Life Sciences Commons^™

Gut Microbiota-Mediated Modulation Of Circadian Rhythms: Physiological And Molecular Impacts Of Dietary Composition And Feeding Time, Yen-Chun Koh, Chun-Che Chang, Min-Hsiung Pan

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Circadian rhythms regulate fundamental aspects of physiology and behavior. The disruption of circadian rhythms has been associated with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and impaired immune function. Feeding behavior and gut microbiota represent two essential nodes within this regulatory network, as both are highly responsive to environmental cues such as diet composition and sleep-wake cycles. Research has shown that high-fat diets, excessive fructose, and chronic alcohol consumption perturb peripheral circadian rhythms and impair metabolic pathways, contributing to obesity and insulin resistance. Conversely, dietary interventions such as time-restricted feeding and macronutrient-specific entrainment can restore rhythmic gene expression and prevent metabolic pathologies. …

Benefits And Risks Of Consuming Cannabis Sativa L. In Food, Ewa Matyjaszczyk, Maria Śmiechowska

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Cannabis sativa L. or hemp is a cosmopolitan, multi-purpose plant and area of its cultivation has been growing in recent years. Its public perception is influenced by potential to produce narcotic substances. However, hemp seed can be a valuable source of nutrients for humans and may be of particular interest in more sustainable food consumption patterns, including vegetarian and flexitarian diets.

The paper presents benefits and risks of hemp seeds in case of their consumption in food. Low cannabinoids varieties are considered only. The biological activity of cannabinoids and related effects are considered out of scope of the study.

Nutritional …

Governance, Culture, And Law: The Expanding Scope Of Environmental Science And Sustainable Development Research, Ahyaudin Sodri, Herdis Herdiansyah

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Environmental science emerged as a discipline based on physical measurements, such as soil pollutant levels (Ailijiang et al., 2022), ecological restoration (Yue et al., 2026), city surface temperature (Shafizadeh-Moghadam et al., 2025), and microbial density in air samples (Hayleeyesus & Manaye, 2014). However, its objects of study increasingly extend beyond the confines of the laboratory. Questions that were once sufficiently answered with measurement data now require answers through draft laws, Constitutional Court decisions, financial reports of mining companies, and even traditional ritual discourses governing community access to forests. In other words, environmental …

Land Conversion, Food Security, And Deforestation In Indonesia: Evidence From Farmer-Level Decisions, Mohammad Rondhi, Rizky Yanuarti, Anik Suwandari, Joni Murti Mulyo Aji, Rokhani Rokhani, Ebban Bagus Kuntadi, Subhan Arif Budiman, Yasuhiro Mori, Takumi Kondo, Orawan Srisompun

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Agricultural land conversion (ALC) creates a dual sustainability challenge: the loss of productive farmland to urban expansion and the conversion of forested land into new agricultural areas. Farmland loss may reduce food production capacity, while forest conversion for agriculture may increase environmental degradation. These facts create a structural policy dilemma for Indonesia: safeguarding food security while simultaneously preventing deforestation. This study examines the patterns and drivers of land conversion in Indonesia over the past decade, with a focus on its implications for food security and deforestation. Using Indonesian Farmers Income Survey (Survei Pendapatan Petani, SPP) from 2004 (n …

What Does Sentience Mean At The Neural Level?, Björn Brembs

Animal Sentience

Jonathan Birch's (2025) LSE criteria for sentience include motivational trade-offs, exemplified by C. elegansweighing hunger against desiccation risk. Yet once the neural circuit is known, this "trade-off" reduces to a single inhibitory synapse—an ‘elemental’ account discrediting the ‘molar’ one. My commentary illustrates the same discrepancy in Drosophila: dopaminergic ramping during courtship as it progressively suppresses threat-detecting neurons; so persistence past danger reflects recalibrated valuation rather than a weighed decision. As neurobiology increasingly discovers such discrepancies, all criteria resting on behavioral classifications risk being defined away without altering the behavior's validity.

Climate Change And Desert Ecosystem Resilience: A Systematic Review Of Impacts, Adaptation Strategies, And Sustainability Pathways, Ghada Abd Elsattar Mohammed Oraby, Garmat Zahra

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Desert ecosystems are among the most climate-sensitive environments on Earth, where rising temperatures, altered precipitation regimes, and increasing aridity threaten ecosystem stability, biodiversity, and ecological functioning. Despite covering more than one-third of the global land surface, a comprehensive understanding of how climate change affects desert ecosystem resilience and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies remains limited. This study conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA framework to evaluate the impacts of climate change on desert ecosystem resilience and to identify effective adaptation and restoration pathways. A total of 16 high-quality studies were selected from 403 records retrieved from the Scopus database. …

Abstracts Of The 71st Annual Conference Of The Mississippi Association Of Entomologists, Nematologists, And Plant Pathologists (Maenpp)

Midsouth Entomologist

October 27 & 28, 2025

Surveys For Rare Springsnails In Southeast Oregon, 2025 With A Focus On The Donner Und Blitzen Pebblesnail (Fluminicola Insolitus), Jesse Laney

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

The Donner und Blitzen pebblesnail (Fluminicola insolitus) is a critically imperiled (G1/S1) freshwater snail historically known from a single spring, Page Springs, in the Donner und Blitzen River drainage of Harney County, Oregon. The species was petitioned for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in February 2024. On January 26, 2026, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a positive 90-day finding initiating species status review (USFWS 2026).

In August 2025, the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) at Portland State University, in coordination with the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage (NDNH), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and …

Effects Of Scion And Rootstock On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis And Spore Communities In Vitis Vinifera, Nicholas Vergara, Stephen Bentivenga

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate root symbionts that extend host nutrient uptake in exchange for photosynthate. Nearly all commercial wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) are grafted onto American rootstocks selected for phylloxera resistance, drought tolerance, and vigor, meaning the root system interfacing with soil fungi is genetically distinct from the fruiting scion. Whether root system origin shapes AMF association remains poorly resolved, particularly in sandy, low-fertility soils. We compared AMF colonization and spore communities across four rootstock–scion combinations (Cabernet Franc and Merlot scions, own-rooted and riparian rootstock) at William Heritage® Winery in Mullica Hill, NJ. Fine roots were cleared, stained, …

Comparison Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Colonization And Spore Communities Between Clover-Dominated Cover Crop And Restored Native Grass Systems, Nicholas Vergara, Stephen Bentivenga

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate root symbionts that extend host nutrient uptake in exchange for photosynthate. Restored native grasslands and cover-cropped fields represent contrasting management strategies applied to former conventional farmland, differing in both tillage frequency and plant diversity, yet how these strategies shape AMF association in sandy, low-fertility soils remains largely understudied. We compared AMF colonization and spore communities between two adjacent sites converted approximately three years prior at the Bishop Farmstead, Southampton Township, NJ: a restored grassland dominated by Panicum virgatum and an agricultural field under white and red clover cover (Trifolium repens, T. pratense). Fine roots …

Oncogenic E-Cadherin-Dependent Metastasis And Potential Therapeutic Interventions, Madison K. Duenas, Anjela Anand, Paige Cano, Ralph Boccia, Mary Alpaugh

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Oncogenic E-cadherin-dependent metastasis is a paradoxical mechanism of cancer progression whereby E-cadherin, a cell-to-cell adhesion protein that normally suppresses tumor invasion, instead promotes the formation of cohesive cell tumor clusters that collectively invade surrounding tissues and metastasize. This phenomenon has been extensively studied using inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) models, including the MARY-X xenograft and SUM149 cell line, while comparisons with other breast cancer models such as MDA-MB-231 continue to provide insight into E-cadherin-independent metastatic mechanisms. This project reviews recent literature investigating the molecular mechanisms behind it and evaluates emerging therapeutic strategies targeting E-cadherin-associated cellular pathways. Laboratory techniques, including spheroid generation …

Solvent-Dependent Cytotoxicity Of Peperomia Pellucida Leaf Extracts Against Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Ade Arsianti, Rafael Erlangga Bagas Pratama, Steven Gill, Diyah Kristanty

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Background: Breast cancer remains a major global health burden. Particularly in Indonesia, limitations of conventional chemotherapy, such as severe side effect, toxicity, and high cost, indicating the necessitate the development of alternative therapeutic agents. Peperomia pellucida, a medicinal plant rich in bioactive phytochemicals, has shown promising anticancer potential; however, its cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells and the influence of solvent polarity remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of P. pellucida leaf extracts which are prepared using different polarity of solvents (ethanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane).

Method: Dried leaf powder of P. pellucida was …

From Anaerobic Digesters To The Human Gut: Ecological Responses Of Microbiomes To Environmental And Biological Perturbations, Maliea Annholden Nipko

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial communities regulate essential ecological and metabolic processes across both engineered and host-associated ecosystems. Although these systems differ substantially in composition and function, they are governed by common ecological principles including community succession, resilience, species interactions, and responses to environmental and biological perturbations. This dissertation investigates how perturbations influence microbiome structure, function, and stability through three complementary studies spanning anaerobic digestion and the human gut microbiome. First, the effects of an extremophilic biological pretreatment using Caldicellulosiruptor bescii were evaluated in industrial-scale anaerobic digesters treating dairy manure. High- temperature pretreatment substantially altered microbial community composition, with bacterial populations remaining metabolically active …

Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li

UConn Library Presentations

Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?

Analysis Of The Atypical Temperature Dependence And Conformational Changes During Turnover Of A Lactobacillus Chlorogenic Acid Esterase, Nathaniel Carl, Yianni Tsigaris, Dan Ji, Nora K. Anpree, Kellie K. Omori, Cedric P. Owens

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Many bacterial chlorogenic acid esterases (ChlEs) exhibit atypical temperature behavior, featuring activities that barely change with temperature and activity maxima that fall below the thermal denaturation point. This work focuses on a ChlE from Lactobacillus helveticus (Lh–ChlE), which has a flat temperature dependence. First, it was determined that conformational changes during Lh–ChlE turnover are not rate-limiting and that the overall rate depends on the chemical step at all temperatures. Next, Lh–ChlE’s temperature dependence was investigated using a conformational equilibrium model that assumes the existence of a temperature-dependent equilibrium between an active and an inactive conformation and an activation heat capacity …

Stability Of The Apogee Galvanic Cell Sensors In The Utah State University Biological Oxygen Demand System, Tia Lawrence, Carson Richards, Bruce Bugbee

Techniques and Instruments

The Utah State University Crop Physiology Laboratory has developed a six-chamber biological oxygen demand (BOD) system to quantify respiration (Kusuma & Bugbee, 2020). Like all instruments, accuracy depends on the ability to get a zero in empty containers. Here we report the signal output and zero stability in empty containers over a five-day interval.

Environmental Dna For Endangered Freshwater Mussel Monitoring: A Review On Global Synthesis Of Edna Methods, Challenges, And Innovative Strategies, Mizanur Rahman, Md. Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Freshwater mussels (family Unionidae) are among the most endangered aquatic species worldwide, making effective monitoring vital for their conservation. Traditional surveys are laborious, time-consuming, and often miss rare or low-density populations. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a highly sensitive, non-invasive approach for freshwater mussel detection and monitoring; however, uncertainties in ecological interpretation continue to limit its broader application in freshwater biodiversity monitoring. We conducted a systematic review of 49 peer-reviewed studies, identified through an extensive literature search, to assess temporal research trends, methodological advancements, ecological contexts, and regulatory readiness of freshwater mussel eDNA monitoring. Findings show that freshwater mussel eDNA research …

Scorpiops Walteri Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) From Myanmar, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Scorpiops walteri sp. n. (Scorpiopidae) is described from Myanmar, fully illustrated with color photos showing its morphology and habitus. Scorpiops walteri sp. n. is the only species of the genus with a combination of the following five characters: chelal trichobothrium Eb₃ located in middle of manus between trichobothria Dt and Est; patella of pedipalp with 11–12 ventral and 19 external trichobothria; fingers of pedipalps strongly undulate in male; pedipalp movable finger with ca. 47 IAD; and chela length to width ratio 2.8 in male.

A Settlement From The Middle Ages And The Byzantine Period At Khirbat Ibreika (Hebrew, Pp. 37*–47*; English Summary, Pp. 199–200), Eli Yannai

'Atiqot

Six excavation squares were opened, revealing three strata: Stratum I, from the days of the British Mandate; Stratum II, from the Middle Ages; and Stratum III, from the Byzantine period. Most of the finds indicate intensive plundering of masonry from Stratum II. Stratum III yielded part of a press bed of an oil press with a mosaic pavement. The pottery finds attest that the Byzantine settlement was established in the sixth century CE, and continued until the end of the Mamluk period, and probably up to modern times. A hand axe, typical of the Upper Acheulian period, was found in …

The Excavation At Khirbat El-Batiya (Triangulation Spot 819) (Hebrew, Pp. 21*–28*; English Summary, Pp. 197–198), Hanaa Abu ‘Uqsa

'Atiqot

The western part of a large building was exposed, dating to the end of the Byzantine period. Two main strata were observed (I, II). Stratum Ia included the remains of a dry-built building, constructed from finely dressed limestone blocks arranged in headers and stretchers. The floors were paved with stone slabs, and the walls were probably coated with plaster. The finds from this phase date to the fifth–sixth centuries CE. Stratum Ib represents slight modifications that were carried out in the building. In Stratum II the building continued to be used, mainly in the southern part. A jug and a …

The Glass Finds From Khirbat El-Batiya (Triangulation Spot 819) (Hebrew, Pp. 29*–36*; English Summary, Pp. 198–199), Yael Gorin-Rosen

'Atiqot

Fragments of gold-glass tiles were retrieved from the excavation, together with well-known vessel types from the late Byzantine–Early Islamic periods. It is the first time that gold-glass tiles were found in situ. The glass vessels include a beaker/bowl, wineglasses and a bottle, as well as an exceptional mold-blown cosmetic flask from medieval times. The gold-glass tiles were probably part of the decoration of the Stratum I building, which was connected with a monastery or a church.

Kisra (Hebrew, Pp. 9*–19*; English Summary, Pp. 196–197), Hanaa Abu ‘Uqsa

'Atiqot

Two areas were excavated. In Area A, three strata were uncovered, from the Hellenistic, Byzantine and Crusader/Mamluk periods, alongside pottery from the Roman period. The Byzantine-period building housed an oil press installation, which was put out of use by a conflagration. In Area B, two strata were observed, from the Byzantine and Crusader/Mamluk periods.

Coins From Messillot (P. 93), Donald Ariel

'Atiqot

Fourteen coins were found in the excavation; all but one, which is gold, are copper. The coins appear to reflect occupation at the site in the fourth century CE and in the Umayyad period.

A Late Byzantine–Early Islamic-Period Farmhouse At Mesillot In The Bet She’An Valley (Pp. 181–192), Pinhas Porat

'Atiqot

Three strata (III–I) were identified during the excavation. The date of Stratum III is unknown. Stratum II, the main building phase at the site, probably dates to the late Byzantine period. A large, roughly square building was unearthed, comprising a large central courtyard surrounded by at least 16 rooms. It probably served as a farmhouse. Stratum I represents repairs and additions to the Stratum II building, possibly during the Early Islamic period. The finds from Strata II and I include pottery vessels, mostly domestic, iron objects, stone objects, a clay tile and coins. The latest coin dates from 739/740 CE …

Excavations At Khirbat Marmita (Pp. 139–178), Lilly Gershuny

'Atiqot

Three building complexes were uncovered at the site, as well as various installations that were quarried into bedrock. The buildings date from the first half of the first century BCE (Building 20/23), from the Hellenistic–Early Roman period (Building 84) and from the Herodian period (c. 30 to at least 67 CE; Building 104). Among the installations were five simple winepresses, typical of the Roman and Byzantine periods; a lever-and-weights oil press; cisterns with square or circular shafts; 33 cupmarks; caves; quarries; and a miqweh. The finds include pottery vessels, stone and basalt vases, glass vessels and metal artifacts. It seems …

The Coins From Khirbat Marmita (P. 179), Helena Sokolov

'Atiqot

Five coins were found at Khirbat Marmita, all of bronze. Three of the coins date to the reigns of Antiochus VII, Alexander Jannaeus and Nero; one is from the second year of the Jewish Revolt; and one is from the fifth century CE.

An Iron Age Pottery Assemblage From Underground Chambers At Jatt (Tel Gat) (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–7*; English Summary, P. 195), Michael Cohen

'Atiqot

Pottery vessels dating to Iron Age II were recovered from four underground units. They belong to a single ceramic assemblage, comprising bowls, kraters, cooking pots, jars, a jug and a lamp, indicating that they originated in dwellings. The vessels are characteristic of the northern coastal plain, dating primarily to the second half of the tenth–beginning of the ninth centuries BCE. This small-scale excavation sheds light on this early phase of occupation at Tell Jatt. The purpose of the underground units was not determined.

Archaeozoological Finds From The Excavations West Of Tell Qasille (Pp. 135–137), Moshe Sade

'Atiqot

Animal bones were found inside four of the tombs dated to Middle Bronze Age II. Each tomb contained the remains of one sheep/goat, usually within vessels. It seems that the people at this site raised cattle. A large number of donkey bones were also found. Sea shells were also present, probably due to the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean shore. Many animal bones were found in the Hellenistic-period assemblage.

Petrographic Analysis Of Pottery From A Middle Bronze Age Ii Site West Of Tell Qasille (Pp. 129–131), Anat Cohen-Weinberger

'Atiqot

In this study, 32 vessels were examined from the Middle Bronze Age II settlement, tombs and kilns to determine the nature of the raw materials. Most of the samples were related to the same petrographic group, the nature of which points to a coastal origin. The results of this study suggest a homogenous raw material for the examined assemblage.

Anthropological Remains From A Middle Bronze Age Ii Site West Of Tell Qasille (Pp. 133–134), Yossi Nagar

'Atiqot

The human skeletal remains from the Middle Bronze Age II graves were fragmentary, in a poor state of preservation. At least 26 individuals were identified, including infants, children, sub-adults and adults of both sexes, indicating a normal civilian population.