Digital Commons Network^™

Diacylglycerol Kinase Eta As A Novel Target In Nras Mutant Melanoma, Haley P. Wilson, Casey D. Stefanski, Signe Caksa, Glenn L. Mersky, Scott D. Varney, Jelan I. Haj, Dan A. Erkes, Timothy J. Purwin, Vivian Chua, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

NRAS mutations occur in 10%-30% of cutaneous melanomas and are associated with high tumor mutational burden. Mutant NRAS signaling drives aberrant cell growth and proliferation, in part, through activation of the RAF-MEK-ERK1/2 kinase pathway; however, targeted therapies to this pathway have limited effectiveness in patients with NRAS mutant melanoma. The role of other targetable signaling pathways in NRAS mutant melanoma is poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrated that one isoform of diacylglycerol kinase, diacylglycerol kinase eta (DGKη), a lipid signaling regulator, was highly expressed in NRAS mutant melanoma patient samples. Knockdown of DGKH in NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines resulted in …

How Does Five Days Of Tapering Effect Rates Of Fatigue And Recovery In Collegiate Male Swimmers?, Riley Yerks

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study was conducted on the members of the 2025-26 St. John's "Johnnies" swim and dive team. This study used both subjective surveys and objective HRV readings that the swimmers took before and after practice. The first day of testing occurred on the last day of the regular training season, and the second day of testing occurred on the last day of tapered training. Results of the surveys and HRV readings were compared between pre and post-practice, and pre and post-taper. The subjective surveys showed how the swimmers themselves felt in terms of physical and mental energy and fatigue, and …

The Influence Of Valence On Action Control: A Comparison Of Simon Effects In The Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (East) And The Spatial Simon Task, Yaara Aleissa

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

People adjust their thoughts and actions in response to a changing environment every day and emotions may influence these actions. Understanding how emotion impacts action control in situations where emotion is central to the action (task-relevant) compared to when it is present in the environment as distracting information (task-irrelevant) is essential. Currently it is unclear when emotion most significantly modulates action control. This study seeks to compare how valence (positive versus negative emotion) impacts action control performance when valence is task-relevant and task-irrelevant by using two modified versions of the Simon conflict task.

The Simon task is a paradigm to …

Species Diversity And Estimation Of Aboveground Carbon Stocks In Sugar Palm Forest And Lowland Forest In Negeri Hatusua, Maluku, Irwanto Irwanto, Andjela Sahupala, Febian Tetelay, Yulianus Komul

Jurnal Penelitian Kehutanan Wallacea

Tropical forests are essential for climate change mitigation, but limited data on species diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in Indonesia constrain evidence-based forest management. This study aims to assess species diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in sugar palm forests and lowland forests in Negeri Hatusua, Maluku Province, Indonesia. Vegetation analysis was employed to determine species structure and diversity, while carbon stock measurement and calculation followed the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 7724:2019) for land-based carbon assessment, with certain modifications. The results indicated that the species diversity index in the sugar palm forest was 2.21 for trees, 1.95 for poles, 2.26 for …

Site Characterization And Integrated Irrigation-Forestry Solutions For Mangrove Restoration In The Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam, Manh Quy Do, Huy Quoc Nguyen, Minh Duc Nguyen, My Tra Ha, Tuan Anh Le, Luan Thanh Nguyen, Tu Ngoc Pham

Jurnal Penelitian Kehutanan Wallacea

The research was conducted in 2023 in a degraded mangrove forest area in Giao Hoa commune, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam. This area is part of the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve (RRDBR), which was recognised by UNESCO in 2004. The study employed methods such as surveying topographical features, assessing soil and water characteristics, and evaluating the status of the mangrove forest. It also used GIS and The Analytic Hierarchy Process method to analyse and evaluate the current condition of the forest and its site characteristics. The research results show that, regarding the topographical features of the degraded mangrove area, it …

Cyanine Dyes As Next-Generation Fluorophores: Applications In Cell Sorting And Fingerprinting Technologies, Super-Multiplexed Spectroscopy, Biomedical Imaging, And Beyond, Lucas Allen Davis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

As biochemical, pharmaceutical, and medical sciences advance, the demand for technologies capable of probing multiple cellular targets simultaneously continues to increase. Super-multiplexed spectroscopic techniques offer a pathway toward comprehensive cellular fingerprinting by overcoming the spectral limitations of conventional fluorescence labeling. By circumventing the traditional “color barrier,” cyanine-based Raman tags enable the simultaneous discrimination of numerous cellular morphologies, allowing spectroscopy and imaging to be integrated for high-dimensional cellular analysis. Technologies developed in Goda Lab—including high-throughput flow cytometry, virtual freezing fluorescence imaging (VIFFI), Fourier-transform coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (FT-CARS), and MERdot nanoparticles—address longstanding trade-offs between throughput, resolution, sensitivity, and multiplexing capacity. Central …

The Effects Of Heat Stress On White Blood Cell Profiles And Antibody Concentrations In Broilers Genetically Selected For Low Water Conversion Ratio Compared To The Modern Random Bred Broiler, Luke B. Janski

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heat stress (HS) is one of the most significant environmental stressors impacting poultry production worldwide, reducing growth, feed efficiency, welfare, and immune competence. With global temperatures rising, understanding physiological and immunological adaptations to HS is essential for sustainable production. Broiler chickens selectively bred for low water conversion ratio (LWCR) have shown potential for reduced water consumption under environmental challenges; however, their immune resilience under HS conditions compared with modern random-bred (MRB) broilers remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of cyclic HS on red- (RBC) and white- (WBC) blood cells and humoral immunity in LWCR and MRB broilers. Birds were …

Evaluation Of Flt3 Inhibition With Quizartinib During Busulfan Conditioning For Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Catherine Jankovic

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is one of the only curative therapy options for many hematologic malignancies. HSCT relies on effective conditioning regimens to deplete host hematopoietic cells and enable donor engraftment. The alkylating agent Busulfan is widely used in myeloablative conditioning strategies due to its potent cytotoxic effects on hematopoietic cells and ability to clear the bone marrow. However, optimization of conditioning strategies remains an important area of investigation to improve transplant outcomes and reduce toxicity. Preliminary studies have shown that the FLT3 inhibitor Quizartinib synergizes with some chemotherapeutic agents, suggesting that targeted inhibitors may enhance conventional conditioning regimens. …

Bottles, Butterflies, And Biomass: Recycled Glass Sand, Microbial Additions, And Herbivory Effects On Milkweed Growth, Kealey Skinner

Honors Theses

Plant-soil-microbe interactions are integral components of ecological networks and drive ecosystem function from the bottom-up. Whereas herbivores regulate ecosystem function from the top-down, having opposing and potentially complementary effects on ecosystem function. My thesis sought to understand how below-ground microbial communities contribute to herbivore preference and plant biomass across varied soil substrates. My thesis asked: how do substrate and soil microbial communities influence herbivore preference and plant biomass accumulation on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)? To address this question, seedlings of A. incarnata were sown in 2.5 cm wide × 10 cm deep pots filled with either natural beach sand or …

Effects Of Mineral Supplementation On Ovine Performance, Forage Selectivity, And Rangeland Utilization In Southern Utah, Ryan A. Spurling

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sheep producers in the Intermountain West region of the US rely on productive rangeland ecosystems that vary widely in forage composition and nutrient availability. As such, supplementation is often necessary to offset dietary deficiencies. Soils and forages grown on rangelands are known to be highly variable in mineral content. Even so, a third to half of the producers in the Intermountain West choose not to provide a complete mineral supplement. Rangeland environments are often characterized by rugged geographical features that make optimal supplement placement difficult. New advances in technology have allowed us to measure individual animal intake on rangelands via …

A Q-Methodology Study Of How Viewers Within The Southeastern Circuit Perceive The Future Of The Western Sports Industry, Molly Mckettrick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Western Sports occupy a unique position within American Culture, reflecting traditions rooted in agricultural communities and livestock practices, while also evolving as contemporary spectator events. Despite the growing visibility of Western Sports through media coverage on various digital platforms, there is limited research on how general audiences perceive the sport, which is the purpose of this study: to examine how viewers perceive the sport. This study examines viewer perspectives regarding the sport across various digital platforms, due to limited research on how general audiences perceive the sport while employing Q-Methodology to identify shared perspectives among spectators. A total of forty …

Sorghum Grain Secondary Metabolites And Underlying Genetics To Reduce Foodborne Pathogens In Poultry, Maria A. Conti

All Dissertations

The rise in antibiotic-resistant pathogens poses a threat to the poultry industry's ability to maintain animal health, prompting growing interest in alternatives to synthetic antibiotics. The use of non-tannin sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in poultry rations offers a valuable alternative, as this cereal grain has a high bioactive profile that can provide health benefits, including antimicrobial (AM) activity. The scope of this study was to examine the AM potential of non-tannin sorghum grain against Clostridium perfringens, a major foodborne pathogen that negatively impacts poultry health and production. To that end, the inhibitory effects of a non-tannin sorghum …

Analysis Of Developmental Cardiogenic Processes Mediated By Fox And Zinc-Finger Transcription Factors, Rajnandani Katariya

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiogenesis is a highly choreographed biological process requiring the precise integration of gene regulatory networks to govern cell division, fate determination, and spatial positioning. Disruptions in these mechanisms lead to congenital heart defects (CHDs), which affect approximately 1% of live births globally. Due to the evolutionary conservation of cardiac signaling pathways and the structural homologies between the Drosophila dorsal vessel and the early vertebrate heart tube, Drosophila melanogaster serves as a powerful model for dissecting the fundamental mechanisms of heart development. This dissertation investigates the molecular orchestration of cardiac development, specifically focusing on the roles of the transcription factors Jumu …

Reconstruction Of Fox Transcription Factor-Regulated Subnetworks Mediating Cardiac Progenitor Cell Divisions, Md Rezaul Hasan

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital anomaly worldwide, affecting approximately 1% of live births, corresponding to 1.35 million infants born with CHD each year, and remains a leading cause of infant mortality; therefore, it is urgent to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying CHD for advancing early diagnosis and treatment. Because many aspects of the Drosophila heart formation are highly reminiscent of vertebrate heart development, Drosophila melanogaster serves as a simple yet powerful model system for studying cardiac development and CHD. While at least eight Forkhead box (Fox) transcription factors (TFs) are required for proper cardiac …

Microplastic Composition And Exposure Pathways In Freshwater Systems: A Multi-Matrix Comparison Between Streams And Retention Ponds In Hamilton County, In, Mya Whaley

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1900s, the use of plastics has increased exponentially. The breakdown of plastic materials has exposed all ecosystems to microplastics (small particles of plastic < 5 mm), which are now ubiquitous in natural settings. Microplastics have a relatively large surface area, and many chemicals adsorb to these small particles, impacting their fate and transport of pollution. While microplastics have been found in virtually every setting on Earth, research is necessary to understand their impact on freshwater ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. The focus of this research was to investigate microplastic compositions in crayfish, sediments, and water samples collected in streams and retention ponds. We analyzed trends in microplastic counts across different land-cover classes, waterbody types, and species, and compared concentrations among matrices to improve our understanding of microplastic exposure pathways in freshwater ecosystems. As a secondary objective, lead and arsenic concentrations were analyzed from sediment samples to investigate metal burdens and compare them to microplastic concentrations. Our findings revealed that, in general, urban streams had the highest microplastic concentrations within land cover categories, and retention ponds had higher microplastic counts than streams. Crayfish, such as F. rusticus had higher microplastic concentrations than F. virilis and F. propinquus, although these results may be influenced by study design. The most common microplastic type was fibers, and most common color was transparent. There was no significant correlation between microplastic and metal concentrations in sediments. We found crayfish to be adequate bioindicators of microplastic pollution, because they were less impacted by environmental variability than sediment and water samples. This research presents the first evidence of microplastics in our study species, F. propinquus, F. rusticus, and F. virlis. This work presents new evidence of microplastic accumulation in crayfish, sediments, and water from freshwater systems in the Midwestern United States. Microplastics were found in every sample type—crayfish, water, and sediment—across urban, rural, and forested landscapes, highlighting their pervasive distribution. The findings provide foundational data for assessing emerging ecological and human-health risks and emphasize the importance of sustained monitoring and research on MP contamination in freshwater environments.

Developing A Protocol For Non-Cellular Transplantation Of Donor Mitochondria Into Recipient Cells, Andrew Parton

Honors Theses

Tumor innervation has emerged as a critical feature of cancer progression, with increased nerve density correlating with enhanced aggressiveness, metastatic dissemination, and poor clinical outcome. However, the functional contribution of neurons to tumor biology remains incompletely defined. We recently identified the intercellular transfer of mitochondria from neurons to cancer cells as a mechanism that promotes tumor progression. We therefore hypothesized that disruption of this transfer could attenuate tumor aggressivity. To directly investigate this process, we developed an approach to isolate mitochondria from donor cells and transplant them into recipient cancer cells independently of canonical cell-cell interactions. Transferred mitochondria were tracked …

Redeveloping Mississippi: A Case Study On Brownfields In Central & Southern Mississippi, Sahrah R. Yeroozedek

Master's Theses

Brownfields, or properties that are or possibly are contaminated with dangerous materials, represent a common obstacle for communities in Mississippi. The real or potential presence of contaminants at these sites often deters investors due to costly cleanup requirements (EPA, n.d. -b). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Brownfield Revitalization Program, implemented guidelines for covering the costs and labor associated with the remediation of these properties. The EPA is not, however, responsible for redevelopment that supports long-term environmental and economic sustainability. Although the EPA maintains inventories of all Brownfields, there is also no comprehensive database of Brownfields and their current …

Leveraging Historic Collections: Investigating Morphometric Differentiation In Members Of The Arisaema Triphyllum (L.) Schott (Araceae) Species Complex, Morgan Bradley Russell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott) is an herbaceous perennial herb of North America, and its taxonomic history is full of confusion and rank shifts. Now split into six species, the A. triphyllum species complex consists of morphologically similar taxa that have differing ploidy levels. In Chapter I, I compiled a detailed introduction and history for these taxa, focusing on their taxonomic complexity and morphological ambiguity in herbarium specimens and immature plants. I also presented their ploidy distinctions and how the implications of polyploidy may hold answers to parsing them apart, especially in dried herbarium specimens where defining characteristics are …

Revised - The Role Of Gad67/65 In The Therapeutic Effects Of Ketamine And Fluoxetine In Fear-Conditioned Mice, Alex G. Ottimer

All NMU Master's Theses

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder and the most common disorder following exposure to a traumatic event. The most commonly used drugs in PTSD treatment are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), though only about 50% of patients respond to this treatment. Previous work in our lab demonstrated the combination of chronic fluoxetine (FLX) and acute ketamine treatment decreased fear response in a contextual fear paradigm in male C57/BL mice. In rodents, fear conditioning (FC) is commonly used in the literature to induce behaviors related to PTSD. The mammalian central fear memory circuit involves a dynamic interplay between …

Understanding Roma Oppression In Europe Through Humantarian Forensic Analysis, Christal L. Quinn

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

This thesis examines the marginalization of Roma people in Europe, and how humanitarian forensic practices may help Roma communities in their quest for justice and recognition. The study draws exclusively on secondary information to examine the social, political, and legal issues affecting the Roma communities, who have endured centuries of institutional discrimination, marginalization, and violence. This thesis identifies ways in which systematic oppression continues to limit Roma communities’ access to education, housing, healthcare, and legal protection through a review of relevant literature and applicable theoretical frameworks. The study also examines the relevance of forensic science, particularly its humanitarian applications, in …

Rehumanizing Anatomized Individuals: Using Osteobiographies As A Step Towards Reparative Justice, Lillie C. Turpin

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

In 1985, India banned the export of human remains. This ended the major trade route for primarily US and European anatomical supply companies. Until this point, companies like Carolina Biological Supply exploited and erased vulnerable people's identities, molding them into anonymous anatomical specimens. This study investigates the life and postmortem history of twenty-five individuals, previously used as anatomical specimens, housed at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Using an osteobiographical approach, this research reconstructs aspects of these individuals' lived experiences and examines how anatomical preparation practices reflect structural violence and apathy.

Skeletal analysis of twenty-five individuals revealed a range of biological profiles, …

Bugs, Birds, Blue: Queer Ecologies Of Embodiment, Kinship, And Survival, Celeste B. Newcomb

Theses and Dissertations

bugs, birds, blue is a multi-channel audiovisual installation that examines queer ecology as a framework for understanding transgender embodiment, kinship, and survival amid environmental crisis and ongoing political attacks on trans life (Mortimer-Sandilands and Erickson). Through sculpture, projection, sound, reflective surfaces, and biological imagery, the installation places human bodily matter alongside microbial and aquatic life forms to challenge narratives that frame trans existence as unnatural, recent, or isolated. Instead, the work proposes transness as relational, adaptive, and deeply entangled with broader ecological systems. The installation is composed of two interconnected environments. On one side of the space, three aquariums rest …

Genetic Screen For Regulators Of Pol4, A Dna Repair Polymerase In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Pasang Dolma Sherpa

Theses and Dissertations

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, DNA polymerase 4 (POL4) is the beta repair polymerase, the product of the POL4 gene, and is involved in base excision repair (BER) and microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). Despite its involvement in these repair pathways and its conservation across eukaryotes, deletion of POL4 shows no detectable phenotype under standard laboratory conditions. I hypothesized that unknown genes act as backup systems, providing redundant activities that allow pol4Δ cells to survive. To test this, a genetic screen for mutants showing synthetic lethality with pol4Δ was implemented. I constructed a strain lacking the POL4 gene and carrying …

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2024, Jeremy Ross

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2024 Arkansas Soybean Research Studies includes research reports on topics pertaining to soybean across several disciplines from breeding to post-harvest processing. Research reports contained in this publication may represent preliminary or only data from a single year or limited results; therefore, these results should not be used as a basis for long-term recommendations. Several research reports in this publication will appear in other University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station publications. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between disciplines and our effort to inform Arkansas soybean producers of the research being …

Trawling For Clues: Examining Nefmc Herring Amendment 8, Christopher Santoro

Honors Scholar Theses

In 2007, almost twenty years ago, the Magnuson-Stevens Act changed the landscape of fisheries management in the US. Through the establishment of Fisheries Management Councils (FMCs), it paved the way for top-down management approaches that helped the government combat nationwide declines or collapses in fish stocks. Among the myriad responsibilities of the FMCs was the expectation that amendments to existing fisheries management plans would be a necessity to adapt to modern circumstances. This thesis focuses on New England Fisheries Management Council's (NEFMC's) Herring Amendment 8 (A8). This amendment, passed in 2021, attempts to lay the groundwork for sustainable management of …

Unveiling The Biochemical Pathway Responsible For Ankyloglossia (Tongue-Tie) By Tracking Enzymatic Activity Of Apoptosis Pathways, Becca Ringstad

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Ankyloglossia (Tongue-tie) is a condition that is caused by failed cellular degeneration leading to a short lingual frenulum. This short lingual frenulum tethers the tongue to the bottom palate of the mouth and leads to problems, including breastfeeding for infants, depriving them of important proteins that build the gut microbiome, strengthen the immune system, and fight off antigens. If left untreated, it leads to problems with speech articulation, airway development, and obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment involves a frenectomy, which is the release of the short lingual frenulum using surgical scissors or a laser. Ankyloglossia can occur with conditions such as …

Lipid Deposition In Beef Cattle, Kyra L. Elliott

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Both the amount and types of lipid deposition in beef cattle are key determinants of carcass value and meat quality. Amounts of intramuscular, subcutaneous, and visceral fat influence carcass grading outcomes, palatability, and composition traits that are important to beef producers as well as consumers. The objectives of this thesis were to: 1) compare beef grading camera estimates of intramuscular fat to amounts of chemically extractable lipid, 2) characterize the lipidomes of beef intramuscular fat, subcutaneous fat, and lean muscle using shotgun lipidomics, and 3) identify and characterize a novel genetic variant in cattle that may have important implications for …

Advancing Targeted Food Allergen Detection: Extraction Optimization And Sample Preparation Method Comparison Using Lc-Ms/Ms, Zhenhao Wang

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Accurate quantification of food allergens in processed foods by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) requires effective protein extraction and sample cleanup. However, no single sample preparation workflow has shown consistent performance across diverse food matrices. This study evaluated extraction buffer formulations and post-extraction cleanup strategies for quantification of milk, soy, and peanut allergens in multiple processed food matrices.

Six extraction buffers with varying combinations of SDS, urea, and thiourea alongside a common Tris-HCl/DTT/PVPP base were evaluated across five food matrices. No significant differences in extraction efficiency were observed among buffer formulations for nonfat dry milk (NFDM), non-roasted soy flour, peanut …

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Free Choice Vitamin & Mineral Supplementation Programs, Tanner K. Wansing

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While free choice vitamin and mineral supplements are widely used within the cow/calf sector, large knowledge gaps exist around the proper management of those supplements. This thesis discusses two factors affecting the efficacy of supplementation. The first interest was the stability of vitamin A when stored with a common free choice mineral supplement. This research addressed a critical data gap by generating information on vitamin A stability within the beef industry, as current data are predominantly based in the swine industry. Vitamin A was discovered to be stable until 4 months of storage regardless of storage conditions, whereas after 4 …

Cytoplasmic Shift Of Interferon Regulatory Factors Co‐Evolved With Jawed Vertebrate Innate Immunity, Vanessa M. Hubing

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The emergence of jaws in early vertebrates introduced a novel feeding apparatus and powerful oral defenses, but it also increased the risk of physical injury and pathogen exposure. Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) play critical roles in orches-trating innate immunity and inflammation in response to invading microbes and tissue damage, with their subcellular local-ization being essential to some IRFs' function. Our results indicate that IRF members underwent independent expansion and diversification in two distinct vertebrate lineages: jawed and jawless vertebrates. The jawed vertebrate-specific factor, IRF5, has maintained conserved nuclear export sequences throughout evolution, while newly diversified IRF members in jawed verte-brates …