Digital Commons Network^™

Frozen Pre-Embryo Practice In Missouri, Mary M. Beck, L. "Joanna" Beck Wilkinson

Faculty Publications

McQueen v. Gadberry was an Eastern District dissolution dispute over frozen pre-implantation embryos formed from McQueen’s eggs and Gadberry’s sperm. The St. Louis County trial court found the pre-embryos to be marital property of a special character and awarded them jointly to each of the former spouses. The appellate court affirmed. McQueen is an important decision because the finding that embryos are marital property was an issue of first impression that affects many Missouri families. Infertility is a common problem, couples frequently utilize assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to form families, and the extra frozen pre-implantation embryos (hereinafter pre-embryos) have fueled …

Arabinosyl Deacetylase Modulates The Arabinoxylan Acetylation Profile And Secondary Wall Formation, Lanjun Zhang, Chengxu Gao, Frederic Mentink-Vigier, Lu Tang, Dongmei Zhang, Shaogan Wang, Shaoxue Cao, Zuopeng Xu, Xiangling Liu, Tuo Wang, Yihua Zhou, Baocai Zhang

Faculty Publications

© 2019 ASPB. Acetylation, a prevalent modification of cell-wall polymers, is a tightly controlled regulatory process that orchestrates plant growth and environmental adaptation. However, due to limited characterization of the enzymes involved, it is unclear how plants establish and dynamically regulate the acetylation pattern in response to growth requirements. In this study, we identified a rice (Oryza sativa) GDSL esterase that deacetylates the side chain of the major rice hemicellulose, arabinoxylan. Acetyl esterases involved in arabinoxylan modification were screened using enzymatic assays combined with mass spectrometry analysis. One candidate, DEACETYLASE ON ARABINOSYL SIDECHAIN OF XYLAN1 (DARX1), is specific for arabinosyl …

Zinc Toxicity And Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis In Escherichia Coli, Huangen Ding

Faculty Publications

While zinc is an essential trace metal in biology, excess zinc is toxic to organisms. Previous studies have shown that zinc toxicity is associated with disruption of the (4Fe-4S] clusters in various dehydratases in Escherichia coli. Here, we report that the intracellular zinc overload in E. coli cells inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis without affecting the preassembled iron-sulfur clusters in proteins. Among the housekeeping iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins encoded by the gene cluster iscSUA-hscBA-fdx-iscX in E. coli cells, the scaffold IscU, the iron chaperone IscA, and ferredoxin have strong zinc binding activity in cells, suggesting that intracellular zinc overload inhibits iron-sulfur …

Homoeostatic Maintenance Of Nonstructural Carbohydrates During The 2015–2016 El Niño Drought Across A Tropical Forest Precipitation Gradient, Lee Turin Dickman, Nate G. Mcdowell, Charlotte Grossiord, Adam D. Collins, Brett T. Wolfe, Matteo Detto, S. Joseph Wright, José A. Medina-Vega, Devin Goodsman, Alistair Rogers, Shawn P. Serbin, Jin Wu, Kim S. Ely, Sean T. Michaletz, Chonggang Xu, Lara Kueppers, Jeffrey Q. Chambers

Faculty Publications

Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) are essential for maintenance of plant metabolism and may be sensitive to short- and long-term climatic variation. NSC variation in moist tropical forests has rarely been studied, so regulation of NSCs in these systems is poorly understood. We measured foliar and branch NSC content in 23 tree species at three sites located across a large precipitation gradient in Panama during the 2015–2016 El Niño to examine how short- and long-term climatic variation impact carbohydrate dynamics. There was no significant difference in total NSCs as the drought progressed (leaf P = 0.32, branch P = 0.30) nor across …

Effect Of Hot Water Treatment Of In-Shell Pecans On Physicochemical Properties And Consumer Acceptability Of Roasted Pecan Kernels, Karuna Kharel, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy, Charles J. Graham, Achyut Adhikari

Faculty Publications

The effect of hot water pre-treatment of in-shell pecans on physicochemical properties, consumer acceptance and purchase intent of dehulled and roasted kernels was evaluated. In-shell pecans were first subjected to hot water at 70, 80 and 90 °C for 8.6, 6.6 and 4.6 min respectively and kernels were later dry roasted at 160 °C for 10 min. The physicochemical properties of hot water treated and untreated nuts, before and after roasting were determined. Furthermore, consumer acceptance and purchase intent of the roasted kernels were determined. Hot water treatment, alone and subsequent roasting had minimal effect on pecans’ physicochemical properties. Consumers …

How Do Neighbourhood Definitions Influence The Associations Between Built Environment And Physical Activity?, Suzanne Mavoa, Nasser Bagheri, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Karen E. Lamb, Koichiro Oka, David O'Sullivan, Karen Witten

Faculty Publications

Researchers investigating relationships between the neighbourhood environment and health first need to decide on the spatial extent of the neighbourhood they are interested in. This decision is an important and ongoing methodological challenge since different methods of defining and delineating neighbourhood boundaries can produce different results. This paper explores this issue in the context of a New Zealand-based study of the relationship between the built environment and multiple measures of physical activity. Geographic information systems were used to measure three built environment attributes—dwelling density, street connectivity, and neighbourhood destination accessibility—using seven different neighbourhood definitions (three administrative unit boundaries, and 500, …

Comparison Of Quetiapine Abuse And Misuse Reports To The Fda Adverse Event Reporting System With Other Second-Generation Antipsychotics, Kirk E. Evoy, Chengwen Teng Pharm.D., Ph.D., Victor G. Encarnacion, Brian Frescas, John Hakim, Stephen Saklad, Christopher R. Frei

Faculty Publications

Background:

Methods:

Comparison Of Anthracnose Resistance With The Presence Of Two Scar Markers Associated With The Rca2 Gene In Strawberry, Melinda A. Miller-Butler, Barbara J. Smith, Brian R. Kreiser, Eugene K. Blythe

Faculty Publications

Strawberry anthracnose diseases are caused primarily by three Colletotrichum species: C. acutatum J.H. Simmonds, C. fragariae A.N. Brooks, and C. gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. Molecular markers are being used in breeding programs to identify alleles linked to disease resistance and other positive agronomic traits. In our study, strawberry cultivars and breeding germplasm with known anthracnose susceptibility or resistance to the three anthracnose-causing Colletotrichum species were screened for two sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers linked to the Rca2 gene. The Rca2 resistant allele SCAR markers were associated with varying degrees of significance for a strawberry plant’s anthracnose resistance to …

An Organizational Account Of State Standing, Katherine Mims Crocker

Faculty Publications

Again and again in regard to recent high-profile disputes, the legal community has tied itself in knots over questions about when state plaintiffs should have standing to sue in federal court, especially in cases where they seek to sue federal-government defendants. Lawsuits challenging everything from the Bush administration’s environmental policies to the Obama administration’s immigration actions to the Trump administration’s travel bans have become mired in tricky and technical questions about whether state plaintiffs belonged in federal court.

Should state standing cause so much controversy and confusion? This Essay argues that state plaintiffs are far more like at least one …

Forward: Some Puzzles Of State Standing, Tara Leigh Grove

Faculty Publications

When should states have standing? In recent years, there has been an explosion in literature on that question.1 Yet, even today, there seem to be as many questions as answers. In this Foreword to the Notre Dame Law Review’s 2019 Federal Courts, Practice, and Procedure Symposium on state standing, I discuss a few such puzzles. First, should states have “special” standing when they sue the federal government—that is, greater access to federal court than private parties? Second, and conversely, should states have at least “equal” access to federal court, or should they face more barriers than private parties? These questions …

The Effects Of Ambient Temperature And Lighting Intensity On Wheel-Running Behavior In A Diurnal Rodent, The Nile Grass Rat (Arvicanthis Niloticus), Garrett M. Fogo, Alyssa M. Goodwin, Ohanes S. Khacherian, Brandi J. Ledbetter, Andrew J. Gall

Faculty Publications

Environmental conditions, such as the light-dark cycle and temperature, affect the display of circadian rhythmicity and locomotor activity patterns in mammals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating these environmental conditions would affect wheel-running activity patterns in a diurnal rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus). Grass rats are diurnal in the field, however, a subset switch from a day-active pattern to a night-active pattern of activity after the introduction of a running wheel. The mechanism of this chronotype switch remains largely unknown. In the present study, grass rats were presented with running wheels in 12:12 light-dark conditions. First, subjects …

The Power Of Prosecutors, Jeffrey Bellin

Faculty Publications

One of the predominant themes in the criminal justice literature is that prosecutors dominate the justice system. Over seventy-five years ago, Attorney General Robert Jackson famously proclaimed that the “prosecutor has more control over life, liberty, and reputation than any other person in America.” In one of the most cited law review articles of all time, Bill Stuntz added that prosecutors—not legislators, judges, or police—“are the criminal justice system’s real lawmakers.” And an unchallenged modern consensus holds that prosecutors “rule the criminal justice system.”

This Article applies a critical lens to longstanding claims of prosecutorial preeminence. It reveals a curious …

American Democratic Deficit In Assisted Reproductive Technology Innovation, Myrisha S. Lewis

Faculty Publications

In many areas of innovation, the United States is a leader, but this characterization does not apply to the United States' position in assisted reproductive technology innovation and clinical use. This article uses a political science concept, the idea of the "democratic deficit" to examine the lack of American public discourse on innovations in ART. In doing so, the article focuses on America's missing public consultation in health care innovation. This missing discourse is significant, as political and ethical considerations may impact regulatory decisions. Thus, to the extent that these considerations are influencing the decisions of federal agency employees, namely …

Difference Of Opinion: Spousal Influence On Cancer Risk-Reducing Behavior, Wendy C. Birmingham, Maija Reblin, Wendy Kohlmann, Tyler Graff

Faculty Publications

Marriage is consistently associated with better health outcomes. Spouses' attempts to influence partners' lifestyle and general health behaviors may contribute to this effect, although partners may not be aware of this influence. Spousal worry of a cancer diagnosis for an at-risk partner may factor into attempts to influence. An examination of spousal worry and influence on lifestyle choices, general health behaviors, and cancer screening adherence for partners at higher risk of colorectal cancer may shed light on spousal influence and partners' perceptions of influence. Methods: A mixed-method design assessed cancer worry and spousal influence for risk-reducing behavior in first-degree relatives …

Quasi-Sovereign Standing, F. Andrew Hessick

Faculty Publications

This essay proceeds in five Parts. Part I describes the three strands of state standing. It focuses particularly on parens patriae standing to assert quasi-sovereign interests. Part II criticizes the parens patriae framework. It argues that states hold quasi-sovereign interests and accordingly should have direct standing to assert them. Part III argues that states should be able to assert these interests against the United States because of the unique role that states play in our federal system. Part IV argues that recognizing state standing to bring these suits is consistent with the separation of powers theories underlying standing doctrine. Part …

Effects Of An 8-Week Pelvic Core Stability And Nutrition Community Programme On Maternal Health Outcomes, Gretchen Elizabeth Krivak, Lori Maria Walton, Veena Raigangar, Mini Sara Abraham, Cherisse Buddy, Magaly Hernandez, Rose Caceras

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Women, during the antenatal and post‐partum period, report pelvic, low back pain, stress and urge urinary incontinence, colorectal dysfunction, and other co‐morbidities that negatively affect health‐related quality of life. Exercise and nutrition are important considerations for improving maternal health in this period.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a community‐driven nutrition and exercise programme focused on pelvic floor and core stability, healthy nutrition, and breastfeeding counselling over an 8‐week period on pelvic floor and urinary distress (UDI), prolapse and colorectal distress for antenatal and post‐partum women with limited access to health care, and …

Short-Term Effect Of Simulated Salt Marsh Restoration By Sand-Amendment On Sediment Bacterial Communities, François Thomas, James T. Morris, Cathleen Wigand, Stefan M. Sievert

Faculty Publications

Coastal climate adaptation strategies are needed to build salt marsh resiliency and maintain critical ecosystem services in response to impacts caused by climate change. Although resident microbial communities perform crucial biogeochemical cycles for salt marsh functioning, their response to restoration practices is still understudied. One promising restoration strategy is the placement of sand or sediment onto the marsh platform to increase marsh resiliency. A previous study examined the above- and below-ground structure, soil carbon dioxide emissions, and pore water constituents in Spartina alterniflora-vegetated natural marsh sediments and sand-amended sediments at varying inundation regimes. Here, we analyzed samples from the …

Head Impact Exposure Comparison Between Male And Female Amateur Rugby League Participants Measured With An Instrumented Patch, Mark Hecimovich, D. A. King, P. A. Hume, C. Cummins, T. Clark, C. Gissane

Faculty Publications

Background: Epidemiological studies report that females experience greater rates of concussion when compared with males. Biomechanical factors may result in greater post-impact head velocities and accelerations for a given force for females when compared with males. Purpose: To quantify the magnitude, frequency, duration and distribution of impacts to the head and body in rugby league match activities for females versus males. Design: Prospective descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: 21 female and 35 male amateur rugby league players wore wireless impact measuring devices (X2Biosystems; xPatch) behind their right ear over the mastoid process during match participation across a single season. All impact …

Short-Term Effect Of Simulated Salt Marsh Restoration By Sand-Amendment On Sediment Bacterial Communities, François Thomas, James T. Morris, Cathleen Wigand, Stefan M. Sievert

Faculty Publications

Coastal climate adaptation strategies are needed to build salt marsh resiliency and maintain critical ecosystem services in response to impacts caused by climate change. Although resident microbial communities perform crucial biogeochemical cycles for salt marsh functioning, their response to restoration practices is still understudied. One promising restoration strategy is the placement of sand or sediment onto the marsh platform to increase marsh resiliency. A previous study examined the above- and below-ground structure, soil carbon dioxide emissions, and pore water constituents in Spartina alterniflora-vegetated natural marsh sediments and sand-amended sediments at varying inundation regimes. Here, we analyzed samples from the …

How Do Neighbourhood Definitions Influence The Associations Between Built Environment And Physical Activity?, Suzanne Mavoa, Nasser Bagheri, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Karen E. Lamb, Koichiro Oka, David O'Sullivan, Karen Witten

Faculty Publications

Researchers investigating relationships between the neighbourhood environment and health first need to decide on the spatial extent of the neighbourhood they are interested in. This decision is an important and ongoing methodological challenge since different methods of defining and delineating neighbourhood boundaries can produce different results. This paper explores this issue in the context of a New Zealand-based study of the relationship between the built environment and multiple measures of physical activity. Geographic information systems were used to measure three built environment attributes—dwelling density, street connectivity, and neighbourhood destination accessibility—using seven different neighbourhood definitions (three administrative unit boundaries, and 500, …

Low Molecular Weight Fluorescent Probes (Lmfps) To Detect The Group 12 Metal Triad, Ashley D. Johnson, Rose M. Curtis, Karl J. Wallace

Faculty Publications

Fluorescence sensing, of d-block elements such as Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, and Zn²⁺ has significantly increased since the beginning of the 21st century. These particular metal ions play essential roles in biological, industrial, and environmental applications, therefore, there has been a drive to measure, detect, and remediate these metal ions. We have chosen to highlight the low molecular weight fluorescent probes (LMFPs) that undergo an optical response upon coordination with the group 12 triad (Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺), as these metals have …

Physical Education Teacher Education (Pete) Majors' Perceptions And Opinions Of Appropriate Instructional Practices: A Qualitative Approach, David C. Barney, Liana Davis

Faculty Publications

Physical education (PE) teachers are responsible for helping students learn in their classes. Unfortunately, many students have been exposed to games and activities that were inappropriate, thus negatively affecting their learning in PE class. Inappropriate instructional practices have been a common occurrence for many students. One group that can help curb the inclusion of inappropriate instructional practices are Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) majors. This study investigated PETE majors’ beliefs of certain instructional practices that have been implemented in PE games and activities. Many of the instructional practices were inappropriate. The PETE majors’ felt that dodge ball, relay games, and …

Lightcpg: A Multi-View Cpg Sites Detection On Single-Cell Whole Genome Sequence Data, Limin Jiang, Chongqing Wang, Jijun Tang, Fei Gu

Faculty Publications

Background DNA methylation plays an important role in multiple biological processes that are closely related to human health. The study of DNA methylation can provide an insight into the mechanism behind human health and can also have a positive effect on the assessment of human health status. However, the available sequencing technology is limited by incomplete CpG coverage. Therefore, it is crucial to discover an efficient and convenient method capable of distinguishing between the states of CpG sites. Previous studies focused on identifying methylation states of the CpG sites in single cell, which only evaluated sequence information or structural information. …

Association Between Inflammatory Potential Of Diet And Bone-Mineral Density In Korean Postmenopausal Women: Data From Fourth And Fifth Korea National Health And Nutrition Examination Surveys, Woori Na, Susan Park, Nitin Shivappa, James F. Thrasher, Mi Kyung Kim, Cheongmin Sohn

Faculty Publications

Post menopause is considered a critical period for bone-mass loss. Impaired bone metabolism during this phase can increase the risk of fractures in old age. Inflammation is a risk factor for bone health, and diet is a potential source of inflammation. However, few studies have examined the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII^®) and bone-mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women in Korea. The objective of this study was to determine, by means of a Korean cross-sectional investigation, whether higher DII scores are associated with decreased BMD in postmenopausal women. To that end, the raw data from the …

Stimulation Of Heat Shock Protein 90 Chaperone Function Through Binding Of A Novobiocin Analog Ku-32, Bhaskar K. Chatterjee, Abhilash Jayaraj, Vinay Kumar, Brian Blagg, Rachel E. Davis, B Jayaram, Shashank Deep, Tapan K. Chaudhuri

Faculty Publications

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a eukaryotic chaperone responsible for the folding and functional activation of numerous client proteins, many of which are oncoproteins. Thus, Hsp90 inhibition has been intensely pursued, resulting in the development of many potential Hsp90 inhibitors, not all of which are well-characterized. Hsp90 inhibitors not only abrogate its chaperone functions, but also could help us gain insight into the structure-function relationship of this chaperone. Here, using biochemical and cell-based assays along with isothermal titration calorimetry, we investigate KU-32, a derivative of the Hsp90 inhibitor novobiocin (NB), for its ability to modulate Hsp90 chaperone function. Although …

Concrete Crack Detection And Monitoring Using A Capacitive Dense Sensor Array, Jin Yan, Austin Downey, Alessandro Cancelli, Simon Laflamme, An Chen, Jian Li, Filippo Ubertini

Faculty Publications

Cracks in concrete structures can be indicators of important damage and may significantly affect durability. Their timely identification can be used to ensure structural safety and guide on-time maintenance operations. Structural health monitoring solutions, such as strain gauges and fiber optics systems, have been proposed for the automatic monitoring of such cracks. However, these solutions become economically difficult to deploy when the surface under investigation is very large. This paper proposes to leverage a novel sensing skin for monitoring cracks in concrete structures. This sensing skin is constituted of a flexible electronic termed soft elastomeric capacitor, which detects a change …

The Effects Of Teacrine® And Caffeine On Endurance And Cognitive Performance During A Simulated Match In High-Level Soccer Players, Marissa L. Bello, Alan J. Walker, Bridget A. Mcfadden, David J. Sanders, Shawn M. Arent Ph.D., Cscs*D, Fissn, Facsm, Fnak

Faculty Publications

Background: Theacrine (1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric-acid) is a pure alkaloid with a similar structure to caffeine and acts comparably as an adenosine receptor antagonist. Early studies have shown non-habituating effects, including increases in energy and focus in response to Teacrine®, the compound containing pure theacrine. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the effects of Teacrine® and caffeine on cognitive performance and time-to-exhaustion during a simulated soccer game in high-level male and female athletes. Methods: Male and female soccer players (N = 24; M Age = 20.96 ± 2.05y, M MaleVO2max = 55.31 ± 3.39 mL/O 2 /kg, M FemaleVO2max …

Reef Rover: A Low-Cost Small Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicle (Usv) For Mapping And Monitoring Coral Reefs, George Raber, Steven R. Schill

Faculty Publications

In the effort to design a more repeatable and consistent platform to collect data for Structure from Motion (SfM) monitoring of coral reefs and other benthic habitats, we explore the use of recent advances in open source Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided drone technology to design and test a low-cost and transportable small unmanned surface vehicle (sUSV). The vehicle operates using Ardupilot open source software and can be used by local scientists and marine managers to map and monitor marine environments in shallow areas (<20>m) with commensurate visibility. The imaging system uses two Sony a6300 mirrorless cameras to collect stereo …

Siah2 Modulates Sex-Dependent Metabolic And Inflammatory Responses In Adipose Tissue To A High-Fat Diet Challenge, Sujoy Ghosh, Jessica L. Taylor, Tamra M. Mendoza, Thanh Dang, David H. Burk, Yongmei Yu, Gail Kilroy, Z. Elizabeth Floyd

Faculty Publications

© 2019 The Author(s). Background: The obesity-related risk of developing metabolic syndrome is higher in males than in females of reproductive age, likely due to estrogen-mediated reduced adipose tissue inflammation and fibrosis with hypertrophied adipocytes. Depletion of the ubiquitin ligase Siah2 reduced white adipose tissue inflammation and improved glucose metabolism in obese male mice. Siah2 is a transcriptional target of estrogen, but data is lacking about the effect of Siah2 on adipose tissue of females. We therefore evaluated the impact of Siah2 deficiency on white and brown adipose tissue in females of reproductive age. Methods: Body composition, adipose tissue morphology, …

An Atlas-Based Method To Predict Three-Dimensional Dose Distributions For Cancer Patients Who Receive Radiotherapy, S. A. Yoganathan, Rui Zhang

Faculty Publications

Due to the complexity of advanced radiotherapy techniques, treatment planning process is usually time consuming and plan quality can vary considerably among planners and institutions. It is also impractical to generate all possible treatment plans based on available radiotherapy techniques and select the best option for a specific patient. Automatic dose prediction will be very helpful in these situations, while there were a few studies of three-dimensional (3D) dose prediction for patients who received radiotherapy. The purpose of this work was to develop a novel atlas-based method to predict 3D dose prediction and to evaluate its performance. Previously treated nineteen …