Digital Commons Network^™

Social And Economic Gradients Of Resource Transfer Behavior In Gorongosa, Mozambique, Karl J. Mertens

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Why do people who experience the same environmental and social conditions vary so much in their resource transfer behavior? This dissertation addresses that question through examination of behavioral variation in subsistence horticulturalists in the dry tropical forest bufer conservation area of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. In this region of moderate and acute food shortages at both household and regional levels, individuals face similar challenges of addressing social and resource uncertainty yet respond with marked behavioral variation that cannot be explained solely by diferences in wealth, kinship, or reciprocity patterns.

Using a Behavioral Reaction Norms (Dingemanse et al., 2010) (BRN) …

Group I Introns As Catalytic Rna Models To Investigate The Origin Of Life And To Explore The Drivers Of Evolution In The Rna World, Gianluca Peri

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The RNA World is the theory that life on Earth originated as RNA molecules able to both carry genetic information and catalyze enzymatic activities, without the need of DNA nor proteins. Abundant evidence supports that RNA preceded the emergence of DNA and proteins, the most notable being that both DNA replication and protein synthesis require RNA components. It has been hypothesized that the RNA World originated as a self-replicating RNA system. Furthermore, since the activity of modern-day catalytic RNA (ribozymes) can be affected by reaction conditions (e.g. Mg^2+ cofactor concentrations), it is hypothesized that evolution in the RNA World may …

How Plant-Soil Feedbacks At Varying Levels Of Plant Species Diversity Influences The Reestablishment And Performance Of Native Sagebrush Steppe Species, Sierra Santosuosso

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Increased frequency of wildfire has become a significant problem in the sagebrush steppe, altering soil biogeochemical properties that promote the establishment of invasives at the expense of native species. To reduce annual grass invasion, restoration efforts often include seeding with non-native bunch grasses such as Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn (crested wheatgrass [AGCR]) that outcompete cheatgrass; however, this strategy does not lead to the return of a native sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Restoring ecosystems to higher levels of native species diversity may reduce invasion and promote sustained success of restoration efforts since biodiversity can improve ecosystem functioning and promote resilience. In 2019 …

International Legal Guidelines For Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Governance Under The London Convention And London Protocol, Korey Silverman-Roati, Romany M. Webb

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

For the past two decades, parties to the London Convention and Protocol have negotiated rules, decisions, and amendments related to climate change. These efforts have principally focused on two sets of technologies – sub-seabed carbon dioxide storage and marine geoengineering. Initial discussions regarding marine geoengineering focused specifically on ocean fertilization but, more recently, the parties have considered an expanded array of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches, including ocean alkalinity enhancement and ocean sinking of biomass. Throughout these discussions, the parties have invoked legal principles and guidelines, like the precautionary approach, to inform their assessment of how to apply the …

Producing A Map Of Political Advocacy – Locational Difference And Interconnectedness In West Michigan Lgbt Advocacy, Samuel J. Darnell

Masters Theses

This study examines, through a qualitative lens, the influence of a local environment upon the operations, messaging, and perspectives of individuals within LGBT advocacy organizations and broader LGBT advocacy efforts. This was achieved via analysis of in-person and verbal interviews with individuals involved in the operation of these advocacy organizations. Interviews were analyzed with a focus on political perception, organization structure and history, funding sources, and challenges faced in operation such as political conflicts or harassment. Initially focusing on a comparison of the advocacy environment of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, the study expanded to several neighboring towns that hosted advocacy …

Synthesis Of Novel Derivatives From Machilin C/D As Antiproliferative Agents Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Alyson M. Ackerman, Chibuzor Olewele, Bert C. Lynn, Samuel G. Awuah

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Lignans are small polyphenolic compounds that play an active role in plant defense against pathogens and predators. Recently, lignan machilin D was reported to be effective as an anti-tumorigenic agent in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumor-bearing mice. Previous studies have relied on plant-extracted material limiting scalability and diversification of the natural scaffold. Herein, we describe a generalizable one-pot synthesis of machilin D and its derivatives via an iron chloride-induced dimerization of isoeugenol. Employing this synthetic methodology allowed for a robust diversification campaign to access seven (7) new lignan derivatives of the machilin D family with superior anti-proliferative properties in …

Improving Hiv Pep Patient Follow-Up Appointment And Laboratory Testing In A Telehealth Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Ralston Lockett

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The ongoing HIV epidemic in the United States highlights the need for innovative prevention strategies, including non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP). This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluated a telehealth-based intervention aimed at increasing HIV PEP follow-up appointments and laboratory completion rates, while also enhancing provider knowledge. Dual interventions included a patient reminder system and provider education. While provider knowledge significantly improved post-intervention, based on Cohen’s d effect size of 0.62, clinical significance was demonstrated by follow-up appointment rates declining from 44% pre-intervention to 41% post-intervention. Laboratory completion rates also decreased, with 53% of patients completing labs pre-intervention compared to …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Therapy To Reduce Disruptive Behavior In High School, Wendy Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this project was to determine the impact and effectiveness of Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on adolescent anxiety and the disruptive symptoms that lead to high school adolescents being assigned to detention. This project described a quantitative correlational design research project that investigated a small adolescent sample size, with a goal of decreasing the number of local high school adolescent students who are repeat detention offenders, by implementing Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on those high school adolescents who were assigned to detention. This was achieved by collecting demographic data from …

Impaired Rest-Activity Rhythm Characteristics Predict Higher Risk Of Incident Type 2 Diabetes In Uk Biobank Participants, Chris Ho Ching Yeung, Alison K Wright, Daniel P Windred, Angus C Burns, Andrew J K Phillips, Sean W Cain, Martin K Rutter, Qian Xiao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Circadian rhythms play a key role in metabolic health. Rest-activity rhythms, which are in part driven by circadian rhythms, may be associated with diabetes risk. There is a need for large prospective studies to comprehensively examine different rest-activity metrics to determine their relative strength in predicting risk of incident type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods: In actigraphy data from 83,887 UK Biobank participants, we applied both parametric and nonparametric algorithms to derive 13 different metrics characterizing different aspects of rest-activity rhythm. Diabetes cases were identified using both self-reported data and health records. We used Cox proportional hazards models …

Linking Chronic Kidney Disease To Incident Heart Failure And Adverse Cardiac Remodeling Through The Plasma Proteome: The Aric Study, Leo F Buckley, Pranav Dorbala, Victoria Lamberson, Brian L Claggett, Yue Ren, Morgan E Grams, Josef Coresh, Kunihiro Matsushita, Ryan T Demmer, Ruth F Dubin, Rajat Deo, Peter Ganz, Christie M Ballantyne, Ron C Hoogeveen, Bing Yu, Amil M Shah

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Investigation of circulating plasma proteins may reveal insights into molecular pathways that contribute to the development of heart failure (HF) among people with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: The authors aimed to identify circulating kidney function-related plasma proteins that are associated with the risk of incident HF.

Methods: The authors studied participants of the ongoing longitudinal ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study. Relative plasma concentrations of 4,697 unique proteins were measured with the use of an aptamer assay (Somalogic). Each protein was tested for associations with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), log-transformed urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), and incident HF by …

What's The Value Of A State? Accounting For The Ecosystem Services And Natural Capital Of Oregon, Kathryn Liebrecht

University Honors Theses

Ecosystem services are vital to human welfare and society, but often are overlooked when it comes to planning and setting policy. By neglecting to incorporate the benefits received from natural resources, policy makers may unknowingly be making decisions that harm the long term sustainability and use of these services. To highlight the importance of Oregon's ecosystems, the present study aims to provide a full accounting of the ecosystem services and natural capital of the state. Using data from the Institute for Natural Resources' updated Oregon statewide habitat map, Oregon's ecosystems were matched to biome categories from the Ecosystem Services Valuation …

Small Molecule Inhibitor 3i-1000 Dosed During Bouts Of Anoxia Increases Survivability Of Austrofundulus Limnaeus Embryos, Connor Kime

University Honors Theses

The annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus possesses exceptional tolerance to prolonged anoxia, offering a unique vertebrate model for investigating cardiac resilience and survival under metabolic stress. This study tested whether inhibition of the GATA4–NKX2-5 transcriptional axis with the small molecule 3i-1000 enhances post-anoxic survival. WS40 embryos were exposed to 50 µM 3i-1000 during anoxia and early aerobic recovery. Outcomes were assessed across two independent experimental cohorts. Treated embryos exhibited higher survivability during reoxygenation: in the October cohort, survival increased from 76.0% in vehicle controls (n = 25) to 91.7% in treated embryos (n = 24); in the November cohort, survival improved …

Computational Frameworks To Unravel The Immune Landscape, Shan He

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Recent advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy, face challenges such as resistance and immune-related adverse events, partly due to our limited understanding of the immune signaling pathways. While high- throughput genomic data provide unprecedented resolution into these immune pathways, their full potential is limited by the lack of well-annotated, context-specific immune gene sets. To address this need, I developed a workflow to construct immune gene sets by integrating RNA- seq datasets and performing decomposition. Using this approach, I constructed 28 immune- specific gene sets from 83 bulk RNA-seq datasets and 12 Natural Killer (NK) …

Insights Into The Radiation Chemistry Of Flash Radiation Therapy, Alan E. Lopez Hernandez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Purpose: FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT) is an emerging modality that delivers radiation at ultra-high dose rates (UHDR) and has shown consistent normal tissue sparing while preserving tumor control compared to conventional RT—a phenomenon termed the FLASH effect. Despite promising results, the mechanisms behind the FLASH effect remain unclear. Many hypotheses point to radiolytic interactions, but experimental validation is limited. This work aims to develop a robust experimental platform to evaluate the relationship between radiolytic species production and physical beam parameters relevant to FLASH-RT, alongside dosimetry tools for reliable UHDR beam characterization.

Methods: A beam collector (BC) Faraday cup detector was …

Resolving Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity Of Breast Cancer Using Single-Cell Multi-Omics, Yun Yan

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by diverse genetic, transcriptional, and epigenetic landscapes. Understanding how intra-tumoral heterogeneity (ITH) influences therapeutic response and drives tumor evolution remains a central challenge in cancer biology. Here, we leverage single-cell multi-omics technologies to dissect the cell states and gene expression programs underlying breast cancer heterogeneity, with a focus on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer.

In the first part, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to profile over 400,000 cells from 101 treatment-naïve TNBC patients. We identified 4 archetypes at the patient level and 13 metaprograms …

Use Of The Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification For Food Safety And Drug Discovery, Maria R. Benavente Garcia-Huidobro

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding of the normal prion protein (PrP^C) into its infectious form (PrP^Sc). While the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains uncertain, the presence of prions in food products raises public health concerns. Additionally, therapeutic strategies for prion diseases remain limited. This thesis presents a methodological exploration of the Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) technique to address these challenges in two key areas: (1) detecting CWD prions in processed meats subjected to common cooking procedures, and (2) identifying potential anti-prion compounds through a high-throughput PMCA adaptation. …

Facilitating The Clinical Translation Of Flash Radiotherapy Through Dosimetry Development And Beam Parameter Optimization, Kevin Liu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Advisory Professor: Emil Schüler, PhD

Radiation therapy (RT) is a crucial component of curative cancer therapy, with a majority of cancer patients in the United States receiving RT as part of treatment. The goal of RT is to maximize the therapeutic index in curing disease while minimizing any associated normal-tissue complications¹. Recently, ultra-high dose-rate (UHDR) RT (mean dose rates ≥40 Gy/s for a total duration of ≤200 ms) has been reported to selectively spare normal tissues and organs while maintaining an isoeffective tumoricidal effect compared to conventional (CONV) dose rate RT in a variety of in vivo preclinical …

Predicting Genetic Interactions Using Functional Interaction Networks, Iulia Veronica Gheorghe

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Mapping genetic interactions is central to understanding cellular systems and identifying therapeutic vulnerabilities, particularly in the context of cancer. Among these interactions, synthetic lethality, where simultaneous loss of two genes is lethal but loss of either alone is tolerated, offers a powerful framework for selectively targeting tumor-specific dependencies. In model organisms like S. cerevisiae, comprehensive double-knockout screens have revealed detailed genetic interaction maps, enabling systems-level insights into pathway structure, gene function, and cellular organization. Replicating this achievement in human cells, however, is complicated by the scale and complexity of the human genome. Recent advances in genome-wide CRISPR knockout screening have …

Structural Functional Investigation Of Hap40, Amanda M. Solbach

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONAL INVESTIGATION OF HAP40

Amanda Marie Solbach

Dissertation Advisor: Sheng Zhang, Ph.D.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, resulting in a mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein with an elongated polyglutamine tract. While the genetic basis of HD is well established, the mechanisms underlying mHTT toxicity and its impact on cellular function remain incompletely understood. Recent discoveries implicate Huntingtin-associated protein 40 (HAP40) as a critical regulator of HTT stability and intracellular function. However, the physiological and pathological significance of this interaction has not been fully explored.

This …

Investigating The Role Of The Lysine-Specific Demethylase 4c In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Mennatallah Shaheen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Deregulation of proteins involved in chromatin regulation is common in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Lysine demethylase 4C (KDM4C) is one of the chromatin modifying proteins frequently overexpressed across multiple solid cancers and is linked to chromatin instability, increased cell proliferation, and enhanced stem cell-like behavior. We observed upregulation of KDM4C protein in a panel of human PDAC cell lines and patient samples compared to non-neoplastic controls. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of KDM4C in human and murine PDAC cells reduced proliferation, clonogenicity, and increased survival of orthotopically implanted murine PDAC allografts. Transcriptomic and proteomics analyses revealed that loss of KDM4C in both human …

Long-Chain Fatty Acids Promote Candida Albicans Gut Colonization By Restructuring The Fungal Cell Surface, Musfirat Shubaita

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Long-chain fatty acids promote Candida albicans gut colonization by restructuring the fungal cell surface

Musfirat Shubaita, BS

Advisory Professor: J. Christian Perez, Ph.D.

The yeast Candida albicans is a facultative anaerobe residing in the human digestive tract. Although fungal genetic determinants of mammalian host colonization have been identified, little is known about signals and molecules in the intestinal environment that influence C. albicans proliferation. Previously unpublished data from the Perez lab showed that oleic acid, one of the most abundant long-chain fatty acids in nature, promotes C. albicans colonization of the murine intestine. The goal of this research is to …

Studies Of The Mechanisms Of Reverse Signaling By Cd40l, Barbara M. Nassif Rausseo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

CD40 ligand (CD40L) is a transmembrane protein expressed on activated CD4 T cells, traditionally known for its role in forward signaling by engaging CD40 on antigen- presenting cells to promote immune activation. While this pathway is well characterized, there is evidence that CD40L also mediates reverse signaling, acting as a signaling receptor on T cells which enhances T cell function. However, the extent, consequences, and mechanism of CD40L-mediated reverse signaling in CD4 T cells remain poorly defined. This dissertation investigates the mechanisms and effects of CD40L reverse signaling on T cell function using both primary human T cells and the …

Effects Of Sex And Aging In The Response To Global Cerebral Hypoperfusion, Alexis Mcalister

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction

The prevalence of dementia worldwide is projected to double by the year 2030 and triple by 2050. Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) encompasses diseases that lead to cognitive decline and dementia due to cerebrovascular disease. VCID is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for approximately 15- 40% of all dementia cases. Reductions in cerebral blood flow from intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis increase VCID risk, even in the absence of overt clinical or imaging evidence of stroke/embolization. The pathology seen in patients with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, such as inflammation, neuronal loss, white matter abnormalities, …

Microbial Metabolite Regulation Of Microglial Ahr Signaling In Alzheimer’S Disease, Ghalya E. Alrousan

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-β plaque accumulation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline. Recent evidence suggests that systemic factors, particularly the gut microbiota and its metabolites, play a significant role in shaping brain immune responses, including microglial activation. However, the mechanisms linking gut dysbiosis to microglial dysfunction in AD are poorly understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor responsive to tryptophan metabolites, has recently gained attention as a key regulator of neuroinflammation and microglial function. I hypothesize that the loss of beneficial microbial AHR ligands, specifically indole derivatives, during aging and AD …

Nerve-To-Cancer Transfer Of Mitochondria During Cancer Metastasis, Gregory Hoover, Shila Gilbert, Olivia Curley, Clémence Obellianne, Mike T Lin, William Hixson, Terry W Pierce, Joel F Andrews, Mikhail F Alexeyev, Yi Ding, Ping Bu, Fariba Behbod, Daniel Medina, Jeffrey T Chang, Gustavo Ayala, Simon Grelet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The nervous system has a pivotal role in cancer biology, and pathological investigations have linked intratumoural nerve density to metastasis1. However, the precise impact of cancer-associated neurons and the communication channels at the nerve–cancer interface remain poorly understood. Previous cancer denervation models in rodents and humans have highlighted robust cancer dependency on nerves, but the underlying mechanisms that drive nerve-mediated cancer aggressivity remain unknown2,3. Here we show that cancer-associated neurons enhance cancer metabolic plasticity by transferring mitochondria to cancer cells. Breast cancer denervation and nerve–cancer coculture models confirmed that neurons significantly improve tumour energetics. …

Racial Disparities In The Receipt Of Therapies For Cancer, Hypertension, And Diabetes, And In Mortality In A Large Population-Based Cohort Of Older Men With Prostate Cancer, Zhuoyun Li, Xianglin L Du

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Racial disparities in treatment and mortality were widely studied among prostate cancer patients; however, few studies considered the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes and their treatment status.

Objectives: To determine whether there are racial discrepancies in the use of anti-cancer, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic drugs in a cohort of long-term survivors of prostate cancer diagnosed in 2007-2015; and to examine racial disparities in mortality after adjustments for their differences in those treatments.

Methods: We used the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results)-Medicare linked database and included records for patients with prostate cancer at age 65 years or older diagnosed from …

Identifying Critical Evidence Gaps In Wound Closure And Incision Management After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Delphi Panel Insights, Margaret Ainslie-Garcia, Lucas Anderson, Benjamin Bloch, Tim N Board, Antonia Chen, Samantha Craigie, Walter Danker, Najmuddin Gunja, James Harty, Victor Hernandez, Kate Lebedeva, Mitchell Ng, Daniel Hameed, Michael Mont, Ryan Nunley, Javad Parvizi, Sean Sequeira, Carsten Perka, Nicolas Piuzzi, Ola Rolfson, Joshua Rychlik, Emilio Romanini, Pablo Sanz-Ruiz, Rafael Sierra, Linda Suleiman, Eleftherios Tsiridis, Pascal-André Vendittoli, Helge Wangen, Luigi Zagra

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: In total hip arthroplasty (THA), proper management of surgical incisions is essential for optimal wound healing and patient outcomes. Despite advances in surgical techniques, significant challenges remain in preventing complications and infections. This study aimed to identify evidence gaps in THA wound care, including presurgical preparation, intraoperative practices, and postsurgical complications.

METHODS: Using a modified Delphi method, 20 expert orthopedic surgeons from Europe and North America participated in a 3-phase consensus process from April 1 to September 30, 2023. This included a preliminary questionnaire, a remote conference, and a final online survey. The panel reviewed literature and achieved agreement …

Drug Delivery, Disulfide Crosslinked Hydrogel Coating For Polydimethylsiloxane (Pdms) Implant Materials, Paul A. Contos, Paul Anthony Contos

Master's Theses

Though polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is often used in medical devices due to its desirable mechanical properties and biocompatibility, its surface is often prone to bacterial adhesion. This is especially a problem for catheters, where bacteria can adhere and form biofilms that can in turn result in Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). In order to deter the presence of UTI causing bacteria on PDMS catheters, methods were developed to formulate a disulfide crosslinked hydrogel coating and create a methodology to allow adhesion to a PDMS substrate. The hydrogel coating discussed in this paper will be synthesized by chemically crosslinking stimuli-responsive vesicles, that carry …

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2024-2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to educating people of the world and the Office of Research and Creative Activity is proud to contribute to UNO?s exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life-long success of students and alumni. UNO innovates for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. This year's programs provided over $750,000 in awards for students and faculty. These projects included recording a new album of music for a saxophone, flute, and piano trio, understanding college campus bicycle theft, studying student perceptions of the difficulty of organic chemistry concepts, evaluating a therapy program …

Burning The Wick At Both Ends: A Three Paper Investigation Of Burnout And Educators, Karla P. Miner

All Dissertations

Researchers in the late 20th century identified the impact of burnout on organizational and individual success. The urgency to address burnout in education has intensified following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher burnout, characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of inadequacy, has been a commonly discussed topic among educators internationally following the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies highlight the alarming rates of burnout among educators, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to support well-being and mitigate educator attrition. This collection of papers addresses three primary aspects of burnout and practice: a literature review of individual and organizational practice, a …