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SIMPLE ORGANIC FERTILIZER AMENDMENTS FOR FARMING IN DEGRADED SOILS: EFFECTS ON PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
Get PDFThe rapid loss of topsoil, biodiversity, and water quality across agricultural land in the United States and the industrialized world poses some of the most important risks to the future of global and domestic food security. Not only is arable land being lost at an unsustainable pace, but the average age of farmers has also steadily been rising due to a myriad of barriers young, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and beginning farmers face. In an attempt to address these issues, worm castings, bokashi tea, fish hydrolysate, and biochar were applied alone and in combination to an extremely degraded soil system at Northern Michigan University’s Agricultural Field Plot. These amendments can all be made with very limited monetary input while providing a significant amount of nutrients, and microbial diversity to the soil. Overall plant biomass, culturable microbial diversity, microbial functional diversity via community-level physiological profiling, soil water holding capacity, soil microbial carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and soil carbon dioxide fluxes were all hypothesized to respond significantly to applications of any of the treatments. The use of worm castings as a whole resulted in the most significant effects on plant performance, total microbial diversity, and soil water-holding capacity while worm castings in conjunction with biochar had even more significant positive effects on plant growth and soil water-holding capacity than any other treatment. These results suggest that these organic soil amendments can increase soil and plant health which provides a cost-effective strategy for both pre-existing and newly established agricultural areas
Purification and Characterization of an Anti-Basigin Monoclonal Antibody: Application to the Study of Human Uterine Cells and Tissues
Get PDFBetween 1990 and 2017, the global rate of female infertility increased by over 15% (Sun et al., 2019). An embryo\u27s failure to implant into the uterus is the primary cause of early pregnancy loss. Several studies have identified molecules necessary for successful implantation, but their function during implantation remains poorly understood (S. Zhang et al., 2013). The cell surface glycoprotein basigin-2 is necessary for embryo implantation in the mouse and plays a role in several cellular functions, including cell communication and extracellular matrix remodeling (Chen et al., 2009; K. Li & Nowak, 2020). In vitro studies using human uterine cells demonstrate that basigin-2 regulates the expression and secretion of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, which are critical for successful implantation in the mouse (Belton et al., 2008). This thesis aimed to purify and characterize a monoclonal antibody raised against a recombinant form of basigin-2, then measure the expression of basigin-2 proteins in human uterine cells and tissues. The results indicate the P2D7 mAb specifically labeled basigin-2 expression in thin sections of human uterine tissues, and labeling was inhibited by the inclusion of the recombinant basigin protein in a competition assay to show specificity. Immunoblot analysis using the P2D7 mAb demonstrated the specific labeling of human basigin-2 in HESC lysates. The antibody additionally detects basigin in HESCs in vitro. The characterization of the P2D7 mAb supports its use in future studies of the role of basigin-2 in the molecular mechanisms of uterine reproductive function resulting in successful embryo implantation
TO TAPE OR NOT TO TAPE A PREVIOUSLY SPRAINED ANKLE?
Get PDFProblem Title: To tape or not to tape a previously sprained ankle?
Course Level: Undergraduate Introductory
Learning Outcomes: Discover how taping (and bracing) impacts ankle range of motion and muscle involvement/recruitment. Assess the effectiveness of different treatment (taping/bracing) options on an athlete. Formulate a preventative management plan for an athlete who previously suffered an inverted ankle sprai
Ischemic Preconditioning Improves Time Until Failure During Rock Climbing Specific Tasks
No full textRock climbers may experience fatigue in the form of pain in the forearm muscles, potentially leading to an inability to maintain their grip, which could result in a fall. Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC), which is the process of repeatedly occluding and reperfusing blood flow to an extremity via an inflatable cuff, has been s8hown to improve time until failure. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of IPC on time until failure in a rock-climbing-specific task. 13 participants (8-males & 5-females) completed two separate (IPC and Control) isometric rock-climbing-specific fingertip holds. The IPC protocol consisted of 3 cycles of 5 minutes of occlusion followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. In the control test, participants were asked to rest for 30 minutes. Participants were asked to repeatedly hold 40% of their maximum voluntary isometric contraction for 8 sec., resting for 2 sec., until they were no longer able to reach the target intensity. For both sessions, EMG and NIRS monitors were used to assess muscular activation & oxygen saturation in the blood at the forearm. A Paired-samples T-Test was utilized to analyze the data. Time until failure was significantly longer following IPC than in the control condition (216.38 ± 93.50 sec. vs. 180.61 ± 70.43 sec. respectively;
EXPERT COACHES’ EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE IDENTIFIES THE NEED FOR GREATER REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN IN BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSES
Get PDFTwenty expert coaches were interviewed exploring their conceptions of the fast-bowling technique and how they coached it. Coaches noted highly individualised techniques, that altered at varying times, due to game structure and tactical imperatives, which often required technical intervention. Previous have failed to identify these changes; however, these studies have not included a tactical context. Without taking these contexts into consideration, many changes in technique may have been missed in analysis. By following principles of ecological dynamics, the tactical environment that contextualises a technical analysis, alongside the psychological and emotional states of the athlete, can be used to design more closely representative experimental research settings
DOES OCCLUSION ALTER THE VISUAL-PERCEPTUAL-MOTOR SKILLS OF ELITE SILAT ATHLETES WHEN RESPONDING TO VIDEO-BASED PROJECTED COMBAT SITUATIONS?
Get PDFThis study investigated if occlusion of attacks affects the visual search behaviour (VSB), quiet eye, and reaction time (RT) of Silat athletes. Occlusion (OC) refers to the spatial occlusion of the trunk of a video-projected opponent. It was hypothesized that (i) there would be higher number of fixations in OC, (ii) despite OC, the trunk will remain the primary fixation point, and (iii) longer RT to respond to projected attacks with OC due to the reduction in visual information. Seven male elite Silat athletes performed an evasion followed by a counterattack in response to an opponent projected in two-dimensions for both non-occluded (NOC) and OC conditions. A Dikablis eye tracker and a 12-camera VICON MX system were used to determine the variables of interest. Results indicated fewer number of fixations in OC while the trunk remains the area of interest regardless of occlusion conditions. No differences in RT were observed. Occlusion may have decreased the need for visual scanning and reiterates the trunk as the primary area of focus. Occlusion may be used as a training tool for sub-elite athletes, cueing them to reduce cognitive load on less crucial information, mimicking the VSB of elite athletes thus potentially improving performance
BALL TRACKING IN FOOTBALL
Get PDFThis study outines the evaluation of VICON TRACKER software in tracking a ball in a large test area. A 22 camera VICON system and VICON Tracker software was used to track a soccer ball both indoor (22 m x 12 m) and outdoor (22 m x 28 m). Different ball marker setups were evaluated for accuracy and percentage data capture manipulating the number and type of reflective markers, as well as software settings, ands whether the system identified the centre of the ball. TRACKER achieved greater than 90% data capture percentage using the half dome markers or nine flat marker setups. Importantly a pre-test setup of the ball object and a 200 Hz (as opposed to 100 Hz) sample rate was needed. The ball centre was also captured by the software. Future work will examine if this system can perform in larger spaces and with multiple players in the area
SPRINT KAYAKER’S KINETIC ASYMMETRIES AT INCREASING STROKE RATES
Get PDFKinetic movement asymmetries are known to affect factors of performance, increase the likelihood of injury, and to decrease with increased cadences. The aim of this study was to determine if stroke rate affects asymmetry indexes (ASI) in the kayak ergometer footboards and seat. A significant main effect of stroke rate was found on footboard mediolateral total stroke cycle impulse (TSI) ASI (p\u3c0.005) where asymmetry index increased with stroke rate, footboard anteroposterior TSI ASI (p\u3c0.005) where an inverted U-shaped relationship was found with stroke rate, and footboard roll total stroke cycle angular impulse (TSAI) ASI (p\u3c0.001) where an inverted U-shaped relationship was found with stroke rate, and seat mediolateral TSI ASI (p\u3c0.05) where it decreased with stroke rate. The results of this study show that footboard and seat lateral forces counteract each other