A note on the susceptibility of six red raspberry cultivars and Tayberry to fruit infection by late yellow rust

Nous avons inoculé in vivo des grappes de fruits de six cultivars de framboisier rouge (Rubus idaeus) et de framboisier-ronce de Tay avec des éciospores et des urediniospores du Pucciniastrum americanum. Les résultats des deux inoculations étaient semblables. Deux cultivars, soit Nova et Royalty, et le framboisier-ronce de Tay étaient résistants à l'infection des fruits par la rouille jaune tardive tandis que les autres cultivars montraient différents degrés de sensibilité à l'infection par la rouille jaune tardive. Le cultivar Boyne montrait une résistance partielle.Fruit clusters of six red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) cultivars and Tayberry were inoculated in vivo using aeciospores and urediniospores of Pucciniastrum americanum. The response was similar for both inocula. Two raspberry cultivars, Nova and Royalty, and Tayberry were apparently resistant to late yellow rust infection on fruits while the other raspberry cultivars exhibited differing degrees of susceptibility to late yellow rust. The cultivar Boyne exhibited some partial resistance

Comparison of Geometric and Volumetric Methods to a 3D Solid Model for Measurement of Gully Erosion and Sediment Yield

Gully erosion is a global problem that degrades land and reduces its utility for agriculture, development, and water quality. Quantification of sediment yield and control of sediment sources is essential for environmental protection. Five methods to evaluate erosion rates and sediment yield on an east Tennessee, USA, hillslope were compared: (1) physical measurement by removal of accumulated sediment using 10 L buckets; (2) repeated measurement of erosion pins in gully (erosional) and delta (depositional) areas; (3) geometric model using a combination trapezoidal prism-cylinder segment; (4) geometric model using a series of trapezoidal pyramids; and (5) 3D solid computer modeling. The 3D solid model created in SolidWorks was selected as the reference model and all other methods overestimated sediment yield to varying degrees. Erosion pin methods overestimated sediment yield by 368% in deltas and 123% in gullies. Volumetric measurement of sediment using buckets overestimated sediment yield by 160% due to void space in the buckets. The trapezoidal prism-cylinder segment model overestimated sediment yield by 66% and the trapezoidal pyramids method overestimated sediment yield by 5.7%. For estimation of sediment trapped behind an elliptical or circular silt fence dam, use of the trapezoidal pyramid method provides a good approximation comparable to 3D solid computer modeling

Ecology, Politics and Hydroelectric Power in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor, Costa Rica

Hydroelectric dam projects are ideal foci for examining ecology, conservation, privatisation, globalisation and water rights. Proposed construction of hydroelectric power projects in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor (ASBC), Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica, and in neighbouring areas, may have grave consequences for the local and watershed level ecology. Decisions to undertake these projects, or oppose them, must be understood contextually in regards to local issues, national economic agreements and supranational interests. While micro-level studies have a place in practicality, the ASBC will benefit from examination from a much wider lens that goes beyond the political economic forces that generate such projects; to examine greater philosophical connections between humans, technology and nature.If viewed from a holistic ecological viewpoint, the ecosystem called the ASBC is a form of cyborg supra- organism, a gestalt of human, non-human and technological elements working in simultaneity, if perhaps not in concert. The result is a schizophrenic state in which biological elements antagonistically interact thanks to technological evolution spurred by external stimuli of ideology. The "environmentalist" industry of the corridor cannot be conceptually separated from its dependence on electricity derived from the same sources as the one ostensibly poised to destroy it. These biological and technological elements are inextricably intertwined for the foreseeable future, making all local and foreign interactions with the Corridor dependent on understanding and consideration of this hybridstate

Formulating effective and accessible population-based colorectal cancer screening programs

Colorectal cancer, a type of carcinoma originating in cells of the colon or rectum, continues to rank as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide with 1.36 million cases and the fourth most fatal with 693,881 deaths during 2012. In an attempt to alleviate the burden of colorectal cancer throughout society, governments and non-governmental organizations continue to implement population-based cancer screening programs. These programs, typically designed by a federal authority, offer free screening tests to a given population for a certain type of cancer on a routine basis. National systematic screening programs have effectively reduced the incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer in several countries. This paper specifically focuses on programs related to colorectal cancer screening, which offer various types of testing depending on the population. As colorectal cancer screening programs remain primarily nationally-based rather than international, few guidelines have been established relating to the design of systematic colorectal cancer screening programs. This paper first highlights the need for colorectal cancer screening programs, then addresses barriers to individual and national screening, and finally evaluates characteristics and components of successful colorectal programs in the global context with a goal to establish recommended guidelines in designing such programs

Geographic and Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Sporadic Cryptosdporidiosis and \u3ci\u3eE. coli\u3c/i\u3e infection in East Tennessee

This research examines risk factors for sporadic cryptosporidiosis and Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 infection in East Tennessee, using case-control and retrospective ecological approaches. Multiple models and approaches are used to identify risk factors for the two diseases, and to examine the effect of scale on risk for disease in the individual and in the population. Risk factors examined are animal density, land use, geology, surface water impairment, poverty rate and availability of private water supply. The research objectives are, first, to identify risk factors for E. coli O157 and cryptosporidiosis in East Tennessee by relating disease data to environmental data through statistical regression models and second, to examine the effect of scale by comparing risk factors for disease in the individual (case-control approach) and the population (ecological approach). At the individual level Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), and Spatial Logistic Regression Models are compared. At the population level, Spatial Lag, GLMs and GAMs are developed using Gamma, Tweedie and Poisson distributions. Beef cow population density and proximity to karst geology are positively associated with both diseases at the individual scale. Land use variables representing developed land and pasture land are positively associated with both diseases at both scales. Poverty rate is positively associated with both diseases at the regional scale, and availability of private water supply is negatively associated with both diseases at both scales. The results presented here show that the significance of environmental variables as risk factors for cryptosporidiosis and E. coli O157 depend on scale, and that an examination of risk factors for these diseases in the individual and the population can reveal the scale at which variables are important. These results can be used to identify important environmental risk factors for the diseases and to identify the communities where background risk is highest. Limited public health resources can then be targeted to the risk factors and communities most at risk. These results can also be used as the framework upon which to develop a comprehensive epidemiological study that focuses on risk factors important at the individual level

Spatiotemporal analysis of flooding in Tennessee counties: 1996-2021

Tennessee has a long history of floods that have caused property damage and loss of life. In the face of climate change and variability, it is imperative to look at trends to ascertain if there is a significant change in current flood regimes versus past flood events. Trend Analysis and Emerging Hotspot Analysis are useful geospatial tools that can effectively display changes over time and space. This study aims to evaluate the history of flood events in Tennessee to identify spatiotemporal trends and hot spots. A total of 902 flood events from 1996-2021 recorded in the National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) storm events database were analyzed using the number of events per county and the total damages per county at an annual time step. Two 26-year space-time cubes were built in ArcGIS Pro (version 3.0) for flood events and damages using an annual time step, with counties as the spatial unit. GeoGa software (version 1.20.0.22) was used to weight the distance between Tennessee counties to define a statistically significant neighborhood distance at 37km fixed distance. Trend Analysis and Emerging Hotspot Analysis was conducted to assess spatiotemporal trends in flooding events and damages (in dollars). Trend analysis revealed an increasing trend of flood events in eleven counties in middle Tennessee (Davidson, Wilson, Rutherford, Coffee, Marion, Putnam, Overton, Maury, Lawrence and Dickson counties) and Carter county in east Tennessee. Decreasing trends were observed in two counties (Lake and Bradley), all at a 90% or greater confidence level. Increasing trends in flood damages were identified in Cumberland, Putnam, Lawrence, Blount, Sullivan and Green counties, all in east and middle Tennessee. Decreasing trends were identified in Lake, Obion, Dyer, and Tipton, all in west Tennessee. East Tennessee was identified as a sporadic flooding hot spot (Hawkins, Green and Washington counties) with no significant hot spots in middle and west Tennessee. There were no hot spots nor cold spots in flood-related damages across Tennessee. The results indicate that flood events and related damages are decreasing in west Tennessee while parts of middle Tennessee and east Tennessee are experiencing increased flood events. This study is an important step to better understand spatiotemporal trends in flooding and flooding damages and will be useful in hazard mitigation planning in Tennessee at both state and county levels

Freeze-Thaw Induced Gully Erosion: A Long-Term High-Resolution Analysis

Gullies are significant contributors of sediment to streams in the southeastern USA. This study investigated gully erosion in the clay-rich soils of east Tennessee under a humid subtropical climate. The aims of this study were to (1) estimate long-term erosion rates for different gully geomorphic settings, (2) compare patterns of erosion for the different settings, and (3) model the response of gully erosion to freeze-thaw events. Erosion was measured weekly from June 2012 to August 2018 using 105 erosion pins distributed in gully channels, interfluves, and sidewalls. Erosion rates were estimated from average slopes of lines of best fit of pin lengths versus time. Maximum and minimum temperature was calculated daily using an on-site weather station and freeze-thaw events were identified. Gully erosion was modeled using antecedent freeze-thaw activity for the three geomorphic settings. Long-term erosion rates in channels, interfluves, and sidewalls were 2.5 mm/year, 20 mm/year, and 21 mm/year, respectively; however, week-by-week erosion was statistically different between the three settings, indicating different erosive drivers. Models of erosion with lagged freeze-thaw variables explained up to 34.8% of the variability in erosion variables; sidewall erosion was most highly related to freeze-thaw activity. Freeze-thaw in prior weeks was an important variable in all erosion models

Assessing Urban Expansion and Hotspots of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee.

Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport, Tennessee, collectively known as the Tri-Cities, have experienced notable Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes, with urban expansion leading to increased developed land and population growth in the last two decades. The Tri-Cities (Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City) city footprints have increased by 15% in land area since 2000, concurrent with heightened urban development. This study assesses the urban expansion and Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes of the Tri-Cities and examines hotspots of built-up areas and transitions from vegetation to built-up in Tri-Cities, Tennessee, from 2001 to 2021. LULC data at a 30m resolution for 2001 and 2021 were downloaded from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and city boundary data were obtained from the Tri-City Development Council. The urban landscape in the Tri-Cities region reflects dynamic city boundary expansions for Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol. Kingsport notably led in urban expansion with a remarkable 18%, while Bristol\u27s boundary increment remained more conservative at 7%. LULC change was evaluated within the city footprints using change detection analysis based on nine land use classes. Low, medium, and high-intensity developed land were categorized as built-up areas, while forest, shrub, herbaceous, pasture, and croplands were classified as vegetation land among the land use types. Change detection analysis highlights a transformation in land use classes, with open water, forest, and cultivated areas experiencing loss, while developed land, barren land, shrubland, herbaceous land, and wetlands exhibit gains. Notably, 3.7% of cultivated lands shifted to developed areas, signifying a loss of productive farmland. Northwestern Johnson City, southeastern Kingsport, and southwestern Bristol experienced the most significant increases in developed land converted from cultivated areas, emphasizing the urbanization trend. Nearest Neighbor Index (NNI) analysis was employed for spatial clustering detection, with cluster locations identified using the Nearest Neighbor Hierarchical Clustering (NNHC) method, defining a cluster as 25 points in a one-mile radius. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) with a quartic kernel and 1-mile bandwidth was used to create a heat map of LULC changes from vegetation to built-up. LULC change from 2001 to 2021 yields NNI values of 0.3182 for built-up areas and 0.2157 for converted built-up areas from vegetation land, indicating spatial clustering across the Tri-Cities region. KDE reveals intense built-up areas throughout the study region, with hotspots at recent annexation boundaries. Johnson City and Bristol demonstrate distinct patterns of vegetation-to-built-up change along these annexation limits, while Kingsport displays comparatively lower hotspot intensity despite significant urban expansion. This LULC conversion increases impervious areas, reducing infiltration rates and contributing to urban flooding. These findings will provide valuable insights for future research on the potential effects of LULC change on flooding in Tri-Cities, Tennessee

Seasonal Precipitation Variability and Gully Erosion in Southeastern USA

This study examines the relationship between gully erosion in channels, sidewalls, and interfluves, and precipitation parameters (duration, total accumulation, average intensity, and maximum intensity) annually and seasonally to determine seasonal drivers for precipitation-related erosion. Ordinary Least Square regression models of erosion using precipitation and antecedent precipitation at weekly lags of up to twelve weeks were developed for three erosion variables for each of three geomorphic areas: channels, interfluves, and sidewalls (nine models in total). Erosion was most pronounced in winter months, followed by spring, indicating the influence of high-intensity precipitation from frontal systems and repeated freeze-thaw cycles in winter; erosion in summer was driven by high-intensity precipitation from convectional storms. Annually, duration was the most important driver for erosion, however, during winter and summer months, precipitation intensity was dominant. Seasonal models retained average and maximum precipitation as drivers for erosion in winter months (dominated by frontal systems), and retained maximum precipitation intensity as a driver for erosion in summer months (dominated by convectional storms). In channels, precipitation duration was the dominant driver for erosion due to runoff-related erosion, while in sidewalls and interfluves intensity parameters were equally important as duration, likely related to rain splash erosion. These results show that the character of precipitation, which varies seasonally, is an important driver for gully erosion and that studies of precipitation-driven erosion should consider partitioning data by season to identify these drivers

Evaluation of Karst Spring Water Quality Using Water Quality Indices in Northeast Tennessee

Ensuring access to safe drinking water to protect public health in many communities underserved or unserved by centralized water systems in the US requires regular water quality testing and reporting. Following testing, access to easy-to-comprehend water quality information may be challenging. Households served by water utilities have access to water quality information. However, households depending on unregulated water systems like wells and springs are often unaware of their water quality. Therefore, this study utilized multiple water quality parameters to determine the quality of karst spring water using two Water Quality Index (WQI) methods. In-situ measurements of physico-chemical parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, specific conductance, total dissolved solids, oxidation reduction potential were taken at 50 karst springs in east Tennessee during Summer 2021. Water samples were analyzed for microbial (fecal coliform, and E. coli), nutrients (nitrate and nitrite), and radiological (radon) constituents using standard analytical methods. Springs generally met federal and state water quality safe limits for physicochemical parameters, but 100% of water samples contained fecal coliform and 90% contained E. coli revealing widespread fecal contamination; 60% of springs exceeded radon concentrations of 300 pCi/L. WQI method 1 (Brown et al. 1972) rated 12 % of springs as very poor water quality and 88% as unfit for drinking. WQI method 2 (NSFWQI) rated 4% of the sampled springs as good, 92% as moderate and 4 % as bad. Water treatment procedures for microbial pollution purification are advised before the studied springs are used as a drinking water source