Digital Commons Network^™

Mitochondrial Succinate Dehydrogenase Enzyme Activity In Hibernating Black Bears, Madelyn Brennan, Sarah Rice

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

Studying mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase enzyme activity in hibernating black bears in liver, cardiac and kidney tissue.

Functional Gene Abundance Among Boreal Forest Sites, Maura Grahek, Mario Muscarella

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

I will be measuring the abundance of functional genes associated with the microbial production of methane and carbon dioxide. Digital polymerase chain reaction will be utilized to obtain complete quantification of these genes.

A New Look At The Mammalian Fauna Of The Prince Creek Formation, North Slope, Ak, Xochitl Muñoz, Lauren Wilson, Patrick Druckenmiller

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

The Prince Creek Formation is famous for polar dinosaurs, but it also contains ancient mammals, four species of which were previously known from studying teeth. However, we have found a greater diversity and identified nine morphotypes of mammals from jaws and skeletal material, more than doubling the previous known number.

Invasive Plant Seedbank Development After Wildfire In Alaska’S Boreal Forest, Jessie Skalisky, Katie Spellman

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

Wildfire and invasive species are increasing across Alaska as the climate changes. My study focuses on the development of an invasive species seedbank in soils from burns in Interior Alaska. What species of seeds are there and what does this mean for the vulnerability of Alaska in the future?

Assessing Salmon Habitats On The Banks Of The Chena River In Fairbanks, Alaska, Theodore Krauss, Christina Buffington, Cory Whiteley

2024 Research and Creative Activity Day Posters

UAF student and Tanana Valley Watershed Association investigate different types of riverbanks including natural, bioengineered, and riprap banks in order to assess the extent to which they contribute to or detract from macroinvertebrate abundance and salmon habitation on the Chena River after river break up.

The Adult Rights-Bearing Archetype And How It Stifles Young People's Equal Protection, Catherine E. Smith

Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy

American constitutional law is defined by a rights-bearing archetype that prioritizes adults—and the Equal Protection Clause is no exception. The Supreme Court has recognized children as constitutional persons and proclaimed that "neither the Fourteenth Amendment nor the Bill of Rights is for adults alone," but courts mostly see autonomous, rational, individualistic, income-generating grown people as rights-bearers. For the first time, this article reveals six adult-rights-bearing analytical traps that limit children's equal protection, and proposes jettisoning the rigid Carolene Products test in favor of a nascent youth-based framework. Instead of shoehorning children's rights into a web of laws and principles designed …

“Redención”: Testimonios Of Latinas Who Chose To Leave The Higher Education Industry, Delia P. Madrid-Nothdurft

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Using the methodological framework of testimonio, this study was an exploration of the experiences of former higher education professionals who identify as women in the Latinx community. Grounded in Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit) and Critical Race Feminism (CRF), this research aims to highlight the narratives of Latina professionals who have separated from the higher education sector. The study is informed by the conceptual framework of Chicana feminist perspective, which contextualizes the analysis of these experiences within a socio-cultural context. Using semi-structured interviews, participants shared their testimonios, providing rich accounts of their journeys and challenges within higher education. Through thematic …

Addition And Subtraction: Coral Reproduction And Disease In A Changing Ocean, Ashley Rossin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Marine diseases are changing the landscapes of coral reefs particularly throughout the Western Atlantic. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) swept through this region impacting at least 22 stony coral species. White plague (WP) is a more ephemeral disease, but still has a significant impact on coral reef health and perseverance, especially under a changing ocean. While these impacts are seen on the reef-scale, we can zoom into the tissue-level to identify disease markers for both diseases and identify their differences. This has ramifications for disease intervention, as well as mitigation strategies. Despite continuous disease outbreaks, healthy corals persist and …

Two New Catalysts For Oxidation Of Water To Oxygen, Takia Sultana

LSU Master's Theses

If fuels, such as hydrogen or methanol, are to be produced from renewable energy (solar or wind) in the future, efficient catalysts will be needed, not only for fuel production reactions but for the essential simultaneous oxidation of water to O₂. Ruthenium complexes are among the more promising water oxidation catalysts (WOCs). Two new isomeric ruthenium WOCs have been prepared based on the benzylpyridyltriazole ligand (Figure 3); trans-py-[Ru(tpy)(bpt)(H₂O)]²⁺ (trans-py-1) and trans-trz-[Ru(tpy)(bpt)(H₂O)]²⁺ (trans-trz-1) (tpy = 2,2’:6’,2’’-terpyridine, bpt = benzylpyridyltriazole). Ceric ammonium nitrate [(CAN)/Ce(IV)] oxidants were …

Settling Preference Of Nipponaclerda Biwakoensis (Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) On Phragmites Australis Stems, Alexia Catherine Desoto

LSU Master's Theses

Phragmites australis, a wetland grass that stabilizes the Louisiana coastline, has been undergoing a major die-off near the Mississippi River Delta (MRD) since the autumn of 2016. One suspected cause for this plant decline is the attack of an invasive scale insect, Nipponaclerda biwakoensis. We lack information on the host preference of the crawlers, the life stage that decides where to settle and when to start feeding on the plant. The objectives of this study were to identify what positions along the vertical stem N. biwakoensis prefers to settle and what host-plant traits may be influencing this choice. We recorded …

The Use Of Duddingtonia Flagrans Aged In Mineral For Gastrointestinal Parasitic Nematode Control In Small Ruminants, Elisa M. Preston

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major constraint to small ruminant health and production throughout the world. Haemonchus contortus commonly known as the “barber pole worm” is a major concern for producers and veterinarians because of the severe anemia, and other clinical symptoms these worms cause. For decades, anthelmintics have been used to control the GIN burden small ruminants face. Katahdin (n=36) and Hampshire sheep (n=12) were used in a randomized block design experiment over a 30-day period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Duddingtonia flagrans spores, the active ingredient in a commercial product, Bioworma® (International …

Computational Modeling Of Nanoscale Interaction Of Plasmonic Materials With 2d Materials For Sensing Applications, Maria Iftesum

LSU Master's Theses

Plasmonics is a new and exciting field that has the potential to advance many different types of technology, from information processing and energy harvesting to sensing and imaging. The broad field of plasmonic materials and their potential to improve the functionality of cutting-edge technologies are examined in this thesis.

The thesis explores the synthesis, characterization, and manipulation of plasmonic materials after providing an overview of the basic ideas behind plasmonics. Their distinct plasmonic properties and possible uses are clarified by a thorough investigation of a variety of materials, including noble metals, two-dimensional materials, metal oxides and hybrid structures.

A thorough …

Effects Of Treated Effluent Discharge On Tree Water Use And Growth In A Cypress Swamp., Devin Schexnayder

LSU Master's Theses

Inundated baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) trees generally respond to secondarily-treated and disinfected municipal effluent additions with increased growth rates and reduced mortality. Yet, the effects of effluent additions on the water-use and functional traits of inundated mature baldcypress are poorly understood. Because increased tree growth is associated with increased water use, effluent additions may affect the water budget in coastal swamps by increasing water uptake from the rhizosphere due to increased tree transpiration. I used sap flux density (f_d) measurements to assess water-use traits and tree-level daily transpiration (E) in seven mature inundated baldcypress trees that had …

5th Annual Women In Law Leadership Lecture, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

The Power Of Promotores: Enhancing The Ability Of Medical Students To Provide For And Communicate With Underserved Populations, Jesse Allen, Suzette Jimenez, Ricardo Belmares, Jose Manuel De La Rosa, Nathan A. Holland, Jessica Chacon

School of Medicine Publications

To increase community health knowledge, the El Paso Health Education and Awareness Team (EP-HEAT) was established at Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. The Medical Student Run Clinic (MSRC) emphasizes community health care access. Promotores de salud (community health workers) increase health care awareness and connect predominantly underserved communities with resources. Surveys were conducted to determine how EP-HEAT and MSRC patients’ communication with promotores affected their access to health care and communication skills. Surveys demonstrated that 91% of EP-HEAT members agreed that working with promotores improved their communication ability. All MSRC patients surveyed stated interacting with promotores helped improve health …

Soil Health Cycle, Bijesh Maharjan, Saurav Das, Vesh R. Thapa, Bharat Sharma Acharya

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil health is pivotal to agricultural sustainability. Promoting and sustaining soil health management is challenging since it involves many interdependent components and steps and is an iterative process. Herein, the soil health cycle (SHC) is proposed as a soil health management cycle encompassing human dimensions, management practices, and their effects on soil health indicators (SHIs), leading to subsequent impacts on soil functions. The SHC provides a structure for an iterative testing of changes to improve soil health. A systematic review of research publications was also conducted using the Web of Science database supplemented by Elicit AI and Scopus API searches …

Formulation, Characterization, And In Vivo Immunogenicity Evaluation Of Heat-Stabilized Dissolvable Polymeric Microneedles, Aidan Lane Leyba

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Since its introduction, vaccination has improved health outcomes tremendously. However, modern vaccination efforts are still difficult to implement, particularly in developing countries with warm climates. This includes complex and expensive cold-chain management of vaccines to maintain stability, a lack of medical personnel to administer parental vaccines, and needle phobia. As an alternative, dissolvable microneedles have recently been studied for their simple and painless application. In this thesis, I present a novel manufacturing process for polymer-based dissolvable microneedles, loaded with virus-like particles vaccines conjugated to TRIO or Sialokinin peptides to target malaria and arboviruses, respectively. We have performed multiple characterization studies …

Goldwater Scholars Set Sights On Biomedical Research, Erin Garrett

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Two University of Mississippi students have been recognized as Goldwater Scholars for their dedication to pursuing biomedical research.

First-In-Human Phase I Study Of Tinengotinib (Tt-00420), A Multiple Kinase Inhibitor, As A Single Agent In Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors, Sarina A Piha-Paul, Binghe Xu, Ecaterina E Dumbrava, Siqing Fu, Daniel D Karp, Funda Meric-Bernstam, David S Hong, Jordi A Rodon, Apostolia M Tsimberidou, Kanwal Raghav, Jaffer A Ajani, Anthony P Conley, Frank Mott, Ying Fan, Jean Fan, Peng Peng, Hui Wang, Shumao Ni, Caixia Sun, Xiaoyan Qiang, Wendy J Levin, Brenda Ngo, Qinhua Cindy Ru, Frank Wu, Milind M Javle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: This first-in-human phase I dose-escalation study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of tinengotinib (TT-00420), a multi-kinase inhibitor targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors 1-3 (FGFRs 1-3), Janus kinase 1/2, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, and Aurora A/B, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients received tinengotinib orally daily in 28-day cycles. Dose escalation was guided by Bayesian modeling using escalation with overdose control. The primary objective was to assess dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and dose recommended for dose expansion (DRDE). Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics and efficacy.

RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were enrolled (dose escalation, …

The Social And Economic Dimensions Of One Of The World’S Longest-Operating Shark Fisheries, Matias Braccini, Maddison Watt, Clinton Syers, Nick Blay, Matthew Navarro, Michael Burton

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Social and economic information is limited for coastal commercial and recreational fisheries, particularly shark fisheries, which are perceived as unsustainable and as targeting sharks for fins.

Aims

To characterise the social and economic dimensions of one of the world’s few long-standing sustainable shark fisheries.

Methods

We reviewed historic data and surveyed stakeholders to understand the economic and social dimensions of the shark fishery currently operating in Western Australia.

Key results

Since the fishery’s historic peak, there has been a substantial reduction in the number of operating vessels and ports due to management intervention. For the vessels that have remained, …

Somatic Mutations In Normal Tissues: Calm Before The Storm, Zahraa Rahal, Paul Scheet, Humam Kadara

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We explore the phenomenon of somatic mutations, including those in cancer driver genes, that are present in healthy, normal-appearing tissues and their potential implications for cancer development. We also examine the landscape of these somatic mutations, discuss the role of clonal cell competition and external factors like inflammation in enhancing the fitness of mutant clones, and conclude by considering how understanding these mutations will aid in prevention and/or interception of cancer.

April 4, 2024, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Building Queer Families: Supports And Barriers, Annie Bright

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

A qualitative study was conducted with six participants who identify as Queer and/or Lesbian investigating supports and barriers to family building using Assisted Human Reproduction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted allowing participants to share their experiences and self-identify the significant supports and barriers in their process. Interviews were transcribed and coded using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis identifying three supports and four barriers. Results demonstrated that all participants identified their community and/or their Queer community and their partner and/or family as key supports and two-thirds of participants identified as a support their own background or knowledge. All participants described the high cost or …

Chemical Fingerprint Berbasis Spektroskopi Inframerah (Atr-Ftir) Dipadukan Dengan Kemometrik Untuk Kontrol Kualitas Daun Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa Korth.), Ragil Ragil, Dea Aninda, Rosiana Pitri, Pingkan Ramadhan Sailendra, Masriani Masriani, Rudi Heryanto

Chimica et Natura Acta

Kratom dijuluki sebagai daun narkotika dari Kalimantan yang memiliki berbagai efek biologi seperti antiinflamasi dan antinoseptif. Secara tradisional daun kratom digunakan untuk menambah stamina, mengobati diare, sakit perut, susah tidur, kolesterol, asam urat, dan diabetes. Permintaan daun kratom di pasaran begitu tinggi sehingga memunculkan masalah berupa pemalsuan daun tersebut dari tanaman yang memiliki kemiripan morfologi.Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan metode  analisis  untuk mengidentifikasi dan mengautentikasi  daun kratom  dari daun jambu biji. Data hasil analisis ATR-FTIR dikombinasikan dengan analisis kemometrika untuk mengklasifikasikan serta mengelompokan data tersebut, sehingga dapat membedakan daun kratom dan daun jambu biji. Metode analisis ATR-FTIR yang dipadukan dengan analisis …

Beach Processes Controlling Erosional Hotspots And Their Influences On Beach Nourishment Performances: A Case Study Along West-Central Florida Barrier Island Beaches, Sophia Gutierrez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the long-term performance of repeated beach nourishment over an approximately 35-year period at two barrier islands, Sand Key and Treasure Island along the west-central Florida coast, USA. Five cycles of beach nourishment on Sand Key and six on Treasure Island were conducted during the study period. Three erosional hotspots were identified along a combined 14-km stretch of the nourished beach. The processes that cause the erosional hotspot were examined through numerical modeling of nearshore wave and current fields.

The most recent three nourishments since 2006 were monitored systematically by this study. Beach profiles were surveyed bimonthly to …

Comparative Analysis Of Time Series Models On U.S. Stock And Exchange Rates: Bayesian Estimation Of Time Series Error Term Model Versus Machine Learning Approaches, Young Keun Yang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a comparative analysis of contemporary applications of time series models, focusing on the Bayesian approach. In contrast to many nonparametric studies, the Bayesian approach circumvents the common issue of bandwidth selection by offering systematic estimation and avoiding ad hoc methods. Specifically, we delve into the Bayesian approach for estimating the autocovariance function of a time series model’s error term. Traditional time series models often make the unrealistic assumption of a constant error term. Furthermore, models such as autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH) and general autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) address the limitation of constant variance by assuming an autoregressive …

The Hallmarks Of Precancer, Mary M Stangis, Zhengyi Chen, Jimin Min, Sarah E Glass, Jordan O Jackson, Megan D Radyk, Xen Ping Hoi, W Nathaniel Brennen, Ming Yu, Huy Q Dinh, Robert J Coffey, Martha J Shrubsole, Keith S Chan, William M Grady, Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian, Costas A Lyssiotis, Anirban Maitra, Richard B Halberg, Neelendu Dey, Ken S Lau

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Research on precancers, as defined as at-risk tissues and early lesions, is of high significance given the effectiveness of early intervention. We discuss the need for risk stratification to prevent overtreatment, an emphasis on the role of genetic and epigenetic aging when considering risk, and the importance of integrating macroenvironmental risk factors with molecules and cells in lesions and at-risk normal tissues for developing effective intervention and health policy strategies.

T-Cell Dysfunctions In Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Juan Jose Rodriguez-Sevilla, Simona Colla

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Escape from immune surveillance is a hallmark of cancer. Immune deregulation caused by intrinsic and extrinsic cellular factors, such as altered T-cell functions, leads to immune exhaustion, loss of immune surveillance, and clonal proliferation of tumoral cells. The T-cell immune system contributes to the pathogenesis, maintenance, and progression of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Here, we comprehensively reviewed our current biological knowledge of the T-cell compartment in MDS and recent advances in the development of immunotherapeutic strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and T-cell- and antibody-based adoptive therapies that hold promise to improve the outcome of patients with MDS.

De Novo Variants In Fryl Are Associated With Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, And Dysmorphic Features, Xueyang Pan, Alice M Tao, Shenzhao Lu, Mengqi Ma, Shabab B Hannan, Rachel Slaugh, Sarah Drewes Williams, Lauren O'Grady, Oguz Kanca, Richard Person, Melissa T Carter, Konrad Platzer, Franziska Schnabel, Rami Abou Jamra, Amy E Roberts, Jane W Newburger, Anya Revah-Politi, Jorge L Granadillo, Alexander P A Stegmann, Margje Sinnema, Andrea Accogli, Vincenzo Salpietro, Valeria Capra, Lina Ghaloul-Gonzalez, Martina Brueckner, Marleen E H Simon, David A Sweetser, Kevin E Glinton, Susan E Kirk, Baylor College Of Medicine Center For Precision Medicine Models, Michael F Wangler, Shinya Yamamoto, Wendy K Chung, Hugo J Bellen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

FRY-like transcription coactivator (FRYL) belongs to a Furry protein family that is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to humans. The functions of FRYL in mammals are largely unknown, and variants in FRYL have not previously been associated with a Mendelian disease. Here, we report fourteen individuals with heterozygous variants in FRYL who present with developmental delay, intellectual disability, dysmorphic features, and other congenital anomalies in multiple systems. The variants are confirmed de novo in all individuals except one. Human genetic data suggest that FRYL is intolerant to loss of function (LoF). We find that the fly FRYL ortholog, furry (fry), is …

Genetic Identification Of Three Cites-Listed Sharks Using A Paper-Based Lab-On-A-Chip (Loc), Guuske P. Tiktak, Alexandria Gabb, Margarita Brandt, Fernando R. Diz, Karla Bravo-Vasquez, Cesar Peñaherrera-Palma, Jonathan Valdiviezo-Rivera, Aaron Carlisle, Louise M. Melling, Bradley Cain, David Megson, Richard Preziosi, Kirsty J. Shaw

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Threatened shark species are caught in large numbers by artisanal and commercial fisheries and traded globally. Monitoring both which shark species are caught and sold in fisheries, and the export of CITES-restricted products, are essential in reducing illegal fishing. Current methods for species identification rely on visual examination by experts or DNA barcoding techniques requiring specialist laboratory facilities and trained personnel. The need for specialist equipment and/or input from experts means many markets are currently not monitored. We have developed a paper-based Lab-on-A-Chip (LOC) to facilitate identification of three threatened and CITES-listed sharks, bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus), pelagic thresher (A. …