Viborg Thoughts About Work: Alanna

This week has been extra exciting. I am finally seeing results in my project and learning how they contribute to liver function and metabolism. There is a lot going on inside my head at this point in the game. I’m not in over my head at work but there are times where I feel I am just not qualified enough to do what I do. The best way to learn though is truly by asking someone who knows what they are doing. I kind of felt really stupid at work today asking questions every second, but I realized that’s the only way to learn. My coworkers understand that I am young and I am trying to get a grasp on things so they don’t mind explaining things to me. There have only been a few problematic encounters over the week. The first problem I encountered was the language barrier. When typing up data on Excel I am expected to do it in the lab. The lab computers, however, are in Danish and every time I have to enter in data the files need to be transferred to my computer in my office which is set in English. My laptop is also experiencing some problems. I don’t know if it is my browser or settings but often times links don’t work or they automatically switch into Danish. It’s a bit frustrating and I’ve been trying to deal with it. The second problem I have encountered is the cost of living. Things at the store just seem so expensive and I can’t get over that fact. I’m tempted to buy things but when I calculate the prices I stop myself from buying them. I think that has half way ruined my experience here. I want to enjoy some of the finer items here but I’m trying to conserve money for traveling and exploring. The third problem I’ve encountered is thinking outside the box. I’ve always been taught very systematically with direct results. Things aren’t that simple here. You always have to have a plan for when your experiment fails or your parameters don’t match up. Even though I have been frustrated at many times I have to stop and think. The environment here has help alot with my problems. My coworkers have been so friendly and understanding and it has made things much easier for me to cope with failures and problems here. Regardless of these problems, I have so far had a very enjoyable stay in Denmark. Weather has gotten better, I have meet more people, and my experiment has finally started and is going well.

Viborg Work Week 3-4: Alanna

Things at work have been going very well over the past two weeks. I’ve had the opportunity to see and learn an array of things pertaining to the dairy field. Jens is working on dairy cattle nutrition and has been researching the effects of specific fatty acids on fat turnover in the liver with a primary focus on the prevention of fatty liver in dairy cows. For the first two weeks of work I was fortunate enough to follow him around and study his work. I’ve been reading an array of journals and publications from both Jens and those of his colleagues. Things in the lab have become less hectic over the week and I have been able to formulate a routine. Every Tuesday I label blood and biopsy tubes and make sure everything is in place for Wednesday’s blood drawing. On Wednesdays I go out to the cattle research center with two of the lab techs and we bleed cows. We try to take the blood from the tail but often times the cows are too restless to bleed. In that case we take the blood from the jugular. I’ve noticed that the Jersey cows are much more restless than the Holsteins. Sometimes it's a pain to get the cows to stay still or even to get them in their proper restraints. I love Wednesdays nonetheless! Starting last week I got to participate in tail bleeding. I’ve never taken blood from a dairy cow before and it proved to be a bit challenging. With the help of the lab technicians, however, the process went smoothly. While we are drawing blood Birthe, the liver biopsy queen as I like to call her, does her thing. She first identifies the region of the liver using just her hands. On the right side of the cow she places her hand on the cow’s hip region. From there she moves her hand forward and measures the distance between the hip and the shoulder region counting three ribs in between. It’s pretty amazing that this method works every time! After finding the liver she shaves the region and injects the cow with a local anesthetic and waits 10 minutes or so for it to set in. We take blood samples while waiting for the anesthesia to set in. Once the cows are ready Birthe takes a scalpel and makes a small incision in which the liver biopsy can be taken out. The most interesting part of this is she uses a biopsy gun that is meant for a human being. It is much smaller than the ones I have seen at UIUC. Jens takes great pride in the fact that they use human instruments because new methods are being created for the benefit of both humans and animals. The one thing that has come up over and over again with this experiment is animal welfare and quality of life. While writing my research paper Jens came over to look at it. Although I mentioned consumer and producer preference I lacked to mention the over health of the animal. I knew that was a very important factor in the trial but it never occurred to me that this study was done mostly to improve the health of the cows which would later prove to be beneficial for both the producer and consumer in the long run. After we have completed both the blood samples and the liver biopsies we take the samples back to the lab and centrifuge them to pipette the plasma layer for analyzing. The plasma is later assessed for metabolites. All this biochemistry is interesting yet very challenging.

Last Friday I got to be part of a top secret experiment. I can't share the details, but I can tell you I learned alot about fat globules in dairy milk and their interactions with enzymes. I learned how fat globules are split and reacted. Also, for the first time I was introduced to Biomek. Biomek is an automatic robot that can quickly pipette, dilute and dispense with the touch of a button. I thought this was the coolest robot ever. It does everything for you, no more pipetting by hand! I met with Torben Larsen, a scientist genius who spends time figuring out parameters for his milk project through a scheme of statistics. Some of the parameters he measures include temperature, time, pH, and catalyst reactions. He described his line of work, photometrics, and its capabilities. Recently, Torben and his group came up with a way to prescreen cows for mastitis. They can predict three days before hand when a cow will get mastitis. That is three days earlier than when ordinary veterinarians can diagnosis mastitis through clinical examination. Their over all goal is to find a way to improve the health and welfare of dairy cattle through the study of their milk. Very interesting work! I am now working with Torben on a project of my own. I am comparing the advantages of pooled sampling versus individual sampling in a herd of dairy cattle. I will be looking for 14 specific parameters to asses the over all health of the cows and their enzyme activity. Today I had a lesson on spectrometry and was taught how to use the autoanalyzer for these 14 parameters. We are testing for an array of metabolites, ions, and enzymes. I look forward this week to comparing my data and getting some results.

The content that I can most likely contribute to the community is my knowledge on pooled sampling. I am in the process of writing a research paper on the effects of pooled sampling versus individual sampling in early lactating cows. Pooled sampling is a method used to cut costs that are associated with blood sampling. This method, however, have created some concerns in the scientific world. I am trying to prove the method’s accuracy and long term cost benefit by comparing analytical data drawn from several metabolites and enzyme activities in a herd of early lactating cows. Hopefully with this knowledge I can better explain why veterinarians and scientist should used the pooled blood sampling method over individual sampling. I am excited to share my results with the group when I get back because there could be some great implications on dairy cattle health and cost management. During my research and idea phase of this project I have learned several important things which I think could benefit not only U.S. farmers but the dairy industry as a whole. I have learned how to view things in a different light while being here. Thinking outside of the box is something Jens is teaching me how to do every day. It’s frustrating at times when I don’t get the results I want. Science isn’t just that simple and I’ve had to come to the realization that it takes time for real results. My patience has been tested and I think that is a good thing. I like this work and I’m ready to see what my results tell me about these cows I am studying.

Viborg Weekends 3-4: Alanna

The weekends here in Viborg have been fairly productive and eventful. On May 31st I attended a monster truck show with some of the people living at the Kollegium. They thought it would be an “American” experience, even though I explained to them that I never attended a monster truck show in the U.S. They were convinced this show would be a great representation of American entertainment. I went along with it. We had a lot of fun that night biking into town and getting to know one another. The next morning Jess and I went into Viborg to do some shopping. While walking around it started to rain so we decided to check out the museum in town, stiftsmuseum. There was a nice exhibit on early Danish childhood that we passed through. The museum featured the many lifestyles of the Danes from the past. The museum included furniture, clothing, military interests, and an odd collection of birds. It seems that the lifestyles of the Danes did not differ greatly from those living in Britain or the U.S. during the same time period. We ended our museum tour with a nice cup of tea offered to all visitors. I like this idea of having tea at a museum. Tea time is one of the things that strikes me most about the Danes. It reflects their hospitality and warmth. After the visit to the museum the weather started to clear up so we decided to go for a walk through the park. There is a beautiful park located next to the north lake, which is home to hundreds of different flowers. Hopefully when the weather gets nicer Jess and I will be able to take a paddleboat out onto the lake, which is one of the many activities to choose from at this park. Sunday was a beautiful day so I decided to go for a bike ride beyond Viborg. The scenery outside Viborg is absolutely amazing. I started biking and didn’t realize how much I actually biked because the ride was so enjoyable. Although I have gotten into a few accidents, I have finally mastered the skills of bike riding. Denmark had a bank holiday on Tuesday so we did not have to go to work. I again took my bike out to the trails and just explored. The weather was awful but there were some positives. I saw a variety of slugs and snails, which I have never seen before in such quantities. The nature out here is breathtaking.

The following weekend (June 8) many people from Foulum went to Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark. Recently Foulum and the University of Aarhus merged so that students from Aarhus could learn more and become part of the research being developed in Foulum. Scientists from Foulum are now being asked to travel to Aarhus once or twice a week to teach. In a celebration for this collaboration the University of Aarhus decided to put together an event called “Feel Aarhus” for those working at Foulum. The event started off with coffee, tea, and bread…of course! After this delicious snack the director of the event gave a speech along with fellow scientists from the university. It was kind of disappointing to find out that all the speeches were in Danish. After sitting there for an hour Jens told us to go and tour the campus a bit before lunch. Even thought the campus is not that old (est. 1929) it still had its own beauty. After a great lunch with the scientists from Foulum everyone split up to go on their tour. Jess and I chose to go to Moesgaard. This museum featured the body of a man who had been violently killed and thrown into a bog. This bog was like no other in that it preserved his body for hundreds of years. When farmers looking for peat dug him up they though he had recently died and called the police. It was later discovered that the body had been there for hundreds of years and that the plants in the bog had emitted preserving agents. This museum also featured a variety of weaponry that dated back to the Viking era. Although our tour was suppose to include a trip to the beach we never found it. Apparently the beach was a few miles away from the museum. Since we didn’t know where we were going we decided it would be best to stay at the museum. The night ended with a great dinner and band. The entertainment was good. There were three men from Denmark playing older southern style songs from the U.S. It reminded me of home for a short while. On Saturday we went back into town to mail some things and to look around. We meet up with another student from France and enjoyed a thorough walk through town. The weather was absolutely beautiful Saturday so we sat outside and enjoyed some ice cream. Sunday was an exciting day. Jess, Elke (a student from Germany) and I went out to Dollerup. Dollerup is home to a beautiful lake and hiking trails. We first biked out to the Hald Ruin, a fortress once used for Roman protection. Later that day we biked out to the lake in Dollerup and went for a swim. The water was perfect and the sun was beaming. It was well worth the several mile bike ride. People here are definitely not afraid to bare some skin. Their carefree attitude and relaxed lifestyle seem to influence some individuals at the lakefront.

Wageningen Week 4: Sam

Write about the thought process you are undergoing to move toward addressing the questions, where you are now in your thinking, how you think you will proceed in addressing the question, and/or what your current plan is to move forward?

My plan to move forward with developing a learning module based on the differences within animal welfare amongst different countries includes researching statistical data that might suggest and prove the theories of optimal growth that I have created. I also hope to inquire further to masters and PhD students once I am finished with this course, asking if any of their research might suggest support for my theories. Another factor I am now looking to include is the comparison of animal welfare amongst zoos, therefore I will hopefully target most areas of interest within my audience. So far, I have noticed several very favorable conditions for animals such as some of the polar bears in comparison to several zoos I have been to in the U.S. I have also visited a huge aquatic mammal facility where the sea lions and seals had a ton of space, in comparison to most aquariums I have been to in the U.S. Ultimately, I hope to conclude whether it is easier to keep animals in bigger habitats and whether there is less interference of disease and stress upon the captive animals in these conditions.

Identify 3 problems that you have had since leaving home. For each, describe in detail how you went about solving those problems or coming to a personal accommodation about the problem. Also, how has solving each problem impacted you since that time?

My first big problem was my internet connection. I began with my UIUC email as the only functional component. I tested my computer in Allison’s room and she tested hers in mine. My computer worked fine in her room, yet her computer did not work with my newly purchased cord either. Therefore, I decided the problem was likely the phone jack in the wall. I referenced the information sheet for problems concerning the internet and it said to go to the Wageningen Student Organization. On the maps we have, it had it listed way out past the bus station, we spent about an hour trying to find it in this area, only to discover after asking several people, that we were in the entirely wrong area. The map was wrong. We got directions toward where this building actually is hidden way away, only to be told by the people there that this was definitely the wrong place for the problem. They sent us on our way to the buildings that control internet service for the campus, which were again, a ways away and very hard to find as it was tucked away behind a huge series of buildings. To say the least, the campus is very spread out as we were told. We finally find the right building, I explain my internet problem at the help desk and basically all I got was a blank stare. He finally replies, well I’ve never really heard of this problem. I asked whether it might be possible that a block was placed on the room and he looks it up and says no. He took down me information, emailed me a few days later and we were able to resolve the problem after about a week, as I provided different codes for him from my computer. I never really became clear at what the exact problem was but I am happy and relieved it is fixed. Through this problem, I learned my way around town and campus to a much deeper extent than I could’ve imagined. I doubt I would’ve ever known it extended out so far or that half of those places existed. I also now know where to go and who to contact if any other computer problems arise.

My next big problem was my bank. I called each branch, for both my debit card and credit card before leaving, having notes put on my accounts that I would be completing transactions in Europe throughout the entire summer, providing exact dates. Therefore, it came to my surprise that my mom informed me that the bank called on a Sunday evening (after I had tried booking several flights throughout Europe) and said they had suspended my card due to suspected fraudulent charges. They said they would not remove the hold until they spoke with me within the next 24 hours, or else they would reject all of the charges and cancel my card. I first had to make it clear to my mom that finding a pay phone here in Wageningen is nearly impossible. Once she understood I had no way of calling, she spent about 2 hours on the phone with both branches of the bank, finally convincing them to accept her consent. I left all of my financial information at home and messaged with her online as she made the phone calls, providing any bit of information she might need. My cards were finally cleared. Although, something I did discover was that my Chase debit card works perfectly fine in ATM’s, yet I cannot book flights with it. The Chase end said for some reason there are often problems with the banks on the Europe end and they cannot do anything about it. Therefore, I was faced with 6 euros extra in fees, per charge, because I was forced to use my credit card over my debit card. Just a warning.

The last, more recent problem I have faced, concerns the Animal Behavior course that we are taking. On the second day into the course, we discovered that we need to be registered in order to have an account, to log in and use the computer. We are not technically registered due to all the extra fees, therefore that left us unable to log in. Our supervisor logged us in after awhile on the first day, to one computer to share. We later discussed the problem with Paul Koene, the director of the course and he said he would try and take care of it. He discovered that there were not any temporary accounts left to be given out. To try and make an effort from my end, I emailed Kurt and Stacey to see if they possibly remembered having a problem and how it might have been solved. I heard back from Kurt 2 days later, yet he had no idea and thinks it might have all been set up by the time they arrived. Paul said that he did not want us using Rosa’s account (as she had let us all week) and that he did not understand how we could follow the course without being able to log on. We tried stopping by to see if Rene had any ideas on how we might be able to solve this problem, yet he was not in that morning. Allison emailed Rene over our lunch break. Later on in the afternoon, Paul approached us and said he thinks that Bonne, the ‘teacher’ of the course solved the problem. However, it is now Monday and we are still without accounts, using a supervisors for the time being. We are just hoping that we do not get kicked out of the course after having done so much research already. This has taught me to try and problem solve through many different methods, since the first may not always work. It has been a matter of thinking of many different people to contact, that might have an idea on how to make it work.