Life Sciences Commons^™

From Insight To Action: Advancing Extension Programming For Utah Agriculture, Melanie Heaton, Cheyenne Reid, Reganne K. Briggs, Rebekah E. Iverson, Kara Thornton-Kurth, Brooke Holgate

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension programs, including evening events and a hands-on cattle boot camp, address gender disparities in Utah agriculture education. While open to everyone, these initiatives empower women through skill-building, peer support, and expert instruction, leading to increased confidence and knowledge, which ultimately enhances their roles and profitability in livestock production.

Twenty-Four Year Record Reveals Increasing Discharge In Tributaries To A Key Drinking Water Resource, Shannon Speir, Ireyra G. Tamayo, Alana G. Strauss

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Climate change is altering precipitation patterns worldwide, yielding changes in streamflow and water availability. Increases in storm frequency and intensity, as well as prolonged droughts, may alter the timing and magnitude of flow and nutrient delivery to downstream systems, many of which serve as key drinking water resources. Thus, we must understand long-term changes in streamflow to protect drinking water supplies. Here, we document changes in streamflow delivery to Beaver Lake Reservoir, the key drinking water source in rapidly urbanising Northwest Arkansas. We used publicly available data to analyse flow records in four key tributaries to Beaver Lake from 2000 …

Preliminary Investigation Of Nitrogen Rate Influence On Irrigated Bermudagrass Forage Production, Bronc Finch, Lance Blythe

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) forage production recommendations are often developed in natural environments with available water limitations, often resulting in highly variable responses and lower average responses. As farmland ownership changes and agriculture and irrigation technologies become more affordable the amount of irrigated hay production has increased. While much of the agronomic management does not differ between rain-fed and irrigated environments, nutrient use and uptake dynamics may. This requires a reevaluation and potential adjustment of current recommendations to allow for increased yield potential of irrigated production systems without detrimental impacts on the system. The objective of this study was to identify …

(Si15-121) Analyzing Seitr Tuberculosis Transmission Model Using Caputo–Fabrizio Fractional Derivative With Diverse Contact Rates, S. S. Sumaiya Banu, T. Gunasekar, S. Manikandan, Kamalendra Kumar, M. Suba

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In the modern age, tuberculosis remains a pressing global health concern. Our study introduces and evaluates the SEITR pandemic TB transmission model, dividing the population into five compartments to explore distinct characteristics relevant to our investigation. Additionally, we delve into the application of fractional calculus. Through the Laplace transform method, we derive series solutions for all compartments, ensuring their existence and uniqueness. We also investigate the reproduction number of the tuberculosis epidemic model, examining how varying contact rates impact disease spread. We apply the predictor-corrector method for the Caputo-Fabrizio fractional derivative to verify the accuracy of our approach. This accurately …

(Si15-107) Mathematical Modeling Of Cancer Dynamics Stability Analysis Of Post Therapy Protection, Rajendran Swetha, Tharmalingam Gunasekar, Kamalendra Kumar, Krishnasamy Sakthivel

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The study of PSITPS mathematical model is developed to analyze cancer dynamics, focusing on post-therapy protection. The model’s solution is rigorously examined for boundedness and positivity of solutions. Equilibrium points are identified, and numerical methods are employed to study stability. Simulations using accurate cancer data demonstrate the effectiveness of post-treatment protection in controlling cancer spread and minimizing recurrence. Stability analysis confirms the model’s predictive capability, offering valuable insights into long-term patient outcomes. The results highlight the importance of continuous post-treatment care in improving survival rates and reducing disease prevalence. This study provides a framework for optimizing cancer treatment strategies by …

Insect Pests Of Wheat In North India: A Comprehensive Review Of Their Bio-Ecology And Integrated Management Strategies, Gurveer Singh, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a vital food crop for majority of the world's population. However, its yield potential is significantly threatened by insect pests, which adversely affect production, quality, and overall food security. The diverse array of insect pests throughout wheat's growth stages necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their interactions with wheat cultivation. This review critically assesses the diversity, biology, ecology, and management strategies of major insect pests in North India, including aphids, termites, pink stem borer, gram pod borer, armyworm, and brown wheat mite. These pests infest wheat at various growth stages, posing significant challenges to sustainable production. …

Trichome Density And Herbivore Behaviour On Tomato Is Influenced By Herbivory, Plant Age, And Leaf Surface, Sunil Aryal, Manish Gautam, Justin George, Gadi V.P. Reddy, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Leaf trichomes in plants act as the first line of physical defence against herbivory, in addition to many other reported functions. Although trichomes have been found to vary intraspecifically and can be induced by herbivory, their interactive effects under additional factors, such as plant age and abaxial vs. adaxial leaf surfaces, are less understood. Here, using five common tomato varieties, we explored the effects of these factors and their interactions on trichome type and density. We quantified the densities of Type VI glandular trichomes, non-glandular trichomes, and total trichomes on abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces, and total leaf trichomes with …

Smart Search Results For Growth And Economic Performance Comparison Of Twenty-Year-Old ... Refine Results For Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition 21 Of 94 Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition, Diego A. Martinez, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Umberson, Craig N. Coon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study determined the sensitivity of productive energy (PE; Arkansas Net Energy) to performance and body composition and developed predictive models based on PE. Chicks (2,148 day-old ones) were placed in 96 pens and assigned to one of 12 dietary treatments, including varying concentrations of total digestible amino acids (TDAA), digestible CP (dCP), digestible fat (dFat), digestible starch, and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Eight replications per treatment, one per block, were used, being the block consecutive groups of birds weekly starting the seven-day experimental period. In each block, birds were control fed to meet similar ME intake, placed in calorimetry chambers …

The Science Of Sound: Studying The Cognitive, Emotional, And Physiological Effects Of Frequency, Genre, And Music, Jett Yarborough

Senior Honors Theses

Music influences emotion, physiology, and cognition, yet little is known about how the frequency it is tuned to affects these influences. Prior research has shown that music tuned to 432 Hz can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. My colleagues and I conducted two studies to investigate this. Our research found that music tuned to 432 Hz promotes a significant increase in memory retention and induces a state of focus and relaxation. These results suggest that shifting from the standard tuning frequency of 440 Hz to 432 Hz could have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives. …

Targeting Ribosome Biogenesis In Cic-Dux4 Sarcoma Treatment By Using Rna Polymerase 1 Inhibitors, Hema Sri Kambala

Theses

CIC-DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is a rare, aggressive round-cell tumor that primarily affects children and young adults and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Current treatments borrow from Ewing sarcoma regimens but offer limited benefit, underscoring the need for targeted therapeutic strategies. Transcriptomic analysis of CDS cell lines revealed a striking overrepresentation of ribosome biogenesis genes, indicating that CDS relies heavily on hyperactive RNA Polymerase I (Pol I)–driven rRNA synthesis. To evaluate this vulnerability, the Pol I inhibitors CX-5461 and BMH-21 were tested across multiple functional assays, including rRNA transcription, proliferation, migration, and 3-dimensional spheroid growth. Both inhibitors reduced rRNA synthesis …

Dataset Of Raman Spectra And Matlab Code For: Elucidating Time-Resolved Intracellular Metabolic Dynamics Via Label-Free Raman Microspectroscopy And 2d Correlation Spectroscopy, Zohreh Mirveis, Nitin Patil, Hugh J. Byrne

Other Resources

This dataset contains raw spectral data obtained from single-cell Raman microspectroscopy under two nutritional conditions: glucose alone and glucose supplemented with glutamine. LLC-MK2 cells were starved for 2 h, then exposed to nutrients and fixed every 15 min for up to 120 min. At each time point, spectra were recorded from 25 individual cells (cytoplasm regions) and exported as machine-readable files (.csv). MATLAB scripts are provided to implement two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) for generating synchronous maps, along with utilities for loading spectra, averaging, and reproducing key figures. A set of simulated time-series spectra used to validate 2D-COS under high background …

Preliminary Microbial Community Analysis Of Non-Native And Native Plants In The Depauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom, Madeleine Cruz, Dana Dudle

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The DePauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom is a former limestone quarry that was mined for decades and then lay dormant. Through the years, it has developed from being uninhabited to being populated by a diversity of organisms at every scale of life. All organisms in the Quarry Bottom must withstand the changing conditions of the quarry, including the proliferation of invasive plants that are well-adapted to stress. In particular, two invasive wetland grasses, Phragmites and Typha have observed competitive interactions, increased spatial distributions, and possible influence on native species. We have studied these species at our scale of life, but …

Light Stress And Leaf Characteristics In Prairie Fleabane In A Limestone Quarry, Guoqing Evelyn Tuohy

Annual Student Research Poster Session

DePauw’s nature park was an active limestone quarry for 60 years and has been going through primary succession since 1977. This harsh and disturbed environment can make it difficult for plants to survive. In this study, I aimed to investigate the Erigeron strigosus (Prairie Fleabane), a native plant commonly found in open, disturbed areas. I wanted to examine how the amount of light affected leaf traits in Erigeron strigosus because I had observed and hypothesized that in sunny areas, the leaf orientation changed, and the size of the leaves was smaller, and in shady areas, the leaves would be in …

Adipose Tissue Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Overexpression Ameliorates High-Fat Diet–Induced Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Marion C. Hope, Christian A. Unger, M. Chase Kettering, Cassidy E. Socia, Ahmed K. Aladhami, Barton C. Rice, Darya S. Niamira, Ben P. Wiznitzer, Diego Altomare Ph.D., William E. Cotham, Reilly T. Enos

Faculty Publications

Context

We created an innovative mouse model that enables inducible overexpression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), specifically in adipose tissue (Adipo-ERα↑). Objective

We aimed to investigate how elevated Adipo-ERα↑ influences the development of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in both male and female mice. Methods

Male and female Adipo-ERα↑ mice and littermate controls were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD for 13 weeks. Adipo-ERα↑ was induced at the initiation of dietary treatment. Body morphology and composition, hepatic lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, fasting insulin concentrations, and adipose tissue mRNA profiling were assessed. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine circulating and adipose …

Role Of Growth Factors In The Pathogenesis Of Systemic-Sclerosis-Associated Fibrosis, Fabian A. Mendoza, Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez, Sergio A. Jimenez

Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine Papers and Presentations

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by a severe fibroproliferative vasculopathy and frequently progressive cutaneous and internal organ fibrosis. The small-vessel vasculopathy and the tissue fibrotic alterations are responsible for the most serious clinical and pathological manifestations of the disease and for its high mortality. Despite the high severity and frequent mortality, there are currently no optimal therapeutic approaches for SSc, and its complex pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Numerous studies have suggested that growth factors and related regulatory macromolecules released from inflammatory and other cells present in the affected tissues play a …

Propelling Aging-Related Initiatives In A Next-Gen Cooperative Extension System: Editors’ Introduction To The Jhse Special Issue On Aging, Erin L. Martinez, James S. Bates

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Volume 13, Number 2, James S. Bates, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Erin L. Martinez

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Community Partnerships To Address Social Determinants Of Health Among Older Adults, Cory Bolkan, Raven Weaver, Cheryl Eschbach, Erik Geissal, Breanne Wise-Swanson

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Focusing on social determinants of health (SDOH) among older adults is key to addressing health disparities, maintaining independence in their homes/communities, improving health outcomes, and avoiding high-cost institutional care. While primary care settings are equipped to meet older adults’ physical health needs, the network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) is designed to meet social needs (e.g., transportation, nutrition, caregiver support). Yet, cross-sector community partnerships between AAAs and primary care are rare. This article shares an evaluation of one such partnership, where SDOH screenings were routinely implemented in primary care, yielding social prescribing and direct referral to AAA’s support services. …

Pentanary And Hexanary Alkali Lanthanide Germanates Grown From Lanthanide Rich Flux Growth Reactions, Gregory Morrison, K. Pilar Zamorano, Virginia G. Jones, Ethan N. Adams, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Single crystals of five compounds of a new structure type, the K3Nd52Ge12O100F7 type, were grown from lanthanide rich reactions using a KF/KCl flux: K3Ln52Ge12O100F7 (Ln = Nd, Eu), K3Ln52Ge12O100+δF7-δ (Ln = Pr, Tb), and K3Ca0.872Nd51.128Ge12O99.128F7.872. The five compounds crystallize in the cubic space group I-43d with lattice parameter 22.0350(2) Å for K3Nd52Ge12O100F7. The structure consists of a 3D checkerboard of LnX8, LnX7, LnX6, and GeO4 polyhedra, where X = O/F, and can be conceptually derived from the fluorite structure. K3Eu52Ge12O100F7 exhibits the fluorescence typical of Eu³⁺.

Economías De Reciprocidad En Un Paisaje Neocolonizado: La Plaza Almirante Brown Como Nodo Socioecológico Repensar La Belleza, La Pertenencia Y Las Plantas Desde La Educación Ambiental Y El Valor Plural Isp Report, Yereni Bruno-Sanchez

Argentina: People, Environment, and Climate Change in Patagonia and Antarctica

This study seeks to understand how ecological imperialism present in urban green spaces affects the optimal functioning of the reciprocal economies that sustain these places, through the case of Plaza Almirante Brown in Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The perceptions, values, and emotions that visitors attribute to this urban ecosystem are analyzed, as well as the social dynamics that keep it alive. The work acknowledges and respects the sense of place already established, while identifying a gap in the plaza's relational economy linked to the limited presence and public understanding of native flora. It proposes that the incorporation of …

Public Perception And Awareness Of Shark Nets In New South Wales, Drew Rosenfeld

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Shark nets have been in use along the beaches of New South Wales since 1937, with the purpose of the nets to reduce human shark encounters near popular beaches. While the purpose of the nets is to protect personal safety, the nets also entangle and harm non target marine life. This study examined public perception and awareness of shark nets in NSW through a mixed method approach that utilized survey and interview data. In total, 201 surveys were administered on Bondi and Coogee beach. Five interviews were also carried out with key stakeholder groups. Results have shown that public perception …

Learning From The Roost: An Exploration Of Public Perceptions And Education Around Grey-Headed Flying Foxes At Centennial Parklands, Sydney., Gigi Pandole

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) have become a familiar feature of many Australian cities, and this visibility often prompts a mix of curiosity, uncertainty and concern. In Sydney, the long-term colony at Lachlan Swamp in Centennial Parklands brings thousands of visitors into close contact with the species each week. Some people respond with interest or appreciation, while others feel uneasy due to noise, smell or common misconceptions about disease. These everyday encounters raise an important question for conservation: how do people form their perceptions of flying foxes, and what role does education play in shaping coexistence in urban environments? This …

Urban Noisy Miner Populations And Vegetation Composition Hinders Small Bird Communities In Urban Sydney, Australia And Canberra, Australia, Libby Hennes

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Increasing urbanization to prioritize habitats that are eucalypt dominant with poor understory density has resulted in an overabundance of the native honeyeater the Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala). Noisy Miners are incredibly aggressive, especially towards birds that are smaller than them. This is believed to have contributed to declining small bird populations in remnant woodland patches that are dominated by Noisy Miners. This same pattern was discovered in urban greenspaces across Sydney, Australia and Canberra, Australia during November 2025. Small birds were almost completely absent in sites in Sydney and small birds in Canberra had a strong negative correlation with the …

It's Alive! Comparing Wet And Dry Sclerophyll Revegetation In Wollemi National Park Following The 2019-2020 Bushfires, Bethany Hall

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Wollemi National Park is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Areas and contains many endemic plants and animals. Increasingly severe fires are threatening the area. This study aims to compare how dry and wet sclerophyll sites are recovering after the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. We surveyed eight wet sites and nine dry sites that were burned early in the bushfires. Diameter at breast height (DBH) and resprouting vigor was measured to determine if and how well trees were recovering. Dry sites experienced higher resprouting vigor compared to wet sites. Wet sites had a higher number of unique trees …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 3070 (Agroecology), Benjamin Iuliano

Open Educational Resources

Our relationships with the food we eat are deeply personal, but also connect us to a wide array of people, plants, animals, and landscapes around the world. Encompassing a diversity of scholarly approaches, the field of agroecology seeks to understand the interactions among these components, draw attention to the consequences of our present industrial food system, and create the conditions for more sustainable and just futures. In this course, students will learn about the science, practice, and social movement of agroecology through lectures, course discussions, field trips, and hands-on activities.

J.A.M: What Epiphyte Load And Frugivore Abundance In Ficus Species Can Tell Us About Disturbance Regimes In Tropical North Queensland, Jordan Trinidad

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The Wet Tropics Bioregion hosts a startling diversity of species, many of which are endemic and/or endangered. The habitats in which these species are found have been threatened by intensive logging post-European settlement, which has increased the susceptibility of the isolated remnant fragments to cyclone-related disturbances. In this study, we surveyed the visitation rates of frugivores to Ficus species between Cape Tribulation and Yungaburra in Northeast Queensland, Australia, as well as the epiphyte abundance supported by these trees. We found that in upland rainforest, the forces of cyclones and habitat fragmentation act in confluence on epiphyte abundance via the moderation …

Effects Of Provisioning On Two Species Of Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale Mareeba And Petrogale Assimilis) In North Queensland, Australia, Eve Oliker

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Provisioning, the act of providing food, water, or shelter to wild animals, can lead to habituation, resulting in changes in behavior, abundance, and distribution (Newsome & Rodger, 2008). In North Queensland, a colony of Mareeba rock-wallaby (Petrogale mareeba) at Granite Gorge has been provisioned for over 45 years, mainly through direct hand-feeding, while a group of allied rock-wallaby (Petrogale assimilis) in Magnetic Island has experienced shorter and less consistent provisioning. This study investigated whether long-term provisioning causes more severe behavioral changes, higher aggression, and larger aggregation sizes. Approximately one week was spent observing each population. Scan sampling was utilized to …

Habits And Habitats: Activity Budgets Of Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus) Across Varying Habitat Types And Environmental Conditions In The Hobart Rivulet, Wyatt Nowacek

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The habitat preferences and activity budgets of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) was recorded in the Hobart Rivulet in Hobart, Tasmania. Twenty-three sites were sampled for platypus presence over 21 days for a total of 784 surveys at various times between 6:00 and 20:00 during which current weather and river conditions were recorded. Fifty-eight platypuses were observed, and their behaviors were recorded in 15-minute periods for a total 5.86 hours of behavioral data. During observations the type and duration of their behaviors was recorded. The habitat assessment at the sites included factors that may impact platypus occurrence, behavior, or abundance such as …

Why Antimicrobial Resistance Pipelines Fail On Cyanobacteria: What Custom Databases Reveal Instead, Maeve Musselman

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (C-HABs) are increasing as climate change and nutrient enrichment create favorable environments for cyanobacteria. Although bloom-forming cyanobacteria can persist in extreme and polluted conditions, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and metal resistance (MR) play significant roles in bloom persistence and response to treatments, both remain understudied. Currently, most AMR detection pipelines use clinical databases developed for human pathogens which routinely fail to detect resistance genes in environmental microbes. This study evaluated AMR and MR profiles in seven freshwater cyanobacteria using both clinical AMR pipelines (CARD, ResFinder, ARG-ANNOT) and a custom environmental resistance database specifically designed to include metal …

What’S On The Menu? An Observational Study Of The Predatory Ecology Of Pseudochromis Fuscus, Navya Mittal

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Understanding the foraging behaviour of small reef predators is important for determining how they influence reef fish and cryptobenthic community structure. This study examined the predatory behaviour of Pseudochromis fuscus, a mesopredatory reef fish known to consume high numbers of juvenile damselfish recruits. In contrast to previous studies, no successful captures of juvenile recruits were observed, despite numerous attempted strikes. Instead, benthic invertebrates appeared to be the primary food source across all three time periods examined (full moon, mass coral spawning, and new moon). Behavioural differences were observed among periods, with significantly higher pursuit attempts during the new moon, likely …