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Dietary And Supplemental Magnesium Intake During Pregnancy And Its Association With Gestational Diabetes, Celia Palmer

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent and growing epidemic that affected 8.2% of births in 2016 in the United States. Previous studies have shown that low magnesium (Mg) is associated with type II diabetes (T2DM), and the pathophysiology of GDM and T2DM is similar.

Objective: To determine if low total Mg intake is associated with the risk of having GDM.

Design: We did a cross-sectional secondary data analysis using data from the 2005-2007 Infant Feeding Practices Study II which used a validated diet history questionnaire to collect dietary data. We analyzed total Mg intake from 1217 pregnant women …

Interactions Between Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Eastern Hemlock, And Gypsy Moth, Ian Gerard Kinahan

Open Access Master's Theses

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), a canopy-dominant conifer native to the eastern U.S., is currently threatened with extirpation by the invasive stylet-feeding hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). To understand interactions between eastern hemlock and hemlock woolly adelgid, and their interactions with other forest defoliators, we carried out two experiments.

First, in 2018, we evaluated the impact of feeding by hemlock woolly adelgid on gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larval preference for, and performance on, eastern hemlock. To assess preference, we surveyed 245 field-grown hemlocks for gypsy moth herbivory damage and conducted laboratory paired-choice bioassays. To assess …

Functional Analysis Of The Csld Genes In Physcomitrella Patens By Crispr/Cas9 Gene Knockout, Kai Yuan

Open Access Master's Theses

Plant cellulose synthase catalytic subunits (CESAs) are known to synthesize the β -1,4-glucan chains that comprise cellulose microfibrils. These CESA subunits associate to form plasma membrane localized Cellulose Synthesis Complexes (CSCs) that facilitate microfibril assembly in concert with β -1,4-glucan polymerization. Cellulose synthase-like D proteins have also been suggested to be involved in cellulose biosynthesis. However, it is not known whether CSLDs form CSCs or produce cellulose in microfibrillar form. This has been difficult to evaluate due to interfering CESA activity being present in the same cells. Whereas CESA null mutations are lethal in vascular plants, some evidence suggests that …

Investigation Of The Impact Of Bacterial Endosymbionts On Host Parasite Relations In Apicomplexans, Elizabeth Sage Hunter

Open Access Master's Theses

Apicomplexa is a diverse protistan phylum composed almost exclusively of metazoan-infecting parasites, including the causative agents of malaria, cryptosporidiosis, and toxoplasmosis. A single apicomplexan genus, Nephromyces, was described in 2010 as a mutualist inside its tunicate host. Here we present genomic and transcriptomic data from the parasitic sister species to this mutualist, Cardiosporidium cionae, and its associated bacterial endosymbiont. Cardiosporidium cionae and Nephromyces both infect tunicate hosts, localize to similar organs within these hosts, and maintain bacterial endosymbionts. Though many other protists are known to harbor bacterial endosymbionts, these associations are completely unknown in Apicomplexa outside of the Nephromycidae …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy In The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma And Anxiety, Elaine Green

Open Access Master's Theses

Traumatic childhood experiences (physical abuse and neglect, emotional abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse) have surprisingly high incidence rates and predict to a variety of negative health outcomes, such as anxiety. Although the relationship between childhood trauma and anxiety has been well documented, more research is necessary in order to understand the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The current study hypothesized that academic self-efficacy, the perception that one has the ability to achieve one’s desired outcomes in academic endeavors, would mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and anxiety in a sample of college students (n=204). Furthermore, it was hypothesized …

The Development And Evaluation Of Transgenic Sorghum Lines For Conferred Phenotypes, Jiayin Liu

Open Access Master's Theses

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) requires minimally 9-months from wild type immature embryo explants to T0 seeds. More efficient methods for sorghum transformation are necessary to conduct routine transgenesis for genome editing purposes in this important crop. With this in mind, there were two primary objectives to this thesis. The first was to evaluate and possibly improve upon methods for characterizing putative transformants once produced through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of sorghum. The second was to evaluate and possibly improve upon transformation efficiencies in sorghum using an available Cas9 construct that would provide, long-term, a platform in …

Reverse Bank Filtration For Cleaning Water In A Remote Village In South India, Miles Schelling

Open Access Master's Theses

This study sought to remove E.coli and Total Coliform bacteria contamination from the village water supply in Nersa, Karnataka, India by using a reverse bank filter (BF). Reverse bank filtration uses natural processes to clean water, including filtration through layers of sand and gravel and a bioactive layer, known as collimation layer or Schmutzdecke, that forms on top of the filter. The origin of the village water supply is a mountain spring. After initial testing of water quality in the village and an exploration of alluvial deposits suitable for filter construction, two pilot filters were constructed in 300 L plastic …

The Influence Of Pre-Migratory Body Composition And Habitat Quality On Fall Migration In The American Woodcock (Scolopax Minor), Clayton Lee Graham

Open Access Master's Theses

Young forests and the wildlife that are dependent upon them are uncommon and declining within the Northeastern U.S. As such, forest management plans have been implemented to create and maintain young forest for wildlife, including migratory birds such as the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) that use young forest to meet their life history needs. Given that most Northeastern woodcock migrate between more northerly breeding areas and southern wintering areas, information about how post-breeding habitat quality and body composition carry over to influence fall migration strategies and residency is important for their management but currently unknown. I investigated how …

Dewlap Evolution Among Non-Native Populations Of The Lizard Anolis Sagrei, Jessica N. Pita-Aquino

Open Access Master's Theses

The biological invasion of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei) provides an opportunity to test alternative hypotheses for phenotypic evolution as non-native populations established from multiple native-range sources experience different environmental conditions. In this study, we explored the evolution of Anolis lizard dewlaps, a well-studied communication structure with a remarkable diversity of phenotypes within and among species. Considerable evidence exists showing that the dewlap is a multifaceted trait subject to multiple selective pressures related to the local environmental conditions. We tested adaptive hypotheses for the response to climate and habitat variation as well as non-adaptive hypotheses tracing the genetic …

Investigating The Structure And Function Of A Novel Anti-Virulence Factor, Jamie Wandzilak

Open Access Master's Theses

Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of the potentially fatal human disease tularemia (Sjöstedt, 2007). Like many pathogens, F. tularensis contains a number of proteins encoded by a variety of genes that are critical to its ability to cause disease including virulence factors and anti-virulence factors. F. tularensis encodes an anti-virulence factor called PriM that inhibits replication inside macrophage, one of its key host cell types. The goal of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism for how PriM functions as anti-virulence factor in F. tularensis subspecies holarctica live vaccine strain …

Cell Cycle-Regulation Of The Fancd2 Protein Via Cdk-Mediated S592 Phosphorylation, Juan A. Cantres-Velez

Open Access Master's Theses

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disease characterized by increased risk for bone marrow failure and cancer. The FA proteins function together to repair damaged DNA. A central step in the activation of the FA pathway is the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 and FANCI proteins under conditions of cellular stress and during Sphase of the cell cycle. The regulatory mechanisms governing S-phase monoubiquitination, in particular, are poorly understood. In this study, we have identified a CDK regulatory phospho-site (S592) proximal to the site of FANCD2 monoubiquitination. FANCD2 S592 phosphorylation during S-phase was detected by LC-MS/MS and by immunoblotting with …

Patterns, Or No Patterns, That Is The Question, Mehrsa Khaleghikarahrodi

Open Access Master's Theses

To reduce the threshold of EV adoption, the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure needs to fit the EV systems to its users to satisfy their expectations. There needs to be a reflection of user behavior variability in the EVSE infrastructure to improve its functionality. Individual users’ charging actions, over time, construct a charging behavioral pattern that distinguishes the users from one another. This research analyses the EV users’ unique behavioral charging patterns. Therefore, profiles of users’ charging actions are clustered to investigate the unique behavioral patterns. An unsupervised clustering algorithm (i.e., K-means) is implemented through three distance metrics (i.e., …

Investigating The Inhibitory Properties Of Candidate Probiotics Towards Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, Jacqueline Hilary Camm

Open Access Master's Theses

Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) causes more than a billion dollars of losses to the shrimp farming industry annually. In 2013, strains of the marine pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus containing genes for the PirA^vp/B^vp toxins, encoded on a 70 Kb plasmid, were identified as the causative agent of AHPND. Antibiotics have been used to attempt to reduce losses, however their use in aquaculture is controversial. Additionally, the pathogen has demonstrated the ability to rapidly acquire antibiotic resistances through genetic mutation and lateral gene transfer. Probiotics, often used to prevent disease in aquaculture, may offer the opportunity to mitigate …

How Modified Trophic Interactions Create Socio-Ecological Tradeoffs: A Case Study Of Narragansett Bay Fisheries, Anne A. Innes-Gold

Open Access Master's Theses

Marine fisheries represent a social-ecological system driven by both complex ecological processes and human interactions. Fisheries management requires an understanding of both the biological and social components, and management failure can occur when either are excluded. Despite the significance of both, most research has focused on characterizing biological uncertainty rather than on better understanding the impacts of human behavior. In this study, we use the fisheries in Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) as a case study to understand how fisher behavior influences food web dynamics. Narragansett Bay holds both a commercial fishery for forage fish (i.e. menhaden) and a recreational …

The Effects Of Antioxidant Supplementation, Migratory Season, And Flight Training On Key Components Of The Antioxidant System Of Migratory European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Abigail E. Frawley

Open Access Master's Theses

Migratory birds engage in two periods of endurance flight as they travel from summer breeding to overwintering grounds, and these flights likely increase the production of reactive species that can degrade biologically important molecules. Fall and spring likely represent different oxidative challenges, as many females prepare to breed shortly after spring migration, and antioxidant-rich fruits are plentiful in fall but not spring. I examined the effects of season, anthocyanin supplementation, and flight training on the antioxidant system of female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to determine how each of these factors effects enzymatic antioxidant activity, non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity, and levels of …

The Relationship Between Autism, Adhd Traits, And Sensory Features: How Do Girls Differ?, Alyssa Viggiano

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Estradiol Deprivation On Striatal-Dependent Learning And Memory In Rat Models Of Menopause, Rebekah Schwartz

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Shifting Social Standards: Women's Roles In Post-Plague Medieval Europe, Jillian Tobin

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

"Darlin', Sometimes I Remember Who I Am": Fragmentation, Juxtaposition, Dissociation, And Dissention In Miami Vice, Bethany Marsfelder

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Academy Presidents And Institutional Members, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Journal Of The Arkansas Academy Of Science - Volume 74, 2020, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Vertebrate Natural History Notes From Arkansas, 2020, C. Renn Tumlison, Matt Connior, Blake Sasse, Henry Robison, Stan Trauth, S Higdon, L Baer, Z. Baer, R. Stinson, D. Carson, T. Inebnit, L. Lewis, Roger Perry, Ron Redman

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Smaller details of natural history often go undocumented to science if those details are not parts of larger studies, but small details can provide insights that lead to interesting questions about ecological relationships or environmental change. We have compiled recent important observations of distribution and reproduction of fishes and mammals. Included are new distributional records of mammals, and observations of reproduction in several mammals for which few data exist in Arkansas. A rare record of the Long-tailed weasel, a special of special concern in Arkansas, is documented from Newton Co. We also provide evidence that Seminole bats likely reproduce in …

Energy Content Of Seeds Of Common Sunflowers (Helianthus Annuus) In The Diet Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata) In Southeastern New Mexico, John L. Hunt, Matthew E. Grilliot, Troy L. Best, Dixie Lozano-Lopez, Emily R. Neilson, Isaac C. Castillo

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We analyzed the energy content of seeds of common sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) obtained from the crops of scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub habitat in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico. Seeds were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and to standardize masses. Seeds were then analyzed for gross caloric value (i.e., energy content) in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Energy content of seeds of common sunflowers from New Mexico was greater than that of many seeds previously reported from the diet of scaled quail and other granivorous …

Helminth Parasites Of Eastern Screech Owl, Megascops Asio (Aves: Strigiformes: Strigidae) From Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The eastern screech owl (Megascops asio) is a small owl that is relatively common in eastern North America. Nothing is known of the parasites of this owl in Arkansas. Here, we document 3 helminths from a single injured M. asio that subsequently died and was donated by a rehabilitation center for parasitic examination. Found were 2 digenetic trematodes, Brachylaima mcintoshi and Neodiplostomumamericanum, and a habronematid nematode, Excisa excisiformis. The former trematode represents a new host record for M. asio, and B. mcintoshi and E. excisiformis are reported from Arkansas for the first time.

Observations Of Undescribed Diel Activity In The Wolf Spider Rabidosa Rabida Show Cathemeral Behavior, Ryan Stork, Payton Smith, Steve Cooper

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

This note provides a first clear description of diel timing of some important behaviors in the ecologically important wolf spider, Rabidosa rabida.

Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo Lineatus) Predation On North American Racer (Coluber Constrictor) In The Arkansas Ozarks, Gary R. Graves

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) predation on North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) in the Arkansas Ozarks

First Record And Notes On The Ecology Of The Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris Maculata) In Arkansas, Matthew B. Connior, Kory G. Roberts

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We report a new state record for Pseudacris maculata from Arkansas. Furthermore, we conducted an ecological study from this population of P. maculata from Benton County. We found this population was primarily breeding during February and March. We also report limited findings on their reproduction, diet, and parasites.

New County Records Of Three Baptisia Species In Arkansas, With An Updated Distribution Map, Leah C. Crenshaw, Caralee A. Shepard, Natalie E. Phelan, Maureen R. Mcclung, Matthew D. Moran

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

New county records of three Baptisia species are reported in Arkansas, together with an updated distribution map.

Business Meeting Report (Secretary's And Treasurer's Report), Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Agro-Tourism As An Extension Strategy To Promote Agriculture In The Northern Region Of Thailand, Bordeesorn Phumrungruan, Rowena Dt. Baconguis

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

This study contributes to the body of knowledge on agro-tourism by highlighting how it promotes agriculture and local culture among visitors in the northern region of Thailand. A case study research design was used on two government-assisted and two independent agro-tourism sites selected from a list of best performing agro-tourism sites ranked by the Department of Agricultural Extension and Tourism Authority of Thailand. On-site data gathering was conducted from January to February 2020. Site owners were interviewed about their strategies in promoting agricultural technology, practices, and local culture. Visitors were likewise interviewed regarding their chosen activities and satisfaction with these …