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Theses and Dissertations

Theses/Dissertations

2018

Articles 1 - 29 of 29

Full-Text Articles in Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Finite Element Analysis Of Humerus With Impact At Distal End And The Mechanical Effect Of Bone Rehydration, Amy Gutierrez Dec 2018

Finite Element Analysis Of Humerus With Impact At Distal End And The Mechanical Effect Of Bone Rehydration, Amy Gutierrez

Theses and Dissertations

Numerical modeling accuracy is dependent upon correct material property determination and input. This thesis demonstrates the importance in both numerical modeling and material characterization, two aspects of biomedical research that are intimately linked. The first study investigates the shear forces experienced on the humerus from a humeral impact on the distal end using 3D CAD model of a humerus and ANSYS for a finite element analysis. The humeral bone was analyzed with an impact on the distal end to signify falling on the elbow. A humeral model and a humeral model with a plate were both statically and dynamically simulated …

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Analysis And Classification Of 3-D Printed Collagen-Bioglass Matrices For Cellular Growth Utilizing Artificial Neural Networks, Trevor Schmitt Dec 2018

Analysis And Classification Of 3-D Printed Collagen-Bioglass Matrices For Cellular Growth Utilizing Artificial Neural Networks, Trevor Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Recent advances have shown the influence of biomimetic design on modulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the role stiffness of it plays in cellular behavior. 2-D models for cellular growth poorly recapitulate the natural environment of cells, whereas application of a 3-D ECM model allows for a more biomimetic design for modeling cellular behavior. Integration of 45S5 Bioglass provides and osteostimulatory mineral component to these 3-D models, allowing for better mimicry of orthopedic design, affecting the mechanical and physiochemical properties of the ECM and leading to an increase in osteogenic behavior. 3-D Bioprinting allows for custom fabrication of …

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Identification Of The Mechanisms Through Which Botanicals Attenuate Pathogenesis Of Human Diseases, Esraah Alharris Oct 2018

Identification Of The Mechanisms Through Which Botanicals Attenuate Pathogenesis Of Human Diseases, Esraah Alharris

Theses and Dissertations

Plant products have been used for a long time in treatment of diseases. In fact, more than half of approved medicines are derived from plants or other natural products. Even though the synthetic drugs are effective in treating many human diseases, there is no cure against several clinical disorders. Moreover, a significant number of diseases can be prevented thereby causing less burden on societal healthcare costs as well as promoting healthy lifestyles. Thus, botanicals offer a unique opportunity to explore novel compounds to prevent and treat various clinical disorders as well as understand their mode of action so that new …

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Turning Up Antitumor Immunity Against Breast Cancer, Johnie Hodge Oct 2018

Turning Up Antitumor Immunity Against Breast Cancer, Johnie Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in spite of significant advances in treatment and emphasis on early diagnosis. While treatment of localized disease is often successful, metastatic breast cancer, especially of the triple negative molecular subtype, carries a much poorer prognosis. The significant role of the immune system in the progression from localized to metastatic disease is becoming more and more appreciated. Tumor escape from immune surveillance and immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment have become therapeutic targets in addition to the traditional goals of directly killing …

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Efficacy Of Eluted Antibiotics In 3d Printed Orthopaedic Implants, Mohammed Mehdi Benmassaoud Aug 2018

Efficacy Of Eluted Antibiotics In 3d Printed Orthopaedic Implants, Mohammed Mehdi Benmassaoud

Theses and Dissertations

Costs associated with musculoskeletal diseases in the United States account for 5.7 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [1]. As such, there is a need to pursue new ideas in orthopaedic implants that can decrease cost and improve patient care. In the recent years, 3D printing using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) or Stereolithography (SLA) has opened several exciting possibilities to create orthopaedic implants. Such implants can be engineered to release antibiotics in a controlled manner either by infusing the drug into the material during manufacturing or by using built-in design features such as micro-channels and reservoirs [2]. The use …

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A Discrete-Event Simulation Approach For Modeling Human Body Glucose Metabolism, Buket Aydas Aug 2018

A Discrete-Event Simulation Approach For Modeling Human Body Glucose Metabolism, Buket Aydas

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes CarbMetSim (Carbohydrate Metabolism Simulator), a discrete-event simulator that tracks the blood glucose level of a person in response to a timed sequence of diet and exercise activities. CarbMetSim implements broader aspects of carbohydrate metabolism in human beings with the objective of capturing the average impact of various diet/exercise activities on the blood glucose level. Key organs (stomach, intestine, portal vein, liver, kidney, muscles, adipose tissue, brain and heart) are implemented to the extent necessary to capture their impact on the production and consumption of glucose. Key metabolic pathways (glucose oxidation, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis) are accounted for by …

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An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Orthopedic Drill Bit And Screw Diameter On Drilling Energy And Axial Load Pullout Strength, Scott J. J. Baskerville Jul 2018

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Orthopedic Drill Bit And Screw Diameter On Drilling Energy And Axial Load Pullout Strength, Scott J. J. Baskerville

Theses and Dissertations

The number of orthopedic procedures performed per year in the United States is expected to grow to 6.6 million by 2020 (1). Most of these surgeries involve some degree of bone drilling and screw fixation, putting many patients at risk of the adverse effects of the heat-induced osteonecrosis which can limit the holding strength of bone screws and the efficacy of the screw-dependent fixtures. Excessive heat-induced osteonecrosis can occur when surgeons prolong the drilling procedure to avoid drill plunge, which can cause damage to soft neurovascular tissues local to the drilling site (2). The SMARTdrill system used in this study …

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Kinematic Analysis Of Spinal Cord Injury Animals Treated With A Neurotrophin-Infused Scaffold And Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training, Alexander Herman May 2018

Kinematic Analysis Of Spinal Cord Injury Animals Treated With A Neurotrophin-Infused Scaffold And Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training, Alexander Herman

Theses and Dissertations

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a condition that affects around 250,000 Americans with no cure. Existing treatments rely on physical therapies such as body weight support treadmill training (BWSTT). Treatments currently being researched include the use of implantable cells and biomaterials. Our study investigated the changes in locomotive gait and range of motion via a combinational treatment using a bioengineered scaffold [poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) polyethylene glycol (PNIPAAm-g-PEG) with BDNF and NT-3] and rehabilitation training using BWSTT in a clinically relevant contusion SCI animal model. Five different groups of animals (Sham, Injury, BWSTT, Implant, and Combinational) were tested on a treadmill …

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Thermal Fluid Models Of A Hydrogel Delivery System For Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, Nesrine Bouhrira May 2018

Thermal Fluid Models Of A Hydrogel Delivery System For Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, Nesrine Bouhrira

Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most devastating cancers with low survival rates. This disease is difficult to detect due to the pancreas's location deep within the body. Therefore, diagnoses are often made in the later stages, making treatment options more limited and difficult. It has been hypothesized that direct injection into the tumor would enhance drug effectivenes. Therefore, we examined the use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) combined with a fine needle injection to deliver a drug-eluding thermosensitive hydrogel directly into the tumor. Unfortunately normal body temperatures surrounding the EUS can warm the hydrogel drug combination beyond its phase transition …

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Using Dispersive Raman Spectroscopy To Assess Remodeling In Vascular Constructs Used In Tissue Engineering, Andrea S. Theus May 2018

Using Dispersive Raman Spectroscopy To Assess Remodeling In Vascular Constructs Used In Tissue Engineering, Andrea S. Theus

Theses and Dissertations

Tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) are a promising alternative to surgery for the treatment of thrombotic occlusion of small diameter (< 6 mm) arteries. It is important that TEVG composition prevent compliance mismatch. Both initial protein incorporation and cellular remodeling are important for blended TEVG compliance. Understanding the distribution of extracellular matrix (ECM) components is also important and may dictate the remodeling response. Raman spectroscopy has been used to assess components of engineered scaffolds non-destructively. However, Raman has not been applied to semi-quantitatively assess 3D engineered-tissues and cellular remodeling of blended materials with low-scattering natural and high-scattering synthetic components. This is important due to the increased use of synthetic biomaterials for TEVG applications. The overall goal of this study was to develop a technique to assess the cellular and matrix remodeling response. Electrospun meshes were prepared with 100% poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), 90% PCL/collagen, and 90% PCL/fibrinogen. XPS and Raman results showed differences of protein distribution when incorporated into a PCL scaffold and differences in the resulting effects with cell culturing and incubation. Raman spectra was acquired for all pure materials individually (e.g. PCL, collagen, and fibrinogen) to determine the unique spectral fingerprint of each material. Protein peaks of interest were identified (e.g. 740 and 1040 cm-¹ ) and were analyzed when protein was incorporated into the electrospun meshes. Raman spectra was acquired for the pure PCL control and blended scaffold conditions. The protein peaks remained relevant for proteins even when incorporated into the high scattering PCL polymer and showed remodeling due to incubation and cell culturing over 21 days. Spectra were also analyzed with multi-factor processing techniques (e.g. MFA) and showed that separation between appropriate sample groups can be achieved even with large amounts of spectral data sets. Biochemical analysis (e.g. Hyp, µ-BCA assay) was done to determine if specific remodeling responses, degradation and/or release occur with incubation and culturing of smooth muscle cells. These results showed a negligible loss of protein within electrospun meshes with incubation and culture. Overall, we have shown that Raman spectroscopy can be used to semi-quantitatively detect the incorporation of low levels of specific proteins (e.g. collagen and fibrinogen) within electrospun meshes as well as changes that occur with mesh remodeling.

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Fibers For Skin Regeneration, Astrid Michelle Rodriguez Negron May 2018

Fibers For Skin Regeneration, Astrid Michelle Rodriguez Negron

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the successful development of biocompatible Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB), PVB/Polylysine and PVB/Tannic Acid (TA)/Polylysine fibers from an ethanol solution, Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), PHB/Polylysine, PHB/TA/Polylysine fibers from a chloroform solution and Chitosan (CH)/Pullulan (PL)/TA and CH/PL/TA/Polylysine fibers from an aqueous solution. The fibers were mass produced utilizing the Forcespinning® (FS) technology. The morphology of the fibers was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the fibers average diameter was calculated. The thermal properties of the fibers were characterized using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The antibacterial activity of the fibers was assessed using against …

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Automatic Image Processing And Conversion To Tactile Graphics, Tyler Ferro Jan 2018

Automatic Image Processing And Conversion To Tactile Graphics, Tyler Ferro

Theses and Dissertations

Graphical information has become a critical method for portraying information for education, work and personal tasks and decisions. Unfortunately there are currently limited means of providing this information to individuals who are blind or visually impaired: alternate text is frequently missing, and accessible tactile diagrams tend to be time consuming to make and require expertise in order for them to be interpretable (which may be costly to the user and/or impossible to get). The aim of this project is to provide an accessible system to automatically generate tactile graphics for those who need to interpret information contained in visual images. …

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Improving Realtime 3-D Tracking Of High Dose Rate Radiation Source Using A Flat Panel Detector, Leo Uchechukwu Udeji Jan 2018

Improving Realtime 3-D Tracking Of High Dose Rate Radiation Source Using A Flat Panel Detector, Leo Uchechukwu Udeji

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research 1 on this subject tracked the presumed exact path the HDR source would follow in real-time, during breast brachytherapy treatments in other to ensure accurate dose delivery and effectively confirm actual source position. As a continuation, this research has three objectives. Firstly, we will extract information from patient DICOM file which will be used to perform evaluations, then we will establish communication between our C program and the new Varex Paxscan flat panel detector (FPD). Finally, we will try to embed our C codes into a MATLAB graphical user interface (GUI) This research will attempt to improve the …

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A Comprehensive Reengineering Of The Hospital Emergency Triage System, Nicholas D. Boltin Jan 2018

A Comprehensive Reengineering Of The Hospital Emergency Triage System, Nicholas D. Boltin

Theses and Dissertations

Hospital emergency triage and specifically Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) are of major concern with regard to treatment and patient outcomes. Traditional emergency department triage models are oversimplified and often lead to over/under triaging of patients. Furthermore, triage models do not account for the full spectrum of different types of MCIs which often results in misclassification. In this thesis, we begin by looking at traditional triage models currently being used in hospital systems and identify several shortcomings of using these models within the context of a chemical related MCI. I will then move to describe a new approach to creating a …

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Screening Of Novel Active Salicylic Acid Analogs And Identification Of A Bacterial Effector Targeting Key Proteins Involved In Salicylic Acid-Mediated Defense, Ian Palmer Jan 2018

Screening Of Novel Active Salicylic Acid Analogs And Identification Of A Bacterial Effector Targeting Key Proteins Involved In Salicylic Acid-Mediated Defense, Ian Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

The master regulator of salicylic acid (SA)-mediated plant defense, NPR1 (NONEXPRESSER OF PR GENES 1), and its paralogs NPR3 and NPR4 act as SA receptors. After the perception of a pathogen, plant cells produce SA in the chloroplast. In the presence of SA, NPR1 protein is reduced from oligomers to monomers, and translocated into the nucleus. There, NPR1 binds to TGA and WRKY transcription factors to induce expression of plant defense genes. EDS1 and PBS3 are two key proteins involved in SA biosynthesis. Previous research has shown that several plant pathogens produce SA hydroxylases. These pathogen-produced hydroxylases act to degrade …

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Fibronectin Mechanics And Signaling In Tgf-Β1-Induced Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Lauren Griggs Jan 2018

Fibronectin Mechanics And Signaling In Tgf-Β1-Induced Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Lauren Griggs

Theses and Dissertations

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a dynamic process by which a distinct change in the phenotype and function of epithelial cells render them as mesenchymal cells. Characteristics of mesenchymal cells include the ability to invade, increased migratory kinetics and heightened resistance to apoptosis. Therefore, there is a strong need to fully understand the mechanism for the induction of EMT in pathological conditions such as carcinoma progression. Recent advances highlight two pivotal contributors, soluble growth factor (gf) signals, and mechanical signals, in the process. However, to date, no clear mechanism exists linking the two in epithelial transdifferentiation. Transforming Growth Factor-β1 …

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Reducing Uncertainty In Head And Neck Radiotherapy With Plastic Robotics, Mark R. Ostyn Jan 2018

Reducing Uncertainty In Head And Neck Radiotherapy With Plastic Robotics, Mark R. Ostyn

Theses and Dissertations

One of the greatest challenges in achieving accurate positioning in head and neck radiotherapy is that the anatomy at and above the cervical spine does not act as a single, mechanically rigid body. Current immobilization techniques contain residual uncertainties that are especially present in the lower neck that cannot be reduced by setting up to any single landmark. The work presented describes the development of a radiotherapy friendly mostly-plastic 6D robotic platform for positioning independent landmarks, (i.e., allowing remote, independent positioning of the skull relative to landmarks in the thorax), including analysis of kinematics, stress, radiographic compatibility, trajectory planning, physical …

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Engineering Surface Properties To Modulate Inflammation And Stem Cell Recruitment Through Macrophage Activation, Kelly M. Hotchkiss Jan 2018

Engineering Surface Properties To Modulate Inflammation And Stem Cell Recruitment Through Macrophage Activation, Kelly M. Hotchkiss

Theses and Dissertations

Biomaterials are becoming the most commonly used therapeutic method for treatment of lost or damaged tissue in the body. Metallic materials are chosen for high strength orthopaedic and dental applications. Titanium (Ti) implants are highly successful in young, healthy patients with the ability to fully integrate to surrounding tissue. However the main population requiring these corrective treatments will not be healthy or young, therefore further research into material modifications have been started to improve outcomes in compromised patients. The body’s immune system will generate a response to any implanted material, and control the final outcome. Among the first and most …

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Nuclear Rupture In Progeria Expressing Cells, Kranthidhar Bathula Jan 2018

Nuclear Rupture In Progeria Expressing Cells, Kranthidhar Bathula

Theses and Dissertations

Cells regularly take on various types of force in the body. They have structures that are able to mediate, transfer and respond to the forces. A mutation in force regulating proteins such as lamin in the nucleus or the KASH domain which connects the nucleus to the cytoskeleton of the cell can cause catastrophic events to occur. The aims of this study were to better understand the response of the nucleus when structural proteins are mutated or are not present while under force. Progeria, a rare disease where an additional farnesyl group is attached to lamin was used in this …

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Association Between Mechanics And Biology In Vascular Graft Remodeling, David Andrew Prim Jan 2018

Association Between Mechanics And Biology In Vascular Graft Remodeling, David Andrew Prim

Theses and Dissertations

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) restores myocardial perfusion in patients with severe coronary artery disease by utilizing autografts – usually at least one of the internal thoracic artery (ITA), radial artery (RA), and great saphenous vein (GSV) – to bypass stenosed regions of coronary arteries. While decades of research and clinical improvements have made CABG an indispensable procedure, tens of thousands of grafts fail each year, which is due, at least in part, to an inability of the source vessels to adapt to the altered stimuli of the coronary circulation. In this dissertation, we first quantify and compare the mechanical …

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Exogenous Fniii 12-14 Regulates Tgf-Β1-Induced Markers, Hilmi M. Humeid Jan 2018

Exogenous Fniii 12-14 Regulates Tgf-Β1-Induced Markers, Hilmi M. Humeid

Theses and Dissertations

The extracellular matrix protein Fibronectin (FN) plays an important role in cell contractility, differentiation, growth, adhesion, and migration. The 12th -14th Type III repeats of FN (FNIII 12-14), also referred to as the Heparin-II domain, comprise a highly promiscuous growth factor (GF) binding region. This binding domain aids in cellular signaling initiated from the ECM. Additionally, FN has the ability to assemble into fibrils under certain conditions, mostly observed during cell contractile processes such as those that initiate due to upregulation of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-β1) [1], [2]. Previous work from our lab has shown that self-assembly of …

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Decellularized Matrices Effect On The Adaptive Immune Response, Kegan Sowers Jan 2018

Decellularized Matrices Effect On The Adaptive Immune Response, Kegan Sowers

Theses and Dissertations

Decellularized extracellular matrices have been a growing area of interest in the biomedical engineering fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.As these materials move toward clinical applications, the immune response to these materials will be a driving force toward their success in clinical approaches. Fully digested decellularized matrix constructs derived from porcine liver, muscle and lung were created to test the adaptive immune response. Hydrogel characterization ensured that the materials had relatively similar stiffness levels to reduce variability, and in vitro studies were conducted. Each individual construct as well as a gelatin control were plated with a co-culture of macrophages …

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Development Of Novel Models To Study Deep Brain Effects Of Cortical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Farheen Syeda Jan 2018

Development Of Novel Models To Study Deep Brain Effects Of Cortical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Farheen Syeda

Theses and Dissertations

Neurological disorders require varying types and degrees of treatments depending on the symptoms and underlying causes of the disease. Patients suffering from medication-refractory symptoms often undergo further treatment in the form of brain stimulation, e.g. electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). These treatments are popular and have been shown to relieve various symptoms for patients with neurological conditions. However, the underlying effects of the stimulation, and subsequently the causes of symptom-relief, are not very well understood. In particular, TMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation therapy which uses time-varying magnetic …

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Changes Of Dispersal Ability In An Isolated Population, Connor Bacon Jan 2018

Changes Of Dispersal Ability In An Isolated Population, Connor Bacon

Theses and Dissertations

Dispersal is a core mechanism in the maintenance of metapopulations. It maintains genetic diversity by connecting subpopulations and generates new populations to replace those that die out. However, as populations become more isolated, as occurs in habitat fragmentation, dispersal becomes more difficult. This should lead to selective pressure against dispersive individuals, causing a reduction in dispersal traits. Over time, this can lead to variation in dispersal traits among populations. We examine this idea using an extreme case of isolation in Euphydryas gillettii, a population that has remained completely isolated for forty years. By comparing this population to a baseline established …

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Modulation Of Amyloid-Β Aggregation Via Small Molecules And Glycine Zipper Alterations, Steven Zebulon Vance Jan 2018

Modulation Of Amyloid-Β Aggregation Via Small Molecules And Glycine Zipper Alterations, Steven Zebulon Vance

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disease. Nationally, AD is the 6th leading cause of death and the only top 10 killer of Americans that cannot be slowed, cured, or prevented. AD is characterized by the deposition of extracellular plaques of aggregated amyloid-β protein (Aβ). Aβ originates from the amyloid precursor protein (APP), a transmembrane protein that is cleaved to form a short and inert protein fragment called Aβ. However, Aβ undergoes a nucleation process wherein aggregates from soluble oligomers to insoluble fibrils are formed. While uncertainty remains as to the exact mechanism, studies have associated …

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Matrix Stiffness Modulates Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sensitivity To Geometric Asymmetry Signals, Maria Eugenia Piroli Jan 2018

Matrix Stiffness Modulates Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sensitivity To Geometric Asymmetry Signals, Maria Eugenia Piroli

Theses and Dissertations

Human stem cells hold significant potential for the treatment of various diseases. However, their use as a therapy is hampered by the limited understanding of the mechanisms by which stem cells respond to environmental stimuli. Efforts to understand extracellular biophysical cues have demonstrated the critical roles of geometric and mechanical signals in determining the fate of stem cells. The goal of this study was to explore the interplay between cell polarity and matrix stiffness in stem cell lineage specification. We hypothesize that confining cells to asymmetric extracellular matrix (ECM) islands will impart polarity at a single-cell level and result in …

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Plants As Biofactories To Produce Mammalian Tumor Suppressor Micrornas, John Lachlan Macarthur Jan 2018

Plants As Biofactories To Produce Mammalian Tumor Suppressor Micrornas, John Lachlan Macarthur

Theses and Dissertations

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding single stranded RNAs that are considered master regulators of gene expression. They are also an emerging class of therapeutic agents with significant potential for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer. Many different forms of cancer are associated with loss or reduced accumulation of one or more miRNAs that function as tumor suppressors. In animal models, restoration of missing tumor suppressor miRNAs prevents the initiation, progression and/or spread of the disease. However, the current absence of an efficient method for delivery of therapeutic miRNAs is a critical barrier to their use. The research …

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Regulation Of Pituitary Progenitor Differentiation By Β-Catenin, Julie Leann Youngblood Jan 2018

Regulation Of Pituitary Progenitor Differentiation By Β-Catenin, Julie Leann Youngblood

Theses and Dissertations

The pituitary gland is a critical organ that is necessary for many physiological processes, including growth, reproduction, and stress response. These vital processes are regulated through the secretion of pituitary hormones from specialized cell types. Pituitary hormone-producing cells arise from a common pool of pituitary progenitors in the developing Rathke’s pouch, and mutations that disrupt the formation and differentiation of pituitary progenitors often result in hypopituitarism, pituitary adenomas, or craniopharyngiomas. Thus, it is necessary to determine the mechanisms of pituitary development in order to understand the ways in which these congenital defects and tumors develop and disrupt pituitary function. Canonical …

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The Visual Ecology Of Speyeria Mormonia, Natalie Sanchez Gonzalez Jan 2018

The Visual Ecology Of Speyeria Mormonia, Natalie Sanchez Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Variations in environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and day length during larval development are known to affect morphological traits in butterflies related to their visual ecology, including eye size and wing color. These vision-related traits are important for the ability of diurnal butterfly species to detect mates, especially at long distances. Thus, changes in environmental conditions may result in phenotypic modifications to butterflies which may alter their visual ecology and subsequently, their reproductive fitness. To study the interaction of phenotypic plasticity and visual ecology in the Mormon Fritillary, Speyeria mormonia, I set up a natural-laboratory experiment at the Rocky …

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