Digital Commons Network^™

The Above Ground And Root Production Of Grass On Different Soils, Sophia Toth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The total DM production of grass involves the above ground and root yields. The special literature mainly focuses on utiliza­ble grass yields while details of root production are less avail­able. The latter data show that grass annually produces large amounts of root improving the soil characteristics thereby. Very few results are available of the DM yield of grass on different soils under uniform ecological conditions. In Hungary soils under grass show a fairly diversified pic­ture, ranging from sands to heavy clay soils (solonchak, solonetz). In our experiment we investigated the effects of different soils and fertilization on the total DM …

Response Of Forage Oats To Nitrogen Fertilizer In High And Low Fertility Soils, N Moreira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage oats are used extensively as whole-crop in rainfed areas of Portugal as is traditional in Mediterranean areas. They are cropped with minimum inputs, and increasingly in mixtures with annual legumes such as Vivia sativa (Moreira, 1989). In addition to the fact that relatively low yields are obtained in these conditions, the oats harvested during grain filling have a very low crude protein content, which severely limits their nutritive value (Eagles et al., 1979; Abreu et al., 1982). The aim of the present study is to determine the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on whole-crop forage oats in terms of dry­matter …

Lowering Cocksfoot Yields Caused By Manganese Toxicity And Molybdenum Deficiency Caused By Acidifying Effect Of Ammonium Nitrate Application, H Gembrazewski, Urszula Sienkiewicz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the case of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) cultivation in monoculture or its domination as a result of high N level further regrowth yields decrease is often observed. This situ­ation also takes place on fertile soils and during years with good precipitation amounts. Similarly in pot experiments with optimal water and nutrients-N.P.K.-supply, this phenomenon also takes place. According to many research works, N application systemati­cally acidifies the treated soil. In Poland 60 % of soils are acid ones (pHKcl < 5,6). Sandy soils dominating in Poland are poor organic matter and they possess low buffering capacity. They are not resistant to acidifying effect of nitrogen fertilization which, besides bio­logical oldering of plants, can be the reason of yields lowering in further harvests. Lowering of soil reaction strongly effects micronutrients availability to plants to which its insufficiency or surplus is harmful. The problem of Mn toxicity and Mo insufficiency on acid soils is often discussed. The aim of the present research is to investigate the influence of increasing rates of commonly used N source - ammonium nitrate - on the yield and chemical composition of cocksfoot.

Rendement Des Prairies Dans Les Marais De L'Ouest De La France. Diagnostic Des Insuffisances Minerales, Y Pons, E Lafon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Situes sur la cote atlantique entre la Vilaine au Nord et la Gironde au Sud, !es Marais de l'Ouest s'etendent sur 250 000 ha environ. Ils resultent du comblement d'un golfe marin par des alluvions fluviomarines argileuses. La prairie est la production obligatoire lorsque !es contraintes hydrauliques ne sont pas maitrisables ou lorsque le cout d'amenagement est prohibitif. C'est le cas d'une part des marais "mouilles" qui sont soumis aux crues des rivieres (sols tourbeux et argileux) et d'autre part des marais desseches lorsque !es sols sont sodiques et done tres instables. L'objectif de l'etude est d'expliquer !es ecarts de …

Thermal Carbonization Of Biomass Wood Dust And Algae Wastes Via Microwave-Assisted H3Po4: Desirability Function And Statistical Optimization For Methylene Blue Dye Removal, Raja Razuan Raja Derisa, Hazierul F. Awang, Muhammad Hakim Azman, Intan Nur Hidayah Abdul Rashid, Ahmad Hapiz, Ruihong Wu, Abdallah Reghioua, Zaher Mundher Yaseen, Lee D. Wilson

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

This research utilized a carbonization procedure via microwave irradiation assisted by H₃PO₄ to generate a cost-effective adsorbent (CWDAG) from wood dust (WD) and algal (AG) biomass. The resulting CWDAG adsorbent was characterized for its methylene blue (MB) dye adsorption properties. The activation process employs 800 W microwave radiation for 15 min under a nitrogen gas (99.99%) atmosphere. Multiple techniques were employed to study the physicochemical properties of CWDAG, such as FTIR, XRD, FSEM-EDX, pH_pzc, and BET. Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed to optimize the three important parameters of adsorption, as follows: A: CWDAG dosage …

The Effect Of Il-1Β Inhibitor Canakinumab (Ilaris®) On Il-6 Production In Human Skeletal Muscle Cells, Anna Cordeiro-Santanach, Fiorella Morales, Maria Del Carmen Parquet, Kitipong Uaesoontrachoon, Joyce Rowsell, Jordan Warford, Wilson Wu, Pia Elustondo, Eric P. Hoffman, Kanneboyina Nagaraju

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Muscle inflammation is one of the hallmarks of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle cells produce higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in response to toll-like receptor stimulation compared to normal muscle skeletal cells. IL- 1β induces the human skeletal muscle secretion of the myokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Here, we evaluated the effect of a human IgG1κ monoclonal antibody (canakinumab (Ilaris®)) that specifically blocks the IL-1β effect on IL-6 secretion by human skeletal muscle cells. Canakinumab is an excellent candidate for therapeutic repositioning to treat DMD because it is an FDA-approved drug to treat periodic fever …

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes March 6, 2025, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Nanoengineered Constructs For Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Delivery, Zoe Elisa Clapacs

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Immune processes are central to aspects of human health ranging from wound healing to pathogen recognition, yet even within the field of drug delivery, immunomodulatory therapeutics remain relatively niche. In this work we apply nanoscale peptide, lipid and polymer engineering principles to address present challenges in immunomodulatory therapeutics delivery, particularly in the treatment of non-healing wounds and vaccination against flaviviruses and other pathogens that exhibit antibody dependent enhancement. In both cases, nanoengineered delivery systems allowed us to overcome challenges associated with immune hyperactivation using targeted immune stimuli rather than nonspecific signals. A frequent driver of non-healing wounds is failure of …

Spectator 2025-03-06, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Disparity: Examining The Barriers To Success For Economically Disadvantaged Students In Advanced Placement, Brittany Culbreath

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

There are perceived barriers that impede students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are identified as academically qualified for Advanced Placement coursework but do not enroll. Additionally, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds experience barriers to achievement while taking AP classes. These limitations impede students’ ability to perform optimally in a rigorous academic environment. The level of access students from low-SES backgrounds have once they enter AP courses is crucial. Equity can be an issue if there are barriers that need to be addressed for students and teachers. In terms of AP courses, existing gaps in the research need to be filled …

Faculty Senate Chronicle March 6, 2025, Heather Loughney

The University of Akron Faculty Senate Chronicle

Minutes for the regular meeting of The University of Akron Faculty Senate on March 6, 2025

Montana Kaimin, March 6, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Dynamic Spectral And Systems-Theoretic Approaches For Inference And Control Of Heterogeneous Complex Networks, Bharat Kumar Singhal

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Networks of nonlinear systems are commonly employed to describe a diverse range of phenomena across physics, engineering, neuroscience, and biology. The undesirable behaviors of such systems, in the form of neurological disorders, power grid failures, or ecological collapses, have spurred significant interest in understanding their dynamic structures and developing effective control strategies. These systems are typically large-scale, consist of heterogeneous units, and are partially observable with limited measurement data, presenting theoretical and computational challenges for control design and connectivity inference. This thesis addresses these challenges by developing novel algorithms for pattern formation in populations of stable limit-cycle oscillators and connectivity …

Nanoengineered Constructs For Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Delivery, Zoe Elisa Clapacs

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Immune processes are central to aspects of human health ranging from wound healing to pathogen recognition, yet even within the field of drug delivery, immunomodulatory therapeutics remain relatively niche. In this work we apply nanoscale peptide, lipid and polymer engineering principles to address present challenges in immunomodulatory therapeutics delivery, particularly in the treatment of non-healing wounds and vaccination against flaviviruses and other pathogens that exhibit antibody dependent enhancement. In both cases, nanoengineered delivery systems allowed us to overcome challenges associated with immune hyperactivation using targeted immune stimuli rather than nonspecific signals. A frequent driver of non-healing wounds is failure of …

Dynamic Spectral And Systems-Theoretic Approaches For Inference And Control Of Heterogeneous Complex Networks, Bharat Kumar Singhal

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Networks of nonlinear systems are commonly employed to describe a diverse range of phenomena across physics, engineering, neuroscience, and biology. The undesirable behaviors of such systems, in the form of neurological disorders, power grid failures, or ecological collapses, have spurred significant interest in understanding their dynamic structures and developing effective control strategies. These systems are typically large-scale, consist of heterogeneous units, and are partially observable with limited measurement data, presenting theoretical and computational challenges for control design and connectivity inference. This thesis addresses these challenges by developing novel algorithms for pattern formation in populations of stable limit-cycle oscillators and connectivity …

March 6, 2025, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Carlock '26, Navarro '26 Receive Beckman Scholarships To Complete Biology Research, Jeffery Woodard

Press Releases 2020-2029

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Too Many Trees: A Conundrum For Phylogenetic Regression, Richard Adams, Jennifer Roa Lozano, Mataya Duncan, Jack Green, Raquel Assis, Michael Degiorgio

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Just exactly which tree(s) should we assume when testing evolutionary hypotheses? This question has plagued comparative biologists for decades. Though all phylogenetic comparative methods require input trees, we seldom know with certainty whether even a perfectly estimated tree (if this is possible in practice) is appropriate for our studied traits. Yet, we also know that phylogenetic conflict is ubiquitous in modern comparative biology, and we are still learning about its dangers when testing evolutionary hypotheses. Here, we investigate the consequences of tree-trait mismatch for phylogenetic regression in the presence of gene tree-species tree conflict. Our simulation experiments reveal excessively high …

Genome-Wide Prediction Of Dominant And Recessive Neurodevelopmental Disorder-Associated Genes, Ryan S Dhindsa, Blake A Weido, Justin S Dhindsa, Arya J Shetty, Chloe F Sands, Slavé Petrovski, Dimitrios Vitsios, Anthony W Zoghbi

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Despite great progress, thousands of neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) risk genes remain to be discovered. We present a computational approach that accelerates NDD risk gene identification using machine learning. First, we demonstrate that models trained solely on single-cell RNA sequencing data can robustly predict genes implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), and developmental delay (DD). Notably, we find differences in gene expression patterns of genes with monoallelic and bi-allelic inheritance patterns in the developing human cortex. We then integrate expression data with 300 orthogonal features, including intolerance metrics, protein-protein interaction data, and others, in a semi-supervised …

Mechanisms Of Macrophage Metabolic Activation And Paracrine Wnt Signaling In The Pathogenesis Of Systemic Sclerosis, Emily Ann Morris

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. We have previously shown that macrophages (MØs) play a critical role in its pathogenesis; however, the mechanisms driving MØ activation in SSc remain poorly understood. This dissertation investigates the molecular signaling pathways and biochemical mechanisms underlying profibrotic MØ activity in SSc.

First, I identify a novel MØ-specific effect of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), the standard-of-care treatment for SSc. While MMF is a well characterized lymphostatic, my findings demonstrate that its active metabolite, mycophenolic acid (MPA), is also capable of directly inhibiting myeloid viability and profibrotic MØ activation by suppressing de …

Mind Matters: Investigating The Impact Of Mental Health First Aid Training On High School Staff, Sarah Jo O'Neill

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, titled Mind Matters: Investigating the Impact of Mental Health First Aid Training on High School Staff, examines whether Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training equips high school personnel with the necessary tools to identify and support students in crisis. Conducted over six weeks during a series of Kitchen Table Conversations, the study involved eight high school staff members who participated in a structured MHFA training program. Qualitative data collected from participant discussions revealed that while the current MHFA training format is a good start, it lacks school-specific contextualization. More importantly, the opportunity to discuss and process the material …

Neurocellular Stress Response To Mojave Type A Rattlesnake Venom: Study Of Molecular Mechanisms Using Human Ipsc-Derived Neural Stem Cell Model, Satish Kumar, Miriam Aceves, Jose C. Granados, Lorena Guerra, Felicia Juarez, Earl Novilla, Ana C. Leandro, Marcelo Leandro, Juan M. Peralta, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Elda E. Sánchez, Jacob Galan, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran

School of Medicine Publications

The Mojave rattlesnake venom shows significant geographical variability. The venom of Type A animals primarily contains β-neurotoxin referred to as Mojave Toxin (MTX), which makes bites from this snake particularly feared. We performed a genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of the neurocellular response to Mojave Type A rattlesnake venom using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells to unveil the molecular mechanisms underlying the damage caused by this snake’s envenomation. Our results suggest that snake venom metalloproteases, although having a limited repertoire in Type A venom, facilitate venom spread by digesting the tissue’s extracellular matrix. The MTX, which is composed of heterodimers …

Regulating Ai Therapy Chatbots: A Call For Federal Oversight, Carolyn V. Wheeler

Texas A&M Law Review

While artificial intelligence therapy chatbots continue to develop and increase in popularity, there is little regulatory oversight for this burgeoning industry. Regulation is needed because there is a high probability for harm when artificial intelligence is used in the mental health therapy industry, yet there is no consensus on standards that apply. Artificial intelligence therapy chatbots are currently only regulated by indirect, suboptimal liability schemes. State governments could regulate them by considering them human practitioners or telehealth services, or the federal government could regulate them as medical devices. This Comment examines the pitfalls of the lack of artificial intelligence therapy …

Cardiometabolic Benefits Of A Non-Industrialized-Type Diet Are Linked To Gut Microbiome Modulation, Fuyong Li, Anissa M. Armet, Katri Korpela, Junhong Liu, Rodrigo Margain Quevedo, Francesco Asnicar, Benjamin Seethaler, Tianna B. S. Rusnak, Janis L. Cole, Zhihong Zhang, Shuang Zhao, Adele Gagnon, Edward C. Deehan, Joao F. Mota, Jeffrey A. Bakal, Russell Greiner, Dan Knights, Nicola Segata, Stephan C. Bischoff, Laurie Mereu, Andrea M. Haqq, Catherine J. Field, Liang Li, Carla M. Prado, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Industrialization adversely affects the gut microbiome and predisposes individuals to chronic non-communicable diseases. We tested a microbiome restoration strategy comprising a diet that recapitulated key characteristics of non-industrialized dietary patterns (restore diet) and a bacterium rarely found in industrialized microbiomes (Limosilactobacillus reuteri) in a randomized controlled feeding trial in healthy Canadian adults. The restore diet, despite reducing gut microbiome diversity, enhanced the persistence of L. reuteri strain from rural Papua New Guinea (PB-W1) and redressed several microbiome features altered by industrialization. The diet also beneficially altered microbiota-derived plasma metabolites implicated in the etiology of chronic non-communicable diseases. Considerable …

Roles Of Mir-223 In Platelet Function And High On-Treatment Platelet Reactivity: A Brief Report And Review, Shayan Askari, Lawrence E. Goldfinger

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

BACKGROUND: Platelets are highly enriched in microRNAs (miRNAs), which are genomically encoded 19-25 nucleotide non-coding RNAs that target complementary mRNAs through total or near-total base pairing. MiR-223 is among the most abundant miRNAs in human and murine platelets, but despite ongoing investigations in recent years, miR-223 roles in platelet physiology and its putative roles in high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) remain controversial, as studies showed varying findings.

OBJECTIVES: In the current hybrid review/report, we aim to compare studies that investigated miR-223 in platelet function and HTPR. Additionally, we briefly report our own findings on murine miR-223-deficient platelets.

METHODS: We have …

Experiences Of Grandparenting During Covid-19 For Grandparents Geographically Distanced From Their Grandchildren, Eva Louise Benevit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2015, the number of retirees relocating after retirement has increased significantly, leading grandparents to be distant from their grandchildren. Isolation and distance from families has increased due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to high rates of loneliness and isolation for older adults. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore experiences during COVID-19 for grandparents geographically distanced from their grandchildren. This research was grounded using Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory, with a focus on the maturity stage, and thematic analysis was used to guide interviews and analysis. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit five …

Infrared Laser Ablation Of Biomolecules From Formalin-Fixed Tissue, Blessing Chisom Egbejiogu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the research described in this dissertation, a high-precision infrared laser ablation microsampling method was utilized for spatially resolved proteomic and lipidomic analyses of formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue, a widely used archival sample in biomedical research. Despite its extensive use, FFPE tissue presents challenges for proteomic analysis due to protein cross-linking and modifications introduced during fixation, which can hinder extraction and identification. Developing a streamlined high-resolution method to recover biomolecules from FFPE samples is critical for advancing biomarker discovery, retrospective studies, and multi-omics research. To address these challenges, this study employs an infrared (IR) laser ablation microdissection system …

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Hypophosphatasia., L Seefried, F Genest, C Hofmann, M L Brandi, Eric T. Rush

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder characterized by deficient activity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) caused by variants in the ALPL gene. Disease manifestations encompass skeletal hypomineralization with rickets and lung hypoplasia, vitamin B6-dependent seizures, craniosynostosis, and premature loss of deciduous teeth. The clinical presentation can comprise failure to thrive with muscular hypotonia, delayed motor development, and gait disturbances later in childhood. In adults, pseudofractures are a characteristic indicator of severely compromised enzyme activity, but non-canonical symptoms like generalized musculoskeletal pain, weakness, and fatigue, frequently accompanied by neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal issues are increasingly recognized as key findings in …

A Role For The Actin Cytoskeleton And Plastin-3 In Osteoblast Mineralization And Mechanosensation, Samantha Meagan Chin

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The great diversity in actin network architectures and dynamics is exploited by cells to drive fundamental biological processes including cell migration, intracellular trafficking, and cell division. One such system that relies on the actin cytoskeleton to fulfill its physiological function are osteoblasts, which are mesenchymal lineage bone cells that promote bone formation through depositing a collagen scaffold and subsequently promoting mineralization of this matrix. A number of factors are known to drive osteogenic differentiation of pre-osteoblast cells including extracellular matrix cues such as substrate stiffness, which are primarily detected via mechanosensitive machinery linked to the actin cytoskeleton. Disruptions to β-actin, …

Drbioright 20: An Llm-Powered Bioinformatics Chatbot For Large-Scale Cancer Functional Proteomics Analysis, Wei Liu, Jun Li, Yitao Tang, Yining Zhao, Chaozhong Liu, Meiyi Song, Zhenlin Ju, Shwetha V Kumar, Yiling Lu, Rehan Akbani, Gordon B Mills, Han Liang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Functional proteomics provides critical insights into cancer mechanisms, facilitating the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We have developed a comprehensive cancer functional proteomics resource using reverse phase protein arrays, incorporating data from nearly 8000 patient samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas and approximately 900 samples from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Our dataset includes a curated panel of nearly 500 high-quality antibodies, covering all major cancer hallmark pathways. To enhance the accessibility and analytic power of this resource, we introduce DrBioRight 2.0 ( https://drbioright.org ), an intuitive bioinformatic platform powered by state-of-the-art large language models. DrBioRight enables researchers …