Digital Commons Network^™

Forecasting Chemoradiation Response Midtreatment For High-Grade Gliomas Through Patient-Specific Biology-Based Modeling, David A Hormuth, Maguy Farhat, Bikash Panthi, Holly Langshaw, Mihir D Shanker, Wasif Talpur, Sara Thrower, Jodi Goldman, Sophia Ty, Calliope Custer, Jeanne Kowalski, Thomas E Yankeelov, Caroline Chung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: The entire course of radiation therapy (RT) for high-grade glioma (HGG) is currently derived from pre-RT magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although it is possible to adapt RT during the course of treatment, it is often guided only by anatomical changes to the tumor. This study seeks to determine if a biology-based mathematical model, parameterized by patient-specific, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) data, can accurately forecast HGG response during RT.

Methods and materials: Twenty one patients with HGG planned for 6 weeks of concurrent RT and chemotherapy were imaged weekly with mpMRI during RT and at 1, 2, and 3 months post-RT. …

Personalized Risk Prediction For Cancer Survivors: A Generalized Bayesian Semi-Parametric Model Of Recurrent Events With Competing Outcomes, Nam Hoai Nguyen, Seung Jun Shin, Elissa Dodd-Eaton, Jing Ning, Wenyi Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Multiple primary cancers are increasingly more frequent due to improved survival of cancer patients. Characteristics of the first primary cancer largely impact the risk of developing subsequent primary cancers. Hence, model-based risk characterization of cancer survivors that captures patient-specific variables is needed for healthcare policy making. We propose a Bayesian semi-parametric framework, where the occurrence processes of the competing cancer types follow independent non-homogeneous Poisson processes and adjust for covariates including the type and age at diagnosis of the first primary. Applying this framework to a historically collected cohort with families presenting a highly enriched history of multiple primary tumors …

Evaluation Of Renal Masses With Cest Mri: Protocol Optimization And Preliminary Results, Xiaojing Wang, Jochen Keupp, Ivan E Dimitrov, Ananth Madhuranthakam, Durga Udayakumar, Mahsa Taherzadeh, Emin Albayrak, Orson W Moe, Payal Kapur, Robert E Lenkinski, Ivan Pedrosa, Elena Vinogradov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study investigates the application of CEST MRI in human kidneys, with the overarching goal of developing CEST MRI for renal mass characterization. Here, the focus is on the development of a protocol and the proof-of-principle evaluation of CEST for the characterization of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods: Ten healthy volunteers and five patients diagnosed with ccRCC underwent CEST MRI scans at 3 T. The sequence performance was characterized in healthy volunteers and tested using three saturation power levels, B1rms = 0.7, 1.2, and 1.6 μT. We compared the magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym) values at 1.0, …

Representation Of Neuro-Oncology In American Neurology Departments: An Analysis Of Grand Rounds And Perspectives From Faculty And Residents, Elizabeth C Neil, Aubree Bruhnding, Zubair A Ahmed, Priya U Kumthekar, Nicholas A Blondin, Christian Grommes, Chirag B Patel, Sigmund Hsu, Feng Wang, Hongyu Miao, Noah L Rosen, Rashmi B Halker Singh, Mark J Burish, Zachary A Corbin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Neuro-oncology education in American neurology departments is highly variable, with no clear guidelines on appropriate practices. To better understand its current state, we focus on the perspective of departmental Grand Rounds (GR), views of adult neurology residency program directors (ANRPD), neuro-oncologists, and residents.

Methods: First, we obtained GR series from academic years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 via an online search and direct emails to neurology residency programs. Second, two online surveys were dispensed to ANRPD and neuro-oncologists. Third, a cohort of neurology residents completed surveys with pre/post-didactic tests.

Results: Neuro-oncology consisted of 7% (28/ 411) GR in 2017-2018 and 6% …

Utility Of Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-7 As A Biomarker In Cholestatic Infants With Congenital Heart Disease, Sindhu Pandurangi, Michael E Kim, Nicolas Noriega, Bradley Conant, Jangdong Seo, Reena Mourya, Pranavkumar Shivakumar, Anna L Peters, Andrew Misfeldt, Meghan Chlebowski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) is a novel biomarker for diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA), the most common cholestatic liver disease in infancy. There is a pressing need to determine the utility of MMP-7 levels in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) to avoid unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures in this high-risk population. We investigated the utility of MMP-7 in discriminating BA from non-BA cholestasis in infants with CHD and whether MMP-7 elevation was present in infants requiring treatment for clinically significant PH.

Methods: This is a single-center cross-sectional study including infants < 180 days of age with cholestasis and serum MMP-7 levels collected from 2019 to 2023. Demographic data and descriptive statistics were summarized with medians with interquartile ranges and frequencies with percentages. Median MMP-7 levels were assessed via Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Results: A total of 149 patients were included. Patients …

Pancreatic Cancer-Related Diabetes And Type 2 Diabetes Differ In Multiple Aspects Of Glucose Homeostasis, Frederico G S Toledo, Yisheng Li, Fuchenchu Wang, Melena D Bellin, Randall Brand, Kenneth Cusi, William Fisher, Yogish C Kudva, Walter G Park, Zeb I Saeed, Dhiraj Yadav, Robert V Considine, Sarah C Graham, Dana K Andersen, Jose Serrano, Mark O Goodarzi, Phil A Hart

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma-related diabetes mellitus (PDAC-DM) is a paraneoplastic syndrome with a poorly understood pathophysiology. PDAC-DM is often clinically confused with type 2 diabetes, resulting in delayed cancer detection and poorly individualised hyperglycaemia treatment. We investigated whether these forms of diabetes can be distinguished at the metabolic level.

Methods: Adults with either cancer treatment-naive PDAC-DM (n=28) or type 2 diabetes (n=97), and with diabetes onset within 3 years, underwent mixed-meal tolerance tests to investigate glucose metabolism. Outcomes included insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), insulin secretion (insulinogenic index), beta cell function (oral disposition index), insulin clearance, and postprandial glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 …

Bayesian Integrated Learning Of Longitudinal Dose-Response Relationships Via Decentralized Clinical Trials, Jingyi Zhang, Tuo Wang, Yongming Qu, Fangrong Yan, Suyu Liu, Ruitao Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) extend trial activities beyond traditional sites, enhancing access, convenience, efficiency, and result generalizability. They are particularly promising for chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity, which require longer study durations to evaluate drug effects. However, decentralized data collection raises concerns about increased variability and potential biases. This paper presents a novel Bayesian integrated learning procedure to analyze dose-response relationships using longitudinal data from a phase II DCT that combines centralized and decentralized data collection. We generalize a parametric exponential decay model to handle mixed data sources and apply Bayesian spike-and-slab priors to address biases and uncertainties from …

Benzodioxane-Benzamides Targeting Bacterial Cell Division Protein Ftsz Potentially Disrupt Slma-Mediated Nucleoid Occlusion And Reversible Biomolecular Condensation, Marta Sobrinos-Sanguino, Inés Barros-Medina, Lorenzo Suigo, Alessia Lanzini, Ermanno Valoti, William Margolin, Valentina Straniero, Begoña Monterroso, Silvia Zorrilla

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

New strategies are urgently needed against antimicrobial resistance, a major health threat, and the different mechanisms regulating the bacterial cell division machinery offer multiple opportunities for developing novel therapeutics. FtsZ, an essential protein of this process, is targeted by multiple small molecules, and benzodioxane-benzamides (BDOBs) are among the most potent inhibitors in several bacterial species. BDOBs mechanisms are however poorly understood, particularly their impact on FtsZ's interplay with partners and ability to assemble phase-separated biomolecular condensates potentially involved in stress sensing. We show that certain BDOBs shielded FtsZ against depolymerization induced by the nucleoprotein complexes of SlmA, which inhibit Z-ring …

Individualizing Nsaid Therapy In Axial Spondyloarthritis: N-Of-1 Trials With Bayesian Analysis, Mark C Hwang, Seokhun Kim, Shervin Assassi, Reyna Chavez, Joyce Samuel, Charles Green, Jon Tyson, John Reveille

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease predominantly affecting the spine and sacroiliac joints. NSAIDs are first-line therapy, but individual responses vary widely. We evaluated the efficacy and patient preference of three NSAIDs (celecoxib, meloxicam and naproxen) through Bayesian N-of-1 clinical trials to optimize axSpA management.

Methods: We conducted N-of-1 trials with 42 patients meeting ASAS criteria for axSpA. Each patient was asked to complete two cycles of randomized double-blind crossover comparisons of the three NSAIDs, each for 4 weeks. The primary end point was the change in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS). Bayesian analysis assessed …

Sars-Cov-2 Rna-Binding Protein Suppresses Extracellular Mirna Release, Hyejin Mun, Chang Hoon Shin, Qingxuan Fei, Andrea Estefania Lopez Giraldo, Kyoung-Min Choi, Ji Won Lee, Kyungmin Kim, Kyung-Won Min, Leilei Shi, Mark T Bedford, Dong-Chan Kim, Yoo Lim Chun, Seonghyun Ryu, Dongin Kim, Jeong Ho Chang, Ryan T Westrope, Michelle Shay, Edward Nguyen, Junho K Hur, Abigail Agyenda, Nam Chul Kim, Sung-Ung Kang, Woonghee Lee, Je-Hyun Yoon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

SARS-CoV-2 is the betacoronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the SARS-CoV-2 genome and transcriptome were reported previously, the function of individual viral proteins is largely unknown. Utilizing biochemical and molecular biology methods, we identified that four SARS-CoV-2 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) regulate the host RNA metabolism by direct interaction with mature miRNA let-7b revealed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR). SARS-CoV-2 RBP Nsp9 primarily binds mature miRNA let-7b, a direct ligand of the Toll-like Receptor 7 (TLR7), one of the potential SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. Nsp9 suppresses host gene expression possibly by promoting let-7b-mediated silencing of a cellular RNA polymerase, POLR2D. In addition, …

Impact Of Peripheral Circadian Misalignment And Alcohol On The Resiliency Of Intestinal Barrier And Microbiota, Laura Tran, Maliha Shaikh, Phillip A Engen, Ankur Naqib, Dulce M Frausto, Vivian Ramirez, Malia Gasteier, Zlata Bogin, Kristi Lawrence, Lijuan Zhang, Shiwen Song, Stefan J Green, Faraz Bishehsari, Christopher B Forsyth, Ali Keshavarzian, Garth R Swanson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Circadian organization is involved in many gastrointestinal tract (GIT) functions such as the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. There is compelling evidence that perturbation of the circadian clock decreases intestinal epithelial cells' resiliency to alcohol-induced injury. One of the most common causes of circadian misalignment is wrong-time eating (largest meal at dinner) in modern societies. Yet, few studies have examined the importance of peripheral circadian rhythms of the GIT to alcohol consumption. Eating patterns during physiologic rest time, defined as wrong-time eating (WTE), misalign the peripheral circadian clock of the GIT and the body's central clock. This study aims to …

Secretory Iga Dysfunction Underlies Poor Prognosis In Fusobacterium-Infected Colorectal Cancer, Ilseok Choi, Kyung-A Kim, Sang Cheol Kim, Donghwan Park, Ki Taek Nam, Jun Hyung Cha, Seungbyn Baek, Junha Cha, Hye-Yeong Jo, Minsun Jung, Melody Y Zeng, Irina Matei, Susan Bullman, Joong Bae Ahn, Yoon Dae Han, Han Sang Kim, Insuk Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is commonly enriched in colorectal cancer (CRC) and associated with poor outcomes, though its mechanisms remain unclear. Our study investigated how Fn affects the tumor microenvironment through single-cell transcriptomic analyses of 42 CRC patient tissues, comparing Fn-positive and Fn-negative tumors. We discovered that Fn impairs IgA plasma cell development and secretory IgA (sIgA) production by disrupting communication with tumor-associated macrophages. Additional experiments in germ-free mice, together with our re-analysis of a publicly available single-cell RNA-seq data set from a CRC mouse model with an intact gut microbiome–both models having been orally gavaged with Fn–jointly validated the causal …

Perceived Utility Of Genetic Carrier Screening In A Diverse Patient Population, Jack A Colleran, Meagan Choates, Syed Hashmi, Brittanie Shelton, Aranza Gonzalez Cendejas, Angela Haynes Burgess, Blair K Stevens

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Current reproductive guidelines call for offering expanded carrier screening (ECS) for genetic conditions. Currently available panels can include screening for carrier status of tens to hundreds of autosomal recessive and/or X-linked conditions. Clinical utility is based on alterations to reproductive decision-making, but study cohorts supporting the utility of ECS largely consist of individuals of European ancestry who are highly educated, of high income, and who often receive preconception counseling. There is a lack of research on the views of patients from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, we aimed to assess and compare perceptions of the utility of ECS and targeted carrier screening …

Kras Inhibition Activates An Actionable Cd24 "Do Not Eat Me" Signal In Pancreatic Cancer, Yongkun Wei, Minghui Liu, Er-Yen Yen, Jun Yao, Zhenzhen Xun, Phuoc T Nguyen, Xiaofei Wang, Zecheng Yang, Abdelrahman Yousef, Dean Pan, Yanqing Jin, Ching-Fei Li, Madelaine S Theardy, Jangho Park, Yiming Cai, Mitsunobu Takeda, Matthew Vasquez, Elizabeth M Park, David H Peng, Yong Zhou, Hong Zhao, Timothy P Heffernan, Andrea Viale, Huamin Wang, Stephanie S Watowich, Han Liang, Dan Zhao, Ronald A Depinho, Wantong Yao, Haoqiang Ying

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KRASG12C inhibitors (G12Ci) have produced encouraging, albeit modest and transient, clinical benefit in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Identifying and targeting resistance mechanisms to G12Ci treatment is therefore crucial. To better understand the function of KRASG12C and possible G12Ci bypass mechanisms, we developed an autochthonous KRASG12C-driven PDAC model. Compared to the classical KRASG12D PDAC model, the G12C model exhibits slower tumor growth, yet similar histopathological and molecular features. Aligned with clinical experience, G12Ci treatment of KRASG12C tumors produced modest impact despite stimulating a ‘hot’ tumor immune microenvironment. Immunoprofiling revealed that CD24, a ‘don’t eat me’ signal, is significantly upregulated on cancer …

Fusobacterium Sphaericum Sp Nov, Isolated From A Human Colon Tumor Adheres To Colonic Epithelial Cells And Induces Il-8 Secretion, Martha A Zepeda-Rivera, Yannick Eisele, Alexander Baryiames, Hanrui Wu, Claudia Mengoni, Gianmarco Piccinno, Elsa F Mcmahon, Kaitlyn D Lacourse, Dakota S Jones, Hans Hauner, Samuel S Minot, Nicola Segata, Floyd E Dewhirst, Christopher D Johnston, Susan Bullman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancerous tissue is a largely unexplored microbial niche that provides a unique environment for the colonization and growth of specific bacterial communities, and with it, the opportunity to identify novel bacterial species. Here, we report distinct features of a novel Fusobacterium species, F. sphaericum sp. nov. (Fs), isolated from primary colon adenocarcinoma tissue. We acquire the complete closed genome and associated methylome of this organism and phylogenetically confirm its classification into the Fusobacterium genus, with F. perfoetens as its closest neighbor. Fs is phenotypically and genetically distinct, with morphological analysis revealing its coccoid shape, that while similar to …

Striatal Compartment And White Matter Alterations In Focal Dystonia Subtypes: An Mri Study, Artur José Marques Paulo, Jeff L. Waugh, Anderson M. Winkler, Joselisa Peres Queiroz De Paiva, Danilo Donizete De Faria, Vanderci Borges, Sonia De Azevedo Silva, Henrique Ballalai De Ferraz, Patricia De Carvalho Aguiar

Human Genetics Publications

Introduction: Dystonia is a movement disorder marked by involuntary muscle contractions that cause abnormal postures or repetitive movements. The striatum plays a key role in motor control and is central to dystonia pathophysiology. Recent advances in diffusion MRI enable in vivo parcellation of the striatum into matrix- and striosome-like compartments, associated with sensorimotor and limbic functions. We aimed to assess structural brain differences between focal dystonia patients and healthy controls (HC) using T1-weighted and diffusion MRI, and to explore subtype-specific alterations in striatal compartments.

Methods: We analyzed 3T MRI data from 91 participants: 29 with upper limb dystonia (ULD), 25 …

Plant Community Responses To Wildfire, Timber Thinning, And Bison Reintroduction On The Northern Great Plains, Ethan H. Van-Derpoel

All Theses

The Northern Great Plains (NGP) is one of the largest intact grasslands remaining in the world. These two studies examine a few of the ecological concerns on the NGP today. First, the woody encroachment of conifers into grasslands and the effects of wildfires. Second, the effects of bison (Bison bison) reintroduction on plant communities. In Chapter 1, this study aims to examine the effects of wildfire and mechanical timber thinning, using a two-by-two factorial design, on plant community responses and forage quality in the Bull Mountains area of central Montana, USA. We found that our treatments had varying …

The Development Of Tools For The Production Of Fusarium Oxysporum Race 4 Resistant Cotton Varieties, Thomas Rylands

All Theses

Fusarium oxysporum race 4 (FOV4) is a fungal pathogen that infects cotton (Gossypium spp.) plants, resulting in fusarium wilt (FW) disease that causes significant wilting, yield loss, and eventually death. Since cotton is such an important crop globally, with tens of millions of bales of fiber produced and sold worldwide each year, it is critical to develop effective strategies to combat this pathogen. This research aims to achieve that goal through two projects: (i) develop an efficient co-culture system to test fungal treatments in vitro, and (ii) develop a computer vision pipeline to more accurately assess plant resistance …

Monte Carlo Simulations Of Geometric Deformation Of Harrison-Anderson-Mick Applicators Used In Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, Benjamin Insley, Brett Bocian, Sam Beddar, Reza Reiazi, Patrick James Jensen, Rachael M Martin-Paulpeter, Joshua Scott Niedzielski, David Flint, Gabriel Oliveira Sawakuchi, Luis Augusto Perles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The Harrison-Anderson-Mick (HAM) applicator is a high-dose-rate intraoperative radiotherapy (HDR-IORT) applicator used to position Ir-192 brachytherapy sources over surgically-accessed tumor volumes or post-resection tumor beds. Because of the lack of a 3D imaging system, dwell times are optimized pre-surgery by a TG-43-based treatment planning system (TPS) that assumes a perfectly flat applicator surface surrounded by an infinite water phantom. These assumed conditions are disparate from typical treatment conditions, especially in the pelvic regions, which often involve uneven patient surfaces and superficial irradiations with little to no backscatter material.

Purpose: Develop and validate a Monte Carlo (MC) model of HDR-IORT …

Evaluation Of Ocean Lidar Enhancement Through Miniaturization And Gated Pmt-Based Range Extension, Chandler Austin Slater

OES Theses and Dissertations

Oceanographic lidar systems remotely characterize the vertical structure of the upper ocean by recording the light backscattered from a laser pulse as it propagates through the water column. Historically these systems have been constrained by limited detection ranges, often capturing only a portion of the illuminated water column, typically fading to noise around the 10% isolume. A primary constraint has been the limited dynamic range of digitizers, which inhibits the ability to resolve both intense near-field and faint far-field backscatter signals within a single acquisition. To address this, we developed a novel optical lidar system incorporating gated photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) …

Two Essays On Agricultural Trade Policy And Total Factor Productivity, Hanifi Otgun

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation consists of two essays: the first examines the welfare and trade implications of the 2016–2017 drought in Brazil and the subsequent temporary import ban on Robusta coffee; the second examines how trade openness influences agricultural total factor productivity across 26 NUTS-2 regions in Türkiye from 2013 to 2020.

The first essay focuses on Brazil, a major Robusta coffee producer and exporter that faced a significant drought in 2016–17, reducing Robusta output. In response, the government initially allowed one million 60-kg bags of Robusta coffee to be imported. An import ban was imposed shortly afterward due to lobbying by …

Detecting Prescribed Fire, Haying And Grazing Events Via Remote Sensing To Create Grassland Disturbance Landcovers For The Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus Colchicus), Megan Amy Baldissara

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation developed disturbance detection models to fulfill the need for remote sensing landcover products describing grassland structure. The use of landcover products derived from remote sensing is increasing over time in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) research. Such landcover, however, does not provide relevant pheasant structural habitat information (Chapter 1). Pheasants require tall, high-density grassland for nesting, tall grassland with medium density for brood rearing, and tall grassland for wintering. Time since disturbance can serve as a proxy for structure, as it shapes vegetation by removing biomass and resetting succession. Disturbance is easier to detect than structure with current …

Comparative Assessment Of Lower Limb Neuromusculoskeletal Activation And Joint Kinematics In Normal And Impaired Gait, Jack Ryan Schule

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates whether accessible and affordable technologies can provide clinically significant, quantifiable gait analysis comparable to traditional marker-based motion capture systems. Modern high-end systems offer excellent accuracy but remain financially and logistically inaccessible to many clinicians and researchers. To address this gap, a framework was developed using markerless pose estimation using the model, MediaPipe, inertial measurement units (IMUs) processed through an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), and surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure joint kinematics and neuromuscular activity during gait. An experiment was performed where data was collected from participants with both normal gait and pathologies including: Osgood–Schlatter disease, Plica Band …

Impacts Of Halophila Stipulacea Invasion On Organic Matter Dynamics In Thalassia Testudinum Dominated Seagrass Meadows, Puerto Rico, Jonathan D. Herald

Master's Theses

Halophila stipulacea (Forsskål & Niebuhr) is a tropical seagrass native to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean. In 2002, invasive populations of H. stipulacea were identified in the Caribbean Sea where it now forms large meadows, displaces native seagrasses, alters invertebrate and fish communities, and potentially affects organic matter dynamics in invaded meadows. This study investigated differences in organic matter dynamics between meadows of H. stipulacea and native Thalassia testudinum within the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR) on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. From March 2023-March 2024, sampling was conducted across four sites to investigate …

Effects Of Urbanization On The Population Genetics And Morphology Of The White-Footed Mouse (Peromyscus Leucopus) Across An Urban–Rural Gradient, Sydney A. Morton

Master's Theses

Urbanization alters landscapes in ways that can reshape wildlife populations by changing habitat connectivity, resource availability, and selective pressures. To investigate how urbanization influences both genetic differentiation and morphology in small mammals, I examined Peromyscus leucopus (PELE) across an urban–rural gradient in northern Georgia. Using RADseq SNP data from PELE individuals across 13 sites, I quantified pairwise genetic differentiation (F_ST) and tested how various environmental variables, including impervious surface cover, human population density, and tree canopy cover, predict genetic differentiation after accounting for geographic distance. Genetic differentiation increased with geographic distance and, after controlling for isolation by …

Mountain Communities During A Time Of War: A Case Study Of The Hutsul Region In The Carpathian Mountains Of Ukraine, Pavlo Rybaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the ethno-ecological technologies employed by the Hutsul people within the highland agrarian economy of the Carpathian Mountains. Over centuries, the Hutsuls have developed ethno-ecological technologies that maintain ecological integrity while supporting community livelihoods.

The study addresses three primary research questions: What are the most important ethno-ecological technologies of the Hutsul highland economy? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be applied to economic, agricultural, and tourism development in the Hutsul region? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be combined with contemporary approaches to encourage sustainable development in the region?

The research explores the devastating impact of the Russian …

Hyperspectral Indicators And Characterization Of Glyphosate-Induced Stress In Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album L.), Mario Andrés Soto Valencia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral sensing enables detection of herbicide stress in weeds, but practical use requires strategies for redundancy control, rating variability management, and evaluator bias mitigation. This thesis evaluates common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) under glyphosate exposure, aiming to identify key wavelengths, construct vegetation indices, and improve injury modeling. Greenhouse experiments used dimensionality reduction methods (principal component analysis, Relief F, Bayesian discriminant analysis) to isolate 34 unique wavelengths from about 3,200 bands. Calibration data were collected 14 days after treatment (DAT) to support wavelength selection and model development, while data from 27 DAT were used for independent validation. Class comparisons across six statistically …

Transcriptomic And Contractile Adaptations In Skeletal Muscle In A Rodent Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Oscar Armando Vicen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder marked by severe chronic caloric restriction and is primarily diagnosed through psychological and behavioral symptoms. AN has the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Many individuals with a history of AN experience incomplete recovery despite intervention treatment. Skeletal muscle molecular mechanisms under chronic energy deprivation remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate transcriptomic profiles of the gastrocnemius muscle following one month of a rodent model of AN. This study analyzed whether the molecular changes correlate with collected muscular force data to provide a comprehensive understanding of …

Multiple Aspects Of Environmental Temperature Have Complex Interactions With Avian Parental Behavior To Influence Offspring Outcomes, William H. Kirkpatrick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic climate change is projected to shift not only average temperatures across the globe, but also the amount of thermal variation experienced in the natural environment. Exposure to shifts in averages and a wider range of thermal experiences will cause shifts in wildlife behavior. In avian species, behaviors exhibited during reproduction have implications for the well-being of their offspring. Here, I explore specific incubation behaviors in four species: Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata), Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus), Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), and Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). I examined constancy, or the percentage of time on the nest, and off-bout duration, …

Broiler Responsiveness To Dietary Amino Acid Density In A Commercial Setting, Virginia Slick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The majority of research assessing the amino acid responsiveness in broilers has been conducted in experimental designs utilizing pens that contain 12 to 25 birds with high replication. While this trial design is beneficial as a way to perform high replications with multiple treatments in a way that is both economically and spatially feasible, it may not accurately translate to a rearing environment more similar to that of commercial open floor housing. This research was conducted to determine if the effects of lysine driven amino acid density diets that have been found in the traditional floor pen setting correlate to …