Life Sciences Commons^™

Changing Characteristics Of Land Cover, Landscape Pattern And Ecosystem Services In The Bohai Rim Region Of China, Jiaqi Liu, Wei Chen, Hu Ding, Zhanhang Liu, Min Xu, Ramesh P. Singh, Congqiang Liu

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Since the Anthropocene, ecosystems have been continuously deteriorating due to global climate change and human intervention. Exploring the changing characteristics of land use/land cover (LULC), landscape pattern and ecosystem service (ES) and their drivers is crucial for regional ecosystem management and sustainable development. Taking the Bohai Rim region of China as an example, we used the land use transfer matrix, landscape pattern index and InVEST model to analyze the changing characteristics of LULC, landscape pattern and six key ESs [crop production (CP), water yield (WY), carbon storage (CS), soil conservation (SC), habitat quality (HQ), landscape aesthetics (LA)] during 2000–2020. Detailed …

An Investigation Of Frequency-Domain Pruning Algorithms For Accelerating Human Activity Recognition Tasks Based On Sensor Data, Jian Su, Haijian Shao, Xing Deng, Yingtao Jiang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

The rapidly advancing Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have brought about a paradigm shift in various computer vision tasks, while also garnering increasing interest and application in sensor-based Human Activity Recognition (HAR) efforts. However, the significant computational demands and memory requirements hinder the practical deployment of deep networks in resource-constrained systems. This paper introduces a novel network pruning method based on the energy spectral density of data in the frequency domain, which reduces the model’s depth and accelerates activity inference. Unlike traditional pruning methods that focus on the spatial domain and the importance of filters, this method converts sensor data, such …

Maya Cuisine: Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow, Chef Santos Canel

LAII Events

Monday, November 18, 2024 | 02:00 pm

Ortega Hall | Reading Room (third floor)

About:

Join the LAII for a talk led by Chef Canel about traditional Maya cuisine. Chef Canel will talk about traditional Maya cuisine and his work in bringing this ancient cuisine forward into the 21st Century.

Santos Canel studied at the Santorini Culinary Academy and Ministry of Education in Guatemala City, earning a professional chef degree and certificate, as well as a diploma in Guatemalan Gastronomy. He has been recognized by the Latin American Federation of Master Chefs in Guatemala. He currently serves as Executive Chef …

How Does Herbicide Resistance Change Farmer’S Weed Management Decisions? Evidence From The Roundup Ready Experiment, Huichin Sun, Terrance Hurley, George B. Frisvold, Katherine Dentzman, David Ervin, Wesley J. Everman, Jeffrey Gonsalus, Jason K. Norsworthy, Michae Owen

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Adoption of diverse weed management practices is viewed as essential for slowing the spread of herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds. Yet, adoption of diverse tactics has remained low, while there has been explosive growth of resistant weeds. This study analyzes U.S.-farm-level data to identify factors affecting adoption of diverse weed management practices. This study uses directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to consider how practice adoption is influenced by different causal pathways between farmer and farm characteristics and farmer awareness of and concern over HR weeds. This study then uses multiple regression analysis to estimate the direct and indirect pathways that influence practice adoption. …

Leptin Levels Are Associated With Coronary Artery Calcification In Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer, Efstratios Koutroumpakis, Neha Venkatesh, Ana Aparicio, Juhee Song, Theocharis Panaretakis, Christopher J Logothetis, Andrew W Hahn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Convergent data suggest that advanced prostate cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD) share biological vulnerabilities that may be linked to adiposity. Here we explore whether leptin, as a marker and mediator of adiposity, could link prostate cancer to CHD.

Methods: Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) enrolled in a phase II trial (NCT02703623) studying androgen deprivation therapy, abiraterone, prednisone, and apalutamide were eligible if they had plasma and a chest CT scan available. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores and adipokine levels were measured upon enrollment.

Results: Of 164 patients, 87% were white. The mean age was …

Genomic And Transcriptomic Analyses Identify Distinctive Features Of Triple-Negative Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Xiaoping Wang, Li Zhao, Xingzhi Song, Xiaogang Wu, Savitri Krishnamurthy, Shan Shao, Larry W Coffer, Angela Alexander, Anita Vines, Swetha Bopparaju, Wendy A Woodward, Randy Chu, Jianhua Zhang, Clinton Yam, Lenora W M Loo, Azadeh Nasrazadani, Le-Petross Huong, Scott E Woodman, Andrew Futreal, Debu Tripathy, Naoto T Ueno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Triple-negative inflammatory breast cancer (TN-IBC) is the most aggressive type of breast cancer, yet its defining genomic, molecular, and immunological features remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed the largest and most comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic analyses of prospectively collected TN-IBC patient samples from a phase II clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02876107, registered on August 22, 2016) and compared them to similarly analyzed stage III TN-non-IBC patient samples (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02276443, registered on October 21, 2014). We found that TN-IBC tumors have distinctive genomic, molecular, and immunological characteristics, including a lower tumor mutation load than TN-non-IBC, and an association …

Structural Stability Comparisons Between Natural And Engineered Group Ii Chaperonins: Are Crenarchaeal “Heat Shock” Proteins Also “Ph Shock” Resistant?, Mercede Furr, Shadi A. Badiee, Sreenivasulu Basha, Shilpi Agarwal, Zeina Ismael Ibrahem Alraawi, Sobroney Heng, Carson L. Stacy, Yeasin Ahmed, Mahmoud Moradi, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar, Ruben Michael Ceballos

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Archaeal group II chaperonins, also known as heat shock proteins (HSPs), are abundantly expressed in Sulfolobales. HSPα and HSPβ gene expression is upregulated during thermal shock. HSPs form large 18-mer complexes that assist in folding nascent proteins and protecting resident proteins during thermal stress. Engineered HSPs have been designed for industrial applications. Since temperature flux in the geothermal habitats of Sulfolobales impacts intracellular temperature, it follows that HSPs have developed thermotolerance. However, despite the low pH (i.e., pH < 4) typical for these habitats, intracellular pH in Sulfolobales is maintained at ~6.5. Therefore, it is not presumed that HSPs have evolved acid-tolerance. To test tolerance to low pH, HSPs were studied at various pH and temperature values. Both circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence indicate that HSPα and HSPβ retain structural integrity at neutral pH over a wide range of temperatures. Structural integrity is compromised for all HSPs at ultra-low pH (e.g., pH 2). Secondary structures in HSPs are resilient under mildly acidic conditions (pH 4) but Anilino naphthalene 8-sulfonate binding shows shifts in tertiary structure at lower pH. Trypsin digestion shows that the HSPβ-coh backbone is the most flexible and HSPβ is the most resilient. Overall, results suggest that HSPα and HSPβ exhibit greater thermostability than HSPβ-coh and that there are limits to HSP acid-tolerance. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations complement the wet lab data. Specifically, MD suggests that the HSPβ secondary structure is the most stable. Also, despite similarities in pH- and temperature-dependent behavior, there are clear differences in how each HSP subtype is perturbed.

Disentangling Genotype And Environment Specific Latent Features For Improved Trait Prediction Using A Compositional Autoencoder, Anirudha Powadi, Talukder Zaki Jubery, Michael C. Tross, James C. Schnable, Baskar Ganapathysubramanian

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In plant breeding and genetics, predictive models traditionally rely on compact representations of high-dimensional data, often using methods like Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and, more recently, Autoencoders (AE). However, these methods do not separate genotype-specific and environment-specific features, limiting their ability to accurately predict traits influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. We hypothesize that disentangling these representations into genotype-specific and environment-specific components can enhance predictive models. To test this, we developed a compositional autoencoder (CAE) that decomposes high-dimensional data into distinct genotype-specific and environment-specific latent features. Our CAE framework employed a hierarchical architecture within an autoencoder to effectively separate …

Genome-Wide Association Analysis And Genomic Prediction Of Salt Tolerance Trait In Soybean Germplasm, Rongqing Xu, Qing Yang, Zhi Liu, Xiaolai Shi, Xintong Wu, Yuenhan Chen, Xingyu Du, Qiqi Gao, Di He, Ainong Shi, Peijun Tao, Long Yan

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction:

Soybean is an important protein and oil crop, and improving yield has traditionally been a major breeding goal. However, salt stress is an important abiotic factor that can severely impair soybean yield by disrupting metabolic processes, inhibiting photosynthesis, and hindering plant growth, ultimately leading to a decrease in productivity.

Methods:

This study utilized phenotypic and genotypic data from 563 soybean germplasms sourced from over 20 countries. Employing four distinct models—we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using four models, including MLM, MLMM, FarmCPU, and BLINK in GAPIT 3, we conducted a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify single nucleotide …

Smokejumper Obituary: Harro, William Lewis “Bill” (Mccall 1968), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Assessing Weed Canopy Cover In No-Till And Conventional Tillage Plots In Winter Wheat Production Using Drone Data, Judith N. Oppong, Clement E. Akumu, Sam Dennis

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Weed canopy cover assessment, particularly using drone-acquired data, plays a vital role in precision agriculture by providing accurate, timely, and spatially detailed information, enhancing weed management decision-making in response to environmental and management variables. Despite the significance of this approach, few studies have investigated weed canopy cover through drone-based imagery. This study aimed to fill this gap by evaluating the effects of conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) practices on weed canopy cover in a winter wheat field over two growing seasons. Results indicated that in the 2022–2023 season, weed populations were similar between tillage systems, with a high mean …

Therapeutic Potential Of Astrocyte-Derived Extracellular Vesicles In Mitigating Cytotoxicity And Transcriptome Changes In Human Brain Endothelial Cells, Ruth Juliana Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a major role in cell-to-cell communication via the horizontal transfer of RNA, DNA, proteins, and lipids that affect the physiological response of the recipient cells. Astrocytes are a type of glial cell that exerts a protective effect on neurons and brain endothelial cells. The astrocytes and the endothelial cells form the blood-brain barrier. Due to their nano-size and non-complex structure, EVs can efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier. This study investigated and assessed the impact of EVs on reducing oxidative DNA damage in human brain endothelial cells (HBECs). The protective potential of astrocyte-derived EVs was determined by …

Examining Influences On Cotton And Peanut Farmers’ Intentions To Adopt Agricultural Best Management Practices In Southeast Georgia, William R. Taylor, Abigail Borron, Jessica Holt, Walter Scott Monfort

Journal of Extension

Various factors have been found to influence farmers’ adoption of best management practices. This study examines the influences on farmers’ intentions to adopt best management practices by using an extended model of the theory of planned behavior. This descriptive exploratory study surveyed Georgia cotton and peanut farmers (N = 41). Findings revealed farmers had positive attitudes toward best management practices and showed that the use of best management practices is aligned with farmers’ intrinsic motivations. Agricultural practitioners may enhance educational and outreach efforts by leveraging farmers’ motivations and necessary capacities as outlined in this study.

Welcome To The New Frontier: Introducing Extension To The Next Generation Of Conservation Planning Tools, Emma E. Bravard, Emily K. Zimmerman, John C. Tyndall, David James

Journal of Extension

A new frontier of conservation planning capacity utilizing innovative decision support tools has emerged. Extension professionals play an important role in using these new data and tools to achieve conservation and water quality outcomes. Here, we detail the application of two conservation planning tools: Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) and Financial and Nutrient Reduction Tool (FiNRT). Tools like these are increasingly being used to guide conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes; provide information regarding potential resource concern; and offer valuable data about outcomes from best management practice (BMP) placement. Extension professionals’ use of such tools could enhance conservation implementation and outcomes.

Potato University: An Interactive Framework To Engage And Educate Industry Stakeholders In Potato-Related Research, Jaime Willbur, Erin Burns

Journal of Extension

Understanding how farmers prefer to learn is critical for the development and delivery of successful extension programming. Therefore, Michigan State University Extension specialists conducted an interactive hands-on demonstration workshop (Potato University) addressing pressing issues to Michigan potato production at the Michigan Winter Potato Conference. The new session format emphasized alternative, hands-on research presentation formats and promoted small group interactions between researchers and stakeholders. Overall, we developed an alternative framework to deliver information in a novel format by highlighting research activities in an approachable format for stakeholders that better aligned Extension teaching styles with the learning styles of the potato industry.

The Ins And Outs Of Language Translation And Interpretation Of Program Resources, Regina Mcgoff, Annalisa Hultberg, Stephen A. Kells

Journal of Extension

In an increasingly diverse country, creating Extension resources available in a variety of languages and formats is important for supporting learning by Limited English Proficient audiences and extending these impacts throughout the entire community. Learn tips from educational professionals who have created print and electronic resources in ten different languages to better support a diversity of stakeholders.

The Challenges Of Co-Developing Climate-Smart Strategies, Practices, And Technologies Among Research And Extension Teams, Michelle R. Worosz, Hannah Stewart, Mckayla Robinette, Brenda Ortiz, Rishi Prasad, Audrey Gambel, Leah Duzy

Journal of Extension

With climate-smart agriculture as the context, we explore one aspect of transdisciplinarity, the co-development of knowledge (CDK). Challenges were identified via matrix coding and word frequency queries of field day, meeting, and interview transcripts. Focusing on the Research-Extension team, we found they highly value collaboration and participatory-based projects, but developing trust-based relationships, enhancing long-term stakeholder investment, and understanding both team and stakeholder capacity was difficult. This paper informs transdisciplinary projects aimed at climate adaptation by illustrating the need for Research-Extension teams to take incremental steps towards CDK, to engage stakeholders before program planning, and to increase both interaction and reflexivity.

Recreational Fishers’ Attitudes To Fisheries Management And Compliance, Karina L. Ryan, Clinton Syers, Kane Holtom, Timothy J. Green, Jeremy M. Lyle, Kate E. Stark, Sean R. Tracey

Fisheries Research Articles

Recreational fisheries policy decisions have social and ecological outcomes that depend on whether regulations are understood and meet expectations, which in turn enhances compliance. This study investigates perceptions of management and compliance among boat-based recreational fishers in Western Australia with consideration of demography (age, residence) and fishing behaviour (avidity, bioregion fished). Most respondents considered themselves to be informed about rules governing their fishing and there was strong support for current input and output controls, including area and seasonal closures and possession and size limits. There was less support for alternative regulations that are not currently in practice, such as annual …

Virtual Culinary Nutrition Education: Youth And Parent/Guardian Acceptability Of The Switch Cooking School, Summer Mcvicker, Laura Paulsen, Anna Mlodzik, Allison Henry, Maren Wolff

Journal of Extension

Face-to-face cooking programs can positively impact food choices, fruit and vegetable intake, and cooking self-efficacy; however, little is known about virtual cooking programs. We studied the perceived acceptability of the virtual SWITCH Cooking School (SCS). Four monthly cooking classes were offered for each participating school. Classes included nutrition education, food safety, and cooking demonstrations. Feedback was collected through post-class surveys and focus groups with parent/guardian and youth participants. Families valued the convenience of the virtual delivery and were interested in participating again. Future considerations for the SCS include incorporating additional variety of culinary skills and modifying registration methods.

Beyond Direct Education And Facilitation: Revisiting The Role Of Extension In Community & Regional Food Systems Development, Catie M. Demets, Lindsey Day Farnsworth

Journal of Extension

The fundamental issues that community and regional food systems aim to address are inherently systems problems, yet many Extension programs continue to focus food system development efforts on activities and actors that directly support the food value chain. While important, the impact of these interventions is limited. Drawing from interviews with directors of four of the nation’s leading Community and Regional Food Systems Extension programs, this article makes a case for rethinking Extension’s role in community and regional food systems development in relationship to key leverage points through a typology of Extension roles and corresponding examples.

Paper Origami For Program Development And Evaluation Training Of New Extension Employees, Ayanava Majumdar

Journal of Extension

This article describes the use of paper origami as a training tool for Extension evaluation and capacity building workshops. Three paper origami models have been developed and used consistently since 2021 to benefit 131 new Extension professionals. The use of these models added an element of pleasant surprise for workshop participants and fostered collaboration during training. This article describes the construction and usefulness of the origami models to these new employees. Post-event feedback and testimonials are very encouraging to authors who continue to develop additional origami models for training and motivation.

Research Verification Is Effective For Extension Programs In Aquaculture, Luke A. Roy, Anita M. Kelly, Terry R. Hanson, Larry Dorman, Matthew Recsetar, Herbert Quintero

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals have used research verification programs to evaluate the effectiveness of research-based management recommendations in several different aquaculture species. In addition to providing a platform on which to examine current best management practices and Extension recommendations from Land Grant Universities, research verification is valuable in identifying gaps for further research. Perhaps the best benefit of research verification programs are the comradery and relationships developed between cooperating commercial producers and Extension personnel that can lay the groundwork to facilitate future collaborative efforts related to technology transfer in the aquaculture industry.

Impact Of Stolon Removal On Yield And Fruit Quality Of Day-Neutral Fragaria X Ananassa “Cabrillo” Grown In Outdoor Soilless Conditions, Kate Fessler, Emily E. Hoover, Neil O. Anderson

Journal of Extension

Strawberries are among the most consumed fruits in the U.S. and demand for locally grown fruit is high. Although most production in Minnesota is dominated by June-bearers, new techniques for growing day-neutral strawberries are becoming increasingly prevalent. These techniques include in-ground plasticulture and soilless tabletop production, and growers are generally advised to remove stolons (runners) from day-neutral plants. There is relatively little information available to confirm that this practice, and its attendant labor increase, is a necessity in soilless tabletop production. This study’s objective was to determine whether this practice is necessary to maximize yield and fruit quality, using the …

Who Cares For The Caregiver? Exploring Extension’S Role In Informal Caregiving Support, Mckenzie R. Tuttle, Erin L. Martinez, Aimee Fox

Journal of Extension

Family caregivers provide invaluable service by taking on the responsibility of caring for older adults in the United States. With a growing aging population, the need for family caregivers and demands on their time and resources will continue to increase. Although a variety of caregiving resources and support services exist, family caregivers often lack the awareness, time, transportation, or financial resources to connect to services. There is a critical need to address the barriers that prevent caregivers from accessing services. In this commentary, we highlight barriers and make recommendations for improving conversations, research, and practice to meet this growing problem.

Growers’ Perceptions And Strategies To Mitigate Spring Frost Injury In Grapevines, Vinicius Cervilieri, Imed Dami, Guilherme Signorini

Journal of Extension

Uncertain weather patterns raise concerns about frequent spring frosts and injury in grapevines. This article quantifies growers’ perceptions of susceptibility to spring frosts and examines their satisfaction with existing mitigation strategies. Departing from a survey with grape growers, results show that over 80% of sampled growers have experienced damage due to frosts. Over-vine sprinklers, proper site selection, and adoption of late budding cultivars are the practices with the highest satisfaction levels. None of the strategies examined reached the highest satisfaction score. In addition, 61% of respondents showed interest in sprayable products to delay budbreak and circumvent grapevine damage.

Place, Space, And Shifting Views Of Nature, Rachel Tracey

Runkle Woods Symposia

In her reflective presentation, Rachel Tracy explores her evolving relationship with nature and wilderness. Initially disinterested and uncomfortable in natural settings, she describes how her perspective shifted through class discussions, personal reflection, and immersive experiences in the outdoors. Concepts such as “space versus place” helped her understand the emotional and historical significance of natural environments. Through this journey, she discovered joy in simply being present in nature, ultimately gaining a deeper appreciation for the natural world and its ability to exist and thrive without human involvement.

Culture, Nature, And Reflection: The Settler’S Impact On Life Today, Erin Thomas

Runkle Woods Symposia

Erin Thomas, a senior English major at Wright State University, reflects on the intersection of wilderness, identity, and cultural erasure. Drawing from her Indigenous heritage and experiences in the course Woods and Wilderness, she critiques the romanticized, Eurocentric view of nature as untouched and separate from humanity. Instead, Thomas highlights how wilderness has been shaped by settler colonialism and exclusionary narratives that often ignore Indigenous presence and histories. Her presentation calls for a more inclusive and honest understanding of wilderness—one that honors marginalized voices and acknowledges the land’s complex cultural past.

Wilderness Myth And Reality: Human Views And Uses Of Nature, Evan Hardern

Runkle Woods Symposia

In his essay and presentation, Wright State English major Evan Harder critically examines modern conceptions of wilderness and challenges the Romantic ideal that moral purity and personal virtue are inherently tied to time spent in nature. Drawing on writers such as Wordsworth, Emerson, and Thoreau, Harder interrogates the cultural myth of wilderness as a pristine, untouched realm separate from civilization. He argues that our understanding of nature is a constructed concept—born from the development of cities and agriculture—and often overlooks the long histories of human habitation in places now designated as “natural” or “wild.” Through examples like Cuyahoga Valley National …

The Concept Of Wilderness In Western Culture And Its Sacredness, Shannon Doyal

Runkle Woods Symposia

Shannon Doyal, a Professional Writing student at Wright State, explores how wilderness has been perceived throughout American history—as both a physical space and a powerful spiritual symbol. Drawing from Indigenous perspectives, early settler narratives, Transcendentalist writings, and American literature, she traces the evolving cultural and emotional significance of wilderness. From a place of fear and survival to one of introspection and sacred connection, wilderness reflects our changing relationship with nature and ourselves. As someone whose spirituality honors the cycles of nature, Doyal argues that reclaiming wilderness as a sacred and emotional space is vital—not only for environmental preservation but also …

Endangered Bats In The Runkle Woods, Volker Bahn

Runkle Woods Symposia

Since 2019, Dr. Volker Bahn’s lab has been monitoring bat populations in the Runkle Woods and nearby sites, using acoustic detectors to track species presence and activity over time. With bats representing about 20% of all mammal species globally, their ecological role—particularly in insect control—is vital. The presentation highlights the diversity of local bat species, with 10 of Ohio's 11 expected species documented, ranging from the abundant big brown and red bats to the federally endangered Indiana and northern long-eared bats. Dr. Bahn discusses patterns in bat activity across years, potential drivers such as precipitation, and the concerning declines in …