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Assessment Of A Muscadine Grape (Vitis Rotundifolia) Mapping Population For Tolerance To Pierce’S Disease Pathogen Xylella Fastidiosa And Resistance To Black Rot Disease Pathogen Guignardia Bidwellii, Anushka Tennakoon

Master's Theses

Pierce’s disease (PD) and black rot disease cause severe economic losses for grape production under humid and warm conditions. Identifying resistance genes is crucial for controlling these disease by developing resistant cultivars. Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) cultivar ‘Pam’ has been identified to possess a high level of resistance to diseases. To elucidate the genetic basis of the resistance to the causal pathogens Xylella fastidiosa and Guignardia bidwellii in this cultivar, parents and 141 F1 individuals developed from open pollinated ‘Pam’ were evaluated for two seasons under natural disease pressure. The mapping population was genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and …

Multicenter Span Trial Of Fasudil In Ischemic Stroke, Takahiko Imai, Andreia Lopes De Morais, Xuyan Jin, Tao Qin, Jessica Lamb, Karisma A Nagarkatti, Mu-Hsun Chen, Ligia S B Boisserand, Rakesh B Patel, Mariia Kumskova, Anjali Chauhan, Krishnan M Dhandapani, Mohammad B Khan, Pradip K Kamat, Yanrong Shi, Suyi Cao, Basavaraju G Sanganahalli, Joseph B Mandeville, Patrick D Lyden, David C Hess, Enrique C Leira, Anil K Chauhan, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Louise D Mccullough, Raymond C Koehler, Lauren H Sansing, Márcio A Diniz, Cenk Ayata

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: The SPAN (Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network) is a confirmatory multicenter trial network to test cerebroprotective interventions in experimental acute stroke. In a first-of-its-kind trial, SPAN tested 6 interventions in a rodent model of transient focal ischemic stroke. Here, we report the efficacy of fasudil, an isoform-nonselective rho-associated kinase inhibitor, on primary and secondary outcomes in the SPAN trial.

Methods: Fasudil was administered at 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally every 12 hours for 6 doses starting 5 minutes before reperfusion in a 60-minute endovascular filament middle cerebral artery occlusion model. The active treatment arm (n=345) was compared with the pooled intraperitoneal and …

Family-Level Factors That Influence Physical Activity Among Hispanic Adolescents At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes, Sandra Mihail, Ayleen A Hernandez, Erica G Soltero

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: Family-based health promotion and disease prevention strategies are recommended as best practice; however, there is limited knowledge regarding the family-level factors that influence modifiable behavior risk factors like physical activity (PA) among Latinx adolescents. This study addressed this knowledge gap by using qualitative methods to identify perceptions of family-level factors that influence PA among Hispanic youth.

Methods: We conducted semistructured, open-ended interviews with 20 Latinx adolescents (14-16 years) with obesity (body mass index ≥95th percentile) to identify their perceptions of how family influences PA. Content analysis was used to identify emergent themes, which were then compared across demographic factors, …

Analysis Of An Ethanol Sensitive Bmp-Nkx2.3-Fgf Signaling Pathway In Pouch Morphogenesis., Hieu Dai Le Vo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Craniofacial malformations lie at the heart of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). While there is growing evidence for a genetic component to FASD, little is known of the cellular mechanisms underlying these ethanol-sensitive loci in facial development. Bone Morphogenetic Protein (Bmp) signaling pathway dependent pouch formation is a key mechanism in facial development. We have previously shown that multiple Bmp mutants are sensitized to ethanol-induced facial defects. However, ethanol does not directly impact Bmp signaling. This suggests that downstream effectors, like nkx2.3 and Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) signaling, may mediate the impact of ethanol on Bmp mutants. Here, I …

Human Salivary Gland Stem/Progenitor Cells For Tissue Engineering, Sars-Cov-2 Susceptibility, And Neurointegration, Caitlynn Barrows

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Salivary glands and the saliva they secrete are important for digestion, chewing, and maintaining oral health. Reduced saliva production leads to a decreased quality of life for patients experiencing hyposalivation as a result of disease or injury, thus a large effort has been dedicated to developing materials and medium to recapitulate the structure of the gland for regenerative medicine. In doing so, we have come closer to developing a more complex model to study disease. These models, however, do not yet fully recapitulate the gland. In this dissertation, we describe a new cell source that can be used to develop …

Integrating Bulk And Single-Cell Transcriptomics To Investigate Intratumor Heterogeneity, Shuai Guo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancers are heterogeneous mixtures of tumor and surrounding cells, where each component comprises multiple distinct sub-types and/or states. Understanding the cell-type-specific contributions is critical for advancing cancer biology, yet high-throughput expression profiles from tumor tissues only represent combined signals from all diverse cellular sources. Bulk deconvolution with single-cell/nucleus (sc/sn) RNA-seq data has emerged as a powerful approach to dissect both cellular composition and cell-type-specific expression patterns, yet the technological discrepancy across sequencing platforms limits accuracy.

To systematically evaluate the impact of platform discrepancies on bulk deconvolution, we first generated a benchmark dataset of 24 healthy retinas with paired bulk and …

Clonal Phenotype Mapping Reveals Genomic Alterations Underlying Tumor Immunosuppression During Immunotherapy, Er-Yen Yen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Tumors are dynamic ecosystems that evolve under selective pressures, shaping their ability to either elicit or evade immune responses. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where immunotherapy has yet to become an effective treatment option, we investigated the role of intratumoral heterogeneity in influencing immune interactions. Using orthotopic clonal replica tumors, we tracked clonal dynamics in response to anti-PD1 therapy and found that while treatment had limited impact on overall tumor volume, it induced profound shifts in clonal composition. Spatial lineage analysis of treatment-naïve tumors revealed that clones with distinct immunotherapy sensitivities occupy unique tumor microenvironments, a pattern that remained stable …

Acute Exposure Of American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) To Selected Antidepressant Drug: Histological, Biochemical, And Immunohistochemical Assessments, Md. Faisal Amin

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid increase in pharmaceutical use has brought significant health benefits to humans. Studies have shown that many pharmaceuticals, such as antidepressants, are often detected in surface waters, groundwater, and even drinking water. These pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments threaten marine life seriously. Marine bivalves are vital source of seafood for people worldwide. In this study, we examined the effects of short-term exposure to fluoxetine, an antidepressant used to treat depression, at low (0.5 μg/L) and high (5 μg/L) doses over a one-week period on American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) under controlled laboratory conditions. Histological analysis revealed atrophy in the gills and …

Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2023, Frank Seo

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

This report is the eighteenth in a series that examines agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. The total economic contribution of agriculture (direct, indirect, and induced effects) on value added, employment, and labor income was estimated with the Impact Analysis for Planning System (IMPLAN) for the most recent year available, 2023.

The Effect Of The Markle Mill Dam Removal On The Habitat And Riverine Food Web Of Otter Creek, Jenna Blanton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States, dam removals are increasing in frequency. Despite this, the effects of dam removal on freshwater food webs are under-studied. Most existing studies investigate the impacts on fish assemblages, and very few investigate the impact on diatom, crayfish, and turtle communities. Furthermore, low-head dams are more abundant than large hydropower dams, yet the impacts of their removal are less studied than their larger counterparts. I used a Before After Control Impact (BACI) study design to survey populations of benthic diatoms, riffle-dwelling crayfish, and aquatic turtles. Species richness, species evenness, and Shannon Diversity Index values were used to …

Evaluating Alpha Spending Functions Applied To Observational Time-To-Event Analysis, Moses Torgbenu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the theoretical foundation of the alpha spending approach and extends its application beyond the conventional setting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to observational studies with time to event analyses. In these less structured environments, key design parameters such as the total number of events are often unknown, posing challenges for the standard implementation of sequential analysis methods.

Through simulation studies, this research delivers several important contributions. First, it presents a modified approach that uses calendar time to define the timing of interim analyses while relying on event-based information to estimate the correlation among test statistics. This adjustment …

Survey Of Aquatic Invasive Plants In Selected Umpqua National Forest Lakes And Ponds, Jacob Rose, Gabriel E. Campbell, Catherine De Rivera

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Seven lakes and ponds within the Umpqua National Forest were surveyed for aquatic invasive weeds during the summer of 2025. These survey results support the US Forest Service and collaborators’ preparations for an upcoming National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) effort to provide coverage for management actions. Center for Lakes and Reservoirs previously surveyed selections of these waterbodies in 2011 and 2009. For this survey, staff sampled 44-105 points per waterbody, and recorded species frequency, species proportion, and water depth. Surveyed waterbodies predominantly featured diverse native plant communities with 12 to 25 aquatic and emergent species. However, the invasive yellow floatingheart …

What's The Value Of A State? Accounting For The Ecosystem Services And Natural Capital Of Oregon, Kathryn Liebrecht

University Honors Theses

Ecosystem services are vital to human welfare and society, but often are overlooked when it comes to planning and setting policy. By neglecting to incorporate the benefits received from natural resources, policy makers may unknowingly be making decisions that harm the long term sustainability and use of these services. To highlight the importance of Oregon's ecosystems, the present study aims to provide a full accounting of the ecosystem services and natural capital of the state. Using data from the Institute for Natural Resources' updated Oregon statewide habitat map, Oregon's ecosystems were matched to biome categories from the Ecosystem Services Valuation …

Small Molecule Inhibitor 3i-1000 Dosed During Bouts Of Anoxia Increases Survivability Of Austrofundulus Limnaeus Embryos, Connor Kime

University Honors Theses

The annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus possesses exceptional tolerance to prolonged anoxia, offering a unique vertebrate model for investigating cardiac resilience and survival under metabolic stress. This study tested whether inhibition of the GATA4–NKX2-5 transcriptional axis with the small molecule 3i-1000 enhances post-anoxic survival. WS40 embryos were exposed to 50 µM 3i-1000 during anoxia and early aerobic recovery. Outcomes were assessed across two independent experimental cohorts. Treated embryos exhibited higher survivability during reoxygenation: in the October cohort, survival increased from 76.0% in vehicle controls (n = 25) to 91.7% in treated embryos (n = 24); in the November cohort, survival improved …

Understanding The Dynamics Of Formal Mentoring In Professional Identity Development Of Early Career Extension Professionals: A Phenomenological Approach, Anuradha Choudhary

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Formal mentoring plays a crucial role in shaping the professional identity of early-career extension professionals; however, limited research has explored how these dynamics affect professional identity development within formal mentorship structures. This study uses a transcendental phenomenological approach to understand how mentees and mentors perceive the impact of formal mentoring on professional identity development within the Nebraska Extension system. Using criteria-based random sampling and snowball sampling, the study engaged 10 mentees and 10 mentors, employing semi-structured interviews, focus groups utilizing ripple effect mapping, and document analysis of mentoring agreements, program guidelines, and mentoring checklists. Following Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenology framework, …

The Effects Of Temperature And Cardiotonic Steroids On Cardiac Function And Metabolism In Snakes, Hannah Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The function of the heart provides a window into the physiology of vertebrates and a means of evaluating their response to the stresses imposed by diverse activities. I developed a miniaturized instrument to record electrocardiograms (ECGs), using open-source Arduino technology, that a snake can wear as a backpack. The backpack can also be used when the snake is in a metabolic chamber, to record the metabolic rate and ECG simultaneously. I first used the ECG backpack to record the physiology of snakes under different temperature conditions, to verify that the system worked as expected. the backpack was then used on …

Cutting Propagation And Out-Planting Of White-Margined Beardtongue (Penstemon Albomarginatus M.E. Jones), A Vulnerable Herbaceous Perennial Of The Mojave Desert), Alexander Stosich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Plant biodiversity is crucial for the proper functioning of ecosystems, with many species needed to maintain the variety of functions provided, especially with increasing environmental change. However, plant biodiversity is threatened in many different ecosystems, primarily through habitat loss. Species can be conserved by protecting their original habitat and mitigating for threats such as invasive species or altered disturbance regimes (plant conservation); however, with declining population numbers and continued habitat loss and/or disturbance, it may be necessary to actively move plants (plant restoration). Plant restoration is dependent on developing the capacity to a) reliably propagate plants in a nursery and …

Effects Of Elevation, Fire Age, Burn Severity, And Pre-Fire Vegetation On Post-Fire Sagebrush Songbird Communities, William D. Harrod

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Sagebrush Biome of western North America has been threatened by a combination of interconnected threats. In the Great and Columbian Basins, a large portion of sagebrush loss has been due to an increase in higher-severity wildfires, caused by invasive annual grasses. As sagebrush declines, numerous wildlife species that rely on the biome have experienced similar trends. Sagebrush-adapted songbirds such as sage thrasher, Brewer's sparrow, and sagebrush sparrow as well as steppe-songbirds, have all experienced population declines. Currently, limited information exists as to how fire severity or recovery affect these songbirds or what resource managers can do to improve their …

Linking Variation In Mule Deer Nutritional Condition And Age To Population Performance In A Temperate Environment, Kent R. Hersey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The amount of body fat animals have as they enter and exit winter can have major impacts on how well they survive and reproduce. Mule deer are widely distributed herbivores whose survival and reproduction are strongly tied to weather patterns and the quality of vegetation they consume, which in turn impacts nutritional condition. The objective of this study was to identify and quantify the factors (animal specific, climatic, or habitat) influencing mule deer body fat during both summer and winter in Utah and examine how nutritional condition influences survival. We found December body fat was most affected by December lactation …

Ecology And Management Of Forest Grouse: Breeding Acoustic Monitoring, Spatial Behavior, And Harvest, Logan Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Forest grouse are difficult to study and manage in the Intermountain West because they live in remote, rugged areas and do not gather at predictable display sites like other grouse species. From 2023 to 2025, I studied two species, dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) and ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), to test new survey tools, track their seasonal movements, and evaluate hunting impacts.

First, I tested whether small audio recording devices placed in the forest could minimize labor needed for spring breeding surveys. To do this, I conducted traditional surveys with human observers at the same time and …

Impacts Of 4r Nitrogen Management And Water Optimization On Soil Health, Kamaldeep Kamaldeep

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Farmers in Utah and Idaho are facing growing challenges due to high fertilizer costs, limited irrigation water, and pressure to improve long-term soil health. To better understand current practices and grower attitudes, a survey was conducted in 2020 targeting 5,000 producers of small grains, corn, and potatoes. Although the response rate was low, 146 growers representing over 25,000 hectares of cropland participated. Survey results showed that most growers are open to improving nitrogen and irrigation practices and care about their soil health, even if not all are fully using 4R or precision agriculture methods.

This thesis includes two field studies …

Temperature Effects On Fruit Doubling And Bloom Prediction In Tart Cherry, Josette M. Moon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a key horticultural crop in Utah. Extreme summer heat and cold weather in late spring are challenges to tart cherry production causing economic losses. These problematic weather conditions are influenced by the local landscape and are exacerbated by changing climate. This research explores (1) the impact of summer heat stress on fruit deformities, and (2) the accuracy of temperature-based predictions of spring bud development. High temperatures and water stress after harvest are known to cause a deformity known as twin or double fruits, resulting in unmarketable fruit. This disorder has been studied in …

Understanding Hydroclimate In The Contiguous United States: Roles Of Temperature Vs Precipitation And Subtropical Pacific Warming, Grace Esenam Affram

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study investigates the physical drivers and mechanisms of hydroclimate variability across the Contiguous United States (U.S.), using a combination of observable data, reanalysis data, land modeling, and coupled climate model experiments. One of the major findings is that the historic 2021 drought event across the Western U.S. was primarily driven by a severe lack of precipitation rather than increased temperatures. The study further finds that anthropogenic forcing has substantially increased the risk of this extreme drought by approximately 26 times relative to a world without the influence.

Additionally, the study reveals that the Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM) characterized by …

The Pharmacology Of Gpr171 Ligands In The Treatment Of Pain: An In Vitro And In Vivo Preclinical Characterization, Max V. Mcdermott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Opioids are addictive, ineffective for long-term treatment, readily produce withdrawal and tolerance, and can cause overdose and death. These properties have contributed to an epidemic of addiction and overdose, which continues unabated in the United States. Therefore, new drugs to treat acute and chronic pain are needed. Opioids bind to receptors belonging to a superfamily of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the most commonly targeted proteins among FDA-approved drugs. As such, under-researched GPCRs are a viable source of new targets in the field of drug development. One such underexplored GPCR is GPR171. Studies have demonstrated that a …

The Effect Of An Acute Bout Of Rock Climbing On Cognitive Functioning And Cortisol Levels, Vanessa Steigauf

All NMU Master's Theses

Rock climbing is an understudied physical activity (PA) that demands active decision-making, integration of sensory and visual input, and continuous regulation of nervous system activity to produce complex motor outputs. The unique psychological demands of climbing warrant studying its effect on cognition and brain health. I recruited 26 generally healthy adults for a randomized-controlled study. Climbing experience, PA and perceived stress were self-reported. Each participant was randomly assigned to a climbing (10x2 minutes climb, moderate intensity) or control group (seated, watching climbing-related video). The primary outcomes, cognitive performance and salivary cortisol levels were assessed by the Stroop test. A linear …

Integrating Uas And Satellite Data To Improve Classification Of Plant Functional Types In A Forest Landscape, Sky Mae Gennette

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Remotely sensed land-use/land-cover (LULC) data products are an important tool for understanding landscape processes at all scales. The types of inference researchers can derive from remote sensing data depend on the quality and characterization of these LULC products. Currently, gaps in the detail of widely available vegetation cover products limit inference about processes at the level of plant functional type (PFT). Advanced remote sensing tools, machine learning, and data fusion can be employed to contribute novel methods to produce detailed, accurate vegetation cover products. Here, we combine high resolution Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) multispectral, structural and textural data with large-scale …

Changes In Co-Activation And Lower Limb Stiffness During Prolonged Load Carriage, Matthew V. Robinett

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Overuse musculoskeletal injuries are a common, costly challenge for the armed services. A stiffer lower limb during routine prolonged load carriage tasks may be necessary to attenuate elevated ground reaction forces but further increases musculoskeletal overuse injury risk. Quantifying leg and joint stiffness provides comprehensive and joint level insight into the attenuation of ground reaction forces, and subsequent injury risk. But, it is currently unknown how prolonged load carriage affects leg, knee and ankle stiffness, and knee and ankle muscular activation. Purpose: This study sought to quantify leg, knee, and ankle stiffness, and the activation and coordination of associated …

How Plant-Soil Feedbacks At Varying Levels Of Plant Species Diversity Influences The Reestablishment And Performance Of Native Sagebrush Steppe Species, Sierra Santosuosso

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Increased frequency of wildfire has become a significant problem in the sagebrush steppe, altering soil biogeochemical properties that promote the establishment of invasives at the expense of native species. To reduce annual grass invasion, restoration efforts often include seeding with non-native bunch grasses such as Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn (crested wheatgrass [AGCR]) that outcompete cheatgrass; however, this strategy does not lead to the return of a native sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Restoring ecosystems to higher levels of native species diversity may reduce invasion and promote sustained success of restoration efforts since biodiversity can improve ecosystem functioning and promote resilience. In 2019 …

Farmers’ Perceptions About Drivers Of Poverty: A Case Study Of Cocoa Farmers In Ghana, Felix Agyei Boamah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cocoa farmers in Ghana face numerous challenges that undermine their incomes and living standards, including high labor costs, fluctuating cocoa prices, high cost and limited access to inputs, lack of credit, illegal mining, weather risks, small farm sizes, outdated farming and drying technologies, and inadequate extension services. These issues reduce productivity, lower incomes, and perpetuate poverty. This study examined farmers’ perceptions about the importance of these challenges and assessed possible differences across regions and farm households’ socioeconomic status. In the summer of 2024, data were collected from 400 cocoa farmers in major cocoa-producing areas of Ghana’s Eastern and Ashanti regions. …

Pediatric Occupational Therapists’ Perception On How Nature-Based Play Affects Fine Motor Development, Abbi M. Rosenow

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study aimed to explore the benefits of nature-based pediatric occupational therapy and the influence of nature and nature-based play on fine motor development. It was hypothesized that nature and nature-based play would positively impact a child’s fine motor skills, and that nature-based occupational therapy would offer unique benefits to a child’s therapeutic experience. To examine these relationships, a survey was distributed to pediatric occupational therapists across the United States. The survey was designed to gather insights into how occupational therapy supports fine motor development, how nature-based play/therapy enhances these skills, and the perceived benefits of incorporating nature into therapeutic …