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Applied international experiences benefit students in many ways and possibly contribute to skills deemed important by employers. The objective of this study was to determine specific skillsets gained by undergraduate students during an applied equine international experience from both student and employer perspectives. Eight students were selected to conduct horse management seminars in an international setting. Students completed a preflection where they reported experience with a new culture, becoming more global and marketable, communication skills, credibility and responsibility as useful components of the impending trip. A student reflection suggested communication, problem solving and teamwork as the top skills enhanced as a result of the international experience. Current employers of graduated students who participated in the trip reported that those employees were good team players, possessed excellent public speaking skills, worked well in a diverse group and were good problem solvers. An applied international equine program had student and employer perceived advantages for soft skill development and enhancement. International programs offer varied experiences to students; a more concrete description of the advantages of applied international programming would be useful to assist job seekers with illustrating the benefits of an international experience and support university programs when justifying and promoting international programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background information may provide useful indication of ability to think critically and aid instructors in fostering the critical thinking process. Descriptive factors that may predict critical thinking ability include: age, gender, grade point average (GPA), classification and extracurricular activities. The focus of this study was to quantify the critical thinking ability of animal science students and determine what differences in their demographic information exist. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) exam provided means to objectively measure critical thinking ability of students enrolled in required animal science courses. Each student completed a questionnaire determining demographic information. Several demographic characteristics demonstrated higher scores on the WGCTA; students in the 18-20 age range (P = 0.0039), those who reported ≥ 3.5 GPA (P = 0.003) and those who had evaluation experience in an organized youth or collegiate judging team or participated in an evaluation course (P = 0.00067). Gender and classification do not appear to accurately describe critical thinking ability. Important considerations for educators include encouraging critical thought from all students, regardless of age. Further, an evaluation course is an important component of animal science curricula and early evaluation experience in programs such as 4-H and FFA may be beneficial when developing critical thinking skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anecdotal evidence points to genetic variation in resistance of cattle to infection with Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (BTB), and published experimental evidence in deer and cattle suggests significant genetic variation in resistance and reactivity to diagnostic tests. However, such genetic variation has not been properly quantified in the United Kingdom dairy cattle population; it is possible that it exists and may be a factor influencing the occurrence of BTB. Using models based on the outcome of the process of diagnosis (ultimate fate models) and on the outcome of a single stage of diagnosis (continuation ratio models, herd test-date models), this study shows that there is heritable variation in individual cow susceptibility to BTB, and that selection for milk yield is unlikely to have contributed to the current epidemic. Results demonstrate that genetics could play an important role in controlling BTB by reducing both the incidence and the severity of herd breakdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present pilot study is to show initial results of a multimodal approach using clinical scoring, morphological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biochemical T2-relaxation and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in their ability to assess differences between cartilage repair tissue after microfracture therapy (MFX) and matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT).Method: Twenty patients were cross-sectionally evaluated at different post-operative intervals from 12 to 63 months after MFX and 12-59 months after MACT. The two groups were matched by age (MFX: 36.0+/-10.4 years; MACT: 35.1+/-7.7 years) and post-operative interval (MFX: 32.6+/-16.7 months; MACT: 31.7+/-18.3 months). After clinical evaluation using the Lysholm score, 3T-MRI was performed obtaining the MR observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score as well as T2-mapping and DWI for multi-parametric MRI. Quantitative T2-relaxation was achieved using a multi-echo spin-echo sequence; semi-quantitative diffusion-quotient (signal intensity without diffusion-weighting divided by signal intensity with diffusion weighting) was prepared by a partially balanced, steady-state gradient-echo pulse sequence.Results: No differences in Lysholm (P=0.420) or MOCART (P=0.209) score were observed between MFX and MACT. T2-mapping showed lower T2 values after MFX compared to MACT (P=0.039). DWI distinguished between healthy cartilage and cartilage repair tissue in both procedures (MFX: P=0.001; MACT: P=0.007). Correlations were found between the Lysholm and the MOCART score (Pearson: 0.484; P=0.031), between the Lysholm score and DWI (Pearson:-0.557; P=0.011) and a trend between the Lysholm score and T2 (Person: 0.304; P=0.193).Conclusion: Using T2-mapping and DWI, additional information could be gained compared to clinical scoring or morphological MRI. In combination clinical, MR-morphological and MR-biochemical parameters can be seen as a promising multimodal tool in the follow-up of cartilage repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of bone is a rare condition. Presented herein is a case of primary NHL of the calcaneus illustrating many of the classic features of the disease. Emphasized in this report are the nonspecific clinical and conventional radiographic features of primary NHL of bone, which may mimic inflammatory, neuropathic, infectious, or other neoplastic conditions of the extremities. The importance of early cross-sectional radiologic studies, such as magnetic resonance imaging, lies in the early characterization of the mass-like features and local extent of such lesions, helping to raise the suspicion of neoplastic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the breed-enhanced plant variety Trenasse rice. Released in 2004, it is a very early maturing, short stature, high yielding long-grain rice cultivar. It was developed by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in cooperation with the USDA-ARS, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Furthermore, it was developed from the cross of three rice variety namely, Cypress, L-202, Tebonnetand and LSBR-5.

The article presents the registration of Cheniere Rice that was developed by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service at the Rice Research Station in Crowley, Louisiana.

Topex, an index of topographic exposure, has been an important component of regression models that predict site windiness. However, field-based topex can overestimate the shelter of distant hills and does not discriminate between hilltop and plateau sites. By using digital terrain models, it has become possible to calculate alternative formulations of topex with limits to the distance within which the skyline is sought, and with declinations (negative values). These alternatives have been tested using a dataset of tatter flags in upland Britain.A series of multiple regressions was performed with explanatory variables grid, elevation and modified topex, expressed as total topex and as sinusoidal terms to represent aspect and valley shape and direction. A distance limit of 0.5 km proved superior to thresholds of 0.25, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 10.0 km, and to field topex. Each term except aspect showed a peak in variance ratio at the 0.5 km distance. Although the coefficients varied little between regressions, the topex component of estimated exposure for hilltop sites can vary substantially with the choice of threshold. The use of a distance threshold can lead to improved estimates for these sites. There was no overall improvement in prediction of site windiness when compared with a previousregression and recalculation of the windiness index of upland Britain currently used in prediction of windthrow and in ecological site classification is not obviously required. However, the use of a distance limit would be worth while in future studies using topographic indices because of the apparent improvement in site discrimination and because distance-limited topex may be more easily calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]