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Agricultural water management is increasingly prioritized throughout the world as producers are tasked with meeting growing crop demand while also managing environmental resources more sustainably. Likewise, agriculture is increasingly modifying the terrestrial water cycle. In response to these dynamics, the informal research discipline of agrohydrology continues to grow, fueled by a new era of rapidly evolving research tools and big data availability. While many researchers are actively invested in agrohydrology as a research topic, there remains a gap in formalizing this valuable discipline. This article aims to: (a) identify key research themes in agrohydrology, (b) conceptualize future research topics within each theme, and (c) estimate a timeframe before topics become pressing (i.e., before a topic becomes a limiting factor in advancing water management in an agricultural context). This commentary is meant to guide the trajectory of an evolving discipline of agrohydrology, the practice of agricultural water management at multiple nested scales, and the conversation of the invested public. Plain Language Summary: The study of water in agriculture is an important global research field. Water supports farming and ranching, and agriculture provides food, feed, fiber, and fuel. However, agricultural activities can also stress water resources. As a result, society faces many water challenges in agriculture. The global demand for agricultural products is increasing, but the availability of fresh water is decreasing in many places. Sometimes this is because of a lack of water, contamination, or social changes. We propose the study of such problems and their solutions be recognized as its own subdiscipline, agrohydrology. Here, we imagine the future of the discipline by giving form to research themes and topics that can rally researchers from many existing fields around this revised subdiscipline. Key Points: Agrohydrology has yet to materialize as a distinct sub‐discipline in hydrology despite the importance of agriculture in the water cycleWe propose agrohydrology as a sub‐discipline that embraces tools from physical and social sciences across diverse agricultural landscapesAgrohydrology as a revised sub‐discipline offers new opportunities for the sustainable management of water for food in a changing world [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean biological processes play an important role in the global carbon cycle via the production of organic matter and its subsequent export. Often, this flux is assumed to be in steady state; however, it is dependent on nutrients introduced to surface waters via multiple mechanisms, some of which are likely to exhibit both intra‐annual and interannual variability leading to comparable variability in ocean carbon uptake. Here we test this variability using surface (5 m) inorganic nutrient concentrations from voluntary observing ships and satellite‐derived estimates of chlorophyll and net primary production. At lower latitudes, the seasonality is small, and the monthly averages of nitrate:phosphate are lower than the canonical 16:1 Redfield ratio, implying nitrogen limitation, a situation confirmed via a series of nutrient limitation experiments conducted between Bermuda and Puerto Rico. The nutrient seasonal cycle is more pronounced at higher latitudes, with clear interannual variability. Over a large area of the midlatitude North Atlantic, the winters of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 had nitrate values more than 1μmol L−1 higher than the 2002–2017 average, suggesting that during this period, the system may have shifted to phosphorus limitation. This nitrate increase meant that, in the region between 31° and 39° N, new production calculated from nitrate uptake was 20.5g C m−2 in 2010, more than four times higher than the median value of the whole observing period. Overall, we suggest that substantial variability in nutrient concentrations and biological carbon uptake occurs in the North Atlantic with interannual variability apparent over a number of different time scales. Key Points: Surface nitrate and phosphate concentrations have been higher after 2011 in the North Atlantic Subtropical GyreThe winter seasons of 2010 and 2011 had anomalously high concentrations of surface nitrate across the North AtlanticThis caused an up to fourfold increase in new production in the Central North Atlantic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a reversible helical electromagnetic launcher (RHEML) is reported and discussed. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using the RHEML as an electrically programmable shock tester (EPST). The data show that the reversible helical electromagnetic launcher can be operated with parallel-connected armatures that share current and force. This report is also the first-ever successful demonstration of iron-cored HEML stators. The electrical programmability of the EPST has been demonstrated by varying the shock pulse width in approximately 30 ms increments. The armature assembly has a total mass of approximately 25 kg (55 lbs). The stators are approximately 100 mm (4 in.) in diameter and 2.3 m (90 in.) long. The large mass reversible helical electromagnetic launcher is powered by a 1 MJ capacitive pulse forming network. The armature assembly has a measured minimum velocity of 0.4 m/s and a maximum velocity of 8.3 m/s. The minimum acceleration/deceleration force is 4.3 gees, while the maximum acceleration/deceleration force is 30.7 gees. The minimum shock pulse width is 16 ms, and the maximum shock pulse width is 150 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2 × 2 factorial assessed the effect of trace mineral (TM) sources fed within low- or high-S diets on the mineral status and performance of cattle. Angus crossbred steers (n = 48; 6/pen) were blocked by BW (316 ± 16.6 kg), assigned to low-S (0.27%; LS) or high-S (0.54%; HS; added as CaSO4) diets, and supplemented TM at 10 mg Cu, 30 mg Zn, and 20 mg Mn/kg DM from hydroxy (HYD; IntelliBond; Micronutrients USA LLC, Indianapolis, IN) or inorganic (sulfates; ING) sources (n = 12 steers/treatment). Steers were fed corn silage and corn-based diets via GrowSafe bunks in the growing period (GP; 84 d) and finishing period (FP; 77 d), respectively. Plasma and liver were collected at trial initiation and end of GP and FP for mineral concentrations. End of GP and FP red blood cell lysate superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Mn-SOD activity and liver glutathione concentrations were measured. Data were used as a 2 × 2 factorial using Proc Mixed of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC) with initial plasma and liver status analyzed as covariates. High S decreased (P < 0.01) liver Cu and tended (P ≤ 0.10) to decrease plasma Cu concentrations. Liver Cu concentrations were lower in HYD than ING in the FP (P < 0.01). High S decreased (P = 0.04) GP plasma Zn concentrations and tended to decrease (P = 0.10) GP liver Zn. There were GP (P = 0.05) and FP (P = 0.02) S × TM effects for liver Mn concentrations where GP LS-HYD was greater than all other treatments, whereas FP LS-HYD was lower than HS-HYD and LS-ING and FP HS-ING was less than LS-ING. Glutathione, SOD, and Mn-SOD were not different (P ≥ 0.13) in the GP, but S × TM tended to affect FP Mn-SOD (P = 0.10), where LS-HYD tended to be lower than LS-ING. Oxidized glutathione in FP tended to be lower (P = 0.06) for HYD than ING. In the GP, there were S × TM effects on performance where LS-HYD had greater ADG and G:F (P ≤ 0.05) than HS-HYD, whereas LS and HS-ING were intermediate. For FP performance S × TM effects were noted where LS-HYD and HS-ING tended (P = 0.10) to gain more than HS-HYD and HS-HYD had lower G:F (P = 0.04) than HS-ING. There were no effects of S × TM on final BW, DMI, or ADG (P ≥ 0.11); however, HS-HYD had lower G:F than other treatments overall (P = 0.05). High S decreased back fat and yield grade (P = 0.03), and rib eye area was smaller for HYD than ING (P = 0.02). In this study HS decreased markers of Cu and Zn status, and differential effects of HYD vs. ING minerals were noted across dietary phases, although all steers maintained adequate TM status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we present hydrography, biogeochemistry and sediment trap observations between 2003 and 2012 at Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) sustained observatory in the Northeast Atlantic. The time series is valuable as it allows for investigation of the link between surface productivity and deep ocean carbon flux. The region is a perennial sink for CO2, with an average uptake of around 1.5 mmolm-2 day-1. The average monthly drawdowns of inorganic carbon and nitrogen were used to quantify the net community production (NCP) and new production. Seasonal NCP and new production were found to be 4.57®0.85 molCm-2 and 0.37®0.14 molNm-2, respectively. The C:N ratio was high (12) compared to the Redfield ratio (6.6), and the production calculated from carbon was higher than production calculated from nitrogen, which is indicative of carbon overconsumption. The export ratio and transfer efficiency were 16 and 4%, respectively, and the site thereby showed high flux attenuation. Particle tracking was used to examine the source region of material in the sediment trap, and there was large variation in source regions, both between and within years. There were higher correlations between surface productivity and export flux when using the particle-tracking approach, than by comparing with the mean productivity in a 100 km box around the PAP site. However, the differences in correlation coefficients were not significant, and a longer time series is needed to draw conclusions on applying particle tracking in sediment trap analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we present hydrography, biogeochemistry and sediment trap observations between 2003 and 2012 at Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) sustained observatory in the northeast Atlantic. The time series is valuable as it allows for investigation of the link between surface productivity and deep ocean carbon flux. The region is a perennial sink for CO2, with an average uptake of around 1.5 mmol m-2 d-1 . The average monthly drawdowns of inorganic carbon and nitrogen were used to quantify the net community production (NCP) and new production, respectively. Seasonal NCP and new production were found to be 4.57± 0.27mol C m-2 and 0.37 ± 0.14mol N m-2. The Redfield ratio was high (12), and the production calculated from carbon was higher than production calculated from nitrogen, which is indicative of carbon overconsumption. The export ratio and transfer efficiency were 16 and 4%, respectively, and the site thereby showed high flux attenuation. Particle tracking was used to examine the source region of material in the sediment trap, and there was large variation in source regions, both between and within years. There were higher correlations between surface productivity and export flux when using the particle-tracking approach, than by comparing with the mean productivity in a 100 km box around the PAP site. However, the differences in correlation coefficients were not significant, and a longer time series is needed to draw conclusions on applying particle tracking in sediment trap analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present high-resolution autonomous measurements of carbon dioxide partial pressure p(CO2) taken in situ at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) in the northeast Atlantic (49° N, 16:5° W; water depth of 4850 m) for the period 2010-2012. Measurements of p(CO2) made at 30m depth on a sensor frame are compared with other autonomous biogeochemical measurements at that depth (including chlorophyll a fluorescence and nitrate concentration data) to analyse weekly to seasonal controls on p(CO2) flux in the inter-gyre region of the North Atlantic. Comparisons are also made with in situ regional time series data from a ship of opportunity and mixed layer depth (MLD) measurements from profiling Argo floats. There is a persistent under-saturation of CO2 in surface waters throughout the year which gives rise to a perennial CO2 sink. Comparison with an earlier data set collected at the site (2003- 2005) confirms seasonal and inter-annual changes in surface seawater chemistry. There is year-to-year variability in the timing of deep winter mixing and the intensity of the spring bloom. The 2010-2012 period shows an overall increase in p(CO2) values when compared to the 2003-2005 period as would be expected from increases due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The surface temperature, wind speed and MLD measurements are similar for both periods of time. Future work should incorporate daily CO2 flux measurements made using CO2 sensors at 1 m depth and the in situ wind speed data now available from the UK Met Office Buoy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfusions of granulocytes can be used as an adjunct therapy to antimicrobials in patients with infection and neutropenia or granulocyte dysfunction. However, there is a lack of strong clinical evidence to support the use of this treatment strategy, particularly in children. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children who received granulocytes at our institution from April 2009 to October 2012, with emphasis on primary indication for the transfusion and clinical outcome in terms of infection. The patients had granulocyte dysfunction or severe neutropenia, defined as absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 500 cells/mm3 due to chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), and reasonable hope for bone marrow recovery or engraftment. Eighteen children received granulocytes during 20 distinct episodes: 62% ( n = 13) for acute infection, 29% ( n = 5) for unresolved chronic infection during the time of HSCT, and 9% ( n = 2) for other clinical conditions such as typhilitis and appendectomy. Overall, 92% ( n = 12) of the episodes of acute infection had complete or partial resolution, as determined by review of vital signs, physical exam findings and discontinuation of antimicrobials. A substantial number (46%) of children who received granulocytes for acute infection developed respiratory adverse events, but all of these recovered. We conclude that granulocyte transfusions continue to be primarily used in neutropenic patients with acute infections, and that its use in this group of patients is reasonable. However, a prospective randomized clinical trial is needed to evaluate safety and whether the use of granulocytes is superior to antimicrobial-only therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we present an equation for the estimation of nitrate in surface waters of the North Atlantic Ocean (40° N to 52° N, 10°W to 60° W). The equation was derived by multiple linear regression (MLR) from nitrate, sea surface temperature (SST) observational data and model mixed layer depth (MLD) data. The observational data were taken from merchant vessels that have crossed the North Atlantic on a regular basis in 2002/2003 and from 2005 to the present. It is important to find a robust and realistic estimate of MLD because the deepening of the mixed layer is crucial for nitratesupply to the surface. We compared model data from two models (FOAM and Mercator) with MLD derived from float data (using various criteria). The Mercator model gives a MLD estimate that is close to the MLD derived from floats. MLR was established using SST, MLD from Mercator, time and latitude as predictors. Additionally a neural network was trained with the same dataset and the results were validated against both model data as a "ground truth" and an independent observational dataset. This validation produced RMS errors of the same order for MLR and the neural network approach. We conclude that it is possible to estimate nitrate concentrations with an uncertainty of ±1.4 μmol L-1 in the North Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we present an equation for the estimation of nitrate in surface waters of the North Atlantic Ocean (40° N to 52° N, 10°W to 60° W). The equation was derived by multiple linear regression (MLR) from nitrate, sea surface temperature (SST) observational data and model mixed layer depth (MLD) data. The observational data were taken from merchant vessels that have crossed the North Atlantic on a regular basis in 2002/2003 and from 2005 to present. It is important to find a robust and realistic esitmate of MLD because the deepening of the mixed layer is crucial for nitrate supply to the surface. We compared model data from two models (FOAM and Mercator) with MLD derived from float data (using various criteria). The Mercator model gives a MLD estimate that is close to the MLD derived from floats. MLR was established using SST, MLD from Mercator, time and latitude as predictors. Additionally a neural network was trained with the same dataset and the results were validated against both model data as a "ground truth" and an independent observational dataset. This validation produced RMS errors of the same order for MLR and the neural network approach. We conclude that it is possible to estimate nitrate concentrations with an uncertainty of ±1.5 μmol L-1 in the North Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine in a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial the safety profile of daily anakinra (Kineret) use in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and concurrent comorbid conditions. METHODS: In 169 centers in 9 countries, 1,414 patients with active RA were randomly assigned to receive either anakinra (100 mg) or placebo treatment (4:1 anakinra-to-placebo allocation ratio), with study drug administered by daily subcutaneous injection for 6 months. The current post hoc analysis assessed baseline comorbid conditions, and patients were considered at high risk for the occurrence of adverse events if they had a history of at least one of the following: cardiovascular event, pulmonary event, central nervous system-related event, infection, diabetes, malignancy, or renal impairment. Within each treatment group (anakinra or placebo), incidence rates were summarized for serious adverse events, infectious events, and serious infectious events in high-risk patients and compared with these incidence rates in patients without comorbid conditions. RESULTS: The majority of patients in the trial had one or more comorbid conditions. In these high-risk patients, there were no differences in the incidence of serious adverse events or infectious events between treatment groups. The incidence of serious infectious events with anakinra use was similar between high-risk patients (2.5%) and the entire study population (2.1%) and was not attributable to any single comorbidity. CONCLUSION: Results of the analysis of adverse events in patients with active RA and coexisting comorbidities suggest that the favorable safety profile of anakinra is maintained in a high-risk patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ascertain the extent of, and risk factors for, physical abuse among older urban American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), we conducted a chart review of 550 urban AI/AN primary care patients >/=50 years old seen during 1 year. Mistreatment was documented in 10%. A logistic regression found younger age (P <.001), female gender (P <.001), current depression (P <.001), and dependence on others for food (P <.05) to be significant correlates of physical abuse. In only 31% of instances of definite abuse were the authorities notified. We conclude that providers should be alert to the possibility of physical mistreatment among older urban AI/ANs. Improvements in detection and management are sorely needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to determine if N retention was improved with supplemental Zn above NRC concentrations with or without ractopamine hydrochloride (RH) inclusion. Angus crossbred steers (n = 32, 485 ± 57 kg) with Genemax gain scores of 4 or 5 were utilized in a 2x2 factorial arrangement (8 steers/treatment). Steers were blocked by BW to one of two finishing diets with no supplemental Zn (analyzed 32 mg Zn/kg DM; CON) or supranutritional Zn (analyzed 145 mg Zn/kg DM; SUPZN), fed for 56 days and then assigned to RH (Actogain, Zoetis) supplementation strategies of 0 (NORAC) or 300 mg·-1steer·-1d (RAC) fed the last 30 d before harvest. On d 57 (d 1 of RH supplementation), steers (4 groups; 8 steers/group; 2 steers/treatment) were moved to metabolism crates and adapted for 10 d, followed by 5 d of total fecal and urine collection. Total retention of Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and N were calculated. Data were analyzed as a 2x2 factorial in Proc Mixed of SAS with group as random and steer as the experimental unit. Initial 56 d ADG was not affected by treatment (P = 0.67) but DMI was lesser in SUPZN vs CON (P < 0.01). No interactions between dietary Zn and RH strategies were noted during collection (P ≥ 0.19). Collection DMI did not differ by treatment (P ≥ 0.23); however, SUPZN intake of Mn and Zn was greatest (P < 0.01). Fecal and urinary excretion of Zn and retention of Mn and Zn were increased in SUPZN vs CON (P < 0.01); however, Zn retention was not different between RAC and NORAC (P = 0.11). Retention of Cu and Fe were unaffected by treatment (P ≥ 0.85). Urine output and urine N excretion were decreased by RAC (P ≤ 0.05). Nitrogen retention as a percent of total ingested N tended (P = 0.10) to be greater in SUPZN (44.4%) vs CON (40.0%) and tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in RAC (44.8%) vs NORAC (39.7%). Using Proc Corr, Zn and N retention were found to be positively correlated (r = 0.48, P < 0.01). Average daily gain and G:F across the 86 d trial were increased in RAC vs NORAC (P < 0.01). Overall, SUPZN appears to improve N retention, suggesting that increasing dietary Zn may be important for cattle growth beyond that induced by RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor in response to the article "The transfusion medicine specialist as a coagulation consultant: a new variant of therapeutic pathology" by CA Tormey and others, published in a 2013 issue of the journal is presented.

Study objectives were to evaluate production parameters and glucose homeostatic variables in rbST-treated lactating dairy cattle during short-term heat stress (HS) or in pair-fed animals (UF). Twenty-two multiparous (99 DIM, 656 kg BW) Holstein cows [n=10 (HS), n=12 (UF)] were subjected to three experimental periods: 1) thermoneutral, ad libitum intake for 7d, 2) HS or UF for 7d, and 3) HS or UF with rbST (Posilac®, Monsanto, St. Louis MO, administered on d1 of P3) for 7d. All cows received an I.V. glucose (d5) and insulin (d6) challenge during each period. HS conditions were cyclic to mimic an AZ July day, with temperatures ranging from 29.7 to 39.2°C. Milk yield, DMI, EBAL and body temperature indices were measured daily. Heat stress reduced DMI by 30%, and by design, UF cows had similar intake reductions (28%). Rectal temperatures and respiration rates increased during HS (38.6 to 40.5°C and 44 to 89 breaths/min, respectively). During HS and UF, milk yield decreased by 27.5% (9.7 kg) and 15.3% (4.8 kg) respectively, indicating reduced DMI only accounted for 50% of the decreased milk production. Milk yield increased with rbST (~13%) in both HS and UF. Cows in both treatments were in positive EBAL (>3.7 MCal/d) but entered NEBAL during HS and UF (<-3.7 MCal/d). No effect of HS on the rate of glucose disposal (mg/dL/min or AUC) was detected, but UF and rbST caused mild insulin resistance (16-30%, based on mg/dl/min and AUC). HS and UF treatments decreased (11%) basal glucose concentrations without an additional effect of rbST. HS had no effect on basal NEFA levels; however UF (despite a similar calculated EBAL) had increased (60%) basal NEFA concentrations. We conclude that reduced nutrient intake accounts for only 50% of HS-induced decreases in milk yield and, based upon glucose challenge and basal NEFA data, increased extra-mammary insulin sensitivity may contribute to the additional reduction in milk yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]