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A better understanding of factors affecting field losses and milling quality during harvest is needed to improve the economic value of rice. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of harvester header, harvester type, and weather conditions on field loss and milling quality of rough rice. Four popular harvesters equipped with different headers: John Deere 9870 with header D60-S, John Deere 9860 with header D972-S, Hardy, and John Deere 9770 with stripper header were evaluated in this study. The header and total field losses of rice were evaluated for each harvester under regular, rainy and windy weather conditions. Tests were conducted in a rice field cultivated with medium grain rice, variety M206, at Grimes, CA. Total rice yield (TRY), head rice yield (HRY) and whiteness index (WI) were examined to evaluate the effect of weather conditions on milling quality. The obtained results revealed that the rice field loss was affected by harvester header and type, and weather conditions. Among the conventional headers, D60-S significantly reduced the rice loss compared to the D972-S and the Hardy. Harvesting with John Deere 9860 resulted in significant header and field loss compared to other tested harvesters. The average loss increased from 236.2 kg/hm2 and 445.2 kg/hm2 under regular condition to 711.1 kg/hm2 and 907.9 kg/hm2 under windy condition for John Deere 9870 and John Deere 9860, respectively. The corresponding loss percentages increased from 2.6% and 4.9% to 7.9% and 10.1%. HRY was significantly affected by weather condition at harvest time. However, the weather condition had no significant effect on TRY and WI. To minimize the rice field loss and obtain good milling quality, commercial rice harvesting during regular weather conditions is important. A proper combination of harvester type and header could be vital for reducing the rice loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visual field loss is a common result of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), with the location of the vascular incident correlating with the location and extent of visual field loss. Many CVA patients also experience hemi-spatial visual neglect, lacking attention to of one side of space. Those suffering from these conditions may find simple tasks such as reading, self-grooming, and navigating common areas to range from difficult to nearly impossible. Although CVAs are more common in the elderly population, the following presents a case of an infant suffering a CVA shortly after birth. This provides a unique case of a patient facing a diverse set of challenges while in a highly plastic stage of neural development. Case: An 11-month-old female born prematurely with a history of CVA presented for a visual function consult. Her father expressed concern for useful vision in her left eye and was seeking further evaluation and therapeutic options. Examination revealed inattention to the left visual field with no fixation preference toward either eye. Ocular motility was limited in upgaze, but the patient had full motility in both left and right gazes. There was a positive OKN response to 1.6 cycles/deg (~20/400 Snellen equivalent) in each eye. Discussion: An infant suffering field loss faces different challenges than an adult. Techniques to evaluate and treat the patient may be adapted to maximize the patient's visual performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The decrease of foliar activity in vegetation after its initial contamination by foliar deposition is termed “field loss” (Chamberlain, 1970). This work investigated further laboratory data concerning field loss of 134Cs, 137Cs, 85Sr, 133Ba and 123m Te deposited on grassland (Madoz-Escande et al., 2005). Treatments consisted in rainfall scenarios cumulating 14mm per week, combining two levels of intensity (8 or 30mm/h) and two levels of frequency/precocity (late once or early twice-a-week). The time course of field loss was monitored in the edible tissues which were sampled by mowing between the rainfalls. Data were analyzed with an offset exponential loss model which is applicable to chronic contamination and is consistent with approaches adopted in radiological assessment models. Its parameters were estimated by the maximum-likelihood method, and their accuracy was determined by nonparametric boostrap. Radionuclide and rainfall conditions significantly affected the estimated rate (λ 1) and extent (A 1) of field loss. Field loss rate (λ 1) and nonentrainable fraction (1− A 1) varied by a factor 1.5–3. Cesium was very mobile but persistent. On the contrary Tellerium was found less labile, but eventually was almost completely eliminated. Strontium and Barium had intermediate behaviors. Field loss was more efficient for moderate late once-a-week rainfalls (8mm/h). Higher rainfall intensity reduced more the radionuclides losses than higher rainfall frequency/precocity. This paper reports statistically relevant effects that should be considered for more realistic assessments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Various types of plants (wheat, bean, lettuce, radish and grass) were contaminated by dry deposition of radioactive aerosols (137Cs, 85Sr, 133Ba and 123mTe) in order to supplement the radioecological data necessary for operational post-accidental codes. A few days after deposition, rainfalls were applied to these cultures to evaluate the influence of some characteristics of the rain on the contamination of the culture over time. On the other hand, for wheat and bean, the influence of the humidity condition of the foliage at the contamination time was considered. For a given plant species at a given vegetative stage, the four radionuclides were intercepted in an identical way. The interception varied from 30% for bean (young sprout) to 80% for lettuce (near maturity). The global transfer factor values were dependent on both the radionuclides and the plant species; nevertheless, a higher value was obtained for cesium, regardless of the plant and the rainfall (from 0.006m2 kgfresh −1 for wheat-grains – contaminated at the shooting stage – or for bean-pods – contaminated at the pre-flowering stage – to 0.1m2 kgfresh −1 for a whole lettuce). The analysis of the results allowed us on the one hand, to extract parameter values of the foliar transfer directly usable in operational codes, in particular those relating to barium and tellurium, unknown until then, and on the other hand, to lay the foundations of a future, more mechanistic model, taking into account the foliar processes in a finer way. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work is aimed at quantifying foliar transfer of cesium, strontium, barium and tellurium under the influence of rainfall characteristics (intensity, frequency and time elapsed between contamination and first rainfall). Grassland boxes were contaminated by dry deposition of multi-element aerosols of 137Cs, 85Sr, 133Ba and 123mTe. They were grown in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. The treatments consisted of mowing and applying rainfalls (8 and 30mmh−1) at different times after the contamination. At a leaf area index of 5.9±1.9, interception of the aerosols was similar for the 4 radionuclides (83.8±5.9%). Dew produced significant radionuclide accumulation in the base of the vegetation and transfer to the soil. For moderate intensity, an early (2 days after contamination) first rainfall was as efficient, in terms of leaf wash-off, as a longer rainfall occurring later (6 days after contamination). For early rainfalls, eliminated activities were comparable because the influence of rain intensity was compensated by rain duration. However, for late rainfalls, wash-off efficiency increased with rainfall intensity. Total transfer factors (TTF) were determined on whole grass immediately after 4 rainfalls and at harvest. After 4 medium intensity rainfalls, rain frequency did not influence total transfer factors (TTF) of strontium, barium and tellurium (about 0.2, 0.3 and 0.35Bqkgfresh weight −1 by Bqm−2, respectively). Cesium TTF value was lower in the case of a weekly rain (0.1 against 0.2Bqkgfresh weight −1 by Bqm−2). TTF values were similar for twice-a-week rainfalls, whatever their intensity. They were higher for weekly rains of high intensity (between 0.3 and 0.75Bqkgfresh weight −1 by Bqm−2 against 0.1–0.35Bqkgfresh weight −1 by Bqm−2, depending on the radionuclides). TTF values attested that wash-off was more efficient when rainfalls lasted longer. Field loss on the top of the leaves was well described by an offset exponential model. The half-lives varied with rainfall characteristics from 4 days for cesium, strontium and barium to 20 days for tellurium. The offset value varied between 0% for tellurium (high intensity rainfalls) and 14% for cesium (medium intensity rainfalls). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]