Developing a Strategy to Improve Solar Home System Sustainability In Rural Thailand

The goal of this project was to develop a strategy for improving the sustainability of solar home systems in rural Thailand. Heretofore, there has been no long term maintenance plan and many are failing. Communications, attitudes of users and organizations, and funding sources and requirements were researched through interviews with users, government officials, private companies, and experts. We have proposed both short and long term recommendations and developed a prototype web application to improve the overall lifetime of these systems

Sowing the seeds of educational leadership from the teacher training classroom

Este estudio se plantea identificar los modelos de liderazgo que los futuros docentes asocian a la función directiva. Se ha contado con la participación de 72 estudiantes de los Grados de Maestro en Educación Infantil y en Educación Primaria, de la Facultad de Educación (Universidad de Alicante). Se administró un cuestionario integrado por diez preguntas abiertas, con la intención de conocer su opinión sobre los modelos de liderazgo, la formación recibida al respecto y las motivaciones que les llevarían a ocupar este cargo en su futuro desempeño profesional. De éstas, en este estudio, se han considerado las referidas a los modelos de liderazgo. Se realizó un análisis de contenido inductivo, dentro del marco de la metodología cualitativa. Para el tratamiento de los datos se empleó el software Aquad 7. De los resultados se deduce que los participantes tienden a vincular al director/a con un modelo de liderazgo para la gestión, de carácter individual, al que otorgan una responsabilidad muy elevada. Estas opiniones podrían estar condicionadas por su experiencia educativa previa. Por tanto, se considera preciso trabajar en los centros de formación del profesorado para completar esta visión y alinearla con los modelos de liderazgo de carácter más social y distribuidoThis study aims to identify the leadership models that teachers in training associate with the principalship function. The participants were 72 students on the Degrees in Preschool Education and Primary Education at the Faculty of Education (University of Alicante), who were administered a questionnaire comprising ten open questions in order to find out their opinions on leadership models, the training given in this area and the motivations that would lead them to become principals in the course of their careers. Regarding these opinions, only those involving leadership models are considered in this study. An inductive content analysis within the framework of qualitative methodology was performed. Aquad 7 software was used to process the data. It can be deduced from the results that the participants tend to connect the principal with a managerial leadership model of an individualist character, which they associate with great responsibility. These opinions could be conditioned by their previous experience in education. It is essential, therefore, that teacher training centres should work to make this view more complete and bring it into line with more social, distributed leadership model

School management: A tightrope job?

Este estudio se llevó a cabo con el objetivo de reconocer las dificultades que plantea el desempeño de la función directiva. Para ello, se contó con la participación de 80 directores y directoras de centros educativos de la provincia de Alicante, a quienes se administró una escala tipo Likert sobre su experiencia en torno a la dirección escolar. Concretamente, se presentan los resultados referidos a las trabas e impedimentos que los líderes escolares han de afrontar en el cargo. Los datos aportados fueron procesados con el apoyo del software SPSS .21, con el que se realizó un estudio descriptivo básico. De los resultados se deduce que las tareas que les exigen un mayor esfuerzo están relacionadas con la gestión del tiempo y el impulso de la innovación educativa. Asimismo, subrayan la complejidad que supone la colaboración del equipo docente y del entorno familiar. Frente a ello, destacan que la relación con el personal no docente y la coordinación con el resto de miembros del equipo directivo son las funciones que entrañan una menor dificultad. Atender estos aspectos resulta crucial para mejorar el rendimiento de los líderes escolares y, en última instancia, superar la desafección que suele despertar la función directivaThis study was carried out in order to recognize the difficulties which the performance of the principalship function implies. To achieve this goal, 80 principals took part in the study, all of them from schools in the province of Alicante, who were administered a Likert scale about their experience in principalship. Specifically, the results refer to the obstacles and impediments that leaders must face in their position. The data provided were processed with the support of the SPSS. 21 software, with which a basic descriptive study was performed. From the results, it is deduced that the tasks which demand a greater effort are related to the management of time and the impulse of educational innovation. They also stress the complexity involved in the collaboration of the teaching team and the family environment. According to this, they emphasize that the relationship with the non-teaching staff and the coordination with the rest of the members of the management team are the functions that entail less difficulty. Addressing these aspects is crucial to improve the performance of school leaders and, ultimately, to overcome the disaffection that usually awakens the principalshi

The access to the principalship: A challenge aimed at improving the educational community

Este estudio se planteó con el propósito de conocer los motivos que animaron a un total de 80 directores/as de centros educativos públicos, de la provincia de Alicante, a presentarse al cargo, así como de valorar otros factores relevantes de dicho procedimiento. Todos ellos cumplimentaron un cuestionario, a partir de cuya información se realizó un análisis descriptivo con el apoyo del programa SPSS .21. De los resultados se deduce que la mayoría accedió – desde alguno de los cargos del equipo directivo y habiéndose presentado únicamente su candidatura – para contribuir a la mejora de los centros y para dar alcance a un reto profesional. Asimismo, a la hora de seleccionar a los miembros de su equipo, se decantaron por sus cualidades profesionales. Se concluye que resulta de interés considerar estos aspectos, que contribuyen a dibujar el perfil profesional de los directores/as, para: (1) reconocer el compromiso que adquieren con su tarea; y, (2) orientar el diseño y desarrollo de políticas educativas que incrementen la atracción por este cargoThis study aims to identify the reasons that encouraged 80 principals, from public educational centres at the region of Alicante, to access the post and to assess other relevant factors of this process. All of them completed a questionnaire which data served for doing a descriptive analysis with the support of the software SPSS .21. From the results, it can be deduced that the majority accessed to the post – from some of one of the positions of the principal team and having submitted only their candidacy – to contribute to the improvement of the educational community and to reach a professional challenge. Additionally, at the time to select the other members of the team, they clearly considered their professional skills. It is concluded that the results are relevant because they allow to draw the principals’ professional profile that serves to: (1) recognise the commitment that they acquire with their task; and, (2), guide the design and development of educational policies with capacity to increase the attraction for the principalshi

Determining water use of sorghum from two-source energy balance and radiometric temperatures

Estimates of surface actual evapotranspiration (ET) can assist in predicting crop water requirements. An alternative to the traditional crop-coefficient methods are the energy balance models. The objective of this research was to show how surface temperature observations can be used, together with a two-source energy balance model, to determine crop water use throughout the different phenological stages of a crop grown. Radiometric temperatures were collected in a sorghum (<i>Sorghum bicolor</i>) field as part of an experimental campaign carried out in Barrax, Spain, during the 2010 summer growing season. Performance of the Simplified Two-Source Energy Balance (STSEB) model was evaluated by comparison of estimated ET with values measured on a weighing lysimeter. Errors of ±0.14 mm h<sup>−1</sup> and ±1.0 mm d<sup>−1</sup> were obtained at hourly and daily scales, respectively. Total accumulated crop water use during the campaign was underestimated by 5%. It is then shown that thermal radiometry can provide precise crop water necessities and is a promising tool for irrigation management

Use of stable isotope probing to assess the fate of emerging contaminants degraded by white-rot fungus

The widespread of emerging contaminants in the environment and their potential impact on humans is a matter of concern. White-rot fungi are cosmopolitan organisms able to remove a wide range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) through cometabolism (i.e. laccases and peroxidases) or detoxification mechanisms (i.e. cytochrome P450 system). However, the use of PPCP as carbon source for these organisms is largely unexplored. Here, we used carbon stable isotope tracer experiments to assess the fate of anti-inflammatory diclofenac (DCF) and UV filter benzophenone-3 (BP3) during degradation by Trametes versicolor. The comparison between carbon isotopic composition of emitted carbon dioxide from 13C-labelled DCF ([acetophenyl ring-13C6]-DCF) and 13C-BP3 ([phenyl-13C6]-BP3) versus their 12C-homologue compounds showed mineralization of about 45% and 10% of the 13C contained in their respective molecules after 9 days of incubation. The carbon isotopic composition of the bulk biomass and the application of amino acid-stable isotope probing (SIP) allowed distinguishing between incorporation of 13C from BP3 into amino acids, which implies the use of this emerging contaminant as carbon source, and major intracellular accumulation of 13C from DCF without implying the transformation of its labelled phenyl ring into anabolic products. A mass balance of 13C in different compartments over time provided a comprehensive picture of the fate of DCF and BP3 across their different transformation processes. This is the first report assessing biodegradation of PPCP by SIP techniques and the use of emerging contaminants as carbon source for amino acid biosynthesis

Registration of the Chickpea Germplasm PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 with Enhanced Resistance to Ascochyta Blight

The chickpea or garbanzo bean (Cicer arietinum L.) germplasm PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 (Reg. No. GP-282, PI 659664) was developed by the former Alternative Crops Breeding Program at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research Division and was released in 2010. It was bred specifically for adaptation to growing conditions in Nebraska and for enhanced resistance to Ascochyta blight, a major disease of chickpea caused by Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labr. PHREC-Ca- Comp. #1 is a composite of PI 315797, PI 343014, PI 379217, PI 471915, PI 598080, and W6 17256. The composite was developed in the fall of 2002 and was evaluated in six irrigated and four dryland environments at Scottsbluff, Sidney, and Alliance, NE, from 2004 to 2009. Across irrigated environments, PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 had the lowest severity rating for Ascochyta blight and a higher yield under both irrigated and dryland conditions than ‘Sierra’, ‘Dwelley’, ‘Dylan’, and ‘Troy’. PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 is a small, round, cream-colored kabuli-type chickpea. It exhibits an upright, indeterminate growth habit. Plants average 66 cm in height and have excellent resistance to lodging. PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 has a fern leaf structure and white flowers and blooms 44 d after planting. It is a midseason bean, maturing 116 d after planting. Although its seed size does not meet commercial standards, PHREC-Ca-Comp. #1 has value in breeding programs as a source of resistance to Ascochyta blight and because of its high yield potential

Selection for Drought Tolerance in Dry Bean Derived from the Mesoamerican Gene Pool in Western Nebraska

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is highly susceptible to drought stress, and drought affects 60% of global bean production. We evaluated elite exotic dry bean germplasm derived from the Mesoamerican gene pool for drought tolerance, yield, and adaptation to western Nebraska during 2006 and 2007 at three research sites. Seven tropical lines were evaluated with two great northern cultivars (Matterhorn and Beryl- R) and one pinto cultivar (Bill-Z) serving as checks. Adjacent nonstressed (NS) and droughtstressed (DS) blocks were evaluated. Within each block, the selected lines were assigned to experimental units using a randomized complete block design with four replications at each location. On average, yield was 60% less, 100-seed weight was 19.2% lower, and maturity occurred 4 d earlier under DS than under NS conditions. Beryl-R, SER 22, and Matterhorn had the greatest average yield under both NS (3564, 3347, and 3440 kg ha–1, respectively) and DS (1701, 1773, and 1584 kg ha–1, respectively). These genotypes were also the most drought tolerant based on the drought susceptibility index (0.9, 0.8, and 0.9, respectively) and geometric mean (2462, 2436, and 2335, respectively). Based on these results, Matterhorn, Beryl-R, and SER 22 show the most promise for use in breeding for drought tolerance

Inheritance and QTL Analysis of Field Resistance to Ashy Stem Blight in Common Bean

Ashy stem blight [caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid.] can be a serious disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under drought and high temperature conditions in some regions. The mode of inheritance of valuable sources of resistance is lacking. We studied inheritance of field resistance to ashy stem blight in a recombinant inbred population (’Dorado’ × XAN 176) consisting of 119 F5:7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) tested in replicated experiments across 2 yr. A score from 1 to 9 (no disease to severe disease) was used to measure disease reaction. Moderate HNs (0.53 and 0.57) and near-normal frequency distribution of RILs for mean disease score each year indicated a lack of discrete segregation classes. The phenotypic variation across a subgroup composed of 79 RILs was further investigated with 165 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers by one-way analyses of variance and interval mapping. Five quantitative trait loci (QTL), explaining 19, 15, 15, 13, and 13% of the phenotypic variation for disease score, were detected in 1993. Three of these QTL, explaining 15,12, and 12% of the variation in disease reaction, were detected in 1994. Multiple QTL regression models (P \u3c 0.01) explained up to 47% (four loci) of the phenotypic variation for disease score in 1993 and 28% (three loci) in 1994. The five QTL, all derived from XAN 176, generally showed additive effects. These QTL-linked RAPD markers may prove useful for indirect selection of field resistance to ashy stem blight derived from XAN 176

Assessment of aerobic biodegradation of lower-chlorinated benzenes in contaminated groundwater using field-derived microcosms and compound-specific carbon isotope fractionation

Biodegradation of lower chlorinated benzenes (tri-, di- and monochlorobenzene) was assessed at a coastal aquifer contaminated with multiple chlorinated aromatic hydro- carbons. Field-derived microcosms, established with groundwater from the source zone and amended with a mixture of lower chlorinated benzenes, evidenced biodegradation of monochlorobenzene (MCB) and 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) in aerobic microcosms, whereas the addition of lactate in anaerobic microcosms did not enhance anaerobic reduc- tive dechlorination. Aerobic microcosms established with groundwater from the plume consumed several doses of MCB and concomitantly degraded the three isomers of dichloroben- zene with no observable inhibitory effect. In the light of these results, we assessed the applicability of compound stable isotope analysis to monitor a potential aerobic remediation treatment of MCB and 1,4-DCB in this site. The carbon isotopic fractionation factors ( ε) obtained from field-derived microcosms were -0.7 ¿ ± 0.1 ¿ and -1.0 ¿ ± 0.2 ¿ for MCB and 1,4-DCB, respectively. For 1,4-DCB, the carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegra- dation was reported for the first time. The weak carbon isotope fractionation values for the aerobic pathway would only allow tracing of in situ degradation in aquifer parts with high extent of biodegradation. However, based on the carbon isotope effects measured in this and previous studies, relatively high carbon isotope shifts (i.e., δ13 C > 4.0 ¿ ) of MCB or 1,4- DCB in contaminated groundwater would suggest that their biodegradation is controlled by anaerobic reductive dechlorination