Life Sciences Commons^™

Managed Honey Bees, Apis Mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Face Greater Risk From Parasites And Pathogens Than Mosquito Control Insecticide Applications, Jenna Crowder, Ilia Rochlin, Christopher S. Bibbs, Emily Pennock, Mike Browning, Cody Lott, Amanda Barth, Gregory S. White, Ary Faraji

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

As the primary pollinator for many crops, honey bees (Apis mellifera) are critically important to food production and the agricultural economy. Adult mosquito control is often suspected by the public and commercial beekeepers to harm honey bees, creating conflicts between industries. To investigate this matter, a two-year field study was conducted on vegetated wetlands in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. where honey bee colonies were placed in areas subjected to aerial adult mosquito control applications using the organophosphate naled. Comparison colonies were placed in areas not exposed to insecticides. Colony conditions were documented over the two-year period to …

Vulnerability And Adaptation In Flood-Prone Ecosystems Of Bangladesh: A Case Study Of Rice Farming Households, Mohammad Chhiddikur Rahman, Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar, Md Jahangir Kabir, Md Shajedur Rahaman, Jatish C. Biswas, Md Abdullah Aziz, Mohammad Ariful Islam, Md Abdullah Al Mamun, Niaz Md Farhat Rahman, Andrew M. Mckenzie

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Floods in Bangladesh significantly impact rice production, a vital element of food security. While regional flood effects have been extensively studied, the specific impacts on rice, the country's primary staple, remain underexplored. This study assesses the effects of floods on rice production, availability, and prices, alongside identifying household vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies. Using both quantitative and qualitative data from secondary sources and interviews with farmers, we analyzed how floods affect rice cultivation and market dynamics. Our findings showed that floods predominantly affect wet season Aman rice, temporarily disrupting cultivation, national yield, and market prices. However, the adoption of stress-resistant varieties …

Urine Proteomics Defines An Immune Checkpoint-Associated Nephritis Signature, James P Long, Shailbala Singh, Yanlan Dong, Cassian Yee, Jamie S Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is a cornerstone treatment for many cancers, but it can induce severe immunotoxicity, including acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). Currently, kidney biopsy is required to differentiate ICI-AIN from other causes of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, this invasive approach can lead to morbidity, delayed glucocorticoid treatment for patients with AIN, and unnecessarily prolonged suspension of ICI therapy in non-AIN patients. Delayed or incorrect diagnosis of ICI-AIN is particularly detrimental, as over 50% of patients are at risk of permanent renal damage. Thus, there is an urgent need for non-invasive biomarkers that can rapidly and accurately distinguish …

The Economics And Productivity Of Us Cow-Calf Production, Richard Nehring, Hannah Shear, Kelvin L. Leibold, Andrew Swanson

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

We explore US beef cow-calf production in 2018 and estimate net returns, returns to scale, and technical efficiency associated with backgrounding versus nonbackgrounding by size and production system. We determine the relative profitability of cow-calf operations by type, region, and size. Results, using both stochastic production frontier analysis and data envelopment analysis, indicate that larger operations tend to be more scale and technically efficient than smaller operations. While larger operations may be more scale and technically efficient and have lower variable costs per cow, off-farm income helps smaller operations become competitive. The availability of detailed cost of production information in …

No Differences In Lactate Threshold Across The Menstrual Cycle In Untrained Females, Bianca Alvarenga Rambo Galletti, Grant Chesbro, Rebecca Larson

International Journal of Exercise Science

IInternational Journal of Exercise Science 18(8): 193-205, 2025. In addition to maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), the Lactate Threshold (LT) is the other major determinant of aerobic exercise performance. This study examined the effects of the menstrual cycle (MC) phase on the LT in untrained females. Eight females and 8 males completed a LT test on a cycle ergometer. The tests were performed across three MC phases: early follicular (EF; menses), ovulatory (O), and mid-luteal (ML). The male participants (control group) were randomly assigned visits at similar time intervals as a regular 28-day cycle. Blood lactate was obtained during the …

Testing As Teaching: A Model For Fitness Assessment Practice And Service-Learning In Exercise Physiology Laboratory Education, Marc Apkarian

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

This resource is intended to provide a model for fitness assessment practice to promote student learning in an undergraduate exercise physiology laboratory course. The goal is for students to gain practical experience in fitness assessment procedures, both through skills practice and service-learning opportunities. The inclusion of an assignment requiring a specified number of assessments to be completed within the term requires additional student practice opportunities. Instruction, demonstration, and initial practice of tests associated with health-related physical fitness components must occur early in the course, so as to permit sufficient opportunities, in class or outside of class, over the remainder of …

Pesticide Runoff From Conventional, Minimum, And No-Tillage Cropping Systems: Meta-Analysis Of Published North American Data, Daniel Fleming, Dave Spencer, Chicot Irrigation

WRRI Publications

Pesticide applications may soon be regulated by laws predicated on the presupposition that reducing tillage, and thereby increasing soil surface crop residue cover, decreases sorbed and soluble agrochemical losses in surface runoff and erosion. This analysis was conducted to determine whether pesticide transport via surface runoff and erosion could be manipulated by tillage practices. Estimates of the amounts of crop residue cover within each tillage practice were averaged from data reported in the original articles. Response ratios of the paired means of runoff, erosion, and pesticide losses and concentrations from the effects of tillage practices were meta-analyzed as paired t-tests …

An Evaluation Of Sports Nutrition Knowledge And Influencing Factors In Ncaa Division Iii Athletes, Kerrie Berends, Michael J. Wierenga, Madeline Frens

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Introduction:This study evaluated the sports nutrition knowledge of NCAA Division III (DIII) athletes, examining the influence of demographic and sport-specific factors. Nutrition is a critical component of athletic performance, recovery, and overall health, yet prior research indicatescollegiate athletes often lack adequate nutrition knowledge.

Methods: A total of 412 athletes, representing 17 different sports across endurance, power, and skill categories, completed the validated Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (A-NSKQ). The sample included freshmen through fifth-year seniorathletes, predominantlyCaucasian (85%).

Results: The average A-NSKQ score was 17.1 out of 35 (48.9%), indicating suboptimal knowledge. Significant differences were found across …

Using Rna-Sequencing To Explore Mechanistic Markers, New Therapeutics, And Immune Imbalance: A Study Of Cancer And Autoimmunity Through The Lens Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, And B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Naomi Lydia Rapier-Sharman

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer and autoimmune diseases both impose a substantial healthcare burden on the US and world populations. In 2016, there were over 17 million cases of cancer, leading to nearly nine million deaths. Additionally, autoimmune diseases cause substantial mortality and morbidity and are present in 3-5% of the general population. Despite the increased attention scientists now give diseases that are impacted by immune imbalance, we have yet to find regimens to treat the core cause(s) of tissue dysfunction without drastically decreasing the quality of life for many patients with either cancer or autoimmune disease. For instance, anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) …

Review Of New Treatment Options For Toxoplasmosis, Kiley Roman

D.U.Quark

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the parasite, Toxoplasma Gondii. The parasite is often carried in cats and contaminated food and water. Toxoplasmosis is not serious most of the time but can be harmful to immunocompromised people, pregnant women, and their fetuses or babies. Treatments are commonly given to the immunocompromised. However, there are problems with the current treatments, in which they only treat active parasites and cannot remove the cysts created by disease progression. Due to the treatments’ inability to remove cysts, an infected person may not fully recover from the infection. This review evaluated the new …

What Women Intercollegiate Coaches Say: Decision-Making Factors When Navigating Career Choices, Courtney Boucher, Nicole M. Lavoi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

To address misconceptions about the lack of women in sport coaching, factors influencing intercollegiate women coaches' career decisions, including their choices to leave positions, apply for new ones, and accept or deny job offers were explored. Utilizing a multi-level analysis underpinned by critical feminist theory, a comprehensive understanding of the systemic and structural barriers women coaches faced, as well as the strategies they employed to navigate their careers were illuminated. Key findings revealed that unequal pay, lack of administrative support, insufficient resources, and pervasive gender biases significantly impacted women's career choices. The importance of supportive workplace environments, flexible working conditions, …

The Caitlin Clark Effect: Illuminating Women’S Sport History, Shelley Lucas

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The Caitlin Clark Effect is a term that describes the impact of the University of Iowa basketball player on the popularity of women’s basketball, which occurred in conjunction with Clark’s record-breaking performances in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Iowa team’s successes in the NCAA championship tournament. While the Caitlin Clark Effect is associated with intense media attention, ticket sales, and viewership, it also illuminates significant and lesser-known aspects of women’s sport history, specifically media coverage, the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), and the state of Iowa’s unique basketball heritage and ‘6-on-6’ basketball rules. The purpose of …

Benefits, Challenges, And Strategies For Increasing Women Coaches In Elite Sport: The Trail To Gold (T2g) Initiative In U.S. Cross-Country Skiing, Anika Anna Angriman, Lynda B. Ransdell, Shelley Lucas, Nicole Lavoi

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Despite tremendous growth in sport participation of girls and women following Title IX in 1972, women’s participation as sport coaches did not follow the same trajectory. In fact, women remain significantly underrepresented in sport coaching. Research highlights ongoing barriers within the sport industry's patriarchal structure, and although strategies have been proposed to improve women’s representation, the lack of progress over the past two decades indicates limited effectiveness. A better approach is essential to address this issue across individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal levels. The purpose of this study is to interview participants within the U.S. cross-country skiing program, Trail to …

Improper Fitting Personal Protective Clothing And Subsequent Countermeasures For Physical Conditioning In Female Firefighters: A Narrative Review, Katie Sell, Mark Abel, J. Jay Dawes, Megan Thompson, Annette Zapp, Ofra Pottorf, Lilly Bernardi, James Prendergast

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The purpose of this paper was to 1) use an explorative literature overview to identify issues related to ill-fitting clothing and occupational gear for female firefighters, and 2) use an inductive approach to develop generalizable recommendations for exercise professionals to utilize by identifying significant themes in published peer reviewed articles related to movement and injury risk. Research, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches, has shown that the majority of current personal protective clothing (PPC) and operational gear was developed to fit a limited array of male physiques. Consequently, the improper fit of PPC and gear has presented numerous concerns that, …

Impact Of A Light Volleyball Intervention Among Older Chinese Adult Women, Ka-Man Carman Leung, Paul Lee, Wing Sze Alice Lai, Yanan Zhao, Lynda Ransdell

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Modified sports offer a strategic approach to promoting health in older adults. Light volleyball, which uses a larger, lighter ball than traditional volleyball, is more accessible for this population. This study investigated the effects of a 16-week light volleyball program on the functional fitness of older adults in Hong Kong. A total of 275 participants aged 60 years or older were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: a light volleyball intervention group, a Tai Chi group, and a control group. Functional fitness was assessed at the pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up. Results revealed that the light volleyball group exhibited …

Spatial Transcriptome Reveals Histology-Correlated Immune Signature Learnt By Deep Learning Attention Mechanism On H&E-Stained Images For Ovarian Cancer Prognosis, Chun Wai Ng, Kwong-Kwok Wong, Barrett C Lawson, Sammy Ferri-Borgogno, Samuel C Mok

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The ability to predict the prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer can greatly improve disease management. However, the knowledge on the mechanism of the prediction is limited. We sought to deconvolute the attention feature learnt by a deep learning convolutional neural networks trained with whole-slide images (WSIs) of hematoxylin-and-eosin (H&E)-stained tumor samples using spatial transcriptomic data.

Methods: In this study, 773 WSIs of H&E-stained tumor sections from 335 patients with treatment naïve high-grade serous ovarian cancer who were included in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Pan-Cancer study were used to train, and validate, and to test a ResNet101 CNN …

Joint Fluid Multi-Omics Improves Diagnostic Confidence During Evaluation Of Children With Presumed Septic Arthritis, Yolanda Peña-López, Naureen G Tareen, Bo Zhang, Indu Raman, Carlos A Arana, Chengsong Zhu, Yang Liu, Pratibha Selvakumar, Nicolai S C Van Oers, Simrat Morris, Lora V Hooper, Lawson A B Copley, Prithvi Raj

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: An accurate diagnosis of septic versus reactive or autoimmune arthritis remains clinically challenging. A multi-omics strategy comprising metagenomic and proteomic technologies were undertaken for children diagnosed with presumed septic arthritis to advance clinical diagnoses and care for affected individuals.

Methods: Twelve children with suspected septic arthritis were prospectively enrolled to compare standard of care tests with a rapid multi-omics approach. The multi-omics combined bacterial 16S rRNA metagenomics, single cell transcriptomics, and proteomics on knee joint fluid specimens. The diagnostic value of the multi-omics was ascertained relative to standard of care culture and PCR-negative results.

Results: Ten children with suspected …

Insect Frass Fertilizer As Soil Amendment For Improved Forage And Soil Health In Circular Systems, Amanda J. Ashworth, Helen Carla S. Amorim, Gerson L. Drescher, Philip A. Moore, Maria Guadalupe Rojas, Juan Morales-Ramos, Ann M. Donoghue

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Insect farming is expected to increase in coming years, thus generating high quantities of frass (insect excreta). Frass valorization hinges on basic agronomic research prior to industry upscaling. Here, we investigated soil physiochemical properties, SMAF (Soil Management Assessment Framework) soil health, CO2 efflux, and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] yield and quality as affected by yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) frass [3400 and 6800 kg ha-1, low (LF) and high (HF) rates], poultry litter (PL; 3400 kg ha-1), and ammonium nitrate (AN; 67 kg N ha-1). HF increased soil C, N, P, K, and Mg by 10, 12, 44, 58, …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Subsequent Musculoskeletal Injuries And Predictive Value Of Index Injuries In Collegiate Women's Field Hockey, Blake O'Neil, Paul Mentele, Xavier Smith, Katherine Pohlgeers, Ernest Rimer, Andreas Stamatis

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(5): 182-192, 2025. This study investigates the longitudinal patterns of musculoskeletal injuries in an NCAA field hockey team, emphasizing the predictive value of index injuries on subsequent injury rates. Analyzing a dataset from a women’s collegiate field hockey team, this research monitored 810 injuries across 124 athletes from 2008 to 2024. The study categorized injuries as local, nonlocal, and recurrent, employing a negative binomial regression to assess the impact of index injuries on the total number of career injuries. Results indicated that ankle sprains, hamstring strains, and back strains significantly predicted the total number of …

Relative Chronology Of The Proto-Historic Remains At Naḥal Saflul 71 In The Gal‘Ed Hills (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–20*; English Summary, Pp. 221–223), Nimrod Getzov

'Atiqot

Two areas were excavated (A, B) at the site, and a report on Meir’s Excavation C (1976–1982) is included as well. Six round, rock-hewn pits were exposed in Area A, all of which probably belong to one system. In Area B, three natural steps were found on bedrock, as well as part of a pressing installation(?) for wine or oil production. Areas A and B were covered with gray soil that contained stones, potsherds, flint items and animal bones. The site also yielded limestone and basalt vessels, pottery spindle weights, bone points and archaeozoological remains. The pottery at the site …

A Burial Cave Of The Late Chalcolithic And Early Bronze Age I At Midrakh ‘Oz, Western Jezreel Valley (Hebrew, Pp. 21*–46*, English Summary, Pp. 224–225), Nimrod Getzov, Yossi Nagar Israel Antiquities Authority, Anat Cohen-Weinberger

'Atiqot

Remains of a natural cave that was used for burial were exposed north of Moshav Midrakh ‘Oz. Four strata were identified: Strata IV and II contained finds from the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze I periods respectively; Strata I and III were sterile. The majority of the finds comprise pottery vessels from both occupation periods, as well as skeletal remains of approximately 50 individuals. Stratum IV contained ossuary fragments, V-shaped bowls, a flint blade and beads. The finds in Stratum II included pottery vessels, a clay disk, beads, sickle blades, a dagger and human bones. This is the first Chalcolithic …

Excavations At Tel Lod: Remains From The Pottery Neolithic A, Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age I, Middle Bronze Age I And Byzantine Periods (Pp. 141–218), Edwin C.M. Van Den Brink, Liora Kolska Horwitz, Robert Kool, Nili Liphschitz, Henk K. Mienis, Vladimir Zbenovich

'Atiqot

The salvage excavations at the ancient tell of Lod revealed six strata (I–VI). Stratum I consisted of much-disturbed topsoil. The partial remains of three buildings were uncovered in Stratum II, dated to the Byzantine period. Stratum III consisted of sand deposits with a high concentration of MB I potsherds. Stratum IV represented the main phase of human occupation at the site, containing the remains of two superimposed settlements (Strata IVa, IVb), dating from the later phases of EB I. Stratum IVa revealed segments of three sundried mud-brick walls, lacking stone foundations; a large storage jar was found sunk into a …

Tell Qasile (North): Remains Of A Pre-Ghassulian Structure On Fichmann Street, Tel Aviv (Pp. 131–139), Ronit Lupu, Ayelet Dayan Israel Antiquities Authority

'Atiqot

The excavation revealed remains of walls, living surfaces, pottery sherds, flint artifacts, stone vessels and animal bones that can be attributed mainly to Pre-Ghassulian entities dating within the first half of the fifth millennium BCE. The small assemblage of finds from the site suggests a chrono-cultural attribution within the transitional period between the late Wadi Rabah and the beginning of the Ghassulian Chalcolithic cultures. The faunal assemblage comprises mainly sheep/goat remains, as well as a single hippopotamus(?) bone. The site represents an important milestone in the research of late prehistory in the Tel Aviv area, attesting to the presence of …

Abu Ghosh, Jasmine Street: A Pre-Ghassulian Site In The Judean Hills (Pp. 85–130), Ianir Milevski, Ofer Marder, Henk K. Mienis, Liora Kolska Horwitz

'Atiqot

The excavations at Abu Ghosh revealed two phases dated to the Pre-Ghassulian period, between the end of the sixth millennium and the mid-fifth millenium BCE. Three archaeological-sedimentary layers were identified at the site: Layer I—topsoil, Layer II—possibly EB I, and Layer III—Pre-Ghassulian. The architecture of Layer III consisted of rectilinear units, with apparent passages and entrances between them, whose walls were built on stone foundations. Most of the pottery shows affinities with the Qatifian-Besorian horizons typical of southern sites. The lithic assemblages are characterized by sickle blades, bifacials and perforators. The groundstone tools and stone bowls are characteristic of repertories …

Beisamun: An Early Pottery Neolithic Site In The Hula Basin (Pp. 1–61), Hamoudi Khalaily, Tali Kuperman, Nimrod Marom, Ianir Milevski, Dmitry Yegorov

'Atiqot

The excavation was conducted along the western fringes of the site of Beisamun. Three areas were opened (Areas A–C), revealing four layers. Layer I, the upper layer, is a dark brown clayey soil, which contained few archaeological finds. Layer II is a gray-brown clayey soil, rich in organic material and ash—most of the artifacts and architectural remains, dating to the Pottery Neolithic, were found in this layer. Layer III (in Area C) was rich in architectural remains dating to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. The lowest layer (Layer III in Areas A and B; Layer IV in Area C) is of …

Neolithic Flint Workshops At Giv‘At Rabi (East) In Lower Galilee (Pp. 63–83), Omry Barzilai, Ianir Milevski Israel Antiquities Authority

'Atiqot

This article presents the flint assemblages from the Neolithic workshops exposed at Giv‘at Rabi (East), which produced bidirectional blades, unidirectional blades and bifacial tools. The Neolithic blades were produced from wide cores with relatively few preparations. The bifacial tools included unfinished and finished cortical axes and adzes. These techno-typological characteristics suggest that the workshops at Giv‘at Rabi (East) should be dated to the Final Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPNB) and the Early Pottery Neolithic (PN) periods. The discovery of the Neolithic workshops at Giv‘at Rabi (East) contributes to our understanding of the organization of the lithic industries in the region of Lower …

Excavations At The Dar El-Gharbiya Neighborhood Of Kafr Yasif: A Crusader Estate In The Territory Of ‘Akko (With A Contribution By Yael Gorin-Rosen)(Pp. 233–261), Danny Syon, Edna J. Stern

'Atiqot

Six excavation squares and three test trenches were opened. In Square A, a building was unearthed, probably first constructed in the Byzantine period and reused, probably as a stable, in the Crusader period (twelfth century); the last phase of the building (also a stable?) dates to the Mamluk period (fourteenth–fifteenth centuries). The earliest architectural stratum in Squares B and D dates to the late Byzantine or Early Islamic period, followed by an architectural phase from the Crusader period (the twelfth century); the last phase, including a water system, dates to the Mamluk period. Square C contained a large quantity of …

Skeletal Remains From The Gezer–Ramla Aqueduct (Qanat Bint Al-Kafir) (Pp. 231–232), Yossi Nagar

'Atiqot

During the excavation of the Gezer–Ramla aqueduct, human skeletal remains were found in simple pit graves, dated to the Late Islamic or Mamluk period. Each grave contained a single individual in primary burial, on their right side, in an east–west direction, with the head in the west facing south. This burial custom is typical of a Muslim population.

A Section Of The Gezer–Ramla Aqueduct (Qanat Bint Al-Kafir) And A Mamluk-Period Cemetery Near Moshav Yashresh (Pp. 213–230), Amir Gorzalczany

'Atiqot

The excavation exposed the excellently preserved remains of a section of the Gezer–Ramla aqueduct (Area B), as well as nine pit graves (Areas A, B). This section of the aqueduct, generally oriented southwest–northeast, was exposed along c. 150 m; two maintenance shafts were located along its course. It is the northernmost part of the Umayyad-period aqueduct to Ramla found to date. It may have been a secondary branch that split from the main channel and headed toward the water cisterns in the White Mosque area or the industrial area excavated in a neighborhood south of Ramla. After use of the …

Human Skeletal Remains From Tombs At Kursi-Gergesa (Pp. 209–212), Yossi Nagar

'Atiqot

Human remains were found in three burial chambers and one cist tomb at Kursi, dated to the Byzantine period. Based on anthropological analysis, at least 69 individuals, including infants, children and adults of both sexes, were identified. The finds at Kursi might suggest that the people buried at the site were of foreign origin (pilgrims?).