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The Effects Of Simulated Predation And Nursery Structure On Post-Outplant Survival And Growth Of Sexual Juveniles Of Six Caribbean Coral Species, Jarrod Little

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Over the past few decades, increasing frequency and severity of direct and indirect anthropogenic stressors have resulted in reef degradation and decreased coral cover and diversity. In South Florida, coral propagation ex situ has gained popularity as a means to restore coral cover. Outplanting sexually propagated corals on the reef is particularly important as it contributes to greater genetic diversity and potentially overall reef resilience. However, these corals typically experience high levels of predation following outplanting, significantly reducing coral survival, and thus constitute a major bottleneck to the success of restoration efforts. This study assessed if simulated predation events on …

Deep Seabed Mining: What Is To Be Done About The Regulatory Lacuna?, Katherine Reece Thomas

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Volume 14, Issue 3 - Full Issue, Notre Dame Journal Of Int'l & Comparative Law Volume 14

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Laying Framework For A Novel In Vitro Eukaryotic System To Measure Rate Of Transcription Elongation, John Lucas Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

Within each cell, genetic material is stored in the form of DNA. This DNA is compacted around proteins to form higher order structures called chromatin. The basic unit of chromatin is a histone protein octamer bound with DNA called a nucleosome. A nucleosome consists of eight core proteins, four pairs of histone proteins H2A, H2B, H3, and H4, wrapped by DNA. The DNA wraps around the histone protein roughly 1.7 times, helping facilitate the compaction of DNA within the nucleus of the cell. The location of nucleosomes makes genetic material that encodes various elements, such as promoters or enhancers, accessible …

Cellular Sorting Of The Dictyostelium Discoideum Slug, Erin Flowerday

Theses and Dissertations

Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) cells are amoeba cells that feed on soil or plant leaf matter bacteria. They divide freely in the presence of food. When starved, cell division is ended, and cells transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms initiated by a chemoattractant, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). This study intricately examines cellular sorting within the Dd slug, focusing on individual cell dynamics. Represented as oriented ellipsoids, these cells maintain constant volume through a viscoelastic structure. Applying force to specific semi-axes reveals predictable deformations, highlighting the relationship between force and deformation rate. Manipulating damping coefficients and spring constants uncovers insights into cell …

Connecting Hiv-1 Viral Protein R Polymorphisms To Changes In Inflammatory Signals And Efficacy Testing Of Essential Oils As Disinfectants Against Sars-Cov-2, J. Brandon Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) is the causative agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Different strains of HIV-1 have been linked to a long term non-progressor (LTNP) or rapid progressor (RP) form of disease depending on rate of AIDS progression. Viral protein R (Vpr) is a viral protein that has been linked to varying rates of AIDS progression depending on the sequence. In this work, the effects of two polymorphisms, a LTNP and a RP, on different cells are studied. The LTNP virus was linked to lower release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF and IL-6, and an increase in apoptotic …

Cellular And Molecular Basis Of Cd4+ T Cell Help At The Effector Phase During Immunotherapy Of Mhc-Ii Negative Tumors, Samuel Oche Ameh

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) have shown promise in treating solid tumors, providing cures and durable protection in some cases. However, only a subset of patients benefits from ICT, indicating a need for a deeper understanding of the requirements for successful therapy. In both mice and humans, αβ T cells are key mediators of spontaneous and ICT-induced anti-tumor responses. While the anti-tumor roles of CD8+ T cells are well-studied, the role of CD4+ T cells, particularly in ICT for MHC-II negative tumors, is less understood. New insights into how CD4+ T cells modulate CD8+ T cells during ICT may lead to …

Discovering And Characterizing Conserved Anthelmintic Targets In The Early Parasitic Stages Of Gastrointestinal Nematodes, Hyeim Jung

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) collectively infect 1.5 billion people, leading to mortality and various forms of morbidity in humans and hindering normal development in children. GINs also diminish the productivity of food animals, which are crucial for economic and nutritional well-being, particularly in developing countries. Currently, the world still primarily relies on only a few drug classes for global de-worming of GINs in humans and animals. However, the high rate of reinfection, disappointing treatment success rates, and increasing drug resistance make GINs one of the most important contributors to promoting and maintaining global poverty. This highlights the urgent need for more …

Developing Computational And Experimental Tools For Investigating Intrinsically Disordered Proteins And Biomolecular Condensates, Daniel Griffith

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions (IDPs) compose a significant portion of eukaryotic proteomes yet remain relatively understudied. Unlike folded domains, IDPs lack a single fixed three-dimensional structure and instead are defined by a dynamic conformational ensemble. Despite this structural heterogeneity, IDPs carry out vital roles within the cell. IDPs are particularly important in cellular signaling and regulation, owing to their ability to mediate molecular interactions with a variety of affinities and specificities. Additionally, some IDPs drive the formation of higher-order non-stoichiometric assemblies called biomolecular condensates. This dissertation focuses on the development of a variety of computational and experimental tools …

Modern Building Structures Are A Landscape-Level Driver Of Bat–Human Exposure Risk In Kenya, Tamika Lunn, Reilly T. Jackson, Paul W. Webala, Joseph G. Ogola, Kristian M. Forbes

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Identifying the locations and drivers of high-risk interfaces between humans and wildlife is crucial for managing zoonotic disease risk. We suggest that continent-wide improvements to residential housing in Africa are inadvertently creating artificial roosting habitat for synanthropic free-tailed bats (family Molossidae), and that improved buildings are a rapidly accelerating exposure interface that needs urgent research attention and investment. Along a residential gradient in rural southern Kenya, we mapped building use by free-tailed bats in 1109 buildings. We show that bats often roost in human-occupied buildings, with almost one-in-ten buildings exhibiting evidence of bat occupation (9.2%) and one-in-13 found to contain …

Cefiderocol Heteroresistance Associated With Mutations In Tonb-Dependent Receptor Genes In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Of Clinical Origin, Stephanie L Egge, Samie A Rizvi, Shelby R Simar, Manuel Alcalde, Jose R W Martinez, Blake M Hanson, An Q Dinh, Rodrigo P Baptista, Truc T Tran, Samuel A Shelburne, Jose M Munita, Cesar A Arias, Morgan Hakki, William R Miller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The siderophore-cephalosporin cefiderocol (FDC) presents a promising treatment option for carbapenem-resistant (CR) P. aeruginosa (PA). FDC circumvents traditional porin and efflux-mediated resistance by utilizing TonB-dependent receptors (TBDRs) to access the periplasmic space. Emerging FDC resistance has been associated with loss of function mutations within TBDR genes or the regulatory genes controlling TBDR expression. Further, difficulties with antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and unexpected negative clinical treatment outcomes have prompted concerns for heteroresistance, where a single lineage isolate contains resistant subpopulations not detectable by standard AST. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of TBDR mutations among clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa …

Variability And Error In Measurement Of Infant Formula Powder And Water: An Experimental Study, Richard R. Rosenkranz, Ana Gonzalez-Alvarez, Chris Acosta, Andrew Hooyman, Jose R. Hidalgo, Cindyromina Ballasteros-Paniagua, Sara K. Rosenkranz

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Formula feeding is the only viable nutrition alternative for infants 0–6mos who cannot breastfeed. Among the drawbacks of formula feeding, however, is potential dilution or concentration errors in the formula during preparation that may lead to infant health issues. The present study aimed to investigate the accuracy of caregiver measurements as they prepared infant formula under multiple conditions, compared with manufacturer specifications.

Methods: A diverse sample of caregivers (N = 84) participated in this cross-over experimental study. Participants hand-scooped infant formula powder and poured water to prepare 4oz. and 7oz. feedings, using both a standardized set of …

A Comparison Of Whole Brain Radiation Treatment Plan Quality Between Radformation Ezfluence Software And Manual Field-In-Field Technique, Julia Legno

Masters Projects

Purpose: To assess time-saving and overall dosimetric differences between EZFluence automated planning software and manual planning methods.

Methods: Ten previously treated whole-brain patients’ data sets were anonymized and used retrospectively by the planner to assess differences in treatment planning methods. A manual and an EZFluence plan was created for each patient. The planner then analyzed the dosimetric qualities of the plan, which included target conformality, OAR doses, and total time spent creating the plans.

Results: Upon comparing the data from both plan types, the EZFluence automated plans had a significantly shorter treatment planning time than the manual plans with an …

Marine Heatwaves’ Impacts On Marine Organisms, Nicholas Gosling

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Stem-Loop And Circle-Loop Tads Generated By Directional Pairing Of Boundary Elements Have Distinct Physical And Regulatory Properties, Wenfan Ke, Miki Fujioka, Paul Schedl, James Jaynes

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The chromosomes in multicellular eukaryotes are organized into a series of topologically independent loops called TADs. In flies, TADs are formed by physical interactions between neighboring boundaries. Fly boundaries exhibit distinct partner preferences, and pairing interactions between boundaries are typically orientation-dependent. Pairing can be head-to-tail or head-to-head. The former generates a stem-loop TAD, while the latter gives a circle-loop TAD. The TAD that encompasses the Drosophila even skipped (eve) gene is formed by the head-to-tail pairing of the nhomie and homie boundaries. To explore the relationship between loop topology and the physical and regulatory landscape, we flanked the nhomie boundary …

Correction: Multilocus Pathogenic Variants Contribute To Intrafamilial Clinical Heterogeneity: A Retrospective Study Of Sibling Pairs With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Tugce Bozkurt-Yozgatli, Davut Pehlivan, Richard A Gibbs, Ugur Sezerman, Jennifer E Posey, James R Lupski, Zeynep Coban-Akdemir

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Design And Validation Of Sensing Knee Sleeve Rehabilitation Device Utilizing Large Deflection Strain Gauges, Kurt Christian Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures are increasingly common in the US and globally. However, rehabilitation outcomes may be negatively affected by limited access to physical therapy and patients' tendency to not fully adhere to recommended exercises between therapy sessions. This study aims to develop a remote system to aid rehabilitation, building upon recent sensor development at Brigham Young University, providing physical therapy-like biofeedback during unsupervised at-home exercises. The system developed by this research consists of three primary components: (1) a sensor array for measuring leg/knee biomechanics, (2) a machine learning algorithm to predict knee flexion angle from the sensor data, …

Clinical Implementation Of Tissue-Sparing Posterior Cervical Fusion: Addressing Market Access Challenges, Morgan Lorio, Pierce Nunley, Joshua Heller, Bruce Mccormack, Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, Jon Block

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Background: The traditional open midline posterior cervical spine fusion procedure has several shortcomings. It can cause soft tissue damage, muscle atrophy, compromise of the lateral masses and painful prominent posterior cervical instrumentation or spinous process if there is dehiscence of the fascia. Additionally, patients frequently experience the rapid development of adjacent segment disease, which can result in the reemergence of debilitating pain and functional impairment. Clinical relevance: Tissue-sparing posterior cervical fusion is an alternative method for treating patients with symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease. However, widespread clinical adoption has been challenged by ambiguity, misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding appropriate procedural reimbursement …

De Novo Synthetic Studies On Tetracyclic Triterpenoid Systems: Stereoselective Preparation, Biological Evaluation And Total Syntheses Of Euphol And Tirucallol, Joshua Nicholson

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Tetracyclic triterpenoids have a rich history in biology, medicine, and chemistry. In terms of pharmaceutical relevance, compounds with this scaffold are one of the most successful classes with over 100 FDA approved examples. Despite this success, the vast majority of compounds within this class are prepared through semisynthesis. While this approach is undeniably successful, judged by the sheer number of medications generated, it also has limitations. Namely, semisynthesis requires the use of complex starting materials that have fixed absolute stereochemistry and often sparse functionality. One approach to address the inherent limitations with semisynthesis is through de novo synthesis. Recently, our …

Root Cause Analysis Of Leakage Tube Boiler: A Study Case, Lydia Kartika Basaria Sitompul, Dedi Priadi

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

Oil and gas industry can have catastrophic implications for human life, the environment, and the economy. This paper investigated failure analysis using root cause analysis especially for boiler tube leakage of Heat Exchanger. Identify the issue using microscopic examination and energy dispersive x-ray analysis were conducted on the tube inside and outside surface to determine root cause of the failure. The formation of a protective film in the aluminum-brass tube during the starting stage is very important for ensuring adequate film protection throughout the service life of the heat exchanger. During this stage, exposure to unpolluted water is essential. The …

Best Practices To Improve Staffing And Retention For Women’S Health Providers In The Clinic Setting At The Veterans Health Administration, Tiffany Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States providing care to veterans and eligible family members with a growing population of female veterans. This has led to the need to maintain adequate physician staffing for the care of this unique population. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify strategies for maintaining women’s health providers to support the growing population of female veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma and require specialized care in the women’s health clinic setting. This integrative review provided an analysis of empirical and nonempirical literature within …

Nigerian Brewery Industry Leaders' Perceptions Of Emotional Intelligence As A Strategy To Improve Employee Job Satisfaction And Organizational Performance, Funso Ayeni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee job dissatisfaction and turnover rates increase when organizational leaders and managers have low emotional intelligence (EI). Nigerian business leaders have not placed significant importance on EI skills which has resulted in higher turnover and worse business performance. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore Nigerian brewing industry leaders’ perceptions of effectively applying EI skills to improve employee job satisfaction and organizational performance. Goleman's emotional competencies model and Herzberg’s two-factor theory provided the conceptual framework. The research questions focused on understanding Nigerian brewing industry leaders’ perceptions of effectively applying EI skills. Purposive sampling was used to identify …

Essential Resource Barriers And Perceived Implications Among Military Parents Of Autistic Children, Ann Bayron-Freay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elevated mental health issues and health care accessibility challenges may be exacerbated by the stressors experienced by military parents of autistic children. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore how military parents with autistic children experienced and perceived essential resource barriers. Parent perceptions of the obstacles they experienced with essential resource accessibility led to significant difficulties being identified. The stress process model was used to frame the concepts in this research. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with eight active duty or recently retired military parents who had at least one autistic child during their service. Themes …

Exploring Lived Experiences Of Mothers Raising Children With Down Syndrome In Western Nigeria, Vivian N. Aruwajoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having a child with Down syndrome (DS) negatively impacts mothers’ health and well-being. Families raising a child or children with DS encounter significant financial burdens, inadequate support services, and cultural influences, which have adverse effects on the families. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the accessibility and utilization of support services through the lived experiences of Western Nigerian mothers raising children with DS. The study involved 10 mothers who were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews via Zoom and observational notes. Thematic analysis was guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model. NVivo …

Archaeology In Space: The Sampling Quadrangle Assemblages Research Experiment (Square) On The International Space Station. Report 1: Squares 03 And 05, Justin St. P. Walsh, Shawn Graham, Alice C. Gorman, Chantal Brousseau, Salma Abdullah

Art Faculty Articles and Research

Between January and March 2022, crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) performed the first archaeological fieldwork in space, the Sampling Quadrangle Assemblages Research Experiment (SQuARE). The experiment aimed to: (1) develop a new understanding of how humans adapt to life in an environmental context for which we are not evolutionarily adapted, using evidence from the observation of material culture; (2) identify disjunctions between planned and actual usage of facilities on a space station; (3) develop and test techniques that enable archaeological research at a distance; and (4) demonstrate the relevance of social science methods and perspectives for improving life …

A Dosimetric Evaluation Of Oar Sparing And Treatment Parameters In A Hybrid Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Technique And A Modified Volumetric Modulated Arc Technique In Esophageal Cancer Patients, Taniesha Dvoskin

Masters Projects

Introduction

Hybrid volumetric arc therapy (H-VMAT) is an advanced radiation therapy technique that merges three-dimensional and VMAT approaches. This integration enhances dose distribution and effectively spares organs at risk (OAR). By leveraging these technologies, H-VMAT ensures precise target coverage while minimizing overall radiation exposure. Although combining modalities can improve planning outcomes, there are disadvantages to using this technique. This study examines whether a novel modified arc VMAT (M-VMAT) technique can achieve dosimetric outcomes comparable to those of a hybrid VMAT plan.

Methods

Two planning techniques were created for retrospective dosimetric analysis of 11 patients with cancers of the middle and …

Knowledge Building Through Interdisciplinary Units, Jessica A. Deboer

Masters Projects

Research demonstrates that developing a strong knowledge base is vitally important for students to demonstrate comprehension in reading. Comprehension strategies are an important skill to learn, but can only be utilized if a student has background knowledge of the subject. Schema theory supports the idea that knowledge is most effectively acquired through networks of prior knowledge built into the brain’s long term memory. The more vocabulary and concept knowledge a person has in their network of schemata the easier it is for them to connect and hold onto new information. An interdisciplinary curriculum can grow students' knowledge and their comprehension …

Pathophysiology In Brain Arteriovenous Malformations: Focus On Endothelial Dysfunctions And Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition, Jae Yeong Jeong, Adrian E Bafor, Bridger H Freeman, Peng R Chen, Eun S Park, Eunhee Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) substantially increase the risk for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, the treatment options for bAVMs are severely limited, primarily relying on invasive methods that carry their own risks for intraoperative hemorrhage or even death. Currently, there are no pharmaceutical agents shown to treat this condition, primarily due to a poor understanding of bAVM pathophysiology. For the last decade, bAVM research has made significant advances, including the identification of novel genetic mutations and relevant signaling in bAVM development. However, bAVM pathophysiology is still largely unclear. Further investigation is required to …

Acousto-Dielectric Tweezers Enable Independent Manipulation Of Multiple Particles, Liang Shen, Zhenhua Tian, Kaichun Yang, Joseph Rich, Jinxin Zhang, Jianping Xia, Wesley Collyer, Brandon Lu, Nanjing Hao, Zhichao Pei, Chuyi Chen, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Acoustic tweezers have gained substantial interest in biology, engineering, and materials science for their label-free, precise, contactless, and programmable manipulation of small objects. However, acoustic tweezers cannot independently manipulate multiple microparticles simultaneously. This study introduces acousto-dielectric tweezers capable of independently manipulating multiple microparticles and precise control over intercellular distances and cyclical cell pairing and separation for detailed cell-cell interaction analysis. Our acousto-dielectric tweezers leverage the competition between acoustic radiation forces, generated by standing surface acoustic waves (SAWs), and dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces, induced by gradient electric fields. Modulating these fields allows for the precise positioning of individual microparticles at points where …

Molecular Mechanisms Behind Methionine-Derived Glucosinolate Diversity In Brassica Plants, Vivian Kitainda

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In Brassica plants, glucosinolates are a diverse class of natural products that serve as plant defense molecules. Their structural diversity comes from the use of amino acids as precursors and elongation of side chains by up to nine carbons, as well as further chemical modifications. Aliphatic methionine-derived glucosinolates are the most abundant form of these compounds. Although both elongation and chemical modification of amino acid sidechains are important for methionine-glucosinolate diversity, its elongation process has not been well described. The chain elongation enzyme methylthioalkylmalate synthase (MAMS) functions as the glucosinolate pathway gatekeeper through its substrate specificity. The x-ray crystal structure …