In current and next-generation weed control technologies, sequential applications of contact and systemic herbicides for postemergence control of troublesome weeds are needed to mitigate the evolution of herbicide resistance. A clear understanding of the impact auxin herbicide symptomology has on Palmer amaranth groundcover will aid optimization of sequential herbicide applications. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted in Fayetteville, AR, and a laboratory experiment was conducted in Lonoke, AR, in 2020 to evaluate changes in Palmer amaranth groundcover following an application of 2,4-D and dicamba with various nozzles, droplet sizes, and velocities. Field experiments utilized three nozzles: Extended Range (XR), Air Induction Extended Range (AIXR), and Turbo TeeJet® Induction (TTI), to assess the effect of spray droplet size on changes in Palmer amaranth groundcover. Nozzle did not affect Palmer amaranth groundcover when dicamba was applied. However, nozzle selection did impact groundcover when 2,4-D was applied; the following nozzle order XR > AIXR > TTI reduced Palmer amaranth groundcover the most in both site-years of the field experiment. This result (XR > AIXR > TTI) matches percent spray coverage data for 2,4-D and is inversely related to spray droplet size data. Rapid reductions of Palmer amaranth groundcover from 100% at time zero to 39.4% to 64.1% and 60.0% to 85.8% were observed 180 min after application in greenhouse and field experiments, respectively, regardless of herbicide or nozzle. In one site-year of the greenhouse and field experiments, regrowth of Palmer amaranth occurred 10,080 min (14 d) after an application of either 2,4-D or dicamba to larger than labeled weeds. In all experiments, complete reduction of live Palmer amaranth tissue was not observed 21 d after application with any herbicide or nozzle combination. Control of Palmer amaranth escapes with reduced groundcover may potentially lead to increased selection pressure on sequentially applied herbicides due to a reduction in spray solution contact with the targeted pest.

To provide comprehensive information on the epidemiology and burden of respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation (RSVH) in preterm infants, a pooled analysis was undertaken of seven multicentre, prospective, observational studies from across the Northern Hemisphere (2000–2014). Data from all 320–356 weeks' gestational age (wGA) infants without comorbidity were analysed. RSVH occurred in 534/14 504 (3.7%) infants; equating to a rate of 5.65 per 100 patient-seasons, with the rate in individual wGA groups dependent upon exposure time (P = 0.032). Most RSVHs (60.1%) occurred in December–January. Median age at RSVH was 88 days (interquartile range (IQR): 54–159). Respiratory support was required by 82.0% of infants: oxygen in 70.4% (median 4 (IQR: 2–6) days); non-invasive ventilation in 19.3% (median 3 (IQR: 2–5) days); and mechanical ventilation in 10.2% (median 5 (IQR: 3–7) days). Intensive care unit admission was required by 17.9% of infants (median 6 days (IQR: 2–8) days). Median overall hospital length of stay (LOS) was 5 (IQR: 3–8) days. Hospital resource use was similar across wGA groups except for overall LOS, which was shortest in those born 35 wGA (median 3 vs. 4–6 days for 32–34 wGA; P < 0.001). Strategies to reduce the burden of RSVH in otherwise healthy 32–35 wGA infants are indicated.

All samples of silica sinter, <2 y old taken from the discharge drain of the Wairakei geothermal power station and the Rainbow Terrace of Orakei Korako, consist of non-crystalline opal-A. This silica phase deposits directly upon the concrete drain wall and filamentous templets, extending from this wall, afforded by the microbial community present in the drain, whose nature was determined by a culture- independent strategy that entailed construction, fingerprinting and sequencing of a 16S clone library. The bacterial community is dominated by five major groups of organisms, present in approximately equal proportions, and which account for ∼50% of the community. None of the 16S sequences from these dominant groups yielded a perfect match with 16S sequences for named organisms in the international databases. However one dominant group clusters with Hydrogenophilus thermoluteus, a thermophilic filamentous bacterium, and two cluster with putatively thermophilic members of the Cyanobacteria and green non-sulphur bacteria respectively. Initial opal-A deposits rapidly as agglomerations of silica nanospheres that, in turn, form chains of coalesced, oblate, microspheres <0.4 x 0.2 mm about the barbicel-like filaments, to produce a mat of fine woven strands. The majority of individual filaments are <8 μm long and 0.8 mm wide but may be up to 55 mm long by 1 mm wide. Where laminar flow dominates, most strands develop parallel to the drain current but some strands crisscross while others protrude above the mat surface. Where flow is turbulent, strands lack preferred orientation and some adopt a helical form. In general, following deposition, the values of the scattering broadband at half (FWHM) and three quarters (FWTM) of the maximum intensity decrease with increasing sample age. The behaviour of the band at one quarter maximum intensity (FWQM) is less consistent, but, in general, the youngest sinters possess the highest FWQM, FWHM and FWTM values that prove independent of fabric type. Opal-A silica matures following its removal from the parent fluid, especially where the sinter surface is filmed by water. A continual movement of silica is shown by a second generation of microspheres formed on the silica mat surface, by an increase in size of the initial microspheres, and by an increase in maximum intensity of the X-ray scattering broadbands. Similar silica aging behaviour occurs among young sinters developed upon microbial mats at Orakei Korako. The deposition and aging processes accord with the known behaviour of juvenile opaline silica in both natural and artificial systems whose pH, temperature and dissolved salt content are similar to Wairakei and Rainbow terrace: gelling of silica is favoured by the high pH (∼8.3) and temperature (∼60°C) of the Wairakei discharge fluid but the high dissolved salt content of the water (Na+ = 930 μg/g, Ca2+ = 12 μg/g, Cl = 1500 μg/g) and abundant microbial community facilitate rapid and copious flocculation of solid silica within the drain, in contrast to the slower accumulation on the natural sinter terrace at lower temperature (30—45°C) from less saline dilute bicarbonate-chloride waters (Na+ = 180 μg/g, Ca2+ = 0.2 μg/g, Cl = 400 μg/g, pH = 8.1).

Identifying the transmission sources and reservoirs of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is a long-standing question for pneumococcal epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and vaccine policy. Here we use serotype to identify SP transmission and examine acquisitions (in the same household, local community, and county, or of unidentified origin) in a longitudinal cohort of children and adults from the Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache American Indian Tribes. We found that adults acquire SP relatively more in the household than other age groups, and children 2–8 years old typically acquire in their own or surrounding communities. Age-specific transmission probability matrices show that transmissions within household were mostly seen from older to younger siblings. Outside the household, children most often transmit to other children in the same age group, showing age-assortative mixing behavior. We find toddlers and older children to be most involved in SP transmission and acquisition, indicating their role as key drivers of SP epidemiology. Although infants have high carriage prevalence, they do not play a central role in transmission of SP compared with toddlers and older children. Our results are relevant to inform alternative pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dosing strategies and analytic efforts to inform optimization of vaccine programs, as well as assessing the transmission dynamics of pathogens transmitted by close contact in general.

The objective of this study was to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of a culture method and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of two Campylobacter species: C. jejuni and C. coli. Data were collected during a 3-year survey of UK broiler flocks, and consisted of parallel sampling of caeca from 436 batches of birds by both PCR and culture. Batches were stratified by season (summer/non-summer) and whether they were the first depopulation of the flock, resulting in four sub-populations. A Bayesian approach in the absence of a gold standard was adopted, and the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR and culture for each Campylobacter subtype was estimated, along with the true C. jejuni and C. coli prevalence in each sub-population. Results indicated that the sensitivity of the culture method was higher than that of PCR in detecting both species when the samples were derived from populations infected with at most one species of Campylobacter. However, from a mixed population, the sensitivity of culture for detecting both C. jejuni or C. coli is reduced while PCR is potentially able to detect both species, although the total probability of correctly identifying at least one species by PCR is similar to that of the culture method.

The influence of feeds containing varying dietary cation–anion differences (DCADs) with and without supplements of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) on urine pH and excretion of macro minerals was determined in fistulated crossbred steers (mean live weight 315 ± 45 kg). A basal forage diet comprising lucerne hay and wheat chaff was used, to which varying quantities of MgCl2 or K2CO3 were added to achieve four levels of DCAD: −300, 50, 150 or 250 mEq/kg dry matter (DM). Steers were allocated to one of six treatments, one treatment for each diet and a further treatment for both the 50 and 150 mEq/kg DCAD diets, which were supplemented with 25(OH)D at a rate of 3 mg/steer per day. Urine pH from steers offered the diets comprising DCADs of 50, 150 and 250 mEq/kg ranging from 8.3 to 8.8. In treatments not containing 25(OH)D with DCADs of 50 to 250 mEq/kg, there were no significant differences in urine pH or Ca excretion. However, steers offered the diet with a DCAD of −300 mEq/kg DM produced urine with a significantly lower pH (6.5 to 7.5). Daily output of Ca in urine was also significantly higher from steers given this diet. Supplementation with 25(OH)D significantly increased urinary Ca excretion from steers offered diets of DCADs 50 and 150 mEq/kg DM. Estimates of daily urinary Ca excretion, calculated using the ratio of creatinine to Ca in ‘spot’ urine samples, were less variable than those based on total collection (residual mean square of 0.54 and 0.63, respectively).

We examined cognitive predictors of speech and articulation rate in 50 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 23 healthy controls. We measured speech and articulation rate from audio-recordings of participants reading aloud and talking extemporaneously on a topic of their choice (i.e., self-generated speech). Articulation rate was calculated for each speech sample by removing lexically irrelevant vocalizations and pauses of >200 ms. Speech rate was similarly calculated including pauses. Concurrently, the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS) battery, as well as standardized tests of sentence intelligibility and syllable repetition were administered. Analysis of variance showed that MS patients were slower on three of the four rate measures. Greater variance in rate measures was accounted for by cognitive variables for the MS group than controls. An information processing speed composite, as measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), was the strongest predictor among cognitive tests. A composite of memory tests related to self-generated speech, above and beyond information processing speed, but not to oral reading. Self-generated speech, in this study, was not found to relate more strongly to cognitive tests than simple reading. Implications for further research are discussed. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–8)

The Gemini Observatories primarily operate a multi-instrument queue, with observers selecting observations that are best suited to weather and seeing conditions. The Target of Opportunity (ToO) observing mode is intended to allow observation of targets that cannot be specified in advance but which have a well defined external trigger such as distant supernovae or Gamma Ray bursts. In addition, the instrument and configuration best suited to observe the ToO may depend on properties of the event, such as brightness and redshift which again are impossible to know in advance. Queue observing naturally lends itself to Target of Opportunity (ToO) support since the time required to switch between programs and instruments is very short, and the staff observer is trained to operate all the available instruments and modes. Gemini Observatory has supported pre-approved ToO programs since beginning queue operations, and has implemented a rapid (less than 15 minutes response time) ToO mode since 2005. ToOs comprise a significant fraction of the queue (20–25% of the highest ranking band) nowadays. We discuss the ToO procedures, the statistics of rapid ToOs observing at Gemini North Observatory, the science related to GRBs and supernovae that this important mode has enabled.

Nine experiments in the East of Scotland were completed in the years 1966, 1967 and 1968 to test the response of potatoes grown for ware to five levels of a 15½–15½–21 fertilizer applied at rates of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 cwt per acre.

1. Mean yield of ware tubers increased up to the highest fertilizer level.

2. Mean yield of small tubers increased only up to the 8 cwt per acre level and then declined.

3. Dry matter content of ware tubers decreased with increasing levels of fertilizer.

4. Increasing fertilizer levels lowered soil pH. At one site this was associated with a significant reduction of common scab on the tubers.

Between 1972 and 1976 a series of 15 trials was carried out at various climatically favoured sites throughout Scotland to assess the potential of new hybrid maize varieties of European origin under Scottish conditions. No meaningful differences were found between varieties in respect of dry-matter yield or maturity.

Seed rates ranged from 100 to 200 × 103 seeds/ha giving final stands from 40 to 194 × 103 plants/ha. Regression analyses for the variety Dekalb 202 included in 54 treatments indicated that the relationship between plant population density and dry-matter yield was partly linear with an important quadratic function, suggesting an optimum of 179 × 103 (± 80 × 103) plants/ha. Plant population density accounted for 65·9% (P < 0·01) of the variance in dry-matter yield but was not significantly related to dry-matter content.

Climatic variation between years had no overriding influence on growth and development. Dry-matter production for the variety Dekalb 202 sown in mid-May ranged from 2·86 (1972) to 14·54 t/ha (1975) with associated dry-matter contents of 15·1 and 24·1% respectively. In a few instances slightly higher dry-matter contents (maximum 28·6%) from mid-May sowings were associated with lower yields.

Neither date of sowing nor accumulated temperature to harvest measured as Ontario Heat Units was significantly related to yield but date of sowing accounted for 29·5% (P < 0·01) of the variance in dry-matter content. Accumulated Ontario Units at harvest were not significantly related to dry-matter content.

An interesting relationship between dry-matter yield and the date on which the crop had received 1379 Ontario Units was found. This relationship may be useful in selecting sites at which maize may be grown or to predict maximum potential final yield in any given season.