Ecosystem Service Benefits Generated by Improved Water Quality from Conservation Practices

Chapter 2 of "The Valuation of Ecosystem Services from Farms and Forests: Informing a systematic approach to quantifying benefits of conservation programs

Assessing Residents\u27 Competency at Baseline: How Much Does the Medical School Matter?

CONCLUSIONS : The results show that residents\u27 medical school of origin is weakly associated with clinical competency, highlighting a potential source of variability in undergraduate medical education. The practical significance of these findings needs further evaluation.RESULTS : Medical school predicted the following amounts of variance in performance-data gathering scores: 1.67% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36-2.93); assessment scores: 4.93% (95% CI 1.84-6.00); teamwork scores: 0.80% (95% CI 0.00-1.82); communication scores: 2.37% (95% CI 0.66-3.83); and overall POA scores: 4.19% (95% CI 1.59-5.35).BACKGROUND : Although there is some consensus about the competencies needed to enter residency, the actual skills of graduating medical students may not meet expectations. In addition, little is known about the association between undergraduate medical education and clinical performance at entry into and during residency.OBJECTIVE : We explored the association between medical school of origin and clinical performance using a multi-station objective structured clinical examination for incoming residents at the University of Michigan Health System.METHODS : Prior to assuming clinical duties, all first-year residents at the University of Michigan Health System participate in the Postgraduate Orientation Assessment (POA). This assesses competencies needed during the first months of residency. Performance data for 1795 residents were collected between 2002 and 2012. We estimated POA variance by medical school using linear mixed models

Soil Nitrogen and Phosphorus Availability for Field-Applied Slurry from Swine Fed Traditional and Low-Phytate Corn

Swine (Sus scrofa) slurry contains nutrients essential for crop production but usually contains more P relative to N than is required by most crops, creating the potential for negative environmental impacts. Diet modifications such as low-phytate corn (Zea mays L.) have resulted in improved bioavailability of P and reduced manure P content. A field study was conducted to compare in situ availability of N and P at two sites. One site received three annual additions of manure from swine fed low-phytate corn or traditional corn diets or inorganic fertilizer, surface applied to rainfed no-till sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. A second site received a onetime application and incorporation of the same nutrient treatments to irrigated corn. Nutrient treatments were applied at rates intended to meet crop N needs. At both sites, an in situ soil core resin bag technique was used to determine available N and P during the growing season. Potentially mineralizable N was 70% of applied N and extractable P was 100% of applied P for manure from both diets. Incorporation of swine slurry reduced potentially mineralizable N to 40% the year of application and 30% the year after application and reduced extractable P to 60% the year of application and 40% the year after application for both diets. Modified diets reduced the P content of the manure but not the availability of N or P