Corn Planting Date

Producers continue to plant corn earlier every year. In 2006, 50% of the statewide crop was planted by approximately April 25. Earlier planting dates are a result of several reasons: larger acreage per producer, less spring tillage, advancements in hybrids, and seed treatments. Planting the crop during the optimum window is important to achieving high yields

Organic Corn Cultivar Performance

The acreage of organic corn cultivars planted each year is increasing in Iowa. In 2005, 20,247 acres of organic corn were planted in the state, ranking Iowa second in the nation for organic corn production (USDA ERS, 2005). Public perception that organic production is healthier for both the environment and the consumer has fueled the increase

Entering a New Frontier: AI in Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a normal part of life in many areas, including education. This article seeks to explain some background in AI, discuss how it can be used to improve teaching and learning, and how it can be used as a digital assistant. Particularly we explore how AI can be used to personalize and differentiate instructional plans, create and score assessments, provide feedback, incorporate intelligent tutoring systems, expedite administrative tasks, and 48 some uses of generative AI, as well discuss some of the risks and concerns associated with using artificial intelligence in education

Metro Habitat Connectivity Toolkit: Bringing Connectivity to an Actionable Scale

Habitat fragmentation is a serious threat to maintaining biodiversity particularly in urbanizing areas. Methods exist to model habitat connectivity, however many of these are applied at large scales and rely on data that may be a decade or older, resulting in inaccuracies when compared to on the ground conditions, particularly in dynamic urban systems that experience rapid change. These issues make taking action to preserve or enhance these connectivity zones difficult, if not impossible. The Metro Regional Habitat Connectivity Toolkit approaches this problem by combining GIS analysis with on the ground assessments at realistic scales for land acquisition, restoration projects and/or barrier mitigation. We employed a surrogate species approach to address connectivity needs in a way that incorporates empirical data. Local information and research was combined with other habitat attributes to focus development of field assessments for habitat quality and barrier permeability. The field assessments allow technicians to verify GIS data, identify barriers and record habitat attributes in a way that is comparable across multiple habitat connectivity zones and for multiple species. Once assessments are concluded the resulting information is used to generate two species specific scores for habitat quality and barrier permeability. These scores identify where on the landscape restoration and/or land acquisitions would provide the most connectivity benefit vs areas where mitigation for barriers such as wildlife passages structures across roads are the priority. This toolkit is in the final stages of development and is currently being testing in pilot areas in the Portland Metro region

Metro Habitat Connectivity Toolkit: Bringing Connectivity to an Actionable Scale

Habitat fragmentation is a serious threat to maintaining biodiversity particularly in urbanizing areas. Methods exist to model habitat connectivity, however many of these are applied at large scales and rely on data that may be a decade or older, resulting in inaccuracies when compared to on the ground conditions, particularly in dynamic urban systems that experience rapid change. These issues make taking action to preserve or enhance these connectivity zones difficult, if not impossible. The Metro Regional Habitat Connectivity Toolkit approaches this problem by combining GIS analysis with on the ground assessments at realistic scales for land acquisition, restoration projects and/or barrier mitigation. We employed a surrogate species approach to address connectivity needs in a way that incorporates empirical data. Local information and research was combined with other habitat attributes to focus development of field assessments for habitat quality and barrier permeability. The field assessments allow technicians to verify GIS data, identify barriers and record habitat attributes in a way that is comparable across multiple habitat connectivity zones and for multiple species. Once assessments are concluded the resulting information is used to generate two species specific scores for habitat quality and barrier permeability. These scores identify where on the landscape restoration and/or land acquisitions would provide the most connectivity benefit vs areas where mitigation for barriers such as wildlife passages structures across roads are the priority. This toolkit is in the final stages of development and is currently being testing in pilot areas in the Portland Metro region

Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α and Eicosanoids Regulate Expression of Genes in Macrophages Involved in Host Defense and Inflammation

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Robert Barkley and Charis Uhlson for mass spectrometry analysis. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health HL34303 (to C.C.L., R.C.M. and D.L.B), DK54741 (to J.V.B.), GM5322 (to D.L.W.) and the Wellcome Trust (to N.A.R.G. and G.D.B.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The generalizability of empirically derived syndromes of collateral-reported elder psychopathology across 11 societies

The purpose of this study was to test whether a syndrome model of elder psy chopathology derived from collateral ratings, such as from spouses and adult chil dren, in the United States would be generalizable in 11 other societies. Societiesrepresented South America, Asia, and Europe. The Older Adult Behavior Checklist(OABCL) was completed by collateral informants for 6141 60- to 102-year-olds. Thetested model comprised syndromes designated as Anxious/Depressed, Worries,Somatic Complaints, Functional Impairment, Memory/Cognition Problems, ThoughtProblems, and Irritable/Disinhibited. The model was tested using confirmatoryfactor analyses in each society separately. The primary model fit index showed agood fit for all societies, while the secondary model fit indices showed acceptable toa good fit for all societies. The items loaded strongly on their respective factors,with a median item loading of 0.69 across the 11 societies. By syndrome, the overallmedian item loadings ranged from 0.47 for Worries to 0.77 for Functional Impair ment. The OABCL syndrome structure was thus generalizable across the testedsocieties. The OABCL can be used for broad assessment of psychopathology forelders of diverse backgrounds in nursing services and research

25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Deficiency Following Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Children may be at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency following HSCT because of lack of sun exposure, the recommended use of sunscreen, dietary insufficiency, malabsorption, and the use of certain medications. We prospectively assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for 25-hydroxy (25-OH) vitamin D deficiency in 67 patients transplanted at our institution. 25-OH vitamin D levels were checked during 3 separate 4-week periods in the spring, autumn, and winter. Subjects were <2 years following transplant and/or being treated for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Levels less than 20 ng/mL were considered deficient, and those less than 30 ng/mL were considered insufficient. The mean 25-OH vitamin D level was 22.8 ng/mL (range: 7-46.2). A total of 80.6% (confidence interval [CI] 69.1%-89.3%) of patients had a level less than the lower limit of the institutional normal range. The deficiency rate was 37.3% (CI 25.8%-50%). The mean parathyroid hormone (PTH) level was 77.5 (SD = 80.5). There was no correlation between 25-OH vitamin D and PTH levels. We evaluated potential risk factors for 25-OH vitamin D deficiency including age, season of testing, sun exposure, sunscreen use, use of steroid or calcineurin inhibitor, race, and dairy intake. In multivariate logistic regression, only older age was found to be a risk factor for deficiency (P = .004). Patients with deficient levels were treated with 50,000 IU of ergocalciferol once weekly for 6 weeks. A postrepletion 25-OH level was available for 22 patients. The majority of repleted patients had a normal posttreatment level (63.6%). The postsupplementation level corrected into the insufficient range for 31.8% of patients and 4.6% remained deficient. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are common following HSCT. Further investigation into potential risk factors and the appropriate supplementation for these patients is warranted