A social-economic study of land development for farm settlement at Butler's

Commissioned by: Commissioner of Crown Lands Department of Lands and Survey, Hokitika.The primary aim of the study is to identify the likely impacts of publicly-funded programmes of land development for farm settlement on the social life and economy of small communities in the West Coast Region. As this is a preliminary, or scoping, type of analysis the investigation focuses on the identification of important issues regarding land development and settlement rather than a definitive assessment of particular impacts. Specifically, the study attempts to identify the key issues of major planning importance for the Butler's development block in Westland County. The proposed Butler's development, a 5427 hectare Lands and Survey Department block located between Ross and Hokitika, is representative of land development opportunities and related issues on the West Coast generally

The economics of rabbit control in Central Otago: A preliminary analysis

With contributions by J.M. Williams, J. Bell and T.M. Broad, Agricultural Research Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Prepared under contract for Agricultural Research Division Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, WellingtonThis paper reports a preliminary examination of the economic efficiency and equity implications of recent rabbit control policies and programmes. The Alexandra Pest Destruction Board in Central Otago was used as a case study. Public and private expenditure data on rabbit control were collected and analysed for the period 1974-75 through 1981-82. Control programme benefits were estimated using data obtained in a survey of runholders and from historical production records. Programme costs were developed from actual expenditure data on control operations and administration based on Board records. While the estimated benefits are much less precise in comparison to programme costs, the results of the cost-benefit analysis suggest that significant cost savings can be achieved in meeting the stated objectives of current pest management policies. In particular, the level of annual expenditure in recent years on those lands which can be regarded as good natural habitat for the feral rabbit does not appear to be warranted, since such land types have an inherently low productive capacity and could not sustain the present level of control input on a 'user pays' basis. Although certain public benefits (e.g., land and water conservation) were not estimated, such benefits would have to be quite large to justify recent levels of annual taxpayer input into APDB control operations. The incidence of programme costs under present policy shows that most of the burden is borne by the tax-paying public. The report concludes with some suggestions to appraise these implications more accurately for regional and national public policy

Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy and Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Imbrication for Patellar Instability Due to Trochlear Dysplasia.

BackgroundThe treatment of patellar instability in the setting of trochlear dysplasia is challenging.Purpose/hypothesisThe purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes for the treatment of recurrent patellar dislocations due to trochlear dysplasia using anteromedialization tibial tubercle osteotomy combined with medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) imbrication. We hypothesized that the treatment of patellar instability with tibial tubercle osteotomy and MPFL imbrication would result in improved patient satisfaction and decrease patellar instability events in patients with prior instability and trochlear dysplasia.Study designCase series; Level of evidence, 4.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent MPFL imbrication and concomitant anteromedialization tibial tubercle osteotomy for recurrent patellofemoral instability at a single institution. The minimum follow-up was 1 year. Patient demographic information including age at the time of surgery, sex, body mass index (BMI), tibial tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance, and grade of trochlear dysplasia was collected along with relevant operative data. Postoperatively, recurrent dislocation events as well as Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and Kujala scores were collected, and satisfaction was ascertained by asking patients whether they would undergo the procedure again.ResultsA total of 37 knees from 31 patients (23 female) with a mean follow-up of 3.8 years (range, 1-8.9 years) were included. The mean patient age was 28.8 years (range, 14-45 years), the mean BMI was 24 kg/m2 (range, 20-38 kg/m2), and the mean preoperative TT-TG distance was 18.9 mm (range, 8.4-32.4 mm). Two knees were classified as low-grade trochlear dysplasia (Dejour A) and 35 as high-grade trochlear dysplasia (Dejour B-D). At final follow-up, patients reported mean KOOS subscale scores of 86.5 (Pain), 79.8 (Symptoms), 93.9 (Activities of Daily Living), 74.3 (Sports/Recreation), and 61.9 (Quality of Life), as well as a mean Kujala score of 81.3. Mean patient satisfaction was 8.3 of 10. The majority of knees (86.5%; 32/37) remained stable without recurrent instability after this procedure, while 13.5% (5 knees) suffered a recurrent dislocation, with 2 requiring revision surgery. Eight knees (21.6%) underwent subsequent hardware removal.ConclusionAnteromedialization tibial tubercle osteotomy with MPFL imbrication can improve recurrent patellofemoral instability and provide significant clinical benefit to patients with trochlear dysplasia

Caregiver Integration During Discharge Planning for Older Adults to Reduce Resource Use: A Metaanalysis

Objectives To determine the effect of integrating informal caregivers into discharge planning on postdischarge cost and resource use in older adults. Design A systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials that examine the effect of discharge planning with caregiver integration begun before discharge on healthcare cost and resource use outcomes. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for all English‐language articles published between 1990 and April 2016. Setting Hospital or skilled nursing facility. Participants Older adults with informal caregivers discharged to a community setting. Measurements Readmission rates, length of and time to post‐discharge rehospitalizations, costs of postdischarge care. Results Of 10,715 abstracts identified, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies provided sufficient detail to calculate readmission rates for treatment and control participants. Discharge planning interventions with caregiver integration were associated with a 25% fewer readmissions at 90 days (relative risk (RR) = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.62–0.91) and 24% fewer readmissions at 180 days (RR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.64–0.90). The majority of studies reported statistically significant shorter time to readmission, shorter rehospitalization, and lower costs of postdischarge care among discharge planning interventions with caregiver integration. Conclusion For older adults discharged to a community setting, the integration of caregivers into the discharge planning process reduces the risk of hospital readmission

GCIP water and energy budget synthesis (WEBS)

As part of the World Climate Research Program\u27s (WCRPs) Global Energy and Water-Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-scale International Project (GCIP), a preliminary water and energy budget synthesis (WEBS) was developed for the period 1996–1999 from the “best available” observations and models. Besides this summary paper, a companion CD-ROM with more extensive discussion, figures, tables, and raw data is available to the interested researcher from the GEWEX project office, the GAPP project office, or the first author. An updated online version of the CD-ROM is also available at http://ecpc.ucsd.edu/gcip/webs.htm/. Observations cannot adequately characterize or “close” budgets since too many fundamental processes are missing. Models that properly represent the many complicated atmospheric and near-surface interactions are also required. This preliminary synthesis therefore included a representative global general circulation model, regional climate model, and a macroscale hydrologic model as well as a global reanalysis and a regional analysis. By the qualitative agreement among the models and available observations, it did appear that we now qualitatively understand water and energy budgets of the Mississippi River Basin. However, there is still much quantitative uncertainty. In that regard, there did appear to be a clear advantage to using a regional analysis over a global analysis or a regional simulation over a global simulation to describe the Mississippi River Basin water and energy budgets. There also appeared to be some advantage to using a macroscale hydrologic model for at least the surface water budgets

Reunifying from behind bars: A quantitative study of the relationship between parental incarceration, service use, and foster care reunification

Incarcerated parents attempting to reunify with their children in foster care can find it difficult to complete the activities on their court-ordered case plans, such as drug treatment services and visitation with children. Although much has been written regarding the obstacles that are likely to interfere with reunification for incarcerated parents, very little quantitative research has examined the topic. This study uses secondary data to examine the incarceration experiences and reunification outcomes of a sample of 225 parents in one large urban California county. In multivariate analysis controlling for problems and demographics, incarcerated parents were less likely to reunify with their children; however, service use appeared to mediate this relationship, as the negative association between incarceration and reunification did not persist when service use was included as a variable in the model. Suggestions are made for policy and practice changes to improve reunification outcomes for this population of parents.

Expression of alternansucrase in potato plants

Alternan, which consists of alternating α-(1→3)/α-(1→6)-linked glucosyl residues, was produced in potato tubers by expressing a mature alternansucrase (Asr) gene from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1355 in potato. Detection of alternan was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in tuber juices, revealing a concentration between 0.3 and 1.2 mg g-1 fresh wt. The Asr transcript levels correlated well with alternan accumulation in tuber juices. It appeared that the expression of sucrose-regulated starch-synthesizing genes (ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase subunit S and granule-bound starch synthase I) was down-regulated. Despite this, the physico-chemical properties of the transgenic starches were unaltered. These results are compared to those obtained with other transgenic potato plants producing mutan [α-(1→3)-linked glucosyl residues] and dextran [α-(1→6)-linked glucosyl residues]

The differential effects of concurrent planning practice elements on reunification and adoption

Objective: The child welfare practice of concurrent planning attempts to shorten children\u27s stays in foster care. There is very little quantitative research on concurrent planning\u27s effects. This study examines the influence of concurrent planning practice elements (reunification prognosis, concurrent plan, full disclosure, and discussion of voluntary relinquishment) on reunification and adoption. Method: Using a sample of 885 children, an observational design, and statistical controls, children who received concurrent planning elements were compared to those who did not. Results: Findings show discussion of voluntary relinquishment to be positively associated with adoption and full disclosure to be negatively associated with reunification. Conclusions: Concurrent planning\u27s benefits may require more intensive services to be fully realized. Care should be taken to ensure activities achieve their intended effects

15th Annual Environmental Law Institute

Materials from the 15th Annual Environmental Law Institute held by UK/CLE in March 1999

Salinity management options for the Colorado River. Damage estimates and control program impacts

Rivers draining arid basins increase in salinity content in the downstream area to the point where water users are often significantly damaged. The problem in some cases can be ameliorated by altering upstream water and land use practices. An economic trade off exists between the cost of such upstream efforts and the downstream benefits achieved. This report examines options for salinity management in the Colorado River Basin. The study sought to provide additional information to estimate 1) economic damages caused by various salt concentrations to agricultural and municipal water users and 2) economic costs of salinity control measures by upstream water users. Damages were estimated for high salinity levels to provide guidelines to project future conditions. Control costs were estimated with a physical model developed to predict the response of soil, water, and crop factors. Input-output models were used to estimate indirect economic impacts. Agricultural damages for each milligram per liter of salt concentration at Imperial Dam in the 900 to 1400 range were estimated to be #33,100 annually. Of the total, $28,200 are in the Imperial Valley and decreasing g amounts occur respectively in the Palo Verde, Yuma, Colorado River Indian Reservation, Sand Diego, Coachella, and Central Arizona and$11,400 for the $112,000 per mg/1. Comparable estimates were$11,200 for Central Arizona and $11,400 for the Las Vegas area. As for controlled costs, 80 percent of the initial salt load could theoretically be at an incremental cost of less than$2.20 per ton. The comparison of the reduction measures showed on-farm practices to be the last expensive alternative for reducing salinity. Based on an approximation that 1 mg/1 at Imperial Dam is equivalent to 10,000 tons of salt, the above estimated benefits of salinity reduction would be about $17 per ton. Salinity control projects at Paradox Valley and acreage retirements in the Grand and Uncompaghre Valleys were found to be economically justified but lining the Grand Valley Canal was not. The above estimates are approximations obtained from available data and can be improved by further studies to cover additional cost and benefit effects or by more comprehensive data the effects covered