Digital Commons Network^™

Microflora Of The Equine Gut And Its Ramifications On The Development Of Laminitis; A Comparison Of Fecal And Cecal Diversity And Illumina And Roche 454 Sequencers, Matthew John Jevit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laminitis is characterized by the separation of the phalanx and the hoof wall. It can be induced in horses by ingesting high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), which changes the hindgut microflora. However, fecal bacteria may not be representative of the cecum. In addition, in horses results from more recent sequencers (Illumina) have never been compared to previously used sequencers (454). To determine if there are functional differences alpha and beta-diversity, core biomes, and shifts in hindgut bacteria in response to NSC were compared between fecal and cecal communities and the MiSeq and 454 method. The results suggest that MiSeq …

Creation In The Image Of God: Human Uniqueness From The Akan Religious Anthropology To The Renewal Of Christian Anthropology, Eric Baffoe Antwi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Judeo-Christian belief, based on the bible, is that "God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Gen. 1: 27). This dissertation explores the Akan understanding of the human person to shed further light on creation of human beings in the image of God and to understand and demonstrate the corresponding uniqueness of the human being among God's creatures. With the help of the Akan context, we note that every human being possesses a spark of God. God, who is relational, shares relationality with human beings.

Through the …

Cymatic Revelations, Thomas B. Carraher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cymatic Revelations is a multi-media composition that aims to artistically reveal the power of vibration through the synchronous use of cymatic pattern imaging, real-time video projection, and live music. When musical vibrations are channeled through a malleable medium such as a liquid, the vibrations cause the medium to arrange itself into visible geometries known as cymatic patterns. Being that these patterns are created by the sounds themselves, the projected visual elements are used to visually connect the audience to what they hear. While incorporating archetypal elements of light, reflection, and symmetry, Cymatic Revelations utilizes cutting-edge music technologies to expose this …

An Integrated Hydrodynamic-Marsh Model With Applications In Fluvial, Marine, And Mixed Estuarine Systems, Karim Alizad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal wetlands experience fluctuating productivity when subjected to various stressors. One of the most impactful stressors is sea level rise (SLR) associated with global warming. Research has shown that under SLR, salt marshes may not have time to establish an equilibrium with sea level and may migrate landward or become open water. Salt marsh systems play an important role in the coastal ecosystem by providing intertidal habitats and food for birds, fish, crabs, mussels, and other animals. They also protect shorelines by dissipating flow and damping wave energy through an increase in drag forces. Due to the serious consequences of …

Happily Ever After? Ambiguous Closure In Modernist Children's Literature, Marcie Panutsos Rovan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the fruitful interchanges between modernist literary technique, the culture of modernity, and children's literature. While some recent scholarship has examined works that modernist authors like Eliot, Joyce, Woolf, and Cummings produced for child readers, modernist children's literature remains a largely neglected field. Examining texts by A.A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner), Gertrude Stein (The World is Round), and J.M. Barrie (Peter and Wendy) through the lens of literary modernism, this project explicates how these authors adapt modernist techniques, ideologies, and preoccupations in their writing for children. Focusing on themes of alienation, disillusionment, memory, imagination, …

The Florida Project: A Micro-Budget Feature Comedy, Benjamin Lancaster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Further Adventures of Walt's Frozen Head is a feature comedy written, directed, and produced by Benjamin Lancaster. It is a part of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema from the University of Central Florida. This film hopes to engage the popular urban legend and mythologies surrounding Walt Disney and the Disney company, and uses the story of a father letting go of his daughter to contradict the central messages of the Disney Company, i.e. believe in your dreams, and they will come true. A film of this subject matter requires the mircobudget …

La Influencia De La Medicina: Relación Entre Literatura Y Cultura En La Temprana Edad Moderna Española, Nicole Cruz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The sciences, in particular the field of medicine, have had an important role in society since its significance has been recorded in historical texts. Due to this fact, the future of medicine depends on, to a certain extent, the knowledge that has been collected in the past from the previously catalogued records. In addition to these records, literature from a specific time period could be useful to study and analyze how opinions have been formulated throughout history, how scientific accomplishments were shared, and what influences impacted society. This study will first explore panoramically the historical context of medicine in Spain …

Shell Repair In Geukensia Demissa And Predation Preferences Of Callinectes Sapidus: Do Crabs Target Mussels With Weakened Shells?, Madeleine S. Gillis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Atlantic blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, are voracious predators that often leave damage on the shells of unconsumed ribbed marsh mussels, Geukensia demissa. The extent of shell damage and size-dependent tradeoffs in marsh mussel growth and repair, as well as the effects of shell damage on crab predation preferences, were determined in this thesis. A preliminary experiment investigated characteristics of damaged mussels in the field. Mussels (n = 30) were collected in the fall of 2011 within two ocean-dominated inlets along the South Carolina coast and were measured for size (length, width, height), area of damage, shell thickness, mass, and strength …

The Mothers: An Exploration Of Memory And Secondary Knowledge, Taylor Battle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I consider the experiences of past generations of women in my family and my relationship to them. This body of work began with Bessie, a portrait of my father's mother. I painted it after attending her funeral. I did not have a meaningful relationship with either of my grandmothers. This led me to consider my right to portray them. My need to admit my incomplete memory and avoid the objectification of my subjects caused me to question my perspective. I wanted to memorialize these women to avoid their erasure. Through the progressive abstraction of these women's figures, I chase an …

Hidden Narrative: A Family Of Objects, Alesha Hassard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My artwork aims to create an ephemeral world filled with metaphorical materials. I examine and use my own experiences and perspectives, presenting fluctuations between childhood and adulthood. The personal objects that represent these times frame an implied sentience. The objects, gathered and installed in specific groupings, connote familial relationships.

"The Cause Of Zion": Divisions Between Southern Baptists In Antebellum North Carolina, Kristian Steele

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the ways in which divisions within Baptist churches in antebellum western North Carolina were caused by the Second Great Awakening and the Market Revolution. More precisely, these schisms were reactions to theological changes made by the governing bodies of the Baptist denomination as well as the social reform endeavors propagated by the new emerging middle class. With state funding no longer going to certain churches, denominations now competed on equal footing for congregants. Baptists began to adapt their theology in order to reach a broader audience. But their accommodations in doctrine were challenged by members of their …

Estimating A Freight Mode Choice Model: A Case Study Of Commodity Flow Survey 2012, Nowreen Keya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research effort develops a national freight mode choice model employing data from the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). While several research efforts have developed mode choice model with multiple modes in the passenger travel context, the literature is sparse in the freight context. The primary reasons being unavailability and/or the high cost associated with the acquisition of mode choice and level of service (LOS) measures – such as travel time and travel cost. The first contribution of the research effort is to develop travel time and cost measures for various modes reported in the CFS. The study considers five …

Computational Methods For Comparative Non-Coding Rna Analysis: From Secondary Structures To Tertiary Structures, Ping Ge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unlike message RNAs (mRNAs) whose information is encoded in the primary sequences, the cellular roles of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) originate from the structures. Therefore studying the structural conservation in ncRNAs is important to yield an in-depth understanding of their functionalities. In the past years, many computational methods have been proposed to analyze the common structural patterns in ncRNAs using comparative methods. However, the RNA structural comparison is not a trivial task, and the existing approaches still have numerous issues in efficiency and accuracy. In this dissertation, we will introduce a suite of novel computational tools that extend the classic models …

Temporal And Spatial Influences On South Dakota Farm Economies Of Size, Henry Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Census of Agriculture data are evaluated to test for economies of size of South Dakota farms. Economies of size occur when per-unit costs decrease as the size of a firm increases. This research measures technical economies of size, which assume that all firms pay identical input prices and receive identical output prices. The dependent variable of the model is expenses per dollar of sales. This is a typical measure of efficiency in agricultural statistics. The data come from the four prior Census of Agriculture years, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. A state-wide model and a county-wide model were developed to …

Role Of T Lymphocyte Trafficking In Diabetic Cardiomyopathy, Chowdhury Sayef Abdullah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a distinct pathological condition characterized by myocardial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction in diabetic patients. The resolution of myocardial fibrosis to improve cardiac function in diabetes is an active area of research. Notably, increased T lymphocyte infiltration into myocardium has been attributed to increased cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in diabetes. However, the experimental data on the role of T lymphocyte modulation in diabetic myocardial fibrosis is scarce. To this end, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) regulates the egress of mature T lymphocytes from lymphoid organs to blood and peripheral organs. Thus, the inhibition of T cells trafficking through …

Proteomics Study Of Pre-Harvest Sprouting In Wheat, Pramod Khadka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a condition characterized by the early germination of spikes during moist environmental conditions. PHS lowers yield, degrades the quality of grain and thus limits the profits of wheat producers groups. During this investigation, proteomics studies of PHS-resistant and PHS-susceptible wheat embryos were conducted at different imbibition time periods via a cutting-edge technology called iTRAQ. Proteomic analysis revealed that 190 differentially expressed proteins might be involved in various cellular functions, such as carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, stress response, redox regulation, ATP synthesis, and protein translation, during this untimely germination of the wheat …

Novel Cellular Targets Of Aspirin In Chemoprevention Studies On P53, G6pd And C-Myc, Guoqiang Ai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background

Aspirin has generated a significant interest in recent years as a potential chemopreventive agent supported by strong evidence from epidemiological data; however, the mechanisms are not well understood. The objective of this dissertation is to identify novel cyclooxygenase (COX)-independent pathways by which aspirin exerts its anticancer effects in epithelial cancer cell lines. We investigated the effect of aspirin on p53, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and c-Myc, all of which are known to play a major role in cancer development. p53 is a tumor suppressor protein, often mutated in cancers causing its inactivation. Expression of G6PD is elevated in many …

Evaluation Of Bobcat (Lynx Rufus) Survival, Harvest, And Population Size In The West-Central Region Of South Dakota, Brandon M. Tycz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent concern regarding bobcat (Lynx rufus) population status has prompted researchers and managers to gather additional information about bobcats in South Dakota. From 2012–2015, we assessed population dynamics of bobcats occupying the west-central region of South Dakota. Our objectives were to: 1) estimate annual survival rates; 2) determine cause-specific mortality; 3) estimate a population size for the western prairie region of South Dakota; 4) estimate home range size of individually marked bobcats; 5) evaluate reproductive status; and 6) build a population model. We captured and radio-collared 51 (24 male, 27 female) bobcats with VHF collars. Annual survival was 65.1% (95% …

Effects Of Seed Applied Fungicide On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization Of South Dakota Cultivars Of Oat, Soybean, And Corn, Jesse Cameron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate symbionts that form a mutualistic relationship with approximately 80% of terrestrial plant species. These obligate symbionts have a generally beneficial effect on their host such as increased nutrient acquisition, better tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and the improvement of soil qualities. Due to the recent, widespread use of seed applied fungicides on row crops in the U.S. Midwest, there are concerns that the fungicides will inhibit these beneficial mycorrhizae. This study was conducted to evaluate what effect different commonly used seed applied fungicides have on AMF in the presence of different varieties of …

Financial Investment Management For Forest Sustainability, Zarina Ismailova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is paper is discussion about main problems of forest management, whether financial investment has a substantial impact on the long term perspective of forest landscape restoration and, more specifically, what strategy and what financial options are available to make the forest projects more sustainable. A few relevant questions to ask are: who are the main actors in the implementation of FLR projects; which steps have to be taken; and, which financial options would more suitable and would be feasible to implement. There are three main parts of this research to be investigated:

1. forest issues along with their respective solutions, …

Long-Term Impacts Of Annual Cattle Manure And Fertilizer On Soil Quality Under Corn-Soybean Rotation In Eastern South Dakota, Ekrem Ozlu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dairy and beef manure have been used to enhance soil quality; however, their impacts under long-term application in corn-soybean rotation need to be evaluated. Nutrient based recommended rates of manure applications on soils are important and also need to be monitored. This study, therefore, was conducted at two long-term sites to assess the impacts of manure and inorganic fertilizer application rates on some of the soil quality indicators and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in a corn (Zea mays L.) - soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation system located at Beresford and Brookings in Eastern South Dakota. Study treatments included: …

Evaluation Of Bison (Bison Bison) Ecology At The Olson’S Bison Conservation Ranches, Pine River Ranch, Manitoba, Canada, Joshua L. Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bison (Bison bison), the largest mammalian species in North America, historically numbering in the tens of millions (Roe 1970, McHugh 1972, Dary 1989, Shaw 1995), was nearly extirpated at the turn of the 19th century (Knapp et al. 1999; Gates et al. 2010). At the time, estimates of less than 1,000 bison remaining in North America are widely accepted (Hornaday 1889; Seton 1927; Gates et al. 2010). The decline of bison includes factors such as disease (Flores 1991; Isenberg 2000), sport hunting (Danz 1997; Dary 1989; Hewitt 1919; Isenberg 2000; McHugh 1972), and unofficially funded commercial hunting by the U.S. …

Synthetic Biology For Autotrophic And Heterotrophic Production Of Ethanol, Nathanael Braselton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growing energy demand and rising levels of greenhouse gases has put massive strain on the global environment. Alternatives to fossil fuels are being developed in an attempt to curb climate change. Biotechnology has made large strides in order to create a completely renewable energy source by genetically modifying microbes to produce biofuels and other “green” high value compounds. In this thesis project, (1) E. coli ATCC9637 (E. coli W) was genetically modified to produce bioethanol from beet juice which contains mainly sucrose. The ethanol productivity by engineered E. coli W was 18.8 mg/L/H/OD₆₀₀.
(2) Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120 …

A Poetic Response To Cancer: Scars, Mortality, And The Doctor-Patient Relationship, Jodi Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I enter the medical poetry conversation, specifically focusing on scars, mortality and the doctor-patient relationship. I argue that the body standards society sets for women complicate how women wear scars; people read scars as imperfections on the female form. Because scars are visible markers on the body, they speak for themselves; I, therefore, encourage poets to write their own truth on their scars, to (re)write their meaning. In the mortality chapter, I argue that the isolation of death and burial and the dominant belief in the finality of death increases modern fear of death. This makes patients …

Effect Of Oil And Natural Gas Development On Survival And Health Of White-Tailed Deer In The Western Dakotas, Katherine L. Moratz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oil and gas development in North Dakota has resulted in the need for information regarding how increased activity has affected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations. We evaluated white-tailed deer ecology in response to energy development and hypothesized that oil and gas development would negatively affect adult and neonate white-tailed deer due to increased vehicle traffic and human-related effects. We captured and radio-collared adult female and neonate white-tailed deer across three study areas: Dunn County, North Dakota, an area influenced by energy development, and Grant County, North Dakota, and Perkins County, South Dakota, areas not impacted by energy development at this …

Demonstrating Short-Term Impacts Of Grazing Cover Crops On Soil Health In South Dakota, Colin Tobin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grasslands have been rapidly converted to croplands over the last decade in the northern Great Plains. This conversion can reduce soil health and increase the region’s ability to pollute the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Therefore, the need for integrated crop livestock (ICL) practices that can protect the region’s native prairies are strongly encouraged. Introducing livestock into arable cropping systems can improve nutrient cycling, soil health, and provide economic benefits. However, the detailed information about the impacts of ICL system on soil health is still lacking in the Northern Great Plains region. Therefore, the present study was conducted under a corn …

Role Of Microglial Α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator In Neuroinflammatory Pain Models In Mice, Muzaffar Abbas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neuroinflammatory pain affects about 1.5% of the United States population. Around 20-40% patients having neurological disorders are affected with neuroinflammatory pain. As a part of the limbic system, hippocampus is known to play a critical role in pain perception and processing, and is densely populated with microglial cells and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Given the role of microglial α7 nAChRs in neuroinflammation, the α7 nAChRs have emerged as potential target for neuroinflammatory pain treatment. We hypothesized that microglial α7 nAChRs positive allosteric modulation in the hippocampus will decrease neuroinflammatory pain at behavioral, cellular, biochemical, and molecular level. The primary …

Development And Characterization Of A Recombinant Orf Virus Vector Expressing The Spike Protein Of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Kyle Hain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Orf virus (ORFV), the type member of the genus Parapoxvirus of the family Poxviridae, causes orf or cutaneous pustular dermatitis in sheep and goats. ORFV is a ubiquitous virus capable of re-infecting its hosts multiple times over time. ORFV causes a non-systemic, self-limiting disease which is usually restricted to the skin surrounding the virus entry sites. ORFV has evolved several immunomodulatory proteins (IMPs) that evade and/or modulate host immune responses to infection and contribute to virus virulence and disease pathogenesis. Given biological properties and unique immunomodula tor y properties, ORFV has gained significant attention in recent years for its …

The Effect Of Copper And Zinc Source On Pre-Weaning Performance Of Cows, Health And Performance Of Suckling Calves, And Post-Weaning Feedlot Performance, Carcass Composition, And Meat Quality Of Calves, Jesse Fulton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During gestation an elevated level of nutrient intake is required by the cow in order to meet the requirements of the maturing fetus and if these requirements are not met, changes in fetal development can occur. However, little is understood about the effects of gestational manipulation of specific nutrients, such as minerals, on progeny growth, performance and carcass traits. Previous research supports the hypothesis that minerals provided in an organic form should be more soluble and readily available to the body for absorption. Therefore the objectives of this study were to determine if source of gestational and post-natal Cu and …

Land Cover Land Use Change And Soil Organic Carbon Under Climate Variability In The Semi-Arid West African Sahel (1960-2050), Amadou M. Dieye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change affects land surface processes recognized to influence climate change at local, national and global levels. Soil organic carbon is a key component for the functioning of agro-ecosystems and has a direct effect on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The capacity to model and project LCLU change is of considerable interest for mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. A combination of remote sensing analyses, qualitative social survey techniques, and biogeochemical modeling was used to study the relationships between climate change, LCLU change and soil organic carbon in the …