Trends in Farm Sector Output and Exports

Over time, the size of the farm sector has fallen relative to other sectors in the economy. However, the sector still has an important influence on the nation's pattern of economic growth and its exports. Over the last couple of decades the composition of farm production has moved towards crops and away from livestock. This has had an impact on how drought affects overall farm output, as crop production tends to fall sharply and then recover quickly when the drought breaks, while livestock production is relatively more resilient in the short term but is slower to recover.farm output; exports; drought; structural change

Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be detected in a polymicrobial competition model using impedance spectroscopy with a novel biosensor

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful technique that can be used to elicit information about an electrode interface. In this article, we highlight six principal processes by which the presence of microorganisms can affect impedance and show how one of these - the production of electroactive metabolites - changes the impedance signature of culture media containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. EIS, was used in conjunction with a low cost screen printed carbon sensor to detect the presence of P. aeruginosa when grown in isolation or as part of a polymicrobial infection with Staphylococcus aureus. By comparing the electrode to a starting measurement, we were able to identify an impedance signature characteristic of P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, we are able to show that one of the changes in the impedance signature is due to pyocyanin and associated phenazine compounds. The findings of this study indicate that it might be possible to develop a low cost sensor for the detection of P. aeruginosa in important point of care diagnostic applications. In particular, we suggest that a development of the device described here could be used in a polymicrobial clinical sample such as sputum from a CF patient to detect P. aeruginosa

Incidence of Gunshot Wounds: Before and After Implementation of a Shall Issue Conceal Carry Law

Introduction. This study examined the incidence of gunshot wounds before and after enacting a conceal carry (CC) law in a predominately rural state. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who were admitted with a gunshot injury to a Level I trauma center. Patient data collected included demographics, injury details, hospital course, and discharge destination. Results. Among the 238 patients included, 44.6% (n = 107) were admitted during the pre-CC period and 55.4% (n = 131) in the post-CC period. No demographic differences were noted between the two periods except for an increase in uninsured patients from 43.0% vs 61.1% (p = 0.020). Compared to pre-CC patients, post-CC patients experienced a trend toward increased abdominal injury (11.2% vs 20.6%, p = 0.051) and increased vascular injuries (11.2% vs 22.1%, p = 0.026) while lower extremity injuries decreased significantly (38.3% vs 26.0%, p = 0.041). Positive focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) exams (2.2% vs 16.8, p < 0.001), intensive care unit admission (26.2% vs 42.0%, p = 0.011) and need for ventilator support (11.2% vs 22.1%, p = 0.026) all increased during the post-CC period. In-hospital mortality more than doubled (8.4% vs 18.3%, p = 0.028) across the pre- and post-CC time periods. Conclusion. Implementation of a CC law was not associated with a decrease in the overall number of penetrating injuries or a decrease in mortality

On the Diversity of Erosion Control Products: Implications for Snake Entanglement

After a road construction project, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) mandates that erosion control products (ECPs) are installed to prevent soil loss and promote plant growth. However, their presence on the landscape pose negative consequences to wildlife via entanglement. TxDOT provides an Approved Products List (APL) of ECPs meeting soil erosion prevention and plant growth standards. In Texas, multiple types of ECPs are produced with a range of materials and attributes to decrease the erosion potential on multiple soil types and slopes. Certain attributes are more likely to lead to snake entanglement (Ebert et al. 2019 Wildl. Soc. Bull.; Fig. 1A & B). The purpose of this study was to quantify the diversity of traits of the erosion control products to determine which products pose the least risk of snake entanglement to limit this additional source of mortality

Critical thinking: the impact of social influence

Submitted for the degree of MSc by Research to the Research Graduate School of the University of Bedfordshire.An under researched area of conformity and social influence is how it interferes with critical thinking. This study will investigate how critical thinking is interfered with by social influence in both Face to Face (FTF) and Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) within an academic discussion group. A systematic review was conducted to identify any existing literature on social influence and critical thinking in a blended learning environment, the results of the review found no relevant literature. Using a critical thinking task with different written language conditions, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of social influence on critical thinking and language on conformity. In study one participants were engaged in a critical thinking task in two consecutive discussion forums, either FTF-CMC or CMC-FTF, with a journal article that had been altered to be either formal or informal language. The results of this study found that there was no significant main effect between conditions but several significant interactions were found. Study two replicated study one, but with a slightly altered stimulus, to control for possible effects of obedience. The results of study two showed no significant main effects but significant interactions between conditions. The findings of the study show that the order of discussion forum can influence conforming behaviours and have an impact on critical thinking. The implications of the study are discussed

Effects of Exercise Training on Neutrophil Proliferation and Function In Cancer Patients

Cancer and its treatments, namely chemotherapy and radiation, lead to negative physiological consequences. Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in circulation with several studies pointing to the impact of cancer and its treatments lowering the count and function of this cell line. Exercise has been shown to positively impact to neutrophil count and function in the generally healthy population. However, this effect is less understood in the cancer population. The purpose of this study was to quantify and characterize neutrophil populations in cancer patients and examine the effects of a prescribed exercise intervention on neutrophil count and neutrophil function. It was hypothesized that cancer patients completing a 12-week individualized and prescribed exercise intervention would have an increased absolute neutrophil count. It was also hypothesized that neutrophils from cancer patients completing an individualized and prescribed exercise intervention would demonstrate enhanced oxidative burst activity. Participants (N = 24) were recruited by physician referral. Participants were grouped based on treatment status (in-treatment [IT] or post-treatment [PT]) and performed low to moderate intensity exercise over a 12-week period. Blood was collected from each participant after the initial visit and intervention. Neutrophils were isolated from blood by magnetic separation. Isolated cells were characterized and quantified via flow cytometry to quantify absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Neutrophils were induced to activate via N-formylmethionine-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). After 45 minutes, cell membrane expression of rhodamine-123 was measured via flow cytometry to assess the rate of oxidation from rest. Neutrophils were measured for functional capacity over a 48-hour period. After 24 and 48 hours, neutrophils were assessed via flow cytometry for CD16 brightness as a surrogate for functional capacity. Absolute neutrophil count (was significantly improved in both IT (0.71 ± 0.38 to 0.96 ± 0.52 K cells/μl; p = .05) and PT (0.52 ± 0.32 to 0.90 ± 0.51 K cells/μl; p \u3c .05). Neutrophil function was not significantly changed in IT, but PT saw significant improvement to neutrophil function (80.35 ± 65.54% to 167.16 ± 121.28%; p = .05). There was no change to neutrophil functional capacity in the IT group. There was no change to neutrophil functional capacity in either IT or PT after 24 and 48 hours. Neutrophil functional capacity significantly decreased from baseline 48 hours after the intervention period in the PT group (p \u3c .05). A 12-week individualized and prescribed exercise intervention could significantly increase ANC of cancer patients both during treatment and after treatment. Exercise also increased the function of neutrophils in a post-treatment population of cancer patients while maintaining function of neutrophils in an in-treatment population

Consumer Surplus Estimates and the Source of Regression Error

Contrary to widely held belief, we show that the source of regression error does not matter when calculating Marshallian surplus. A misspecified demand curve, not the assumed source of regression error, leads to differences in estimates of consumer surplus.Regression Error, Marshallian Surplus, Welfare Analysis, Consumer/Household Economics, D60, C24, Q51,

NITROGEN AND WATER EFFECTS ON CANOPY SENSOR MEASUREMENTS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT OF CROPS

Water and nitrogen (N) are undoubtedly the two largest agricultural inputs globally. Coupled with advances in site-specific management technology their integration into production agriculture will allow for the most efficient use these crop input resources. Active canopy sensors offer the ability to measure biophysical plant traits rapidly and make assessments about plant status. Specifically, optical sensor measurements of light reflectance assess plant N status allowing for in-season and on-the-go N recommendations and applications; while infrared thermometers (IRT) measurement of canopy temperature can be used a tool for irrigation management. To evaluate how these technologies work among different plant stress environments a series of experiments were formulated. The first experiment compared reference strategies for normalizing reflectance data across multiple vegetation indices (VI). We found the virtual reference concept helped reduce variation of the calculated reference and placed sufficiency index values in a range that corresponded to plant N status. Additionally, VI varied in their ability to show significant responses to applied N fertilizer. In the second experiment, we sought to understand the influence of VI on how an in-season N application algorithm performs as well as the confounding effects of irrigation might have. We found N application rates would change based on algorithm and VI. Also, N rate can be affected by apparent water stress. In this case, reduced reflectance in the NIR spectrum reduced leaf area from leaf rolling. The final objective was to quantify the effect of N fertility on plant canopy temperature and determine if functions of canopy temperature could be useful for detecting apparent N stress. We concluded that plant canopy temperature can be affected by N stresses and that canopy temperature and canopy/air temperature difference provided equal sensitivity to plant stress. Therefore, these technologies will be vital to help conserve resources and maximize efficiency in production agriculture. Advisor: Richard Ferguso

Machine For Grinding Fog

Machine For Grinding Fog, an exhibition of stop motion animated films, revolves around three primary concerns: relationships, psychological or subjective reality, and relativity. Rooted within concerns of faith, personal ethics, and a re-evaluation of individual and artistic purpose, the poem and animations identify what I, at first, perceived as a multitude of contradicting tones, tones of futility coexisting with tones of a childlike playfulness. These viewpoints became interchangeable, altering perspectives with such rapidity that a blurred subjectivity evolved from the once polar sentiments. When the conveyance of this experience is created as art, it becomes experiential in itself and is in turn experienced. This is our basic chemical process, regenerative and transformative. For me, this is the role of poetics and the process of art making.

Development of enhanced multi-spot structured illumination microscopy with fluorescence difference

This project sets out to design and construct a novel super-resolution technique for biological imaging: enhanced multi-focal structured illumination microscopy; merging the fields of structured-illumination and point-spread function engineering. Computer simulations demonstrate the theoretical potential of this technique and suggest at least 1.4 times increase over existing structured illumination methods. Building on this, new pattern projection techniques based on holography are developed to project the required illumination patterns over an extended field of view. In addition, new techniques based on graphical processor unit programming are developed for the post-processing and reconstruction of multi-focal structured illumination data. Finally, these techniques are tested in the imaging of a range of biological structures in both living and fixed cells. While the holographic projection and post-processing techniques proved successful, the gains achieved with enhanced multi-focal structured illumination microscopy were limited. While there is a measured gain in resolution – and a potential improvement in depth sectioning – these advantages are not apparent on all structures. Finally, the relative merits of the techniques over existing methods are discussed and potential future directions are suggested