Life Sciences Commons^™

Plant Material Selection And Seed Enhancement Technologies Improve Seed-Based Restoration In Dryland Systems, Travis G. Sowards

Theses and Dissertations

The restoration of large-scale heterogeneous landscapes is typically approached using seed-based restoration as a cost-effective means to achieve project goals and objectives. However, seeding is often met with low survival rates primarily driven by low seedling emergence and establishment. This dissertation investigates opportunities to enhance restoration focusing on 1) seed treatments, 2) plant materials, and 3) a synthesis of seeding strategies. • Fungal pathogenesis can cause high seedling mortality. Fungicide seed coatings used in the agriculture industry are novel to wildland restoration. We assess the effect a fungicide seed coating has on the recruitment of Pseudoroegneria spicata seedlings across a …

Understanding And Combating The Spread Of Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms, Bejan Mahmud

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of antibiotics in the 20th century stands as one of our greatest scientific achievements, profoundly transforming human health and global well-being. Over the past century, antibiotics have ensured that infectious diseases are no longer the most common causes of death worldwide. In further enabling a vast array of invasive medical procedures (e.g., surgeries, organ transplants), antibiotics have effectively added decades to the average human lifespan. In agriculture, antibiotics have been heavily relied upon to meet the nutritional demands of the growing human population. Thus, ever since the introduction of penicillin, antibiotics have been the “miracle drugs” they were …

Adaptation Of Several Hybrid Maize In West Nusa Tenggara Drylands Using Modified Plant Spacing For Optimal Seed And Biomass Productions, Karlina Syahruddin, Suwardi, Slamet Bambang Priyanto, Roy Efendi, Herawati, Abdul Fattah, Rahman, Hasbi, Aminah, Fatmawati, Sigit Budi Santoso, Lesty Ayu Bidhari, Muhammad Abid

Jurnal Kultivasi

Maize is a crucial multipurpose strategic food crop in Indonesia. Land expansion employing dry land, row-space technology, and suitable varieties, is emerging as the solution to fulfill the rising need for seeds and biomass. The study was carried out from August to December using a factorial randomized block design consisting of two treatment factors, namely the treatment factor of 6 varieties and 2 row-spacings, to verify the new superior hybrid maize, which is adaptable in dry land Senayan village, Poto Tano sub-district, West Sumbawa district, and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The results showed that JH 37 and JH 29 varieties …

Recombination-Mediated Dissemination Of Methicillin-Resistant S Aureus Clonal Complex 1 In The Egyptian Health Care Settings, Salma W Elsayed, Reem A Elghaish, Eman Badr, Shaimaa F Mouftah, Nehal A Saif, Iman S Naga, Ahmed H Shata, Ben Pascoe, Samuel K Sheppard, Mohamed Elhadidy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a rapidly evolving pathogen that is frequently associated with outbreaks and sustained epidemics. This study investigated the population structure, resistome, virulome, and the correlation between antimicrobial resistance determinants with phenotypic resistance profiles of 36 representative hospital-acquired MRSA isolates recovered from hospital settings in Egypt.

Results: The community-acquired MRSA lineage, clonal complex 1 (CC1) was the most frequently detected clone, followed by three other globally disseminated clones, CC121, CC8, and CC22. Most isolates carried SCCmec type V and more than half of isolates demonstrated multi-drug resistant phenotypes. Resistance to linezolid, a last resort antibiotic for …

Evaluation Of The Aggressive-Variant Prostate Cancer Molecular Signature In Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (Clia) Environments, Paul V Viscuse, Rebecca S Slack-Tidwell, Miao Zhang, Prih Rohra, Keyi Zhu, F Anthony San Lucas, Eric Konnick, Patrick G Pilie, Bilal Siddiqui, Christopher J Logothetis, Paul Corn, Sumit K Subudhi, Colin C Pritchard, Rama Soundararajan, Ana Aparicio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aggressive-variant prostate cancers (AVPCs) are a subset of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancers (mCRPCs) characterized by defects in ≥ two of three of TP53, RB1, and PTEN (AVPCm), a profile linked to lineage plasticity, androgen indifference, and platinum sensitivity. Men with mCRPC undergoing biopsies for progression were assessed for AVPCm using immunohistochemistry (IHC), next-generation sequencing (NGS) of solid tumor DNA (stDNA), and NGS of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays in CLIA-certified labs. Biopsy characteristics, turnaround times, inter-reader concordance, and inter-assay concordance were assessed. AVPCm was detected in 13 (27%) patients via IHC, two (6%) based on stDNA, and seven …

Shallot Cultivation Originated From True Shallot Seed (Tss) On Andisols Enriched With Various Ameliorants, Fahmi Aprianto, Mahfud Arifin, Emma Trinurani Sofyan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Application of soil ameliorants is important to improve Andisols properties and increase shallot productivity. The research objective is to determine the kind of ameliorant which the best effect on the growth and productivity of shallots originating from TSS in Andisols Lembang, West Java. The experiment was conducted in Margahayu Research Station, Lembang, West Java from January to May 2021. A randomized block design (RBD) with 6 treatments and 5 replications was set up in the field. Treatments include control (no ameliorant), 20 tons/ha of horse manure, 10 tons/ha of rice straw compost, 10 tons/ha of bamboo leaf compost, 10 tons/ha …

Gap Junctions Or Hemichannel-Dependent And Independent Roles Of Connexins In Fibrosis, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transitions, And Wound Healing, Yuting Li, Francisca M Acosta, Jean X Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fibrosis initially appears as a normal response to damage, where activated fibroblasts produce large amounts of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during the wound healing process to assist in the repair of injured tissue. However, the excessive accumulation of the ECM, unresolved by remodeling mechanisms, leads to organ dysfunction. Connexins, a family of transmembrane channel proteins, are widely recognized for their major roles in fibrosis, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and wound healing. Efforts have been made in recent years to identify novel mediators and targets for this regulation. Connexins form gap junctions and hemichannels, mediating communications between neighboring cells and inside …

Investigating The Role Of Bhlhe40 In Host Responses To Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection And Myeloid Cell Development, Skyler Hendrix

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of the disease tuberculosis (TB), remain a prominent global health threat that affects millions of people annually. While antibiotic treatments for Mtb infections are available, the increased prevalence of drug-resistant Mtb cases has highlighted the urgent need to develop additional therapeutic options such as host-directed therapies. Development of host-directed therapies, however, first requires a better understanding of the protective immune responses required to control Mtb infection. Such responses must strike a precise balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses that promote bacterial clearance while also minimizing tissue damage. Here we show that the …

Construction Of A Human Pangenome Reference To Improve Structural Variation Detection, Wen-Wei Liao

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Structural variants (SVs) significantly contribute to genetic diversity among individuals and impact gene regulation, disease, and evolution. The predominant approach to profiling these genetic variants in large-scale population studies is through short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS). This approach involves sequencing millions of short reads, aligning them to a linear reference genome, and subsequently identifying variants relative to this reference. However, its capability to detect SVs, especially long insertions and complex rearrangements, is limited. The primary limitation arises from the insufficient representation of structural diversity across human populations in the linear reference genome. As a result, short reads derived from non-reference SVs …

Genomic Analysis Reveals New Species And Subspecies Of Butterflies, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Large-scale genomic sequencing of butterfly taxa reveals new findings that are presented here. While we focus on detecting species by comparative genomics and define subspecies as groups of populations genetically differentiated from each other but not as strongly as species (that is, subspecies as species in the making), we report other adjustments to butterfly classification. As a result, 4 subgenera, 11 species, and 6 subspecies are proposed as new. New subgenera are: Rapis Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Papilio rapae Linnaeus, 1758, genus Pieris Schrank, 1801) in Pieridae Swainson, 1820 and Callitera Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Eurygona? pulcherrima …

A Pilot Study In Healthcare: Salivary Cortisol Levels And Burnout, Hannah Oggerino

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This pilot study investigated levels of burnout in non-clinical workers in a healthcare setting and compared them to salivary cortisol concentrations. Mashlach’s Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS(MP)) was used to evaluate self-perceived levels of burnout and saliva samples were collected to determine cortisol concentrations at four times during participants’ shift. The study was comprised of subjects exposed to multiple high-stress factors, including working in a healthcare setting, post-COVID ramifications, and demographic effects of Montana. The data revealed a statistically significant correlation (P-value < 0.05) between morning salivary cortisol secretion concentrations and mean survey scores. Significance (P-value < 0.05) was also found between the three dimensions measured by the MBI-HSS(MP): burnout, depersonalization, and personal achievement. The study discusses several limitations that should be considered when interpreting results. Findings do suggest that future investigation among this group is needed. Results may help guide interventions that support the mental health and wellbeing of medical support personnel, reduce stress, and avoid burnout.

Role Of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone 2 And Its Receptor In Human Reproductive Cancers, Dr. Amy T. Desaulniers, Brett White

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH1) and its receptor (GnRHR1) drive reproduction by regulating gonadotropins. Another form, GnRH2, and its receptor (GnRHR2), also exist in mammals. In humans, GnRH2 and GnRHR2 genes are present, but coding errors in the GnRHR2 gene are predicted to hinder full-length protein production. Nonetheless, mounting evidence supports the presence of a functional GnRHR2 in humans. GnRH2 and its receptor have been identified throughout the body, including peripheral reproductive tissues like the ovary, uterus, breast, and prostate. In addition, GnRH2 and its receptor have been detected in a wide number of reproductive cancer cells in humans. Notably, GnRH2 analogues …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Malheur Mottled Sculpin (Cottus Bendirei), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Malheur mottled sculpin (Cottus bendirei) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Evaluation Of Five Cauliflower Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Leah Freeman

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A cauliflower cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Clifton (CL), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated five cauliflower cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was good for collecting data on stressed plants. A dry start and cabbage maggot attack reduced stand with replacement plants lagging behind, and heat around head formation created a high proportion of non-marketable heads.

Evaluation Of 23 Pickling Cucumber Cultivars For Machine Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A pickling cucumber cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.088261, -86.351980, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Nunhems (NU), Rijk Zwaan (RZ), and US AgriSeed (UA) seed companies donated parthenocarpic (seedless) cultivars for mechanical once-over harvest. Overall trial quality was good despite a droughty start, though picking could have started sooner.

Effect Of Timing Of Energy Intake On Blood Glucose And Body Composition In Women With Overweight Or Class One Obesity, Michael Wade Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Overweight and obesity has increased in the U.S. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of metabolic dysfunction, such as diabetes. Meal timing has recently shown promise as viable options to minimize the risk of overweight or obesity and metabolic dysfunction. The primary purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the effect of timing of energy intake on blood glucose in females with overweight or class one obesity (BMI=27-35 kg/m2). This study utilized crossover design with two conditions counterbalanced in random order. Participants completed two 2-week 1500kcal dietary interventions: 1) a big breakfast diet or BB (50% of energy intake between …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Shorthead Sculpin (Cottus Confusus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Shorthead sculpin (Cottus confusus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Single-Nuclei Resolution Kidney Profiling In Physiological And Disease Settings, Ruiyang Liu

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The kidney is a critical organ responsible for the maintenance of fluid, electrolyte and metabolites in the body. Recent advancements in kidney research, including the use of single-nuclei RNA Sequencing (snRNA-Seq), have uncovered a complex landscape that encompasses both physiological and pathological conditions. The scope of my thesis covers two important aspects: (1) the exploration of kidney sexual dimorphism, (2) a detailed investigation of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular regulation of kidney sexual dimorphism, we integrated single nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing (snRNA-Seq and snATAC-Seq) and Visium spatial transcriptomics (ST) data to build …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Torrent Sculpin (Cottus Rhotheus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for torrent sculpin (Cottus rhotheus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Klamath Lake Sculpin (Cottus Princeps), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Klamath Lake sculpin (Cottus princeps) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Reticulate Sculpin (Cottus Perplexus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for reticulate sculpin (Cottus perplexus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Oregon Lakes Tui Chub (Siphateles Bicolor Oregonensis), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Oregon Lakes tui chub (Siphateles bicolor oregonensis) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Evaluation Of Five Roma Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A Roma tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). HM Claus (HM), PanAmerican (PA), and Sakata (SK) seed companies donated five Roma tomato cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded and trellised hand harvest. Overall trial quality was excellent, despite a dry start that brought in insects, and hard rains that flared bacterial diseases.

Evaluation Of 13 Round Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A round tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Enza Zaden (EZ), Seminis (SM), Sakata (SK), and Seedway (SW) seed companies donated round tomato cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded and trellised hand harvest. Overall trial quality was excellent, despite a dry start that brought in insects, and hard rains that flared bacterial diseases.

Evaluation Of 11 Broccoli Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Leah Freeman

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A broccoli cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Clifton (CL), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated 11 broccoli cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was good for collecting data on stressed plants. A dry start and cabbage maggot attack reduced stand with replacement plants lagging behind, and heat around head formation created a high proportion of non-marketable heads.

Evaluation Of Six Slicing Cucumber Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A slicing cucumber cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Clifton (CL), Seedway (SW), Seminis (SM), and Syngenta (SY) seed companies donated five slicing cucumber cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was OK, with a dry start that created an uneven stand, and some deer browse.

Celestial Bodies, Rebecca L. Rand, Mark Popinchalk

Capstones

Most of us will never come close to touching space. But space touches us every day. On Celestial Bodies, journalist Rebecca Rand and astronomer Mark Popinchalk explore the ways outer space interacts with life on earth.

In Episode 1, hosts Rebecca Rand and Mark Popinchalk explore how, for millions of years, trees have been recording celestial events in space. Within the rings of their trunks, trees store radiation from solar flares, supernovae, and changes in the earth’s magnetic field. The hosts talk to Dr. Ben Pope to learn more about what we can discover by looking at radioactive molecules …

Nutrient And Microbiome-Mediated Plant–Soil Feedback In Domesticated And Wild Andropogoneae: Implications For Agroecosystems, Amanda Quattrone, Yuguo Yang, Pooja Yadav, Karrie A. Weber, Sabrina E. Russo

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Plants influence the abiotic and biotic environment of the rhizosphere, affecting plant performance through plant–soil feedback (PSF). We compared the strength of nutrient and microbemediated PSF and its implications for plant performance in domesticated and wild grasses with a fully crossed greenhouse PSF experiment using four inbred maize genotypes (Zea mays ssp. mays b58, B73- wt, B73-rth3, and HP301), teosinte (Z. mays ssp. parviglumis), and two wild prairie grasses (Andropogon gerardii and Tripsacum dactyloides) to condition soils for three feedback species (maize B73-wt, teosinte, Andropogon gerardii). We found evidence of negative …

Mutational Analysis Of The Nitrogenase Carbon Monoxide Protective Protein Cown Reveals That A Conserved C‑Terminal Glutamic Acid Residue Is Necessary For Its Activity, Dustin L. Willard, Joshuah J. Arellano, Mitch Underdahl, Terrence M. Lee, Avinash S. Ramaswamy, Gabriella Fumes, Agatha Kliman, Emily Y. Wong, Cedric P. Owens

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of nitrogen gas into ammonia. Nitrogenase is tightly inhibited by the environmental gas carbon monoxide (CO). Many nitrogen fixing bacteria protect nitrogenase from CO inhibition using the protective protein CowN. This work demonstrates that a conserved glutamic acid residue near the C-terminus of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus CowN is necessary for its function. Mutation of the glutamic acid residue abolishes both CowN’s protection against CO inhibition and the ability of CowN to bind to nitrogenase. In contrast, a conserved C-terminal cysteine residue is not important for CO protection by CowN. Overall, this work …

Cannabis Use Among Cancer Survivors: Use Pattern, Product Type, And Timing Of Use, Ikponmwosa Osaghae, Onyema Greg Chido-Amajuoyi, Banda A A Khalifa, Rajesh Talluri, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite growing interest in the use of cannabis for the treatment of cancer-related symptoms, there are limited studies that have assessed the use pattern, type, and mode of delivery of cannabis products used by cancer survivors. This study describes the current state of the use pattern, product type, and mode of delivery of cannabis used by cancer survivors. This was a cross-sectional study of cancer survivors from 41 U.S. states who received treatment at the largest NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. The weighted prevalence of the use patterns, product types, and modes of delivery of cannabis used by cancer survivors was …