Life Sciences Commons^™

High-Grade Pleomorphic Sarcomas Treated With Immune Checkpoint Blockade: The Md Anderson Cancer Center Experience, Lewis F Nasr, Marianne Zoghbi, Rossana Lazcano, Michael Nakazawa, Andrew J Bishop, Devarati Mitra, Robert Benjamin, Shreyaskumar Patel, Vinod Ravi, Dejka M Araujo, Andrew Livingston, Maria A Zarzour, Anthony P Conley, Ravin Ratan, Neeta Somaiah, Alexander J Lazar, Christina Roland, Emily Z Keung, Elise F Nassif Haddad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPSs) are amongst the most common subtypes of soft-tissue sarcomas. Few real-world data on the use of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in UPS patients and other high-grade pleomorphic STS patients are available.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to describe the efficacy and toxicity of ICB in patients with advanced UPSs and other high-grade pleomorphic sarcomas treated at our institution.

METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational study of all patients with metastatic high-grade pleomorphic sarcomas treated with FDA-approved ICB at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2023. Patients included in …

Neoadjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy For Nsclc: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mark Sorin, Connor Prosty, Louis Ghaleb, Kathy Nie, Khaled Katergi, Laurie-Rose Dubé, Anikka Swaby, Matthew Dankner, Trafford Crump, Logan A Walsh, Pierre O Fiset, Boris Sepesi, Patrick M Forde, Tina Cascone, Mariano Provencio, Jonathan D Spicer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: To date, no meta-analyses have comprehensively assessed the association of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy with clinical outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in randomized and nonrandomized settings. In addition, there exists controversy concerning the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for patients with NSCLC with programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) levels less than 1%.

OBJECTIVE: To compare neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy with chemotherapy by adverse events and surgical, pathological, and efficacy outcomes using recently published randomized clinical trials and nonrandomized trials.

DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and Embase were systematically searched from January 1, 2013, to October 25, 2023, for all clinical trials of …

Supporting Career Development For Early- And Mid-Career Professionals Working In The Bipolar Disorder Field: Key Initiatives To Be Implemented By The International Society For Bipolar Disorders Early- And Mid-Career Committee, Katie M Douglas, Sarah H Sperry, Olivia M Dean, Gabriel R Fries, Fabiano A Gomes, Emma Morton, Tamsyn E Van Rheenen, Norma Verdolini, Ni Xu, Georgina M Hosang, Rebekah S Huber

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

De Novo Detection Of Somatic Mutations In High-Throughput Single-Cell Profiling Data Sets, Francesc Muyas, Carolin M Sauer, Jose Espejo Valle-Inclán, Ruoyan Li, Raheleh Rahbari, Sahand Hormoz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Characterization of somatic mutations at single-cell resolution is essential to study cancer evolution, clonal mosaicism and cell plasticity. Here, we describe SComatic, an algorithm designed for the detection of somatic mutations in single-cell transcriptomic and ATAC-seq (assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequence) data sets directly without requiring matched bulk or single-cell DNA sequencing data. SComatic distinguishes somatic mutations from polymorphisms, RNA-editing events and artefacts using filters and statistical tests parameterized on non-neoplastic samples. Using >2.6 million single cells from 688 single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) and single-cell ATAC-seq (scATAC-seq) data sets spanning cancer and non-neoplastic samples, we show that SComatic detects mutations in …

Management And Outcomes Of Patients With Refractory Solitary Plasmacytoma After Treatment With Definitive Radiation Therapy, Penny Fang, Chelsea C Pinnix, Susan Y Wu, Hans C Lee, Krina K Patel, Melody R Becnel, Sheeba K Thomas, Robert Z Orlowski, Behrang Amini, Pei Lin, Bouthaina S Dabaja, Jillian R Gunther

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) is the standard treatment for solitary plasmacytoma (SP); however, the optimal management of RT-refractory SPs is unknown. We examined outcomes after early systemic therapy, surgical resection, or observation for patients with RT-refractory disease and assessed the potential impact of treatment selection on disease outcomes.

Methods and materials: We retrospectively reviewed patients with SP treated with definitive radiation and evaluated at a single institution with persistent disease on imaging or biopsy. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize patient and disease characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Results: Of 102 total SP patients, 17 (17%) were RT-refractory. The median RT …

Bio-Integrated Scaffold Facilitates Large Bone Regeneration Dominated By Endochondral Ossification, Lili Sun, Haoyi Niu, Yuqiong Wu, Shiyan Dong, Xuefeng Li, Changsheng Liu, Wen Jiang, Yuan Yuan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Repair of large bone defects caused by severe trauma, non-union fractures, or tumor resection remains challenging because of limited regenerative ability. Typically, these defects heal through mixed routines, including intramembranous ossification (IMO) and endochondral ossification (ECO), with ECO considered more efficient. Current strategies to promote large bone healing via ECO are unstable and require high-dose growth factors or complex cell therapy that cause side effects and raise expense while providing only limited benefit. Herein, we report a bio-integrated scaffold capable of initiating an early hypoxia microenvironment with controllable release of low-dose recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), aiming to induce ECO-dominated …

Azacitidine, Venetoclax, And Gilteritinib In Newly Diagnosed And Relapsed Or Refractory Flt3-Mutated Aml, Nicholas J Short, Naval Daver, Courtney D Dinardo, Tapan Kadia, Lewis F Nasr, Musa Yilmaz, Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Ghayas C Issa, Kelly S Chien, Elias Jabbour, Cedric Nasnas, Xuelin Huang, Wei Qiao, Jairo Matthews, Christopher J Stojanik, Keyur P Patel, Regina Abramova, Jennifer Thankachan, Marina Konopleva, Hagop Kantarjian, Farhad Ravandi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Azacitidine plus venetoclax is a standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed AML who are unfit for intensive chemotherapy. However, FLT3 mutations are a common mechanism of resistance to this regimen. The addition of gilteritinib, an oral FLT3 inhibitor, to azacitidine and venetoclax may improve outcomes in patients with FLT3-mutated AML.

Methods: This phase I/II study evaluated azacitidine, venetoclax, and gilteritinib in two cohorts: patients with (1) newly diagnosed FLT3-mutated AML who were unfit for intensive chemotherapy or (2) relapsed/refractory FLT3-mutated AML (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04140487). The primary end points were the maximum tolerated dose …

Impact Of Pretransplant Minimal Residual Disease In Patients With Multiple Myeloma And A Very Good Partial Response Or Better Receiving Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Oren Pasvolsky, Sarah Pasyar, Roland L Bassett, Hina N Khan, Mark R Tanner, Samer Srour, Paul Lin, Jeremy Ramdial, Yago Nieto, Hans C Lee, Krina K Patel, Partow Kebriaei, Sheeba K Thomas, Donna M Weber, Robert Z Orlowski, Elizabeth J Shpall, Richard E Champlin, Muzaffar H Qazilbash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The prognostic significance of minimal residual disease (MRD) status before autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHCT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has not been clearly elucidated.

Methods: Retrospective single-center study of adult MM patients who achieved ≥very good partial response (VGPR) after induction therapy from 2015 to 2021 received upfront autoHCT and had available pretransplant MRD status by next-generation flow cytometry. The cohort was divided into pretransplant MRD-negative (MRDneg) and MRD-positive (MRDpos) groups.

Results: A total of 733 patients were included in our analysis; 425 were MRDneg and 308 MRDpos at autoHCT. In the MRDpos group, more patients …

Clinical And Prognostic Differences In Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Usa And Denmark, Two Hpv High-Prevalence Areas, Amanda-Louise Fenger Carlander, Simone Kloch Bendtsen, Jacob H Rasmussen, Kathrine Kronberg Jakobsen, Martin Garset-Zamani, Jeppe Friborg, Faye M Johnson, Clifton D Fuller, Amy C Moreno, Toyin Babarinde, Neil D Gross, Jeffrey N Myers, Christian Von Buchwald

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Uncertainty persists regarding clinical and treatment variations crucial to consider when comparing high human papillomavirus (HPV)-prevalence oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) cohorts for accurate patient stratification and replicability of clinical trials across different geographical areas.

METHODS: OPSCC patients were included from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC), USA and from The University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark from 2015-2020, (n = 2484). Outcomes were 3-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free interval (RFI). Subgroup analyses were made for low-risk OPSCC patients (T1-2N0M0) and high-risk patients (UICC8 III-IV).

RESULTS: There were significantly more HPV-positive (88.2 % vs. 63.1 %), …

Immune-Monitoring Of Myelodysplastic Neoplasms: Recommendations From The I4mds Consortium, Cristina A Tentori, Lin P Zhao, Benedetta Tinterri, Kathryn E Strange, Katharina Zoldan, Xingmin Feng, Benjamin Lim, Yannick Simoni, Vidhya Murthy, Madeline J Hayes, Antonella Poloni, Eric Padron, Bruno A Cardoso, Michael Cross, Susann Winter, Aida Santaolalla, Bhavisha A Patel, Emma M Groarke, Daniel H Wiseman, Katy Jones, Lauren Jamieson, Charles Manogaran, Naval Daver, Laura Gallur, Wendy Ingram, P Brent Ferrell, Katja Sockel, Nicolas Dulphy, Nicolas Chapuis, Anne S Kubasch, Astrid M Olsnes, Austin Kulasekararaj, Hugues De Lavellade, Wolfgang Kern, Mieke Van Hemelrijck, Dominique Bonnet, Theresia M Westers, Sylvie Freeman, Uta Oelschlaegel, David Valcarcel, Marco G Raddi, Kirsten Grønbæk, Michaela Fontenay, Sanam Loghavi, Valeria Santini, Antonio M Almeida, Jonathan M Irish, David A Sallman, Neal S Young, Arjan A Van De Loosdrecht, Lionel Adès, Matteo G Della Porta, Catherine Cargo, Uwe Platzbecker, Shahram Kordasti, I4mds Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Advancements in comprehending myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) have unfolded significantly in recent years, elucidating a myriad of cellular and molecular underpinnings integral to disease progression. While molecular inclusions into prognostic models have substantively advanced risk stratification, recent revelations have emphasized the pivotal role of immune dysregulation within the bone marrow milieu during MDS evolution. Nonetheless, immunotherapy for MDS has not experienced breakthroughs seen in other malignancies, partly attributable to the absence of an immune classification that could stratify patients toward optimally targeted immunotherapeutic approaches. A pivotal obstacle to establishing "immune classes" among MDS patients is the absence of validated accepted immune …

First-Line Ibrutinib Treatment In Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Is Associated With Overall Survival Rates Similar To Those Of An Age-Matched General Population: A Pooled Post Hoc Analysis, Paolo Ghia, Carolyn Owen, John N Allan, Jacqueline C Barrientos, Paul M Barr, Anita Szoke, Gabriel S Krigsfeld, Jan A Burger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Bacteria Synergized With Pd-1 Blockade Enhance Positive Feedback Loop Of Cancer Cells-M1 Macrophages-T Cells In Glioma, Jiajie Zhang, Xinyi Yan, Qi Zhang, Di Wu, Zhong Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer immunotherapy is an attractive strategy because it stimulates immune cells to target malignant cells by regulating the intrinsic activity of the immune system. However, due to lacking many immunologic markers, it remains difficult to treat glioma, a representative "cold" tumor. Herein, to wake the "hot" tumor immunity of glioma, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is customized with a coating to create an immunogenic tumor microenvironment and further prove the effect in combination with the immune checkpoint agent anti-PD-1, exhibiting elevated therapeutic efficacy. This is accomplished not by enhancing the delivery of PD-1 blockade to enhance the effect of immunotherapy, but by …

Griz Give-And-Get: Understanding The Context, Philosophy, And Logistics Behind A Project To Reduce Waste At The University Of Montana, Sam Sullivan

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Griz Give-and-Get is an online platform at the University of Montana that aims to reduce consumer waste. It attempts to do this by providing students and staff with a place to give away their used items. The first objective of this essay is to describe the process behind Griz Give-and-Get’s early development. The second objective is to relate concepts from environmental philosophy to Griz Give-and-Get’s mission. Although part of Griz Give-and-Get’s mission is to build community and to mitigate the effects of student poverty, this essay will narrow its focus to explore the first issue that Griz Give-and-Get concerns itself …

Revealing Nitrate Uptake And Dispersion Dynamics Using High-Frequency Sensors And Two-Dimensional Modeling In A Large River System, Amirreza Zarnaghsh, Michelle Kelly, Amy Burgin, Admin Husic

Michigan Tech Publications

Nitrate pollution of water bodies is a critical issue in many parts of the world because of its negative effects on aquatic ecosystem and human health. Effective management of pollution, such as the continuous or instantaneous release from point-sources, requires an understanding – with high spatial and temporal resolution – of how nitrate is dispersed and cycled within rivers. Nitrate sensing data show promise for this purpose, but their integration into numerical models is scarce; thus, questions remain regarding the necessary spatial grid size and temporal resolution required to resolve sensor readings. In this study, we developed an unsteady two-dimensional …

Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting To Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: A Comparative Analysis Of Muscle Strengthening Exercise And Treadmill Walking, Grace E. Anderson

Honors College Theses

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of brief bouts of treadmill walking and bodyweight-based muscular strengthening exercises to mitigate the effects of sedentary behavior on blood pressure, blood glucose, cognitive performance, and perceived fatigue. Methods: Healthy young adults (n = 9) completed 3 experimental trials consisting of 4-hour sedentary periods. The trials consisted of an uninterrupted sedentary period (control), treadmill walking every 30 minutes for 5 minutes, and bodyweight-based muscular strengthening exercises every 30 minutes for 5 minutes. Blood glucose was measured at baseline and every 30 minutes thereafter. Blood pressure and fatigue were measured at baseline and every hour thereafter. …

Phenolic Compounds In Date Fruits (Phoenix Dactylifera L.), Muneeba Zubair Alam

Dissertations

This study investigated the phenolic compounds in date fruits, mainly soluble and hydrolyzable compounds, and insoluble melanin. Soluble (27.5–54.0 mg/100 g FW) and hydrolyzable (24.0–78.5 mg/100g FW) phenolic compounds were determined in 18 cultivars using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Phenolic acids were predominant in both fractions while flavonoids were mainly present in the soluble phenolic fraction and the proanthocyanidin B1 and B2 were only present in the hydrolyzable fraction. Four total antioxidant activity assays (total phenolic content, ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH) gave different results for both the soluble and hydrolysable fractions of 26 date fruit cultivars, which …

Seeds In The City: Impacts Of Urbanization On Avian Seed Dispersal Networks In The Southern Appalachians, Jody Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization is an intensive form of habitat disturbance associated with detrimental effects on biodiversity. However, few studies have investigated its effects on the number, identity and structure of species interactions while considering seasonal fluctuations in communities. Avian seed dispersal is a vital ecosystem service, and the interplay of urbanization and seasonality may impact seed dispersal in ways not predicted by either factor alone. In this study, we evaluate the effects of urbanization and season on avian seed dispersal networks in the southern Appalachians. We found that the number and richness of interactions was unaffected, but the identity of interacting bird …

Application Of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For The Rapid Detection Of Insect Protein Adulteration From A Simulated Matrix, Dongdong Ni, Joost L. D. Nelis, Amanda L. Dawson, Nicholas Bourne, Pablo Juliano, Michelle L. Colgrave, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The popularity of insect protein as a food and feed supplement is growing. Protein quality, end use and prices vary considerably between different insect species, which may incentivise insect protein adulteration. Here, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics were used to detect the presence of cricket, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and mealworm proteins in a simulated complex insect protein mixture. Additionally, BSFL protein powders collected from three commercial sources were investigated to determine whether the NIR-based technology can discriminate the proteins obtained from different companies based on their composition. The proximate analysis suggests compositional protein, fat and chitin differences between …

The Role Of Extracellular Vesicles In Immunomodulation During Bovine Pregnancy, Amber E. Thornton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

During pregnancy, the maternal immune system must be altered to protect the partially non-self fetus from attack. Our previous studies show an inflammatory response in the uterus of cows carrying somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), commonly known as cloned, pregnancies due to abnormalities in proteins expressed by placental trophoblast cells. Between 30 and 90 days the rate of pregnancy loss is 50-100% for SCNT compared to 2-10% for artificial insemination (AI) pregnancies. Abnormal communication between the maternal and fetal systems during placentation is a major cause of this loss. The trafficking of extracellular vesicles (EVs), membrane-bound cargo carriers, potentially represents …

Comparison Of Private And Public Lab Fertilizer Recommendation Impacts On Field Crop Production And Soil Test Results, Megan Baker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

There are many sources that farmers utilize to determine fertilizer needs for crops such as private and public labs, crop advisors, and fertilizer dealers. In many cases, these sources provide recommendations for a specific crop that can vary greatly, which can lead to large differences in cost. An experiment was established in 2021 with 12 sites across the state of Utah in alfalfa, small grains, and corn to test and compare fertilizer recommendations from five labs. The recommendations tested were from two public labs (Utah State University and the University of Idaho) and three commercial labs located in the Western …

Reinforcements Of A Greater Sage-Grouse Population In Utah: Applications For Range-Wide And Local Conservation Translocation Efforts, Melissa S. Chelak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In a small, isolated greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population in the Sheeprock Mountain Sage-Grouse Management Area (SGMA) located in Utah's West Desert, peak male lek counts declined from 190 males in 2006 to 23 males in 2015. A collaborative effort across all federal, state, and local partners yielded 146 (40 male, 106 female) sage-grouse captured, marked with either a very-high frequency or global positioning systems (GPS) transmitter, and translocated into the Sheeprock sage-grouse management area between 2016 and 2019, complete with radiotelemetry monitoring during the spring and summers of 2016-2020 translocated individuals in addition to radiotelemetry monitoring of …

Resilience Of Birds To Habitat Change: Identification Of Interspecific Variation In Avian Resilience And Its Possible Mechanisms, Amanda L. Hayes-Puttfarcken

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Humans have been changing landscape features that are important to birds for many years. This is a problem because 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970 and this affects our lives every day, since birds help us by pollinating our crops and controlling pests, among other services. It is critical that we understand which birds are most susceptible to a changing landscape so that we can slow their decline. Understanding birds’ resilience to these habitat changes can help wildlife managers make better informed decisions for birds living in a changing world. We looked at which bird species are present …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Disease: Social And Environmental Drivers Of Movement, Connectivity, And Disease Transmission In Bighorn Sheep, Lauren E. Ricci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Movement is a fundamental component of animal ecology. Animals move in order to access resources and avoid risk. Movement decisions aggregated across time determine how individuals use space, contact dynamics between individuals within a population, and connectivity across a species range. These patterns that emerge from movement decisions have downstream implications for many ecological processes and a mechanistic understanding of movement can help answer broader questions about ecology.

Disease dynamics are intrinsically tied to movement. Understanding the mechanisms that drive movement can elucidate how disease will spread and impact host populations. In this vein, I employed a suite of movement …

Spatial Ecology Of Mule Deer Migrations From Grand Teton National Park And The Teton Range, Justin K. Schwabedissen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem hosts several of the longest, fully intact ungulate migrations remaining in the continental United States. However, expanding development and an increasing human footprint continue to truncate migratory routes. While the endpoints are often a seasonal range on protected lands, these migration corridors frequently cross other jurisdictional boundaries, including large tracts of private or multiple-use lands, with varying levels of protection. Thus, it is critical resource managers understand the dynamics of migratory movements to define population-level corridors and prioritize appropriate conservation strategies. Mule deer in Wyoming have been documented traveling long distances between summer and winter ranges; …

Morphological And Physio-Biochemical Responses And Gene Expression Analyses Of Landscape Plants Under Salinity Stress, Asmita Paudel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Soil salinity is a significant global issue that adversely impacts the growth and development of landscape plants. One of the effective strategies to prevent salinity damage to landscape plants is to cultivate species that are tolerant to the prevailing salinity levels. Salinity tolerance varies among plant species and cultivars. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the salinity tolerance of nine landscape plants [Albizia julibrissin (mimosa tree), Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick), Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), Cercocarpus montanus ‘Coy’ (alder-leaf mountain mahogany), Penstemon barbatus ‘Novapenblu’ (rock candy blue^® penstemon), Penstemon strictus ‘Rocky Mountain’ (rocky mountain beardtongue), Punica granatum ‘Wonderful’ (pomegranate), …

Analyzing The Use Of Agricultural Literacy Assessments: A Descriptive Study Of The Implementation Of The Judd-Murray And The Longhurst-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instruments, Taryn S. Whitaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive snapshot of how the JMALI and LMALI agricultural literacy assessment instruments have been implemented within the United States. It was concluded that the greatest number of respondents used the assessment instruments as formal assessment diagnostic tools to determine agricultural knowledge and improve instruction. When assessments are used as intended, the likelihood they will effectively achieve their intended goals increases.

This study was the first step in determining how agricultural literacy assessments are currently being used. However, future research should focus on improving the collection of agriculture literacy assessment scores and …

Top-Down Vs Bottom-Up Effects On Predator-Prey Interactions In Aquatic Communities, Catherine Mary Mcclure

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ecology is studied at multiple scales to better understand how small changes at the individual level scale up to affect our ecosystems and global systems. These ecological scales include individuals (single organism), populations (group of organisms of the same species), communities (populations of different species interacting with each other), and ecosystems (species interacting with other species and their local environment). The research in this document is focused on the individual, population, and community scale. In particular, this research addresses questions regarding how changes in environmental conditions (i.e., predation and resources) affect species interactions which ultimately affects the composition of ecological …

Sustainable Fertilizer Management Practices For Container Nursery Production, Saroj Burlakoti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Growing nursery plants in containers requires a timely supply of mineral nutrients for optimum growth. However, there is a misconception among growers that the application of higher doses of fertilizers hastens plant growth; instead, it can lead to runoff and leaching loss of nutrients. Reducing fertilizer application while sustaining healthy plants can not only negate environmental consequences but also save fertilizer costs. For example, two ground covers, Lysimachia nummularia (creeping jenny, moneywort) and Vinca minor 'Bowles' (periwinkle), can be grown for three months by applying 6 mg/L of phosphorus (P) as reduction of P to single application of 6 mg/L …

Nutrient Management Of Cannabis In Controlled Environments, Julie A. Hershkowitz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Cannabis has been cultivated for millennia as a multipurpose crop for food, fiber, and medicine. Secondary metabolites called cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD) and the psychoactive Δ-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9 THC), are responsible for the medicinal properties of cannabis. The intoxicating nature of THC resulted in legislation prohibiting the possession and production of cannabis within the United States during the 20^th century. As a result, research programs on cannabis production were halted at most institutions. In recent years, cannabis production has become widespread within the US as a result of increasing legalization. However, modern cannabis production nutrient management programs often include …

Role Of Proneurotrophin-P75ntr Signaling In A Mouse Model Of Depression, Kirsten Hodgson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Major depressive disorder, or depression, is among the leading causes of disability globally. Despite being a large public health challenge, depression remains difficult to treat as the underlying biology is still unknown and the currently available treatments are limited in effectiveness. This experiment was to test the efficacy of the drug LM11A-31, which works on the signaling pathway of proneurotrophin-p75NTR, a pathway that is not targeted by any currently used antidepressants. Male mice underwent a repeated forced swim, with all the mice receiving saline the first two days and then half the mice receiving saline and half receiving LM11A-31 before …