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Environmental crisis in the Panhandle of Texas: The tale of Buffalo Lake
Get PDFBuffalo Lake, once an artificial oasis in the semi-arid region of the Panhandle of Texas enjoyed by a multitude of people and animals alike, has been a dry lakebed filled by weeds instead of water for several decades. Nowadays known as Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, this area represents a nearly forgotten reminder of the negative impact that unchecked human activity can have on the environment. My research revealed that few papers tackled and raised enough awareness about this issue, serving as a cautionary tale. The demise of Buffalo Lake is not an isolated event. Throughout the world, several bodies of water continue to be affected by anthropogenic factors. Therefore, I use a series of newspaper clips and scientific papers spanning from 1939 to 2013 to bring attention to the matter. I argue that the history of Buffalo Lake represents the perfect storm of pollution, lack of accountability, the economy versus the environment debate, overconsumption of water as a resource, and climate change. These aforementioned factors ultimately led to the loss of what could have remained a vibrant and essential recreational facility in West Texas but now lays bare.Center for the Study of the American Wes
PESTICIDE COMPARISON ANALYSIS ON ORGANIC AND NON-ORGANIC PRODUCE THROUGH LCMS
No full textI used LC-MS to analyze the chosen pesticides that existed today followed by the instruction from the literature review and picked up the pesticide residual of relatively high concentration and toxicology level on specific vegetable-fruit samples. Therefore, the LCMS will be conducted on determining the concentration of specific pesticides on typical samples from supermarkets in Randall County, and this report will be based on the comparisons between pesticide residues on fruits-vegetable that are non-organic and organics from supermarkets.
Also, there will be an educational tip to learn the organic food better and understand how the LCMS processes and the reasons why it comes out from the inconclusive conclusion
To Mask or Not to Mask?: Public Opinion Factors in Mask-wearing Behavior in a Pandemic
No full textThis paper was presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the Southern Political Science Association in San Antonio.The present research seeks to understand who wears a mask in a pandemic. Two surveys of students at a regional public university in the American Southwest were administered in October 2020 and October 2021. The online survey, distributed to students in both traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms and online classes, asked about mask-wearing habits. Respondents also were asked about their ideology and political party identification as well as traditional demographic questions. Comparing two years of survey responses adds an element of change, especially since COVID regulations in Texas changed during that time. Party identification clearly is the most important factor in mask-wearing behavior in 2020. By 2021, an examination of mask-wearing behavior becomes more complex and nuanced
IMPROVED MODELING USING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR WATER POLICY EVALUATION IN TEXAS
No full textIrrigated agriculture is becoming challenging to sustain with diminishing
water levels worldwide and increasing population. Groundwater is a nonrenewable resource throughout much of the world, and in instances when it is renewable, it is often a
time-intensive rate of recharge. Producers of the High Plains region within Texas are facing this growing concern of groundwater depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. Producers
are faced to make changes in production decisions to remain profitable as their well capacities diminish. A two-stage integrated optimization model was developed to
evaluate changes in crop mix, water availability, and profits for producers within Hartley County, Texas.
An integrated model was developed to incorporate changing agronomic,
hydrogeological, and economic components, then further evaluate how these changing components influence both the resulting output and the producers’ decision. The model
was developed using a general non-linear optimization package called ‘Rsolnp’ in RStudio (RStudio, 2020). The model compared the results of seven different scenarios to
the baseline scenario over a 30-year study period. The scenarios would include water restriction scenarios, acreage restriction scenarios, an increase and decrease in fuel price
scenarios, and an increase and decrease in commodity price scenarios.
The model was broken into two stages; stage one is where producers decide to make planting decisions to maximize profit based on the expectation of receiving the average annual precipitation for the specific crop and the availability of water they can apply to the planted crop that is determined by their well capacity. In stage two, the crop acreage is already planted based on decisions in stage one; producers will now decide
how to actually allocate their water based on the received variable precipitation. Results of profits were compared between stages one and two, which calculates profits producers
would expect to see as compared to the profits they may actually receive.
Results of the scenarios give the comparison to producers and policymakers on what actions are needed to take in order to stay profitable. All scenarios suggest that there will be a decline in water availability throughout the 30 years. In stage two, a 50 percent acreage reduction brought the producer the most stable profit with a standard deviation of $6,362 per year. To conclude, both policymakers and producers should include the use of
a two-stage modeling technique to evaluate their management decisions and potential applications of policies. The two-stage modeling technique represents producers' actual
behavior and operating environment. This modeling technique gives better intel to producers on how to expect profits to vary year to year so they can further prepare and mitigate their financial risks. It also illustrates to policymakers how the changing precipitation conditions will impact groundwater availability from year to year
The Lived Experience of New Graduate Nurses Successfully Completing NCLEX-RN
No full textPhenomenology/Qualitative MethodologyAbstract Background and objective: The NCLEX pass rate is considered the primary indicator of program quality. Much literature exists regarding pre-graduation efforts aimed at aiding students to prepare for the NCLEX-RN exam, while there is little available on post-graduation efforts. This project was conducted to identify the post-graduation experiences of successful NCLEX-RN test takers as they prepared to complete the exam. Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study utilizing a phenomenological framework to determine the lived experience of new graduates preparing to complete the NCLEX-RN exam. Results: Four main themes were identified as relevant to post graduation experiences including: (a) Finding Motivation, (b) Study Tactics, (c) Taking a Break, and (d) The Testing Experience. Additionally, few of the participants took it for granted that they were going to pass the exam, they reported wishing they had spent more time preparing, and with regard to studying, several described wishing they had started earlier. Conclusions: It will be beneficial for faculty to discuss potential strategies for success to utilize after graduation, including expectations of testing day, setting a realistic timetable to test, overcoming lack of motivation to preparation for the exam, and careful scheduling of coaching and study sessions
Dual Enrollment: Finding a Balance
Get PDFDual credit student numbers have been growing at an exceeding rate. From 2000 to 2017, students enrolled in dual credit has jumped 753% (Texas Higher Education Board, 2018). As more students continue to enroll in dual credit courses and states develop initiatives that encourage dual credit enrollment, the challenge of identifying how many dual credit hours should be taken to ensure student success becomes ever more present. This study determined influential factors of student academic success as well as the relationship between dual credit and first-year GPA. Student records and information utilized in this study were collected through institutional data at West Texas A&M University.
Factors of dual credit participation include minimized long-term costs of higher education, faster completion rate, and exposure to college courses. The enrollment of dual credit is beneficial academically to students as long as there is not an excessive amount of hours taken. Varying factors have an impact on retention rates with dual credit as a factor of first-year retention for students at West Texas A&M University. Implications from this study suggest students who enroll in dual credit between 20 and 35 credit hours may have a higher first-year GPA their first year of college. Relevance between retention and dual credit hours is present when students take 19 or more dual credit hours
The Influence of Rural Principal Practices and State Accountability
No full textPurpose: This study investigated the practices of rural school principals in Region 16 that impact student achievement. Research Methods: A mixed-methods design was utilized for this study with evidence provided by 16 principal and 165 teacher responses, along with state accountability data ratings, and five principal interviews. Excel was used determined the degree of alignment in survey data between principal perceptions and teacher perceptions. Observation Oriented Modeling (OOM) was used to determine if there was a relationship between the degree of alignment in survey data and state accountability ratings. Findings: Within schools, principal and teacher perceptions of principal practices that influence student achievement vary; however, both identified the practice of maintaining a positive culture and climate as one of the most influential practices. Principals often rated themselves lower on the survey than their teachers rated them. Data-driven decision-making and technology were important principal practices related to student achievement. Implications: School leaders underestimate the importance of maintaining a positive school culture. The PIMRS, which is 30 years old, did not take into account the impact of data-driven decision-making and technology as a principal practice to improve student achievement. Further research is needed to identify how principals carry out the practices needed to maintain a positive school culture and how that practice and others such as data-driven decision-making and technology improve student achievement
Literatures of the Panama Canal: The Archival Beginnings of a Book
No full textArchival research and collection. Close reading of Panama Canal fiction from the U.S. and Latin AmericaLiteratures of the Panama Canal questions the transnational role of literature in our understanding of the history and events that transformed social relations between Central and South America and the U.S. The construction of the Panama Canal, completed in 1914, was an experiment in U.S. economic supremacy, engineering might, and imperial expansion. The fact that France begun work on the canal in the 1880’s, and the U.S. subsequently finished the canal, shifted global authority from Europe to the U.S. In order for the canal to be completed, the U.S. had to create the nation of Panama and exert domineering political and economic force on Colombia as well as the new Panamanian nation. The 1903 Hay-Bunau Varilla treaty gave the U.S. rights to control and defend canal territory, effectively creating a Central American U.S. colony. Since the turn of the 20th century, Latin American and U.S. literature has represented the Panama Canal and its complex historical, political, and social dynamics. This project sets out to explore the tensions of canal literature in a comparative study of both American and Latin American writers alike. This project will bring together authors like Nicaraguan Rubén DarÃo, Chilean Pablo Neruda and Panamanian JoaquÃn Beleño and American writers Eric Walrond and Louise Bogan, among others
How We Sea Conservation: A Content Analysis of Conservation Efforts Framed on Animal Planet’s The Aquarium
No full textWith 70% of the Earth being underwater and affected by many factors, aquatic animals are disappearing. However, people are also to blame for the endangerment and extinction of species. Zoos and Aquariums are trying to help combat this issue. Some of these facilities have teamed up with Animal Planet to give a glimpse at their daily routines of taking care of animals, training, and vet visits. Georgia Aquarium is featured in The Aquarium that began airing in 2019. This thesis uses framing theory to analyze the frames presented in season 1 of The Aquarium to answer the research question:
How are conservation efforts on the television series The Aquarium framed? After interviewing Georgia Aquarium, a codebook was made and the first season of The Aquarium was coded for education techniques, conservation efforts, and communication tactics.
Ultimately, the show was not about conservation efforts as originally thought, but the show was focused on being entertaining and educational. The Aquarium gives viewers the chance to learn about the aquatic animals that find their homes in Georgia Aquarium
Evaluating Forage Sorghum-Cowpea and Pearl Millet-Cowpea Production and Quality in the Texas High Plains
No full textDespite declining water availability in the semi-arid southern High Plains, demand for high-quality forages by the livestock and dairy industries continues to grow. Alternative forage crops with high water use efficiencies should be explored to meet this demand. Grass-legume intercrops may improve the nutritive value of the forage product, but viable intercrops must maintain yield levels. The purpose of this study was to evaluate forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-cowpea [Vigna unguiculate (L.) Walp] and pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Leeke]-cowpea intercrops for forage production and quality. Four planting arrangements per grass species were included in the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons to evaluate forage production of sorghum-cowpea and pearl millet-cowpea intercrops under limited irrigation. Treatments were sole pearl millet, sole forage sorghum, sole cowpea, or mixtures of either pearl millet-cowpea or forage sorghum-cowpea planted in the same row, alternating rows (millet-cowpea 1:1 or sorghum-cowpea 1:1), or two rows alternating (millet-cowpea 2:2 or sorghum-cowpea 2:2). Intercrop biomass yields ranged from 11.6 to 16.2 Mg ha-1 in 2020 and from 7.2 to 12.4 Mg ha-1 in 2021. Results from both study years indicate that the studied intercrops are able to maintain yield, quality, and WUE levels similar to sole pearl millet and forage sorghum