Digital Commons Network^™

Current Discoveries And Future Implications Of Eating Disorders, Bing Feng, Jerney Harms, Emily Chen, Peiyu Gao, Pingwen Xu, Yanlin He

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Eating disorders (EDs) are characterized by severe disturbances in eating behaviors and can sometimes be fatal. Eating disorders are also associated with distressing thoughts and emotions. They can be severe conditions affecting physical, psychological, and social functions. Preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape may also play an important role in the regulation of eating disorders. Common eating disorders have three major types: anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED). In some cases, EDs can have serious consequences for an individual’s physical and mental health. These disorders often develop during adolescence or early adulthood and affect …

Long-Term Capture Data Uncover Shifts In The Daily Activity Patterns Of Amazonian Birds, Cameron L. Rutt, Philip C. Stouffer, Bruna R. Amaral, David A. Luther

Faculty Publications

Although the duration of biological rhythms varies from milliseconds to decades, daily cycles are especially widespread for individual organisms. These circadian rhythms are synchronized by light–dark cycles, which govern predictable changes in other microclimate variables. Despite the fixed, regular nature of these abiotic cycles at low latitudes, little is known about how different animals structure activity along these gradients. We used 25 years of capture–recapture data and ~ 25 000 unique captures to characterize ‘activity' (time of capture) for 65 species of Amazonian birds in the lowest forest stratum (0–2.5 m). To quantify vertical niche breadths, we also measured foraging …

Measuring In Vivo Adipose Tissue Kinetics In Humans Using The Deuterium (2h)-Labeling Approach, Dereck Kibodeaux, Jonathan Savoie, Eric Ravussin, Mark Fitch, Marc K. Hellerstein, Ursula White

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

White adipose tissue is a highly plastic organ that is necessary to maintain whole-body energy homeostasis. The adipose tissue mass and changes in the fat mass or distribution are regulated by changes in the synthesis and breakdown (i.e., turnover) of adipose cells and triacylglycerols. Evidence suggests that the manner and magnitude of subcutaneous adipose tissue expansion (i.e., hypertrophy vs. hyperplasia) and turnover can influence metabolic health, as adipogenesis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and related diseases. Despite the potential role of adipose turnover in human health, there is a lack of knowledge about the in vivo kinetics …

A Feasibility Study Of The Combination Of Intranasal Insulin With Dulaglutide For Cognition In Older Adults With Metabolic Syndrome At High Dementia Risk – Study Rationale And Design, Tal Davidy, Iscka Yore, Tali Cukierman-Yaffe, Ramit Ravona-Springer, Abigail Livny, Orit H. Lesman-Segev, Yossi Azuri, Owen Carmichael, Dimitrios Kapogiannis, Henrik Zetterberg, Hung Mo Lin, Mary Sano, Michal Schnaider Beeri

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Introduction: We present the rationale and design of a double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility trial combining intranasal insulin (INI) with dulaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, to improve cognition in older adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Since both INI and dulaglutide have beneficial effects on the cerebrovascular disease (CVD), we anticipate that improved CVD will underlie the hypothesized cognitive benefits. Methods: This 12-months trial will include 80 older adults aged > 60 with MetS and MCI, randomized to 4 groups: INI/dulaglutide injection, intranasal placebo/dulaglutide injection, INI/placebo injection, and intranasal placebo/placebo injection. Feasibility of combining INI with dulaglutide will be …

Gene Editing Provides A Tool To Investigate Genes Involved In Reproduction Of Pigs, Rodney D. Geisert, Destiny N. Johns, Caroline A. Pfeiffer, Riley M. Sullivan, Caroline G. Lucas, Constantine A. Simintiras, Bethany K. Redel, Kevin D. Wells, Thomas E. Spencer, Randall S. Prather

Faculty Publications

CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology provides a method to generate loss-of-function studies to investigate, in vivo, the specific role of specific genes in regulation of reproduction. With proper design and selection of guide RNAs (gRNA) designed to specifically target genes, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing allows investigation of factors proposed to regulate biological pathways involved with establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. The advantages and disadvantages of using the current gene editing technology in a large farm species is discussed. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of porcine conceptuses has generated new perspectives for the regulation of endometrial function during the establishment of pregnancy. The delicate orchestration …

Medical Libraries And Their Complicated Past: An Exploration Of The Historical Connections Between Medical Collections And Racial Science, Raymond Pun, Patrice R. Green, Nicollette Davis

Faculty Publications

For over a millennium, libraries and library workers have advanced the knowledge of human science by building, preserving, and sharing collections and research. Historically, libraries have also aligned their institutional responsibilities to adhere to and support the values and virtues of oppressive and colonial practices. Library history has shown the mistreatments and denials of information access of marginalized groups. The history of libraries in the health and medical sciences reveals how these institutions and their workers have preserved and circulated research studies perpetuating racial science. This commentary highlights how such institutions shape and contribute to racial science in the field …

Multi-Functional Boron-Delivery Agents For Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Of Cancers, Sebastian O. Oloo, Kevin M. Smith, Maria Da Graça H. Vicente

Faculty Publications

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary cancer treatment that involves the irradiation of ¹⁰B-containing tumors with low-energy neutrons (thermal or epithermal). The alpha particles and recoiling Li nuclei that are produced in the ¹⁰B-capture nuclear reaction are high-linear-energy transfer particles that destroy boron-loaded tumor cells; therefore, BNCT has the potential to be a localized therapeutic modality. Two boron-delivery agents have been used in clinical trials of BNCT in patients with malignant brain tumors, cutaneous melanoma, or recurrent tumors of the head and neck region, demonstrating the potential of BNCT in the treatment of difficult cancers. A …

Population-Specific Responses In Eastern Oysters Exposed To Low Salinity In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Kyle A. Sirovy, Sandra M. Casas, Jerome F. La Peyre, Morgan W. Kelly

Faculty Publications

Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are facing rapid environmental changes in the northern Gulf of Mexico and can respond to these changes via plasticity or evolution. Plastic responses can immediately buffer against environmental changes, although this buffering may impact the organism’s ability to evolve in subsequent generations. While plasticity and evolution are not mutually exclusive, the relative contribution and interaction between them remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the roles of plastic and evolved responses of C. virginica acclimated to low salinity using a common garden experiment with four populations exposed to two salinities. We used three transcriptomic analyses (edgeR, …

Three-Dimensional Scaffolds For Bone Tissue Engineering, Harish Chinnasami, Mohan Kumar Dey, Ram Devireddy

Faculty Publications

Immobilization using external or internal splints is a standard and effective procedure to treat minor skeletal fractures. In the case of major skeletal defects caused by extreme trauma, infectious diseases or tumors, the surgical implantation of a bone graft from external sources is required for a complete cure. Practical disadvantages, such as the risk of immune rejection and infection at the implant site, are high in xenografts and allografts. Currently, an autograft from the iliac crest of a patient is considered the “gold standard” method for treating large-scale skeletal defects. However, this method is not an ideal solution due to …

Developing Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures Using High-Density Polyethylene Plastic Waste Material, Ibrahim Elnaml, Jun Liu, Louay N. Mohammad, Nazimuddin Wasiuddin, Samuel B. Cooper, Samuel B. Cooper

Faculty Publications

There is growing interest in sustainable road pavement technologies to protect the environment and provide economic benefits. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics are considered for construction to address the threat of plastic waste materials (PWM) and to improve sustainability. Asphalt pavement construction is highly considered for PWM recycling due to its large daily production. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of asphalt mixture containing PWM, specifically high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and compare its performance with two conventional mixtures. Three asphalt mixtures were considered: (1) mixture with asphalt binder PG 76-22 (SBS-modified); (2) mixture with asphalt binder PG 70-22 …

Attosecond Charge Migration In Bromoethyne Derivatives, Colin Mcglynn

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Integrating Lipid Metabolism, Pheromone Production And Perception By Fruitless And Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4, Jie Sun, Wen Kan Liu, Calder Ellsworth, Qian Sun, Yufeng Pan, Yi Chun Huang, Wu Min Deng

Faculty Publications

Sexual attraction and perception are crucial for mating and reproductive success. In Drosophila melanogaster, the male-specific isoform of Fruitless (Fru), FruM, is a known master neuro-regulator of innate courtship behavior to control the perception of sex pheromones in sensory neurons. Here, we show that the non-sex-specific Fru isoform (FruCOM) is necessary for pheromone biosynthesis in hepatocyte-like oenocytes for sexual attraction. Loss of FruCOM in oenocytes resulted in adults with reduced levels of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), including sex pheromones, and show altered sexual attraction and reduced cuticular hydrophobicity. We further identify Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (Hnf4) as a key target of …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Grain Quality In Rice And Implications For Breeding, Raul A. Guerra-Lacayo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rice will continue to be a staple food for the foreseeable future, and plant breeding can foment the resilience of this crop. Applied breeding programs with clear objectives can effectively develop varieties that satisfy stakeholder needs. The majority of U.S.-produced rice is destined to export markets, and Latin America is the largest importer of U.S. rice, receiving 59% of total exports in 2021. Since 2010, Latin American importers voiced concerns about the quality of U.S. rice, mainly the high chalk content of milled rice and the stickiness of cooked rice. To address these issues, the objectives of this project were: …

Characteristics Of Yogurt And Culture Bacteria As Affected By Ingredients That Help Treat Leaky Gut, Ricardo Jose Santos Aleman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

At least 100 million people have leaky gut syndrome. This syndrome is associated with multiple health problems such as diabetes, celiac disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease, costing more than $3 billion per year to treat. L-Glutamine, quercetin, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG), licorice root, maitake mushrooms, and zinc orotate have been reported to help treat leaky gut.

The objectives were to explore the characteristics of yogurt and culture bacteria as affected by ingredients that help treat leaky gut. In yogurt, the pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, viscosity, color, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, yeast and mold and …

Toward One Health: A Spatial Indicator System To Model The Facilitation Of The Spread Of Zoonotic Diseases, Daniel Jato-Espino, Fernando Mayor-Vitoria, Vanessa Moscardó, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro, Leticia Bartolome Del Pino

Faculty Publications

Recurrent outbreaks of zoonotic infectious diseases highlight the importance of considering the interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health in disease prevention and control. This has given rise to the concept of One Health, which recognizes the interconnectedness of between human and animal health within their ecosystems. As a contribution to the One Health approach, this study aims to develop an indicator system to model the facilitation of the spread of zoonotic diseases. Initially, a literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to identify relevant indicators related to One Health. The …

Rethinking Attention Control: An Individual Differences Approach, Vincent A. Medina

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

While there is extensive literature on visual spatial attention, less is known about auditory spatial attention, especially in terms of attention control. There is also a growing literature highlighting the importance of considering individual differences in attention control ability. Given these points, the purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to understand how auditory attention control is influenced by spatial location as well as vision. The second was to examine whether individual differences in attention control ability can predict task performance in that context. We utilized two tasks for these purposes. Experiment 1a consisted of a cross-modal Stroop …

Femme Fatale In Lieder: Songs Of Lorelei By Clara Schumann, Franz Liszt, And Alexander Zemlinsky, Eun Chong Kang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The femme fatale, a seductive and dangerous woman, is a popular archetype found in literature, art, and music. In German literature, the character of Lorelei is a well-known example of the femme fatale. She is associated with a steep rock cliff on the Rhine River and, from the cliff, convicted of bewitching men resulting in their murder. This written document focuses on Lorelei as the femme fatale character in German literature as seen in three musical settings by composers Clara Schumann, Franz Liszt, and Alexander Zemlinsky. The document also includes limited musical analyses of and singer’s commentary on …

A Performer's Guide To Two Song Collections: “Mementos Of Innocence” And “Three Yeats Songs” By Malaysian Composer Chee Yean Wong, Wu Ji Khoo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Despite the flourishing existence of Asian Art Music for over half a century, relatively little has been done to advance its recognition and prominence. Through this project, the author hopes to shed light on the beauty and richness of Asian Art Music and encourage its inclusion in the repertoire of American classical music. The purpose of this document is to supply a comprehensive performer’s guide to Malaysian composer, Chee Yean Wong’s song collections: “Mementos of Innocence” and “Three Yeats Songs.” The collections feature settings of English poems by Jean Blewett, Christina Rossetti, Edwin C. Ranck, Rabindranath Tagore, and William Butler …

Empowering Student Success: Unlocking The Potential Of Project-Based Steel Design Education, Aly Mousaad Aly

Faculty Publications

In the pursuit of student success, it is essential to acknowledge that a singular teaching style does not universally cater to all students. The educator's crucial role lies in creating an optimal learning environment that fosters students' endeavors to excel. This endeavor transcends mere classroom success or employment prospects, encompassing a broader impact on societal well-being. An experiential learning approach, where students actively engage in practical tasks, emerges as the most effective mode of instruction. Integrating project-based learning activities into the curriculum holds immense potential for enhancing student learning. Additionally, the utilization of analysis software tools like FTool and STAAD …

Further Refinement Of An Asd-Subscale For The Childhood Behavior Checklist, Kimberly Ellison

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is tied to receiving the earliest possible intervention services that can influence a child’s development (Filipek et al., 1999). There are different measurement tools utilized to aid in the diagnostic assessment process, including broadband behavioral rating scales. The Childhood Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) is a parent/caregiver completed questionnaire about one’s child (typically or atypically developing). The CBCL is one of the most utilized broadband measures at the initial stages of a diagnostic assessment or screening to aid in understanding the symptom presentation (Hyman et al., 2020). Currently, there …

Deficiency In The Omega-3 Lysolipid Transporter Mfsd2a Leads To Aberrant Oligodendrocyte Lineage Development And Hypomyelination, Vetrivel Sengottuvel, Monalisa Hota, Jeongah Oh, Dwight L. Galam, Bernice H. Wong, Markus R. Wenk, Sujoy Ghosh, Federico Torta, David L. Silver

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Patients with autosomal recessive microcephaly 15 caused by deficiency in the sodium-dependent lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) transporter major facilitator superfamily domain–containing 2a (Mfsd2a) present with both microcephaly and hypomyelination, suggesting an important role for LPC uptake by oligodendrocytes in the process of myelination. Here we demonstrate that Mfsd2a is specifically expressed in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and is critical for oligodendrocyte development. Single-cell sequencing of the oligodendrocyte lineage revealed that OPCs from OPC-specific Mfsd2a-KO mice (2aOKO mice) underwent precocious differentiation into immature oligodendrocytes and impaired maturation into myelinating oligodendrocytes, correlating with postnatal brain hypomyelination. 2aOKO mice did not exhibit microcephaly, a finding …

Pathways To Blunted Facial Affect In Negative Schizotypy: Social Motivation And Online Cognitive Resources, Tovah M.D. Cowan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Schizotypy, a range of personality traits which confer liability for schizophrenia, is associated with significantly diminished social functioning and quality of life. Social dysfunction in all forms of schizotypy, including schizophrenia, is connected to blunted affect, or diminished expressivity, particularly facial expressions which are less frequent, intense, or long than typical. However, the mechanisms and treatments for blunted affect are, as yet, poorly understood and underdeveloped. In this project, two putative mechanisms of blunted affect were explored. The first involves cognitive load capacities, which are diminished in schizotypy, causing blunted affect – individuals do not have the cognitive resources to …

Active Colloids As Models, Materials, And Machines, Kyle J.M. Bishop, Sibani Lisa Biswal, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Faculty Publications

Active colloids use energy input at the particle level to propel persistent motion and direct dynamic assemblies. We consider three types of colloids animated by chemical reactions, time-varying magnetic fields, and electric currents. For each type, we review the basic propulsion mechanisms at the particle level and discuss their consequences for collective behaviors in particle ensembles. These microscopic systems provide useful experimental models of nonequilibrium many-body physics in which dissipative currents break time-reversal symmetry. Freed from the constraints of thermodynamic equilibrium, active colloids assemble to form materials that move, reconfigure, heal, and adapt. Colloidal machines based on engineered particles and …

Design, Construction, And Testing Of Recombinant Dna-Based Vaccines For Protection Against Salmonella Enterica Subspecies Enterica Serovar Javiana, Ashley Edwards

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the United States, Salmonella Javiana is among the top 5 most common nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes, with a 325% increase in infection rate since 1970. Globally, nontyphoidal Salmonella leads to approximately 93.8 million illnesses and 155,000 deaths annually, with disproportionate impacts in developing countries. In the United States alone, these infections lead to over $4 billion in costs, the majority of which are attributed to those expenses incurred from mortalities. The zoonotic nature of nontyphoidal Salmonellae and their ability to survive on and within vegetation mean huge economic burden potential for various agricultural industries as well, especially since some of …

Genome-Wide Coancestry Reveals Details Of Ancient And Recent Male-Driven Reticulation In Baboons, Erik F. Sørensen, R. Alan Harris, Liye Zhang, Muthuswamy Raveendran, Lukas F.K. Kuderna, Jerilyn A. Walker, Jessica M. Storer, Martin Kuhlwilm, Claudia Fontsere, Lakshmi Seshadri, Christina M. Bergey, Andrew S. Burrell, Juraj Bergman, Jane E. Phillips-Conroy, Fekadu Shiferaw, Kenneth L. Chiou, Idrissa S. Chuma, Julius D. Keyyu, Julia Fischer, Marie Claude Gingras, Sejal Salvi, Harshavardhan Doddapaneni, Mikkel H. Schierup, Mark A. Batzer, Clifford J. Jolly, Sascha Knauf, Dietmar Zinner, Kyle K.H. Farh, Tomas Marques-Bonet, Kasper Munch, Christian Roos, Jeffrey Rogers

Faculty Publications

Baboons (genus Papio) are a morphologically and behaviorally diverse clade of catarrhine monkeys that have experienced hybridization between phenotypically and genetically distinct phylogenetic species. We used high-coverage whole-genome sequences from 225 wild baboons representing 19 geographic localities to investigate population genomics and interspecies gene flow. Our analyses provide an expanded picture of evolutionary reticulation among species and reveal patterns of population structure within and among species, including differential admixture among conspecific populations. We describe the first example of a baboon population with a genetic composition that is derived from three distinct lineages. The results reveal processes, both ancient and recent, …

Black Soldier Fly Frass Supports Plant Growth And Reduces Nitrogen Leaching During Coleus Production, Jeffrey Beasley, Jeff Kuehny, Thanos Gentimis, Jeb Fields

Faculty Publications

Industrial insect rearing is expected to increase as a feedstock to meet growing global food demand. This will lead to greater production of insect excreta known as frass, a nutrient-dense organic material that has shown promise as a natural fertilizer source with potential environmental benefits. In this study, black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) frass (BSFF) was compared with a synthetic fertilizer (SF) during production of containerized ornamentals grown under greenhouse conditions. Fertilizers were incorporated into a bark-based substrate at 0, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 kg.m–3 nitrogen (N) planted with coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) plugs. Growth index, shoot dry weight, and leaf …

Metal Transport In The Mixing Zone Of An Estuarine River To The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Zhenwei Wu, Songjie He, Yi Jun Xu

Faculty Publications

To better understand the pollution potential of metals in estuaries heavily concentrated with petrochemical industries, we measured concentrations of total recoverable metals in the lower Calcasieu River in southwestern Louisiana that flows into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Water samples were collected at six sites along the last 88 km reach of the river monthly between May 2013 and November 2015, during which salinity ranged from 0.02 to 29.5 ppt from upstream to downstream. The samples were analyzed for a series of total recoverable metals, including aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), calcium (Ca), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), …

Effects Of Human And Nonhuman Predation Risk On Antipredator Movement Behaviors Of An Upland Game Bird, Patrick H. Wightman, James A. Martin, Michel T. Kohl, Bret A. Collier, Michael J. Chamberlain

Faculty Publications

Predators elicit antipredator behaviors such as proactive and reactive movements in prey, but both are rarely investigated simultaneously. Impacts of human predation risk on antipredator behaviors can be greater than those of nonhuman predators, resulting in increased effects on populations and community structure. We compared the influence of human and nonhuman predation risk on proactive and reactive antipredator movement behaviors of male Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo, hereafter turkey). We used simultaneously collected GPS locations from 31 turkeys and 36 coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate the antipredator behavior of turkeys to coyotes. To assess antipredator behaviors of turkeys to hunters, …

Reproductive Asynchrony Within Social Groups Of Female Eastern Wild Turkeys, Erin E. Ulrey, Michael J. Chamberlain, Bret A. Collier

Faculty Publications

Coordination in timing of reproduction is driven by multiple ecological and sociobiological processes for a wide array of species. Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) use a male dominance polygynous mating system, where males communicate with females via elaborate courtship displays and vocalizations at display sites. Most females prefer to mate with dominant males; therefore, asynchronous breeding and nesting may occur which can disproportionately influence individual fitness within breeding groups. For female wild turkeys, there are reproductive advantages associated with earlier nesting. As such, we evaluated reproductive asynchrony within and between groups of GPS-tagged female eastern wild turkeys based on …

Indirect Functional Effects Of Neighbors On Food Web Compartments Could Not Overcome Density-Dependent Limited Growth Of A Grazing Minnow, Garrett W. Hopper, Keith B. Gido, Caryn C. Vaughn

Faculty Publications

Ecosystems include diverse taxonomic and functional groups of animals with variable levels of niche overlap that can lead to direct and indirect interactions with positive or negative outcomes. Species feeding at low trophic positions might be sensitive to interactions with co-occurring functional groups (neighbors) that influence their food resources through various processes, such as indirect nutrient subsidies and trophic cascades. Employing a target-neighbor experimental design using large, outdoor mesocosms, we tested whether adding neighbors with different functional traits affected food web compartments relative to a control group that had grazing minnows, Campostoma anomalum (Central Stoneroller). Additionally, we tested whether growth …