Effects of Biosynthesized Bromoform on Enteric Methane Production, Animal Performance and Tissue Residues in Cattle

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been implicated in global warming and extreme climate change conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified agriculture, more specifically cattle production, as a major contributor to global GHG production. When expressed as liters of gas, CO2 is considered the primary GHG produced, however, in terms of global warming potential (GWP), CH4 has 25-times greater potential than that of CO2. Due to the elevated GWP of CH4, we have constructed a series of experiments to investigate the use of a halogenated CH4 analogue derived from kelp (i.e., bromoform) as an inhibitor of enteric CH4 production in cattle. In experiment 1, 12 Holstein steers were used in a randomized complete block design to test the hypothesis that kelp reduces enteric methane production. Dietary treatments included a corn-silage basal diet fed at 1.5x NEm, containing either no kelp (ground corn carrier only) or ground corn carrier plus kelp at 10% of carrier. Treatments were administered at 0.5% of total ration dry matter (bromoform content= 10 mg/g product). Steers were adapted to their respective diets for 14-d prior to placement into metabolism stalls fitted with stainless steel headboxes for continuous measurements of CH4 and CO2 production and O2 consumption over a 3-d period. Treatment had no effect (P \u3e 0.11) on DMI (g/kg BW) during the adaptation or respiratory gas collection period. In contrast, steers receiving kelp had lower (P \u3c 0.001) CH4 production (\u3c 2.2L/d) compared to the control steers (88.7 L/d). Kelp substantially reduced methane production without altering DMI or oxidative metabolism. In experiment 2, 6 Holstein steers were used in a 17-d respiratory gas collection experiment to test the hypothesis that suppression of enteric CH4 would persist after removal of kelp from the ration. Dietary treatments contained either 0, 0.5 or 1% of diet DM as kelp (bromoform content= 2 mg/g product) top dressed to a corn silage-based diet provided at 1.5x NEm. All feed was consumed on all treatments throughout the adaptation, treatment, and recovery periods. Kelp was fed from d 1 through d 11 such that days 1 and 2 of the respiratory gas collection period represent the effects of bromoform on enteric CH4 production, and responses on subsequent days represent residual effects. On d 1, the 1% inclusion decreased production below the limits of detection, however, 0.5% was not different from the control. A treatment x day interaction (P ≤ 0.0003) was observed for enteric CH4 production (L/d) and yield (g/g DMI). Steers consuming 0.5% of DM did not differ from the control animals (P ≥ 0.3). Methane production and yield were not affected by day in control animals; however, a quadratic response was observed (P \u3c 0.0001) for the 1% treatment and a cubic response was observed for the 0.5% treatment. In experiment 3, 12 Angus steers were used in a 30-d feeding trial to test the hypothesis that kelp would not contribute to differences in intake or measurable accumulations of bromoform residues in tissue. Dietary treatments included a corn-silage basal diet fed ad libitum, adjusted twice weekly for intake, and a top-dress composed of ground corn and distillers dried grain (DDG) and either no kelp (ground corn and DDG carrier), or carrier plus kelp (bromoform content = 2 mg/g product) at 10, or 20% of carrier. Treatments were administered at 0.5% of total ration dry matter. Steers were adapted to ad libitum intake of an 80% concentrate basal diet for a minimum of 14-d prior to introduction of the treatment. Treatment had no effect (P = 0.53) on DMI (kg/kg BW) following 30-d of kelp supplementation. Concurrently, treatment had no effect (P = 0.55) on ADG (kg/d) or growth efficiency (g/kg) (P = 0.82). In support of our stated hypothesis, kelp supplementation did not result in detectable bromoform residues in liver, kidney, adipose or muscle samples collected at harvest following the 30-d supplementation period

The movement and landscape use of Blue Cranes in the Western Cape

The Western Cape population of Blue Cranes (Anthropoides paradiseus) is the largest and most stable population for the species. The population is primarily threatened by high mortality due to collisions with power-lines and the development of wind farms. Yet, little is known about how this population uses the agricultural landscape and their movements. Thirteen Blue Cranes were fitted with trackers to collect Global Position System data and tracked for 3 – 18 months in the Overberg region of the Western Cape. With the provided spatial-temporal information, I estimated the home range size, daily flight distances, and distance travelled throughout the day of breeding and non-breeding cranes to determine whether the breeding status/season influences their ranging behaviour. There was no significant difference of the home range size between breeding cranes and non-breeding cranes (p > 0.05). There was also no significant difference of the home range size of breeding cranes between their seasons (p > 0.05). Breeding cranes travelled significantly shorter daily flight distances than non-breeding cranes (p < 0.05). Breeding cranes also travelled significantly shorter daily distances during the breeding season than the non-breeding season (p < 0.01). All cranes, regardless of breeding status or season, travelled further distances in the morning, decreasing distance during the midday and early afternoon with an increase in the late afternoon. Breeding cranes travelled shorter distances throughout the day than non-breeding cranes during the breeding season (p < 0.001). Lastly, breeding cranes travelled significantly shorter distances throughout the day in the breeding season than the non-breeding season (p < 0.001). From this study the results suggest that factors other than breeding status influence the ranging behaviour of these cranes. Factors such as the availability of roost and forage sites, the agricultural landscape of the Overberg and the presence of other Blue Cranes could also affect ranging behaviour. Although this study does not give clear guidelines on the movement of the population, it establishes a baseline for further studies into factors that affect their ranging behaviour and can still be used to aid in conservation strategies for the species. Future studies should focus on recording their time budgets, including overnight GPS fixes and assessing ranging behaviour over multiple years

The Suitability of Habitats and the Effects of Human Activities in Osupuko and Olepolos Wildlife Sanctuaries on Maasai Giraffes

Habitat quality and resource availability within wildlife dispersal areas in the Amboseli ecosystem are experiencing degradation due to pastoralism and agriculture by humans, which negatively affects the wildlife species that utilize these dispersal areas. Maasai giraffes are a common species that utilize these areas, but information on how human activities and the presence of domestic livestock affects the Maasai giraffe is limited. This study was conducted in two wildlife sanctuaries: Osupuko and Olepolos. Habitat condition assessment was done to determine the quality of habitats found within each sanctuary. The Point-Centered Quadrat Method was used to determine the number of five major and common species found in a giraffe’s diet. Animal Counts were conducted to determine the number and habitats that giraffes and livestock utilize. Results show that despite the high extent of damage, closed bushland was utilized by Maasai giraffes regardless. There is a high number of Acacia tree species with the least amount of vegetation damage, but Grewia bicolor was one of the least abundant tree species with the most vegetation damage. The number of shoats and giraffes observed in different habitat types in both sanctuaries was not significant (r = - 0.816, P-value = 0.1.84, N=4; r = -0.889, P-value = 0.111, N=4). The number of cattle and giraffes observed in different habitat types in both sanctuaries was not significant (r = 0.775, P-value= 0.225, N=4; r = 0.949, P-value=0.051, N=4). Our results suggest that Maasai giraffes are less vulnerable to habitat degradation, there is adequate food supply to sustain a viable giraffe population, and the presence of livestock does not affect the presence of giraffes in different habitats

Statistics and Biomechanics: An Interdisciplinary Evaluation of the Mathematical, Practical, and Athletic Applications of Principal Component Analysis

Excerpt from Introduction Coaches and athletes around the world are in constant pursuit of improving their athletic performance. For some, a routine amount of weight lifting, cardiovascular exercise, agilities and flexibility training with gradual advancement may be enough to see growth. However, many are not satisfied and turn to in-depth analyses of their techniques in order to measure their progress. After an intense workout or competition, coaches spend time breaking down athletic performances based on major movements. By compartmentalizing these activities, they can identify which motions are efficient and which ones hinder fluid motion. From this evaluation and discernment, athletes may then make training adjustments to enhance their performances

Enhancing System Security Using Dynamic Hardware

Within the ever-advancing field of computing, there is significant research into the many facets of cyber security. However, there is very little research to support the concept of using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to increase the security of a system. While its most common use is to provide efficiency and speedup of processes, this research considers the use of an FPGA to mitigate vulnerabilities in both software and hardware. This paper proposes circuit variance within an FPGA as a method of Moving Target Defense (MTD) and investigates its effect on side-channels. We hypothesize that although the functionality of native and variant circuits is the same, their subsequent side-channel characterizations will differ thus creating unique electromagnetic signatures. The investigation and observations of the study include circuit variant construction, side channel attacks and analyses, and subsequent comparisons of electromagnetic signatures. We found that in the analysis of variant DES implementations, there are small but present differences in side channel depictions from native to variant

Evaluating St. Catherines Island\u27s Shoreline, Vegetation Line, and the Locations of Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nests

St. Catherines Island is a highly dynamic barrier island on the Georgia coast that is also federally listed critical nesting habitat for loggerhead sea turtles. Understanding how St. Catherines’ shoreline and vegetation is changing over time is geographically important as a potential template for other barrier islands. Measuring sea turtle nest locations will provide insight into their natural patterns and how they adjust those locations on a changing barrier island. Analyzing Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR) is implemented in this research to assess the movement of the vegetation and shorelines from 2005-2017 using the End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) methods of calculation. In this study, the distances from each loggerhead sea turtle nest were measured to the vegetation and shoreline of the respective year using the near distance tool in ArcGIS Pro. The vegetation line was found to be eroding at a faster rate than the shoreline across the island (mean LRR=-4.98 m/yr vs -3.99m/yr). The average distance from a sea turtle nest to the vegetation and shoreline was very similar across the island, despite different sections of the beach experiencing different patterns of erosion and accretion. The average distance to the shoreline from a loggerhead nest was 19.41m on the Northern Section and 19.02m on the Southern Section The average distance to the vegetation line was 27.07m on the Northern Section and 26.98m on the Southern Section. Linear regressions confirmed that the rates of change of the vegetation and shoreline influence the distance between sea turtle nests and these physical markers, although much variation is present in the dataset (all p-value \u3c 0.01, R2 \u3c 0.08)

Healthcare Cost Savings Through Telemedicine Use At Correctional State Facilities

Telemedicine offers both soft and hard return on investment, including cost savings avoidance and convenience of access to care. Incarcerated individuals represent a patient population that uniquely benefit from receiving care via telemedicine. They lack access to subspecialty care as prison facilities are located outside of urban areas, which is compounded by security risks, risk to individuals around inmates, and transportation cost to tertiary care facilities. To attend a brief in-office medical visit, an inmate requires hours of administrative support and logistical coordination, including appointment scheduling, transport arrangement and related fuel expense, and guard accompaniment - all at a financial cost to taxpayers. Telemedicine stands as a proven solution to decrease these costs and improve access to the care of inmates. The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Office of Telemedicine has provided telemedicine visits to more than 45,000 patients over 22 years and encompasses over 15 subspecialties, which have facilitated care to incarcerated patients at 30 Department of Corrections (DOC) sites in Virginia. Cost savings analysis was performed by the VCU Office of Telemedicine for the 2016 fiscal year. The amount saved per telemedicine visit was estimated by calculating officer costs and transportation costs associated with transporting an inmate to an on-site visit. It was found that each telemedicine visit represents a cost avoidance of $800 per visit. There were 2,850 Virginia DOC telemedicine visits in the fiscal year 2016, resulting in over 2 million dollars in estimated cost savings.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1034/thumbnail.jp

Vicarious Trauma Exposure and Its Effects on Mental Health among Adolescents and Adults: A Narrative Research Review

Vicarious Trauma Exposure and Its Effects on Mental Health among Adolescents and Adults: A Narrative Research Review Harris Davis, Dept. of Psychology, Angel Whitfield, Sydney Judge, Bailee Beverly, Jenna Minter, Harrison Davis, and Eryn DeLaney and Chloe Walker, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Students, with Dr. Chelsea Williams, Dept. of Psychology A narrative research review was conducted to examine studies that have tested the relation between vicarious trauma (i.e., witnessing abuse of others; Trautmann, S., Reineboth, M., Trikojat, K., Richter, J., Hagenaars, M. A., Kanske, P., & Schäfer, J. (2018). and mental health in adolescents and young adults. Using psycinfo to find research conducted to date, this review indicated that there are various types of trauma that adolescents might be exposed to (e.g., domestic abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse) and various forms of mental health issues (e.g., post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety) that might result from such trauma. (Erolin, K. S., Wieling, E., & Parra, R. E. A. (2014)., , Stowkowy, J., Goldstein, B. I., MacQueen, G., Wang, J., Kennedy, S. H., Bray, S., Lebel, C., & Addington, J. (2020). Findings from this review also suggest that there is a relation between varying types of traumatic exposure and several types of depressive symptoms (Monfort, E., Afzali M. H. (2015), Merza, K., Papp, G., & Szabó, I. K. (2015) and that there are more studies on adults than on adolescents. These effects will be discussed. Gaps in the literature will be referenced and potential future research directions will be acknowledged. In conclusion, this narrative research review emphasizes the importance of knowing the effects of vicarious trauma on adolescents and adults for preventative purposes.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1336/thumbnail.jp

Detection of Intestinal Pathogens in River, Shore, and Drinking Water in Lima, Peru

Water quality management is an ongoing struggle for many locations worldwide. Current testing of water supplies can be time-consuming, expensive, and lack sensitivity. This study describes an alternative, easy-to-use, and inexpensive method to water sampling and testing at remote locations. This method was employed to detect a number of intestinal pathogens in various locations of Lima, Peru. A total of 34 PCR primer pairs were tested for specificity and high-yield amplification for 12 different pathogens using known DNA templates. Select primers for each pathogen were then tested for minimum detection limits of DNA. Water samples were collected from 22 locations. PCR was used to detect the presence of a pathogen, virulence factors, or differentiate between pathogenic species. In 22 water samples, cholera toxin gene was detected in 4.5% of samples, C. perfringens DNA was detected in 50% of samples, E. histolytica DNA was detected in 54.5% of samples, Giardia intestinalis DNA was detected in 4.5% of samples, Leptospira spp. DNA was detected in 29% of samples, and T. gondii DNA was detected in 31.8% of samples. DNA from three pathogens, C. perfringens, E. histolytica, and T. gondii, were found in residential samples, which accounted for 10 out of 22 samples

Effectiveness of dermoscopy in skin cancer diagnosis

Clinical Inquiries question: Does dermoscopy improve the effectiveness of skin cancer diagnosis when used for skin cancer screening? Evidence-based answer: Dermoscopy added to visual inspection is more accurate than visual inspection alone in the diagnosis of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; strength of recommendation B: based on systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials [RCTs], and prospective and retrospective observational studies).Sydney Davis, MD; Cleveland Piggott, MD, MPH; Corey Lyon, DO; Kristen DeSanto, MSLS, MS, RD, AHIPDr Davis is a resident family physician, Dr Piggott is Assistant Professor and Director of Diversity & Health Equity for Family Medicine, Dr Lyon is Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, and Ms DeSanto is Clinical Librarian in the Strauss Health Sciences Library, all at the University of Colorado in Denver.Includes bibliographical reference