bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of saturated film densities and volumes for adsorbed hydrogen, and application to the calculation of the enthalpy of adsorption at room temperature
Authors:   , Knight Ernest William
Published: September 2024

The development of high-performance materials for hydrogen storage by physical adsorption requires understanding of detailed microscopic properties of the adsorbed film. In this work, we show that adsorbed hydrogen films in activated carbons have saturation densities [about]100 g/L, well in excess of liquid hydrogen, and remarkably independent of sample characteristics and temperature (a property of the adsorbate only). We propose a reliable method to determine the volume of the adsorbed film at cryogenic or room temperatures by extrapolation of the low-coverage adsorption isotherms using the Ono-Kondo model and the saturation film density as a fixed point. Remarkably, film volumes are only [about]40 percent or [about]12 percent of the total pore volume at 77 K and 296 K, respectively (the reduction of pore volume with temperature is explained in terms of population of adsorption sites of different depths). By reliably determining the film volume, absolute adsorption isotherms for an activated carbon are calculated at 273 K and 296 K and used with the Clausius-Clapeyron relation to obtain the enthalpy of adsorption (8.3 kJ/mol, within 1.2 percent agreement of the low-coverage cryogenic determination for the same adsorbent, in concordance with the fact that at high temperatures deeper adsorption sites are dominant). This methodology should facilitate reliable calculations of the enthalpy of adsorption for room temperatures for weakly adsorbing gases. This report presents the first investigation of a 5.3-liter tank, filled with 2.86 kg of University of Missouri monolithic carbon, under operation at 23 [degree]C (room temperature), 0 [degree]C (ice bath), and -79 [degree]C (dry-ice bath) and pressures 0-100 bar. Storage and fast charge/discharge data, including temperature and pressure profiles as a function of time are reported. These storage data agree within 2 percent of small-scale measurements on the commercial instrument, Hiden HTP1-V. Remarkably, the tank can be filled in 3-5 minutes, the DOE target for 2020 and later. The table below shows that there is a large temperature rise and drop, of 30-50 [degree]C, during filling and discharging even at room temperature. These are unexpectedly large temperature excursions because binding of H[2] on carbon, with a typical heat of adsorption of 5.0 kJ/mol (H[2] on graphite), is considered weak and a source of major temperature excursions only at liquid nitrogen temperature. It shows, as expected, that equilibration is faster at high temperature than at low temperature.
Iron homeostasis is hierarchically regulated by multiple inputs : evidence for the role of reactive oxygen species and iron-zinc cross talk
Authors:   , McInturf Samuel Alonzo
Published: September 2024

Iron (Fe) is a heavy metal micronutrient vital for all forms of life. In plants, Fe deficiency results in chlorosis and reduced growth, while Fe excess results in lipid peroxidation through the generation of reactive oxygen species. Hence, Fe homeostasis must be tightly regulated. Plants have been shown to use multiple sensing mechanisms to regulate whole plant Fe demand (systemically) and at through protein level changes at the root epidermis (locally). The companion cell of the phloem has recently been strongly implicated as the site of systemic Fe sensing. In this work I demonstrate that leaves and roots are subject to multiple regulatory inputs which modulate Fe dependent gene expression in a hierarchical fashion, and was able to separate these responses into reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent and independent groups. Excess heavy metal has been shown to generate ROS, hence plants must also balance relative abundances of each heavy metal to prevent deficiency/toxicity. We identified bZIP23, which was previously described as an inducer of Zn uptake, as a likely candidate to mediate the mediate Fe-Zn crosstalk through the characterization of the double mutant bzip23-1/opt3-2 which suppresses opt3 dependent induction of Fe deficiency responses, likely by directly regulating the Fe uptake machinery. To facilitate the identification of time dependent changes in root growth phenotypes, such as under heavy metal stress, I designed and constructed a Small Plant Imaging Platform (SPIP) which able to capture high quality images for automated time course analysis which we aim to distribute throughout the plant science community. Finally, I have performed the two complementary experiments to first identify Fe dependent changes in gene translation in companion cells which is paired with the identification of transcription factor which directly regulate OPT3. Initial results indicate a novel mechanism of Fe release from the cell wall in the leaf vasculature during Fe deficiency, and implicate transcription factors known to mediate Fe deficiency responses as being responsible for the rapid induction of OPT3 upon Fe deficiency.
Optimal design of the limb in compound bows
Authors:   , Bott Szilard
Published: September 2024

Most of the emphasis in research on compound bows was done on the kinetic analysis of the cam mechanics and their optimization. When the mechanics of the limbs are considered, many assumptions are made, and mostly experimental data are used. There is not an analytical model that provides a method for the design of the limb. A mathematical model is presented in this paper, which can accurately determine the deflection of the limb, the stored strain energy, and the stress in the material. While calculating these values, many parameters are considered which makes the model a realistic representation for the bow limb analysis. These parameters include the pre-strained condition of the limb in un-drawn state, the angle of the force acting on the tip of the limb, the characteristics of composite materials used in bows, and the variable cross section of the limb beam. The numerical model is programmed in Octave and the results are compared with a finite element analysis model in Ansys to show its accuracy. An optimization problem is set up to obtain the optimum design variables for the beam. The objective is to maximize the stored energy in the limb at its full-drawn position. It is shown that a beam with a variable cross section of a polynomial gives the maximum stored energy, and the optimum parameters are obtained. In another optimization problem, different composite materials are compared according to their characteristics to show which provides the best properties. While all materials will result in the same strain energy, the compared properties are cost and weight. The data used in the optimization are taken with respect to measurements on real bows.
How media and communication graduates find jobs
Authors:   , Cahn Lu Ann
Published: September 2024

With rising college student debt, questions about the return on investment for a degree in media and communication and perceived instability in the industry, students want to know how they will find jobs before loans are due. This small qualitative study explored successful job search strategies, behaviors, and characteristics of media and communication students who found full-time jobs in their field of study within three months of graduation and before 50 percent of their fellow graduates. The researcher interviewed in depth 11 "super graduates" with undergraduate four-year degrees earned from one urban, public, east coast media and communication college. Findings reveal that all participants leaned heavily on strong networks, mentors, and social capital to pave the way to their first job out of school. In addition, the study finds that participants, had proactive characteristics, focused early on their major, developed industry desired skills, had at least one internship, gained experience interviewing, and were involved in campus organizations. The study supports literature on the positive influence of mentors, social capital, and networking during college years to successfully launch a career, as well as the usefulness of LinkedIn. Implications include the need to educate media and communication students as early as possible about how to develop mentor relationships, networking skills, find internships, and the value of campus activities and career-related experiences.
Understanding patterns and motivations of women using Facebook for birth control information
Authors:   , Day Ashton
Published: September 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the patterns and motivations for women to use Facebook for information on birth control. Methods: A quantitative study was conducted among women between the ages of 18 and 44, who self-identified as birth control and Facebook users. Both a uses and gratifications approach and risk information seeking and processing model were used. Participants were recruited through email and social media. Data collected from the online survey was analyzed. Results: Findings indicated that some women do use Facebook as a source for birth control information, however not a significant amount. Women were more likely to have Facebook friends post their experiences about birth control on Facebook, rather than seek out information or post their own experiences. These findings show that conversations are happening on this social media platform. Type of content and source of the post were found to affect the way women interpret birth control information. News sources were found to be least trustworthy, while health-related organizations were most trustworthy. Negative content posted by a friend sources was found to be more trustworthy than positive information. Age and income level were found to affect if women used Facebook to seek birth control information and how they interpreted such information. Conclusion: Health professionals may be able to communicate with women more effectively about birth control by using Facebook. Recommendations including creating strategic plans that combat misinformation and encouraging organizations to join the conversation online are made that may improve access to reliable information and change health behavior.
Cultural cognition : the epistemic function of worldviews
Authors:   , Jimenez Tyler
Published: September 2024

Cultural worldviews -- shared, symbolic systems of meaning that render life interpretable -- provide a great deal of knowledge about the world. Thus, the validity of one's worldview may affect the need to think. The present study (n = 431) used a 2(mortality salience vs. control) x 3(worldview threat vs. worldview affirmation vs. control) design to examine the tendency to engage in critical thinking from a terror management perspective. It specifically addressed whether, when reminded of mortality or not, threatening and affirming cultural worldviews would affect need for cognition. The result provided partial support for the hypotheses. In contrast to predictions, when death was made salient, whether one's worldview was affirmed or threatened had no effect on need for cognition. Conversely, when death was not made salient, a worldview threat led to higher need for cognition than both a worldview affirmation and neutral stimuli. Though limited, the present study contributes to our knowledge on the epistemic function of worldviews.
Social media use during power outage events
Authors:   , Politano Anna
Published: September 2024

This study explores how consumers use social media networking sites during power outage events. Using a qualitative research lens, the study explores consumer motivation as it relates Uses and Gratifications theory as well as the growing reliance on social media channels for information as it relates to the Information Society theory. The study employs two methodologies for the research: consumer focus groups and textual analysis of Facebook posts related to outages and of industry survey reports. This body of research seeks to learn how consumers utilize social networking sites during power outage situations. The study draws from research of communications scholars who previously addressed crisis communications, new media use and the motivations that cause individuals to consume information via interactive and real-time communication mediums such as social networking sites. Of notable relevance, the study draws implications for electric utilities and their engagement and communication with the consumers they serve. The research is structured to provide an overview of applicable theory and related literature, offer a comprehensive review of the methods, provide analysis of results and discuss answers to the research questions and meanings derived from the research as well as limitations and opportunities for future research.
"Using stereotypy as reinforcement" : for alternative behavior in a chained schedule
Authors:   , Johnson Katherine
Published: September 2024

Some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage in stereotypy, or repetitive behavior typically maintained by automatic reinforcement. Chronic stereotypy, especially at high frequencies, can interfere with learning and cause social stigmatization. Response blocking and response interruption and redirection (RIRD) have been found to be effective for reducing motor and vocal stereotypy. Previous literature has evaluated stereotypy as reinforcement for alternative behaviors, such as functional play or work tasks. The current study sought to replicate and extend previous studies by evaluating the effectiveness of a chained schedule on gaining stimulus control over stereotypy and increasing the complexity of alternative behaviors. Preliminary results indicate that chained schedules are effective at reducing stereotypy during the s-delta and increasing the complexity of alternative behaviors. These results emphasize the importance of providing contingent access to stereotypy when attempting to gain stimulus control over stereotypy.
Modeling pedestrian crash severity in St. Louis using random forests and mixed logit techniques
Authors:   , Afzali Mohebullah
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The pedestrian-vehicle crashes in the City of St. Louis is a major concern due to the high magnitude of injuries and fatalities compared to Missouri's statewide collisions. Thus, there is a need to identify and prioritize the correlates of injury severities both in the collision data and the neighborhood environment surrounding every crash location. This research: (1) employed a comprehensive data collection effort to link the neighborhood environment with the crash data using the ArcGIS package; (2) gathered the built environment data inside three separate buffers with radius of 500 ft, 1000 ft, and 1500 ft from the collision; (3) screened the most significant variables using random forests and stepwise logistic regression; and (4) modeled three binary mixed logit models for the aforementioned buffers and a single model for the police data. The goodness of fit for both training and validations sets suggest that the 500 ft is superior compared to the other models. The results elucidate that the evening off-peak time crash is the most significant random variable which increases the odds of severe crashes (disabling and fatal) by 28.023 percent. The rest of the variables follow the order as follows: network connectivity (21.241 percent); speed involvement (12.767 percent); morning peak time (7.963 percent); elderly pedestrians beyond 65 years old (6.527 percent); old pedestrians from 45 to 65 years old (6.342 percent); male drivers ( 4.232 percent); and AADT (3.529 percent) . This research carries out the first effort to identify the correlates of injury severities in the City of St. Louis and is a milestone toward identifying and mitigating the potential risks of the pedestrian-vehicle collisions in this city.
Characterizing variable patterns of disease onset and progression in a mouse model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Authors:   , Andel Ellyn Marie
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The goal of the current study was to characterize the anatomical site(s) of onset (i.e., specific limb or craniofacial region) and pattern of disease progression in the LCN-SOD1 mouse model of ALS in order to establish a clinical phenotype classification scheme for this model. Secondary goals included determining whether clinical phenotype is inherited, and if mice with forelimb impairment had more severe dysphagia than mice with hindlimb impairment. To do this, we studied one ALS-affected male breeder and all of his offspring from 4 months of age (presymptomatic) until disease end-stage (i.e., 20 percent body weight loss). Limb function was assessed weekly via walking corridor and clinical scoring tests. Bulbar function was assessed via monthly videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) testing and weekly tongue force testing using a force lickometer. Results from monthly data illustrated that impairment in lick rate, obtained during VFSS, was the earliest clinical sign of ALS onset, followed by limb impairment as perceived though clinical scoring. In addition, we were able to classify three distinct phenotypes from one breeder, indicating that clinical phenotype is not inherited. Finally, no significant difference was found in severity of dysphagia between the three patterns of limb impairment onset and progression, however mice with forelimb onset did have more severe foraging impairment in their home cage at 20 percent body weight loss than their hindlimb onset counterparts. This study provides valuable insight in to the early clinical symptoms (spinal versus bulbar), anatomical disease spread, heritability of limb phenotype, and severity of dysphagia in ALS.
Use of patient generated health data in ischemic heart disease
Authors:   , Shahreen Maniza
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Health care technologies are constantly being improved to provide the best care for the patients. Health care services around the world is having an increasing number of patients with various clinical complexity or chronic diseases. Many of the patients need regular feedback and/or guidelines from their providers based on the complexity of their health condition. Nowadays many patients are using various devices to self-monitor their day to day health conditions like blood pressure, blood glucose, pulse rate etc. Health data generated by patients at home can be a good source of information for clinical decision-making process. These data can be accessible to the providers through systems like EMR, thus allowing them to act on any severe conditions, change/provide medications as needed. However, we know very little about the use of patient generated health data at the point-of-care. The purpose of this research is to understand the state-of-the-art of using patient generated data for clinical decision making. This will create the framework for studying patients and providers perspective on the meaningful use of patient generated health data.
Pro-environmental behaviors, sustainable advertising, and persuasion theory : a qualitative study on brands as an gent of change
Authors:   , Frieseke Michael
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this study was to explore existing research on sustainable advertising and pro-environmental behaviors through a persuasion theory lens. Climate scientists agree: current consumption rates are a human activity that impact climatewarming trends. Therefore, sustainability in advertising, behavior, and consumption are potential human activities that can help reverse this trend. This study sought to add to the body of knowledge on the application of persuasion theory on pro-environmental behaviors and sustainable advertising by exploring green demarketing's potential as a sustainable advertising appeal. Green demarketing encourages reduced consumption for the sake of the environment. This study produced deeper insights into 18- to 24-yearolds' attitudes, processing and behaviors in regard to green demarketing appeals. The research found that persuasion theory can recognize and measure the drivers of behavioral change in green demarketing appeals; that 18- to 24-year-old individuals want to engage in green demarketing appeals; and that green demarketing is a valid sustainable advertising strategy. Bringing initial in-depth understandings to green demarketing as a strategy of sustainable advertising provided empirical evidence for the need for more research into the intersection of green demarketing, mindful consumption and sustainability.
Examining the effectiveness of a variable momentary differential reinforcement of other behavior procedure on reduction and maintenance of problem behavior
Authors:   , Hamilton Kyle
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] In this study, experimenters evaluated the effectiveness of variable momentary differential reinforcement of other behavior (VM DRO) schedules in the reduction and maintenance of problem behavior. Two individuals who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder participated. Results of functional analyses indicated that problem behavior for both participants was maintained by social-positive reinforcement. VM DRO was effective at reducing one participant's problem behavior. Fixed interval differential reinforcement of other behavior (FI DRO) was effective at reducing the other participant's problem behavior, and VM DRO failed to maintain the results produced by the FI DRO procedure. These findings suggest that VM DRO may not be effective at reducing problem behavior for all individuals and that outcomes may be idiosyncratic. More evidence is needed to determine the effects of VM DRO as a maintenance procedure for other DRO procedures.
An ERP investigation of cognitive control in bilinguals
Authors:   , Johnson Jacklyn
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Bilingualism is known to impact both language processing and cognitive abilities. The effects on cognitive abilities have been found to be generally positive suggesting that bilinguals have better cognitive control relative to monolinguals. The present study evaluated the time course of attentional control, specifically, conflict resolution in bilinguals and monolinguals. Bilinguals and English monolingual controls performed a Flanker task, while their behavioral (response times, accuracy rates) and electrophysiological responses were recorded on each trial. Participants exhibited the standard behavioral effect on the Flanker task: slower and less accurate responses to incongruent than congruent trials. The electrophysiological data showed that participants also exhibited larger N2 and P3 mean amplitudes to incongruent relative to congruent trials. No group differences were detected in behavioral performance. The electrophysiological data revealed that while both groups exhibited a larger N2 response to incongruent trials, the P3 response extended over a longer time window for monolinguals than bilinguals. The results are interpreted as suggesting that bilinguals may be more efficient in resolving conflict than monolinguals. Since this difference in performance is masked in behavioral data, the study also suggests that the elusive bilingual advantage may be best captured by fine-grained measures of processing rather than button-press behavioral measures.
Novel DNA Adducts- Chemical Reactions that Model the Generation of interstrand cross-links between a Guanine Residue and a 3'-alkenal end product in duplex DNA
Authors:   , Ahire Deepak Suresh
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Modification of DNA by chemicals produced lethal biological effects such as carcinogenesis, cytotoxicity, etc. Abasic site (Ap site) can form the interstrand DNA-DNA cross-links (ICLs) with dA and dG on the opposite DNA strand. Ap site generates 3'- alkenal site in DNA by enzymatic hydrolysis. Spermine mediated strand cleavage of an Ap site in duplex DNA generates the 3'-alkenal group which forms the ICLs with adenine/guanine residue on the opposing DNA strand. But the detailed chemical structure of 3'-alkenal reaction with adenine/guanine residue was not yet established. The results here shed light on the chemical structure of ICLs generated from 3'-alkenal reaction with guanine residue. Here, we carried out the synthesis of nucleoside models that can react with dG and detailed spectroscopic structure elucidation of compound 3. Liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) helped in the determination of mass spectral properties, retention time and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis revealed the chemical connectivity of the compound 3.
A specificity principle of memory : evidence from aging and associate memory
Authors:   , Greene Nathaniel R.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The ability to remember associations among components of an event lies at the core of episodic memory (Tulving, 1983), and this ability declines with normal aging (Naveh-Benjamin, 2000). In accord with the specificity principle of memory (Surprenant & Neath, 2009), age-related declines in associative memory may occur because tasks of associative memory require individuals to retrieve specific information, which is liable to induce forgetting, and older adults may be impaired in their ability to either encode (e.g., Craik & Byrd, 1982) or retrieve specific information (Craik, 2006; Luo & Craik, 2009). Guided by this principle, we endeavored to determine whether ubiquitous age-related deficits in associative memory are restricted to specific bounded representations or extend also to the gist of associations. In two experiments, young and older adult participants (30 each in Experiment 1, 40 each in Experiment 2) studied face-scene pairs and were administered associative recognition tests following variable delays. Whereas both young and older adults could retrieve associations at gist levels of representation, older adults were impaired in their ability to retrieve more specific levels of representation. Further, in Experiment 2, we found that associations could be retrieved from multiple levels of specificity, suggesting that episodic memory might be accessed on a continuum of specificity, with age-related impairments in retrieval restricted to more specific levels.
BTrCP is required for HIV-1 Vpu modulation of CD4, GaLV Env, and BST-2/Tetherin
Authors:   , Cyburt Daniel
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu modulates numerous proteins, including the host proteins CD4 and BST-2/tetherin. Vpu interacts with the Skp, Cullin, F-Box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase through interactions with the F-Box protein [beta] TrCP (1 and/or 2). This interaction is dependent on phosphorylation of S52,56 in Vpu. Mutation of S52,56, or inhibition of the SCF abolishes most Vpu activity against CD4 and partly reduces activity against BST-2/tetherin. Recently, Vpu has also been reported to interact with the clathrin adapter proteins AP-1 and AP-2, and these interactions were also found to be required for BST-2/tetherin antagonism in an S52,56 -dependent manner. In assays where HIV-1 is pseudotyped with gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV Env), Vpu has also been found to prevent GaLV Env from being incorporated into viral particles, but the mechanism for this antagonism is not fully understood. To clarify the role of the [beta] TrCPs in Vpu function we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a clonal cell line lacking both [beta] TrCP-1 and -2. Vpu activity against CD4 and GaLV Env was abolished in this cell line, and activity against BST-2/tetherin reduced significantly. Mutation of the S52,56 residues no longer affected Vpu activity against BST-2/tetherin in this cell line. These data suggest that the primary role of the S52,56 residues in antagonism of CD4, GaLV Env, and BST-2/tetherin is to recruit the SCF /[beta] TrCP ubiquitin ligase.
Systematic assessment of security, privacy and usability of virtual reality learning environment applications
Authors:   , Gulhane Aniket R.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Social Virtual Reality Environments is a new cloud computing based platform which integrates IoT to build applications in areas such as military, education, surgical training, etc. Although VR can be used for critical applications, it is important to ensure security, privacy and usability of the applications which has not been studied in depth. In this thesis, we explore new security and privacy issues in VR and their impact on overall quality of user experience. We also perform a usability study for a social VR application and show that VR based learning environment can be more effective than a traditional desktop-based environment. For systematic assessment, we propose a novel formal methods based framework to study these applications from security, privacy and usability perspectives. Our framework uses the UPPAAL tool to convert attack trees into Network of Stochastic Timed Automata (NSTA). Next, we use statistical model checking (UPPAAL SMC) to perform vulnerability assessment of the threats. Such an analysis helps us adopt pertinent design principles such as hardening, diversity and principle of least privilege to enhance the resilience of the VR systems.
Software automation for research and training in neuroscience
Authors:   , Wei Qinchen
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Research and training in neural science and engineering is increasingly becoming data-intensive due to the need to integrate and analyze voluminous data being generated at multiple levels including intracellular, cellular, systems, behavior and clinical levels. Effective research also requires the need to access multi-omics data archives, heterogeneous software and computing resources, and seek multi-site interdisciplinary expertise, e.g., engineering, biology and psychology. All this, together with the fact that neuroscience researchers in general lack the background in advanced software tools, makes it important to develop automated and easy to use software tools to aid in both research and teaching in neuroscience. This research proposes software automation tools at both single cell and network levels using several methods. We then use the tools to solve one of the real-world problems involving the coordination of brain waves between two cortical regions.
Effects of local sequence on the formation of interstrand DNA cross-links derived from the reaction of an abasic site with a cytosine residue on the opposing strand
Authors:   , Pierce Luke Edward
Published: September 2024

DNA Interstrand Cross-Links are of special concern due to the difficulty of repair and cytotoxicity of cells associated with these lesions. Interstrand Cross-Links between abasic sites and native nucleobases has shown promise in recent years. A new type of Interstrand Cross-Link between an abasic site and a cytosine residue has shown capability of forming when placed under specific conditions. A mismatched cytosine residue demonstrated cross-linking capabilities up to 69 percent in acidic conditions. Mismatches on flanking base pairs also showed increased cross-linking capabilities. Cross-linking is also observed under human physiological conditions, demonstrating this lesion's capability of forming in vivo. Further work in this line of DNA chemistry may result in increased biological relevance and advances in understanding this type of DNA damage.
Effects of late gestational copper, zinc, and manganese source and inclusion in beef cattle
Authors:   , Stephenson Emma Lucile
Published: September 2024

A study was conducted to determine the effects of source and inclusion of Cu, Zn, and Mn during late gestation on cow and calf mineral status, fetal growth, and offspring immune function and pre-weaning performance. Cows received 1 of 4 treatment during late gestation: no additional Cu, Zn, and Mn (CON), inorganic trace minerals to supply 133 percent of recommendations (ITM), chelated trace minerals to supply 133 percent of recommendations (CTM), or both inorganic and chelated trace minerals to supply 100 percent of recommendations (RR). Cows fed CTM had greater post-calving liver Cu and colostrum yield and lactose. Gestational trace mineral treatment did not affect fetal growth; however, the inclusion of chelated Cu, Zn, and Mn in the maternal diet resulted in greater neonatal calf liver Cu. Calves born to cows fed RR tended to have less liver Mn than all other treatments. Calf plasma Zn was maintained from 0 to 48 h of age in ITM and CTM calves but decreased during that period in CON and RR. Calf serum immunoglobulins at 48 h of age were not affected by treatment. Also at 48 h of age, an ex vivo whole blood stimulation assay using Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists to determine immune responsiveness was utilized for a subset of calves. The inclusion of chelated trace mineral in the diet during late gestation resulted in greater mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1[beta] and 8, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase, in calf whole blood when exposed to TLR agonists. In conclusion, gestational trace mineral supply did not alter fetal growth or passive transfer, but these data indicate that late gestational supply of chelated trace minerals improves cow and calf Cu status, neonatal calf Zn metabolism, and calf innate immune responsiveness to bacterial pathogens.
The brown adipose tissue phenoype : metabolic implications
Authors:   , Winn Nathan C.
Published: September 2024

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The prevailing dogma is that thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) contributes to improvements in glucose homeostasis in obesogenic animal models; though, much of the evidence supporting this premise is from thermostressed rodents. Thus, whether modulation of the BAT phenotype drives changes in glucoregulation at thermoneutrality requires further investigation. Here, we utilized loss and gain of function approaches including genetic manipulation of the rate-limiting lipolytic enzyme Pnpla2, change in environmental temperature, and lifestyle interventions (i.e., diet and physical activity) to comprehensively test the premise that a thermogenic-like BAT phenotype is coupled with enhanced glucose tolerance in C57BL/6J female mice. In contrast to this hypothesis, we found that: (i) compared to thermoneutral mice (i.e., 28 [degrees] C), enhanced sympathetic activation of BAT and its thermogenic phenotype (i.e., increased uncoupling protein 1, cold tolerance, and BAT respiration) via mild cold stress (i.e., 20 [degrees] C) does not improve glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice; (ii) genetic silencing of the Pnpla2 in interscapular BAT causes a brown-to-white like phenotypic shift but does not disturb glucose tolerance in lean mice; (iii) genetic upregulation of Pnpla2 in BAT enhances markers of BAT function but does not improve glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice; and (iv) voluntary wheel running and a low-fat diet improves glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice but these effects do not track with a thermogenic BAT phenotype. Collectively, these findings indicate that a thermogenic-like BAT phenotype is not linked to heightened glucose tolerance in mice.
Investigation of the effects of body type on accelerometer based fall detection
Authors:   , Kurkowski Samantha
Published: September 2024

Precision or personalized medicine follows the idea that analyzing a patient's genome can help stratify patients into treatment groups. Patients with cancer, for example, are split into groups based on the genetic make-up, rather than the location, of their tumor and given medicine that corresponds to their specified treatment group. Instead of prescribing the same medicine for all patients with lung cancer, doctors are able to personalize treatment based on a person's genetics. Could fall detection algorithms benefit from this type of personalized approach? This project analyzes accelerometer data containing falls and activities of daily living gathered from 16 stunt actors and 20 elderly volunteers as well as 22 falls from the FARSEEING dataset with the goal of discovering whether algorithms personalized to a person's physiological features (such as height or weight) perform better than the traditional generalized approach. This thesis demonstrates that personalized algorithms can potentially make fall detection more efficient for some people. The unscripted test results show that the algorithms personalized to build and weight, decreased false alarms in several participants as compared to the overall algorithm. The FARSEEING data results show that algorithms, personalized to weight and sex, may increase the efficiency and accuracy of fall detection algorithms. An analysis of which physiological factors help determine whether a person needs a personalized or a general algorithm is needed to determine whether or not personalized algorithms make economic sense.
Impact of Management and Nutrition on HSP70 Gene Expression in Heat-stressed Dairy Cows
Authors:   Department of Animal Nutrition, Rearing and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran., Molaee Berneti Pourya , Mahdavi Ali ,   Department of Animal Nutrition, Rearing and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran., Chashnidel Yadollah ,   Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran., Yousefi Mohammad Hasan ,   Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran., Narenji Sani Reza ,   Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran., Farhadi Ayoub ,   Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran.
Published: September 2024

Background: This research investigated the effects of management and nutrition strategies on dairy cows under heat stress. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effects of zinc mineral supplementation and mist spray, alone and in combination, on yield, milk production and composition, blood parameters and HSP70 gene expression in dairy cows. Methods: Sixteen Holstein lactating cows were used for our experiment in four treatment groups: Basal diet without heat stress alleviation methods (control), zinc supplementation in diet, basal diet and application of mist spray method and supplementation of zinc in basal diet with mist spray. We measured milk production and composition, blood parameters and HSP70 gene expression in all cows. Results: The results showed that the cows in the mist and zinc+mist treatments had significantly better performance and temperature-humidity index than the control group. The milk yield and its compounds were significantly affected by experimental treatments, with the best results seen in the treatment with both spray and zinc. The cows exposed to dry and lactation periods showed a significant increase in the concentration of blood biochemical factors and antioxidant indices in response to heat stress. HSP70 gene expression was significantly decreased in all treatments compared to the control. Conclusion: This experiment suggests that applying nutritional and management strategies can effectively mitigate the effects of heat stress on dairy cows. The study recommends using zinc supplementation and mist spray to alleviate heat stress effectively. Overall, this study highlights the importance of implementing management and nutrition strategies to improve the welfare and productivity of dairy cows under heat stress.
Effects of the Slow-release Curcumin-loaded Selenium Nanoparticles on Experimental Peritonitis
Authors:   Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran., Kaboutari Jahangir , Ghorbani Maryam ,   Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran., Karimi Behnaz ,   Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran., Javdai Moosa ,   Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran., Khosraviyan Pegah ,   Medicinal Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Published: September 2024

Background: New pharmaceutical forms of natural compounds such as curcumin can be an effective intervention to control peritonitis and abdominal adhesion. Objectives: This study investigates the effects of slow-release curcumin-loaded selenium nanoparticles (Cur@S.N) on some inflammatory biomarkers in experimental peritonitis. Methods: After synthesizing selenium nanoparticles (S.N) and (Cur@S.N), experimental peritonitis was surgically induced in 80 adult male rats. The control group received no treatment, whereas the other groups received single intraperitoneal doses of 0.25 mg/kg S.N, 50 mg/kg curcumin, and 0.25+50 mg/kg (Cur@S.N). Blood malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) were measured on days 3, 7 and 14, and also intra-abdominal adhesion assessment was done. Results: On day 3, NO levels in all treatment groups significantly decreased (P>0.05), while the lowest level was seen on day 14 in the S.N group (P˂0.05). MDA was significantly lower in the S.N and Cur@S.N groups than in the control on days 3, 7 and 14 (P˂0.05). TNF-α levels in S.N and Cur@S.N groups were significantly lower than in the control group on day 3 (P≤0.05). Meanwhile, the S.N group had the lowest level on day 14. IL-6 significantly decreased on days 3 and 7 in the Cur@S.N and curcumin groups compared to the control group (P˂0.05). Conclusion: Cur@S.N group possesses significant anti-inflammatory efficacy by reducing MDA, NO, IL-6 and TNF-α, decreasing peritonitis and intra-abdominal adhesion.
Aspiration From Dysphagia Associated With the Presence of Pantoea agglomerans in a Horse
Authors:   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Mondo Elisabetta , Rinnovati Riccardo ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Scarpellini Raffaele ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Illuzzi Alessandro ,   Equivet Roma Hospital, Rome, Italy., Giacometti Federica ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Savini Federica ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Tomasello Federico ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy., Piva Silvia ,   Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Published: September 2024

Pantoea agglomerans is a gram-negative bacterium that usually lives in symbiosis in soil and plants. However, it may also lead to serious diseases in plants, animals and humans. We describe a case of aspiration from dysphagia associated with the isolation of P. agglomerans in a horse admitted to an Italian hospital. The patient was presented to the hospital for the onset of chronic cough after an acute episode of pulmonary hemorrhage during a race recorded two months before and was treated with dexamethasone and penicillin. The cough was accentuated during meals, leading to a suspicion of aspiration from dysphagia. A bronchoalveolar lavage was collected, and cytological examination showed the presence of vegetable fibers, rod bacteria, and a high macrophage population (89%). From the tracheal wash collected for bacteriological culture, P. agglomerans was isolated in monoculture, and the antimicrobial susceptibility test revealed that the isolate was susceptible to all tested antimicrobials except sulfonamide. The horse recovered well after 10 days of enrofloxacin treatment. The present report highlights the role of P. agglomerans as an opportunistic respiratory pathogen in horses, especially in the presence of plants or their parts.
Garlic Powder Supplementary Diet Prevents Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome by Reducing Apoptosis in Broiler Chickens
Authors:   Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran., Zarei Hamed , Tajik Amir ,   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Garmsar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran.
Published: September 2024

Background: Pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) is a metabolic disorder presenting with cardiopulmonary symptoms. However, garlic powder (GP) is used to treat many diseases, such as heart and lung diseases. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of GP supplementary diet on apoptosis and right ventricle hypertrophy in broiler chickens with PHS. Methods: Ninety meat-type chickens were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, PHS and PHS+GP. The PHS was induced by triiodothyronine (T3) in broiler chickens, and GP was added to the ration after week 1 of rearing (PHS+GP). Then, lung and ventricle tissues were collected at 21 and 49 days of age. PHS was calculated at 21 and 49 days based on the ratio of the right ventricle to the total ventricles (RV/TV) weight index. Gene expression of caspase1 (CASP1) and caspase1 (CASP2) were evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in the lungs and right heart ventricles. Results: The findings showed that right ventricular hypertrophy increased at day 49 in the PHS group compared to sham (P<0.001), while garlic consumption decreased this ratio to the control level (P<0.05). Also, the expression of CASP1 and CASP2 in the lungs elevated on day 49 (P<0.001), and the GP diet prevented this increase (P<0.05). Moreover, in the right ventricle tissue, PHS affected CASP1 on days 21 and 49, although the expression of CASP2 significantly increased just at day 49 in the PHS group (P<0.001). This increase in both times was weakened by garlic consumption (P<0.05). Conclusion: Consuming garlic as a dietary supplement could prevent PHS by influencing apoptosis in the lung and heart of broilers.