Life Sciences Commons^™

Living Situation And Physical Activity In The Covid-19 Pandemic Among American Private University Students, Eduardo Gonzalez Villarreal, Laura S. Kabiri, Cassandra S. Diep, Hedi Y. Perkins, Amanda M. Perkins-Ball, Augusto X. Rodriguez

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(4): 1064-1074, 2022. Many university students experienced changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including potential changes in physical activity (PA) levels and living situation. As PA behaviors in young adulthood help establish life-long habits and future health outcomes, the purpose of this study was to investigate overall change in PA, as well as change in PA due to living situation, among private university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Private university students (n = 109) between 18 and 25 years of age completed an online survey that included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form. T-tests …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Short- And Long-Term Neural Adaptations To Motor Skill Acquisition And Retention, Federico Iacoangeli

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Attempting to understand the neurophysiological underpinnings of learned behaviors and the process of learning itself has yielded interesting findings relating to what happens in the brain and across the nervous system when learning a new skill. The nervous system displays several structural, functional and neurochemical adaptations to motor learning which have been highlighted through the use of neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI, EEG and TMS. This review attempts to outline the neural adaptations governing the acquisition and retention of motor skills, as well as build a timeline for these adaptations following Fitt’s model of motor learning (Fitts and Posner 1967). …

Trait Anxiety In Mixed Martial Artists, Julian Pino, Olivier Van Hauwermeiren, Jordan Kwamanakweenda, Corey Peacock, Jaime Tartar

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

ABSTRACT

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a hybrid combat sport incorporating techniques from boxing, wrestling, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, Muay Thai (Thai boxing), and other disciplines. Having only been deemed a competitive sport in 1993 by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), not a lot of research has been done on these athletes. Research done so far on other areas of athletics has shown that personality traits can predict various cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes. Furthermore, elevated levels of Trait Anxiety have been shown to deteriorate non-MMA athletes’ overall performance in high-pressure situations. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of …

Reanalysis Of Teruelius And Grosphus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) With Descriptions Of Two New Species, Graeme Lowe, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

Using Scratch Wound Assay To Study The Effect Of Soil Arsenic On Human Keratinocyte Cell Migration Due To Contact Exposure, Manas Warke, Laura De March, Srinivas Kannan, Madeline English, Rohan Sarkar, Rupali Datta, Smitha Rao

Michigan Tech Research Data

The scratch wound assay was performed on Human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells to observe the effect on cell migration due to contact exposure to arsenic-contaminated Immokalee soil. The cell migration was observed through a microscope for 72 h. HaCaT cells were seeded in 48-well plate. On day 3, treatment media was added (n=8). The cells were treated with four concentrations of soil As (45, 225, 450, and 900 mg/kg) and two controls - Negative control (NC; Pure media) and control (C; 0 mg/kg soil As) for 72 h. A scratch was made using a pipette tip. The wound healing was …

Using Scratch Wound Assay To Study The Effect Of Soil Arsenic On Human Dermal Fibroblasts Cell Migration Due To Contact Exposure, Manas Warke, Laura De Marchi, Srinivas Kannan, Madeline English, Rohan Sarkar, Rupali Datta, Smitha Rao

Michigan Tech Research Data

The scratch wound assay was performed on Normal Human Primary Dermal Fibroblasts (HDFa) cells to observe the effect on cell migration due to contact exposure to arsenic-contaminated Immokalee soil. The cell migration was observed through a microscope for 72 h. HDFa cells were seeded in 48-well plate. On day 3, treatment media was added (n=8). The cells were treated with four concentrations of soil As (45, 225, 450, and 900 mg/kg) and two controls - Negative control (NC; Pure media) and control (C; 0 mg/kg soil As) for 72 h. A scratch was made using a pipette tip. The wound …

Oaks In The Landscape, Sheriden M. Hansen, Jaydee Gunnell, Andra Emmertson

All Current Publications

Oak trees (Quercus sp.) are generally a tough, drought tolerant, and beautiful addition to Utah landscapes. There are roughly 450 known species of oak, with about 60 cultivars that are native to North America. Oaks are known for slow growth, sturdiness, and easy care and can be used to create a focal point and ornamental interest in the landscape. This fact sheet reviews recommended cultivars for the Intermountain West and how to grow them, including site selection and preparation, planting and spacing, irrigation, and addressing challenges such as weeds, fertilization, pruning, and diseases and pests.

Structure-Property Investigations In Urea Tethered Iodinated Triphenylamines, Muhammad Saddam Hossain, Fiaz Ahmed, Stavros G. Karakalos, Mark D. Smith, Namrata Pant, Sophya V. Garashchuk, Andrew B, Greytak, Pablo Docampo, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

Herein, we report structural, computational, and conductivity studies on urea-directed self-assembled iodinated triphenylamine (TPA) derivatives. Despite numerous reports of conductive TPAs, the challenges of correlating their solid-state assembly with charge transport properties hinder the efficient design of new materials. In this work, we compare the assembled structures of a methylene urea bridged dimer of di-iodo TPA (1) and the corresponding methylene urea di-iodo TPA monomer (2) with a di-iodo mono aldehyde (3) control. These modifications lead to needle shaped crystals for 1 and 2 that are organized by urea hydrogen bonding, π⋯π stacking, I⋯I, and I⋯π interactions as determined by …

Smokejumper Obituary: Robertson, William Joseph “Bill” (Missoula 1957), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Non-Dairy Yogurt Alternative Using High Protein Brown And White Rice Flour, Anita Morris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is a great demand for plant-based yogurt alternatives (YAs) due to societal prevalence of milk sensitivities and allergies as well as some consumers abstaining from animal-derived products. Producing YAs from rice flour has considerable potential because (1) rice is not a major food allergen, (2) using rice flour is more economical compared to plant milks, the main ingredient in commercially available YAs, and (3) there are no rice-based yogurt alternatives in today’s marketplace. The overall goals of this study were to develop probiotic YAs from brown and white rice flours, and to evaluate their storage stability, probiotic’s survival in …

Limited Benefit From The Addition Of Immunotherapy To Chemotherapy In Tki-Refractory Egfr-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma, Lingzhi Hong, Whitney E Lewis, Monique Nilsson, Sonia Patel, Susan Varghese, Robyn R Du, Haley N Kemp, Waree Rinsurongkawong, Simon Heeke, Amy R Spelman, Yasir Y Elamin, Marcelo V Negrao, Boris Sepesi, Don L Gibbons, J Jack Lee, Jia Wu, Natalie I Vokes, John V Heymach, Jianjun Zhang, Xiuning Le

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The benefit of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients whose tumor developed resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is not thoroughly investigated. The goal of this retrospective cohort study is to assess the clinical efficiency of immunotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy in a real-world setting.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled LUAD patients with EGFR sensitive mutations whose tumor had acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs and received systemic treatment with chemotherapy (chemo; n = 84), chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy (chemoIO; n = 30), chemotherapy plus bevacizumab with or without IO (withBev; n …

Amplification Of Black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus) Dna From Regurgitated Food Pellets, Daniel R. Taylor, Bryan M. Kluever, John S. Humphrey, Iona M. Hennessy, Amber Sutton, William E. Bruce, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studies that rely on noninvasive collection of DNA for birds often use feces or feathers. Some birds, such as vultures, regurgitate undigested matter in the form of pellets that are commonly found under roost sites. Our research demonstrates that regurgitated pellets are a viable, noninvasive source of DNA for molecular ecology studies of vultures. Our objectives were to amplify 5 microsatellite loci designed for distinguishing Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) and Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) in a single, multiplexed PCR, and to determine how long the target nuclear DNA persists after a vulture pellet is regurgitated and …

A Method For Bridging Population-Specific Genotypes To Detect Gene Modules Associated With Alzheimer's Disease

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies have successfully identified variants associated with multiple conditions. However, generalizing discoveries across diverse populations remains challenging due to large variations in genetic composition. Methods that perform gene expression imputation have attempted to address the transferability of gene discoveries across populations, but with limited success.

METHODS: Here, we introduce a pipeline that combines gene expression imputation with gene module discovery, including a dense gene module search and a gene set variation analysis, to address the transferability issue. Our method feeds association probabilities of imputed gene expression with a selected phenotype into tissue-specific gene-module discovery over protein interaction …

Genetic Dissection And Qtl Pyramiding To Enhance Salinity Tolerance In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.), Sandeep Chapagain

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Salinity is emerging as a major threat to rice production worldwide due to climate change and anthropogenic sources. We performed three different population development approaches using exotic salt tolerant donors in US rice backgrounds to identify the salt tolerant QTLs/genes and tolerant breeding lines. First approach involved development of a biparental introgression lines (ILs) population by utilizing a salinity tolerant donor ‘TCCP’ in an elite rice cultivar ‘Cheniere’ background and mapping of QTLs at germination, seedling, and reproductive stages A total of seven QTLs for five germination traits, 16 QTLs for seven seedling stage traits, and 30 QTLs for ten …

Survival Of The Fattest: How Body Fat And Migration Influence Survival In Highly Seasonal Environments, Kristin Denryter, Mary M. Conner, Thomas R. Stephenson, David W. German, Kevin L. Monteith

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Energy stores and migration are important adaptations for animals in seasonal environments, but their roles may vary relative to an animal's endogenous and exogenous environment. In partially migratory populations, migrants and residents experience different seasonal environments; thus, the influence of energy stores on survival may differ relative to migratory tactic, with potential consequences to survival and fitness.

2. Using data from Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae; hereafter, Sierra bighorn), we tested the hypothesis that body fat (energy stores) buffers animals against their environment, but that buffering capacity differs across environments experienced by high-elevation residents (using …

Age And Diet Shape The Genetic Architecture Of Body Weight In Diversity Outbred Mice., Kevin M Wright, Andrew Deighan, Andrea Di Francesco, Adam Freund, Vladimir Jojic, Gary Churchill, Anil Raj

Faculty Research 2022

Understanding how genetic variation shapes a complex trait relies on accurately quantifying both the additive genetic and genotype-environment interaction effects in an age-dependent manner. We used a linear mixed model to quantify diet-dependent genetic contributions to body weight measured through adulthood in diversity outbred female mice under five diets. We observed that heritability of body weight declined with age under all diets, except the 40% calorie restriction diet. We identified 14 loci with age-dependent associations and 19 loci with age- and diet-dependent associations, with many diet-dependent loci previously linked to neurological function and behavior in mice or humans. We found …

Identifying The Components Of A Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) (Rosales: Cannabaceae) Integrated Pest Management Program In Louisiana, Nathan C. Arey

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp, Cannabis sativa (L.) (Rosales: Cannabaceae), is defined as a plant in the genus Cannabis with a delta-9 3 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. Domestic acreage of this crop has increased in response to the ratification of the Agricultural Act of 2014 and the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. In 2021, 21,915 hectares of hemp were planted in the United States with a production value of $712 million. There is a current lack of literature on insect related research in this reemerging crop system in the state of Louisiana. Therefore, this present …

A Method For Estimating Songbird Abundance With Drones, Andrew M. Wilson, Darren Glass, Marisa A. Immordino, Precious S. Ozoh, Lauren Sherman, Mckenzie D. Somers

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Using drones to conduct airborne bioacoustics surveys is a potentially useful new way to estimate the abundance of vocal bird species. Here we show that by using two audio recorders suspended from a quadcopter drone it is possible to estimate distances to birds with precision. In an experimental test, the mean error of our estimated distances to a broadcast song across 11 points between 0 and 100 m away was just 3.47 m. In field tests, we compared 1 min airborne counts with 5 min terrestrial counts at 34 count locations. We found that the airborne counts yielded similar data …

Cellular Mechanisms Underlying State-Dependent Neural Inhibition With Magnetic Stimulation, Hui Ye, Vincent Chiun-Fan Chen, Jenna Hendee

Engineering Science Faculty Publications

Novel stimulation protocols for neuromodulation with magnetic fields are explored in clinical and laboratory settings. Recent evidence suggests that the activation state of the nervous system plays a significant role in the outcome of magnetic stimulation, but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of state-dependency have not been completely investigated. We recently reported that high frequency magnetic stimulation could inhibit neural activity when the neuron was in a low active state. In this paper, we investigate state-dependent neural modulation by applying a magnetic field to single neurons, using the novel micro-coil technology. High frequency magnetic stimulation suppressed single neuron activity …

The Roles Of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Plasticity In Tumor Heterogeneity, Metastasis, And Patient Survival In Breast Cancer, Meredith Septer Brown

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition, a critical cellular process in development, is frequently co-opted by solid tumors to promote invasion and metastasis. In particular, the hybrid or intermediate EMT state, possessing both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics, is associated with increased cancer stemness and plasticity. Similarly, intra-tumoral heterogeneity in solid tumors, in particular breast cancer, is associated with poor prognosis, tumor growth, proliferation, drug resistance, and metastasis. We sought to understand the link between the generation of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and the intermediate EMT state and their impact on tumor progression and patient prognosis. As part of my thesis work, I developed a model …

Olfactory Detection Of Viruses Shapes Brain Immunity And Behavior, Aurora Kraus

Biology ETDs

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) directly contact the environment and are

exposed to pathogens, such as viruses. When OSNs detect a virus, they coordinate antiviral immune responses locally to stop virus progression into the brain, termed the central nervous system (CNS). For example, in COVID-19 patients the SARS-CoV-2 virus replicates in the olfactory epithelium resulting in loss of olfaction, yet viral presence in the CNS is rare. However, neuronal detection of a virus by OSNs may send electrical signals to the CNS via the olfactory bulb (OB) and shape our CNS. Because the OB is the nexus between the pathogen exposed …

The Origin Of Bladder Cancer From Mucosal Field Effects, Jolanta Bondaruk, Roman Jaksik, Ziqiao Wang, David Cogdell, Sangkyou Lee, Khanh Ngoc Dinh, Li Zhang, Shaolong Cao, Feng Tian, Hui Yao, Paweł Kuś, Huiqin Chen, John N Weinstein, Neema Navai, Colin Dinney, Jianjun Gao, Dan Theodorescu, Christopher Logothetis, Charles C Guo, Wenyi Wang, David Mcconkey, Peng Wei, Marek Kimmel, Bogdan Czerniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Whole-organ mapping was used to study molecular changes in the evolution of bladder cancer from field effects. We identified more than 100 dysregulated pathways, involving immunity, differentiation, and transformation, as initiators of carcinogenesis. Dysregulation of interleukins signified the involvement of inflammation in the incipient phases of the process. An aberrant methylation/expression of multiple HOX genes signified dysregulation of the differentiation program. We identified three types of mutations based on their geographic distribution. The most common were mutations restricted to individual mucosal samples that targeted uroprogenitor cells. Two types of mutations were associated with clonal expansion and involved large areas of …

Infiltration Of Peripheral Immune Cells Into The Olfactory Bulb In A Mouse Model Of Acute Nasal Inflammation, Hinami Asano, Sanae Hasegawa-Ishii, Ken Arae, Aki Obara, Geoffroy Laumet, Atsuyoshi Shimada

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic nasal inflammation induces robust olfactory bulb (OB) atrophy in mice. Here we examined initial events that occur in the OB after bilateral intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide, focusing on the olfactory nerve fibers and meninges. We analyzed the time course of OB and meninges inflammation using histological and biochemical approaches. Within 12 h, we observed increased chemokine expression and transient infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the OB, resulting in the development of pro-inflammatory status in the OB. Meningeal immunity was activated. Resident microglia produced anti-inflammatory cytokines within 24 h. These could be the initial events that lead to OB …

Pneumonitis After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapies In Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Ajay Sheshadri, Alberto A Goizueta, Vickie R Shannon, David London, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Farhad Ravandi-Kashani, Marina Y Konopleva, Courtney D Dinardo, Sherry Pierce, Abdulrazzak Zarifa, Aya A Albittar, Linda L Zhong, Fechukwu O Akhmedzhanov, Muhammad H Arain, Mansour Alfayez, Ahmad Alotaibi, Mehmet Altan, Aung Naing, Tito R Mendoza, Myrna C B Godoy, Girish Shroff, Sang T Kim, Saadia A Faiz, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, Fareed Khawaja, Kristofer Jennings, Naval G Daver

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), combined with hypomethylating agents, can be used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but this strategy results in a high rate of pneumonitis. The authors sought to determine risk factors for pneumonitis development and whether pneumonitis increased mortality.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review of 258 AML patients who received ICI-containing regimens from 2016 to 2018. A multidisciplinary adjudication committee diagnosed pneumonia and pneumonitis by reviewing symptoms, imaging, microbiology, and response to therapies. To measure risk factors for pneumonitis and mortality, multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed. Pneumonia, pneumonitis, and disease progression were …

Kras Mutations As Essential Promoters Of Lymphangiogenesis Via Extracellular Vesicles In Pancreatic Cancer, Radu Pirlog, George A Calin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) gene mutations are present in more than 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). KRASG12D is the most frequent alteration, promoting preneoplastic lesions and associating with a more aggressive phenotype. These tumors possess increased intratumoral lymphatic networks and frequent lymph node (LN) metastases. In this issue of the JCI, Luo, Li, et al. explored the relationship between the presence of the KRASG12D mutation and lymphangiogenesis in PDAC. The authors used in vitro and in vivo models and an elegant mechanistic approach to describe an alternative pathway for lymphangiogenesis promotion. KRASG12D induced SUMOylation of heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein …

Prophylactic Evaluation Of Verubecestat On Disease- And Symptom-Modifying Effects In 5xfad Mice., Adrian L Oblak, Zackary A Cope, Sara K Quinney, Ravi S Pandey, Carla Biesdorf, Andi R Masters, Kristen D. Onos, Leslie Haynes, Kelly J Keezer, Jill A Meyer, Jonathan S Peters, Scott A Persohn, Amanda A Bedwell, Kierra Eldridge, Rachael Speedy, Gabriela Little, Sean-Paul Williams, Brenda Noarbe, Andre Obenaus, Michael Sasner, Gareth R Howell, Gregory W. Carter, Harriet M. Jackson, Bruce T Lamb, Paul R Territo, Stacey J Sukoff Rizzo

Faculty Research 2022

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Beta-secretase (BACE) inhibitors have been proposed as potential therapeutic interventions; however, initiating treatment once disease has significantly progressed has failed to effectively stop or treat disease. Whether BACE inhibition may have efficacy when administered prophylactically in the early stages of AD has been under-investigated. The present studies aimed to evaluate prophylactic treatment of the BACE inhibitor verubecestat in an AD mouse model using the National Institute on Aging (NIA) resources of the Model Organism Development for Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease (MODEL-AD) Preclinical Testing Core (PTC) Drug Screening Pipeline.

Methods: 5XFAD …

An Investigation Of Popular Recovery Methods In Volleyball Players, Timber Terrell

Student Theses and Dissertations

Volleyball athletes are required to perform high force jumping skills throughout practice and competition which sometimes results in acute muscle soreness. Athletes and coaches are seeking novel recovery methods to enhance jumping performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of two recovery methods: compression therapy and cupping therapy. During compression therapy, athletes place pneumatic sleeves on their legs following practice. During cupping therapy, a cup device is placed on various locations on the legs and a small suction is applied. Six college volleyball athletes jumping performance and range of motion was measured on three days following …

Smokejumper Obituary: Bender, Walter L. “Ozzie” (Missoula 1947), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Metabolites From Trypanosome-Infected Cattle As Sensitive Biomarkers For Animal Trypanosomosis, Merid N. Getahun, John Ngiela, John Mark O. Makwatta, Peter Ahuya, Tawich K. Simon, Samuel K. Kamau, Baldwyn Torto, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Trypanosomes are important global livestock and human pathogens of public health importance. Elucidating the chemical mechanisms of trypanosome-relevant host interactions can enhance the design and development of a novel, next-generation trypanosomosis diagnostics. However, it is unknown how trypanosome infection affects livestock volatile odors. Here, we show that Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma vivax infections induced dihydro-β- ionone and junenol, while abundance of dihydro-α-ionone, phenolics, p-cresol, and 3-propylphenol significantly elevated in cow urine. These biomarkers of trypanosome infection are conserved in cow breath and the urine metabolites of naturally infected cows, regardless of population, diet, or environment differences. Furthermore, treating trypanosome-infected cows …

Review Of The Cloacininae Stossich (Nemata: Strongyloidea) From Australasian Marsupials (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea), Ian Beveridge, Lesley R. Smales

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

The nematode sub-family Cloacininae from Australasian macropodoid marsupials is reviewed. Keys are provided to all genera and species currently known. A revised definition of the sub-family and detailed generic diagnoses are provided. For each species, full synonymies and literature citations are included along with known hosts, geographical distributions and associated DNA sequence data. A brief morphological synopsis of each species is provided together with illustrations of the morphological features needed for identification using the keys. Due to uncertainties relating to the division of the sub-family into tribes, only the nominal allocation to tribe is provided. Two new genera are erected, …