Spring rain and soil erosion

Spring rains can come hard and fast as we experienced last week, causing substantial soil erosion when soils are most vulnerable because of degraded crop residue cover, soil preparation by tillage, and no crop canopy. The soil profiles in most of Iowa are now filled to capacity with water. The profiles are at or near saturation. Therefore, the intensity and amount of rain we received have exceeded the soil capacity to filter water and minimize surface runoff even in fields with the most adequate conservation practices

Is tillage needed for your soybean crop?

Every fall and spring, producers are faced with tillage decisions for the next crop year. Generally, tillage--whether for corn or soybean--has shown limited advantage in yield and economic returns, except in few cases where drainage and field conditions are challenging. As preparations for spring field operations are underway, producers need to stop and think about the choice of tillage system, given the challenges faced with energy prices and the associated cost of conventional tillage operations

Integrating conservation tillage and manure management to improve water quality

Water quality, conservation tillage, and nutrient and manure management are closely linked. The recent update of impaired water bodies by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources lists 188 stream and river segments, lakes, and impoundments. In Iowa, tillage, nutrient management, and manure management play substantial roles in affecting both surface and groundwater quality

Heat Transfer Phenomena in Supercritical Water Nuclear Reactors

A supercritical water heat transfer facility has been built at the University of Wisconsin to study heat transfer in ancircular and square annular flow channel. A series of integral heat transfer measurements has been carried out over a wide range of heat flux, mas velocity and bulk water temperatures at a pressure of 25 MPa. The circular annular test section geometry is a 1.07 cm diameter heater rod within a 4.29 diameter flow channel

The quality of cardiovascular disease care for adolescents with kidney disease: a Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium study

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of increased mortality for adolescents with advanced kidney disease. The quality of preventive cardiovascular care may impact long-term outcomes for these patients

Internet use by older adults with bipolar disorder: international survey results

Background: The world population is aging and the number of older adults with bipolar disorder is increasing. Digital technologies are viewed as a framework to improve care of older adults with bipolar disorder. This analysis quantifies Internet use by older adults with bipolar disorder as part of a larger survey project about information seeking. Methods: A paper-based survey about information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder was developed and translated into 12 languages. The survey was anonymous and completed between March 2014 and January 2016 by 1222 patients in 17 countries. All patients were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. General estimating equations were used to account for correlated data. Results: Overall, 47% of older adults (age 60 years or older) used the Internet versus 87% of younger adults (less than 60 years). More education and having symptoms that interfered with regular activities increased the odds of using the Internet, while being age 60 years or older decreased the odds. Data from 187 older adults and 1021 younger adults were included in the analysis excluding missing values. Conclusions: Older adults with bipolar disorder use the Internet much less frequently than younger adults. Many older adults do not use the Internet, and technology tools are suitable for some but not all older adults. As more health services are only available online, and more digital tools are developed, there is concern about growing health disparities based on age. Mental health experts should participate in determining the appropriate role for digital tools for older adults with bipolar disorder.We acknowledge support by the Open Access Publication Funds of the SLUB/TU Dresden (Grant No. IN-1502335)

Sprouty Proteins Inhibit Receptor-mediated Activation of Phosphatidylinositol-specific Phospholipase C

PLCγ03B3 binds Spry1 and Spry2. Overexpression of Spry decreased PLCγ03B3 activity and IP3 and DAG production, whereas Spry-deficient cells yielded more IP3. Spry overexpression inhibited T-cell receptor signaling and Spry1 null T-cells hyperproliferated with TCR ligation. Through action of PLCγ03B3, Spry may influence signaling through multiple receptors