Vegetable Crops for Commercial Production in the El Paso Valley Area.

10 p

Strategic Restructuring in Higher Education: A Case Study of a Consolidation of Two Institutions

This in-depth single case study examined the implementation process utilized for the consolidation of two public institutions and the participants’ perceptions five years post-consolidation of the extent to which the original expected outcomes of the consolidation have been achieved. The names of the institutions and participants involved in this case study have been replaced with pseudonyms. The case study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with the qualitative method having more dominance throughout the study. Three primary sources of data were used: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field notes. The data collected from all three sources were coded, analyzed and presented based on the study’s conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and research questions. An in-depth analysis of the semi-structured interviews revealed 4 recurring themes: 1) uncertainty and unexpected work load, 2) communication, 3) managing change and culture gaps, and 4) managing geographical challenges. The research also revealed that the perceived underlying rationale for the consolidation was the general need to see greater efficiencies in the organization and delivery of higher education services to the people of Georgia at less cost. The study showed two expected outcomes from the consolidation: fiscal prudency and the creation of a regional university. The study revealed that the newly consolidated institution has achieved the creation of a regional university but fiscal prudency, among other areas, remain a work in progress. The overall perception of participants five years post-consolidation however, is relatively positive in that, having gone through a tedious consolidation they can now, in hindsight, see some of the benefits/results of the process. Overall, the study did not reveal a step-by- step process or blueprint that was utilized during the consolidation process. The study did however, show several key steps that were taken toward the completion of the consolidation. While the results of case studies are not typically generalizable, the researcher offered several recommendations to current institutional administrators, system administrators, and highlighted topics for future research that could aid in bridging the gap in literature surrounding higher education mergers (consolidations)

Vegetable Crops for Commercial Production in the El Paso Valley Area.

10 p

Cotton Fertilizer Tests in the El Paso Area, 1943-51.

14 p

A cancer rainbow mouse for visualizing the functional genomics of oncogenic clonal expansion.

Field cancerization is a premalignant process marked by clones of oncogenic mutations spreading through the epithelium. The timescales of intestinal field cancerization can be variable and the mechanisms driving the rapid spread of oncogenic clones are unknown. Here we use a Cancer rainbow (Crainbow) modelling system for fluorescently barcoding somatic mutations and directly visualizing the clonal expansion and spread of oncogenes. Crainbow shows that mutations of ß-catenin (Ctnnb1) within the intestinal stem cell results in widespread expansion of oncogenes during perinatal development but not in adults. In contrast, mutations that extrinsically disrupt the stem cell microenvironment can spread in adult intestine without delay. We observe the rapid spread of premalignant clones in Crainbow mice expressing oncogenic Rspondin-3 (RSPO3), which occurs by increasing crypt fission and inhibiting crypt fixation. Crainbow modelling provides insight into how somatic mutations rapidly spread and a plausible mechanism for predetermining the intratumor heterogeneity found in colon cancers

Moderate-Intensity Exercise Improves Body Composition and Improves Physiological Markers of Stress in HIV-Infected Men

HIV/AIDS and its treatment often alter body composition and result in poorer physical functioning. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a moderate-intensity exercise program on body composition and the hormones and cytokines associated with adverse health outcomes. HIV-infected males (N = 111) were randomized to an exercise group (EX) who completed 6 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise training, or to a nonintervention control group (CON). In pre- and postintervention, body composition was estimated via DXA, peak strength was assessed, and resting blood samples were obtained. There was a decrease in salivary cortisol at wake (P = 0.025) in the EX and a trend (P = 0.07) for a decrease 1 hour after waking. The EX had a significant increase in lean tissue mass (LTM) (P \u3c 0.001) following the intervention. Those in the EX below median body fat (20%) increased LTM (P = 0.014) only, while those above 20% decreased fat mass (P = 0.02), total fat (N = 0.009), and trunk fat (P = 0.001), while also increasing LTM (P = 0.027). Peak strength increased between 14% and 28% on all exercises in the EX group. These data indicate that 6 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise training can decrease salivary cortisol levels, improve physical performance, and improve body composition in HIV-infected men

Water Quality Hydrology of Lands Receiving Farm Animal Wastes

A significant pollution potential from cattle manure has developed as a result of the cattle feeding industry progressing to large, high density feeding operations. Two major potential sources of pollution from beef feedlots is storm runoff and solid waste (manure). The objectives of this research were to determine the characteristics of storm runoff from a beef feedlot, to determine the nitrogen transformations and ammonia volatilization from soils receiving large manure applications, to determine the chemical quality of surface runoff and groundwater from plots receiving large manure applications, to evaluate techniques of deep plowing large amounts of manure into the soil, and to determine the crop quality and yields on field plots receiving large manure application rates. Feedlot runoff was found to carry large amounts of chemical elements. The concentrations of chemical elements did not vary with size and intensity of rainstorm as much as by differences in topography of the watersheds. More ammonia was volatilized from limed soil columns than unlimed but an unexplained decrease in total nitrogen of 10 to 20 percent occurred in the unlimed and limed soil columns, respectively. A 30-in. moldboard plowing 30 to 36-in. deep can safely turn under up to 900 tons/acre of manure and not create a major surface water pollution problem. An increase of chemical elements in the groundwater occurred during the first year and then were reduced to initial values during the second year. No N03 pollution of groundwater occurred. Crops can be effectively grown on land receiving up to 900 tons/acre of manure. Peak yields will not be obtained the first year after plowing the 900 tons under, but yields will increase the second and third years

Supernova Remnants in the Sedov Expansion Phase: Thermal X-Ray Emission

Improved calculations of X-ray spectra for supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Sedov-Taylor phase are reported, which for the first time include reliable atomic data for Fe L-shell lines. This new set of Sedov models also allows for a partial collisionless heating of electrons at the blast wave and for energy transfer from ions to electrons through Coulomb collisions. X-ray emission calculations are based on the updated Hamilton-Sarazin spectral model. The calculated X-ray spectra are succesfully interpreted in terms of three distribution functions: the electron temperature and ionization timescale distributions, and the ionization timescale averaged electron temperature distribution. The comparison of Sedov models with a frequently used single nonequilibrium ionization (NEI) timescale model reveals that this simple model is generally not an appropriate approximation to X-ray spectra of SNRs. We find instead that plane-parallel shocks provide a useful approximation to X-ray spectra of SNRs, particularly for young SNRs. Sedov X-ray models described here, together with simpler plane shock and single ionization timescale models, have been implemented as standard models in the widely used XSPEC v11 spectral software package.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Astrophysical Journa

Cotton Production in Far West Texas with Emphasis on Irrigation and Fertilization.

24 p

Population-Level Benefits from Providing Effective HIV Prevention Means to Pregnant Women in High Prevalence Settings

Background:HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Southern Africa is extremely high. Epidemiological studies suggest that pregnancy increases the risk of HIV sexual acquisition and that HIV infections acquired during pregnancy carry higher risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). We analyze the potential benefits from extending the availability of effective microbicide to pregnant women (in addition to non-pregnant women) in a wide-scale intervention.Methods and Findings:A transmission dynamic model was designed to assess the impact of microbicide use in high HIV prevalence settings and to estimate proportions of new HIV infections, infections acquired during pregnancy, and MTCT prevented over 10 years. Our analysis suggests that consistent use of microbicide with 70% efficacy by 60% of non-pregnant women may prevent approximately 40% and 15% of new infections in women and men respectively over 10 years, assuming no additional increase in HIV risk to either partner during pregnancy (RRHIV/preg = 1). It may also prevent 8-15% MTCT depending on the increase in MTCT risk when HIV is acquired during pregnancy compared to before pregnancy (RRMTCT/preg). Extending the microbicides use during pregnancy may improve the effectiveness of the intervention by 10% (RRHIV/preg = 1) to 25% (RRHIV/preg = 2) and reduce the number of HIV infections acquired during pregnancy by 40% to 70% in different scenarios. It may add between 6% (RRHIV/preg = 1, RRMTCT/preg = 1) and 25% (RRHIV/preg = 2, RRMTCT/preg = 4) to the reduction in the residual MTCT.Conclusion:Providing safe and effective microbicide to pregnant women in the context of wide-scale interventions would be desirable as it would increase the effectiveness of the intervention and significantly reduce the number of HIV infections acquired during pregnancy. The projected benefits from covering pregnant women by the HIV prevention programs is more substantial in communities in which the sexual risk during pregnancy is elevated. © 2013 Dimitrov et al