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A range of content analyses have recently sought to define the term “regenerative agriculture”, which has gained a surge of attention in the last few years. However, these studies have not incorporated the voices of those using the term to define their work: the farmers, private companies, researchers, and NGOs giving energy to the movement. In this study, we conducted qualitative interviews with 19 stakeholders from across the United States. Key points of consensus were that regenerative agriculture moves beyond sustainability, is outcomes-based, and, as such, is context-specific: focusing on outcomes provides opportunities to be adaptive to a specific context and that, depending on one’s context, different practices may be used to achieve target outcomes. We identified three categories of outcomes: climate adaptation and mitigation, socio-economic benefits, and integrated systems. We also found several opportunities within the energy of the movement. First, regenerative agriculture remains a “big tent” that is still accessible to a broad range of farmers. Participants also underscore the need to move toward systems-based research as opposed to reductionist research. Finally, we present participants’ mixed perspectives on the role of government, the private sector, and third parties in moving regenerative agriculture forward.

Spontaneous scrotal enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs) are rare and more common in countries with poor access to medical care. Our patients represent the first two reported adult cases of scrotal ECFs in the United States. Both patients were 83-year-old males who presented from assisted living facilities with past medical histories of prostate cancer. The first patient had an ECF from his cecum to right scrotum and the second patient had an ECF from his sigmoid colon to left scrotum. These are the first recorded cases describing spontaneous scrotal ECFs in adults in the United States. They are also the seventh and eighth reported cases worldwide. Both patients had delayed presentations of their incarcerated hernias because their scrotal ECFs decompressed their incarcerated bowels and attenuated the development of obstructive symptoms. Each patient underwent a successful orchiectomy by urology and bowel resection with ligation of their scrotal ECFs, and herniorrhaphy by general surgery.

Previous literature has shown that cover crops have the potential to provide large-scale environmental benefits by reducing soil erosion, preventing nutrient leaching, sequestering carbon (C), and providing habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators (Snapp et al. 2005; Laloy and Bielders 2010; Castellano et al. 2012; Poeplau and Don 2015). In addition, cover crops can potentially generate private benefits to the farm operation by helping boost soil productivity (and subsequent cash crop yields), suppressing weeds, reducing fertilizer needs, and improving nutrient cycling (Bergtold et al. 2019; Myers and Watts 2015; Wittwer et al. 2017). Given the potential economic and environmental benefits of cover crop adoption, cover crop acreage in the US grew from about 10.3 million ac (4.2 Mha) in 2012 to about 15.4 million ac (6.23 Mha) in 2017 (i.e., a 50% increase), based on data from the US Census of Agriculture (LaRose and Myers 2019). Nonetheless, even in light of these adoption increases, acres planted to cover crops only equal 3.9% of all US cropland in 2017 (Zulauf and Brown 2019) (figure 1). Although there are several possible reasons that overall cover crop adoption rates in the US remain relatively low, one of the main factors that influences the cost of adopting cover crops is cover crop …

Short-term probabilistic forecasts of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have served as a visible and important communication channel between the scientific modeling community and both the general public and decision-makers. Forecasting models provide specific, quantitative, and evaluable predictions that inform short-term decisions such as healthcare staffing needs, school closures, and allocation of medical supplies. Starting in April 2020, the US COVID-19 Forecast Hub ( https://covid19forecasthub.org/ ) collected, disseminated, and synthesized tens of millions of specific predictions from more than 90 different academic, industry, and independent research groups. A multimodel ensemble forecast that combined predictions from dozens of groups every week provided the most consistently accurate probabilistic forecasts of incident deaths due to COVID-19 at the state and national level from April 2020 through October 2021. The performance of 27 individual models that submitted complete forecasts of COVID-19 deaths consistently throughout this year showed high variability in forecast skill across time, geospatial units, and forecast horizons. Two-thirds of the models evaluated showed better accuracy than a naïve baseline model. Forecast accuracy degraded as models made predictions further into the future, with probabilistic error at a 20-wk horizon three to five times larger than when predicting at a 1-wk horizon. This project underscores the role that collaboration and active coordination between governmental public-health agencies, academic modeling teams, and industry partners can play in developing modern modeling capabilities to support local, state, and federal response to outbreaks.

Short-term probabilistic forecasts of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have served as a visible and important communication channel between the scientific modeling community and both the general public and decision-makers. Forecasting models provide specific, quantitative, and evaluable predictions that inform short-term decisions such as healthcare staffing needs, school closures, and allocation of medical supplies. Starting in April 2020, the US COVID-19 Forecast Hub (https://covid19forecasthub.org/) collected, disseminated, and synthesized tens of millions of specific predictions from more than 90 different academic, industry, and independent research groups. A multi-model ensemble forecast that combined predictions from dozens of different research groups every week provided the most consistently accurate probabilistic forecasts of incident deaths due to COVID-19 at the state and national level from April 2020 through October 2021. The performance of 27 individual models that submitted complete forecasts of COVID-19 deaths consistently throughout this year showed high variability in forecast skill across time, geospatial units, and forecast horizons. Two-thirds of the models evaluated showed better accuracy than a naïve baseline model. Forecast accuracy degraded as models made predictions further into the future, with probabilistic error at a 20-week horizon 3-5 times larger than when predicting at a 1-week horizon. This project underscores the role that collaboration and active coordination between governmental public health agencies, academic modeling teams, and industry partners can play in developing modern modeling capabilities to support local, state, and federal response to outbreaks. Significance Statement This paper compares the probabilistic accuracy of short-term forecasts of reported deaths due to COVID-19 during the first year and a half of the pandemic in the US. Results show high variation in accuracy between and within stand-alone models, and more consistent accuracy from an ensemble model that combined forecasts from all eligible models. This demonstrates that an ensemble model provided a reliable and comparatively accurate means of forecasting deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic that exceeded the performance of all of the models that contributed to it. This work strengthens the evidence base for synthesizing multiple models to support public health action.

C over crop management can sequester soil carbon (C), but the potential of cover crops to do so across the United States has not been clearly quantified. With concern about the rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the earth's atmosphere, solutions that sequester atmospheric CO2 are being sought. The soil has significant potential to store C (Batjes 1996), and the potential contribution of agricultural practices like cover crops to sequestering C in the soil is of particular interest to farmers, scientists, and policy-makers across the globe (Lal 2015). Though several studies have shown the ability of cover crops to sequester C on experimental plots and across the globe (Franzluebbers 2010; Lal 2015; Lal et al. 1998; Poeplau and Don 2015; Ruis and Blanco-Canqui 2017), research is still needed that addresses the regional and national impact cover crops can have on C sequestration across cropland in the United States. The United States surpassed 4 × 106 ha (10 × 106 ac) of cover crops in 2012, and farmers are projected to plant 8.1 × 106 ha (20 × 106 ac) or more of cover crops by 2020 (USDA 2014; CTIC 2016). This publication summarizes the results of a literature review and…

There is evidence that cover crops can bring both environmental and yield benefits to a farm operation, yet according to the USDA9s Census of Agriculture, in 2012 less than 5% of the nation9s total row crop land was planted to cover crops. In 2014, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) and the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) collected data on cover crop use from producers across the United States. Using data from early adopters of the practice, we examine the factors associated with higher percentage of land planted to cover crops and reliance on cost-share assistance. In addition, we provide rare insight into the number of producers discontinuing their use of cover crops and examine whether this group is distinguishable from continuous users. By understanding how producers use and finance cover crops, and identifying those most likely to continue their use, we provide insights into how policymakers and conservation staff can modify their strategies and increase the number of long-term cover crop users. Continuous use among early adopters is associated with a willingness to self-learn and experiment through trial and error, whereas the small number of producers in our sample discontinuing the practice typically operate large farms and perceive adoption to be limited in their area by the increased difficulties and costs cover crops bring to farm management. Promoters of cover crops should attempt to combat these perceptions by showcasing local examples where limitations have successfully been overcome. Despite evidence of concerns over the cost of cover crops, many current users are continuing to expand their cover crop land without the use of cost-share funding.

BACKGROUND: Platelet (PLT) storage adversely affects PLT structure and function in vitro and is associated with decreased PLT recovery and function in vivo. In pediatric transfusion medicine, it is not uncommon for small residual volumes to remain in parent units after aliquot preparation of leukoreduced apheresis-derived PLTs (LR-ADP). However, limited data exist regarding the impact of storage on residual small-volume LR-ADP. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Standard metabolic testing was performed on residual volumes of LR-ADP after aliquot removal and PLT aggregometry using a dual agonist of ADP and collagen was performed on stored, small-volume aliquots (10-80 mL) created from an in vitro model of PLT storage. RESULTS: Seventy-seven LR-ADP underwent metabolic (n = 67) or metabolic and aggregation (n = 10) studies. All products maintained a pH value of more than 6.89 throughout storage. Lactate and pCO2 increased proportionally with longer storage time. Regardless of acceptable metabolism during storage, aggregation in 10- to 20-mL aliquots was impaired by Day 4 and aliquots less than 40 mL demonstrated the most dramatic decrease in aggregation from baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Despite maintenance of acceptable metabolic conditions, residual volumes of LR-ADP develop impaired aggregation in vitro that may adversely affect PLT survival and function in vivo. At volumes below 40 mL, LR-ADP revealed reduced aggregation. As a result, it is recommended to monitor and record volumes of LR-ADP used for pediatric transfusion. Moreover, once LR-ADP attain a volume of 50 mL or less on Day 4 or Day 5 of storage, consider discarding these products until their in vivo efficacy can be studied.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) immediate-early (IE) proteins are required for the expression of viral early and late proteins. It has been hypothesized that host neuronal proteins regulate expression of HSV-1 IE genes that in turn control viral latency and reactivation. We investigated the ability of neuronal proteins in vivo to activate HSV-1 IE gene promoters (ICP0 and ICP27) and a late gene promoter (gC). Transgenic mice containing IE (ICP0 and ICP27) and late (gC) gene promoters of HSV-1 fused to the Escherichia coli β-galactosidase coding sequence were generated. Expression of the ICP0 and ICP27 reporter transgenes was present in anatomically distinct subsets of neurons in the absence of viral proteins. The anatomic locations of β-galactosidase-positive neurons in the brains of ICP0 and ICP27 reporter transgenic mice were similar and included cerebral cortex, lateral septal nucleus, cingulum, hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and vestibular nucleus. Trigeminal ganglion neurons were positive for β-galactosidase in adult ICP0 and ICP27 reporter transgenic mice. The ICP0 reporter transgene was differentially regulated in trigeminal ganglion neurons depending upon age. β-Galactosidase-labeled cells in trigeminal ganglia and cerebral cortex of ICP0 and ICP27 reporter transgenic mice were confirmed as neurons by double labeling with antineurofilament antibody. Nearly all nonneuronal cells in ICP0 and ICP27 reporter transgenic mice and all neuronal and nonneuronal cells in gC reporter transgenic mice were negative for β-galactosidase labeling in the absence of HSV-1. We conclude that factors in neurons are able to differentially regulate the HSV-1 IE gene promoters (ICP0 and ICP27) in transgenic mice in the absence of viral proteins. These findings are important for understanding the regulation of the latent and reactivated stages of HSV-1 infection in neurons.

Double-cropping provides a method of diversifying the rotation, maximizing production, and increasing the profit potential of a cropping system. We assessed agronomic and economic performance of five alternative crops in comparison to the no-till wheat-soybean double-cropping system prevalent in the southern Corn Belt. Canola has shown potential as a profitable winter crop, but its effects on the subsequent crop in a no-till double-crop system required further study. Amaranth, buckwheat, sunflower, and pearl millet were planted after the harvest of canola or wheat, or after fallow. Alternative double-crop grain yield, production costs, and net returns were compared with those of double-crop soybean.Wheat yielded more than canola. Sunflower grain yields did not differ significantly after winter-crop treatments at any site. Yields of amaranth, buckwheat, soybean, and pearl millet differed after winter crops at some sites. At three study yield levels, net returns were positive and greatest for double-crop wheat-amaranth, canola-amaranth, wheat-sunflower, and canola-sunflower systems. All double-crop systems except canolapearl millet had positive net returns at median study yield levels. Low or negative net returns resulted from the combination of low yield and low price for some double crops. Canola was shown to be an economically feasible alternative to wheat in a doublecropping system for central and southern Missouri. Buckwheat and sunflower were shown to be agronomically and economically competitive alternatives to soybean following either canola or winter wheat, with buckwheat most valuable in late-season planting conditions.

Grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is an ancient crop that is now receiving fresh attention. This has led to a demand for crop management information, including that on N fertilization. This study evaluated the effect of N fertilizer on amaranth grain yield, yield components, and growth and development. The study was carried out in three Missouri environments with five levels of N fertilizer (NH 4 NO 3 broadcast preplant at 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg N ha -1 ) and three cultivars (Plainsman, D136, and K266). Averaged across cultivars and environments, N fertilizer at the top rate of 180 kg N ha -1 produced a yield increase of 42% relative to plots receiving no N fertilizer. Yields were consistently improved by additions of 45 and 90 kg N ha -1 , but additional N fertilizer above the 90 kg N ha -1 rate increased yield in only one out of three environments. At the one site where yield components were evaluated, yield differences were due to increases in seed number per plant, since seed weight and plant population at maturity were unaffected by N fertilizer rate. Plots with high rates of N fertilizer had later maturity, as indicated by time of flowering and seed moisture. Average moisture of seeds harvested from plots receiving 180 kg N ha -1 was 320 g kg -1 , while seeds from plots with no N fertilizer had 240 g kg -1 moisture. Comparing the same high-N treatment to the control with no N showed height increases of 14, 24, and 44% in the three environments. Although amaranth yield is responsive to N fertilization, high rates of N fertilization can negatively affect grain harvest in terms of excessive plant height, increased lodging, and delayed crop maturity.

Intercropping is a common practice in developing countries because it may produce higher total yields than monocropping. The objective of this study was to apply intercropping principles to alternative and traditional crops in the USA under mechanized conditions. Although these crops have been examined in intercropping systems, in most cases studies were not conducted with improved varieties found in the USA or in strip widths that can accommodate machinery. A Held study was conducted at two central Missouri locations in 1991 and 1992 to determine the effect of intercropping on grain yields of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. × A. hybridus L.), cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.], guar [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.], and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. Treatments were assigned in an incomplete factorial design and consisted of planting pattern (monocrops, narrow and wide row strips, and alternate row intercrops), N fertilizer (0, 56, or 112 kg N ha⁻¹), and component crop combination. Each intercrop consisted of a legume (cowpea, soybean, or guar) and a nonlegume (pearl millet or amaranth). In the strip intercrops, only cowpea showed a consistent yield response to planting pattern, with the narrow strip arrangement with amaranth yielding 53 and 39% lower than its monocrop in two environments. Land equivalent ratios of amaranth and pearl millet grown in alternate rows with cowpea were not significantly different from their monocrops. At the Columbia site, yields of alternate row intercrops generally did not increase upon addition of N and in 1992, amaranth yield at 0 kg N ha⁻¹ was 25% higher in the alternate row intercrop than it was at the same N rate in the monocrop. In general, grain yields were similar in the various intercrops compared with monocrops. Contribution of the Missouri Agric. Exp. Stn. Journal Series no. 11,862.

Amaranth is an alternative grain crop that shows significant promise in the U.S. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to analyze the most suitable regions for growing amaranth in Missouri. GIS software provides tools to manipulate and display geographically based information, in this case the factors affecting amaranth's suitability. Of several such factors considered, the ones used were soils, rainfall, sorghum production, disease potential, and labor availability. Soil, rainfall, and disease information were assumed to be direct factors in yield potential. Current sorghum production areas were considered likely areas for amaranth production, given the similarities between the crops. Labor availability also was assumed to affect adoption, since amaranth requires more labor than traditional grain crops. The analysis showed that central and southeastern Missouri would be the most favorable areas for amaranth production. Other suitable areas are along the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys and in western Missouri. This GIS approach can be modified to include additional factors and refinements, and could be used with other alternative crops or for other regions of the country.

The morphogenetic processes responsible for the initial phase of gastrulation in sea urchin embryos are not known. Here we report observations of the size and position of clones of cells derived from horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-injected mesomeres and macromeres. The displacement of these clones during the initial phase of gastrulation suggests that involution is a mechanism involved in primary invagination. Experiments with embryos marked with vital dyes indicate that movements occur only during a brief phase coincident with the invagination of the vegetal plate. Counts of cells derived from HRP-injected mesomeres and macromeres suggest it unlikely that localized growth in the vegetal plate is involved in gastrulation. An analysis of changes in cell shape during the initial phase of gastrulation indicates that there is a stage-dependent shift from cells being columnar to having their apices skewed toward the vegetal plate and an increase in the proportion of cells having basal processes during gastrulation. When embryos are grown in the presence of monoclonal antibodies to the apical lamina or monovalent fragments of these antibodies, the initial phase of gastrulation is delayed and they form partial exogastrulae. Analysis of embryos marked with HRP indicate that the antibody treatments interfere with the cellular movements observed in untreated embryos. We conclude that directed movements of cells within the blastoderm, probably employing tractoring on components of the hyaline layer, cause the buckling of the vegetal plate and displacement of presumptive endoderm cells seen during the initial phase of gastrulation.

With the de-facto standard “VGA” connector nearing the end of its useful life, no obvious candidate for its replacement has appeared. The recent digital interface standards have failed to gain widespread acceptance, due to their increased cost and lack of compatibility with the VGA installed base. This paper will describe a proposed new standard interface which effectively duplicates the performance of the current digital standards while retaining full backward compatibility with the VGA system.

A 67-yr-old man with protracted hiccups, as well as reflux esophagitis and a stricture, was found to have heartburn and water brash only during episodes of hiccups. Intraesophageal pH monitoring showed acid gastroesophageal reflux increased during these episodes and decreased with cessation of hiccups. After all attempts failed to relieve his hiccups, a Nissen fundoplication relieved heartburn, healed the esophagitis, and stopped excessive reflux of acid gastric juice, even though the hiccups persisted. These observations showed that reflux provoked by prolonged hiccups could either have adversely affected preexistent reflux esophagitis and stricture or conceivably could have caused these complications.

Over the past few years innovation has become a major subject of discussion in the press, academia, the halls of government and corporate offices.

The following paper delineates issues related to state licensing for pastoral counselors from the perspective that pastoral counseling is a function of ministry, and accountability is appropriately to the denomination or faith group of the pastoral counselor. It highlights the issue of state licensing on the one side, and the question of ordination on the other. A two-pronged appeal is made to pastoral counselors to be more involved in the educating and informing tasks in relationship to denominations and faith groups, and, when possible, to work for adequate legislation to exempt pastoral counselors from mandatory licensing.

To date, computer-aided manufacturing for printed circuit boards (CAM for PCBs) has primarily meant numerically controlled drilling and component insertion. Numerical control is a technique where a computer-based controller reads a program, which is a sequential list of detailed codes, and translates the individual steps in the program into commands for a machine tool. When a PCB is designed on a computer-aided design system (CAD) a database exists which is a description of the board. CAD/CAM is having a computer extract information from the CAD database and generate the NC program.

Methyl 2-cyanoacrylate * polymerizes fairly rapidly in the presence of heat, pressure, slightly moist alkaline substances, ionizing radiation, etc. On polymerization it becomes densely adherent to glass, steel, wood, protein, and many other materials. Because of these qualities it has been used as an adhesive in a wide variety of adherend combinations.10In recent years it has been used experimentally in surgery for the cementing of the skin,2,3,11intestines,21kidney,19conjunctiva,4arteries,5-9, 12,14,20veins,13,14bronchi,15and bone.18. It has been used as an adhesive in cementing patches of muscle, vessel walls, and Teflon over defects in blood vessels, dura,1,5,8,9and so on. It causes rapid coagulation of the blood as well as adherence of the blood vessel walls to each other and, by virtue of this fact, it has also been used in experimental hemostasis.16,17 In most of the trials