Digital Commons Network^™

Marine Phytoplankton Functional Types Exhibit Diverse Responses To Thermal Change, S. I. Anderson, A. D. Barton, S. Clayton, S. Dutkiewicz, T. A. Rynearson

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Marine phytoplankton generate half of global primary production, making them essential to ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical cycling. Though phytoplankton are phylogenetically diverse, studies rarely designate unique thermal traits to different taxa, resulting in coarse representations of phytoplankton thermal responses. Here we assessed phytoplankton functional responses to temperature using empirically derived thermal growth rates from four principal contributors to marine productivity: diatoms, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and coccolithophores. Using modeled sea surface temperatures for 1950–1970 and 2080–2100, we explored potential alterations to each group’s growth rates and geographical distribution under a future climate change scenario. Contrary to the commonly applied Eppley formulation, our …

Why Microbicides For Women?, International Partnership For Microbicides

International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM)

No abstract provided.

Microbicide Overview, International Partnership For Microbicides

International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM)

No abstract provided.

Microbicides: Woman-Centered Hiv Prevention To Help End Aids By 2030, International Partnership For Microbicides

International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM)

No abstract provided.

Healthy Aging And Older Adults With Autism: A Scoping Review, Mary Kris Stringfellow

Social Work Theses - Archive

Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong diagnosis. While numerous studies have examined the effects of this disorder throughout childhood, not many have considered older adulthood and the differences between the neurotypical population. Likewise there is an abundance of literature regarding healthy aging. Yet the literature is sparse regarding the intersections of older adulthood and ASD. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the state of literature regarding older adults with ASD and healthy aging, utilizing the framework conceived by Arksey and O’Malley: identify the research question; identify the relevant studies, study selection; chart the data; and collate, summarize …

Gpu-Based Monte Carlo Applications In Radiation Medicine, Youfang Lai

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Radiation can be used to image tumor site or kill tumor cells noninvasively, playing an important role in tumor diagnosis and treatment. Because of the increasing burden that cancer brings to the society, there always exists the demand of improving imaging resolution and contrast and improving radiation conformity for therapy. This depends on not only the advances of techniques, but, probably more importantly, the accurate and efficient modelling of radiation transport, enabling research on proof-of-concept for new tech and more complicated physics and chemical process in a quantitative way. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method has been extensively used in medical …

How Community Engagement And The Power Nine Impact Health, Lindsey Shelton, Lindsey V. Shelton

Honors College Theses

The Blue Zones are five different places around the world where people are proven to live healthier and longer lives. In these places, they all share 9 unique habits that are attributed to helping achieve these healthier lives called the Power Nine. In Calloway County, a barrier survey was conducted by five different Murray State departments to see what stopped the residents from achieving their healthiest lives. Community engagement was found to be an important aspect of the Power Nine and was analyzed to see how it can impact one's health.

Electronic And Magnetic Properties Of Metal Doped Silicon-Carbide Fullerene-Type Nanostructures, Hussain Jabreel Alathlawi

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a technologically significant material. A recent report on the abundance of C60 fullerenes in interstellar space, along with the presence of SiC precursors, sparked interest in potentially similar SiC nanostructures. C60 and C70 fullerenes were found experimentally and are an exceptionally stable form of carbon. As Si and C have similar valence electron configurations, it has been long envisioned that Si and SiC could also form similar fullerene-type structures. In this dissertation, Si30C30 fullerene-derived clusters were studied from the first principles theory, starting from an ideal Si60 fullerene template with various arrangements of silicon and carbon …

The Cellular And Genetic Mechanisms Of Stress Response Pathways In Caribbean Coral, Bradford Austin Dimos

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Reef-building corals are in decline around the globe due to both the effects of increased ocean temperatures and the emergence of marine diseases which affect corals. These emerging issues threaten the continued persistence of reefs and the ecosystem which they form as the mechanisms which corals use to respond to stress remain poorly characterized, limiting the success of interventions aimed at reversing these declines. To address these issues my dissertation focused on uncovering the cellular and genetic mechanism utilized by Caribbean corals during periods of stress. Towards this aim my second chapter identified and characterized a mitochondrial stress response pathway …

Is It A Boy Or A Girl? Constructing A Gendered Identity For Our Companion Animals, Jennifer Ann Wellman

Sociology & Anthropology Theses - Archive

A qualitative study of the differences in how we gender our cats and our dogs. Fifty women between the ages of 18 and 50 were interviewed, who kept cats, dogs, or both cats and dogs. Differences were found in how naming cats, with cats being given less humanized gendered names. It was found that cats are treated more as an extension of the self while dogs were given more of a gendered identity of their own.

Institute Of Public Health Newsletter- Volume2, Issue4, Institute Of Public Health (Iph)

Institute of Public Health Newsletter (IPHNL) and Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Confidence Interval For The Mean Of A Beta Distribution, Sean Rangel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Statistical inference for the mean of a beta distribution has become increasingly popular in various fields of academic research. In this study, we developed a novel statistical model from likelihood-based techniques to evaluate various confidence interval techniques for the mean of a beta distribution. Simulation studies will be implemented to compare the performance of the confidence intervals. In addition to the development and study involving confidence intervals, we will also apply the confidence intervals to real biological data that was gathered by the Department of Biology at Stephen F. Austin State University and provide recommendations on the best practice.

Effects Of Varying Warmup Stimuli On Running Economy, Connor Bigenho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two potentiating warm-up stimuli (weighted-vest strides and plyometrics) on running economy (RE) over short (5-10 minutes) and longer durations (30+ minutes) of exercise in trained distance runners. Methods: Five recreationally trained male runners were recruited to participate in this study. Each trial consisted of a 10-min self-paced warm-up on the treadmill followed by baseline RE test and baseline leg-stiffness. This was immediately followed by one of two intervention warmup protocols. The protocols consisted of either a series of plyometric movements, 6 x 10-sec strides with a …

Characterization And Aerodynamics Of Synthesized Polymeric Nanofibers Via Electrospinning Process To Capture Pm10 And Pm2.5 From Air, Barra Abbood, Khalid Sukkar, Jenan Al-Najar

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

Air quality is an important factor for human breathing requirements. The presence of the particulate matter which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets presence in atmosphere such as PM10 and PM2.5 in the indoor air leads to fatal problems for human health.  In the present investigation, two types of nanofilters (polyacrylonitrile PAN, 15wt.% and polyvinyl alcohol PVA 12wt.%) were synthesized using the electrospinning method. The polymeric solutions were prepared under high mixing conditions. The structural and morphological specifications of produced nanofibers were characterized using many measuring devices.  Also, airflow characteristics across the prepared nanofilter were evaluated by …

Combatting Mental Illness In Schools: Are Teachers Ready?, Deshonda Payton

Dissertations

If ever there was a time school districts, principals and teachers had to worry about providing a quality education for students, it is now, at the time of this writing. Due to the Nation's current state in dealing with a worldwide pandemic, the education system as a whole has suffered traumatically, both mentally and emotionally. No longer will teachers be solely responsible for providing students with the essentials necessary to be academically, emotionally, and socially successful in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students suffer from some form of mental illness within our schools. And, the teachers who service and support …

Adverse Effect Of Nitroxynil And Albendazole On Rabbits, Eman Elalfy, Azza Hassan, Magdy Amer

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective:The present study aims to investigate the possible adverse effects of the subcutaneous injection of nitroxynil and oral administration of albendazole in rabbits. Design:Randomized controlled experimental study. Animals: 18 New Zealand rabbits of 1.50 ± 0.5 kg body weight, were allocated randomly into three groups (n=6). Procedures: Group A served as control, the group B was treated with albendazole (20 mg /kg B. wt.) orally and the group C was treated with nitroxynil (10mg /kg B. wt.) subcutaneously. Blood samples were collected at 1st, 7th and 14th days post drugs administration for hematological and biochemical determination. In addition, histopathological examination …

Soil Structure And Soil Moisture Dynamics Inferred From Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Travis Nielson, John Bradford, Jen Pierce, Mark Seyfried

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The semi-arid sagebrush steppe in the western United States faces pressures from the agriculture industry, recreation use, invasive grasses, and a changing climate. A key to facilitating the healthy management of this ecosystem is understanding the distribution and behavior of soil moisture in the vadose zone in both natural and agricultural settings. Within unsaturated environments, soil moisture is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and changes in porosity and permeability within arid soils complicate characterization of soil hydrologic properties. Importantly, accumulations of ‘caliche’ or pedogenic calcium carbonate in arid soils can greatly limit permeability; however, observing the role that caliche plays in …

Comparison Of Different Analytical Strategies For Classifying Invasive Wetland Vegetation In Imagery From Unpiloted Aerial Systems (Uas), Louis Will Jochems, Jodi Brandt, Andrew Monks, Megan Cattau, Nicholas Kolarik, Jason Tallant, Shane Lishawa

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

Detecting newly established invasive plants is key to prevent further spread. Traditional field surveys are challenging and often insufficient to identify the presence and extent of invasions. This is particularly true for wetland ecosystems because of difficult access, and because floating and submergent plants may go undetected in the understory of emergent plants. Unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) have the potential to revolutionize how we monitor invasive vegetation in wetlands, but key components of the data collection and analysis workflow have not been defined. In this study, we conducted a rigorous comparison of different methodologies for mapping invasive Emergent (Typha …

Apoε4 Lowers Energy Expenditure In Females And Impairs Glucose Oxidation By Increasing Flux Through Aerobic Glycolysis, Brandon C. Farmer, Holden C. Williams, Nicholas A. Devanney, Margaret A. Piron, Grant K. Nation, David J. Carter, Adeline E. Walsh, Rebika Khanal, Lyndsay E. A. Young, Jude Kluemper, Gabriela Hernandez, Elizabeth J. Allenger, Rachel Mooney, Lesley R. Golden, Cathryn T. Smith, J. Anthony Brandon, Vedant A. Gupta, Philip A. Kern, Matthew S. Gentry, Josh M. Morganti, Ramon C. Sun, Lance A. Johnson

Clinical and Translational Science Faculty Publications

Background: Cerebral glucose hypometabolism is consistently observed in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as in young cognitively normal carriers of the Ε4 allele of Apolipoprotein E (APOE), the strongest genetic predictor of late-onset AD. While this clinical feature has been described for over two decades, the mechanism underlying these changes in cerebral glucose metabolism remains a critical knowledge gap in the field.

Methods: Here, we undertook a multi-omic approach by combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and stable isotope resolved metabolomics (SIRM) to define a metabolic rewiring across astrocytes, brain tissue, mice, and human subjects expressing APOE4.

Reproductive Success Of Captive-Reared Allegheny Woodrats (Neotoma Magister) Released Into Genetically Depauperate Populations, Miracle M. Davis, Timothy J. Smyser, Scott A. Johnson, Joseph Duchamp, Jeffery L. Larkin, Robert K. Swihart, Jacqueline M. Doyle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Habitat fragmentation and degradation have led to a proliferation of small and isolated populations that are vulnerable to genetic erosion. Reduction in habitat and concomitant declines in population connectivity can expediate the collapse of species that exist as natural metapopulations. In recent years, Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) have experienced local extirpations and declines in genetic diversity across their range due to disease-related mortality, reduced food availability, and disruption of connectivity among subpopulations. In response, we developed a captive-breeding program to facilitate genetic management of isolated woodrat populations in Indiana. Between 2010 and 2012, 27 captive-reared individuals were released to four …

Experimental Measurement Of Sharp Thz Absorption Signatures From Nucleic Acid Solutions In Nanofluidic Channels, Elliott R. Brown, Edgar A. Mendoza

Physics Faculty Publications

We report on the room-temperature experimental measurement of THz absorption signatures in aqueous, double-stranded nucleic acid solutions confined to the submicron silica channels on fused quartz substrates using THz frequency-domain (photomixing) spectroscopy. Three sharp (i.e., strong and narrow) signatures, ~10–20 GHz FWHM, are observed in the shortest base pair sample—small interfering, double-stranded (ds) RNA—in the range of 800 GHz to 1.1 THz. Three similar signatures are also observed in a 50-bp dsDNA ladder sample. For a 1-kbp dsDNA ladder sample, the three are still evident, but are broadened and weakened. For a 48.5-kbp sample (λ-DNA), no prominent signatures are observed, …

Sensor-Based Prediction Of Mental Effort During Learning From Physiological Data: A Longitudinal Case Study, Ankita Agarwal, Josephine Graft, Noah Schroeder, William Romine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Trackers for activity and physical fitness have become ubiquitous. Although recent work has demonstrated significant relationships between mental effort and physiological data such as skin temperature, heart rate, and electrodermal activity, we have yet to demonstrate their efficacy for the forecasting of mental effort such that a useful mental effort tracker can be developed. Given prior difficulty in extracting relationships between mental effort and physiological responses that are repeatable across individuals, we make the case that fusing self-report measures with physiological data within an internet or smartphone application may provide an effective method for training a useful mental effort tracking …

Applying Rerum Novarum Towards The Academic Service-Learning (Asl) Reflection Process For Promoting Ethical Leadership In Post-Secondary Students, Henry J. Davis

Journal of Catholic Education

Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum is considered one of the first major works to introduce Catholic social thought on a global level. A key message undergirding Rerum is the concept of supporting the needs of others, leading to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to create a list of reflection prompts informed by Rerum for post-secondary students to consider and apply towards their academic service-learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis, three main themes related to Rerum’s key message were identified: (a) opportunity to obtain resources; (b) intrinsic right to continual resources; and, (c) communal support of families …

The Effect Of Green Biobased Binder On Structural, Mechanical, Liquid Absorption And Wetting Properties Of Coated Papers, Bilge N. Altay, Charles Klass, Ting Chen, Alexandar Fleck, Cem Aydemir, Arif Karademir, Paul D. Fleming

Articles

Synthetic styrene-butadiene (SB) and styrene-acrylic (SA) latex binders used in paper coating formulations are common and based on unsustainable petroleum sources. Today's papermaking industry turns towards sustainable substitutes that do not compromise quality, and reduce carbon emission, toxic substance release and waste disposal concerns related to fossil fuel sources. In this study, colloidal starch-based latex nanoparticles that do not require cooking were used for pigment coating and coated on the paper surfaces. The effects of these new biobased binders on the structural and mechanical strength properties, liquid absorption, wetting and surface topography of the paper were investigated and compared with …

Charting A New Frontier Integrating Mathematical Modeling In Complex Biological Systems From Molecules To Ecosystems, Katharine A. White, Kira D. Mcentire, Nicole R. Buan, Lecia Robinson, Elisar Barbar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Advances in quantitative biology data collection and analysis across scales (molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological) have transformed how we understand, categorize, and predict complex biological systems. This surge of quantitative data creates an opportunity to apply, develop, and evaluate mathematical models of biological systems and explore novel methods of analysis. Simultaneously, thanks to increased computational power, mathematicians, engineers, and physical scientists have developed sophisticated models of biological systems at different scales. Novel modeling schemes can offer deeper understanding of principles in biology, but there is still a disconnect between modeling and experimental biology that limits our ability to fully realize …

Study Of Mos2/High-K Interface And Implementation Of Mos2 Based Memristor For Neuromorphic Computing Applications, Durjoy Dev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The scientific world is witnessing an unprecedented triumph of artificial neural network (ANN)- a computing system inspired by the biological neural network. With the enthralling quest for Internet of Everything (IoE), it is expected to have an unparalleled dominance of ANN in our day-to-day life. In recent times, memristor has come as an emerging candidate to realize ANN through emulating biological synapse and neuron behavior. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), one well-known two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), has drawn interest for high speed, flexible, low power electronic devices since it has a tunable bandgap, reasonable carrier mobility, high Young's modulus, and …

Effects Of A N2-Fixing Biofertilizer On The Rhizosphere Microbiome And The Influence Of Biochar On Soil Fertility And Microbial Communities, Sarbjeet Niraula

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The rhizosphere microbiota and endosymbionts are the major contributors to biogeochemical cycling and significantly impact the associated host plant. Their association with plant roots is inevitable for plant health and development. The application of bio inoculants that promote plant growth and productivity is a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers in agricultural fields because of their nutrient solubilization activity, and are considered environmentally safe. However, their impact on the soil microbiome has been least studied. The use of bio-inoculants may have favorable or unfavorable impacts on the native microbial community in the rhizosphere. Therefore, we attempt to evaluate the effects of …

Development Of Tissue Engineered Scaffolds For Cardiovascular Repair And Replacement In Pediatric Patients, Dipasha Sinha

All Dissertations

Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) are abnormalities present in the heart and great vessels at birth. It is one of the most frequently diagnosed congenital disorders, affecting approximately 40,000 live birth each year in the United States. The incidence of new CHD patients and the relative distribution of defects have not changed over time and remain a birth rate function. Out of the new patients found to have CHD each year, an estimated 2,500 patients have a defect that requires a substitute, non-native valve, or conduit artery to replace structures that are congenitally absent or hypoplastic. Materials in current use for …

Of Single Nucleotides And Single Cells: Charting The Genotype-Phenotype Map At High Resolution Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Sneha Shreekant Mokashi

All Dissertations

Understanding the mechanisms by which genetic variation brings about phenotypic variation is essential for understanding variation in complex traits. Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for such studies. Flies are easy to raise in the laboratory under controlled genetic and environmental conditions and many genetic tools are widely available. To chart the genotype-phenotype map, we need to study how individual genetic variants contribute to phenotypic variation, as well as how environmental perturbations influence gene expression.

Regarding the former, I generated single nucleotide substitutions in Obp56h in a common genetic background. Obp56h, a member of the Odorant binding protein …

The Genetics Of Kidney Disorders In Phelan-Mcdermid Syndrome, Megan Mccoy

All Dissertations

No abstract provided.