Life Sciences Commons^™

Pathways To Therapy Resistance: The Sheltering Effect Of The Bone Marrow Microenvironment To Multiple Myeloma Cells, Kuntal Bhowmick, Max Von Suskil, Omar Al-Odat, Weam Othman Elbezanti, Subash C. Jonnalagadda, Tulin Budak-Alpdogan, Manoj K. Pandey

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a malignant expansion of plasma cells in the bone marrow (BM), resulting in a disease characterized by symptoms of end organ damage from light chain secretion, crowding of the BM, and bone lesions. Although the past two decades have been characterized by numerous novel therapies emerging, the disease remains incurable due to intrinsic or acquired drug resistance. A major player in MM's drug resistance arises from its intimate relationship with the BM microenvironment (BMME). Through stress-inducing conditions, soluble messengers, and physical adhesion to BM elements, the BMME activates numerous pathways in the myeloma cell. This not …

Toxicosis From Range Lupine Ingestion In A Research Herd Of Rafter 7 Merino Sheep, Benjamin J. Weigler, Walter F. Mandeville Iii, Scott Huber, Gary Mccuin, Fabrizio Caragena, Daniel D. Cook, Stephen T. Lee, Chris A. Pritsos

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

An outbreak of lupine alkaloid neurotoxicosis and death occurred in sheep grazed on rangeland areas of the Nevada Great Basin during the summer of 2023. Overall, 97 sheep died despite veterinary supportive care. Lupinus argenteus var. utahensis was implicated as the causative plant with high levels of lupanine (11.5 µg/mg) and spartiene (13.7 µg/mg) in collected and archived samples. Previous reports of sheep deaths due to lupine ingestion have not been recorded in this region. An increased abundance of the number plants producing seed pods having a high alkaloid content may have been associated with abnormally elevated levels of precipitation …

Novel Adaptations In Iron Regulation Acquired During Chronic Fungal Cf Infections, Daniel R. Murante

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Chronic fungal infections are highly recalcitrant to treatment; we postulated that as populations persist, increasing genetic diversity is reflected in phenotypic heterogeneity, contributing to treatment inefficacies. The study of evolutionary patterns is underrepresented in chronic fungal infections, and to supplement this body of knowledge, we leveraged isolates acquired from four individuals with chronic fungal-dominated cystic fibrosis infections. We evaluated in-host evolution through a whole-genome sequencing approach, comparing multiple isolates obtained from each subject's sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Our analysis found non-synonymous mutations that arose in parallel across the independent infections in the gene MRS4, which encodes a mitochondrial …

Evaluating The Effects Of Cheatgrass On Western Burrowing Owls, Kaylee R. Draughon

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a global decline of specialist species observed in recent decades due to the impacts of climate change, invasive species, and habitat loss. Habitat loss and degradation may lead to a mismatch between habitat attractiveness and actual quality, otherwise known as an ecological trap. Ecological traps occur when an organism is constrained by its evolutionary past to select for cues that no longer accurately predict habitat quality. Specialist species are more susceptible to ecological traps due to greater reliance on and fidelity to historic sites and resources. The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), a specialist bird species adapted to …

Assessing Roman Catholics’ Modern Beliefs And Behaviors Surrounding Genetics Counseling Services, Mary S. Shinaberry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, there is limited knowledge about the contemporary beliefs of Roman Catholics regarding genetic healthcare, and concerns exist that they may be less comfortable accessing genetic counseling services. To better meet the needs of this population, we interviewed 18 adult Roman Catholics living in the United States. A novel method of thematic analysis was utilized, combining traditional qualitative techniques with the assistance of ChatGPT-4, following best practices proposed to improve the trustworthiness of AI-assisted qualitative analysis. The majority of participants were college-educated women aged 25-40, none of whom had seen a genetic counselor. Most participants associated the term “genetic counseling” …

Comparative Genomics Of Anax (Odonata: Aeshnidae), Ying Fei Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Insect migration is an important phenomenon characterized by the long-distance travel of various species in search of resources, safety, breeding, and/or suitable climates. However, relatively little is known about insect migration patterns and the genetic factors associated with them. Three closely related species of dragonflies (Odonata: Aeshnidae), Anax junius, A. strenuus, and A. walsinghami, form a clade of migratory and non-migratory species and present a natural laboratory to study the evolution of genes that may be related to muscle developments and insect migration. In this study, we sequence the whole genomes of these three Anax species to present a resource …

Enzymological Revisionism: Employing Transient State Approaches To Define The Catalytic Sequences Of Poorly Understood Systems, Madison M. Smith

Dissertations

Flavin is a molecule composed of a tricyclic isoalloxazine ring linked to a ribityl. Flavins are utilized as a cofactor by many enzymes to facilitate a myriad of chemistries. Flavoproteins were first discovered in the late 1800 s and have since been an interest to researchers, largely due to the unique spectrophotometric characteristics that make it a valuable reporter molecule. Flavin cofactors (typically either flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN)) are chemically versatile as the isoalloxazine ring can form one and two-electron reduced states. The reduced states are prone to react with molecular oxygen and numerous observations have …

Comparing The Genomes Of Multidrug And Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Faecium From A Florida Wastewater Treatment Plant, Eleanor Brodrick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) are a serious health threat, causing 50,000 infections and 5,000 deaths each year in the United States (CDC, 2019). Multidrug-resistant VRE are becoming more prevalent, and treatment options for infections caused by these organisms are limited (Arias et al., 2010; CDC, 2019). Multidrug resistant VRE have been previously isolated from wastewater in Brazil, Canada, and Portugal (Araújo et al., 2010; de_Farias et al., 2022; Sanderson et al., 2019). Thirteen vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from three stages of a Florida wastewater treatment plant were fully resistant to the following antibiotics: vancomycin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and nitrofurantoin, and …

No-Till Impacts On Soil Organic Carbon And Soil Quality In The Lower Mississippi River Basin: Implications For Sustainable Management, Helen C.S. Amorim, Amanda Ashworth, Mubvumba Partson, Mary C. Savin, Saseendran S. Anapalli, Krishna N. Reddy

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

No-till (NT) alleviates adverse effects of agricultural production on environmental quality, improves soil health, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, yet this has not been demonstrated in humid subtropical Mississippi. Research objectives were to evaluate nutrient and C dynamics and soil quality via Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) following 15 years of continuous management under corn (Zea mays L.) (2008–2018) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (2019–2022) on a Dundee silt loam soil. After 15 years, soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (0- to 30-cm depth) under NT were 25% higher than conventional tillage (CT). Between 2020 and 2022, SOC …

Discovery Of Runs-Of-Homozygosity Diplotype Clusters And Their Associations With Diseases In Uk Biobank

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Runs-of-homozygosity (ROH) segments, contiguous homozygous regions in a genome were traditionally linked to families and inbred populations. However, a growing literature suggests that ROHs are ubiquitous in outbred populations. Still, most existing genetic studies of ROH in populations are limited to aggregated ROH content across the genome, which does not offer the resolution for mapping causal loci. This limitation is mainly due to a lack of methods for the efficient identification of shared ROH diplotypes. Here, we present a new method, ROH-DICE (runs-of-homozygous diplotype cluster enumerator), to find large ROH diplotype clusters, sufficiently long ROHs shared by a sufficient number …

The Relationship Between Medication Beliefs, Patient Activation, And Self-Rated Health In Patients Taking Oral Anticancer Agents

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Patients on oral anticancer agent (OAA) therapies have the autonomy to manage their cancer treatments in home settings. However, patients may not have adequate knowledge, confidence, or ability to effectively manage OAA-related consequences, which can significantly impact their treatment and health outcomes. This study aims to identify the associations between medication beliefs, patient activation, and self-rated health (SRH) among oncology patients taking OAAs and explore the potential mediation effects of patient activation on the relationship between medication beliefs and SRH.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on cross-sectional data from 114 patients who were diagnosed with breast, colorectal, …

Study Of Prognostic Splicing Factors In Cancer Using Machine Learning Approaches

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Splicing factors (SFs) are the major RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and key molecules that regulate the splicing of mRNA molecules through binding to mRNAs. The expression of splicing factors is frequently deregulated in different cancer types, causing the generation of oncogenic proteins involved in cancer hallmarks. In this study, we investigated the genes that encode RNA-binding proteins and identified potential splicing factors that contribute to the aberrant splicing applying a random forest classification model. The result suggested 56 splicing factors were related to the prognosis of 13 cancers, two SF complexes in liver hepatocellular carcinoma, and one SF complex in esophageal …

Cellular Energy Cycle Mediates An Advection-Like Forward Cell Flow To Support Collective Invasion, Jian Zhang, Jenna Mosier, Yusheng Wu, Logan Waddle, Paul V. Taufelele, Wenjun Wang, Heng Sun, Cynthia A. Reinhart-King

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Collective cell migration is a model for nonequilibrium biological dynamics, which is important for morphogenesis, pattern formation, and cancer metastasis. The current understanding of cellular collective dynamics is based primarily on cells moving within a 2D epithelial monolayer. However, solid tumors often invade surrounding tissues in the form of a stream-like 3D structure, and how biophysical cues are integrated at the cellular level to give rise to this collective streaming remains unclear. Here, it is shown that cell cycle-mediated bioenergetics drive a forward advective flow of cells and energy to the front to support 3D collective invasion. The cell division …

Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Risk Of Benign Vocal Fold Lesions: A Nationwide 9-Year Follow-Up Cohort Study, Yong Tae Hong, Min Gu Kang, Min Gyu Lee, Sang Woo Yeom, Jong Seung Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Since obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects various parts of the body, there has been little interest about the effect of OSA on voice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of benign vocal fold lesions (BVFL) in OSA patients. This study used data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. The study group was defined as the group diagnosed with OSA between 2008 and 2011. Non-OSA groups were selected based on propensity score (PS) matching. Incidence of BVFL among participants during the follow-up was analyzed. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association …

Multiple Omics Levels Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Aleksander Turk, Eva Čeh, George A Calin, Tanja Kunej

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoproliferative malignancy characterized by the proliferation of functionally mature but incompetent B cells. It is the most prevalent type of leukemia in Western populations, accounting for approximately 25% of new leukemia cases. While recent advances, such as ibrutinib and venetoclax treatment have improved patient outlook, aggressive forms of CLL such as Richter transformation still pose a significant challenge. This discrepancy may be due to the heterogeneity of factors contributing to CLL development at multiple -omics levels. However, information on the omics of CLL is fragmented, hindering multi-omics-based research into potential treatment options. To address …

Elucidating Immune-Related Gene Transcriptional Programs Via Factorization Of Large-Scale Rna-Profiles, Shan He, Matthew M Gubin, Hind Rafei, Rafet Basar, Merve Dede, Qingnan Liang, Kunhee Kim, Maura L Gillison, Katayoun Rezvani, Weiyi Peng, Cara Haymaker, Sharia Hernandez, Luisa M Solis, Vakul Mohanty, Ken Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent developments in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), have encountered challenges such as immune-related adverse events and resistance, especially in solid tumors. To advance the field, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment responses and resistance is essential. However, the lack of functionally characterized immune-related gene sets has limited data-driven immunological research. To address this gap, we adopted non-negative matrix factorization on 83 human bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets and constructed 28 immune-specific gene sets. After rigorous immunologist-led manual annotations and orthogonal validations across immunological contexts and functional omics data, we demonstrated …

Protocol For Seahorse Analysis Of Ex Vivo Mouse Brown And White Adipose Tissues, Fenfen Wang, Phu M Huynh, Yu A An

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The mitochondrial stress test is a gold-standard approach for assessing adipose tissue physiological functions and pathological changes. Here, we present a protocol for conducting Seahorse assays using ex vivo mouse brown and white adipose depots. We describe steps for rehydrating the cartridge, preparing freshly harvested fat depots, placing them onto an islet capture plate, and incubating them in a non-CO2 incubator. We then detail procedures for adding mitochondrial stressor solutions and conducting the mitochondrial stress test using the Seahorse XFe24 Analyzer. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to An et al.1.

The Cardiorespiratory Response While Nordic Walking Vs. Regular Walking Among Middle-Aged To Older Adults, Thomas R. Atwood, Alyssa R. Horton, Natalie G. Hanson, Katelyn N. Moyer, Saori I. Braun, Nicholas M. Beltz, Jeffrey M. Janot

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 6, 2024. Roughly five million deaths worldwide are accounted for by physical inactivity. Furthermore, there is a strong dose-response relationship between physical inactivity and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular health, and metabolic health. Recently, Nordic walking (NW) has been introduced as a mode of exercise where one can increase energy expenditure compared to regular walking (RW) due to increased engagement of upper body musculature using poles while walking. According to established findings, most work has been done in a laboratory which can interrupt natural NW mechanics. Therefore, this study's purpose was …

Symbiotic Behaviour Of Alfalfa Varieties Grown In Different Soils, C Scotti, S Gnocchi, M Carelli, P Rotili

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Six alfalfa (Medicago sativa) varieties were grown in two contrasting soils to study their symbiotic ability as estimated by nodule biomass and dry matter yield in presence of the natural population of rhizobia of soil. Varieties can be discriminated on the basis of total (year) nodule biomass; their ranking for nodule biomass was consistent in the different soil types although soils significantly influenced nodulation and dry matter yield.

Long Term Effects Of Liming A Basalt-Derived Soil, On Lucerene And Phalaris Production, K.M. F. Reed, J F. Chin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lime incorporated into a basalt-derived clay loam lowered exchangeable aluminium in soil. Soil pH was still elevated, 9 years after 2 t/ha of lime was incorporated. With lower rates of lime the density of lucerne plants declined. Lucerne yield more than doubled with lime. After six years, the area was sown to a phalaris-clover pasture. A 15% increase in the yield of phalaris was recorded from limed plots over the next three years. Despite this, 11 years after liming, herbage P concentrations increased with lime, from 0.28% to 0.35%.

Can Maize Influence The Dissolution Of Low Water Soluble Phosphorus Fertilizers?, S Sinaj, E Frossard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the respective importance of maize (Zea mays) and soil properties on the dissolution of two sparingly soluble P fertilizers. The surface horizon of an acidic and a calcareous soils were amended with Thomas’ slag or phosphate rock and were either incubated or cultivated with maize. Maize cultivation increased the rate of dissolution of both fertilizers in both soils. Its influence remained limited compared to fertilizer dissolution in the incubated acidic soil. In the calcareous soil, however, the presence of maize increased significantly the rate of fertilizer dissolution compared to that observed in …

Phosphorus Availability, Defoliation Tolerance, And Genetic Differentiation In White Clover, D F. Chapman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The genetic composition of mixed populations of white clover growing in low fertility, grass-dominant hill pastures was estimated four and eight years after populations were established. Populations were based on an adapted ('Grasslands Tahora') or poorly adapted ('Grasslands Huia') cultivar, and received either no fertiliser, or 35kg P /ha /year. The P response curve of surviving plants was also determined, and compared with plants grown from 'standard' seedlines of the respective cultivars. Between years 4 and 8, the proportion of the populations constituted by plants true-to-type for the sown cultivar remained steady at 56 - 58% for Tahora, but fell …

Seasonal Variations Of Labile Soil Organic Carbon And Nitrogen Fertility In Grassland Soil In Tokyo, Japan, T Murata, H Tanaka, Y Kurokawa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

We investigated seasonal variations of soil enzyme activities, soil inorganic N, soil microbial biomass N (BN) and soil total sugar C (TSC) during March to December in cattle-grazed pasture in Japan (Andisols). Dehydrogenase activity had three peaks in a year, on the other hand, phosphomonoesterase activity increased from spring (April) up to summer (August) but then gradually decreased toward winter. BN also showed a seasonal variation, which gradually increased from April to August, but in the end of August once decreased rapidly because of soil becoming dry. Soil inorganic N had three peaks which appeared after the appearance of dehydrogenase …

Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.) Response To Liquid Dairy Manure Or Fertilizer N, M P. Russelle, G W. Randall, P D. Clayton, M A. Schmitt, L J. Greub, C C. Sheaffer, R R. Kalton, D H. Taylor

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock farmers face constraints in efficient manure management because of limited land availability, especially during the growing season, but reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) may provide a solution. We measured yield and apparent N removal of established reed canarygrass with surface-applied dairy manure slurry at three locations in the Upper Midwest, USA. Slurry was broadcast or banded at rates up to 375 m3 ha-1 (1190 kg N ha-1) in single or split applications and N fertilizer was applied at rates up to 448 kg N ha- 1 for comparison. Herbage was harvested three times per year. Nitrogen removal in …

The Influence Of Plant Density And Level Of Nitrogen Fertilization On The Production Of Eragrostis Curvula, P A. Pieterse, N F.G. Rethman, J Van Bosch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine whether plant density would have an influence on dry matter (CM) yield and to determine it’s interaction (if any) with levels of N fertilization. Plants on a broadcast establishment of lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) were mechanically thinned, to leave 30 cm rows with spacing of 0.5 and 1 m. N fertilizer was applied in spring at levels equivalent to 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1. The trial was conducted over three growing seasons. In the second and third years the DM yields with 100 and 150 kg N ha-1 on the …

Potassium Rates For Macrotyloma Axillare Growth, R A. Martim, F A. Monteiro, P.R. L. Portilho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The response of the tropical forage legume macrotiloma guata (Macrotyloma axillare (E. Mey) Verdc) to potassium rates was studied in a greenhouse experiment. The plants were grown in nutrient solution with seven potassium (K) rates, 0; 3.5; 7; 21; 35; 105 and 245 mg l-1 of solution, in randomized complete block design, with four replications. There was significant response of the legume to potassium rates. Considerations are made on the influence of these levels on plant dry matter yield in two harvests, root dry matter production and potassium and magnesium concentrations in the plant tissue.

Phosphorus Use Efficiency For Biomass Production Of Legume Species, A T. Ayala Torales, V A. Deregibus, P R. Moauro

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of the experiment was to identify traits associated with the production of plant biomass, and hence with P utilization efficiency, when legume species were fertilized. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and narrowleaf birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus tenuis) were compared in a greenhouse experiment using phosphorus deficient soils. Three plants grew in pots fertilized with 0, 2, 4, 8, 15, 20, 30 and 40 ppm in soil, in a randomized experimental design. Harvest was made at 60 days from the sowing date. Leaf areas, shoot and root biomass, and tissue phosphorus contents were measured. Results showed that …

Phosphogypsum As A Source Of Nutrients For Bahiagrass, J E. Rechcigl, I S. Alcordo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Phosphogypsum is a by-product of the manufacture of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock and is a potential source of sulfur and calcium for crops. There are currently more than 700 million Mg of phosphogypsum in Florida alone stacked in waste piles and an additional 30 million Mg produced annually. A 3-year study was conducted to determine whether addition of phosphogypsum to bahiagrass would increase production and quality. Results indicate that addition of up to 4.0 Mg/ha phosphogypsum increased bahiagrass yields, protein content, and in vitro digestibility of forage. This study has demonstrated that phosphogypsum can be used as an alternative …

A Review Of Centrosema Pascuorum (Centurion) Cvv. Cavalcade And Bundey As A Pasture Legume In The Ley Farming System Studies In North West Australia, K Thiagalingam, D Zuill, T Price

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Field experiments and commercial experience with the pasture legume Centrosema pascuorum (centurion) in the Katherine and Douglas Daly districts of the Northern Territory over the past ten years were reviewed. Results show that cultivars of this species (Cavalcade and Bundey) have good potential for improving both soil fertility and the quality of dry season forage (as hay or grazing) for cattle in mixed farming systems in the semi-arid tropics of north west Australia.

Influence Of N Fertilization Application And Regrowth On The Yields Of Grassland, J Tasi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of different levels of fertilization and regrowth periods on the quantity and quality and distribution of yields of eleven grassland species were studied in two plots in Hungary. The effect of the following variables were tested: regrowth period of 20 and 40 days; control, 100 and 200 kg N ha-1 and 11 grass and leguminous species.