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Examining Short Term Drainage Impacts To Soil Health In Hydric And Non-Hydric Soils Of Waseca County, Minnesota, Ely Hartl

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Subsurface drainage is implemented throughout the Midwest United States to remove excess moisture from soil to enhance crop growth. Hydric soils are ubiquitous throughout Minnesota and are commonly drained due to their historically saturated conditions. Changing a soil's hydrology can impact its formation and properties. The alteration of physical, biological, and chemical soil properties can occur to both hydric and non-hydric soils, impacting overall soil health. The purpose of this study is to examine the short-term effects of tile drainage on the soil health of hydric and non-hydric soils in southern Minnesota. Research methods include: 1) collect soil-sediment cores to …

Elucidating The Non-Shivering Thermogenesis Response In The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus), Sweta Chand

Dissertations and Theses

The adaptation of small birds to cold environments involves mechanisms for both heat conservation and heat generation. While minimizing heat loss reduces the energy needed to maintain body temperature, thermogenesis remains essential. Shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) are two likely mechanisms supporting cold adaptation in small avian species. Although sarcolipin (SLN) aids NST in small mammals, studies in birds such as Dark- eyed Juncos have shown no increase or even a decrease in SLN expression during cold exposure, suggesting limited involvement. This may reflect biological differences or limitations of mRNA- focused sequencing, which excludes long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) capable of …

Diversification Of Avifauna In The Darién Highland Region: Ecological Niche Modeling, Phylogeography And Morphology To Explore Speciation In The Montane Species Myadestes Coloratus, Chlorospingus Tacarcunae And Margarornis Bellulus., Jorge L. Garzon Vasquez Mrs

Theses and Dissertations

Montane regions in the Neotropics are hotspots of endemism and biodiversity, yet their species are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and geographic isolation. This thesis investigates the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of three bird species endemic to the Darién Highlands of eastern Panama: Myadestes coloratus, Chlorospingus tacarcunae, and Margarornis bellulus. Through an integrative approach combining ecological niche modeling, morphometric analysis, and genomic data from ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA, the study explores the historical biogeography, current distribution patterns, population structure, and phenotypic differentiation of these montane taxa. Ecological niche models revealed that suitable habitat …

Mctr3 Mitigates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation And Damage, Yu Par Aung Myo

Theses and Dissertations

Smoking is deleterious to our lungs and can precipitate in a multitude of diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is primarily caused by smoking cigarettes and is a major public health issue. Current therapies only treat symptoms without halting or reversing disease progression, thus highlighting a large unmet need to develop new therapies. We address this gap by investigating maresin conjugate in tissue regeneration 3 (MCTR3) which is a newly discovered specialized pro-resoling mediator (SPM) that has the novel property of promoting tissue repair and regeneration in addition to being anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving. For the first time, we …

Critical Environmental Communication Framework, Shumaila J. Bhatti, Srivi Ramasubramanian, Andrea Feldpausch-Parker, Bruno Takahashi, Silje Kristiansen

Media Studies - All Scholarship

This study develops a Critical Environmental Communication (CEC) framework to assess the landscape of Environmental Communication research and to what extent and in which ways critical and justice-oriented perspectives are included. The CEC framework consists of four interconnected themes: (a) Marginalized Ecocultural Identities, (b) Context and Scale, (c) Power and Agency, and (d) Justice, Equity, Diversity, Access, and Inclusion (JEDAI). Using this framework in a bibliometric analysis examining 1,297 Environmental Communication publications, we assess the occurrence of these themes in the scholarship. Our analysis found that Marginalized Ecocultural Identities, and Context and Scale were most frequently occurring, while Power and …

Potentiation Of Gelonin Cytotoxicity By Pulsed Electric Fields, Olga N. Pakhomova, Eleni Zivla, Giedre Silkuniene, Mantas Silkunas, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Gelonin is a ribosome-inactivating protein with extreme intracellular toxicity but poor permeation into cells. Targeted disruption of cell membranes to facilitate gelonin entry is explored for cancer and tissue ablation. We demonstrate a hundreds- to thousands-fold enhancement of gelonin cytotoxicity by pulsed electric fields in the T24, U-87, and CT26 cell lines. The effective gelonin concentration to kill 50% of cells (EC₅₀) after electroporation ranged from <1 nM to about 100 nM. For intact cells, the EC₅₀ was unattainable even at the highest gelonin concentration of 1000 nM, which reduced cell survival by only 5–15%. For isoeffective electroporation treatments using 300 ns, 9 µs, and 100 µs pulses, longer pulses were more efficient at lowering gelonin EC₅₀. Increasing the electric field strength of 8, 100 µs pulses from 0.65 to 1.25 kV/cm reduced gelonin EC₅₀ from 128 nM to 0.72 nM. Conversely, the presence of 100 nM gelonin enabled a more than 20-fold reduction in the number of pulses required for equivalent cell killing. Pulsed electric field-mediated delivery of gelonin shows promise for hyperplasia ablation at concentrations sufficiently low to minimize or avoid systemic toxicity.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Characterizing A Rad23 Dependent Ultraviolet Radiation Resistance In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Emma June Liimatta

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

In 2020, 10 million deaths were attributed to cancer, with multidrug resistance being responsible for over 90% of deaths in cancer patients receiving treatment. This study utilized the model organism Tetrahymena thermophila to study how cells become resistant to Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) radiation, a process similar to multidrug resistance, specifically focusing on the nucleotide excision repair and ubiquitin shuttle protein Rad23. The National Cancer Institute documented 30-60% of cancers tested had a mutation in RAD23. Knockdown of RAD23 in Tetrahymena thermophila demonstrated a UV resistance phenotype with decreased nucleotide excision repair and differential expression of proteins active within caspase-independent …

Using Abandoned Model Systems And Historical Literature To Teach Modern Concepts And Techniques In Cell Biology, Leocadia V. Paliulis, Gunar Fabig, Sandra Stein, Silke Tulok, Anja Nobst, Chukwuebuka William Okafornta, Thomas Kurth, Thomas Müller-Reichert

Faculty Journal Articles

The cell biology literature of the 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries is full of the seminal works that were critical for the development of our current understanding of biology but were done using model systems that are no longer commonly used. We argue that these historical papers are ideal for the development of course-based research experiences, both because the background work is conceptually and technically straightforward, and because the study of the abandoned systems stopped prior to the availability of modern techniques. These abandoned systems offer outstanding opportunities for teaching modern light and electron microscopy techniques, thus providing students with …

Spermidine And Polyamine Blockade As Key Mediators Of Intestinal Epithelial Cell Functions, Madison Lynn Flory

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Frequently, alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota and its metabolites are linked with intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. However, the direct connections between alterations in the microbiome and disease states often remain elusive. Prior research has identified increases in both polyamines, which are a class of microbial metabolite, and in the abundance of bacteria that can produce polyamines, in a murine colorectal cancer model. Understanding the significance of the interaction between these microbial metabolites and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) will provide new and expanded evidence of the importance of the gut microbiome in colorectal …

Optimizing Decision-Making In A Cerebral Palsy Model Using Reinforcement Learning, Richard Ampah

Pitzer Senior Theses

This study presents an original interdisciplinary investigation into how reinforcement learning (RL) can model motor and cognitive defects and potentially improve motor and cognitive functions in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), a non-progressive neurological disorder that impairs movement and adaptability. Integrating computational neuroscience and machine learning, the research applies policy gradient methods and Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) to simulate adaptive learning in agents with and without CP-related constraints.

The central aim is to compare the cumulative rewards of optimal policies, derived from value iteration, and human-like learning policies using the REINFORCE algorithm, both with and without the Bellman baseline. The …

The Chesapeake Pearl: A Proposal For An Environmental Public Art Installation, Samuel I. Reichard

Pitzer Senior Theses

In this thesis, I lay the foundation for an environmental art project along Chesapeake Bay. It includes an analysis of relevant literature and case studies, as well as a proposal for the project. The Chesapeake Pearl (working title) would be a 20-foot spherical aquarium that will visually display the water filtration capacity of eastern oysters and native seagrass, aiming to inspire curiosity around these organisms and the greater Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The project exists at the intersection of environmental art and environmental education and seeks to promote learning and public engagement through visually demonstrating a scientific process, the water filtration …

Visions Of The Garden: Transforming The Former Claremont Golf Course Into The Coastal Sage Mosaic, Ella C. Kim

Pitzer Senior Theses

A thirty-three-acre parcel of land sits at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains at a vulnerable wildland-urban interface (WUI), raising key ecological concerns. This parcel, a former golf course, is the focused site for this conceptual landscape and restoration plan. The now-neglected site has no proposed plans for restoration or development yet holds significant potential for transformation. Stakeholders’ conflicting visions range from land preservation, ecological restoration, Indigenous land rights, commodification for revenue and development, and prioritizing the needs of the natural environment in coexistence with modern human enjoyment. The conceptual plan addresses these critical considerations in verbal and visual …

Characterization Of A Highly Arsenic-Resistant Microbe, Eleanor E. Windholz

Honors Theses

Heavy metal pollution in our terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is a major global concern, as chronic exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic and chromium has dire effects on mammalian health. In these polluted, arsenic-rich environments, microorganisms resistant to heavy metals have been isolated. The microbe isolated in this paper was resistant to As(V) up to 1100 mM, which is significantly higher than most published strains, and resistant to Cr(VI) at concentrations up to 5 mM. The microbe was tentatively identified as Micrococcus luteus, but its high arsenic resistance suggests it may be a novel strain. The ability of the …

Effects Of Direct And Indirect Predator Cue Intensity On Foraging Decisions In A Deer Mouse, Peromyscus, Nicholas G. Levinson

Honors Theses

Ecologists developed optimal foraging theory as a framework to understand how an animal may spend minimal time to maximize resource intake. A giving-up density (GUD) is a metric of the density of remaining food in a food patch at which an animal decides foraging is no longer economical. This study aims to test how the intensity of direct and indirect predator cues alter foraging patterns of deer mice. To measure GUD, I used depletable food patches deployed in the “upper woods” on the periphery of Colby College. To simulate direct predator cues, 1 mL of fox urine was applied on …

Achieving Urban Resilience Strategies For Cities, Rehab Abdelfatah Abdel Aziz. Mahmoud

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The concept of the Resilient City is a relatively recent addition to urban planning discussions, gaining global attention due to the increasing need for cities to withstand urban, social, and environmental challenges. Urban resilience, alongside adaptability, plays a vital role in addressing these dynamic transformations. This research investigates how to implement urban resilience strategies to effectively respond to ongoing changes and sudden crises, such as terrorist attacks and natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The research identifies a critical gap in the absence of a comprehensive theoretical framework for evaluating the success of urban resilience strategies within cities’ planning …

An Experimental Study On Durability Properties Of Reactive Powder Concrete Containing Silica Fume And Fly Ash As Supplementary Cementitious Materials, Ayat Mohamed Hassan Taha, Mohamed Hussain Ali Makhlouf, Khaled Mohamed El-Sayed, Gamal Ismaail Khaleel

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The paper reports the influence of using silica fume (SF) and fly ash (FA) as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) on the durability properties of reactive powder concrete (RPC), focusing on sorptivity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), and carbonation depth. The study additionally compares the performance of RPC with highstrength concrete (HSC) to assess the relative benefits of RPC. A total of 19 mixtures, including 17 RPC and 2 HSC mixtures, were evaluated. Parameters such as volume of binder content (45%, 50%, 55%, and 60%), water-binder ratios (20%, 25%, and 30%), and SCM proportions (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) were varied; these …

Optimized Vgg16 For Multi-Class Classification Of Alzheimer's Disease, Amira M. Basuoni, Hussein Seleem, Amira S. Ashour

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a severe neurological disorder that leads to memory loss and other cognitive impairments, ultimately resulting in death. With the advancement of deep learning, several researchers implemented a deep learning (DL)-based classification system for diagnosing such disease. However, determining the proper setting of the parameters, like learning rate and the number of dense units in the classification model is essential to achieve the best performance. Although manual tuning and grid search methods may be used, they are often time-consuming and cannot achieve the optimal model’s design. Accordingly, this paper proposed an improved model of the Visual Geometry …

Incremental Metal Forming Of Functionally Graded Aluminum-Copper Composites: A Numerical Investigation By Finite Element Analysis, Abdallah A. Elsherbiny, Tawakol A. Enab, Abdelkhalik Eladl

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Manufacturers aim to produce high-quality, cost-effective products through advanced material forming techniques. This study utilized ABAQUS® software to present and evaluate a finite element model for the incremental forming process of a functionally graded aluminum-copper material (Al-Cu FGM). The developed model incorporated the Lagrangian dynamic framework and the Johnson-Cook constitutive equation. The model enabled accurate estimation of forces, stress, and strain distributions during the incremental forming process of an Al-Cu FGM. The results demonstrated that the algorithm effectively predicted these critical characteristics, which are significant for optimizing manufacturing processes. Although the model successfully replicated the material's stress responses, further refinement …

Merging Biophilic Design Approach Into University Learning Interior Spaces: An Applied Experience, Sara M. Atwa

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Incorporating living elements into educational environments is a crucial matter, as many educational spaces are deprived of natural features. Designers should incubate this way of thinking to generate healthy and inspiring spaces for students. The biophilia hypothesis reveals that humankind has a genuine connection with the natural environment which makes us happier and healthier. Biophilic design has motivated architects to merge nature within the interior spaces using plants, reclaimed wood, water features, and daylight. Thereby, this manuscript debates that educational spaces – particularly in universities – requisite a sincere interaction with the nature environment by embracing biophilic design as an …

Optimal Design Of An Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Systems With Battery Storage For Rural Electrification Of Academic Community In Ibogun Campus, Nigeria, Ayodeji Akinsoji Okubanjo, Alexander Okandeji, Ignatius Kema Okakwu, Benjamin Akinloye, Abisola Olayiwola

Mansoura Engineering Journal

In an era where the debate on climate action has evolved from mere awareness to urgent implementation, energy-efficient management strategies are crucial. The energy mix, combined with optimal design of hybrid renewable energy systems, is a potential option to limit the increase in demand for fossil fuels and the climate issue. As a result, this study proposes an optimal design of hybrid renewable systems using technoeconomic criteria to meet load demand in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Olabisi Onabanjo University. The model combines an off-grid energy alternative with a battery storage system. The primary goal is to …

Optimum Design Of Three-Phase Wound Rotor Induction Machine Using Giant Trevally Optimizer Technique, D. El-Hassanein, Abd Al Rahman Amin, Eid Gouda, Mohamed F. Kotb

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Conventional sizing methods for electric machines often result in large dimensions, excessive weight, even when following correct design principles. In this paper promising Giant Trevally Optimizer “GTO” is employed as a swarm intelligence-based optimization algorithm inspired by the social behavior of giant trevally, to design a three-phase wound rotor induction machine “3WRIM”. The optimization process targets four key objectives: maximizing efficiency , and minimizing weight per kilowatt “ ”, temperature rise , and the no-load current to phase current ratio . These objectives are optimized both simultaneously and individually while adhering to a set of practical design constraints. To validate …

The Future Of Shipping At The Biodiversity-Climate Nexus : Round Table Report, Mary S. Wisz, Fabio Berzaghi, Mikaela Gomez, Maud C. Quinzin, Renis Auma Ojwala, Emily Nuckolls

Reports

This report presents the outcomes of a cross-disciplinary Round Table hosted by the World Maritime University (WMU) from May 13-15, 2024, in Malmö, Sweden. The event brought together 51 experts from academia, industry, NGOs, and international organizations, including the IMO, to explore shipping’s role at the biodiversity-climate nexus. The Round Table had a particular focus on the impacts of shipping that are currently unregulated or under-regulated, and opportunities to address biodiversity loss and pollution as the sector decarbonizes. The report highlights the need to apply comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to effectively manage shipping's impacts, including cumulative impacts, on the environment, people, …

Predator Exposure And Gene Flow As Tools To Preserve Antipredator Traits In Havened Populations: Behavioural Observations Of Quenda, Natasha D. Harrison, Nicola J. Mitchell, Harriet Mills, Anna J.M. Hopkins, Ben L. Phillips

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

When predation pressure is relaxed, for example, in predator-free conservation havens, populations can rapidly lose antipredator traits. Such trait loss is thought to be accelerated when resource competition becomes the dominant selection pressure in the absence of predation risk. Under these circumstances, antipredator traits may be retained by reducing resource competition through predator exposure (both of which reduce selection against antipredator traits) or by maintaining gene flow with predator-savvy populations. Here, we examine differences in antipredator traits in quenda, Isoodon fusciventer, inside and outside of a conservation haven in which low levels of gene flow and predator exposure have been …

Six Genera Of Ariophantidae From Bhutan (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Helicarionoidea), Edmund Gittenberger, Sherub, Choki Gyeltshen, Nima Dorji, Kezang Tobgay

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Samples of the ariophantid genera Oxytesta, Bensonies, Himalodiscus, Ariophanta, Khasiella, and Sesara collected in Bhutan are treated. For all species distributional data for the kingdom are summarized on maps. Shells are described and figured on the basis of specimens from Bhutan, with radulae and genital tracts whenever possible. Six Oxytesta species are dealt with, 3 of which new to science, viz. O. delicata E. Gittenberger & Sherub, O. dubitata E. Gittenberger & Kezang Tobgay, and O. lhuentsensis E. Gittenberger & Sherub. Five Bensonies species are recognized, one of which could not be identified and 4 are described as new, viz. …

Pygoscelis Penguins Prefer Different Oceanographic And Terrestrial Habitats During The Austral Summer, Katherine L. Gallagher, Rachel Herman, Katherine Walton, Michael S. Dinniman, Heather J. Lynch

OES Faculty Publications

Pygoscelis penguins interact with both terrestrial and marine environments, especially during the austral summer when they raise their chicks. Accessible ice-free ground spaces serve as locations for penguins to build colonies and successfully raise chicks while the surrounding marine environment serves as the foraging grounds for adult birds. Penguins must be able to navigate through the waters around their colonies to forage for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), their primary prey during the austral summer. Krill, whose distributions are driven partially by the surrounding physics and partially by their behaviors, must also be plentiful in the waters near the …

From Wind To Whales: Potential Hydrodynamic Impacts Of Offshore Wind Energy On Nantucket Shoals Regional Ecology, Eileen E. Hofmann, Jeffrey R. Carpenter, Qin J. Chen, Josh T. Kohut, Richard L. Merrick, Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod, Douglas P. Nowacek, Kaustubha Raghukumar, Nicholas R. Record, Kelly Oskvig

OES Faculty Publications

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a committee in June 2023 to assess the potential hydrodynamic and ecological impacts from offshore wind energy development in the Nantucket Shoals region, with particular attention to impacts on the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) that forages on zooplankton aggregations in the region. The assessment suggested that the effects of offshore wind energy development will be difficult to distinguish from the effects of natural variability and climate change in this region. The Consensus Study Report recommendations highlight observational and modeling studies that will advance understanding of …

Parasite Communities Of Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales Notatus) From Several Creeks In East Central Illinois, Md Rowshan Alam

Masters Theses

Parasites of freshwater fish play a vital functional role in aquatic ecosystems, but the spatial and ecological determinants of their prevalence and characteristics are still poorly understood. The current study quantified the diversity, prevalence, and environmental determinants of whole parasite burdens in bluntnose minnows across multiple creeks in central Illinois. Fish sampling and the collection of stream habitat data were conducted during the summers of 2023 and 2024. Fish were examined for parasites using necropsy and histology. A total of 20,817 parasites, predominantly trematodes (Posthodiplostomum spp.), cestodes (Proteocephalus spp), and protozoans, were identified. The most prevalent and abundant …

Assessing The Role Of Daily Thermal Fluctuations In The Performance Of Mitochondrial Energy Transduction Of The Centrarchid, Lepomis Cyanellus, Grayson Hofmann

Masters Theses

Freshwater systems are affected by current climate extremes, forcing species found in these systems to withstand drastic changes in temperature. Temperature changes affect these organisms by altering their metabolic rate and energy balance. Increases in temperature can lead to an increase in oxygen consumption, which ultimately increases the need for more energy production. Mitochondrial energy transduction of green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) and many other fish species after a thermal insult, has hardly been explored. This study complements the limited research available on mitochondrial function in similar species, as they ignore the possibility of consecutive thermal events, which are …

Habitat Use And Selection Of Silver Carp In The Lower Wabash River System, Coy B. Blair

Masters Theses

The spatial ecology of non-native species in invaded systems remains relatively poorly understood despite the importance of suitable habitat in the success of invasion. Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix are a highly invasive non-native species with established populations throughout the Midwestern United States. Much research has focused on habitat use of bigheaded carp in large river systems, though invasion risk remains high in smaller systems, such as tributaries of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. The Wabash River, a unique system in the Midwest, remains largely un-impounded and is comparable to many of the smaller riverine systems at risk of …