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A Novel Strategy Of Mycorrhizal Fungi Usage To Enhance Crop Resilience In Saline Environments: Biopriming With Serendipita Indica, Tuğba Özteki̇n, Meli̇sa Ayişiği, Lale Yildiz Aktaş

Turkish Journal of Botany

Soil salinization is a critical global challenge, threatening agricultural productivity by imposing osmotic stress, ionic toxicity, and oxidative imbalance in plants. This study investigated the potential of Serendipita indica biopriming to enhance salt stress tolerance in maize (Zea mays L. cv. Simon) seedlings through comprehensive physiological and biochemical analyses under controlled conditions. Maize seeds were bioprimed with different concentrations of mycorrhizal fungi S. indica spores and exposed to varying NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 mM). Nonprimed maize seedlings had a gradual reduction in seed vigor index, reaching about 93.56% in 200 mM NaCl treatment. Under nonsaline conditions, S. …

Taxonomic Significance Of Stem And Leaf Anatomy And Pollen And Seed Micromorphological Characters In The Papaver (Poppy) Sect. Rhoeadium From Türkiye, Esengül Özkaymakoğlu, Osman Tugay, Yavuz Bülent Köse, Deni̇z Ulukuş, Bayram Atasagun, Meti̇n Armağan, Ferhat Celep

Turkish Journal of Botany

The poppy (Papaver) has beautiful flowers that attract the attention of not only taxonomists but also the public. However, it also presents several taxonomic problems. This study examines 13 taxa of Papaver sect. Rhoeadium, including the following species native to Türkiye: P. purpureomarginatum, P. dubium subsp. dubium, P. dubium subsp. laevigatum, P. arachnoideum, P. arenarium, P. commutatum subsp. euxinum, P. guerlekense, P. rhopalothece, P. stylatum, P. clavatum, P. syriacum, P. rhoeas, and P. postii. Plant specimens were collected from natural populations, and anatomical investigations were carried out on stem and leaf cross-sections. Pollen and seed features were examined using both …

Complete Genome Characterization Of A New Alphapartitivirus Identified In The Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Lactarius Mediterraneensis, Aigul Kali̇yeva, Ergi̇n Şahi̇n, Gülce Edi̇ş, Ilgaz Akata

Turkish Journal of Botany

Viruses that naturally infect fungi capable of forming mycorrhizal symbioses remain poorly studied. In the present study, a new partitivirus associated with the basidiomycete mycorrhizal fungus Lactarius mediterraneensis was identified and characterized, and it was designated as Lactarius mediterraneensis partitivirus 1 (LmPV1). The complete genome of LmPV1 was determined through high throughput sequencing of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) extracts and confirmed by Sanger sequencing of RLM-RACE PCR amplicons. T he genome comprises two dsRNA segments, 1899 bp and 1957 bp, each containing a single open reading frame (ORF) a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and a capsid protein (CP). Comparative analysis …

Hormetic Doses Of Lead Metal Ion Stimulated Photosynthetic Attributes In Brassica Juncea  During Various Stages Of Growth, Shalini Dhiman, Arun Dev Singh, Nitika Kapoor, Renu Bhardwaj

Turkish Journal of Botany

Low doses of lead (Pb) ions were used in the present study to investigate their effects on photosynthetic efficiency in Brassica juncea. Plants of B. juncea grown for 30, 45, and 60 days were analysed for root and shoot length, pigment content, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, primary and secondary metabolites, and nonenzymatic antioxidant responses under exposure to hormetic doses of Pb2+. The findings show that low levels of Pb2+ (especially 18- and 36-µM Pb treatments) improve gas exchange metrics, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, root and shoot growth, and increased amounts of chlorophyll, carotenoid, xanthophyll and low amounts of pheophytin as compared …

Mycorrhiza-Mediated Physiological Responses Of Shallot Against Twisted Disease And Drought Stress, Krisnanda Surya Dharma, Ani Widiastuti, Suryanti Suryanti

Turkish Journal of Botany

Shallot, a strategic horticultural commodity in Indonesia, is susceptible to biotic stress (e.g., twisted disease) and abiotic stress (e.g., drought). Mycorrhizal fungi offer an environmentally friendly solution to enhance plant resilience. This study evaluated the effects of mycorrhizal application on shallot plants against twisted disease (Fusarium acutatum) and drought stress. Using a randomized complete block design, we assessed growth, disease resistance, and physiological responses. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s honestly significant difference test at a 95% confidence level. Results indicated that mycorrhizal application reduced both the severity and rate of twisted disease development in shallots. …

Combined Glycoprotein Mutations In Rabies Virus Promote Astrocyte Tropism And Protective Cns Immunity In Mice, Mirjam Anna Rita Bertoune, Corinna Kolbe, Ann-Cathrin Werner, Maren Steinmetz, Bernhard Dietzschold, Eberhard Weihe

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Rabies virus (RABV) causes fatal encephalitis once it invades the central nervous system (CNS), and treatment options are extremely limited at this stage. We investigated the recombinant RABV variants SPBN, SPBNGA (glycoprotein substitution R333E), SPBNGAK (R333E plus N194K), SPBNGAS (R333E plus N194S), and TriGAS (three copies of the R333E/N194S glycoprotein). We evaluated their cellular tropism and immune activation in an intracerebral mouse infection model using immunohistochemistry and confocal immunofluorescence. SPBNGAK (R333E/N194K) resulted in mixed neuronal and astrocytic infection and lethal disease. In contrast, the R333E/N194S mutations in the GAS variants were associated with reduced neuronal infection and apparent astrocyte-restricted infection …

An Application-Based Ontological Knowledge Base Of Medications To Support Health Literacy And Adherence For The Consumer Population: An Aging Population Use Case, Clifford Chen, Muhammad Amith, Kirk Roberts, Rebecca Mauldin, Renata Komalasari, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A Bovine Cell Line Resistant To Japanese Encephalitis Virus Entry But Permissive To Post-Entry Replication, Sang-Im Yun, Young-Min Lee

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic orthoflavivirus that poses a significant global health threat. It causes severe neuroinflammatory disease in humans and reproductive failure in swine. Because of the broad host range and cell tropism of JEV, identifying animal cell lines resistant to infection has been a persistent challenge. In this study, we demonstrate that Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells are resistant to JEV infection yet remain fully permissive to viral replication when transfected with viral genomic RNA. Using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry, we show that MDBK cells, unlike the highly susceptible baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells …

Lmod1 Modulates Neointimal Lesion Size After Vessel Injury And Stabilizes Smooth Muscle Cell Gene Regulatory Networks During Atherogenic Stress, Sara Wennersten

ETDs from 2020-2029

Phenotypic switching of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a contractile to a synthetic state underlies the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathologies, including restenosis and atherosclerosis. Leiomodin 1 (LMOD1), an SMC-enriched actin-binding protein, has been previously found to regulate SMC phenotypic modulation in vitro. However, its contribution to CVD development and progression, along with its influence on gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that inform underlying responses to stress, remains incompletely defined. Here, I combine a mouse injury model, bulk RNA sequencing, and GRN inference to define how reduced LMOD1 expression perturbs SMC physiology during vascular wall remodeling and lipid stress. …

Analysis Of Activated Carbon Fiber (Acf) As Particulate Filtration And Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Media For The Development Of A Dual-Air Purifying Facepiece Respirator, Brie Mcmahan

ETDs from 2020-2029

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in occupational or public settings poses adverse health outcomes such as respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, neurological, carcinogenic morbidity and mortality. Many occupational settings expose workers to PM and VOC concurrently, yet most commercially available respirators are designed to address either particulates or vapors alone. This includes air-purifying respirators (APRs), powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) with nuisance-level vapor protection, often limited by bulk, discomfort, high pressure drop, and misuse. We identified a need for alternative dual-exposure media and a respiratory protection device that is lighter, and more comfortable …

Development Of Human Trophoblast Cell Surface Antigen-2 (Trop-2) Specific Radiopharmaceutical Tracers, Arnav Vipulkumar Patel

ETDs from 2020-2029

Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) is closely related to the development and progression of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) and is also being investigated as a pan-cancer biomarker. Trop-2 tumorigenesis is mediated by the calcium ion signaling pathways. By accurately predicting and targeting Trop-2 for immunotherapy, precision therapy is crucial. Trop-2 is overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues, which makes it a promising molecular target for cancer-targeted therapy. This thesis reports the development and preclinical evaluation of two novel Trop-2-specific radiopharmaceutical tracers derived from the clinically approved antibody-drug conjugate Sacituzumab Govitecan (SG): a full antibody drug conjugate-based tracer …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Conned By The Enemy: The Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae Lures And Kills Drosophila Suzukii, Ibrahim M. Farid, Shepard Ndlela, Paul G. Becher, Christopher W. Weldon, Abdelmutalab Ga Azrag, Helgi B. Schiöth, Samira A. Mohamed, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

BACKGROUND: Drosophila suzukii, commonly known as spotted wing drosophila (SWD), is a highly invasive and economically major pest that inflicts significant damage on soft-skinned fruit crops, including raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries and grapes. The recent invasion of D. suzukii in Africa represents a key impediment to the berry industry on the continent. Conventional control strategies for this pest rely heavily on chemical insecticides, which pose several adverse side effects on biodiversity and environmental health. In this study, we evaluated five Metarhizium anisopliae isolates (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30, ICIPE 78) for development as a biopesticide for …

Mechanistic Insights Into The Antimicrobial Effect Of Benzodioxane-Benzamides Against Escherichia Coli, Lorenzo Suigo, Alessia Lanzini, Valentina Straniero, William Margolin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: The bacterial cell division machinery is emerging as an attractive target for antimicrobial compounds. FtsZ, a highly conserved essential division protein, is the target for a number of small molecules such as benzamides. Recent studies show that benzodioxane-benzamides (BDOBs) are among the most potent inhibitors of FtsZ function in Gram-positive bacteria, although their ability to inhibit Gram-negative FtsZ, in particular Escherichia coli FtsZ, has been more controversial.

Methods: Here, we use genetic and cytological methods to demonstrate that FtsZ of efflux pump-disabled E. coli can be efficiently targeted by BDOBs.

Results: We show that engineered mutants …

Coexisting Salps Exhibit Distinct Feeding Selectivity On Microorganisms In The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Anne W. Thompson, Kylee Lamberson, Kelly R. Sutherland

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mortality mechanisms play an important role in how oceanic microorganisms contribute to global biogeochemical cycles. Salps are widespread pelagic tunicates known to remove phytoplankton from coastal and high-latitude waters, but their interaction with microorganisms in the vast tropical and subtropical gyres is not well quantified. Using quantitative measurements of six major marine microorganisms in the guts of six distinct but co-occurring salp species from the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, we examined the impact and dynamics of salp feeding on marine microorganisms in a vast open ocean region. All salps preferentially removed prey greater than 1 μm in diameter, including marine …

Assessing Predoctoral Dental Student Interest In Nutrition Education: A Study Across Two Dental Schools, Nadine M. Tassabehji, Xiaoyuan Han, Parvati Iyer Dr., Michelle Brady, Matthew Finkelman, Shafa Nathani, Anna Garrison, Annie Han

Pacific Journal of Health

The mouth is a mirror of overall health. Dentists have a vital role in the diagnosis of oral diseases, prevention, for health promotion. The purposes of our exploratory study were to investigate dental students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding nutrition education and to propose a curriculum checklist for integrating nutrition content into dental curricula.

An optional exploratory survey was distributed at two North American urban dental schools to 351 students, to compare student perspectives regarding implementation of nutrition education. The results were analyzed as a step to improve nutrition education in dental curricula. A validated stepwise checklist was developed to guide …

Zonation-Dependent Distribution Of Microplastic Occurrence In Patella Caerulea From Mersin Coast, Türkiye, Ezgi̇ Deği̇rmenci̇, Nuray Çi̇ftçi̇, Sedat Gündoğdu, Deni̇z Ayas

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Increasing plastic pollution has become a critical environmental issue, leading to  challenges in management. Specifically, microplastics (MPs) are of particular concern  because they can persist in aquatic ecosystems and adversely affect marine  organisms. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence of MPs  in the soft tissues of Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) collected from the Mersin  Viranşehir coastal area. As no specimens were found in the supralittoral zone, the  decision was taken to conduct sampling only in the mediolittoral and infralittoral  zones. The total sampling area was 24 m2 divided into three 4-m2 plots in each zone.  A …

Blinking Without Eyelids: First Video-Documented Evidence Of A Blink-Like Reflex In Ophisops Elegans (Reptilia: Lacertidae), Turan Meri̇ç Çelebi̇, Yusuf Çeli̇kaği, Tuana Kinay, Arda Cem Kuyucu, Muammer Kurnaz, Mehmet Kürşat Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Eyelids play a crucial role in protecting the eyes of vertebrates; however, certain  reptile species, such as Ophisops elegans, completely lack movable eyelids. In this  study, we present the first video-documented evidence of a blink-like reflex in O.  elegans, captured through endoscopic field observations and corroborated by laboratory video analysis. The observed movement consisted of a brief convex  deformation of the ocular surface, lasting approximately 0.3 s and resembling a blink  despite the presence of a fixed transparent brille. This behavior was observed once in  the field and twice under controlled laboratory conditions. We propose that O.  elegans may employ …

Growth Patterns And The Shift From Predominantly Female To Balanced Sex Ratios In Carassius Gibelio (Bloch, 1782): A Comparative Study Of Lotic And Lentic Populations In  Serbia, Tamara Mitić, Jelena Čanak Atlagić, Ana Marić, Jelena Stanković Ristić, Nikola Marinković, Momir Paunović, Predrag Simonović

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Since its introduction into Serbian watercourses, the invasive Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) (Prussian carp) has spread rapidly. This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the sex ratio, age structure, and growth parameters in Serbian  populations of this fish and describes how growth varies in two contrasting  ecosystems: lotic and lentic. A total of 133 individuals were sampled. The individuals  from lentic habitats were longer on average, with no significant differences in average  weight or age between the two ecosystem types. There was a difference in  the sex ratio between the ecosystems, as indicated by a higher proportion of males in …

An Antioxidant Cocktail Of Tert-Butylhydroquinone And A Manganese Porphyrin Induces Toxic Levels Of Oxidative Stress In Cancer Cells, Sandra Tamarin, Hannah Jung, Joseph Lamorte, Laura Biesterveld, Gabriel Piñero, Grace Turchetta, Molly Myers, Rebecca Oberley-Deegan, Aimee Eggler

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Despite significant advancement in cancer treatments, therapies with minimal toxicity to healthy cells are still limited. One targetable weakness of cancer cells is their sensitivity to oxidative stress. We find that the combination of two antioxidants—the common food additive tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) and a manganese porphyrin in clinical trials, MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (MnBuOE)—increases oxidative stress and causes apoptotic death in several cancer cell lines, but not in mouse primary fibroblasts. Investigating the mechanism of cell death, MnBuOE is observed to catalyze the oxidation of tBHQ, producing the electrophilic quinone tert-butylquinone (tBQ). A critical role for tBQ and its electrophilic character was revealed with …

Habitat Diversity Or Altitudinal Gradient? Which Factor Better Explains Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Biodiversity? A Case Study From Davraz Mountain (Isparta, Türkiye), Ebru Ceren Fi̇dan, Ali̇ Gök

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Ground beetle (Carabidae) species diversity and spatial distribution were surveyed  across five habitat types along an elevational gradient on Davraz Mountain, a  biogeographical transition area in southwestern Türkiye. The analyses showed that  habitat heterogeneity—particularly soil moisture and texture—exerts a stronger  influence on carabid diversity than elevation. Sørensen’s and Jaccard similarity  indices showed strong faunal overlap between some sampling areas, while  multivariate principal components and canonical correspondence analyses verified  distinct environmental gradients influencing community structure. Diversity indices  indicated varying levels of species richness and evenness across sampling areas.  The data highlight the importance of fine-scaled habitat features in driving ground  beetle …

Dna Metabarcoding Approach To The Determination Of The Diet Spectrum Of The Common  Sunbleak Leucaspius Delineatus (Heckel, 1843), Elena V. Dzyuba, Yurij S. Bukin, Bakhtiar E. Bogdanov, Yulia P. Sapozhnikova, Natalia N. Denikina

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The common sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus) is an invasive fish found in Siberian  water bodies, the trophic interactions and impact on local ecosystems of which  remain poorly understood. Traditional diet analyses are limited by the mechanical  damage to the prey. For the present study, therefore, we employed DNA  metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) gene to analyze the digestive  tract contents of the common sunbleak obtained from Irkutsk Reservoir. Our analysis  revealed 53 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with sequences of amphibiotic  insects (58.66%) and fish (34.10%) being the most prevalent. A significant proportion  of the fish DNA, including sequences …

Fermentabilitas Dan Kecernaan Ransum Domba Yang Mengandung Kulit Buah Pisang Muli (In Vitro), Iman Hernaman

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

Kulit buah pisang Muli memiliki potensi sebagai bahan pakan sumber serat pengganti rumput lapang, namun saat ini penggunaannya masih terbatas. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mempelajari penggunaan kulit buah pisang Muli dalam ransum terhadap fermentabilitas dan kecernaan (in vitro). Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dengan 4 perlakuan ransum yang mengandung 10, 20, 30, dan 40% kulit buah pisang Muli. Data yang terkumpul dianalisis dengan menggunakan Uji Duncan. Penelitian menghasilkan data yang memberi petunjuk adanya pengaruh nyata (P3yang terendah yaitu berturut-turut sebesar 161,5 mM, 66,72%, 66,15% dan 1,94 mM. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa penggunaan kulit buah pisang Muli dapat sebanyak 40% dapat digunakan …

Performa Domba Lokal Betina Dewasa Pada Berbagai Variasi Lamanya Penggembalaan Di Daerah Irigasi Rentang Kabupaten Majalengka ( Local Ewes Performance At Various Variation Of Length Grazing In Rentang Irigation Area Of Kabupaten Majalengka), Rachmat Somanjaya, Denie Heriyadi, Iman Hernaman

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

Penelitian mengenai “Performa Domba Lokal Betina Dewasa pada Berbagai Variasi Lamanya Penggembalaan di Daerah Irigasi Rentang Kabupaten Majalengka”, telah dilaksanakan sejak Tanggal 25 Maret sampai 30 Juli 2015. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengukur lamanya waktu penggembalaan optimum terhadap performa domba lokal betina dewasa yang digembalakan di Daerah Irigasi Rentang Kecamatan Jatitujuh Kabupaten Majalengka. Sampel Domba Lokal betina dewasa dalam penelitian ini adalah sebanyak 62 ekor yang tersebar pada variasi penggembalaan 6 jam 22 ekor. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah survey dan observasi. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif, untuk mengetahui perbedaan rata-rata performa domba diuji dengan Analisys of Varian ( …

Clinical Workflow Of Spine Stereotactic Radiotherapy And Radiosurgery: Insights From A Single-Institution Physics Perspective, Dennis Mackin, Gizem Cifter, Yana Zlateva, Jihong Wang, Yao Ding, Muhammad Shafiq Ul Hassan, Zhiheng Wang, Parmeswaran Diagaradjane, Fada Guan, Travis C Salzillo, Shane Krafft, Jing Li, Martin C Tom, Amol J Ghia, Tina Marie Briere

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spine stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery (SSRS) techniques, encompassing both fractionated stereotactic treatments and single-fraction radiosurgery, are widely used for the management of spinal metastases due to their ability to deliver highly conformal radiation while limiting dose to adjacent critical structures. Clinical outcomes following SSRS, including durable local control and acceptable toxicity, have been reported previously in multiple institutional series. In this manuscript, we describe the clinical workflow used to deliver SSRS at a high-volume academic center, with emphasis on the medical physics processes that support routine clinical practice. Key elements of the workflow include patient selection, treatment region-specific immobilization, CT …

Cost Effects Of Adding Poultry To Organic Vegetable Production Systems In California, Iowa, And Kentucky, Kwanele Magwaba, Alejandro Plastina, Ajay Nair, Maurice Pitesky, David J. Gonthier, Anne Carey, Faye Duan, Viktor Halmos

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

This study evaluates the economic viability of integrating poultry into organic vegetable crop rotations over three years in Kentucky and Iowa and two years in California. Given the growing global demand for food and heightened environmental awareness, understanding the financial implications of such integrated systems is crucial. Our comprehensive experiment compared integrated poultry-vegetable rotations with vegetable-only systems, assessing costs, revenues, and key factors influencing profitability. While integrating poultry reduced vegetable production costs by up to 10% in some cases, overall system costs increased due to high poultry expenses. Break-even poultry prices averaged $8/lb for low-density systems and $7 for high-density …

Are Returns From Commercial Farming Heterogeneous? Case Of Wheat Growers In North India, Saroj Verma, Kirtti Ranjan Paltasingh, Phanindra Goyari

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Contract farming (CF), generally a commercial farming system, is widely perceived as a welfare enhancement strategy in rural areas where agriculture is the major source of livelihood. However, those welfare implications have not been adequately explored in Indian agriculture. So, this study examines the returns to CF and the heterogeneity in their returns across various groups of wheat growers in Haryana, a leading agrarian state in India. Using an endogenous switching regression model on cross-sectional data of 754 farm households, the study found that CF adopters would lose 27% of their gross margins and 11% of their crop output if …

Writing Professional Papers Worksheet With Scavenger Hunt: A Simple Strategy To Strengthen Dietetic Writing, Stacy Bevan

Journal of Dietetic Education

Time between learning scientific writing skills and when dietetic students need to transfer that knowledge to discipline-specific research papers in upper division courses may result in a lack of writing skills. Dietetic educators be unfamiliar with writing strategies to improve student writing. A Writing Professional Papers worksheet was developed to help students define components of professional papers, draft a thesis, and then participate in a scavenger hunt using examples of two types of professional papers to identify target issues and avoid common issues seen in student papers. Students in an upper division Maternal and Child Nutrition course responded to an …

Reverse Micelles Produce Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles As More Efficient Gene Delivery Carriers Than Regular Micelles, Vuk Uskoković

Administration and Staff Articles and Research

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is an effective inorganic gene delivery carrier due to its ability to transport genetic cargo across cell membranes, protect it from proteolysis, and enable escape from late endosomes via pH-controlled dissolution. However, its transfection efficiency remains lower than that of viral agents, prompting studies of hybrids with cationic molecules or phases to enhance the gene delivery performance. This study reports on the synthesis of HAp in regular and reverse micellar regions of a ternary microemulsion system composed of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), 1-hexanol and water. Spectroscopic characterization revealed that CTAB headgroups adopted more ordered supramolecular conformations in reverse micelles …