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Lawn Nutrient Availability And Run-Off During Establishment Under Enhanced Biodiversity, Masami S. Kanyuk

Environmental Studies Honors Theses

Biodiversity has consistently been found to have positive ecosystem effects, including erosion mitigation and stability of nutrient cycling. For lawns, this can translate to reducing the need for fertilizer application, and reducing soil loss and leaching that can impact water quality. This paper investigates the effects of biodiversity and plant community establishment in a lawn ecosystem on soil erosion, nitrate leaching via porewater sampling, and plant available nitrogen.

In the first growing season of PLEDGE (the Pastures and Lawns Enhanced Drought and Global-Change Experiment), we hypothesized that three-species lawns (tall fescue, dwarf white clover, and creeping thyme) would experience higher …

Spring 2025, Humayun Islam

PMI Newsletter

No abstract provided.

What Do We Know About Insect Responses To Global Change? A Review Of Meta-Analyses On Global Change Drivers, Mayra C. Vidal, Mariana Abarca, Kristi Backe, Anne E. Curé, Deborah L. Finke, Amanda M. Koltz, Alycia C.R. Lackey, J. Christina Mitchell, Rebecca M. Prather, Ellen A.R. Welti, Gina M. Wimp, Shannon M. Murphy

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

1. Global change is causing major declines in biodiversity, especially of insects. Scientific interest in global change impacts on insects has increased in recent years, resulting in many different meta-analyses examining questions within this topic.

2. We performed a comprehensive review of meta-analyses examining the effects of global change stressors on insects to identify well-studied questions and gaps in our knowledge and synthesise the responses of insects to those stressors. We identified 75 meta-analyses that fit our scope, accounting for 905 meta-results and spanning 18 global change stressors.

3. Our synthesis identified several global change stressors that are relatively well-studied …

Next-Generation Biomedical Implants And Stimuli Responsive Soft Optical Arrays Via Surface Functionalized Elastomeric Materials, John M. Kapitan

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

The demands of emerging technologies, such as soft robotics, stretchable electronics, and next generation biomedical implants, has led to the development of diverse polymeric and hybrid organic/inorganic materials specifically tuned to meet these challenges. These materials typically have low Young’s moduli and are inert with high chemical stability. However, this has led to materials that are static in nature, lacking any meaningful way of responding to changes in their environment and adapting to these changes. This has driven a shift towards the design, manufacturing, and characterization of various stimuli responsive surfaces, relying on precise control of surface chemical coatings and …

Coyote (Canis Latrans) Macronutrient Consumption And Diet Relative To Seasonality And Urbanization, Katherine C. B. Weiss, Sean C. P. Coogan, Pierre Deviche, Jesse S. Lewis, Savage C. Hess, Jan Schipper, Eric G. Strauss, Beckett Sterner

Biology Faculty Works

Diet selection informs the health, fitness, and behavior of wild predators. Due to assumptions that vertebrate prey contains similar compositions of macronutrients (i.e., protein, carbohydrates, and lipids), whole prey items traditionally define carnivore diets. However, increasing evidence suggests that prey differ in terms of their macronutrient compositions, particularly relative to body size. Furthermore, omnivorous predators, like coyotes (Canis latrans), integrate both prey and nonprey diet items whose macronutrient compositions vary. This is particularly important in urbanized systems, which introduce or alter the distributions of prey (e.g., domestic pets) and nonprey (e.g., ornamental plants) foods in ways that contribute …

Analyzing The Inhibition Of Chemical Compounds On Collagenase In P. Aeruginosa, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that poses significant challenges in clinical treatment due to its production of collagenase. This bacterium can cause several infections including pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and a host of other diseases. Collagenase acts as a key virulence factor by breaking down collagen in the host’s extracellular matrix, allowing bacteria to invade tissues. This study hypothesized that the effects of cell secreted collagenase would be inhibited by metronidazole, vanillin, and silver nanoparticles to reduce the pathogenicity of Ps. aeruginosa related infections. With the use of a spectrophotometric assay, collagenase activity was measured in treated and untreated bacterial …

Steroid Receptors And Coregulators: Dissemination Of Sex Differences And Emerging Technologies, Sally Pauss, Evelyn A. Bates, Genesee J. Martinez, Zane T. Bates, Zachary A. Kipp, Cassandra D. Gipson, Terry D. Hinds Jr.

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Steroid receptors are ligand-induced transcription factors that have broad functions among all living animal species, ranging from control of sex differences, body weight, stress responses, and many others. Their binding to coregulator proteins is regulated by corepressors and coactivators that interchange upon stimulation with a ligand. Coregulator proteins are an imperative and understudied aspect of steroid receptor signaling. Here, we discuss steroid receptor basics from protein domain structures that allow them to interact with coregulators and other proteins, their essential functions as transcription factors, and other elemental protein–protein interactions. We deliberate about the mechanisms that coregulators control in steroid receptor …

The Association Between Parent’S Mobile Device Use And Physical Activity, Sydney Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Background. The rapid increase in mobile technology has allowed smartphones to be used almost anywhere, but a potential disadvantage of these mobile devices is the displacement of physical activity. Parents of young children are already struggling to reach higher intensities of physical activity and mobile devices might make this worse. However, most existing research on similar topics look at adults without children or uses subjective measures only. Therefore, this study aims to (1) quantify objective mobile device use from a sample of parents with preschool age children; (2) describe the duration and intensity of parents’ physical activity and inactive behavior; …

Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis, Chad Simmons, Isaiah H. Williams, Tancia W. Bradshaw, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

In addition to energy storage, adipose tissue communication to other organs plays a key role in regulating organismal physiology. While the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and pathophysiology, including diabetes, chronic inflammation, and infertility, is clear, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations have not been fully described. We use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to better understand how adipose tissue communicates to the ovary. In this study, we utilized D. melanogaster’s robust genetic toolkit to examine the role of five adipokines known to control larval growth during development, CCHamide-1, CCHamide-2, eiger, Growth-blocking peptide 3, and unpaired 2 in regulating …

Therapeutic Role Of Bioactive Peptides Derived From Hemoglobin, Priya Antony Pereppadan

Dissertations

Bioactive peptides are peptide fragments derived from the proteolytic cleavage or maturation of functional proteins that have shown promising therapeutic potential in addressing major health challenges, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and pain management. Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insufficient insulin production or utilization. There are several therapeutic targets for managing diabetes, and one key target is dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) due to its role in glucose metabolism. In hypertension, angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) is critical for regulating blood pressure by forming angiotensin II, and its inhibition represents an established treatment strategy. Additionally, the …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 36. Wallace, Evolution And Providence., Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

One of Alfred Russel Wallace’s most important contributions to thought was his identification of the key role provident behavior assumes in human evolution. In this essay I set out the way this idea influenced his thought process after 1864, and especially how it affected his appreciation of the possible role of spiritualism in evolution.

Small-Molecule Mitotic Inhibitors As Anticancer Agents: Discovery, Classification, Mechanisms Of Action, And Clinical Trials, Yazmin Salinas, Subhash Chauhan, Debasish Bandyopadhyay

School of Medicine Publications

Despite decades of research, cancer continues to be a disease of great concern to millions of people around the world. It has been responsible for a total of 609,820 deaths in the U.S. alone in 2023. Over the years, many drugs have been developed to remove or reduce the disease’s impact, all with varying mechanisms of action and side effects. One class of these drugs is small-molecule mitotic inhibitors. These drugs inhibit cancer cell mitosis or self-replication, impeding cell proliferation and eventually leading to cell death. In this paper, small-molecule mitotic inhibitors are discussed and classified through their discovery, underlying …

Tracking Phenological Shifts Of Black Guillemots Cepphus Grylle In The Gulf Of Maine, Jocelyn L. Little

Student Publications

Rapid warming in the Gulf of Maine has coincided with changes in phenology across trophic levels. Phenological change has yet to be studied in black guillemots (Cepphus grylle), a widely distributed benthic forager that is showing population decline in the region. Because black guillemots nest in burrows, their phenology can be challenging to study. I developed methods to track black guillemot phenology on Petit Manan Island, a seabird breeding colony in the Gulf of Maine. Specifically, I asked Q1) Can daily tower count data be used to predict black guillemot breeding phenology? Q2) How is black guillemot breeding phenology shifting …

Common Terns (Sterna Hirundo) As Bioindicators For Atlantic Herring (Clupea Harengus) Distribution In The Gulf Of Maine, Logan R. Becker

Student Publications

Effective fisheries management is increasingly challenged by climate-driven shifts in species distribution and by a lack of data on early life stages of key forage fish species. In the Gulf of Maine, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), a once economically dominant fishery species and a key prey species for many dependent predators, has declined due to poor early-stage recruitment and warming waters. Despite this decline, current trawl surveys do not inform early-stage Atlantic herring distribution due to mesh size limitations, leaving critical gaps in our knowledge. To address this knowledge gap, I used common terns (Sterna hirundo) …

Drivers Of Seagrass Decline In Perth Waters And Actions To Halt Decline, Kathryn Mcmahon, Simone Strydom, Natasha Dunham, John Whale, Chanelle Webster, Nicole Said

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Executive summary:

• Experts from consulting, government and research including individuals with up to 50 years’ experience in Perth coastal waters discussed potential drivers of seagrass decline based on trends from the long-term seagrass monitoring program in Cockburn and Warnbro Sound and Owen Anchorage (27 sites from 2003-2020) and their personal knowledge and expertise.

• The collation of seagrass monitoring data demonstrated that of the 27 sites monitored, only six had a significant decline over time, and these sites were both within and outside of Cockburn Sound (Warnbro Sound, Southern Flats, Jervoise Bay, Garden Island and Woodman Point).

• For …

Suppression Of Hypothalamic Oestrogenic Signal Sustains Hyperprolactinemia And Metabolic Adaptation In Lactating Mice, Meng Yu, Bing Feng, Jonathan C Bean, Qianru Zhao, Yongjie Yang, Hailan Liu, Yongxiang Li, Benjamin P Eappen, Hesong Liu, Longlong Tu, Kristine M Conde, Mengjie Wang, Xi Chen, Na Yin, Darah Ave Threat, Nathan Xu, Junying Han, Peiyu Gao, Yi Zhu, Darryl L Hadsell, Yang He, Pingwen Xu, Yanlin He, Chunmei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

17β-oestradiol (E2) inhibits overeating and promotes brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, whereas prolactin (PRL) does the opposite. During lactation, the simultaneous decline in E2 and surge in PRL contribute to maternal metabolic adaptations, including hyperphagia and suppressed BAT thermogenesis. However, the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we find that oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-expressing neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), specifically the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and the ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamus (vlVMH), are suppressed during lactation. Deletion of ERα from MBH neurons in virgin female mice induces metabolic phenotypes characteristic of lactation, including hyperprolactinemia, hyperphagia …

Diverse Microbial Prey In The Guts Of Gelatinous Grazers Revealed By Microscopy, Terra C. Hiebert, Anne W. Thompson, Kelly R. Sutherland

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mucous mesh grazers including pelagic tunicates and thecosome pteropods play a key role in oceanic food webs. They are taxonomically and morphologically diverse and can be highly abundant. Using their fine mucous meshes, these pelagic grazers ingest a wide range of plankton prey and link pelagic and benthic marine ecosystems. Characterizing the diet of this group is central to fully understanding marine food webs and developing accurate food web models. However, gelatinous grazers are challenging to study owing to their physically delicate composition so studying their feeding ecology requires numerous complementary techniques. Microscopy has largely been supplanted by other methods, …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Keeping South Dakota's food supply safe
[Page] 6 Controlling environmental listeria
[Page] 8 Inaugural 2+2 vet program class graduates
[Page] 10 Faculty honored for excellence
[Page] 12 New leader for agronomy, horticulture, plant science
[Page] 14 Students spend spring break in South Africa
[Page] 16 Hadacek offers advice to fellow graduates
[Page] 17 Park Interpretation and Management Club starts
[Page] 18 On the front lines with invasive species
[Page] 22 Director Karla Trautman retires
[Page] 24 Helping navigate precision ag
[Page] 26 Growing bigger, better beef
[Page] 28 Jackrabbits Then and Now

Ccr7 Regulated Mechanisms That Limit The Adaptive Immune Response, Jaisel Amilcar Cervantes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is critical in guiding T cell migration within the thymus and peripheral lymphoid tissues, shaping the adaptive immune response by promoting central tolerance and regulating immune homeostasis. Although its role in lymphocyte trafficking is well established, the molecular mechanisms by which CCR7 influences thymocyte development and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire formation remain less understood. This study examines how CCR7 deficiency impacts thymic selection, TCR diversity, and the signaling events that shape repertoire restriction. Using a homozygously deleted CCR7 murine model, we found that the absence of CCR7 results in a less restricted TCR repertoire …

Exploring Biostimulant Efficacy Under Limited Fertilizer And Water In Utah's Watermelon Production, Evan Christensen, Milena Maria Tomaz De Oliveira, Prakriti Nepal, Youping Sun

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

The western U.S. has recently experienced some of the driest conditions on record, and Utah has been in a multi-year drought (2019-2023) that affected the agricultural sector, including vegetable producers. While vegetables are not a primary agricultural crop in Utah, they are still an important part of the horticultural economy with 763 farms growing 6,138 acres. As the fourth largest acreage vegetable crop in Utah (almost 10% of the acreage) watermelon and related crops in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae (nearly 36% of total vegetable acreage) are important to vegetable growers. Watermelon is a water-intensive crop and requires an adequate supply …

Analysis Of Mapt On Alzheimer’S Disease, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

There are multiple factors that contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. These include genetic causes, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices. Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau. (MAPT) is a gene that is associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. There are 2 main alleles of the APOE gene: H1 haplotype and H2 haplotype. H1 haplotype is the more common variant and is associated with an increased risk of developing tau-related neurodegenerative diseases.H2 haplotype is less common and is thought to have originated from an ancient inversion on chromosome 17q21. It may have some protective effects against certain tauopathies. The H1 haplotype is …

Analysis Of Mutations Of Hydin Gene Associated With Hypertension, Elaine Vanterpool, Savania Simms

Student Posters

Hypertension also called “High Blood Pressure” is a disorder caused by factors such as old age, genetics, weight, physical activeness, and diet. Today hypertension affects 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide (Mayo Clinic, 2024). When hypertension is in the range of 180/120 it can cause symptoms such as headache, chest pain, dizziness, blurred vision, and other symptoms . It is important to study the genes associated with this disorder because it helps to identify what genetic risk factors cause this as well as it helps develop more treatments for it. The gene HYDIN associated with hypertension has 51 variants …

An Exploratory Study Of Disclosure Of X-Linked Conditions Between Mothers And Daughters, Madge Isabella Stuhlreyer

Theses and Dissertations

Carriers of X-linked conditions, both asymptomatic and symptomatic, face unique challenges regarding their experiences navigating the healthcare system and understanding implications of their carrier status. Studies show that mothers are known to be the main communicators of genetic information within their families, but in families affected with X-linked conditions, communication between mothers and daughters are hindered by factors such as lack of knowledge about the condition and reproductive implications, lack of emotional support, anxiety, and uncertainty about how to initiate these conversations. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations behind mothers' decisions to initiate conversations with their …

Increasing Diversity In The Genetic Counseling Profession: Determining Effective Career Education Strategies For Underrepresented Youth, Bryel Marie Frasch

Theses and Dissertations

Genetic counseling is a professional career path that is lacking in diversity, and diversity in healthcare has been shown to improve health outcomes. Studies suggest student engagement as a way to increase diversity, as early knowledge of genetic counseling increases the likelihood of considering it as a career and is especially true for racial or ethnic minoritized students. This study focused on educating high school students underrepresented in genetic counseling about the career and exploring the effectiveness of two different types of education methods (video vs in-person) to give valuable information for future outreach efforts. Upward Bound and Federal TRIO …

The Pharmaceutical Applications Of Poisonous Compounds Found In Datura Stramonium, Ruby M. Raffaldt

Senior Theses

Datura stramonium is a plant that is known for its toxicity. However, a facet of this plant’s noxious chemicals, namely its tropane alkaloids, can be used medicinally. The aim of this paper was to compile knowledge on the botanical, chemical, and medicinal properties of Datura stramonium L with a focus on atropine, scopolamine, and anisodamine; three tropane alkaloid compounds with the ability to be both a poison and a medicine. Information was compiled using pre-existing studies, articles, and literature reviews on D. stramonium. For each of the three alkaloids, their biosynthetic pathways, targets, administration, distribution, metabolism, and excretion were discussed. …

Silver Nanoparticles And Vanillin Can Inhibit Collagenase Activities Of Serratia Marcescens, Elaine Vanterpool, Mya St. Louis, Josel Bryant, Kennedi Ewan, Taylor Hall, Leah Marcelle, Mayah Seal

Student Posters

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative, disease-causing agent that belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. This rod-shaped microbe causes many infectious diseases such as urinary and respiratory infections, wound infections, and peritonitis, which can result in fatal bacteremia. Collagenase is an enzyme that breaks down collagen, while also playing a key role in the extracellular matrix. Collagenase uses zinc to operate that helps it break down the peptide bonds in collagen. Testing Agents ❖ Metronidazole is an antimicrobial drug used to treat infections caused by different anaerobic bacteria, such as infections in the blood, liver, bones, joints, and meninges. ❖ Vanillin is …

Silver Nanoparticles And Natural Compounds Can Modulate Proteolytic Activities Of Escherichia Coli, Elaine Vanterpool, Simone Chotan, Wendolyn Johnson, Emilee Duany, Antonio Ward

Student Posters

Investigating the impact of antibacterial agents on Escherichia coli (E. coli) protease activity is vital for advancing new approaches to combat bacterial infections. Proteases are crucial enzymes in bacterial physiology that contribute to immune system evasion, biofilm development, and host tissue degradation. Due to these enzymes being directly involved in E. coli virulence, understanding how antibacterial compounds affect protease function may lead to innovative treatment strategies. E. coli is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium that exists both as a harmless intestinal commensal and a significant human pathogen. Many lives have been negatively affected by severe E. coli infections in the …

Analyzing The Inhibition Of Chemical Compounds On Protease In P. Aeruginosa, Elaine Vanterpool, Micah Andrews, Marielle Cooper, Mitspah Eshette, Anaya Moodie-Lee, Jayda Russell, Jordon Vanterpool

Student Posters

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative, bacillus-shaped opportunistic pathogen, notorious for invading immunocompromised individual leading to secondary infections. These opportunistic microbes typically are implicated mild to more severe infections including burn or wound infections to more serious systemic infections. The bacterium Ps. aeruginosa utilizes a variety of virulence factors to enhance the pathogenicity of the organism. Virulence factors secreted by Ps. aeruginosa include its pili, adhesins, capsule, exotoxin A, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The proteases produced by Ps. aeruginosa are powerful virulence factors that can lead to tissue destruction and immune invasion. It is imperative that we find ways of regulating the …

Improving Biocompatibility And Structural Integrity Of Decellularized Biomaterials, Elaine Vanterpool, Jayden Vanterpool, Ayanna Liburd, Andrew Mcintosh, Cayden Pyform, Cameron Scott, Jea Joseph Msie

Student Posters

Venous grafting using synthetic and biomaterials has been one of the forefront issues of the scientific community. For years, in vitro experimentation of both bio and synthetic materials has been carried out with the hope of treating issues like chronic venous insufficiency, heart attacks, artery blockage, etc. Within these issues, there has been much success. Numerous cases have made it to clinical trials with grafts lasting as long as two years within the patient. Nonetheless, some common and persistent issues occur within all the cases observed. Despite extensive experimentation and development of the most prestigious technology, thrombosis, negative immune response, …

Using Secreted Biomarkers In The Development Of The Detection Of Advanced Cancer Screening System, Elaine Vanterpool, Jaydan Vanterpool, Jordon Vanterpool, Robert Lister, Shania Swain, Enock Ngoga, Jovaughn Redley, Imani Shields, Dalen Jones, Santiago Moreno, Ronnie Nichalson, Jea Joseph Msie

Student Posters

As of 2020, there were an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10 million cancer deaths. Among the different types of cancers in the world, the most prevalent cancer, lung cancer, accounted for 23% of all cancer deaths (CDC) and has been relatively steady since 1999. However, by using Detection of Advanced Cancer Screening (D.A.C.S), many patients with cancer cases would receive efficient, reliable treatment in a timely manner. According to Cancer.gov, multiple participants reported being screened for cancer, “After they had ‘aged out of the recommended range for routine cancer screening”. (Dr. Moss) “We found that over …