Digital Commons Network^™

Spectral Clustering Of Mixed-Type Data, Felix Mbuga, Cristina Tortora

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Cluster analysis seeks to assign objects with similar characteristics into groups called clusters so that objects within a group are similar to each other and dissimilar to objects in other groups. Spectral clustering has been shown to perform well in different scenarios on continuous data: it can detect convex and non-convex clusters, and can detect overlapping clusters. However, the constraint on continuous data can be limiting in real applications where data are often of mixed-type, i.e., data that contains both continuous and categorical features. This paper looks at extending spectral clustering to mixed-type data. The new method replaces the Euclidean-based …

Elucidating The Clinical Spectrum And Molecular Basis Of Hyal2 Deficiency., James Fasham, Siying Lin, Promita Ghosh, Francesca Clementina Radio, Emily G. Farrow, Isabelle Thiffault, Jennifer Kussman, Dihong Zhou, Rick Hemming, Kenneth Zahka, Barry A. Chioza, Lettie E. Rawlins, Olivia K. Wenger, Adam C. Gunning, Simone Pizzi, Roberta Onesimo, Giuseppe Zampino, Emily Barker, Natasha Osawa, Megan Christine Rodriguez, Teresa M. Neuhann, Elaine H. Zackai, Beth Keena, Jenina Capasso, Alex V. Levin, Elizabeth Bhoj, Dong Li, Hakon Hakonarson, Ingrid M. Wentzensen, Adam Jackson, Kate E. Chandler, Zeynep H. Coban-Akdemir, Jennifer E. Posey, Siddharth Banka, James R. Lupski, Sarah E. Sheppard, Marco Tartaglia, Barbara Triggs-Raine, Andrew H. Crosby, Emma L. Baple

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: We previously defined biallelic HYAL2 variants causing a novel disorder in 2 families, involving orofacial clefting, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and ocular abnormalities, with Hyal2 knockout mice displaying similar phenotypes. In this study, we better define the phenotype and pathologic disease mechanism.

METHODS: Clinical and genomic investigations were undertaken alongside molecular studies, including immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses of variant/wild-type human HYAL2 expressed in mouse fibroblasts, and in silico modeling of putative pathogenic variants.

RESULTS: Ten newly identified individuals with this condition were investigated, and they were associated with 9 novel pathogenic variants. Clinical studies defined genotype-phenotype correlations and …

Bisphenol A Affects Neurodevelopmental Gene Expression, Cognitive Function, And Neuromuscular Synaptic Morphology In Drosophila Melanogaster, Chloe Welch, Eden Johnson, Angelina Tupikova, Judith Anderson, Brendan Tinsley, Johnathan Newman, Erin Widman, Adam Alfareh, Alexandra Davis, Lucero Rodriguez, Clayton Visger, Justin P. Miller-Schulze, Wendy Lee, Kimberly Mulligan

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmentally prevalent endocrine disrupting chemical that can impact human health and may be an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. BPA has been associated with behavioral impairment in children and a variety of neurodevelopmental phenotypes in model organisms. We used Drosophila melanogaster to explore the consequences of developmental BPA exposure on gene expression, cognitive function, and synapse development. Our transcriptome analysis indicated neurodevelopmentally relevant genes were predominantly downregulated by BPA. Among the misregulated genes were those with roles in learning, memory, and synapse development, as well as orthologs of human genes associated with neurodevelopmental and …

Tennessee Farm Bureau News - March 2022, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation

Tennessee Farm Bureau News

No abstract provided.

Owner-Implemented Functional Analyses And Reinforcement-Based Treatments For Mouthing In Dogs, Mindy Waite, Tiffany Kodak

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The most effective behavioral interventions are function based, which requires the identification of the behavioral function. A functional analysis is conducted to isolate and identify the environmental variables maintaining target behavior, and this method is effective across species. In domesticated dogs, mouthing is a common behavior and is considered problematic by many people. However, mouthing is not always simple to treat with standard interventions without identifying the function of the dog’s mouthing. Without efficacious interventions, undesirable behavior in companion animals may result in reduced welfare, an increased likelihood of relinquishment, or an increased probability of euthanasia. The purpose of this …

Increasing Church Growth Potential Through Education And Implementation Of The Biblically Defined Roles Of The Pastor And The Body Of Christ, Gregory Alan Kincaid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project focuses on church growth. It posits that if a congregation is taught and implements the biblical roles of the pastor and the church Body, then the church should grow quantitatively and qualitatively. To test this assumption, the roles of the pastor and that of the Body were delineated, taught, and practiced throughout a year-long study. Emphasis was placed on how God equipped every member of the Body to perform ministry within the church and outreach from the church. To reinforce the differences in the roles, study participants were required to actively participate in life groups with …

The Association Between Peptide Hormones With Obesity And Insulin Resistance Markers In Lean And Obese Individuals In The United Arab Emirates, Manal Ali Ahmad, Mirey Karavetian, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Gabi Wazz, Tarek Mahdy, Koen Venema

All Works

Peptide hormones play a crucial role in body weight and glucose homeostasis. In this study, we aimed to explore this association and recruited 43 obese and 31 age-and sex-matched lean participants. We assessed their body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), percentage body fat (PBF), fasting blood levels of peptide hormones (GLP-1, GLP-2, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, CCK, and PYY), fasting blood sugar (FBS), and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). We tested the associations between peptide hormones and markers of obesity and insulin resistance (IR) by using the Independent-Samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test, partial correlation, …

What Stops Us From Eating: A Qualitative Investigation Of Dietary Barriers During Pregnancy In Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Asim, Zarak Hussain Ahmed, Amy R. Nichols, Rachel Rickman, Elena Neiterman, Anita Mahmood, Elizabeth M. Widen

Community Health Sciences

Objective: Adequate dietary intake during pregnancy is vital for the health and nutritional status of both mother and fetus. The nutritional status of reproductive age women in Pakistan is poor, with 14 % being underweight (BMI < 18·5) and 42 % experiencing Fe deficiency anaemia. This may stem from beliefs, practices and other barriers influencing dietary intake. This qualitative study seeks to determine which factors impact dietary intake during pregnancy in rural Punjab.
Design: In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted and then analysed using thematic analysis.
Setting: Three purposively selected rural districts (Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpatan) with the highest prevalence of maternal and child malnutrition in the province of Punjab, Pakistan.
Participants: Mothers with children under age two (n 29) and healthcare providers with at least 5 years of experience working in the district (n …

Obstructive Hydrocephalus And Intracerebral Mass Secondary To Epicoccum Nigrum, Taylor L Charron, Michelle A Gill, Laura M Filkins, Veena Rajaram, Christian A Wysocki, Brett A Whittemore

Open Access Publications

Here we report a case of a 14-week-old girl with a history of intrauterine drug exposure and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy secondary to cardiac arrest requiring prolonged resuscitation at birth presented with irritability and a bulging anterior fontanelle. After neurosurgical resection, pathologic examination showed fungal hyphae, and

Jagged1/Notch3 Activation Promotes Aortic Hypermuscularization And Stenosis In Elastin Deficiency, Jui M. Dave, Robert Mecham, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Obstructive arterial diseases, including supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS), atherosclerosis, and restenosis, share 2 important features: an abnormal or disrupted elastic lamellae structure and excessive smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, the relationship between these pathological features is poorly delineated. SVAS is caused by heterozygous loss-of-function, hypomorphic, or deletion mutations in the elastin gene (ELN), and SVAS patients and elastin-mutant mice display increased arterial wall cellularity and luminal obstructions. Pharmacological treatments for SVAS are lacking, as the underlying pathobiology is inadequately defined. Herein, using human aortic vascular cells, mouse models, and aortic samples and SMCs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of …

Renin-Angiotensin Blockade Reduces Readmission For Acute Chest Syndrome In Sickle Cell Disease, Nneoma Wamkpah, Anuj Shrestha, Gary Salzman, Stephen Simon, Sahil Suman, Alan Poisner, Agostino Molteni

Open Access Publications

Rationale Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Current treatment is supportive-supplemental oxygen, transfusions, and antibiotics. Prevention of ACS may reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with SCD. Acute chest syndrome appears similar to pulmonary fat embolism (PFE), a complication of severe skeletal trauma or orthopedic procedures from pulmonary micro-vessel blockage by bone marrow fat. Vascular obstruction and bone marrow necrosis occur in PFE and ACS. Pulmonary fat embolism rat models have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) mitigate damage in PFE. These medications could work similarly in …

Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Virus Causes Attenuated Disease In Mice And Hamsters, Peter J Halfmann, Shun Iida, Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Tadashi Maemura, Maki Kiso, Suzanne M Scheaffer, Tamarand L Darling, Astha Joshi, Baoling Ying, James Brett Case, Zhenlu Chong, Bradley Whitener, Zhenlu Chong, Larissa B Thackray, Adrianus C M Boon, Michael S Diamond, Et Al

Open Access Publications

The recent emergence of B.1.1.529, the Omicron variant

Effect Of Workers Density On Insect Pest Incidence And Colony Development Of Bumblebees, Bombus Terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Marium Fatima, Asim Gulzar, Munir Ahmed, Farid Asif Shaheen, Muhammad Tariq, Tariq Mukhtar

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Insect pollination improves essential nutrients and qualities of pollinating plants. Approximately 90% of flowering plants and 35% of crops require insect pollination. Bees play a vital role in pollination in natural and agricultural systems. Managed bees have extensively been used for pollination. Unfortunately, the native bee population has been waning globally. Commercial bee-rearing experiences different rearing problems i.e. food, environment, and spatial conditions within colonies. In this research, the impact of different densities of workers within colonies of Bombus terrestris L. was observed on colony development and pest incidence. Different worker densities i.e. 60-70, 80-90,110-120 and 140-150, respectively, were maintained …

Opposition To Renewable Energy Facilities In The United States: March 2022 Edition, Hillary Aidun, Jacob Elkin, Radhika Goyal, Kate Marsh, Neely Mckee, Maris Welch, Leah Adelman, Shane Finn

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Achieving lower carbon emissions in the United States will require developing a very large number of wind, solar, and other renewable energy facilities, as well as associated storage, distribution, and transmission, at an unprecedented scale and pace. Although host community members are often enthusiastic about renewable energy facilities’ economic and environmental benefits, local opposition often arises. This report updates a previous Sabin Center report, published in February 2021, and documents local restrictions on and opposition to siting renewable energy projects for the period from 1995 to early 2022. Importantly, the authors do not make normative judgments as to the legal …

Identifying Causative Microorganisms In Left Ventricular Assist Device Infections As A Guide For Developing Bacteriophage Therapy, Ishan Kamat, Harveen Lamba, Casey Hines-Munson, Samuel Hudson, Kenneth Liao, Kenneth L Muldrew, Sabrina Green, Austen Terwilliger, Heidi B Kaplan, Robert F Ramig, Anthony Maresso, Barbara W Trautner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: As more left ventricular-assist devices (LVADs) are implanted, multidrug-resistant LVAD infections are becoming increasingly common, partly due to bacterial biofilm production. To aid in developing bacteriophage therapy for LVAD infections, we have identified the most common bacterial pathogens that cause LVAD driveline infections (DLIs) in our heart transplant referral center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a retrospective cohort of patients who received LVADs from November 2003 to August 2017 to identify the common causative organisms of LVAD infection. We also studied a prospective cohort of patients diagnosed with DLIs from October 2018 to May 2019 to collect bacterial strains …

The Evolutionary History Of An Accidental Model Organism, The Leopard Gecko Eublepharis Macularius (Squamata: Eublepharidae), Ishan Agarwal, Aaron M. Bauer, Tony Gamble, Varad B. Giri, Daniel Jablonski, Akshay Khandekar, Pratyush P. Mohapatra, Rafaqat Masroor, Anurag Mishra, Uma Ramakrishnan

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, is a widely used model organism in laboratory and experimental studies. The high phenotypic diversity in the pet trade, the fact that the provenance of different breeding lines is unknown, and that distinct Eublepharis species are known to hybridize, implies that the continued use of E. macularius as a model requires clarity on the origin of the lineages in the pet trade. We combine multi-locus sequence data and the first range-wide sampling of the genus Eublepharis to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the Eublepharidae and Eublepharis, with an updated time-tree for the Eublepharidae. …

Convergent Developmental Patterns Underlie The Repeated Evolution Of Adhesive Toe Pads Among Lizards, Aaron H. Griffing, Tony Gamble, Martin J. Cohn, Thomas J. Sanger

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

How developmental modifications produce key innovations, which subsequently allow for rapid diversification of a clade into new adaptive zones, has received much attention. However, few studies have used a robust comparative framework to investigate the influence of evolutionary and developmental constraints on the origin of key innovations, such as the adhesive toe pad of lizards. Adhesive toe pads evolved independently at least 16 times in lizards, allowing us to examine whether the patterns observed are general evolutionary phenomena or unique, lineage-specific events. We performed a high-resolution comparison of plantar scale development in 14 lizard species in Anolis and geckos, encompassing …

Understanding The Perceived Effect Of Chapel And Discipleship-Group Models In Christian Education, Bailey Humphrey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus’ final command before ascending to Heaven, otherwise known as The Great Commission, is detailed in Matthew 28:19-20. While the overall aim of Christian education is to provide students with an education from a biblical worldview, this education must expand beyond the academics taught in classrooms. Christian education should be equally concerned with making disciples of students who will then go forward to be disciple-makers themselves. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the students’ perceived spiritual effect of chapel and discipleship-group models in Christian education. The data collected analyzed the positive and negative elements of the …

The Effects Of The Global Covid-19 Pandemic On Pastors In The Church Of The Nazarene, Beth Bleadingheiser Heath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic for Nazarene pastors in Ohio. The theoretical framework that guided the research was Hope Theory and Resilience. The Conceptual Mapping Task was used to conduct interviews of eight ordained Nazarene pastors. Pastors described their experience and then worked with a researcher to create a concept map to organize their story. Pastors were asked to describe their story of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Pastors were also asked how the global COVID-19 pandemic affected their church …

Dmp1 Lineage Cells Contribute Significantly To Periosteal Lamellar Bone Formation Induced By Mechanical Loading But Are Depleted From The Bone Surface During Rapid Bone Formation, Taylor L Harris, Matthew J Silva

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Previous work has shown that osteoprogenitor cells (Prx1+) and pre-osteoblasts (Osx+) contribute to mechanical loading-induced bone formation. However, the role of mature Dmp1-expressing osteoblasts has not been reported. In this study we assessed the contribution of osteoblast lineage cells to bone formation at an early time point following mechanical loading (day 8 from onset of loading). We labeled Osx-expressing and Dmp1-expressing cells in inducible Osx and Dmp1 reporter mice (iOsx-Ai9, iDmp1-Ai9), respectively, 3 weeks before loading. Mice were then loaded daily for 5 days (days 1-5) and were dosed with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) in their drinking water until euthanasia on day …

A Tail Of Plumage Colouration: Disentangling Geographic, Seasonal And Dietary Effects On Plumage Colour In A Migratory Songbird, Sean M. Mahoney, Matthew W. Reudink, Andrea Contina, Kelly A. Roberts, Veronica T. Schabert, Emily G. Gunther, Kristen M. Covino

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Plumage ornamentation in birds serves critical inter- and intra-sexual signaling functions. While carotenoid-based plumage colouration is often viewed as a classic condition-dependent sexually selected trait, plumage colouration can be influenced by a wide array of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Understanding the mechanisms underlying variation in colouration is especially important for species where the signaling function of ornamental traits is complex or when the literature is conflicting. Here, we examined variation in the yellow/orange tail feathers of American redstarts Setophaga ruticilla passing through two migratory stopover sites in eastern North America during both spring and fall migration to assess the …

Insecticide Resistance In Aedes Aegypti Varies Seasonally And Geographically In Texas/Mexico Border Cities, Heather Hernandez, Flor A. Martinez, Christopher Vitek

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Insecticide use is the primary method of attempting to reduce or control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Insecticide resistance is a major concern as resistance will limit the efficacy of vector-control efforts. The lower Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas has had autochthonous transmission of multiple mosquito-borne diseases including those caused by dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and Zika virus. However, the current status of mosquito resistance to commonly used pesticides in this region is unknown. In this study, we collected field samples from multiple municipalities in South Texas and assessed resistance using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

Untargeted Metabolomic Identification Of Diagnostic Biomarkers In Ectopic Pregnancy, Onur Turkoglu, Robert Quinn, Stewart F. Graham, Ray Bahado-Singh

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is a potentially life-threatening condition and early diagnosis still remains a challenge, causing a delay in management leading to tubal rupture. Targeted metabolomics has been shown to identify novel biomarkers for the detection of ectopic pregnancy. Using untargeted metabolomics approach, we sought to identify putative plasma biomarkers for the detection of tubal EP compared to intrauterine pregnancies. Methods: This case-control study included prospective recruitment of 50 tubal EP cases and 50 early intrauterine pregnancy controls. Plasma samples were biochemically profiled using tandem liquid chromatographymass (MS/MS) spectrometry with untargeted metabolomics approach. To avoid over-fitting, datasets were randomly …

A Scoping Review Of The Experiences Of Adolescents And Young Adults In The Icu, Their Family Members, And Their Health Care Team, Natalie S. Mcandrew, Jeanne Erickson, Jill L. Guttormson, Alexandrea Bear, Sean Marks, Jayshil Patel, Eric Harding

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Chans-Law: Preventing The Next Pandemic Through The Integration Of Social And Environmental Law, Kirsten Davies, Michelle Mei Ling Lim, Tianbao Qin, Philip Riordan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Zoonotic viruses have sacrificed hundreds of millions of people throughout human history. There are currently 1.7 million unidentified viruses estimated to be circulating in mammal and bird populations. It is foreseeable that in the near future, another of these will transmit to people, heralding the start of the next pandemic—one potentially more deadly than COVID-19. At the core of this article is a call for pre-emptive protection of the natural environment and its regenerative systems as the first fundamental step in the prevention of future epidemics and pandemics. While zoonoses originate in nature, the predominant legal discipline, managing these crises, …

Enhanced Immunoprecipitation Techniques For The Identification Of Rna-Binding Protein Partners: Igf2bp1 Interactions In Mammary Epithelial Cells, Saja A Fakhraldeen, Scott M Berry, David J Beebe, Avtar Roopra, Celia M Bisbach, Vladimir S Spiegelman, Natalie M Niemi, Caroline M Alexander

2020-Current year OA Pubs

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) regulate the expression of large cohorts of RNA species to produce programmatic changes in cellular phenotypes. To describe the function of RBPs within a cell, it is key to identify their mRNA-binding partners. This is often done by crosslinking nucleic acids to RBPs, followed by chemical release of the nucleic acid fragments for analysis. However, this methodology is lengthy, which involves complex processing with attendant sample losses, thus large amounts of starting materials and prone to artifacts. To evaluate potential alternative technologies, we tested "exclusion-based" purification of immunoprecipitates (IFAST or SLIDE) and report here that these methods …

Numbers And Narratives: How Qualitative Methods Can Strengthen The Science Of Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship, Charlotte Z Woods-Hill, Anping Xie, John Lin, Heather A Wolfe, Alex S Plattner, Sara Malone, Kathleen Chiotos, Julia E Szymczak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship initiatives have become increasingly important in paediatric settings. The value of qualitative approaches to conduct stewardship work in paediatric patients is being increasingly recognized. This article seeks to provide an introduction to basic elements of qualitative study designs and provide an overview of how these methods have successfully been applied to both antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship work in paediatric patients. A multidisciplinary team of experts in paediatric infectious diseases, paediatric critical care and qualitative methods has written a perspective piece introducing readers to qualitative stewardship work in children, intended as an overview to highlight the importance …

In Vivo Ps-Oct Needle Probe Scan Of Human Skeletal Muscle, Jeffrey M. Mcbride, Michael J. Hackmann, Sophia Nimphius, Barry Cense

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) derived birefringence values effectively identify skeletal muscle structural disruption due to muscular dystrophy and exercise-related muscle damage in animal models in ex vivo tissue. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a PS-OCT needle probe inserted into the leg of a human subject could accurately identify various anatomical structures with implications for use as a diagnostic tool for the determination of skeletal muscle pathology. A healthy middle-aged subject participated in this study. A custom-built PS-OCT system was interfaced with a side-viewing fiber-optic needle probe inserted into the subject's vastus lateralis muscle via a …

Pivot-12: A Phase Iii Study Of Adjuvant Bempegaldesleukin Plus Nivolumab In Resected Stage Iii/Iv Melanoma At High Risk For Recurrence, Alexander Mm Eggermont, Paolo A. Ascierto, Nikhil I. Khushalani, Dirk Schadendorf, Genevieve Boland, Jeffrey Weber, Karl D. Lewis, Daniel Johnson, Gareth Rivalland, Adnan Khattak, Margarita Majem, Helen Gogas, Georgina V. Long, Sue L. Currie, David Chien, Mary A. Tagliaferri, Matteo S. Carlino, Adi Diab

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG: NKTR-214) is an immunostimulatory IL-2 cytokine prodrug engineered to deliver a controlled, sustained and preferential IL-2 pathway signal. Nivolumab (NIVO), a PD-1 inhibitor, has been shown to prolong survival in patients with advanced melanoma and recurrence-free survival in the adjuvant setting. PIVOT-02 showed that BEMPEG plus NIVO was well-tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity as first-line therapy in metastatic melanoma. PIVOT-12 is a randomized, phase III, global, multicenter, open-label study comparing adjuvant therapy with BEMPEG plus NIVO versus NIVO alone in adult and adolescent patients with completely resected cutaneous stage III/IV melanoma at high risk of recurrence. The primary …

Clostridioides Difficile Infection And One Health: An Equine Perspective, Natasza M. R. Hain-Saunders, Daniel R. Knight, Mieghan Bruce, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile presents a significant health risk to humans and animals. The complexity of the bacterial–host interaction affecting pathogenesis and disease development creates an ongoing challenge for epidemiological studies, control strategies and prevention planning. The recent emergence of human disease caused by strains of C. difficile found in animals adds to mounting evidence that C. difficile infection (CDI) may be a zoonosis. In equine populations, C. difficile is a known cause of diarrhoea and gastrointestinal inflammation, with considerable mortality and morbidity. This has a significant impact on both the well-being of the animal and, in the case of performance …