Bilingual, digital, audio-visual training modules improve technical knowledge of feedlot and dairy workers

Two studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of digital multimedia modules as training tools for animal care workers. Employees at a commercial feedlot (n = 17) and a commercial dairy (n = 10) were asked to independently complete a 10-question quiz prior to and following viewing of training modules. Module topics in the feedlot were proper handling of non-ambulatory animals and humane methods of euthanasia; modules were administered to the workers, as a group, in either English (n = 7) or Spanish (N = 10), depending on previously indicated worker preference. Modules addressing dairy cattle health practices and dairy cattle handling were presented to the dairy care workers who had a preference for learning in either English (n = 7) or Spanish (n = 3). For feedlot workers, post-test scores were improved by 28% after viewing the modules compared to pre-test scores (74% vs. 58%; P 0.30) between language, topic, and between-test variation, indicating that the modules were equally effective at information delivery to both audiences in both languages. For the dairy workers, test scores improved by 27% from pre-viewing to post-viewing (73% vs. 92%; P < 0.01); there was an interaction between the effect of module and language preference (P < 0.01) indicating that although scores increased for both of the topic areas for the English-speaking workers, only the score for the animal health topic increased for the Spanish-speaking workers. Regardless of nationality, level of formal education, topic, or preferred language, digital media are effective at improving knowledge transfer to animal care professionals

Seasonal and interannual behaviour of groundwater catchment boundaries in a Chalk aquifer

Groundwater catchment boundaries and their associated groundwater catchment areas are typically assumed to be fixed on a seasonal basis. We investigated whether this was true for a highly permeable carbonate aquifer in England, the Berkshire and Marlborough Downs Chalk aquifer, using both borehole hydrograph data and a physics-based distributed regional groundwater model. Borehole hydrograph data time series were used to construct a monthly interpolated water table surface, from which was then derived a monthly groundwater catchment boundary. Results from field data showed that the mean annual variation in groundwater catchment area was about 20% of the mean groundwater catchment area, but interannual variation can be very large, with the largest estimated catchment size being approximately 80% greater than the smallest. The flow in the river was also dependent on the groundwater catchment area. Model results corroborated those based on field data. These findings have significant implications for issues such as definition of source protection zones, recharge estimates based on water balance calculations and integrated conceptual modelling of surface water and groundwater system

Improvements in vortex flow control design to increase sewer network flood resistance

Copyright © 2013 IWA7th International Conference on Sewer Processes and Networks (SPN7), Sheffield, UK, 28-30 August 2013Flow controls are used within the water industry to manage the flow through sewer networks by attenuating flows at convenient or critical locations. Many sewer networks, regardless whether the systems have a flow control installed, are predicted to become stressed in the future due to the effects of climate change, population growth and urbanisation. This issue is compounded by the age of the Britain’s sewerage infrastructure as well as the cost and difficulty of replacing and upgrading the infrastructure. Statutory ‘Catchment Flood Management Plans’ have been introduced within the United Kingdom to tackle this issue by better understanding the flow path of flood water on a catchment scale. This paper discusses a method to maximise the use of the current sewerage infrastructure by installing flow controls, meaning a greater volume of the sewer network can be used for stormwater storage. This paper continues by describing a method of increasing a sewer network’s flood resistance by using vortex flow controls with a lower design flow-rate compared to an orifice plate. This paper then concludes by describing three case studies demonstrating the use vortex flow controls when retrofitting sewer networks as well as the impact of implementing the retrofit design method.EPSRCSTREAM IDCHydro Internationa

The Photophysical Properties of CdTe/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dots

The distinctive fluorescent properties of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) make them advantageous for use in optoelectronic and biological applications. We report on experiments done to characterize the optical properties and the general photostability of CdTe QDs with varying ZnS shell thicknesses. Steady-state and time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements indicate that increasing the ZnS shell thickness results in longer absorption and emission wavelengths, increased quantum yield, and improved photostability.Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James J. Butler and Dr. David Corde

MR447: Seasonal Water Table and Temperature Relationships in Calcareous Till and Residual Soils of Central Maine

Water table depths and soil temperatures were monitored for four growing seasons in six calcareous till pedons developed on gently rolling to level till plains in Corinth and Exeter, Maine. These soils are part of a new catena that supports potato production in southeastern Penobscot County. Three of these coarse-loamy to fine-loamy pedons are moderately well drained Oxyaquic Eutrudepts taxadjuncts in potato fields, and three are somewhat poorly drained Aquic Dystric Eutrudepts in predominantly deciduous forest. Soil morphology, hydrologic data, and a,a dipyridyl applications support the described subgroup classification of each pedon, along with the udic moisture regime. Despite a smooth, glaciated landscape that would suggest the presence of extensive lodgment till, five observation sites lacked a densic contact and one contained residuum (saprolite) in the substratum. Apparent water tables in the SPD very deep soils, as well as oxyaquic hydrology in the deep soils on 0 to 3 percent slopes, suggest the more permeable subglacial melt-out till predominating, rather than lodgment till in all of these pedons. Growing season concepts were compared based on frost-free season at 0 and -2.2° C thresholds, soil temperatures in the plow layer, soil temperature at 50 cms and well-water temperature. The commencement of the growing season in the spring did not differ much across all five concepts. However, in the fall there was a 4- to 8-week lag between the air or shallower soil-temperature growing-season concepts and the deeper soil or well-water-temperature growing-season concepts. Daytime air temperature during the first 2 years of monitoring differed significantly between spring and fall seasons, but not between field and forest sites within each season.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscreports/1027/thumbnail.jp

Rapid, Semi-Automated Fractionation of Freshwater Dissolved Organic Carbon Using DAX 8 (XAD 8) and XAD 4 Resins in Tandem

Natural dissolved organic carbon (DOC) consists of different bio-molecular classes of compounds that are currently very difficult and time-consuming to isolate as individual compounds. However, it is possible to separate natural DOC into hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions. Such characterisation approaches are becoming increasingly important because, over the past 20 years natural DOC concentrations have been rising rapidly in many parts of the world, most likely influenced by climate change. Higher DOC concentrations in drinking water catchments present a serious problem for the water industry because DOC can form disinfection by-products DBPs during water treatment (e.g. chlorination). Hence, there is an urgent need to better characterise natural DOC before, during and after water treatment. However, current DOC fractionation procedures are extremely laborious requiring days and continual manual monitoring to separate sufficient quantities of DOC for subsequent analysis. This seriously limits sample throughput and the parameter space which can be studied. In this paper, we propose a much more rapid semi-automated method (12.5 hours/litre/sample) which utilises readily available equipment, i.e., HPLC pump or similar and sequential columns of Amberlite DAX 8 and XAD 4 resins. The method reduces the manual input from continual attention to minutes. This paper describes the development of the method and its application in the fractionation of natural DOC from reservoir and lake samples fed from upland peat-land catchments. Recoveries are found to be comparable to those using the manual technique, with the dominant component being hydrophobic acid accounting for 35% - 40% of the natural DOC with the second largest, being hydrophilic acid at 20% - 27%