Digital Commons Network^™

Iguanaland, Joshua Michael Moyar

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The green iguana was introduced to the state of Florida in the 1960s. Since then, their populations have exploded, confounding scientists, animal control workers and private citizens in their attempts to eradicate them. While they’ve proven themselves to be nuisance animals — destroying yards and collapsing sidewalks — iguanas still have not conclusively caused ecological damage, meaning researchers can’t be sure that they’re truly invasive. Through this reptilian crisis, private iguana hunting services, like Harold Rondan’s Iguana Lifestyles, LLC, have taken off as a way to capitalize off of iguana carnage. Whether they’re shot, euthanized or even fried and eaten, …

Sequence Similarity Search Optimization: Prefiltering Strategies And Exact Matching Techniques For Biological Sequence Data, Tim Anderson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Sequence similarity search is one of the most important tasks in the field of bioinformatics. The identification of regions of similarity between one protein or DNA sequence and a separate collection of sequences or models of sequence families has wide-ranging applications. These range from mapping of RNA sequence reads to a given genome to the annotation of gene-encoding regions and the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships of species. As genetic sequencing technologies have improved over the last few decades, the size of genetic sequence databases has grown exponentially. With this growth of sequence databases, more efficient algorithmic approaches are needed to …

Leaving Them In Stitches: Novel Methods For Splice-Aware Sequence Annotation, Alexander Nord

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pre-mRNA intron splicing is essential to the production of many eukaryotic proteins, but it is relatively uncommon for sequence analysis tools to account for this process in their methods. In this dissertation I present three tools for biological sequence analysis, demonstrating the benefits that they derive from their explicit awareness of intron splicing. First, I present Mirage2, an updated implementation of the Mirage multiple sequence alignment program, which produces alignments of protein isoforms according to spliced genome mapping coordinates. I then present Diviner, which synthesizes the output data produced by Mirage2 to locate novel coding regions on eukaryotic …

Defining Lgbtqia2+ Specialized Substance Use Treatment Services From A Client-Informed Approach, Chonghui (Gabriella) Ji

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: This study explored the concept of specialized substance use treatment services among a sample of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+) individuals: their definition, perceived barriers to receiving these services, and ways of improving such services. Having direct input from past and potential treatment-seeking LGBTQIA2+ individuals could help to deepen our understanding of how to meet the unique treatment needs of these populations.

Method: Data were collected from 219 LGBTQIA2+ individuals within the United States through an online and anonymous survey. Inclusion criteria for participation were self-identifying as LGBTQIA2+, being 18 years of …

The Negative Experience Of Involution As Perceived By College Instructors In Inner Mongolia In China, Guanqun Zhang

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Under the backdrop of high-quality development in China, college instructors are crucial for higher education institutions to achieve their high-quality goals. To motivate college instructors, these institutions have increased the requirements for professional titles. However, how instructors experience their workplace directly influences the outcomes. The proposal of this research was based on the reality that college instructors are considered difficult to motivate. Some are even referred to as lying flat, a term describing those who are unmotivated or disengaged.

Using a qualitative approach, this research explored how the increased perception of involution affects college instructors, with the central question: How …

Comprehensive Case Report Umfc#140, Marymargaret C. Pratt

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

University of Montana Forensic Collections (UMFC) Case #140 was observed and recorded fall 2024. The information included are a complete biological profile, any taphonomic features or pathological conditions present, and a literature review on forensic odontology due to the severe nature of the teeth. This individual is consistent with a 5'2"-5'6" adult male ranging between the ages of 35-50 of ambiguous population affinity. Evidence of osteoarthritis and bone spurs are present along the vertebral spine, clavicle, and articulation points throughout the post-cranial skeleton. There is severe dental attrition found along the buccal view of the maxillary and mandibular molars. The …

Flyway Bottlenecks: Migratory Waterbirds Confront Diminishing Wetland Networks In Western North America, J. Patrick Donnelly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the arid and semi-arid western U.S., migratory waterbirds (e.g., shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl) rely on wetland landscapes that function as nodes in broader continental habitat networks (e.g., flyways). Here, I integrate citizen science and GPS animal tracking technologies with satellite imagery and cloud computing to quantify the effects of climate and land use change on wetland ecosystems that sustain migratory waterbirds in the western U.S. Four decades of wetland surface water hydrology were first reconstructed from over 150,000 individual satellite images covering 3.1 million ha to track monthly changes in the extent and duration of wetland inundation. Results …

Moose Abundance And Calf:Cow Ratios On The Blackfeet Indian Reservation And Glacier National Park, Landon Joel Magee

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many moose (Alces alces; Sikihtsisoo) populations across North America, especially along their southern range, are declining due to factors such as climate change, parasites and disease, predation, habitat loss and degradation, and overharvest. These declines highlight broader ecological concerns, as moose play a critical role as prey within their ecosystems. Despite their importance, data on crucial demographic parameters like abundance and age ratios are sparse for moose, complicating management efforts. Conventional monitoring methods, including radio-collaring, harvest data, public surveys, and aerial surveys, face significant logistical and financial challenges, and often fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of …

A Narrative Map Of Fort Missoula: Silence, Stillness And Death In Living Cultural Memory, Daniel A. Goldhamer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Fort Missoula is a rare site of history, memory, and narrative. This project seeks to trace the complex web of identities and relationalities at the Fort through a narrative map: a method that combines site-based ethnography and qualitative storytelling relying on first-person perspective. This methodological framework reveals that Fort Missoula’s distinct character lies in its role as a living archive of cultural memory, accessible through the past, present, and future narratives of its places and spaces. Engaging with the theories of Foucault (1972), de Certeau (1984), and Low (2017), the narrative map of Fort Missoula is a work that investigates …

Graduate School : Dissertation Manual

Academic Affairs – Policy Library

No abstract provided.

Filing The Serial Numbers Off: The Role Of The Author In Fanfiction Published As Original Fiction, Lauren Mcinnis

All ETDs from UAB

With the increase of authors altering and publishing fanfiction as original works of fiction, the practices and attitudes of fan communities cross over into the realm of traditional fiction. Throughout its history, fandom is a community built on the shared love of a piece of media or celebrity. The importance of community appears in fanfiction through Author’s Notes and comments sections; both of which traditionally published novels generally lack. When authors choose to make the transition to traditional publication which provides legitimacy that fanfiction lacks, they must remove most of their own identity and the fan-community that they originally relied …

Understanding Disparities In Hypertension Treatment Cascade And Validating Blood Pressure Measurement Among Persons Living With Or At Risk For Hiv, Jessica Blair

All ETDs from UAB

In the United States, 44% of adult women >18 years have hypertension. Although non-Hispanic Black adults were more likely to be aware of and treated for hypertension compared to non-Hispanic White adults, Black individuals had the highest prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension. Persons living with HIV have a higher prevalence of hypertension, which is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Similar to the geographic distribution of hypertension in the US, people living in the South have higher incidence of both hypertension and HIV diagnoses compared to other US regions. Furthermore, accurate diagnosis of hypertension and initiation of treatment is …

Physiologically Relevant Cardiac Tissue Chips For Cardiovascular Disease Modeling, Sachin Budhathoki

All ETDs from UAB

Despite significant advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the development of new therapeutics, it remains the number one cause of death worldwide, particularly affecting the aging population. This necessitates the development of models that can more accurately recreate aspects of aging and the interaction of the heart with other organs and systems in the body, including the immune system. Tissue chip models are being increasingly considered for studying cardiac diseases as they can potentially address translational hurdles associated with animal models, yet several challenges hinder their full potential. These include a lack of …

Mechanical Behaviors Of Additively Manufactured Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites, Yu-Chao Shih

All ETDs from UAB

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are advantageous in small-batch manufacturing and prototyping functional parts, due to their cost-effectiveness and customizability. Using fiber-reinforced plastic composites (FRP) in extrusion-based AM can significantly improve the mechanical properties compared to neat thermoplastic. However, the two-fold anisotropy introduced by the multiple constituent materials and the layer-by-layer mesostructure can introduce undesired structural weaknesses. Investigating the mechanical behavior and failure mechanism is the key to understanding the synergistic effect of the constituents in FRP and assessing the structural integrity of AM-made FRP. This research work aims to experimentally, analytically, and numerically assess the mechanical behaviors of AM composite …

Agro-Food Waste Valorization For Sustainable Bio-Based Packaging, Luana De S.C. Carnaval, Amit K. Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

In recent years, the increase in the generation of agro-food processing waste, coupled with uncontrolled disposal and inefficient recovery methods, has raised concerns among society, industries, and the research community. This issue is compounded by the accumulation of conventional synthetic packaging. Owing to their significant environmental and economic impacts, the development of sustainable, biocompatible, and biodegradable materials has become an urgent target. In this context, research efforts have been directed toward developing new packaging materials based on renewable sources, such as agro-food waste, contributing to the circular economy concept. However, despite significant advances, novel agro-food-waste-based packaging solutions still largely remain …

Health Screenings In College Health Centers: Variations In Practice, Melissa A. Sutherland, M. Katherine Hutchinson, Bing Si, Yu Ding, Erica Liebermann, Somatra L. Connolly, Hans Saint-Eloi Cadely, Jacqueline F. Hayes, Susan D. Mueller

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the routine screening of female students in college health centers for six priority health-related behaviors and experiences (tobacco use, alcohol use, eating disorders [EDs], obesity, anxiety and depression, intimate partner violence/sexual violence [IPV/SV]), and to identify variations in practice. Participants: A nationally representative sample of 1,221 healthcare providers (HCPs), including nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants, from 471 U.S. college health centers. Methods: HCPs completed surveys (on-line or paper) and reported on routine screening of female college students. Results: HCPs reported consistently high rates (75–85%) of screening for tobacco use, alcohol …

Beyond The Classroom: An Internship Model That Builds Age-Friendliness & Career Readiness, Kristin Souza, Skye N. Leedahl, Emma Pascuzzi, Alexandra Morelli

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Since 2015, the University of Rhode Island (URI) Engaging Generations Cyber-Seniors Program has provided over 500 students from 19 different majors with the opportunity to mentor older adults through internships and service learning courses. Due to the pandemic, interest in the program significantly increased from the community and from students in need of opportunities to work with individuals. As a result, a robust internship program was developed that focused on building age and digital inclusivity across campus and throughout the state. The program integrates a three-pronged approach where students complete field hours, enhance the Career Readiness Competencies employers seek in …

Mobile Payment, Financial Behavior And Financial Anxiety: A Multi-Group Structural Equation Modeling Study, Ting An, Jing Jian Xiao, Nilton Porto, Luiz Cruz

Human Development and Family Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study aims to examine the association between mobile payment usage and financial anxiety, and explores the mediating role of financial behavior. Moreover, this research also compares the moderating effects of financial education and financial knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 18,584 consumers from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study in the U.S. was analyzed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore indirect associations between mobile payment usage and financial anxiety. Two undesirable financial behaviors, overspending and over-indebtedness were used as mediators between mobile payment and financial anxiety. Moreover, multi-group analyses was conducted for two financial knowledge …

Aiming For The Goal: Contribution Dynamics Of Crowdfunding, Joyee Deb, Aniko Öry (Oery), Kevin R. Williams

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We study a dynamic contribution game where investors seek private benefits that are offered in exchange for contributions and a single, publicly-minded donor values project success. We show that donor contributions serve as costly signals that encour-age socially-productive contributions by investors who face a coordination problem. Investors and the donor prefer different equilibria but all benefit in expectation from the donor’s ability to dynamically signal his valuation. We explore various contexts in which our model can be applied and delve empirically into the case of Kickstarter. We calibrate our model and quantify the coordination benefits of dynamic signaling in counterfactuals.

Exploring The Epitranscriptomic Response To Senolytics And Senomorphs In Cellular Models Of Aging, Emily Benson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In senescence that occurs with aging, cells stop dividing and initiate a pro-inflammatory program called the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). SASP can lead to cell damage and has been linked to age-related conditions such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoarthritis. The epitranscriptome regulates translation through post-transcriptional RNA modifications and can control when and how much of protein synthesis occurs. Several tRNA modifications that include 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl (mcm⁵U), 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm⁵s²U), and mcm⁵Um (5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2′-O-methyluridine) are linked to the translation of enzymes involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS), …

Evaluation Of Dietary Fiber Technologies In Sow Diets, Garrin Shipman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Various technologies and alternative ingredients are being developed to increase the nutrient value of fibrous feedstuffs, improve animal performance, and promote sustainable swine production. Fiber-degrading enzymes have been extensively studied in growing pigs, with few studies focused on gestating sows. When considering gestating sows have greater energy digestibility of fibrous feedstuffs than grower pigs, the efficacy of fiber-degrading enzymes needs to be determined for implementation in commercial sow diets. As fiber inclusion in gestation diets benefits sow performance, corn dried distiller grains with solubles (DDGS) are a candidate fiber source for gestation alternative energy ingredient. Functional fibers, such as yeast …

Effects Of Storage Regimes On Chemistry, Functional Properties, And Vitamin Profile Of Different Varieties Of Chickpea, Shirin Kazemzadeh Pournaki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chickpea (cicer arietinum) samples from five distinct varieties (crown, royal, orion, sierra, and frontier) were subjected to varying storage conditions to investigate the impact of temperature and relative humidity (rh) on their chemical, functional, physical properties, and vitamin b profile. over 360 days, samples were stored at two temperatures (21°c and 40°c) and three rh levels (40%, 55%, 65%), with collections made every 90 days. initial observations focused on key chemical properties including moisture, protein, fat, and total starch content. subsequently, protein and starch fractions were isolated for further analysis, employing techniques such as sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (sds-page) …

Artificial Intelligence And Image-Based Phenotyping For Monitoring Morpho-Physiological Dynamics In Grapevines, Prakriti Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plant phenotypic features are essential for determining the structure, composition, and function of plants. These traits are controlled by both environmental variables and genetic makeup. Conventional manual methods of phenotyping, although time-consuming and not very accurate, have laid the foundation for more modern approaches such as high throughput phenotyping (HTP). HTP utilizes imaging, sensor networks, robotics, and data analytics to automate the process of collecting and analyzing data. This study utilizes hyperspectral and digital imaging techniques to quantify physiological, biochemical, and morphological characteristics in grapevines. Hyperspectral imaging was leveraged to collect spectral data for evaluating physiological factors, whereas digital imaging …

Effects Of Isoacids Supplementation In Lactating Cows’ Diet Varying In Forage Fiber Level On Performances, Feed Efficiency, And Milk Fatty Acids Profile, Sumon Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Soybean Meal Versus Distillers Co-Products As A Protein Supplement For Finishing Beef Cattle: Effects On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Cassidy R. Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two randomized complete block design experiments were conducted to: 1) examine the effects of soybean meal with or without additional soybean hulls in replacement of modified corn distillers grains plus (MDGS) solubles on growth performance efficiency of dietary net energy utilization and carcass traits responses in finishing beef steers, 2) determine if partial or complete replacement of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) with solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM) in diets based upon high-moisture ensiled corn influences growth performance, efficiency of dietary net energy utilization, sera urea-N (SUN) concentrations, or carcass traits in finishing beef steers. Experiment 1 was a 118-d …

Removal Of Phosphorous, Copper And Zinc From Stormwater Using Powdered Activated Carbon (Pac) Based Water Treatment Residuals, Foysol Mahmud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) based water treatment residual (WTR) in eliminating phosphorus (P), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn) from stormwater. The characteristics of the PAC WTR were analyzed, and a series of batch and column tests were conducted to determine its capacity to remove P, Cu, and Zn from stormwater and synthetic solutions. The PAC WTR conformed to the Langmuir isotherm model, demonstrating P adsorption capacities of 3.51 mg/g at pH 5. Regarding Cu and Zn removal, the PAC WTR also adhered to the Langmuir isotherm model, showing …

Estimating South Dakota’S Capacity To Meet K-12 School Meal Fruit And Vegetable Requirements With State-Grown Produce, Bridgette Bienias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Quantify South Dakota (SD)’s capacity to procure locally-sourced fruit and vegetables (FVs) for K-12 school meals.
Methods: Secondary analysis of 2017 SD agricultural census and school meal data. Yields were converted to edible cups of FVs using school meal guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Student enrollment and meal redemptions were used to estimate the number of FV cups needed.
Results: Estimated SD FV production met minimum total K-12 cup requirements, except for total fruit (66%) and dark green vegetables (80%). Legumes supplied 77% of the total cups of vegetables produced in 2017, whereas dark green vegetables …

Integrating Early Season Clover Cover Crops As A Living Mulch In Broccoli And Transitional Organic Winter Squash Production In Eastern South Dakota, Alexis Rose Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Managing weeds, improving soil health, and reducing the use of plastic mulch continue to be priorities for South Dakota vegetable farmers. Farmers have expressed an interest in integrating cover crops into their farm systems. Clover cover crops used as a living mulch within and along cash crop rows may aid in weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, and prevent soil erosion. However, prior research has shown challenges of incorporating living mulch due to yield decreases. Research conducted in 2022 and 2023 in eastern South Dakota investigated the effects of four clover and four in-row soil management treatments on broccoli and organic winter …

Feasibility Study Of Managing Peak Cooling Loads To Achieve Energy Cost Reduction In A Northern Climate Campus, Mark Rizkalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

South Dakota State University Facilities and Services Office is facing the challenge of paying high electricity bills every year, the potential of campus growth will add more burden on the energy needed to cover this demand, especially in summer months when high cooling loads are added to the electrical loads which lead to the peak loads that costs SDSU a large amount of money. The purpose of this research is to study the feasibility of managing the peak loads to reduce energy costs by applying a suitable system that fits SDSU campus nature. The methodology used is studying the capability …

Structural Construction And Surface Modification Of Copper Current Collectors For Lithium Metal Batteries, Yaohua Liang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Graphene, a prevalent anode material in commercial lithium-ion batteries, has reached its theoretical capacity limit. The imperative is to develop high-capacity anode materials to meet the growing demand for energy density. Lithium metal, renowned for its exceptionally high theoretical specific capacity density (3680 mAh g-1) and low reduction potential (-3.04 V, relative to the standard hydrogen electrode), is commonly dubbed the "Holy Grail" for negative electrode materials in high-energy-density batteries. However, practical advancements in lithium metal anodes face obstacles like low Coulombic efficiency, limited cycle life, and heightened reactivity to the electrolyte and internal short circuits resulting from lithium dendrite …