Digital Commons Network^™

Elevating Dissolved Oxygen - Reflections On Developing And Using Long - Term Data, Nancy N. Rabalais

Faculty Publications

This prospectus took me about as long to generate as my 36 - year record of working on the issue of northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) oxygen deficiency, or so I felt. There was so much to cover, but I focused on the issue of hypoxia on the Louisiana continental shelf from the early 1980s to present and my participation in the research and outreach. Not that I was ignoring other aspects of my academic research career (e.g., stone crab populations and their differences in physiology and larval development along the nGOM coast; settlement of crab megalopae, especially blue crabs, …

Biogeographical Trends In Phytoplankton Community Size Structure Using Adaptive Sentinel 3-Olci Chlorophyll A And Spectral Empirical Orthogonal Functions In The Estuarine-Shelf Waters Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Bingqing Liu, Eurico J. D'Sa, Kanchan Maiti, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Zuo Xue

Faculty Publications

The active hydrodynamics and complex circulation patterns in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) provide a dynamic scenario to investigate mesoscale responses of the size structure of phytoplankton communities to environmental variability. In this study, a large in-situ dataset acquired in inland, estuarine and coastal waters of the nGoM and U.S. East Coast were utilized to achieve a regional parameterization of the red-NIR ratio-based chlorophyll a (Chl a) algorithm for the high-spatial and spectral resolution Sentinel 3-OLCI ocean color sensor. Using an adaptive scheme, the algorithm was used in combination with other standard Chl a algorithms such as the Neural …

A Survey Of Open Source Statistical Software (Osss) And Their Data Processing Functionalities, Gao Niu, Richard S. Segall, Zichen Zhao, Zhijian Wu

Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the definitions of open source software, free software and freeware, and the concept of big data. The authors then introduce R and Python as the two most popular open source statistical software (OSSS). Additional OSSS, such as JASP, PSPP, GRETL, SOFA Statistics, Octave, KNIME, and Scilab, are also introduced in this paper with function descriptions and modeling examples. They further discuss OSSS's capability in artificial intelligence application and modeling and Popular OSSS-based machine learning libraries and systems. The paper intends to provide a reference for readers to make proper selections of open source software when statistical analysis …

Clarifying The Relationship Of Dissociative Experiences To Suicide Ideation And Attempts: A Multimethod Examination In Two Samples, Mikayla C. Pachkowski, Megan L. Rogers, Boaz Y. Saffer, Nicole M. Caulfield, E. David Klonsky

Faculty Publications

Fears of pain, injury, and death may represent key barriers to acting on suicidal thoughts. Dissociation, which involves a disconnection from one's body, may reduce fears and sensations of pain associated with harming the body, in turn facilitating suicide attempts. This study examined whether dissociation differentiated individuals with a history of suicide attempts from those with a history of suicide ideation, and investigated whether other relevant constructs explain this relationship. Sample 1 included 754 undergraduates (Mage = 21, 79% female) who completed a battery of self-report measures. Sample 2 included 247 undergraduates (Mage = 19, 74% female) who completed a …

Effects Of Moderate Sleep Restriction During 8-Week Calorie Restriction On Lipoprotein Particles And Glucose Metabolism, Joshua R. Sparks, Ryan R. Porter, Shawn D. Youngstedt, Kimberly P. Bowyer, J. Larry Durstine, Xuewen Wang

Faculty Publications

Study Objectives

This study examined how glucose, glucose regulatory hormones, insulin sensitivity, and lipoprotein subclass particle concentrations and sizes change with sleep restriction during weight loss elicited by calorie restriction.

Methods

Overweight or obese adults were randomized into an 8-week calorie restriction intervention alone (CR, n = 12; 75% female; body mass index = 31.4 ± 2.9 kg/m2) or combined with sleep restriction (CR+SR, n = 16; 75% female; body mass index = 34.5 ± 3.1 kg/m2). Participants in both groups were given the same instructions to reduce calorie intake. Those in the CR+SR group were instructed to reduce their …

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Events On The Psychosocial Functioning Of Children Affected By Parental Hiv In Rural China, Jordan Ezell, Sayward Harrison, Yanping Jiang, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Children affected by parental HIV are more likely than unaffected peers to experience trauma and are at-risk for negative psychological and social outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adverse childhood events and psychosocial functioning among children affected by parental HIV.

Methods: A total of 790 children ages 6–17 from Henan, China were enrolled in a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of a resilience-based psychosocial intervention. At baseline, children reported on numerous psychosocial factors, including trauma exposure, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and peer social functioning. We used linear regression analysis to test the direct effect of trauma …

After Marriage Equality: Dual Fatherhood For Married Male Same-Sex Couples, Jessica Feinberg

Faculty Publications

In most states, married male same-sex couples who conceive children via gestational surrogacy using sperm from one member of the couple and donor ova must pursue adoption in order to establish legal parentage for the member of the couple who is not genetically related to the child. This is because only a minority of jurisdictions have surrogacy laws that recognize the non-biological intended parent as a legal parent in this situation, and across the United States cisgender male same-sex couples are excluded from the longstanding non-adoptive marriage-based avenues of establishing parentage currently available to both different-sex couples and female same-sex …

Anaerobic Carbon Monoxide Uptake By Microbial Communities In Volcanic Deposits At Different Stages Of Successional Development On O‐Yama Volcano, Miyake‐Jima, Japan, Amber N. Depoy, Gary M. King, Hiroyuki Ohta

Faculty Publications

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Research on Kilauea and O‐yama Volcanoes has shown that microbial communities and their activities undergo major shifts in response to plant colonization and that molyb-denum‐dependent CO oxidizers (Mo‐COX) and their activities vary with vegetation and deposit age. Results reported here reveal that anaerobic CO oxidation attributed to nickel‐dependent CO oxidizers (Ni‐COX) also occurs in volcanic deposits that encompass different developmental stages. Ni‐COX at three distinct sites responded rapidly to anoxia and oxidized CO from initial concentrations of about 10 ppm to sub‐atmospheric levels. CO was also actively consumed at initial 25% …

A Nanoparticle Co-Matrix For Multiple Charging In Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Imaging Of Tissue, Bijay Banstola, Kermit K. Murray

Faculty Publications

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Rationale: A two-component matrix of 2-nitrophloroglucinol (2-NPG) and silica nanoparticles was used for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging of high-charge-state biomolecules in tissue. Potential advantages include increased effective mass range and efficiency of fragmentation. Methods: A mixture of 2-NPG matrix and silica nanoparticles was applied to cyrosectioned 10 μm thick mouse brain tissue. The mixture was pipetted onto the tissue for profiling and sprayed for tissue imaging. MALDI images were obtained under high vacuum in a commercial time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Results: The combined 2-NPG and nanoparticle matrix produced highly charged …

Ignoring Drug Trademarks, Erika Lietzan

Faculty Publications

If you walk into a pharmacy with a prescription for Merck’s ZOCOR, which contains simvastatin, the pharmacist will probably give you a product containing simvastatin made by another company. The pharmacist will dispense a “generic” simvastatin product. State generic substitution laws, passed in the 1970s to help the government save money by switching patients to cheaper generic drugs, either permit or require this substitution. But drug brand names -- such as ZOCOR -- are trademarks. Like other trademarks, they distinguish goods in the market from others, and they signal the source of the goods. These state laws essentially treat the …

Clinical Commissioning Of Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy Systems: Report Of Aapm Task Group 185, Jonathan B. Farr, Michael F. Moyers, Chris E. Allgower, Martin Bues, Wen Chien Hsi, Hosang Jin, Dimitris N. Mihailidis, Hsiao Ming Lu, Wayne D. Newhauser, Narayan Sahoo, Roelf Slopsema, Daniel Yeung, X. Ronald Zhu

Faculty Publications

Proton therapy is an expanding radiotherapy modality in the United States and worldwide. With the number of proton therapy centers treating patients increasing, so does the need for consistent, high-quality clinical commissioning practices. Clinical commissioning encompasses the entire proton therapy system's multiple components, including the treatment delivery system, the patient positioning system, and the image-guided radiotherapy components. Also included in the commissioning process are the x-ray computed tomography scanner calibration for proton stopping power, the radiotherapy treatment planning system, and corresponding portions of the treatment management system. This commissioning report focuses exclusively on intensity-modulated scanning systems, presenting details of how …

Global Sex Disparity Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Review Of Sex Hormones And Consideration For The Potential Therapeutic Use Of Hormone Replacement Therapy In Older Adults, S C. Okpechi, J T. Fong, S S. Gill, J C. Harman, S C. Okpechi, Q C. Chukwurah, I O. Onor, S K. Alahari

Faculty Publications

The 2019-2020 SARS-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to healthcare sectors around the world. As of November 2020, there have been over 64 million confirmed cases and approaching 2 million deaths globally. Despite the large number of positive cases, there are very limited established standards of care and therapeutic options available. To date, there is still no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine for COVID-19, although there are several options in various clinical trial stages. Herein, we have performed a global review evaluating the roles of age and sex on COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU admissions, deaths in hospitals, …

Bats And Humans During Thesars-Cov-2outbreak: The Case Of Bat-Coronaviruses From Mexico, P Colunga-Salas, G Hernandez-Canchola

Faculty Publications

The novelSARS-CoV-2coronavirus has attracted attention due to the high number of human cases around the world. It has been proposed that this virus originated in bats, possibly transmitted to humans by an intermediate host, making bats a group of great interest during this outbreak. Almost 10% of the world's bat species inhabit Mexico, and 14 previous novel CoVs have been recorded in Mexican bats. However, the phylogenetic relationships between these viruses and the novel coronavirus are unknown. The aim of this communication was therefore to describe the phylogenetic relationships between Mexican bat-CoVs andSARS-CoV-2. We showed that Mexican bat-CoVs sequences are …

The Interplay Between Environmental Exposures And Covid-19 Risks In The Health Of Children, P D. Sly, B A. Trottier, C M. Bulka, S A. Cormier, P D. Sly, R C. Fry, K W. Kim, S Kleeberger, P Kumar, P J. Landrigan, K L. Carlsen, A Pascale, F Polack, M Ruchirawat, H J. Zar, W A. Suk

Faculty Publications

Background: An unusual feature of SARS-Cov-2 infection and the COVID-19 pandemic is that children are less severely affected than adults. This is especially paradoxical given the epidemiological links between poor air quality and increased COVID-19 severity in adults and that children are generally more vulnerable than adults to the adverse consequences of air pollution. Objectives: To identify gaps in knowledge about the factors that protect children from severe SARS-Cov-2 infection even in the face of air pollution, and to develop a transdisciplinary research strategy to address these gaps. Methods: An international group of researchers interested in children's environmental health was …

Btk/Itk Dual Inhibitors: Modulating Immunopathology And Lymphopenia For Covid-19 Therapy, M C. Mcgee, A August, W S. Huang

Faculty Publications

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) signaling is involved in innate immune responses and regulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines that can contribute to COVID-19 immunopathology. Clinical trials with BTK inhibitors in COVID-19 treatment have been proposed, and previous studies have attempted to investigate the therapeutic effects of ibrutinib and underlying mechanisms in treating viral pneumonia. These attempts, however, did not consider potential off target effect of BTK inhibitors on T cell differentiation, function, and survival, which may be beneficial in treatment for COVID-19. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of BTK/IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) signaling in immunopathology and lymphopenia and discuss …

Everything You Wanted To Know About Space Radiation But Were Afraid To Ask, Jeffery Chancellor, Craig Nowadly, Jacqueline Williams, Serena Aunon-Chancellor, Megan Chesal, Jayme Looper, Wayne Newhauser

Faculty Publications

The space radiation environment is a complex combination of fast-moving ions derived from all atomic species found in the periodic table. The energy spectrum of each ion species varies widely but is prominently in the range of 400–600 MeV/n. The large dynamic range in ion energy is difficult to simulate in ground-based radiobiology experiments. Most ground-based irradiations with mono-energetic beams of a single one ion species are delivered at comparatively high dose rates. In some cases, sequences of such beams are delivered with various ion species and energies to crudely approximate the complex space radiation environment. This approximation may cause …

Documenting The Establishment, Spread, And Severity Of Phyllachora Maydis On Corn, In The United States, Nathan M. Kleczewski, Diane E. Plewa, Kaitlyn M. Bissonnette, Norman D. Bowman, Jan M. Byrne, Joseph Laforest, Felipe Dalla-Lana, Dean K. Malvick, Daren S. Mueller, Martin I. Chilvers, Pierce A. Paul, Richard N. Raid, Alison E. Robertson, Gail E. Ruhl, Damon L. Smith, Darcy E.P. Telenko

Faculty Publications

Tar spot on corn, caused by the fungus (Phyllachora maydis Maubl. [Phyllachorales: Phyllachoraceae]), is an emerging disease in the United States. In 2018 and 2019, significant but localized epidemics of tar spot occurred across the major corn producing region of the Midwest. After being first detected in 2015, tar spot was detected in 135 and 139 counties where the disease was not previously detected in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and is now established across 310 counties across the United Sates. Foliage with signs (stromata) of P. maydis and symptoms of tar spot were collected from 128 fields in 2018 and …

Biology And Management Of The Rice Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Rice, Oryza Sativa (Poales: Poaceae), Santhi Bhavanam, Blake Wilson, Bryce Blackman, Michael Stout

Faculty Publications

The rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (Fabricius), is the most important late-season insect pest of rice in the southern United States. Nymphs and adults feed on rice grains, resulting in losses in yield and grain quality. Aspects of the biology, ecology, life history, and chemical ecology have been investigated in southern rice producing states but several outstanding questions remain. Standard economic threshold levels (ETLs) based on sweep net sampling for rice stink bug have been established depending on grain development stage and geographic location. However, recent studies on the relationship between rice stink bug densities, feeding damage, and its economic …

Pest Management Needs And Limitations For Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), An Emergent Key Pest Of Hemp In The United States, Kadie E. Britt, Thomas P. Kuhar, Whitney Cranshaw, Christopher T. Mccullough, Sally V. Taylor, Benjamin R. Arends, Hannah Burrack, Melissa Pulkoski, David Owens, Tigist A. Tolosa, Simon Zebelo, Katelyn A. Kesheimer, Olufemi S. Ajayi, Michelle Samuel-Foo, Jeffrey A. Davis, Nathan Arey, Hélène Doughty, Joanne Jones, Marguerite Bolt, Bradley J. Fritz, Jerome F. Grant, Julian Cosner, Melissa Schreiner

Faculty Publications

Corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), has emerged as an injurious insect pest to hemp, Cannabis sativa L., a crop newly reintroduced to the United States. Growing hemp presents a potential alternative economic opportunity for farmers but can be challenging with a market that is unstable and just developing. One of the most notable production challenges is managing corn earworm, an insect pest that is particularly damaging when it feeds on flower buds produced in cannabinoid varieties, creating extensive bud tunneling and wounds that allow entry of pathogens that can aid development and presence of bud rot. Damage to …

Identification And Biology Of Common Caterpillars In U.S. Soybean, Erin W. Hodgson, Robert L. Koch, Jeffrey A. Davis, Dominic Reisig, Silvana V. Paula-Moraes

Faculty Publications

Soybean is an established crop with a high production value in the United States. The insects that utilize soybean as a food source have changed drastically over the last 20 yr. Much of the extension literature summarizing pest species distribution and abundance is out of date. This article provides profiles for five common soybean caterpillars, including description, life cycle, and injury to plants.

Current Distribution And Population Persistence Of Five Lepidopteran Pests In U.S. Soybean, Anders S. Huseth, Robert L. Koch, Dominic Reisig, Jeffrey A. Davis, Silvana V. Paula-Moraes, Erin W. Hodgson

Faculty Publications

The distribution of lepidopteran pests in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a current knowledge gap limiting accurate prioritization of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) research. Regional characterizations of lepidopteran distribution in soybean are now more than 25 yr old. The goal of this study was to generate a contemporary assessment of the distribution and population persistence of lepidopteran soybean pests. To understand which species are currently infesting soybean and their persistence, we conducted a survey of soybean entomologists with responsibility for approximately 33.6 million hectares of production in 31 U.S. states. Soybean entomologists were asked questions about presence of lepidopteran …

Climate Mismatch Between Introduced Biological Control Agents And Their Invasive Host Plants: Improving Biological Control Of Tropical Weeds In Temperate Regions, Nathan E. Harms, Ian A. Knight, Paul D. Pratt, Angelica M. Reddy, Abhishek Mukherjee, Ping Gong, Julie Coetzee, S. Raghu, Rodrigo Diaz

Faculty Publications

Many weed biological control programs suffer from large-scale spatial variation in success due to restricted distributions or abundances of agents in temperate climates. For some of the world’s worst aquatic weeds, agents are established but overwintering conditions limit their survival in higher latitudes or elevations. The resulting need is for new or improved site-or region-specific biological control tools. Here, we review this challenge with a focus on low-temperature limitations of agents and propose a roadmap for improving success. Investigations across spatial scales, from global (e.g., foreign exploration), to local (selective breeding), to individual organisms (molecular modification), are discussed. A combination …

Revision Of The Genus Schoenlandella (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae) In The New World, With A Potential Biological Control Agent For A Lepidopteran Pest Of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia L.), Ilgoo Kang, Michael J. Sharkey, Rodrigo Diaz

Faculty Publications

Schoenlandella Cameron, 1905 is the second largest genus of Cardiochilinae. Most members are recorded from the Old World, with a small number of species in the New World. Herein, the New World species of Schoenlandella are revised based on morphological data. This work entails a description of a new species: S. montserratensis Kang, sp. nov. and potential lepidopteran host information of the new species associated with bitter gourds on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat. Schoenlandella diaphaniae (Marsh, 1986) and S. gloriosa Mercado & Wharton, 2003 are re-described, and a key to species of New World Schoenlandella is provided. The taxonomic …

Host Genotype And Tissue Type Determine Dwv Infection Intensity, Hannah J. Penn, Michael Simone-Finstrom, Sarah Lang, Judy Chen, Kristen Healy

Faculty Publications

Varroa mite-vectored viruses such as Deformed wing virus (DWV) are of great concern for honey bee health as they can cause disease in individuals and increase colony mortality. Two genotypes of DWV (A and B) are prevalent in the United States and may have differential virulence and pathogenicity. Honey bee genetic stocks bred to resist Varroa mites also exhibit differential infection responses to the Varroa mite-vectored viruses. The goal of this project was to determine if interactions between host genotype could influence the overall infection levels and dissemination of DWV within honey bees. To do this, we injected DWV isolated …

Kentucky Soybean Farmers' Supportiveness Of Two Integrated Pest And Pollinator Management Tactics, Hannah J. Penn, Jerrod Penn, Michael Cunningham-Minnick, Wuyang Hu

Faculty Publications

Beneficial insect conservation in agriculture is often studied in the context of integrated pest management (IPM). For instance, vegetative field edges provide habitat and changing the timing of insecticidal sprays decreases risk for pollinators and natural enemies of insect pests. However, the attitudes and confidence of U.S. growers towards IPM implementation in traditional row crops remain understudied. We developed an online survey using a convenience sample and surveyed Kentucky soybean growers to understand their current pest and general management practices, beliefs about sources of insect pests/weeds, and attitudes towards pollinators. We also asked about their willingness to implement two management …

Dominance And Fitness Costs Of Insect Resistance To Genetically Modified Bacillus Thuringiensis Crops, Fangneng Huang

Faculty Publications

Evolution of resistance to genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops in pest populations is a major threat to the sustainability of the technology. Incidents of field resistance that have led to control problems of Bt crops or significantly reduced susceptibility of individual Bt proteins in pyramided plants have increased dramatically across the world, especially in recent years. Analysis of globally published data showed that 61.5% and 60.0% of the cases of resistance with major alleles that allowed homozygous resistant genotypes to survival on Bt crops were functionally non-recessive and did not involve fitness costs, respectively. Dominance levels (DFLs) measured on …

Biology, Ecology, And Management Of Key Sorghum Insect Pests, Olabimpe O. Okosun, Kerry C. Allen, James P. Glover, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor L. Moench (Poaceae), is a highly valued crop cultivated worldwide, with the grain and stover being of equal importance in some developing countries. Sorghum can produce high yields even under adverse environmental conditions, however, damage from insect pests at various stages of the plant's development can reduce its productivity, impacting low-income farmers in developing countries. Important sorghum insect pests include leaf-sucking species, leaf-feeding species, stalk or stem borers, pests of the panicle and of the stored grain. Modern control strategies include cultural controls, biological control, pesticides (chemical, botanicals, or microbial), and host plant resistance. An integrated approach …

First Record Of Native Entomopathogenic Nematodes From Montana Agroecosystems, Ramandeep K. Sandhi, Ratnasri Pothula, Satyendra K. Pothula, Byron J. Adams, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

A total of 30 different agricultural fields in the Golden Triangle Region of Montana, USA were surveyed, and 150 soil samples were evaluated for the presence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). The authors isolated EPNs from 10% of the collected samples. The recovered isolates were identified as Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora by using morphological and molecular analysis. Steinernema feltiae was found from two fields, Kalispell (S. feltiae 1) and Choteau (S. feltiae 2). Steinernema feltiae (1 and 2) differed significantly from each other in terms of morphological characters for infective juveniles (distance from anterior end to excretory pore and nerve …

Biology, Ecology, And Management Strategies For Pea Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) In Pulse Crops, Ramandeep Kaur Sandhi, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

Pea aphid, Acyrthospihon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is one of the key pests of pulse crops worldwide. The aphid has a broad host range, infesting crops such as faba bean, lupin, alfalfa, lentil, chickpea, grass pea, and pea. This broad host range with a complex life cycle and ability to quickly adapt to new environmental conditions make it difficult to control this pest. Different studies focusing on the biology, ecology, and management practices of A. pisum, along with case studies conducted on different integrated pest management strategies such as host plant resistance, cultural, genetic, biological, and chemical control are reviewed …

On-Farm Evaluation Of Regenerative Land-Use Practices In A Semi-Arid Pasture Agroecosystem In West Texas, Usa, Lindsey Slaughter, Sanjit Deb, Somsubhra Chakraborty, Bin Li, Noura Bakr, Bryanna Edwards, David Weindorf

Faculty Publications

Continually rising scarcity in water and nutrient resources, especially in semi-arid agricultural systems, combined with increased frequency of extreme weather events such as drought, contribute to a growing need for resilient and regenerative agricultural ecosystems. However, evaluating a myriad of combinations of producer-led sustainable management practices in on-farm research remains challenging. Few studies have elucidated spatial variability in measured soil properties across the study area due to logistical and economic constraints. As such, this study aimed to: 1) establish soil health assessment and landscape variability data immediately after land-use change to a sustainable pasture management system, and 2) delineate relationships …