bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment and Management of Bleeding in the First Trimester of Pregnancy
Authors: Snell B. J.
Published: October 2009

Vaginal bleeding occurs in 15% to 25% of early pregnancies. While 50% of women who have vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy will continue to have a viable pregnancy, the event creates significant anxiety for the woman and can be managed in a multitude of ways. The 3 main differential diagnoses associated with vaginal bleeding are spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and gestational trophoblastic disease. This article reviews early pregnancy development, etiologies of vaginal bleeding in the first trimester, strategies for evaluation, and recognition and management of the main diagnostic considerations. Case study examples illustrating the complexity of the assessment and management of vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy are presented.
Midwifery Management of the Woman With an Eating Disorder in the Antepartum Period
Authors: Cantrell Cory , Kelley Tarra , McDermott Tanya
Published: October 2009

A 21‐year‐old gravida 1, para 0 at 11 weeks and 4/7 days by last normal menstrual period presented to our clinic for prenatal care. She has never had a serious illness, surgery, or hospitalization. Her family history was positive for chronic depression and substance abuse. Her psychological history was positive for bulimia nervosa, which she reported first developing at 18 years of age. Although she had been working with a therapist for the past couple of years, she reported binge eating 1 to 2 times a week and compensatory behaviors, including excessive exercise, laxative use, fasting, and self‐induced vomiting. She denied suicidal and homicidal ideation. She reported that her boyfriend and family provided a good social support system. Over the past few weeks, she had experienced symptoms of fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, but she denied dizziness and hyperemesis. The physical examination revealed that her vital signs were stable, and all systems were found to be normal, with uterine size equal to dates. She measured 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a prepregnancy weight of 127 pounds and a body mass index (BMI) of 20.5. She estimated gaining about 5 pounds since becoming pregnant. Moderate ketones were noted on urine dipstick. Laboratory values ordered at the first prenatal visit and at 28 weeks' gestation were all within normal limits, with the exception of a hemoglobin value of 11.6 and a hematocrit of 33.8 at 28 weeks' gestation, indicating mild anemia. The woman attended clinic regularly and had an uncomplicated prenatal course, gaining a total of 34 pounds. She was offered anticipatory guidance at each antepartum visit and was counseled by her midwife on nutrition and weight gain. She kept bimonthly appointments with her regular therapist throughout the duration of her pregnancy. While she attempted to refrain from binging and compensatory behaviors, she did not completely abstain, reporting an average of 1 to 3 binge eating episodes (followed by self‐induced vomiting or laxative use) per month. She gave birth vaginally to a healthy 8 lb, 5 oz baby boy at 40 weeks and 3/7 days without complications.
Biofilm presence in humans with chronic suppurative otitis media
Authors: Lee Michael Robert , Pawlowski Karen Sue , Luong Amber , Furze Alexis Dorian , Roland Peter Sargent
Published: October 2009

Objective

To study the presence of biofilm formation in humans with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM).

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Tertiary academic hospital.

Subjects and Methods

Patients undergoing middle ear surgery between July 2006 and March 2008. Tissue samples were obtained from 25 patients, of which 20 specimens were successfully processed for this study. The remaining samples were not analyzed due to sample damage or loss during preparation. Of the 20 specimens studied, 10 were harvested as the experimental group from patients with CSOM and the other 10 harvested as controls from patients undergoing otologic surgery for acoustic neuroma, cochlear implant, or routine tympanoplasty. Ages ranged from 26 to 74 years (mean 45 yrs). Male‐to‐female ratio was 2:3. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to identify the presence of biofilms. Live‐dead staining was used to assess whether bacteria present were viable. The outcome measured was the presence of adherent biofilms on middle ear mucosa.

Results

Biofilms were present in six of 10 samples (60%) from the CSOM group, but only in one of 10 control samples (10%). Comparative analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in the presence of biofilms in specimens from the CSOM group versus the control group.

Conclusion

Biofilms were statistically more common in patients with CSOM compared with control patients.
Complications/adverse effects of maxillomandibular advancement for the treatment of OSA in regard to outcome
Authors: Blumen Marc B. , Buchet Isabelle , Meulien Pierre , Hausser Hauw Chantal , Neveu Helene , Chabolle Frédéric
Published: October 2009

Objective

To evaluate adverse effects/postoperative complications and surgical response rate of maxillomandibular advancement for the treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department in a teaching hospital.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 59 consecutive severe sleep apnea patients underwent maxillomandibular advancement. Systemic complications were evaluated from medical charts. Functional adverse effects and cosmetic consequences were evaluated by questionnaires. The treatment outcome was assessed by polysomnography.

Results

Fifty patients were evaluated. They had a mean age of 46.4 ± 9.0 years. No serious postoperative complication was observed. The most frequent local complication was mental nerve sensory loss. Most patients reported cosmetic changes. The mean apnea‐hypopnea index decreased from 65.5 ± 26.7 per hour to 14.4 ± 14.5 per hour (P < 0.0001). Light‐sleep stages were also decreased (P < 0.0001), whereas deep‐sleep stages were increased (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Maxillomandibular advancement can induce local adverse effects and cosmetic changes, but they seem to be considered as secondary to the patients according to the surgical outcome.
Historical legacies and the size of the red-brown vote in post-communist politics
Authors: Ishiyama John
Published: October 2009

In this paper I examine the relatively under-investigated topic of how historical legacies shaped the emergence of the “Red-brown” political tendency in East-Central Europe and the former Soviet Union e which is sometimes referred to as “National Bolshevism” or “National Communism” or “Strasserism.” More specifically I ask the question, how do historical legacies help explain why extreme right wing voters support the successors to the formerly dominant communist parties (or what I refer to as the “red-brown” vote)? I find that the most important legacy variable that affects the red brown phenomenon is the legacy of the previous communist regime.
An overview of project finance binomial loan valuation
Authors: Winsen Joseph K.
Published: October 2009

Setting project financing parameters, such as the loan to valuation ratio, loan interest rate, repayment schedules, and fees, requires detailed modelling of the resulting credit risk in a non‐recourse setting. Structured credit risk models, based on the early work of Merton, have been developed in continuous time which can assist with project financing structuring. These models require a level of mathematical sophistication that may not always be available to those undertaking project financing analysis. This note provides an overview of a discrete time binomial approach to structural credit risk modelling, which enables project financing analysts a more accessible tool to evaluate project loan structures.
Changes in white muscle transcriptome induced by dietary energy levels in two lines of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) selected for muscle fat content
Authors: Kolditz Catherine-Ines , Plagnes-Juan Elisabeth , Quillet Edwige , Lefèvre Florence , Médale Françoise
Published: October 2009

Energy intake and genetic background are major determinants of muscle fat content in most animals, including man. We combined genetic selection and dietary energy supply to study the metabolic pathways involved in genetic and nutritional control of fat deposition in the muscle of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Two experimental lines of rainbow trout, selected for lean (L) or fat (F) muscle, were fed with diets containing either 10 or 23 % lipids from the first feeding, up to 6 months. At the end of the trial, trout exhibited very different values of muscle fat content (from 4·2 to 10·1 % wet weight). Using microarrays made from a rainbow trout multi-tissue cDNA library, we analysed the molecular changes occurring in the muscle of the two lines when fed the low-energy or high-energy diet. The results from microarray analysis revealed that eleven metabolism-related genes were differentially expressed according to the diet while selection resulted in expression change for twenty-six genes. The most striking observation was the increased level of transcripts encoding the VLDL receptor and fatty acid translocase/CD36 following both the high-fat diet and upward selection for muscle fat content, suggesting that these two genes are relevant molecular markers of fat deposition in the white muscle of rainbow trout.
HingeInflex: a MATLAB-based method for precise selection of the hinge and the inflection points in folds
Authors: SRIVASTAVA DEEPAK C. , RASTOGI VIPUL
Published: October 2009

Subjectivity in visual selection of hinge and inflection points leads to significant errors in analyses of fold shapes in profile sections. This article gives a method for precise determination of these points. The method: (1) imports a fold image into Matlab, (2) digitizes points on the image, (3) increases the number of available points by using an interpolation algorithm, (4) fits a polynomial curve to the points, and (5) searches for the hinge and the inflection points mathematically. Tests on several folds confirm that the ‘HingeInflex’ is a rapid, robust and user-friendly method for precise selection of the hinge and inflection points.
Ezekiel's Geometric Vision of the Restored Temple: From the Rod of His Wrath to the Reed of His Measuring
Authors: Simon Bennett
Published: October 2009

“I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of His wrath.” (Lam 3:1)

“Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area. The length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length; so he measured the thickness of the wall.” (Ezek 40:5)
Augustine's Mixed Feelings: Vergil's Aeneid and the Psalms of David in the Confessions
Authors: McCarthy Michael C.
Published: October 2009

The Aeneid of Vergil and the Psalter traditionally attributed to David so influenced Augustine's writing that one scholar has called the Confessions “a recapitulation of Vergilian epic in a Christian universe,” and another has described it as an “amplified Psalter.”1 Since both works permeate Augustine's narrative, classicists and theologians have long studied the place of the Aeneid and the Psalms in the Confessions, but never in relation to each other.2 Consequently, the dialogical quality of Augustine's text, which includes these radically divergent voices, has largely gone without comment. As paradigms of classical and biblical literature, however, the Aeneid and the Psalms contribute to the formation of the author's own voice and affections. Ancient readers, for instance, widely recognized Vergil's epic as the work of the summus poeta, a book with prophetic powers and the crown of Roman literature to be emulated by all Latin writers.3 Early Christians, in turn, regarded the Psalter as the fabric of constant prayer, a kind of compendium of all scripture pointing prophetically to Christ.4 Thus, the Confessions represent a struggle among powerful voices and emotions frequently operating at cross purposes.
An Ancient List of Christian Festivals in Toledot Yeshu: Polemics as Indication for Interaction
Authors: Stökl Ben Ezra Daniel
Published: October 2009

Calendars, liturgy, and especially festivals offer a convenient vantage point from which to analyze collective identities. They can provide access to group mentalities rather than to the ideas of individual intellectuals, which are often more or less confined to ivory towers.1 Ritual addresses the whole human being—the intellect, emotions, and body—and it does so by establishing and defining relations between the individual, his or her in-group, and the out-group.2 Every collective identity is formed and reformed in a continuous process encompassing exchange with, as well as distinction from, other possible collective identities.3 Sometimes, this construction of a “we” in distinction from “them” is explicit, while at other times it takes place in a more clandestine and encrypted fashion.
Effect of nasolacrimal duct obstruction on nasal mucociliary transport
Authors: Naiboglu B , Deveci I , Kalaycik C , Daylan A , Habesoglu T E , Toros S Z , Deveci S E , Egeli E
Published: October 2009

Background:

Most patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction have dry, crusty nasal mucosa. Mucociliary clearance is modulated by the amount and biochemical composition of nasal mucus. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction disturbs the drainage of tears into the nasal cavity.

Objective:

We examined the effect of nasolacrimal duct obstruction on the mucociliary transport of nasal mucosa, by comparing saccharine test results for epiphora patients versus healthy volunteers.

Study design:

Prospective, randomised, clinical trial.

Methods:

Eight patients with bilateral epiphora and 10 patients with unilateral epiphora were included in the study group. Complete nasolacrimal duct obstruction was demonstrated by studying irrigation of the nasolacrimal system, and by fluorescein dye study. The control group comprised 20 healthy volunteers. Mucociliary transport was assessed by the saccharine test in both the study and control groups. The saccharine transit times of 26 impaired nasal cavities were compared with those of 20 healthy nasal cavities of controls. Also, the saccharine transit times of the healthy nasal cavities of the 10 patients with unilateral epiphora were compared with those of their diseased sides, and also with those of healthy volunteers.

Results:

The saccharine transit times of the epiphora patients were statistically significantly greater than those of the control group. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in saccharine transit times, comparing the healthy and impaired nasal cavities of patients with unilateral epiphora.

Conclusion:

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction has a negative effect on nasal mucociliary clearance. This may be related to changes in the amount and biochemical composition of nasal mucus.
Preschoolers' extension of novel words to animals and artifacts
Authors: GRAHAM SUSAN A. , WELDER ANDREA N. , MERRIFIELD BEVERLEY A. , BERMAN JARED M. J.
Published: October 2009

We examined whether preschoolers' ontological knowledge would influence lexical extension. In Experiment 1, four-year-olds were presented with a novel label for either an object with eyes described as an animal, or the same object without eyes described as a tool. In the animal condition, children extended the label to similar-shaped objects, whereas in the tool condition, children extended the label to similar-function objects. In Experiment 2, when four-year-olds were presented with objects with eyes described as tools, they extended the label on the basis of shared function. These experiments suggest that preschoolers' conceptual knowledge guides their lexical extension.
Why another journal?
Authors: Youngberg Garth
Published: October 2009

Concern over the performance and future direction of American agriculture is well justified and widely shared. Although bankruptcies and foreclosures have dramatized the current farm crisis, agriculture's underlying problems extend well beyond economics to the long-term sustainability of the system itself.
An ecological basis for the development of alternative agricultural systems for small farmers in the Third World
Authors: Altieri Miguel A. , Anderson M. Kat
Published: October 2009

A strategy for small farm development in the Third World is suggested, emphasizing preservation of traditional farming systems while maintaining biological and genetic diversity. Basing agricultural development on indigenous knowledge, technology, and social organization can provide important guidelines for the design of cropping systems that allow low-income farmers to produce subsistence and cash crops with minimal dependence on external inputs. Suggested alternative agricultural strategies are based on diverse farming systems that achieve moderate to high levels of productivity by manipulating and exploiting resources that are internal to the farm. The resulting systems are more sustainable and economical, thus increasing the equity of the system. Several rural development programs in Third World countries, especially in Latin America, that incorporate these agroecological principles are discussed. In contrast to approaches that have been transferred from the United States without necessarily being suited to the circumstances of small farmers, and which require the purchase of expensive external inputs, these programs include sustainability, stability, and equity as goals, along with increased production. Rural development strategies based on peasant systems that are biologically and economically stable are proving to be a viable survival alternative for a great portion of the impoverished rural population in the Third World.
Making the transition to low input agriculture: A farmer's perspective
Authors: Andrew Jess C.
Published: October 2009

Editor's note: First-hand accounts of how conventional farmers are attempting to “make the switch” from chemical-intensive to low chemical farming help us understand the problems involved in this transition process. At the IAA symposium, Indiana farmer Jess (Josh) C. Andrew III presented a highly informative talk on these critical issues and questions from the perspective of the conventional farmer. The following is based upon his formal presentation and additional written materials which he submitted.
Alternative futures of agricultural pest management
Authors: Bird George W.
Published: October 2009

The nature of integrated pest management (IPM) is discussed in relation to the history and current state of science, agriculture and pest management. The potential for future development and adoption of IPM is evaluated in relation to three alternate future models. It is concluded that IPM will have an important role to play in relation to management of the environment and our future quality of life.
Ground water pollution: Research strategies and priorities
Authors: Miller Robert H.
Published: October 2009

Pollution of ground water by agricultural chemicals and nitrate is one of the major problems facing agriculture in the 1980s. Before this problem is resolved additional research is needed in the following areas: 1) identification of areas within each state where ground water contamination is most likely to occur; 2) data to establish levels of pesticides in ground water that present health risks; 3) the fate and transport of pesticides in soil and underlying strata; 4) improved nitrogen use efficiency of agronomic and horticultural crops and improved management of nitrogen fertilizers; and 5) cropping and management systems that reduce or eliminate the need for problem pesticides. Improved research information in these areas should assist society in resolving current problems of ground water contamination.
Restoring the productivity of marginal soils with organic amendments
Authors: Hornick Sharon B. , Parr James F.
Published: October 2009

The mining of sand and gravel deposits and excavation oftopsoil in urban areas have left extensive tracts of exposed subsoils that do not support plant growth because of adverse soil chemical and physical properties. Such degraded and marginal soils, or spoils, are infertile, low in organic matter, often acidic, and subject to severe erosion and surface runoff Many of these lands are owned by small and part-time farmers who wish to restore their aesthetic value and agricultural productivity. Research has shown that with liming and the proper use of organic amendments such as animal manures and sewage sludge compost, these lands can be restored to a high level of productivity in as little as three years. The methods and techniques for improving the productivity of marginal soils described in this paper can be of considerable benefit to some farmers in developed and developing countries where there is no other choice but to farm marginal soils because of the lack of highly productive agricultural lands. With increased efforts to restore the productivity of degraded and marginal soils through the use of organic amendments, conservation tillage, and crop rotations, future research should address the effect of best management practices on crop yields, the nutritional quality of crops, and the bioavailability of plant nutrients to both animals and humans.
An innovative in-field cattle finishing system for the tropics
Authors: Singh Devindar , Carpenter J. R.
Published: October 2009

An innovative cattle finishing program was tested in which beef cattle were fed on mature zones of standing corn crop in a regulated manner. The corn crop was planted at weekly intervals in a continual rotation year round. When the first planting of corn reached the early dent stage of maturity, nine beef steers (average beginning weight 234.8 ± 7.55* kg) were put in the field inside movable cattle pens. The cattle pens were only large enough to provide one full day of feed and were moved into fresh corn twice a day. The cattle were also provided protein and mineral supplements to balance the corn diet. The test results show that after the initial learning period of a few weeks, cattle consumed practically all the corn ears and about 70 percent of available corn stover. The performance of these steers was compared with that of a control group of nine steers that were fed standard feedlot diet. When feed availability was adequate, there was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in the rate of weight gain between the infield corn-fed animals and the control animals. The test demonstrated that beef cattle could be fed standing field corn for at least three-quarters of the feeding period without affecting the meat quality as measured by rib eye area, fat content, texture and color of lean, and quality grade. All the steers had liver flukes at the time of slaughter and were apparently infected before the start of the experiment. The rate of weight gain and the feed conversion efficiency of both groups of cattle were poorer than normal, possibly because of liver fluke infestation. The results of this test should, therefore, be taken as suggestive rather than definitive. No other major health or disease problem was observed during the in-field corn feeding period.
Improving the relevance of formal education and training in preparing international students as change agents for low-input agriculture
Authors: Cashman Kristin , Persons Edgar
Published: October 2009

The frequent assumption that there are relevant and meaningful parallels between agriculture in the U.S. and in Less Industrialized Countries (LICs) is critically examined. Based on the results of a survey of LIC students enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota, recommendations are made to more carefully focus the approach and direction of LIC student eduction. We conclude that the education and training of agriculturalists in U.S. institutions of higher learning does not relate sufficiently to the resource base and domestic needs of farming cultures in the LIC countries. A case is made for the benefit of practical experience through work with farmers whose practices and applications accommodate and reflect the realities of low-input farming practices in the LICs. Appropriate paralleled farming systems in the U.S. are typified as “organic,” “biological,” “regenerative,” or “sustainable,” and LIC students could be given experience on these farms as a part of their degree program in school.
Biological control of soilborne plant pathogens
Authors: Lumsden Robert D. , Papavizas George C.
Published: October 2009

Soilborne plant pathogens cause major economic losses in agricultural crops, and the present methods for control of diseases brought about by these pathogens are inadequate. Alternatives are also needed to substitute for the use of chemical fungicides. Many of these are known to induce tumors in experimental animals and are thus regarded by some investigators as potential human carcinogens when present as residues in food and water. In addition, such alternative control measures are needed because of the potential threat of development of resistance to fungicides, especially systemic fungicides, by fungal plant pathogens, and because of nontarget side effects on other plant pathogens and on beneficial microorganisms. Alternative disease control is sometimes possible through development of crop plants resistant to disease. Unfortunately, however, resistance is lacking or not available for many diseases caused by soilborne plant pathogens. Another biological means of controlling disease which is presently gaining much attention is biological control. Several systems of biological control are presently being explored and may be developed in a few years into reliable alternatives to conventional chemical control methods. The use of the mycoparasite Sporidesmium sclerotivorum, for example, against several diseases caused by Sclerotinia species is promising. Talaromyces flavus may in the future be exploited for use against several wilt diseases caused by Verticillium dahliae. Finally, practical control of several diseases caused by Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotium rolfsii may eventually become possible through the use of Trichoderma spp. and Gliocladium virens. Development of these biological control systems will require much additional research directed toward a better understanding of the basic biology and mechanisms of action of beneficial fungi against plant pathogens. In addition, extensive cooperation will be required among research scientists, governmental agencies responsible for regulating the use of pestcontrol systems, and most importantly, private industry to develop biological control agents for the market and to coordinate acceptance and use by producers and acceptance by consumers.
Biological pest control: Needs and opportunities
Authors: Klassen Waldemar
Published: October 2009

The extent to which pests should be managed by biological versus chemical methods has been a burning public policy issue since about 1950. A thorough policy analysis is needed to facilitate movement beyond the status quo. Such analysis should: a) review the extent of adoption of ecologically selective methods of pest control that have emerged from the last three decades of research, b) examine changes in policies, legislation and institutional arrangements that would foster more rapid and widespread adoption of environmentally benign pest controls, c) assess the role of biological controls in facilitating survival of farms during periods of economic adversity and in increasing the competitiveness of American agriculture, d) evaluate opportunities to use ecologically selective pest controls to improve water quality, to reduce environmental impacts of pests and of farming practices, and to preserve the usefulness of pest-resistant crop cultivars and pesticides, and e) identify options and mechanisms to further increase the flow of private and public resources into biocontrol research, development and implementation. A committee of highly accomplished and respected citizens needs to be formed to conduct a thorough analysis of the above and other issues related to the long-term economic viability of farming and to the development and widespread adoption of agricultural practices that will conserve and improve the resource base, and that are devoid of negative impacts on the environment and public health.
Sustainability is not enough
Authors: Ruttan Vernon W.
Published: October 2009

Traditional agricultural systems that have met the test of sustainability have not been able to respond adequately to modern rates of growth in demand for agricultural commodities. A meaningful definition of sustainability must include the enhancement of agricultural productivity. At present, the concept of sustainability is more adequate as a guide to research than to farming practice.
Comparison of soil properties as influenced by organic and conventional farming systems
Authors: Reganold John P.
Published: October 2009

This paper summarizes data from previous and current studies on two adjacent farms, one organically managed and the other conventionally managed, in the Palouse region of eastern Washington. The 320-hectare organic farm has been managed without the use of commercial fertilizers and only limited use of pesticides since the farm was first plowed in 1909. The 525-hectare conventional farm, first cultivated in 1908, began receiving recommended rates of commercial fertilizers and pesticides in 1948 and the early 1950's, respectively. The organically-farmed Naff silt loam soil had significantly higher organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen, extractable potassium, water content, pH, polysaccharide content, enzyme levels, and microbial biomass than did the conventionally-farmed Naff soil. Also, the organically-farmed soil had significantly lower modulus of rupture, more granular structure, less hard and more friable consistence, and 16 centimeters more topsoil. This topsail difference between farms was attributed to significantly greater erosion on the conventionally-farmed soil between 1948 and 1985. The difference in erosion rates between farms was most probably due to their different crop rotation systems; Le., only the organic farm included a green manure crop in its rotation, and it had different tillage practices. These studies indicate that, in the long-term, the organic farming system was more effective than the conventional farming system in maintaining the tilth and productivity of the Naff soil and in reducing its loss to erosion.
On-farm experiment designs and implications for locating research sites
Authors: Rzewnicki Phil E. , Thompson Richard , Lesoing Gary W. , Elmore Roger W. , Francis Charles A. , Parkhurst Anne M. , Moomaw Russell S.
Published: October 2009

Research plots that are large enough to accommodate regular farm machinery are thought to contain too much field variation to allow reliable interpretation of experimental results. This study was conducted to determine whether experimental error was controlled on a wide variety of agricultural field trials that used plots larger than normally used by researchers. The investigation included trials conducted on an experiment station and trials conducted on actual commercial farms. The planning and management of the experiments ranged from those completely conducted by university researchers to those completely done by farmers.

The level of experimental error in all the trials was well within the limits normally accepted by researchers in agronomy. Plots ranging in length from 125 to 1200 feet and as wide as one or two passes of standard farm machinery gave experimental results that were statistically sound. Statistical requirements for randomization and replication were all met.

The ability to use large plots and farmer participation enhances the testing of new technology on farms. This leads to new opportunities to test crop production factors in a systems setting under actual farm conditions. The statistical reliability of the on-farm designs analyzed in this study should increase cooperation among researchers, extension workers, and farmers in research activities.
Understanding farm operator opposition to government regulation of agricultural chemicals and Pharmaceuticals: The role of social class, objective interests, and ideology
Authors: Gillespie Gilbert W. , Buttel Frederick H.
Published: October 2009

This study seeks to identify the social factors related to opposition to government regulation of agricultural chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Analysis of data from a 1982 survey of farm operators in New York State shows that, in contrast to much of the literature that represents farmers as being almost universally opposed to regulation, farm operators' orientations toward government regulation of these substances vary considerably. Indicators of the class status or position of farm operators were found to be directly related to opposition to regulation. Willingness to assume risk and the importance placed by farm operators on making profit were also directly related to opposition to regulation, while farm men's off-farm work, cynicism toward agribusiness, non-economic orientation toward agriculture, perceptions of potential side effects of agricultural chemicals and drugs, and liberal political attitudes were inversely related to opposition to regulation. The results of a multivariate analysis suggest that farmer opposition to government regulation of agricultural chemicals is primarily due to farmer ideology and has little relationship with whether farmers actually use these chemicals.
Comparison of harvest techniques for corn field demonstrations
Authors: Shapiro Charles A. , Kranz William L. , Parkhurst Anne M.
Published: October 2009

On-farm field demonstrations provide a useful method of technology transfer for researchers and extension specialists, and the proponents of alternative agriculture have adopted on-farm experimentation as an important means to establish the value of sustainable methods. For on-farm research long narrow strips harvested by machine are often employed in place of small hand-harvested plots commonly used at research facilities. The use of this approach, however, could bring the methodology into question if field variation should make determination of statistical differences difficult. Analysis of harvest data from ten irrigated and four dryland site-years for small hand-harvested corn plots and for machine-harvested long narrow strips was conducted to determine the impact of sampling method upon experimental variation. Analyses of variance indicated that six of the ten machine-harvested irrigated sites had significant yield response to applied nitrogen while only one of the ten hand-harvested sites exhibited significant nitrogen effects (P ≤ 0.10). The difference in statistical precision was not a result of increased range in yields, but rather of more consistent yields for each treatment. An economic analysis was performed, and the results indicated that optimum nitrogen rates depended on corn and nitrogen price ratios. When 1989 corn and nitrogen prices were used, the calculated marginal profit levels between the reduced nitrogen and recommended nitrogen rate ranged from $8.92 to -$8.14 per ha. For the irrigated sites, when experimental variation (F-test of total sum of squares) was compared by harvest method, hand harvest had significantly greater variation than machine harvest in five experiments. Machine harvest was significantly more variable in one comparison. Coefficients of variation for machine harvest were less than for hand harvest in nine of ten irrigated experiments. For the dryland sites, differences between harvest methods were significant in one of four experiments. These data suggest that under certain conditions machine-harvested long narrow strips provide more accurate estimates of treatment differences than do small hand-harvested plots despite potential differences in soil texture, soil fertility, or available soil water.
Low-input farming in practice: Putting a system together and making it work
Authors: Kirschenmann Frederick
Published: October 2009

This paper analyzes some of the potential problems that can be anticipated in putting a sustainable system together on an operating farm, and proposes a few of the principle practices and management strategies required for making such systems work.
Crop rotation efficiencies and biological diversity in farming systems
Authors: Bezdicek David F. , Granatstein David
Published: October 2009

The positive role of biological diversity in enhancing agricultural sustainability is presented in the context of crop rotation. Once common in virtually all farming systems, crop rotations have been simplified or eliminated during the past two decades from farming systems in most industrialized countries. Specialization, production intensification, government commodity programs, and the resulting short-term economic decisions have all had an influence in reducing crop rotation and diversity. Economic and environmental concerns have raised the question of agricultural sustainability in the public arena. We discuss here the role of diversity and crop rotation in relation to the sustainability issue, including matters of agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits, as well as increased efficiency in the use of fossil fuels. Constraints and future directions in the use of crop rotation in modern agriculture are described.
Widespread adoption of non-conventional agriculture: Profitability and impacts
Authors: Batie Sandra S. , Taylor Daniel B.
Published: October 2009

Conventional agriculture is increasingly criticized as being too concentrated in ownership; too reliant on technology, petroleum-based inputs, and credit; too specialized and ecologically unsound; and too dependent on government subsidies. Alternative agriculture is offered by many as an alternative, and we discuss the possible impacts of its widespread adoption on farm income, yields, regions, labor, trade, environmental quality, and farm structure. The profitability of alternative agriculture is also examined - in so doing, a distinction is made between the adoption of low-input practices and a more holistic alternative agricultural system.
Environmental reform of agricultural policy in 1990 and beyond: Consider the source
Authors: Cook Kenneth A.
Published: October 2009

The environment will be a major issue during the 1990 Farm Bill reauthorization, with environmental reform efforts directed toward strengthening the conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill, and expanding into new areas of water quality and food safety. The process will differ from the 1985 Farm Bill environmental reform experience in several important ways. In 1990, the policy ideas under discussion are more sweeping, the issues are more complex and controversial scientific understanding is more ambiguous, technical capacity in the field is highly limited, and the farm policy environment is more volatile. Key environmental policy issues this year are the future size and purposes of the 1985 Conservation Reserve Program, and the strengthening of sodbuster, swampbuster and conservation compliance provisions enacted in 1985. Commodity program reforms that remove disincentives to crop rotations, and food safety issues will also top the environmental agenda. An Environmental Stewardship Program is proposed as a new approach to source reduction and pollution prevention. An ESP program might consist of 10–15 year contracts under which farmers are compensated to adopt environmentally sound practices such as crop rotations, reduced and more efficient use of agricultural chemicals, integrated pest management systems, and best management practices for water quality and food safety concerns.
How organic producers can make classical biological control work for them
Authors: Van Driesche R. G.
Published: October 2009

Organic producers have traditionally understood the value of conserving the natural enemies of the pests of the crops they grow. An equal appreciation of the value of importing new species of natural enemies is also needed. Given this understanding, the interests of organic farmers could then be promoted by efforts to stimulate greater activity by government agencies in charge of such importations. Furthermore, the focus of such importations could be altered to target more precisely pests of crops most commonly grown by organic producers. This would benefit organic farmers by permanently solving or greatly reducing the intensity of problems from many introduced crop pests. The potential benefit of a coordinated federal and state program of classical biological control could be very large for organic farmers. There is an increasing interest nationwide in expanding the use of classical biological controls. Organic producers now have the opportunity to add their influence to this trend to reshape the country's pest control agenda away from chemicals and toward biological controls and to focus this at least in part on those pests of greatest concern to organic producers. To do so, however, organic producers will have to learn a new lesson, i.e., the difference between native and imported pests and the value of importation as a means to control the latter.
Managing white clover living mulch for sweet corn production with partial rototilling
Authors: Grubinger Vernon P. , Minotti Peter L.
Published: October 2009

Living mulch is a cover crop which is intercropped with a cash crop to protect against soil erosion and structural deterioration without taking land out of production. To avoid interference which reduces cash crop yield, the mulch requires management techniques which minimize resource utilization during the critical period of crop development without killing the mulch outright. The experiments reported here examine non-chemical management innovations in a sweet corn-white clover intercrop system which allow for clover regrowth and also contribute to the N requirement of the corn. In 1986 clover was suppressed by mowing or partial rototilling. Yields of corn in plots where clover was rototilled were comparable to yields of clean cultivated corn and superior to yields from plots where clover was mowed or unsuppressed. In 1987 rototilling was compared at 3 timings after corn emergence. Highest corn yields were obtained by rototilling the well-established clover at 2 rather than 4 or 6 weeks after emergence. Yields from rototilled plots in 1987 exceeded those from clean cultivated plots or plots where clover was unsuppressed. After rototilling, the clover reestablished via stoloniferous growth emanating from a narrow strip of roots which passed between the tiller tines. In both years corn leaf N concentrations were highest in the rototilled plots. In 1987 clean cultivated corn appeared N deficient and had a greater incidence of corn smut than corn from the rototilled clover plots. Multiple corn row arrangements which facilitate access to the mulch were compared at a constant plant population to conventional single rows on 76 cm centers. There were no differences in yield between single and double rows (152 cm centers) in either year, while the triple-row arrangement (228 cm centers) reduced yield in 1987 due to the low productivity of the plants in the middle row of the 3 rows.
Insect pollinators and sustainable agriculture
Authors: Kevan Peter G. , Clark E. Ann , Thomas Vernon G.
Published: October 2009

Underestimation of the pivotal role played by managed and native insect pollinators is a key constraint to the sustainability of contemporary agricultural practices. The economic value of such insects to pollination, seed set, and fruit formation greatly outweighs that suggested by more conventional indices, such as the value of honey and wax produced by honeybees. Although the European honeybee has been widely regarded as the single most important pollinating species, the increasing spread of trachael and Varroa mites and Africanized bees threatens the distribution and magnitude of traditional honeybeekeeping enterprises in North America. A number of other bee and insect pollinators, such as orchard bees, bumblebees, and squash bees, which are not affected by either the mites or the Africanized bees, are considered as likely candidates for management and use in commercial agriculture. An additional role can be played by native or wild pollinators, provided that attention is given to curtailing of population losses caused by both inadvertent insecticide poisoning and habitat destruction. To ensure a reliable source of pollinators, both managed and native, a more comprehensive strategy for management of crop pollination is needed. Elements of this strategy include an increased understanding of the biology and ecology of pollinating insects, as well as providing appropriate nesting habitat, and ensuring the availability of alternative sources of “forage” to sustain populations when the target crops are not in bloom. Examples are discussed to illustrate how private initiatives and changes to public policy can enhance pollinator habitat, and ultimately, agricultural productivity.
Rainfall and previous crop effects on crop yields
Authors: Peterson Todd Andrews , Shapiro Charles A. , Flowerday A. Dale
Published: October 2009

Afield study was conducted between 1972 and 1982 to compare the effects of previous crop on row crop yields under rainfed conditions in eastern Nebraska. The objectives were to determine the effects of fallow and three previous crops: corn (Lea. maysLJ, soybeans /Glycine max (L.) Mem], and grain sorghum /Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], on the growth and grain yield of the same crops. The study was conducted on a Sharpsburg silty clay loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesicf Typic Argiudoll). Corn grain yield was most variable (C. V. 23.4percent) compared to soybean (C. V. 13.6percent) or grain sorghum (C. V. 9.5 percent) yields. Corn was also the most sensitive crop to previous crop effects. The range of treatment yields for each crop was 47 percent, 22 percent, and 11 percent of the overall means for corn, soybean, and sorghum, respectively. Previous crop affected yields for all crops, but the effects were not consistent across years. All crops produced highest yield following fallow. Yields of corn, soybean, and grain sorghum following fallow were 74, 25, and 10 percent higher than their respective monoculture yields. In years of average precipitation, a corn-soybean sequence produced the greatest yield. In years having above- or below-normal precipitation, a grain sorghum-soybean sequence produced the highest yield.
Alley cropping as a sustainable agricultural technology for the hillsides of Haiti: Experience of an agroforestry outreach project
Authors: Bannister Michael E. , Nair P. K. R.
Published: October 2009

Alley cropping is a form of hedgerow intercropping where fast-growing leguminous trees are planted at dense within-row spacing, with agricultural crops planted between the hedgerows. This agroforestry technology, with the hedgerows planted on the contour across the slope, appears promising for small farmers on the hittslopes of Haiti An agroforestry outreach project operating in Haiti since 1981 has helped thousands of farmers plant hedgerows on their farms. The farmers are increasingly accepting the technology: the length of hedgerows planted by the farmers in the project area increased from 11 lineal km in 1987 to 140 lineal km in 1988. An evaluation of 50 farms where hedgerows had been installed shows that this technology results in soil conservation and microsite enrichment between hedgerows; the hedgerows also provide fodder and fuelwood. However, refinements are needed in technical aspects of hedgerow management, such as planting configurations, pruning regime, and choice of species. Moreover, soil and plant parameters as well as socioeconomic characteristics must be monitored in a systematic way in order to assess the impact of hedgerow intercropping on the sustainability of Haitian farming systems.