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Computational Models Of Intracellular And Intercellular Processes In Developmental Biology, Ahmadreza Ghaffarizadeh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Systems biology takes a holistic approach to biological questions as it applies mathematical modeling to link and understand the interaction of components in complex biological systems. Multiscale modeling is the only method that can fully accomplish this aim. Mutliscale models consider processes at different levels that are coupled within the modeling framework. A first requirement in creating such models is a clear understanding of processes that operate at each level. This research focuses on modeling aspects of biological development as a complex process that occurs at many scales. Two of these scales were considered in this work: cellular differentiation, the …

Restoring The Lost Fishery: An Environmental History Of Northern Nevada's Pyramid Lake And Lower Truckee River Fishery, David Bolingbroke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis focuses on fisheries managers’ efforts to restore native cutthroats to northern Nevada’s Pyramid Lake for recreation, and the Paiutes’ battle to preserve them as a means of livelihood. Their efforts to reconstruct the fishery revealed the implausibility of environmental restoration, but more importantly underlined the motivations necessary to attempt it.

Chapter 2 describes how the Pyramid Lake Lahontan cutthroat— historically an important subsistence resource for Northern Paiutes— were initially exploited for profit in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and gradually destroyed as agricultural interests diverted the Truckee River’s water and industrial pollution contaminated the trout’s aquatic habitat. …

Biogeochemistry Of Selenium In Pariette Wetlands, Utah, Colleen P. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Pariette Wetlands was constructed to provide wildlife habitat in an arid environment. Elevated levels of selenium (Se) have been detected in water, soil, and biota. Selenium concentrations have ranged from below detection limit to four times the water quality criterium limit. Here we report on three interrelated research topics: 1) selenium mass balance and flux in water, 2) selenium accumulation, concentration and volatilization of water and plant tissues; and 3) selenium sorption by upland and wetlands soils.

1) Mass balance and mass water flux of selenium for the Pariette Wetlands were studied. A comparison of inlet and outlet …

The Agricultural Economics Of Fremont Irrigation: A Case Study From South-Central Utah, Chimalis R. Kuehn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent identification of a Fremont irrigation feature in southern Utah provides an example from which to study costs and benefits of intensive agricultural investment by the Fremont. Studying irrigation investment informs our understanding of cultural process behind subsistence decisions, as well as of cultural complexity among the temporally and geographically diverse Fremont farmers.

Fieldwork, funded in part by Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities (URCO) Grants, included experimental canal digging with wooden stick tools and excavation of a subsurface canal feature. This study uses prehistoric canal dimensions and labor rate data to compare relative efficiencies of irrigated and dry-farmed maize. Analysis …

Nutrition And Genes Associated With Orofacial Cleft Birth Defects In Utah, Huong Dieu Meeks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are facial malformations that happen during early pregnancy and have a complex and heterogeneous etiology, involving both genetic and environmental risk factors. This project examined the association between maternal nutrition, folate-related biomarkers, candidate genes involved in one-carbon metabolism (OCM), and OFCs in order to achieve more comprehensive knowledge of how nutrition and genetics influence OFC risk. All studies performed in this project used the data collected in the Utah Child and Family Health Study (UCFHS) and the Johns Hopkins International Cleft Consortium.

Neither maternal periconceptional multivitamin use nor healthy dietary pattern score alone was individually associated with …

Calculating Willingness-To-Pay As A Function Of Biophysical Water Quality And Water Quality Perceptions, Carlos G. Silva

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When estimating economic value associated with changes in water quality, recreation demand models typically depend upon either (i) biophysical measures of water quality as collected by natural scientists or (ii) the perception of water quality by recreationists. Models based upon biophysical metrics (such as oxygen concentration, pollutant concentrations, Secchi depth measurements, etc.) operate on the assumption that people can perceive and respond to these metrics, or respond to factors that are, indeed, correlated with the biophysical measure. Economists have often estimated willingness-to-pay (WTP) measures associated with unit changes in biophysical measures without examining the degree to which the measures are …

American Bison Ecology And Bison-Cattle Interactions In An Isolated Montane Environment, Dustin H. Ranglack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As bison are considered to be ecologically extinct, and negative interactions between bison and cattle are perceived to limit bison restoration and cattle production, I designed a series of studies to test for potential competition between bison (Bison bison) and cattle (Bos taurus) for forage on the Henry Mountains in southern Utah. These studies provide insight into key information gaps previously identified by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), Bureau of Land Management, and the local grazing association. The results indicate that bison and cattle are not strong competitors for forage on the Henry Mountains. …

Effects Of Condensed Tannins On The Toxicity Of Fireweed (Senecio Madagascariensis) To Cattle, Carolyn L. Wong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) is a noxious and invasive weed affecting pastures in Hawaii, Australia, and South America. Fireweed contains compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic to most grazing mammals. Toxic effects to cattle include irreversible damage to liver cells, hardening of the liver, and loss of liver function, which may lead to jaundice, swelling, and the accumulation of fluids in the stomach and other physiological malfunctions. External effects include rough appearance, diarrhea, low energy and dullness, photosensitization, and abnormal behavior, many of which can lead to death. Fireweed also can reduce pasture productivity by as much as …

Evaluating Process- And Constraint-Based Approaches For Modeling Macroecological Patterns, Xiao Xiao

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Macroecological patterns, such as the highly uneven distribution of individuals among species and the monotonic increase of species richness with area, exist across ecological systems despite major differences in the biology of different species and locations. These patterns capture the general structure of ecological communities, and allow relatively accurate predictions to be made with limited information for under-studied systems. This is particularly important given ongoing climate change and loss of biodiversity. Understanding the mechanisms behind these patterns has both scientific and practical merits.

I explore two conceptually different approaches that have been proposed as explanations for ecological patterns – the …

Distribution And Drivers Of A Widespread, Invasive Wetland Grass, Phragmites Australis, In Great Salt Lake Wetlands, Arin Lexine Long

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Non-native invasive plant species can often have negative effects on native ecosystems, such as altered nutrient cycling, decreased habitat for wildlife, and outcompeting native plants. Around the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, the invasive wetland grass Phragmites australis has become abundant in wetlands around the lake. Phragmites is replacing many native wetland plants provide important waterfowl habitat around the GSL. For successful management of Phragmites in GSL wetlands, it is important to know the current distribution of Phragmites, as well as areas that might be vulnerable to future invasion by Phragmites. To do this, we used multispectral aerial …

Estimating The Effectiveness Of A Seasonal Gas Tax For Controlling Episodic Pm2.5 Concentrations In Cache County, Utah, Leo A. Moscardini

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cache County, Utah boasts an abundance of awe-inspiring natural beauty. However, at times, its air quality rivals the worst in the United States. During the winter months of December through February, particulate matter measuring two and a half micrometers or less, commonly known as PM_2.5, often concentrates to dangerously high levels causing extensive harm to public health. Lawmakers have scrambled to pass legislation aimed at mitigating the risks posed by poor air quality, recently adopting a county-wide vehicle emissions testing program designed to reduce exhaust emissions from on-road mobile sources. However, its efficacy has been hotly debated and many …

An Evaluation Of Current Applications Of 3d Visualization Software In Landscape Architecture, Jie Yan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The design process is important to all landscape architects. It helps generate ideas to solve problems in an efficient amount of time and insure that all stages of a project are completed. Generally, a design process includes project acquisition, inventory and site analysis, conflicts identification, public involvement, draft products, and final presentation. Among these elements, public involvement has been recognized as one of the most important elements in the landscape design process. It not only helps professionals get projects done smoothly, but it also helps with long-term client retention. Traditional two-dimensional communication methods using renderings, design plans, and maps have …

Landscape Evolution Of The Needles Fault Zone, Utah, Investigated Through Chronostratigraphic And Terrain Analyses, Faye L. Geiger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Arcing eastward from the deep gorge of Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River is a series of aligned valleys (graben) and ridges (horst). This unusual landscape has formed as subsurface salt deforms toward the river and dissolves away, causing the overlying rocks to fault, slide, and subside. Geologists have long been interested in this actively evolving area they call the Needles fault zone, because understanding its mechanics and origin may shed light on how faults work in general and similar, yet inaccessible places like offshore rift zones or even the surface of the Moon. Despite this interest, the timing and …

Minimizing Aggregate Movements For Interval Coverage, Aaron M. Andrews

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We present an efficient algorithm for solving an interval coverage problem. Given n intervals of the same length on a line L and a line segment B on L, we want to move the intervals along L such that every point of B is covered by at least one interval and the sum of the moving distances of all intervals is minimized. As a fundamental computational geometry problem, it has applications in mobile sensor barrier coverage in wireless sensor networks. The previous work gave an O(n²) time algorithm for it. In this thesis, by discovering …

Does The Way Exposure Exercises Are Presented Matter? Comparing Fear Reduction Versus Fear Toleration Models, Ellen J. Bluett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Exposure therapy is considered to be a first line treatment for a variety of anxiety disorders as supported by several review studies. However, there is no clear understanding of how it works. The present study examined how framing exposure exercises impacted outcomes in socially anxious individuals. We conducted a brief two-session exposure-based intervention, including experiential exercises from each therapeutic rationale, with homework assigned between sessions. We were specifically interested in the efficacy of four brief skills interventions: (a) fear reduction, (b) psychological flexibility, (c) values rationale, and (d) control for reducing public speaking anxiety from first to second exposure session. …

Metabolic Modeling Of Spider Silk Production In E. Coli, Sarah Allred

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider silk has the potential to be a useful biomaterial due to its high tensile strength and elasticity. It is also biocompatible and biodegradable, making it useful for wound dressings and sutures, tissue and bone scaffolds, vessels for drug delivery, and ligament and tendon replacements. In some studies where spider silk has been used to grow cells, the silk has promoted more cell growth than the control. However, it is difficult to obtain the high volume of silk needed for these undertakings on a large scale. Spiders are territorial and cannibalistic, so they cannot be easily farmed. Therefore, spider silk …

Obsidian Toolstone Conveyance: Southern Idaho Forager Mobility, Benjamin L. Fowler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study is to understand how prehistoric people moved around the landscape and used major stone tool resources throughout the last 10,000 yr. B.P. in southern Idaho. Similar research has been reported in the Great Basin and western Wyoming and this study continues to fill the map with data about how large regions of the western United States were used prehistorically. This study specifically examined whether or not prehistoric mobility changed according to wet and dry climatic shifts. Based on these shifts archaeologists expect the regions people used to expand or shrink using an economic model of …

Effects Of Processing And Packaging Modifications On The Quality And Shelf Life In Meats, Abdulla Khan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Shelf life of foods, mainly meat and meat products, is affected by its physical and chemical properties like color, pH, water holding capacity etc. In developed countries
food losses occur at production, retail and consumer levels with meat commodities accounting for 41% of the total loss in US during 2008. These losses are because of
spoilage due to inappropriate packaging, improper storage conditions, food wastage, and lack of consumer awareness. By focusing on shelf life and quality issues at the production level, we can overcome some of the major problems faced by the food manufacturers.

Active packaging is an innovative …

Effects Of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Colorectal Cancer And The Development Of The Total Western Diet-2, Sara Kellen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Western diet is commonly consumed by industrialized societies and characterized by an increased consumption of vegetable oils rich in omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids. This results in a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in the diet. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are believed to induce a pro-inflammatory response in the body. Therefore, this change in PUFA concentration and/or ratio of n-6:n-3 in the Western diet may contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Five identical diets, varying only in PUFA concentration and n-6:n-3 ratio, were fed to mice dosed with a carcinogen and an inflammatory accent (AOM+DSS). …

Distribution Of Heavy Metals From Flue Gas In Algal Bioreactor, Katerine Napan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Algae are microscopic organisms with a great potential to produce biomass and lipids at productivities several times higher than terrestrial crops. To grow, these organisms consume carbon dioxide (CO₂), a greenhouse gas. This gas, emitted primarily by power plants after coal burning, can be effectively used for algae production, thus resulting in CO₂ remediation and biomass beneficial utilization as feedstuff, industrial filler and biodiesel feedstock. However, since coal is a fuel mined from the earth’s crust, it contains heavy metals that are released during coal burning and inevitably enter the algal cultivation system, contaminating the water were …

An Evaluation Of The Relative Performance Of Diploid Versus Triploid Brook Trout With Consideration Of The Influence Of Lake Characteristics, Andy Dean

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Brook trout are native to the east and Midwestern United States. Brook trout have become a popular sport fish in the western United States and are currently widely stocked to provide sport fishing opportunities throughout the west. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) regularly stocks brook trout into high mountain lakes in the Uinta Mountains to provide one of these popular fisheries. Stocking non-natives to high mountain lakes can cause competition with native species for food and habitat resources and provides source populations for dispersal of non-natives downstream. Triploid (sterile) fish may provide an opportunity to stock non-native fish …

Pop2: A Potential Regulator Of Hmt1-Catalyzed Arginine Methylation In Yeast, Celeste Excell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Protein arginine methylation is an important post-translational modification that is vital in regulating various cellular processes such as gene transcription, cell signaling, and RNA processing. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are responsible for performing this important modification. PRMT1 (protein arginine methyltransferase 1) and Hmt1 (hnRNP methyltransferase 1) are the predominant PRMTs in humans and yeast, respectively. Despite growing momentum in this field, relatively little is understood about PRMT regulation. Further work discovering how PRMTs are regulated will greatly advance our understanding of diseases where PRMTs have been implicated, such as heart disease, viral pathogenesis, and cancer.

It has been discovered that …

Phosphorus Mobility In The Shallow Unconfined Aquifer At Pineview Reservoir, Utah, Christine Rumsey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Significant phosphorus transport is occurring in the groundwater surrounding Pineview Reservoir. A set of investigations was completed to identify factors contributing to phosphorus mobility. Water quality monitoring was conducted to understand groundwater characteristics and phosphorus movement. Several water quality parameters were evaluated to specifically determine whether septic systems influence groundwater quality. Results indicate that septic systems pollute at least two locations in the aquifer around the reservoir. Given this information, it may be necessary to implement advanced septic system treatment options to reduce the amount of phosphorus in groundwater.

Experiments were conducted on two aquifer sediment types to identify factors …

Predictors Of Persistence And Resurgence: Evaluation Of A Behavioral Momentum-Based Approach, Mary M. Sweeney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mary M. Sweeney, graduate student in the Experimental and Applied Psychological Sciences program at Utah State University, will complete this dissertation as part of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology.

One approach to reducing a behavior with a history of reward is to remove the reward for the target behavior to be reduced and introduce reward for an alternative behavior. When alternative reward is removed, though, relapse termed resurgence can occur. The broad purpose of this dissertation is to examine the variables that contribute to the persistence and resurgence of a behavior. The results of …

Developing A Field Indicator For Suckering Ability Of Quaking Aspen, Abbey M. Hudler Oksness

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Quaking aspen is an ecologically valuable deciduous tree species in the high elevation environment typical across many parts of western North America. It is a clonal tree species which primarily depends on vegetative regeneration by root suckering after an aboveground disturbance, e.g., wildfire, removes the stems. A flush of suckers will be stimulated after a disturbance and the resulting regeneration relies on available resources from the undamaged root system for resprouting. Due to wildfire suppression efforts of the last century, many aspen stands are considered mature, overmature, or decadent and lack regeneration to replace the overstory mortality. In the absence …

Foraging Ecology Of Cougars In The Pryor Mountains Of Wyoming And Montana, Linsey Blake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We conducted this study to better understand the impact of cougar (Puma concolor) predation in the Pryor Mountains of Wyoming and Montana. Managers of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range were concerned that cougars were having a negative impact upon a small, isolated Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) population and were hoping predation might be limiting a feral horse population (Equus caballus) that was in excess of the Appropriate Management Level set by the Bureau of Land Management. Wildlife tourism brings revenue to the park …

The Forgotten Fruitway: Folk Perspectives On Fruit Farming On The Providence Bench, 1940-1980, Amy C. Maxwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As a whole, Cache Valley, Utah, residents have experienced dramatic changes in population size and economy over the last century. Providence, Utah, was once characterized by the farmers that worked the land surrounding it. The importance of agriculture has especially declined due to expanding urbanization. Despite these changes, Providence residents are aware of and celebrate their history. The purpose of this thesis is to add to the official account of local history. I attempt to capture a segment of the agricultural economy that often goes uncelebrated in current histories—fruit farming. Alongside the oft-cited sugar beet and pea production was a …

Understanding Local Perceptions And The Role Of Historical Context In Ecotourism Development: A Case Study Of St. Kitts, Amber Greening

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ecotourism is a popular tool for the conservation of fragile ecosystems and local development of the communities surrounding them. It is widely argued that the key to effective and sustainable ecotourism programs relies on the depth of community involvement and support. This research reveals a better understanding of community members’ perceptions of ecotourism and conservation, and how these perceptions potentially influence participation in current and future ecotourism projects within the villages of Cayon and Keys on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Data were collected through several qualitative methods including: face-to-face surveys with Cayon and Keys villagers; interviews with government …

The Optimal Cow Size For Intermountain Cow-Calf Operations: The Impact Of Public Grazing Fees On The Optimal Cow Size, Jesse Russell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The cattle industry is very competitive which is forcing cow-calf producers to strive for efficiency. Research has shown that as a cows mature weight increases, feed efficiency decreases, as well as reproductive efficiency and other production factors. The purpose of this paper is to (1) identify the economically optimum cow size when charging for grazing public lands on a true Animal Unit Equivalent (AUE) basis and (2) determine if the current practice of charging on a per head basis for grazing public lands has an effect on the optimal cow size.

To simplify the complexity of this problem, three different …

Investigations Of Cho 1-15 And Silk Gland Cell Line Development, Susan Kathleen Robinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The BioProcessing Demonstration and Training Laboratory was established with a collaboration between Utah State University and Thermo Fisher-Scientific, Inc. This lab was developed into a fully functioning tissue culture facility. Demonstration of tissue culture procedures were necessary for the lab to be industry-fully qualified. The CHO 1-15 cell line protocols were optimized by establishing conditions for reproducibility in shaker flasks and bioreactors (2 to 250 L capacity). CHO 1-15 is the cell line of choice for protein production in the bio-manufacturing industry. Oxidative stress is a problem in the industry because it can cause a decrease in protein production. Mesobiliverdin …