Digital Commons Network^™

Varying Culture Conditions To Enhance Tissue Formation, Katherine Atkins

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

For severe muscle damage, tissue engineering has become a viable option to culture muscle tissues with the ultimate goal of implantation. However, the tissues are typically cultured on permanent scaffolds which would elicit a foreign body response if placed in the body. To avoid this, biological scaffolds are ideal for tissue culture and limiting any negative reactions. A sacrificial scaffold can be used to gather extracellular matrix (ECM), which can then be used as the primary scaffold for culturing tissues for implantation. To reach the ultimate goal of implanting muscle tissue, an understanding of how to produce ECM on a …

Evaluating The Effects Of Fungicides And Other Pesticides On Non-Target Gut Fungi And Their Aquatic Insect Hosts, Emma R. Wilson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Pesticides are widespread and have been long used to combat the attack and destruction of crops. Fungicides have been used to prevent the establishment of many fungal pathogens, yet little is known about the impacts of fungicides on non-target fungi. With these considerations, it was predicted that trichomycetes, or gut fungi, a group of symbiotic fungi associated with aquatic macroinvertebrates and other arthropods, might be a candidate system to study because of the intimate association with their hosts. Field and laboratory studies were initiated to assess non-target impacts of fungicides on gut fungi. Field surveys were conducted on four streams …

Metal Oxide Nanocomposite Nanoliter Reaction Chamber Fabrication And Applications For Harsh Environment Gas Sensing, Michael C. Briggs

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

In order to perform research at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, funding for the desired research is required. Undergraduates get around that by working under a graduate student or professor who is currently funded. For those who seek funding, they receive it by submitting a grant proposal stating the motivation for research, the background, and previous research done to support this new endeavor, as well as future research plans that will be possible with funding. These grant proposals follow certain formats depending on where the principal investigator is seeking funding. As part of the honors requirement for the …

Advancements Towards Single Site Information Storage And Processing Using Hfo2 Resistive Random Access Memory (Reram), Michael Quinlan Hovish

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) has attracted much attention among researchers due to its fast switching speeds, lower switching voltages, and feasible integration into industry compatible CMOS processing. These characteristics make ReRAM a viable candidate for next-generation Non- Volatile Memory. Transition-Metal-Oxides have been proven to be excellent materials for ReRAM applications. This work investigates the effect of various, post-deposition anneals (PDA) on the switching parameters of Ni/Cu/HfO2/TiN Resistive Memory Devices (RMD). Results are presented in the form of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant proposal. The use of the SBIR format emphasizes understanding of the experimental design, commercial viability, …

Neoadjuvant Therapy For Ovarian Cancer Using Bioglycogentm Nanoparticles Sbir Grant Proposal, Alexander E. Talamo

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

Project Summary Technical Abstract This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project, presented by Talamo Inc., is to test an ovarian cancer therapeutic delivery system, comprised of a nanoscale biocompatible vesicle that carries a bioactive small interfering RNA molecule (siRNA), in vivio in mice. The siRNA has shown to reduce the expression of an enzyme (Sod2) that is highly expressed in multiple ovarian cancer types. The reduced expression of Sod2 will allow the tumor to become increasingly susceptible to chemotherapy agents, while simultaneously diminishing tumor progression. Research has proved that the nanoscale vesicle is non-toxic and in combination with siRNA …

Transforming Schools Through Positive Youth Development, Briana Young

Political Science

Many of our schools in the United States are struggling to produce high school graduates due to many challenges such as poverty, lack of community support, drug and crime stricken areas, disengagement of youth, and the list goes on. Educational reform is necessary and crucial at this time in order to lessen the achievement gap. Although some policies, such as No Child Left Behind, have made some headway into reform, greater change is needed. I propose that educational policy needs to implement a positive youth development approach. Research has shown that PYD practices have the power to transform some of …

The Meaning Of Science In The Copyright Clause, Ned Snow

BYU Law Review

The Constitution premises Congress's copyright power on promoting "the Progress of Science." The word Science therefore seems to define the scope of copyrightable subject matter. Modern courts and commentators have subscribed to an originalist view of Science, teaching that Science meant general knowledge at the time of the Framing. Under this interpretation, all subject matter may be copyrighted because expression about any subject increases society's store of general knowledge. Science, however, did not originally mean general knowledge. In this Article, I examine evidence surrounding the Copyright Clause and conclude that at the Framing of the Constitution, Science meant a system …

The Affect Of Low Tide On The Digestion Of Balanus Glandula, The Acorn Barnacle., Jesse Osborn

Scripps Senior Theses

The rocky intertidal zone, experiencing fully marine and fully terrestrial conditions, has become increasingly investigated as a model ecosystem for studying the future implications of climate change. The barnacle, Balanus glandula, a common rocky intertidal inhabitant, plays an important role as a key prey item for many organisms. Low tide can be particularly challenging for barnacles as they are marine organisms subjected to the abiotic conditions of a terrestrial environment. The most stressful of these are increased temperature and decreased oxygen availability. This study aimed to investigate how low tide impacts the energy budget, specifically the digestion, of B. …

The Democratic Landscape: Envisioning Democracy Through Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic, Stacey L. Matrazzo

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

Since its founding, nature and nature-ownership have been central to American democracy, with property ownership remaining a fundamental part of its citizens' idea of liberty and freedom. Although initially constrained by common law principles, private property rights have varied over the centuries and have largely ignored the land's natural features. Landownership today tends to equate more with individual power than public responsibility. As a result of individualistic actions that have degraded the landscape and neglected the interdependence of humans with the greater biotic community, the divide between humans and nature has grown. In his groundbreaking essay, "The Land Ethic," Aldo …

Que Ondee Sola - May 2013, Alyssa Villegas

Que Ondee Sola

Student publication founded in 1972, articles include: Connecting Campus to Campus, Growing Our Own, From Humboldt Park to the University, Reflecting on the Pipeline, Pipeline Culminating Event, Where Are They Going?, Better Your Life by Leaving the Bottle, Batey Urbano: A Call to Action Against Underage Drinking, Combatnig Underage Drinking: Uplifting Our Community, When the Great Unkown Comes Calling: Remembering Al 'Tito' Cordero

Migrating Mule Deer: Effects Of Anthropogenically Altered Landscapes, Patrick E. Lendrum, Charles R. Anderson Jr., Kevin L. Monteith, Jonathan A. Jenks, R. Terry Bowyer

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Background: Migration is an adaptive strategy that enables animals to enhance resource availability and reduce risk of predation at a broad geographic scale. Ungulate migrations generally occur along traditional routes, many of which have been disrupted by anthropogenic disturbances. Spring migration in ungulates is of particular importance for conservation planning, because it is closely coupled with timing of parturition. The degree to which oil and gas development affects migratory patterns, and whether ungulate migration is sufficiently plastic to compensate for such changes, warrants additional study to better understand this critical conservation issue.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We studied timing and synchrony of …

Anaerobic Codigestion Of Dairy Manure And Food Manufacturing Waste For Renewable Energy Generation In New York State, Matthew Rankin

Theses

Anaerobic digestion is a microbiological process that converts biodegradable organic material into biogas, consisting primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. Anaerobic digestion technologies have been integrated into wastewater treatment facilities nationwide for many decades to increase the economic viability of the treatment process by converting a waste stream into two valuable products: biogas and fertilizer. Thus, anaerobic digestion offers potential economic and environmental benefits of organic waste diversion and renewable energy generation. The use of biogas has many applications, including cogeneration, direct combustion, upgrading for conversion to feed a fuel cell, and compression for injection into the natural gas grid …

Extortion And Evolution In The Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma, Michael J. Earnest

HMC Senior Theses

The Prisoner's Dilemma is a two player game where playing rationally leads to a suboptimal outcome for both players. The game is simple to analyze, but when it is played repeatedly, complex dynamics emerge. Recent research has shown the existence of extortionate strategies, which allow one player to win at least as much as the other. When one player plays such a strategy, the other must either decide to take a low payoff, or accede to the extortion, where they earn higher payoff, but their opponent receives a larger share. We investigate what happens when one player uses this strategy …

Effective Practices In Science Instruction In An All Girls School, Holly Hoyt Posner

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Girls can be successful in science education depending on their learning environment. This paper studies factors such as curriculum and instructional strategies that facilitate student success in learning science. The problem is that as girls get older, they shy away from science instruction. They allow boys to monopolize the science activities, and they appear to lose interest in science. Their grades slip, and they tend not to pursue science in higher education or in their career. The purpose of this research is to explore factors that can lead to girls’ success in learning science. Teachers were interviewed at a school …

Inside Earth, Volume 16, No. 1, Spring 2013, Andrea Croskrey, Cave And Karst Program (U.S.)

Inside Earth

Contents: Progress and Projects -- White Nose Syndrome Overview, A National Perspective -- White Nose Syndrome and the National Park Service -- Park Updates

Mending The Mind With Dharma, Jason Brown

Honors Theses

Anxiety, depression, and tragedy are all unavoidable aspects of existence that we find ourselves grappling with at some point in our lives. In those darker moments we often look beyond ourselves for a means to cope with our struggles in the hopes of transcending into enhanced states of being. The world¿s religions have provided various answers to problems of mental and physical affliction. Across cultures and throughout history, numerous techniques for ¿mending the mind¿ have emerged, conditioned by a number of factors, including the normative values of a society as well as the scientific advances and technologies available for therapeutic …

Ipulse: May 2013, Lynn University

Student Newspapers

Issues:

• May 1, 2013
• May 7, 2013
• May 21, 2013
• May 29, 2013

The U.S. Department Of Agriculture As A Public Health Agency? A "Health In All Policies" Case Study, Lindsay F. Wiley

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The "war on obesity" is now well into its second decade. What began as an effort to encourage medical doctors to screen and treat patients whose weight put them at risk for health problems has transformed into a much broader public health campaign to address the root causes of obesity. A growing number of state, territorial and local health departments are currently exploring new ways to promote healthy eating and physical activity. At the federal level, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made "nutrition, physical activity and obesity" a top priority.

How African-American Ex-Offenders Successfully Negotiate Their Socially Disorganized Environments Into Which They Are Returned After Incarceration: As Reflected In Their Own Words, Tisha M. Smith

Education Doctoral

Prison reentry has been defined as all of the preparations undertaken to ensure a proper return to one’s community after serving time in prison. There are number of autobiographies, as well as considerable academic research, on the experience of incarceration and the resulting barriers to prison reentry, but little research that has explored the process of release, the long-term effects of having been imprisoned, and the ability to achieve and maintain post- release success. Much of the criminological and psychological analyses examine programs or processes to determine if they are correlated to successful prison reentry without considering what the ex-offenders, …

Structural And Functional Characterization Of The Ldp3 (Vhz) Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Vyacheslav I. Kuznetsov

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Protein phosphorylation is as an important regulatory mechanism that controls a large number of physiologically important cellular processes. Proteins are phosphorylated on aliphatic (serine and threonine) as well aromatic (histidine and tyrosine) residues predominantly located on sterically accessible loops. Phosphorylation affects three- dimensional structures of proteins resulting in conformational changes which activate or deactivate enzymatic functions. Because of the ability of protein phosphorylation to modulate a multitude of diverse cellular processes, it became an appealing and promising target for drug therapy.

Attachment of phosphate is accomplished by kinases, whereas the removal of the phosphoryl group is performed by protein phosphatases. …

The Phosphoramidase Competency Of Prototypical Phosphatase Catalytic Motifs, Mark P. Haney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Phosphorylation of proteins is ubiquitous. Phosphorylation can activate proteins, deactivate proteins, assist in signaling, or serve other roles depending upon the biochemical pathway. Attaching phosphate to proteins is accomplished by enzymes called kinases; removing phosphate from proteins is accomplished by enzymes called phosphatases. Cells must regulate their biochemical pathways, and the antipodal roles of kinases and phosphatases represent the yin-yang of phosphorylation.

Phosphorylation of proteins is known to occur on serine, threonine, and tyrosine. This creates a phosphoester bond. Phosphoester bonds have a phosphorus-oxygen (P-O) bond. The ability of phosphatases to cleave such phosphoester bonds is well studied. Phosphorylation of …

How Do Prey Refuges Affect Predator-Prey Interactions?, Justin Vendettuoli

Senior Honors Projects

While it is well known that predators eat their prey, prey that avoid predation risk can also incur substantial fitness costs through risk-induced changes in survival and reproduction, growth, and morphology. Changes in prey that occur without the predator physically consuming the prey are referred to as ‘non-consumptive effects’. One way to reduce the risk of predation is to use a refuge. While refuge use may reduce predation risk, however, it may also be costly to the prey. These costs may include within-refuge competition for resources, which can alter prey population dynamics, coexistence, and metapopulation dynamics. While these costs may …

Shape Changes In Hyoid Arch Elements In Four Shark Species, Isabel S. Nowinowski

Senior Honors Projects

The hyoid arch is critical in expanding the oral cavity during feeding and ventilation in fishes. The elements of the hyoid arch vary widely in morphology among fish taxa. The hyoid arch is medial to the jaws and is made up of paired hyomandibular cartilages (HY) dorsally, paired ceratohyal cartilages (CH) ventral to the HY, and a single, medial basihyal cartilage (BH) that interconnects the two sides. As the jaws open, the CH-BH complex is depressed expanding the floor of the oral cavity. The coracohyoideus muscle pulls the BH ventroposteriorly, which in turn swings the CH ventroposteriorly. As the coracohyoideus …

"Happy Teeth, Happy Me" - Teaching Oral Health In Campur, Guatemala, Staci Smith

Senior Honors Projects

As a part of the Frontlines Mission’s team, I joined their mission to teach, build, and restore the poor and indigenous areas of Guatemala. With the goal of combining my passion and pursuit of a dental career with public health, I joined the medical team and assisted in treatment of over 1000 Q’eqchi’ locals for a variety of conditions such as scabies, stomach ailments, asthma, arthritis, and parasites. I assisted professionals in the oral surgery procedures including multiple extractions and cleft palate cases. Perhaps most importantly for the future oral health of the Q’eqchi’ people, I was able to introduce …

Analysis Of The Chondroitinase Operon Of Flavobacterium Columnare, Erin L. Sorlien

Senior Honors Projects

Analysis of the chondroitinase operon of Flavobacterium columnare

Erin Sorlien

Major

Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry

Advisor

Dr. David R. Nelson

Date

May 2, 2013

Keywords

Flavobacterium columnare, columnaris disease, chondroitin AC lyase, complementation, csl operon

Abstract
Flavobacterium columnare, an opportunistic bacterial pathogen of fish, is the causative agent of columnaris disease (CD). The bacterium is a Gram-negative rod that exhibits gliding motility and avidly forms biofilms. CD affects both wild and cultured freshwater fish, and continues to cause large economic losses to the fish farming industry. According to an investigation conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System, CD …

Exploring The Role Of Cesa5 In The Synthesis Of Cellulose Using Physcomitrella Patens, Oumie Ceesay

Senior Honors Projects

Cellulose is very essential to plants because it determines the shape of cells, protects them from pathogens, and helps retain water that is needed for plant functions. It is also the major component of wood, cotton, and paper, which are items we use on a daily basis. Also, it can be used for the synthesis of biofuels. However, cellulose exists as strong fibers, which make it hard to breakdown for biofuel synthesis. If we can understand how cellulose is synthesized we can manipulate its fibers to make them stronger, more flexible, more absorbent, or easier to break down for use …

The Effects Of Refuge On Escape Responses Of Two Caribbean Goby Species, Russell P. Dauksis

Senior Honors Projects

The Effects of Refuge Abundance on Escape Responses of the Bridled Goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum)

Russell P. Dauksis

Major

Marine Biology

Advisor

Dr. Graham Forrester

Advisor Department

Natural Resources Science

Date

5-2012

Keywords

Escapology, marine ecology, functional morphology, animal behavior, predator-prey interactions, Bridled Goby, Coryphopterus glaucofraenum

Abstract

Interactions between predators and prey species are arguably the most pervasive and important events in ecology. Predators have strong effects on the distribution and abundance of prey in virtually all environments. In the long-term, it is therefore hardly surprising that selective mortality imposed by predators has shaped a wide array of prey behaviors …

The Utility Of Planning And Other Spatial Concepts In The Marine Spatial Management Of Marine Protected Areas (Mpas), Marine Reserves, Marine Zoning, Marine Sanctuaries And Parks, Marine Spatial Planning (Msp), Large Marine Ecosystems (Lmes) And Seascape / Marine Design., Samuel Martin, Brandyn Lucca, Dr. William R. Gordon Jr.

Senior Honors Projects

In the last fifty years, man has demonstrated an increased interest in gaining access to and apportioning the near and offshore marine environment. Governments, coastal and marine managers, economic-based users, stakeholders, and academics have gained an interest and involvement in the demarcation of marine boundaries. Many land-based spatial applications, utilized from disciplines such as planning, geography, landscape architecture and regional science have been applied to the spatial acquisition and management of ocean resources. In the last four decades new marine applications have emerged, they include: 1) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), 2) Marine Reserves, 3) Marine Zoning, 4) Marine Sanctuaries, and …

Fumihiko Maki And His Theory Of Collective Form: A Study On Its Practical And Pedagogical Implications, Xi Qiu

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

This thesis seeks to reexamine Fumihiko Maki’s Investigations in Collective Form: 1964) from a historical and educational point of view, speculating the practical and pedagogical implications of Maki’s collective form theory. Firstly, to better understand the formation of both the writer himself and the book, the historical context in the 1950s and 1960s will be unfolded to reveal what Maki had encountered during his formative years that had contributed to his cross-cultural background and had inspired his thoughts in the book. Secondly, the three paradigms and the notion of linkage, as proposed in the book, will be analyzed through comparisons …

Identification Of Genetic Determinants Of Metastasis And Clonal Relationships Between Primary And Metastatic Tumors, Gaurav Singhal

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

No abstract provided.