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Louisiana
Selected AbstractsForest blowdown impacts of Hurricane Rita on fluvial systemsEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 8 2009Jonathan D. Phillips Abstract Hurricane Rita, a category three hurricane which struck the US Gulf Coast near the Louisiana/Texas border in 2005, did not cause extensive river flooding. However, the storm did result in extensive forest damage and tree blowdown. High-resolution post-storm aerial photography allowed an inventory of river bank trees blown into the channel along the lower Neches and Sabine Rivers of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Blowdowns directly into the channel averaged 9·3 per kilometer in the lower Neches and 13·4 in the lower Sabine River, but individual reaches 10 to 20 km in length had rates of 20 to 44 blowdowns per kilometer. Though large woody debris (LWD) from Hurricane Rita was widely perceived to reduce the capacity of channels to convey flow, no strong evidence exists of increased flooding or significant reductions in channel conveyance capacity due to LWD from the storm. The Rita blowdown inventory also allowed an assessment of whether similar blowdown events could account for major logjams and rafts on Red, Atchafalaya, and Colorado Rivers on the Gulf Coast, which blocked navigation from tens to hundreds of kilometers in the 1800s. Results from Hurricane Rita suggest that blowdown into channels alone , not withstanding blowdown elsewhere in the river valleys or along tributaries which could deliver LWD to the river , is sufficient to completely block channels, thus providing a plausible mechanism for initiating such (pre)historic log rafts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Genetic differences in growth of an invasive tree speciesECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 6 2001Evan Siemann Invasive plants are often more vigorous in their introduced ranges than in their native ranges. This may reflect an innate superiority of plants from some habitats or an escape from their enemies. Another hypothesis proposes that invasive plants evolve increased competitive ability in their introduced range. We present the results of a 14-year common garden experiment with the Chinese Tallow Tree (Sapium sebiferum) from its native range (Asia), place of introduction to North America (Georgia) and areas colonized a century later (Louisiana and Texas). Invasive genotypes, especially those from recently colonized areas, were larger than native genotypes and more likely to produce seeds but had lower quality, poorly defended leaves. Our results demonstrate significant post-invasion genetic differences in an invasive plant species. Post-introduction adaptation by introduced plants may contribute to their invasive success and make it difficult to predict problem species. [source] Evaluating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using a yeast bioassayENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2007Abeer Alnafisi Abstract Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated for the ability to activate aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor signaling in a yeast-based bioassay. Individual PAHs were classified as inactive or as weakly, moderately, or strongly active based on induction of human Ah receptor signaling. Indeno[1,2,3- cd]pyrene, chrysene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene were the most potent activators of human Ah receptor signaling. Various mixtures of PAHs had additive or synergistic effects in the bioassay. Environmental samples from the New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) and Detroit (Michigan, USA) areas that were previously analyzed for PAH composition and quantity were tested in this bioassay. Weak but statistically significant relationships were found when the analytically measured levels of PAHs were correlated with sample dilutions that gave 25% effective concentration signaling levels in the Ah receptor assay. We conclude that this Ah receptor signaling assay may be useful for preliminary biomonitoring of samples for PAHs and other Ah receptor ligands. [source] Impact of seeding rate on annual ryegrass performanceGRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 1 2004B. C. Venuto Abstract Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is a primary forage resource for livestock producers throughout the south-eastern USA during the winter-growing season. It is important for livestock producers to begin grazing annual ryegrass as early as possible and any management practices maximizing early season production could be beneficial. To assess the impact of seeding rate on subsequent yield, yield distribution, quality, seedling density, and end-of-season plant and tiller density, a 2-year study was initiated at four locations in Louisiana. Three annual ryegrass cultivars, varying in seed size, were established at four seeding rates based on pure live seed (PLS) rates of 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 PLS m,2. There was no advantage in total yield from increasing seeding rates beyond 800 PLS m,2. However, first-harvest yields increased from 360 to 930 kg dry matter (DM) ha,1 as seeding rate increased from 400 to 1600 PLS m,2. Crude protein and neutral-detergent fibre concentrations, and in vitro DM digestibility, were not affected by seeding rate. Seedling density and end-of-season plant numbers increased as seeding rate increased. However, stems per plant decreased as seeding rate increased, indicating compensatory tillering for the reduced plant numbers observed at the lower seeding rates. These results indicate first-harvest yield can be increased by planting at higher seeding rates but total yields are not increased. [source] Randall Lee Gibson of Louisiana: Confederate General and New South Reformer by Mary Gorton McBride with Ann Mathison McLaurinHISTORY OF EDUCATION QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2009PHILLIP J. JOHNSON No abstract is available for this article. [source] A quarter century of declining suspended sediment fluxes in the Mississippi River and the effect of the 1993 flood,HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 1 2010Arthur J. Horowitz Abstract Annual fluxes, flow-weighted concentrations and linear least squares trendline calculations for a number of long-term Mississippi River Basin (MRB) sampling sites covering 1981 through 2007, whilst somewhat ,noisy', display long-term patterns of decline. Annual flow-weighted concentration plots display the same long-term patterns of decline, but are less noisy because they reduce/eliminate variations due to interannual discharge differences. The declines appear greatest in the middle MRB, but also are evident elsewhere. The pattern for the lower Ohio River differs and may reflect ongoing construction at the Olmsted lock and dam that began in 1993 and currently is ongoing. The ,Great Flood of 1993' appears to have superimposed a step function (a sharp drop) on the long-term rate of decline in suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), annual fluxes and flow-weighted concentrations in the middle MRB at St Louis and Thebes, Missouri and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and in the lower MRB at St Francisville, Louisiana. Evidence for a step function at other sites is less substantial, but may have occurred. The step function appears to have resulted from losses in available (erodible) sediment, rather than to a reduction in discharge; hence, the MRB appears to be supply limited rather than discharge limited. These evaluations support the need for daily discharge and SSC data collections in the MRB to better address questions regarding long-term trends in sediment-related issues. This is apparent when the results for the Mississippi River at Thebes and St Louis sites are compared with those from other MRB sites where intensive (daily) data collections are lacking. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Causes for the decline of suspended-sediment discharge in the Mississippi River system, 1940,2007,HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 1 2010Robert H. Meade Abstract Before 1900, the Missouri,Mississippi River system transported an estimated 400 million metric tons per year of sediment from the interior of the United States to coastal Louisiana. During the last two decades (1987,2006), this transport has averaged 145 million metric tons per year. The cause for this substantial decrease in sediment has been attributed to the trapping characteristics of dams constructed on the muddy part of the Missouri River during the 1950s. However, reexamination of more than 60 years of water- and sediment-discharge data indicates that the dams alone are not the sole cause. These dams trap about 100,150 million metric tons per year, which represent about half the decrease in sediment discharge near the mouth of the Mississippi. Changes in relations between water discharge and suspended-sediment concentration suggest that the Missouri,Mississippi has been transformed from a transport-limited to a supply-limited system. Thus, other engineering activities such as meander cutoffs, river-training structures, and bank revetments as well as soil erosion controls have trapped sediment, eliminated sediment sources, or protected sediment that was once available for transport episodically throughout the year. Removing major engineering structures such as dams probably would not restore sediment discharges to pre-1900 state, mainly because of the numerous smaller engineering structures and other soil-retention works throughout the Missouri,Mississippi system. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Geomorphic controls and transition zones in the lower Sabine RiverHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 14 2008Jonathan D. Phillips Abstract Instream flow science and management requires identification of characteristic hydrological, ecological, and geomorphological attributes of stream reaches. This study approaches this problem by identifying geomorphic transition zones along the lower Sabine River, Texas and Louisiana. Boundaries were delineated along the lower Sabine River valley based on surficial geology, valley width, valley confinement, network characteristics (divergent versus convergent), sinuousity, slope, paleomeanders, and point bars. The coincidence of multiple boundaries reveals five key transition zones separating six reaches of distinct hydrological and geomorphological characteristics. Geologic controls and gross valley morphology play a major role as geomorphic controls, as does an upstream-to-downstream gradient in the importance of pulsed dam releases, and a down-to-upstream gradient in coastal backwater effects. Geomorphic history, both in the sense of the legacy of Quaternary sea level changes, and the effects of specific events such as avulsions and captures, are also critical. The transition zones delineate reaches with distinct hydrological characteristics in terms of the relative importance of dam releases and coastal backwater effects, single versus multi-channel flow patterns, frequency of overbank flow, and channel-floodplain connectivity. The transitional areas also represent sensitive zones which can be expected to be bellwethers in terms of responses to future environmental changes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Time budgets of Snow Geese Chen caerulescens and Ross's Geese Chen rossii in mixed flocks: implications of body size, ambient temperature and family associationsIBIS, Issue 1 2009JÓN EINAR JÓNSSON Body size affects foraging and forage intake rates directly via energetic processes and indirectly through interactions with social status and social behaviour. Ambient temperature has a relatively greater effect on the energetics of smaller species, which also generally are more vulnerable to predator attacks than are larger species. We examined variability in an index of intake rates and an index of alertness in Lesser Snow Geese Chen caerulescens caerulescens and Ross's Geese Chen rossii wintering in southwest Louisiana. Specifically we examined variation in these response variables that could be attributed to species, age, family size and ambient temperature. We hypothesized that the smaller Ross's Geese would spend relatively more time feeding, exhibit relatively higher peck rates, spend more time alert or raise their heads up from feeding more frequently, and would respond to declining temperatures by increasing their proportion of time spent feeding. As predicted, we found that Ross's Geese spent more time feeding than did Snow Geese and had slightly higher peck rates than Snow Geese in one of two winters. Ross's Geese spent more time alert than did Snow Geese in one winter, but alert rates differed by family size, independent of species, in contrast to our prediction. In one winter, time spent foraging and walking was inversely related to average daily temperature, but both varied independently of species. Effects of age and family size on time budgets were generally independent of species and in accordance with previous studies. We conclude that body size is a key variable influencing time spent feeding in Ross's Geese, which may require a high time spent feeding at the expense of other activities. [source] The process and promise of mental health augmentation of nurse home-visiting programs: Data from the Louisiana Nurse,Family PartnershipINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 1 2006Neil W. Boris The Nurse,Family Partnership (NFP) model is a well-studied and effective preventive intervention program targeting first-time, impoverished mothers and their families. Data documenting the negative impact of maternal depression and partner violence on the developing young child can be used to make a strong case for augmenting NFP programs to focus on mental health problems impacting the mother,child relationship. This article reviews the rationale for and process of augmenting an NFP program in Louisiana. Data on the prevalence of depression and partner violence in our sample are presented alongside a training protocol for nurses and mental health consultants designed to increase the focus on infant mental health. The use of a weekly case conference and telephone supervision of mental health consultants as well as reflections on the roles of the mental health consultant and the nurse supervisor are presented. [source] Risk-based decision making to manage contaminated sedimentsINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2006Todd S Bridges Abstract This paper summarizes discussion among the 7 authors who served on an expert panel at the Third Battelle International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, in January 2005. In this article, the authors review how sediment management decisions are currently made and address the question of how management decisions should be made in the future. It is arguably the case that sediment remediation presents greater challenges and more complexity than traditional land-based clean-ups. Although understanding of these challenges and complexities has grown over the last 25 y, there has been, until recently, relatively little innovation in the approaches used to manage the environmental risks posed by contaminated sediments. New methods that facilitate a more rigorous analysis of the multiple criteria considered in decision making have been developed. These methods, collectively known as multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), coupled with the use of comparative-risk assessment and cost/benefit analysis, are proposed as an effective, efficient, and credible foundation for evaluating remedy alternatives at contaminated sediment sites. [source] Importance of implementation and residual risk analyses in sediment remediationINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2006Richard J Wenning Abstract Management strategies for addressing contaminated sediments can include a wide range of actions, ranging from no action, to the use of engineering controls, to the use of more aggressive, intrusive activities related to removing, containing, or treating sediments because of environmental or navigation considerations. Risk assessment provides a useful foundation for understanding the environmental benefits, residual hazards, and engineering limitations of different remedy alternatives and for identifying or ranking management options. This article, part of a series of panel discussion papers on sediment remediation presented at the Third International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments held 20,25 January 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, reviews 2 types of risk that deserve careful consideration when evaluating remedy alternatives. The evaluation of remedy implementation risks addresses predominantly short-term engineering issues, such as worker and community health and safety, equipment failures, and accident rates. The evaluation of residual risks addresses predominantly longer-term biological and environmental issues, such as ecological recovery, bioaccumulation, and relative changes in exposure and effects to humans, aquatic biota, and wildlife. Understanding the important pathways for contaminant exposure, the human and wildlife populations potentially at risk, and the possible hazards associated with the implementation of different engineering options will contribute to informed decision making with regard to short- and long-term effectiveness, implementability, and potential environmental hazards. [source] Two new species of DiaphanosomaFischer, 1850(Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Cladocera) from the United StatesINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Nikolai M. Korovchinsky Abstract Two new species of the genus Diaphanosoma,D. oligosetum and D. dorotheae, from Louisiana and North Carolina respectively, are described. The former species has large head with protruding dorsal part, large lanceolate spine on the basipodite's distal outer end, an extremely reduced number of antennal setae, up to six in adult specimens, and unique armament of valve margin. On the whole, it shows the pronounced combination of primitive and specialized morphological traits. D. dorotheae is a member of D. brachyurum species group differing from its other known representatives in presence of a small but very conspicuous spine on the end of proximal segment of antennal exopodite and a variable number of setae (seven or eight) on the distal segment of the branch. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Functional respiratory anatomy of a deep-sea orbiniid polychaete from the Brine Pool NR-1 in the Gulf of MexicoINVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Stéphane Hourdez Abstract. An undescribed species of Orbiniidae (Annelida; Polychaeta) is found in large numbers associated with communities of the mussel, Bathymodiolus childressi at hydrocarbon seeps on the Louisiana slope (Gulf of Mexico). Their microhabitat is often hypoxic and sulfidic, which poses serious respiratory challenges for an aerobic metazoan. They display several anatomical features that are quite unusual for this family, which likely allow them to live in their food-rich, but oxygen-limited, habitat. The anterior gills are hypertrophied whereas the posterior gills are not. These anterior gills provide the worms with a large gill surface area (,9.9 cm2/g wet weight), which represents 90,95% of the total gill surface area. The gills contain two blood vessels: a central blood vessel, delimited by a coelomic epithelium, and an intra-epidermal vessel. The diffusion distance between this latter and the environment is only 3 ,-m in the anterior gills, which facilitates gas diffusion. Only the anterior gills are ciliated, which may also facilitate gas exchange across this respiratory surface. The gill cells also contain numerous mitochondria and other electron-dense organelles that might be involved in sulfide detoxification. [source] Accelerated Fabrication: A Catalytic Agent within a Community of CaringJOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION, Issue 4 2005HECTOR LASALA Accelerated Fabrication is an ongoing project in the Building Institute, a design-build program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, in which team members designed a master plan for a homeless shelter, then immediately fast-tracked the deployment of several modest but instrumental fabrications on site. As a deliberate tactic, acceleration generated project momentum and stimulated an improvisational design process. [source] Breeding latitude and timing of spring migration in songbirds crossing the Gulf of MexicoJOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Kathryn M. Langin Each spring, millions of songbirds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico on their way to breeding sites in North America. Data from radar and migration monitoring stations have revealed broad patterns in the spatial and temporal course of trans-Gulf migration. Unfortunately, we have limited information on where these birds have previously spent the winter and where they are migrating to breed. Here we measure stable-hydrogen isotopes in feathers (,Df) to infer the breeding latitude of five species of songbirds , hooded warblers Wilsonia citrina, American redstarts Setophaga ruticilla, black-and-white warblers Mniotilta varia, ovenbirds Seiurus aurocapilla, and northern waterthrushes S. noveboracensis, that were captured at a stopover site along the coast of southwestern Louisiana in spring 2004. Values of ,Df across all species ranged from ,163 to ,35, (n=212), and within most species the range was consistent with the latitudinal extent of known breeding sites in central and eastern North America. Individuals that arrived first along the northern Gulf coast had ,Df values indicative of southerly breeding sites in hooded warblers, American redstarts, black-and-white warblers, and ovenbirds, but no relationship was found between passage timing and ,Df for northern waterthrushes. Our findings suggest that spring passage is often timed to coincide with the emergence of suitable conditions on breeding areas, with southern breeding birds migrating first. [source] Distributions of tree species along point bars of 10 rivers in the south-eastern US Coastal PlainJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2006Kevin M. Robertson Abstract Aim, To determine the degree to which rivers within the south-eastern US Coastal Plain show a predictable spatial distribution of floodplain tree species along each point bar of river bends in relation to elevation and/or soil texture, as seen on the Bogue Chitto River, Louisiana, USA. Also, to understand spatial patterns of tree species on land created during river-bend migration, and to interpret which physical characteristics of rivers predict this pattern of vegetation. Location, The south-eastern US Coastal Plain. Methods, Ten randomly selected rivers within a portion of the region were studied. At each of 10 river bends per river, a census of trees and shrubs was taken and elevation and soil texture were measured at upstream, mid- and downstream locations along the forest,point bar margin. To identify physical characteristics of rivers that are predictive of patterns of tree species along point bars, aerial photographs, hydrographs and field data were analysed. Results, Tree species composition varied predictably among the three point bar locations, corresponding to an elevation gradient on each bar, on seven of 10 rivers. Species occupying a given point bar location on one river usually occupied the same location on other rivers, in accordance with species-elevation associations identified in past studies of floodplain forests. Multivariate analysis of river characteristics suggested that rivers failing to show the expected pattern were those with relatively low stream energy and geomorphic dynamics and/or those with hydrological regimes altered by upstream dams. Main conclusions, A distinct pattern of streamside forest community structure is related to fluvial geomorphic processes characterizing many rivers within the south-eastern US Coastal Plain. Characteristics of rivers required to promote the predicted pattern of tree species include a single, meandering channel with point bars; an intermediate level of stream energy; a natural hydrological regime; and location in a biome where a large number of tree species are capable of colonizing point bars. [source] Abstracts from the American Society for Apheresis 31St Annual Meeting, May 26,29, 2010 New Orleans, LouisianaJOURNAL OF CLINICAL APHERESIS, Issue 1 2010Article first published online: 1 MAR 2010 First page of article [source] Vertical integration and trade policy: The case of sugarAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2002Charles B. Moss The degree of vertical integration in the U.S. sugar industry between raw-sugar processing and sugar refining cannot be explained using theories of vertical integration based only on transaction costs. We graphically decompose the economic rents accruing to each level participant in the marketing channel. Different strategies of several major sugar producing, processing, and refining entities with regard to sugar quota policy are explored. Firms that are integrated from sugar production through to sugar marketing are less impacted by freer trade than are those that concentrate solely on production. We contrast the sugarcane industry in Florida and Louisiana with sugar beet production and processing in the northern plains. The sugar industry in Florida, because of the high degree of vertical integration, is much more capable of dealing with expanded sugar imports than either sugarcane producers in Louisiana or sugar beet growers in the northern plains where integration is not as pronounced. [Econ-Lit citations: Q18, Q11] © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] The Application of Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis to Assess Dumped and Subsequently Scattered Human Remains,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 3 2006Mary H. Manhein M.A. ABSTRACT: This study utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis (SA) technology to address the problems associated with prediction of location and effective recovery of dumped and scattered human remains in Louisiana. The goals are to determine if a selective bias exists in Louisiana as to where and when human remains are dumped and to assess whether or not geographically specific patterns exist in the dispersal of human remains. We hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between postmortem interval (PMI) and dispersal distance, and that there are negative relationships between PMI and dispersal direction and between dispersal direction and distance. Our results indicate that, in Louisiana, remains are more often dumped in rural areas away from a structure, and are found within ¼ mile of the nearest road. For Louisiana, no seasonal bias was found in the analysis of when remains are dumped. Furthermore, with the exception of the relationship between PMI and the shortest distance remains were dispersed, no geographically specific patterns were detected in the analyses of dispersal distance, dispersal direction, and PMI. [source] Harnessing Catastrophe to Promote Resource Recovery and Eco-industrial DevelopmentJOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Kristen B. Ardani Summary Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, causing widespread damage to industry, housing, and infrastructure. The area of New Orleans East was particularly devastated, including a cluster of industries, such as a major food-processing plant, manufacturing facilities, and bulk material and gas processors. Although this area was well suited for resource recovery and eco-industrial linkages, little progress has been made in implementation. This article explores New Orleans as a case study in the application of industrial ecology to disaster management. Hurricane Katrina's damage to New Orleans resulted in a significant increase in the amount of waste flowing into New Orleans East, which precipitated a massive expenditure of federal funds toward debris management. Those circumstances created an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize a resource recovery program and to establish eco-industrial relationships, both of which would have resulted in new jobs and environmental improvement. Yet straightforward opportunities for resource recovery and eco-industrial linkage were overlooked or dismissed, in spite of antilandfill activism from the environmental community and formal recommendations for recycling from scientists and other professionals. We describe the specific resource recovery and eco-industrial opportunities that were available to New Orleans East, especially those that were magnified by Hurricane Katrina, and analyze the barriers that prevented their actualization. We also provide recommendations for overcoming barriers to resource recovery and eco-industrial progress with the goal that future postcatastrophe scenarios may benefit from more effective use of relief and recovery funding. [source] SYNTHESIS OF MOLECULAR RESEARCH ON BATRACHOSPERMUM HELMINTHOSUM (RHODOPHYTA) FROM STREAM REACHES IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICAJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2001Article first published online: 24 SEP 200 Vis, M. L., Hall, M. M., Machesky, N. J. & Miller, E. J. Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA The freshwater red alga Batrachospermum helminthosum was collected from eleven streams throughout the species range in eastern North America as follows: three stream reaches from Ohio, and one each from Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, Louisiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The molecular marker technique of inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and sequence data from the plastid encoded rubisco large subunit gene (rbcL), the mitochondrial COX2-COX3 gene spacer region, and the nuclear region of ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 were employed to examine biogeographic trends in this alga. Analysis of the rbcL sequence revealed 5 genotypes with one genotype representing individuals from seven stream reaches. Data from the ISSR molecular markers gave a distinct banding pattern for each of 165 individuals examined. ISSR results showed all individuals within a reach clustered together but did not provide well-defined groupings based on stream reach. The sequence data for the COX2-COX3 gene spacer was invariant among individuals from a stream reach. The individuals from Connecticut, Rhode Island and 2 Ohio stream reaches were identical and similarly the individuals from the North Carolina and another Ohio location did not vary in sequence so that seven genotypes were recorded among the individuals from the eleven stream reaches. Analysis of the ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region showed sequence variation not only among individuals from different streams but also among individuals from the same reach. The utility and congruency of these data sets to answer biogeographic questions will be discussed. [source] Obstacles to instructional innovation according to college science and mathematics facultyJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 1 2007Jeffrey J. Walczyk Numerous studies have documented the infrequent use of learner-centered instruction in college science and mathematics classrooms and its negative effects on undergraduate learning and motivation. The present research deepened understanding of why. Specifically, an Internet survey was constructed that explored obstacles, supports, and incentives for instructional innovation in the classroom and was sent out to college science and mathematics faculty of Louisiana. Results revealed that colleges generally were perceived to assign little or an indeterminate weight to instruction in personnel decision making. Faculty members generally have little training in pedagogy; but when they do, they are more likely to consult sources of instructional innovation and consider teaching an important part of their professional identities. Data concerning the most common sources of instructional innovation information are presented. Several suggestions are made for institutional reform that if enacted might contribute to systemic improvement in the quality of instruction undergraduates receive. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach [source] Toward a predictive model of patient satisfaction with nurse practitioner careJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 4 2005A/G/FNP, Ann Green PhD Purpose (a) To determine if caring behaviors of nurse practitioners (NPs), gender of NPs, setting (urban or rural), and age, gender, ethnicity, education, and income of patients were predictors of patient satisfaction; (b) to determine which of these characteristics was the best predictor(s) of patient satisfaction; and (c) begin to develop a conceptual model for explaining patient satisfaction with NP care. Data sources Responses to the Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI) and a demographic inquiry by 348 NPs in Louisiana and completion of the Di'Tomasso,Willard Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (DWPSQ) and a demographic inquiry from 817 patients in Louisiana served as data sources. A predictive modeling design explored which variable(s) is the best predictor of patient satisfaction, and multiple regression was used to determine the equation for the best-fitting line and the optimal model for the best predictor(s) of patient satisfaction. Conclusions CBI mean scores were high for all NPs. No statistically significant difference was found between male NPs' and female NPs' total mean CBI scores and between urban or rural total mean CBI scores. DWPSQ mean scores and subscale scores indicated high satisfaction with NP care. No statistically significant relationships were found between the NPs' CBI mean scores and the patients' DWPSQ mean scores. There were significant relationships between the DWPSQ subscales, including Wait Time and Patient Management. Stepwise linear regression revealed that patients' age group was a predictor of DWPSQ total mean scores. Implications for practice NPs need to be aware of developmental differences in all age groups and the differences in perceptions of care. There are many variables to consider when determining patient satisfaction with care, including the patients' sociodemographic and health variables, the healthcare system, and characteristics of the healthcare providers. Awareness of these variables may affect how NPs deliver care and ensure quality care with which the patients are satisfied. [source] Caring Behaviors As Perceived by Nurse PractitionersJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 7 2004A/G/FNP, Ann Green PhD Purpose To investigate nurse practitioners' (NPs') perceptions of their own caring behaviors and to examine NPs' demographics as a function of their caring behaviors. Data Sources Responses to the Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI) and a demographic inquiry from 348 NPs in Louisiana. Conclusions CBI mean scores and subscale scores were high for all 348 NPs. No statistically significant difference was found between male NPs' and female NPs' total mean CBI scores or between urban or rural total mean CBI scores. The interaction between nurse gender and area of practice was not statistically significant. Implications for Practice NPs often work in clinic situations where productivity is the most valued characteristic and where little time is afforded for identifying caring behaviors of the NP and/or establishing a caring relationship with the patient. NPs must be extremely conscious of the need not to "throw out the baby with the bathwater" and sacrifice characteristics that are inherent in nursing for those emphasized in primary care practice. As their responsibilities in the health care setting continue to expand, NPs must continually evaluate and validate their roles to ensure quality care that satisfies patients. [source] Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife and Physician Assistant Attitudes and Care Practices Related to Persons with HIV/AIDSJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 2 2000Jane E. Martin RN ABSTRACT Although multiple studies of nurses' attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs) can be found in the literature, little is known about the attitudes, beliefs and practices of nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and physician assistants (PAs). A survey including a 21-item AIDS Attitude Scale measuring the constructs of Avoidance and Empathy was sent to 1,291 NPs, CNMs and PAs in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi to describe their attitudes and care practices related to PLWAs. Respondents who were more comfortable treating PLWAs had significantly lower avoidance scores and significantly higher empathy scores than respondents with lower comfort levels in providing care. Greater than 80% of respondents indicated that they would provide health care to HIV-infected individuals. Respondents who referred HIV/AIDS patients for all care did so primarily due to lack of experience with HIV and the availability of more experienced providers. Avoidance and empathy scores were not found to be significantly associated with referral for care. This study suggests that this group of providers has relatively low avoidance and high empathy toward PLWAs and is willing to care for HIV-infected individuals. This study was supported by Grant No. 5U69PE00112-06 from the Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, HIV/AIDS Bureau, National AIDS Education and Training Center. [source] Effects of Stocking Sac-Fry and Hatchery-Fed Fry on Production of Fingerling Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 1 2001Charles R. Weirich In an attempt to reduce hatchery operating costs, several catfish fingerling producers in Louisiana presently stock fry within 2 d after hatching before yolk absorption is complete. Fry at this stage of development are commonly referred to as "sac-fry." Although research has shown that fry can be stocked at the onset of yolk absorption with no detrimental effects on subsequent fingerling production, stocking sac-fry has been reported to result in reduced fingerling survival. To further investigate this topic, production trials were conducted in experimental outdoor pools over the course of two growing seasons to evaluate the effect of stocking fry of three different ages (2-, 7-, and 14-d post-hatch, DPH) on survival, growth (weight and length), condition factor (K), yield, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fingerling catfish. Results from both trials indicated that the age at which fry were stocked had no effect on production characteristics with the exception of growth. Specifically, fingerlings reared from fry stocked at 2 and 7 DPH were significantly larger than fingerlings reared from fry stocked at an age of 14 DPH. These findings suggest that the practice of stocking sac-fry may be a suitable alternative to the traditional procedure of holding and feeding fry under hatchery conditions prior to stocking. However, in order to fully evaluate the effects of early-age stocking of catfish fry on fingerling production, additional studies must be conducted under pond conditions. Furthermore, these studies must be coupled with a rigorous economic analysis before the practice of stocking sac-fry can be recommended to the catfish industry. [source] Control of the Trematode Bolbophorus confusus in Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Ponds Using Salinity Manipulation and Polyculture with Black Carp Mylopharyngodon piceusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2000Darrel L. Venable This study evaluated the use of black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus and salinity manipulation for controlling the infection of channel catfish Ictalurus puncratus by a digenetic trematode (tentatively identified as Bolbophorus confusus). Control methods focussed mainly on the eradication of the intermediate snail host, the marsh rams-horn Phanorbella trivolvis (previously referred to as Helisoma trivolvis), and were evaluated in laboratory tests and field experiments at a commercial catfish culture facility in southern Louisiana that was seriously impacted by the trematode. Introduction of fingerling black carp into catfish ponds at a density of 62 carpha resulted in an almost total elimination of P. trivolvis. The farm is now successfully using a facility-wide stocking rate of 40 carp/ha. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of salinity manipulation using NaCl on free-swimming trematode cercariae, the snail P. trivolvis, and catfish fingerlings infected with the cercariae. A salinity of 2.5 ppt had a detrimental effect on snail survival, growth, and reproduction. Salinity did not have a negative effect on the other two aspects of the trematode life cycle tested (in fact, survival of both cercariae and infected catfish fingerlings showed a positive dependence on NaCl over the 0,2.5 ppt range). A field-experiment was then conducted in catfish ponds maintained at three salinities (2.5, 1.25, and 0.25 ppt) with rock salt, NaCl. Snail densities in ponds at 2.5 ppt salinity were consistently lower than in the other treatments and no trematode infection was noted among snails or catfish in the 2.5 ppt salinity ponds. Both the use of 2.5 ppt NaCl and black carp appear valuable management tools for controlling the digenetic trematode in caffish ponds. [source] Occurrence of the Enigmatic, Unicellular Psorospermium Organism in Several Cultured, Sympatric Populations of the Freshwater Crayfishes Procambarus clarkii and Procambarus zonangulusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2000David P. Klarberg The parasitic Psorospermium organism was studied in cultured sympatric populations of mature Procambarus clarkii and Procambarus zonangulus during four consecutive annual crayfish seasons from 1991,1992 through 1994,1995. Most P. clarkii were infected while fewer than half of the P. zonangulus were infected throughout the study period. The numbers of Psorospermium were four to eight times greater in P. clarkii and showed annual changes not seen in P. zonangulus. Both crayfishes demonstrate 1yr life cycles in Louisiana and this seemed to explain the variations seen in Psorospermium dynamics in the two hosts. In general, there was no consistent association between crayfish size and the number of parasites found in them for either crayfish species. There was some indication of an association between the presence of infection and the number of parasites found in P. zonangulus. [source] Statewide Assessment of Response to Domestic Violence in LouisianaJUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003STACY C. MOAK J.D. PH.D. ABSTRACT The Louisiana statewide assessment of domestic violence attitudes and services was a cooperative effort between the Louisiana Community Policing Institute and the Criminal Justice Program at the University of Louisiana, Monroe. The research project included both surveys and focus groups from Louisiana's eight law enforcement planning districts. Results indicate that the response to domestic violence in Louisiana is generally inadequate. Furthermore, problems exist with respect to the definition of domestic violence among agencies. Finally, four basic barriers to successful intervention were identified, including lack of resources, lack of education and training, victims' lack of confidence in the system, and lack of a coordinated response to the problem. Recommendations are presented for overcoming these obstacles. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||