Processes for Improved Variable Rate Irrigation and Nitrogen Within Potato-Wheat-Wheat Cropping Systems

Proper irrigation and nutrient management are vital for optimal crop production within agricultural fields. Improving irrigation and nutrient application through precision agriculture is necessary to conserve the limited resources available, while improving yield and quality of crops produced through such a system. Variable rate irrigation (VRI) and variable rate nitrogen are systems used to apply water and nitrogen more precisely to agricultural fields to reduce runoff, deep percolation, leaching, and other negative impacts of over application, while providing the optimal rates to produce maximum yields. However, the processes to utilize these systems have proven to be more difficult than expected, and the technology has developed at a faster rate than the knowledge to manage such systems. Much research has been performed to determine different ways to use VRI and VRN, but many studies have been more technical than application based. This research has focused on farm-scale trials to assist in further exploration of managing VRI and VRN in three ways. First, determine sensor placements based on resources available to the farmer to assist in making in-season irrigation decisions. Second, utilize satellite imagery to estimate in-season variation of soil moisture throughout fields that could assist with irrigation management. Third, trial a zone delineation and management plan for VRN that utilizes resources readily available to growers. These analyses found that farmer\u27s experience combined with yield maps are reliable tools for placing soil moisture sensors that capture soil VWC variability for precision irrigation. Utilizing satellite imagery with some vegetative indices were useful in estimating soil moisture throughout a field, and exploring some soil indices could prove useful in estimating soil moisture at different crop growth stages. These studies also found that sectioning a field into high and low yield productivity areas and applying different rates of N based on those productivity areas resulted in higher crop yields and improved nitrogen use efficiency. Overall, these results show the benefit of utilizing resources readily accessible to the farmer, as well as the experience of the farmer to implement VRI and VRN systems to improve crop production as well as conservation in resources

Precision Irrigation Guide for Center Pivots

This factsheet discusses the different variable rate irrigation (VRI) options for center pivots, when they might reduce water use and energy, produce higher crop yields, and when it might be unreasonable to expect these kinds of benefits

Epidemiology of tobacco use and dependence in adults in a poor peri-urban community in Lima, Peru

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tobacco smoking is an important public health concern worldwide leading to both chronic disease and early death. In Latin America, smoking prevalence is estimated at approximately 30% and prior studies suggest that the prevalence in Peru is 22% to 38%. We sought to determine the prevalence of daily smoking in a poor peri-urban community in Lima, Peru.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a random sample of adults ≥40 years of age living in Pampas de San Juan de Miraflores, Lima, Peru. We asked participants to respond to a survey that included questions on sociodemographics, tobacco use and dependence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We enrolled 316 participants. Average monthly household income was ≤ 400 USD and nearly all homes had running water, sewage, and electricity. Most individuals had not completed high school. Smoking prevalence was 16% overall, yet daily smoking prevalence was 1.9%. Former daily smokers comprised 3.8% of current nonsmokers and 9.1% current occasional smokers. Average scores for the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence for daily smokers and occasional smokers were 1.5 and 0, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Daily use of tobacco is uncommon among adults in peri-urban communities of Lima, Peru, unlike their counterparts in Lima and other Latin American capital cities. Tobacco dependence is also low. Hence, efforts aimed at primary prevention are of utmost importance in these communities. This study provides an accurate baseline using an internationally recognized assessment tool (Global Adult Tobacco Survey), allowing for accurate assessment of tobacco control interventions over time.</p

Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab in the Treatment of Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis:Sixteen-Week Results From a Phase III Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Patients With Prior Inadequate Response to or Intolerance of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab in patients with active radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) and prior inadequate response to or intolerance of 1 or 2 tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). Methods: In this phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, adult patients with an inadequate response to or intolerance of 1 or 2 TNFi and an established diagnosis of axial SpA (according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society [ASAS] criteria for radiographic axial SpA, with radiographic sacroiliitis defined according to the modified New York criteria and ≥1 feature of SpA) were recruited and randomized 1:1:1 to receive placebo or 80-mg subcutaneous ixekizumab every 2 weeks (IXEQ2W) or 4 weeks (IXEQ4W), with an 80-mg or 160-mg starting dose. The primary end point was 40% improvement in disease activity according to the ASAS criteria (ASAS40) at week 16. Secondary outcomes and safety were also assessed. Results: A total of 316 patients were randomized to receive placebo (n = 104), IXEQ2W (n = 98), or IXEQ4W (n = 114). At week 16, significantly higher proportions of IXEQ2W patients (n = 30 [30.6%]; P = 0.003) or IXEQ4W patients (n = 29 [25.4%]; P = 0.017) had achieved an ASAS40 response versus the placebo group (n = 13 [12.5%]), with statistically significant differences reported as early as week 1 with ixekizumab treatment. Statistically significant improvements in disease activity, function, quality of life, and spinal magnetic resonance imaging–evident inflammation were observed after 16 weeks of ixekizumab treatment versus placebo. Treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) with ixekizumab treatment were more frequent than with placebo. Serious AEs were similar across treatment arms. One death was reported (IXEQ2W group). Conclusion: Ixekizumab treatment for 16 weeks in patients with active radiographic axial SpA and previous inadequate response to or intolerance of 1 or 2 TNFi yields rapid and significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of radiographic axial SpA versus placebo

Molecular Mechanisms Generating and Stabilizing Terminal 22q13 Deletions in 44 Subjects with Phelan/McDermid Syndrome

In this study, we used deletions at 22q13, which represent a substantial source of human pathology (Phelan/McDermid syndrome), as a model for investigating the molecular mechanisms of terminal deletions that are currently poorly understood. We characterized at the molecular level the genomic rearrangement in 44 unrelated patients with 22q13 monosomy resulting from simple terminal deletions (72%), ring chromosomes (14%), and unbalanced translocations (7%). We also discovered interstitial deletions between 17–74 kb in 9% of the patients. Haploinsufficiency of the SHANK3 gene, confirmed in all rearrangements, is very likely the cause of the major neurological features associated with PMS. SHANK3 mutations can also result in language and/or social interaction disabilities. We determined the breakpoint junctions in 29 cases, providing a realistic snapshot of the variety of mechanisms driving non-recurrent deletion and repair at chromosome ends. De novo telomere synthesis and telomere capture are used to repair terminal deletions; non-homologous end-joining or microhomology-mediated break-induced replication is probably involved in ring 22 formation and translocations; non-homologous end-joining and fork stalling and template switching prevail in cases with interstitial 22q13.3. For the first time, we also demonstrated that distinct stabilizing events of the same terminal deletion can occur in different early embryonic cells, proving that terminal deletions can be repaired by multistep healing events and supporting the recent hypothesis that rare pathogenic germline rearrangements may have mitotic origin. Finally, the progressive clinical deterioration observed throughout the longitudinal medical history of three subjects over forty years supports the hypothesis of a role for SHANK3 haploinsufficiency in neurological deterioration, in addition to its involvement in the neurobehavioral phenotype of PMS

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Finding Soil Moisture Patterns for Optimal Sensor Placement for Sensor-based Irrigation Scheduling Variable Rate Irrigation System

Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil water within a field is critical for effective variable rate irrigation (VRI) management. Proper VRI can result in improved protection of the crop from early onset of crop water stress while minimizing runoff and drainage losses. Soil sensors can be utilized to manage irrigation within crops with both volumetric water content (VWC) sensors and matric potential sensors. These sensors can be very costly and cannot completely represent the spatial variation of soil water and crop stress dynamics throughout a field. Understanding how many sensors to place within a field and where to place them can be difficult to assess but can be useful for proper irrigation management. The objectives of this work are (i) find the optimal number of sensors to place in a field based on soil property and topographical differences, and (ii) find the optimal sensor placements in order to make irrigation decisions from those sensors within a field. Soil samples were taken within a 22 ha wheat-wheat-potato rotation field two to four times within a growing season in the years 2016-2019, and 2021 to calculate the spatial variation of VWC. Z-scores of the VWC at each sampling date were calculated and kriged on a 5m grid. A K-means clustering for each soil sampling event was then calculated and compared against other sampling dates throughout each season to find consistencies of VWC in order to find optimal number of sensors and sensor locations for the field. The z-score data of VWC was also combined with elevation and slope data to observe similarities or differences in sensor placements and number of sensors. Results showed no apparent patterns or significant differences. More variables such as topography, soil texture, and weather data will be incorporated into future analysis to find patterns for optimal sensor placements in agricultural fields

Automated analysis of snowmelt from Sentinel-2 imagery to determine variable rate irrigation zones in the American Mountain West

Variable rate irrigation (VRI) is used to save water whilst maintaining crop yields in semiarid regions. A key problem is to be able to inexpensively determine spatial patterns in soil moisture so that VRI zones can be defined. In Southern Idaho, USA, the annual precipitation is low and most fall as winter snow. This research investigates whether snow melt patterns measured using freely available time-series Sentinel 2 imagery from Google Earth Engine can define useful VRI zones for two arable fields (Grace and Rexburg). The normalized difference snow index (NDSI) was computed for each 10 m pixel with snow for all winter images of the fields for 2018–2022. NDSI values were ranked within each image and average ranks were calculated for each month and over several years. The patterns of March NDSI were most similar to patterns in yield and soil moisture observed in previous years. Zones were determined using K-means classification of the mean ranks of March NDSI. Kruskal Wallis H tests showed consistent and significant differences between zones for key soil, plant, and topographic variables. For the Grace site, differences between zones were more consistent in their order of magnitude than VRI zones which were calculated using a labor-intensive method. For the Rexburg site, zones were shown to be better when based on snowmelt data from March 2018 to 2022 rather than just March 2019. It is important to base zones on several years of data because in some years there was no snow observed in the Grace field in March. In locations where the majority of soil moisture comes from snowmelt, basing VRI zones on several years of snowmelt patterns in March is a useful and inexpensive tool for deriving meaningful VRI zones. The code used to automatically extract suitable sentinel images and calculate the NDSI is included so that practitioners can use this approach in other locations

A 72h exploration of the co-evolution of food insecurity and international migration

Food insecurity, defined as the lack of physical or economic access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, remains one of the main challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Food insecurity is a complex phenomenon, resulting from the interplay of environmental, socio-demographic, and political events. Previous work has investigated the nexus between climate change, conflict, migration and food security at the household level, however these relations are still largely unexplored at national scales. In this context, during the Complexity72h workshop, held at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in June 2024, we explored the co-evolution of international migration flows and food insecurity at the national scale, accounting for remittances, as well as for changes in the economic, conflict, and climate situation. To this aim, we gathered data from several publicly available sources (Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs) and analyzed the association between food insecurity and migration, migration and remittances, and remittances and food insecurity. We then propose a framework linking together these associations to model the co-evolution of food insecurity and international migrations