Digital Commons Network^™

Balancing Water Needs In Walker Basin, Peter Stanton

Spring Runoff Conference

Walker Lake 

Supported 50% of Mineral County economy 

Traditional homeland of Walker River Paiute Tribe (Agai Dicutta) 

World-class fishery

Annual Loon Festival

Utah’S Water Network Panel, Brad Mortensen, Kelly Pehrson, Nate Daugs, Brad Parry, Lindsie Smith, Camille Touton, Megan Nelson

Spring Runoff Conference

A panel on Utah's water network at the 2026 Spring Runoff Conference.

2026 Northern Utah Water Champion Award, Spring Runoff Conference

Spring Runoff Conference

Recognizes individuals who have demonstrated sustained, meaningful contributions to the stewardship, management, governance, or understanding of water in Northern Utah.

Utah State University’S Water Legacy, Brad Mortensen

Spring Runoff Conference

Utah State University's President, Brad Mortensen, presents at the 2026 Spring Runoff Conference.

Drone Based Operational Cloud Seeding, Jared Smith

Spring Runoff Conference

Cloud Seeding: Next Generation Operations and Validation

What is Winter Cloud Seeding? 

• The act of introducing favorable dust particles into a cloud to promote ice crystal nucleation 
• Requires naturally occurring clouds and cold temperatures 
• Aimed at enhancing winter snowpack

Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan – Longterm Actions, Jake M. Serago

Spring Runoff Conference

GSL’s water level is in long-term decline. Water users face shortages and challenges. Increased temperatures, greater precipitation extremes and population changes are stressing water supplies in the basin. 84% of Utah residents think the Government is accountable for resolving issues facing GSL.

Agricultural Water Leasing Opportunities & Updates, Hannah Freeze

Spring Runoff Conference

The framework for this leasing program is based on depletion savings from conservation practices not surplus or tailwater

Pheasant Forever Loan Program, Will Benkelman

Spring Runoff Conference

Bear River Watershed Community Conservation Program

Our Mission: Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever’s (QF) mission is to conserve pheasants, quail, and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public access, education, and conservation advocacy.

Logan River Watershed Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Zan Murray

Spring Runoff Conference

Agenda:

Program Overview: PL-566 & NEPA

Project Need and Purpose

Project Alternatives

Preferred Alternative Costs and Benefits

NEPA Timeline/Current Schedule

Questions

Cache Water District Conservation Program, Autumn Matthews

Spring Runoff Conference

Conservation and Education Programs.

Conservation Goals:

Increase community awareness through outreach, workshops, and community programs that support water conservation.

Expand and improve programs that encourage water savings and more efficient water use across the community.

Help residents save money by promoting water efficiency and reducing unnecessary water use.

Water Supply Update, Jordan Clayton

Spring Runoff Conference

Snowpack and Water Supply Conditions.

>95% of the water we use in Northern Utah comes from snow. Therefore, it’s critically important to quantify how much water is stored in our snowpack.

Legislative Summary Panel, Brian Steed, Scott Sandall, Jill Koford, Joel Ferry

Spring Runoff Conference

Legislative updates provided at the Spring Runoff Conference 2026.

Water In 2026, Spencer Cox

Spring Runoff Conference

Presentation by Utah Governor Cox.

Abridged Submission Guidelines

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Bacillus Subtilis Parb C-Terminal Lysine Residues Are Essential For Dimerization And In Vivo Function, Indicating Their Roles In Dna Sliding, Aleksey Aleshintsev, Lindsey E. Way, Ngoc Khanh Lai, Bianca Guerra, Paloma Dorantes, Lois Akosua Serwaa, Sealtiel Anulao, Miranda Molina, Xindan Wang, Hyeongjun Kim

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The broadly conserved ParB protein performs crucial functions in bacterial chromosome segregation and replication regulation. The cellular function of ParB requires it to dimerize, recognize parS DNA sequences, clamp on DNA, then slide to adjacent sequences through nonspecific DNA binding. How ParB coordinates nonspecific DNA binding and sliding remains elusive. Here, we combine multiple in vitro biophysical and computational tools and in vivo approaches to address this question. We found that five conserved lysine residues in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of ParB play distinct roles. While the two central rigid lysine residues provide the structural platform for the CTD, the …

Best Integrated Writing Spring 2026 - Complete Edition, Wright State University School Of Humanities And Cultural Studies, Tracy Smith, Kristie Mckiernan

Best Integrated Writing

Best Integrated Writing includes excellent student writing from Integrated Writing courses taught at Wright State University.

Role Of Na⁺/K⁺-Atpase And Sodium–Calcium Exchanger In Digitoxin-Induced Cytotoxicity In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Alyson Sotomayor Quispe, Marilyn Odom Phd

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, limiting targeted treatment options. Digitoxin, a drug used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation through Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase inhibition, has demonstrated anticancer effects in TNBC cells, including apoptosis via the NF-κB pathway. This study investigates whether the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and sodium–calcium exchanger contribute to the mechanism of action of digitoxin in TNBC cells. We hypothesize that these transporters mediate digitoxin-induced cytotoxic effects. To test this, MDA-MB-468 cells were treated with digitoxin, and protein localization and expression were analyzed using immunofluorescence and Western blot. Digitoxin treatment resulted …

Aquifer Characteristics And Groundwater Flow Modeling For Sustainable Water Resources Development And Planning Using Modflow Software In India, Ravi Sharma

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

MODFLOW is one of the most commonly used numerical models for simulating groundwater flow. Its structured data design and compatibility with GIS tools make it suitable for groundwater assessment and planning. Groundwater forms an important part of the hydrological cycle and occurs within the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks or within fractures in hard rock terrains. Although its distribution beneath the surface is not always uniform or predictable, it is still considered one of the cleanest, most accessible, and quickly available freshwater sources. Numerical groundwater models help convert complex subsurface processes into simplified relationships that describe flow behavior. Even though …

Contribution Of G4 Structure To Alzheimer’S Disease And Tau Pathology, Lena Michaela Kallweit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The occurrence of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is rapidly increasing as our global population ages. With the majority of therapeutic drugs in the last couple of decades failing clinical trials, new molecular targets are needed to combat the expected influx of new AD cases. AD pathogenesis is associated with abnormal protein aggregation, characterized in part by intracellular accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). RNA has been identified as a major non-proteinaceous component of NFTs and has been implicated as an active cofactor in tau aggregation and spread. Recent work has shown that aggregates from AD brains contain almost …

Construction Of Emerging Contaminants Risk Governance System, Cheng Li, Mingcheng Wang, Chunlei Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Emerging contaminants pose considerable risks to the ecological environment, human health, and social safety. The establishment of an emerging contaminants risk governance system constitutes a crucial component of the national ecological security strategy and the ecological civilization framework in the new era. When examined through the lens of the holistic view of national security and guided by the ecological civilization philosophy of the new era, China’s current efforts in managing emerging contaminants reveal several shortcomings—including a fragmented and incomplete risk management system, as well as preliminary stages in chemical environmental management policies and related technologies. Therefore, grounded in national conditions …

Heavy Metal Contamination In Agricultural Soils And Potential Human Health Risks, Debora Michael Mwenda, Leonard Masesa Jumanne, Daudi Salvius Mgaya, Amos Vincent Ntarisa

Tanzania Journal of Science

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils is a growing concern due to potential human health risks via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. However, data on fertiliser-related contamination in rural Tanzanian settings remain limited. This study assessed contamination levels and associated health risks in Kibwabwa village, Iringa, Tanzania. A total of 48 soil samples were collected from eight farms at a depth of 0–15 cm. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, and Pb were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Health risks were evaluated using chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) models …

Documenting For Success: A Case Study Of A Graduate Writing Retreat, Elliott Rose, Denise Wetzel, Sara C. Kern, Katie O'Hara-Krebs, Laurin Davis, Salah Seoudi, Carmen Cole

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

Graduate students often find themselves balancing the demands of research and writing while managing complex academic and personal needs. Writing retreats provide an intentional space for graduate students to focus on their academic goals while supporting community-building, institutional belonging, and a welcoming environment. This proposal outlines a model for academic librarians and staff to plan and implement an effective graduate writing retreat designed to support graduate student academic activities through intentional collaboration and documentation.

Penn State University’s (PSU) Graduate Student Writing Retreat started as an event housed within the University Library’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) department. The retreat …

Species Identification Using Otolith Morphometry Of Four Gurnards (Family: Triglidae) From  Edremit Bay (Aegean Sea), Ahmet Mert Şenbahar, Di̇lek İlhan, Aydin Ünlüoğlu, Sencer Akalin

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Shape and size analyses of otoliths are widely considered appropriate tools for distinguishing between fish species and for assessing populations and stocks.  The present study aims to distinguish four gurnard species collected from Edremit  Bay (Aegean Sea) based on variations in their otolith shape morphology. A total of 60  specimens of Eutrigla gurnardus, 64 of Chelidonichthys lastoviza, 60 of  Chelidonichthys lucerna, and 60 of Lepidotrigla cavillone were analyzed. No  significant intraspecific differences were noted in the morphology of the left and right  otoliths, and so only the left sagittal otoliths were subjected to further analysis. Otolith  shape was quantified using …

Cryptic Diversity Within Nyctixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae): A New Species, A Resurrection, And A Redescription, Jennifer Dever, Jimmy A. Mcguire, Djoko T. Iskandar, Amir Hamidy, Lee L. Grismer

Biology Faculty Publications

The examination of molecular markers confirms hidden diversity and reveals a new species within the Nyctixalus pictus (Peters, 1871) complex. Three genetically distinct clades were recovered: one from the Thai-Malay Peninsula; one from Sumatra, Indonesia; and one from Sarawak, Borneo, East Malaysia. Voucher specimens from each region were compared, and significantly different mean values were found through morphological analyses. The populations also differ significantly in morphospace, as determined by PCA, DAPC, and MFA analyses. The Thai-Malay Peninsula individuals have a distinct, rounded and slightly elongated snout shape compared to the other two clades. Based on these combined data, these three …

The Dual-Specificity Phosphatase Jsp1 Regulates Neutrophil Adhesion Via Integrin-Src Signaling In Vascular Inflammation, Li Li

BCES: Faculty Publications

The c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway plays an important role in regulating the innate immune response. Immune signaling is governed by the coordinated activity of protein kinases counter-balanced by protein phosphatases; however, the importance of the latter family of enzymes is less well understood. c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK)-stimulatory phosphatase 1 (JSP1, also known as DUSP22) has been implicated as a positive regulator of JNK signaling, yet its role in innate immunity is not clear. Using a mouse model of the local Shwartzman reaction, we show that JSP1 is essential for LPS-TNF-alpha-induced vascular injury. JSP1-knockout mice exhibited reduced vascular hemorrhage. …

A Distributed Model For Undergraduate Education In Environmental Remote Sensing: Increased Student Interest In Science And Sense Of Science Identity And Belonging, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Monae Verbeke, Jeremy Forsythe, Joshua B. Fisher

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

"We present results from a new open-access course in satellite remote sensing of the environment that uses evidence-based, active learning pedagogy to train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists The course, called Observing Earth from Above, teaches students how to access, visualize, and communicate satellite remote sensing data from NASA’s ECOSTRESS instrument to address a variety of environmental challenges. The resources focus on follow-along tutorials for students and also include recorded lectures and interviews with remote sensing scientists."

Water Sources And Livelihood Choices Among Pastoralist Households In Monduli District, Tanzania, Fredrick Alleni Mfinanga, Jacqueline Temba, Monica F. Timbuka

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper investigates the association between types of water sources for livestock and livelihood choices of pastoralist households in semi-arid areas of Monduli District, Tanzania. Specifically, it aims to examine the influence of the types of water sources for livestock on livelihood diversification of pastoralist households. Using a mixed research methods approach, the data were collected from 367 households through three methods: surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and counts, and inferential statistics, Chi-square tests and correlation, while the qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed …

Analysis Of Traditional Wisdom For Ecological Sustainability In Tanzania: A Case Study Of Metaphorical Source Domains In Pangwa Ritual Texts, Winne Stephen Mtega, Angelus Mnenuka

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Campaigns for ecological sustainability have gained a great currency in the contemporary academic discourse. Nonetheless, from time immemorial, Africans have pushed the ecological sustainability agenda through cultural taboos and regulated resource harvesting. Many African societies have embedded ecological consciousness in daily life expressions, and have intricately expressed it through literary and ritual texts. This study focuses on ecological awareness in the ritual texts of the Pangwa community. It analyses how environmental domains—such as land, seeds, and fruits—serve as the basis for metaphors in the Pangwa community to prove the use of wisdom to promote and sustain ecological practices (ecocriticism). The …

Structural Insights Into Host-Pathogen Interactions Of Coronaviruses And Alphaviruses, Lucas Adams

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The co-evolution of virus and host may partly be understood in terms of “cross-recognition”; that is, as a virus evolves to recognize and infiltrate a suitable cellular environment, the host reciprocally has evolved to recognize and thwart such an invasion. While this interplay is complex, audacious structural biologists may reduce it to discrete physical interactions between the virus and specific host factors, such as cognate receptors (i.e., viral recognition of host) or antibodies (i.e., host recognition of virus). These interactions underlie basic features of viral infection, including cellular tropism and antiviral immunity, as well as critical phenomena of viral evolution, …

Polyherbal Phytochemicals As Multi-Target Inhibitors Of Key Breast Cancer Proteins: A Computational Approach, Nadia Wahyuningsih, Nashi Widodo, Sri Rahayu, Muhaimin Rifa’I

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Breast cancer is a primary worldwide health concern, and conventional therapies often cause side effects. This study was performed to investigate the therapeutic potential of a polyherbal formulation containing Curcuma longa, Phyllanthus niruri, Ziziphus mauritiana, Nigella sativa, and Annona muricata as multi-target inhibitors against breast cancer protein targets using molecular docking and molecular dynamics in silico approach. Bioactive compounds were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to identify the extract's phytochemicals. The compounds were examined for drug-likeness, membrane permeability, bioactivity, and toxicity. The inhibitory ability against the proto-oncogene pathway, which is commonly dysregulated and mutated in breast cancer, …