Life Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Seed Priming On The Growth Of Okra Seedlings., Vinukonda Kranthi, I.P. Handayani

Scholars Week

Seed priming is a vital pre-sowing technique that enhances germination, seedling vigor, and crop performance. This study examines the effects of electric, magnetic, botanical, and chemical seed treatments on the okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) variety Phule Vimukta. Conducted in a controlled laboratory setting using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications, the experiment evaluated germination percentage, root and shoot length, seedling vigor indices, and biomass accumulation. Treatments included magnetic fields (2–12 mT), halopriming with NaCl₂, Osmo priming with KH₂PO₄, and botanical extracts from Tulsi, neem, and curry leaves. The results showed significant differences among treatments. Magneto-priming at 12 mT for …

Contributions Of Biochar And Biofertilizer On Food Scraps Composting, Kabita Budthapa, I.P. Handayani Dr, Shova Shrestha Dr

Scholars Week

Food scraps have contributed significantly to environmental problems. Because of its substantial effects on the environment, the economy, and society, it has become a major global issue. This research was conducted at Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Lalitpur, and was meant to find ways to shorten the composting period using biofertilizers and biochar and study their impacts on the compost nutrients. The experiment involved seven treatments with three replications: T1 (Control), T2 (EM-1), T3 (Prarhamva decomposer), T4 (Biofertilizer KM), T5 (Biochar 400 g + Biofertilizer KM), T6 (Biochar 800 g + Biofertilizer KM), T7 (Biochar 200 g) with 5 …

Disentangling Effects Of The Dr And Dq Isomers Encoded By The Hla Class Ii Haplotype Drb1*15:01/Dqb1*06:02 To Help Establish The True Risk Allele For Fviii Inhibitor Development In Hemophilia A, Vincent P. Diego, Bernadette W. Luu, Marcio A. Almeida, Jacob Galan, Eron G. Manusov, Juan M. Peralta, Satish Kumar, Joanne E. Curran, Harald H. H. Goring, Sarah Williams-Blangero, John Blangero, Tom Howard

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Hemophilia A (HA) patients (HAPs) with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-class-II (HLAII) haplotype DRB1*15:01/DQB1*06:02, and thus antigen presenting cells which express HLAII β-polypeptide chains that form heterodimers of DR15- and DQ6-serotypes, respectively, have an increased risk of developing factor (F)VIII inhibitors (FEIs)—neutralizing antibodies against the therapeutic-FVIII-proteins (tFVIIIs) infused to prevent/arrest bleeding. As DRB1*15:01 and DQB1*06:02 exist in strong linkage disequilibrium, association analysis cannot determine which is the actual risk allele.

Methods: To establish the true risk allele of this haplotype, we analyzed the tFVIII-derived peptides (tFVIII-dPs) bound to either the DR or DQ molecules that comprise the individual HLAII …

Examining Physiological Responses To Misophonic Triggers, Christian O'Reilly, Xuan Yang, Sewon Oh, Doug Wedell, Svetlana Shinkareva

Faculty Publications

We collected and analyzed an array of biosignals (face electromyogram, skin electrodermal activity, peripheral temperature, and electrocardiogram) in 60 participants with and without misophonia, a condition characterized by decreased tolerance to innocuous sounds. Our goal was to objectively characterize the physiological response to misophonia triggering sounds. We found that misophonic responses can be objectively identified in some cases through atypical physiological reactions to triggering stimuli, though not all participants exhibited this response. Our analyses suggest a large interindividual variability in response to misophonic triggers and highlights the need for methodological adjustments in future experiments to increase the detectability of misophonic …

A Reliable And Efficient Detection Pipeline For Rodent Ultrasonic Vocalizations, Sabah Shahnoor Anis, Devin Mark Kellis, Kris Ford Kaigler, Marlene A. Wilson, Christian O'Reilly

Faculty Publications

Analyzing ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) is crucial for understanding rodents' affective states and social behaviors, but the manual analysis is time-consuming and prone to errors. Automated USV detection systems have been developed to address these challenges. Yet, these systems often rely on machine learning and fail to generalize effectively to new datasets. To tackle these shortcomings, we introduce ContourUSV, an efficient automated system for detecting USVs from audio recordings. Our pipeline includes spectrogram generation, cleaning, pre-processing, contour detection, post-processing, and evaluation against manual annotations. To ensure robustness and reliability, we compared ContourUSV with three state-of-the-art systems using an existing open-access USV …

Molecular Subtyping Of Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Michal Elovitz, Elaine Gee, Nathaniel Delaney-Busch, Alison Moe, Mitsu Reddy, Arkady Khodursky, Johnny La, Ilma Abbas, Kay Mekaru, Hunter Collins, Farooq Siddiqui, Rory Nolan, Rupsa Boelig, Daniel Kiefer, Pamela Simmons, George Saade, Antonio Saad, Ebony Carter, Thomas Mcelrath, Stephen Quake, Mark Depristo, Carrie Haverty, Manfred Lee, Eugeni Namsaraev, Vincenzo Berghella, Ai-Ris Collier, Antonia Frolova, Esther Park-Hwang, Luis Pacheco, Elizabeth Sutton, Maneesh Jain, Kara Rood, William A Grobman, Joseph Biggio, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Arun Jeyabalan, Morten Rasmussen

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia, affect 1 in 6 pregnancies, are major contributors to maternal morbidity and mortality, yet lack precision medicine strategies. Analyzing transcriptomic data from a prospectively-collected diverse cohort (n = 9102), this study reveals distinct RNA subtypes in maternal blood, reclassifying clinical HDP phenotypes like early/late-onset preeclampsia. The placental gene PAPPA2 strongly predicts the most severe forms of preeclampsia in individuals without pre-existing high risk factors, months before symptoms, and its overexpression correlates with earlier delivery in a dose-dependent manner. Further, molecular subtypes characterized by immune genes are upregulated in less severe forms of HDP. …

Phase 2 Trial Of Ibrutinib And Nivolumab In Patients With Relapsed Cns Lymphomas, Dai Chihara, Raphael E Steiner, Ranjit Nair, Lei Feng, Sairah Ahmed, Paolo Strati, Luis Malpica, Donna P Griffith, Shivon A Mathew, Wirt Montinez, Gita Masand, Felipe Samaniego, Maria A Rodriguez, Fredrick B Hagemeister, Luis E Fayad, Swaminathan P Iyer, Loretta J Nastoupil, Sattva S Neelapu, Christopher R Flowers, Jason R Westin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Treatment options are limited for both relapsed/refractory primary and secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and the prognosis remains poor. Previous studies have shown the activity of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors and programmed death-1-targeted therapies in CNS lymphoma, and studies suggested potential synergy. Therefore, we conducted a phase 2 trial that combined ibrutinib with nivolumab for patients with relapsed/refractory CNS lymphoma. Patients received 560 mg oral ibrutinib daily with 240 mg IV nivolumab every 14 days (28 days per cycle). Patients who had partial or complete response after 6 cycles of treatment could continue therapy for up to 2 years …

Identifying The Human Olfactory And Chemosignaling Neural Networks Using Event Related Fmri And Graph Theory, Saideh Ferdowsi, Tom Foulsham, Alireza Rahmani, Dimitri Ognibene, Luca Citi, Wen Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study aims to characterize and compare the functional neural networks associated with different olfactory stimuli, including air, non-social odours, and human body odours. We introduce a novel processing pipeline based on event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and graph theory for network identification. To ensure the stability and small worldness of the characterized networks, we conduct statistical validations, network modularity assessments, and robustness measurement against local attacks. The key hypothesis is that human body odours (so-called social odours) and non-social odours engage distinct neural networks, particularly in regions responsible for social processing. We found that the posterior medial orbitofrontal …

Deep Jansen-Rit Parameter Inference For Model-Driven Analysis Of Brain Activity, Deepa Tilwani, Christian O'Reilly

Faculty Publications

Accurately modeling effective connectivity (EC) is critical for understanding how the brain processes and integrates sensory information. Yet, it remains a formidable challenge due to complex neural dynamics and noisy measurements such as those obtained from the electroencephalogram (EEG). Model-driven EC infers local (within a brain region) and global (between brain regions) EC parameters by fitting a generative model of neural activity onto experimental data. This approach offers a promising route for various applications, including investigating neurodevel- opmental disorders. However, current approaches fail to scale to whole-brain analyses and are highly noise-sensitive. In this work, we employ three deep-learning architectures—a …

Metabolite Analysis To Understand Factors Limiting Microbial Fermentation At High Substrate Concentrations, Bishal D. Sharma

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Clostridium thermocellum, a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium, holds promise as a biocatalyst for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels. This microbe has been subjected to various metabolic engineering strategies, including the deletion of genes encoding secondary fermentation products such as H₂, formate, acetate, and lactate, as well as the expression of heterologous genes to redirect carbon flux toward ethanol production. Despite these efforts, achieving economically viable ethanol titers remains a challenge. We hypothesized that studying how intracellular metabolite concentrations change as fermentation stops could reveal metabolic bottlenecks or regulatory mechanisms limiting ethanol production at high titers. However, metabolomics studies at …

80 - Effects Of Concussion History On Sleep Quality And Memory Function, Aubrey Thames, Amin Mohammadi, Thomas Campbell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

To examine the relationship between sleep quality and memory performance (immediate memory and delayed recall) in athletes with a history of concussion.

Assessment Of Heavy Metal Concentration In Blue Swimming Crabs From Dubai And Sharjah Fish Markets In Uae, Nehmat Elias Kharrat

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Growing urbanization and industrialization along the UAE's coastline exposes human health and marine life at risk of increasing heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems. This study evaluated the levels of 19 essential and non-essential elements in blue swimming crabs (Portunus pelagicus) collected from fish markets in Dubai and Sharjah. Among these, potentially harmful heavy metals included arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). The main goals of the study were (i) to evaluate whether the concentrations of these metals exceeded maximum permissible limits and (ii) to investigate if there were male and female specific …

Sample Storage Method And Collection Time Effects On Horse Hair Cortisol Concentrations, Grace Robertson

Scholars Week

Serum cortisol concentration is the gold standard for evaluating stress in horses. However, it can be affected by circadian rhythms, environmental factors, and other excitatory events. Hair cortisol is less subject to these variables and is less invasive to collect, but there is a lack of published information on hair cortisol concentrations in horses. The objectives of this study were to examine 1) the impact of sample storage (Room temperature vs. Frozen) and 2) the effect of collection date (spring vs. fall), on cortisol concentration in equine hair. It was hypothesized that Frozen samples would yield higher concentrations than Room …

Understanding Challenges To Breast Cancer Screening For African American Women In Detroit: A Study Of Social And Healthcare Inequities, Miranda Goodson, Whitney Bowyer, Erika Lopez, Anna Lundh

Medical Student Research Symposium

African American (AA) women have lower adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines, which may contribute to delayed diagnoses and reduced survival rates. These disparities are often influenced by limited access to quality healthcare and persistent inequities faced within Michigan. With Detroit's population being 77% AA, examining studies focused on the experiences of Black women within urban healthcare networks is essential to understanding the connections between demographic, socioeconomic factors, and breast cancer outcomes. To assess these studies, a literature search was conducted using Ovid Medline yielding 24 associated articles.

Mammogram rates among AA women in Detroit remain low, reflecting a complex …

Improved Protein Splicing Through Viral Passaging, John Smetana

Scholars Week

Intervening proteins (inteins) are translated as subdomains within host proteins and removed through an intein-driven splicing reaction where the flanking sequences (exteins) are joined with a peptide bond. Previously, we developed a self-removing translation reporter for labeling Ebola virus (EBOV). In this reporter, an intein (RadA) containing the fluorescent protein ZsGreen (ZsG) is inserted within the EBOV protein VP30. Upon VP30-RadA-ZsG expression from the viral genome, RadA-ZsG is removed from VP30 through the protein splicing activity of RadA, generating functional, non-tagged VP30 and functional ZsGreen. While incorporation of our VP30-RadA-ZsG fusion reporter into recombinant EBOV (rEBOV- RadA-ZsG) resulted in an …

Monitoring Sand Migration In Al Ain City Utilizing Remote Sensing Techniques, Sanad Salem Mohammed

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Sand migration significantly impacts urban development, infrastructure, and ecosystems in arid regions such as Al Ain city, United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study employs advanced remote sensing techniques to monitor and predict sand dune migration across the Sieh Al Hama dune field, a critical area west of Al Ain. The research objectives include quantifying dune migration rates over three years (2018–2020) using monthly Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, identifying distinct dune fields, and analyzing the textural and mineralogical properties of dune sediments to infer their provenance. Field sampling from four dunes (Large Sabra Dune, Dune 1, Dune 2, and Dune 3) was …

Culex Quinquefasciatus Mosquitoes In The Abu Dhabi Emirate: Assessing Deltamethrin Insecticide Resistance And Associated Microbial Communities, Amgd Sayed Ismat

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This study investigates the Culex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of West Nile virus, lymphatic filariasis, and arboviruses, which represent public health risk. Widespread application of pyrethroid insecticides has increased resistance in mosquito populations threatening the effectiveness of control strategies. This study aims to (1) assess deltamethrin resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus populations across the Abu Dhabi Emirate, (2) characterize the microbial communities associated with these mosquitoes. Mosquitoes from sites around the Abu Dhabi Emirate were collected and genomic DNA extracted for molecular analysis. PCR and allele-specific primers were used to detect knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the sodium channel gene, …

Herbicide Utilization For Regulation Of Botanical Composition Of Grass Swards, A Lackovic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Czechoslovak conditions especially in Slovakia the botan­ical composition of grass swards is for different reasons getting worse and this means the decrease of forage value. As all those swards cannot be improved by complete renovation or by direct strip drilling of productive species into the sward, other possibilities are looked for. One for those is the utilization of herbicides combined with adequate fertilization. Retardation or control of unfavourable species destroy the existing competition which causes the different species succession in the sward. Our aim was to make a positive succession of species in the sward by herbicides utilization and …

Allelopathic Influence Of Certain Pasture Weeds, A E. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Allelopathy, the direct or indirect effect of one plant on another through the production of chemical compounds that escape into the environment (Rice, 1974) occurs widely in natu­ral plant communities (Gressel and Holm, 1964), and is pos­tulated to be one mechanism by which weeds interfere with crop growth (Gressel and Holm, 1964; Bell and Koeppe, 1962; Muller, 1966). Probably the most significant consequence of allelopathy is the alteration of population densities that affect vegetation patterns in plant communities. The actual and potential roles of allelopathy in agriculture have been exten­sively reviewed (Putman and Duke, 1978; Rice, 1974; Rice, 1979). Generally, …

Economics Of Controlling Weeds Of Permanent Pasture, I Popay, N Barlow

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In general, inedible weeds of permanent pasture reduce pas­ture dry matter available to stock in direct proportion to their cover (Doyle et al., 1984). Translating the effects of weeds on pasture to reductions in animal production is difficult because (i) pasture value can range from zero to the cost of purchased feed (ii) weed effects and pasture value can vary seasonally and interact and (iii) reductions in pasture availability at one time affect later growth (Auld et al., 1987). There have been few direct measurements of effects of pasture weeds on animal pro­ductivity, because of the co.sts involved. However, simulation …

Weed Development In Tropical Sown Pastures, G.E D. Tiley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of artificially sown pastures is relatively recent in the tropics. Grasses and legumes have been evaluated for their value to livestock as well as the more traditional use of resting arable land after cropping. Using the criteria of ease of estab­lishment, production under grazing and botanical stability, a number of species and mixtures were recommended for the humid areas of Uganda (Horrell and Tiley, 1970). Control of weed growth during early establishment and suppression of unsown species subsequently were found to be vital for the success of these tropical ley pastures. The results of monitoring weed development in …

Insect Pests As A Limiting Factor In Green Fodder Production In Lucerne, Their Control And Residual Persistence Of Insecticides, V J. Shivankar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The green fodder production in lucerne suffers serious loss of about 38 % caused by the insect pests like Empoasca sp., Therioaphis maculata Buck, Aphis craccivora Koch and Hypera variabilis Herbst. under the tropical agroclimatic zone of Bundelkhand-India (Shri Ram and Gupta, 1976). Of these H. variabilis is most serious with regular occurrence and world­wide distribution. No work has been reported on the control aspect of these pests in India, except a few on insecticidal evalu­ation (Shri Ram and Gupta, 1975) and the economic injury level of lucerne weevil (Gupta et al., 1982). Need of the studies on the chemical …

Sitona Hispidulus Larvaw As A Stress On Alfalfa Production, A A. Hower, K T. Leath

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sitona weevils are pests of various legumes throughout the world. In the United States, the clover root curculio, S. hispi­dulus (F.) is the major species associated with lucerne (alfalfa) Medicago sativa L. This insect has until recently remained obscure as a pest of this major forage crop. However, a recent trend in premature decline of alfalfa has prompted further investigation of this insect/legume interaction. Godfrey and Yeargan (1987) and Hill et al. (1969) indicated that S. hispi­dulus reduced alfalfa production. While adults S. hispidulus feeding on the foliage is of little consequence, it is the associ­ation of larvae with …

Resistance To Plant Parasitic Nematodes In Ryegrasses And White Clover, R Cook, K A. Mizen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Field and glasshouse experiments indicate that several nematodes damage ryegrasses and white clover (Cook and York, 1985). Populations of these nematodes under grassland are often at potentially damaging densities. Several nematode species of long-term grassland have co-evolved host relationsh­ips in which host resistance is likely to have been selected. This is of direct practical relevance to the control of three nematodes, widespread in England and Wales: the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne naasi) on ryegrasses; and the stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) and cyst nematode (Heterodera trifolii) on white clover. Our objectives have been, first, to identify resistant …

The Effect Of Redlegged Earthmite (Halotydeus Destructor) On Legume Productivity, D J. Gillspie, D A. Nicholas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Redlegged earthmite (Halotydeus destructor) (RLEM) is a

serious pest of legume-based annual pastures in southern Australia. Observations throughout Australia show that every year they cause both mortality and growth retardation in emerging pastures in autumn, and are also responsible for reduced seed set in annual legumes in spring (Allen 1986, Norris, 1948). The most common legumes in areas where RLEM occur, are annual Trifolium species, especially T. subterraneum (subclover). However, the recent development of M edicago polymorpha and M. murex for use on acid soils together with the wider use of Ornithopus compressus, has resulted in alternative hosts for these …

Resistance In Cynodon Dactlyon To Spodoptera Frugiperda: Influence Of Strain And Dietary Conditioning, S S. Quisenberry

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The most important warm-season perennial grass in the southern United States is bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.]). Fall armyworms (Spodopterafrugiperda [J.E. Smith]) are the most damaging insect pests of bermudagrass. Conse­quently, researchers have evaluated improved bermudagrass varieties for resistance to fall armyworm (Leuck et al., 1968; Lynch et al., 1983; Quisenberry and Wilson, 1985; Jamjanya and Quisenberry, 1988). Comparison of results from these studies have been contraditory, whereas Leuck et al., (1968) and Lynch et al., (1983) reported Tifton 292 to be extremely resistant (100 % larval mortality) to fall armyworm, Jamjanya and Quisenberry (1988) found it to have …

A Methodology For Evaluation Of Host Plant Resistance In Brachiaria To Spittlebug Species (Homoptera: Cercipidae), L Lapointe, G Arango, G Sotelo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Previously underutilized lowlands in tropical America are increasingly being used to produce meat and milk largely due to Brachiaria Griseb., an introducea genus of East African grass. Brachiaria is well adapted to infertile, acidic soils with high aluminium saturation. It is estimated than 16 million hectares have been planted to B. decumbens Stapf and B. humidicola (Rendle) Schweick in Latin America (Toledo and Nores, 1986). The various genera and species of spittlebugs native to the neotropics are the principal biotic factor limiting utilization of Brachiaria as forage in Latin America. Spittlebugs are capable of causing severe damage to susceptible …

Some Effects Of Diseases And Pests On Seed Production In White Clover, And Their Control, M J. Foulkes, B C. Clifford

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The UK market for seed of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars is in the order of 1,000 t within an EEC total of some 3,500 t. Although high yields of around 500 kg ha-1 can be achieved, yields are extremely variable (Hides, Lewis and Mar­shall, 1984) and this may be due in part to pathogenic attack. The results reported here are of a field experiment where dis­eases and pests were controlled by pesticide applications in plots grown under two simulated seed production man­agements.

Feeding Sites Of Sitona Hispidulus Larvaw As Infection Foci For Fusarium Oxysporum F. Sp. Medicaginis In Alfalfa Roots, K T. Leath, A A. Hower

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fusarium wilt of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was first described in 1927 (Weimer, 1928) in the United States and has since been reported from many other areas of the world. The causal agent is Fusarium oxysporum Sehl. f. sp. medicaginis (Weimer) Snyd. & Hans. Shoots of infected plants become yellow and wilt ; often only one side of the plant is affected. The outer root xylem tissue turns reddish brown, and infected plants usually die within one season (Leath et al., 1988). The fungus is soil-borne, survives in organic debris, and can persist up to 10 years as chla­mydospores …

Non-Chemical Control Of Some Disease And Pests In Red Fescue And Kentucky Bluegrass Seed Production, B Cagas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diseases and pests are one of the main problems in grass seed production in Czechoslovakia. The silver top (white head) caused by the bug Leptopterna dolobrata L. and the ergot [Cla­viceps purpurea (Fr.) Tu!.] have an effect upon seed quantity and quality. In some years the leaf diseases (rusts, powdery mil­dew, spots) can play an important role in the seed ripening. The chemical control may leads to some problems. The effect of burning in two different periods (summer, spring) and the close cutting were compared in red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensi …