NEBRASKA AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION NETWORK (NAWMDN): INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION/OUTREACH

Maximizing the net benefits of irrigated plant production through appropriately designed agricultural water management programs is of growing importance in Nebraska, and other western and Midwestern states, because many areas are involved in management and policy changes to conserve irrigation water. In Nebraska, farmers are being challenged to practice conservation methods and use water resources more efficiently while meeting plant water requirements and maintaining high yields. Another challenge Nebraska experiences in it\u27s approximately 3.5‐million‐ha irrigated lands is limited adoption of newer technologies/tools to help farmers better manage irrigation, conserve water and energy, and increase plant water use efficiency. In 2005, the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN or Network) was formed from an interdisciplinary team of partners including the Natural Resources Districts (NRD); USDA‐NRCS; farmers from south central, northeast, west central, and western Nebraska; crop consultants; and University of Nebraska‐Lincoln faculty. The main goal of the Network is to enable the transfer of high quality research‐based information to Nebraskans through a series of demonstration projects established in farmers\u27 fields and implement newer tools and technologies to address and enhance plant water use efficiency, water conservation, and reduce energy consumption for irrigation. The demonstration projects are supported by the scientifically‐based field research and evaluation projects conducted at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln, South Central Agricultural Laboratory located near Clay Center, Nebraska. The Network was formed with only 15 farmers as collaborators in only one of the 23 NRDs in 2005. As of late 2009, the number of active collaborators has increased to over 300 in 12 NRDs and 35 of 93 counties. The Network is impacting both water and energy conservation due to farmers adopting information and newer technologies for irrigation management. The NAWMDN is helping participants to improve irrigation management and efficiency by monitoring plant growth stages and development, soil moisture, and crop evapotranspiration. As a result, they are reducing irrigation water application amounts and associated energy savings is leading to greater profitability to participating farmers. This article describes the goals and objectives of the Network, technical and educational components, operational functions, and procedures used in the NAWMDN. The quantitative impacts in terms of water and energy conservation are reported

Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN): Integrating Research and Extension/Outreach

Maximizing the net benefits of irrigated plant production through appropriately designed agricultural water management programs is of growing importance in Nebraska, and other western and Midwestern states, because many areas are involved in management and policy changes to conserve irrigation water. In Nebraska, farmers are being challenged to practice conservation methods and use water resources more efficiently while meeting plant water requirements and maintaining high yields. Another challenge Nebraska experiences in it\u27s approximately 3.5‐million‐ha irrigated lands is limited adoption of newer technologies/tools to help farmers better manage irrigation, conserve water and energy, and increase plant water use efficiency. In 2005, the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN or Network) was formed from an interdisciplinary team of partners including the Natural Resources Districts (NRD); USDA‐NRCS; farmers from south central, northeast, west central, and western Nebraska; crop consultants; and University of Nebraska‐Lincoln faculty. The main goal of the Network is to enable the transfer of high quality research‐based information to Nebraskans through a series of demonstration projects established in farmers\u27 fields and implement newer tools and technologies to address and enhance plant water use efficiency, water conservation, and reduce energy consumption for irrigation. The demonstration projects are supported by the scientifically‐based field research and evaluation projects conducted at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln, South Central Agricultural Laboratory located near Clay Center, Nebraska. The Network was formed with only 15 farmers as collaborators in only one of the 23 NRDs in 2005. As of late 2009, the number of active collaborators has increased to over 300 in 12 NRDs and 35 of 93 counties. The Network is impacting both water and energy conservation due to farmers adopting information and newer technologies for irrigation management. The NAWMDN is helping participants to improve irrigation management and efficiency by monitoring plant growth stages and development, soil moisture, and crop evapotranspiration. As a result, they are reducing irrigation water application amounts and associated energy savings is leading to greater profitability to participating farmers. This article describes the goals and objectives of the Network, technical and educational components, operational functions, and procedures used in the NAWMDN. The quantitative impacts in terms of water and energy conservation are reported

Exploring invasiveness and versatility of used microhabitats of the globally invasive Gambusia holbrooki.

Introductions of non-native species can lead to severe impacts, including the decline of ecosystem function through deleterious impacts on species diversity. The successful establishment of non-native species in new environments is the first barrier a species must overcome, ultimately depending on its ability to either cope with or adapt to local site-specific conditions. Despite the widespread distribution and ecological consequences of many freshwater invaders, site-specific and climatic preferences are often unknown, as in the case of the Eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki, a global invader considered as a pervasive threat to endemic species. Here, we determined the ecological features and preferred site-specific conditions of G. holbrooki in Türkiye, which spans a wide range of diverse biogeographically distinct ecosystems, by surveying populations from 130 localities in 2016 and 2017. Gambusia holbrooki were detected by hand-net in 48 of these sites (19 lotic, 29 lentic). It showed a preference for shallow waters with medium sized rocks, and abundances differed spatially across a latitudinal gradient and was influenced predominantly by variations in pH. The only other factors predicting its presence were low current velocities and gravel substrate, highlighting its ecological versatility in utilising a wide range of microhabitats. Bioclimatic models suggest that G. holbrooki is found in areas with an average annual temperature ranging from 10 to 20 °C, but with temperature not being a limiting factor to its invasion. Gambusia holbrooki shows a preference for xeric freshwater ecosystems and endorheic basins, as well as temperate coastal rivers, temperate upland rivers, temperate floodplain rivers and wetlands, and tropical and subtropical coastal rivers. These results, particularly the wide occurrence with only few limiting factors, emphasise the invasion potential of mosquitofish and should substantiate the need for localised invasive species management and conservation efforts, particularly in smaller or insular areas where mosquitofish and endemic fish species co-exist

Transportable, portable, wearable and (partially) implantable haemodialysis systems: comparison of technologies and readiness levels

Background: Dialysis modalities and their various treatment schedules result from complex compromises ('trade-offs') between medical, financial, technological, ergonomic, and ecological factors. This study targets summarizing the mutual influence of these trade-offs on (trans)portable, wearable, or even (partially) implantable haemodialysis (HD) systems, identify what systems are in development, and how they might improve quality of life (QoL) for patients with kidney failure. Methods: HD as defined by international standard IEC 60601-2-16 was applied on a PUBMED database query regarding (trans)portable, wearable, and (partly) implantable HD systems. Out of 159 search results, 24 were included and scanned for specific HD devices and/or HD systems in development. Additional information about weight, size, and development status was collected by the internet and/or contacting manufacturers. International airplane hand baggage criteria formed the boundary between transportable and portable. Technology readiness levels (TRLs) were assigned by combining TRL scales from the European Union and NATO medical staff. Results: The query revealed 13 devices/projects: seven transportable (six TRL9, one TRL5); two portable (one TRL6-7, one TRL4); two wearable (one TRL6, one frozen); and two partly implantable (one TRL4-5, one TRL2-3). Discussion: Three main categories of technical approaches were distinguished: single-pass, dialysate regenerating, and implantable HD filter with extracorporeal dialysate regeneration (in climbing order of mobility). Conclusions: Kidneys facilitate mobility by excreting strongly concentrated waste solutes with minimal water loss. Mimicking this kidney function can increase HD system mobility. Dialysate-regenerating HD systems are enablers for portability/wearability and, combined with durable implantable HD filters (once available), they may enable HD without needles or intravascular catheters. However, lack of funding severely hampers progress

On malfunctioning software

Artefacts do not always do what they are supposed to, due to a variety of reasons, including manufacturing problems, poor maintenance, and normal wear-and-tear. Since software is an artefact, it should be subject to malfunctioning in the same sense in which other artefacts can malfunction. Yet, whether software is on a par with other artefacts when it comes to malfunctioning crucially depends on the abstraction used in the analysis. We distinguish between “negative” and “positive” notions of malfunction. A negative malfunction, or dysfunction, occurs when an artefact token either does not (sometimes) or cannot (ever) do what it is supposed to. A positive malfunction, or misfunction, occurs when an artefact token may do what is supposed to but, at least occasionally, it also yields some unintended and undesirable effects. We argue that software, understood as type, may misfunction in some limited sense, but cannot dysfunction. Accordingly, one should distinguish software from other technical artefacts, in view of their design that makes dysfunction impossible for the former, while possible for the latter

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Octacosanol from the Leaves of Sabicea grisea var. grisea in Mice

Sabicea species are used in the Amazon for treatment of fever and malaria, which suggests that its chemical constituents may have some effect on pain and inflammation. Phytochemical analysis of the hexane fraction obtained from the crude ethanol extract from Sabicea grisea var. grisea Cham. & Schltdl (Rubiaceae), an endemic plant in Brazil, resulted in the isolation of octacosanol. This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol in different experimental models. The crude ethanolic extract and hexane fraction obtained from the leaves of S. grisea produced an inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain. Moreover, octacosanol isolated from the hexane fraction produced a significant inhibition of pain response elicited by acetic acid. Pre-treatment with yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, notably reversed the antinociceptive activity induced by octacosanol in the abdominal constriction test. Furthermore, mice treated with octacosanol did not exhibit any behavioral alteration during the hot plate and rota-rod tests, indicating non-participation of the supraspinal components in the modulation of pain by octacosanol with no motor abnormality. In the formalin test, octacosanol did not inhibit the licking time in first phase (neurogenic pain), but significantly inhibited the licking time in second phase (inflammatory pain) of mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of octacosanol was evaluated using carrageenan-induced pleurisy. The octacosanol significantly reduced the total leukocyte count and neutrophils influx, as well as TNF-α levels in the carrageenan-induced pleurisy. This study revealed that the mechanism responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol appears to be partly associated with an inhibition of alpha 2-adrenergic transmission and an inhibition of pathways dependent on pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, these results demonstrated that the octacosanol from the leaves of S. grisea possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, which could be of relevance for the pharmacological control of pain and inflammatory processes

Differential expression of Caveolin-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with differentiation state, motility and invasion

WOS: 000264914000001PubMed ID: 19239691Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [SBAG-107S026]; Dokuz Eylul University Research FoundationDokuz Eylul University [05.KB.SAG.071]We thank Prof. Mehmet Ozturk for providing us HCC cell lines and for his critical reading of the manuscript; and Prof. Aykut Uren for his helpful discussions on the manuscript. We also thank to Evin Ozen for her technical assistance. This work was supported by grants to Nese ATABEY from the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK, SBAG-107S026) and Dokuz Eylul University Research Foundation (05.KB.SAG.071)

A summer heat wave decreases the immunocompetence of the mesograzer, Idotea baltica

Extreme events associated with global change will impose increasing stress on coastal organisms. How strong biological interactions such as the host–parasite arms-race are modulated by environmental change is largely unknown. The immune system of invertebrates, in particular phagocytosis and phenoloxidase activity response are key defence mechanisms against parasites, yet they may be sensitive to environmental perturbations. We here simulated an extreme event that mimicked the European heat wave in 2003 to investigate the effect of environmental change on the immunocompetence of the mesograzer Idotea baltica. Unlike earlier studies, our experiment aimed at simulation of the natural situation as closely as possible by using long acclimation, a slow increase in temperature and a natural community setting including the animals’ providence with natural food sources (Zostera marina and Fucus vesiculosus). Our results demonstrate that a simulated heat wave results in decreased immunocompetence of the mesograzer Idotea baltica, in particular a drop of phagocytosis by 50%. This suggests that global change has the potential to significantly affect host–parasite interactions