Control of a Ruminant Pathogen, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, Using Poultry: Effects of Gastropod Diets on Ducks

Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, referred to as “brainworm,” is a parasite that originates in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, WTD) and has the ability to spread and cause harm to livestock, particularly small ruminants. Larvae are shed in the feces of WTD and are picked up by gastropods (e.g.snails and slugs), where they mature to their infective stage. When livestock accidentally ingest the snails, the worms migrate through their spinal cord and around the brain, causing damage that can be fatal. Preventing brainworm infection is important to livestock owners, and a proposed method of mitigating risk is gastropod control. Snail populations can be controlled by introducing poultry (e.g. ducks); however, it is unknown whether the poultry are at risk or if they might even contribute to larvae dispersal. The goals of this project were to determine a) whether ducks are an effective control for snails, b) whether ducks are at risk of harm when ingesting brainworm-infected gastropods, and c) whether P. tenuis larvae can survive the avian digestive tract to potentially go on to infect livestock.Ducks were fed infected snails in trials to monitor how many snails they eat, whether they exhibited any neurological signs, odd behaviors, or illness, and whether any parasites are present in the feces. The birds were not expected to be infected or to have larvae present in the feces. Evaluating poultry as a potential method for brainworm control could help inform livestock management decisions, potentially leading to lower risk of P. tenuis infection

Land Cover Composition, But Not Weather, Affects Female Wild Turkey Roost Site Selection

Populations at a species’ northern range extent are often presented with more challenges than those in more southern regions, given that winters are generally harsher, and the reproductive season is shorter in these northern regions. Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are near their northern range limit in Maine, and there have been no studies that have researched turkey roosting here. Wild turkeys roost in trees at night, and we predicted that roost selection would be affected by changing weather conditions, particularly during winter when temperatures are expected to be coldest. We also predicted that land cover composition would affect roost site selection due to spatial variability in food availability. We captured and GPS-tagged wild turkeys in Penobscot County, Maine, to analyze their selection for four forest attributes during roosting: tree height, basal area, softwood percentage, and distance to forest edge. We also explored the potential for wind chill, precipitation, or land cover composition, particularly human development or agricultural land, to have moderating effects on selection. We used resource selection functions, implemented as generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), to evaluate attributes of used versus available roost sites and considered interactions between weather and land cover. We found evidence to support selection across all habitat characteristics. The effects of wind chill and precipitation on roost site selection were not supported, while land cover effects were. Our results suggested that either a factor potentially linked to land cover that we did not consider, such as predation risk, has a greater effect on selection than weather, or that wild turkeys in our study area had access to sufficient food resources to not be forced to select primarily for thermal cover when roosting

Identity in the Classroom: How Opening the Classroom Door Opened My Eyes to Keeping Humanity in Education

Education can be a dehumanizing experience for both students and teachers. Teachers hold a great responsibility to ensure that student identities are validated in school and to this end, must create a safe and welcoming learning environment. This thesis analyzes common dehumanizing practices in schools and ways in which teachers may unconsciously invalidate their students or be invalidated themselves. In a personal reflective manner, this thesis focuses especially on the text Opening the Classroom Door (Chapter 1 of Teaching Towards Democracy) by Ayers et. al (2017) as I evaluate my experiences in the classroom both as a student and teacher, and reflecting on my changing knowledge and understanding of others through three different lenses: race, identity, and online learning

Global Climate Change and U.S. Law by Michael B. Gerrard, Ed.

Because the U.S. has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, many may see the title Global Climate Change and U.S. Law as an oxymoron. Yet, despite the political stubbornness of the U.S. in the international arena, the law of climate change in the U.S. is vast and fast-changing. This diverse body of law is thoroughly catalogued in Global Climate Change and U.S. Law, edited by Michael B. Gerrard on behalf of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. This book provides an overview of all legal regimes and instruments which directly regulate or can be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and climate change

Spatial Geochemical Changes in Central and East Texas Soils over Time Resulting from Human Decomposition

Human decomposition is studied to aid forensic investigations and better understand the impact of cemeteries on urban resources like soil and groundwater. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in soil geochemistry at and around a human grave to search for lateral nutrient movement and possibly identify new patterns in elemental concentrations that could be used in estimating post-mortem intervals (PMIs). At the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) at Texas State San Marcos, soil samples were collected from a shallow grave over the course of 54 days to conduct analysis for organic matter content, texture, pH, and bulk elemental concentrations in native central Texas soils. East Texas soils were also brought in and placed underneath the body for comparative analysis. Organic matter content sharply increased at the beginning of the observation period before steadily declining, while pH showed the opposite trend. There was an initial decrease in pH, followed by significant increases under and around the body towards the end of the study. At a 25 cm distance from the body, there were significant changes in the soil content of Fe, Ca, and Al, with trends for Fe and Al over time both under and around the body showing promise as a potential chemical marker to aid in estimating PMI. This indicates a lateral migration of nutrients in the soil, likely as a result of bioturbation in the soil by microfauna. Further study of these indicators, especially on uncovered and more deeply buried bodies, could provide the more robust statistics necessary to consider Fe and Al concentrations in the soil when estimating how long a decomposing body may have been present. Investigation of more chemical indicators may be crucial in the future of missing and murdered persons cases, and it informs the body of knowledge relating to effects of cemeteries on the environment and nearby populations

Automated Score Tracking Cornhole Game

Automated Score Tracking (AST) for Cornhole is a wireless system that allows for ease of game flow. Cypress Semiconductor’s new Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology inspired the idea. The CYBT-213043-Mesh evaluation module allows for users to receive real time score data, from round to round. The CYW20819 Bluetooth Module located on the mesh evaluation board integrates the use of components on the module to reduce the use of external components. The Bluetooth module allows for the two game boards to communicate scores for each team per round. The system first needs to accurately award points to each team in order for the game boards to communicate the scores . The system uses passive RFID to detect a “hit” which awards 1 point to the team, a “miss” which awards 0 points to the team, or “sink” which awards 3 points to the team. The implementation of RFID embedded in each team\u27s bean bags along with RFID sensors located on the game boards allows for the display of scores. Once the system has determined the points and communicated using BLE, each team can view their scores on the CySmart app that Cypress Semiconductor developed for the Mesh evaluation modules

The effect of different reinforcements on the fracture toughness of materials for interim restorations

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM. Fracture of an interim fixed partial denture (FPD) may jeopardize the success of the interim prosthodontic treatment phase and cause patient discomfort. PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to compare the fracture toughness of a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin and a bis-acryl composite (BAC) resin reinforced with stainless steel wire, glass, and polyethylene fiber. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Four groups (n=13) of each of the 2 materials were prepared for the single-edge 3-point-bending test. Three groups had the different reinforcements, and the group without reinforcement served as control. Using a universal testing machine, peak load to fracture was recorded and fracture toughness (KIC) was calculated in MNm-1.5. Median KIC values were compared by means of nonparametric ANOVA (Kruskal-Wallis test, α=.05). RESULTs. For the controls, the fracture toughness for PMMA resin (KIC=27.9) was significantly lower (P.10, for BAC resin and KIC=25.8, P>.10, for PMMA resin). There was no significant difference between the fracture toughness of the wire and glass fiber reinforcements for both interim materials (P>.10 in both instances). CONCLUSIONS. Of the 3 reinforcement methods evaluated, wire and glass fiber reinforced the PMMA and BAC resin materials best.Web of Scienc

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Developments 2005-2006

Nebraska’s agricultural land values rose an average of 9.6 percent during the year ending February 1, 2006. This brought the state’s average all-land value to over $1,000 per acre and the total worth of agricultural real estate to more than$45 billion. In the wake of a series of generally favorable income years for most of the state’s agricultural sector, land values have advanced rather sharply over the past three years – particularly in the eastern third of the state. The three eastern districts have experienced value increases of 40 percent or more since February 2003. In contrast to these sharply higher values, some other areas of the state have experienced more moderate gains and even some value declines. This occurred in the South District during the year ending February1, 2006 where the all-land average value declined over four percent. The declines in that area were closely associated with the irrigation land classes. Likewise, gravity irrigated cropland in the Southwest district was down slightly for the year as expectations of future irrigation water availability remain uncertain in these areas. General market characteristics in 2005 were similar to those reported in recent years. Based on reporter information on 475 actual, representative sales, about half of all purchases were for cash with no debt financing, even though the average dollar value per transfer exceeded $300,000 in every district. About three of every five buyers was an active farmer/rancher. Nonfarm buyers reportedly had a significant presence in most local markets across the state; and their activity is seen as a contributing factor in the upward movement of land values. Despite large dollar jumps in petroleum-based farm inputs, cash rental rates for cropland in 2006 were not negotiated lower in most regions of Nebraska. In fact, some modest increases in 2006 cropland cash rental rates occurred in the eastern districts. This year, UNL reporters provided valuable insight into the dollar adjustments typically being made to average cash rental rates when the tenant is providing some of the irrigation system. The sharing of the irrigation system components is an increasing occurrence. Results of the 2006 UNL survey suggest that associated percentage net rates of return to agricultural land continue their gradual decline of several years duration. Current annual net rates of return are in the three to five percent range for much of the state’s agricultural land base