Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Yak (Bos Grunniens): The Mammal Of Socio-Economic Importance In Gilgit- Baltistan, Pakistan, Muhammad Tariq, Asif Hameed

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The yaks are long-haired humped bovid, a multipurpose animal that can survive in a low oxygen and cold environment at an elevation of 2000 to 6000 meters above sea level. The animal has the ability to graze diverse foliage from coarse shrubs to short grasses. The majority of yak population is still living in central Asian highlands, which include parts of Tibet, China, Indo-Pak. Yak rearing in Pakistan is bounded to higher elevations (3,500–4,500 meters a.s.l) of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Chitral, where yak is important and places the only means of livelihood through theprovision of milk, meat, and wool, hairs …

Integrated Crop And Pasture Based Livestock Production System Success On Reclaimed Surface Coal Mined Land In South Africa, W. F. Truter, E. N. Cele

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Coal mining is the largest surface mining operation in South Africa’s grassland biome. Surface mining is leaving large tracts of land revegetated to pasture species as mining companies attempt to reclaim the agricultural potential of mined areas. Top soil management remains the key challenge to ensure agricultural productivity. During the reclamation process, newly placed soils are very often chemically, physically and microbiologically degraded, and high soil ameliorant inputs are required to catalyse agroecosystem function. These revegetated landscapes can offer good grazing capacity; however, to date there are no livestock grazing these areas, resulting in the subsequent deterioration of these new …

Grazing And Animal Welfare Of Dairy Cows In Europe, What Do We Know?, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, D. Hennessy, J. Isselstein

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grazing systems are important components of the landscape in almost all European countries. Grazing is inherently close to the nature of herbivores, but no longer applied everywhere in Europe. This paper discusses the extent of dairy cow grazing in Europe and the effect of grazing on animal welfare. The study builds on results of surveys from the European Grassland Federation (EGF) Working Group “Grazing” (WGG) in the period 2010–2022 and a focus group meeting in 2022. Data on the extent of grazing of dairy cows in Europe are provided. Europe can be divided into six distinctive regions with respect to …

Diurnal Variation In Forage Nutrient Composition And Metabolic Parameters Of Horses Grazing Warm-Season, Perennial Grass-Legume Mixed Pastures, A. C. Vasco, J. Dubeux, L. Sollenberger, M. Wallau, E. Santos, J. Lance, L. Warren, C. Wickens

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Although warm-season, grass-legume mixed pastures have improved nutritive value and may reduce negative environmental impacts relative to nitrogen-fertilized grass monocultures, no study has been done to evaluate their effect on diurnal variation of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and other nutrients, and on the metabolic responses observed in horses’ blood and fecal samples. This 2-yr study aimed to investigate the circadian variation in nutrient composition and the fecal and blood metabolic responses in horses grazing these pastures. Forage, fecal, and blood samples were collected every 28 days at 0600, 1200, 1800, and 0000 h, in two years, for measurement of diurnal variation …

Herbage Responses And Performance Of Mature Horses Grazing Warm-Season Perennial Grass-Legume Mixed Pastures, A. C. Vasco, E. R. Santos, J. Lance, J. Dubeux, L. Sollenberger, M. Wallau, C. Wickens, L. Warren

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Legume-grass mixtures may be a useful alternative to nitrogen-fertilized grass monocultures, but pasture and animal responses have not been assessed for pastures grazed by horses in Florida. This 2-yr study compared pasture and horse responses of continuously stocked, mixed pastures of rhizoma peanut (RP, Arachis glabrata Benth) and bahiagrass (BG, Paspalum notatum Flüggé) receiving 30 kg nitrogen (N)/ha (RP-BG) compared with BG pastures fertilized with 120 kg/N ha (BG-N) or with no N (BG-No N). Herbage mass was similar among treatments in 2020 and for most evaluation days in 2019. In 2019, stocking rate (AU/ha) was greater in …

Integrating Plant Secondary Metabolites And Foraging Behavior To Enhance Animal Health In Ruminant Production Systems, J. J. Villalba, J. W. Macadam, S. Van Vliet, F. D. Provenza

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Legumes and forbs contain bioactives or plant secondary compounds (PSC) with potential to enhance animal health through their antibiotic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties that are evident even at small dietary concentrations. In turn, ruminants can regulate their ingestion of PSC through behavioral mechanisms that allow for the efficient achievement of homeostasis. High concentrations of PSC lead to food avoidance, whereas lower content of PSC in the diet achieved through regulatory mechanisms of ingestion could promote medicinal and/or prophylactic effects in the animal and concomitant health benefits to milk and meat products. Under this context, we discuss the restructuring of rangelands …

The Effect Of Spring Grass Availability On Dry Matter Intake Of Early Lactation Dairy Cows, S. Walsh, Z. C. Mckay, M. Egan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Spring grass availability has a major impact on dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy cows during early lactation. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of opening farm cover (OFC) on DMI during early lactation. A twelve week experiment, which was split into two 6 week periods (Period 1 (Week 1 – 6) and period 2 (Week 7 – 12), was conducted over a two year period. A high and low OFC were established for two treatment groups; 1253 kg DM/ha (High grass = HG) and 887 kg DM/ha (Low grass = LG). Animals were randomly assigned …

Effects Of Stocking Rates On Water Use Efficiency Of Established Species In Stipa Breviflora Desert Steppe, M. Zhao, G. M. Yin, S. B. Liu, W. J. Meng

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Plant water use efficiency reflects the survival adaptation strategies adopted by plants to obtain maximum carbon harvest. Understanding the water and resource utilization strategies of Stipa breviflora in desert steppe will help people understand its growth mechanism, and it is of great significance to analyze the ecological countermeasures of Stipa breviflora to cope with disturbance. In this study, the water use efficiency (WUE) of the established populations of Stipa breviflora in desert steppe was measured by stable carbon isotope method and photosynthometer method, and the adaptation mechanism of Stipa breviflora under different stocking rates was discussed based on the basic …

The Hindgut Microbiome Of Grazing Horses, J. R. Weinert, C. A. Williams

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The hindgut microbiome plays an essential role in horses consuming forage-based diets high in fiber, such as pasture. The equine hindgut harbors a large microbial community that ferments dietary fiber and produces by-products which provide a substantial portion of daily energy requirements. Despite the importance in nutrition and health, research evaluating the hindgut microbiome of grazing horses is relatively limited. Grazing horse microbiome research has primarily focused on inter-diet comparisons with mixed diets including concentrates as well as with other forms of forage. Recent research has begun to explore responses of the gut microbiome to different pasture forage species and …

Horse And Pasture Responses To Stocking Methods: Rotational Versus Continuous, C. A. Williams, J. R. Weinert-Nelson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Rotational grazing management offers potential advantages for economic and environmental sustainability, as well as for horse health. Rotational grazing has the potential to increase pasture yields and available forage for grazing, and therefore reduce supplemental feed costs. A rotational grazing management strategy can also prevent or mitigate negative effects of overgrazing, with implications for pasture productivity and the environment. Overgrazing can reduce vegetative cover over time, increasing the potential for erosion and nutrient run-off. Overgrazing may also result in long-term decreased forage stand persistence and weed invasion, necessitating more frequent pasture renovation. All of this can negatively impact the horse’s …

Attribution Robustness Of Neural Networks, Sunanda Gamage

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

While deep neural networks have demonstrated excellent learning capabilities, explainability of model predictions remains a challenge due to their black box nature. Attributions or feature significance methods are tools for explaining model predictions, facilitating model debugging, human-machine collaborative decision making, and establishing trust and compliance in critical applications. Recent work has shown that attributions of neural networks can be distorted by imperceptible adversarial input perturbations, which makes attributions unreliable as an explainability method. This thesis addresses the research problem of attribution robustness of neural networks and introduces novel techniques that enable robust training at scale.

Firstly, a novel generic framework …

Hydraulic Borehole Mining (Hbm) Technology Employed In Lignite Mining – Technical, Economic And Market Aspects, Bartłomiej Jura, Piotr Krawczyk, Jacek Skiba, Natalia Howaniec

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The results of a cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency assessment of the Hydraulic Borehole Mining (HBM) technology applied to lignite mining are presented. The Dynamic Generation Cost, the Net Present Value, and the Internal Rate of Return were calculated for the extraction of lignite at a rate of about 3.44 million Mg/year from a mining parcel of 1 2.5 km, taking into account CAPEX and OPEX. The cost of mining 1 Mg of lignite using the HBM technology was reported to be lower than its market prices before the energy crisis in Europe caused by the war in Ukraine. The values …

Predicting Open-Pit Mine Production Using Machine Learning Techniques, Faustin Nartey Kumah, Alex Kwasi Saim, Millicent Nkrumah Oppong, Clement Kweku Arthur

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In mining, where production is affected by several factors, including equipment availability, it is necessary to develop reliable models to accurately predict mine production to improve operational efficiency. Hence, in this study, four (4) machine learning algorithms – namely: artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), gradient boosting regression (GBR) and decision tree (DT)) – were implemented to predict mine production. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis was used as a baseline study for comparison purposes. In that regard, one hundred and twenty-six (126) datasets from an open-pit gold mine were used. The developed models were evaluated and compared using the …

Maine Lobstermen's Association Whale Update, Amber-Jean Nickel, Maine Lobstermen's Association

Fisheries

The Maine Lobstermen's Association “has been closely following the death of Right Whale 5120 found dead on Martha’s Vineyard on January 28th. The MLA was shocked and dismayed when NOAA Fisheries announced on February 14th that the rope removed from the deceased whale 'is consistent with the rope used in Maine state water trap/pot buoy lines.’”

“Maine lobstermen have made many changes to how we fish to avoid harming a Right whale which makes this news hard to believe. As we move forward, MLA will push back on NOAA’s finding until the industry’s questions about the entanglement and how NOAA …

Data For: Channel Response To Flow Augmentation: Diamond Fork River, Ut Dataset, Diane Wagner, Peter Wilcock

Browse all Datasets

A river's physical features and channel dimensions are determined by the water and sediment supplied to it. The Diamond Fork River, located in central Utah–received large trans-basin diversion flows from 1915-2003, providing an exceptional opportunity to explore the response of a river to a large increase in flow.

Our project goals were to describe 1) channel response to this large and long artificial flow augmentation and 2) how the channel recovered after the removal of the diversion flows. The objective of this thesis is to document the channel condition throughout the 20th century to present day as a basis for …

Papain-Catalyzed Synthesis Of Oligolysine In Low-Water Organic Reaction Media, Lakshmi Priya Ravikrishna, Krishnamurthi Tamilarasan, Vairamani Mariappanadar, Shubhender Kapila, Mathur Rajesh

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oligopeptides of l-lysine have the potential for applications in various scientific and technical areas. The number of residues in polycationic compounds such as oligolysine is also reported to have an effect on its biological properties. Hence, there is a necessity for developing efficient oligolysine synthesis methods where the oligopeptide dispersity can be tailored, along with optimum yield values. The ability of proteases to reverse their proteolytic activity to synthesize peptides has been reported in the literature. However, protease-catalyzed synthesis of oligopeptides of basic amino acids such as lysine in aqueous buffers is hindered by unfavorable thermodynamics. In this work, a …

First-Principles Study Of Mxene Properties With Varying Hydrofluoric Acid Concentration, Yi Zhi Chu, Megan Hoover, Patrick Ward, Kah Chun Lau

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

With varying hydrofluoric acid (HF) concentrations under three etching conditions, we presented a comparative study of the effects of both the ordered and randomly ternary mixed terminated Ti3C2Tx surfaces with a wide variation of O/OH/F stoichiometry on the thermodynamic stability and electronic properties. Regardless of the HF concentration, an OH-rich surface is found to be thermodynamically stable and the electrical conductivity of Ti3C2Tx is substantially affected by the OH concentration. The charge density difference and electron localization function demonstrated a significant electron localization at the hydroxyl group on the O/OH/F mixed terminated surface, which could yield a locally induced dipole …

Detection Of Small Drizzle Droplets In A Large Cloud Chamber Using Ultrahigh-Resolution Radar, Zeen Zhu, Fan Yang, Pavlos Kollias, Raymond A. Shaw, Alexander Kostinski, Steve Krueger, Katia Lamer, Nithin Allwayin, Mariko Oue

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

A large convection-cloud chamber has the potential to produce drizzle-sized droplets, thus offering a new opportunity to investigate aerosol-cloud-drizzle interactions at a fundamental level under controlled environmental conditions. One key measurement requirement is the development of methods to detect the low-concentration drizzle drops in such a large cloud chamber. In particular, remote sensing methods may overcome some limitations of in situ methods. Here, the potential of an ultrahigh-resolution radar to detect the radar return signal of a small drizzle droplet against the cloud droplet background signal is investigated. It is found that using a small sampling volume is critical to …

Ligaplant: Recreating Natural From Artificial, Disha Kamavisdar

Annual Research Symposium

Missing teeth can be substituted by the use of the dental implants. The most widely used implants in the current scenario are the osseointegrated implants with various shortcomings and the most prominent one is the lack of the periodontal ligament. To overcome this, implants with periodontal ligaments can be procured and this can be possible by the application of the tissue engineering concept along with suitable implant material.

Application Of In-Silico Computational Biology Strategies To Demonstrate Mechanism Of Oral Cancer Cell Death By Natural Peptide, Dr Dominic Augustine

Annual Research Symposium

This research work is designed to identify biomolecules from Earthworm Coelomic Fluid (ECF) of Eudrilus Eugeniae (EE) that can inhibit oral cancer cells from proliferating. The study aims to construct a homology model of the 18 kDa protein from ECF of EE (18-ECFP) with molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) to enable its molecular docking with pro-apoptotic caspase receptors with determination of binding energy scores. The study also evaluates the anti-cancer potential of 18-ECFP on SCC-9 cells in vitro by wet lab techniques.

Pathogenic Implications Of Candidal Species In Both Oral Cancer And Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders - A Review, Dr Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv, Kuntala Mondal

Annual Research Symposium

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the 6th most common cancer in worldwide. Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel quid chewing are its major risk factors other factors that can lead to OSCC include excessive sun exposure, viral or fungal infection, poor nutrition, and poor oral hygiene. The carcinogenesis of OSCC occurs gradually and oral epithelial dysplasia is considered a potential histologic precursor of OSCC. Most OSCC cases are preceded by clinically evident oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). The aim of this review is to correlate the association between Candida species and oral potentially malignant disorders and its possible mechanisms …

Immunohistochemical Expression Of Cyclin D1 In Dentigerous Cyst, Odontogenic Keratocyst And Unicystic Ameloblastoma- An In-Vitro Study, Kuntala Mondal, Sv Sowmya, Dominic Augustine

Annual Research Symposium

Cyclin D1, a G1 cyclin member, regulates the transition of the cell cycle from the G1 phase to the S phase. The uncontrolled and elevated expression of cyclin D1 has been associated with rapid growth, heightened proliferative activity and increased histologic aggressiveness. Unicystic ameloblastoma pertains to cystic lesions that present clinical, radiographic, or gross features akin to jaw cysts. Nevertheless, upon histological scrutiny, these lesions display a distinctive ameloblastomatous epithelium lining the cystic cavity, with or without luminal or mural proliferation. This cystic variant of tumor bears substantial resemblances to dentigerous cysts, and occasionally, both entities can become indistinguishable upon …

An Immunohistochemical Panel For The Accurate Differentiation Between Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma And Pleomorphic Adenoma, Kuntala Mondal, Sv Sowmya, Dominic Augustine

Annual Research Symposium

Salivary Gland Tumors (SGTs) are a diverse group of neoplasms, with a wide range of histological subtypes, some of which can exhibit overlapping features. Amongst this group of tumors, Pleomorphic Adenoma (PA) and Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma (MEC) stand out as prevalent entities originating from the salivary glands. The accurate differentiation between these two entities is crucial for treatment planning, as it influences decisions regarding the extent of surgical resection. Because of the overlapping histopathological features, it is difficult to differentiate these two lesions with the help of conventional Hematoxylin & Eosin (H& E). The evaluation of Immunohistochemical (IHC) markers holds pivotal …

Cheiloscopic Characteristics Detection And Pattern Classification By Machine Learning Technique, Dr Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv

Annual Research Symposium

Machine Learning (ML) is a field enhancing the rapid growth of technology. Though use of digital softwares for cheiloscopic investigations have been attempted with limited success, the use of ML based techniques are scarce and seldom have been employed in forensic odontology. The present study aimed to identify cheiloscopic patterns through machine learning based methods and to correlate the segmented patterns with age and gender of individuals.

Association Between Abo Blood Grouping And Odontometry: An Unexplored Evidence In Forensics, Dr Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv

Annual Research Symposium

Recent research has exhibited a strong association between ABO blood groups and susceptibility to diseases. Extraoral and intraoral hard tissue landmarks provide a stable and reliable record for odontological and anthropological analysis, forensic investigations and identification. The association between anthropometric indices and ABO blood grouping have been reported in the past, however, the association between ABO blood groups and odontometric indices is yet to be comprehensively explored. This study aimed to establish the correlation of ABO blood groups with odontometric indices and extraoral hard tissue landmarks for personnel identification.

Advanced Techniques For Tooth Pulp Rna Extraction In Forensic Investigations-A Systematic Review, Kuntala Mondal, Sv Sowmya, Dominic Augustine

Annual Research Symposium

Teeth are fundamental structures in a forensic context due to their high strength and specificity. It is challenging to obtain high quality RNA from pulpal tissues. It has been described that pulp RNA degradation could be an indicator of post-mortem interval. Researchers have been in the quest to develop optimal techniques for tooth RNA extraction. The systematic review aimed to determine the most reliable method of RNA extraction from dental tooth pulp for forensic investigations.

Assessment Of Micrometastasis In Lymph Nodes Of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma –Attaining Excellence Through Immunohistochemistry, Dr Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv, Kuntala Mondal

Annual Research Symposium

Cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck (SCCHN). Lymph node prognostic determinants hold immense significance in influencing both patient’s survival outcomes and the propensity for recurrence. The current study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Cyclin D1 and Pan-CK for the detection of lymph node micrometastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue sections and re-evaluate the tumor staging.

Harm Reduction Measures In Substance Use Disorder (Sud), Kent Wood

Annual Research Symposium

This literature review aims to comprehensively analyze harm reduction strategies employed in addressing Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Focusing on key interventions such as fentanyl testing strips, naloxone distribution, syringe exchange programs, and methadone/buprenorphine clinics, the study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches in reducing the associated harms of substance misuse.

Substance Use Disorder –The Role Of The Pharmacist, Mackenzie Cruzan

Annual Research Symposium

The study illuminates the pivotal role of community pharmacists as accessible healthcare providers, offering medication management, patient education, and preventive care services. Simultaneously, it explores the intricate responsibilities of inpatient pharmacists, emphasizing their involvement in therapeutic monitoring and collaboration with healthcare teams.

Clinical, Radiographic And Biochemical Evaluation Of One-Piece Vs Two-Piece Single Implants After 5 Years Of Functional Loading, Ippolito Caputo

Annual Research Symposium

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic conditions and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) of two-piece/bone level (TP/BL) versus one-piece/tissue level (OP/TL) single implants with a laser-microgrooved collar after at least 5 years of functional loading.