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Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Selection And Use Patterns In Response To Vegetation Management Practices In Northwestern Utah, Stephanie E. Graham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are a sagebrush obligate species and an indicator of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat quality. Sage-grouse populations have declined across western North America. Fragmentation of landscapes and habitat loss have been identified as factors that negatively impact sage-grouse populations. Wildfires can increase the distribution of invasive plants and contribute to fragmentation and habitat loss across sagebrush ecosystems. Greenstripping has been identified as a technique to reduce the threat of wildfire and subsequent spread of invasive species. Forage kochia (Bassia prostrata) is a semi-shrub that contains a high moisture content year-round, high …

Apoptotic And Epigenetic Induction Of Embryo Failure Following Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Aaron Patrick Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The cloning of domestic species has tremendous potential, as the technology can be used in selective breeding, conservation, and the production of transgenic animals. The technique of cloning involves the transplant of DNA from a cell to a recipient gamete. Following transfer to a surrogate, the cloned embryo may successfully complete development to a live offspring. Despite intensive research, the success rate of cloning remains prohibitively low, and the potential benefits of cloning have not yet been realized. Embryos produced from cloning suffer from high rates of embryo degradation, implantation failure, and abortion. The goal of this dissertation research project …

Kisspeptins - Expression, Purification, And Biological Assays, Mathew Puthayathu Kurian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Kisspeptins are hormones involved in the onset of puberty in adolescents and maintenance of reproductive function in adults. Defects in kisspeptin signaling are associated with many reproductive disorders. Kisspeptins were originally discovered as metastasis suppressors and have been found to suppress the metastasis of certain cancers. Unfortunately, many aspects of kisspeptin action at a cellular level remain unknown. Kisspeptins, therefore, are attractive candidates for large-scale production for use as research and therapeutic reagents. We developed a simple and cost effective method to express and purify kisspeptins in large quantities. We also tested the biological activity of kisspeptins on cells expressing …

The Psychological And Physiological Effects Of Using A Therapy Dog In Mindfulness Training, Courtney L. Henry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the psychological and physiological effects of adding animal-assisted therapy to a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) for clients experiencing psychological distress, including anxious and depressive symptoms. State and trait mindfulness, state and trait anxiety, psychological distress, blood pressure, and heart rate were collected during each session of the intervention from college students recruited at Utah State University. Results support that participants experienced less anxiety and depressive symptoms and increased mindfulness skills from pre- to posttreatment. No significant difference was found between the control and experimental groups, indicating that that interaction with a therapy dog had no …

Self-Limitation As An Explanation For Species' Relative Abundances And The Long-Term Persistence Of Rare Species, Glenda Marie Yenni

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ecological theories often hinge on species interactions, or how the species in an area "see" other species with whom they have to share food and space. Despite the contributions theoretical coexistence models have made to our understanding of species coexistence, it can still be difficult to match these theories with data from real communities. For example, we know of many species that are very rare where they occur. Theory predicts that these species should quickly go extinct, but they do not. I use simulations and real data to show that rare species are rare because they are more self-limiting. Self-limitation …

Concurrent Neurological And Behavioral Assessment Of Number Line Estimation Performance In Children And Adults, Joseph Michael Baker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Understanding the brain’s response to common math-learning activities may help improve math education. For example, by imaging the brains of typically developing children and adults throughout a number line estimation task, it is possible to establish a baseline of what “typical” brains do in such situations. Thus, comparisons may be made to determine the degree to which brain functioning differs between typical and atypical math learners. Moreover, by identifying methods that may increase the brain’s response to real-world math activities, it may be possible to improve the math learning process for typical and atypical learners alike.

Brain imaging devices such …

Food Environments: What Is The Role Of Demographics In Fijians' Decision Making Related To Food Choice And Overall Nutrition Behavior?, Sandra Bradshaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The people of the Islands of Fiji suffer from a growing prevalence of noncommunicable (NCD) diseases that are often nutrition related. Much of the blame for the growing rate of these diseases is due to lifestyle choice, specifically food-related decisions. Fiji’s nutrition concerns and NCD prevalence are greater in urban centers, compared to a lower frequency in rural villages. Contrasting demographics are composed of dissimilar food environments that influence inhabitants’ food decisions, in turn increasing the prevalence of nutrition-related concerns.

The purpose of this study was to extend existing knowledge and document the perspectives of Fijian Islanders through identifying the …

Diet-Induced Obesity Decreases Liver Iron Stores In Mice Fed Iron Deficient, Adequate, Or Excessive Diets, Brett J. Healy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Epidemiological and observational evidence suggests that obesity is related to poor Fe status. To determine interactions between obesity, dietary Fe intake and Fe status; male, weanling C57BL/6J mice were fed either high fat diets to induce obesity or a standard diet for 16 weeks. Fe concentrations of both the high fat or control diet (4.5 vs 3.8 kcal/g) were set at: 5, 50 or 500 mg Fe/kg diet. Mice fed the high fat diets had significantly higher percentage body fat (17.9%) compared to mice fed control diets (5.3%, P<0.001). Among obese mice, dietary Fe levels did not significantly influence body composition. Conversely among lean mice, mice fed the iron excessive diet had significantly less fat mass when compared to mice fed the iron deficient diet (P<0.05). Obesity and/or dietary Fe concentration did not significantly affect plasma Fe levels. ANOVA analysis showed significant effects of diet-induced obesity, dietary Fe and an interaction between both factors on liver Fe levels (P< 0.05). Obese mice had significantly lowered liver Fe levels compared to lean cohorts fed the same amount of dietary Fe (P<0.05 for all comparisons). Moreover, lean mice fed the Fe deficient diet (5 mg Fe/kg diet) had similar liver Fe levels (127 mg Fe/kg ± 0.04) compared to obese mice fed the 50 mg Fe/kg diet (132 mg Fe/kg ± 0.05). These data suggest that obesity, independent of dietary Fe intake, influences liver Fe stores.

Interspecific Interactions Between Penstemon Palmeri And Shrubs In The Arid Shrublands Of The Spring Mountains, Nevada, Jesse M. Poulos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A project involving shrub removal was undertaken by the United States Forest Service in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA) to reduce accumulated woody fuels, which can pose risks to human communities. The SMNRA is also home to a variety of species that occur within these fuel reduction boundaries and are protected under the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) of Clark County, Nevada. It is unknown how MSHCP covered species will respond to shrub removal. This research focuses on the interactions between shrubs and the herbaceous plant Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri), one of many nectar sources …

Growth Performance And Nutrient Metabolism Of Pasture-Finished Beef Steers And In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics Of Pasture Forages In Continuous Cultures, Cuk Tri Noviandi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A 2-year grazing study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, ruminal fermentation, carcass characteristics, and fatty acid compositions in subcutaneous adipose tissue of beef steers grazing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb.; TF) pastures without or with N fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization increased crude protein concentration of TF pasture and average daily gain of beef steers. Increase in total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia-N (NH₃-N) concentrations were detected in steers grazing fertilized TF. In comparison with steers on feedlot, pasture-finished steers had greater proportions of cis-9, trans-11 CLA and C18:3 n-3, …

Effects Of Inorganic Nutrients And Dissolved Organic Carbon On Oxygen Demand In Select Rivers In Northern Utah, Joseph L. Crawford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Our nation’s waterways are a valuable resource whose quality is influenced by their surroundings as well the amount of nutrients (largely nitrogen and phosphorus) in the water. Nutrients play an important role in aquatic ecosystems; however, if nutrient levels become too high, it is detrimental to water quality. Excess fertilizer that runs off of agricultural land and into the rivers and streams is a common source of nutrients in our waterways. Other sources of nitrogen and phosphorus include effluent released from wastewater facilities.

There are many negative side effects of high nutrients in the water. They can create large algal …

Causes And Consequences Of Local Variability In Aroga Websteri Clarke Abundance Over Space And Time, Virginia L.J. Bolshakova

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush steppe habitat is rapidly declining in the Intermountain West in both quality and quantity. Observed reductions in animal and bird populations associated with sagebrush, invasion of exotic annual grasses such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and other concerns with climate change have led to a growing awareness of the need to monitor and better understand the rate of habitat loss. Sagebrush lands are subject to periodic loss caused by insect feeding damage, and human activities have the potential to promote unnaturally high levels of such loss. The sagebrush defoliating Aroga moth, Aroga websteri Clarke (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), can kill …

Assessing Vehicle-Related Mortality Of Mule Deer In Utah, Daniel D. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Roads are essential in modern societies, but as populations grow and traffic volumes rise, roads will continue to be built and expanded. As a result, the effects that roads have on wildlife will likely intensify, making it imperative that managers understand those effects so mitigation can be directed accordingly. In Utah, considerable areas of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) habitat have been bisected by roads. Mule deer are commonly involved in vehicle collisions and there is concern that roads and vehicle traffic are impacting populations. This project was conducted to determine the number and demographic effects of deer-vehicle collisions, …

Dot Product Graphs And Their Applications To Ecology, Sean Bailey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We will introduce a new tool to visualize the comparison between different birds. This tool will allow users to use any number of measurable traits to see relationships between different birds, both individually and collectively.

Oxidative Aliphatic Carbon-Carbon Bond Cleavage Reactions, Caleb J. Allpress

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The work presented in this dissertation has focused on the activation and cleavage of chemical bonds between two carbon atoms. The selective oxidative activation of carbon-carbon bonds is important due to potential applications in the utilization of biomass for fuel production, applications in wastewater treatment and bioremediation, and in developing new reactions for organic synthesis of fine chemicals including pharmaceuticals. Ideally these reactions would be carried out with high atom economy at low temperatures and pressures, and using earth-abundant elements as reagents and catalysts. With these points in mind, nature provides an ideal model framework, carrying out its chemistry at …

Vital Rates, Population Trends, And Habitat-Use Patterns Of A Translocated Greater Sage-Grouse Population: Implications For Future Translocations, Orrin V. Duvuvuei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations have declined range-wide with some local populations exhibiting dramatic decreases. In 2009–2010, radio-marked hens (30 hens in 2009 and 30 hens in 2010) were translocated from Parker Mountain in south-central Utah to augment a rapidly declining population on Anthro Mountain in northeastern Utah. Thirty-two resident female sage-grouse on Anthro Mountain were also radio-collared from 2009–2012.

I compared population vital rates (i.e., nest and brood success, and survival) of resident and translocated hens in Anthro Mountain’s population to those of a translocated population in Strawberry Valley, Utah and the source population. Of these …

Cationic Starch Synthesis, Development, And Evaluation For Harvesting Microalgae For Wastewater Treatment, Renil John Anthony

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Microalgae are the preferred crop for the production of biodiesel. Microalgae are microplants that have the ability to harness sunlight more efficiently than other plants and store 20-80% lipids per g of dry algae in their cells. Microalgae have the extraordinary ability to grow in brackish water or wastewater. Microalgae can be grown in municipal wastewater to uptake phosphorus and nitrogen and remediate the wastewater of these nutrients. Microalgae thus cultivated accomplishes a dual role of wastewater treatment and provides a sustainable feedstock for biofuels and other bioproducts.

This study focused on efficiently harvesting microalgae from water using modified starch. …

Ecology Of Coyotes On The Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico: Implications For Elk Calf Recruitment, Suzanne J. Gifford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) managers were concerned about low elk recruitment observed at the same time as an apparent increase in sightings of coyotes and observations of coyote predation on elk calves. The goal of this study was to describe coyotes’ ecological interactions with elk, particularly coyote diet and movements on the Valle Grande, a large grassland meadow in the southeastern portion of the VCNP.

We examined coyote diet by quantifying undigested remains of food items in coyote scats (feces). The most frequent taxa were rodents (montane voles and pocket gophers), elk (adult and calf), insects (grasshoppers and beetles), …

Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Habitat Resistance And Resilience To Climate Change, Kate H. Olsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Government agencies and private organizations spend large amounts of public money attempting to return ecosystems to a more natural state, which have often been harmed or even destroyed as a result of modern development. Colorado River cutthroat trout, Oncorhyncus clarki pleuriticus, are a subspecies of cutthroat trout. Cutthroat trout live in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States. The population of this particular subspecies has been severely reduced by human actions, and currently only 12% of its historic populations still exist. To improve the condition of cutthroat trout, fisheries professionals and biologists are working to restore natural populations. …

Winter Ecology Of Waterfowl On The Great Salt Lake, Utah, Josh L. Vest

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I designed a suite of studies in coordination with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) to evaluate waterfowl use of the GSL in winter and ecological aspects associated with GSL use. These studies provided insight into key information gaps previously identified by UDWR regarding management of GSL resources. Population surveys indicated total duck abundance was low when GSL surface elevations were low and wetland resources diminished because of persistent drought in the system. Also, ducks appear to use hypersaline parts of GSL more when freshwater habitats are limited from either drought or ice conditions. Common goldeneye, northern shoveler, and green-winged …

A Longitudinal Study Of English Narrative Discourse Development In Young Spanish-English Bilinguals, Abbie Olszewski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Producing oral narratives is the best predictor of later literacy functioning. The ability to use performance on oral narratives as a way to identify children who may be at- risk for academic and language problems is helpful for educators. For example, it is likely that children who are identified with language impairments or who are learning English as a second language may have difficulty creating narratives due to the inherent language complexity of creating narratives. Research has demonstrated that similar to English monolingual children, narrative ability has been shown to underlie literacy development for bilingual children. Although there are numerous …

Investigation Of The Oxidation/Reduction Of Prmt1, Substrate Interaction With Prmt1, And The Role Of Arginine Methylation In Rna Surveillance, Damon V. Nitzel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Enzymes are the machines of our cells. Just like machines, it takes a lot of energy to create them, and they then serve only the function they were created for. If we want to change the function of a machine, we need to modify it. Similarly, enzymes can be modified after their creation to give them additional function. These modifications can do a variety of things including activating (on) or inactivating (off) an enzyme, changing the enzyme’s location in the cell, and targeting the enzyme for destruction. This thesis focuses on a single class of enzymes, protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), …

Adherence To The American College Of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines For Pharmacotherapy In New York Heart Association Class Ii-Iv Heart Failure Patients And Associated Re-Hospitalization Rates., Matthew T. Mefford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will assess differences in the rates of re-hospitalization among New York Heart Association class II, III, and IV heart failure patients, focusing on levels of adherence to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for heart failure patient pharmacotherapy. Hospitalization data on 128 HF patients will be analyzed looking at 14 day, 30 day, and 6 month time points, assessing key aspects of treatment and patient characteristics as potential risk factors in predicting re-hospitalization trends. Effectiveness of ACC/AHA adherence to pharmacotherapy upon primary hospital discharge will be itemized in an intention to treat analysis, with guidelines determined …

Spectral Investigation Of The Conformation Of Primary And Secondary Micelles Of Sodium Cholate And The Impact Of Ph And Salt Concentration., Sarah Elizabeth Milliner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bile salts are biosurfactants that aid in the digestion and absorption of lipids. Unlike most classical surfactants, they are facial amphiphiles with a rigid steroid backbone whose hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces are on opposite sides. As the concentration of bile salts increases, primary micelles are formed. Despite decades of studies of the molecular organization of these micelles, there is no agreement on their arrangement. To bridge this gap, one- and two-dimensional NMR studies of sodium cholate (NaCho) monomers and primary micelles were carried out. The experimental changes in chemical shift were interpreted with the aid of theoretical predictions. The observed …

Development Of Novel Layered Nanoparticles For More Efficient Cancer Treatment., Thomas A. Priest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second-most leading cause of death in the United States, with 1.66 million new cases expected to be diagnosed and over 580,000 Americans expected to die of cancer in 2013 alone. (American Cancer Society 2013) Current treatments result in damage to the healthy tissues and incomplete resections of solid tumors, but by harnessing nanotechnology, more effective treatments can be constructed. Gold nanoshells present a promising option for targeted cancer therapy. The anatomy of tumors causes the “enhanced permeability and retention” effect, which means that nano-scale particles will extravasate from the bloodstream and accumulate in the tumors. However, small …

Pioneers, Proclamations, And Patents : A Narrative Of The Conquest, Division, Settlement, And Transformation Of Kentucky., Brandon Michael Robison 1986-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides a narrative of Revolutionary Kentucky, focused on three key areas. First, it traces the struggle Native Americans, white settlers and speculators, and the various colonial, state, imperial, and national governments that claimed the territory for control and possession of Kentucky’s lands in the late eighteenth century. Second, this study focuses on the long-term effects of the struggle over Kentucky’s lands, paying particular attention to Virginia’s land laws of 1778-79, which created the framework by which the state distributed Kentucky’s land, and based on poor implementation of Jeffersonian notions of republicanism and allodial land ownership. Third, this study …

In-Situ Monitoring Of Transport Properties Of Graphene During Plasma Functionalization And It's Applications In Energy Storage., Ruwantha Jayasingha Atapattu Mudiyaneselage 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Monolayer Graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition was subjected to controlled and sequential hydrogenation using RF plasma while monitoring its electrical properties in-situ. Low temperature transport properties were measured for each sample and correlated with ex-situ Raman scattering and X-ray photoemission characteristics. The dominant transport mechanism for weak hydrogenation was found to be electron diffusion and low temperature transport for strong hydrogenation is governed by variable range hopping. This investigation of transport properties of hydrogenated graphene supports to develop the universal scaling functions for metallic and insulating graphene by identifying the critical hydrogen concentration. A clear transition from Weak to …

Cigarette Smoke Promotes Genomic Evolution In The Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Josh George

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

P. gingivalis is an opportunistic, anaerobic, Gram-negative oral pathogen strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. Clinical isolates of P. gingivalis exhibit great genetic diversity. Tobacco smoking greatly increases the risk of P. gingivalis infection. Furthermore, cigarette smoke extract (CSE) is an environmental stressor for P. gingivalis, differentially regulating multiple genes including ones that encode proteins involved in DNA translocation, replication and repair. Therefore, we hypothesized that CSE exposure would promote genomic instability in this important periodontal and systemic pathogen, which may contribute to increased virulence. P. gingivalis W83 was passaged 50 times in CSE-conditioned medium after which, genomic …

Integrated Management Of Downy Brome (Bromus Tectorum L.) Infested Rangeland, Heather Elwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Invasive weed species are a threat to the health and functionality of many rangeland systems. Downy brome (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive annual grass that affects the productivity of rangelands by decreasing the grazing capacity for livestock as well as altering the wildfire cycle and competing against more desirable vegetation for limited resources.

In 2006, an Invasive Plant Management Plan and Environmental Assessment was approved for Dinosaur National Monument, calling for prioritization of invasive species management on high value wildlife habitat, vector areas, and for species with a high ecological impact. The Cub Creek Watershed was identified as a priority …

Generalized Estimating Equation Based Zero-Inflated Models With Application To Examining The Relationship Between Dental Caries And Fluoride Exposures., Sheng Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the study of dental caries, the number of caries is frequently characterized by over-dispersion and excessive zeros. In addition, the numbers of caries from the same subject are correlated. Zero-Inflated (ZI) regression models, such as ZI-Poisson (ZIP), ZI-Negative Binomial (ZINB), have been developed to account for the excessive zeros in count data. However, the existing zero-inflated models assume that the counts are uncorrelated. On the other hand, Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) have been developed in the literature to estimate the parameters while accounting for the correlations of observations from the same subject. However, the GEE models incorporating excessive zero …