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Soil And Water Education For Grades 3-12, Natalie J. Carroll, Christian Y. Oseto, Timothy J. Gibb

Purdue University Press Books

Soil and Water Education for Grades 3–12 was written for youth who enjoy learning about science and two critical natural resources: soil and water. Level 1 introduces basic terms and concepts, and is intended for youth in grades 3–5. Activities focus on understanding important soil and water processes. Designed for students in grades 6–8, Level 2 offers readers more concrete examples of advanced soil and water concepts. The exercises in Level 3, which is geared toward grades 9–12, are divided into sections based on how readers might use the information they have learned, placing them in the shoes of homeowners, …

Deciphering The Crl Code: Novel Mechanisms Of Canonical And Non-Canonical Ubiquitylation, Nicholas Wayne Purser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Protein degradation is a fundamental process required for maintaining cellular homeostasis in eukaryotic organisms. In humans, distinct cell types exhibit unique proteomic landscapes that are dynamically balanced by the continual synthesis and degradation of proteins. The timely removal of damaged, misfolded, or old proteins is essential to permit new protein synthesis and to ensure proper cellular function.

Central to this regulatory network is ubiquitylation, a highly conserved posttranslational modification system that governs protein stability and function across all eukaryotic cells. Through the covalent attachment of ubiquitin molecules to protein substrates, this system modulates a broad range of biological processes, including …

Modeling The Mojave: A Multiphase, Mixed Methods Phenomenological Investigation Of Novice Understanding Of A Complex Ecological System, Nicole Juliana Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores early college science majors’ conceptions of the Mojave Desert ecosystem as a complex system. A multi-level, explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to study college science majors’ understanding of the Mojave Desert ecosystem to better inform science pedagogy. The first level, the quantitative phase of the study, consisted of developing a mathematical representation of twelve ecosystem variables present within the Mojave Desert. The second level, the qualitative phase of the study, consisted of phenomenological semi-structured interviews with 23 early college science majors. The findings of this research suggest that the Mojave Desert operates as a complex, …

Enviromental Dna (Edna) Tools For Invasive Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Surveillance At The Shoshone Pupfish (Cyprinidon Nevadensis Shoshone) Refugium, Yusuf Olamilekan Umar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Spring-fed aquatic ecosystems of the North American Southwest and U.S. Great Basin hosts a plethora of endemic fish species due to the effects of hydrologic fragmentation that resulted from Pleistocene aridification. Threats to endemic fishes worldwide include human intentional or unintentional release of exotic species into their habitats. Early detection of invasive species, while corrective actions are still possible, is critical for management, yet traditional survey methods are often disruptive to sensitive ecosystems, costly, and limited in sensitivity. The recent development of environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches offers powerful alternatives for invasive species monitoring in aquatic systems. In this study, a …

Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L) Flavonoids Are Hydrolyzed During Digestion And Their Bioaccessibility Is Under Stronger Genetic Control Than Raw Material Content, Michael P Dzakovich, Alvin L Tak, Elaine A Le, Rachel P Dang, Benjamin W Redan, Geoffrey A Dubrow

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

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Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Of Psychotic-Like Experiences And Cannabis Use, Ethan Campbell

Psychology ETDs

As cannabis use has increased steadily over the past decade, there is critical need to evaluate early cannabis use as a potential risk factor for the development of psychosis. Neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying novelty salience could clarify how cannabis exposure may influence subclinical psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The present study leveraged dynamic functional connectivity and task-fMRI to assess the role of novelty processing in cannabis use and PLEs. A group of brain regions dynamically tied to the salience network while viewing short films were found to increase their activation as a function of stimulus novelty during a novelty bandit task. PLEs were …

Efficacy Of Oil And Gas Production Site Remediation In U.S. Arid/Semi-Arid Regions, Skye Ontiveros

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Oil and gas production (OGP) is expanding, paralleled by its polluting leaks and spills (LS), and outpaced by its waste. This raises the question: Does remediation of LS occur effectively when needed to protect the environment and public, particularly in major producing regions like arid/semi-arid regions (ASAR), which account for approximately 72% of US oil and 42% of gas production? To answer, a review of the eight largest national remedial laws, sourced from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), identified 14 OGP exemptions for remedial determinants (RDs): factors affecting remedial frequency and efficacy (e.g. LS monitoring and chemical disclosure). An …

Listen To The Birds: Sound Ecology At The Piano, Anna Showalter

Dissertations, 2020-current

This document explores the intersection between birdsong and piano music using four cases studies from the piano repertoire in the Western classical tradition. Using Jeff Titon’s framework of “sound ecology” as a lens, I ask whether the following pieces of music could in some way function as an “acoustic tissue among human and bird communities that becomes the basis for a healthy economy and a just community.” After exploring the history of birdsong in the piano literature as a microcosm of shifting attitudes toward birdsong in Western art music this study focuses on four pieces as case studies for analysis—Amy …

Development Of An Artificial Intelligence Web Based System For Classification Of Tomatoes Disease, Joshua Sokowonci Mommoh, Etinosa Noma-Osaghe, Vera Nimo Timai, Odike Arnold Uchechi, Solomon Obhenbhen Ibharunujele, Blessing Godday

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The development of this platform addresses the challenges associated with traditional tomato disease detection methods as well as the challenges of current machine learning and deep learning models in accurately detecting tomato diseases. Conventional methods of tomato disease diagnosis typically rely on expert evaluation but are time-consuming and susceptible to human mistakes. Incorrect diagnoses of certain diseases could lead to poor control measures, resulting in decreased agricultural productivity. In this research, the PlantVillage dataset, comprising 18,160 tomato leaf images distributed across 10 classes, was used to train two machine learning models, namely, Inception-ResNetV2 and Inception V3. The models were configured, …

A Geological And Geochemical Study Of The Philipsburg Mining District, Granite County, Montana, Celine M. Beaucamp

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Philipsburg district, renowned for its rich mining history, has contributed significantly to Montana's mineral production, ranking as the state's second-most productive district. Active from 1865 to the 1980s, it yielded an impressive array of Ag (50-60 million oz), with notable outputs of Au, Zn, Pb, Cu, and battery-grade MnO2. The district features Cordilleran polymetallic veins, some of which are along bedding in Mississippian and Devonian limestone, and others are steeply dipping quartz veins in silicate-rich sedimentary rocks and in the Philipsburg batholith. The veins exhibit a district-wide mineral zonation, marked by Cu- and Ag-rich ores near granite porphyries, with …

Aqueous Geochemistry Drives Microbial Cu, Fe, And Zn Uptake Rates In Yellowstone, A Continental Hydrothermal System, Eva Carolina Andrade-Barahona

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Microbial uptake of trace metal cofactors such as copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) is governed by biogeochemical processes in hydrothermal systems where metal bioavailability varies widely. In situ microbial metal uptake rates were quantified by applying metal stable isotope probing (MSIP) in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system across diverse geochemical conditions in hydrothermal springs. The findings in these studies revealed that pH exerts a dominant influence on microbial copper uptake rate, also enhanced by increased Cu²⁺ ion availability and dissolved oxygen. Microbial iron uptake, in contrast, displayed a broad tolerance to environmental variability, occurring across a pH range of …

Determinants Of Farmers’ Choices Of Adaptation Strategies In Rural Semi-Arid Agricultural Communities Of Tanzania: A Case Study Of Mwanga And Same Districts In Kilimanjaro Region, Bahati Ally Magesa

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Climate change is a global phenomenon that poses a significant threat to agricultural farming and the livelihoods of farmers, particularly in semi-arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Since agriculture is the primary source of employment in the region, enhancing the sector’s adaptive capacity has become increasingly important. This paper examines the key determinants influencing farmers’ choices of adaptation strategies to climate change impacts in the Mwanga and Same Districts of Tanzania. A total of 200 farmers participated in a household survey conducted using a simple random sampling technique. A binary logistic regression model was employed to analyse the association between selected …

Heat Increment Of Feeding In The Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Contributes Moderately To Field Metabolic Rate Estimates, Ioulia Koliopoulou, Stacy L. De Ruiter, Jordi Altimiras, Josefin Larsson, Julietta Arenarez, David Rosen, Andreas Fahlman

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Digestion elevates metabolism through the heat increment of feeding (HIF) – the energy expended on mechanical and biochemical processes after eating. Quantifying this cost is essential for bioenergetic models that predict energy flow and prey requirements in populations. Using breath-by-breath respirometry, we measured oxygen consumption (V̇ O2 ) in eight common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) before and after feeding standardized meals (1659–2658 kcal of capelin and herring). Metabolic rate rose by ∼37% above resting levels, peaking 60 min after feeding before returning to baseline within 2 h. When scaled across the day, digestion increased daily metabolic needs by ∼8.2% of …

Application Of Augmented Reality Technology As A Dietary Monitoring And Control Measure Among Adults: A Systematic Review, Gabrielle Victoria Gonzalez, Bingjing Mao, Ruxin Wang, Wen Liu, Chen Wang, Tung Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Traditional dietary monitoring methods such as 24 h recalls rely on self-report, leading to recall bias and underreporting. Similarly, dietary control approaches, including portion control and calorie restriction, depend on user accuracy and consistency. Augmented reality (AR) offers a promising alternative for improving dietary monitoring and control by enhancing engagement, feedback accuracy, and user learning. This systematic review aimed to examine how AR technologies are implemented to support dietary monitoring and control and to evaluate their usability and effectiveness among adults. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase identified studies published between 2000 and 2025 that evaluated …

Sex Disparities In Prescription Opioids Associated Cardiovascular Adverse Events, Li Ma

Theses and Dissertations

The opioid crisis in the United States has evolved from a medical response to pain into a nationwide public health emergency. The prescription opioids (POs) – associated cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) remain insufficiently studied, especially in relation to sex disparities. This dissertation investigates sex disparities in PO-associated cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) through an analytic framework integrating artificial-intelligence-assisted literature mining and real-world pharmacovigilance analytics. In the analytic framework, first, AI powered topic modeling was employed to uncover POs-associated CVAEs risks with a focus on sex differences. A total of 1,837 PubMed abstracts were analyzed using two methods, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) …

Genomics Insights Into The Biogeography And Evolution Of Galapagos Iguanas Using Radseq And Wgseq Techniques, Cecilia Paradiso

Theses and Dissertations

The Galápagos archipelago is known for its unique endemic fauna shaped by isolation and geological dynamism. This thesis explores the evolutionary history of Galápagos iguanas, a monophyletic group comprising the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and three land iguanas: Conolophus marthae, C. pallidus, and C. subcristatus. These species differ in distribu- tion, population size, and conservation status, with C. marthae classified as Critically Endan- gered due to its restricted range and small population. The main goal of this thesis is to fill knowledge gaps concerning the evolutionary trajectories, demographic histories, and genetic var- iability of Galápagos iguanas. The first chapter reconstructs …

Evaluating The Effects Of Biostimulants On Apple Coloration, Patrick G. Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Apple peel color is one determining factor of apple quality and is a highly sought after trait by both growers and consumers. Historically plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as daminozide and auxins have been used to induce a greater amount of red color in the peel, but these products typically have negative production impacts and raise environmental concerns. One new area of interest is in called biostimulants. This study investigated the effects of two experimental biostimulants (MCEN1 and MCEN2) applied at varying rates and timings, as well as a commercially available plant growth regulator (Blush® 2X), on ‘Honeycrisp’ apple color …

Validation And Efficacy Of A Novel External Ankle Support Device For The Prevention Of Lateral Ankle Sprains, Sally Kennon Barfield

Theses and Dissertations

Ankle sprains are a common injury in sports and in life and can lead to debilitating consequences if not managed properly. Current prevention methods are limited to bracing or taping of the ankle. While these methods have been shown to help in mitigation of ankle sprains, associated issues such as performance decrements and discomfort have been noted in the currently available literature. The BetterGuards is a novel external ankle support that has been touted as the key to the issues presented by more traditional prevention methods. The purpose of this study was to determine both the effectiveness of the BetterGuards …

Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Regulates Itam-Dependent Platelet Activation, Jehiel Abigail Ajanel Gomez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Thromboembolic conditions are the leading cause of disability and death in the United States. Platelets play an important role in the pathophysiology of thrombus formation by aiding in the formation and stabilization of the clot. Central to platelet activation is cytoplasmic calcium, which increases after platelet activation through ITAM (Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif) or GPCR (G-protein-coupled receptor) receptors. Platelet mitochondria rely on cytoplasmic calcium for mitochondrial calcium influx, which is critical for ATP formation and regulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. In other cells, mitochondrial calcium entry is regulated by the multimeric protein complex, mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). Deletion of …

Knee Injury Prevention Program In An Early Pubertal Female Athlete During A Recreational Softball Season, Doug W. Dendy, Toby Brooks, C Roger James, Micah Lierly

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 12, 2025. This case study was intended to analyze the impact of a knee injury prevention program (KIPP) for a young female athlete in a short recreational softball season. It was hypothesized that initiating a KIPP early within a recreational sports season would positively alter lower extremity biomechanics, subsequently reducing the risk of knee injuries during and after skeletal development. During a recreational softball season, a 13-year-old female athlete completed a preliminary biomechanical test, the drop vertical jump battery (DVJB_pre), underwent a 7-week in-season KIPP, then was …

Genetics Of Aluminum Tolerance And Diversity In United States Vigna Unguiculata Germplasm, Max Carl Miller

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an annual legume of immense importance across the world. However, knowledge of its ability to tolerate aluminum (Al) at toxic levels is not as comprehensive. This stress is an issue globally and especially in the southeastern United States, which has many Al-toxic soils. Here we determined multiple cultivars both tolerant and susceptible to Al toxicity. This was expounded upon by employing RNA sequencing on two cultivars from the United States with significantly different tolerance levels to characterize genes and pathways associated with Al toxicity and response. Multiple well-established gene orthologs like STOP, STAR, and …

Agronomic Management Practices For Cbd And Fiber Hemp In Southeastern United States, Anand Kumar

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

The farm bill of 2014 and 2018 legalized hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) production for cannabidiol (CBD), grain, and fiber uses in the U.S. Agronomic management practices for floral hemp for CBD production were not well studied. To optimize the agronomic management practices for high CBD content and THC concentration below the compliance level of 0.3% on a dry weight basis requires specific management and adaptability. A two-year field study was conducted at the Tennessee State University Agricultural Research and Education Center (TSU AREC) in Nashville, Tennessee, to evaluate two production systems, the Non-Chemical System (NCS) and the Chemical-Based System (CBS), …

Structural Basis Of Panx1 Permeation And Positive Modulation By Mefloquine, Yangyang Li, Zheng Ruan, Junuk Lee, Ian Orozco, Edward Zhou, Juan Du, Wei Lü

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Purinergic signaling relies on ATP release through exocytosis and large-pore channels. Large-pore channels permeate both small anions like chloride and large signaling molecules like ATP, but how this broad cargo selectivity is structurally controlled remains elusive. Here we investigate PANX1, a prototypical large-pore channel, and uncover structural plasticity at the extracellular entrance formed by seven tryptophan (W74) residues. The W74 sidechains are flexible, sampling conformations that range from a constricted state permissive only to chloride to a dilated state compatible with ATP. These states are coupled to variable cation-π interactions between W74 and arginine 75 (R75), suggesting a mechanism for …

Development Of Microcrystalline Tests For Fentanyl, Clonazepam, And Diazepam Identification, Karis French

Honors Projects

Microcrystalline tests are chemical tests that involve the mixing of a substance with a specific reagent resulting in the formation of a crystal structure. Currently, microcrystalline tests are used as presumptive tests in forensic drug chemistry laboratories to provide the suspected identity of unknown substances. There is, however, a limited amount of research on this use of microcrystalline structures. Additionally, this existing research is outdated and does not include some of the newer commonly encountered controlled substances including fentanyl, clonazepam, and diazepam. This literature-based review attempts to identify reagents that could be used in microcrystalline tests for the identification of …

Time Series Modeling Of Land Use And Land Cover Classification Using Remote Sensing, Ahmed A. F. Abd El Hamed, Fawzi H. Zarzoura, Mahmoud El-Mewafi

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Understanding land use / land cover changes is essential for planning sustainable development. It represents the transformation of the land due to human activities, which is related to sustainable development that aims to achieve the needs of the present generations without affecting the future. Land use / Land cover is studied in Al Alamein region, northern Egypt, with supervised classification methods using satellite images from Landsat 8 and Sentinel - 2A in 2023 and analyzes the accuracy assessment, which shows Maximum likelihood is better in both sensors achieving overall accuracy (91.80% and 91.02%) and kappa coefficient (0.814 and 0.8799). Then …

Disentangling Complex Relationships And Disjunctions In Western Camassia: Integrating Multiple Criteria To Resolve Taxonomic Boundaries, Susan R. Kephart, Theresa M. Culley, Jenny K. Archibald, Robert Tunison, Kathryn E. Theiss, James E. Kephart

Michigan Tech Publications

Premise: Understanding genetic and morphological variability helps efforts to sustain landscapes and develop effective species concepts for resolving difficult groups. To unravel puzzling relationships and range disjunctions, we applied morphometrics, phenology, phylogenetics and population genetics in Camassia species with cultural, ecological, and conservation value, asking: Do the unusual Camassia populations in northeastern California represent previously unrecognized, disjunct C. howellii? Do C. howellii, C. leichtlinii, and C. quamash maintain diagnostic features in allopatry or sympatry? Are C. quamash subsp. breviflora and subsp. linearis taxonomically distinct?. Methods: We evaluated 34 Camassia populations in situ for morphometric traits, phenology, and habitat type, collecting …

Book Of Abstracts, Seton Hall University

2025 Augustine Undergraduate Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Interview With Orca Award Winner John J. Janovy, Jr., Unl Biological Sciences; Parasitologist And Author, Mark Griep, John J. Janovy Jr.

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Professor John Janovy, Jr., was awarded the ORCA in 1998. John was born in Louisiana, but his family moved to Oklahoma, where he grew up in Tulsa and then Oklahoma City. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he earned three degrees from the University of Oklahoma in Norman: a bachelor of science in math in 1959, a master of science in zoology in 1962, and doctoral degree in zoology in 1965. Next, he ventured 1400 miles east to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he did post-doctoral work for about a year. …

Electrochemical Sensors For In Situ Monitoring Of Reactive Species During Cold Atmospheric Plasma-Based Therapies, Jonathan Thomas, Suneel Kumar, Gagana Karkada, Julia Sutter, Kristina Pattison, Jason Rainone, Dhruv Patel, Shashank Madhavan, Fred Krebs, Francois Berthiaume, Vandana Miller, Katharina Stapelmann

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) is emerging as a clinically relevant therapy for dermatological conditions such as actinic keratosis, warts, and chronic wounds. However, these therapies lack strategies to monitor CAP delivery in situ and to ensure delivery of an effective CAP dose without unwanted toxicity. CAP acts as a therapeutic agent in these biomedical applications primarily (but not solely) through reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated at transiently high local concentrations. Here we demonstrate the use of bio-electrochemical sensors capable of real-time measurements of key CAP RONS: hydrogen peroxide and oxidation-reduction-potential (ORP). In in vitro scratch assays and …

Update To: New Butterfly Taxa And Findings From Genomic Analyses, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Due to the United States government shutdown, GenBank services were unavailable, and accession numbers could not be obtained for the sequences reported in the original publication. This update provides the GenBank accession numbers for these sequences, together with additional taxonomic findings accumulated since the initial study. One genus, 16 species and four subspecies are proposed as new (type species or localities in parentheses): Madaga Grishin, gen. n. (Artitropa alaotrana Oberthür, 1916), Udranomia eurianus Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Napo), Entheus dalina Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Pará), Entheus ambo Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: Cauca), Entheus pico Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: Valle …