Political parties shape public opinion, but their influence is limited.

Do people’s opinions on policy debates follow those of the political party they support? In new research using a nationally representative survey, Kevin J. Mullinix finds that knowing that their party supports certain legislation means that people are more likely to support that legislation, and that this effect is more pronounced when parties are highly polarized. This effect is not absolute, however; when an issue is personally important, people will not blindly follow their party’s lead

Banana Trials: A Potential Niche and Ethnic Market in Georgia

Annual cropping production (ACP) is a technique used worldwide to target favorable market conditions. This technique has allowed commercial banana production outside the traditional production belt such as South Africa, Thailand, Israel, and China. In 2003 an evaluation of thirty-three cultivars was initiated near Savannah, Georgia to determine their suitability for ornamental, nursery, and ACP for niche/ethnic markets under Georgia weather conditions. In South Georgia and other temperate regions around the world, the pseudostems are normally killed to ground level during most winters. However, excellent plant growth rate, good flowering, and limited commercial fruit production was observed. Identifying one or more cultivars with potential to produce commercial fruits may result in a huge market opportunity, especially because the United States is the largest consumer and net importer of bananas. Despite the erratic fruit production, male flowers, leaves for cooking, and suckers for ornamental purposes have potential to generate significant farm income in this belt. Of the cultivars investigated, ‘Musa 1780’ (believed to be an ‘Orinoco’ type), ‘Sweet Heart,’ ‘Dwarf Namwah,’ ‘Ice Cream,’ ‘Kandarian,’ and ‘Belle’ cultivars were the most successful, but the growing season was slightly too short. The study was conducted from 2003 to 2006. Data was analyzed using Proc Mixed.Agribusiness, Marketing,

Fungi associated with pods and seeds during the R6 and R8 stages of four soybean cultivars in southwestern Indiana

Un total de 6403 isolats de champignons ont été récupérés de gousses et de graines de soja récoltées vers la fin des saisons 1992 et 1993 (stades de croissance R6 et R8). La majorité des champignons étaient des Deutéromycètes (95,5 %) puis des Ascomycètes (0,9 %). Les genres de champignons les plus communément isolés lors de l’étude furent les Phomopsis, Alternaria, Cercospora, et Colletotrichum (= Glomerella). Les Cercospora et les Phomopsis ont été retrouvés plus souvent sur les gousses et les graines à pleine maturité (R8) qu’au stade de développement fève verte (R6). Par contre, la fréquence d’isolement des Colletotrichum était plus élevée pour les tissus récoltés au stade R6 que pour ceux au stade R8. Les fréquences d’isolement étaient similaires pour les tissus des gousses ou des graines pour la plupart des champignons sauf les Alternaria, Phoma et Nigrospora. Les principales espèces pathogènes isolées du complexe Diaporthe/Phomopsis étaient le D. phaseolorum var. caulivora et le D. phaseolorum var. sojae avec des fréquences d’isolement totalisant 28,2 % alors que le D. phaseolorum var. meridionalis et le Phomopsis longicolla étaient identifiés dans 1 % de tous les échantillons. Dans cette étude, les tissus des gousses contenaient un plus grand nombre de champignons que les graines. Des comparaisons statistiques des sections du pédoncule, du centre et du style des gousses n’ont pas permis de trouver de différence entre les fréquences d’isolement pour les cultivars testés, que ce soient les tissus des gousses ou les graines qui soient comparés. En résumé, la fréquence d’isolement de champignons pathogènes de gousses et de graines au stade R6 a été un indicateur fiable du potentiel de gravité des maladies. De plus, la présence significativement plus grande du D. phaseolorum var. caulivora et du D. phaseolorum var. sojae par rapport aux autres Phomopsis/ Diaporthe spp. (e.g. D. phaseolorum var. meridionalis) dans le sud-ouest de l’Indiana va permettre aux scientifiques de continuer à concentrer leurs efforts d’amélioration génétique sur la résistance à ces deux importants agents pathogènes.A total of 6,403 isolates of fungi were identified from soybean pods and seeds collected late in the 1992 and 1993 growing season (R6 and R8 soybean growth stages). The majority of fungi consisted of Deuteromycetes (95.5%) followed by Ascomycetes (0.9%). Common fungal genera isolated during the study included Phomopsis, Alternaria, Cercospora, and Colletotrichum (= Glomerella) . Cercospora and Phomopsis were identified more commonly from pods and seeds at harvest maturity (R8) than at the greenbean stage of development (R6). However, isolation frequencies of Colletotrichum were greater from tissues collected at R6 than at R8. Isolation frequencies compared between pod and seed tissue were similar for almost all the fungi except Alternaria, Phoma, and Nigrospora. The primary pathogenic species identified from the Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex were D. phaseolorum var. caulivora and D. phaseolorum var. sojae at 28.2% of the total isolation frequencies compared to D. phaseolorum var. meridionalis and Phomopsis longicolla that were identified from 1% of the total samples. The pod tissue harbored greater numbers of fungi than seeds during this study. In statistical comparisons of the peduncle, middle, and stylar regions from pods, no differences in isolation frequencies were found for the cultivars tested regardless if pod tissues or seeds were compared. In summary, the percent isolation frequency of pathogenic fungi from pod and seed at R6 was an effective indicator of the potential for increased disease severity. Furthermore, the significantly greater occurrence of D. phaseolorum var. caulivora and D. phaseolorum var. sojae compared to the other Phomopsis/Diaporthe spp. (e.g. D. phaseolorum var. meridionalis) in southern Indiana will enable scientists to continue to concentrate their breeding efforts for resistance to control these two major pathogens

Data Constrained Coronal Mass Ejections in A Global Magnetohydrodynamics Model

We present a first-principles-based coronal mass ejection (CME) model suitable for both scientific and operational purposes by combining a global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) solar wind model with a flux rope-driven CME model. Realistic CME events are simulated self-consistently with high fidelity and forecasting capability by constraining initial flux rope parameters with observational data from GONG, SOHO/LASCO, and STEREO/COR. We automate this process so that minimum manual intervention is required in specifying the CME initial state. With the newly developed data-driven Eruptive Event Generator Gibson-Low (EEGGL), we present a method to derive Gibson-Low (GL) flux rope parameters through a handful of observational quantities so that the modeled CMEs can propagate with the desired CME speeds near the Sun. A test result with CMEs launched with different Carrington rotation magnetograms are shown. Our study shows a promising result for using the first-principles-based MHD global model as a forecasting tool, which is capable of predicting the CME direction of propagation, arrival time, and ICME magnetic field at 1 AU (see companion paper by Jin et al. 2016b).Comment: 30 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, accepted by Ap

The generalizability of survey experiments

Survey experiments have become a central methodology across the social sciences. Researchers can combine experiments’ causal power with the generalizability of population-based samples. Yet, due to the expense of population-based samples, much research relies on convenience samples (e.g., students, online opt-in samples). The emergence of affordable, but non-representative online samples has reinvigorated debates about the external validity of experiments. We conduct two studies of how experimental treatment effects obtained from convenience samples compare to effects produced by population samples. In Study 1, we compare effect estimates from four different types of convenience samples and a population-based sample. In Study 2, we analyze treatment effects obtained from 20 experiments implemented on a population-based sample and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. The results reveal considerable similarity between many treatment effects obtained from convenience and nationally representative population-based samples. While the results thus bolster confidence in the utility of convenience samples, we conclude with guidance for the use of a multitude of samples for advancing scientific knowledge

Relative longevity of Leptosphaeria maculans and associated mycobiota on canola debris

La survie de l'agent de la jambe noire (Leptosphaeria maculans) dans des débris de canola (Brassica napus var. oleifera) a été étudiée à trois sites lors de deux tests séparés effectués entre août 1995 et octobre 1998. Selon les données d'isolement de tous les sites combinés, la fréquence d'isolement du L. maculans a diminué avec le temps de 85,0 % avant l'enfouissement en juillet, à 15,4 % en septembre et à 3,4 % en décembre. Onze mois après le début du test, le L. maculans n'était plus isolé de morceaux de tige de canola. Les fréquences d'isolement du L maculans à trois profondeurs étaient semblables quels que soient la date et le lieu d'isolement. La présence de tous les autres champignons, présents selon une analyse préliminaire, a aussi diminué après l'enfouissement. La présence des Trichoderma spp. n'était pas détectable au début du test, mais elle était de 27,5 % lors du dernier échantillonnage de juillet 1996. L'accroissement de la présence des Trichoderma spp. coïncide avec la diminution des fréquences d'isolement du L maculans et des autres champignons dans les morceaux de tige. Comme les résultats du premier test étaient différents de ceux d'études précédentes, un second test a débuté en 1996 près de Griffin, Géorgie. Dans le second test, la longévité relative du L. maculans a été déterminée sur des débris intacts (deux à trois fois plus gros) laissés sur le sol après la récolte d'un champ avec travail minimum ou sans travail du sol. En mai 1997, novembre 1997 et octobre 1998, le Leptosphaeria maculans a été respectivement isolé de 26,4, 31,2 et 20,8% des échantillons. Des pycnides contenant des conidies viables ont été aussi identifiées dans 43,7, 26,4 et 18,0 % des débris présents dans les boîtes de D-V-8, même si aucune colonie de L. maculans ne se développait sur l'agar. La différence de longévité relative du L. maculans entre les deux tests était directement reliée à la qualité et à la grosseur des débris de canola. Lors du premier test, les débris furent coupés en morceaux de 10 cm. Ces morceaux étaient très détériorés et fragmentés après 5 mois d'enfouissement. Par contre, dans le second test, les débris étaient encore intacts 36 mois après avoir été placés en surface du sol. Cette meilleure survie est attribuable à une plus forte dimension des débris, ce qui a réduit la fragmentation lors du travail du sol. Ainsi des débris de canola intacts peuvent servir de source d'inoculum pour au moins trois saisons.Survival of the blackleg pathogen (Leptosphaeria maculans) in canola (Brassica napus var. oleifera) stem debris was studied at three locations during two separate tests from August 1995 through October 1998. In combined isolation frequencies from both locations, L maculans decreased over time from 85.0% before burial in July to 15.4% in September and 3.4 % in December. Eleven months after initiation of this test, L maculans could not be isolated from the infected canola stem pieces. Isolation frequencies of L maculans were similiar among the three soil depths over all sampling dates at both locations. AH other fungi that were present in a preliminary assay also declined after burial. Trichoderma spp. were undetectable after initiation of the test and increased to 27.5 % on the last sampling date in July 1996. The increase of Trichoderma spp. corresponded with the decrease in isolation frequencies of L maculans and other fungi in the stem pieces. The first test differed from previous studies, consequently a second test located near Griffin, Georgia, was initiated in 1996. In the second test, the relative longevity of L. maculans was determined on intact debris (two to three times greater in size) left on the soil surface after harvest in a field using either minimum or no-tillage. Leptosphaeria maculanswas isolated from 26.4,31.2, and 20.8 % of the pieces, respectively, for May 1997, November 1997, and October 1998. Pycnidia containing viable conidia were also identified on 43.7, 26.4, and 18.0% from debris present in the D-V-8 plates even though no visible fungal colonies of L. maculans grew on the agar. The difference in relative longevity of L. maculans between the two tests was directly related to the condition and size of the canola debris. In the first test, the debris was sectioned into 10-cm pieces. These pieces were badly deteriorated and fragmented 5 months after burial. In contrast, the debris in the second test was still intact 36 months after being placed on the soil surface. This survival was because of increased debris size that resulted in reduced fragmentation from tillage. Thus, intact canola debris can serve as an inoculum source for at least three seasons or longer

Low-Cost Phased Array Antenna for Sounding Rockets, Missiles, and Expendable Launch Vehicles

A low-cost beamformer phased array antenna has been developed for expendable launch vehicles, rockets, and missiles. It utilizes a conformal array antenna of ring or individual radiators (design varies depending on application) that is designed to be fed by the recently developed hybrid electrical/mechanical (vendor-supplied) phased array beamformer. The combination of these new array antennas and the hybrid beamformer results in a conformal phased array antenna that has significantly higher gain than traditional omni antennas, and costs an order of magnitude or more less than traditional phased array designs. Existing omnidirectional antennas for sounding rockets, missiles, and expendable launch vehicles (ELVs) do not have sufficient gain to support the required communication data rates via the space network. Missiles and smaller ELVs are often stabilized in flight by a fast (i.e. 4 Hz) roll rate. This fast roll rate, combined with vehicle attitude changes, greatly increases the complexity of the high-gain antenna beam-tracking problem. Phased arrays for larger ELVs with roll control are prohibitively expensive. Prior techniques involved a traditional fully electronic phased array solution, combined with highly complex and very fast inertial measurement unit phased array beamformers. The functional operation of this phased array is substantially different from traditional phased arrays in that it uses a hybrid electrical/mechanical beamformer that creates the relative time delays for steering the antenna beam via a small physical movement of variable delay lines. This movement is controlled via an innovative antenna control unit that accesses an internal measurement unit for vehicle attitude information, computes a beam-pointing angle to the target, then points the beam via a stepper motor controller. The stepper motor on the beamformer controls the beamformer variable delay lines that apply the appropriate time delays to the individual array elements to properly steer the beam. The array of phased ring radiators is unique in that it provides improved gain for a small rocket or missile that uses spin stabilization for stability. The antenna pattern created is symmetric about the roll axis (like an omnidirectional wraparound), and is thus capable of providing continuous coverage that is compatible with very fast spinning rockets. For larger ELVs with roll control, a linear array of elements can be used for the 1D scanned beamformer and phased array, or a 2D scanned beamformer can be used with an NxN element array

Influence of crop rotation and flutolanil on the diversity of fungi on peanut shells

Les agents pathogènes du sol qui affectent les arachides (Arachis hypogaea) survivent ou hivernent souvent sur les écales d'arachides laissées sur ou dans le sol. Les effets de diverses rotations de cultures sur la flore fongique des écales d'arachides ont été comparés par trois tests en champ menés en 1992 et en 1993. Dans deux des tests, les parcelles d'arachides cultivées de façon continue ont été traitées ou non traitées avec le fongicide flutolanil. Les pratiques de rotation ont varié avec la localisation, et les cultures en rotation avec les arachides étaient le coton (Gossypium hirsutum), le seigle (Secale céréale), l'herbe de Bahia (Paspalum notatum), et le maïs (Zea mays). Au total,31 genres de champignon ont été isolés des écales. Plus des deux tiers des isolats étaient des Deutéromycètes, suivis en fréquence par les Basidiomycètes, les Ascomycètes et les Phycomycètes. Les pratiques de rotation ont affecté l'incidence de plusieurs champignons pathogènes (par exemple, les Fusarium spp. et le Lasiodiplodia theobromae) sur les écales d'arachides, mais les résultats n'ont pas été cohérents entre les tests et les années. L'herbe de Bahia ou le maïs cultivés en rotation avec les arachides ont réduit la fréquence du Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 dans les écales. Le Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 et le Macrophomina phaseolina ont été isolés à des niveaux plus élevés dans la rotation herbe de Bahia-arachide. Quand les arachides étaient cultivées en rotation avec le coton avec ou sans une culture de couverture de seigle, les parcelles recouvertes de seigle avaient des taux d'isolement moindres pour les champignons totaux en 1992 que les parcelles sans seigle, mais aucune différence n'a été observée en 1993. De plus, plusieurs espèces de Fusarium ont été isolées plus fréquemment des écales provenant de parcelles en rotation avec le seigle. Le flutolanil a diminué significativement les taux d'isolement de plusieurs champignons, incluant le R. solani AG-4, dans un des essais en 1992. L'ensemble des champignons isolés (en combinant tous les isolats de champignon) sur les parcelles traitées au flutolanil étaient plus élevés en 1993, mais pas en 1992 sur un des sites. Les taux d'isolement pour les différents genres et espèces de champignon différaient sur les deux milieux utilisés (agar à l'extrait de malt et agar au sel de malt). En particulier, l’AIternaria alternata et des espèces de Fusarium ont été isolés plus fréquemment sur l'agar au sel de malt, tandis que L theobromae, R. solani AG-4 et Trichoderma spp. Étaient plus souvent rencontrés sur l'agar à l'extrait de malt.Soilborne pathogens of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) often survive or over winter on peanut shells left on or in the soil. The effects of different crop rotations on the peanut shell mycobiota were compared in three field trials in 1992 and repeated in 1993. In two of the trials, plots grown continuously to peanut were either treated with the fungicide flutolanil or left untreated. Rotation practices varied with location and the crops in rotation with peanut were cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), rye (Secale cereale), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), and corn (Zea mays). In total, 31 different gene of fungi were isolated from shells. Over two-thirds of the isolates were Deuteromycotina, followed in frequency by Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes, and Phycomycetes. The rotation practices affected the incidence of several pathogenic fungi (e.g., Fusarium spp., and Lasiodiplodia theobromae) in the peanut shells, but the results were not consistent across trials or years. Bahiagrass or corn grown in rotation with peanut reduced the frequency of Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 in shells. Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 and Macrophomina phaseolina were isolated at a greater level in the bahiagrass-peanut rotation. Where peanut was rotated with cotton with or without a winter cover crop of rye, plots containing rye had lower isolation rates for total fungi in 1992 than those without rye, but there was no différence in 1993. Also, several species of Fusarium were isolated more frequently from shells from plots rotated with rye. Flutolanil significantly lowered isolation rates of several fungi, including R. solani AG-4, in one trial in 1992. Total fungi isolated (all fungal isolates combined) in the flutolanil-treated plots were greater in 1993, but not in 1992 at one site. Isolation rates for the different gene and species of fungi differed on the two media utilized (malt-extract agar and malt-salt agar). In particular, Alternaria alternata and species of Fusarium were isolated more frequently on malt-salt agar, whereas L theobromae, R. solani AG-4 and Trichoderma spp. were more common on malt-extract agar

Book Review: A Journey Through the 51st State: The Elusive State of Jefferson by Peter Laufer

Book Review: A Journey Through the 51st State: The Elusive State of Jefferson by Peter Laufe

Access to care of adults with chronic illness

This study investigated the relationship of chronic illness and access to health care in adults responding to the 1986 National Access to Health Care Survey. Access to care was defined as actually entering the health system as evidenced by having an ambulatory visit, a hospitalization, or an emergency visit within the previous year