bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ler ciencia no Brasil do seculo XIX: a Revista Popular, 1859-1862
Authors: Venancio Giselle Martins
Published: January 2014

O objetivo deste texto é analisar como as questões referentes à vulgarização da ciência eram tratadas por um periódico brasileiro do século XIX, a Revista Popular , editada pela Livraria e Casa Editorial Garnier, entre 1859 e 1862. São investigadas as seções relacionadas a esse assunto, analisados os prólogos, identificados os temas tratados na revista em relação às comissões e viagens de exploração científica do território brasileiro, bem como levantados os autores e editores do periódico. A análise aponta para conclusões que evidenciam o importante papel ocupado pela revista na difusão de informações sobre o delineamento de uma possível ciência nacional para um público mais amplo do que aquele formado pelos círculos estritamente intelectuais.
Ciência, estética e raça: observando imagens e textos no periódico O Brasil Médico , 1928-1945
Authors: Silva Eliana Gesteira da , Fonseca Alexandre Brasil
Published: January 2014

Aborda formações discursivas sobre raça e eugenia em textos e imagens de O Brasil Médico , entre 1928 e 1945. A análise documental inspirada na perspectiva teórico-metodológica de Foucault, especialmente em sua concepção de biopolítica, encontrou referências aos problemas eugênicos da população brasileira e um conjunto de ilustrações, em sua maioria fotografias de corpos negros. Constatou-se a contradição de se promover um discurso universalista sobre raça concomitante aos discursos eugênicos e biotipológicos que revelavam preocupação com a degeneração na formação da raça brasileira. Os discursos descreviam um tipo racial brasileiro idealizado a partir de um padrão de normalidade física e moral como modelo adequado ao projeto de desenvolvimento e modernização da nação.
Floriano de Lemos no Correio da Manhã, 1906-1965
Authors: Campos Raquel Discini de
Published: January 2014

O artigo discorre sobre a vida e a obra do médico e jornalista carioca Floriano de Lemos, trazendo a lume sua vasta produção como cronista do Correio da Manhã, jornal de significativa importância na história brasileira da primeira metade do século XX. Apresenta temas recorrentemente discutidos por esse intelectual – personagem que pode ser caracterizado como polígrafo e moderno – tal como se dá a ver na coluna “Crônica científica”, publicada aos domingos no suplemento literário do Correio. Analisa, além disso, a trajetória do autor, situando-a como historicamente relevante pelo que ela tem de singular, mas, sobretudo, pelo que revela acerca da cultura intelectual do período.
Review: computer vision applied to the inspection and quality control of fruits and vegetables
Authors: Saldaña Erick , Siche Raúl , Luján Mariano , Quevedo Roberto
Published: January 2014

This is a review of the current existing literature concerning the inspection of fruits and vegetables with the application of computer vision, where the techniques most used to estimate various properties related to quality are analyzed. The objectives of the typical applications of such systems include the classification, quality estimation according to the internal and external characteristics, supervision of fruit processes during storage or the evaluation of experimental treatments. In general, computer vision systems do not only replace manual inspection, but can also improve their skills. In conclusion, computer vision systems are powerful tools for the automatic inspection of fruits and vegetables. In addition, the development of such systems adapted to the food industry is fundamental to achieve competitive advantages.
Total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content and mineral elements in the fruit peel of Myrciaria cauliflora
Authors: Araújo Clináscia Rodrigues Rocha , Silva Thiago de Mello , Lopes Monica , Villela Paula , Alcântara Antônio Flávio de Carvalho , Dessimoni-Pinto Nísia Andrade Villela
Published: January 2014

The in vitro antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content and mineral elements of the fruit peel of Myrciaria cauliflora were investigated. The antioxidant capacity was analyzed by the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and β-carotene methods. The assays based on the DPPH (EC50 = 3.18 g sample/g DPPH), ABTS•+ (1017 μmol Trolox/g sample), FRAP (1676 µM Fe2SO4/g sample) and β-carotene/linoleic acid (70% of oxidation inhibition) methods indicated a high antioxidant capacity of the fruit peel extract of the plant. The Folin-Denis method was more efficient in determining the total phenolic compound contents in the different solvents than the Folin-Ciocalteu one. Extractions made with 4:1 methanol-water, 4:1 ethanol-water, 3:2 ethanol-water and 3:2 acetone-water solutions using the Folin-Denis method exhibited high contents of phenolic compounds (18.95, 14.06, 12.93 and 11.99 mg GAE/g, respectively). Potassium was the major element found in the fruit peel, followed by phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron, in that order. As a result, the fruit peel of M. cauliflora can be considered as an important source of natural antioxidants and essential elements of easy access for the population and for application in the food industry.
Avaliação do padrão estafilococos coagulase positiva estabelecido pela legislação brasileira para massas alimentícias
Authors: Resta Mário Sérgio Azevedo , Oliveira Tereza Cristina Rocha Moreia de
Published: January 2014

A multiplicacão de Staphylococcus aureus e a produção de enterotoxinas estafilocócicas dependem de fatores intrínsecos e da temperatura de armazenamento dos alimentos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi discutir o padrão estafilococos coagulase positiva (ECP) para massas alimentícias, estabelecido pela RDC n.º 12 de 2001 da ANVISA, baseando-se nos resultados de atividade de água (a w), potencial hidrogeniônico (pH) e contagem de ECP. Cinquenta amostras de 25 tipos de massas de treze marcas diferentes foram analisadas. A contagem de ECP de todas as amostras foi menor que 10 Unidades Formadoras de Colônia por grama (UFC/g), inferior a 5,0 × 10³ UFC/g, estabelecido como limite máximo pela legislação. As médias de a w das massas secas com e sem recheio variaram entre 0,70 e 0,61, respectivamente, o que impossibilita a multiplicação de ECP e produção de toxina. Por outro lado, a média de a w das massas frescas foi de 0,96, o que propicia o desenvolvimento desse padrão microbiológico. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho indicam que a a w poderia ser utilizada como parâmetro para determinar em quais tipos de massas o padrão ECP deveria ser pesquisado, ou seja, para massas alimentícias cruas que possibilitassem a multiplicação de Staphylococcus spp. (a w > 0,86).
Translation, adaptation, and preliminary validation of the Brazilian version of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01)
Authors: Baraldi Gisele da Silva , Rojahn Johannes , Seabra Alessandra Gotuzo , Carreiro Luiz Renato Rodrigues , Teixeira Maria Cristina Triguero Veloz
Published: January 2014

Introduction: Children with atypical development often present behavior problems that impair their psychosocial adaptation. Objective: To describe the cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01), as well as preliminary indicators of instrument reliability and validity. Methods: The process involved translation, back-translation, and cultural adaptation of the instrument. Psychometric properties (reliability and validity) were assessed comparing scores obtained with the BPI-01, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children and Adults, the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (CBCL/6-18), and the Autism Screening Questionnaire (ASQ). The sample comprised 60 children (30 typically developing and 30 atypically developing). Results: The cultural adaptation process was considered adequate. Internal consistency of the BPI-01 was satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.65 for the self-injurious behavior scale, 0.82 for stereotyped behaviors, and 0.91 for aggressive/destructive behaviors. Considering a mean frequency of 0.5, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed 80% sensitivity and 3% specificity in the stereotyped behavior scale, 50 and 10% in aggressive/destructive behaviors, and 76 and 6% in self-injurious behaviors, respectively. Low-to-moderate correlations were observed between BPI-01, ASQ, and CBCL/6-18 scores. Conclusion: BPI-01 showed good psychometric properties, with satisfactory preliminary indicators of reliability, convergent validity, and sensitivity for the diagnosis of atypical development.
The safety record of timber railway bridges in the UK: 1840–1870
Authors: Bill Nicholas
Published: January 2014

The nineteenth century saw numerous bridge failures across the UK, Europe and North America as engineers struggled to master the difficulties of constructing in iron, particularly cast iron. Following the collapse of Robert Stephenson's (1803–1859) Dee Bridge in 1848, engineers have focused on these disasters in order to improve both safety and the overall performance of bridges. In comparison, little attention has been paid to the safety record of the thousands of timber railway bridges built across the UK. This paper seeks to readdress this imbalance. Drawing upon primary sources, it provides the first comprehensive review of the safety record of timber railway bridges constructed between 1840 and 1870. It discusses the perceptions of contemporary engineers and the general public, focusing on issues regarding material selection and their ongoing assessment and maintenance. It also highlights the safety advantages of certain bridge types, particularly where engineers faced geotechnical problems, such as slips and subsidence of embankments. By documenting the accidents associated with timber bridges, it is shown that despite problems with decay, the threat of fire and problems under dynamic loading, timber bridges were considerably safer than cast-iron bridges. Of the thousands constructed in the UK, none failed under service.
When things go wrong: intra‐season dynamics of breeding failure in a seabird
Authors: Ponchon A. , Grémillet D. , Christensen-Dalsgaard S. , Erikstad K. E. , Barrett R. T. , Reiertsen T. K. , McCoy K. D. , Tveraa T. , Boulinier T.
Published: January 2014

During breeding, long‐lived species face important time and energy constraints that can lead to breeding failure when food becomes scarce. Despite the potential implications of intra‐season dynamics in breeding failure for individual behavior, carry‐over effects, dispersal decisions and population dynamics, little information is currently available on these dynamics at fine temporal scales. Here, we monitored the foraging behavior and the proportion of successful black‐legged kittiwake pairs from nest construction to chick fledging in a colony of the southern Barents Sea, to relate foraging effort to the dynamics of breeding failure over an entire breeding season, and to infer the environmental conditions leading to this failure. Specifically, we tracked kittiwakes with GPS and satellite tags during incubation and early chick‐rearing to document nest attendance, foraging range, time budgets and daily energy expenditures (DEE). We also monitored diet changes over time. We predicted that breeding failure would follow a non‐linear trend characterized by a break point after which breeding success would drop abruptly and would be related to a substantial increase in foraging effort. Kittiwakes showed contrasting foraging patterns between incubation and chick‐rearing: they extended their foraging range from 20 km during incubation to more than 450 km during chick‐rearing and switched diet. They also increased their DEE and readjusted their time budgets by increasing time spent at sea. These changes corresponded to a break point in breeding dynamics beyond which the proportion of successful pairs abruptly dropped. At the end of the season, less than 10% of kittiwake pairs raised chicks in the monitored plots. This integrative study confirms that breeding failure is a non‐linear process characterized by a threshold beyond which individuals face an energetic trade‐off and cannot simultaneously sustain high reproductive and self‐maintenance efforts. In this way, the occurrence of sudden environmental changes complicates our ability to predict population dynamics and poses conservation challenges.
Previous Exposure to HCV Among Persons Born During 1945–1965: Prevalence and Predictors, United States, 1999–2008
Authors: Smith Bryce D. , Beckett Geoff A. , Yartel Anthony , Holtzman Deborah , Patel Nita , Ward John W.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We examined HCV exposure prevalence and predictors among persons in the United States born during 1945–1965.

Methods. With data from the 1999–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we calculated the proportion of persons born during 1945–1965 who tested positive for HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and analyzed the prevalence by sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors.

Results. Anti-HCV prevalence in the 1945–1965 birth cohort was 3.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.8%, 3.8%), substantially higher than among other adults (0.9%). Within the cohort, anti-HCV prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic Blacks (6.4%; 95% CI = 5.3%, 7.7%), persons with injection drug use histories (56.8%; 95% CI = 48.4%, 64.8%), and persons with elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (12.7%; 95% CI = 10.7%, 15.1%). Injection drug use (adjusted odds ratio = 98.4; 95% CI = 58.8, 164.5) was the strongest anti-HCV prevalence predictor. Among anti-HCV–positive persons, 57.8% reported having 2 or more alcoholic drinks daily.

Conclusions. With the high prevalence of HCV among persons born during 1945–1965, the increasing morbidity and mortality associated with HCV, and reductions in liver cancer and HCV-related mortality when HCV is eradicated, it is critically important to identify persons with HCV and link them to appropriate care.
Preparedness for Natural Disasters Among Older US Adults: A Nationwide Survey
Authors: Al-rousan Tala M. , Rubenstein Linda M. , Wallace Robert B.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents.

Methods. We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness.

Results. Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness.

Conclusions. Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.
Impact of Alabama’s Immigration Law on Access to Health Care Among Latina Immigrants and Children: Implications for National Reform
Authors: White Kari , Yeager Valerie A. , Menachemi Nir , Scarinci Isabel C.
Published: January 2014

We conducted in-depth interviews in May to July 2012 to evaluate the effect of Alabama’s 2011 omnibus immigration law on Latina immigrants and their US- and foreign-born children’s access to and use of health services.

The predominant effect of the law on access was a reduction in service availability. Affordability and acceptability of care were adversely affected because of economic insecurity and women’s increased sense of discrimination. Nonpregnant women and foreign-born children experienced the greatest barriers, but pregnant women and mothers of US-born children also had concerns about accessing care.

The implications of restricting access to health services and the potential impact this has on public health should be considered in local and national immigration reform discussions.
“A Breath of Fresh Air Worth Spreading”: Media Coverage of Retailer Abandonment of Tobacco Sales
Authors: McDaniel Patricia A. , Offen Naphtali , Yerger Valerie B. , Malone Ruth E.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. Media play an important role in the diffusion of innovations by spreading knowledge of their relative advantages. We examined media coverage of retailers abandoning tobacco sales to explore whether this innovation might be further diffused by media accounts.

Methods. We searched online media databases (Lexis Nexis, Proquest, and Access World News) for articles published from 1995 to 2011, coding retrieved items through a collaborative process. We analyzed the volume, type, provenance, prominence, and content of coverage.

Results. We found 429 local and national news items. Two retailers who were the first in their category to end tobacco sales received the most coverage and the majority of prominent coverage. News items cited positive potential impacts of the decision more often than negative potential impacts, and frequently referred to tobacco-caused disease, death, or addiction. Letters to the editor and editorials were overwhelmingly supportive.

Conclusions. The content of media coverage about retailers ending tobacco sales could facilitate broader diffusion of this policy innovation, contributing to the denormalization of tobacco and moving society closer to ending the tobacco epidemic. Media advocacy could increase and enhance such coverage.
Determinants of Receipt of Recommended Preventive Services: Implications for the Affordable Care Act
Authors: McMorrow Stacey , Kenney Genevieve M. , Goin Dana
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We examined preventive care use by nonelderly adults (aged 18–64 years) before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and considered the contributions of insurance coverage and other factors to service use patterns.

Methods. We used data from the 2005–2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to measure the receipt of 8 recommended preventive services. We examined gaps in receipt of services for adults with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level compared with higher incomes. We then used a regression-based decomposition analysis to consider factors that explain the gaps in service use by income.

Results. There were large income-related disparities in preventive care receipt for nonelderly adults. Differences in insurance coverage explain 25% to 40% of the disparities in preventive service use by income, but education, age, and health status are also important drivers.

Conclusions. Expanding coverage to lower-income adults through the ACA is expected to increase their preventive care use. However, the importance of education, age, and health status in explaining income-related gaps in service use indicates that the ACA cannot address all barriers to preventive care and additional interventions may be necessary.
Body Mass Index and Risk of Death in Asian Americans
Authors: Park Yikyung , Wang Sophia , Kitahara Cari M. , Moore Steven C. , Berrington de Gonzalez Amy , Bernstein Leslie , Chang Ellen T. , Flint Alan J. , Freedman D. Michal , Gaziano J. Michael , Hoover Robert N. , Linet Martha S. , Purdue Mark , Robien Kim , Schairer Catherine , Sesso Howard D. , White Emily , Willcox Bradley J. , Thun Michael J. , Hartge Patricia , Willett Walter C.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality among Asian Americans.

Methods. We pooled data from prospective cohort studies with 20 672 Asian American adults with no baseline cancer or heart disease history. We estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with Cox proportional hazards models.

Results. A high, but not low, BMI was associated with increased risk of total mortality among individuals aged 35 to 69 years. The BMI was not related to total mortality among individuals aged 70 years and older. With a BMI 22.5 to < 25 as the reference category among never-smokers aged 35 to 69 years, the hazard ratios for total mortality were 0.83 (95% CI = 0.47, 1.47) for BMI 15 to < 18.5; 0.91 (95% CI = 0.62, 1.32) for BMI 18.5 to < 20; 1.08 (95% CI = 0.86, 1.36) for BMI 20 to < 22.5; 1.14 (95% CI = 0.90, 1.44) for BMI 25 to < 27.5; 1.13 (95% CI = 0.79, 1.62) for BMI 27.5 to < 30; 1.82 (95% CI = 1.25, 2.64) for BMI 30 to < 35; and 2.09 (95% CI = 1.06, 4.11) for BMI 35 to 50. Higher BMI was also related to increased cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

Conclusions. High BMI is associated with increased mortality risk among Asian Americans.
Early Effects of the San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Policy
Authors: Colla Carrie H. , Dow William H. , Dube Arindrajit , Lovell Vicky
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We examined employers’ responses to San Francisco, California’s 2007 Paid Sick Leave Ordinance.

Methods. We used the 2009 Bay Area Employer Health Benefits Survey to describe sick leave policy changes and the policy’s effects on firm (n = 699) operations.

Results. The proportion of firms offering paid sick leave in San Francisco grew from 73% in 2006 to 91% in 2009, with large firms (99%) more likely to offer sick leave than are small firms (86%) in 2009. Most firms (57%) did not make any changes to their sick leave policy, although 17% made a major change to sick leave policy to comply with the law. Firms beginning to offer sick leave reported reductions in other benefits (39%), worse profitability (32%), and increases in prices (18%) but better employee morale (17%) and high support for the policy (71%). Many employers (58%) reported some difficulty understanding legal requirements, complying administratively, or reassigning work responsibilities.

Conclusions. There was a substantial increase in paid sick leave coverage after the mandate. Employers reported some difficulties in complying with the law but supported the policy overall.
Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of an HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk-Reduction Intervention for South African Men
Authors: Jemmott John B. , Jemmott Loretta S. , O’Leary Ann , Ngwane Zolani , Icard Larry D. , Heeren G. Anita , Mtose Xoliswa , Carty Craig
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We tested the efficacy of a sexual risk-reduction intervention for men in South Africa, where heterosexual exposure is the main mode of HIV transmission.

Methods. Matched-pairs of neighborhoods in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, were randomly selected and within pairs randomized to 1 of 2 interventions based on social cognitive theory and qualitative research: HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk-reduction, targeting condom use, or attention-matched control, targeting health issues unrelated to sexual risks. Sexually active men aged 18 to 45 years were eligible. The primary outcome was consistent condom use in the past 3 months.

Results. Of 1181 participants, 1106 (93.6%) completed the 12-month follow-up. HIV and STI risk-reduction participants had higher odds of reporting consistent condom use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03, 1.71) and condom use at last vaginal intercourse (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.82) than did attention-control participants, adjusting for baseline prevalence. No differences were observed on unprotected intercourse or multiple partnerships. Findings did not differ for sex with steady as opposed to casual partners.

Conclusions. Behavioral interventions specifically targeting men can contribute to efforts to reduce sexual risk behaviors in South Africa.
Global Childhood Unintentional Injury Study: Multisite Surveillance Data
Authors: He Siran , Lunnen Jeffrey C. , Puvanachandra Prasanthi , Amar-Singh  , Zia Nukhba , Hyder Adnan A.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We aimed to analyze the epidemiology of childhood unintentional injuries presenting to hospitals in 5 select sites in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Malaysia, and Pakistan).

Methods. We collected standardized data from children ages 0 to 12 years at participating emergency departments (EDs) in 2007. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the characteristics of these injuries and to explore the determinants of injury outcomes.

Results. Among 2686 injured children, falls (50.4%) and road traffic injuries (16.4%) were the most common, affecting boys more often (64.7%). Home injuries were more common among younger children (average 5.41 vs 7.06 years) and girls (38.2% vs 31.7%). Following an ED visit, 24% of injured children were admitted to the hospital, and 6 died. Injury outcomes were associated with risk factors, such as age and sex, to varying extents.

Conclusions. Standardized ED surveillance revealed unintentional injuries are a threat to child health. The majority of events took place inside the home, challenging traditional concepts of children’s safety and underscoring the need for intensified context-appropriate injury prevention.
The High Prevalence of Incarceration History Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States: Associations and Implications
Authors: Brewer Russell A. , Magnus Manya , Kuo Irene , Wang Lei , Liu Ting-Yuan , Mayer Kenneth H.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. We examined lifetime incarceration history and its association with key characteristics among 1553 Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) recruited in 6 US cities.

Methods. We conducted bivariate analyses of data collected from the HIV Prevention Trials Network 061 study from July 2009 through December 2011 to examine the relationship between incarceration history and demographic and psychosocial variables predating incarceration and multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore the associations between incarceration history and demographic and psychosocial variables found to be significant. We then used multivariate logistic regression models to explore the independent association between incarceration history and 6 outcome variables.

Results. After adjusting for confounders, we found that increasing age, transgender identity, heterosexual or straight identity, history of childhood violence, and childhood sexual experience were significantly associated with incarceration history. A history of incarceration was also independently associated with any alcohol and drug use in the past 6 months.

Conclusions. The findings highlight an elevated lifetime incarceration history among a geographically diverse sample of BMSM and the need to adequately assess the impact of incarceration among BMSM in the United States.
Public Health and Climate Change Adaptation at the Federal Level: One Agency’s Response to Executive Order 13514
Authors: Hess Jeremy J. , Schramm Paul J. , Luber George
Published: January 2014

Climate change will likely have adverse human health effects that require federal agency involvement in adaptation activities.

In 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. The order required federal agencies to develop and implement climate change adaptation plans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of a larger Department of Health and Human Services response to climate change, is developing such plans.

We provide background on Executive Orders, outline tenets of climate change adaptation, discuss public health adaptation planning at both the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC, and outline possible future CDC efforts. We also consider how these activities may be better integrated with other adaptation activities that manage emerging health threats posed by climate change.
Sugary Beverage Tax Policy: Lessons Learned From Tobacco
Authors: Pomeranz Jennifer L.
Published: January 2014

Excise taxes on sugary beverages have been proposed as a method to replicate the public health success of tobacco control and to generate revenue. As policymakers increase efforts to pass sugary beverage taxes, they can anticipate that manufacturers will emulate the strategies employed by tobacco companies in their attempts to counteract the impact of such taxes. Policymakers should therefore consider 2 complementary laws—minimum price laws and prohibitions on coupons and discounting—to accomplish the intended price increase.
Microbial Community Composition across the Great Plains
Authors: McCulley R. L. , Burke I. C.
Published: January 2014

Rates of nutrient cycling vary across landscape and regional scales. This biogeochemical variability can be partially attributed to patterns in plant community characteristics and abiotic and edaphic conditions across topographic gradients at the landscape‐scale or across regional climatic gradients. However, it is also possible that concomitant changes in the microbial communities performing these biogeochemical processes occur across the same spatial scales and may therefore contribute to the observed biogeochemical trends. To assess patterns of microbial community composition across regional and landscape scales, we sampled upland and lowland topographic positions at three grassland communities spanning a 500‐mm regional precipitation gradient across the central Great Plains. Soil microbial community composition and biomass were determined using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Microbial biomass increased across the regional gradient, and different microbial communities were associated with the different grassland community types. The relative abundance of fungi decreased while gram‐negative anaerobic bacteria increased from shortgrass steppe to tallgrass prairie. There were no differences in microbial biomass at the landscape‐scale, and the only alteration in microbial community composition between upland and lowland landscape positions was a shift toward more nonspecific bacteria in lowlands. The fact that the trends in microbial biomass and community composition at the landscape‐scale were less pronounced suggests that variability in microbial community composition is larger regionally across the Great Plains than landscape variability associated with topographical features at any particular site. Alterations in the microbial community may play a role in determining the biogeochemical patterns of grasslands in the Great Plains region.
Microbial and Microfaunal Community Dynamics in Artificial and Lumbricus terrestris (L.) Burrows
Authors: Savin Mary C. , Görres Josef H. , Amador José A.
Published: January 2014

Macropore formation and litter incorporation are two results of earthworm [Lumbricus terrestris (L.)] activities that can influence trophic dynamics inside burrows. Thus, mesocosms were constructed to examine changes in microbial biomass and microfaunal communities inside artificial compared with earthworm burrows. Four treatments were established: (i) no worms (CTRL); (ii) unlined, artificial burrows (ARTF); (iii) corn (Zea mays L.) leaf litter‐lined, artificial burrows (LEAF); and (iv) Lumbricus terrestris (L.) burrows (WORM). There were no consistent differences in community structures between unlined, artificial burrows and control soils during a 16‐wk incubation. In contrast, protozoan numbers were elevated throughout the experiment in LEAF and WORM. A succession of nematode abundances occurred in LEAF, with plant parasitic and Tylenchid nematode numbers peaking at 5 wk, followed by high bacterivorous and fungivorous nematode numbers. In WORM, bacterivorous nematode numbers and active bacterial biomass were elevated for 1 and 3 wk, respectively, before declining. Active fungal biomass increased in WORM, whereas fungivorous nematodes were inhibited in earthworm burrows. While litter incorporation appeared to accelerate the rate of trophic interactions in artificial burrows, the effects of earthworms appeared to transcend that of litter translocation into soil, with earthworms differentially selecting for particular food web dynamics.
Characterization of Soil Amended with the By‐Product of Corn Stover Fermentation
Authors: Johnson Jane M. F. , Reicosky Don , Sharratt Brenton , Lindstrom Michael , Voorhees Ward , Carpenter-Boggs Lynne
Published: January 2014

Corn (Zea mays L.) stover is a potential biofuel; however, removing this stover from the land may increase the risk of erosion and reduce soil organic matter (SOM). Land application of corn stover fermentation by‐product, which is about 70% lignin, may reduce the environmental risk from biofuel harvest by helping to stabilize soil structure. A column study, with soil collected from a toeslope (noneroded, Svea; fine loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Hapludoll) and a shoulder slope (severely eroded, Langhei; fine loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Eutrudepts) was conducted to evaluate the effect of fermentation by‐product on soil properties. Soil was either not amended (control) or amended with corn stover or by‐product at 0.75, 3.0, and 6.1 g kg−1 Soils were incubated for 123 d at ambient temperature in a laboratory, with an initial water‐filled pore space (WFPS) of 0.6 m3 m−3 and drying cycles to 0.35 m3 m−3 WFPS. Compared with the control, amending soil with 6.1 g by‐product kg−1 increased CO2 flux by 68% and increased soluble C and microbial biomass C by about 20%. In the severely eroded soil, humic acid concentration (r2 = 0.97, p = 0.009) and aggregate stability (r2 = 0.98, p = 0.005) increased linearly with increased by‐product concentration. Water‐holding capacity, bulk density, and aggregate distribution were not changed by soil amendments. Careful management of stover removal (avoiding eroded or erosion prone areas) and selective placement and rates of the by‐product will contribute to a sustainable use of corn stover for ethanol production.
Carbon and Nitrogen Pools in a Tallgrass Prairie Soil under Elevated Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Williams M. A. , Rice C. W. , Omay A. , Owensby C.
Published: January 2014

Soil is a potential C sink and could offset rising atmospheric CO2The capacity of soils to store and sequester C will depend on the rate of C inputs from plant productivity relative to C exports controlled by microbial decomposition. Our objective was to measure pools of soil C and N to assess the potential for C accrual and changes to N stocks as influenced by elevated atmospheric CO2Treatments (three replications, randomized complete block design) were ambient CO2—no chamber (NC), ambient CO2—chamber (AC), and two times ambient CO2—chamber (EC). Long‐term (290 d) incubations (35°C) were conducted to assess changes in the slow soil fractions of potentially mineralizable C (PMC) and potentially mineralizable N (PMN). Potentially mineralizable C was enhanced (P< 0.1) by 19 and 24% in EC relative to AC and NC soil at the 0‐ to 5‐ and 5‐ to 15‐cm depths, respectively. Potentially mineralizable N was significantly greater by 14% at the 0‐ to 5‐cm depth in EC relative to AC, but decreased by 12% in EC relative to NC (P< 0.1). Measurements of PMC indicate that increases in total soil C under elevated CO2in a previous study were a consequence of accrual into the slow pool. Relatively large amounts of new C deposited as a result of elevated CO2(Cnew) remained in the soil after the 290‐d incubation. In contrast to accumulation of C into the slow fraction, Cnewwas integrated into a passive fraction of soil organic matter (SOM). Accumulation of N was also detected in the whole soil, which cannot be explained by current estimates of ecosystem N flux.
Biosolids Processing Effects on First‐ and Second‐Year Available Nitrogen
Authors: Cogger Craig G. , Bary Andy I. , Sullivan Dan M. , Myhre Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2014

Simple, reliable estimates of biosolids N availability are needed to develop land application programs that will benefit crops without risk of excess nitrate leaching. This study was conducted to assess the effect of biosolids processing on plant available nitrogen (PAN) release during the first and second growing seasons after application. We compared 14 sources of biosolids and a range of inorganic N rates in two replicated field experiments on established tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). The biosolids encompassed a range of treatment and dewatering/drying processes. A single biosolids application was made in May of the first year, and tall fescue yield and N uptake were measured by harvest for the next two growing seasons. Inorganic N was split across multiple applications each year. Fertilizer efficiency regression equations were developed for the inorganic N treatments, and used to calculate biosolids PAN from N uptake data. Year 1 PAN was similar across a range of biosolids treatment processes. For nonlagoon biosolids, PAN averaged 37 ± 5% of total biosolids N. Lagoon biosolids PAN ranged from 8 to 25% of total N, with the oldest, most stable biosolids having the lowest PAN. Year 2 PAN averaged 13 ± 2% for nonlagoon biosolids, excluding heat‐dried materials, which were lower (5 to 8%). Our calculations indicated that about half of the Year 2 PAN became available during the cool season, suggesting that winter cover cropping may be needed to reduce the potential for nitrate leaching loss in summer annual cropping systems.
Susceptibility to Compaction, Load Support Capacity, and Soil Compressibility of Hapludox
Authors: Imhoff Silvia , Da Silva Alvaro Pires , Fallow David
Published: January 2014

Models that integrate the influence of soil intrinsic attributes on the estimation of soil compaction are scarce for Hapludox. The present study tested the hypothesis that the compressive behavior of Hapludox with wide variations in intrinsic soil attributes can be estimated based on pedotransfer functions (PTFs). The general goal of this research was to determine the effect of intrinsic soil attributes on the susceptibility to compaction, preconsolidation pressure and compression curve of Hapludox, and to develop PTFs that allow the estimation of these parameters based on easily measurable soil attributes. The study was conducted on a soil toposequence that includes a sandy Typic Hapludox, a loamy Typic Hapludox, and a clayey Rhodic Hapludox. The uniaxial compression test was applied to 50 undisturbed soil samples at matric potential values of −10 and −100 kPa. After load withdrawal, soil bulk density, void ratio, gravimetric soil water content, particle‐size distribution, particle density, and organic matter were determined. The compression curves, the compression index, and the preconsolidation pressure were obtained. The relationship between the compression index, soil bulk density, and clay content was statistically significant with R2 = 0.77. Organic matter and soil water content did not affect the compression index. The preconsolidation pressure was significantly related with soil bulk density, soil water content, and clay content (R2 = 0.70), but was unaffected by organic matter. Soil compressibility was dependent on soil bulk density. A nonlinear model fitted the data with R2 = 0.90 allowing to predict the compressibility of soils for a wide range of stresses and inherent soil properties.
Soil Organic Carbon Content in Frigid Southern Appalachian Mountain Soils
Authors: Miller Jarrod O. , Galbraith John M. , Daniels W. Lee
Published: January 2014

Limited information is available on soil organic C (SOC) sequestered in frigid soils of the southern Appalachians, although the soils in frigid areas probably hold more SOC than warmer soils in the region. This study determined SOC in high‐elevation (>1300 m) soils across northeast (N) and southwest (S) aspects and across three slope classes (7–15, 15–35, and 35–55%) per aspect in the Ridge and Valley of southwest Virginia. Overall, rock fragment content and bulk densities were lower, B‐horizon SOC was higher, and sola were shallower than reported in similar regional studies. The A horizons were thicker on N versus S aspects, as were the sola (57 vs. 47 cm). Sola were 50% thicker on N35 to N55% sites than on S35 to S55% sites (65 vs. 44 cm). The S35 to S55% sites had the thickest litter but the thinnest A horizons, and were characterized by the highest C/N ratio and least incorporation of leaf litter. The study area average mass SOC was 112 Mg ha−1 More mass SOC was retained on S than N aspects in litter layers but less was retained in the A horizons and whole solum (99 vs. 127 Mg ha−1). There was less solum mass SOC on S7 to S15% and S35 to S55% sites than on N15 to N35% or N35 to N55% sites. The results reinforce the importance of using mass SOC rather than SOC concentration in regional SOC studies and demonstrate that steep northeast‐facing slopes in frigid Appalachian landscapes have the highest mass SOC and highest potential for sequestering organic C in the soil.
Nitrogen Mineralization Following Vegetation Control and Fertilization in a 14‐Year‐Old Loblolly Pine Plantation
Authors: Gurlevik Nevzat , Kelting Daniel L. , Allen H. Lee
Published: January 2014

Vegetation control (VC) and fertilization (FR) can change N availability in southern pine plantations, but the magnitude, duration, and reasons for change are not fully understood. The effects of a factorial combination of vegetation control (none vs. complete) and fertilization (none vs. 224 kg N ha−1 and 56 kg P ha−1) on net N mineralization and soil temperature and moisture were investigated in a 14‐yr‐old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation located on the Piedmont of North Carolina. Net N mineralization and soil temperature and moisture were measured monthly for 2 yr beginning in July 1998, four months after the treatments were applied. A companion aerobic laboratory incubation study of field‐moist soil was conducted at 28°C during the second year. Vegetation control increased soil temperature by 1.8°C during the growing season. Both vegetation control and fertilization increased field net N mineralization, and there was a strong positive interaction between the treatments. Net nitrification constituted 72% of net N mineralization for the combined treatment, and only 8% of net N mineralization for the other treatments. Seasonal patterns in net N mineralization were poorly correlated with soil temperature and moisture. The field and laboratory studies showed the same seasonal dynamics and magnitude of annual treatment effects on net N mineralization, suggesting other factors (e.g., labile C inputs) may be important in controlling net N mineralization.
Ammonia Volatilization and Selected Soil Characteristics Following Application of Anaerobically Digested Pig Slurry
Authors: Chantigny Martin H. , Rochette Philippe , Angers Denis A. , Massé Daniel , Côté Denis
Published: January 2014

Ammonia volatilization occurs shortly following land application of pig slurry. Several slurry and soil characteristics modulate the intensity of this process, and their net effect on volatilization is still hard to predict. Our aim was to compare volatilization following application of anaerobically stored (ASPS) and anaerobically digested (ADPS) pig slurry to a bare loamy soil (loamy, mixed, frigid, Aeric Haplaquept). Ammonia volatilization was measured using wind tunnels. Soil pH and water, NH+4, NO−3, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) contents were monitored in the 0‐ to 0.5‐, 0.5‐ to 2‐, 2‐ to 5‐, and 5‐ to 10‐cm soil layers to explain volatilization rates. Following slurry application, pH increased by 1 to 3 units in the top 2 cm of soil, resulting in high volatilization rates in the first 6 h of experiment. Thereafter, pH decreased more slowly in ASPS than ADPS plots, possibly due to the degradation of VFAs present in ASPS. After 2 d, 35% of slurry‐added NH+4–N was lost as NH3–N for both slurries, corresponding well to the net decrease found in soil NH+4–N content. After 9 d, net soil NH+4–N disappearance accounted for about 60% of slurry‐added NH+4–N for both slurries, whereas NH3–N losses represented only 40%. Therefore, for the first 2 d of the experiment NH3 volatilization explained most of the decline in soil NH+4 Afterwards, biological processes, such as immobilization and nitrification, were assumed to play a significant role in slurry NH+4 disappearance. Despite marked changes in slurry properties, anaerobic digestion did not significantly modify the proportion of slurry N that was lost as NH3 Ammonia volatilization was related mostly to soil pH and NH+4 content in the top 2 cm of soil. Below 5‐cm depth, slurry application had little effect on soil pH, water, VFA, or mineral N content. This finding stresses the importance of stratified soil sampling when studying the short‐term effects of pig slurry on NH3 volatilization and associated soil properties.
Splash–Saltation of Sand due to Wind‐Driven Rain
Authors: Cornelis Wim M. , Oltenfreiter Greet , Gabriels Donald , Hartmann Roger
Published: January 2014

Although transport of sediment under wind‐driven rains is generally not accounted for in equations for sediment transport by wind, the contribution of this rainsplash–saltation process can be substantial. Wind‐tunnel experiments, in which vertical deposition fluxes were measured at 23 distances from a sand tray, were conducted to study sediment transport under wind‐driven rain and rainless wind conditions. It was shown that the vertical deposition flux could be described by a double exponential equation. By integration of the vertical deposition flux over the distance of deposition, the sediment transport rate was computed. A power‐law function including both the normal component of the kinetic energy or momentum of the raindrops and the wind shear velocity was presented. However, including the wind shear velocity in the equation increased the model performance only slightly. When comparing the sediment transport rates as determined under the wind‐driven rain events with those that were observed when rain was absent, it was shown that in the latter case, the transport rate is much higher at high wind shear velocities. However, at low wind shear velocities and moisture conditions where no motion is predicted by aeolian equations, saltation due to rainsplash is likely to occur and can be predicted with the presented model.
Water Potential and Aggregate Size Effects on Contact Angle and Surface Energy
Authors: Goebel Marc-O. , Bachmann Joerg , Woche Susanne K. , Fischer Walter R. , Horton Robert
Published: January 2014

Soil wettability affects hydrological processes like infiltration, percolation, preferential flow, and surface runoff. Wettability is related to the soil‐water contact angle, which in turn depends on the solid surface free energy. Little is known, however, about contact angles and their dependence on soil water potential. The main objective of this study was therefore to investigate the dynamics of contact angle due to variation of the water potential. Aggregate fractions of 2‐ to 4‐, 1‐ to 2‐, and <1‐mm diameter and corresponding homogenized material of a subcritical water repellent Orthic Luvisol were studied at water potentials of −1000, −154, −30, and −0.14 MPa. Wettability was assessed in terms of the advancing contact angle by the capillary rise method (CRM). Additionally, we calculated the surface free energy. Results showed, that the contact angle increased as water potential increased to a specific level. It was found for several soil samples, that above this water potential level, the contact angle decreased again. The change of contact angle due to variation of water potential reached nearly 90° for one sample. Contact angles of homogenized fractions were slightly larger than those measured for the aggregate surfaces. Surface free energy was consistently between 55 and 65 mJ m−2 with relative contributions of the dispersion and polar components to surface free energy of approximately 1/3 and 2/3, respectively. We conclude, that the assessment and physical description of the specific water potential for which a surface becomes wettable is a key factor for a better understanding of soil wetting.