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Delayed planting is recommended to reduce damage from sunflower insect pests in the United States, including the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum(Hulst) and banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospesWalsingham. However, in some locations, planting earlier or growing later-maturing hybrids could improve yield or oil content of sunflowers which would partially offset any added costs from insect pests or their management. Because the abundance and distribution of some sunflower insects have changed since recommendations for delayed planting were developed, experimental plots were grown in 2012 and 2013 at sites in North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Sunflowers were planted two to four weeks earlier than normal, including hybrids that flower two to three weeks later than elite commercial hybrids. The sum of seed damaged by sunflower moth, banded sunflower moth, and red sunflower seed weevil, Smicronyx fulvusLeConte, (i. e., total percentage) was influenced by location, but not the relative maturity of tested entries. However, when damage attributed solely to the red sunflower seed weevil was analyzed, more damaged seed were found for late-maturing entries in North Dakota and Nebraska. In addition to the trial data, current pest populations are lower than when delayed planting was first recommended and insecticide use during sunflower bloom is both common and effective. Together, these observations suggest factoring insect pests into planting time decisions may be unnecessary, except for areas with a history of problems with severe pests that cannot be managed using insecticides (e. g., sunflower midge, Contarinia schulziGagné).

This paper is the first report on the microbial population and predominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of two soft-varieties (mild and strong flavoured) of chhurpi., a traditional cheese product of the Sikkim Himalayas. The enzymatic profiles and percentage hydrophobicity (as one criterion of potential adhesion capability) of the predominant LAB were also studied. The LAB, yeasts and viable mesophilic microbial numbers ranged from 7.6-7.9, 7.0-7.4 and 7.7-8.0 log10 cfu/g respectively. The predominant LAB were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lb. curvatus, Lb. fermentum, Lb. paracasei subsp. pseudoplcmtarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. They produced a wide spectrum of enzymes and also exhibited similar patterns of enzymatic activity between species. In comparison to the peptidases, they showed relatively weak esterase and lipase activities. No proteinase activity was detected. Most strains had a high degree of hydrophobicity. The results are discussed in relation to the possible role of the strains in food processing.

This retrospective analysis was conducted to determine whether IUD users are good candidates for laparoscopic sterilization using the tubal ring and the Filshie clip. The data set used for the analysis came from international multicenter clinical trials involving 1235 women who were sterilized by the tubal ring and 1892 women sterilized by the Filshie clip. Results indicate that former IUD use is not associated with an increased risk of surgical injuries, including uterine perforation, major complications, or postoperative infections, for either of these tubal occlusion techniques. The risk of a sterilization procedure ending in technical failure (defined as switching to laparotomy and/or a tubal occlusion technique not originally planned) among tubal ring cases was greater for former IUD users than for non-IUD users.

This study assesses potential demand for NorplantR implants using data from a population-based survey conducted in rural Sri Lanka. Overall, 35% of currently married non-sterilized women of childbearing age expressed interest in using the implants, 52% did not want to use the method, and 13% were unsure about using it. The demand was substantially higher (44% vs 28%) among younger age groups (<30 years) than among older age groups (30–44). The results showed that life-cycle variables (age, parity and marital duration) and fertility preference variables (desire for another child and desired birth-interval) were generally more important than socioeconomic variables in determining variations in potential demand for Norplant in Sri Lanka. Desired birth spacing was found to be a powerful indicator of the potential demand. The majority (85%) of respondents interested in using Norplant were also willing to absorb at least some of the cost of the implants. Among older age groups, those who were using modern temporary methods of contraception either exclusively or in combination with traditional methods had a higher demand for Norplant than non-users or exclusive users of traditional methods. For the younger women, however, potential demand did not vary significantly according to whether they were currently using a method or the type of method used.

This paper analyzes data from a population-based survey fielded in Sri Lanka, which showed that almost half of the women interested in using Norplant contraceptive subdermal implants were actually those who wanted to limit childbearing, a pattern also found in international Norplant clinical studies. A comparison between recently sterilized women and professed limiters of potential Norplant users showed the limiters to be socio-economically and demographically a significantly different group of women from those sterilized. Among several variables analyzed, the most important factor distinguishing the two groups was their relative economic status. Further comparison of the limiters with professed spacers interested in using Norplant showed that the spacers were yet another distinct category of women, the most important characteristic distinguishing between the two groups being the total number of living children. The preliminary results suggest that the Norplant implants system is not necessarily a substitute for sterilization; it appears potentially a popular method among those who want no more children but are not ready to accept sterilization. These findings that the potential Norplant implants users represent different gradients of women in the population have implications for provider counseling and user satisfaction as well as continuation.

We report about the successful realization of a coaxial hetero structure grown by MOVPE around ZnO nanocolumns. At higher overgrowth temperatures, the ZnO cores completely dissolved leaving GaN nanotube structures with excellent properties. Such tubes could be sheathed by a GaInN-GaN single quantum well structure, as confirmed by photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy.