Herbicide resistance has been studied extensively in agronomic crops across North America but is rarely examined in vegetables. It is widely assumed that the limited number of registered herbicides combined with the adoption of diverse weed management strategies in most vegetable crops effectively inhibits the development of resistance. It is difficult to determine whether resistance is truly less common in vegetable crops or whether the lack of reported cases is due to the lack of resources focused on detection. This review highlights incidences of resistance that are thought to have arisen within vegetable crops. It also includes situations in which herbicide-resistant weeds were likely selected for within agronomic crops but became a problem when vegetables were grown in sequence or in adjacent fields. Occurrence of herbicide resistance can have severe consequences for vegetable growers, and resistance management plans should be adopted to limit selection pressure. This review also highlights resistance management techniques that should slow the development and spread of herbicide resistance in vegetable crops.

In 1999, a robust National Health Preparedness and Response Center was conceptualized and piloted, but never fully operationalized. This study revisits the expansive, coordinated efforts invested in this concept, considered an overdue remedy for persistent shortfalls in medical Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives training, proficiency, and preparation. The concept defined a robust mission for longstanding, proven programs for prepositioning equipment and associated training of personnel. This study explores the reasons that ended military and governmental support, attendant funding, and operations of the created Joint/Interagency Civil Support Center, which ceased on September 30, 2006. Unfortunately, the concept remains relevant. Major gaps in disaster medical response capabilities have been recognized for decades. Experts from the Institute of Medicine, United States Northern Command, and multiple academic centers and professional organizations have identified these shortcomings, but the national response posture remains disjointed, under-resourced, and based upon obsolete planning premises. Given increasing threats, the authors recommend revisiting the collaboration of military, civilian, academic, and governmental resources that once established the Joint/Interagency Civil Support Center as a multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary model for a new National Health Preparedness and Response Center coordinated framework for enhanced resilience and operational response capabilities on a national level.

The deliberate use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) materials in war or terrorist attacks is perceived as a great threat globally. In the event of a release of CBRN agents, protection by means of medical countermeasures (MedCMs) could reduce health vulnerability. Nonetheless, for some diseases caused by these agents, innovative MedCMs do not exist and many of those that do might not be readily available. Inappropriate research and development funding and government procurement efforts can result in adverse economic consequences (eg, lost income, cost per loss of life, medical expenses) far exceeding the costs of strong and comprehensive preparedness initiatives. By illustrating factors of demand-side rationale for CBRN MedCMs, this article aims to strengthen integrity of policy-making associated with current demand requirements. Namely, an approach to inspire broader assessment is outlined by compiling and adapting existing economic models and concepts to characterize both soft and hard factors that influence demand-side rationale. First, the soft factor context is set by describing the impact of behavioral and political economics. Then, lessons learned from past public health funding models and associated collaborative access infrastructure are depicted to represent hard factors that can enhance the viability of MedCM preparedness evaluations.

On December 1, 2017, the Fuji factory of Arakawa Chemical Industries exploded. Dust that formed as a byproduct from the crushing and packing process of the resin for ink exploded at the facility. The Fuji City Fire Department requested the dispatch of 2 physician-staffed helicopters (known as a doctor helicopter [DH] in Japan). The first party of emergency services established a headquarters and first-aid station. However, this area was feared to be at risk of a second explosion. Physicians performed re-triage for all 11 burned patients. Three severely injured patients were transported to emergency medical service centers either by ground ambulance or the DH without undergoing any decontamination. The physician who escorted the patient by ground ambulance complained of a headache. One of the severely injured patients was treated at a local hospital and then transported to an emergency medical service center after undergoing decontamination and intubation. Fortunately, all patients who were transported to medical facilities obtained a survival outcome. Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive incidents are rare but can be fatal for responders to these types of disaster. Therefore, all who work in these settings should be prepared and trained adequately to ensure that they have the knowledge and skill to both manage patients and protect themselves from harm. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:799–805)

Tsugaruite, Pb4As2S7, is a new Pb-As sulphosalt from the Yunosawa mine, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. X-ray studies indicated it to be orthorhombic Pnn2 or Pnnm, a 15.179(1), b 38.195(1), c 8.0745(1) Å, Z = 16 [Pb4As2S7] with a subcell with c′ = 1/2c. The six strongest diffractions in the X-ray powder pattern [d (in Å), (I), (hkl)] are: 4.47 (30) (340), 3.705 (34) (1.10.0), 3.395 (100) (450), 2.870 (34) (192), 2.819 (53) (550), and 2.739 (48) (560, 2.13.0). The average of seven electron microprobe analyses gave Pb 68.70, Tl 0.13, As 12.45, S 18.64, total 99.92 wt.%. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of total atoms = 13 is Pb3.99Tl0.01As2.00S7.00, corresponding to the ideal formula Pb4As2S7. The calculated density is 6.83 g/cm3 for the ideal formula.

Tsugaruite is opaque with a metallic lustre and lead-grey streak. No cleavage was observed. It is brittle with uneven fracture. VHN25 is 75.4–94.9 kg/mm2, mean 86.4 (n) = 4), corresponding to 2.5–3 in Mohs' hardness scale. In reflected plane-polarised light in air, it is white with a greenish tint, more greenish than jordanite. Bireflectance and pleochroism are weak, weaker than those of jordanite; and anisotropism is weak to moderate, weaker than that of jordanite. No internal reflections. The reflectance spectra are tabulated in the text.

Tsugaruite was found in a thin baryte veinlet exposed in the wall of a small open cut of the Yunosawa mine. It forms radiating groups of long tabular tapering crystals elongated along c and tabular to b, up to 0.04 mm wide and 2 mm long. The associated minerals are jordanite, which formed earlier than tsugaruite, and galena. The chemical similarity of tsugaruite and jordanite and their intergrown character indicates that earlier jordanite analyses may also include analyses of tsugarite.

Studies were initiated in Wyoming to determine the potential of grass competition as an alternative to repetitive herbicide treatment or other cultural practices for control of Russian knapweed. An experiment was established to evaluate the effects of five grass species, including Russian wildrye cv. ‘Bozoisky.’ Picloram, applied to Russian knapweed during the first frost, reduced Russian knapweed from an average of 80.1% live canopy cover which equates to 0% control. Untreated, unseeded checks resulted in 83.9 and 81.1% control in tilled and nontilled treated plots, respectively. Grass cover increased in untreated seeded plots from an average of 11.3 and 8.2% in tilled and nontilled plots, respectively, to 65% in tilled and 66% in nontilled plots treated with clopyralid plus 2,4-D. Grass cover also increased 69.7% in tilled and 66% in nontilled plots treated with picloram. There was no significant difference between grass varieties when compared to percent Russian knapweed cover. Reductions to zero live canopy cover of Russian knapweed were obtained with a single application of picloram. Economic feasibility thresholds were obtained from four out of five varieties, including a significant difference provided by nontilled Russian wildrye treated with picloram.

Leafy spurge, a long-lived perennial, grows in many habitats, from floodplains to grasslands and mountain slopes. The plant emerges in early spring and produces showy, yellow bracts that appear in late May. The true flowers emerge in mid-June. The plant spreads by both seeds and roots and contains a white sticky latex that deters grazing by many animals. Dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate, and picloram have commonly been used to control leafy spurge. Picloram plus 2,4-D is frequently used for leafy spurge control in North Dakota. Ten insect species for leafy spurge biocontrol have been released in North Dakota; the most successful have been the flea beetles, Aphthona nigriscutis, A. czwalinae, and A. lacertosa. The leafy spurge gall midge (Spurgia esulae) has been most successful near wooded areas. Herbicides combined with either the leafy spurge flea beetles or gall midge have controlled leafy spurge better than either method used alone. Grazing with sheep or goats is a cost-effective method for controlling leafy spurge top growth in large infestations. Grazing combined with fall-applied picloram plus 2,4-D reduced leafy spurge density more rapidly and maintained control longer than either method used alone. Several grass species are competitive with leafy spurge including ‘Rebound’ smooth brome, ‘Rodan’ western wheatgrass, ‘Pryor’ slender wheatgrass, and ‘Manska’ pubescent wheatgrass. Cultivating twice each fall after harvest for 3 yr in cropland completely controlled leafy spurge. A successful long-term management program should be designed for specific situations and should include combinations of herbicides, insects, grazing, and/or seeding competitive species.

Purple loosestrife is an invasive, introduced plant that is usually associated with wetland, marshy, or riparian sites. It is found across the northern tier states and provinces in North America. Purple loosestrife affects the diversity of native wetland ecosystems. Infestations lead to severe wildlife habitat degradation, loss of species diversity, and displacement of wildlife-supporting native vegetation, such as cattails and bulrushes. The plant spreads effectively along waterways, and the thick, matted root system can rapidly clog irrigation ditches, resulting in decreased water flow and increased maintenance. Effective management of purple loosestrife along waterways and in riparian areas requires integrating management strategies to prevent further introductions, detecting and eradicating new infestations, and containing and controlling large-scale infestations. Management practices that aid in the control of purple loosestrife include herbicide, physical, and biological practices. Each infestation site should be individually evaluated to determine the appropriate control measure. Factors to be considered include the proximity and type of vegetation on the site, whether the water is flowing or still, and the utilization of the site and the water (domestic, irrigation, recreation, or scenic value).