Discovery Tools and Local Metadata Requirements in Academic Libraries

As the second decade of the twenty-first century commences, academic librarians who work to promote collection access must not only contend with a vast array of content available in a wide range of formats, but they must also ensure that new technologies developed to accommodate user search behaviors yield satisfactory outcomes. Next generation discovery tools are designed to streamline the search process and facilitate better search results by incorporating metadata from proprietary and local collections, then by providing relevancy-ranked results. This paper investigates the implications of discovery tool use for accessing materials housed in institutional repositories and special collections, in particular, how the discovery of these materials depends on local metadata creation practices. This paper surveys current research pertaining to metadata quality issues that may put unique local collections at risk for being overlooked in meta-search relevancy rankings, and considers ways in which academic libraries can address this issue as well as areas for future research

Evaluating Rice Straw as a Substitute for Barley Straw in Inhibiting Algal Growth in Farm Ponds

Algal blooms disrupt aquatic ecosystems and are more common in lakes, ponds, and rivers during the summer months due to nutrient pollution. Livestock production can contribute increased quantities of nutrients to water bodies from runoff of manure. Commonly used mechanical and chemical control methods may have limited success because algae are small and propagate quickly. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) straw has been shown to inhibit the growth of algae as the straw decomposes aerobically in ponds. Therefore, barley represents a natural option for algal biomass control. However, the small amount of barley production in Arkansas limits the availability of barley straw as a solution to control algal blooms locally. Other cereal grain straws may produce similar inhibitory effects during decomposition. Rice (Oryza sativa) is produced in large quantities in Arkansas, making rice straw a locally sourced straw product. The objective of this research was to determine the efficacy of using rice compared to barley straw to inhibit algal growth in freshwater ponds. Data were collected from nine farm ponds, three treated with rice straw, three treated with barley straw, and three without amendment to serve as the experimental control. Dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3--N), dissolved phosphorus (P), temperature, and turbidity were measured for 14 weeks from June 12 to September 17, 2018. Algal biomass was measured as chlorophyll-a concentration to evaluate treatment effectiveness over time. Dissolved oxygen was significantly influenced by treatment and time. The NO3--N concentration in ponds treated with rice straw was significantly greater than the control and barley treatment. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were variable, and there were no consistent trends through time within a treatment. More research under controlled conditions to understand impacts of abiotic conditions, microbial and algal community compositions, and mode of action of algal inhibition is required before cereal straw can be a reliable, locally sourced method of algal control in farm ponds

The effect of turning frequency on in-vessel compost processing and quality

Composting can contribute to the zero waste initiative on the University of Arkansas (UA) campus. In-vessel systems like Earth Tubs™ are purported to provide better control of temperature and moisture during the composting process. Turning materials helps facilitate microbial activity and thermophilic composting. The goal of this research was to determine if turning frequency affects processing or final quality of compost made with pre- and post-consumer food waste feedstock and a wood chip bulking agent. Turning frequencies (treatment) of 3 days/week and 7 days/ week were evaluated simultaneously throughout three sequential runs. Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and moisture content (MC) were measured weekly during vessel filling. When the vessels reached one-half to two-thirds volumetric capacity, the compost entered a 30- day composting period during which no food waste or wood chips were added to the vessels, but turning continued. Total C, N, C:N ratio, and hot water extractable C (HWEC) and N (HWEN) were also measured at the conclusion of composting. Recommended values for temperature, pH, MC, and total C:N ratio are all possible to reach when composting with Earth Tubs™, but there is little to no effect of 3 days/week versus 7days/week treatment on final quality of compost, and quality is not consistent over time between runs. Further research would need to be done to assess whether Earth Tubs™ are a viable option for large-scale food waste composting at UA, and whether the logistics of having the vessels off-site lend themselves to a sustainable campus-wide composting program

Soil Organic Carbon and Mineralization Rates at the Woolsey Wet Prairie Mitigation Site in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are rapidly increasing, surpassing 400 ppm in 2013 from a pre-industrial revolution level of around 280 ppm. Researchers have been looking at methods to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere, including promoting carbon sequestration in soils. Carbon sequestration is the process where CO2 is naturally or artificially transferred out of the atmosphere and stored in the ocean, plant biomass, soils, and geologic formations. Seemingly contradictory to the notion of carbon sequestration is the use of fire as a management treatment for the restoration of native prairie grass ecosystems. Fire combusts plant biomass and produces CO2 as one of its products, potentially leading to increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The first objective of this research was to determine particulate (easily broken down) and total (easily broken down plus stable) soil organic matter content and CO2 respiration (output) in Woolsey Wet Prairie Sanctuary (WWPS) soil that has been restored and managed with annual burning for 10 years compared to soil from non-restored adjacent fields growing tall fescue. The first objective was accomplished by taking soil samples and CO2 respiration measurements before the 2017 annual prescribed burn. The second objective was to determine short-term impacts of the prescribed burn on soil carbon release and storage. The second objective was accomplished by comparing CO2 respiration before the fire management in the spring, then comparing to CO2 respiration 2, 7, 16, and 29 days post-treatment, and collecting soil samples. Soil samples were taken before the prescribed burn, two weeks after the burn, and two months after the burn to compare short-term changes in particulate organic matter (easily broken down; POM) and stable organic matter (OM). Results indicated high productivity in the wetland low-lying areas with statistically greater levels of POM and OM compared to the other sample sites. Additionally, there was no statistically significant change measured in POM following the annual prescribed burn at any sample site, nor a statistically significant increase in CO2 respiration. The results indicate that the managed wetland area is functioning as a highly-productive carbon sink

Microdialysis: a method for quantifying in situ nitrogen fluxes in soil microsites

Microdialysis, a diffusion-based sampling technique commonly used in biomedical research, has recently been recognized as a candidate for monitoring chemical changes in the rhizosphere. The information it provides about nutrient diffusion may improve nitrogen use efficiency, leading to enhanced management and success of restoration projects. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of microdialysis sampling to quantify the relative recoveries (RR%) of nitrate-N and ammonium-N, the two inorganic nitrogen compounds typically found in soil. The effects of microdialysis flow rate, sample medium concentration, and the presence of both analytes in solution on the relative recoveries obtained from dialysate samples were investigated. In comparison to 3.75 and 5.0 μL/min, a flow rate of 2.0 μL/min resulted in an increased relative recovery for both nitrate-N and ammonium-N solutions, at 42.7% and 51.0%, respectively, and was determined to be an optimum rate for subsequent experiments using CMA 20 microdialysis probes. The RR% for both nitrate-N and ammonium-N did not display a statistically significant dependence on the concentration of analyte present in the sample medium. The analytes also did not exhibit interferences, and the presence of both nitrate-N and ammonium-N in the same solution did not influence the RR% of either analyte. The results obtained from this study will assist in validating a novel approach to measuring in situ nitrogen availability in soil with minimal disturbance

Vegetation and Acidification

In this chapter, the impact of watershed acidification treatments on WS3 at the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) and at WS9 on vegetation is presented and summarized in a comprehensive way for the first time. WS7 is used as a vegetative reference basin for WS3, while untreated plots within WS9 are used as a vegetative reference for WS9. Bioindicators of acidification impacts that will be considered include several measures of tree and stand growth rates, foliar chemistry, bolewood chemistry, and herbaceous species composition and diversity. These studies enhance our understanding of the inter-relationships of changes in soil conditions caused by the acidification treatment and the condition of forest vegetation

Using framework-based synthesis for conducting reviews of qualitative studies

Framework analysis is a technique used for data analysis in primary qualitative research. Recent years have seen its being adapted to conduct syntheses of qualitative studies. Framework-based synthesis shows considerable promise in addressing applied policy questions. An innovation in the approach, known as 'best fit' framework synthesis, has been published in BMC Medical Research Methodology this month. It involves reviewers in choosing a conceptual model likely to be suitable for the question of the review, and using it as the basis of their initial coding framework. This framework is then modified in response to the evidence reported in the studies in the reviews, so that the final product is a revised framework that may include both modified factors and new factors that were not anticipated in the original model. 'Best fit' framework-based synthesis may be especially suitable in addressing urgent policy questions where the need for a more fully developed synthesis is balanced by the need for a quick answer

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with Greater Histologic Severity, Higher Carbohydrate, and Lower Fat Diet in Patients with NAFLD

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73077/1/j.1572-0241.2006.00719.x.pd

Feasibility and clinical impact of sharing patient-reported symptom toxicities and performance status with clinical investigators during a phase 2 cancer treatment trial

Clinicians can miss up to half of patients’ symptomatic toxicities in cancer clinical trials and routine practice. Although patient-reported outcome questionnaires have been developed to capture this information, it is unclear whether clinicians will make use of patient-reported outcomes to inform their own toxicity documentation, or to prompt symptom management activities