Life Sciences Commons^™

Heavily Modified Freshwater: Potential Ecological Indicators, Amit Kumar, Yuhan Huang, Junjie Lin, Dafeng Hui, Nicola Fohrer

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Climate Change And Agricultural Practices On Nitrogen Processes, Genes, And Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions: A Quantitative Review Of Meta-Analyses, Dafeng Hui, Avedananda Ray, Lovish Kasrija, Jaekedah Christian

Biology Faculty Research

Microbial-driven processes, including nitrification and denitrification closely related to soil nitrous oxide (N2O) production, are orchestrated by a network of enzymes and genes such as amoA genes from ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), narG (nitrate reductase), nirS and nirK (nitrite reductase), and nosZ (N2O reductase). However, how climatic factors and agricultural practices could influence these genes and processes and, consequently, soil N2O emissions remain unclear. In this comprehensive review, we quantitatively assessed the effects of these factors on nitrogen processes and soil N2O emissions using mega-analysis (i.e., meta-meta-analysis). The results showed that global warming increased soil nitrification and denitrification …

Birds, Bats And Minds. Tales Of A Revolutionary Scientist: Donald R. Griffin. Volume Two, Carolyn A. Ristau

eBooks

In this three-volume biography, we revisit the life and accomplishments of the revolutionary scientist, Donald R. Griffin. He encountered a lifetime of initial hostile resistance to his ideas and studies; now they are largely accepted. He and a colleague discovered the phenomenon of echolocation used by bats to navigate and capture insects, proposed that birds navigate guided by such cues as the sun and stars, and suggested that animals are likely aware, thinking and feeling beings. Forty interviews with his colleagues and friends help us understand the young emerging scientist and the mature researcher. We learn about his and others’ …

Determination Of Heating Load Requirement Of Greenhouses In Türkiye By Dynamic Modeling Of Micro-Climate Conditions, Sinan Dölek, Gökhan Arslan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

A dynamic model is developed to compute the greenhouse’s heating load and microclimatic conditions (temperature, humidity). An analysis is carried out for the provinces of Türkiye (Adana, Mersin, Antalya, Muğla), where greenhouse cultivation is essential and widespread. The annual heating load of the greenhouse is determined as 95.52 kWh/m2, 92.58 kWh/m2, 74.79 kWh/m2, and 189.04 kWh/m2 for Adana, Mersin, Antalya, and Muğla, respectively. Maximum daily heating loads are computed as 1.87 kWh/m2, 2.06 kWh/m2, 1.4 kWh/m2, and 2.91 kWh/m2 for Adana, Mersin, Antalya, and Muğla. According to the results of the design day, condensation in the greenhouse is observed in …

Effect Of Nanoparticles On Sugar Beet Cultured In Vitro And Its Betalain And Betaine Production, Nour Alawad, Ömer Can Ünüvar, Songül Gürel, Meli̇h Okcu, Ekrem Gürel

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is considered one of the most important crops in terms of economics and food. With the widespread applications of nanoparticles (NPs) in plant science that have received great interest due to their amazing results and promising capabilities, the aim of this research was to investigate the effect of TiO2 and ZnO NPs on sugar beet plants cultured in vitro in several respects: seed germination, morphology, chlorophyll a and b contents, carotenoids, and the most important sugar beet metabolites, betaine and betalains. To investigate the effects, four different concentrations of NPs (0, 5, 15, and 25 …

Bioassay-Guided Purification And Identification Of Antimicrobial Compound From Corn Silk Extract And Postharvest Application Against Fusarium Verticillioides On Cherry Tomato, Ummara Khan, Rita-Cindy Aye-Ayire Sedjoah, Yuting Shao, Dyaaaldin Abdalmegeed, Zichao Wu, Zhihong Xin

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Corn silk (Stigma maydis), the silky hairs on top of maize, is commonly discarded as waste. Despite its traditional medicinal use in countries like China, the United States, France, and Turkey, its phytochemical and pharmacological attributes have received limited study. In this study, the agar well diffusion method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of free and bound crude extracts from cornsilk obtained using different solvents. Compared to the free crude extract, the bound crude extract exhibited greater efficacy against the tested microorganisms. Consequently, sequential fractionation was performed on the bound crude extract, and it was found that the …

The Pollen Tube’S Secret To Slick Growth? A Dab Of Pectate Lyase-Like Enzyme, Janlo M. Robil

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2024-02], University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Birds, Bats And Minds. Tales Of A Revolutionary Scientist: Donald R. Griffin. Volume Three, Carolyn A. Ristau

eBooks

In this three-volume biography, we revisit the life and accomplishments of the revolutionary scientist, Donald R. Griffin. He encountered a lifetime of initial hostile resistance to his ideas and studies; now they are largely accepted. He and a colleague discovered the phenomenon of echolocation used by bats to navigate and capture insects, proposed that birds navigate guided by such cues as the sun and stars, and suggested that animals are likely aware, thinking and feeling beings. Forty interviews with his colleagues and friends help us understand the young emerging scientist and the mature researcher. We learn about his and others’ …

Effect Of Different Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acids On Skim Milk Functional Properties, Rutvi Joshi, Suresh G. Sutariya, Prafulla Salunke

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring polysaccharide with recognized health benefits, has gained approval for use in the food industry as a food additive, ingredient, and health supplement in numerous countries. HA can increase viscosity in solutions and is available commercially in various molecular weights (MW) depending on end applications. Nevertheless, no research has explored the impact of different MW HAs on functionality, rheological properties, and texture-building benefits in the dairy product matrix wherein they are incorporated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate how varying MWs of HA—specifically 8 kDa, 320 kDa, 980 kDa, and 2550 kDa …

Preferential Binding Of Polyphenols In Blackcurrant Extracts With Milk Proteins And The Effects On The Bioaccessibility And Antioxidant Activity Of Polyphenols, Ting Mao, Fnu Akshit, Iresha Matiwalage, Subha Sasidharan, Caren Meyn Alvarez, Philip Wescombe, Maneesha S. Mohan

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Milk proteins are well-known delivery agents; however, there is no clear understanding of the competitive interactions of milk proteins with polyphenols in mixed complex systems. Here, we investigate the preferential competitive interactions of different polyphenols present in blackcurrant extract with milk proteins by quantifying the protein-bound polyphenols and comparing the factors affecting these interactions. In addition, bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity were studied after in vitro gastric digestion. Our results indicated that polyphenols from blackcurrant extracts were preferentially bound to caseins more than whey proteins, with noncovalent interactions causing secondary structural changes in the protein. The hydrophobicity and the charge of …

Plant Protein Flavor Chemistry Fundamentals And Techniques To Mitigate Undesirable Flavors, Serap Vatansever, Bingcan Chen, Clifford Hall

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Many plant protein ingredients have unpleasant flavor (e.g., green, beany, bitterness) characteristics. Isolation of the protein fraction will reduce the intensity of the undesirable flavors but in most cases the flavor issue is not eliminated. The objective of this review is to provide information about undesirable flavors associated with plant proteins and approaches to mitigate these flavors. The focus of the review will be on flavor associated with plant proteins from pulses, soybean, and oilseeds (e.g., hempseed, flaxseed). While other plant proteins exist, they will not be covered extensively in this limited review. The undesirable flavors are defined as volatile …

Perspective Of Us Farmers On Collaborative On-Farm Agronomic Research, Carlos B. Pires, Fernanda S. Krupek, Gabriela I. Carmona, Osler A. Ortez, Laura Thompson, Daniel J. Quinn, Andre F. B. Reis, Rodrigo Werle, Péter Kovács, Maninder P. Singh, J. M. Shawn Hutchinson, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, Charles W. Rice, Ignacio A. Ciampitti

Nebraska Cooperative Extension: Faculty and Staff Publications

On-farm research has emerged in recent years as a unique approach to involve farmers and other agricultural stakeholders as active participants in knowledge development and as an effective method of technology and innovation transfer across farms. This study assessed the perspective and knowledge of US farmers regarding on-farm research via the implementation of a 24-question survey distributed across most of the US Midwest and South-Central regions.We found that farmers generally are willing to engage with universities to conduct on-farm research and were 40% more likely to adopt practices supported by on-farm research findings than research not conducted on-farm. Notably, a …

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Volume 3, Edition 2, February 2024, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

CASNR L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter

The purpose of this L.I.N.K.S. newsletter is to provide a monthly update of opportunities and resources for K-12 schools to connect with the University of Nebraska's CASNR Food, Energy, Water, and Societal Systems (FEWS²) programs and partners.

Included in this edition:

K-12 curriculum and resources and upcoming events

Career explorations: pathways for students

Teacher and student opportunities

CASNR Ag Tech Day

Data Driven 4-H statistics field day

2024 Summer Soybean Institute

UNL CASNER six interest areas

School of Natural Resources

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Environmental stewards spotlight

Seed Your Future Green Career Week

Cultivando Caminos

Kudos to our partners …

Sarin-Induced Neuroinflammation In Mouse Brain Is Attenuated By The Caspase Inhibitor Q-Vd-Oph, Ekta J. Shah, William C. Grunwald Jr., Teresa L. Garrett, Thomas L. Brown, David R. Cool

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Organophosphates cause hyperstimulation of the central nervous system, leading to extended seizures, convulsions, and brain damage. Sarin is a highly toxic organophosphate nerve agent that has been employed in several terrorist attacks. The prolonged toxicity of sarin may be enhanced by the neuroinflammatory response initiated by the inflammasome, caspase involvement, and generation/release of proinflammatory cytokines. Since neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation are prevalent in sarin-exposed animals, we were interested in evaluating the capacity of quinolyl-valyl-O-methylaspartyl-[-2,6-difluorophenoxy]-methyl ketone (Q-VD-OPh), a pan caspase inhibitor to attenuate neuroinflammation following sarin exposure. To test this hypothesis, sarin-exposed C57BL/6 mice were treated with Q-VD-OPh or negative control quinolyl-valyl-O-methylglutamyl-[-2,6-difluorophenoxy]-methyl …

The Impact Of Adding Hops To Alfalfa At Different Rates On Silage Quality And Methane Emissions In Vitro, Erdem Gülümser, Hani̇fe Mut, Eki̇n Sucu, Uğur Başaran, Medi̇ne Çopur Doğrusöz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Legumes are typically challenging to ensile due to their low concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates and high capacity for buffering. If legumes and medicinal plants are ensiled together, the silage quality increases, which benefits the digestive system of ruminates. The aim of this study was to research the effects of different alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and hops (Humulus lupulus L.) ratios on silage quality and in vitro rumen fermentation traits. The plant materials were chopped to a particle size of <2 cm; then alfalfa (A) and hops (H) were ensiled in ratios of 100A + 0H, 75A + 25H, 50A + 50H, 25A + 75H and 0A + 100H by weight with 4 replicates. Fresh silage samples were left to ferment for 45 days at 25 ± 2 °C. Subsequently, it was observed that hops added to alfalfa improved the silage’s fermentation qualities. At a 75A + 25H ratio, the silage quality increased due to having a lower pH and dry matter ratio as well as increased values for Flieg score, crude protein, relative feed, and condensed tannin concentration. A higher proportion of alfalfa in the silage mixture increased methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and decreased lactic acid (LA). Comparing 50A + 50H and 25A + 75H silages to 100A + 0H, the CH4 production was 26.19% and 27.80% lower, respectively, and the CO2 production decreased by 25.61% and 28.15%, respectively. Consequently, the 50A + 50H and 25A + 75H silage ratios are advised for feeding ruminants. Furthermore, more research with different forage combinations is required to understand how hops influence rumen fermentation.

Pile Burning After Conifer Removal From Aspen Stands Affects Tree Mortality, Regeneration, And Understory Recovery, John-Pascal Berrill, Christa M. Dagley, Yoon G. Kim, J. Morgan Varner

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands throughout the western United States provide valuable ecosystem services but can be lost via succession from aspen to conifer. Forest managers are cutting conifers, but disposal of cut wood can be challenging in remote or sensitive areas. Piling and burning is being tested within aspen stands but ecosystem responses to this treatment are understudied. We assessed aspen tree mortality, tree regeneration, and understory vegetation after forest restoration thinning followed by pile burning in seven aspen-conifer stands around Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada, USA. Pile burning was conducted after cut wood had dried (1.5–7.5 …

The Effect Of Urbanization And Temperature On Thermal Tolerance, Foraging Performance, And Competition In Cavity-Dwelling Ants, Brooke A. Harris, Dale Stevens, Kaitlyn A. Mathis

Biology

Human disturbance including rapid urbanization and increased temperatures can have profound effects on the ecology of local populations. Eusocial insects, such as ants, have adapted to stressors of increasing temperature and urbanization; however, these evolutionary responses are not consistent among populations across geographic space. Here we asked how urbanization and incubation temperature influence critical thermal maximum (CT_max) and various ecologically relevant behaviors in three ant species in urban and rural locations in Worcester, MA, USA. We did this by incubating colonies of three species of cavity dwelling ant (Aphaenogaster picea, Tapinoma sessile, and Temnothorax longispinosus) from 2 habitat …

Sulfur Assimilation Using Gaseous Carbonyl Sulfideby The Soil Fungus Trichoderma Harzianum, Ryuka Iizuka, Shohei Hattori, Yusuke Kosaka, Yoshihito Masaki, Yusuke Kawano, Iwao Ohtsu, David Hibbett, Yoko Katayama, Makoto Yoshida

Biology

Fungi have the capacity to assimilate a diverse range of both inorganic and organic sulfur compounds. It has been recognized that all sulfur sources taken up by fungi are in soluble forms. In this study, we present evidence that fungi can utilize gaseous carbonyl sulfide(COS) for the assimilation of a sulfur compound. We found that the filamentousfungus Trichoderma harzianum strain THIF08, which has constitutively high COS-degrading activity, was able to grow with COS as the sole sulfur source. Cultivation with 34S-labeled COS revealed that sulfur atom from COS was incorporated into intracellular metabolites such as glutathione and ergothioneine. COS degradation …

Fauna Associated With American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Nests In Coastal South Carolina, Usa, Thomas R. Rainwater, Randeep Singh, Clarissa A. Tuten, Aaron M. Given, Parker W. Gibbons, Bo Song, Steven G. Platt, Philip M. Wilkinson, Catherine M. Bodinof Jachowski

Biology

Crocodilians are considered to be “ecosystem engineers” because their modification of habitats provides opportunities for feeding, drinking, breeding, and other vital life activities to a wide variety of other animals. One such habitat modification is the construction of nest mounds during the breeding season by most crocodilian species, including American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). While many reports exist describing wildlife associated with alligator nests, no studies have quantified faunal associates and their corresponding behaviors while visiting nests. To address this data gap, we used automated game cameras to monitor wildlife and their behaviors at alligator nests during the egg incubation period …

Classification Of Hybrid Chestnut Cultivars (Castanea Sativa) Registered In Türkiye With Artificial Neural Networks, Based On Some Physical Properties Of Their Nuts, Taner Yildiz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Understanding how the classification and identification of biological species can evaluate improvements in newly developed cultivars, including chestnuts (Castanea sativa), is crucial for product processing and equipment design. To evaluate this, in the present study artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to characterize four hybrid chestnut cultivars (Macit 55, Akyüz, and Ali Nihat registered in Türkiye and Bouche de Betizac registered in France). A backpropagation neural networks algorithm was used in the ANN approach based on nine physical properties. These properties included shelled nut weight and volume, sphericity, geometric mean diameter, bulk density, surface area, true density, porosity, and length, …

Zinc And Manganese Effect Seed Quality And Germination In Common Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.), Mehrdad Yarnia, Masoud Soltani̇ Bouljak, Parisa Bolouri, İnci̇ Tolay

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) are important micronutrients in plant growth and development. In this study, the effect of Zn and Mn sulfate treatments at different growth stages of mother plants in common bean on seed production and germination potential was carried out. Results showed that zinc sulfate (ZnSo4) treatments significantly affected yield and pod number per plant compared to manganese sulfate tetrahydrate (MnSO4) treatments. Treatment in any form or at any stage of growth increased yield and its components in common bean. The highest efficiency of ZnSO4 was obtained in the pod production stage; MnSO4 enjoyed greater efficiency in …

The Role Of Nad+ And Nad+-Boosting Therapies In Inflammatory Response By Il-13, Anton D. Pugel, Alyssa M. Schoenfeld, Sara Z. Alsaifi, Jocelyn R. Holmes, Brad E. Morrison

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The essential role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide⁺ (NAD⁺) in redox reactions during oxidative respiration is well known, yet the coenzyme and regulator functions of NAD⁺ in diverse and important processes are still being discovered. Maintaining NAD⁺ levels through diet is essential for health. In fact, the United States requires supplementation of the NAD⁺ precursor niacin into the food chain for these reasons. A large body of research also indicates that elevating NAD⁺ levels is beneficial for numerous conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular health, inflammatory response, and longevity. Consequently, strategies have been created to elevate …

Overlapping Extractive Land Use Rights Increases Deforestation And Forest Degradation In Managed Natural Production Forests, Bingcai Liu, Anand Roopsind, Brent Sohngen

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Guyana manages an estimated 5.3 million hectares of old-growth tropical forests, 29% of its total forest area, for timber extraction. Individuals and companies can apply for time-limited leases that allocate access, management, and extraction rights for timber through a concession system. In many tropical regions, including Guyana, a lack of integrated land use planning often leads to overlapping extractive and forest use rights for logging and mining. Overlapping land rights in turn create uncertainty and limit investments toward sustainable forest management, affecting deforestation and forest degradation rates. In this study, we use matched fixed-effect and difference-in-differences panel data models to …

Can Moderate-Quality Bermudagrass Baleage Be Used To Stretch Wheat Pasture?, P. A. Beck, M. R. Beck, D. Hubbell Iii, T. Hess, A. P. Foote, M. S. Gadberry, Beth Kegley

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objectives

Materials and Methods

An Itpa Enzyme With Improved Substrate Selectivity, Nicholas E. Burgis, Kandise Vanwormer, Devin Robbins, Jonathan Smith

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Recent clinical data have identified infant patients with lethal ITPA deficiencies. ITPA is known to modulate ITP concentrations in cells and has a critical function in neural development which is not understood. Polymorphism of the ITPA gene affects outcomes for both ribavirin and thiopurine based therapies and nearly one third of the human population is thought to harbor ITPA polymorphism. In a previous site-directed mutagenesis alanine screen of the ITPA substrate selectivity pocket, we identified the ITPA mutant, E22A, as a gain-of function mutant with enhanced ITP hydrolysis activity. Here we report a rational enzyme engineering experiment to investigate the …

The Effects Of An Inclusive Badminton Program On Static Postural Control For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Alana J. Turner, Harish Chander, Sachini N.K. Kodithuwakku Arachchige, Aaron Griffith, Po Lin Chen, Chih Chia Chen, Adam C. Knight, Kayla Bates-Brantley, Kasee Stratton-Gadke, J. Chadwick Smith

Kinesiology

The purpose of the study was to examine static postural control/balance in young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and typically developing (TD) young adults before, during, and after an inclusive badminton intervention. Eight participants (four IDD-BADM and four TD-BADM) participated in a 12-week inclusive badminton intervention, with the other eight participants as matched controls (four IDD-CONTR and four TD-CONTR) (74.19 kg ± 9.8 kg, 171.96 cm ± 5.4 cm; 21.7 ± 1.8 years of age; nine females and seven males; eight with IDD and eight TD). The study followed a repeated measures design (pre, mid, post) before the …

Oxyfluorfen-Resistant Rice Tolerance And Weed Control When Using Oxyfluorfen, Casey H. Arnold, Jason K. Norsworthy, Thomas R. Butts, Trenton L. Roberts, Nicholas R. Bateman, Chad W. Shelton

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass and weedy rice control, without crop injury, is a challenge for rice producers in the United States. Herbicides not initially labeled for rice, such as oxyfluorfen, are now being evaluated as new tools for weed control. The ROXY® trait allows for the use of oxyfluorfen in rice for weed control preemergence and postemergence. Experiments were initiated in 2021 and 2022 to evaluate (1) the effectiveness of preemergence- and postemergence-applied oxyfluorfen on barnyardgrass and weedy rice, (2) the sensitivity of oxyfluorfen-resistant rice to oxyfluorfen as a function of application timing, and (3) the influence of soil moisture on oxyfluorfen-resistant …

Alzheimer’S Disease And Inflammatory Biomarkers Positively Correlate In Plasma In The Uk-Adrc Cohort, Kate E. Foley, Zachary Winder, Tiffany L. Sudduth, Barbara J. Martin, Peter T. Nelson, Gregory Jicha, Jordan P. Harp, Erica M. Weekman, Donna M. Wilcock

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Protein-based plasma assays provide hope for improving accessibility and specificity of molecular diagnostics to diagnose dementia. METHODS: Plasma was obtained from participants (N = 837) in our community-based University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center cohort. We evaluated six Alzheimer’s disease (AD)- and neurodegeneration-related (Aβ40, Aβ42, Aβ42/40, p- tau181, total tau, and NfLight) and five inflammatory biomarkers (TNF𝛼, IL6, IL8, IL10, and GFAP) using the SIMOA-based protein assay platform. Statistics were performed to assess correlations. RESULTS: Our large cohort reflects previous plasma biomarker findings. Relationships between biomarkers to understand AD–inflammatory biomarker correlations showed significant associations between AD and inflammatory …

Azithromycin Reduces Hemoglobin-Induced Innate Neuroimmune Activation, Chirayu D. Pandya, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Miriam Zamorano, Amanda L. Trout, Rodney M. Ritzel, Gary Guzman, Christopher Bolden, Patrick G. Sullivan

Neurology Faculty Publications

Neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) releases blood products into the lateral ventricles and brain parenchyma. There are currently no medical treatments for IVH and surgery is used to treat a delayed effect of IVH, post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus. However, surgery is not a cure for intrinsic brain injury from IVH, and is performed in a subacute time frame. Like many neurological diseases and injuries, innate immune activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of IVH. Innate immune activation is a pharmaceutically targetable mechanism to reduce brain injury and post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus after IVH. Here, we tested the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, which has immunomodulatory properties, to …