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A Regionally Determined Climate-Informed West Nile Virus Forecast Technique
No full textThis collection of Python and R scripts comprise the code base used for data processing and production of results and figures for A Regionally Determined Climate-Informed West Nile Virus Forecast Technique.West Nile virus (WNV) infection has caused over 30,000 human cases of the severe, neuroinvasive form of the disease (West Nile virus Neuroinvasive Disease; WNND) and nearly 3,000 deaths in the U.S. Despite known links to observable climate factors, no effective nationwide WNV or WNND forecast exists. We aimed to produce a skillful, nationwide WNND forecast built upon regionally varying relationships between climate factors and WNND. After examining the relationships between climate conditions and annual WNND caseload for 11 regions in the U.S., we incorporated the most salient climate factors—most commonly drought and temperature—into a regionally determined nationwide WNND statistical forecast model using a Bayesian regression framework. We retrospectively generated forecasts from 2005–2022 and compared forecast skill against various benchmarks, including a simple, historical case-driven model. Our regional, climate-informed WNND retrospective forecasts outperformed a benchmark model only informed by historical WNND case data across all regions, as well as in a nationally aggregated score (univariable: 18.8% [4.7–27.7%], bivariable: 21.8% [7.0–30.7%] improvement). The regional forecasts also outperformed an ensemble model generated from a recent WNV forecasting competition and a parallel, county-level, regional climate-informed forecast outperformed forecasts from the same competition. Importantly, our approach to WNND forecast development aggregated county-level data to broader regions to boost statistical signal and capture the regionally varying influences of climate conditions on annual WNND caseload. The advances here represent a potential path toward actionable broad-scale WNV forecasts.Harp, Ryan D.; Holcomb, Karen M.; Benjamin, Stanley G.; Green, Benjamin W.; Jones, Hunter; Johansson, Michael A.. (2026). A Regionally Determined Climate-Informed West Nile Virus Forecast Technique. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/277780
The 2-out-of-5 and the triangle test have similar sensitivity, but the 2-out-of-5 test has much greater statistical power
No full textOur study addresses a long-standing assumption that multiple tastings in the 2-out-of-5 test induce sensory adaptation, consequently diminishing participants’ discrimination ability compared to a triangle test. Our objectives were to compare the number of tastings, the degree of taste adaptation, and the sensitivity of these two tests. Fourteen trained participants evaluated two concentrations of sugar in iced tea using each test. We counted the number of times each person tasted each sample, calculated the proportion of discriminators for each of the two tests, and measured adaptation to sweet, sour, and bitter tastes. Participants tasted more times during the 2-out-of-5 tests than the triangle tests, however both tests produced similar proportions of discriminators (0.40 vs 0.36) and similar amounts of adaptation. The much smaller chance probability of the 2-out-of-5 test compared to the triangle test and thus its much greater statistical power was not outweighed by any impact of multiple tasting.This study was funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Project (MN-18-081), the University of Minnesota Sensory Center, and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota.Kang, Myungwoo; Vickers, Zata. (2026). The 2-out-of-5 and the triangle test have similar sensitivity, but the 2-out-of-5 test has much greater statistical power. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278968
Addressing Maladaptive Perfectionism Through an Artist Mindset in First-Year STEM Students
No full textPerfectionism is common among college students and is particularly prevalent in STEM and health sciences programs, where high expectations and performance-driven cultures are often emphasized. Prior research has linked maladaptive perfectionism in STEM students to higher stress levels, poorer well-being, and negative academic outcomes over time (Rice et al., 2013; Rice et al., 2015). Despite these findings, STEM-focused curricula rarely directly address maladaptive perfectionism. This study engages first-year health sciences students in exploring their perfectionistic tendencies and challenging them through an art-based approach. The use of art is a novel strategy that aligns with the growing STEAM movement, which highlights creativity as a transferable and meaningful skill (Berehous & Cupchik, 2020). This study applies the Artist Mindset conceptual framework (Taniguchi & Cullen, 2025), which suggests that thinking like an artist is linked to the development of coping skills for mental health challenges. Drawing on six Artist Mindset strategies (Protect Curiosity, Be Bold, Go to Discomfort, Require Play, Suspend Forming Opinions, and Share), this study designed an origami-based activity to challenge perfectionistic thinking and create space for critical reflection on students’ own perfectionism, and examined how this activity influenced STEM students’ understanding of perfectionism and their relationship to it.Jambor-May, Isaac S.; Taniguchi, Yuko; Cullen, Kathryn. (2026). Addressing Maladaptive Perfectionism Through an Artist Mindset in First-Year STEM Students. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/277932
Haul Road and Detour Maintenance
No full textHighway construction projects frequently require detours and haul roads that divert traffic, including heavy trucks, onto local roads not originally designed for such loads. These temporary routes can accelerate pavement deterioration, reduce service life, and impose significant maintenance costs on local agencies. Current compensation practices, such as Minnesota's Gas Tax Method and Equivalent Overlay Method, offer partial solutions but do not fully capture the variability of damage across different pavements and traffic conditions. This study investigates the structural and economic impacts of detours and haul roads on Minnesota's roadway network and develops a framework for improved evaluation and planning. A comprehensive literature review of empirical and engineering-based approaches to estimating pavement damage is first conducted, along with a survey of compensation practices across U.S. states. Field data are next collected from five detour routes and two haul roads using Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD), and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The results are then used to estimate Remaining Service Life (RSL). Due to significant variability in FWD testing, MnDOT's calibrated pavement performance curves are applied to estimate damage, with a case study demonstrating that a three-month detour could reduce service life by more than two years. Additionally, a multiclass traffic assignment model is implemented to predict vehicle-type-specific flows under closures, and optimization techniques using genetic algorithms are developed to identify detour routes that minimize truck-related pavement damage while maintaining network efficiency. While the findings provide some practical tools and recommendations for more equitable compensation and improved detour planning, more research is needed to validate the results obtained in this study.Marasteanu, Mihai; Levin, Michael; Zhao, Zifeng; Nouhi, Shaghayegh; Turos, Mugurel. (2026). Haul Road and Detour Maintenance. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278961
Gradual sugar reduction decreased sugar intake without changing liking or amount eaten
No full textOverconsumption of sugar, especially in sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with health risks like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Our objectives were 1) determine how sugar-sweetened iced tea liking would change over time for people in a gradual reduction of sugar group compared to those in a control group, 2) determine if changes in liking ratings from the initial to the final taste test differed between the two groups, 3) determine if participants in the gradual reduction group increased their liking of lower sugar concentrations. Participants that consumed sweetened tea at least three times per week enrolled in this three-phase study: an initial taste test, a 12-week repeated consumption phase, and a final taste test. At the initial and final taste tests participants were served teas differing in sugar content. We divided participants into a control or a gradual reduction group for the 12-week repeated consumption phase by balancing the groups for their initial hedonic sensitivity to sweetness and their motivation to decrease their dietary sugar intake. The control group received a 7.7% sugar-sweetened tea for the duration of the 12 weeks. The gradual reduction group received a tea that was reduced weekly in increments of 10% of the previous week’s sucrose concentration. Over the consumption phase, liking decreased gradually and equally for the control and gradual reduction groups. From the initial taste test to the final taste test the lowest acceptable, ideal level, and the highest acceptable level of sweetness did not differ between the control and gradual reduction group.This study was funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Project (MN-18-081), and the University of Minnesota Sensory Center.Inamdar, Loma; Vickers, Zata. (2026). Gradual sugar reduction decreased sugar intake without changing liking or amount eaten. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278971
Thomas J. Farrell's Further Reflections on Saying Goodbye to NYT Op-Ed Columnist David Brooks
No full textSee the above abstract.In the wide-ranging and deeply personal 4,027-word review essay "Thomas J. Farrell's Further Reflections on Saying Goodbye to NYT Op-Ed Columnist David Brooks," I succinctly highlight (1) David Brooks' column "Time to Say Goodbye" in The New York Times (dated January 30, 2026), and (2) the mature work of the American Jesuit scholar Walter J. Ong (1912-2003; Ph.D. in English, Harvard University, 1955) of Saint Louis University, where, over the years, I took five course from him, and (3) my life and work.N/AFarrell, Thomas. (2026). Thomas J. Farrell's Further Reflections on Saying Goodbye to NYT Op-Ed Columnist David Brooks. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/277940
Episode 331 - Why I Use the Bulls I Do: Fertility, Polled Genetics, and Outcross Thinking - UMN Extension's The Moos Room
No full textRuntime 00:27:36Brad checks in from a brutally cold stretch in western Minnesota (30–40°F below zero), noting the cows are handling it well and somatic cell counts tend to run low in the extreme cold. He then walks listeners through how he thinks about sire selection in his research herd—mostly Holsteins, plus Jerseys and a few “colored breeds” like Norwegian Red, Montbéliarde, and Normande. His selection philosophy is clear: he starts with Net Merit, but he doesn’t blindly follow it. Brad says he doesn’t chase milk pounds, and he wishes the major indexes put more emphasis on fertility. Instead, his priorities are: Low somatic cell count / mastitis resistance; High fertility (DPR, heifer and cow conception rate); Productive life and durability; Managing inbreeding (using outcross sires when needed); A major current push: polled genetics (especially homozygous polled sires to speed progress); Brad shares many of the specific bulls he’s using and why—including proven sires with lots of daughters for reliability, plus a smaller “sprinkling” of genomic bulls (often because they’re polled). He highlights using popular Holstein sires like Genosource Captain, polled-focused options like Leyser PP and Seabrook PP, plus a few high-type outcross bulls mainly to reduce inbreeding, even if their production or functional traits aren’t his usual preference. He also lists several Select Sires bulls (including polled sires) that fit his functional-trait focus. On the Jersey side, he emphasizes moderate cows with fertility, productive life, and livability, again weaving in polled where possible. For crossbreeding, he calls out Norwegian Red bulls with strong U.S. proofs for fertility and functional traits, and he mentions finding limited polled options in Montbéliarde but using them when available. He wraps by summarizing what listeners should take away: his herd is moving deliberately toward polled, backed by a USDA grant, while still prioritizing fertility, longevity, mastitis resistance, and outcrossing to manage inbreeding—and he invites feedback and debate from listeners.Heins, Brad. (2026). Episode 331 - Why I Use the Bulls I Do: Fertility, Polled Genetics, and Outcross Thinking - UMN Extension's The Moos Room. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278865
Integration of sensor data and lesion history for predictive modeling of dairy cow lameness
No full text2026 Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD), Chicago
January 18, 2026Timely identification of individual lameness is critical for dairy herd health and productivity. While traditional methods rely on subjective visual scoring, the adoption of precision dairy technologies provides an opportunity for objective, continuous monitoring. The study’s objective is to develop and validate a predictive model for locomotion score using behavioral data collected from neck-mounted sensors and historical foot lesion occurrence. Sensor data were collected from 2 commercial dairy farms in Minnesota between January and July 2025. The dataset included daily totals for eating time, rumination time, and inactive time, measured by collar sensors, alongside corresponding visual locomotion scores (0–3) provided by experts (score 0 is a non-lame and score 3 is a severely lame cow). After data cleaning, a total of 6,561 cow-days from 846 unique cows were available for analysis. The locomotion scores were categorized as lame (score 0 and 1; n = 176) and non-lame (score 2 and 3; n = 670) cows. To account for repeated measures on individual cows, the dataset was split into training and testing sets by individual cow, ensuring no overlap between sets. A random forest model was developed using average eating, rumination, and inactive time from the 2 weeks before the locomotion score date, their standard deviations, days in milk, lactation number, and lesion history as predictors. Model performance was evaluated across 30 randomized iterations. While the predictive model achieved high average accuracy (76%), its performance was driven by high specificity (84%) at the expense of low sensitivity (46%), indicating the model was proficient at identifying non-lame cows but struggled to detect lame cows. Lower sensitivity might be caused by unbalanced classes in the dataset. The initial results indicate that behavioral measures can explain a substantial portion of the variation in locomotion scores.Rahman, Towfiq; Shepley, Elise; Cramer, Gerard. (2026). Integration of sensor data and lesion history for predictive modeling of dairy cow lameness. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/277892
Episode 328 - Working Smarter, Not Longer: What Great Dairy Managers Do Differently - UMN Extension's The Moos Room
No full textRuntime 00:33:20In the first episode of 2026, Emily and Brad kick off a New Year’s “resolution” to record more episodes together and dive into one of their favorite themes: management. The conversation is sparked by a German case study Brad found that followed 10 German dairy herd managers (average ~600 cows; range 200–1,200) for three weeks, tracking their work minute-by-minute to see how managers spend time—and what actually drives herd performance. The key concept is “controlling activities,” defined as proactive checks and analysis (not just reacting and “putting out fires”). They break these into three categories: animal controls (pen walks, fresh/sick cow monitoring, reviewing sensor alerts), feeding controls (bunk/refusal checks, feed sampling, monitoring mixing and storage), and process controls (reviewing herd records, equipment checks, ventilation/manure systems, cleanliness).A big takeaway: herd managers spent much of their day on communication and logistics, while only about 15% of time went to controlling activities (animal ~9%, feeding ~1%, process ~5%). Yet the study found that performance wasn’t linked to total hours worked, but to how much time was dedicated to these proactive controls. Farms where managers spent more time on controlling activities showed better outcomes, including lower mortality, lower somatic cell count, higher lifetime production, and reduced youngstock losses. They also highlight a concerning “disconnect” around feeding: managers often had minimal involvement in feed-related controls even though feed is a major cost and driver of health and production. The episode closes with practical guidance for any farm size: prioritize time intentionally, increase proactive controlling activities (even slightly), and ensure herd managers stay connected to the feeding process—setting the tone for a more efficient, resilient 2026Krekelberg, Emily; Heins, Brad. (2026). Episode 328 - Working Smarter, Not Longer: What Great Dairy Managers Do Differently - UMN Extension's The Moos Room. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278868
Thomas J. Farrell Takes Stock of His Ethical OEN Articles in 2024 and 2025, and Walter J. Ong's Thought
No full textSee the above abstract.In the wide-ranging and deeply personal review essay "Thomas J. Farrell Takes Stock of His Ethical OEN Articles in 2024 and 2025, and Walter J. Ong's Thought," I succinctly highlight (1) my ethical OEN articles in 2024 and 2025, and (2) the mature work of the American Jesuit Renaissance specialist and cultural historian and media ecology theorist Walter J. Ong (1912-2003; Ph.D. in English, Harvard University, 1955) of Saint Louis University, where, over the years, I took five courses from him, and (3) my life.N/AFarrell, Thomas. (2026). Thomas J. Farrell Takes Stock of His Ethical OEN Articles in 2024 and 2025, and Walter J. Ong's Thought. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/278832