Digital Commons Network^™

Oxidation Of Hafnium Diboride—Silicon Carbide At 1500 °C In Air; Effect Of Compressive Stress, Anthony J. Degregoria, Marina B. Ruggles-Wrenn, Glen E. Pry

Faculty Publications

The long-term oxidation behavior of HfB₂ and of HfB₂-20 vol.% SiC was studied. Test samples of each material were oxidized at 1500 °C in air using a box furnace. The exposure times were 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 30, 45 and 90 h. Weight gain, oxide scale composition and oxide scale thickness were characterized for both materials. Crystal structure of the surface scales was analyzed using x-ray diffraction. Oxide scales were further characterized via scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. For HfB₂ the oxide scale consists predominantly of porous HfO …

Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials And Nanocomposites For Sensing, Separation, And Energy Applications, Md Ashiqur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Two-dimension (2D) nanomaterials have gained popularity for the last few decades due to their excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. These unique properties of 2D nanomaterials can be exploited in various applications specially in sensor, energy, and separation devices. In this study, the sensing and energy generation performance of PVDF/PAni fiber mat systems made by the forcespinning method with and without graphene coating. The graphene-coated nanocomposites show an average output voltage of 75 mV (peak-to-peak) which is 300% higher compared to bare fiber mats and an output current of 24 mA (peak-to-peak) by gentle finger pressing. Moreover, the graphene-coated PVDF/PAni …

Spatial Mapping Of The Dna Adducts In Cancer, Elyse Bolterstein, Deborah Jebakumar, Michael M Ittmann, Valeria L Dal Zotto, Mohamed Shaban, Arun Sreekumar, Natalie R Gassman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

DNA adducts and strand breaks are induced by various exogenous and endogenous agents. Accumulation of DNA damage is implicated in many disease processes, including cancer, aging, and neurodegeneration. The continuous acquisition of DNA damage from exogenous and endogenous stressors coupled with defects in DNA repair pathways contribute to the accumulation of DNA damage within the genome and genomic instability. While mutational burden offers some insight into the level of DNA damage a cell may have experienced and subsequently repaired, it does not quantify DNA adducts and strand breaks. Mutational burden also infers the identity of the DNA damage. With advances …

Shinybioheat: An Interactive Shiny App To Identify Phenotype Driver Genes In Ecoli And Bsubtilis, Olivier Lichtarge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

SUMMARY: In any population under selective pressure, a central challenge is to distinguish the genes that drive adaptation from others which, subject to population variation, harbor many neutral mutations de novo. We recently showed that such genes could be identified by supplementing information on mutational frequency with an evolutionary analysis of the likely functional impact of coding variants. This approach improved the discovery of driver genes in both lab-evolved and environmental Escherichia coli strains. To facilitate general adoption, we now developed ShinyBioHEAT, an R Shiny web-based application that enables identification of phenotype driving gene in two commonly used model bacteria, …

Dental Pulp Stem Cells And Current In Vivo Approaches To Study Dental Pulp Stem Cells In Pulp Injury And Regeneration

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have garnered significant interest in dental research for their unique characteristics and potential in tooth development and regeneration. While there were many studies to define their stem cell-like characteristics and osteogenic differentiation functions that are considered ideal candidates for regenerating damaged dental pulp tissue, how endogenous DPSCs respond to dental pulp injury and supply new dentin-forming cells has not been extensively investigated in vivo. Here, we review the recent progress in identity, function, and regulation of endogenous DPSCs and their clinical potential for pulp injury and regeneration. In addition, we discuss current advances in new …

Cellular And Extracellular Vaginal Changes Following Murine Ovarian Removal, Natasha M Faruqui, Swathi Balaji, Julie C E Hakim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Loss of estrogen as a result of aging, pelvic cancer therapy, genetics, or eating disorders affects numerous body systems including the reproductive tract. Specifically, a chronic hypoestrogenic state fosters debilitating vaginal symptoms like atrophy, dryness, and dyspareunia. Current treatment options, including vaginal estrogen and hyaluronan (HA), anecdotally improve symptoms, but rectifying mechanisms are largely understudied. In order to study the hypoestrogenic vaginal environment, in particular the extracellular matrix (ECM), as well as understand the mechanisms behind current treatments and develop new therapies, we characterized a reliable and reproducible animal model. Bilateral ovariectomies (OVX) were performed on 9‐week‐old CD1 mice. After …

Finite Element Modeling Of Patient-Specific Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Ignacio Rivero Crespo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA) is a surgical procedure designed to improve joint functionality by replacing the articulation between the humeral head and the glenoid fossa. Anatomic Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (aTSA) and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (rTSA) are two types of replacement surgery to relieve pain and restore function of the shoulder. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of variation of certain patient and implant alignment parameters that may influence long-term outcomes of these surgical procedures, including kinematics, joint loads and contact mechanics. Computational models of six TSA subjects, three aTSA and three rTSA, were created …

Fostering An Inclusive Learning Environment Through Course Development: A Program Evaluation, Rachel K. Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This evaluation was chosen to address the desire of students to see themselves and their lived experiences in their coursework at University College, the location of this study. The purpose was to complete a utilization-focused evaluation that assessed first, the formal and informal practices involved in the course development process within an academic department at University College, University of Denver, and second to determine the extent to which the course development process contributes to an inclusive learning environment. Data were collected using qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders in the course development process, observations of weekly course development …

Exploring Collective Impact: A Developmental Program Evaluation Of A College Access Program, Diana C. Zakhem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Partnership was established in 2015 when the Arbor Glen School District, Brook Heights Community College, and Remarkable Outcomes rallied around their common priorities of increasing college matriculation rates in their community. The Partnership created programming that promotes the preparation and transition of students into postsecondary education and the completion of a postsecondary credential. The COVID-19 global pandemic directly impacted The Partnership, including the loss of grant funding, changes in data reporting systems, changes in the delivery method of its services to students, and significant staff turnover. The combination of these factors caused The Partnership’s organizational structure, measurement systems, activities, …

Stochastic Processes And Multi-Resolution Analysis: A Trigonometric Moment Problem Approach And An Analysis Of The Expenditure Trends For Diabetic Patients, Isaac Nwi-Mozu

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

This dissertation is divided into two distinct parts. The main theme of the first part is to study stochastic processes (and related signal processing questions) using tools in wavelet analysis, functional analysis (we use in particular the trigonometric moment problem), the theory of realization of rational functions, and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. A novel form of multiresolution analysis is formulated in the discrete case that is used to study some stochastic processes. Using the trigonometric moment problem, we associate with a vector-valued wide-sense stationary process a multiresolution of a new kind. The notion of realization of rational functions was used …

Why Animal Experiments Are Still Indispensable In Bone Research: A Statement By The European Calcified Tissue Society, Imke Ak Fiedler, Ronald Young Kwon, Eric Farrell, Mubashir Ahmad, Anita Ignatius, Liam Grover, Liesbet Geris, Jan Tuckermann

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Major achievements in bone research have always relied on animal models and in vitro systems derived from patient and animal material. However, the use of animals in research has drawn intense ethical debate and the complete abolition of animal experimentation is demanded by fractions of the population. This phenomenon is enhanced by the reproducibility crisis in science and the advance of in vitro and in silico techniques. 3D culture, organ-on-a-chip, and computer models have improved enormously over the last years. Nevertheless, the overall complexity of bone tissue-cross talk and the systemic and local regulation of bone physiology can often only …

Equal Access To All: Under Usage Of Adult Day Care Services For Adults With Alzheimer's And Related Dementias In The Hispanic/Latino Community, Jezabel Galvan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal for many older adults suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias, is to be able to age in the comfort of their own home and with familiar faces. One of the services many older adults suffering from AD and their families opt for to make this possible are Adult Day Care Programs (ADCP). ADCP offer support to caregivers and are a good alternative to long-term care placement. ADCP provides clients with health monitoring by health professionals, as well as socialization opportunities and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) (Oliver et. al., 2013). Although ADCP are a …

Assessing The Effects Of A Mixed Eimeria Spp. Challenge On Performance, Intestinal Integrity, And The Gut Microbiome Of Broiler Chickens, Danielle Graham, Victor Petrone-Garcia, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Makenly E. Coles, Marco A. Juarez-Estrada, Juan D. Latorre, Jianmin Chai, Stephanie Shouse, Jiangchao Zhao, Aaron Forga, Roberto Señas-Cuesta, Lauren Laverty, Kristen Martin, Carolina Trujillo-Peralta, Ileana Loeza, Latasha Gray, Billy M. Hargis, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed Eimeria spp. challenge model was designed to assess the effects of challenge on broiler chicken performance, intestinal integrity, and the gut microbiome for future use to evaluate alternative strategies for controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. The experimental design involved broiler chickens divided into two groups: a control group (uninfected) and a positive control group, infected with Eimeria acervulina (EA), Eimeria maxima (EM), and Eimeria tenella (ET). At day-of-hatch, 240 off-sex male broiler chicks were randomized and allocated to one of two treatment groups. The treatment groups included: (1) Non-challenged (NC, n = 5 replicate pens); and (2) challenged …

Cooperative Activation Of Pdk1 And Akt By Mapk4 Enhances Cancer Growth And Resistance To Therapy, Tao Shen, Xiangsheng Huang, Ping Yi, Bingning Dong, Feng Yang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) is a master kinase of the protein A, G, and C (AGC) family kinases that play important roles in regulating cancer cell proliferation, survival, and metabolism. Besides phosphorylating/activating AKT at the cell membrane in a PI3K-dependent manner, PDK1 also exhibits constitutive activity on many other AGC kinases for tumor-promoting activity. In the latter case, PDK1 protein levels dominate its activity. We previously reported that MAPK4, an atypical MAPK, can PI3K-independently promote AKT activation and tumor growth. Here, using triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell models, we demonstrate that MAPK4 can also enhance PDK1 protein synthesis, thus phosphorylate/activate PDK1 …

Proteomics Of Adjacent-To-Tumor Samples Uncovers Clinically Relevant Biological Events In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Shisheng Wang, Yuejia Liu, Liangqing Dong, Qian Meng, Jing Gao, Yuqiu Wang, Nixue Song, Yuying Suo, Li Ding, Pei Wang, Bing Zhang, Daming Gao, Jia Fan, Qiang Gao, Hu Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Normal adjacent tissues (NATs) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) differ from healthy liver tissues and their heterogeneity may contain biological information associated with disease occurrence and clinical outcome that has yet to be fully evaluated at the proteomic level. This study provides a detailed description of the heterogeneity of NATs and the differences between NATs and healthy livers and revealed that molecular features of tumor subgroups in HCC were partially reflected in their respective NATs. Proteomic data classified HCC NATs into two subtypes (Subtypes 1 and 2), and Subtype 2 was associated with poor prognosis and high-risk recurrence. The pathway and …

Androgen-Regulated Stromal Complement Component 7 (C7) Suppresses Prostate Cancer Growth, Shan Li, Huiyun Sun, Martine P Roudier, Daniel W Lin, Lawrence True, Colm Morrissey, Chad J Creighton, John K Lee, Li Xin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The complement system is a major component of the innate immune system that works through the cytolytic effect of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Complement component 7 (C7) is essential for MAC assembly and its precisely regulated expression level is crucial for the cytolytic activity of MAC. We show that C7 is specifically expressed by the stromal cells in both mouse and human prostates. The expression level of C7 inversely correlates with clinical outcomes in prostate cancer. C7 is positively regulated by androgen signaling in the mouse prostate stromal cells. The androgen receptor directly transcriptionally regulates the mouse and human …

T-Cell Receptor Beta Variable Gene Polymorphism Predicts Immune-Related Adverse Events During Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy, Dzifa Yawa Duose, Jeffrey M Conroy, Carl Morrison, Anas Alshawa, Mingxuan Xu, Abdulrazzak Zarifa, Sapna P Patel, Ying Yuan, Evan Kwiatkowski, Linghua Wang, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Siqing Fu, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Geoffrey M Lowman, Timothy Looney, Aung Naing

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment. However, they are associated with a unique spectrum of side effects, called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which can cause significant morbidity and quickly progress to severe or life-threatening events if not treated promptly. Identifying predictive biomarkers for irAEs before immunotherapy initiation is therefore a critical area of research. Polymorphisms within the T-cell receptor beta (TCRB) variable (TRBV) gene have been implicated in autoimmune disease and may be mechanistically linked to irAEs. However, the repetitive nature of the TCRB locus and incomplete genome assembly has hampered the evaluation of TRBV polymorphisms in the …

Trim28 Modulates Nuclear Receptor Signaling To Regulate Uterine Function, John P Lydon, San-Pin Wu, Francesco J Demayo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Estrogen and progesterone, acting through their cognate receptors the estrogen receptor α (ERα) and the progesterone receptor (PR) respectively, regulate uterine biology. Using rapid immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (RIME) and co-immunoprecipitation, we identified TRIM28 (Tripartite motif containing 28) as a protein which complexes with ERα and PR in the regulation of uterine function. Impairment of TRIM28 expression results in the inability of the uterus to support early pregnancy through altered PR and ERα action in the uterine epithelium and stroma by suppressing PR and ERα chromatin binding. Furthermore, TRIM28 ablation in PR-expressing uterine cells results in the enrichment of a …

Re-Mediating Nature: Environmental Entropy, Urban Parks, And The Boise River Greenbelt, Quinn Zachary Anderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Urban greenspaces are integral to the healthy functioning of a city. They provide heat relief, flood prevention, act as sites of community engagement and creation, and are home to charismatic flora and fauna, to name just a few of their roles. However, this importance has not translated to scholarly analysis. This thesis aims to address this shortcoming in several ways. Firstly, it introduces the typology of environmental entropy, a framework of analysis that recontextualizes greenspaces as blended landscapes, where nature and culture and human and nonhuman agency equilibrate. Using environmental entropy, the rest of the paper examines urban parks …

Emergence, Evolution, And Outcomes Of Community-Based Conservation Behaviors In Coastal Systems, Matthew C. Clark

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This body of work leverages a variety of quantitative and theoretical approaches to advance our understanding of why individuals adopt community-based conservation behaviors, the impacts those decisions have on natural resources and human wellbeing, and how these insights can be used for practical conservation planning. The first chapter makes a theoretical contribution by fitting data produced from a stylized, agent-based simulation of conservation adoption over time with a set of probabilistic differential equations derived from the theory of diffusion of innovations and cultural evolutionary theory broadly. We use these methods to demonstrate that such a statistical approach can provide accurate …

Systematic Investigation Of Wavy Surface Roughness Profiles Using Common Roughness Algorithms, Russell Gray

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Roughness is an important parameter in rock engineering. Sine wave-based simulated wavy profiles were used to investigate systematic changes of amplitude and frequency on roughness indices. Profiles were 1000 mm in length with amplitude ranging from 0-10 mm and frequency ranging from 0-10 Hz. The roughness algorithms used were Root Mean Square (RMS), Energy, Sinuosity, Z2, Mean Absolute Angle (MAA), and Modified Divider a-Value. Roughness indices were visualized as contour plots. Similarities of the shapes and spacing of the contours as well as the magnitude of the roughness indices prompted the pairing of RMS and Energy algorithms, Z2 and MAA …

Evaluating Learning Geometric Concepts To Generate Predicate Abstract Domains In Static Program Analysis, Patrick Chadbourne

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Accuracy of static analysis over predicate abstract domains depends on the partitions of predicates. More precise predicates approximate concrete values of program variables resulting in more accurate analysis. Manual reasoning about these partitions must be done on a case-by-case basis and is time consuming and difficult.

This work explores learning geometric concepts to automate discovery of predicate domain candidates.

The proposed framework uses run-time data from program executions to gather training data for a PAC-learner to generate separating hyperplanes that can be projected onto predicate domains.

The thesis implements the framework and performs evaluations of it effectiveness on a set …

Hydraulic Conductivity's Impact On Rise Of Excess Pore-Water Pressure During Seismic-Induced Liquefaction, Holly Gunderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Liquefaction is a geohazard causing loss of lives and infrastructure around the world. During earthquakes the shaking of the ground may cause a loss of soil strength that results in the settlement of buildings, landslides, failure of earth dams, amongst other hazards (Liquefaction of Soils During Earthquakes, 1985). Liquefaction is the result of a sudden increase in the pore-water pressure (PWP)— referred to as excess pore-water pressure (EPWP)— in loose, saturated, noncohesive, fine soils during seismic shaking. Due to the small pores and low hydraulic conductivity of these soils, the shaking-induced EPWP has less time to dissipate, leading to the …

A Dna Aptamer Transducer Designed Toward Rapid Biosensor Development: A Novel Approach To Modular Biosensing Platforms, Timothy Z. Hachigian

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Aptamer-based biosensors have garnered significant interest due to their versatility in detecting a wide range of analytes across various applications. In this work, a customizable Aptamer Transducer (AT) was introduced as a non-enzymatic and modular duplexed aptamer biosensing platform. The design modularity was accomplished by separating the aptamer input domain from the output domain. The AT was demonstrated to be capable of fully transducing an adenosine signal into arbitrary DNA outputs using a structure-switching aptamer design. The AT design utilized strand displacement reactions via toehold mediated strand displacement with fluorescence based reporting for signal detection. Furthermore, the AT was incorporated …

Multiphysics Numerical Modeling For Pfas Transport Within Vadose And Saturated Zones, Pierrette Iradukunda

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The extent and severity of wildfires have increased around the world, necessitating a greater understanding of the consequences of wildfire and post-fire impacts on soil and groundwater. Wildfire suppression techniques like aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) can also contaminate the soil with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can contribute to human and environmental health concerns. PFAS are dangerous man-made chemical compounds that are persistent, mobile, poisonous, and a major cause of soil and groundwater contamination. In addition to contamination by aqueous film-forming foams, PFAS has accumulated in the environment as a result of being utilized in numerous other goods over …

Enhanced Hardware Trojan Detection In Chips By Reducing Linearity Between Features, Alfred M. S. Moussa

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Globally, there has been an increase in demand for System on Chip (SoC) applications, active medical implants, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. However, due to challenges in the global supply chain, the design, fabrication, and testing of Integrated Circuits are often outsourced to untrusted third-party entities around the world rather than a single trusted entity. This situation presents an opportunity for adversaries to compromise the device’s integrity, performance, and functionality by inserting malicious modifications known as Hardware Trojans (HTs) into the original design. HTs can also create a backdoor in the system for malicious alterations.

The problem of hardware …

Seed Predation By Harvester Ants On Native Grasses And Forbs: Implications For Management In A Changing Landscape, Michaela Grossklaus

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Vegetation restoration efforts in the sagebrush steppe to date have yielded mixed results. Although many factors contribute to variation in restoration outcomes, seed predation by harvester ants may be an important yet overlooked source of seed loss. Using a selection of grass and forb seeds commonly seeded in local restoration projects, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate whether seed species and spatial arrangement (i.e., distance of seed patches from ant colonies and from each other) affected patterns of seed consumption by Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus. To further examine the ecological factors that may affect foraging by harvester …

Effect Of Age On The Mechanical Behavior And Molecular Structure Of Human Meniscus: An Experimental And Computational Analysis, Derek Q. Nesbitt

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The knee meniscus is a soft fibrous tissue with a high incidence of injury in older populations. Surgical treatments do not fully restore the functionality of the meniscus, and the meniscus lacks native healing capacity, leading to a 40% increase in the probability of developing osteoarthritis once torn. Meniscus injury prevention is thus paramount to reducing the onset of osteoarthritis. Despite the importance of the meniscus in joint health, its mechanical properties, and how these change with age, are poorly understood. In order to quantify these properties, and how they change with age, we performed uniaxial tensile tests on two …

Robust Digital Nucleic Acid Memory, Golam Md Mortuza

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth of data generation from electronic devices has created a critical demand for efficient and sustainable data storage solutions. Traditional storage systems face challenges regarding reliability, energy consumption, and scalability, necessitating the exploration of alternative technologies. This dissertation explores the potential of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) as an alternative storage medium, along with the associated challenges and potential solutions.

This dissertation focuses on Digital Nucleic Acid Memory (dNAM), which utilizes Single Molecule Localization Microscopy (SMLM) to encode and store data within DNA structures called DNA origami. SMLM surpasses the limitations of light’s diffraction limit, enabling the imaging of biological …

Maximizing The Performance Of Geocell Reinforced Pavement Bases With High-Fines Content Soils Through Micp Treatments, Ajay Kumar Reddy Pisati

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Crushed stone and gravel have long been favored for their stability and interlocking properties in Geocell reinforced base course layers of flexible pavement structures. However, their drawbacks, such as depleting reserves, escalating permit costs, environmental compliance, and extensive quarrying impacts, have led researchers to seek alternative options like recycled and on-site materials. Within this framework, utilizing native soil emerges as a promising solution to tackle these challenges. Nevertheless, the grading specifications impose limitations on the fines content allowed in base courses, as determined by the No. 200 sieve. However, the grading specifications pose restrictions on the permissible fines content in …