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Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, May 4, 2022, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Tropical Rivers Act As Carbon Sinks Following Major Rainfall Events, Nicholas Gosling

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Convergence: Eos News And Updates, May 2022, Unh Institute For The Study Of Earth, Oceans And Space

Convergence: EOS News and Updates

No abstract provided.

Comparing The Effects Of Body Image And Bmi On Women’S Romantic Relationships, Isabella Luca

Perspectives

This literature review explores the relationship of how excess weight affects women's romantic relationships. Romantic relationship success has been assessed through the measures of body image and BMI. These similar measures of excessive weight were compared to determine the best measure/method to represent the relationship between excess weight and women’s romantic relationships. The hypothesis stated that excessive weight (in terms of body image, and not BMI) would decrease the overall success of women’s romantic relationships. Findings throughout this literature review have concluded that women have higher social pressure to be thin, women feel excess weight stigma more and this can …

Perspectives, 2022 - Full Issue

Perspectives

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Hurricanes On The Acoustic Detection Of Cetaceans, Aditi Tripathy

Master's Theses and Capstones

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is valuable for understanding the presence, behavior, distribution, and population density of marine mammals. While long-term variability of ambient sound is typically evaluated, the impact of short-term variability due to episodic events has not been assessed until now. Hurricanes Dorian (Category 5; 2019), Florence (Category 4; 2018), and Humberto (Category 3; 2019) impacted the soundscape as observed from the passive acoustic data at the Atlantic Deepwater Ecosystem Observatory Network (ADEON) locations in the US Mid- and South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Hurricanes are increasingly prevalent in the North Atlantic and increase the ambient sound level at …

Primary Cilia In The Pathogenic Mouse Brain & Eeg Waveform Analysis Of A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Ashley Diemand Sterpka

Doctoral Dissertations

In the last two decades, primary cilia have become recognized as tiny sensory organelles with considerable physiological function including regulation of cell division and modulation of transduction pathways. Scientists build on former discoveries, identifying new connections and accentuating the value of primary cilia in disease and intercellular signaling. Astrocytes, the most numerous cell type within the brain, act in support of neurons and maintain neurological health by providing neurotrophic factors and removing synaptic debris. These cells are particularly significant in reparations following neural injury and diseases, altering shape and function to protect healthy tissue. Astrocytes display primary cilia, yet little …

Climatic And Biotic Interactions In Terrestrial Systems During Ancient Warm Periods, Sarah Johnson Widlansky

Doctoral Dissertations

This work focuses on two terrestrial sedimentary records in the western United States that record the ancient greenhouse interval of the early Paleogene (~ 55 million years ago). The Paleogene, and past warm periods in general, offer a means of understanding potential biotic and environmental response to future warming scenarios. Part One of this dissertation establishes a new stable isotope climate record from the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming that is tied to an extensive fossil mammal assemblage (Chapter 1). This new stable isotope record captures carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) associated with the early Eocene hyperthermals ETM2, H2, and potentially I1 …

N-Heterocyclic Carbene Functionalized Single-Chain Nanopartcles Aqueous Catalytic Platform, Xianggeng Liu

Doctoral Dissertations

Single-chain nanoparticles (SCNP) are a class of intramolecular cross-linked polymericnanoparticles with a variety of applications including catalysis, sensors, nanomedicine, and nanoreactors. Such nanoparticles are synthesized by folding or collapsing single polymer molecules. By implementing a single-chain folding technique, the single-chain nanoparticles with uniform degrees of cross-linking are synthesized by parent polymer chains with similar chain lengths and polymer microstructure. Polymer chains that are synthesized by various controlled polymerization techniques can be converted to SCNPs through a variety of covalent chemistry and supramolecular interactions. Based on the expected cross-linking chemistry, related functional groups can be installed either during monomer synthesis or …

Recombination Drives Genomic Divergence And Cooperation Across Bacterial Populations, Isaiah Paolo Atienza Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

Genetic recombination is a major driving evolutionary force across the Tree of Life, but it plays a special role in bacteria. In the absence of sexual reproduction, bacteria rely on horizontal transmission to recombine their genetic material. Horizontally transferred genes can spread rapidly across a population, greatly expanding the niches available to bacteria. We are only beginning to understand the degree to which recombination varies between and even within bacterial taxa. In the first part of this dissertation (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2), I investigate how patterns of recombination influence bacterial diversity. In Chapter 1, I studied the pan-genome of …

Sociocultural Dimensions Of Environmental Stewardship In New Hampshire: Implications For Adult Environmental Education, Ian Patrick Hanley

Doctoral Dissertations

The overarching aim of this dissertation is to expand evidence and theory of adult identity processes in the context of environmental stewardship, as well as to provide knowledge and recommendations to environmental stewardship and environmental education professionals. The intent is to better understand variation in how adult environmental stewards report on and value their own engagement with both sociocultural and natural systems. This line of inquiry stems from the fundamental claim that environmental stewardship activity is not singularly based on environmental content knowledge but is also related to forms of cultural and social engagement. By recognizing these dual aspects of …

Socioscientific Decision-Making In Undergraduate Students: The Role Of Personal Epistemology, Jordan Dana Bader

Doctoral Dissertations

Socioscientific issues (SSIs), or controversial scientific issues with social implications, influence members of society regardless of demographic. SSIs are contentious and ill-structured, meaning they do not have a definitive answer. To properly equip students with the tools needed to handle SSIs, undergraduate science curricula emphasize scientific literacy skills, such as the ability to search, recognize, and utilize accurate scientific information when handling science driven issues outside of the classroom. However, SSIs are influenced by political, social, economic, and cultural stakeholders. Therefore, students may not be basing their SSI decisions off of accurate information. An individual’s personal epistemology is known to …

Structural And Biochemical Characterization Of The Allosteric Regulation Of Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase, Richa Garg

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Structural and Biochemical Characterization of the Allosteric Regulation of Photoreceptor Phosphodiesteraseby Richa Garg

The photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6) is the central enzyme in the visual signaling pathway. Cone PDE6 is a homodimer consisting of a catalytic dimer (Pα’α’) and two cone-specific inhibitory γ-subunits (Pγ’). Rod PDE6 is a heterotetramer which consists of a catalytic dimer (Pαβ) with two rod-specific Pγ subunits. The PDE6 differs from other phosphodiesterases (PDEs), in its unique inhibitory Pγ subunit and its activation by α-subunit of the G-protein (Gα). Regulation of PDE6 activity is a key factor in determining the electric response upon light stimulations. PDE6 …

Melanin Pigments As Antibacterial Agents, Tahmineh Rahmani Eliato

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation I investigated the structural properties of melanin biopigment from different sources as an antibacterial and endotoxin bonding agent. I extracted melanin from Equus ferus hair with acid hydrolysis (termed EquusMel) and characterized it by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that EquusMel is mainly elliptical in shape with a mesoporous and layered structure within the individual particles. Wide-angle (WAXS) and small-angle (SAXS) X-ray scattering measurements demonstrated a semicrystalline multilayered structure with order spacing of 45.2 Å. Pore size distribution determined by the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) method showed primary pores within …

“Test Run Or One And Done”: Gender Differences In Lgbtq+ Hookup Experiences, Della Burke

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores queer individuals’ participation within hookup culture, the goals and motivations of those taking part in queer hookup encounters, and the ways queer individuals make sense of their hookup experiences. I analyze data from 24 semi-structured qualitative in-person and online interviews to examine LGBTQ+-identified individuals’ experiences with queer hookup encounters. This dissertation offers several major contributions to the scholarship of LGBTQ+ hookup experiences. First, I find that participants talk about three discrete levels of intimacy: noncommittal hookups, “catching feelings,” and third, “real relationships” or emotional connections. Second, both men and women define hookups as noncommittal sexual encounters, but …

Essays On The Effects Of Air Quality And Intra-Industry Trade On Labor Market Outcomes, Protika Bhattacharjee

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impacts of poor air quality and the rise of intra-industry trade on different labor market outcomes like migration, workings hours, and wages. This thesis contributes two distinct strands of literature, literature on air pollution focusing on the economic consequences of poor air quality, and international trade literature. The first two essays examine how a moderate level of air pollution can drive migration decisions and impact working hours in the United States. The third essay investigates the role of the rise in within industry trade on occupational wages in the United States. This dissertation aims to contribute …

Cryopreservation Studies Of An Antifreeze Protein From The Desert Beetle Anatolica Polita, Jonathan Sreter

Doctoral Dissertations

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are specialized evolutionary adaptations by certain cold climate organisms, including fish, plants, fungi, bacteria, and insects, to prevent cryo-injury. AFPs contribute to freeze resistance or tolerance by binding to the surface of ice crystals and preventing their growth, as well as inhibiting ice recrystallization (i.e., small crystals restructuring into large crystals) during large temperature fluctuations and constant sub-zero temperatures. AFPs have potential applications in cryopreservation and in the development of cryo-functional materials for medicine, the food industry, and agriculture. We investigated the ability of an antifreeze protein from the desert beetle Anatolica polita, ApAFP752, to confer cryoprotection …

Notes From The Underground: An Exploration Of Burying Beetle Thermal Ecology, Sound Production And Reception, And Brain Morphology., Michelle Ward

Doctoral Dissertations

In a climatically and structurally changing world, it is important to understand how different thermal and social environments influence the behavior and physiology of the pillars of terrestrial ecosystems: insects. In this dissertation, I explored how insects, specifically Nicrophorus beetles, respond to biotic and abiotic challenges. Through this research, I addressed 1) how daily fluctuations in temperature influence Nicrophorus americanus reproductive success, 2) the context in which breeding pairs use stridulation during carcass burial, and subsequently how inhibition of stridulation influences reproductive success, 3) if the clypeal membrane on Nicrophorus beetles has the physiological properties of a tympanum, and if …

Compound, Elemental, And Isotopic Perspectives On Mercury Mobilization During Thaw In A Discontinuous Permafrost Zone, Maria F. Fahnestock

Doctoral Dissertations

Arctic ecosystems are a major global sink for both carbon (C) and mercury (Hg), both of which are influenced by anthropogenic activities. The accelerated climate-change-induced warming documented in the Arctic has led to permafrost thaw resulting in landscape evolution from hydrological, vegetation and microbial shifts. All of these resulting changes have the potential to influence how Hg, a toxic contaminant, is mobilized and re-cycled in this ecosystem. In this body of work, I investigate patterns of Hg speciation, elemental abundances, and stable isotopes across the thaw gradient in a permafrost peatland and interconnected freshwater lakes in Abisko, Sweden to assess …

Interventions Towards Sustainable Watershed Management As Demonstrated By Hydrologic Simulation, Shan Zuidema

Doctoral Dissertations

Increasing population, changing climate, and on-going legacies of environmental mismanagement motivate our need for deeper understanding of the process and limits of adaptation towards sustainable management of water resources. Movements towards open-science and transdisciplinary research have enabled deeper assessments of the co-evolution of human society and changing landscapes. Policies and decisions enabling environmental restoration or sustainable resource use have been actively pursued for decades. The social barriers that prevent adaptations to succeed are deep and entrenched, but equally important are the physical barriers. Successful adaptations in water resource management need to explicitly consider the joint interactions of intervention magnitude, or …

Rational Design And Synthesis Of Antifreeze-Protein Inspired Polymers For Anti-Icing Coatings And Cryopreservation Applications, Mohamamd Mousazadehkasin

Doctoral Dissertations

Certain organisms living in cold regions have adapted different strategies to survive in harshly cold temperatures. Some of them use freeze-avoiding strategies in which they can prevent freezing by controlling the concentration of sugars (et. sucrose, trehalose) or polyols (glycerol), regulation of the ice nucleator, and dehydration. Other organisms have adapted to this extremely cold condition by producing antifreeze (gly)proteins (AF(G)Ps) which exhibit ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI), thermal hysteresis activity (THA), and dynamic ice crystal shaping. These proteins discovered in Antarctic fish in 1960 for the first time have been reported in bacteria, fungi, insects, and plants. AF(G)Ps and their …

Pretreatment Optimization For Ceramic Microfiltration With Ozonation And Coagulation For The Reuse Of Wastewater Effluent, Nicola Elardo

Master's Theses and Capstones

Ceramic microfiltration (CMF) is a promising alternative to traditional polymeric microfiltration and its chemical resistance makes it particularly attractive for sustainable water reuse applications. This research investigated the ability of ozonation and coagulation as pretreatments to improve the performance of ceramic microfiltration using HHNK’s WWTP in Wervershoof, The Netherlands. With a CMF pilot plant design flow of 200 L/h, critical flux tests were completed using ozonation individually and with coagulation sequentially to evaluate the ceramic membrane filtration performance. Results showed that with an ozone residual before the ceramic membrane, the performance increased significantly compared to no pretreatment and without an …

The Effect Of Harvest Maturity On 'Geneva 3' Kiwiberry Storability, Ripening Dynamics, And Fruit Quality, Aislinn Mumford

Master's Theses and Capstones

Maturity at harvest is an important determinant of fruit quality in kiwiberry [Actinidia arguta (Siebold & Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq.,], a climacteric fruit that is harvested after reaching physiological maturity but not yet ready-to-eat ripeness. Although the recommended cultivar for commercial kiwiberry producers in the northeast United States is ‘Geneva 3’, no published research exists regarding recommended harvest and postharvest practices for that variety. In this study, conducted across two seasons, ‘Geneva 3’ kiwiberries were harvested at a range of mean maturities (6.5, 8.0, and 10.0 °Brix), held in cold storage (CS, 0-1 °C, >90% relative humidity) for various durations …

Whether They Return: Modeling Outdoor Recreation Behaviors, Decision-Making, And Intention-To-Return In Congressionally Designated Wilderness, Alexander Robert Caraynoff

Master's Theses and Capstones

Visitation to parks and protected areas (PPAs) has become increasingly widespread in the United States. This increased visitation is especially concerning within congressionally designated wilderness areas where federal agencies are dually tasked with preserving wilderness character while simultaneously providing high-quality outdoor recreation experiences. This study investigated the influence of social, situational, and ecological factors on outdoor recreation visitor behaviors and decision-making within the Lye Brook Wilderness (LBW) area in Vermont, USA. An on-site intercept survey (n=576) was employed to collect data from LBW visitors in the summer of 2021. Multi-variate statistics (e.g., binary logistic regression, structural equation modeling) indicate visitor …

The Grand Re-Opening Of The American Summer Camp: Determinants Of Camp Innovation During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leslie Anne Doone

Master's Theses and Capstones

In 2020, COVID-19 shuttered 82% of summer camps in the United States leading to a loss of 16 billion dollars in revenue, 900,000 jobs within the camping industry, and left 19.5 million youth without a camp experience (ACA Research Team, 2021; Fernandez, 2020; Wycoff, 2021). Financial constraints, stakeholder interest, and increased knowledge of COVID-19 mitigation strategies led to 71% of residential and 56% of day camps re-opening nationally in 2021 (ACA Research Team, 2022). To open, camps had to employ a variety of innovations to mitigate risks and support amended programming and operations. This cross-sectional survey study, in partnership with …

Rna-Seq Analysis Of Transgenic Arabidopsis Thaliana With Conferred Overproduction Of Putrescene By A Mouse Ornithine Decarboxylase Gene, Eric English

Master's Theses and Capstones

Polyamines are a class of low molecular weight, nitrogenous bases that participate in many important functions in plants, from germination to senescence and many steps in between. These molecules have been shown to play key roles in various abiotic and biotic stress responses which makes their biosynthetic pathway a focal point for engineering plants to better adapt to rapidly changing local environments and global climate change. Previous work with plants capable of producing high polyamine titers shows that they have superior stress responses as compared to their wild type counterparts. This study investigated what broader impacts a genetic manipulations to …

Analysis Of Acoustic Scattering Layers In And Around Petermann Fjord, Northwest Greenland, Erin Heffron

Master's Theses and Capstones

In 2015 a major international collaborative expedition took place focused on understanding the processes associated with the recent rapid decline of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) and the impact that this decline could have on global sea-level rise. The Petermann Expedition collected a broad range of data designed to characterize the Petermann Glacier system, a marine-terminating glacier with a floating ice tongue that has undergone dramatic changes in the last decade. During the expedition, sonars were used to map the seafloor and the water column, generating a continuous dataset over 30 days. The water column mapping revealed extensive acoustic scattering …

Characterization And Knockdown Of Tata-Binding Protein 1 In Toxoplasma Gondii, Malorie R. Nitz

Master's Theses and Capstones

Toxoplasma gondii is a single celled eukaryotic parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis, which infects approximately thirty to fifty percent of the world’s population. Current treatments for toxoplasmosis are lacking and immunocompromised individuals are at risk of a reactivation of acute infection. Tight control of transcription initiation is critical for maintaining proper infection for the parasite. TATA-binding proteins (TBPs) are critical transcription factors for recognizing and binding to the TATA-box and other motifs in eukaryotes to recruit the transcription preinitiation complex. Toxoplasma contains two TBPs, TgTBP1 and TgTBP2, but TATA-boxes or other conserved motifs have not yet been identified in …

Error Detection And Correction During Object Naming In Individuals With Aphasia, Anne O'Donnell

Master's Theses and Capstones

Aphasia is a neurogenic communication disorder that occurs following a left hemisphere stroke and commonly co-occurs with apraxia of speech (AOS). Individuals with aphasia typically make errors in their lexical retrieval and have difficulties detecting and correcting them. While there is ample research in how errors occur, few researchers go as far as to look at error detection and subsequent correction in this population. Given this need for research, we took a pre-existing data set of 23 individuals with aphasia grouped for presence of AOS (nine with comorbid AOS) and coded their spoken responses on the Object Naming subtest of …

Selective Grazing Of Indigenous Protists On Dechlorinating Bacteria In Groundwater, Jonathan Greenleaf Whaland

Master's Theses and Capstones

ABSTRACT

SELECTIVE GRAZING OF INDIGENOUS PROTISTS ON DECHLORINATING BACTERIA IN GROUNDWATER

ByJonathan G. Whaland University of New Hampshire, May 2022

Degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in contaminated groundwater can stall at cis-dichloroethylene (cDCE). One cause of the stall could be predation of indigenous protists on the bacteria responsible for cDCE degradation. This research evaluated the uptake and clearance rates of indigenous groundwater protists on KB-1, a bacterial consortium used for bioaugmentation at TCE contaminated sites. The experiments involved two wells, one contaminated with TCE located in Portsmouth, NH and one uncontaminated well located in Newington, NH, and the indigenous protists and …