Nebraska States Research Articles

Cross-Sectional Study to Evaluate Disparity in Healthcare Access for Patients With a Headache Having Cigna or Medicaid Insurance.

This study aims to study the disparity in Cigna and Medicaid insurance holders, to secure an appointment for a patient with a headache for two days unrelieved by over-the-counter medication. This is a cross-sectional "secret shopper" type study, assessing the three most populated cities in seven stateswith the lowest Medicaid coverage and Internal Medicine specialists within a 10-mile radius, with a minimum rating of 3 stars and a willingness to accept new patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the average waiting period for those with Medicaid and Cigna in the states of Missouri, Nebraska, and Utah, as well as the total average for all seven states. Moreover, there were more healthcare providers who accepted Medicaid rather than Cigna in New Hampshire; whereas in Wyoming, the numbers for Medicaid and Cigna were almost equal. The significant Medicaid-Cigna acceptance rate disparities should be corrected to ensure higher healthcare access.

Seasons, stress, salience, and support for cooperative groundwater management

AbstractCooperative management of shared groundwater resources in the High Plains region of the United States is critical to support sustainable agricultural‐based economies. This research uses a repeat‐sample survey of agricultural producers in the states of Colorado and Nebraska to analyze how seasonal changes and variation in stress and salience influence support for groundwater management. We find that support for groundwater management tends to be lower in the fall, when agricultural producers are engaged in harvest activities. The results also reveal that changes in the salience of commodity prices and water availability can drive changes in support for groundwater management.

Understanding the Barriers to Adoption of Mixed-Species Herbivory in the Southern Great Plains of the United States

Mixed-species herbivory, along with prescribed fire, is one of the most effective ways of controlling woody plant encroachment in the southern Great Plains and comes with the added benefits of maintaining grazing efficiency and rangeland productivity. Despite its experimental stage success, most landowners in the southern Great Plains have not fully adopted mixed-species herbivory as a range management tool. This study aimed to understand the barriers to the adoption of mixed-species herbivory by soliciting information from rangeland owners in the southern Great Plain states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. We found that more than 40% of landowners in the southern Great Plains are not aware of mixed-species herbivory and < 10% of them have adopted the practice. Landowners who were previously aware of mixed-species herbivory were less likely to think that it provides lower returns compared with traditional grazing. Many landowners, however, reported a lack of sufficient infrastructure, labor, or equipment as barriers to adoption. We suggest that extension efforts and outreach campaigns focused on the needs and concerns of landowners can change perceptions around the effectiveness of mixed-species herbivory as a land management tool to enhance the resiliency of rangeland ecosystems in the southern Great Plains.

Out-of-year corn yield prediction at field-scale using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and machine learning methods

Crop yield prediction for an ongoing season is crucial for food security interventions and commodity markets for decisions such as inventory management, understanding yield trends and variability. This work considers corn yield prediction at field-scale with input variables derived from satellite and environmental data. Crop yield data were obtained consecutively from 2017 to 2021 for a total of 1164 fields in the US states of Iowa and Nebraska. We forecast yield “out-of-year”, i.e. we test year from using machine learning methods trained on data from other years. This study includes evaluating what spectral information derived from the raw Sentinel-2 bands best explains the observed variability in yields, but also how time is considered for temporal resampling. We found that resampling the annual time series on thermal time and using biophysical parameters estimates increased the R2 on average by 0.25 to 0.42 when extrapolate is performed on a different year from the ones covered by training samples, compared to using calendar time and other information derived from the Sentinel-2 spectrum.

An analysis of state-reported hospital transfer data of urology patients

Background We examined the trends over time of urology patient transfers in rural and urban settings, at the state level, to better characterize transfer trends in the United States. Materials and methods Data were collected from the State Inpatient Database and Emergency Department Database produced by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. We reviewed the data of all the patients who had been transferred 1 or more times between 2014 and 2016. The data reviewed were from all nonfederal, short-term general hospitals in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, and New York. The transfers were categorized into emergency department (ED)–to–ED transfers, inpatient-to-inpatient transfers, and ED-to-inpatient transfers at the different facilities. Results Overall, 3.33% (17,519/526,126) of all patient transfers were specific to urology. The mean age of the transferred patients specific to urology was 64.7 years, with 55% of these patients being females. Most of the transferred patients resided in nonmetropolitan or small-metropolitan areas (79.2%). Many transfers occurred at night (43.4%) and during weekends (27.3%). In 2014, the more rural states of Arkansas, Iowa, and Nebraska had higher transfer rates (>35 transfers per 100,000 inhabitants) compared with the more urban states of Florida and New York (both <10 transfers per 100,000). Medicare was significantly more likely to be the payer in the rural states (66%–82%) than in the more populated states (52%–58%). Conclusions We found significant differences in hospital transfer patterns between rural and highly populated states. Understanding these key differences may help in the optimization of hospital transfers, potentially lowering costs, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing patient experience of care.

Temperature, Precipitation, and Agro-Hydro-Meteorological Indicator Based Scenarios for Decision Making in Ogallala Aquifer Region

The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the most productive agricultural regions and is referred to as the “breadbasket of the world”. It covers approximately 225,000 square miles beneath the Great Plains region spanning the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. The aquifer is a major water source for the region, with its use exceeding recharge. Previous studies have documented climate changes and their impacts in the region. However, this is the first study to document temperature and precipitation changes over the entire Ogallala region from 35 General Circulation Models participating in Phase 5 of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). The main study objectives were (1) to provide estimates of present and future climate change scenarios for the High Plains Aquifer, (2) to translate the temperature and precipitation changes to agro-ecosystem indicator changes for Kansas using scenario funnels, and (3) to make recommendations for water resource and ecosystem managers to enable effective planning for the future availability of ecosystem services. The temperature change ranged from −4 °C to 8 °C, while the precipitation changes were between −50% to +50% over the region. This study improves the understanding of climate change on water resources and agro-ecosystems. This knowledge can be used to evaluate similar resources where the replenishment rate is slow.

Interview with Jon Lauck

Interview with Jon Lauck

Occupational injuries and patient lift usage among physical rehabilitation therapists

Physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. Determine the prevalence and exposure risk factors for work-related injuries (WRIs) among rehabilitation PTs and PTAs. A cross-sectional research survey was conducted among 170 PTs and 67 PTAs at 51 free-standing rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units embedded in general hospitals in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. The prevalence of WRIs and significant risk factors for developing WRIs were determined for PTs and PTAs. The 1-year prevalence of WRIs among PTs and PTAs working in physical rehabilitation was 29.5%. Multifaceted causes were identified including frequently bending/twisting, over-exerting force during patient handling activities, inadequate lifting devices, and lack of ongoing training for mechanical lifting device usage. Equipment usage barriers point to a critical need for technology creation, research, and education to advance worker safety while simultaneously enhancing patient outcomes.

A Stratigraphic Analysis of the Codell Sandstone in Ellis County, Kansas

This is a study of a Codell Sandstone outcrop in the Northern part of Ellis County, Kansas. The Codell Sandstone outcrop is part of a much larger section of the Codell Sandstone that is a part of the southern Denver Basin. It extends over the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. This section of the Codell overlies the Blue Hill Shale and is overlain by the Fort Hays Limestone. The Codell was formed during the Late Cretaceous period. In Colorado and Wyoming, it is mainly a gas and oil reservoir, while in Kansas it is a domestic aquifer for many agricultural areas. The outcrop was formed during the time of the Western Interior Seaway. One study has been done over the exact outcrop of what I viewed, called “The type section of the Codell Sandstone” written by James Hagadorn , Mark Longman, Richard Bottjer , Virginia Gent, Christopher Holm Denoma , and Jonathon Sumrall. The discussion portion is a surface look at each of the layers instead of focusing on one particular layer .

Occurrence of Hemileuca hera (Harris) (Saturniidae) in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota and Notes on its Natural History in the Great Plains

This manuscript discusses new distribution records for Hemileuca hera (Harris) in the Great Plains states of Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. In addition to older museum records not previously mentioned in the literature, we report recently discovered populations in Nebraska and South Dakota. Also discussed are observations of life history patterns seen in the Great Plains populations of H. hera.

Sand Creek and the Tragic End of a Lifeway by Louis Kraft

Reviewed by: Sand Creek and the Tragic End of a Lifeway by Louis Kraft Pierre M. Atlas Sand Creek and the Tragic End of a Lifeway. By Louis Kraft. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2020. ix + 413 pp. Illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography, index. $34.95, cloth. The November 1864 murder and mutilation of over 200 peaceful Southern Cheyenne (Tsistsistas) and Arapaho (Hinono'eino') at Sand Creek by Colorado volunteer cavalrymen was one of the great atrocities in American history. The attack was intended to be a slaughter. Its architect, Colonel John Chivington, told another officer that he "had come to kill Indians, and believed it to be honorable to kill Indians under any and all circumstances" (206). Independent scholar Louis Kraft uses contemporary sources to reconstruct this horrific event down to the minutest of details (including his own maps), but Sand Creek really serves as the lynchpin for a broader project. In an impressively detailed and nuanced work, Kraft presents the context and backstory leading to Sand Creek as well as its aftermath, including the duplicitous Medicine Lodge Treaty, retaliatory warfare, and Custer's Washita River massacre (where Cheyenne peace chief and Sand Creek survivor Black Kettle was killed). Utilizing [End Page 156] a wealth of contemporary, archival, and scholarly sources, Kraft presents a rich portrait of white-indigenous relations spanning several decades in what would become the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In an epilogue, he notes the massacre's devastating cultural legacy for Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho. Kraft presents compelling portraits of major and minor characters and describes the social dynamics within both settler and indigenous Great Plains communities of the 1860s, including political tensions in Colorado Territory between Union and Confederate sympathizers. One of the book's major takeaways is that local relationships between whites and Indians were not purely conflictual: there were people on both sides who tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to foster cooperation and coexistence. The book includes fascinating tidbits such as an 1861 meeting between Arapaho and Colorado leaders that culminated with them attending a play at a Denver theater. Kraft spotlights people who lived "in between," such as William Bent, who married Owl Woman (Cheyenne), and his biracial sons, Charley and George, who lived with the Cheyenne and witnessed Sand Creek. Kraft meticulously recreates the negotiations between government officials and Indian leaders; parsing the contemporary records, he identifies where negotiators' words were—tragically—mistranslated. There is a quirkiness to Kraft's writing style, with an overuse of colloquialisms, and occasions where the author abandons his role as detached historian and jarringly engages the reader directly. Kraft covers the various investigatory commissions following Sand Creek but does not discuss the reports' conclusions, making their detailed chronicling seem anticlimactic. One thing becomes clear after reading Sand Creek and the Tragic End of a Lifeway: not only was the conflict between Plains Indians and the United States asymmetrical in terms of capacities, but it was also asymmetrical in intent. The Cheyenne and Arapaho wanted to maintain their way of life on some part of their traditional lands—and many were even willing to adapt to "white ways" on their land—whereas the US government and American settlers had no intention whatsoever of allowing that to happen; they wanted the land, and nothing would stop them from taking it. Pierre M. Atlas Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis Copyright © 2022 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Формирование поясов сельскохозяйственных культур для развития национальных инновационных кластеров

The aim of the paper is to study the foreign practice in the formation of innovative agro-industrial clusters and to substantiate scientifically the formation of the Russian soybean agricultural belt with the infrastructure providing selection and production of non-GMO soybean in the required volume for domestic consumption and exports. Comparative and system analysis, situational approach, and field experiments were used for the research. As a result of the study, the US experience in the formation of soybean growing clusters was studied. It was found that soybeans are the predominant crop cultivated on irrigated lands in the states of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Nebraska, where the share of soybeans on irrigated lands reaches 59%. The soybean exports are essential to the economies of the United States, Argentina, and Brazil. The main soybeans are exported to China, the consumption of which is estimated at about 100 million tons of soybeans, and it is worth almost $40 billion. For Russia, the proximity to the world leader in imports of soybeans, China, could be one of the advantages in the expansion of supplies to this country, what would stimulate the development of soybean production and the formation of national innovative clusters. The soybean production is based on high-yielding cultivars adapted to local growing conditions. The selection of cultivars without the use of GMO technologies gives the opportunity of having competitive advantages in the organic market. The newest cultivars of the Russian selection are “VNIIOZ 86” and “Volgogradka 1”, which make it possible to obtain 3–4 tons per hectare on chestnut soils of Volgograd region. The formation of a soybean belt will provide a synergistic effect in soybean selection, organization of soybean production, and independence from foreign seed markets. Under the government support within a specialized cluster the core of which should be research institutes providing the scientific and selection core of the soybean agricultural belt in the South of Russia, the production of soybeans can be organized in volumes that cover the needs of the domestic market and increasing supplies to the world food market.

Farm Seeker Needs Versus Farm Owner Offers: A Comparison and Analysis in the U.S. Midwest and Plains

Land access for new farmers and ranchers includes transfers from owners without family successors. We compare how farm seekers’ needs align with the offerings of farm owners whose farm assets may transfer out of family in the 12-state North Central Region as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[1] In Phase 1, managers of farm link services, which connect farm owners without a successor in their family to farm seekers, estimated the patterns demonstrated by their program’s seeker and owner participants through a question­naire. In Phase 2, managers of these and select other agricultural and rural programs circulated to their networks an online survey whose respondents included 178 farm seekers and 183 farm owners whose assets may transfer out of family. Findings denote similarities and barriers between the two groups. The biggest difference was that few owners offered an on-farm residence, which was a top need of seekers. In terms of similarities, the survey found no statistical differences in the groups’ respective locations on a rural-urban continuum, nor in land parcel sizes sought and offered. Half of farm link service providers concurred, observing a match between seeker and owner land needs. However, the other half of service providers reported wide differences, observing two patterns. First, incoming farmers preparing for commodity row crop, hay and fodder, and beef production are well-matched by owners with like type farms to offer, although new entrants often seek bigger parcels than owners offer. Second, seekers prepar­ing for specialty crop, dairy, and hog or poultry (outdoor and indoor) production far exceed the number of owners who offer the infrastructure and scale for these production systems, particularly for parcels under 40 acres.[2] Results suggest opportuni­ties for research and intervention to target barriers and areas of alignment between owner and seeker needs, especially for affordable on-farm housing for new farm operators. [1] The North Central Region includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. [2] 1 acre= 0.4 hectare See the press release for this article.

US Geographical Variation in Rates of Shoulder and Knee Arthroscopy and Association With Orthopedist Density

Although rates of arthroscopy have substantially increased, recent data question its comparative effectiveness. To assess time trends and geographical variations among several US states in arthroscopy rates and to assess the association of orthopedist density with arthroscopy rates. In this cross-sectional study, procedure rates were calculated for knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using data from the State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Databases for 2006 to 2016 (as available) for the states of California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Data were analyzed from June 2017 to October 2019. Rates of knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. The combined data sets included 4 856 385 records with 2 530 840 female patients (47%); mean (SD) patient age was 49.13 (16.34) years. Rates per 100 000 persons showed large geographical variations for knee arthroscopy (from 63.31 [95% CI, 5.92-198.95] to 721.72 [95% CI, 633.41-806.20]), shoulder arthroscopy (from 53.02 [95% CI, 2.80-164.36] to 438.25 [95% CI, 399.00-476.78]), and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (from 11.94 [95% CI, 1.30-56.98] to 185.35 [95% CI, 143.84-226.20]) across US states and years. There were significant downward time trends in knee arthroscopy rates in California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, and New Jersey and upward trends for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, and North Carolina. Orthopedist density was not associated with knee arthroscopy rates (slope = 3.07; 95% CI, -9.88 to 16.03; P = .54), shoulder arthroscopy rates (slope = 2.74; 95% CI, -6.53 to 12.01; P = .47), or rates of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (slope = 1.15; 95% CI, -2.77 to 5.05; P = .49). There is large geographical variation in arthroscopy rates despite the questionable comparative effectiveness of these procedures. The reasons for increasing rates of rotator cuff surgery should be further examined.

A Preliminary Evaluation of Black and Navy Bean Productivity in Virginia

Black and navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are economically important crops for US Agriculture and provide nutritious food for humans. These crops are predominantly grown in Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Washington states. We are interested in introducing these crops in Virginia as alternative summer crops. Four cultivars each of black (Eclipse, T-39, Zenith and Zorro) and navy bean (Alapena, Avalanche, Norstar, and Vista) were grown in the field at Randolph Farm of Virginia State University in Ettrick, Virginia during 2016. We planted these twice (May 26 and June 30) by using two inter-row spacings (37.5 and 75 cm). Results indicated that yields of black bean (1691 kg/ha) didn&amp;#39;t differ significantly from that of navy bean (1402 kg/ha). Effects of cultivars and row spacings were not significant. Seed yield for May planting date (883 kg/ha) was significantly lower than that for June planting (2210 kg/ha). Concentrations of protein, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Al, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, verbascose, total sugar, insoluble dietary fiber, and total dietary fiber in black and navy bean seeds were not different. Black bean had significantly higher soluble dietary fiber concentration (4.46%) as compared to navy bean (3.68%). Nutritional quality traits of black and navy bean seed produced in Virginia compared well with values in the literature. Based on desirable seed yield levels and nutritional quality, it was concluded that black and navy bean are potential new/alternate crops for Virginia and adjoining areas in the mid-Atlantic region of United States of America.

Time-series analysis for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in the United States.

Industry-driven voluntary disease control programs for swine diseases emerged in North America in the early 2000’s, and, since then, those programs have been used for monitoring diseases of economic importance to swine producers. One example of such initiatives is Dr. Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project, a nation-wide monitoring program for swine diseases including the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). PRRS has been extensively reported as a seasonal disease in the U.S., with predictable peaks that start in fall and are extended through the winter season. However, formal time series analysis stratified by geographic region has never been conducted for this important disease across the U.S. The main objective of this study was to use approximately seven years of PRRS incidence data in breeding swine herds to conduct time-series analysis in order to describe the temporal patterns of PRRS outbreaks at the farm level for five major swine-producing states across the U.S. including the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, Nebraska and Illinois. Data was aggregated retrospectively at the week level for the number of herds containing animals actively shedding PRRS virus. Basic descriptive statistics were conducted followed by autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling, conducted separately for each of the above-mentioned states. Results showed that there was a difference in the nature of PRRS seasonality among states. Of note, when comparing states, the typical seasonal pattern previously described for PRRS could only be detected for farms located in the states of Minnesota, North Carolina and Nebraska. For the other two states, seasonal peaks every six months were detected within a year. In conclusion, we showed that epidemic patterns are not homogeneous across the U.S, with major peaks of disease occurring through the year. These findings highlight the importance of coordinating alternative control strategies in different regions considering the prevailing epidemiological patterns.

Origin of Pest Lineages of the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]) is a pest of potato throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but little is known about the beetle's origins as a pest. We sampled the beetle from uncultivated Solanum host plants in Mexico, and from pest and non-pest populations in the United States and used mitochondrial DNA and nuclear loci to examine three hypotheses on the origin of the pest lineages: 1) the pest beetles originated from Mexican populations, 2) they descended from hybridization between previously divergent populations, or 3) they descended from populations that are native to the Plains states in the United States. Mitochondrial haplotypes of non-pest populations from Mexico and Arizona differed substantially from beetles collected from the southern plains and potato fields in the United States, indicating that beetles from Mexico and Arizona did not contribute to founding the pest lineages. Similar results were observed for AFLP and microsatellite data . In contrast, non-pest populations from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas were genetically similar to U.S. pest populations, indicating that they contributed to the founding of the pest lineages. Most of the pest populations do not show a significant reduction in genetic diversity compared to the plains populations in the United States. We conclude that genetically heterogeneous beetle populations expanded onto potato from native Solanum hosts. This mode of host range expansion may have contributed to the abundant genetic diversity of contemporary populations, perhaps contributing to the rapid evolution of climate tolerance, host range, and insecticide resistance.

First Report of Bacterial Leaf Streak of Corn Caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum in Oklahoma

Following reports of a new bacterial disease of corn (Zea mays) caused by Xanthomonas vasicola in the nearby states of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska (Korus et al. 2017), irrigated corn fields in Caddo, Garvin, Kingfisher, and Texas Counties of Oklahoma were surveyed for symptoms of bacterial leaf streak in August 2016. Symptoms consisting of elongated necrotic lesions mostly confined within leaf veins, with irregular yellow to orange colored margins, were observed in several fields in Texas County, although disease severity was low (less than 5%). Bacterial streaming was observed from excised leaf sections, and yellow mucoid bacterial colonies were present on nutrient agar cultures obtained by streaking aqueous bacterial suspensions from lesion sections. Isolates were purified and grown on nutrient agar for 3 days, and DNA was extracted using a quick method. The quick method consisted of heating an aqueous bacterial suspension (one colony picked with sterile toothpick in 100 μl) for 15 min at 100°C and retaining supernatant following centrifugation at 1,200 rpm for 5 min. The primers Xvv3 that targets membrane protein and Xvv5 that targets putative exported protein of X. vasicola pv. vasculorum (Lang et al. 2017) were used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to identify the pathogen. Isolates OK-6-1, OK-6-3-1, OK-6-3-2, and OK-8-1 were PCR positive for the expected 207-bp product for Xvv3 and for the 200-bp product for Xvv5 primer pairs, confirming the pathogen in 2 of the 19 fields surveyed. Other bacteria including nonpathogens isolated from the corn leaves and X. euvesicatoria were PCR negative. Pathogenicity tests were performed on 21-day-old plants of corn hybrid 208-71VT2PRIB (two plants per isolate and inoculation method) grown in the greenhouse at 22 to 29°C. Bacterial suspensions (10⁷ CFU/ml of sterile tap water) were sprayed to run-off on plants incubated for 48 h pre- and postinoculation in humidity chambers in the greenhouse at 100% relative humidity (RH), or were infiltrated into leaves of plants left on the greenhouse bench at 50 to 60% RH. Sterile tap water served as the noninoculated control. Typical bacterial leaf streak lesions developed within 7 days postinoculation with the four PCR-positive isolates. Symptoms on spray-inoculated plants were more severe, and the pathogen often killed symptomatic leaves compared with infiltrated leaves, which remained intact 14 days postinoculation. The other bacteria described above and the water control did not cause symptoms. The pathogen was reisolated as described above from a symptomatic leaf representing each isolate and inoculation method. Reisolated bacteria were identified by colony characteristics and the two PCR primers. This is the first report of bacterial leaf streak of corn caused by X. vasicola pv. vasculorum in Oklahoma and expands the current reported geographic range of this new disease in the United States (Korus et al. 2017). The pathogen is synonymous with X. vasicola (Korus et al. 2017) and X. campestris pv. zeae (Qhobela et al. 1990).

Virulence Differences in Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici from the Central and Eastern United States.

Wheat powdery mildew is a disease of global importance that occurs across a wide geographic area in the United States. A virulence survey of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, the causal agent, was conducted by sampling 36 wheat fields in 15 U.S. states in the years 2013 and 2014. Using a hierarchical sampling protocol, isolates were derived from three separated plants at each of five separated sites within each field in order to assess the spatial distribution of pathotypes. In total, 1,017 isolates from those fields were tested individually on single-gene differential cultivars containing a total of 21 powdery mildew resistance (Pm) genes. Several recently introgressed mildew resistance genes from wild wheat relatives (Pm37, Pm53, MlAG12, NCAG13, and MlUM15) exhibited complete or nearly complete resistance to all local B. graminis f. sp. tritici populations from across the sampled area. One older gene, Pm4b, also retained at least some efficacy across the sampled area. The B. graminis f. sp. tritici population sampled from Arkansas and Missouri, on the western edge of the eastern soft red winter wheat region, had virulence profiles more similar to other soft wheat mildew populations than to the geographically closer population from hard wheat fields in the Plains states of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas. The Plains population differed in that it was avirulent to several Pm genes long defeated in the soft-wheat-growing areas. Virulence complexity was greatest east of the Mississippi River, and diminished toward the west. Several recently introgressed Pm genes (Pm25, Pm34, Pm35, and NCA6) that are highly effective against mildew in the field in North Carolina were unexpectedly susceptible to eastern-U.S. B. graminis f. sp. tritici populations in detached-leaf tests. Sampled fields displayed a wide range of pathotype diversity and spatial distribution, suggesting that epidemics are caused by varying numbers of pathotypes in all regions. The research confirmed that most long-used Pm genes are defeated in the eastern United States, and the U.S. B. graminis f. sp. tritici population has different virulence profiles in the hard- and soft-wheat regions, which are likely maintained by host selection, isolation by distance, and west-to-east gene flow.

Understanding and Finding Solutions to the Problem of Sedimentation in the National Wildlife Refuge System

Abstract The National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) is a collection of public lands maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for migratory birds and other wildlife. Wetlands on individual National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges) may be at risk of increased sedimentation because of land use and water management practices. Increased sedimentation can reduce wetland habitat quality by altering hydrologic function, degrading water quality, and inhibiting growth of vegetation and invertebrates. On Refuges negatively affected by increased sedimentation, managers have to address complex questions about how to best remediate and mitigate the negative effects. The best way to account for these complexities is often not clear. On other Refuges, managers may not know whether sedimentation is a problem. Decision makers in the Refuge System may need to allocate resources to studying which Refuges could be at risk. Such analyses would help them understand where to direct support for managing increased sedimentation. In this paper, we summarize a case study demonstrating the use of decision-analytic tools in the development of a sedimentation management plan for Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota. Using what we learned from that process, we surveyed other Refuges in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 (an area encompassing the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin) and Region 6 (an area encompassing the states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) about whether they experience sediment-related impacts to management. Our results show that cases of management being negatively affected by increased sedimentation are not isolated. We suggest that the Refuge System conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment of increased sedimentation among Refuges to understand the importance of sedimentation in context with other management problems that Refuges face. The results of such an assessment could guide how the Refuge System allocates resources to studying and managing widespread stressors.