The Socioeconomic and Ecological Impact of Cool Season Forage Production: A Case of Black Belt Counties, Alabama

Abstract Raising livestock during the lean season of forage production has become a great challenge for small and limited resource farmers because of a high cost involved in procuring supplementary feed. This study was conducted to assess the impact of cultivating cool-season forages on the feeding costs for meat goats and cattle. Three case studies were conducted in three Black Belt Counties of Alabama, Russell, Dallas, and Bullock. The socioeconomic and ecological impacts of developing cool-season pastures were evaluated using the before versus after assessment approach. The findings revealed that all three cooperator farmers reduced costs of procuring hay and supplementary feed after establishing cool-season forages, on average $917 for two goat farms and$4,152 for a beef cattle farm. It is believed that an extensive outreach on forage production would help small and limited resource livestock farmers boost their farm income. Keywords: Socioeconomic Impact, Ecological Impact, Cool-Season Forage, Year-round Pasture, Alabama Black Bel

Translation termination depends on the sequential ribosomal entry of eRF1 and eRF3.

Translation termination requires eRF1 and eRF3 for polypeptide-and tRNA-release on stop codons. Additionally, Dbp5/DDX19 and Rli1/ABCE1 are required; however, their function in this process is currently unknown. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro experiments, we show that they regulate a stepwise assembly of the termination complex. Rli1 and eRF3-GDP associate with the ribosome first. Subsequently, Dbp5-ATP delivers eRF1 to the stop codon and in this way prevents a premature access of eRF3. Dbp5 dissociates upon placing eRF1 through ATP-hydrolysis. This in turn enables eRF1 to contact eRF3, as the binding of Dbp5 and eRF3 to eRF1 is mutually exclusive. Defects in the Dbp5-guided eRF1 delivery lead to premature contact and premature dissociation of eRF1 and eRF3 from the ribosome and to subsequent stop codon readthrough. Thus, the stepwise Dbp5-controlled termination complex assembly is essential for regular translation termination events. Our data furthermore suggest a possible role of Dbp5/DDX19 in alternative translation termination events, such as during stress response or in developmental processes, which classifies the helicase as a potential drug target for nonsense suppression therapy to treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

Akimotoite to perovskite phase transition in MgSiO 3

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94612/1/grl18182.pd

The Significance of Urban Gardening on the Household Economy: A Case of Minority Urban Gardeners

Urban gardening (UG) is an emerging approach to increase the consumption of fresh produce in the homestead. The objective of this exploratory case study was to enhance the technical and economic efficiency of small, socially disadvantaged, and minority (SSDM) urban gardeners in Maryland. Twenty-two SSDM producers engaged in UG participated in the study. The findings showed that farmers were operating rationally, and cultivating diversified specialty, medicinal, and ethnic crops, with an average of twenty specialty/ethnic crops on 1.2 acres. The farmers reported six primary reasons for sustaining urban gardening: family consumption (79%), outdoor and physical activity (79%), supplemental household income (57%), leisure (50%), experiential learning for family members (14%), and tax benefits (7%). Findings revealed that 96% of the farmers strengthened knowledge in reducing production costs, increasing farm income (86%), enhancing entrepreneurial skills (82%), improving farm management practices (73%), mitigating risk (59%), and changing UG behaviors and actions (100%)