Variation in blood selenium and serum vitamin E in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) described by location, husbandry, and season

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are important livestock for arctic and subarctic herders, including those in North America, but as climate change affects traditional herding practices, alternative methods of rearing (such as captive rearing) will likely become common. Proper nutrition is critical in livestock production, but there is minimal information available on circulating nutrient concentrations in reindeer, who are adapted to a unique climate. This study looks at 2 important antioxidants. Blood and serum were taken from female reindeer from three herds:  a free-ranging herd from the Seward Peninsula, Alaska (AK), during the summer, and two captive herds (one in Fairbanks, AK and one in Upstate New York (NY) during the summer and winter. Selenium (Se) and vitamin E concentrations were described stratified on season (when possible), location, and management practices (captive or free range). Herd mean values across seasons for Se ranged from 2.42 to 4.88 µmol/L. Herd mean values across seasons for vitamin E ranged from 5.27 to 6.89 µmol/L.

Is An Oversupply of College Graduates Coming?

[Excerpt] Demand for college graduates workers was strong during the 1980s (Blackburn, Bloom and Freeman 1989; Katz and Murphy 1990; Kosters 1989; Freeman 1991). The relative wage of college graduate workers rose and college attendance rose in response. Have the demand and technology shocks that produced this result run their course? Is the supply response large enough to stop and/or reverse the 1980s escalation of the relative wages of college graduates? Read superficially, Bureau of Labor Statistics projections appear to suggest that the answers to these questions are YES. In the latest BLS report, the growing supply of college graduates was projected to outstrip growth of demand by 300,000 annually (Shelley 1996). Even larger gaps between supply and demand were projected in 1992 and 1994 (Shelley 1992, 1994). Looking at these projections, some in the press have reported that the college graduate labor market is about to go bust. New York Times reporter, Louis Uchitelle, for example, led off an article titled Surplus of College Graduates Dims Job Outlook for Others with the following

Molecular systematics and evolution of the Cyanocorax jays

Phylogenetic relationships were studied in the genus Cyanocorax (Aves: Corvidae) and related genera, Psilorhinus and Calocitta, a diverse group of New World jays distributed from the southern United States south to Argentina. Although the ecology and behavior of some species in the group have been studied extensively, lack of a molecular phylogeny has precluded rigorous interpretations in an evolutionary framework. Given the diverse combinations of plumage coloration, size, and morphology, the taxonomy of the group has been inconsistent and understanding of biogeographic patterns problematic. Moreover, plumage similarity between two geographically disjuct species, the Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi) from western Mexico and the White-tailed Jay (C. mystacalis) from western Ecuador and Peru, has puzzled ornithologists for decades. Here, a phylogeny of all species in the three genera is presented, based on study of two mitochondrial and three nuclear genes. Phylogenetic trees revealed the non-monophyly of Cyanocorax, and the division of the whole assemblage in two groups: “Clade A” containing Psilorhinus morio, both species in Calocitta, Cyanocorax violaceus, C. caeruleus, C. cristatellus, and C. cyanomelas, and “Clade B” consisting of the remaining species in Cyanocorax. Relationships among species in Clade A were ambiguous and, in general, not well resolved. Within Clade B, analyses revealed the monophyly of the “Cissilopha” jays and showed no evidence for a sister relationship between C. mystacalis and C. dickeyi. The phylogenetic complexity of lineages in the group suggests several complications for the understanding biogeographic patterns, as well as for proposing a taxonomy that is consistent with morphological variation. Although multiple taxonomic arrangements are possible, recommendations are for recognizing only one genus, Cyanocorax, with Psilorhinus and Calocitta as synonyms. Se estudiaron las relaciones filogenéticas en los géneros Cyanocorax, Psilorhinus y Calocitta (Aves: Corvidae), un grupo diverso de urracas del Nuevo Mundo cuyas especies se distribuyen desde el sur de los Estados Unidos hasta Argentina. Aunque la ecología y el comportamiento de algunas especies en el grupo han sido estudiadas extensamente, la falta de una filogenia molecular ha impedido la interpretación rigurosa de estos estudios en un marco evolutivo. Dadas las diversas combinaciones de coloración de plumaje, tamaño y morfología presentes en las especies del grupo, su taxonomía ha sido inconsistente y la interpretación de sus patrones biogeográficos ha sido problemática. Mas aún, la similitud de plumaje en especies que están geográficamente distantes, como Cyanocorax dickeyi del oeste de Mexico y C. mystacalis del oeste de Ecuador y Perú, ha sido difícil de interpretar. Se presenta una filogenia para todas las especies en los tres géneros, basada en el estudio de dos genes nucleares y dos genes mitocondriales. Los árboles filogenéticos mostraron la parafilia de Cyanocorax y la división de todas las especies en dos grupos: “Clado A” en el cual se encuentran Psilorhinus morio, ambas especies Calocitta, Cyanocorax violaceus, C. caeruleus, C. cristatellus, y C. cyanomelas, y “Clado B” en el cual se encuentran el resto de las especies de Cyanocorax. Las relaciones entre especies del Clado A fueron ambiguas y, en general, poco resueltas. En el Clado B, los análisis mostraron la monofilia de las especies en “Cissilopha”, pero no indicaron la monofilia de C. mystacalis + C. dickeyi. La complejidad filogenética de los linajes en el grupo sugiere varias complicaciones en el entendimiento de su biogeografía y taxonomía. Con base en los resultados filogenéticos se reconoce un solo género, Cyanocorax, con Psilorhinus y Calocitta como sinónimos

The Ithacan, 1983-11-03

https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1983-84/1009/thumbnail.jp

Ovarian teratoma in the mare: a review and two cases

A 4-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare suffering from pelvic flexure impaction was diagnosed with a teratoma of the left ovary. The enlarged ovary was identified several days after treatment of the impaction. Surgical removal of the affected ovary was performed and histo pathological examination confirmed the presence of a teratoma. The features of another ovarian teratoma, which was an accidental finding at slaughter, are also described

University of Northern Iowa Wrestling 2003-2004 red

Contents: --Panther Wrestling Schedule --IBC--Following the Panthers --2-5--Coaching Staff --6-8--Meet the Panthers --9-16--UNI --16-22--Flashback --23-27--Records --24-40--Miscellaneous --41-44https://scholarworks.uni.edu/amg/1301/thumbnail.jp

Laboratory scale evaluation of volatile organic compound emissions as indication of swine carcass degradation inside biosecure composting units

Biosecure livestock mortality composting systems have been used to dispose of diseased livestock mortalities. In those types of system, visual inspection of carcass degradation is not possible and monitoring VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released by carcasses is a new approach to assess progress of the composting process. In this study, field-scale livestock mortality composting systems were simulated and a laboratory scale composting system with aerobic and anaerobic test units was designed to collect VOC samples from the headspace of decaying plant materials (70 g dry weight) and swine tissues (70 g dry weight) at controlled operating temperatures. Headspace samples were collected with SPME (solid phase microextraction) and analyzed by a GC–MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) system. Among the 43 VOCs identified, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, and pyrimidine were found to be marker compounds of the mortality composting process. These compounds were only found to be produced by decaying swine tissues but not produced by decaying plant materials. The highest marker VOC emissions were measured during the first three weeks, and VOCs were not detected after the 6th week of the process, which indicates degradation processes were completed and compost materials microbially stabilized (no additional VOC production). Results of respiration tests also showed that compost materials were stabilized. Results of this study can be useful for field-scale composting operations but more studies are needed to show the effects of size and aeration rate of the composting units

A forage-only diet alters the metabolic response of horses in training

Most athletic horses are fed a high-starch diet despite the risk of health problems. Replacing starch concentrate with high-energy forage would alleviate these health problems, but could result in a shift in major substrates for muscle energy supply from glucose to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) due to more hindgut fermentation of fibre. Dietary fat inclusion has previously been shown to promote aerobic energy supply during exercise, but the contribution of SCFA to exercise metabolism has received little attention. This study compared metabolic response with exercise and lactate threshold (VLa4) in horses fed a forage-only diet (F) and a more traditional high-starch, low-energy forage diet (forage–concentrate diet - FC). The hypothesis was that diet F would increase plasma acetate concentration and increase VLa4 compared with diet FC. Six Standardbred geldings in race training were used in a 29-day change-over experiment. Plasma acetate, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), lactate, glucose and insulin concentrations and venous pH were measured in samples collected before, during and after a treadmill exercise test (ET, day 25) and muscle glycogen concentrations before and after ET. Plasma acetate concentration was higher before and after exercise in horses on diet F compared with diet FC, and there was a tendency ( P50.09) for increased VLa4 on diet F. Venous pH and plasma glucose concentrations during exercise were higher in horses on diet F than diet FC, as was plasma NEFA on the day after ET. Plasma insulin and muscle glycogen concentrations were lower for diet F, but glycogen utilisation was similar for the two diets. The results show that a high-energy, forage-only diet alters the metabolic response to exercise and, with the exception of lowered glycogen stores, appears to have positive rather than negative effects on performance traits

The Ithacan, 1995-03-30

https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1994-95/1022/thumbnail.jp

Eliminating host-mediated effects demonstrates Bt maize producing Cry1F has no adverse effects on the parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important pest of maize in the United States and many tropical areas in the western hemisphere. In 2001, Herculex I® (Cry1F) maize was commercially planted in the United States to control Lepidoptera, including S. frugiperda. In 2006, a population of S. frugiperda was discovered in Puerto Rico that had evolved resistance to Cry1F maize in the field, making it the first well-documented case of an insect with field resistance to a plant producing protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Using this resistant population, we conducted tri-trophic studies with a natural enemy of S. frugiperda. By using resistantS. frugiperda, we were able to overcome possible prey-mediated effects and avoid concerns about potential differences in laboratory- or field-derived Bt resistance. We used the Cry1F-resistant S. frugiperda to evaluate effects of Cry1F on Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval endoparasitoid of S. frugiperda, over five generations. Our results clearly demonstrate that Cry1F maize does not affect development, parasitism, survivorship, sex ratio, longevity or fecundity of C. marginiventris when they parasitize Cry1F maize-fed S. frugiperda.Furthermore, the level of Cry1F protein in the leaves was strongly diluted when transferred from Bt maize to S. frugiperda and was not detected in larvae, cocoons or adults of C. marginiventris. Our results refute previous reports of C. marginiventris being harmed by Bt proteins and suggest that such results were caused by prey-mediated effects due to using Bt-susceptible lepidopteran hosts