POLICY IMPLICATIONS ON THE REDUCTION OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER USE ON NON-IRRIGATED CORN-WINTER WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NORTH ALABAMA

Environmental and economic effects of nitrogen fertilizer reduction on North Alabama small farms are evaluated using GPFARM. GPFARM incorporates climate, soil data and management practices to simulate science and economic analysis for a farm/ranch management unit. Nitrate leaching, crop yield and profitability are evaluated and presented under different policy scenarios. Key words: nitrate leaching, profitability, management unit, GPFARMnitrate leaching, profitability, management unit, GPFARM, Crop Production/Industries,

Now you see it now you don't : presence of Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (Chlorophyta, Caulerpales) in the Maltese Islands

Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea, an invasive alga present in the Mediterranean Sea, was first recorded from the Maltese Islands in 1997. Between then and the mid-2000s, the alga spread rapidly and became abundant at most coastal sites around the islands. However, its spatial distribution and abundance decreased rapidly after 2006, such that the alga has become rare to encounter locally. The present work, which formed part of a broader study to assess the influence of C. racemosa on hard bottom infralittoral habitats, confirms a large decline in the distribution and abundance of this species in recent years in Maltese coastal waters.peer-reviewe

Affiliation Bias in the Online Market for Rental Accommodation

We find evidence of taste-based discrimination against rival affiliations in the online market for rental accommodation. Airbnb hosts in college towns increase their listing prices more than hotels on home football games against rival teams. By setting listing prices too high as a result of their affiliation bias against rival fans, hosts experience a 30% reduction in rental income. The overestimation of demand, the cost (inconvenience) of temporary relocation, and the likelihood of incurring damage cannot explain the inverse relation between listing price increases, and rental incomes that is limited to games against rival teams. Instead, greater financial constraints are associated with smaller listing price increases, and higher rental incomes on rival games, suggesting that taste-based discrimination is a luxury

Analysis of Experimental Nucleation Data for Silver and SiO Using Scaled Nucleation Theory

The experimental vapor phase nucleation data of Nuth et al., for silver [J. A. Nuth, K. A. Donnelly, B. Donn, and L. U. Lilleleht, J. Chem. Phys. 77, 2639 (1982)] and SiO [J. A. Nuth and B. Donn, J. Chem. Phys. 85, 1116 (1986)] are reanalyzed using a scaled model for homogeneous nucleation [B. N. Hale, Phys. Rev. A 33, 4156 (1986)]. The approximation is made that the vapor pressure at the nucleation site is not diminished significantly from that at the source (crucible). It is found that the data for ln S have a temperature dependence consistent with the scaled theory ln S≈ΓΩ3/2 [Tc /T-1]3/2, and predict critical temperatures 3800 ± 200 K for silver and 3700 ± 200 K for SiO. One can also extract an effective excess surface entropy per atom Ω = 2.1 ± 0.1 and an effective surface tension σ ≈ 1500 - 0.45 T ergs/cm2 for the small silver clusters (assuming a range of nucleation rates from 105 to 1011 cm-3 s-1). The corresponding values for SiO are Ω ≈ 1.7 ± 0.1 and σ ≈ 820 - 0.22 T ergs/cm2 (assuming a range of nucleation rates from 109 to 1012 cm-3 s-1)

Rapid automated characterization of transposon insertion mutants in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough by srnPCR [abstract]

Abstract only availableTn5 transposon mutagenesis occurs by a mechanism in which a segment of DNA (transposon) encoded in a plasmid is inserted into genomic DNA (the target) by a conservative (cut-and-paste) mechanism (Fig. 2). When the insertion position is in a coding sequence or regulatory region of DNA, the insertion results in a mutation. The plasmid pRL27 (a generous gift from Bill Metcalf) encodes a mini-Tn5 transposon, Tn5 transposase, and kanamycin resistance (neo), and was used to transform Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough by electroporation. Transposon insertion mutants were identified by their ability to grow in the presence of kanamycin. To locate the insertion site of the transposon, in theory, one should be able to directly sequence from the transposon into chromosomal DNA (Fig. 3.1) and identify the mutation site by comparison with the known genome BLAST. Unlike sequencing of plasmid DNA or PCR products, direct genomic sequencing has a limited success rate. Therefore, a method of enriching the transposon-flanking sequence is needed. Nested semi-random PCR (Fig. 3.2) is an efficient and cost effective enrichment method. Sequencing these enriched products allows us to identify the transposon insertion site. The factors that influence characterization success rate are: frequency and location of priming sites, reaction volume, and reaction conditions (annealing temperature, extension time, etc.). By varying these factors, we have developed an efficient and reliable method for characterizing transposon insertion mutants. Utilizing high-throughput robotics and nested semi-random PCR, we have generated single gene mutants that may provide valuable biological data.U.S. Department of Energy Genomes to Life gran

Analysis of Surface Charging for a Candidate Solar Sail Mission Using NASCAP-2K

The characterization of the electromagnetic interaction for a solar sail in the solar wind environment and identification of viable charging mitigation strategies are critical solar sail mission design tasks. Spacecraft charging has important implications both for science applications and for lifetime and reliability issues of sail propulsion systems. To that end, surface charging calculations of a candidate 150-meter-class solar sail spacecraft for the 0.5 AU solar polar and 1.9 AU LI solar wind environments are performed. A model of the spacecraft with candidate materials having appropriate electrical properties is constructed using Object Toolkit. The spacecraft charging analysis is performed using Nascap-2k. the NASA/AFRL sponsored spacecraft charging analysis tool. Nominal and atypical solar wind environments appropriate for the 0.5 AU and 1.0 AU missions are used to establish current collection of solar wind ions and electrons. Finally, a geostationary orbit environment case is included to demonstrate a bounding example of extreme (negative) charging of a solar sail spacecraft. Results from the charging analyses demonstrate that minimal differential potentials (and resulting threat of electrostatic discharge) occur when the spacecraft is constructed entirely of conducting materials, as anticipated from standard guidelines for mitigation of spacecraft charging issues. Examples with dielectric materials exposed to the space environment exhibit differential potentials ranging from a few volts to extreme potentials in the kilovolt range

Leadership Training for Oral Health Professionals: A Call to Action

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153632/1/jddj002203372012762tb05245x.pd

A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for colorectal cancer patients

PURPOSE: A significant minority of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients experience clinically meaningful distress that may warrant intervention. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the impact of psychosocial interventions on quality-of-life and psychosocial outcomes for CRC patients. METHODS: A systematic search of CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES was undertaken to obtain relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published through October 2016. RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs of psychosocial interventions for CRC patients were identified. Only three of these RCTs showed significant intervention effects on multiple mental health outcomes. These interventions included written and verbal emotional expression, progressive muscle relaxation training, and a self-efficacy enhancing intervention. Eight of the 14 trials, testing a range of psychoeducational and supportive care interventions, produced little to no effects on study outcomes. An evaluation of RCT quality highlighted the need for greater rigor in study methods and reporting. CONCLUSION: A limited evidence base supports the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for CRC patients. Large-scale trials are needed before drawing definitive conclusions regarding intervention impact