PSII-B-22 High-impact minimester course in animal science

Abstract Many Animal Science students have little exposure to working livestock production systems prior to entering college. As such, they can lack insight into day-to-day challenges and rationale behind decision making in these systems, opening the door for adoption of misconceptions frequently promoted in popular press. Additionally, students identify lack of first-hand knowledge and experience in the industry as a challenge to their educational success. Field trips stimulate interest and motivation, provide context for learning, and influence long-term career goals, but are underutilized in higher education. Potential impact of such experiences prompted creation of the Texas Panhandle Beef Production Tour, a 2-credit hour course that takes place during the spring minimester. To cement learning through reflection, students were asked to respond to a series of questions before, during, and after visiting beef production sites in the Texas Panhandle to probe preconceptions, observations, and outcomes of the experience. We then performed a retroactive evaluation of these reflections (n = 22) to determine cogent themes. Emergent themes included surprise at the intensive systems of data collection and management and the level of technology used at each site. Cattle were calmer and more comfortable than expected at feedlots, dairy, and packing plants visited. Students expressed new appreciation and understanding of course material and a desire to share their insights with others after completing the tour. Finally, participants gained a broader view of industry opportunities and returned with renewed motivation to pursue additional hands-on opportunities. Participation in this course provided valuable insight into the livestock production industry and motivated students to explore new career options and address their own preconceptions of the industry through independent inquiry. Creation of similar courses may be useful to address misconceptions, create personal connections with course material, and broaden career interests in undergraduate animal science students.

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The impact of maths support tutorials on mathematics confidence and academic performance in a cohort of HE Animal Science students

10.7287/peerj.preprints.355 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Nieky van Veggel ◽

Jonathan Amory

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Student Experiences ◽

First Year ◽

Science Students ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Animal Science ◽

Mathematics Confidence ◽

Management Students ◽

The Impact ◽

Insight Into

Students embarking on a bioscience degree course, such as Animal Science, often do not have sufficient experience in mathematics. However, mathematics form an essential and integral part of any bioscience degree and are essential to enhance employability. This paper presents the findings of a project looking at the effect of mathematics tutorials on a cohort of first year animal science and management students. The results of a questionnaire, focus group discussions and academic performance analysis indicate that small group tutorials enhance students’ confidence in maths and improve students’ academic performance. Furthermore, student feedback on the tutorial programme provides a deeper insight into student experiences and the value students assign to the tutorials.

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The impact of maths support tutorials on mathematics confidence and academic performance in a cohort of HE Animal Science students

10.7287/peerj.preprints.355v1 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Nieky van Veggel ◽

Jonathan Amory

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Student Experiences ◽

First Year ◽

Science Students ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Animal Science ◽

Mathematics Confidence ◽

Management Students ◽

The Impact ◽

Insight Into

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Livestock Mobility Through Integrated Beef Production-Scapes Supports Rangeland Livestock Production and Conservation

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.3389/fsufs.2020.549359 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

Sheila Barry

Keyword(s):

Production System ◽

Consumer Choice ◽

Production Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

Small Scale ◽

Beef Production ◽

Extensive Grazing ◽

Intensive Production ◽

Inspection Data

Much of the world's rangelands contribute to food production through extensive grazing systems. In these systems, livestock producers, pastoralists, and ranchers move grazing animals to access variable feed and water resources to create value while supporting numerous other ecosystem services. Loss of mobility due to political, social, ecological, and economic factors is documented throughout the world and poses a substantial risk to rangeland livestock production and conservation of rangeland resources. The integration of production-scapes can facilitate livestock mobility through transportation and trade. This paper describes the beef cattle production system in California, where transporting and marketing animals integrate an extensive grazing system with intensive production systems, including feeding operations. Analysis of livestock inspection data quantifies the magnitude of livestock movements in the state and the scope of production-system integration. Over 500,000 head−47 percent of the state's calf crop—leave California rangelands and are moved to new pastures or feedyards seasonally over a 12 week period each year. Most ranchers in California, from small-scale producers (1 to 50 head) to larger producers (more than 5,000), participate in the integrated beef production system. Less than 1% of steers and heifers go from rangeland to meat processing. Like pastoralists, ranchers strategically move cattle around (and off) rangeland to optimize production within a variable climate. Ranchers indicate that their movements result from changes in forage quality and quantity and support their desire to manage for conservation objectives, including reducing fire fuels, controlling weeds, and managing for wildlife habitat. Inspection data, as well as direct observation, interviews, and surveys within the San Francisco Bay area, reveal the extent to which the region's ranchers rely on saleyards to facilitate the movement of cattle and integration of production systems. Saleyards and cattle buyers drive beef production efficiency by sorting, pricing, and moving cattle and matching them to feed resources in more intensive production systems. However, transactions lack traceability to inform policy and consumer choice. New data technologies like blockchain can provide traceability through integrated production-scapes and facilitate market development to support grazing landscapes and consumer choice.

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Study of the resistor material of an automotive spark plug by use of the charge-up effect along with elemental mapping in an electron microprobe

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100088026 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 742-743

Author(s):

D. R. Liu ◽

S. S. Shinozaki ◽

J. S. Park ◽

B. N. Juterbock

Keyword(s):

Electron Microprobe ◽

Present Report ◽

Coated Sample ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Elemental Mapping ◽

Spark Plug ◽

Carbon Coated ◽

Electron Image ◽

Electron Imaging ◽

Insight Into

The electric and thermal properties of the resistor material in an automotive spark plug should be stable during its service lifetime. Containing many elements and many phases, this material has a very complex microstructure. Elemental mapping with an electron microprobe can reveal the distribution of all relevant elements throughout the sample. In this work, it is demonstrated that the charge-up effect, which would distort an electron image and, therefore, is normally to be avoided in an electron imaging work, could be used to advantage to reveal conductive and resistive zones in a sample. Its combination with elemental mapping can provide valuable insight into the underlying conductivity mechanism of the resistor.This work was performed in a CAMECA SX-50 microprobe. The spark plug used in the present report was a commercial product taken from the shelf. It was sectioned to expose the cross section of the resistor. The resistor was known not to contain the precious metal Au as checked on the carbon coated sample. The sample was then stripped of carbon coating and re-coated with Au.

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Quantum Mechanical Interpretation of the Ultra-Low Energy Methyl-Rotation Dynamics in Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks Probed by Low-Frequency Vibrational Spectroscopy and ab initio Simulations

10.26434/chemrxiv.5995078.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Qi Li ◽

Adam J. Zaczek ◽

Timothy M. Korter ◽

J. Axel Zeitler ◽

Michael T. Ruggiero

Keyword(s):

Ab Initio ◽

Metal Organic Frameworks ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Rotor Dynamics ◽

Quantum Mechanical ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Void Space ◽

Ab Initio Simulations ◽

Metal Organic ◽

Insight Into

<div>Understanding the nature of the interatomic interactions present within the pores of metal-organic frameworks</div><div>is critical in order to design and utilize advanced materials</div><div>with desirable applications. In ZIF-8 and its cobalt analogue</div><div>ZIF-67, the imidazolate methyl-groups, which point directly</div><div>into the void space, have been shown to freely rotate - even</div><div>down to cryogenic temperatures. Using a combination of ex-</div><div>perimental terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, low-frequency</div><div>Raman spectroscopy, and state-of-the-art ab initio simulations,</div><div>the methyl-rotor dynamics in ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 are fully charac-</div><div>terized within the context of a quantum-mechanical hindered-</div><div>rotor model. The results lend insight into the fundamental</div><div>origins of the experimentally observed methyl-rotor dynamics,</div><div>and provide valuable insight into the nature of the weak inter-</div><div>actions present within this important class of materials.</div>

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A Review of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Studies of Inula Species

Current Bioactive Compounds ◽

10.2174/1573407215666190207093538 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 557-567

Author(s):

Aparoop Das ◽

Anshul Shakya ◽

Surajit Kumar Ghosh ◽

Udaya P. Singh ◽

Hans R. Bhat

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Infections ◽

Chemical Constituents ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Important Ingredient ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Medicinal Uses ◽

The Family ◽

Pharmacological Studies ◽

Perennial Herbs ◽

Insight Into

Background: Plants of the genus Inula are perennial herbs of the family Asteraceae. This genus includes more than 100 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Africa and Asia including India. Many of them are indicated in traditional medicine, e.g., in Ayurveda. This review explores chemical constituents, medicinal uses and pharmacological actions of Inula species. Methods: Major databases and research and review articles retrieved through Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline were consulted to obtain information on the pharmacological activities of the genus Inula published from 1994 to 2017. Results: Inula species are used either alone or as an important ingredient of various formulations to cure dysfunctions of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, urinary system, central nervous system and digestive system, and for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, cancers, skin disorders, hepatic disease, fungal and bacterial infections. A range of phytochemicals including alkaloids, essential and volatile oils, flavonoids, terpenes, and lactones has been isolated from herbs of the genus Inula, which might possibly explain traditional uses of these plants. Conclusion: The present review is focused on chemical constituents, medicinal uses and pharmacological actions of Inula species and provides valuable insight into its medicinal potential.

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Conservation of animal genetic resources: approaches and technologies for in situ and ex situ conservation

Animal Genetic Resources Information ◽

10.1017/s1014233900002571 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 71-85 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

J.A. Woolliams ◽

O. Matika ◽

J. Pattison

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Genetic Resources ◽

Large Scale ◽

Production Systems ◽

Regional Distribution ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Animal Genetic Resources ◽

The Face ◽

Livestock Products

SummaryLivestock production faces major challenges through the coincidence of major drivers of change, some with conflicting directions. These are:1. An unprecedented global change in demands for traditional livestock products such as meat, milk and eggs.2. Large changes in the demographic and regional distribution of these demands.3. The need to reduce poverty in rural communities by providing sustainable livelihoods.4. The possible emergence of new agricultural outputs such as bio-fuels making a significant impact upon traditional production systems.5. A growing awareness of the need to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production.6. The uncertainty in the scale and impact of climate change. This paper explores these challenges from a scientific perspective in the face of the large-scale and selective erosion of our animal genetic resources, and concludes thai there is a stronger and more urgent need than ever before to secure the livestock genetic resources available to humankind through a comprehensive global conservation programme.

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Compound heterozygous variants in LAMC3 in association with posterior periventricular nodular heterotopia

BMC Medical Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12920-021-00911-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Carla De Angelis ◽

Alicia B. Byrne ◽

Rebecca Morrow ◽

Jinghua Feng ◽

Thuong Ha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cortical Development ◽

Occipital Cortex ◽

Compound Heterozygous ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia ◽

Case Presentation ◽

Malformation Of Cortical Development ◽

Nodular Heterotopia ◽

Compound Heterozygous Variants ◽

Insight Into

Abstract Background Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is a malformation of cortical development characterized by nodules of abnormally migrated neurons. The cause of posteriorly placed PNH is not well characterised and we present a case that provides insights into the cause of posterior PNH. Case presentation We report a fetus with extensive posterior PNH in association with biallelic variants in LAMC3. LAMC3 mutations have previously been shown to cause polymicrogyria and pachygyria in the occipital cortex, but not PNH. The occipital location of PNH in our case and the proposed function of LAMC3 in cortical development suggest that the identified LAMC3 variants may be causal of PNH in this fetus. Conclusion We hypothesise that this finding extends the cortical phenotype associated with LAMC3 and provides valuable insight into genetic cause of posterior PNH.

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Detecting Convergence Trends among EU Universities

Economies ◽

10.3390/economies9020042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 42

Author(s):

Maria Adamakou ◽

Dimitris Kallioras ◽

George Petrakos

Keyword(s):

Methodological Approach ◽

Basic Research ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Traditional Role ◽

University Ranking ◽

Convergence Clubs ◽

Development Processes ◽

The Impact ◽

The Empirical Analysis ◽

Insight Into

Universities are emerging growth determinants. This is so as, in addition to the fulfillment of their traditional role in teaching and (basic) research, universities, as aptly described within the helix framework, are expected to engage in regional development processes. The paper aims to detect trends of convergence among EU universities in terms of performance. To the best of our knowledge, this topic has not hitherto been examined. The empirical analysis of the paper covers the period 2014–2021, utilizes data obtained from URAP (University Ranking by Academic Performance), and employs the methodological approach of convergence clubs. The findings of the paper provide valuable insight into both theory and policy-making. We conclude that despite the unification of EU educational space, trends of divergence among EU universities are still present, and notable divisions still remain. Consequently, this indicates that the impact of EU universities on the formation of spatial disparities across EU space is not neutral.

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Exploration of Alternative Splicing Events in Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12050737 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 737

Author(s):

Ji-Eun Jeong ◽

Binna Seol ◽

Han-Seop Kim ◽

Jae-Yun Kim ◽

Yee-Sook Cho

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Alternative Splicing ◽

Functional Enrichment ◽

Actin Binding ◽

Pcr Analysis ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Sequencing Analysis ◽

Induced Pluripotent ◽

Insight Into

Although comparative genome-wide transcriptomic analysis has provided insight into the biology of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs), the distinct alternative splicing (AS) signatures of iMSCs remain elusive. Here, we performed Illumina RNA sequencing analysis to characterize AS events in iMSCs compared with tissue-derived MSCs. A total of 4586 differentially expressed genes (|FC| > 2) were identified between iMSCs and umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (UCB-MSCs), including 2169 upregulated and 2417 downregulated genes. Of these, 164 differentially spliced events (BF > 20) in 112 genes were identified between iMSCs and UCB-MSCs. The predominant type of AS found in iMSCs was skipped exons (43.3%), followed by retained introns (19.5%), alternative 3′ (15.2%) and 5′ (12.8%) splice sites, and mutually exclusive exons (9.1%). Functional enrichment analysis showed that the differentially spliced genes (|FC| > 2 and BF > 20) were mainly enriched in functions associated with focal adhesion, extracellular exosomes, extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion, and actin binding. Splice isoforms of selected genes including TRPT1, CNN2, and AP1G2, identified in sashimi plots, were further validated by RT-PCR analysis. This study provides valuable insight into the biology of iMSCs and the translation of mechanistic understanding of iMSCs into therapeutic applications.

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