Life Sciences Commons^™

Sex, Skulls, And Selection: An Exploration Of Blakely Island's Deer Population And Their Ecology Through Genetic Sex Differentiation Of Juvenile Crania, Blair P. Graves

Honors Projects

As an isolated landmass with no natural predators, Blakely Island serves as an effective study site for the study of evolutionary factors relating to insular populations of large mammals. A disparity in the adult sex ratio of local deer has been observed, but the demographics of juveniles must still be ascertained through genetic methods. This study aims to further research concerning the development of a replicable and non-toxic procedure through which undergraduate students can identify the sex of numerous juvenile deer crania. Specifically, differing decalcification lengths, DNA extraction kit methods, and amelogenin primer sets were evaluated for relative success in …

Neoadjuvant With Low-Dose Radiotherapy, Tislelizumab, Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel, And Cisplatin For Resectable Locally Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase Ii Single-Arm Trial, Zhigang Liu, Dong Wang, Guanjun Li, Muhua Yi, Zhaoyuan Zhang, Guihua Zhong, Liangfu Xu, Rong Jiang, Yannan Zheng, Linxuan Huang, Yingpeng Peng, Lizhong Liang, Jianpeng Li, Ye Liu, Jun Lai, Xianjuan Lv, Yongqiang Xu, Qiaodan Liu, Zhiqiang Wang, Zhutian Liu, Qinan Yang, Li Nie, Jiao Lei, Xiaotao Huang, Zhijie Liu, Wen Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although pathological complete response (pCR) and major pathological response (MPR) rates of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) trials remain suboptimal, emerging evidence highlights the synergistic potential of combining low-dose radiotherapy with immunotherapy to promote the efficacy of immunotherapy. This phase II, open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial (NCT05343325) enrolled 28 patients with untreated stage III-IVB HNSCC (NeoRTPC02). Patients received neoadjuvant low-dose radiotherapy, the programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor tislelizumab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and cisplatin for two cycles, followed by radical resection ~4 weeks after treatment completion. The primary endpoint, pCR rate, was achieved in 14 of …

A Floristic Study Of The Vascular Flora Of The Brokeoff Mountains, Southcentral New Mexico, Bryana L. Olmeda, Harpo Faust, Hannah E. Marx

Biology ETDs

The vascular flora detailed here describes 438 km² (169 mi²) of the Brokeoff Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. The Brokeoffs are part of the northern extent of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest desert in North America and one of the ecoregions least represented in botanical collections. Prior to 2023, only 254 plant collections were known from the study site, representing roughly 1.5 collections per 2.59 km² (1 mi²), despite strong research interest in its neighboring Guadalupe Mountains. Over two field seasons, 1920 plant collections were made, over 81 days of field work conducted, in …

Endophenotype-Informed Association Analyses For Liver Fat Accumulation And Metabolic Dysfunction In The Fels Longitudinal Study, Ariana L. Garza, John Blangero, Miryoung Lee, Cici X. Bauer, Stefan A. Czerwinski, Audrey Choh

School of Medicine Publications

The identification of causal genomic regions for liver fat accumulation in the context of metabolic dysfunction remains a challenging goal. This study aimed to identify potential endophenotypes for liver fat content and employ them in bivariate linkage searches for pleiotropic genetic regions where targeted association analysis is more likely to reveal significant variants. Multiple metabolic risk and adiposity distribution traits were assessed using the endophenotype ranking value. The top-ranked endophenotypes were then used in a bivariate linkage analysis, paired with liver fat content. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) identified as significant or suggestive were targeted for measured genotype association analyses. The …

Diagnostic And Clinical Utility Of Oncoscan Microarray And Ngs-Based Sequencing In Pediatric Solid Tumors: Children’S Mercy Hospital’S Experience, Aravindh Nagarajan, Lisa Lansdon, Midhat Farooqi, Lei Zhang, Elena Repnikova

Research Days

This papers attempts to evaluate the diagnostic and clinical utility of microarray-based OS+ in detecting clinically relevant genetic alterations in FFPE solid tumor samples and to compare the yield of somatic mutation detection by WGS/WES in pediatric solid tumors at Children’s Mercy Hospital - Kansas City.

Variability In Methotrexate Metabolites In A Cohort Of Jia Patients, Nuria Lara Castillo, Mara Becker, Marc Sudman, Susan Thompson, Laura Ramsey

Research Days

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is the cornerstone disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug for the treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). While most patients receiving MTX have a favorable outcome, approximately 30% do not respond, and several experience toxic events, suggesting interindividual difference. Furthermore, evaluation of MTX response takes several months, with the risk of missing the early “window of opportunity” for treatment. Predicting MTX response prior to administration would greatly benefit these patients and their treating physicians by saving valuable time during the early stages of the disease onset. MTX is a folate antagonist and, similar to folate, it undergoes polyglutamation inside the …

Viral Detection In Anterior Nasal Swabs Versus Nasopharyngeal Swabs In Children, Nicole Neeley, Abby Kietzman, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Dithi Banerjee, Jennifer Goldman, Jennifer Schuster

Research Days

Background: Respiratory viruses are a significant cause of pediatric illness and healthcare utilization. Diagnostic testing for respiratory viruses is generally performed using nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens obtained by trained staff, limiting testing to medical settings. Evaluating additional sampling methods in children that are easier to collect and can be performed outside of medical settings, such as anterior nasal swab (NS) specimens may expand access to diagnostic testing and aid public health surveillance.

Methods: Eligible children hospitalized at Children’s Mercy Hospital who had a standard of care NP specimen collected for respiratory viral testing were enrolled. Research NS specimens were obtained through …

Correction To The Key (Page 92) Of Description Of The Nymph Of Ophiogomphus Smithi (Odonata: Gomphidae), With A Key To The Species Of Ophiogomphus In The Western Great Lakes Region Tgle 49(1&2): 78–97, William A. Smith, Kenneth J. Tennessen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[excerpt]

In our paper describing the nymph of Ophiogomphus smithi (TGLE, vol. 49, pages 78–97), we characterized Ophiogomphus howei in couplet 1 of the Primary Key (p. 92) as “Head W [width] greater than maximum abdomen W”. The statement was based on our misinterpretation of data reported online.

Phyllopalpus Pulchellus Uhler, The Handsome Trig (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), A Confirmed Michigan Resident, Mark F. O'Brien, Julie A. Craves

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[excerpt]

Phyllopalpus pulchellus Uhler is a member of the Trigonidiinae, also called trigs, sword-tail crickets (Capinera et al. 2004), or more informally, bush crickets; the common name is the Handsome Trig or Red-headed Bush Cricket. The distinctive features of this small cricket (less than 15 mm)—the large black palps, light yellow legs, shiny black wings, and red pronotum and head—are not seen in any other crickets within its range. The Handsome Trig can be found throughout much of the U.S. east of extreme east Texas and south of approximately 41.5° latitude, just south of the Michigan state border (Walker 2003).

Xiphydria Prolongata (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae): First North American Hosts And State Records For Connecticut And New York, Chris T. Maier, David R. Smith

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Adults of the Eurasian sawfly, Xiphydria prolongata (Geoffroy) (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae), were reared from Salix nigra Marshall in Connecticut and from Salix alba L. in New York. These are the first reported hosts for North America, and the collecting localities represent the first state records.

Assessing The Contribution Of Geography And Host Use To Genetic Structure In New York Populations Of The Parasitoid Wasp, Aphidius Ervi, Haley J. Plasman, David M. Althoff

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Host-associated differentiation (HAD) been proposed as a general mechanism for differentiation of many groups of parasitic organisms including plant-feeding insects and their natural enemies. In particular, parasitoid wasps that attack herbivorous insects have many life habits similar to other parasitic taxa, suggesting that HAD also may be important in differentiation. We tested for the population genetic signature of HAD in a parasitoid wasp, Aphidius ervi (Haliday), a biocontrol agent that uses many species of aphids throughout Europe, but is mainly limited to the clover and alfalfa host-races of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) in North America. We assessed allelic …

Sirex Nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Oviposition Preference And Development In Relation To Host Age, And A Novel Live-Trapping System For Wood-Borers, Jessica A. Hartshorn, Larry D. Galligan, Ace J.W. Lynn-Miller, Fred M. Stephen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Sirex nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is a pine-inhabiting woodwasp native to eastern North America. A non-native congener, S. noctilio F., was discovered along the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario in New York in 2004 and its current distribution now includes seven northeastern states, Ontario, and Quebec. Its discovery led to a sharp increase in research focusing on S. noctilio as well as S. nigricornis. Research on these two species, and their associates, requires efficient methods for field collection and laboratory rearing. Success of these programs relies on successful collection of, and oviposition by, live females in artificial conditions. Moisture content …

Gallery Characteristics And Life History Of The Ambrosia Beetle Anisandrus Obesus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) In Big Tooth Aspen, Steven Cassar, Richard Roeper, Robert Beck, Todd Pomeroy, Mark Bruce

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Anisandrus obesus LeConte constructs entrance holes uniformly over the surface of Big Tooth Aspen (Populus grandidenta Michx.) in April each year. An individual female bores a single entrance tunnel about 7 mm into the sapwood and then two lateral tunnels parallel to the surface. After symbiotic fungal growth, eggs are laid along the gallery walls by May. Three larval instars consume the beetle’s symbiotic fungus and do not expand the gallery. Pupae develop through June with progeny adults appearing by mid-July. Progeny sex ratio of approximately 6 females to 1 male was observed. Progeny adults overwinter within the parental gallery; …

Attraction Of Diabrotica Barberi Smith And Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) To Eugenol-Baited Traps In Soybean, Louis S. Hesler

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence (the northern corn rootworm) is a native North American leaf beetle and a major pest of corn. However, adult D. barberi forage in various habitats outside of corn fields, including soybean, roadside vegetation, and prairie. Eugenol is a common floral volatile that has been shown to increase trap catch of D. barberi within corn and prairie habitat. This paper documents the first report of increased catch of D. barberi on eugenol- baited traps in soybean fields. In two successive tests, catch of D. barberi was increased eight-fold or more by baiting traps with eugenol compared …

Invertebrate Communities Associated With Three Early Phases Of A Prairie Restoration Project, Tracy R. Evans, Meredith J. Mahoney, E. D. Cashatt, Bryon W. Cross, Geert R. De Snoo, C. J.M. Musters

The Great Lakes Entomologist

While specific invertebrate groups have been studied in prairie restorations, there are few studies that look at terrestrial invertebrate assemblages. We surveyed invertebrates in three phases of plant restoration that were part of a larger restoration project. This cross-sectional study of invertebrate recovery at two, four and five years post-restoration shows there was no overall difference in invertebrate taxa richness and diversity between restoration phases. Overall abundance was greatest in the most recently restored area. Richness, diversity and abundance of six functional groups did not differ. The conclusion is that all phases are still characterized by pioneer invertebrate assemblages, and …

A Synopsis Of The Cimicoidea (Heteroptera) Of Michigan, Daniel R. Swanson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

An overview of the 20 species of Cimicoidea (Anthocoridae, Cimicidae, Lasiochilidae, Lyctocoridae) found in Michigan is presented, along with identification keys, distribution maps, and relevant literature. Five new state records for the following species, representing three of the four cimicoid families found in Michigan, are presented: Oeciacus vicarius Horváth (Cimicidae: Cimicinae), Cimexopsis nyctalis List (Cimicidae: Haematosiphoninae), Amphiareus obscuriceps (Poppius) (Anthocoridae), Cardiastethus borealis Kelton (Anthocoridae), and Lyctocoris stalii (Reuter) (Lyctocoridae).

Redescription Of The Female Of Oobius Depressus (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Newly Found In Michigan, U.S.A., Serguei V. Triapitsyn, Toby R. Petrice, Vladimir V. Berezovskiy

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A female of Oobius depressus (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), collected in a modified Malaise trap in the canopy of a black locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, at Rose Lake State Wildlife Area in Bath Charter Township, Clinton Co., Michigan, U.S.A., is re-described and illustrated. This species was previously known only from the type series of headless specimens of both sexes from the type locality in Morristown, Henry Co., Illinois, U.S.A. These type specimens were from a single cohort of locust borer, Megacyllene robiniae (Forster) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), eggs collected and reared over one hundred years ago. An updated taxonomic key to females of …

New Records Of Aulacigaster Neoleucopeza Mathis And Freidberg (Diptera: Schizophora: Aulacigastridae) From Wisconsin, Daniel K. Young, Craig M. Brabant

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In Wisconsin, Aulacigaster neoleucopeza was previously known from but a single Dane County record dating from April 1951. We report one specimen captured with a flight-intercept trap on private property in Lafayette County, five specimens recovered from Lindgren funnel and Malaise traps at the Hemlock Draw, Nature Conservancy Preserve in Sauk County, and 659 specimens from Malaise traps at the Quincy Bluff State Natural Area in Adams County. The specimens were taken from mid-April 1998, late April to mid-May 2014, and early to mid-April 2010, respectively. As

Plastic In The Pack: Assessing Microplastic Risk To Urban Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In The San Francisco Bay Area, Elaina E. Herrmann

Master's Projects and Capstones

Microplastics are an emerging concern worldwide. However, their impact on terrestrial mammals, such as Canis latrans (coyotes), has yet to be extensively studied. Coyotes are unique in their ability to adapt to urban environments and have recently begun bridging the gap between marine and terrestrial food webs. This research examines the potential sources and impact of microplastic exposure in urban coyotes in the San Francisco Bay Area and possible food web impacts through literature synthesis and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. This research examined potential mechanisms for direct and trophic microplastic uptake by coyotes resulting from the anthropogenic, terrestrial, and …

Balancing Burrowing Owl (Athene Cunicularia Hypugaea) Protections While Maintaining Renewable Energy Development Within The San Joaquin Valley, Madison Lenzi Mcginn

Master's Projects and Capstones

Balancing the needs of wildlife and people has long been a complex challenge. The San Joaquin Valley exemplifies this tension, as space for agriculture and urbanization compete for land use of native grasslands– often resulting in the conversion of grasslands for agriculture fields, commercialized areas, or energy development. With an increasing number of agricultural landscapes going fallow and the passing of SB-100 in 2018, solar farm development has emerged as an attractive option to offset financial losses from unproductive farmland. However, the same landscapes favored for solar development also provide suitable habitat for sensitive species such the western burrowing owl …

Are We Ready For Ai-Augmented Generalists?, Jiajie Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping medical practice and education by unifying the knowledge of medical specialties and subspecialties into a single, intelligent system. This system functions not only as an integrated knowledge base but also as an active cognitive collaborator. By bridging knowledge gaps beyond the capacity of any individual clinician, AI could enable physicians to function as AI-augmented generalists who can perform certain tasks that require specialist training. These generalists may help mitigate care fragmentation, but realizing their potential will require significant changes in medical education.

Analyzing Ballast Water Treatments, Invasive Species, And Pathogens, And A Decade-Long Analysis On The San Francisco And Baltimore Ports, Jasmin Ibarra-Cortes

Master's Projects and Capstones

Installation of advanced technologies to treat ballast water on ships is necessary to meet current ballast water management standards and reduce the secondary spread of invasive species during intracoastal voyages. This research includes a literature review on non-native aquatic species, particularly diapausing eggs, and available treatment methods for installation. A comparative analysis from 2014 - 2024 on bulker, tanker, and container vessels arriving coastwise to the ports of San Francisco and Baltimore was performed to evaluate treatment installation trends, traffic patterns, and the effectiveness of treatment(s) on targeting diapausing eggs. Use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation combined with filtration has increased …

The Manifestation Of Synesthesia In The Deaf, Hard-Of-Hearing, And Sign Language User Population, Elizabeth Droubi

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This capstone project investigated the prevalence and manifestation of synesthesia—a perceptual condition where stimulation in one sensory pathway triggers automatic, involuntary experiences in another—within d/Deaf, hard-of-hearing (DHH), and sign language user populations. Despite an estimated prevalence of over 4% in the general population and findings that many synesthetic experiences are language-based, little is known about how synesthesia presents across different language modalities, including signed languages. This project explored the phenomenon in two phases: an initial online survey assessing the prevalence and characteristics of synesthesia among DHH and signing individuals and follow-up interviews with self-reported synesthetes along with a test-retest procedure …

Trade-Off Between Limonene & Geraniol-Based Reprocessable And Non-Reprocessable Epoxy Thermosets: Role Of Aliphatic Diamines In Polymer Networks Design, Priyankkumar Kanubhai Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The growing demand for sustainable materials, driven by environmental concerns and the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, has garnered significant attention in the fabrication of bio-based epoxy thermosets as renewable alternatives to petroleum-derived thermosetting polymers. The present study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of epoxy prepolymer resins derived from limonene and geraniol via a two-step process, followed by the fabrication of thermally cross-linked flexible epoxy thermoset films using various traditional aliphatic diamine curing agents, namely 1,2-ethylenediamine (EDA), 1,4-butylenediamine (BDA), and 1,6-hexamethylenediamine (HDA). Additionally, the incorporation of cystamine, a disulfide-containing diamine, enabled the formation of a covalent adaptable network through …

Bio-Based Composites With Enhanced Mechanical Strength And Flame Retardancy, Riya Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Composites are versatile and useful in many fields, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and healthcare, due to their high mechanical strength. It is common practice to synthesize these materials using petroleum-based chemicals. Nonetheless, in the twenty-first century, scientists are more interested in using renewable resources to create composites. The greatest substitute for petroleum-based chemicals is vegetable oil. It has unsaturated double bonds that are modifiable chemically. In the present study, bio-polyol was synthesized using castor oil, an inedible vegetable oil. A ring-opening process was used to modify it and produce castor oil-based polyol. The synthesized castor oil-based polyol was characterized by …

Kid Eats App: Supporting Parents And Children Cooking Together, Amy S. Muise, Gabrielle A. Longo, Pamela N. Martinez, Umekia R. Taylor, Linda E. Torv, Barbara A. Chamberlin

Journal of Extension

Kid Eats is a free app for iPad encouraging children and parents to cook together at home using fruits and vegetables. A preliminary study with parents and children showed children enjoyed using the app and that it provided useful information to support children’s involvement in the kitchen, including guidance around safety concerns. Every family in the study voluntarily completed at least one of the recipes with their child at least once following the in-person activity. Parents reported that their children actively asked to cook the recipes from the app and felt the app helped increase their time spent cooking with …

Stress-Related Phenotypic Differentiation Identified By Motivational Behaviors In Male Mice, Renee A. Brummels

Honors Thesis

Social stress substantially contributes to psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Recognizing these disorders affect millions, it is essential to understand social stress’s impacts on behavior and how these behaviors vary among affected populations. We address these questions through a social defeat/avoidance paradigm, the Stress-Alternatives Model (SAM), which demonstrates defeat (Stay) and avoidance (Escape) responses across species, including fish, rats, hamsters, and mice. Avoidance of social conflict in the SAM is possible by utilizing escape routes for smaller test mice during aggressive interactions. Additionally, measurements of SAM motivational behaviors, like time near and nose pokes into escape …

Evaluating Simulated Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae) Damage In Cotton (Malvales: Malvaceae) And Identifying Conducive Environments, Reece Starnes Butler

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluated the effects of simulated threecornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH), Spissistilus festinus (Say), damage in cotton and aimed to identify environments that may contribute to an increase in TCAH injury. During the 2023 and 2024 growing season, simulated TCAH damage was imposed at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% at the three and six leaf growth stage. Agronomic data included plant heights, node counts, and plant mapping, which was collected throughout the growing season, while lint yield was recorded at harvest. Damaged plants exhibited reduced plant heights and node counts, with an increase in nodes above cracked boll …

06.16.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Email address Matters with SPAN and ARC Forms

Participant Support Costs training for PIs available in Blackboard

Assessing One-Year Health Impacts From Wildfires In Rural Communities: Roles For Extension In Promoting Wildfire Preparedness And Recovery, Marc T. Braverman, Sandi Cleveland Phibbs, Emily Jane Davis, Amanda Rau, Elijah Penner

Journal of Extension

Wildfires can produce health impacts that persist for years in affected communities. This article describes an Extension-led study of health impacts in rural Oregon communities one year after a destructive wildfire. Data collection included key informant interviews (n=36), an online survey (n=80), and three focus group interviews with survivors (n=23). Mental health, exposure to contaminants, physical stress, food insecurity, and other issues were frequently identified health concerns. Survivors’ difficulties in dealing with housing displacement significantly exacerbated health challenges. We describe potential roles for Extension in addressing wildfire risk and mitigating health impacts, including a description of the Oregon Fire Program.