Should Grain Elevator Managers Adopt Integrated Pest Management?

Insect infestation during storage and processing causes millions of dollars of wheat damage annually in the United States. Insect infestation reduces wheat storing processing profit as well as consumer confidence in wheat food products. Meanwhile, increased concerns about insecticide use have increase interest in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. This research compares the costs of IPM and chemical-based approaches to insect control to determine why most elevator managers have not adopted IPM practices.Agribusiness,

Trimethylsilyl Trifluoromethanesulfonate- Accelerated Addition of Catalytically Generated Zinc Acetylides to Aldehydes

In the presence of TMSOTf, a wide variety of terminal acetylenes add rapidly and efficiently to aldehydes via a catalytically generated zinc acetylide. In the absence of TMSOTf, no reaction is observed under otherwise identical conditions

Economics of Pre-Plant, Topdress, and Variable Rate Nitrogen Application in Winter Wheat

Past research about the efficiency of nitrogen application in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based on source and timing has produced inconsistent results. The majority of the literature used data from few locations over short time periods. This study used a unique data set of yields and nitrogen quantities from 2002-2009 at ten different locations in Oklahoma, USA. The objective of this research was to determine wheat yield response for granular pre-plant, uniform foliar topdress, and variable rate foliar topdress. Topdress liquid nitrogen had a 19% higher NUE than pre-plant urea, and was the most profitable source of nitrogen.linear stochastic plateau, nitrogen use efficiency, profitability, wheat, Crop Production/Industries,

The Open Navigation Surface Project

Many hydrographic and oceanographic agencies have moved or are moving towards gridded bathymetric products. However, there is no accepted format to allow these grids to be exchanged while maintaining data and metadata integrity. This paper describes the Open Navigation Surface (ONS) Project, which aims to fill this gap. The ONS Project is an open-source software project designed to provide a freely available, portable source-code library to encapsulate gridded bathymetric surfaces with associated uncertainty values. The data file format is called a Bathymetric Attributed Grid (BAG). The BAG is developed and maintained by the ONS Working Group (ONSWG), and the source code is available via the ONS websit

Performance of a repetitive task by aged rats leads to median neuropathy and spinal cord inflammation with associated sensorimotor declines

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between advancing age and susceptibility to risk factors for median neuropathies and musculoskeletal disorders. In this study, we determined if performance of a voluntary reaching task by aged rats induced sensorimotor declines, median nerve dysfunction and increased inflammatory cytokines in peripheral nerves, muscle and spinal cord neurons. Aged (14 mon) rats were trained for 15 min/day for 4 weeks to learn a high repetition, low force (HRLF) task (19 reaches/min; 15% maximum pulling force). Aged task rats performed the task for 2 h/day, 3 days/wk, for 12 weeks (until they were 18 mon of age). No behavioral changes were detected in normal controls (NC) or food-restricted controls (FR C) as they aged. However, grip strength declined in HRLF rats in weeks 6-12 (P\u3c0.01 each) and 12-week trained-only rats (TR; P\u3c0.05), compared to NC. Mechanical hypersensitivity was present in weeks 9 and 12 HRLF reach limb forepaws (P\u3c0.01 and P\u3c0.05, respectively), and 12-week HRLF support limb forepaws (P\u3c0.01) and hindpaws (P=0.03), compared to NC. By week 12, median nerve conduction velocity declined 23%, bilaterally, in HRLF (P\u3c0.001 each), and 13% in TR (P\u3c0.05), compared to NC. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) increased in 12-week HRLF muscle (P=0.005), median nerve (P\u3c0.01), and neurons in superficial lamina of HRLF cervical spinal cords (P\u3c0.01), compared to NC. interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) also increased in superficial lamina neurons (P\u3c0.01). Loss of grip strength was correlated with median nerve conduction slowing (r=0.70) as well as increased nerve and muscle TNFα (r=-0.38 and r=-0.41, respectively); decrease in forepaw withdrawal thresholds was correlated with median nerve conduction slowing (r=0.81), increased nerve TNFα (r=-0.59), and increased TNFα and IL1β in neurons in spinal cord dorsal horns (r=-0.52 and r=-0.47, respectively). Thus, aged rats performing a repetitive task exhibited sensorimotor declines that were associated with decreased median nerve conduction, and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in the median nerve and cervical spinal cord neurons

The Open Navigation Surface Project

Many hydrographic and oceanographic agencies have moved or are moving towards gridded bathymetric products. However, there is no accepted format to allow these grids to be exchanged while maintaining data and metadata integrity. This paper describes the Open Navigation Surface (ONS) Project, which aims to fill this gap. The ONS Project is an open-source software project designed to provide a freely available, portable source-code library to encapsulate gridded bathymetric surfaces with associated uncertainty values. The data file format is called a Bathymetric Attributed Grid (BAG). The BAG is developed and maintained by the ONS Working Group (ONSWG), and the source code is available via the ONS website.Muchas agencies hidrogrâficas y oceanogrâficas se han orientado o se estân orientando hacia los productos batimétricos cuadriculados. Sin embargo, no existe un formato aceptado para que estas cuadricuias sean intercambiadas manteniendo la integridad de los datos y los meta datos. Este articulo describe el Proyecto « Superficie de Navegaciôn Abierta » (ONS) cuyo objeto es cubrir este vacio. El proyecto ONS es un proyecto de software de fuente abierta disehado para proveer una biblioteca portâtil de côdigo fuente de libre disponibilidad para encapsular superficies batimétricas cuadriculadas con sus valores de incertidumbre asociados. El formato de archivo de datos es llamado Cuadricula Batimétrica Tributada (BAG). El BAG es desarrollado y mantenido por el Grupo de Trabajo ONS (ONSWG), y el côdigo fuente es disponible a través de sitio web de ONS.De nombreuses agences hydrographiques et océanographiques se sont orientées ou s ’orientent actuellement vers les produits bathymétriques quadrillés. Toutefois, il n'existe pas de format accepté qui permette à ces quadrillages d'être échangés tout en conservant l’intégrité des données et des métadonnées. Le présent article décrit le projet ONS (Open Navigation Surface) qui vise à combler cette lacune. Le projet ONS est un projet de logiciel libre conçu pour fournir une bibliothèque portable de code source à libre disponibilité devant encapsuler des surfaces bathymétriques maillées avec des valeurs d'incertitude associées. Le format du fichier des données est appelé Carroyage bathymétrique attribué (BAG). Le BAG est développé est tenu à jour par le groupe de travail ONS et le code source est disponible sur le site Web ONS

Characterization of Fast Ion Transport via Position-Dependent Optical Deshelving

Ion transport is an essential operation in some models of quantum information processing, where fast ion shuttling with minimal motional excitation is necessary for efficient, high-fidelity quantum logic. While fast and cold ion shuttling has been demonstrated, the dynamics and specific trajectory of an ion during diabatic transport have not been studied in detail. Here we describe a position-dependent optical deshelving technique useful for sampling an ion's position throughout its trajectory, and we demonstrate the technique on fast linear transport of a $^{40}\text{Ca}^+$ ion in a surface-electrode ion trap. At high speed, the trap's electrode filters strongly distort the transport potential waveform. With this technique, we observe deviations from the intended constant-velocity (100 m/s) transport: we measure an average speed of 83(2) m/s and a peak speed of 251(6) m/s over a distance of 120 $\mu$

Characterization of a Homozygous Deletion of Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis Genes in Horse Chromosome 29 as a Risk Factor for Disorders of Sex Development and Reproduction

Disorders of sex development (DSD) and reproduction are not uncommon among horses, though knowledge about their molecular causes is sparse. Here we characterized a 200 kb homozygous deletion in chromosome 29 at 29.7-29.9 Mb. The region contains AKR1C genes which function as ketosteroid reductases in steroid hormone biosynthesis, including androgens and estrogens. Mutations in AKR1C genes are associated with human DSDs. Deletion boundaries, sequence properties and gene content were studied by PCR and whole genome sequencing of select deletion homozygotes and control animals. Deletion analysis by PCR in 940 horses, including 622 with DSDs and reproductive problems and 318 phenotypically normal controls, detected 67 deletion homozygotes of which 79% were developmentally or reproductively abnormal. Altogether, 8-9% of all abnormal horses were homozygous for the deletion, with the highest incidence (9.4%) among cryptorchids. The deletion was found in 4% of our phenotypically normal cohort, 1% of global warmblood horses and ponies, and 7% of draught breeds of general horse population as retrieved from published data. Based on the abnormal phenotype of the carriers, the functionally relevant gene content, and the low incidence in general population, we consider the deletion in chromosome 29 as a risk factor for equine DSDs and reproductive disorders

Neurofibromin Deficient Myeloid Cells are Critical Mediators of Aneurysm Formation In Vivo

Background Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder resulting from mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene. Neurofibromin, the protein product of NF1, functions as a negative regulator of Ras activity in circulating hematopoietic and vascular wall cells, which are critical for maintaining vessel wall homeostasis. NF1 patients have evidence of chronic inflammation resulting in development of premature cardiovascular disease, including arterial aneurysms, which may manifest as sudden death. However, the molecular pathogenesis of NF1 aneurysm formation is unknown. Method and Results Utilizing an angiotensin II-induced aneurysm model, we demonstrate that heterozygous inactivation of Nf1 (Nf1+/−) enhanced aneurysm formation with myeloid cell infiltration and increased oxidative stress in the vessel wall. Using lineage-restricted transgenic mice, we show loss of a single Nf1 allele in myeloid cells is sufficient to recapitulate the Nf1+/− aneurysm phenotype in vivo. Finally, oral administration of simvastatin or the antioxidant apocynin, reduced aneurysm formation in Nf1+/− mice. Conclusion These data provide genetic and pharmacologic evidence that Nf1+/− myeloid cells are the cellular triggers for aneurysm formation in a novel model of NF1 vasculopathy and provide a potential therapeutic target

On Critchfield's proposal: student concerns and recommendations

This is the published version, reproduced here with the publisher's permission. This article is also available electronically from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3359848/.No abstract available for this item