Digital Commons Network^™

Wood Duck Nest Survival And Duckling Recruitment Is Minimally Affected By Interspecific Brood Parasitism From Hooded Mergansers And Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks, Dylan L. Bakner, Kevin M. Ringelman, Larry A. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

In the southeastern United States, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) have historically experienced interspecific brood parasitism (IBP) primarily from hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), but the recent northward expansion of black-bellied whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) has added a new complexity to these interactions. We monitored nest boxes in Louisiana to evaluate the influence IBP had on wood duck daily nest survival rate (after, DSR) and duckling recruitment. We monitored 1,295 wood duck nests from 2020−2023 and found 112 (8.7%) were parasitized by hooded mergansers and 148 (11.5%) by whistling-ducks. Parasitic egg-laying by hooded mergansers lowered wood duck DSR, while DSR for nests parasitized …

Potential Effects Of Traffic Noise On Anuran Call Characteristics In Louisiana, Usa During Winter, Jane M. Kunberger, Ty J. Price, Chloe Crawford, Allison A. Vestal-Laborde, Ashley M. Long

Faculty Publications

Urban environments expose wildlife to levels of anthropogenic noise they would not experience in rural areas (e.g., traffic noise), and research suggests that many species adjust their acoustic signals for optimal transmission in urban soundscapes. However, our understanding of anuran (order Anura) responses to noise pollution in urban environments of the southeastern United States is limited, particularly for species that can breed during winter. Our goal was to examine how vocal anuran advertisement call characteristics during winter varied with increasing distance from roadways in bottomland hardwoods of Louisiana, USA. We deployed acoustic recording units at two sites (i.e., rural and …

Modeling Interactions Of Planting Date And Phenology In Louisiana Rice Under Current And Future Climate Conditions, Sajad Jamshidi, Teresa Murgia, Ana G. Morales-Ona, Tommaso Cerioli, Adam N. Famoso, Davide Cammarano, Diane R. Wang

Faculty Publications

The performance of novel genetic combinations under untested environmental scenarios and management practices can be virtually examined using process-based crop models. Indeed, there has been a long-standing interest in the crop modeling community to expand the utility of process-based models to broader germplasm panels (e.g., breeding lines or diversity panels). Yet, there is often a misalignment between data needed to parameterize process-based crop models and data routinely collected by breeding programs. To address this gap, we leverage a dataset from a long-term trial on advanced experimental lines and released varieties from the Louisiana rice breeding program to calibrate and evaluate …

Selective Antineoplastic Potential Of Fractionated Caribbean Native Ganoderma Species Extracts On Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Luz V. Arroyo-Cruz, Sebastián Sagardía-González, Kurt Miller, Taotao Ling, Fatima Rivas, Michelle M. Martínez-Montemayor

Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 expression. It is known for its high malignancy, invasiveness, and propensity for metastasis, resulting in a poor prognosis due to the absence of beneficial therapeutic targets. Natural products derived from mushrooms have gained significant attention in neoplastic therapy due to their potential medicinal properties. The therapeutic potential of Ganoderma lucidum in breast cancer has been highlighted by our group, suggesting its use as an adjuvant treatment. The present study aims to assess the potential antineoplastic …

In Vitro Culture Alters Cell Lineage Composition And Cellular Metabolism Of Bovine Blastocyst, Hao Ming, Mingxiang Zhang, Sandeep Rajput, Deirdre Logsdon, Linkai Zhu, William B. Schoolcraft, Rebecca L. Krisher, Zongliang Jiang, Ye Yuan

Faculty Publications

Profiling bovine blastocyst transcriptome at the single-cell level has enabled us to reveal the first cell lineage segregation, during which the inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE), and an undefined population of transitional cells were identified. By comparing the transcriptome of blastocysts derived in vivo (IVV), in vitro from a conventional culture medium (IVC), and in vitro from an optimized reduced nutrient culture medium (IVR), we found a delay of the cell fate commitment to ICM in the IVC and IVR embryos. Developmental potential differences between IVV, IVC, and IVR embryos were mainly contributed by ICM and transitional cells. Pathway …

Snapshots Of Coastal Ecology Using Multiproxy Analysis Reveals Insights Into The Preservation Of Swamp And Marsh Environments Since The Late Pleistocene, Kendall Fontenot, Kristine L. Delong, Brian A. Schubert, Sophie Warny, Davin J. Wallace, Carrie M. Miller, Erin Culver-Miller, Michael J. Polito, Carl A. Reese, Kathryn Garretson, Kehui Xu, Grant L. Harley, Jeffrey Obelcz, Kelli L. Moran, Julian Traphagan, Douglas Jones, Alicia Caporaso

Faculty Publications

The southeastern United States Coastal Plain ecosystem contains baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps and grass-dominated marshes. These ecosystems also occurred on the exposed continental shelf during lower sea levels but are rarely preserved due to the mechanically erosive nature of transgression and regression. Two presently marine sites on the northeastern Gulf of Mexico's continental shelf contain well-preserved woody terrestrial sediments that were the subject of previous studies. This study continues the investigation using geochemical (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) and palynological characteristics of these formerly terrestrial sediments to determine if swamps and/or marshes existed at the time of deposition. The first site is …

Deep Learning-Based Geomorphic Feature Identification In Dredge Pit Marine Environment, Wenqiang Zhang, Xiaobing Chen, Xiangwei Zhou, Jianhua Chen, Jianguo Yuan, Taibiao Zhao, Kehui Xu

Faculty Publications

Deep learning methods paired with sidescan sonar (SSS) are commonly used in underwater search-and-rescue operations for drowning victims, wrecks, and airplanes. However, these techniques are primarily used to detect mine-like objects and are rarely applied to identifying features in dynamic dredge pit environments. In this study, we present a Sandy Point dredge pit (SPDP) dataset, in which high-resolution SSS data were collected from the west flank of the Mississippi bird-foot delta on the Louisiana inner shelf. This dataset contains a total of 385 SSS images. We then introduce a new Effective Geomorphology Classification model (EGC). Through ablation studies, we analyze …

Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen In The Heliosphere: New Horizons Observations In The Context Of Models, P Swaczyna, M Bzowski, K Dialynas, L Dyke, F Fraternale, A Galli, J Heerikhuisen, M Z. Kornbleuth, D Koutroumpa, I Kowalska-Leszczyńska, M A. Kubiak, A T. Michael, H -R Müller, M Opher, Fatemeh Rahmanifard

Faculty Publications

Interstellar neutral (ISN) hydrogen is the most abundant species in the outer heliosheath and the very local interstellar medium (VLISM). Charge-exchange collisions in the outer heliosheath result in filtration, reducing the ISN hydrogen density inside the heliosphere. Additionally, these atoms are intensively ionized close to the Sun, resulting in a substantial reduction of their density within a few astronomical units from the Sun. The products of this ionization—pickup ions (PUIs)—are detected by charged particle detectors. The Solar Wind Around Pluto instrument on New Horizons provides, for the first time, PUI observations from the distant heliosphere. We analyze the observations collected …

Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen In The Heliosphere: New Horizons Observations In The Context Of Models, P Swaczyna, M Bzowski, K Dialynas, L Dyke, F Fraternale, A Galli, J Heerikhuisen, M Z. Kornbleuth, D Koutroumpa, I Kowalska-Leszczyńska, M A. Kubiak, A T. Michael, H -R Müller, M Opher, Fatemeh Rahmanifard

Faculty Publications

Interstellar neutral (ISN) hydrogen is the most abundant species in the outer heliosheath and the very local interstellar medium (VLISM). Charge-exchange collisions in the outer heliosheath result in filtration, reducing the ISN hydrogen density inside the heliosphere. Additionally, these atoms are intensively ionized close to the Sun, resulting in a substantial reduction of their density within a few astronomical units from the Sun. The products of this ionization—pickup ions (PUIs)—are detected by charged particle detectors. The Solar Wind Around Pluto instrument on New Horizons provides, for the first time, PUI observations from the distant heliosphere. We analyze the observations collected …

The Fate Of Fixed Nitrogen In Santa Barbara Basin Sediments During Seasonal Anoxia, Xuefeng Peng, David J. Yousavich, Annie Bourbonnais, Frank Wenzhöfer, Felix Janssen, Tina Treude, David L. Valentine

Faculty Publications

Despite long-standing interest in the biogeochemistry of the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB), there are no direct rate measurements of different nitrogen transformation processes. We investigated benthic nitrogen cycling using in situ incubations with ¹⁵NO ₃̅  addition and quantified the rates of total nitrate (NO ₃̅) uptake, denitrification, anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox), N₂O production, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Denitrification was the dominant NO ₃̅ reduction process, while anammox contributed 0 %–27 % to total NO ₃̅ reduction. DNRA accounted for less than half of NO ₃̅ reduction except at the …

The Ring-Closing Reaction Of Cyclopentadiene Probed With Ultrafast X-Ray Scattering, Lisa Huang, Lauren Bertram, Lingyu Ma, Nathan Goff, Stuart W. Crane, Asami Odate, Thomas Northey, Andrés Moreno Carrascosa, Mats Simmermacher, Sri Bhavya Muvva, Joseph D. Geiser, Matthew J. Lueckheide, Zane Phelps, Mengning Liang, Xinxin Cheng, Ruaridh Forbes, Joseph S. Robinson, Matthew J. Hayes, Felix Allum, Alice E. Green, Kenneth Lopata, Artem Rudenko, Thomas J.A. Wolf, Martin Centurion, Daniel Rolles, Michael P. Minitti, Adam Kirrander, Peter M. Weber

Faculty Publications

The dynamics of cyclopentadiene (CP) following optical excitation at 243 nm was investigated by time-resolved pump-probe X-ray scattering using 16.2 keV X-rays at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). We present the first ultrafast structural evidence that the reaction leads directly to the formation of bicyclo[2.1.0]pentene (BP), a strained molecule with three- and four-membered rings. The bicyclic compound decays via a thermal backreaction to the vibrationally hot CP with a time constant of 21 ± 3 ps. A minor channel leads to ring-opened structures on a subpicosecond time scale.

Incorporating Oxygen Isotopes Of Oxidized Reactive Nitrogen In The Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism, Version 2 (Icoin-Racm2), Wendell W. Walter, Masayuki Takeuchi, Nga L. Ng, Meredith G. Hastings

Faculty Publications

The oxygen isotope anomaly (Δ¹⁷O = δ¹⁷O − 0.52 × δ¹⁸O > 0) has proven to be a robust tool for probing photochemical cycling and atmospheric formation pathways of oxidized reactive nitrogen (NO_y). Several studies have developed modeling techniques to implicitly model Δ¹⁷O of NO_y molecules based on numerous assumptions that may not always be valid. Thus, these models may be oversimplified and limit our ability to compare model Δ¹⁷O values of NO_y with observations. In this work, we introduce a novel method for explicitly tracking Δ …

A Microfluidic Approach To Study Variations In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Alkaline Phosphatase Activity In Response To Phosphate Availability, Alireza Rahnama, Manibarathi Vaithiyanathan, Luis Briceno-Mena, Travis M. Dugas, Kelly L. Yates, Jose A. Romagnoli, Adam T. Melvin

Faculty Publications

Algal growth depends strongly on phosphorus (P) as a key nutrient, underscoring the significance of monitoring P levels. Algal species display a sensitive response to fluctuations in P availability, notably through the expression of alkaline phosphatase (AP) when challenged with P-depletion. As such, alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) serves as a valuable metric for P availability, offering insights into how algae utilize and fix available P resources. However, current APA quantification methods lack single cell resolution, while also being time- and reagent consuming. Microfluidics offers a promising cost-effective solution to these limitations, providing a platform for precise single-cell analysis. In this …

Chemical Herding As A Multiplicative Factor For Top-Down Manipulation Of Colloids, Mark N. Mcdonald, Douglas R. Tree, Cameron K. Peterson

Faculty Publications

Colloidal particles can create reconfigurable nanomaterials, with applications such as color-changing, self-repairing, and self-regulating materials and reconfigurable drug delivery systems. However, top-down methods for manipulating colloids are limited in the scale they can control. We consider here a new method for using chemical reactions to multiply the effects of existing top-down colloidal manipulation methods to arrange large numbers of colloids with single-particle precision, which we refer to as chemical herding. Using simulation-based methods, we show that if a set of chemically active colloids (herders) can be steered using external forces (i.e., electrophoretic, dielectrophoretic, magnetic, or optical forces), then a larger …

Under Pressure: The Interplay Of Hypertension And White Matter Hyperintensities With Cognition In Chronic Stroke Aphasia, Jade Hannan, Natalie Busby, Rebecca Roth, Janina Wilmskoetter, Roger Newman-Norlund Ph.D., Chris Rorden, Leonardo Bonilha, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

While converging research suggests that increased white matter hyperintensity load is associated with poorer cognition, and the presence of hypertension is associated with increased white matter hyperintensity load, the relationship among hypertension, cognition and white matter hyperintensities is not well understood. We sought to determine the effect of white matter hyperintensity burden on the relationship between hypertension and cognition in individuals with post-stroke aphasia, with the hypothesis that white matter hyperintensity load moderates the relationship between history of hypertension and cognitive function. Health history, Fazekas scores for white matter hyperintensities and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Matrix Reasoning subtest scores for …

Quantifying Variation Across 16s Rrna Gene Sequencing Runs In Human Microbiome Studies, Andrew J. Hoisington, Christopher E. Stamper, Joseph C. Ellis, Christopher A. Lowry, Lisa A. Brenner

Faculty Publications

Recent microbiome research has incorporated a higher number of samples through more participants in a study, longitudinal studies, and metanalysis between studies. Physical limitations in a sequencing machine can result in samples spread across sequencing runs. Here we present the results of sequencing nearly 1000 16S rRNA gene sequences in fecal (stabilized and swab) and oral (swab) samples from multiple human microbiome studies and positive controls that were conducted with identical standard operating procedures. Sequencing was performed in the same center across 18 different runs. The simplified mock community showed limitations in accuracy, while precision (e.g., technical variation) was robust …

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 …

Adaptive Phase I–Ii Clinical Trial Designs Identifying Optimal Biological Doses For Targeted Agents And Immunotherapies, Yong Zang, Beibei Guo, Yingjie Qiu, Hao Liu, Mateusz Opyrchal, Xiongbin Lu

Faculty Publications

Targeted agents and immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, offering promising options for various cancer types. Unlike traditional therapies the principle of “more is better” is not always applicable to these new therapies due to their unique biomedical mechanisms. As a result, various phase I–II clinical trial designs have been proposed to identify the optimal biological dose that maximizes the therapeutic effect of targeted therapies and immunotherapies by jointly monitoring both efficacy and toxicity outcomes. This review article examines several innovative phase I–II clinical trial designs that utilize accumulated efficacy and toxicity outcomes to adaptively determine doses for subsequent patients and …

Evaluation Of Esterases Hydrolyzing Α-Naphthyl Acetate As Markers For Malathion Resistance In Culex Quinquefasciatus, Vivek Pokhrel, James A. Ottea

Faculty Publications

Early detection of insecticide resistance is essential to develop resistance countermeasures and depends on accurate and rapid biological and biochemical tests to monitor resistance and detect associated mechanisms. Many such studies have measured activities of esterases, enzymes associated with resistance to ester- containing insecticides, using the model substrate, α-naphthyl acetate (α-NA). However, in the field, pests are exposed to ester-containing insecticides such as malathion, that are structurally distinct from α-NA. In the current study, malathion resistance in C. quinquefasciatus (3.2- to 10.4-fold) was highly associated with esterase activity measured with either α-NA (R2 = 0.92) or malathion (R2 = 0.90). …

Recycling Functional Fillers From Waste Tires For Tailored Polystyrene Composites: Mechanical, Fire Retarding, Electromagnetic Field Shielding, And Acoustic Insulation Properties—A Short Review, Jinlong Zhang, Hang Liu, Shyam S. Sablani, Qinglin Wu

Faculty Publications

Polymer waste is currently a big and challenging issue throughout the world. Waste tires represent an important source of polymer waste. Therefore, it is highly desirable to recycle functional fillers from waste tires to develop composite materials for advanced applications. The primary theme of this review involves an overview of developing polystyrene (PS) composites using materials from recycled tires as fillers; waste tire recycling in terms of ground tire rubbers, carbon black, and textile fibers; surface treatments of the fillers to optimize various composite properties; and the mechanical, fire retarding, acoustic, and electromagnetic field (EMI) shielding performances of PS composite …

Increasing Mowing Height And Nitrogen Fertility Does Not Enhance Unirrigated Centipedegrass Summer Drought Stress, Mike Adams, Jeffrey Beasley, Jeff Kuehny, Dylan Watson

Faculty Publications

Proper N fertilization and higher mowing heights are recommended to enhance rooting for greater turfgrass summer drought stress. To examine the effects of these primary cultural practices on centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] drought response in the mid-Southern United States, a study was conducted to evaluate four mowing heights (1, 2, 3 and 4 inches) and N fertilization versus no fertilization. During the study, roots were periodically harvested at upper (0–3 inches) and lower (3–6 inches) soil depths, and roots were analyzed for architecture which included root length (RL) and surface area (SA), and root weight (RW). In July, plant-soil …

Phytochemical Profiling And Bioactive Potential Of Grape Seed Extract In Enhancing Salinity Tolerance Of Vicia Faba, Doaa E. Elsherif, Fatmah A. Safhi, Prasanta K. Subudhi, Abdelghany S. Shaban, Mai A. El-Esawy, Asmaa M. Khalifa

Faculty Publications

Salinity stress poses a significant threat to crop productivity worldwide, necessitating effective mitigation strategies. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and potential of grape seed extract (GSE) to mitigate salinity stress effects on faba bean plants. GC–MS analysis revealed several bioactive components in GSE, predominantly fatty acids. GSE was rich in essential nutrients and possessed a high antioxidant capacity. After 14 days of germination, GSE was applied as a foliar spray at different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g/L) to mitigate the negative effects of salt stress (150 mM NaCl) on faba bean plants. Foliar application of 2–8 …

Nutritive Value And Forage Accumulation Of A Black Oat Germplasm In The Northeastern United States, David M. Jaramillo, Kathy Soder, Ann Blount, Jose C.B. Dubeux, Stephen Harrison

Faculty Publications

Black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) might be an attractive forage species in the northeastern United States, since it is generally more heat tolerant and disease resistant than other cool-season grasses. Black oat is currently recommended for fall and winter production in USDA Plant Hardiness ones 8b–10a, which is beyond the northeastern United States (Zones 2a–6a). The objective was to evaluate 10 black oat breeding lines (referred to as “UF1” through “UF10”) for forage accumulation, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (aNDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentrations. The experiment was carried out in April–July …

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 …

Thermochromic Yarns’ Application In Fever Detection For Young Children, Sibei Xia, Chuanlan Liu, Yanbo Zhang, Bruce Cameron

Faculty Publications

The existing literature emphasizes the significance of and needs for developing body temperature monitoring devices that can consistently and discreetly assess the temperatures of young children. Such products could offer a method to check children’s body temperature and alleviate parents’ concerns over fever. However, research gaps and challenges exist in preserving material flexibility, conducting tests in a controlled setting that mimics body temperature, and investigating consumer perceptions of this type of functional textile product. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate functional textiles using thermochromic yarns for young children’s body temperature detection, particularly focusing on testing prototypes in a controlled environment …

A Theory Of Genetic Dimensions In The Law, Ana Santos Rutschman, Yaniv Heled, Liza Vertinsky

Faculty Publications

Since the biotechnology revolution of the 1970s, genetic science and genetic technology have captured the public imagination. They have become a centerpiece of how we understand ourselves, our relationship with other humans, other living beings, our environment, and—indeed—with the universe. Through this evolution of understanding, genetic phenomena have acquired many meanings, some rooted in objective reality and others subjective and dependent on individual perceptions and sentiments.

However, legal decision-making and policymaking have not kept pace and reflect only a partial understanding of the multiple dimensions of genetic phenomena, which are forced into narrowing legal pathways, neglecting vital interests. As the …

Development And Validity Of The ‘Modified Mediterranean Prime Screen’ To Assess Dietary Intake Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Lebanon, Mariam Assaad, Sara Ajjour, Maya Rahme, Laila Al-Shaar, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan, Jana Jabbour

Faculty Publications

The Mediterranean Region registers an increasing prevalence of obesity. The region lacks a diet screener to assess obesogenic nutrients. This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of the Modified Mediterranean Prime Screen (MMPS) in estimating obesogenic nutrients’ intake among women of reproductive age, as compared with a culturally validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), in Lebanon. We developed the MMPS consisting of thirty-two food/beverage items specific to the Lebanese Mediterranean culture. The MMPS and FFQ were administered in two visits (2 weeks–6 months apart), face to face and via telephone during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The reproducibility and …

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. = …