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Heritable Genome Editing, And The Future Of Novel Reproductive Technologies, Kerry L. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

This Article compares human reproductive cloning (HRC) and
heritable genome editing (HGE) to identify factors that encourage bans
on novel reproductive technologies. HRC drew legislative opposition
in part because it involved asexual reproduction and was incorrectly
associated with copying. HGE and other technologies that involve
sexual reproduction do not have those problematic qualities. HRC also
became entangled with research in which human embryos were cloned
to be harvested for their stem cells. HGE did not because scientists
learned how to create and edit pluripotent stem cells without creating
embryos. However, the legal history of HRC predicts that reproductive
technologies strongly …

Development And Evaluation Of A Retrofittable Variable Rate Applicator Controller, Ahmed Abdalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need to optimize resource utilization while increasing crop productivity is paramount. This research proposes a Low-cost Retrofittable Variable Rate Applicator Controller (VRAC) that aims to leverage the adoption of Variable Rate Technologies. The controller operates via the Raspberry Pi platform, a Global Positioning System (GPS), a stepper motor drive, and an anti-slip wheel encoder. The VRAC allows precise, on-the-fly control of variable-rate application of farming inputs. It utilizes GPS with 10 cm accuracy to pinpoint geographic coordinates in real-time. A wheel encoder measures traveling speed with a slip-resistant wheel design for precise RPM readings. The Raspberry processes the data, …

Kidney-Targeted Mrna Nanoparticles: Exploration Of The Mrna Loading Capacity Of A Polymeric Mesoscale Platform Employing Various Classes Of Excipients, Arantxa Roach

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Mesoscale nanoparticles (MNPs) for the therapeutic relief of renal ailments can be modulated to deliver various payloads – including biomolecules such as mRNA. In preparing mRNA loaded-MNPs, we observed a point of saturation for mRNA loading of these particles, when aiming to increase the payload per particle. Here, we aimed to circumvent this limitation by incorporating various excipients that interact with mRNA for increased loading. These interactions involved the reduction of mRNA electrostatic repulsion and improving mRNA stability during formulation and release. Thereafter, we tested the encapsulation efficiency of these modified particles and compared it to our original formulation. Further, …

Long Overdue: The Need For An Examination Of The Specter Of Racial Bias In The Federal Death Penalty System, John Nidiry, Ruth Friedman

Faculty Publications

The specter of racial bias in the federal government's administration of the death penalty over the past thirty-five years has been long apparent yet insufficiently scrutinized. Scholars have studied the racially disparate application of capital punishment at the state level and linked those disparities to a history of racialized violence. The federal death penalty, especially with regard to the impact of race, however, remains largely unexamined.
It is time to bridge this gap in the research on racial bias in the criminal justice system and in the implementation of the federal death penalty specifically. There are, as this Article sets …

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Oviposition Preferences And A Survey Of Fungal Pathogens On Native Milkweeds (Asclepias) Of The Northern Great Plains, Grace Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations are experiencing significant declines due to habitat loss caused by land use changes. Much of the American Midwest where milkweed, the only host plant of the monarch butterfly, was once much more abundant has been converted to a predominantly agricultural landscape. There are nineteen species of milkweed native to the northern Great Plains region occupied by South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Some of these milkweed species may be preferable to monarch butterflies for different reasons, including morphological factors such as stem length, species-level chemical factors, and temporal factors. As monarch …

The Behemoth Of The Last Ice Age: The Evolutionary Saga Of The Columbian Mammoth In North America, Nathaniel Valentine

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The Columbian’s mammoth evolutionary history can be traced back to the origin of life and its evolutionary lineage can be tracked down by examining select species over geologic time. I conducted a literature review with multiple scientific journals to identify key transitional species that trace their lineage to the Columbian mammoth. Transitional species were selected from the Precambrian and the various periods of the Phanerozoic which exhibited vertebrate-like body structures and behaviors. Evidence suggests that early vertebrate-like animals were present by the Cambrian period. Mammal evolution would continue in the Mesozoic era and radiate in the Cenozoic era. The Columbian …

The Sun Goes Down In Juárez, Rosario Martinez

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The Sun Goes Down in Juárez is a historical fiction short story based on the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917). It follows the changing relationship between brothers Rudy and Jaime as they join a rebel army in their journey across Mexico to assist in one of the most pivotal battles of the revolution. As their values unalign and the trek continues, Rudy and Jaime are left wondering if they left the other back home. The story heavily focuses on duty and family, particularly pertaining to their importance in Mexican culture, and how these values influence one’s decisions and the consequences that follow. …

Unlv Title Iii Aanapisi & Mcnair Scholars Institute Research Journal 2024, Jesica Godinez-Paredes, Kian Hassankhan, Apia Hickman, Robin Ruth Kee, Kevin Ayala Pineda, Briana Melendez, Kalli Ramos, Saturn L. Reyes, Fabian Leija, Selena Pepe, Silva Topchyan, Celeste Ainsley, Mayra Arzate, Jessica Balistreri, Zantana Ephrem, Mirella Jasso, Karl Panou, Nichole Pelaez, Miklo Alcala, Akshay Dave, Mey Mey Heng, Michael Finkle, Janessa Montenegro, Reynafe Naol Aniga, Victor Mejia, Angelica G. Diaz, Anayeli Flores-Garibay, Kari Lee Joe Goold, Samantha Hernandez, Lianelys Cabrera Martinez, Caitlin Reynolds, Kimberly N. Usbeck, Abdulrahman Alahdal, Angelica Diaz, Willaine Mae Kahano, Raquel Jackson, Cecia Ruiz-Hernandez, Kers Ung-Watson, Yessenia Henriquez, Vanessa Marie Booth, Alexia Brown, Darlyn Magana, Bianca Navarro, Nicholas Pereira, Gia Renemae Calip, Lucky Heng, Ralph Sagun, Lucas Abreu, Alexandra Maria Acosta, Tristan Benally, Cosset Hernandez Pena, Adrian Montenegro, Cierra Paaaina-Daquioag, Nicole Torosian, Tracy Fuentes, Julissa Martinez, Medina Mcallister, Michal Newhouse-Van Vlerin, Tiria Carr, Nima Abkenar, Isabella Aceituno, Yuhan Bi, Victoria Campos, Melika Cummings, Zachary J. Johnigan, Alexis Sotolongo-Marin

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the AANAPISI, LSAMP, and McNair Scholars Program.

Table of Contents

About AANAPISI

Dr. Chris Heavey, Interim President

Dr. Keith Rogers, Vice President for Student Affairs

Ms. Zhanna Aronov, Associate Vice President for Retention & Outreach

The Choice Is Hers: Floral Preference And Habitat Use Of Early Season Queen Bumble Bees In Restored Ecosystems, Kathryn E. Mccabe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Restored ecosystems play a vital role in providing a sanctuary for native flora and fauna, offering crucial habitat and resources for many at-risk and declining taxa. Ensuring optimal functionality of these restorations is essential to supporting taxon like bumble bees. While many studies have focused on understanding the needs of bumble bees, much of this effort has relied on information gathered during their peak foraging season when workers are abundant, thus, neglecting other critical life stages, such as emerging spring queens. In this study, I investigated how spring queen bumble bees use three types of restored habitats (woodland, edge, and …

Minor Parties In America: National Failure, Some Localized Success, Eman J. Mohammad

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Leaning primarily on Duverger's Law, which credits minor party votes as wasted momentum, current research on institutional obstacles to minor party voting largely overlooks the influence of constituency size. This research reexamines the electoral hindrances that minor parties face when competing against the two dominant political parties. Specifically, I hypothesize there is a negative relationship between constituency size and minor party vote share. This thesis adopts an institutional approach to explain the success of minor parties in constituencies of varying size. In the empirical models, I will control for minor party organizational strength, state ballot access laws and whether states …

Genetic Engineering Of Escherichia Coli For The Production Of Riboflavin, Adeyemi Adesanwo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Riboflavin, a water-soluble vitamin B2, is essential for the growth and reproduction of living organisms. However, humans and animals lack a riboflavin synthesis pathway and must rely on diets derived from plants and microbes for this essential vitamin. To meet our needs for vitamin B2, industrial riboflavin production is currently being pursued using strains of Bacillus subtilis. The fermentation process is successful, but improvements are needed for better substrate-to-product conversion yield. To this end, it is imperative to develop alternative microbial strains for cost-effective riboflavin production.

Due to its simple growth requirement, well-understood genetic background, and widely available genetic tools, …

Analyzing Sex Differences In Human Performance Through 3d Isotonic Resistance, Jacob M. Cunha

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Appraisal of scientific literature and understanding continues to grow in the domain of human performance. The effects of sex on concentric resistance training and power output are not well understood. Recent advancements in technology permit more precise measurements of force output and the kinematic changes elicited by training stress. A unique device in capturing kinematic performance output is Proteus Motion. The machine produces an external magnetic load through a protruding apparatus connected to a gyrosphere, which in turn captures concentric movement through all three planes of movement (sagittal, coronal, transversal). The aim of this study is to investigate power output …

Roles Of Ppp1r15a (Gadd34) And Ppp1r15b (Crep) In Er Stress-Induced Apoptosis In Zebrafish Caudal Fin Epidermal Cells, Ayano Ohata

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

ER stress occurs in response to the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER lumen, subsequently activating three signal transduction pathways collectively called the unfolded protein response (UPR). Although the goal of the UPR is to restore ER homeostasis, it can result in apoptosis when ER stress is too severe or prolonged. CHOP, which is induced by all three branches of the UPR, is central to inducing ER stress-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of numerous pro-apoptotic genes. One of the downstream targets of CHOP is GADD34, which contributes to PP1-mediated dephosphorylation of eIF2α together with its homolog …

Synthesis Of Hydroxycinnamate Derivatives And Characterization Of Bioactivity As Radical Scavengers And Α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Cate Simmermaker

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs), a class of polyphenols commonly found in regularly consumed fruits and vegetables, have been investigated for efficacy as radical scavengers and glycosidase inhibitors. These compounds could mitigate the negative health effects of free radicals in oxidative stress diseases including neurodegeneration, cancer and diabetes. The HCAs investigated were caffeic acid (1), p-coumaric acid (2), ferulic acid (3), and sinapic acid (4). The compounds were derivatized with synthetically prepared amino acid esters through a four-step synthesis including protective acetylation, chlorination of the carboxylic acid, amidation, and subsequent deprotection of all applied protecting groups. The inclusion of diverse derivative groups …

Softening And Cross-Susceptibility: Exposure To Heat And Desiccation Reduces Future Stress Tolerance In An Insect, Lauren Harter

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The frequency and duration of environmental stressors, such as heat waves and drought, will continue to grow due to ongoing climate change, thereby increasing the likelihood that organisms will experience stressors consecutively. Exposure to one stressor can improve or impair future tolerance to the same stressor (i.e., hardening or softening, respectively), or enhance or reduce future tolerance to a different stressor (i.e., cross-protection or cross-susceptibility, respectively). Understanding whether stress improves or impairs animals’ abilities to withstand future stressors is critical for determining the physiological sensitivity of animals to ongoing climate change. Here, I evaluated the responses to consecutive heat and …

Volume 15, Connor Thompson, Emily Steffenhagen, Emily Robertson, Luis Fernando Dos Reis, Emily Farmer, Samuel Villa, Robert Allison, Zachary Chessor, Megan Borden, Austin Burnett, Larry W. Grant Jr., Tristan Marowski, Emma Moore, Pearl Siff

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Connor Thompson

On Mentorship Dr. John Miller

The Meat of the Matter: Alien, Human, and Animal in Terry Bisson’s “They’re Made Out of Meat” by Emily Steffenhagen

“Please REBLOG!”: An Ethical Analysis of Doxxing, Internet Vigilantism and Racists Getting Fired by Emily Robertson

Journaling: Paper Has More Patience Than People by Luis Fernando Dos Reis

The Effects of Climate Change on the Archaeological World by Emily Farmer

Lowered Seat Height Does Not Impair Wingate Performance in Untrained Cyclists by Samuel Villa, Robert Allison, …

The Effects Of Beaver Dam Anaolgs On Linked Aquatic-Terrestrial Communities In Western Headwater Streams, Michelle Elyse Fillion, Benjamin P. Colman, Rachel L. Malison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In response to stream degradation resulting from the near eradication of American Beavers (Castor canadensis), managers of freshwater systems have turned to using beaver dam analogs (BDAs) as one means of restoring waterways from stream and riparian degradation. Though BDAs have been shown to restore physical traits of riparian areas, their influence on macroinvertebrates and linked aquatic-terrestrial systems is not well understood. To examine how BDAs influence aquatic habitats, macroinvertebrate communities, and riparian insectivores, we compared unrestored reference stream segments to BDA-restored segments with 7-14 BDAs in three western Montana headwater streams. We collected physical stream measurements and quantitative samples …

Structural And Functional Analysis Of Glun2a-Selective Negative Allosteric Modulators, James Scott Lotti

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

NMDA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors are widely expressed throughout the central nervous system and are critically involved in many healthy neuronal processes. Dysregulation of NMDA receptor activity underlies many disease pathologies, several of which benefit from treatment with antagonists, such as the FDA-approved channel blockers ketamine, memantine, and adamantine. NMDA receptors are composed of two glycine-binding GluN1 subunits and two glutamate-binding GluN2A-D subunits. The GluN2A-D subunits display distinct regional and developmental expression patterns, enabling region- or cell type-specific targeting of NMDA receptors through subunit-selective pharmacological intervention. There are several classes of subunit-selective negative allosteric NMDA receptor modulators, but the mechanisms of …

Wildfire-Specific Fine Particulate Matter Exposure Impacts On Influenza Across The Western United States, Ava Shulin Orr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: In recent years, air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) originating from wildfire smoke, has surged despite declining anthropogenic emissions. This trend has led to concerning adverse health effects across many different morbidity and mortality outcomes. Still, many gaps remain in understanding of how wildfire-specific smoke impacts our health, including how to isolate the contribution of wildfire-originating PM2.5 within the total ambient or background PM2.5, as well as how and when delayed wildfire smoke exposure will impact certain disease outcomes, and relevant to this dissertation, particularly for communicable respiratory infections, such as influenza.

Purpose: The purpose of this research …

Cultivating Access: The Benefits And Challenges Of Using Community Land Trusts To Preserve Farmland And Support Farmers., Meghan Daly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Agricultural land protected by community land trusts (CLTs) is more likely to remain in active production due to the CLT’s ability to enforce land use practices and select tenants committed to farming. While land tenure approaches vary among CLTs, protected agricultural lands typically utilize long-term leases with affordable rents (Ela and Rosenberg, 2020). Such leasing arrangements enable farmers to access land at prices unaffected by escalating land values (Schwartz et al., 2013). The CLT model not only safeguards farmland but also promotes active agricultural production, thereby ensuring local food supply and providing economic opportunities for farmers.

Despite the promising potential …

Understanding Cellular Dynamics: Investigating A Yeast-Two Hybrid Protein-Protein Interaction, Riok3:Cse1l; Also By Investigating Trogocytosis Of Cd4+ T Cells From Rhog-/- Mice, Brittnee N. Crane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a negative-sense virus that was first described in 1930 when it was isolated from sheep during an outbreak. In the last 25 years there has been a spread in the geographical range into the Middle East. The most susceptible animals are cattle, goats, sheep, and camels. The most overt symptom of livestock infection is that infected pregnant animals experience spontaneous abortion. Humans are susceptible as well and symptoms range from mild febrile illness to liver necrosis, blindness, hemorrhagic fever, and death. An important player in the cellular innate response to RVFV infections is the …

Unlocking The West: A Critique Of Previous Statutory Attempts And A Proposed Statutory Solution To Allow Access To Corner-Locked Public Land, Sawyer J. Connelly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Across the American West, 9.52 million acres of federal and state public lands are inaccessible to the public. The legality of accessing much of those public lands through corner-crossing is unclear in the law because, in the infinitesimal space where four corners of land meet in a checkerboard pattern, there is ambiguity; neither private landowners nor the public can assert an exclusive right or absolute control without infringing upon the rights of the other. This paper discusses the origins of landlocked public land, common law doctrines that inform legal actors in this space, and analyzes federal statute and state legislative …

Acute Toxicity Of Chlorpyrifos On The Freshwater Bivalves (Unio Tigridis) And Effects On Bioindicators, Nihal Suhail Hanna, Yahya Ahmed Shekha

Baghdad Science Journal

A freshwater bivalve plays a crucial function in aquatic habitats as the filtered water and burrowing mussels mix the sediment, thus increasing oxygen content and making the ecosystem healthier. The aim of the study is to see how chlorpyrifos affects biochemical markers in freshwater mussel Unio tigridis. About 180 individuals per taxon and water samples were collected from the Qandil water resource on the Greater Zab River, Erbil Province, Iraq. Once arrived at the lab, the individuals were kept in aquaria with river water and an air-conditioned room Temperature: 25±2 and Light: 12h/12h and acclimatized to laboratory conditions for seven …

A Local History Of Horses, Caleb Nichols

Intertidal

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Relational Frames On Climate Purchasing And Policy, Lauren Rose Hutchison

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Evaluative conditioning refers to the effect that occurs when two stimuli are paired together, resulting in a change in the evaluation or function of one of the stimuli. Evaluative conditioning has been researched in various fields of study, such as advertisement and public administration, but synthetization efforts of these results with a relational frame theory approach, and vice versa, have been limited. This thesis used de-identified data from prior approved research to integrate and discusses two manuscripts that provide a relational frame theory perspective to evaluative conditioning effects. Study 1 extends a previous experiment by Matthews et al. (2022) through …

Population Viability Of Egyptian Tortoises: Analyzing Demographics Sensitivities And Extinction Risk In North Sinai, Basem Ahmed Rabia Motwaly

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study investigated the population viability of the critically endangered Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) across five populations in North Sinai, Egypt. The research aimed to assess demographic sensitivities, extinction risks, and the influence of environmental variables to guide conservation strategies. Using multistate mark-recapture models within a Bayesian framework, survival, transition, and recapture probabilities were estimated across life stages, integrating site-specific environmental data such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The analysis revealed stark contrasts between populations, with three sites demonstrating high extinction risk due to lower juvenile survival and limited recruitment. In contrast, two populations exhibited demographic …

Scent Trailing In Neonate Agkistrodon Piscivorus When Exposed To Conspecific And Heterospecific Chemical Cues, Samantha R. Grove

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Chemosensation is central to snake ecology, playing an essential role in predator recognition, foraging success, and communication with conspecifics. In areas with cold winters, neonatal snakes often trail chemical cues from older individuals to locate communal hibernacula essential for winter survival. Juvenile Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) form social bonds with littermates and have been shown to trail chemical cues of conspecifics in the fall. However, the effect of relatedness on trailing phenomena has not been tested. Using y-maze experiments I evaluated trailing behavior of 32 captive-born neonate Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) to determine if (1) subjects prefer to trail siblings …

Epigenetic Mechanism Of Ebp1 In Nlrp-Dependent Development, Summer Reign Moore

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

ErbB3-binding protein 1 (EBP1) helps regulate gene expression through various epigenetic modifications and is crucial for embryotic development. NLRP2 and NLRP7 are more commonly known for their roles in the immune system, however, recent research has implicated NLRP2 and 7 as critical factors in embryonic development. EPB1, NLRP2, and NLRP7 dysfunction is a known cause of recurrent miscarriages and other developmental diseases, including infertility. NLRP2 and NLRP7 are also known to affect the levels of DNA methylation, despite that they are located exclusively in the cytoplasm. However, EBP1 can be located in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and is known to …

Effect Of P2y2 Receptors On Leukocyte Behavior Under Acute Inflammation In Transgenic Male Mice In Vivo, Corynn D. Knight

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

P2Y₂ receptors, G-protein coupled receptors and transmembrane proteins, are present on most cells in the body and hold a wide variety of roles. Previous research indicates that under resting conditions, P2Y₂ receptors suppress the movement of leukocytes but it is unknown how inflammation will alter this in the body. The objective of this project was to determine the effect of P2Y₂ receptors on leukocyte behavior in vivo under acute inflammation using Intravenous Microscopy (IVM) in post-capillary venules of the cremaster skeletal muscle. Lipopolysaccharide was injected into the scrotum of transgenic male mice to cause localized acute inflammation. …

The Implications Of Free Exercise Clause Jurisprudence For State Abortion Bans, Kunjan Sunil Patel

Student Works

No abstract provided.