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Context: Spring-sown forage brassicas are commonly used to fill feed gaps in high-rainfall temperate livestock systems, but they have wider potential as an autumn-sown forage in drier environments within Australia's crop–livestock zone. Aims: We modelled the production potential of autumn-sown forage brassicas grown in diverse environments and tested their ability to alter the frequency and magnitude of feed gaps. Methods: Long-term production potential was simulated in APSIM for four forage brassica genotypes, compared with forage wheat and dual-purpose canola across 22 diverse agro-climatic locations. For seven regions, the change in frequency and magnitude of forage deficits from adding forage brassicas to representative forage–livestock systems was predicted. Key results: Across locations, median yields of forage brassicas ranged from 7 to 19 t DM/ha, and their annual metabolisable-energy yield was higher than that of forage wheat at most sites and nearly always exceeded dual-purpose canola. Forage brassicas performed better than forage wheat in later-sowing events (late April to early May) and maintained growth and quality later into spring. At five of the seven regions, adding 15% of farm forage area to forage brassicas reduced the frequency and magnitude of feed deficits by 35–50% and 20–40%, respectively. However, they were less beneficial where winter–spring feed gaps are uncommon. Conclusions: We demonstrated that autumn-sown forage brassicas can be reliable and productive contributors to the feed base in drier environments and are a suitable alternative to forage cereals. Implications: Forage brassicas can help reduce feed gaps and improve livestock production in a range of production systems spanning Australia's crop–livestock zone. Long-term simulation modelling showed that autumn-sown forage brassicas can serve as a reliable and valuable forage source in drier environments across Australia's crop–livestock zone. They have a long grazing window and stable production across a range of sowing dates and environments. Integrating forage brassicas into the existing feed base can reduce the frequency and magnitude of on-farm feed deficits in livestock production systems. They can also allow for a safe increase in stocking rates and reduce the need for supplementary feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The winter feed gap is a common problem for livestock grazing systems worldwide, and changes to climate have made these deficits more unpredictable and extreme. Dual-purpose crops are an important tool in many southern Australian mixed crop–livestock systems to help fill the winter feed gap. Providing more reliable feed over winter can remove feed constraints and allow for earlier lambing in autumn with potential whole-farm system benefits. Aims: We simulated a whole-farm livestock enterprise in the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) to examine the implications of spring- and autumn-lambing systems relying on a standard pasture-only feedbase compared with a farm where 25% of its grazed area is allocated to dual-purpose crops. Methods: Twelve simulations were run across four locations in New South Wales, Australia, that varied in climatic conditions (both rainfall total and distribution) including two lambing systems (spring vs autumn) × two feedbase types (100% pasture vs 75% pasture and 25% dual-purpose crops) × three stocking densities. Key results: For autumn-lambing systems, integrating dual-purpose crops helped to fill the winter feed gap and reduced supplement demand on average by ~28% compared with a pasture-only system. Compared with the standard pasture-only spring-lambing system, integrating dual-purpose crops into spring- and autumn-lambing systems more than doubled gross margin returns due to economic grain yield and lower supplement demand. A shift from spring- to autumn-lambing facilitated by dual-purpose crops also led to better reproductive performance of ewes in the subsequent year. In higher-rainfall, cooler environments, autumn-lambing systems with dual-purpose crops had the highest system gross margins, lowest economic risk and allowed for a safe increase in stocking density. In lower-rainfall, warmer environments, integration of dual-purpose crops into spring-lambing systems returned marginally higher gross margins than for the autumn-lambing system, but differences were less apparent at high stocking density. In lower-rainfall environments, dual-purpose crops helped to mitigate some of the economic risk, but the benefits were less clear. Conclusions: We show dual-purpose crops can help fill the winter feed gap and support earlier lambing in autumn across a range of environments, especially in higher-rainfall cooler environments, with significant improvements in total farm gross margins. Implications: Integrating dual-purpose crops will enable farmers to change their livestock system to mitigate their risks, reduce supplementary feeding and capitalise on other potential benefits, such as improved marketing and avoiding animal health problems. Whole-farm simulation modelling suggests that integrating dual-purpose crops of wheat and canola to 25% of the farm decreases the winter feed gap and facilitates autumn-lambing systems across environments. Spring- and autumn-lambing systems with dual-purpose crops achieved more than double the farm gross margins compared with the standard spring-lambing, pasture-only system. In higher-rainfall, cooler environments, autumn-lambing systems with dual-purpose crops returned higher gross margins due to grain production and lower supplement demand, but in lower-rainfall, warmer environments, spring-lambing systems were still more profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cropping system models are deployed as valuable tools for informing agronomic decisions and advancing research. To meet this demand, early career scientists are increasingly tasked with building crop models to fit into these system modelling frameworks. Most, however, receive little to no guidance as to how to do this well. This paper is an introduction to building a crop model with a focus on how to avoid pitfalls, minimize uncertainty, and maximize value. We synthesized knowledge from experienced model builders and literature on various approaches to model building. We describe (1) what to look for in a model-building dataset, (2) how to overcome gaps in the dataset, (3) different approaches to fitting and testing the model, and (4) how to avoid common mistakes such as over-parameterization and over-fitting the model. The process behind building a crop model can be overwhelming, especially for a beginner, and so we propose a three-pronged approach: conceptualize the model, simplify the process, and fit the model for a purpose. We revisit these three macrothemes throughout the paper to instil the new model builder with the methodical mindset needed to maximize the performance and impact of their crop model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover crops can provide a wide range of ecosystem services including soil water conservation, improved soil nutrient supply and retention, and enhanced crop yields. However, achieving these services in dryland cropping systems can be highly challenging, and cover crops may carry a greater risk of causing ecosystem disservices. Assessment of the balance of ecosystem services vs disservices is critical for understanding the potential role of cover crops within dryland cropping systems. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects of cover cropping in drylands on soil water and soil mineral nitrogen content at sowing of subsequent cash crops and their yields compared to control fallows. A total of 38 articles were examined, for a total of 1006 cash crop yield, 539 soil water, and 516 soil mineral nitrogen independent studies, spanning the period 1994–2021. On average, cover cropping reduced cash crop yield by 7%, soil water content by 18%, and soil mineral nitrogen by 25%, with significant variation across climates, soil types, and crop management conditions. Subsequent cash crop yields changed by +15, +4, −12, and −11% following cover crops in tropical, continental, dry, and temperate dryland climates, respectively. The most significant yield benefits were proportionate to soil water content and soil mineral nitrogen at the time of cash crop sowing. This is the first meta-analysis to demonstrate that minimum annual precipitation of ~700 mm represents a "break-even" point to realize significant cash crop yield benefits of cover cropping compared to control fallows in dryland environments. The successful incorporation of cover crops into dryland cropping systems requires careful planning based on context-specific biophysical conditions to minimize trade-offs between ecosystem services and disservices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer-related pain is highly prevalent and is commonly treated with prescription opioids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now encourages conservative opioid prescribing in recognition of potential opioid-related risks. However, CDC guidelines have been misapplied to patients with cancer. Recent laws at the state level reflect the CDC's guidance by limiting opioid prescribing. It is unclear whether states exempt cancer-related pain, which may affect cancer pain management. Thus, the objective of this study was to summarize current state-level opioid prescribing laws and exemptions for patients with cancer.Methods: Two study authors reviewed publicly available state records to identify the most recent opioid prescribing laws and cancer-related exemptions. Documents were required to have the force of law and be enacted at the time of the search (November 2020).Results: Results indicated that 36 states had enacted formal legislation limiting the duration and/or dosage of opioid prescriptions, and this was largely focused on acute pain and/or initial prescriptions. Of these states, 32 (89%) explicitly exempted patients with cancer-related pain from opioid prescribing laws. Exemptions were broadly applied, with few states providing specific guidance for cancer-related pain prescribing.Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that most states recognize the importance of prescription opioids in cancer-related pain management. However, drafting nuanced and clinically relevant opioid legislation is challenging for a heterogenous population. Additionally, current attempts to regulate opioid prescribing by state law may unintentionally undermine patient-centered approaches to pain management. Additional resources are needed to facilitate clarity at the intersection of opioid-related legislation and clinical management for cancer-related pain.Lay Summary: In this review of state-level legislation, current limitations on opioid prescribing are summarized and detailed information is provided on exemptions for patients with cancer. The majority of states have enacted specific dosage and/or duration limitations on opioid prescribing while including broad exemptions for cancer-related pain. Cancer-related pain exemptions are important to include, as is consistent with national and professional guidelines (eg, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). However, these exemptions may also unintentionally undermine patient-centered approaches to pain management. Additional resources, including specific guidance for patients with cancer, are needed to facilitate clarity at the intersection of opioid-related legislation and clinical pain management. ​. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many areas of Australia's mixed farming zone, cropping rotations are dominated by cereals and some areas have few suitable broadleaf alternatives. Forage brassicas are widely used in high rainfall livestock systems, but this study shows that several genotypes offer an alternative to forage oats in drier environments within Australia's mixed farming zone. We compared a diverse set of forage brassica genotypes sown in autumn and winter with benchmark species, principally oats, across 10 experimental site-years. In both early (800-1300 growing degree days after sowing) and late (1600-2100 growing degree days after sowing) grazing windows, several forage brassica genotypes had forage production similar or superior to oats and dual-purpose canola. Many forage brassica genotypes produced higher yields of metabolisable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP), particularly in the late grazing window. In the early grazing window, Rival and Green globe turnips and HT-R24 forage rape consistently produced ~15% above the site mean for all productivity measures, whereas kale produced ~40% less than the site mean. In the late grazing window, oats produced the greatest amount of edible biomass (~44% higher than the site mean); however, Goliath and HT-R24 forage rapes, Pallaton raphanobrassica and dual-purpose canola had the highest yields of ME and CP (~16% higher than the site mean). Green globe turnip, Hunter leafy turnip and Regal kale produced ~22% less than the site mean in this late grazing window. Multi-environment analyses revealed no genotype x environment interactions within the early grazing window. In the late grazing window, there were several genotypic adaptations, particularly for Pallaton, which performed better in low-medium production environments than the other genotypes. We show that forage brassicas offer superior yields of ME and CP, indicating that they may be better able to meet the energy and protein demands of grazing livestock than forage oats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palliative care-related postdoctoral training opportunities are critical to increase the quantity and quality of palliative care research. Objective: To describe the history, activities, challenges, and future goals of the National Postdoctoral Palliative Care Research Training Collaborative. Design: National web-based survey of participating program leaders. Measurements: Information about participating programs, trainees, challenges faced, and future goals. Results: Nine participating programs at academic institutions across the United States focus on diverse aspects of palliative care research. The majority of 73 current and former fellows are female (75%) and white (84%). In total, 38% of fellows (n = 28) have MD backgrounds, of whom less than half (n = 12) completed hospice and palliative medicine fellowships. An additional 38% of fellows (n = 28) have nursing PhD backgrounds and 23% (n = 17) have other diverse types of PhD backgrounds. Key challenges relate to recruiting diverse trainees, fostering a shared identity, effectively advocating for trainees, and securing funding. Future goals include expanding efforts to engage clinician and nonclinician scientists, fostering the pipeline of palliative care researchers through expanded mentorship of predoctoral and clinical trainees, increasing the number of postdoctoral palliative care training programs, and expanding funding support for career development grants. Conclusion: The National Postdoctoral Palliative Care Research Training Collaborative fills an important role in creating a community for palliative care research trainees and developing strategies to address shared challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Increasing demand for livestock products in developing countries provides opportunities for smallholder farmers to increase and diversify their income through increased livestock production. However, livestock production in these systems is often limited by inadequate animal nutrition, and farmers need ways to increase the availability and quality of livestock feed without compromising yields of food crops or increasing the area of land planted to forages. Aim: Using eastern Indonesia as a case study, we explore the potential for herbaceous legumes, integrated into existing mixed crop–livestock systems, to address specific production issues in smallholder beef systems. Methods: Through a series of in-village feeding demonstrations, we tested three opportunities to increase livestock production through the use of herbaceous legumes: (i) increasing reproduction rates of cows by maintaining their liveweight (LW) and body condition score during the dry season; (ii) increasing the survival and LW gain of unweaned calves; and (iii) increasing LW gain of growing bulls. Key results: Small amounts of legume (~10 g DM/kg LW) were enough to maintain LW of cows grazing poor-quality grasses and crop residues during the dry season. At higher levels of inclusion in the diet (~20 g DM/kg LW), feeding legumes increased the LW gain of growing cattle and survival of unweaned calves, providing benefits similar to a purchased concentrate, but at lower cost. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate how strategic use of herbaceous legumes can increase beef production from low-input systems by maintaining LW of cows, and increasing survival of unweaned calves and LW gain of growing bulls. Implications: Integration of herbaceous legumes into existing cropping systems removes many of the barriers to supplementary feeding. Improved livestock nutrition does not need to be based on purchased concentrates or increases in land used for forage production. The results are applicable to many other mixed crop–livestock systems throughout Southeast Asia. Smallholder livestock production in Indonesia and other countries in Southeast Asia is often limited by inadequate nutrition, and farmers require options to increase feed available for livestock without compromising yields of food crops. Across multiple on-farm feeding experiments, we show that integration of herbaceous legumes into mixed crop–livestock systems can be used to increase reproduction, survival and liveweight gain of cattle. In this way, strategic use of herbaceous legumes can increase beef production from low-input systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the making and makers of "memorial diamonds." These are "natural" diamonds identical to gemstones found in nature but produced in laboratories with carbon sourced from genetic material (cremation ashes) or other objects of symbolic and emotional value. Threading corporality and objectified life forms, we examine the transformation from ashes to the "afterlife" of these "living" objects that are at once synthetic and organic. We ask, first, what material and affective properties distinguish synthetic diamonds from those extracted from nature? Second, how are these living and memorialized representations of inert substances - in continuity with bodily elements of the deceased - valued and mediated through "real" human, though artificially grown, natural objects? Drawing from research with the leading companies in the memorial diamond business in Switzerland and the United States, this article suggests that these diamonds' singular connection to the human body offer a window into the transmutations between nature and the artificial, memory and material likeness, life and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is experiencing new relations and transformations between natural, synthetic, and digital substances. Rather than considering these as materially distinct or ontologically separate, this Special Issue of TSANTSA interrogates how they are interlocked in socio-material processes of mediation, transmutation, and valuation. By conceptualizing the specificity of their separateness, the special issue makes possible the comparison and commensuration of their relationship, and to move beyond their essential qualities. What are the boundaries, leakages, or dis/connections between human and digital, natural and artificial, the organic and synthetic matters? Based on ethnographic research in laboratories, gold refineries, bio-tech microbial seeds and digitally-produced natural sounds, human-machine apps and cellular agriculture, each contribution theorizes the mediation, transmutation, and valuation of natural synthetics, the humanness of artificial intelligence, or the materiality of digital elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage brassicas are currently widely used in temperate–humid livestock systems; however, they offer potential to diversify crop rotation and forage options in the drier, mixed crop–livestock zone of Australia. A literature review highlighted that in these hotter and more arid environments, forage brassicas are more likely to fit as autumn-sown forage crop where they offer an energy-rich, highly digestible feed source that could be used during periods of low production and nutritive value of other forage sources. However, brassicas can also accumulate several anti-nutritional compounds that require gradual introduction to livestock diets, thereby reducing potential health risks and optimising animal performance. Preliminary experimental and commercial evaluations in subtropical Australia found high production of some forage brassica genotypes (>5 t DM/ha with growth rates of 50–60 kg DM/ha.day), comparable or superior to widely used forage cereal or forage legume options. Several forage brassicas showed moderate to high resistance to the root-lesion nematode, Pratylenchus thornei , and hence are likely to provide break-crop benefits compared with susceptible species (e.g. wheat). Together, this evidence suggests that forage brassicas have significant potential for wider use in crop–livestock farming systems in Australia. However, research is needed to identify genotypic adaptation and to match different forage brassica genotypes to production environments or system niches, especially some of the new genotypes that are now available. There is also a need to develop regionally-relevant recommendations of agronomic and grazing management that optimise forage and animal production, and mitigate potential animal health risks. Forage brassicas are widely used to provide high-quality forage in temperate, high-rainfall livestock systems but are rarely used in crop–livestock systems in drier regions. We find that forage brassicas have several attributes suited to wider use in crop rotations, and preliminary experiments demonstrate favourable productivity compared with other forage options. This work demonstrates the wider potential and research needs for forage brassicas to be used throughout Australia's mixed crop–livestock systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-purpose crops are grazed during their vegetative phase and allowed to regrow to produce grain. Grazing slow-developing winter cereals (wheat, barley, and triticale) is common, but there is also potential to graze faster-developing spring cereals used in regions with shorter-growing seasons. Defoliation in faster-developing genotypes has risks of larger yield penalties, however, little is known about genotypic characteristics that may improve recovery after grazing. Four experiments examined 7 spring wheat and 2 barley cultivars with differing physiological attributes (phenological development rate, putative capacity to accumulate soluble carbohydrates, and tillering capacity) that may influence the capacity of spring wheat to recover after defoliation. Defoliated and undefoliated crops were compared to assess physiological differences between cultivars including recovery of biomass, leaf area and radiation interception at anthesis, and subsequent crop grain yield and yield components. All genotypes had similar responses to defoliation treatments indicating that the physiological attributes studied played little part in mitigating yield penalties after defoliation. Despite some differences in yield components amongst cultivars, defoliation did not adversely affect cultivars with different yield component combinations under non-water limited conditions. Later and intense defoliation (around GS30/31) resulted in large yield penalties (40%) which reduced both grain number and kernel mass. However, earlier defoliation (before GS28) induced small or insignificant yield penalties. Defoliation often reduced canopy radiation interception and crop biomass at anthesis but this rarely translated into large yield penalties. These studies further demonstrate that shorter season spring cereals can provide valuable forage (up to 1.2 t DM/ha) for grazing during early vegetative growth without inducing large yield penalties. This study suggests that beyond appropriate phenology, there were no other specific characteristics of cultivars that improved the recovery after grazing. Hence farmers don't need specific dual-purpose cultivars and can still focus on those that optimize grain yield potential for a particular environment and sowing date. The timing and intensity of defoliation appear to be larger drivers of yield recovery in spring cereals and better understanding of these relationships are needed to provide grazing management guidelines that mitigate risk of yield penalties in dual-purpose cereal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands are valuable non‐crop habitats in the world's agricultural regions, providing more than simply forage for grazing domestic and wild animals. They provide refuge and resources that support high levels of arthropod biodiversity, most importantly for natural enemies that provide vital biological control services to the surrounding cropped landscape. Ideally, farmers could manage and manipulate grasslands to boost their biocontrol services, although to achieve this, knowledge of the ecological function of these habitats is essential. Unfortunately, grasslands are often bundled together with other habitat types, such as scrubland and forest, under the label 'non‐crop habitats', and little is known about the contribution that these specific habitats make towards landscape pest suppression. While recent research has been investigating the importance of other non‐crop habitat such as native vegetation remnants, the contribution that grassland habitats may make towards landscape pest suppression remains a significant knowledge gap in biocontrol research. Here, the current understanding of grassland habitats as biological control service providers in the world's mixed farming systems is reviewed. Limited research into whether grassland habitats support natural enemies, and thus contribute biological control services to the adjacent surrounding cropped landscape, has returned inconclusive, even conflicting, results. Potential explanations for this inconsistency are explored, including the lack of studies, inadequate estimates of predator impact and the variety of different grassland habitat types studied, including their diversity in composition and management practices. Conclusions drawn from these studies are discussed, and suggestions for management are recommended, including increasing grassland floristic diversity, limiting intensive management practices and implementing weed control. Future research directions are proposed, along with the need to develop a universal grassland classification system for research, management and conservation purposes, using grassland type, floristic diversity and management practices as key axes for classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global rates of type 2 diabetes have doubled since 1980. From a biomedical perspective, the most effective ways to manage type 2 diabetes is through prevention and behaviour change among 'at risk' populations. In the United States, public institutions, such as universities, have increasingly become involved in America's 'war on fat'. This ethnographic study of a campus-based diabetes-prevention programme tracks the links between neoliberalism and instructions for 'health'. It outlines the production of a 'prediabetic' population and changing notions of what constitute health risks. It describes how students come to interpret their bodies with respect to its capacity to be (re)productive. The paper argues that new conditions for higher education exhaust students in ways that ironically jeopardise their ability to be 'productive'. Health programming works to hold individual bodies accountable for the structural demands of contemporary overwork and exhaustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of tropical forage legumes into cropping systems may improve subsequent crop nitrogen (N) supply, but removal of legume biomass for forage is likely to diminish these benefits. This study aimed to determine: (i) under irrigated conditions, the potential N inputs that can be provided by different tropical forage legumes to a subsequent cereal crop; and (ii) the residual N benefits once fodder had been removed. Available soil mineral N following tropical forage legumes lablab (Lablab purpureus), centro (Centrosema pascuorum), butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) and burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum) and grain legume soybean (Glycine max) was compared with a maize (Zea mays) control when legume biomass was retained or cut and removed (phase 1). An oat (Avena sativa) cover crop was then grown to ensure consistent soil-water across treatments (phase 2), followed by a maize grain crop (phase 3) in which N uptake, biomass production and grain yield were compared among the phase 1 treatments. To determine N-fertiliser equivalence values for subsequent maize crop yields, different rates of fertiliser (0-150 kg urea-N/ha) were applied in phase 3. Retained biomass of butterfly pea, centro and lablab increased phase 3 unfertilised maize grain yield by 6-8 t/ha and N uptake by 95-200 kg N/ha compared with a previous cereal crop, contributing the equivalent of 100-150 kg urea-N/ha. When legume biomass was cut and removed, grain yield in the phase 3 maize crop did not increase significantly. When butterfly pea, centro and lablab biomass was retained rather than removed, the maize accumulated an additional 80-132 kg N/ha. After fodder removal, centro was the only legume that provided N benefits to the phase 3 maize crop (equivalent of 33 kg urea-N/ha). Burgundy bean did not increase subsequent crop production when biomass was either retained or removed. The study found that a range of tropical forage legumes could contribute large amounts of N to subsequent crops, potentially tripling maize grain yield. However, when these legumes were cut and removed, the benefits were greatly diminished and the legumes provided little residual N benefit to a subsequent crop. Given the large N trade-offs between retaining and removing legume biomass, quantification of N inputs under livestock grazing or when greater residual biomass is retained may provide an alternative to achieving dual soil N-fodder benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007, Canada was the third-largest producer of diamonds in the world. Marketed as ethical alternatives to "blood diamonds," Canadian gemstones are said to go beyond basic "conflict-free" designations by providing northern Indigenous peoples with high-wage work and training. This article makes two connected points. First, it describes how the ethics of diamond mining are connected to the uneasy management of people groomed to do extractive work. Second, following the development and delivery of job training programs for Indigenous people over the course of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, this article reveals how mandatory "soft skills" courses attempt to adjust would-be worker speech to meet corporate norms in ways that were essential in maintaining the ethical sign value of subarctic stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new and existing short-term forage legumes could be used to provide nitrogen (N) inputs for grain crops in subtropical farming systems. The fixed-N inputs from summer-growing forage legumes lablab (Lablab purpureus), burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) and winter-growing legume species snail medic (Medicago scutellata), sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) and purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis) were compared over several growing seasons at four locations in southern Queensland, Australia. Available soil mineral N and grain yield of a following cereal crop were compared among summer-growing legumes and forage sorghum (Sorghum spp. hybrid) and among wintergrowing legumes and forage oats (Avena sativa). In the first year at all sites, legumes utilised the high initial soil mineral N, with <30% of the legume N estimated to have been derived from atmospheric N2 (%Ndfa) and legume-fixed N <30 kg/ha. In subsequent years, once soil mineral N had been depleted, %Ndfa increased to 50-70% in the summer-growing legumes and to 60-80% in winter-growing legumes. However, because forage shoot N was removed, rarely did fixed N provide a positiveNbalance. Both lablab and burgundy bean fixed up to 150 kg N/ha, which was more than lucerne in all seasons. Prior to sowing cereal grain crops, soil nitrate was 30-50 kg/ha higher after summer legumes than after forage sorghum. At one site, lablab and lucerne increased the growth and yield of a subsequent grain sorghum crop by 1.4 t/ha compared with growth after forage sorghum or burgundy bean. Of the winter-growing legumes, sulla had the highest totalN2 fixation (up to 150 kg N/ha. year) and inputs of fixedN(up to 75 kg N/ha), and resulted in the highest concentrations of soilN(80-100 kg N/ha more than oats) before sowing of the following crop. Wheat protein was increased after winter legumes, but there was no observed yield benefit for wheat or grain sorghum crops. New forage legume options, lablab, burgundy bean and sulla, showed potential to increase N supply in crop rotations in subtropical farming systems, contributing significant fixed N (75-150 kg/ha) and increasing available soil N for subsequent crops compared to non-legume forage crops. However, high soil mineral N (>50 kg N/ha) greatly reduced N2 fixation by forage legumes, and significantN2 fixation only occurred once legume shootNuptake exceeded soil mineralNat the start of the growing season. Further work is required to explore the impact of different management strategies, such as livestock grazing rather than harvesting for hay, on the long-term implications for nutrient supply for subsequent crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-rainfall zone (HRZ) of southern Australia is the arable areas where annual rainfall is between 450 and 800 mm in Western Australia and between 500 and 900 mm in south-eastern Australia, resulting in a growing-season length of 7–10 months. In the last decade, there has been a growing recognition of the potential to increase crop production in the HRZ. We combined (1) a survey of 15 agricultural consultants, each of whom have ~40–50 farmer clients across the HRZ, (2) 28 farm records of crop yields and area for 2000–2010, (3) 86 wheat and 54 canola yield observations from well managed experiments, and (4) long-term simulated crop yields at 13 HRZ locations, to investigate recent trends in crop production, quantify the gap between potential and actual crop yields, and consider the factors thought to limit on-farm crop yields in the HRZ. We found in the past 10 years a trend towards more cropping, particularly in WA, an increased use of canola, and advances in the adaptation of germplasm to HRZ environments using winter and longer-season spring types. Consultants and the farm survey data confirmed that the rate of future expansion of cropping in the HRZ will slow, especially when compared with the rapid changes seen in the 1990s. In Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia the long-term water-limited potential yield in HRZ areas, as measured by experimental yields, consultant estimates and simulations for slow developing spring cultivars of wheat and canola was 5–6 and 2–3 t/ha for a decile 5 season. For Western Australia it was 4–5 and 2–3 t/ha, where yields were less responsive to good seasons than in the other states. The top performing farmers were achieving close to the water-limited potential yield. There are yield advantages of ~2 t/ha for ‘winter’ over ‘spring’ types of both wheat and canola, and there is scope for better adapted germplasm to further raise potential yield in the HRZ. Consultants stated that there is scope for large gains in yield and productivity by encouraging the below-average cropping farmers to adopt the practices and behaviours of the above-average farmers. The scope for improvement between the belowand above-average farmers was 1–3 t/ha for wheat and 0.5–1.5 t/ha for canola in a decile 5 season. They also stated that a lack of up-to-date infrastructure (e.g. farm grain storage) and services is constraining the industry’s ability to adopt new technology. Priorities for future research, development and extension among consultants included: overcoming yield constraints where growing-season rainfall exceeds 350 mm; adaptation of winter and long-season spring types of cereals and canola and management of inputs required to express their superior yield potential; and overcoming barriers to improved planning and timeliness for crop operations and adoption of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the history of the journal and her involvement over the past 4 years and the incoming editorial collective share exciting announcements about changes to the journal. It mentions Society for the Anthropology of North America had been a welcome intellectual and political home for the author and motivated Susan Falls to move the newsletter to a double blind peer-reviewed journal. It also mentions journal focus on social justice and anti-racism.

This study examined the contribution of executive function (EF) and multiple aspects of fine motor skills to achievement on 6 standardized assessments in a sample of middle-socioeconomic status kindergarteners. Three- and 4-year-olds' ( n = 213) fine and gross motor skills were assessed in a home visit before kindergarten, EF was measured at fall of kindergarten, and Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Academic Achievement were administered at fall and spring. Correlations indicated that EF and fine motor skills appeared distinct. Further, controlling for background variables, higher levels of both EF and fine motor skills, specifically design copy, predicted higher achievement on multiple subtests at kindergarten entry, as well as improvement from fall to spring. Implications for research on school readiness are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) is a group of heterogeneous maladaptive behaviors. RRB is one of the key diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and also commonly observed in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). In this study, we assessed RRB using the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) in two ASD samples (University of Illinois at Chicago [UIC] and University of Florida [UF]) and one PWS sample. We compared the RBS-R item endorsements across three ASD cohorts (UIC, UF and an ASD sample from Lam, The Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised: independent validation and the effect of subject variables, PhD thesis, ), and a PWS sample. We also compared the mean RBS-R subscale/sum scores across the UIC, UF and PWS samples; across the combined ASD (UIC + UF), PWS-deletion and PWS-disomy groups; and across the combined ASD sample, PWS subgroup with a Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) score ≥15, and PWS subgroup with a SCQ score <15. Despite the highly heterogeneous nature, the three ASD samples (UIC, UF and Lam's) showed a similar pattern of the RBS-R endorsements, and the mean RBS-R scores were not different between the UIC and UF samples. However, higher RRB was noted in the ASD sample compared with the PWS sample, as well as in the PWS subgroup with a SCQ score ≥15 compared with the PWS subgroup with a SCQ score <15. Study limitations include a small sample size, a wide age range of our participants, and not controlling for potential covariates. A future replication study using a larger sample and further investigation into the genetic bases of overlapping ASD and RRB phenomenology are needed, given the higher RRB in the PWS subgroup with a SCQ score ≥15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many agricultural systems around the world are challenged by declining soil resources, a dry climate and increases in input costs. The cultivation of plants that are better adapted than current crop species to nutrient poor soils, a dry climate and low-input agricultural systems would aid the continued profitability and environmental sustainability of agricultural systems. This paper examines herbaceous native Australian legumes for their capacity to be developed as grain crops adapted to dry environments. The 14 genera that contain herbaceous species are Canavalia, Crotalaria, Cullen, Desmodium, Glycine, Glycyrrhiza, Hardenbergia, Indigofera, Kennedia, Lotus, Rhynchosia, Swainsona, Trigonella and Vigna. A number of these genera (e.g., Glycine, Crotalaria, Trigonella and Vigna) include already cultivated exotic grain legumes. Species were evaluated based on the extent to which their natural distribution corresponded to arid and semi-arid climatic regions, as well as the existing information on traits related to harvestability (uniformity of ripening, propensity to retain pod, pod shattering and growth habit), grain qualities (seed size, chemistry, color and the absence of toxins) and fecundity. Published data on seed yield were rare, and for many other traits information was limited. The Australian species of Vigna, Canavalia and Desmodium mainly have tropical distributions and were considered poorly suited for semi-arid temperate cropping systems. Of the remaining genera Glycyrrhiza and Crotalaria species showed many suitable traits, including an erect growth habit, a low propensity to shatter, flowers and fruits borne at the end of branches and moderate to large seeds (5 and 38 mg, respectively). The species for which sufficient information was available that were considered highest priority for further investigation were Glycine canescens, Cullen tenax, Swainsona canescens, Swainsona colutoides, Trigonella suavissima, Kennedia prorepens, Glycyrrhiza acanthocarpa, Crotalaria cunninghamii and Rhynchosia minima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence. It is associated with high levels of stigma, which may lead to treatment barriers, self-fulfilling prophecies, and social rejection. This study established the reliability of the ADHD Stigma Questionnaire (ASQ) when applied to teachers by evaluating its internal consistency and confirmed the previously reported factor structure. In addition, the study examined the extent to which holding a special education certification and having years of teaching experience impact teachers' perceptions of ADHD stigma. Results indicated that teachers holding special education certification endorsed higher ratings, which indicated high stigma perceptions, on the Overall Stigma score, as well as the three subscales, Disclosure Concerns, Negative Self-Image, and Concern with Public Attitudes; however, years of teaching experience was not related to stigma scores. Implications for teacher training practices are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two experiments, White college students provided a local high-school student with feedback on her substandard college admissions essay, via electronic mail. Motivation to provide appropriate feedback was manipulated by alleging comparison to experts or novices. Experiment 1 compared feedback to White versus Black recipients, with the expectation that accountability would attenuate previously observed positivity biases in cross-race feedback. Experiment 2 manipulated concern about being prejudiced by providing false scores on an Implicit Associations Task (IAT)-type task; this experiment examined whether accountability plus attenuated concern about prejudice could encourage feedback to Blacks that was objectively helpful. Feedback characteristics included evaluative connotation, communication style, subjective feedback helpfulness and objective feedback quality. Findings generally supported these hypotheses. We discuss the implications of our findings for intergroup contact situations, including the potential pitfalls that face feedback-givers responding to superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failing grain crops are sometimes sacrificed for grazing by mixed farmers, a decision involving a complex range of factors. This simulation study used two APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator)-based approaches to investigate the circumstances under which more revenue might be obtained by sacrificing a wheat crop for grazing rather than harvesting it for grain in Western Australia's grainbelt. First, we developed a simple partial budget calculation to estimate and compare revenue from grain or grazing alternatives using data for grain yield and standing biomass at flowering. This was simulated for a factorial of soil types and locations varying in mean annual rainfall. We then simulated wheat quality and livestock production on spring wheat grazed at different stages of crop development and at a range of stocking rates. Dynamic simulations of grazing showed that livestock production increased as grazing was delayed; stocking rate had little impact at this time. Grazing earlier necessitated lighter stocking rates but surprisingly had little benefit for animal performance. Partial budgets showed that under average commodity prices, grazing a wheat crop could be more profitable 40-75% of the time on poorer soil types in lower rainfall environments. In these situations, by tactically grazing when grain yield is below a critical level economic returns could be increased by more than A$50/ha in 30-40% of years and over the long term average revenues could be increased by A$30/ha.year. This critical grain yield ranged from 1.3 to 1.7 t/ha on shallow gravel soil and 1.9 to 2.2 t/ha on a deep sand. In higher rainfall environments and on better soil types grazing was rarely a better option unless livestock prices were high relative to grain. This approach, combining crop simulation with partial budgets, was useful for developing simple management rules for a complex system. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that making tactical use of a wheat crop for forage in situations with low grain yield prospects is a major opportunity to increase profitability and help respond to climate variability in mixed farms in many areas of the Western Australian wheatbelt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central concern of the Grain & Graze research, development and extension program has been improving the management of the feedbase on mixed farms through addressing 'feed gaps' -- times of year during which the supply of forage is insufficient to meet livestock demand. In this review, we use the available data on pasture growth and quality, supplemented by modelling results, to describe the characteristic timing of feed gaps across the Australian cereal-livestock zone. Feedbase interventions studied during the Grain & Graze program have mainly addressed the supply side of the feed balance equation. We review these studies, paying particular attention to the time scale of the variability in the feed balance that each intervention is intended to address. We conclude that grazing of cereals (either dual-purpose or forage crops) is the most promising means of alleviating winter feed gaps in regions where they are important. Reducing feed gaps in summer by relying on unpredictable summer rainfall events will increase year-to-year variability in forage production and will therefore require more flexible livestock management systems to exploit it. The use of forage shrubs offers a practical tool for increasing the predictability of summer and autumn feed supply, but given their moderate capacity for providing additional metabolisable energy it remains important to carefully manage livestock over autumn and to manage the herbaceous inter-row pasture. Feed gaps mainly arise from an interaction between biology and economics. We find, however, that the options studied in the Grain & Graze program for addressing feed gaps require either greater complexity in pasture and grazing management or more opportunistic livestock trading; they therefore come at a cost to the manager's limited decision-making time. Times with feed gaps are also times when particular natural resource management risks (especially erosion) need to be managed. Supply-side interventions to relieve feed gaps will generally use more soil water, which will often have positive effects on natural resource management outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the complexities of institutional involvement in Native language programming by looking at a program in Kenai, Alaska. The work contrasts learner goals with stated grant goals in order to investigate the tensions between institutional (university, funding agency) and individual learner goals in a language revitalization effort. Analysis of 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews with adult Dena'ina learners revealed that goals of attendees clustered into four categories: fluency, literacy, cultural knowledge, and community building. These four stated goals connected to overarching themes of visibility, healing and resistance. The subsequent discussion highlights the importance of examining the challenges and compromises that come with the inclusion of institutional funding structures in Indigenous language movements. To conclude we raise questions around the larger political-economic conditions in which revitalization movements are situated and possible constraints imposed by the dominant discourses that legitimize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dorycnium hirsutum (L.) Ser. and Dorycnium rectum (L.) Ser. are Mediterranean perennial legumes that may have potential as alternative forage plants to Medicago sativa (lucerne, alfalfa) for low rainfall dryland agriculture. Strategies for surviving periods of water deficit are vital for perennial plants in water-limited environments. This experiment compared leaf physiological and morphological adaptations to increasing water deficit among D. hirsutum, D. rectum and M. sativa. Plants were grown in the glasshouse in large pots (7.8 L, 1 m deep, 10 cm diameter) containing a sandy clay loam (14% available water content) to limit differences between root foraging among the species. Watering was withheld for 21 days and predawn and midday leaf water and osmotic potential were determined. Mid-morning rates of gas exchange were measured at five times as soil water was depleted. After 35 days of withholding water, plant recovery was measured. D. hirsutum and M. sativa reduced stomatal conductance at leaf water potentials below −1.8 MPa and water-stressed D. hirsutum osmotically adjusted by up to 0.68 MPa. D. rectum differed from the other species; leaf water potential was maintained at high levels until soil water content had reached low levels, and reductions in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis were not associated with leaf water potential. D. hirsutum and M. sativa displayed leaf morphological adaptations that may contribute to greater resistance of water deficit. Only one of five D. rectum plants survived the water-stress treatment compared to five of five for D. hirsutum and four of five for M. sativa. The water relations and physiology of D. hirsutum observed in this study suggest that it possesses adaptations suitable for arid environments. On the other hand, the poor survival and water relations of D. rectum indicate that it is poorly adapted to situations where water deficit is common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dorycnium hirsutum and D. rectum are perennial legumes which may have potential for use as pastures for the control of groundwater recharge in southern Australia. Little is known about the quality of the forage of Dorycnium species for grazing livestock or how these species respond to cutting. The effect of cutting height on plant survival, production of dry matter (DM), the proportion of leaf, edible stem (approximately <5 mm diameter) and woody stem in the DM and the nutritive value of the edible components was investigated. Biomass above five cutting-height treatments (uncut, ground level, 5–8 cm, 10–15 cm and 15–30 cm above ground level) was removed at 8-week intervals from plots of D. hirsutum and D. rectum from September 2002 to July 2003. In both species, plants subjected to lower cutting height treatments produced less DM above the height of the cut than those cut at higher heights. DM production declined over time in all treatments. Plants cut to ground level failed to regrow after the second harvest in D. hirsutum and the fourth harvest in D. rectum. Thus, these Dorycnium species were susceptible to high severity defoliations at 8-week intervals. Negligible inedible woody stem was present in regrowth of both species after 8 weeks but D. hirsutum regrowth had a higher proportion of leaf (0·72) than D. rectum (0·56). Plants left uncut accumulated a large proportion of inedible woody stem in the DM (0·69 in both species) by July 2003, particularly at the base of the plant. Edible DM from regrowth of D. hirsutum and D. rectum had crude protein (CP) concentrations of 120 and 150 g kg−1 DM; dry matter digestibility (DMD) values of 0·45 and 0·58; organic matter digestibility (OMD) values of 0·50 and 0·64; neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations of 370 and 290 g kg−1 DM; and acid-detergent fibre (ADF) concentrations of 260 and 210 g kg−1 DM, respectively. Medicago sativa, grown under similar conditions, had higher digestibility values (0·63 DMD and 0·66 OMD) and similar CP concentrations to D. rectum (140 g kg−1 DM), but higher concentrations of NDF and ADF (410 and 290 g kg−1 DM). Leaf material from both Dorycnium species had a higher nutritive value than edible stems, with DMD and OMD values of leaf of D. rectum being 0·68 and 0·74 respectively. Uncut plants had a much lower nutritive value of edible DM than the regrowth from cut treatments; older material was also of a lower nutritive value. The relatively low nutritive value of even the young regrowth of Dorycnium species suggests that forage quality is a major limitation to its use. Forage of Dorycnium species could be used during periods when other sources of forage are in short supply but infrequent grazing it is likely to produce forage of a low nutritive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulses have emerged as important rotation crops in Australia. Some are in demand in agricultural production systems due to their high potential market value, because of their roles as grain or forage crops, their nitrogen fixation capability, and because they provide a disease break or improve soil health. While several pulse crops have been identified for winter-season cropping, there are few adapted legumes apart from mungbean that are appropriate for dryland summer cropping. Currently, short-duration crops of mungbean are commonly used, but yields are highly variable and susceptible to drought. Here, we propose that cowpea has the potential to become an alternative rotation crop in dryland summer cropping zones, providing a competitive and profitable alternative pulse crop option where its drought tolerance could enable better performance under inconsistent in-crop rainfall. We demonstrate that cowpea has nutritional properties and putative uses that could prove valuable in emerging plant-based protein and aquaculture markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A network of 21 experiments was established across nine countries on four continents and spanning both hemispheres, to evaluate the relative performance of early generation perennial cereal material derived from wheat, rye, and barley and to inform future breeding strategies. The experimental lines were grown in replicated single rows, and first year production and phenology characteristics as well as yield and persistence for up to three years were monitored. The study showed that the existing experimental material is all relatively short-lived (≤3 years), with environments that are milder in summer and winter generally conferring greater longevity. No pedigree was superior across this diverse network of sites although better performing lines at the higher latitude sites were generally derived from Thinopyrum intermedium. By contrast, at lower latitudes the superior lines were generally derived from Th. ponticum and Th. elongatum parentage. The study observed a poor relationship between year 1 performance and productivity in later years, highlighting the need for perennial cereal material with greater longevity to underpin future experimental evaluation, and the importance for breeding programs to emphasize post-year 1 performance in their selections. Hybrid lines derived from the tetraploid durum wheat generally showed greater longevity than derivatives of hexaploid wheat, highlighting potential for greater use of Triticum turgidum in perennial wheat breeding. We advocate a model in future breeding initiatives that develops perennial cereal genotypes for specific target environments rather than a generic product for one global market. These products may include a diversity of cultivars derived from locally adapted annual and perennial parents. In this scenario the breeding program may have access to only a limited range of adapted perennial grass parents. In other situations, such as at very high latitude environments, perennial crops derived from barley or rye may have a better chance of success than those derived from wheat. In either case, development and selection of the perennial parent for adaptation to local environments would seem fundamental to success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]