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Associations Between Prenatal Inflammation And Dimensions Of Depressive Symptoms Across The Perinatal Period, Margaret M. Redic

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Risk for depression increases during the perinatal period due to several biological and physiological changes, including fluctuations in inflammation. However, the timing and cytokine-specific effects on depressive symptoms during and after pregnancy are unclear. In this study, we examined relations between four cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α) and depression at multiple time points throughout the perinatal period and investigated the role of dimensions of depressive symptoms in these relationships. We used longitudinal data of 314 mothers in the Early Life Adversity and Biological Embedding Study from the first trimester of pregnancy to the end of the first year postpartum. …

Do All Components Of Psychological Wellbeing Predict Cognitive Function?, Karysa Britton

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Sense of purpose has been consistently associated with cognitive function. However, less is known about the associations between the other five components of wellbeing and cognitive outcomes. The current research aimed to establish which components of wellbeing are most strongly associated with cognitive function. Participants from the Midlife in the United States study (M_Age=56.18, SD=12.38) completed the Ryff Psychological Wellbeing Scales (1989) and the Brief Test of Adult Cognition. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the cross-sectional and prospective associations between wellbeing and cognitive function. All six components of wellbeing were significantly and positively …

No Reservations: A Collection Of Truth, Josie I. Lockhart

English Undergraduate Honors Theses

This collection contains thirty orginal pieces of poetry, prose, and photography; and focues on many aspects of Native American history and Indigenous identity in modern America. Topics include: Native American boarding schools, Cherokee Freedmen, Indigenous potrayal in media, Native American incarceration, Indigenous identity, matriarchy, death and grief, substance abuse, MMIW, and Indian Child Welfare. A research grant was awarded for both semesters. The grant funded a research trip to the National Archives in Fort Worth, Texas. Research was conducted in order to retrieve materials and records pertaining to the subject of Native American boarding schools and case files for Native …

Parkinson’S Disease Pathophysiology And Comparative Analysis Of The Efficacy Between Subthalamic Nucleus And Globus Pallidus Interna Deep Brain Stimulation: A Student’S Perspective, Peter C. Solimando Ii

Anthropology

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is becoming an increasingly common neurodegenerative disease across the world, presenting with both debilitating motor and non-motor symptoms that progressively worsen throughout the course of the disease. Prominent motor symptoms include tremors, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and postural/gait instabilities, while common non-motor symptoms include fatigue, pain, autonomic dysfunction (i.e., bowel and bladder dysfunction), mood disorders, and dementia. The advent of modern medical management of PD has introduced several different medications, the most popular being levodopa, that have shown success in reducing the severity of motor symptoms, particularly in the early stages of the disease. Throughout disease progression, however, …

Random Processes With High Variance Produce Scale Free Networks, Josh Johnston

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The degree distribution of a real world network --- the number of links per node --- often follows a power law, so some hubs have many more links than traditional graph generation methods predict. For years, preferential attachment and growth have been the proposed mechanisms leading to these scale free networks, exemplified by the Barabási–Albert model. This dissertation provides an alternative model using a randomly stopped linking process, showing that mixtures of geometric distributions can lead to power laws, an intuition suggested by the Central Limit Theorem for distributions with infinite variance. Having a collection of Bernoulli trials with high …

A Multi-Tiered Approach To Improving Vaccination: Adjuvanticity, Alternate Routes Of Delivery, And Science Communication, Haley Agnes Bridgewater

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Vaccines have been used to prevent infectious disease for over 200 years. While they are an incredible way to prevent loss of life, they can be improved upon. Researchers around the globe are working to improve the immune response and ultimately the protection provided by existing and new vaccines. In this dissertation, I investigate three ways to improve vaccine immune responses: using an adjuvant, using a prime-boost intramammary delivery route in cows, and using microneedle delivery route. Cholera toxin (CT) is a bacterial toxin that has a non-toxic B subunit (CTB) used as a vaccine adjuvant. However, little is known …

Characterizing Successional Dynamics And Host Impacts On The Big Sagebrush Leaf Microbiome, Jacob A. Heil

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The leaf microbiome contributes to the functioning of Earth’s ecosystems through interactions with host plants, modifying their health, for better or for worse. The leaf microbiome contains bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that interact with each other and are subject to the processes governing community assembly. Microbial community assembly on the leaf is influenced by host plant characteristics, interactions between the different community members, the selective and dispersal-mediated effects of the weather, and time. To study the effects of a leaf microbiome on its host plant it is first important to characterize it; observing the species present and how they …

"I Feel An 'I'M Not Sure' Feeling": Young Children's Perspectives During Outdoor Risky Play, Erin Tanzer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Young children’s outdoor risky play is an intriguing and challenging phenomenon in early childhood care and education settings (ECCE). While recent research on risky play conveys the numerous developmental benefits, types of play children engage in, environmental affordances, and approaches to risk assessment, minimal research includes children’s perspectives about their risky play experiences. This phenomenological case study explores preschool children’s experience and what they feel and wonder about during risky play in a setting where risky play is effectively supported. Data were collected using interactive observation and interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Children described feeling “good” and “scared” during …

Examining Stable Isotope Variation Of Herbivores In South Luangwa Valley In The Context Of Anthropogenic Influences, Taylor Hubbard

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stable isotopes are an effective tool for inferring mammalian behavior. Though there are multiple factors that can influence mammalian diets, anthropogenic influence is one that is often overlooked. For example, it is important to consider how wildlife living in areas where there are frequent, documented human-wildlife interactions will modify behavior. National Parks (NPs) are a great example of this because of the common misconception that since there are protections in place, that means it is devoid of anthropogenic influence. South Luangwa National Park contradicts this misconception. Though there are protections for wildlife in place within the park, it is unfenced …

A Comprehensive Review Of Carbon Sequestration And Its Assessment Techniques Using Remote Sensing And Geospatial Methods, Imen Ben Salem

All Works

Global warming has elevated carbon sequestration as a critical strategy for mitigating climate change, while enhancing sustainability in productivity. Agricultural land use systems contribute substantially to CO2 emissions due to crop residues, shifting cultivation practices, low-biomass crops, land degradation, and deforestation. The significant rise in CO2 emissions over the past thirty years is associated with burning fossil fuels, leading to substantial environmental changes, including global warming. Remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are advanced geospatial technologies that facilitate the rapid evaluation of terrestrial carbon stock over extensive regions. An integrated RS-GIS approach for carbon stock estimation and precision …

Predictors Of Waste Management Behaviours In Coastal Communities In Indonesia: The Role Of Community Attachment And Environmental Concern, Ana Voronkova, Kayleigh Wyles, Nur Syamsiyah, Sudarso, Eddy Soedjono, Lesley Henderson, Wesley Schultz, Susan Jobling, Sabine Pahl

School of Psychology

The global challenge of marine plastic pollution requires systemic change in our relationship with plastic. Thecurrent linear plastic economy must transition to a sustainable circular model, but is hindered by behaviouralchange difficulties, particularly in coastal regions facing resource limitations and a lack of research attention.This study investigates waste management (WM) behaviours in Java and Bali, Indonesia, through a householdsurvey (N = 506). By examining the roles of community attachment and environmental concern in WM behaviours, we contribute to the theoretical understanding of these concepts within a novel context. Our findingsreveal that community attachment and environmental concern predict WM behaviours, yet …

Kinetic Growth Rate Analysis Of Coelastrella Sp. In Aquaculture Wastewater., Rob Skarvan

Master of Engineering Theses

The demand for sustainable food and energy production continues to rapidly rise. Utilizing aquaculture wastewater as microalgae growth medium is a potential opportunity for nutrient recycling and industrial symbiosis, but more research is required to understand how best to design and scale-up a dual-purpose facility. This study investigates the growth of Coelastrella sp. in aquaculture wastewater compared to industry-standard growth medium BG-11 and modified tap water as controls. Though cell size and pigment density varied throughout media, aquaculture wastewater performed very comparably to BG-11 as a microalgae culture broth.

The Monod equation can model Coelastrella sp. growth based …

Minimizing Secondary Spinal Cord Injuries With Hypertonic Saline., Francisco A. Cortez-Thomas

Master of Engineering Theses

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts white matter, causing periaxonal swelling, axonal degeneration, and impaired function. To examine vascular edema’s role, we developed a 3Dprinted dual-compartment imaging chamber to mimic and manipulate interstitial and vascular fluid dynamics in real time. We hypothesized that hypertonic saline (HTS) in the "vascular" chamber would osmotically shift fluid from the periaxonal space and preserve myelinated fibers after SCI. Using two-photon excitation microscopy, we imaged myelin and axons ex vivo in Thy1^YFP+ transgenic mice following C5 contusive SCI and assessed three clinically relevant HTS concentrations versus normal saline for their effectiveness in mitigating periaxonal swelling …

International Rice Outlook: International Rice Baseline Projections 2024–2034, A. Durand-Morat, W. Mulimbi

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

• Global rice consumption is projected to exceed global rice production for most of the coming decade, with stocks playing a crucial role in balancing the global market over the projected period.

• The projected growth in production is almost exclusively due to productivity gains.

• The projected global rice consumption is growing, driven mainly by population growth. However, the average global per capita rice consumption is estimated to increase slowly in the coming decade due to a regain in per capita consumption in Asia, the largest rice-consuming region worldwide.

• The international prices of long-grain and medium-grain rice are …

Selecting Green Wall Adoption Best Solutions Using Optimization: Addressing Barriers And Maximizing Benefits, Samar Nadeem

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the potential of green walls as a sustainable solution to mitigate urban challenges and align with global climate change objectives. Despite their ecological and social benefits, green wall implementation faces significant barriers, hindering their adoption. Consequently, this study aims to develop a comprehensive framework to identify the obstacles, propose feasible solutions, and provide actionable strategies for promoting green walls. This framework incorporates an optimization model specifically designed for government-led solutions, evaluating their feasibility based on administrative feasibility, community acceptance, technical feasibility, industrial acceptance, and long-term adoption potential. By quantifying and prioritizing solutions based on their cost, feasibility, …

Dental Microwear Of Miocene Primates From The Carpathian Basin, Rudabánya, Hungary, Anna K. Wilcox

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study reconstructs and compares the dietary habits of the late Miocene primates Anapithecus hernyaki and Rudapithecus hungaricus by analyzing dental microwear patterns on fossilized teeth recovered from Rudabánya, Hungary. Previous research suggested that these sympatric species were both primarily frugivores but were unable to separate them by diet. However, earlier studies were limited by smaller sample sizes and less advanced methodologies. This study used an expanded sample and modern microwear texture analysis techniques to compare molar and incisor microwear patterns between the two species. Results revealed that Rudapithecus molars exhibited higher complexity compared to Anapithecus molar complexity, suggesting a …

Assessment Of Nitrogen Source Utilization During Nitrogen Fixation And Nitrogenase Regulation By Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Avery Carter

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nitrogen is a crucial element in biomolecules such as proteins and DNA, essential for all cellular life. Biological nitrogen fixation, a process utilized by certain bacteria and archaea, reduces dinitrogen (N₂) to ammonia (NH₃), enabling growth in the absence of fixed nitrogen sources like NH₃. This process is driven by the metalloenzyme nitrogenase, which catalyzes the reaction: N₂ + 16ATP + 8e⁻ + 8H⁺ → 2NH₃ + H₂ + 16ADP + 16Pi. Due to its high energy demand, nitrogenase production and activity are tightly regulated. Among archaea, nitrogenase is found exclusively in methanogens, where its regulation remains poorly understood. We …

The Effects Of Daily Beef Consumption On Sleep, Mood, And Wellbeing In Postmenopausal Women, Caroline M. Coughlin

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Menopause is often accompanied by changes in sleep, mood, and overall well-being, partly due to hormonal shifts and loss of muscle mass. Protein intake, especially from nutrient-rich sources like beef, may help address these changes, but research in postmenopausal women remains limited. This study explored how daily beef consumption, as part of a higher-protein diet, affected sleep quality, mood, and well-being over eight weeks. Ten active postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to either a control group (meeting standard protein recommendations) or a treatment group consuming twice that amount, including one serving of lean beef per day. Sleep was measured using …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Embedded Instruction And Item Quality On Activity Selection, Julianne Isabella Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Naturalistic teaching strategies, such as embedded instruction, have been used to effectively teach a variety of skills to individuals diagnosed with ASD and other developmental disabilities. However, the effect of embedding instructions on a child’s play preferences is unknown. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether response allocation is dependent on frequency of demands or quality of items available during preferred activities. We used a concurrent operants arrangement in which a room was divided into two sides and various toys were placed in each with embedded demands available in one side. In Experiment 1, researchers evaluated the time …

Early Breast Cancer Detection With Ultrasound Data Using Nmf, Rutvi Khamar

Theses and Dissertations

Early detection of breast cancer significantly influences patient outcomes. Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (DCE-US) has shown promise in early detection by visualizing tumor vascularity and perfusion dynamics in real-time. This study evaluates the efficacy of DCE-US in distinguishing four stages of cancer progression: normal, hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive cancer, using a transgenic mouse model that mimics human breast cancer. Ultrasound burst pulses, while commonly used to remove unbound contrast agents, can potentially damage human tissues. Using the pre-pulse data helps mitigate this risk, ensuring safer and more reliable measurements. A VEGFR2-targeted microbubble contrast agent was injected, and …

Evaluating A Video Modeling Approach To Teach Shelter Volunteers How To Interact With Dogs In The Shelter, Sean Michael Will

Theses and Dissertations

Well-trained volunteers are required to help meet the daily needs of dogs waiting to be adopted in animal shelters and to find new homes for them. Inadequate volunteer training leads to mismanagement and attrition of volunteers who are essential to helping shelter dogs get adopted. However, animal shelters often lack access to the resources and funds required to provide adequate training for volunteers. Using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design, this study evaluated a cost-effective program consisting of video modeling with voiceover instruction, on-screen text, examples, and non-examples that instructed volunteers to interact with the dogs in a specific manner to …

Severe Acute Malnutrtion Among Children Under Five In South Sudan, Rhoda Elia Iburu Kenyi

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a life-threatening condition characterized by severe wasting. The World Health Organization defines SAM as a low weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) less than -3 standard deviation (SD) from the median growth standard or the presence of edema of both feet and/or mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) less than 115mm. SAM is a significant public health concern affecting children under five in developing countries, with South Sudan being one of the most severely affected regions. Persistent food insecurity, weak healthcare systems, and ongoing conflict contribute to the high SAM prevalence in the region, where political, religious, and social divisions, …

Focus Group Study Of Racial Disparities And The Effects Of Parental Marijuana Use On Youth Marijuana Use, Avina K. Mahroke

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Marijuana has become one of the most used drugs in the United States. There has been an increase in use among both adults and youth during the past several years. Public health interventions are needed to address marijuana use because of its detrimental effects on youth well-being. Research shows that marijuana can lead to problems with memory, learning, attention, and even depression among youth. Furthermore, marijuana exposure in-utero can lead to developmental issues and problems with other organs such as the lungs. Youth are influenced to start using drugs, like marijuana, for numerous reasons, and parents are one of those …

Unbridled Healing: Identifying The Barriers Of Equine-Assisted Therapy, Sally A. Hamm

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite the documented benefits of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) for mental health conditions, this complementary approach remains underutilized. This qualitative study investigated barriers preventing wider EAT implementation by examining challenges faced by clients, facilities, and volunteers. Data collected through open-ended surveys from 33 participants and the researcher's autoethnographic observations revealed eight common barriers: Accessibility (48 mentions), Money (43), Time (30), Awareness (23), Physical Factors (13), Relationships (13), Risk (13), and Weather (7). Clients identified financial constraints as their primary barrier, particularly insurance limitations. Facilitators struggled most with accessibility challenges, including lack of resources, trained staff, suitable horses, and appropriate facilities. Volunteers …

Parental Expectations On Pediatric Care For Children, Brenan Cash

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Childhood pediatrics is a major factor for a full and healthy childhood for all children from adolescence to adulthood. However, the physical health aspect has been the main focus through most primary care clinics and hardly focuses on the mental health side. Mental health issues which involve anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress are more prominent than they have ever been, as up to 30% of children have experienced mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder, especially in recent pandemic years (Meherali et al., 2021). This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative analysis utilizing online close-ended survey questions. The type of …

The Weaponization Of Medicine In Arkansas Prison Farms, 1960s-1970s, Grace E. Marr

History Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Arkansas State Penitentiary provides a case study for medical care in prisons during a transformational period. Isolation and state non-involvement in Arkansas allowed the creation of an independent culture in which harrowing abuses flourished. Medical providers could be prisoners themselves, operating the hospital and blood bank creating a complicated hierarchy. By examining medical provisions at the Cummins and Tucker Prison Farms during the 1960s to 1970s, this thesis reveals a system where the lines between treatment and torture and medical practitioner and imprisoned were blurred.

Blackness Under The Big Top: Racism And The Circus Of The Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Centuries, Christian Joseph

FCRH Honors Program Theses

Rattling through American towns large and small during its heyday, the archetypal, three-ring railroad circus was a novel attraction of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era, the circus was the dominant entertainment industry in the United States. Using both archival and historical research methods, my project offers an anatomy of the circus industry in America, both tracing its development and exploring its centrality to American culture and iconography. As a distinctly American institution, the growth of the industry was expressly linked to the physical expansion of the nation, which was …

Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound To Reduce Gut Inflammation In Parkinson’S Disease, Amal F. Siddiqui

Biological Sciences

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative motor disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, with projections suggesting the number of diagnosed cases could reach 15 million by 2040 (Dorsey et al., 2018). While PD is primarily recognized for its impact on movement, it also frequently causes non-motor symptoms, including gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation, which affects 60-80% of patients. Chronic gut inflammation has been proposed as a key factor exacerbating these symptoms. Despite the prevalence of GI complications in PD, they are often overlooked, and existing treatments for constipation are limited in both efficacy and scope. Vagus Nerve Stimulation …

Stimulus Dependence Of Visually Guided Behavior In Drosophila Melanogaster, Jessica Osarenoma Airhienbuwa

Biological Sciences

Vision is very important for navigating the world around us. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a great model for studying how the brain controls visually guided behavior. This is because they have a small nervous system, good genetic tools, and a complete map of their brain connections. In fruit flies, visual projection neurons (VPNs) send information from the eyes to the central brain, which affects what they see and how they act. This research looks at how certain groups of nerve cells influence fruit flies' behavior based on what visual stimuli. To study the brain circuits behind these behaviors, …

Genomic Diversity Of Salmonella Enterica Serotype Braenderup In New York State, Nicole Zac Soligno

Biological Sciences

The Gram-negative Salmonella enterica (family Enterobacteriaceae) is a common foodborne pathogen mainly isolated from foods of animal origin. Salmonella can be transmitted to humans, causing diverse symptoms, from self-limiting gastrointestinal diseases to more fatal typhoid fever. The young, elderly, and Individuals with weakened immune systems are especially at risk from salmonellosis. Salmonella is a concern to public health and the food industry throughout the world, and its severity depends largely on its serotype, a classification based on the unique combination of surface antigens. In this study, I aimed to elucidate the population structure and antimicrobial resistance determinants of S. enterica …