deficit conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasileva, V; Kostov, O; Vasilev, E

2006-01-01

A study on the effect of different rates of mineral fertilizer and manure on yield parameters of lucerne under optimal and water deficit conditions was carried out. Leached chernozem soil and lucerne cultivar Victoria were used. The soil was treated with ammonium nitrate and fully matured cattle manure. The plants were grown under optimum moisture content of 80% and 40% of field capacity. The water deficit stress decreased top and root biomass by 11-75% and 3-29% at mineral and organic fertilization, respectively. The applied mineral and organic N strongly depressed nodules development. Both mineral fertilizer and organic manure at dose of 210 mg N kg(-1) soil completely inhibited the appearance of nodules. Next to nitrogen, water deficit stress further inhibited the development of nodules. Nitrogen fertilization increased seed productivity in the two experimental moisture conditions. The water deficit stress decreased seed productivity by 18 to 33% as compared to optimum conditions. The plant treatments with manure were much more resistant to water deficit and recovering ability of plants was faster as compared to treatments with mineral fertilizer. The application of manure stimulates development of drought-stress tolerance in lucerne. However, the results obtained can be considered for the soil type and experimental conditions used.

Below Replacement-Level Fertility in Conditions of slow Social and Economic Development: A Review of the Evidence from South-India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minna Säävälä

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Demographic interest in the explanations of the first fertility transition has receded considerably during the last decade. Despite the empirical evidence of global convergence in fertility, there is still no consensus on the factors which explain the swiftness of the change in some contexts and its deceleration in some others. From the policy perspective, it remains pivotal to locate the factors that affect the momentum of fertility transition. In this essay the fast decline to below replacement-level period Total Fertility Rate in South India will be examined as an example of fertility transition despite slow social and/or economic development. The analysis is based on a literature review of empirical studies on the determinants of regional fertility differentials in India. Some southern states, most particularly Andhra Pradesh, manifest below replacement-level fertility (TFR 1.79 despite low average age at marriage even in Indian terms, the resilience of womens universal marriage, and heavy reliance on a terminal family planning method, female sterilization. The case of Andhra Pradesh shows that below-replacement level fertility can occur despite slow social development, widespread poverty and gender asymmetries. Geographical and social diffusion effects are partly responsible of the speed of the decline, although they are difficult to measure or test in the level of fertility decision-making.

Fertility preservation during cancer treatment: clinical guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Wallberg, Kenny A; Oktay, Kutluk

2014-01-01

The majority of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer today will become long-term survivors. The threat to fertility that cancer treatments pose to young patients cannot be prevented in many cases, and thus research into methods for fertility preservation is developing, aiming at offering cancer patients the ability to have biologically related children in the future. This paper discusses the current status of fertility preservation methods when infertility risks are related to surgical oncologic treatments, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Several scientific groups and societies have developed consensus documents and guidelines for fertility preservation. Decisions about fertility and imminent potentially gonadotoxic therapies must be made rapidly. Timely and complete information on the impact of cancer treatment on fertility and fertility preservation options should be presented to all patients when a cancer treatment is planned. PMID:24623991

Fertility awareness online: the efficacy of a fertility education website in increasing knowledge and changing fertility beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Daniluk, J C; Koert, E

2015-02-01

How effective is online education in increasing knowledge of fertility and assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and changing beliefs about the timing of parenthood? Exposure to an online educational intervention resulted in immediate changes in participants' beliefs about the ideal timing of parenthood, and a significant increase in their knowledge of fertility and ART treatments and options; most of these changes were not sustained over time, particularly for men. Research has identified significant gaps in men's and women's knowledge of fertility and ART, contributing to the trend to delay childbearing. Effective educational programs need to be developed, to support informed fertility and child-timing decisions. Pre-post intervention study of 199 currently childless men and women, and a 6-month follow-up of 110 of these participants. One hundred and ninety-nine childless participants between the ages of 18 and 35 were asked to complete 4 beliefs and 22 knowledge questions prior to, and immediately after, reading 10 online posts related to: fertility testing and preservation, fertility history and lifespan, the effects of health and fitness on fertility, and assisted reproduction. Six months later, 110 of the original sample repeated the 26-item survey. Participants' fertility and ART knowledge scores increased significantly immediately after the intervention, as did their confidence in their fertility and ART knowledge. Participants' beliefs about the ideal and latest age a woman or man should consider producing a child decreased. However, 6 months later, participants' beliefs and knowledge levels largely returned to their pre-intervention levels, particularly for the men in the study. The sample size and the recruitment methods may limit the generalizability of these findings. Previous studies have demonstrated the short-term efficacy of online educational approaches to increase fertility knowledge and support informed family planning decisions. Web

Sea urchin egg fertilization and development

Science.gov (United States)

Young, R. S.

1971-01-01

The effects of subgravity (much less than unit gravity) on fertilization, cell division, differentiation, and growth of a relatively simple biological system (eggs of the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata) were considered. The experiment was flown on Gemini 3 and recovered as scheduled. However, the experiment objectives were not achieved, primarily for mechanical reasons.

Women's Status and Fertility in Developing Countries: Son Preference and Economic Security. World Bank Staff Working Papers No. 682 and Population and Development Series No. 7.

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, Mead

The relationship between women's status--defined in terms of the degree to which they are economically dependent on men--and fertility in developing nations is examined. After a brief introduction, part 2 discusses a particular theoretical perspective regarding fertility determinants in developing countries and explores the implications of women's…

The increase of the fertility of soils using the liquid organic fertilizers and fertilizers based on sugar-beet wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyborova, Oxana

2010-05-01

The fertility of soil is a capacity for ensuring plants by water, nutrients, air and capacity for making optimal conditions for growth and development of plants. The result of it is a yield. The main characteristic of fertility of soil is maintenance of humus. The humus is important part of organic matter. The supporting of soil fertility is impossible by traditional methods. The amount of receiving mineral fertilizers in agriculture will not increase in future, because mineral fertilizers are very expensive. The mineral fertilizers don't influence on maintenance of total amount of humus in soil and improve the circulation of nutrients. Every hectare of fields have to receive no less than 8-10 tons of organic fertilizers, therefore we will have self-supporting balance of humus and the fertility of soils will be increasing. Consequently we are looking for new types of organic materials and we include them in modern agro technologies. One of them is an organomineral fertilizer (lignitic materials). The humic chemicals in the form of lignitic materials of natrium, potassium and ammonium are permitted for using them in agriculture at the beginning of 1984. The Department of agriculture in Russian Federation considered the problem of using humic chemicals and made a decision to use them on the fields of our country, because the lignitic materials can restore the fertility of our fields. The lignitic materials increase the amount of spore-forming bacteria, mold fungi and actinomycete. Therefore the organic decomposition occurs more strongly, the processes of humification increase the speed and the amount of humus rises in the soil. The new forming humus has a high biological activity and it improves chemical and physical soil properties. The addition of lignitic materials in soil activates different groups of microorganisms, which influence on mobilization of nutrients and transformation from potential to effective fertility. The inclusion of humic fertilizers improves

Sperm-attractant peptide influences the spermatozoa swimming behavior in internal fertilization in Octopus vulgaris.

Science.gov (United States)

De Lisa, Emilia; Salzano, Anna Maria; Moccia, Francesco; Scaloni, Andrea; Di Cosmo, Anna

2013-06-15

Marine invertebrates exhibit both chemokinesis and chemotaxis phenomena, induced in most cases by the release of water-borne peptides or pheromones. In mollusks, several peptides released during egg-laying improve both male attraction and mating. Unlike other cephalopods, Octopus vulgaris adopts an indirect internal fertilization strategy. We here report on the identification and characterization of a chemoattractant peptide isolated from mature eggs of octopus females. Using two-chamber and time-lapse microscopy assays, we demonstrate that this bioactive peptide is able to increase sperm motility and induce chemotaxis by changing the octopus spermatozoa swimming behavior in a dose-dependent manner. We also provide evidence that chemotaxis in the octopus requires the presence of extracellular calcium and membrane protein phophorylation at tyrosine. This study is the first report on a sperm-activating factor in a non-free-spawning marine animal.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in soil fertilized by organic and mineral fertilizers

Science.gov (United States)

Dvořáčková, Helena; Záhora, Jaroslav; Mikajlo, Irina; Elbl, Jakub; Kynický, Jindřich; Hladký, Jan; Brtnický, Martin

2017-04-01

The level of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of roots represents one of the best parameters for assessing soil quality. This special type of symbiosis helps plants to obtain nutrients of the distant area which are unavailable without cooperation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. For example the plant available form of phosphorus is of the most important elements in plant nutrition. This element can't move (significantly) throw the soil and it could be unachievable for root system of plant. The same situation also applies to other important nutrients and water. Colonization of individual roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi has a direct effect on the enlargement of the root system but plant needs to invest sugar substance for development of fungi. It's very difficult to understand when fungi colonization represents indicator of good soil condition. And when it provides us with information "about plant stress". The main goal of our work was to compare the effect of different fertilizers application on development of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. We worked with organic fertilizers such as biochar from residual biomass, biochar from sewage sludge and ageing biochar and with mineral fertilizer DAM 390 (mixture of ammonium 25 %, nitrate 25 % and urea nitrogen 50 %). Effect of different types of the above fertilizers on development of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization was tested by pot experiment with indicator plant Lactuca sativa L. The highest (P arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of roots.

The Cross-fertilization between the Sustainable Development Goals and International Water Law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spijkers, O.

2016-01-01

Are the main principles of international water law, as reflected in the Watercourses Convention, sufficiently equipped to motivate States to sustainably manage their freshwater resources? This article suggests that a more pronounced sustainable approach to these principles is desirable. The

Conference considers low fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

At present, at least 51 countries--representing 44% of the world's population--are showing below-replacement fertility rates. In some of these countries, where the number of new births is not adequate to replace aging populations, this trend is problematic. In other countries, most notably China, declining fertility has conferred significant benefits. At an Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Population Commission meeting held in New York in 1997, staff from China's State Statistical Bureau reported the country has a current total fertility rate of 1.8. The birth rate remains high, however, because of the large numbers of Chinese women in the 15-49 year reproductive age group (336 million in 1997). Also buffering the impact of a low fertility rate is a large labor surplus (130 million excess workers in rural China). To keep fertility below the replacement level, China plans to improve the quality of its family planning service, enhance poverty alleviation programs, and increase incentives for small families in rural areas. China's low fertility rate has provided an important impetus for economic development.

Correlations in fertility across generations: can low fertility persist?

Science.gov (United States)

Kolk, Martin; Cownden, Daniel; Enquist, Magnus

2014-01-01

Correlations in family size across generations could have a major influence on human population size in the future. Empirical studies have shown that the associations between the fertility of parents and the fertility of children are substantial and growing over time. Despite their potential long-term consequences, intergenerational fertility correlations have largely been ignored by researchers. We present a model of the fertility transition as a cultural process acting on new lifestyles associated with fertility. Differences in parental and social influences on the acquisition of these lifestyles result in intergenerational correlations in fertility. We show different scenarios for future population size based on models that disregard intergenerational correlations in fertility, models with fertility correlations and a single lifestyle, and models with fertility correlations and multiple lifestyles. We show that intergenerational fertility correlations will result in an increase in fertility over time. However, present low-fertility levels may persist if the rapid introduction of new cultural lifestyles continues into the future. PMID:24478294

The Correlation of Human Development Index on Fertility and Mortality Rate: a Global Ecological Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Almasi-Hashiani

2016-12-01

Full Text Available BackgroundSeveral studies have examined the relationship between Human Development Index (HDI and various health outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HDI, and infant mortality rate, mortality rate of children under one year and under 5 years, maternal mortality rate, and total fertility rate.Materials and MethodsIn this ecologic study, data on HDI, total fertility rate (TFR, maternal mortality rate (MMR, neonatal mortality rate (NMR, infant mortality rate (IMR and mortality rate in children under 5 years of age (< 5MR, were extracted from 188 countries in 2014 in the world. The data required in this study was obtained from the World Bank. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation in Stata version 12.0 software. ResultsIn this study, a negative significant correlation was observed between HDI and IMR (r = -0.878, P = 0.001, NMR (r = -0.870, 95% CI: -0.902, -0.828, P = 0.001, ConclusionIMR, children under one year old and under 5 years, and MMR mostly occur in developing countries. There was a correlation between HDI and its components, and the neonatal, infants, children under 5 years, maternal mortality rate and total fertility. The average annual percentage change of HDI also had a correlation with neonatal, infants, children under 5- year mortality rate, total fertility and maternal deaths.

Restoration of soil fertility and improvement of cropping systems for sustainable development in the humid savannahs of Cote d'Ivoire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachmann, T.

1999-01-01

The present FAO-project addresses the soil fertility problems by combining organic with inorganic nutrient sources and actively involving farmers and other beneficiaries in an integrated, long-term development process. A major objective of the project is the participatory on-farm testing and validation of available technological innovations for soil fertility improvement. The results should fulfill two main requirements: (i) provide the farmer with a short-term production increase and (ii) improve/maintain soil fertility in the medium and long-term. The strategic framework of the project is based on the following three main elements: the need to take into account all aspects of soil fertility restoration including areas concerned, cost of fertility restoration, and economic profitability and sustainability; - the need to test all fertility improving measures at farm level in representative agro-ecozones of the humid and sub-humid savannas before their extension at large; the need to identify major macro-economic constraints (e.g. marketing) which impede sustainable agricultural development in the savannah region. The primary goal of the project is to replace traditional shifting cultivation in the humid savannas of the country by economically, ecologically and socially more sustainable production systems. In order to achieve this development objective the project focuses on the following main issues: restoration of soil fertility through improved land and crop management and more efficient use of mineral and organic fertilizers; crop diversification through more efficient use of water resources (irrigation); introduction of new cropping systems which have been successfully tested in countries with similar agro-ecological conditions; adapting traditional land tenure to the market economy; involving the private sector in all aspects of regional development assisted by Government through the creation of a favorable environment. Phase 1: constraint analysis and

Fertility reduction programmes should accompany land reforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Atiku, J

1994-01-01

Changes in population size both affect and are affected by the rate of development. With the total world population estimated to be 5.7 billion in mid-1994 and annual growth at 1.7%, declines in total fertility rates and overall growth rates in developing countries have not been sufficient to precipitate a decline in actual numbers. The population of developing countries has doubled from 1962 to 1994. The highest growth rates are expected to be in sub-Saharan Africa, but the largest absolute increase in population is expected to occur in Asia. Uganda's population has increased from 4.9 to 16.7 million from 1948 to 1991. At the current rate of increase (2.5%) and taking AIDS into account, Uganda's population is expected to double in 28 years. Rapid population growth in developing countries can be explained by the following factors: 1) high levels of morbidity and mortality which threaten child survival and encourage large families; 2) early marriage which extends reproductive activity; 3) a high value placed on children, especially sons; 4) unmet needs for family planning; 5) widespread poverty which causes children to be viewed as old age security; and 6) population momentum which would contribute to growth even if replacement fertility were achieved because of the current age-sex structure of the population. The impact of rapid population growth on development requires further study, but some things are clear. Economic development is hindered when the number of dependent and poor individuals in a population increases. High rates of fertility result in poor infant and maternal health. The provision of social welfare services and the capacity for providing basic services such as health care, education, safe water, and sanitation is strained by rapid population growth. Also, the quality of the environment is adversely affected by rapid population growth. Population policies should be developed for each country and should emphasize activities to improve individual

Growth, development, and fertilizer-15N recovery by the coffee plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenilli, Tatiele Anete Bergamo; Reichardt, Klaus; Bacchi, Osny Oliveira Santos; Dourado-Neto, Durval; Favarin, Jose Laercio; Trivelim, Paulo Cesar Ocheuze; Costa, Flavio Murilo Pereira da

2007-01-01

The relationship between growth and fertilizer nitrogen recovery by perennial crops such as coffee is poorly understood and improved understanding of such relations is important for the establishment of rational crop management practices. In order to characterize the growth of a typical coffee crop in Brazil and quantify the recovery of 15 N labeled ammonium sulfate, and improve information for fertilizer management practices this study presents results for two consecutive cropping years, fertilized with 280 and 350 kg ha -1 of N, respectively, applied in four splittings, using five replicates. Shoot dry matter accumulation was evaluated every 60 days, separating plants into branches, leaves and fruits. Labeled sub-plots were used to evaluate N-total and 15 N abundance by mass spectrometry. During the first year the aerial part reached a recovery of 71% of the fertilizer N applied up to February, but this value was reduced to 34% at harvest and 19% at the beginning of the next flowering period due to leaf fall and fruit export. For the second year the aerial part absorbed 36% of the fertilizer N up to March, 47% up to harvest and 19% up to the beginning of the next flowering period. The splitting into four applications of the used fertilizer rates was adequate for the requirements of the crop at these growth stages of the coffee crop. (author)

The Development of Customary International Law by International Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odermatt, Jed

2017-01-01

In his Fourth Report on the Identification of Customary International Law (2016), Special Rapporteur Michael Wood confirmed that ‘[i]n certain cases, the practice of international organizations also contributes to the expression, or creation, of rules of customary international law.......’ That the practice of international organizations can be relevant when identifying customary international law is relatively uncontroversial. The practice of states within international organizations such as the UN General Assembly, for example, may contribute to the development of custom. Yet, there is little...... discussion about whether and how the practice of international organizations as such may contribute to the development of customary international law. This contribution discusses the organization that is the most capable of contributing to the development of customary international law in its own right...

What we do | Page 107 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Longer life expectancy and lower fertility rates have accelerated the ageing of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). ... There is an emerging consensus among donor agencies that private sector development is crucial to economic growth and poverty alleviation in the developing world. North Of Sahara ...

Rapamycin Influences the Efficiency of Fertilization and Development in the Mouse: A Role for Autophagic Activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geun-Kyung Lee

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR regulates cellular processes such as cell growth, metabolism, transcription, translation, and autophagy. Rapamycin is a selective inhibitor of mTOR, and induces autophagy in various systems. Autophagy contributes to clearance and recycling of macromolecules and organelles in response to stress. We previously reported that vitrified-warmed mouse oocytes show acute increases in autophagy during warming, and suggested that it is a natural response to cold stress. In this follow-up study, we examined whether the modulation of autophagy influences survival, fertilization, and developmental rates of vitrified-warmed mouse oocytes. We used rapamycin to enhance autophagy in metaphase II (MII oocytes before and after vitrification. The oocytes were then subjected to in vitro fertilization (IVF. The fertilization and developmental rates of vitrified-warmed oocytes after rapamycin treatment were significantly lower than those for control groups. Modulation of autophagy with rapamycin treatment shows that rapamycin-induced autophagy exerts a negative influence on fertilization and development of vitrified-warmed oocytes.

Microgravity effects during fertilization, cell division, development, and calcium metabolism in sea urchins

Science.gov (United States)

Schatten, Heide

1996-01-01

The overall objectives of this project are to explore the role of microgravity during fertilization, early development, cytoskeletal organization, and skeletal calcium deposition in a model development system: the sea urchin eggs and embryos. While pursuing these objectives, we have also helped to develop, test, and fly the Aquatic Research Facility (ARF) system. Cells were fixed at preselected time points to preserve the structures and organelles of interest with regards to cell biology events during development. The protocols used for the analysis of the results had been developed during the earlier part of this research and were applied for post-flight analysis using light and (immuno)fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The structures of interest are: microtubules during fertilization, cell division, and cilia movement; microfilaments during cell surface restructuring and cell division; centrosomes and centrioles during cell division, cell differentiation, and cilia formation and movement; membranes, Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and chromosomes at all stages of development; and calcium deposits during spicule formation in late-stage embryos. In addition to further explore aspects important or living in space, several aspects of this research are also aimed at understanding diseases that affect humans on Earth which may be accelerated in space.

Income inequality and adolescent fertility in low-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Ruben; Fajnzylber, Eduardo

2017-09-28

: The well-known socioeconomic gradient in health does not imply that income inequality by itself has any effect on well-being. However, there is evidence of a positive association between income inequality and adolescent fertility across countries. Nevertheless, this key finding is not focused on low-income countries. This study applies a multilevel logistic regression of country-level adolescent fertility on country-level income inequality plus individual-level income and controls to the Demographic and Health Surveys data. A negative association between income inequality and adolescent fertility was found among low-income countries, controlling for income (OR = 0.981; 95%CI: 0.963-0.999). Different measures and different subsamples of countries show the same results. Therefore, the international association between income inequality and adolescent fertility seems more complex than previously thought.

[Fertility in rural and urban areas of Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia Y Garma, I O

1989-01-01

Data from 6 fertility surveys conducted in Mexico between 1969-87 were used to compare rural and urban fertility and to determine whether a significant level of contraceptive usage could be achieved in rural areas despite their lack of socioeconomic development. Age-specific marital fertility rates were calculated for the 4 national-level and 2 rural fertility surveys. The index of fertility control developed by Coale and Trussel was calculated for rural, urban, and all areas. The marital total fertility rate in rural areas declined from 10.6 in 1970 to 7.4 in 1982, a decline of 2.5% annually. From 1982-87 the annual rate of decline in rural fertility slowed to 1.6%, reaching 6.8 children in 1987. The urban marital total fertility rate declined from 7.72 in 1976 to 5.03 in 1987, while the marital total fertility rate for Mexico as a whole declined from 9.04 in 1976 to 5.85 in 1987. The indices of fertility control showed slowly increasing use of contraception in rural areas starting from the very low level of 1969. The urban index of fertility control showed some contraceptive use for all age groups in all surveys. The increases in contraceptive usage were considerable in rural areas from 1976-82 and much less marked in urban areas. From 1982-87 the inverse was observed and the fertility decline in urban areas was more marked. The condition of natural fertility found in rural areas in 1969 subsequently disappeared. Over time, fertility decline and use of contraception have intensified. Contraception is widely practiced in urban areas and is continuing to become more prevalent. The rural fertility decline in 1976-82 suggests that at least sometimes increases in fertility control are more important in rural areas than in urban areas. The theory of modernization, which holds that fertility decline in developed countries is attributable to factors associated with the process of modernization, thus comes into question. However, it is probable that a sustained fertility

The need to improve fertility awareness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joyce Harper

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Women and men globally are delaying the birth of their first child. In the UK, the average age of first conception in women is 29 years. Women experience age-related fertility decline so it is important that men and women are well-informed about this, and other aspects of fertility. A group of UK stakeholders have established the Fertility Education Initiative to develop tools and information for children, adults, teachers, parents and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving knowledge of fertility and reproductive health.

Impact of mineral fertilizers on common winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L. agrophytocenosis development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Я. М. Мукан

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In 2011 to 2013 a study was completed for the impact of varying rates of fertilizing onto the indices of productivity for barley agrophytocenosis of Helios and Commandor, in particular, such its components as a number of productive stems, number of seeds per ear, potential biological activity of ear and photosynthetic apparatus. It is found that the level of spring barley agrophytocenosis productivity is subject both to varietal peculiarities and the rate of mineral fertilizer application. When applying N 60P 60K 60 і N 90P 90K 90 the highest potential and biological productivity of Helios and Commandor was recorder as compared against the control. Impact of varying application rates for fertilizers onto the components of ear biological productivity has been scrutinized. The qualitative composition of ear is a clear expression of variety phenotype and identifies the level of biological yield for spring barley. Application of N 60 P 60 K 60 і N 90 P 90 K 90 mineral fertilizers fairly increased the average leaf surface, photosynthetic lead capacity of varieties in 2 to 2.5 times, as well as FAR efficiency coefficient in 1.5 to 2.0 times as against control that thus contributed to the development of highest biological yield of Helios variety phytomass at the level of 14.9 to 15.0, grain – 7.8 to 8.0 ton per ha and, respectively, 12.7 and 7.5 tons per ha for Comandor variety.

Soils, Crops and Fertilizer Use. A What, How and Why Guide. Appropriate Technologies for Development. Reprint R-8.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, David

This manual, prepared for use by Peace Corps volunteers in developing countries, has been designed as an on-the-job reference for soil management and fertilizer use at the small farmer level. It provides information on yield-boosting techniques, especially in the areas of soil conservation, organic and chemical fertilizer use, and the safe and…

Search Results | Page 815 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 8141 - 8150 of 8491 ... ... WATER MANAGEMENT (174) Apply WATER MANAGEMENT filter ... Making a Difference: Measuring the Impact of Information on Development ... found some of the most diverse collections of flora and fauna in the world. ... using cover crops to maintain and improve soil fertility in West Africa.

Preservation of Fertility Potential for Gender and Sex Diverse Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Emilie K; Finlayson, Courtney

2016-01-01

Gender and sex diverse individuals-transgender individuals and those with disorders of sex development (DSD)-both face medical treatments that may impair biological fertility potential. Young DSD patients also often have abnormal gonadal development. Fertility preservation for these populations has historically been poorly understood and rarely addressed. Future fertility should be discussed with gender and sex diverse individuals, particularly given recent advances in fertility preservation technologies and evolving views of fertility potential. Key ethical issues include parental proxy decision-making and uncertainty regarding prepubertal fertility preservation technologies. Many opportunities exist for advancing fertility-related care and research for transgender and DSD patients.

Fertilization effects on biomass production, nutrient leaching and budgets in four stand development stages of short rotation forest poplar

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Georgiadis, Petros; Nielsen, Anders Tærø; Stupak, Inge

2017-01-01

leaching based on water fluxes modelled with CoupModel and soil solution analyses and calculated the nutrient budgets. Fertilization effects depended on the stage of stand development, but were inconsistent in time. The biomass production increased in EST in the first year after fertilization and in PT...

[Development and evaluation of fertilizers cemented and coated with organic-inorganic materials].

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Qiang; Wang, Jia-Chen; Zuo, Qiang; Zhang, Lin; Liu, Bao-Cun; Zhao, Tong-Ke; Zou, Guo-Yuan; Xu, Qiu-Ming

2010-01-01

Four kinds of organic-inorganic cementing and coating materials were prepared by a coating method using water as the solvent, and the corresponding cemented and coated fertilizers (B2, PS, F2, and F2F) were produced by disc pelletizer. The tests on the properties of these fertilizers showed that the granulation rate, compression strength, and film-forming rate were B2 > PS > F2 > F2F. Soil column leaching experiment showed that the curve of accumulated nitrogen-dissolving rate was the gentlest for B2. In 48 days, the accumulated nitrogen-dissolving rate was in the order of B2, 54.65% fertilizers had better effects on corn yield, among which, B2 was the best, with the corn yield and fertilizer use efficiency increased by 19.72% and 20.30%, respectively. The yield-increasing effect of other test fertilizers was in the order of PS > F2 > F2F.

Soil compaction and fertilization in soybean productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beutler Amauri Nelson

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Soil compaction and fertilization affect soybean development. This study evaluated the effects of soil compaction and fertilization on soybean (Glycine max cv. Embrapa 48 productivity in a Typic Haplustox under field conditions in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. A completely randomized design with a 5 x 2 factorial layout (compaction vs. fertilization, with four replications in each treatment, was employed. Each experimental unit (replicate consisted of a 3.6 m² useful area. After the soil was prepared by cultivation, an 11 Mg tractor passed over it a variable number of times to create five levels of compaction. Treatments were: T0= no compaction, T1= one tractor pass, T2= two, T4= four, and T6= six passes, and no fertilizer and fertilizer to give soybean yields of 2.5 to 2.9 Mg ha-1. Soil was sampled at depths of 0.02-0.05, 0.07-0.10, and 0.15-0.18 m to determine macro and microporosity, penetration resistance (PR, and bulk density (Db. After 120 days growing under these conditions, the plants were analyzed in terms of development (plant height, number of pods, shoot dry matter per plant and weight of 100 seeds and seed productivity per hectare. Soil compaction decreased soybean development and productivity, but this effect was decreased by soil fertilization, showing that such fertilization increased soybean tolerance to soil compaction.

Impact of fertilizers on background radioactivity level of two newly developed farms in Western Desert, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, F.

2006-01-01

A survey of soil and plants were carried out to determine the environmental gamma background radiation levels of two newly developed farms in western desert area, Egypt. The materials and the standards were analyzed by gamma spectroscopy in which a shielded high purity germanium detector has been used to measure the natural concentration of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K activities in the samples. The radionuclide contents in some commercial fertilizers have been determined. The results of analysis of specific activities in the fertilizers under study were 1.27-950.09 Bq/Kg for 238 U, 0.73 -162.16 Bq/Kg for 232 Th and 10.22- 23845.24 Bq/Kg for 40 K. All natural soil samples showed low activity concentrations. The concentrations of 238 U (6.13-38.84 Bq/Kg) and 232 Th (2.58-25.69 Bq/Kg) were quite similar, while that of 40 K (113.91-9314.11 Bq/Kg) was the highest for plant samples. Some of the results obtained were higher than the permissible international radioactivity levels. It is suitable in this regard to compare the activity values for the imported fertilizers and that fabricated in Egypt. The absorbed dose rate and the radium equivalent activity concentration were found to be 1.91-1027 n Gy/h and 4.02-1840.98 Bq/Kg, respectively, for fertilizers samples. For soil and plant samples, the results were 11.86-415.29 n Gy/h and 24.20-750.52 Bq/Kg for the absorbed dose rate and the radium equivalent activity concentration, respectively, and the banana plant contained the largest values. The present study presents actual data from investigations of the plant-soil transfer of the primordial radio nuclides for some fruits growing at these soils. The transfer factors of 0.35-1.821 for 238 U, 0.227-0.480 for 232 Th and 1.95-31.85 for 40 K were obtained. The increase of the transfer of 40 K reflected its great uptake to the fruits. The observed plant-soil factors were varied widely, mainly as a result of different soil, vegetation types and environmental conditions. Taking into

Income inequality and adolescent fertility in low-income countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruben Castro

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The well-known socioeconomic gradient in health does not imply that income inequality by itself has any effect on well-being. However, there is evidence of a positive association between income inequality and adolescent fertility across countries. Nevertheless, this key finding is not focused on low-income countries. This study applies a multilevel logistic regression of country-level adolescent fertility on country-level income inequality plus individual-level income and controls to the Demographic and Health Surveys data. A negative association between income inequality and adolescent fertility was found among low-income countries, controlling for income (OR = 0.981; 95%CI: 0.963-0.999. Different measures and different subsamples of countries show the same results. Therefore, the international association between income inequality and adolescent fertility seems more complex than previously thought.

Alpha radioactivity in tobacco leaves: Effect of fertilizers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nain, Mahabir [Department of Physics, Government College Karnal, Haryana 132001 (India)], E-mail: mnain@rediffmail.com; Chauhan, R.P. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119 (India); Chakarvarti, S.K. [Department of Applied Physics, NIT, Kurukshetra 136119 (India)

2008-08-15

The link between cigarette smoke and cancer has long been established. Smokers are 10 times at a greater risk of developing lung cancer than that of non-smokers. The toxicity in tobacco is considered mainly due to the presence of chemi-toxins like nicotine, tar, aromatic hydrocarbons, sterols and many other materials leading to mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. There are many reports on the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides viz., {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb in tobacco. Investigations on alpha-emitting radionuclides, especially on {sup 210}Po have gained significant importance as alpha interactions with chromosomes of cells may contribute to early arteriosclerosis developments in tobacco smokers. Due to relatively high activity concentration of {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb that are found in tobacco and its product cigarette can increase the internal intake of both the radionuclides and their concentrations in lung tissues. This causes an increase in the internal radiation dose which enhances the instances of lung cancer. Many workers have tried to explain the role of {sup 210}Po in tobacco in the epidemiological investigation of cancer and tumour formation. In the present work, the estimation of alpha radioactivity in tobacco leaves taken from tobacco plants grown using different types of chemical fertilizers like diammonium phosphate (DAP), zinc sulphate, potash, super phosphate, urea etc. in varying amounts before the plantation of the seedlings has been made. For these measurements we used {alpha}-sensitive LR-115 type II plastic track detectors. The results indicate an increase in alpha radioactivity with the use of some fertilizers.

Wealth, intelligence, politics and global fertility differentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Meisenberg, Gerhard

2009-07-01

Demographic trends in today's world are dominated by large fertility differentials between nations, with 'less developed' nations having higher fertility than the more advanced nations. The present study investigates whether these fertility differences are related primarily to indicators of economic development, the intellectual level of the population, or political modernity in the form of liberal democracy. Results obtained with multiple regression, path models and latent variable models are compared. Both log-transformed GDP and measures of intelligence independently reduce fertility across all methods, whereas the effects of liberal democracy are weak and inconsistent. At present rates of fertility and mortality and in the absence of changes within countries, the average IQ of the young world population would decline by 1.34 points per decade and the average per capita income would decline by 0.79% per year.

Mainstreaming Investment Treaty Jurisprudence: The Contribution of Investment Treaty Tribunals to the Consolidation and Development of General International Law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schill, S.W.B.; Tvede, K.R.

2015-01-01

The use of internal and external precedent has been studied in relation to numerous international courts and tribunals. The participation of investment treaty tribunals in judicial dialogues or judicial cross-fertilization, by contrast, has remained underexplored. The present article closes this gap

Declining world fertility: trends, causes, implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsui, A O; Bogue, D J

1978-10-01

This Bulletin examines the evidence that the world's fertility has declined in recent years, the factors that appear to have accounted for the decline, and the implications for fertility and population growth rates to the end of the century. On the basis of a compilation of estimates available for all nations of the world, the authors derive estimates which indicate that the world's total fertility rate dropped from 4.6 to 4.1 births per woman between 1968 and 1975, thanks largely to an earlier and more rapid and universal decline in the fertility of less developed countries (LDCs) than had been anticipated. Statistical analysis of available data suggests that the socioeconomic progress made by LDCs in this period was not great enough to account for more than a proportion of the fertility decline and that organized family planning programs were a major contributing factor. The authors' projections, which are compared to similar projections from the World Bank, the United Nations, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census, indicate that, by the year 2000, less than 1/5 of the world's population will be in the "red danger" circle of explosive population growth (2.1% or more annually); most LDCs will be in a phase of fertility decline; and many of them -- along with most now developed countries -- will be at or near replacement level of fertility. The authors warn that "our optimistic prediction is premised upon a big IF -- if (organized) family planning (in LDCs) continues. It remains imperative that all of the developed nations of the world continue their contribution to this program undiminished."

8 CFR 316.20 - American institutions of research, public international organizations, and designations under the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., Transportation, and International Business) and (The School of Public Health and Community Medicine), Seattle, WA... Fertilizer Development Center (E.O. 11977, Mar. 14, 1977). International Finance Corporation (E.O. 10680, Oct.... 11718, May 14, 1973). International Wheat Advisory Committee (E.O. 9823, Jan. 24, 1947). Multinational...

Nanocomposites for controlled release of nitrogen fertilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Viviane J.M. da; Visconte, Leila L.Y.; Nascimento, Regina Sandra V.

2009-01-01

The study aimed at the development of nano structured materials capable of reducing the rate of release of nitrogen in the soil from an agricultural nitrogen fertilizer. Four different systems of polymer composites were prepared: (1) montmorillonite clay/fertilizer, (2) montmorillonite clay/thermoplastic starch and fertilizer, (3) montmorillonite clay/fertilizer, thermoplastic starch and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and also (4) montmorillonite clay/fertilizer, thermoplastic starch and polycaprolactone. It was confirmed the formation of nano structured materials by elemental analysis (CHN) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The kinetics of nitrogen release was detected by enzymatic colorimetric analysis and spectroscopy in the ultraviolet/visible. The results showed that all materials evaluated were able to reduce the rate of release of nitrogen in the fertilizers. (author)

The fertilizer nitrogen problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olson, R A; Halstead, E H

1974-07-01

A world-wide fossil fuel crisis has surfaced in the past year by reason of shortage and high cost, which is felt throughout all segments of human society. Nor has the agriculture sector, with its very high demand for energy to supply its power, machinery, fertilizer, processing and transport, escaped the energy crisis. Among the agricultural inputs, fertilizer nitrogen is one of major concern. This commodity is currently in extremely short supply, world prices having more than doubled in the past year alone. Serious as this situation is to agricultural production in the highly developed countries of the world, it is a real disaster to the production potential of the developing countries. The birth of the 'Green Revolution' in those countries in the last ten years came about from an amalgamation of higher yielding varieties, improved pest and disease control, better crop watering practices, and the introduction of fertilizer nitrogen. Shortcomings in any one of these requisites invalidates the entire package. (author)

The fertilizer nitrogen problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, R.A.; Halstead, E.H.

1974-01-01

A world-wide fossil fuel crisis has surfaced in the past year by reason of shortage and high cost, which is felt throughout all segments of human society. Nor has the agriculture sector, with its very high demand for energy to supply its power, machinery, fertilizer, processing and transport, escaped the energy crisis. Among the agricultural inputs, fertilizer nitrogen is one of major concern. This commodity is currently in extremely short supply, world prices having more than doubled in the past year alone. Serious as this situation is to agricultural production in the highly developed countries of the world, it is a real disaster to the production potential of the developing countries. The birth of the 'Green Revolution' in those countries in the last ten years came about from an amalgamation of higher yielding varieties, improved pest and disease control, better crop watering practices, and the introduction of fertilizer nitrogen. Shortcomings in any one of these requisites invalidates the entire package. (author)

Cancer and fertility: strategies to preserve fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Diedrich, K; Fauser, B C J M; Devroey, P

2011-03-01

Fertility preservation is a key component of cancer management in young people. The Fourth Evian Annual Reproduction Workshop Meeting was held in April 2009 to discuss cancer and fertility in young adults. Specialists in oncology, assisted reproduction, embryology and clinical genetics presented published data and ongoing research on cancer and fertility, with particular focus on strategies to preserve fertility. This report is based on the expert presentations and group discussions, supplemented with publications from literature searches and the authors' knowledge. Fertility preservation should be considered for all young people undergoing potentially gonadotoxic cancer treatment. A variety of options are required to facilitate safe and effective fertility preservation for individual patients. Sperm banking is a simple and low-cost intervention. Embryo cryopreservation is the only established method of female fertility preservation. Oocyte cryopreservation offers a useful option for women without a male partner. Emergency ovarian stimulation and cryopreservation of ovarian tissue (followed by tissue transplantation or in-vitro maturation of oocytes) are experimental techniques for women who require urgent cancer treatment. Further prospective studies are required to validate cryopreservation of oocytes and ovarian tissue, in-vitro maturation of oocytes and new vitrification techniques and to identify any long-term sequelae of slow freezing of embryos. Copyright © 2010 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RESTORATION OF FERTILITY IN A MAN WITH AZOOSPERMIA DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO TREATMENT WITH TESTOSTERONE GEL (A CASE REPORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Korneev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT allows to combat the symptoms of age-related androgen deficiency (AAD; however, it may have side effects, including the reduction in sperm count and even complete cessation of spermatogenesis and development of azoospermia. The fertility may not be restored even within 18 month after treatment completion. Russian researcher explored the impact of TRT with gel on the ejaculate parameters in men with hypogonadism and observed no negative effects on spermatogenesis within 3 months after treatment initiation. We describe a clinical case of reversible azoospermia induced by a relatively short course of TRT with gel. Fertilizing capacity of sperm was finally restored, which was confirmed by a clinical pregnancy obtained by in vitro fertilization. Physicians prescribing TRT should inform their patients that such treatment is contraindicated to those men who would like to preserve their fertility and explain that the restoration of fertility will take some time after treatment completion.

The Pathways fertility preservation decision aid website for women with cancer: development and field testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodard, Terri L; Hoffman, Aubri S; Covarrubias, Laura A; Holman, Deborah; Schover, Leslie; Bradford, Andrea; Hoffman, Derek B; Mathur, Aakrati; Thomas, Jerah; Volk, Robert J

2018-02-01

To improve survivors' awareness and knowledge of fertility preservation counseling and treatment options, this study engaged survivors and providers to design, develop, and field-test Pathways: a fertility preservation patient decision aid website for young women with cancer©. Using an adapted user-centered design process, our stakeholder advisory group and research team designed and optimized the Pathways patient decision aid website through four iterative cycles of review and revision with clinicians (n = 21) and survivors (n = 14). Field-testing (n = 20 survivors) assessed post-decision aid scores on the Fertility Preservation Knowledge Scale, feasibility of assessing women's decision-making values while using the website, and website usability/acceptability ratings. Iterative stakeholder engagement optimized the Pathways decision aid website to meet survivors' and providers' needs, including providing patient-friendly information and novel features such as interactive value clarification exercises, testimonials that model shared decision making, financial/referral resources, and a printable personal summary. Survivors scored an average of 8.2 out of 13 (SD 1.6) on the Fertility Preservation Knowledge Scale. They rated genetic screening and having a biological child as strong factors in their decision-making, and 71% indicated a preference for egg freezing. Most women (> 85%) rated Pathways favorably, and all women (100%) said they would recommend it to other women. The Pathways decision aid is a usable and acceptable tool to help women learn about fertility preservation. The Pathways decision aid may help women make well-informed values-based decisions and prevent future infertility-related distress.

Fertility Preservation for Pediatric Patients: Current State and Future Possibilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Emilie K; Finlayson, Courtney; Rowell, Erin E; Gosiengfiao, Yasmin; Pavone, Mary Ellen; Lockart, Barbara; Orwig, Kyle E; Brannigan, Robert E; Woodruff, Teresa K

2017-07-01

This review provides an overview of pediatric fertility preservation. Topics covered include the patient populations who could benefit, the current state of fertility preservation options and research, and considerations related to ethics and program development. A broad Embase® and PubMed® search was performed to identify publications discussing investigational, clinical, ethical and health care delivery issues related to pediatric fertility preservation. Relevant publications were reviewed and summarized. Populations who could benefit from fertility preservation in childhood/adolescence include oncology patients, patients with nononcologic conditions requiring gonadotoxic chemotherapy, patients with differences/disorders of sex development and transgender individuals. Peripubertal and postpubertal fertility preservation options are well established and include cryopreservation of oocytes, embryos or sperm. Prepubertal fertility preservation is experimental. Multiple lines of active research aim to develop technologies that will enable immature eggs and sperm to be matured and used to produce a biological child in the future. Ethical challenges include the need for parental proxy decision making and the fact that fertility preservation procedures can be considered not medically necessary. Successful multidisciplinary fertility preservation care teams emphasize partnerships with adult colleagues, prioritize timely consultations and use standardized referral processes. Some aspects of fertility preservation are not covered by insurance and out-of-pocket costs can be prohibitive. Pediatric fertility preservation is an emerging, evolving field. Fertility preservation options for prepubertal patients with fertility altering conditions such as cancer and differences/disorders of sex development are currently limited. However, multiple lines of active research hold promise for the future. Key considerations include establishing a multidisciplinary team to provide

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF LOW FERTILITY IN BRAZIL.

Science.gov (United States)

Castanheira, Helena Cruz; Kohler, Hans-Peter

2017-11-01

An increasing number of developing countries are experiencing below replacement fertility rates. Although the factors associated with low fertility in developed countries have been widely explored in the literature, studies of low fertility in middle- and low-income countries continue to be rare. To help fill this gap, Brazil was used as a case study to assess whether human development, gender equality and the ability of mothers with young children to work are associated with the likelihood of married or cohabiting women to have a child. For this purpose, multilevel logistic regressions were estimated using the 1991, 2000 and 2010 Brazilian Demographic Censuses. It was found that human development was negatively associated with fertility in the three periods analysed. Gender equality and the ability of mothers with young children to work were positively associated with the odds of having higher order births in Brazil in 2000 and 2010. In 1991, these variables were not associated with higher order births, and gender equality was negatively associated with first births. The positive association found in 2000 and 2010 may constitute a reversal of the relationship that in all likelihood prevailed earlier in the demographic transition when gender equality was most likely negatively correlated with fertility levels.

Global Fertilizer and Manure, Version 1: Nitrogen Fertilizer Application

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Nitrogen Fertilizer Application dataset of the Global Fertilizer and Manure, Version 1 Data Collection represents the amount of nitrogen fertilizer nutrients...

Global Fertilizer and Manure, Version 1: Phosphorus Fertilizer Application

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Phosphorus Fertilizer Application dataset of the Global Fertilizer and Manure, Version 1 Data Collection represents the amount of phosphorus fertilizer nutrients...

The intimate genetics of Drosophila fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Loppin, Benjamin; Dubruille, Raphaëlle; Horard, Béatrice

2015-01-01

The union of haploid gametes at fertilization initiates the formation of the diploid zygote in sexually reproducing animals. This founding event of embryogenesis includes several fascinating cellular and nuclear processes, such as sperm–egg cellular interactions, sperm chromatin remodelling, centrosome formation or pronuclear migration. In comparison with other aspects of development, the exploration of animal fertilization at the functional level has remained so far relatively limited, even in classical model organisms. Here, we have reviewed our current knowledge of fertilization in Drosophila melanogaster, with a special emphasis on the genes involved in the complex transformation of the fertilizing sperm nucleus into a replicated set of paternal chromosomes. PMID:26246493

[Present situation and prospects of special fertilizer for traditional Chinese medicine herbs].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Zhang; Liu, Yong; Wang, Ji-Yong; Wang, Wen-Quan

2004-08-01

To find out the present situation and the development trend special fertilizer of the traditional Chinese medicina plants. By consulting a great deal of literatures on special fertilizer and fertilization on traditional Chinese medicine herbs, and based on the scientific research and manufacture experience of the author, and the theoretic actuality of the researches on the fertilization of traditional Chinese medicine herbs, the present study of the special fertilizer inside and outside of our country was analyzed. The view points of developing special fertilizer for Chinese traditional medicine were put forward, and the development trend of special fertilizer for traditional Chinese medicine herbs was forecasted.

[Development of a new type of biological organic fertilizer and its effect on the growth promotion of tomato].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiu Mei; Chen, Xing; Meng, Xiao Hui; Ye, Qi; Li, Tuo; Liu, Dong Yang; Shen, Qi Rong

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to improve the ability of sporulation production of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 under solid state fermentation by using rice straw and amino acids as resources, and the fermentation products were used as inoculants of the organic fertilizers adding with different ratios of amino acids solution to develop a new type of biological organic fertilizer. The results indicated that the optimal condition for sporulation by T. guizhouense NJAU4742 was soaking in 30 times diluted amino acid solution for one whole night, with initial pH 3.5, 75% of moisture content and 30% of corn powder, under which the sporulation reached to 2.40×10 10 CFU·g -1 . The fermentation products were inoculated at 2% into the mature organic fertilizer containing 20% of amino acids solution, and the sporulation and IAA content were 6.40×10 9 CFU·g -1 and 38.66 mg·kg -1 , which were 1142.30 and 1.42 times higher than that of CK after 7 days, respectively. Pot experiment showed that biological organic fertilizer could significantly promote the growth of tomato, and the height of the tomato increased by 98.8% and 23.8%, respectively, compared with CK. The stem diameters of AT (amino acids + mature organic fertilizer + T. guizhouense NJAU4742) and AA (amino acids + mature organic fertilizer) were increased by 58.9% and 10.3%, respectively, compared with CK. As for the chlorophyll, leaf length and leaf width, the values also increased significantly. The highest spore content was obtained by using amino acids and rice straw as substrates under solid state fermentation (SSF), which overcame the difficulties of producing new type of biological organic fertilizer during the large scale industrial production. Biological organic fertilizer and amino acids organic fertilizer could significantly promote the growth of tomato compared with the chemical fertilizer, and had a good application prospect in intensive agriculture.

The effects of platelet lysate on maturation, fertilization and embryo development of NMRI mouse oocytes at germinal vesicle stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Pazoki, Hassan; Eimani, Hussein; Farokhi, Farah; Shahverdi, Abdol-Hossein; Tahaei, Leila Sadat

2016-04-01

Improving in vitro maturation could increase the rate of pregnancy from oocytes matured in vitro. Consequently, patients will be prevented from using gonadotropin with its related side effects. In this study, the maturation medium was enriched by platelet lysate (PL), then maturation and subsequent developments were monitored. Oocytes at germinal vesicle stage with cumulus cells (cumulus-oocyte complex) and without cumulus cells (denuded oocytes) were obtained from mature female mice. The maturation medium was enriched by 5 and 10 % PL and 5 % PL + 5 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) as experimental groups; the control groups' media consisted of 5 and 10 % FBS. After 18 h, the matured oocytes were collected and, after fertilization, subsequent development was monitored. The rates of maturation, fertilization and 2-cell embryo development for the denuded oocyte groups in experimental media 5 % PL and 5 % PL + 5 % FBS were significantly higher than those of the control groups ( P platelet lysate could improve the maturation rate in the absence of granulosa cells compared to media with FBS. This extract also had positive effects on fertilization and embryo development.

Potential substitution of mineral P fertilizer by manure: EPIC development and implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Azevedo, Ligia B.; Vadas, Peter A.; Balkovič, Juraj; Skalský, Rastislav; Folberth, Christian; van der Velde, Marijn; Obersteiner, Michael

2016-04-01

Sources of mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers are non-renewable. Although the longevity of P mines and the risk of future P depletion are highly debated P scarcity may be detrimental to agriculture in various ways. Some of these impacts include increasing food insecurity and nitrogen (N) and P imbalances, serious fluctuations in the global fertilizer and crop market prices, and contribution in geopolitical conflicts. P-rich waste produced from livestock production activities (i.e. manure) are an alternative to mineral P fertilizer. The substitution of mineral fertilizer with manure (1) delays the depletion of phosphate rock stocks, (2) reduces the vulnerability of P fertilizer importing countries to sudden changes in the fertilizer market, (3) reduces the chances of geopolitical conflicts arising from P exploitation pressures, (4) avoids the need for environmental protection policies in livestock systems, (5) is an opportunity for the boosting of crop yields in low nutrient input agricultural systems, and (6) contributes to the inflow of not only P but also other essential nutrients to agricultural soils. The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate model (EPIC) is a widely used process-based, crop model integrating various environmental flows relevant to crop production as well as environmental quality assessments. We simulate crop yields using a powerful computer cluster infra-structure (known as EPIC-IIASA) in combination with spatially-explicit EPIC input data on climate, management, soils, and landscape. EPIC-IIASA contains over 131,000 simulation units and it has 5 arc-min resolution. In this work, we implement two process-based models of manure biogeochemistry into EPIC-IIASA, i.e. SurPhos (for P) and Manure DNDC (for N and carbon) and a fate model model describing nutrient outflows from fertilizer via runoff. For EGU, we will use EPIC-IIASA to quantify the potential of mineral P fertilizer substitution with manure. Specifically, we will estimate the relative

In-Vitro Fertilization Practice: Awareness and Perceptions ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: In-vitro fertilization(IVF) is a procedure that is one of the options in managing infertility. It involves fertilizing the egg from the female with the spermatozoa from the male outside the human body. It is a common practice in the developed world. However it is still a new phenomenon in the developing countries.

Development of a High Irradiance LED Configuration for Small Field of View Motion Estimation of Fertilizer Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Cool

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Better characterization of the fertilizer spreading process, especially the fertilizer pattern distribution on the ground, requires an accurate measurement of individual particle properties and dynamics. Both 2D and 3D high speed imaging techniques have been developed for this purpose. To maximize the accuracy of the predictions, a specific illumination level is required. This paper describes the development of a high irradiance LED system for high speed motion estimation of fertilizer particles. A spectral sensitivity factor was used to select the optimal LED in relation to the used camera from a range of commercially available high power LEDs. A multiple objective genetic algorithm was used to find the optimal configuration of LEDs resulting in the most homogeneous irradiance in the target area. Simulations were carried out for different lenses and number of LEDs. The chosen configuration resulted in an average irradiance level of 452 W/m2 with coefficient of variation less than 2%. The algorithm proved superior and more flexible to other approaches reported in the literature and can be used for various other applications.

Implementation strategy for achieving replacement level fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

The recommendation of the Bali Declaration on Population and Sustainable Development at the ESCAP regional conference was to adopt strategies for attaining replacement-level fertility of 2.1 or 2.2 children by 2010. East Asian countries, except Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the Southeast Asian countries Singapore and Thailand have already reached replacement-level fertility. Most larger Oceanic countries have also done so. Only South Asian Sri Lanka and southern India have attained replacement level. The following conditions slow or hinder the goal, but they do not provide an "absolute" barrier to fertility decline: social welfare schemes and old age security, son preference, lack of government family planning, poverty, relatively high mortality, low status of women, and education status. Theories of demographic transition have postulated that economic and social development initially brings a decline in mortality, and later brings a decline in fertility; and high fertility was an adaptation to high mortality. Policy gets caught in the lag between mortality and fertility decline. Eventually the cultural motives for high fertility are undercut by social and economic development. Although the generalization that economic growth slows fertility is true for South Asia, the correlation is uneven. Forceful government-sponsored family planning programs in Bangladesh and China may lead the way to strategies for decline in ESCAP region. A Thailand study suggested important factors were fundamental social change, the increased cost of children, cultural acceptance of birth control, a latent demand for fertility control, and government efforts in family planning. ESCAP countries have in common relatively high morality and inadequate public health programs, patriarchal structures, and limited female autonomy, poverty and landlessness, lack of community cohesiveness, and inadequate family planning programs. Weaknesses in programs are attributed to

Educational differentials in cohort fertility during the fertility transition in South Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Hyun Yoo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background: While there has been a considerable amount of research on the association between women's education and fertility rates, few of these studies have examined the pattern of fertility differentials over the course of the fertility transition. As a country that has experienced a rapid decline in fertility and marked improvements in women's educational attainment over the last several decades, South Korea represents an ideal case for studying this dynamic association. Objective: The aim of the article is to explain the pattern of fertility differentials by level of education and the contribution of the changes in women's educational attainment to the fertility decline during the fertility transition in South Korea. Methods: Drawing upon data from the Korean censuses conducted between 1970 and 2010, I analyze completed cohort fertility for women born between 1926 and 1970 using demographic-decomposition techniques and cohort parity progression ratios by level of education. Results: The differences in fertility by educational attainment have gradually declined over the transition, with fertility almost converging at a low level among recent birth cohorts. Fertility in South Korea had been declining in all of the social groups until the sub-replacement fertility was reached. The change in women's educational attainment then became an important factor in the further decline in fertility. The trend toward fewer children quickly spread from the most educated to the least educated women throughout the fertility transition. Conclusions: The transformation of fertility behaviors across social strata has been a key element in the Korean fertility transition. Although educational expansion, particularly the introduction of mass education, has contributed to falling fertility in South Korea, the role of education in fertility decline is more pronounced in the diffusion of innovative ideas and behaviors, which reduced fertility differentials across

The effect of N fertilization on sugar beet production, root activity, and the efficent use of fertilizer N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charanek, Ahmad

1990-10-01

This study includes 2 field experiments using 15 N labelled fertilizer on sugarbeets. Five fertilization treatments with 6 replicates in Autumn and 3 with 5 replicates in Spring were carried out for three years (1985-1987), in the fields of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Damascus. The aim of the Autumn sugarbeet experiment was to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on the production of sugarbeet, root activity and the efficeint use of N from the fertilizer. The purpose of the Spring sugarbeet experiment was to compare two methods of N-fertilizer applications (surface and banding) and their effects on the utilization of N-fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied as ammonium sulphate (21%) in Autumn at rates of 60, 120, 180 and 240 KgN/ha and as urea (46%) at 120 KgN/ha in Spring. The fertilizer was applied in two equal amounts, the first at the emergence and the second at the beginning of the optimal leaves development. Treatment at 120 Kg was only given labelled 15 N fertilizer. The purpose of this research study was to find out the optimal amount of fertilizer that produces the highest yield and the best nitrogen utilization rate. It was concluded from these results that the optimal amount of fertilizer needed to achieve the highest sugar content was between 120-180 KgN/ha. The second application of fertilizer affected positivily root production. The utilization rate of nitrogen in banding was more efficient than surface method at harvest of the second application. (author). 14 refs., 14 figs., 43 tabs

Fertility trends in Serbia during the 1990s

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rašević Mirjana M.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The 1990s represent an exceptionally complex period for the population of Serbia. In addition to the impact of long-term factors, various tumultuous events affected its demographic development, such as breaking apart of former Yugoslavia, armed conflicts in the neighboring countries, sanctions imposed by the international community, social changes (transition transformation or regression, deep economic crisis, collapse of social stratification political problems, institutional crisis, and NATO military intervention. Maladjustment to the changed system of values and norms, lower level of personal attainment, feeling of insecurity, and living under permanent stress are the main features of life at an individual psychological level. Deprivation or living at the subsistence level are the main elements of the economic cost sustained by the majority of the population. How have these changes affected an individual's decision to have children? The analysis of futility indicators points to an obvious decline in the number of births across low fertility regions of Serbia. Also, the analysis has raised the question why the decline in population fertility in the low fertility regions was not even higher, bearing in mind the experiences undergone by the countries with economy in transition as well as the depth of the crisis in society. In that sense several factors come to mind. The most important are the universality of marriage socio-psychological investigations confirmed domination of the traditional character or mentality in Serbia during the 1990s, and the government’s approach to the issue of fertility improved during this time. Besides demographic needs were carefully taken into account in all amendments to the old and formulation of the new measures in the area of social policy. Mention should be made of measures ensuring employment rights of women and their entitlement to maternity leave, maternity pay, and provision of institutionalized care for

Nutrition and fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, G; Tagliabue, A

2007-12-01

The first studies about fertility and nutrition date back to the 70ies and already showed a strict relation among female fertility, weight and body composition. However, the mechanisms of this connection started to be explained only after leptin's discovery. According to some authors' opinion, leptin could interact with reproductive axis at multiple sites with stimulatory effects at the hypothalamus and pituitary and stimulatory or inhibitory actions at the gonads. Leptin could play a role in other physiologic processes such as menstruation and pregnancy, and could initiate the complex process of puberty. It has been showed that conditions in which nutritional status is suboptimal, such as eating disorders, exercise induced amenhorrea, functional hypothalamic amenhorrea and polycystic ovarian syndrome, are associated with abnormal leptin levels. These conditions, are characterized by severe changes in body composition and dietary habits. Since leptin is regulated by body composition and dietary factors, (such as energy intake and macronutrient composition), a strict connection between nutritional intake and fertility regulated by leptin is confirmed. This review focuses on the current knowledge about nutritional factors that influence leptin levels. Since clinical and subclinical nutritional imbalance can determine the development and the maintenance of neuroendocrine and metabolic aberrations, studies on fertility need a deeper attention about dietary habits and nutritional status.

Technology of boron-containing polyphosphate fertilizer 'Phosphobor'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldabergenov, M.K.; Balakaeva, T.G.

1995-01-01

A technology is developed for producing 'Phosphobor' fertilizer based on the rock phosphate weal (17-18% P 2 O 5 ) with additions of boron-magnesium compound. Boron is part of polyphosphate fertilizer in the form of polymeric compounds of phosphorus and boron. Phosphorus and boron copolymers -boratophosphates - are easily formed in the process of polyphosphate fertilizers production, since borates undergo a mutual polycondensation reaction with phosphates. 8 refs., 1 fig

Effect of Various Organic Fertilizers Substitute Chemical Fertilizer on Cucumber Productions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piadang, Nattayana; Ratanapanit, Sittisuk; Chaowanklang, Pratuang; Ratanapanit; Nadtinee; Jaipakdee, Putinee; Ongsakitboriboon

2006-09-01

The effect of using the various organic fertilizer to substitute on the chemical fertilizer on cucumber, was carried out at Tambol Pattananikom, Amphur Pattananikom, Lopburi, Thailand, from December 1, 2005 to February 1, 2006 By using Randomized Comp let Block Design (RCBD), Contain with 4 treatments, chemical fertilizer: 16-16-16: 40 Kg/rai (Control), Pillet organic fertilizer: 50 Kg/rai, Bio extract from cow milk: 300 cc./ water 20 Ltr,.+ compost mixed in soil and bio fertilizer from the office of Atomic Energy Peace : 300 cc./water 20 Ltr. + campost mixed in soil (15 m. 2 /plot) were compared. Experiment result indicate that there were no significant differences on the yield. The highest yield of 25.91 kg/plot (27663.73 kg/rai) was obtained from chemical fertilizer, Fertilizer, followed by pillet organic fertilizer 22.88 kg/plot (2440.53 kg/rai), bio fertilizer 22.34 kg/pot (2382.93 kg/rai) and bio extract 19.03 kg/plot) (2029.87 kg/rai.

A small population of hypothalamic neurons govern fertility: the critical role of VAX1 in GnRH neuron development and fertility maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Hanne M; Mellon, Pamela L

2016-01-01

Fertility depends on the correct maturation and function of approximately 800 gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the brain. GnRH neurons are at the apex of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that regulates fertility. In adulthood, GnRH neurons are scattered throughout the anterior hypothalamic area and project to the median eminence, where GnRH is released into the portal vasculature to stimulate release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary. LH and FSH then regulate gonadal steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. Absence of GnRH neurons or inappropriate GnRH release leads to infertility. Despite the critical role of GnRH neurons in fertility, we still have a limited understanding of the genes responsible for proper GnRH neuron development and function in adulthood. GnRH neurons originate in the olfactory placode then migrate into the brain. Homeodomain transcription factors expressed within GnRH neurons or along their migratory path are candidate genes for inherited infertility. Using a combined in vitro and in vivo approach, we have identified Ventral Anterior Homeobox 1 ( Vax1 ) as a novel homeodomain transcription factor responsible for GnRH neuron maturation and fertility. GnRH neuron counts in Vax1 knock-out embryos revealed Vax1 to be required for the presence of GnRH-expressing cells at embryonic day 17.5 (E17.5), but not at E13.5. To localize the effects of Vax1 on fertility, we generated Vax1 flox mice and crossed them with Gnrh cre mice to specifically delete Vax1 within GnRH neurons. GnRH staining in Vax1 flox/flox :GnRH cre mice show a total absence of GnRH expression in the adult. We performed lineage tracing in Vax1 flox/flox :GnRH cre :RosaLacZ mice which proved GnRH neurons to be alive, but incapable of expressing GnRH. The absence of GnRH leads to delayed puberty, hypogonadism and complete infertility in both sexes. Finally, using the immortalized model GnRH neuron cell lines, GN11 and

Ionizing Radiation Dose Due to the Use of Agricultural Fertilizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umisedo, Nancy K.; Okuno, Emico; Medina, Nilberto H.; Colacioppo, Sergio; Hiodo, Francisco Y.

2008-01-01

The transference of radionuclides from the fertilizers to/and from soils to the foodstuffs can represent an increment in the internal dose when the vegetables are consumed by the human beings. This work evaluates the contribution of fertilizers to the increase of radiation level in the environment and of dose to the people. Samples of fertilizers, soils and vegetables produced in farms located in the neighbourhood of Sao Paulo city in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil were analysed through gamma spectroscopy. The values of specific activity of 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th show that there is no significant transference of natural radionuclides from fertilizers to the final product of the food chain. The annual committed effective dose due to the ingestion of 40 K contained in the group of consumed vegetables analysed in this work resulted in the very low value of 0.882 μSv

Organic fertilizer and its effects on the growth and development of tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Augusto Luna Murillo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Organic fertilizers are one of the alternatives in the group of products used in sustainable agri-culture, mainly what is obtained from organic sources of recyclable nature as compost and vermicompost. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of organic fertilizers on the growth and development of tomato plants. The treatments were vermicompost, water hyacinth, and the combination 50 % vermicompost and 50 % water hyacinth control, using a completely randomized design with five replicates. The work was conducted at the Experimental Center La Playita, belonging to the Technical University of Cotopaxi La Maná extension and plant height, number of fruits, fruit diameter, fruit weight was measured. The results showed that the use of organic fertilizers in tomato plant height stimulated with 114.64 cm, number of fruits with 4.08 fruits, fruit diameter with 7.96 mm and weight of 226.50 g fruits, tomato plants

What if fertility decline is not permanent? The need for an evolutionarily informed approach to understanding low fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Oskar; DeLong, John P

2016-04-19

'Demographic transition theory' assumes that fertility decline is irreversible. This commonly held assumption is based on observations of recent and historical reductions in fertility that accompany modernization and declining mortality. The irreversibility assumption, however, is highly suspect from an evolutionary point of view, because demographic traits are at least partially influenced by genetics and are responsive to social and ecological conditions. Nonetheless, an inevitable shift from high mortality and fertility to low mortality and fertility is used as a guiding framework for projecting human population sizes into the future. This paper reviews some theoretical and empirical evidence suggesting that the assumption of irreversibility is ill-founded, at least without considerable development in theory that incorporates evolutionary and ecological processes. We offer general propositions for how fertility could increase in the future, including natural selection on high fertility variants, the difficulty of maintaining universal norms and preferences in a large, diverse and economically differentiated population, and the escalating resource demands of modernization. © 2016 The Author(s).

Bio-slurry as fertilizer : is bio-slurry from household digesters a better fertilizer than manure? : a literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bonten, L.T.C.; Zwart, K.B.; Rietra, R.P.J.J.; Postma, R.; Haas, de M.J.G.; Nysingh, S.L.

2014-01-01

In many developing countries manure is anaerobically digested to produce biogas. The residue of manure digestion, bio-slurry, can be used as fertilizer for crop production and aquaculture. This study compared bio-slurry and manure as fertilizers. Nutrients in bio-slurry, especially nitrogen, are

Injurious Effects of Curcumin on Maturation of Mouse Oocytes, Fertilization and Fetal Development via Apoptosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Hsiung Chan

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Curcumin, a common dietary pigment and spice, is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from the rhizome of the herb Curcuma longa. Previously, we reported a cytotoxic effect of curcumin on mouse embryonic stem cells and blastocysts and its association with defects in subsequent development. In the present study, we further investigated the effects of curcumin on oocyte maturation and subsequent pre- and post-implantation development, both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, curcumin induced a significant reduction in the rate of oocyte maturation, fertilization, and in vitro embryonic development. Treatment of oocytes with curcumin during in vitro maturation (IVM led to increased resorption of postimplantation embryos and decreased fetal weight. Experiments with an in vivo mouse model disclosed that consumption of drinking water containing 40 μM curcumin led to decreased oocyte maturation and in vitro fertilization as well as early embryonic developmental injury. Finally, pretreatment with a caspase-3-specific inhibitor effectively prevented curcumin-triggered injury effects, suggesting that embryo impairment by curcumin occurs mainly via a caspase-dependent apoptotic process.

Fertility Treatment and Childhood Epilepsy - a Nationwide Cohort Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kettner, Laura Ozer; Kesmodel, Ulrik Schiøler; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Fertility treatment includes hormonal stimulation of the woman and in vitro manipulation of gametes and embryos that may influence prenatal brain development. We aimed to investigate the association between fertility treatment and childhood epilepsy, including specific types of treatm......BACKGROUND: Fertility treatment includes hormonal stimulation of the woman and in vitro manipulation of gametes and embryos that may influence prenatal brain development. We aimed to investigate the association between fertility treatment and childhood epilepsy, including specific types...... of treatment and indications, as well as subtypes of epilepsy. METHODS: In this nationwide birth cohort study, we included all pregnancies in Denmark resulting in live-born singletons, 1995-2003. Children conceived by fertility treatment and children developing epilepsy (until 2013) were identified from Danish...... national registers. RESULTS: A total of 565,116 pregnancies were included; 8,071 children (1.4%) developed epilepsy. Children conceived after ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination had a slightly higher risk of childhood epilepsy (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00, 1...

Fertility and Infertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Orgebin-Crist, Marie-Claire; And Others

In this report, emphasis is placed on major research developments in the reproductive sciences, their impact on the health of individuals as well as on that of society, and on current trends that may provide new opportunities for future research in fertility and infertility. In the first section, major developments in the reproductive sciences are…

[Relationships between psychological well-being, lifestyle factors and fertility].

Science.gov (United States)

Lakatos, Enikő; Szabó, Gábor; F Szigeti, Judit; Balog, Piroska

2015-03-22

10 to 15% of the Hungarian fertile age population struggles with reproductivity problems. Previous researches have shown that psychological well-being and lifestyle factors play a pivotal role in overall health status, which is closely related to fertility. The aim of the study was to examine fertility-related psychological and lifestyle factors in a Hungarian sample. 194 women (115 infertile and 79 fertile) took part in the study. Standardized, validated questionnaires were used for the assessment of psychological factors and self-administered questions were used for exploring lifestyle factors. The results show that infertile women are younger (33.98±4.89 vs. 36.43±5.81 years, pfertile counterparts. The number of their depressive (BDI 14.00±12.21 vs. 7.79±9.17, p40.25±10.65, pfertile women. Findings related to lifestyle factors show that lower level of fluid consumption (1.71±0.67 vs. 1.95±0.68, pfertile group (OR = 1.65, CI = 2.58-1.06), independently of body mass index and age. The results confirm the findings of international researches showing that women struggling with infertility are in worse psychological condition than their fertile counterparts. The authors conclude that the findings demand further investigations and follow-up studies in order to more specifically determine the relationship between fluid consumption and fertility.

Young female cancer patients' experiences with fertility counselling and fertility preservation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoeg, Didde; Schmidt, Lone; Tryde Macklon, Kirsten

2016-01-01

were aware that chemotherapy could destroy their eggs. The participants described how specialized fertility counselling and fertility preservation contributed to a belief in life after cancer, which gave them hope that they would survive their cancer disease. Further, the women described how......Introduction: Fertility counselling for young women newly diagnosed with cancer is an important field of preconceptional counselling. This qualitative, small-scale study explored how young women newly diagnosed with cancer experienced specialized fertility preservation counselling and treatment...... in the public Danish health care system. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with five women below 40 years recently diagnosed with cancer. All women received fertility counselling by a fertility specialist at the Fertility Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark before...

Unrealized fertility: Fertility desires at the end of the reproductive career

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Casterline

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: 'Unrealized fertility' is a failure to achieve desired fertility. Unrealized fertility has been examined in low-fertility societies but, with the exception of research on infertility, has been neglected in research on non-Western societies. Objective: We conduct a multicountry investigation of one form of unrealized fertility, namely a reproductive career which ends with the woman desiring further children. Methods: We analyze 295,854 women aged 44‒48 in 252 surveys (DHS, RHS, PAP conducted in the period 1986-2015 in 78 countries. Two indicators of unrealized fertility are constructed: (i a comparison of ideal versus actual number of children; (ii the desire for another child. We estimate multilevel regressions with covariates at individual and aggregate levels. Results: Unrealized fertility is far more prevalent according to the first indicator than the second. It is more common among women with fewer living children and women whose first birth occurs after age 20, and it is distinctly higher in sub-Saharan Africa and lower in South Asia. The evidence on trend over the course of fertility transition is mixed: for the second indicator but not the first, the net effect is a reduction in the prevalence of unrealized fertility as fertility declines. Conclusions: Unrealized fertility occurs frequently in most societies and therefore deserves more rigorous research, especially on its consequences for emotional, social, economic, and demographic outcomes. Contribution: We provide the first comprehensive documentation of the prevalence of unrealized fertility across a broad set of contemporary non-Western societies.

Trends in international health development.

Science.gov (United States)

Lien, Lars

2002-01-01

"... Good population health is a crucial input into poverty reduction, economic growth and long-term economic development... This point is widely recognised by analysts and policy makers, but is greatly underestimated in its qualitative and quantitative significance, and in the investment allocations of many developing country and donor governments."--Commission on Macroeconomics and Health The international health development scene has changed rapidly during the past 5 years. From being a merely bilateral effort together with a few multilateral organisations and many NGOs new global partnerships have entered the scene and become major funding agencies. The provision of aid has also changed from small-scale project basis to financial support of large programmes. The purpose of this article is to describe some of the major transformations taken place in the organising, delivery and objective of international health development. But before presenting the new international health development agenda, a short introduction to the challenges inducing the need for renewed thinking about international aid is shortly presented.

[Fertility transition in Brazil. Causes and consequences].

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, J A; Wong, L R

1992-12-01

This work examines the determinants and most important consequences of the Brazilian fertility decline. Brazil's total fertility rate declined from 6.2 in 1940 to around 3.5 in 1985. the decline began in the 1960s and amounted to 45% in about 20 years. The most rapid drop began in the late 1970s, with much of it concentrated in 2 specific periods: 1970-75 and 1980-85. The early period coincided with Brazil's so-called "Economic Miracle", a period of rapid growth accompanied however by deteriorating living conditions for the poorest population sectors. The second period coincided with the international economic crisis of the early 1980s, which was felt more strongly in Brazil than elsewhere in Latin America because of Brazil's greater degree of industrialization and closer integration into the world economy. Most of the fertility decline has been accomplished by use of just two contraceptive methods, oral contraceptives and sterilization, which together account for around 85% of contraceptive usage throughout Brazil. The third most common method, rhythm, accounts for just 6%. No reliable data on abortion are available, but it appears to be a common practice equally accessible to all socioeconomic strata despite greater associated health risks for poorer women. Brazil's fertility transition appears to have been a response to the process of proletarianization and urbanization underway in the country as well as to particular circumstances in the country. The most evident and immediate consequence of the continuous fertility decline over more than 20 years is the change in the age structure of the population. The proportions of children under 5 will decline from 14.4% in 1980 to 9.2% in 2010. The proportion aged 5-14 will decline from 24.5% to 17.4%, while the proportion aged 65 and over will increase from 4.0% to 5.6%. Brazil's recent demographic changes are scarcely reflected in development plans and political and social projects. There is almost no mention of the new

Mortality-fertility synergies during the demographic transition in the developed world.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Barricarte, Jesús J

2017-07-01

The classic theory used to explain the demographic transition assumes that mortality is the key explanatory variable influencing the decline in fertility. However, the empirical results obtained in what is known as the Princeton European Fertility Project have led many specialists to question this assumption. Using both national and provincial aggregated data for 25 countries over a long time span, the analysis reported in this paper found that mortality does indeed play a fundamental role in accounting for the main demographic changes that occurred both before and during the transitional period. Others' research based on individual data has shown clearly that the number of surviving children was indeed an important factor for reproductive decisions. My analysis, using aggregated data, reached largely similar conclusions regarding the role of mortality in changing reproductive trends, via its impact on nuptiality and marital fertility at different stages of the demographic transition.

Global fertility and population trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Bongaarts, John

2015-01-01

Over the past several decades, the world and most countries have undergone unprecedented demographic change. The most obvious example of this change is the rise in human numbers, and there are also important trends in fertility, family structure, mortality, migration, urbanization, and population aging. This paper summarizes past trends and projections in fertility and population. After reaching 2.5 billion in 1950, the world population grew rapidly to 7.2 billion in 2013 and the projections expect this total to be 10.9 billion by 2100. World regions differ widely in their demographic trends, with rapid population growth and high fertility continuing in the poorest countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, while population decline, population aging, and very low fertility are now a key concern in many developed countries. These trends have important implications for human welfare and are of interest to policy makers. The conclusion comments briefly on policy options to address these adverse trends. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Development Of Silica Potassium Fertilizers From Trass Rock With Calcination Process

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyusi, KN; Siswanto

2018-01-01

Rocks and sand mines have important benefits for life. With the many benefits of rocks, it is a pity if Indonesia has a lot of raw material reserves waste it. Examples of the benefits of rocks that can be converted into silica potassium fertilizer by reacting with potassium hydroxide. Examples of rocks that can be taken trass rock. The procedure for making silica potassium is by reacting 100 mesh trass rock with KOH and K2CO3 reagents whose composition is arranged by weight ratio, where the base of the trass rock is 100 gr. The process is carried out at a temperature of 1.250 °C with a reaction time of 1 hour. The results obtained are the best silica potassium fertilizer for K2CO3 reagent which is 500gr: 74gr with SiO2 content: 26.8% and K2O content: 27.3%, with water solubility 24.02%, while for silica potassium fertilizer product from The best trass rock for KOH reagent is with a mol ratio of 400 gr : 60 gr with SiO2 content : 23.6% and K2O content: 22.2%, with 25.65% water solubility. The pore size of silica potassium fertilizer product of this trass rock, the range 350 - 1000 nm.

Developing a Coffee Yield Prediction and Integrated Soil Fertility Management Recommendation Model for Northern Tanzania

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maro, G.P.; Mrema, J.P.; Msanya, B.M.; Janssen, B.H.; Teri, J.M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a simple and quantitative system for coffee yield estimation and nutrient input advice, so as to address the problem of declining annual coffee production in Tanzania (particularly in its Northern coffee zone), which is related to declining soil fertility. The

Silicon fertilization and soil water tensions on rice development and yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakeline R. de Oliveira

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The cultivation of upland rice (Oryza sativa in Brazil occurs mainly in the Cerrado, a region with adverse weather conditions. The use of silicon in its cultivation becomes important, since this nutrient provides higher rigidity, lower transpiration and higher resistance to dry spells in rice plants. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of silicon fertilization and soil water tensions on upland rice development and yield in a Cerrado Oxisol. A 5 x 5 fractionated factorial with five soil water tensions (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kPa and five silicon doses (0, 120, 240, 480 and 960 mg dm-3 was used, which were distributed in a randomized block design, with four replicates. Plant height, number of tillers, number of panicles, number of grains per panicle, numbers of full and empty grains and percentage of empty grains were evaluated. Silicon fertilization promotes increased tillering in rice plants at the dose of 960 mg dm-3. The numbers of tillers and panicles decreased with the application of silicon up to the doses of 460 and 490 mg dm-3, respectively. The increase in soil water tensions reduced plant height and the number of full grains, and increased the percentage of empty grains of upland rice.

Multifunctional liquid bio fertilizer as an innovative agronomic input for modern agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phua Choo Kwai Hoe; Khairuddin Abdul Rahim

2010-01-01

Liquid bio fertilizer is increasingly available in the market as one of the alternatives to chemical and organic fertilizers as well as solid substrate-based bio fertilizers. One of the benefits from bio fertilizer is the contribution from population of microorganisms available. These microorganisms may enhance the plant growth and create healthy rhizosphere. The advantage of a liquid bio fertilizer is that no solid carrier is needed. These products are also developed for potential application in modern agriculture such as soil less farming systems, viz. fertigation and hydroponics. Traditionally, liquid bio fertilizer is produced from fermentation of effective microorganisms which was recommended to be used within three months. Therefore, the development of low-cost and long shelf-life liquid bio fertilizers was conducted at Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia). Three bio fertilizer inoculum (phosphate solubilising bacteria and plant growth promoting bacteria) were developed into four formulations of liquid bio fertilizers. The liquid bio fertilizers were kept at low temperatures (9 ± 2 degree Celsius) and room temperatures (28 ± 2 degree Celsius) for shelf-life study. Nutrient broth liquid bio fertilizer kept at low temperatures showed significantly high survival rates after storage for six months as compared to other formulations and treatments. (author)

Chinese women's participation in fertility discussions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L

1993-01-01

In an attempt to better understand the process through which the family planning (FP) programs and socioeconomic developments in China affect fertility, women's participation in fertility discussions with their husbands are examined as an intermediate factor in a study based on results of a random survey of 6654 ever-married women of reproductive age from 7 cities and 30 counties of Guangdong. First, it must be noted that Chinese couples do have individual choices (albeit quite limited ones) about their fertility; they can choose to follow or ignore government policy or they can choose to remain childless. The present study has 3 major hypotheses: 1) the more a woman is involved in fertility discussions with her husband, the fewer children she will have; 2) urban women with a higher educational status will be more likely to have such discussions; and 3) women who are contacted individually by FP personnel are more likely to be involved in fertility discussions. After a discussion of data collection and variables (number of living children, education of wife and husband, age at marriage, residence, living with parents, contacted by FP personnel, and discussion with husband), the results are presented in terms of zero-order correlation coefficients indicating their relationships. The bivariate analysis supported the hypotheses. Multiple regression analysis showed that age at marriage, education of wives and husbands, FP contacts, and participation in discussions remain significant fertility determinants (but the correlation between fertility and residence becomes trivial). A further regression model indicated that a woman's educational attainment is the most significant positive indication of their participation in fertility discussions. These results imply that as women's status continues to improve in China and the deeply-rooted patriarchal tradition loses hold, increased gender equity and education will influence a fertility decline. FP personnel could also

Fertility in Namibia. Changes in fertility levels in North-Central Namibia 1960-2001, including an assessment of the impact of HIV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riikka Shemeikka

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to estimate the development of fertility in North-Central Namibia, former Ovamboland, from 1960 to 2001. Special attention was given to the onset of fertility decline and to the impact of the HIV epidemic on fertility. An additional aim was to introduce parish registers as a source of data for fertility research in Africa.  Data used consisted of parish registers from Evangelical Lutheran congregations, the 1991 and 2001 Population and Housing Censuses, the 1992 and 2000 Namibia Demographic and Health Surveys, and the HIV sentinel surveillances of 1992-2004. Both period and cohort fertility were analysed. The P/F ratio method was used when analysing census data. The impact of HIV infection on fertility was estimated indirectly by comparing the fertility histories of women who died at an age of less than 50 years with the fertility of other women. The impact of the HIV epidemic on fertility was assessed both among infected women and in the general population.  Fertility in the study population began to decline in 1980. The decline was rapid during the 1980s, levelled off in the early 1990s at the end of war of independence and then continued to decline until the end of the study period. According to parish registers, total fertility was 6.4 in the 1960s and 6.5 in the 1970s, and declined to 5.1 in the 1980s and 4.2 in the 1990s. Adjustment of these total fertility rates to correspond to levels of fertility based on data from the 1991 and 2001 censuses resulted in total fertility declining from 7.6 in 1960-79 to 6.0 in 1980-89, and to 4.9 in 1990-99. The decline was associated with increased age at first marriage, declining marital fertility and increasing premarital fertility. Fertility among adolescents increased, whereas the fertility of women in all other age groups declined.  During the 1980s, the war of independence contributed to declining fertility through spousal separation and delayed marriages. Contraception

Fertility preservation 2

Science.gov (United States)

De Vos, Michel; Smitz, Johan; Woodruff, Teresa K

2014-01-01

Enhanced long-term survival rates of young women with cancer and advances in reproductive medicine and cryobiology have culminated in an increased interest in fertility preservation methods in girls and young women with cancer. Present data suggest that young patients with cancer should be referred for fertility preservation counselling quickly to help with their coping process. Although the clinical application of novel developments, including oocyte vitrification and oocyte maturation in vitro, has resulted in reasonable success rates in assisted reproduction programmes, experience with these techniques in the setting of fertility preservation is in its infancy. It is hoped that these and other approaches, some of which are still regarded as experimental (eg, ovarian tissue cryopreservation, pharmacological protection against gonadotoxic agents, in-vitro follicle growth, and follicle transplantation) will be optimised and become established within the next decade. Unravelling the complex mechanisms of activation and suppression of follicle growth will not only expand the care of thousands of women diagnosed with cancer, but also inform the care of millions of women confronted with reduced reproductive fitness because of ageing. PMID:25283571

When Do States Respond to Low Fertility? Contexts of State Concern in Wealthier Countries, 1976-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Emily A

2015-06-01

Since the 1970s, expressions of state concern over low fertility have greatly increased among wealthier countries. This study asks to what extent this increase is explained by demographic factors, national-level economic and political factors, and processes of international diffusion and changing international norms. Analyses integrate the world polity literature on global policy diffusion with a social problems approach to examine international diffusion of state concern among more powerful members of the world polity, a process that can produce changes in international policy consensus. Comparisons of the characteristics of states that do and do not express concern over low fertility find that among wealthier "first-world" countries, state concern has become more responsive to fertility rates: fertility rates are not significantly associated with concern early in the study period, but are strongly associated with concern later in the study period. There is no evidence that integration into the world polity is associated with concern in these countries, and some evidence that less integrated countries are more likely to express concern, suggesting that processes shaping the diffusion of state concern may differ from those identified as shaping policy diffusion in the existing literature. Among "second-world" former Eastern bloc countries, different patterns of associations reflect different political histories: concern is associated only with demographic factors, with no significant change in this association over time.

[Performance of in vitro fertilization in Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

van der Ven, Hans; Montag, Markus; van der Ven, Katrin

2002-07-01

In Germany the application of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) is regulated by federal legislation. Compared with the international situation the "German Embryo Protection Law" is very "restrictive" and various methods of ART are prohibited, e.g. oocyte/embryo donation, embryo cryopreservation and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). Furthermore, in Germany only 1 to 3 fertilized oocytes may be cultured to embryo. All these embryos then have to be transferred into the uterus of a particular patient. Additional fertilized oocytes can only be cryopreserved in a pronuclear state. The success rate of ART has increased significantly over the past few years owing to the introduction of blastocyst cultures and the selection of 1 to 2 good quality blastocysts for embryo transfer. Furthermore, the transfer of only 1 to 2 blastocysts effectively reduces the risk of high rank multiple pregnancies. In Germany, however, the selection of only a few good quality blastocysts for transfer is prohibited by law. New laboratory techniques, e.g. pronuclear scoring and polar body biopsy screening for aneuploidy are in accordance with German law. The application of these methods provides a selection of "good quality oocytes" and seems to increase the overall success rate. Further studies are required, however. The success rate, quality and cost effectiveness of ART in Germany appears compromised when compared with many other countries. What is more, in contrast to the international situation research and development in ART in Germany has been decreasing constantly over the past few years, due to the inappropriate regulations of the German health care system and the insufficient support given to university-based centers.

Plant-based fertilizers for organic vegetable production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jørn Nygaard; Thorup-Kristensen, Kristian

2011-01-01

To ensure high yield and quality in organic vegetable production, crops often require additional fertilizer applied during the season. Due to the risk of contamination of edible plant products from slurry, plant-based fertilizers may be used as an alternative. The purpose of our work was to develop...... fertility, the term “mobile green manures” is used for green-manure crops that are harvested in one field and then moved as a whole and used as fertilizer in other fields. To further investigate mobile-green-manure crops for use as efficient fertilizers, pot and field experiments were conducted...... with cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytis) and kale (Brassica oleracea sabellica) supplied with organic matter consisting of a wide range of plant species with varying nutrient concentrations. Further, field experiments were conducted with leek (Allium porrum) and celery (Apium graveolens dulce) supplied...

Fertility-related norms across Europe: A multi-level analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liefbroer, A.C.; Merz, E.M.; Testa, M.R.; Philipov, D.; Liefbroer, A.C.; Klobas, J.E.

2015-01-01

This book provides new insights into the significant gap that currently exists between desired and actual fertility in Europe. It examines how people make decisions about having children and demonstrates how the macro-level environment affects micro-level decision-making. Written by an international

Young female cancer patients' experiences with fertility counselling and fertility preservation-a qualitative small-scale study within the Danish health care setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoeg, Didde; Schmidt, Lone; Macklon, Kirsten T

2016-07-14

Fertility counselling for young women newly diagnosed with cancer is an important field of preconceptional counselling. This qualitative, small-scale study explored how young women newly diagnosed with cancer experienced specialized fertility preservation counselling and treatment in the public Danish health care system. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with five women below 40 years recently diagnosed with cancer. All women received fertility counselling by a fertility specialist at the Fertility Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark before initiation of cancer treatment. Participants were interviewed at a place chosen by them, and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation developed by Malterud and inspired by Giorgi's phenomenological analysis. None of the participants were aware that chemotherapy could destroy their eggs. The participants described how specialized fertility counselling and fertility preservation contributed to a belief in life after cancer, which gave them hope that they would survive their cancer disease. Further, the women described how the possibility of fertility preservation removed a huge concern and enabled them to concentrate on their cancer treatment and on getting better. Overall, the specialized fertility counselling and treatment to preserve fertility was highly valued. The women felt it gave them a choice about their future fertility. The fertility expert presented the various fertility-preserving scenarios, and the women were content that they had an actual choice.

A physical theory on placement of fertilizers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wit, de C.T.

1953-01-01

A theory was developed enabling calculation of the effect of any placement method of fertilizer on yield if the effect of one method is known.

This theory was based on the following established facts. The reactions between soil and fertilizer rate are the same for broadcasting and placement

On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Shapiro

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa. Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world. Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they are into their fertility transition. Results: The data shows clearly that fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, still at a comparatively early stage, has been considerably slower than the earlier declines in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa at comparable stages of the transition, and displays less within-region heterogeneity than the transitions in these other regions. Conclusions: The slower pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, in conjunction with the high current fertility levels in the region, means that in the absence of policies seeking to accelerate fertility decline, sub-Saharan Africa will continue to experience rapid population growth that in turn will constrain its development. Contribution: Presentation of data in a novel way (Figures 2‒4, and associated calculations unambiguously demonstrates the slow pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa compared with other regions of the world.

Greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogen fertilizer use in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahrl, Fredrich; Li, Yunju; Su, Yufang; Tennigkeit, Timm; Wilkes, Andreas; Xu, Jianchu

2010-01-01

The use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers is an important driver of energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in China. This paper develops a GHG emission factor for synthetic N fertilizer application in China. Using this emission factor, we estimate the scale of GHG emissions from synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in Chinese agriculture and explore the potential for GHG emission reductions from efficiency improvements in N fertilizer production and use. The paper concludes with a discussion on costs and financing for a large-scale fertilizer efficiency improvement program in China, and how a GHG mitigation framework might contribute to program design.

Open Development : Networked Innovations in International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Open Development : Networked Innovations in International Development. Couverture du livre Open Development: Networked Innovations in International Development. Directeur(s):. Matthew L. Smith et Katherine M. A. Reilly. Maison(s) d'édition: The MIT Press, CRDI. 12 décembre 2013. ISBN : 9780262525411.

An Analysis of China's Fertilizer Policies: Impacts on the Industry, Food Security, and the Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuxuan; Zhang, Weifeng; Ma, Lin; Huang, Gaoqiang; Oenema, Oene; Zhang, Fusuo; Dou, Zhengxia

2013-07-01

China has made remarkable strides in recent decades to grow enough food to feed 20% of the world's population with only 9% of the world's arable land. Meanwhile, the nation is experiencing exacerbated air and water pollution problems. Agricultural growth and the pollution aggravation are closely linked with policies affecting fertilizer production and use. Essentially nonexistent in 1950, China's fertilizer industry is now a robust conglomerate producing fertilizers in amounts that not only meet domestic demand but also contribute to international trade. The industry's growth stemmed from a series of policy progressions, featuring (i) a total control system with state ownership and central planning (1949-1984), (ii) a dual system of central planning and market adjustment (1985-1997), (iii) a market-driven system with government-mandated price caps (1998-2009), and (iv) a complete market-oriented system (since 2009). In conjunction with the policy changes were massive subsidy programs totaling more than $18 billion in 2010. The support policies and subsidies helped grow the industry and safeguard an adequate supply of fertilizers at affordable costs to farmers, but the artificially low-priced fertilizers also contributed to a nationwide trend of fertilizer overuse, leading to nutrient pollution. China needs innovative policies and programs to address food security and sustainability challenges. In this study, we review and analyze policies and programs related to China's fertilizer production and use in a 60-yr span (1950-2010) and discuss its impact on the development of the industry, food security, and pressing environmental issues. Finally, our study analyzes long-term trends in fertilizer use in China and offers some key viewpoints to stimulate debates among all stakeholders. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Societal foundations for explaining fertility: Gender equity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter McDonald

2013-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Gender equity theory in relation to fertility argues that very low fertility is the result of incoherence in the levels of gender equity in individually-oriented social institutions and family-oriented social institutions. The salience of gender to the fertility transition is strong in theory but not as strong in specification of testable hypotheses as has been pointed out in the literature. OBJECTIVE The paper aims to clarify the specification of gender equity theory through a discussion of the difference between equity and equality and to suggest methods that might be applied to test the theory. METHODS The theory is restated and further developed using literature from different disciplines. The method is described using a decomposition of fertility for women by human capital levels. RESULTS The clarification of the theory includes a reminder that the theory relates to differences in fertility between countries and not to differences in fertility between women in the same country. In comparisons between countries, higher gender equity leads to higher fertility. In comparisons of fertility across women in the same country, higher gender equity does not necessarily imply higher fertility. In relation to measurement, a specification is suggested that effectively compares women across countries controlling for their level of human capital. Simple graphics are used to indicate ways in which fertility between countries may vary. CONCLUSIONS The paper concludes that it is likely the gender equity theory can be tested more readily by examining the behaviour across countries of women with higher levels of human capital.

Fertility considerations in young women with hematological malignancies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jadoul, Pascale; Kim, S Samuel; Andersen, Claus Yding

2012-01-01

The need for practice guidelines for fertility preservation in young women with hematological malignancies has been increased. To develop recommendations, publications relevant to fertility preservation and hematological cancers were identified through a PubMed database search and reviewed...

Development | Page 24 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Two years ago, the International Development Research Centre created CIME, a development communication program that reflects the interrelations between Communication at the grassroots level, the exchange of Information, two-way Media, and nonformal Education. This book presents the conceptual framework that led ...

Shifted hot spots and nutrient imbalance in global fertilizer use for agriculture production in the past half century

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, H.; Lu, C.

2016-12-01

In addition to enhance agricultural productivity, synthetic nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) fertilizer application in croplands dramatically altered global nutrient budget, water quality, greenhouse gas balance, and their feedbacks to the climate system. However, due to the lack of geospatial fertilizer input data, current Earth system/land surface modeling studies have to ignore or use over-simplified data (e.g., static, spatially uniform fertilizer use) to characterize agricultural N and P input over decadal or century-long period. In this study, we therefore develop a global time-series gridded data of annual synthetic N and P fertilizer use rate in croplands, matched with HYDE 3,2 historical land use maps, at a resolution of 0.5º latitude by longitude during 1900-2013. Our data indicate N and P fertilizer use rates increased by approximately 8 times and 3 times, respectively, since the year 1961, when IFA (International Fertilizer Industry Association) and FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) survey of country-level fertilizer input were available. Considering cropland expansion, increase of total fertilizer consumption amount is even larger. Hotspots of agricultural N fertilizer use shifted from the U.S. and Western Europe in the 1960s to East Asia in the early 21st century. P fertilizer input show the similar pattern with additional hotspot in Brazil. We find a global increase of fertilizer N/P ratio by 0.8 g N/g P per decade (phuman impacts on agroecosystem functions in the long run. Our data can serve as one of critical input drivers for regional and global assessment on agricultural productivity, crop yield, agriculture-derived greenhouse gas balance, global nutrient budget, land-to-aquatic nutrient loss, and ecosystem feedback to the climate system.

Reproductive Toxicity of Zishen Yutai Pill in Rats: The Fertility and Early Embryonic Development Study (Segment I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Zhou

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. This study was aimed to investigate the reproductive toxicity of Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP on fertility and early embryonic development in rats. Methods. SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: vehicle control group (distilled water, i.g., positive control group (80 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide, i.p., and three ZYP-treated groups (3, 6, and 12 g/kg/d, i.e., 12x, 24x, and 48x clinical doses, i.g.. The high dose was set as the maximum gavage dosage. Results. Cyclophosphamide showed diverse hazards, such as decreased weight of male reproductive organs and sperm density (P<0.05. However, there were no obvious effects of ZYP on physical signs, animal behavior, and survival rate, as well as on weight and food intake during the premating and gestation periods. Importantly, there were no significant adverse effects of ZYP on indexes of copulation, fecundity and fertility indexes, weights and coefficients of male reproductive organs, epididymal sperm number and motility, estrous cycle, preimplantation loss rate, and implantation rate. Besides, the numbers of live and resorbed fetuses per litter were not significantly altered. Conclusions. ZYP had no reproductive toxicities on fertility and early embryonic development in rats at 48x equivalent clinical doses.

Regional distribution of nitrogen fertilizer use and N-saving potential for improvement of food production and nitrogen use efficiency in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaobin; Cai, Dianxiong; Hoogmoed, Willem B; Oenema, Oene

2011-08-30

An apparently large disparity still exists between developed and developing countries in historical trends of the amounts of nitrogen (N) fertilizers consumed, and the same situation holds true in China. The situation of either N overuse or underuse has become one of the major limiting factors in agricultural production and economic development in China. The issue of food security in N-poor regions has been given the greatest attention internationally. Balanced and appropriate use of N fertilizer for enriching soil fertility is an effective step in preventing soil degradation, ensuring food security, and further contributing to poverty alleviation and rural economic development in the N-poor regions. Based on the China Statistical Yearbook (2007), there could be scope for improvement of N use efficiency (NUE) in N-rich regions by reducing N fertilizer input to an optimal level (≤180 kg N ha(-1)), and also potential for increasing yield in the N-poor regions by further increasing N fertilizer supply (up to 116 kg N ha(-1)). For the N-rich regions, the average estimated potential of N saving and NUE increase could be about 15% and 23%, respectively, while for the N-poor regions the average estimated potential for yield increase could be 21% on a regional scale, when N input is increased by 13%. The study suggests that to achieve the goals of regional yield improvement, it is necessary to readjust and optimize regional distribution of N fertilizer use between the N-poor and N-rich regions in China, in combination with other nutrient management practices. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Young female cancer patients’ experiences with fertility counselling and fertility preservation—a qualitative small-scale study within the Danish health care setting

Science.gov (United States)

Hoeg, Didde; Schmidt, Lone; Macklon, Kirsten T.

2016-01-01

Introduction Fertility counselling for young women newly diagnosed with cancer is an important field of preconceptional counselling. This qualitative, small-scale study explored how young women newly diagnosed with cancer experienced specialized fertility preservation counselling and treatment in the public Danish health care system. Methods Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with five women below 40 years recently diagnosed with cancer. All women received fertility counselling by a fertility specialist at the Fertility Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark before initiation of cancer treatment. Participants were interviewed at a place chosen by them, and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation developed by Malterud and inspired by Giorgi’s phenomenological analysis. Results None of the participants were aware that chemotherapy could destroy their eggs. The participants described how specialized fertility counselling and fertility preservation contributed to a belief in life after cancer, which gave them hope that they would survive their cancer disease. Further, the women described how the possibility of fertility preservation removed a huge concern and enabled them to concentrate on their cancer treatment and on getting better. Conclusion Overall, the specialized fertility counselling and treatment to preserve fertility was highly valued. The women felt it gave them a choice about their future fertility. The fertility expert presented the various fertility-preserving scenarios, and the women were content that they had an actual choice. PMID:27413812

Lime and fertilizer recommendation system for coconut trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Nogueira Guedes Pereira Rosa

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Fertilizer recommendation to most agricultural crops is based on response curves. Such curves are constructed from field experimental data, obtained for a particular condition and may not be reliable to be applied to other regions. The aim of this study was to develop a Lime and Fertilizer Recommendation System for Coconut Crop based on the nutritional balance. The System considers the expected productivity and plant nutrient use efficiency to estimate nutrient demand, and effective rooting layer, soil nutrient availability, as well as any other nutrient input to estimate the nutrient supply. Comparing the nutrient demand with the nutrient supply the System defines the nutrient balance. If the balance for a given nutrient is negative, lime and, or, fertilization is recommended. On the other hand, if the balance is positive, no lime or fertilizer is needed. For coconut trees, the fertilization regime is divided in three stages: fertilization at the planting spot, band fertilization and fertilization at the production phase. The data set for the development of the System for coconut trees was obtained from the literature. The recommendations generated by the System were compared to those derived from recommendation tables used for coconut crop in Brazil. The main differences between the two procedures were for the P rate applied in the planting hole, which was higher in the proposed System because the tables do not pay heed to the pit volume, whereas the N and K rates were lower. The crop demand for K is very high, and the rates recommended by the System are superior to the table recommendations for the formation and initial production stage. The fertilizer recommendations by the System are higher for the phase of coconut tree growth as compared to the production phase, because greater amount of biomass is produced in the first phase.

Trip internalization in multi-use developments.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-01

Internal trip capture refers to how the number trips to and from a development are reduced by the proximity of : complementary land uses within the development (e.g., residential to retail). Internal trips occur within the : development and do not en...

Effect of Somatic Cell Types and Culture Medium on in vitro Maturation, Fertilization and Early Development Capability of Buffalo Oocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Jamil*, H. A. Samad, N. Rehman, Z. I. Qureshi and L. A. Lodhi

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of different somatic cell types and media in supporting in vitro maturation (IVM, in vitro fertilization (IVF and early embryonic development competence of buffalo follicular oocytes. Cumulus oocyte complexes were collected for maturation from follicles (>6mm of buffalo ovaries collected at the local abattoir. Oocytes were co-cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM-199 with either granulosa cells, cumulus cells, or buffalo oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC @ 3x106 cells/ml or in TCM-199 without helper cells (control at 39°C and 5%CO2 in humidified air. Fresh semen was prepared in modified Ca++ free Tyrode medium. Fertilization was carried out in four types of media: i Tyrode lactate albumin pyruvate (TALP, ii TALP+BOEC, iii modified Ca++ free Tyrode and iv modified Ca++ free Tyrode+BOEC. Fertilized oocytes were cultured for early embryonic development in TCM-199 with and without BOEC. Higher maturation rates were observed in the granulosa (84.24% and cumulus cells (83.44% than BOEC co culture system (73.37%. Highest fertilization rate was obtained in modified Ca++ free Tyrode with BOEC co culture (70.42%, followed by modified Ca++ free Tyrode alone (63.77%, TALP with BOEC (36.92% and TALP alone (10.94%. Development of early embryos (8-cell stage improved in TCM-199 with BOEC co culture than TCM-199 alone. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that addition of somatic cells (granulosa cells, cumulus cells results in higher maturation rates of buffalo follicular oocytes than BOEC co culture system, while fertilization rate improved in modified Ca++ free Tyrode with and without BOEC. Addition of BOEC to TCM-199 improved the developmental capacity of early embryo.

Fertility reduction policies and poverty in Third World countries: ethical issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, D J

1985-01-01

This article begins with a discussion of the motivation for fertility reduction and related population policies. Next, it identifies the two major approaches to evaluating these policies in the population ethics literature: the individualistic approach and the international approach. Each approach is then characterized according to the kinds of policies evaluated, the ethical principles that are most prominent, and the major conclusions drawn. Major empirical gaps in the population ethics literature are identified, and pertinent social science issues concerning the effectiveness of family planning programs, the socioeconomic determinants of fertility, and the interpersonal or community determinants of fertility are discussed. Finally, these issues are linked with the United Nations World Population Plan of Action to identify ethical questions that warrant detailed scrutiny.

Development master arm of 2-DOF planar parallel manipulator for In-Vitro Fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Thamrongaphichartkul, Kitti; Vongbunyong, Supachai; Nuntakarn, Lalana

2018-01-01

Micromanipulator is a mechanical device used for manipulating miniature objects in the order of micron. It is widely used in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in which sperms will be held in a micro-needle and penetrate to an oocyte for fertilization. IVF needs to be performed by high skill embryologists to control the movement of the needle accurately due to the lack of tactile perception of the user. Haptic device is a device that can transmit and simulate position, velocity and force in order to enhance interaction between the user and system. However, commercially available haptic devices have unnecessary degrees of freedom and limited workspace which are inappropriate for IVF process. This paper focuses on development of a haptic device for using in IVF process. It will be used as a master arm for the master-slave system for IVF process in order to enhance the ability of users to control the micromanipulator. As a result, the embryologist is able to carry out the IVF process more effectively with having tactile perception.

DNA methylation in porcine preimplantation embryos developed in vivo and produced by in vitro fertilization, parthenogenetic activation and somatic cell nuclear transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deshmukh, Rahul Shahaji; Østrup, Olga; Østrup, Esben

2011-01-01

DNA demethylation and remethylation are crucial for reprogramming of the differentiated parental/somatic genome in the recipient ooplasm upon somatic cell nuclear transfer. Here, we analyzed the DNA methylation dynamics during porcine preimplantation development. Porcine in vivo developed (IV......), in vitro fertilized (IVF), somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and parthenogenetically activated (PA) embryos were evaluated for DNA methylation quantification at different developmental stages. Fertilized (IV and IVF) one-cell stages lacked a substantial active demethylation of the paternal genome...

DNA methylation in porcine preimplantation embryos developed in-vivo or produced by in-vitro fertilization, parthenogenetic activation and somatic cell nuclear transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deshmukh, Rahul Shahaji; Østrup, Olga; Østrup, Esben

2011-01-01

DNA demethylation and remethylation are crucial for reprogramming of the differentiated parental/somatic genome in the recipient ooplasm upon somatic cell nuclear transfer. Here, we analyzed the DNA methylation dynamics during porcine preimplantation development. Porcine in vivo developed (IV......), in vitro fertilized (IVF), somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and parthenogenetically activated (PA) embryos were evaluated for DNA methylation quantification at different developmental stages. Fertilized (IV and IVF) one-cell stages lacked a substantial active demethylation of the paternal genome...

When Do States Respond to Low Fertility? Contexts of State Concern in Wealthier Countries, 1976–2011

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Emily A.

2015-01-01

Since the 1970s, expressions of state concern over low fertility have greatly increased among wealthier countries. This study asks to what extent this increase is explained by demographic factors, national-level economic and political factors, and processes of international diffusion and changing international norms. Analyses integrate the world polity literature on global policy diffusion with a social problems approach to examine international diffusion of state concern among more powerful members of the world polity, a process that can produce changes in international policy consensus. Comparisons of the characteristics of states that do and do not express concern over low fertility find that among wealthier “first-world” countries, state concern has become more responsive to fertility rates: fertility rates are not significantly associated with concern early in the study period, but are strongly associated with concern later in the study period. There is no evidence that integration into the world polity is associated with concern in these countries, and some evidence that less integrated countries are more likely to express concern, suggesting that processes shaping the diffusion of state concern may differ from those identified as shaping policy diffusion in the existing literature. Among “second-world” former Eastern bloc countries, different patterns of associations reflect different political histories: concern is associated only with demographic factors, with no significant change in this association over time. PMID:26213421

Desired Fertility and Number of Children Born Across Time and Space.

Science.gov (United States)

Günther, Isabel; Harttgen, Kenneth

2016-02-01

Economists have often argued that high fertility rates are mainly driven by women's demand for children (and not by family planning efforts) with low levels of unwanted fertility across countries (and hence with little room for family planning efforts to reduce population growth). We study the relationship between wanted fertility and number of children born in a panel of 200 country-years controlling for country fixed effects and global time trends. In general, we find a close relationship between wanted and actual fertility, with one desired child leading to one additional birth. However, our results also indicate that in the last 20 years, the level of unwanted births has stayed at 2 across African countries but has, on average, decreased from 1 to close to 0 in other developing countries. Hence, women in African countries are less able to translate child preferences into birth outcomes than women in other developing countries, and forces other than fertility demand have been important for previous fertility declines in many developing countries. Family planning efforts only partially explain the observed temporal and spatial differences in achieving desired fertility levels.

Semen collection and fertility in naturally fertile sandhill cranes

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, G.; Gee, G.F.; Nicolich, Jane M.; Taylor, J.A.; Urbanek, R.P.; Stahlecker, D.W.

1997-01-01

Aviculturists often ask if semen collection will interfere with fertility in naturally fertile pairs of cranes. We used 12 naturally fertile Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis) pairs for this study, 6 control and 6 experimental. All pairs had produced fertile eggs in previous years and were in out-of-doors pens scattered throughout different pen complexes, within auditory range but physically isolated. Semen was collected on Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons from 26 February 1993 to 4 June 1993. We used standard artificial insemination methods to collect and to evaluate the semen and spermatozoa. Semen collection did not affect semen quality or quantity. Semen volume, sperm density, sperm motility, sperm morphology, sperm live, sperm number per collection, and male response to semen collection exhibited significant daily variation (P semen collection began 13 days before the first egg in the experimental group, we observed no differences in the date of first egg laid or in fertility between experimental and control groups. Also, we observed no differences in the interval between clutches or in the percentage of broken eggs between experimental and control groups. Sires consistently producing better semen samples produced fewer fertile eggs than sires producing poorer semen samples (r = 0.60).

Celebrating international collaboration: reflections on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moira Stephens

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article reports on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference, held in May 2015 to celebrate International Nurses Day. The article describes key aspects of its planning, offers a flavour of the event itself and sets out an evaluation, including learning points and recommendations to assist with planning similar events in the future. Central to our learning are: The need for practice developers to grasp skills in technology associated with virtual space The need to embrace virtual space itself as another means by which creative and communicative spaces can be established for active learning and practice development activities The potential advantages that international virtual engagement has over face-to-face national or international engagement The delivery of this virtual event made a significant international contribution to global practice development activity within the International Practice Development Collaborative and to enabling practice developers to connect and celebrate on a more global basis. Implications for practice: Virtual space technology skills can assist with sharing and translating practice development research, innovations and critical commentary Virtual space can provide an adjunct to creative and communicative learning spaces Global networking opportunities can be developed and enhanced through the use of virtual space technology Practice developers need to role model the use of virtual technologies

Canada Research Chairs | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

aspx. International Research Chairs Initiative. The International Research Chairs Initiative pairs top research talent from universities in Canada with their counterparts in developing countries to address key development challenges. View more

Comparison of unenriched versus 15N-enriched fertilizer as a tracer for N fertilizer uptake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meints, V.W.; Shearer, G.; Kohl, D.H.; Kurtz, L.T.

1975-01-01

A greenhouse experiment was conducted on three soils with differing cropping and fertilization histories to determine whether unenriched fertilizer N can be used in the same manner as 15 N-enriched fertilizer to estimate the amount of plant N derived from fertilizer. Estimates using unenriched fertilizer N were compared with estimates using two 15 N enrichment levels. Use of unenriched fertilizer N led to underestimation of the amount of fertilizer N in the plant material in four of six cases when compared to 15 N-enriched fertilizer. Standard deviations of the estimates of fertilizer-derived N in plant material were considerably greater when unenriched fertilizer was used. (U.S.)

[Fertility transition in Peru].

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrando, D; Aramburu, C E

1992-12-01

Data from national censuses and sample surveys are the basis for this examintion of differential fertility and the fertility transition in Peru. Changes in the level and structure of fertility in the 3 major geographic regions are compared, and the role of contraceptive usage and nuptiality changes in the fertility decline are analyzed. Peru's total fertility rate was estimated at 6.85 in 1965 and has since declined to 6.56 in 1965-70, 6.00 in 1970-75, 5.30 in 1975-80, 4.65 in 1980-85, and 4.00 in 1985-90. The fertility decline varied in intensity and timing in the geographic regions. A clear fertility decline began among upper and middle income groups in the principal cities in the 1960s, spreading gradually to the urban low income sectors. Not until the late 1970s did the fertility decline spread to the rest of the population, coinciding with the years of severe economic crisis. The urban total fertility rate declined from 6 to 3.77 during 1961-86, but rural fertility increased through 1972 to 8.12, before declining slightly to 7.62 in 1981 and more markedly to 6.65 in 1986. Sociocultural and economic differences between Peru's natural regions are appreciable, and account for the contrasts in fertility trends. The greatest changes occurred in metropolitan Lima, which already had relatively low fertility in 1961. Its total fertility rate declined 44% from 5.6 in 1961 to 3.13 in 1986. Fertility declined by slightly under 40% in the rest of the coast, by almost 25% in the jungle, and by scarcely 14% in the sierra. The total fertility rates in 1961 and 1986, respectively, were 6.38 and 4.13 on the coast, 6.64 and 6.45 in the highlands, and 7.92 and 5.97 in the lowlands. The fertility decline, especially in the lower classes, was a response initially to the process of cultural modernization which in slightly over 2 decades saw a profound transformation of Peru from a rural, Andean, illiterate, and agrarian society to an urban, coastal, literate, and commercial society

Fertility prognosis for infertile couples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bostofte, E; Bagger, P; Michael, A

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop a fertility prognosis model for infertile couples. DESIGN: Prospective follow-up study. PARTICIPANTS: In the period November 30, 1977 to June 1, 1985, 321 consecutive couples were investigated for infertility at Hvidovre University Hospital. Investigation of the female...... MEASURE: The Cox regression model was used to predict the time required to conceive based on informations provided by fertility investigations. RESULTS: Three of 16 prognostic variables (the period of infertility, the female infertility factor, and the P-test) possess significant prognostic information...

A U.S. developer's introduction to international independent power development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodwin, L.M.

1993-01-01

Because US developers have had significant experience developing independent power projects in the US during the fifteen years since the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (''PURPA'') was passed, US developers have been some of the most aggressive participants in the early stages of international independent power development. However, US developers who attempt to transplant their US experience directly to foreign markets may be in for a rude awakening. Despite the similarities, there are significant differences between energy project development within the US and development in international markets. The purpose of this paper is to explore these differences, and to review some of the new considerations that experienced US developers will have to deal with in developing international projects

Female labour force participation and fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Concepcion, M B

1974-01-01

The levels of labor force participation by women in selected Asian countries were recorded in a series of censuses taken over a period of years. These levels were less influenced than male employment levels by economic conditions and more influenced by cultural traits of the country. Postwar trends seem to have fallen in Korea, risen in Singapore and the Philippines, and remained steady in Japan, Malaya, and Thailand. The limitations of these data are mentioned. In Thailand and West Malaysia greater percentages of women worked in agricultural than non-agricultural employment; in the Philippines, where women did not work so much in agricultural pursuits, their jobs were still in traditional rather than in development industries. In the cities of Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur, fertility was lower for working than for non-working women. In rural agricultural areas, the fertility of working women was minimally higher, probably due to economic need of lar ger families. It is concluded that urban life separates the employment and the family roles of working women, leading to lowered fertility; this does not occur in rural areas. The creation of new roles for women alternative or supplementary to marriage and motherhood would result in lowered fertility. In high fertility Asian countries, policies directed toward greater participation of women in non-agricultural work and great er exposure to an urban lifestyle might achieve fertility reductions.

Tennessee Valley Authority National Fertilizer and Environmental Research Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautney, J.

1991-01-01

The National Fertilizer and Environmental Research Center (NFERC) is a unique part of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a government agency created by an Act of Congress in 1933. The Center, located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is a national laboratory for research, development, education and commercialization for fertilizers and related agricultural chemicals including their economic and environmentally safe use, renewable fuel and chemical technologies, alternatives for solving environmental/waste problems, and technologies which support national defense- NFERC projects in the pesticide waste minimization/treatment/disposal areas include ''Model Site Demonstrations and Site Assessments,'' ''Development of Waste Treatment and Site Remediation Technologies for Fertilizer/Agrichemical Dealers,'' ''Development of a Dealer Information/Education Program,'' and ''Constructed Wetlands.''

Parental Infertility, Fertility Treatment, and Childhood Epilepsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kettner, Laura O; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst; Kesmodel, Ulrik S

2016-01-01

. RESULTS: A total of 60 440 pregnancies were included, and 0.8% of the children developed epilepsy.The primary analyses showed no association between parental infertility or fertility treatment, and the overall risk of childhood epilepsy (hazard rate ratios (HRs); 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.08 (0......BACKGROUND: A few studies have indicated an increased risk of epilepsy in children conceived by fertility treatment possibly due to characteristics of the infertile couple rather than the treatment. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between parental infertility, fertility treatment......, and epilepsy in the offspring, including the subtypes of epilepsy; idiopathic generalised epilepsy and focal epilepsy. METHODS: This cohort included all pregnancies resulting in liveborn singletons from the Aarhus Birth Cohort, Denmark (1995-2013). Information on time to pregnancy and fertility treatment...

Austria: Persistent low fertility since the mid-1980s

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henriette Engelhardt

2008-07-01

Full Text Available This chapter offers an in-depth analysis of fertility in Austria, a country which has experienced a low and relatively stable fertility level and a gradual postponement of childbearing since the mid-1980s. We begin by summarising Austrian population trends in the post-World War II period and highlighting recent relatively high migration levels. We outline the long history of sub-replacement fertility and high childlessness in Austria and look in detail at recent parity-specific developments, trends in family size, delayed childbearing and persistent fertility differences by education level, country of origin and religious affiliation. The chapter then summarises main trends in family-related behaviour, including the changing patterns of leaving parental home, the rise in cohabitation, the decline in marriage and the rise of divorce and the diversity in non-marital childbearing, which has a long tradition in many parts of the country. We discuss the development of family policies in Austria and their relationship to fertility during the past decades. Social policies in Austria provide only a limited support for a reconciliation of childrearing and employment among mothers with children below the age of three. A combination of one of the highest family spending rates among the OECD countries and the low fertility rates indicate that structural constraints (such as the availability of childcare constitute part of the explanation of low fertility.

On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

OpenAIRE

David Shapiro; Andrew Hinde

2017-01-01

Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa.Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world.Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they ...

Educational differences in period fertility: The case of South Korea, 1996-2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eunkoo Lee

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Previous studies on education-specific fertility in South Korea suggest that fertility differentials across educational groups have been diminishing in recent years. Objective: This study aims to verify whether education-specific fertility differentials have diminished in South Korea, as suggested by previous studies. Methods: I use data from the 10Š sample of South Korea's 2010 census to estimate the education-specific period total fertility rate (TFR by using the own-children method. Results: I observe a steep rise in fertility for women with middle school or less (low education education since the early 2000s. I find a large proportion of young foreign-born women concentrated in this low-education group. When I repeat the analysis considering only native-born Korean women this increasing pattern disappears: Native-born Korean women with low education had the lowest fertility level throughout the period of analysis (1996-2010. Conclusions: Contrary to previous studies' finding that the education-specific fertility differential gap is narrowing in South Korea, I find that the period TFR for the low-education group shows a sharp increase in fertility level since 2005 due to the increase of foreign-born women, who are mostly young with a low level of education. After removing foreign-born women from the data set, the low-education group persistently had lower fertility than other groups. Contribution: By capturing the impact of the recent demographic change resulting from the increase in international marriages, this study contradicts the previous finding that the fertility gap between educational groups in South Korea has been diminishing in recent years.

Developing International Personas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Iben; Hautopp, Heidi; Nielsen, Lene

2017-01-01

Personas have become a popular method in new product development. Personas have traditionally, and are still, primarily created to represent users from a single national culture at a time during the design process. This, however, is unsatisfactory for companies operating on a global market...... as they show an increasing interest in international personas. However, research on personas in a global context is limited. To address this gap, this paper provides an overview of extant research on international personas. Secondly, it presents an empirical study on challenges Danish IT companies experience...... when using the persona method to collect and present insights about their international users. A key finding in both the literature review and the empirical study was the ambiguity concerning the concept of culture. Therefore, the paper draws on theories about culture, and especially practice theory...

Open development networked innovations in international development

CERN Document Server

Reilly, Katherine M A

2014-01-01

The emergence of open networked models made possible by digital technology has the potential to transform international development. Open network structures allow people to come together to share information, organize, and collaborate. Open development harnesses this power, to create new organizational forms and improve people's lives; it is not only an agenda for research and practice but also a statement about how to approach international development. In this volume, experts explore a variety of applications of openness, addressing challenges as well as opportunities. Open development requires new theoretical tools that focus on real world problems, consider a variety of solutions, and recognize the complexity of local contexts. After exploring the new theoretical terrain, the book describes a range of cases in which open models address such specific development issues as biotechnology research, improving education, and access to scholarly publications. Contributors then examine tensions between open model...

Reverse survival method of fertility estimation: An evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Spoorenberg

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background: For the most part, demographers have relied on the ever-growing body of sample surveys collecting full birth history to derive total fertility estimates in less statistically developed countries. Yet alternative methods of fertility estimation can return very consistent total fertility estimates by using only basic demographic information. Objective: This paper evaluates the consistency and sensitivity of the reverse survival method -- a fertility estimation method based on population data by age and sex collected in one census or a single-round survey. Methods: A simulated population was first projected over 15 years using a set of fertility and mortality age and sex patterns. The projected population was then reverse survived using the Excel template FE_reverse_4.xlsx, provided with Timæus and Moultrie (2012. Reverse survival fertility estimates were then compared for consistency to the total fertility rates used to project the population. The sensitivity was assessed by introducing a series of distortions in the projection of the population and comparing the difference implied in the resulting fertility estimates. Results: The reverse survival method produces total fertility estimates that are very consistent and hardly affected by erroneous assumptions on the age distribution of fertility or by the use of incorrect mortality levels, trends, and age patterns. The quality of the age and sex population data that is 'reverse survived' determines the consistency of the estimates. The contribution of the method for the estimation of past and present trends in total fertility is illustrated through its application to the population data of five countries characterized by distinct fertility levels and data quality issues. Conclusions: Notwithstanding its simplicity, the reverse survival method of fertility estimation has seldom been applied. The method can be applied to a large body of existing and easily available population data

A Multinomial Model of Fertility Choice and Offspring Sex-Ratios in India

OpenAIRE

Rubiana Chamarbagwala; Martin Ranger

2007-01-01

Fertility decline in developing countries may have unexpected demographic consequences. Although lower fertility improves nutrition, health, and human capital investments for surviving children, little is known about the relationship between fertility outcomes and female-male offspring sex-ratios. Particularly in countries with a cultural preference for sons, like India and China, fertility decline may deteriorate the already imbalanced sex-ratios. We use the fertility histories of over 90,00...

The international development challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1998-01-01

Markets are opening up to international competition and new opportunities will arise for companies. The first part of this international round table of the French gas association's annual conference was devoted to whether they have all necessary assets, especially in terms of know-how and new technologies. In the second part of this round table, gas industry leaders presented their ambitions and strategies on the international scene. The questions discussed related to the main areas of development from both business and geographic viewpoints; to the underlying factors such as expertise, technological know-how, market risks and potential, strategic alliances. (authors)

Household Fertilizers Use and Soil Fertility Management Practices ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Household Fertilizers Use and Soil Fertility Management Practices in Vegetable Crops Production: The Case of Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. ... rate, which could leads to pollution of the environment from over dose application and from runoff in to the water bodies and leaching in to the ground water with economic loss.

Kinship and the decline of fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y

1996-01-01

China's family planning and population control policies, together with the move toward a more market-oriented economy since the 1980s, have led to significant change in people's reproductive values and behavior and a substantial decline in fertility. Traditional kinship in China, its terminology, and the impact of fertility decline on kinship in China and Chinese society are discussed. The decline in fertility is affecting or will affect China's kinship system, the corresponding pattern of terminology, and the social structure. In the more market-oriented economy which has been developing in China, the simplification of the kinship system will help change the structure of Chinese society and weaken the traditional patriarchal culture. A more individualized, contractualized social structure and relationships will result.

Fertilizing growth: Agricultural inputs and their effects in economic development.

Science.gov (United States)

McArthur, John W; McCord, Gordon C

2017-07-01

This paper estimates the role of agronomic inputs in cereal yield improvements and the consequences for countries' processes of structural change. The results suggest a clear role for fertilizer, modern seeds and water in boosting yields. We then test for respective empirical links between agricultural yields and economic growth, labor share in agriculture and non-agricultural value added per worker. The identification strategy includes a novel instrumental variable that exploits the unique economic geography of fertilizer production and transport costs to countries' agricultural heartlands. We estimate that a half ton increase in staple yields generates a 14 to 19 percent higher GDP per capita and a 4.6 to 5.6 percentage point lower labor share in agriculture five years later. The results suggest a strong role for agricultural productivity as a driver of structural change.

Globalization and Contemporary Fertility Convergence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendi, Arun S

2017-09-01

The rise of the global network of nation-states has precipitated social transformations throughout the world. This article examines the role of political and economic globalization in driving fertility convergence across countries between 1965 and 2009. While past research has typically conceptualized fertility change as a country-level process, this study instead employs a theoretical and methodological framework that examines differences in fertility between pairs of countries over time. Convergence in fertility between pairs of countries is hypothesized to result from increased cross-country connectedness and cross-national transmission of fertility-related schemas. I investigate the impact of various cross-country ties, including ties through bilateral trade, intergovernmental organizations, and regional trade blocs, on fertility convergence. I find that globalization acts as a form of social interaction to produce fertility convergence. There is significant heterogeneity in the effects of different cross-country ties. In particular, trade with rich model countries, joint participation in the UN and UNESCO, and joining a free trade agreement all contribute to fertility convergence between countries. Whereas the prevailing focus in fertility research has been on factors producing fertility declines, this analysis highlights specific mechanisms-trade and connectedness through organizations-leading to greater similarity in fertility across countries. Globalization is a process that propels the spread of culturally laden goods and schemas impinging on fertility, which in turn produces fertility convergence.

Global nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use for agriculture production in the past half century: shifted hot spots and nutrient imbalance

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chaoqun; Tian, Hanqin

2017-03-01

In addition to enhancing agricultural productivity, synthetic nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) fertilizer application in croplands dramatically alters global nutrient budget, water quality, greenhouse gas balance, and their feedback to the climate system. However, due to the lack of geospatial fertilizer input data, current Earth system and land surface modeling studies have to ignore or use oversimplified data (e.g., static, spatially uniform fertilizer use) to characterize agricultural N and P input over decadal or century-long periods. In this study, we therefore develop global time series gridded data of annual synthetic N and P fertilizer use rate in agricultural lands, matched with HYDE 3.2 historical land use maps, at a resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° latitude-longitude during 1961-2013. Our data indicate N and P fertilizer use rates on per unit cropland area increased by approximately 8 times and 3 times, respectively, since the year 1961 when IFA (International Fertilizer Industry Association) and FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) surveys of country-level fertilizer input became available. Considering cropland expansion, the increase in total fertilizer consumption is even larger. Hotspots of agricultural N fertilizer application shifted from the US and western Europe in the 1960s to eastern Asia in the early 21st century. P fertilizer input shows a similar pattern with an additional current hotspot in Brazil. We found a global increase in fertilizer N / P ratio by 0.8 g N g-1 P per decade (p human impacts on agroecosystem functions in the long run. Our data can serve as one of critical input drivers for regional and global models to assess the impacts of nutrient enrichment on climate system, water resources, food security, etc. Datasets available at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.863323.

The long-term determinants of marital fertility in the developed world (19th and 20th centuries: The role of welfare policies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Sánchez-Barricarte

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Demographic transition theory was shattered dramatically as a result of the research carried out in the course of the Princeton European Fertility Project. There is still no consensus among demographers as to the causes underlying the fertility transition. Objective: We set out to test the explanatory capacity of certain variables which have traditionally been used to interpret the historical decline in fertility (mortality, level of education, economic development, urbanization as well as the role played by the rise of the welfare state. Methods: We collected information on different kinds of socioeconomic variables in 25 developed countries over a very long period of time. We carried out panel cointegrating regressions and country panel fixed and time effects generalized least squares. Results: We show that the decline in mortality, the increase in educational level, and economic factors all played a leading role in the historical decline in fertility. We found that the present welfare system places a remarkable burden on those who decide to have a family. Conclusions: A new kind of public social transfer model needs to be designed which will minimize the damaging consequences that our current welfare states have had with regard to fertility. Contribution: 1 The emphasis on the causal impact of the emergence and maturation of the social welfare system using Lindert's data on social transfers since the late 19th century to 1990. 2 The enormous amount of historical data compiled, as documented in the Appendix. 3 The modern panel cointegration techniques used to analyze the long- and short-term impacts of the different determinants of fertility.

Study on the placement of phosphorus fertilizer to improve fertilizer utilization by lowland rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sisworo, W.H.; Riswantoro; Mardjo, M.

1976-01-01

An experiment for studying the placement of phosphorus fertilizer was carried out in the glass house by using 32 P-labelled superphosphate. The specific activity of the labelled fertilizer used was 0,25 mCi/g P 2 O 5 . Three placement methods were studied: (1) Hill placement: Fertilizer was burried at a distance of 5cm from the plants at the depth of 5 cm, (2) Surface placement: Fertilizer was spread on the surface, and (3) Soil mixed application: Fertilizer was mixed with the soil at the depth of 5 cm. Superphosphate was applied at the rates of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg P 25 /ha. Results obtained from the experiment showed that the dry matter production was significantly affected by the methods of placement of phosphorus fertilizer. Soil mixed placement gave the lowest yield of dry plant material. It differed significantly from the two other methods of placement. However, there was no significant difference between hill and surface placement. The placement of phosphorus fertilizer significantly affected the total uptake of phosphorus nutrient, uptake fertilizer phosphorus, and the percentage of fertilizer utilization. Surface placement gave the highest utilization of fertilizer when supplied at rates higher than 60 kg P 2 O 5 /ha. At low rate applications, hill placement was the best, but, at rates higher than 60 kg P 2 O 5 /ha the percentage of fertilizer utilization decreased. Soil mixed application was the least efficient fertilizer utilization. (author)

Preserving Fertility while Battling Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Some oncologists neglect to discuss the possibility of treatment-related infertility with patients of reproductive age. Researchers are developing decision aids to help patients make an informed, carefully considered decision about fertility.

Obesity: modern man's fertility nemesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabler, Stephanie; Agarwal, Ashok; Flint, Margot; du Plessis, Stefan S

2010-07-01

The obesity pandemic has grown to concerning proportions in recent years, not only in the Western World, but in developing countries as well. The corresponding decrease in male fertility and fecundity may be explained in parallel to obesity, and obesity should be considered as an etiology of male fertility. Studies show that obesity contributes to infertility by reducing semen quality, changing sperm proteomes, contributing to erectile dysfunction, and inducing other physical problems related to obesity. Mechanisms for explaining the effect of obesity on male infertility include abnormal reproductive hormone levels, an increased release of adipose-derived hormones and adipokines associated with obesity, and other physical problems including sleep apnea and increased scrotal temperatures. Recently, genetic factors and markers for an obesity-related infertility have been discovered and may explain the difference between fertile obese and infertile obese men. Treatments are available for not only infertility related to obesity, but also as a treatment for the other comorbidities arising from obesity. Natural weight loss, as well as bariatric surgery are options for obese patients and have shown promising results in restoring fertility and normal hormonal profiles. Therapeutic interventions including aromatase inhibitors, exogenous testosterone replacement therapy and maintenance and regulation of adipose-derived hormones, particularly leptin, may also be able to restore fertility in obese males. Because of the relative unawareness and lack of research in this area, controlled studies should be undertaken and more focus should be given to obesity as an etiolgy of male infertility.

Influence of insemination time on fertility of Rhodes island white ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Influence of insemination time on fertility of Rhodes island white chicken (Gallus domestica) raised in northern guinea savannah zone of Nigeria. D Zahraddeen, ISR Butswat, KM Bello, AA Washik. Abstract. No Abstract. International Journal of Tropical Agriculture and Food Systems Vol. 1 (4) 2007: pp. 378-383. Full Text:.

Meticulous Overview on the Controlled Release Fertilizers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siafu Ibahati Sempeho

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Owing to the high demand for fertilizer formulations that will exhaust the possibilities of nutrient use efficiency (NUE, regulate fertilizer consumption, and lessen agrophysicochemical properties and environmental adverse effects instigated by conventional nutrient supply to crops, this review recapitulates controlled release fertilizers (CRFs as a cutting-edge and safe way to supply crops’ nutrients over the conventional ways. Essentially, CRFs entail fertilizer particles intercalated within excipients aiming at reducing the frequency of fertilizer application thereby abating potential adverse effects linked with conventional fertilizer use. Application of nanotechnology and materials engineering in agriculture particularly in the design of CRFs, the distinctions and classification of CRFs, and the economical, agronomical, and environmental aspects of CRFs has been revised putting into account the development and synthesis of CRFs, laboratory CRFs syntheses and testing, and both linear and sigmoid release features of CRF formulations. Methodical account on the mechanism of nutrient release centring on the empirical and mechanistic approaches of predicting nutrient release is given in view of selected mathematical models. Compositions and laboratory preparations of CRFs basing on in situ and graft polymerization are provided alongside the physical methods used in CRFs encapsulation, with an emphasis on the natural polymers, modified clays, and superabsorbent nanocomposite excipients.

In-Vitro Fertilization Practice: Awareness and Perceptions Among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

which is still beyond the reach of the poor masses in the developing countries. To assess the level of awareness and perceptions of in- vitro fertilization among women attending fertility clinics in ... OF THE WOMEN. VARIABLE. FREQUENCY. PERCENT. Age. 26-30. 70 .... This study has shown that knowledge of IVF is low in.

Soil fertility and the role of soils for food security in developing countries

Science.gov (United States)

Tittonell, Pablo

2015-04-01

Addressing current and future food security is not just a matter of producing more food globally. Agricultural productivity must increase where food is most needed, and where both rural and urban populations are expected to increase the fastest in the near future. This is the situation in most of sub-Saharan Africa and in several other regions of Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. There are some common denominators to these regions. In the first place, the inability of the majority of farmers to access and/or to afford agricultural inputs. Second, the severity with which climate change impacts on some of these regions. Third, the extent of soil degradation, which is estimated at 25% of the arable land in the world. And finally, the fact that some of these regions are hosting valuable biodiversity and/or delivering ecosystem services of global or regional importance, which often leads to competing claims between the local and international communities. It has been repeatedly shown that the technologies of industrial agriculture as practiced in developed regions are ineffective at sustaining soil productivity in the context of smallholder family agriculture. Restoring soil productivity and ecosystem functions in these contexts requires new ways of managing soil fertility. These include: (i) innovative forms of 'precision' agriculture that consider the diversity, heterogeneity and dynamics of smallholder farming systems; (ii) a systems approach to nutrient acquisition and management; (iii) agroecological strategies for the restoration of degraded soils and the maintenance of soil physical properties; and (iv) to capitalize on the recent and growing understanding on soil trophic networks to increase nutrient and water use efficiency. I will provide examples on advances in these fronts, and discuss the challenges ahead their broad implementation by farmers in developing regions.

Fertile ground? : soil fertility management and the African smallholder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Misiko, M.

2007-01-01

Keywords: smallholder farmers, soil fertility, experimentation, "inconvenience", realist.The focus in this thesis is to form a view of how well soil fertility research performs within the ever shifting smallholder contexts. This study examined application of agro-ecological

Immigrant fertility in Sweden, 2000-2011: A descriptive note

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lotta Persson

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Modern Scandinavian population registers provide excellent data sources that allow a user to quickly gain an impression of the level of fertility and its structure across subpopulations. This may also allow the analyst to check a feature of the much-cited disruption hypothesis, at least in part. Objective: The purpose of this note is to exploit this potential to give an overview of the structure of recent total fertility after immigration to Sweden from various groups of sending countries, separately for males and females. In the process we demonstrate to what extent the post-migration fertility compensation which is part of the fertility disruption hypothesis is fulfilled in our study population. Due to the nature of our data we have refrained from studying fertility before migration. Methods: Based on data from a combination of two Swedish administrative registers (the Historic Population Register and the Multi-Generation Register that cover both men and women in the entire population for the years 2000-2011, we compute and plot TFR-like age-cumulated fertility levels, specific for years since immigration, for six groups of sending countries, separately for men and women. Results: We find that the post-migration fertility compensation specified as part of the fertility disruption hypothesis is visibly confirmed in our Swedish study population for female European immigrants from non-EU countries and for female immigrants from non-European countries with a low or medium UN Human Development Index, but not so for other female immigrants, i.e. not for those who come from a Nordic country or from a non-Nordic EU country, and not for female immigrants from a non-European country with a high Human Development Index, including the United States. We find mild but less conclusive evidence for the same feature for males. Conclusions: This shows that at least as far as post-migration fertility compensation is concerned, the disruption

The interrelationship of fertility, family maintenance and Mexico-U.S. Migration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Giorguli Saucedo

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This study examines the interrelationship between migration and marital fertility, using a bi-national sample of retrospective life histories collected in Mexican origin communities and U.S. destination areas. We treat couples as the unit of analysis and use discrete-time hazard models to examine: (1 how the timing and parity of births influence the occurrence of migration (to the U.S. or return to Mexico and the type of migration (solo or couple, and (2 how current migration status and cumulative migration experience influence the likelihood of a birth. Examining the effects of fertility on migration, and the effects of migration on the timing of births, we are able to address how couples integrate migration opportunities and fertility goals into family building strategies in a context where international circular migration is pervasive.

Determinants of fertility in Rwanda in the context of a fertility transition: a secondary analysis of the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ndahindwa, Vedaste; Kamanzi, Collins; Semakula, Muhammed; Abalikumwe, François; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany; Thomson, Dana R

2014-12-13

Major improvements to Rwanda's health system, infrastructure, and social programs over the last decade have led to a rapid fertility transition unique from other African countries. The total fertility rate fell from 6.1 in 2005 to 4.6 in 2010, with a 3-fold increase in contraceptive usage. Despite this rapid national decline, many women still have large numbers of children. This study investigates predictors of fertility during this fertility transition to inform policies that improve individuals' reproductive health and guide national development. We used Poisson regression to separately model number of children born to ever married/cohabitated women (n = 8,309) and never married women (n = 1,220) age 15 to 49 based on 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey data. We used backward stepwise regression with a time offset to identify individual and household factors associated with woman's fertility level, accounting for sampling weights, clustering, and stratification. In ever married/cohabitating women, high fertility was significantly associated (p Rwanda's national fertility rate and support families to achieve their desired fertility. Strategies include policies and programs that promote delayed sexual debut via educational and economic opportunities for women, improved access to reproductive health information and services at schools and via health campaigns, and involvement of men in family planning decision making.

Fertility Clinic Success Rates

Science.gov (United States)

... Defects ART and Autism 2013 Assisted Reproductive Technology Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report Recommend on Facebook Tweet ... Additional Information About ART in the United States. Fertility Clinic Tables Introduction to Fertility Clinic Tables [PDF - ...

Does fertility treatment increase the risk of uterine cancer? A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Saso, Srdjan; Louis, Louay S; Doctor, Farah; Hamed, Ali Hassan; Chatterjee, Jayanta; Yazbek, Joseph; Bora, Shabana; Abdalla, Hossam; Ghaem-Maghami, Sadaf; Thum, Meen-Yau

2015-12-01

An ongoing debate over the last two decades has focused on whether fertility treatment in women may lead to an increased risk of developing uterine cancer over a period of time. Uterine cancer (including mainly endometrial carcinoma and the less common uterine sarcoma) is the commonest reproductive tract cancer and the fourth commonest cancer in women in the UK. Our objective was to assess the association between fertility drugs used in the treatment of female infertility (both as an independent therapy and during in vitro fertilization cycles) and the development of uterine cancer. A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases for comparative studies until December 2014 to investigate a clinical significance of fertility treatment on the incidence of developing uterine cancer. General and MESH search headings, as well as the 'related articles' function were applied. All comparative studies of 'fertility treatment' versus 'non-fertility treatment' reporting the incidence of uterine cancer as an outcome were included. Uterine cancer incorporated the following terms: uterine cancer, uterine body tumours, uterine sarcomas and endometrial cancers. The primary outcome of interest was the uterine cancer incidence in all 'fertility treatment' versus 'non-fertility treatment' patient groups. Secondary outcomes of interest were: (a) uterine cancer incidence in 'IVF' versus 'non-IVF' patient groups; and (b) uterine cancer incidence according to type of fertility drug used. Odds ratio was the summary statistic. Random-effects modelling, graphical exploration and sensitivity analysis were used to evaluate the consistency of the calculated treatment effect. We included six studies in our final analysis, which comprised 776,224 patients in total. Of these, 103,758 had undergone fertility treatment and 672,466 had not. There was 100% agreement between the two reviewers regarding the data extraction. All the studies

Fertility and prospects of family planning in The Three Towns.

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, A Y

1983-12-01

This article studies fertility and prospects of family planning in the Three Towns based on data from the survey on the beginning of family limitation in Khartoum province (1975). The data was obtained using a stratified random sample design of currently married women, using the 1973 census records as the sample frame. Family planning is a recent development in the Three Towns. The inherent difficulties (political, administrative, economic and cultural), of organizing an effective program are numerous and complex. The main problem facing the program at present is ignorance rather than failure to act on information already acquired. Most people do not know that fertility control is possible. Lack of communication, rather than lack of motivation is the issue the program should address itself to. Due to social attitudes, much more attention should be given to contacting husbands, informing and motivating them. A material stimulus towards successful encouragement is that contraceptives should be widely available and cheap in relation to the incomes of the masses. This opens a door of economic responsibilities that can not be met by the association alone. Therefore, contacts with philanthropic institutions and individuals, domestically and internationally, are necessary for getting financial help.

Study of Sperm Parameters and Sperm Fertility in Mice were Exposed to Tamoxifen during Embryonic Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Soleimanirad

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Tamoxifen is steroidal drug, which mainly treats breast cancer and also used to stimulate ovulation. The purpose of the present study was the evaluation of sperm parameters and fertility of mice whose mothers had received tamoxifen during pregnancy. Methods: In this study, 30 female and 15 male mice of NMRI were selected for mating. After mating female mice were randomly divided into two groups, the first group (control and second group (experimental. All of which contained 15 mice. From the day 13th day of pregnancy, experimental group has received tamoxifen with the dosage of 5 mg/kg for 7 days. After childbirth of the mated mice, male infants were selected. After reaching the age of puberty (6-8Weeks, adult mice were sacrificed by the cervical dislocation. After take sperm, sperm parameters (count, normality and motility, and sperm fertility was performed. In this study SPSS software and statistical t-test was used (p <0.001. Results: Studies showed that sperm parameters and sperm fertilization were significantly different. The number of sperm in the control group was 83.50±28.20 million, and in the experimental group was 60±14.14 million. There was a decrease in average sperm count in the experimental group compared with the control group (p <0.001. Our findings from in vitro fertilization culture media showed that embryos formation and oocyte disruption between control and experimental groups significantly different (p <0.001. Conclusion: The results showed that tamoxifen exposure during development can cause histological changes in the seminiferous tubules, which can lead to infertility.

International thermal reactor development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zebroski, E.L.

1977-01-01

The worldwide development of nuclear power plants is reviewed. Charts are presented which show the commitment to light-water reactor capacity construction with breakdown by region and country. Additional charts show the major nuclear research centers which have substantial scope in light water reactor development and extensive international activities

PRODUCTIVITY OF GROWING PONDS WHEN APPLYING THE BACTERIAL FERTILIZER «PHOSPHOBAKTERIN»

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Т. Hryhorenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To investigate the effect of the bacterial fertilizer "Phosphobacterin" on the formation of the hydrochemical regime, development of the natural food supply and fish productivity in the growing ponds. Methodology. The work was conducted according to generally accepted hydrochemical,, microbiological, hydrobiological and fish farming methods. Findings The article presents the results of a study of the productivity of growing ponds with different methods of the application of the bacterial fertilizer "Phosphobacterin". It was found that the hydrochemical regime of the experimental ponds was formed under the effect of the source of water supply and measures aimed at intensifying the development of the natural food supply and was favorable for the development of feed organisms and the cultivation of fish seeds. Application of the bacterial fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season along the water pond surface proved to be little effective for increasing the productivity of the pond ecosystem as a whole. A more effective method of increasing biological productivity, including fish productivity of growing ponds, was the application of "Phosphobacterin" during the growing season both on the bed and on the water surface in combination with the organic fertilizer - cattle humus. In the experimental pond under complex fertilization, the average phytoplankton biomass during the growing season was 1.5 times, bacterioplankton 1.1 times, zoobenthos 2.6 times higher, and the obtained total fish productivity was 1.2 times higher than in the control pond (when applying only cattle humus. Originality. The peculiarities of formation of hydrochemical and hydrobiological (phyto-, bacterio-, zooplankton, zoobenthos regimes of growing ponds and the fishery indices are studied, both for bacterial fertilizer "Phosphobacterin" independently and together with the traditional organic fertilizer - cattle humus. Practical value. Based on the obtained results

Long-term effects of prenatal X ray on development and fertility of human females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, M.B.; Tonascia, J.A.; Merz, T.

1976-01-01

This continuing epidemiologic study investigates possible effects of X-ray exposure during foetal life on the subsequent development and fertility of human females and on their offspring. The study population comprises 1458 females exposed in utero to maternal diagnostic X ray such as pelvimetry, and 1458 unexposed controls matched by hospital of birth, parity, race and birthdate (1947-1952). Phase I of the study showed a 10-15% increase in fertility in young exposed women, based on ascertainment of live births and foetal deaths registered in Baltimore City. This statistically significant difference (p=0.011) remained after adjustment for differences between exposed and control women in economic, social and medical factors. Phase II of the study, a direct follow-up of exposed control pairs of women now aged 22-28, continues to show more total pregnancies among exposed women. Exposed-in-utero women had 15% more total pregnancies than controls in 1960-1969, and 7% more in 1970-1975. Exposed and control women are similar in number of siblings, number of children wanted, contraceptive use, and frequency of therapeutic abortion. Other findings suggest possible exposed-control differences in growth, development and behaviour. Exposed women have completed fewer grades of school, have poorer general health, more menstrual problems, more of certain diseases and accidents, and are heavier for height than controls. (author)

Theoretical explanations of the rapid fertility decline in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, C

1986-07-01

A 1982 population census recorded China's fertility rate in 1982 at 2.6; recent statistics of China's State Statistics Bureau record China's 1984 birth rate at 17 per 1000 and the total fertility rate at 1.94. Wu Cangping asserts that this world-recognized rapid fertility decline is not due to any compulsory governmental restrictions on fertility, but to the people's willingness to control fertility voluntarily. He cites a number of socioeconomic factors contributing to this voluntary decline in China's birth rates: 1) change of family function; 2) decline of mortality, particularly infant mortality; 3) improvement in the educational level; 4) improvement in women's social status, especially increased employment; 5) better social security services for the elderly; 6) the preference for modern ways of production and life; and 7) the availability of information on population and birth control. He attributes these factors to the socialist system with its nationalized production, centralized planning of the national economy, and the even distribution system which prevents polarization of earning. In addition, reforms have been carried out in all aspects of social life and recent advances have been made in science and technology. All of these factors have resulted in a more rapid fertility transition in China as compared to that of developed countries in their past and that of developing countries at present.

The Impact of Transport on International Trade Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlović Duško

2016-09-01

Full Text Available International trade implies transport of specific quantity of goods to (frequently large distances, the success of which depends on the safety and speed of delivery. These are greatly conditioned by the quality of means of transport and infrastructure. This is why international trade development is affected by transport, and the development of means of transport and infrastructure is, to a great extent, influenced by demand for international delivery of various commodities. This paper looks at the interdependence of international trade and transport, showing how transport played a very significant role in international trade development in the past as it does today, commensurate to the role of international trade in the development of carriers and transport infrastructure.

The functional role of insulin in fertility and embryonic development-What can we learn from the bovine model?

Science.gov (United States)

Laskowski, D; Sjunnesson, Y; Humblot, P; Andersson, G; Gustafsson, H; Båge, R

2016-07-01

Insulin is a key metabolic hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating energy homeostasis in the body. In addition, insulin-dependent signaling has important functions in reproduction and early embryo development. As metabolism and reproduction are closely linked, metabolic challenges may be the source of reproductive disorders and decreased fertility. This is known for the dairy cow and for other species including the human. Although metabolic disorders in the dairy cow often derive from a failure to adapt to a high milk production, the situation in the human is often linked to emerging conditions and associated diseases in our modern society such as obesity and diabetes, where an excess energy intake causes decreased fertility in women. Both energy excess and energy deficit are associated with a deviation of insulin concentrations in serum and follicular fluid from normal levels. Although many studies have shown that extreme variation in energy supply can negatively influence early embryo development by inducing changes in circulating concentrations of several metabolites or hormones like insulin, several in vitro culture media are still supplemented with insulin in high concentrations. In this review, direct and indirect effects of insulin on fertility will be described. Differences between the in vivo and in vitro situations will also be discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the removal of organic micro-pollutants from anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent by fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis

KAUST Repository

Kim, Youngjin

2017-03-23

In this study, the behavior of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) transport including membrane fouling was assessed in fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) during treatment of the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) effluent. The flux decline was negligible when the FO membrane was oriented with active layer facing feed solution (AL-FS) while severe flux decline was observed with active layer facing draw solution (AL-DS) with di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer as DS due to struvite scaling inside the membrane support layer. DAP DS however exhibited the lowest OMPs forward flux or higher OMPs rejection rate compared to other two fertilizers (i.e., mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) and KCl). MAP and KCl fertilizer DS had higher water fluxes that induced higher external concentration polarization (ECP) and enhanced OMPs flux through the FO membrane. Under the AL-DS mode of membrane orientation, OMPs transport was further increased with MAP and KCl as DS due to enhanced concentrative internal concentration polarization while with DAP the internal scaling enhanced mass transfer resistance thereby lowering OMPs flux. Physical or hydraulic cleaning could successfully recover water flux for FO membranes operated under the AL-FS mode but only partial flux recovery was observed for membranes operated under AL-DS mode because of internal scaling and fouling in the support layer. Osmotic backwashing could however significantly improve the cleaning efficiency.

JV Task-121 Electrochemical Synthesis of Nitrogen Fertilizers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Junhua Jiang; Ted Aulich

2008-11-30

An electrolytic renewable nitrogen fertilizer process that utilizes wind-generated electricity, N{sub 2} extracted from air, and syngas produced via the gasification of biomass to produce nitrogen fertilizer ammonia was developed at the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center. This novel process provides an important way to directly utilize biosyngas generated mainly via the biomass gasification in place of the high-purity hydrogen which is required for Haber Bosch-based production of the fertilizer for the production of the widely used nitrogen fertilizers. Our preliminary economic projection shows that the economic competitiveness of the electrochemical nitrogen fertilizer process strongly depends upon the cost of hydrogen gas and the cost of electricity. It is therefore expected the cost of nitrogen fertilizer production could be considerably decreased owing to the direct use of cost-effective 'hydrogen-equivalent' biosyngas compared to the high-purity hydrogen. The technical feasibility of the electrolytic process has been proven via studying ammonia production using humidified carbon monoxide as the hydrogen-equivalent vs. the high-purity hydrogen. Process optimization efforts have been focused on the development of catalysts for ammonia formation, electrolytic membrane systems, and membrane-electrode assemblies. The status of the electrochemical ammonia process is characterized by a current efficiency of 43% using humidified carbon monoxide as a feedstock to the anode chamber and a current efficiency of 56% using high-purity hydrogen as the anode gas feedstock. Further optimization of the electrolytic process for higher current efficiency and decreased energy consumption is ongoing at the EERC.

Search Results | Page 749 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 7481 - 7490 of 8491 ... Open Development: Networked Innovations in International Development. The emergence of open networked models made possible by digital technology has the potential to transform international development. Open network structures allow people to come together to share information, ...

International Marketing Developing Publishing Business

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenijus Chlivickas

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Lithuanian integration in the financial Eurozone and Lithuanian publishing business development in the European Union and outside it, becomes an important problem requiring a solution. Promoting the dissemination of printed books and literacy in Lithuania and beyond, to properly introduce the achievements of Lithuania in foreign countries, it is important to ensure Lithuanian letter, educational and scientific book publishing development. The article examines the characteristics of the international marketing publishing, the world and Lithuanian state publishing houses on the basis of foreign and Lithuanian scientists theoretical insights about the instruments of international marketing opportunities, developing proposals for publishing business integration of new economic conditions.

Changes in radiosensitivity of the in vitro fertilized mouse ova during zygotic stage from fertilization to first cleavage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Takeshi; Yukawa, Osami; Matsuda, Yoichi; Ohkawa, Akiko

1982-01-01

The radiosensitivity of mouse zygotes fertilized in vitro (BC3F 1 ovum x ICR sperm) to X-rays has been measured as a function of time from fertilization to first cleavage. The dose of X-rays (LD 50 ) required to prevent development of 50% of the zygotes to the blastocyst stage in vitro varied markedly depending on the time of irradiation from about 40 to 400 R. Sensitivity is relatively low shortly after sperm entry and becomes extremely high (LD 50 , 40 R) at the stage just before pronuclear formation (4 to 6 hr after insemination). In the later pronuclear stage (12 hr of fertilization) the sensitivity becomes low (LD 50 , about 400 R), and it increases again just before first cleavage. (author)

Fertility and Life Satisfaction in Rural Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Conzo, Pierluigi; Fuochi, Giulia; Mencarini, Letizia

2017-08-01

Despite recent strong interest in the link between fertility and subjective well-being, the focus has centered on developed countries. For poorer countries, in contrast, the relationship remains rather elusive. Using a well-established panel survey-the Ethiopian Rural Household Survey (ERHS)-we investigate the empirical relationship between fertility and life satisfaction in rural Ethiopia, the largest landlocked country in Africa. Consistent with the fertility theories for developing countries and with the sociodemographic characteristics of rural Ethiopia, we hypothesize that this relationship varies by gender and across life stages, being more positive for men and for parents in old age. Indeed, our results suggest that older men benefit the most in terms of life satisfaction from having a large number of children, while the recent birth of a child is detrimental for the subjective well-being of women at reproductive ages. We address endogeneity issues by using lagged life satisfaction in ordinary least squares regressions, through fixed-effects estimation and the use of instrumental variables.

Containment of fertilizers and pesticides at retail operations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broder, M.F.

1990-06-28

Environmental protection has become as important to the fertilizer retailer as the products and services he offers. Emphasis on environmental protection at the dealer level is largely in response to state regulations designed to protect groundwater. The national Clean Water Act of 1987 gave states the lead in developing groundwater protection strategies. Several states have adopted new or stronger regulations and others are moving to do so. Fertilizer dealers need to keep up with these regulations and promote groundwater protection. This paper describes several containment systems for fertilizers and pesticides to help dealers decide how to modify their plants to protect groundwater.

Bridging Community Development and Environmental Education: Rural Water Conservation in Jordan

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Lexine Tallis

2010-01-01

International community development is a fertile area of research for environmental education scholars and practitioners. Although the community development field is well established, there is relatively little focus on education and learning in community development literature, especially in developing country settings. Particularly,…

Historical nitrogen fertilizer use in agricultural ecosystems of the contiguous United States during 1850-2015: application rate, timing, and fertilizer types

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Peiyu; Lu, Chaoqun; Yu, Zhen

2018-06-01

A tremendous amount of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has been applied to agricultural lands to promote crop production in the US since the 1850s. However, inappropriate N management practices have caused numerous ecological and environmental problems which are difficult to quantify due to the paucity of spatially explicit time-series fertilizer use maps. Understanding and assessing N fertilizer management history could provide important implications for enhancing N use efficiency and reducing N loss. In this study, we therefore developed long-term gridded maps to depict crop-specific N fertilizer use rates, application timing, and the fractions of ammonium N (NH4+-N) and nitrate N (NO3--N) used across the contiguous US at a resolution of 5 km × 5 km during the period from 1850 to 2015. We found that N use rates in the US increased from 0.22 g N m-2 yr-1 in 1940 to 9.04 g N m-2 yr-1 in 2015. Geospatial analysis revealed that hotspots for N fertilizer use have shifted from the southeastern and eastern US to the Midwest, the Great Plains, and the Northwest over the past century. Specifically, corn in the Corn Belt region received the most intensive N input in spring, followed by the application of a large amount of N in fall, implying a high N loss risk in this region. Moreover, spatial-temporal fraction of NH4+-N and NO3--N varied largely among regions. Generally, farmers have increasingly favored ammonia N fertilizers over nitrate N fertilizers since the 1940s. The N fertilizer use data developed in this study could serve as an essential input for modeling communities to fully assess N addition impacts, and improve N management to alleviate environmental problems. Datasets used in this study are available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883585" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883585.

Environmental protection foliar fertilization in areas subject to limitation of fertilizers use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavriluta, I.; Alexandrescu, A; Budoi, G.; Bireescu, L.; Bireescu, G.

1999-01-01

Significant increases of plant productivity have been recorded in field experiments conducted between 1991 - 1994 using general purpose complex foliar fertilizers as well as aminoacid containing complex foliar fertilizers. These increases at the same time had positive environmental effects against chemical pollution, especially with nitrates. As a rule, the greater the degree of nutrient efficiency, especially of nitrate, the lower are the losses, which are subject to transfer to the environment. So in the light of environmental protection against chemical pollution using foliar fertilization is certainly beneficial for crops and for all other components of the agricultural environment giving rise to its significant improvement. Both, foliar and soil fertilization in areas with limitation of fertilizer use should be carried out under a continuous and strict analytical check of plant, soil and water. Refs. 14 (author)

International certification in developing countries: the role of internal and external institutional pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Fikru, Mahelet G

2014-11-01

This paper examines the different internal and external institutional factors that affect the decision of businesses in developing countries to adopt international certification (IC). Past studies focus on pressure from international laws, the role of multinationals, and businesses mimicking practices of their counterparts in developed countries. This paper finds that, in addition to these external factors, internal factors may have a significant role. Even though environmental regulation is weak in developing countries, governments do not ignore industrial pollution and casualties. They respond by increasing bureaucratic regulations for businesses and this can affect the decision to adopt IC. Furthermore, internal pressure may come from workers' unions that push for a safe and healthy working environment. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Development of organic fertilizers from food market waste and urban gardening by composting in Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Jara-Samaniego

Full Text Available Currently, the management of urban waste streams in developing countries is not optimized yet, and in many cases these wastes are disposed untreated in open dumps. This fact causes serious environmental and health problems due to the presence of contaminants and pathogens. Frequently, the use of specific low-cost strategies reduces the total amount of wastes. These strategies are mainly associated to the identification, separate collection and composting of specific organic waste streams, such as vegetable and fruit refuses from food markets and urban gardening activities. Concretely, in the Chimborazo Region (Ecuador, more than 80% of municipal solid waste is dumped into environment due to the lack of an efficient waste management strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a demonstration project at field scale in this region to evaluate the feasibility of implanting the composting technology not only for the management of the organic waste fluxes from food market and gardening activities to be scaled-up in other developing regions, but also to obtain an end-product with a commercial value as organic fertilizer. Three co-composting mixtures were prepared using market wastes mixed with pruning of trees and ornamental palms as bulking agents. Two piles were created using different proportions of market waste and prunings of trees and ornamental palms: pile 1 (50:33:17 with a C/N ratio 25; pile 2: (60:30:10 with C/N ratio 24 and pile 3 (75:0:25 with C/N ratio 33, prepared with market waste and prunings of ornamental palm. Throughout the process, the temperature of the mixtures was monitored and organic matter evolution was determined using thermogravimetric and chemical techniques. Additionally, physico-chemical, chemical and agronomic parameters were determined to evaluate compost quality. The results obtained indicated that all the piles showed a suitable development of the composting process, with a significant organic matter

Development of organic fertilizers from food market waste and urban gardening by composting in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Jara-Samaniego, J; Pérez-Murcia, M D; Bustamante, M A; Paredes, C; Pérez-Espinosa, A; Gavilanes-Terán, I; López, M; Marhuenda-Egea, F C; Brito, H; Moral, R

2017-01-01

Currently, the management of urban waste streams in developing countries is not optimized yet, and in many cases these wastes are disposed untreated in open dumps. This fact causes serious environmental and health problems due to the presence of contaminants and pathogens. Frequently, the use of specific low-cost strategies reduces the total amount of wastes. These strategies are mainly associated to the identification, separate collection and composting of specific organic waste streams, such as vegetable and fruit refuses from food markets and urban gardening activities. Concretely, in the Chimborazo Region (Ecuador), more than 80% of municipal solid waste is dumped into environment due to the lack of an efficient waste management strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a demonstration project at field scale in this region to evaluate the feasibility of implanting the composting technology not only for the management of the organic waste fluxes from food market and gardening activities to be scaled-up in other developing regions, but also to obtain an end-product with a commercial value as organic fertilizer. Three co-composting mixtures were prepared using market wastes mixed with pruning of trees and ornamental palms as bulking agents. Two piles were created using different proportions of market waste and prunings of trees and ornamental palms: pile 1 (50:33:17) with a C/N ratio 25; pile 2: (60:30:10) with C/N ratio 24 and pile 3 (75:0:25) with C/N ratio 33), prepared with market waste and prunings of ornamental palm. Throughout the process, the temperature of the mixtures was monitored and organic matter evolution was determined using thermogravimetric and chemical techniques. Additionally, physico-chemical, chemical and agronomic parameters were determined to evaluate compost quality. The results obtained indicated that all the piles showed a suitable development of the composting process, with a significant organic matter decomposition

[Mechanisms for the increased fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of rice in wheat-rice rotation system under combined application of inorganic and organic fertilizers].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi-Ren; Li, Xiang; Yu, Jie; Shen, Qi-Rong; Xu, Yang-Chun

2012-01-01

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the nitrogen uptake by rice and the nitrogen supply by soil in a wheat-rice rotation system, and approach the mechanisms for the increased fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of rice under the combined fertilization from the viewpoint of microbiology. Comparing with applying inorganic fertilizers, combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers decreased the soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and soil mineral nitrogen contents before tillering stage, but increased them significantly from heading to filling stage. Under the combined fertilization, the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply matched best the dynamics of rice nitrogen uptake and utilization, which promoted the nitrogen accumulation in rice plant and the increase of rice yield and biomass, and increased the fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of rice significantly. Combined application of inorganic and organic fertilizers also promoted the propagation of soil microbes, and consequently, more mineral nitrogen in soil was immobilized by the microbes at rice early growth stage, and the immobilized nitrogen was gradually released at the mid and late growth stages of rice, being able to better satisfy the nitrogen demand of rice in its various growth and development stages.

PTK2b function during fertilization of the mouse oocyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Jinping; McGinnis, Lynda K.; Carlton, Carol; Beggs, Hilary E.; Kinsey, William H.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • PTK2b is expressed in oocytes and is activated following fertilization. • PTK2b suppression in oocytes prevents fertilization, but not parthenogenetic activation. • PTK2b suppression prevents the oocyte from fusing with or incorporating bound sperm. • PTK2b suppressed oocytes that fail to fertilize do not exhibit calcium oscillations. - Abstract: Fertilization triggers rapid changes in intracellular free calcium that serve to activate multiple signaling events critical to the initiation of successful development. Among the pathways downstream of the fertilization-induced calcium transient is the calcium-calmodulin dependent protein tyrosine kinase PTK2b or PYK2 kinase. PTK2b plays an important role in fertilization of the zebrafish oocyte and the objective of the present study was to establish whether PTK2b also functions in mammalian fertilization. PTK2b was activated during the first few hours after fertilization of the mouse oocyte during the period when anaphase resumption was underway and prior to the pronuclear stage. Suppression of PTK2b kinase activity in oocytes blocked sperm incorporation and egg activation although sperm-oocyte binding was not affected. Oocytes that failed to incorporate sperm after inhibitor treatment showed no evidence of a calcium transient and no evidence of anaphase resumption suggesting that egg activation did not occur. The results indicate that PTK2b functions during the sperm-egg fusion process or during the physical incorporation of sperm into the egg cytoplasm and is therefore critical for successful development

PTK2b function during fertilization of the mouse oocyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Jinping [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States); McGinnis, Lynda K. [Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States); Carlton, Carol [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States); Beggs, Hilary E. [Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, CA (United States); Kinsey, William H., E-mail: wkinsey@kumc.edu [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States)

2014-08-01

Highlights: • PTK2b is expressed in oocytes and is activated following fertilization. • PTK2b suppression in oocytes prevents fertilization, but not parthenogenetic activation. • PTK2b suppression prevents the oocyte from fusing with or incorporating bound sperm. • PTK2b suppressed oocytes that fail to fertilize do not exhibit calcium oscillations. - Abstract: Fertilization triggers rapid changes in intracellular free calcium that serve to activate multiple signaling events critical to the initiation of successful development. Among the pathways downstream of the fertilization-induced calcium transient is the calcium-calmodulin dependent protein tyrosine kinase PTK2b or PYK2 kinase. PTK2b plays an important role in fertilization of the zebrafish oocyte and the objective of the present study was to establish whether PTK2b also functions in mammalian fertilization. PTK2b was activated during the first few hours after fertilization of the mouse oocyte during the period when anaphase resumption was underway and prior to the pronuclear stage. Suppression of PTK2b kinase activity in oocytes blocked sperm incorporation and egg activation although sperm-oocyte binding was not affected. Oocytes that failed to incorporate sperm after inhibitor treatment showed no evidence of a calcium transient and no evidence of anaphase resumption suggesting that egg activation did not occur. The results indicate that PTK2b functions during the sperm-egg fusion process or during the physical incorporation of sperm into the egg cytoplasm and is therefore critical for successful development.

Decomposition of Fertilizer Use Intensity and Its Environmental Risk in China’s Grain Production Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Cai

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In order to fully explore the fertilizer use intensity and its potential threats to the ecological environment, this paper has studied the decomposition of fertilizer use intensity and its environmental risk in China’s grain production. Based on the statistical data collected from 10 provinces during 2004–2015 in China’s grain producing areas, this paper has analyzed the effect of fertilizer use intensity from a regional perspective. The environmental risk assessment model considers some factors such as the fertilizer application safety thresholds use efficiency, multiple cropping index, and environmental impact weight. The fertilizer application safety thresholds are calculated on the target output of local food crops. The results show that: (1 during 2004–2015, the fertilizer use intensity shows an increasing trend in China’s grain producing areas, and the intensity is significantly higher than the upper limit of the international safety fertilization; (2 the cumulative contribution rate of the increase of fertilizer use intensity caused by regional fertilizer use efficiency and grain planting structure adjustment are 57.03% and 1.81% respectively; (3 in 2015, China’s grain producing areas’ environmental risk index of phosphorus and potash was low, with the values in these two provinces being quite different and indicating the characteristics of aggregation and distribution. Therefore, the Chinese government should unswervingly encourage the application of some technology that could save fertilizer and increase efficiency, establish environmental risk monitoring and control systems, and improve relevant policies and regulations.

The effect of cigarette smoke on fertilization and pre-implantation development: assessment using animal models, clinical data, and stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prue Talbot

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Numerous studies have repeatedly shown that women who smoke experience problems establishing and maintaining pregnancies, and recent work has further demonstrated that the in utero effects of smoke may not be manifested until months or even years after birth. The purpose of this review is to examine the recent literature dealing with the effects of cigarette smoke on the earliest stages of human prenatal development. Studies in this area have included the use of animal models, patients undergoing in vitro fertilization, and embryonic stem cell models. Events leading to fertilization, such as cumulus expansion, hyperactivation of sperm motility, and oocyte pick-up by the oviduct are all impaired by smoke exposure in animal models. Steps crucial to fertilization such as the acrosome reaction and sperm binding to the zona pellucida are likewise inhibited by cigarette smoke. Preimplantation embryos and stem cells that model embryos show a number of adverse responses to smoke exposure, including poor adhesion to extracellular matrices, diminished survival and proliferation, and increased apoptosis. The current literature demonstrates that the earliest stages of prenatal development are sensitive to smoke exposure and indicates that pregnant women should be advised not to smoke during this time.

Female employment reduces fertility in rural Senegal.

Science.gov (United States)

Van den Broeck, Goedele; Maertens, Miet

2015-01-01

Economic growth and modernization of society are generally associated with fertility rate decreases but which forces trigger this is unclear. In this paper we assess how fertility changes with increased labor market participation of women in rural Senegal. Evidence from high-income countries suggests that higher female employment rates lead to reduced fertility rates but evidence from developing countries at an early stage of demographic transition is largely absent. We concentrate on a rural area in northern Senegal where a recent boom in horticultural exports has been associated with a sudden increase in female off-farm employment. Using survey data we show that employed women have a significantly higher age at marriage and at first childbirth, and significantly fewer children. As causal identification strategy we use instrumental variable and difference-in-differences estimations, combined with propensity score matching. We find that female employment reduces the number of children per woman by 25%, and that this fertility-reducing effect is as large for poor as for non-poor women and larger for illiterate than for literate women. Results imply that female employment is a strong instrument for empowering rural women, reducing fertility rates and accelerating the demographic transition in poor countries. The effectiveness of family planning programs can increase if targeted to areas where female employment is increasing or to female employees directly because of a higher likelihood to reach women with low-fertility preferences. Our results show that changes in fertility preferences not necessarily result from a cultural evolution but can also be driven by sudden and individual changes in economic opportunities.

Psychometric Properties of The Fertility Quality of Life Instrument in Infertile Iranian Women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saman Maroufizadeh

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Infertility and its treatment can have a considerable effect on a person’s quality of life (QoL. The Fertility QoL (FertiQoL questionnaire is currently the most frequently used instrument to measure QoL in people with fertility problems. This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the FertiQoL in infertile Iranian women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 155 women with fertility problems in a referral fertility clinic in Tehran, Iran from January to March 2014. A battery of instruments was used: FertiQoL, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, and a demographic questionnaire. Construct validity of the scale was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA. We assessed internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha and convergent validity was examined by correlating the FertiQoL with SWLS and HADS. Results: The results of the CFA generally supported the four-factor model of Core FertiQoL and two-factor model of Treatment FertiQoL. Both FertiQoL modules and their subscales revealed acceptable internal consistency that ranged from 0.643 to 0.911. However, the FertiQoL might be improved if Q15 and T2 items were removed from the scale. These items had low loadings on the Relational and Environment factors which decreased their internal consistency. The FertiQoL and their subscales significantly correlated with both SWLS and HADS, which confirmed convergent validity. Conclusion: The Persian version of the FertiQoL is a valid, reliable instrument to measure QoL in infertile women and seems to perform as well as the original English Version.

South Korea's low fertility raises European-style issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Haub, C

1991-10-01

A demographic revolution has taken place in South Korea as evidenced by the marked decline in total fertility rate (TFR) from 6 in 1960 to the 1987 level of 1.6. South Korea holds the record for low fertility among developing countries, with women in South Korea averaging fewer children in their lifetimes than do women in Europe. The 1987 TFR for South Korea was even less than that of Sweden, Norway, and France. Emphasizing high initial rates of contraceptive use, family planning (FP) has been a strong component of South Korea's 5-year plans since 1962. Strong governmental support backed the efforts of a large group of FP workers who provided free contraceptives from private physicians. High discontinuation rates resulted, however, and the abortion rate has soared to equal the number of live births. Albeit a developing nation, South Korea now faces the challenges of below replacement fertility more typical of more developed countries. Current fertility levels indicate population increase to approximately 50 million by 2020, followed by a slow decline. While reducing pressure on limited resources, population decline and demographic aging will also demand allocation of a higher proportion of government funds to medical care, and potentially threaten South Korea's competitiveness in the world labor market. Having effected decreases in population growth and fertility, the government reduced the annual sterilization target in 1986 from 300,000 to 60,000 by 1991, and will increasingly turn to the private sector and national health insurance for service provision to all but the poor. A 2-child family norm may be promoted, FP programs expanded to the unmarried and legislation developed to eliminate the preference for sons. Delivery systems may also be reorganized to encourage continued use of contraceptive methods.

Conceptual Design of Fertilizer Applicator for Oil Palm on Terrace Cultivation

Science.gov (United States)

Hermawan, W.

2018-05-01

The mechanical application of fertilizer for oil palm planted on terraces is still constrained by the narrow path which is difficult to pass by a power spreader. The objective of this research was to develop a conceptual design of fertilizer applicator for oil palm planted on terraces. The design requirements were developed based on a) terrace and track conditions, b) fertilizers and fertilization conditions, c) available prime movers, and d) user needs. Five design concepts were obtained: 1) an applicator with left and right arms to distribute the fertilizer, 2) an all-terrain vehicle equipped with a manually operated fertilizer injector, 3) an applicator equipped with a hole digger, 4) an applicator equipped with a shovel, and 5) an applicator equipped with a rotary tiller. The concepts were evaluated and compared with the current power spreader. The evaluation results showed that the applicator equipped with a rotary tiller had the most advantages on the expected criteria. The final design concept uses a 110 cm wide mini crawler tractor as the prime mover and is equipped with a hopper and a spinner disk for metering and conveying the fertilizer, and a 20 cm wide rotary tiller in the front of the machine.

The fertility decline in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, W C; Harbison, S F

1995-01-01

In Sub-Saharan Africa Kenya is a prime example of a country experiencing a rapid decline in fertility and greater contraceptive prevalence. These changes have occurred since 1980 when fertility was high at 8.0 children per woman. In 1993 the total fertility rate (TFR) was 5.4, and the growth rate declined to about 2.0%. This transition is swifter than any country in contemporary Asia or historical Europe. The likely projection for Kenya is attainment of replacement level fertility during the 2020s and a leveling of population at about 100 million persons. Fertility has declined the most in urban areas and central and eastern regions. Bongaarts' proximate determinants (TFR, total marital fertility rate, total natural marital fertility rate, and total fecundity) are reduced to the proportion of currently married women using contraception, the proportion in lactational nonfecund status, and the proportion currently married. Actual fertility change is accounted for by total fertility change of 3.0 children. Lactational infecundability accounts for 0.5 potential births, and changes in marital fertility account for 1.0 reduced births per woman. About 70% of fertility reduction is accounted for by contraception and abortion. During 1977-78 80% of fertility control was due to lactational nonfecundity, 10% to nonmarriage, and 10% to contraception. In 1993 lactational nonfecundity accounted for 50% of the reduction, nonmarriage for 20%, and abortion about 30%. Future fertility is expected to be dependent on contraceptive prevalence. Kenya has experienced the Coale paradigm of preconditions necessary for demographic transition (willing, ready, and able). High fertility in Africa is not intractable. Creating the change in attitudes that leads to readiness is linked to education, health, and exposure to modernizing media and urban lifestyles. The public sector family planning program in Kenya has created the opportunity for access and availability of contraception. The key

Ovulation monitoring and fertility knowledge: Their relationship to fertility experience in a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Righarts, Antoinette; Dickson, Nigel P; Parkin, Lianne; Gillett, Wayne R

2017-08-01

Various aspects of fertility knowledge, including the timing of the fertile window, have consistently been found to be poor. Limited evidence also suggests ovulation monitoring to time intercourse could be common. However, there have been no studies that compare these two aspects of fertility and women's fertility/infertility experiences. To examine the frequency of ovulation monitoring and its relationship with fertility knowledge and experience. A cross-sectional study of women aged 25-50 years resident in southern New Zealand was undertaken in 2011. Randomly selected women were asked to complete a fertility questionnaire. Outcome prevalence measures were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and associations investigated using χ 2 tests and Poisson regression. Ovulation monitoring was common, having ever been undertaken by 31.4% (95% CI: 28.5-34.3%) of the 1034 participants. However, knowledge was poor, particularly regarding the fertile window. More women who had ever monitored ovulation correctly identified the fertile window, although the proportion was still very low (18.4 vs 13.1% in those who had not, P = 0.027). Regression modelling showed ovulation monitoring was independently associated with seeking medical help to conceive, education and fertility experience, but not with knowledge. This study confirms ovulation monitoring was commonly undertaken. However, many women, including those who had monitored their ovulation, had poor fertility knowledge and failed to identify the fertile window. Poor fertility knowledge needs to be addressed, especially among women intending to conceive. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Some relations among cultural traditions, nuptiality and fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Coale, A J

1991-01-01

Demographic transition is a period characterized by changes in mortality and fertility that accompany modernization and economic development. Typical features of age at first marriage among populations in different stages of demographic transition are described including the changes in age at marriage, the association between marriage age changes and fertility control, and the role of cultural and traditional behavior in influencing age at marriage and initiation of fertility control. In the Western model, there was a late age of marriage for women between 23 and 28 years old, and a high proportion of women who remain single until 50 years old (10-25%). The Eastern European model was one of moderately early marriage (mean age 19-22) and a small proportion remaining single (2-5%). The third model was Asian and African with early (mean age of 18 years) and universal marriage (1% unmarried). The reduction in number married was associated with reduced fertility. The differences between the Eastern and Western models were in household composition. In premodern societies, any fertility control present was governed by custom and limited biomedical influences such as duration of breast feeding and sexual abstention following a birth. These practices were not considered deliberate fertility control. The mean age of marriage in India was 14 years until 1941 and slowly reached 18.4 years in 1981. Fertility did not begin to decline until after 1960. Examples are given of the close association between marital fertility that is voluntary controlled and mean age at marriage. The influences of culture and traditions on the association between mean age of marriage and voluntary fertility control are shown by examples from the Soviet Union. The eastern part of the Soviet Union experienced a rise in mean age of marriage and an unsustained decline in marital fertility similar to that in China. There were also similarities in nuptiality and fertility between other areas in the Soviet

Effect of famine on fertility in a rural area of Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Razzaque, A

1988-07-01

Data on household socioeconomic status collected in the 1974 census and registration data on births, deaths, and migrations for the 1974-77 period from the Demographic Surveillance System of the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, were used to investigate the effects of the 1974-75 famine on differential fertility in a rural population of Bangladesh. Occupation of household head was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. Overall, fertility declined by 34% over the 1975-76 period and increased by 17% in 1976-77 from the 1974-75 figure. Significantly lower fertility was observed in 1975-76, irrespective of socioeconomic status, but the lower socioeconomic groups were affected more than the higher groups. Post-famine fertility was significantly higher only in the 2 middle occupation categories. The age-specific fertility rates suggest that the famine affected all age groups. The post-famine fertility was higher than that of 1974-75 in all but those aged below 20. At age 40 and over the recovery was slight. Husband-wife separation showed an increase during the famine and particularly among the lower socioeconomic groups. The males of the lower socioeconomic households migrated to other regions to obtain food for the family, thus affecting frequency of coitus. The decline in fertility may be due to several factors: deferred marriage; increase in divorces and husband-wife separations; high fetal wastage; voluntary fertility control through contraception, abstention, or induced abortion; and infecundability. An indirect measure of marriage rate indicated that fewer couples entered into marriage in 1974-75, particularly in the lower socioeconomic groups. Both the higher and lower socioeconomic groups were affected by the famine but the precise mechanisms were not the same. At this stage, it is not feasible to estimate the contribution of each factor to the fertility decline. The lower socioeconomic groups were more affected by husband

Fertilizer nitrogen leaching in relation to water regime and the fertilizer placement method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moustafa, A.T.A.; Khadr, M.S.

1983-01-01

A field experiment was conducted at the farm of Sids Experimental Station, Ministry of Agriculture, Middle Egypt, to evaluate the effect of the water regime and fertilizer placement method on the leaching of urea fertilizer under field conditions. Ordinary and heavy irrigations were the water regimes, while side-banding and surface broadcasting were the fertilizer placement methods. Wheat (Giza 158, local variety) was planted, and urea labelled with 15 N at the rate of 100 kg N/ha was added at planting. The data obtained showed that in general the leaching process of urea fertilizer, as evaluated from the amounts of fertilizer nitrogen residues, is not uniform even within replicates. This is despite the fact that the average total amount of fertilizer nitrogen residues in the soil profile to a depth of 125 cm is almost the same in the different treatments. Data also show that the bulk of fertilizer nitrogen residues is accumulated in the surface soil layers, especially at 0-25 cm. Only 10% of the fertilizer nitrogen is detected below 75 cm and up to 125 cm depth of the soil profile. It could be concluded that urea leaching (amount and depth) under these conditions is affected mainly by the soil characteristics, namely soil pores. This is in addition to some other factors that cause variable concentrations in the soil solution leaving the root zone. (author)

Aqueous and gaseous nitrogen losses induced by fertilizer application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, C.; Maggi, F.; Riley, W.J.; Hornberger, G.M.; Xu, T.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Spycher, N.; Miller, N.L.; Venterea, R.T.; Steefel, C.

2009-01-15

In recent years concern has grown over the contribution of nitrogen (N) fertilizer use to nitrate (NO{sub 3}{sup -}) water pollution and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O), nitric oxide (NO), and ammonia (NH{sub 3}) atmospheric pollution. Characterizing soil N effluxes is essential in developing a strategy to mitigate N leaching and emissions to the atmosphere. In this paper, a previously described and tested mechanistic N cycle model (TOUGHREACT-N) was successfully tested against additional observations of soil pH and N{sub 2}O emissions after fertilization and irrigation, and before plant emergence. We used TOUGHREACT-N to explain the significantly different N gas emissions and nitrate leaching rates resulting from the different N fertilizer types, application methods, and soil properties. The N{sub 2}O emissions from NH{sub 4}{sup +}-N fertilizer were higher than from urea and NO{sub 3}{sup -}-N fertilizers in coarse-textured soils. This difference increased with decreases in fertilization application rate and increases in soil buffering capacity. In contrast to methods used to estimate global terrestrial gas emissions, we found strongly non-linear N{sub 2}O emissions as a function of fertilizer application rate and soil calcite content. Speciation of predicted gas N flux into N{sub 2}O and N{sub 2} depended on pH, fertilizer form, and soil properties. Our results highlighted the need to derive emission and leaching factors that account for fertilizer type, application method, and soil properties.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A DIGESTER FOR BIOGAS AND ORGANIC FERTILIZER GENERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osvaldo Manuel Nuñez Bosch

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In the present work the design and construction of a fixed dome biogas plant for the treatment of pig droppings through anaerobic digestion is shown. The methodology to calculate the dimensions of the plant is described; the plant is able to process 200 kg/day of dung, and 6,1 m3 of biogas and 3,4 t/year of fertilizer are obtained. The elements of the biogas plant and constructing materials are specified. The biogas is used for cooking foods which substitute firewood and petroleum liquefied gas (PLG, with the compost produced every month 0,72 ha/year of soil is fertilized, protecting it from erosion and giving it back the fertility. It has been estimated that agricultural production raised 10% due to organic fertilizer application, especially vegetables; in other agricultural crops the increment has been lower. The cash flow methodology gave up a positive net present value (NPV of 43 634,89 CUP at a discount rate of 10%, internal rate of return (IRR of 30%, and payback period of 3,72 years.

Design and construction of a digester for biogas and organic fertilizer generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuñez Bosch, Osvaldo Manuel

2016-01-01

In the present work the design and construction of a fixed dome biogas plant for the treatment of pig droppings through anaerobic digestion is shown. The methodology to calculate the dimensions of the plant is described; the plant is able to process 200 kg/day of dung, and 6,1 m3 of biogas and 3,4 t/year of fertilizer are obtained. The elements of the biogas plant and constructing materials are specified. The biogas is used for cooking foods which substitute firewood and petroleum liquefied gas (PLG), with the compost produced every month 0,72 ha/year of soil is fertilized, protecting it from erosion and giving it back the fertility. It has been estimated that agricultural production raised 10% due to organic fertilizer application, especially vegetables; in other agricultural crops the increment has been lower. The cash flow methodology gave up a positive net present value (NPV) of 43 634,89 CUP at a discount rate of 10%, internal rate of return (IRR) of 30%, and payback period of 3,72 years. (author)

Male Fertility Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Fertility issues are common in boys and men getting cancer treatment. Fertility preservation options include sperm banking, testicular shielding, testicular sperm extraction (TESE), and testicular tissue freezing. Support and clinical trials are listed.

Uptake of fertilizer nitrogen and soil nitrogen by rice using 15N-labelled nitrogen fertilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, K.R.; Patrick, W.H. Jr.

1980-01-01

Data from five field experiments using labelled nitrogen fertilizer were used to determine the relative effects of soil nitrogen and fertilizer nitrogen on rice yield. Yield of grain was closely correlated with total aboveground nitrogen uptake (soil + fertilizer), less closely correlated with soil nitrogen uptake and not significantly correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake. When yield increase rather than yield was correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake, the correlation coefficient was statistically significant. (orig.)

Global Phosphorus Fertilizer Market and National Policies: A Case Study Revisiting the 2008 Price Peak

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolay Khabarov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The commodity market super-cycle and food price crisis have been associated with rampant food insecurity and the Arab spring. A multitude of factors were identified as culprits for excessive volatility on the commodity markets. However, as it regards fertilizers, a clear attribution of market drivers explaining the emergence of extreme price events is still missing. In this paper, we provide a quantitative assessment of the price spike of the global phosphorus fertilizer market in 2008 focusing on diammonium phosphate (DAP. We find that fertilizer market policies in India, the largest global importer of phosphorus fertilizers and phosphate rock, turned out to be a major contributor to the global price spike. India doubled its import of P-fertilizer in 2008 at a time when prices doubled. The analysis of a wide set of factors pertinent to the 2008 price spike in phosphorus fertilizer market leads us to the discovery of a price spike magnification and triggering mechanisms. We find that the price spike was magnified on the one hand by protective trade measures of fertilizer suppliers leading to a 19% drop in global phosphate fertilizer export. On the other hand, the Indian fertilizer subsidy scheme led to farmers not adjusting their demand for fertilizer. The triggering mechanism appeared to be the Indian production outage of P-fertilizer resulting in the additional import demand for DAP in size of about 20% of annual global supply. The main conclusion is that these three factors have jointly caused the spike, underscoring the need for ex ante improvements in fertilizer market regulation on both national and international levels.

The cultural evolution of fertility decline

Science.gov (United States)

Colleran, Heidi

2016-01-01

Cultural evolutionists have long been interested in the problem of why fertility declines as populations develop. By outlining plausible mechanistic links between individual decision-making, information flow in populations and competition between groups, models of cultural evolution offer a novel and powerful approach for integrating multiple levels of explanation of fertility transitions. However, only a modest number of models have been published. Their assumptions often differ from those in other evolutionary approaches to social behaviour, but their empirical predictions are often similar. Here I offer the first overview of cultural evolutionary research on demographic transition, critically compare it with approaches taken by other evolutionary researchers, identify gaps and overlaps, and highlight parallel debates in demography. I suggest that researchers divide their labour between three distinct phases of fertility decline—the origin, spread and maintenance of low fertility—each of which may be driven by different causal processes, at different scales, requiring different theoretical and empirical tools. A comparative, multi-level and mechanistic framework is essential for elucidating both the evolved aspects of our psychology that govern reproductive decision-making, and the social, ecological and cultural contingencies that precipitate and sustain fertility decline. PMID:27022079

[The relationship between selected socioeconomic characteristics and fertility].

Science.gov (United States)

Araica, H

1980-01-01

Until about a decade ago, the countries of the Central American isthmus had some of the highest population growth rates in the world due to a spectacular decline in mortality and continued high fertility. In the 1960s nonprofit organizations appeared which publicized the possibility of family planning in the hope of avoiding abortion and its sequelae. Financing from international and bilateral organizations enabled government family planning programs to distribute contraceptives, resulting in a demographic change induced from the exterior and skipping of some steps in the demographic transition. The passage to a more moderate level of fertility is observable in all the countries of the region to a greater or lesser degree and in varying magnitudes depending on social class and economic power. Information on differential fertility from the 1976 Costa Rica Fertility Survey suggests the course of development in the next few years in the other countries of Central America. Age of entry into first union averaged 19.0 years for the total sample of women aged 25-44; it was higher in urban areas and almost a year lower in most rural areas. Female educational level had a greater effect; age at 1st union was 18.2 for those with less than 3 years of education and 20.9 for those with over 10 years. Women with less than 3 years of education had a total of 6.6 children, while those with 6-10 years had 3.0 and those with over 10 years had 2.1. Women in the San Jose metropolitan area had 3.3 children, and women in the most rural areas had 5.4. Currently working women had 3.6 children and those who had never worked had 4.7 children. 83.0% of the total sample in metropolitan San Jose, 75.0% in urban areas outside the central valley, and 74.6% in rural areas outside the central valley used contraception. 68.5% with less than 3 years of education but 82.2% with over 10 years used contraception. 81.6% currently working but 79.0% who had never worked used some method.

Mental disorders in childhood and young adulthood among children born to women with fertility problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Svahn, M F; Hargreave, M; Nielsen, T S S; Plessen, K J; Jensen, S M; Kjaer, S K; Jensen, A

2015-09-01

, version 10. During a mean follow-up period of 21 years (range, 0-40 years), 168 686 (7%) children were admitted to hospital or had an outpatient contact for a mental disorder. Children born to women with fertility problems had a significantly higher risk of any mental disorder (HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.20-1.26) and for most of the 11 main discharge groups, including schizophrenia (HR 1.16; 95% CI 1.07-1.27), mood (affective) disorders (HR 1.21; 95% CI 1.15-1.28) and disorders of psychological development (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.09-1.21) as well as the subgroup of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.29-1.45) compared with children born to women without fertility problems. The risk estimates did not change markedly when analyses were performed separately for mental disorders diagnosed during childhood (0-19 years) and in young adulthood (20-40 years). The true risk of mental disorders may be somewhat underestimated, as only severe disorders requiring hospital admission or outpatient contact were considered as events. Furthermore, we could not determine whether the increased risks observed were due to factors related to the underlying infertility or to fertility treatment procedures. This is the first report on mental disorders in adulthood among children born to women with fertility problems. Furthermore, we have assessed the risk of several severe mental disorders not previously studied (e.g. neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders and disorders of adult personality and behaviour). These important findings should be investigated further in large epidemiological studies designed to differentiate between factors related to fertility treatment and to the underlying infertility. The study was supported by internal funding from the Unit of Virus, Lifestyle and Genes at the Danish Cancer Society Research Center. All authors report no conflicts of interest. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human

Selection of inorganic-based fertilizers in forward osmosis for water desalination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tripti Mishra

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The current study aims at the selection of an appropriate draw solute for forward osmosis process. Separation and recovery of the draw solute are the major criteria for the selection of draw solute for forward osmosis process. Therefore in this investigation six inorganic fertilizers draws solute were selected. The selections of inorganic fertilizers as draw solute eliminate the need of removal and recovery of draw solute from the final product. The final product water of forward osmosis process has direct application in agricultural as nutrient rich water for irrigation. These inorganic fertilizers were tested based on their water extraction (water flux capacity. This experimental water flux was compared with the observed water flux. It was noted that the observed water flux is much higher than the attained experimental water flux. The difference of these two fluxes was used to calculate the performance ratio of each selected fertilizer. Highest performance ratio was shown by low molecular weight compound ammonium nitrate (22.73 and potassium chloride (21.03 at 1 M concentration, whereas diammonium phosphate (DAP which has highest molecular weight among all the selected fertilizer show the lowest performance ratio (10.02 at 2 M concentration. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12660 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2 2015: 319-329

Innovative fertility preservation strategies and programs for young adults with cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnson RH

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Rebecca H Johnson Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Mary Bridge Hospital, MultiCare Health System, Tacoma, WA, USA Abstract: Preservation of fertility is a key issue for young adults newly diagnosed with cancer. Up to 90% of cancer patients under the age of 45 are at risk for fertility impairment following cancer therapy. Cancer patients who are not offered fertility preservation (FP and those who become infertile following therapy may experience long-term psychosocial distress. This review summarizes the numerous effective strategies for preserving fertility, including sperm banking, electroejaculation, and testicular sperm extraction in males and cryopreservation of embryos or oocytes in females. This paper also highlights novel methods currently in development, such as gonadal tissue cryopreservation and in vitro maturation of gametes. In women, anti-Mullerian hormone is emerging as an accurate marker of ovarian reserve, and the use of gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs to protect fertility is increasingly well validated. Although national guidelines mandate FP counseling and referral prior to the start of cancer therapy for patients with reproductive potential, only a minority of young cancer patients in the USA currently take steps to preserve fertility prior to the start of therapy. Some cancer centers across the USA are developing institutional strategies to support FP, resulting in increased utilization of fertility services by newly diagnosed cancer patients. Keywords: young adult, cancer, fertility preservation, program, oocyte, sperm

MODERN TRENDS OF DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DERIVATIVES MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Shelydko

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Article is devoted to analysis of structure and peculiarities of development of the international derivatives market. The history of formation of the international derivatives market is investigated. The nature, functions and advantages of use of derivatives, and also their role in the modern international securities market are defined. Classification of financial derivatives is considered. Product lines of financial derivatives are analyzed. The regional structure of the international derivatives market and dynamics of its development are investigated. The comparative characteristic of volumes and structure of exchange and over-the-counter segments of international derivatives market are carried out. Dynamics and structure of international markets of interest-bearing derivatives and currency derivatives are analyzed. The fundamental trends of development of the modern international derivatives market are defined.

Fertilization and development of eggs of the South African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, on sounding rockets in space.

Science.gov (United States)

Ubbels, G A; Berendsen, W; Kerkvliet, S; Narraway, J

1992-01-01

Egg rotation and centrifugation experiments strongly suggest a role for gravity in the determination of the spatial structure of amphibian embryos. Decisive experiments can only be made in Space. Eggs of Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad, were the first vertebrate eggs which were successfully fertilized on Sounding Rockets in Space. Unfixed, newly fertilized eggs survived reentry, and a reasonable number showed a seemingly normal gastrulation but died between gastrulation and neurulation. Only a few reached the larval stage, but these developed abnormally. In the future, we intend to test whether this abnormal morphogenesis is due to reentry perturbations, or due to a real microgravity effect, through perturbation of the reinitiation of meiosis and other processes, or started by later sperm penetration.

Modeling Spatial and Temporal Variability in Ammonia Emissions from Agricultural Fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramanian, S.; Koloutsou-Vakakis, S.; Rood, M. J.

2013-12-01

Ammonia (NH3), is an important component of the reactive nitrogen cycle and a precursor to formation of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). Predicting regional PM concentrations and deposition of nitrogen species to ecosystems requires representative emission inventories. Emission inventories have traditionally been developed using top down approaches and more recently from data assimilation based on satellite and ground based ambient concentrations and wet deposition data. The National Emission Inventory (NEI) indicates agricultural fertilization as the predominant contributor (56%) to NH3 emissions in Midwest USA, in 2002. However, due to limited understanding of the complex interactions between fertilizer usage, farm practices, soil and meteorological conditions and absence of detailed statistical data, such emission estimates are currently based on generic emission factors, time-averaged temporal factors and coarse spatial resolution. Given the significance of this source, our study focuses on developing an improved NH3 emission inventory for agricultural fertilization at finer spatial and temporal scales for air quality modeling studies. Firstly, a high-spatial resolution 4 km x 4 km NH3 emission inventory for agricultural fertilization has been developed for Illinois by modifying spatial allocation of emissions based on combining crop-specific fertilization rates with cropland distribution in the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions model. Net emission estimates of our method are within 2% of NEI, since both methods are constrained by fertilizer sales data. However, we identified localized crop-specific NH3 emission hotspots at sub-county resolutions absent in NEI. Secondly, we have adopted the use of the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) Biogeochemistry model to simulate the physical and chemical processes that control volatilization of nitrogen as NH3 to the atmosphere after fertilizer application and resolve the variability at the hourly scale

Development of new historical global Nitrogen fertilizer map and the evaluation of their impacts on terrestrial N cycling and the evaluation of their impacts on terrestrial N cycling

Science.gov (United States)

Nishina, K.; Ito, A.; Hayashi, S.

2015-12-01

The use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer was rapidly growing up after the birth of Haber-Bosch process in the early 20th century. The recent N loading derived from these sources on terrestrial ecosystems was estimated 2 times higher than biogenic N fixation in terrestrial ecosystems (Gruber et al., 2009). However, there are still large uncertainties in cumulative N impacts on terrestrial impact at global scale. In this study, to assess historical N impacts at global scale, we made a new global N fertilizer input map, which was a spatial-temporal explicit map (during 1960-2010) and considered the fraction of NH4+ and NO3- in the N fertilizer inputs. With the developed N fertilizer map, we evaluated historical N20 cycling changes by land-use changes and N depositions in N cycling using ecosystem model 'VISIT'. Prior to the downscaling processes for global N fertilizer map, we applied the statistical data imputation to FAOSTAT data due to there existing many missing data especially in developing countries. For the data imputation, we used multiple data imputation method proposed by Honaker & King (2010). The statistics of various types of synthetic fertilizer consumption are available in FAOSTAT, which can be sorted by the content of NH4+ and NO3-, respectively. To downscaling the country by country N fertilizer consumptions data to the 0.5˚x 0.5˚ grid-based map, we used historical land-use map in Earthstat (Rumankutty et al., 1999). Before the assignment of N fertilizer in each grid, we weighted the double cropping regions to be more N fertilizer input on to these regions. Using M3-Crops Data (Monfreda et al., 2008), we picked up the dominant cropping species in each grid cell. After that, we used Crop Calendar in SAGE dataset (Sacks et al., 2010) and determined schedule of N fertilizer input in each grid cell using dominant crop calendar. Base fertilizer was set to be 7 days before transplanting and second fertilizer to be 30 days after base fertilizer application

Female employment reduces fertility in rural Senegal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goedele Van den Broeck

Full Text Available Economic growth and modernization of society are generally associated with fertility rate decreases but which forces trigger this is unclear. In this paper we assess how fertility changes with increased labor market participation of women in rural Senegal. Evidence from high-income countries suggests that higher female employment rates lead to reduced fertility rates but evidence from developing countries at an early stage of demographic transition is largely absent. We concentrate on a rural area in northern Senegal where a recent boom in horticultural exports has been associated with a sudden increase in female off-farm employment. Using survey data we show that employed women have a significantly higher age at marriage and at first childbirth, and significantly fewer children. As causal identification strategy we use instrumental variable and difference-in-differences estimations, combined with propensity score matching. We find that female employment reduces the number of children per woman by 25%, and that this fertility-reducing effect is as large for poor as for non-poor women and larger for illiterate than for literate women. Results imply that female employment is a strong instrument for empowering rural women, reducing fertility rates and accelerating the demographic transition in poor countries. The effectiveness of family planning programs can increase if targeted to areas where female employment is increasing or to female employees directly because of a higher likelihood to reach women with low-fertility preferences. Our results show that changes in fertility preferences not necessarily result from a cultural evolution but can also be driven by sudden and individual changes in economic opportunities.

Review: Biological fertilization and its effect on medicinal and aromatic plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KHALID ALI KHALID

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Khalid KA. 2012. Review: Biological fertilization and its effect on medicinal and aromatic plants. Nusantara Bioscience 4: 124-133. The need of increase food production in the most of developing countries becomes an ultimate goal to meet the dramatic expansion of their population. However, this is also associated many cases with a reduction of the areas of arable land which leaves no opinion for farmers but to increase the yield per unit area through the use of improved the crop varieties, irrigation and fertilization. The major problem facing the farmer is that he cannot afford the cost of these goods, particularly that of chemical fertilizers. Moreover, in countries where fertilizer production relies on imported raw materials, the costs are even higher for farmer and for the country. Besides this, chemical fertilizers production and utilization are considered as air, soil and water polluting operations. The utilization of bio-fertilizers is considered today by many scientists as a promising alternative, particularly for developing countries. Bio-fertilization is generally based on altering the rhizosphere flora, by seed or soil inoculation with certain organisms, capable of inducing beneficial effects on a compatible host. Bio-fertilizers mainly comprise nitrogen fixes (Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirellum, Azolla or blue green algae, phosphate dissolvers or vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas and silicate bacteria. These organisms may affect their host plant by one or more mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, production of growth promoting substances or organic acids, enhancing nutrient uptake or protection against plant pathogens. Growth characters, yield, essential oil and its constituents, fixed oil, carbohydrates, soluble sugars and nutrients contents of medicinal and aromatic plants were significantly affected by adding the biological fertilizers compared with recommended chemical fertilizers.

Effect of Cumulus cell co-culture and Protein Supplement on Success of in vitro Fertilization and Development of Pre-implanted Embryos in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad-Baqir M-R. Fakhrildin

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Successful oocyte fertilization and normal embryonic development of mice were considered the most important diagnostic criteria for the safety of materials and tools used for human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET. Therefore, we studied the influence of cumulus cells co-culture and protein supplement within culture medium on percentages of in vitro fertilization (IVF and normal development of early stages of mouse embryo later. Oocytes were collected and treated with hyaluronidase to remove cumulus cells. Oocytes were divided into four groups namely: Group-1: Oocytes incubated within modified Earl’s medium (MEM supplied with 10% inactivated bovine amniotic fluid as a protein source and cumulus cells; Group-2: Oocytes incubated with MEM supplied with cumulus cells only; Group-3: Oocytes incubated with MEM supplied with 10% inactivated bovine amniotic fluid only; and Group-4: Oocytes  incubated with MEM free of both protein source and cumulus cells. For IVF, 5-6 oocytes were incubated with active spermatozoa under paraffin oil for 18-20 hours at 37° oC in 5% CO2. Percentages of IVF and embryonic development were then recorded. Best results for IVF and normal embryonic development were achieved from oocytes of Group-1 when compared to the other groups. As compared to Group-1, the percentage of IVF for Group-2 and Group-3 were decreased insignificantly and significantly (P<0.002, respectively. Significant (P<0.01 reduction in the percentages of IVF and normal embryonic development were reported in Group-4 as compared to Group-1. Therefore, it was concluded that the presence of cumulus cells co-culture and bovine amniotic fluid as a protein source within culture medium may have an important role on the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa and oocytes and normal development of pre-implanted mouse embryo later.

Margaret Biggs | IDRC - International Development Research Centre

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Margaret served as President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) from 2008-2013, where she oversaw Canada's international development and humanitarian assistance efforts worldwide. Previously, Margaret served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet and Assistant Secretary, Priorities and ...

The Rule of Organic Fertilizer on Fertilizer Efficiency and Requirement Rate for Vegetable Crop on Inceptisols Ciherang, Bogor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ladiyani Retno Widowati

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Utilization of organic fertilizer is an alternative to increase soil health and supply a small amount of plant nutrient. Meanwhile agricultural soil in Indonesia commonly have low organic carbon content (<2% therefore application of organic fertilizer is recommended. Based on that, the aim of the research is to measure the effectiveness of organic fertilizer on caisim (Brassica chinensis L. growth, to measure the release of N-NO3- and N-NH4+, to determine the recommendation of organic fertilizer for caisim on Incentisols Ciherang, Bogor. The research had been conducted at Research and Soil Testing Laboratory and green house of Soil Research Institute, Laladon – Bogor on April to July 2008 using soil sample of Inceptisols Ciherang, Bogor. The treatments were: Control (no fertilizer, NPK, NPK + 500 kg organic fertilizer, ¾ NPK + 500 kg organic fertilizer, ½ NPK + 500 kg organic fertilizer, ¼ NPK + 500 kg organic fertilizer, organic fertilizer 500kg, organic fertilizer 1000 kg, NPK + 750 kg organic fertilizer, and NPK + 250 kg organic fertilizer. The five replications research had been conducted with Completely Randomized Design. The result indicated thats: (1 NPK fertilizer increased with addition of organic fertilizer approved by the evidence of increasing of plant high 2-10%, leaves number 1-2%, and crop production 16-36%. The relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE of treatment NPK+various rate of organic fertilizer were higher than NPK alone with value of 136-181%. (2 The release of NH4+-N and NO3--N from anorganic fertilizer (NPK treatment in four weeks incubation period showed balance proportion with N rate. Nitrogen released from organic fertilizer in the same incubation period are 5.39 mg NH4+-N kg-1 and 12.39 mg NO3- -N kg-1. (3 The best organic fertilizer rate based on fertilizer curve for Inceptisols Cicadas-Bogor having low C and N-organic is 560 kg organic fertilizer + NPK (300 kg Urea ha-1; 50 kg SP-36 ha-1; 50 kg KCl ha-1 produce

The international atom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1962-12-31

The film explains in basic terms nuclear fission, the use of nuclear power (propulsion of ships), the production and use of radioisotopes (medicine-radioactive tracers, sterilization of instruments; agriculture-fertilizers, screw-worm elimination, irradiation of food; industry). Demonstrates international co-operation and research in the nuclear field

Effects of commonly used chemical fertilizers on development of free-living stages of Haemonchus contortus in experimentally infected pasture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tapas Kumar Roul

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Aim: The effects of N-P-K fertilizers in the form of urea, single super phosphate and muriate of potash on development of free-living stages of Haemonchus contortus were studied. Materials and Methods: Five parasite free experimental plots of 1 mx1 m area, each of paddy leaves (15-day-old and an equal number of Cynodon dactylon grass were infested with about 10x104 eggs/ml phosphate buffer saline along with the application of the calculated amount of fertilizers solution. On the 10th day of posttreatment, the pasture was cut, processed, larvae recovered by Baermann method and counted, which was expressed as number of L3 per kg dry matter (DM of pasture. Results: The average recovered population of L3 of H. contortus per kg DM varied significantly (p0.05. Conclusion: This study shown that when N-P-K fertilizers administered at recommended level, significantly reduced larval translation of H. contortus minimizing pasture infectivity for the free range grazing animals.

Fertility and sexual function in female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors of reproductive age.

Science.gov (United States)

Eeltink, Corien M; Incrocci, Luca; Witte, Birgit I; Meurs, Saskia; Visser, Otto; Huijgens, Peter; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M

2013-12-01

To assess the perceived fertility status and to determine the association between perceived fertility status and sexual function, as reported by young female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Young female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors are at risk of infertility and impaired sexual function. However, little is known about their awareness of infertility and its association with sexual functioning. A descriptive questionnaire survey. In this cross-sectional study, a survey was completed by female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (40 years). Outcome measures included self-reported fertility status and sexual problems and the internationally validated Female Sexual Function Index. In total, 36 survivors were included (mean age 32 years, SD 4). Eighteen women (50%) thought themselves fertile. Eight survivors (22%) who perceived themselves as being infertile were more often treated with alkylator-based chemotherapy, and 63% reported sexual dysfunction. Ten survivors (28%) were not aware as to whether they were fertile or not; seven of these would like to have children. The reported fertility status was related to age and chemotherapy regimen. Regarding sexuality, 14 (39%) of the female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors reported one or more sexual problem and none reported recovery. Female sexual dysfunction according to the Female Sexual Function Index was reported by 11 (31%) survivors. Almost 30% of Hodgkin lymphoma survivors do not know whether they are fertile or not. Overall sexual dysfunction is common in Hodgkin lymphoma survivors and comparable to the general population. However, a lack of desire was significantly more often reported in female Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. To prevent assumed infertility and unintended childlessness by postponing parenthood in young female survivors, awareness of fertility status is needed. There is also a need to routinely assess sexual function and provide adequate interventions to improve arousal and lubrication problems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GIS Modelling for Site-Specific Nitrogen Fertilization towards Soil Sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonis Papadopoulos

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Farmers need to make decisions that in most cases incorporate the concept of prediction and can hardly be revoked. One such decision is the application of fertilizing inputs. During past crop management and decision-making on fertilizing practices, many significant errors have been recorded, which have led and continue to lead to reduced production and environmental burden. The methodology followed in this paper involves the use of GIS, fuzzy logic and expert knowledge, in order to model physical processes associated with nitrogen balance in cultivated ecosystems and to evaluate the capabilities of or limitations on the use of certain fertilizers, based on spatial criteria. An original spatial decision support system was designed, developed and applied in a given study area. The system is composed of two modules (“fertilizing rate” and “fertilizing type”, making use of soil, climate and cultivation practices’ data, as recorded in the area of interest in quantitative or categorical form. The results of the application spatially classify the involved area according to its demand for nitrogen on the basis of the characteristics of each sub-region. The “fertilizing rate” module suggests reduced fertilizing doses of nitrogenous fertilizers compared to those already applied in the area. The system further divides the area into zones where specific types of fertilizers should be applied, giving a certain prescription for the method and time of application.

Fertilization in northern forests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedwall, Per Ola; Gong, Peichen; Ingerslev, Morten

2014-01-01

resources into food, health and industrial products and energy. Fertilization in Sweden and Finland is currently practiced by extensive fertilization regimens where nitrogen fertilizers are applied once, or up to three times, during a rotation period, mainly in mature forest. This type of fertilization...... gives, in most cases, a small and transient effect on the environment as well as a high rate of return to the forest owner with low-economic risk. The increase in biomass production, however, is relatively small and consequently the impact on the processing industry and the bioeconomy is limited. More...... in combination with present management systems and, almost instantly, enhances forest productivity. There may, however, be both economic and environmental constraints to large-scale applications of fertilizers in forest. Here we review the literature concerning biomass production of forests under different...

FERTILIZATION OF VINE BY A 5-AMINOLEVULINIC ACID-BASED FERTILIZER AND ITS PROFITABILITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VLADIMR IMANSK

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In this work we investigated the effect of different doses of NPKS fertilizer added into the soil for nutrient contents in the soil, as well as the quantity and quality of grapes. During the vegetation of the vine, we tested the 5-aminolevulinic acid-based fertilizer (ALA. We summarize that higher doses of fertilizer added into soil caused higher amounts of available nutrients. During the vegetation of the vine an increase of ALA had a positive effect on the optimal balance of nutrients. Fertilization also increased the grape-vine yield, with the strongest effect (by 68% observed due to the application of ALA during the vegetation period of the vine. Added fertilizers had a statistically significant influence on decreased sugar concentration in the grape-vine however the addition of fertilizer into the soil, mainly the application of ALA during vegetation of the vine (by 57% had a positive effect on increase of the total content of sugar in the grape-vine, produced on 1 hectare. The year had a significant influence on the economical evaluation.

Publications | Page 492 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 4911 - 4920 of 7331 ... Interconnection benchmarking in Namibia (open access) ... learning and communication strategies to improve soil fertility and livelihoods ... from the workplace and environment related tannery practices, including ...

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures and nitrogen profile to identify adulteration in organic fertilizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Verenitch, Sergei; Mazumder, Asit

2012-08-29

Recently it has been shown that stable isotopes of nitrogen can be used to discriminate between organic and synthetic fertilizers, but the robustness of the approach is questionable. This work developed a comprehensive method that is far more robust in identifying an adulteration of organic nitrogen fertilizers. Organic fertilizers of various types (manures, composts, blood meal, bone meal, fish meal, products of poultry and plant productions, molasses and seaweed based, and others) available on the North American market were analyzed to reveal the most sensitive criteria as well as their quantitative ranges, which can be used in their authentication. Organic nitrogen fertilizers of known origins with a wide δ(15)N range between -0.55 and 28.85‰ (n = 1258) were characterized for C and N content, δ(13)C, δ(15)N, viscosity, pH, and nitrogen profile (urea, ammonia, organic N, water insoluble N, and NO3). A statistically significant data set of characterized unique organic nitrogen fertilizers (n = 335) of various known origins has been assembled. Deliberately adulterated samples of different types of organic fertilizers mixed with synthetic fertilizers at a wide range of proportions have been used to develop the quantitative critical characteristics of organic fertilizers as the key indicators of their adulteration. Statistical analysis based on the discriminant functions of the quantitative critical characteristics of organic nitrogen fertilizers from 14 different source materials revealed a very high average rate of correct classification. The developed methodology has been successfully used as a source identification tool for numerous commercial nitrogen fertilizers available on the North American market.

From desires to behavior: Moderating factors in a fertility transition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah R. Hayford

2012-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Extensive research in both developed and developing countries has shown that preferences and intentions for future childbearing predict behavior. However, very little of this research has examined high-fertility contexts in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the factors that increase or decrease correspondence between fertility desires and behavior in these settings are not well understood. OBJECTIVE This article documents the degree to which the desire to stop childbearing predicts fertility behavior over the short term among married women in rural southern Mozambique, a context where fertility transition is still in the early stages. Analyses test the moderating powers of individual, household, and community characteristics. METHODS Analyses use data from a longitudinal survey of married women of reproductive age (N=1678 carried out in 2006 and 2009 in rural areas of southern Mozambique. Logistic regression models are estimated to predict childbearing between 2006 and 2009 based on desires to stop childbearing and characteristics measured in 2006. RESULTS As expected, the desire to stop childbearing is strongly predictive of fertility behavior. Household wealth, local adult AIDS mortality, and being married to an unsuccessful labor migrant are associated with higher correspondence between reported desire to stop childbearing and fertility behavior. CONCLUSIONS Both factors related to the ability to carry out desires to stop childbearing and factors related to the strength and consistency of these desires moderate the association between desires and behaviors. Future research should expand measurement of fertility preferences to incorporate their strength and consistency as well as direction.

In vivo measurements of uterine cavities in 795 women of fertile age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haspels, A.A.; Tadesse, E.; Kurz, K.H.

1984-01-01

The uterine sound length, the functional length of the cervix including the zone of internal cervical os and the fundus transversal were determined in 795 fertile women in vivo using a measuring device, the Cavimeter. The functional cavity length was calculated by subtracting the functional length

Collaborating internationally on physician leadership development: why now?

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ming-Ka; de Camps Meschino, Diane; Dath, Deepak; Busari, Jamiu; Bohnen, Jordan David; Samson, Lindy Michelle; Matlow, Anne; Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor

2016-07-04

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the importance of leadership development for all physicians within a competency-based medical education (CBME) framework. It describes the importance of timely international collaboration as a key strategy in promoting physician leadership development. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores published and Grey literature around physician leadership development and proposes that international collaboration will meet the expanding call for development of leadership competencies in postgraduate medical learners. Two grounding frameworks were used: complexity science supports adding physician leadership training to the current momentum of CBME adoption, and relational cultural theory supports the engagement of diverse stakeholders in multiple jurisdictions around the world to ensure inclusivity in leadership education development. Findings An international collaborative identified key insights regarding the need to frame physician leadership education within a competency-based model. Practical implications International collaboration can be a vehicle for developing a globally relevant, generalizable physician leadership curriculum. This model can be expanded to encourage innovation, scholarship and program evaluation. Originality/value A competency-based leadership development curriculum is being designed by an international collaborative. The curriculum is based on established leadership and education frameworks. The international collaboration model provides opportunities for ongoing sharing, networking and diversification.

Protect Your Fertility

Science.gov (United States)

... your teens and early twenties can affect your fertility for years to come. This prevention guide was written by ... loss of testic- ulor size, see your doctor. Fertility is something that you ... approximately 40 percent of infertile couples, the male partner is ...

Desenvolvimento radicular do algodoeiro em resposta à localização do fertilizante Cotton root development as affected by fertilizer placement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Suano de Souza

2007-04-01

Full Text Available A utilização de adubos pode-se tornar prejudicial caso o fertilizante não seja localizado adequadamente. No presente trabalho foram estudados o crescimento radicular do algodoeiro (Gossypium hirsutum, o crescimento inicial e a nutrição da planta, considerando o local de aplicação do fertilizante. O estudo foi realizado em vasos com parede de vidro. O fertilizante foi colocado a 5,0 cm abaixo e 0,0, 2,5, 5,0 e 10,0 cm ao lado das sementes. O crescimento radicular foi avaliado a cada três dias e, aos 21 dias após a emergência, as plantas foram coletadas, sendo avaliada a produção de matéria seca e a absorção de macronutrientes. A aplicação de fertilizante proporcionou crescimento inicial mais vigoroso do sistema radicular mesmo em solo previamente corrigido e adubado, o que é importante no estabelecimento da cultura. Somente houve bom crescimento inicial do sistema radicular e da parte aérea do algodoeiro quando o fertilizante foi aplicado de 5,0 a 10,0 cm ao lado e 5,0 cm abaixo das sementes.Unless fertilizer is properly placed in the soil it can be harmful. This experiment was conducted to study cotton (Gossypium hirsutum root growth and initial plant development and nutrition as affected by fertilizer placement. Cotton plants were grown in pots with a glass wall. The fertilizer was applied 5.0 cm under the seed row and 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 cm beside the seed row. Root growth was evaluated every 3 days, and 21 days after emergence the plants were harvested. Dry matter production and macronutrient absorption were evaluated. Even in previously limed and fertilized soil, localized fertilizer application reinforced the initial growth of cotton roots, which is very important for a good crop establishment in the field. Normal root growth and adequate initial plant development was only observed when the fertilizer was placed 5.0 cm below and from 5.0 to 10.0 cm distance from the seed row.

Fertility after breast cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasum, Miro; Beketić-Orešković, Lidija; Peddi, Parvin F; Orešković, Slavko; Johnson, Rebecca H

2014-02-01

In many countries of the developed world, there is an increasing trend toward delay in childbearing from 30 to 40 years of age for various reasons. This is unfortunately concordant with an increasing incidence of breast cancer in women who have not yet completed their family. The current choice for premenopausal women with breast cancer is adjuvant therapy which includes cytotoxic chemotherapy, ovarian ablation (by surgery, irradiation, or chemical ovarian suppression), anti-estrogen therapy, or any combination of these. Although the use of adjuvant therapies with cytotoxic drugs can significantly reduce mortality, it raises issues of the long-term toxicity, such as induction of an early menopause and fertility impairment. The risk of infertility is a potential hardship to be faced by the patients following treatment of breast cancer. The offspring of patients who became pregnant after completion of chemotherapy have shown no adverse effects and congenital anomalies from the treatment, but sometimes high rates of abortion (29%) and premature deliveries with low birth weight (40%) have been demonstrated. Therefore, the issue of recent cytotoxic treatment remains controversial and further research is required to define a "safety period" between cessation of treatment and pregnancy. Preservation of fertility in breast cancer survivors of reproductive age has become an important issue regarding the quality of life. Currently, there are several potential options, including all available assisted technologies, such as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, in vitro maturation, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation, and cryopreservation of ovarian tissue. Because increased estrogen levels are thought to be potentially risky in breast cancer patients, recently developed ovarian stimulation protocols with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole and tamoxifen appear to provide safe stimulation with endogenous estrogen. Embryo cryopreservation seems to be the most established

Organic Biochar Based Fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Pandit, Bishnu Hari; Cornelissen, Gerard; Kammann, Claudia

2017-04-01

Biochar produced in cost-efficient flame curtain kilns (Kon-Tiki) was nutrient enriched either with cow urine or with dissolved mineral (NPK) fertilizer to produce biochar-based fertilizers containing between 60-100 kg N, 5-60 kg P2O5 and 60-100 kg K2O, respectively, per ton of biochar. In 21 field trials nutrient-enriched biochars were applied at rates of 0.5 to 2 t ha-1 into the root zone of 13 different annual and perennial crops. Treatments combining biochar, compost and organic or chemical fertilizer were evaluated; control treatments contained the same amounts of nutrients but without biochar. All nutrient-enriched biochar substrates improved yields compared to their respective no-biochar controls. Biochar enriched with dissolved NPK produced on average 20% ± 5.1% (N=4) higher yields than standard NPK fertilization without biochar. Cow urine-enriched biochar blended with compost resulted on average in 123% ± 76.7% (N=13) higher yields compared to the organic farmer practice with cow urine-blended compost and outcompeted NPK-enriched biochar (same nutrient dose) by 103% ± 12.4% (N=4) on average. 21 field trials robustly revealed that low-dosage root zone application of organic biochar-based fertilizers caused substantial yield increases in rather fertile silt loam soils compared to traditional organic fertilization and to mineral NPK- or NPK-biochar fertilization. This can likely be explained by the nutrient carrier effect of biochar causing a slow nutrient release behavior, more balanced nutrient fluxes and reduced nutrient losses especially when liquid organic nutrients are used for the biochar enrichment. The results promise new pathways for optimizing organic farming and improving on-farm nutrient cycling.

Understanding the development of international environmental agreements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stærdahl, Jens

There are many different theoretical schools concerned with how international regimes develop, and each supplies its own interpretation focusing on one or a few aspects of the process. Such ‘one shot’ explanations may be fruitful for scientific debate, but less useful as conceptual frameworks...... for practitioners and planners manoeuvring in a complex world. On the basis of a review of selected theories of international and environmental regulation, this article initiates the development of a conceptual framework for understanding the development of internationalenvironmental agreements. The point...... of departure for developing the model is the actor-structure debate within social science and theory of international relations. Based on critical realism, a framework is developed specifying the relation between collective action problem situations and negotiation situations. It is argued that the main...

Nutlin-3a decreases male fertility via UQCRC2.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamla Kant Shukla

Full Text Available Ubiquinol-cytochrome-c reductase core protein 2 (UQCRC2 is a component of ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex that is known to correlate with male fertility via spermatogenesis. Simultaneously, nutlin-3a is a small molecule antagonist of mouse double minute 2 repressor (MDM2, activate p53 and induce apoptosis responsible for spermatogenesis. To date, however there are no known effects of nutlin-3a on reproduction. Therefore, present study was designed to investigate the effect of nutlin-3a on male fertility via UQCRC2. In this in vitro trial with mice spermatozoa, we utilized CASA, CTC staining, ATP assay, western blotting, and IVF to measure the main study outcome. The short-term exposure of spermatozoa in nutlin-3a decreases sperm motion kinematics, intracellular ATP production, capacitation, the acrosome reaction, UQCRC2, and tyrosine phosphorylation (TYP of sperm proteins in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, the decreased UQCRC2 and TYP were associated with reduced sperm kinematics, ATP production, and capacitation, which ultimately led to adverse effects on male fertility such as poor fertilization rates and embryo development. Thus, nutlin-3a may be considered as a potential male contraceptive agent due to its ability to decrease fertility secondary to changes in overall sperm physiology and embryonic development. However, the results of this preliminary study have to be confirmed by additional independent trial.

Soil fertility status and challenges in Burundi: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Kaboneka, Salvator

2015-04-01

Landlocked and thousands miles away from international sea ports, Burundi is one of the poorest country in the world. 58% of the population suffers chronic malnutrition, 67% live in absolute poverty (MDG report 2012). 90% of the estimated 10 million people depends on subsistence agriculture, on about 3 million ha of cultivable land. The average size of a family farm is less than 0.5 ha which has to support a family of typically 7 people . As a consequence, fallow practices are no longer possible and continuous land cultivation leads to enormous soil losses by erosion. As much as 100-200 metric tons per hectare of soil losses have been reported on the hill sides of the Mumirwa region, whose landscape is currently so degraded that the local community now say that "stones grow" in the zone. In medium to high altitude areas, about 1 million of ha are acidic (pH poverty of the population is such that access to fertilizers and adoption of sustainable practices is very weak. We believe that the main challenge to soil productivity in Burundi is more socio-economic than technical, and farmers should be helped with simple tools that should be linked to their indigenous knowledge about soil fertility. Sustainable management of soil fertility is the key challenge for farmers to optimize a sustainable yield. Key words: micro nutrient, soil fertility, nutrient depletion, soil acidity.

Development of Probabilistic Internal Dosimetry Computer Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noh, Siwan [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Tae-Eun [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jai-Ki [Korean Association for Radiation Protection, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

Internal radiation dose assessment involves biokinetic models, the corresponding parameters, measured data, and many assumptions. Every component considered in the internal dose assessment has its own uncertainty, which is propagated in the intake activity and internal dose estimates. For research or scientific purposes, and for retrospective dose reconstruction for accident scenarios occurring in workplaces having a large quantity of unsealed radionuclides, such as nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and facilities in which nuclear medicine is practiced, a quantitative uncertainty assessment of the internal dose is often required. However, no calculation tools or computer codes that incorporate all the relevant processes and their corresponding uncertainties, i.e., from the measured data to the committed dose, are available. Thus, the objective of the present study is to develop an integrated probabilistic internal-dose-assessment computer code. First, the uncertainty components in internal dosimetry are identified, and quantitative uncertainty data are collected. Then, an uncertainty database is established for each component. In order to propagate these uncertainties in an internal dose assessment, a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment system that employs the Bayesian and Monte Carlo methods. Based on the developed system, we developed a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment code by using MATLAB so as to estimate the dose distributions from the measured data with uncertainty. Using the developed code, we calculated the internal dose distribution and statistical values (e.g. the 2.5{sup th}, 5{sup th}, median, 95{sup th}, and 97.5{sup th} percentiles) for three sample scenarios. On the basis of the distributions, we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the influence of each component on the resulting dose in order to identify the major component of the uncertainty in a bioassay. The results of this study can be applied to various

Development of Probabilistic Internal Dosimetry Computer Code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noh, Siwan; Kwon, Tae-Eun; Lee, Jai-Ki

2017-01-01

Internal radiation dose assessment involves biokinetic models, the corresponding parameters, measured data, and many assumptions. Every component considered in the internal dose assessment has its own uncertainty, which is propagated in the intake activity and internal dose estimates. For research or scientific purposes, and for retrospective dose reconstruction for accident scenarios occurring in workplaces having a large quantity of unsealed radionuclides, such as nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and facilities in which nuclear medicine is practiced, a quantitative uncertainty assessment of the internal dose is often required. However, no calculation tools or computer codes that incorporate all the relevant processes and their corresponding uncertainties, i.e., from the measured data to the committed dose, are available. Thus, the objective of the present study is to develop an integrated probabilistic internal-dose-assessment computer code. First, the uncertainty components in internal dosimetry are identified, and quantitative uncertainty data are collected. Then, an uncertainty database is established for each component. In order to propagate these uncertainties in an internal dose assessment, a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment system that employs the Bayesian and Monte Carlo methods. Based on the developed system, we developed a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment code by using MATLAB so as to estimate the dose distributions from the measured data with uncertainty. Using the developed code, we calculated the internal dose distribution and statistical values (e.g. the 2.5 th , 5 th , median, 95 th , and 97.5 th percentiles) for three sample scenarios. On the basis of the distributions, we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the influence of each component on the resulting dose in order to identify the major component of the uncertainty in a bioassay. The results of this study can be applied to various situations. In cases

Celebrating partnerships for International Development Week 2018 ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2018-01-31

Jan 31, 2018 ... International Development Week, observed February 4-10 this year, is an opportunity to focus on Canada's contributions ... This event is part of the 2018 International Development Week conference at the University of Ottawa. ... Call for new OWSD Fellowships for Early Career Women Scientists now open.

Ionizing radiation dose due to the use of agricultural fertilizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umisedo, Nancy Kuniko

2007-01-01

Among several agents that exist in the environment which can expose to different risks and effects, there is the ionizing radiation whose knowledge of dose is of importance to the effective control and prevention of possible damages to human beings and to the environment. The transfer of radionuclides from fertilizers to/and soils to the foodstuffs can result as an increment in the internal dose when they are consumed by the human beings. This work evaluates the contribution of fertilizers to the ionizing radiation dose in the environment and in the human being. Samples of fertilizers, soils and vegetables produced in fertilized soils were analysed through gamma spectrometry with the use of a hyper pure germanium detector. Measurements of ambient dose with thermoluminescent dosimeters were also performed. In the fertilized soil samples values of specific activities from 36 to 342 Bq/kg for K-40, from 42 to 142 Bq/kg for U-238 and from 36 to 107 Bq/kg for Th-232 were obtained. In the vegetables the values varied from 21 to 118 Bq/kg for K-40 and for the elements of uranium and thorium series the values were less than 2 Bq/kg. In fertilizers the maximum value of 5800 Bq/kg was obtained for K-40, 430 Bq/kg for U-238 and 230 Bq/kg for Th-232. The average values of soil to plant transfer factor were not significantly different among the types of vegetables. The annual committed effective dose of 0.882 μSv due to the ingestion of K-40 from the analysed vegetables is very small if compared to the reference value of 170 μv given by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR, 2000). The thermoluminescent dosimetry provided the annual ambient dose equivalent from 1.5 to 1.8 mSv without differences between cultivated and non cultivated fields. Through the results obtained, it was not observed a significant transfer of radionuclides from fertilizers to soils and to foodstuffs in the conditions adopted in this work and consequently there

Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer applied together on N and P absorption and soil fertility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Kuibo; Yu Meiyan; Shen Xiuzhen; Wang Tongyan; Chen Xueliu; Wang Zhifen

1994-01-01

15 N trace experiments show that organic and inorganic fertilizer applied together promotes organic N mineralization and absorption. Base fertilizer is mainly for nutrition organs and spring fertilizer for reproduction organs. Organic and inorganic fertilizer applied together obtained the highest production efficiency of total N. Total P amount in wheat plant is slightly higher than that of inorganic N applied only, but P distribution in nutrition organs was slightly lower than that of inorganic N applied only. Organic and inorganic fertilizer applied together, not only promoted the production but also increased fertility of soil, so it is an important measure for wheat to obtain high production continuously

Kerala reaps low fertility dividends.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

Unlike much of India, the state of Kerala has promoted the development of human resources, resulting in lower fertility rates. If current UN projections are correct, India will overtake China as the most populous nation in the world by 2025. Within India, however, great differences exist in fertility rates, reflecting the level of commitment from state governments. In India, state governments control much of the policy and spending on health, education, etc. While the state of Kerala has been among the most committed to human resource development in the developing world, India's 5 northern states (Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Orissa) have been among the least committed. As a result, Kerala's fertility rate has fallen to 2.3 children/women--a rate lower than that of Thailand, China, the formers USSR, or Ireland. Kerala has a contraceptive prevalence rate 3 times the national average and the lowest infant mortality rate in all of India--only 26/1000 live births (infant mortality is 4-5 times higher in the 5 northern states). Only 27% of Kerala's population lives in poverty, compared to 34-49.5% in the northern states. Real incomes and industrialization have been growing faster in Kerala. And industrialization does not appear to have come at the expense of the environment. 2 factors are responsible for Kerala' accomplishments: 1) State government support of human development--the state has invested in health, education, and has conducted a land reform benefiting 3 million landless peasants. 2) The status of women--in Kerala, women are viewed as an asset, not a liability (as in the north). Kerala's female literacy is 66%, compared to 11-21% in the northern states. Kerala also enjoys the highest level of female labor force participation (35%) anywhere in India.

Ethnicity and fertility in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kollehlon, Konia T

2003-01-01

Using a sample of Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, and all other women from the 1990 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, this study examines ethnic fertility differentials in Nigeria within the context of the social characteristics and cultural hypotheses. Among all women, we find the net fertility of Hausa-Fulani women to be lower than that of Other women; with no statistically significant difference in the net fertility of Ibo, Yourba, and Other women. But, among currently married women, we find the net fertility of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba women to be lower than that of Other women, while the net fertility of Ibo women is higher than that of Other women. Overall, the findings of this study are more consistent with the cultural hypothesis, because statistically significant fertility differentials by ethnicity remain, even after controlling for selected socioeconomic and demographic variables.

Molecular mechanisms of fertilization: the role of male factor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Maria Kratz

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Fertilization, the fusion of male and female gametes, is an incompletely known, multistep, complex process, in which many factors participate. Fertilization is a precisely regulated, species-specific process, but some cellular mechanisms are similar for many mammal species. The studies of mechanisms of male and female gamete production enable understanding of fertilization issues and, as a result, make the analysis of the causes of infertility possible. Male and female infertility is a progressive phenomenon. The development of laboratory medicine enables the analysis of molecular aspects of the reactions between gametes, which may result in better diagnosis of many infertility cases and indicate the direction of therapeutic management. The fertilization process is accompanied by many biochemical reactions, in which glycoproteins present in human ejaculate play a very important role. Glycan structures enable glycoproteins to participate in the interactions between cells, including those between gametes. The analysis of the glycosylation profile and degree of ejaculate glycoproteins not only contributes to deepening the knowledge about mechanisms accompanying the fertilization process, but also may be useful as an additional diagnostic marker of male infertility.The aim of the present review is to approach selected molecular mechanisms occurring in the male genital tract, related to the fertilization process, as well as to analyze their influence on male fertility.

International Business Students’ Cross-Cultural Competence Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie S. Mikhaylov

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study explores the role of educational programs in promoting students’ cross-cultural competence (CCC development in international business education. Using constructivist grounded theory methodology (GTM, a comparative analysis of four extensive case studies was conducted within four schools, all of which offer international management education in English for local and international students. This study examines institutional contributions to an environment that supports students’ CCC development. A typology model consisting of four educational approaches to students’ CCC development is presented based on student experiences. The study provides recommendations regarding the steps that higher educational institutions (HEIs can take to promote educational environments that support cross-cultural exchange, cultural knowledge creation, and individual and organizational cross-cultural competence development.

How to influence fertility: the experience so far.

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, J R

1990-09-01

Even though fertility in the US is 2, the population grows each year by 2.5 million people due to natural increase and immigration. The US has never had a formal population policy to influence its birth rate. Yet the US government advises other nations, especially developing nations, how they should go about reducing their fertility. Instead the US can learn from population policies of direct disincentives, such as no income tax allowance for 3 children. In Indonesia, the president and Islamic religious leaders strongly support family planning. In Mexico, both the public and private sectors provide family planning services. The US does not have experience in influencing fertility declines, since fertility declined due to economic development over a period of time. Some scholars claim that there are 3 preconditions for a sustained decline in fertility, all of which have significance for setting population policies. The 1st is called rational choice in which conditions are such in a society that women can make their own decision. For example, the existence of legislation that guarantees women the right to act in their own interest, including the right to make their own reproductive decisions. The 2nd involves policies or conditions that motivate individuals and/or couples to limit family size. Incentives and disincentives can provide the needed motivation. For example, the government pays a woman for not having a child for a specific interval. The last precondition includes the necessity of having means available to limit family size. These means include knowledge of contraceptive methods and accessibility to them.

Economic crisis promotes fertility decline in poor areas: Evidence from Colombia

OpenAIRE

Eleonora Davalos; Leonardo Fabio Morales

2017-01-01

Background: The effects of an economic recession extend beyond financial spheres and spill over into present and future family decisions via income restrictions and expectations. Hardly any research on the effects of economic recession on fertility outcomes has taken place in developing countries. Objective: This study seeks to explain the effects of economic cycles on fertility outcomes in poor areas. Methods: This paper analyzes fertility trends from the third largest economy in Latin...

Effects of the toxic benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata on fertilization and early development of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Neves, Raquel A F; Contins, Mariana; Nascimento, Silvia M

2018-04-01

Blooms of the benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata have been recorded with increasing frequency, intensity and geographic distribution. This dinoflagellate produces potent toxins that may cause mortality of marine invertebrates. Adults of sea urchins are commonly affected by O. cf. ovata exposure with evidence of spines loss and high mortality during periods of high dinoflagellate abundances. Here, we report on the effects of the toxic dinoflagellate O. cf. ovata on fertilization and early development of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus, a key ecological herbivore. Lytechinus variegatus eggs and sperm were experimentally exposed to different concentrations of Ostreopsis cf. ovata (4, 40, 400, and 4000 cells ml -1 ) to test the hypothesis that fertilization success, embryonic and larval development of the sea urchin are negatively affected by the toxic dinoflagellate even at low abundances. Reduced fertilization, developmental failures, embryo and larval mortality, and occurrence of abnormal offspring were evident after exposure to O. cf. ovata. Fertilization decreased when gametes were exposed to high O. cf. ovata abundances (400 and 4000 cells ml -1 ), but just the exposure to the highest abundance significantly reduced fertilization success. Sea urchin early development was affected by O. cf. ovata in a dose-dependent way, high dinoflagellate abundances fully inhibited the early development of L. variegatus. Ostreopsis cf. ovata significantly increased the mortality of sea urchin eggs and embryos in the first hours of exposure (∼1-3 h), regardless of dinoflagellate abundance. Abundances of 400 and 4000 O. cf. ovata cells ml -1 induced significantly higher mortality on sea urchin initial stages in the first hours, and no egg or embryo was found in these treatments after 18 h of incubation. The early echinopluteus larva was only reached in the control and in treatments with low Ostreopsis cf. ovata abundances (4 and 40 cells ml -1 ). The

Challenges associated with knowledge sharing in international product development teams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Anne-Mette; Harmsen, Hanne

on product development teams, knowledge sharing, and international product development management to form a conceptual framework of factors that influence knowledge sharing in international teams. Four in-depth case studies are used to explore and expand the understanding of the challenges associated...... with international product development teams. Results indicate that international product development might not be as international as would be expected and that even if many of the characteristics and problems associated with international product development in the literature are found, there are also a number...

Are Difficulties Balancing Work and Family Associated with Subsequent Fertility?

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Siwei; Hynes, Kathryn

2012-01-01

Despite considerable interest in the causes and consequences of work-family conflict, and the frequent suggestion in fertility research that difficulty in balancing work and family is one of the factors leading to low fertility rates in several developed countries, little research uses longitudinal data to examine whether women who report…

Ideas. Innovation. Impact. | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-11-03

Nov 3, 2010 ... An Act to Establish the International Development Research Centre passed ... have been at the cutting edge of development thinking and practice. ... solve development problems at local, national, regional, and global levels.

Pretreatment fertility counseling and fertility preservation improve quality of life in reproductive age women with cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Letourneau, Joseph M; Ebbel, Erin E; Katz, Patricia P; Katz, Audra; Ai, Wei Z; Chien, A Jo; Melisko, Michelle E; Cedars, Marcelle I; Rosen, Mitchell P

2012-03-15

The post-treatment quality of life (QOL) impacts of receiving precancer-treatment infertility counseling and of pursuing fertility preservation have not been described in large-scale studies of reproductive age women with cancer. In total, 1041 women who were diagnosed between ages 18 and 40 years responded to a retrospective survey and reported whether they received infertility counseling before cancer treatment and whether they took action to preserve fertility. Five cancer types were included: leukemia, Hodgkin disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer. Validated QOL scales were used: the Decision Regret Score, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the brief World Health Organization QOL questionnaire. Overall, 560 women (61%) who received treatment that potentially could affect fertility were counseled by the oncology team, 45 (5%) were counseled by fertility specialists, and 36 (4%) took action to preserve fertility. Pretreatment infertility counseling by a fertility specialist and an oncologist resulted in lower regret than counseling by an oncologist alone (8.4 vs 11.0; P fertility preservation (6.6 vs 11.0; P fertility specialist counseling (23.0 vs 19.8; P = .09) or preserving fertility (24.0 vs 19.0; P = .05). Receiving specialized counseling about reproductive loss and pursuing fertility preservation is associated with less regret and greater QOL for survivors, yet few patients are exposed to this potential benefit. Women of reproductive age should have expert counseling and should be given the opportunity to make active decisions about preserving fertility. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Elemental analysis of fertilizers using X-ray fluorescence and their impact on alpha radioactivity of plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pooja Chauhan; Chauhan, R.P.

2013-01-01

The fertilizers used for plantation contain different elements including some natural radionuclides with their daughter decay products. The radiological impact of the use of fertilizers may be due to internal irradiation of the lung by the alpha particles, short lived radon-thoron progeny and the external irradiation of the body by gamma ray emitted from the radionuclides. The aim of this study was to estimate the enhanced alpha radioactivity in different parts of plants due to fertilizers and to measure the concentration of different elements present in the fertilizers. A control study was carried out on round gourd plants using different fertilizers. Fertilizers were added to the soil just before the plantation of seeds in the pots. For the measurement of alpha track densities in different parts of plants we used α-sensitive LR-115 type II plastic track detectors. The alpha-track density (T cm -2 days -1 ) was measured in leaves of plants at different interval of time. The variation in alpha track densities was also observed in root, stem leaf and grain parts of the plants. In case of the plants grown using some phosphate fertilizers the alpha radioactivity was found to be more compared with others. A positive correlation between alpha track densities and mass exhalation rates of radon from different fertilizers has been observed. The concentration of major elements (Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K) along with other elements present in fertilizer samples was measured by X-ray fluorescence analysis. (author)

[Education, modernity, and fertility in Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Stycos, J M

1980-01-01

In an effort to identify the causal mechanisms involved in the relationship between education and fertility in Costa Rica, all married women who were interviewed in the National Fertility Survey were reinterviewed in 1977-78. Questions on modernity and attitudes toward family size were designed to measure the extent of their influence on fertility. Questions on modernity were grouped into 4 measures of mass communications/information, sex roles, husband's power, and "instrumental activism." The intercorrelation of the 4 measures was enough to justify their use as separate subscales but high enough to permit their combined use as a single measure of modernity. The correlation between the combined total and education was strong and positive at .68, while the correlation between education and the number of live births controlled for age was -.35. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicate that high levels of general information and exposure to mass media are responsible for the positive correlation between education and fertility. A variety of scales were developed to measure the extent to which predispositions toward family size, numerical preference, and desire for additional children were responsible for the relationship between general information and fertility. Modernity and education showed strong negative relationships to predisposition toward family size, moderate negative relationships to size preference, and almost no relationship to the desire for more children.

Publications | Page 167 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Stakeholder-focused cost-benefit analysis in the water sector : synthesis report ... of a potential "demographic dividend" - surplus generated by the economy that, if. ... Use of inorganic fertilizers could be fundamental in addressing low and ...

Economic crisis promotes fertility decline in poor areas: Evidence from Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleonora Davalos

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The effects of an economic recession extend beyond financial spheres and spill over into present and future family decisions via income restrictions and expectations. Hardly any research on the effects of economic recession on fertility outcomes has taken place in developing countries. Objective: This study seeks to explain the effects of economic cycles on fertility outcomes in poor areas. Methods: This paper analyzes fertility trends from the third largest economy in Latin America - Colombia - from 1998 to 2013. We estimate a panel data regression model with state and year fixed effects. Results: On average, periods of recession are associated with fertility decline in poor areas and fertility growth in well-off areas. During an economic crisis, fertility in poor states decreases by 0.002 children per woman, while in well-off states fertility increases by 0.007 children per woman. Conclusions: The impact of an economic crisis on fertility varies depending on poverty. Poor states have procyclical responses while well-off states tend to have countercyclical reactions to economic downturns. Contribution: This study illuminates the procyclical and countercyclical debate, showing that within a country there can be two different responses to an economic downturn.

Socioeconomic status and fertility decline

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dribe, Martin; Breschi, Marco; Gagnon, Alain

2017-01-01

America to analyse the relationship between socio-economic status and fertility during the fertility transition. Using comparable analytical models and class schemes for each population, we examined the changing socio-economic differences in marital fertility and related these to common theories...

From menarche to menopause: the fertile life span of celiac women.

Science.gov (United States)

Santonicola, Antonella; Iovino, Paola; Cappello, Carmelina; Capone, Pietro; Andreozzi, Paolo; Ciacci, Carolina

2011-10-01

We evaluated menopause-associated disorders and fertile life span in women with celiac disease (CD) under untreated conditions and after long-term treatment with a gluten-free diet. The participants were 33 women with CD after menopause (untreated CD group), 25 celiac women consuming a gluten-free diet at least 10 years before menopause (treated CD group), and 45 healthy volunteers (control group). The Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire was used to gather information on menopause-associated disorders. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to acquire information on physical activity. Untreated celiac women had a shorter duration of fertile life span than did the control women because of an older age of menarche and a younger age of menopause (P menopause causes a shorter fertile period in untreated celiac women compared with control women. A gluten-free diet that started at least 10 years before menopause prolongs the fertile life span of celiac women. The perception of intensity of hot flushes and irritability is more severe in untreated celiac women than in controls. Low physical exercise and/or poorer quality of life frequently reported by untreated celiac women might be the cause of reduced discomfort tolerance, thus increasing the subjective perception of menopausal symptoms.

Archives: International Journal of Development and Policy Studies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Archives: International Journal of Development and Policy Studies. Journal Home > Archives: International Journal of Development and Policy Studies. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

"International regime for advancing lunar development"

Science.gov (United States)

Beldavs, VZ

2017-09-01

A specific concern regarding the Moon Treaty is the provision for sharing the wealth gained from space with developing countries that have not invested and taken risks in making possible space materials utilization. Article 11, par. 7 states "The main purposes of the international regime to be established shall include: (a) The orderly and safe development of the natural resources of the moon; (b) The rational management of those resources; (c) The expansion of opportunities in the use of those resources; (d) An equitable sharing by all States Parties in the benefits derived from those resources, whereby the interests and needs of the developing countries, as well as the efforts of those countries which have contributed either directly or indirectly to the exploration of the moon, shall be given special consideration." Whether the Moon Treaty in its present form or modified to be acceptable to more parties or the Moon Treaty is ignored, the language of Article 11, paragraph 7 can be used to construct an international regime for lunar development that can meet the requirements of commercial business as well as of states that provide support for lunar development as well as developing countries that may have played a modest role in making lunar development possible. This paper will consider options for constructing an international regime for lunar development.

Soil Fertility Status on Organic Paddy Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mujiyo

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The study aims to determine fertility status of the soil after organic paddy experiments using kinds and doses of organic fertilizers. Experiment was conducted at greenhouse laboratory in Faculty of Agriculture Sebelas Maret University Surakarta. Experimental design used completely randomized design with 9 kinds of treatment was replicated 3 times. Experiments were the use of cow manure, Azolla fertilizer, Azolla inoculum and its combinations that are based on fulfilling nutrient requirements of 120 kg N ha-1. Result shows that the use of cow manure, Azolla fertilizers and Azolla inoculum had no effect on changes of soil fertility status. Soil fertility status was not significantly correlated with cow manure (0,16ns, Azolla fertilizer (0,26ns and Azolla inoculum (0,16ns. Average of final soil fertility status included fertile category, which was similar as the initial soil fertility status. Average of final soil properties of treatment but nevertheless was relatively higher than in no treatment, indicating the use of cow manure, Azolla fertilizer, Azolla inoculum and its combinations had greater impact to soil properties. Cow manure despite increased available K2O and dry grain, but it did not significantly increase the soil fertility status from fertile to very fertile. This was presumably due to the relatively short experiment period, only one planting season had not given significant effect to soil properties. Implication of this study is the use of cow manure, Azolla fertilizer, Azolla inoculum and its combinations although did not increase the soil fertility status but could maintain soil fertility status as the initial conditions before planting.

Temporal Trends in Fertility Rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Martin Blomberg; Priskorn, Lærke; Jensen, Tina Kold

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Increasing age at first childbirth has been suggested to increase the risk for infertility. Our objective is to determine whether women above thirty years of age historically have been able to sustain fertility rates above replacement level. DESIGN: A descriptive nationwide Danish study...... to determine total and age specific fertility rates. RESULTS: Total fertility rate (TFR) decreased from 4.1 to 1.8 children per woman and age specific fertility also decreased from 1901 to 2014. Women aged 30-34, 35-39 or 40-44 years in the first decade of the 20th century had higher fertility rates than...... for 10% of TFR in 1901 compared with 4% in 2014 despite usage of assisted reproduction. CONCLUSION: This nationwide study shows that women above 30 years of age historically have been able to sustain fertility rates above replacement level. This implies that other factors besides age are strong...

Fertility concerns among child and adolescent cancer survivors and their parents: A qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Sarah J; Wakefield, Claire E; McLoone, Jordana K; Robertson, Eden G; Cohn, Richard J

2016-01-01

Cancer diagnoses and treatment may have long-term effects on fertility. Semistructured interviews were administered to young cancer survivors (Fertility related concerns were reported by 45 participants (46.4%). Themes included: distress regarding potential infertility; the effect of infertility on future relationships, self-esteem, and miscommunications/confusion about fertility status; access to fertility testing; and preservation options. Parents also reported challenges regarding how and when it was developmentally appropriate to talk to their children about fertility. The development of comprehensive consumer-driven approaches to managing the fertility concerns of young survivors and their families is essential.

Barriers to Managing Fertility: Findings From the Understanding Fertility Management in Contemporary Australia Facebook Discussion Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Holton, Sara; Rowe, Heather; Kirkman, Maggie; Jordan, Lynne; McNamee, Kathleen; Bayly, Christine; McBain, John; Sinnott, Vikki; Fisher, Jane

2016-02-15

As part of research investigating the complexities of managing fertility in Australia, public opinions about how Australians manage their fertility were sought from women and men. To identify public opinion about sexual and reproductive health in Australia. To ensure access to a diverse group of people throughout Australia, an online group was advertised and convened on Facebook from October through December 2013. In a closed-group moderated discussion, participants responded to questions about how people in Australia attempt to manage three aspects of fertility: avoiding pregnancy, achieving pregnancy, and difficulties conceiving. Nonidentifiable demographic information was sought; no personal accounts of fertility management were requested. The discussion transcript was analyzed thematically. There were 61 female and 2 male Facebook users aged 18 to 50 years living in Australia participating in the study. Four main themes about fertility management were identified: access, geographical location, knowledge, and cost. Participants reported that young people and people from rural areas face barriers accessing contraception and fertility services. Limited knowledge about sex and reproduction and the cost of fertility services and contraception were also said to impede effective fertility management. Reasons for inequalities in effective fertility management that are amenable to change were identified. Facebook is an effective method for gaining insights into public opinion about sexual and reproductive health.

Why Do Women Wait? Matching, Wage Inequality, and the Incentives for Fertility Delay

OpenAIRE

Elizabeth M. Caucutt; Nezih Guner; John Knowles

2002-01-01

This paper explores the interaction between wage inequality and the marriage and fertility decisions of young women. We develop an equilibrium search model of marriage, divorce, and investment in children that allows for differential timing of fertility. We show how patterns of fertility timing in U.S. data can be explained by the incentives for fertility delay implied by marriage and labor markets. We find that these incentives help explain both the cross-sectional relationship between women...

World Fertility Survey: Major Findings and Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

World Fertility Survey, London (England).

A survey was conducted in 42 developing countries and in 20 developed countries to determine fertility practices and trends. Both individual and household questionnaires were used by interviewers to gather data. Findings concerning marriage patterns, contraception, reproductive motivation, childspacing, breastfeeding, maternal and child health,…

Use of Bio-Organic Fertilizers to Develop N Uptake Using 15N Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galal, Y.G.M.

2008-01-01

Experimental work either in field scale or in green house conditions were conducted using 15 N technique to evaluate the role of different bio fertilizers and different plant residues as organic amendments on enhancement of plant N nutrition. Nitrogen fixation by a symbiotic bacteria has been observed in greenhouse and field experiments under dry land cropping systems. Biological N 2 fixation associated with crop residues (legumes or cereals) was investigated in pot experiments with wheat and chickpea cultivars. In these experiments, labelled wheat and rice straw were used as organic N sources in comparison with either 15 N-labelled ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate as chemical nitrogen fertilizers. Rhizobium inoculation extended to be used with wheat gave the best results of N uptake and N 2 fixation when combined with Azospirillum brasilense as heterotrophic diazotrophs. The nitrogen uptake by wheat plants was significantly increased by application of soybean residues and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense. From the field trial we can conclude that soybean residue as enriched N material, and Azospirillum brasilense inoculation enhanced N yields of wheat cultivars grown in poor fertile sandy soil

Ultrastructural dynamics of human reproduction, from ovulation to fertilization and early embryo development.

Science.gov (United States)

Familiari, Giuseppe; Heyn, Rosemarie; Relucenti, Michela; Nottola, Stefania A; Sathananthan, A Henry

2006-01-01

This study describes the updated, fine structure of human gametes, the human fertilization process, and human embryos, mainly derived from assisted reproductive technology (ART). As clearly shown, the ultrastructure of human reproduction is a peculiar multistep process, which differs in part from that of other mammalian models, having some unique features. Particular attention has been devoted to the (1) sperm ultrastructure, likely "Tygerberg (Kruger) strict morphology criteria"; (2) mature oocyte, in which the MII spindle is barrel shaped, anastral, and lacking centrioles; (3) three-dimensional microarchitecture of the zona pellucida with its unique supramolecular filamentous organization; (4) sperm-egg interactions with the peculiarity of the sperm centrosome that activates the egg and organizes the sperm aster and mitotic spindles of the embryo; and (5) presence of viable cumulus cells whose metabolic activity is closely related to egg and embryo behavior in in vitro as well as in vivo conditions, in a sort of extraovarian "microfollicular unit." Even if the ultrastructural morphodynamic features of human fertilization are well understood, our knowledge about in vivo fertilization is still very limited and the complex sequence of in vivo biological steps involved in human reproduction is only partially reproduced in current ART procedures.

Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Choon-Tak; Paek, Nam-Chon

2016-05-23

The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the "Green Revolution", breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.

Fertility differentials in rural Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, H T; Islam, S M; Khan, H M; Bari, R

1993-01-01

"Data from two sources in rural Bangladesh have been used in this study to examine the differentials in fertility by selected socio-economic and demographic factors. Results [indicate] that age at first marriage, education of spouses and availability of electricity in the household...have [an] inverse relationship with fertility. Higher fertility is observed for Muslim women than for non-Muslims. It has been found that fertility is the lowest to those women whose husbands are service holders and the highest for agriculture." excerpt

Effect of N fertilizer and foliar-applied Fe fertilizer at various ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DrSohrabi

2012-05-17

May 17, 2012 ... yield component and chemical composition of soybean. (Glycine ... fertilizer are the main source of meeting the nitrogen (N) ... influence grain yield and protein concentration (Haq and .... The data were analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System ... application and interaction of Fe and N fertilizers had no.

Publications | Page 601 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 6001 - 6010 of 6341 ... Costs and benefits of flue gas desulfurization for pollution control at the Mae Moh Power Plant, Thailand (open access) ... The recent shift from enset to cereals and continual soil fertility decline in the.

Development of an international comorbidity education framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, C; Pati, S; Green, J; Messina, G; Strömberg, A; Nante, N; Golinelli, D; Verzuri, A; White, S; Jaarsma, T; Walsh, P; Lonsdale, P; Kadam, U T

2017-08-01

The increasing number of people living with multiple chronic conditions in addition to an index condition has become an international healthcare priority. Health education curricula have been developed alongside single condition frameworks in health service policy and practice and need redesigning to incorporate optimal management of multiple conditions. Our aims were to evaluate current teaching and learning about comorbidity care amongst the global population of healthcare students from different disciplines and to develop an International Comorbidity Education Framework (ICEF) for incorporating comorbidity concepts into health education. We surveyed nursing, medical and pharmacy students from England, India, Italy and Sweden to evaluate their understanding of comorbidity care. A list of core comorbidity content was constructed by an international group of higher education academics and clinicians from the same disciplines, by searching current curricula and analysing clinical frameworks and the student survey data. This list was used to develop the International Comorbidity Education Framework. The survey sample consisted of 917 students from England (42%), India (48%), Italy (8%) and Sweden (2%). The majority of students across all disciplines said that they lacked knowledge, training and confidence in comorbidity care and were unable to identify specific teaching on comorbidities. All student groups wanted further comorbidity training. The health education institution representatives found no specific references to comorbidity in current health education curricula. Current clinical frameworks were used to develop an agreed list of core comorbidity content and hence an International Comorbidity Education Framework. Based on consultation with academics and clinicians and on student feedback we developed an International Comorbidity Education Framework to promote the integration of comorbidity concepts into current healthcare curricula. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier

Bio fertilizer Application in a Fertigation System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Nazrul Abd Wahid; Latiffah Noordin; Hoe, P.C.K.

2011-01-01

Bio fertilizers contain live beneficial microorganisms that provide nutrients and other benefits to crops. At present, bio fertilizers can be found in solid and liquid forms. Liquid bio fertilizer can be one of the alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Liquid bio fertilizer is produced through culturing of microorganisms that are known to have specific capabilities in helping plant growth. However, application of bio fertilizers in the form of solution is more tedious than that of solid bio fertilizers, which can be applied directly to plants, whereas the liquid form requires several stages of preparation before it can be applied to crops. In Malaysian Nuclear Agency, a study on the distribution of liquid bio fertilizers to crops through the fertigation system has been conducted. In Malaysia, this study has not been conducted in depth, since the present fertigation system is associated to delivery of solubilised mineral fertilizers. This paper discusses the application of liquid bio fertilizers through a fertigation system. Discussions cover technical aspects of bio fertilizer preparation and its application via the said system. Tomato plant was used as test crop to determine the capability and efficiency of bio fertilizer application through the fertigation system. (author)

Low-cost in vitro fertilization: current insights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teoh PJ

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Pek Joo Teoh, Abha MaheshwariAberdeen Fertility Centre, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UKAbstract: Despite the development of in vitro fertilization (IVF more than 30 years ago, the cost of treatment remains high. Furthermore, over the years, more sophisticated technologies and expensive medications have been introduced, making IVF increasingly inaccessible despite the increasing need. Globally, the option to undergo IVF is only available to a privileged few. In recent years, there has been growing interest in exploring strategies to reduce the cost of IVF treatment, which would allow the service to be provided in low-resource settings. In this review, we explore the various ways in which the cost of this treatment can be reduced.Keywords: IVF, low-cost, accessible, developing world

The offspring quantity–quality trade-off and human fertility variation

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, David W.; Borgerhoff Mulder, Monique

2016-01-01

The idea that trade-offs between offspring quantity and quality shape reproductive behaviour has long been central to economic perspectives on fertility. It also has a parallel and richer theoretical foundation in evolutionary ecology. We review the application of the quantity–quality trade-off concept to human reproduction, emphasizing distinctions between clutch size and lifetime fertility, and the wider set of forces contributing to fertility variation in iteroparous and sexually reproducing species like our own. We then argue that in settings approximating human evolutionary history, several factors limit costly sibling competition. Consequently, while the optimization of quantity–quality trade-offs undoubtedly shaped the evolution of human physiology setting the upper limits of reproduction, we argue it plays a modest role in accounting for socio-ecological and individual variation in fertility. Only upon entering the demographic transition can fertility limitation be clearly interpreted as strategically orientated to advancing offspring quality via increased parental investment per child, with low fertility increasing descendant socio-economic success, although not reproductive success. We conclude that existing economic and evolutionary literature has often overemphasized the centrality of quantity–quality trade-offs to human fertility variation and advocate for the development of more holistic frameworks encompassing alternative life-history trade-offs and the evolved mechanisms guiding their resolution. PMID:27022072

Soil and fertilizer nitrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winteringham, F.P.W.

1984-01-01

As a result of the intensified practices and effectively diminishing land resources per capita, increasing weights of both native soil- and added fertilizer-nitrogen will be lost to agriculture and its products, and will find their way into the environment. Soil-nitrogen levels and contingent productivity can nevertheless be maintained in the face of these losses on the basis of improved soil-N management. In some local situations nitrate levels in water for drinking purposes are likely to continue rising. In some cases agriculture and clearance practices are only one of several sources. In others they are clearly mainly responsible. In developing countries these losses represent those of a relatively increasingly costly input. This is due to the fact that industrial fertilizer nitrogen production is a particularly high energy-consuming process. In the more advanced industrialized countries they represent an addition to the problems and costs of environmental quality and health protection. The programmes, information and data reviewed here suggest that these problems can be contained by improved and extended soil and water management in agriculture on the basis of existing technology. In particular there appears to be enormous scope for the better exploitation of existing legumes both as non-legume crop alternatives or as biofertilizers which also possess more desirable C:N ratios than chemical fertilizer

Changing fertility patterns and policies in the third world.

Science.gov (United States)

Mcnicoll, G

1992-01-01

Different patterns of fertilty transition are apparent in developing countries. Theories of fertility decline are appropriate because demographic analysis has become situation specific rather than general. Pretransition fertility patterns and the onset of decline are provided. Fertility transition patterns are also supplied, including a regional overview for Latin America, east and Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. The specialized cases of China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia, and Brazil are also presented. The fertility determinant models of Bongaarts, Davis and Blake, Hobcraft and Little, Ryder, and Henry are used as examples of proximate determinant models. Data collection was possible on a grand scale with contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) surveys and the World Fertility Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys. Criticism has focused on the scope of these surveys which provide at best proximate determinants and differentiate fertility by standard socioeconomic factors. Data are also obtained on small populations from piecing together records and from quasi-anthropological fieldwork. Historical demography relies on family reconstitution. Longitudinal studies are few in number. The largest and most effective fieldwork station is at Matlab in Bangladesh. Caldwell has provided anthropological methods applicable to fertility study and makes use of teamwork. In Latin America, fertility has fallen by 40% since the 1960s. Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Haiti have changed very little. Taiwan and South Korea provide examples of economic growth with equity in East and Southeast Asia. In heterogenous South Asia, decline has been slow and uneven. West Asia and North Africa have high fertility with the exception of Egypt which is in the early stages of transition. The smallest declines are found in sub-Saharan Africa, and are complicated by the AIDS epidemic.

International Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal Homepage Image. The International Journal of Agricultureand Rural Development (IJARD) is an International Journal designed to provide ... Forestry and Wildlife resources, Soil Science, Agricultural Engineering and Food Processing.

International Journal of Development and Policy Studies: Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

International Journal of Development and Policy Studies: Journal Sponsorship. Journal Home > About the Journal > International Journal of Development and Policy Studies: Journal Sponsorship. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Director, Communications | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Job Summary Conceives, plans and implements a communications strategy to ensure ... understanding of the importance of international development assistance. ... other committees (Human Resources Management Committee, the Centre's ...

Cytogenetical investigations on fertilization, embriogenesis and fruit formation by irradiated pollen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dryanovska, O.

1981-01-01

The mechanism of fertilization pollination with gamma-irradiated pollen (1-500 kR) in plants of various double fertilization: Crepis (Nicotiana tabacum, Lycopersicum esculentum, Solanum melongena, Ornithogalum gramminifolium, Melandrium rubrum) type, Lilium (Lilium speciosum) type, and Trandescantia (Tradescantia paludosa) type was studied, along with the opportunity of its modification, embryogenesis and fruit and seed formation. In the Crepis type, depending on the disturbances of male chromatin, fertilization manifested itself as: 1) normal karyogamy with decondensation of male chromatin and the formation of supplementary nucleoli and further development of embryo and endosperm (1-500 kR); 2) karyogamy without decondensation and functioning of the male chromatin (1-500 kR); 3) karyogamy or sticking the male chromatin to the nuclei of the female sex cells, stimulating the development of the ovule, embryo, and endosperm (50-500 kR); 4) sticking the highly pycnotized male chromatin to the nuclei of the female sex cells without evidence of zygote and endosperm function and further development (50-500 kR). In the Lilium type modification of fertilization was manifested by: 1) normal karyogamy with developing diploid embryos and pentaploid endosperm with aberrations (1-20 kK); 2) sticking the male chromatin to the nuclei of the female sex cells and stimulation of their development (50-500 kR). In the Trandescantia type the irradiated male chromatin modified fertilization as: 1) karyogamy with spermia having fragments, two spermia connected by a bridge or with a generative nucleus with aberrations (1-50 kR); 2) karyogamy without developing the female sex nuclei (10-500kR); 3) karyogamy or sticking the male chromatin to the female sex cell nuclei and stimulation of their development (10-500 kR); 4) sticking the male chromatin with no stimulating effect (10-500 kR). (author)

Selection of suitable fertilizer draw solute for a novel fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis-anaerobic membrane bioreactor hybrid system

KAUST Repository

Kim, Youngjin; Chekli, Laura; Shim, Wang-Geun; Phuntsho, Sherub; Li, Sheng; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Leiknes, TorOve; Shon, Ho Kyong

2016-01-01

In this study, a protocol for selecting suitable fertilizer draw solute for anaerobic fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis membrane bioreactor (AnFDFOMBR) was proposed. Among eleven commercial fertilizer candidates, six fertilizers were screened further

Evaluating the Role of First Polar Body Morphology on Rates of Fertilization and Embryo Development in ICSI Cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iman Halvaei

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that morphology of the first polar body (1st PBis related to oocyte viability, which can be used as a prognostic tool to predict oocyte performanceand pregnancy outcomes in an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI program. According to somestudies, there is a correlation between oocyte performance and 1st PB morphology, while others havenot reported any correlation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of 1st PB morphologyon rates of fertilization and embryo development in ICSI cases.Materials and Methods: In this prospective study morphological characteristics of 470 metaphaseII (MII oocytes were assessed in 80 ICSI cycles. The women were ages 21-42 years (mean 32.6 ±0.2. Their oocytes were retrieved after a hyperstimulation protocol. After denudation, all oocyteswere evaluated for 1st PB morphology. The oocytes were divided into two groups of A (normal 1stPB and B (abnormal fragmented 1st PB. In addition, other abnormalities, such as refractile bodies(RF, wide previtelline space (wPVS, central and general granulation, bull’s eye, vacuole, smoothendoplasmic reticulum cluster (SERc, debris in PVS, shape and dark oocyte were checked. Forverifying of fertilization, about 18-19 hours post-ICSI, oocytes were checked for two-pronuclear.Assessments of embryo quality, development and embryo transfer were done at day two. Chisquare,Fisher’s exact and independent sample t tests were chosen for statistical analysis.Results: Twenty-seven percent of oocytes had fragmented 1st PB, while the remainder was associatedwith other morphological abnormalities. A total of 46.1% and 26.9% of oocytes showed double andmultiple defects, respectively. RF was the most common abnormality observed in group B. Nosignificant differences in women’s’ ages between groups A and B were noted (p=0.3. A total of 179and 107 oocytes (61.5% vs. 59.8% were fertilized in groups A and B, respectively (p=0.7. Therates of

Barriers to Managing Fertility: Findings From the Understanding Fertility Management in Contemporary Australia Facebook Discussion Group

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Heather

2016-01-01

Background As part of research investigating the complexities of managing fertility in Australia, public opinions about how Australians manage their fertility were sought from women and men. Objective To identify public opinion about sexual and reproductive health in Australia. Methods To ensure access to a diverse group of people throughout Australia, an online group was advertised and convened on Facebook from October through December 2013. In a closed-group moderated discussion, participants responded to questions about how people in Australia attempt to manage three aspects of fertility: avoiding pregnancy, achieving pregnancy, and difficulties conceiving. Nonidentifiable demographic information was sought; no personal accounts of fertility management were requested. The discussion transcript was analyzed thematically. Results There were 61 female and 2 male Facebook users aged 18 to 50 years living in Australia participating in the study. Four main themes about fertility management were identified: access, geographical location, knowledge, and cost. Participants reported that young people and people from rural areas face barriers accessing contraception and fertility services. Limited knowledge about sex and reproduction and the cost of fertility services and contraception were also said to impede effective fertility management. Conclusions Reasons for inequalities in effective fertility management that are amenable to change were identified. Facebook is an effective method for gaining insights into public opinion about sexual and reproductive health. PMID:26878865

FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM FOR MELON BASED ON NUTRITIONAL BALANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Aridiano Lima de Deus

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Melon is one of the most demanding cucurbits regarding fertilization, requiring knowledge of soils, crop nutritional requirements, time of application, and nutrient use efficiency for proper fertilization. Developing support systems for decision-making for fertilization that considers these variables in nutrient requirement and supply is necessary. The objective of this study was parameterization of a fertilizer recommendation system for melon (Ferticalc-melon based on nutritional balance. To estimate fertilizer recommendation, the system considers the requirement subsystem (REQ, which includes the demand for nutrients by the plant, and the supply subsystem (SUP, which corresponds to the supply of nutrients through the soil and irrigation water. After determining the REQtotal and SUPtotal, the system calculates the nutrient balances for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S, recommending fertilizer application if the balance is negative (SUP < REQ, but not if the balance is positive or zero (SUP ≥ REQ. Simulations were made for different melon types (Yellow, Cantaloupe, Galia and Piel-de-sapo, with expected yield of 45 t ha-1. The system estimated that Galia type was the least demanding in P, while Piel-de-sapo was the most demanding. Cantaloupe was the least demanding for N and Ca, while the Yellow type required less K, Mg, and S. As compared to other fertilizer recommendation methods adopted in Brazil, the Ferticalc system was more dynamic and flexible. Although the system has shown satisfactory results, it needs to be evaluated under field conditions to improve its recommendations.

Veterinary dairy herd fertility service provision in seasonal and non-seasonal dairy industries - a comparison

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mee JF

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract The decline in dairy herd fertility internationally has highlighted the limited impact of traditional veterinary approaches to bovine fertility management. Three questionnaire surveys were conducted at buiatrics conferences attended by veterinary practitioners on veterinary dairy herd fertility services (HFS in countries with a seasonal (Ireland, 47 respondents and non-seasonal breeding model (The Netherlands, 44 respondents and Portugal, 31 respondents. Of the 122 respondents, 73 (60% provided a HFS and 49 (40% did not. The majority (76% of all practitioners who responded stated that bovine fertility had declined in their practice clients' herds with inadequate cow management, inadequate nutrition and increased milk yield as the most important putative causes. The type of clients who adopted a herd fertility service were deemed more educated than average (70% of respondents, and/or had fertility problems (58% and/or large herds (53%. The main components of this service were routine postpartum examinations (95% of respondents, fertility records analysis (75% and ultrasound pregnancy examinations (69%. The number of planned visits per annum varied between an average of four in Ireland, where breeding is seasonal, and 23 in Portugal, where breeding is year-round. The benefits to both the practitioner and their clients from running a HFS were cited as better fertility, financial rewards and job satisfaction. For practitioners who did not run a HFS the main reasons given were no client demand (55% and lack of fertility records (33%. Better economic evidence to convince clients of the cost-benefit of such a service was seen as a major constraint to adoption of this service by 67% of practitioners.

Biochar helps enhance maize productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions under balanced fertilization in a rainfed low fertility inceptisol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dengxiao; Pan, Genxing; Wu, Gang; Kibue, Grace Wanjiru; Li, Lianqing; Zhang, Xuhui; Zheng, Jinwei; Zheng, Jufeng; Cheng, Kun; Joseph, Stephen; Liu, Xiaoyu

2016-01-01

Maize production plays an important role in global food security, especially in arid and poor-soil regions. Its production is also increasing in China in terms of both planting area and yield. However, maize productivity in rainfed croplands is constrained by low soil fertility and moisture insufficiency. To increase the maize yield, local farmers use NPK fertilizer. However, the fertilization regime (CF) they practice is unbalanced with too much nitrogen in proportion to both phosphorus and potassium, which has led to low fertilizer use efficiency and excessive greenhouse gases emissions. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess whether a high yielding but low greenhouse gases emission system could be developed by the combination of balanced fertilization (BF) and biochar amendment in a rainfed farmland located in the Northern region of China. Biochar was applied at rates of 0, 20, and 40 t/ha. Results show that BF and biochar increased maize yield and partial nutrient productivity and decreased nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. Under BF the maize yield was 23.7% greater than under CF. N2O emissions under BF were less than half that under CF due to a reduced N fertilizer application rate. Biochar amendment decreased N2O by more than 31% under CF, while it had no effect on N2O emissions under BF. Thus BF was effective at maintaining a high maize yield and reducing greenhouse gases emissions. If combined with biochar amendment, BF would be a good way of sustaining low carbon agriculture in rainfed areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fertility decline: transition or transformation?

Science.gov (United States)

Freedman, J

1981-01-01

This essay argues on the basis of evidence from Northern Rwanda that economic theories of fertility which fail to take into account the value of children for reproducing a community's social relations are of limited value in traditional noncapitalist or peasant societies. Regarding the transition to low fertility as an adjustment of the population to available resources ignores the fact that many families in the developing world regard their children as absolute values, not values relative to other resources, and therefore the transition to lower fertility is a dramatic change rather than an adjustment. The Kiga of Rwanda have in the last 20 years or so become differentiated into a group of richer households with excess land and a labor shortage and poorer households with excess labor and a land shortage. In the face of severe material shortages, the poorer families continue to desire and have almost as many children as the richer. Among women aged 25-35, the poorer group had on average 5.5 children while the wealthier had 3.9 on average. Kiga families are embedded in larger social units which provide social insurance against misfortune, and having many children thus reconstitutes a social value which minimizes the impact of misfortune. High fertility appears to occur in social economies where there is no reasonable motivation for reducing family size; where high value is placed on the survival of the collectivity and on the reproduction of concrete social relations, the only rational behavior is to have many children.

[Martin Klesment. Fertility development in Estonia during the second half of the XX century: the economic context and its implications] / Olaf Mertelsmann

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Mertelsmann, Olaf, 1969-

2011-01-01

Arvustus: Martin Klesment. Fertility development in Estonia during the second half of the XX century: the economic context and its implications. Tallinn: Tallinna Ülikool, 2010. (Tallinna Ülikooli sotsiaalteaduste dissertatsioonid, 46)

Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer use: Current approaches and simulation models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baethgen, W.E.

2000-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is the most common limiting nutrient in agricultural systems throughout the world. Crops need sufficient available N to achieve optimum yields and adequate grain-protein content. Consequently, sub-optimal rates of N fertilizers typically cause lower economical benefits for farmers. On the other hand, excessive N fertilizer use may result in environmental problems such as nitrate contamination of groundwater and emission of N 2 O and NO. In spite of the economical and environmental importance of good N fertilizer management, the development of optimum fertilizer recommendations is still a major challenge in most agricultural systems. This article reviews the approaches most commonly used for making N recommendations: expected yield level, soil testing and plant analysis (including quick tests). The paper introduces the application of simulation models that complement traditional approaches, and includes some examples of current applications in Africa and South America. (author)

Impact of child mortality and fertility preferences on fertility status in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: To determine the effects of child mortality and fertility preference on fertility status in rural Ethiopia. Design: Case-referent where the cases were women with number of children ever born alive was less than five and controls were women with number of children ever born alive greater or equal to five.

Fertilizer balance in the soil-plant system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichardt, K.; Libardi, P.L.; Victoria, R.L.; Ruschel, A.P.; Nascimento Filho, V.F. do; Saito, S.M.T.

A report is presented on a beans culture project developed to study in detail processes on: (1)Nitrogen - fixation, mineralization, denetrification and absorption by the plant (effect of plant variety; selection of the efficient rhizobia; bacteria specificity for the plant; inocculation longevity; persistence and competition with bacteria found naturally in the soil, etc.) (2)Phosphorus and Potassium interactions with nitrogen absorption, residual effects of natural phosphates. The transformations suffered by nitrogen and the ways it follows after its application to the soil were also studied aiming at a rational handling of the fertilizer. The use of fertilizers by the plants was studied through stable and radioactive isotopes, information being sought on absorption efficiency, phosphorus - and potassium interactions with nitrogen absorption, and effects of natural phosphates. Three types of experiments were carried out: I-Nitrogen fixation experiments II-Nitrogen-and Potassium fertility experiments III-Laboratory experiments [pt

Fertilization increases paddy soil organic carbon density*

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shao-xian; Liang, Xin-qiang; Luo, Qi-xiang; Fan, Fang; Chen, Ying-xu; Li, Zu-zhang; Sun, Huo-xi; Dai, Tian-fang; Wan, Jun-nan; Li, Xiao-jun

2012-01-01

Field experiments provide an opportunity to study the effects of fertilization on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. We sampled soils from a long-term (25 years) paddy experiment in subtropical China. The experiment included eight treatments: (1) check, (2) PK, (3) NP, (4) NK, (5) NPK, (6) 7F:3M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+30% organic N), (7) 5F:5M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+50% organic N), (8) 3F:7M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+70% organic N). Fertilization increased SOC content in the plow layers compared to the non-fertilized check treatment. The SOC density in the top 100 cm of soil ranged from 73.12 to 91.36 Mg/ha. The SOC densities of all fertilizer treatments were greater than that of the check. Those treatments that combined inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments had greater SOC densities than those receiving only inorganic fertilizers. The SOC density was closely correlated to the sum of the soil carbon converted from organic amendments and rice residues. Carbon sequestration in paddy soils could be achieved by balanced and combined fertilization. Fertilization combining both inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments is an effective sustainable practice to sequestrate SOC. PMID:22467369

Fertilization increases paddy soil organic carbon density.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shao-xian; Liang, Xin-qiang; Luo, Qi-xiang; Fan, Fang; Chen, Ying-xu; Li, Zu-zhang; Sun, Huo-xi; Dai, Tian-fang; Wan, Jun-nan; Li, Xiao-jun

2012-04-01

Field experiments provide an opportunity to study the effects of fertilization on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. We sampled soils from a long-term (25 years) paddy experiment in subtropical China. The experiment included eight treatments: (1) check, (2) PK, (3) NP, (4) NK, (5) NPK, (6) 7F:3M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+30% organic N), (7) 5F:5M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+50% organic N), (8) 3F:7M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+70% organic N). Fertilization increased SOC content in the plow layers compared to the non-fertilized check treatment. The SOC density in the top 100 cm of soil ranged from 73.12 to 91.36 Mg/ha. The SOC densities of all fertilizer treatments were greater than that of the check. Those treatments that combined inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments had greater SOC densities than those receiving only inorganic fertilizers. The SOC density was closely correlated to the sum of the soil carbon converted from organic amendments and rice residues. Carbon sequestration in paddy soils could be achieved by balanced and combined fertilization. Fertilization combining both inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments is an effective sustainable practice to sequestrate SOC.

Investigation of technologies for producing organic-mineral fertilizers and biogas from waste products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna V. Ivanchenko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Modern agriculture requires special attention to a preservation of soil fertility; development of cultures fertilization; producing of new forms of organic-mineral fertilizers which nutrient absorption coefficient would be maximum. Application of artificial fertilizers has negative influence on soils. Aim: The aim of the study is to identify the scientific regularities of organic-mineral fertilizers and biogas technologies from waste products and cattle manure with the addition of fermentation additive. Materials and Methods: The affordable organic raw material for production of organic-mineral fertilizers is the cattle manure. Environmental technology of the decontamination and utilization of manure is its anaerobic bioconversion to fermented fertilizer and biogas. The waste decontamination and the degradation of complex polymers into simple renewable and plant-available compounds takes place during the conversion of manner to biogas. Experimental research carried out for the three types of loads to the model reactor of anaerobic fermentation with 1 dm3 volume for dry matter. The mesophilic fermentation mode used in the experiments (at 33 °C. Results: It has been shown that the addition of whey to the input raw materials in a ratio of 1:30 accelerates the process of anaerobic digestion and biogas generation in 1,3...2,1 times. An analysis of organic-mineral fertilizers from cattle manure were conducted. Technological schemes of organic-mineral fertilizers and biogas technologies from waste products were developed. Conclusions: Implementation of research results to farms and urban waste treatment facilities lead to increased energy potential of our country and expansion of high-quality organic-mineral fertilizers variety, which are well absorbed by plants.

Natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction: The knowledge amongst women of reproductive age in North Queensland.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Nicole K; Coffey, Anne; Woods, Cindy; de Costa, Caroline

2018-04-16

The demand for medically assisted reproduction continues to increase, with more women encountering challenges with fertility. Due to misconceptions and gaps in knowledge, women are often unaware of the risks related to delayed childbearing. Lack of understanding of natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction can lead to emotional suffering and changes in family plans. To assess the understanding and knowledge that women of reproductive age in North Queensland have regarding natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction. Data were collected from 120 women (30 nurses, 30 teachers, 30 university students and 30 Technical and Further Education students) via the distribution of a structured questionnaire. Participants were surveyed in person about their personal plans and opinions, knowledge about natural fertility, infertility and medically assisted reproduction, and their preferred source of information. Participants demonstrated suboptimal knowledge levels throughout all sections of the questionnaire, in particular when asked about medically assisted reproduction. When asked to identify their main source of information, 'friends and family' was the most popular choice. Results from this North Queensland study add to the existing international literature, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. Without adequate understanding of natural fertility, the risks of infertility, and the role and limitations of medically assisted reproduction, women make uninformed decisions. Development of local reproductive health education programs need to be instigated in response. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Determinants of the adoption of integrated soil fertility management ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ... focused approach to achieve sustainable soil fertility management among smallholder farmers. ... entry points that can help in developing innovative ISFM technologies.

African Journal of International Affairs and Development

African Journals Online (AJOL)

African Journal of International Affairs and Development. ... Foreign Policy and Public Opinion: An Assessment of Ijebu Involvement in the Kiriji War ... Book Review: Critical Perspective's on Nigeria's International Economic Relations · EMAIL ...

Ecological feedbacks can reduce population-level efficacy of wildlife fertility control

Science.gov (United States)

Ransom, Jason I.; Powers, Jenny G.; Hobbs, N. Thompson; Baker, Dan L.

2014-01-01

1. Anthropogenic stress on natural systems, particularly the fragmentation of landscapes and the extirpation of predators from food webs, has intensified the need to regulate abundance of wildlife populations with management. Controlling population growth using fertility control has been considered for almost four decades, but nearly all research has focused on understanding effects of fertility control agents on individual animals. Questions about the efficacy of fertility control as a way to control populations remain largely unanswered. 2. Collateral consequences of contraception can produce unexpected changes in birth rates, survival, immigration and emigration that may reduce the effectiveness of regulating animal abundance. The magnitude and frequency of such effects vary with species-specific social and reproductive systems, as well as connectivity of populations. Developing models that incorporate static demographic parameters from populations not controlled by contraception may bias predictions of fertility control efficacy. 3. Many population-level studies demonstrate that changes in survival and immigration induced by fertility control can compensate for the reduction in births caused by contraception. The most successful cases of regulating populations using fertility control come from applications of contraceptives to small, closed populations of gregarious and easily accessed species. 4. Fertility control can result in artificial selection pressures on the population and may lead to long-term unintentional genetic consequences. The magnitude of such selection is dependent on individual heritability and behavioural traits, as well as environmental variation. 5. Synthesis and applications. Understanding species' life-history strategies, biology, behavioural ecology and ecological context is critical to developing realistic expectations of regulating populations using fertility control. Before time, effort and funding are invested in wildlife

Relationship between Balanced Fertilization and Healthy Agricultural Products (A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.J. Malakouti

2011-01-01

enhanced and the level of society’s health will be promoted automatically. Furthermore, there is a close and positive relationship between balanced fertilization and production of healthy agricultural products. The authorities of  the Ministry of Jehad-e- Agriculture are supposed to consider this important principle for a supplying suitable kinds and amounts of fertilizers during  application seasons in producing agricultural products; b banning  the act of burning the plants' residues; c considering the rules of balanced fertilization; d enrichment of agricultural products on the farm; e scientific management of production and application of all kinds of fertilizers; f implementing the criteria set for Article 61 of the Fourth Development Plan; g avoiding the import of P-fertilizers which contain Cd in excess of 25 mg/kg and h removing the subsidy on N and P-fertilizers in order to increase the yield and quality of agricultural products and enhance society's health.

Educational and social class assortative mating in fertile British couples.

Science.gov (United States)

Krzyżanowska, Monika; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas

2014-01-01

Positive assortative mating for education and social position has been widely reported in a number of countries, but very few studies have tested whether or not educational or social class homogamy is related to differential fertility. This study examined the relationship between educational and social class assortative mating and fertility in a British national cohort. The analyses were based on 7452 husband-wife pairs from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS). The mean fertility was 3.22 children per couple; the number of children significantly increased from higher to lower social classes and from the more educated to the less educated. The extent of assortative mating for social class and educational level was related to fertility; as educational assortative mating decreased so did the average number of children, whereas the opposite trend was observed for social class. When assortative mating for education and social class were considered together, educational assortative mating was the more significant predictor of the number of children and educationally homogamous couples had higher fertility independent of their social class assortative mating. The relationship between assortative mating and fertility for education and social class appeared to be acting in the opposite direction.

[Fertility and health in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Urbina-Fuentes, M; Echánove-Fernández, E

1989-01-01

Fertility, health, and family planning are not independent factors, but rather involve a series of biological and social mechanisms in close interaction with one another. The impact that a high fertility rate has on health is reflected mainly in a rise in the rates of maternal and child mortality. Similarly, fertility has a greater negative effect upon the health of groups characterized by high reproductive risk, high parity, short intergenesic intervals, and unwanted pregnancies. On the other hand, family planning -and specifically the use of contraceptive methods-helps to achieve a lowering of the fertility rate and also has a positive effect on maternal-child health. This situation can be observed in the case of Mexico, where fertility rates and tendencies, as well as maternal and child mortality, have been reduced during the past decade.

Multivariate Cholesky models of human female fertility patterns in the NLSY.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, Joseph Lee; Bard, David E; Miller, Warren B

2007-03-01

Substantial evidence now exists that variables measuring or correlated with human fertility outcomes have a heritable component. In this study, we define a series of age-sequenced fertility variables, and fit multivariate models to account for underlying shared genetic and environmental sources of variance. We make predictions based on a theory developed by Udry [(1996) Biosocial models of low-fertility societies. In: Casterline, JB, Lee RD, Foote KA (eds) Fertility in the United States: new patterns, new theories. The Population Council, New York] suggesting that biological/genetic motivations can be more easily realized and measured in settings in which fertility choices are available. Udry's theory, along with principles from molecular genetics and certain tenets of life history theory, allow us to make specific predictions about biometrical patterns across age. Consistent with predictions, our results suggest that there are different sources of genetic influence on fertility variance at early compared to later ages, but that there is only one source of shared environmental influence that occurs at early ages. These patterns are suggestive of the types of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions for which we must account to better understand individual differences in fertility outcomes.

The Impact of Soil Sampling Errors on Variable Rate Fertilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

R. L. Hoskinson; R C. Rope; L G. Blackwood; R D. Lee; R K. Fink

2004-07-01

Variable rate fertilization of an agricultural field is done taking into account spatial variability in the soil’s characteristics. Most often, spatial variability in the soil’s fertility is the primary characteristic used to determine the differences in fertilizers applied from one point to the next. For several years the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) has been developing a Decision Support System for Agriculture (DSS4Ag) to determine the economically optimum recipe of various fertilizers to apply at each site in a field, based on existing soil fertility at the site, predicted yield of the crop that would result (and a predicted harvest-time market price), and the current costs and compositions of the fertilizers to be applied. Typically, soil is sampled at selected points within a field, the soil samples are analyzed in a lab, and the lab-measured soil fertility of the point samples is used for spatial interpolation, in some statistical manner, to determine the soil fertility at all other points in the field. Then a decision tool determines the fertilizers to apply at each point. Our research was conducted to measure the impact on the variable rate fertilization recipe caused by variability in the measurement of the soil’s fertility at the sampling points. The variability could be laboratory analytical errors or errors from variation in the sample collection method. The results show that for many of the fertility parameters, laboratory measurement error variance exceeds the estimated variability of the fertility measure across grid locations. These errors resulted in DSS4Ag fertilizer recipe recommended application rates that differed by up to 138 pounds of urea per acre, with half the field differing by more than 57 pounds of urea per acre. For potash the difference in application rate was up to 895 pounds per acre and over half the field differed by more than 242 pounds of potash per acre. Urea and potash differences

Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choon-Tak Kwon

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the “Green Revolution”, breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.

Anindya Chatterjee | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Dr Anindya Chatterjee is Regional Director, Asia, based in New Delhi, India. He has provided leadership in research, research management, policy, and program development in the area of global health and development. Dr Chatterjee formerly worked internationally with United Nations development agencies, and ...

Development of international transport in transboundary regions

OpenAIRE

Прокудін, Георгій; Чупайленко, Олексій

2015-01-01

Formation of an international cross-border transport and logistics infrastructure meets international standards, increased productivity, transport and innovation activity of enterprises in the cluster, and provide for accelerated socio - economic development of the regions.

Fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kettner, Laura Ozer; Matthiesen, Niels Bjerregaard; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between specific types of fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Nationwide birth cohort study. SETTING: Not applicable. PATIENT(S): All pregnancies resulting in a live-born singleton child in Denmark from 1995 to 2003....... INTERVENTION(S): Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus identified from redeemed prescriptions for insulin until 2013. RESULT(S): The study included 565,116 singleton pregnancies. A total of 14,985 children were conceived by ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination......, and 8,490 children were conceived by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. During the follow-up period, 2,011 (0.4%) children developed type 1 diabetes mellitus. The primary analyses showed no association between fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus...

COMPLETED FERTILITY DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY: AN EXAMPLE FROM SIX SETTLEMENTS IN NORTHERN GREECE.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafeiris, Konstantinos N; Kaklamani, Stamatina

2018-02-06

This study aimed to delineate temporal trends and differentials of completed fertility and their relationship with some characteristics of the marriage system in specific anthropological populations of northern Greece. The analysis was based on the life history of quinquennial and decennial birth cohorts of married women born in the 20th century who reproduced solely within the settlements studied. The variables studied were: children ever born, mean age of mother at first marriage, mean age of mother at first child (live birth), mean age of mother at last child and reproductive span. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the demographic characteristics of marriage and that there was an ongoing fertility transition in the 20th century in the populations studied. The mechanism of fertility decline was connected with the gradual reduction of the mean age of the mother at last child, the parallel decrease in the mean age at childbearing and a shortening of the reproductive span. Fertility levels at all times maintained a dynamic character imposed by local cultural, economic and social structures, which, in turn, were part of broader national and international structures, in all the populations studied. A strong trend of convergence of fertility levels was observed among the populations studied.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizers on the Growth and Nitrate Content of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cheng-Wei; Sung, Yu; Chen, Bo-Ching; Lai, Hung-Yu

2014-01-01

Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth and development; however, due to environmental pollution, high nitrate concentrations accumulate in the edible parts of these leafy vegetables, particularly if excessive nitrogen fertilizer has been applied. Consuming these crops can harm human health; thus, developing a suitable strategy for the agricultural application of nitrogen fertilizer is important. Organic, inorganic, and liquid fertilizers were utilized in this study to investigate their effect on nitrate concentrations and lettuce growth. The results of this pot experiment show that the total nitrogen concentration in soil and the nitrate concentration in lettuce increased as the amount of nitrogen fertilizer increased. If the recommended amount of inorganic fertilizer (200 kg·N·ha−1) is used as a standard of comparison, lettuce augmented with organic fertilizers (200 kg·N·ha−1) have significantly longer and wider leaves, higher shoot, and lower concentrations of nitrate. PMID:24758896

Nutrient fertilizer requirements for sustainable biomass supply to meet U.S. bioenergy goal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Fengxiang X.; King, Roger L.; Lindner, Jeffrey S.; Monts, David L.; Su, Yi; Luthe, John C. [Institute for Clean Energy Technology, Mississippi State University, 205 Research Blvd., Starkville, MS 39759 (United States); Yu, Tzu-Yi [Department of Information Management, National Chi-Nan University, 470 University Rd., Puli, Nantou, 54561 Taiwan (China); Durbha, Surya S.; Younan, Nicolas H. [GeoResources Institute, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39759 (United States); Plodinec, M. John [Savannah River National Laboratory, Bldg 773-A, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States)

2011-01-15

The U.S. Biomass Roadmap set forth a goal that, by the year 2030, biomass will supply energy approximately equivalent to 30% of current petroleum consumption. Here we report on the amount of nutrient fertilizers required to meet the proposed 1-billion tons of sustainable bioenergy biomass production annually. To meet this goal, U.S. agriculture (assuming a scenario with high yield increase and land use change) will have net removals of 40.3, 12.7, and 36.2 Tg (million tons) of N, P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, and K{sub 2}O, respectively. The 1-billion tons of bioenergy biomass production alone will remove 16.9, 5.2, and 18.2 Tg of N, P{sub 2}O{sub 5,} and K{sub 2}O, respectively, from U.S. agricultural land. Considering the efficiencies of fertilizers in soils and the contribution of biomass residuals in fields, the overall bioenergy-focused agriculture would require 58.2, 27.3, and 31.7 Tg of N, P{sub 2}O{sub 5,} and K{sub 2}O fertilizers, respectively; this corresponds to an overall nutrient fertilizer application increase by a factor of 5.5 over the base line (1997). This study indicates an increased need for domestic and/or international production facilities for fertilizers if the goal of the Biomass Roadmap is to be attained. (author)

Development and evaluation of a full-scale spray scrubber for ammonia recovery and production of nitrogen fertilizer at poultry facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadlocon, Lara Jane S; Manuzon, Roderick B; Zhao, Lingying

2015-01-01

Significant ammonia emissions from animal facilities need to be controlled due to its negative impacts on human health and the environment. The use of acid spray scrubber is promising, as it simultaneously mitigates and recovers ammonia emission for fertilizer. Its low pressure drop contribution on axial fans makes it applicable on US farms. This study develops a full-scale acid spray scrubber to recover ammonia emissions from commercial poultry facilities and produce nitrogen fertilizer. The scrubber performance and economic feasibility were evaluated at a commercial poultry manure composting facility that released ammonia from exhaust fans with concentrations of 66-278 ppmv and total emission rate of 96,143 kg yr(-1). The scrubber consisted of 15 spray scrubber modules, each equipped with three full-cone nozzles that used dilute sulphuric acid as the medium. Each nozzle was operated at 0.59 MPa with a droplet size of 113 μm and liquid flow rate of 1.8 L min(-1). The scrubber was installed with a 1.3-m exhaust fan and field tested in four seasons. Results showed that the scrubber achieved high NH3 removal efficiencies (71-81%) and low pressure drop (scrubber effluents containing 22-36% (m/v) ammonium sulphate are comparable to the commercial-grade nitrogen fertilizer. Preliminary economic analysis indicated that the break-even time is one year. This study demonstrates that acid spray scrubbers can economically and effectively recover NH3 from animal facilities for fertilizer.

Consequences of Enduring Low Fertility – A German Case StudyDemographic Projections and Implications for Different Policy Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Bujard

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Der Originalbeitrag in deutscher Sprache ist verfügbar unter: Bd. 40 (2015: Ausgewählte deutsche Beiträge.Compared to all other countries in the world, Germany has been a “low-fertility country” for a longer period: the total fertility rate has been below 1.5 for four decades. Being the first to experience this development, a case study of Germany allows analysing the consequences of an enduring birth decline. In Germany, low fertility is also an increasingly big issue in politics as well as science, especially due to its extensive consequences on several policy fields that already become visible. However, the assessment of the consequences differs tremendously when it comes either to its intensity or to the question whether ageing or rather population decline is the more severe problem. Differentiated by these two processes, this article combines demographic analysis with the assessment of the consequences for different policy fields such as pensions, health, the economy, the labour market, culture, the EU, international relations and the party system.For all these policy fields, the consequences are serious, and partly ambivalent but overall negative. The occurrence of the consequences and the different policy options how to deal with these consequences differ considerably between the policy fields. Ageing is a more severe problem than shrinking, because the severe changes in the age structure in the social security system that will take place until 2040 apply to most Germans and are inevitable. On the other hand, the population decline can still be avoided demographically and does not affect all inhabitants negatively. Regarding the consequences of a declining population, one has to differentiate between an individual and a national perspective. National consequences are rather negative due to a decline of international influence and power, especially within the European Union. The study also demonstrates that the long

EFFECT OF PLANT ESSENTIAL OILS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND FERTILITY OF GRAIN WEEVIL (SITOPHILUS GRANARIUS L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARIA WAWRZYNIAK

2010-06-01

Full Text Available There was analyzed the effect of selected essential oils (orange, lemon, vanilla, linden blossom, thyme, geranium and tea oils on the development and fertility of the most dangerous cereal grain storage pest, grain weevil. Based on the results obtained, it was observed that a strong effect limiting the population of grain weevil was found for vanilla and orange oils. In the experiment combinations which involved essential oils, there was observed a prolonged pest development cycle and a higher mortality of maternal individuals than in the other tests. On the other hand, the lowest fecundity rate was recorded in the combination in which thyme oil was tested.

Emerging Donors Study | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-10-20

Oct 20, 2010 ... The four countries that were studied are Brazil, India, China and South Africa. The specific objectives of the studies were to: understand each country's approach to international development assistance and cooperation in developing countries; understand their approach to research for development in ...

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) desensitization increases sea urchin spermatozoa fertilization rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrezan-Nitao, Elis; Boni, Raianna; Marques-Santos, Luis Fernando

2016-10-01

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is a protein complex whose opening promotes an abrupt increase in mitochondrial inner membrane permeability. Calcium signaling pathways are described in gametes and are involved in the fertilization process. Although mitochondria may act as Ca(2+) store and have a fast calcium-releasing mechanism through MPTP, its contribution to fertilization remains unclear. The work aimed to investigate the MPTP phenomenon in sea urchin spermatozoa and its role on the fertilization. Several pharmacological tools were used to evaluate the MPTP's physiology. Our results demonstrated that MPTP occurs in male gametes in a Ca(2+) - and voltage-dependent manner and it is sensitive to cyclosporine A. Additionally, our data show that MPTP opening does not alter ROS generation in sperm cells. Inhibition of MPTP in spermatozoa strongly improved the fertilization rate, which may involve mechanisms that increase the spermatozoa lifespan. The present work is the first report of the presence of a voltage- and Ca(2+) -dependent MPTP in gametes of invertebrates and indicates MPTP opening as another evolutionary feature shared by sea urchins and mammals. Studies about MPTP in sea urchin male gametes may contribute to the elucidation of several mechanisms involved in sperm infertility. © 2016 International Federation for Cell Biology.

The Role of socioeconomic factors in fertility of Umuahia women in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rapid population growth arising from high fertility has been argued as being disadvantageous to the economic growth of countries especially the developing country like Nigeria. This paper examines the role of socioeconomic factors in fertility. The study elicited information from 500 women of the reproductive age of 15-49 ...

Fertility behaviour of recent immigrants to Israel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The fertility practices of immigrants are a particularly interesting field of study for demographers, providing an insight into the fertility behaviour of individuals when both the society and the individual undergo a period of rapid change. This paper describes and compares the fertility behaviour of two large groups of immigrants, from the former Soviet Union (FSU and from Ethiopia to Israel in the last 20 years. The changes in fertility behaviour undergone in the same society and at the same time by two very different groups are examined. The findings reveal that the fertility behaviour of immigrants is indeed changing. The fertility of FSU immigrants is increasing and that of the Ethiopian immigrants decreasing, with accompanying changes in the proximate determinants of fertility. Although the fertility of immigrants is becoming more similar to that of the receiving society, the methods employed to achieve the fertility change are not necessarily similar, and, in some cases, diverge from the norms of the receiving society.

Two period measures for comparing the fertility of marriage and cohabitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benoît Laplante

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The diffusion of cohabitation and, presumably, of childbearing within cohabitation, inspires interest in measuring the respective contribution of childbearing within marriage and within cohabitation to overall fertility. However, there is no consensus on a proper way to do so. Objective: Contribute to the development of tools for assessing the relative importance of marriage and cohabitation to overall fertility by developing period measures closely related to age-specific fertility rates and the total fertility rate. Methods: We introduce two measures: 1 the contribution of the conjugal state (living alone, living in a cohabiting union, being married to age-specific fertility rates (CASFR and 2 the contribution of the conjugal state to the TFR (CTFR. These measures are similar in construction to the marital (legitimate fertility rates and marital (legitimate TFR, but they are weighted by the proportion of women living alone, cohabiting, or being married at each age, so that their sum is the overall TFR. Taken together, they represent the fertility of the average woman of a synthetic cohort who moves across the various conjugal states (living alone, cohabiting, being married over her life course. They provide "realistic" estimates of completed fertility within each conjugal state. Conclusions: CASFRs provide a description of the fertility, over her life course, of a synthetic woman who would have spent her reproductive years living alone, cohabiting, and being married as the average woman of the synthetic cohort. CTFR provides a decomposition of the cumulative fertility of this synthetic woman. Over her life course, she would have had exactly the number of children computed using the overall TFR, but CTFR details the proportion of these children she would have had while living alone, while cohabiting, and while being married. Comments: Despite being defined as a conditional ASR weighted by the age-specific proportion of women living

Prediction of bull fertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Utt, Matthew D

2016-06-01

Prediction of male fertility is an often sought-after endeavor for many species of domestic animals. This review will primarily focus on providing some examples of dependent and independent variables to stimulate thought about the approach and methodology of identifying the most appropriate of those variables to predict bull (bovine) fertility. Although the list of variables will continue to grow with advancements in science, the principles behind making predictions will likely not change significantly. The basic principle of prediction requires identifying a dependent variable that is an estimate of fertility and an independent variable or variables that may be useful in predicting the fertility estimate. Fertility estimates vary in which parts of the process leading to conception that they infer about and the amount of variation that influences the estimate and the uncertainty thereof. The list of potential independent variables can be divided into competence of sperm based on their performance in bioassays or direct measurement of sperm attributes. A good prediction will use a sample population of bulls that is representative of the population to which an inference will be made. Both dependent and independent variables should have a dynamic range in their values. Careful selection of independent variables includes reasonable measurement repeatability and minimal correlation among variables. Proper estimation and having an appreciation of the degree of uncertainty of dependent and independent variables are crucial for using predictions to make decisions regarding bull fertility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioactivity in Chemical Fertilizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jankovic, M.; Nikolic, J.; Pantelic, G.; Rajacic, M.; Sarap, N.; Todorovic, D.

2013-01-01

The fertilizers are essential in agriculture as they supply nutrients to the farming fields. One of the sources of radioactivity other than those of natural origin is mainly due to extensive use of fertilizers. The concentrations of natural radionuclides, 40K, 226Ra, 238U and 235U in different chemical fertilizers, which are part of the regular control of imported goods from the border crossing were analyzed using gamma spectrometry with a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector, relative efficiency 20 %, in order to assess the implications of the extended use of chemical fertilizers. Measurements were performed at Vinca Institute, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department. The obtained results show remarkable wide variations in the radioactivity contents of different samples. The mean (ranges) of specific activities for gamma activity of those fertilizer samples for 40K, 226Ra, 238U and 235U are 4857 (23 - 12 324) Bq/kg, 87 (4-393) Bq/kg, 220 (26-1145) Bq/kg and 15 (1.6-53) Bq/kg, respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ) as well as the external absorbed gamma dose rate (D) for all samples was also calculated.(author)

Practice makes perfect: participatory innovation in soil fertility management to improve rural livelihoods in East Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jager, de A.

2007-01-01

Keywords: soil nutrient balances, soil fertility degradation, East Africa , participatory innovation, experiential learning, farmer field schools, smallholder agriculture

Maintaining and improving soil fertility is crucial for Africa to attain the Millennium Development Goals. Fertile

Effects of gravity on meiosis, fertilization and early embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Science.gov (United States)

Sasagawa, Y.; Saito, Y.; Shimizu, M.; Ishioka, N.; Yamashita, M.; Takahashi, H.; Higashitani, A.

The embryonic development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was examined under different gravitational conditions. The first cleavage plane in the 1-cell embryo was slid to some extent by re-orientation of liquid culture vessel, but the pattern and timing of cleavages were not affected. Under 100G of hypergravity condition with swing-centrifuge, the number of eggs laid from an adult hermaphrodite decreased and their hatching rate was drastically reduced. On the other hand, the embryonic development after fertilization normally occurred and grew to adulthood at more than 100G of hypergravity. When the adult hermaphrodites cultured under 100G of hypergravity transferred to a ground condition (1G), the newly fertilized embryos normally developed and their hatching rate was fully recovered. These results indicated that the reproductive process except spermatogenesis, oogenesis and embryogenesis after fertilization is impaired under 100G of hypergravity condition, and the effect is transient. Namely, the fertilization process including meiotic divisions I and II is sensitive to hypergravity in the nematode C. elegans.

Search Results | Page 786 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 7851 - 7860 of 9602 ... An international forum for Francophone youth was held in Dakar, ... and the FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics) at the ... and influencing the entire five-year policy development process, from ...

Will sex selection reduce fertility?

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, S F

1994-01-01

Population control is one of the primary policies applied against poverty in many low income countries. The widespread prevalence of son preference in some countries such as China and India, however, works against any reduction of fertility. This is so because parents often continue to have children until they obtain the number of sons which they desire. The bias against girls has also led to higher abortion and mortality rates of female children. It is frequently argued that if sex selection methods are made available to parents so that they can control the gender of their children, population growth would be lowered and women's welfare improved. The author investigates both theoretically and numerically the impact of sex selection on fertility. A static quantity-quality model of fertility is used to compare fertility choices when parents cannot choose the gender of children versus a situation in which parents can choose gender. Empirical data are drawn from the 1976 Malaysian Family Life Survey. Analysis found that whether sex selection reduces fertility depends upon the second and third derivatives of the utility function and the child expenditure function. A numerical dynamic analysis is also presented. The simulation shows, using empirical dynamic models of fertility and the Monte Carlo integration technique, that sex selection on the firstborn child among the Chinese in Malaysia could reduce fertility by about 3%.

Effect of addition of nitrate fertilizers on the efficient use of ammonium fertilizers uptake in salty soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalifa, Kh.; Zidan, A

1993-01-01

The effect of addition of nitrate fertilizers on the efficient use of ammonium fertilizers was studies using N 15 method, in pot experiment using salt affected alluvial soil, the objective of this study was to determine the ideal ratio of No 3 /NH 4 which enhance the efficiency of ammonium fertilizers. The results showed that the fresh and dry weights of maize (variety LG11) responded significantly to each type of fertilizer alone. Furthermore, the N-NO 3 fertilizer showed superiority over N-NH 4 Fertilizer. Wherever, the highest yield was obtained with a mixture of both (N-NO 3 and N-NH 4 ) with NO 3 /NH 4 ratio 1/8, in spite of the fact that the equivalent amounts of N were employed in all treatments. Under the given circumstances it has been recommended in salt affected soil in dry area, to use the above mentioned ratio for nitrogen fertilizer to obtain optimum yield. (author)

An analysis of social consequences of rapid fertility decline in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Z; Liu, L

1988-12-01

Rapid fertility decline in China has brought about 2 direct effects: 1) the natural increase of the population has slowed down, and 2) the age structure has changed from the young to the adult type. These 2 effects have caused a series of economic and social consequences. Rapid fertility decline increases the gross national product per capita and accelerates the improvement of people's lives. Rapid fertility decline slows population growth and speeds up the accumulation of capital and the development of the economy. Since 1981, accumulation growth has exceeded consumption growth. Fertility decline alleviates the enrollment pressure on primary and secondary schools, raises the efficiency of education funds, and promotes the popularization of education. The family planning program strengthens the maternal and child health care and the medical care systems. As the result of economic development, the people's nutritional levels are improving. The physical quality of teenagers has improved steadily. The change in the age structure will alleviate the tension of rapid population growth and benefit population control in the next century. Fertility decline forces the traditional attitude toward childbearing from "more children, more happiness" to improved quality of children. The rapid fertility decline has caused a great deal of concern both inside and outside China about the aging of the population. The labor force, however, will continue to grow for the next 60 years. At present, China's population problems are still those of population growth.

Family Law Effects on Divorce, Fertility and Child Investment

OpenAIRE

Joseph Mullins; Christopher Flinn; Meta Brown

2015-01-01

In order to assess the child welfare impact of policies governing divorced parenting, such as child support orders, child custody and placement regulations, and marital dissolution standards, one must consider their influence not only on the divorce rate but also on spouses' fertility choices and child investments. We develop a model of marriage, fertility and parenting, with the main goal being the investigation of how policies toward divorce influence outcomes for husbands, wives and childr...

Development in Danish international air traffic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Linda

The paper is describing the development in international air traffic made by Danes and for all travellers out of Denmark in the period 2002 - 2012. Development in passengers, destination countries and prices is illustrated. The person kilometres by Danes have increased 80% or 7.2% per year in mean...... during the 10 years. This increase has been analysed by a panel data model. The conclusion found by modelling is the increasing travel activity first of all is driven by increasing income and to less extent by decreasing prices. The paper is furthermore showing how the international air traffic has got...

Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed with Cancer

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Provider Pocket Guides Provider Guides Fertility Preservation for Women Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Men Diagnosed ... Patient Pocket Guides Patient Guides Fertility Preservation for Women Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Men Diagnosed ...

Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed with Cancer

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... for Women Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Men Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed ... for Women Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Men Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed ...

Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed with Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

... Skip to main content SaveMyFertility An Online Fertility Preservation Toolkit for Patients and Their Providers Open menu ... with Cancer You are here Home » Patients Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed with Cancer Fertility Preservation for ...

Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in grassland spontaneously developed on area polluted by a fertilizer plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renker, C.; Blanke, V.; Buscot, F.

2005-01-01

Mycorrhizal colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were analyzed in a calcareous grassland with residual phosphate contamination 10 years after the closure of a pollutant fertilizer plant in Thuringia (Germany). AMF were detected in 21 of 22 plant species analyzed. Mean mycorrhization levels reached up to 74.5% root length colonized. AMF diversity was analyzed based on 104 sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a total of 6 species all belonging to the genus Glomus. There was no overlap between species detected as active mycorrhizas on roots (2 taxa) or as spores (4 taxa). Compared to the regional context, the diversity of AMF at our field site was reduced, which may reflect a residual disturbance effect. However, none of the detected species was exclusive to the polluted site as they are commonly found in the region. - Almost all plant species were mycorrhizal

Farmers behavior on using fertilizer in West Java

Science.gov (United States)

Perdana, Tomy; Renaldy, Eddy; Utami, Hesty Nurul; Sadeli, Agriani Hermita; Mahra Arari, H.; Ginanjar, Tetep; Ajeng Sesy N., P.; Fernianda Rahayu, H.; Sanjaya, Sonny

2018-02-01

Fertilizer is one of the important materials in farming system to improve quality and quantity of harvest. Most of farmers in Indonesia using fertilizer, one of substantial fertilizer is NPK that contain of complex nutrient, there are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. There are tendency for farmers using NPK based on quality products and speed of decomposition. Nowadays, market size for NPK fertilizer has been dramatically increase and it will impact on intensify of fertilizer use. The potential requirement in marketing does not balanced with consumer behavior analysis. Meanwhile, agricultural sector (include horticulture, floriculture, bio-pharmacy and plantation) have been wieldly increase of the farming system annualy. This research is study case which is analyzed local NPK fertilizer competitive advantage compared to imported NPK fertilizer through consumer point of view towards product quality in four districts in West Java province, i.e., West Bandung, Garut, Bogor and Cianjur District with target respondents are farmers who use NPK fertilizer. NPK fertilizer qualities are based on product attributes, which are; availability, nutrient content, price, basic ingredients, form of fertilizer, speed of decomposition, label, color, type, design and size of packaging. It was analyzed using sematic differential attitude models and multi attribute attitude snake diagram model. The evaluation ranking of consumers interests towards fertilizer attribute characteristics showed that consumer intention before deciding to buy or use a NPK fertilizer will consider nutrient content, speed of decomposition, form of fertilizer and availability of products. Consumer's attitude towards all NPK fertilizer attribute quality illustrated that imported fertilizer is considered to be more positive than local fertilizer. Fertilizer companies or industries should be able to maintain their fertilizer production especially concerning nutrient content and availability of products through a

Evaluating the influence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria as a bio-fertilizer under different fertility sources

Science.gov (United States)

Chemical fertilizers are being extensively used to satisfy the increasing demand for food. However, utilization of chemical fertilizers can be costly and over application for ensuring crop productivity may lead to environmental problems. As a result, interest in using bio-fertilizers to improve soil...

Publications | Page 385 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 3841 - 3850 of 6384 ... Associations of fertility and pregnancy outcomes with leather tannery work in Mongolia : a pilot study (restricted access) ... West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) Initiative : a change agent for improved connectivity and bandwidth in West and Central Africa ...

Publications | Page 125 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

In a disaster setting, access to health information can mean the difference between life and ... Integrating scientific and farmers' perception towards evaluation of rain-fed ... data on selected water harvesting and integrated soil fertility management. ... Two thirds of producers are women who manage less than 10 animals;.

ISO: international standards development for nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, K.

1981-01-01

The importance of internationally recognized standards for nuclear technology and safety is rapidly increasing for technical as well as economical and political reasons such as public acceptance and nuclear technology transfer to developing countries. The need for such standards is also evident because of the large number of nuclear installations sited close to international borders, and the export of nuclear installations from relatively few supplier countries to a large number of user countries. It is the purpose of this report to describe briefly the history, organizational structures and procedures, goals, accomplishments, problems, and future needs of the relevant activities of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO is composed of the partly governmental, partly non-governmental national standards bodies of 86 countries including China. The work of its Technical Committee (TC) 85 'Nuclear Energy' is mostly concerned with industrial applications, contractual aspects and international communication, for the benefit of both developed and developing countries. It works in close liaison with IAEA, which develops Codes and Guides addressed mainly to the regulatory aspects of nuclear power plants in developing countries. ISO/TC 85 has four sub-committees dealing with: (a) Terminology, Definitions, Units and Symbols (Secretariat USA, four working groups (WGs)); (b) Radiation Protection (Secretariat France, ten WGs); (c) Power Reactor Technology (Secretariat Sweden, nine WGs); (d) Nuclear Fuel Technology (Secretariat F.R. Germany, seven WGs). (author)

Effects of increasing temperature due to aquatic climate change on the self-fertility and the sexual development of the hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Chang-Beom; Kim, Young Jun; Soyano, Kiyoshi

2017-01-01

In order to assess the effects of increasing temperature on the reproductive performance of fish, different thermal conditions (i.e., 25.0, 26.5, 27.5, 28.5, 30.0 °C) were used in this study and the self-fertilizing hermaphrodite fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, was exposed to these different thermal conditions. During an exposure period of 30 to 150 days, the gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonadal development, the levels of plasma 17β-estradial (E2) and testosterone (T), hepatic vitellogenin (VTG) mRNA abundance, and the number of self-fertilized eggs were analyzed. This study confirmed that a high water temperature above 27.5 °C led to the suppression of self-fertility of hermaphroditic fish from 30 days after exposure. The oocyte quality and maturation would be affected by the disruption of hepatic VTG synthesis at a high water temperature of 30 °C, which resulted in the reduced the self-fertility in K. marmoratus. Consequently, this study suggests that elevated water temperature due to aquatic climate change prior to sexual maturation and the onset of spawning can lead to the reproductive dysfunction of hermaphroditic K. marmoratus.

Publications | Page 283 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

China, Jordan, Nepal, Peru) with a number of international technical and legal experts to contribute to the development and implementation of innovative policies, and laws and related practices for the fair use and... Value chain development and ...