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Recombination As An Enforcement Mechanism Of Prosocial Behavior In Cooperating Bacteria, Isaiah Paolo A. Lee, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, J. Peter Gogarten, Cheryl P. Andam

Biology Faculty Articles

Prosocial behavior is ubiquitous in nature despite the relative fitness costs carried by cooperative individuals. However, the stability of cooperation in populations is fragile and often maintained through enforcement. We propose that homologous recombination provides such a mechanism in bacteria. Using an agent-based model of recombination in bacteria playing a public goods game, we demonstrate how changes in recombination rates affect the proportion of cooperating cells. In our model, recombination converts cells to a different strategy, either freeloading (cheaters) or cooperation, based on the strategies of neighboring cells and recombination rate. Increasing the recombination rate expands the parameter space in …

Phosphorus Sorption And Kinetics Across The Sediment-Water Interface Of Utah Lake, A Shallow Eutrophic Lake, Forrest Fielding Stretch Jarvis Jarvis

Theses and Dissertations

Internal sediment phosphorus (P) cycling may regulate harmful algal blooms (HABs) in shallow eutrophic lakes. Utah Lake frequently experiences HABs despite its high alkalinity and P-rich sediment. Phosphorus cycling between the lakebed and the water column is dependent upon stable P-sorption with organic matter (OM) and mineral species, which can vary with substrate availability, P-concentrations, temperature, redox, pH, and microbial activity. A full biogeochemical analysis of the water and sediment across seven sites shows Utah Lake to be spatially well-mixed in terms of composition and sorption, with few exceptions. Sediment P-concentrations (avg. 677 mg-P kg-1) primarily correlate with redox-sensitive iron …

Early-Adulthood Spike In Protein Translation Drives Aging Via Juvenile Hormone/Germline Signaling, Harper S Kim, Danitra J Parker, Madison M Hardiman, Erin Munkácsy, Nisi Jiang, Aric N Rogers, Yidong Bai, Colin Brent, James A Mobley, Steven N Austad, Andrew M Pickering

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Protein translation (PT) declines with age in invertebrates, rodents, and humans. It has been assumed that elevated PT at young ages is beneficial to health and PT ends up dropping as a passive byproduct of aging. In Drosophila, we show that a transient elevation in PT during early-adulthood exerts long-lasting negative impacts on aging trajectories and proteostasis in later-life. Blocking the early-life PT elevation robustly improves life-/health-span and prevents age-related protein aggregation, whereas transiently inducing an early-life PT surge in long-lived fly strains abolishes their longevity/proteostasis benefits. The early-life PT elevation triggers proteostatic dysfunction, silences stress responses, and drives age-related …

Emotions As Social Objects In The Justice System: How Feelings Develop In Justice Processes And What They Do., Peyton Alexander Warman

Online Theses and Dissertations

Criminological research on emotionality and emotional demonstration in justice processes remains underdeveloped. One method of approaching the issue of understanding emotions in the justice setting is to conceptualize them as a form of social communication, impacted by the structure of the legal domain yet holding significant influence on their own. This thesis seeks to establish how emotions are rooted in social dynamics, and how the justice system, in both restorative and punitive contexts, including prison environments, creates specific social conditions that guide emotional demonstration and interpretation. The comprehensive review of established literature leads to the initial conclusion that emotions are …

Using Mesocosms To Model Optimal Levels Of Body Size Variation In Larval Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma Maculatum), Ian Kratzer

Online Theses and Dissertations

Body size is a critical aspect of an organism’s biological identity mediated by various biotic and abiotic factors. Body size historically been approached through “single optima” approaches, but body size variation modifies both inter- and intraspecific interactions and impacts competition-driven fitness outcomes within populations. Understanding optimal levels of body size variation will help illuminate how variation influences competitive outcomes and reproductive fitness. Populations may be structured through resource partitioning or competitive hierarchies, yet these structures predict contradictory size variation optima. This study sought to determine optimal levels of intraspecific body size variation in populations of larval salamanders to evaluate these …

Scaled Ecology: A Framework For Evaluating Conservation Of Wildlife Ecological Processes, Johanna A. Hodge

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Ecological processes are scaled in time and space, including those associated with wildlife. Understanding the ecological processes of wildlife species and their contributions to ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation. This study focuses on American bison (Bison bison) as a case-study species to explore the holistic scaling of wildlife ecology. A PRISMA-style literature review was conducted to gather and map the scaled ecology of bison. An AIC best-fit analysis was conducted to assess the scaling of total bison ecology considering 7 different models. The results rejected the null model and identified the best-fit model as a combination between fencing and …

Authors’ Response To The Validity Of Cortisol And Galvanic Skin Responses For Measuring Student Stress During Training, Shannon Toohey, Alisa Wray, John F. Hunter, Soheil Saadat, Megan Boysen-Osborn, Jonathan Smart, Warren Wiechmann, Sarah D. Pressman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

No abstract provided.

Rhodolith-Forming Coralline Red Algae In The Caco3 Biofactory — A Case Study From The Serravallian Of Tropical Northeastern Indian Ocean, Rikee Dey, Daniela Basso, Arindam Chakraborty, Lopamudra Roy, Ajoy Kumar Bhaumik, Amit K. Ghosh

Research Publications (2021 to 2025)

Non-geniculate coral red algae forming rhodoliths have been recorded in the Long Formation, exposed in four different outcrops on Little Andaman Island (Hut Bay). Non-geniculate corallines are represented by species of Sporolithon Heydrich, 1897, Mesophyllum Lemoine, 1928, Lithothamnion Heydrich, 1897, Phymatolithon Foslie, 1898, Lithoporella (Foslie) Foslie, 1909, Spongites Kützing, 1841, Neogoniolithon Setchell & Mason, 1943 and Lithophyllum Philippi, 1837. Algal assemblages also include geniculate corallines belonging to the generaAmphiroa Lamouroux, 1812 and CorallinaLinnaeus, 1758. Additionally, larger benthic foraminifera and some planktonic foraminifera were also identified in the thin section analysis. Based on the previous study carried out on planktonic foraminifera, …

Food Web Of Icy Strait, Alaska: Comparison Of Position, Size, And Overlap Of Trophic Niche Among Fish Species, Andrew D. Suchomel

Theses and Dissertations

The Icy Strait of southeast Alaska, USA is an ideal system to study how ecological diversity is maintained. This area has historical ecological significance and supports diverse assemblages of fish species that are easily sampled. We used stable isotope analysis using δ13C and δ15N stable isotope ratios. Using these isotope ratios, we quantified trophic niche position, size, and overlap and compared how those trophic niche metrics varied using ecological and evolutionary perspectives. For ecological variation, mean total length, and δ13C trophic niche position has positive relationships with trophic niche size while total percent trophic niche overlap had a strong negative …

Early-Phase Neuroplasticity Induced By Offline Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation In Primates, N Bault, Sn Yaakub, E Fouragnan

School of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Queer Frontier: Gender, Sexuality, And Intimacy In Minnesota Before 1900, Tyler J. Amick

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The colonization of Minnesota brought about a sexual revolution that redefined what gender, sexuality, and intimacy meant within Minnesotan society before the turn of the twentieth century. Initial Euro-American forays into Minnesota created a hybridized society where indigenous traditions and Euro-American cultural ideas intermixed. Fur traders and early settlers broadly accepted indigenous customs, and some Euro-Americans even adopted indigenous practices. The most apparent of these practices are indigenous marriage rites. Large numbers of fur traders engaged in marriages à la façons du pays, in the style of the Dakota and Ojibwe. In some instances, these fur traders even engaged in …

Advances In The Radiological Evaluation Of And Theranostics For Glioblastoma, Grayson W Hooper, Shehbaz Ansari, Jason M Johnson, Daniel T Ginat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Imaging is essential for evaluating patients with glioblastoma. Traditionally a multimodality undertaking, CT, including CT cerebral blood profusion, PET/CT with traditional fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), and MRI have been the mainstays for diagnosis and post-therapeutic assessment. However, recent advances in these modalities, in league with the emerging fields of radiomics and theranostics, may prove helpful in improving diagnostic accuracy and treating the disease.

The Interplay Between H3k36 Methylation And Dna Methylation In Cancer, Jiameng Dan, Zeling Du, Jinghong Zhang, Taiping Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

In Vitro Hepatotoxicity Evaluation Of Methotrexate-Loaded Niosome Formulation: Fabrication, Characterization And Cell Culture Studies, Ahmet Doğan Ergi̇n, Çağatay Oltulu, Nebi̇ye Peli̇n Türker, Gülen Meli̇ke Demi̇rbolat

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist that is widely used to treat osteosarcoma, leukemia, breast cancer, and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The most important concerns with MTX are its poor solubility and high toxicity, particularly in liver cells. To enhance its solubility and to minimize its toxicity, we encapsulated MTX in niosomes and investigated its hepatotoxicity mechanisms using genetic biomarkers. Materials and methods: Niosomes were successfully prepared using a modified thin film method, and the prepared monodisperse smallsized formulation was subsequently characterized. In vitro cytotoxicity studies were performed both in hepatocarcinoma (HEP3G) and healthy liver (AML12) cell lines. …

Emergency Ultrasound Of Respiratory Muscles: A Promising Tool For Determining The Outcomes Of Copd Exacerbations, Di̇nçer Yegi̇n, Alten Oskay, Tülay Oskay, Selcan Enver Di̇nç, Hande Şenol, Mert Özen, Vefa Çakmak, Murat Seyi̇t, Atakan Yilmaz, İbrahi̇m Türkçüer

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The respiratory muscles of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit structural and functional changes that can be evaluated and monitored by ultrasonography. Materials and methods: This single-center, prospective study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care hospital over an eight-month period (September 2020-May 2021). Diaphragmatic excursions, end-expiratory thickness, and thickening fractions, as well as right and left intercostal muscle thicknesses, of all adult subjects manifesting COPD exacerbation, were assessed. The data were analyzed regarding ward/intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization or discharge from the ED, mortality, and readmission within 15 days. Results: Sixty-three subjects …

Cultivated Autologous Limbal Epithelial Cell (Calec) Transplantation: Development Of Manufacturing Process And Clinical Evaluation Of Feasibility And Safety, Ula V Jurkunas, Jia Yin, Lynette K Johns, Sanming Li, Helene Negre, Kit L Shaw, Lassana Samarakoon, Allison R Ayala, Ahmad Kheirkhah, Kishore Katikireddy, Alex Gauthier, Stephan Ong Tone, Aaron R Kaufman, Stacey Ellender, Diego E Hernandez Rodriguez, Heather Daley, Reza Dana, Myriam Armant, Jerome Ritz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To treat unilateral limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency, we developed cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cells (CALEC) using an innovative xenobiotic-free, serum-free, antibiotic-free, two-step manufacturing process for LSC isolation and expansion onto human amniotic membrane with rigorous quality control in a good manufacturing practices facility. Limbal biopsies were used to generate CALEC constructs, and final grafts were evaluated by noninvasive scanning microscopy and tested for viability and sterility. Cultivated cells maintained epithelial cell phenotype with colony-forming and proliferative capacities. Analysis of LSC biomarkers showed preservation of "stemness." After preclinical development, a phase 1 clinical trial enrolled five patients with unilateral LSC …

Fetal Metabolic Adaptations To Cardiovascular Stress In Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, Jacqueline G Parchem, Huihui Fan, Lovepreet K Mann, Qiuying Chen, Jong H Won, Steven S Gross, Zhongming Zhao, Heinrich Taegtmeyer, Ramesha Papanna

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies are susceptible to unique complications arising from a single placenta shared by two fetuses. Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a constellation of disturbances caused by unequal blood flow within the shared placenta giving rise to a major hemodynamic imbalance between the twins. Here, we applied TTTS as a model to uncover fetal metabolic adaptations to cardiovascular stress. We compared untargeted metabolomic analyses of amniotic fluid samples from severe TTTS cases vs. singleton controls. Amniotic fluid metabolites demonstrated alterations in fatty acid, glucose, and steroid hormone metabolism in TTTS. Among TTTS cases, unsupervised principal component analysis revealed two …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, August 18, 2023, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.

An Essay On Cover Crops, Crop Yield Risks And Crop Insurance, Rajan Dhakal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

To reduce the rising negative environmental impacts of crop production (e.g., chemical runoff, soil erosion) using conservation practices in farming has become a very important policy and research focus. However, the interest of farmers in adopting conservation practices is highly dependent on the potential private benefits that these practices create. With the chances for increased weather variability and frequent extreme weather conditions, cover crops have been gaining more attention, as their on-farm benefits can provide an effective buffer against unfavorable weather events such as excess dry and wet conditions. Despite providing several benefits, cover crop adoption in the US remain …

Increased Sirt3 Combined With Parp Inhibition Rescues Motor Function Of Sbma Mice, David R Garcia Castro, Joseph R Mazuk, Erin M Heine, Daniel Simpson, R Seth Pinches, Caroline Lozzi, Kathryn Hoffman, Phillip Morrin, Dylan Mathis, Maria V Lebedev, Elyse Nissley, Kang Hoo Han, Tyler Farmer, Diane E Merry, Qiang Tong, Maria Pennuto, Heather L Montie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neuromuscular disease with substantial mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunctions. SBMA is caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). Activating or increasing the NAD+-dependent deacetylase, SIRT3, reduced oxidative stress and death of cells modeling SBMA. However, increasing diminished SIRT3 in AR100Q mice failed to reduce acetylation of the SIRT3 target/antioxidant, SOD2, and had no effect on increased total acetylated peptides in quadriceps. Yet, overexpressing SIRT3 resulted in a trend of motor recovery, and corrected TCA cycle activity by decreasing acetylation of SIRT3 target proteins. We sought to boost blunted SIRT3 activity …

A Defective Mechanosensing Pathway Affects Fibroblast-To-Myofibroblast Transition In The Old Male Mouse Heart, Aude Angelini, Joann Trial, Alexander B Saltzman, Anna Malovannaya, Katarzyna A Cieslik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The cardiac fibroblast interacts with an extracellular matrix (ECM), enabling myofibroblast maturation via a process called mechanosensing. Although in the aging male heart, ECM is stiffer than in the young mouse, myofibroblast development is impaired, as demonstrated in 2-D and 3-D experiments. In old male cardiac fibroblasts, we found a decrease in actin polymerization, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Kindlin-2 expressions, the latter an effector of the mechanosensing. When Kindlin-2 levels were manipulated via siRNA interference, young fibroblasts developed an old-like fibroblast phenotype, whereas Kindlin-2 overexpression in old fibroblasts reversed the defective phenotype. Finally, inhibition of overactivated extracellular regulated kinases …

Vegf-B Prevents Excessive Angiogenesis By Inhibiting Fgf2/Fgfr1 Pathway, Chunsik Lee, David M Ornitz, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although VEGF-B was discovered as a VEGF-A homolog a long time ago, the angiogenic effect of VEGF-B remains poorly understood with limited and diverse findings from different groups. Notwithstanding, drugs that inhibit VEGF-B together with other VEGF family members are being used to treat patients with various neovascular diseases. It is therefore critical to have a better understanding of the angiogenic effect of VEGF-B and the underlying mechanisms. Using comprehensive in vitro and in vivo methods and models, we reveal here for the first time an unexpected and surprising function of VEGF-B as an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis by inhibiting …

Muscle Architecture And Maximal Strength Between Male Practitioners Of Functional Fitness Training And Strength Training, Silas Nery De Oliveira, Grazieli Maria Biduski Zapello, Débora Aparecida Knihs, Gabriela Fischer, Antônio Renato Pereira Moro

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(7): 1142-1153, 2023. Functional Fitness Training (FFT) is a very popular training method in recent years. However, the combination of aerobic and strength components of this training method raised the hypothesis of impaired strength and muscle structure when compared to Strength Training (ST). Thus, the study aimed to compare muscle architecture and strength between FFT and ST, and the relationship between muscle architecture and maximum strength performance. Males (28.46 ± 6.03 years), nonathletes, and practitioners for two years in FFT (n = 8) and ST (n = 8), in addition to males classified as physically …

Otto Karl Wiesenburg: A Racial Moderate Who Helped Crack The Walls Of The Mississippi "Closed Society", Charles M. Dollar

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Does Loyalty Program Membership Lead To Repeat Purchase: A Demographic Analysis With Customer Profiling And Machine Learning, Reeti Agarwal

Management Dynamics

Background: The current study was undertaken to find out the various benefits customers perceive as accruing from being members of loyalty programs of departmental stores. The study outspreads Yi and Jeon’s (2003) work assimilated along with the diverse advantages framework advocated by Mimouni-Chaabane and Volle (2010) from the perspective of departmental stores in India. Objective: The primary aim of the current study is to find out different groups of customers based on their perception of loyalty program benefits and to identify their demographic profile. Material and methods: The scale relating to observed loyalty program benefits was authenticated in respect of …

Integrated Water Quality Assessment In Damietta Branch Intakes At Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, M. Elbagoury, H. Omara, Bakenaz A. Zeidan

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The water quality of the Damietta branch evaluated and assessed using the water quality index (WQI), including twenty-one physical, chemical, and biological parameters (Temperature, Turbidity, Chlorine, Electrical Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, pH, Chloride, Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Dissolved Oxygen, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biological Oxygen Demand, Nitrogen, Sulfate, Calcium, Total phosphorus, Sodium, Potassium, Nitrate, Magnesium, and Total Coliform) measured at eleven different drinking water intake stations in Dakahlia governorate along the Damietta branch of the Nile river for four successive years from 2018 to 2021. The scale for evaluating the water quality of the Damietta branch of the Nile River is …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - August 17, 2023, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the August 17, 2023 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents include:

• USA SRFC receives grant to support' Food as Medicine initiative
• Basic medical sciences graduate student receives esteemed Gilliam fellowship
• All of Us research program seeks participants
• USA mourns loss of Cindy sheets, M.D.. retires pediatrics faculty member
• Register now: CME opportunities for opioids and ethics credits

Augmenting Addiction Management: The Potential Efficacy Of Combining Rtms With Cbt, Dylan Schroeder

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Capstone Presentations (Center City)

Abstract

Non-substance and substance related addictive disorders contribute a high global disease burden with relatively poor treatment options with poor craving control and high relapse rates. CBT is a well-documented treatment modality which is the cornerstone for top-down behavioral management of cravings and preventing relapse, but its clinical efficacy is limited. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an emerging treatment method which may reduce cravings and relapse rates through a bottom-up neurochemical approach.

There is potential that the rTMS reduction of bottom-up cravings may synergistically enhance the top-down control of cravings established with CBT. Existing primary research demonstrates that a …

Assessment Of The Glycan-Binding Profile Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pao1., Hector Sanchez, George A O'Toole, Brent Berwin

Faculty Research 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can establish acute and chronic infections in individuals who lack fully functional innate immunity. In particular, phagocytosis by neutrophils and macrophages is a key mechanism that modulates host control and clearance of P. aeruginosa. Individuals with neutropenia or cystic fibrosis are highly susceptible to P. aeruginosa infection, thus underscoring the importance of the host innate immune response. Cell-to-cell contact between host innate immune cells and the pathogen, a first step in phagocytic uptake, is facilitated by simple and complex glycan structures present at the host cell surface. We have previously shown that endogenous …

Particle Drift Potential Of Mesotrione And Rimsulfuron Plus Thifensulfuron-Methyl Tank Mixture In A Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, Milan Brankov, Guilherme Sousa Alves, Bruno Canella Vieira, Milos Zaric, Greg R. Kruger

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

Particle drift happens during herbicide application when droplets travel outside the intended site. Different nozzles produce various range of droplets, so they play a very important role in coverage and drift occasions. When nozzles produce small droplets, the potential for off-target movement is very high. Another important factor determining particle drift is the distance between crops. Wind velocity gives the energy to herbicide particles to move away from the target place. Therefore, a drift simulation of herbicide (mesotrione and rimsulfuron plus thifensulfuron-methyl mixture) was done in a wind tunnel, using different nozzles Extended Range (XR) and Turbo TeeJet Induction (TTI). …