Digital Commons Network^™

A Leap To Hybrid Governance For European Union Healthcare On Organ Donations, Tasnim Ahmed

Journal of Law and Health

This article evaluates two proposals that the Organs Directive along with the commission’s Action Plan 2009-2015 can be viewed as a form of hybrid governance. The Organs Directive is the first legally-binding supranational risk regulation devised in the field of organ donation and transplantation. The Directive is modelled on the earlier Directive dealing with blood, tissue, and cells. The Action Plan, which is soft law, will complement the Directive. The Directive and Action Plan requires additional administration procedures from the Member States with the EU Commission regularly monitoring the implementation of the work programme to ensure it is manageable for …

Decreased Brood-Size Of Starvation-Induced Postdauer Adults Is Inherited Transgenerationally Via Hrde-1, Ibnul Rafi

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Environmental stress experienced in utero or in early life has profound effects on the behavior and physiology of an adult animal. Interestingly, genome-wide association studies in humans have shown that early-life stress not only affects the exposed individual, but also their future generations. However, the molecular mechanisms of how early-life stress can impact physiology transgenerationally in the absence of the original stress are not well understood. To study the mechanisms and consequences of environmental stress on adult phenotypes, we utilize the life cycle of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. In favorable conditions, the life cycle of C. elegans includes 5 …

Magnesium: An Important Orphan, Jerry Yee

Nephrology Articles

No abstract provided.

Tremblings, May 2018, Western Aspen Alliance

Tremblings

Wyoming's High Desert: Aspen habitat presents challenges

Kevin Spence

The high elevation desert of southwest Wyoming occurs between 6,040 ft. and 9,550 ft. Isolated “high points” in the area are dryland oases supporting high aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species richness, as vegetative diversity provides essential life stage habitat needs for numerous species. Although aspen makes up the smallest percentage of all vegetation types on this landscape, I consider aspen stands and their associate understories the most ecologically important in this ecosystem. Just a few benefits these aspen stands provide include: solid dam building material for beaver pond complexes providing riparian …

Health Literacy In Social Work, Marissa Lopez

2018 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Health literacy is defined as the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health. Many studies have identified that there is a problem with health literacy among Hispanics in the United States. This research thesis explores why health literacy is a problem, the history of social work’s role in health literacy, the Hispanic health literacy problem, social work’s role in addressing it, and what health literacy looks like in a Hispanic country.

Relationships Among Beef Cow Productivity Traits And Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In The Bovine Heat Shock Protein 70 Gene, Ashley Finney

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

When eukaryotes are exposed to stressors such as heat, toxins, and low oxygen levels, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are synthesized to maintain normal cellular function within the body. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) gene have been associated with calving percentage, and Julian calving date in spring-calving crossbred Brahman cows (Rosenkrans, et al., 2010). Our objective was to determine associations between previously identified polymorphisms in the promoter region and coding sequence of the bovine Hsp70 gene and beef cow efficiency. We evaluated productivity traits, including Julian calving date and calving rates, of fall-calving cows at each …

Cancer Cachexia: Metabolic Changes That Occur In Oxidative Capacity And Carbohydrate And Lipid Metabolism Of The Liver, Sarah Ramey

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

BACKGROUND: Cancer cachexia is defined as cancer-associated muscle wasting, and is a cancer side effect that dramatically affects cancer prognosis, is thought to be at least partially mediated by increased energy expenditure, and is directly responsible for the death of 20-40% of all cancer patients. Although the liver is known to be a predominant regulator of whole body metabolism, there is little known about its relationship to the development of cancer cachexia. PURPOSE: The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate alterations in liver metabolism by examining measures of hepatic glycogen storage, oxidative phenotype and lipid content throughout the …

The Economic Outcomes Of Breastfeeding, Raegan Rust

2018 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Breastfeeding is related to numerous benefits for newborns and mothers. Juxtaposed with formula-fed newborns, breastfed newborns encounter less severe and lasting illnesses. Children who were breastfed experience more benefits, such as a higher IQ, than individuals who are formula-fed. Also, fewer breastfeeding mothers experience illnesses tied to breastfeeding than women who do not breastfeed their newborns. Because the identification and management of these illnesses lead to higher medical usage, health expenses would be expected to decrease with effective breastfeeding advertisement. For these reasons, studies that correctly estimate the expenses and savings connected to breastfeeding would be useful for decision makers …

Journal Of Food Law & Policy - Spring 2018, Journal Editors

Journal of Food Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

Archaeological Analysis Of Bison Remains From Wilde Cave, Idaho, Michelle A. Platt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Wilde cave is a lava tube located in Southeast Idaho on BLM lands. Recent investigations recovered a skeletal collection represented at least nine bison, as well as several other taxa. After many hours in the archaeology lab at Utah State University, identification of the collection shows the most prominent carcass parts represent fore and hind limbs, while vertebrae and ribs were least common. Also present was limited evidence of butchery-burning and cut marks-and carnivore modification on the skeletal collection. Given these observations, density mediated attrition and utility indices were used to better understanding the patterns in the archaeological bison bone. …

Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency And Early Childhood Health Outcomes Including Autism Development, Kelsey L. Girardelli

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Many studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with a variety of adverse maternal and pediatric outcomes. Disease outcomes that have been observed in pregnant women who are vitamin D deficient include increased risk of C-section, preeclampsia, bacterial vaginosis, and gestational diabetes. In children born to deficient mothers, increased rates of childhood asthma, type 1 diabetes, low birthweight, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been observed. Although there is much evidence to support these correlations, much is yet to be understood regarding the etiology of these outcomes. This paper specifically examines the relationships between risk factors …

Managing Dietary Protein In Cattle As A Means Of Reducing Ammonia Emissions To Improve Air Quality, Ashley Houston

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Particulate matter pollution has become a subject of great concern across the globe. Emissions data has revealed that the agricultural sector is making large contributions to particulate matter through ammonia emissions. Beef and dairy cattle are responsible for producing nearly 50% of annual ammonia emissions in the United States. These animals are often fed amounts of dietary protein that exceed recommendations, resulting in increased excretion of urea and ammonia. These compounds combine with nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere to form PM_2.5: particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Research has shown that through proper dietary management …

Effect Of Wood Chips As A Component Of Soilless Media On Growth And Nutrition Of Food And Ornamental Crops, Kristen Bullough

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Peat is the central component of the soil-less media mix in all greenhouse crop production but it is expensive because it is harvested in Canada and shipped to greenhouses across North America. Wood chips provide a local, low-cost alternative to peat, but observations by growers indicate potential growth reductions from the addition of wood to peat-based media. Here I report the effects of the addition of wood chips to peat-based media. The study included four treatments: two controls (peat/vermiculite: 50/50 and 75/25) and two treatments with wood chips ' (peat/wood chips: 50/50 and 75/25) with three species (sunflowers, soybeans, and …

The Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Exposure On Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease : Role Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor., Hongxue Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are detectable in serum of 100% of adults in US, and has been associated with fatty liver disease in epidemiological studies. PCBs are classified as either dioxin-like (DL) or non-dioxin-like (NDL) PCB based on their ability to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We used exposures that reflect human bioaccumulation patterns, which resembles Aroclor 1260 with a low level of the DL-PCB, PCB 126. Our aim was to determine if this exposure will activate the human and mouse AhR and examine if receptor activation influences these steatotic responses due to PCB exposures. DL-PCBs exposure-induced AhR activation in …

Investigations Of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Secretion And Production Using Sustainable Carbon Sources, Chad L. Nielsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a type of biologically-produced plastic known for their biocompatibility and biodegradability. They have the potential to replace petroleum-based plastics as an environmentally-friendly alternative. This is beneficial because the release of plastics into environments such as the ocean and the buildup of plastics in landfills are major concerns facing society today. Currently, however, PHAs are significantly more expensive than their petroleum-based counterparts. This is largely due to the cost of carbon sources and of extracting the bioplastics from bacteria. The goal of these studies was to examine replacing traditional carbon sources used in PHA production like sugar and …

Low Offspring Survival In Mountain Pine Beetle Infesting The Resistant Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Supports The Preference-Performance Hypothesis, Erika L. Eidson, Karen E. Mock, Barbara J. Bentz

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The preference-performance hypothesis states that ovipositing phytophagous insects will select host plants that are well-suited for their offspring and avoid host plants that do not support offspring performance (survival, development and fitness). The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), a native insect herbivore in western North America, can successfully attack and reproduce in most species of Pinus throughout its native range. However, mountain pine beetles avoid attacking Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), despite recent climate-driven increases in mountain pine beetle populations at the high elevations where Great Basin bristlecone pine grows. Low preference for a potential …

The Prospector, May 1, 2018, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

Headline: Saying Goodbye: The Graduation Issue

The Effects Of Food Security On Socioeconomic Mobility In The United States: A Case Study In Allendale County, South Carolina, Taylor St Clarke

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between food security – defined as accessibility to an affordable, nutritious, and sustainable source of food – and socioeconomic mobility in the continental United States. This thesis is primarily focused on the effects of food insecurity on both individuals and communities, examining the chronic long-term effects of such insecurity on areas known as “food deserts,” which are often given status as areas of persistent poverty. This research further examines the effects of a sustained poor diet, brought about by food insecurity, on the individual and overarching community in a food desert and how such a …

Developing An Hpv Infection Risk Prediction Model For Adult Females, Rachel Holmer

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in four people are currently infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) in the United States. Although most people with HPV never experience symptoms, there is a risk of developing different types of HPV-related cancers after infection. These cancers and other related diseases result in almost $8 billion spent annually for treatment. Currently, all boys and girls ages 11 or 12 years are recommended to receive HPV vaccination. Catch-up vaccines are recommended for males and females through the age of 21 and 26, respectively, if they did not get vaccinated …

Gastric Hibernoma: A Novel Location And Presentation Of A Rare Tumor., Shane P Smith, Andrew F Feczko, Matias Mihura, Jey-Hsin Chen, Alexander S Farivar

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

We present a case of gastric hibernoma, an unusual tumor with a location novel to the literature. A 39-year-old female presented with one year of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and dysphagia. Gastroenterology performed an esophagogastroduodenoscopy with ultrasound and identified a 6 cm mass within the muscularis propria of the antrum. Computed tomography demonstrated a 9.7 × 7.8 × 4.8 cm

2018 South Dakota Commodity Crop Producer Survey Results, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Abdelrahim Abulbasher, Department Of Sociology And Rural Studies, Ness School Of Management And Economics

South Dakota Farm Survey

From January to March 2018, we surveyed South Dakota commodity crop producers about their land management practices and attitudes. Farming operations in 34 South Dakota counties east of the Missouri River, where most of corn and soybean farming activities in the state are located, were targeted to take the questionnaire (see map below). We obtained a list of 10,000 farming operations that had participated in Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs in 2016 from the FSA and selected 3,000 operations to participate using proportionate stratified-random sampling according to number of farming operations in the study counties. The questionnaire directed the person …

Colorful Gardens And Empowerment: Black Resistance And Self-Determination Through Urban Farming, Joakim Ethan Cohen

Standard Theses

This thesis explores Black food justice organizations in Oakland and Detroit that tackle issues of food security in low income communities of color. I discuss how food deserts are a product of constant discrimination and marginalization perpetuated by racist laws and policies and explain how urban gardening helps Black people regain control of the food system and promotes empowerment and self-determination.

The Relationship Between Substrate Characteristics And Japanese Knotweed Invasion Along The Saco River, Maine And New Hampshire, Dacota F. Griffin

Standard Theses

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is an aggressive invasive plant that spreads via several mechanisms making it hard to control. Currently, little is known about Japanese knotweed invasion in riparian habitats. A total of 46 soil samples from both invaded and uninvaded sites (32 total locations) along the Saco River in Maine and New Hampshire were examined to see whether physical and chemical characteristics were similar among knotweed-invaded sites and what may lead to successful establishment by knotweed. The majority of sites were dominated by medium-grained sand, but there were no differences in the soil texture at invaded and uninvaded sites. …

Increasing Food Sharing In A Prek-8 School Cafeteria With Six Sigma, Sanukta Mylandla

Graduate Theses - Engineering Management

Six Sigma, a statistics-based methodology developed by Motorola in the mid-1980’s to help reduce defects, is a tool commonly applied across various industries to improve their processes by reducing variation. The statistical nature of Six Sigma makes process improvement a quantitative study garnering potential real savings to an organization. This project’s goal was to apply Six Sigma methodology to a PreK-8 school cafeteria in order to measure the daily levels of food waste and convert it into meaningful data to be used to promote food rescue and reuse at local elementary schools.

A Practical Guide To Big Data, Ekaterina Smirnova, Andrada Ivanescu, Jiawei Bai, Ciprian M. Crainiceanu

Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Big Data is increasingly prevalent in science and data analysis. We provide a short tutorial for adapting to these changes and making the necessary adjustments to the academic culture to keep Biostatistics truly impactful in scientific research.

Skeletal Muscle Oxidative Capacity In The Elderly, Susie Chung

Kinesiology Theses - Archive

Age is the greatest risk factor for chronic disease and is associated with a marked decline in functional capacity and quality of life, with loss of skeletal muscle function regarded as a key contributing factor. While the exact mechanism(s) for the loss of skeletal muscle function remains incompletely understood, age-related mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to play a major role. To explore this question further, we studied 15 independently-living seniors (age: 72 ± 5 yrs; m/f: 4/11; BMI: 27.6 ± 5.9) and 17 young volunteers (age: 25 ± 4 years; m/f: 8/9; BMI: 24.0 ± 3.3). Skeletal muscle oxidative function was …

The Effect Of Acute High Phosphate Intake On Muscle Metaboreflex Activation And Vascular Function, Brandi Yong Stephens

Kinesiology Theses - Archive

Emerging evidence suggests that long term high consumption of inorganic phosphate (Pi) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Importantly, with the growing abundance of processed foods, dietary intake of Pi in the United States has doubled the daily-recommended allowance. Recently, Mizuno et al. demonstrated that chronic high dietary Pi consumption results in significantly exaggerated increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in response to exercise and muscle metaboreflex activation in rodents. Whether acute high Pi influences MAP responses in humans remains unknown. Notably, acute high Pi consumption has been shown to impair vascular function in healthy men, but …

Laboratory Manual Ant 101: Introduction To Biological Anthropology, Susan L. Johnston

Anthropology & Sociology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Defenestration Of Democracy, Peter Mclaren

Education Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Peter McLaren wrote this afterword to Dissident Knowledge in Higher Education, edited by Marc Spooner and James McNinch, which "delve[s] into the effects of colonialism, neoliberalism, and audit culture on higher education".

Now We Know Better: A New Legal Framework On Sex To Better Promote Autonomy, Equality, Diversity And Care For The Poor, Helen M. Alvaré

Buffalo Law Review

Over especially the last 50 to 60 years, US laws and policies concerning the sexual relationships between men and women have more consciously articulated a need to pursue social justice according to the categories of autonomy, equality, diversity and care for the poor. These categories are admirable on their face and responsive to the times in which they emerged. They are particularly well-suited to the history of discrimination against women and African Americans in the US. They were strongly influenced, inter alia, by the development of contraceptive technology and an array of social welfare initiatives, the rise of feminism and …