Management Intensive Grazing of Stockers at the Andrew Jackson Demonstration Farm (1996 – 1998)

The Andrew Jackson Demonstration Farm (AJDF) is located in central Jackson County in east central Iowa. A board of directors operates the farm for the purpose of demonstrating different production practices and management strategies. From 1996 to 1998 management intensive grazing practices and the grazing of stockers on a combination of permanent and tillable pasture have been demonstrated. Grazing strategies or practices demonstrated during these years included establishment of Eastern Gamagrass and Big Bluestem, variable density grazing, measuring forage on-offer, estimating dry matter intake, grazing corn, pasture renovation, and fencing and water systems. Production performance data were gathered for the three years stockers that were grazed. During this time the stockers averaged 121 animal days of grazing, a 1.1 head per acre stocking rate, a 1.85 pound average daily gain, and 228 pounds of gain per acre. The financial measures evaluated the value of gain on pasture and the pasture cost of the gain. The value of gain per pound was positive for 1996 and 1997 at $.58 and $.52 whereas in 1998 it was a -$.04. Pasture costs per pound of gain ranged from $.12 to $.16. Production performance is only one part of the profit picture when evaluating a stocker operation. Buysell margins are the other significant part that can greatly impact the profit potential of a summer grazing program.

Effects of forest management on ground-dwelling beetles (Coleoptera; Carabidae, Staphylinidae) in Central Europe are mainly mediated by changes in forest structure

Forest management is known to influence species diversity of various taxa but inconsistent or even contrasting effects are reported for arthropods. Regional differences in management as well as differences in regional species pools might be responsible for these inconsistencies, but, inter-regional replicated studies that account for regional variability are rare. We investigated the effect of forest type on the abundance, diversity, community structure and composition of two important ground-dwelling beetle families, Carabidae and Staphylinidae, in 149 forest stands distributed over three regions in Germany. In particular we focused on recent forestry history, stand age and dominant tree species, in addition to a number of environmental descriptors. Overall management effects on beetle communities were small and mainly mediated by structural habitat parameters such as the cover of forest canopy or the plant diversity on forest stands. The general response of both beetle taxa to forest management was similar in all regions: abundance and species richness of beetles was higher in older than in younger stands and species richness was lower in unmanaged than in managed stands. The abundance ratio of forest species-to-open habitat species differed between regions, but generally increased from young to old stands, from coniferous to deciduous stands and from managed to unmanaged stands. The response of both beetle families to dominant tree species was variable among regions and staphylinid richness varied in the response to recent forestry history. Our results suggest that current forest management practices change the composition of ground-dwelling beetle communities mainly by favoring generalists and open habitat species. To protect important forest beetle communities and thus the ecosystem functions and services provided by them, we suggest to shelter remaining ancient forests and to develop near-to-nature management strategies by prolonging rotation periods and increasing structural diversity of managed forests. Possible geographic variations in the response of beetle communities need to be considered in conservation-orientated forest management strategies.

Home-based versus clinic-based specimen collection in the management of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections

BACKGROUND Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) are the most frequent causes of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Management strategies that reduce losses in the clinical pathway from infection to cure might improve STI control and reduce complications resulting from lack of, or inadequate, treatment. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness and safety of home-based specimen collection as part of the management strategy for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections compared with clinic-based specimen collection in sexually-active people. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Sexually Transmitted Infections Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and LILACS on 27 May 2015, together with the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also handsearched conference proceedings, contacted trial authors and reviewed the reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of home-based compared with clinic-based specimen collection in the management of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. We contacted study authors for additional information. We resolved any disagreements through consensus. We used standard methodological procedures recommended by Cochrane. The primary outcome was index case management, defined as the number of participants tested, diagnosed and treated, if test positive. MAIN RESULTS Ten trials involving 10,479 participants were included. There was inconclusive evidence of an effect on the proportion of participants with index case management (defined as individuals tested, diagnosed and treated for CT or NG, or both) in the group with home-based (45/778, 5.8%) compared with clinic-based (51/788, 6.5%) specimen collection (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60 to 1.29; 3 trials, I² = 0%, 1566 participants, moderate quality). Harms of home-based specimen collection were not evaluated in any trial. All 10 trials compared the proportions of individuals tested. The results for the proportion of participants completing testing had high heterogeneity (I² = 100%) and were not pooled. We could not combine data from individual studies looking at the number of participants tested because the proportions varied widely across the studies, ranging from 30% to 96% in home group and 6% to 97% in clinic group (low-quality evidence). The number of participants with positive test was lower in the home-based specimen collection group (240/2074, 11.6%) compared with the clinic-based group (179/967, 18.5%) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.86; 9 trials, I² = 0%, 3041 participants, moderate quality). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Home-based specimen collection could result in similar levels of index case management for CT or NG infection when compared with clinic-based specimen collection. Increases in the proportion of individuals tested as a result of home-based, compared with clinic-based, specimen collection are offset by a lower proportion of positive results. The harms of home-based specimen collection compared with clinic-based specimen collection have not been evaluated. Future RCTs to assess the effectiveness of home-based specimen collection should be designed to measure biological outcomes of STI case management, such as proportion of participants with negative tests for the relevant STI at follow-up.

Management of fever and neutropenia in paediatric cancer patients: room for improvement?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Fever and neutropenia is the most common complication in the treatment of childhood cancer. This review will summarize recent publications that focus on improving the management of this condition as well as those that seek to optimize translational research efforts. RECENT FINDINGS A number of clinical decision rules are available to assist in the identification of low-risk fever and neutropenia however few have undergone external validation and formal impact analysis. Emerging evidence suggests acute fever and neutropenia management strategies should include time to antibiotic recommendations, and quality improvement initiatives have focused on eliminating barriers to early antibiotic administration. Despite reported increases in antimicrobial resistance, few studies have focused on the prediction, prevention, and optimal treatment of these infections and the effect on risk stratification remains unknown. A consensus guideline for paediatric fever and neutropenia research is now available and may help reduce some of the heterogeneity between studies that have previously limited the translation of evidence into clinical practice. SUMMARY Risk stratification is recommended for children with cancer and fever and neutropenia. Further research is required to quantify the overall impact of this approach and to refine exactly which children will benefit from early antibiotic administration as well as modifications to empiric regimens to cover antibiotic-resistant organisms.

Perceived gender relations and sexual relations among undergraduate female students in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Background. Literature worldwide has documented associations between gender-based relationship inequity, sexual communication self-efficacy, and actual use of condoms and contraceptives among young women. However studies that have rigorously tested these associations in southern Vietnam are extremely rare. This study aimed to examine these associations and other current sexual practices among undergraduate female students in the Mekong Delta. Method. A qualitative study was conducted to examine the operationalization of the Theory of Gender and Power and to obtain salient and culture-relevant dimensions of perceived gender relations in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Sixty-four undergraduate female students from two universities participated in eight group discussions focusing on their viewpoints regarding national and local gender equity issues. A subsequent cross-sectional survey consisting of 1181 third-year female students from Can Tho University and An Giang University was conducted. Latent variable modeling and logistic regression were employed to examine the hypothesized associations. Results. Dimensions of perceived gender relations were attributable to theoretical structures of labor, power, and cathexis. Perceptions about gender inequities were comparable to findings from several reports, in which women were still viewed as inferior and subordinate to men. Among students who had ever had a boyfriend(s) (72.4%), 44.8% indicated that their boyfriend had ever asked for sex, 13% had ever had penile-vaginal sex, and 10.3% had ever had oral sex. For those who had ever had penile-vaginal sex, 33% did not use any contraceptive method at first sex. The greater a student’s perception that women were subordinate to men, the lower her self-efficacy for sexual communication and the lower her actual frequencies of asking for contraceptive or condom use. Sexual communication self-efficacy was marginally associated with actual contraceptive use (p=.039) and condom use (p=.092) at first sex. Conclusion. Sexual health promotion strategies should address the influence of perceived unequal gender relations on young women’s sexual communication self-efficacy and the subsequent impact on actual contraceptive and condom use.^

Gestión del paisaje y ordenamiento territorial : Abordajes conceptuales y metodológicos

El propósito de la ponencia es elaborar un panorama sobre la relevancia de la gestión del paisaje dentro del ordenamiento territorial, un tema cuya discusión ha emergido en los últimos años y en base al cual se han desarrollado numerosas normativas y técnicas dentro del contexto europeo y norteamericano. El proceso de globalización ha intensificado las dinámicas homogeneización urbana de dispersión territorial, y especialización funcional. En Europa y EEUU, como respuesta a éstas dinámicas, se han impulsado estrategias de gestión territorial sobre la base del ordenamiento del paisaje. Las acciones emprendidas responden a la instrumentación de políticas, metodologías e intervenciones impregnadas de una concepción de paisaje entendido como atributo de la totalidad del territorio; referido tanto a los espacios singulares y/o destacados como a los cotidianos y degradados. Desde el diagnóstico urbano y territorial comienzan a implementarse instrumentos que profundizan en el conocimiento del territorio desde este enfoque. El establecimiento de acuerdos internacionales dirigidos a impulsar la gestión del paisaje, ha promovido el desarrollo de legislaciones, instrumentos y proyectos que sitúan al paisaje como un componente destacado dentro del ordenamiento territorial y la planificación urbanística, que se establecen dentro de dos líneas claramente definidas: una línea propositiva en la que el paisaje es considerado como reactivador de territorios patrimoniales y una línea normativa, integrada por leyes que intentan guiar la gestión del territorio asociado a la valoración del paisaje. Las experiencias desarrolladas en Europa y en Norteamérica en materia de gestión del paisaje Invitan a pensar en estrategias adecuadas al escenario latinoamericano. Puede verificarse que dichas estrategias presentan cierto nivel de transferencia a otros contextos, dejando en claro que es posible utilizar el concepto de paisaje para dar respuesta a cuestiones de ordenamiento territorial en contextos con menor nivel de desarrollo que el europeo, sin dejar de tener en cuenta que las demandas son diferentes. De esta manera, queda por responder cómo implementar este tipo de proyectos dentro del contexto latinoamericano, resolviendo problemáticas que exceden la escala de los países desarrollados, y donde el paisaje puede constituirse como una herramienta de reconocimiento de la particular identidad local, además de cumplir un significativo rol en el aspecto medioambiental

Gestión del paisaje y ordenamiento territorial : Abordajes conceptuales y metodológicos

El propósito de la ponencia es elaborar un panorama sobre la relevancia de la gestión del paisaje dentro del ordenamiento territorial, un tema cuya discusión ha emergido en los últimos años y en base al cual se han desarrollado numerosas normativas y técnicas dentro del contexto europeo y norteamericano. El proceso de globalización ha intensificado las dinámicas homogeneización urbana de dispersión territorial, y especialización funcional. En Europa y EEUU, como respuesta a éstas dinámicas, se han impulsado estrategias de gestión territorial sobre la base del ordenamiento del paisaje. Las acciones emprendidas responden a la instrumentación de políticas, metodologías e intervenciones impregnadas de una concepción de paisaje entendido como atributo de la totalidad del territorio; referido tanto a los espacios singulares y/o destacados como a los cotidianos y degradados. Desde el diagnóstico urbano y territorial comienzan a implementarse instrumentos que profundizan en el conocimiento del territorio desde este enfoque. El establecimiento de acuerdos internacionales dirigidos a impulsar la gestión del paisaje, ha promovido el desarrollo de legislaciones, instrumentos y proyectos que sitúan al paisaje como un componente destacado dentro del ordenamiento territorial y la planificación urbanística, que se establecen dentro de dos líneas claramente definidas: una línea propositiva en la que el paisaje es considerado como reactivador de territorios patrimoniales y una línea normativa, integrada por leyes que intentan guiar la gestión del territorio asociado a la valoración del paisaje. Las experiencias desarrolladas en Europa y en Norteamérica en materia de gestión del paisaje Invitan a pensar en estrategias adecuadas al escenario latinoamericano. Puede verificarse que dichas estrategias presentan cierto nivel de transferencia a otros contextos, dejando en claro que es posible utilizar el concepto de paisaje para dar respuesta a cuestiones de ordenamiento territorial en contextos con menor nivel de desarrollo que el europeo, sin dejar de tener en cuenta que las demandas son diferentes. De esta manera, queda por responder cómo implementar este tipo de proyectos dentro del contexto latinoamericano, resolviendo problemáticas que exceden la escala de los países desarrollados, y donde el paisaje puede constituirse como una herramienta de reconocimiento de la particular identidad local, además de cumplir un significativo rol en el aspecto medioambiental

Gestión del paisaje y ordenamiento territorial : Abordajes conceptuales y metodológicos

El propósito de la ponencia es elaborar un panorama sobre la relevancia de la gestión del paisaje dentro del ordenamiento territorial, un tema cuya discusión ha emergido en los últimos años y en base al cual se han desarrollado numerosas normativas y técnicas dentro del contexto europeo y norteamericano. El proceso de globalización ha intensificado las dinámicas homogeneización urbana de dispersión territorial, y especialización funcional. En Europa y EEUU, como respuesta a éstas dinámicas, se han impulsado estrategias de gestión territorial sobre la base del ordenamiento del paisaje. Las acciones emprendidas responden a la instrumentación de políticas, metodologías e intervenciones impregnadas de una concepción de paisaje entendido como atributo de la totalidad del territorio; referido tanto a los espacios singulares y/o destacados como a los cotidianos y degradados. Desde el diagnóstico urbano y territorial comienzan a implementarse instrumentos que profundizan en el conocimiento del territorio desde este enfoque. El establecimiento de acuerdos internacionales dirigidos a impulsar la gestión del paisaje, ha promovido el desarrollo de legislaciones, instrumentos y proyectos que sitúan al paisaje como un componente destacado dentro del ordenamiento territorial y la planificación urbanística, que se establecen dentro de dos líneas claramente definidas: una línea propositiva en la que el paisaje es considerado como reactivador de territorios patrimoniales y una línea normativa, integrada por leyes que intentan guiar la gestión del territorio asociado a la valoración del paisaje. Las experiencias desarrolladas en Europa y en Norteamérica en materia de gestión del paisaje Invitan a pensar en estrategias adecuadas al escenario latinoamericano. Puede verificarse que dichas estrategias presentan cierto nivel de transferencia a otros contextos, dejando en claro que es posible utilizar el concepto de paisaje para dar respuesta a cuestiones de ordenamiento territorial en contextos con menor nivel de desarrollo que el europeo, sin dejar de tener en cuenta que las demandas son diferentes. De esta manera, queda por responder cómo implementar este tipo de proyectos dentro del contexto latinoamericano, resolviendo problemáticas que exceden la escala de los países desarrollados, y donde el paisaje puede constituirse como una herramienta de reconocimiento de la particular identidad local, además de cumplir un significativo rol en el aspecto medioambiental

Decarbonization of toll plazas: impact assessment of toll collection system management

Transport climate change impacts have become a worldwide concern. The use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) could contribute to a more effective use of resources in toll road networks. Management of toll plazas is central to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as it is there that bottlenecks and congestion occur. This study focuses on management strategies aimed at reducing climate change impacts of toll plazas by managing toll collection systems. These strategies are based on the use of different collection system technologies – Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and Open Road Tolling (ORT) – and on queue management. The carbon footprint of various toll plazas is determined by a proposed integrated methodology which estimates the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of the different operational stages at toll plazas (deceleration, service time, acceleration, and queuing) for the different toll collection systems. To validate the methodology, two main-line toll plazas of a Spanish toll highway were evaluated. The findings reveal that the application of new technologies to toll collection systems is an effective management strategy from an environmental point of view. The case studies revealed that ORT systems lead to savings of up to 70% of CO2 emissions at toll plazas, while ETC systems save 20% comparing to the manual ones. Furthermore, queue management can offer a 16% emissions savings when queue time is reduced by 116 seconds. The integrated methodology provides an efficient environmental management tool for toll plazas. The use of new technologies is the future of the decarbonization of toll plazas.

Optimizing PV use through active demand side management

With recent technological developments within the field of power conditioning and the progressive decrease of incentives for PV electricity in grid-connected markets, new operation modes for PV systems should be explored beyond the traditional maximization of PV electri city feed-in. An example can be found in the domestic sector, where the use of modern PV hybrid systems combin ed with efficient electrical appliances and demand side management strategies can significantly enhance the PV value for the user. This paper presents an active demand side management system able to displace the consumer’s load curve in response to local (PV hybrid system, user) and external conditions (external grid). In this way, th e consumer becomes an “active consumer” that can also cooperate with others and the grid, increasing even more the PV value for the electrical system.

Molecular tools to improve chestnut management: El Bierzo as a case study

The European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is a multipurpose species that has been widely cultivated around the Mediterranean basin since ancient times. New varieties were brought to the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman Empire, which coexist since then with native populations that survived the last glaciation. The relevance of chestnut cultivation has being steadily growing since the Middle Ages, until the rural decline of the past century put a stop to this trend. Forest fires and diseases were also major factors. Chestnut cultivation is gaining momentum again due to its economic (wood, fruits) and ecologic relevance, and represents currently an important asset in many rural areas of Europe. In this Thesis we apply different molecular tools to help improve current management strategies. For this study we have chosen El Bierzo (Castile and Leon, NW Spain), which has a centenary tradition of chestnut cultivation and management, and also presents several unique features from a genetic perspective (next paragraph). Moreover, its nuts are widely appreciated in Spain and abroad for their organoleptic properties. We have focused our experimental work on two major problems faced by breeders and the industry: the lack of a fine-grained genetic characterization and the need for new strategies to control blight disease. To characterize with sufficient detail the genetic diversity and structure of El Bierzo orchards, we analyzed DNA from 169 trees grafted for nut production covering the entire region. We also analyzed 62 nuts from all traditional varieties. El Bierzo constitutes an outstanding scenario to study chestnut genetics and the influence of human management because: (i) it is located at one extreme of the distribution area; (ii) it is a major glacial refuge for the native species; (iii) it has a long tradition of human management (since Roman times, at least); and (iv) its geographical setting ensures an unusual degree of genetic isolation. Thirteen microsatellite markers provided enough informativeness and discrimination power to genotype at the individual level. Together with an unexpected level of genetic variability, we found evidence of genetic structure, with three major gene pools giving rise to the current population. High levels of genetic differentiation between groups supported this organization. Interestingly, genetic structure does not match with spatial boundaries, suggesting that the exchange of material and cultivation practices have strongly influenced natural gene flow. The microsatellite markers selected for this study were also used to classify a set of 62 samples belonging to all traditional varieties. We identified several cases of synonymies and homonymies, evidencing the need to substitute traditional classification systems with new tools for genetic profiling. Management and conservation strategies should also benefit from these tools. The avenue of high-throughput sequencing technologies, combined with the development of bioinformatics tools, have paved the way to study transcriptomes without the need for a reference genome. We took advantage of RNA sequencing and de novo assembly tools to determine the transcriptional landscape of chestnut in response to blight disease. In addition, we have selected a set of candidate genes with high potential for developing resistant varieties via genetic engineering. Our results evidenced a deep transcriptional reprogramming upon fungal infection. The plant hormones ET and JA appear to orchestrate the defensive response. Interestingly, our results also suggest a role for auxins in modulating such response. Many transcription factors were identified in this work that interact with promoters of genes involved in disease resistance. Among these genes, we have conducted a functional characterization of a two major thaumatin-like proteins (TLP) that belongs to the PR5 family. Two genes encoding chestnut cotyledon TLPs have been previously characterized, termed CsTL1 and CsTL2. We substantiate here their protective role against blight disease for the first time, including in silico, in vitro and in vivo evidence. The synergy between TLPs and other antifungal proteins, particularly endo-p-1,3-glucanases, bolsters their interest for future control strategies based on biotechnological approaches.

A total system approach to sustainable pest management

A fundamental shift to a total system approach for crop protection is urgently needed to resolve escalating economic and environmental consequences of combating agricultural pests. Pest management strategies have long been dominated by quests for “silver bullet” products to control pest outbreaks. However, managing undesired variables in ecosystems is similar to that for other systems, including the human body and social orders. Experience in these fields substantiates the fact that therapeutic interventions into any system are effective only for short term relief because these externalities are soon “neutralized” by countermoves within the system. Long term resolutions can be achieved only by restructuring and managing these systems in ways that maximize the array of “built-in” preventive strengths, with therapeutic tactics serving strictly as backups to these natural regulators. To date, we have failed to incorporate this basic principle into the mainstream of pest management science and continue to regress into a foot race with nature. In this report, we establish why a total system approach is essential as the guiding premise of pest management and provide arguments as to how earlier attempts for change and current mainstream initiatives generally fail to follow this principle. We then draw on emerging knowledge about multitrophic level interactions and other specific findings about management of ecosystems to propose a pivotal redirection of pest management strategies that would honor this principle and, thus, be sustainable. Finally, we discuss the potential immense benefits of such a central shift in pest management philosophy.

Ecological approaches and the development of “truly integrated” pest management

Recent predictions of growth in human populations and food supply suggest that there will be a need to substantially increase food production in the near future. One possible approach to meeting this demand, at least in part, is the control of pests and diseases, which currently cause a 30–40% loss in available crop production. In recent years, strategies for controlling pests and diseases have tended to focus on short-term, single-technology interventions, particularly chemical pesticides. This model frequently applies even where so-called integrated pest management strategies are used because in reality, these often are dominated by single technologies (e.g., biocontrol, host plant resistance, or biopesticides) that are used as replacements for chemicals. Very little attention is given to the interaction or compatibility of the different technologies used. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that such approaches rarely yield satisfactory results and are unlikely to provide sustainable pest control solutions for the future. Drawing on two case histories, this paper demonstrates that by increasing our basic understanding of how individual pest control technologies act and interact, new opportunities for improving pest control can be revealed. This approach stresses the need to break away from the existing single-technology, pesticide-dominated paradigm and to adopt a more ecological approach built around a fundamental understanding of population biology at the local farm level and the true integration of renewable technologies such as host plant resistance and natural biological control, which are available to even the most resource-poor farmers.

Policy Changes to the Federal and State Management of Subsistence Hunting and Fishing in Alaska

Subsistence in Alaska is currently being impacted by naturally occurring factors such as global warming, species migration shifts, and the declination of fishery and wildlife populations. Not only are external factors pressuring the debate, management strategies from the dual management operation appear to have failed. The current national focus has been centered on federal policy changes regarding subsistence. This project extends the federal subsistence review process into the state management of subsistence and provides practical solutions for enhancing both policy programs.

Mollusca Non-Grata: The influence of top-down control and residence time on the abundance, distribution, and behavior of non-native marine snails in Washington State

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06