Trickle Down Engagement in First-Year Common Reading Programs

Common reading programs provide first-year students with common experiences that facilitate their engagement in the academic and social domains of college life. We investigated how the levels of engagement in common reading programs (e.g., recommended the book to students) by individuals in academic support roles (e.g., instructors, advisors, student life personnel) predicted students’ engagement in the book and book-related activities, as well as students’ retention of book content. We will discuss the importance of trickle down engagement (e.g., from instructors to students) in the success of common reading programs and offer practical recommendations to increase engagement in common reading programs.Citation: Coleman, T., Saucier, D., & Miller, S. Trickle down engagement in first-year common reading programs. Paper submitted to the 35th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, Orlando, FL

Hand-held lactate analyzer as a tool for the real-time measurement of physical fatigue before slaughter and pork quality prediction

The objectives of this study were to assess the relationship between blood lactate variation measured at the plant, and pork quality variation on a large sample size and under commercial preslaughter handling conditions. A total of 600 pigs were randomly chosen on arrival at a commercial slaughter plant and blood samples taken from the ear vein at unloading (UN), after lairage (LA), in the restrainer (RE; before stunning) and at exsanguination (EX) were analysed for lactate content using a Lactate Scout Analyzer (LSA). In order to have a large range of measures, pigs were distributed into two groups; one kept in lairage overnight (G1) and the other for 2 to 3 h (G2) before slaughter. Meat quality was assessed in the Longissimus thoracis (LT), Semimembranosus (SM) and Adductor (AD) muscles by measuring the pH 30 min postmortem (pH1) and at 24 h postmortem (pHu), the colour and the drip loss. Blood lactate levels did not differ between G1 and G2 (P>0.05). A reduced muscle lactate and glucose contents (P=0.02 and P=0.004, respectively) resulting in a lower (P<0.001) glycolytic potential (GP) was observed in the LT muscle of G1 pigs when compared with G2 loins. In the LT muscle of G1 pigs, the lower GP resulted in an increased pHu (r= 120.67; P<0.001), decreased drip loss (r=0.57; P<0.001) and darker colour (r=0.50; P<0.001) compared with G2. In both G1 and G2 pigs, the lower GP was correlated to higher pHu value in the SM and AD muscles (r= 120.73; P<0.001). The greatest correlation was observed in G2 between blood lactate levels at LA and pHu value of the SM and AD muscles (r=0.46 and r=0.44, respectively; P<0.001 for both muscles). The second greatest correlation was found between blood lactate levels at EX and pH1 value in the SM muscle in both groups (r= 120.37 and r= 120.41, respectively; P<0.001 for both groups). Based on the results of this study, it appears that blood lactate levels, as measured by the LSA, reliably reflect the physiological response of pigs to perimortem stress and may help explain the variation in pork quality

Taxonomy and structure of the Romanian personality lexicon

We identified 1746 personality-relevant trait-adjectives in a Romanian dictionary, of which 412 were classified as descriptors of dispositions by 10 judges. Self-ratings were collected from 515 participants on those 412 adjectives, and the ratings were factored using principal components analysis. Solutions with different numbers of factors were analysed. The two- and three-factor solutions, respectively, confirmed the Big Two and Big Three of personality traits. A five-factor solution reflected the Big Five model with a fifth factor emphasising Rebelliousness versus Conventionality. The five-factor solution was related to the International Personality Item Pool-Big Five scales, and the highest correlations were indeed between the corresponding factors and scales. A six-factor solution was indicative of the six-factor model as expressed in the HEXACO model, yet with a weak Honesty-Humility factor. Additional analysis with self-ratings from 218 participants on marker-scales for the six-factor solution and on the six scales of the HEXACO did not produce a clear one-to-one correspondence between the two sets of scales, confirming indeed that the six-factor model was only partially found

Effects of plant extracts and essential oils as feed supplements on quality and microbial traits of rabbit meat

[EN] The effects of dietary supplementation of onion, cranberry,  strawberry and essentials oils on meat quality were analysed. Five groups of 48 Grimaud female weaned rabbits received the supplemented or the control ration; the experimental unit was a cage of 6 rabbits. Each experimental diet contained 10 ppm of added active ingredients.  Rabbits were fed with the experimental diets for 4 wk before determining slaughter and carcass traits and determining the pH at 1 and 24 h post mortem (pHu) of the Longissimus dorsi (LD) and the Biceps femoris (BF) muscle, left and right, respectively. Cooking loss, drip loss and L*, a* and b* color parameters were obtained of the right LD and for ground meat and antioxidant status (TBARS, DNPH, Folin Ciocalteu). Only the pHu of the LD muscle for the strawberry supplemented group was significantly lower when compared to the control group (P=0.04). However, we note that for the pH of the LD, the average was less than 6 for the meat of animals who received a diet enriched in polyphenols, compared to the control group. Plant extract supplementation did not influence meat quality traits, growth performance or oxidative stability. But under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, our results indicate that diet supplementation with extracts rich in polyphenols, especially with essential oils, had a small bot sporadic positive effect in reducing bacterial microflora compared to the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, plant extracts and essential oils can be used in a rabbit diet without adverse effects on performance and meat quality traits. This effect could be optimized by investigating higher doses.Kone, AP.; Cinq-Mars, D.; Desjardins, Y.; Guay, F.; Gosselin, A.; Saucier, L. (2016). Effects of plant extracts and essential oils as feed supplements on quality and microbial traits of rabbit meat. World Rabbit Science. 24(2):107-119. doi:10.4995/wrs.2016.3665SWORD107119242AOAC. 1995. Official methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 15th Ed. AOAC, Arlington, VA. USA.Bízková Z., Tumová E. 2010. Physical characteristics of rabbit meat: a review. Scienta Agriculturae Bohemica., 4: 236-241.Botsoglou, N. A., Govaris, A., Botsoglou, E. N., Grigoropoulou, S. H., & Papageorgiou, G. (2003). Antioxidant Activity of Dietary Oregano Essential Oil and α-Tocopheryl Acetate Supplementation in Long-Term Frozen Stored Turkey Meat. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51(10), 2930-2936. doi:10.1021/jf021034oBrichta-Harhay, D. M., Arthur, T. M., Bosilevac, J. M., Guerini, M. N., Kalchayanand, N., & Koohmaraie, M. (2007). Enumeration of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef, cattle carcass, hide and faecal samples using direct plating methods†. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 103(5), 1657-1668. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03405.xCardinali R., Dal Bosco A., Mugnai C., Mattioli S., Ruggeri S., Dalle Zotte A., Sartori A., Cullere M., Castellini C. 2012. Effect of different dietary aromatic essences on meat quality of rabbit. In Proc.: 10th World Rabbit Congress, 3-6 September, 2012, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. 6: 925- 929.CIE. 2004. International Commission on Illumination. Colorimetry. Publication 15. 3rd edition, Bureau Central de la CIE.Combes S. 2004. Valeur nutritive de la viande de lapin. INRA Prod. Anim., 17: 373-383.Fraysse J.L., Darre A. 1989. Production des viandes. Volume I. Ed Technique et documentation. Lavoisier. Paris, pp. 374.Greer G.G., 1989. Red meat, poultry, and fish. In: McKellar R.C. (ed). Enzymes of psychotrophs in raw food. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA, 267-292.King J.C., Black R.E., Doyle M.P., Fritsche K.L., Halbrook B.H., Levander O.A., Meydani S.N., Walker W.A., Woteki C.E. 2000. Foodborne illnesses and nutritional status: a statement from an american society for nutritional sciences working group. J. Nutr., 130: 2613-2617.Magdelaine P. 2003. Économie et avenir des filières avicoles et cunicoles. INRA Prod. Anim., 16: 349-356.Peiretti, P. G., & Meineri, G. (2008). Effects on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and the fat and meat fatty acid profile of rabbits fed diets with chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed supplements. Meat Science, 80(4), 1116-1121. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2008.05.003Pla M. 1999. Carcass and meat quality of growing rabbits under high ambient temperature using high fat diets. In: Testik A., Baselga M. (ed). 2nd International Conference on rabbit production in hot climates. Ciheam-Iamz Adana (Turquía). Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, 41: 93-98.Rasmussen A.J., Andersson M. 1996. New method for determination of drip loss in pork muscles. In Proc.: 42nd International Congress of Meat Science and Technology,1-6 September, 1996. Lillehammer, Norway. 286-287.Rotolo, L., Gai, F., Nicola, S., Zoccarato, I., Brugiapaglia, A., & Gasco, L. (2013). Dietary Supplementation of Oregano and Sage Dried Leaves on Performances and Meat Quality of Rabbits. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 12(11), 1937-1945. doi:10.1016/s2095-3119(13)60631-0Salvini S., Parpinel M., Gnagnarella P., Maisonneuve P., Turrini A. 1998. Banca dati di composizione degli alimenti per studi epidemiologici in Italia. Ed. Istituto Superiore di Oncologia, Genova, Italy.SAS. 2002. SAS/STAT User's Guide (Release 9.1). SAS Institute, Inc., Cary NC, USA.Subramanian K.N., Padmanaban G., Sarma P.S. 1965. Folin-Ciocalteu reagent for the estimation of siderochromes. Anal. Biochem., 12: 106-112. doi:10.1016/0003-2697(65)90147-Thomas M.K., Majowicz S.E, Pollari F., Sockett P.N. 2008. Burden of acute gastrointestinal illness in Canada, 1999-2007: Interim summary of NSAGI activities. Canada Communicable Disease Report, 34: 8-13

Effect of acute copper sulfate exposure on olfactory responses to amino acids and pheromones in goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Exposure of olfactory epithelium to environmentally relevant concentrations of copper disrupts olfaction in fish. To examine the dynamics of recovery at both functional and morphological levels after acute copper exposure, unilateral exposure of goldfish olfactory epithelia to 100 μM CuSO4 (10 min) was followed by electro-olfactogram (EOG) recording and scanning electron microscopy. Sensitivity to amino acids (L-arginine and L-serine), generally considered food-related odorants, recovered most rapidly (three days), followed by that to catecholamines(3-O-methoxytyramine),bileacids(taurolithocholic acid) and the steroid pheromone, 17,20 -dihydroxy-4-pregnen- 3-one 20-sulfate, which took 28 days to reach full recovery. Sensitivity to the postovulatory pheromone prostaglandin F2R had not fully recovered even at 28 days. These changes in sensitivity were correlated with changes in the recovery of ciliated and microvillous receptor cell types. Microvillous cells appeared largely unaffected by CuSO4 treatment. Cilia in ciliated receptor neurones, however, appeared damaged one day post-treatment and were virtually absent after three days but had begun to recover after 14 days. Together, these results support the hypothesis that microvillous receptor neurones detect amino acids whereas ciliated receptor neurones were not functional and are responsible for detection of social stimuli (bile acidsandpheromones).Furthermore, differences in sensitivity to copper may be due to different transduction pathways in the different cell types

Decline in the strength of genetic controls on aspen environmental responses from seasonal to century‐long phenomena

Understanding intra-specific variation in climate sensitivity could improve the prediction of tree responses to climate change. We attempted to identify the degree of genetic control of tree phenology and growth of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Mchx.) in a natural stand of this species in northwestern Quebec. We mapped and genotyped 556 aspen trees growing within the plot, using seven nuclear microsatellite loci for clone identification. We selected 13 clones (n of trees per clone >5, in total 350 trees) and evaluated the explanatory power of clone identity in (a) variability of spring leaf phenology and (b) short- and long-term growth responses. The clone's identity explained 43% of the variability in spring leaf phenology, between 18% and 20% of variability in response to monthly climate variables significantly affecting growth, between 8% and 26% of growth response to insect outbreaks, and 12% in the long-term growth rates. Strong clonal control of aspen phenology and moderate control of growth responses to monthly weather do not result in an equally large impact on long-term growth rates. The result suggests an important role of environmental extremes and within community interactions as factors averaging aspen growth performance at the stand level

The role of individual differences in resistance to persuasion on memory for political advertisements

When people see political advertisements on a polarized issue they take a stance on, what factors influence how they respond to and remember the adverts contents? Across three studies, we tested competing hypotheses about how individual differences in social vigilantism (i.e., attitude superiority) and need for cognition relate to intentions to resist attitude change and memory for political advertisements concerning abortion. In Experiments 1 and 2, we examined participants’ intentions to use resistance strategies to preserve their pre-existing attitudes about abortion, by either engaging against opposing opinions or disengaging from them. In Experiment 3, we examined participants’ memory for information about both sides of the controversy presented in political advertisements. Our results suggest higher levels of social vigilantism are related to greater intentions to counterargue and better memory for attitude-incongruent information. These findings extend our understanding of individual differences in how people process and respond to controversial social and political discourse

The role of individual differences in resistance to persuasion on memory for political advertisements

When people see political advertisements on a polarized issue they take a stance on, what factors influence how they respond to and remember the adverts contents? Across three studies, we tested competing hypotheses about how individual differences in social vigilantism (i.e., attitude superiority) and need for cognition relate to intentions to resist attitude change and memory for political advertisements concerning abortion. In Experiments 1 and 2, we examined participants’ intentions to use resistance strategies to preserve their pre-existing attitudes about abortion, by either engaging against opposing opinions or disengaging from them. In Experiment 3, we examined participants’ memory for information about both sides of the controversy presented in political advertisements. Our results suggest higher levels of social vigilantism are related to greater intentions to counterargue and better memory for attitude-incongruent information. These findings extend our understanding of individual differences in how people process and respond to controversial social and political discourse

Watson Brake, A Middle Archaic Mound Complex in Northeast Louisiana

Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of the famous but much younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early mound sites. Wry extensive coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six huninescence dates, show that minor earthworks were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens at the edge of a stream terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ca. 3350 B.C. and continued in stages until some time after 3000 B.C. when the site was abandoned. All 11 mounds and their connecting ridges were occupied between building bursts. Soils,formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithics. fire-cracked rock. and,fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains from a basal midden indicate all-season occupation, supported by broad-spectrum foraging centered on nuts, fish, and deer All the overlying fills are so acidic that organics have not survived. The area enclosed by the mounds was kept clean of debris, suggesting its use as ritual space. The reasons why such elaborate activities first occurred here remain elusive. However some building bursts covary with very well-documented increases in El Nino/Southern Oscillation events. During such rapid increases in ENSO frequencies, rainfall becomes extremely erratic and unpredictable. It may be that early moundraising was a communal response to new stresses of droughts and flooding that created a suddenly more unpredictable food base