Influence of turfgrass coverage on nutrient and pesticide transport as affected by water and sediment displacement during surface runoff

Turfgrass systems such as roadsides, home lawns, and golf course roughs can vary in surface coverage. Nutrient and pesticide applications applied to these systems may pose an increased risk to adjacent water supplies from surface runoff. Therefore the objectives of this research were: 1) determine the effect surface coverage has on nutrient, pesticide, and sediment runoff and, 2) evaluate the impact of pesticide solubility on runoff losses at varying turfgrass coverages. Surface runoff research commenced in 2010 and 2011 with experimental units consisting of six turfgrass coverages (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) and untreated bare soil. Coverages each received a granular fertilizer, atrazine, azoxystrobin, monosodium methyl arsenate (MSMA), pendimethalin, simazine, and S-metolachlor treatment. Simulated rainfall was applied at 7.38 cm hr -1 with runoff collected and analyzed for dissolved nitrogen (DN), total nitrogen (TN), dissolved phosphorus (DP), total phosphorus (TP), total solids (TS) and each pesticide applied. Runoff volumes and TS loading decreased as turfgrass coverage increased from 0 to 100% turfgrass coverage. Total solids decreased from 1078 and 873 kg ha-1 from 0% coverage to 35 and 14 kg ha-1 at 100% turfgrass coverage in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Turfgrass coverage did not affect TN and TP with 5.76 kg N ha-1 and 5.60 kg P ha-1 lost at 100% turfgrass coverage. As turfgrass coverage increased DN and DP losses accounted for greater portions of total losses with decreasing sediment bound nutrients losses. Greater than 56% of DN and DP occurred during the first 15 min after the onset of runoff (AOR). Higher water soluble pesticides were more susceptible to loss during surface runoff. MSMA losses of 25.7% at 100% turfgrass coverage were 7 times greater than the highest pendimethalin losses observed. Similar to soluble nutrients, \u3e 56% of dissolved pesticides were lost in the first 15 min AOR. Total atrazine losses of 12.5 and18.3% compared to total simazine losses of 10.1and 5.7% for 0 and 100% coverage respectively, indicate the importance of maintaining greater turfgrass coverage for reducing sediment bound pollutants. However, turfgrass coverage may not be as effective for reducing dissolved pollutant transport

Identification and Management of Moss and Phytopathogenic Algae Common on Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens

Taxonomic traits were utilized to identify problematic moss species common to golf course putting greens. Three predominant species of moss were identified on two golf course putting greens located in East Tennessee. Bryum argenteum, Amblystegium serpens and Entodon seductrix were identified on creeping bentgrass putting greens. Green house studies were initiated to investigate all three moss species control with carfentrazone and mancozeb. Utilizing digital image analysis investigations concluded carfentrazone controlled all three moss species greater than mancozeb. Sequential carfentrazone applications controlled all three moss species greater than single applications. Moss recovery and regrowth was observed with carfentrazone. Field studies were initiated to evaluate Bryum argenteum control utilizing mancozeb, carfentrazone, and cultural practices. Cultural practices improved carfentrazone long term efficacy. Carfentrazone controlled Bryum argenteum greater than mancozeb. Similar Bryum argenteum control was observed with cultural practices alone and carfentrazone alone. Bryum argenteum recovery was observed with carfentrazone alone treatments. Mancozeb and non-treated plots increased in Bryum argenteum populations. A common problematic species of cyanobacteria was identified on three golf courses all located near Knoxville, TN. Isolates were identified genetically and compared to other similar isolates. The Tennessee cyanobacteria isolate had a 94 % match to a Phormidium murryi, a filamentous mat forming cyanobacteria. The isolate was then subjected to a ten day In vitro screen determining copper and zinc toxicity levels. Both copper and zinc killed the Tennessee cyanobacteria isolates at 3.2 micromole concentrations. Both zinc and copper at 0.6 micromole concentrations increased the Tennessee cyanobacteria isolates growth when compared to the non-treated

Fear Selectively Modulates Visual Mental Imagery and Visual Perception

Emotions have been shown to modulate low-level visual processing of simple stimuli. In this study, we investigate whether emotions only modulate processing of visual representations created from direct visual inputs or whether they also modulate representations that underlie visual mental images. Our results demonstrate that when participants visualize or look at the global shape of written words (low-spatial-frequency visual information), the prior brief presentation of fearful faces enhances processing, whereas when participants visualize or look at details of written words (high-spatial-frequency visual information), the prior brief presentation of fearful faces impairs processing. This study demonstrates that emotions have similar effects on low-level processing of visual percepts and of internal representations created on the basis of information stored in long-term memory.Psycholog

Experimental approach to measuring functional food consumption for risk factor surveillance

Abstract Objective To develop and integrate the assessment of functional foods (FuF; manufactured foods with altered composition carrying a health claim) consumption into an existing risk factor surveillance system. Design FuF market research followed by an experimental FuF intake study incorporated into an ongoing community-based survey. Concurrent completion of a self-administered semi-quantitative FFQ and a self-administered, qualitative FuF frequency questionnaire (FuFFQ) followed by a face-to-face control step using FuF photographs and combined food group-based data analyses. Setting ‘Bus Santé' risk factor surveillance programme, Geneva/Switzerland. Subjects Population-based random sample of 639 residents (52 % women, aged 35-74 years) surveyed from September 2003 to April 2004. Results Local Geneva/French neighbourhood market research identified 148 FuF in five major FuF food groups which were compiled into a functional ingredient database. Prior to the face-to-face verification, 210 (33 %) individuals categorized themselves as FuF consumers, 429 (67 %) as non-consumers. The control step revealed that 70 % of the 639 participants were already familiar with the FuF concept, and thus were correctly self-categorized as FuF consumers or non-consumers. For the remaining 30 % of participants the true FuF consumption status was established, resulting in a final number of 285 FuF consumers (45 %; 12 % net increase) and 354 (55 %) non-consumers. Conclusions The developed self-administered, brief, qualitative food group-based FuF frequency check list in combination with an FFQ and a photo-assisted control step provides a flexible assessment tool for measuring FuF consumption in the context of a specific fluctuating FuF market and may be applicable to other population settings and time

Application of Time Domain Reflectometers in Urban Settings

Time domain reflectometers (TDRs) are in-situ monitoring probes that record soil moisture content when calibrated to a particular soil. Typically TDRs are used in agricultural settings, but this technology may also be applied to urban soils. The Urban Watershed Management Branch located at the Edison Environmental Center (EEC) has been exploring the use of TDRs as a way to monitor stormwater infiltration practices. TDRs are installed in pilot- and full-scale bioretention units (e.g., rain gardens). The TDRs are capable of measuring soil moisture and sensing the wetting front as the stormwater infiltrates through the planting media and into the native soil. Recently, a new permeable pavement parking lot was constructed at the EEC. This parking lot was designed for long-term monitoring and included the installation of TDRs, both in the crushed concrete storage layer and in the underlying soil. Early indications suggest that while this novel application of TDRs in crushed concrete may not provide calibrated moisture content, wetting fronts correspond to those of the TDRs in soils. Extensive bench-scale testing was performed in crushed concrete prior to the permanent installation below the paved surfaces as a proof of concept test. Application of this technology may be suitable to urban areas that are interested in modifying tree pit design, controlling stormwater through rain gardens and porous pavements, or using manufactured or engineered soils, and seek or require supporting data that water is infiltrating and available to plants

Classifying Compliant Manipulation Tasks for Automated Planning in Robotics

Many household chores and industrial manufacturing tasks require a certain compliant behavior to make deliberate physical contact with the environment. This compliant behavior can be implemented by modern robotic manipulators. However, in order to plan the task execution, a robot requires generic process models of these tasks which can be adapted to different domains and varying environmental conditions. In this work we propose a classification of compliant manipulation tasks meeting these requirements, to derive related actions for automated planning. We also present a classification for the sub-category of wiping tasks, which are most common and of great importance in service robotics. We categorize actions from an object-centric perspective to make them independent of any specific robot kinematics. The aim of the proposed taxonomy is to guide robotic programmers to develop generic actions for any kind of robotic systems in arbitrary domains

Mental Rotation is Not Easily Cognitively Penetrable

When participants take part in mental imagery experiments, are they using their "tacit knowledge" of perception to mimic what they believe should occur in the corresponding perceptual task? Two experiments were conducted to examine whether such an account can be applied to mental imagery in general. These experiments both examined tasks that required participants to "mentally rotate" stimuli. In Experiment 1, instructions led participants to believe that they could re-orient shapes in one step or avoid re-orienting the shapes altogether. Regardless of instruction type, response times increased linearly with increasing rotation angles. In Experiment 2, participants first observed novel objects rotating at different speeds, and then performed a mental rotation task with those objects. The speed of perceptually demonstrated rotation did not affect the speed of mental rotation. We argue that tacit knowledge cannot explain mental imagery results in general, and that in particular the mental rotation effect reflects the nature of the underlying internal representation and processes that transform it, rather than participants’ pre-existing knowledge.Psycholog

Consistency between cross-sectional and longitudinal SNP: blood lipid associations

Various studies have linked different genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to different blood lipids (BL), but whether these "connections” were identified using cross-sectional or longitudinal (i.e., changes over time) designs has received little attention. Cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments of BL [total, high-, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC, HDL, LDL), triglycerides (TG)] and non-genetic factors (body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake) were measured for 2,002 Geneva, Switzerland, adults during 1999-2008 (two measurements, median 6years apart), and 20 SNPs in 13 BL metabolism-related genes. Fixed and mixed effects repeated measures linear regression models, respectively, were employed to identify cross-sectional and longitudinal SNP:BL associations among the 1,516 (76%) study participants who reported not being treated for hypercholesterolemia at either measurement time. One-third more (12 vs. 9) longitudinal than cross-sectional associations were found [Bonferroni-adjusted two-tailed p<0.00125 (=0.05/2)/20) for each of the four ensembles of 20 SNP:individual BL associations tested under the two study designs]. There was moderate consistency between the cross-sectional and longitudinal findings, with eight SNP:BL associations consistently identified across both study designs: [APOE.2 and APOE.4 (rs7412 and rs429358)]:TC; HL/LIPC (rs2070895):HDL; [APOB (rs1367117), APOE.2 and APOE.4 (rs7412 and rs429358)]:LDL; [APOA5 (rs2072560) and APOC III (rs5128)]:TG. The results suggest that cross-sectional studies, which include most genome-wide association studies (GWAS), can assess the large majority of SNP:BL associations. In the present analysis, which was much less powered than a GWAS, the cross-sectional study was around 2/3 (67%) as efficient as the longitudinal stud

<i>Trypanosoma evansi</i>: Genetic variability detected using amplified restriction fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of Kenyan isolates

We compared two methods to generate polymorphic markers to investigate the population genetics of Trypanosoma evansi; random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified restriction fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. AFLP accessed many more polymorphisms than RAPD. Cluster analysis of the AFLP data showed that 12 T.evansi isolates were very similar (‘type A’) whereas 2 isolates differed substantially (‘type B’). Type A isolates have been generally regarded as genetically identical but AFLP analysis was able to identify multiple differences between them and split the type A T. evansi isolates into two distinct clades