Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing The Role Of Extracellular Matrix In Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Metastasis Using A 3d Microenvironment Mimetic In-Vitro Culture System., Douglas John Owulaku Saforo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in the United States and worldwide. Five-year survival rates for non-small cell lung carcinoma patients have not improved in decades, and a majority of patients succumb to metastasis. Identification of therapeutic targets for metastatic disease is essential for the development of novel therapies. However, current 2-dimensional (2D) in vitro models are not reflective of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are inadequate in identifying therapeutic targets. We adapted a 3-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) in vitro model to a hypoxic incubator to approximate physiological hypoxia of the TME in a microenvironment …

Opioid And Stimulant Use Among A Sample Of Corrections-Involved Drug Users : Seeking An Understanding Of High-Risk Drug Decisions Within A System Of Constraint., Kirsten Elin Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, high-risk drug use remains a significant social problem. Opioids and stimulants are two drug classes that have contributed to substantial recent increases in drug-related arrests, overdose, and mortality. Kentucky has been particularly devastated by high rates of opioid and stimulant use. Opioid and stimulant effects, while highly rewarding, can result in adverse consequences. Still, some people choose to use these drugs, and choose to continue using even after experiencing adverse consequences, such as incarceration. The aim of this study was to explore high-risk drug use among a sample of corrections-involved adults in Kentucky and to identify …

Purification Of Biomass Hydrolyzates For The Promotion Of Xylose Diester Formation, Laura Fernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The application of a novel xylose isolation procedure using phenyl boronic acid esterification has been limited to the hydrolyzates of low extractive biomasses like hardwoods and agricultural resides. Hydrolyzates with lower sugar and higher extractive concentrations, like softwoods, have not yielded xylose, or even xylose diester (XDE), the first intermediate product in the new process, under the same conditions. This research applied evaporation concentration, adsorbent separation and membrane filtration to these lower performing biomass hydrolyzates to maximize the yield of the XDE formation step of the new xylose extraction process. Lab-scale tests of these techniques were applied to pine hydrolyzate …

How An Urban Beach Impacts A Small Town: The Rivi-Erie, A Public Art And Placemaking Case Study, Ellen M. Martin

Museum Studies Theses

This thesis documents the creation of an urban beach on the banks of the Erie Canal in Lockport, New York and the effect it had as both public art and placemaking on a community's identity and development. The “Rivi-Erie” was a project that had the potential to impact the city by reimagining and reinventing a valuable, yet previously underutilized parcel of land.

The concept of changing a public space into a faux urban beach is not new. Beaches with no attendant swimmable water became popular about fifteen years ago in Paris when a newly elected Socialist Mayor sought to address …

Visualization Of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Data For Older Adults Using Participatory Design., Ryan Ahmed, Tammy Toscos Phd, Romisa Rohani Ghahari, Richard J Holden, Elizabeth Martin, Shauna Wagner, Carly Daley, Amanda Coupe, Michael Mirro Md

Health Services and Informatics Research

Patients with heart failure (HF) are commonly implanted with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices as part of their treatment. Presently, they cannot directly access the remote monitoring (RM) data generated from these devices, representing a missed opportunity for increased knowledge and engagement in care. However, electronic health data sharing can create information overload issues for both clinicians and patients, and some older patients may not be comfortable using the technology (i.e., computers and smartphones) necessary to access this data. To mitigate these problems, patients can be directly involved in the creation of data visualization tailored to their preferences and needs, …

Examining Dimensions Of The Organizational Culture At Colleges Of Veterinary Medicine In The United States, Rachel A. Hendricks

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to explore the organizational culture present in veterinary medicine academia from the perspective of the female faculty. According to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), during the 2016-2017 academic year 80.5% of students enrolled at a college of veterinary medicine (CVM) in the United States were women while 35.4% of tenure or tenure-track veterinary professors were female (AAVMC, 2017). There is no empirical, published literature that has examined the organizational culture at the colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States. In this quantitative study, a survey entitled, Culture Conducive to Women’s …

Conservation Treatment Of A 16th- 17th Century Panel Painting Attributed To Paul Brill, Jen Munch

Art Conservation Master's Projects

An oil painting on red oak panel, attributed to Paul Brill, was examined and treated. Structural issues resulting from the failure of an attached cradle system and a prior insect infestation of the wood support were addressed using a combination of modern and traditional methods and materials, including the removal of the cradle and the fabrication and attachment of a new flexible auxiliary support. An aged, discolored varnish layer and discolored prior inpainting were also addressed. Scientific analysis included the use of two X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) techniques, Spot XRF and Scanning XRF, to characterize materials used in the …

An In-Depth Technical Analysis And Treatment Of A Floral Still Life Painting, Elizabeth Robson

Art Conservation Master's Projects

A floral still life painting believed to be of Flemish origin was examined using a variety of imaging and analytical techniques to better understand its materials and history. A palette including lead white, vermilion, orpiment, and ultramarine was confirmed, and the glue paste lining was also analyzed. The provenance and attribution of the painting was researched extensively, and it was concluded that it is more likely French than Dutch, created in the late 17th or early 18th century. Finally, aesthetic and structural treatments were undertaken to clean and stabilize the surface, revealing additional original detail and colors.

Analysis And Conservation Of A Chikara, Kaitlyn Wright

Art Conservation Master's Projects

A stringed musical instrument from the Buffalo Museum of Science was received for conservation treatment at Buffalo State College. Historical research, examination of previous interventions through imaging techniques, and material analysis were carried out to possibly place the instrument in a historical context and create an understanding of its fabrication. Transmission-Fourier transform infrared microscopy (Transmission-FTIR), pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS), x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and microchemical testing were utilized to understand the coatings on the body of the instrument. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) was performed on the fibers, hair, and wood to understand the materials used in manufacture and their possible …

Communication Infrastructure Theory: A Rural Application, Callie S. Embry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The health of a community’s communication infrastructure influences their efficacy and efficiency in dealing with societal problems. The majority of previous communication infrastructure research has focused on multicultural urban centers. This study looks at the communication infrastructure of one rural Arkansas town, specifically looking for the places residents report as communication assets and the subjects discussed within the storytelling network. I used a combination of communication asset mapping and semi-structured interviews to identify the physical locations within the community where residents regularly converse with one another. The interviews along with observations also provided insight into the subject matter that residents …

The Relationship Between Painful/Provocative Training Experiences And Capability For Suicide Among Medical Students, Brittney L. Assavedo

Dissertations

The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between capability for suicide and painful and provocative experiences related to practicing within the medical profession (mPPEs) among students enrolled in a College of Osteopathic Medicine (n = 114). It was posited that frequency of engagement in mPPEs would predict scores on measures of capability for suicide above and beyond the effects of gender and painful and provocative experiences unrelated to practicing within the medical profession (PPEs). It was also posited that frequency of both witnessing and performing an mPPE would moderate the impact of curriculum component on capability …

A Bayesian Analysis Of Longitudinal Farm Surveys In Central Malawi Reveals Yield Determinants And Site-Specific Management Strategies, Han Wang, Sieglinde S. Snapp, Monica Fisher, Frederi Viens

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Understanding the challenges to increasing maize productivity in sub-Saharan Africa, especially agronomic factors that reduce on-farm crop yield, has important implications for policies to reduce national and global food insecurity. Previous research on the maize yield gap has tended to emphasize the size of the gap (theoretical vs. achievable yields), rather than what determines maize yield in specific contexts. As a result, there is insufficient evidence on the key agronomic and environmental factors that influence maize yield in a smallholder farm environment. In this study, we implemented a Bayesian analysis with plot-level longitudinal household survey data covering 1,197 plots and …

Experimental Feeding Studies With Crickets And Locusts On The Use Of Feed Mixtures Composed Of Storable Feed Materials Commonly Used In Livestock Production, P. Straub, C. M. Tanga, I. Osuga, W. Windisch, S. Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Insects such as the Mediterranean field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus and the Desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, are emerging as potential sources of human food and feed for livestock. High nutritive value and efficient feed conversion make them attractive for commercial production as novel livestock, but these properties strongly vary with the insects´ diet. Current mass-rearing protocols are based on fresh, non-storable feed materials. This requires constant supply and makes the systems sensitive to fluctuations regarding nutritional quality and safety. Hence there is a need to find storable, readily available feeds. Therefore, experimental diets were composed from the five different feed materials, …

Plasmid Mediated Colistin Resistance In Enterobacteriaceae Isolated From Feces Of Broiler Chicken In The United Arab Emirates, Sara Abdelkafi Mahmoud Ali

Theses

Although human infections with colistin-resistant Mcr-producing Enterobacteriaceae have been reported from the Arabian Peninsula, the presence of mcr gene in strains of animal origin has not been studied.

Ten composite faecal samples were collected in each of four geographically distant poultry farms in Abu Dhabi Emirate. Ten colonies from McConkey agar containing 1 mg/L colistin from each sample were PCR-screened for mcr-1, mcr-2, MCR-3, mcr-4, mcr-5. Of the positive ones, one isolate representing each distinct plasmid profile was selected for susceptibility testing and for whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Transfer of the MCR-1 gene into Escherichia coli …

The Information Content Of Sudden Insider Silence, Claire Yurong Hong, Frank Weikai Li

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We present evidence of investors underreacting to the absence of events in financialmarkets. Routine-based insiders strategically choose to be silent when they possessprivate information not yet reflected in stock prices. Consistent with our hypothesis,insider silence following routine sell (buy) predict positive (negative) future return aswell as fundamentals. The return predictability of insider silence is stronger amongfirms with poor information environment and facing higher arbitrage costs, and alarge fraction of abnormal returns concentrates on future earnings announcements. Along-short strategy that exploits insiders’ strategic silence behavior generates abnormalreturns of 6% to 10% annually

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Livestock Guardian Dogs: Loss-Prevention, Behavior, Space-Use, And Human Dimensions, Daniel Kinka

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Livestock guardian dogs – or “LGDs” – are commonly used by domestic sheep ranchers and reduce the need for killing wild carnivores to protect livestock. LGDs are mostly used in the United States to reduce the number of livestock killed by coyotes, but whether they can prevent killing by larger carnivores like wolves and grizzly bears is unclear. It is important to identify which behavioral traits and LGD breeds work best for guarding livestock so that ranchers can protect their stock and environmentalists can enjoy a greater number of wild animals on the landscape. This study investigated the effectiveness of …

Severity Of Chest Pain Among Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients With Diagonal Branch Vessel Disease: A Pilot Study, Nasir Rahman, Azmina Artani, Farhala Mari Baloch, Bilal Hussain

Section of Cardiology

Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients present with variable clinical manifestations such as shortness of breath, nausea, etc. among which chest pain is the most common. Previous studies have reported that the clinical presentation of AMI patients with branch vessel disease is indistinguishable from epicardial coronary vessel disease. However, our experience suggests patients with branch vessel disease experience severe chest pain, especially those with a diagonal branch. Therefore, we aim to study the association of chest pain severity with isolated diagonal branch vessel disease as a culprit vessel in AMI patients.

Methods: It is a retrospective case-control design, where 10 …

Using Tree-Ring Growth And Stable Isotopes To Explore Ponderosa Pine Ecophysiological Responses To Climate Variability And The 2012-2015 California Drought, Rachel M. Keen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate warming in recent decades has resulted in more frequent and severe drought events in the western United States. These changes are projected to continue, making it exceedingly important to understand how forests respond to severe drought stress, and how we can manage these forests to reduce mortality during future events. The 2012-2015 California drought is a recent example of a severe, multi-year drought that was coupled with an epidemic-scale outbreak of western pine beetle, killing nearly 90% of ponderosa pines in the central and southern Sierra Nevadas. In the first portion of this study, we compared pairs of surviving …

Exploring The Capacity Of Bacteria For Natural Product Biosynthesis, Ozkan Fidan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation is focused on exploring the potential of bacteria for the biosynthesis of natural products with the purposes of generating novel natural product derivatives and of improving the titer of pharmaceutically important natural products.

A wide variety of compounds from various sources have been historically used in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Natural products as a major source of new drugs are extensively explored due to their huge structural diversity and promising biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, antiviral and antioxidant properties. For instance, penicillin as an early-discovered antimicrobial agent has saved millions of lives, indicating the …

Adapting Environmental Ethics And Behaviors: Toward A Posthuman Rhetoric Of Community Engagement, Beth J. Shirley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

What persuades people one way or another to accept or deny climate change? More importantly, what persuades people to act on, ignore, or even be defiant of climate change? We would like to think that people are motivated when they hear the science explained clearly and when they are presented with a clear understanding of how their actions have a lasting impact. Yet the science on climate change has been made clear for some time, and doubt in climate change science is rampant (at least in the United States).

This dissertation seeks to answer these questions and develop a new …

Linkage Of Climate Diagnostics In Predictions For Crop Production: Cold Impacts In Taiwan And Thailand, Parichart Promchote

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research presents three case studies of low temperature anomalies that occurred during the winter–spring seasons and their influence on extreme events and crop production. We investigate causes and effects of each climate event and developed prediction methods for crops based on the climate diagnostic information. The first study diagnosed the driven environmental-factors, including climate pattern, climate change, soils moisture, and sea level height, associated with the 2011 great flood in Thailand and resulting total crop loss. The second study investigated climate circulation and indices that contributed to wet-and-cold (WC) events leading to significant crop damage in Taiwan. We developed …

Eared Grebe Nesting Ecology And Chronology Along The Great Salt Lake, Utah, Leah M. Delahoussaye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) are migratory birds that build their nests over water and in large groups called colonies. Their typical breeding range is in central southern Canada and northern United States; however, a previously uncertain number of Eared Grebes (grebes) also nest around the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, at the southern edge of their breeding range. Little is known about the habitat requirements for grebe nesting colonies at such low latitudes and if they are different from colonies found elsewhere. My objectives for this research were to determine the status of the grebe nesting population as …

Barriers, Roles, And Information Source Preferences For Utilizing Agricultural Science Projects Among Utah 4-H Extension Professionals, Aleigh Aurin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Agriscience is the growing study of biotechnology, business, and economics within the agriculture industry. Through 4-H, youth can experience hands on learning through different program areas. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers, roles, and how Utah 4-H personnel preferred to learn about new programs. The study showed time and available volunteers were a barrier for 4-H Extension personnel to implement Agriscience projects. Other results included internet and workshops as the top choices for training programs. The Extension personnel agreed it was their job to involve and educate youth. Yet, need training in how to integrate Robotics; …

The Red Front Door, A Memoir, Camila B. Sanabria

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This is a creative thesis that contains two components: 1) a critical introduction that defends the representation of mixed-status families and deportation narratives, and 2) a memoir that depicts my experience with deportation and as a member of a mixed-status family. The second component of this thesis will consist of the first four chapters of my memoir, with the remaining chapters to be completed post-graduation. These chapters take place the years before my parents’ deportation and the year immediately after. The memoir is a coming-of-age story that explores my ethnic identity, along with themes such as insider versus outsider. This …

Genetic Mapping Of Grass Monoculture And Grass-Legume Mixture Compatibility Qtls In Intermediate Wheatgrass, John Mortenson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Due to increased environmental stewardship and fertilizer prices, there is increased interest in using legume mixes in perennial croplands. The objective of this study was to compare quantitative genetic parameters and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) when grown in 1) a non-competitive spaced environment, 2) a polyculture with alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and 3) a monoculture with crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum). Traits evaluated include plant growth characteristics (Zadok’s maturity, height, and tiller count), biomass, and forage nutritive value (CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, IVTD, NDFD, NFC, ME, RFQ). A linkage map …

Optimization Of Biogas Production By Use Of A Microbially Enhanced Inoculum, Anna Doloman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A renewable energy source, biogas, comprises of methane (80%) and carbon dioxide (15%), and is a great alternative to the conventional fossil-based fuels, such as coal, gas and oil. Biogas is created during anaerobic biological digestion of waste materials, such as landfill material, animal manure, wastewater, algal biomass, industrial organic waste etc. A biogas potential from organic waste in the United States is estimated at about 9 million tons per year and technology allows capture of greenhouse gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, into a form of a fuel. In the light of global climate change and efforts to …

Teachers' Conceptions Of Mathematics And Intelligent Tutoring System Use, Andrew R. Glaze

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the relationship between teachers’ conceptions of mathematics and their use of intelligent tutoring systems for mathematics instruction. Intelligent tutoring systems are adaptive computer programs which administer mathematics instruction to students based on their cognitive state. A conception is a mixture of beliefs and knowledge. The participants in this study were 93 junior high school mathematics teachers from three school districts in the Midwest. Data were gathered using a two-part online survey. The first part of the survey contained questions about their use of intelligent tutoring systems, graphing calculators, Desmos and dynamic …

Query Autoawesome, Chetna Suryavanshi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research investigates how to improve legacy queries. Legacy queries are queries that programmers have coded and are used in applications. A database application typically has tens to hundreds of such queries. One way to improve legacy queries is to add new, interesting queries that are similar to or based on the set of queries. We propose Query AutoAwesome, a tool to generate new queries from legacy queries. The Query AutoAwesome philosophy is taken from Google’s AutoAwesomizer tool for photos, which automatically improves a photo uploaded to Google by animating the photo or adding special effects. In a similar …

Urban Alaskan Moose: An Analysis Of Factors Associated With Moose-Vehicle Collisions, Lucian R. Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As human populations continue to grow and encroach into wildlife habitats, instances of human-wildlife conflict are on the rise. Increasing numbers of reported wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) provide tangible evidence of anthropogenic impacts on wildlife as well as increasing threats to human health and safety. Increasing WVCs are of particular concern, especially those involving large-bodied ungulates such as moose (Alces spp.), because of the increased risk of property damage, personal injuries, and human fatalities. Motorists directly involved in a WVC are at risk of injury or mortality, but other motorists are also put at risk due to road obstructions and traffic …

Investigation Of The Molecular Determinants And Extrinsic Factors That Regulate Prmt Product Specificity, Tamar B. Cáceres

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Protein arginine methylation is an important modification of proteins, involved in many cellular processes. Some examples are transcription, RNA editing, cellular communication, DNA repair, viral replication and chromatin remodeling. In recent years, the significance of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) in human diseases has been increasingly studied, especially in cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although the importance of these enzymes is recognized, the understanding of how exactly PRMTs function is still limited. Very little information is available to explain how or why any of the different PRMTs interact with other proteins or, what determines where in that protein to place their methyl …