Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate In Altering Adipose Mitochondrial Bioenergetics, Chase Mitchell Walton

Theses and Dissertations

The rampant growth of obesity worldwide has stimulated explosive research into human metabolism. Metabolic rate has been shown to be altered by diets differing in macronutrient composition, with low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets eliciting a significant increase over other interventions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the ketone β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) on mitochondrial respiration and coupling status in adipose tissue. To explore this, we employed three distinct systems, namely cell, rodent, and human models. In every model, βHB robustly increased mitochondrial respiration. Furthermore, in cultured adipocytes and rodent adipose, we quantified the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial …

Scared Sexless: Divergence From Faulkner’S Archetypal Women In “Barn Burning”, Laura Bass

ScholarsArchive Data

This essay discusses the way that Faulkner describes the women in "Barn Burning" and the social implications for the "white trash" woman.

Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy And Teh Mormon Priesthood, Michael Hubbard Mackay

Books

No abstract provided.

Portuguese And Chinese Esl Reading Behaviors Compared: An Eye-Tracking Study, Logan Kyle Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

While reading behaviors have been studied extensively in L1 reading studies through the use of eye-tracking and L2 reading has been measured through inherently indirect means, there is a relative lack of research done on early and late reading measures of ESL readers. Eye-tracking technology, available to researchers only in the past few decades, has opened the field to a new means of measuring these early and late measures of reading in second language learners. This study investigates the reading behaviors of 34 native Portuguese and Chinese readers who read in both their native languages (L1) and in their second …

Hold Your Horses: Tracking Spatial Patterns Of Feral Horse Movement Across Seasons And Months In Northwestern Nevada, Logan Kalai Ellis

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2020

Free roaming horses are found on allcontinents worldwide. These horsesinfluence a range of biotic and abioticfactors but managing these horses hasfaced many challenges, one of which isunderstanding the spatial movementpatterns of these horses. The Sheldonwildlife refuge area is home to wildhorses that are free roaming in thenorthwest corner of Nevada. Managingthese horses is important as theyimpact other wildlife and affect landuse of people living around the wildliferefuge area. Feral horses do notrecognize management areas in thesame way that humans acknowledgeand follow them so understanding theirspatial movement patterns will assist indecision making about managementareas for these animals.

A Comparison Of Phonation Threshold Pressure And Phonation Threshold Flow Between Pig And Rabbit Benchtop-Mounted Larynges, Amber Christeen Prigmore

Theses and Dissertations

Animal models are used extensively in voice research to study aspects of phonation, including physiology, kinematics, structure, and histology. Animals such as dog, cow, pig, sheep, deer, monkey, ferret, and rabbit have been used in voice research, with pig being one of the most common models. It is thought that the pig larynx is highly similar to the human larynx and one of the best models used in animal translational research. As with any model, however, the pig larynx does have some limitations. Perhaps a limitation most important to the rationale of this investigation is that pigs are difficult animals …

Macrophage Toll-Like Receptor Chimeric Antigen Receptor: Moto-Car™ Shows Potent Activation And Killing Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Michelle H. Townsend, Jonathan R. Skidmore, Kelsey A. Bennion, Guoying Wang, Zachary D. Ewell, David Lum, Michael Boyer, Kim L. O'Neill

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2020

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a mesothelin targeting engineered Macrophage Toll-like Receptor Chimeric Antigen Receptor (MOTO-CAR™). Recently, immunotherapies have emerged as a new horizon for treating cancer. The development of T-cell chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and their success in treating liquid malignancies transformed the field of cancer treatment, but their effectiveness in treating solid malignancies has been limited due to their inability to traffic to the tumor site. Macrophages, however, are known to be actively recruited by tumors. Due to their association with tumors we chose to explore the use of MOTO-CARS™ as an …

Developing An Instructional Video Series Teaching Tabletop Games, Sam Jackson

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This report describes the design and development of a video series (YouTube channel) teaching how to play tabletop games. The goal of each video is to prepare viewers to confidently play the game in question. Players do not need to fully understand every minute detail of the game’s rules, but questions during gameplay should be minimal and easily resolved without significant harm to newcomers’ strategy.

For the scope of this project, I made three videos to teach two very different games (Sushi Go! and Tortuga 1667). Creating these videos allowed me to teach a few popular games, but …

Effects Of A Large Group Combined Narrative And Expository Language Intervention On Oral Language In Third Graders, Kylie Lynn Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a combined narrative and expository language intervention on third graders' oral language. The participants included 96 third-grade students from two schools in the Mountain West region of the United States. In a quasi-experimental design, all third-grade students in one school (n = 46) were assigned to a treatment condition and all third-grade students in another school in the same school district (n = 50) were assigned to a control condition. Both treatment and control groups received large group oral narrative language intervention led by classroom teachers. The treatment group …

Zitkala-Ša And The Holistic God: Redefining American Spirituality In "The Great Spirit", Jared Brockbank

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.

The Artist Teacher As A Reflective Teacher, Amber Logan

Theses and Dissertations

The challenges of teaching include classroom management issues, lack of time, stress, and the constraints of core standards. In response to these challenges, I determined to change my attitude about being a teacher, become more reflective about my teaching practice and curriculum, and try to connect my artistic self to my teaching self. This thesis is an autoethnographic research of my own teaching practice designed to counter the challenges I was facing as a teacher. I wanted to become less reactive and more reflective about the challenges and rewards of being an artist teacher. This thesis is a reflection on …

Curing Beauty's Stockholm Syndrome, Erin Lee

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.

Shrub Size Modulates Resource Heterogeneity In A Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystem, Lin Liu, Kari E. Veblen, Thomas A. Monaco

Western North American Naturalist

Shrubs create heterogeneity in resource availability, yet the influences of shrub age and size on these conditions in semiarid ecosystems is largely unknown. In order to inform restoration and conservation efforts in global shrub-steppe ecosystems that are currently imperiled, we assessed plant age-size relationships within an Artemisia tridentata stand in southern Idaho, USA, and examined the dependence of 2 resources, soil water content (SWC) and light at the soil surface (photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]), on size of individual plants in understory and interspace microsites. Results included a positive relationship between shrub age and size, a median shrub age of 19 …

Seasonal Abundance And Nutritional Concentration Of Grassland Arthropods, Ben R. Skipper, Daniel Kim, Cheryl Morris

Western North American Naturalist

A comprehensive understanding of foraging choices within an optimal framework requires a basic understanding of the differential nutritive concentrations and availability of prey items. Herein we present both nutritional data (e.g., the macronutrient, gross energy, and mineral concentrations) and temporal abundance of wild-caught arthropods from Nebraska prairies. Additionally, we report the size-mediated nutritional concentrations of 2 Orthoptera families: Acrididae and Tettigoniidae. Crude fat concentrations were 56%, 63%, and 53% higher in small, medium, and large Tettigoniidae than in Acrididae, respectively. Crude protein concentration varied minimally among arthropod groups (range 60.32%–76.00%), while caloric densities (gross energy) were similar among the majority …

Using Herbicide And Planting Techniques To Restore A Native Bunchgrass To Cheatgrass Invaded Systems, Tyson Jeffrey Terry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores potential seeding techiniques to limit harmful effects of preemergent herbicide on a seeded species while simultaneously reducing abudance of annual invasive grasses. The first chapter examines the use of activated carbon seed coatings and furrows to limit herbicide effect on seeds of a perrenial bunchgrass. We found that both carbon coatings and furrows mitigated some of the herbicide effects, but that only when the two techniques were combined did we observe unaffected seedling emergence, plant density, and aboveground growth. Therefore, we suggest to management that use of carbon coatings and furrows after herbicide application can likely be …

Wildfire In The West: How Megafires And Storm Events Affect Stream Chemistry And Nutrient Dynamics In Semi-Arid Watersheds, Trevor William Crandall

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is causing larger wildfires and more extreme precipitation events throughout the world. As these ecological disturbances increasingly coincide, they are altering lateral fluxes of sediment, organic matter, and nutrients. Increased lateral flux of nutrients could exacerbate eutrophication and associated harmful algal blooms, and increased sediment and organic matter flux could degrade the water supply. Here, we report the immediate stream chemistry response of watersheds in central Utah (USA) that were affected by a megafire followed by an extreme precipitation event in 2018. The wildfires burned throughout the summer of 2018 until the remnants of Hurricane Rosa released torrential …

First Record Of Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus Savannarum Breeding In The Grasslands Of Durango, México, With Notes On Nesting Sites And Habitat, Samuel Ignacio Arroyo-Arroyo, Martin Emilio Pereda-Solis, José Hugo Martínez Guerrero, Daniel Sierra-Franco, Andrea Montes-Aldaba, Erin H. Strasser, Arvind O. Panjabi

Western North American Naturalist

Grassland birds are one of the most rapidly declining bird guilds in North America, likely as a result of the loss and degradation of native grasslands. The Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), a migratory grassland bird of North America, relies on dense, relatively tall grasses with low shrub densities. In Mexico, 4 subspecies of A. savannarum have been reported; however, the distribution of the species in the summer is poorly known, with only 2 records from northern Mexico within the states of Zacatecas and Chihuahua. Here, we report on the presence and nesting activity of A. savannarum in the …

Diagnosis And The Role Of Chemokine Receptors In Alzheimer's Disease, Josue David Gonzalez Murcia

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and is the main cause of dementia in the elderly population. AD is pathologically characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that results in neurodegeneration and loss of memory function. However, diagnosis of AD and characterization of biological mechanisms that lead to pathology and modulate risk for disease has proven to be extremely difficult. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contains critical biomarkers for AD such as levels of amyloid beta (Aβ) phosphorylated-tau (p-tau), total-tau (t-tau), and neurofilament light chain (NfL). The CSF levels of these biomarkers are useful in determining …

Does Inhibitory Control Training Reduce Weight And Caloric Intake In Adults With Overweight And Obesity? A Pre-Registered, Randomized Controlled Event-Related Potential Study, Kaylie A. Carbine

Theses and Dissertations

Overweight and obesity are prevalent public health problems that impact physical, mental, and social health. Many studies have evaluated weight loss treatments, but most individuals are unsuccessful at maintaining weight loss long-term. Behavioral and cognitive interventions may be effective in promoting weight loss and weight loss maintenance. One cognitive intervention that has shown potential success in reducing weight and caloric intake is inhibitory control training (ICT). ICT involves trainings where individuals are asked to repeatedly withhold dominant responses to unhealthy or high-calorie food images in an effort to increase food-related inhibitory control abilities. Reductions in caloric intake or weight may …

Rage And Gas6/Axl Signaling In Obstetric Complications, Kelsey May Hirschi Budge

Theses and Dissertations

Current research spans a wide range of objectives whose diversity includes the understanding of global epidemiology and the detailing of molecular interactions leading to specific pathologies. This work aligns more closely with the goal of mechanistic clarity by elucidating several aspects of signaling pathways involved in inflammatory and obstetric pathologies. Prior research has confirmed the role of Receptors for Advanced Glycation End-Products (RAGE) activation in signaling leading to chronic inflammation such as that observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). RAGE activation has also been identified in other disease states including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoarthritis, and cancers. We examined the …

Immobilization Of Copper Nanoparticles Onto Various Supports Applications In Catalysis, Anh Hoang Tu Nguyen Sorenson

Theses and Dissertations

Copper-based materials are one of the most promising catalysts for performing transformations of important organic compounds in both academic and industrial operations. However, it is challenging to consistently synthesize highly active and stable copper species as heterogeneous catalysts due to their relatively high surface energy. As a result, agglomeration usually occurs, which limits the catalytic activities of the copper species. The work presented in this dissertation shows different synthetic strategies for obtaining active and stable copper-based materials by modifying chemical/physical properties of copper nanoparticles (NPs). Emphasis is placed on discussing specific catalytic systems, including carbon-supported catalysts (monometallic and bimetallic copper-based …

The Investigation Of Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes For The Carbon Dioxide Capture And Ethane Oxidative Dehyrogenation Catalysts, Zheng Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have gained interest for wide use as both support and catalyst due to the ease of uniquely tunable surface chemistry. Increasingly severe greenhouse effects have attracted attention to novel materials and technologies capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2). In this context, we develop a CNT based solid state amine for the CO2 capture. CNT are functionalized under various methods as a support for polymeric amines. Polyethyleneimine are physically adsorbed on CNT and are further characterized and studied for reversible CO2 capture. We obtain a high CO2 capture capacity (6.78 mmol∙g-1) for linear polyethyleneimine (LPEI) and 6.18 mmol∙g-1 …

Symposium Of Laughter: Eighteenth-Century Masculinity And Sociability In George Knapton's Portraits Of The Society Of Dilettanti, Meredith Hanna

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ideal masculine conduct for aristocratic and bourgeois circles of the British 18^th century entailed polite restraint, and much of the scholarly discussion on 18^th century British masculinity treats politeness and how it was taught and modeled. The Society of Dilettanti, a British antiquarian society whose early members met on the Grand Tour, seemed to flout polite ideals in their portraits by George Knapton, executed from 1740-1749. With consideration to expanding dialogue on the nature of ideal masculine conduct in the 18^th century, this paper asserts that the portraits create, through depictions of alcoholic ritual and interaction with …

Retiming Smoke Simulation Using Machine Learning, Samuel Charles Gérard Giraud Carrier

Theses and Dissertations

Art-directability is a crucial aspect of creating aesthetically pleasing visual effects that help tell stories. A particularly common method of art direction is the retiming of a simulation. Unfortunately, the means of retiming an existing simulation sequence which preserves the desired shapes is an ill-defined problem. Naively interpolating values between frames leads to visual artifacts such as choppy frames or jittering intensities. Due to the difficulty in formulating a proper interpolation method we elect to use a machine learning approach to approximate this function. Our model is based on the ODE-net structure and reproduces a set of desired time samples …

Who Owns The Bard?: P. T. Barnum, Charles Dickens, And The Shakespeare Birthplace Showdown Of 1847, Abigail Clayton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the twenty-first century age of globalization, debates over global versus national ownership of cultural heritage remain at the forefront of public consciousness. The cultural ownership of William Shakespeare, who is idealized as both a distinctly British icon and a global literary influence, has become contested ground; but, in fact, as I argue, this tension first boiled to the surface in 1847. In the spring of that year, newspapers advertised that Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon would soon go up for public auction. Rumors immediately began circulating that the American showman P. T. Barnum, who had recently barnstormed through England with …

Sunflower Seedlings Fail To Remove Uranium Pollution In The Navajo Nation: Participatory Science As A Path To Build Community And Address Environmental Injustice, Zak R. Webber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mid-20th century mining on Naabeehó Bináhásdzo (Navajo Nation) polluted groundwater with high concentrations of uranium and arsenic. The Navajo Nation and other rural residents of this region use groundwater for drinking, livestock, and irrigation. However, many individuals and communities must purchase and transport treated water from locations that are often hours away. Sunflowers have been shown to preferentially take up heavy metals, including uranium and arsenic, potentially representing a tool to improve water quality through on-site, low-cost phytoremediation. We carried out a collaborative research project with a high school class on the Navajo Nation in 2018 and 2019. The students …

Evaluating Video Usage In An Online Excel Course, Kelly Murdock

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

Evaluation project focused on the videos included in an Excel course that has learning analytics embedded. The usage of the videos was compared and analyzed, then each video was evaluated using a defined rubric.

Community Level Perspectives On Informal Alcohol: Understanding The Role Of Traditional Brewers In Dowa District, Malawi, Brian Allen, Jeff Glenn Dr.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Alcohol consumption and consequential public health problems have recently increased in Sub-Saharan Africa and alcohol has been identified as the leading contributor to the burden of disease in the region. While Malawi has a relatively low overall alcohol consumption rate, the majority of the alcohol produced and consumed in the country is informal or unrecorded alcohol which present significant monitoring and regulatory challenges, in addition to greater health risks. This article explores the community level perspectives from traditional brewers of alcohol, and provides a comprehensive look into their experiences, perspectives, and the roles they play in their communities. In addition …

Staphylococcus Aureus Metal Acquisition In Milk And Mammary Gland Tissue, Shalee Killpack

Theses and Dissertations

Mastitis resulting from mammary gland infection is a common and painful disease associated with lactation. In addition to the impact on human and animal health, mastitis causes substantial economic losses in the dairy industry. Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of mastitis worldwide. Despite significant progress in understanding S. aureus pathogenesis in general, much remains to be learned regarding virulence factors relevant in the context of mastitis. In mammary gland infections, it is not fully understood which metal acquisition systems are required for S. aureus survival. To help understand molecular mechanisms by which S. aureus might acquire essential metals, such …

Comparing Binge-Watching Motivations In South Korea And The United States: Westernization Of South Korean Entertainment Media, Sohyun Ribeiro

Theses and Dissertations

Asian cultures have been heavily influenced by Western culture due to globalization. Video on demand (VOD) services provide a means to quantify the westernization of Asian cultures, especially those within South Korea. As the majority of current binge-watching studies have been conducted utilizing U.S. samples, there is a need for comparative research between the two cultures, to see if westernization can be quantified via these means. The current study examined the relative levels of five Korean binge-watching motivations (enjoyment, efficiency, recommendation of others, perceived control, fandom) and eight American binge-watching motivations (escape, information, engagement, relaxation, passing time, hedonism, social, habit) …