Supporting Leopold Center IPM research through on-farm trials and demonstrations

The efforts of the Leopold Center Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Issue Team were augmented and advanced through collaboration with Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI). Using a program of on-farm research, demonstrations, and farm field days, the project evaluated two methods that refine IPM by providing biological control options and/or more precise information about effective (as opposed to gross) pest infestation levels. Biological controls of alfalfa weevil and European corn borer were tested

Supporting Leopold Center research through on-farm trials and demonstrations

This project addresses sustainable agriculture\u27s need for farmers who (1) can develop the skills to conduct research trials (some replicated) of various innovative practices, and (2) who are also willing to demonstrate practices and share results. In conjunction with university scien­ tists, Practical Farmers of Iowa (a private, nonprofit, educational organization) has de­ veloped a procedure for generating statisti­ cally reliable information on working farms. From 1987 to 1993, they conducted approxi­ mately 340 trials. The scientists benefited from having data collected at multiple sites with particular soil characteristics, or where specific management abilities are employed (sustainable agriculture technologies fre­ quently depend on superior management)

Evidence regarding clinical use of microvolt T-wave alternans

Background: Microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) testing in many studies has proven to be a highly accurate predictor of ventricular tachyarrhythmic events (VTEs) in patients with risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD) but without a prior history of sustained VTEs (primary prevention patients). In some recent studies involving primary prevention patients with prophylactically implanted cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), MTWA has not performed as well. Objective: This study examined the hypothesis that MTWA is an accurate predictor of VTEs in primary prevention patients without implanted ICDs, but not of appropriate ICD therapy in such patients with implanted ICDs. Methods: This study identified prospective clinical trials evaluating MTWA measured using the spectral analytic method in primary prevention populations and analyzed studies in which: (1) few patients had implanted ICDs and as a result none or a small fraction (≤15%) of the reported end point VTEs were appropriate ICD therapies (low ICD group), or (2) many of the patients had implanted ICDs and the majority of the reported end point VTEs were appropriate ICD therapies (high ICD group). Results: In the low ICD group comprising 3,682 patients, the hazard ratio associated with a nonnegative versus negative MTWA test was 13.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.5 to 30.4) and the annual event rate among the MTWA-negative patients was 0.3% (95% CI: 0.1% to 0.5%). In contrast, in the high ICD group comprising 2,234 patients, the hazard ratio was only 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2 to 2.1) and the annual event rate among the MTWA-negative patients was elevated to 5.4% (95% CI: 4.1% to 6.7%). In support of these findings, we analyzed published data from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Trial II (MADIT II) and Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) trials and determined that in those trials only 32% of patients who received appropriate ICD therapy averted an SCD. Conclusion: This study found that MTWA testing using the spectral analytic method provides an accurate means of predicting VTEs in primary prevention patients without implanted ICDs; in particular, the event rate is very low among such patients with a negative MTWA test. In prospective trials of ICD therapy, the number of patients receiving appropriate ICD therapy greatly exceeds the number of patients who avert SCD as a result of ICD therapy. In trials involving patients with implanted ICDs, these excess appropriate ICD therapies seem to distribute randomly between MTWA-negative and MTWA-nonnegative patients, obscuring the predictive accuracy of MTWA for SCD. Appropriate ICD therapy is an unreliable surrogate end point for SCD

Compost Rate Study at the Neely-Kinyon LTAR Site, 2002

Many farmers are interested in using manure and compost as sources of nutrients and microbial populations that are necessary for nutrient cycling in agroecosystems. Compost and synthetic fertilizer effects on corn yields and soil fertility have been compared in a Practical Farmers of Iowa cooperative trial at the Neely-Kinyon Farm since 1999

Functionals of the Brownian motion, localization and metric graphs

We review several results related to the problem of a quantum particle in a random environment. In an introductory part, we recall how several functionals of the Brownian motion arise in the study of electronic transport in weakly disordered metals (weak localization). Two aspects of the physics of the one-dimensional strong localization are reviewed : some properties of the scattering by a random potential (time delay distribution) and a study of the spectrum of a random potential on a bounded domain (the extreme value statistics of the eigenvalues). Then we mention several results concerning the diffusion on graphs, and more generally the spectral properties of the Schr\"odinger operator on graphs. The interest of spectral determinants as generating functions characterizing the diffusion on graphs is illustrated. Finally, we consider a two-dimensional model of a charged particle coupled to the random magnetic field due to magnetic vortices. We recall the connection between spectral properties of this model and winding functionals of the planar Brownian motion.Comment: Review article. 50 pages, 21 eps figures. Version 2: section 5.5 and conclusion added. Several references adde

Embryological studies on Trichloris (Poaceae, Chloridoideae)

The present study provides information on the development of the female and male gametophytes and seed ontogeny characteristics for Trichloris, and it discusses their taxonomic significance to the family Poaceae. Trichloris species are characterized by having 2–3 stamens per floret, tetrasporangiate anthers, a monocotyledonous development of the anther wall, a single middle layer of common origin with the tapetum, fibrous thickening in the cell walls of the endothecium, and a secretory tapetum. These characteristics are constant within Poaceae. The possession of bitegmic and tenuinucellate ovules, laterally positioned antipodals prior to their degeneration, a free exocarp, and an epiblast in the mature embryos gives Trichloris the typical characteristics described for other members of the subfamily Chloridoideae. The degradation of tapetal cells before the maturation of the pollen grain and the absence of aborted ovules indicate a high fertility rate, which is an important feature for perennial halophytes such Trichloris that do not possess elaborate seed dormancy systems.Fil: Richard, Geraldina Alicia. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biología Vegetal. Cátedra de Botánica Sistemática Agronómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Cerino, María Carolina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biología Vegetal. Cátedra de Botánica Sistemática Agronómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Galati, Beatriz Gloria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente. Cátedra de Botánica Agrícola; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Exner, Eliana de Luján. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biología Vegetal. Cátedra de Botánica Sistemática Agronómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Pensiero, Jose Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biología Vegetal. Cátedra de Botánica Sistemática Agronómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentin

Intra-Articular Giant Synovial Osteochondroma: Case Reports of the Ankle and Knee Joint

Two cases of giant intra-articular osteochondromas (knee and ankle joint) are reported; pathologically they are rare representations of synovial chondromatosis. A 17-year-old man presented with a tumorous mass which had been localized in his left ankle for many years, increasing in volume during the last months. The lesion was removed by posteromedial ankle arthrotomy. The second case was observed in a 39-year-old woman with a slow-growing mass in her right knee joint. The lesion was removed from the Hoffa fat pad by open anteromedial arthrotomy

Reliability of sexual risk behavior interviews with psychiatric patients

Test-retest interviews examining recent sexual activity were administered to 27 severely ill psychiatric patients after stabilization. Three reports were judged to be questionable. For the I6 sexually active patients among the remaining 24, high test-retest reliability was found for number of sexual partners, frequency of episodes, and proportions of episodes involving vaginal intercourse and use of condoms. The interviews did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms