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On The Need For New Measures Of Phylogenomic Support, Robert C. Thomson, Jeremy M. Brown Jan 2022

On The Need For New Measures Of Phylogenomic Support, Robert C. Thomson, Jeremy M. Brown

Faculty Publications

The scale of data sets used to infer phylogenies has grown dramatically in the last decades, providing researchers with an enormous amount of information with which to draw inferences about evolutionary history. However, standard approaches to assessing confidence in those inferences (e.g., nonparametric bootstrap proportions [BP] and Bayesian posterior probabilities [PPs]) are still deeply influenced by statistical procedures and frameworks that were developed when information was much more limited. These approaches largely quantify uncertainty caused by limited amounts of data, which is often vanishingly small with modern, genome-scale sequence data sets. As a consequence, today's phylogenomic studies routinely report near-complete …


Regenerative Agriculture Effects On Invertebrate And Bird Communities And Insect-Provided Ecosystem Services, Alex Michels Jan 2022

Regenerative Agriculture Effects On Invertebrate And Bird Communities And Insect-Provided Ecosystem Services, Alex Michels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conventional agricultural practices can have unintended consequences on the environment and wildlife. Insects and birds are declining at rapid rates around the world, and the current conventional agricultural paradigm is a major driver through habitat loss and the intensification of production. Invertebrates in agroecosystems provide services to both farmers and the rest of society. Regenerative systems may promote the functioning of an agroecosystem by influencing invertebrate abundance, diversity, and ecosystem services and mitigate bird and insect declines through conservation practices that increase soil health, reduce disturbances, and increase biological diversity. Here I address knowledge gaps of the effects of regenerative …


Leveraging Queueing Theory To Develop Advanced Synthetic Biological Circuits, Prajakta K. Jadhav Jan 2022

Leveraging Queueing Theory To Develop Advanced Synthetic Biological Circuits, Prajakta K. Jadhav

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The complexity and redundancy in the network topology of the cell hinder our understanding of the natural system, making it challenging to engineer living organisms with the desired functionality. The long-term goal of synthetic biology and bioengineering is to engineer cells to perform specific functions with increased robustness. The robust engineered systems can be easily applied to different species with the same outcome. An effective approach is a bottom-up approach where we tease apart the biological pathways and study them independently. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of biological pathways can be further applied to construct complex biological circuits that function similarly …


Learning By Doing: Student Group Fitness Instructors Gain Leadership, Communication, And Relationship Building Skills In Campus Recreation, Morgyn Felty Jan 2022

Learning By Doing: Student Group Fitness Instructors Gain Leadership, Communication, And Relationship Building Skills In Campus Recreation, Morgyn Felty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student employee positions in campus recreation allow students to gain transferrable skills. Previous studies show that students employed in specialized program areas have different experiences that are beneficial for their development. Addressing the gap in research, the purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between leadership, communication, and relationship building skills among student group fitness instructors. Additionally, to investigate if transferrable skill development varies based on an instructor’s work experience and demographics. A total of 112 student group fitness instructors from 17 different NIRSA institutions completed an electronic questionnaire in the fall of 2021. Recreation directors were invited …


Response Of Soil Biochemical And Physical Properties To Long Term Prairie Cordgrass And Kura Clover Intercropping System, Vaishnavi Varikuti Jan 2022

Response Of Soil Biochemical And Physical Properties To Long Term Prairie Cordgrass And Kura Clover Intercropping System, Vaishnavi Varikuti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) (PCG) is a warm-season perennial grass that can be used as a biofuel feedstock and can be grown on marginal lands. Previous studies on intercropping of a perennial legume i.e., kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum) (KC) with PCG can improve soil biochemical properties, increase biomass production, mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while reducing the chemical fertilizer requirement. However, there is a lack of evidence about the effects of PCG production on soil biochemical and physical properties during the cropping season and at deeper soil depths in reference to support plant growth, environmental implications and enhance the soil …


Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Encroachment On South-Central South Dakota Rangelands: Impact On Plant Communities, Austin K. Domeier Jan 2022

Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Encroachment On South-Central South Dakota Rangelands: Impact On Plant Communities, Austin K. Domeier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grasslands historically covered 46 million km2 of Earth’s surface representing nearly 42% of the living vegetation. Encroachment of woody species onto grasslands and savannas is a widely researched global phenomenon, with eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) trees being the most prominent woody encroacher in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) due to the lack of prescribed fire and planted ERC escaping from shelterbelts. This encroachment poses a threat to native plant communities in terms of their reproduction, regeneration, and diversity. ERC are fierce competitors and can establish in most soil types, are drought tolerant, and prolific seed reproducers. These qualities …


Characterizing The Lir Domain Of Abin1 And Identifying Its Role As A Regulator Of Mitophagy, Andrew Rhiner Jan 2022

Characterizing The Lir Domain Of Abin1 And Identifying Its Role As A Regulator Of Mitophagy, Andrew Rhiner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A20 Inhibitor of NF-κB (ABIN1/TNIP1) is a known regulator of TNFα signaling induced cell death and inflammation. The regulatory activity has been attributed to ABIN1’s recruitment of the ubiquitin editing enzyme TNF-α-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3/A20) to Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1). The regulation of RIPK1 by ABIN1 and A20 relies on a third player, linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC), which is involved in the recruitment of ABIN1 to RIPK1. Loss of LUBAC or ABIN1 is embryonic lethal, but loss of A20 is not embryonic lethal. The embryonic lethality due to loss of ABIN1, paired with the lack of lethality …


Effect Of Finishing System And Animal Age On Carcass Traits And Nutritional Profile Of Bison Bulls, Clay Newton Jan 2022

Effect Of Finishing System And Animal Age On Carcass Traits And Nutritional Profile Of Bison Bulls, Clay Newton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this thesis project were to 1) evaluate the influence of grain- and grass-finishing systems on carcass characteristics, proximate composition, nutritional profile, and fatty acid composition of bison bull meat, and 2) evaluate the influence of animal age on carcass characteristics of bison bulls. For objective 1, bison bulls were allowed to graze native range in north-central Nebraska until approximately 26 mo of age, when they were randomly assigned to either grain-finishing (n = 98; in an open lot with ad libitum access to prairie hay, alfalfa hay and corn for 95 d prior to slaughter) or grass-finishing …


Living In A Gradient: The Influence Of Water Temperature Variation On Development, Settling Time And Survival Of Pallid Sturgeon Larvae In The Missouri River, Maria Elizabeth Erceg Jan 2022

Living In A Gradient: The Influence Of Water Temperature Variation On Development, Settling Time And Survival Of Pallid Sturgeon Larvae In The Missouri River, Maria Elizabeth Erceg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) are a federally endangered species experiencing widespread reproduction and recruitment failures. Recruitment failure is hypothesized to be caused by habitat modifications made to the Missouri River that disrupt connectivity and alter temperature profiles downstream of constructed dams. Hypolimnetic releases from Missouri River dams affect the temperature downstream, creating colder conditions during the downstream drifting phase for dispersing larvae. Understanding the influence of water temperature changes on larval development is crucial for recovery efforts. In this study, we evaluated the effects of water temperature daily heating rate on energy use, settling behavior, and growth rate of endogenously …


A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis Of The Temperature And Impurity Profiles In The Protodune-Sp Neutrino Detector, Jenna Harrison Jan 2022

A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis Of The Temperature And Impurity Profiles In The Protodune-Sp Neutrino Detector, Jenna Harrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of the ProtoDUNE single-phase detector were developed, refined, and analyzed. The ProtoDUNE single-phase detector is a prototype detector that is part of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, an international research collaboration aimed at better understanding neutrinos and the role they play in our universe. The ProtoDUNE single-phase detector is used to gather data and inform design changes for the full-sized far detector prior to its construction. The effects of certain geometric features and heat sources on the thermal profiles within the liquid region of the detector were investigated in a set of parametric studies. The …


Machine-Learning And Meta-Analysis Techniques To Quantify And Predict Soil Organic Carbon, N2O-N And Co2-C Emissions In Cover Crop Systems, Deepak Raj Joshi Jan 2022

Machine-Learning And Meta-Analysis Techniques To Quantify And Predict Soil Organic Carbon, N2O-N And Co2-C Emissions In Cover Crop Systems, Deepak Raj Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

People worldwide are challenged by multiple threats including climate change, growing populations, and soil degradation. Addressing these challenges requires understanding of the local environment, farming systems and modern technologies. These technologies include new ways to process information that include artificial intelligence, machine learning and meta-analysis. Models produced using these technologies may be useful for predicting the consequences of implementing conservation practices that reduce GHG emissions as well as for determining the carbon footprint of cropping systems that include environmentally friendly conservation technologies such as growing cover crop. Therefore, our objectives of this study were to: 1) provide an overview of …


Understanding The Impact Of Human Germline Single-Nucleotide Variants, Samuel Adjei Jan 2022

Understanding The Impact Of Human Germline Single-Nucleotide Variants, Samuel Adjei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

All genetic variations in the human genome are due to mutations, and therefore determining the impact of the different categories of mutations, particularly nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) which are the most abundant in the population is essential for understanding the genetics of human diseases. Generations of mutation studies have focused on a relatively small number, partly due to technological limitations. However, advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed for empirical assessments of genome-wide mutations. genome sequence of any individual contains extensive protein-altering genetic variation (missense mutations) and of which only a few are unambiguously deleterious. Characterizing the phenotypes of these …


Influence Of Market Type And Time Of Purchase On Bacterial Counts And Salmonella And Listeria Prevalence In Whole Chickens In Vietnam, April K. Englishbey, Anuraj T. Sukumaran, Phuong T. T. Vu, Yen T. Thuc, Man V. V. Le, Dzung H. Nguyen, Paul R. Broadway, Lacey M. Guillen, Mindy M. Brashears, Janet R. Donaldson, M. Wes Schilling, Chelsie B. Dahlgren, Brian J. Rude, Mark A. Crenshaw, Thu T. N. Dinh Jan 2022

Influence Of Market Type And Time Of Purchase On Bacterial Counts And Salmonella And Listeria Prevalence In Whole Chickens In Vietnam, April K. Englishbey, Anuraj T. Sukumaran, Phuong T. T. Vu, Yen T. Thuc, Man V. V. Le, Dzung H. Nguyen, Paul R. Broadway, Lacey M. Guillen, Mindy M. Brashears, Janet R. Donaldson, M. Wes Schilling, Chelsie B. Dahlgren, Brian J. Rude, Mark A. Crenshaw, Thu T. N. Dinh

Faculty Publications

The objective of the current study was to determine the influence of market type and sampling time on Salmonella and Listeria prevalence and bacterial counts of 180 whole chicken carcasses collected from 6 supermarkets (SM), 6 indoor markets (IM), and 6 open markets (OM) in Vietnam, at opening (T0) and 4 h after the opening (T4). Salmonella and Listeria prevalence was at least 25.6% and 42.7%, respectively. Whole birds in IM had greater Salmonella prevalence than birds from both SM and OM by 28.4% and 23.0% (P = 0.006 and 0.022, respectively). Listeria prevalence was lower in whole chickens from …


Animal Histories Of The Civil War, Darcy Ingram Jan 2022

Animal Histories Of The Civil War, Darcy Ingram

Civil War Book Review

Earl J. Hess et al. teach readers about “camels imported in the South for transportation . . . pigs’ multifaceted relationship to wartime economics and politics . . . wildlife in varied forms and contexts” as well as “animals in contexts that might be considered broadly as entertainment," and fill "'a gaping hole in the Civil War literature concerning animals'" along the way.


Nekton Community Dynamics Within Active And Inactive Deltas In A Major River Estuary: Potential Implications For Altered Hydrology Regimes, Caleb B. Taylor, John Andrew Nyman, Megan K. La Peyre Jan 2022

Nekton Community Dynamics Within Active And Inactive Deltas In A Major River Estuary: Potential Implications For Altered Hydrology Regimes, Caleb B. Taylor, John Andrew Nyman, Megan K. La Peyre

Faculty Publications

High fisheries production within estuaries is associated with coastal upwelling, tidal mixing, and land-based runoff facing increasing impacts from climate and human activities. Active river deltas receive large riverine inflows compared to inactive river deltas, providing contrasting estuaries to compare impacts of river inflow on estuarine nekton. We quantified nekton assemblages and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) of commercially important blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 within an active and inactive delta in coastal Louisiana to explore the impacts of differing riverine inflow. Crustaceans dominated estuarine assemblages, differing only by season and not delta type, with summer and fall supporting highest …


An Open Hardware 3-D Printed Device For Measuring Tensile Properties Of Thermoplastic Filament Polymers At Cryogenic Temperatures, Yue Liu, Ju Dong, Terrence R. Tiersch, Qinglin Wu, William T. Monroe Jan 2022

An Open Hardware 3-D Printed Device For Measuring Tensile Properties Of Thermoplastic Filament Polymers At Cryogenic Temperatures, Yue Liu, Ju Dong, Terrence R. Tiersch, Qinglin Wu, William T. Monroe

Faculty Publications

With the emerging recognition of open scientific hardware, rapid prototyping technology such as three-dimensional (3-D) printing is becoming widely available for fields such as cryobiology, and cryopreservation, where material selection for instruments and hardware has traditionally been problematic due to extreme low temperatures. A better understanding of the mechanical properties of 3-D printing thermoplastics at cryogenic temperatures is essential to material selection, part design, and printing optimization. The goal of the present study was to explore the feasibility of development for a 3-D printed device (‘CryoTensileDevice’) to hold a test specimen in liquid nitrogen and be mounted in standard mechanical …


Racial Discrimination And Hazardous Drinking Among Black Drinkers: The Role Of Social Anxiety In The Minority Stress Model, Julia D. Buckner, Nina I. Glover, Justin M. Shepherd, Michael J. Zvolensky Jan 2022

Racial Discrimination And Hazardous Drinking Among Black Drinkers: The Role Of Social Anxiety In The Minority Stress Model, Julia D. Buckner, Nina I. Glover, Justin M. Shepherd, Michael J. Zvolensky

Faculty Publications

Objective: Black Americans who consume alcohol experience worse alcohol-related outcomes. Thus, identifying psycho-sociocultural factors that play a role in hazardous drinking among Black individuals is vital to informing prevention and treatment efforts to reduce these disparities. Racial discrimination is related to hazardous drinking among Black adults, suggesting that some may drink (and continue to drink despite drinking-related problems) to alleviate negative affect (e.g., depression, anxiety) associated with discrimination. Yet, despite the social nature of both racial discrimination and drinking, no known research has examined the role of social anxiety in the relations among racial discrimination experiences and hazardous drinking. Method: …


An Estrogen-Sensitive Hypothalamus-Midbrain Neural Circuit Controls Thermogenesis And Physical Activity, Hui Ye, Bing Feng, Chunmei Wang, Kenji Saito, Yongjie Yang, Lucas Ibrahimi, Sarah Schaul, Nirali Patel, Leslie Saenz, Pei Luo, Penghua Lai, Valeria Torres, Maya Kota, Devin Dixit, Xing Cai, Na Qu, Ilirjana Hyseni, Kaifan Yu, Yuwei Jiang, Qingchun Tong, Zheng Sun, Benjamin R. Arenkiel, Yanlin He, Pingwen Xu, Yong Xu Jan 2022

An Estrogen-Sensitive Hypothalamus-Midbrain Neural Circuit Controls Thermogenesis And Physical Activity, Hui Ye, Bing Feng, Chunmei Wang, Kenji Saito, Yongjie Yang, Lucas Ibrahimi, Sarah Schaul, Nirali Patel, Leslie Saenz, Pei Luo, Penghua Lai, Valeria Torres, Maya Kota, Devin Dixit, Xing Cai, Na Qu, Ilirjana Hyseni, Kaifan Yu, Yuwei Jiang, Qingchun Tong, Zheng Sun, Benjamin R. Arenkiel, Yanlin He, Pingwen Xu, Yong Xu

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Estrogen receptor–α (ERα) expressed by neurons in the ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (ERαvlVMH) regulates body weight in females, but the downstream neural circuits mediating this biology remain largely unknown. Here we identified a neural circuit mediating the metabolic effects of ERαvlVMH neurons. We found that selective activation of ERαvlVMH neurons stimulated brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, physical activity, and core temperature and that ERαvlVMH neurons provide monosynaptic glutamatergic inputs to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). Notably, the ERαvlVMH → DRN circuit responds to changes in ambient temperature and nutritional states. We further showed …


Effects Of A Short-Term Cold Exposure On Circulating Micrornas And Metabolic Parameters In Healthy Adult Subjects, Marc Thibonnier, Sujoy Ghosh, Anne Blanchard Jan 2022

Effects Of A Short-Term Cold Exposure On Circulating Micrornas And Metabolic Parameters In Healthy Adult Subjects, Marc Thibonnier, Sujoy Ghosh, Anne Blanchard

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

This discovery study investigated in healthy subjects whether a short-term cold exposure may alter circulating microRNAs and metabolic parameters and if co-expression networks between these factors could be identified. This open randomized crossover (cold vs no cold exposure) study with blind end- point evaluation was conducted at 1 center with 10 healthy adult male volunteers. Wearing a cooling vest perfused at 14°C for 2 h reduced the local skin temperature without triggering shivering, increased norepinephrine and blood pressure while decreasing copeptin, C-peptide and heart rate. Circulating microRNAs measured before and after wearing the cooling vest twice (4 time points) identified …


Monitoring Leaf Phenology In Moist Tropical Forests By Applying A Superpixel-Based Deep Learning Method To Time-Series Images Of Tree Canopies, Guangqin Song, Shengbiao Wu, Calvin K.F. Lee, Shawn P. Serbin, Brett T. Wolfe, Michael K. Ng, Kim S. Ely, Marc Bogonovich, Jing Wang, Ziyu Lin, Scott Saleska, Bruce W. Nelson, Alistair Rogers, Jin Wu Jan 2022

Monitoring Leaf Phenology In Moist Tropical Forests By Applying A Superpixel-Based Deep Learning Method To Time-Series Images Of Tree Canopies, Guangqin Song, Shengbiao Wu, Calvin K.F. Lee, Shawn P. Serbin, Brett T. Wolfe, Michael K. Ng, Kim S. Ely, Marc Bogonovich, Jing Wang, Ziyu Lin, Scott Saleska, Bruce W. Nelson, Alistair Rogers, Jin Wu

Faculty Publications

Tropical leaf phenology—particularly its variability at the tree-crown scale—dominates the seasonality of carbon and water fluxes. However, given enormous species diversity, accurate means of monitoring leaf phenology in tropical forests is still lacking. Time series of the Green Chromatic Coordinate (GCC) metric derived from tower-based red–greenblue (RGB) phenocams have been widely used to monitor leaf phenology in temperate forests, but its application in the tropics remains problematic. To improve monitoring of tropical phenology, we explored the use of a deep learning model (i.e. superpixel-based Residual Networks 50, SP-ResNet50) to automatically differentiate leaves from non-leaves in phenocam images and to derive …


Dietary Considerations For Postmenopausal Women, Kara L. Marlatt, Linda A. Gilmore, Emily W. Flanagan, Leanne M. Redman Jan 2022

Dietary Considerations For Postmenopausal Women, Kara L. Marlatt, Linda A. Gilmore, Emily W. Flanagan, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Midlife women commonly experience changes in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health because of menopause. Importantly, these health changes can negatively affect the overall quality of life. Specifically, women experience changes in metabolism and weight gain (particularly abdominal fat), bothersome vasomotor symptoms (i.e., hot flashes and night sweats), sleep disturbances, mood swings, and reduced bone health. Women may also experience social isolation, loneliness, and changes in gastrointestinal health, which can further reduce their quality of life. In this chapter, we summarize these important health changes and discuss various dietary and lifestyle considerations that healthcare professionals can employ to help their patients …


The Complicated Relationship Between Dieting, Dietary Restraint, Caloric Restriction, And Eating Disorders: Is A Shift In Public Health Messaging Warranted?, Tiffany M. Stewart, Corby K. Martin, Donald A. Williamson Jan 2022

The Complicated Relationship Between Dieting, Dietary Restraint, Caloric Restriction, And Eating Disorders: Is A Shift In Public Health Messaging Warranted?, Tiffany M. Stewart, Corby K. Martin, Donald A. Williamson

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

The origins of theories specifying dietary restraint as a cause of eating disorders can be traced to the 1970s. This paper will present an overview of the origins of dietary restraint theories and a brief historical review of evidence will be summarized. Recent research will be presented, including the results from the CALERIE Phase 1 study, as well as CALERIE Phase 2, which were NIH-sponsored randomized controlled trials. CALERIE 2 provided a test of the effect of two years of caloric restriction (CR) on the development of eating disorder syndromes and symptoms in comparison to a control group that did …


Deriving Tree Growth Models From Stand Models Based On The Selfthinning Rule Of Chinese Fir Plantations, Xiongqing Zhang, Quang V. Cao, Yancheng Qu, Jianguo Zhang Jan 2022

Deriving Tree Growth Models From Stand Models Based On The Selfthinning Rule Of Chinese Fir Plantations, Xiongqing Zhang, Quang V. Cao, Yancheng Qu, Jianguo Zhang

Faculty Publications

Self-thinning due to density-dependent mortality usually occurs during the forest development. To improve predictions of such processes during forest successions under climate change, reliable stand-level models are needed. In this study, we developed an integrated system of tree-and stand-level models by deriving tree diameter and survival models from stand growth and survival models based on climate-sensitive self-thinning rule of Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China. The resulting integrated system, having a unified mathematical structure, should provide consistent estimates at both tree and stand levels. Predictions were reasonable at both stand and tree levels. Because stand-level values aggregated from the tree …


Association Of Night-Time Screen-Viewing With Adolescents’ Diet, Sleep, Weight Status, And Adiposity, Chelsea L. Kracht, Jordan Gracie Wilburn, Stephanie T. Broyles, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Amanda E. Staiano Jan 2022

Association Of Night-Time Screen-Viewing With Adolescents’ Diet, Sleep, Weight Status, And Adiposity, Chelsea L. Kracht, Jordan Gracie Wilburn, Stephanie T. Broyles, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Amanda E. Staiano

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Night-time screen-viewing (SV) contributes to inadequate sleep and poor diet, and subse-quently excess weight. Adolescents may use many devices at night, which can provide additional night-time SV. Purpose: To identify night-time SV patterns, and describe differences in diet, sleep, weight status, and adiposity between patterns in a cross-sectional and longitudinal manner. Methods: Adolescents (10–16 y) reported devices they viewed at night and completed food recalls. Accelerome-try, anthropometrics, and imaging were conducted to measure sleep, weight status, and adiposity, respectively. Latent class analysis was performed to identify night-time SV clusters. Linear regression analysis was used to examine associations between clusters with …


Nutritional Status: An Overview Of Methods For Assessment, Catherine M. Champagne Jan 2022

Nutritional Status: An Overview Of Methods For Assessment, Catherine M. Champagne

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

For a number of medical conditions as well as weight status, an assessment of nutritional status can provide valuable information to direct treatment efforts. In the context of the seemingly constant increase in obesity, it is more important than ever to assess these individuals in the healthcare setting. A thorough nutrition assessment will enable the healthcare professional to craft a treatment plan that includes reduction of energy intake and/or increased physical activity to encourage weight loss. Efforts to do this successfully are not without challenges in the determination of dietary intakes since there does not appear now, or perhaps ever, …


Physical Fitness Spurts In Pre-Adolescent Boys And Girls: Timing, Intensity And Sequencing, Sara Pereira, Carla Santos, Go Tani, Duarte Freitas, Fernando Garbeloto, Eduardo Guimarães, Leah E. Robinson, Adam Baxter-Jones, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José Maia Jan 2022

Physical Fitness Spurts In Pre-Adolescent Boys And Girls: Timing, Intensity And Sequencing, Sara Pereira, Carla Santos, Go Tani, Duarte Freitas, Fernando Garbeloto, Eduardo Guimarães, Leah E. Robinson, Adam Baxter-Jones, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José Maia

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

We aim to (1) estimate age of attainment of the peak mid-growth spurt in stature (age-at-peak MGS) in pre-adolescent boys and girls; (2) identify the timing, intensity, and sequences of physical fitness (PF) spurts aligned by the age-at-peak MGS; and (3) identify any sex differences in PF spurts aligned by age-at-peak MGS. The sample included 180 Portuguese children (90 girls) aged 6 to 10 years at study entry who were followed annually for 4 years. Height, health-, and performance-related PF were assessed. Age-at-peak MGS and PF spurts were estimated using a non-smooth mathematical procedure. Boys’ and girls’ age-at-peak MGS occurred …


Perceptions Of Purpose, Cohesion, And Military Leadership: A Path Analysis Of Potential Primary Prevention Targets To Mitigate Suicidal Ideation, Benjamin Trachik, Emma H. Moscardini, Michelle L. Ganulin, Jen L. Mcdonald, Ashlee B. Mckeon, Raymond P. Tucker, Walter J. Sowden, Walter J. Sowden Jan 2022

Perceptions Of Purpose, Cohesion, And Military Leadership: A Path Analysis Of Potential Primary Prevention Targets To Mitigate Suicidal Ideation, Benjamin Trachik, Emma H. Moscardini, Michelle L. Ganulin, Jen L. Mcdonald, Ashlee B. Mckeon, Raymond P. Tucker, Walter J. Sowden, Walter J. Sowden

Faculty Publications

Rates of suicide in the US Army continue to rise, and by some accounts exceed the general population. This increase has renewed efforts to identify protective factors that may inform novel suicide prevention strategies. Previous research has demonstrated that a sense of purpose in life and perceived cohesion with military peers are related to a reduction in the severity of suicidal ideation (SI). Additionally, research in military samples supports decreased SI in Soldiers who endorse that their leaders convey a sense of purpose and meaning in their shared mission. However, no work has investigated whether these leadership styles relate to …


Effects Of Maternal Diabetes And Diet On Gene Expression In The Murine Placenta, Claudia Kappen, Claudia Kruger, J. Michael Salbaum Jan 2022

Effects Of Maternal Diabetes And Diet On Gene Expression In The Murine Placenta, Claudia Kappen, Claudia Kruger, J. Michael Salbaum

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Adverse exposures during pregnancy have been shown to contribute to susceptibility for chronic diseases in offspring. Maternal diabetes during pregnancy is associated with higher risk of pregnancy complications, structural birth defects, and cardiometabolic health impairments later in life. We showed previously in a mouse model that the placenta is smaller in diabetic pregnancies, with reduced size of the junctional zone and labyrinth. In addition, cell migration is impaired, resulting in ectopic accumulation of spongiotrophoblasts within the labyrinth. The present study had the goal to identify the mechanisms underlying the growth defects and trophoblast migration abnormalities. Based upon gene expression assays …


Insulin Resistance Persists Despite A Metabolically Healthy Obesity Phenotype, Kristin K. Hoddy, Christopher L. Axelrod, Jacob T. Mey, Adithya Hari, Robbie A. Beyl, Jourdan B. Blair, Wagner S. Dantas, John P. Kirwan Jan 2022

Insulin Resistance Persists Despite A Metabolically Healthy Obesity Phenotype, Kristin K. Hoddy, Christopher L. Axelrod, Jacob T. Mey, Adithya Hari, Robbie A. Beyl, Jourdan B. Blair, Wagner S. Dantas, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) is often defined as the absence of metabolic syndrome in the presence of obesity. However, phenotypic features of MHO are unclear. Insulin sensitivity in MHO was cross-sectionally compared with metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and a reference group of young healthy participants without obesity. Methods: Sedentary adults (n = 96) undergoing anthropometric, blood chemistries, maximal aerobic capacity, and euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp measurements were classified by BMI (< 25 and ≥30 kg/m2). MUO was defined as having obesity with metabolic syndrome (≥2 additional risk factors). Data were analyzed using a linear mixed models approach. Results: Body weight was similar between MHO and MUO. Body fat (percentage) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher (p < 0.001), and systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose, and insulin were lower in MHO versus MUO (p < 0.03, all). The MHO group also had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, and insulin compared with the reference. Both the MHO and MUO groups displayed impaired insulin sensitivity compared with the reference control (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Participants with MHO had distinct clinical measures related to hypertension, lipid metabolism, and glycemic control compared with a healthy reference group. Peripheral insulin resistance in obesity independent of metabolic status portends increased risk for type 2 diabetes in the MHO patient population.


Increased Alveolar Epithelial Traf6 Via Autophagy-Dependent Trim37 Degradation Mediates Particulate Matter-Induced Lung Metastasis, Jiajun Liu, Shumin Li, Xuefeng Fei, Xi Nan, Yingying Shen, Huiqing Xiu, Stephania A. Cormier, Chaojie Lu, Chuqi Guo, Shibo Wang, Zhijian Cai, Pingli Wang Jan 2022

Increased Alveolar Epithelial Traf6 Via Autophagy-Dependent Trim37 Degradation Mediates Particulate Matter-Induced Lung Metastasis, Jiajun Liu, Shumin Li, Xuefeng Fei, Xi Nan, Yingying Shen, Huiqing Xiu, Stephania A. Cormier, Chaojie Lu, Chuqi Guo, Shibo Wang, Zhijian Cai, Pingli Wang

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with an increased incidence of lung cancer and metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated the central role of PM-induced neutrophil recruitment in promoting lung cancer metastasis. We found that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated alveolar epithelial macroautophagy/autophagy was essential for initiating neutrophil chemotaxis and pre-metastatic niche formation in the lungs in response to PM exposure. During PM-induced autophagy, the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM37 was degraded and protected TRAF6 from proteasomal degradation in lung epithelial cells, which promoted the NFKB-dependent production of chemokines to …