Online forest biology and tree identification graduate class for public school educators

As a result of certification and accreditation standards, public school teachers are often required to take graduate education courses. However, it is often difficult for these teachers/students to take courses in residence at campuses. Further, there is often a shortage of specialized courses in their area of teaching. There is also a demand for natural-resource-based classes since, in Virginia, many of the standards of learning can be effectively taught using examples from forests. In response to the above issues, we developed an entirely online graduate course that covered forest biology, management, and tree identification. In the summer of 2001, 24 students successfully completed the course. Students were required to learn to identify 80 trees and shrubs in nine separate groups. They were also taught tree growth and structure, reproduction, carbon uptake, water relations, growth regulators, cold hardiness and dormancy, soils and site productivity, and silviculture. The course content was delivered on three CD-ROMS and administration occurred through a Web site. Nine cumulative tree ID quizzes were given online as well as two comprehensive exams covering the tree biology topics. We will present the basic structure of the course, class administration, share insights and student feedback

Short-term carbon partitioning fertilizer responses vary among two full-sib loblolly pine clones

We investigated the effects of fertilizer application on the partitioning of gross primary productivity (GPP) between contrasting full-sib clones of Pinus taeda (L.). Our objective was to determine if fertilizer growth responses resulted from similar short-term changes to partitioning. A modeling approach incorporating respiratory carbon (C) fluxes, soil CO2 efflux (FS), and biomass was applied to a factorial design with two clones, fertilizer and control treatments, and four sequential monthly harvests of seedlings planted in a greenhouse. Partitioning was integrated over 121 days to above, belowground, and total net primary production (ANPP + BNPP = NPP), total belowground C flux (TBCF), aboveground plant respiration (APR), and FS. While both clones showed similar GPP and responses to fertilizer application, they did so by partitioning GPP in different ways. Fertilizer application increased GPP and resulted in corresponding increases in ANPP, BNPP, and TBCF (p \u3c 0.01). When considered as a fraction of GPP partitioned, differences between clones emerged. Clone-by-fertilizer interactions for carbon use efficiency (i.e. NPP / GPP), ANPP / GPP, and APR / GPP were all observed (p \u3c 0.10). TBCF was significantly greater in one clone, indicating that plant-soil interactions could be affected by clonespecific partitioning. The other clone had greater growth efficiency (ANPP / GPP) without fertilizer, but with fertilizer application the clones were similar. Our results suggest multiple possible short-term ecophysiological mechanisms are responsible for fertilizer growth response in different yet closely related clones

Formation and clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes in kidneys of rats immunized with heterologous antisera to Tamm-Horsfall protein

Formation and clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes in kidneys of rats immunized with heterologous antisera to Tamm-Horsfall protein. Tubulointerstitial immune complex nephritis was produced by passive immunization of rats with antisera to rat Tamm-Horsfall protein (TH), a surface membrane glycoprotein of the cells of the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. Circulating anti-TH antibodies were deposited in the kidney after an intravenous injection of rabbit antisera to TH. These anti-TH antibodies combined with TH at the base of tubular cells in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and formed granular immune complexes in situ in the space between basal cell surface membranes and tubular basement membranes. Immune complexes were also selectively formed in this site during perfusion of isolated kidneys with antisera to TH. Tubular immune complexes containing immunoglobulin, complement, and TH were maximal during the first week after an intravenous injection while high circulating anti-TH antibody titers were present. As the antibody titers subsequently fell to undetectable levels, tubular immune complexes were rapidly cleared and were virtually absent 4 weeks after the injection. During this clearance phase, rabbit IgG and rat TH were detected in the renal interstitium and in renal hilar lymph nodes. The rapid clearance of subepithelial TH immune complexes contrasts with the prolonged persistance of both glomerular subepithelial immune complexes and basement membrane deposits formed after injection of heterologous antisera to other renal components. The process of rapid clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes may allow rapid reversibility of immune injury in tubulointerstitial nephritis.Formation et disparition d'immuns-complexes tubulo-interstitiels dans les reins de rats immunises avec des anti-serums heterologues contre la proteine de Tamm-Horsfall. Une néphrite tubulo-interstitielle à immuns complexes était produit chez des rats par immunisation passive avec un anti-sérum anti-protéine de Tamm-Horsfall de rat (TH), une glycoprotéine de la surface membranaire des cellules de la partie ascendante large de l'anse de Henle. Des anticorps anti-TH circulants se déposaient dans le rein après injection intraveineuse d'antisérum anti-TH de lapin. Ces anticorps anti-TH se combinaient avec la protéine de TH à la base des cellules tubulaires de la partie large ascendante de l'anse de Henlé et formaient in situ des immuns-complexes granuleux dans l'espace entre les membranes basales cellulaires et la basale tubulaire. De même, des immuns complexes se formaient sélectivement dans cette zone lors de la perfusion de reins isolés avec un antisérum anti-TH. La quantité d'immuns complexes tubulaires contenant des immunoglobulines, du complément et de la protéine de TH était maximale pendant la première semaine après l'injection i.v. au moment ou on trouvait des titres élevés d'anticorps anti-TH. Lorsque les anticorps retombaient à un taux indétectable, les immuns complexes tubulaires disparaissaient rapidement, et on n'en trouvait pratiquement plus 4 semaines après l'injection. Pendant cette période d'élimination on détectait des IgG de lapin et de la protéine de TH de rat dans l'interstitium et les ganglions hilaires rénaux. La disparition rapide des immuns complexes à TH sous épithéliaux contrastait avec la persistance prolongée des immuns complexes sous épithéliaux et des dépôts dans la membrane basale glomérulaire formés après injection d'anti-sérums hétérologues contre d'autres constituants du rein. La disparition rapide des immuns complexes tubulo-interstitiels pourrait permettre une régression rapide des lésions immunes au cours des néphrites tubulo-interstitielles

Undergraduate Experiential Learning Activity to Improve Communication Skills and Engage Public School Students in Forest Ecological Principles

Since 1988, Virginia Tech has had various programs in which undergraduate students visited public schools and presented natural resources-based information One of the more popular presentations involved teaching public school students how to identify and measure forest vegetation. In 2008, the Ambassadors for Conservation Education (ACE) Program was developed to enlist a larger, more diverse student body to participate in forestry and agriculturally-related undergraduate degree programs. In this program, undergraduates visited two parks and six high schools with forest nearby to collect forest ecological data with high school students. At each park and school we established a series of 0.02-ha permanent plots. Accurate baseline data on tree species, and tree diameter (\u3e10 cm) were collected on all plots by Virginia Tech faculty and staff. These data, along with the exercise objectives and field trip preparation material (e.g., data sheets), were placed on the internet for use by teachers. To prepare for their teaching days, undergraduate students enrolled in a communication class where they were taught principles of effective communication. The class emphasized outdoor environmental teaching with numerous practice sessions where students improved their skills at teaching outdoors in informal settings. Undergraduates then led high school field trips where students and their teachers visited the plots and collected the same information in the pre-established plots. High schoolers learned principle of tree identification and use of diameter tapes and increment borers. Following data collection, students returned to the classroom and submitted their data via the internet. Relatively accurate data can be collected when trained undergraduates assist high school students closely. Utilizing schools with forest plots nearby greatly increased the number of students reached and eliminates the need for special field trip permission and transportation costs

PINEMAP Intern Program: Integrating Undergraduates into Forest Resource and Climate Change Research and Education

The PINEMAP Intern Program is part of the Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation Project, a coordinated agriculture project (CAP) recently awarded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). A major goal of this CAP was to use educational projects to both integrate the scientific disciplines and expand the science to students and educators. Our Intern Program is one of the projects meeting this education aim. Our broad goal was to develop a program that will engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research, education and, potentially, future graduate studies. Principle investigators and their graduate students from across PINEMAP’s 6 disciplinary areas will briefly train undergraduate researchers from universities across the southeastern US who will later return to their home institutions and share internship experiences and knowledge with public school students. In its first year, the program will fund 6 interns and then scale up to 18 interns over the following 3 years. From December to February, graduate students and undergraduates may submit, respectively, proposals for micro-grants (a proxy for intern stipends) and applications for internships. Interns will be paired with graduate student mentors based on interest in PINEMAP disciplinary areas. Undergraduate students accepting summer internships must participate in a distance education course the following fall semester. This course functions as a public communication class with a focus on creating inquiry-based lessons on forest resources and climate change targeting secondary public school students. Finally, interns may present their experiences with other colleagues and mentors at the spring PINEMAP annual meeting. Expected outcomes for interns are: increased understanding of and ability to conduct scientific research, improved communication skills, and an appreciation for professional interdisciplinary research. Graduate students selected to the program will: learn to be mentors, build interns’ research skills, and work with interns to educate secondary school students

Trees on K-12 School Campuses in Virginia

Trees and saplings growing on K-12 school campuses were investigated in 105 school districts across Virginia. There were 2812 trees (\u3e12.5 cm stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground level) inventoried across all campuses. The mean and median campus tree population was 27 and 18, respectively. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) was the most abundant species, accounting for 11% of all inventoried trees. Red maple (Acer rubrum L.) was the most frequently inventoried species, present on 44% of the campuses. Sapling (trees with 2.5-12.5 cm stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground level) populations were similar to tree populations. The mean and median campus sapling population was 23 and 13, respectively. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) and red maple were the most abundant sapling species, each accounting for about 10% of all inventoried saplings. Flowering dogwood, red maple, Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana Decne. ‘Bradford’), willow oak (Quercus phellos L. ), and ornamental cherry (Prunus spp. ) were the most frequently inventoried sapling species, each present on more than 25% of the campuses. Across all campuses, species diversity was relatively low: less than 10 species accounted for over 50% of the inventoried trees and saplings. Prominent Virginia natives, in particular Carya and Quercus species, were under represented in the inventory

Risk for Clostridium difficile infection after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant remains elevated in the postengraftment period

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a frequent cause of diarrhea among allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. It is unknown whether risk factors for CDI vary by time posttransplant. METHODS: We performed a 3-year prospective cohort study of CDI in allogeneic HCT recipients. Participants were enrolled during their transplant hospitalizations. Clinical assessments were performed weekly during hospitalizations and for 12 weeks posttransplant, and monthly for 30 months thereafter. Data were collected through patient interviews and chart review, and included CDI diagnosis, demographics, transplant characteristics, medications, infections, and outcomes. CDI cases were included if they occurred within 1 year of HCT and were stratified by time from transplant. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for CDI. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-seven allogeneic HCT recipients were enrolled, including 63 (34%) patients who developed CDI. 38 (60%) CDI cases occurred during the preengraftment period (days 0-30 post-HCT) and 25 (40%) postengraftment (day >30). Lack of any preexisting comorbid disease was significantly associated with lower risk of CDI preengraftment (odds ratio [OR], 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-0.9). Relapsed underlying disease (OR, 6.7; 95% CI, 1.3-33.1), receipt of any high-risk antimicrobials (OR, 11.8; 95% CI, 2.9-47.8), and graft-versus-host disease (OR, 7.8; 95% CI, 2.0-30.2) were significant independent risk factors for CDI postengraftment. CONCLUSIONS: A large portion of CDI cases occurred during the postengraftment period in allogeneic HCT recipients, suggesting that surveillance for CDI should continue beyond the transplant hospitalization and preengraftment period. Patients with continued high underlying severity of illness were at increased risk of CDI postengraftment

Consumer Stockpiling and Sales Promotions

In retailing markets of storable goods, consumer behavior is typically characterized by stockpiling. While existing research has developed rich models for such strategic consumer behavior, little is known about how sellers should ideally respond to it. In this paper, we provide insights into how frequency and depth of promotions affect consumer purchases and seller revenues in the long run. We show an application to the U.S. market for laundry detergent. We use estimates from a structural dynamic demand model to simulate different pricing policies and find that in the detergent market, an increase in promotion depth is more effective than a change in promotion length. Our results suggest that this finding can be translated to markets with a large heterogeneity in storage costs and steady consumption rates

VFR-into-IMC Accident Trends: Perceptions of Deficiencies in Training

Pilots who operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and in visual meteorological conditions, who then continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), remain as one of the leading causes of fatal aircraft accidents in general aviation. This paper examines past and current research initiatives, in seeking to identify causal factors and gaps in training that lead to VFR-into-IMC aircraft accidents, using a mixed methods approach. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute database and the National Transportation Safety Board database search engines were used to identify accident reports associated with VFR flight into IMC/deteriorating weather conditions for a 10-year time period (2003 to 2012). A national survey was also conducted to gain deeper insight into the self-identified training deficiencies of pilots. There is evidence that situational awareness is linked to decision-making, and there is a lack of proper training with regards to weather and weather technology concepts, making it difficult for pilots to gain these knowledge areas, skills, and abilities throughout their initial flight training and subsequent experience