Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Autophagy Dysfunction Induced By A Parkinson's Disease-Causing Mutation In Vps35, Abir Ashfakur Rahman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is an idiopathic disorder with no known cure. With number of cases steadily rising around the world, it is imperative to turn to the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the disease manifestation and neurodegeneration to craft novel modes of therapy. VPS35 is one of the few genes that have identified and definitively linked to familial PD. The particular mutation that has been associated is known to cause dysfunction of a key cellular process known as autophagy. This process is primarily responsible for clearance of unwanted, damaged or misfolded proteins, among other things. Our study reveals an …

Microenvironmental Forces Regulate Notch Signaling Through Integrins, Michael Allen Detweiler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The extracellular microenvironment contributes significantly to a cell’s function and behavior. For instance, cell-cell interactions, cell-substrate interactions, and physical forces are all factors of the extracellular environment that can alter cellular behavior. Cells can receive these signals and forces through various membrane channels and receptors that transmit the signals from the extracellular to the intracellular space. Canonical Notch signaling is induced by ligand interactions with neighboring cells, but recent evidence has revealed that Notch signaling can occur through a variety of extracellular stimuli including hyperglycemia, hypoxia, multiple growth factors, fluid shear stress, and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. Although Notch activation …

Cross-Scale Interactions Between Atmospheric And Hydrologic Processes In A Topographically Complex, Snow-Dominated Watershed As Revealed Through An Integrated Hydrologic Model, Miguel A. Aguayo Arias

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In much of the world, water for agricultural, domestic, and hydroelectric power generation uses are derived from snow-dominated mountain basins. In these regions, water management requires accurate and timely knowledge of runoff generation by snowmelt. This information is used to plan reservoir releases for downstream users and is generated by models of biophysical processes associated with varying degrees of fidelity to physical processes and/or spatial heterogeneities. The large variability in the characteristic spatial and temporal scales of atmospheric forcings, land-surface water and energy balance, and groundwater flow contribute to significant uncertainties in resolved hydrologic states and fluxes. Underlying sources of …

Pressure Waves And Tephra Dispersal From Volcanic Explosions: Models, Observations, And Instrumentation, Jacob Fortner Anderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Real-time study of erupting vents is important for both monitoring and scientific purposes; because direct in-situ study of erupting vents is impractical, our best tools for studying eruptions in real time involve monitoring eruptive products and waves that travel far from the volcano. The atmosphere is a particularly advantageous medium for studying propagation and transport of volcanic waves and products: acoustic waves pass through it with minimal scattering, particles follow predictable trajectories, and the atmospheric structure that affects both is well-monitored. Analyses of acoustic waves and tephra deposits can provide important information on eruptions including total explosive energy, volume, and …

Harnessing The Physical Properties Of Zno Nanoparticles For Biological Applications And Factors That Impact Zno Nanoparticle Toxicity, Joshua Eixenberger

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The production of materials at the nanoscale leads to novel properties and has made the field of nanotechnology a part of everyday life. Numerous applications of nanomaterials have led to their use in electronics, optics, and medicine. However, creating materials at such a small size brings them on the same scale as many biomolecules and cellular components, altering their interactions with biological systems. This can lead to unintended biological impacts as many nanomaterials are considerably more toxic than their bulk counterpart material. ZnO nanoparticles (nZnO) are particularly interesting in this context. The FDA classifies ZnO as a generally recognized as …

Stable Isotope Geochemistry Of Bioapatite, Amanda E. Drewicz

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Cenozoic Era was a time period where dynamic shifts in climate created for both warm-wet greenhouse environments of the mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO), and cool-dry, glacial periods of the late Pleistocene. The Cenozoic is close to our own time period, and although past climate reconstructions cannot be used as direct analogs for future climate change, understanding previous environmental responses can help inform policy surrounding future climate change. Presented here are climate reconstructions of the interior western United States, from two different geologic time periods. Each had a different climate, that differed greatly from modern day environments. The use of …

Crustal Composition Beneath Southern Idaho: Insights From Teleseismic Receiver Functions, Thomas Branson Harper

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Receiver functions derived from teleseismic earthquakes contain seismic amplitude and velocity information that relate to compositional changes within the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. The receiver function waveform is a combination of P-S converted waves that have reverberated within the lithosphere. Although the largest seismic velocity boundary is found at the base of the crust, I explore the use of lower amplitude receiver function arrivals that represent smaller velocity contrasts within the crust. In my thesis, I calculate and model receiver functions via a Metropolis algorithm approach to extract seismic velocity distributions in the lithosphere. I use the results to …

Surprise! You Are Accepted To College: An Analysis Of Idaho's Direct Admissions Initiative, Carson Howell

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to improve the rate at which Idahoans ‘go on’ to postsecondary education, Idaho launched an initiative called Direct Admissions in the fall of 2015. This initiative informed students and their parents that the student had already been accepted to at least six of Idaho’s public colleges and universities, even before the student had applied. Although the students still needed to apply, the letters guaranteed the student a seat at any of the colleges listed in their Direct Admissions letter. The goal of the initiative was to encourage students to enroll in one of Idaho’s public colleges or …

Investigating The Annual Water Balance Of A High-Altitude Watershed Using Near-Real Time Lidar Data Integration Into A Physically Based Snowmelt Model, Andrew R. Hedrick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the amount of water stored in the mountain snowpack is crucial for flood prevention, drought mitigation, and energy production in the Western United States. In modeling terms, the most important component of the hydrologic water balance is the precipitation input to the system. Determining where and how much precipitation falls in mountain catchments, however, is the most difficult problem with regards to closing the water balance. The work presented in this dissertation details the modeling portion of the NASA Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) using the iSnobal physically based snow model. This combination of remote sensing and modeling at …

The Administration Of Online Programs In Statewide Systems: A Case Study Of The University System Of New Hampshire, Christopher Lynn Labelle

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Enrollments in postsecondary online programs have grown over the years. As enrollments have grown, postsecondary institutions have experimented with different ways to administer their online programs. In many cases, institutions have shifted to a more centralized business model that consolidates the governance of their online programs under a single high-level institutional officer (Legon & Garrett, 2017). However, even as more colleges and universities prioritize the administration of online programming and dedicate staffing and resources to administer those programs, there is very little research focused on the best way to administer online programs in four-year public statewide systems.

Given this gap …

Primary Challengers: Examining Competition In U.S. House Primary Elections With Female Candidates, Savannah Nicole Renslow

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has established that voters and political elites hold gendered stereotypes toward female candidates. Additionally, traditional family roles and gendered expectations are found to affect the self-confidence of women and their political ambition. However, little is known about how potential challengers perceive women as candidates. To fill this gap, I examine whether the presence of a woman in a primary election influences the entry of prospective candidates. Are women perceived to be more vulnerable candidates, thus attracting more competition in primary elections?

To answer this, I estimate a negative binomial regression with primary election data for the U.S. House …

Knowledge-Sharing And Virtual Community Of Practice Potential In The Uscg’S Afloat Community: A Qualitative Case Study, Lisa Rodman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoP) may provide the afloat community of the USCG greater opportunities for learning and professional development. The affordances of virtual engagement, including increased access to learning and peer feedback may enhance interaction and opportunities for the development and refinement of professional expertise. Although the specific learning needs and constraints of this community, including geographic separation and dynamic deployment schedules, appear well-aligned with VCoP structure and objectives, it is critical that the knowledge-sharing culture of the USCG’s afloat community be thoroughly explored before pursuing any form of performance and learning intervention. Grounded in Lave and Wenger’s (1991) …

Factors Explaining Government Officials' Perceptions Of Citizen Engagement In The Municipal Strategic Planning Process, Michael Wallner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that citizen engagement in local government decisions is important for sustaining democratic ideals. However, scholars are still working to understand how those responsible for organizing citizen engagement at the local level perceive such efforts. There has also been little work examining how citizen engagement is integrated in strategic planning processes at the municipal level of government. This study aims to address both gaps by investigating contemporary factors impacting government officials’ perceptions of citizen engagement in strategic planning processes. Collaborative Governance Theory (CGT) focuses on creating an environment where community members can develop, debate, and negotiate ideas or …

How Teachers May Influence The Impact Of Computer Adaptive Instruction: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Implementing Lexia Core5 In Second-Grade Classrooms, Scott G. Woolstenhulme

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the country have been adopting computer adaptive instructional programs as early reading interventions. It is imperative to learn whether CAI has an effect on student reading gains and what other factors may influence its effect. This mixed methods study employed an explanatory sequential design to first evaluate the reading gains of 2^nd grade students. An independent samples t test showed that 2^nd grade students in 2017 who participated in the Lexia Core5 reading intervention program for at least 30 hours had significantly higher gains than their peers in the 2014, 2015, and 2016 school years. …

Correlating The Spatial Distribution Of Snow Depth To Forest Canopy Parameters Derived From Terrestrial Laser Scans, Zachary Uhlmann

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In nonpolar, cold climate zones, snow accounts for 17% of the total terrestrial water storage. Estimating the amount of water stored in a snowpack, the snow water equivalent (SWE), and its spatial distribution is crucial to providing water managers with parameters to predict runoff timing, duration and amount. Reservoir management, hydropower and flood forecasting depend on SWE estimates. While landscape features such as aspect and slope are dominant controls on radiative energy in non-forested areas, forest cover can shift the energy balance composition from turbulent exchange in exposed, windy sites to primarily radiative inputs in the subcanopy. Additionally, forest cover …

Volcano Infrasound Monitoring With Applications For Statistical Forecasting Of Explosions At Sakurajima (Japan), Matthew R. Vonlintig

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Volcanic eruptions are powerful natural phenomena that often occur unpredictably in time and magnitude. Nearby communities are put at risk during volcanic unrest; however, when hazards are well understood and clearly defined risk can be mitigated. This thesis addresses the problem of forecasting the likelihood of future explosive volcanic behavior by monitoring ongoing eruptive history with infrasound. I parameterize inter-event temporal behavior to determine the eruption controlling processes is material failure opposed to changes in magma and volatile supply.

I analyze data from Sakurajima, a type-example open volcano, using two local (4 km from the vent) microphone arrays, which recorded …

Structure-Based Drug Design Of Novel Therapeutics Targeting Oncostatin M, Kelsey Skluzacek

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

At 30% of all new diagnoses, the most prevalent malignancy for women is breast cancer, which in the United States will result in an estimated 266,000 new cases this year alone. Of the patients diagnosed with breast cancer, approximately 10-15% will develop distant metastases within three years of the initial detection of a primary tumor. For comparison, the five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 99%, whereas, the survival rate for metastatic breast cancer drops drastically to only 27%. The significant difference in survival rates is indicative of a need for a novel treatment strategy for metastatic breast cancer. …

Evaluating Stable Isotope And Geochronologic Techniques For Paleoclimate Reconstruction: Case Study Of The Santa Cruz Formation, Argentina, Robin B. Trayler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Stable isotope analysis has become the method of choice for many studies investigating the paleoecology and paleoclimate of fossil mammal faunas. While organic tissues (collagen, keratins, proteins) persist for < 10⁵ years highly mineralized tooth enamel is resistant to alteration and degradation and faithfully preserves its isotopic composition for millions (> 10⁶) years. Reconstructing past climates from these records relies on both understanding both micro-scale mechanisms of isotope incorporation into individual teeth, and macro-scale changes in isotope compositions over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. In this dissertation I address three questions.

First, how does the geometry and …

Gender Balance From Civil Strife, Wyndi Shaffner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of conflict on the sociopolitical status of women in several affected countries. The conflicts analyzed within this work are both violent and non-violent. I infer that conflict acts as an impetus to propel gender equity. I utilize the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) dataset to determine which movements in women’s equality have been made over the preceding twelve years and reinforce that data analysis with qualitative information through case analysis to add context and meaning to the quantitative findings.

This work focuses on two of the four primary indicators of …

Student Perceptions Of Instructor Immediacy In Online Program Courses, Anthony Charles Saba

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The first online course was taught over 30 years ago. Over that time, instructors have primarily used text-based asynchronous communication in the online courses they teach. However, advances in technology over the last ten years have given rise to more opportunities to use new synchronous and semi-synchronous communication technologies (e.g., video, mobile and social networking technologies) in online courses. These advances in technology are likely to not only influence how instructors today communicate in the online courses they teach but ultimately influence their instructor immediacy. Instructor immediacy is the degree of psychological closeness students perceive there to be with their …

Post-Fire Variation In Aeolian Deposition In The Northern Great Basin, Clayton Roehner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Aeolian processes play a significant role in the redistribution of sediment and nutrients in sparsely vegetated sagebrush-steppe ecosystems. When fire is introduced to the landscape, decreased surface roughness and associated threshold friction velocities allow for the increased mobility of surface sediments and burnt organic material, mobilizing previously stable material. Once material is entrained, interactions between a dynamic atmosphere and complex topography control the spatial distribution of aeolian deposition over a landscape. Given the significant impact of fire on aeolian processes in semi-arid deserts, we posit that postfire aeolian redistribution of material is an important control on the spatial variability of …

Novel Regulatory Pathways Of Protein Channels, Sheenah Lynn Bryant

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Since the proposal of the fluid mosaic model of a cell membrane, substantial scientific evidence has shown that the cell membrane is not simply an inert structure with the sole role of separating two chemically different environments. The cell membrane dynamically satisfies basic needs, such as water, ion and nutrient transport, without which the cell could not survive. It is a structure which actively participates in a great variety of physiological functions. The activity of the cell membrane is responsible for the contraction of our muscles and information processing in our brain. In order to participate in such a wide …

Developing Ultra-High Throughput Sequencing Based Assay For Ligase Ribozymes For The Study Of Evolutionary Innovations, James Collet

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The study of evolutionary innovations, or novel traits, is integral to understanding evolution yet is poorly understood. By studying the regions between genotype networks that produce the same phenotype, we can better characterize the process by which innovation occurs. The overarching goal of this study is to assign fitness values to the overlapping genotype network of two catalytic RNA molecules, or ribozymes. Properly characterizing this region requires the study of thousands of individual sequences, which is achievable through the use of high-throughput sequencing analysis. This thesis focuses on developing assays for one of the ribozymes, the ligase ribozyme. Due to …

Patterns Of Genetic Structure In The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius): Influence Of Distance And Migration And Implications For Monitoring And Management, Michaela Brinkmeyer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Genetic structure is useful for inferring patterns of selection, gene flow and connectivity, and can define management units that aid in interpretation of spatially-specific trends and species management. American kestrels (Falco sparverius) are a widespread, generalist species with fully migratory, partial migrant, and resident populations. In many parts of their range, kestrels show evidence of declining population trends; however, it has been difficult to identify threats to kestrels because of differences in regional trends. We used a genome-wide sequencing approach to investigate the genetic structure of American kestrels, test hypotheses about the processes that influence genetic structuring of …

American Hatred: Wild West Myths, Color-Coded Rhetoric, And The Shaping Of The Aryan Nations, Alisha Graefe

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the way the Aryan Nations from Northern Idaho used the Wild West mythology of independent cowboys and color-coded rhetoric popularized by Conservative politicians to form a unique white separatist group that has influenced current racist groups.

Machine Learning Methods To Map Stabilizer Effectiveness Based On Common Soil Properties, Amit Gajurel

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) has been widely used as one of the primary criteria for the selection of optimum type and amount of chemical stabilizer for subgrade/base stabilization. Guidelines established by various state and federal agencies aid in selecting these optimum values by recommending an initial type and amount based on a wide range of soil index properties. A significant number of laboratory trials have to be done to establish the optimum type and amount of stabilizer for a given target strength. This process takes a copious amount of time, money, and the workforce. In addition to that, the finite …

Effect Of Particle Breakage On Ballast Permanent Deformation — A Study Using The Discrete Element Method, Beema Dahal

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The ballast layer comprises relatively large (often as large as 63 mm) angular particles that mainly function to dissipate train-induced stresses from crossties to the underlying subgrade soils and to provide rapid drainage for surface water. Moreover, the ballast layer is also critical towards ensuring a smooth riding track profile, dampening dynamic loads, as well as providing lateral, longitudinal and vertical resistance against excessive track deformations. Under train loading and during track maintenance processes like tamping, individual ballast particles can undergo significant breakage leading to fouling of the ballast layer. The fouling mechanism leads to gradual deterioration in ballast shear …

Physio-Chemical Degradation Of Concrete: A Ramification Of Coupled Freeze-Thaw And Sulfate Attack, Md Aminul Islam

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Concrete structures experience damage due to Sulfate Attack (SA) and Freeze-Thaw (F-T) in cold regions containing ample amount of sulfate species. The combined effect of SA and F-T is a multiscale multiphysics damaging process for cementitious materials involving complicated chemical reactions and phase transition inside concrete pores. This thesis is a compilation of two theoretical models describing the SA induced damage in an unsaturated cementitious medium and damage due to the combined effect of SA and F-T. The classical theory of phase change and a diffusion-reaction process is utilized in the development of the models. The validity of the proposed …

Military Working Dogs In The United States Armed Forces From World War I To Vietnam, Tristan J. Kelly

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

At the beginning of World War I, the only military working dogs the United States owned were sled dogs. In comparison, European nations in World War I used canines as sentries, messengers, ambulance, and draft dogs. In 1942, members of the American public, created Dogs for Defense Inc. to help recruit dogs for military use. By the end of the Vietnam War, dogs no longer were donated by the American public for use, rather the American military owned the dogs they deployed.

This thesis examines the use of dogs by the American military from World War I to the Vietnam …

Mastering Mycological Mysteries With Explorations Of Harpellales Associated With Culicidae And Other Dipterans In Idaho, Michael Mccormick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Presented is the first field survey and laboratory-based study focused on Harpellales gut fungi found in Culicidae (mosquito) larvae collected from various parts of Idaho. Overall, 34 sites were sampled ranging from urban storm drains and irrigation puddles to pristine stream-side puddles. These sites yielded 17 different species of mosquitoes and three previously described species of gut fungi. Three species of mosquitoes were the first recorded observations as hosts of the following gut fungi: Culiseta alaskaensis was infested with Zancudomyces culisetae (from Renwyck Creek), Culex tarsalis with Smittium culicis (from Cottonwood Creek), and Ochleratus sp. with Smittium minutisporum (from Bear …