Digital Commons Network^™

Factors Associated With Functioning In Older Black Adults, Katrail D. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

Activities of daily living can be simple tasks such as bathing, showering, toileting or as complex as managing finances, driving, and preparing meals. Independence in everyday functioning has been associated with successful aging and declines in functioning may be indicative of pathological cognitive decline. Social determinants of health, like economic status and access to health care, also play a role in everyday functioning. Understanding these factors are of particular importance for older Black adults who have had long-standing disparate access to care, education, and treatments. The current study aimed to evaluate social determinants of health, more specifically social engagement, as …

Családi, Joelle Nagy

LSU Master's Theses

Családi (Magyar/Hungarian) adjective: related to the family; related to the home

CSALÁDI is a compendium of paintings and sculpture that narrate and itemize memories, mementos, and feelings from my childhood in relation to the home. It is an autobiographical agglomeration of objects and spaces that I am honoring and remembering through the act of creating. I am effectuating the feminine and maternal instinct of gathering and arranging my memories pertaining to personal history and inherited cultural identity through altar-making. Idiosyncratic items are collected and bound through color association and sensory memory. Constructing interior and exterior spaces of the home in …

The Relationship Between Communicative And Social Deficits And Challenging Behavior In Angelman Syndrome, Cassie Chanel Feck

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a low-incidence neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in speech, motor, and social development as well as related differences in challenging behavior, seizures, and sleep issues. AS has a known genetic etiology and research conducted with this population has overwhelmingly focused on exploring the genetic and biological underpinnings of the disorder (e.g., applied gene therapies). At present, far less research on supporting the social, communicative, and behavioral needs of this population and how these specific deficits contribute to the individual’s overall functioning. The goals of this study were to characterize the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication …

Multifunctional Nanoparticles Of Porphyrins And Phthalocyanines: Review Of Synthetic Strategies And Emerging Applications, Olajumoke Helen Olubowale, Quynh Do, Neepa Kuruppu Arachchige, Deja Gabrielle Hebert, Jayne C. Garno

Faculty Publications

There is considerable research interest in the synthesis and characterization of organic-based nanoparticles because of the wide range of nanomaterials that can be designed with useful functional properties. With emerging research in the synthesis of organic nanoparticles comprised of porphyrins and phthalocyanines, there is a challenge to prepare multifunctional nanoparticles with the desired properties, size, and composition that are stable in environments that are exposed to stresses of pH, oxidation, or heat. This review describes innovative strategies that have been reported for synthesizing nanoparticles of porphyrins and phthalocyanines for applications. The tunability of the structure of porphyrinoid molecules through synthetic …

Desire Paths In The Information Landscape, Victoria Van Hyning, Mason A. Jones, Travis Wagner

Journal of Critical Digital Librarianship

Libraries and archives serve so many different users who come to information institutions with various perspectives, needs, experiences, and desires around accessing physical or digital collections. While our users may find what they are looking for immediately, many have to beat their own paths through complex systems and metadata that doesn’t align with their needs. Their search strategies may leave digital “desire paths”–alternative routes through the information landscape that can show us how to better meet their needs. This article covers three scenarios where users’ desire paths can be seen or where gaps around user experience can be better addressed. …

The Mitochondrial Multi-Omic Response To Exercise Training Across Rat Tissues, David Amar, Nicole R. Gay, David Jimenez-Morales, Pierre M. Jean Beltran, Megan E. Ramaker, Archana Natarajan Raja, Bingqing Zhao, Yifei Sun, Shruti Marwaha, David A. Gaul, Steven G. Hershman, Alexis Ferrasse, Ashley Xia, Ian Lanza, Facundo M. Fernández, Stephen B. Montgomery, Andrea L. Hevener, Euan A. Ashley, Martin J. Walsh, Lauren M. Sparks, Charles F. Burant, R. Scott Rector, John Thyfault, Matthew T. Wheeler, Bret H. Goodpaster, Paul M. Coen, Simon Schenk, Sue C. Bodine, Malene E. Lindholm, Joshua N. Adkins, Jose Juan Almagro Armenteros, Mary Anne S. Amper, Dam Bae, Marcas Bamman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Mitochondria have diverse functions critical to whole-body metabolic homeostasis. Endurance training alters mitochondrial activity, but systematic characterization of these adaptations is lacking. Here, the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium mapped the temporal, multi-omic changes in mitochondrial analytes across 19 tissues in male and female rats trained for 1, 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Training elicited substantial changes in the adrenal gland, brown adipose, colon, heart, and skeletal muscle. The colon showed non-linear response dynamics, whereas mitochondrial pathways were downregulated in brown adipose and adrenal tissues. Protein acetylation increased in the liver, with a shift in lipid metabolism, whereas oxidative …

Age, Growth, And Mortality Of Blackfin Tuna In The Gulf Of Mexico, E. M. Gutierrez, E. T. Lang, M. S. Lovell, J. Lang, B. J. Falterman, S. R. Midway, M. A. Dance

Faculty Publications

Objective: An otolith-based aging approach was used to evaluate age and growth relationships, sexual dimorphism in growth, and derive mortality estimates for Blackfin Tuna Thunnus atlanticus in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Methods: Blackfin Tuna (n = 395) were sampled from recreational fisheries and aged from 0 to 13 years, representing an increase over previous estimates of longevity for the species. Result: Rapid growth was exhibited during the first two years of life, and the Richards growth function provided a better fit (L∞ = 907 mm, k = 0.112 /year, a = 1.05, b = 0.25) to the data compared …

Selection Of Host Plants For Production Of Clanis Bilineata (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), Xiaofeng Li, Mingming Guo, Kebin Li, Song Li, Honglin Feng, Jiwei Fan

Faculty Publications

Clanis bilineata Walker (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), a burgeoning edible insect, is experiencing rising demand in China and other regions. Despite this interest, larval production is currently constrained by the limitations of artificial production technologies, particularly the selection of optimal host plants. This study rigorously evaluated the performance of C. bilineatha larvae on four main host plants: round-leaf soybean, pointed-leaf soybean, black locust, and kudzu. Preference tests demonstrated that the larvae were most attracted to black locust (34.76 ± 4.65%), with subsequent preferences for kudzu (25.00 ± 6.12%), round-leaf soybean (23.17 ± 2.79%), and pointed-leaf soybean (14.02 ± 4.74%). No significant preference …

Inhalation Of Particulate Matter Containing Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals Induces Endothelial Dysfunction Mediated Via Ahr Activation At The Air-Blood Interface, Ankit Aryal, Ashlyn C. Harmon, Kurt J. Varner, Alexandra Noël, Stephania A. Cormier, Divine B. Nde, Peter Mottram, Jemiah Maxie, Tammy R. Dugas

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Particulate matter (PM) containing environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) is formed by the incomplete combustion of organic wastes, resulting in the chemisorption of pollutants to the surface of PM containing redox-Active transition metals. In prior studies in mice, EPFR inhalation impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. These findings were associated with aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation in the alveolar type-II (AT-II) cells that form the air-blood interface in the lung. We thus hypothesized that AhR activation in AT-II cells promotes the systemic release of mediators that promote endothelium dysfunction peripheral to the lung. To test our hypothesis, we knocked down AhR in AT-II …

Estrogen Counteracts Age-Related Decline In Beige Adipogenesis Through The Nampt-Regulated Er Stress Response, Jooman Park, Ruoci Hu, Yanyu Qian, Shaolei Xiong, Asma Sana El-Sabbagh, Meram Ibrahim, Jaden Wang, Ziqiao Xu, Zhengjia Chen, Qing Song, Zhenyuan Song, Gege Yan, Abeer M. Mahmoud, Yanlin He, Brian T. Layden, Jiwang Chen, Sang Ging Ong, Pingwen Xu, Yuwei Jiang

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Thermogenic beige adipocytes are recognized as potential therapeutic targets for combating metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic advantages that they offer are compromised with aging. Here we show that treating mice with estrogen (E2), a hormone that decreases with age, can counteract the age-related decline in beige adipogenesis when exposed to cold temperature while concurrently enhancing energy expenditure and improving glucose tolerance in mice. Mechanistically, we found that nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the formation of E2-induced beige adipocytes, which subsequently suppresses the onset of age-related endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Furthermore, we found that targeting NAMPT …

Accelerated Onset Of Diabetes In Non-Obese Diabetic Mice Fed A Refined High-Fat Diet, Heidi M. Batdorf, Luz De Luna Lawes, Gabrielle A. Cassagne, Molly S. Fontenot, Innocence C. Harvey, Jeremy T. Richardson, David H. Burk, Samuel D. Dupuy, Michael D. Karlstad, J. Michael Salbaum, Jaroslaw Staszkiewicz, Robbie Beyl, Sujoy Ghosh, Susan J. Burke, J. Jason Collier

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Aim: Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune events influenced by environmental variables, including changes in diet. This study investigated how feeding refined versus unrefined (aka ‘chow’) diets affects the onset and progression of hyperglycaemia in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Methods: Female NOD mice were fed either unrefined diets or matched refined low- and high-fat diets. The onset of hyperglycaemia, glucose tolerance, food intake, energy expenditure, circulating insulin, liver gene expression and microbiome changes were measured for each dietary group. Results: NOD mice consuming unrefined (chow) diets developed hyperglycaemia at similar frequencies. By contrast, mice consuming the defined high-fat diet had …

Effect Of Long-Term Caloric Restriction On Telomere Length In Healthy Adults: Calerie™ 2 Trial Analysis, Waylon J. Hastings, Qiaofeng Ye, Sarah E. Wolf, Calen P. Ryan, Sai Krupa Das, Kim M. Huffman, Michael S. Kobor, William E. Kraus, Julia L. Macisaac, Corby K. Martin, Susan B. Racette, Leanne M. Redman, Daniel W. Belsky, Idan Shalev

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Caloric restriction (CR) modifies lifespan and aging biology in animal models. The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE™) 2 trial tested translation of these findings to humans. CALERIE™ randomized healthy, nonobese men and premenopausal women (age 21–50y; BMI 22.0–27.9 kg/m2), to 25% CR or ad-libitum (AL) control (2:1) for 2 years. Prior analyses of CALERIE™ participants' blood chemistries, immunology, and epigenetic data suggest the 2-year CR intervention slowed biological aging. Here, we extend these analyses to test effects of CR on telomere length (TL) attrition. TL was quantified in blood samples collected at baseline, 12-, …

Assessing The Long-Term Effects Of Conservation Agriculture On Cotton Production In Northeast Louisiana Using The Denitrification–Decomposition Model, Janntul Ferdush, Changyoon Jeong, Hwangju Jeon, Jim Wang, Kyoung Ro, Xi Zhang, Meesook Lee

Faculty Publications

Conservation agriculture (CA) aims to sustain agricultural production, soil, and environmental health in agroecosystems and has been promoted throughout the United States. The adoption of CA in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) systems provides both agronomic and environmental benefits. Yet, there is limited information on the long-term effects of CA practices on crop yield and adaptation strategies. An integrated CA system, that is, cover crops with no-tillage (NT) instead of conventional agriculture, was implemented in the long-term field experiments and assessed with an integrated biogeochemical model. Using the denitrification–decomposition model, this study estimated the effects of four different cover crops, for example, …

Targeting Cancers With Ohsv-Based Oncolytic Viral Immunotherapy, Rakin Tammam Nasar, Ifeanyi Kingsley Uche, Konstantin G. Kousoulas

Faculty Publications

The recent success of cancer immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs), monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), cancer vaccines, and adoptive cellular therapies (ACTs), has revolutionized traditional cancer treatment. However, these immunotherapeutic modalities have variable efficacies, and many of them exhibit adverse effects. Oncolytic viral Immunotherapy (OViT), whereby viruses are used to directly or indirectly induce anti-cancer immune responses, is emerging as a novel immunotherapy for treating patients with different types of cancer. The herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) possesses many characteristics that inform its use as an effective OViT agents and remains a leading candidate. Its recent clinical success resulted in …

Spatial Roost Networks And Resource Selection Of Female Wild Turkeys, Nicholas W. Bakner, Erin E. Ulrey, Patrick H. Wightman, Nick A. Gulotta, Bret A. Collier, Michael J. Chamberlain

Faculty Publications

Wildlife demography is influenced by behavioural decisions, with sleep being a crucial avian behaviour. Avian species use roost sites to minimize thermoregulation costs, predation risk and enhance foraging efficiency. Sleep locations are often reused, forming networks within the home range. Our study, focusing on female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) during the reproductive season, used social network analysis to quantify both roost site selection and network structure. We identified roost networks which were composed of a small percentage of hub roost sites connecting satellite roosts. Hub roosts were characterized by greater values of betweenness (β = 0.62, s.e. = …

Farmer's Adaptive Capacity And Adoption Of Strategies To Climate Change Among Mountain Communities In Nepal, Tanvir Hossain

LSU Master's Theses

Climate change presents significant challenges to agriculture worldwide, particularly where farming is central to livelihoods. This phenomenon has been linked to decreasing crop yields due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, particularly affecting low-income countries with limited adaptive capabilities. Grasping how farmers perceive climate change is essential for developing effective adaptation strategies to lessen its adverse impacts. This study concentrated on investigating the perceptions and adaptive strategies employed by smallholder farmers in Nepal's Mustang district, utilizing primary data sources. Data from 131 randomly selected households were gathered through structured interviews, while focus group discussions provided qualitative insights into farmers' views …

Trophic Interactions In Microbiomes Influence Plant Host Population Size And Ecosystem Function, Jiaqi Tan, Na Wei, Martin M. Turcotte

Faculty Publications

Plant microbiomes that comprise diverse microorganisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, are the key determinants of plant population dynamics and ecosystem function. Despite their importance, little is known about how species interactions (especially trophic interactions) between microbes from different domains modify the importance of microbiomes for plant hosts and ecosystems. Using the common duckweed Lemna minor, we experimentally examined the effects of predation (by bacterivorous protists) and parasitism (by bacteriophages) within microbiomes on plant population size and ecosystem phosphorus removal. Our results revealed that the addition of predators increased plant population size and phosphorus removal, whereas the addition of parasites …

The Influence Of Stage Of Ripeness On Consumer Perceptions Regarding Selected Aspects Of Non-Astringent Asian Persimmons (Diospyros Kaki Thunb), Robert A. Mirabello Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Asian Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) is an important fruit crop in Asia and in recent decades has experienced expanding production around the world. Non-astringent cultivars are highly desirable in world markets. In the United States the Asian Persimmon is lesser known and consumed although it can be successfully grown in California and the Southeastern United States.This novel study examined the physical/chemical properties of the non-astringent Asian Persimmon ‘Jiro’ grown in Southern Louisiana at three distinct stages of ripeness described as Green (mid-September harvest), Light Orange (mid-October harvest) and Dark Orange (mid-November harvest). Data collected included color, weight, size, soluble …

Characteristics Influencing Enrollment Choices: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors That Influence Black Students' Decision To Enroll In College Of Agriculture Programs, Jennifer L. Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aims to identify the barriers that affect Minority enrollment in agriculture, particularly focusing on increasing the enrollment of Black students. There is a significant concern regarding the gap between Black individuals and agriculture enrollment in post-secondary agriculture programs at land-grant institutions. The purpose of this mixed method phenomenology was to (1) identify factors that influence the decision of Black students to enroll in the College of Agriculture and (2) uncover the societal and economic influences that continue to serve as barriers to Black students’ enrolling in agriculture. The quantitative portion of the investigation utilized a web-based instrument structured …

The Effect Of A Lactobacillus Containing Gel On The Clitoral Microbiome Of The Mare, Fiona E. Herzog

LSU Master's Theses

The equine lower reproductive tract harbors bacterial populations that serve as a reservoir for potential pathogens. Dysbiosis of urogenital sites may play a role in reproductive disease of the mare, including endometritis. Metagenetic studies have evaluated microbiomes in the uterus, vagina and placenta, while the clitoral microbiome has yet to be described. In this study, the following hypotheses were tested; 1) the clitoris harbors a unique microbiome, 2) topical Lactobacillus genus complex (LGC) probiotic will alter this microbiome, 3) acceptable per cycle pregnancy rates (PCPR) following probiotic application will be achieved. Reproductively normal mares (n=14) were selected, and clitoral fossa …

Temporal Dynamics Of The Multi-Omic Response To Endurance Exercise Training, David Amar, Nicole R. Gay, Pierre M. Jean-Beltran, Dam Bae, Surendra Dasari, Courtney Dennis, Charles R. Evans, David A. Gaul, Olga Ilkayeva, Anna A. Ivanova, Maureen T. Kachman, Hasmik Keshishian, Ian R. Lanza, Ana C. Lira, Michael J. Muehlbauer, Venugopalan D. Nair, Paul D. Piehowski, Jessica L. Rooney, Kevin S. Smith, Cynthia L. Stowe, Bingqing Zhao, Natalie M. Clark, David Jimenez-Morales, Malene E. Lindholm, Gina M. Many, James A. Sanford, Gregory R. Smith, Nikolai G. Vetr, Tiantian Zhang, Jose J. Almagro Armenteros, Julian Avila-Pacheco, Nasim Bararpour, Yongchao Ge, Zhenxin Hou

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Regular exercise promotes whole-body health and prevents disease, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood1–3. Here, the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium4 profiled the temporal transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, lipidome, phosphoproteome, acetylproteome, ubiquitylproteome, epigenome and immunome in whole blood, plasma and 18 solid tissues in male and female Rattus norvegicus over eight weeks of endurance exercise training. The resulting data compendium encompasses 9,466 assays across 19 tissues, 25 molecular platforms and 4 training time points. Thousands of shared and tissue-specific molecular alterations were identified, with sex differences found in multiple tissues. Temporal multi-omic and multi-tissue analyses revealed expansive biological …

Restricting Bioenergetic Efficiency Enhances Longevity And Mitochondrial Redox Capacity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa L. Taylor, Olga Dubuisson, Pritika Pandey, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Wagner S. Dantas, Alyssa Johnson, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Mitochondria are essential for survival and as such, impairments in organelle homeostasis significantly accelerate age-related morbidity and mortality. Here, we determined the contribution of bioenergetic efficiency to life span and health span in Drosophila melanogaster utilizing the mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15. Life span was determined in flies fed a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with vehicle or BAM15. Locomotor function was determined by negative geotaxis assay in middle-aged flies fed vehicle or BAM15 under ND or HFD conditions. Redox capacity (high-resolution respirometry/fluorometry), citrate synthase (enzyme activity), mtDNA content (qPCR), gene expression (qPCR), and protein expression (western blot) …

Detection Of Ochyromera Ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae) In Ligustrum Spp. (Oleaceae) Using Newly Developed Pcr Primers, Ilgoo Kang, Amy Roda, Brandi Misiaszek, Tanner Sparks, Rodrigo Diaz

Faculty Publications

Ligustrum spp. (Oleaceae) have become invasive species in the US and negatively affect native plant diversity and richness in forests. Ochyromera ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered a potential biological control agent in the US because adults feed on the foliage and larvae are seed-feeders of Ligustrum spp. To discover the relationships between O. ligustri and Ligustrum spp., fruit dissections or rearing and field observations are required. In the current research project, novel PCR primers were developed to rapidly detect the DNA of O. ligustri in molecular analyses without rearing and observation. The developed PCR primers worked even with 0.01 ng …

Speech, Voice, And Language Outcomes Following Deep Brain Stimulation: A Systematic Review, Fatemeh Tabari, Joel I. Berger, Oliver Flouty, Brian Copeland, Jeremy D. Greenlee, Karim Johari

Faculty Publications

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) reliably ameliorates cardinal motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). However, the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language have been inconsistent and have not been examined comprehensively in a single study. Objective We conducted a systematic analysis of literature by reviewing studies that examined the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language in PD and ET. Methods A total of 675 publications were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CINHAL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases. Based on our selection criteria, 90 papers were included in our analysis. The …

Exploring Pathways Toward Open-Hardware Ecosystems To Safeguard Genetic Resources For Biomedical Research Communities Using Aquatic Model Species, Yue Liu, Jack C. Koch, Lucía Arregui, Allyssa Oune, Sarah Bodenstein, Maria T. Gutierrez-Wing, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Development of reliable germplasm repositories is critical for preservation of genetic resources of aquatic species, which are widely utilized to support biomedical innovation by providing a foundational source for naturally occurring variation and development of new variants through genetic manipulations. A significant barrier in repository development is the lack of cryopreservation capability and reproducibility across the research community, posing great risks of losing advances developed from billions of dollars of research investment. The emergence of open scientific hardware has fueled a new movement across biomedical research communities. With the increasing accessibility of consumer-level fabrication technologies, such as three-dimensional printers, open …

Transitioning From A Research Protocol To A Scalable Applied Pathway For Xenopus Laevis Sperm Cryopreservation At A National Stock Center: The Effect Of Cryoprotectants, Lucía Arregui, Jack C. Koch, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Sperm cryopreservation is a critical tool for safeguarding and managing valuable genetic resources. Protocols for cryopreservation of Xenopus laevis sperm were available but lacking sperm quality evaluation and scalability and the outcomes were inconsistent. The goal of this study was to begin developing a center-level cryopreservation pathway for this species by integrating French straws as containers that would facilitate germplasm repository development. The objectives were to analyze the effect of: (1) three sperm concentrations (33, 50, and 100 × 106 sperm/mL) on post-thaw fertilization, (2) three final concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) of dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and dimethylformamide (DMFA) on …

Song And Genetic Divergence Within A Subspecies Of White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia Leucophrys Nuttalli), Amy Rongyan Luo, Sara Lipshutz, Jennifer Phillips, Robb T. Brumfield, Elizabeth Perrault Derryberry

Faculty Publications

Animal culture evolves alongside genomes, and the two modes of inheritance-culture and genes-interact in myriad ways. For example, stable geographic variation in culture can act as a reproductive barrier, thereby facilitating genetic divergence between "cultural populations."White-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) are a well-established model species for bird song learning and cultural evolution, as they have distinct, geographically discrete, and culturally transmitted song types (i.e., song dialects). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that divergence between culturally transmitted songs drives genetic divergence within Nuttall's white-crowned sparrows (Z. l. nuttalli). In accordance with sexual selection theory, we hypothesized that cultural divergence between …

Associations Of Epigenetic Age Acceleration With Cvd Risks Across The Lifespan: The Bogalusa Heart Study, Xiao Sun, Wei Chen, Alexander C. Razavi, Mengyao Shi, Yang Pan, Changwei Li, Maria Argos, Brian T. Layden, Martha L. Daviglus, Jiang He, Owen T. Carmichael, Lydia A. Bazzano, Tanika N. Kelly

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Although epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) might serve as a molecular signature of childhood cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and further promote midlife subclinical CVD, few studies have comprehensively examined these life course associations. This study sought to test whether childhood CVD risk factors predict EAA in adulthood and whether EAA mediates the association between childhood CVD risks and midlife subclinical disease. Among 1,580 Bogalusa Heart Study participants, we estimated extrinsic EAA, intrinsic EAA, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel), and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAgeAccel) during adulthood. We tested prospective associations of longitudinal childhood body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipids, and glucose with EAAs …

The Sequential Direct And Indirect Effects Of Mountain Uplift, Climatic Niche, And Floral Trait Evolution On Diversification Dynamics In An Andean Plant Clade, Agnes S. Dellinger, Laura Lagomarsino, Fabián Michelangeli, Stefan Dullinger, Stacey D. Smith

Faculty Publications

Why and how organismal lineages radiate is commonly studied through either assessing abiotic factors (biogeography, geomorphological processes, and climate) or biotic factors (traits and interactions). Despite increasing awareness that both abiotic and biotic processes may have important joint effects on diversification dynamics, few attempts have been made to quantify the relative importance and timing of these factors, and their potentially interlinked direct and indirect effects, on lineage diversification. We here combine assessments of historical biogeography, geomorphology, climatic niche, vegetative, and floral trait evolution to test whether these factors jointly, or in isolation, explain diversification dynamics of a Neotropical plant clade …

In The Spotlight—Early Career Researcher, Patricia Schneider

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.