Life Sciences Commons^™

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Against The Growing Threat Of Covid-19 Among Medical Students Of Pakistan, Khola Noreen, Zil-E Rubab, Muhammad Umar, Rehana Rehman, Mukhtiar Baig, Fizzah Baig

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: On account of the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes have been implicated in university medical students. We are cognizant that pandemic can be controlled with dedicated contributions from all involved in the healthcare profession. Therefore, it is important to know the pandemic and application of knowledge by the medical students to formulate a further line of management in Pakistan.
Objective: We aimed toinvestigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19 and its impact on medical students of Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2020 by a validated self-administered questionnaire. The survey instrument was tailored from a …

Effects Of Agricultural Intensification Practices On Smallholder Farmers’ Livelihood Outcomes In Kenyan Hotspots Of Climate Change, F. O. Ouya, O. I. Ayuya, M. I. Kariuki

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Developing countries, Kenya included are mostly affected by food shortage and poverty as a result of high dependence on agriculture constrained by climate variability, declining land sizes and low agricultural technologies. Agricultural intensification is key in solving these problems to ensure increased farm output per unit land area. This study analyzed the role of agricultural intensification on smallholders’ poverty and food security status. The study is based on data collected from a sample of 320 smallholder households from two Sub-counties of Kenya, Makueni and Nyando. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was first used to group agricultural intensification practices into clusters. The …

Translating Evidence-Based Guidelines Into Practice—Are We Getting It Right? A Multi-Centre Prospective International Audit Of Nutrition Care In Patients With Foregut Tumors (Inform), Merran Findlay, Judith D. Bauer, Rupinder Dhaliwal, Marian De Van Der Schueren, Alessandro Laviano, Adrianne Widaman, Lisa Martin, Andrew G. Day, Leah M. Gramlich

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Malnutrition is highly prevalent in patients with foregut tumors comprising head and neck (HNC) and esophageal (EC) cancers, negatively impacting outcomes. International evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) for nutrition care exist; however, translation of research evidence into practice commonly presents considerable challenges and consequently lags. This study aimed to describe and evaluate current international nutrition care practices compared with the best-available evidence for patients with foregut tumors who are at high risk of malnutrition. A multi-centre prospective cohort study enrolled 170 patients commencing treatment of curative intent for HNC (n = 119) or EC (n = 51) in 11 cancer …

Maternal Prenatal Cortisol Programs The Infant Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis, Jessica L. Irwin, Amy L. Meyering, Gage Peterson, Laura M. Glynn, Curt A. Sandman, Laurel M. Hicks, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

One of the key proposed agents of fetal programming is exposure to maternal glucocorticoids. Experimental animal studies provide evidence that prenatal exposure to elevated maternal glucocorticoids has consequences for hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis functioning in the offspring. There are very few direct tests of maternal glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, during human pregnancy and associations with infant cortisol reactivity. The current study examined the link between maternal prenatal cortisol trajectories and infant cortisol reactivity to the pain of inoculation in a sample of 152 mother-infant (47.4% girls) pairs. The results from the current study provide insight into fetal programming of the infant …

Sustainable Stocking Strategies Are Profitable In Managing For Climate Variability In A North Australian Savanna, Peter O’Reagain, John Bushell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Pre‐Wilting And In Vitro Digestibility Of Organic Matter, W. Opitz Von Boberfeld

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Live Weight Gain Of Beef Cattle Steers On Panicum Maximum Cv. Tanzania Subjected To Intensities Of Rotational Grazing, Domicio Nascimento Jr., G. S. Difante, Valéria P. B. Euclides, Sila C. Da Silva, R. A. Torres

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Non-Sterile Fermentation Of Food Waste Using Thermophilic And Alkaliphilic Bacillus Licheniformis Ynp5-Tsu For 2,3-Butanediol Production, Joshua A. O'Hair, Qing Jin, Dajun Yu, Jian Wu, Hengjian Wang, Suping Zhou, Haibo Huang

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Conversion of food waste into 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) via microbial fermentation provides a promising way to reduce waste disposal to landfills and produce sustainable chemicals. However, sterilization of food waste, an energy- and capital-costly process, is generally required before fermentation to avoid any contamination, which reduces the energy net output and economic feasibility of food waste fermentation. In this study, we investigated the non-sterile fermentation of food waste to produce 2,3-BDO using a newly isolated thermophilic and alkaliphilic B. licheniformis YNP5-TSU. Three unitary food waste samples (i.e., pepper, pineapple, cabbage wastes) and one miscellaneous food waste mixture were respectively inoculated with …

Smokejumper Obituary: Kalbfus, Charles Lyon (Missoula 1945), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Smokejumper Obituary: Siemon, William L. (Missoula 1945), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Altered Toxin Binding Or Access To The Binding Site, What Changes In The Tetrodotoxin Resistant Sodium Channels Of Garter Snakes?, Kenyon Mitchell

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Voltage-gated sodium ion channels are required for the generation and propagation of action potentials in vertebrate nerve and muscle cells. The neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) binds in the channel pore and blocks sodium channel function. Some populations of garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) have evolved resistance to TTX in part due to amino acid substitutions in the pore of the voltage-gated sodium channel expressed in skeletal muscle fibers (tsNaV1.4). We have previously demonstrated that the four amino acid substitutions in tsNaV1.4 from snake populations in California reduce TTX binding. These four amino acid substitutions are at or near an amino acid position …

The Role Of Dogs In Ancient Mesopotamia, Hannah Chester

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

This research summarizes the role of dogs in ancient Mesopotamian society, with an emphasis on the religious aspect of dogs in regards to the goddess Gula.

Power Ultrasonication Improves Tenderness And Proteolysis In Beef Steak During Aging, Chandler Stafford

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Among the eating qualities attributed to cooked meat, tenderness is considered an essential factor in dictating consumers' overall satisfaction and future purchase. Tenderness can be influenced by several extrinsic and intrinsic factors; however, the extent of postmortem proteolysis that occurs during meat aging is the main contributor to end-product tenderness. The process involves enzymatic degradation of key cytoskeletal proteins and the signaling of cellular apoptosis, which ultimately leads to the breakdown of muscles structural integrity, resulting in tenderization. The calcium-dependent calpain system, specifically calpain-1, has been recognized as the main protease involved in postmortem tenderization. In the presence of calcium, …

Furries: The Emergence Of The Modern-Day Anthropomorphism Culture, Nate Bee

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

A brief contextualization of what a furry is, and potential origins/explanations for the emergence of the modern-day furry.

The Use Of Dogs In Therapeutic Practices, Brynli Bleak

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Dogs are becoming more and more involved in the health, mental health and educational sectors. In recent years they have been trained to assist individuals and groups in various therapies. Although the use of therapy and service dogs has become more popular in recent years, there is a long history of involving dogs in treatments. This research was targeted at discovering more about the history of therapy and service dogs, the differences between them, and the benefits that they produce for individuals.

Effective Use Of Service Dogs For Veterans With Ptsd, Sarah Brinck

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

A comparative study of various experiments designed to determine a correlation between service dogs and effective use of managing symptoms of PTSD. The topic of interest was to see if there is ample information to either prove or disprove a correlation between the use of service dogs as a successful treatment for PTSD. Initial conclusions from various studies are seeing positive results, however, more studies with larger numbers of participants need to take place in order to secure a more definitive conclusion.

Dogs And Death: A Changing Association, Andrea Giles

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Dogs have always been associated with death. However, these associations have changed as our relationship with them has changed. In the beginning of our relationship dogs were often associated with evils and devils, then evolved to become our protectors, and now are viewed as family and loyal companions. Dogs have not changed, though - they have always been our companions and protectors. Rather, their associations with death tell us about ourselves and how we view the world.

Vegetation Green Up: Ground-Truthing Ndvi Data Using Wildlife Cameras, Steven Handtke

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Plant phenology in mountainous areas follows elevation gradients, with spring green-up beginning in low elevations and increasing in elevation as the season progresses. This green-up is an important ecological event as studies have shown ungulates sync their spring migration to this green wave for maximum nutrition consumption at the beginning of the season. This correlation is useful when studying habitat use of ungulates. The current standard for tracking this green-up uses the normalized difference vegetation index, or NDVI. This index tracks changes in vegetation using satellite imaging every eight days and assigns a value on a greenness scale that correlates …

The Effects Of Estrogen And Arousal On Latent Inhibition, Michael Herron

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The behaviors of humans and animals are dependent on neurotransmitters and hormones that affect attention, alertness, and associative learning. These include the hormone estrogen (which plays an interesting role in cognition and attentional processes) and the neurotransmitter orexin (involved in wakefulness, arousal and goal-directed behaviors). Here we evaluated the roles of orexin receptors and estrogen in Latent Inhibition (LI), a measure of attention and associative learning. Latent inhibition is a behavioral phenomenon in which an organism's ability to associate new meaning to a familiar previously inconsequential (pre-exposed) stimulus is reduced when compared to associating meaning to a novel stimulus (non …

Mitochondrial Pyruvate Consumption Decreases Glycolytic Flux In Postmortem Muscle, Natalie Keele

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Mitochondrial pyruvate consumption decreases glycolytic flux in postmortem muscleColor, water-holding capacity and tenderness are important aspects of meat quality that are impacted by pH. The pH of meat is primarily determined by the amount of anaerobic glycolysis that occurs postmortem. As glycogen is degraded, it will produce ATP, pyruvate and hydrogen ions that acidify the meat, and this acidification process is essential for proper meat quality development. In the absence of oxygen, pyruvate is converted to lactate to restore NAD+ necessary for further glycolysis. In this state of anoxia, mitochondria are often ignored due to their reliance on oxygen to …

Examining Ages Of Birds That Have Fatally Collided With Windows At Usu's C&Ss Building, Brigham City, Ut, Taylor Kenyon

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Around 97.6-975.6 million birds fatally collide with windows each year in North America. Bird age could be a contributor to the collisions. The central focus of our research project is to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between the age of an individual bird and the likelihood of a fatal collision with a human-made window. The data collection method that will be used for this project is a hybrid of primary and secondary research. Personally collected data regarding window collisions, will be obtained from daily surveys of the Classroom and Student Services (CSS) Building at the Utah State …

Using Lichens As Bioindicators Of Air Pollutant Concentrations At Cache Valley Elementary Schools, Angelia Klein

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Air pollution causes an average of two or more years to be lost from the lives of Utahns. Pollution from idling is estimated to contribute to one third of all of Utah's emissions, but no studies in Cache County have examined how metal content in the atmosphere changes with distance from idling zones. Lichens can be used to monitor type and level of airborne contaminants in air pollution. The objective of this study is to determine if lichens' metal content varies with proximity to the idling zones in front of schools in Cache County. We predict that the lichens closer …

Analyzing Fatal Bird-Window Collisions Occurring On Usu's C&Ss Building, Brigham City, Utah, Jacob Larkin

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Fatal bird window collisions are often overlooked as minimally damaging to bird populations or viewed as inevitable collateral damage of human habitat expansion. In reality, these unnecessary collisions are truly monumental in number, and prove to be a serious threat to bird populations, especially endangered bird species. In the United States alone it is estimated that between 365 - 988 million birds fatally collide with man-made windows annually. We are focusing our study on fatal bird-window collisions occurring on the Classroom and Student Services Building (C&SS building) at the USU campus in Brigham City, UT 84302. We have selected this …

"Botley, You Need To Listen!" Exploring Young Children's Interactions With Robots While Learning To Code, Selendra Lewis, Rebecca Peterson, Kathleen Bullock

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Recently, there's been a surge of research about child-robot interactions as robots are being used in classrooms and homes in increasing numbers. Many of these studies are conducted in a laboratory-like setting followed by a survey. This project is unique in that we primarily rely on observational data in classrooms where students are using robots to learn math and Computational Thinking skills including Spatial Reasoning, Algorithmic Thinking, Debugging, and Decomposition. While the main purpose of the larger project is to develop curriculum and assessments for these skills, the structure of the FSRS project proposal allows us to also analyze these …

Bird-Window Collision Mitigation At Usu's C&Ss Building, Brigham City, Utah, Hunter Martin

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Bird-window collisions are often not thought about as if they are a major problem to bird populations worldwide. This is not the case as bird populations are threatened by these collisions. In the United States alone it is estimated that 97.6 - 975.6 million birds fatally collide with human-made windows annually, and another 16 to 42 million collide in Canada per year. Our focus is to investigate a possible window collision problem and explore different mitigation efforts to prevent these collisions at the USU-Brigham City campus (Brigham City, Utah, 84302). We hope to determine how many fatal bird-window collisions are …

Still Life With Three Puppies, Jenna Mills

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

During the nationwide Covid-19 shutdown, there has been a surge in demand for man's best friend. As American animal shelters have issued calls for help amidst strained resources, adoptions have reached a level never before seen. Being isolated for an uncertain amount of time has encouraged many American families to bring home a new four-legged member. These so-called "Pandemic Puppies" have been a ray of sunshine in a dim world situation.

Few artworks could better represent the current pet-owning situation than Paul Gauguin's "Still Life with Three Puppies". Although painted in 1888, many similarities can be drawn between the painting …

Cytokine Indicators Of Inflammation In Mice Fed A Western Type Diet, Emily Mortensen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Colorectal cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is projected to cause 53,200 deaths during 2020. The risk of colon cancer increases by 8-20% in individuals who suffer from colitis, which is inflammation of the colon lining. Colitis is common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The development of colorectal cancer is complex and can be associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, which has been shown to be affected by diet. Disruption of the gut microbiome can lead to the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria …

The Importance Of Experiment Replication In Understanding Distribution Of 'Alalā Seed Retention Time, Camilla Moses

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Hawaiian forests have suffered damages from climate change, introduced plants, and introduced animals that trample or graze on the native vegetation. The 'Alalā, a native Hawaiian bird that is being reintroduced from captivity, is a disperser of native plants and can facilitate the restoration of native vegetation in Hawaiian forests. If the seed retention time and the flight paths of the 'Alalā are known, we can estimate the distribution of the seeds they disperse and see the effect the species has on forest restoration. In this study, the seed retention time of the 'Alalā is predicted from body mass using …

Identification And Characterization Of Pd-L1 In Bovine Placentas, Andre Nguyen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Successful bovine pregnancy requires that the maternal immune system modulate T lymphocytes. Program death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an inhibitory protein that is associated with immune tolerance and modulation of T cells. Previous studies have linked PD-L1 to suppressing T cell activity and modulating cytokine production, therefore, inducing maternal tolerance and acceptance of the fetus. PD-L1 may be a possible mechanism involved in establishing successful bovine pregnancies. To this day, no evidence of PD-L1 RNA or protein was found in bovine placentas. We hypothesize that PD-L1 is present in the bovine placenta and its expression differs between trimesters. To analyze the …

Belief, Virtue, And Illness In Late-Nineteenth Century Domestic Manuals, Anneka Walton

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The belief that one's health is a result of their behavior has persisted throughout much of history. At times, these beliefs were so direct as to blame any and all illness on the "sins" of the victim. In some ways, we still see these beliefs persist today. While we now understand many of the true causes of illness, we continue to believe that poor behaviors can result in poor health outcomes, and often treat people suffering from conditions they "brought on themselves" accordingly. The object of this research is to better understand how American societal beliefs of the causes of …