Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Bridge Grate And Pipe Cattle Guard Designed To Mitigate Ocelot Road Mortality On Texas State Highway, Rupesh Maharjan, John H. Young Jr., Kevin W. Ryer, Md. Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The mitigated and fenced section of State Highway 100, extending from Laguna Vista to Los Fresnos, includes five wildlife crossing structures and 16 modified cattle guards (also called wildlife guards) installed to mitigate ocelot road mortality. Bridge grate and pipe wildlife guards were deployed at vehicle entries, and we evaluated their effectiveness in preventing meso-carnivores and ungulates from entering the roadway through the fence gaps from April 2020 to 2024. Wildlife guards collectively were >82% effective in repelling ungulate attempts to enter the roadway, while only 16.64% of meso-carnivore attempts were repelled. The pipe wildlife guard (PWG) design repelled 86.79% …

Harnessing Rice Glutelin And Chickpea Proteins Interactions To Enhance Functional And Nutritional Qualities Of Plant-Based Cheese, Nikitha Modupalli, Md Mahfuzur Rahman

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The recent demand for plant-based dairy alternatives has increased the focus on improving the organoleptic, and nutritional attributes of plant cheeses to match their dairy counterparts. This study aimed to develop a functional cheese using the synergistic interactions of rice glutelin and chickpea proteins to enhance both nutritional and textural properties. Functional characterization revealed that rice glutelin exhibited a higher water-holding capacity of 340 % and elevated solubility, while chickpea protein showed a superior oil-holding capacity of 550 % and higher surface hydrophobicity. Cheeses were prepared using a 40:60 blend of rice glutelin to chickpea protein, which yielded 21.3 % …

Genome Wide Association Study Of Psychosis Identifies African Enriched Variants In Ptprd And Tmem150c, Lerato Majara, Toni Boltz, Dickens Akena, Solomon Teferra, Symon Kariuki, Charles Newton, Dan Stein, Lukoye Atwoli, Zukiswa Zingela, Bizu Gelaye

Internal Medicine, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Valid And Accepted Novel Bacterial Taxa Isolated From Domestic Companion And Agricultural Animals Described In 2024, Sara D. Lawhon, Claire R. Burbick, Trinity Krueger, Elena Ruiz-Reyes, Ayden Wisney-Leonard, Mallory Lenmark, Erik Munson

Clinical Lab Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recognizing and updating bacterial names is key to communication between the veterinary clinical microbiology laboratory, veterinarians, and clients. Moraxella oculi sp. nov., distinct from Moraxella bovis and Moraxella bovoculi, was isolated from a cow with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis. Several respiratory pathogens were recognized, including Neisseria leonii sp. nov. described from rabbits, Mannheimia indoligenes sp. nov. described from cattle in Europe, and Moraxella haemolytica sp. nov. described from a goat in China. Stenotrophomonas forensis sp. nov. is a novel designation within the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex associated with isolates derived from horses. New additions to the Campylobacter genus included Campylobacter californiensis …

Chemistry And Biochemistry Affiliated Publications: Snapshot Of The Research Publications 2019-2024., Jeremy J. Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report highlights the chemistry and biochemistry faculty publications for the period 2019-2024. It includes tables identifying the types of publications, the characteristics of the authors, inter-departmental and external cooperation, summary of the citations of the publications, and the JCR ranking of the journals in which they published.

Growing South Dakota (Fall 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Mesonet at SDState: A benefit to every South Dakotan
[Page] 6 Governor’s Ag Ambassador — Glenn Muller
[Page] 8 Precision agriculture cooperative agreement signed with University of Debrecen
[Page] 10 Students experience international agriculture, culture in Vietnam, New Zealand
[Page] 12 Legen-dairy! SDSU students claim national judging awards
[Page] 13 SDSU Rodeo Team continues storied rodeo tradition at nationals
[Page] 14 SDSU wheat breeders helping feed the world
[Page] 20 SDSU drone holds promise for soil, leaf sampling
[Page] 22 Don't be a fish out of water
[Page] 24 A passion for academic advising
[Page] 25 One takeaway …

Impact Of A Focused Best Practice Workshop On Athletic Trainer Confidence, Jaclyn B. Arduini, Jennifer L. Volberding, Zachary A. Murray

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Athletic trainers are required to be proficient in emergency management skills, without review these skills may decay creating a potentially dangerous knowledge gap. Confidence measures of emergency management skills were taken before and after a workshop to determine if they changed due to the review of material. All 11 confidence measures increased post workshop, seven significantly, including rectal temperature, hemostatic agents, external hemostatic modalities, in-line stabilization, measurement and application of a cervical collar, football and other equipment removal. ATs should aim to incorporate emergency management review into continuing education choices.

Examining Burnout Among Athletic Trainers Employed In The College And Secondary School Settings, Stephanie M. Singe, Dayna Liu, Alexandrya Cairns

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Burnout continues to be an important concern for athletic trainers working traditional employment settings. The purpose of this study was to compare the secondary school and collegiate settings in relation to burnout. Both secondary school and collegiate athletic trainers participated in a self-reported, online cross-sectional design (Qualtrics) to collect data on their experiences with burnout. Data collection occurred during the second week of October 2023 and ceased during the early weeks of November. Collegiate athletic trainers reported moderate burnout overall (54.56 ±15.89) on the CBI whereas secondary school athletic trainers reported low burnout overall (46.67 ±16.57). On the personal-related burnout …

Use Of An Electronic Dynamometer Following Pitching To Identify Fatigue In Softball Pitchers, Bethany L. Hansberger, Peter Lisman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

This study used a case-series design to collect in-game fatigue measures for collegiate softball pitchers immediately after pitching during the competitive season. Five softball pitchers (age = 19.8 ± 1.5 years; height = 169.9±6.1 cm; body mass = 79.1±22.6 kg) from one Division I program were recruited. Isometric internal and external rotation, scaption, and grip strength measures were collected using an electronic dynamometer at the beginning and conclusion of the fall non-traditional season, and at the beginning of preseason in January. Strength measures were also obtained during the competitive season at the conclusion of pitching in a game and compared …

Suturing Education For Athletic Trainers: An Evidence-To-Practice Review, Morgan K. Webb, Brett T. Heim, Allyson E. Ritchey, Kenya Moore, Zachary K. Winkelmann

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Teaching suturing skills to medical students is a critical component of their education. Implementing suturing into a comprehensive framework is developed from how professors teach the skill. Suturing is a required skill by the General Medical Council that all medical students must have, and how it is being introduced to new students is changing. This review aimed to summarize different educational interventions and determine the most efficient and cost-effective way to teach future suturing skills. The original systematic review included 25 articles in the final data synthesis. Fourteen studies were randomized control trials, six were quasi-experimental, and five were observational. …

Hungry Minds: Analyzing The Impact Of Food Insecurity And Food Assistance Programs On Neurocognitive Development And Childhood Mental Health, Kayla A. Davenport

Senior Theses

Introduction: Food insecurity affects millions of children in the United States and is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for poor nutritional intake and adverse health outcomes. However, less is known about how the experience of food insecurity disrupts healthy development and well-being, particularly among American youth. This thesis had two aims: (1) to examine the relationship between household food insecurity and children’s neurocognitive and mental health outcomes and (2) to evaluate how major food assistance programs address, or fail to address, these developmental risks.

Methods: This thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, integrating a narrative literature review, a cross-sectional …

Cul3 Postnatal Homozygous Deletion In Forebrain Results In Behavioral Differences, Prathibha Sekar, Qiang‐Qiang Xia, Alex C. Stokes, Feiyu Quan, Jeffrey Singer, Craig M. Powell

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large-scale human genetic studies implicate multiple genes that regulate protein ubiquitination in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). De novo loss-of-function mutations in the gene CULLIN3 (CUL3) are implicated in autism and intellectual disability (ID). CUL3 is an essential component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex required for ubiquitination of substrates, often a signal for proteasomal degradation. Homozygous deletion of Cul3 is embryonically lethal. Recent studies show heterozygous deletion of Cul3 results in phenotypes with some face validity for autism in constitutive and conditional Cul3 heterozygotes. To understand the function of Cul3 in late postnatal development and function in the brain, we …

Exploring The Diversity And Biology Of Unique Giant Broad Host Range Bacteriophages In Natural Environments, Tannaz Mohammadi

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial interactions within the rhizosphere play a crucial role in shaping bacterial community diversity and function. To explore these dynamics, we isolated 21 bacterial strains from soil and plant root samples collected near Rocky Branch Creek on the University of South Carolina campus. Our findings revealed that a significant proportion of these bacteria are lysogenic for CbK-like phages belonging to the Dolichocephalovirinae subfamily. Additionally, we isolated free bacteriophages directly from the same soil samples and found them to be closely related to those harbored within lysogenic bacteria. Surprisingly, despite predictions of a narrow host range, most of these phages, both …

Unveiling Caulocovert: Conserved Phage And Gene Transfer Agent In Caulobacter, Talia Neco

Theses and Dissertations

Bacteriophage play an important role in bacterial evolution, population control, and horizontal gene transfer within microbial ecosystems. This study focuses on the discovery and characterization of Caulocovert, an active bacteriophage identified in multiple Caulobacter strains. Using genome annotation tools such as Artemis and Mauve, we identified multiple key phage genes, including the major capsid protein, head-tail connector, portal protein, and major tail protein. These phage genes are present in CB13 and several other strains, such as C. vibriodies CB15 and CB2, C. segnis CBR1, Caulobacter sp. FWC26, and the distantly related Caulobacter sp. D5 strain. The location of these genes …

Evaluating The Performance And Feasibility Of A Device-Agnostic Approach To Compare Raw Accelerometry And Hr Data From Consumer Wearables To Research Grade Devices In Young Adults, Candy Bryan Mrudula Yalla

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Wearable technologies are increasingly used to monitor physical activity and heart rate in both research and everyday settings. This study aimed to compare accelerometery and heart rate (HR) data from two consumer wearables Apple Watch Series 7 and Google Pixel Watch Series 2, with research-grade devices: the ActiGraph GT9X Link and ActiHeart 5.

METHODS: Twenty-four young adults aged 18–24 years (mean age = 22.4; 54.2% female) participated in a 90-minute activity protocol while wearing the devices. The protocol included structured tasks ranging from rest to vigorous intensity. Consumer wearables and ActiGraph were worn on the non-dominant wrist, and the …

Hcmv Infection Of Terminally Differentiated Neurons Disrupts Microtubule Organization, Resulting In Neurite Retraction, Jacob W. Adelman, Andrew T. Sukowaty, Kaitlyn J. Partridge, Jessica E. Gawrys, Allison Akins, Scott S. Terhune, Allison D. Ebert

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prolific human herpesvirus that infects most individuals by adulthood. While typically asymptomatic in adults, congenital infection can induce serious neurological symptoms, including hearing loss, visual deficits, cognitive impairment, and microcephaly in 10%–15% of cases. HCMV has been shown to infect most neural cells, with our group recently demonstrating this capacity in stem cell-derived forebrain neurons. Infection of neurons induces deleterious effects on calcium dynamics and electrophysiological function paired with gross restructuring of neuronal morphology. Here, we utilize an induced pluripotent stem cell-derived model of the human forebrain to demonstrate how HCMV infection induces syncytia, drives …

Memories Of Trees Past: Coexistence Implications Of Legacy Conspecific Density Dependence, Lukas J. Magee, Daniel J.B. Smith, David Bauman, Po-Ju Ke, Helene C. Muller-Laudau, Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira, Jessica Shue, David A. Orwig, Sean M. Mcmahon, Stephanie Bohlman, Raelene M. Crandall, Ben Weinstein, Sergio Marconi, Jeremy W. Lichstein, James F. Gillooly, Robert Bagchi, Joseph A. Lamanna, Daniel J. Johnson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The Janzen-Connell Hypothesis posits that plant species diversity is maintained by a reduction in seedling survival near living conspecific trees relative to heterospecifics–known as negative conspecific density dependence (CDD). CDD facilitates coexistence if stronger than heterospecific density dependence (HDD). However, whether and how long CDD persists after trees die is unknown. In a three-year study across three forests, we monitored seedling survival near living and dead trees, both conspecific and heterospecific, across a seven-year chrono-sequence since tree death. CDD persisted for at least 5 years after tree death (‘legacy CDD’), and most species showed stronger CDD relative to HDD through …

Dynamic Rewiring Of Microrna Networks In The Brainstem Autonomic Control Circuits During Hypertension Development In The Female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat, Alison Moss, Ankita Srivastava, Lakshmi Kuttippurathu, James S. Schwaber, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

We describe global microRNA (miRNA) changes in the central autonomic control circuits during the development of neurogenic hypertension. Using the female spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and the normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY), we analyzed the dynamic miRNA expression changes in three brainstem regions-the nucleus of the solitary tract, caudal ventrolateral medulla, and rostral ventrolateral medulla-as a time series beginning at 8 wk of age before hypertension onset through to extended chronic hypertension. Our analysis yielded nine miRNAs that were significantly differentially regulated in all three regions between SHR and WKY over time. We collated computationally predicted gene targets of these nine …

Sulforaphane And Non-Clustered Tumor/Non-Tumor Suppressor Micrornas Regulate Akt And Its Downstream Genes In Mda-Mb-231 Cancer Cells, Omobolanle David Garuba

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Cancer is a complex pathological condition characterized mainly by uncontrolled rapid cell divisions caused by several factors, which include genetics and environmental factors. Of all cancer types, breast cancer (BC) remains the second most diagnosed among women worldwide; thus, BC burden has become a global health issue. Of all known breast cancer subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the only primary subtype without effective therapy as a result of their lack of the essential estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) common to other BCs and are the usual therapeutic targets for treatment. …

Detection Of Microplastics In Household Dust From Suburban Texas And Toxicological Assessment Of Polystyrene Microparticles In Lung Epithelial Cells: Nf-Kb Pathway Activation And Inflammatory Responses, Nirupama Surubhotla

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Microplastics are emerging contaminants that have raised global concern due to their persistence, ubiquity, and potential impacts on human health. Indoor environments are increasingly recognized as significant sources of microplastic exposure through household dust inhalation. This study aimed to detect the presence of microplastics in household dust from suburban regions of Texas, USA, and to investigate the cytotoxic and inflammatory effects of polystyrene microparticles in a lung epithelial cell model (A549). Household dust samples were collected and analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, confirming the presence of a mixture of microplastics. To assess biological responses, A549 cells were exposed to defined sizes …

Curcumin And Compound-20 (A Synthetic Curcumin) Ameliorates Effects Of Acrolein In Rat Kidney By Improving Renal Autophagy, Sandra Isioma Erue

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Study aim is to determine the role of p38-MAPK/Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling in acrolein-induced kidney injury. Evaluate autophagy modulation and whether curcumin and Compound 20 mitigate acrolein-induced kidney injury by modulating p38-MAPK/Nrf2 and NF-κB pathways. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups (n = 5) for control and treatment. All rats were fasted for 4–5 hours daily throughout the 10-day study period. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were administered peanut butter, curcumin, or Compound-20 mixed with peanut butter via voluntary oral consumption, followed by intraperitoneal (IP) administration of acrolein. The animals were randomly divided into groups (n = 5) for control …

Hooks For Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4dee) Teaching With Differing Audiences Of Nonmajors, Sara E. Scanga, Vikki L. Rodgers, Loren B. Byrne, Justin R. St. Juliana, Jon M. Honea, Erica S. Tietjen, George Middendorf

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Nonmajors (i.e., undergraduate students not majoring in the natural sciences) constitute a majority of United States college graduates and are a large potential audience for courses with ecology content. However, nonmajors may be unmotivated to learn about ecology because they perceive it to be uninteresting and irrelevant to their everyday lives or career goals. Although the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework can be adapted for nonmajors courses as a starting point to improve student engagement, we suggest that nonmajors ecology instructors also use ecology hooks as effective gateways to 4DEE that will motivate and deepen student learning. Selecting and developing …

Investigating The Effect Of Gene Ncu07872 Deletion On Spore Killing By Neurospora Sk-3, Allison Rimmey

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

The selfish genetic element Spore killer-3 (Sk-3) is found in some Neurospora fungi. Sk-3 is considered selfish because it has evolved the capacity to bias its transmission to the next generation through spore killing. The mechanism of spore killing requires at least two genes, a gene that produces a resistance protein (an antidote) and a gene that produces a killer protein (a poison). The Sk-3 genetic element is millions of base pairs long and contains hundreds of genes. Although the antidote gene has been identified, the identity of the poison gene has remained elusive. Previous research has identified a DNA …

Cephalopod Consciousness: Asking The Right Questions, Gordon Burghardt

Animal Sentience

Jennifer Mather has provided a comprehensive and fascinating overview of the various cognitive accomplishments of cephalopods and their sensory, behavioral, and neurophysiological attributes. The advances in our understanding of a clade that has been separated from vertebrate evolution by well over half a billion years is a testament to advances in both methodology and the questions we now feel free to address. Mather embeds her review in the issue of consciousness, which is certainly a perennial issue in mental evolution, going back to Romanes and earlier. I argue that the term “consciousness” has such a checkered history and is used …

Understanding Animal Introductions And Welfare In Zoos: A Scoping Review, Claudia C. Martinez, Valerie James-Aldridge, Todd J. Mcwhorter, Eduardo J. Fernandez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Managing captive zoo species often requires modifying their social groups, but these changes can increase stress and aggression. Specifically, introductions of new animals to existing exhibits with established animals is commonplace, yet little has been published to systematically evaluate this process. This review used the PRISMA framework to evaluate published research on introductions of unfamiliar individuals in zoos, aquariums, and sanctuaries. Peer-reviewed studies from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were screened and extracted using Covidence software. Studies were included if they provided quantitative data and before-and-after comparisons. Of 25 studies meeting criteria, most focused on primates, especially western lowland …

Incorporating Balance Training Into Ankle Sprain Injury Prevention Programs: An Evidence-To-Practice Review, David Tomchuk, Jacob Meyer, Kyle Schneider, Ben Fox

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports and non-sporting activities. For patients, ankle sprains can result in multiple short and long-term hardships, such as financial burdens of evaluation and treatment, absenteeism from sport and physical activity, and diminished ankle and lower extremity function. However, athletic trainers and other stakeholders are also impacted by administrative and time burdens in caring for ankle sprains and how ankle sprains affect team dynamics and performance. The 2022 guiding systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of incorporating preventive balance training exercises on the incidence of ankle sprains in soccer athletes. The search performed …

Psychological And Psychosocial Effects Of Contemplative Practices In The Athletic Population: A Systematic Review, Victoria Baker, Emily Duckett, Alison Gardiner-Shires, Lindsey Keenan

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Mental health concerns in athletes are becoming a primary focus for institutions, companies, coaches, and more. An athlete carries an abundant load of stressors due to their lifestyle. The stressors can negatively impact an athlete by producing anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health concerns. Previous studies have found a connection between the use of contemplative practices on psychological and psychosocial effects in athletes, creating an opportunity to evaluate the research of contemplative practices in the athletic population. 5, 7, 8, 13-16 A systematic review was conducted using nine electronic databases. Seven studies were included in this review, each assessing …

Concurrent Acl And Medial/Lateral Meniscal Repair In A Collegiate Soccer Player: Disablement Model Case Study, Rebecca L. Perry, Angelica Alicea, Jeanette Welch, Carl White, Emily E. Hildebrand, Peter Lisman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

This case examines a 19-year-old female Division I collegiate soccer player who underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with medial and lateral meniscal repairs. Though meniscal tears often occur in conjunction with ACL injury, incidence of concurrent medial and lateral tears with presence of a displaced bucket-handle lesion is rare. This patient attempted to tackle an oncoming opponent in which contact caused forceful trunk rotation away from her planted right foot. Sideline evaluation revealed medial and posterior knee pain with active knee range of motion deficits. Further evaluation revealed apprehension and muscle guarding during Lachman’s, anterior drawer, and valgus stress …

Conservative Management Of Athletic Pubalgia In A Collegiate Beach Volleyball Athlete: A Case Study, Sydney F. Hendrick, Amy L. Fraley, Madison V. Kefferstan, Zachary K. Winkelmann

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

A 24-year-old female collegiate beach volleyball athlete experienced sharp pain in the pubis symphysis region after turning and running to reach a ball hit over her right shoulder. The patient was unable to move her lower extremities without extreme pain and required help off the court. She was referred to the student health center, where no initial imaging was performed. Differential diagnoses included osteitis pubis, abdominal strain, and athletic pubalgia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a small partial sports hernia with the shearing of the aponeurotic plate. The team physician recommended conservative management. The patient requested a consultation with a …

Improving The Discussion Of Suicide Prevention: A Quality Improvement Project, Chelsea Reynolds, Alyssa Zeitouni, Kathryn Stephenson

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among adolescents in the United States and the third leading cause of death in this age group worldwide.1,2 Suicide prevention is understandably a growing focus in pediatrics. Currently, at the Children’s Hospital Outpatient Clinic, that is staffed by pediatric resident physicians, suicidal ideation is screened for using a PHQ-9 screen. However, at the time this study was initiated and completed, the TEEN screen was utilized. After the screening is performed, regardless of type, it is up to the provider to address these findings in a safe and effective manner. The goal …