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An open-field experiment was conducted in Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines to investigate the effects of combining chemical fertilizers, vermicompost, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azospirillum spp.) on the growth, nutrient uptake, and yield of tomato plants. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. The treatments include the recommended rate of chemical fertilizer (RRC) and three integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies. The results revealed that AMF inoculation significantly increased the uptake of P, K, Ca, and Mg while INM 3 recorded the highest N uptake. Treatments with vermicompost application recorded a significantly higher uptake of Cu. INM 1, INM 2, and INM 3 gave a significantly higher fruit yield than the RRC with an increase of 8%, 13%, and 14%, respectively. The percentage of mycorrhizal root colonization and number of rhizosphere spores were higher in mycorrhizal plants. Fruit yield and AMF root colonization were positively correlated with the uptake of several nutrients. INM strategies obtained a higher net income than the current fertilizer recommendation by 4–15%. These findings imply that the INM strategies can increase tomato productivity, reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer inputs, increase profitability, and potentially lead to soil health and environmental benefits.

Despite the withdrawal of CB1 antagonists, such as rimonabant, from the market and from active clinical development because of concerns about their side effect profiles, research suggests that the endocannabinoid system may play an important role in modulating nicotine's effects. We report the combined results, using a pooled analysis, of three previously unpublished trials assessing rimonabant as a smoking cessation pharmacotherapy conducted between 2002 and 2004. Smokers (n = 2097) motivated to quit were enrolled in three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, STRATUS EU, US, and META, which consisted of a 10-week treatment period with either rimonabant 20 mg (n = 789), 5 mg (n = 518; used in only two of the three studies), or placebo (n = 790), in conjunction with brief counseling. The impact of drug on prolonged abstinence and adverse events was examined at 8 weeks (end-of-treatment) and at 48 weeks (available for STRATUS EU and US) after the targeted quit date. Rimonabant 20 mg resulted in significantly higher abstinence at end-of-treatment and at 48 weeks post-targeted quit date compared with placebo, while rimonabant 5 mg and placebo did not differ. Serious AEs did not differ by drug group. The 20 mg rimonabant dose, compared with placebo, produced increased nausea, diarrhea, anxiety symptoms, hyporexia, and vomiting, and decreased headache, constipation, and cough. These results support rimonabant 20 mg as a modestly effective aid for smoking cessation. Although work on CB1 antagonists such as rimonabant has mostly been stopped because of unacceptable adverse events, these results may inform and spur the development of other endocannabinoids for smoking cessation.

An open-field experiment was conducted in Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines to investigate the effects of combining chemical fertilizers, vermicompost, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azospirillum spp.) on the growth, nutrient uptake, and yield of tomato plants. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. The treatments include the recommended rate of chemical fertilizer (RRC) and three integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies. The results revealed that AMF inoculation significantly increased the uptake of P, K, Ca, and Mg while INM 3 recorded the highest N uptake. Treatments with vermicompost application recorded a significantly higher uptake of Cu. INM 1, INM 2, and INM 3 gave a significantly higher fruit yield than the RRC with an increase of 8%, 13%, and 14%, respectively. The percentage of mycorrhizal root colonization and number of rhizosphere spores were higher in mycorrhizal plants. Fruit yield and AMF root colonization were positively correlated with the uptake of several nutrients. INM strategies obtained a higher net income than the current fertilizer recommendation by 4–15%. These findings imply that the INM strategies can increase tomato productivity, reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer inputs, increase profitability, and potentially lead to soil health and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The signing of the No Child Left Behind Act on January 8, 2002, moved the federal effort to influence K-12 schooling to a new and higher level--more aggressive, focused, and directive. The act requires that school districts and schools demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward a particular goal: universal student achievement of standards established by each state. Each year, school districts and schools that do not achieve AYP will be labeled "Did Not Make AYP," and after two such years they may suffer sanctions that include loss of federal funding, termination of staff, and dissolving the school district. There is much in NCLB to like and embrace. The focus on "leaving no child behind"--systematically identifying and then addressing the needs of low-achieving students--is still a worthy if distant goal. If the provisions of NCLB as they stand at this writing are not changed, the greatest consolation for the education community and all concerned may be that the results of NCLB will so lack credibility that they will be not be taken seriously. In that event, NCLB will go down as one of the greatest missed opportunities in the history of American education.

Thrombolysis is widely used to intervene in acute ischemic stroke, but reestablishment of circulation may paradoxically initiate a reperfusion injury. Here we describe studies with mice lacking protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta) showing that absence of this enzyme markedly reduces reperfusion injury following transient ischemia. This was associated with reduced infiltration of peripheral blood neutrophils into infarcted tissue and with impaired neutrophil adhesion, migration, respiratory burst, and degranulation in vitro. Total body irradiation followed by transplantation with bone marrow from PKCdelta-null mice donors reduced infarct size and improved neurological outcome in WT mice, whereas marrow transplantation from WT donors increased infarction and worsened neurological scores in PKCdelta-null mice. These results indicate an important role for neutrophil PKCdelta in reperfusion injury and strongly suggest that PKCdelta inhibitors could prove useful in the treatment of stroke.

Receptors on macrophages for the Fc region of IgG (FcgammaR) mediate a number of responses important for host immunity. Signaling events necessary for these responses are likely initiated by the activation of Src-family and Syk-family tyrosine kinases after FcgammaR cross-linking. Macrophages derived from Syk-deficient (Syk-) mice were defective in phagocytosis of particles bound by FcgammaRs, as well as in many FcgammaR-induced signaling events, including tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular substrates and activation of MAP kinases. In contrast, Syk- macrophages exhibited normal responses to another potent macrophage stimulus, lipopolysaccharide. Phagocytosis of latex beads and Escherichia coli bacteria was also not affected. Syk- macrophages exhibited formation of polymerized actin structures opposing particles bound to the cells by FcgammaRs (actin cups), but failed to proceed to internalization. Interestingly, inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase also blocked FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis at this stage. Thus, PI 3-kinase may participate in a Syk-dependent signaling pathway critical for FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis. Macrophages derived from mice deficient for the three members of the Src-family of kinases expressed in these cells, Hck, Fgr, and Lyn, exhibited poor Syk activation upon FcgammaR engagement, accompanied by a delay in FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis. These observations demonstrate that Syk is critical for FcgammaR-mediated phagocytosis, as well as for signal transduction in macrophages. Additionally, our findings provide evidence to support a model of sequential tyrosine kinase activation by FcgammaR's analogous to models of signaling by the B and T cell antigen receptors.

In this article, the authors report the results of the 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the public's attitudes toward the public schools. This year's report examined the public's assessment of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its principal strategy, standardized testing. The authors include a summary of key findings and tables showing percentage distributions of responses to each question. (Contains 43 tables.)

Rose and Gallup report on the results of the 38th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitude Toward the Public Schools. This year's survey examined No Child Left Behind and the public's perception of the law, the appropriate role of standardized testing, the achievement gap between white students and black and Hispanic students, the appropriate venue for pursuing change, and school improvement and school choice. Rose highlights the findings from the poll that have particularly strong implications for those making decisions regarding the public schools.

The first poll in what has become a two-part series was commissioned by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in the spring of 2001 with the intent of finding out how Americans viewed technological literacy. Funding for this second survey was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Although it was not anticipated at the time, the opportunity has been provided just three years later to revisit this question in a manner designed to either validate or bring into question the findings in that first survey and to build on and extend what those findings told. With that in mind, it is important to cite and acknowledge the three major conclusions reached in 2001. They were: (1) The American public is virtually unanimous in regarding the development of technological literacy as an important goal for people at all levels; (2) Many Americans view technology narrowly as mostly being computers and the Internet; and (3) There is near total consensus in the public sampled that schools should include the study of technology in the curriculum. This survey and the earlier one on which it builds were designed to determine how the public views technological literacy and the importance of technology in their daily lives. The opportunity to do a second study so closely following the first has resulted in adding to, reinforcing, and augmenting the understandings gained in the earlier study. A list of the ITEA/Gallup Poll Survey Committee members concludes the article. (Contains 16 tables.)

Highlights several findings of the 35th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll the have strong policy implications for the public schools. Categories include grading the public schools, No Child Left Behind Act, teachers and teacher salaries, the achievement gap, and school choice. (PKP)

Reports results of the 35th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll of the public's attitudes toward the public schools, focusing this year on the No Child Left Behind Act. (PKP)

A Gallup survey compared Americans' knowledge of and attitudes about technological literacy with those of experts. Major conclusions were as follows: most believe that technological literacy is an important goal and schools should include technology in the curriculum; there is a lack of common understanding of technology; and most people have a limited view of technology as computers and the Internet. (JOW)

Response to Terry Moe's published claim that certain results of 2001 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll of the public's attitude toward education underrepresented public support for educational vouchers. (PKP)

Discusses policy implications of the 34th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll. For example, opinion differences by age, race, and home location are so significant that they must be recognized and addressed. (PKP)

The 2000 poll shows substantial public satisfaction with public schools; willingness to improve the existing system; eroding support for high-stakes testing and for private- and religious-school choice; insufficient financial support as schools' biggest problem; and parents as having greater influence than teachers over student performance. (MLH)

Public support for improving public schools over seeking alternatives remains high (70%). Opposition to private contracting is growing. Fully 79% of public-school parents think schools effectively prepare students for the labor market; 72% want higher promotion standards. Inadequate discipline, violence, and scanty funding remain top problems. (MLH)

The public continues to oppose allowing students and parents to choose a private school to attend at public expense, but favors government-paid tuition for students choosing to attend any public, private, or religious school. The public assigns local schools passing grades, likes schools' size, favors school prayer, and wants innercity schools to improve. (MLH)

"Phi Delta Kappan" conducted 28 public forums exploring participants' views about public schools' purposes, effectiveness, and needed changes. Once engaged, community members were enthusiastic about discussing public schools' future, indicated they left the forums better informed, and found the three-question format productive. Planners should encourage broader participation and improve certain program components. (MLH)

According to the 1997 Phi Delta Kappan poll, the public believes that providing more computers, relocating "troublemakers," establishing national standards, and expanding school choice would help improve student achievement. Three factors influence school success: strong parental support, adequate funding, and cooperative students. Lack of discipline and adequate financing are most frequently mentioned local problems. (MLH)