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Effects of Supplemental Colostrum Intake to Jersey Calves after 24 hr of Birth on Health and Growth
Get PDFThe objective of this research was to determine the effect feeding colostrum supplements (CS) beyond the 24-hour gut closure period would have on Jersey calves, specifically its impact on serum protein concentrations and growth rate. Twenty calves were assigned to either the control or treatment group. Calves assigned to the control group (n=14) received regular milk replacer, while calves in the treatment group (n=6) received colostrum supplement added to their regular milk replacer twice daily for the next 14 days of life, each feeding containing 10 g of immunoglobulin G (IgG). Dams whose colostrum IgG level met or exceeded the minimum requirement (60 g/100mL IgG) were included in the study. Calf body weight (BW) and wither height (WH) were measured weekly, and fecal, and respiratory scores were recorded tri-weekly up until the time of weaning (56 days of age). Blood samples were drawn on days 1, 7 and 14 to assess serum protein concentrations. The treatment group calves exhibited on average higher WH than the control group (P=0.03), while BW, starter intake, and fecal scores showed no significant differences. Both treatment and control groups-maintained serum protein levels above the 5.5 g/100 mL threshold. Administering CS did not significantly alter serum protein concentrations on days 7 and 14, and a decline in these concentrations was noted as the calves aged. Without CS, a more pronounced disparity in serum protein levels might have emerged by day 14, suggesting a potential benefit of CS, especially under challenging environmental conditions. Further studies with additional animal numbers are required to confirm these findings.No embargoAcademic Major: Animal Science
Reponse of Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) Source Populations to Varying Soil Moisture Conditions
No full textGiant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) is native to North America and an emerging invasive species in Europe and Asia. Giant ragweed is typically found in riparian areas, which are located near water sources and have relatively high soil moisture. Giant ragweed often escapes into agricultural fields where it is highly competitive with corn and soybean crops and the soil is much drier. Such incursions into crop fields have been occurring for much longer in the eastern part of the U.S. Corn Belt than in the western Corn Belt, which has led to evolved population differences in the east that are more pronounced than in the west. We hypothesized that giant ragweed populations would differ in drought tolerance due to variable abiotic conditions where they occur. Specifically, we predicted that populations of giant ragweed from crop fields would be more drought tolerant than non-crop populations and that populations from the drier western region would be more drought tolerant than populations from the east. We sourced seeds from agricultural and riparian populations in Ohio and Nebraska. In a greenhouse, we grew each population type and source under three conditions that spanned a soil moisture gradient, from saturated to dry soil moisture conditions. Performance was greatest in the driest conditions for all source populations, with higher germination percentages, higher total biomass, and earlier emergence than in either of the wetter treatments. However, Nebraska populations had a much higher germination percentage and emerged earlier than Ohio populations, which was exacerbated in drier conditions. Additionally, crop populations showed higher germination percentages than non-crop populations, especially in the driest conditions (habitat x treatment). These findings suggest that Nebraska and crop populations may be more drought tolerant than Ohio and non-crop populations, respectively. Overall, giant ragweed is more successful in areas with lower soil moisture content, such as agricultural fields, in comparison to areas with saturated soils. Furthermore, soil moisture similarly affects giant ragweed from varying population types and seed sources. The germination data suggests that there have been adaptive changes in crop populations of giant ragweed in response to soil moisture. This indicates that adaptive changes across the range of giant ragweed may be more extensive than previously thought.No embargoAcademic Major: Environmental ScienceAcademic Major: Evolution and Ecolog
CIL 6.7885 – Fragment of a funerary monument for P. Caesetius Sodalis and Caesetia Ridicula, end of 1st century BCE–beginning of 1st century CE
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Design of a Methemoglobin Microparticle-Packed Column as a Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning
No full text3rd place in College of Engineering Undergraduate Research ForumCyanide is a lethal poison with few viable antidotes. The high binding affinity between methemoglobin and cyanide has been exploited in vivo as a standard treatment for cyanide poisoning by turning the patient’s own red blood cell encapsulated hemoglobin into methemoglobin. However, this approach reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the patient’s blood, potentially leading to serious complications. To address this deficit, a novel cyanide treatment being investigated is administration of liposome-encapsulated methemoglobin into the bloodstream to scavenge cyanide, but this approach may have issues related to in vivo clearance and batch-to-batch variability. In order to address the shortcomings of previous cyanide treatment strategies, this work investigated treating cyanide poisoning ex vivo using a column packed with methemoglobin particles that exploits the ability of methemoglobin to bind cyanide. In this work, methemoglobin microparticles were synthesized via an insoluble metal template reaction, and the process was optimized for cyanide binding. Methemoglobin microparticles were then packed in a gravity column, and the ability of whole blood to pass through the column was investigated. Ultimately, this work established proof-of-concept for a methemoglobin microparticle packed column as an alternative to current standards of care for cyanide poisoning treatment. Further work for this product will include additional scale-up, transitioning to a pump-based column filtration system, and pre-clinical animal model experiments.A three-year embargo was granted for this item.Academic Major: Chemical Engineerin
Council on Academic Affairs: Minutes (January 10, 2024)
No full textMinutes from the Council on Academic Affairs' meeting on January 10, 2024
CIL 6.34704 – Columbarium plaque for Epicharis and Calliste, 1st-3rd century CE
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Trafficking Rhetoric: Race, Migration, and the Making of Modern-Day Slavery
No full textIntroduction: The torque of state veneration and state violence -- Speculative figures : the rhetorical material of trafficking estimates -- Anti-Blackness by analogy : human trafficking as modern-day slavery -- Glaring whiteness : trafficking visual rhetoric and tropes of blindness -- "A really hostile environment for illegal migrants" : state violence, misery, and immobility -- Conclusion: The disappearing right to remain
Implementing the 10 Dimensions of Wellness to Reduce Clinician Burnout in Ambulatory Care: An Evidence-based Quality Improvement Initiative
No full textBackground: Our nation is experiencing high rates of ambulatory and acute care clinicians and healthcare staff burnout. Burnout causes personal and individual loss in the clinician’s mental and physical health, it causes an increase in social and economic costs for their organizations, and it causes a decline in the quality of care provided to patients. Healthcare leaders need to advocate and implement major improvements in the clinical work and learning environments to overcome this national and local crisis.
Purpose/Aim: This EBQI initiative took place at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) clinic located in the Rio Grande Valley. The loss of healthcare clinicians at this clinic jeopardized the fulfillment of the FQHC mission to provide the community with access to high-quality and cost-effective healthcare. This initiative aimed to improve clinician well-being and reduce burnout.
Methods/Implementation: This EBQI initiative implemented the 10 Dimensions of Wellness over 10 weeks at Su Clinica’s four clinic sites. The Maslach Burnout Inventory Emotional Exhaustion (MBI: EE) measure was used to measure provider burnout. Strategies to promote well-being were implemented by conducting monthly and individualized meetings, and by promoting effective communication between administrators and other stakeholders. The implementation also included bringing awareness and validation to the symptoms of provider burnout through education.
Outcomes: Implementation of the 10 Dimensions of Wellness resulted in providers reporting decreased burnout and an increase in their ability to improve their well-being.
Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Ambulatory care is critical in meeting the growing healthcare needs across communities. With the increasing number of uninsured or underinsured patients being treated in ambulatory care settings, the demands on the nurses, providers, and staff can be overwhelming. The stresses can lead to burnout and turnover. Integrating a wellness program, such as the 10 Dimensions of Wellness, can provide strategies for preventing burnout and enhancing clinical well-being.A three-year embargo was granted for this item
Developing 3D Lung Rendering Algorithms for Computational Modeling of Gene Therapy Drug-Delivery Routes for ARDS and Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury.
Get PDFAcute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition defined by oxygen depletion and pulmonary edema. Mechanical ventilation, a common care method, can further exacerbate the damage created by ARDS by increasing inflammation and mechanical stress within the lungs. Thankfully, gene therapy technology has shown promise in mitigating inflammatory responses caused by ventilator-induced lung injury. Gene therapy for ARDS relies on successfully delivering aerosolized microRNA nanoparticles (which include miR-146a) to the injury site. The use of 3D computational models of damaged and healthy CT lung scans can help realize the effective drug-delivery route of miR-146a while minimizing pulmonary fluid occlusion. This project explores the use of three distinct algorithms for developing computationally compatible 3D lung models: active contours segmentation, trained neural network segmentation, and 3D spline lofting.Undergraduate Research ScholarshipNo embargoAcademic Major: Biomedical Engineerin
