Digital Commons Network^™

Metavirome Sequencing Of The Termite Gut Reveals The Presence Of An Unexplored Bacteriophage Community, Chinmay V. Tikhe, Claudia Husseneder

Faculty Publications

The Formosan subterranean termite; Coptotermes formosanus is nutritionally dependent on the complex and diverse community of bacteria and protozoa in their gut. Although, there have been many studies to decipher the taxonomic and functional diversity of bacterial communities in the guts of termites, their bacteriophages remain unstudied. We sequenced the metavirome of the guts of Formosan subterranean termite workers to study the diversity of bacteriophages and other associated viruses. Results showed that the termites harbor a virome in their gut comprised of varied and previously unknown bacteriophages. Between 87-90% of the predicted dsDNA virus genes by Metavir showed similarity to …

Analysis Of Veterinary Drug Residues In Imported And Domestic Crawfish Using Liquid Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry, Emily Kate Wall

LSU Master's Theses

Aquaculture production has greatly increased over the past few decades, and will continue to grow as the world fisheries become overfished and demand for seafood increases. With increased production comes more intense cultivation methods and heavy use of formulated feeds that may contain veterinary drug residues. Currently no antibiotics are allowed in the U.S. for crawfish aquaculture; yet, detectable levels of various antibiotics have been found in imported seafood samples.The FDA is responsible for testing aquaculture products entering the United States, but only has the capabilities to test a minimal amount of those imports. Additionally, for crawfish there is only …

In Vivo Inhibition Of Tryptophan Catabolism Reorganizes The Tuberculoma And Augments Immune-Mediated Control Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Uma S. Gautam, Taylor W. Foreman, Allison N. Bucsan, Ashley V. Veatch, Xavier Alvarez, Toidi Adekambi, Nadia A. Golden, Kaylee M. Gentry, Lara A. Doyle-Meyers, Kasi E. Russell-Lodrigue, Peter J. Didier, James L. Blanchard, K. Gus Kousoulas, Andrew A. Lackner, Daniel Kalman, Jyothi Rengarajan, Shabaana A. Khader, Deepak Kaushal, Smriti Mehra

Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to cause devastating levels of mortality due to tuberculosis (TB). The failure to control TB stems from an incomplete understanding of the highly specialized strategies that M. tuberculosis utilizes to modulate host immunity and thereby persist in host lungs. Here, we show that M. tuberculosis induced the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme involved in tryptophan catabolism, in macrophages and in the lungs of animals (mice and macaque) with active disease. In a macaque model of inhalation TB, suppression of IDO activity reduced bacterial burden, pathology, and clinical signs of TB disease, leading to increased host …

Declining Oxygen In The Global Ocean And Coastal Waters, D. Breitburg, L.A. Levin, A. Oschlies, M. Grégoire, F.P. Chavez, D.J. Conley, V. Garçon, D. Gilbert, D. Gutiérrez, K. Isensee, G.S. Jacinto, K.E. Limburg, I. Montes, S.W.A. Naqvi, G.C. Pitcher, N.N. Rabalais, M.R. Roman, K.A. Rose, B.A. Seibel, M. Telszewski, M. Yasuhara, J. Zhang

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Gumbo Yearbook, Class Of 2018, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College

Gumbo Yearbook

The Gumbo yearbook chronicles the entire academic year at LSU. In words and especially photos, the Gumbo shows the people, places, and events that make each year unique. In addition to formal portraits of schools and departments, the book contains hundreds of snapshots of students with their friends and dozens of pages showcasing organizations.

Lsu General Catalog 2018-2019, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College

LSU General Catalog

The LSU General Catalog describes all undergraduate and graduate departments and programs with degree requirements and courses offered for each one. The LSU General Catalog includes information on registration and financial aid as well as academic services offered to all students.

Inglorious Passages: Noncombat Deaths In The American Civil War, Chris Mackowski

Civil War Book Review

In 2008, Drew Gilpin Faust’s This Republic of Suffering opened the way for what some scholars have since termed a “dark turn” in Civil War scholarship. Historian Brian Matthew Jordan has argued this darker, more complex approach properly considers the war “not as an event, but as a human experience”—and, despite the remove of more than a century and a half, an experience that can once again make us viscerally uncomfortable. The latest contribution to this body of dark scholarship comes from Brian Steel Wills, Inglorious Passages: Noncombat Deaths in the American Civil War (University Press of Kansas, …

Challenges Of Elephant Conservation: Insights From Oral Histories Of Colonialism And Landscape In Tsavo, Kenya, Peter Ngugi Kamau, Andrew Sluyter

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Annotations, Cwbr Editor

Civil War Book Review

No abstract provided.

Novel Spiroplasma Spp. Cultured From Brains And Lymph Nodes From Ruminants Affected With Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy, Frank O. Bastian, James Lynch, Sue Hagius, Xiaochu Wu, Greg Mccormick, Donald G. Luther, Philip H. Elzer

Faculty Publications

© 2017 American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc. Spiroplasma spp., tiny filterable wall-less bacteria, are consistently associated with the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). Spiral forms have been transiently isolated from TSE-affected brain tissues in SP4 growth media designed for isolation of Spiroplasma spp., but the isolate could not be propagated in SP4 media. A bacterium must grow in vitro in cell-free cultures to allow full characterization of a suspect pathogen. Here, a novel Spiroplasma sp. was isolated from scrapie- and chronic wasting disease (CWD)-affected brains and lymph nodes. Filtrates of tissue homogenates inoculated into Brucella media incubated for 14 days at …

Nanotechnology Considerations For Poultry And Livestock Production Systems - A Review, Mohamed I. El Sabry, Kenneth W. Mcmillin, Cristina M. Sabliov

Faculty Publications

© 2018 by Mohamed I. El Sabry. The global animal productivity should proportionally increase to meet the food needs of a growing population. This article presents an overview of the current and promising nano-applications in poultry and livestock production systems that could offer opportunities for improved efficiencies and productivity. Some basic information on nanotechnology and the economics of nanotechnology is provided. Poultry and animal production systems, current situation and available tools and techniques are presented in parallel with animal health care, animal nutrition, animal shetter and food processing nano-applications and their advantages. These applications are directly or indirectly related to …

Characterization Of Prostate Cancer Cell Progression In Zebrafish Xenograft Model, Wei Xu, Brittany A. Foster, Mackenzie Richards, Kenneth R. Bondioli, Girish Shah, Christopher C. Green

Faculty Publications

Early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) is critical for the application of efficient treatment to PCa patients. However, the majority of PCas remains indolent from several months to several years before malignancy. Current diagnosis methods have limitations in their reliability and are inefficient in time cost. Thus, an efficient in vivo PCa cell xenograft model is highly desired for diagnostic studies in PCas. In the present study we present a standardized procedure to create a PCa cell xenograft model using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as the host. PC3-CTR cells, a cell line from adenocarcinoma with stable expression of calcitonin receptor (CRT), …

Ex Vivo Gut Culture For Studying Differentiation And Migration Of Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Xiaofei Sun, Xing Fu, Min Du, Mei Jun Zhu

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Authors. Epithelial cultures are commonly used for studying gut health. However, due to the absence of mesenchymal cells and gut structure, epithelial culture systems including recently developed three-dimensional organoid culture cannot accurately represent in vivo gut development, which requires intense cross-regulation of the epithelial layer with the underlying mesenchymal tissue. In addition, organoid culture is costly. To overcome this, a new culture system was developed using mouse embryonic small intestine. Cultured intestine showed spontaneous peristalsis, indicating the maintenance of the normal gut physiological structure. During 10 days of ex vivo culture, epithelial cells moved along the gut …

Gata4-Dependent Differentiation Of C-Kit+-Derived Endothelial Cells Underlies Artefactual Cardiomyocyte Regeneration In The Heart, Bryan D. Maliken, Onur Kanisicak, Jason Karch, Hadi Khalil, Xing Fu, Justin G. Boyer, Vikram Prasad, Yi Zheng, Jeffery D. Molkentin

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Authors. BACKGROUND: Although c-Kit+ adult progenitor cells were initially reported to produce new cardiomyocytes in the heart, recent genetic evidence suggests that such events are exceedingly rare. However, to determine if these rare events represent true de novo cardiomyocyte formation, we deleted the necessary cardiogenic transcription factors Gata4 and Gata6 from c-Kit-expressing cardiac progenitor cells. METHODS: Kit allele-dependent lineage tracing and fusion analysis were performed in mice following simultaneous Gata4 and Gata6 cell type-specifc deletion to examine rates of putative de novo cardiomyocyte formation from c-Kit+ cells. Bone marrow transplantation experiments were used to defne the contribution …

Sacred Vs. Profane In The Great War: A Neutral’S Indictment, Marty Miller

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Phylogenomics Of Pike Cichlids (Cichlidae: Crenicichla): The Rapid Ecological Speciation Of An Incipient Species Flock, E. D. Burress, F. Alda, A. Duarte, M. Loureiro, J. W. Armbruster, P. Chakrabarty

Faculty Publications

© 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology The rapid rise of phenotypic and ecological diversity in independent lake-dwelling groups of cichlids is emblematic of the East African Great Lakes. In this study, we show that similar ecologically based diversification has occurred in pike cichlids (Crenicichla) throughout the Uruguay River drainage of South America. We collected genomic data from nearly 500 ultraconserved element (UCEs) loci and >260 000 base pairs across 33 species, to obtain a phylogenetic hypothesis for the major species groups and to evaluate the relationships and genetic …

Variation Across Mitochondrial Gene Trees Provides Evidence For Systematic Error: How Much Gene Tree Variation Is Biological?, Emilie J. Richards, Jeremy M. Brown, Anthony J. Barley, Rebecca A. Chong, Robert C. Thomson

Faculty Publications

© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. The use of large genomic data sets in phylogenetics has highlighted extensive topological variation across genes. Much of this discordance is assumed to result from biological processes. However, variation among gene trees can also be a consequence of systematic error driven by poor model fit, and the relative importance of biological vs. methodological factors in explaining gene tree variation is a major unresolved question. Using mitochondrial genomes to control for biological causes of gene tree variation, we estimate the extent …

Louisiana Agriculture Winter, 2018, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

2018 Louisiana Summary: Agriculture And Natural Resources, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Summary: Agriculture and Natural Resources

This publication tabulates the value of Louisiana agriculture in 2018. Agents and specialists of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, as well as other agencies — both private and public — compiled the data. Their analyses focus on the animal, forestry, fisheries, plant and wildlife commodities that constitute our vital agricultural industry. Agricultural and natural resource industries contribute significantly to our state’s economy with the potential for increased economic benefits and job creation through value-added processing in urban and rural communities throughout Louisiana.

As has been a reoccurring theme over the last several years, the 2018 growing and harvest seasons had …

A Narrative Analysis Examining Influential Factors Of A Minority Research And Training Program, Gretchen S. Burton, Maria Da Graça H. Vicente

Faculty Publications

© The Author(s) 2018. The implementation of minority research and training programs at the postsecondary level has risen to close the educational achievement gap and generate a highly skilled and diverse science workforce. Numerous studies identify interventions influencing positive outcomes among minority research and training participants achieving graduate degrees. However, many of these studies utilize quantitative methods. To capture student voices and rich descriptive experiences, this study utilized a multiple case study featuring a narrative approach. Cross-case analysis identified four factors influencing matriculation into advanced degree programs: belonging and inclusion, peer mentoring, confidence as a scientist, and family influence. Findings …

Polypeptoid Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization, And Properties, Brandon A. Chan, Sunting Xuan, Ang Li, Jessica M. Simpson, Garrett L. Sternhagen, Tianyi Yu, Omead A. Darvish, Naisheng Jiang, Donghui Zhang

Faculty Publications

© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Polypeptoids, a class of peptidomimetic polymers, have emerged at the forefront of macromolecular and supramolecular science and engineering as the technological relevance of these polymers continues to be demonstrated. The chemical and structural diversity of polypeptoids have enabled access to and adjustment of a variety of physicochemical and biological properties (eg, solubility, charge characteristics, chain conformation, HLB, thermal processability, degradability, cytotoxicity and immunogenicity). These attributes have made this synthetic polymer platform a potential candidate for various biomedical and biotechnological applications. This review will provide an overview of recent development in synthetic methods to access polypeptoid …

Expression Of An 8r-Lipoxygenase From The Coral Plexaura Homomalla, Nathaniel C. Gilbert, David B. Neau, Marcia E. Newcomer

Faculty Publications

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. Methods are presented for the use of the coral 8R-lipoxygenase from the Caribbean sea whip coral Plexaura homomalla as a model enzyme for structural studies of animal lipoxygenases. The 8R-lipoxygenase is remarkably stable and can be stored at 4°C for 3 months with virtually no loss of activity. In addition, an engineered “pseudo wild-type” enzyme is soluble in the absence of detergents, which helps facilitate the preparation of enzyme:substrate complexes.

Trpc5 Is Required For The No-Dependent Increase In Dendritic Ca 2+ And Gaba Release From Chick Retinal Amacrine Cells, J. Wesley Maddox, Nikka Khorsandi, Evanna Gleason

Faculty Publications

© 2018 American Physiological Society. All rights reserved. GABAergic signaling from amacrine cells (ACs) is a fundamental aspect of visual signal processing in the inner retina. We have previously shown that nitric oxide (NO) can elicit release of GABA independently from activation of voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels in cultured retinal ACs. This voltage-independent quantal GABA release relies on a Ca 2+ influx mechanism with pharmacological characteristics consistent with the involvement of the transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels TRPC4 and/or TRPC5. To determine the identity of these channels, we evaluated the ability of NO to elevate dendritic Ca 2+ and …

Nkg2d Regulation Of Lung Pathology And Dendritic Cell Function Following Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection, Huan Liu, Andrew R. Osterburg, Jennifer Flury, Shuo Huang, Francis X. Mccormack, Stephania A. Cormier, Michael T. Borchers

Faculty Publications

© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. Background. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory tract infection in vulnerable populations. Natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DC) are important for the effector functions of both cell types following infection. Methods. Wild-type and NKG2D-deficient mice were infected with RSV. Lung pathology was assessed by histology. Dendritic cell function and phenotype were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. The expression of NKG2D ligands on lung and lymph node DCs was measured by immunostaining and …

Intergenic And Intronic Dna Hypomethylated Regions As Putative Regulators Of Imprinted Domains, Arundhati Bakshi, Corey L. Bretz, Terri L. Cain, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

© 2018 2018 Future Medicine Ltd. Aim: To investigate the regulatory potential of intergenic/intronic hypomethylated regions (iHMRs) within imprinted domains. Materials & methods: Based on the preliminary results of the histone modification and conservation profiles, we conducted reporter assays on the Peg3 and H19 domain iHMRs. The in vitro results were confirmed by the in vivo deletion of Peg3-iHMR designed to test its function in the Peg3 imprinted domain. Results & conclusion: Initial bioinformatic analyses suggested that some iHMRs may be noncanonical enhancers for imprinted genes. Consistent with this, Peg3- and H19-iHMRs showed context-dependent promoter and enhancer activity. Further, deletion …

Field And Laboratory Studies On The Ecology, Reproduction, And Adult Diapause Of The Asian Comma Butterfly, Polygonia C-Aureum L. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Satoshi Hiroyoshi, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

Adult diapause and reproduction of a nymphalid butterfly, Polygonia c-aureum L., were investigated in field and laboratory examinations. Laboratory studies showed that old virgin male butterflies of non-diapausing generations had heavy accessory glands and simplex, which were suppressed in diapausing generations. The number of eupyrene sperm bundles in the duplex increased with adult age, whereas testis size decreased with age. Field examinations indicated that reproductive development of both sexes of diapausing generations in autumn was suppressed, and developed in spring. We attempted to estimate the physiological age of wild-caught males, as adult male age can be estimated from the testis …

Antebellum Posthuman: Race And Materiality In The Mid-Nineteenth Century, Christopher Willoughby

Civil War Book Review

In Antebellum Posthuman: Race and Materiality in the Mid-Nineteenth Century, University of Mississippi Professor of nineteenth-century literature Cristin Ellis troubles historical depictions of the relationship between materialism and racism in the mid nineteenth-century United States. Through an analysis of the anti-slavery writings of Frederick Douglass, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman, Ellis argues that these writers used materialist conceptions of the human body to argue against slavery and white supremacy. In making this argument, Ellis seeks to undercut simplistic depictions of antebellum racial discourse as pitting liberal humanists against biological racists.

Kindly Welcome: A Novel Of The Shakers In The Civil War, Randal Allred

Civil War Book Review

Linda Stevens has written a finely crafted novel which makes the reader feel kindly welcome, indeed. She renders the story with compassion and empathy in a way that gives us a clear view into the interior of a people and the impact of a world-changing event. Her focus on a specific historical Shaker community (in which many of the characters are also historical) is the product of a good deal of research, and this rigor enriches the text of the novel. She even supplies a map of the town of South Union, Kentucky, one of a number of Shaker communities …

Kentucky’S Rebel Press: Pro-Confederate Media And The Secession Crisis, David A. Raney

Civil War Book Review

As the secession crisis yielded the bitter fruit of civil war in the spring of 1861, Abraham Lincoln understood well the multifaceted importance of the border states, including his native state of Kentucky. He is said to have remarked that, while he hoped that God was on his side, he needed Kentucky. Indeed, Union and Confederate partisans in and out of the state coveted Kentucky’s manufacturing capacity as well as its ability to provide military resources such as soldiers and draft animals. The state’s geographical position was vital as well. Kentucky offered a springboard for invasion of the North or …

The Literature Of Reconstruction: Not In Plain Black And White, Sarah E. Gardner

Civil War Book Review

Meticulously researched and cogently argued, The Literature of Reconstruction offers a compelling account of the ways in which imaginative literature both commented on and informed discussions of the political, economic, and social arrangements of Reconstruction.