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Articles 1 - 30 of 97
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Biological Pretreatment Of Biomass For Enhanced Biogas Production, Skylar F. Van Horne
Biological Pretreatment Of Biomass For Enhanced Biogas Production, Skylar F. Van Horne
Undergraduate Honors Theses
The biogas output efficiency of controlled anaerobic digestion (AD) can be enhanced by several different pretreatment methods to produce renewable energy. According to the literature, there are pros and cons to each pretreatment method. Biological pretreatment provides environmentally safe and renewable means for enhancing biodegradability and net energy output. Current research has yet to reliably demonstrate the ability of bacterial strains, such as Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (C. bescii), to digest common waste substrates in efficient ways. Novel methods in key intermediate molecular quantification and alkalinity tracking are used here to explore C. bescii’s ability to digest lignocellulosic material in …
Identification Of Genes That Determine Fitness, Virulence, And Disease Outcomes In Mastitis Associated Eschericia Coli, Michael Andrew Olson
Identification Of Genes That Determine Fitness, Virulence, And Disease Outcomes In Mastitis Associated Eschericia Coli, Michael Andrew Olson
Theses and Dissertations
Escherichia coli is an incredibly diverse group of bacteria that consist of both commensal and pathogenic strains that cause disease in a wide variety of tissues in many different animals. The current dogma, based on years of extensive molecular and genetic studies, is that individual strains have adapted to specific environments through acquisition of specific genes or come from lineages that are particularly suited to a unique tissue or host. However, mastitis-associated E. coli (MAEC) have thus far resisted such descriptions. The fitness and virulence factors of MAEC are poorly understood and molecular tools are rarely applied. This dissertation reports …
A Rapid Spectrophotometric Assay For Quantifying Seed Coat Saponins In Quinoa, Sydney Diver Szabo
A Rapid Spectrophotometric Assay For Quantifying Seed Coat Saponins In Quinoa, Sydney Diver Szabo
Theses and Dissertations
Background and objectives: The commonly used afrosimetric foam-height method for quantifying saponins in quinoa is rapid but imprecise. A rapid UV/Vis method, utilizing the Liebermann-Burchard (LB) color reaction, was compared to the foam method across a range of saponin levels in washed and unwashed seed. Findings: A 6 min UV/Vis method provided greater precision and accuracy than the afrosimetric method at the lower saponin levels found in washed quinoa. The afrosimetric method did not differentiate saponin levels below 0.6 mg/mL but allows for useful relative comparisons of saponin content in unwashed quinoa where the foam height is large. Conclusions: The …
A Morphological Phylogeny Of Odonatoptera: Examining Missing Data In A Group With A Lot Of "Naturally" Missing Data, Robert James Erickson
A Morphological Phylogeny Of Odonatoptera: Examining Missing Data In A Group With A Lot Of "Naturally" Missing Data, Robert James Erickson
Theses and Dissertations
Odonatopera exhibit a wide diversity of morphologies for an ancient group of winged insects. A morphological matrix of 463 characters is compiled for 347 extant and fossil representatives used in parsimony analyses, implemented in TNT, to document arrangements of taxonomic groups above the family level. Missing data and other challenges approaches implemented and interpretation of the results. We employ a novel approach to testing monophyly relative to quantities of missing data for each taxon. Phylogenetic reconstructions recover patterns of monophyly and trends based on missing data. We discuss the implications of our findings on missing data as well as limitations …
Antimicrobial Peptide Development: From Massively Parallel Peptide Sequencing To Bioinformatic Motif Identification, Alexander K. Erikson
Antimicrobial Peptide Development: From Massively Parallel Peptide Sequencing To Bioinformatic Motif Identification, Alexander K. Erikson
Theses and Dissertations
The isolation, purification, and clinical deployment of antibiotics is one of the major drivers of decrease in morbidity and mortality from infectious bacteria in the 20th century. The rapid, ubiquitous deployment of antibiotics encouraged swift development and distribution of antibiotic resistance. New, novel techniques, technologies, and ultimately therapeutic antimicrobial compounds will be required to counter the rise of antibiotic resistant microbes. Historically, mimicking naturally occurring compounds has been the most fruitful method for discovering new antibiotics; unsurprisingly, many recent efforts have focused on expanding the cultivation and detection of previously unknown microbes and compounds, respectively. Other techniques explore developing compounds …
Climate Change, Increased Wildfire Frequency, And Rodent-Exclusion Create Opportunities For Exotic Grass Invasion And Alter The Timing And Availability Of Soil Water, Joshua Clark Gilman
Climate Change, Increased Wildfire Frequency, And Rodent-Exclusion Create Opportunities For Exotic Grass Invasion And Alter The Timing And Availability Of Soil Water, Joshua Clark Gilman
Theses and Dissertations
In deserts, global environmental changes, plant community structure, and soil water availability form a complex relationship characterized by direct and indirect relationships and feedbacks. Plant community structure is affected by the establishment and spread of invasive grasses, which form a positive feedback with wildfire. Plant community structure is also controlled by top-down trophic interactions by small-mammals and climate change, which alters the timing and amount of soil water. In deserts, soil water availability mediates the effects of global environmental changes and trophic interactions on plant community structure because it is the limiting resource for plant growth. In order to predict …
Using Structural Equation Modeling To Model Compliance With Covid-19 Related Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions Amongst University Students In The United States, Spencer G. Shumway, Jonas D. Hopper, Ethan R. Tolman, Daniel G. Ferguson, Gabriella Hubble, David Patterson, Jamie Jensen
Using Structural Equation Modeling To Model Compliance With Covid-19 Related Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions Amongst University Students In The United States, Spencer G. Shumway, Jonas D. Hopper, Ethan R. Tolman, Daniel G. Ferguson, Gabriella Hubble, David Patterson, Jamie Jensen
ScholarsArchive Data
There are two data files. The "General Data" comes from a nationwide poll using Qualtrics polling software. The "Utah Data" comes from undergraduate biology students at UVU and BYU. The survey gathered demographic data and attitudes toward the COVID pandemic.
A Lake Divided: Regional Shifts In Trophic Niche Structure Of Lake Powell Fishes Corresponding To The Invasion Of Quagga Mussels, Nathan Richard St Andre
A Lake Divided: Regional Shifts In Trophic Niche Structure Of Lake Powell Fishes Corresponding To The Invasion Of Quagga Mussels, Nathan Richard St Andre
Theses and Dissertations
Introduced species can become invasive and cause catastrophic alterations to the system they invade. Both zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) have caused significant ecosystem alterations wherever they have invaded. These Dreissena species have caused changes in water quality and biodiversity and have disrupted energy pathways which can have cascading effects on other trophic levels. Recently quagga mussels invaded Lake Powell, a reservoir located in the southwestern USA, creating the possibility of a trophic cascade that could alter energy flow in the reservoir and change the trophic niche structure of the fishes in the lake. However, due …
Improving Rangeland Seedling Recruitment Using Fungicide Seed Coatings And Golden Eagle Reproductive Success In Relation To Explosive Military Tests And Trainings, Benjamin William Hoose
Improving Rangeland Seedling Recruitment Using Fungicide Seed Coatings And Golden Eagle Reproductive Success In Relation To Explosive Military Tests And Trainings, Benjamin William Hoose
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of the first chapter of this thesis was to determine whether fungicide seed coatings constitute an effective strategy for increasing seedling recruitment in restoration scenarios in the Intermountain West. We tested a mixture of four fungicides that address potential fungal pathogens to bluebunch wheatgrass, a dominant bunchgrass that is commonly used in restoration. Across two sites and three years, we found that the fungicide seed coating increased emergence in five of the six sites and years, with an average increase of 59.1% over the control. There was a strong interaction (P < 0.001) between the effects of fungicide treatment, the year and the site on emergence. This interaction was likely related to the effects of the hydrothermal microsite environment on disease severity. Further research is necessary to fully understand the conditions under which fungicide seed coatings are most likely to be effective. The objectives the second chapter of this thesis were to 1) estimate the effects of golden eagle nest proximity to explosive disturbances on reproductive success given other relevant habitat variables (e.g. indices of topography and vegetation), and 2) determine the relative importance of nest proximity to explosive disturbances as a predictor of golden eagle reproductive success compared to other relevant habitat variables. Reproductive success data were collected from nesting territories within and surrounding land controlled and managed by the US Department of Defense. We fit the reproductive survey data using generalized linear mixed-effects models comprised of unique, hypothesis-based sets of habitat variables. We compared the models using AICc-based model selection processes. Given the best approximating model, we found no evidence that the likelihood of reproductive success was affected by nest proximity to explosive disturbances (P = 0.460). We further found nest proximity to explosive disturbances consistently ranked in the bottom 50% of relative variable importance. These results may indicate golden eagle tolerance or habituation to explosive military tests and trainings. Although the two chapters of this thesis are disjointed, they are loosely unified by the ecological importance of disturbance, invasive species, and restoration within the Great Basin ecoregion.
Soil Water Dynamics Within Variable Rate Irrigation Zones Of Winter Wheat, Elisa Anne Woolley
Soil Water Dynamics Within Variable Rate Irrigation Zones Of Winter Wheat, Elisa Anne Woolley
Theses and Dissertations
Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil water and crop water stress within a field is critical for effective Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) management. Proper VRI can result in improved protection of the crop from early onset of crop water stress while minimizing runoff and drainage losses. The objectives of this study are (1) to examine zone delineation for informing irrigation recommendations from volumetric water content (VWC) and field capacity (FC) to grow similar or greater wheat yields with less water, (2) evaluate the ability to model soil and crop water dynamics within a season and within a field …
Movements And Space-Use Of Female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) During Nesting And Breeding Seasons, Drew W. Retherford
Movements And Space-Use Of Female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) During Nesting And Breeding Seasons, Drew W. Retherford
Theses and Dissertations
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are a species of conservation concern throughout their range including the state of Idaho. Little is known about the size of areas used by female sage-grouse during the breeding and nesting seasons, fidelity of females to those areas, or fidelity of female sage-grouse to specific leks or nest sites. The recent miniaturization of global positioning system (GPS) transmitting devices allows for a more thorough analysis of this behavior. We placed GPS transmitters on 234 female sage-grouse in Idaho, USA, from 2015 to 2019. We monitored 145 nest attempts, 15 of which occurred in consecutive years, from …
The Effects Of Passive Hallux Adduction On Posterior Tibial Artery Blood Flow Compared To The Lateral Plantar Artery, Jaysen Alani Hatch
The Effects Of Passive Hallux Adduction On Posterior Tibial Artery Blood Flow Compared To The Lateral Plantar Artery, Jaysen Alani Hatch
Theses and Dissertations
Passive hallux adduction has been shown to decrease blood flow in the lateral plantar artery (LPA) in a non-weight-bearing condition. Further research in weight-bearing and shod conditions is necessary to explore relationships between altered blood flow and injury or tissue healing. However, measuring blood flow in a shod foot would require an alternate measurement location to accommodate footwear, such as the more proximal posterior tibial artery (PTA). PURPOSE: To determine changes in blood flow in the PTA and LPA subsequent to passive hallux adduction and to compare the observed changes between the two arteries. Second, to determine if measurement at …
Classification Of Planetary Craters Using Outline-Based Morphometrics, Thomas J. Slezak, Jani Radebaugh, Eric H. Christiansen, Mark C. Belk
Classification Of Planetary Craters Using Outline-Based Morphometrics, Thomas J. Slezak, Jani Radebaugh, Eric H. Christiansen, Mark C. Belk
Faculty Publications
The morphologies of craters on planetary surfaces reveal clues about the geologic mechanisms by which they originate and subsequently evolve, as well as the materials and physical variables inherent to the environment in which they formed. We carried out a quantitative multivariate analysis of shape descriptors derived from the outlines of craters formed by volcanic processes on Mars, Io, and Earth and by impact cratering on the Moon using elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) and the Zahn-Roskies (Z-R) shape function. Canonical variate analysis (CVA) was used to construct a statistical model of differences between the crater groups to classify …
Predators As Agents Of Selection And Diversification, Jerald B. Johnson, Mark C. Belk
Predators As Agents Of Selection And Diversification, Jerald B. Johnson, Mark C. Belk
Faculty Publications
Predation is ubiquitous in nature and can be an important component of both ecological and evolutionary interactions. One of the most striking features of predators is how often they cause evolutionary diversification in natural systems. Here, we review several ways that this can occur, exploring empirical evidence and suggesting promising areas for future work. We also introduce several papers recently accepted in Diversity that demonstrate just how important and varied predation can be as an agent of natural selection. We conclude that there is still much to be done in this field, especially in areas where multiple predator species prey …
Comparative Efficacies Of Calmare Therapy And Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation In Randomized Peripheral Neuropathy Subjects With Resting State Fmri Monitoring, Ty A. Bodily, Logan Edvalson, Jordan B. Peacock, Zack M. Bradshaw, Carson Hart, Cameron Ernst, Samuel Biggs, David D. Busath
Comparative Efficacies Of Calmare Therapy And Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation In Randomized Peripheral Neuropathy Subjects With Resting State Fmri Monitoring, Ty A. Bodily, Logan Edvalson, Jordan B. Peacock, Zack M. Bradshaw, Carson Hart, Cameron Ernst, Samuel Biggs, David D. Busath
Faculty Publications
Clinical reports of Calmare protocol efficacy suggest enhanced durability compared to TENS and the possibility changes in resting fMRI connectivity. The objective was to compare peripheral neuropathy pain relief and resting fMRI changes with Calmare and TENS treatments. Randomized double-blind trials performed in August 2015 and between August 2016 and November 2017, with 18 and 20 human peripheral neuropathy subjects, respectively. The initial trial examined effects of a single session while the latter trial examined the effects of a course of ten treatment sessions on consecutive weekdays. fMRI scans were examined for changes in blood flow correlations and connectivity. Subjective …
Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis For Covid-19, David D. Busath
Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis For Covid-19, David D. Busath
Faculty Publications
It is common in medicine that simple, inexpensive remedies are held hostage to medical prejudice, financial or political interest, and legal precedent. The purpose of this review is to take the point of view of the victims of COVID-19 and address whether scientific information, including randomized-control trials, can answer whether the hydroxychloroquine should be dispensed for those testing positive and their immediate recent contacts at the point of testing. Although the FDA in the United States is yet to be convinced, the demonstration of positive effects in clinical trials cannot be ignored and there is a large amount of information …
Human Health And Economic Costs Of Air Pollution In Utah: An Expert Assessment, Isabella Errigo
Human Health And Economic Costs Of Air Pollution In Utah: An Expert Assessment, Isabella Errigo
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Recent scholarship has found that air pollution damages our health and economy more than previously understood, with approximately one in four deaths associated with exposure to air pollution globally. However, translating these research findings into policy and behavior change at local levels remains a major challenge, partially because of mismatch between the scale of air pollution research (often national or global) and governance frameworks (typically local to regional). Here, we used an expert assessment to bridge this research-policy divide in Utah, USA. We combined quantitative and qualitative input from 23 Utah-specific researchers and specialists, asking for estimates of human health …
Dairy Milk And Plant-Based Alternative Beverage Purchasing Factors: Consumer Insights, Jeffrey Alan Rime
Dairy Milk And Plant-Based Alternative Beverage Purchasing Factors: Consumer Insights, Jeffrey Alan Rime
Theses and Dissertations
From 2000 to 2019, total volume of fluid milk consumption in the USA has steadily fallen. Many factors have played a role in this trend, including competition with plant-based alternative beverages (PBABs). Comparably, sales of PBABs such as almond “milk” have increased over the same duration. Consumer research has identified key beverage characteristics as purchase drivers for both beverage types. This study sought to evaluate the relative importance of these characteristics, investigate the effect of label statements on ratings of their acceptability, and analyze the settings in which and occasions during which consumption of dairy milk and PBABs occurs. This …
Building An Ins-1 Cdna Library For A Genome-Wide Crispr-Cas9 Screen, Idongesit Ekpo
Building An Ins-1 Cdna Library For A Genome-Wide Crispr-Cas9 Screen, Idongesit Ekpo
Undergraduate Honors Theses
By the year 2040, an estimated 642 million people are expected to have diabetes globally. Diabetes results from an elevation of metabolic stressors, such as glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, oxidative stress and apoptosis. In type 2 diabetes, these stressful conditions contribute to the malfunction and loss of functional insulin-producing β-cells. Current treatment methods for diabetes include insulin therapy, islet transplant and anti-diabetes medication. These treatments are not curative and ignore other factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes beyond insulin resistance and islet β-cell failure. Previous research on β-cells has focused on ways to replace functional β-cell mass, trigger β-cell proliferation, …
Governing Dynamics Of Divalent Copper Binding By Influenza A Matrix Protein 2 His37 Imidazole, Kelly Lewis Mcguire
Governing Dynamics Of Divalent Copper Binding By Influenza A Matrix Protein 2 His37 Imidazole, Kelly Lewis Mcguire
Theses and Dissertations
Influenza A is involved in hundreds of thousands of deaths globally every year resulting from viral infection-related complications. Previous efforts to subdue the virus by preventing proper function of wild-type (WT) neuraminidase (N), and M2 proteins using oseltamivir and amantadine (AMT) or rimantadine (RMT), respectively, exhibited success initially. Over time, these drugs began exhibiting mixed success as the virus developed drug resistance. M2 is a proton channel responsible for the acidification of the viral interior which facilitates release of the viral RNA into the host. M2 has a His37-tetrad that is the selective filter for protons. This protein has been …
Valproic Acid Leads To An Increase In Ros Generation By Inhibiting The Deacetylation Of Mitochondrial Sod, Stephen Marc Lucas
Valproic Acid Leads To An Increase In Ros Generation By Inhibiting The Deacetylation Of Mitochondrial Sod, Stephen Marc Lucas
Theses and Dissertations
Valproic Acid Promotes Acetylation of Superoxide Dismutase-2 During Neurogenesis. Valproic acid (VPA) is a known developmental toxicant associated with a high prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD). The mechanism of VPA-induced NTD is unclear, but oxidative stress may be implicated. To understand how embryotoxic oxidative stress may occur, we measured superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity following VPA treatment in the embryonic pluripotent P19 mouse carcinoma cell line. In undifferentiated P19 cultures treated with VPA (5 mM), dichlorofluorescein fluorescence increased 15% compared to untreated controls over 20 min, indicating a modest, yet statistically significant increase in ROS generation. Undifferentiated P19 cells were …
Analyzing Metacommunity Models With Statistical Variance Partitioning: A Review And Meta-Analysis, Kevin Vieira Lamb
Analyzing Metacommunity Models With Statistical Variance Partitioning: A Review And Meta-Analysis, Kevin Vieira Lamb
Theses and Dissertations
The relative importance of deterministic processes versus chance is one of the most important questions in science. We analyze the success of variance partitioning methods used to explain variation in β-diversity and partition it into environmental, spatial, and spatially structured environmental components. We test the hypotheses that 1) the number of environmental descriptors in a study would be positively correlated with the percentage of β-diversity explained by the environment, and that the environment would explain more variation in β-diversity than spatial or shared factors in VP analyses, 2) increasing the complexity of environmental descriptors would help account for more of …
A Comprehensive Comparison Of Teratogenic Compounds Known To Induce Neural Tube Defects In The Chicken Embryo, Micah Marie Ross
A Comprehensive Comparison Of Teratogenic Compounds Known To Induce Neural Tube Defects In The Chicken Embryo, Micah Marie Ross
Theses and Dissertations
One of the first embryonic structures generated during early human development is the neural tube. The embryonic process of neurulation, including neural tube closure, is necessary for proper brain and spinal cord development, whereas improper closure leads to neural tube defects including anencephaly, spina bifida, and craniorachischisis. The mechanism by which these defects occur is unknown, but some evidence suggest that redox disruption may play a role. Cellular redox state is important in regulating key processes during neural tube closure, including differentiation, proliferation, gene expression, and apoptosis. This study aims to determine whether redox potential shifts and these key processes …
Activity, Stability, And Binding Capacity Of Β-Galactosidase Immobilized On Electrospun Nylon-6 Fiber Membrane, Deborah Ann Hutchins
Activity, Stability, And Binding Capacity Of Β-Galactosidase Immobilized On Electrospun Nylon-6 Fiber Membrane, Deborah Ann Hutchins
Theses and Dissertations
This research explores various immobilized enzyme support materials, including the novel nylon-6 fiber membrane (NFM), observing the increase of surface area and what effect that has on enzyme binding potential. This study also manipulates incubation and reaction conditions and observes what affect that has on activity and stability of β-galactosidase comparing various solid support materials and free enzyme. Nylon-6 fiber membranes were created using the process of electrospinning and were compared with other materials as solid support materials for enzyme binding. The other materials included polyvinylidene fluoride 5 kD nanofiltration dairy membranes, nylon-6 pellets, silica glass beads, and free—dissolved—enzyme. Scanning …
Developing Rangeland Restoration Techniques: A Look At Phosphorus Fertilizer As A Seed Coating To Improve Bluebunch Wheatgrass Growth, Morgan Elaine Parkinson
Developing Rangeland Restoration Techniques: A Look At Phosphorus Fertilizer As A Seed Coating To Improve Bluebunch Wheatgrass Growth, Morgan Elaine Parkinson
Theses and Dissertations
Planting native species after a major disturbance is a critical tool land managers use to stabilize soils, restore ecosystem processes, and prevent weed invasion. However, within the sagebrush steppe and other arid and semi-arid environments the percentage of sown seeds that produce an adult plant is remarkably low. Applying fertilizers at the time of planting may improve native plant establishment by increasing the ability of the seedlings to cope with environmental stresses. However, traditional fertilizer applications are often economically infeasible and may be counterproductive by encouraging weed invasion. Seed coating technology allows for the efficient application of fertilizers within the …
Biological Control Potential Of Streptomyces Isolates On Pathogens (Helminthosporium Solani And Pythium Ultimum) Of Potatoes, Shae Jamison Taylor
Biological Control Potential Of Streptomyces Isolates On Pathogens (Helminthosporium Solani And Pythium Ultimum) Of Potatoes, Shae Jamison Taylor
Theses and Dissertations
Two fungal pathogen species, Helminthosporium solani and Pythium ultimum, cause significant economic loss to potato (Solanum tuberosum) growers throughout the world. These pathogens have substantial differences in cellular makeup, pathogenicity, and modes of infection. We studied the efficacy of 82 isolates within the bacterial genus Streptomyces in inhibiting these pathogens under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Derivatives of Streptomyces have significant implications in medicinal use because of their antibiotic and antifungal properties. Under in-vitro conditions, 25% of Streptomyces isolates inhibited growth of P. ultimum, up to 81%. Ninety-five percent of the Streptomyces isolates inhibited growth of H. solani, with a maximum …
Acute Muscle Responses To Blood Flow Restriction Exercises In Post Bariatric Surgery Patients, Victoria Ann Violette
Acute Muscle Responses To Blood Flow Restriction Exercises In Post Bariatric Surgery Patients, Victoria Ann Violette
Theses and Dissertations
Purpose: The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) determine if muscle activation was greater in a BFR exercise condition compared to non-BFR exercise condition using MRI T2 mapping, and (2) determine if the muscle activation for both BFR and non-BFR exercise conditions differs between postbariatric surgery individuals and individuals in 2 control groups. Methods: Three groups participated: (1) a normal-BMI group, (2) a postbariatric surgery group, and (3) a matched group for the surgery individuals. Ultrasound imaging was used to find the optimal BFR pressure for each participant. All participants participated in both BFR and non-BFR exercises. Using a …
Predation Environment Does Not Predict Life History In Morphologically-Constrained Fish Alfaro Cultratus (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae), Kaitlyn Beard Golden
Predation Environment Does Not Predict Life History In Morphologically-Constrained Fish Alfaro Cultratus (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae), Kaitlyn Beard Golden
Theses and Dissertations
Predation is known to have a significant effect on life history, eliciting predictable responses. Physical constraints of body shape and size may also limit life history divergence. There may be a trade-off between adapting to predation, and limits placed by constraints that decrease life history divergence. We test this idea in the Costa Rican livebearing fish Alfaro cultratus. This species has a keeled ventral surface and does not develop a distended abdomen when pregnant like other livebearers. We describe the life history of A. cultratus in 20 different populations across predator and non-predator environments. We found significantly lower reproductive allotment …
The Effects Of Exercise On The Fasting Ketone Production Curve: A Randomized Crossover Study, Landon S. Deru
The Effects Of Exercise On The Fasting Ketone Production Curve: A Randomized Crossover Study, Landon S. Deru
Theses and Dissertations
Elevated ketone production and utilization results in a host of health benefits. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of ketone production during a prolonged fast and to evaluate how an initial bout of exercise influences this production. Mood and hunger, along with plasma insulin and glucagon, were also assessed. In this crossover study, 20 adult subjects (11 Male, 9 Female) completed two 36-hour fasts, with one protocol requiring the subject to complete an intense treadmill exercise session at the beginning of the fast. Ketone levels were assessed via blood ketone meter and recorded every two hours. …
Saving Our Backs: Reducing Low Back Forces, Investigating Pain, And Observing Multifidus, Robert Eugene Larson
Saving Our Backs: Reducing Low Back Forces, Investigating Pain, And Observing Multifidus, Robert Eugene Larson
Theses and Dissertations
BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are among the most injured workers in the United States. This is due to the high rate of patient handling. The low back is the most injured in this population. This study observed biomechanical factors and how these factors affect low back and ground reaction forces. This study further investigated pain and its relationship to low back force, multifidus cross-sectional area, and multifidus activation in healthcare workers. METHODS: The 45 participants included 10 healthy subjects in the preliminary study and 35 active healthcare workers in the main study. Subjects filled out the VAS to determine current pain …