Evaluation of Tillage, Crop Rotation, and Cover Crop Impacts on Corn Nitrogen Requirements in Southeastern South Dakota

Nitrogen (N) is a vital factor of corn (Zea mays) production. Previous work in South Dakota has shown that there is uncertainty as to whether nitrogen requirements are the same for corn raised under no-till (NT) versus conventional till (CT) production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether N requirements continue to be greater under long-term NT versus CT production systems in southeastern South Dakota, while also considering effects from cover crops and crop rotation. This was a two year study conducted at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm near Beresford, SD; it was superimposed on a long-term rotation and tillage study established in 1991. Treatments included applied N rates of 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 lbs N acre-1. Rotations were: corn/soybean (Glycine max) and corn/soybean/small grain; the three-year rotation was split additionally by ‘cover crop’ and ‘no cover crop’ treatments. Parameters measured included: soil plant analysis development (SPAD) chlorophyll readings, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) readings, ear leaf N content, total plant N uptake, yield, test weight, moisture, and grain protein. In 2014 small plot results were quite variable due to 13.5” of rainfall in June; the 2015 growing season was mild, producing more representative yields. Both N rate and tillage showed significant impacts on yield in the 2014 and 2015 three-year rotation. In 2014, spring soil nitrate levels tended to be 50 lbs ac-1 less in the ‘cover crop’ verses ‘no cover crop’ treatments, but there were no significant yield differences between cover crop treatments. Nitrogen that was not available in the spring likely became available later when cover crop residue decomposed. No-till corn was generally more sensitive to N application in the 2015 two-year rotation than CT corn, however, optimum N rates were the same across tillage regimes. In this study, long-term NT soils did not consistently require more N than CT soils. More research needs to be conducted to further define N recommendations and the impact of cover crops and crop rotation on soil N credits

Nutritional status, glycaemic control and barriers to treatment compliance among patients with type 2 diabetes attending public primary health clinics in Maseru, Lesotho

Objectives: To evaluate the nutritional status, glycaemic control and barriers to treatment compliance of outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending two public primary health clinics in Maseru, Lesotho.Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.Setting: Lesotho Defence Force Clinic and Domiciliary Clinic.Subjects: 124 participants with T2DM, 30–69 years.Outcome measures: Sociodemography, medical history, diet, lifestyle, metabolic risk-related anthropometry, glycaemic and metabolic control, and barriers that may impact on treatment compliance.Results: Participants (53.9; SD 9.4 years; 79.5% females; 53.3% diagnosed for > 5 years) were knowledgeable about basic lifestyle recommendations for diabetes, and reported being active (98.3%). However, 88.5% were overweight or obese; 93.4%, 78.1%; 66.1% did not meet the recommended intakes of dairy, vegetables and fruit; 10.7% used tobacco; and 52% of men drank excessively. None performed blood glucose self-monitoring, and 90.2% were ignorant of normal blood glucose ranges, while 94.3% had uncontrolled hypertension despite being on anti-hypertensive medication. Participants were rarely screened for long-term glycaemic control or comorbidities, or referred to dietitians, but 98.4% were satisfied with the services.Conclusions: In this setting, patients were not meeting treatment goals for T2DM, and were not being screened or referred, rendering clinic visits a revolving door that poses the risk of costly complications

\u3cem\u3eMasterpiece Cakeshop \u3c/em\u3eand Its Implications

The following is a transcript of a 2018 Federalist Society panel entitled Masterpiece Cakeshop and Its Implications. The panel originally occurred on November 15, 2018, during the National Lawyers Convention in Washington, D.C. The panelists were: Thomas C. Berg, James Oberstar Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of St. Thomas School of Law (Minnesota); Gerard V. Bradley, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame Law School; and Louise Melling, Deputy Legal Director and Director of the Center for Liberty, ACLU

Editorial

To say that working on this issue of Migration and Society has been a challenge would be an understatement. For all of us, from the members of the editorial team to our guest editors, contributors, ever-important reviewers, and the publishing team, 2020 has brought significant barriers. We have feared for the safety of our loved ones; grieved unbearable losses, often from afar; faced different forms of containment; and sought to, somehow, find the time and energy to care for our loved ones, our selves, and one another while navigating unsustainable work commitments and responsibilities

Iron-focussed nutritional status of mothers with children (6–59 months) in rural northern Ghana

Background: Anaemia, especially iron deficiency anemia, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in African women and children. Aim: To assess the intake of nutrients related to iron and anaemia status among mothers in smallholder agrarian communities in Northern Ghana where anaemia is known to be endemic. Setting: Tolon Kumbumgu district and Tamale Metropolis in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 161 mothers with children 6–59 months. Questionnaires on socio-demographics, household food security and production and food frequencies, and three 24-hour recalls were administered during structured interviews, and BMI was assessed. Dietary intakes were analysed with the Ghana Nutrient Database® (version 6.02). Nutrient intake was evaluated using the estimated average requirements and iron intakes using the probability method. Results: Most mothers (91.9%) had low literacy and were subsistence farmers. The staple diet was homemade unrefined, unfortified maize meal, homemade unfortified oil (shea butter), and seasonal green leafy vegetables (mostly amaranth), butternut, tomatoes, onions and legumes. Inadequate intakes of vitamin A (in 9.9%), folate (in 46.6%) and vitamin B12 (in 98.8%) were observed, in combination with high fibre (47.8 ± 19.0 g/day) intakes and high tea consumption. If 10% iron bio-availability was assumed, 33.1% were estimated to have inadequate iron intake; if 5% iron bio-availability was assumed, 80.8% were estimated to have inadequate iron intakes. Conclusion: In these low socio-economic agrarian communities, mothers of infants are living on home produce and rarely consumed foods (fortified salt, cooking oil and wheat flour) from the national food fortification programmes intended to address anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies

Synthesis of a nanomaterial from Trypan Blue and benzyldimethyldodecylamonium

N/A

Quantum network approach to spin interferometry driven by Abelian and non-Abelian fields

We present a theory of conducting quantum networks that accounts for Abelian and non-Abelian fields acting on spin carriers. We apply this approach to model the conductance of mesoscopic spin interferometers of different geometry (such as squares and rings), reproducing recent experimental findings in nanostructured InAsGa quantum wells subject to Rashba spin-orbit and Zeeman fields (as, e.g., the manipulation of Aharonov-Casher interference patterns by geometric means). Moreover, by introducing an additional field-texture engineering, we manage to single out a previously unnoticed spin-phase suppression mechanism. We notice that our approach can also be used for the study of complex networks and the spectral properties of closed systems

S100B is increased in Parkinson’s disease and ablation protects against MPTP-induced toxicity through the RAGE and TNF-α pathway

Peer reviewedPublisher PD