A developing application of laser-driven currents is the generation of magnetic fields of picosecond–nanosecond duration with magnitudes exceeding $B=10~\text{T}$. Single-loop and helical coil targets can direct laser-driven discharge currents along wires to generate spatially uniform, quasi-static magnetic fields on the millimetre scale. Here, we present proton deflectometry across two axes of a single-loop coil ranging from 1 to 2 mm in diameter. Comparison with proton tracking simulations shows that measured magnetic fields are the result of kiloampere currents in the coil and electric charges distributed around the coil target. Using this dual-axis platform for proton deflectometry, robust measurements can be made of the evolution of magnetic fields in a capacitor coil target.

A systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted to assess the relative efficacy of internal or external teat sealants given at dry-off in dairy cattle. Controlled trials were eligible if they assessed the use of internal or external teat sealants, with or without concurrent antimicrobial therapy, compared to no treatment or an alternative treatment, and measured one or more of the following outcomes: incidence of intramammary infection (IMI) at calving, IMI during the first 30 days in milk (DIM), or clinical mastitis during the first 30 DIM. Risk of bias was based on the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool with modified signaling questions. From 2280 initially identified records, 32 trials had data extracted for one or more outcomes. Network meta-analysis was conducted for IMI at calving. Use of an internal teat sealant (bismuth subnitrate) significantly reduced the risk of new IMI at calving compared to non-treated controls (RR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.25–0.72). For comparisons between antimicrobial and teat sealant groups, concerns regarding precision were seen. Synthesis of the primary research identified important challenges related to the comparability of outcomes, replication and connection of interventions, and quality of reporting of study conduct.

A systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted to assess the relative efficacy of antimicrobial therapy given to dairy cows at dry-off. Eligible studies were controlled trials assessing the use of antimicrobials compared to no treatment or an alternative treatment, and assessed one or more of the following outcomes: incidence of intramammary infection (IMI) at calving, incidence of IMI during the first 30 days in milk (DIM), or incidence of clinical mastitis during the first 30 DIM. Databases and conference proceedings were searched for relevant articles. The potential for bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 algorithm. From 3480 initially identified records, 45 trials had data extracted for one or more outcomes. Network meta-analysis was conducted for IMI at calving. The use of cephalosporins, cloxacillin, or penicillin with aminoglycoside significantly reduced the risk of new IMI at calving compared to non-treated controls (cephalosporins, RR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.23–0.65; cloxacillin, RR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.38–0.79; penicillin with aminoglycoside, RR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.26–0.72). Synthesis revealed challenges with a comparability of outcomes, replication of interventions, definitions of outcomes, and quality of reporting. The use of reporting guidelines, replication among interventions, and standardization of outcome definitions would increase the utility of primary research in this area.

Remarkably few attempts have been made to estimate contemporary effective population size (Ne) for parasitic species, despite the valuable perspectives it can offer on the tempo and pace of parasite evolution as well as coevolutionary dynamics of host–parasite interactions. In this study, we utilized multi-locus microsatellite data to derive single-sample and temporal estimates of contemporary Ne for a cestode parasite (Schistocephalus solidus) as well as three-spined stickleback hosts (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in lakes across Alaska. Consistent with prior studies, both approaches recovered small and highly variable estimates of parasite and host Ne. We also found that estimates of host Ne and parasite Ne were sensitive to assumptions about population genetic structure and connectivity. And, while prior work on the stickleback–cestode system indicates that physiographic factors external to stickleback hosts largely govern genetic variation in S. solidus, our findings indicate that stickleback host attributes and factors internal to the host – namely body length, genetic diversity and infection – shape contemporary Ne of cestode parasites.

We performed a long-term natural experiment investigating the impact of the diphyllobotriidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus on the body condition and clutch size (CS) of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, its second intermediate host, and the growth of larval parasites in host fish. We tested the hypothesis that single S. solidus infections were more virulent than multiple infections. We also asked whether the metrics of mean and total parasite mass (proxies for individual and total volume, respectively) were consistent with predictions of the resource constraints or the life history strategy (LHS) hypothesis for the growth of, hence exploitation by, larval helminths in intermediate hosts. The samples were drawn from Walby Lake, Alaska in eight of 11 years. Host body condition and CS (egg number per spawning bout) decreased significantly with intensity after adjustments for host size and parasite index. Thus, infections have an increasingly negative impact on measures of host fitness with greater intensity, in contrast to the hypothesis that single infections are more harmful than multiple infections. We also found that mean parasite mass decreased with intensity while total parasite mass increased with intensity as predicted by the LHS hypothesis.

Twenty days after rice (Oryza sativa L. ‘IR28’) emergence, water was withheld from the stress treatment for 20 days while the control was kept well-watered by furrow irrigation. In the control plots, rice leaf water potential at 0800 hours was –5.5 bars and leaf length 30 cm on the 12th day of stress. In the stress treatment, leaf water potential decreased to –8 bars and leaf length to 20 cm, when no weeds competed with rice. With maximum weed competition, rice leaf water potential decreased to –18 bars and leaf length to 15.5 cm. on the 20th day of stress, dawn (0600 h) leaf water potential of rice in the stress treatment was reduced from –8 bars when no weeds competed with rice to –19 bars when competition was maximum. The weed species had higher water potential values than the rice in both control and water-stress treatments.

The release of 3-amino-2,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (amiben), 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine), isopropyl m-chlorocarbanilate (chlorpropham), S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (EPTC), and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea (linuron) from excised soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr., var. Chippewa) roots following uptake of the herbicides from solutions for 1 hr was studied. Rates of release of herbicides into water were rapid with at least 30% of that taken up being released during the first 30 min. Herbicide X time and herbicide X concentration interactions were highly significant. In most instances, slow release continued for 4 hr, which was the duration of the experiment. Use of herbicide or nutrient solutions as release solutions did not significantly change the amounts of herbicides released. It was concluded that herbicide molecules released after 1 hr uptake were those that had diffused out from free space rather than those released from uptake or adsorptive sites.

Uptake of herbicides by excised roots of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plants was studied over periods of 30 min, 8 hr, and 48 hr. In the 48-hr experiment, initial rate of herbicide uptake was rapid and was greater at higher temperatures and external herbicide concentrations. Rates of initial uptake varied among herbicides. Over 30-min periods, rapid herbicide uptake by excised roots for 2.5 to 5 min was followed by much slower uptake. Total uptake for 30 min and 1 hr was in the order of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea(linuron) > isopropyl-m-chlorocarbanilate (chlorpropham) > S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (EPTC) > 3-amino-2,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (amiben) > 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine). However, total uptake after 48 hr was in the order of chloropropham > linuron > EPTC > atrazine > amiben, indicating that rates of uptake for the herbicides changed over 48 hr. Values of Q10 for herbicide uptake were always less than 1.85, indicating that physical processes were important in uptake of herbicides by excised soybean roots. Uptake of herbicides over 8 hr by roots of intact plants was similar at 5, 10, and 20 C to uptake by excised roots, but uptake at 30 C was less for roots of intact plants than for excised roots. Transpiration increased as temperature increased, but herbicide uptake and transpiration were unrelated.

This study was conducted in lowland fields at the International Rice Research Institute in the 1994 wet season and the 1995 dry season to determine Oryza sativa plant traits that confer competitive ability against weeds when pregerminated seeds are sown on puddled soil. Initial biomass (IB), crop growth rate (CGR), leaf area index (LAI), and biomass at tillering of O. sativa plants were associated with their competitiveness against weeds, whereas relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, and tillering capacity of O. sativa were not. Biomass at tillering affected weed biomass directly, and IB, CGR, and LAI indirectly affected weed biomass through O. sativa biomass. Biomass at tillering was the best predictor of modern cultivar competitiveness against weeds.