Digital Commons Network^™

Nutritive Value Of South-Central Kentucky Forbs, Tyler M. Miller, S. R. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

South Central Kentucky pastures serve as a host for a plethora of forbs found throughout the Upper South and Midwest United States. In this region, forbs can be numerous within pastures that are under- managed. Many producers view forbs as unwanted or weedy species and may not fully understand the value that some of these forbs provide to beef cattle. With little scientific information found on the subject for the specific geographic area, the purpose of this study was to determine what types of forbs will provide adequate nutrition for lactating beef cows. Three pastures from separate farms were used …

Irrigation Effects On Forage Dry Matter Yield And Nutritive Value Of Alfalfa, Rudra Baral, Doohong Min

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is among the top four field crops in United States (U.S.) in terms of acreage harvested and economic value. Several studies have documented that alfalfa requires high amount of water compared to other major field crops. However, more than 65% alfalfa in the U.S. is grown under rainfed condition where severe to moderate drought condition has been pronounced during alfalfa growing season. The magnitude of yield loss due to water-limited conditions is still unknown. In this context, the objective of our study is to evaluate the forage dry matter yield and forage nutritive value of …

Gge Biplot Analysis Of Forage Yield Performance And Stability Assessment Of Tall Fescue Experimental Populations Selected Under Grazing Pressure In A Stress Environment, Ali Missaoui, J. L. Ford, D. R. Woodfield, A. Stewart, S. Makaju

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Integrating the yield and stability of genotypes selected under grazing pressure is an important objective in breeding forage crops. Genotype × environment (G x E) interaction is a major source of inconsistency in crop performance across locations. As a result, a genotype is considered stable if it has a low contribution to the G x E interaction. This study explores the effects of G x E interaction on yield and stability of 10 tall fescue experimental populations selected for persistence under grazing pressure outside the area of adaptation of the species (stress environment). Six standard checks were included. The populations …

Identification Of Endangered Range Plant Species And Change In Ground Cover In North Kordofan State, Sudan, Mohammed D. Elnazeir, A. A. Khatir, A. M. Morakah

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was conducted in North Kordofan State. With the objectives of identifying change in ground cover, other range attributes and the endangered plant species. The primary source of data was mainly from previous studies, while secondary data were obtained from field work using loop and transect method, personal interviews, rapid rural appraisal technique and direct observation, SPSS software was used in statistical analysis. The results indicate that there were notable changes in range composition. Percentage live plants and decreased by 17.5, while litter and rock increased by 17.9% and 0.30%. Some of the species still exist, with higher percentage …

Strategies For Seed Quality Improvement In Eastern Gamagrass, A Tripsacum Species, J. I. Morrison

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the southeastern United States, perennial warm-season grasses constitute the backbone of many forage production systems, whether for grazing or harvested feed. North American native plants offer unique ecosystem benefits as well as high forage quality when managed properly. Popular native grasses used for grazing in the southeastern US include Andropogon (bluestems), Sorghastrum (indiangrass) and members of the genus Tripsacum including eastern gamagrass (T. dactyloides) in North and Central America; Guatemala grass (T. fasciculatum syn. T. andersonii) in Latin America and the West Indies; and wide-leaf gamagrass (T. latifolium) throughout Mesoamerica. Eastern gamagrass …

Chlorophyll And Mineral Dynamics Of Perennial Grass Species Found In Semi- Arid Rangelands Of South Africa, N. H. Msiza, K. E. Ravhuhali, H. K. Mokoboki, Sydney Mavengahama, L. E. Motsei

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Minerals are essential for ruminants and are mostly provided by grass species. Their growth stage is vital in the supply of these minerals. Perennial grass species have been mostly undervalued, owing to the scarce information concerning their potential feeding value and little documentation about their potential nutritive value in different growth stages. This study was conducted to investigate the chlorophyll and mineral concentration of grass species at different growth stages under greenhouse conditions at the North-West University Experimental farm, North West province, South Africa. The soil, collected from different villages, was mixed and samples were drawn for chemical analysis before …

Farmer Experiences With Alfalfa In The Southern U.S.A., M. K. Mullenix, L. S. Silva, C. G. Prevatt, J. J. Tucker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a forage crop of primary importance in the United States (USA); however, adoption and use in the southern USA region has been limited. The combination of adapted alfalfa cultivars and management strategies which demonstrate extended forage growing season length, improved forage nutritive value, and reduced N fertilizer inputs have renewed interest in forage-livestock farmers to consider planting alfalfa. A series of Extension-based educational strategies have been used in the southern USA to 1) create awareness on the use of alfalfa, 2) educate farmers regarding establishment and management practices, and 3) showcase opportunities and challenges …

Opportunities For Promoting The Adoption Of Forages In Kenya, Joseph G. Mureithi, Elkana M. Nyambati

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production plays an important socio-economic role in many areas across Kenya. They are kept in all the major livestock production systems including smallholder mixed crop- livestock system, crop-livestock-tree production system, and pastoral/extensive livestock production system, which occupy about 70% of land in Kenya. Livestock production is mainly constrained by inadequate feed quantity and quality. Forage forms the major source of feed for ruminant livestock as they provide high-quality forage to alleviate feed shortages. The demand for pasture and fodder production and conservation to meet livestock feed requirements, particularly during the dry seasons, has created the need to re-position the …

Evaluation Of Apomictic Megathyrsus Maximus Accessions And Ecotypes To Improve Feed Availability In Western Kenya, David Miano Mwangi, S. W. Mwendia, Joseph G. Mureithi, P. Karimi, Maurice Mudeheri, An Notenbaert, Andres Juan, Tarus David

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Kenya, the dairy sub-sector is dominated by smallholder farmers, who keep between 1-10 dairy cows, and produce over 80% of the marketed milk in the country. The sub-sector is characterized by low milk production, long calving intervals and high calf mortality. The main constraint is the lack of year- round quality feeds hence the low lactation yield of 1,400 litres from animals capable of 3,500 - 4,000 litres. The main feed is Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) formerly Pennisetum purpureum. However, in the last decade the productivity and reliability of Napier grass has been constrained by the emergence Napier …

Annual Clovers Around The World: Current Status And Future Prospects, P. G. H. Nichols, G. R. Smith, D. J. Moot, Serkan Ates, Claudio Porqueddu, Esteban F. Rios, Mounir Louhaichi, Alejandro Del Pozo, N. Kotze, Alan W. Humphries, K. Ghamkhar, M. H. Ryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper reviews the distribution and importance of annual clover (Trifolium) species for pasture and fodder production systems globally. Of the 158 recorded annual Trifolium species, 65.2% are endemic to the Mediterranean basin and surrounding areas, 14.6% to sub-Saharan Africa, 17.7% to the United States of America and 2.5% to Chile. Fourteen species have been commercialised, while other endemic and naturalised annual clovers are also utilised. Key species for self-regenerating pastures include T. subterraneum, T. michelianum and T. respinatum var. resupinatum, while major dual-purpose grazing and fodder species include T. incarnatum, T. vesiculosum, T. alexandrinum and T. …

Domestication Of The Annual Legume Trigonella Balansae For Mixed Farming Systems In Southern Australia, M. G. Wilmot, H. C. Norman, J. K. Hendry, P. Young, Elizabeth L. Hulm, A. Toovey, R. J. Harrison

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An accession of the annual legume Trigonella balansae Boiss. and Reuter. has been selected for commercial release in Australia. The annual legume has significant potential as a self-regenerating pasture within mixed farming systems. As part of a duty-of-care assessment, we tested the hypothesis that sheep grazing the trigonella cultivar will have similar liveweight, condition scores, health and wool production to sheep grazing two widely adopted annual legumes, subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv Dalkeith) and French serradella (Ornithopus sativus Brot. cv. Erica). Forage dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude protein (CP), fibre, mineral content and isoflavones were measured across …

Pasture Production And Grazing System In Assist Project: Outcome And Replication Viability In Nigeria For Sustainable Ruminant Production, Okanlade A. Lawal-Adebowale, M. Jordana Rivero, John Hunt, Sarah Morgan, Hannah Fleming, R. Pywell, Jonathan Storkey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As important as pasture is to productive management of cattle, sheep and goats, intensive development of grassland for ruminant animals is rare in Nigeria largely due to no conscious effort at pasture cultivation in the country. Consequently, nomadic and free grazing systems remain a practice in the country, with resultant poor animal productivity and agro-related conflicts between ruminant keepers and crop farmers and/or agro-processors. The need to revert this situation underscored the exploration of the potential value of the innovative pasture production and grazing management system tested under the Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems (ASSIST) programmme in Rothamsted Research, United Kingdom, …

Tillering Of ‘Marandu’ Brachiaria Under Different Nitrogen Rates In The Brazilian Savannah, A. B. O. Assis, A. L. Bocchi, T. C. Pedrosa, A. O. Matos, A. P. B. Soares

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tiller is the basic unit of grass growth and tiller density determines the horizontal ground cover, leaves production and pastures perennially. The objective in this study was to quantify the number of aerial and basal tillers and basal:aerial tillers ratio in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, established in Brazilian savannah, submitted to nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). The experiment was carried out in the Forage and Pasture Sector of Jataí Federal University (UFJ) and after soil correction and fertilization, plots were established with Marandu palisade grass in a randomized block design, with four replications and four …

Could Formononetin Of Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense L.) Be Enhanced By Phosphorus And Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Management?, Fernando Ortega-Klose, Andrés Quiroz, L. Bardehle, P. Aguilera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Red clover is a forage legume of importance in the world with limited persistency; in Chile this is due mainly to the root borer (Hylastinus obscurus Marsham) infestation. Our previous studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between the root borer and the formononetin content in roots of the plants; therefore, studying factors that enhance the concentration of formononetin in the plant could help to decrease the negative effect of the root borer. The purpose of this research was to assess the relationship between phosphorus availability (P) in the soil interacting with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) over …

The Influence Of High Density Grazing And Conventional, Rotational Grazing On Soil And Vegetation Parameters In The Semi-Arid And Mesic Grasslands Of South Africa, Jamie Paulse, C. Visser, P. J. Malan, G. N. Smit, F. H. De Witt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In South Africa, multi-camp rotational grazing using ‘conservative stocking rates’ have been the conventional approach to livestock grazing management systems. However, as of late, the high-desnity approach (used interchangeably – depending on the situation – with regenerative grazing, mob grazing, short duration, high pressure grazing, rapid rotation, time controlled, ultra-high density, holistic grazing and holistic resource management) has been adopted by numerous farmers. This approach is considered to be an adaptable one, incorporating the ‘herd effect’ concept, whereby large numbers of animals occupy an area for short periods of time, and allowed an extended rest period. It claims to improve …

Identification Of Predictive Gene Signatures And Molecular Interactions Underlying Opioid Use Disorder In Brain Tissues And Peripheral Blood, Kashish Kumar

Research Symposium

Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic and relapsing condition influenced by genetic and environmental factors. OUD is associated with altered gene expression and epigenetic modifications in BA9 and the greater prefrontal cortex affecting regional function and connectivity. OUD may also involve the downregulation of genes related to synaptic transmission and neurogenesis in the amygdala, impairing its adaptability. In addition to the brain, peripheral blood can serve as a source of molecular markers for OUD as it is easily accessible and may reflect systemic and chronic inflammation changes prompted by OUD. Understanding the molecular mechanisms dysregulated by OUD may …

Design Of A Test For Research On Architectural Features Of Streetscape, Maria E. M. Carlier, Cristian A. Maestre, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: The architectural experience may impact people’s behavior, health, and well-being, engaging several neural networks. Sensory-motor networks mediate motor responses such as approach and avoidance and spatial navigation in response to stimuli. Limbic networks process feelings and emotions. Memory-related networks support personal experiences, education, and culture. The interaction between architecture and brain sciences is known as neuroarchitecture which promises to offer biologically inspired insights into the design of spaces. We are interested in the study of neuroarchitecture applied to the streetscapes of neighborhoods in South Texas. The primary purpose of this study is to design a cognitive test to assess …

Dissecting The Influence Of Perceived Discrimination And Genetic Liability On Mental Health, Bassent Abdelbary, C. E. Guerra Amorim, P. Rodriguez, J. L. Montalvo-Ortiz

Research Symposium

Background: Underrepresented groups are disproportionally affected by discrimination, which can have long-lasting influences on the individual’s wellbeing and mental health. This study leverages the diversity of the All of Us cohort to investigate the interplay between genetic risk factors and perceived discrimination in the context of mental health disorders. This study aims to shed light into the underlying biological and environmental risk factors, and its interplay, of mental health disorders in underrepresented populations.

Methods: Data on perceived discrimination was retreived from the the All of Us (AoU) COVID-19 Participant Experience (COPE) questionnaire and matched with sociodemographic and phenotypic …

Using Molecular Docking, Dynamics, And Simulation To Investigate The Role Of Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Interaction With Parkin Gene In The Prevention Of Oral Cancer, Rashmi Kumari, B. Kumari, B. Khan, S. Ram, M. M. A. Rizvi

Research Symposium

Background: Oral cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the world, as well as India's second leading cause of death. Several studies have found that the upregulation and downregulation of various tumour suppressor genes, such as Parkin gene, are linked to cancer pathogenesis. So, numerous therapeutic options are available to combat this disease; however, due to their drawbacks and side effects, it is necessary to find alternatives, such as medicinal plants. As a result of their low toxicity and immense nutraceutical value, plants and their extracts have proven critical in treating and managing a variety of cancers, including …

The Significance Of Reactive Oxygen Species In Physiological Processes And Hematological Disorders: Insights Into Cardiovascular And Cerebrovascular Diseases, Alex Zuo, Hector Trejo, Anthony Alanis

Research Symposium

Background. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a double role on biomedicine: they are molecular commodities in cellular biochemistry and signaling, but also corrosive threats to other cellular elements with their damaging or directly oxidizing effect. This poster seeks to discuss the relevance of ROS in different physiological processes and diseases of cardiovascular disease (including hypertension), hematological diseases related to cerebrovascular accident.

Methods. We have thoroughly studied over 60 most recent or related literature to the topic and determine important roles of ROS in various biological systems, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Results. ROS are fundamental for cell signaling and …

Apoe Gene Associated With Dementia Related Traits, Depression And Anxiety In The Hispanic Population., Daniela Gamez, Erika Guajardo, Aida Galvan Gutierrez, Victoria I. Padilla, Stephanie Lozano, Mario Gil, Gladys E. Maestre, Kesheng Wang, Chun Xu

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders that has been associated with a strong genetic component. In addition, AD is often comorbid with neuropsychiatric conditions, some of which are early indicators of the disease. Specific demographic factors and genetic variants have been identified as risks in non-Hispanic populations; however, there are limited studies observed on the Hispanic population. Therefore, in our current study, we focused on investigating a known gene, APOE, that is associated with AD-related phenotypes and two psychiatric diseases (depression and anxiety) within the U.S. Hispanic population.

Methods: A total of 1,382 …

Cucurbitacin D Suppresses Benzo[A]Pyrene-Induced Liver Injury By Modulating Nrf2 Signaling, Shabnam Malik, Mohammed Sikander, Daniel Zubieta, Anyssa Rodriguez, Murali M. Yallapu, Fathi T. Halaweish, Meena Jaggi, Subhash Chauhan

Research Symposium

Background: Accumulating studies have shown strong correlation of HCC and co-morbidity factors including smoking. Tobacco smoke contains benzo[a]pyrene, which is extremely carcinogenic and contributes to liver damage. Cucurbitacin, a triterpene, has a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. However, their hepatoprotective effects remain poorly understood. In the current study, we examined the hepatoprotective activity of cucurbitacin D, a novel analog of cucurbitacin, against benzo[a]pyrene-induced liver injury in human HepG2 cells.

Method: To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of cucurbitacin D against benzo[a]pyrene-induced liver damage, proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, invasion, Western blotting, and qPCR analyses were performed. …

Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Neurodegeneration In Early-Stage Diabetic Retinopathy, Andrew Callan, Sonal V. Jha, Laura Valdez, Andrew Tsin

Research Symposium

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains the leading cause of blindness in working age Americans. There has yet to be any effective treatment to prevent the onset of the condition, only to treat late-stage disease. Research on early signs of disease have shown that changes in neural layers of the retina are the earliest signs of disease, preceding the vascular changes that currently define DR. This has sparked interest in the pathogenesis of the neurodegeneration involved in DR. This review explains the current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in DR, as well as the potential pharmacological …

Investigation Of Melanin Nanoparticles For Radiation-Blocking And Antioxidant Properties, Giulia Stewart

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Melanin, a naturally occurring organic dark pigment, has become the focus of extensive studies within the fields of biology, physiology, and now, nanomaterials. Naturally produced in the skin tissues of most mammals, it was found that melanin plays a significant role in protecting cellular DNA from radiation damage by absorbing UV radiation. This project’s objective was to synthesize bio-inspired melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) and optimize the radiation-blocking properties of natural melanin. Overall, the project had three phases: synthesis of melanin nanoparticles, electrospray of thin films, and radiation-blocking testing. Firstly, an MNP solution was synthesized by spontaneous oxidation of dopamine hydrochloride in …

Identification And Classification Of Fault Agent Detection Strategies In Nature, Dmytro Kravchenko

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Modern systems need the type of resilience we see in nature. By increasing resilience, we are increasing systems ability to adapt and successfully recover from difficult situations. By observing processes within a biological multi-agent system, we can develop approaches to increase resilience of a wide range of artificial systems, from transportation networks to homeland security. One source of design inspiration to improve artificial systems is natural systems. In this research, we are particularly interested in observing and documenting natural processes which allow multi- agent systems to detect and recover from faults, even when the fault is an unknown, faulted member …

Between The Temples, Dereck Daschke

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Between the Temples (2024), directed by Nathan Silver.

Sasquatch Sunset, Dereck Daschke

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Sasquatch Sunset (2024), directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner.

The Dysfunctional “Functional Equivalent” Standard: Regulations Of Groundwater Discharges Since County Of Maui V. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, Ellie Maltby

University of Chicago Legal Forum

The distinction between “groundwater” and “navigable waters” has long created legal disputes. The most recent Supreme Court decision to grapple with the boundary between groundwater and navigable waters is County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into navigable waters without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The question in County of Maui is whether the CWA applies to pollutants that travel from a point source through groundwater, before entering navigable waters. The Supreme Court held that the CWA requires a permit when the discharge …

Characterization Of Variant Rnas Encapsidated During Bromovirus Infection By High-Throughput Sequencing, Sarah Dexheimer, Nipin Shrestha, Bandana Sharma Chapagain, Jozef J. Bujarski, Yanbin Yin

Food for Health: Publications

Previously, we described the RNA recombinants accumulating in tissues infected with the bromoviruses BMV (Brome mosaic virus) and CCMV (Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus). In this work, we characterize the recombinants encapsidated inside the purified virion particles of BMV and CCMV. By using a tool called the Viral Recombination Mapper (ViReMa) that detects recombination junctions, we analyzed a high number of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) short RNA sequence reads. Over 28% of BMV or CCMV RNA reads did not perfectly map to the viral genomes. ViReMa identified 1.40% and 1.83% of these unmapped reads as the RNA recombinants, respectively, in BMV and …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda January 22, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:30 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - December 11, 2023
• 3:35 University Business
• 3:50 Faculty Senate Business
• 4:00 Information
• Education Policies Committee
• Policy 200: Executive Summary
• Policy 382: Time and Attendance
• Policy 326
• 4:25 Reports
• Honorary Degrees and Awards
• Office of Research Annual Report
• PRPC Annual Report
• School of Graduate Studies Annual Report
• 4:45 Old Business
• 4:50 New Business
• Adjourn: 5:00 pm