Class of 2011 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of accuracy in terms of medical information presented in the popular television show, House, MD. This is part of a larger ongoing study, and evaluates only the first 11 episodes of season four. METHODS: This study was a descriptive, retrospective assessment of the first 11 episodes in the fourth season of the medical television drama, House, MD. The signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatment for one major disease portrayed in each episode were recorded and compared to authoritative medical sources. Based on the medical resource material used, an accuracy score for each of the three above-mentioned variables in each episode was assigned. Three researchers evaluated these ratings individually. A collaborative rating was determined for all three variables for all eleven episodes. RESULTS: The average accuracy scores for presenting signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatments were 2.36, 1.82, and 1.91, respectively. The average accuracy score across the three variables resulted in a rating of 2.03. Episode one was excluded from the final analysis. The one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD test and the Kruskal Wallis test all found no significant difference among the data. Therefore, the null hypothesis was not excluded in this analysis. CONCLUSION: The presenting symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatments shown in the eleven episodes evaluated were not significantly different in terms of level of accuracy. The average accuracy score of the eleven episodes indicated that the information presented was correct but somewhat unusual.

Background: Although suicide seasonality has been well-documented, surprisingly little is known about its underlying mechanisms. Methods: In this thesis, data from three Swedish registers (Cause of Death Register, National Patient Register, Prescribed Drugs Register) and data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute were used. In Study I, the amplitude of suicide seasonality was estimated in completed suicides in 1992-2003 in individuals with different antidepressant medications or without antidepressants. In Study II, monthly suicide and sunshine data from 1992-2003 were used to examine the association between suicide and sunshine in groups with and without antidepressants. In Study III, the relationship between season of initiation of antidepressant treatment and the risk of suicidal behavior was explored in patients with a new treatment episode with antidepressant medication. In Study IV, the complex association between sunshine, temperature and suicidal behavior was investigated in patients with a new treatment episode with an antidepressant in two exposure windows (1-4 and 5-8 weeks) before the event. Findings: Study I: Higher suicide seasonality was found in individuals treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) compared with those given a different antidepressant treatment or those without any antidepressant treatment. Study II: In individuals treated with SSRIs, there was a positive association between sunshine and suicide, with the association stronger in men treated with SSRIs compared with men treated with other antidepressants. An effect modification by age was observed. Study III: The elderly (65+) had a higher risk of suicide when initiating antidepressant treatment in summer and a higher risk of suicide attempt when starting antidepressant therapy in spring and summer. Younger patients (0-24) demonstrated a higher risk of suicide attempt when treatment was initiated in autumn. Study IV: In the elderly (65+), a harmful association was observed between the risk of suicide attempt and the average daily temperature during the four weeks before the suicide attempt, as well as with average daily sunshine during both exposure windows (1-4 and 5-8 weeks) before the suicide attempt. Significance: Our results provide epidemiological support for the role of the serotonergic system in seasonality of suicide in which both medication and climate may be involved.

No description available.

Understanding the impact of late season precipitation on the distribution of cotton yields provides insight into managing yield risks. This research combines Linear Moment Models with historical weather data to assess the impact of late season precipitation extremes on cotton production and revenue. The empirical analysis suggests that late season drought reduces both mean yield and variance. The shift in variance is coupled with an exchange of upside risk for downside risk implying that the variance reduction alone masks an important effect on producer’s risk. Revenue impacts suggest high revenue for irrigated acreage as compared to dryland acreage, and the late season drought impact on revenue shows that the use of irrigation causes increases in revenue as compared to dryland acreage.

Temperature is a major abiotic stress limiting plant growth. Thermotolerance evaluation during germination and early growth may help identify adaptable genotypes of new crops. Two studies were conducted to evaluate temperature effects on 12 Brassica carinata genotypes during germination and early growth. During germination, genotype AX17004 was both the most cold- and heat-tolerant. During early-season growth (35 d after seeding), there were temperature and genotype effects on shoot, root, and physiological components. Cumulative low- and high-temperature response indices, and cumulative root and shoot response indices were related, indicating the importance of these traits. Genotype AX17006 was identified as heat tolerant, and AX17009 as cold tolerant during early-season growth. When genotypes were grouped according to breed types, hybrids generally had better responses than the inbred lines, and double haploids and the check responses were intermediate. These studies provided rapid results that will reduce the number of genotypes assessed in field studies.

Tornado research conducted across the southeastern United States suggests two peak tornado maxima. However, few studies have distinguished between the thermodynamic and shear environments between cool-season and warm-season tornadoes. Incorporating 100 mb mixed layer parcels, mean thermodynamic and shear parameters for non-significant (F0?F1) and significant (F2?F5) tornado environments were calculated. Cool-season tornado environments were characterized by relatively low amounts of instability and high shear. On the other hand, warm-season tornado events were characterized by higher amounts of instability and generally less shear. The Energy Helicity Index (EHI) remained nearly constant suggesting a balance of instability and shear between the tested seasons. During the cool-season, an increase in instability appears to distinguish between tornado strengths. Yet, an increase in shear during the warm-season may be indicative of significant tornado environments.

A quest for agelessness in what we make seems to hold great allure. The spotless, the seamless, the immaterial, the idealized all labor in an attempt to escape the collection of dust and to transcend time, evincing neither origin nor decay. There is a rift between that manner of making which strives for an imperishable, ageless quality and the manner of making that embraces the poetics of material and temporality and mortality. It is beautiful to imagine the made thing that embodies a fable about welcoming inevitable change. From the moment it is made, it is gracefully, eloquently transforming; it willingly trades youth for handsome qualities that it did not first possess. It is commendable when a made thing achieves timelessness without striving vainly for agelessness. This thesis uses the vehicle of making an outdoor sitting room- composed of a wall, a bench, and a tree- to explore questions of the passage of seasons, of weathering, and of how the made thing can celebrate its own temporal nature. / Master of Architecture / There is a rift between that manner of making which strives for an imperishable, ageless quality and the manner of making that embraces the poetics of material and temporality and mortality. It is commendable when a made thing achieves timelessness without striving vainly for agelessness. This thesis uses the vehicle of making an outdoor sitting room- composed of a wall, a bench, and a tree- to explore questions of the passage of seasons, of weathering, and of how the made thing can celebrate its own temporal nature.

Ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicular aspiration was used to obtain oocytes from cows to study follicular development and oocyte morphology. Follicular aspiration was conducted once during wk 1 to 12 postpartum on 120 lactating cows with 6 groups, separated by biweekly intervals. Approximately one half of the aspirated cows at each session were from the early groups (wk 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6) and the other half from the later groups (wk 7-8, 9-10, or 11-12). On the day of aspiration the number of follicles on each ovary, and their sizes, small (2-5 mm), medium (6-10 mm) and large (≥ 11 mm), were recorded. The collected oocytes were morphologically classified into 4 grades, with 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = fair, and 1 = poor. Blood samples from the jugular vein and follicular fluid samples from the largest follicle were collected in order to perform hormone and metabolite assays. Environmental data were obtained from the local airport. There was a significant (P < .01) quadratic days pre- and postpartum by parity interaction for BCS. Body condition score for older cattle was the lowest at 90 d prior to calving and changed the least amount over time, while youngest cattle had the highest initial BCS at d 90 prior to calving and had the greatest change in BCS over time. Body condition score was the highest during summer calving season (3.3 ± .06) compared to BCS during winter calving season (2.6 ± .06). But the loss in BCS was greater for cows that calved in summer (-0.53 ± .06) compared to cows that calved in winter (-0.07 ± .08). Increased serum NEFA concentrations with simultaneous decreases in serum insulin concentrations for younger cattle implied a more negative EB status than for older cattle. The total number of follicles and total number of oocytes retrieved was significantly (P < .001) affected by a linear days postpartum by parity interaction with younger cattle having linear increases compared to decreases in the total number of follicles for older cattle. Oocyte quality score was affected by the quadratic days postpartum by parity interaction (P < .01) and calving season (P < .01). Younger cattle had higher initial quality scores compared to older cattle, but older cattle had higher quality oocytes towards the end of the 12 wk period compared with younger cattle. Younger cattle had higher E2 and IGF-I concentrations in follicular fluid associated with a higher number of total follicles and number of oocytes, compared to older cattle. However, oocyte quality of younger cattle seemed to be reduced and oocytes were less competent than for older cattle. Cattle in 3rd and greater lactation showed very little change in BCS and hormone and metabolite measures during early lactation, with no apparent decrease in oocyte quality, despite the aging effect on follicle numbers. This study demonstrated that conditions related to early lactation have a negative effect on oocyte quality and endocrine measures of dairy cattle and that animals of different ages are differentially affected. / Master of Science

Interseeding legumes in native warm-season grasses (NWSG) may improve the nutritive value of the stand, result in more consistent forage availability throughout the growing season, and increase forage yield. These benefits are often not realized due to difficulties in establishing legumes in existing NWSG stands. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of planting method of legume interseeding, timing of legume interseeding, and the efficacy of burning plant residue on legume establishment in NWSG. Two forage legumes, 'Alice' white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and 'Freedom HR' red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), were interseeded into mixed 'Niagara' big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), 'GA Ecotype' Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans Nash), and 'Camper' little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) pasture in 2022 and 2023 at the Southern Piedmont AREC in Blackstone, Virginia. Planting method at three levels (no-till drill, broadcast, and non-planted control) were evaluated at three planting timing levels (fall planting, winter planting, and winter planting with burned residue). Among the treatment combinations, burned plots that were drilled resulted with the greatest spring clover count of 236 plants m-2, followed by winter drill (146 plants m-2) and burn broadcast (133 plants m-2). All fall plantings and all control plots were similar with a mean of 21 plants m-2. As a result of greater initial clover emergence, plots that were burned or seeded in the winter had greater clover content throughout the experiment; burned and drilled plots had over 90% clover ground cover throughout the second year. Domination of plots by clover in the second year caused yields and the proportion of NWSG in the stand to decline, with burned plots yielding 5,757 kg ha-1 compared to a winter-fall mean of 7,429 kg ha-1. Plots with greater clover content were able to sustain higher crude protein content and lower neutral detergent fiber content in both the establishment year and the second year. Though interseeding legumes benefitted nutritive values, these results suggest that red clover may be incompatible with the NWSG evaluated. Burned plots were especially affected by excessive competition. Further research is needed to evaluate forage legume species which complement NWSG in mixture rather than compete with them. / Master of Science / Interseeding legumes in native warm-season grasses (NWSG) may improve the nutritive value of the stand, result in more consistent forage availability throughout the growing season, and increase forage yield. These benefits are often not realized due to difficulties in establishing legumes in existing NWSG stands. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of planting method of legume interseeding, timing of legume interseeding, and the efficacy of burning residue on legume establishment in NWSG. Two forage legumes, 'Alice' white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and 'Freedom HR' red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), were interseeded into mixed 'Niagara' big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), 'GA Ecotype' Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans Nash), and 'Camper' little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) pasture in 2022 and 2023 at the Southern Piedmont AREC in Blackstone, Virginia. Planting method at three levels (no-till drill, broadcast, and non-planted control) were evaluated at three planting timing levels (fall planting, winter planting, and winter planting with burned residue). Among the treatment combinations, burned and drilled plots produced more clover plants in spring at 236 plants m-2, followed by winter drill (146 plants m-2) and burn broadcast (133 plants m-2). All fall plantings and all control plots were similar with a mean of 21 plants m-2. As a result of greater initial clover emergence, plots that were burned or seeded in the winter had greater clover content throughout the experiment; burned and drilled plots had over 90% clover ground cover throughout the second year. Domination of plots by clover in the second year caused yields and the proportion of NWSG in the stand to decline, with burned plots yielding 5,757 kg ha-1 compared to a winter-fall mean of 7,429 kg ha-1. Plots with greater clover content were able to sustain higher crude protein content and lower neutral detergent fiber content in both the establishment year and the second year. Though interseeding legumes benefitted nutritive values, these results suggest that red clover may be incompatible with the NWSG which were evaluated. Burned plots were especially affected by excessive competition. Further research is needed to evaluate forage legume species which complement NWSG in mixture rather than compete with them.

Studies suggest that diverse mixtures of plants may improve forage productivity and also be suitable as bioenergy crops. The objectives of this research were: 1) to measure the effects of native, warm-season perennial (NWSP) forage mixtures and management methods on productivity, weed biomass, nutritive value, and community composition, and 2) to identify mechanisms that generate any positive diversity-productivity relationships over a three-year establishment period. In 2008, two experiments were established to evaluate the use of native, warm-season plants in forage-livestock systems using a pool of ten native species. The first, a large-scale, three-year, experiment tested three different NWSP mixtures (switchgrass monoculture, a four-grass mixture, and a ten-species mixture) and two management methods (grazed or biomass crop). Switchgrass monocultures had the lowest forage yield and highest weed biomass in both grazed areas and biomass crop exclosures. Analysis of forage nutritive value did not show many differences among mixtures, although the monoculture tended to have higher crude protein and lower fiber concentrations than the polycultures. Management method affected community composition, with NWSP richness higher and weed species richness lower in biomass crop exclosures than in grazed areas. A second experiment examined if species richness would enhance yields through a positive biodiversity effect. It employed additive partitioning to separate the selection effect (SE) from the complementarity effect (CE) by sowing random assemblages of NWSPs at five levels of richness into small plots. Species richness was associated with increased yields in the first year only, but overyielding and positive diversity effects were present in all three years. On average, over 50% of multi-species plots overyielded and 64% exhibited a positive biodiversity effect. Both SE and CE contributed to the biodiversity effect and the importance of each effect changed over time as communities became better established. All ten species were also individually analyzed for their yield potential, nutritive value, and elemental composition. Warm-season grasses tended to be higher-yielding but of lower nutritive value. All ten NWSPs contained sufficient concentrations of eleven elements to support nonlactating cows. These experiments demonstrated that diverse NWSP mixtures may be a valuable addition to both forage and bioenergy agroecosystems. / Ph. D.