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First Line Of Defense: Role Of Surface Waxes In Sorghum Defense Against Aphids, Juan David Betancurt Cardona

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Since 2013, the sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari) has become a devastating pest in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in the United States. Efforts to mitigate this pest and contain its rapid population growth have increased recently. Host plant resistance (HPR) is an effective and environmentally friendly strategy to reduce aphid populations in this crop. Many factors make SCA a challenging pest to control. For example, SCA can overcome drastic climatic changes, which allows them to successfully colonize sorghum plants at different developmental stages.

Epicuticular waxes (EW) constitute the first point of contact between plants and their environment. EW …

Monarch Butterflies: Rearing Methodologies And The Impact Of Fungicide And Insecticide Exposures, Matthew Greiner

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The North American migratory monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus L., populations has experienced a ca. 90% decline over the past two decades. The decline is attributed to climate change, loss and degradation of overwintering habitat, and the loss of milkweed plants in the midwestern United States. The remaining milkweed stands often occur close to agricultural fields, and efforts to establish additional milkweed on the landscape focus on agricultural systems. However, milkweed plants near agricultural fields are likely exposed to pesticides that could adversely impact monarch caterpillars. Effective management of milkweed habitat supporting monarch caterpillars requires knowledge about the toxicological impacts of …

Inactivation Of Salmonella In Black Peppercorn By Fluidization With Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor, Edel Summers

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

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) at inactivating Salmonella inoculated in whole black pepper when used as fluidizing gas media. HPV treatment was conducted at two different temperatures (45°C and 60°C) and two dwell times (30 min and 60 min). Microbial reduction and residual hydrogen peroxide were measured at three storage times: 0 h (immediately after treatment), 24 h and 48 h post-treatment. The effect of HPV on the quality of whole black peppercorn was evaluated 48 h post-treatment based on changes in piperine content, total phenolics, antioxidant activity, total …

An Investigation Of The Attitudes And Behavioral Outcomes Of Nebraskan Hunters Toward Tick-Borne Disease, Dominic J. Cristiano

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

As changes in climate, land-use, and vegetation alter the landscape of the Great Plains, new threats to public health are emerging. Incidences of tick-borne disease in Nebraska have increased nearly 250% over the past two decades – newly established species like Ixodes scapularis may introduce challenges for health practitioners, including more cases of Lyme disease. Strategies for tick-borne disease prevention must incorporate effective health messaging. Audience segmentation may be a useful technique to provide health communication, as it allows for targeted messaging that speaks to specific attitudes and beliefs of a given population. One tool for usefully segmenting populations is …

Exploring Social Dimensions Of Ecological Restoration In The Removal Of Two Dams On The Elwha River, Joseph Hinnant

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

The United States is approaching a critical juncture regarding aging dam infrastructure. One increasingly common decision has been to remove dams, recreating a free-flowing river. The attention of the literature on ecological restoration is shifting from an ecological focus towards the importance of participation and the social dimensions of restorations. Social situations surrounding a dam removal can lead to expedited success, delays, or abandoned efforts. This study seeks to connect selected social dimensions of dam removals with the broader literature of ecological restoration by exploring social dimensions expressed in public participation in a dam removal process.

A directed content analysis, …

Multi-Criteria Evaluation Model For Classifying Marginal Cropland In Nebraska Using Historical Crop Yield And Biophysical Characteristics, Andrew Laws

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

Marginal cropland is suboptimal due to historically low and variable productivity and limiting biophysical characteristics. To support future agricultural management and policy decisions in Nebraska, U.S.A, it is important to understand where cropland is marginal for its two most economically important crops: corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max). As corn and soybean are frequently planted in a crop rotation, it is important to consider if there is a relationship with cropland marginality. Based on the current literature, there exists a need for a flexible yet robust methodology for identifying marginal land at different scales, which …

A Strategic Audit Of Seaworld, Rachel Jendro

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project is a strategic audit for SeaWorld Entertainment. The purpose of this report is to analyze the firm through multiple different perspectives and analyze the competitive advantage the business is pursuing. The project considers internal and external environments, strategic leadership, organizational structure, and resources to determine if and what type of competitive advantage the firm holds. Furthermore, it considers current events and strategic decisions, and how those relate to the overall strategy. A strategic audit is crucial to understanding the innerworkings of a firm. The factors that were analyzed are interconnected and performing a strategic audit can allow for …

“Hysteria Abated”: Forster’S Treatment Of Women’S Mental Health In Howards End, Rosemary Pauley

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

In Howards End, Forster’s female characters are written off multiple times as having ‘hysteria’ or simply being foolish, sensitive women, which was a common attitude towards mental illness in Edwardian society. This essay investigates the concept of hysteria and Forster’s use of mental health with his female characters, using these factors to enhance the understanding of the characters, particularly the struggles or judgments that the three leading ladies, Helen, Margaret, and Ruth, face. The initial inspiration was drawn from Margaret’s jumping out of the carriage, as well as the neglect of Ruth’s dying wish; both women are deemed hysterical. While …

Impact Of Intergenerational Trauma Among Immigrant And Refugee Families: Effects On The Mental Health And Acquisition Of Care, Loralee Chea

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Intergenerational trauma is described as a discrete form of trauma that occurs when traumatic effects are passed across generations without the descendants of trauma survivors having exposure to the original event (Isobel et al., 2021). It is a silent suffering experienced among immigrant families from all across the world who have survived war, genocide, displacements, loss, and other psychological trauma. An exploration of literature has also shown that the healthcare crisis from this form of trauma can be identified and intervened with preventative or treatment measures in clinical practice. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the mental …

How Innovation Occurs In The Software Industry: A Qualitative Study On Innovation Management, Jihoon Rim

Student Theses and Dissertations

Research in innovation has been widely conducted by academics. However, many of them merely define associations among innovation factors, findings are often contradictory, and research that involves innovation leaders with rich experiences, both successes and failures, is rare. Thus, how to best innovate remains a question among practitioners. This qualitative research is aimed at filling this gap in the literature. To that end, 23 innovation leaders, most of whom founded software companies worth hundreds of millions to billions of dollars, were interviewed with a grounded theory approach using Peter Drucker’s innovation theory as a lens through which to view new …

Determinants Of The Uptake Of Prenatal Aneuploidy Screening Among Pregnant Women At The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya, Duncan Ndegwa

Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology

INTRODUCTION: Aneuploidies present with an abnormal copy number of chromosomes. Majority are lethal with only a handful carrying on to term and beyond in pregnancy. Its currently recommended that all pregnant women be offered screening for aneuploidies. This is to facilitate pregnant women make informed choices regarding their pregnancies. At present the current uptake rate of aneuploidy screening in Kenya is unknown. The purpose of this study this study was to determine whether pregnant women are aware of aneuploidy screening, the uptake rate of screening and the determinants of screening at a tertiary private healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya. METHODS: …

Association Between Third Trimester Cerebro-Placental Ratio And Adverse Outcomes In Appropriate For Gestational Age Foetuses, Morris Wabacha Kimani

Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background: Small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses are at increased risk of adverse outcomes and appropriate vigilance is put in place in terms of antenatal and intrapartum surveillance. Appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses have a lower incidence of adverse outcomes, although majority of these outcomes occur in this cohort. AGA fetuses can fail to reach their genetic growth potential due to placental insufficiency and 25 % have actually been found to have placental histological features of chronic hypoxia. Therefore, there is need to use other methods of screening for adverse perinatal outcomes apart from estimated fetal weight (EFW), with …

Beast Feasts Nonprofit Business Plan, Nathan R. Grilley

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

The Beast Feasts nonprofit organization will fill a gap in the local community for those with challenges, primarily feeding their pets. Doing this will help families stay together, as pets are a part of the family, without causing malnourishment and health problems that can cost far more than providing proper food. The business plan focuses on the Kenai Peninsula's central area in Alaska, including Soldotna, Kenai, Sterling, Nikiski, and Kasilof. Relevant details concerning research, including targeted population numbers, types and number of pets, and distance to travel each delivery day with pet food, were gathered to understand the capabilities required …

Exploring The Expansive Properties Of Interpretive Description: An Invitation To Anti-Oppressive Researchers, Mia Ocean, Rose Montgomery, Zoe Jamison, Karon Hicks, Sally Thorne

Social Work (Graduate) Faculty Publications

There is an ever-present need to challenge, create, and expand upon qualitative research approaches in the applied and practice disciplines to avoid repeating mistakes of the past and to realize a research agenda for socially just practice. Toward these goals, anti-oppressive researchers engage with a variety of methodologies to co-produce accounts that reflect a comprehensive understanding of social problems with the people who experience them and to enact solutions for real world change. In this article, we reflect on the manner in which Interpretive Description may be a useful option for anti-oppressive researchers to consider as a methodological approach in …

Community Characteristics And Financial And Operational Performance Of Rural Health Clinics In The United States: A Chartbook, John Gale Ms, Zachariah Croll Mph, Jamar Croom Ms, Louisa Munk Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd

Rural Health Clinics

This chartbook provides an overview of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) characteristics and issues using data from CMS’s Provider of Services file, Medicare Cost Reports, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s’ County Health Ranking and will be useful to policymakers and others interested in the performance of RHCs nationally. It can also be useful to RHC administrators to benchmark staffing patterns, productivity, and efficiency. Finally, it provides a discussion of the challenges related to collection and reporting of RHC quality data.

For more information, please contact John Gale, [email protected]

Primary Cilia In The Pathogenic Mouse Brain & Eeg Waveform Analysis Of A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Ashley Diemand Sterpka

Doctoral Dissertations

In the last two decades, primary cilia have become recognized as tiny sensory organelles with considerable physiological function including regulation of cell division and modulation of transduction pathways. Scientists build on former discoveries, identifying new connections and accentuating the value of primary cilia in disease and intercellular signaling. Astrocytes, the most numerous cell type within the brain, act in support of neurons and maintain neurological health by providing neurotrophic factors and removing synaptic debris. These cells are particularly significant in reparations following neural injury and diseases, altering shape and function to protect healthy tissue. Astrocytes display primary cilia, yet little …

Efficient Data-Driven Robust Policies For Reinforcement Learning, Bahram Behzadian

Doctoral Dissertations

Applying the reinforcement learning methodology to domains that involve risky decisions like medicine or robotics requires high confidence in the performance of a policy before its deployment. Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) have served as a well-established model in reinforcement learning (RL). An MDP model assumes that the exact transitional probabilities and rewards are available. However, in most cases, these parameters are unknown and are typically estimated from data, which are inherently prone to errors. Consequently, due to such statistical errors, the resulting computed policy's actual performance is often different from the designer's expectation. In this context, practitioners can either be …

Recombination Drives Genomic Divergence And Cooperation Across Bacterial Populations, Isaiah Paolo Atienza Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

Genetic recombination is a major driving evolutionary force across the Tree of Life, but it plays a special role in bacteria. In the absence of sexual reproduction, bacteria rely on horizontal transmission to recombine their genetic material. Horizontally transferred genes can spread rapidly across a population, greatly expanding the niches available to bacteria. We are only beginning to understand the degree to which recombination varies between and even within bacterial taxa. In the first part of this dissertation (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2), I investigate how patterns of recombination influence bacterial diversity. In Chapter 1, I studied the pan-genome of …

Sociocultural Dimensions Of Environmental Stewardship In New Hampshire: Implications For Adult Environmental Education, Ian Patrick Hanley

Doctoral Dissertations

The overarching aim of this dissertation is to expand evidence and theory of adult identity processes in the context of environmental stewardship, as well as to provide knowledge and recommendations to environmental stewardship and environmental education professionals. The intent is to better understand variation in how adult environmental stewards report on and value their own engagement with both sociocultural and natural systems. This line of inquiry stems from the fundamental claim that environmental stewardship activity is not singularly based on environmental content knowledge but is also related to forms of cultural and social engagement. By recognizing these dual aspects of …

Structural And Biochemical Characterization Of The Allosteric Regulation Of Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase, Richa Garg

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Structural and Biochemical Characterization of the Allosteric Regulation of Photoreceptor Phosphodiesteraseby Richa Garg

The photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6) is the central enzyme in the visual signaling pathway. Cone PDE6 is a homodimer consisting of a catalytic dimer (Pα’α’) and two cone-specific inhibitory γ-subunits (Pγ’). Rod PDE6 is a heterotetramer which consists of a catalytic dimer (Pαβ) with two rod-specific Pγ subunits. The PDE6 differs from other phosphodiesterases (PDEs), in its unique inhibitory Pγ subunit and its activation by α-subunit of the G-protein (Gα). Regulation of PDE6 activity is a key factor in determining the electric response upon light stimulations. PDE6 …

Melanin Pigments As Antibacterial Agents, Tahmineh Rahmani Eliato

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation I investigated the structural properties of melanin biopigment from different sources as an antibacterial and endotoxin bonding agent. I extracted melanin from Equus ferus hair with acid hydrolysis (termed EquusMel) and characterized it by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that EquusMel is mainly elliptical in shape with a mesoporous and layered structure within the individual particles. Wide-angle (WAXS) and small-angle (SAXS) X-ray scattering measurements demonstrated a semicrystalline multilayered structure with order spacing of 45.2 Å. Pore size distribution determined by the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) method showed primary pores within …

Essays On The Effects Of Air Quality And Intra-Industry Trade On Labor Market Outcomes, Protika Bhattacharjee

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impacts of poor air quality and the rise of intra-industry trade on different labor market outcomes like migration, workings hours, and wages. This thesis contributes two distinct strands of literature, literature on air pollution focusing on the economic consequences of poor air quality, and international trade literature. The first two essays examine how a moderate level of air pollution can drive migration decisions and impact working hours in the United States. The third essay investigates the role of the rise in within industry trade on occupational wages in the United States. This dissertation aims to contribute …

Cryopreservation Studies Of An Antifreeze Protein From The Desert Beetle Anatolica Polita, Jonathan Sreter

Doctoral Dissertations

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are specialized evolutionary adaptations by certain cold climate organisms, including fish, plants, fungi, bacteria, and insects, to prevent cryo-injury. AFPs contribute to freeze resistance or tolerance by binding to the surface of ice crystals and preventing their growth, as well as inhibiting ice recrystallization (i.e., small crystals restructuring into large crystals) during large temperature fluctuations and constant sub-zero temperatures. AFPs have potential applications in cryopreservation and in the development of cryo-functional materials for medicine, the food industry, and agriculture. We investigated the ability of an antifreeze protein from the desert beetle Anatolica polita, ApAFP752, to confer cryoprotection …

Compound, Elemental, And Isotopic Perspectives On Mercury Mobilization During Thaw In A Discontinuous Permafrost Zone, Maria F. Fahnestock

Doctoral Dissertations

Arctic ecosystems are a major global sink for both carbon (C) and mercury (Hg), both of which are influenced by anthropogenic activities. The accelerated climate-change-induced warming documented in the Arctic has led to permafrost thaw resulting in landscape evolution from hydrological, vegetation and microbial shifts. All of these resulting changes have the potential to influence how Hg, a toxic contaminant, is mobilized and re-cycled in this ecosystem. In this body of work, I investigate patterns of Hg speciation, elemental abundances, and stable isotopes across the thaw gradient in a permafrost peatland and interconnected freshwater lakes in Abisko, Sweden to assess …

Nsu Huizenga College Of Business And Entrepreneurship 2022-2023 Graduate Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

Huizenga Postgraduate Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Understanding Appalachian Deaths Of Despair Through A Perspective Of Marxism And Intersectionality, Mackenzie Boughner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Uneducated working-class individuals in the United States are dying from suicide, drug overdose, and alcoholic-related liver disease at unprecedented rates; a phenomenon economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton describe as deaths of despair. This paper focuses on deaths of despair in the Appalachian region, where mortality rates from these types of deaths are disproportionately higher than the rest of the country. Marxism and intersectionality are two philosophical frameworks that I will apply to Appalachian despair to test the adequacy of their explanatory power. By placing Marxism and intersectionality in the context of the data surrounding deaths of despair, I can …

Trial Practice And Procedure, John O'Shea Sullivan, Leesa M. Guarnotta

Mercer Law Review

The 2021 Survey period yielded decisions involving issues of first impression relating to federal trial practice and procedure in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. This Article analyzes recent trial practice developments in the Eleventh Circuit, including significant rulings in the areas of consumer debt collections, removal, jurisdiction and abstention, arbitration, and sanctions.

Cortical Changes While Learning Bcis: Masters Of The Force, Virginia Fulton

RhetTech

This analysis of Wander et al's “Distributed Cortical Adaptation during Learning of a Brain–Computer Interface Task" publication includes a brief deconstruction of their study and results with emphasis on where their research fits into the overall Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and neuroscience fields. BCI is explored and explained in a less technical manner and similarly are future potential areas of research that are inspired by or supported by Wander et al's research. Briefly, Wander et al found similar cortical changes when a patient was learning to control a BCI to what they'd expect when the patient was learning a comparable motor …

To My Fellow Asian Americans And Pacific Islanders: Stop Denying Mental Health Services, Meggie Tran

RhetTech

Many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are living with unresolved issues. Here's why we should seek mental health services now!

Tell Me About Gaslighting, Lindsay Steffen

RhetTech

This podcast explores the concept of gaslighting in relation to college students' experiences through interviews with campus staff and experts who further analyze gaslighting within specific communicative contexts, such as romantic relationships. There is a lack of education among college students about gaslighting and intimate partner abuse. A survey conducted by the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) in 2014 asked 2,500 hotline callers about their experiences of coercion (Warshaw et al. 2014). Respondents were adult women who had experienced domestic violence, called the hotline, and agreed to participate in the survey. They answered these questions: “Do you think your partner …