Digital Commons Network^™

Grazing And Harvest Efficiency Of Forage By Cattle On Western Rangelands, Ruger Carter, Eric Thacker, Kevin Heaton, Beth Burritt

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides guidelines for land managers to reach an appropriate level of utilization that increases animal and rangeland health.

Plant Protein Prenylation In Environmental Responses And Protein Production., Parul Singh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lipid post-translational modifications enhance a protein’s interaction with membranes and other proteins. In this dissertation, I studied a recently identified Arabidopsis gene, PROTEIN PRENYLTRANSFERASE ALPHA SUBUNIT-LIKE (PPAL), by mapping a second-site mutation that rescues the original mutation phenotype and could be an additional factor involved in sugar homeostasis/sensing. I found that mutant phenotype associated with suppressor line was too weak and variable to consistently score, which resulted in not finding any linked markers. I also generated crosses between ppal-1 and ABA biosynthesis and signal transduction mutants to find any possible connection between these pathways and PPAL. By …

Carrots And Sticks Of Whistleblowing: What Classification Trees Say About False Claims Act Lawsuits, Tammy Cowart, Kurt Schulzke, Sherry Jackson

Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, and Business-Law Faculty Publications and Presentations

Whistleblower lawsuits under the federal False Claims Act have markedly increased over the past decade. While the amount of individual settlements and judgments vary, over time the government has paid out an average of about 15% of its recoveries as awards to whistleblowers. This investigation used a classification tree algorithm to analyze a sample of recent False Claims Act qui tam settlements, identifying several factors that distinguish larger settlements from smaller ones. Notably, the public or private status of corporate defendants, the federal judicial circuit in which the case is settled, type of case, case duration, relator status, and whether …

Enhancing Self-Monitoring With Differential Negative Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior For Increasing Students’ Writing Production, Meghann Torchia

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Writing is a difficult task for many students who find it aversive, and who attempt to escape the task. Self-monitoring and differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior (DNRA) are two approaches that have been shown to improve quantity of performance, but no studies were found that combined the two methods to determine whether they are more effective in combination than in isolation. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using DNRA to enhance self-monitoring for increasing writing productivity using a multiple probe, across participants, design. Number of words and number of sentences were measured. For …

Promoting Bee Communities Through Habitat Enhancements On Public And Private Lands In Nebraska, Kayla A. Mollet

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wild and managed bees are the most effective pollinators, accounting for about 80% of the pollination of flowering plants and 75% of fruits, nuts, and vegetables in the United States (USDA, 2019; USFWS, 2019). An estimated 4,000 species of bees reside in North America, the majority of which are wild and unmanaged. Wild bee communities are critical for maintaining healthy ecosystems, as they sustain native flora that provides soil stability and habitat for other wildlife. In a changing landscape, floral enhancements on privately and publicly-owned lands may have great impact for improving habitat for pollinators across the United States. Planting …

Environmental Sampling Techniques For Herd-Level Surveillance Of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus, Jaden Carlson

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Control of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) relies on resource-intensive individual animal sampling to detect and remove persistently infected (PI) cattle. Herd-level surveillance tools would be useful for herds with unknown BVDV status and for monitoring herds with BVDV-free status. The overall objective of this thesis is to explore the viability of BVDV surveillance at a herd-level using samples collected without handling individual animals. The first objective was to determine the feasibility of using stable flies as a sampling tool to detect BVDV. The second objective was to determine the feasibility of using drinking water to detect BVDV. To accomplish …

3-Hydroxy Fatty Acids Induce Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Lipoapoptosis, Mona Hadidi

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) plays an important role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, especially during catabolic stress. Genetic mutation in gene that encodes for mitochondrial FAO enzymes could result in metabolic stress especially during fasting or hypoglycemic condition. Mutation in the active site residue (1528G>C) of long chain 3-hydroxy acyl CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) results in the loss of LCHAD enzyme activity. Children’s with LCHAD mutation were known to accumulate 3-hydroxy fatty acids such as 3-hydroxy palmitic acid and 3-hydroxy myristic acids, long chain free fatty acids, acyl carnitine and 3-hydroxy dicarboxylic acid due to their defective enzyme activity. These …

Inhibitory Effects Of Shiitake-Derived Exosome-Like Nanoparticles On Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation, Yizhu Lu

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical mediator of inflammation and consists of the sensor NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), the adaptor apoptotic speck protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and the effector caspase-1. Dysregulated or excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to pathogenesis of diverse inflammatory diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. Therefore, the NLRP3 inflammasome is a promising therapeutic target for treating these diseases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed tiny particles released by almost any type of cells and they are involved in the intercellular communication by transferring their cargos including RNAs, …

Transport And Distribution Of Bovine Milk Exosomes And Mir-34a Cargo In Murine Cerebral Cortex Endothelial Bend.3 Cells And Bv2 Microglia, Pearl Ebea

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses an obstacle in the delivery of drugs to the brain. Bovine milk exosomes (BME) are explored for delivering antisense oligonucleotides to tumors, because BME are bioavailable and protect RNA cargos against degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. This study had the following objectives: 1) assess the transport kinetics of BME and their RNA cargos and secretion of RNA across the apical membrane in murine cerebral cortex endothelial bEnd.3 cells and 2) determine whether murine brain BV2 microglia have the potential to accumulate and, therefore, eliminate BME that crossed the BBB. The uptake of BME labeled with …

From The Stars In The Sky To The Fish In The Sea, Jennifer Smith

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

The Bioaccumulation Of Cyanotoxins In Aquatic Food Webs, Amanda Lee Murby Mcquaid

Doctoral Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are naturally occurring photosynthetic bacteria, ubiquitous in nature. Increases in temperature and nutrients have supported the proliferation of cyanobacterial growth globally, especially in freshwater systems. Many taxa can produce biotoxins referred to as “cyanotoxins”. While toxic cyanobacteria are a growing public health concern, little is known about the accumulation of cyanotoxins in lake food webs. This research investigates the seasonal occurrence and the potential role of toxic cyanobacteria in two lakes of contrasting water qualities and food web structures. Objectives of this study were to test the bioaccumulation of microcystins (MCs) and beta-methyl-alanine-amino acid (BMAA) in zooplankton. I further …

Molecular Diet Analyses Of North American Bats, Devon O'Rourke

Doctoral Dissertations

A food web is a model of the feeding relationships among organisms in an environment. The fidelity of this model is limited principally by the ability to detect these interactions. Researchers who study cryptic interactions such as nocturnal insectivory in bats typically rely on fecal samples to identify trophic connections. Historically these diet analyses were limited to morphological inspection of arthropod fragments, however modern metabarcoding techniques have improved the richness and specificity of consumed prey: rather than bats foraging for a few arthropod orders, we observe hundreds of species among guano samples. Animal metabarcoding is not without bias; nevertheless, a …

Striped Bass Strain Effects On Aquaculture Performance Traits, Stress Responsiveness And Hybrid Offspring Growth, Linas Kenter

Doctoral Dissertations

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and their hybrids have been well studied and are widely cultured as a food and gamefish. Recent increases in striped bass aquaculture have generated interest in domestication programs where growth performance and stress tolerance are among the traits of interest. Unique geographic stocks, or strains have previously been identified and these populations will presumably exhibit distinct culture traits across different environments. Before application of genetic principles, domestication programs should begin by evaluating available strains for superior performance in the environments intended to be utilized during culture. In this effort, a series of experiments were conducted to …

Mammals On Mountainsides Revisited: Analyzing Multiple Dimensions Of Diversity To Gain New Insight On Community Assembly And Biogeography, Brooks Kohli

Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding how biodiversity is distributed, maintained, and altered is a fundamental goal of ecology and is especially important for predicting the effects of ongoing rapid environmental change. Traditionally, diversity has been described in taxonomic terms using the number and abundance of species (e.g., species richness). However, biodiversity is multi-faceted and includes functional (ecological traits) and phylogenetic (evolutionary relationships) dimensions that emphasize the similarities and differences among species. Functional diversity is particularly appealing because it quantifies the range and prevalence of traits in an assemblage and helps link patterns of diversity to the ecological processes that generate them. I used a …

Dish It Up! The Influence Of Kind Diningtm& Green House Model Food And Food Service Innovations On The Resident Experience In Residential Care Facilities., Mary E. Jensen

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand how innovative practices affect the satisfaction elder-care facility residents have with their food-related life. The study looks through the lenses of food and food service activities, related medical care activities, and facility design.

The Older Americans Act of 1965 defined the basic rights of elders in American society. The statement and objectives codified in that Act have provided the outline for eldercare in the community and in residential care facilities ever since. Legislative updates in 2017 more clearly identified “person-centered” care as the ideal in elderly care homes. Research using the diffusion …

Climate Change And Chagas Disease In The Americas: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Brittany N. Graves

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

While many studies have found associations between climate change and factors affecting Chagas disease transmission, the future impact of climate change on the global spread of Chagas disease remains debatable. A qualitative, systematic review was conducted to assess the impact of climate change on Chagas disease transmission in the Americas (Central America, South America, and North America). The literature search was performed in January 2019 using the keywords climate, Chagas, and “trypanosoma cruzi” and the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Ovid. Searches retrieved records from 1982 through 2019. The initial electronic database search identified a total of 191 record documents …

The Impact Of Food Security Status On The Food Shopping Behavior And Patterns Of 2018 Brighter Bites Participants At Baseline, Sarah A. Crulcich

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Households with children continue to have a greater prevalence of food insecurity compared to the national average. While the national food security rates have improved in recent years, it remains stagnant among children. The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional regression analysis on food shopping patterns and behavior among Brighter Bites participants stratified by food security status to offer more insight into how these households obtain fresh produce. We used baseline survey data from Brighter Bites participants completed during fall 2018. The results indicate that food insecure Brighter Bites households shop more frequently for produce at locations …

Tuberculosis Among Dairy Workers In Bailey County, Texas, Anabel Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

On January 2016, Texas State Department of Health Services (DSHS) Public Health Region 1 (PHR 1) conducted T-SPOT.TB tests in response to two requests to screen dairy workers potentially exposed to cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis or bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Bailey County, Texas. Out of 140 workers tested, 14 had confirmed latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI)—prevalence of 10.0%. This first study gave rise to questions concerning tuberculosis (TB) knowledge and exposure history among dairy workers in this same county. The second study focused on determining TB knowledge among dairy workers through a series of questions administered by research personnel on …

The Effect Of Hospital Engagement Network Participation On Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections And Readmission Rates, Tyler Wallace

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) program to decrease patient harm events in United States’ (US) hospitals. The HEN program became the nation’s largest quality improvement collaborative (QIC) focusing on improving patient care. Results from the program’s formal evaluation were inconclusive on whether the HEN program was effective. There have been no other known studies on this program’s effectiveness. Even with the evidence lacking, the CMS continues to fund programs similar to the HEN program. This study’s research aim was to compare patient outcomes for HEN participants to nonparticipants to …

The Effects Of Combined Curcumin Supplementation And High Intensity Interval Training On Time Trial Performance In Moderately Active Individuals, Nora Jacqueline Johnston

Master's Theses

Individuals who participate in intensified training programs such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), are at risk for an uncontrolled inflammatory response, which may hinder the body’s recovery process. Curcumin is the most recognized compound in turmeric and has a distinctive yellow color. Curcumin has many medicinal actions and is most well-known for its anti-inflammatory activities. More recently, curcumin has emerged as an agent that can potentially optimize performance during intense exercise and may also attenuate pain and muscle soreness. Additionally, curcumin has been linked to improvements in mental health status such as reductions in depression and anxiety. PURPOSE: The …

The Effects Of Fish Meal Supplementation On Gene Expression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum Following Low Dose Administration Of Prostaglandin F2a, Jessica Claire Cedillo

Master's Theses

The corpus luteum is a transient endocrine gland that develops from the remnants of the ovulatory follicle and secretes the steroid hormone progesterone. Progesterone is essential in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in all mammalian species. In the non-pregnant bovine, uterine prostaglandin F2α is secreted in a series of pulses between days 15 and 17 after ovulation, allowing the corpus luteum to undergo functional and structural regression and an opportunity for mating. During early pregnancy, trophoblastic cells of the developing embryonic placenta secrete interferon-tau, which attenuates uterine prostaglandin F2α secretion allowing for maintenance of the corpus luteum during the …

Intraspecific Functional Trait Diversity In Big Sagebrush-Associated Species And Implications For Ecological Restoration, Gwen Schneider

Master's Theses

Big sagebrush ecosystems are widespread throughout the western United States and provide essential ecosystem services, including water and nutrient cycling, energy capture, and habitat for sagebrush obligate taxa. Notably, sagebrush ecosystems provide habitat for the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), which is a nearly threatened species of high concern. Sagebrush habitat has experienced a 45% reduction in range, and a large portion of intact habitat is at risk of loss from severe fire,cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, encroachment of pinyon-juniper woodlands, fragmentation due to human development, and changes associated with anthropogenic climate change. Thus, it is of high conservation significance to …

The Parable Of Portobello: Lessons And Questions From The First Urban Acquisition Under The Scottish Community Right-To-Buy Regime, John A. Lovett, Malcolm M. Combe

Montana Law Review

Scholars, lawyers, and activists interested in community development in the United States, Scotland, or any country seeking to expand community ownership of land will be interested, we think, in the lessons we learned in Portobello and the questions it poses for the future.

Mechanisms Of Reduced Vascular Tone Following Arteriogenesis Induced By Femoral Artery Ligation, Christopher Hatch

Biomedical Engineering

The presence of a developed, native collateral network can decrease the severity of ischemic injury proceeding arterial occlusion. The collateral network must under arteriogenesis to enlarge and increase blood flow to the ischemic region. Although there has been tremendous effort attempting to understand the mechanisms of arteriogenesis, no therapies have been successful in improving patient outcome. To better understand the mechanisms involved in arteriogenesis, the effect of nitric oxide production, myogenic tone, and a-adrenergic receptors were evaluated as these have been identified as playing an important role in vascular injury. Arteriogenesis was induced by ligating the femoral artery between the …

Prebiotic Carbohydrate Profiles Of Lentil, Chickpea, And Common Bean, Niroshan Siva

All Dissertations

Pulses such as lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are a rich source of protein, prebiotic carbohydrates, and micronutrients. Prebiotic carbohydrates are utilized by beneficial gut microorganisms and produce short chain fatty acids which is associated with increasing mineral absorption and reducing obesity risk. The objectives of these studies were to 1) identify and quantify prebiotic carbohydrate profiles [simple sugars, sugar alcohols (SA), raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO), fructooligosaccharides (FOS), resistant starch (RS), cellulose, hemicellulose, and amylose)] in different market classes of lentil, common bean, and chickpea, 2) determine the changes of SA, …

Development And Preliminary Validation Of Image-Enabled Process Metrics For Assessment Of Open Surgery Suturing Skill, Irfan Kil

All Dissertations

Suturing is a fundamental surgical skill required in a variety of operations, ranging from wound repair to delicate vascular reconstruction. It is essential that surgeons master requisite suturing skills so that he or she can deliver safe and effective care to patients. Due to an increased emphasis on standardized medical training, tools and methods are needed to provide objective assessment and feedback during the learning process. In this thesis, a new surgical simulator for assessment and training of open surgery suturing skill is introduced. The suturing simulator system design, force-based, motion-based, image-based and image-enabled metrics for skill assessment, and a …

Attitudes To Wildlife, Andrew N. Rowan

WellBeing News

Studies of USA public attitudes to wildlife span over forty years beginning with Kellert's 1976 report and attitudes typology. A recent report documents continuing declines in Utilitarian and Traditionalist values with a corresponding increase in Mutualism (live in harmony/coexistence with wildlife).

Academic And Community Leaders Partnership For Prevention And Control Of Emerging Diseases: Lesson From Rwanda, Alice Nyirazigama, Oluyinka Adejumo, Sandrine Dushimimana

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This abstract emphasize the role of partnership between school of nursing and community local leaders in prevention and control of emerging communicable and non communicable diseases.

Archive And Repertoire Of The Esala Perahera Performance In Sri Lanka, Hashintha Jayasinghe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the archive and the repertoire of the Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka and charts the ideological and cultural implications of the performance. The archival analysis begins with the interrogation of the historical chronicles and the recorded history of the performance in the Sinhala and English texts. Thereafter, travel literature and the dissemination of cultural knowledge on the Perahera are discussed. The study of the repertoire and the photographic archive explores key performances in the Esala Perahera in 2016 and 2017. Postcolonial theory, theories on cultural anthropology, and performance theory are used to analyze the archive and the …

Investigation Of Structural, Optical And Electronic Properties Of Modified Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites, Rasanjali Jayathissa

Dissertations

Owing to their high-power conversion efficiency (PCE), easy processability, and low fabrication cost, organic lead halide perovskites (OLHP) are emerging as a most promising photovoltaic technology. However, toxicity of lead (Pb) is a major concern for further development. Therefore, it is essential to explore nontoxic metals to replace lead in these materials. In the current research work, nontoxic Mn²⁺, Na⁺ and Ba²⁺ are doped at 1, 5 and 10% mole concentrations to partially substitute Pb²⁺ in methyl ammonium lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃ or MAPbI₃) perovskite systems, and the effects …