Life Sciences Commons^™

Why Is Fish Welfare Still So Neglected?, Caroline M. Maia

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano (O&B) address an important problem in the field of fish welfare, one that calls for greater attention from scientists and practitioners. O&B show that fish welfare, particularly at the psychological level, is under-investigated. They focus mainly on zoos and aquaria, but their concerns extend also to other domains, including fish farming. Fish are sentient animals; priority should be given to their welfare in all environments where they are under human care.

Metagenome-Assembled Genomes Of Pig Fecal Samples In Nine European Countries: Insights Into Antibiotic Resistance Genes And Viruses, Boxuan Yang, Jianbo Yang, Routing Chen, Jianmin Chai, Xiaoyuan Wei, Jiangchao Zhao, Junxiang Zhao, Feilong Deng, Ying Li

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Simple Summary

Abstract

Isolation And Characterization Of Lignin From Oil Palm Shells Using A Precipitation Method With Sulfuric Acid And Polyaluminum Chloride As Coagulant, Eny Kusrini, Ria Yolanda Arundina, Anwar Usman, Resti Marlina, Bambang Subiyanto, Volkan Degirmenci, Nofrijon Sofyan, Yudan Whulanza

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Lignin has useful and significant properties such as stiffness, resistance to UV radiation, antioxidant, antimicrobial, high thermal stability, and high carbon content. Due to these properties, lignin can be used for several applications including wood adhesive, carbon-based material, and can be developed as a functional material composite. Isolation and utilization of lignin from lignocellulosic biomass offers significant opportunities in various now and future industrial applications mainly for development advanced materials. In this study, isolation and characterization of lignin from oil palm shells (OPS) was conducted. Lignin was isolated from OPS using the precipitation method with sulfuric acid and coagulation using …

Analysing Sound Characteristics Of Cello And Violin Using Fast Fourier Transform, Sinin Hamdan, Khairul Anwar Mohamad Said, Ahmad Faudzi Musib, Marini Sawawi, Aaliyawani Ezzerin Sinin

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The unique sound characteristics of music are based on multiple harmonic frequencies that exist within the sound waves. Through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) software, the wave can be broken down into frequency and amplitude components. Spectrum analysis can be used quantitatively to describe these sound characteristics. In this paper, the frequency range present in the spectrum and the average intensity of the first 10 high notes in the sound are used to classify the sound characteristics of the cello and violin. This is done by generating a frequency (x-axis) and amplitude (y-axis) graph for the sounds of the cello and …

Medial Prefrontal Cortex To Nucleus Reuniens Circuit Is Critical For Performance In An Operant Delayed Nonmatch To Position Task, Evan J Ciacciarelli, Scott D Dunn, Taqdees Gohar, T Joseph Sloand, Mark Niedringhaus, Elizabeth A West

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Working memory refers to the temporary retention of a small amount of information used in the execution of a cognitive task. The prefrontal cortex and its connections with thalamic subregions are thought to mediate specific aspects of working memory, including engaging with the hippocampus to mediate memory retrieval. We used an operant delayed-non match to position task, which does not require the hippocampus, to determine roles of the rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the nucleus reuniens thalamic region (RE), and their connection. We found that transient inactivation of the mPFC and RE using the GABA-A agonist muscimol led to a …

Greenspace Variation And Its Effect On Telomere Length In The American Robin Dna, Valentina Rodriguez-Munoz, Elise Mittlestat, Mikus Abolins-Abols

The Cardinal Edge

Green spaces is a crucial component of our environment, and a contributor to relieving stress in human and wildlife health. Stress is one of the causing factors for a shorter lifespan in humans and other animals by directly accelerating the shortening length of the telomeres in our DNA. In this study we investigated to what extent urban vegetation explain telomere length in the American Robins Turdus migratorius living in the Louisville area. Specifically, we predicted that lower amount of vegetation will be associated with shorter telomeres. We caught the birds using mist nets, we collected blood samples, extracted DNA, and …

The Impact Of Air Pollution On The Cardiovascular System In American Robins: No2 Levels' And Ultrafine Particulate Levels' Correlation To The Ratio Of Immature To Mature Erythrocytes, Lauren A. Stine, Mikus Abolins-Abols

The Cardinal Edge

Abstract

Humans and animals, especially in an urban environment, are constantly ingesting air pollution. Since the industrial lifestyle is preferred or simply mandatory for many, the exact impacts of concentrated air pollution ingestion, especially on the cardiovascular system, needs to be unambiguous. It has already been seen that high levels of exposure to air pollution are correlated with increased rates of anemia in humans (Honda et al., 2017), (Morales-Ancajima et al., 2019), (Elbarbary et al., 2020), (Mehta et al., 2021). Further data indicates that air pollution ingestion may even directly cause some detrimental pro-inflammatory and oxidant-inducing effects on the cardiovascular …

A Novel Arsenic Methyltransferase Splice Variant Expressed In Human Keratinocytes, Caitlin H. Reynolds, Alexandra N. Nail, Miroslav Styblo, Peter Cable, J. Christopher States

The Cardinal Edge

Chronic inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure from contaminated drinking water is a global issue that impacts over 220 million people worldwide. iAs is a Group 1 human carcinogen. Skin lesions, including skin cancer, are hallmarks of arsenic toxicity. Arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT) is required for the biotransformation of iAs to monomethyl-As (MMA^V and MMA^III) and MMA to dimethyl-As (DMA^V and DMA^III), and the iAs:MMA:DMA ratio determines arsenic clearance and toxicity. Both trivalent MMA (MMA^III) and DMA (DMA^III) are exceedingly more toxic compared to iAs and may promote toxic and carcinogenic effects associated …

Increased Neuroinflammation And Compromised Blood Brain Barrier In A Mouse Model Of Autism, Amani S. Ikram, Rekha Jagadapillai, Idil Tuncali, Gregory N. Barnes, Evelyne Gozal

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Sex, Cadmium, And High-Fat Diet On Accumulation Of Essential Metals In Mouse Kidneys., Justin Y. Xu, Adam Gaweda, Michelle Barati, Micheal Merchant, Jun Cai, Lu Cai, Madhavi J. Rane

The Cardinal Edge

Effects of cadmium and obesity on accumulation of essential metals in mouse kidney were evaluated. Starting in utero and continuing until 24 weeks postweaning, male/female mice were exposed to cadmium (0, 0.5, or 5 ppm) and were fed on Normal Diet (ND)/High-Fat Diet (HFD) post weaning. ICP-MS analysis was performed to evaluate cadmium and essential metals absorbed in the kidneys of aforementioned mice. Metals data obtained was analyzed using MANOVA with multiple comparisons (Bonferroni correction with p

Old Vs. New: An Experiment On The Efficacy Of Complexity-Focused Reproductive Biology Lectures For Undergraduate Biology Students, Ive N. Muse, Shraddha Patel, Linda Fuselier

The Cardinal Edge

Old vs. New: An Experiment on the Efficacy of Complexity-focused Reproductive Biology Lectures for Undergraduate Biology Students

Muse, Ive N.; Patel, Shraddha; Fuselier, Linda

Abstract

Undergraduate reproductive biology courses are traditionally taught in a reductive manner, prioritizing a binary understanding of sex which oversimplifies reproductive behaviors and reproductive system development across diverse taxa. Although this binary approach to lessons on reproduction is intended to benefit students in learning foundational human reproductive concepts, it does not teach the most recent research in reproductive biology, which identifies reproductive variation as the norm. The current study designed and implemented a lesson on reproductive …

Using Rangewide Distribution Maps To Understand Tick Species Occurrence In Louisville, Ky, Ilham H. Al Amayreh, Mallory Harmel, Rachel Pigg

The Cardinal Edge

Ticks, though intriguing, come with inherent risks due to the diseases they carry, such as Lyme disease, or the allergies they cause, such as Alpha Gal syndrome. Understanding the distribution of ticks and the diseases they harbor is vital for effective prevention strategies. Among the most prevalent tick species in Louisville, KY are the Lonestar tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis); however, the Lonestar tick is much more prevalent than any other tick species. We expanded our study to the continental scale to investigate why Lonestar ticks were so abundant in Louisville. We downloaded research-grade citizen science …

A Scaly Science: Using Citizen Science To Predict Where Snakes Are Found In Louisville, Sarah E. Bridges, Mallory Harmel, Rachel Pigg

The Cardinal Edge

Researching snakes in Jefferson County, Kentucky is important to help wildlife managers conserve snake species while also mitigating human-wildlife conflict. Using citizen science data, we can determine where snakes have been seen in the past, and then use that data to predict venomous and nonvenomous presence throughout the county and how their mode of transportation impacts snake presence. We compiled research-grade citizen science data from two websites: iDigBio and iNaturalist. Each species was then classified by their mode of transportation (terrestrial, aquatic, fossorial) and as either venomous or nonvenomous. We created a preliminary species distribution model using BioClim data to …

North American Sucker Fish Diets In The Face Of Ecological Challenges (Catostomidae), Anesa Hozdic, Matthew Kolmann

The Cardinal Edge

Basic biological information, like fecundity, age at maturity, habitat occupation and range size, are critically important for conserving species under threat. However, funding for this sort of research is limited, especially for aquatic vertebrates like fishes, which have restricted ranges and are under threat from changes in land-use and watershed alteration. The suckers (Family Catostomidae) are freshwater fishes native to North America (and one species from China). Most species are presumed to be detritivorous, that is, feed on decaying plant and animal matter; however, the diet diversity of this family has never been analyzed at an evolutionary scale. Suckers are …

The Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin Disrupts Feeding And Sleeping Behaviors In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lucas Fitzgerald

The Cardinal Edge

Dimethylbiguanide, also known as metformin, is the single most prescribed oral treatment for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes, in western countries. The primary mechanism of action that metformin acts through is the activation of AMP kinase, an important regulator of energy homeostasis. While the anti-diabetic effects of metformin are well documented, its effects on feeding and sleeping behaviors are not well characterized. Using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, the mean daily quantity of food consumed was measured and compared between groups treated with several dosages of metformin. Feeding interactions such as meal frequency and length were …

Cumin Seed Extracts Can Affect The Expression Of P53 In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Krista A. Wheeler, Jared L. Scott, David Schultz

The Cardinal Edge

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death amoung women after heart disease. One of the deadliest types of breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), is resistant to many chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapeutics that can inhibit TNBC growth are needed to combat this form of cancer. Historically, natural compounds found in plants have been studied for their effectiveness at limiting cancer cell growth while also reducing negative side effects due to lower toxicity to healthy cells. Many chemotherapeutics have serious side effects that can result in reduced treatment compliance, often leading to the recurrence of more aggressive and recalcitrant …

Investigating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Cover Crop Interactions To Improve Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Isabel M. Zanartu, Connor Morozumi, Natalie Christian

The Cardinal Edge

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are fungal species that form beneficial relationships with plants. AMFs are known to help crops acquire important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil, and in return the plants provide carbon to the fungi. At least 80% of all plants partner with AMFs including staple crops such as rice, corn, wheat and soybeans. With so many plants likely relying on AMFs, current farming practices such as planting in monocultures and fallow overwintering may limit these relationships. On top of this, climate change challenges the reliability of these practices in the future. One sustainable agricultural practice …

Low Concentrations Of Hexavalent Chromium In Drinking Water Induce Alzheimer’S Disease Neuropathology: Using A Toxic Aging Coin Approach To Assess Hexavalent Chromium Neurotoxicity, Liam Buchanan, Samuel Vielee, Spencer Roof, Haiyan Lu, Jamie L Young, Idoia Meaza Isusi, Aggie Williams, Joseph Kouokam, Sandra Wise, Luping Guo, Jun Cai, John Wise, John P. Wise Jr.

The Cardinal Edge

Introduction: We are currently facing an aging crisis, as 20% of the U.S. population will be geriatric (65+) by 2030. This growing geriatric population will result in increasing prevalence of age-related diseases, coinciding with increasingly prevalent environmental pollution. Environmental pollution is a ubiquitous health threat that affects people at all ages and contributes to aging pathology. However, geriatric individuals are likely more susceptible to the negative health effects from environmental pollution. The distinct effects of environmental pollutants across age groups are currently understudied. We use a Toxic Aging Coin approach to investigate: 1) how age impacts toxicity (heads), …

Restoring History: Evaluating The Rehydration Potential Of Fish Specimens From A Forgotten Ichthyology Collection, Joseph Donohue, Matthew Kolmann, Emmy Delekta

The Cardinal Edge

Natural history collections are invaluable resources that document the record of Earth’s biodiversity. Such collections house physical specimens that can often be used in research and education (e.g., teaching tools for classes and public outreach events). The William Clay Ichthyology Collection at the University of Louisville contains thousands of fish specimens collected over the past century from locations in and around Kentucky, North America, Central and South America, and even Lake Malawi in Africa. Despite the incredible assortment of specimens present, this collection fell into disarray as departmental interests shifted over the last twenty-five years. This led to the desiccation …

Assessing The Bioactivity Of Salvia Phytochemicals Against Breast Cancers, Allison C. Portaro, Jared L. Scott, David J. Schultz

The Cardinal Edge

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in adults, with 2.3 million new cases worldwide in 2020. Plants have been used in traditional medicine and are a potential source of pharmaceuticals. One example is the large Lamiaceae (mint) family. The Salvia genus, commonly known as the sages, is the largest genus in Lamiaceae with almost 900 known species. Different species of salvia are found in parts of the US, and some have a history in traditional medicine to treat cancers and other ailments. Preliminary research on three salvia species (S. lyrata, S. lyrata var. Purple …

How Medical Students Address Mental Health During Standardized Patient Interactions, Bhoomi S. Shah, Laura Weingartner, Emily J. Noonan

The Cardinal Edge

How Medical Students Address Mental Health during Standardized Patient Interactions

Bhoomi Shah B.S. Candidate; Emily J Noonan, PhD, MA; Laura A. Weingartner, PhD, MS

BACKGROUND:

As mental health needs are increasingly recognized around the world, it has become an increasingly important topic within medical education to ensure that medical professionals are well-prepared to address these concerns and provide adequate mental health care to patients. Our research examines the language that medical students used to assess and address mental health concerns during clinical skills training.

METHODS:

We observed standardized patient interactions with 85 medical students from the University of Louisville School …

The Effect Of Prenatal Vape Exposure On Liver Gene Expression In Weanling Mice, Mindy Yin, Selma Podbicanin, Bella Fieger, Nina Pauig, Katelyn Chism, Lucas Georges, Isaiah Burciaga, Cynthia Corbitt, Rachel Neal

The Cardinal Edge

The use of E-cigarettes is a fairly recent phenomenon. Vaping is thought of as the “healthier” alternative to smoking cigarettes, yet we know little about the developmental toxicity of commercially available vaping products. The Barker Hypothesis (or the Developmental Basis of Adult Disease Hypothesis) proposes that developmental nutrient restriction or toxicant exposure increases the risk of diseases later in life such as cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, and metabolic diseases. In this study, adult female C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to Vuse™ Alto Golden Tobacco pods (5% nicotine) 4 days before mating and throughout gestation (GD19) for 1 hour/day each day. Offspring …

The Role Of Adhd As A Risk Factor In Alzheimer's Disease, Evelyn Fulmer

The Cardinal Edge

In recent years, the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has increased significantly. While these disorders initially seem unrelated, ADHD and AD pose similarities that indicate a more involved relationship between them. To understand this relationship, this review delves into the current research proposing ADHD as a potential risk factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease, examining genetic predispositions, shared risk factors, and affected mechanistic pathways that influence the aging process.

Anti-Aging Properties Of Cosmetics, Anna Lipinski

The Cardinal Edge

It is well established that external factors, specifically UV exposure, are among the highest contributors to the biological aging of the skin. Prolonged exposure may disrupt skin cell homeostasis through shifts in proteostasis, accumulation of reactive oxidative species, premature cellular senescence, and inflammatory pathways. Cosmetic companies have responded to this by producing products marketed as "youthful" and "anti-aging" by including specific compounds into formulas to combat skin aging. This review discusses the specific mechanisms of anti-aging formulas, including polyphenols as senotherapeutic agents and L-ascorbic acid as an anti-inflammatory compound, in resisting the biological aging of the skin.

A Hopeful Overview On Aging, Rafael Demarco

The Cardinal Edge

N/A

Sdf-1Α Mediates Primary Tumor Escape In Glioblastoma Through Activation Of Mesenchymal Transitions, Charles T. Froman-Glover

The Cardinal Edge

Glioblastoma (GBM), a highly aggressive primary brain tumor originating in glial cells, poses a significant challenge due to its rapid growth and invasive nature within healthy brain tissue.

Current treatments involve surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation. These treatments alone are not enough to cure this disease, and a better understanding of the mechanics of the tumor's micro-environment is imperative to furthering the field of cancer research. This research focuses on understanding the tumor microenvironment's impact, specifically investigating the role of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) mechanics on GBM aggressiveness. SDF-1 is known to facilitate disease progression by facilitating chemotaxis toward …

The Effect Of A Virtual Covid-19 Interprofessional Educational Module On Knowledge, Confidence, Attitude, And Practice Among Health And Allied Health Professions Students, Tsu-Yin Wu, Jenni L. Hoffman, Grigoris Argeros, Sarah Lally, Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek, Jillian Graves, Alice Jo Rainville, Olivia Ford, Angela Lukomski, Renuka Roche, John Sonnega, Joan E. Cowdery Phd

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to examine the effect of an innovative, online COVID-19 interprofessional educational module among health and allied health professions students.

Methods: This study utilized a pre- and posttest design with quantitative and qualitative data collected winter 2023 and spring/summer 2023 semesters, and consisted of health and allied health professions students (N=143) from three Midwestern, urban, public universities. Participants completed a pretest, then an IPE module on COVID-19, and a posttest immediately after the educational intervention, and another (the same) posttest one month later. Quantitative and qualitative data were subject to statistical …

Marine Debris Survey Data On Public Beaches, Tamara Barnes

Sustainability Conference

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Planet Stewards project by the Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) team implements an initiative approach to quantify and reduce marine debris using the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) protocol. This project employs data analysis methods to address the pressing issue of marine debris in a uniquely interconnected coastal ecosystem that includes oceanfront beaches, lagoon shores, and the urban watershed. B-CU actively builds and fosters a strong network of advocacy for marine life. The primary goal of the MDMAP strategies is to reduce and eventually eliminate micro- and macro-plastics, derelict fishing gear, and non-natural …

Objective Bat Phenomenology, Thomas Nagel

Animal Sentience

Our discussions prompted Donald Griffin to campaign for the recognition of animal consciousness as a subject for scientific investigation. Ristau shows how much has since been discovered about the experiences of bats and other creatures, by Griffin and others, in spite of the limits to full knowledge imposed by our biological differences. But Ristau seriously misrepresents me as holding that we can know nothing about what it is like to be a bat, whereas these results are precisely of the kind I envisioned in proposing an “objective phenomenology.”

Dysfunction Of Polyamine Metabolism In Down Syndrome Related To Cellular Senescence And Β-Amyloid Production, Andres D. Sola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polyamines (PA) are ubiquitous in cells and highly involved in several important cellular functions and thus the dysregulation of their biosynthetic pathway is potentially associated with the progression of age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s’ disease (AD). Though there is research describing how PA content changes in organisms as they age or in those experiencing rapid aging from increased rates of senescence, as in Down syndrome (DS), it is not clear how this connection occurs and whether modulating this pathway may reveal downstream effects on related disease progression. This study examines how the modulation of the PA biosynthetic pathway by inhibition of …