What are Ranch Rodeos?

Cowboys have always had a sense of competitiveness with one another. They seem to watch what others accomplish and say, “Well, that was pretty good but I think I could have done it better.” Hence, the sport of Ranch Rodeo evolved

Forest biometrics and quantitative analysis of forested ecoystems in coastal Alaska

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2014.Growth and yield models are a mainstay of forestry research and a necessary tool in the forest management decision process. Growth and yield models predict forest population dynamics over time and are an invaluable resource to forest managers making harvest and utilization decisions. At present, there are only a few growth models available for Alaska's coastal forests, all of which are either calibrated with even-aged data or outdated. Yield tables and growth models developed with even-aged data can be useful in even-aged management applications such as clear-cuts; however, these models are not able to predict the outcomes of uneven-aged silvicutural systems. The objective of this thesis is the development of a growth and yield model for coastal Alaska and computer applications to facilitate its use. A density-dependent, distance-independent, size- and species-specific matrix forest growth and yield model is calibrated with data collected on permanent sample plots located throughout coastal Alaska. The resulting growth and yield model enables short- and long-term predictions of stand basal area, volume, and biomass. Model assessment, with a focus on plausibility and accuracy, is evaluated on an independent dataset. Two computer programs (AlaskaPro and fgmod) are developed in conjunction with the new model. These programs can be used by forest researchers and land managers to compare the outcomes of various silvicultural prescriptions

Adenylyl Cyclase type 3, a marker of primary cilia, is reduced in primary cell culture and in lumbar spinal cord in situ in G93A SOD1 mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The primary cilium is a solitary organelle important in cellular signaling, that projects from the cell surface of most growth-arrested or post-mitotic cells including neurons in the central nervous system. We hypothesized that primary cilial dysfunction might play a role in the pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and as a first step, report on the prevalence of primary cilial markers on cultured motor neurons from the lumbar spinal cord of embryonic wildtype (WT) and transgenic G93A SOD1 mice, and on motor neurons in situ in the lumbar spinal cord.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At 7 days in culture there is no difference in the proportion of G93A SOD1 and WT motor neurons staining for the cilial marker ACIII. However, at 21 days there is a large relative drop in the proportion of ciliated G93A SOD1 motor neurons. In situ, at 40 days there was a slight relative drop in the proportion of ciliated motor neurons in G93A SOD1 mice. At 98 days of age there was no change in motor neuron ciliation in WT mice, but there was motor neuron loss and a large reduction in the proportion of surviving motor neurons bearing a primary cilium in G93A SOD1 mice.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In primary culture and in situ in G93A SOD1 mice there is a large reduction in the proportion of motor neurons bearing a primary cilium.</p

Changes in Cultural Practices of Farmers in Southeast Nebraska as a Result of Their Adoption of Transgenic Crops

How do cultural practices change as producers adopt transgenic crops? A group of progressive producers in southeast Nebraska were surveyed to learn how practices changed as RR soybeans were adopted. These producers were found conservative in changing their management practices to use transgenic crops most efficiently. Tillage and planting practices were unchanged from conventional crops. Seed dealers and on-farm research were the top educational resources used in determining which varieties of soybeans to plant. Based on this study, on-farm research offers Extension an avenue for providing needed information to producers

Trophic and proliferative effects of Shh on motor neurons in embryonic spinal cord culture from wildtype and G93A SOD1 mice

BACKGROUND: The developmental morphogen sonic hedgehog (Shh) may continue to play a trophic role in the support of terminally-differentiated motor neurons, of potential relevance to motor neuron disease. In addition, it may support the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous stem cells along motor neuronal lineages. As such, we have examined the trophic and proliferative effects of Shh supplementation or Shh antagonism in embryonic spinal cord cell cultures derived from wildtype or G93A SOD1 mice, a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. RESULTS: Shh supported survival, and stimulated growth of motor neurons, neurite outgrowth, and neurosphere formation in primary culture derived from both G93A SOD1 and WT mice. Shh increased the percentage of ciliated motor neurons, especially in G93A SOD1 culture. Shh-treated cultures showed increased neuronal proliferation compared to controls and especially cyclopamine treated cultures, from G93A SOD1 and WT mice. Moreover, Shh enhanced cell survival and differentiation of motor neuron precursors in WT culture. CONCLUSIONS: Shh is neurotrophic to motor neurons and has mitogenic effects in WT and mSOD1 G93A culture in vitro

Recombinant Incretin-Secreting Microbe Improves Metabolic Dysfunction in High-Fat Diet Fed Rodents

peer-reviewedThe gut hormone glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and its analogues represent a new generation of anti-diabetic drugs, which have also demonstrated propensity to modulate host lipid metabolism. Despite this, drugs of this nature are currently limited to intramuscular administration routes due to intestinal degradation. The aim of this study was to design a recombinant microbial delivery vector for a GLP-1 analogue and assess the efficacy of the therapeutic in improving host glucose, lipid and cholesterol metabolism in diet induced obese rodents. Diet-induced obese animals received either Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 transformed to express a long-acting analogue of GLP-1 or the isogenic control microbe which solely harbored the pNZ44 plasmid. Short-term GLP-1 microbe intervention in rats reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol substantially. Conversely, extended GLP-1 microbe intervention improved glucose-dependent insulin secretion, glucose metabolism and cholesterol metabolism, compared to the high-fat control group. Interestingly, the microbe significantly attenuated the adiposity associated with the model and altered the serum lipidome, independently of GLP-1 secretion. These data indicate that recombinant incretin-secreting microbes may offer a novel and safe means of managing cholesterol metabolism and diet induced dyslipidaemia, as well as insulin sensitivity in metabolic dysfunction

Bromocriptine Improves Glucose Tolerance Independent of Circadian Timing, Prolactin, Or the Melanocortin-4 Receptor

Bromocriptine, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist originally used for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia, is largely successful in reducing hyperglycemia and improving glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetics. However, the mechanism behind bromocriptine’s effect on glucose intolerance is unclear. Here, we tested three hypotheses, that bromocriptine may exert its effects on glucose metabolism by 1) decreasing prolactin secretion, 2) indirectly increasing activity of key melanocortin receptors in the central nervous system, or 3) improving/restoring circadian rhythms. Using a diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model, we established that a 2-wk treatment of bromocriptine is robustly effective at improving glucose tolerance. We then demonstrated that bromocriptine is effective at improving the glucose tolerance of both DIO prolactin-deficient and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R)-deficient mice, pointing to bromocriptine’s ability to affect glucose tolerance independently of prolactin or MC4R signaling. Finally, we tested bromocriptine’s dependence on the circadian system by testing its effectiveness in environmental (e.g., repeated shifts to the light-dark cycle) and genetic (e.g., the Clock mutant mouse) models of circadian disruption. In both models of circadian disruption, bromocriptine was effective at improving glucose tolerance, indicating that a functional or well-aligned endogenous clock is not necessary for bromocriptine’s effects on glucose metabolism. Taken together, these results do not support the role of prolactin, MC4R, or the circadian clock as integral to bromocriptine’s underlying mechanism. Instead, we find that bromocriptine is a robust diabetic treatment and resilient to genetically induced obesity, diabetes, and circadian disruption

Task force on immigration and higher education in Central Massachusetts

In August 2007, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc. created a task force to examine the issue of immigration and higher education in Central Massachusetts. It has become increasingly clear from recent demographic and economic studies and projections that the population in the northeast, and certainly in Central Massachusetts, is showing minimal growth. There is evidence that a decline in the “native-born” population is caused by significant out-migration due to a number of factors, including the high cost of living, limited career opportunities and a declining birth rate. The limited population growth that is evident is due primarily to the recent influx of immigrants to this area, with the most significant numbers in Worcester coming from Ghana, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, El Salvador, Albania and Liberia. It is also clear that the area’s economy is becoming more knowledge-based with an increasing percentage of all new jobs requiring some form of postsecondary education. According to the 2007 Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development’s Job Vacancy Survey, 38 percent of current job vacancies in Massachusetts require an associate’s degree or higher. This represents an increase from 30 percent in 2003. Consequently, the level of education that the immigrant population attains is of vital importance to everyone—not only to immigrant students and their families but also to the economic well-being of the entire region. The Task Force was charged with researching the barriers to higher education faced by this new wave of immigrants and suggesting recommendations to address those barriers. The 36-member Task Force was made up of representatives from Consortium member institutions; federal, state and local governments; community and faithbased organizations; the Worcester Public Schools; the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education; and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. Meetings were held over six months, during which the Task Force identified three main barriers faced by immigrant communities in accessing higher education, and sub-committees were created to work on each of these. Speakers were invited to present on topics of interest. Two public hearings were held, the first of which was conducted at Worcester State College in October. It attracted community representatives, as well as college and high school faculty and administrators. The second hearing, held at the downtown branch of Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) in December, was attended by immigrants (English for Speakers of Other Languages – ESOL and GED) students as well as QCC staff.Published versio

Radiochemical Processing Laboratory High-Level Vault Characterization Report

In July and August 2007, RPL Transition Project staff safely performed field work to remotely characterize the A, B, and C HLVs in the RPL. This report documents the methods and equipment used to collect radiological and chemical characterization samples and summarizes the analytical results

Hemodynamic Effects of Anthrax Toxins in the Rabbit Model and the Cardiac Pathology Induced by Lethal Toxin

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) and edema toxin (EdTx) have been shown to alter hemodynamics in the rodent model, while LeTx primarily is reported to induce extensive tissue pathology. However, the rodent model has limitations when used for comparison to higher organisms such as humans. The rabbit model, on the other hand, has gained recognition as a useful model for studying anthrax infection and its pathophysiological effects. In this study, we assessed the hemodynamic effects of lethal toxin (LeTx) and edema toxin (EdTx) in the rabbit model using physiologically relevant amounts of the toxins. Moreover, we further examine the pathological effects of LeTx on cardiac tissue. We intravenously injected Dutch-belted rabbits with either low-dose and high-dose recombinant LeTx or a single dose of EdTx. The animals’ heart rate and mean arterial pressure were continuously monitored via telemetry until either 48 or 72 h post-challenge. Additional animals challenged with LeTx were used for cardiac troponin I (cTnI) quantitation, cardiac histopathology, and echocardiography. LeTx depressed heart rate at the lower dose and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at the higher dose. EdTx, on the other hand, temporarily intensified heart rate while lowering MAP. Both doses of LeTx caused cardiac pathology with the higher dose having a more profound effect. Lastly, left-ventricular dilation due to LeTx was not apparent at the given time-points. Our study demonstrates the hemodynamic effects of anthrax toxins, as well as the pathological effects of LeTx on the heart in the rabbit model, and it provides further evidence for the toxins’ direct impact on the heart