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Naloxone: A Lifesaving Tool Against Opioid Overdose
Get PDFNaloxone is a medicine that can temporarily stop an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain, which can save a person\u27s life. This fact sheet explains why naloxone is important and safe, how to recognize the signs of opioid overdose, and how to obtain, store, and administer naloxone. Naloxone training is also available through Utah State University Extension
Cultivating Confidence, Curiosity, and Motivation in the Second Language Classroom
Get PDFThis portfolio documents the author\u27s journey through the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University, highlighting the evolution of their teaching philosophy and pedagogical practices through theoretical exploration, hands-on classroom experiences, and reflective practice. It details the integration of current research, collaborative learning, and innovative assessment strategies, such as self-created rubrics, to foster student engagement and agency in teaching German as a second language. Additionally, the portfolio includes a co-authored research study that examines the motivational factors influencing university students’ decisions to continue learning Arabic, French, and German. This study explores how personal, academic, and social influences shape sustained language learning by employing Dörnyei’s Second Language Motivational Self System (L2MSS) framework with modifications for the university context, thereby contributing to the limited research on language continuation beyond initial motivations
Data From: The Dynamic Responses of the Mouse Gut Microbiome to Dietary Supplementation with Various Anthocyanin-Rich Foods in the Context of a Western Diet
No full textBackground/Objectives: Anthocyanin (ACN)-rich foods may support gut health by modulating the microbiome and reducing inflammation, potentially lowering the risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. However, the dynamic response of the gut microbiome to ACN-rich diets is not well characterized, including in the context of structural and compositional differences among ACN-containing foods. This study examined the temporal response of the mouse gut microbiome to dietary ACNs, focusing on the impact of structural variation. We hypothesized that microbiome shifts would occur rapidly but require sustained dietary ACN intake to persist. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed the total Western diet (TWD) supplemented with freeze-dried powders from bilberry (BB), tart cherry (TC), chokeberry (CB), elderberry (EB), black currant (BC), black raspberry (BRB for 0, 1, 3, or 7 days. Cocoa polyphenols (CP) were also included for comparison to a differing polyphenol profile. Fecal microbiomes were obtained 0-, 1-, 3-, or 7-days post exposure and analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: ACN-rich diets induced marked microbiome shifts within one day, but most effects reverted to baseline within days of supplement withdrawal. BRB exhibited the most persistent response. Correlation analyses revealed that microbiome changes varied by ACN profile, suggesting that differences in glycoside and aglycone structure influenced microbial responses. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the rapid, but largely transient, impact of ACN-rich foods on the gut microbiome and underscore the importance of consistent intake. This work informs future dietary strategies and supports further investigation into the role of ACNs in modulating gut microbiota to reduce inflammation and disease risk
Multi-Sensor Integration and Machine Learning for High-Resolution Classification of Herbivore Foraging Behavior
Get PDFThis study classified cows’ foraging behaviors using machine learning (ML) models evaluated through random test split (RTS) and cross-validation (CV) data partition methods. Models included Perceptron, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, KNearest Neighbors, Random Forest (RF), and XGBoost (XGB). These models classified activity states (active vs. static), foraging behaviors (grazing (GR), resting (RE), walking (W), ruminating (RU)), posture states (standing up (SU) vs. lying down (LD)), and posture combinations with rumination and resting behaviors (RU_SU, RU_LD, RE_SU, and RE_LD). XGB achieved the highest accuracy for state classification (74.5% RTS, 74.2% CV) and foraging behavior (69.4% CV). RF outperformed XGB in other classifications, including GR, RE, and RU (62.9% CV vs. 56.4% RTS), posture (83.9% CV vs. 79.4% RTS), and behaviors-by-posture (58.8% CV vs. 56.4% RTS). Key predictors varied: speed and Actindex were crucial for GR and W when increasing and for RE and RU when decreasing. X low values were linked to RE_SU and RU_SU, while X and Z influenced RE_LD more. RTS showed higher accuracy in activity states classification while CV in foraging behaviors and by posture classification. These results emphasize CV in RF’s reliability in managing complex behavioral patterns and the importance of continuous recording devices and movement data to monitor cattle behavior accurately
An Alternative to Biliverdin, Mesobiliverdin IXα and Mesobiliverdin-Enriched Microalgae: A Review on the Production and Applications of Mesobiliverdin-Related Products
Get PDFDespite attracting interest for decades due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities, the use of biliverdin IXα (BV) in medicine and agriculture is hampered by uncertain purity and limited availability. A significant amount of effort has been devoted to the production and application of BV, but with limited success. Mesobiliverdin IXα (MBV), a natural BV analog derived from microalgae, offers a path to overcome the limitations of BV. MBV production is scalable, and it can be obtained at high purity. MBV and BV share important structural features (e.g., bridging propionate groups) and both are substrates of biliverdin reductase A (BVRA), and thus exert the same mechanisms and pathways for anti-inflammatory action. To enable the use of MBV in industry, especially in agriculture, a cost-effective product, mesobiliverdin-enriched microalgae (MEM), was developed. In this review, we focus on recent developments and investigations of MBV and MEM, and compare their effectiveness with BV and Spirulina. This review article highlights cost-effective and scalable production of MEM, the therapeutic potential of MBV in cytoprotection and anti-inflammation, and MEM as an animal feed additive for improved gut health and amelioration of osteoporosis. More studies are ongoing to expand the potential applications of both MBV and MEM from fundamental research to industrial and agricultural practices
The Effects of Resveratrol and Commercial Serum-Free Media on Ovine Oocyte Quality and Cloned Embryo Development
No full textOocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC) allows for rescuing immature oocytes to be used for production of embryos in laboratories. However, IVM currently lags in comparison to naturally occurring maturation regarding post-maturation developmental competency. A downside to relying on IVM is the inclusion of animal serum, which introduces confounding variables and may contribute to growth abnormalities. Commercial IVM media omitting serum are available from various sources including the BO-IVM/IVC culture system from IVF Bioscience. Additionally, the effects of resveratrol supplementation in IVM on sheep oocyte condition are of interest due to observed improvements in matured oocyte quality or embryonic development of sheep, goats, and cattle. Aims. This two-part study aimed to investigate both the effect of BO-IVM/IVC use on oocyte quality, embryonic development, pregnancy, and full-term development, as well as the effect of resveratrol supplementation in IVM media on oocyte quality and embryonic development. Key Results. Resveratrol supplementation (1μM) in IVM demonstrated a reduction in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels in oocytes when compared to the controls (P \u3c 0.01). The incorporation of BO-IVM/IVC compared to MM/SOF increased both the number of cells within the inner cell mass (ICM) (P \u3c 0.05) and total cell numbers (P \u3c 0.05) of resulting parthenogenetic blastocysts compared to traditional culture conditions. Using BO-IVM/IVC increased the rate at which embryos surpass the 8-cell stage within 48 hours post activation (P \u3c 0.01). Using BO-IVM/IVC decreased expression of genes relating to metabolic regulation and potential for cellular differentiation in cloned embryos (P \u3c 0.01). Use of BO-IVM/IVC improved the 90-day pregnancy rate (P \u3c 0.01), and full-term development rate (P \u3c 0.01). Using BO-IVM/IVC did not significantly affect the Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS) rate in offspring observed at term. Overall, using BO-IVM/IVC significantly improved the cloning efficiency when compared to MM/SOF (P \u3c 0.01). Conclusion. Using BO-IVM/IVC improves embryo development, leading to improvements in cloned offspring gestation, development to term, and cloning efficiency compared to traditional culture conditions, whereas resveratrol supplementation in IVM improves oocyte quality
A Pavlovian, Conditioned-Reinforcement Approach to Reducing Impulsive Choice
Get PDFPersistent impulsive choice (the preference for a smaller-sooner over a larger-later reward) is associated with consequential life outcomes. Procedures that reduce nonhuman impulsive choice have long training durations that may reduce their translational utility. The purpose of this experiment was to test a new behavioral intervention to reduce impulsivity that requires few sessions to implement. Delay-bridging stimuli (stimuli presented during the delay to a reward) have been shown to reduce impulsive choice, but delay-bridging stimuli may also be aversive. Conditioned stimuli (CS) established through Pavlovian training are, on the other hand, attractive, potentially even functioning as a conditioned reinforcer (CR). This experiment leveraged the attractive nature of a CS as a delay-bridging stimulus to decrease impulsive choice. Forty Long-Evans rats (20 male) were randomly assigned to undergo 8 sessions of Pavlovian training (lever-CS precedes food delivery), and the other half underwent Unpaired training (CS uncorrelated with food). During the test of impulsive choice that followed, choosing the LLR produced 10-s access to the lever- CS and 2 pellets 10-s after that. Pavlovian training increased self-control choice relative to rats in the Unpaired group. It is noteworthy that the duration of training (8 sessions) is less than most other learning-based interventions designed to reduce impulsive choice
Lidar Scene Reconstruction Using Imagery and Frame Overlap from a Texel Camera
Get PDFA small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) can be used to reconstruct a large area of terrain by capturing 3D scans, consisting of LiDAR point clouds and an overlaid image, and combining the scans together. Forming a complete 3D scene using texel image data (fused LiDAR and digital image scans) from an entire flight can be computationally prohibitive on low-cost hardware, so combining registering scans is done using a streaming method which processes the scans in consecutive chunks. Depending on the flight pattern, matching points in the scene may be visible from scans which were not captured around the same time, so to improve the accuracy of the final reconstruction, reconstructing a complete scene must take into overlapping scans from any time in the flight.
A modification is described which finds overlap in scans which are not adjacent in time to correct for error. This algorithm also addresses the ”loop-closing” problem, which occurs when the sensor returns to the starting point of a survey. In this work, flight data gathered from an sUAV with low-cost, commercial off-the-shelf sensors is used to demonstrate how 3D scene reconstruction using this algorithm can correct for errors. Examples of the resulting TDSMs are presented. The presented research can be applied to a variety of applications utilizing Texel cameras for terrain reconstruction, such as using multiple sUAVs capturing the same area of terrain simultaneously, and allowing for accurate reconstruction without requiring a strictly defined flight path to capture Texel images consecutively
Critically Assessing Normative Methods and Their Limitations in Managing Crowding Within Parks and Protected Areas
Get PDFVisitor experiences in parks and protected areas are shaped by a variety of environmental, managerial, and social factors. To ensure that visitors enjoy their time in these spaces, management agencies often adopt guidelines to establish acceptable levels for different aspects of these experiences. One of the most selected factors is perceived crowding, which reflects how crowded visitors feel in a given area. When perceived crowding exceeds desired levels, it can significantly diminish visitor satisfaction.
This thesis presents two studies aimed at identifying the shortcomings of the management of perceived crowding. The first study conducts a comprehensive literature review that identifies key issues in using perceived crowding as a management measure. It highlights nine critical concerns suggesting that current approaches may not effectively address the underlying factors influencing visitor perceptions of crowding.
The second study investigates how various external factors— sociodemographic, spatial, temporal, trip, and activity characteristics—impact feelings of crowding. The findings reveal significant variations in crowding perceptions based on these factors, indicating a need to revise existing measurement methods.
Together, these studies advocate for a more nuanced approach to understanding and managing perceived crowding in outdoor recreation settings. By improving the frameworks used to assess visitor experiences, managers can more effectively address the complexities of crowding perceptions and enhance overall visitor satisfaction in natural environments
A Voice for Unity: The 1947 Freedom Train and Collective Memory of the American Revolution
Get PDFOne element of American Revolution memory is how united the colonists were during the Revolution. Many subsequent political groups, such as the American Heritage Foundation (AHF), utilized this idealistic collective memory to advocate for unity and legitimize their agendas. Through the 1947 Freedom Train, the AHF shaped and reinforced a unified, idealistic, national heritage to unite Americans against the perceived threats of communism, disloyalty, and disunity at home, partially by framing the American Revolution as a united endeavor. Some Utahns and Americans at large, while supporting the pro-capitalist message embedded in the train, applied its message to support the protection of American freedoms against injustices such as during the HUAC Hollywood hearings and with African American civil rights issues. These situations demonstrated how the ideals in Revolutionary memory did not reflect reality. Through this study, the memory of the Revolution continues to be malleable, fluid, and adaptable to the ever-changing issues Americans face