Life Sciences Commons^™

Stabilizing Vimentin Phosphorylation Inhibits Stem-Like Cell Properties And Metastasis Of Hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal Carcinomas, Nick A Kuburich, Petra Den Hollander, Maria Castaneda, Mika Pietilä, Ximing Tang, Harsh Batra, Francisco Martínez-Peña, Tanvi H Visal, Tieling Zhou, Breanna R Demestichas, Ritesh V Dontula, Jojo Y Liu, Joanna Joyce Maddela, Reethi S Padmanabhan, Lan Thi Hanh Phi, Matthew J Rosolen, Thiru Sabapathy, Dhiraj Kumar, Filippo G Giancotti, Luke L Lairson, Maria Gabriela Raso, Rama Soundararajan, Sendurai A Mani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) empowers epithelial cells with mesenchymal and stem-like attributes, facilitating metastasis, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal (E/M) cells, retaining both epithelial and mesenchymal traits, exhibit heightened metastatic potential and stemness. The mesenchymal intermediate filament, vimentin, is upregulated during EMT, enhancing the resilience and invasiveness of carcinoma cells. The phosphorylation of vimentin is critical to its structure and function. Here, we identify that stabilizing vimentin phosphorylation at serine 56 induces multinucleation, specifically in hybrid E/M cells with stemness properties but not epithelial or mesenchymal cells. Cancer stem-like cells are especially susceptible to vimentin-induced multinucleation relative to …

Impact Of Cumulative Dose Of Brentuximab Vedotin On Outcomes Of Frontline Therapy For Advanced-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma, Raphael E Steiner, Steven R Hwang, Arushi Khurana, Thomas M Habermann, Narendranath Epperla, Kaitlin Annunzio, Pamela Blair Allen, Katelin Baird, Darina Paulino, Juan Pablo Alderuccio, Izidore S Lossos, Kevin David, Andrew M Evens, Karan Pandya, Steven M Bair, Manali Kamdar, Sheeba Ba Aqeel, Pallawi Torka, Ryan Lynch, Stephen Smith, Lei Feng, Mansoor Noorani, Sairah Ahmed, Ranjit Nair, Francisco Vega, Susan Wu, Penny Fang, Chelsea C Pinnix, Jillian R Gunther, Bouthaina S Dabaja, Hun J Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the pivotal study ECHELON-1, brentuximab vedotin (BV), doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (A + AVD) demonstrated superior efficacy compared with bleomycin + AVD for the treatment of advanced-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). However, there are minimal available data regarding the frequency of dose reductions or omission of BV during curative therapy and the potential impact on patient outcomes. In a real-world analysis, we retrospectively reviewed the characteristics and outcomes of 179 patients with stage III or IV cHL treated with frontline A + AVD from January 2010 to April 2022. Treatment consisted of up to 1.2 mg/kg of BV and …

Smokejumper Obituary: Hearn, Bernard Carter (Grangeville 1952), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Maize Terpene Synthase 1 Impacts Insect Behavior Via The Production Of Monoterpene Volatiles Β-Myrcene And Linalool, Jessica P. Yactayo-Chang, Geoffrey T. Broadhead, Robert J. Housler, Marcio F.R. Resende Jr., Kashish Verma, Joe Louis, Gilles J. Basset, John J. Beck, Anna K. Block

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plant-derived volatiles are important mediators of plant-insect interactions as they can provide cues for host location and quality, or act as direct or indirect defense molecules. The volatiles produced by Zea mays (maize) include a range of terpenes, likely produced by several of the terpene synthases (TPS) present in maize. Determining the roles of specific terpene volatiles and individual TPSs in maize-insect interactions is challenging due to the promiscuous nature of TPSs in vitro and their potential for functional redundancy. In this study, we used metabolite GWAS of a sweetcorn diversity panel infested with Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) to identify …

Smokejumper Obituary: Mcdonald, Joseph Franklin "Joe" (West Yellowstone 1951), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mars Global Simulant (Mgs-1) On Growth And Physiology Of Sweet Potato: A Space Model Plant, Karthik Chinnannan, Prapooja Somagattu, Hyndavi Yammanuru, Padma Nimmakayala, Manohar Chakrabarti, Umesh K. Reddy

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Growing food autonomously on Mars is challenging due to the Martian soil's low nutrient content and high salinity. Understanding how plants adapt and evaluating their nutritional attributes are pivotal for sustained Mars missions. This research delves into the regeneration, stress tolerance, and dietary metrics of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) across different Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1) concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 75%). In our greenhouse experiment, 75% MGS-1 concentration significantly inhibited sweet potato growth, storage root biomass, and chlorophyll content. This concentration also elevated the plant tissues' H2O2, proline, and ascorbic acid levels. Higher MGS-1 exposures (50 and 75%) …

Palmitate Induces Integrated Stress Response And Lipoapoptosis In Trophoblasts, Prakash Kumar Sahoo, Chandan Krishnamoorthy, Jennifer R. Wood, Corrine Hanson, Ann Anderson-Berry, Justin L. Mott, Sathish Kumar Natarajan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Maternal obesity increases the risk of childhood obesity and programs the offspring to develop metabolic syndrome later in their life. Palmitate is the predominant saturated free fatty acid (FFA) that is transported across the placenta to the fetus. We have recently shown that saturated FFA in the maternal circulation as a result of increased adipose tissue lipolysis in third trimester of pregnancy induces trophoblast lipoapoptosis. Here, we hypothesized that palmitate induces integrated stress response by activating mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and granular stress and lipoapoptosis in trophoblasts. Choriocarcinoma-derived third-trimester placental trophoblast-like cells (JEG-3 and JAR) referred …

Draft Genomes Of Lactobacillus Jensenii Umb0908, Umb1545, And Umb5777 From The Urinary Tract, Maria Steiling, Briana Jackson, Natalie Stegman, Cerena Sedano, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Lactobacillus jensenii is a member of the female urogenital microbiome. Previous research has identified strains of L. jensenii that are capable of inhibiting or killing uropathogens, including E. coli. Here, we present the draft genomes of three L. jensenii strains collected from urine samples.

Variables Affecting The Extraction Of Antioxidants In Cold And Hot Brew Coffee: A Review, Brian Yust, Frank Wilkinson, Niny Rao

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Coffee beans are a readily available, abundant source of antioxidants used worldwide. With the increasing interest in and consumption of coffee beverages globally, research into the production, preparation, and chemical profile of coffee has also increased in recent years. A wide range of variables such as roasting temperature, coffee grind size, brewing temperature, and brewing duration can have a significant impact on the extractable antioxidant content of coffee products. While there is no single standard method for measuring all of the antioxidants found in coffee, multiple methods which introduce the coffee product to a target molecule or reagent can be …

Draft Genome Sequences Of Lactobacillus Paragasseri Strains Isolated From The Female Urinary Tract, Briana Jackson, Natalie Stegman, Cerena Sedano, Maria Steiling, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Lactobacillus species are often associated with a healthy environment in the female urogenital tract. Here, we present the draft genome assemblies for three L. paragasseri strains isolated from voided urine samples from females with type II diabetes; two of the strains were collected from the same individual 3 months apart.

The Mechanobiology Of Cell Plasticity, Yuan Hong

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The cell is a sophisticated machine, integrating chemical and physical inputs to decide upon the mechanobiological outputs that the body requires every second, in cardiomyocytes that make heartbeats, in fibroblasts that heal wounds, and in sarcomeres that contract muscles. Malfunction of mechanotransduction or mechanical inputs is implicated in diseases such as fibrosis, cancers, and cardiomyopathies, and a pressing quest is underway to unravel the intricacies of how mechanical force orchestrates the activation of cells. This dissertation explores these fundamental mechanisms of cell activation using integrated mathematical and engineered cell culture models. The work begins with the discovery that the directionality …

Investigation Of The Deubiquitinating Enzyme Usp7 In The Brain, Hao Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The development of the nervous system relies on precise control of protein ubiquitination and degradation. Consequently, imbalance in the ubiquitin signaling network is believed to have significant implications for neurological disorders. Recent research has not only detailed the various functions of different ubiquitin ligases in neural development, but has also disclosed the role of deubiquitinating enzyme as an additional regulatory dimension in the ubiquitin signaling network. Specifically, deletion or mutation of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 causes the Hao-Fountain syndrome, characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism, and aggressive behavior. Although USP7 has been studied in proliferating cells in the context …

Desmoglein-2 As A Cancer Modulator: Friend Or Foe?, Kay Myo Min, Charlie Ffrench, Barbara Mcclure, Michael Ortiz, Emma Dorward, Michael Samuel, Lisa Ebert, Mỹ Mahoney, Claudine Bonder

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Desmoglein-2 (DSG2) is a calcium-binding single pass transmembrane glycoprotein and a member of the large cadherin family. Until recently, DSG2 was thought to only function as a cell adhesion protein embedded within desmosome junctions designed to enable cells to better tolerate mechanical stress. However, additional roles for DSG2 outside of desmosomes are continuing to emerge, particularly in cancer. Herein, we review the current literature on DSG2 in cancer and detail its impact on biological functions such as cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion, intracellular signaling, extracellular vesicle release and vasculogenic mimicry. An increased understanding of the diverse repertoire of the biological …

Lead In Paint-Contaminated Residential Soils With Varying Physicochemical Properties From Three Large Us Cities: Assessment Of Geochemical Forms And Recommendations On Amendments For Immobilization, Hadeer Saleh, Dibyendu Sarkar, Washington Braida, Steve Larson, Rupali Datta

Michigan Tech Publications

Lead in yard soils has been recognized as the principal source of excess lead absorption among young children. The hazard imposed by soil lead is dependent on the geochemical forms of lead in soils. Soil properties such as pH, soil organic matter, clay, and carbonate content influence the geochemical forms of lead in soil. This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between soil properties and the geochemical speciation of lead in lead paint-contaminated residential soils from three major US cities. A comprehensive field survey was conducted, involving the collection of soils from ten houses in each of the cities: …

Ints6 And The Integrator Phosphatase Module Tune The Efficiency Of Select Premature Transcription Termination Events, Rina Fujiwara, Si-Nan Zhai, Dongming Liang, Aayushi P Shah, Matthew Tracey, Xu-Kai Ma, Christopher J Fields, María Saraí Mendoza-Figueroa, Michele C Meline, Deirdre C Tatomer, Li Yang, Jeremy E Wilusz

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The metazoan-specific Integrator complex catalyzes 3' end processing of small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and premature termination that attenuates the transcription of many protein-coding genes. Integrator has RNA endonuclease and protein phosphatase activities, but it remains unclear if both are required for complex function. Here, we show IntS6 (Integrator subunit 6) over-expression blocks Integrator function at a subset of Drosophila protein-coding genes, although having no effect on snRNAs or attenuation of other loci. Over-expressed IntS6 titrates protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) subunits, thereby only affecting gene loci where phosphatase activity is necessary for Integrator function. IntS6 functions analogous to a PP2A regulatory …

You Can Lead A Horse To Water: Mapping Seasonal Water Resources To Predict Wild Horse Movements On Utah Rangelands, David C. Stoner, Eric Thacker, Linden Greenhalgh, Mark Nelson

All Current Publications

All wild horse herd management areas in Utah overlap BLM grazing allotments. Although horses and cattle have similar dietary habits, both species rely heavily on predictable water sources during dry periods. The concentration of wildlife and livestock in mesic areas during droughts can become problems for farmers and livestock producers. We aimed to map the annual distribution of temporary surface water across Utah that cattle, horses, and wildlife could use. Herein we analyzed an 18-year record of satellite imagery to create a statewide map of seasonal surface-water availability for agricultural and wildlife management purposes.

Aversion Properties Of Retrorsine, Retrorsine Nitrogen Oxide And Frosted Senecio Latifolius, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Two pilot trials, investigating the aversive properties of retrorsine and retrorsine nitrogen oxide and that of frosted Senecio latifolius, were executed. Retrorsine and retrorsine-NO (the toxic principles of Senecio retrorsus), unlke sceleratine-NO (the toxic principle of another hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing plant, namely S. latifolius), were not capable of establishing aversion when given to a sheep. Frosted S. latifolius given to a sheep also did not induce aversion. However, a sheep averted to S. latifolius (non-frosted) refused eating frosted S. latifolius.

Leptin Decreases Gluconeogenesis And Gluconeogenic Substrate Availability In Patients With Lipodystrophy, Emmanuel Quaye, Shaji Chacko, Megan Startzell, Rebecca J Brown

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Context: The effects of leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone that signals overall energy sufficiency, can only be studied in leptin-deficient conditions. In patients with lipodystrophy, a rare disease and unique model of leptin deficiency, treatment with recombinant leptin (metreleptin) improves glycemia and decreases energy expenditure. We hypothesized that these improvements might be mediated by reduced gluconeogenesis (GNG), an energy-requiring process.

Objective: To determine the effects of metreleptin on GNG and GNG substrates.

Methods: This was a single-arm prospective study of metreleptin administration in 15 patients with lipodystrophy, 9 of whom had data on GNG (NIH, 2013-2018). We analyzed total GNG, insulin-mediated …

Metalloproteomic Investigation Of Hg-Binding Proteins In Renal Tissue Of Rats Exposed To Mercury Chloride, Emerson Carlos De Almeida, Victor Diego Faria, Felipe Dalmazzo Cirinêu, Maria G.A. Santiago, Beatriz Miotto, José C.S. Vieira, Camila Pereira Braga, Jiri Adamec, Ana A.H. Fernandes, Marília A.R. Buzalaf, Pedro De Magalhães Padilha

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Results obtained from rat studies indicate that, even at low concentrations, mercurial species cause harmful effects on the kidneys, by inducing the nephrotic oxidative stress response. In the present work, Hg-associated proteins were identified as possible mercury-exposure biomarkers in rat kidneys exposed to low mercury chloride concentrations for 30 days (Hg-30) and 60 days (Hg-60), using metalloproteomic strategies. The renal proteomic profile was fractioned by two-dimensional electrophoresis and the mercury determinations in kidney samples, protein pellets and protein spots were performed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The characterization of Hg-associated protein spots and the analysis of differentially expressed proteins …

Importance Of Sanitation For Stored-Product Pest Management, Georgina Bingham, David W. Hagstrum

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Sanitation is essential for the cost-effective pest management of stored-product insects. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tightening regulatory standards, and many local surveys, courses and conferences were organized to prepare the industry for these new regulations. Sanitation removes insects and residual food, which may also provide shelter for insects, with heat treatments and insecticide applications. The number of insects removed by cleaning may be reduced as the number of available hiding places increases. Decreased sanitation negatively affects the efficacy of most other pest management practices, with means of 1.3- …

Crop Dna Extraction With Lab-Made Magnetic Nanoparticles, Haichuan Wang, Xueqi Zhao, Li Tan, Junwei Zhu, David Hyten

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Molecular breeding methods, such as marker-assisted selection and genomic selection, require high-throughput and cost-effective methods for isolating genomic DNA from plants, specifically from crop tissue or seed with high polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins. A quick and inexpensive high-throughput method for isolating genomic DNA from seed and leaf tissue from multiple crops was tested with a DNA isolation method that combines CTAB extraction buffer and lab-made SA-coated magnetic nanoparticles. This method is capable of isolating quality genomic DNA from leaf tissue and seeds in less than 2 hours with fewer steps than a standard CTAB extraction method. The yield of the …

27-Hydroxycholesterol And Dna Damage Repair: Implication In Prostate Cancer, Gloria Cecilia Galvan, Nadine Friedrich, Sanjay Das, James Daniels, Sara Pollan, Shweta Dambal, Ryusuke Suzuki, Sergio Sanders, Sungyong You, Hisashi Tanaka, Yeon-Joo Lee, Wei Yuan, Johann De Bono, Irina Vasilevskaya, Karen Knudsen, Michael Freeman, Stephen Freedland

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: We previously reported that cholesterol homeostasis in prostate cancer (PC) is regulated by 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC) and that CYP27A1, the enzyme that converts cholesterol to 27HC, is frequently lost in PCs. We observed that restoring the CYP27A1/27HC axis inhibited PC growth. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of 27HC-mediated anti-PC effects.

METHODS: We employed in vitro models and human transcriptomics data to investigate 27HC mechanism of action in PC. LNCaP (AR+) and DU145 (AR-) cells were treated with 27HC or vehicle. Transcriptome profiling was performed using the Affymetrix GeneChip™ microarray system. Differential expression was determined, and gene set enrichment …

Long Oligodeoxynucleotides: Chemical Synthesis, Isolation Via Catching-By-Polymerization, Verification Via Sequencing, And Gene Expression Demonstration, Yipeng Yin, Reed Arneson, Alexander Apostle, Adikari M.D.N. Eriyagama, Komal Chillar, Emily Burke, Martina Jahfetson, Yinan Yuan, Shiyue Fang

Michigan Tech Publications

Long oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) are segments of DNAs having over one hundred nucleotides (nt). They are typically assembled using enzymatic methods such as PCR and ligation from shorter 20 to 60 nt ODNs produced by automated de novo chemical synthesis. While these methods have made many projects in areas such as synthetic biology and protein engineering possible, they have various drawbacks. For example, they cannot produce genes and genomes with long repeats and have difficulty to produce sequences containing stable secondary structures. Here, we report a direct de novo chemical synthesis of 400 nt ODNs, and their isolation from the complex …

Profitable, Low-Emission Nitrogen Application Strategies In Western Australian Dryland Cropping, Christophe D'Abbadie, Sud Kharel, Ross Kingwell, Amir Abadi Ghadim

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Context

Australian grain producers may need to report their farm greenhouse emissions. Accordingly, nitrogen fertiliser application strategies will need to include consideration of their environmental as well as economic impacts.

Aims

We aim to identify the nitrogen application strategies suited to dryland cropping in Western Australia that are highly profitable and that generate lower emissions.

Methods

Simulation modelling is used to examine the gross margins and emissions associated with four broadly different nitrogen strategies at 14 locations in the grainbelt of Western Australia for different frequencies of cropping.

Key results

Strategies that generate high gross margins and moderate emissions often …

A New Addition To The Trademark Litigator's Tool Kit: A Neuroscientific Index Of Mark Similarity, Mark Bartholomew, Zhihao Zhang, Ming Hsu, Andrew S. Kayser, Femke Van Horen

Journal Articles

With trademark law always striving to keep abreast of new developments in science and technology, the authors of this article propose an innovative, neuroscience-based approach to answering the time-honored question of whether likelihood of consumer confusion exists in a particular dispute.

Simvastatin In Critically Ill Patients With Covid-19, Thomas E Hills, Elizabeth Lorenzi, Lindsay R Berry, Murali Shyamsundar, Farah Al-Beidh, Djillali Annane, Yaseen Arabi, Diptesh Aryal, Carly Au, Abigail Beane, Zahra Bhimani, Marc Bonten, Charlotte A Bradbury, Frank M Brunkhorst, Aidan Burrell, Meredith Buxton, Carolyn S Calfee, Maurizio Cecconi, Allen C Cheng, Matthew E Cove, Michelle A Detry, Lise J Estcourt, Mark Fitzgerald, Ewan C Goligher, Herman Goossens, Cameron Green, Rashan Haniffa, David A Harrison, Madiha Hashmi, Alisa M Higgins, Christopher Horvat, David T Huang, Nao Ichihara, Deva Jayakumar, Peter S Kruger, François Lamontagne, Lamprini Lampro, Patrick R Lawler, John C Marshall, Alexina J Mason, Anna Mcglothlin, Shay Mcguinness, Zoe K Mcquilten, Bryan J Mcverry, Paul R Mouncey, Srinivas Murthy, Matthew D Neal, Alistair D Nichol, Cecilia M O'Kane, Rachael L Parke, Jane C Parker, Ebenezer Rabindrarajan, Luis F Reyes, Kathryn M Rowan, Hiroki Saito, Marlene Santos, Christina T Saunders, Christopher W Seymour, Manu Shankar-Hari, Pratik Sinha, B Taylor Thompson, Alexis F Turgeon, Anne M Turner, Frank Van De Veerdonk, Sebastian Weis, Ian S Young, Ryan Zarychanski, Roger J Lewis, Colin J Mcarthur, Derek C Angus, Scott M Berry, Lennie P G Derde, Steve A Webb, Anthony C Gordon, Daniel F Mcauley

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of simvastatin in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear.

METHODS: In an ongoing international, multifactorial, adaptive platform, randomized, controlled trial, we evaluated simvastatin (80 mg daily) as compared with no statin (control) in critically ill patients with Covid-19 who were not receiving statins at baseline. The primary outcome was respiratory and cardiovascular organ support-free days, assessed on an ordinal scale combining in-hospital death (assigned a value of -1) and days free of organ support through day 21 in survivors; the analyis used a Bayesian hierarchical ordinal model. The adaptive design included prespecified statistical …

Current Biomedical Applications Of 3d-Printed Hydrogels, Allan John R Barcena, Kashish Dhal, Parimal Patel, Prashanth Ravi, Suprateek Kundu, Karthik Tappa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has revolutionized the production of physical 3D objects by transforming computer-aided design models into layered structures, eliminating the need for traditional molding or machining techniques. In recent years, hydrogels have emerged as an ideal 3D printing feedstock material for the fabrication of hydrated constructs that replicate the extracellular matrix found in endogenous tissues. Hydrogels have seen significant advancements since their first use as contact lenses in the biomedical field. These advancements have led to the development of complex 3D-printed structures that include a wide variety of organic and inorganic materials, cells, and …

Mir-410 Is A Key Regulator Of Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition With Biphasic Role In Prostate Cancer, Diana M Asante, Amritha Sreekumar, Sandip Nathani, Tae Jin Lee, Ashok Sharma, Nikhil Patel, Matthew N Simmons, Sharanjot Saini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The molecular basis of prostate cancer (PCa) progression from the primary disease to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) followed by therapy-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer is not fully understood. In this study, we elucidate the role of miR-410, a little-studied microRNA located on chromosome 14q32.31 within the DLK1-DIO3 cluster, in PCa. miR-410 expression analyses in primary and metastatic PCa tissues and cell lines show that its levels are decreased in initial stages and increased in advanced PCa. Functional studies were performed in a series of PCa cell lines. In LNCaP cells, miR-410 overexpression led to decreases in cellular viability, proliferation, invasiveness, …

Biowall Development For The West Lafayette Public Library, Dhanurja De Silva, Yalin Lu, Siqi He, Ajay Dalal, Bill Hutzel

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

A group of multidisciplinary Purdue students are working together to design, assemble, and install a Biowall in the Children’s section of the West Lafayette Public Library. A Biowall is a plant-based filter that improves Indoor Environmental Quality by cleaning indoor air and adding a natural aesthetic to the building space. Purdue has been developing Biowall technology since 2012, and this project involves redesigning it to fit into the available space at the library. The new Biowall design incorporates a watering mechanism that allows for children to get actively involved in maintaining the Biowall and learning about sustainability. This project also …

Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation Using Genetic Algorithm-Optimized Machine Learning Models And Standardized Penman–Monteith Equation In A Highly Advective Environment, Shafik Kiraga, R. Troy Peters, Behnaz Molaei, Steven R. Evett, Gary Marek

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ETr) is important for irrigation planning, water resource management, and preserving agricultural and forest habitats. The widely used Penman–Monteith equation (ASCE-PM) estimates ETr across various timescales using ground weather station data. However, discrepancies persist between estimated ETr and measured ETr obtained from weighing lysimeters (ETr-lys), particularly in advective environments. This study assessed different machine learning (ML) models in comparison to ASCE-PM for ETr estimation in highly advective conditions. Various variable combinations, representing both radiation and aerodynamic components, were organized for evaluation. Eleven datasets (DT) were created for the daily timescale, while seven were established for …