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Student Spotlights - 2020, Upstate Account

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Each volume of USC Upstate’s Student Research Journal reserves a section to celebrate the efforts, activities, and successes of our students. The spotlights are typically divided into two major categories: Alumni Spotlights and Nontraditional Student Spotlights. Students featured in the Alumni Spotlight section are nominated by faculty members excited about the transition of USC Upstate students into jobs and professional programs following graduation. Students featured in the Nontraditional Student Spotlight section are nominated by faculty members impressed by the advanced time management skills and multitasking abilities of students facing extra challenges during their tenure at USC Upstate (e.g., return to …

Front Matter - 2020, Upstate Account

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Includes Table of Contents, Award Winners, and more

Use Of Fun Book In Science Education: Sample Applications, Salih Gülen, Tuğba Yadigar

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Determining The Racial And Ethnic Differences In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Admission Rates, Youngran Kim

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Recent trends show that the utilization of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has extended beyond severely ill infants and increased substantially across all birth weights. However, little is known about what drives the growth of NICU admission rates and whether these trends differ by race/ethnicity. Methods: The study used 2008-2018 Natality Files with restricted use of state and county-level information. Crude and risk-adjusted NICU admission rates, overall and stratified by birth weight group, were compared between black and white infants and between Hispanic and white infants. Kitagawa decomposition and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analyses were conducted for the temporal increase in …

Heat Stress Related Symptoms And Pulmonary Function In Oil Spill Response And Cleanup Workers Following The Deepwater Horizon Disaster, Yiyou Li

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between heat stress and pulmonary function among OSRC workers following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster. Methods: Pulmonary function test results were analyzed from a cohort of oil spill response and cleanup workers 1-3 years following the DWH disaster (N=5,131). Proxies for heat stress was employed by using information on heat stress-related symptoms as well as a questionnaire on stopping work due to heat reported during a structured telephone enrollment questionnaire. Associations between heat stress proxies and lung function were estimated using multivariable linear models and binomial logistic regression models while …

Heat Stress Related Symptoms And Pulmonary Function In Oil Spill Response And Cleanup Workers Following The Deepwater Horizon Disaster, Yiyao Li

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between heat stress and pulmonary function among OSRC workers following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster. Methods: Pulmonary function test results were analyzed from a cohort of oil spill response and cleanup workers 1-3 years following the DWH disaster (N=5,131). Proxies for heat stress was employed by using information on heat stress-related symptoms as well as a questionnaire on stopping work due to heat reported during a structured telephone enrollment questionnaire. Associations between heat stress proxies and lung function were estimated using multivariable linear models and binomial logistic regression models …

Area-Level Landfill Density And Asthma Prevalence In Urban Texas Areas, Jessica Meighan Herrin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Environmental exposures, especially air pollutants, pose a threat for an increase in asthma prevalence. In particular, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas can cause severe health effects closely resembling asthmatic symptoms. Ambient concentrations of H2S gas correlates with the amount of solid waste found in landfills. The potential for adverse health risks associated with H2S emitted from landfills is of concern for those populations living in close proximity to landfills. Asthma is one of the adverse health effects that can occur due to H2S exposure. However, there is a lack of detailed studies characterizing possible associations between the density of landfills and …

Impact Of Substance Use In Social Networks On Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence For Hiv-Positive Younger Men Who Have Sex With Men, Natascha Del Vecchio

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The community of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) has higher rates of substance use than the general population and the use of alcohol, cannabis, and illicit drugs has been shown to have a negative impact on the HIV care continuum. Our first aim was to understand the prevalence of substance use in the community through the use of self-reported, RDS-II, and RDS-SS estimates. We used multivariable logistic and negative binomial GEE with QIC selection to determine the factors important to having a prescription and staying adherent, respectively. Selected variables were included with a subset of substance use …

Mathematical Modeling Of Scavengers And Zebras On The African Savanna With Disease Dynamics, Crystal Dawn Mackey

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this dissertation is to use mathematical models to see how anthrax in the zebra population in Etosha National Park (ENP) interacts with scavenger populations and disease dynamics. First, we study if scavengers can save zebras from anthrax. Then we introduce a disease in the jackal population to see if anthrax in zebras can help propagate rabies in jackals. Finally, the last two models we develop describe the interaction between competing scavengers: jackals and vultures, with exploitative and interference competition. ENP is home to many different animals such as lions, jackals, hyenas, zebras, elephants, etc. Each year grazing …

Population Surveys And Health Assessments Of Captive And Free-Ranging Alligator Snapping Turtles, Samantha Louise Hannabass

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) have experienced range-wide declines primarily due to overharvest for the meat market and habitat degradation in the form of damming and channelization of rivers. Head-start programs and reintroduction efforts have been initiated to release individuals throughout their historic range. Before releasing Alligator Snapping Turtles, sites need to be assessed to determine the suitability of habitat, if there is a robust turtle community already present, and the causes of the original extirpation have been eliminated. I assessed the turtle communities and documented anthropogenic impacts (e.g. boat traffic) at nine possible reintroduction sites in southeastern …

Statistical Downscaling Techniques To Enhance The Spatial Resolution Of The Grace Satellite Data And To Fill Temporal Gaps, Hossein Sahour

Dissertations

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has been successfully used to monitor variations in terrestrial water storage (GRACE_TWS ) and groundwater storage (GRACE_GWS) across the globe, yet such applications are hindered on local scales by the limited spatial resolution of GRACE data. Using the Lower Peninsula of Michigan as a test site, I developed optimum procedures to downscale GRACE Release-06 monthly mascon solutions. A four-fold exercise is conducted. Cluster analysis is performed to identify the optimum number and distribution of clusters (areas) of contiguous pixels of similar geophysical signals (GRACE_TWS time series); three clusters are …

Analysis Of Bacterial Loads In Houston Indoor Air., Zeest Hanif Hanif

Theses (2016-Present)

House dust is a complex matrix containing organic and inorganic content with a good percentage of microorganisms. Microorganism’s growth and survival in dust depends on available moisture level. Microbial origin in dust depends on sources other than dust. On average people spend approximately 90% of their time in indoor environment. Therefore, they are continuously exposed to microbes in dust. Based on the size and volume of dust particles the microbes get access to human lungs via airways. Based on previous research; culture dependent studies indicate that Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium are in abundance is house dust along with 20 other fungal …

A Histopathological Review Of Immune Response In Largemouth Bass To Parasitic Infections Of Soft Tissues, James D. Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

The immune response can serve as a key indicator of a fish’s overall health and the effect stressors have on the health of the fish. Anthropogenic factors can stress a fish’s immune system and inhibit immune responses. This study investigated the response of eosinophilic cells and macrophage aggregates to parasites in the livers, spleens, and gonads of Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides. Largemouth Bass were sampled from three bodies of water in the Chattahoochee Valley of varying levels of urbanization. Histopathology of the aforementioned organs was conducted to observe both the parasite density and immune response. Eosinophilic cells were shown …

Decellularization Of Porcine Cartilage Promotes Chondrogenic Differentiation Of Human Chondrocytes, Roxanne Nicole Stone

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) is the most common type of osteoarthritis (OA) and accounts for 70% of arthritis-related hospital admissions and 23% of clinical visits. Major limitations in both the current non-surgical and surgical methods are that they only relieve pain and show no evidence for restoring natural tissue anatomy. Leaders in the field propose that a stem cell treatment approach holds promise for the regeneration of a greater proportion of hyaline-like tissue at the repair site. (Cross et al., 2014; Escobar Ivirico, Bhattacharjee, Kuyinu, Nair, & Laurencin, 2017; Helmick et al., 2008; Toh, Foldager, Pei, & Hui, 2014).

It …

Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning To Characterize Peatland Microtopography And Assess Tree Growth Responses To Elevated Temperature And Co2, Jake D. Graham

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Northern peatlands are a major terrestrial carbon (C) store, with an annual sink of 0.1 Pg C yr^-1 and a total storage estimate of 547 Pg C. Northern peatlands are also major contributors of atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The microtopography of peatlands helps modulate peatland carbon fluxes; however, there is a lack of quantitative characterizations of microtopography in the literature. The lack of formalized schemes to characterize microtopography makes comparisons between studies difficult. Further, many land surface models do not accurately simulate peatland C emissions, in part because they do not adequately represent peatland microtopography and hydrology. …

Effects Of Exercise On Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Related Tumor Progression And Metastasis, Jacob Garritson

Dissertations

Garritson, Jacob. Effects of Exercise on Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Related Tumor Progression and Metastasis. Published Doctoral Dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are potent suppressors of immune function and may play a key role in the development and progression of metastatic cancers. Aerobic exercise has been shown to have anticancer effects, yet the mechanisms behind this protection are largely unknown. Purpose: to determine the effects of physical activity on MDSC accumulation and function. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were assigned to one of two primary groups: sedentary tumor (SED+TUM) or wheel run tumor (WR+TUM). After 6 weeks of …

Dance As Embodied Ethics, Aili W. Bresnahan, Einav Katan-Schmid, Sara Houston

Books and Book Chapters by University of Dayton Faculty

This chapter, composed of three parts by three different authors, proposes that one of the many possible ways that dance might embody philosophic thought and discourse is via embodying ethical practice. Each author contributes a different perspective on the relationship between dance and ethical activity. The perspectives can be read both as separate ideas and as interrelated thoughts. Einav Katan-Schmid views "dance" as a metaphor for "embodied ethics." She analyzes dance as an embodied activity of decision-making that regulates the tension between co-existing physical dynamics. Following from the idea of "dancing," she suggests that one think of "embodied ethics" in …

The "Challenge" Of Depletion: Why The Oyster Fishery Is Not Self-Regulating, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Leanne M. Poussard

Faculty Publications

© 2020 National Shellfisheries Association. All rights reserved. The possibility that the economics of the oyster fishery impose a self-limitation on overharvesting has been proffered on occasion. The inefficiency of harvesting by the fishery has been evaluated and estimates of the exploitation rate permissible under conditions of maximum sustainable yield have been obtained in previous studies. The question becomes to what extent does the inefficiency of harvest interact with the economics of the fishery to compromise ready detection of overfishing? This study explores the possibility that the constraint of economics on the fishery occurs at oyster exploitation rates that are …

A Metanalysis Of Sequences Of Vascular Plants In The World’S Biodiversity Hotspots With A Special Section On Madagascar, John Michael Adrian Wojahn

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Humans have become a major factor in reshaping the Earth’s biosphere. One of the major effects of human changes to the environment is an increase in the rate of species extinction as compared to background rates. Biodiversity hotspots are areas whose species assemblages are very rich (50% of the world’s plants and 42% of land vertebrates) yet very threatened with extinction ( > 70% habitat destruction), and which ought to be foci for conservation efforts. The intense peril in which the flora of these endangered regions are requires an equally intense response from the scientific community. This study investigated the benefits …

Prevalence Of Anticoagulant Rodenticides In Ferruginous Hawk Nestlings And Evaluation Of A Novel Method To Rapidly Assess Exposure, Ariana Joyce Dickson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are compounds commonly used to control rodent pests by inhibiting an enzyme critical for synthesis of clotting factors in their blood. Secondary and tertiary poisoning of non-target species frequently occur, especially of predators that consume rodents, including many species of raptors. Although raptor exposure to ARs has been documented on at least three continents, patterns, pathways and the sub-lethal effects of exposure are not well studied. This has created a substantial need to monitor the effects of ARs in free-living populations. I evaluated the prevalence of secondary, non-target exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides experienced by a predatory raptor, …

Learning From Chemical Coping Behaviors Of Wildlife To Discover New Approaches For Pest Management, Britt Pendleton

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Pests, such as parasites and pathogens, persist throughout time and space as threats to public health and food security. The need for novel and sustainable approaches to managing these threats are in high demand. The current approach of discovering and developing chemical treatments to manage pests is tedious, not efficient, and often outpaced by traits of resistance in pests. Here, we propose a new approach to discovering new chemical pest management solutions by observing chemical coping behaviors in wildlife. We define a chemical coping behavior as the exploitation of naturally occurring chemicals within a host’s environment to manage pests. Specifically, …

A Symbiosis Between A Dark Septate Fungus, An Arbuscular Mycorrhiza, And Two Plants Native To The Sagebrush Steppe, Craig Lane Carpenter

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Plant roots form symbioses with various fungi, including arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMFs) and dark septate endophytes (DSEs). The symbiosis between plants and AMFs has been extensively studied and is generally considered to be mutualistic. Much less is known about the symbiosis between plants and DSE. In sagebrush habitats, DSEs are common, but their effects on the vegetation are unclear. As a first step to study these effects, I isolated and cultured a DSE from the roots of the shrub Artemisia tridentata. Based on partial sequences of five genes and phylogenetic analyses, the isolated fungus was a non-described species within the …

Dimerization Of The Notch Intracellular Domain Results In Distinct Signaling Activity, Jacob Jeffery Crow

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Notch signaling pathway is a core component of multicellularity; enabling cells to directly communicate with both their neighbors and the surrounding microenvironment. These signals are translated directly through the Notch proteins, where a fragment of Notch transitions into the nucleus to act as a co-transcription factor, setting into motion a host of physiological responses. Commonly involved in pathways that define a cell’s identity and fate decisions, what appears to be a simplistic pathway instead exists in a state of high-tunability and strict control. Missteps in this pathway are generally embryonically lethal or lead to a suite of congenital disorders …

Genomic Analysis Of The Only Blind Cichlid Reveals Extensive Inactivation In Eye And Pigment Formation Genes, Matthew L. Aardema, Melanie L J Stiassny, S Elizabeth Alter

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trait loss represents an intriguing evolutionary problem, particularly when it occurs across independent lineages. Fishes in light-poor environments often evolve “troglomorphic” traits, including reduction or loss of both pigment and eyes. Here, we investigate the genomic basis of trait loss in a blind and depigmented African cichlid, Lamprologus lethops, and explore evolutionary forces (selection and drift) that may have contributed to these losses. This species, the only known blind cichlid, is endemic to the lower Congo River. Available evidence suggests that it inhabits deep, low-light habitats. Using genome sequencing, we show that genes related to eye formation and pigmentation, …

Feral Swine, Michael P. Glow, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Feral swine (Sus scrofa; Figure 1), also known as feral hogs, feral pigs, wild pigs, wild boar, or other similar derivations, are a non-native species considered to be one of the most destructive invasive terrestrial vertebrates in North America. While feral swine populations remained relatively small and confined in the continental United States following initial introductions by European explorers during the 15th century, substantial range expansion has occurred across every geographical region of the United States (Figure 2). This expansion has primarily been attributed to human-mediated movements, predominately for the purpose of establishing populations for recreational hunting, and facilitated by …

Making The Case For A Right To A Healthy Environment For The Protection Of Vulnerable Communities: A Case Of Coal-Ash Disaster In Puerto Rico, Sarah Dávila-Ruhaak

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

The connection between the environment and human rights is not a surprising one. The enjoyment of human rights depends on a person’s ability to live free from interference and to have his or her rights protected. The interdependence of human rights and the protection of the environment is manifested in the full and effective enjoyment of the right to a healthy environment. This article argues that in order to protect vulnerable persons and communities facing environmental harm, a human rights framework—specifically the right to a healthy environment—must be applied. A human rights approach complements environmental justice work, recognizing that individuals …

Table Of Contents, Saint Mary's College Of California

Student Handbook

No abstract provided.

Complete Handbook, Saint Mary's College Of California

Student Handbook

No abstract provided.

Academic Policies, Saint Mary's College Of California

Student Handbook

No abstract provided.

College & Student Life Policies, Saint Mary's College Of California

Student Handbook

No abstract provided.