Life Sciences Commons^™

Specialized Insectivores Drive Differences In Avian Community Composition Between Primary And Secondary Forest In Central Africa, Eleanor M. Barrie, Billi A. Krochuk, Crinan Jarrett, Diogo F. Ferreira, Patricia F. Rodrigues, Susana Lin Mufumu, Silvestre Esteban Malanza, Agustin Ebana Nsue Akele, Cayetano Ebana Ebana Alene, Kristin Brzeski, Jacob C. Cooper, Jared Wolfe, Luke L. Powell

Michigan Tech Publications

The human population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to triple by 2100, drastically increasing anthropogenic pressure on biodiversity. When rainforest is disturbed by anthropogenic drivers, species respond heterogeneously; these patterns have rarely been quantified for Congo rainforest fauna. Our objective was to understand how community composition changed with human disturbance—with particular interest in the guilds and species that indicate primary rainforest. At a long-term bird banding site on mainland Equatorial Guinea, we captured over 3200 birds across 6 field seasons in selectively logged secondary forest and in largely undisturbed primary forest. Our multivariate ordination indicated a significant split between primary …

Long-Term Nitrogen Fertilization Inhibits Carbon And Nitrogen Loss During Late-Stage Fungal Necromass Decomposition Depending On Necromass Chemistry, Lang C. Delancey, Craig R. See, Katherine Heckman, Peter G. Kennedy, Sarah E. Hobbie

Michigan Tech Publications

Fungal necromass is increasingly recognized as a key component of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. However, how C and N loss from fungal necromass during decomposition is impacted by global change factors such as anthropogenic N addition and changes to soil C supply (e.g. via changing root exudation and rhizosphere priming) remains unclear and understudied relative to plant tissues. To address these gaps, we conducted a year-long decomposition experiment with four species of fungal necromass incubated across four forested sites in plots that had received inorganic N and/or labile C fertilization for two decades in Minnesota, USA. We …

Identifying The Drivers Behind The Decline Of Douglas-Fir And True Fir Species In Sw Oregon, Alexander Bryant Bentley

Dissertations and Theses

Increased levels of Pseudotsuga menziesii (DF) and Abies species (TF) decline throughout dry forests in the Klamath Mountains and Western Cascades ecoregions have been recorded in recent years, with preliminary evidence suggesting that factors influenced by changing climatic conditions and encroachment from fire suppression policies are primarily to blame. Yet, the physiological and environmental mechanisms of drought-driven tree decline are poorly understood across biophysical and spatial gradients. Given the complex relations that drive decline, determining the degree of influence of specific drivers is difficult, creating unique challenges for modern forest management. To elucidate the most important factors driving DF and …

Determining Accurate Pore Structures Of Polypropylene Membrane For Ecmo Using Fe-Sem Under Optimized Conditions, Makoto Fukuda, Yoshiaki Nishite, Eri Murata, Koki Namekawa, Tomohiro Mori, Tsutomu Tanaka, Kiyotaka Sakai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Long-term ECMOs are expected to be put into practical use in order to prepare for the next emerging severe infectious diseases after the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2019-2023. While polypropylene (PP) and polymethylpentene (PMP) are currently the mainstream materials for the hollow fiber membranes of ECMO, the PP membrane coated with a silicone layer on the outer surface has also been commercialized. In this study, we sought a method to accurately observe the detailed pore morphologies of the PP membrane by suppressing irreversible changes in the morphology in SEM observation, which is a general-purpose observation with higher resolution. As a …

Voluntary Contractions Underestimate Peak Muscle Activity In Drop Jumps, David Alan Phillips, Skylar Paletta, Michael R. Perlet

Department of Kinesiology Scholarship and Creative Works

Maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) are a common method to normalize electromyographic amplitude into standardized units of %MVIC. However, in 60% of drop jump research using an MVIC in 2018–2023, supramaximal activation or activation greater than 100% MVIC occurred. Therefore, MVICs may not be representative of peak muscle activation, leading to erroneous interpretation of muscle activation. The purpose of this study is to quantify EMG normalization difference in drop jump landings. Sixteen (10 M, 6F) participants were recruited for the study. MVICs were recorded from nine lower extremity muscles and this activation compared to the maximal activation recorded from 10 …

Targeting Detoxifying Enzymes In The Lymphatic Filariasis Vector: An In Silico Study On Curcumin, Camphor, And Menthol, Rizal Subahar, Rawina Winita, Surya Dwira, Gulshan Fahmi El Bayani

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Vector control remains a critical component in the prevention of lymphatic filariasis, a disease transmitted by insect vectors. Natural compounds such as curcumin, camphor, and menthol are being explored for their bio-insecticidal properties due to their potential to inhibit key detoxification and neurological enzymes in insects, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and cytochrome P450 oxidases (CYP450). A molecular docking study using SwissDock was conducted to evaluate the interaction of curcumin, camphor, and menthol with AChE, GST, and CYP450 enzymes. Binding affinity (ΔG), hydrogen bonding, and active site interactions were analyzed to assess the inhibitory potential of each compound. Curcumin …

Radiotherapy Promotes Cuproptosis And Synergizes With Cuproptosis Inducers To Overcome Tumor Radioresistance, Guang Lei, Mingchuang Sun, Jun Cheng, Rui Ye, Zhengze Lu, Amber Horbath, David Huo, Shengrong Wu, Anagha Alapati, Sadhna Aggarwal, Zhihao Xu, Chao Mao, Yuelong Yan, Jun Yao, Qidong Li, Xiong Chen, Hyemin Lee, Li Zhuang, Dadi Jiang, Apar Pataer, Jack A Roth, Nicholas Navin, Albert C Koong, Mingjian James You, Steven H Lin, Boyi Gan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cuproptosis is a recently identified form of copper-dependent cell death. Here, we reveal that radiotherapy (RT) induces cuproptosis in cancer cells, independent of apoptosis and ferroptosis, and depletes lipoylated proteins and iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster proteins-both hallmarks of cuproptosis-in patient tumors. Mechanistically, RT elevates mitochondrial copper levels by upregulating copper transporter 1 (CTR1) and depleting mitochondrial glutathione, a copper chelator, thereby triggering cuproptosis. Integrated analyses of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from radioresistant esophageal cancer cells and single-cell RNA-seq from esophageal tumors of patients unresponsive to RT link radioresistance to the downregulation of BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1). This downregulation de-represses the …

Radiotherapy Promotes Cuproptosis And Synergizes With Cuproptosis Inducers To Overcome Tumor Radioresistance, Guang Lei, Mingchuang Sun, Jun Cheng, Rui Ye, Zhengze Lu, Amber Horbath, David Huo, Shengrong Wu, Anagha Alapati, Sadhna Aggarwal, Zhihao Xu, Chao Mao, Yuelong Yan, Jun Yao, Qidong Li, Xiong Chen, Hyemin Lee, Li Zhuang, Dadi Jiang, Apar Pataer, Jack A Roth, Nicholas Navin, Albert C Koong, Mingjian James You, Steven H Lin, Boyi Gan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cuproptosis is a recently identified form of copper-dependent cell death. Here, we reveal that radiotherapy (RT) induces cuproptosis in cancer cells, independent of apoptosis and ferroptosis, and depletes lipoylated proteins and iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster proteins-both hallmarks of cuproptosis-in patient tumors. Mechanistically, RT elevates mitochondrial copper levels by upregulating copper transporter 1 (CTR1) and depleting mitochondrial glutathione, a copper chelator, thereby triggering cuproptosis. Integrated analyses of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from radioresistant esophageal cancer cells and single-cell RNA-seq from esophageal tumors of patients unresponsive to RT link radioresistance to the downregulation of BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1). This downregulation de-represses the …

Spatial And Multiomics Analysis Of Human And Mouse Lung Adenocarcinoma Precursors Reveals Tim-3 As A Putative Target For Precancer Interception, Bo Zhu, Pingjun Chen, Muhammad Aminu, Jian-Rong Li, Junya Fujimoto, Yanhua Tian, Lingzhi Hong, Hong Chen, Xin Hu, Chenyang Li, Natalie Vokes, Andre L Moreira, Don L Gibbons, Luisa M Solis Soto, Edwin Roger Parra Cuentas, Ou Shi, Songhui Diao, Jie Ye, Frank R Rojas, Eduardo Vilar, Anirban Maitra, Ken Chen, Nicolas Navin, Monique Nilsson, Beibei Huang, Simon Heeke, Jianhua Zhang, Cara L Haymaker, Vamsidhar Velcheti, Daniel H Sterman, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Ludmil B Alexandrov, Zhubo Wei, Xiuning Le, Linghua Wang, Junya Fukuoka, J Jack Lee, Ignacio I Wistuba, Harvey I Pass, Mark Davis, Samir Hanash, Chao Cheng, Steven Dubinett, Avrum Spira, Kunal Rai, Scott M Lippman, P Andrew Futreal, John V Heymach, Alexandre Reuben, Jia Wu, Jianjun Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

How tumor microenvironment shapes lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) precancer evolution remains poorly understood. Spatial immune profiling of 114 human LUAD and LUAD precursors reveals a progressive increase of adaptive response and a relative decrease of innate immune response as LUAD precursors progress. The immune evasion features align the immune response patterns at various stages. TIM-3-high features are enriched in LUAD precancers, which decrease in later stages. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial immune and transcriptomics profiling of LUAD and LUAD precursor specimens from 5 mouse models validate high TIM-3 features in LUAD precancers. In vivo TIM-3 blockade at precancer stage, …

Effects Of Consuming Short-Form Videos On Young Adults’ Fine Motor Skills, Dragon Tanaghon Chew, Jerome Gabriel Gay, Hien Than, Zhi Qin Ko

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

The composition of short-form video (SFV) consumption can affect cognitive abilities, including motor skills. This study addresses a potential concern due to the lack of data. By presenting two experimental designs, the study explores the impact of SFV consumption on the motor skills of young adults. The first experiment employs a between-subjects design, where 60 participants are randomly assigned to two groups, with one group exposed to 30 minutes of SFV content. The second experiment adopts a cross-sectional design based on self-reported historical SFV consumption, where motor skill is compared between groups with low (< 3 hours/day) and high (≥3 hours/day) SFV consumption. Typing performance is used as an indicator of motor skill for the first experiment and finger tapping test is used in the second. The results will compare pre- and post-intervention performance. The findings would enhance practical understanding and illustrate the relationship between social media and motor skills.

Key words: Short-form video, motor …

Influence Of Increasing Fires On Mixed Conifer Stand Dynamics In The U.S. Southwest, Simon D. Baker, Kristen M. Waring, David Auty, Nicholas Wilhelmi

Aspen Bibliography

(1) Stand-replacing fires may threaten the continued stability of mixed conifer forests in the U.S. Southwest. Increasing fire frequency and severity have made post-fire forest recovery trajectories uncertain for many coniferous species, potentially leading to long-term shifts in forest structure and composition. (2) The purpose of this study was to examine post-fire stand dynamics over a 10-year period, using a network of permanent plots established prior to wildfire events across Arizona and New Mexico. We assessed changes in over story composition, regeneration, and fuel loading across different fire severities. (3) High severity fire caused near-total over story mortality, with little …

Biological Control Of Pests In Insect Collections, Henry Townes

The Great Lakes Entomologist

No Abstract Available

An Alternate Foodplant For Euphydryas Phaeton Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Irwin Leeuw

The Great Lakes Entomologist

No Abstract Available

The European Antecedents Of The Schmitt Box, Ronald Sterne Wilkinson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

No Abstract Available

Report Of A Native Foodplant For Haploa Confusa (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Thomas J. Rosatti

The Great Lakes Entomologist

No Abstract Available.

A Review Of The Biology Of The Elm Spanworm (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), A. T. Drooz

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The elm spanworm is a serious defoliator of many species of broadleaved trees, particularly oaks, hickories, black walnut, and red maple. Its life history is reported herein, and the effects of various natural diets on its biology are included. Its different habits of oviposition in the North and South are compared, and early outbreaks are mentioned briefly. Evidence indicates that outbreaks terminate from either late spring frost or one of two recently described egg parasites.

Notes On The Biology And Damage Of Two Acrobasis Species (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) On Black Walnut In Michigan, Peter J. Martinat, William E. Wallner

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Acrobasis juglundis (Le Baron), and A. demotella Grote cause extensive damage to black walnut foliage and branchlets, and are potential threats to commercial production of walnut trees in Michigan. Both species are univoltine in Michigan and overwinter in hibernacula. lnstars 1-111 are morphologically indistinguishable between species and have similar feeding habits. In the spring, A. demotella was active about two weeks earlier, caused more damage. and was more abundant than A. juglandis. Five parasitoids were reared from A. juglandis including Trathala plesia (Cushman), a new record. No parasitoids were reared from A. denzotella.

Report Of New Trichoptera Records For Ohio, David B. Maclean, Bonnie K. Maclean

The Great Lakes Entomologist

New state records are given for 16 species of Trichoptera collected at four northeastern Ohio locations.

The Etymology Of The Beetle Name Lucanus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), H. D. Cameron

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[excerpt]

The handsome European stage beetle Llrcunus cervus Linnaeus is so magnificent in its outlines as to have won the attention of no less a master of drawing than Albrecht Diirer. The spectacular antler-like porrect mandibles of the male assure this creature an important place in any picture book of remarkable insects, and have awakened the linguistic imagination for metaphor. In many of the European languages it is called the flying stag or stag beetle: French cerf vulante. German Hirschkafer, Italian cervo vulante, Dutch uliegende hert, Renaissance Latin scurabelaphus (from Latin scarrcbaeus and Greek elaphus "stag").? This designation can be …

A List Of The Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) Of Southern Illinois, S. W. Wilson, J. E. Mcpherson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A list of the fulgoroids of southern Illinois is presented with information on their distributions within the state.

A List Of The Prey Species Of Podisus Maculiventris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), J. E. Mcpherson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A referenced list of the prey species of Podislrs maculicentris is presented.

The Distribution Of The Pentatomoidea In The Northeastern Quarter Of The United States (Hemiptera), J. E. Mcpherson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The distributions of the pentatomoids occurring in the northeastern quarter of the United States as listed by Van Duzee in 1917 are updated.

Bat Occurrence And Microclimatic Conditions Of The Sima Del Órgano Cave, Mexico, Luis A. Hernández, Jaime E. Gómez, Cyntia Reyes

International Journal of Speleology

Caves represent an important type of shelter for many species of bats, particularly in karstic regions. In Mexico, about 60 bat species regularly use caves as roosts. The microclimate of a cave is a key component of the overall cave ecosystem. So, an adequate microclimate can minimize the energetic costs of bats associated with thermoregulation, gestation, embryonic development, parental care, lactation and social interaction. Cave environments are among the least known and most threatened on the planet, which is why we aimed to determine the monthly occurrence of bat species in the Sima del Órgano Cave, estimate the population size …

Experiments To Enhance Post-Fire Aspen Seedling Survival And Growth, Larissa L. Yocom, Mark R. Kreider, Owen T. Burney, Tammy Parsons, Ryan T. Choi, Emily K. Liese, Karen E. Mock

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen forests provide wildlife, watershed, and aesthetic value, and the potential for reduced fire occurrence, behavior, and severity. There is interest in planting aspen to achieve various management objectives. However, few studies have investigated the optimal conditions for aspen seedlings in the western US. We conducted two experiments to address this knowledge gap. First, we tested the effects of shading structures (i.e., logs) and biochar on the survival and growth of 960 outplanted aspen seedlings in three exclosures in a recent fire footprint. Second, we tested whether experimentally placing logs near 120 naturally-occurring post-fire aspen seedlings affected survival or growth. …

Behavioral And Neural Correlates Of Post-Stroke Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol, Kuan-Chun Liao, Isabellle Christian, Jill C. Stewart, Elaine Trudelle-Jackson, Wanyi Wang, Ty Shang, Hui-Ting Goh

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is highly prevalent and lacks of effective management. Recent evidence suggest the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to reduce PSF. However, the effect was not lasting and the working mechanisms was unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine the behavioral and neurophysiological effects of five daily sessions of tDCS on PSF.

Methods and analysis

This will be a double-blind randomized controlled trial targeting an enrollment of 32 participants with subacute-chronic stroke and significant fatigue (average Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) > 4). Participants will be equally randomized to either anodal tDCS or sham tDCS …

Impact Of Product Size And Subsequent Consumer Freezing Practices On Meat Quality And Palatability Of Different Beef Muscles, Paul Olaoluqaniyi Dahunsi, Ashley Rivera Pitti, M. Sebastian Hernandez, Thomas W. Dobbins, Morgan L. Denzer, Palika Morse, Kelly R. Vierck, Jerrad F. Legako, Derico Setyabrata

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of product sizes and subsequent consumer freezing practices on beef quality and palatability. Paired beef strip loins (LL), top sirloins (GM), and eye of rounds (ST) from 15 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Low Choice beef carcasses were collected, and each side was assigned into 2 freezing sizes, section (SEC) or steak (STK). Each muscle was also cut into 3 equal portions and randomly assigned to one of the 3 freezer types: blast freezer (BLS), chest freezer (CST), or refrigerator freezer (FRI). Portions assigned to STK were further cut …

Lighting Up The Cell: Developing A Luminescent Lanthanide Probe For Detecting Rnas, Jonathan Savell

Honors Projects

An anion detecting luminescent probe, Tb:DO2A-Cs124, was repurposed for use in RNA imaging. Potential RNA aptamers were identified for the molecule using Capture-SELEX and MinION sequencing. Fluorimetry data revealed these aptamers did not allow for the probe to luminesce in the presence of target RNAs due to adenosine monophosphate’s ability to quench the emission signal.

Colonization-Persistence Trade-Offs In The Human Microbiome, Liam F. Nokes

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Understanding how diverse microbial taxa coexist in the human body without competitively excluding one another remains a key challenge in microbiome ecology. One proposed explanation is the colonization-persistence trade-off, where species with high colonization ability are poor persisters, and vice versa. We test for this trade-off across human associated microbial communities among many individuals and in multiple body sites using a large-scale participant-level meta-analysis of longitudinal microbiome datasets curated from the MGnify database. We applied island biogeography-based models to calculate effective colonization and persistence rates for microbial families and genera across 606 individuals over twenty-six studies. Regression of the log-transformed …

Enhancing Lutein And Anthocyanins Stability And Bioaccessibility Through Simultaneous Encapsulation Using Coaxial 3d Food Printing, Safoura Ahmadzadeh, Sorour Barekat, Ali Ubeyitogullari

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigated the use of 3D printing to co-encapsulate, protect, and enhance the bioaccessibility of lutein and anthocyanins. Coaxial extrusion 3D printing in a spiral-cube geometry was utilized with lutein-loaded zein as the core material and anthocyanins-loaded corn starch paste as the shell material. The research examined various printing conditions, including starch concentrations of 10% and 11%, and printing temperatures ranging from 45 °C to 85 °C. A comprehensive analysis of the inks’ properties, such as printability, viscosity, microstructural characteristics, storage stability, and bioaccessibility of the encapsulated compounds, was conducted. Encapsulated lutein showed only a 29-55% degradation rate after …

Refinement And Application Of The Absorption Cross-Section Of Molecular Bromine With Relevance To Atmospheric Chemistry, Callum Flowerday, Ryan Thalman, Jaron C. Hansen, Eric T. Sevy, Jason J. Sorensen, Matthew C. Asplund

ScholarsArchive Data

Defined Br2 XS - is the defined absorption cross-section using the UVvis spectrophotometer.

BBCEAS - This is raw absorption data measured using the BBCEAS (see article for details).

UVvis raw - This is the raw absorption data measured using the UVvis spectrophotometer.