Evaluation of phosphorus runoff from sandy soils under conservation tillage with surface broadcasted recovered phosphates.

Potential new sources of phosphorus (P) fertilizer are the recovered P from livestock wastewater through chemical precipitation and the ash from combusting animal manures. Although most of the research on P losses from conservation tillage include high water-soluble P compounds from commercial fertilizer sources, information on the use of non-conventional, low water-soluble, recycled P sources is scarce. Particularly for sandy soils of the United States (US) Southeastern Coastal Plain region, research driven information on P loss into the environment is needed to determine recommendations for a direct use of new recycled P sources as crop P fertilizers. The objective of this study is to investigate the potential P runoff from sandy soils under conservation tillage, fertilized with recovered P from liquid swine manure and turkey litter ash in comparison with commercial P fertilizer triple superphosphate (TSP). The field study included two typical sandy soils of the US Southeastern Coastal Plain region, the Noboco and Norfolk. Simulated rain corresponding to the annual 30-min rainfall in the study site (Florence County, South Carolina) was applied to plots treated with recovered P from liquid swine manure, turkey litter ash, and TSP, including a control with no P added. The runoff was monitored and sampled every 5 min during the test and composite soil samples were collected from the top (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) soil layers in each plot. Laboratory analyses were conducted to quantify both total P (TP) and soluble reactive P (SRP) in runoff samples, and the soil test P in the soil layers. Two-way analyses of variances show significant treatment effects on both TP and SRP runoff. The quantities of SRP runoff from plots treated with the recovered P from swine manure and turkey litter ash represent respectively 1% and 7-8% of SRP runoff from plots treated with TSP. Hence, the use of the recovered P materials as crop P fertilizers through surface broadcast application present less environmental risks compared to commercial TSP.

Conservation management practices reduce non-point source pollution from grazed pastures.

Producers in Northwest Arkansas and globally need alternative management practices to ensure long-term sustainable and economical use of poultry litter, which is an abundant source of valuable carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Project objectives were to measure the efficacy of conservation management practices (i.e., pasture aeration and subsurface litter incorporation) to reduce nutrient runoff compared to poultry litter surface applications from small watersheds under rainfed and grazed conditions. Watersheds (0.23 ha each) were assigned a treatment [pasture aeration, subsurface litter incorporation, or surface application of litter (positive control)] on a Leadvale (fine-silty, siliceous, thermic Typic Fragiudult) silt loam. Poultry litter was applied annually to each watershed from 2007-2012. Over the 4-yr study period, runoff loads of NO3-N, total nitrogen (TN), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and total phosphorus (TP) varied per conservation practice (P ≤ 0.05). Specifically, average annual loads of NO3-N, TN, SRP, and TP loads were reduced 49, 42, 28, and 35% following pasture aeration and by 78, 72, 55, and 59% from subsurface applying poultry litter, relative to surface applications, respectively. Greatest annual N loads and runoff corresponded with surface poultry litter applications, followed by pasture aeration, with subsurface incorporation of poultry litter resulting in lowest (P ≤ 0.05) TN and NO3-N loads. Overall, subsurface incorporation of poultry litter and pasture aeration are two promising conservation practices for reducing non-point source pollution in watersheds with nutrient imbalances. Further work needs to be done on factors influencing the efficacy of these conservation practices under rainfed conditions, as well as the economic feasibility of these conservation agricultural practices.

Long-term effects of grazing management and buffer strips on phosphorus runoff from pastures fertilized with poultry litter.

Phosphorus (P) runoff from pastures can cause accelerated eutrophication of surface waters. However, few long-term studies have been conducted on the effects of best management practices, such as rotational grazing and/or buffer strips on P losses from pastures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of grazing management and buffer strips on P runoff from pastures receiving annual (5.6 Mg ha-1 ) poultry litter applications. A 14-yr study was conducted on 15 small watersheds (0.14 ha) with five treatments: hayed (H), continuously grazed (CG), rotationally grazed (R), rotationally grazed with an unfertilized buffer strip (RB), and rotationally grazed with an unfertilized fenced riparian buffer (RBR). Runoff samples were collected using automatic samplers during runoff events. Average annual runoff volumes from H (40 mm yr-1 ) and RBR (48 mm yr-1 ) were lower than CG and RB, which were both 65 mm yr-1 , and from R (67 mm yr-1 ). Rotational grazing alone did not reduce P loads compared with continuous grazing (1.88 and 1.71 kg P ha-1 for R and CG, respectively). However, compared with CG, total P losses from RB pastures were reduced 36% with unfertilized buffer strips (1.21 kg P ha-1 ), 60% in RBR watersheds with unfertilized fenced riparian buffer strips (0.74 kg P ha-1 ), and 49% by converting pastures to hayfields (0.97 kg P ha-1 ). Hence, the use of unfertilized buffer strips, unfertilized fenced riparian buffer strips, or converting pastures to hayfields are effective best management practices for reducing P runoff in U.S. pasture systems.

Building the case for embedding global health security into universal health coverage: a proposal for a unified health system that includes public health.

In the wake of the recent west African Ebola epidemic, there is global consensus on the need for strong health systems; however, agreement is less apparent on effective mechanisms for establishing and maintaining these systems, particularly in resource-constrained settings and in the presence of multiple and sustained stresses (eg, conflict, famine, climate change, and globalisation). The construction of the International Health Regulations (2005) guidelines and the WHO health systems framework, has resulted in the separation of public health functions and health-care services, which are interdependent in actuality and must be integrated to ensure a continuous, unbroken national health system. By analysing efforts to strengthen health systems towards attaining universal health coverage and investments to improve global health security, we examine areas of overlap and offer recommendations for construction of a unified national health system that includes public health. One way towards achieving universal health coverage is to broaden the definition of a health system.

Effects of Land-Applied Ammonia Scrubber Solutions on Yield, Nitrogen Uptake, Soil Test Phosphorus, and Phosphorus Runoff.

Ammonia (NH) scrubbers reduce amounts of NH and dust released from animal rearing facilities while generating nitrogen (N)-rich solutions, which may be used as fertilizers. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of various NH scrubber solutions on forage yields, N uptake, soil-test phosphorus (P), and P runoff. A small plot study was conducted using six treatments: (i) an unfertilized control, (ii) potassium bisulfate (KHSO) scrubber solution, (iii) aluminum sulfate [Al(SO) ⋅14HO, alum] scrubber solution, (iv) sodium bisulfate (NaHSO) scrubber solution, (v) sulfuric acid (HSO) scrubber solution, and (vi) ammonium nitrate (NHNO) fertilizer. The scrubber solutions were obtained from ARS Air Scrubbers attached to commercial broiler houses. All N sources were applied at a rate of 112 kg N ha. Plots were harvested approximately every 4 wk and soil-test P measurements were made, then a rainfall simulation study was conducted. Cumulative forage yields were greater ( < 0.05) for KHSO (7.6 Mg ha) and NaHSO (7.5 Mg ha) scrubber solutions than for alum (6.7 Mg ha) or HSO (6.5 Mg ha) scrubber solutions or for NHNO (6.9 Mg ha). All N sources resulted in higher yields than the control (5.1 Mg ha). The additional potassium in the KHSO treatment likely resulted in higher yields. Although Mehlich-III-extractable P was not affected, water-extractable P in soil was lowered by the alum-based scrubber solution, which also resulted in lower P runoff. This study demonstrates that N captured using NH scrubbers is a viable N fertilizer.

Endometrial thickness and risk of breast and endometrial carcinomas in the prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer screening trial.

Postmenopausal women with higher circulating estrogen levels are at increased risk of developing breast and endometrial carcinomas. In the endometrium, excess estrogen relative to progesterone produces a net proliferative stimulus, which may result in endometrial thickening. Therefore, the hypothesis that endometrial thickness is a biological marker of excess estrogen stimulation that is associated with risk of breast and endometrial carcinomas was tested. Endometrial thickness was measured in 1,272 postmenopausal women, aged 55-74 years, who underwent transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) screening as part of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Serial endometrial thickness measurements were available for a subset of women at 1 year (n = 1,018), 2 years (n = 869) and 3 years (n = 641) after baseline. The associations between endometrial thickness and breast (n = 91) and endometrial (n = 14) carcinoma were evaluated by estimating relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox proportional hazards regression with age as the time metric. Models incorporating baseline endometrial thickness and as a time-varying covariate using all measurements were examined. Median follow-up among study participants was 12.5 years (range: 0.3-13.8 years). Compared to baseline endometrial thickness of 1.0-2.99 mm, women with baseline endometrial thickness greater than or equal to 5.0 mm had an increased risk of breast (RR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.15-3.48) and endometrial (RR = 5.02, 95% CI = 0.96-26.36) carcinomas in models adjusted for menopausal hormone use and BMI. These data suggest that increased endometrial thickness as assessed by TVU was associated with increased risk of breast and endometrial carcinomas.

Stochastic state-space temperature regulation of biochar production. Part II: Application to manure processing via pyrolysis.

BACKGROUND: State-of-the-art control systems that can guarantee the pyrolytic exposure temperature are needed in the production of designer biochars. These designer biochars will have tailored characteristics that can offer improvement of specific soil properties such as water-holding capacity and cation exchange capacity. RESULTS: A novel stochastic state-space temperature regulator was developed for the batch production of biochar that accurately matched the pyrolytic exposure temperature to a defined temperature input schedule. This system was evaluated by processing triplicate swine manure biochars at two temperatures, 350 and 700 °C. The results revealed a low coefficient of variation (CV) in their composition and near-similar ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance structure as well as thermal degradation patterns. When pyrolysing at 350 °C, the stochastic state-space regulator generated a biochar with lower CV in ultimate (i.e. CHNS) compositional analysis than the original feedstock. CONCLUSION: This state-space controller had the ability to pyrolyse a feedstock and generate a consistent biochar with similar structural properties and consistent compositional characteristics.

Stochastic state-space temperature regulation of biochar production. Part I: Theoretical development.

BACKGROUND: The concept of a designer biochar that targets the improvement of a specific soil property imposes the need for production processes to generate biochars with both high consistency and quality. These important production parameters can be affected by variations in process temperature that must be taken into account when controlling the pyrolysis of agricultural residues such as manures and other feedstocks. RESULTS: A novel stochastic state-space temperature regulator was developed to accurately match biochar batch production to a defined temperature input schedule. This was accomplished by describing the system's state-space with five temperature variables--four directly measured and one change in temperature. Relationships were derived between the observed state and the desired, controlled state. When testing the unit at two different temperatures, the actual pyrolytic temperature was within 3 °C of the control with no overshoot. CONCLUSION: This state-space regulator simultaneously controlled the indirect heat source and sample temperature by employing difficult-to-measure variables such as temperature stability in the description of the pyrolysis system's state-space. These attributes make a state-space controller an optimum control scheme for the production of a predictable, repeatable designer biochar.

Transvaginal ultrasound measurement of endometrial thickness as a biomarker for estrogen exposure.

OBJECTIVE: In clinical settings, transvaginal ultrasound has been used to evaluate abnormal vaginal bleeding. Because the endometrium responds to estrogens, endometrial thickness may constitute a biomarker of estrogen status in postmenopausal women. This study aimed to validate the transvaginal ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial thickness as an estrogen biomarker in asymptomatic, postmenopausal women by demonstrating an association between endometrial thickness and risk factors known to be associated with estrogen exposure. METHOD: Endometrial thickness was measured in 1,271 women ages 55 to 74 years who underwent transvaginal ultrasound screening as part of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. A questionnaire, completed before screening, provided risk factor information, including reproductive and hormone use histories. RESULTS: Endometrial thickness measurements ranged from 1 to 32 mm (median 3.0 mm). The frequencies of thicker endometrium (> or =3.0 mm), according to body mass index (BMI) quartile, were 55.2%, 66.1%, 69.7%, and 76.7% (P < 0.0001). The frequencies of thicker endometrium were 57.8%, 58.3%, and 82.6% among never users, ex-users, and current users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), respectively (P < 0.0001). Other factors associated with thicker endometrium included age, marital status, history of uterine fibroids, years since menopause, and history of hypertension. Statistically significant associations were not seen in analyses limited to current HRT users (n = 461). In multiple variable analysis (R2 = 0.08), current HRT use (P < 0.0001) and higher BMI (P < 0.0001) were independently associated with thicker endometrium. CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal women, factors reflecting exogenous (current HRT use) and endogenous (BMI) estrogen exposure were associated with increased endometrial thickness as measured during screening transvaginal ultrasound. Practical limitations related to screening transvaginal ultrasound include measurement variability, lack of information regarding type or dose of HRT, and problems of differentiating true endometrial thickening from unrecognized endometrial polyps or fluid accumulations. Constrained by these limitations, these results partially validate a transvaginal ultrasound measurement of endometrial thickness as a potential biomarker related to estrogen status.

Special education in residential treatment.

Special education programs in residential treatment settings face significant challenges that include issues of family dynamics, the increasingly troubled student population, public school collaboration, and the ever-changing climate of special education governance.Successful programs must build in flexibility and collaboration to deliver prescriptive services to the identified needs of their students.

Chart review and pilot study of blood pressure control in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: There are no data describing a relation between the course of blood pressure and outcome in acute ischemic stroke. We found such a link in a chart review, and then used that data to design a pilot study. We report on the chart review and the first 13 patients enrolled. METHODS: We examined charts of patients admitted to our service in 2000 and stratified them by good (Rankin scale < 4 on discharge, meaning functional independence with a device or better) or poor outcome. A significant difference in blood pressure course and outcome was found, and we then designed a pilot study in an attempt to reproduce these findings. RESULTS: Analysis of the chart review data from 54 patients revealed that the course of mean arterial pressure was different in the two groups: the mean arterial pressure in the group with good outcome decreased about 2 mmHg daily while there was no change in the group with poor outcome (p=0.002 for a difference between slopes). In the pilot trial there were no differences between mean arterial pressure parameters or outcome in either the placebo or treatment groups. Nearly all patients with an admission NIH Stroke Scale score of 6 or less were discharged home. CONCLUSIONS: While our retrospective data were suggestive, we were unable to reproduce findings linking gradual control of blood pressure and outcome in acute ischemic stroke. This pilot study may be used to refine future trials.