Ex Libris representative presentation

Links referenced in Grant Johnson\u27s presentation, Ex Libris representative presentation at eBUG 201

The Gender Pay Gap; Continually Hurting Women

This particular project was our third and final piece to be written for my English 200H class in which the subject deals with Gender in America. This assignment called for us to research deeply into our chosen topic dealing with gender issues as well as produce original research through a survey or interview. To begin this assignment I began researching scholarly articles relating to my topic, Gender Pay Gap. After gathering scholarly research, I then produced a survey with responses from my fellow classmates in order to incorporate their perspective into my writing. Once the first draft was completed, two of my fellow classmates reviewed it and gave me excellent feedback to improve my paper. After fixing my first draft my second draft was once again reviewed by two of my fellow classmates as well as my professor, Dr. Vorachek. Being able to have my paper revised multiple times gave me the confidence and ability to produce my best possible work

Effects of topdressing established Kentucky bluegrass with composted manure

2005 Summer.Covers not scanned.Includes bibliographical references.Concerns about water quality issues surrounding nutrient loading into surface and ground water from agricultural manure applications have contributed to the increasing interest in composting manure and topdressing it on turfgrass to alleviate manure pollution. Little information is available regarding the effects of composted dairy manure topdressings on established turfgrass. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects that topdressing composted manure has on: (i) turfgrass growth and quality, (ii) soil physical and chemical properties, (iii) turfgrass quality and soil moisture content during periods of dry down, and (iv) nutrient runoff and leaching during simulated rainfall event. Compost was topdressed onto three cultivars ('Nuglade', 'Livingston', and 'Kenblue') of established Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) at rates of 0, 33, 66, and 99 m3 ha-1, twice in 2003 and once in 2004. A synthetic fertilizer (Urea 46-0-0) was added to help balance inorganic N rates among treatments. Compost treatments had 6-10% higher quality than the control during the growing seasons, produced 18-56% higher clipping yields in late summer months, and helped retain turfgrass color longer into the fall and allowed for faster spring green up. Compost treatment 99 m3 ha-1 reduced surface soil (0-3 cm) bulk density by 5.3% and increased water retention by an average of 14.2% over all tensions tested. Compost treatments increased soil P, K, Fe and Mn in the 0-10cm depth. During 10-day dry down periods, compost treatment increased soil moisture in the 15-30 cm soil depth during the first 2-3 days, which in turn, increased soil moisture in the 0-15 cm depth towards the end of dry down and led to 1.2-3.3 °C lower canopy temperatures compared to the control. Runoff collected revealed no differences in NO3-N or total phosphorus concentrations among treatments, and mean NO3-N concentrations (6.5 mg L-1) were below the EPA standards, while mean TP concentrations (1.1 mg L-1) slightly exceeded EPA standards. No differences in leaching potential occurred among treatments. From these results it is recommended that manure compost be topdressed to Kentucky bluegrass at an optimal rate 66 m3 ha-1, which provided good quality throughout most of the year

Are Quarterly Magazines Worthwhile?

When we had to clean our mailing list for the University of Nebraska Experiment Station Quarterly last fall, I took the opportunity to survey readership

Studies on the Maturation of Secreted Quorum Sensing Peptides That Regulates S. Aureus Virulence

The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus in the commensal human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, is a two-promoter operon with allelic variability that encodes a quorum sensing circuit involved in regulating virulence in the bacterium. Secretion of unique autoinducing peptides (AIPs) and detection of their concentration via AgrC, a transmembrane receptor histidine kinase, coordinates local bacterial population density with global changes in gene expression. In order for S. aureus to produce AIP, three proteolytic transformations involving the proteins AgrB and SpsB are required. However, despite our current understanding of AIP peptide processing, the actual manner in which the AIP crosses the cellular membrane, and specifically the role of AgrB in this process, has not been examined. Neither is it clear whether SpsB cleaves all four variants of the AgrD precursor peptide. Initially, the aims of this thesis were to: 1) determine the role of AgrB in secreting the AgrD(1-32)-thiolactone and 2) confirm that SpsB is the protease responsible for the final cleavage step of AgrD in AIP biosynthesis. To achieve these goals, an in vivo secretion assay using intein chemistry to produce AIP in the absence of AgrB was developed to examine whether AgrB facilitates AIP secretion. Also, SpsB biochemical assays were used to provide a thorough investigation of the final cleavage step in AIP biosynthesis for AgrD-I and AgrD-II. The findings of this work indicate that AgrB does not facilitate secretion, and SpsB can only cleave AgrD-I correctly but not AgrD-II. Taken together, these observations suggest that AgrB and SpsB are two proteins associated with AIP biosynthesis, but there are likely other proteins that need to be identified. The final aim of this work was to investigate the effect of AIP macrocycle size on AgrC activation. Since staphylococcal virulence can be inhibited through antagonism of its quorum sensing system, there has been tremendous interest in understanding the structure-activity relationships underlying the AIP-AgrC interaction. The defining structural feature of the AIP is a 16-membered, thiolactone-containing macrocycle. However, the importance of ring size on agr activation or inhibition has not been explored. This deficiency is addressed through the synthesis and functional analysis of AIP analogs featuring enlarged and reduced macrocycles. This study is the first to interrogate AIP function using both established cell-based reporter gene assays and newly developed in vitro AgrC-I binding and autophosphorylation activity assays. Based on our data, we present a model for robust agr activation involving a cooperative, 3-points-ofcontact interaction between the AIP macrocycle and AgrC

Herschel Observations of Debris Discs Orbiting Planet-hosting Subgiants

Debris discs are commonly detected orbiting main-sequence stars, yet little is known regarding their fate as the star evolves to become a giant. Recent observations of radial velocity detected planets orbiting giant stars highlight this population and its importance for probing, for example, the population of planetary systems orbiting intermediate mass stars. Our Herschel survey observed a subset of the Johnson et al program subgiants, finding that 4/36 exhibit excess emission thought to indicate debris, of which 3/19 are planet-hosting stars and 1/17 are stars with no current planet detections. Given the small numbers involved, there is no evidence that the disc detection rate around stars with planets is different to that around stars without planets. Our detections provide a clear indication that large quantities of dusty material can survive the stars' main-sequence lifetime and be detected on the subgiant branch, with important implications for the evolution of planetary systems and observations of polluted or dusty white dwarfs. Our detection rates also provide an important constraint that can be included in models of debris disc evolution.Comment: 12 pages, MNRAS, accepte

I Know I Got More Than My Share

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/1664/thumbnail.jp

I Know I Got More Than My Share

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/1665/thumbnail.jp

Estimating the Benefits of a Faith-Based Correctional Program

A recent outcome evaluation of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (InnerChange), a faith-based prisoner reentry program that has operated within Minnesota's prison system since 2002, showed the program is effective in lowering recidivism. This study extends research on InnerChange by conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the program. Because InnerChange relies heavily on volunteers and program costs are privately funded, the program exacts no additional costs to the State of Minnesota. As a result, this study focused on estimating the program's benefits by examining recidivism and post-release employment. The findings showed that during its first six years of operation in Minnesota, InnerChange produced an estimated benefit of $3 million, which amounts to nearly$8,300 per participant. Much of this benefit stems from costs avoided as a result of the program's impact on reoffending

Eucalyptus virginea and E. relicta (Myrtaceae), two new rare forest trees from south-western Australia allied to E. lane-poolei, and a new phantom hybrid

Hopper, S.D. & Wardell-Johnson, G. Eucalyptus virginea and E. relicta (Myrtaceae), two new rareforest trees from south-western Australia allied to E. lane-poolei, and a new phantom hybrid. Nuytsia 15(2): 227-240 (2004). Eucalyptus virginea and E. relicta are described from Mt Lindesay National Park and from the Whicher Range south-east of Busselton respectively. Both species, together with E. lane-poolei, are in the earliest branching clade of E. ser. Curviptera, which contains many horticulturally attractive large-flowered mallees from semi-arid and desert regions such as E. macrocarpa and E. youngiana. The discovery and description of these two rare relictual forest trees so recently highlights the need for ongoing botanical survey of south-western Australia's forests. A phantom hybrid, Eucalyptus lane-poolei x relicta, is also described for the first time. It occurs close to populations of E. relicta in the Whicher Range but 150 km south of the nearest recorded E. lane-poolei