Life Sciences Commons^™

Surface, But Not Age, Impacts Lower Limb Joint Work During Walking And Stair Ascent, Thomas A. Wenzel, Nicholas L. Hunt, Amy E. Holcomb, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Tyler N. Brown

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Older adults often suffer an accidental fall when navigating challenging surfaces during common locomotor tasks, such as walking and ascending stairs. This study examined the effect of slick and uneven surfaces on lower limb joint work in older and younger adults while walking and ascending stairs. Fifteen young (18–25 years) and 12 older (>65 years) adults had stance phase positive limb and joint work quantified during walking and stair ascent tasks on a normal, slick, and uneven surface, which was then submitted to a two-way mixed model ANOVA for analysis. The stair ascent required greater limb, and hip, knee, …

Genetic And Environmental Drivers Of Migratory Behavior In Western Burrowing Owls And Implications For Conservation And Management, Kelly Barr, Christen M. Bossu, Rachel A. Bay, Eric C. Anderson, Jim Belthoff, Lynne A. Trulio, Debra Chromczak, Colleen L. Wisinski, Thomas B. Smith, Kristen C. Ruegg

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Migration is driven by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, but many questions remain about those drivers. Potential interactions between genetic and environmental variants associated with different migratory phenotypes are rarely the focus of study. We pair low coverage whole genome resequencing with a de novo genome assembly to examine population structure, inbreeding, and the environmental factors associated with genetic differentiation between migratory and resident breeding phenotypes in a species of conservation concern, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). Our analyses reveal a dichotomy in gene flow depending on whether the population is resident or migratory, …

Effects Of Doxorubicin On Extracellular Matrix Regulation In Primary Cardiac Fibroblasts From Mice, Cameron Skaggs, Steve Nick, Conner Patricelli, Laura Bond, Kali Woods, Luke Woodbury, Julia Thom Oxford, Xinzhu Pu

Biomolecular Research Center Publications and Presentations

Objective Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic used to treat many adult and pediatric cancers. However, its use is limited due to a dose-dependent cardiotoxicity, which can lead to lethal cardiomyopathy. In contrast to the extensive research efforts on toxic effects of DOX in cardiomyocytes, its effects and mechanisms on cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis and remodeling are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the potential effects of DOX on cardiac ECM to further our mechanistic understanding of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Results DOX-induced significant down-regulation of several ECM related genes in primary cardiac fibroblasts, including Adamts1, Adamts5, Col4a1, Col4a2, …

A Primary Qualitative Study Exploring Adult Bame Individuals' Experiences Regarding Physical Activity From The North-East Of England During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Johnson Mbabazi, Fiona Macgregor, Jeff Breckon, Barry Tolchard, Edward Kunonga, Dorothy Irene Nalweyiso, Abiola Fashina, Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Researchers have found that people from BAME communities have worse health outcomes from many health interventions and face health disparities. BAME individuals experience health inequities and lower health intervention results. The experiences of adult Teesside-based BAME individuals' regarding physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic were mapped onto the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behaviour (COM-B). Twelve adult BAME participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews that lasted 40 to 60 minutes and captured participant perceptions of how their PA and perceptions related to living a healthy PA lifestyle during the pandemic between April and August 2022 via Microsoft Teams. …

The Association Of Virtual Exercise Classes And Well-Being During Covid-19 Among University Employees, Yang Bai, Jacqueline Ohayon, Ryan D. Burns, Wonwoo Byun, Maria Newton, Timothy Brusseau, Traci Thompson

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This cross-sectional study sought to examine the association of virtual exercise with physical activity (PA), general, and mental health during COVID-19 among university employees. Individuals completed an online survey with questions about demographic, sleep, substance use, and virtual exercise participation. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey assessed PA, general, and mental health. Data were analyzed for descriptive, correlation, and multiple regression models. Complete data were collected from 122 participants with a mean age of 45.6±13.1 years. Participation in virtual exercise were highest for twice a week (24.6%) followed by once a month (17.2%) and never …

Doxorubicin-Induced Modulation Of Tgf-Β Signaling Cascade In Mouse Fibroblasts: Insights Into Cardiotoxicity Mechanisms, Conner Patricelli, Parker Lehmann, Julia Thom Oxford, Xinzhu Pu

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity has been widely observed, yet the specific impact on cardiac fibroblasts is not fully understood. Additionally, the modulation of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway by DOX remains to be fully elucidated. This study investigated DOX’s ability to modulate the expression of genes and proteins involved in the TGF-β signaling cascade in mouse fibroblasts from two sources by assessing the impact of DOX treatment on TGF-β inducible expression of pivotal genes and proteins within fibroblasts. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3) and mouse primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were treated with DOX in the presence of TGF-β1 to …

Background Acoustics In Terrestrial Ecology, Clinton D. Francis, Jennifer N. Phillips, Jesse R. Barber

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The way in which terrestrial organisms use the acoustic realm is fundamentally important and shapes behavior, populations, and communities, but how background acoustics, or noise, influence the patterns and processes in ecology is still relatively understudied. In this review, we summarize how background acoustics have traditionally been studied from the signaling perspective, discuss what is known from a receiver's perspective, and explore what is known about population- and community-level responses to noise. We suggest that there are major gaps linking animal physiology and behavior in noise to fitness; that there is a limited understanding of variation in hearing within and …

Biocrusts Indicators Of Livestock Grazing Effects On Soil Stability In Sagebrush Steppe: A Case Study From A Long-Term Experiment In The Northern Great Basin, Stella M. Copeland, Lea A. Condon, Roger Rosentreter, Jesse E. D. Miller, Maya Kahn-Abrams

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biocrusts are sensitive to changes in livestock grazing intensity in arid rangelands and may be useful indicators of ecosystem functions, particularly soil properties like soil stability, which may suggest the potential for soil erosion. We compared biocrust community composition and surface soil stability in a big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) steppe rangeland in the northwestern Great Basin in several paired sites, with or without long-term cattle grazing exclusion, and similar soils (mostly sandy loams), climate, and vegetation composition. We found that livestock grazing was associated with both lower surface soil stability and cover of several biocrust morphogroups, especially lichens, compared with …

Physical Activity And Mental Health Of Youth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Watson, Alicia Fedewa, Clair Tischner

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The COVID-19 Pandemic has globally impacted children’s physical activity and mental health outcomes since the transition to remote learning (Štveráková, et al., 2021). Children and adults may encounter negative mental health related consequences, higher stress, and a significant lack of physical activity while in physical and social isolation (Clemente-Suárez, 2022). In particular, school-aged children have experienced a significant reduction in physical activity since transitioning to remote learning and do not have sufficient opportunities to make up for this loss while engaged in remote learning (Štveráková, et al., 2021). Increased physical activity has been consistently correlated with positive mental health outcomes …

Social And Biological Perspectives To Investigate And Address Illegal Shooting Of Raptors, Eve Thomason, Kenneth Wallen, Todd Katzner

Raptor Research Center Publications and Presentations

Humans have shot raptors for centuries. However, in many countries these actions have been illegal since the mid-twentieth century. Despite this history, there is not a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of this activity, its frequency, and why it occurs. We used literature review and principles drawn from ecology, sociology, and criminology to understand this problem. First, we review literature on raptor shooting globally to explore documented motivations for shooting and we describe the history of raptor shooting in the United States of America (USA). Then, to illustrate the contemporary frequency and geographic breadth of the shooting of raptors, we …

The Influence Of Athletic Identity, Passion, And Perceptions Of Severity Of Concussions On Athletes’ Willingness To Report Concussion Symptoms, Eric M. Martin, Megan Byrd, Adriana Amador, Emma Ridenhour, Carolena Charalambous

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Context: The influence of several psychological characteristics on the willingness of athletes to report concussion behaviors has not been well explored. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand how athletic identity and sport passion predicted participants’ willingness to report symptoms above what was explained by athlete demographics, concussion knowledge, and perceived seriousness of concussions. Design: The study was cross-sectional. Methods: Three-hundred and twenty-two male and female high school and club sport athletes completed survey measures of concussion knowledge, athletic identity, harmonious and obsessive passion, and degree to which athletes indicated they would report concussions and …

Once You See It, You Can’T Unsee It?: Racial Justice Activism And Articulations Of Whiteness Among White Collegiate Athlete Activists, Yannick Kluch, Emma Calow, Eric M. Martin, Travis R. Scheadler, Andrew Mac Intosh, Shannon Jolly

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The goal of this study was to examine how athletes holding privileged racial identities understand their whiteness as they engage in racial justice activism. Drawing from 12 semistructured interviews with white collegiate athletes who have engaged in activism for racial justice, we identified four higher order themes which we situate within a broader discussion of how each theme either reinforces or disrupts racial power: articulations of (a) racial consciousness, (b) white privilege, (c) white empathy, and (d) white accountability. While the white accountability theme has the potential to disrupt racial power due to its relying on rigorous self-critique, the remaining …

Illegal Shooting Is Now A Leading Cause Of Death Of Birds Along Power Lines In The Western Usa, Eve C. Thomason, Natalie J. S. Turley, James R. Belthoff, Tara J. Conkling, Todd E. Katzner

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human actions, both legal and illegal, affect wildlife in many ways. Inaccurate diagnosis of cause of death undermines law enforcement, management, threat assessment, and mitigation. We found 410 dead birds collected along 196 km of power lines in four western USA states during 2019–2022. We necropsied these carcasses to test conventional wisdom suggesting that electrocution is the leading cause of death of birds at electrical infrastructure. Of 175 birds with a known cause of death, 66% died from gunshot. Both raptors and corvids were more likely to die from gunshot than from other causes, along both transmission and distribution lines. …

A Genotype × Environment Experiment Reveals Contrasting Response Strategies To Drought Between Populations Of A Keystone Species (Artemisia Tridentata; Asteraceae), Anthony E. Melton, Kara Moran, Peggy Martinez, Paige Ellestad, Erin Milliken, Walker Morales, Andrew W. Child, Bryce A. Richardson, Marcelo Serpe, Stephen J. Novak, Sven Buerki

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Western North America has been experiencing persistent drought exacerbated by climate change for over two decades. This extreme climate event is a clear threat to native plant communities. Artemisia tridentata is a keystone shrub species in western North America and is threatened by climate change, urbanization, and wildfire. A drought Genotype × Environment (G × E) experiment was conducted to assess phenotypic plasticity and differential gene expression in A. tridentata. The G × E experiment was performed on diploid A. tridentata seedlings from two populations (one from Idaho, USA and one from Utah, USA), which experience differing levels of …

A Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of Obesity, Body Image, And Mental Health Of British-Born Afro-Caribbean Male Students At A West Yorkshire University In England, Johnson Mbabazi, Dorothy Irene Nalweyiso, Fiona Macgregor, Jeff Breckon, Edward Kunonga, Barry Tolchard, Rosemary Dawson, Jennifer Teke, Josette Bettany Saltikov, George William Kagugube, Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Obesity, body image, and depression are all biopsychosocial phenomena that are frequently misunderstood across cultures. Body dissatisfaction is a psychological aspect of obesity that has been associated with disordered eating, low self-esteem, and depression. Nevertheless, body image dissatisfaction may affect non-obese individuals too. Those with a positive body image are more likely to participate in physical activity than those with a negative body image. Individuals who are satisfied with their body image are more likely to possess high self-esteem, confidence, and healthy eating habits. Obesity prevention among the black population is increasingly important. This study sought to examine the perceptions …

Understanding Students’ Cognitive And Affective Attitude And Attitudinal Structures Toward Physical Activity: A Person-Centered Approach, Yubing Wang, Pan Li, Yaogang Han, Binn Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the proportions of students who were holding positive, negative, and neutral cognitive/affective attitude and different cognitive-affective attitudinal structures toward moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) using a person-centered approach. Methods: A total of 3949 students participated in this study (1065 middle-school students, 784 high-school students, and 2100 college students). Results: A majority of students were holding positive cognitive (about 94%) and affective attitude (about 85%) toward MVPA. Most students (about 84%) held the Positive cognitive—Positive affective attitudinal structure toward MVPA. School level influenced the proportions of students who were holding different cognitive …

American Kestrel Migration: Insights And Challenges From Tracking Individuals Across The Annual Cycle, Anjolene R. Hunt, Jesse L. Watson, Jason M. Winiarski, Ron R. Porter, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Natural variation in migratory strategies across the range of the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) creates a unique opportunity for comparative research of annual cycles. However, it can be logistically and technically challenging to track such a small but highly mobile species. We tagged American Kestrels with light-level geolocators or satellite transmitters with the aim of estimating migration timing and connectivity, and we monitored a subset of satellite-tagged individuals during the breeding season to assess transmitter function and wear. We recovered geolocators from six of 49 (12%) tagged individuals. One geolocator-tagged individual migrated approximately 1235 km from its Idaho …

Comparative Analysis Between Physical Activity Affect And Discrete Emotions In College Students, Kelly L. Simonton, Timothy M. Dasinger, Alex C. Garn

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate empirical distinctness and overlap between physical activity (PA) affect and emotions as well as potential unique relationships with PA beliefs and behaviors. Specifically, researchers wanted to explore the level of shared variance amongst discrete emotions and affect, which in effect tested the jingle-jangle fallacy that can be present in psychometric evaluation of related constructs.

Participants: College students (N=519; Mage= 20.47) enrolled in PA courses at two universities in the Southeastern United States completed questionnaires concerning their PA related emotions, affect, self-efficacy, and self-reported PA.

Methods: …

Promoting Preschoolers Actual And Perceived Motor Competence During Recess: A Need-Supportive Motor Skill Intervention, Ana L. West, Joonyoung Lee, Tao Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Using the self-determination theory (SDT) to create a need-supportive teaching environment to promote children’s learning, this study aimed to implement a need-supportive, structured fundamental motor skills (FMS)-based intervention during preschoolers’ 30-minute recess (2 lesson plans; 6 lessons/week for four weeks), and to examine intervention effects on preschoolers’ FMS and perceived competence. Twenty-four preschoolers (Mage = 4.80, SD = 0.32; 54% girls) were randomly assigned to intervention (N = 13) and control (N = 11) groups. Pre- and post-assessments measured actual FMS and perceived competence. A repeated measure MANOVA showed significant improvements between the groups over time …

Temporal Changes In Energy-Balance Behaviors And Home Factors In Adolescents With Normal Weight And Those With Overweight Or Obesity, Senlin Chen, Chelsea L. Kracht, Robbie A. Beyl, Amanda E. Staiano

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study aimed to examine the temporal changes in energy-balance behaviors and home factors in adolescents with normal weight and those with overweight or obesity (OWOB). Adolescents or parent proxies completed survey assessments two to four years before (T0; n = 82), ≤ six months before (T1; n = 68), and ≤ three months after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (T2; n = 82), to capture energy-balance behaviors (i.e., physical activity [PA], screen time, sleep) and home factors (i.e., food environment, food worry, parent support for PA). At T0 and T1 (before pandemic), participants visited our laboratory for anthropometric measurements. At …

Cultivating Algae To Generate Pufas, And Macromolecules Using Struvite And Stress Factors, Alejandro Torres

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural and municipal wastewaters contain vital elements necessary for algal growth (i.e., N, P, Mg, K). One way to capture these elements, in an environmentally friendly way, is through struvite production (NH4MgPO4·6H2O), however, this process is costly to implement. High-value secondary commodities coupled to struvite production can enable implementation of this nutrient capture strategy for agricultural and municipal wastewater systems. In this study, struvite was tested as a nutrient source for cultivation of high-value algal biomass with the main focus on high-value lipids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We compared the growth of microalgal strains C. …

Automating Pharmacokinetic Predictions In Artemisia, Celin Younan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the time course of a compound in the body that is dependent on mechanisms of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion or ADME. A thorough understanding of PK is essential to predict the consequences of organisms exposed to chemicals. In medicine, predictions of PK of drugs allows us to properly prescribe drug treatments. In toxicology, PK allows us to predict the potential exposure of environmental contaminants and how they may affect organisms at the time of exposure or in the future. Chemical ecology could benefit from computational predictions of PK to better understand which plants are consumed or …

The Role Of Decorin And Biglycan In Cns Angiogenesis And Eae Recovery, Kristina Chapman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a severe demyelinating disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) associated with an autoimmune response directed against myelin antigens. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting ones, is a vital process for tissue regeneration and wound healing but is a pathological hallmark of both MS and an MS mouse model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This type of aberrant angiogenesis is a fundamental event during an inflammatory injury, which is mutually dependent upon the intrusion of inflammatory molecules, disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and immature vessel formation. In the EAE recovery phase, this process …

Experimental And Observational Research Of Children Physical Activity Intervention: A Synthesis Of The Recent Studies, Yuanlong Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

No abstract provided.

Understanding Temporal Dynamics Of Plant Specialized Metabolites In Response To Simulated Browsing In Winter, Bryanna Hope Bright

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Plants are continually defending themselves from the herbivores that consume them, often using an array of plant specialized metabolites (PSMs). Volatile organic compounds, including monoterpenes, are one such type of PSMs that can be emitted and induced by plants in response to mechanical damage and herbivory. These volatiles serve as direct defenses against herbivores and can alert neighboring plants about potential threats, resulting in protection against future attacks. However, how these chemicals change over time in response to browsing by vertebrates in the winter has received limited attention and is crucial to interpreting how monoterpenes defend plants against vertebrate herbivores. …

Identifying Sources Of Landscape Variation To Improve Predictions Of Post-Fire Sagebrush Steppe Recovery, Cara Applestein

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Sagebrush steppe ecosystems are endangered landscapes, threated by the annual grass-fire cycle where invasion by annual grasses drives larger fires and larger fires drive invasion. Despite extensive input of resources by land management agencies, restoration of these ecosystems is notoriously variable and difficult to predict. Understanding and accounting for variation is key to effectively allocating limited resources and having success in restoring burned sagebrush landscapes. I utilized Bayesian modeling to assess how variation in weather, seed dispersal, and topography/slope/landscape position affects understanding of post-fire sagebrush-steppe recovery and how we can best incorporate sources of variation into models predicting where plant …

A Coupled Human And Natural Systems Approach To Studying Recreation On Public Lands, Madeline C. Aberg

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Outdoor recreational use has increased rapidly in the western United States in recent years, which provides more people with opportunities to enjoy public lands and benefit from recreation. However, increased recreation can lead to negative social and ecological impacts that degrade both natural resources and the recreation experience. I used a Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) approach to study recreational use at the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwest Idaho. This approach considers the human and natural systems, feedbacks within the systems, and effects from telecoupled influences outside of the site, which …

Using Nmr Chemical Shift Perturbations To Map Interactions Between Acyl-Acyl Carrier Proteins And Acyl Homoserine Lactone Synthases, Madison N. Rizzo

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A pandemic of antibiotic resistance is underway and affecting multiple industries, including veterinary, agricultural, and healthcare. High bacterial population density is a major form of defense for bacterial cells against drugs, contributes to antibiotic resistance, and is one of the requirements for the formation of biofilms. Quorum sensing is a form of cell-to-cell communication that both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria use to account for density behavior. When the population density of bacteria reaches a certain level (a “quorum”), there is an observed coordinated shift in gene expression that leads to optimized growth or virulence. Acyl carrier proteins (ACP) and the …

Effects Of Active Video Game Interventions On Physical Health And Development Among Healthy Preschool Children: A Systematic Review, Wanjiang Zhou, John Oginni, Juan Jose Palos Perez Sr., Kaitlyn Adams, Zan Gao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Early physical activity (PA) interventions during preschool ages are necessary and critical to cultivate healthy movement behaviors for healthy growth and development. The increasing obesity rate among children is a major public health concern globally, which is largely due to poor adherence to participating in regular PA. Active video game (AVG) interventions have been increasingly used in promoting PA. The narrative review synthesized current literature regarding the effect of AVG interventions on physical health and development indicators among healthy preschoolers. A systematic review was performed in Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed, SPORT Discus, and Web of Science, following the …

A Review Of Health Wearable-Based Physical Activity Interventions Among Children And Adolescents, Suryeon Ryu, Pablo Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Zan Gao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Health wearable technologies have become popular in recent decades to improve individual physical activity (PA) behavior. Thus, this paper aims to examine the health of wearable-based PA intervention among children and adolescents and provide narrative overviews. This paper retrieved articles based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) experimental design; (2) studies among healthy children and adolescents aged from 5 to 18 years; (3) studies using health wearables as a medium to enhance PA or reduce sedentary behavior; and (4) studies with PA assessments as an outcome. Relevant articles were searched based on recent preceding review papers published in 2021 and …