Central Texas Region Research Articles

A Faculty Development Collaborative in Interprofessional Simulation

This article describes a project that was funded through the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies and the Texas Team. A strategic plan presented to the governor of Texas in 2008 by the Texas Team provided strategies addressing nursing education capacity in Texas, with the goal of increasing the number of nursing graduates to meet forecasted needs. The Central Texas Region identified the increasing use of clinical simulation as one way to meet a subset of goals and objectives of the plan. With this pedagogy being new, it was determined through a needs assessment that faculty development in simulation was a priority. This article will discuss the collaboration of 12 nursing programs and practice partners to provide faculty development in clinical simulation. Four workshops were held across the region, during which time six interprofessional simulation scenarios were written and clinical simulation experts identified at each of the schools and participating practice facilities. As a result of the faculty development in clinical simulation, 80% of the respondents reported that simulation has increased in their nursing programs, and 30% reported having increased student enrollment because of the faculty's ability to increase the use of simulation.

Identification of Cotton Fleahopper (Hemiptera: Miridae) Host Plants in Central Texas and Compendium of Reported Hosts in the United States

The cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), is an early-season pest of developing cotton in Central Texas and other regions of the Cotton Belt. Cotton fleahopper populations develop on spring weed hosts and move to cotton as weed hosts senesce or if other weed hosts are not readily available. To identify weed hosts that were seasonably available for the cotton fleahopper in Central Texas, blooming weed species were sampled during early-season (17 March-31 May), mid-season (1 June-14 August), late-season (15 August-30 November), and overwintering (1 December-16 March) periods. The leading hosts for cotton fleahopper adults and nymphs were evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa T. Nuttall) and Mexican hat [Ratibida columnifera (T. Nuttall) E. Wooton and P. Standley], respectively, during the early season. During the mid-season, silver-leaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium A. Cavanilles) was consistently a host for fleahopper nymphs and adults. Woolly croton (Croton capitatus A. Michaux) was a leading host during the late season. Cotton fleahoppers were not collected during the overwintering period. Other suitable hosts were available before previously reported leading hosts became available. Eight previously unreported weed species were documented as temporary hosts. A compendium of reported hosts, which includes >160 plant species representing 35 families, for the cotton fleahopper is provided for future research addressing insect-host plant associations. Leading plant families were Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Onagraceae. Results presented here indicate a strong argument for assessing weed species diversity and abundance for the control of the cotton fleahopper in the Cotton Belt.

Interview with 2006 SPE President Eve Sprunt

2006 SPE President Eve Sprunt is Senior Technical Advisor for Chevron Technology Ventures in San Ramon, California, which manages Chevron’s research, venture investing, and business ventures in emerging energy technologies such as hydrogen, wind, solar, and biomass. She previously was Venture Executive for the company’s Venture Equities and Energy and Power Funds. She joined Chevron in 2000 as Senior Science and Technology Coordinator, Health, Environment, and Safety, managing the corporation’s global climate change policy. Before joining Chevron, Sprunt worked for 21 years for Mobil Corp., including positions in upstream new business development. In addition, she worked in research and development in a wide range of technologies, including formation evaluation and production engineering. Sprunt holds 23 patents and has authored 28 technical articles, edited two books, and has been a frequent editorial columnist for petroleum industry publications, including JPT. A member of SPE since 1980, she was named a Distinguished Member in 2000. Sprunt was a member of the SPE Board of Directors during 1991–94 and earned the North, East, and Central Texas Region Service Award in 1996. Her many Society activities include service as a Distinguished Lecturer, Senior Technical Editor of SPE publications, Executive Editor of SPE Formation Evaluation, and Program Committee Chairperson of the 1988 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE). Sprunt is a founder of the Soc. of Core Analysts and has served on visiting committees for the Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT) and the Colorado School of Mines. She earned BS and MS degrees from MIT in Earth and planetary sciences and a PhD degree from Stanford U. in geophysics. What do you hope to accomplish in your year as SPE President? As President, I will focus on what we can do to improve the image of the petroleum industry. Since joining Chevron, my work has been outside of traditional E&P career assignments. I have been responsible for global climate change policy and now alternative energy. After working with people in the downstream, I realized that most of us in the upstream do not have the information to defend the use of our products. When somebody challenges society’s need for hydrocarbons, we do not tell them why oil is such a good product, how it competes on an environmental basis, or why the world needs oil to the extent that, when we produce it, people come running to get it. So the major theme for my presidency will be to get the message out about the great benefits our products provide for society. Our industry has some powerful and moving stories to tell, and I hope to provide our members with examples through my monthly columns in JPT. I will be addressing the widely publicized concerns about our industry that hamper our ability to recruit new employees, drill in new lands, or build new processing facilities, and that even affect the self-esteem of our members. I want to arm energy professionals with facts, so that when people ask whether we are running out of oil or if the industry is blocking the development of alternative fuels, they can be persuasive advocates for our industry instead of backing away. My column’s theme will be “Stand Tall and Speak Out.” I want our members to be proud of the service they provide to society.

PLANNING PROCESS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES PLANNING1

ABSTRACT: The state of Texas passed legislation in 1997 that established a process for developing a 50‐year state water plan through a bottoms‐up approach involving representation from at least 11 recommended special interest groups. Moorhouse Associates Inc. was contracted to develop and implement a Public Participation Plan for the South Central Texas Region. The two goals of the public process were to take planning information out to the public and to provide a format for bringing the public opinion back to the planning group. The overall goal of the project was to provide public input throughout the planning process that will facilitate the development of a water plan that is widely accepted by the public. By using county government to establish focus groups, participation was encouraged from all of the twenty‐one counties in the region. The tools used in the process included an Internet site, surveys, focus groups, public meetings, community group presentations, media communications, and newspaper clippings. The public participation process as implemented, maintained communication throughout the planning process and at key decision points. This ongoing communication helped alleviate an initial uneasiness with the integrated resource planning approach.

Effect of Physician Profiles and Academic Detailing on Cost and Utilization of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of physician profiles and academic detailing on cost and utilization of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in a managed care population. DESIGN: A retrospective review of 153,072 SSRI pharmacy prescription claims from January 1997 through December 2000. SETTING: The health plan is a staff-model managed care organization (MCO) in the central Texas region with more than 150,000 members and over 500 participating physicians. INTERVENTIONS: (1) Physician prescribing (profile) reports were implemented in November 1998 and thereafter distributed quarterly to MCO physicians. (2) These reports were supplemented with academic detailing at a majority of the health plan clinics. (3) SSRI utilization data were added to the prescriber profile reports in the first quarter of 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prescriptions (Rxs), patients (utilizing members), days of therapy, drug (ingredient) cost and member-months were measured. The principal outcome measures are SSRI share pe...

An Economic, Hydrologic, and Environmental Assessment of Water Management Alternative Plans for the South Central Texas Region

AbstractRegional water scarcity has motivated the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group to actively develop water management plans to address long-/short-term regional water needs. This study, therefore, develops an integrated Edwards Aquifer groundwater and river system simulation model to determine the “best” choice of regional water management plans using mixed-integer linear programming. The economic, hydrologic, and environmental consequences of the “best” choice of regional and other water management plans and options are evaluated and compared. Results indicate a tradeoff between the economic and environmental benefits. A slight decrease in economic benefit results in a substantial increase in environmental benefit.

Depositional Environments and Diagenesis of Lower Pennsylvanian Caddo Formation, Stephens County, Texas: ABSTRACT

Since its discovery in 1916, the Lower Pennsylvanian Caddo limestone has been one of the most prolific producing intervals in the central Texas region. Favorable reservoir characteristics, with porosities from 9 to 24% and permeabilities from 0.1 to 1,000 md in the pay interval, have enabled many oil companies to initiate successful secondary recovery waterflood projects. Since its discovery, more than 200 million bbl of oil has been recovered from this formation in Stephens County alone. The Caddo reef trend developed during the Early Pennsylvanian, generally along the axis of the Bend flexure. Close examination of whole core and thin sections reveals the formation to be a series of small reef mounds characterized by wackestones. The wackestones consist of green algae, brachiopods, and some rugose corals, which are found on the leeward side (back reef). This sequence is commonly found in the top segment of the Caddo. Deeper into the formation the sequence grades into a packstone/wackestone, characteristic of an oceanward margin (fore reef), and is distinguished by red algae, foraminifera (fusulinids and miliolids), and crinoid hash. The basal sequence is a series of alternating lime mudstones and shales that are heavily silicified. Diagenesis is the key to reservoir rockmore » quality. Moldic porosity was created through dissolution of organisms composed of low magnesium calcite (brachiopods) and aragonite (corals) during periods of subaerial exposure of the back reef. During this period of low sea level, fore-reef sediments were partly cemented by CaCO{sub 3} and were not subaerially exposed. Therefore, moldic porosity was not created in the fore-reef sediments. Porosity in the fore reef was later created in places by dissolution of this cement. Secondary dolomite was later precipitated along pore walls, and in places it occluded porosity in the pore spaces.« less

The Geomorphic Evolution of the Taylor Black Prairie Between the Trinity and Colorado Rivers: ABSTRACT

The Taylor Black Prairie is an interesting and complex area that has been, heretofore, relatively ignored as a distinct geomorphic unit. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe the region as it exists at the present time and to speculate on its overall evolutionary development. Based on descriptive geomorphic variables including geology, landform morphology, soil type and distribution, surface gravure, vegetation type and distribution, and land use, the Taylor Black Prairie may be subdivided into three north-to-south trending geomorphic areas. These are, from west to east, the Lower Taylor Prairie, the Wolfe City scarp, and the Upper Taylor Prairie. There is also present, in the southern region of the study area, a relatively distinct small exposure of high gravels located between Little River and Brushy Creek. Because these gravels are geographically restricted within the study area, and because they are dissimilar petrologically from the Cretaceous strata upon which the north-to-south prairies are developed, they constitute a distinct geomorphic area. The dominant active processes in the Taylor Black Prairie are soil erosion and mass wasting. These are acting under present climatic conditions to shape and modify and topography of this region. The geomorphic evolution of the Taylor Black Prairie is related to the deposition of Tertiary Uvalde Gravel in the central Texas region. These sediments were carried by major rivers from the edge of the southern High Plains eastward through valleys entrenched in Paleozoic and Comanchean rocks. The less-resistant Gulfian and Tertiary rocks allowed valley widening, thus forming braided alluvial streams that deposited humid alluvial fans. End_Page 517------------------------------ Topographic development was further enhanced by changes in climate and fluvial response during glacial and interglacial periods. Glacial periods were characterized by increased rainfall which resulted in downcutting and erosion of the divides by major rivers. Interglacial periods were characterized by a rise in regional base level accompanied by fluvial aggradation. The net effect has been a reversal of topography in which the Uvalde Gravel, which occupied the bottom of river valleys at the time of deposition, now caps the highest divides. Studies of modern erosion rates indicate that man's activities, mainly agricultural, have greatly increased the rate of landscape evolution. End_of_Article - Last_Page 518------------

New Additions to the Lichen Flora of Texas and the United States

New Additions to the Lichen Flora of Texas and the United States

A simulation of commuter rail possibilities

A simple model of commuter rail line supply and demand characteristics is described. By varying assumptions and the nature of the rail service proposed, the resulting energy, cost and travel time impacts can be analyzed. In addition, the model is extremely useful in exploring fare structures and other policies. An existing railroad line in the North Central Texas region is used as a case study.

Using the Delphi method to assess community health needs

Comprehensive health planning must ultimately be based upon information about the people to be served. Their needs as potential patients or clients of the various service systems being planned must be identified and evaluated. Regional cooperation on meeting these health care needs is premised on some agreement amongst the population as to the existing problems and their relative priorities. In order to investigate how such a health needs assessment might be undertaken a study was conducted using a panel of citizens selected from a 10-country central Texas region. The results demonstrate the fesibility of employing the Delphi method for achieving consensus on some health care issues; the information obtained can become valuable input to the overall health planning process.

Determination of Key Sectors in a Regional Economy through Input-Output Analysis: The North-Central Texas Case

Regional promoters and planners face the problem of how to achieve economic development. One possible way is to develop many sectors of the regional economy at the same time, and the other possible way is to develop a sector or few sectors of the economy which, in turn, stimulates other sectors of the economy. These different approaches, “the balanced growth” and “the unbalanced growth”, are the basis for a well known controversy in the field of economic development. The purpose of this paper is twofold: one is to survey the methodologies for identification of key sectors and the other is to present and analyze the results of identifying key sectors for the North Central Texas Region.

Stratigraphic Revision, Edwards Group (Lower Cretaceous) of Texas, and Regional Surface-Subsurface Synthesis: ABSTRACT

Porous carbonate rocks called form a widespread aquifer in the Edwards Plateau region of west-central Texas and prolific petroleum reservoirs beneath the coastal plain of south-central Texas. Recently completed surface mapping in the Edwards Plateau and subsurface mapping in south-central Texas permit correlation of Edwards rocks in both areas, and allows the entire central Texas region to be viewed as an evolving carbonate depositional complex. To better express this surface-subsurface synthesis, a new stratigraphic nomenclature is proposed: Edwards is elevated to group status, 2 new outcropping formations are recognized in the Edwards Plateau, and 2 new formations are defined in the subsurface of south-central Texas. Previously unverified disconformities at an near the top of the Edwards have been documented and a boundary that was considered to be disconformable is now interpreted to be conformable. Regional structural-depositional elements that influenced Edwards deposition are reflected by lithofacies and isopach patterns. Dominant elements on the Comanche shelf formed a vast sediment trap in which shallow marine and tidal flat carbonates and evaporites accumulated preferentially over the Central Texas platform, protected by the Stuart City reef on the southeast, the Devils River bank on the southwest, and the broad North Texas shelf-lagoon on the northwest and northeast. Edwards and associated rocks record the progressive inundation of the Central Texas platform. Porosity in the subsurface Edwards is related chiefly to early exposure on positive tectonic elements, whereas porosity in the surface and near-surface Edwards is related chiefly to the present geomorphic cycle. End_of_Article - Last_Page 361------------

Incised Meanders in Mason County, Texas

Research Article| October 01, 1970 Incised Meanders in Mason County, Texas HORACE R BLANK HORACE R BLANK Department of Geology, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information HORACE R BLANK Department of Geology, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843 Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 12 May 1970 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1970, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1970) 81 (10): 3135–3140. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1970)81[3135:IMIMCT]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 12 May 1970 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation HORACE R BLANK; Incised Meanders in Mason County, Texas. GSA Bulletin 1970;; 81 (10): 3135–3140. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1970)81[3135:IMIMCT]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Ingrown meanders incised into a limestone plateau on four streams in the western half of Mason County are described.The meanders of Bluff Creek and its West Branch are notably angular, and appear to have developed from round meanders under the influence of two sets of vertical minor faults and joints. Faults of larger displacement do not affect the stream's course. A small unnamed creek west of Bluff Creek shows well-developed ingrown meanders where it crosses a folded structure, but not where it flows parallel to the strike.Various authors have challenged the classical concept that incised meanders are inherited from free meanders developed on a flood plain, but there is as yet no satisfactory explanation of how meanders can be initiated in hard rock. Other evidence suggests uplift and rejuvenation for the Central Texas region. Although it seems difficult to assign such a long history to such a small stream as the unnamed creek described, the presence of a meander core suggests a considerable age.Large incised meanders occurring on Bluff Creek and on the James River just above their confluences with the Llano River, which does not meander, are difficult to explain. Backwater in the early history of these tributaries is suggested as a possible cause. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

A STUDY OF CONVECTIVE PRECIPITATION AS REVEALED BY RADAR OBSERVATION, TEXAS 1958–59

Data collected during the summer of 1958 and the late spring and summer of 1959, by use of an AN/CPS-9 radar located in the Department of Oceanography and Meteorology on the campus of the A. & M. College of Texas, were analyzed to study convective precipitation processes. The formation and growth of convective echoes were studied in relation to the mechanisms of precipitation formation. Consideration also was given to day-to-day variations in convective activity. Pronounced variations were noted in echo growth and subsidence, level of first-echo formation, and echo movements. It is shown that maximum echo tops are largely dependent on the depth of the moist layer. It is also revealed that precipitation in the Central Texas region is frequently initiated by a process involving only liquid water droplets.