Background Total fertility rate in Iran has declined unprecedentedly over the past thirty years. However, debating on proper strategies to increase fertility is still a matter of discussion among experts. Objective To explain the main strategies to increase fertility from the viewpoints of the policy makers. Methods This is a qualitative study using content analysis. Purposeful sampling app...

In sub-Saharan Africa, health systems are fragile and staffing is grossly inadequate to meet rising health needs. Despite growing international attention, donors have been reluctant to undertake the significant investments required to address the human resources problem comprehensively, given social and political sensitivities, and concerns regarding sustainability of interventions and risks of...

using apple clonal rootstocks is necessary for improving crop efficiency in apple orchards. after graftingof apple cultivars on malling rootstocks, the extra parts of the rootstock was used as stem cuttings. apical,middle and basal parts of these shoots were used as cuttings. two propagation conditions, greenhouse andnursery and three concentrations of indole-3- butyric acid (iba) on rooting, c...

The European earwig (Forficula auricularia) is potentially a predator of a number of insect pests in apple orchards. However, its effectiveness as a natural enemy in apple orchards may be compromised by insecticide sprays. A laboratory bioassay of eight insecticides currently used in Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) apple orchards and one as-yet unregistered product was undertaken to determine...

BACKGROUND Despite many decades of declining mortality rates in the Western world, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. In this research we evaluate the optimal mix of lifestyle, pharmaceutical and population-wide interventions for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND FINDINGS In a discrete time Markov model we simulate the ischaemic heart ...

Plum pox, an invasive disease recently identified in Pennsylvania stone fruit orchards, is caused by the aphid-transmitted Plum pox virus (genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae, PPV). To identify potential vectors, we described the aphid species communities and the seasonal dynamics of the dominant aphid species within Pennsylvania peach orchards. Aphids were trapped weekly in 2002 and 2003 from ...

Chinese pine seed orchards are in a period of transition from first-generation to advanced-generations. How to effectively select populations for second-generation seed orchards and significantly increase genetic gain through rational deployment have become major issues. In this study, we examined open- and control-pollinated progeny of the first-generation Chinese pine seed orchards in Zhengni...