Iowa Research Articles

PSII-20 The Effect of Hemolysis on Vitamin A, E, and Trace Mineral Analysis in Plasma

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the level of interference that occurs to vitamin A, E, and trace mineral analyses when plasma is subjected to hemolysis. Blood (14 mL; K3EDTA blood tubes; BD Vacutainer, Franklin Lankes, NJ) was collected from six gilts (approximately 85 kg) via jugular venipuncture. Collected whole blood (20 mL) was aliquoted equally into three test tubes. One test tube was processed with no manipulation, the second was aspirated with a 26-gauge one-half inch needle 5 times, and the third was subjected to sonification for 5 seconds (Model: GE 130PB; Cole Parmer, Vernon Hills, IL; outage = 02). Plasma was separated from red blood cells via centrifugation (2,000 x g for 10 minutes at 4°C) and stored at -80°C until time of analysis. All plasma from the samples were analyzed for vitamin A (retinol) and E (alpha-tocopherol) and trace minerals at the Iowa State University Veterinarian Diagnostic Laboratory (Ames, IA). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS 9.4 (Statistical Analysis System, Cary, NC) with animal as the experimental unit and a fixed effect of hemolysis. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found for vitamin A, E, and trace minerals, but at varying degrees of hemolysis (Table 1). Vitamin E, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc were not different (P > 0.05) when the sample was not manipulated or aspirated with a needle but were different (P < 0.05) when the sample was subjected to sonification. Vitamin A was different (P < 0.05) when the blood was aspirated and subjected to sonification compared with no manipulation. Iron and molybdenum were different (P < 0.05) across all three degrees of hemolysis. Based on these data, hemolysis can reduce vitamin A and E and calcium concentrations while increasing detectable concentrations of other minerals in plasma.

Assessing the Impact of a Collaborative OER & Affordable Resources Committee: Instructors’ Awareness of Course Material Options

This case study shares observations from a 2022 survey of 197 instructors at Iowa State University, a public research university in  the United States. The survey sought to explore instructor awareness of three major affordable course material initiatives supported by the university’s  Open & Affordable Education Committee (OAEC): open educational resources (OER), Course Reserves, and Immediate Access. Results from the survey found that despite significant cross-promotion and collaboration between the three programs represented on the OAEC, the awareness and uptake of each program varied wildly, as did instructors’ understanding of the differences between each material type. This paper shares the results of that survey, as well as improvements which have been made to the OAEC’s programming and promotion efforts in the year since.

Genetic Improvement @ ICSE 2023

Following the formal presentations, which included keynotes by Prof. Myra B. Cohen of Iowa State University and Dr. Sebastian Baltes of SAP as well as six papers (which are recorded in the pro- ceedings) there was a wide ranging discussion at the twelfth inter- national Genetic Improvement workshop, GI-2023 @ ICSE held on Saturday 20th May 2023 in Melbourne and online via Zoom. Topics included GI to improve testing, and remove unpleasant surprises in cloud computing costs, incorporating novelty search, large language models (LLM ANN) and GI benchmarks.

Release of tepary bean cultivar ‘USDA Fortuna’ with improved disease and insect resistance, seed size, and culinary quality

AbstractTepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is a viable and nutritious alternative to common bean (P. vulgaris L.) in areas with excessively high temperatures and/or chronic drought. Tepary bean is a traditional crop of the Tohono O'odham Indians of the Sonoran Desert in the Southwest United States and Mexico, as well as other Indigenous peoples of the United States, Mexico, and Central America. Despite its potential for broad applications for reduced water‐input agriculture or for hot, semi‐arid, marginal production zones, tepary bean remains an orphan crop. ‘USDA Fortuna’ (Reg. no. CV‐352, PI 698459) is an improved tepary bean cultivar with enhanced seed size, seed quality, tolerance to Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, and resistance to local strains of rust in Puerto Rico. It has leafhopper pest resistance, common bacterial blight resistance, and moderate resistance to powdery mildew. USDA Fortuna is a high‐yielding tepary bean with an attractive black speckled seed color and a quick cooking time. This cultivar was developed cooperatively by the USDA‐ARS, the University of Puerto Rico, Zamorano University, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF) of the Dominican Republic, Quisqueya University of Haiti, the National Seed Service of Haiti, Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) of Costa Rica, and Iowa State University.

Seed germination of four amaranth species (Amaranthus spp.)

Amaranthus (Amaranthus spp.) is a species of great importance that benefits human and animal nutrition; therefore, its reproduction must be based on useful information obtained from rigorous experiments. Consequently, the aim of this work was to determine the germination of 20 accessions from four Amaranthus spp. The work was carried out at the Instituto Tecnológico de Chiná, Campeche, Mexico, using seeds from Africa, Asia, Greece, South America, the US, and Mexico, donated by The North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS), Iowa State University. After they were weighed and measured, the seeds were placed in Petri dishes and kept in the dark inside a germination chamber, at 27 ºC and with a 54% relative humidity. Germinated seeds were counted and removed every 24 hours. The analyses were carried out using the ANOVA test in order to identify weight, length, and germination differences between accessions. The results showed no statistical differences in seed length, neither between species nor accessions; however, there were statistical differences in the weight, both between species and between accessions. A. hypochondriacus from India recorded the highest weight (0.00093 ± 0.000075 g). Regarding germination, there were statistical differences between the various evaluation periods (24 and 48 hours): the highest germination was recorded by A. hypochondriacus and A cruentus. Therefore, the following conclusion was reached: seed germination is different between species and accessions.

Retrospective evaluation of ceruminous gland tumors confined to the external ear canal of dogs and cats treated with biopsy and CO2 laser ablation.

Treatments currently available for ceruminous gland tumors include surgery and radiation therapy, which come with high financial costs and frequent complication and recurrence rates. To evaluate the treatment, response, complication, and recurrence of ceruminous gland tumors confirmed with biopsy and ablated using CO2 laser. Retrospective review of medical records from Iowa State Universityand the University of Illinois between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2021. Electronic medical records were evaluated for a histopathologically confirmed ceruminous gland tumor via video-otoscopic aided biopsy and subsequent CO2 laser ablation. Signalment, tumor type, size, location within the ear canal, length of time tumor was present before presentation, advanced imaging, and follow-up including recurrence were assessed. Fourteen ceruminous gland adenomas (4 dogs, 10 cats) and 12 ceruminous gland adenocarcinomas (7 dogs, 5 cats) were identified. Bacterial otitis externa was present in 4/26 (15%) animals. Recurrence was identified in 1/14 (7%) ceruminous gland adenomas and 1/12 (8%) ceruminous gland adenocarcinomas. Video-otoscopic aided biopsy and CO2 laser ablation of ceruminous gland tumors in dogs and cats is a viable treatment option with low recurrence and complication rates with CO2 laser ablation.

The Mechanism of Drug Carryover in Feed Manufacturing as a Function of Drug Properties and Equipment Design—A Brief Review

This paper thoroughly reviews the mechanism of veterinary drug carryover in feed manufacturing facilities, factors resulting in varying concentrations of drug carryover in processing equipment, the impact of chemical and physical properties of drugs, and the effect of equipment type and design. The Google Scholar database (from 1998 to 2023) was searched with words and phrases such as drug carryover, feed manufacturing, equipment cleaning and validation, food allergen control, sources of drug carryover, and process parameters in drug carryover. Some papers were from the Iowa State University Library database and PubMed. Drug carryover is a function of ingredients, nature of drugs, equipment type, process parameters, and cleaning procedures. The gaps are the lack of commercial feed mills data on the role and interaction of nanomaterials, molasses, equipment type, and process parameters in drug carryover in animal feed. Modification of process parameters, e.g., airflow in bucket elevators and the interaction of feed ingredients, composition, equipment type, and design, need to be investigated in the commercial setting to address drug carryover. Rhetorically, can big data facilitate the standardization of cleaning procedures at feed mills? The findings can result in drug carryover prevention/control in animal feed and animal-based human food.

Erratum: High Yield Expression of Recombinant Human Proteins with the Transient Transfection of HEK293 Cells in Suspension.

An erratum was issued for:High Yield Expression of Recombinant Human Proteins with the Transient Transfection of HEK293 Cells in Suspension. The Authors section was updated. from: Ganesh P. Subedi1 Roy W. Johnson2 Heather A. Moniz2 Kelley W. Moremen2 Adam Barb1 1The Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University 2Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia to Ganesh P. Subedi1 Roy W. Johnson2 Heather A. Moniz2 Kelley W. Moremen2 Adam W. Barb1 1The Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University 2Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia.

Learning and teaching with the ‘body’: pedagogical hatches from Jennifer Bloomer

In 1999, I ran a studio at Iowa State University, College of Design, at the invitation of Jennifer Bloomer, who was working as a professor there. This invitation was motivated by her interest in my work and my PhD in Women Studies under Hélène Cixous’s supervision and indeed by Jennifer’s proximity with Cixous’s thinking and French Theory as a whole. The studio, inspired by Bloomer’s work and by the tradition of thinking the ‘body’ in French Theory, was focused on ‘Bodies and Cities’, highlighting the role of the body as a ‘para-theoretical device’ that would help students to look differently at urban contexts. This was done through a feminist pedagogical approach inspired and guided by Jennifer and her own references: bell hooks, Julia Kristeva, Luce Irigaray, Hélène Cixous, Jacques Derrida, Paulo Freire, Roland Barthes, and Sigmund Freud. Taking an autobiographic route, this paper revisits Bloomer’s contribution to the feminist turn in architectural theory and education, which started in the 1990s, addressing her particular role as feminist thinker, educator, colleague, and friend in shaping this route. The paper reframes some of Bloomer’s ‘tropes’ like ‘mopping’, ‘hatching’, ‘quilt-making’, and ‘real life’, together with other feminist concepts which were influential to my own route in theory, practice, and education, to speak about how I understand Bloomer’s legacy and how this legacy can be further taken today to address current challenges.

The Cornbelt's Last Open Pollinated Corn: Agricultural extension and the origins of the hybrid corn seed industry.

The article examines the histories of agricultural extension and crop development in the early 20th-century United States. It discusses the role of farm demonstrations, including the participation of farmer-breeders, in the development of spread of higher yielding corn varieties in the Midwestern states in the 1910s and 1920s. It highlights the emphasis placed on finding locally or regionally appropriate varieties in some early corn extension activities and dwells on the irony that these locally specific endeavors played a role in the development of universalized solutions.The article examines and contextualizes an unusual archival document as an entry point into these histories: The Cornbelt's Last Open Pollinated Corn, a two-volume work prepared by Martin Luther Mosher (1882-1982). Mosher was the first county agricultural extension agent in the state of Iowa and worked in extension until his retirement in 1950.The article makes three main observations: (1) The Cornbelt's Last Open Pollinated Corn is best read as an agricultural demonstration; (2) The Cornbelt's Last Open Pollinated Corn is Mosher's attempt to grapple with the material legacies of his extension work in relation to the different agricultural life he idealized; and (3) Mosher's work exemplifies the complex relationships and expectations seen among breeders, seed companies, extension agents, and farmers in the early 20th-century United States.The article concludes that Mosher's work with open-pollinated corn varieties offers insight into the importance of agricultural extension as a means of crop development and highlights the contingent nature of agricultural industrialization.

Bt corn hybrids expressing mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab Proteins protect corn roots against western corn rootworm injury.

The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most serious pests of corn (Zea mays L.) In 2017 and 2018, studies were conducted in fields with and without known unexpected root injury to Cry3Bb1, to determine root protection by Bt corn hybrids expressing both mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab insecticidal crystal proteins, and hybrids expressing either mCry3A or eCry3.1Ab only against the WCR root injury. Node injury was evaluated using the Iowa State University 0-3 node-injury scale (NIS), and the consistency of root protection was also determined. In 2017, with medium to high larval feeding pressure, the Bt corn hybrids expressing both mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab in the breeding stack, molecular stack, and Bt corn hybrid expressing eCry3.1Ab only, sustained low node injury compared with Bt corn hybrid expressing mCry3A only, and the non-Bt corn. In 2018, with low larval feeding pressure in most of the locations, node injury was not different for the Bt and Non-Bt corn hybrids. Across all locations in both years, the Bt corn hybrids expressing both mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab provided better and consistent node injury protection. Bt corn hybrids expressing both mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins provided better root protection and consistency than the Bt corn hybrid expressing mCry3A only, and non-Bt. Therefore, stacking of Bt traits will be the best option for managing insect resistance. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Origins and Formation of Ion Chromatography

The origins and ways of formation of ion chromatography are shown. Little-known facts and publications are reflected, and a significant influence of the development of instrument making in HPLC and technologies for the synthesis of low-capacity sorbents on the development of this method is demonstrated. The early history of developments in the field of ion chromatography in the US scientific groups of H. Small (Dow Chemical and Dionex Corp.) and J. Fritz (Iowa State University) is described, and the scientific works and key achievements of these scientists are analyzed.

Iowa State University summer internships offer real-world experience.

Iowa State University summer internships offer real-world experience.

Volume distribution of primary shoulder arthroplasty among low- and high-volume surgeons

BackgroundCare from high-volume surgeons has been shown to improve patient outcomes and reduce revision rates, complications, and hospital stays. According to prior research, most shoulder arthroplasties are performed by lower volume surgeons. However, this research is limited as it does not account for the recent increase in case numbers and projected growth of shoulder arthroplasty, and was focused only to states with urban populations. The purpose of this study is to identify and compare contemporary shoulder arthroplasty practice patterns and volume distributions in the state of Iowa. MethodsThe Iowa Hospital Association Databank was queried using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 procedure codes for primary total shoulder arthroplasty. Surgeon and hospital volume were stratified according to procedures performed yearly as: low-volume <15 arthroplasties yearly, medium-volume 15-49, and high-volume ≥50 arthroplasties yearly. The proportion of surgeon and hospital volume, and number of procedures performed by each group were assessed. Distance traveled by patients to visit high-volume vs. low-volume surgeons and hospitals was compared. ResultsIn 2019, 1847 primary shoulder arthroplasties were performed in the state of Iowa by 144 surgeons at 49 institutions. Seventy four percent (106/144) of these surgeons were considered low-volume, 20% (29/144) medium-volume, and only 6% (9/144) were high-volume. However, 43% (793/1847) of shoulder arthroplasties were performed by high-volume surgeons, and 18% (333/1847) by low-volume surgeons. Eighteen percent (9/49) of hospitals where shoulder arthroplasties were performed qualified as high-volume institutions, whereas 45% (22/49) were low-volume. Compared to previous results, 65% (1194/1847) of procedures were performed at high-volume institutions and 6% (118/1847) at low-volume institutions. There was a significant difference in median distance traveled for patients to access high vs. low-volume surgeons (34 vs. 14 miles, P < .0001), and high-volume vs. low-volume hospitals (30 vs. 14.5, P < .0001). DiscussionIn the state of Iowa, while only a small portion of surgeons are considered “high-volume”, almost half of primary shoulder arthroplasties are performed by high-volume surgeons. These findings differ from the previous literature regarding volume distribution in shoulder arthroplasty. Furthermore, the results from this study demonstrate a shift from former documented trends which in the past had indicated that most shoulder arthroplasties were performed by low-volume surgeons. Data from this current study provides a glimpse into the evolution in practice patterns for shoulder arthroplasty. As practice patterns continue to evolve, further investigation may demonstrate improved patient outcomes in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty at higher volume hospitals with high-volume surgeons.

Iowa State University's world-class Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Iowa State University's world-class Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Field‐scale analysis of miscanthus production indicates climate change may increase the opportunity for water quality improvement in a key Iowa watershed

AbstractThe Raccoon River Basin is the primary source for drinking water in Iowa's largest city and plays a major role in the Mississippi River Basin's high nutrient exports. Future climate change may have major impacts on the biological, physiological, and agronomic processes imposing a threat to ecosystem services. Efforts to reduce nitrogen (N) loads within this basin have included local litigation and the implementation of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which suggest incorporating bioenergy crops (i.e., miscanthus) within the current corn–soybean landscape to reach a 41% reduction in nitrate loads. This study focuses on simulating N export for historical and future land use scenarios by using an agroecosystem model (Agro‐IBIS) and a hydrology model (THMB) at the 500‐m resolution, similar to the scale of agricultural fields. Model simulations are driven by CMIP5 climate data for historical, mid‐century, and late‐century under the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 warming projections. Using recent crop profit analyses for the state of Iowa, profitability maps were generated and nitrogen leaching thresholds were used to determine where miscanthus should replace corn–soybean area to maximize reductions in N pollution. Our results show that miscanthus inclusion on low profit and high N leaching areas can result in a 4% reduction of N loss under current climate conditions and may reduce N loss by 21%–26% under future climate conditions, implying that water quality has the potential continue to improve under future climate conditions when strategically implemented conservation practices are included in future farm management plans.

Clustering retail stores for inventory transshipment

Rapid growth in the world of e-commerce is forcing traditional retailers to rethink their operational efficiency and revenue/cost streams. Retailers are facing increasing pressure to better utilize in-store inventory and reduce end-of-season markdowns. Transshipments between stores can re-balance inventory levels while preventing shortages and backorders. However, the joint inventory and transshipment problem is difficult to optimize in an extensive network, and many retailers lack the capital and managerial bandwidth required to create a system capable of transshipments between any two stores in a network of hundreds. We consider two multi-location newsvendor problems with reactive and proactive transshipments, respectively. We propose clustering stores into transshipment groups while considering both demand correlation and physical distance between locations. Since minimizing demand correlation does not follow the triangle inequality, we introduce two modified clustering algorithms that outperform existing algorithms for distance- and correlation-based clustering. For a given set of clusters, we mathematically model these two problems considering total system profit. In addition, we quantify the performance of distance-based and correlation-based clustering under several inventory ordering and transshipment policies to show the robustness of our results. To verify our methods, we test the proposed methodology using grocery sales data from IRi over three years in Houston and Dallas, TX and liquor licensee purchase information over three years from the Iowa state government. We present correlation, transshipment, and profitability analysis. We show that when demand correlation is present and stable over time, clustering based on demand correlation can maintain high transshipments and profits while decreasing solution complexity.

We Pay Ourselves Tribute by Recognizing the Giving in Memory of Ahmed Kamal

Those in our community who have known him were shocked on April 30, 2023 by the sudden loss of Professor Ahmed Kamal, a dear friend to them and a distinguished volunteer of the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc). Dr. Kamal was the Willard and Leitha Richardson Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. He served IEEE and ComSoc diligently in so many ways and capacities and for a long time.

A Matter of Checks and Balances

The sanitary survey program was created by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support state primacy agencies in assessing utility progress with implementing water quality requirements in the Ground Water Rule and the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. In the spring of 2021, EPA said it was planning to issue a direct file rule to integrate cybersecurity into the existing sanitary survey program. Multiple organizations representing water utilities and state primacy agencies communicated to EPA that using the sanitary survey program for cybersecurity was ill-advised. Even so, on March 3, 2023, EPA issued the “Cyber Rule” directing state primacy agencies to assess cybersecurity of public water systems (PWSs) as part of the sanitary survey program—effective immediately. The new Cyber Rule requires all PWSs (n = 151,606) to determine whether they use “operational technology,” meaning hardware and software that detect or cause a change through the direct monitoring or control of physical devices, processes, and events in the enterprise, per the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, 15 U.S.C. § 271(3)(6). EPA provided states with three compliance options: (1) self-assessment or third-party assessment by a state-approved entity; (2) state assessment during a sanitary survey; or (3) an alternative, equivalent, state-developed cybersecurity program. The draft guidance for the Cyber Rule includes a checklist of 33 controls that EPA determined are “technically feasible for most PWS[s] to address without significant capital expenditures.” Sixteen of these controls are classified by EPA as potential “significant deficiencies” if not implemented. There are numerous implementation challenges, including the ability of a state official to nonintrusively verify that a control has been implemented. The Cyber Rule interprets the use of operational technology as being part of the equipment or operations examined in the sanitary survey, components used for producing and distributing safe drinking water. This represents a significant expansion of the states’ existing sanitary survey inspection obligations. The details of the rule were never proposed or made available for public review and comment, which is the norm under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). While EPA did have discussions with states in the summer of 2022, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators has consistently advised the agency against using the sanitary survey for addressing cybersecurity. Bypassing APA and other regulatory obligations represents a troubling process issue that undermines the integrity of the rule of law. This includes EPA's determination that the regulatory oversight approach set out by Congress in §2013 of America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 was, in the administrator's judgment, insufficient. AWIA §2013 amended the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) §1433 to require each community water system serving 3,300 or more people to conduct a risk and resilience assessment (RRA) at least every five years, which explicitly encompass cybersecurity threats to “electronic, computer, or other automated systems.” Further, §2013 requires systems to incorporate the findings of the RRA into emergency response plans, which must address the “strategies and resources to improve the resilience of the system, including the physical security and cybersecurity of the system.” Congress clearly defined a process by which a specific class of PWSs would address cybersecurity. Finally, Congress instructed EPA to directly implement, oversee, and enforce AWIA §2013. Unlike other SDWA requirements, AWIA does not authorize the EPA to delegate implementation to the states. Contrary to congressional direction, the Cyber Rule shifts the burden of oversight to the state. Many of these procedural concerns were shared with EPA in a January 2023 letter from the water community. Undeterred, EPA proceeded with issuing the Cyber Rule. Subsequently, on April 17, the states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa filed a challenge to the Cyber Rule in the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, State of Missouri, et al. v. EPA, et al., No. 23-1787 (8th Cir.). AWWA and the National Rural Water Association have filed to intervene on behalf of the states. The intent of the challenge is to hold EPA accountable for going around the checks and balances created to govern the promulgation of regulations. Perhaps watching the “Three Ring Government” episode from Schoolhouse Rock! is in order since it explains the balance of power between the three branches of government. The judiciary is a last resort for accountability; it is unfortunate that the public–private collaboration called for in the National Cybersecurity Strategy was not exercised. Kevin M. Morley is manager of federal relations at the AWWA Government Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at [email protected].

Evidence of scientific research on organic plant breeding: A bibliometric study

AbstractUse of varieties bred under organic conditions is essential in order to minimize the yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture. The aim of this study was to analyse research publications related to the topic ‘organic plant breeding’ from the Web of Science database using bibliometric science mapping and visualization tools. The number of analysed documents in the bibliographic dataset was 204 from the 53 sources. The overall trend in the organic plant breeding literature showed that the number of publications increased during the observed time‐span. We found that in total, 65 countries and 337 institutions are active in the field of organic plant breeding with a high degree of international collaboration. The top five countries according to the number of publications were the United States, Italy, Germany, France, and Canada, while the most active institutions were Wageningen University, Iowa State University, University of Alberta, University of Copenhagen, and University of Hohenheim. All keywords from the organic plant breeding research in the agronomy category were separated into seven clusters for different research topics. Although there is evident progress viewed through the increased trend in the number of publications, organic plant breeding needs further expansion and development. This is especially through the implementation of novel plant breeding techniques and methods aiming to improve traits that are highly specific to organic conditions.