Digital Commons Network^™

Nutritional Value Of Crops Affected By Elevated Carbon Dioxide Concentrations In Atmospheric Conditions, Alex Joseph Cusimano

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and the nutritional quality of crops. Using Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) and Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) to simulate elevated carbon dioxide levels, more review of previous literature was studied. Studies found that although there is a negative loss of nutrient availability, there are major signs that nutrient deficiencies. Nitrogen(protein), Iron, and Zinc are the most impacted with elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. Further research and experiments regarding long term plant growth should be considered moving forward. With only limted situations and different CO2 …

Analysis Of Trees Damaged From Flooding And Ice In Columbus, Nebraska, Alaina Kapla

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In the spring of 2019, an intense storm system came through eastern Nebraska resulting in a historic flooding event. This flood caused many trees throughout the state to be uprooted, broken, or scarred. This study looks at trees on the Quail Run golf course in Columbus, Nebraska to determine the extent of damage on trees caused by flooding and recommend tree care solutions to ensure safety. The cottonwood trees endured the most damage compared to other species on the property. All of the trees showed wound wood meaning that the trees were recovering from their injuries. Dead and broken branches …

Fungal Mycelium: The Key To A Sustainable Future, Sawyer Krivanek

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study focuses on fungal mycelium-based packaging as a biodegradable replacement of polystyrene packaging. In this thesis project, there will be a thorough study of the characteristics of fungal mycelium and how it can be combined with other products to create biodegradable packaging. Polystyrene packaging is unsustainable and poses threats to human health and our natural environments. It is pivotal that alternative packaging options for polystyrene are researched and tested to prove reliability as packaging systems develop. Research questions answered in this thesis include: Can fungal mycelium be a biodegradable replacement for plastic/polystyrene packaging at a large scale? What is …

What Are The Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On Sea Turtles And How Can We Prevent Them?, Stacey Safarik

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper will address the impacts of plastic pollution on sea turtles and how humans can combat the issue. Sea turtles are often harmed due to human activities because the ocean is used as a dumping ground for trash, and humans need to take it upon themselves to change this. The purpose of this project was to learn how plastic can impact the lives of sea turtles, and to find out if there are prevention efforts in place. A thematic literature review was conducted in order to find all of the data. Once all of the data was compiled, it …

The Effects Of Phosphate On The Metamorphosis Of Larval Western Barred Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma Mavortium), Alexis Jean Polivanov

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This investigation will collect data to assist in determining if elevated aquatic phosphate levels affects the metamorphosis rate of larval western barred tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium). Monoammonium phosphate fertilizers are being used on crops in Nebraska (NDA, 2017). This area lines up with the area the western barred tiger salamanders are disappearing from (Damme, 2018). Monoammonium phosphate is made up of nitrogen and phosphate. There have been several studies showing how nitrogen is harmful to amphibians such as this salamander (Griffis-Kyle, 2007) (Griffis-Kyle & Richtie, 2007), but there have not been many showing how phosphate affects amphibian’s metamorphosis …

Diet Composition And Analysis Of Fish Species Consumed By The Eurasian Otter In A Marine/Costal Environment, Alexandrea Otto

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Understanding prey preference in Eurasian otters, Lutra lutra, is important to provide greater insight into aquatic predator-prey relationships which will inform conservation efforts. Identifying the composition of an organism’s diet is one of the primary steps in understanding an organism and developing effective conservation strategies. This study expands upon basic identification of consumed items to estimate size of fish eaten by Eurasian otters to provide information on the diet of these important aquatic predators. Many studies on the Eurasian otter have considered diet from river systems, yet less is known of their diet in marine systems. The goal of my …

A Study Of The Relationships Between Environments And Human Death Practices, Carly Elizabeth Thody

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper analyzes connections between environmental factors and human death practices from several locations throughout the world. Using a thorough literature review, a thematic analysis is applied to combine a variety of sources to draw conclusions regarding how death practices are influenced and evolve over time. Environments, broken down into physical geography, religious, social, and political influences, are examined for the United States, Mexico, Japan, The Torajans of Sulawesi, Indonesia, and Tibet. Factors such as religion and culture have been an important component in the development of many societies’ practices revolving around death. The interconnectedness of cultures makes it difficult …

Lincoln, Ne Composting In Restaurants, Brodie Baum

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study aimed to investigate restaurants across the city of Lincoln, Nebraska that compost as a way to reduce food waste. Food waste is a growing environmental concern because it leads to climate change, eutrophication and acidification of bodies of water, pollutes the air and more. This study utilized a software program to distribute a survey that restaurants owners/personnel would take. The survey asked a variety of questions that provided information about the restaurants and who runs it. This information allowed us to draw important conclusions. Based on the results of the survey we can begin to speculate about possible …

Non-Homology-Based Prediction Of Gene Functions In Maize (Zea Mays Ssp. Mays), Xiuru Dai, Zheng Xu, Zhikai Liang, Xiaoyu Tu, Silin Zhong, James Schnable, Pinghua Li

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Advances in genome sequencing and annotation have eased the difficulty of identifying new gene sequences. Predicting the functions of these newly identified genes remains challenging. Genes descended from a common ancestral sequence are likely to have common functions.As a result, homology is widely used for gene function prediction. This means functional annotation errors also propagate from one species to another. Several approaches based on machine learning classification algorithms were evaluated for their ability to accurately predict gene function from non-homology gene features. Among the eight supervised classification algorithms evaluated, random forest-based prediction consistently provided the most accurate gene function prediction. …

The Cancer Curse: Regulatory Failure By Success, Robin C. Feldman

Faculty Scholarship

Since the turn of the millennium, a series of regulatory decisions—unrelated in time and design—has shifted the focus of the pharmaceutical industry toward cancer research and treatment. Regulation, of course, is designed to drive public and private behavior, but the sum of these regulatory actions is driving behavior well beyond governmental design. This phenomenon represents a peculiar form of regulatory failure that cannot be sufficiently explained without contemplating a new form of regulatory failure—failure by success.

As with any great epic tale, the modern saga is full of celebrities and drama, framed by truly heart-wrenching stories. However, with 89 percent …

The Triumvirate Woman: Reconceptualizing Academic Career Messages For African American Women In Engineering, Latrice Diane Bonner

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the importance of access, equity, inclusion, and diversity in engineering by intentionally focusing on academic career messages for African American women who are tenured and tenure-track in engineering through the lens of Critical Race Theory, Black feminist thought, and intersectionality. This study illuminates within-group differences at the intersection of race, gender, field, and rank, while incorporating a conceptual framework that examines both the macro and micro perception of higher education. There was also a need to transform simultaneous forms of oppression into sources of empowerment. Therefore, this study utilized empirical research to …

The Human Dimensions Of Coral Reef Restoration: A Case Study In The Spermonde Islands Of Indonesia, Jessica Vandenberg

Open Access Dissertations

This study employs a decolonial multidisciplinary approach to explore the sociocultural dimensions of a corporate-led coral reef restoration program implemented in a small island community in Indonesia framed as a conservation and food security initiative. Coral Reef Restoration (CRR) has gained increased attention as a coral conservation tool to supplement traditional approaches to tropical marine management (Boström-Einarsson et al. 2020). Like many other forms of conservation, CRR programs are often posed as dual conservation and development programs, aimed at achieving both ecological and social outcomes. Despite the intention to meet both conservation and development goals, CRR studies have been criticized …

Evaluation Of A Photograph-Based Citizen Science Program As A Tick Surveillance And Prevention Education Tool, Heather Lynn Kopsco

Open Access Dissertations

The multitude of factors fueling the escalation in tick-borne disease in the United States is further complicated by gaps in public knowledge and inconsistent adherence to tick-bite prevention behaviors. Passive tick surveillance is a growing strategy to monitor tick species trends and associated pathogen prevalence across the country. Most practice involves citizens shipping encountered ticks to a laboratory for identification and pathogen testing, but given potential delays in mailing and processing time, tick bite victims may be placed outside the window of potential prophylactic options, or under unnecessary antibiotic administration. Recently, photographed-based tick surveillance has been shown to be a …

Evolutionary History Of Subterranean Termites In The Geographic And Ecological Context Of The Appalachian Mountains In The United States, Chaz Hyseni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Termites in the genus Reticulitermes (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) are distributed across the eastern United States, including the southern Appalachian Mountains, a region incredibly rich in biodiversity. The eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, has been uninentionally introduced to South America and Europe, and is predicted to further expand its geographic range. My goal was to determine how eco-evolutionary processes, operating at both long and short timescales, may have contributed to R. flavipes becoming an invasive species. I examined geographic and environmental influences at historical and contemporary timescales. To do this, I first determined the extent of niche divergence among three geographically overlapping …

The Wall We Need: The Necessity For Judicial Hostility Towards Religion And Mistakes Made By The Supreme Court Regarding The Separation Of Church And State, Darin King

CGU Theses & Dissertations

In 1952, in a case held to permit early release of students from school in order to attend religious study off campus, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that, “[W]e find no Constitutional requirement which makes it necessary for government to be hostile to religion.” This Thesis argues the opposite: that government hostility towards religion is, in fact, necessary, both Constitutionally and for prudence’s sake.

แนวปฏิบัติที่ดีในการขุดลอกร่องน้ำชายฝั่งทะเลของประเทศไทย, สุวิจักขณ์ ณ บางช้าง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษากระบวนการขุดลอกร่องน้ำชายฝั่งทะเลของประเทศไทยเปรียบเทียบกับพิธีสารลอนดอน 1996 ขององค์การทางทะเลระหว่างประเทศที่มีผลใช้บังคับในปี ค.ศ. 2006 และการดำเนินงานในประเทศอื่นอีก 3 ประเทศ คือ ประเทศออสเตรเลีย ประเทศฟิลิปปินส์ และประเทศสิงคโปร์ เพื่อนำเสนอแนวทางการขุดลอกร่องน้ำของประเทศไทยที่มีความเป็นมาตรฐานสากลและเป็นมิตรกับสิ่งแวดล้อม สำหรับประเทศไทยมีการขุดลอกร่องน้ำชายฝั่งทะเลโดยกรมเจ้าท่าเป็นประจำทุกปี โดยการขุดลอกร่องน้ำนั้นมีขั้นตอนที่สำคัญ คือ การขุดลอกร่องน้ำและการขนย้ายวัสดุขุดลอก ซึ่งทั้งสองขั้นตอนนี้อาจก่อให้เกิดผลกระทบต่อสุขภาพของมนุษย์และสิ่งแวดล้อมทางทะเล ผลการศึกษาแสดงว่าแนวทางในการปฏิบัติตามพิธีสารลอนดอน 1996 และในประเทศกรณีศึกษาทั้ง 3 ประเทศ มีขั้นตอนการประเมินวัสดุก่อนที่จะมีการทิ้งเทเพื่อลดผลกระทบต่อสุขภาพของมนุษย์และสิ่งแวดล้อมทางทะเลรวมทั้งสิ้นแปดขั้นตอน ในปัจจุบันประเทศไทยยังไม่ได้เข้าร่วมเป็นภาคีพิธีสารลอนดอน 1996 แต่ประเทศไทยสามารถนำแนวทางการประเมินวัสดุตามพิธีสารลอนดอน 1996 มาเป็นแนวทางปฏิบัติการขุดลอกร่องน้ำชายฝั่งทะเล เพื่อเป็นการลดและป้องกันผลกระทบที่อาจเกิดขึ้น ทั้งนี้ในการดำเนินการอาจมีค่าใช้จ่ายเพิ่มมากขึ้นแต่จะทำให้ประเทศไทยมีการพัฒนาอย่างยั่งยืน

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics And Dosing Regimen Of Long-Acting Oxytetracycline In Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus), Kananuch Vasuntrarak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Antimicrobial resistance has become a serious global problem and is steadily increasing worldwide. In aquaculture, there are limited antimicrobial options for treatment. Thus, there are growing needs for more specific dosing regimens of existing antimicrobial drugs that are not only to obtain therapeutic efficacy but also to minimize the resistance of pathogens. The purposes of this study were to determine pharmacokinetics (PK) of long-acting oxytetracycline (OTC) after intraperitoneal (IP) administration in Nile tilapia. One hundred and twenty healthy male tilapia (450±37.47 g) were divided into two experimental groups (60 fish/group). Each group received OTC-LA single IP injection at dosage of …

Osteogenic Differentiation Potential By Mouse Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stemcells (Mbm-Mscs) Derived From Gut Leak-Induced Diabetes Type Ii Mouse Model, Nabila Syarifah Jamilah

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Diabetes type II were known to affect several organs in the body including bone, thus diabetes type II patients have higher risk of bone fracture. One of the important features in diabetes type II is low level of anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and gut leak condition. Both of these conditions have the role in diabetes induction, progression and exacerbation. Autogenous Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been widely utilized for enhancing bone healing treatment. Due to the diabetes condition affecting one of the most common and widely used MSCs source, the bone, this study was done to investigate the effect of …

Role Of Chondrocyte Antigen Presentation In Osteoarthritis, Panjana Sengprasert

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by degeneration of joint components, especially the cartilage. Chondrocytes are found in articular cartilage and play a role in cartilage production and degradation. Several studies found that chondrocytes not only control the cartilage metabolism, but also play a role in immune responses. However, the role of chondrocytes in the pathogenesis of OA is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the responses of OA chondrocytes after stimulating with IFN-γ and proteoglycan aggrecan and also determined antigen presentation function of chondrocytes to present proteoglycan aggrecan peptide to T cells. We found that OA chondrocyte …

A Class Act - Revising Food Classifications To Enable Automated Assessment Of Compliance With Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, H. Al-Sehaim, F. E. Douglas

Conference papers

Food classification systems make it easier to compare data from various sources and aids in the creation of public health guidelines. These systems can include a large amount of foods divided into various food groups and broader food categories.(1) Nutritics employs a standardised food categorisation system containing 114 unique categories. Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) categorise food types into general food groups to enable communication around amounts to consume daily basis to promote good health.(2) The correct classification of foods is essential to enable the implementation of an automated feature in Nutritics to assess compliance with FBDGs.This project aims to revise …

The “Step-Child Of Scholarly Investigation”: Preliminary Observations About The Origins Of Academic Jewish Law Scholarship, David Hollander

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Quality Enhancement Plan 2020, University Of Louisiana At Lafayette

Advance: Student Research Experience

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s 2020 Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Advance: Student Research Experience, aims to create an environment in which undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity can flourish. Advance supports UL Lafayette’s Strategic Plan to increase student productivity and success through engagement in mentored research, innovative projects, and creative endeavors.

Understanding Community Members’ Perception Of Opioid Treatment Programs For Women In Westchester County, Erika Jean Pichardo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows a significant rise in opioid abuse that has led to an opioid epidemic. Although research has shown the importance and effectiveness of treatment programs for opioid users, there is a lack of research on understanding community members’ perception and role of such programs and their perception of women who are opioid abusers and enter programs. The purpose of this study was to understand community members’ perception of opioid treatment programs for women in New York State’s Westchester County, using the theoretical framework of Becker’s social labeling theory. The study employed a phenomenological design using interviews. Results of the …

Strategies To Reduce Small Business Data Security Breaches, Sikini Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations affected by data security breaches may experience reputational damage and remediation costs. Understanding the data security strategies needed to protect small businesses is vital to safeguard company data and protect consumers’ personal information. Grounded in systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies small business owners use to reduce data security breaches. The participants were 4 small business owners located in the southern region of the United States: 2 franchise small business owners and 2 nonfranchise small business owners. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and organizational documents. Yin’s 5-step data analysis …

The Origins Of Skin Tone Perceptions Within The African American Community, Clarissa Tibbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The distinction, categorizing, and hierarchical ranking of African Americans can be traced back to the enslavement of Africa Americans in the United States. There has been limited exploration on the origins of color consciousness among African Americans. Further, there is limited exploration on the in-group interactions of African Americans, perceptions of self-esteem, and experiences with psychological distress with skin tone as a mediating factor. Inquiry concerning the origins of color consciousness can lead to more effective cultural competence among mental health professionals and also treatment modalities equipped to address the unique experiences that African Americans face. The Black Racial Identity …

Using Formative Assessment Of Map Data To Shape Instructional Practices, Jeremy Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A school district in the Southwestern United States identified gaps in student performance on 3rd grade math standards and implemented the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) provided by the Northwest Evaluation Association so that K-2 teachers might better inform their instruction of math standards. The problem was that the district needed to determine the ways in which MAP has changed formative assessment practices. A qualitative case study was conducted using the 5 components of formative assessments identified by Laud and Patel as a conceptual framework. The research questions asked about how formative assessment of students reflects the 5 components in …

Instructional Leadership Practices Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Teachers' Burnout, Lakeva Lajune Winchester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers who experience burnout leave the teaching profession. School principals in a public school district located in the southern United States are inconsistently implementing instructional leadership practices to support teachers who experience burnout. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to understand the instructional leadership practices of school principals regarding teachers’ burnout. The conceptual framework was Vygotsky’s theory of zone of proximal development, which posits that people are more motivated to learn when they are supported and encouraged and is based on Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy, known as the adult leaning theory. The research question considered how …

Perceptions Of Stress And Coping In The First Year Of Police Work, Scott David Eaton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The pressures associated with a career in law enforcement are considerable and often result in significant detriment to an officer's personality, behavior, and overall mental health, ultimately impacting job performance and work engagement. Although there is extensive research on the influence of stress encountered in police work, an understanding of those stressors and ways of coping in the first year of police work has yet to be fully explored. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of 5 police officers who have been subject to stress in their first year and to identify the coping skills, …

Sustainable Building Certification In Healthcare And Patient Satisfaction, Brian Jay Goehner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eco-friendly healthcare delivery concepts are becoming more accepted as hospital leaders seek to control energy costs, mitigate contributions to climate change, and preserve scarce resources. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers healthcare leaders a framework for designing and constructing sustainable facilities that meet efficiency goals. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to build an understanding of whether LEED certification influences Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings. Using complex systems theory as the framework, the research questions were focused on exploring if higher levels of LEED certification led to greater HCAHPS overall hospital …

Winter Patch Grazing, Patch Burn Grazing, And Bird Communities In Western South Dakota, Jennifer Lutze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ground nesting bird species are on a considerable decline and research efforts are being made to increase these populations throughout the Great Plains. Ground nesting bird communities found in the Northern Great Plains are driven greatly by varying amounts of cover and area size. Past research implemented patch-burn grazing to increase structural heterogeneity and to increase grassland bird habitat in the tallgrass prairie. While bird populations were very responsive to this management in the Northern Great Plains fire management is viewed negatively, especially for Midwest cattle ranchers. We implemented research to determine if winter-patch grazing on mixed grass prairie could …