Digital Commons Network^™

Preferential Flow In Riparian Buffers: Current Research And Future Needs., Derek M. Heeren, Lucie Guertault, Kyle Mankin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Preferential flow in riparian buffers can substantially compromise their effectiveness in reducing contaminants from overland runoff. The objective of this article is to introduce a collection of five articles on current research into subsurface preferential flow measurement, visualization, modeling, and impacts on contaminant fate and transport at scales ranging from the subsurface pore scale to the plot scale to the watershed scale. This collection presents selected works from a broader invited session on “Preferential flow and piping in riparian buffers” at the 2020 ASABE Annual International Meeting. Major findings include: new methodologies, such as light transmission and geophysics, to characterize …

Sprinkler Irrigation System Field Checklist, Charles C. Hillyer, R. Troy Peters, Xin Qiao, Derek M. Heeren, Jake Larue, Clarence Prestwich, Sandeep Bhatti

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This recommendation came out of a noted need by the ASABE NRES-241 sprinkler irrigation committee in 2019 committee meeting for a simple checklist to quickly educate new center pivot operators on what to look for to determine if a center pivot is operating at designed performance. This checklist is meant to be simple and user friendly. Simple and clear language was incorporated purposefully. It is intended as a quick guide to new irrigators, or as a reminder to more experienced irrigators as to what to check to ensure efficient and effective center pivot and linear move irrigation system operation for …

Corn Fiber As A Biomass Feedstock For Production Of Succinic Acid, Lisbeth Vallecilla-Yepez, Divya Ramchandran, Dianna Long, Rajib Saha, Mark R. Wilkins

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The selection of an economical carbon source is a fundamental parameter to establish a successful industrial succinic acid (SA) bioprocess. In this work, corn fiber (CF), a renewable and an inexpensive source of carbohydrates, was successfully used for bioproduction of SA. Optimized liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis were used to obtain corn fiber hydrolysate (CFH). Results in batch fermentation with Actinobacillus succinogenes showed that a control solution mimicking CFH produced 28.7 g/L of SA with a yield of 0.67 g SA/g sugars, while fermentation of CFH produced 27.8 g/L of SA with a yield of 0.61 …

Narrative Review-Drug Delivery In Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Rachel Israilevich, Raziyeh Mahmoudzadeh, Mirataollah Salabati, David Xu

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This narrative review highlights routes of ocular drug delivery for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in industrialized countries and accounts for 8.7% of blindness worldwide. Advanced AMD can be classified into two subtypes: late-stage dry AMD [known as geographic atrophy (GA)] and neovascular AMD (nAMD). GA is often bilateral and results from progressive and irreversible loss of photoreceptors and areas of the retinal pigment epithelium. Wet AMD is characterized by angiogenesis from the choroid to the normally avascular regions underneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or retina, a process known as choroidal neovascularization …

Landscape Transformations Produce Favorable Roosting Conditions For Turkey Vultures And Black Vultures, Jacob E. Hill, Kenneth F. Kellner, Bryan M. Kluever, Michael L. Avery, John S. Humphrey, Eric A. Tillman, Travis L. Devault, Jerrold L. Belant

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Recent increases in turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations in North America have been attributed in part to their success adapting to human-modified landscapes. However, the capacity for such landscapes to generate favorable roosting conditions for these species has not been thoroughly investigated. We assessed the role of anthropogenic and natural landscape elements on roosting habitat selection of 11 black and 7 turkey vultures in coastal South Carolina, USA using a GPS satellite transmitter dataset derived from previous research. Our dataset spanned 2006–2012 and contained data from 7916 nights of roosting. Landscape …

Sex And Nest Type Influence Avian Blood Parasite Prevalence In A High-Elevation Bird Community, Marina D. Rodriguez, Paul F. Doherty, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Kathryn P. Huyvaert

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: The prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites and the factors influencing infection in the Colorado Rocky Mountains are largely unknown. With climate change expected to promote the expansion of vector and avian blood parasite distributions, baseline knowledge and continued monitoring of the prevalence and diversity of these parasites is needed.

Methods: Using an occupancy modeling framework, we conducted a survey of haemosporidian parasite species infecting an avian community in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in order to estimate the prevalence and diversity of blood parasites and to investigate species-level and individual-level characteristics that may influence infection.

Results: We estimated the prevalence …

Potential Use For Serosurveillance Of Feral Swine To Map Risk For Anthrax Exposure, Texas, Usa, Rachel M. Maison, Courtney F. Pierce, Izabela K. Ragan, Vienna R. Brown, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Richard A. Bowen, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Anthrax is a disease of concern in many mammals, including humans. Management primarily consists of prevention through vaccination and tracking clinical-level observations because environmental isolation is laborious and bacterial distribution across large geographic areas diffi cult to confi rm. Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species with an extensive range in the southern United States that rarely succumbs to anthrax. We present evidence that feral swine might serve as biosentinels based on comparative seroprevalence in swine from historically defi ned anthrax-endemic and non–anthraxendemic regions of Texas. Overall seropositivity was 43.7% (n = 478), and logistic regression revealed county endemicity …

Metastatic 4s Neuroblastoma With Excellent Outcome In Saudi Cancer Center, Waheed A. Alzhrani, Naglla A. Elimam, Abeer S. Almehdar, Saeed M. Bassem, Daniah E. Abdullatif, Khursheed D. Ahmed, Abdullah A. Baothman

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To retrospectively review a small series of infant neuroblastoma (NBL) in a single Saudi medical institution over 10 years, including their presentation, management, and outcomes. Methods: Fifty-three subjects aged 0 to 14 years with previously untreated NBL who were diagnosed and treated at Princess Nora Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 2010 and 2019. Six infants (11.3%) had stage 4S characteristics. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 3 months (range 52 days - 4 months). Biopsies confirmed that the adrenal gland was the primary tumor site for 3 patients, while the other 2 …

Emerging Variants Of Concern In Saudi Arabian Sars-Cov-2 Isolates, Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi, Muhammad T. Khan, Shabbir Muhammad

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

The Flavoprotein Rcla Is A Hypothiocyanous Acid Reductase, Irina Chapman

Masters Theses

Reactive chlorine species (RCS) - hypochlorous acid (HOCl), hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN), and chloramines - are powerful antimicrobial oxidants generated by the innate immune system. Bacteria developed defense mechanisms against RCS, which are highly toxic for invading pathogens. One such defense system involves RclA, an enzyme from the flavin disulfide reductase family, which is massively upregulated upon exposure of Escherichia coli to RCS. Recent research suggests that RclA functions as a Cu(II) reductase to provide resistance against RCS. However, the exact mechanism used by RclA was subject to debate. In this study, we demonstrate that RclA is unlikely to function as …

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Of Muscle Perfusion May Indicate Patient Response To Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy., Lauren J. Delaney, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Maria Stanczak, Priscilla Machado, John W..C. Entwistle, Flemming Forsberg, Gordon R. Reeves

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support is associated with peripheral vascular abnormalities beyond those associated with heart failure (HF). These abnormalities are associated with persistent functional impairments that adversely impact quality of life (QoL). Methods for measuring peripheral vascular function in this population are needed.

METHODS: This pilot study investigated the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) using standardized protocols to estimate changes in peripheral (quadriceps) muscle perfusion among patients with HF (INTERMACS profile 3) undergoing LVAD implantation (n = 7). Patients were then stratified by those who did ("responders", n = 4) and did not ("nonresponders", n = 3) …

Augmentation Of Pedicle Screws Using Bone Grafting In Patients With Spinal Osteoporosis, Andrey Evgenievich Bokov, Anatoliy Bulkin, I S. Bratsev, Svetlana Ya Kalinina, Sergey G. Mlyavykh, David G. Anderson

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

The aim of the study was to develop a new method of vertebral augmentation based on autologous and allogeneic bone chips to be used in pedicle screw fixation and to compare this method with the technique based on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Materials and Methods. This prospective non-randomized study included 164 patients with degenerative pathologies or traumatic injuries of the lumbar spine and transitional thoracolumbar segments; 153 of the operated patients were followed up for 18 months. In these patients, radiodensity of the cancellous bone tissue was below 110 HU by the Hounsfield scale. Patients with degenerative spinal disorders underwent pedicle …

Risk Perception And Response Among International Students Of The University Of Southern Mississippi, Elida Lopes Souza Rocha

Master's Theses

Given the exposure of university campuses to hazards, disaster mitigation is a critical element of higher education policy. Although U.S. higher education institutions are leaders in the global education market, emergency warning systems give little consideration to how international students perceive risk, prepare for hazards, or access warning technologies available to them. This poses several questions regarding the suitability of hazards mitigation practices and the welfare of international students.

This thesis investigates the relationship between USM international students and natural hazards. Responses from online surveys and semi-structured interviews data were analyzed through qualitative and quantitative methods to document the extent …

Do Loneliness And Social Isolation Predict Mortality Because Of Hazardous Drinking?, Jussi Tanskanen, Sarah N. Arpin, Cynthia D. Mohr

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Subjective feelings of loneliness and objective social isolation have been consistently connected with ill-health and mortality, though little work has empirically examined the mechanisms explaining the adverse effects. This study examines whether alcohol consumption explains the connection of loneliness and social isolation on mortality in different age and gender groups.

Methods: The sample comprised a representative 1994 Finnish sample (n = 8,650) matched with 22-year follow-up mortality data. A multigroup path analysis with discrete survival time analyses was conducted.

Results: There were unique differences in the associations between loneliness, social isolation, alcohol consumption, and mortality based on age and …

An Investigation Of Phosphorus Removal By Purple Bacteria In Dairy Wastewater Lagoons, Lauren M. Gomez, Andrew J. Schuler, Jose M. Cerrto, David T. Hanson

Civil Engineering ETDs

The objective of this study was to determine whether the polyphosphate metabolism in purple photosynthetic bacteria (PPB) is similar to that of wastewater polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) such as Accumulibacter. Dairy lagoon samples were studied in continuous and batch laboratory tests to evaluate whether cyclic light and dark conditions for PPB are similar to aerobic and anaerobic conditions for PAOs in domestic wastewater treatment systems. 16s rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated the presence of the purple sulfur bacterium Thiolamprovum (53.92%) in one lagoon source, and Thiodictyon (3.50%) in a second lagoon. Phosphorus contents were at least 0.7% higher than the …

Modeling The Speed And Timing Of American Sign Language To Generate Realistic Animations, Sedeeq Al-Khazraji

Theses

While there are many Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals with excellent reading literacy, there are also some DHH individuals who have lower English literacy. American Sign Language (ASL) is not simply a method of representing English sentences. It is possible for an individual to be fluent in ASL, while having limited fluency in English. To overcome this barrier, we aim to make it easier to generate ASL animations for websites, through the use of motion-capture data recorded from human signers to build different predictive models for ASL animations; our goal is to automate this aspect of animation synthesis …

A Deep Learning Classifier For Detecting Atrial Fibrillation In Hospital Settings Applicable To Various Sensing Modalities, Kamil Bukum

Theses

Cardiac signals provide variety of information related to the patient's health. One of the most important is for medical experts to diagnose the functionality of a patient’s heart. This information helps the medical experts monitor heart disease such as atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most major diseases that are threatening patients’ health. Medical experts measure cardiac signals usng the Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), the Photoplethysmogram (PPG), and more recently the Videoplethysmogram (VPG). Then they can use these measurements to analyze the heart functionality to detect heart diseases. In this study, these three major …

Neuroimaging Association Scores: Reliability And Validity Of Aggregate Measures Of Brain Structural Features Linked To Mental Disorders In Youth, Luiza Kvitko Axelrud, André Rafael Simioni, Daniel Samuel Pine, Anderson M. Winkler, Pedro Mario Pan, João Ricardo Sato, André Zugman, Nadine Parker, Felipe Picon, Andrea Jackowski

School of Medicine Publications

In genetics, aggregation of many loci with small effect sizes into a single score improved prediction. Nevertheless, studies applying easily replicable weighted scores to neuroimaging data are lacking. Our aim was to assess the reliability and validity of the Neuroimaging Association Score (NAS), which combines information from structural brain features previously linked to mental disorders. Participants were 726 youth (aged 6–14) from two cities in Brazil who underwent MRI and psychopathology assessment at baseline and 387 at 3-year follow-up. Results were replicated in two samples: IMAGEN (n = 1627) and the Healthy Brain Network (n = 843). NAS …

A Multigrid Homotopy Method For Computing Eigenfunctions Of Differential Operators With Two-Dimensional Heterogeneity, Chelsea Drum

Master's Theses

In this thesis, we develop an accurate algorithm for computing the smallest eigenvalues of the self-adjoint spatial differential operator for the two-dimensional heat equation with a piecewise constant coefficient and periodic boundary conditions. The piecewise constant coefficient is created by the discontinuity of the diffusivity coefficient across the interfaces between two or more heterogeneous materials. Our method involves the combination of the well-known Inverse Iteration with a multigrid homotopy.

A Systematic Review Of Parent Training Effects Children's Use Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Systems, Mia Constransitch

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) are communication systems used when someone cannot express their needs with naturally spoken speech. For children who use AAC, parent training is an essential part because it teaches the parents how to use the device and encourages their child to use the device. A systematic review was completed to explore the literature regarding parent training for parents whose children are AAC users, and how the training impacts the child's success using the AAC system. The results from this can be used to explore if parent training is effective and if there is a need for …

Ahr Activation And T-Cell Expression In Eyfp Mice, Claire M. Hamilton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine what blood cell types express the B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (BLIMP-1) gene. Such findings would be instrumental in research regarding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) which is important in immune responses. The experimental model was a transgenic mouse that expresses the enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) under the control of the BLIMP-1 promoter. Testing was carried out in two parts; (1) testing mice for eYFP presence and (2) testing mice for phenotypic cell markers. Cell samples were tested via flow cytometry. During phase one of testing it was found that positive mice …

Spatial Distribution Of Conspecific Genotypes Within Chimeras Of The Branching Coral Stylophora Pistillata, Gabriele Guerrini, Dor Shefy, Jacob Douek, Nadav Shashar, Tamar L. Goulet, Baruch Rinkevich

Faculty and Student Publications

Chimerism is a coalescence of conspecific genotypes. Although common in nature, fundamental knowledge, such as the spatial distribution of the genotypes within chimeras, is lacking. Hence, we investigated the spatial distribution of conspecific genotypes within the brooding coral Stylophora pistillata, a common species throughout the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. From eight gravid colonies, we collected planula larvae that settled in aggregates, forming 2–3 partner chimeras. Coral chimeras grew in situ for up to 25 months. Nine chimeras (8 kin, 1 non-related genotypes) were sectioned into 7–17 fragments (6–26 polyps/fragment), and genotyped using eight microsatellite loci. The discrimination power of each …

Rcb Initiates Arabidopsis Thermomorphogenesis By Stabilizing The Thermoregulator Pif4 In The Daytime, Yongjian Qiu, Elise K. Pasoreck, Chan Yul Yoo, Jiangman He, He Wang, Abhishesh Bajracharya, Meina Li, Haley D. Larsen, Stacey Cheung, Meng Chen

Faculty and Student Publications

Daytime warm temperature elicits thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis by stabilizing the central thermoregulator PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING transcription FACTOR 4 (PIF4), whose degradation is otherwise promoted by the photoreceptor and thermosensor phytochrome B. PIF4 stabilization in the light requires a transcriptional activator, HEMERA (HMR), and is abrogated when HMR’s transactivation activity is impaired in hmr-22. Here, we report the identification of a hmr-22 suppressor mutant, rcb-101, which surprisingly carries an A275V mutation in REGULATOR OF CHLOROPLAST BIOGENESIS (RCB). rcb-101/hmr-22 restores thermoresponsive PIF4 accumulation and reverts the defects of hmr-22 in chloroplast biogenesis and photomorphogenesis. Strikingly, similar to hmr, the null rcb-10 mutant impedes …

Climate And Seasonality Drive The Richness And Composition Of Tropical Fungal Endophytes At A Landscape Scale, Shuzo Oita, Alicia Ibáñez, François Lutzoni, Jolanta Miadlikowska, József Geml, Louise A. Lewis, Erik F. Y. Hom, Ignazio Carbone, Jana M. U’Ren, A. Elizabeth Arnold

Faculty and Student Publications

Understanding how species-rich communities persist is a foundational question in ecology. In tropical forests, tree diversity is structured by edaphic factors, climate, and biotic interactions, with seasonality playing an essential role at landscape scales: wetter and less seasonal forests typically harbor higher tree diversity than more seasonal forests. We posited that the abiotic factors shaping tree diversity extend to hyperdiverse symbionts in leaves—fungal endophytes—that influence plant health, function, and resilience to stress. Through surveys in forests across Panama that considered climate, seasonality, and covarying biotic factors, we demonstrate that endophyte richness varies negatively with temperature seasonality. Endophyte community structure and …

Publisher Correction: The Genome Of The Stable Fly, Stomoxys Calcitrans, Reveals Potential Mechanisms Underlying Reproduction, Host Interactions, And Novel Targets For Pest Control (Bmc Biology, (2021), 19, 1, (41), 10.1186/S12915-021-00975-9), Pia U. Olafson, Serap Aksoy, Geoffrey M. Attardo, Greta Buckmeier, Xiaoting Chen, Craig J. Coates, Megan Davis, Justin Dykema, Scott J. Emrich, Markus Friedrich, Christopher J. Holmes, Panagiotis Ioannidis, Evan N. Jansen, Emily C. Jennings, Daniel Lawson, Ellen O. Martinson, Gareth L. Maslen, Richard P. Meisel, Terence D. Murphy, Dana Nayduch, David R. Nelson, Kennan J. Oyen, Tyler J. Raszick, José M.C. Ribeiro, Hugh M. Robertson, Andrew J. Rosendale, Timothy B. Sackton, Perot Saelao, Sonja L. Swiger, Sing Hoi Sze, Aaron M. Tarone, David B. Taylor, Wesley C. Warren, Robert M. Waterhouse, Matthew T. Weirauch, John H. Werren, Richard K. Wilson, Evgeny M. Zdobnov, Joshua B. Benoit

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Following publication of the original article [1], it was reported that the article copyright was incorrect. The correct copyright statement is: © This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2021. The original article [1] has been corrected.

Genetic Fingerprinting And Aflatoxin Production Of Aspergillus Section Flavi Associated With Groundnut In Eastern Ethiopia, Abdi Mohammed, Paola C. Faustinelli, Alemayehu Chala, Mashilla Dejene, Chemeda Fininsa, Amare Ayalew, Chris O. Ojiewo, David A. Hoisington, Victor S. Sobolev, Jaime Martínez-Castillo, Renee S. Arias

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: Aspergillus species cause aflatoxin contamination in groundnut kernels, being a health threat in agricultural products and leading to commodity rejection by domestic and international markets. Presence of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus colonizing groundnut in eastern Ethiopia, as well as presence of aflatoxins have been reported, though in this region, no genetic studies have been done of these species in relation to their aflatoxin production. Results: In this study, 145 Aspergillus isolates obtained from groundnut kernels in eastern Ethiopia were genetically fingerprinted using 23 Insertion/Deletion (InDel) markers within the aflatoxin-biosynthesis gene cluster (ABC), identifying 133 ABC genotypes. Eighty-four isolates …

Spatiotemporal Pattern Detection With Neuromorphic Circuits, Robert C. Ivans

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, neuromorphic circuits are used to implement spiking neural networks in order to detect spatiotemporal patterns. Unsupervised training and detection-by-design techniques were used to attain the appropriate connectomes and perform pattern detection.

Unsupervised training was performed by feeding random digital spikes with a repeating embedded spatiotemporal pattern to a spiking neural network composed of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons and memristor-R(t) element circuits which implement spike-timing-dependent plasticity learning rules.

Detection-by-design was achieved using neuromporphic circuits and digital logic gates. When detection-by-design was achieved using both neuromorphic circuits and digital logic gates, a network was created of spatiotemporal pattern detector circuits, …

Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Linking The Nuclear Structure And Function, Matthew Goelzer, Julianna Goelzer, Matthew L. Ferguson, Corey P. Neu, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nucleus, central to cellular activity, relies on both direct mechanical input as well as its molecular transducers to sense external stimuli and respond by regulating intra-nuclear chromatin organization that determines cell function and fate. In mesenchymal stem cells of musculoskeletal tissues, changes in nuclear structures are emerging as a key modulator of their differentiation and proliferation programs. In this review we will first introduce the structural elements of the nucleoskeleton and discuss the current literature on how nuclear structure and signaling are altered in relation to environmental and tissue level mechanical cues. We will focus on state-of-the-art techniques to …

2021 Summer-Fall Graduate Recognition Program, Propulsion Research Center, Robert Frederick

PRC Graduate Recognition

This program includes the graduate recognition program for summer and fall 2021. Includes photographs, upcoming events, recent publications, and student profiles.

Developing Strategy For A Successful Antioxidant, Anticancer Activity Via An Improved Method Prepared To Porous Silicon Nanoparticles, Kareem Jawad, Butheina Hasson

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

Porous silicon nanoparticles, or PSNPs, are one of the most common NPS with distinct characteristics. PSNPs were created using an enhanced approach known as the electrochemical etching process. The nanoparticles were treated with a post-laser to obtain the nanoparticles, which were subsequently analyzed using (SEM), (UV-Vis), and (XRD). The size refers to porous silicon with a nanostructure. Because of the differences in interaction between the HF electrolyzed and silicon and crystal structure, PS (100) offers better NP properties than directional silicon (111). PSNPs' antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH test, while cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay on …