Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainable Agriculture Practices And Economic Outcomes: Selected Ipm In Tomato And Cover Crop Inter-Seeding In Organic Corn In South Carolina, Rohini Sonti

All Theses

This two-chapter thesis focuses on the economic evaluation of integrating a combination of sustainable agricultural practices aimed at improving environmental resilience and farm profitability across both conventional and organic farming systems in South Carolina. The research study lays emphasis on two key areas: the use of Integrated Pest Management practices, specifically grafting and Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) in tomato production and the inter- seeding of cover crops under different tillage systems in organic corn production.

The first chapter assesses the economic feasibility of two IPM practices: grafting and anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) in tomato production. Following the phase-out of methyl …

Addressing The Public Health Concern Of Maternal Mortality In Houston, Texas, Lucy Couture

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Maternal mortality remains a pressing public health concern in the United States, with disproportionate consequences for marginalized communities. Despite being a developed nation, the U.S. reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates among its peers, with approximately 80% of maternal deaths deemed preventable. Texas reflects this national crisis, particularly affecting Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than that of other racial and ethnic groups. This thesis explores maternal mortality trends in Houston, Texas, analyzing the roles of systemic inequities, social determinants of health, and disparities in access to quality care. Drawing on data from the Texas …

Induced Systemic Resistance Against Nematodes By Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes In Potatoes, Cole Grannan

Master's Theses

Biofertilizers consist of plant growth-promoting microorganisms that establish symbiotic relationships with plant roots and stems. These beneficial microbes play a crucial role in enhancing plant defenses against various threats including insects, nematodes, and microbial pathogens. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of two fungal biofertilizers (an endophytic strain of Beauveria bassiana (BA) and a mixture of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi), specifically their ability to induce systemic resistance against plant- parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum cv. Masquerade) under controlled greenhouse conditions. The study utilized soil collected from Colorado State University’s San Luis Valley (SLV) Research …

Rape Beyond Fantasy: Exploring The Influence Of Booktok's Erotica And Dark Romance Literature On Young Adult Perceptions Of Consent And Boundaries, Teagan Bailey Fortune

Master's Theses

Advances in technology and media, particularly TikTok, have had a significant impact on the younger generation. BookTok, a community that emerged from TikTok, is a platform where users can promote, share, and discuss book recommendations, using “spice level” or chili emojis to indicate the rating of explicit content. While recommendations often focus on erotica and dark romance fiction, concerns arise when such content glamorizes and normalizes rape culture, especially for young adults (YA). The normalization of toxic relationships can potentially influence YA perceptions of consent and boundaries. This study explores how YA perceive rape culture and consent in erotica and …

Leading Biologics In Pharmacy Practice: The Role Of Pharmacists, Amerah Elshayeb, Emily Austin, Lipika Chablani

Doctoral External Publications

Evaluate the current approaches to handling biologics, identify challenges associated with their storage and preparation, and emphasize the critical role of pharmacy education in ensuring safe and effective management of biologics.

Bad Plants, Heather I. Sullivan

Modern Languages and Literatures Faculty Research

“Bad plants” represent the seemingly unexpected and startling forms of plant power overlooked by many modern, industrialized societies that treat vegetal beings as mere resources instead of animate, world-shaping forces. Since science fiction and fairy tales often explore more openly animistic visions of non-human life, such texts provide ample possibilities for reconsideration by critical plant studies of our human-plant relations both cultural and ecological. For example, both Jack McDevitt’s 2001 science fiction novel, Deepsix, and Ludwig Tieck’s 1799 fairy tale, “Faithful Eckart and Tannhäuser”, feature “bad plants” that bring human beings violently back into the plant cycles they assume they …

Decoding Fgf/Fgfr Signaling: Insights Into Biological Functions And Disease Relevance, Oshadi Edirisinghe, Gaetane Ternier, Zeina Alraawi, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) and their cognate receptors, FGFRs, play pivotal roles in a plethora of biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, tissue repair, and metabolic homeostasis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of FGF-FGFR signaling pathways while highlighting their complex regulatory mechanisms and interconnections with other signaling networks. Further, we briefly discuss the FGFs involvement in developmental, metabolic, and housekeeping functions. By complementing current knowledge and emerging research, this review aims to enhance the understanding of FGF-FGFR-mediated signaling and its implications for health and disease, which will be crucial for therapeutic development against FGF-related pathological conditions.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Trackable Pathology-Triggered Polymersomes Toward Enzyme Replacement Theranostics For Gm1 Gangliosidosis, Dorian Foster

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the development and optimization of pathology-responsive polymersomes for simultaneous enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1). While therapeutic strategies exist for similar, non-neuropathic lysosomal storage disorders, implementation towards GM1 faces significant challenges due to the blood-brain barrier.

Herein, we developed and characterized a range of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid-b-polylactic acid (HA-PLA) polymersomes (PSs) capable of encapsulating therapeutic enzymes in their hydrophilic core. These polymersomes exhibit pathophysiology-triggered responsiveness, degrading in the presence of acidic conditions, which is characteristic of lysosomes, and enzymes such as hexosaminidase A, which …

Morphological Changes Of Liver Among Post-Fontan Surgery Patients, Varatharajan Nainamalai, Håvard Bjørke Jenssen, Khadiza Tun Suha, Mostafa Rezaeitaleshmahalleh, Min Wang, Sarah Khan, Marcus Haw, Jingfeng Jiang, Joseph Vettukattil

Michigan Tech Publications

Purpose: Liver screening and longitudinal study of Fontan Associated Liver Diseases (FALD) is essential to identifying hepatomegaly and how hepatomegaly relates to various stages of liver fibrosis. In this study, we investigated longitudinal liver shape changes and liver stiffness in a cohort of patients with Fontan Associated Liver Disease. Methods: We used 170 image volumes of 40 Fontan stage 3 completion patients. We also used 65 computed tomography images of healthy individuals from three datasets for comparison. Thirteen radiomic shape features of Fontan patients and individuals with a healthy liver were extracted and analyzed longitudinally. We studied correlations among features, …

Soil Data From Spring Run Conservation Area, Dayton, Ohio, Madelaine Gregory, Valerie N. Thurston, Michaela J. Woods, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Ecosystem Restoration Following Industrial Agriculture

This spreadsheet contains soil data from an experiment in the Spring Run Conservation Area in Dayton, Ohio, USA (39° 46 '42.2"N, 84° 20' 52.5"W). Details of the data collection can be found in the master's thesis "The State of Soil Streamlines Secondary Succession: Remediating Degraded Soils in a Post-Agricultural Field."

Characterizing The Usda-Npgs Germplasm Collection Of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum Tataricum), Noah Joseph Abasciano

Master's Theses and Capstones

AbstractTartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is a promising underutilized crop in the context of New England’s rapidly changing environment (USDA NH State Profile, 2022). Despite substantive prior work on the genetics and nutrition of Tartary buckwheat (Zhang et al., 2017b), many practical questions pertaining to its potential cultivation in New England remain unanswered. This thesis presents the first systematic genotypic and phenotypic screening of the USDA National Plant Germplasm System's (NPGS) Tartary buckwheat germplasm collection in an effort to lay the foundations for future crop improvement efforts. The genotypic assessment of the NPGS Tartary buckwheat germplasm was completed by first bottlenecking …

Modeling Snow Surface Properties From Lidar And Imaging Spectroscopy, Brenton A. Wilder

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Seasonal snow surface plays an important role in altering terrestrial hydrology and global climate patterns. Snow reflects a majority of incoming shortwave radiation thereby reducing the net shortwave radiation received into snowpack throughout the season. This property is commonly referred to as snow albedo and impacts water cycles and air temperatures by modulating the timing and magnitude of melt. This reflectivity of snow is difficult to measure accurately in mountain environments and at a large enough scale to be meaningful for water resource managers and climate scientists. The work presented herein aims to improve methodologies to measure snow reflectivity from …

A Delphi Study Exploring Scope And Sequence Of Trauma Education In Counselor Education Master Level Council Of Accreditation Of Counseling Related Education Programs, Alexis A. Hauck

Dissertations

The growing awareness of trauma and its impacts on the social, emotional, and overall wellness of individuals, couples, and families underscores the need for counselor educators to prepare counselors to address trauma symptoms effectively. To bridge this gap, counselor education programs can benefit from expert guidance on the content scope and course sequencing of trauma education in master’s programs.

This research aimed to articulate trauma education scope and sequencing by gathering expert recommendations on best practices for trauma knowledge, awareness, and skill development through clinical experiences in counselor education programs. The grand research question explored expert opinions and beliefs about …

Ephemeral Legacy, Allison Hall

Master's Theses

Recently, my thoughts have centered on the problem of legacy. How do we forge bonds with other humans? What happens on an interpersonal level when these humans pass away, or when we pass, and they continue in life? How do queer spaces consistently offer deeper phenomena of interpersonal legacies; how does death operate as generational catalyst? I am particularly interested in putting these questions in the context of queer spaces. In queer culture, kinship is formed in ways that break from typical western notions of kinship. Despite being incoherent to western notions of family, queer bonds are extremely strong (Bradway …

Investigation Of Magnesium-Potassium Phosphates As Potential Nuclear Waste Form For The Immobilization Of Minor Actinides, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Petr Vecernik, Monika Kiselova, Vlastislav Kašpar, Hana Korenkova, Vlastimil Miller, Petr Bezdicka, Jan Šubrt, Natalija Murafa, Volodymyr Shkuropatenko, Sergey Sayenko

Faculty Publications

Several recent studies have evaluated technologies of spent nuclear fuel processing specifically for solidifying transuranic (TRU) waste as a by-product of fission. Of the TRU group, plutonium and the minor actinides will be responsible for the bulk of the radiotoxicity and heat generation of spent nuclear fuel in the long term (300 to 20,000 years). In this study, we investigated magnesium potassium phosphate (MKP)-based compounds as host waste forms for the encapsulation of inactive trivalent Nd and Sm as analogues of the minor trivalent actinides, Am and Cm. Waste forms were fabricated under ambient atmospheric conditions by adding 5 wt.% …

Survival Of The Smartest? The Evolutionary Ecology Of Cognition In Anolis Lizards, Mahaut V. Sorlin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and decision-making are integral to an organism’s fitness, allowing to integrate cues from its environment and adjust its behavior accordingly. Historically, cognitive abilities were thought to have evolved according to a Scala Naturae design—an idea that has since been disproven—which suggested that complex cognitive abilities were exclusive to “higher” taxa. This perspective has created significant phylogenetic gaps in our understanding of cognitive evolution. In this dissertation I aimed to address this issue by investigating the evolution of cognition in reptiles, focusing on the green (Anolis carolinensis) and the brown anole (Anolis …

Fragments Of Fire: Essays On Womanhood, Family, And Environment, Valerie Rose Palacios

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Fragments of Fire is a collection of non-fiction, memoir, and opinion essays that navigate themes of gender and societal issues, coming-of-age, generational dynamics, death, and the natural environment. Through an intricate blend of introspection, keen observation, and literary analysis, these essays offer insight into the transformative journey from girlhood to womanhood as experienced by a young Latina. This collection provides a resonant voice that bridges personal narrative with broader cultural and existential questions.

Genetic Aspects Of Resilience In The Foundational Seagrass Halodule Wrightii: The Role Of Genetic Variation And Gene Expression In Maintaining Primary Production, Anastasia M. Konefal

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Seagrasses are coastal foundation species which significantly contribute to the primary production of shallow water ecosystems and provide several services. However, seagrasses, like other coastal foundation species, are threatened by myriad anthropogenic stressors. Conservation is difficult in ecosystems under multiple threats where the factors that contribute to production are not easily elucidated. Genetic diversity and gene expression may be related to the function and stability of populations but are rarely considered in management plans. High genetic diversity and the associated trait variation within a population are known to contribute to higher function and stability of a population. Additionally, individual-level changes …

Development, Characterization, And Application Of Nanomaterials For Target Detection And Therapeutic Study, Yingfen Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Nanomaterials have emerged as a pivotal area of research in chemistry, driven by their unique properties that make them suitable for both industrial and biomedical applications. Among nanomaterials, nanozyme is a series of nanomaterials with enzyme-mimetic activities that can proceed with the catalytic reactions of natural enzymes, conferring significant potential for their use in various biomedical applications. Herein, we describe three types of nanomaterials products with distinct properties and applications: 1) Fe³⁺-doped graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for sensitive H₂O₂ detection; 2) ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobes based on near-infrared (NIR) semiconducting polymer dots for label-free detection of dopamine; and 3) Multifunctional near …

Deep Learning Approach For Dental Anomalies X-Ray Imaging Using Yolov8, Amelia Ritahani Ismail, Md Salim Sadman Taseen

Knowledge Engineering and Data Science

Dental X-ray imaging is a critical diagnostic tool for identifying various dental anomalies. However, manual interpretation is time-consuming, prone to human error, and requires specialized expertise. Deep learning models, particularly object detection frameworks like YOLO, have demonstrated promising results in automating medical image analysis. This study aims to develop and evaluate a YOLOv8-based deep learning model for automated detection and classification of 14 dental anomaly categories, including Caries, Crowns, Fillings, Implants, and Periapical lesions. The proposed approach addresses limitations in previous YOLO versions by leveraging anchor-free detection and enhanced feature extraction for improved accuracy. The model was trained on a …

Analysing Efficiency In The Medical Laboratory Industry Using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, Sinan Ertemel, Levent Kutlu

Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This paper focuses on the estimation of efficiency within the medical laboratories industry, a sector of vital importance in healthcare due to its provision of essential diagnostic services. To this end, we employ three distinct stochastic frontier models to evaluate the technical efficiency of the medical laboratory industry. Our benchmark model stands out by considering the presence of heterogeneity, leading to robust findings compared to alternative models. The mean efficiency estimate is determined to be 70.6%, while the median efficiency estimate stands at 70.0%. Remarkably, our results highlight that the production technology employed in US medical laboratories demonstrates constant returns …

Opioid Knowledge And Experiences In Nebraska College Students, Natalie Holding

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study investigated opioid-related knowledge and experiences among 83 Nebraska college students, with an emphasis on awareness, perceived risks, and educational needs regarding opioids and the overdose-reversing drug, naloxone. For participants who have used opioids outside of a doctor’s orders, questions were asked regarding motivations, comorbidities, coping mechanisms, and treatment experiences. Data were collected via an anonymous survey featuring closed- and open-ended questions. Results showed that 41% of participants reported feeling moderately knowledgeable about opioid risks, while 34% felt only slightly knowledgeable. Although 80.7% of participants were aware of naloxone, most were uncertain either about (22.9%) or did not know …

Detecting N-Phenyl-2-Naphthylamine, L-Arabinose, D-Mannose, L-Phenylalanine, L-Methionine, And D-Trehalose Via Photocurrent Measurement, Feng Li, Ruoxi Yang, Jian Xu, Guohai Xu, Ye Wu

Faculty Publications

The concentration of small molecules reflects the normality of physiological processes in the human body, making the development of simple and efficient detection equipment essential. In this work, inspired by a facile strategy in point-of-care detection, two devices were fabricated to detect small molecules via photocurrent measurement. A linear response of the photocurrent against the concentration of the small molecules was found. In the first device, metal ions were introduced into gel substrates made by xanthan gum to enhance photocurrent response. N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine was measured when iron or manganese ions were used. L-Phenylalanine was measured when the gel was modified by …

Employing Raman Spectroscopy And Machine Learning For The Identification Of Breast Cancer, Ya Zhang, Zheng Li, Zhongqiang Li, Huaizhi Wang, Dinkar Regmi, Jian Zhang, Jiming Feng, Shaomian Yao, Jian Xu

Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer poses a significant health risk to women worldwide, with approximately 30% being diagnosed annually in the United States. The identification of cancerous mammary tissues from non-cancerous ones during surgery is crucial for the complete removal of tumors. Results: Our study innovatively utilized machine learning techniques (Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)) alongside Raman spectroscopy to streamline and hasten the differentiation of normal and late-stage cancerous mammary tissues in mice. The classification accuracy rates achieved by these models were 94.47% for RF, 96.76% for SVM, and 97.58% for CNN, respectively. To our …

Whole Genome Sequence Of The Denitrifying Thermophile Geobacillus Thermodenitrificans Subsp. Calidus Dsm 22629t, Mary Snook, Stephan Ritter, Rüdiger Pukall, Markus Göker, Rekha Seshadri, Nathaniel K. Jue

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present a full genome sequence for the thermophilic denitrifier Geobacillus thermodenitrificans subsp. calidus DSM 22629T (3,408,575 bp, 48.94% GC). This genome includes 3,615 predicted genes, including those needed to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas. This organism and genome sequence provide valuable resources for future phylogenetic, genomic, and biotechnological research.

Soil Dynamics In Carbon, Nitrogen, And Enzyme Activity Under Maize–Green Manure Cropping Sequences, Cassio Hamilton Abreu-Junior, Wanderley José De Melo, Roberto Alves De Oliveira, Paulo Henrique Silveira Cardoso, Raíssa De Araujo Dantas, Rodrigo Nogueira De Sousa, Dalila Lopes Da Silva, Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira, Arun Dilipkumar Jani, Gian Franco Capra, Gabriel Maurício Peruca De Melo

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The diversification of cropping sequences has a positive impact on soil organic carbon, while improving nutrient cycling and crop yields. The objective of this research was to assess amylase, cellulase, C and N dynamics, and maize yield on a low fertility oxisol in the Brazilian Cerrado. The experiment was conducted under field conditions during three maize crop succession cycles. The treatments consisted of cultivating maize during the summer, after sorghum and lablab cropped as green manure and fallow during the winter. Higher maize yields were achieved by sorghum–maize succession compared to monocropping, due to higher N fertilizer and biomass inputs …

Investigating Nekton Response To Changing Salinities In The Mississippi Sound: An Experimental And Statistical Approach, Adam Murray

Master's Theses

The Mississippi Sound provides nursery habitats for many coastal species and is recognized for its commercial fisheries. Previous freshening events linked to the Bonnet Carré Spillway, a Mississippi River flood diversion structure, proved catastrophic for oyster populations in the Mississippi Sound, but effects on mobile fish and shellfish species are not well-defined. The planned Mid-Breton Sediment Diversion (MBSD), an initiative to combat wetland loss, is also forecasted to lower salinities in the region, increasing the need to better understand responses of commercially and ecologically important species to freshening events. The objective of this study was to characterize effects of salinity …

Impact Of Pegylated Liposomes On Cytotoxicity Of Tamoxifen And Piperine On Mcf-7 Human Breast Carcinoma Cells, Klaudi K. Vaiphei, A Prabakaran, Singh Snigdha, Satyajit Laxman Murkute, Purusottam Mohapatra, Rakesh Kumar Sahoo, Sanya Batheja, Umesh Gupta, Anu Puri, Upal Roy

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Tamoxifen (TMF) is an anticancer agent used for managing estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. It has limited therapeutic efficacy against breast cancer, which could be enhanced by the coadministration of herbal drugs like piperine (PIP). However, the hydrophobic nature of TMF and PIP restricts their therapeutic application. Therefore, the present study focuses on the impact of the anticancer activity of TMF in combination with PIP and after entrapping them into liposomes (TMF-PIP-LPs and TMF-PIP-PEG-LPs). The liposomes were prepared using the thin film hydration method. In addition, the morphology of the prepared liposomes was found spherical after SEM and TEM analyses. Further, …

Sufex-Enabled Stereospecific Deoxygenative Diversification Of Alcohols, Amaechi Odoh

All Dissertations

Alcohols represent an important class of functional group in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, given that they are structurally diverse and prevalent in many natural products, biomolecules and renewable feedstocks. As such, they are highly attractive precursors for building-block synthesis, late-stage functionalization, and numerous synthetic transformations. However, existing strategies for the deoxygenative diversification of alcohols operate under constrained conditions, often leading to competing pathways (such as elimination), poor stereospecificity, low efficiencies, and limited substrate compatibility. To address these challenges, we have developed a conceptually novel use of sulfonyl fluorides as bifunctional reagents for the one-step deoxygenative diversification of complex alcohol …

Composites Developed By The Reaction Of Elemental Sulfur With Biologically Derived Fats And Oils, Katelyn Tisdale

All Dissertations

Human civilization’s modern infrastructure relies mainly on cement and petrochemical products. However, the production of these building materials have harmful ecological effects such as green gas emissions, therefore intensifying the need to develop alternative, sustainable structural materials from renewably sourced or waste material precursors. The work presented herein investigates various biomass derived resources that serve as the olefin source for reaction with elemental sulfur, another abundant waste source, via inverse vulcanization to form high strength composites competitive with that of traditional building materials.

Chapter one reviews various techniques that have been developed and executed in an effort towards lignin valorization …