Fescue Toxicosis occurs when animals are fed or grazing on Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea) syn. (Lolium arudinacea [Schreb]) grass that is infected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium coenophialum (Bacon et al., 1977). This disease affects cattle, sheep, and horses causing reduced feed consumption, average daily gain (ADG), and reproductive performance (Hoveland, 2003). The disease is caused by ergot alkaloids within the fungus, which lives in the plant (Hoveland et al., 1980). Fescue toxicosis is a major concern because at least 35 million acres in the United States contain Tall Fescue (Faulkner, 1999); areas impacted include southern Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, northern Mississippi, northern Louisiana, Georgia, West Virginia, Arkansas and Missouri and in some areas of the Pacific coast such as Oregon (Roberts et al., 2004). Due to the effects of this disease, producers lose an estimated 609 million dollars per year (Paterson et. al, 1995). The aim of this research project was to determine if the herbal supplement, Blessed Thistle, could be used to counteract the effects of fescue toxicosis in cattle. Eighteen Angus first calf heifers and their calves were divided into three treatment groups (n = 6); negative control fed non-endophyte infected Max Q hay (EN), positive control fed endophyte infected KY-31 fescue hay (E+), or treatment fed KY-31 fescue hay and Blessed Thistle extract (E+/BT). Heifers fed E+/BT diet maintained pretreatment prolactin levels throughout the study. Additionally, the change in prolactin levels E- and E+/BT were not significantly different suggesting a protective effect from the blessed thistle. The change in heifer BCS was insignificant except for the E+/BT group which was significantly different (P = 0.02) before and after. The differences between the calf weights were trending (P = 0.088) indicating the ability of the E+/BT calves to perform similarly to the E- calves. The milk production estimate was insignificant (P = 0.497). The rectal temperatures data indicated a difference at the beginning and end of the study (P < 0.001). However, no differences were detected between treatment groups. These results suggest that Blessed Thistle can ameliorate some symptoms of fescue toxicosis however, further research is needed.

Thesis advisor: Margaret E. Guider / Thesis advisor: Michael Simone / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

The decoration of the Amesbury Psalter, c.1250, is of immediate appeal because of its skilled execution and the richness of its decoration. It is, moreover, interesting iconographically; the Madonna and Child page, which presents Mary as the Virgo lactans, appears to be the earliest representation of this type of Madonna which is of English provenance. Although the Virgo lactans is the oldest image of Mary known to us, it has never been the popular image of the Virgin as has been, for example, the representation of the seated Hodegetria. This essay traces the history of the Virgo lactans to the cult of Isis in Egypt, explores the image of Mary expressed in theological writings through the centuries, and examines popular concepts of the Virgin portrayed in vernacular literature, and the various ways in which the Madonna and Child theme has been visually presented. While attempts to link the theological and/ or popular concepts of Mary, which obtained at a particular time and place, with specific images of the Virgin, are sometimes erroneous, there are a few examples of the Virgo lactans of late Romanesque and early Gothic Europe which suggest that they were taken over from the Byzantine world because of a new religious atmosphere. Evidence suggests that the appearance of the Madonna as the Virgo lactans in mid-thirteenth century England might have come about through the personality of Henry III whose piety seemed to be expressed frequently in the form of artistic representation. Furthermore, his interest in the Priory of Amesbury, which has been well documented, might suggest that the so-called Sarum Master, who created the Amesbury Psalter, was one of the many artists employed by Henry, whose royal patronage of art has not been equalled in the annals of English history. / Arts, Faculty of / Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of / Graduate

The objectives of this study were to document the negative effects of endophyte-infected fescue consumption on cow physiological responses after stress challenge and to assess the ability of blessed thistle to ameliorate these responses. Twenty -seven Angus crossbred cows approximately 5-7 years of age and a body weight of (634 ± 80 kg) were equally divided into 3 treatments. Each treatment was divided into 3 replicates, leaving pens of 3 cows per treatment replicate. Each pen was balanced for initial body weight and low age. Each experimental group was randomly assigned to one of three replicates and one of three treatment dietary regimens: control/endophyte-free (EF) fescue, endophyte-infected (EI) fescue, endophyte-infected fescue + blessed thistle supplementation (EIBT). Ergovaline, one alkaloid compound thought to be deleterious in the endophyte-infected fescue metabolites was detected in EI seed analysis performed before the trial commenced. Endophyte-free seed samples were negative for total ergot alkaloids. No treatment interaction was observed for heart rate, body temperature, prolactin and urinary alkaloid analysis rate (P >0.05). A replicate interaction was observed for prolactin (P <0.05). There was an effect of stress point between before and after samples taken on D-1 and D 29 on body temperature, heart rate and cortisol (P <0.05). Results suggest treatments were ineffectual at inducing symptoms of fescue toxicosis. The full capability of blessed thistle to ameliorate symptoms of fescue toxicosis may not be fully represented in this study. Further research and knowledge into the mechanism by which fescue toxicosis impacts health and productivity of livestock is needed to develop sustainable treatment regimens.

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Marian Atlas in Svatá Hora by Příbram The thesis concerns the Marian atlas in Svatá Hora. Compared to other places, it has a plastic form: angels standing on a balustrade of an elevated terrace hold in their arms a cartouche depicting Marian statues and images in Bohemia. In its first part, the thesis is dealing with piousness, veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary and pilgrimages in the Baroque time. The information about Marian atlases by Wilhelm Gumppenberg and Bohuslav Balbín issued in printed form are summed up in the second part of the thesis. Thirdly, there are described other Marian atlases in Bohemia having diverse forms of art. The Marian atlas in Svatá Hora is the core topic of the fourth part of the thesis: its role and importance are explained on the basis of the Marian atlas itself, of the context of Svatá Hora as a place of pilgrimage and of the literature written in the Baroque time. Fifthly, there are presented statues and images of the Blessed Virgin Mary depicted in the cartouches of the Marian atlas in Svatá Hora, i.e. their origin and model and pilgrimages and veneration connected with them in the Baroque time. Keywords Marian atlas, Blessed Virgin Mary, Svatá Hora, image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mathias Hueber

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This study explores several of the key factors that led to the visual amplification of Mary in western Europe during the early Middle Ages, with the art of the Ottonian Empire as its focus. Although the twelfth century has long been recognized as a high point for Marian imagery, the brief but rich period of artistic production during the Ottonian Empire (919-1024) yielded a range of images crucial for understanding the growing role of the Virgin in art and devotion. The approach for this work is necessarily thematic; the seeming randomness of Ottonian images of the Virgin has resulted in their exclusion from broad surveys organized by iconographic type or medium. While images of the Virgin in the Ottonian Empire do not form large groups of visually cohesive images, Ottonian manuscript illumination offers an intriguing view into the process by which Marian devotion coalesced in the west. The period has been thought to represent a lacuna for Marian exegesis -- between the Carolingian period and the twelfth century there were no new theological texts written on the Virgin in this region. There was, however, an intensification of interest in Mary in the liturgy, and as I demonstrate, an attempt to formulate exegesis through images. In studying the odd occurrences -- the lone tenth-century image of a Virgin in a Pentecost scene, or the earliest crowned Virgin outside of Italy -- this study locates these works within their liturgical and political environment through considerations of patronage and use.