DEFINING THE 'SAVING' IN AGRICULTURE WATER WHEN IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY IS A CHOICE VARIABLE: THE CASE OF THE KLAMATH BASIN

Increasing demand for water in the environment has increased the cost of irrigation water in agriculture leading to the adoption of water saving irrigation technologies, reducing agricultural return flows. However, when agricultural return flows are a source of environmental supply 'savings' soon disappear because of the reduced agricultural return flowsResource /Energy Economics and Policy,

REGULATION OF THE L-TYPE PYRUVATE KINASE GENE BY GLUCOSE AND cAMP IN ISLET BETA CELLS

Extracellular signals generated during both feeding and fasting coordinately regulate transcription of metabolic enzyme genes that control glucose metabolism in theƒnƒÒ cell. A post-prandial rise in extracellular glucose levels promotes expression of various genes including the gene encoding the glycolytic enzyme L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK). Conversely, under conditions of fasting, a rise in hormones that stimulate increased intracellular levels of cAMP results in suppression of glucose-activated genes such as L-PK. The L-PK gene is coordinately regulated by these two opposing stimuli. Therefore, we explored the mechanism of induction and repression of the L-PK gene by glucose and cAMP, respectively, using the 832/13 rat insulinoma cell line.Glucose mediates induction of the L-PK gene by stimulating the recruitment of two primary DNA binding transcription factors, the basic helix-loop-helix/leucine zipper protein Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein (ChREBP) and the orphan nuclear receptor, Hepatic Nuclear Factor 4ƒÑ (HNF4ƒÑ) to their respective response elements in the proximal L-PK promoter. In addition, glucose stimulates the recruitment of the coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP) to the L-PK gene promoter. Assembly of these three factors on the L-PK gene promoter facilitates alterations in the pattern of acetylation and methylation of histones associated with the promoter and coding region, respectively. These changes in histone modifications correlate with increased occupancy of the RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) holoenzyme on the L-PK promoter. Finally, glucose promotes changes in the phosphorylation state of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of Pol II at serines 5 and 2, which are necessary for the promoter clearance and elongation phases of transcription.cAMP represses the glucose-mediated induction of the L-PK gene by inhibiting the assembly of the ChREBP, HNF4ƒÑ and CBP-containing complex on the L-PK promoter. The cAMP-dependent decrease in complex assembly on the promoter is associated with alterations in the acetylation and methylation status of histones on both the promoter and coding region. Furthermore, cAMP inhibits the glucose-mediated recruitment and phosphorylation of Pol II CTD, ultimately blocking initiation and elongation of the L-PK gene by Pol II. In summary, these studies provide a detailed insight into the mechanism of regulation of the L-PK gene by glucose and cAMP in islet ƒÒ cells

Professional Responsibility

This article is part of the District of Columbia Surve

Professional Responsibility

This article is part of the District of Columbia Surve

Striving for Credibility in the Face of Ambiguity: A Grounded Theory Study of Extreme Hardship Immigration Psychological Evaluations

Psychological evaluations are frequently used in extreme hardship immigration cases in the United States. These evaluations are complex; they are inherently ambiguous, and they require extensive training and specialized knowledge. General guidance for mental health professionals is available from professional organizations, the federal government, and articles in the legal and mental health literature. However, there is a lack of detailed guidance, best practices, training, and supervision so many evaluators learn on their own. Unfortunately, this has resulted in assessment processes and evaluation reports that vary widely in terms of professionalism and quality which negatively impacts the vulnerable families seeking these services. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify current practices of immigration attorneys and mental health professionals engaged in producing psychological evaluations for extreme hardship cases. This study utilized classic grounded theory (Glaser & Holton, 2004) to analyze interviews of thirteen study participants and redacted psychological evaluations. Credibility was identified as the core variable for this study; it accounted for the greatest variance of behavior between the participants. In conceptualizing why participants sought credibility, the Grounded Theory of striving for credibility in the face of ambiguity arose. This theory captures how struggles for human rights often evoke moral and ethical dilemmas regarding fairness and justice, which are integral values to the legal and mental health professions. However, the ambiguity and lack of external feedback inherent in extreme hardship evaluations necessitates the need for evaluators to create their own processes, rely on internal standards of excellence, and thus develop a sense of meaning for doing the work. Participants who were passionate about this work appeared to have successfully completed a meaning-making process (Park, 2010) and when positive meaning was not established, participants spoke of fatigue, burnout, poor work quality, and ultimately leaving this area of specialization. Recommendations include clarifying clinician qualifications, training, supervision, mentoring, and criteria to evaluate the quality of reports. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd

Organic Winter Wheat Planting Date Trial

In 2013, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted a winter wheat planting date trial. As the demand for local organic wheat has risen over the last few years, UVM Extension has been trying to determine the best agronomic practices for wheat production in the problematic Northeastern climate. Traditionally, producers have planted winter wheat after the Hessian fly free date, 15-Sep. Producers are interested in knowing how late they can plant their wheat in order to plan rotations and maximize yield

Organic Spring Wheat Variety Trial

In April of 2013, the University of Vermont Extension, in collaboration with the University of Maine, began the fourth year of extensive organic variety trials evaluating hard red spring wheat in order to determine which varieties thrive in our northern climate. The trials were established at the Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont and at Cornell University’s Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, New York. Several varieties that did not perform well in previous trial years were eliminated from the 2013 variety trials. This trial is one of several in a USDA Organic Research Education Initiative grant focused on the production of high quality organic bread wheat in New England

Oat Variety Trial Report

Oats (Avena sativa L.) have a long history of production in the Northeast. Although most oats are planted for a cover crop or hay, grain oats are a potential revenue source for farmers. According to the 2007 census, about 200 acres of land in Vermont is cultivated for oat grain production, with an average yield of 1747 lbs per acre. With the exception of hull-less varieties, oats need to be de-hulled before being used for human consumption and further processing is required to make oatmeal, steel cut oats or oat flour. Since 2009, the University of Vermont Extension has conducted oat variety trials to provide yield comparisons in Vermont’s climate. Varietal selection is one of the most important aspects of crop production and significantly influences yield potential. It is important to remember, however, that the data presented are from replicated research trials from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. The goal of this project was to evaluate yields and protein of ten oat varieties