Contrastive General Graph Matching With Adaptive Augmentation Sampling, Jianyuan Bo, Yuan Fang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Graph matching has important applications in pattern recognition and beyond. Current approaches predominantly adopt supervised learning, demanding extensive labeled data which can be limited or costly. Meanwhile, self-supervised learning methods for graph matching often require additional side information such as extra categorical information and input features, limiting their application to the general case. Moreover, designing the optimal graph augmentations for self-supervised graph matching presents another challenge to ensure robustness and effcacy. To address these issues, we introduce a novel Graph-centric Contrastive framework for Graph Matching (GCGM), capitalizing on a vast pool of graph augmentations for contrastive learning, yet without needing …

August 2024 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Impacts Of Grazing By Piney Woods Cattle And Controlled Burning On The Herbaceous Layer In An East Gulf Coastal Plain Longleaf Pine Woodland, William Mcfarland

Master's Theses

Fire and grazing are two disturbances which influence vegetation composition and diversity in many ecosystems. In the southeastern United States, longleaf pine plant communities are adapted to frequent fires and are likely to have been grazed by bison in the past. Though bison have been extirpated from this region, Pineywoods Cattle, which were introduced by the Spanish in the 16^th Century, have been fulfilling a similar role in many of these communities. This study examines the effects that combined grazing and controlled burning have on plant diversity, biomass, and community similarity in a longleaf pine savanna in the East …

Understanding The Variability Of Circulation And Water Quality At Experimental Oyster Leases In The Mississippi Sound Using A High-Resolution Nested Modeling Approach, Shihab Hossain Saran

Master's Theses

Four 50-acre experimental oyster leases; two near Saint Louis Bay (StLB) and two near Pascagoula Bay (PB) were recommended to provide science-based guidance for oyster reef restoration efforts in response to continued limited productivity of oysters in the Mississippi Sound (MSS). Two-way nested simulations using ROMS within COAWST modeling framework have been run with improved forcings to analyze circulation, salinity and temperature variability within and around the lease areas under the extreme freshwater inflow from Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS) openings and local rivers in 2019. High-resolution atmospheric forcing data is crucial because diurnal sea-land breeze affects salinity variability by increasing …

Promoting Greater Granularity In Climate Research: A Case Study Analyzing Perceptions Of Anthropogenic Climate Change Among Students, Faculty, And Staff At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Kelly Wegmann

Master's Theses

Anthropogenic climate change is a global concern that has the possibility to become the next world-altering event. While there is a substantial amount of scientific evidence proving its existence and harmful repercussions, there is still a lack of belief in its occurrence within the United States. This research uses survey data obtained from the University of Southern Mississippi to provide an understanding at a local scale of how both physical and psychological aspects bridge a gap in perception research.

With the use of previous research done by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) and George Mason University Center …

Exploring Overbank Sediment Deposition Variation In Heavily Modified Floodplains Of The Lower Mississippi River: A Sedimentological And Geophysical Analysis, Seth Fradella

Master's Theses

Since the 1930s, the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) has experienced large-scale modifications to the channel profile and surrounding floodplains through dams, dikes, revetments, dredging, and channel cutoffs. Although these changes have improved navigation and reduced flood risk, unanticipated changes to the major flood return period, individual flood severity and duration, and sediment regime have become increasingly apparent and sometimes problematic, such as the 2011 and 2018-2020 floods. Flood control levees along the LMR have reduced the natural floodplain area by 70-90%, resulting in heavily restricted overbank storage capacity of water and sediment. For the same flood events in recent history, …

Blood, Sweat, And Tears: Implications For Hydration Testing In Combat Sports—Investigating Body Mass Loss And Biomarker Changes, Colin S. Doherty, Lauren V. Fortington, Oliver R. Barley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Combat sports athletes often undergo rapid body mass loss (BML), which presents health risks. Hydration testing has been proposed as a possible solution to reduce or eliminate rapid BML. However, combat sports athletes may exhibit distinct physiological characteristics due to repeated exposure to BML. Thus, traditional and emerging hydration biomarkers should be investigated to determine their potential suitability for field use in this cohort. This study examined whether BML can explain changes in serum and urine osmolality (SosmΔ, UosmΔ), tear osmolarity (TosmΔ), hematocrit (HctΔ), and urine-specific gravity (USGΔ) after mild–moderate passive dehydration. Biomarker reliability was also assessed across two trials. …

Apolipoprotein Ε4 Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Fall- And Fracture-Related Hospitalization: The Perth Longitudinal Study Of Ageing Women, Jedd Pratt, Jack Dalla Via, Craig Sale, Abadi K. Gebre, Blossom C.M. Stephan, Simon Laws, Kun Zhu, Wai H. Lim, Richard L. Prince, Joshua R. Lewis, Marc Sim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Apolipoprotein ε4 (APOE ε4) may be a genetic risk factor for reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and muscle function, which could have implications for fall and fracture risk. We examined the association between APOE ε4 status and long-term fall- and fracture-related hospitalization risk in older women. A total of 1 276 community-dwelling women from the Perth Longitudinal Study of Aging Women (mean age ± SD = 75.2 ± 2.7 years) were included. At baseline, women underwent APOE genotyping and detailed phenotyping for covariates including prevalent falls and fractures, as well as health and lifestyle factors. The association between APOE ε4 …

Investigation Of The Pangas (Pangasianodon Hypophthalmus) Cultivation Sustainability In Cages At The Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest Of Bangladesh, Mrityunjoy Kunda, Md. Abu Kawsar, Diponkor Adikari, Sakib Tahmid Rishan, Ahmed Harun-Al-Rashid, Debasish Pandit

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Determining the most appropriate stocking density for a specific fish species in an ambient condition is essential for successful cage aquaculture in terms of profitability which is mainly governed by growth. The current study was conducted to ascertain which stocking density gives the best result of widely cultured species in cage aquaculture, pangas (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), at swamp forest environment of Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest, Bangladesh in terms of growth, production and economic return. Fish were reared for 93 days at three stocking densities, namely 30, 40 and 50 fish/m3 which were denoted as FSD30, FSD40 and FSD50, respectively, …

Effects Of Cafestol And Enterolactone On Glucose Uptake In 3t3-L1 Differentiated Adipocytes, Sierra Hall

Senior Honors Theses

A review of current literature has revealed that moderate habitual coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of T2D development. Cafestol (CF) and enterolactone (ENL), two bioactive compounds found naturally in coffee, have been shown to promote glucose disposal in skeletal muscle and basal glucose uptake in L6 myotubes, respectively. However, the anti-diabetic effects of these compounds on adipose tissue and the mechanisms they utilize have not yet been characterized. Thus, in this study, the effects of CF and ENL on adipose tissue were determined by differentiating 3T3-L1 fibroblasts into adipocytes and treating them with either compound in a …

Uas Teaming For Search And Rescue Applications, Conner Carriere

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations,combined with teaming configurations and optimized path planning algorithms, enhance efficiency in locating and assisting disaster victims. Flooding accounts for 90% of natural disasters in the USA, necessitating rapid scouting and supply drops in affected areas. Current UAS path planning lacks proper start and end point selection and does not use multiple aircraft collaboratively.

This study introduces a UAS teaming strategy with high-altitude leader drones for area coverage and lower-altitude follower drones for detailed data collection and supply drops. The focus is optimizing follower drone path plan- ning using the Open-Loop …

Development Of Multifunctional Biobased Lubricants From Soybean Oil And Their Tribological Behavior, Piash Bhowmik

Theses and Dissertations

Depletion of mineral oil leads the researchers to look for renewable oils recently. Soybean, which is one of the most produced crops globally, has been identified as a potential source for such oil. The problem with vegetable oils is, they consist of unsaturated fatty acids which leads to oxidation of the oils. With proper modification and the use of suitable additives, these oils can be adapted for use in various sectors. High oleic oils are becoming increasingly popular due to their high oleic acid content, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid. These oils are gaining attention for their improved stability …

On The Design Of Novel Bioplastics-Based Materials Using Advanced Blend Design And Solvent Casting, Edner Oloo

Theses and Dissertations

The development of bioplastic composites holds significant importance in addressing theescalating environmental concerns associated with conventional plastic materials, also referred to as traditional plastics. Traditional plastics are derived from fossil fuels. The utilization of fossil fuels to produce these plastic materials, and at the alarming rate they are currently being produced, contributes to several issues such as climate change, resource depletion, and plastic wastes accumulation. Therefore, development of bioplastic composites has emerged as a promising solution along with recycling. Bioplastics composites offer a sustainable alternative by utilizing degradable and renewable resources such as bioplastics (plant-based polymers) or agricultural biomass wastes. …

Healing Through Decolonized Learning: The Transformative Journeys Of Online Indigenous Health Ph.D. Students, Stephen Wyatt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the transformative and healing experiences of doctoral students enrolled in the first fully online Indigenous Health Ph.D. program at the University of North Dakota. The research aims to understand the unique experiences and supports influencing the success of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in this program. The qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 23 Indigenous Health Ph.D. students (N = 23) to explore their lived experiences. By fostering a sense of community, incorporating cultural relevance into the curriculum, and providing robust support systems, the Indigenous Health Ph.D. program facilitated significant personal and academic growth …

Comorbid Dementia And Cancer Therapy Decision-Making: A Scoping Review, Sean N. Halpin, Gabriel Alain, Aaron Seaman, Erin E. Stevens, Hui Zhao, Mackenzie E. Fowler, Qiuyang Zhang, Tamara Cadet, Minzhi Ye, Jessica L. Krok-Schoen

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Comorbid dementia complicates cancer therapy decision-making in older adults. We aimed to synthesize the recent literature (< 5 >years) on the challenges associated with cancer therapy decision-making among older people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers. Of the 20,763 references, 8767 had their title and abstract screened, and eight met the inclusion criteria. Six studies were qualitative, one study employed mixed methods, and one study was quasi-experimental. Most studies were conducted in the UK (89%) and reported homogeneity in race and geography. Breast (56%) and prostate (45%) were the most frequent reported cancers. Five studies (56%) reported multiple types of …

The Game Is The Game: Othermothering And Hbcu Student Affairs Job Burnout: A Quantitative Study, Adolphus A. Mcdonald Iii

All Dissertations

This study investigated the use of othermothering as a relationship building approach in student affairs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and its association with job burnout outcomes in HBCU student affairs professionals. Job burnout outcomes affect job turnover intention decisions (Michaels & Spector, 1982); therefore, this quantitative study investigated whether othermothering and additional demographic factors were a root cause to job burnout and job turnover intention among HBCU SAPs. The review of literature provides knowledge on the foundation of othermothering which began as a term to describe Black slave women caring for children displaced and separated due to …

Frameworks For The Techno-Economic Assessment Of Membrane-Based Bioprocessing Platforms, Juan Jose Romero Conde

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes developing and implementing computational frameworks for simulating and optimizing purification processes in the biopharmaceutical industry. The framework performs techno-economic analyses to establish value propositions for new process alternatives, especially membrane technologies. Initially, the focus is developing a framework capable of simulating monoclonal antibody (mAb) capture using membrane and resin media in multi-column chromatography (MCC) platforms for continuous manufacturing. Subsequently, the impact of capture MCC is compared against other intensification strategies in established mAb manufacturing facilities. Finally, the framework application expands to simulate the purification of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for gene therapy.

Chapter 2 details the framework …

Studies On Molecular And Morphological Evolution And Biogeography Of Squids, Abigail M. Pratt

Dissertations

The cephalopod clade Decapodiformes consists of Spirulida (ram’s horn squid), Sepiolida (bobtail squids), Sepiida (cuttlefishes), Myopsida (inshore squids), and Oegopsida (oceanic squids). While many unanswered questions remain regarding this clade, a thorough examination requires a multi-level taxonomic approach due to uneven data coverage within. This dissertation explores a diverse set of topics in decapodiform evolution and biogeography with a hierarchical approach, starting with the “superorder” Decapodiformes, moving to the “order” Oegopsida, and finally zooming in to the family level with Pyroteuthidae. addressing four main questions: 1) Does RNA editing affect the use of transcriptomics in cephalopod phylogenetics? 2) What is …

Population Demographics Of Crappies (Pomoxis Spp.) And Comparison Of Fish Community Monitoring Techniques In Smithland Pool Of The Ohio River, Joseph Rector

Theses

Large rivers in the United States support popular recreational and commercial fisheries despite being among the most heavily anthropogenically modified habitats due to the construction of dams and levees, agricultural and industrial pollution, and channel modification, all of which can disrupt aquatic ecosystem function and affect fish community composition and abundance. However, despite their relative importance, riverine fisheries research tends to lag behind that of lakes and reservoirs due to the complexity of habitats and difficulties in reliably sampling dynamic waterbodies. Many fisheries biologists, researchers, and managers have implemented long-term resource monitoring programs on large rivers to collect and aggregate …

Impacts Of Intensifying A Corn-Soybean Rotation With Winter Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) On Nutrient Leaching, Plant Available Nutrients, Crop Yields, And Nitrogen Dynamics In Southern Illinois, Abigail Leigh Spiers

Theses

The Midwestern United States is a nationally and globally important producer of agricultural products and uses intensive practices to achieve high grain yields. However, intensive agriculture is a major contributor of nitrogen and phosphorus export to the Mississippi River and the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Cover cropping is a recommended conservation practice for providing soil cover throughout the winter and taking up nutrients that may otherwise be lost in bare fallow systems, but the associated costs limit widespread adoption of this practice. Double cropping, which involves growing two crops in one year, is functionally similar to cover …

Half Past Primrose, Laura E. Wilson

Theses

Half Past Primrose is a climate memoir in verse, exploring the experiences of growing up with climate change in Wisconsin and the fundamental life shifts it poses.

Exploring The Interplay Of Psychological And Biological Components Of Stress Response And Telomere Length In The Transition From Middle Age To Late Adulthood: A Systematic Review., Jn Souza-Talarico, S Chesak, N Elizalde, W Liu, C Moon, Ndcf Oberfrank, Aj Rauer, Cl Takao, C Shaw, Anitha Saravanan, Fg Longhi Palacio, H Buck

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Ageing and chronic stress have been linked to reduced telomere length (TL) inmixed‐age groups. Whether stress response components are linked to TL during the midlife‐to‐late adulthood transition remains unclear. Our study aimed to synthesize evidence on the relationship between psychological and biological components of stress response on TL in middle‐aged and older adults. We conducted a systematic review of studies obtained from six databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psy-cINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus) and evaluated by two independent reviewers. Original research measuring psychological and biological components of stress response and TL in human individuals were included. From an initial pool …

Analysis Of Malarial Impact: Understanding Disease Transmission, Epidemiology, And Effects On Fetal Life, Josey Sumpter

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Malaria is a significant public health problem which mainly affects malaria endemic regions, such as parts of Africa, South America, and Western Asia. However, all hot and humid environments are susceptible to spread leading to a global scale. Malaria affects an estimated 200 million people each year, with about 600,000 cases resulting in death. Malaria is passed through the bites of infected female anopheles mosquitos, with one of the six Plasmodium genus parasites that are malarial causing. Once the parasite enters the blood stream it infects erythrocytes which can then spread throughout the entire body. Disease is often characterized by …

Enolase Inhibitors As Therapeutic Leads For Naegleria Fowleri Infection, Jillian E Milanes, Victoria C Yan, Cong-Dat Pham, Florian Muller, Samuel Kwain, Kerrick C Rees, Brian N Dominy, Daniel C Whitehead, Steven W Millward, Madison Bolejack, Roger Shek, Logan Tillery, Isabelle Q Phan, Bart Staker, E Ashley Moseman, Xiang Zhang, Xipeng Ma, Audriy Jebet, Xinmin Yin, James C Morris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Infections with the pathogenic free-living amoebae Naegleria fowleri can lead to life-threatening illnesses including catastrophic primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Efficacious treatment options for these infections are lacking and the mortality rate remains >95% in the US. Glycolysis is very important for the infectious trophozoite lifecycle stage and inhibitors of glucose metabolism have been found to be toxic to the pathogen. Recently, human enolase 2 (ENO2) phosphonate inhibitors have been developed as lead agents to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). These compounds, which cure GBM in a rodent model, are well-tolerated in mammals because enolase 1 (ENO1) is the predominant isoform used …

Comprehensive Investigation Into The Molecular Mechanisms Driving The Emergence Of Emm4 Group A Streptococcus, Chioma Odo, Samuel A Shelburne, Anthony R. Flores, Steven J Norris, Anna Konovalova, Blake Hanson

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Abstract

Comprehensive Investigation into the Molecular Mechanisms Driving the Emergence of emm4 Group A Streptococcus

Chioma Modeline Odo, M.S.

Advisory Professor: Samuel A. Shelburne, MD, Ph.D.

The major gram-positive bacterium group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a model organism for studying microbial epidemics as it is well known to cause infections that occur in waves. GAS strains are grouped based on the composition of the N-terminal sequence of the M protein which is encoded by the emm gene. With the advent of large-scale whole genome sequencing, GAS clonal emergence events in emm1, emm3, and emm89 types have been identified …

Delineating Metastasis In Mss Colorectal Cancer By Single - Cell Rna Sequencing, Shuangjie You

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Colorectal cancer Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with the majority of these deaths occurring after metastases. In this study, we used single-cell RNA transcriptome sequencing to characterize the cellular and molecular features of primary CRC and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Analysis of 130 samples revealed significant heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by a diversity of cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cell populations. Notably, we identified different CAF subtypes, including inflammatory (iCAFs), matrix(mCAFs), complement (cCAFs), and vascular (vCAFs). iCAFs were enriched in primary tumors expressing higher levels of inflammation-associated genes, whereas mCAFs were …

Single Cell And Spatial Analysis Characterize Metabolic Dpep1+ Fibroblasts In Pdac, Yuanyuan Zhu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is highly malignant and exhibits aggressive progression patterns, resists conventional treatments, and poses significant challenges to patient survival, necessitating urgent research and development of novel therapeutic approaches. Understanding cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) metabolism reprogramming in PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) may uncover novel therapeutic targets. Here, we used single cell and spatial transcriptomics to comprehensively characterize the TME content of human PDAC. We characterized CAFs metabotypes and a novel CAF population expressing DPEP1, COMP, CST1, which involved in glutathione metabolism, termed "gluCAFs” and was associated with poor clinical outcomes and advanced PDAC stages. We also validate the existence …

Early Onset Alzheimer’S Disease Markers In Mouse Hippocampus Unveiled By Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Following Cranial Radiotherapy, Tuba Aksoy

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cranial radiation therapy plays an integral role in the treatment of brain tumors but can lead to progressive cognitive deficits in survivors by mechanisms that are poorly understood. To develop preventive or mitigative strategies, it is crucial to better understand the underlying pathogenesis of radiation-induced cognitive impairments. The study investigated single-cell transcriptomics and DNA methylation changes as potential drivers of persistent cellular dysfunction after radiation exposure, specifically concentrating on the CA1-3 regions of the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex due to their role in cognitive functions. Thirteen-week-old mice underwent whole-brain radiation at clinically relevant doses. Following whole-brain radiation, an assessment …

Placental Co-Transcriptional Activator Vestigial-Like 1 (Vgll1) Drives Tumorigenesis Via Increasing Transcription Of Proliferation And Invasion Genes, Heather Sonnemann

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Vestigial-like 1 (VGLL1) is a co-transcriptional activator that binds to TEA domain containing transcription factors (TEADs). Its expression is upregulated in a variety of aggressive cancer types, including pancreatic and basal-like breast cancer, and increased transcription of VGLL1 is strongly correlated with poor prognosis and decreased overall patient survival. In normal tissues, VGLL1 is most highly expressed within placental trophoblast cells, which share the common attributes of rapid cellular proliferation and invasion with tumor cells. The impact of VGLL1 in cancer has not been fully elucidated and no VGLL1-targeted therapy currently exists. The aim of this study was to evaluate …

Exploring The Role Of The Arginine-Methylation Writer-Reader Pair Prmt5/Snd1 In Jak2-Mutant Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Rocio Rubiano

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a hematopoietic disease characterized by hyperproliferation of cells of the myeloid lineage for which current therapeutic options are limited. Discovered in 2005, the JAK2V617F mutation is the most common driver mutation in BCR-ABL negative MPNs, resulting in constitutive activation of the JAK2 protein and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. A role for the methyltransferase activity of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) has been proposed in JAK2-mutant MPN, highlighting both a mechanism through which this mutation can drive disease progression and a potential mode of therapeutic intervention. Staphylococcal Nuclease Domain-Containing Protein 1 (SND1) is the effector molecule responsible …