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"The Last Running"
No full textThis lesson focuses on analyzing literary works through John Graves's "The Last Running" and explaining the importance of works about the American West.
This resource includes materials for a 45-minute class period lesson.
Created for English I, English II, English III, English IV.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
Analyze non-linear development such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, subplots, and parallel plot structures and compare it to linear plot development; analyze how the setting influences the theme; analyze author’s purpose, audience, and message within a text; analyze how the author’s use of language achieves specific purposesThis lesson focuses on analyzing literary works through John Graves's "The Last Running" and explaining the importance of works about the American West
Long-lived Metastable Knots in Polyampholyte Chains
No full textThis dataset goes alongside the article "Long-lived Metastable Knots in Polyampholyte Chains" by Masoumeh Ozmaeian, an Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering at WTAM
A Genomic and Economic Analysis of Utilizing Pooled Genotypes in a Commercial Beef Cattle Feedlot Setting
No full textGenotyping individual animals, the primary way to identify the genetic makeup of the animal, comes at a fiscal and logistical cost commercial beef cattle feedlots cannot afford in current markets. The purpose of this study was to utilize DNA pooling and a pooled genome-wide association study (GWAS) to allow the commercial feedlot setting to ascertain the benefits of genomic testing and make predictions contingent on these tests, as well as determine its economic feasibility.
A total of 1,956 commercial feedlot cattle (1,715 steers; 241 heifers) completed the project with receival information, carcass data, and tissue samples. DNA was stratified into 79 pools (mean size = 25 individuals) based on receival weight within lot and arrival date and genotyped via GGP Bovine 100K array (Illumina). Data preparation with outlier filtering (OF) and repeated measures (RM) reduced phenotypic variation within pools by removing outlier-driven pools and replicating the pool genotype to an individual level, respectively. Pool average and individual calculated yield grade (CYG) and marbling (MARB), both essential carcass value determinants, served as phenotype data. A cost comparison of pooled and individual genotyping and a cost-benefit analysis of prospective pooling displayed the economic advantage and potential economic feasibility of the process.
The RM CYG, OF CYG, RM MARB, and OF MARB trial GWAS identified 20, 10, 27, and 16 significant (p ≤ 0.001) SNPs, respectively. The estimated cost of individually genotyping the study (23,460). Utilizing pooled genotypes to make marketing decisions had a potential benefit-cost ratio of 2.33 (SD = 1.91).
This research identified biologically logical associations despite high genetic variability between pools, signifying success in utilizing prospectively pooled DNA in GWAS. Further research and exploration are necessary for developing a successful strategy for its application. With potential benefits that outweigh the cost, the pooled genetic processing and analysis should be further evaluated in additional commercial feedlot settings
FEEDING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE IN HIGH-RISK, NEWLY RECEIVED FEEDLOT CATTLE
Get PDFThe objective was to evaluate the effects of tilmicosin fed to high-risk cattle for 14 consecutive days, with or without a live-yeast probiotic blend, during the 42-d study period. In Exp. 1, auction-derived bull (n = 59) and steer (n = 31) calves (initial BW = 220.3 ± 3.2 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (3 pens per treatment, 10 animals per pen) consisting of: 1) positive control (TUL) received ground corn top-dress as placebo and injectable tulathromycin on d 0, 2) Tilmovet (TV) received a tilmicosin supplemented diet (0.663 mg/animal/d) from d 0 to 14, and 3) TV with a proprietary live-yeast probiotic blend (TV+; 10 g/animal/d; OptiSafBeef, Phileo, Milwaukee, WI) for the duration of the study. The animals in the TUL group had a 7-d post metaphylactic interval (PMI) because they received injectable tulathromycin at d 0, whereas cattle in the TV and TV+ were eligible to be treated for BRD following 3-d post initial treatment of tilmicosin supplemented in the diet. The TUL group had greater ADG during the first 14-d (P = 0.02) and tended to be heavier than TV and TV+ on d 28 (P = 0.06). Overall (d 0 to 42), TV+ had greater (P = 0.02) G:F than TUL and TV. Overall DMI (P = 0.01) for the TUL group from d 0 to 42 was greater compared to TV and TV+. In Exp. 2, auction-derived bull (n = 68) and steer (n = 22) calves (initial BW = 219.4 ± 2.97 kg) were randomly assigned to treatment pens consisting of: 1) control (TUL) that received ground corn top-dress placebo, 2) Tilmovet (TV) that received a tilmicosin-treated diet (0.663 mg/animal/d) from d 14 to 28, and 3) TV with ground corn top-dress containing a live-yeast probiotic (10 g/animal/d; OptiSafBeef; TV+) for the duration of the study (Fig. 2.7). All treatments were administered ceftiofur on d 0 with a 3-d PMI. Final BW did not differ (P = 0.70). Total starch digestion had a day effect over the 2 collection days (P = 0.02), and a tendency (P = 0.09) was observed for apparent starch digestion to be greater for TUL on d 0. Performance and health outcomes were improved with the administration of injectable tulathromycin in Exp. 1, but there were no health differences and few performance effects noted in Exp. 2. Results indicate oral tilmicosin should not be the primary metaphylactic treatment method in high-risk beef cattle. Delaying oral tilmicosin for 14-d following an injectable antimicrobial slightly improved performance and health, but further research with larger pen replication needs to be conducted
Entrevista a Monserrat Marquez
Get PDFInterview with Monserrat Marquez conducted by Denisse Marquez as part of the Oral History Project "Forgotten Frontera."
Entrevista a Monserrat Marquez realizada por Denisse Marquez como parte del Proyecto de Historia Oral "Forgotten Frontera."Center for the Study of the American Wes
Make Hay While the Sun Shines: How Community-Based Nonprofit Organizations Cultivate Refugees' Social Capital and Disaster Resilience
No full textIn-depth interviews were used for the data collection methodology.This article examines community-based nonprofit organizations' (CBOs') perspectives and practices regarding cultivating refugees' disaster resilience. Adopting the theoretical framework of structural and cognitive social capital, we conducted in-depth interviews with leaders, staff members, and volunteers from refugee-serving organizations. The research findings offer new insights into how CBOs help refugees obtain multiple forms of social capital and develop disaster resilience through education and training, resource mobilization, planning, and coordination. The research findings also reveal the flow of social capital exchange during the disaster resilience cultivation process. Similar CBOs can rely on our research findings to develop evidence-based programs and interventions to help culturally and linguistically diverse groups gain social capital and improve disaster resilience
The Effect of a Direct-Fed Microbial on Salmonella Prevalence and Concentration in Feedlot Steers and Assessing Differences in Salmonella Carriage Between Dairy-Beef and Native Cattle
No full textMultiple studies were conducted to evaluate differences in Salmonella prevalence and concentration in feedlot cattle within the Texas Panhandle. The first study evaluated the efficacy of a direct-fed microbial upon feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and Salmonella prevalence in subiliac lymph nodes (SLN).
Yearling crossbred beef steers (n= 6400; initial body weight (BW) 358 kg) were used to investigate the efficacy of a direct-fed microbial upon animal growth performance, carcass characteristics, and prevalence of Salmonella in SLNs after a feeding duration of 182 days. Steers were allocated to 1 of 32 pens (n=200/pen) within 16 blocks, and assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments; no probiotic (CON) or 2 g/steer/d of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus plantarum providing a total of 1 billion CFU (Life Products, Inc., Norfolk, NE; 10-G). At harvest, SLNs were randomly obtained from 40 animals per pen for blocks 1 through 10. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design and pen served as the experimental unit. No differences (P ≥ 0.26) were observed between treatments for dry matter intake, final BW, average daily gain, or feed efficiency. When evaluating carcass characteristics, there were no differences (P ≥ 0.15) for hot carcass weight or liver abscess prevalence. However, dressed carcass yield tended to differ (P = 0.07) between treatments (CON - 64.51%, 10-G - 64.34%). No differences
(P ≥ 0.12) were observed for marbling score, ribeye area, backfat thickness, or USDA quality grade outcomes. Lower frequency (P = 0.03; CON - 37.95%, 10-G - 25.45%) of Salmonella positive subiliac lymph nodes was observed for cattle supplemented dietary 10-G, whereas log concentration of Salmonella did not differ (P = 0.31) between treatments (CON - 1.62 CFU/ln, 10-G - 1.32 CFU/ln). In conclusion, the supplementation of 10-G direct fed microbial did not influence live or carcass performance within this trial however prevalence of Salmonella positive subiliac lymph nodes was reduced.
Fecal grabs and subiliac lymph nodes (SLN) were sampled from carcasses representing pens of beef (n = 25) and dairy-beef crossbred cattle (n = 25) within each of 10 different feedlots to investigate the prevalence and concentration of Salmonella at harvest, during the months of August, September, and October. Both beef and dairy-beef crosses were fed at the same feedlot within the Texas Panhandle, were harvested on the same day, and had longitudinal fecal and SLN samples collected. Immediately following exsanguination, via rectal palpation, fecal samples were collected, and immediately prior to chilling, SLN were obtained from 25 animals of each breed type, from each feedlot. Data were analyzed using a mixed model analysis, with breed type as a fixed effect and feedlot as a random variable. Differences (P < 0.01) were observed between cattle types for Salmonella prevalence within fecal samples at harvest. However, no differences (P ≥ 0.50) were observed for Salmonella prevalence within SLN or concentration within either fecal samples or SLN. When evaluating Salmonella outcomes by feedlot, differences (P ≤ 0.01) were observed for Salmonella prevalence and concentration within fecal samples, and Salmonella prevalence within SLNs. Salmonella prevalence within fecal samples ranged from 0 to 96% and concentration ranged from 0.00 to 6.28 CFU/g. Within subiliac lymph nodes, Salmonella prevalence ranged from 0.00 to 62.91% between feedlot locations. No differences (P = 0.47) were observed between feedlots for Salmonella concentration within SLN. In addition to the samples collected at harvest, fecal pat samples were collected from newly received cattle pens (n = 5 pens of beef; n = 5 pens of dairy-beef crosses) from 9 different feedlots in the Texas panhandle during a 5-week period between June and July 2023. No differences (P ≥ 0.22) in Salmonella prevalence or concentration were observed within fecal samples by breed type or by feedlot location. In conclusion, the only difference that appears to exist between native and dairy-beef cross animals is that of Salmonella prevalence, at harvest within fecal samples. In addition, stark differences exist for Salmonella prevalence and concentration across feedlots in samples collected at harvest. These outcomes suggest research should focus on reasons for variability in feedlot Salmonella rates in finishing cattle
Personalized & Smartphone-based Solution for Arrhythmia Detection
No full textThe data was gathered from a sample of patients attending a cardiology clinic at the Texas Tech University Medical Center (IRB#: L21-059). We used OnePlus 3, and iPhone SE for the PPG signal acquisition. The smartphone PPG recording lasted for 1-2 minutes, and a routine standard 12-lead ECG recording was done during a cardiac evaluation in the clinic simultaneously with the smartphone measurement. The patients were asked to sit in a relaxed position and hold the smartphone to minimize any movement and motion. The routine ECG recordings were evaluated by a cardiologist after the clinic follow-up treatment or evaluation.According to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s report, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the World [1]. Cardiac arrhythmias are one of the prevalent groups of CVDs referred to as abnormalities and irregularities in heartbeats. These cardiac arrhythmias are associated with an increased risk of serious problems and death [2]. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the prevalent forms of atrial arrhythmia. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that by 2030 around 12.1 million will suffer from AF in the United States [3]. The estimated average health expenditures of CVDs in the U.S. is 363.4 billion dollars and as the prevalence of CVDs grow the costs are also predicted to double by 2035 [4]. In order to prevent the further advancement of heart disease and stroke, early detection of arrhythmias is crucial. The prevalence of these personal mobile devices has led to rapid growth in the development of medical software applications that provide a conduit to many growing issues in healthcare. Arrhythmia detection using smartphone applications is one of the foremost interests in medical research today. Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors detect the rate of blood flow by using a light-based technology to determine the electrical signals of the heart. The importance of personalized healthcare technologies specifically for AF management has been emphasized in recent studies [5-7]. The personalized AF detection provides an opportunity to identify each individual's status, which would result in personalized treatment and medication at the right time and the correct dose. This research aims to propose a novel system that can be used for personalized arrhythmia detection using smartphones. The smartphone photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals were gathered from a sample of patients attending a cardiology clinic at Texas Tech and used to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) which is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting millions of people worldwide. The AF and normal heart rhythm signals were used to extract the personalized features for each patient. These features were used as the input of the proposed machine learning algorithm to detect the AF in a personalized way. The preliminary clinical results indicate that our proposed system can be used for personalized AF detection and management
GENOTOXICITY OF ATRAZINE ON ALLIUM CEPA AND DAPHNIA MAGNA TEST SYSTEMS
No full textABSTRACT
Atrazine, a Restricted Use Pesticide classified by the EPA, is known to contaminate surface
water and groundwater, primarily through agricultural runoff. Elevated levels of atrazine
beyond EPA drinking water standards have raised concerns about human health impacts.
Atrazine has been linked to adverse reproductive effects in wildlife and amphibians, with
water contamination being a significant contributor. Studies have shown that Atrazine is
linked to the decline of amphibians and other species. It is a known endocrine disruptor
that affects sexual development in amphibians by changing the hormone cycle.
Furthermore, ongoing research is exploring its potential as an endocrine disruptor and
carcinogen. Despite the risks, atrazine remains popular in agriculture due to its
effectiveness in controlling broadleaf and grassy weeds. So why is it used in agriculture so
regularly? The mechanism of action is that atrazine disrupts photosynthesis in most
broadleaf plants and grasses. Once applied it is taken up by the root system and the leaves
moving upward in the plant areas of new growth making the plant dry out and die. While
it is very effective in killing weed systems in 14-21 days, atrazine is shown to stay in the
soil system for approximately 6 weeks after only one application. In those 6 weeks, many
things can occur that can distribute the herbicide into many other locations which can in
turn get into human systems. For instance, one of the top concerns is soil runoff getting
into human water systems after excessive agricultural watering or even in a natural event
of a rainstorm. Another instance would be the aerial application of the herbicide being
distributed by the wind to another location the chemical was not initially intended for due
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to wind dispersion. The wind carries contaminants away from their intended source a
problem in dry windy rural areas. Another factor that affects this herbicide would be
volatilization which can also escape into our atmosphere. All the above factors are
important arguments that need to be researched further as a circumstance that can cause
human health issues with the distribution and use of atrazine leading to possible human
exposure.
To investigate its effects on community health, this study focused on two main areas,
with particular emphasis on using the standard plant test system, Allium cepa. In the
experiment, Allium cepa bulbs were subjected to various concentrations of the herbicide
in chemical treatments. Allium cepa, commonly known as green onion, serves as a widely
used “test system” for evaluating the impact of different mutagens on organisms globally.
This versatile plant species is utilized as a model organism in chemical screening
processes and in situ assessments to determine the genotoxicity of environmental
contaminants. A.cepa offers several advantageous characteristics for cytological studies,
making it an ideal test system. When cultivated hydroponically, it exhibits prolific root
growth. The plant's chromosomes are large, well-defined, and present in a limited number
(2n=16), allowing for easy analysis from metaphase plates.
The second test system used for experimentation was the Daphnia magna. Daphnia as an
indicator of environmental pollutants’ sensitivity. Daphnids reflect a high sensitivity to
environmental pollutants because they are sensitive to toxicants and indicate water
pollution. Daphnids demonstrate reproductive decline, aberrant vertical mobility, and
phenoplasticity to name a few when exposed to environmental stressors. Abiotic and
biotic stressors include chemical substances, synthetic hormones, acidity, salinity, etc. I
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tested the survival rate of Daphnia at different concentrations of the herbicide and
recorded the concentration for the LD50 (Lethal Dose 50). I found that Daphnia
exhibited lethality even with the very lowest experimented dose of the herbicide proving
thereby the herbicide subjected to this experiment is both genotoxic and lethal to the
daphnid and other organisms
The Effects of COVID-19 Risk, Gender, and Self-Compassion on the Workplace Cyberbullying and Job Satisfaction of University Faculty
No full textThe data collection methodology used was survey methods.The purpose of this study is to examine workplace cyberbullying (WPCB) in higher education. Specifically, we explore the relationship between WPCB and several important factors such as self-compassion, job satisfaction, and gender. A cross-sectional survey using a convenience sample of 179 faculty members with an average age of 48.99 was applied. A multiple regression and path analysis using structural equation model were applied using IBM SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. The regression model showed that self-compassion was positively related to job satisfaction, whereas WPCB was negatively related to job satisfaction after controlling for covariates. The model results showed that gender and COVID-19 risk of severe illness were related to WPCB. Additionally, self-compassion mediated the inverse relationship between WPCB and job satisfaction. In this study, we examined the predictors of COVID-19 related constructs, self-compassion, and WPCB on faculty's job satisfaction. Also, we provide a new conceptual model examining gender and COVID-19 risk of severe illness as antecedents of WPCB, and the unique use of self-compassion as a mediator of the relationship between WPCB and job satisfaction. Finally, we provide further understanding of how faculty may be cyberbullied at work due to risk of severe illness during the COVID-19 pandemic