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Mechanisms Of Vegetation-Induced Channel Narrowing On An Unregulated Canyon-Bound River, Rebecca Blanche Manners

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The accurate prediction of river channel width remains a fundamental area of investigation in the field of geomorphology. River managers and scientists are interested in understanding how a channel will respond to environmental perturbations such as altered runoff patterns from climate change, a new dam, or a pulse of sediment from a landslide. Increasingly, studies that focus on this question acknowledge the importance of accounting for the vegetation that lines the river banks. For this dissertation, I strove to identify some of the primary ways by which vegetation affects channel width.

At a fundamental level, vegetation influences the size of …

Characteristics Of 4-H Participants And Their Psychosocial Development, Lauralee Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volunteerism is an important component in the 4-H program. It was initially used as a method to help agents reach the many youth interested in participating in 4-H. Community service has since become a required component for every club project. Research shows that volunteering can impact youth in many different ways. Other research shows that 4-H youth are more likely to contribute or do some type of community service.

The present study uses the Modified Extended Version of the Object Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS), the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation (CASE) inventory, and an instrument specifically designed to study …

Common Raven Density And Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting Success In Southern Wyoming: Potential Conservation And Management Implications, Jonathan B. Dinkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Declines in the distribution and abundance of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter "sage-grouse") in western North America over the past century have been severe. The goal of my research was to increase the understanding of factors influencing where sage-grouse hens placed their nests, how common ravens (Corvus corax: hereafter "raven") impacted sage-grouse nest success, and whether high raptor densities negatively impacted hen survival of sage-grouse. I compared raven and raptor densities at sage-grouse nest and brood locations to available habitat. I also assessed how sage-grouse positioned their nests and broods relative to proximity to man-made structures, …

Utilizing Municipal And Industrial Wastes For The Production Of Bioproducts: From Metagenomics To Bioproducts, Joshua T. Ellis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Developing renewable sources of energy is gaining interest due to limited supplies, rising costs, and environmental impacts of exploiting fossil fuels. Biosolvents such as acetone, butanol, and ethanol are attractive sources of fuel which can aid in replacing our dependence on foreign oil. Butanol is of particular interest due to its ability to directly replace gasoline, thus considered a drop-in-fuel. Biological hydrogen and methane gas are also attractive energy sources that can lower dependence on fossil energy.

This research focused on incorporating DNA sequencing technologies in parallel with fermentation methods for understanding and producing energy. The natural environment provides diverse …

Climate Change And Plant Demography In The Sagebrush Steppe, Aldo Compagnoni

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We used demographic methods to address one of the main challenges facing ecological science: forecasting the effect of climate change on plant communities. Ecological forecasts will be crucial to inform long-term planning in wildland management and demographic methods are ideal to quantify changes in plant abundance. We carried out our research in the sagebrush steppe, one of the most extensive plant ecosystems of Western North America. Our research intended to inform ecological forecasts on an exotic invader, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Moreover, we investigated the general question asking: to what degree competition among plants influences the outcome of ecological …

Presence And Function Of Tetrodotoxin In Terrestrial Vertebrates And Invertebrates, Amber N. Stokes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin found in a variety of species. This toxin has long been of concern to human health as it is found in puffer fish, which are a delicacy in Japan. Since the distribution of this toxin is so great, there are many questions regarding the evolution and ecology of organisms that have TTX. My research has focused on further investigating three topics with this research: production, predation, and identification of novel TTX bearing taxa. In order to perform this research I first refined a Competitive Inhibition Enzymatic Immunoassay methodology to quantify levels of TTX in …

Modeling Habitat Use Of A Fringe Greater Sage-Grouse Population At Multiple Spatial Scales, Anya Cheyenne Burnett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a prominent bird species of sagebrush-dominated landscapes across the western United States. Over the past 15 years, sage-grouse have gained international attention due to decreasing population trends despite management efforts. In 2010 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated this species as warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but the listing was precluded by other species at higher conservation risk. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation have been implicated as primary sources of declines in sage-grouse distribution and abundance. The Bald Hills population in southwestern Utah occupies an area with …

Corporations: Manufacturing Psychopaths?, Dallen Stanley Hansen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The impact & harms of white-collar offenses (corporate crime) on society are severe, & cost society many times what violent offenses do. I argue the occurrence of corporate crime is a function of corporate culture and environment (Organizational Strain). According to some analyses, there is an increased prevalence of psychopathic personalities in corporate management positions. To study this, I analyzed data collected from 203 managers & executives at seven corporations with employees numbering 150 to 40,000 - using the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). I then conducted content analysis on independent biographies of four prominent, criminal CEO's to track the …

A Review Of Apomixis And Differential Expression Analyses Using Microarrays, Jonathan Harris Cardwell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Apomixis is a complex trait of great interest to the agricultural community, as it has the potential to fix hybrid vigor in many agriculturally significant crops. Although apomixis has been studied extensively morphologically, the genetic and epigenetic factors responsible for apomixis are still very poorly understood. As no apomictic species has been sequenced and annotated, various low-cost tools and techniques are being utilized to begin profiling the trait. These include cross-species microarrays using probe masking, which deletes information from array probes that do not hybridize to the genomic DNA of the cross species. Despite their limitations, these tools are providing …

In Vivo Imaging Of Human Retinal Microvasculature Using Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscope Fluorescein Angiography, Alexander Pinhas, Michael Dubow, Nishit Shah, Toco Y.P. Chui, Drew Scoles, Yusufu N. Sulai, Rishard Weitz, Joseph B. Walsh, Joseph Carroll, Alfredo Dubra, Richard B. Rosen

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) allows visualization of microscopic structures of the human retina in vivo. In this work, we demonstrate its application in combination with oral and intravenous (IV) fluorescein angiography (FA) to the in vivo visualization of the human retinal microvasculature. Ten healthy subjects ages 20 to 38 years were imaged using oral (7 and/or 20 mg/kg) and/or IV (500 mg) fluorescein. In agreement with current literature, there were no adverse effects among the patients receiving oral fluorescein while one patient receiving IV fluorescein experienced some nausea and heaving. We determined that all retinal capillary …

Vertical Eddy Diffusion As A Key Mechanism For Removing Perfluorooctanic Acid (Pfoa) From The Global Surface Oceans, Rainer Lohmann, Elena Jurado, Henk A. Dijkstra, Jordi Dachs

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Here we estimate the importance of vertical eddy diffusion in removing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from the surface Ocean and assess its importance as a global sink. Measured water column profiles of PFOA were reproduced by assuming that vertical eddy diffusion in a 3-layer ocean model is the sole cause for the transport of PFOA to depth waters. The global oceanic sink due to eddy diffusion for PFOA is high, with accumulated removal fluxes over the last 40 years of 664 t, with the Atlantic Ocean accounting for 70% of the global oceanic sink. The global oceans have removed 13% of …

Effect Of Substrate Composition On Microbial Diversity And Efficiency Of In Situ Pilot-Scale Passive Sulfate-Reducing Bioreactors Treating Acid Mine Drainage, Charles Wayne Pugh

Theses

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental problem of a global scale. Passive remediation strategies utilizing the metabolism of sulfate-reducing bacteria have emerged as promising options for the mitigation of impacted AMD sites. In order to test the effect of varying complex and simple carbon sources on AMD remediation efficiency, pilot-scale bioreactors were constructed and exposed to AMD in situ over a ten-month period. Geochemical analyses suggested that the efficiency of AMD remediation depended more on the seasonal weather patterns of Southern Illinois, USA than the substrate composition of each bioreactor. Enrichment cultures targeting sulfate-reducing organisms yielded several isolates most …

Impact, Fall 2013, San Jose State University, Connie L. Lurie College Of Education

Impact (College of Education)

No abstract provided.

Human-Relevant Levels Of Added Sugar Consumption Increase Female Mortality And Lower Male Fitness In Mice, James Ruff, Amanda Suchy, Sara Hugentobler, Mirtha Sosa, Bradley Schwartz, Linda Morrison, Sin Gieng, Mark Shigenaga, Wayne Potts

Faculty Publications

Consumption of added sugar has increased over recent decades and is correlated with numerous diseases. Rodent models have elucidated mechanisms of toxicity, but only at concentrations beyond typical human exposure. Here we show that comparatively low levels of added sugar consumption have substantial negative effects on mouse survival, competitive ability, and reproduction. Using Organismal Performance Assays—in which mice fed human-relevant concentrations of added sugar (25% kcal from a mixture of fructose and glucose, modeling high fructose corn syrup) and control mice compete in seminatural enclosures for territories, resources and mates—we demonstrate that fructose/glucose-fed females experience a twofold increase in mortality …

Legal Services Assessment For Trafficked Children- Cook County, Illinois Case Study, Katherine Kaufka Walts Jd, Linda Rio Reichmann Jd, Catherine Lee Ma

Center for the Human Rights of Children

Child trafficking is one of the most disturbing human rights abuses of our time, involving cases of boys and girls exploited for labor and/or commercial sexual services. These children may suffer physical, sexual, and emotional violence at the hands of traffickers, who can be pimps, employers, and even family members. Trafficking schemes may involve various forms of force, fraud, and coercion, which can be physical and/or psychological in nature. Current research indicates that legal services are a critical component of a comprehensive service delivery model for victims of human trafficking and a realization of human rights. However, little to no …

Economic And Environmental Impacts Of Harmful Non-Indigenous Species In Southeast Asia, Le Nghiem, Tarek Soliman, Darren Yeo, Hugh Tan, Theodore A. Evans, John D. Mumford, Reuben P. Keller

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Harmful non-indigenous species (NIS) impose great economic and environmental impacts globally, but little is known about their impacts in Southeast Asia. Lack of knowledge of the magnitude of the problem hinders the allocation of appropriate resources for NIS prevention and management. We used benefit-cost analysis embedded in a Monte-Carlo simulation model and analysed economic and environmental impacts of NIS in the region to estimate the total burden of NIS in Southeast Asia. The total annual loss caused by NIS to agriculture, human health and the environment in Southeast Asia is estimated to be US$33.5 billion (5th and 95th percentile US$25.8–39.8 …

Polysaccharide-Based Nanocarriers For Improved Drug Delivery, Nan Zhang

Dissertations - ALL

The field of drug delivery has provided a solution to the limited efficacy and high toxicity of many drugs. Nano-sized drug carriers are popular because their size allows for selective accumulation in the diseased area. Polysaccharides are non-toxic and biodegradable natural polymers that can serve as the basis for these nano-sized carriers. Polysialic acid (PSA) is such a polysaccharide with strong hydrophilicity that may reduce uptake by the reticuloendothelial system and prolong drug circulation. In this study, we developed PSA-based nanocarriers, specifically micelles and nanoparticles, for improved drug delivery with improved efficacy and minimized toxicity. PSA-based micelle systems were developed …

The Role Of Body Surveillance, Body Shame, And Body Self-Consciousness During Sexual Activities In Women's Sexual Experience, Kimberly Claudat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objectification theory is a social constructivist framework that aims to explain how sociocultural and intrapersonal variables impact women's mental health. To date, however, few studies have used an objectification framework to examine the relationship between body image and sexual functioning in ethnically diverse samples of women. Consequently, the present study used the tenets of objectification theory to examine body image and sexuality in women. Specifically, this study investigated the relationships between body surveillance, body shame, body self-consciousness during sexual activities, and sexual satisfaction in American female college students. Participants completed self-report measures of demographic information, body shame, body surveillance, body …

Examining The Inner Experience Of Three Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder And Three Individuals With Bipolar Disorder, Janell Marie Mihelic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) provide a description of expected experiences of individuals diagnosed with those disorders (e.g., sadness, expansive mood, difficulty concentrating). However, much remains unknown about the inner experience of individuals with these disorders which may prove crucial in understanding and treating these disorders. The present study examined the inner experience of three individuals with MDD and three individuals with BD using the Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) method (Hurlburt 1990, 1993, 2011). Results were not suggestive of any clear, consistent patterns of inner experience either within the MDD or BD groups …

Usf Women's Club Yearbook, 2013–2014, Usf Women's Club

USF Women’s Club Collection

Yearbook of the USF Women's Club. Inside is a list of past presidents, officers, committee chairmen, and members for 2013–2014. The booklet also includes a tribute to Grace Allen, interest groups, calendar of events, and a copy of the constitution and by-laws from the handbook.

Pan Nanofibers And Nanofiber Reinforced Composites, Cheng Ren

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nanomaterials play an important role in the development of nanotechnology. They possess unique mechanical, physical, and chemical properties coupled with small size and ultrahigh surface area that can provide critical advantages for applications. Continuous nanofibers attract special interest due to their dual nano-macro nature and ability to bridge scales. Nanofibers are being considered for a broad range of applications spanning advanced filters, separation membranes, ultrasensitive sensors, micro/nano actuators, nanoprobes, tissue engineering scaffolds, protective and smart closing, and multifunctional composites. Most of these applications require certain mechanical properties and robustness. However, the literature on the mechanical behavior of nanofibers and their …

Sustainable Business Models: The Contribution Of Network Organization And Governance Modes, Sudhi Seshadri, Michael Ehret

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We provide a framework for the design of sustainable business models. While extant literature on business models focuses on unlocking positive externalities, we propose a business model framework that effectively addresses negative externalities. A taxonomy-based on transorganizational models and governance modes - classifies instruments that counsel behaviour patterns. Sustainability strategies that deal with externalities often merge instruments to manage multi-stakeholder responsibilities and exchanges. The framework draws upon three established research themes - network organizational models, governance modes, and instrumental stakeholder theory - to distinguish between six instrument classes. To illustrate its potential for analysis the paper compiles instruments within these …

Development Of Rapid Detection Methods And Novel Control Measures For Salmonella In Poultry, Si Hong Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three research parts: 1) development of rapid detection methods for foodborne pathogens; 2) immune response of chicken cells against Salmonella and bacteriophage P22; 3) evaluation of novel control measures for poultry productions. In order to develop rapid and accurate detection methods for foodborne pathogens, two types of PCR assays were utilized. Three foodborne pathogens included Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and Salmonella in watershed were qualitatively and quantitatively detected by multiplex PCR and qPCR (chapter 2). Since Salmonella species are commonly present in poultry and poultry products as well as most popular foodborne pathogen in …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Thermally Responsive Polymer Layers, Michael Seeber

All Dissertations

Future devices such as biomedical and microfluidic devices, to a large extent, will depend on the interactions between the device surfaces and the contacting liquid. Further, biological liquids containing proteins call for controllable interactions between devices and such proteins, however the bulk material must retain the inherent mechanical properties from which the device was fabricated from. It is well known that surface modification is a suitable technique to tune the surface properties without sacrificing the bulk properties of the substrate.
In the present study, surface properties were modified through temperature responsive polymer layers. After the modification, the surfaces gained switchability …

Role Of Phosphoinositide-Based Signaling In Virulence In Entamoeba Histolytica, Amrita Koushik

All Dissertations

Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal protozoan parasite and is the causative agent of amoebiasis. Upon entering the human host, cellular processes such as adhesion, phagocytosis, motility and secretion play a vital role in its propagation and pathogenicity. In other systems, each of these cellular processes is preceded by activation of signal transduction pathways, which often involve membrane phosphoinositides such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂). Little is known about phosphoinositide signaling in E. histolytica pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrated that PI(4,5)P₂ is localized to cholesterol-rich microdomains, lipid rafts, of the E. histolytica membrane and to the trailing edge …

A Novel Hybrid Hydrogel For Scaffold-Mediated Gene Delivery, Jeremy Zhang

All Dissertations

Scaffold-mediated nonviral gene delivery avoids several drawbacks of systemic injection such as clearance by the reticulo-endothelial system and serum aggregation. Existing synthetic and natural polymers used in gene delivery scaffolds are primarily derived from other tissue engineering applications with design parameters focused on the physicochemical properties of the scaffold and its biocompatibility. Common synthetic materials used in polymeric scaffolds such as PEG are practically bio-inert with minimal cell and protein interaction. Therefore, an opportunity exists for the rational design novel gene delivery scaffolds with components capable of increasing the expression of incorporated transgene by including scaffold components that interact with …

Behavior And Control Of The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Margaret Lehnert

All Dissertations

The recent resurgence of bed bugs has led to an explosion of bed bug research influenced by the applied needs of pest management professionals. I assessed the needs of pest management professionals who deal with bed bugs in South Carolina. Bed bugs were reported in 28 of 46 counties in South Carolina. Previous samples of bed bug populations have displayed a 1:1 sex-ratio suggesting females do not use aggregations and harborages to hide from males and traumatic insemination, which can be harmful to females. Aggregations are biased in composition, suggesting that females are able to hide from males within harborages. …

Theranostic Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Cancer, Thomas Moore

All Dissertations

The main focus of this research was to evaluate the ability of a novel multifunctional nanoparticle to mediate drug delivery and enable a non-invasive approach to measure drug release kinetics in situ for the treatment of cancer. These goals were approached by developing a nanoparticle consisting of an inorganic core (i.e. gadolinium sulfoxide doped with europium ions or carbon nanotubes). This was coated with an external amphiphilic polymer shell comprised of a biodegradable polyester (i.e. poly(lactide) or poly(glycolide)), and poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymer. In this system, the inorganic core mediates the imaging aspect, the relatively hydrophobic polyester encapsulates hydrophobic anti-cancer …

The Influence Of Contextual Factors On Community Reintegration Among Service Members Injured In The Global War On Terrorism, Brent Hawkins

All Dissertations

Community reintegration among military service members with physical and psychological injuries sustained during combat has been an emerging issue since the beginning of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) in 2001. Injured service members from the GWOT, including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn, are much more likely to survive their injuries when compared to previous wars such as the Vietnam War and World War II (Holcomb, Stansbury, Champion, Wade, & Bellamy, 2006). Therefore, many more injured service members are receiving physical rehabilitation and mental health services to assist them in transitioning back into their homes …

Antibacterial Effects Of Proteases On Different Strains Of Escherichia Coli And Listeria Monocytogenes, Hanan Eshamah

All Dissertations

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes are pathogens that have received special attention by federal agencies, food safety researchers and food industries due to their economic and human health impact. To reduce the presence of these pathogens, alternative interventions have been studied. However, increasing consumer's demand for natural ingredients has made the investigations of effectiveness of natural antimicrobials necessary. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity of bromelain and papain against E. coli JM109 and L. monocytogenes was investigated. Furthermore, actinidin and papain were evaluated to reduce populations of L. monocytogenes strain and three mixed strains of E. coli O157:H7 …