Using Mindtools to build information literacy and promote critical thinking

Information literacy is a skill that students need to handle the overwhelming amount of information. Using Mindtools can provide teachers with a way to help students use the information literacy skills. Mindtools are used to allow students to learn through the use of technology, not from technology. By giving students opportunities to use these skills, they will be able to think critically and independently about the information they access. As a result of focusing on information literacy and critical thinking, students wiII increase proficiency in locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and applying new information. The importance of this review is to determine how to use Mindtools to build information literacy. The most important findings are that Mindtools can be used to give students the tools that they need to independently plan for organizing and representing what they know

Off-Stream Water, Shade and Nutritional Supplementation to Modify Animal Behavior

Another way to manage pasture water for positive water quality is to modify animal behavior. Find out about providing off-stream water, shade, and nutritional supplementation.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/extension_ag_pubs/1224/thumbnail.jp

Dust devils on Earth and Mars: Extension of particle threshold laboratory simulations

Abstract not available

Performance of cropping systems designed to reduce nitrate leaching into shallow municipal well aquifers

This on-farm experiment tested five different cropping systems with the potential to improve nitrate N management in the capture zones of community water supplies in the upper Midwest. Residual soil nitrate N concentrations were determined for each system in order to estimate the likelihood of nitrate N leaching from the system. An economic analysis also was conducted

Effects of Grazing Management on Forage Sward Height, Mass, and Nutrient Concentrations and the Proportions of Fecal Cover and Bare Soil in Pastures

Grazing management can alter the characteristics of the pasture sward. Changes in pasture forage characteristics can affect both the nutritional value of the forage and the environmental impacts of the grazing system. Six 30-acre cool-season grass pastures, containing predominantly smooth bromegrass and bisected by a 642-foot stream segment were grouped into two blocks and assigned one of three treatments: continuous stocking - unrestricted stream access (CSU), continuous stocking - restricted stream access (CSR), and rotational stocking (RS). Forage sward height and mass along with the proportion of bare ground and fecal cover were determined monthly from open and congregation areas within four zones in the pasture. Zones were defined as on the stream bank (bank), from the stream bank to 110 feet from the stream bank (110), 110 feet to 220 feet from the stream bank (220), and greater than 220 feet from the stream bank (upland). Forage samples were analyzed for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), crude protein (CP), and phosphorus (P). The occurrence of bare ground and fecal cover was greater in congregation areas than open areas across all pastures. Bare ground was greater along the banks in all grazing management practices but was not different between pastures in the 110, 220, or upland zones. Mean forage CP concentrations were greater and P concentrations tended to be greater in the RS pastures than in CSU or CSR pastures

Effects of Grazing Crop Residues of bt-Corn Hybrids on Performance of Pregnant Beef Cows

To determine the effects of grazing crop residues from bt-corn hybrids on performance of pregnant beef cows, one non bt-corn hybrid (Pioneer 3489) and three bt-corn hybrids (Pioneer 34RO7 and Novartis NX6236 with the Yieldgard event and Novartis N64Z4 with the Knockout event) were planted in duplicate 7.1-acre fields in 1998 and 1999. Thirty Angus x Charolais x Simmental cows in midgestation were allotted amongst two drylots or the eight crop residue fields to strip-graze for 126 days. Cow body condition scores were visually estimated biweekly and alfalfa-grass hay was supplemented to maintain a mean body condition score of 5 on a 9-point scale. Corn stalks and ear shanks from Pioneer 3489 corn had a higher (P\u3c.05) infestation of corn borers than did any of the bt-corn hybrids. Mean yields of harvested grain, dropped ears or grain, or crop residue dry matter (DM) or organic matter (OM) over the two years were not significantly affected by corn hybrid, but values for bt-corn hybrids were not equivalent to the non bt-corn hybrid. At grazing initiation, crop residues from Novartis NX6236 and N64Z4 had higher (P\u3c.05) concentrations of in vitro digestible organic matter (IVOMD) and lower (P\u3c.05) concentrations of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) than Pioneer 3489 or Pioneer 34RO7. Rates of change in the concentrations of IVOMD, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ADF, ADL and crude protein (CP) over winter were not significantly affected by corn hybrid, but rates for bt-corn hybrids were not equivalent to non bt-corn hybrids. Forage selected during feeding by fistulated steers did not differ in IVOMD concentrations between winter feeding systems or NDF, ADF, CP or acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) concentrations between corn hybrids. Intakes of forage digestible DM, NDF and ADF did not differ between winter feeding systems, but were not equivalent to the non bt-corn hybrid. Mean amounts of hay required to maintain body condition score of cows maintained in a drylot were greater than cows grazing crop residues (3199 vs 825 lb DM/cow), but did not differ between corn hybrids

Effects of Grazing Management on Selected Stream Bank Characteristics and Stream Bank Erosion

Six 30-acre cool-season grass pastures, containing predominantly smooth bromegrass and bisected by a 642- foot stream segment were grouped into two blocks and assigned one of three treatments: continuous stocking - unrestricted stream access (CSU), continuous stocking - restricted stream access (CSR), and rotational stocking (RS). Stream bank condition and surface roughness and stream morphology were evaluated pre-, mid-, and postgrazing over a two-year period. Stream bank erosion was monitored monthly from May through November over the same two-year period. Stream banks in CSU pastures had greater vegetative cover, stability, and condition scores than did the CSR or RS pastures, implying that the stream banks in pastures in which cattle had unlimited access were more susceptible to erosion than stream banks in pastures in which cattle access to stream banks was restricted or controlled. However, no effect of grazing management on net stream bank erosion was observed for either grazing season

Effects of Grazing Management on Sediment and Phosphorus Losses in Run-off (A Progress Report)

In 2001 and 2002, pastures at the ISU Rhodes Research and Demonstration Farm were grazed to determine the effects of stocking treatment on nutrient and sediment loss from pastureland. Treatments included an ungrazed control (UG), summer hay harvest with winter stockpiled grazing (HS), continuous stocking to a residual height of 2 inches (2C), rotational stocking to a residual height of 2 inches (2R), and rotational stocking to a residual height of 4 inches (4R). At three times in 2001 (late spring, mid-summer, and fall) and four times in 2002 (early spring, late spring, mid-summer, and fall), rainfall simulations were conducted at 6 sites within each paddock and 6 sites in a buffer zone down slope from each paddock. Run-off was collected and analyzed for total sediment, total phosphorus, and dissolved phosphorus. Simultaneous to each rainfall simulation, ground cover, penetration resistance, surface roughness, slope, contents of phosphorus and moisture of the soil, and the sward height and mass of forage were measured. In years 1 (late spring 2001 through early spring 2002) and 2 (late spring 2002 through fall 2002), mean concentrations of sediment in runoff did not differ between ungrazed or grazed paddocks. Mean concentrations of total P in the run-off were greater (P \u3c .05) in paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous or rotational stocking than in paddocks that were ungrazed, grazed to 4 inches by rotational stocking or harvested as hay and grazed as stockpiled forage. In year 1, mean losses of sediment, total P, and soluble P were greater (P \u3c .1) from paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous or rotational stocking than other treatments. In year 2, mean losses of sediment and total P in paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous stocking and mean losses of soluble P from paddocks grazed to 2 inches by rotational stocking were greater (P \u3c .05) than the other treatments

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,5-disubstituted α-amino tetrazole derivatives as non-covalent inflammasome-caspase-1 complex inhibitors with potential application against immune and inflammatory disorders

Compounds targeting the inflammasome-caspase-1 pathway could be of use for the treatment of inflammation and inflammatory diseases. Previous caspase-1 inhibitors were in great majority covalent inhibitors and failed in clinical trials. Using a mixed modelling, computational screening, synthesis and in vitro testing approach, we identified a novel class of non-covalent caspase-1 non cytotoxic inhibitors which are able to inhibit IL-1β release in activated macrophages in the low μM range, in line with the best activities observed for the known covalent inhibitors. Our compounds could form the basis of further optimization towards potent drugs for the treatment of inflammation and inflammatory disorders including also dysregulated inflammation in Covid 19