Digital Commons Network^™

Soluble Immune Factor Profiles In Blood And Csf Associated With Lrrk2 Mutations And Parkinson's Disease, Roshni Jaffery, Yuhang Zhao, Sarfraz Ahmed, Jackson G Schumacher, Jae Ahn, Leilei Shi, Yujia Wang, Yukun Tan, Jiayin Zhang, Ken Chen, Hussein Tawbi, Jian Wang, Michael A Schwarzschild, Weiyi Peng, Xiqun Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mutations in LRRK2, a leading genetic cause of Parkinson's disease (PD), are linked to immune dysregulation, but the immune profiles in the periphery and central nervous system (CNS) remain incompletely defined. This study utilized a large cohort of serum samples (n = 651) and matched CSF samples (n = 129) from LRRK2 mutation carriers and non-carriers, with and without PD, to assess immune regulators using Luminex immunoassay. After correction for multiple comparisons, LRRK2 mutations were associated with significantly elevated serum levels of SDF-1 alpha and TNF-RII, while CSF markers such as BAFF, CD40L, and IL-27 were nominally reduced. Regardless of …

Transdisciplinary Perspectives On Ai: The Fourth Annual Conference Of The European Culture And Technology Laboratory, Connell Vaughan, Ioana Madalina Moldovan, Silivan Moldovan, Noel Fitzpatrick

Books/Book Chapters

The fourth annual conference of the ECT Lab+ was hosted by Technical University of Cluj-Napoca over two days in October 2024 at the Cluj Innovation Park. The conference brought together experts from the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology, and other fields to discuss and reflect on the advent of Artificial Intelligence and how the associated technologies are transforming how we live, work and study. Under the title Transdisciplinary perspectives on AI: Alternative Histories, Current Practices and Possible Futures the conference moved beyond simplistic technophila and technophobia to consider whether we can co-evolve with these new technologies which combine machine learning …

Evolving Towards Efficient Technologies In Power Systems: The Paradigm Of Energy Internet Survey, Dina Emad, Omar Abdel-Rahim, Tanemasa Asano, Sobhy M. Abdelkader

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The Energy Internet represents a significant advancement in the modernization and automation of electricity systems, offering a framework for future smart grids where all electrical devices are interconnected through energy routers. This system integrates advanced power electronics, information technology, and smart control technologies, enabling the accommodation of diverse energy sources and storage devices. With its bidirectional energy flow and sharing capabilities, the Energy Internet holds great promise for the future. However, several challenges must be addressed to fully realize this potential. This review provides an overview of the Energy Internet framework and explores key challenges, particularly those related to energy …

Comparative Cytogenetics Study Via Fluorescent Chromosome Banding Of Three Solanum L. Species, Mona Abd Elgawad, Rim Hamdy, Ibrahim El Garf, Amany Sallam Abdo

Turkish Journal of Botany

Solanum L. subg. Solanum sect. Solanum has a wide distribution in Egypt with multiple overlapping morphological features, rendering the taxonomy of the Solanum nigrum complex difficult at the species level. This study focused on the S. nigrum complex, which consists of S. nigrum L., S. sinaicum Boiss., and S. villosum Mill. Cytogenetic characterization can provide additional taxonomic data and can be used to evaluate genetic diversity at the species level. We performed karyotype analysis of 3 Egyptian species for the first time by studying fluorescence banding patterns via 4’6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and chromomycin A3 (CMA). The three species vary noticeably in …

Biochar Derived From Different Sources Ameliorates The Phytochemical And Physiological Characteristics Of Foxtail Millet (Setaria Italica) Under Water Stress, Mohammad Keshavarz, Ehsan Bijanzadeh, Hamid Reza Boostani

Turkish Journal of Botany

Organic material, such as biochar, can improve soil fertility and crop yield under water stress. A pot experiment was conducted to consider the effects of biochar on the pigment content, enzyme activity, physiological characteristics, and nutrient uptake of foxtail millet under water stress. Plants were tested under normal, mild, and severe irrigation regimes (100%, 75%, and 50% field capacity, respectively) using different biochar sources (licorice root biochar (LRB), cow manure biochar (CMB), cotton residue biochar (CRB), and municipal waste biochar (MWB)) and a control without fertilizer. Under severe water stress, the chlorophyll a content and total chlorophyll increased by 137.3% …

Habitat Determines The Effects Of Wild Ungulate Grazing On Soils: Case Studies From The Iberian Peninsula, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Shih-Chieh Chien, Ramon Perea, Emmanuel Antonio Serrano Ferron, Elena Baraza Ruiz, The Incremento Consortium

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background and Aims

The bidirectional relationship between plants and their soils can be disrupted by the influence of ungulate grazers. Indeed, herbivores affect plant productivity and above-ground community structure, and plants affect soil health and below-ground community structure. However, the effects of herbivory can be subtle and challenging to address experimentally, even in the case of relatively large ungulate grazers. We attempt to resolve this paradox and experimentally test effects of ungulate grazers in two case studies on the Spanish Iberian Peninsula.

Methods

At the two locations, we experimentally enclosed red deer (Cervus elaphus) at high and hyper …

Protective Role Of Salicylic Acid Against Abiotic Stresses In Horticultural Crops: A Review, Faisal Hayat, Xiaoyun Zhang, Mohammed Alyafei, Fareeha Shireen, Ummara Khan, Sumeera Asghar, Sezai̇ Erci̇şli̇, Karthishwaran Kandhan, Mohamed S. Sheteiwy, Yali Zhang, Xiaoyan Lu

Turkish Journal of Botany

Environmental stressors such as drought, floods, salinity, extreme temperatures, and heavy metal toxicity are major threats to horticultural plants because they disrupt plant physiological mechanisms, leading to reduced yield and quality. Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone that regulates various physiological and biochemical functions in plants. Moreover, it regulates hormonal balance, enhances the absorption of essential nutrients, promotes photosynthesis and the production of antistress compounds, and improves stress resistance. This comprehensive review explains several physiological and biochemical activities that are affected by SA under stressful conditions, such as stomatal regulation, antioxidant defense systems, osmotic adjustment and gene expression regulation. …

Tannin Supplementation Alters Foraging Behavior And Spatial Distribution In Beef Cattle, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo, R. Douglas Ramsey, Kelvyn Bladen, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Student Research

Beef production on chemically uniform grass monocultures can limit nutrient synchrony and contribute to uneven pasture use. We evaluated whether supplementing tannins with bioactive plant secondary compounds improves foraging dynamics and landscape use by beef cattle grazing a meadow bromegrass monoculture in ways aligned with rangeland sustainability. Twenty-four Angus cow–calf pairs were allocated to six 3.6-ha paddocks (four pairs/paddock), randomly assigned to Control (Ctrl; n = 3) or Tannin treatment (TT; n = 3). Animals received 1 kg/cow/day of DDGs, with TT receiving an added 0.4% tannins (2:1 condensed:hydrolyzable). Grazing occurred during four 15-day periods (July– September) across two years. …

Nickel Toxicity To Safflower Seed Germination And Seedling Morphoanatomy, Uğurcan Baran, Sude Tanik, Mert Can Vardar, Güray Ülger, Ahmet Aksoy

Turkish Journal of Botany

The safflowers (Carthamus tinctorius L. cv Olas) grown hydroponically under nickel (Ni) stress were examined in this study. T he effects of 0, 0.75, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 mM Ni on seed germination rate, protein, and pigment content of germinating seeds were investigated. Also, the toxicity of 0.75 mM Ni on plant growth, malondialdehyde (MDA) amount, and anatomy of 21-day-old safflower seedlings were studied. Ni adversely affected the germination rate, radicle length, protein, and pigment content of safflower seeds, particularly when higher than 3 mM. It also negatively affected the biomass production, plant length, leaf number, and MDA …

Dna Extrusion Size Determines Pathway Choice During Cag Repeat Expansion, Mayuri Bhatia, Ashutosh S. Phadte, Anna Lakhina, Anthony R. Monte Carloi Iii, Sarah Barndt, Anna Pluciennik

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

DNA triplet repeat expansion causes several primarly neurological disorders like Huntington's disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, and fragile-X related disorders. There is general consensus that recognition of extrahelical extrusions or hairpin-loop structures (formed by strand slippage) by the DNA mismatch repair protein MutSβ leads to repeat expansion by a mutagenic process. By contrast, the FAN1 nuclease attenuates triplet repeat expansion, the molecular basis of which was explained by our recent finding that FAN1 nuclease cleaves and initiates removal of extrahelical extrusions. Here we show that extrusions containing two or more triplet repeats are subject to recognition and processing by either …

Economically Optimal Soil Sampling Density And Application Technology For Potassium Fertilizer For Soybean In The Mid-Southern Us, Bayarbat Badarch, Aurelie Poncet, Shelby Ridar, Nathan Slaton, Michael Popp

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

To maximize beneficial potassium (K) fertilizer use in irrigated soybean (Glycine max. (L.) Merr.) fields with spatially varying soil-test K (STK), the value of added information from more precise STK maps must be greater than the associated information collection costs. In eleven fields, we modeled the impact of soil sampling densities (SD) ranging from 2.2 samples ha-1 in the largest field (41.2 ha) to 13.59 samples ha-1 in the smallest field (7.4 ha) on STK maps with 0.4 ha grid size. The accuracy of profit-maximizing fertilizer rate prescription maps varied by SD and subsequent yield estimates using either uniform …

Predicting The Response Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer To Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy Via Biology-Based Modeling And Habitat Analysis, Casey E Stowers, Chengyue Wu, Clinton Yam, Jingfei Ma, Gaiane M Rauch, Thomas E Yankeelov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite being the standard-of-care treatment, neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) attains a complete response only in approximately half of the patients with triple negative breast cancer. Thus, methods to predict and optimize patient response to NAT are needed. Previously, we employed patient-specific MRI data to calibrate a biology-based mathematical model that describes cell movement, proliferation, and death due to drug at the tumor level and cell proliferation at an image voxel level. We now extend our approach by using MRI data to group voxels into "habitats" whereby tumor cells of a habitat share the same proliferation. With this approach, we now calibrate …

Loss Of Idh1 And Idh2 Mutations During The Evolution Of Metastatic Chondrosarcoma, William Cross, Iben Lyskjær, Christopher Davies, Abigail Bunkum, Ana Maia Rocha, Tom Lesluyes, Fernanda Amary, Roberto Tirabosco, Cristina Naceur-Lombardelli, Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Charles Swanton, Nischalan Pillay, Simone Zaccaria, Adrienne M Flanagan, Peter Van Loo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Driver mutations in IDH1 and IDH2 are initiating events in the evolution of chondrosarcoma and several other cancer types. Here, we present evidence that mutant IDH1 is recurrently lost in metastatic central chondrosarcoma. This may reflect either relaxed positive selection for the mutant IDH1 locus, or negative selection for the hypermethylation phenotype later in tumor evolution. This finding highlights the challenge for therapeutic intervention by mutant IDH1 inhibitors in chondrosarcoma.

Effects Of Rehabilitative Device On Parkinsonian Gait, Brooke N. Ray, Ksenia I. Ustinova, Joseph E. Langenderfer

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(7): 1422-1440, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/TGOI6101 Parkinson’s disease (PD) is second in occurrence among neurodegenerative disorders after Alzheimer’s disease and significantly impacts gait and mobility. This research tested the effect of the NewGait rehabilitative device in PD impaired individuals. Twenty individuals with PD participated in this study. Walking gait for three conditions were analyzed: Normal, wearing NewGait and Post-NewGait. Standard spatial and temporal analysis measures as well as nonlinear measures from recurrence quantification were compared to determine any effects of the device on walking gait. NewGait was perceived to be both comfortable to wear as well as …

Examining The Impact Of Decreased Snowpack On The Rare Frosted Elfin Butterfly’S Host Plant, Christopher Walsh

Biology Student Scholarship

In response to climate change, Earth’s increased global temperature has caused less snowfall and earlier snowmelt in spring. These changes can alter an organism’s phenology, or timing of life history events. Such shifts in phenology may lead to mismatches between interacting species, which are correlated with a decline in the populations of host plant specialists and at-risk species. The rare frosted elfin butterfly (Callophrys irus) is listed as impaired in 5 states, and critically imperiled in 14. These host plant specialists only lay eggs on small yellow wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and wild lupine (Lupinus perennis). If neither plant emerges …

The Influence Of Muskrats On The Biodiversity Of Wetlands, Emma Thornton

Biology Student Scholarship

Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are home to various plant and animal species. The relationships between the species living in the wetlands keep the ecosystem functional as well as increasing biodiversity. Increased biodiversity of wetlands creates more resilient plant communities. Muskrats are ecosystem engineers, meaning that they alter their surroundings to change the quality and quantity of the available resources through behaviors related to their eating habits and their burrow construction. Muskrats are herbivores and consume large amounts of vegetation, which creates opportunities for more plant species by creating new ecological niches. In …

Intro To Ai Literacies Discussion, Miranda Rectenwald

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Students consider and dicuss key literacies when using generative AI tools.

Assessing The Validity Of The Mental Health–Related Survey In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Lindsey Keenan, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Luis Torres, Yvette Ingram, Rachel Daltry

Department of Kinesiology Scholarship and Creative Works

Context

Mental health screenings are recommended during preparticipation physical examinations. The Mental Health–Related Survey (MHRS), a 9-item questionnaire adapted from the 18-item Mental Health Screening Form-III, is suggested in 3 consensus and/or position statements. However, there is no evidence on the effectiveness of the MHRS.

Objective

To assess the validity of the MHRS for mental health screening in collegiate student-athletes.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

University athletic program.

Patients or Other Participants

Five hundred fifteen National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II student-athletes (age = 20 ± 1 years).

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Participants completed the MHRS, the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression …

Rapid Epigenetic Response To Salinity Stress In An Invasive Mussel, Mytilus Galloprovincialis, Andrzej Furman, Açelya Eren, İbrahi̇m Raşi̇t Bi̇lgi̇n, Hati̇ce Aygün Karaçay

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Mediterranean blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is a well-known invasive species recognized for its remarkable ability to tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions. Here, we investigated DNA methylation changes in M. galloprovincialis exposed to a rapid water salinity decrease. Methylation profiles in M. galloprovincialis were recorded before salinity stress was applied (at 35‰), and then at 3, 9 and 24 h following the stress (at 25‰). We monitored these changes using the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) method. Methylation levels continued to vary over the 24 h period following stress exposure, indicating that the underlying physiological processes may have changed …

Phylogenetics Of Cyrtodactylus In West Nusa Tenggara: A New Distribution Record Of Cyrtodactylus Jatnai From Lombok Island And A Cryptic Species From Sumbawa Island, Sandra Rafika Devi, Rury Eprilurahman, Tuty Arisuryanti, Yuliadi Zamroni, Imran Sadewo, Windi Edriyanti, Maulana Faiz Ilham Kholiq, Evelyn Elvira

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Cyrtodactylus is one of the most diverse vertebrates of the Gekkonidae family, first described by Gray in 1827 and widely distributed in Asia, Northern Australia, and the Pacific Islands including Wallacea. The biodiversity in West Nusa Tenggara—a region in Wallacea—has been underestimated despite high fauna endemicity. Conservation strategies are needed to maintain the stability of Cyrtodactylus populations in their habitat. Therefore, this study aims to enhance the understanding of cryptic species and potential new distribution records of the genus Cyrtodactylus in West Nusa Tenggara. Molecular character identification was carried out by isolating the ND2 gene in liver tissue using polymerase …

Bathyal Gastropod (Mollusca) Species From The Turkish Levantine And Aegean Seas, Bi̇lal Öztürk

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study assigns 35 gastropod specimens and 23 shells collected from two sites on the Turkish Levantine and Aegean coasts at depths of 432 and 702 m, respectively, to 13 species. Among the species identified, Alvania subsoluta (Aradas, 1847), Protatlanta souleyeti (Smith, 1888), Pagodula echinata (Kiener, 1839), Pleurotomella gibbera Bouchet & Warén, 1980, Ringicula gianninii Nordsieck, 1974 and Diaphana marshalli (Sykes, 1904) are new records for the Turkish molluscan fauna; Anatoma aspera (Philippi, 1844) and Acteon monterosatoi Dautzenberg, 1889 are new records for the Levantine coast of Türkiye; and Crenilabium exile (Jeffreys, 1870) is a new record for the Turkish …

Targeting The Hepatic Circadian Clock Concomitant With Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition Reverses Late-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Baharan Fekry, Savera Aggarwal, Rachel Van Drunen, Rafael Bravo, Andy Escalante, Constance Atkins, Sheng Pan, Zheng Chen, Kai Sun, David R Hall, Mamoun Younes, Kristin Eckel-Mahan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Most patients present at advanced stages, and the effectiveness of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors is constrained by limited patient response. A subset of HCC shows elevated expression of the promoter 2 ("P2")-driven hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) isoform, which directly transcriptionally represses the circadian brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) transcription factor. This subtype of HCC is robustly inhibited by the plant-based flavonoid nobiletin (NOB), a circadian-fortifying compound. Using patient-matched human HCC and serum, we show that BMAL1-deficient HCC shows exaggerated carnitine palmitoyl transferase …

Patient-Reported Outcomes After Ipsilateral Radiation Therapy For N2b Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Chike O Abana, Adam S Garden, G Brandon Gunn, Gregory M Chronowski, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Andrew J Frankart, Natalie Geier, Houda Bahig, Carly E A Barbon, Kate Hutcheson, Vinita Takiar, Clifton D Fuller, Steven J Frank, David I Rosenthal, Jack Phan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Previous studies have reported excellent disease control and survival in patients with well-lateralized, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)-7 T1-2N2b tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The reduced treatment volume is associated with lower rates of physician-assessed toxicity. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been proposed as a similarly reliable measure, but the body of literature is limited for unilaterally treated patients. Our goal was to review PROs of such patients who had reduced treatment volumes.

Methods: We reviewed PROs of patients with AJCC-7 T1-2N2b disease treated with ipsilateral radiation therapy (RT), with or without surgery or chemotherapy before RT. PROs were …

Coordinated Transfer Of Dna Between Pol Θ And Pol Δ Resets Microhomology Choice During Double-Strand Break Repair, Yuzhen Li, Mark Returan, Adele T Guerin, April M Averill, Dorcas Oladapo, Sylvie Doublié, Richard D Wood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

DNA polymerase theta (Pol θ)-mediated end joining (TMEJ) initiates DNA double-strand break repair by using short homologies (microhomologies) between single-stranded DNA tails. This repair process is particularly important in cancer cells defective in homologous recombination. The exonuclease function of DNA polymerase delta (Pol δ) has been identified as an essential component for TMEJ, functioning to remove unpaired bases flanking a microhomology (MH). It is not known if the exonuclease removes all unpaired bases at once and how this removal might affect subsequent MH selection. Here, we reconstituted a functional TMEJ repair process using purified human Pol θ and Pol δ. …

Decision Support To Meet Objectives For Water And Fisheries Management In Large River And Estuarine Systems, Phaedra Elizabeth Budy

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Montelukast Sodium On Some Biological And Biochemical Aspects, Dna Damage In Drosophila Melanogaster Adults, Ci̇hat Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Montelukast sodium (MS) is a leukotriene receptor antagonist and used clinically as an antiasthma agent. MS has been hypothesized to have adverse effects in insects. To test this hypothesis, MS was added to the artificial diet of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) at different concentrations (1200, 1600, 2000, and 2400 mg/L) under laboratory conditions. The effects of MS on the survival rate and development time of D. melanogaster, as well as its effects on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP450) enzyme activity in adults were investigated. The genotoxic effect of MS in whole adults was …

Ecotoxicological Assessment Of A Sunscreen-Derived Pollutant, Benzophenone-2, On Freshwater Fish (Labeo Rohita), Mina Jamil, Sajid Abdullah, Maham Riaz, Sana Aziz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Ultraviolet filters (UVFs) are constituents of skincare products that protect skin against UV ray damage, such as suntan, sunburn, and skin tumors. Due to their ability to biotransform, UVFs are considered emerging pollutants. Benzophenone-2 (BP-2), with a yellowish crystalline appearance, is one of the widely used UVFs in skincare products. It enters the aquatic environment by washing off the skin during swimming and recreational activities and becomes hazardous to aquatic life due to its lipophilicity and bioaccumulative potential. This study was designed to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of BP-2 for the freshwater fish Labeo rohita. For acute toxicity, …

Morphological Variability And Systematics Of Ponto-Caspian Cladocerans Of The Genus Cercopagis Sars, 1897 (Branchiopoda: Onychopoda: Cercopagidae), Larisa F. Litvinchuk, Spartak N. Litvinchuk

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In recent decades, significant changes have occurred in the composition of zooplankton, especially in the Ponto-Caspian Basin. An important component of zooplankton in this region is cladocerans of the genus Cercopagis. However, the introduction of invasive species means that many species of this genus have probably become extinct. Because their disappearance molecular study of these organisms is no longer possible. Therefore, a comparative analysis of morphological variability has become more important. We studied the morphological variability of all 12 currently known species of the genus. Samples from the Caspian, Azov, Black, and Baltic Seas were analyzed. The number of species …

Optimizing Lower Intensity Triplet Therapy In Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Practical Guide, Wei-Ying Jen, Curtis A Lachowiez, Jennifer Marvin-Peek, Jessica K Altman, Musa Yilmaz, Jacqueline S Garcia, Yasmin Abaza, Nicholas J Short, Joshua F Zeidner, Naval G Daver, Andrew H Wei, Ghayas C Issa, Courtney D Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Venetoclax-based doublets with azacitidine or low dose cytarabine are the standard of care for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older patients or those unfit for intensive chemotherapy. However, some patients do not attain complete remission, and over time, most patients relapse. Frontline triplet therapy incorporating a targeted therapy (FLT3, IDH or menin inhibitor) is an emerging treatment concept under investigation for this population. Initial triplet regimens have yielded encouraging composite complete remission and measurable residual disease negativity rates, enabling the transition to allogeneic stem cell transplantation for eligible patients. While effective, triplets are associated with myelosuppression and …

Access To Healthy And Nutritious Food In Utah: Results From The 2024 Utah Wellbeing Survey, Heather H. Kelley, Palak Gupta, Courtney G. Flint

All Current Publications

Every Utahn, regardless of income, ZIP code, race, age, or health status, deserves reliable access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally meaningful food. Yet, too many communities across the state face persistent barriers that limit their ability to eat well and live healthy lives. This fact sheet reviews results of a 2024 Utah State University (USU) Extension needs assessment that identified food and nutrition security as a high-priority issue in Utah. It explores the current landscape, identifies key challenges, and outlines strategic opportunities for USU Extension and its partners to enhance food security statewide.