Digital Commons Network^™

Play Behavior And The Development Of Boldness And Caution In Juvenile Belding’S Ground Squirrels (Urocitellus Beldingi), Madelene Shehan

Master's Theses

The ubiquity of play among juvenile mammals suggests it provides adaptive benefits, potentially through influences on the development of temperament in young animals. Juvenile Belding’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi) must balance competing demands for boldness and caution imposed by the fundamental trade-off between their short active season and their vulnerability to predation. In this study, I evaluated whether play helps to facilitate the development of an appropriate balance between boldness and caution in juvenile U. beldingi.I observed the play behavior of juvenile U. beldingiand conducted flight-initiation distance tests to measure boldness-caution at the beginning and toward …

Microdamage As A Bone Quality Component: Practical Guidelines For The Two‐Dimensional Analysis Of Linear Microcracks In Human Cortical Bone, Victoria M. Dominguez, Amanda M. Agnew

Publications and Research

Microdamage is a component of bone quality believed to play an integral role in bone health. However, comparability between existing studies is fraught with issues due to highly variable methods of sample preparation and poorly defined quantification criteria. To address these issues, this article has two aims. First, detailed methods for preparation and analysis of linear microcracks in human ribs, specifically addressing troubleshooting issues cited in previous studies, are laid out. Second, new, partially validated criteria are proposed in an effort to reduce subjective differences in microcrack counts and measures, ensuring more comparable results between studies. Revised definitions based on …

Hart County Foodways (Fa 1291), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1291. Collection of projects conducted by students for Dr. Ann Ferrell's 2018 fieldwork class. Projects address traditional and contemporary foodways practices throughout Hart County, Kentucky.

Development Of A Sonically Powered Biodegradable Nanogenerator For Bone Regeneration, Avi S. Patel

University Scholar Projects

Background: Reconstruction of bone fractures and defects remains a big challenge in orthopedic surgery. While regenerative engineering has advanced the field greatly using a combination of biomaterial scaffolds and stem cells, one matter of difficulty is inducing osteogenesis in these cells. Recent works have shown electricity’s ability to promote osteogenesis in stem cell lines when seeded in bone scaffolds; however, typical electrical stimulators are either (a) externally housed and require overcomplex percutaneous wires be connected to the implanted scaffold or (b) implanted non-degradable devices which contain toxic batteries and require invasive removal surgeries.

Objective: Here, we establish a biodegradable, piezoelectric …

Development Of A Sonically Powered Biodegradable Nanogenerator For Bone Regeneration, Avi Patel

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Reconstruction of bone fractures and defects remains a big challenge in orthopedic surgery. While regenerative engineering has advanced the field greatly using a combination of biomaterial scaffolds and stem cells, one matter of difficulty is inducing osteogenesis in these cells. Recent works have shown electricity’s ability to promote osteogenesis in stem cell lines when seeded in bone scaffolds; however, typical electrical stimulators are either (a) externally housed and require overcomplex percutaneous wires be connected to the implanted scaffold or (b) implanted non-degradable devices which contain toxic batteries and require invasive removal surgeries.

Objective: Here, we establish a biodegradable, piezoelectric …

Investigations Of The Mechanism Of Action For Lung Cancer Cell Death By A 4-Trifluoromethoxy Substituted Chalcone, Trevor M. Stantliff

Undergraduate Theses

Chalcones are a diphenyl compound that serves as a natural precursor to flavonoids in plants. Chalcones have been shown to have anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Chemoprevention activity of chalcones are of high interest in medicinal chemistry because of the simple laboratory synthesis and modification via Claisen-Schmidt condensation. Previously this lab created and screened a library of synthetic chalcones against A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell line for antiproliferation properties. We identified a strong drug candidate (4-trifluoromethoxy substituted chalcone) for A549 growth inhibition. However, the cause of inhibition by the substituted chalcone remains to be identified We began to explore the mechanism of …

Resiliency In Cranial Bones In Relation To Age And Trauma, Jada Dubose

CURCE Annual Undergraduate Conference

The development of bone, nonetheless the skull, may be a major line of defense in relation to traumas they may face. As individuals get older, their bone density decreases for a number of mechanical and hormonal reasons, weakening the bone and increasing fragility. This decreased bone mass density, along with its increased risk of fragility, often lead to a higher likelihood of fractures and severe traumatic injuries; this combination of factors is a lot greater than in younger individuals. This study will evaluate skulls thickness, cross referenced by age and sex, will determine resiliency in terms of the biological structure …

Mapping Wilderness Character In Adams County, Pennsylvania, Alyssa J. Kaewwilai

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review

The spatial trends in wilderness character in Adams County, Pennsylvania were examined to evaluate how influenced specific areas are impacted by human activity and development. Indicators of wilderness character were selected as natural, untrammelled, undeveloped, along with solitude and unconfined recreation by the Death Valley National Park staff in which a 0-4 ranking system was based upon to portray a range of most degraded to optimal land. This was executed through examination of factors such as abundance of biodiversity and human development within the given area before a Monte Carlo simulation was run to show sensitivity of change. It was …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 31, No. 2, May 2019

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Congratulations -- Meeting News -- Welcome -- Publications -- Grants -- Faculty News -- Outreach -- Student News -- Busy as a Bee -- Distinguished Alumni Recognition -- Entomology Department Alumni Dinner

Attitudes Toward Animal Research And Experimentation: An Annotated Bibliography [2011-2019], Erich Yahner

Anthrozoology

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Toward Animal Research And Experimentation: An Annotated Bibliography [1991-2000], Erich Yahner

Anthrozoology

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Toward Animal Research And Experimentation: An Annotated Bibliography [2001-2010], Erich Yahner

Anthrozoology

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Toward Animal Research And Experimentation: An Annotated Bibliography [1981-1990], Erich Yahner

Anthrozoology

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Cortical Remodeling On Bone Stiffness In White-Tailed Deer Proximal Humerus, Jack Nguyen

Graduate Theses

Cortical remodeling is a process that replaces primary bone tissue with secondary or osteonal bone. Osteonal bone is characterized by the presence of secondary osteons or Haversian systems, which are cylindrical structures made up of concentric layers of bone tissue known as lamellae that surround a central canal. Remodeling is mediated by specialized cells known as osteoclasts and osteoblasts. These cells are signaled to selectively resorb and deposit secondary bone in specific areas by mechanical strain. Variations in the loading environment of bones can produce variations in secondary osteon size and morphology. This study investigated the effect of diverse in …

A Test Of The Use Of Timber Wolf (Canis Lupus) Urine To Reduce Coyote (Canis Latrans) Depredation Rates On Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Nests, Michael Wauson

Graduate Theses

Loggerhead sea turtles are currently listed as vulnerable by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a decreasing population trend. Over the past four years, coyotes (Canis latrans) have depredated 24.18% of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on the night they were laid on South Island beach at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, near Georgetown, SC. This has resulted in an estimated 4,002 eggs lost each year there. Over that time, a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Turtle Technician Team patrolled the beach at dawn every morning to cage and catalog loggerhead eggs and nests …

Developing A Modern Microbiology Laboratory Manual To Enhance Student Learning, Alexander Yonchak

Senior Honors Projects

My project has been addressing the issue of incorporating recent developments in biosafety and pedagogical approaches for lab-courses into our existing educational curriculum by developing a new, modern lab manual aimed at improving experiential learning for introductory microbiology teaching labs. Through researching the most recent safety regulations, industry standards, & guidelines for such teaching labs, my manual clearly delineates learning outcomes to match the skills expected of undergraduates completing degrees within the life sciences. In addition, the lab manual that I have designed has been modernized to incorporate the most recent recommended safety precautions and is written in a user-friendly …

Food Culture And National Identity: Japan And The International Whaling Commission, Emma Fahey

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This research project focuses on the contentious issue of whaling in the 21^st century and attempts to make sense of Japan’s whaling policy in terms of food culture and national identity. Using a constructivist theoretical framework, I analyze the impact of the whaling issue on Japan’s bilateral relations with other nations, in both the East Asian subregion and the larger global community. The results of this paper indicate that whale meat carries a deep symbolism in Japanese national identity and that the general issue of whaling has little effect of Japan’s bilateral relations with other nations. Much of the …

The Evolution Of The Indigenous Diet, Taylor Garlow

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

At some point, we learn about Indigenous culture in history class. We learn about produce such as the Three Sisters, the hunting of protein sources, and the gathering of nuts and berries that create the staples of the traditional Indigenous diet. If their traditional diet was so fresh, wholesome, and nutritious, how come there are several health disparities compared to other ethnicities? Over time, the Native Americans have seen rates of health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease increase to a greater extent than the general population.

Through research with academic and government resources and site-visits, this Capstone …

The Effects Of Ambient Temperature And Lighting Intensity On Wheel-Running Behavior In A Diurnal Rodent, The Nile Grass Rat (Arvicanthis Niloticus), Garrett M. Fogo, Alyssa M. Goodwin, Ohanes S. Khacherian, Brandi J. Ledbetter, Andrew J. Gall

Faculty Publications

Environmental conditions, such as the light-dark cycle and temperature, affect the display of circadian rhythmicity and locomotor activity patterns in mammals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating these environmental conditions would affect wheel-running activity patterns in a diurnal rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus). Grass rats are diurnal in the field, however, a subset switch from a day-active pattern to a night-active pattern of activity after the introduction of a running wheel. The mechanism of this chronotype switch remains largely unknown. In the present study, grass rats were presented with running wheels in 12:12 light-dark conditions. First, subjects …

Chacra Farming, Peasant Livelihood Portfolios And Identities In The Peruvian Andes, Anna C. Bebbington

Geography Honors Projects

Nearly fifty years after land reform in Peru, and in the face of dramatic climatic and social change, small-scale, high-altitude agriculture and the livelihoods of peasant households have fundamentally changed.Nonetheless, low-input subsistence agriculture, known as chacra agriculture, remains a prominent feature in Andean landscapes and peasant livelihoods. Drawing on research conducted in two agro-pastoral communities in the Ancash region of Peru, this thesis seeks to show how and why households in these communities continue to rely on the chacra as part of their livelihood strategies. While seeking to understand the role of the chacra in peasant livelihood portfolios, I consider …

Hypoglycemia In Mitochondrial Disorders, Allison Moats

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

INTRODUCTION: The electron transport chain (ETC) in mitochondria functions to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Defects in the mitochondrial or nuclear DNA that codes for components of the ETC lead to mitochondrial disorders (MTDs). MTDs are multi-system conditions affecting the heart, muscles, and especially brain. The endocrine system is commonly affected in MTDs, and diabetes and hyperglycemia are established secondary diagnoses. Rates of non-iatrogenic hypoglycemia have not been studied in individuals with MTDs. This study aims to investigate the frequency of hypoglycemia in patients with MTDs.

METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with a ‘definite’ or ‘probable’ …

Vegetation Response To Intense Holocene Dry Events In The Andes And Amazon Basin, Majoi De Novaes Nascimento

Theses and Dissertations

By using the natural laboratory of past climate change I ask: How resilient are extant tropical forest ecosystems to climatic forcing? Do tropical forests systems show gradualistic or threshold responses to past climate change? How do climate forcings change floristic composition? And do humans amplify or suppress the effects of natural climate variability through land use? My study is set in western Amazonia and in the eastern flank of the Andes, regions renowned for high endemism and cultural importance. The time scale of the study spans the Mid-Holocene Dry Event (MHDE, c. 9000 to 4000 years ago), arguably the most …

The Effect Of A Surfactant Seed Coating On The Germination And Growth Of Three Native Bulrushes, Anders Hart

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Great Salt Lake (GSL) wetlands provide vital ecosystem services, including habitat for migratory birds. Alkali bulrush (Bolboschoenus maritimus), hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus), and three-square bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus) play an important role in providing these services, but invasion by Phragmites australis has reduced the extent these species in GSL wetlands. Restoring these native bulrushes following Phragmites removal is a primary goal for GSL managers. However, climate change and increasing human water demands upstream may alter the hydropattem of GSL wetlands, leading to lower soil moisture availability and potentially inhibiting germination and establishment of these species. …

Modelling Appropriate Use Of Trypanocides To Restrict Wide-Spread Multi-Drug Resistance During Chemotherapy Of Animal African Trypanosomiasis, Ibrahim I. Wangwe, Sarah A. Wamwenje, Caroline Mirieri, Nicodemus M. Masila, Lillian Wambua, Benard W. Kulohoma

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Trypanocide resistance remains a huge challenge in the management of animal African trypanosomiasis. Paucity of data on the prevalence of multi-drug resistant trypanosomes has greatly hindered optimal veterinary management practices. We use mathematical model predictions to highlight appropriate drug regimens that impede trypanocide resistance development in cattle. We demonstrate that using drugs in decreasing resistance order results in a negligible increase in number of cattle with resistant infection, in contrast to a more pronounced increase from trypanocide use in increasing resistance order. We demonstrate that the lowest levels of trypanocide resistance are achieved with combination therapy. We also show that …

Cultural Heritage Preservation In The Context Of Climate Change Adaptation Or Relocation: Barbuda As A Case Study, Martha B. Lerski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This case study introduces an arts camp methodology of engaging communities in identifying their key cultural heritage features, thus serving as a meta study. It presents original research based on field studies on the climate-vulnerable Caribbean island of Barbuda during 2017 and 2018. Its Valued Cultural Elements survey, enabling precise identification of key tangible and intangible art forms and biocultural practices, may serve as a basis for further studies. Such approaches may facilitate future research or planning as climate-vulnerable communities harness Local or Indigenous Knowledge for purposes of biocultural heritage preservation, or towards adaptation or relocation. I report on findings …

Cognitive Models Of Defense Behaviors In Hosts Of Brood Parasites, Thomas J. Manna

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Social parasites exploit the behavioral repertoire of their hosts for their own benefit, thereby reducing host reproductive success. Whether and how hosts respond to prevent, reduce, or eliminate the costs of parasitism requires the characterization of host cognitive algorithms in response to parasites. In this dissertation, I review the suite of the defense behaviors and decision rules of hosts targeted by avian and insect brood parasites, and present new experimental data on the detection of parasitism through the visual system of focal host species. In Chapter 1, I review extensive data already accumulated to isolate the cognitive mechanisms used by …

The Functional Morphology Of Ingestion In The Platyrrhine Sclerocarpic Harvesters (Platyrrhini, Primates), Zachary Stoffel Klukkert

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The identification of anatomical correlates of diet and feeding behavior in nonhuman primates is an important area of research in biological anthropology. The morphology of the jaws and teeth reflects the phylogeny and adaptations that distinguish taxa and their different ecological niches. Studying the form-function relationships of jaws and teeth in modern species provides a framework for interpreting the diets of extinct species and for inferring the ecological pressures that may have contributed to the evolutionary diversification of primate craniodental morphology. Previous work on modeling primate jaw mechanics has focused largely on the functional context of a closed jaw. Little …

Racial Becoming: How Agentic (Self-Initiated) Encounter Events Inform Racial Identity Refinement, Devin A. Heyward

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Racial identity literature has typically focused on identity formation through a series of stages. It also has centered how the experience of negative encounter events informs racial identity formation. With the advent of new genealogical and genomic technology, it is imperative to expand the focus of identity literatures to include encounter events, which participants elect to experience (i.e. self-initiated or agentic encounter events). By using this frame, identity processes become fluid and informed by individual life experiences. In the context of this study, direct to consumer genetic ancestry tests (DTC-GAT) are operationalized as a self-initiated encounter event. Participants were …

Resisting Industrial Food Systems On The Web: How Non-Profit Organizations Use Digital Technology For Sustainability Education, Aleksandr Segal

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis examines the link between how community-based organizations use digital tools with the fundamentally resistance-based philosophy that these organizations have at the core of their mission. It aims to uncover how non-profit organizations (NPOs) that work in community development through food and agriculture use digital tools, and how their digital communication strategies relate to issues of resistance to neoliberalism and industrialization in the food and agriculture sectors.

Using a foundation of existing literature on food and agriculture, climate change and waste management, critical theory, and technology in pedagogy, this thesis will contextualize how non-profits resist neoliberal regimes of de-traditionalization …

Analysis Of Spheno-Occipital Synchondrosis (Sos) Fusion In A Contemporary Southern Nevada Subadult Hispanic Population Using Archival Cone-Beam Computerized Tomography (Cbct) Images, Megan Baker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study employs the three-dimensional visualization capability of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to investigate the relationship between chronological age and timing of fusion of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis in a male/female subadult Hispanic population of Southern Nevada. The sample includes cross-sectional data of 374 orthodontic patients (166 males and 208 females) aged 8-20 years. The SOS is scored by a four-stage scoring system as completely open (stage 0), less than half fused (stage 1), more than half fused (stage 2), or completely fused (stage 3) as visualized in the midsagittal plane in the CBCT image. The relationship between SOS fusion stage …