Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Agricultural Management Strategies on Environmental Indicators

This study uses an integrated economic-environmental modeling system to provide quantitative estimates that were used in the process of setting provincial environmental outcome targets under the APF. The analysis represents a joint effort of the Department's physical scientists, economists and policy analysts. This approach provides the ability to model the impacts of agricultural production and the adoption of Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) on the Canadian environment. The analysis quantifies the impacts of various management practices on air, soil, and water quality as well as biodiversity through measurable and meaningful indicators. It also assists in identifying appropriate environmental goals by providing an indication of achievable outcomes as a result of adopting environmental management practices. This study is based on existing agri-environmental indicators and integrated modeling capacity. The limitations of these analytical tools and results are recognized.sustainability of agriculture, agricultural policy, environmental issues, social issues, environmental outcome targets, Environmental Economics and Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

A Comparison Study of the Comprehension Level of Junior High School Algebra Students

Thie study proved there was no significant differences between levels of eighth and ninth grade algebra students of the Highline School District. The group of forty students were matched using four different criteria, the differences of their mean scores taken from a comprehensive test were checked for significance by the use of a t-score. Recommendations included continuation of present se lection methods for algebra students with continual updating of this study in the Highline School District

Net Costs of Wildlife Damage on Private Lands

This study models net welfare impacts on producers who receive utility from on-farm wildlife populations that are not costlessly disposable. Wildlife damage levels where net benefits are zero indicate producers' maximum willingness to pay for on-farm wildlife. An empirical model is developed. Results for Ontario producers suggest the net welfare loss from damage is approximately half of the value of the yield loss for those with damage. In aggregate, however, on-farm wildlife generates net benefits to producers that outweigh costs by about 10-to-1. The distribution of net benefits is highly skewed across producers.random effects probit, tolerance thresholds, wildlife benefits, wildlife damage, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Letter from J. L. Heigh to John Muir, 1863 Nov 14

[4] Blake has been confined to his room with a sore throat for some days past, and Stein, poor little Hebrew has been quite sick but is doing finely now. I have taken care of him for the past four days and my treatment has been so emuiently successful that I am led to think I have mistaken my profession and had better become a disciple of Sesculapuis than to follow Blackstone & Kent. Your inquiry about the prosperity of the churches. I am hardly prepared to answer as I attend non but the Baptist. it is however in a prosperous condition. The first Sabbath of this term Mr Johnson admitted nearly twenty numbers, and some have been taken in since. You counsel me not to forget the things of Eternity. Be assured that I do not - but as you well know the influences surrounding me here are terrible as well in their effects as in their nature. But I trust it is not all down hill with me, after all. Accept my kindest wishes and believe me Yours etc. J. L. [Heigh?].633Patrick says he sent the boxes more than a month since, and that the Ann Arbor direction was carefully erased with a p[illegible][1] Madison Wis. Nov. 14th 1863. Dear Muir, Better late than never , re an adage applicable as well to epistolary correspondence as to most other human affairs, and your letter came just in time to save your reputation for truth and vesacity I should have written to spur you up but I did not know where to direct. We are jogging along in the good old style here on the hill. The term is a full one and thus far very pleasant. There have been in all about two hundred and thirty students about equally divided as to sex. We wind up in about ten days more and then for my writers work. 00340 [2]I shall teach at home again and anticipate a pleasant winter with mother and father, probably the last winter I shall ever spend at home. My chum the good- natured Wallace did not return until last week but he intends to stay right through the year. Our class numbers only five [org.?] Wallace, Spooner, Salisbury Cuger, and myself. Leahey has gone into the army, and Lewis is a Senior at Union College N. T. So as you see we are small in numbers but we are making a brave fight of it nevertheless. The Societies are doing unusually well this term. Yours numbers about twenty five members and ours over forty. Mc Laughlin was elected Pres. of yours last night Big thing for a small boy isn\u27t it? He is if possible noisier than ever.[3]Our mutual friends the Griffins no longer occupy the house at the foot of the hill . They have moved to the Depot and keep the Eating Saloon there. I have called only once since they have moved. They are well all around and the girls spoke about your letter. Miss Flora is in my German class where I meet her every day. In regard to the legal business you wished me to do I submit the following report. Lewis had paid Patrick for the table and Pat gave me the money which I send enclosed. [Viebahn?] I have not seen for more than a year. He is still teaching at Sauk City. Blachly left about three weeks since being out of funds, so I have had no opportunity of collecting anything from him. He will probably be back next term

An Interesting Case of Mistaken Identity

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is an uncommon disorder which can present in patients being evaluated for defecatory disorders or which can present as a primary process often involving hematochezia, rectal pain and tenesmus. Unfortunately the diagnosis of this disorder is often delayed due to misdiagnosis and/or physician unfamiliarity with the condition. We present a 24-year-old female who presented with 6 months of bloody diarrhea and weight loss. She had been receiving treatment for a presumed diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to an endoscopic picture of rectal thickening, edema and ulceration and had been on prednisone for 2 months prior to presentation without relief of her symptoms. After further testing including repeat endoscopy with biopsies, defecography and anorectal manometry, the diagnosis of SRUS was made and treatment was changed. Medical management was unsuccessful and she ultimately required surgical intervention. This case highlights the difficulty in diagnosing SRUS due to its resemblance to other gastrointestinal diseases and should serve as a reminder that if a patient is not responding to IBD therapy, another etiology should be considered

Assessing the Repeatability of the Oregon Freshwater Wetland Assessment Methodology

This paper presents the results of field tests of the Oregon Freshwater Wetland Assessment Methodology. It begins with a review of the history of wetland assessment techniques, including an in-depth review of some more popular methods. State and federal wetlands legislation are briefly discussed and the utility of regional wetland assessment methods in implementing present laws and policies described. Research design and methods are then outlined. For the analysis, final functional assessments are evaluated, as well as individual answers to questions. Based on these results, recommendations for changes in the method are presented and a model training for Oregon Method users is outlined

The Face of Tropical Sprue in 2010

Tropical sprue (TS), although endemic in certain tropical regions of the world, is rarely seen in North America and Europe. However, in this era of globalization and worldwide travel, it is important for all clinicians to be aware of the possibility of TS in patients presenting with nonspecific, persistent gastrointestinal complaints like diarrhea and weight loss. The symptoms and histologic findings of TS can resemble and be confused with those of diseases seen more commonly in nontropical climates like celiac disease and small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Therefore, if the usual causes of persistent diarrhea are ruled out, keeping a high index of suspicion for TS in patients who have a travel history to one of the endemic regions is important

Coexisting Crohn's Disease and Takayasu's Arteritis in Two Patients Treated with Anti-TNF-α Therapies

Crohn's disease (CD) and Takayasu's arteritis (TA) are inflammatory granulomatous autoimmune disorders. Simultaneous occurrence of CD and TA in the same individual is rare. We report two cases treated with biologic agents. Case 1: A 16-year-old male presented with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting. CT angiogram showed thickening of the terminal ileum, wall thickening and narrowing of multiple large and medium arteries including aorta and left common carotid. Colonoscopy with biopsy of the stenotic ileocecal valve confirmed CD. Resected carotid artery pathology was consistent with TA. Treatment was initially begun with prednisone, then methotrexate was started followed by infliximab. Due to side effects, methotrexate was switched to azathioprine. He remained asymptomatic. Case 2: A 38-year-old male with well-characterized Crohn's ileocolitis for 15 years, who had been treated with prednisone, mesalamine, sulfasalazine, and azathioprine presented with chest, upper back and abdominal pain. CT angiogram showed vasculitis of large and medium arteries, with stenosis of the right renal artery, and wall thickening of the sigmoid colon. He was diagnosed with TA. He underwent treatment with infliximab and adalumimab on different occasions, which were later discontinued due to fever, bacteremia and complications from sepsis. He remained on prednisone and azathioprine. In these two patients with both CD and TA the diagnoses were confirmed by imaging and pathologic findings. Both patients developed vascular complications. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy was effective in one patient but discontinued in the other due to infection. Further research into the association of CD and TA may provide clues to their etiologies and guide effective interventions

Use of an electromagnetic colonoscope to assess maneuvers associated with cecal intubation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Safe and effective colonoscopy is aided by the use of endoscopic techniques and maneuvers (ETM) during the examination including patient repositioning, stiffening of the endoscope and abdominal pressure.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To better understand the use and value of ETM during colonoscopy by using a device that allows real-time imaging of the colonoscope insertion shaft.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The use of ETM during colonoscopy and their success was recorded. Experienced colonoscopists and endoscopy assistants used a commercially available electromagnetic (EM) transmitter and a special adult variable stiffness instrument with 12 embedded sensors to examine 46 patients. In 5 of these a special EM probe passed through the instrument channel of a standard pediatric variable stiffness colonoscope was used instead of the EM colonoscope.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-nine men and 7 women with a mean age of 64 years (range 33–90) were studied. The cecum was intubated in 93.5% (43/46). The mean time to reach the cecum was 10.6 minutes (range 3–25). ETM were used a total of 174 times in 41 of the patients to assist with cecal intubation. When ETM were required to reach the cecum, and the cecum was intubated, an average of 3.82 ETM/patient was used. While ETM were used most often when the tip of the colonoscope was in the left side of the colon (rectum 5.0%, sigmoid colon 20.7%, descending colon 5.0%, and splenic flexure 11.6%), when the instrument was in the transverse colon (14.8%), hepatic flexure (20.7%) and ascending colon (19.8%) the use of ETM was also required. When the colonoscope tip was in the transverse colon, hepatic flexure and ascending colon, ETM success rates were less (61.1%, 52.0%, and 41.7% respectively) compared to the left colon success rates (rectum 83.3%, sigmoid colon 84.0%, descending colon 100%, and splenic flexure 85.7%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The EM colonoscope allows imaging of the insertion shaft without fluoroscopy and is a useful device for evaluating the efficacy of ETM. ETM are important tools of the colonoscopist and are used most often in the left colon where they are most effective.</p

Hemosuccus Pancreaticus in the Era of Capsule Endoscopy and Double Balloon Enteroscopy Complicated by Multifocal Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus Infection

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare etiology of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding characterized by bleeding into the pancreatic duct. The diagnosis may be delayed for months to years, due to the episodic nature of bleeding and failure to consider the diagnosis. Patients often undergo multiple endoscopies and radiologic evaluations prior to diagnosis. Incidental gastrointestinal findings may lead to unnecessary endoscopic and surgical interventions. This report describes a patient with hemosuccus pancreaticus diagnosed in the era of video capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy, whose management was complicated by multifocal Mycobacteria chelonae/abscessus infection