Digital Commons Network^™

New Species And New Records Of Minute Moss Beetles From East Africa (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), David T. Bilton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Despite much recent progress, knowledge of Afrotropical Hydraenidae remains limited, particularly in areas experiencing tropical climates, where large numbers of species likely remain undetected. Here, three new species are described from material recently collected from two Malawian mountains: Coelometopon dedzae sp. nov. from Mount Dedza and Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) mulanje sp. nov. and Ochthebius (Asiobates) erinaceus sp. nov. from Mount Mulanje. All specimens were sampled by sifting, and Hydraena mulanje sp. nov. and Ochthebius erinaceus sp. nov. appear to be terrestrial, in forest litter. Specimens of Decarthrocerus Orchymont, 1948 from Mount Dedza are apparently referable to D. jeanneli Orchymont, 1948, described …

Dynamic Characteristics Of Aerosol Optical Properties Over Dibrugarh City In The North-Eastern Indian Region During 2018–2021, Akshansa Chauhan, Shukla Acharjee, Ramesh P. Singh, Brent N. Holben

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Aerosols play an important role in the earth's environment across the globe through their involvement in various earth system cycles. The change in the aerosol properties may cause short and long-term impacts, the knowledge of such changes is useful in the estimation of the pollution sources of any region. We have carried out the analysis of the aerosols' optical and radiative properties using AERONET station data from 2018 to 2021 in Dibrugarh City. The higher Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values during winter and pre-monsoon months indicate high anthropogenic activities, and biomass burning in Dibrugarh. The impact of various sources and …

Chatgpt As Metamorphosis Designer For The Future Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai): A Conceptual Investigation, Amarjit Kumar Singh (Library Assistant), Dr. Pankaj Mathur (Deputy Librarian)

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to explore ChatGPT’s potential as an innovative designer tool for the future development of artificial intelligence. Specifically, this conceptual investigation aims to analyze ChatGPT’s capabilities as a tool for designing and developing near about human intelligent systems for futuristic used and developed in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Also with the helps of this paper, researchers are analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT as a tool, and identify possible areas for improvement in its development and implementation. This investigation focused on the various features and functions of ChatGPT that …

A Simulation Study Of Surfactant/Foam Processes In Shallow Subsurface Remediation: Using Foams For Mobility Control Vs. Blockage, Betty Cepeda

LSU Master's Theses

Many shallow ex-situ and in-situ remediation treatments come from the contamination of underground soils and groundwater sources by organic hydrocarbon components called non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). These contaminants, if leaking, can impose long-term threats causing environmental and health concerns. One of the versatile in-situ remediation techniques is using surfactant/foam processes that can overcome subsurface heterogeneity and improve NAPL removal.

This simulation study investigates surfactant/foam processes, especially focusing on two different roles of foams during the treatment: foams for “mobility control” vs. foams for “blocking”. The first is based on the actual operations carried out in the pilot-test site for 23 …

Increasing Capture Rates Of Grassland Birds Over Thirteen Years Indicates Successful Restoration, Katie Stumpf, Charles Muise

Georgia Journal of Science

Grassland bird populations are being lost at an alarming rate due to human modifications to grassland ecosystems. Grassland restoration has been shown to mitigate population declines for many species that use these habitats at some point in their annual cycles. We examined capture rates of adult, breeding, and hatch-year birds at a restored grassland site in the piedmont of central Georgia to determine whether colonization, breeding success, hatching success, and recruitment processes were impacting populations of grassland birds. We banded birds approximately twice per month from January 2009 through December 2021 at Panola Mountain State Park. Restoration efforts started in …

Assessment Of The Eligibility Of Triglyceride;Glucose Index And Triglyceride;High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio As Applicable Insulin Resistance Indices Among Overweight/Obese Egyptians, Ghada A. Omar, Mona A.E A. Hussein, Wafaa S. Hegab

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Insulin resistance (IR) means the requirement of a higher insulin concentration to produce the expected biological effect. It was proposed that triglycerides–glucose index (TY G) and triglycerides–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL) were dependable, applicable, and less-expensive markers of IR. However, their results varied significantly among different ethnic groups. Aim To assess the eligibility of TY G and TG/HDL as IR indices among overweight and/or obese Egyptians. Patients and methods The participants in this cross-sectional study were 328 overweight and/or obese Egyptians. Their fasting blood glucose, TG, HDL, and fasting insulin blood concentrations were estimated. Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), …

A Comparative Study On The Effects Of Dextrose Prolotherapy And Local Steroid Injection In Patients With Lateral Epicondylitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Abhishek Biswas, Ameed Equebal, Osama Neyaz, Rajkumar Yadav, Suvrat Gupta

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is the most common condition of elbow pain. Multiple intralesional steroid injections help in the treatment. Prolotherapy is a traditional injection method recently categorized as regenerative treatment. However, there is scarcity of literature that compares its effectiveness with steroids. Objective The aim was to compare the effectiveness of dextrose prolotherapy (DP) against local steroid injection in patients with LE in relieving pain and improving dysfunction. Participants and methods This parallel, randomized controlled trial was conducted at Outpatient Department, National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (Divyangjan), (erstwhile National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped) Kolkata, from January 2016 to …

Correlation Between Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention And The Size Of Infarction In Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction, Mohamed R. Badran

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Inflammatory processes have a role in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), left ventricular remodeling, and repair. Infarct size (IS) is a strong predictor of prognosis following AMI. Several tools are used to predict IS, but most of them are expensive and inaccessible all the time. So, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a marker of inflammation is an easy and cheap tool to predict IS. Aim To assess if post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) NLR can predict IS in patients with AMI. Patients and methods The study included 11 125 patients with AMI treated with primary PCI. We used cardiovascular …

Molecular Mechanism Of Biased Signaling At The Kappa Opioid Receptor, Amal El Daibani, Joseph M Paggi, Kuglae Kim, Yianni D Laloudakis, Petr Popov, Sarah M Bernhard, Brian E Krumm, Reid H J Olsen, Jeffrey Diberto, F Ivy Carroll, Vsevolod Katritch, Bernhard Wünsch, Ron O Dror, Tao Che

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The κ-opioid receptor (KOR) has emerged as an attractive drug target for pain management without addiction, and biased signaling through particular pathways of KOR may be key to maintaining this benefit while minimizing side-effect liabilities. As for most G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), however, the molecular mechanisms of ligand-specific signaling at KOR have remained unclear. To better understand the molecular determinants of KOR signaling bias, we apply structure determination, atomic-level molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and functional assays. We determine a crystal structure of KOR bound to the G protein-biased agonist nalfurafine, the first approved KOR-targeting drug. We also identify an arrestin-biased …

A Pilot Study Of The Association Between Maternal Mid-Pregnancy Cholesterol And Oxysterol Concentrations And Labor Duration., Todd C. Rideout, Jaclyn Wallace, Xiaozhong Wen, Vanessa M. Barnabei, Kai Ling Kong, Richard W. Browne

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Previous animal model studies have highlighted a role for cholesterol and its oxidized derivatives (oxysterols) in uterine contractile activity, however, a lipotoxic state associated with hypercholesterolemia may contribute to labor dystocia. Therefore, we investigated if maternal mid-pregnancy cholesterol and oxysterol concentrations were associated with labor duration in a human pregnancy cohort.

METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of serum samples and birth outcome data from healthy pregnant women (N = 25) with mid-pregnancy fasting serum samples collected at 22-28 weeks of gestation. Serum was analyzed for total-C, HDL-C, and LDL-C by direct automated enzymatic assay and oxysterol profile including …

Syndemics And Social Factors: Infectious Disease Patterns Within The Population Of People Experiencing Homelessness In The United States, Kathleen Berzonsky

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Individuals experiencing homelessness are at increased risk of suffering from infectious diseases. This is due to a number of social factors and healthcare disparities, as well as the idea of syndemics, by which diseases cluster together to worsen disease burden. Current intervention strategies approach treatment from a post-infection perspective, but reducing transmission rates of infectious diseases within the population of people experiencing homelessness will require a shift in the healthcare framework. The issue of people experiencing homelessness must be viewed through a biosocial lens, focusing on preventative care and treatment. I provide an overview of the social factors governing infectious …

Social Media And Women Empowerment In Nigeria: A Study Of The #Breakthebias Campaign On Facebook, Deborah Osaro Omontese

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines how the March 2022 #BreakTheBias campaign on Facebook was used as an empowerment platform in Nigeria, where women experience gender disparity. Research on the role of social media in women’s empowerment in Nigeria is an area that has not been fully studied. Previous studies have looked at women’s empowerment mainly through an educational or political lens, neglecting how social media have also been effective in empowering women. Other researchers have studied how women utilize social media platforms for leisure, entertainment, and media sharing. In the present study, non-probability sampling was used to identify 20 posts that convey …

Smad2/3 Signaling In The Uterine Epithelium Controls Endometrial Cell Homeostasis And Regeneration, Peixin Jiang, Sydney E Parks, Dominique I Cope, Fei Yuan, Fengju Chen, Ramya P Masand, Patricia D Castro, Michael M Ittmann, Chad J Creighton, Zhi Tan, Diana Monsivais

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The regenerative potential of the endometrium is attributed to endometrial stem cells; however, the signaling pathways controlling its regenerative potential remain obscure. In this study, genetic mouse models and endometrial organoids are used to demonstrate that SMAD2/3 signaling controls endometrial regeneration and differentiation. Mice with conditional deletion of SMAD2/3 in the uterine epithelium using Lactoferrin-iCre develop endometrial hyperplasia at 12-weeks and metastatic uterine tumors by 9-months of age. Mechanistic studies in endometrial organoids determine that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of SMAD2/3 signaling disrupts organoid morphology, increases the glandular and secretory cell markers, FOXA2 and MUC1, and alters the genome-wide distribution …

Hypomorphic Brca2 And Rad51c Double Mutant Mice Display Fanconi Anemia, Cancer And Polygenic Replication Stress, Karl-Heinz Tomaszowski, Sunetra Roy, Carolina Guerrero, Poojan Shukla, Caezaan Keshvani, Martina Ott, Jianhua Zhang, Courtney D Dinardo, Detlev Schindler, Katharina Schlacher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The prototypic cancer-predisposition disease Fanconi Anemia (FA) is identified by biallelic mutations in any one of twenty-three FANC genes. Puzzlingly, inactivation of one Fanc gene alone in mice fails to faithfully model the pleiotropic human disease without additional external stress. Here we find that FA patients frequently display FANC co-mutations. Combining exemplary homozygous hypomorphic Brca2/Fancd1 and Rad51c/Fanco mutations in mice phenocopies human FA with bone marrow failure, rapid death by cancer, cellular cancer-drug hypersensitivity and severe replication instability. These grave phenotypes contrast the unremarkable phenotypes seen in mice with single gene-function inactivation, revealing an unexpected synergism between Fanc mutations. Beyond …

What Is The Future Of Suicide Genetics?

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Interview With Oren Ergas On His Book Reconstructing ‘Education’ Through Mindful Attention: Positioning The Mind At The Center Of Curriculum And Pedagogy, Karlheinz Valtl, Dominik Weghaupt, Oren Ergas

Journal of Contemplative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

Contemplative Pedagogy In Times Of Grief And Uncertainty: Teaching In A Global Pandemic, Laura M. Hill

Journal of Contemplative Inquiry

We are teaching during a global pandemic, where all sense of normalcy has disappeared. How can we, as contemplative educators, provide an anchor for students’ grief and practice sitting with discomfort to develop resiliency to endure this time of great uncertainty? We have an opportunity to authentically reframe this time of social upheaval as an opportunity to address a series of adaptive challenges. Contemplative practices can allow us to cooperatively and ethically respond to the myriad of challenges confronting us during a global pandemic. But, first, educators have a major role to play in the classroom in making hope more …

Reflections On Developing A Campus-Wide Workshop Series On Contemplative Practice And Social Justice, Jennifer Daubenmier, Christopher J. Koenig, Maiya Evans, Lisa Moore, Michele J. Eliason

Journal of Contemplative Inquiry

Contemplative practices have been increasingly used in higher education to enhance student well-being and academic success. More recently, educators, activists, and researchers are exploring how contemplative practices and perspectives may support promotion of social justice on and outside college campuses. In this reflection, we share the development, execution, and evaluation of a campus-wide workshop series held at San Francisco State University (SFSU). The series promoted reflection and discussion on the relationship between contemplative practice and social justice to improve campus climate, enhance well-being of campus members, and promote student success.

Editor's Preface, David Sable, Trudy Sable

Journal of Contemplative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

Discriminating Stay-Green Grasses Using Hyperspectral Imaging And Chemometrics, J. Taylor, B. Moore, J. J. Rowland, H. Thomas, H. J. Ougham

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Screening of plant collections for traits can be expensive, in terms of the number of plants to be screened, the duration of the plant lifecycle and the required observations. This study describes the application of a non-invasive method, hyperspectral imaging, combined with multivariate analysis, to distinguish between homozygous wild-type (YY) Lolium multiflorum and Lolium multiflorum F2 back cross plants heterozygous for y, a recessive Festuca pratensis stay-green gene (Thomas et al., 1997).

Non-Destructive Assessment Of Quality And Yield For Grass-Breeding, A. G. T. Schut, M. J. J. Pustjens, P. W. Wilkins, J. Meuleman, P. Reyns, A. Lovatt, G. W. A. M. Van Der Heijden

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Selection of cultivars has, until now, been based mainly on dry matter (DM) yields because of the high costs of sampling and chemical analysis. Imaging spectroscopy could reduce costs by limiting sampling and harvesting of individual plots to reference samples (Schut et al., accepted). In this study, the prediction accuracy of DM yields and chemical composition with imaging spectroscopy is evaluated for cultivar selection purposes.

Root Senescence In Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense L.), K. J. Webb, E. Tuck, S. Heywood

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Legume root systems form a mosaic of living, ageing and dead roots and nodules. The balance between these stages alters during plant development. Stressful events (drought, temperature change, reduced carbon supply, etc.) disturb the balance (Butler et al., 1959). Effects of root and nodule death on soil structure, composition and leaching and on plant persistency are understood poorly. Plants with differing senescence patterns are useful tools to study these effects. Molecular studies of root senescence need detailed knowledge of the process and timing of root senescence and death. Biochemical and histochemical markers of senescence were used to generate preliminary …

Development Of Simple Sequence Repeat (Ssr) Markers And Their Use To Assess Genetic Diversity In Apomictic Guineagrass (Panicum Maximum Jacq.), M. Ebina, Kaori Kouki, S. Tsuruta, M. Takahara, M. Kobayashi, T. Yamamoto, K. Nakajima, H. Nakagawa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Guineagrass is an important and widely grown tropical forage grass. Despite its importance and increasing popularity, only little is known about its genetic diversity (Ebina et al., 2001). Such information is useful for the selection of diverse parents in breeding programmes. Moreover, no simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been reported in any apomixis species. In this study SSR markers were developed and used to investigate genetic diversity in germplasm of apomictic guineagrass.

Construction Of Microsatellite-Enriched Libraries For Tropical Forage Species And Characterization Of The Repetitive Sequences Found In Brachiaria Brizantha, Letícia Jungmann, C. B. Do Valle, P. R. Laborda, Rosangela M. S. Resende, Liana Jank, A. P. De Souza

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Brazilian cattle herd comprises 185 million animals fed with about 177 million hectares of native and cultivated pastures (IBGE, 2002). Of the grass species used for forage in Brazil, the African genus Brachiaria is the most widely planted, followed by Panicum, which also has an African origin. Legumes of the Stylosanthes genus, native to the South America, have emerged in the last few years as potential forage species for use with the grasses. These forage species have been bred at Embrapa Beef Cattle and the breeding programs have shown the need for more genetic information including the use …

Development Of Ssr Markers For Variety Identification In Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum Lam.), M. Inoue, N. Yuyama, H. Cai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Italian ryegrass (IRG, Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is one of the most important cool-season forage grasses in the world, and is the most widely cultivated annual forage grass in Japan. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have the advantages of being PCR-based, multiallelic and possessing high levels of polymorphism. They are very suitable for variety identification, especially for out-crossing species including IRG. The objective of this study was the development of SSR markers for variety identification in IRG.

Development Of A Microsatellite Library In Lolium Perenne, J. King, I. P. King, D. Thorogood, L. Roberts, K. Skøt, K. Elborough

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lolium perenne, as one of the most important forage grasses of temperate regions, combines a number of very useful characteristics, e.g., good seedling establishment, with a low resistance to drought and limited winter hardiness. Trait selection and introgression can be greatly enhanced by the use of molecular markers in a genetic linkage map. The aim of this project was the generation of a genomic microsatellite library which when combined with microsatellites developed from a Genethresher database would give good genome coverage coupled to high levels of marker polymorphism.

Isolation Of Ssr Markers From Zoysiagrass, H. Cai, N. Yuyama, M. Inoue

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The genus Zoysia consists of 16 species that are naturally distributed on sea coasts and grasslands around the Pacific. In Japan, five species of natural zoysiagrasses have been identified from southern Hokkaido to the southwest islands. Of these, Z. japonica Steud. and Z. matrella Merr. have been utilized extensively as turf in Japan and other countries in East Asia. Linkage maps based on RFLP and AFLP markers have been reported in Zoysia (Yaneshita et al., 1999, Cai et al., 2004). Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have the advantages of being PCR-based and multiallelic. They are highly polymorphic compared …

A Medicago Truncatula Population Segregating For Aluminum Tolerance, M. Sledge, B. Narasimhamoorthy, G. Jiang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Aluminium (Al) toxicity, manifested in inhibition of root elongation and reduced plant growth, is a major cause of poor crop yields on acid soils, which comprise up to 40% of the world’s arable land. Al toxicity associated with acid soils has been a major obstacle in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) production in the USA, as well as in tropical areas of the world. Recent molecular marker mapping studies indicate that the genomes of M. truncatula and M. sativa are highly similar (Choi et al., 2004). Thus, M. truncatula could be used as a source of genes that could …

Genetic Mapping In Tetraploid Alfalfa: Results And Prospects, E. C. Brummer, J. G. Robins, B. Alarcón Zúñiga, D. Luth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Among the difficulties of improving forages is their perennial nature, which necessarily requires long selection cycles to fully evaluate genotypes. Further, traits of particular importance—yield and winter hardiness—are difficult to assess on single plants, necessitating evaluation of progeny, which is both time consuming and expensive. Because of this, yield of many forages, and particularly alfalfa, has not improved substantially over the past 25 years (Riday and Brummer, 2002). Winter hardiness often has a negative correlation with autumn growth, although some evidence suggests this is not always true (Brummer et al., 2000). One way to overcome some of these limitations …

Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis Of Morphogenetic And Developmental Traits In An Ssr And Aflp-Based Genetic Map Of White Clover (Trifolium Repens L.), M. T. Abberton, N. O. I. Cogan, K. F. Smith, G. Kearney, A. H. Marshall, A. Williams, T. P. T. Michaelson-Yeates, C. Bowen, E. S. Jones, A. C. Vecchies, J. W. Forster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Molecular marker-assisted plant breeding is a key target for the temperate legume pasture crop white clover (Trifolium repens L.). The first genetic linkage map of white clover has been constructed using self-fertile mutants to derive an intercross based fourth and fifth generation inbred parental genotypes (F₂[I.4R x I.5J]). The framework map was constructed using simple sequence repeat (TRSSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Eighteen linkage groups (LG) corresponding to the anticipated 16 chromosomes of white clover (2n = 4x = 32), with a total map length of 825 cM were derived from a total of …