Bill Storer, Jude Braquet, Dusty Zaunbrecher, Thomas Shields, Wannee Tangkham

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet and carcass rinse on postmortem microbial loads of lamb carcasses. Sixteen Gulf Coast Native lambs were assigned to either a high-concentrate (HC; n = 8) or forage-based (FB; n = 8) diet for 10 wk. Following harvest, carcasses were trimmed according to HACCP protocols and swabbed to establish baseline microbial levels. Two sanitation treatments were applied: hot water rinse or hot water plus 2.5% acetic acid rinse. Carcasses were chilled for 24 h and swabbed again. Swabs were analyzed for aerobic plate count (APC), E. coli, Enterobacter, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Microbial populations generally decreased over time (P < 0.001), except for Salmonella. Sanitation rinses reduced APC (4.56 vs. 3.35 log CFU/cm²) and Staphylococcus (4.33 vs. 3.07 log CFU/cm²). Salmonella increased following hot water treatment (0.949 vs. 2.151 log CFU/cm²) but decreased with the acetic acid rinse (1.167 vs. 0.187 log CFU/cm²). E. coli and Enterobacter declined over time with no significant effects of diet or rinse. A significant Sample Location × Time interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for Staphylococcus, with rump samples showing greater reductions than flank samples and no difference from back samples. Overall, microbial loads were more effectively reduced with the acetic acid wash compared with hot water alone, suggesting acid interventions may be a more effective postmortem sanitation strategy for lamb processing.

Esi Dadzie, Y. A. Twumasi, Zhu Ning, Jeff Dacosta Osei, Dorcas Twumwaa Gyan, Priscilla Mawuena Loh

Urban expansion is a major driver of land degradation, often at the cost of cropland and food system resilience. This study used remote sensing and GIS techniques to assess how key food crops have been displaced or altered by urbanization in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, from 2004 to 2024. USDA Cropland Data Layer (CDL) rasters were reclassified to identify soybeans, sugarcane, and corn, along with developed and grassland classes. A raster-based change-detection method was used to create transition maps and tabulate areas, enabling assessment of crop-specific land-use changes. The results show that soybeans and sugarcane are vulnerable to urban encroachment, with large parts of their cultivated areas converted into developed land. Corn did not undergo direct urban conversion but was displaced into grassland, indicating a different land-degradation pathway. Stable cropland remains in small patches, while land covered by development and grassland dominates and stays mostly unchanged throughout the study period. These findings show how urbanization, both directly and indirectly, affects the distribution of food crops, highlighting the importance of spatial analysis for identifying land-use changes. The combination of remote sensing and GIS offers a repeatable framework for evaluating agricultural vulnerability in fast-growing urban areas. The insights from this study emphasize the need for targeted land-use planning and conservation strategies to protect food production 

Domingo Jariel, lane DeVillier

Sowing seeds in early spring is recommended when the temperature reaches above 50oF. For most plants, earlier sowing is associated with earlier flowering and higher yield. However, because of unpredictably changing weather in Louisiana, the sown seeds in spring may be exposed to sudden drop of temperatures from 50oF to 33oF. We hypothesized that seed exposure to 40oF chilling temperature could reduce seed germination and seedling emergence. In the laboratory, wet rice and ashy sunflower seeds were placed in Petri dish and in potted soil and were treated with 40oF chilling temperature in refrigerator for 0 (not pre-chilled control), 3, 7, 14, and 21 days. After a number of chilling days, treated seeds were removed from 40oF refrigerator and allowed the seeds to germinate in Petri dish and the seedlings to emerge on potted soils at 71oF room temperature in 5 weeks. Ashy sunflower had a greater tolerance to pre-chilled treatments than rice. After 5 weeks of seedling emergence at 71oF on potted soil, the average emergence of ashy sunflower from 3-to 21-day pre-chilled treatments increased by 67% relative to the 0-day control treatment. However, seedling emergence of pre-chilled rice with 3- to 7-day treatments increased by only 22% but decreased by 55% with 14- to 21-day treatments relative to the control. This suggests that chilling temperature can improve seedling emergence of rice sown in early spring, as long as the seed exposure to 40oF in the soil occurs in 7 days or less.

Priscilla Mawuena Loh, Y. A. Twumasi, Z. H. Ning, J. D. Osei

Understanding the formation of new lands in large river deltas remains a major challenge, particularly in regions experiencing rapid environmental change. While previous studies have documented coastal erosion in the Mississippi River Delta, fewer have systematically examined where, how, and to what extent land-building processes continue to occur over long time periods. This study therefore provides a systematic approach in filling this research gap by applying multi-temporal satellite analysis to map and quantify patterns of land formation associated with sediment deposition across the delta. Using long-term satellite imagery, this research will analyze changes in land extent and shoreline position over multiple decades to identify zones of persistent land gain, temporary sediment accumulation, and areas where erosion dominates. Spatial change detection and trend analysis techniques will also be used to evaluate how sediment dynamics vary across different deltaic environments and to assess whether observed land gains are stable or temporary. Although land formation can contribute to ecosystem stability and natural protection against coastal hazards, it is not uniformly distributed and may be offset by subsidence, storms, and sea-level rise. By systematically tracking these varying sedimentation patterns, this study will provide a clearer understanding of long-term land-building potential and its limitations. The findings will offer a cost-effective framework for monitoring

Edmund Merem, Y. A. Twumasi, Priscilla Mawuena Loh, Olayemi Babalola, Md Mozammel Chowdhury

In the political economy of the nation of Nigeria, cotton has over the years played a notable role as a major cash crop. Consistent with the produce is its higher ranking among revenue generation sources in the agricultural sector. Thus, looking at the importance of the crop in the country, and the attention it has garnered, cotton exports to various nations have gained currency as some portions of the produce are also used up internally. With that also came, large scale cultivation of the cotton produce on vast swaths of land over the years amidst demands and fluctuations in the marketplace. From all this, the known impacts of cotton output on the ecosystem amidst the application of chemicals and stress on the hydrology, the sector is  faced with shifts within the bigger farm structure that overlap with variations in yield levels, cultivated land area and production. This study will fill that void by focusing on cotton land use change, with emphasis on the issues, trends, environmental analysis, impacts, and factors using descriptive statistical techniques connected to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Through the applications of mixscale model, the study not only showed rising changes in cotton production. With all these linked to socio-economic, ecological, the GIS mappings of the trends point to the steady diffusion of cotton land use indicators scattered over diverse spots in space. There are also many effects from water use, to farm chemical pollution. 

Thomas Musgrave, Miranda Whitten, Abigail Ogea, Kayden Smith, Bill Storer

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is increasingly cultivated for non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG); however, best management practices (BMPs) specific to hemp production remain limited. This study evaluated production parameters during the 2024 growing season to refine BMPs for 2025 and improve plant uniformity, health, and cannabinoid yield. Unrooted cuttings of two hemp cultivars were propagated under controlled indoor conditions and transplanted into an outdoor greenhouse. Key management adjustments in 2025 included extending the rooting period prior to transplanting, regulating daylength with artificial lighting, incorporating spinosad for mite control, and modifying fertility programs between vegetative and flowering stages. Extending the rooting period reduced transplant mortality from approximately 50% in 2024 to less than 25% in 2025 and improved overall plant uniformity. Artificial regulation of daylength synchronized flowering, extended vegetative growth, and resulted in larger plants at flowering. Enhanced pest management with spinosad reduced mite infestations and associated blight incidence. Fertility adjustments increased cannabinoid concentrations in harvested flowers, though THC levels approached the legal threshold of 0.3%. These results demonstrate that adjustments to transplant timing, photoperiod, pest control, and fertility can significantly improve the consistency, health, and quality of hemp.

Abigail Ogea, Miranda Whitten, Kayden Smith, Thomas Musgrave, Bill Storer,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Cattle feed transition to grain-based diets can be associated with reduced intake and ruminal acidosis. This study evaluated the effects of free-choice sodium bicarbonate (SB) supplementation on performance, intake behavior, and indicators of gut health during diet transition. In October 2025, 140 replacement heifers (588 ± 107 lb) of mixed Bos indicus and Bos taurus genetics were assigned to a control group (CON; n = 71) or a free-choice SB group (SB; n = 69). Following a 2-wk acclimation, heifers were fed a corn silage–based diet with free-choice Bahiagrass hay and a daily concentrate fed at 1% body weight for 60 d. Body weights were recorded at 0, 30, and 60 d, and SB and hay intake were monitored. Average daily gain did not differ between treatments (P = 0.538), with CON and SB heifers gaining 2.25 and 2.38 lb/d, respectively. Heifers receiving SB consumed an average of 2.4 oz per head per day and exhibited reduced hay intake compared with CON heifers (1.59 vs. 2.54 lb/hdd). Although growth performance was unaffected, SB-supplemented heifers appeared fuller and exhibited firmer, more normal manure consistency, suggesting improved rumen health. Reduced hay consumption offset the cost of SB supplementation, resulting in no increase in daily feeding cost. These results indicate that while free-choice SB did not improve weight gain during the first 60 d of feeding, it may enhance digestive stability and feeding efficiency during diet transition in developing heifers.

Kayden Smith, Miranda Whitten, Abigail Ogea, Bill Storer

Rice and cattle dominate agricultural production in southwest Louisiana. This study evaluated sorghum and millet as alternative haylage crops for rice rotation assessing forage yield, nutritive value, cost, soil organic matter, and gamebird benefits. Crops were planted April 1, 2025, on a former rice field (14 acres each) and managed under similar fertility and field conditions. Millet was harvested once at 51 d post-planting, while sorghum was harvested at 91 d and again as a ratoon crop for dry hay. Sorghum produced greater first crop forage yield than millet (2.85 vs. 0.66 dry tons/acre) despite lower crude protein (5.2 vs. 14.1% CP). Greater biomass resulted in higher total protein production per acre by sorghum. Millet forage exhibited greater digestibility, reflected by lower ADF and NDF concentrations, but was undermined by lower yield and high production cost per bale. Excessive rainfall likely reduced yields of both crops relative to expectations. Sorghum also increased post-harvest soil organic matter to a greater extent than millet (2.5 vs. 2.1%) and produced a viable ratoon crop, while millet regrowth was minimal but provided fodder for mourning doves. Overall, sorghum was the more productive and cost-effective haylage option for rice rotations in Southwest Louisiana, while millet offered higher forage quality and wildlife value. With improved nitrogen management and earlier harvest timing, sorghum haylage could serve as an alternative forage system for producers.

Hillary Bennett, Alex Laurent, Chad Thibodeaux, Christopher Lyles

Manganese (Mn) is the most consistently elevated and temporally variable metal in a municipal reservoir lake in north-central Louisiana. To characterize Mn behavior and inform remediation strategies, a year-long monitoring program was conducted across multiple lake sites to capture seasonal variability in dissolved metals. Water and sediment samples were analyzed for Mn using ICP-based methods, revealing pronounced seasonal fluctuations. Building on these field observations, a controlled microcosm experiment is proposed to identify carbon-driven redox thresholds that govern Mn immobilization versus mobilization. Microcosms will be established following baseline characterization of Mn, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and organic carbon, then amended with progressively increasing acetate concentrations to generate a redox gradient. Systems will be incubated under constant mixing and monitored over time for dissolved Mn, DO, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and pH. This design will identify the range of organic carbon loading that promotes Mn immobilization under aerobic conditions, as well as the threshold at which excess carbon induces reducing (anaerobic) conditions and Mn mobilization. Integrating year-long field monitoring with targeted redox experiments provides a mechanistic framework for understanding Mn mobility in the reservoir and supports the development of wetland-based or engineered remediation strategies that optimize organic carbon inputs to minimize Mn mobilization.

Braxton Bishop, Ramaraj Boopathy, Ava Wilson, Jacey Chotto

Bayou Folse is a large, impaired waterway in South Louisiana. With rising concerns of antibiotic resistance, monitoring water quality and pollution load is vital to limit antibiotic resistance spread. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a set of genes present within bacteria populations that can spread between different bacterial species. The spread of these genes leads to increased antibiotic resistance and difficulty treating bacterial infections. To better track resistance and water quality changes, proper monitoring is required. Samples will be collected monthly for a year in triplicate at four sites along the waterway: Nicholls Campus (site 1), Nicholls Farm (site 2), Lefort Bypass Road (site 3), and Bayou Blue Bypass Road (site 4). Water quality markers such as pH, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, ammonia, phosphate, and sulfate will be monitored using Hach chemical analysis methods and a YSI Pro 2030. Fecal coliform tests will be performed to determine contamination. S. aureus and E. coli will be isolated using selective and differential media. Colonies from each sample will have Kirby-Bauer antibiotic resistance assay performed to determine resistance present. Bacteria that express multi-drug resistance will have PCR performed to amplify ARGs and then ran on a gel to visualize the ARGs. Current results show that site two regularly has lower DO and sulfate than other sites, Sulfate has been highest at site 1, with other quality measures varying.

Alexandra Himel, Jonathan Willis

Floating marsh, known as flotant in Louisiana, is a unique and valuable habitat type that supports crucial ecosystem functions, including nutrient regulation and habitat provision. Despite the importance of floating marshes, scientific understanding of its sustainability under stressors, such as eutrophication and salinization, are poorly understood. To address these data gaps, a field investigation to elucidate how floating marsh substrate integrity, vegetation community composition, and pore water biogeochemical status differed between geographic settings (Lac des Allemands, Lake Boeuf, Lake DeCade) and visual status (reference, altered) in southern Louisiana was initiated. Preliminary findings indicate that vegetation community composition differed significantly between reference and altered sites.  Interestingly, species composition at Lake DeCade differed significantly from species composition at either Lac des Allemands or Lake Boeuf; however, vegetation species composition did not differ between Lac des Allemands and Lake Boeuf. These differences likely reflect differences in salinity level, with Lake DeCade experiencing a greater degree of saline influence than the remaining sites. Notably, the altered site within the Lake DeCade site also exhibited significantly elevated levels of pore water sulfides, a potent phytotoxin. Although data collection is ongoing, these initial findings reinforce the clear impact of salinity on floating marsh health and sustainability.

Alex Laurent, Christopher Lyles, Hillary Bennett, Trenton O'Neal

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a widely used herbicide that commonly enters freshwater systems through agricultural and urban runoff. In closed freshwater environments such as Cane River Lake, microbial degradation is the primary mechanism controlling 2,4-D attenuation; however, degradation rates at environmentally relevant concentrations are often slow and variable, increasing the potential for persistence. This study evaluated whether the native microbial community in the Cane River Lake watershed can naturally attenuate 2,4-D under aerobic conditions.  Aerobic enrichment cultures were established in a defined basal medium amended with 2 µM 2,4-D. Medium pH was verified as neutral to account for NaOH-prepared 2,4-D stock solutions. Fifty-milliliter enrichments were prepared for the experimental treatment, along with substrate-unamended and uninoculated controls. Microbial growth was monitored by OD₆₀₀ using a Bio-Rad SmartSpec 3000 over a 41-day incubation. Following incubation, cultures were extracted three times with ethyl acetate (1:1, v/v) for chemical analysis.  After 41 days, growth was observed in both the 2,4-D-amended enrichments and substrate-unamended controls, while no growth occurred in uninoculated controls. These results suggest growth may be supported by an alternative carbon source. Ongoing GC-MS analysis will determine whether 2,4-D degradation occurred, with verification based on detection of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) at m/z 162 and 163.

Edmund Merem, Y. A. Twumasi, Priscilla Mawuena Loh, Md Mozammel Chowdhury, Olayemi Babalola

For over six decades since the discovery in the old Eastern region, oil and gas activities and the accrued revenues from the sector have not only been the engine driving national budgetary spending and state allocations, but it continues to be the centerpiece of economic policy. Being wasting assets which do not get renewed, whenever production ceases in the oil fields the host communities are left with abandoned orphan wells. In a sector where investment extends beyond current places of operation, involving drilling in the oil fields to offshore sites and to other spots in search of new discoveries.  Seeing the sketchy nature of scholarship in the area, there has been no trace of spatial analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) mix scale model. Being a nation of many abandoned oil wells, opportunity exists to track them. In view of this, the study uses GIS connected to descriptive statistics to assess the trends, issues, factors, efforts and impacts. As such, the GIS mappings of the patterns point to dispersal of abandoned wells over various points in space in the study area. There are also notable impacts and risks to the surrounding ecosystems in the states. Aside from current moves among regulators, the study proffered solutions ranging from education and monitoring to the design of regional and national oil well and gas well information systems.

Albert Nyaunu, Louis Boahene, Mariayah McCullough, Waneene Dorsey

Wetlands are valuable ecosystems that contain waterlogged soils and plants.  These plants, known as hydrophytes, play an essential role in maintaining ecological health and supporting surrounding human communities.  A healthy wetland supports a wide variety of wildlife and helps perform important ecological functions such as filtering water, reducing flooding, storing carbon, and providing habitat.  A field investigation was conducted at the Jean Lafitte Barataria Preserve to document dominant wetland vegetation and measure key water quality parameters in order to evaluate whether the area supports a functioning and resilient wetland ecosystem. Vegetation surveys identified characteristic species of healthy Gulf Coast wetlands, including bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), cattails (Typha latifolia), bur marigold (Bidens laevis), and wax myrtle (Morella cerifera). These species represent a gradient from swamp to marsh habitats and serve as biological indicators of stable hydrology, sediment retention, and overall ecosystem integrity. Water quality measurements were collected in situ, with recorded values of pH (7.0), turbidity (1.0 NTU), nitrate (0 mg/L), phosphate (5 -8 mg/L), temperature (29 °C), dissolved oxygen (5 ppm), and salinity (1.8 ppt). The combined presence of diverse native plant species and stable water quality measurements indicates that the surveyed portion of the Barataria Preserve maintains a healthy and resilient ecosystem.

Lillian Theriot, Jonathan Willis

Wetlands are well recognized for their ability to provide extensive ecosystem services. In particular, the capacity of wetlands to reduce nutrient levels in adjacent surface waters is often relied upon as a cost-effective approach to water quality enhancement. In some instances, natural wetlands are used to reduce nutrient levels in municipal tertiary wastewater effluent. Routine monitoring is performed to ensure these valuable habitats are not degraded; however, these sampling efforts are largely limited to highly localized, on-the-ground approaches. As a result, there is little data regarding the representativeness and scalability of these on-the-ground monitoring programs across the overall ecosystem. This research endeavors to 1) assess potential impacts to an assimilation wetland using traditional on-the-ground assessments and small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and 2) evaluate the comparability between the two data sources. Data collection is ongoing, but findings so far indicate that measures of vegetation

coverage are generally indistinguishable between the marsh and forested habitats of the assimilation wetlands and the equivalent nearby reference habitats. However, vegetation community composition appears to differ between the assimilation wetland and reference habitats. Integration of on-the-ground and UAS-based monitoring data in the upcoming project year will facilitate effective management of assimilation wetlands.

Layla Thomas, Shila Kandel, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Raphyel Rosby, Md Ekhtear Hossain

1,3-Dicyclohexylurea (DCU) is a widely used vulcanization additive in tire manufacturing, yet its ecological consequences as a tire-wear–derived contaminant remain largely overlooked. As tires undergo abrasion and environmental weathering, DCU can be released into aquatic environments, raising urgent concerns about its effects on freshwater primary producers. Here, we present a focused ecotoxicological assessment of DCU using Lemna minor, a sentinel aquatic macrophyte model. Healthy L. minor colonies were cultivated under controlled laboratory conditions and exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of DCU (10-100 μg/L). Growth- and physiology-based endpoints were evaluated, including frond morphology, relative growth rate, photosynthetic pigment composition, and starch accumulation. DCU exposure produced striking, concentration-dependent phytotoxic effects, including visible morphological stress, significant growth inhibition, and pronounced reductions in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids- hallmarks of impaired photosynthetic performance. Notably, higher DCU concentrations triggered marked starch accumulation, indicating disrupted carbon allocation and metabolic stress. Together, these results show that DCU, an understudied tire-derived chemical, impairs aquatic plant health by disrupting photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, identifying tire-wear constituents as emerging threats to freshwater ecosystem function.

Maria Tran, Joanna Kaluturi, Brailey Major, Michael Chenier, Caroline Hennigan

Microplastic pollution is an increasing environmental concern worldwide. In Southwest Louisiana, numerous polymer and chemical manufacturing facilities are located near major aquatic systems, potentially contributing to elevated microplastic concentrations in surrounding waters. This study investigated whether microplastic pollution within the Calcasieu River system is associated with proximity to industrial activity. Microplastics were quantified by type and morphology using visual identification methods following standard filtration procedures. Water samples were collected monthly over a four-month period from four sites near Lake Charles, Louisiana, including two upstream and two downstream locations relative to industrial areas. This poster presents patterns of microplastic abundance across the sampling sites and evaluates variation in microplastic concentrations in relation to industrial activity.

Mia Wilson, Ramaraj Boopathy

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a pollutant in waterways and wastewater systems throughout the world. Biodegradation of APAP using certain bacterial strains has proven to be a safe and eco-friendly method in removal from water systems. Many bacterial strains are known to break down APAP, but the pathways in which they do so are not well understood. In this study, samples from an anaerobic digester collected from a wastewater treatment plant were used to develop bacterial enrichments in the presence of APAP.  The bacterial enrichment was tested for the biodegradation of APAP under various conditions including APAP as the sole carbon source and co-metabolic condition with glucose as the co-substrate. The results showed bacteria grew even at the maximum concentration of 400 mg/L APAP.  The culture condition with APAP as the sole carbon source produced a dark metabolite in the culture medium.  Total organic carbon analysis showed 85.7% carbon removal from the sole carbon source, and 93.0% carbon removal from the co-metabolic conditions. This study is ongoing and the APAP metabolites will be analyzed using a LC/MS in the future and the biodegradation metabolic pathway will be constructed using the identified metabolites.

Addison Willis, Jonathan Willis, Bronwyn Duos

Dark-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence (hereafter, chlorophyll fluorescence) is a biomarker of plant stress, reflecting impacts to the overall integrity of the photosynthetic process. Potential benefits of employing chlorophyll fluorescence as a measurement of plant health include the non-destructive nature of the technique, the comparative low cost of the instrumentation, and the rapidity with which measurements can be collected. However, full utility of chlorophyll fluorescence requires a baseline understanding of the susceptibility of the photosynthetic apparatus of a given plant species to individual stressors. This research investigated the sensitivity of chlorophyll fluorescence as non-destructive metric to evaluate plant stress in the Dwarf Palmetto in baseline surveys under a range of conditions. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements did not differ before and after significant freeze events, likely reflecting the cold hardiness of this particular palm species. However, significant reductions were discerned in chlorophyll fluorescence for Dwarf Palmettos occurring in dry soil conditions well above the water table compared to those occurring in lower elevation soils with greater moisture. Field surveys are continuing to develop a broader understanding of the sensitivity of Dwarf Palmetto photosynthetic processes to key stressors. Such understanding could be incorporated as a tool in the overall approach to monitoring habitats in the areas where Dwarf Palmetto occurs.

Noah Wurtzel

Flotant marsh is a unique wetland ecosystem that occurs as a thin vegetative mat (<30cm to 60cm) consisting of plants loosely rooted above peat that float on top of the water column. Flotant makes up a large portion of the freshwater and intermediate marsh habitat found in Terrebonne and Barataria basins. Eutrophication and natural disasters can degrade flotant. The floating capability of this mat makes repair and re-creation of flotant nearly impossible. To preserve and protect flotant, characteristics of thick healthy flotant are being compared to thin degraded flotant. We are surveying sites at Lake De Cade, Lake Boeuf, and Lac des Allemands using un-crewed aerial vehicles (UAV) carrying LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors four times per year. To protect the flotant from damage, we developed a floating launch pad that allows UAV to be deployed on the water. LiDAR sensors capture site topography, allowing us to highlight mat breakages and thickness of cover. Hyperspectral sensors allow us to resolve specific vegetation composition of various floral species. We have identified the presence of several native plants such as Sagitarria lancifolia, Sagitarria latifolia, Hibiscus moscheutos, Typha latifolia, Althaea officinalis, and invasive plants such as Pontederia crassipes, and Ipomoea lacunose. By combining results from LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors, we may be able to better describe sections of flotant that may be in danger of separation during large storm events.  

Michelle Beals, Timothy Clay

Ectothermic organisms rely on energy from their yolk when developing in the egg, which provides a finite amount of resources. During embryogenesis, temperature is significant in facilitating trade-offs between this limited energy and its allocation towards development, growth, and maintenance. We hypothesize that maintenance costs will increase at temperature extremes, development will occur quicker at warmer temperatures, and growth will be reduced at temperature extremes. We incubated eggs of the Common Musk Turtle, Sternotherus odoratus, at four different temperatures: 24, 26, 28, and 30 ºC. Before incubation, each egg was assigned an ID and clutch, weight, width, and length were recorded. Eggs from each clutch were placed into each temperature. Upon hatching, incubation days, weight, plastron length, carapace length, and shell height were recorded. Hatchlings at 24 ºC had the longest incubation period but were the same relative size as hatchlings from 26 and 28 ºC. Meanwhile, 30 ºC produced smaller hatchlings and had the shortest incubation period. Embryos in 30 ºC were more costly to maintain, withholding energy from growth resulting in smaller hatchlings. Temperatures below 28 ºC were the most efficient at maintaining balance between development, maintenance, and growth. Temperature during incubation determines the sex in this species, where females are mostly produced above 28 ºC or below 24 ºC, thus females are more likely to hatch out sooner, but smaller than males.

Mikalah Breakfield, Bismark Gyebi, Kondawni Phiri, Dr. Hector Douglas

We tested for differences in condition and stress of seabirds during and after a marine heat wave

(MHW) in 2024. Body condition, an index of fat-to-lean ratio, was lower in 2024 for white-tailed

tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus) and brown noddies (Anous stolidus) compared to 2025, but not

for sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus). In sooty terns, an index of oxidative stress, as measured

by TBARS, was higher in 2025 than 2024, but total antioxidant capacity of plasma was lower in

2025 than 2024. Corticosterone, a glucocorticoid hormone, did not differ at the baseline

measurement in plasma for sooty terns in 2024 versus 2025. The corticosterone concentrations in

feathers, an index of the circulating hormone concentrations at the time of feather growth, may

have been higher in 2024-2025 versus 2023-2024. It is possible that the 2024 MHW had shorter

term affects on body condition in some species and longer-term effects on physiology.

Liz Farley, Christopher Beachy

Salamanders are widely regarded as a generalist species that shows no preference of prey item. However, very few studies have been conducted on the diet of salamanders in order to confirm the assumptions of them being generalists. Feeding habits in particular of Ambystoma salamanders are largely unknown due to the lack of gut content studies available on the genus. Gut content analysis will be performed on specimens of A. opacum, A. talpoideum, and A. maculatum in order to determine the diet of these widespread Ambystoma species. Specimens will be collected from localities where one of the three species lives in isolation from each other, where two species co-occur, and where all three species co-occur. The diets of each species will then be compared between each of these scenarios in order to determine if these species of salamander partake in niche partitioning while occurring with other species in the Ambystoma genus. The found diet will also provide information on the life history of the salamanders and since this study is the first proper diet analysis of these species, will provide an actual representation of the realized niche.

Justin Hoffman, Sydney Littleton

Sam Houston Jones State Park (SHJSP) is located in Calcasieu Parish and consists of approximately 1,087 acres of woodlands, swamps, and recreational sites.  Dominant habitat types include western longleaf pine savanna wetland, cypress tupelo swamp, and western upland longleaf pine savanna, as well as small amounts of specialized habitats such as, river cane wetland and pitcher plant bog.  SHJSP is of notable importance to biodiversity because it is one of the largest tracts of publicly owned forest in western Louisiana that is not logged for timber.  Despite its significance very few biodiversity surveys have been conducted within SHJSP.  Specifically, we know very little about the bat population existing in the park.   Our objective is to determine what species of bats occur in SHJSP through mist netting and searches of online databases for museum records and citizen-science observations (i.e. iNaturalist).  Initial mist netting efforts confirmed the presence of the Evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis).  Museum records indicated that of the 12 species of bats occurring in Louisiana, seven have been noted in Calcasieu Parish, but none were collected within the park.  Future efforts will include additional mist netting and searches of citizen-science databases.

Makenzie Mulberry, Susan Bowers

Post-exercise cooling is an important component of thermoregulation and recovery in equines following exercise. During physical activity, heat builds in muscular and highly vascularized regions, and insufficient heat dissipation may result in prolonged elevations in tissue temperature, particularly in distal limbs. Prolonged thermal stress can contribute to tissue damage and increased risk of injury, underscoring the importance of appropriate post-exercise cooling strategies. However, despite widespread use, objective comparative data on post-exercise cooling methods remain limited. This study aims to evaluate post-exercise cooling strategies in equines using infrared thermography and noninvasive physiological measures to assess changes in body surface temperature associated with recovery following exercise. Thermal images will be collected from key anatomical regions, including the neck/jugular, shoulder, flank, distal limbs, and loin, before and after standardized exercise. Cooling methods will be compared based on the rate and persistence of surface temperature reduction alongside physiological indicators of recovery, including heart rate, body temperature, and respiration rate. Data collection and analysis of surface thermal and physiological outcomes are ongoing. By objectively assessing post-exercise cooling practices, this research aims to inform evidence-based approaches in equine exercise physiology and sports medicine. 

Hannah Pollard, Christof Stumpf

Although invertebrates have been kept in captivity for millennia, their welfare and environmental enrichment needs are understudied. Often being kept in minimalistic enclosures with little to no environmental stimulation, invertebrates have little chance at autonomy or to make choices. This limits our ability to observe natural behaviors in captivity. A study was conducted to review existing research articles about invertebrate welfare and the benefits of environmentally complex enclosures. There are few scientific articles with this goal in mind, but the articles that were found concluded that there was some evidence that environmentally complex enclosures reduced aggression and increased activity. However, more research would need to be conducted to understand how environmental enrichment affects invertebrate welfare.

Rebecca Pritt

Little is known about the secretive and fully aquatic salamander: the three-toed amphiuma (Amphiuma tridactylum). Despite their high abundance throughout Louisiana, they remain an understudied organism. Their ecology is poorly understood, especially their home ranges and sex-biased movements. A previous study by Cagle (1948) reports that an individual dispersed ≤ 325m from the point of collection, but we are still unsure of how far they move and where they go on a consistent basis. We propose to radio-track five male and five female A. tridactylum to determine if this species exhibits sex-biased movement patterns and if their home ranges differ during and outside the breeding season. We also plan to record the habitat selection preferences of individuals to gain more information about this understudied species.

Ian Robinson

Ambystoma talpoideum are facultative paedomorphs, which allows individuals either to remain as aquatic larvae through sexual development and into adulthood, or undergo metamorphosis and leave that aquatic habitat to become terrestrial adults. Metamorphosis is variably adaptive depending on the environmental conditions. This paper aims to increase our understanding of the effect varied temperature and food availability have on the rates and size at which A. talpoideum remain in the larval form or become terrestrial. I will quantify developmental outcomes (incidence and timing of metamorphosis) and associated morphological traits (growth rate) as influenced by food availability and temperature manipulation. Previous studies have largely been in nature and in large mesocosm where interspecies interactions were not excluded. By growing the salamanders in individual containers, the effect of environmental temperature and food availability can be studied independently from the effects of interspecific crowding or competition, progressing knowledge of their life history.

Cheryl Bardales, Robert Rollins, Vincent Dicicco

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a rapidly advancing, non-invasive tool for biodiversity monitoring, yet its application in zoo-managed habitats remains limited. Zoos are complex, multi-species environments where traditional monitoring methods can be invasive or insufficient to detect cryptic and microbial biodiversity. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of eDNA-based monitoring in zoo habitats by conducting environmental sampling at the Alexandria Zoological Park. Water, soil, and spiderweb samples were collected from inhabited and uninhabited enclosures using sterile protocols. Samples were preserved and prepared for downstream DNA extraction, PCR amplification targeting standard barcoding regions (e.g., COI, 16S), and sequencing using high-throughput platforms. Planned bioinformatic analyses using public reference databases will characterize microbial, plant, and animal taxa within each habitat. This study aims to establish baseline biodiversity profiles and assess environmental factors influencing eDNA persistence and detectability. Preliminary observations support the feasibility of eDNA sampling in zoo settings and identify spiderwebs as passive collectors of airborne eDNA. In addition to methodological validation, this project provides a high-impact interdisciplinary research experience for undergraduate students while generating data relevant to animal health monitoring, environmental quality assessment, and conservation practices in managed ecosystems.

Robert Rostron, Precious Nwofor, Stephen Baca, Pedro Santos, Christof Stumpf

This research was conducted to obtain the mitochondrial genome of the crayfish species, Faxonella creaseri. There are many reasons to sequence the mitogenome of a species including distinguishing closely related species, identifying mutations responsible for mitochondrial disorders (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases), and creating detailed high resolution phylogenetic trees. DNA was extracted using the E.Z.N.A. Insect DNA Kit from Omega Bio-Tek. A library produced with the xGenTM DNA Lib Prep EZ 96rxn Library Prep Protocol from IDT was sequenced. Paired end reads produced by the Illumina sequencing system were used for the mitogenome assembly. The resulting mitogenome was annotated and visualized using GetOrgannelle and MITOS2 genomic analysis software. The final annotated mitochondrial genome was compared to the published Procambarus clarkii mitogenome to evaluate differences in gene order, tRNA positioning, strand orientation, and structural organization. There were differences in the mitogenome of F. creaseri and P. clarkii including gene order rearrangements, tRNA relocation and orientation, transcriptional strand block differences, and small genome size variation. Future research will concentrate on the mitogenome of other species in the genus Faxonella and their relationships to F. creaseri.

Caroline Theriot, Darcy Wayment, Himanshu Raje, Ramaraj Boopathy

The two common agricultural wastes produced in the state of Louisiana include chicken manure and sugarcane bagasse. These two wastes are produced in abundance, and they cause a safe disposal problem for farmers. The purpose of this research was to produce a value-added product in the form of methane using these wastes by the anaerobic digestion process. An optimization study was conducted with chicken manure at various solid loadings, including 3, 6, and 9% total solids, to find the optimum total solid concentration for maximum methane yield. The study was conducted in duplicates with 160 ml mini bioreactors at an ambient temperature of 22°C. The results showed that the bioreactor operated with 6% total solids produced maximum gas production with a methane concentration of 60% within 14 days. In another experiment, co-digestion was performed using 6% chicken manure along with sugarcane bagasse at various solid concentrations, namely 1, 2, and 3%. The optimum co-digestion was achieved in the bioreactor with 6% chicken manure and 2% bagasse, with 65% methane. Gas chromatography showed the presence of methane only in the bioreactor with 6% chicken manure after two months. This shift in methane production across treatments could be attributed to a change in bacterial consortium within the bioreactor over time. This study is promising, and the research should be scaled up with a larger fermenter to optimize further for a commercial digestion process.

Gabriel White

Reptiles and amphibians are sensitive species that are heavily affected by environmental changes. Therefore, a relatively biodiverse community can be an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. By temporally tracking biodiversity metrics of herpetofauna communities, we can assess how previously disturbed habitats recover. Artificial cover such as plywood boards can provide herpetofauna a safe refuge and allows for local biodiversity to be easily assessed. Our study consists of two regions at the Nicholls State University farm that were historically used to produce cattle, a field that is infrequently mowed and bound by woody vegetation and a recently constructed wetland with an adjacent patch of hardwood trees. The field region has seven survey sites located along the woody vegetation edge habitat, while the wetland region has six sites within the patch of hardwood trees. Each survey site contains four individual pieces of 1 x 0.6m plywood boards. Data is collected once weekly and consists of measuring the above board and below board temperatures, individual species, and the number of individuals sighted under each board. Using the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index we compared diversity by year, month, individual sites, and temperature. Species richness increased quickly, but has begun to plateau indicating a maximum richness. Field sites are more diverse than wetland sites with diversity peaking all-round in the cooler parts of the year. Diversity may be lower in the spring and summer

Paige Zeringue, Gabriel White, Timothy Clay

The giant apple snail, Pomacea maculata, is in an invasive species that is rapidly spreading throughout the Southeastern coast of the United States. Since complete removal of these snails from the US is not an option, conservation efforts can instead focus on understanding future range expansions. Temperature-dependent life history trials are being conducted that focus on growth, survival, and fertility with captive bred apple snails. Three temperature treatments were set up in triplicate at 20, 25, and 30 oC, each with 20 juvenile snails, approximately 5mm in shell length. Spinach and collard greens are fed ad libitum to the snails thrice a week. A subset of snails from each tank are measured by shell length and recorded weekly. Number of egg clutches produced and mortalities were noted weekly to track reproductive output and survivability. The 30 oC treatments reproduced first, but also exhibited the highest mortality rates, with all individuals in this group not surviving after week 72. The 25 oC treatment snails have produced the most clutches and exhibit similar adult body sizes to snails in the 30 oC treatments. The 20 oC treatments have the highest survival rates, but they did not produce a clutch until week 125. Our research thus far suggests that there are temperature dependent trade-offs in life history characteristics. From this research we have produced a preliminary mechanistic model predicting apple snail distribution map across Louisiana and the United States.

Raegan Aiena, Senora Howard, Thomas Sommerfeld

The self-interaction error of traditional density functionals (DF) leads to unreliable predictions of electron binding energies (EBE), in particular, for attachment to closed shells and for weakly-bound non-valance anions. Long-range corrected functionals yield improved results, and the QTP suit of functionals has been developed to specifically correct the typical shortcomings.

Previous studies for weakly bound anions are rare and have focused on specific structures. Here we study the performance of a variety of functionals for two structural transitions that change the nature of the associated anions. Reference EBEs are computed using the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method.

The first transition is valence to dipole-bound. If the bond distance of the diatomic molecule LiF is changed from infinity to about 1  Å, the anion undergoes a change from valance-type to dipole-bound non-valence. The EBE is reduced from several eV to zero, while the orbital of the excess electron changes from localized on the fluorine atom to delocalized off the lithium atom.

The second transition involves the change between two different kinds of non-valence anions: If the torsion angle of succinonitrile is changed the dipole-bound state at low torsion angle, which shows a substantial EBE, evolves into a quadruple-bound state with tiny EBE. 

Prem Chanda, Jenny Castaneda, McKenzie Miller, Carlie Bankston

Aromatase inhibitors are promising candidates for the effective treatment of breast cancer. Previously, 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of aldol products derived from phenylacetates were shown to exhibit significant inhibitory activity against the aromatase enzyme (CYP19A1). Notably, triazole derivatives prepared from p-bromophenylacetates displayed substantially higher inhibitory potency (Ki = 20 nM) compared to those derived from unsubstituted phenylacetates (Ki = 80 nM). However, the influence of substituent groups at different positions on the phenyl ring of phenylacetates on aromatase inhibition has not yet been systematically investigated. We have recently developed a complementary synthetic approach for the preparation of racemic aldol products, namely syn- and anti-2,3-diaryl-3-hydroxypropanoates, via enolboration–aldolization of phenylacetates. This methodology is currently being applied to the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole analogs possessing two distinct relative stereochemistries (syn and anti) and a variety of substituents. This strategy is expected to yield two sets of diastereomerically pure, novel aromatase inhibitors. Herein, we report our progress toward the diastereoselective synthesis of these aromatase inhibitors.

August Gallo, Johnathan Ledet, Martin Jason

Three native Louisiana plants, Lamium amplexicaule (henbit), Solidago odora (golden rod) and Stellaria media (chickweed) were harvested and extracted to determine their chemical composition. The plants extracts from each species were then tested for antimicrobial activity against three bacteria. Zone clearing was the method used to test for antimicrobial activity. Each of these plants have found traditional use in medicine. Goldenrod helps reduce inflammation and it has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. Chickweed is a good source of vitamins C, B6 and B12 and has been used for blood disorders. Henbit has been used as an antirheumatic and antipyretic. Typically, 2 kg of plant leaves were soaked overnight in 50/50 MeOH/H2O and then filtered. The methanol water extract was fractionated sequentially with petroleum ether, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate. These extracts were analyzed by GC-MS to determine their chemical composition and tested for their antimicrobial activity using Escherichia. coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Representative compounds found in the three extracts are terpenoids, fatty acids and esters, alcohols, phenolics, unsaturated enones, amines, and hydrocarbons. Certain extracts showed antimicrobial against certain bacteria. Some fatty acid esters  and amines exhibited antimicrobial activity against all three bacteria. Synergistic and antagonistic effects were also investigated and will be discussed.

Pedro Goncalves-soares, Emree Panepinto, Nandi Huggins, Sita Aggarwal

Selenium compounds are required in traces to maintain proper cellular function. The environmental sources of selenium are soil, rocks. As mammals being secondary consumers get the traces of selenium from daily foods coming from plants such as nuts, beans, whole grains, poultry, and a variety of meat products. In general protein foods are good sources of selenium. Although the low concentration of selenium is necessary for growth and development, at the same time high concentration can be lethal. High concentrations can lead to health problems such as heart attack, muscle tremors, and respiratory distress and kidney failures. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to determine the effect of sodium selenite on Escherichia coli cells and the expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). The pGLO plasmid system was used to express GFP. Readings were recorded using a spectrophotometer and fluorometer. Hypothesis: Increasing concentrations of sodium selenide will reduce GFP expression and inhibit E. coli growth in a concentration-dependent manner. Result: After 24 hours, control samples showed normal bacterial growth and strong GFP fluorescence. Cultures exposed to low concentrations of sodium selenide (5 µM –50 µM) showed fluorescence levels similar to the control with minor changes in OD₆₀₀ values. At higher concentrations, GFP fluorescence decreased and OD₆₀₀ readings were lower, indicating reduced bacterial growth.

Samyra Gordones

The rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a serious global health challenge and underscores the urgent need for alternative antimicrobial strategies. In this study, protein–silver nanoparticle complexes were developed using proteins extracted from the insect SBMC (Scaerpus borelli, mole cricket). These proteins were employed to form and stabilize silver nanoparticles, resulting in biologically derived antimicrobial complexes. The antibacterial activity of the protein–silver nanoparticle complex was evaluated against five antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains to assess its ability to inhibit bacterial growth. The SBMC-derived complex exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect against Burkholderia cenocepacia. The remaining strains displayed varying levels of sensitivity, indicating strain-specific responses. Overall, this study demonstrates that insect-derived proteins can significantly influence the antibacterial performance of silver nanoparticles and may be leveraged to tailor nanoparticle-based treatments for specific pathogens. These findings highlight the potential of sustainable, protein-based nanomaterials as targeted alternatives to conventional antibiotics and provide a foundation for developing more effective strategies to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

Nandi Huggins, Emree Panepinto, Pedro Goncalves-soares, Sita Aggarwal

Different variations of nutrients can determine how well the cell grows. Sodium Tellurite is generally used “in medical microbiology, as a medication, and was formerly used as a pesticide”(nj.gov). This chemical is highly soluble and has a negatively charged compound that contains oxygen that can kill or inhibit microbes. When sodium tellurite is administered it is known to often damage the cell wall, disrupt energy production, and interfere with enzyme production. Due to these properties it is an important topic in cancer research.  Accordingly, the purpose of this experiment is to discover  the effect of heavy metal “ Sodium Tellurite” and its toxic effect on the E. coli cells. In order to determine the effect we will use the pGLO transformation to transform E coli cells Hk-12 cells  . When transformed cells are in the presence of arabinose, the result is fluorescent green under UV light.   Hypothesis: Increasing concentrations of Sodium Tellurite will reduce GFP expression and will obstruct the growth of E.coli cells dependent on the manner of concentrations.

Result: After 24 hours, the controlled sample showed normalbacterial growth,and the culture exposed to low concentrations (less than 1 micromolar) of Sodium Tellurite showed decreasingly low changes in the fluorescence.This result indicates that the addition of  Sodium Tellurite at very low concentrations hindered the growth of the E.coli.

Landen Jett

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors are an effective treatment for people with chronic hypertension. Their rational design was based on a different enzyme, carboxypeptidase, due to the difficulty of studying membrane-bound ACE (Patrick, 2017, p.302;Acharya et al., 2024). With advances in microscopic, crystallographic, and other structural techniques we have been able to gain a clearer picture of ACE’s structure (Patrick, 2017, p.306;Acharya et al., pp.2-5), including discovering the presence of two active sites on ACE with differing specificities (Acharya et al.). Both active sites are located at opposite terminal ends of the protein, the N-domain and C-domain, and research suggests that the C-domain active site is responsible for the antihypertensive effects of ACE inhibitors (Acharya et al.). A compound with specificity for the C-domain has been identified, and it contains proline and tryptophan at specific sites, which is thought to contribute to its specificity (Acharya et al.). We believe this is due to the hydrophobic nature that these residues contribute. This project aims to synthesize analogues of differing hydrophobicity of a common ACE inhibitor, Lisinopril, by incorporating tryptophan, or other amino acid residues into its structure to improve specificity for the C-domain and characterize the resulting molecules through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy(Nchinda et al.).

Jean Fotie, Khaitlynn Johnson

Epoxides are organic compounds characterized by a three-membered ring containing oxygen. They commonly arise through the oxidative metabolism of endogenous substances such as intermediates in cholesterol biosynthesis or from xenobiotics, including metabolites of compounds like benzopyrene. Epoxides may also be produced through chemical or enzymatic oxidation, with a number of industrial chemicals readily converted into 1,2-epoxides by cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenases or other oxidizing agents. Because of their susceptibility to ring-opening reactions under acidic or basic conditions, epoxides serve as versatile intermediates in the chemical industry. These ring-opening processes often display regioselectivity that can be tuned by reaction conditions, with hydrolysis typically affording a trans diol.

Catalytic epoxide hydrosilylation has emerged as a valuable strategy for preparing alcohols, especially when high regioselectivity in ring opening and hydride transfer can be precisely controlled by the catalyst. This method is particularly important for accessing anti-Markovnikov alcohols, offering a streamlined alternative to the traditional two-step anti-Markovnikov hydration of olefins and providing advantages over the hydroboration–oxidation sequence. This presentation highlights an example of such an approach towards the synthesis of anti-Markovnikov alcohols.

Prem Chanda, John Morrison, Zachary Edwards, Carlie Bankston

Diisopinocampheylboron triflate (Ipc₂BOTf)–mediated aldol reactions of phenylacetates have been extensively studied. Building on this foundation, we have recently completed a systematic investigation of syn- and anti-selective aldol reactions of N, N-dialkylphenylacetamides mediated by dialkylboron triflates (R₂BOTf). We are currently extending these studies toward diastereo- and enantioselective aldol reactions of arylacetates and arylacetamides. In this presentation, we will describe our latest results on Ipc₂BOTf-mediated enantio- and diastereoselective aldol reactions of N, N-diisopropylarylacetamides.

Thomas Junk, Itunu Olanrewaju, Samatha Ponzo, Frank Fronczek, Tolga Karsili

The study of the self-assembly of tellurium-nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds is rapidly gaining importance, due to properties of such compounds ranging from phosphorescence to optical emission. To date, benzo[1,4]tellurazinones have remained relatively inaccessible and therefore poorly investigated. They comprise crystalline solids with excellent stabilities to air, light and moisture. This presentation discusses the regiospecific ortho tellurination of electron rich benzene derivatives, followed by cyclization, as a newly developed strategy for their preparation. Different possible reaction pathways for each step are discussed, as well as advantages and limitation of this approach. Selected intermediates and products were characterized by X-ray crystallography and their structures are discussed. Molecular self-assembly via Te…carbonyl secondary bonding interactions was found to strongly depend on substituents present on the benzene ring.

Emree Panepinto, Sita Aggarwal

Organisms require essential nutrients for normal cellular function, growth, and development; however, exposure to heavy metals such as arsenate can disrupt cellular processes and protein expression. Arsenate is a widespread environmental toxin originating from natural sources, including mineral erosion and volcanic activity, as well as human activities such as mining, industrial emissions, and agricultural runoff. In this study, we examined the effects of varying concentrations of sodium arsenate on Escherichia coli viability and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. E. coli cells transformed with the pGLO plasmid express GFP in the presence of arabinose, allowing toxicity to be assessed through changes in fluorescence and growth. We hypothesized that increasing sodium arsenate concentrations would inhibit bacterial growth and reduce GFP expression in a concentration-dependent manner. After 24 hours and 48 hours, control cultures showed normal growth and strong GFP fluorescence; however, contrary to our hypothesis, no clear trend in cell viability or GFP expression was observed across arsenate-treated samples.

Stena Peterson, Daniel Babayode, Shahriar Mahmud, Louis Haber

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Ross Rodrigue, Glenn Lo

Mutarotation refers to the change in optical rotation of a solution resulting from the interconversion between anomeric forms of a solute molecule. The reversible transformation between the α and β anomers of D-glucose has been extensively studied using polarimetry to measure concentrations. This study explores the feasibility of using consumer-grade blood glucose monitors (BGMs) to measure glucose concentrations in non-blood samples for instructional laboratory experiments. These devices utilize glucose oxidase, an enzyme that specifically catalyzes the oxidation of β-D-glucose to gluconolactone. Glucose oxidase test strips, when used with BGMs, measure the concentration of the β anomer exclusively. However, the device readout reflects the total glucose concentration (α and β), under the assumption that the anomers are in equilibrium, as is typical in blood samples.

In this experiment, an aqueous solution of α-D-glucose was allowed to reach equilibrium. Glucose concentrations were then determined using BGM readouts, with adjustments made to account for differences between the sample and typical blood matrices. Measurements were taken using both expired and unexpired test strips. Relative standard deviations from 10 strips of the same lot revealed significant variability, suggesting that a high number of trials  is recommended for reliable equilibrium measurements and frequent sampling is advised for kinetic studies.  The mean obtained from unexpired strips fell within accep

Jean Fotie, Annalise Roe, Erin Alexandra Deen, Emmanuel-King Alabo

Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth, and consequently silicon-based materials are widely utilized across numerous fields, including polymers, semiconductors, agrochemicals, and biomedical applications. In recent years, chiral organosilanes have emerged as important tools in organic synthesis, materials science, and medicinal chemistry. Their growing significance stems from the versatility of silane intermediates in a broad range of chemical transformations, such as silicon-based cross-coupling reactions, silanol hydrogen-bond donor catalysis, and their use as directing groups for C–H functionalization, among others.

The extensive industrial application of hydrosilylation reactions has driven the development of efficient and operationally simple heterogeneous catalysts involving these key intermediates. In this presentation, we investigate palladium nanoparticles dispersed and stabilized within sol–gel-derived organically modified silicates as heterogeneous catalysts for the reductive functionalization of carbon dioxide using hydrosilanes as reducing agents.

Sagan Rousse, Joseph Loupe

It is taught in introductory chemistry courses that the most stable connectivity of atoms in a molecule is most likely one where formal charges are minimized. This notion is supported by experimental data including, but not limited to, infrared spectra. In this study, hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are examined using ab initio electronic structure calculations using tools available at ChemCompute.org. Thermodynamic properties (entropy and enthalpy) are calculated using the 6-31G* basis set.  From these, the equilibrium constants for isomerization of C=O=O to O=C=O and that of H-Cl-O to H-O-Cl were found to be 8.28 x 10^17 and 1.8 x 10^37, respectively, indicating a substantial favoring of the zero-formal-charge structures.

Marwa Zeitoun, Mojgan Dehghani, Louis Haber

This investigation studies the thickness-dependent ultrafast optical response and damage

thresholds of gold thin films (30, 50, and 100 nm) on fused silica substrates using pump-probe

reflectivity spectroscopy and microscopy. The time-resolved reflectivity data for 800 nm, 75 fs, 1

kHz pump and probe beams for all thicknesses are best described by an exponential decay

model, characterized by an amplitude (A), offset (B), and electron-phonon coupling time (τ). The

pump power-dependent calculation shows that as the incident laser energy increased towards the

damage threshold, the amplitude and offset of the reflectivity change grow significantly, until the

melting and damage threshold. Furthermore, the electron-phonon coupling time also increases as

a function of the pump power, reaching a maximum of approximately 5 ps just before the

melting and damage threshold is reached. The damage threshold, identified by the onset of

permanent thin film damage observed via CCD camera microscopy, increases with film

thickness, with the 30 nm, 50 nm, and 100 nm films sustaining damage at approximately 10 mW,

20 mW, and 30 mW average powers, respectively. These findings on the evolution of the

thermodynamic parameters and the thickness-dependent damage thresholds are generally

consistent with earlier results reported for aluminum thin films, providing an important step for

understanding laser-induced processes in metallic thin film systems

Jasmine Jones, David Kordahl

Brownian motion is the random motion of microscopic particles suspended in a fluid. By observing and quantifying this motion using video microscopy, Boltzmann’s constant can be experimentally determined. In this project, the Brownian motion of 1 µm polystyrene spheres suspended in water was analyzed by extracting particle positions as a function of time using automated tracking techniques. From these trajectories, the mean squared displacement was calculated and plotted versus time. The slope of this relationship was then used to determine a value for Boltzmann’s constant. This experiment demonstrates that quantitative measurements of Brownian motion provide a direct method for experimentally determining fundamental physical constants.

Cedric Scott, Graham Christ, Damien Tristant

Efficient delivery of neuroactive compounds across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) remains a major challenge in treating neurological disorders. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a key inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in sleep and anxiety regulation, exhibits poor BBB permeability in its free form. This study investigates a fullerene-based delivery strategy in which GABA is covalently attached to a C₆₀ fullerene to enhance transport potential. Using density functional theory (DFT), we analyze eleven adsorption sites and conformations of the GABA–C₆₀ conjugate to evaluate structural stability, formation energy, and induced dipole moments. Nitrogen, oxygen, and perpendicular (“flat”) attachment sites are compared. Several configurations display negative formation energies, indicating thermodynamic feasibility. Nitrogen and oxygen attachment sites generate large dipole moments of 30.35 Debye and 16.24 Debye, respectively, exceeding that of water (1.84 Debye), a known BBB penetrant. While nitrogen attachment yields the highest dipole moment, oxygen attachment provides greater energetic stability. These results demonstrate that GABA–C₆₀ conjugation is a viable and tunable strategy for enhancing BBB permeability and support the potential of fullerene-based nanocarriers for neurotherapeutic drug delivery.

Katra Winchester, Haeyon Yang

Laser ablation in liquid has emerged as a sustainable, green-friendly method for nanoparticle (NPs) production[1], enabling synthesis without the need for chemical reagents. The process involves irradiating target material, with laser pulses of few nanoseconds to generate nanoparticles of various sizes, depending on parameters like the depth of liquid and laser-to-target distance. Upon absorbing the laser energy of high intensity at a short period atoms at the laser spot become excited and go through phase changes, eventually forming a high-energy plasma near the surface. They occupy a small volume, called a laser plume at the surface due to the confining effects of the surrounding liquid. At the interface between the liquid and plasma, supersaturation is created due to the rapid cooling. The subsequent nucleation leads to the creation of NPs that grow within the plume. Eventually, the plume collapses, forming colloidal NPs. In this talk, we present how the control of plume volume at supersaturation affects the size of Np's, assuming the volume depends on the surface tension of the liquid. The plume volume gets smaller when the surface tension is bigger, which results in higher supersaturation. It is expected that smaller NPs will result in higher supersaturation. We present how surfactants affect the NP size when they are synthesized by Laser Ablation in Liquid. This study highlights the importance of surfactant that fine-tunes the NP synthesis to achieve desired size.

Augustine Nwafor, Ricky Wiggins, Stewart Greathouse, Giovanni Solitro, Marjan Trutschl, Urska Cvek

This study presents a low-cost wearable system that estimates three-dimensional (3D) knee joint kinematics and detects ACL injury risk in real time using dual inertial measurement units (IMUs). 

Two IMUs were mounted on the thigh and shank at 10-15 cm from the knee joint, each oriented with the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. Quaternion-based orientation data were processed by a microcontroller to compute relative knee motion following the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB) joint coordinate conventions: flexion/extension about the x-axis, valgus about the z-axis, and internal rotation about the y-axis. An adaptive calibration routine defined a neutral standing pose for each participant. Real-time ACL risk detection was triggered when flexion was 10-30° and knee valgus exceeded 5°. Processed joint angles and alerts were transmitted via BLE to a dashboard for live visualization. 

The system achieved stable joint angle estimation at a 100 Hz sampling rate, with wireless streaming at 20 Hz. Preliminary field trials demonstrated consistent detection of high-risk valgus postures during squat and jump-landing tests, with an average signal noise below 2° after smoothing. 

This project simulates aspects of laboratory-grade 3D knee motion tracking using quaternion fusion and ISB joint mapping. Its portability, affordability, and real time feedback capabilities make it suitable for ACL injury risk assessment and rehabilitation monitoring.

Noble Agyeman-Bobie, Tatenda Kasirori

Recent advances in fluorescence nanoscopy have pushed resolution to the 1–10 nm range, enabling the direct visualization of individual molecules even in crowded biological environments. Achieving this level of precision requires rigorous sample drift control. Techniques such as MINFLUX and RASTMIN, which rely on keeping the sample fixed within an excitation pattern, demand active drift correction to achieve their theoretical nanometer-scale resolution limits. Here, we present the implementation of recently published open-source codes for an active stabilization system to obtain super-resolution images from conventional laser scanning confocal microscopy. Our implementation is direct application of the published, open-source code with some modifications. In this talk, modifications and updates to the original optical design will be discussed.  

Tatenda Kasirori, Khaliq Brown, Ladonna Kalala, Favour Aina

Hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of nanoparticles (NPs) are key parameters characterizing nanoparticles suspended in liquid, which is important in applications like drug delivery, colloid stability, formulation optimization, and surface modification. We present measured size and zeta potential by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Electrophoretic Light Scattering (ELS) at temperature higher than room temperature. DLS operates by analyzing fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered by NPs undergoing Brownian motion while ELS adds the electrostatic force to the motion. The Stokes-Einstein equation is used to calculate the hydrodynamic radius of the particles. The liquid temperature may affect the motion of nanoparticles suspended in liquid so their size and zeta potential can be measured differently as a higher temperature may reduce the solvent viscosity, resulting in faster NP motion, which makes size measured smaller. Faster motion also enhances the interactions between NPs, which may affect zeta potential. Our DLS data suggests that the size is smaller with temperature. In this talk, we present how temperature influences the measurements of the hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of colloidal NPs that are synthesized at Grambling by laser ablation in liquid as well as commercial ones.

Zie Nia Rice

Laser ablation in liquid has emerged as a sustainable, green-friendly method for nanoparticle

(NPs) production [1] , enabling synthesis without the need for chemical reagents. The process

involves irradiating target material, such as graphite, metals, and semiconductors, with laser

pulses of few nanoseconds to generate nanoparticles of various sizes, depending on parameters

like the depth of liquid and laser-to-target distance. Upon absorbing the laser energy of high

intensity at a short period of 10 nanoseconds, atoms at the laser spot become excited and go

through phase changes, eventually forming a high-energy plasma near the surface. They occupy

a small volume, which is called a bubble or laser plume at the surface due to the confining effects

of the surrounding liquid. At the interface between the liquid and plasma, supersaturation is

created due to the rapid cooling. The subsequent nucleation leads to the creation of NPs that

grow within the bubble. Eventually, the bubble collapses, making nanoparticles suspended in

surrounding liquid, forming colloidal NPs. In this talk, we present how the control of the bubble

volume at supersaturation affects the size of nanoparticles, assuming the volume depends on the

surface tension of liquid. The bubble volume gets smaller when the surface tension is bigger,

which results in higher supersaturation making the precursors in closer proximity due to the

higher concentration. It is expected that smaller NPs will result

Favour Aina, Prakash Meppaloor Gopalakrishnan Nair

Acinetobacter baumannii is a major opportunistic human pathogen capable of forming biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces, contributing to persistent infections and reduced antibiotic efficacy. Therefore, the development of alternative or adjunct therapeutic strategies represents a promising approach for treating biofilm-associated infections. Myrtenol, a bicyclic monoterpene commonly found in essential oils, exhibits a wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, myrtenol demonstrated significant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against A. baumannii without affecting bacterial cell viability, as confirmed by the Alamar Blue assay. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of myrtenol reduced ring biofilm formation, biofilm biomass, surface coverage, and biofilm development on multiple surfaces. Additionally, exposure to myrtenol decreased surface motility and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. Synergistic testing with Ciprofloxacin indicated enhanced bacterial sensitivity to the antibiotic. The ethidium bromide cartwheel assay demonstrated inhibition of efflux pump activity following myrtenol treatment. Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of the phytochemical myrtenol in inhibiting A. baumannii biofilm formation and enhancing antibiotic susceptibility, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for managing A. baumannii infections.

Katie Riddle, Brooke Dupuy, Jean Fotie, Pradip Panta

The rapid rise of antibiotic resistance underscores the urgent need for new therapeutics that selectively target pathogenic bacteria. We synthesized multiple classes of compounds, including oxime triethyl ethers, quinolines, and biphenyls, and evaluated their antibacterial activity against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens using disk diffusion assays (100 µg per disk). Preliminary results indicate that oxime derivatives selectively inhibit the Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, while exhibiting minimal activity against Gram-negative bacteria, a specificity that may offer clinical advantages by reducing off-target effects. Among the oximes tested, BRSO-22 and BRSO-28 displayed markedly different levels of antibacterial activity, suggesting that structural features of the oxime scaffold can be optimized to enhance efficacy. Additionally, oxime activity modestly increased in MH2 medium compared to MH1 medium, which contains lower concentrations of calcium and magnesium, indicating that divalent cations may influence antibacterial potency. Finally, preliminary evidence suggests that the DedA membrane protein may contribute to S. aureus susceptibility to these compounds, pointing to a potential membrane-associated mechanism of action. Ongoing studies aim to elucidate the molecular basis of oxime activity and the role of divalent cations and DedA proteins in modulating antibacterial susceptibility.

Raleigh Billiot, Trista Bonvillain, Bliss Broussard

Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative bacillus and opportunistic pathogen native to the Gulf Coast. This bacterium has been observed to accumulate in weathered tar balls, with cell concentrations exceeding the surrounding seawater by a factor of 100. This affinity towards hydrocarbons was also investigated and determined to occur in vitro in the laboratory using the model oil compound, n-hexadecane. Biofilm assays demonstrated that Vibrio preferentially associates with oil over plastic under static incubation conditions in artificial seawater (ASW). To further investigate the nature of this interaction, assays were performed to assess the binding capability of Vibrio cells to glass beads, uncoated or coated with oil. Results indicated a high level of binding to both coated and uncoated beads in ASW media, which was not similarly observed in LB2 media, suggesting that the ionic strength of the media may strongly influence this interaction with oil. Bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons (BATH) assays using isogenic colonial phase variants of V. vulnificus expressing different cell surface chemistries all showed similar affinities toward oil in PBS (isoionic), while repeated BATH assays in ASW media (hyperionic) yielded inconclusive results. Future work continues to focus on hydrocarbon adhesion at the air-surface interface using pellicle assays. Defining the ecological patterns of Vibrio spp. in contaminated waters critical to inform seafood safety and public health policies.

Andi Cantu, Caroline Hennigan

Antimicrobials have been widely used in healthcare and agriculture industries for decades. However, prolonged and extensive antimicrobial use has contributed to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, rendering many previously effective treatments less reliable.  This trend is concerning, as an increasing number of microbes harbor antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARGs). These microbes can potentially accumulate in the environment through sources such as septic system effluent and surface runoff. Environmental pooling of resistant pathogens allows for horizontal gene transfer which can further promote spread of the ARGs. This study aims to analyze the distribution of ARGs in aquatic environments of the Calcasieu River drainage. As part of this study, water samples will be collected from recreational, residential wastewater, and rural locations over a six-month period. These samples will be analyzed using culture-based methods to identify the presence of specific bacterial species and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the presence of ARGs at each site. 

Josephine Florez, Pradip Panta

The World Health Organization classifies Klebsiella pneumoniae as a critical priority pathogen, underscoring the urgent need for alternatives to conventional antibiotics amid rising antimicrobial resistance. Phage therapy offers a promising approach.  However, the emergence of bacterial resistance to phages remains a major obstacle to its widespread use. Recent landmark studies have identified eukaryotic DedA superfamily membrane proteins as essential host factors for RNA virus infection, including SARS-CoV-2. Despite their conservation across all domains of life, the physiological roles of DedA proteins remain poorly understood. Notably, the role of prokaryotic DedA proteins in bacteriophage infection has not been explored, particularly in capsulated human pathogens such as K. pneumoniae. To address this gap, we isolated a bacteriophage from wastewater treatment plant capable of infecting capsulated K. pneumoniae ST258. Comparative infection assays revealed that VT201, a mutant lacking two redundant DedA proteins (YqjA and YghB), exhibits increased phage susceptibility compared to WT. Previous studies have shown that loss of YqjA and YghB reduces capsule production, though the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Given the critical role of capsule in phage infection, future studies will investigate how DedA proteins regulate capsule biogenesis and modulate phage susceptibility in K. pneumoniae.

Sarina Khadka, Doreen Aidoo, Pradip Panta

The DedA protein family comprises highly conserved inner membrane proteins with poorly defined physiological roles. Recent evidence suggests that some DedA proteins function as undecaprenyl phosphate (Und-P) flippases. Und-P is an essential lipid carrier required for cell wall biosynthesis, lipid A aminoarabinose modification, and capsule production, key determinants of bacterial virulence, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we show that deletion of two redundant DedA homologs, YqjA and YghB, markedly sensitizes Klebsiella pneumoniae to bacitracin, an inhibitor of Und-P recycling, indicating that these proteins are required for efficient Und-P turnover. Loss of DedA proteins leads to constitutive activation of the PhoPQ two-component system, a major virulence regulator, and increases sensitivity to substrates that elevate electron load, such as the long-chain fatty acid oleate. In the absence of DedA proteins, PhoPQ-dependent upregulation of ispU, encoding the enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of Und-PP, was observed. Consistently, phoP and phoQ transposon mutants exhibit increased bacitracin sensitivity. Together, these findings demonstrate that impaired Und-P recycling drives sustained PhoPQ activation. While this response may enhance virulence, it imposes a fitness cost under conditions of high electron load and elevated ATP demand. We propose that combining Und-P recycling inhibitors with long-chain fatty acids may enhance therapeutic efficacy.

Blaise Kliebert

Staphylococcus aureus, a potentially pathogenic gram-positive bacterium, causes infectious diseases and postoperative complications. S.aureus has virulence genes that promote its ability to establish itself and cause pathogenicity in its host. Resistance to β-lactams in methicillin-resistant S.aureus (MRSA) is acquired by the transmission of a mobile genetic element, the staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC mec), carrying a  methicillin resistance gene MecA which encodes for the penicillin-binding protein (PBP-2A). The Panton-Valentine leukocidin  (PVL) gene encodes a cytotoxin that causes leukocyte destruction and tissue necrosis. Alpha hemolysin (Hla) gene codes for a β-pore-forming α-toxin that perforates the plasma membrane. Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) is a superantigen that over-stimulates T-cells; activated lymphocytes produce a cytokine storm which leads to inflammation and tissue damage. Genomic DNA was extracted from clinical MRSA isolates collected from a tertiary care hospital in southern Louisiana, and used for PCR amplification of mecA, PVL, Hla, and TSST-1 genes. The presence of thermonuc was used for species identification. PCR confirmation of the presence of virulence genes is a useful tool for epidemiology and understanding the role that these genes play in clinical outcomes.

Ethan Ordoyne, Breanna Gros, Darcey Wayment, Bliss Broussard

Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative marine pathogen prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico and increasingly associated with oil-contaminated environments. Previous unpublished observations suggest that extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by V. vulnificus may facilitate interactions with hydrocarbons such as n-hexadecane, a model compound in alkane degradation studies. This study investigated whether V. vulnificus can utilize n- hexadecane as a carbon source under nutrient-limited conditions. Cultures were incubated in artificial seawater containing 2.5% n-hexadecane as the sole carbon source, alongside uninoculated controls. After 72 hours, hydrocarbons were extracted from culture supernatants and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) to detect degradation or hydrocarbon-derived metabolites. No evidence of n-hexadecane degradation was observed relative to controls. Although metabolites were detected in the aqueous phase, none were uniquely indicative of hydrocarbon metabolism. These results suggest that V. vulnificus does not degrade n-hexadecane under the tested conditions. Future studies employing more sensitive quantitative analyses may further elucidate the metabolic interactions between V. vulnificus and hydrocarbons.

Kinsey Vidrine, Chris Struchtemeyer

Herbs have been used to combat bacterial infections in medical settings for centuries due to the fact that they often contain novel antimicrobial compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of seven herbal oils including oregano, garlic, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, olive, and dandelion.  The antimicrobial activity of these oils was assessed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assays.  During these assays, 20 microliters of oil was applied to sterile paper disks, which were placed onto Mueller Hinton agar plates inoculated with either Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus.  The resulting data revealed significant variation in efficacy among the oils that were tested.  Tea tree oil produced the largest zones of inhibition against both E. coli and S. aureus.  Oregano and peppermint oils also inhibited the growth of both bacteria, whereas eucalyptus only appeared to inhibit the growth of S. aureus.   In contrast, olive oil demonstrated no inhibitory effects against either E. coli or S. aureus.  The results of this work indicate that tea tree, oregano, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils possess antimicrobial compounds that are effective against E. coli and/or S. aureus.  These findings are potentially important since numerous strains of these bacteria cause disease and are becoming notorious for displaying increased resistance to traditional antimicrobials.

Hope Wasson, Kylie Gaspard, Kinsey Vidrine, Matthew Ferguson, Chris Struchtemeyer

Aerobic septic systems are commonly used to treat wastewater in rural areas of Louisiana. In spite of their importance and widespread use, very little is known about their environmental impacts.  This lack of knowledge is concerning, since the effluent from these systems is discharged into ditches that flow into recreational water bodies.  In this study, aerobic septic system effluent, as well as water from ditches and recreational water bodies that serve as disposal points for these systems, was collected.  E. coli (EC) and fecal coliform bacteria (FC) were quantified in all samples using a membrane filtration method.  The goal of this work was to examine the environmental impacts of aerobic septic system waste.  This work showed that aerobic septic effluent contained high concentrations of EC (11,000- 4,400,000 cfu/ml) and FC (83,000- 2,900,000 cfu/100ml).  The concentrations of EC decreased (BDL-140,000 cfu/100 ml), but FC remained elevated (180,000 – 620,000 cfu/100 ml) in ditches that served as disposal sites for aerobic septic system effluent.  High concentrations of FC were also observed in recreational water bodies that were located near aerobic septic system disposal sites (2,800 – 6,400 cfu/100 ml) relative to water bodies that were not located near aerobic septic system disposal sites (1,400 – 1,800 cfu/100 ml).  These observations suggest that aerobic septic systems are negatively impacting the water quality of recreational water bodies.

Jazmin Abreu

Astrocytes are glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) that support metabolism, homeostasis, and neuroprotection. Glioblastoma is a cancerous growth of astrocytes, characterized by high rate of malignancy, and metastasis. Currently, there is no cure for this aggressive form of brain cancer, but there has been increasing evidence supporting the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the regulation of cell metabolism, oxidative stress, and cell death. The mitochondria play a critical role in astrocytes’ function, including energy production, neurotransmitter recycling, and redox balance; dysfunctional activity of the mitochondria has been strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases and inflammation. Additionally, there has been a link to reactive oxygen species production within the electron transport chain (ETC) that has been implicated in promoting cellular and metabolic changes that support tumor progression. Mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction has shown a strong correlation with glioblastoma tumor progression, indicating that a focus on oxidative stress ETC components, presents promising results towards therapeutic strategies and clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with this dreadful disease. This study investigates the changes in mitochondrial mass, metabolic activity, and copy number changes in human astrocytes and the glioblastoma LN229 cell line. The mitochondrial copy number change was assessed using PCR, while the mass and metabolic activity were me

Louis Boahene, Albert Nyaunu, Michael Adofo, Daniel Uzoma, Waneene Dorsey

Chronic inflammation is a well-established driver of cancer initiation, promotion, and progression. Central to this link are inflammatory transcription factors, which convert extracellular inflammatory signals into gene expression signatures that favor cancer progression. Clinical studies have chronicled a troubling link between alterations in the persistence of inflammatory gene proteins and chemotherapy resistance in cancer patients.  This presents a significant hurdle for oncologists striving to create effective treatment strategies.  When inflammatory gene proteins are activated in the body, they give rise to an inflammatory microenvironment, a unique setting where cancer cells often employ their specialized signaling mechanisms to evade destruction by chemotherapeutic agents.  To explore this phenomenon in detail, we conducted experiments exposing TIB73 mouse liver cells to varying concentrations of pentachlorophenol (PCP), a wood preservative known to induce inflammatory responses. Our research revealed that key pro-inflammatory cytokines—such as IL-1β, phos-NF-kB, phos-ATF2, and STAT3 are present throughout various stages of cancer progression and drug resistance, creating an environment that nurtures cancer cell growth. The data gathered from our study suggest that the PCP-treated TIB73 mouse liver cells indeed generate a hostile inflammatory microenvironment that supports cancer development.

Brooke Breaux, David Saucier, Susan Bowers

Though three-dimensional printing has expanded the use of polymer-based resins for dental restorations, susceptibility to bacterial adhesion remains a concern for long-term clinical performance. Streptococcus mutans is a primary contributor to dental caries and is frequently associated with secondary caries and restoration failure. Recent studies have explored the incorporation of antimicrobial metallic nanoparticles into dental resins to enhance antimicrobial efficacy. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of copper- and zinc oxide–infused dental resins against S. mutans and to examine the influence of zinc oxide nanoparticle concentration on antimicrobial activity. Resin specimens were fabricated with nanoparticle concentrations of 1 percent copper, 1 percent zinc oxide, and 2.5 percent zinc oxide, along with nanoparticle-free resin controls. Antimicrobial performance was assessed using agar-based zone of inhibition assays and broth turbidity analyses. To better approximate the oral environment, half of the zone of inhibition replicates were exposed to artificial saliva. Antimicrobial activity was quantified by measuring inhibition zone diameters and changes in broth turbidity following 2 and 5 day incubation periods. It is hypothesized that nanoparticle-infused resins will exhibit greater inhibition of S. mutans growth than control resins, and that increasing zinc oxide concentration will result in increased antimicrobial inhibition.

Jamie Newman, Landon Ossman, Mary Helen Burford, Jasmine Jones, Elijah Kilpatrick

Today, approximately two-thirds of the United States population is obese or overweight. Obesity is tightly linked to a number of diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and respiratory disorders. Sugar is one of many established contributors to the progression of adipogenesis. We therefore aim to determine the influence of sugar on gene expression and cell state during adipogenesis of human adipose derived stem cells.

 We are using human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs) to evaluate the influence of fructose and sucralose on stem cell self-renewal and adipogenesis. Cells will be treated with various concentrations of fructose or sucralose and allowed to grow in self-renewing or adipogenic conditions. Properties will be evaluated by qRT-PCR, cell imaging, and cell staining. We expect that higher concentrations of sugars will lead to slower proliferation and increased adipogenic differentiation. The results from these studies will help us to better understand the connection between sugars and the obesity epidemic.

Ernest Owusu Boadi, Siva Murru

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in advanced stages where therapeutic resistance is common and five-year survival rates remain low (~12%). This underscores the urgent need for new small-molecule anticancer agents with improved selectivity, reduced toxicity, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Small molecules offer advantages such as oral bioavailability, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to modulate intracellular targets involved in tumor progression. Among these, pyrazole-based compounds have demonstrated diverse biological activities, including notable anticancer potential.

Building on our previous work with pyrazole- and pyrazolone-based anticancer scaffolds, we synthesized a new library of fused pyrazole-pyranone hybrids using optimized SNAr substitution and intramolecular cyclization strategies. Reaction optimization, purification, and structural characterization will be presented. Antiproliferative activity was evaluated against colorectal cancer cell lines and a non-cancerous control cell line, alongside functional and migratory assays, including colony formation. Computational target prediction and molecular docking studies further support the potential of this chemotype as a promising platform for CRC drug development.

Abeeb Oyesiji, Shila Kandel, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Eduardo Martinez-Ceballos, Xiaoping Yi, Raphyel Rosby, Md Ekhtear Hossain

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies among men in the US and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Beyond genetic and lifestyle risk factors, environmental pollutants are increasingly recognized as potential drivers of disease progression. Tire wear compounds (TWCs), generated through tire–road abrasion, represent a pervasive yet understudied class of environmental contaminants. Among these, 4-aminodiphenylamine (4-ADPA) is widely used as an antioxidant in tire manufacturing; however, its biological effects on cancer remain unknown. This study examined whether 4-ADPA promotes prostate cancer cell proliferation by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, a central regulator of tumor growth and therapy resistance. DU-145 prostate cancer cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of 4-ADPA. Cell proliferation was measured using the CCK-8 assay, and transcriptional changes in PI3K, AKT, and mTOR were assessed. Exposure to 4-ADPA significantly enhanced DU-145 cell proliferation and induced marked upregulation of AKT and mTOR, while PI3K expression remained unchanged. These findings indicate activation of PI3K-independent AKT/mTOR signaling, suggesting a bypass mechanism that accelerates tumor cell growth. Collectively, this study provides the first mechanistic evidence that a tire wear–derived pollutant promotes prostate cancer progression via oncogenic signaling.

Cheryl Bardales, Karen Slatten

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology develops years before the onset of clinical symptoms, highlighting the need for sensitive biomarkers and cognitive measures capable of detecting impairment during the preclinical stage. Plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) has emerged as a promising blood-based biomarker associated with amyloid and tau pathology, yet its relationship to baseline cognitive performance in cognitively normal individuals remains under investigation. This study examines the association between baseline plasma p-tau217 concentrations and cognitive performance using archival data from the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s (A4) Study. Secondary cross-sectional analyses focus on cognitively normal, amyloid-positive older adults and compare the strength of association between p-tau217 and the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC), emphasizing composite variants excluding the Mini-Mental State Examination. Planned analyses employ multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, and APOE ε4 carrier status, with exploratory comparisons across domains. This work aims to evaluate whether alternative cognitive composites demonstrate improved sensitivity to early AD-related cognitive changes and stronger associations with baseline plasma p-tau217. Findings from this ongoing analysis may inform optimization of screening tools and blood-based biomarkers for early identification of individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Christen Woods, Tolulope Omolekan, Joy Folahan, Leila Rahimian, Oswald D'Auvergne, Konstantin Kousoulas, Bolni Nagalo, Hang Ma, 

Timothy Beng, Jean Christopher Chamcheu

Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as a promising modality in cancer treatment, with therapeutic efficacy frequently enhanced by natural and synthetic chemotype scaffolds capable of modulating viral replication, tumor selectivity, and host-tumor interactions. Despite this potential, the combinatorial anticancer and viro-modulatory effects of multifunctional small-molecule scaffolds used in conjunction with oncolytic viruses remain insufficiently underexplored. Here we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 38 lactams, comprising lactam-fused halolactones and epoxide-tethered lactam carboxamides (LH-ELC). These compounds were assessed for dual antitumor and antiviral potentiation using engineered herpes simplex virus type 1 variants VC2 and VC2-GMCSF in triple-negative breast cancer and melanoma cell lines. Structure-based design, computational modeling, and cytotoxicity profiling identified three lead candidates, W23, W35, and W38.  These lead compounds exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against SK-Mel-28 cells (IC₅₀ 17.8, 28.7, and 52.9 μM) and MDA-MB-231 cells (IC₅₀ 21.6, 40.5, and 42.1 μM). Notably, all three compounds significantly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species in breast cancer cell by 35%, 32%, and 35%. LH-ELC derivatives demonstrated moderate antiviral activity, inhibiting VC2 viral attachment and reducing plaque-forming units in cancer cell lines suggesting their capacity to modulate viral entry and enhance oncolytic efficacy.

Erik Roy, William Dees

The Louisiana Academy of Sciences (LAS) holds annual meetings to share studies conducted by Louisiana scientists and student researchers.  Since 2011, the Louisiana Scientist: Bulletin of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences has provided a record of these studies presented from 2007 until the present at each annual meeting.  In observance of the centennial annual meeting this year, we organized data on research presented from 2007 to 2025 to determine trends in presentations over the last 19 years.  We reviewed abstract submissions from each of the 17 sections of the LAS discipline-specific divisions.  The number of presentations each year varied in most LAS sections.  There have been no abstract submissions in the Earth Sciences Section since 2020.  The Agriculture, Forestry, and Wildlife Division has shown an overall increase in abstract submissions from 2007 to 2025.  There was an increase in submissions in the Chemistry Section from 19 in 2024 to 31 in 2025.  The number of presentations in the Science and Humanities Division nearly doubled from five in 2024 to nine in 2025.  From 2024 to 2025, abstract submissions have also increased in the following sections: Botany, Environmental Sciences, Microbiology, Physics, and Social Sciences.  Overall, the number of presentations is returning to pre-COVID pandemic levels, reflecting a shift toward increased participation in many LAS sections.

Christof Stumpf, Cheryl Bardales

The Oak Leaf, LSUA's Journal of Undergraduate Teaching and Research, is a multi-disciplinary publication for exceptional undergraduate research, book and historical reviews, and theoretical articles. This open-access, peer-reviewed journal celebrates the achievements of undergraduate students and welcomes submissions from the wider academic community. The objectives of The Oak Leaf are to showcase the research of undergraduate students, provide a forum for the scientific community to express and exchange diverse ideas from various fields, recognize outstanding students, familiarize students with the publishing process, encourage faculty-student collaboration, and offer undergraduate researchers in all disciplines the opportunity to communicate their experiences and results to worldwide audiences, the final crucial step in the research process. In the humanities, faculty are encouraged to consider exceptional course assignments for publication in The Oak Leaf if they demonstrate exemplary writing, clear arguments, third-person perspective, grammatical accuracy, and thorough documentation. In the sciences, research projects that feature a testable hypothesis, reproducibility, proper use of statistical methods, novel discoveries, and are of a caliber suitable for a scientific conference are welcome. Students can connect with us and submit their work at https://www.lsua.edu/about/publications/the-oak-leaf/.

Xander Nichols, Sarah Bergeron, John P. Doucet

Speculation regarding the possibility of life beyond Earth dates back to antiquity.  Only in the 21st century have scientists applied sufficiently advanced chemical and spectral technology to identify with atomic certainty extraterrestrial molecules of biological significance.  Signatures of amino acids, ribose and other sugars, glycolaldehyde, ammoniated salts, dimethylsulfoxide, phosphine, various nucleobases, aliphatic molecules, and even peptides, have recently been identified from meteorites, comets, and planetary atmospheres.  Amid accelerating discovery, including anticipation of detailed laboratory identification of molecules captured in situ from the carbonaceous, near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu (collected by NASA in 2023), curation of molecular information becomes paramount for both current understanding and improving (and assuring) technology and search missions.  Toward that end, we have conducted a survey of recently discovered astrobiochemicals and curated information on molecular type, biological significance, discovery locus, discovery technology, space mission, and peer-reviewed reporting.  Our work anticipates international collection of such astrobiochemical information in a field we hereby name “cosmomics.”

Alice Cavailles sammut, Justine Griffon, Rahaf JADOUN, Amanda CARDE

Nowadays, discrimination is omnipresent, especially for people with disabilities, may they be visible or invisible ones. The discriminations that go with disability are often viewed as negative but positive discriminations also exist and are just as important. This study examines the effect of the type of disability on discrimination.

We had two hypotheses, the first that the participants would have more positive discrimination against people with visible disabilities. The second one was that the participants would tend to discriminate negatively against people with invisible disabilities.

Our study involved 103 French participants. They were subject to an intra-subject survey with vignettes describing daily situations where they had to imagine their reactions. A second intra-subjet survey measured their past actions.

The results showed there was an effect for the visible disabilities : people with visible disabilities would undergo more positive discriminations. However, for the invisible disabilities , no effect was demonstrated showing that people with invisible disabilities would not undergo more negative discriminations.

Even with no effect on the second part, this study showed us what could be improved. Placing participants in front of the situation would be even more interesting then showing it on screen. Additionally, having more participants would allow a higher statistical power and would be more representative of the population.

Julianna Malloy, Peter Zunick, Evava Pietri, Veronica Derricks

Black people are often underrepresented in STEM fields. The lack of racial diversity within classroom environments contributes to decreased belonging for students of color. We used White and repainted Black skin-tone anatomical models in a mock Biology classroom setting to test whether having a Black model would affect Black student’s feeling of belonging in classrooms. Participants viewed a learning video with a Black or White model, a course syllabus, and took a quiz with the previously shown model. Participants then took surveys to record belonging among other variables. The analyzed sample included 373 Black participants (Prolific recruited 399 participants 18-30yrs), with 228 women, 134 men, and 11 non-binary; 203 were students. Regression analysis revealed a significant 3-way interaction between condition, stigma consciousness, and student status predicting our composite variable including belonging, F(1, 361) = 4.35, p = .04. For students there was a simple 2-way interaction between stigma consciousness and condition, p = 0.04, such that those high in stigma consciousness had more belonging in the Black model condition than those in the White model condition, p = .04, but not at low stigma consciousness, p = .31. Repainting models can be applied in classrooms to help increase feelings of belonging for Black students and in turn help diversify STEM fields by signaling to racial diverse students that they belong.  

Jessica Stewart, Dena Matzenbacher, Kane Vest

Research indicates that mental health concerns among college students have increased in recent decades, a trend reflected in rising demand for campus counseling services. To better understand student perspectives on this pattern, college students were asked to identify primary stressors and perceived contributors to mental health challenges among their peers.

The sample included 219 students enrolled in Freshman Foundations courses between Fall 2023 and Fall 2025 who responded to two questions as part of an online quiz. Students most frequently identified financial strain, academic pressure, time management difficulties, and balancing multiple roles as their primary stressors. When asked to identify factors contributing to increased mental health concerns, students most often cited financial difficulties, social media use, academic demands, the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduced social connectedness or loneliness.

Across responses, financial stress emerged as a pervasive concern, intersecting with academic demands and role overload. Social media was identified by 43% of students as a contributing factor, suggesting its influence may compound existing stressors rather than operate in isolation. University initiatives focused on financial literacy and healthy social media use may therefore address multiple sources of stress and support overall student well-being.

Kingsford Kobina Annan, Zhu Ning, Y. A. Twumasi, Dorcas Twumwaa Gyan, Jeff Dacosta Osei, Esi Dadzie, Recheal Armah, Daniel Aniewu, Miriam Kiiru

Urban forests support sustainable urban development through heat mitigation and microclimate regulation, yet these benefits depend on forest health and canopy condition rather than tree presence alone. This study conducts a spatial assessment of urban forest health and performance in Northern East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, an area characterized by elevated heat exposure and uneven canopy distribution. Geospatial analysis using summer-season Landsat 8 and 9 imagery (2024) was applied to derive the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST). Urban forest health was classified into high, moderate, and low categories based on NDVI thresholds and canopy continuity, with impervious surface density incorporated as an indicator of urban stress. Spatial overlay and hotspot analyses were used to examine relationships between forest health and surface temperature. Results show that approximately 41% of the study area exhibits low urban forest health, 37% moderate health, and 22% high health. Low-health areas recorded surface temperatures 18–24% higher than high-health canopy zones during peak summer conditions, while areas with continuous, healthy canopy experienced temperature reductions of 15–21% relative to adjacent low-canopy zones. More than 60% of heat hotspots coincided with low-health or fragmented canopy areas. These findings highlight the importance of targeted canopy management and restoration as nature-based solutions.