Digital Commons Network^™

Translational Research Targeting Biliary Tract Cancer, Yan Zhu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is malignant tumor that originates from the biliary tract, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer (GBC). In this translational research program targeting BTC, we focus on three aspects: the development of a combination treatment against CCA, the exploration of the immune background of GBC, and the establishment of a CCA mouse model mimicking mutation profiles of CCA patients.

Patients with cholangiocarcinoma have poor clinical outcomes due to late diagnoses, poor prognoses, and limited treatment strategies. To identify novel drug combinations for this disease, we have conducted a genome wide CRISPR screen anchored on the bromodomain and …

Discovery Of Novel 2-Aminopyridine Derivatives As Ros1 And Alk Dual Inhibitors To Combat Drug-Resistant Mutants Including Ros1g2032r And Alkg1202r, Siming Liu, Chuan Huang, Chunhui Huang, Yaqi Huang, Yonghuan Yu, Guowu Wu, Fengqiu Guo, Ying Jiang, Shanhe Wan, Zhengguang Zhu, Yuanxin Tian, Jianghua Zhu, Jiajie Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Clinical treatment by FDA-approved ROS1/ALK inhibitor Crizotinib significantly improved the therapeutic outcomes. However, the emergence of drug resistance, especially driven by acquired mutations, have become an inevitable problem and worsened the clinical effects of Crizotinib. To combat drug resistance, some novel 2-aminopyridine derivatives were designed rationally based on molecular simulation, then synthesised and subjected to biological test. The preferred spiro derivative C01 exhibited remarkable activity against CD74-ROS1G2032R cell with an IC50 value of 42.3 nM, which was about 30-fold more potent than Crizotinib. Moreover, C01 also potently inhibited enzymatic activity against clinically Crizotinib-resistant ALKG1202R, harbouring a 10-fold potency superior to …

Godel, Escherian Staircase And Possibility Of Quantum Wormhole With Liquid Crystalline Phase Of Iced-Water - Part I: Theoretical Underpinning, Victor Christianto, T. Daniel Chandra, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

As a senior physicist colleague and our friend, Robert N. Boyd, wrote in a journal (JCFA, Vol. 1,. 2, 2022), Our universe is but one page in a large book [4]. For example, things and Beings can travel between Universes, intentionally or unintentionally. In this short remark, we revisit and offer short remark to Neil’s ideas and trying to connect them with geometrization of musical chords as presented by D. Tymoczko and others, then to Escher staircase and then to Jacob’s ladder which seems to point to possibility to interpret Jacob’s vision as described in the ancient book of Genesis …

Development Of An Intact Mass Spectrometry Method For The Detection And Differentiation Of Major Bovine Milk Proteins, Emily F. Harley-Dowell

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The authentication of products with claims regarding protein sources or compositions is a challenge for traditional analytical methods, which generally lack the required specificity whole protein analysis can provide. For example, the establishment of milk as “A2” is achieved through genetic testing of cows before milk production, with no methods to authenticate milk products themselves. Establishment of A2 milk is completed through genetic testing of the cows before milk production, but with no methods to authenticate the milk products themselves. Intact protein mass spectrometry (MS) has the potential to directly authenticate protein products, including specific proteoform claims. The development of …

Assessing The Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Smooth Brome Pastures Under Long Term Grazing And Nutrient Enrichment In Eastern Nebraska, Hassan Shehab

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Climate change together with the increase in demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber are becoming a threat to sustainability and resilience of agriculture and pasture lands. Bromus inermis (smooth bromegrass) dominates pastures for cattle grazing in Eastern Nebraska, US, where it is planted in monocultures, and is considered high quality forage because of its palatability and high nutritional value for cattle, especially under intensive management practices. Sustainable management of these pastures is key to long-term resilience. This study aims to assess the performance of smooth bromegrass pastures to the combined effects of long-term management practices (since 2005) of fertilization …

Ecological Impacts Of Restoring Fire-Grazing Interaction In Sandhills Prairie Through Patch-Burn Grazing, Nolan P. Sipe

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A Collaborative Adaptive Management (CAM) Project was started at the University of Nebraska in 2020 to address some of the key uncertainties related to the management of grasslands in the Nebraska Sandhills through stakeholder driven experiments and the adaptive management cycle. Patch-burn grazing was selected by CAM as a management tool to generate heterogeneity across the landscape and promote biodiversity while balancing economic and ecological trade-offs. The patch-burn grazing system was implemented with controlled burns in May of 2022 and March of 2023. Other parties in CAM will be examining the impact that patch-burn grazing has on forage and livestock …

Population Demography Of A Glacial-Relict Stream Fish Mediated Via Anthropogenic Alteration, Joseph M. Spooner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi are a small-bodied glacial-relict fish species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) found throughout Canada and the northern United Sates. Their distribution within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion is isolated from the northern core distribution of the species following the last glaciation period approximately 18,000 years ago. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion are predominately groundwater fed and provide the cool water temperatures needed to support Northern Pearl Dace and other glacial-relict SGCN. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion have been geomorphically altered through anthropogenic processes such as channelization whereby habitat homogenization has occurred. Evidence …

Human Dimensions Of Woody Encroachment Management In Nebraska, Emily Rowen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Woody plant encroachment (WPE) is a social-ecological problem that will challenge conservation professionals and agricultural producers to adapt their management strategies. This research first examined WPE from the perspective of individual conservation professionals through an online survey. Conservation professionals’ attitudes about adaptation to vegetation transitions, such as WPE, were of interest because these attitudes are one measure of how prepared this group is to respond to WPE. Hypothesized predictors of adaptation attitude were tested through linear regression modeling. These predictors included ecological change, observation of WPE, or risk perception. It was found that risk perception was the strongest predictor of …

Habitat Heterogeneity In Nebraska Streams And Distribution Prediction For Tier-1 Cyprinids Using Multi-Scale Modeling Of Fluvial And Landscape Features, Connor P. Hart

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multiscale environmental processes determine in-stream habitat conditions which drive species distributions. Habitat constitutes the physical template upon which ecological processes occur and species conduct life stage activities. Habitat heterogeneity promotes biodiversity of aquatic systems. Stream classification informs freshwater conservation by providing a useful framework to account for habitat heterogeneity, often based on landscape regions of similar environmental processes. A greater understanding of landscape-based classification frameworks as means to classify stream systems may improve understanding of drivers of biodiversity. Using Nebraska as a case study, on a statewide scale, objectives were 1) to characterize habitat availability for several at-risk fish species, …

The Influence Of Invasive Species On Fishers’ Satisfactions, Caroline M. Laplante

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Invasives species are prevalent and widespread in North America. Outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing, introduce a point in which humans may interact with invasive species and have to adapt their own behaviors. Bigheaded carp in the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam are a group of invasive fish species that were thought to be negatively relating to recreational fishers’ satisfactions. Using a content analysis and an importance-grid, we conclude that invasive species do not strongly relate to recreational paddlefish fishers’ satisfactions. Paddlefish fishers represent a small sub-set of recreational fishers in Nebraska and South Dakota. The content analysis revealed …

Development Of A Machine Learning System For Irrigation Decision Support With Disparate Data Streams, Eric Wilkening

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In recent years, advancements in irrigation technologies have led to increased efficiency in irrigation applications, encompassing the adoption of practices that utilize data-driven irrigation scheduling and leveraging variable rate irrigation (VRI). These technological improvements have the potential to reduce water withdrawals and diversions from both groundwater and surface water sources. However, it is vital to recognize that improved application efficiency does not necessarily equate to increased water availability for future or downstream use. This is particularly crucial in the context of consumptive water use, which refers to water consumed and not returned to the local or sub-regional watershed, representing a …

In Situ Water Sensing Systems: Research On Advancements In Environmental Monitoring, Abigail Seibel

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this work, two sensing systems were researched in order to improve in situ environmental monitoring. The first is a pH and Total Alkalinity sensor used to determine these characteristics of sea water. I explored the facets of this sensor over a 7-week internship with Dr. Ellen Briggs in her lab in summer of 2023. The second is a more holistic sensing system that reads temperature, turbidity, and pressure used for studying environmental characteristics of Alaskan bever ponds. Both systems were developed in close collaboration with scientists who are collecting data to better understand the impacts of climate change. Better …

Game-Theoretic Approaches To Optimal Resource Allocation And Defense Strategies In Herbaceous Plants, Molly R. Creagar

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Empirical evidence suggests that the attractiveness of a plant to herbivores can be affected by the investment in defense by neighboring plants, as well as investment in defense by the focal plant. Thus, allocation to defense may not only be influenced by the frequency and intensity of herbivory but also by defense strategies employed by other plants in the environment. We incorporate a neighborhood defense effect by applying spatial evolutionary game theory to optimal resource allocation in plants where cooperators are plants investing in defense and defectors are plants that do not. We use a stochastic dynamic programming model, along …

(R2055) Magnetic Effects On Unsteady Non-Newtonian Blood Flow Through A Tapered And Overlapping Stenotic Artery, Abiodun J. Babatunde, Moses S. Dada

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

This study aims to investigating the effect of magnetic field and porosity on non-Newtonian flow of blood through a tapered, and overlapping stenosed artery. The Casson fluid model represents the rheological character of blood. A tapered and overlapping stenosed artery influences the hemodynamic behavior of the blood flow. The problem is solved by using analytical techniques with the help of boundary conditions, and results are displayed graphically for different flow characteristics like pressure drop, shear stress, velocity profile and stream function. It is realized that rises in Darcy number and Womersley number accelerates the velocity profile and reduces the radial …

(R2059) Modeling The Spread Of Coronavirus With Self-Protection And Quarantine Effect, Dileep Sharma, Agraj Tripathi, Ram Naresh Tripathi

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

A nonlinear mathematical model to study the effect of transmission dynamics of COVID-19 virus in a population with variable size structure is proposed and analyzed. The model divides the total human population into five subclasses: susceptibles, self-protected susceptibles, infectives, quarantined infectives, and recovered population including a class representing cumulative density of coronavirus in the environmental reservoir. The model exhibits two equilibria, namely, the diseasefree and the endemic equilibrium. Model analysis reveals the global dynamics of the spread of COVID-19 is completely determined by the basic reproduction number. If basic reproduction number is greater than one, the endemic equilibrium is locally …

(R2066) New Results Of Ulam Stabilities Of Functional Differential Equations Of First Order Including Multiple Retardations, Merve Şengün, Cemil Tunç

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this study, we pay attention to a functional differential equation (FDE) of first order including N-variable delays. We construct new sufficient conditions in relation to the Hyers-Ulam stability (HUS) and the generalized Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stability (GHURS ) of the FDE of first order including N-variable delays. By using Banach contraction principle (BCP), Picard operator and Gronwall lemma, we confirm two new theorems in relation to the HUS and the GHURS. The results of this study are new and extend, improve some earlier results of the HUS and the GHURS.

Characteristics Of Award-Winning Children’S Books About Agriculture: An Analysis Of Content, And The Perspectives Of Authors, Illustrators, And Publishers, Addison L. Beckham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-article qualitative study was to characterize children's literature about agriculture and to describe the perceptions of authors and illustrators who are responsible for writing and designing these successful publications. This will result in the ability of organizations like Feeding Minds Press to provide writers, illustrators, and publishers with effective strategies and techniques to improve the accuracy and overall quality of children’s literature about agriculture. Few parameters exist for authors of children’s books about agriculture (Biser, 2007). These parameters are necessary to ensure the quality and accuracy of these educational efforts (Serafini, 2012). Though Feeding Minds Press …

Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang

All Dissertations

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) provide an environment favorable for the transmission of three critical human pathogens: human norovirus (HuNoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Clostridioides difficile. Given residents in LTCFs are susceptible to infections due to their advanced ages and compromised immune systems, effective environmental surface disinfection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of human pathogens within these settings and, therefore, mitigates the risk of infections caused by these pathogens. This dissertation aimed to assess the efficacy of various types of disinfectants against two HuNoV surrogates [feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV)], two …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Dr_D1 Report Fy2023 - Database Search And Item Usage, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report DR_D1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023. The DR_D1 report is defined as "Database Search and Item Usage." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Searches Automated - 101,532

Searches Federated - 10,516

Searches Regular - 1,059,387

Total Item Investigations - 519,728

Total Item Requests - 219,645

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_B1 Report Fy2023 - Book Requests (Excluding Oa_Gold) By Title, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report TR_B1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023. The TR_B1 report is defined as "Book Requests (Excluding OA_Gold)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 118,197

Unique Title Requests - 46,803

Molecular Control Of Triplet-Pair Spin Polarization And Its Optoelectronic Magnetic Resonance Probes, Obadiah G. Reid, Justin C. Johnson, Joel D. Eaves, Niels H. Damrauer, John E. Anthony

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Preparing and manipulating pure magnetic states in molecular systems are the key initial requirements for harnessing the power of synthetic chemistry to drive practical quantum sensing and computing technologies. One route for achieving the requisite higher spin states in organic systems exploits the phenomenon of singlet fission, which produces pairs of triplet excited states from initially photoexcited singlets in molecular assemblies with multiple chromophores. The resulting spin states are characterized by total spin (quintet, triplet, or singlet) and its projection onto a specified molecular or magnetic field axis. These excited states are typically highly polarized but exhibit an impure spin …

Activity Patterns Of Whiptail Lizards (Aspidoscelis) Found In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Guillermo Alvarez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traditional lizard pitfall traps were modified to allow organisms to escape, while collecting valuable ecological data. Modified camera traps were capable of detecting the same species as traditional traps in a semi-arid environment, without posing the associated mortality risks. Pitfall-camera traps were used to sample the activity of the Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) and the Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) in an urban wetland during four continuous years. Evaluations on activity pattern and the activity overlap between the two species revealed extensive overlap, with minor but significant seasonal shifts mediating coexistence. Traps were also effective at detecting other reptiles, invertebrates, …

Development Of Metaheuristic Algorithms For The Efficient Allocation Of Power Flow Control Devices, Eduardo Jose Castillo Fatule

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Evapotranspiration Estimates Using An Existing Hybrid Machine Learning Model In A Natural And A Managed Dryland Site, Katya Esquivel Herrera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of the hydrologic cycle, encompassing both evaporative water loss from surfaces and transpiration through plant stomata. The environmental factors influencing ET include water and energy availability, atmospheric capacity for water uptake, and various meteorological variables. ET serves as a unique climate variable linking water, energy, and carbon cycles. In agroecosystems, accurate ET quantification is vital for optimizing water use efficiency, irrigation management, and crop yield. Traditional methods for ET estimation involve direct measurements and indirect models, with both presenting limitations.

Recent years have witnessed the integration of remote sensing and machine learning (ML) algorithms …

Deep-Learning Frameworks For The Classification And Segmentation Of Alzheimer's Disease Cell Types, Md Easin Hasan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neuroimaging experts in biotech industries can benefit from using cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques for Alzheimerâ??s disease (AD) and dementia stage prediction, despite the fact that it may be difficult to anticipate the precise stage of AD. AD is one cause of dementia with very limited to no treatment available. Cell-type classification studies are essential for developing novel drugs for this lethal and common disease. Neuronal cell segmentation is the process of identifying and separating individual neurons in an image, typically in order to study their properties or analyze their organization in the nervous system. This is significant because neurological problems …

Green Analytical Methods For The Determination Of Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (Pfcas) And Fluorotelomer Alcohols (Ftohs) In Water, Ahsan Habib

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic organic compounds manufactured for their heat, water, and stain-resistant properties. PFAS can be found ubiquitously in the environment because they are widely used in everyday consumer products such as fast-food wrappers, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant products, cosmetics, aqueous film-forming foams, etc. As a result, PFAS are commonly detected in surface water, wastewater, and biosolids from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These are the direct sources of PFAS contamination in drinking water supplies, which are substantial sources of human exposure. Among these PFAS chemicals, two major groups are perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) …

The Role Of The Cholesterol Synthesis Pathway In Primitive Erythropoiesis, Jose Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Erythropoiesis is the process by which new red blood cells (RBCs) are formed and defects in this process can lead to anemia or thalassemia. The GATA1 transcription factor is an established mediator of RBC development. However, the upstream mechanisms that regulate the expression of GATA1 are not completely characterized. Cholesterol is 1 potential upstream mediator of GATA1 expression because previously published studies suggest that defects in cholesterol synthesis disrupt RBC differentiation. Here we characterize RBC development in a zebrafish harboring a single missense mutation in the hmgcs1 gene (Vu57 allele). Hmgcs1 encodes the first enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway …

The Power Of Voice: The Role Of Target Voice Achievement In Enhancing Quality Of Life For Transgender Individuals In Gender-Affirming Voice Management Lab, El Paso, Texas, 2016-2022, Mehjabin Alam Hridi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Gender-affirming voice management is an essential aspect of transgender people and research shows that achieving a congruent voice can significantly improve the quality of life. The role of voice as a central aspect of gender identity and expression and achieving a desired target voice can improve mental health outcomes, social functioning, and overall well-being. Purpose: The project assesses the impact of quality of life and voice treatment completion on voice disorders among transgender people. Methods: This clinical study included records for transgender individuals attending the Gender-Affirming Voice Management Lab in El Paso, TX, from 2016 to 2022. Measures collected …

The Physiological Effects Of Acute And Ramp Hypoxic Exposure During Simulated Flight Tasks, Jasmin Renee Jenkins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of hypoxia at simulated altitudes of FiO2 15.4% (8000’ equivalent), FiO2 13.2% (12,000’ equivalent), and a Ramp Hypoxic exposure on perceived workload, cardiovascular activity, electrodermal activity, oximetry, and flight simulator performance. A total of 17 participants (10 female & 7 males; mean ± SEM, age 24.82±1.6 yrs, BMI 25.87±1.0 who were apparently healthy, asymptomatic, and physically active performed 3 flight tasks using a video game head-mounted display (HMD) flight simulator while exposed to simulated altitudes of Normoxia, FiO2 15.4%, FiO2 13.2% and a Ramp Hypoxic Exposure (breathing at 8,000 …

Computation-Assisted Molecular Discovery For Biomedical Applications: Seeking Small Molecules And Dna Sequences With High Affinity Target Binding, Payam Kelich

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Binding affinity between two molecules is an essential property in drug and sensor discovery. Several computational and experimental methods exist to find molecules with high binding affinities to desired target molecules. These methods are often complementary, where fast computational methods can be used for the initial screening of molecules, and experimental methods can then screen and determine the molecules of interest and sometimes define the structures of bound complexes. After these steps, computational methods, like molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, can provide detailed insights into atomic interactions and binding, and machine learning approaches can analyze experiment-derived data to discern patterns and …