AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PASTURE-RAISED BEEF SYSTEMS IN APPALACHIA

Cow-calf operations are important enterprises for family farmers in Appalachia and provide significant opportunity for supplemental income. This analysis constitutes a thorough economic assessment of pasture-raised beef production, an alternative to traditional production that could benefit the region's producers in terms of profitability and mitigated risk. Stochastic budgeting was utilized for profitability and risk comparison between traditional and pasture-raised operations and accounted for seasonal variability in prices, pasture availability and animal performance. Pasture-raised systems, in relation to traditional ones, were shown to consistently yield higher returns over variable costs and were shown less likely to yield losses over total costs in typical production seasons. Economic risk for pasture-raised producers stems largely from production factors but, overall, is seemingly less pronounced than the market risk faced by traditional producers selling live cattle.Farm Management,

The Production of Propionic Acid from Pentoses by Propionibacterium pentosaceum

Propionibacterium pentosaceum attacks pentoses (xylose, arabinose) with the production of propionic and acetic acids

Deer Use of Riparian Zones and Adjacent Pine Plantations in Texas

The authors monitored white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use of riparian zones (RZ’s) and adjacent pine plantations of 3 age classes (young, 1 to 3 years old; intermediate, 5 to 7 years old; and older, 9 to 13 years old) using radio telemetry for 2 years on a 1,300 ha study area near Alto, TX. Riparian zones comprised 22.0 percent of the area; young, intermediate, and older pine plantations comprised 19.1 percent, 45.7 percent, and 13.2 percent, respectively. Based on data from 4 to 9 deer the first year and 12 to 17 deer the second year, home ranges averaged 103, 71, 95, and 114 ha during spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively, and were composed primarily of intermediate-age plantations and RZ’s. Deer showed significant preferences for intermediate-age pine plantations during all seasons and for RZ’s during fall and winter. Older plantations produced little forage due to canopy closure, and were generally avoided throughout the year. Young plantations, which provided the most forage but the least cover, received relatively light yearlong use and were a minor component of deer home ranges. For females and young males, this study demonstrates that, where available, RZ’s may comprise an important component of deer home ranges in intensively managed forests

Conformational Studies of Ortho- and Meto-Isomers and Methyl, Dimethyl, and Chloro Ortho-Substituted Analogues of Dantrolene Using Ab Initio SCF-MO Procedures

The conformation of the nitro group of nitroaromatic compounds relative to the aromatic ringsystem is suggested to affect their metabolic activation and mutagenicity. We have recently showed the nitrophenylfuran skeletal muscle relaxant, dantrolene, tobe a potent mutagen inSalmonella. Synthesis of or^o-substituted analogues of dantrolene was achieved in an effort to alter the conformation of the nitro group ina manner that willdecrease the mutagenicity. Using ab initio techniques we investigated the minimum energy conformation of the nitro group of dantrolene (/mitro) and its o-and mnitro isomers as well as the nitro group conformation of dantrolene\u27s ortho- mono- and di- substituted analogues. The most stable conformer for each isomer and analogue was found by optimizing the bond lengths and bond angles for each molecule and rotating about bonds ofinterest using the STO-3G basis set in the Gaussian-92 program at the Hartree-Fock level

An analysis of a long-lived MCV observed over the Southern Plains using Potential Vorticity diagnostics.

On the morning of 28 May 1998, a mesoscale convectively-generated vortex (MCV) was observed over the Southern Plains. This MCV was evident in the GOES-8 visual satellite imagery resulting in a spectacular picture. An analysis of this event is offered using many data sources, including products available now via the world-wide-web (WWW), the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) re-analyses, and Eta model initializations. This MCV developed out of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that existed during 26 and 27 May over Texas. This MCV was associated with reports of severe weather and heavy precipitation over southern Arkansas. While the MCV is shown to have characteristics similar to other MCV events documented, this event is unique in that it maintained it's character, while propagating further east than other events. A dynamical analysis using potential vorticity diagnostics (PV) shows that the mid-latitude vorticity field strengthened at least partially as a result of diabatic heating. Also, the most severe weather was associated with high values of integrated 500 - 300 hPa PV values over the Southern Plains

Severe hypoglycemia during pregnancy: Its frequency and predisposing factors in diabetic women

Severe hypoglycemic episodes, as defined as altered consciousness to the extent that self treatment is impossible, were sought prospectively in pregnant diabetic women. One or more episodes were found in none of 21 gestational onset, insulin-requiring women during their 28 pregnancies but were present in 19 (33%) of the 57 already insulin dependent (Type 1) women during 26 (36%) of their 72 pregnancies. The most common predisposing factors included strict glucose control, anorexia, early morning hours (1200-0900), lack of an adrenergic response and time shortly before the next anticipated meal.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26085/1/0000161.pd