Feasibility of surveying pesticide coverage with airborne fluorometer

Response of a Fraunhofer line discriminator (FLD) to varying distributions of granulated corncobs stained with varying concentrations of Rhodamine WT dye was tested on the ground and from an H-19 helicopter. The granules are used as a vehicle for airborne emplacement of poison to control fire ants in the eastern and southeastern United States. Test results showed that the granules are detectable by FLD but that the concentration must be too great to be practical with the present apparatus. Possible methods for enhancement of response may include: (1) increasing dye concentration; (2) incorporating with the poisoned granules a second material to carry the dye alone; (3) use of a more strongly fluorescent substance (at 5890 A); (4) modifying the time interval after dyeing, or modifying the method of dyeing; (5) modifying the FLD for greater efficiency, increased field of view or larger optics; or (6) experimenting with laser-stimulated fluorescence

Test of airborne fluorometer over land surfaces and geologic materials

Response of an experimental Fraunhofer line discriminator to a wide range of surficial deposits common in deserts and semideserts was tested in the laboratory and from an H-19 helicopter. No signals attributable to fluorescence were recorded during 540 miles of aerial traverses over southeastern California and west-central Arizona. It was concluded that exposed surfaces of target materials throughout the traverses were either nonluminescent at 5890 A or not sufficiently so to be detectable. It cannot be ruled out that the lack of fluorescence is partly attributable to surficial coatings of nonluminescent weathered material. The principal route surveyed from the air was from Needles, California to Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley and return, via the Amargosa River valley, Silurian Lake (dry), Silver Lake (dry), and Soda Lake (dry). Principal targets traversed were unconsolidated clastic sediments ranging from silty clay to cobbles, and a wide range of evaporite deposits

Gender and the Popular Heroines (and Heroes) of the Young Adult Dystopia

For the past few years, dystopian stories have ruled the young adult fiction aisles and the box office. Taking the reins from similarly popular predecessors like Harry Potter and Twilight, the genre has set itself apart by telling stories of action, war, and heroism that are often led by a young female protagonist. This project examines a variety of gender-related themes in six young adult dystopian novels, chosen for their popularity and subject matter. While it is not a comprehensive look at the genre, it is meant to analyze some of the most widely known works, which is important because their target teenage audience is constantly picking up messages from popular culture trends that they may not yet have the tools to critically view these works. Through analyzing these novels I found that the futuristic, dystopian setting allows authors to more easily change gender roles and presentation, write stories of empowerment and liberation, and examine modern day norms. Although the novels’ mainstream appeal makes it difficult for them to be truly subversive, their influence on young adult fiction and on roles for young women in popular books and films is notable

China\u27s Practice of Procuring Organs from Executed Prisoners: Human Rights Groups Must Narrowly Tailor Their Criticism and Endorse the Chinese Constitution to End Abuses

For the past two decades, human rights groups, medical organizations, and the international media have excoriated China for procuring transplant organs from executed prisoners. This practice was first authorized under China’s 1984 “Temporary Rules Concerning the Utilization of Corpses or Organs from the Corpses of Executed Criminals” and it is widely used by the Chinese government. Reports from Chinese doctors and media sources reveal significant deficiencies both in the text and application of China’s current organ-procurement laws. The lack of clear legal parameters and the absence of enforcement measures have opened the door to problems of interpretation and misapplication, resulting in the physical abuse of prisoners. This situation is further exacerbated by China’s proclivity to sell prisoner organs to foreign buyers on the black market. For these reasons, advocacy groups view China’s procurement of prisoner organs as an infringement of prisoner rights, and they promote its abolition. In response to international concern over China’s participation in the organ trade, the Chinese government recently enacted the 2006 “Provisions on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Cadavers and Treatment of Cadavers,” which prohibit organs from exiting Chinese territory without government authorization. Although it is premature to fully assess the efficacy of this law, the 2006 Provisions fail to modify the 1984 Order, leaving its most significant shortcomings intact. The 2006 Provisions do not regulate organ procurement from prisoner cadavers, nor do they address how organ-removal procedures are conducted or applied. China’s present organ-procurement scheme is, consequently, inadequate to protect prisoners from abuse. Human rights groups continue to press for reforms in China’s organ-procurement practice, but current lobbying efforts are ineffective because they lack compelling legal and political force in the Chinese system. Human rights groups must provide stronger legal support, and narrow the focus of reform efforts to make a more persuasive argument for the elimination of prisoner abuse. China’s constitution provides a viable legal foundation for reform arguments because it requires the Chinese government to preserve and protect human rights. It is binding on all national laws, and it can be implemented to end prisoner abuse by requiring organ-procurement laws to conform to its proscriptions. Instead of pressuring China to enact sweeping legislation and adopt international ethical standards, reform efforts must endorse the application of Chinese constitutional human rights requirements to improve the treatment of prisoners in the organ-procurement practice

Spin-lattice Interaction in Ruby Measured by ESR in Uniaxially Stressed Crystals

Spin-lattice Hamiltonian determined for chromium ions in ruby single crystal

A Clumpy Stellar Wind and Luminosity-Dependent Cyclotron Line Revealed by The First Suzaku Observation of the High-Mass X-ray Binary 4U 1538-522

We present results from the first Suzaku observation of the high-mass X-ray binary 4U 1538-522. The broad-band spectral coverage of Suzaku allows for a detailed spectral analysis, characterizing the cyclotron resonance scattering feature at $23.0 \pm 0.4$ keV and the iron K$\alpha$ line at $6.426 \pm 0.008$ keV, as well as placing limits on the strengths of the iron K$\beta$ line and the iron K edge. We track the evolution of the spectral parameters both in time and in luminosity, notably finding a significant positive correlation between cyclotron line energy and luminosity. A dip and spike in the lightcurve is shown to be associated with an order-of-magnitude increase in column density along the line of sight, as well as significant variation in the underlying continuum, implying the accretion of a overdense region of a clumpy stellar wind. We also present a phase-resolved analysis, with most spectral parameters of interest showing significant variation with phase. Notably, both the cyclotron line energy and the iron K$\alpha$ line intensity vary significantly with phase, with the iron line intensity significantly out-of-phase with the pulse profile. We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of recent work in the areas of accretion column physics and cyclotron resonance scattering feature formation.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Accepted to ApJ on 2 July 201

Herbicides for commercial truck crops, 1971

"MP 221, 2/71/1M""Herbicides are a valuable "tool" for the vegetable producer in his constant battle against weeds. Weeds not only compete with vegetables for light, moisture and nutrients, but also may harbor insects and diseases. In many situations herbicides are the most economical means of controlling weeds. In some situations herbicides may be the only practical means of controlling weeds. However, other methods of weed control (cultivation, mulching) may prove economical or practical in still other situations."--Page 1.By A.E. Gaus and D.D. Hemphill (Department of Horticulture

Herbicides for commercial fruit crops, 1971

"MP 220, 2/71/2M""Herbicides are a valuable 'tool' for the fruit grower in his constant battle against weeds. Weeds not only compete with fruit crops for light, moisture and nutrients, but also may harbor insects and diseases and often interfere with other operational practices. In many situations herbicides are the most economical means of controlling weeds. In some situations herbicides may be the only practical means of controlling weeds. However, other methods of weed control (cultivation, mulching) may prove economical or practical in still other situations."--Page 1.By A.E. Gaus and D.D. Hemphill (Department of Horticulture

Commercial strawberry varieties for Missouri

"MP272/1972/3M"MP272/1972/3

In vitro effects of arylimidamides against Besnoitia besnoiti infection in Vero cells

The in vitro effects of 4 arylimidamides (DB811, DB786, DB750 and DB766) against the proliferative tachyzoite stage of the apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti were investigated. These four compounds had been shown earlier to exhibit in vitro activities in the nanomolar range against the related apicomplexans Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii. Real-time-PCR was used to assess B. besnoiti intracellular proliferation in vitro. Preliminary assessment by light microscopy identified DB811 and DB750 as the most promising compounds, while DB786 and DB766 were much less effective. Three-day-growth assays and quantitative real-time PCR was used for IC50 determination of DB811 (0·079 μM) and DB750 (0·56 μM). Complete growth inhibition was observed at 1·6 μM for DB 811 and 1·7 μM for DB750. However, when infected cultures were treated for 14 days, proliferation of parasites occurred again in cultures treated with DB750 from day 4 onwards, while the proliferation of DB811-treated tachyzoites remained inhibited. Electron microscopy of B. besnoiti-infected fibroblast cultures fixed and processed at different time-points following the initiation of drug treatments revealed that DB811 exerted a much higher degree of ultrastructural alterations compared to DB750. These results show that arylimidamides such as DB811 could potentially become an important addition to the anti-parasitic arsenal for food animal production, especially in cattl