Life Sciences Commons^™

Modeling Moisture Content Variations In The Shallow Subsurface Soil Under Rainfall Infiltration And Different Atmospheric Conditions, Omid Ghasemi-Fare, Mohammadreza Mir Tamizdoust, Fereydoun Najafian Jazi, Amin Mohammadzadeh, Tom Rockaway

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Karst Watershed Planning For The Jennings Creek/Lost River Watershed In South-Central Kentucky To Improve Water Quality And Community Awareness, Jason S. Polk, Adam Desloge, Brittany Pekara, Trayson Lawler, Shreya Pandey, Kara Brunot, Mara Neace, Meghan Forbes, Matt Powell

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

River And Conduit Stage Tomography For Characterizing Karst Aquifers, Junfeng Zhu, Steven Webb, James Fox

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Antibiotic-Resistant E.Coli In Kentucky Watersheds Impacted By Various Land Uses, Jayden Hamlet, Jason Marion, Travis Altheide

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Hiking Trails On Salamanders, Emily M. Macdonald

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Over half of the World’s salamanders are facing extinction. It is important to understand the impact Humans have on them in all parts of their ranges so we can better understand what they need and how we can prevent further extinctions. I conducted this study to try to determine if the human activity on the official hiking trails in the Arcata Community Forest in Arcata California; as designated by the official map of the Forest; is negatively impacting the salamanders that live in the Forest. I thought there would be an increase in the number of species and the overall …

Investigating The Impact Of Stream Restoration On Sediment Transport At A Karst Spring Using Hydrograph Unmixing, Sediment Transport Modeling And Multi-Source Hysteresis, Leonie Bettel, Jimmy Fox, Admin Husic, Tyler Mahoney, Arlex Marin, Zunfeng Zhu, Benjamin Tobin, Nabil Al Aamer, Chloe Osborne

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Methane Dynamics Of Kentucky Bottomland Hardwood Forested Systems, Marissa Miles, Jessica B. Moon, Skylar Ross, Jarred Asselta, Niklas Klauss, Rosie Carey, Kabi Raj Khatiwada, Bassil El Masri, Gary Stinchcomb, Benjamin R. K. Runkle

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

A Critical Review Of Vegetation Issues In So-Called “Stream Restoration” On Daniel Boone National Forest, Julian J. N. Campbell

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Floating Vegetation As A Driver Of Ch4 Emissions In Small Ponds Across Louisville, Ky, Mark Tierney, C. Jalink, J. H. Loughrin, S. W. Antle, Andrew S. Mehring

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Measuring The Contribution Of Bald Cypress “Knees” To Greenhouse Gas Emissions During Climate Extremes, Skylar Ross, Jessica B. Moon, Niklas Klauss, Marissa Miles, Kabi Raj Khatiwada4, Bassil El Masri, Gary Stinchcomb, Benjamin R. K. Runkle

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Land Use And Groundwater Inputs On Biological Stream Health And Habitat Of Jennings Creek, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Allison Francis, Jason S. Polk

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Beavers In Mediating Short-Term Organic Matter Accretion In Kentucky Acep Wre Easements, Jessica B. Moon, Marissa Miles, Logan Firkins, Karen A. Baumann, Michael B. Flynn

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Louisville Wetlands From Above And Below To Better Predict Wetland Carbon Sink-Source Status, Andrea E. Gaughan, Andrew S. Mehring, Mark Tierney, David Brown, Kassidy Haynes, Madison Cicha

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Observations On A 40-Year January Bird Census In Boone County, Nebraska, 1978–2017, Wayne Mollhoff

Zea E-Books Collection

For 40 years Wayne Mollhoff conducted a personal bird census every January. He explains: "After having run several Breeding Bird Survey routes, and participated in several Christmas Bird Counts, I became curious to see what might be found on a winter count under the more tightly controlled parameters of a census, as contrasted with Christmas counts done with variable numbers of observers."

The count was set up similarly to the USGS Breeding Bird Survey routes with 50 stops, one-half mile (800 meters) apart, all birds counted for 3 minutes, with birds counted at one stop not counted again at following …

Temperature-Responsive Membrane With Nano-Sized Catalysts For The Treatment Of Contaminated Groundwater, Rollie Mills, Dibakar Bhattacharyya

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Full Program Proceedings For 2023 Kentucky Water Resources Symposium, Kentucky Water Research Institute

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

No abstract provided.

Evapotranspiration And Precipitation Data For Calculating Irrigation Requirements In Utah, Shital Poudyal, Anju Chaudhary

All Current Publications

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and precipitation data are essential for developing water budgets and calculating irrigation water requirements. However, it is crucial that the data used for such purposes are recent and easily accessible to stakeholders. In this fact sheet, we calculated average reference evapotranspiration and precipitation data for multiple locations in Utah, USA. To accomplish this, we collected the data from the Utah Climate Center and compiled it to show an average of 20 years of data by month in an easily digestible format. We compiled data for 69 locations in Utah, making it easy to find one close to …

Diversity And Distribution Of Ascidians, Lauren M. Stefaniak

Marine Science

My research focuses on the biodiversity and biogeography of ascidians, the mechanisms controlling the distribution of species and communities, and how human activities, such as shipping, coastal hardening, and climate changes can alter those distributions. Working with my masters and undergraduate student researchers, I use morphological and molecular taxonomy, molecular ecology, and observational and manipulative field and lab studies to explore these questions...

This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Transformative Agreement Program. The article was first published in genesis, the Journal of Genetics and Development: https://doi.org/10.1002/dvg.23548

Immune-Active Tumor-Adjacent Tissues Are Associated With Favorable Prognosis In Stage I Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Lisha Ying, Chunliu Zhang, Alexandre Reuben, Yiping Tian, Jiaoyue Jin, Jing Bai, Jianfei Fang, Tingting Feng, Chenyang Xu, Rui Zhu, Minran Huang, Yingqi Lyu, Tingting Lu, Xiaodan Pan, Jianjun Zhang, Dan Su

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The immunogenomic features of tumor-adjacent lungs (TALs) in stage I lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) are not clear. Multiomics analyses of tumor tissues and paired TALs from 59 stage I LUSC patients were performed. Compared to tumors, TALs exhibited a better-preserved immune contexture indicated by upregulation of immune pathways, increased immune infiltration, and higher expression of immune effector molecules. Notably, TALs had no mutations in PTEN and KEAP1, a lower incidence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loss and higher expression of HLA class I genes, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I chaperones, and interferon (IFN)-γ-associated genes. Digital spatial profiling validated the …

Neurocognitive Outcomes In Adult Survivors Of Neuroblastoma: A Report From The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, Caroline Hesko, Wei Liu, Deo K Srivastava, Tara M Brinkman, Lisa Diller, Kevin C Oeffinger, Rebecca Howell, Gregory T Armstrong, Kevin R Krull, Tara O Henderson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Despite survival improvements, there is a paucity of data on neurocognitive outcomes in neuroblastoma survivors. This study addresses this literature gap.

Methods: Neurocognitive impairments in survivors were compared to sibling controls from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) using the CCSS Neurocognitive Questionnaire. Impaired emotional regulation, organization, task efficiency, and memory defined as scores ≥90th percentile of sibling norms. Modified Poisson regression models evaluated associations with treatment exposures, era of diagnosis, and chronic conditions. Analyses were stratified by age at diagnosis (≤1 and >1 year) as proxy for lower versus higher risk disease.

Results: Survivors (N = 837; median …

Advance Directives For Patients With Breast Cancer: Applying The Right Info/Right Care/Right Patient/Right Time Oncology Model, Stephanie Ossowski, Liisa Lyon, Elizabeth Linehan, Nancy P Gordon, Olga Egorova, Kimberly Beringer, Aida Shirazi, Christine Weldon, Julia Trosman, Arliene Ravelo, Raymond Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background Advance directives (AD) are an important component of life care planning for patients undergoing treatment for cancer; however, there are few effective interventions to increase AD rates. In this quality improvement project, the authors integrated AD counseling into a novel right info/right care/right patient/right time (4R) sequence of care oncology delivery intervention for breast cancer patients in an integrated health care delivery system. Methods The authors studied two groups of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer who attended a multidisciplinary clinic and underwent definitive surgery at a single facility. The usual care (UC) cohort (N = 139) received care …

Protocol For Expression Of Murine Milk Using Modified Human Breast Pump Parts, Cydney Meyer, Joseph L Alcorn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Understanding the nutritional and immunomodulatory components of breast milk is crucial to developing novel mechanisms to optimize neonatal health. Here, we present a protocol to express and isolate murine milk in sufficient quantities for further analysis of components and bioactivity. We describe steps for separating dams from pups, administering intraperitoneal anesthetic and oxytocin, and expressing milk using a minimally modified and readily available commercial breast pump parts. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Meyer et al. (2022).

Feed Formulation: Expanding Our Horizons Beyond The Simple Provision Of Least-Cost Diets, Rick Kleyn, Mariana Ciacciariello

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Commercial feed formulation is typically based on linear programming (LP) algorithms that derive a least-cost solution for a blend of ingredients that meet specific nutrient criteria. This methodology has been effectively used for decades, but how we achieve our primary goal, which is sustainable poultry production, needs to be reconsidered in broader terms. Some of the issues that this paper will deal with are: not all parameters that we consider are linear and additive; we are still unsure of how to build the matrix required for feed formulation; dealing with the variability encountered in every batch of ingredient remains a …

Reducing Feed’S Environmental Footprint: Where Are The Opportunities?, Lara Moody

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Working with animal food industry members and stakeholders up- and down-stream in the supply chain, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) developed a ‘Sustainability Road Map’ to support the U.S. animal food industry as it pursues continuous improvement on impacts important to industry members and their customers. For IFEEDER and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), sustainability is defined and managed by each individual organization to deliver measurable, continuous improvements on the impacts related to people, planet and governance that are most important to them and their stakeholders.

No Antibiotic Ever (Nae) Versus Conventional Broiler Production: It’S Complicated, Marcos H. Rostagno

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Broiler production has evolved significantly over the years to meet a constant growing demand for animal protein. Rooted on major advances in genetics, facilities and environmental conditions, management, and specially, in nutrition and health, the U.S. broiler industry improved tremendously in productivity and efficiency, clearly demonstrated by a marked reduction of the average market age (i.e., days to market), while significantly increasing average market weight, breast meat yield and feed efficiency (National Chicken Council, 2023). For decades, conventional broiler production was dominant, with extensive use of antibiotics to promote growth and manage disease challenges (prevention and control). However, concerns over …

Organic Trace Minerals In Environmentally Sustainable Systems, Sergio L. Vieira, Julmar C. Feijó, André Favero

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Essential trace minerals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and I) are traditionally included as supplements through mineral premixes in poultry feeds. In comparison to other essential nutrients, as well as energy, they are scarcely studied. The essentiality of a nutrient, by definition, refers to the nutrient role in normal body function, such as growth or egg production, and considers that they cannot be synthesized by the body and, therefore, must be supplied from the feed.

Application Of New Molecular Tools To Assess Virus Viability In Production Animals, Declan C. Schroeder

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Persistent viral infections routinely impose an inconvenient, always costly but thankfully not all too often catastrophic outcome on our modern food system. Managing viruses is key for all concerned if our objective is to meet the ever-growing demand to high-value animal protein. Whether it’s the impact influenza A virus (IAV) has on the avian or swine industries, Porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV) on the swine or Deformed wing virus (DWV) on honey bees in both the honey and pollinator sectors - the negative impact and damaging cost to the individual producer, country and global economy cannot be overstated.

A View Of Poultry Production In The Americas, Michael Donohue

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The primary goal of the presentation is to share a long-term overview of how broiler production has changed over the last 35 years in areas of bird performance, production costs, particularly in the area of feed ingredient cost per lb. and illustrating how poultry nutritionists have adapted feed formulations to meet the changes in performance and cost.

Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity Of Miniature Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents In Mouse Cortical Cultures Requires Neuronal Rab3a, Andrew G. Koesters, Mark M. Rich, Kathrin L. Engisch

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Following prolonged activity blockade, amplitudes of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) increase, a form of homeostatic plasticity termed “synaptic scaling.” We previously showed that a presynaptic protein, the small GTPase Rab3A, is required for full expression of the increase in miniature endplate current amplitudes following prolonged blockade of action potential activity at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo (Wang et al., 2011), but it is unknown whether this form of Rab3A-dependent homeostatic plasticity shares any characteristics with central synapses. We show here that synaptic scaling of mEPSCs is impaired in mouse cortical neuron cultures prepared from Rab3A-/- and Rab3A Earlybird …

Combining Expert Opinions To Assess Risk Of Change In Earth Systems: Permafrost Collapse, Global Wildfire, And Water Security, Sayedeh Sara Sayedi

Theses and Dissertations

In a world of uncertainty and change, leaders should base their decisions on best available scientific evidence. However, history has shown that science is often inadequately incorporated into the decision-making process. This dissertation investigates three environmental issues to identify the challenges of considering Earth system dynamics in policymaking and management. I also propose solutions for improving the two-way exchange of knowledge and values between researchers and policymakers. In chapter one, I investigate subsea permafrost carbon sensitivity to climate change using an expert assessment. The analysis revealed that subsea permafrost contains significant carbon stocks and is already contributing to climate change …