A Study of Stimulating Versus Non-Stimulating Visuals in a Preschool Classroom

This was a qualitative research study with the purpose of examining characteristic and/or behavior changes in children ages two and a half to four based on stimulating and nonstimulating room décor. The data in this study was collected while observing twelve children at the Kiddie Kampus Daycare in Collegedale, Tennessee. Changes in mannerisms, behavior, character traits, and attention span were logged first in the typical, non-stimulating room, and then logged again using the same twelve children, in the same room, during another week of observation after the addition of visually stimulating decorations. Most children exhibited clear reactions to the visual stimuli that were added to the environment. These reactions included violence, disobedience, lack of compliance, overexcitement, refusal to participate/interact with others, irritability, difficulty focusing, decrease of ability to concentrate, and an increase in fidgeting and restless behavior

Rotation periods and colours of 10-m scale near-Earth asteroids from CFHT target of opportunity streak photometry

The rotational properties of $\sim$10~m-scale asteroids are poorly understood with only a few measurements. Additionally, collisions or thermal recoil can spin their rotations to periods less than a few seconds obfuscating their study due to the observational cadence imposed by the long read-out times of charge-coupled device imagers. We present a method to measure the rotation periods of 10~m-scale asteroids using the target of opportunity capability of the Canada France Hawaii Telescope and its MegaCam imager by intentionally streaking their detections in single exposures when they are at their brightest. Periodic changes in brightness as small as $\sim$0.05 mag along the streak can be measured as short as a few seconds. Additionally, the streak photometry is taken in multiple g, r, and i filter exposures enabling the measurement of asteroid colours. The streak photometry method was tested on CFHT observations of three 10~m-scale asteroids, 2016 GE$_1$, 2016 CG$_{18}$, and 2016 EV$_{84}$. Our 3 targets are among the smallest known asteroids with measured rotation periods/colours having some of the shortest known rotation periods. We compare our rotation period and taxonomic results with independent data from the literature and discuss applications of the method to future small asteroid observations.Comment: Revised version, MNRAS:L, 13 pages, 10 figures, 3 table

Induction of T Lymphocytes Specific for Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus in Calves with Maternal Antibody

Passive antibody to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) acquired through colostrum intake may interfere with the development of a protective immune response by calves to this virus. The objective of this study was to determine if calves, with a high level of maternal antibody to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), develop CD4+, CD8+, or γδ T lymphocyte responses to BVDV in the absence of a measurable humoral immune response. Colostrum or milk replacer fed calves were challenged with virulent BVDV at 2-5 weeks of age and/or after maternal antibody had waned. Calves exposed to BVDV while passive antibody levels were high did not mount a measurable humoral immune response to BVDV. However, compared to nonexposed animals, these animals had CD4+, CD8+, and γδ T lymphocytes that were activated by BVDV after exposure to in vitro BVDV. The production of IFNγ by lymphocytes after in vitro BVDV exposure was also much greater in lymphocytes from calves exposed to BVDV in the presence of maternal antibody compared to the nonexposed calves. These data indicate that calves exposed to BVDV while maternal antibody levels are high can develop antigen specific CD4+, CD8+, and γδ T lymphocytes in the absence of an active antibody response. A manuscript presented separately demonstrates that the calves with T lymphocytes specific for BVDV in this study were also protected from virulent BVDV genotype 2 challenge after maternal antibody became undetectable

Keck and Gemini spectral characterization of Lucy mission fly-by target (152830) Dinkinesh

Recently, the inner main belt asteroid (152830) Dinkinesh was identified as an additional fly-by target for the Lucy mission. The heliocentric orbit and approximate absolute magnitude of Dinkinesh are known, but little additional information was available prior to its selection as a target. In particular, the lack of color spectrophotometry or spectra made it impossible to assign a spectral type to Dinkinesh from which its albedo could be estimated. We set out to remedy this knowledge gap by obtaining visible wavelength spectra with the Keck telescope on 2022 November 23 and with Gemini-South on 2022 December 27. The spectra measured with the Keck I/Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) and the Gemini South/Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph South (GMOS-S) are most similar to the average spectrum of S- and Sq-type asteroids. The most diagnostic feature is the $\approx$15$\pm$1$\%$ silicate absorption feature at $\approx$0.9-1.0~micron. Small S- and Sq-type asteroids have moderately high albedos ranging from 0.17-0.35. Using this albedo range for Dinkinesh in combination with measured absolute magnitude, it is possible to derive an effective diameter and surface brightness for this body. The albedo, size and surface brightness are important inputs required for planning a successful encounter by the Lucy spacecraft.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure. Under review in Icaru

Differential Gene Expression Segregates Cattle Confirmed Positive for Bovine Tuberculosis from Antemortem Tuberculosis Test-False Positive Cattle Originating from Herds Free of Bovine Tuberculosis

Antemortem tests for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) currently used in the US measure cell-mediated immune responses against Mycobacterium bovis. Postmortem tests for bTB rely on observation of gross and histologic lesions of bTB, followed by bacterial isolation or molecular diagnostics. Cumulative data from the state of Michigan indicates that 98 to 99% of cattle that react positively in antemortem tests are not confirmed positive for bTB at postmortem examination. Understanding the fundamental differences in gene regulation between antemortem test-false positive cattle and cattle that have bTB may allow identification of molecular markers that can be exploited to better separate infected from noninfected cattle. An immunospecific cDNA microarray was used to identify altered gene expression (P ≤ 0.01) of 122 gene features between antemortem test-false positive cattle and bTB-infected cattle following a 4-hour stimulation of whole blood with tuberculin. Further analysis using quantitative real-time PCR assays validated altered expression of 8 genes that had differential power (adj  P ≤ 0.05) to segregate cattle confirmed positive for bovine tuberculosis from antemortem tuberculosis test-false positive cattle originating from herds free of bovine tuberculosis

Overt Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Infection: An Infrequent Occurrence in Archived Tissue from False TB Reactor Cattle in Michigan, USA

The objective of this study was to retrospectively determine whether or not cattle from the state of Michigan which were classified as bovine tuberculosis reactors, based on currently approved field and laboratory testing methods, were overtly infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Included in this study were 384 adult cattle submitted to the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health over a seven-year period. Cattle were tested utilizing standard methods to confirm that all cattle were lesion and culture negative for infection with Mycobacterium bovis at postmortem examination. Retrospective analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of ileum and ileocecal lymph node were evaluated by histopathology, acid-fast staining, and PCR assays to detect MAP. Overall, only 1.04 percent of cattle showed overt infection with MAP on visual examination of sections of ileum and/or ileo-cecal lymph node. This increased slightly to 2.1 percent of cattle likely infected with MAP after additional testing using a PCR assay. Based on these results, we found no evidence that overt infection with MAP plays a major role in the false tuberculosis reactor test results for cattle examined in this study

Evaluation of a Simplified Measurement for Low Glomerular Filtration Rates With lndium-111 DTPA

A rapid new method for measuring glomerular filtration rates using 111In diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (111In- DTPA) was evaluated with 39 patients who showed marked impairment of renal function (creatinine clearance less than 20 ml/min). A simple, single compartment system was assumed. For comparison, parallel inulin and creatinine clearances were performed. High linear correlations (r = 0.96-0.97) were demonstrated when 111In- DTPA clearances were compared with the standard nonisotopic tests. Initial data indicate that reliable isotopic clearance values could be obtained for low clearances by withdrawing only two blood samples for assay at 6 and 48 hours after isotope injection (without urine assay)

Immunologic and virologic findings in a bull chronically infected with noncytopathic bovine viral diarrhea virus

In February 1985, a 2-year-old bull with inappetence and weight loss of 1-week duration was examined by the field services staff of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The bull had a normal rectal temperature, decreased rumen activity, and loose feces and walked with a stiff gait. The hemogram was normal for hemoglobin concentration, PCV, and total plasma protein concentration, but the bull had a leukopenia which was primarily attributable to an absolute lymphopenia. Treatment consisted of antimicrobial drugs, an antidiarrheal medication, and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug. After 3 weeks without improvement, the bull was admitted to the Iowa State University Large Animal Hospital