Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis And Biological Studies Of Amphiphilic Compounds Derived From Saccharides And Aminoglycosides, Madher N. Alfindee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adjacent cells communicate through gap junctions (GJs). These GJs are formed by head to head docking of two hemichannels (HCs) from two adjacent cells. HCs are connexin hexamer proteins. Connexin mutation is the most frequent cause of childhood hearing loss. This hearing impairment affects 2 in every 2000 children. Inhibition of the HCs might be the key factor to treat such disorders. A library of amphiphilic kanamycins was synthesized to be tested as HC inhibitors. These compounds showed excellent inhibition activity in comparison with the parent compound (kanamycin A) with less toxicity.

A library of monosaccharide esters with varying carbon …

Epigenetic Reprogramming, Apoptosis, And Developmental Competence In Cloned Embryos, Laura A. Moley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cloning through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) remains highly inefficient twenty years after the first demonstration of the technology with the birth of Dolly. By increasing efficiency by selecting the embryos early in development that are most likely to succeed following transfer into a surrogate mother, the technology could be more routinely utilized to enhance animal agriculture production. SCNT is believed to be highly inefficient as a result of incorrect DNA methylation and gene expression that are accumulated because of the SCNT technique. We proposed the use of a non-toxic, non-invasive detector of cell death, to quantitatively assess embryo competency …

Association Between Ptsd Symptom Clusters, Substance Use, Hypersexuality, And Erectile Dysfunction In Service Members And Veterans, Jeremiah E. Fruge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Service members and veterans of the current era, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) are at a high risk for a variety of psychological disorders and physical health impairments. Common disorders among male service members and veterans include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, and hypersexuality. Each of these disorders affect all aspects of an individual’s life and can deteriorate important interpersonal relationships or impair functioning in a variety of contexts. All these variables can affect sexual health and functioning in these service members. Sexual functioning is an important aspect of overall well-being, …

Nest-Site Selection Of Golden Eagles And Ferruginous Hawks And Diet Composition Of Sensitive Raptor Species Using Metabarcoding Analysis In The Uinta Basin And Ashley National Forest, Ut, Usa, Dylan J. Hopkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Development and climate change in the sagebrush habitats are causing population declines of North American hawks and eagles. For these species, understanding the landscape features that are preferred for nesting and the prey they consume in sagebrush habitats are important in developing conservation plans. Specifically, we know little of the preferred nest-sites and diet of Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo regalis) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) many locales. In our study, we determined the landscape characteristics associated with nest sites for these two raptor species in the Uintah Basin, UT to predict where nests may occur in our …

The Vulnerability Of Littoral Structures Under Multiyear Drought Conditions, Jenna M. Keeton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is associated with altered environmental conditions and shifting mosaics of suitable habitats for organisms. Climate change in the form of drought can shift important lake shoreline habitats downslope, altering the lakes chemistry and habitat availability. Additionally, negative biological consequences can occur after a loss of submerged habitat along shorelines, hereafter littoral habitat. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether littoral habitat is lost (cobble, coarse woody habitat (fallen trees; CWH), and aquatic vegetation) under drought conditions across the United States. I used the National Lakes Assessment physical habitat data collected in summer 2012, when 75% of …

The Effect Of Lactation And Energy Status On Gene Expression In The Main Reproductive Tissues Of Lactating Dairy Cattle, Sameer M. Alhojaily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Modern high-yielding dairy cows are currently producing far more milk than their ancestors due to a prolonged and intensive genetic selection for milk production trait accompanied by the revolutionary improvement in technology, management, and nutrition. On the other hand, a noticeable decline in fertility and reproductive performance was undeniably consistent with the increase in milk yield. This decline in fertility and reproductive performance are recognized worldwide and well documented in several studies. Dairy cows typically experience a period of energy deficit during the first few months of lactation due to the rapid increase in milk production and limited feed intake. …

Trout Habitat In An Altered Gravel-Bed River With An Augmented Flow Regime, Jacob B. Stout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Diamond Fork River, and it’s tributary Sixth Water Creek, has been highly altered in terms of shape, function, and ecologicaly due to large, trans-basin flows additions to the system for irrigation starting in the early 1900s. Flows were exceptionally large for 80 years, after which they were reduced in 2004. Larger than natural flows during the low flow season were then added to the river in an effort to improve ecosystem health and recreational fishing opportunities. Since the prescription additional flow during low flow seasons, the river channel has undergone further change, most noticeably in the form of narrowing. …

Spiderworms: Using Silkworms As Hosts To Produce A Hybrid Silkworm-Spider Silk Fiber, Ana Laura Licon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider silk has received significant attention due to its fascinating mechanical properties. Given the solitary and cannibalistic behavior of spiders, spider silk farming is impractical. Unlike spiders, silkworms are capable of producing large quantities of a fibrous product in a manner mimetic to spiders, and there already exists an industry to process cocoons into threads and textiles for many applications. The combination of silk farming (sericulture), a millennia old practice, and modern advancements in genetic engineering has given rise to an innovative biomaterial inspired by nature; transgenic silkworm silk.

This project focuses on the creation of chimeric silkworm-spider silk fibers …

Subsistence Strategy Tradeoffs In Long-Term Population Stability Over The Past 6,000 Years, Darcy A. Bird

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I conduct the first comparative analysis of long term human population stability in North America. Questions regarding population stability among animals and plants are fundamental to population ecology, yet no anthropological research has addressed human population stability. This is an important knowledge gap, because a species’ population stability can have implications for its risk of extinction and for the stability of the ecological community in which it lives. I use archaeological and paleoclimatological data to compare long term population stability with subsistence strategy and climate stability over 6,000 years. I conduct my analysis on a large scale to better understand …

Depression Mediates The Association Of Disordered Eating Behaviors And Sexual Function In Female Service Members And Veterans, Whitney S. Livingston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Poor sexual function is comprised of diminished sexual desire and arousal, presence of sexual pain, inability to reach orgasm, and low satisfaction. Worse sexual function is associated with disordered eating behavior; however, the mechanism through which this association exists remains unclear. Theory of sexual function suggests that depression mediates the association of disordered eating behaviors and poor sexual function in female service members and veterans, but this has yet to be tested empirically. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether depression mediated the association of disordered eating behaviors and sexual dysfunction.

Participants (N=511) were partnered …

Stamina: Stochastic Approximate Model-Checker For Infinite-State Analysis, Thakur Neupane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reliable operation of every day use computing system, from simple coffee machines to complex flight controller system in an aircraft, is necessary to save time, money, and in some cases lives. System testing can check for the presence of unwanted execution but cannot guarantee the absence of such. Probabilistic model checking techniques have demonstrated significant potential in verifying performance and reliability of various systems whose execution are defined with likelihood. However, its inability to scale limits its applicability in practice.

This thesis presents a new model checker, STAMINA, with efficient and scalable model truncation for probabilistic verification. STAMINA uses a …

Women In Agriculture: Living In A "Man's World", Ennea A. Fairchild

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite women’s involvement in agriculture, their contributions have been overlooked in society. Women make up at least a third of those involved in agriculture as farmers, landowners, and in agricultural faculty positions. These numbers do not appear to be decreasing. Although there are several agricultural roles, this study focuses primarily on those women who own agricultural land, but do not farm the land themselves. Rather, these women rent it out to a farmer who operates the land for them (women nonoperating landowners or WNOLs, in short). Previous research suggests these women may be facing considerable barriers as an agricultural landowner …

Biophysical And Structural Characterization Of Shigella Atpase Spa47 Oligomerization Provides Insight Into Type Three Secretion System Activation And Virulence, Jamie L. Burgess

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several bacterial pathogens including Shigella (shigellosis), Escherichia coli (urinary tract infections), Pseudomonas (lung infections), Salmonella (food poisoning), and Yersinia (plague) critically rely on a complex type three secretion system (T3SS) for infection. With the rise in multi-antibiotic resistant strains of several of these pathogens, we turn to the T3SS as a promising target for the development of novel therapeutics. The Dickenson lab at Utah State University has been the first to identify and characterize the ATPase Spa47, the energy source of the Shigella infection system. We show that Spa47 is necessary for proper T3SS formation and function, being ultimately responsible …

The Factors Affecting Wind Erosion In Southern Utah, Mehmet Ozturk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wind erosion is a global issue and affecting millions of people in drylands by causing environmental issues (acceleration of snow melting), public health concerns (respiratory diseases), and socioeconomic problems (costs of damages and cleaning public properties after dust storms). Disturbances in drylands can be irreversible, thus leading to natural disasters such as the 1930s Dust Bowl. With increasing attention on aeolian studies, many studies have been conducted using ground-based measurements or wind tunnel studies. Ground-based measurements are important for validating model predictions and testing the effect and interactions of different factors known to affect wind erosion. Here, a machine-learning model …

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 …

The Impact Of Collaborative Behavioral Health On Treatment Outcomes Of Diabetes, Adam M. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A current body of research is finding significant connection between biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors in health and wellbeing. Some studies have found significant improvements in treatment outcomes for patients who received medical treatment in collaboration with psychosocial therapeutic treatment. In this study, I sought to observe the impact collaborative treatment had on patients with diabetes who were treated at a community health center. I compared the treatment outcomes of a group of patients who received a collaborative treatment, looking to see if their overall health (measured by A1c, a diabetes severity marker) and medical utilization (or their number …

Global Perspectives On Observing Ocean Boundary Current Systems, Robert E. Todd, Francisco P. Chavez, Sophie Clayton, Sophie Cravatte, Marlos Goes, Michelle Graco, Xiaopei Lin, Janet Sprintall, Nathalie V. Zilberman, Matthew Archer, Javier Arístegui, Magdalena Balmaseda, John M. Bane, Molly O. Baringer, John A. Barth, Lisa M. Beal, Peter Brandt, Paulo H. R. Calil, Edmo Campos, Luca R. Centurioni, Maria Paz Chidichimo, Mauro Cirano, Meghan F. Cronin, Enrique N. Curchitser, Russ E. Davis, Marcus Dengler, Brad Deyoung, Shenfu Dong, Ruben Escribano, Andrea J. Fassbender, Sarah E. Fawcett, Ming Feng, Gustavo J. Goni, Alison R. Gray, Dimitri Gutiérrez, Dave Hebert, Rebecca Hummels, Shin-Ichi Ito, Marjorlaine Krug, François Lacan, Lucas Laurindo, Alban Lazar, Craig M. Lee, Matthieu Lengaigne, Naomi M. Levine, John Middleton, Ivonne Montes, Mike Muglia, Takeyoshi Nagai, Hilary I. Palevsky, Jaime B. Palter, Helen E. Phillips, Alberto Piola, Albert J. Plueddemann, Bo Qiu, Regina R. Rodrigues, Moninya Roughan, Daniel L. Rudnick, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Martin Saraceno, Harvey Seim, Alex Sen Gupta, Lynne Shannon, Bernadette M. Sloyan, Adrienne J. Sutton, Luanne Thompson, Anja K. Van Der Plas, Denis Volkov, John Wilkin, Dongxiao Zhang, Linlin Zhang

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading …

Multivariate Genome-Wide Association Study Of Rapid Automatised Naming And Rapid Alternating Stimulus In Hispanic American And African–American Youth, Dongnhu Thuy Truong, Andrew Kenneth Adams, Steven Paniagua, Jan C. Frijters, Richard Boada, Dina E. Hill, Maureen W. Lovett, E Mark Mahone, Erik G. Willcutt, Maryanne Wolf, John C. Defries, Alessandro Gialluisi, Clyde Francks, Simon E. Fisher, Richard K. Olson, Bruce F. Pennington, Shelley D. Smith, Joan Bosson-Heenan, Jeffrey R. Gruen

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Background: Rapid automatised naming (RAN) and rapid alternating stimulus (RAS) are reliable predictors of reading disability. The underlying biology of reading disability is poorly understood. However, the high correlation among RAN, RAS and reading could be attributable to shared genetic factors that contribute to common biological mechanisms.

Objective: To identify shared genetic factors that contribute to RAN and RAS performance using a multivariate approach.

Methods: We conducted a multivariate genome-wide association analysis of RAN Objects, RAN Letters and RAS Letters/Numbers in a sample of 1331 Hispanic American and African-American youth. Follow-up neuroimaging genetic analysis of cortical regions associated with reading …

Alpha, Omega, And The Letters In Between: Lgbtqi Conservative Christians Undoing Gender, Dawne Moon, Theresa W. Tobin, J. E. Sumerau

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Sociologists studying gender have debated West and Zimmerman’s premise that “doing gender is unavoidable,” seeking to ascertain whether people can “undo” or only “redo” gender. While sociologists have been correct to focus on the interactional accomplishment of gender, they have neglected one of Garfinkel’s key insights about interaction: that people hold each other accountable to particular narratives. Neglecting the narrative aspect of doing—and undoing—gender impedes our ability to recognize processes of social change. Based on a qualitative study, we show how the movement for LGBTQI acceptance within U.S. conservative Protestant churches works to make gender not “omnirelevant” by challenging conservative …

Ensuring A Holistic And Quality Education For Every Child: A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Principals’ Transformational Leadership, Elijah Granger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have not fully examined how school leaders impact the teaching and learning environment when working toward generating students’ academic success. Balyer (2012) called for more work on understanding the transformational leadership behaviors that create conditions conducive to generating student achievement within educational accountability. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore the lived experiences of principals and their perceptions concerning the state accountability system and how it may impact their transformational efforts in ensuring a holistic and quality education for every child. The phenomenological inquiry will yield the opportunity to compare administrators’ in-depth perceptions of the accountability …

Visual Opsin Diversity In Anurans, Leah Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among major vertebrate groups, anurans are understudied with regards to their visual systems and how they function. This study sampled North American anurans representing diverse evolutionary and life histories and which likely possess visual systems adapted to meet different ecological needs. Using standard molecular techniques, sequences were obtained for four opsins—the protein component of visual pigments—expressed in anuran retinas. Amino acid sequences of the genes RH1, LWS, SWS1, and SWS2 were compared across taxa to identify variable sites, as such variation can shift the spectral sensitivity of visual pigments and thus alter dim-light and color vision. Some of the amino …

Environmental Regulation Of Cyanobacteria Aerosols From Low Productivity Lakes, Katharine Lorena Langley

Master's Theses and Capstones

Cyanobacteria produce a range of toxins harmful to both humans and wildlife. Microcystins (MCs) are common and potent cyanotoxins that inhibit protein phosphatases in the liver. Chronic exposures can result in tumor promotion and cancer. Toxicity primarily follows ingestion of MCs, however inhalation may be an important secondary and compounding route of exposure to cyanotoxins. The LD50 of intratracheally applied MC-LR is 50x lower than the oral LD50. While MCs are well documented in water, little is known about cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in aerosols and the factors that regulate the movement of cells and toxins into the air. To begin …

Aliens, Aircraft, And Accuracies: Surveying For Understory Invasive Plants Using Unmanned Aerial Systems, Kathleen A. Moran

Master's Theses and Capstones

Invasive (alien) plants are introduced species that can cause harm to native ecosystems, industries, or human health. Managing invasive species requires knowing where they are, and early detection of new populations increases the likelihood of local eradication. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are an emerging remote sensing technology that can capture very high spatial resolution imagery, are easily deployed, and may offer a more efficient alternative to extensive ground surveys to locate invasive plants. Imagery collected with UAS has been used to map invasive plants in open canopy habitats, but has yet to be tested for mapping invasive plants in forest …

Comparison Of Eight Remnant Tamaulipan Biotic Province Plant Communities In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Using Multivariate Analyses [Comparación De Ocho Comunidades Vegetales Remanentes De La Provincia Biótica Tamaulipeca El Valle Del Río Grande Usando Análisis Multivariada], Raziel I. Flores

Theses and Dissertations

The Tamaulipan Biotic Province falls within a biogeographic ecotone between temperate North America, the neotropics and the Chihuahuan Desert, and has consequently been defined as “Tamaulipan brushlands.” No quantitative, comparative study has ever been undertaken on the many and varied plant communities that occur in the region. This study compares eight remnant, primary plant communities to test the null hypothesis that the province comprises a single definable vegetation type. Four 50 x 10 m belt-transects were established at each site and woody plants taller than 1 m were recorded to determine species frequency, density, stratification and dominance. Community diversity was …

Developing Multispectral Imaging Techniques To Determine Canopy Coverage And Carbon Storage Of Seagrasses In The Gulf Of Mexico, Ivy Michelle Hinson

Theses and Dissertations

Although seagrass beds provide global ecosystem services, coverage is in rapid decline, with the capacity of seagrasses to sequester carbon of special concern. Current seagrass monitoring methods are labor intensive and may not offer a complete picture of coverage. Remote sensing offers the ability to oversee landscapes but water in coastal environments presents challenges, as the commonly used near-infrared wavelength dissipates in water.

This project aimed to provide reliable methodology to assess seagrass coverage using multispectral imagery taken from an unmanned aerial vehicle and to provide evidence for the link between seagrass coverage and stored belowground carbon for common seagrasses …

Effects Of Alternative Carbohydrate Sources And Soybean-Derived Isoflavones On The Microbiome And Immune System Of Nursery Piglets And Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cell Line J-2, Sydney Kinstler

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Four experiments were conducted to characterize the microbiome of the piglet and observe effects of diet on growth performance and immunity. In Exp. 1, 96 nursery piglets were fed varying carbohydrate sources and in Exp. 2, 64 piglets were fed a soy protein concentrate or soybean meal as-is or supplemented with an isoflavone concentrate. Body and feeder weights were measured for growth performance estimation. Luminal contents and scrapings were isolated for microbial composition analysis. Fecal and blood samples were extracted in Exp. 2 for microbiome and immunity analysis. Diets did not affect growth performance (P > 0.10); however, Exp. 1 …

Genome Sequence Of Pseudomonas Phage Ump151, Isolated From The Female Bladder Microbiota, Catherine Putonti, Genevieve Johnson

Bioinformatics Faculty Publications

A temperate bacteriophage, designated UMP151, was isolated from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain from a catheterized urine sample of a woman with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. The 41,303-bp genome sequence of Pseudomonas phage UMP151 exhibits sequence similarity to prophage and lytic phage sequences isolated from other areas of the human body.

Defending The Marital Sphere: A Review Of Church, State, And Family, Donald Roth

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Witte draws deeply on history, theology, and philosophy to articulate a robust conception of family that we could benefit from adopting."

Posting about the book Church, State, and Family from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/defending-the-marital-sphere-a-review-of-church-state-and-family/

Reduced Gabaergic Signaling At The Axon Initial Segment Decreases Vigilance State Transitioning, Austin John Boren

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sleep is a highly regulated homeostatic process that is disrupted in an estimated 50-70 million Americans. Regulation of sleep depends upon coordinated signaling of multiple neurotransmitter systems. In particular, inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling is required to suppress wake-active brain regions in order to initiate and maintain sleep states. GABA type A receptors (GABAARs) are ionotropic receptors with subunit compositions uniquely enriched on subcellular domains of target cells. α2 subunit-containing GABAARs are the primary target of GABA released onto the axon initial segment (AIS), a site critical for phasing the oscillatory activity of cortical cells. α2-containing GABAARs have previously been …

Applied Symmetry For Crystal Structure Prediction, Scott William Fredericks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis presents an original open-source Python package called PyXtal (pronounced "pi-crystal") that generates random symmetric crystal structures for use in crystal structure prediction (CSP). The primary advantage of PyXtal over existing structure generation tools is its unique symmetrization method. For molecular structures, PyXtal uses an original algorithm to determine the compatibility of molecular point group symmetry with Wyckoff site symmetry. This allows the molecules in generated structures to occupy special Wyckoff positions without breaking the structure's symmetry. This is a new feature which increases the space of search-able structures and in turn improves CSP performance.

It is shown that …