Digital Commons Network^™

Guidelines For Feature Matching Assessment Of Brain–Computer Interfaces For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Kevin M. Pitt, Jonathan S. Brumberg

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose--Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices using neurological activity alone without voluntary movements. As with traditional AAC access methods, BCI performance may be influenced by the cognitive–sensory–motor and motor imagery profiles of those who use these devices. Therefore, we propose a person-centered, feature matching framework consistent with clinical AAC best practices to ensure selection of the most appropriate BCI technology to meet individuals' communication needs.

Method--The proposed feature matching procedure is based on the current state of the art in BCI technology and published reports on cognitive, sensory, motor, and motor …

Contributions Of The Gp120 Variable Loops To Envelope Glycoprotein Trimer Stability In Primate Lentiviruses, Dane M. Bowder

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the etiological agent of AIDS and is responsible for the AIDS pandemic worldwide. According to UNAIDS, as of 2016, there were approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV globally, and 1.8 million new infections that year. While antiretroviral therapies and education continue to reduce these numbers, a preventative vaccine is still required to curb this epidemic. The envelope glycoprotein trimer of HIV, which is the sole protein on the surface of the virus and facilitates entry of the virus into host cells, is of keen interest to the HIV vaccine and drug-development field. Recently, the …

Evaluation Of Glyphosate And Ppo-Inhibiting Herbicide Tank-Mixtures To Manage Glyphosate Resistance In Soybean, Jesaelen Gizotti De Moraes

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides in combination with glyphosate for postemergence (POST) applications is one of the primary alternatives to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds and the only effective POST chemical option in conventional and glyphosate-tolerant soybean to control glyphosate and ALS-inhibiting resistant weeds. Antagonistic interactions have been reported between many different herbicide modes of action and optimal droplet size may be affected by tank-mixtures of different herbicides. Additionally, the impact of adjuvants on the factors aforementioned as well as on physical properties needs to be thoroughly investigate to maximize herbicide efficacy. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to: 1) conduct greenhouse …

The Effect Of Physical Application Parameters On Herbicide Efficacy And Droplet Size., Andre De Oliveira Rodrigues

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

One of the largest challenges in agriculture is weed management. Improper or sub-optimal application techniques can cause decreased weed control and increased environmental contamination. Effective weed management is highly correlated with the product and the application method. Herbicide performance are affected by environmental conditions; they influence the physiology and growth of a plant and as well the herbicide performance. Among all environmental factors, rain shortly after herbicide application is one of the most harmful issues to the performance of the herbicide. Droplet size is a key factor in pesticide applications in regards to both drift and efficacy. Droplet size can …

2017 (29th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). The committee’s purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. Accidental and casual species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website www.NOUbirds.org. All records mentioned here are available to interested persons at the NOU archives at the University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM), Lincoln, NE. Interested parties should contact the current NOU Librarian, whose address can be found …

The Effect Of Maoa And Stress Sensitivity On Crime And Delinquency: A Replication Study, Christa C. Christ, Joseph A. Schwartz, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Jonathan R. Brauer, Jukka Savolainen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Across several meta-analyses, MAOA-uVNTR genotype has been associated with an increased risk for antisocial behavior among males who experienced early life adversity. Subsequently, early life stress and genetic susceptibility may have long-term effects on stress sensitivity later in life. In support of this assumption, a recent study found evidence, in two independent samples, for a three-way interaction effect (cG × E × E) such that proximate stress was found to moderate the interactive effect of MAOA-uVNTR and distal stress on crime and delinquency among males. In light of recent developments in cG × E research, we attempted to …

The Relationship Between Brooding, Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity, Physical Anxiety Sensitivity, And Suicide Behaviors In Latino/A College Students, Eric E. Escamilla

Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored if (1) brooding, cognitive anxiety sensitivity (AS), physical anxiety sensitivity (AS), and suicide behaviors will be strongly correlated; (2) brooding will mediate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors; (3) brooding will mediate the relationship between physical AS and suicide behaviors; (4) physical AS will moderate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors, (5) brooding will mediate the relationship between the physical AS and cognitive AS interaction with suicide behaviors in a Latino/a college student sample. All hypotheses were supported except for physical AS significantly moderating the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors. …

Nannochloris Sp. And Oocystis Sp. Algae Exposed To Osmotic Stress For Increased Lipid Production For Use In Biofuels, Laura M. Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

Algal biofuel research is important due to the potential need for replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels and a changing global climate. Under stress, algal cells tend to increase neutral lipid production, which are a suitable source for biofuels. The goal of this study was to subject Nannochloris sp.. and Oocystis sp. algal cells to osmotic stress by modifying sucrose and salinity levels in different treatment medias.

The treatment containing the lowest salinity (15 ppt) and no sucrose yielded the highest lipid fluorescence/cell in Nannochloris sp.. cells (0.00142 ± 0.00044) on day 2 while the treatment containing highest salinity (35ppt) …

Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory-2 Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf) Personality Characteristics Of Parents Evaluated For Child Neglect, Emily Burch

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Assessment-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) profiles of parents who underwent psychological evaluation subsequent to substantiated claims by the Florida Department of Children and Families of child neglect. A second purpose was to assess profile differences between this sample and a sample of parents with substantiated claims of child physical abuse, with a particular focus on evaluating comparative levels of internalizing factors, externalizing factors, and defensiveness. Samples were also compared in regards to their levels of substance usage, as this was shown in prior literature to be a salient psychosocial factor …

Designing National Indoor Radon Surveys According To Iaea Guidance, Charles Fitzpatrick

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Radon is a radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors, typically in buildings with unfinished basements, poor ventilation, and/or cracks in walls or floors that lead to underlying soil, from which radon emanates. Radon is estimated to be the second most prevalent cause of lung cancer worldwide and is a threat to public health, which is a concern for national health authorities in many countries. Fortunately, radon can be measured and controlled. In order to know if radon poses a threat on a national level, studies must be performed that allow these authorities to extrapolate data from a relatively small amount …

Testing An Improved Method For Estimating The Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity Of Moderately Dry Soils, Sara Gedo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prediction of water movement in the vadose zone requires knowledge of either the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, K(θ), or the hydraulic diffusivity, D(θ), of the soil as a function of the moisture content. However, both K(θ) and D(θ) are difficult to obtain for moderately dry soils because the tests are time consuming and expensive. In order to address this issue, Globus and Gee (1995) developed a “heat pipe” method that allowed for the direct estimation of D(θ) and K(θ) for moderately dry soils on relatively short time scales. They proposed that exposing a sealed horizontal soil column to a steady thermal …

Expression Of Line-1 In Human Somatic Tissues And The Factors Correlated With Line- 1 Expression, G. M. Jonaid

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite the long-held assumption that transposons are normally only expressed in the germline, recently we discovered that full length or partial transcripts of LINE1 are frequently found in the somatic cells. However, the extent of variation in LINE1 levels across different tissues and different individuals, and the genes and pathways that are co-expressed with LINE1 are unknown. Co-expressed genes may be candidate genes that are functioning in transposon silencing. Here, we report the extent of variation in L1HS expression levels across cancer tissues and healthy tissues collected for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). L1HS is overexpressed in most of the …

An Evaluation Of Alzheimer's Disease-Related Pathology In Two Different Models Of Diabetes In Immune-Challenged Mice, Andrew Scott Murtishaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome are related disorders with wide-ranging and devastating effects that can be observed throughout the body. One important and understudied organ of damage is the brain. Clinical and epidemiological studies have found that T2DM, and more specifically hyperinsulinemia, significantly increases the risk of cognitive decline and increases the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia in the elderly. Insulin has slightly different functions in the peripheral body than in the central nervous system and the dysregulation of these functions may contribute to the onset and progression of late-life neurodegenerative …

Science Identity And Underrepresented Minority Stem Organizations, Schetema Nealy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

President Obama indicated that there are twice as many science and technology jobs available in the U.S. as there are workers for those jobs (Office of the Secretary, 2013). To fulfill the need for more scientists and engineers, there must be increased educational support for the nation’s underrepresented minority (URM) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. URM STEM organizations, such as the National Society of Black Engineers and other URM student-oriented organizations that provide academic and career resources, are widely used on college and university campuses across the nation to support these students both academically and professionally. Future developments …

Community Detection And Ranking In Big Data Graphs, Matin Pirouz Nia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Community structures and relation patterns, and ranking them for social networks provide us with great knowledge about the network. A community is defined by determining a lower density of relations between groups comparing to higher density among every group. Such knowledge can be utilized for grouping similar, yet distinct, nodes with applications in health, marketing, and many more. The ever-growing variety of social networks necessitates detection of minute and scattered communities, which are important problems across different research fields including biology, social studies, physics, etc. As a result, analyzing complex networks has become very popular among researchers in academia and …

Identifying The Molecular Functions Of The C-Terminal Region Of The Human Proteins, Surbhi Sharma

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Carboxyl (C-) terminus of proteins is usually disordered and flexible allowing proteins to engage in an induced-fit type of interactions with other molecules. Often, these interactions are mediated through the C- terminal minimotifs, which are peptide sequences of 2-15 contiguous residues found in a protein with a known molecular function. These functions include protein binding, trafficking, and post-translational modifications. In this dissertation, we investigated how many human proteins contain the C-terminal minimotifs. We cataloged 3,593 previously verified C-terminal minimotifs representing 17% of the human proteome. Based on these observations, we asked: Does the remaining 83% of the human proteome …

Coastal Wetland Dynamics Under Sea-Level Rise And Wetland Restoration In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Using Bayesian Multilevel Models And A Web Tool, Tyler Hardy

Master's Theses

There is currently a lack of modeling framework to predict how relative sea-level rise (SLR), combined with restoration activities, affects landscapes of coastal wetlands with uncertainties accounted for at the entire northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM). I developed such a modeling framework – Bayesian multi-level models to study the spatial pattern of wetland loss in the NGOM, driven by relative RSLR, vegetation productivity, tidal range, coastal slope, and wave height – all interacting with river-borne sediment availability, indicated by hydrological regimes. These interactions have not been comprehensively investigated before. I further modified this model to assess the efficacy of restoration …

Molecular Adaptations For Sensing And Securing Prey And Insight Into Amniote Genome Diversity From The Garter Snake Genome, Perry W. Perry, Daren C. Card, Joel W. Mcglothlin, Giulia I.M. Pasquesi, Richard H. Adams, Drew R. Schield, Nicole R. Hales, Andrew B. Corbin, Jeffery P. Demuth, Federico G. Hoffmann, Michael W. Vandewege, Ryan K. Schott, Nihar Bhattacharyya, Belinda S.W. Chang, Nicholas R. Casewell, Gareth Whiteley, Jacobo Reyes-Velasco, Stephen P. Mackessy, Tony Gamble, Kenneth B. Storey, Kyle K. Biggar, Courtney N. Passow, Chih-Horng Kuo, Suzanne E. Mcgaugh, Anne M. Bronikowski, A.P. Jason De Konig, Scott V. Edwards, Michael E. Pfrender, Patrick Minx, Edmund D. Brodie Iii, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Wesley C. Warren, Todd A. Castoe

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Colubridae represents the most phenotypically diverse and speciose family of snakes, yet no well-assembled and annotated genome exists for this lineage. Here, we report and analyze the genome of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, a colubrid snake that is an important model species for research in evolutionary biology, physiology, genomics, behavior, and the evolution of toxin resistance. Using the garter snake genome, we show how snakes have evolved numerous adaptations for sensing and securing prey, and identify features of snake genome structure that provide insight into the evolution of amniote genomes. Analyses of the garter snake and other squamate …

Field Data On Plant Growth And Insect Damage On The Noxious Weed Solanum Eleaegnifolium In An Unexplored Native Range, Rupesh R. Kariyat, Jesus Chavana

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

In this data article, we provide a novel data set on plant growth, insect damage levels, and herbivore community of the noxious and invasive weed Solanum eleaegnifolium (Solanaceae). The data is collected from disturbed and un-disturbed urban populations of the species from one of its unexplored native range in Southern United States (South Texas). The data include plant height measurements, insect damage levels, GPS coordinates of the populations, and their disturbance status. Additional data includes the number of chewing herbivore (specialist herbivore Texas potato beetle (Leptinotarsa texana; Chrysomelidae), their eggs, and any lepidopteran caterpillars found on the plants.

Attitudinal Differences Towards Robotics Competitions Of Male And Female Students Participating In A Southeastern State Robotics Competition, Jesse Neece

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Some of the most dynamic and demanding careers are in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, when analyzing gender, there are great disparities among gender in STEM. Statistics indicate females are vastly underrepresented and males are employed double the rate of females. Leading STEM companies are creatively trying to attract future STEM laborers by means of science and engineering competitions. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study was to investigate if there are differences in attitudes between male and female students participating in a robotics competition. A convenience sample of public school students (N = …

The Effects Of An Online Math Intervention On The Math Anxiety Levels Of Community College Students, Rita Love

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Finding an inexpensive, timely, and effective intervention to reduce math anxiety in community college students is a worthwhile endeavor. Math anxiety left unattended can lead to the conscious and deliberate avoidance of math-heavy educational programs and careers. Previous investigations in math anxiety interventions have overlooked the potential for mastery learning-based online modules to reduce math anxiety. The purpose of this two-factor quasi-experimental posttest-only control group study is to investigate whether participation in Let’s Go Racing, a mastery learning-inspired intervention designed to prepare students for gateway math courses, affects math anxiety levels and whether the potential effect differs for male and …

Current Medical Research: Summer/Fall 2017, Richard J. Fehring, Mary Lee Barron

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This issue of Current Medical Research (CMR) includes studies that provide evidence that use of natural family planning (NFP) can be helpful for subfertile couples wishing to achieve a pregnancy, the effectiveness of a method of NFP during breastfeeding, and the effects of using NFP on marital relationships. This review also includes evidence on predicting the sex of a baby by timing intercourse, evidence that brain injuries can be reflected in changes in the menstrual cycle, and that women prefer methods of family planning that have no side effects. The issue ends with an in-depth review of new technologies that …

Chelation Therapy To Prevent Diabetes-Associated Cardiovascular Events, Denisse Diaz, Vivian Fonseca, Y. Wady Aude, Gervasio A. Lamas

School of Medicine Publications

Purpose of review

For over 60 years, chelation therapy with disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA, edetate) had been used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) despite lack of scientific evidence for efficacy and safety. The Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) was developed and received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to ascertain the safety and efficacy of chelation therapy in patients with CVD.

Recent findings

This pivotal trial demonstrated an improvement in outcomes in postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients. Interestingly, it also showed a particularly large reduction in CVD events and all-cause mortality in the prespecified …

The Public Trust In Public Art: Property Law's Case Against Private Hoarding Of “Public” Art, Hope M. Babcock

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Private hoarding of important works of art is a phenomenon that has caused their disappearance from public view. The loss of this art undermines republican values like education, community, and citizenship, and therefore should be resisted. This Article explores various legal tools to prevent this from happening, including doctrines and laws that protect artists’ rights in their work, but which offer the public little relief. Turning to two well-known common-law doctrines—public dedication and public trust—to see whether they might provide a solution, the author favors the latter because it is nimbler and better suited to the public nature of important …

Extending Extension's Outreach: Using Student Interns As A Resource For Obtaining Implementation Of Irrigation Improvements, Deanna Ringenberg, William Kranz, Suat Irmak, Bruce Dvorak

Journal of Extension

Student interns are a resource that can increase the capacities of Extension professionals. Trained student interns based out of Nebraska Extension offices provided water and energy reduction recommendations to irrigators using center pivot irrigation systems. Follow-up interviews and a survey performed 1 to 3 years after the original assistance indicated impacts at levels similar to those garnered via previous assistance from Extension staff. In almost all cases, irrigators implemented soil water sensors, and the main motivations for doing so were financial. Recommendations for other improvements were infrequently implemented; however, as part of making those recommendations, the student interns collected fuel …

Recommendations For The Creation Of A Center For Citizen Science, Robert B. Blair, Lucy Fortson, Abigail Anderson, Andrea Strauss

Journal of Extension

The explosive growth of citizen science has led to myriad independent projects in Minnesota and beyond. Here, we examine whether the field of citizen science would benefit from a center to coordinate efforts and help citizen science practitioners. We present results of a focus group–based needs assessment involving 52 practitioners active in citizen science. The main conclusions are that establishment of a center for citizen science would benefit efforts and that a statewide center should serve multiple functions. Though this process focused on Minnesota, we believe our findings and recommendations are applicable to and would benefit Extension efforts anywhere.

The Differences Of Musical Self-Expression And The Interrelationships Within Group Music Improvisation Between Japan And The United States, Rieko Eguchi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Individualism and collectivism are described in various domains, and those are often referred to describe people’s cultural characteristics. Those characteristics are also deeply related to how to perceive ‘self’ in a cultural context. As a presupposition, America is often regarded as an individualistic society, and Japan is often regarded as a collectivistic society. From a music therapy perspective, sound reflects our inner world. Based on these concepts, this study was designed to investigate if there were any culturally-related characteristics in the sound of group music improvisation in America and Japan, and any connectedness regarding self-expression and interrelationship.

The purpose of …

Developing And Validating The Teacher Self-Efficacy For Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Inclusive Classrooms (Tse-Asdi) Scale, Corinne Gaffney Catalano

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This is a multi-method study to develop and validate an instrument to measure teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive early childhood classrooms, Teacher Self-efficacy for Teaching Students with ASD Inclusive Classrooms Scale: TSE-ASDI. I conducted literature and expert reviews as well as cognitive pre-testing with my target populations of pre-service and in-service early childhood teachers. I conducted a quantitative study using exploratory factor analysis, reliability analyses, correlational analyses, and by comparing mean differences in scores when grouped by teaching status, special education preparation and experience with individuals with ASD. My measure development process provided …

Molecular Ecology And Management Of Nuisance And Invasive Marine Species : Chrysaora Chesapeakei, Moerisia Sp., And Gonionemus Vertens, Dena J. Restaino

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Ecological communities are under constant pressure from anthropogenic disturbances. Marine and estuarine systems are affected by human use and development of both coastal land and the surrounding water. One consequence of this use is the deterioration of water quality, which can lead to changes in community structure and a loss of species richness. Another effect of increased usage of marine water ways in the introduction of invasive species. These non-natives also have the ability to change community structure and reduce ecosystem services. In particular cnidarians are able to thrive in degraded systems in part owing to their ability to tolerate …

Benthic Invertebrate Communities Of Barnegat Bay New Jersey : Effects Of Hard-Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria L.) Aquaculture Grow-Outs On Benthic Communities, Rebecca Shell

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Plots of three treatment types (industry-standard screens with clams, screens without clams, and control) were installed at Sedge Island, Barnegat Bay, in 2012. 177 species from eight phyla were collected. Hard-clam plots had lower Shannon-Weiner Index values and higher sedimentary sorting coefficients as compared to both control treatments. ANOSIM identified benthic communities inside hard clam plots as statistically distinct from the two control treatments. There was no significant effect of treatment on functional groups assigned by burrowing depth. Seasonal peaks in May are clear for Polydora cornuta and Tritia obsoleta, as well as for suspension feeders and omnivores. All burrowing-depth …