The use of microbial community fingerprinting as a marker for tracking the source of water: Application to pathogen and groundwater source tracking

Microbial community structure in groundwater is extremely complex and constitutes a fingerprint of water. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based fingerprinting method that is commonly used for comparative microbial community analysis, and to track specific bacterial markers in complex environments.;The Objective of this research was to propose an innovative approach for tracking the origin of groundwater, microbial source tracking and origin of surface water, based on the specific structure of the microbial community using T-RFLP analysis, which can be used for microbial source tracking.;The first specific aim was to validate the use of T-RFLP profiles of deep and shallow waters in Huntingdon, PA, Great Valley, WV and Berkeley springs, WV, as a marker of the groundwater source. Alternatively, a 16S ribosomal DNA genomic library was constructed to identify bacterial species that can inform about the source of groundwater. It was observed that clustering based on screening a clone library gave more reliable information of the groundwater source than the T-RFLP profiles.;The second specific aim focused on the characterization of the microbial community from different streams along the Left Fork Mud River watershed in Lincoln County, WV. T-RFLP analyses were carried out for determining the source of contaminated water. Results showed that different streams of the Mud River watershed has a specific microbial terminal restriction fragment (TRF) profiles, which helps in determining the origin of water.;The third specific aim was to characterize the entire microbial community in several streams in Corridor-H watersheds, WV using T-RFLP analysis. It was observed that water samples collected from different locations of the same stream carried a very specific signature that can be used for microbial source tracking analysis. The T-RFLP method application on spring waters and Mud River watersheds was based on the preliminary results obtained from the analysis of the microbial community structure of several streams in Corridor-H watersheds.;Our results, thus provide the evidence that natural waters has a \u27microbial signature\u27 (T-RFLP profile) that can be used as a marker for pathogens and groundwater source tracking

How Can I Use Frequent Student Feedback to Improve My Courses?

This presentation urges the listeners to think about ways that they can get student feedback earlier in the semester, before final course evaluations. Mary C. Clement is a professor of teacher education at Berry College, northwest of Atlanta, GA. She teaches graduate courses in curriculum theory, instructional management, and supervision and undergraduate courses in foreign language methods. She earned her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is the author of seven books. In August 2009 she began duties as the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Berry College.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/onlineseminars/1017/thumbnail.jp

How Can I Improve Lessons with a 4-step Plan?

This presentation is over Clement\u27s four step lesson plan and how to implement it in the classroom. Mary C. Clement is a professor of teacher education at Berry College, northwest of Atlanta, GA. She teaches graduate courses in curriculum theory, instructional management, and supervision and undergraduate courses in foreign language methods. She earned her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is the author of seven books. In August 2009 she began duties as the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Berry College.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/onlineseminars/1012/thumbnail.jp

Effects of gender, age and treatment duration on lipid profile and renal function indices in diabetic patients attending a teaching hospital in South-Western Nigeria

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is associated with diabetic nephropathy and hyperlipidemia. Gender, age, medication adherence, lifestyle, culture and socioeconomic status could be sources of diversity in T2DM leading to differences in predisposition, development and clinical presentation. Objectives: Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of gender, age and treatment duration on kidney and lipid-related biochemical indices of T2DM patients attending Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria (EKSUTH).Methods: Blood from diabetic patients and healthy subjects was analysed for fasting blood glucose (FBG), renal function parameters and lipid profile. Influence of age, gender and treatment duration on indices was assessed using standard baseline values.     Results: Dyslipidemia was pronounced among female diabetics while the incidence of diabetes was found to be higher in middle-age. The percentage of diabetics with high levels of FPG, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol after 9-10 years of treatment were lower compared with the percentage after 5-6 years of treatment.    Conclusion: Gender, age and treatment duration influenced clinical course of T2DM among patients presenting at EKSUTH but long term treatment appeared to improve T2DM among patients.Keywords: Fasting blood glucose, dyslipidemia, creatinine, atherogenic index, diabetes, Ekiti State

Mary C. Robinson Correspondence

Entries include brief biographical information, a handwritten letter on personal stationery explaining that copies of her book are not for sale and circulate among her friends presented with a biography, and her hopes to gain the attention of author Laura E. Richardson whose daughter Robinson had met at Maine Teachers Conventions

The Effects of Surface Texture on a Variety of Balance Assessments

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe whether there was a difference in balance scores between the utilization of different floor surfaces.The surfaces used to assess the balance scores within the individual were hardwood, traditional yoga mat, and NABOSO mat. The NABOSO technology was designed to increase mechanical proprioception in hands and feet. Methods: The investigators recruited 18 participants between the ages of 19-25, all of them met eligibility criteria to partake in the study. They all completed a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and informed consent document prior to the tests to ensure that there were no factors that would exclude them from the study. The subjects were randomly assigned with regards to how they would progress through the three floor surface conditions. The investigators then led the subjects in a brief warm-up, took their height, and leg height. All subjects started out on the Neurocom Balance Master performing a Unilateral Eyes Open & Eyes Closed test followed by the Y-Balance test. Results: A repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there were no significant differences, p\u3e0.05, between the static and dynamic balance tests (Unilateral Stance and Y-Balance Test) among any of the three floor surface conditions (Control- hardwood, yoga mat, NABOSO mat). Conclusion: The study conducted revealed no significant difference within the test scores of the participant among the three conditions. To provide further support or argument of the results collected in this study, future considerations should be taken into account to conduct the study on special populations such as geriatric patients or children/adolescents. Future studies should also consider prolonging the time of the study and increasing the sample size that might eliminate factors that will affect the accuracy of the results and observe whether the NABOSO mat has an increasing effect on balance and proprioception or experiences similar results to this study

Effects of Elevated Ambient Temperature on Telfairia Occidentallis was Mitigated by Conservative Agriculture: A Demonstration of Global Warming and Adaptation Measures

Global warming has recently attracted both local and global attention because it has potential adverse effects on the environment, human health and food security. To better understand the potential effects of climate change on food security, changes in biomass production and composition of pigment induced by variation in ambient temperature were examined in fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentallis), an important vegetable in Nigeria. Ameliorative effect was demonstrated by addition of compost. The plants were grown under a controlled environment (growth chambers): a 10 h photoperiod and ambient temperature ranges of 30-32 0C, 33-35 0C, 36-38 0C and 39-41 0C with two other natural growth units (27-29 0C) as control. The plants were grown under screen house for 95 days. Agronomic parameters such as plant height, root length and plant yield and biochemical components (chlorophyll a and b and carotene) were determined. Results showed that elevated temperature decreased bio-chemical properties by 29 % (at 30–32 0C) and 34 % (at 36-38 0C) for total chlorophyll (Chlorophyll a and b) and 0.6–11 % (at 30-41 0C) for carotene. With organic compost amendments, chlorophyll a and b and carotene levels increased and growth advanced from 219-340.3 cm, 30–65 g and 5–9 g for height, shoot biomass and root biomass respectively. For the control (without compost), the measured parameters decreased. Increasing ambient temperatures adversely affected photosynthetic pigment production thus putting food security at risk while the adverse effect was mitigated by application of compost. Keywords: chlorophyll a and b, carotene, plant biomass, ambient temperature, climate change, global warming, food security

IPM Series: Houseplants

This publication presents a table of typical symptoms, their possible causes, and recommended actions as well as instructions for selecting and caring for indoor plants

Commercial Landscape Series: Mulch Problems

This publication presents information with illustrations to help correctly identify and address problems with mulch

IPM Series: Dogwood

This publication presents information to help correctly identify and address problems with diseases and pests affecting flowering dogwood cultivars