Digital Commons Network^™

Using Artificial Neural Networks To Detect Astronomical Transients, Katarzyna Wardęga

Theses and Dissertations

A kilonova is an r-process-powered thermal transient created in the aftermath of a binary neutron star or black hole-neutron star merger. During these merger events, gravitational waves act as alert signals for telescopes to respond and search for potential optical counterparts. The localization probability regions for gravitational waves on the sky can be large. Additionally, kilonovae are rapidly-fading transients, making it crucial to develop an efficient method to detect them in image data. The standard method to detect transients is to subtract an image containing the plausible transient from a reference image of the same region taken at a different …

Insect Mediated Species Interactions: Examining Methods To Improve Artificial Buzz Pollination And Testing The Effects Of Plant Based Bioactive Compounds On Herbivore Life-History Traits, Mandeep Tayal

Theses and Dissertations

Pollination and herbivory are two major interactions in insect-plant ecology. Specialized pollination systems such as buzz pollination where pollen grains have to be extracted by bees with special thoracic vibrations and indirect flight muscles, is observed in ~6% of all flowering plants. Breeding and research programs in these species demand artificial pollination, but natural buzz pollinators are unreliable for this purpose. To find an alternative, we tested the pollen extraction efficiency of using inexpensive electric toothbrush over tuning fork (another commonly used device) in two buzz-pollinated species (Tomato and Silverleaf nightshade) at different buzzing frequencies and multiple buzzing time intervals. …

Mechanisms Of Atp-Dependent Substrate Reduction In The Nitrogenase-Like Dpor Complex, Elliot Irwin Corless

Dissertations (1934 -)

Iron-Sulfur ([Fe-S]) clusters are the most common transient electron carriers in cells and are necessary for basic metabolism of all life. Bacterial systems use two operons (isc and suf ) for the biogenesis and delivery of [Fe-S] clusters to various proteins. Once delivered, they serve as transient electron carriers necessary for both heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolism and reduction/oxidation chemistry. This work utilizes the hetero-octameric Dark operative Protochlorophyllide Oxido-Reductase (DPOR) complex as a platform to investigate [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis and the concerted action of its multiple [Fe-S] clusters and protein subunits. DPOR catalyzes the penultimate step in bacterial chlorophyll synthesis and …

An Exploration Of Atypical Recovery From Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Mtbi), Kathryn Ann Ritchie

Dissertations (1934 -)

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant public health concern, particularly for children and adolescents. Existing research suggests that pre-injury and injury-related factors influence recovery. The current study simultaneously considered variables relevant to recovery from pediatric mTBI, including pre-injury diagnoses, symptom burden, neuropsychological and emotional functioning, performance validity, and medical service utilization in an archival sample of children referred to a multidisciplinary concussion clinic. Consistent with a broad literature, female sex and initial symptom burden predicted referral for neuropsychological evaluation. Initial symptom burden also predicted neuropsychological performance and service utilization. A meaningful proportion of the sample reported clinically significant …

Characterizing The Mechanisms Of Ectopic Expression Of Dream Complex Target Genes And The Hta Phenotype In C. Elegans, Jerrin Roy Cherian

Dissertations (1934 -)

It is important for organisms to establish and maintain proper gene expression for normal growth and development. In C. elegans, the DREAM repressor complex helps maintain proper gene expression in somatic cells by repressing germline genes. DREAM complex mutants show close to normal gene expression at 20°C; however, at 26°C, DREAM complex mutants display increased misexpression of germline genes ectopically in the soma and display a distinct High Temperature larval Arrest (HTA) phenotype. It is unclear what gene regulatory mechanisms lead to misexpression of germline genes in somatic cells of DREAM complex mutants. My dissertation research investigated three aspects of …

Characterization Of The Mir-44 Family Of Micrornas In The C. Elegans Germline, Katherine Ann Maniates

Dissertations (1934 -)

While numerous individual miRNAs have been detected in the germline, the functions of most other specific miRNAs remain largely unknown. Functions of miRNAs have been difficult to determine as miRNAs often modestly repress target mRNAs and are suggested to sculpt or fine tune gene expression to allow for the robust expression of cell fates. Analysis of newly generated mir-44 family mutants has identified a group of miRNAs that modulate the pathway of germline sex determination in C. elegans. Mutants produce fewer sperm and display an earlier switch to producing oocytes. In the germline, cell fate decisions are made for germline …

Anthropogenic Drivers And Ecological Concepts Of Antimicrobial Resistance, Rachelle E. Beattie

Dissertations (1934 -)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a ubiquitous global health issue driven by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial compounds in healthcare and veterinary medicine. Both natural and built environments have been recognized as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, genes, and pathogens but the factors that drive increases in their abundance are not well understood, especially in natural environments. The primary goal of this work is to characterize the ecological drivers of antimicrobial resistance in freshwater ecosystems impacted by intensive livestock farms, known contributors of environmental resistance. Kewaunee County, Wisconsin served as an ideal study site for the investigation of the impact …

1. Dft-Guided Discovery Of Hybrid Catalysts For C-C Bond Formation; 2. Synthesis Of A Reported Pdi Inhibitor, Eric Greve

Dissertations (1934 -)

1. Dual amine/pi Lewis acid catalyst systems have been reported for intramolecular direct additions of aldehydes/ketones to unactivated alkynes and occasionally alkenes, but related intermolecular reactions are rare. We reasoned that bulky metal ligands and bulky amine catalysts could minimize catalyst poisoning and could facilitate certain examples of direct intermolecular additions of unactivated aldehydes/ketones to alkenes/alkynes. Density Functional Theory (DFT) ground state calculations on putative catalytic intermediates for alkyne versus organocatalyst complexation to the -acid, and also the key carbon-carbon bond formation were used to prioritize ligand/organocatalyst combinations. Our calculations suggested that PyBOX-Pt(II) catalysts for alkene/alkyne activation could be combined …

July 2020 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Ocd-Adhd Together: A Walking Contradiction, Chloe Hall

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

Daydreaming Of Genius: Insight And The Wandering Mind, Kevin Crawford

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

Poppies, Pain, And Public Health Crises: How Pain Treatment Shaped The American Opioid Epidemic, Lindsay Spitz

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

Past Lives: How Intergenerational Trauma Shapes Mental Health, Ariel Neumann

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

The Arabidopsis Transcription Factor Aintegumenta Orchestrates Patterning Genes And Auxin Signaling In The Establishment Of Floral Growth And Form, Beth A. Krizek, Ivory C. Blakley, Yen Yi Ho, Nowlan Freese, Ann E. Loraine

Faculty Publications

Understanding how flowers form is an important problem in plant biology, as human food supply depends on flower and seed production. Flower development also provides an excellent model for understanding how cell division, expansion and differentiation are coordinated during organogenesis. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, floral organogenesis requires AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE 6 (AIL6)/PLETHORA 3 (PLT3), two members of the Arabidopsis AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE/PLETHORA (AIL/PLT) transcription factor family. Together, ANT and AIL6/PLT3 regulate aspects of floral organogenesis, including floral organ initiation, growth, identity specification and patterning. Previously, we used RNA-Seq to identify thousands of genes with disrupted expression in ant ail6 …

Dosimetric Effect When Treating Multiple Lesion Srs Using Vmat With And Without Jaw Tracking, Mindy Bui

Masters Projects

The main purpose of this study was to determine if jaw tracking or non-jaw tracking is the superior technique for patients with multiple brain metastasis that are treated with Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT) Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). Doses to the organs at risk (OAR) and the target volumes were analyzed using the dose volume histogram (DVH) and dose statistics for each plan. The goal of this study included analyzing the dosimetric effect on the organs at risk and the normal tissue when using jaw tracking versus non jaw tracking. The pros and cons for each technique were identified as well …

The Membrane Protein Ankh Is Crucial For Bone Mechanical Performance By Mediating Cellular Export Of Citrate And Atp, Flóra Szeri, Stefan Lundkvist, Sylvia Donnelly, Udo F H Engelke, Kyu Rhee, Charlene J Williams, John P Sundberg, Ron A Wevers, Ryan Tomlinson, Robert S Jansen, Koen Van De Wetering

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

The membrane protein ANKH was known to prevent pathological mineralization of joints and was thought to export pyrophosphate (PPi) from cells. This did not explain, however, the presence of ANKH in tissues, such as brain, blood vessels and muscle. We now report that in cultured cells ANKH exports ATP, rather than PPi, and, unexpectedly, also citrate as a prominent metabolite. The extracellular ATP is rapidly converted into PPi, explaining the role of ANKH in preventing ankylosis. Mice lacking functional Ank (Ankank/ank mice) had plasma citrate concentrations that were 65% lower than those detected in wild type control animals. Consequently, citrate …

Past, Present And Future Of Irrigation On The U.S. Great Plains, Steve R. Evett, Paul D. Colaizzi, Freddie R. Lamm, Susan A. O'Shaughnessy, Derek M. Heeren, Thomas J. Trout, William L. Kranz, Xiaomao Lin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Motivated by the need for sustainable water management and technology for next-generation crop production, the future of irrigation on the U.S. Great Plains was examined through the lenses of past changes in water supply, historical changes in irrigated area, and innovations in irrigation technology, management, and agronomy. We analyzed the history of irrigated agriculture through the 1900s to the present day. We focused particularly on the efficiency and water productivity of irrigation systems (application efficiency, crop water productivity, and irrigation water use productivity) as a connection between water resource management and agricultural production. Technology innovations have greatly increased the efficiency …

Soil-Nitrogen, Potentially Mineralizable-Nitrogen, And Field Condition Information Marginally Improves Corn Nitrogen Management, Jason Clark, Fabián G. Fernández, Kristen S. Veum, James J. Camberato, Paul R. Carter, Richard Ferguson, David W. Franzen, Daniel E. Kaiser, Newell R. Kitchen, Carrie A.M. Laboski, Emerson Nafziger, Carl J. Rosen, John E. Sawyer, John F. Shanahan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Anaerobic potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) combined with preplant nitrate test (PPNT) or pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) may improve corn (Zea mays L.) N management. Forty-nine corn N response studies were conducted across the U.S. Midwest to evaluate the capacity of PPNT and PSNT to predict grain yield, N uptake, and economic optimal N rate (EONR) when adjusted by soil sampling depth, soil texture, temperature, PMN, and initial NH₄–N from PMN analysis. Pre-plant soil samples were obtained for PPNT (0- to 30-, 30- to 60-, 60- to 90-cm depths) and PMN (0- to 30-cm depth) before corn planting …

Resources For Teaching And Assessing The Vision And Change Biology Core Concepts, Janet L. Branchaw, Pamela A. Pape-Lindstrom, Kimberly D. Tanner, Sarah A. Bissonnette, Tawnya L. Cary, Brian A. Couch, Alison J. Crowe, Jenny K. Knight, Katharine Semsar, Julia I. Smith, Michelle K. Smith, Mindi M. Summers, Caroline J. Wienhold, Christian D. Wright, Sara E. Brownell

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Vision and Change report called for the biology community to mobilize around teaching the core concepts of biology. This essay describes a collection of resources developed by several different groups that can be used to respond to the report’s call to transform undergraduate education at both the individual course and departmental levels. First, we present two frameworks that help articulate the Vision and Change core concepts, the BioCore Guide and the Conceptual Elements (CE) Framework, which can be used in mapping the core concepts onto existing curricula and designing new curricula that teach the biology core concepts. Second, we …

Incidence Of Newborn Screening Disorders Among 56632 Infants In Central Saudi Arabia: A 6-Year Study, Sarar Mohamed, Wafa Elsheikh, Aida I. Al-Aqeel, Amal M. Alhashem, Ali Alodaib, Lujane Alahaideb, Maher Almashary, Fahad Alharbi, Horia Almalawi, Amer Ammari, Sulaiman Almohaimeed

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine the incidence of newborn screening (NBS) disorders and to study the key performance indicators of the program. Methods: This retrospective single-center study enrolled all infants who underwent NBS from January 2012 to December 2017 at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We screened 17 NBS disorders. Blood samples were collected 24 hours after birth. If the initial result was positive, a second sample was collected. True positive cases were immediately referred for medical management. Data were extracted from laboratory computerized and non-computerized records using case report forms. Results: During the study period, 56632 infants underwent …

Bayesian Modelling Of High-Throughput Sequencing Assays With Malacoda., Andrew R Ghazi, Xianguo Kong, Ed S Chen, Leonard C Edelstein, Chad A Shaw

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

NGS studies have uncovered an ever-growing catalog of human variation while leaving an enormous gap between observed variation and experimental characterization of variant function. High-throughput screens powered by NGS have greatly increased the rate of variant functionalization, but the development of comprehensive statistical methods to analyze screen data has lagged. In the massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA), short barcodes are counted by sequencing DNA libraries transfected into cells and the cell's output RNA in order to simultaneously measure the shifts in transcription induced by thousands of genetic variants. These counts present many statistical challenges, including overdispersion, depth dependence, and uncertain …

Perspectives On The Intracellular Bacterium Chlamydia Pneumoniae In Late-Onset Dementia, Brian J. Balin Phd

PCOM Scholarly Works

Purpose of Review

Chronic diseases remain a daunting challenge for clinicians and researchers alike. While difficult to completely understand, most chronic diseases, including late-onset dementias, are thought to arise as an interplay between host genetic factors and environmental insults. One of the most diverse and ubiquitous environmental insults centers on infectious agents. Associations of infectious agents with late-onset dementia have taken on heightened importance, including our investigations of infection by the intracellular respiratory bacterium, Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), in late-onset dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.

Recent Findings

Over the last two decades, the relationship of this infection to pathogenesis …

"We Had To Rely On Each Other": Voices Of Latinx Foster Youth With Experiences In Care With Siblings, Isabella B. Ginsberg

University Honors Theses

Relationships between members of sibling groups have been found to impact well-being for children who enter foster care. Being placed in stranger foster care is often challenging and can be traumatic with children reporting confusion, worry, and loss of identity and sense of belonging. While there is some research that explores the experiences of siblings groups in foster care and others separately that examines Latinx children in foster care, there is very little information that looks into the potentially unique experiences of Latinx individuals who were in care with siblings that also accounts for cultural nuance.

This study used a …

Theater Over Textbooks: How A Neuroscience Outreach Group Utilizing Art In S.T.E.M. Provides Cost-Effective Strategies In Tackling The United States Education Gap, Camden Grant Howard, William Griesar

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to summarize the relevant research for the evaluation of a S.T.E.A.M.-based, grassroots, neuroscience outreach group called 'NW Noggin'. This paper discusses the benefits and skills of S.T.E.M. in learning, the benefits and skills of S.T.E.A.M. in learning, educational disparities within the United States, educational outreach groups how they are currently assessed as well as more innovative arts-based and inquiry-based alternative assessments of student knowledge. This paper then focuses on the nonprofit NW Noggin to discuss their goals and activities and possible options for program assessment. This thesis also discusses how they fulfill their civic …

Function Of Gpr68 In Normal Hematopoiesis And Malignant Hematopoietic Diseases, Xiaofei He

Theses and Dissertations

G protein-coupled receptor 68 (GPR68), as a proton-sensing receptor, is involved in numerous physiological processes. However, its specific functions in normal hematopoiesis and malignant hematopoietic diseases were unknown. Using a genetic loss of function approach (i.e. whole-body Gpr68^-/- mouse model), B lymphocytes were reduced under stressed conditions, such as aging and hematopoietic regeneration. However, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) from Gpr68^-/- mice exhibited comparable function as HSC from wild type mice either under steady-state or upon stress. To determine whether the unaltered HSC function of Gpr68^-/- mice was due to compensatory effects of Gpr68 in nonhematopoietic cells, a …

Disinfection Byproduct Drivers Of Cytotoxicity In Drinking Water And Swimming Pools, Joshua M. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Water disinfection was cited as the greatest public health achievement of the 20th Century. By inactivating pathogens, disinfection has significantly reduced waterborne diseases in drinking water and swimming pools. However, chemical disinfection has also raised a public health issue: the potential for cancer induction, reproductive and developmental effects, and asthma-related risks associated with exposure to chemical disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which are formed by the reaction of disinfectants with organic matter (natural or anthropogenic), bromide, and iodide. In the U.S., four trihalomethanes (THMs) and five haloacetic acids (HAAs) are currently regulated in drinking water, although no DBPs are regulated in pools, …

Mechanistic Insight On Vibrio Gazogenes Mediated Intervention Of Aflatoxin Biosynthesis In Aspergillus Flavus, Rubaiya Jesmin

Theses and Dissertations

Aflatoxin is a liver carcinogen, mycotoxin, and a secondary metabolite that is produced by some plant pathogens within the genus Aspergillus when they infect crops such as corn, peanuts, and cotton. Given the significant adverse health and economic impacts of aflatoxin and a predicted rise of crop contamination with mycotoxins caused by a changing climate, there is a pressing need for exploring new aflatoxin mitigation methods. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that metabolites from Vibrio gazogenes, an estuarine non-pathogenic bacterium, can inhibit aflatoxin synthesis. However, a direct interaction study between V. gazogenes and aflatoxin producing strains has …

Association Between Urinary Enterolignans As A Marker For Gut Microbiome Diversity And Depression In Nhanes, Marie Knoll

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a chronic disease which inflicts functional and emotional impairment that has been a growing issue in the United States (US). Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder in the US and is the leading cause of disability in the world. By 2030, It is projected that major depressive disorder will be the second largest contributor to global burden of disease. Causes of depression are still largely unknown and treatments are often expensive, time consuming, and only available to certain populations. Treatment often requires a combination of medicines and therapy to be effective. In recent years, the gut microbiome …

Cis-Resveratrol Upregulates Tyrosyl-Trna Synthetase And Inhibits The Proliferation Of Select Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Marion Cone Hope Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in women. 70% of breast cancer patients express ERα and are treated with tamoxifen (Tam), a drug that is used to directly target ERα. However, 20-30% of cancer patients develop a resistance to Tam. This resistance leads to a worse prognosis and other treatments such as DNA damaging drugs or radiation to eliminate these cells. Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenolic- compound found in plants such as grapes and hellebore and is known to evoke anti-cancer effects. While natural resveratrol exists as a mixture of both cis- and trans- isomers, so …

Understanding The Influence Of Changing Climate On Mycotoxin Contamination Of Food And Indoor Fungi-Mediated Respiratory Illness, Mayomi Helen Omebeyinje

Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, climate change has been a major core issue in public and environmental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 250,000 additional death per year would be attributed to climate change between 2030 and 2050 if this situation persists. Since our population depends on (but not limited to) the availability of clean water, good air quality, and exposure to environmental hazards/pathogens, the overall health impact caused by climate change is likely to be overwhelming in the nearest future. This dissertation explored the influence of climate change on fungi diseases and pathogenesis after severe weather conditions (hurricanes …