MODELING ANIMAL AND FORAGE RESPONSE TO FERTILIZATION OF ANNUAL RANGELANDS

The response functions for forage, animal gain, and stocking rate were estimated from data obtained in a three-year fertilization experiment on California annual range. Degree-days; the interactions between degree-days and nitrogen, between degree-days and phosphorus-sulphur, and between nitrogen and phosphorus-sulphur; and the lagged forage variable were significant in explaining the variations in forage growth, animal gain, and stocking rate. The impact of PS was more important in interaction with DD or N than by itself. The correct impact of moisture was not found due to misspecification of the variable in the model. The models for the first year and the three years combined were well behaved; however, the models for the last two years combined neither explained adequately nor behaved well.Livestock Production/Industries,

To The Natural World

Genevieve Taggard began writing verse in 1907 when she was thirteen, and went on to publish eleven books of poetry and a biography of Emily Dickinson. Taggard, who died in 1948, published poems in The Nation, The New Republic, Kenyon Review, The New Yorker, and was widely anthologized, but never published a full-length collection. To the Natural World was assembled by Taggard’s daughter, Marcia Liles, especially for the Ahsahta Modern and Contemporary Poetry of the American West series. Taggard’s American natural world spans from Washington and Hawaii to New Hampshire and Vermont. Then she whisks us off to observations of Capri, Mallorca, and Antibes. Sense of place is the passion behind Taggard\u27s melody and rhythm, and these qualities animate this collection of poetry. To the Natural World is a book that allows you to walk with this remarkable woman, this extraordinary poet, and make her poems and history momentarily your own

Strain-specific effects of the herbicide RoundUp on diverse natural isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The safety of the chemical glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide RoundUpTM, has been questioned on numerous occasions. Previous studies suggest that glyphosate-containing herbicides have deleterious effects on a variety of organisms; other studies suggest that these effects may be minor, transient, or non-existent altogether. Proper maintenance of microbial soil communities is imperative to agricultural success; yeasts can play an important role in these communities. Studies involving the brewer's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have the ability to model eukaryotes, microbes, genetics, systems-level genomics, as well as to inspect yeasts themselves. Therefore, studying the effects of RoundUpTM on S. cerevisiae may provide direct insight into the potential effects of RoundUpTM on soil yeast health, and indirect insight into the effects of RoundUpTM on non-target organisms including other soil microbes and eukaryotes. Here, we characterize the effects of RoundUpTM on 12 genetically diverse isolates of S. cerevisiae. Growth assays in media with and without RoundUpTM indicate that the herbicide inhibits growth in all strains, but the magnitude of this inhibition is variable among strains. Our results suggest that the genetic basis for RoundUpTM resistance is strain-specific in S. cerevisiae, inviting further study into genetic variants that may be useful in applied contexts. Key Words: RoundUpTM, glyphosate, Saccharomyces cerevisia

Posterior Fixation of a Cervical Fracture Using the RRS Loop Spine System and Polyethylene Tape in an Elderly Ankylosing Spondylitis Patient: A Case Report

An 80-year-old woman presented with neck pain and paraparesis of Frankel C in her upper and lower extremities after falling. Imaging revealed an ankylosing cervical spine and a fracture line running obliquely from the anterior C3-4 to the posterior C4-5 level. Posterior fixation from the occi pit to T3 was performed using the RRS Loop Spine System and concomitant polyethylene tape fixation. This system is characterized by the uniqueness of how it screws to the occi pit and its use of a fixation rod with a larger diameter than in other instrumentation devices for use in the cervical region. Sublaminar banding using polyethylene tape was used to secure fixation. Her postoperative course was unremarkable, and her neck pain was relieved, although neurological improvement was minor. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an application of the RRS Loop Spine System to an ankylosing spondylitis patient with a cervical fracture

Bone autografting of the calvaria and craniofacial skeleton: Historical background, surgical results in a series of 15 patients, and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Although the use of autologous bone for reconstruction of the cranial and facial skeleton underwent a partial reappraisal following the introduction of a vast range of alloplastic materials for this purpose, it has demonstrated definite advantages over the last century and, particularly, during the last decade. METHODS Fifteen patients underwent cranial and/or cranio-facial reconstruction using autologous bone grafting in the Department of Neurologic Sciences-Neurosurgery and the Division of Maxillo-Facial Surgery of the Rome "La Sapienza" University between 1987 and 1995. This group of patients consisted of 8 females and 7 males whose average age was 29.5 years (range 7.5 to 59 years, mean age 30). In all these patients cranioplasty and/or cranio-facial reconstruction had been performed to repair bone defects secondary to benign tumors or tumor-like lesions (12 cases), trauma (2 cases), or, in the remaining case, to wound infection after craniotomy for a neurosurgical operation. RESULTS The results obtained in a series of 15 patients treated using this method are described with reference to the abundant data published on this topic. CONCLUSION The mechanical, immunologic, and technical-grafting properties of autologous bone, together with its superior esthetic and psychological effects, probably make it the best material for cranioplasty

Irrigation of foothill annual rangeland : a means of augmenting fall-winter forage

The International Hill Land Symposium was held at Oregon State University in April 1983.Winter annual legumes have low fall and early winter forage yields in California's Mediterranean-type climate. A 2-year field study was conducted to determine the effect of late summer irrigation on forage yield potential of subterranean clover, rose clover, and bur clover. A mixture of three annual grasses, slender wild oats, 'Blando' brome, and annual ryegrass, and a natural stand of indigenous species were includ­ed in the study for comparison. By irrigation prior to fall rains, six successive seedings, 2 weeks apart were subjected to higher than usual temperatures and longer fall-growth periods. These stands, naturally reseeded, were irrigated the following year on 7 August and 20 Septem­ber. Forage yields for August and September plantings were similar but were greater than those from the October planting. Plants irrigated in August were subjected to daylengths which promoted fall flowering. Summer insect problems, primarily with armyworm, were associated with August plantings. Subterranean clover produced more dry matter and had fewer problems than did the other legumes tested. Subclovers of mid ­or late-season maturity produced more forage under the irrigation­extended growth season than did early maturing varieties

Surgical outcome after spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ankylosing spondylitis is a rheumatic disease in which spinal and sacroiliac joints are mainly affected. There is a gradual bone formation in the spinal ligaments and ankylosis of the spinal diarthroses which lead to stiffness of the spine.</p> <p>The diffuse paraspinal ossification and inflammatory osteitis of advanced Ankylosing spondylitis creates a fused, brittle spine that is susceptible to fracture. The aim of this study is to present the surgical experience of spinal fractures occurring in patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis and to highlight the difficulties that exist as far as both diagnosis and surgical management are concerned.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis were operated due to a spinal fracture. The fracture was located at the cervical spine in 7 cases, at the thoracic spine in 9, at the thoracolumbar junction in 3 and at the lumbar spine in one case. Neurological defects were revealed in 10 patients. In four of them, neurological signs were progressively developed after a time period of 4 to 15 days. The initial radiological study was negative for a spinal fracture in twelve patients. Every patient was assessed at the time of admission and daily until the day of surgery, then postoperatively upon discharge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Combined anterior and posterior approaches were performed in three patients with only posterior approaches performed on the rest. Spinal fusion was seen in 100% of the cases. No intra-operative complications occurred. There was one case in which superficial wound inflammation occurred. Loosening of posterior screws without loss of stability appeared in two patients with cervical injuries.</p> <p>Frankel neurological classification was used in order to evaluate the neurological status of the patients. There was statistically significant improvement of Frankel neurological classification between the preoperative and postoperative evaluation. 35% of patients showed improvement due to the operation performed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The operative treatment of these injuries is useful and effective. It usually succeeds the improvement of the patients' neurological status. Taking into consideration the cardiovascular problems that these patients have, anterior and posterior stabilization aren't always possible. In these cases, posterior approach can be performed and give excellent results, while total operation time, blood loss and other possible complications are decreased.</p

Pitfalls and complications in the treatment of cervical spine fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis are at significant risk for sustaining cervical spine injuries following trauma predisposed by kyphosis, stiffness and osteoporotic bone quality of the spine. The risk of sustaining neurological deficits in this patient population is higher than average. The present review article provides an outline on the specific injury patterns in the cervical spine, diagnostic algorithms and specific treatment modalities dictated by the underlying disease in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. An emphasis is placed on the risks and complication patterns in the treatment of these rare, but challenging injuries