Context: Roughly 29 million women play soccer worldwide, and that number has significantly increased over the past 13 years, especially in the United States. Studies specific to female soccer players and ACL injuries are more prevalent than ever. Female soccer players are roughly 3 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury compared to male soccer players. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is the current solution for most injured patients, ideally resulting in a streamlined recovery and return to sport. Graft type superiority continues to be studied among the female soccer population, but it still remains unclear at this point in time which graft and surgical technique leads to superior patient outcomes.

Methods: PubMed and Cochrane databases were accessed using search terms ACL graft choice AND soccer, ACL autograft AND soccer, ACL autograft outcomes AND soccer, and ACL reconstruction AND female soccer. Studies were included if they were written in English, published within the last 5 years, available in full text, included female soccer players undergoing ACLR, and reported outcome measures. The initial search yielded 80 articles leaving 34 articles after removing duplicates. After reviewing titles, 12 articles were removed, leaving 22 articles remaining for abstract review. Following the abstract screening, 12 articles did not meet the study inclusion criteria, leaving 10 articles for full-text review. After 8 full-text articles were eliminated, 2 articles remained in the review. Screening of references included 1 additional article resulting in 3 articles utilized for this study.

Results: Three articles were included in the review, combining an identified 225 female soccer players of various ages who underwent ACLR. 15 female soccer players had their ACLR procedure done with the quadriceps tendon (QT), 66 bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB), and 144 hamstring tendons (HS). PROs measured were the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale (LKSS), and Tegner Activity Scale (TAS). Other outcome measures compared were the average follow-up after ACLR, RTS, and complications post ACLR.

Conclusions: Evidence suggests that female soccer players with ACLR have a low RTS rate, a high chance of developing further knee conditions and complications, acceptable LKSS and LDKC scores average, and a low TAS average. Female soccer players who were included in this review had a 53.3% chance of returning to sport after ACLR. The collected RTS data suggests that nearly half of female soccer players are struggling to return to the pitch. High complication rates were noted, stating that female soccer players have a 54.7% likeliness of developing further knee conditions and injuries.

I have developed a machine learning model for designing drug-like compounds targeting the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a key drug target for treating type II diabetes. The model employs reinforcement learning to generate novel compounds by assembling molecular fragments from curated databases organized by chemical reactivity. To ensure synthesizability, the model selects fragments that follow a predefined synthetic pathway. The generated compounds are evaluated based on their binding affinity to PPARγ, estimated by docking free energy (ΔG in kcal/mol) using AutoDock Vina. The docking score serves as the reward function, prioritizing compounds with strong binding affinity.

To encourage exploration, a penalty is applied to previously evaluated compounds, preventing the model from repeatedly selecting the same structures. Model performance is monitored by tracking the average docking score across 100 docking batches, ensuring continuous optimization toward high-affinity binders. This approach aims to enhance target specificity and potentially reduce off-target effects and side effects.

Studies have documented the value of undergraduate outdoor academic programs (OAPs) (Turner et al., 2022) from the perspective of outdoor industry employers (Maningas & Simpson, 2003; Seaman et al., 2017) but few have explored OAP alumni perspectives (Prince, 2005). This perspective is critical to increasing understanding of OAPs. Therefore, this study aimed to explore alumni perspectives on experiences in OAPs and which components of their degree they perceived to be impactful on their careers.

Methods

The research reported here is part of a larger mixed methods study (Fuesler et al., 2025) that used a Significant Life Experience (SLE) theoretical framework (Daniel, 2003). Daniel et al.’s (2022) SLE survey was modified to be OAP- and career-specific, making this the first known time an SLE framework has been narrowed in scope to be career-specific. OAP alumni from three universities were emailed a Qualtrics survey with questions about learning outcomes and a Likert scale to rank OAP components. The quantitative responses were analyzed for frequency (Privitera, 2020) and the qualitative analysis followed Creswell & Creswell’s (2022) five-step coding process.

Results & Discussion

130 alumni completed the survey, although not all respondents answered each question (e.g., 124 respondents answered the question about employment status). When asked if the knowledge learned in their OAP was transferable to their career, 89% (n=110) of respondents said yes, 9% (n=11) said maybe, and 2% (n=3) said no. Of the 97% (n=120) of employed graduates, 42% (n=50) classified their career in the outdoor field. Participants ranked a pre-determined list of their degree program components according to perceived impact, and results indicate immersion semesters, faculty mentorship, and internships were the most impactful. These findings improve our understanding of the value of these programs and may go on to impact the design of OAPs.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are cellular proteins that regulate gene expression and serve as targets for 10-20% of all FDA approved medications. When bound by agonists, nuclear receptors adopt an active conformation that allows for a coactivator peptide to bind the NR, turning on gene transcription. Differences in coactivator recruitment may result in variant downstream effects, such as medication adverse effects, induced by altered gene expression. The Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) is a NR primarily expressed in the liver. Ligands such as bile acids bind FXR endogenously in the human body, but prescription medications such as obeticholic acid target FXR for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis. However, obeticholic acid has been associated with serious liver injury among patients being treated with the medication. We therefore utilized Amber molecular dynamics simulations to determine structural features induced in FXR in the presence of obeticholic acid and additional ligands; these structural features were assessed for correlation to stability of binding of coactivators NCOA2_609 and MED1_604 to FXR. Key structural differences in FXR helices 3, 11, and 12 are seen among various agonists. Most notably, ligand interactions with helix 11 residue, His447, and intermolecular interactions between His447 and helix 12 Trp469 may contribute to specific coactivator binding stability. By investigating these structural changes and how they impact coactivator binding, smarter drug design may be employed in the future to optimize medications with efficacious profiles and fewer side effects.

Wildfire risk is rising across the Western United States as climate change accelerates fire frequency and intensity. Federal investments in hazardous fuel reduction aim to protect communities, but are these efforts reaching those most at risk? This research examines whether the benefits of wildfire mitigation are equitably distributed by analyzing parcel-level data in the Kootenai Complex Wildfire Crisis Strategy Priority Landscape. Using advanced spatial modeling and fire risk assessment, it evaluates how proximity to treatments influences risk reduction and whether disparities emerge based on property characteristics. Rather than relying on broad demographic categories, this study takes a place-based approach to uncover patterns of access and exclusion. Its findings will provide actionable insights for policymakers, land managers, and communities working to ensure that wildfire protection is not just effective but also fair. If mitigation efforts systematically overlook the most vulnerable areas, the consequences will be measured in lost homes, livelihoods, and lives.

PURPOSE: Examine the effect of a five-day hiking intervention with load carriage on cytoplasmic protein fractional synthetic rates in apparently healthy males and females. METHOD: 18 recreationally active participants (8M, 10F; 28 ± 6 yr; VO₂_peak: 47.7 ± 8.2 mL･kg-1･min-1) consumed labeled (²H₂O) water for 10 days prior and throughout a 5-day pack-loaded hiking protocol. Participants completed two 60-minute hiking laps, with distance and elevation gain of 3.3 ± 0.6 km, 431 ± 86 m per lap, respectively. Participants returned to the starting point between each lap and rested for 15 minutes. Intensity was controlled at 70% of age-predicted HR_max, averaging 135 ± 4 bpm, and weighted hiking packs were worn during each hike and normalized to 30% of DXA derived fat-free mass. Total daily hiking time was 3:40:15 ± 0:13:22 (h:mm:ss). This protocol was repeated each day for 5 days. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis on days 10 and 16 (pre and post load carriage intervention) and analyzed for fractional synthesis of cytoplasmic-related proteins using mass spectrometric analysis. RESULT: Fractional synthetic rates of beta-actin like protein 2 (ACTB2), heat shock protein 90-alpha (HSP90a), alpha actinin-3 (ACTN3), SRSF protein kinase 2 (SRPK2), and caskin-2 (CSKI2) all decreased (p < 0.05). Creatine kinase M-type (CKM), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), triosephosphate isomerase (TPI1) heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1), Parkinson-disease protein 7 (PARK7), Kelch-like protein 41 (KLHL41) and ethanolamine kinase 1 (ENTK1) all increased (p < 0.05). 27 other cytoplasmic proteins were unchanged (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that fractional synthetic rates of cytoplasmic proteins are sensitive to the intervention and duration of a five-day hiking protocol with load carriage in men and women.

Environmental Factors Influencing the Development of Disordered Eating in Female Collegiate Athletes

Pepper, A, Moody, VJ: University of Montana

Context: Disordered eating is a disturbance in a patient's typical eating pattern that spans a wide range of behaviors typically used to lose or maintain an unhealthy weight. Disordered eating behaviors increase the risk of developing eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Disordered eating prevalence has been reported as 20% higher in female collegiate athletes when compared to their male counterparts; however, few differences have been reported in prevalence when comparing female college students and female collegiate athletes. Serious complications can arise from disordered eating, such as dehydration, hypotension, dental erosion, and electrolyte abnormalities which can lead to a significant decline in athletic performance. In some cases, disordered eating can lead to life-threatening conditions. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the factors that influence the development of disordered eating behaviors to mitigate health risks.

Methods: We searched PubMed and Cochrane Library from inception until December 2024.

Studies that examined disordered eating, collegiate female athletes, and risk factor assessments were used. Articles were written in English, published after 2014, and had full-text availability. The initial search yielded 1890 articles. 1884 articles that did not specifically involve disordered eating in collegiate females were excluded from further inspection. In total 6 articles were included for review.

Results: Several factors were identified in this review indicating that both external (e.g. family, friends, and media) and internal pressures (e.g. body dissatisfaction, perceived stress, and depression) are key predictors in the eating and exercise behaviors of athletes and non-athletes alike. Athletes in lean sports scored higher in categories related to body shape and were less satisfied with their current weight when compared to athletes in non-lean sports.

Conclusions: This systematic review highlighted the risk factors that potentially contribute to the development of disordered eating behaviors in collegiate female athletes. Implementation of screening tools in the pre-participation physical exam, in addition to athlete education, focused on warning signs of disordered eating and nutritional recommendations may be critical strategies in preventing disordered eating behaviors.

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In a remote corner of southwestern Arizona, humanitarian aid groups must navigate a rugged desert landscape governed by a complex array of public land use policies. While important to conservation, federal environmental policies pose limitations on humanitarian aid groups' efforts to provide water, locate missing persons, and collect crucial data on the scale of border-crossing deaths.

As a graduate student in UM's Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism program, I am creating a short documentary exploring the realities of providing humanitarian aid in the remote desert landscape of the southwestern Arizona-Mexico border. My project aims to provide a meaningful contribution to broader discussions about the intersection of land management policies, conservation, immigration, and humanitarian efforts on the Arizona-Mexico border. My goal for this story is not to point fingers. Rather, I strive to provide an opportunity for further discussion on the ethics and values associated with preservation and land use in the context of a human rights crisis.

My poster will feature footage stills, interview quotes, key statistics about the Arizona-Mexico border, and a QR code linking to a preview of my film. Additionally, I will provide a succinct overview of how I leveraged graduate-level electives in Law, Environmental Studies, and Natural Resource Science and Management to deepen my understanding of social-environmental justice issues. I also briefly discuss how an internship with the National Geographic Society's Impact Story Lab helped prepare me to take on this intensive project. In doing so, I will demonstrate how my coursework and internship contributed to my professional project and allowed me to tailor my master's program to focus on environmental justice reporting.

This doctoral dissertation project, conducted at the University of Montana’s Lubrecht Experimental Forest, delves into the critical question of how burial methods and shifting climatic conditions influence the way DNA breaks down, investigating how differential burials and climate affect the skeletonization process and preservation of DNA in postmortem cadavers, including the effects of bacterial organisms. Specifically taking place in a region lacking in research and where diverse conditions affect the decomposition process greatly, the Rocky Mountains. This is also relative to the lack of research on DNA and microbes found in soil within the forensic context and the effects of natural mummification, which is heavily prevalent in more arid regions. Through examination of degradation rates of DNA in hard tissue, soft tissue, and topsoil composites across three pig cadaver sites over a year, this study builds upon existing research on decomposition scales and Accumulated Degree Days (ADD). The outcomes promise to provide a comprehensive insight into the intricate interplay between decomposition rates, the progression of desiccated tissue, microbe soil spread, and DNA preservation. The objective of this project is to provide a probative DNA and bacterial display value based on the observational display of decomposition prior to the use of destructive extractions. Preliminary results show that oxygen flow may play a role in a slower decomposition rate for remains buried deeper.

This case study explores the rehabilitation of a 20-year-old collegiate linebacker with a grade 2 Semitendinosus hamstring strain sustained during a sprinting activity. Following initial clinical assessment and diagnostic ultrasound, an aggressive, structured rehabilitation protocol was implemented, incorporating modalities such as blood flow restriction (BFR) and aquatic therapy. Traditional approaches to hamstring injuries were adapted with these additional interventions to accelerate recovery, enabling a return to play in nine days. The study highlights the potential use of BFR in early rehabilitation to achieve muscle activation with reduced load, suggesting its utility in shortening recovery time compared to standard hamstring injury protocols documented in the literature.

Many freshwaters across the Mountain West are experiencing nutrient enrichment, leading to the excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants. In healthy rivers, these primary producers perform critical functions, providing energy for macroinvertebrates and fish, determining water quality, and directing carbon and nutrient cycling for the entire ecosystem. Nutrient enrichment profoundly alters these functions, motivating research to predict and prevent its impacts. Since 2018, nuisance algal blooms in the Gallatin River (Montana) have roused concern. The Gallatin blooms are hypothesized to occur in response to changing nutrient dynamics, likely due to human development in tributary streams. Fortuitously, continuous dissolved oxygen measurements provide estimates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). When fit to models, these estimates allow us to characterize a river’s metabolism regime. My research develops a metabolism metric for the Gallatin, providing the foundation to assess the effects of algal blooms in nutrient enriched rivers. State agencies and watershed management coalitions currently point sample nutrients and measure levels of dissolved oxygen in the Gallatin. However, dissolved oxygen instruments are not deployed throughout the river, and models of metabolism have not been fit to these limited data. My dual-element study addresses this gap with improved study design. Collecting oxygen data before spring runoff will record early deviations or spikes in gross primary production, which could be predictive of a seasonal algal bloom. First, I will estimate metabolism at sites with and without blooms by fitting models to dissolved oxygen data, generating daily estimates of GPP and ER. Second, I will use novel drone-based hyperspectral imaging to estimate algal biomass, which will improve model estimates. I will also hand-sample algae to corroborate the aerial estimates. My metabolism metric will provide agencies with a useful management solution and ensure we all enjoy clear, clean rivers well into the future.

Although extensive literature describes the health disparities faced by sexual and gender minority individuals, very little research has examined the graduate student population specifically. Furthermore, much research about SGM populations does not separate sexual and gender minority identities in analyses, potentially obscuring differences between these groups. In the current study, 437 graduate students (23.8% with an SGM identity) across seven college campuses participated in a survey about their campus experiences and health. We examined the relationship between SGM identity and depression, physical health, perceived stress, and happiness through stepwise regressions. We controlled for the effects of other demographic variables (age, racial/ethnic minority identity, female gender, international student status, and non-traditional student status) by running them as the first block of our regression, with sexual minority and gender minority identities as the second block. In all four health and wellbeing regressions the SGM identity block explained a significant amount of the measure's variance beyond the block of other demographic variables. The other demographic variables explained a significant amount of the variance in depression, perceived stress, and happiness scores, but not in physical health scores. Age, sexual minority identity, and gender minority identity were significant predictors of depression, such that younger, sexual and gender minority students had higher depression scores. Women, gender minority students, and sexual minority students reported significantly more physical health concerns. Age and sexual minority identity were significant predictors of perceived stress, with younger and sexual minority students endorsing higher stress. Lastly, happiness was significantly predicted by the woman, age, and gender minority variables, such that female, older, and cisgender students reported higher happiness. These results indicate that the health disparities observed for sexual and gender minority individuals largely apply to graduate students as well. Healthcare providers and universities should consider actions aimed at reducing these health disparities.

There is an underrepresentation of females in thermoregulatory research and there has been limited research investigating flexible heat acclimation strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the sex differences and effect of periodic vs sustained heat exposures during heat acclimation on core body temperature. Males and females were divided into two exposure groups and underwent 90 minutes of heat acclimation (38°C, 60% RH) at an absolute intensity on a treadmill (1.6 m·s-1, 5% grade) for 1 week. A sustained group completed the single 90-minute session continuously daily. A periodic group completed three 30-minute sessions 3 hours apart daily. Therefore, total heat exposure was matched. On days 1, 4, and 7 a telemetry pill was ingested at least 4 hours prior to exercise. Peak core temperature was tracked, and the area under the curve (AUC) of core temperature over time was calculated. Post-heat exposure measures for the sustained group were taken during the 6 hours following exposure. Post-heat exposure measures for the periodic group were taken in the 2 hours following each exposure. AUC was calculated using the trapezoid method. This study shows that there is not a sex-dependent capacity to heat acclimate; however, there are thermoregulatory differences between sexes before and during heat acclimation. The time course of experienced heat stress is an important consideration to make when coming up with heat acclimation strategies. When under varied heat acclimation schedules, a sufficient amount of time at an elevated core temperature must be reached in order to elicit adaptions associated with heat acclimation.

Title: Immigrant generational status, late-life social support and mental well-being, and cognitive change in the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences cohort

Presenting Author: Joya Deb Lucky

Co-Authors: Chelsea Kuiper, Kazi Sabrina Haq, Shelli Vodovozov, Oanh L. Meyer, M. Maria Glymour, Paola Gilsanz, Elizabeth Rose Mayeda, Rachel A. Whitmer, Rachel L. Peterson

Word count: 300/300

Background: Social support and mental well-being may differentially provide risk/protection for late-life cognition among different immigrant generations of U.S. older adults.

Methods: In a longitudinal (KHANDLE) cohort, Asian and Latino participants were categorized as 1st-generation arriving age(n=73); 1st-generation arriving age≥18 (n=282); 2nd-generation (n=279); or ≥3rd-generation (n=174) immigrants. The NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery assessed emotional support, instrumental support and loneliness. The PROMIS© Depression Instrument assessed depressive symptoms. All were standardized (mean=0; SD=1) to the U.S. adult population and dichotomized at 0. Verbal episodic memory (VEM) and executive function (EF) were assessed up to 4 times (max. years=6.6) using the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales (SENAS). Linear mixed-effect models examined associations of social support and mental well-being with EF or VEM. Separate models tested interactions by immigrant generation. All models adjusted for age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, in-person vs. phone interview and SENAS language.

Results: Participants’ mean age was 76 years (SD=6.5). 1st-generation immigrants arriving at ages(mean=-0.18, SD=1.0) and highest loneliness (mean=0.25, SD=0.93) and depression (mean=-0.04, SD=0.80). In mixed effects models, instrumental and emotional support were not associated with baseline EF (instrumental β=0.02 [95% CI=-0.04, 0.07]; emotional β=0.02 [95% CI=-0.03, 0.08]) or VEM (instrumental β=-0.02 [95% CI=-0.08, 0.05]; emotional β=0.01 [95% CI=-0.06, 0.07]). Associations of instrumental support, emotional support, depression, and loneliness with longitudinal EF and VEM approached null. First-generation immigrants with low instrumental support had lower VEM (-0.12; 95% CI=-0.29 to 0.04) and 2nd-generation saw a rise (0.18; 95% CI=-0.01 to 0.36). No significant change in ≥3rd-generation immigrants (MEM=0.004; 95% CI=-0.23, 0.24; p-value=0.05). High depression symptoms caused EF declines only in ≥3rd-generation immigrants (-0.07; 95% CI=-0.11 to -0.04; p-value=0.04).

Conclusion: Low instrumental support for 1st-generation immigrants and high depressive symptoms for ≥3rd-generation immigrants may be important intervention targets to protect late-life cognition.

Citizen scientists, which includes K-12 students, is defined as the general public participation of nonscientists in the collection and analysis of data to be used by professionals in scientific research. More citizen science programs are starting to arise to monitor surface water in rivers and lakes, however there are fewer programs that monitor groundwater due to not being able to access monitoring wells. The data being collected by K-12 students must be evaluated for trustworthiness and reliability. This study analyzed the accuracy between K-12 students’ groundwater level data compared to data collected by professional organizations at the same wells. Two comparisons were completed with one well located in Greenough Park in Missoula, Montana, while the second well comparison is located at Gilcrest Elementary in Gilcrest, Colorado. The study showed that K-12 students’ data had similar results to the data collected by professionals. Other studies on this topic have shown that youth citizen science programs need to be carefully trained on how to use the testing kits and collect data. The results from evaluating the trustworthiness of K-12 students will be used to help support the feasibility study for creating a K-12 groundwater monitoring program within Missoula, Montana.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the early stages of adaptation in response to repeated load carriage on mitochondrial protein dynamics.

METHODS: Over 15 days 32 subjects (12 male, 20 female; age 28±6 years; VO₂ peak 47.7±8.2 mLkg-1min-1) consumed a loading dose of deuterated water (²H₂O), and completed a 5-day load carriage hiking protocol. ²H₂O enriched the amino acid pool for observation. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were taken on days 10 and 16, assessing protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR) pre- and post-hiking. During the hiking period, participants completed two laps on an out-and-back mountainous trail, averaging 3.3±0.6 km distance and 431±86 m gain, per lap. Total distance covered per day averaged 13.6±2.2 km distance and 870.9±163.8 m gain. Each lap was timed for an hour uphill, at 70% of age-predicted heart rate max (121.4±8.4 bpm), followed by returning to the start downhill untimed and self-paced. Between laps, participants rested for 15 minutes. The load carriage for each participant was set at 30% of their DXA-derived fat-free mass (15.2±3.8 kg). Paired t-tests were used to determine differences in individual proteins pre (day 10) to post (day 16) hike.

RESULTS: There were decreases in FSR of Ubiquinone 1 beta subcomplex subunit 4 (NDUFB4) and Hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HADH) (p<0.05). There were increases in FSR of ATP Synthase subunit beta (ATP5F1B), Fumarate Hydratase (p<0.05) and Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6B1 (COX6B1) (p<0.05). Sixteen other mitochondrial proteins were observed with no significant alterations (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Changes in FSR indicate that the 5-day hiking period was sufficient to induce changes in protein dynamics related to mitochondria. Information on the effects of changes in mitochondrial protein dynamics is limited, however these findings may indicate onset of mitochondrial anabolism.

Context: Soccer is a dynamic sport that consists of high-speed running, cutting, sudden stopping or changes in direction, and explosive movements. It is one of many unilateral sports that requires one leg to do most of the kicking and cutting. Adductor strains in professional soccer are among the most common injuries and are the most common groin and hip injuries in soccer at an incidence rate of 0.6 per 100 hours of exposure. The average time lost for an adductor strain is about 14 days, and there is about an 18% chance of reinjury. Evidence supports that a higher adductor-to-abductor asymmetry ratio is attributed to a higher incidence of adductor strains. This study aimed to compare the literature and critically evaluate the relationship between muscle asymmetry, adductor/abductor strength and its correlation to adductor injuries.

Methods: Using PubMed and Cochrane Library, a database search was completed using the keywords adductor injuries AND soccer, groin injuries AND soccer, muscle asymmetry AND groin injuries, professional soccer AND adductor injuries, and adductor muscle asymmetry AND soccer. Prospective studies about muscle asymmetry and adductor injuries were included if they were published in the last 10 years, the full text was available, the article was in English, and the study included or was solely focused on professional soccer players of either gender. The initial search yielded 268 articles. 105 duplicate articles were removed leaving 163 articles to be screened. After reviewing the titles, 114 articles were removed, and 49 abstracts were left to be reviewed. 32 were excluded due to abstracts not including topics relating to muscle asymmetry or professional soccer players. 7 full article texts were left to be read and evaluated for any relativity for this systematic review. The references for the articles that had been selected were then combed through for any relevant studies that could be used as well. 1 article was then selected from the references. A total of 4 articles were selected for data collection.

Results: The 4 studies included a total of 281 participants (35 female and 246 male). The mean age of the female participants was 23.2 years. while the mean age for the male participants was 24.1 years. Asymmetry between adductors and abductors was a predisposing factor for an increased risk of adductor injury. Decreased strength in adductors and abductor muscles were also risk factors for adductor injuries.

Conclusions: There was a correlation between muscle asymmetry and incidences of adductor strains in professional soccer players. Studies have suggested adductor-specific strength programs to lower the rate of adductor injuries in professional soccer players. Studies have also suggested that regular testing of adductor/abductor strength can be used as a screening tool to further prevent adductor injuries

Load-carriage hiking is a popular recreational activity and an integral part of daily tasks for military personnel and wildland firefighters. Investigation is therefore warranted into myofibrillar responses to such activities. PURPOSE: To evaluate myofibrillar adaptations to acute load-carriage hiking. METHODS: Thirty-two recreationally active adults (12M, 20F; 28±6 yr; VO₂_peak: 47.7±8.2 mL･kg^-1･min^-1) participated in a 5-day load-carriage study. Participants consumed 50ml deuterated water(²H₂O) thrice daily for the 10 days prior to and twice daily during the five consecutive days of hiking for the measurement of fractional protein synthesis rates (FSR) of myofibrillar proteins. Participants completed two 1-hour ascents (distance 3.3±0.6 km; elevation 431±86 m) on an out-and-back dirt trail with 15 minutes of rest in between. Intensity during the ascents was set at 70% age-predicted HR_max (135±4 bpm) with descents completed at a comfortable pace (42.5±0.08 min/descent) without HR prescription. Participants carried packs weighing 30% of their DXA-derived fat-free mass (15.2±3.8 kg). Muscle biopsies were taken pre- (day 10) and post-hiking (day 16) from the vastus lateralis and analyzed for myofibrillar protein dynamics. RESULTS: Myofibrillar protein kinetics data were calculated for 37 proteins. There were increases in FSRs of skeletal muscle troponin C, troponin I and tropomyosin β-chain, as well as decreases in myosin-9 & 10, myosin light chain 1 & 3, and myosin binding protein C (p < 0.05). 29 myofibrillar proteins were not altered (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present data highlight that acute load-carriage hiking elicited observable myofibrillar adaptations within a relatively short timeframe in men and women.

Support by the United States Department of Defense, United States Army (22-02-MPAI-007)

Many plant species store viable seeds in the soil, forming a seed bank that facilitates community level resilience and awaits suitable germination conditions. Seed banks can inform our understanding of community assembly, and ultimately restoration potential, through abiotic and biotic filters. Via experimental manipulation, we assessed the effects of two biotic filters (ungulate and rodent presence and absence) , and an abiotic filter (water amount) on soil seed bank species. As important drivers of community assembly, for our biotic filters, ungulates influence plant communities through selective grazing and rodents influence plant communities through seed predation. For our abiotic filter, water availability influences seedling emergence, recruitment, and survival. These filters are found across nearly every restoration project and their influence impacts restoration outcomes. Our study is in a temperate grassland in Western Montana, USA , and had five geographically different sites each with paired ungulate, rodent, and watering treatments installed in the summer of 2020 and watering treatments starting the following growing season of 2021. While site-level soil seed bank density and diversity variability existed, a high density of forbs related to different filters were observed in the soil seed bank that were not reflected in the aboveground plant community. Our results illustrate which filters are influencing the species that are present in the seed bank to inform future seed-based restoration actions and native seed mixes. This study contributes knowledge that can help land managers optimize the use of soil seed banks in restoration efforts.

Social media platforms offer powerful tools and spaces in which to communicate science to the general public. However, these platforms are equally available for the sharing and spread of pseudoscience and anti-science content. The widespread use of these platforms means an audience of people already exists who use social media as a source of news and information. The burden is on us as scientists and researchers to understand how to use these platforms. To aid in this process, the University of Montana’s Mansfield Library offers spaces in which to create content for social media that are free for us to use. This poster is an exploration of different social media platforms and the studio spaces available on campus.

Females are underrepresented in thermoregulatory research and thus there is a need to examine how sex-related differences impact heat acclimation. Moreover, current global heatwave incidences warrant investigation into optimizing strategies for human tolerance to heat. PURPOSE: Determine how sex and temporally partitioning identical heat exposure time impacts heat acclimation. METHODS: Over a week, 30 females and 30 males were heat acclimated daily (38°C, 60% RH) on a treadmill (1.6 m·s^-1, 5% grade) in one of two 90-minute exposure groups. Sustained groups completed 90-minute sessions continuously and periodic groups completed three separate 30-minute sessions 3 hours apart. Heat exposure time was identical across four groups of 15 participants: sustained male, sustained female, periodic male, and periodic female. On Days 1, 4, and 7 body temperatures, sweat metrics, and skin blood flow (SkBF) were measured during the first 30 minutes of heat exposure. RESULTS: Sex differences were present throughout heat acclimation. Core (p0.05). Regardless of group, core temperature at onset of sweat decreased throughout heat acclimation (37.3±0.4, 37.2±0.4, 37.1±0.5°C, pCONCLUSION: Thermoregulatory sex-differences are present prior to and continue throughout 7-days of heat acclimation. Only the sustained group experienced physiological changes indicative of heat acclimation whereas the periodic group did not. Thus, temporally partitioning identical heat exposure time insufficiently induces heat acclimation.

Our immune system protects us by identifying and responding to harmful invaders like viruses and bacteria. CD4⁺ T cells are key players in the mechanisms that are involved in clearance of pathogens (and cancer cells). These T cells respond to infected cells displaying protein fragments (antigens) of the virus or bacteria on their surface. The T cells scan these antigens on the antigen-presenting cells (APC) surface and become activated when they recognize the antigen for which their receptor is specific. During the T cell – APC interaction, membrane and associated membrane proteins are transferred from the APC to the T cell in a process termed trogocytosis. Previous work from our lab has shown that these transferred proteins continue to interact with receptors on the T cells, driving intracellular signaling and participating in the activation and differentiation of the CD4⁺ T cells.

One unresolved question regarding trogocytosis is whether the strength of the interaction between the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and the antigen (called affinity) impacts the efficiency and subsequent signaling driven by these transferred molecules. T cells recognize protein fragments of these antigens called peptides, one of which is the moth Cytochrome C (MCC). To address this question, primary T cells were co-cultured with APCs pulsed with MCC or altered peptide ligands, including K5 (a strong agonist), T102S (a weak agonist), and K99A (a very weak agonist). We found that for naïve (inactive) T cells, the efficiency of trogocytosis is dependent upon TCR affinity for the peptide. Interestingly, trogocytosis by activated T cells demonstrated reduced sensitivity to peptide affinity compared to naïve T cells. Ongoing experiments aim to understand why these differences exist, which could help improve our knowledge of how the immune system works.