Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Antiscabies Efficacy Of Sonneratia Alba Extracts: Evaluation Of Plant Parts And Concentrations In Mice, Delima Engga Maretha, Lara Mukti Taresha, Karina Yuliana, Iis Ariska, Silvia Diah Lestari

Makara Journal of Science

This study evaluated the antiscabies efficacy of 70% ethanol extracts from various parts of the mangrove Sonneratia alba (leaves, flowers, bark, and roots) as a potential alternative therapy. The primary objective was to compare the healing effects of the extracts at different concentrations on scabies lesions in mice (Mus musculus). Using a completely randomized design, 24 male Swiss Webster mice were assigned to four groups: a control (K0) group and three treatment groups to receive 10% (K1), 20% (K2), and 30% (K3) extract concentrations topically twice daily. The results demonstrated that the S. alba extracts had significant effects …

Design And In Silico Modeling Of Heterocyclic-Based Xanthone Derivatives As Potential Anticancer Agents Through Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition, Yehezkiel Steven Kurniawan, Ervan Yudha, Nela Fatmasari, Radite Yogaswara, Harno Dwi Pranowo, Eti Nurwening Sholikhah, Jumina Jumina

Makara Journal of Science

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases nowadays, and tyrosine kinase receptors play crucial roles in cancer cell survival, differentiation, proliferation, and migration. This study designed and developed a new inhibitor from heterocyclic-based xanthone derivatives to target two tyrosine kinase receptors, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), through in silico screening. Eighteen heterocyclic-based xanthones were evaluated through molecular docking for both receptors. All heterocyclic-based xanthones gave the root mean square deviation (RMSD) value lower than 2.00 Å. Xanthone with isobenzothiazole substituent (iBzThio) was found as the most potent inhibitor with binding energies of -10.60 and …

Dietary Oil From Hermetia Illucens L. Larvae Promotes Weight Gain And Alters Leukocyte Profiles In Mus Musculus L, Rudy Agung Nugroho Ran, Reni Kurniati, Widya Putri Ambar Sari, Reynaldo Imanuel Sompotan, Retno Aryani, Hetty Manurung, Rudianto Rudianto

Makara Journal of Science

The escalating global demand for high-quality animal-derived proteins has driven the search for sustainable alternatives. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens L.) oil presents a promising option, by addressing organic waste management while providing nutrient-rich feed. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with BSFL oil on growth performance, hematological characteristics, and blood lipid profiles in mice (Mus musculus). Male mice were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 5): positive control (fish oil, 5 mL/kg body weight [BW]), negative control (Aquadest, 5 mL/kg BW), and three treatment groups receiving BSFL oil at 2.5, 5, and …

Lab-Made 100 Bp Dna Ladder Using Polymerase Chain Reaction And Human Dna, Muhammad Ilmam Bariqi, Zulham Yamamoto, Putri Chalya Firjatu, Luthfi Umam Hakim Nasution, Oryza Sativa Lubis

Makara Journal of Science

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a rapid, molecular biology technique widely used in disease diagnosis and genetic engineering. Conventional PCR products require agarose gel electrophoresis, which employs a DNA ladder as a size reference. Most commercial ladders are plasmid-based and reliable but require additional culture time. We suggest a more efficient method for producing a DNA ladder using DNA derived from human blood. DNA was isolated using a commercial kit. Primer sets generating 100–1000 base pair (bp)-long fragments bearing target regions p12, p13, and p14 were designed using Primer-BLAST. DNA was amplified by routine PCR, visualized on a 1% (w/v) …

Liparis Condylobulbon Reichb. F. From Gumitir, Indonesia: Morphology, Molecular, And Phytochemical Profile, Fuad Bahrul Ulum, Asyifa Yasmin Arum, Kurnia Sa’Adah, Dwi Setyati, Edia Fitria Dwinianti, Ranjithkumar Rajamani, Ari Satia Nugraha, Mukhamad Su’Udi

Makara Journal of Science

Liparis condylobulbon Rchb.f. is an epiphytic orchid across South and Southeast Asia, which holds notable ethnomedicinal and pharmacological significance. This study aims to characterize Indonesian Liparis condylobulbon using integrated morphological, molecular (matK, rbcL, ITS2), and phytochemical (LC-MS, DPPH) analyses of specimens from Mount Gumitir, providing the first comprehensive taxonomic and pharmacological profile to support species authentication and future bioprospecting. The L. condylobulbon specimen displays diagnostic epiphytic morpho-logy, including fusiform pseudobulbs, two elongate leaves, and an erect inflorescence bearing ~123 flowers. Molecular barcoding using matK, rbcL, and ITS2 confirmed its identity, with phylogenetic analyses consistently clustering it with …

Fit Check: Making Health Assessments Work For You, Brooklynn Raacke, Ryssa Schlaefli, Caleb Ashley, Makenzie Premer, Brooke Mann, Jessica Phelan

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

When given multiple tools to assess health, people tend to choose the one that is most familiar, fastest, or easiest to interpret. Relying solely on weight can overshadow other important indicators of health, such as body composition, cardiovascular function, and muscular development. Understanding this preference, even when other tools are available, matters for both educators and fitness professionals. This study used naturalistic observation to assess gym-goers' usage of health and anthropometric assessment tools. Results indicated that while gym-goers initially showed interest in less commonly used assessment tools, they overwhelmingly used the scale. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

The Effects Of Affordability And Quality Of Care On Utilization Of Primary Healthcare Among Rural Residents In Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District, Ghana: A Qualitative Study, Peter Ansah Boakye, Francis Tei-Nartey, Gideon Owusu

Michigan Tech Publications

Objective: This qualitative study examines how affordability and quality of care influence the utilization of primary healthcare (PHC) services among rural residents in the Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District, Ghana. While Ghana has implemented policies such as CHPS and NHIS to improve access, subjective experiences of rural residents regarding total costs of care and perceived quality remain underexplored. Methods: We conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study between April and September 2024 using purposive and snowball sampling. Ten gender-segregated focus group discussions (FGDs; n = 90 residents) and six in-depth interviews (IDIs) with PHC providers were conducted. Data were collected in Twi, transcribed and …

Assessment Of Fecal Indicator Bacteria And Vendors' Handling Practices For Safety Of Salads And Raw Leafy Vegetables In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Gloria B. Mrisho, Thomas J. Lyimo, Godwill D. Mrema

Tanzania Journal of Science

Fresh leafy vegetables have gained popularity in Tanzanian cities due to their nutritional benefits and increased promotion by health practitioners. Assessment of their microbiological quality and safety is essential for determination of associated health risks. This study enumerated Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) for determination of microbiological quality and safety of fresh leafy vegetable salads sold by street vendors and raw leafy vegetables obtained from Sinza market in Dar es Salaam. Handling practices, awareness and consumer satisfaction on the safety of leafy vegetable salads was also assessed among salad street vendors and consumers. Samples were collected from four stations and analyzed …

An Atlas Of Genetic Effects On The Monocyte Methylome Across European And African Populations, Wanheng Zhang, Chuan Qiu, Xiao Zhang, Zichen Zhang, Kuan-Jui Su, Zhe Luo, Minghui Liu, Bingxin Zhao, Lang Wu, Qing Tian, Hui Shen, Chong Wu, Hong-Wen Deng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Performance And Its Association With Esr, Prlr, Fshb Genes In Indigenous “I” Pigs, Do Duc Luc, Phan Thi Tuoi, Nguyen Thai Anh, Do Thi Hue, Nguyen Hoang Thinh

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Improving the reproductive performance of sows plays an important role in the pig industry, and it applies not only to commercial pigs but also to indigenous pigs. In this study, the polymorphisms of three genes, namely estrogen receptor (ESR), prolactin receptor (PRLR), and follicle-stimulating hormone beta subunit (FSHB) in the “I” pig population were investigated, and their associations with reproductive performance were evaluated. Ear tissue samples were collected from 151 fattening pigs and 126 sows across breeding farms in Vietnam for polymorphisms of the ESR, PRLR and FSHB genes. Three genotypes (AA, AB, and BB) were detected at the …

Norfolk Flooding And Its Effect On Nutrient And Enterococcus Levels, Malachi R. Stephens

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Tidal flooding is common in the City of Norfolk, VA due to high rates of sea rise in the region, as well as the region’s subsidence. This has led to increases in flooding at high tide, especially during the spring tide portion of the tidal cycle.  At high tide water from the Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers can flood the landscape directly or can rise out of storm drains. This floodwater often stays on land for long periods of time and can deliver contaminants back into the rivers. To determine the amounts of nutrients and Enterococcus, a fecal indicator, delivered to …

Fortification Of Flour Cultivated In The Territory Of The Republic Of Uzbekistan With Own Iron And Zinc, Nodira B. Kurbanova, Gulnoza Z. Djakhangirova, Bakhtiyar I. Kurbanov, Dase D. Klava

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study is to investigate the regional characteristics of iron and zinc content in wheat and flour produced in Uzbekistan using instrumental neutron activation analysis, and on this basis to provide a scientific justification for effective approaches to flour fortification and the preservation of micronutrients during grain processing. The study analyzed wheat flour produced from grain grown in five regions of Uzbekistan (Khorezm, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, Tashkent, and Fergana). Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was applied for the first time in Uzbekistan to comprehensively assess the microelement composition of flour. It was found that fortification using natural sources …

Preparation Of Semi-Hard Cacciota Cheese From Local Milk And Analysis Of Its Physicochemical And Microbiological Properties, Shahnoza U. Yuldasheva, Dilshod P. Rakhimov, Dilrabo Q. Maksumova, Shahlo I. Akhmedova, Asaloy U. Narimonova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Including cheese products in daily diet will give tangible results, enriching body with nutrients rich in high-quality proteins. The aim of the research is to create an Italian semi-hard cheese, caciotta, from local cow's milk. In the experiment, pepsin of the CHY-MAX® Powder Plus NB brand was used. The resulting product contained 1.46 mg/kg zinc (Zn), which is approximately 34 times lower than the permissible limit (50 mg/kg), which is considered a high quality indicator. From a biological safety point of view, no aflatoxin M1 was detected in the cheese (0.0 mg/kg), indicating the absence of mycotoxin contamination of cow's …

Effect Of Variety And Seaweed Extract Spray In The Content Of Some Medically Active Phenolic Compounds In Grape Fruits, Ali Ahmed Hussein Almyali, Salim Kadhim, Ali S. Hassoon, Ameer Al Fatlawy

Al-Bahir

Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most economically significant fruit crops which has a large adaptive range, nutrition and medicine effect. A variety of 70 types of grapes are planted on more than 11.6 million plants in Iraq, generating a total annual output of more than 421,000 tons. Increasing grape quality, and particularly the phenolic composition recently has been of major interest. Leaf nutrition – particularly seaweed extracts, being rich in amino acids, trace elements and growth promoting substances – has proved to be a potential tool to enhance plant growth and fruit biochemical quality. The …

From Fair To Cure: Guidelines For Computational Models Of Biological Systems, Herbert M. Sauro, Eran Agmon, Michael L. Blinov, John H. Gennari, Joseph L. Hellerstein, Adel Heydarabadipour, Bartholomew E. Jardine, Elebeoba May, David P. Nickerson, Lucian P. Smith, Gary D. Bader, Frank T. Bergmann, Patrick M. Boyle, Andreas Dräger, James R. Faeder, Song Feng, Juliana Freire, Fabian Fröhlich, James A. Glazier, Thomas E. Gorochowski, Tomas Helikar, Henning Hermjakob, Stefan Hoops, Peter Hunter, Princess I. Imoukhuede, Sarah M. Keating, Matthias König, Reinhard Laubenbacher, Leslie M. Loew, Carlos F. Lopez, William W. Lytton, Rahuman S. Malik-Sheriff, Andrew Mcculloch, Pedro Mendes, Lealem Mulugeta, Chris J. Myers, Jerry G. Myers, Anna Niarakis, David D. Van Niekerk, Brett G. Olivier, Alexander A. Patrie, Ellen M. Quardokus, Nicole Radde, Johann M. Rohwer, Sven Sahle, James C. Schaff, Falk Schreiber, T. J. Sego, Janis Shin, Jacky L. Snoep, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, H. Steven Wiley, Dagmar Waltemath, Ion I. Moraru

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

Guidelines for managing scientific data have been established under the FAIR principles, requiring that data be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. In many scientific disciplines, especially computational biology, both data and models are key to progress. For this reason, and recognizing that such models are a very special type of "data", we argue that computational models, especially mechanistic models prevalent in medicine, physiology and systems biology, deserve a complementary set of guidelines. We propose the CURE principles, emphasizing that models should be Credible, Understandable, Reproducible, and Extensible. We delve into each principle, discussing verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification for model …

3'Utr Mapping Reveals Alternative Polyadenylation In Right Ventricular Failure, Rahul Neupane, Kartiga Natarajan, Erik E Suarez, Henry J Pownall, Kai-Lieh Huang, Eric J Wagner, Ajay Kumar Verma, Rambabu Majji, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Ashrith Guha, Rajarajan A Thandavarayan

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Alk2 Deficiency On T Cell Fate And Regulatory T Cell Populations, Jalyn Reeves, Afia Salsabil Alam

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are central to immune tolerance, and their lineage stability is established during thymic development and maintained in the periphery through tightly regulated signaling networks. Members of the BMP receptor family have been implicated in T-cell differentiation, yet the specific role of the type I receptor ALK2 in shaping cell fate and sustaining the regulatory program remains unclear. To examine how ALK2 contributes to T-cell development, we generated ALK2-knockout murine chimeras and analyzed lymphoid populations from the thymus, spleen, and peripheral tissues. Thymocytes and lymphocytes were isolated and stained with antibody panels to identify developmental subsets and …

Interview With Orca Award Winner David Hage, Unl Chemistry; Drug-Protein Interactions, Mark Griep, David Hage

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Prof. David Hage was awarded the ORCA in 2018. He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. Next, he earned a doctorate from Iowa State University and did postdoctoral work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1989, he joined UNL as an assistant professor of chemistry and quickly rose through the ranks. He has won many awards and, for the past 13 years, has been the James Hewet University Professor of Chemistry. Allow me to share some remarkable facts about Dave before we get into …

Self-Reported Longest-Held Occupation Type In Relation To Epilepsy In Late Life: A Pooled Cohort Analysis Of Incidence And Prevalence, Daniel Guerrero Gutierrez, Sofia Pelagalli Maia, Hyunmi Choi, Jose Gutierrez, Natalie Bello, Mary L. Biggs, Emily M. Briceño, James F. Burke, Lisandro D. Colantonio, Mitchell S.V. Elkind, Annette L. Fitzpatrick, Christopher Gonzalez, Alden L. Gross, Lei Huang, Emily L. Johnson, W. Craig Johnson, Cheng-Shiun Leu, Deborah A. Levine, Minghua Liu, W.T. Longstreth Jr., Richard P. Mayeux, Sylwia Misiewicz, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Tatjana Rundek, Danurys Sanchez, Steven J. Shea, Tian Wang, Carolyn W. Shu, Evan L. Thacker

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Epilepsy in late life is influenced by biological, behavioral, social and environmental factors

Lifetime occupation type may capture socioeconomic, environmental, and long-term physical exposures relevant to brain health (e.g., manual labor, stress levels, neurotoxic exposures) that could influence neurological aging

Rapid Kitchen Compost As A Growing Media, Rebecca Kerr, Shannon V. Nelson, Bryan G. Hopkins

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

ReencleTM composters decompose most food waste within 24 hours (~90% reduction).

Compost can be an excellent source of nutrients for plants and improve soil structure and water retention.

Objective: Determine the effectiveness of kitchen compost as a soil amendment for growing lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

Iron Nutrition In Hydroponically Grown Quinoa, Ezra A. Larsen, Daniel L. Lamb, Shannon V. Nelson, Geneva M. Bell, Bryan G. Hopkins

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

• Iron (Fe) deficiency is a global health challenge
• Fe is an essential plant nutrient and limiting factor for many food crops
• Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a nutrient dense pseudocereal, is of growing importance for food security
• Quinoa is often grown in alkaline soil, where Fe is particularly limiting
• An improved understanding of how Fe affects quinoa growth could improve yields and help increase dietary iron intake

Investigating The Mechanisms Of Yersinia Ruckeri Inhibition By A New Strain Of Pseudomonas Fjordensis, Kyler Linton, David Erickson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Pacific freshwater fish are less likely than Atlantic freshwater fish to exhibit Enteric Redmouth Disease (ERM), or Yersiniosis as caused by Yersinia ruckeri. Based on the hypothesis that these fish may harbor commensal bacteria that inhibit Y. ruckeri growth, I isolated many kinds of commensal bacteria from fish intestines collected from Alaska and local streams. In previous studies, I have isolated novel bacteria capable of expressing inhibitory activity against Y. ruckeri via co-culture experiments. One of these bacteria is a strain of Pseudomonas fjordensis. Through genome-wide mutagenesis techniques, a possible gene has been unveiled that may be contributing to this …

Interactive Effects Of Salinity And Glyphosate On Wetland Soil Microbial Communities, Ryan Mortensen, Madison Brown, Rachel Wood

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Wetland soil microbes play an important role in maintaining ecosystem health by cycling nutrients, breaking down organic matter, and maintaining water quality. Herbicide exposure has been shown to alter the genetic composition and functional potential of soil microbial communities, including shifts in microbial nutrient cycling processes [1].

Two of the most prominent environmental stressors in Utah’s wetlands are excessive salinity and herbicide exposure. Increased salinity can change how herbicides move and persist in water, which may influence their ecological effects [2]. While each stressor has been studied independently, little is known about their combined effects on soil microbial community structure …

Genetic And Morphological Comparison Between Introduced And Native Populations Of Aspidocelis Neomexicanus, Sadie Hale, Jordan Kirk, Arianna Moore, Perry Van Wagoner, Vicente Fernández Lara, Angelina Romero, Dallin Matthews, Álvaro Osuna Jiménez, Reagan Mckee, Randy Klabacka

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

The introduction of non-native species to novel ecosystems can have negative impacts on the environment, economy, and human health.

Understanding the processes driving patterns in dispersion, establishment, and expansion of introduced species can illuminate strategies to reduce the occurrence of introduction and mitigate its effects.

The New Mexico Whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus) is a parthenogenetic (asexually-reproducing) species of lizard in the family Teiidae.

Enhancing Metabolic Fitness Of Car T-Cells By Removing Cd6, Nate Neyman, Alka Guar, Annie Joy-Larson, Collin Mickelson, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Poster Design

CAR T-cell therapy is a highly effective cancer treatment involving engineering the patient’s T-cells to recognize and kill cancerous cells. This therapy has shown great success for blood cancers but has faced many challenges against solid tumors.

Surrounding tumor cells there is a lack of essential nutrients (oxygen, glucose) for T-cells to metabolize efficiency. Additionally, there is a buildup of excess waste products that directly impair T-cell function (1). To overcome these obstacles, scientists are working on developing longer lasting T-cells with improved metabolism to improve efficacy against cancer cells.

Monitoring Relapse In Post-Transplant Acute Myeloid Leukemia Requires Integrated Assessment, With Flow Cytometry Showing The Highest Efficacy, Wei J Wang, Sa A Wang, Hong Fang, Qing Wei, Shimin Hu, Sanam Loghavi, Gheath Al-Atrash, Chenxuan Zang, Peng Wei, Jeffrey L Medeiros, Wei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Curriculum For A Two Semester Calculus Course Specializing In Life Science And Data Science, Patrick Mcclain

LSU Master's Theses

Traditionally, introductory calculus has been designed for engineering and physics students, often leaving students majoring in data science or life sciences with a curriculum that lacks professional relevance and is overly reliant on problems that focus on computational fluency. This thesis proposes a two-semester sequence, called MATH 153X and MATH 154X, specifically tailored for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Dual Enrollment program and university-level data science and life sciences majors. By integrating modern computational tools—such as symbolic calculators and artificial intelligence (AI) tools—the proposed curriculum shifts the pedagogical focus from procedural symbolic manipulation toward conceptual literacy.

Through a series …

Comparison Of Sampling Methods For Estimation Of Aquatic Insect Diversity And Abundance Across Seasonal Gradients In A Southern U.S. River System, Albert Henry Gasperecz

LSU Master's Theses

Determination of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage composition plays a vital role in assessment and management of lotic systems throughout the U.S. However, the validity of biomonitoring programs depends on accurate and precise measures of macroinvertebrate abundance, which in turn are dependent on sampling gears and protocols. The goal of this project was to assess how gear selection influences estimates of aquatic insect abundance and diversity, and how this selection can affect biological monitoring practices. I used 4 different gears in 3 southern Mississippi streams to aquatically and terrestrially collect aquatic insects seasonally throughout 2024. I identified and recorded all genera present …

Seasonal Activity Pattern Of Ambrosia Beetles In Southeast Virginia, Umme H. Akter, Sajrim Chowdhury, Deborah A. Waller

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are wood-boring insects that influence forest ecosystems through fungal symbioses, rapid host colonization, and invasive species dynamics. Despite their ecological importance, seasonal activity patterns remain poorly characterized in southeastern Virginia. This study integrates field trapping and statistical modeling to examine species-specific seasonal activity across two forested sites in Norfolk, Virginia. Beetles were monitored using ethanol and essential oil-baited bottle traps alongside ethanol-soaked bolt traps. Overall abundance peaked in April, indicating strong early-season emergence. Ethanol-baited traps captured 3-7 times more beetles than essential oil traps, and negative binomial generalized linear models confirmed bait type as a significant …

Methods Of Inducing Cellular Senescence In Lung Fibroblasts, Sara Palega, Jennifer Q. Zhou, Shan Zhu, Yan Y. Sanders

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Methods of Inducing Cellular Senescence in Lung Fibroblasts

Sara Palega¹, Jennifer Q Zhou², Shan Zhu², Yan Y Sanders²

¹VHS Biomedical Sciences PhD program, ²Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University (ODU)

Introduction: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is the most prevalent and severe of interstitial lung diseases. This chronic and progressive condition lacks treatment options and is ultimately fatal without a lung transplant. IPF arises from aberrant wound healing that leads to excessive collagen deposition, inflammation, and cystic alveolar growths which makes …