MINIMIZING FARM-TO-MILL COTTON CLEANING COST

This study focuses on least-cost farm-to-mill cotton cleaning configurations employing survey, regression, and simulation techniques. The resulting least-cost cotton cleaning configurations, employing standard textile technology, included the use of one lint cleaning in the ginning stage. The use of a field cleaner in the harvesting stage was also found to be optimal with some variation based on the desired yarn quality. Results of the study indicated that the optimal cleaning configurations were distinctly different from currently used practices, such that appropriate changes could save the cotton industry between $0.30 and$0.60 per bale of cotton, depending on the desired yarn quality.Cotton cleaning, Least-cost configuration, Yarn quality, Crop Production/Industries,

Virtual into Verisimilitude: Videogames\u27 Ability to Induce Empathy

The current study seeks to link traditional forms of empathy induction with new research that suggests videogames can be used as an experiential method of induction. One hundred-nine college students, sixty-four females and forty-six males, were used in a 2x2x2 design, the independent variables being prosocial/neutral videogame, empathic/neutral instructions, and gender. Dependent variables were both questionnaire responses to a fictional story and an opportunity to be realistically altruistic. Participants played either a prosocial or neutral videogame, received either empathic or neutral reading instructions, and then read a vignette depicting a difficult situation faced by the writer. They then rated their reactions on a 7-point Likert scale before being asked to donate time to a local charity. A marginally significant result of gender was found in that females generally responded more strongly than males, and no other results were significant. These finding were different than previous research

Developing a Comprehensive Business Planning Extension Program

The Tomorrow\u27s Top Agricultural Producer program was developed to assist agricultural producers in planning. Through the use of highly intensive classroom lectures, a case study reference guide, and mentor committees, the program assists agricultural producers in the development and implementation of a complete business plan

An Integrated Pest Management Tool for Evaluating Schools

Having the ability to assess pest problems in schools is essential for a successful integrated pest management (IPM) program. However, such expertise can be costly and is not available to all school districts across the United States. The web-based IPM Calculator was developed to address this problem. By answering questions about the condition of a building and the behaviors of individuals who use it, any pest management professional or building manager can use the IPM Calculator to assess pest risk at a school campus and obtain IPM-based solutions to reduce that pest risk. This new tool is available online at http://ipmcalculator.com

Drawing a Triangle on the Thurston Model of Hyperbolic Space

In looking at a common physical model of the hyperbolic plane, the authors encountered surprising difficulties in drawing a large triangle. Understanding these difficulties leads to an intriguing exploration of the geometry of the Thurston model of the hyperbolic plane. In this exploration we encounter topics ranging from combinatorics and Pick’s Theorem to differential geometry and the Gauss-Bonnet Theorem

Educating Limited Acreage Producers Using Web-Based Technology

Collaborative learning Internet courses provide a means of disseminating information to limited acreage producers. Three multi-disciplinary subject curriculums were assimilated into an e-learning platform. Incorporating student online discussion completed the collaborative learning process. With development complete and classes currently being offered, a model is established for Extension programs nationwide

Democracy and its relationship with the market: impartial instrumentalism in politics and constitutional design

This thesis offers an account of the justification of democracy and its proper relationship with the market. It sets out a justification of democracy that I call impartial instrumentalism. According to this account, a political system is justified by its tendency to make good decisions. However, this should be assessed in a way that is impartial between substantive conceptions of justice. In practice, impartial instrumentalism recommends those political systems that promote the knowledge and moral motivation of decision-makers. Democracy is justified as the best political system according to this standard. My account contributes to debates about epistemic democracy by integrating considerations of motivation, and by clarifying the relationship between instrumental and epistemic justifications of democracy. The second half of the thesis evaluates the relationship between markets and democracy in light of this account. I begin by asking whether democracies should be restricted in their ability to intervene in the market. I evaluate the most plausible contemporary argument for this, that of Ilya Somin. Somin’s argument does not meet the test of impartial instrumentalism, because he underrates the need for collective decisions and is not impartial between different conceptions of morality. Next, I ask how markets can influence democracy, and how we should respond to these influences. I examine two case studies: the funding of political speech, and capital strikes (situations in which governments retreat from policies out of fear of how markets will react). In both cases, markets can impede the proper working of democracy. For the former case, I propose a policy solution. However, the latter case raises unavoidable trade-offs between democracy and the economic benefits of trade. In this thesis, I defend a normative account of constitutional design. On the basis of this account, I argue that democracy should generally have priority over the market

Livestock Risk Protection

5 pp., 4 tablesLivestock risk protection (LRP) insurance policies protect producers from adverse price changes in the livestock market. This publication explains how LRP works, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these polices, and gives examples of specific contracts

No Difference in Corticosterone Concentrations Between Missouri Three-Toed Box Turtles Living in an Urban and a Rural Site

Baseline health data for species of conservation concern are important for understanding threats to the long-term viability of populations. One indication of health is physiological stress among individuals. Corticosterone (CORT) is frequently used to quantify stress in free-living reptile populations, as high values may be associated with reduced fitness. Herein, we describe and validate methods for quantifying blood CORT levels in three-toed box turtles (Terrapene mexicana triunguis). We subsequently use this information to evaluate stress levels in 2 populations of free-living three-toed box turtles in Missouri, USA. To our knowledge, this is the first quantification of CORT levels in the three-toed box turtle. In 2012 we collected blood samples from 11 three-toed box turtles in human care at the Saint Louis Zoological Park (zoo), St. Louis, Missouri for assay validation, and from 2012 to 2016 we collected 220 samples from 144 free-living three-toed box turtles at 2 sites, 1 urban and 1 rural. In the zoo turtles, mean CORT concentration was 0.71 ± 0.10 ng/mL. Following a handling experiment, CORT concentration increased to 3.14 ± 0.72 ng/mL (P = 0.011). Mean CORT levels between free-living turtles at the urban and rural sites did not differ (urban = 0.54 ± 0.08 ng/mL, rural = 0.37 ± 0.02 ng/mL, F pr = 0.12). Sex did not influence CORT levels (F pr = 0.29). These results suggest that the turtles living in the urban environment did not experience chronic elevated glucocorticoid production and supports urban parks as potential habitat for box turtles