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Pots Plots And Plants: Annual Newsletter 2014

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Annual Newsletters

Table of Contents

Letters from the department head and associate head........... 2–3

Staff

Dave Scoby, Fran Benne..................................................................4

Cheryl Bogenrief, Steve Gamet......................................................5

Students

Student club updates................................................................... 6–7

Agronomy—it’s in my roots............................................................8

Agronomy Club hosts regional conference...................................9

When health and agriculture intertwine.............................. 10–11

Research Organic Farming: Research in IANR and the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture....................... 12–13

The Daugherty Water for Food Institute: Feeding a growing world........................................................ 14–15

International research project aims to increase profits for African farmers...................................... 16–17

Faculty

New faculty............................................................................... 18–20

Awards.............................................................................................20

Hoegemeyer takes second retirement..........................................23

Retirements.....................................................................................24

Alumni Advisory council.............................................................................25

Spotlight...........................................................................................26

Visiting scientist.............................................................................28

Chemical Control Of Turfgrass Diseases 2014, Paul Vincelli, Gregg Munshaw

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Turfgrasses under intensive management are often subject to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Diseases usually are most damaging when weather or cultural conditions favor the disease-causing agent but not plant growth and vigor. Cultural conditions that predispose turfgrass to diseases include close mowing, inadequate or excessive nitrogen fertility, light or frequent irrigation, excessive thatch, poor drainage, and shade.

Good turf management practices often greatly reduce the impact of disease by promoting healthy plants that are better able to resist infections. Even under good management, however, diseases sometimes cause excessive damage to highly managed turfgrasses. The proper use of fungicides in these …

Molecular Identification Of A Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis And Its Impact On Amphibians In Urban Landscaping Districts Of New Jersey, Tin-Chun Chu, Meiyin Wu, Lauren Pohren, Bobak Haghjoo, Christina Soman, Lee H. Lee

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In urban landscape, amphibians face many challenges in order to sustain their populations, such as road mortality and infection of pathogenic Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd infection has been reported to cause significant mortality; however, its current distribution in the state of New Jersey remains unknown. In spring, amphibians emerge from their wintering group and migrate to nearby breeding ponds or vernal pools. Their migration pathway is often intercepted by the dense network of human transportation which leads to extirpation. This study aims to investigate potential mortality caused by human transportation and the infected rate of Bd fungus on the amphibian …

Best Practices: A Network Approach Of The Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Among Healthcare Workers, Greg Attenweiler, Angie Thomure

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

A network simulation was applied to hospital social networks improve the influenza vaccination rate of healthcare workers in a healthcare system. Social network methods can be used to develop an understanding of structures of social relations. Over 200,000 U.S. patients are hospitalized annually for influenza, which attributes to 36,000 deaths and is the sixth leading cause of death in adults. The best way to prevent influenza each year is by receiving the influenza vaccination. The typical influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers is 40- 50%. A Healthy People 2020 objective is to increase the percentage of healthcare workers who are …

Integration Of Early Clinical Experience And Population Health In Undergraduate Medical Education, Thang N. Vu, Josephine Mensah-Dapaah

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: In order to better prepare physicians to face the challenges in health care delivery today, educators have pushed for the integration of core population health competencies into undergraduate medical education. The goal is to equip future physicians with the necessary skills to not only improve the health of an individual, but also be able to advocate for a community and meet the health needs of a population. The purpose of this research study is to propose a plan to evaluate the pilot program Early Meaningful Clinical Experience (EMCE) at the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University.

Methods: …

Why Is Living Fast Dangerous? Disentangling The Roles Of Resistance And Tolerance Of Disease, James P. Cronin, Megan A. Rúa, Charles E. Mitchell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Primary axes of host developmental tempo (HDT; e.g., slow-quick return continuum) represent latent biological processes and are increasingly used to a priori identify hosts that contribute disproportionately more to pathogen transmission. The influence of HDT on host contributions to transmission depends on how HDT influences both resistance and tolerance of disease. Here, we use structural equation modeling to address known limitations of conventional measures of resistance and tolerance. We first provide a general resistance-tolerance metamodel from which system-specific models can be derived. We then develop a model specific to a group of vector-transmitted viruses that infect hundreds of grass species …

An Evaluation Of The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Joan Sevy Majers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Projects

The prevalence and costs of chronic disease continue to escalate with the aging of the population and continued advancements in medical care. Self-management of chronic disease may be an alternative approach to care that could assist in moving away from a disease-oriented model to health-oriented one. Outcomes from chronic disease self-management programs are promising but inconsistent across disease entities and populations. Among the Veteran population, chronic disease self-management programs have been implemented in a number of Veteran Affairs facilities. The purpose of this project was to evaluate specific outcomes from the chronic disease self-management program conducted in the five medical …

Using Egg Freezing To Extend The Biological Clock: Fertility Insurance Or False Hope?, Seema Mohapatra

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Case Study: Sick On A South American Sugarcane Plantation, Kevin M. Bonney

Publications and Research

A case study is presented that was designed to be used in high school and college level courses to familiarize students with chagas disease, its transmission, and effects in Central and South America. Noted objectives of the lesson include evaluating disease symptoms, examining socioeconomic factors related to the epidemiology, and creating visual aids with public health information. Questions are provided for discussing the a case of chagas disease at a Brazilian sugarcane plantation.

Implementation Of A Pharmacy-Based Adult Vaccine Benefit: Recommendations For A Commercial Health Plan Benefit, Jeffery A. Goad, Kelly J. Ko, Rolin L. Wade, Hsing-Ting Yu, Ross M. Miller, Bruce Sherman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND: Although vaccination rates in children exceed 90% in the United States, adults are vaccinated at far lower rates. In order to address this issue, additional community immunizers are needed, and pharmacists are in an ideal position to fill this void.

OBJECTIVES: To explore issues and barriers related to implementation of a pharmacy-based adult vaccine benefit and develop recommendations supporting a pathway for benefit expansion.

METHODS: A literature review on the current environment surrounding pharmacy-based adult vaccinations and structured interviews were conducted to inform an expert panel meeting using a modified Delphi process (pre/post survey). The goal …

Ethics Consultations And Conflict Engagement In Health Care, Charity Scott

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This article explores the intersection of two professional fields-bioethics and clinical ethics consultation in health care on one hand, and alternative dispute resolution ("ADR") and conflict management on the other-which until recent years remained relatively unknown to each other. It marries the literatures and lessons of these two fields in order to promote the quality of ethics consultations in hospitals and other health care organizations.

Increasingly, health care ethics committees and consultants acknowledge the need to employ the frameworks, approaches, and tools of good conflict management to do their work effectively. Similarly, conflict specialists and ADR professionals are becoming increasingly …

A Trends Of Salmonella And Antibiotic Resistance, M.G. Abatcha, Z. Zakaria, D.G. Kaur, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Salmonellosis has become a major problem in developed and developing countries. It also represents an important public health concern worldwide. As such, due to intense interest Salmonella research has gained great concern from scientific communities as well as the general public. The purpose of this review is to discuss the historical perspective, classification and nomenclature, antibiotic and antimicrobial definition, mechanism of antibiotic resistance, integrons and antibiotic resistance Salmonella.

Clinical And Immunological Markers Of Dengue Progression In A Study Cohort From A Hyperendemic Area In Malaysia, A. Rathakrishnan, B. Klekamp, S.M. Wang, T.V. Komarasamy, S.K. Natkunam, J. Sathar, A. Azizan, A. Sanchez-Anguiano, R. Manikam, S.D. Sekaran

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Background: With its elusive pathogenesis, dengue imposes serious healthcare, economic and social burden on endemic countries. This study describes the clinical and immunological parameters of a dengue cohort in a Malaysian city, the first according to the WHO 2009 dengue classification. Methodology and Findings: This longitudinal descriptive study was conducted in two Malaysian hospitals where patients aged 14 and above with clinical symptoms suggestive of dengue were recruited with informed consent. Among the 504 participants, 9.3 were classified as non-dengue, 12.7 without warning signs, 77.0 with warning signs and 1.0 with severe dengue based on clinical diagnosis. Of these, 37 …

Lack Of Clinical Manifestations In Asymptomatic Dengue Infection Is Attributed To Broad Down-Regulation And Selective Up-Regulation Of Host Defence Response Genes, A.S.L. Yeo, N.A. Azhar, W. Yeow, C.C. Talbot Jr, M.A. Khan, E.M. Shankar, A. Rathakrishnan, A. Azizan, S.M. Wang, S.K. Lee, R. Manikam

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Objectives Dengue represents one of the most serious life-threatening vector-borne infectious diseases that afflicts approximately 50 million people across the globe annually. Whilst symptomatic infections are frequently reported, asymptomatic dengue remains largely unnoticed. Therefore, we sought to investigate the immune correlates conferring protection to individuals that remain clinically asymptomatic. Methods We determined the levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and gene expression profiles of host immune factors in individuals with asymptomatic infections, and whose cognate household members showed symptoms consistent to clinical dengue infection. Results We observed broad down-regulation of host defense response (innate, adaptive and matrix metalloprotease) genes in asymptomatic …

Prevalence And Genetic Characterization Of Carbapenem- And Polymyxin-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumanniiisolated From A Tertiary Hospital In Terengganu, Malaysia, S.S. Lean, S. Zarizal, I. Salwani, A.R. Nor Iza, A. Fatimah Hazlina, J. Zakaria, C.Y. Chew, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Nosocomial infection caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is of great concern due to its increasing resistance to most antimicrobials. In this study, 54 nonrepeat isolates of A. baumannii from the main tertiary hospital in Terengganu, Malaysia, were analyzed for their antibiograms and genotypes. Out of the 54 isolates, 39 (72.2%) were multidrug resistant (MDR) and resistant to carbapenems whereas 14 (25.9%) were categorized as extensive drug resistant (XDR) with additional resistance to polymyxin B, the drug of “last resort.” Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses showed that the polymyxin-resistant isolates were genetically diverse while the carbapenem-resistant isolates were clonally related. The 14 XDR …

Sarcocystis Nesbitti Causes Acute, Relapsing Febrile Myositis With A High Attack Rate: Description Of A Large Outbreak Of Muscular Sarcocystosis In Pangkor Island, Malaysia, 2012, C.M. Italiano, Kum Thong Wong, Sazaly Abubakar, Y.L. Lau, Norlisah Ramli, S.F.S. Omar, M.K. Bador, C.T. Tan

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Background: From the 17th to 19th January 2012, a group of 92 college students and teachers attended a retreat in a hotel located on Pangkor Island, off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Following the onset of symptoms in many participants who presented to our institute, an investigation was undertaken which ultimately identified Sarcocystis nesbitti as the cause of this outbreak. Methodology/Principal Findings: All retreat participants were identified, and clinical and epidemiological information was obtained via clinical review and self-reported answers to a structured questionnaire. Laboratory, imaging and muscle biopsy results were evaluated and possible sources of exposure, in particular …

Establishing Referance Intervals For Haematological Parameters, Soluble Serum Transferrin Receptor And Serum Transferrin In A Tertiary Hospital In Malaysia, S. Hemalatha, K. Thatcheiany, S. Pavai

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Clinical laboratory testing is an integral part of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis that ensures quality and effective healthcare. Factors like genetics, dietary intake, gender, age, level of physical activity, altitude above sea level etc. can alter biochemical and haematological parameters in a population Variation can also occur based on the instrument or methodology being used. Thus it is pivotal for laboratories to establish their own reference intervals specific for their population. In our laboratory we have been interpreting CBC results based on the reference value established for the western population. In the context above, we decided to establish our own …

A Cross-Sectional Study On Medications Used By Pregnant Women: Any Safety Concern?, S.C. Siew, V.K. Jey, S.Z. Omar

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Background: Medication use during pregnancy is widespread and should be considered as a public health concern. This study was conducted to determine the types and safety of medications used by pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic of a major teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Data was collected via face-to- face interviews using a structured questionnaire from January to April 2013. Results: Of the 500 respondents, 62% (95% confidence interval, CI: 57.7%, 66.3%) used at least one medication during their pregnancy while 30.8% (95% CI: 26.8%, 34.8%) took the medications during …

Streptococcus Pneumoniae Translocates Into The Myocardium And Forms Unique Microlesions That Disrupt Cardiac Function, Armand O. Brown, Beth Mann, Geli Gao, Jane S. Hankins, Jessica Humann, Jonathan Giardina, Paola Faverio, Marcos I. Restrepo, Ganesh V. Halade, Eric M. Mortensen, Merry L. Lindsey, Martha Hanes, Kyle I. Happel, Steve Nelson, Gregory J. Bagby, Jose A. Lorent, Pablo Cardinal, Rosario Granados, Andres Esteban, Claude J. Lesaux, Elaine I. Tuomanen, Carlos J. Orihuela

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Hospitalization of the elderly for invasive pneumococcal disease is frequently accompanied by the occurrence of an adverse cardiac event; these are primarily new or worsened heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia. Herein, we describe previously unrecognized microscopic lesions (microlesions) formed within the myocardium of mice, rhesus macaques, and humans during bacteremic Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. In mice, invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) severity correlated with levels of serum troponin, a marker for cardiac damage, the development of aberrant cardiac electrophysiology, and the number and size of cardiac microlesions. Microlesions were prominent in the ventricles, vacuolar in appearance with extracellular pneumococci, and remarkable due …

Histoplasmosis Presenting As Granulomatous Hepatitis: Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Nancy A. Rihana, Manasa Kandula, Ana Velez, Kumud Dahal, Edward B. O’Neill

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background. Histoplasma capsulatum is the most common endemic mycosis in the United States and is a frequent cause of opportunistic infection in immunodeficient hosts. Histoplasmosis is most often self-limiting and goes unrecognized in the immunocompetent population but can progress to disseminated histoplasmosis in patients with an impaired immune system. Liver involvement as a part of disseminated histoplasmosis which usually originates in the lung is well known. However, extrapulmonary hepatic histoplasmosis as a primary manifestation is extremely rare. Case Presentation. We report a rare case of histoplasmosis that presented as persistent fever and abnormal liver function tests in a …

Guns, Firms, And Zeal: Deconstructing Labor-Management Relations And U.S. Employment Policy, Philip A. Miscimarra

Minnesota Law Review, Vols. 1-106:1 (1917-2021)

No abstract provided.

Breastfeeding Knowledge, Practice, Attitudes, And Influencing Factors: Findings From A Selected Sample Of Breastfeeding Mothers In Bemidji, Minnesota, Hadeel Adnan Tanash

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Breastfeeding is generally considered by health professionals as the ideal feeding practice for infants. It is the first communication pathway between the mother and her infant. This study was designed to describe breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, practice and influencing factors among breastfeeding mothers in Bemidji, MN. This cross-sectional study allowed the researcher to determine trends and other information about the sample in the Bemidji area. The participants for this study were breastfeeding mothers who gave a birth at Sanford Health located in Bemidji, MN. A written data collection instrument containing forty nine questions was used to collect data. The findings of …

Ursinus Magazine, Winter 2014, Wendy Greenberg, Kathryn Campbell, Ellen Labrecque, Jennifer Meininger Wolfe, Bobby Fong, Briana Mullan, Meredith Goldsmith, Joshua C. Walsh, Greg Fraser, Erica Lamberg, Erika Compton, Mark D. Ellison

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

Letter from the President • A formal step toward sustainable living • More than books: Myrin Library moves to modernize • One program changing many lives • Centennial Conference champs! • Healing on horseback • Fighting hunger one meal at a time • Small, destructive and hungry • Wonderful Town • Nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset • Strokes of greatness • Annenberg Public Policy Center names Dr. Lynne Edwards Distinguished Research Fellow • Fostering engagement with art • Eye on the arts • Sweet harmony: A young songwriter pursues his passion • The art of writing • The Last Word • …

Historical Perspective Of Traditional Indigenous Medical Practices: The Current Renaissance And Conservation Of Herbal Resources, Si-Yuan Pan, Gerhard Litscher, Si-Hua Gao, Shu-Feng Zhou, Zhi-Ling Yu, Hou-Qi Chen, Shuo-Feng Zhang, Min-Ke Tang, Jian-Ning Sun, Kam-Ming Ko

Pharmacy Faculty Publications

In recent years, increasing numbers of people have been choosing herbal medicines or products to improve their health conditions, either alone or in combination with others. Herbs are staging a comeback and herbal “renaissance” occurs all over the world. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of the world’s populations are using herbs for basic healthcare needs. Since the dawn of mankind, in fact, the use of herbs/plants has offered an effective medicine for the treatment of illnesses. Moreover, many conventional/pharmaceutical drugs are derived directly from both nature and traditional remedies distributed around the world. Up to now, the practice …

Proceedings Of The 2014 U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group, Carlsbad, New Mexico April 29 - May 2, 2014 Usgs Karst Interest Group Usgs Scientific Investigations Report: 2014-5035, Eve L. Kuniansky

KIP Talks and Conferences

Edited by Kuniansky, Eve L.; Spangler, Lawrence E. INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AGENDA U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY KARST INTEREST GROUP WORKSHOPSpeleotrek: The Cutting Edges of Karst into the 21st Century. PROGRAMS AND KARST AQUIFERSA Preview of "Karst in the United States of America: A Digital Map Compilation and Database" -- Groundwater Availability of the Floridan Aquifer System -- Assessing Potential Impacts from a Proposed Phosphate Mine on Ashley Spring, a Unique Karst Public Water Supply in the Uinta Mountains, Uintah County, Utah. TRACERSGroundwater Tracing in Arid Karst Aquifers: Concepts and Considerations -- Challenges to a Karst Dye-Tracing Investigation in an Urban Brownfields …

Streptococcus Intermedius Bacteremia And Liver Abscess Following A Routine Dental Cleaning, Lachara V. Livingston, Elimarys Perez-Colon

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Streptococcus intermedius is a member of the Streptococcus anginosus group of bacteria. This group is part of the normal flora of the oropharynx, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts; however, they have been known to cause a variety of purulent infections including meningitis, endocarditis, and abscesses, even in immunocompetent hosts. In particular, S. intermedius has been associated with the development of liver and brain abscesses. There have been several case reports of S. intermedius liver abscesses with active periodontal infection. To our knowledge, however, there has not been a case following a routine dental procedure. In fact, the development of liver abscesses …

The Heart Weight–Body Weight Coefficient In Kenyans Aged 14 Years And Above, Mbayah Etabale

Master of Medicine in Anatomic Pathology

Background: The heart size has traditionally been assessed using absolute reference weights. But the heart weight (HW) has been shown to depend on one’s body size hence a better measure is the ratio of the HW to the body weight (BW) – the HW-BW coefficient. Initially noted to be 0.43% and 0.40% in males and females respectively, recent studies have shown an increase of up to 0.51%. Objective: To determine the HW-BW coefficient in Kenyans aged 14 years and above. Methods: One hundred and four deceased Kenyans aged 14 years and above, with no heart or chronic lung disease, were …

Volume 2014 - Issue 1 - Winter, 2014, Echoes Staff

Rose Echoes

No abstract provided.

Residual Disease And Hpv Persistence After Cryotherapy For Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 2/3 In Hiv Positive Women In Kenya, Hugo De Vuyst, Nelly R. Mugo, Silvia Franceschi, Kevin Mckenzie, Vanessa Tenet, Julia Njoroge, Farzana S. Rana, Samah R. Sakr, Peter J.F. Snijders, Michael Chung

Pathology, East Africa

Objective: To assess residual cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 disease and clearance of high-risk (hr) human papillomavirus (HPV) infections at 6 months after cryotherapy among HIV-positive women.

Design: Follow-up study.

Methods: 79 HIV-positive women received cryotherapy for CIN2/3 in Nairobi, Kenya, and underwent conventional cytology 6 months later. Biopsies were performed on high grade cytological lesions and hrHPV was assessed before (cervical cells and biopsy) and after cryotherapy (cells).

Results: At 6 months after cryotherapy CIN2/3 had been eliminated in 61 women (77.2%; 95% Confidence Interval, (CI):66.4–85.9). 18 women (22.8%) had residual CIN2/3, and all these women had hrHPV at …

Uchunguzi (Journal Watch/Montre De Journal) December 2014, Benjamin Wachira

Family Medicine, East Africa

No abstract provided.