Digital Commons Network^™

De Novo Variants Of Nr4a2 Are Associated With Neurodevelopmental Disorder And Epilepsy., Sakshi Singh, Aditi Gupta, Michael Zech, Ashley N. Sigafoos, Karl J. Clark, Yasemin Dincer, Matias Wagner, Jennifer B. Humberson, Sarah Green, Koen Van Gassen, Tracy Brandt, Rhonda E. Schnur, Francisca Millan, Yue Si, Volker Mall, Juliane Winkelmann, Ralitza H. Gavrilova, Eric W. Klee, Kendra Engleman, Nicole P. Safina, Rachel Slaugh, Emily M. Bryant, Wen-Hann Tan, Jorge Granadillo, Sunita N. Misra, G Bradley Schaefer, Shelley Towner, Eva H. Brilstra, Bobby P C Koeleman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: This study characterizes the clinical and genetic features of nine unrelated patients with de novo variants in the NR4A2 gene.

METHODS: Variants were identified and de novo origins were confirmed through trio exome sequencing in all but one patient. Targeted RNA sequencing was performed for one variant to confirm its splicing effect. Independent discoveries were shared through GeneMatcher.

RESULTS: Missense and loss-of-function variants in NR4A2 were identified in patients from eight unrelated families. One patient carried a larger deletion including adjacent genes. The cases presented with developmental delay, hypotonia (six cases), and epilepsy (six cases). De novo status was …

The Inhibitory Effects Of An Antimicrobial Gel On The Staphylococcus Species, Mara Trinkle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria has made the choices for topical treatments for patients who experience burns wounds extremely limited. The Staphylococcus genus is naturally occurring in and on the human body but can become harmful once it enters the bloodstream. A novel antimicrobial gel has been shown by our laboratory to inhibit both the planktonic growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus in previous studies. The antimicrobial gel is made of seven natural compounds including antioxidants (vitamin C and E). We wanted to examine the effects of the antimicrobial gel on numerous other Staphylococcal species because it is …

Life Cycle Assessment Of The Us Beef Processing Through Integrated Hybrid Approach, Shaobin Li, Yuwei Qin, Jeyamkondan Subbiah, Bruce Dvorak

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) incorporating process-based and economic input-output (EIO)–based inventory data has been applied in various industries (e.g., wind energy, biofuel). Few hybrid LCA studies have been found in the food industry. This work analyzes the life cycle environmental impacts of the US beef processing industry using process-based and integrated hybrid LCA. The process-based inventory includes all resource inputs and waste outputs associated with a beef processing plant. The EIO-based inventory includes key activities missing in the process-based inventory, such as technical and management service, wood and paper, and industrial equipment. Ten environmental impact categories from TRACI v2.1 …

Democracy, Deference, And Compromise: Understanding And Reforming Campaign Finance Jurisprudence, Scott P. Bloomberg

Faculty Publications

In Citizens United, the Supreme Court interpreted the government’s interest in preventing corruption as being limited to preventing quid pro quo—cash-for-votes—corruption. This narrow interpretation drastically circumscribed legislatures’ abilities to regulate the financing of elections, in turn prompting scholars to propose a number of reforms for broadening the government interest in campaign finance cases. These reforms include urging the Court to recognize a new government interest such as political equality, to adopt a broader understanding of corruption, and to be more deferential to legislatures in defining corruption. Building upon that body of scholarship, this Article begins with a descriptive account of …

Assessing The Effects Of Habitat On Bird Song Propagation, Braelei Hardt

Master's Theses

The Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis (AAH) posits that animal acoustic signals meant for long-range communication should be adapted to transmit well within the habitats in which they evolved. However, comparative studies investigating predictions of the AAH relating to signal form indicate that support for the hypothesis is not universal. Several studies have employed experimental playback approaches to testing signal transmission which can provide complimentary analyses to comparative studies of signal form in the field. Here, I first summarize these experimental playback tests of the AAH in birds, mammals, insects, and anurans, describing the methodologies used in these tests, and assessing the …

Interrelationships Among Monorchiid Trematodes With Special Emphasis On Some Northwestern Atlantic Genera, Apryle Panyi

Master's Theses

The Monorchiidae Odhner, 1911 is a cosmopolitan family of flukes (Trematoda: Digenea) comprising species that parasitize the digestive tract of estuarine and marine fishes as adults. Compared with other oceans, recent morphological or molecular taxonomic work conducted on monorchiid species from the northwestern Atlantic Ocean has been sparse (Manter, 1931; Overstreet, 1969; Andres et al., 2018; Wee et al., 2018, 2019, 2020). Therefore, the present work investigated the interrelationships of some monorchiids from the northwestern Atlantic Ocean with emphasis on several genera and investigated if Lasiotocus minutus (Manter, 1931) Thomas, 1959 constitutes a complex of cryptic species. New morphological and …

Profound And Redundant Functions Of Arcuate Neurons In Obesity Development, Canjun Zhu, Zhiying Jiang, Yuanzhong Xu, Zhao-Lin Cai, Qingyan Jiang, Yong Xu, Mingshan Xue, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Qi Wu, Gang Shu, Qingchun Tong

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The current obesity epidemic faces a lack of mechanistic insights. It is known that the acute activity changes of a growing number of brain neurons rapidly alter feeding behaviour; however, how these changes translate to obesity development and the fundamental mechanism underlying brain neurons in controlling body weight remain elusive. Here, we show that chronic activation of hypothalamic arcuate GABAergic (GABA

Structural And Functional Insights Into Alphavirus-Host Interactions, Arthur S. Kim

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Alphaviruses are arthropod-transmitted positive sense, single-stranded RNA viruses of the Togaviridae family that cause explosive, global outbreaks with significant morbidity. These viruses are classified into two groups based on genetic relatedness and clinical manifestations. Arthritogenic alphaviruses include chikungunya (CHIKV), Mayaro (MAYV), Ross River (RRV), O’nyong’nyong (ONNV) and generally cause acute and chronic musculoskeletal disease. To date, CHIKV has caused >1.8 million cases in over 40 countries. Encephalitic alphaviruses, including Eastern (EEEV), Venezuelan (VEEV), and Western (WEEV) equine encephalitis viruses, infect the central nervous system and result in encephalitic sequelae. In 2019, outbreaks of EEEV in the United States have resulted …

Colleague To Banner Migration: Data Conversion Guide For Institutional Research, Laura Osborn

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

When the SDBOR decided to migrate their current student information system into a shared system with HR and Finance, adjustments needed to be made to accommodate for current Banner settings and work around tables that were already populated with HRFIS data. The change in data type of the student identifier from that of a 7-digit numeric field to a 9- digit alpha-numeric field poses problems for running aggregate data calculations. Additional complications include having some information such as first-generation status that was not migrated between the systems, and cases such as college coding where tables that were designed for student …

Phenotypic Characterization Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Lines Overexpressing Avp1 And Miox4 In Response To Abiotic Stresses, Nirman Nepal, Jessica P. Yactayo‐Chang, Ricky Gable, Austin Wilkie, Jazmin Martin, Chineche L. Aniemena, Roberto Gaxiola, Argelia Lorence

Arkansas Biosciences Institute

Premise AVP1 (H+-pyrophosphatase) and MIOX4 (myo-inositol oxygenase) are genes that, when overexpressed individually, enhance the growth and abiotic stress tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. We propose that pyramiding AVP1 and MIOX4 genes will further improve stress tolerance under water-limited and salt-stress conditions. Methods MIOX4 and AVP1 reciprocal crosses were developed and phenomic approaches used to investigate the possible synergy between these genes. Results Under normal and stress conditions, the crosses had higher foliar ascorbate content than the wild-type and parental lines. Under water-limited conditions, the crosses also displayed an enhanced growth rate and biomass compared with the control. The observed …

Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020–2030: Reimagining The Potential Of Plants For A Healthy And Sustainable Future, Natalie Henkhaus, Madelaine Bartlett, David Gang, Rebecca Grumet, Ingrid Jordon‐Thaden, Argelia Lorence, Eric Lyons, Samantha Miller, Seth Murray, Andrew Nelson, Chelsea Specht, Brett Tyler, Thomas Wentworth, David Ackerly, David Baltensperger, Philip Benfey, James Birchler, Sreekala Chellamma, Roslyn Crowder, Michael Donoghue, Jose Pablo Dundore‐Arias, Jacqueline Fletcher, Valerie Fraser, Kelly Gillespie, Lonnie Guralnick, Elizabeth Haswell, Mitchell Hunter, Shawn Kaeppler, Stefan Kepinski, Fay‐Wei Li, Sally Mackenzie, Lucinda Mcdade, David Stern

Arkansas Biosciences Institute

Plants, and the biological systems around them, are key to the future health of the planet and its inhabitants. The Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020–2030 frames our ability to perform vital and far-reaching research in plant systems sciences, essential to how we value participants and apply emerging technologies. We outline a comprehensive vision for addressing some of our most pressing global problems through discovery, practical applications, and education. The Decadal Vision was developed by the participants at the Plant Summit 2019, a community event organized by the Plant Science Research Network. The Decadal Vision describes a holistic vision for the …

King Arthur’S Charter: A Thirteenth-Century French Satire Against Bretons, Christopher Berard

Humanities Program Faculty Publications

On the verso of the last leaf of a twelfth-century manuscript containing the poetry of Hilarius, a student of Abelard, appears a faux charter purporting to have been issued by Arthur, king of the Britons, in the hundredth year of his immortality. In the act, Arthur thanks the descendants of his British subjects for their fidelity and grants them an exclusive franchise to fish in secret rivulets. The privilege contains two prohibitions: one prohibiting Britons from wearing shoes and the other prohibiting them from owning cats. This article provides a diplomatic edition, English translation and analysis of King Arthur’s Charter …

Radical Renewal, The Sisters Of Loretto, Nouvelle Theologie, And The Second Vatican Council., Carol Bolton Easterly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the experiences of women who were members of the Sisters of Loretto, an American congregation of women religious, in the years around the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 65). It argues that the ideas of nouvelle théologie – a movement among progressive European Catholic scholars aimed at reconnecting faith with lived experience – had a profound impact on how the Sisters of Loretto interpreted the Council’s directives. The movement’s core ideas: ressourcement, a return to original sources of Christian inspiration; an overlapping relationship between natural and supernatural; and the importance of Church engagement with modern social …

Chimeric Ad5.F35 Vector Evades Anti-Adenovirus Serotype 5 Neutralization Opposing Gucy2c-Targeted Antitumor Immunity, John C. Flickinger, Jagmohan Singh, Robert D Carlson, Elinor Leong, Trevor R. Baybutt, Joshua Barton, Ellen M. Caparosa, Amanda M. Pattison, Jeff A. Rappaport, Jamin Roh, Tingting Zhan, Babar Bashir, Scott A Waldman, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) is a commonly used viral vector for transient delivery of transgenes, primarily for vaccination against pathogen and tumor antigens. However, endemic infections with Ad5 produce virus-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) that limit transgene delivery and constrain target-directed immunity following exposure to Ad5-based vaccines. Indeed, clinical trials have revealed the limitations that virus-specific NAbs impose on the efficacy of Ad5-based vaccines. In that context, the emerging focus on immunological approaches targeting cancer self-antigens or neoepitopes underscores the unmet therapeutic need for more efficacious vaccine vectors.

METHODS: Here, we evaluated the ability of a chimeric adenoviral vector (Ad5.F35) …

Astrocytes Rescue Neuronal Health After Cisplatin Treatment Through Mitochondrial Transfer., Krystal English, Krystal English

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Abstract

Astrocytes rescue neuronal health after cisplatin treatment through mitochondrial transfer.

Author: Krystal English

Advisory Professor: Dr. Cobi J. Heijnen, Ph.D.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairments are associated with neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction. Cisplatin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic, induces neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. Astrocytes are key players in supporting neuronal development, synaptogenesis, axonal growth, metabolism and, potentially, mitochondrial health. We tested the hypothesis that astrocytes transfer healthy mitochondria to neurons after cisplatin treatment to restore neuronal health.

We used an in vitro system in which astrocytes with Mito-mCherry-labeled mitochondria were co-cultured with primary cortical neurons or neuronal stem …

Identification Of Trim24 Domain Essentiality In Primary Trim24coe Carcinosarcoma Cell Lines, Cem Dede

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Regulation of transcriptional control is a critical feature for organismal development and survival. Because of its effects on chromatin-controlled expression, disruptions of this delicately tuned mechanism are an important factor in development of tumorigenesis. Therefore, there is a growing interest in targeting these control mechanisms for their potential therapeutic values.

Our lab previously discovered the epigenetic regulator function of Tripartite motif protein 24 (TRIM24) through its H3K4me0 and H3K23ac dual histone signature reader function, its negative regulatory effect on the p53 tumor suppressor, in addition to its shown oncogenic driving capacity on immortalized mammary epithelial cells when overexpressed. Although TRIM24 …

Aging Lowers Pex5 Levels In Cortical Neurons In Male And Female Mouse Brains, Ndidi-Ese Uzor

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Peroxisomes are small organelles with critical functions: lipid synthesis, breakdown of reactive oxygen species by antioxidant enzymes, and amino acid degradation. In the brain, peroxisomal lipids make up the myelin sheath. Brain peroxisomal dysfunction leads to lipid disruption or neurological consequences if key peroxisomal proteins are absent. Still, it is unclear how peroxisomes are affected in neurodegenerative diseases and in normal brain aging. This work examines peroxisomal markers in three settings: 1) in a neuronal and 2) animal model of Huntington disease (HD), where mutant huntingtin (mHtt), the causative protein in Huntington disease pathogenesis is expressed, and 3) in the …

Prevalence Of Allergic Rhinitis Among Healthcare Workers And Its Impact On Their Work: A Cross-Sectional Survey At A Tertiary Healthcare Centre In Pakistan, Moghira Iqbaluddin Siddiqui, Rahim Dhanani, Huzaifa Moiz

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of allergic rhinitis among healthcare professionals and its impact on their work at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, technicians and pharmacists were included. Participants were asked to fill a questionnaire consisting of score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR), and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaires. Out of 167 workers, 101 were males. Mean age of the participants was 29.0 ± 5.9 years. Overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis among healthcare workers was found to be frequency (19.2%). We noted that 13 individuals reported to have missed their …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Central Executive Training (Cet) Versus Inhibitory Control Training (Ict) For Adhd, Michael J. Kofler, Erica L. Wells, Leah J. Singh, Elia F. Soto, Lauren N. Irwin, Nicole B. Groves, Elizabeth S.M. Chan, Caroline E. Miller, Kijana P. Richmond

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective: Executive function deficits are well-established in ADHD. Unfortunately, replicated evidence indicates that executive function training for ADHD has been largely unsuccessful. We hypothesized that this may reflect insufficient targeting, such that extant protocols do not sufficiently and specifically target the neurocognitive systems associated with phenotypic ADHD behaviors/impairments. Method: Children with ADHD ages 8-12 (M = 10.41, SD = 1.46; 12 girls; 74% Caucasian/Non-Hispanic) were randomized with allocation concealment to either central executive training (CET; n = 25) or newly developed inhibitory control training (ICT; n = 29). Detailed data analytic plans were preregistered. Results: Both treatments were feasible/acceptable based …

Sodium Hypochlorite Reduces Postoperative Discomfort And Painful Early Failure After Carious Exposure And Direct Pulp Capping—Initial Findings Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Nidambur Vasudev Ballal, Henry F. Duncan, Namith Rai, Prateek Jalan

Open Access archive

In this randomized controlled single-center clinical trial on 96 adult patients with parallel experimental groups (n = 48), the effects of washing a dentin/pulp wound in non-symptomatic teeth with extremely deep caries and pulpal exposure were compared between a 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution and a chemically-inert physiological saline control solution. After the allocated wound lavage, the pulps were capped with a mineral trioxide aggregate, covered by a glass-ionomer/resin liner, and the teeth were immediately restored with a resin-bonded-composite. In this first report, the early events were analyzed: postoperative discomfort (on an NRS-11 scale) at day-3 and-7 after intervention, and …

Spontaneously Self-Assembled Fluidic Bilayer Of Cholesteryl Nonanoate At Interfaces: Thermal Stability And Post Collapse Scenario, Pinchu Xavier, Jigyasa Watwani, Padmanabhan Viswanath

Open Access archive

We report our investigations on the thermal stability of the intermediate homologue of cholesteryl ester, cholesteryl nonanoate (ChN) at the air-water (A-W) and air-solid (A-S) interfaces. Surface manometry studies on ChN at the A-W interface reveal that the limiting area and the collapse pressure of the film decrease with an increase in the temperature. Brewster angle microscopy studies show the co-existing gas (G) and the homogeneous phase (bilayer) that, with compression, transforms to a bilayer phase followed by a collapse to circular domains. These collapsed circular domains (CCDs) coarsen and nucleate to form 3D structures, and their evolution and growth …

Sequential Activation Of Notch And Grainyhead Gives Apoptotic Competence To Abdominal-B Expressing Larval Neuroblasts In Drosophila Central Nervous System, Asif Bakshi, Rashmi Sipani, Neha Ghosh, Rohit Joshi

Open Access archive

Neural circuitry for mating and reproduction resides within the terminal segments of central nervous system (CNS) which express Hox paralogous group 9–13 (in vertebrates) or Abdominal-B (Abd-B) in Drosophila. Terminal neuroblasts (NBs) in A8-A10 segments of Drosophila larval CNS are subdivided into two groups based on expression of transcription factor Doublesex (Dsx). While the sex specific fate of Dsx-positive NBs is well investigated, the fate of Dsx-negative NBs is not known so far. Our studies with Dsx-negative NBs suggests that these cells, like their abdominal counterparts (in A3-A7 segments) use Hox, Grainyhead (Grh) and Notch to undergo cell death during …

Organophosphate Hydrolase Interacts With Ferric-Enterobactin And Promotes Iron Uptake In Association With Tonb-Dependent Transport System, Hari Parapatla, Ramurthy Gudla, Guruprasad Varma Konduru, Elsin Raju Devadasu

Open Access archive

Our previous studies have shown the existence of organophosphate hydrolase (OPH) as a part of the inner membrane associated Ton complex (ExbB/ExbD and TonB) of Sphingobium fuliginis. We now show its involvement in iron uptake by establishing direct interactions with ferric-enterobactin. The interactions between OPH and ferric-enterobactin were not affected even when the active site architecture is altered by substituting active site aspartate with either alanine or asparagine. Protein docking studies further substantiated these findings and predicted the existence of ferric-enterobactin binding site that is different from the catalytic site of OPH. A lysine residue (82K) found at the predicted …

Relative Quantification Of Bcl2 Mrna For Diagnostic Usage Needs Stable Uncontrolled Genes As Reference, Nehanjali Dwivedi, Sreejeta Mondal, P. K. Smitha, T. Sowmya

Open Access archive

Dysregulation of BCL2 is a pathophysiology observed in haematological malignancies. For implementation of available treatment-options it is preferred to know the relative quantification of BCL2 mRNA with appropriate reference genes. For the choice of reference genes-(i) Reference Genes were selected by assessing variation of >60,000 genes from 4 RNA-seq datasets of haematological malignancies followed by filtering based on their GO biological process annotations and proximity of their chromosomal locations to known disease translocations. Selected genes were experimentally validated across various haematological malignancy samples followed by stability comparison using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder. (ii) 43 commonly used Reference Genes were …

Monitoring Universal Health Coverage Reforms In Primary Health Care Facilities: Creating A Framework, Selecting And Fieldtesting Indicators In Kerala, India, Devaki Nambiar, D. Hari Sankar, Jyotsna Negi, Arun Nair

Open Access archive

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the target for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), state level initiatives to promote health with "no-one left behind"are underway in India. In Kerala, reforms under the flagship Aardram mission include upgradation of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Family Health Centres (FHCs, similar to the national model of health and wellness centres (HWCs)), with the proactive provision of a package of primary care services for the population in an administrative area. We report on a component of Aardram's monitoring and evaluation framework for primary health care, where tracer input, output, and outcome …

Histone Demethylase Kdm5b As A Therapeutic Target For Cancer Therapy, Anmi Jose, Gautham G. Shenoy, Gabriel Sunil Rodrigues, Naveena A.N. Kumar

Open Access archive

Lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B/PLU1/JARID1B) is found to be overexpressed in numerous malignancies, including breast, lung, skin, liver, and prostate cancer. Identification of molecules targeting the KDM5B enzyme could be a potential lead in cancer research. Although many KDM5B inhibitors with promising outcomes have been developed so far, its further application in clinical practice is limited due to toxicity and lack of target specificity. Here, we summarize the significance of targeting KDM5B in anticancer therapy and report the molecular docking studies of some known anti-viral agents, decitabine, entecavir, abacavir, penciclovir, and 3-deazaneplanocin A in the catalytic domain JmjC of KDM5B. These …

Molecular Assessment Of Epiretinal Membrane: Activated Microglia, Oxidative Stress And Inflammation, Sushma Vishwakarma, Rishikesh Kumar Gupta, Saumya Jakati, Mudit Tyagi

Open Access archive

Fibrocellular membrane or epiretinal membrane (ERM) forms on the surface of the inner limiting membrane (ILM) in the inner retina and alters the structure and function of the retina. ERM formation is frequently observed in ocular inflammatory conditions, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and retinal detachment (RD). Although peeling of the ERM is used as a surgical intervention, it can inadvertently distort the retina. Our goal is to design alternative strategies to tackle ERMs. As a first step, we sought to determine the composition of the ERMs by identifying the constituent cell-types and gene expression signature in patient samples. …

Three Essays On Ceo Activism, Strategic Choices And Firm Performance, Keshab Acharya

Theses and Dissertations

There is a longstanding societal expectation that business leaders refrain from involving in social and political issues and primarily focus on managing their firms. In recent years, however, there is a growing trend of CEOs taking a stance on controversial sociopolitical issues that are not directly related to their company’s core business. This dissertation consists of three essays focusing on this phenomenon of CEO activism.

In my first essay, given that CEO activism represents a nascent phenomenon, I explore the conceptualization of CEO activism. Additionally, I propose three main motives behind CEO activism: intrinsic, instrumental, and stakeholder-focused. In my second …

Development Of Plant Extract-Based Composite Fibers And Aerogels, Raul C. Barbosa

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is to use the solid templating process of pullulan nanofibers in order to produce biocompatible, biodegradable, and antibacterial aerogels. The developed aerogels were produced using cross-linked pullulan nanofibers, which provide a water-stable structure allowing them to be used as wound dressing material. The morphology, thermal properties, water solubility, and thermal and physical properties of the nanofibers and aerogels were characterized. Furthermore, the antibacterial effect against gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, and the biocompatibility using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) were investigated.

Examining The Efficacy Of Cover Crops As An Integrated Pest Management Tool In Organic Farms In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Lili M. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) consists of a mix in subtropical and costal habitats, a combination that provides a favorable environment for the animals and plants that inhabit it. This is a problem for organic farmers as they refrain from using synthetic chemicals and therefore led them to seek other methods of dealing with insect herbivory. Of the many alternative methods available, we looked specifically at integrated pest management methods (IPM) to determine their efficacy in reducing insect herbivory among cash crops. Chapter II discusses an experiment performed in an organic farm in Edinburg, Texas consisting of a two-year …