Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Whole-Food, Plant-Centered Diets On Glycemic Control, Medication Use, Ectopic Fat, And Cardiovascular Health In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Cody Hanick

All ETDs from UAB

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global health and economic concern. Safe and effective treatments for T2D, including dietary approaches, are limited. Additionally, it remains unclear whether dietary carbohydrate quality or quantity matters more for managing T2D. Most nutrient-dense carbohydrate quality sources—such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—come from plant foods and are recommended for people with T2D by the American Diabetes Association. Furthermore, when these food groups are combined into a dietary pattern, a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet is created. However, few studies have tested the effects of a WFPB diet or carbohydrate-rich food groups in people with …

The Manipulation Of Odor Availability Of Training Aids Used In Detection Canine Training, Katylynn B. Sloan, Michele N. Maughan, Caitlin E. Sharpes, Robin R. Greubel, Shawna F. Gallegos, Aleksandr E. Miklos, Lindsay D. Waldrop

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Detection canines can identify numerous substances for which they have been trained. Historically, and a point of ongoing contention, detection canine threshold (i.e., sensitivity or limit of detection) training has primarily focused on changing the weight of the training aid substance used. There has been minimal focus on other principles, such as surface area, confinement, and temperature, which can be manipulated to affect odor availability. That said, trainers have been manipulating odor availability for years without necessarily understanding the governing scientific principles. The aim of this review is to highlight the principles that control odor availability of a substance and …

Crisprofft: Comprehensive Database Of Crispr/Cas Off-Targets, Grant Wang, Xiaona Liu, Aoqi Wang, Jianguo Wen, Pora Kim, Qianqian Song, Xiaona Liu, Xiaobo Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated protein) programmable nuclease system continues to evolve, with in vivo therapeutic gene editing increasingly applied in clinical settings. However, off-target effects remain a significant challenge, hindering its broader clinical application. To enhance the development of gene-editing therapies and the accuracy of prediction algorithms, we developed CRISPRoffT (https://ccsm.uth.edu/CRISPRoffT/). Users can access a comprehensive repository of off-target regions predicted and validated by a diverse range of technologies across various cell lines, Cas enzyme variants, engineered sgRNAs (single guide RNAs) and CRISPR editing systems. CRISPRoffT integrates results of off-target analysis from 74 studies, encompassing …

Intrinsic Adaptive Plasticity In Mouse And Human Sensory Neurons, Lisa A Mcilvried, John Smith Del Rosario, Melanie Y Pullen, Andi Wangzhou, Tayler D Sheahan, Andrew J Shepherd, Richard A Slivicki, John A Lemen, Theodore J Price, Bryan A Copits, Robert W Gereau

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In response to changes in activity induced by environmental cues, neurons in the central nervous system undergo homeostatic plasticity to sustain overall network function during abrupt changes in synaptic strengths. Homeostatic plasticity involves changes in synaptic scaling and regulation of intrinsic excitability. Increases in spontaneous firing and excitability of sensory neurons are evident in some forms of chronic pain in animal models and human patients. However, whether mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity are engaged in sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is unknown. Here, we show that sustained depolarization (induced by 24-h incubation in 30 mM KCl) induces compensatory …

Exploring The Potential Of Malvidin And Echiodinin As Probable Antileishmanial Agents Through In Silico Analysis And In Vitro Efficacy, Luis Daniel Goyzueta-Mamani, Daniela Pagliara Lage, Haruna Luz Barazorda-Ccahuana, Margot Paco-Chipana, Mayron Antonio Candia-Puma, Gonzalo Davila-Del-Carpio, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Ricardo Andrez Machado-De-Avila, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti, Edward L. D'Antonio, Eduardo Antonio Ferraz Coelho, Miguel Angel Chávez-Fumagalli

Natural Sciences Faculty Publications

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania species, presents serious public health challenges due to limited treatment options, toxicity, high costs, and drug resistance. In this study, the in vitro potential of malvidin and echioidinin is examined as antileishmanial agents against L. amazonensis, L. braziliensis, and L. infantum, comparing their effects to amphotericin B (AmpB), a standard drug. Malvidin demonstrated greater potency than echioidinin across all parasite stages and species. Against L. amazonensis, malvidin’s IC50 values were 197.71 ± 17.20 μM (stationary amastigotes) and 258.07 ± 17 μM (axenic amastigotes), compared to echioidinin’s 272.99 ± 29.90 μM and 335.96 …

Course Portfolio: Bios 443/843 Immunology, Nicole Sexton

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio relates to the Fall 2025 delivery of BIOS 443/843: Immunology, cross listed as MBIO 443 and VMBS 843 and was prepared as part of the Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (FIRST) project. BIOS 443/843 is an upper division course that introduces Immunological concepts but also connects them to up to date literature in the field of Immunology with the intent of preparing students for careers in medicine and biomedical research. In Fall of 2025 this course was restructured to incorporate additional peer-to-peer learning opportunities and more distributed assessment styles, therefore was peer-reviewed to assess the …

Effect Of Feeding Fenugreek Extract And Encapsulated Lecithin On Finishing Cattle Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Liver Abscesses, Sofia Suarez Lorences, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Joshua R. Benton, Robert Bondurant, Willard Lemaster, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A feedlot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding fenugreek extract and encapsulated lecithin (Furst-McNess Company, Rockford, Illinois, United States) on finishing cattle performance, carcass characteristics, and liver abscesses. Treatments were applied as a 2×2 factorial that included a control diet with no additive; a diet containing fenugreek extract; a diet containing encapsulated lecithin; and a diet containing both fenugreek extract and encapsulated lecithin. Tylosin was not included in any diets to test natural occurrence of liver abscesses. No interactions were observed between fenugreek extract and encapsulated lecithin treatments but neither feed additive impacted intakes, …

Effects Of Allocation Frequency On Cattle Performance And Forage Utilization When Swath Grazing A Sorghum-Sudangrass Hybrid In Eastern Nebraska, Thomas E. Aquino, Mary E. Drewnoski, Pedro Henrique J. Fernandes

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A sorghum-sudangrass hybrid was swath grazed by growing steers (529 ± 18 lb) from November 2023 to January 2024. Treatments were offering new forage once (1X) or twice (2X) per week to determine the effect of allocation frequency on animal performance and forage utilization. Average daily gain was not impacted by treatment (1X = 0.45 ± 0.1 lb/day, 2X = 0.45 ± 0.1 lb/day). Pre-and post-graze biomass samples were collected to estimate forage utilization, which was not different between treatments (1X = 57.1 ± 3.6%, 2X = 61.1 ± 3.6%). However, there was a difference in carrying …

Spatiotemporal Synchrony Of Climate And Fire Occurrence Across North American Forests (1750–1880), Ellis Margolis, Andreas Wion, John Abatzoglou, Lori Daniels, Donald Falk, Chris Guiterman, James Johnston, Kurt Kipfmueller, Charles Lafon, Rachel Loehman, Maggie Lonergan, Cameron Naficy, Marc-André Parisien, Sean Parks, Jeanne Portier, Michael Stambaugh, Ellen Whitman, A. Park Williams, Larissa Yocom

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Aim: Increasing aridity has driven widespread synchronous fire occurrence in recent decades across North America. The lack of historical (pre-1880) fire records limits our ability to understand long-term continental fire-climate dynamics. The goal of this study is to use tree-ring reconstructions to determine the relationships between spatiotemporal patterns in historical climate and widespread fire occurrence in North American forests, and whether they are stable through time. This information will address a major knowledge gap required to inform projections of future fire.

Location: North American Forests.

Time Period: 1750–1880 CE.

Major Taxa Studied: Trees.

Methods: We applied regionalisation methods to tree-ring …

Identifying Personality In Reptiles And Assessing Welfare Implications For Their Roles As Ambassador Animals In An Educational Setting, Valery Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined behavioral variability and personality in 13 reptiles used as ambassador animals at the American Museum of Natural History. Observations across seasons and novel object tests revealed individual differences, behavioral components, and correlations. Findings emphasize reptilian complexity, highlighting welfare implications while underscoring the need for further research.

Social Networks And Behavioral Adaptation Of Serrano Horses In A Rewilding Initiative In Spain, Ashley Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

Rewilding is a conservation measure that involves actively relocating species or restricting human land use to improve ecosystem sustainability. However, critics raise concerns that rewilding privileges ecosystem function over endangered species. Due to a lack of monitoring around species’ relocations, uncertainty lies in ecological outcomes and psychological, social, cultural impacts on affected animals. For this project, we collaborated with the non-profit Rewilding Europe that sought to conserve Serrano horses (Equus caballus), an ancient and under-studied breed of Spanish horse by relocating 11 individuals to a protected site in Guadalajara, Spain in June 2022. Our research aimed to address …

Land Use Change Consistently Reduces Α- But Not Β- And Γ-Diversity Of Bees., Toby P N Tsang, A A Amado De Santis, Gabriela Armas-Quiñonez, John S Ascher, Eva Samanta Ávila-Gómez, András Báldi, Kimberly M Ballare, Mario V Balzan, Weronika Banaszak-Cibicka, Svenja Bänsch, Yves Basset, Adam J Bates, Jessica M Baumann, Mariana Beal-Neves, Ashley Bennett, Antonio Diego M Bezerra, Betina Blochtein, Riccardo Bommarco, Berry Brosi, Laura A Burkle, Luísa G Carvalheiro, Ignacio Castellanos, Marcela Cely-Santos, Hamutahl Cohen, Drissa Coulibaly, Saul A Cunningham, Sarah Cusser, Isabelle Dajoz, Deborah A Delaney, Ek Del-Val, Monika Egerer, Markus P Eichhorn, Eunice Enríquez, Martin H Entling, Natalia Escobedo-Kenefic, Pedro Maria Abreu Ferreira, Gordon Fitch, Jessica R K Forrest, Valérie Fournier, Robert Fowler, Breno M Freitas, Hannah R Gaines-Day, Benoît Geslin, Jaboury Ghazoul, Paul Glaum, Jose L Gonzalez-Andujar, Adrian González-Chaves, Heather Grab, Claudio Gratton, Solène Guenat, Catalina Gutiérrez-Chacón, Mark A Hall, Mick E Hanley, Annika Hass, Ernest Ireneusz Hennig, Martin Hermy, Juliana Hipólito, Andrea Holzschuh, Sebastian Hopfenmüller, Keng-Lou James Hung, Kristoffer Hylander, Jordi Izquierdo, Mary A Jamieson, Birgit Jauker, Steve Javorek, Shalene Jha, Björn K Klatt, David Kleijn, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki, Jochen Krauss, Michael Kuhlmann, Patricia Landaverde-González, Tanya Latty, Misha Leong, Susannah B Lerman, Yunhui Liu, Ana Carolina Pereira Machado, Anson Main, Rachel Mallinger, Yael Mandelik, Bruno Ferreira Marques, Kevin Matteson, Frédéric Mccune, Ling-Zeng Meng, Jean Paul Metzger, Paula María Montoya-Pfeiffer, Carolina Morales, Lora Morandin, Jane Morrison, Sonja Mudri-Stojnić, Pakorn Nalinrachatakan, Olivia Norfolk, Mark Otieno, Mia G Park, Stacy M Philpott, Gideon Pisanty, Montserrat Plascencia, Simon G Potts, Eileen F Power, Kit Prendergast, Robyn D Quistberg, Davi De Lacerda Ramos, André Rodrigo Rech, Victoria Reynolds, Miriam H Richards, Stuart P M Roberts, Malena Sabatino, Ulrika Samnegård, Hillary Sardiñas, Karina Sánchez-Echeverría, Fernanda Teixeira Saturni, Jeroen Scheper, Amber R Sciligo, C Sheena Sidhu, Brian J Spiesman, Tuanjit Sritongchuay, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Katharina Stein, Alyssa B Stewart, Jane C Stout, Hisatomo Taki, Pornpimon Tangtorwongsakul, Caragh G Threlfall, Carla Faleiro Tinoco, Teja Tscharntke, Katherine J Turo, Chatura Vaidya, Rémy Vandame, Carlos H Vergara, Blandina F Viana, Eric Vides-Borrell, Natapot Warrit, Elisabeth Webb, Catrin Westphal, Jennifer B Wickens, Neal M Williams, Nicholas S G Williams, Caleb J Wilson, Panlong Wu, Elsa Youngsteadt, Yi Zou, Lauren C Ponisio, Timothy C Bonebrake

Entomology Faculty Publications

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α-diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e., γ-diversity), either due to reduced β-diversity amplifying diversity loss or increased β-diversity dampening diversity loss. Additionally, studies often focus on taxonomic diversity, while other important biodiversity components, including phylogenetic diversity, can exhibit differential responses. Here, we evaluated how agricultural and urban land use alters the taxonomic and phylogenetic α-, β-, and γ-diversity of an important pollinator taxon-bees. Using a multicontinental dataset of 3117 bee …

Chronic Heavy Alcohol Intake And Liver-Specific Lrp-1 Reduction Increase Amyloidosis In Alzheimer’S Disease Mice, Devaraj V. Chandrashekar, G. Chuli Roules, Ross A. Steinberg, Urvashi R. Panchal, Nataraj Jagadeesan, Adenike Oyegbesan, Trinh Roselyn, Joshua Yang, Sharda R. Bhagwat, Hiya Rakholia, Rutvi D. Mevawala, Moom Roosan, Derick Han, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Chronic heavy alcohol drinking may be a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but studies in rodent AD models more closely mimic chronic moderate alcohol drinking in humans and largely focus on the brain. The role of the liver, which is significantly impacted by chronic heavy alcohol intake, in driving brain changes in alcohol-dependent AD remains unexplored. Our study using intragastric-ethanol feeding, which mimics chronic heavy alcohol intake in humans, in C57BL/6J mice showed significant AD-relevant changes in the brain and liver. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how hepatic changes using this model of chronic heavy drinking drive …

Pathogen And Host Associations Of Soft Ticks Collected In South Texas, Sarah E. Mays Maestas, Lauren P. Maestas, Phillip E. Kaufman

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Soft ticks (Family: Argasidae) are vectors of relapsing fever Borrelia in the United States and are potential vectors of African swine fever virus, a pathogen that could have a devastating effect on the U.S. swine industry if introduced to the U.S. mainland. Much of the tick-borne disease research in the U.S. focuses on hard ticks, and less is known about the ecology of soft ticks. Some soft tick species found in the southern U.S. have a wide host range and may feed on cattle, swine, native and exotic ungulates, small mammals, reptiles, and humans. Because the feeding habit of …

Fta™ Card Use For Detection Of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum In Wild Birds, Linda Purvis, Dawn E.W. Drumtra

Georgia Journal of Science

Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards are increasingly accepted as an accurate method for nucleic acid detection, including testing for the presence of various avian diseases. However, the accuracy of FTA cards for detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in wild birds has not been published. Traditional techniques for testing MG in birds include serum plate agglutanation (SPA), hemagglutination inhibition (HI), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) all of which are time consuming and require significant financial investment into specialized equipment. We tested the efficacy of using FTA cards to detect MG in wild bird carcasses collected in …

The Effects Of Active Substances Of Clinically Important Drugs On The Survival, Development, And Some Adult Traits Of Drosophila Melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Gökçe Üstündağ, Kemal Büyükgüzel, Ender Büyükgüzel

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) was used as a model organism and fed on an artificial diet with different clinically important drugs under laboratory conditions. The effects of fluconazole, acyclovir, and piperazine on the survivorship, development, adult longevity, fecundity, and hatching rate of the insect were investigated. The results showed that the highest concentration of fluconazole (1250 mg/L) significantly decreased both the rate of larvae reaching the 3rd instar and the rate of pupation from 93.00 ± 2.95% to 11.00 ± 2.59% (χ2 = 134.696; df = 1; p = 0.0001). The highest concentration of acyclovir (200 mg/L) significantly reduced …

Enhanced Motivated Behavior Mediated By Pharmacological Targeting Of The Fgf14/Nav16 Complex In Nucleus Accumbens Neurons, Nolan M Dvorak, Paul A Wadsworth, Guillermo Aquino-Miranda, Pingyuan Wang, Douglas S Engelke, Jingheng Zhou, Nghi Nguyen, Aditya K Singh, Giuseppe Aceto, Zahra Haghighijoo, Isabella I Smith, Nana Goode, Mingxiang Zhou, Yosef Avchalumov, Evan P Troendle, Cynthia M Tapia, Haiying Chen, Reid T Powell, Timothy J Baumgartner, Jully Singh, Leandra Koff, Jessica Di Re, Ann E Wadsworth, Mate Marosi, Marc R Azar, Kristina Elias, Paul Lehmann, Yorkiris M Mármol Contreras, Poonam Shah, Hector Gutierrez, Thomas A Green, Martin B Ulmschneider, Marcello D'Ascenzo, Clifford Stephan, Guohong Cui, Fabricio H Do Monte, Jia Zhou, Fernanda Laezza

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Protein/protein interactions (PPI) play crucial roles in neuronal functions. Yet, their potential as drug targets for brain disorders remains underexplored. The fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14)/voltage-gated Na+ channel 1.6 (Nav1.6) complex regulates excitability of medium spiny neurons (MSN) of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a central hub of reward circuitry that controls motivated behaviors. Here, we identified compound 1028 (IUPAC: ethyl 3-(2-(3-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-indol-1-yl)acetamido)benzoate), a brain-permeable small molecule that targets FGF14R117, a critical residue located within a druggable pocket at the FGF14/Nav1.6 PPI interface. We found that 1028 modulates FGF14/Nav1.6 complex assembly and depolarizes the voltage-dependence of Nav1.6 channel inactivation with …

A Study Of The Dormant Period Of Thaumetopoea Pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) In Bulgaria, Gergana Zaeмdzhikova, Md Habibur Rahman Salman

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The pine processionary moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis et Schiffermuller), is a significant pest affecting conifer forests in the Mediterranean region. This study investigated the diapause mechanisms and survival strategies of PPM in summer and winter feeding populations in Bulgaria. The research was conducted from February to April 2021 at five pine plantation sites known for T. pityocampa activity in southwest Bulgaria. Herein, 1224 specimens were collected across different developmental stages. The sampled populations included those exhibiting typical winter feeding as well as atypical summer feeding. Morphological assessments and monitoring of the development of the individuals were conducted under controlled …

Differentiation Of Mullus Barbatus And Mullus Surmuletus (Perciformes, Mullidae) From Turkish Waters Of The Mediterranean Sea Using Otolith Shape Analyses, Semra Saygin

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and surmullet (Mullus surmuletus) are valuable components of the commercial fishery industry in the Mediterranean Sea in Türkiye. To date, morphological and genetic characteristics have been used to distinguish these species. This study aimed to determine whether it was possible to distinguish between the two species using the morphometric features of their sagittal otoliths. Sagittal otoliths were subjected to elliptic Fourier analysis, wavelet analysis, and analysis of otolith shape indices for 117 specimens from the Mediterranean Sea coast of Türkiye (Mullus barbatus: 53 individuals; Mullus surmuletus: 64 individuals). Overall, canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) demonstrated strong discrimination …

Testing And Optimizing Methodologies For Microplastic Extractions From Owl Pellets, Merve Seyfe, Meli̇ke Seyfe, Tolga Kankiliç, Ülkü Ni̇han Tavşanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Microplastic pollution is a pressing global environmental concern, potentially threatening ecosystems and entering the food chain. Owls, as nocturnal carnivorous birds, are at significant risk of ingesting microplastics due to their diverse foraging habits. This study aimed to identify the most suitable procedure for extracting microplastics from owl pellets, focusing on efficiency, functionality, and cost and ensuring the extraction of both prey and microplastics without damage. Experiments were conducted on pellets from long-eared owl (Asio otus) collected from three different habitats in Ankara, Türkiye. The extraction of microplastics was then tested using various treatments (n = 25), involving different durations, …

Nucleus-Translocated Gclm Promotes Chemoresistance In Colorectal Cancer Through A Moonlighting Function, Jin-Fei Lin, Ze-Xian Liu, Dong-Liang Chen, Ren-Ze Huang, Fen Cao, Kai Yu, Ting Li, Hai-Yu Mo, Hui Sheng, Zhi-Bing Liang, Kun Liao, Yi Han, Shan-Shan Li, Zhao-Lei Zeng, Song Gao, Huai-Qiang Ju, Rui-Hua Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metabolic enzymes perform moonlighting functions during tumor progression, including the modulation of chemoresistance. However, the underlying mechanisms of these functions remain elusive. Here, utilizing a metabolic clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 knockout library screen, we observe that the loss of glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), a rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione biosynthesis, noticeably increases the sensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to platinum-based chemotherapy. Mechanistically, we unveil a noncanonical mechanism through which nuclear GCLM competitively interacts with NF-kappa-B (NF-κB)-repressing factor (NKRF), to promote NF-κB activity and facilitate chemoresistance. In response to platinum drug treatment, GCLM is phosphorylated by P38 …

Impact Of Nature-Based Tourism On Bird Vocalization Rate In The Bajo Del Tigre Reserve, Monteverde, Costa Rica, Abby K. Bressette, Adriana Arias Aguilar

Environmental Studies Publications

Nature-based tourism benefits economies, communities, and conservation initiatives, but it can also have unintended negative effects on wildlife. For birds, vocal communication is essential, yet it can be disrupted by anthropogenic noise. In this study, I used passive recording to examine how human visitation impacts the rate of bird vocalizations in the Bajo del Tigre Reserve in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Overall, bird vocalization rate was not affected by visitation (p > 0.05), but species-specific differences were found. Vocalizations of the lesser greenlet showed no significant change with visitation (p > 0.05). In contrast, the orange-billed nightingale-thrush exhibited a decrease in vocalization rates …

Editorial: Frontiers In The Midlands Society Of Physiological Sciences (2023-2024), Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Hong Zheng, Surabhi Chandra, Harold D. Schultz, William C.W. Chen

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

No abstract provided.

Growing South Dakota (Winter 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Native Plant Initiative on a mission
[Page] 4 Gees give back
[Page] 7 Christensen named assistant dean
[Page] 8 Fennell honored in plant biology
[Page] 9 New ag communication faculty
[Page] 10 SDSU Extension awards
[Page] 12 Veterinary medicine class welcomed
[Page] 13 Coulter honored
[Page] 14 National beef award winners
[Page] 15 Department celebrates 100 years
[Page] 16 Southeast Research Farm growing
[Page] 18 Saving the flock
[Page] 22 Energize conference inspires
[Page] 24 BeefSD helping producers
[Page] 25 SDSU Extension retirements
[Page] 26 New food safety testing service
[Page] 27 Bringing back bison
[Page] 28 Jackrabbits …

Investigating The Impact Of Roundup® Exposure On Hearing In Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus), Joshua W. Adams, Daniel E. Holt

CSU Tower Day

Tower Day 2025 Undergraduate Poster 3rd place Winner

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) such as Roundup® are used extensively worldwide, yet their potential to disrupt fish sensory physiology has remained relatively unexplored. Previous studies have established that glyphosate exposure can induce various neurotoxic effects in fish and other vertebrates—ranging from oxidative stress to altered neurotransmitter systems and anxiogenic-like responses. Despite these documented impacts, no published research has directly assessed whether glyphosate compromises auditory function in fish.

Here, we address this knowledge gap by examining the hearing sensitivity of farm- raised Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) following a 96-hour exposure to Roundup® (3 mg/L …

Reproductive Costs In Female, Island-Dwelling Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Emily R. Gray

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDBs) are a declining species endemic to the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Reproduction is costly for females, which are ovoviviparous, slow to mature, reproduce infrequently, and are often emaciated after parturition. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the trade-offs associated with their reproductive biology. Thus, I had three objectives: 1) assess reproduction-associated water stress and determine how female EDBs respond to altered water budgets in situ (Chapter 1), 2) evaluate the interactive effects of body condition and rainfall on female hydration, with a special focus on musculature as a condition index (Chapter 1), …

Measuring Spatial And Temporal Variation In Species Composition Of Ephemeral Pond Amphibian Assemblages Using Metabarcoding, Elizabeth Strasko

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Amphibian populations worldwide face severe threats, heightening the need for reliable monitoring methods. In this thesis, I explored and tested environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding protocols to survey amphibian assemblages in ephemeral ponds of the the Green River Preserve in central Kentucky, USA. First, I evaluated whether the commonly used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene could effectively capture species-level variation in local amphibians for eDNA metabarcoding. Extensive primer design and testing revealed significant challenges in amplifying fragmented eDNA from water samples. In a second study, I applied a metabarcoding approach using the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) gene …

A Phylogeographic Study Of The Kentucky Endemic Cave Beetle Neaphaenops Tellkampfii Erichson (1844), Mahamad Miya

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cave beetles are an excellent group to study evolutionary history and speciation by isolation within cave habitats. However, they are underrepresented in such studies, particularly in North America, one of the hotspots of cave biodiversity where beetles account for a significant proportion. The present research addresses this issue by focusing on the Kentucky endemic cave beetle, Neaphaenops tellkampfii, a species hypothesized to comprise four subspecies. Based on allozyme data, previous studies have noted high genetic variation within and high similarity among local populations of this beetle, suggesting complex evolutionary dynamics. In this regard, this study aims to elucidate the evolutionary …

Examining The Probiotic Potential Of Pseudoalteromonas Rubra Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Sam Ruemmler

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

Climate change is affecting our oceans negatively in many ways, such as rising temperatures and increased disease outbreaks. While there are many diseases that are affecting marine organisms, bacteria of the genus Vibrio are present globally and are known to favor warmer waters, which means increasing temperatures will cause an uptick in infections. One species, V. coralliilyticus, has been identified as a pathogen responsible for coral disease and death as well as mortality in rainbow trout, brine shrimp, and Pacific oyster larvae. A possible solution to the rising prevalence of disease is the use of probiotics. One such probiotic candidate …

Investigating Drivers In Phytoplankton Between Lentic And Lotic Ecosystems Within Twelvepole Creek Watershed, Devin Lee Farmer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) threaten aquatic ecosystems, local economies, and water quality. While extensively studied in lakes (lentic systems), their impact on flowing waters (lotic systems) remains underexplored. This study examined algal drivers in both ecosystems within the same watershed, focusing on Beech Fork Lake (lentic) and Twelve Pole Creek (lotic). Key environmental factors, including pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels, were measured using in situ sensors and laboratory analysis. Water samples were analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, and algal biomass for comparison to environmental conditions. Phytoplankton was preserved for identification in future research. By comparing these environments, this study …