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Methods To Identify And Assess Suitability Of Reintroduction Sites For The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii), Kameron C. Voves

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Reintroduction has been employed as a management strategy to combat population declines of the Alligator Snapping Turtle. The suitability of previous reintroduction sites was determined by researchers with years of experience in Alligator Snapping Turtle biology, following detection surveys and a visual habitat assessment. I developed methods that will facilitate the assessment of suitable release sites. First, I investigated the amount of effort needed to detect Alligator Snapping Turtles during surveys, then I compared methods to quantify submerged deadwood (a key habitat feature), and finally, I developed a standardized field survey and habitat suitability model that can be used to …

Characterization Of An Acid Rock Drainage Microbiome And Transcriptome At The Ely Copper Mine Superfund Site, Lesley Ann Giddings, George Chlipala, Kevin Kunstman, Stefan Green, Katherine Morillo, Kieran Bhave, Holly Peterson, Heather Driscoll, Mark Maienschein-Cline

Chemistry: Faculty Publications

The microbial oxidation of metal sulfides plays a major role in the formation of acid rock drainage (ARD). We aimed to broadly characterize the ARD at Ely Brook, which drains the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site in Vermont, USA, using metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to assess the metabolic potential and seasonal ecological roles of microorganisms in water and sediment. Using Centrifuge against the NCBI “nt” database, ~25% of reads in sediment and water samples were classified as acid-tolerant Proteobacteria (61 ± 4%) belonging to the genera Pseudomonas (2.6-3.3%), Bradyrhizobium (1.7-4.1%), and Streptomyces (2.9-5.0%). Numerous genes (12%) were differentially expressed between seasons …

The Color Of Covid-19: Structural Racism And The Pandemic’S Disproportionate Impact On Older Racial And Ethnic Minorities, Marc A. Garcia, Patricia A. Homan, Catherine Garcia, Tyson H. Brown

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: The aim of this evidence-based theoretically informed essay is to provide an overview of how and why the COVID-19 outbreak is particularly detrimental for the health of older Black and Latinx adults.

Methods: We draw upon current events, academic literature, and numerous data sources to illustrate how biopsychosocial factors place older adults at higher risk for COVID-19 relative to younger adults, and how structural racism magnifies these risks for older Black and Latinx adults.

Results: We identify three proximate mechanisms through which structural racism operates as a fundamental cause of racial/ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 burden among older adults: (1) …

Sodium Hypochlorite Reduces Postoperative Discomfort And Painful Early Failure After Carious Exposure And Direct Pulp Capping—Initial Findings Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Nidambur Vasudev Ballal, Henry F. Duncan, Namith Rai, Prateek Jalan

Open Access archive

In this randomized controlled single-center clinical trial on 96 adult patients with parallel experimental groups (n = 48), the effects of washing a dentin/pulp wound in non-symptomatic teeth with extremely deep caries and pulpal exposure were compared between a 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution and a chemically-inert physiological saline control solution. After the allocated wound lavage, the pulps were capped with a mineral trioxide aggregate, covered by a glass-ionomer/resin liner, and the teeth were immediately restored with a resin-bonded-composite. In this first report, the early events were analyzed: postoperative discomfort (on an NRS-11 scale) at day-3 and-7 after intervention, and …

Organophosphate Hydrolase Interacts With Ferric-Enterobactin And Promotes Iron Uptake In Association With Tonb-Dependent Transport System, Hari Parapatla, Ramurthy Gudla, Guruprasad Varma Konduru, Elsin Raju Devadasu

Open Access archive

Our previous studies have shown the existence of organophosphate hydrolase (OPH) as a part of the inner membrane associated Ton complex (ExbB/ExbD and TonB) of Sphingobium fuliginis. We now show its involvement in iron uptake by establishing direct interactions with ferric-enterobactin. The interactions between OPH and ferric-enterobactin were not affected even when the active site architecture is altered by substituting active site aspartate with either alanine or asparagine. Protein docking studies further substantiated these findings and predicted the existence of ferric-enterobactin binding site that is different from the catalytic site of OPH. A lysine residue (82K) found at the predicted …

Relative Quantification Of Bcl2 Mrna For Diagnostic Usage Needs Stable Uncontrolled Genes As Reference, Nehanjali Dwivedi, Sreejeta Mondal, P. K. Smitha, T. Sowmya

Open Access archive

Dysregulation of BCL2 is a pathophysiology observed in haematological malignancies. For implementation of available treatment-options it is preferred to know the relative quantification of BCL2 mRNA with appropriate reference genes. For the choice of reference genes-(i) Reference Genes were selected by assessing variation of >60,000 genes from 4 RNA-seq datasets of haematological malignancies followed by filtering based on their GO biological process annotations and proximity of their chromosomal locations to known disease translocations. Selected genes were experimentally validated across various haematological malignancy samples followed by stability comparison using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder. (ii) 43 commonly used Reference Genes were …

Monitoring Universal Health Coverage Reforms In Primary Health Care Facilities: Creating A Framework, Selecting And Fieldtesting Indicators In Kerala, India, Devaki Nambiar, D. Hari Sankar, Jyotsna Negi, Arun Nair

Open Access archive

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the target for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), state level initiatives to promote health with "no-one left behind"are underway in India. In Kerala, reforms under the flagship Aardram mission include upgradation of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Family Health Centres (FHCs, similar to the national model of health and wellness centres (HWCs)), with the proactive provision of a package of primary care services for the population in an administrative area. We report on a component of Aardram's monitoring and evaluation framework for primary health care, where tracer input, output, and outcome …

Histone Demethylase Kdm5b As A Therapeutic Target For Cancer Therapy, Anmi Jose, Gautham G. Shenoy, Gabriel Sunil Rodrigues, Naveena A.N. Kumar

Open Access archive

Lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B/PLU1/JARID1B) is found to be overexpressed in numerous malignancies, including breast, lung, skin, liver, and prostate cancer. Identification of molecules targeting the KDM5B enzyme could be a potential lead in cancer research. Although many KDM5B inhibitors with promising outcomes have been developed so far, its further application in clinical practice is limited due to toxicity and lack of target specificity. Here, we summarize the significance of targeting KDM5B in anticancer therapy and report the molecular docking studies of some known anti-viral agents, decitabine, entecavir, abacavir, penciclovir, and 3-deazaneplanocin A in the catalytic domain JmjC of KDM5B. These …

Molecular Assessment Of Epiretinal Membrane: Activated Microglia, Oxidative Stress And Inflammation, Sushma Vishwakarma, Rishikesh Kumar Gupta, Saumya Jakati, Mudit Tyagi

Open Access archive

Fibrocellular membrane or epiretinal membrane (ERM) forms on the surface of the inner limiting membrane (ILM) in the inner retina and alters the structure and function of the retina. ERM formation is frequently observed in ocular inflammatory conditions, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and retinal detachment (RD). Although peeling of the ERM is used as a surgical intervention, it can inadvertently distort the retina. Our goal is to design alternative strategies to tackle ERMs. As a first step, we sought to determine the composition of the ERMs by identifying the constituent cell-types and gene expression signature in patient samples. …

Three Essays On Ceo Activism, Strategic Choices And Firm Performance, Keshab Acharya

Theses and Dissertations

There is a longstanding societal expectation that business leaders refrain from involving in social and political issues and primarily focus on managing their firms. In recent years, however, there is a growing trend of CEOs taking a stance on controversial sociopolitical issues that are not directly related to their company’s core business. This dissertation consists of three essays focusing on this phenomenon of CEO activism.

In my first essay, given that CEO activism represents a nascent phenomenon, I explore the conceptualization of CEO activism. Additionally, I propose three main motives behind CEO activism: intrinsic, instrumental, and stakeholder-focused. In my second …

Development Of Plant Extract-Based Composite Fibers And Aerogels, Raul C. Barbosa

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is to use the solid templating process of pullulan nanofibers in order to produce biocompatible, biodegradable, and antibacterial aerogels. The developed aerogels were produced using cross-linked pullulan nanofibers, which provide a water-stable structure allowing them to be used as wound dressing material. The morphology, thermal properties, water solubility, and thermal and physical properties of the nanofibers and aerogels were characterized. Furthermore, the antibacterial effect against gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, and the biocompatibility using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) were investigated.

Examining The Efficacy Of Cover Crops As An Integrated Pest Management Tool In Organic Farms In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Lili M. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) consists of a mix in subtropical and costal habitats, a combination that provides a favorable environment for the animals and plants that inhabit it. This is a problem for organic farmers as they refrain from using synthetic chemicals and therefore led them to seek other methods of dealing with insect herbivory. Of the many alternative methods available, we looked specifically at integrated pest management methods (IPM) to determine their efficacy in reducing insect herbivory among cash crops. Chapter II discusses an experiment performed in an organic farm in Edinburg, Texas consisting of a two-year …

Optical Modeling, Alignment, And Testing For The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (Demi) Cubesat Payload, Rachel Morgan

Small Satellite Conference

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Deformable Mirrors (DMs) are a promising technology to enable the wavefront control required for high contrast imaging and characterization of exoplanets with coronagraph instruments. MEMS DMs are a key technology option for future exoplanet imaging space telescopes because they can provide precise wavefront control with low size, weight, and power required. The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) is flying a MEMS DM-based adaptive optics instrument on a CubeSat in order to demonstrate this technology in the space environment for the first time. The DeMi payload will characterize the on-orbit performance of a 140 actuator MEMS DM with …

What’S Next After Industry Disruption By Cubesats? – Industry Disruption By Open Source, Anita Bernie, John Paffett

Small Satellite Conference

A decade ago, CubeSats featured almost exclusively in the academic domain only. The same can be said today for Open Source satellites.

In the same way that CubeSats and the associated development mindset started in the academic community and are now embraced by commercial, civil and defence communities, the goal of the Open Source Satellite Programme is to initiate a similar outcome for open source satellite mission architectures by developing a design that is freely available for all to use.

KISPE’s goal is to build a community of open-source contributors, collaborators and beneficiaries, including those from CubeSat and SmallSat teams …

B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2019, K.A. K. Moldenhauer, B. Scott, J. Hardke

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

Kinetics, Affinity, Thermodynamics, And Selectivity Of Phosphate Removal Using Immobilized Phosphate-Binding Proteins, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran, Erin Wells, Brooke K. Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A phosphate (P_i)-selective adsorption system featuring immobilized P_i-binding proteins (PBP) has recently attracted attention for ultralow P_i removal followed by recovery. This study investigated the adsorption kinetics, affinity, thermodynamics, and selectivity, as well as the effect of pH and temperature on P_i adsorption using immobilized PBP (PBP resin). Immobilizing PBP did not affect its P_i affinity. Kinetic studies at 22 °C and pH 7.1 showed that the PBP resin achieved 95% of its equilibrium capacity within 0.64 ± 0.2 min. The estimated Langmuir affinity constant (K_L) was 21 ± 5 …

Caspr: Autonomous Sensor Processing Experiment For Stp-H7, Seth Roffe, Theodore Schwarz, Thomas Cook, Noah Perryman, Justin Goodwill, Evan Gretok, Aidan Phillips, Mitchell Moran, Tyler Garrett, Alan George

Small Satellite Conference

As computing technologies improve, spacecraft sensors continue to increase in fidelity and resolution, their dataset sizes and data rates increasing concurrently. This increase in data saturates the capabilities of spacecraft-to-ground communications and necessitates the use of powerful onboard computers to process data as it is collected. The pursuit of onboard, autonomous sensor processing while remaining within the power and memory restrictions of embedded computing becomes vital to prevent the saturation of data downlink capabilities. This paper presents a new ISS research experiment to study and evaluate novel technologies in sensors, computers, and intelligent applications for SmallSat-based sensing with autonomous data …

Chronic Absenteeism: The Problem, The Participants, The Panacea, Markenya L. Williams

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This study examined some of the historical challenges and barriers of chronic absenteeism that has plagued the United States K-12th grade educational system for several centuries. The brutal impact that chronic absenteeism has on students’ academic achievement, the school, community, and society were described and categorized by various demographics and subgroups. Additionally, the primary stakeholders for overcoming chronic absenteeism were identified; interventions and accountability measures were also explored. Furthermore, this study analyzed the current attendance policies/procedures of five school districts from a large Midwestern state, with similar demographics and varying chronic absenteeism rates. Practical strategies and recommendations to reduce chronic …

You Are Resilient: Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based Treatment For Low-Ses, Urban Youth, Courtney Molina

Dissertations

The focus in this review was to explore the benefits and optimal use of trauma-informed, strengths-based care for the therapeutic treatment of low-socioeconomic status (SES), urban youth. Specific focus was given to evidence-based research on the treatment of emotional and behavioral dysregulation among low-SES, urban youth. The review was guided by the following research questions: How can emotional and behavioral dysregulation be symptoms of trauma among low-SES, urban youth; What makes trauma-informed and strengths-based care optimal for the treatment of low-SES, urban youth with dysregulation; and What are clear guidelines for providing trauma-informed, strengths-based care to low-SES, urban youth with …

Studies On The Conversion Cyclic Aldehyde To Aromatic Amine By Reductive Amination, Sara Delfan

All Theses

Amines have broadly applied in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries, which cause intense research for developing efficient methods to produce primary, secondary and tertiary amines in organic synthesis. N, N-dimethyl tertiary amines are useful as catalysts which are buffers on the analysis of peptides and proteins. This transformation proceeds via an active C-N bond, and the most attractive method to produce amines is the reductive amination of carbonyl compounds. This method involves two steps, the condensation of aldehyde and the subsequent imine hydrogenation in the presence of a hydrogen donor. The synthesis of a catalytic, light-driven process for the …

Sme Response To Major Exogenous Shocks: The Bright And Dark Sides Of Business Model Pivoting, Todd Morgan, Sergey Anokhin, Laurel Ofstein, Wesley Friske

College of Business

Within this short commentary, we explore the notion of pivoting; following major exogenous shocks, firms often contemplate business model pivoting where they change product or service offerings to capitalise on emerging opportunities. We assess the potential bright and dark sides of pivoting for new and existing firms in regard to quality of opportunities, fit with current capabilities and potential costs. The extant literature suggests that two forms of opportunities exist, arbitrage and innovation. We discern that post-shock, new firms may be better positioned to pursue arbitrage opportunities, whereas existing firms should target innovation. Existing firms may have more complications when …

Pulsed Triple Frequency Modulation For Frequency Stabilization And Control Of Two Lasers To An Optical Cavity, William Williams, Maria Teresa Herd, E. C. Cook

Physics: Faculty Publications

We present a method to stabilize two lasers to an optical cavity using pulsed triple frequency modulation. The setup allows simultaneous Pound–Drever–Hall stabilization, as well as independent frequency control, while removing interference terms that limit the frequency scan range and allowing for smaller modulation depths. A review of single, dual, and triple frequency modulation is also presented in addition to a discussion of how to effectively turn pulsed triple frequency modulation into independent dual frequency modulation for each laser. This method would increase the scan range to half the free spectral range.

The Quarterly Interview: Jasmine Kirby, Jasmine Kirby

LOEX Quarterly

No abstract provided.

One In The Hand Worth Two In The Bush? Reproductive Effort Of Young Males Is Not Affected By The Presence Of Adult Males, Kevin L. Monteith, Kyle B. Monteith, Jonathan A. Jenks, Rhiannon P. Jakopak

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Reproduction is a costly endeavor, and most large, long-lived, and iteroparous mammals exhibit conservative life-history tactics wherein an individual may forego or abandon a reproduction event for the sake of survival. Nevertheless, risks and benefits associated with reproduction are not equal across males and females, nor across their life. Whereas expenditure for females is associated with rearing young (e.g., lactation), expenditure for males occurs with securing mating opportunities. Young males may be more successful when dominant males are lacking, but it is less clear whether—and at what cost—young males will expend effort when those opportunities arise. We designed an experiment …

Causal Explanations For The Evolution Of ‘Low Gear’ Locomotion In Insular Ruminants, Roberto Rozzi, Sara Varela, Pere Bover, Jeff Martin

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Aim: Mammals on islands often undergo remarkable evolutionary changes. The acquisition of ‘low gear’ locomotion, namely short and robust limb elements, has been typically associated with the island syndrome in large mammals and, especially, ruminants. Here we provide an investigative framework to examine biotic and abiotic selective factors hypothesized to influence evolution of this peculiar type of gait. Location: Islands worldwide.
Taxon: Bovidae.
Methods: We calculated response variables associated with ‘low gear’ locomotion in 21 extinct and extant insular bovids. We assembled data on the physiography of 11 islands and on life history and ecological traits of the focal taxa. …

The Effects Of Radiation On Memristor-Based Electronic Spiking Neural Networks, Sumedha Gandharava Dahl

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, memristor-based spiking neural networks (SNNs) are used to analyze the effect of radiation on the spatio-temporal pattern recognition (STPR) capability of the networks. Two-terminal resistive memory devices (memristors) are used as synapses to manipulate conductivity paths in the network. Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) learning behavior results in pattern learning and is achieved using biphasic shaped pre- and post-synaptic spikes. A TiO₂ based non-linear drift memristor model designed in Verilog-A implements synaptic behavior and is modified to include experimentally observed effects of state-altering, ionizing, and off-state degradation radiation on the device. The impact of neuron “death” (disabled neuron …

Disability Policy Representation In African Higher Education Research: Implications For Disability Policy Framing In African Higher Education, Fadzayi M. Maruza, Patricio Langa, Geri Augusto, Nelson Nkhoma

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Internationalizing A Broader View Of Scholarship: An Exploratory Study Of Faculty Publication Productivity In Boyer’S Four Domains Of Scholarship In English-Speaking Universities, Brian L. Heuser, Dawn E. Lyken-Segosbe, John M. Braxton

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Understanding Post Adoption And Guardianship Instability For Children And Youth Who Exit Foster Care: Study Design Options, Nancy Rolock

Faculty Scholarship

For children living in foster care, adoption and guardianship are important permanency outcomes when reunification with their biological family is not advisable. Most children living in adoptive or guardianship families do not reenter state custody after adoption or guardianship finalization. But five to 20% of children may experience post adoption and guardianship instability. “Post adoption and guardianship instability” refers to situations in which children who exit foster care to adoptive and guardianship homes no longer reside with their adoptive parent or legal guardian. Instability may be formal (when a child reenters foster care) or informal (when a child lives temporarily …

Prevalence Of Risk Factors Of Acute Kidney Injury In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Ainan Arshad, Ahmed Ayaz

Section of Internal Medicine

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of preventable risk factors of acute kidney injury in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. All patients admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi with diagnosis of acute kidney injury were included out of which 134 were selected via random sampling. Patients with existing CKD were excluded. Data was then collected retrospectively from medical records of these patients. Mean age was 60±11.7 years while mean serum creatinine on admission was 2.4±1.3 (mg/dl). Sepsis played a role in almost half of the patients [60 (45%)]. Other factors included diarrhoea [23 (17%)], …