Pioneer Mother Monuments: Constructing Cultural Memory

Review of: Pioneer Mother Monuments: Constructing Cultural Memory, by Cynthia Culver Prescott

Evaluation of Mixing Wet Distillers Grains with Ground Hay in a Bunker and Covering Modified Distillers Grains to Extend Storage Life—A Demonstration Project

The ethanol industry is rapidly expanding. As much as 40 percent of the energy cost is associated with drying of the feed co-products. Distillers grains are excellent sources of nutrients for the diets of beef cattle, but have a short shelf life. To expand the use of wet distillers feeds to more producers, longer term, low-cost storage methods are required. Studies done in 2006–2007 showed that bagging these products was an effective management practice, but was higher in cost than acceptable to some producers. Additionally, availability of bagging equipment is limited, thus encouraging other storage methodologies to be investigated

Pasture Supplementation of Distillers Dried Grains to Growing Heifers in Southern Iowa

Eighty-eight fall born Angus heifers were used in a grazing study to evaluate supplementation of two levels of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) supplemented on Southern Iowa pastures. The levels of supplementation were none (CONT), .5% of body weight (MED) and 1.1% of body weight (HIGH). Stocking rates were increased 22% and 44% for the MED and HIGH treatments compared to controls. Daily gains were 1.13, 1.30 and 1.47 lb. per day for CONT, MED and HIGH treatments. It appeared that cattle fed the HIGH level of supplementation had reduced pasture consumption, whereas MED levels did not. At current costs the HIGH level was more effective than MED at lowering cost per lb. of gain. Supplementation of DDGS improved cattle performance, but levels above .5% of body weight were necessary to substitute for pasture in this study

Supplemental Feeding of Mixed Co-products to Grazing Heifers

The growth of the ethanol industry in the Midwest has greatly increased in the last 5 years. This increase has affected the cattle industry in many ways. The increased demand for corn by this industry has driven prices to new highs over the last 3 years. This has affected feed costs for the cattle industry. On the other hand, the growth of the ethanol industry has increased the amount of byproducts that are produced

Pasture Supplementation of Dakota Bran (TM) Pelleted Distillers Product to Growing Heifers in Southern Iowa

Sixty-six fall born Angus heifers were used in a grazing study to evaluate supplementation of Dakota Bran TM pelleted distillers grain product supplemented on Southern Iowa pastures. The levels of supplementation were two groups of none (CONT) and two groups fed 1.5 percent of body weight (TRMT). Stocking rates were increased 29 percent for the treatment groups compared to controls. Daily gains were 0.79 lb. per day for the controls and 1.48 for the treatments during the supplementation period. Calculations based off of sward height measures for both groups indicate supplemented heifers had a 26.8 percent reduction in pasture dry matter intake. At current costs for Dakota Bran TM treatment groups extra gain slightly outweighed feed costs while higher stocking rates and pasture extension increased value of the product

Correlations between biochemical testing, pathology findings and preoperative sestamibi scans: a retrospective study of the minimally invasive radioguided parathyroidectomy (MIRP) approach

BACKGROUND: Sestamibi imaging is the most widely used preoperative localization study for patients with hyperparathyroidism. Previous reports examine the relationship between the weight and volume of excised parathyroid glands and preoperative serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. The aim of this study was to examine whether these variables correlate with the results of preoperative Sestamibi scans. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 150 consecutive patients who underwent preoperative sestamibi imaging for primary hyperparathyroidism between 1998 and 2007 was performed. Variables studied included patient demographics, diagnostic test (sestamibi) results, operative/pathology findings and surgical outcome (normocalcaemia vs. persistent hypercalcaemia). Sestamibi scans were designated as either "negative" (NSS) or "positive" (PSS), where PSS correctly localized abnormal gland(s) enabling a focused neck exploration. The results of sestamibi imaging were correlated with calcium/PTH levels, weight/volume of excised glands and patient outcomes and demographics. RESULTS: Total excised gland weight/volume and preoperative serum calcium levels were significantly higher with PSS (all, p < 0.04). Higher preoperative serum calcium levels and greater total gland weight/volume were significantly associated with successful operative outcome (presence of postoperative normocalcaemia; all, p < 0.01). Factors associated with operative failure included multi-gland disease (p < 0.01) and NSS (p < 150 pg/mL) were associated with greater excised gland mass (p < 0.05) and volume (p < 0.05). Male gender was associated with higher preoperative serum calcium levels (p < 0.02). Of interest, patients with single-gland disease had significantly higher preoperative PTH levels than patients with multi-gland disease (155 vs. 109 pg/mL, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Positive sestamibi scans are associated with heavier/larger parathyroid glands and higher preoperative serum calcium levels. Male gender was associated with higher preoperative serum calcium levels, while single-gland disease was associated with higher preoperative PTH levels. In addition, successful surgical outcome was associated with higher preoperative serum calcium levels and with greater excised parathyroid gland mass/volume. Surgical failure was associated with multi-gland disease and negative sestamibi

Balancing environmental impacts and benefits of wastewater reuse

Wastewater reuse is being widely promulgated to help address the global freshwater resource crisis. It can assist in reducing extraction of freshwater from the environment, and reuse of wastewater lessens the need for environmental discharge, which is clearly beneficial to receiving waters. But the practice itself also has the potential to be detrimental to natural and human environments: soil structure can become degraded, aquifers may be polluted, and human health may be threatened. The challenge facing natural resource managers is to identify the potential benefits and risks, and to achieve an appropriate balance. This paper describes environmental benefits and threats concomitant with the reuse of wastewater. We frequently draw upon examples from China and Australia-two countries that face particularly daunting water resourcechallenges-but the principles can be.extended far beyond these geographical bounds and are applicable tomany parts of the world.<br /

Investigating the effects of nintedanib on biomarkers of extracellular matrix turnover in patients with IPF : design of the randomised placebo-controlled INMARK®trial

Introduction A feature of the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the excess accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the lungs. Cleavage of the ECM by metalloproteinases (MMPs) generates freecirculating protein fragments known as neoepitopes. The PROFILE study suggested that changes in ECM turnover proteins may be of value as markers of disease progression in patients with IPF. Nintedanib is an approved treatment for IPF that slows disease progression by reducing decline in forced vital capacity (FVC). Methods and analysis The INMARK® trial is evaluating the effect of nintedanib on the rates of change of biomarkers of ECM turnover in patients with IPF, the value of changes in these biomarkers as predictors of disease progression and whether nintedanib affects the associations between changes in these biomarkers and disease progression. Following a screening period, 347 patients with IPF and FVC ≥80% predicted were randomised 1:2 to receive nintedanib 150 mg two times a day or placebo for 12 weeks, followed by an open-label period in which all patients will receive nintedanib for 40 weeks. The primary endpoint is the rate of change in C reactive protein degraded by MMP-1/8 from baseline to week 12. Ethics and dissemination This trial is being conducted in compliance with the protocol, the ethical principles detailed in the Declaration of Helsinki and in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonisation Harmonised Tripartite Guideline for Good Clinical Practice. The results of the trial will be presented at national and international meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number NCT0278847

A Genome-wide screen identifies frequently methylated genes in haematological and epithelial cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genetic as well as epigenetic alterations are a hallmark of both epithelial and haematological malignancies. High throughput screens are required to identify epigenetic markers that can be useful for diagnostic and prognostic purposes across malignancies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report for the first time the use of the MIRA assay (methylated CpG island recovery assay) in combination with genome-wide CpG island arrays to identify epigenetic molecular markers in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on a genome-wide scale. We identified 30 genes demonstrating methylation frequencies of ≥25% in childhood ALL, nine genes showed significantly different methylation frequencies in B vs T-ALL. For majority of the genes expression could be restored in methylated leukemia lines after treatment with 5-azaDC. Forty-four percent of the genes represent targets of the polycomb complex. In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) two of the genes, (<it>TFAP2A </it>and <it>EBF2)</it>, demonstrated increased methylation in blast crisis compared to chronic phase (P < 0.05). Furthermore hypermethylation of an autophagy related gene <it>ATG16L2 </it>was associated with poorer prognosis in terms of molecular response to Imatinib treatment. Lastly we demonstrated that ten of these genes were also frequently methylated in common epithelial cancers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary we have identified a large number of genes showing frequent methylation in childhood ALL, methylation status of two of these genes is associated with advanced disease in CML and methylation status of another gene is associated with prognosis. In addition a subset of these genes may act as epigenetic markers across hematological malignancies as well as common epithelial cancers.</p