Life Sciences Commons^™

Acute And Chronic Impacts Of A Biofilm, Activated Sludge, And Ultraviolet Radiation Treatment On The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales Promelas, Julia Fitch

Masters Theses

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a point source of pollution that have potentially damaging effects on downstream fish populations, including reduced growth and survival and reproductive complications. To examine these possible effects, fathead minnows were exposed to effluent of three wastewater treatment processes at the Charleston Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Charleston, Illinois. These three treatments included two secondary treatments, a biofilm treatment and an activated sludge treatment, and one tertiary U.V. treatment. Two trials took place during this project: an acute, two-week exposure trial, and a chronic 119 day exposure trial. Upon completion of each trial, fish were assessed …

Exploring A Medicinal Strain Of White-Rot Fungus For Biofuel Applications, Kortney L. Lucius

Masters Theses

The major limitation to producing biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass, such as miscanthus straw, is the difficulty in accessing fermentable carbohydrates encased in lignin. Traditional methods for separating lignin are economically and environmentally costly. Biological pretreatment using white-rot fungi, such as Trametes versicolor, has been demonstrated to potentially reduce the need for harsh chemical and physical pretreatment methods. Despite these efforts, the process of converting lignocellulose to ethanol remains financially challenging. To explore a potential co-product for the process, this study evaluated the efficacy of T. versicolor strain CM-101, known for producing the valuable medicinal macromolecule polysaccharide-K (PSK), as a …

Molecular Investigation Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) From Seven Us States, Sofiane Aiche

Masters Theses

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) have been proposed as part of the lifecycles of multiple tickborne pathogens (TBP). This is a result of the increase in feral swine populations and increased tick populations and geographic ranges. Few surveys exist on the TBP relevant to human and wildlife of feral swine in the US. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of 10 TBP: Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., Cytauxzoon felis, Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Yersinia pestis, and Rickettsia spp. A total of 87 feral swine blood samples …

Influence Of Attack Performance On The Ovc Volleyball Regular Seasons 2022 & 2023, Ignacio Valdemoros

Masters Theses

Understanding the outcome of volleyball games is necessary for coaches before, after, and during a season. There are several ways to gain this understanding, but statistical analysis is fundamental to see the minimum patterns of behavior that influence wins and losses in Volleyball. Furthermore, this analysis helps identify the optimal approach to achieving a goal and determining the most effective alternative to success. Scoring points in Volleyball involves three key skills: serving, blocking, and attacking. Among these skills, attacking plays the most relevant role in determining the outcome of a match. The position on the court (e.g. Outside Hitter, Middle …

The Glutamine-Asparagine Interplay: Exploring The Role Of Asparagine Synthetase In Hepatocellular Cancer Cells, Babatunde George Olawuni

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a liver cancer that accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-related deaths globally; likewise, as the primary metabolic regulatory center in the body, the liver undergoes profound metabolic shifts in carcinogenesis, with net glucose and glutamine consumption. Much attention has been focused on the myriad roles of glutamine in supporting cellular growth over the past several decades, but more recently, the relationship between glutamine and the other amide-bearing amino acid, asparagine, has garnered attention. Asparagine is synthesized from glutamine, aspartic acid, and ATP via the enzyme Asparagine Synthetase (ASNS). Extracellular asparagine reliance has been targeted in …

Exploring The Connection: Field Ecology Research And Student Wellbeing, Elizabeth Small

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Field work is essential in ecological research, offering the opportunity to gather firsthand data, observe natural processes, and deepen our understanding of ecosystems. In my study on small mammal trophic niche dynamics, I investigate how small mammals—critical players in grassland food webs—adapt their diets in response to environmental disturbances. By examining the drivers of variation in trophic niche among three common small mammal species, I aim to uncover how these animals coexist despite similar dietary requirements. Understanding these dynamics is critical for informing global conservation efforts, especially as we work to reverse the biodiversity crisis and restore damaged ecosystems.However, the …

Through The Lens Of Tiktok: A New Perspective To Improving Food And Nutrition Literacy In Adolescents, Devin Kathleen Ebeling-Hammond

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Understanding food, nutrition, and physical activity is essential for everyone, and is important to learn from a young age to foster healthy, lifelong habits. Research indicates that 50% of adolescents do not consume the right amount of fruit, vegetables, or protein, and often consume excessive amounts of fats and sugar. Coincidentally, type 2 diabetes and other non-communicable diseases are on the rise, which can be improved through modifiable health determinants. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into innovative ways to teach adolescents about food, nutrition, and the importance of physical activity. An exploratory pilot study was selected …

Examining Project Flex: A Sport-Based Prison Program For Incarcerated Youth, Gabrielle Bennett

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

There is a growing global body of literature examining the experiences of adolescents in sport-based youth development programs. Conversely, the advantages of such programming are often contingent on intention, design, population, and environment. One often overlooked setting that serves a vital population benefiting from the integration of sport-based youth development programs, is juvenile justice facilities. Beyond adolescents, much literature remains to be explored in penal settings, particularly, the inception of sport-based prison programs that utilize an evidence-based curriculum and explicit approach to foster life skill development. Often overlooked are staff, administrators, and youth perspectives of sport-based youth development programs in …

Leveraging Bioinformatics To Understand Chlorophyll D Biosynthesis In Acaryochloris Spp., Dikshyant Gautam

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Acaryochloris strains can adapt into far red region of the visible spectrum by utilizing its unique chlorophyll called chlorophyll d (Chl d). The genetic machinery behind Chl d has not been discovered yet. Biosynthetic pathway for other chlorophylls like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll f found in cyanobacteria are however well known. This research aims to understand the biosynthetic pathway responsible for chlorophyll d production. Bioinformatics approaches like comparative genomics, machine learning, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were central in this study to identify candidate genes and regulatory mechanisms potentially involved in chlorophyll d synthesis.

An important …

Benthic And Epibenthic Invertebrate Assemblages Associated With Estuarine Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Differ Between Native And Invasive Plants, Marissa Hall, Kathryn O'Shaughnessy, Bethany Kiley, Ashley Mcdonald, Taber Faurie, Zoey Hendrickson, Anna Reimer, Samantha Smith, Charles Martin

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) provides vital habitat for macroinvertebrate communities that support diverse food webs and subsequent ecosystem services. Invasive SAV, however, has the potential to alter estuarine food webs through competition with native SAV, resulting in different associated biological communities. In the Mobile-Tensaw Delta (Alabama, USA), the invasive Eurasian milfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum, is fast becoming the dominant SAV, out-competing native SAV such as wild celery, Vallisneria americana. This study investigated the above- and belowground macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with these SAV habitats. We found significantly different assemblages between the SAV, with V. americana supporting more even and …

Biographical Feature: Charles Y. Chiu, M.D., Ph.D., Erik Munson

Clinical Lab Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 29. Extraterrestrial Entertainment: Are We Being Monitored By Alien Beings?, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) was an early advocate for the rational assessment of likelihood of extraterrestrial life. Current efforts to evaluate the situation have ranged from the heavily self-indulgent to the more objective, and it is still often difficult to decide just how much of the information we are receiving on the subject is dependable. An attempt is made here to cut through the haze and reduce the matter to elementals.

Evaluation Of Dietary Fiber Technologies In Sow Diets, Garrin Shipman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Various technologies and alternative ingredients are being developed to increase the nutrient value of fibrous feedstuffs, improve animal performance, and promote sustainable swine production. Fiber-degrading enzymes have been extensively studied in growing pigs, with few studies focused on gestating sows. When considering gestating sows have greater energy digestibility of fibrous feedstuffs than grower pigs, the efficacy of fiber-degrading enzymes needs to be determined for implementation in commercial sow diets. As fiber inclusion in gestation diets benefits sow performance, corn dried distiller grains with solubles (DDGS) are a candidate fiber source for gestation alternative energy ingredient. Functional fibers, such as yeast …

Effects Of Storage Regimes On Chemistry, Functional Properties, And Vitamin Profile Of Different Varieties Of Chickpea, Shirin Kazemzadeh Pournaki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chickpea (cicer arietinum) samples from five distinct varieties (crown, royal, orion, sierra, and frontier) were subjected to varying storage conditions to investigate the impact of temperature and relative humidity (rh) on their chemical, functional, physical properties, and vitamin b profile. over 360 days, samples were stored at two temperatures (21°c and 40°c) and three rh levels (40%, 55%, 65%), with collections made every 90 days. initial observations focused on key chemical properties including moisture, protein, fat, and total starch content. subsequently, protein and starch fractions were isolated for further analysis, employing techniques such as sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (sds-page) …

Artificial Intelligence And Image-Based Phenotyping For Monitoring Morpho-Physiological Dynamics In Grapevines, Prakriti Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plant phenotypic features are essential for determining the structure, composition, and function of plants. These traits are controlled by both environmental variables and genetic makeup. Conventional manual methods of phenotyping, although time-consuming and not very accurate, have laid the foundation for more modern approaches such as high throughput phenotyping (HTP). HTP utilizes imaging, sensor networks, robotics, and data analytics to automate the process of collecting and analyzing data. This study utilizes hyperspectral and digital imaging techniques to quantify physiological, biochemical, and morphological characteristics in grapevines. Hyperspectral imaging was leveraged to collect spectral data for evaluating physiological factors, whereas digital imaging …

Effects Of Isoacids Supplementation In Lactating Cows’ Diet Varying In Forage Fiber Level On Performances, Feed Efficiency, And Milk Fatty Acids Profile, Sumon Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Soybean Meal Versus Distillers Co-Products As A Protein Supplement For Finishing Beef Cattle: Effects On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Cassidy R. Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two randomized complete block design experiments were conducted to: 1) examine the effects of soybean meal with or without additional soybean hulls in replacement of modified corn distillers grains plus (MDGS) solubles on growth performance efficiency of dietary net energy utilization and carcass traits responses in finishing beef steers, 2) determine if partial or complete replacement of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) with solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM) in diets based upon high-moisture ensiled corn influences growth performance, efficiency of dietary net energy utilization, sera urea-N (SUN) concentrations, or carcass traits in finishing beef steers. Experiment 1 was a 118-d …

Estimating South Dakota’S Capacity To Meet K-12 School Meal Fruit And Vegetable Requirements With State-Grown Produce, Bridgette Bienias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Quantify South Dakota (SD)’s capacity to procure locally-sourced fruit and vegetables (FVs) for K-12 school meals.
Methods: Secondary analysis of 2017 SD agricultural census and school meal data. Yields were converted to edible cups of FVs using school meal guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Student enrollment and meal redemptions were used to estimate the number of FV cups needed.
Results: Estimated SD FV production met minimum total K-12 cup requirements, except for total fruit (66%) and dark green vegetables (80%). Legumes supplied 77% of the total cups of vegetables produced in 2017, whereas dark green vegetables …

Integrating Early Season Clover Cover Crops As A Living Mulch In Broccoli And Transitional Organic Winter Squash Production In Eastern South Dakota, Alexis Rose Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Managing weeds, improving soil health, and reducing the use of plastic mulch continue to be priorities for South Dakota vegetable farmers. Farmers have expressed an interest in integrating cover crops into their farm systems. Clover cover crops used as a living mulch within and along cash crop rows may aid in weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, and prevent soil erosion. However, prior research has shown challenges of incorporating living mulch due to yield decreases. Research conducted in 2022 and 2023 in eastern South Dakota investigated the effects of four clover and four in-row soil management treatments on broccoli and organic winter …

Utilizing Soil Sensors To Assess Soil Health And Investigating Cover Crops Impact On Methane Emission, Shailesh Pandit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil health is influenced by climate change, cultural practices, topography, crop rotations, cover crops, soil parent materials, and soil biota. Interactions between these factors can improve or reduce soil health. This thesis investigates two topics, using soil sensors to provide a rapid assessment of soil health, and the impact of cover crops on soil biological activity and greenhouse gas emissions. Chapter 1 explores the use of two types of sensors to measure apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and provides examples on the use of these sensors. Even though both sensors measure ECa using different processes, they provide useful information about temporal …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Placement And Rate Impacts Sunflower Seed Yield, Oil And Protein Content, Rojina Kafle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

South Dakota accounts for about 36% of the total US commercial sunflower production and nitrogen is a major input. Costs related to N fertilizer demand economically optimum N rates. This study investigated the impact of the N fertilizer placement method (broadcast vs band) and rate (0, 28, 56, 84, 112, 140 kg N ha-1) on leaf chlorophyll content, head diameter, seed yield, seed oil, and protein concentration of three sunflower hybrids in 2022 and 2023. The experiment was conducted at Brookings (eastern SD- conventional till, 66 cm rainfall) using an oil-type hybrid and at central SD sites (no-till, 57 cm …

Increasing Soy Products Inclusion In Swine Diets To Improve Growth Performance, Health, And Pork Quality, Ashir Foreman Atoo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite its excellent nutritional profile, soybean meal (SBM) is limited in nursery pig diets due to its anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), which young pigs tolerate poorly. In the first study, strategies to mitigate these effects included supplementation with enzymes, alone or with acidifiers. A total of 240 weaned pigs (5.9 ± 0.8 kg average body weight [BW]) were assigned in randomized complete block design to five dietary treatments: low, medium, or high SBM diets, high SBM with multienzyme, and high SBM with multienzyme plus acidifier. Diets were fed in three phases: phase 1 (0–1 weeks), phase 2 (1–3 weeks), and phase …

Translocations Of North American Bison Across Large Climatic Gradients: Impacts On Thermoregulation, Body Size, And Helmintic Infection, Hayden Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, one-eighth of all North American bison (Bison bison) are translocated, often across large climatic gradients. Over the last 16 years bison have been translocated from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota to establish six herds across the United States central grasslands in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Influence of climatic gradients on herd-level thermoregulation, body size, and helmintic infection were evaluated. Overall, 1174 thermal images and 1050 fecal samples were collected between 2021 and 2023. Physiological heat flux was used to measure thermoregulation, asymptotic body mass (ABM) was used for body size, and helminth genera abundance …

Beef Hot Carcass Weight Influences Proteolysis, Clay J. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to determine the influence of beef hot carcass weight on proteolysis to better understand early postmortem proteolysis. Beef tenderness formation is influenced by various factors, such as temperature decline and proteolysis. Limited focus has been given to the effects of carcass weight on proteolysis. This study aimed to investigate the influence of increased beef hot carcass weight (HCW) on proteolysis of four muscles (serratus ventralis, longissimus thoracis, longissimus lumborum, and semitendinosus) during early postmortem aging times. Beef steers (n =12) were harvested and categorized into two weight groups: lightweight (LW; HCW = 349 ± …

Improving Stream Connectivity In South Dakota, Colton Rainier Curtis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stream connectivity is crucial for fish movement and genetic diversity in fragmented landscapes. Road-crossings often act as barriers, disrupting hydrology and isolating fish populations. The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) has developed rapid road-crossing assessment protocols and tools to prioritize restoration projects. However, managers lack tools for planning, directing, and initiating roadcrossing assessments. Managers also require modeling approaches to effectively identify and monitor road-crossings across dynamic stream networks. Presented here is a case study offering a roadmap for effective implementation of collaborative road-crossing assessments and prioritization of remediation projects, alongside an exploration of predictive modeling approaches to identify problematic crossings …

Elucidating The Role Of Sialic Acid In Tumorigenic Pathways, Kakali Das

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypersialylation is a prognostic biomarker in cancer cells. The upregulated sialic acid expression on cancer cells facilitates tumorigenesis by playing a critical role in cancer cell proliferation and growth, immune evasion, cell signaling, and metastasis by interacting with various carbohydrate-binding molecules. Sialic acids on cancer cell surface undergo various modifications like O-acetylation at positions 4,7,9 de-acetylation and addition of glycolyl group at position 5. In our first chapter we analyzed the effect of de-acetylated sialic acid on migration via selectin binding in colon cancer cell line HCT116 and in lung cancer cell line A549. Selectins are calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules …

Joint Problem-Solving Orientation, Mutual Value Recognition, And Performance In Fluid Teamwork Environments, Michaela Kerrissey, Zhanna Novikov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Joint problem-solving orientation (JPS) has been identified as a factor that promotes performance in fluid teamwork, but research on this factor remains nascent. This study pushes the frontier of understanding about JPS in fluid teamwork environments by applying the concept to within-organization work and exploring its relationships with performance, mutual value recognition (MVR), and expertise variety (EV).

METHODS: This is a longitudinal, survey-based field study within a large United States healthcare organization

RESULTS: Our results affirm a moderated mediation model wherein JPS enhances performance, both directly and through MVR; EV serves as a moderator in the JPS-MVR relationship. JPS …

Utilizing Ai Integrated Neuroimaging Technology To Expand Upon Machine Learning In Positron Emission Tomography Technology With The Aim Of Detecting Amyloid Beta Biomarkers Early In The Onset Of Alzheimer's., Ethan S. Terman

UROP Posters

Early intervention in Alzheimer's is vital for treatment. The earlier a professional can detect symptoms and make a diagnosis the earlier a prognosis can be implemented. With the prevalence of data in our day-to-day world combined with Artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing both for machine learning can pave the way for more accurate and efficient detection of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. AI combined with Machine learning (ML) increases diagnostic efficiency and reduces human errors, making it a valuable resource for physicians and clinicians alike. With the increasing amount of data processing and image interpretation required, the ability to use AI …

Lycosidae Abundance And Diversity Across Lawn And Leaf Litter Substrate, Sage O. Lockett, Dan Albrecht-Mallinger

UROP Posters

Significant knowledge gaps exist in how land-cover impacts ground-hunting spider populations. To fill these gaps, this study investigates a common family of ground-hunting spiders, Lycosidae, to determine differences in their abundance and diversity in deciduous leaf litter and managed turfgrass (lawn). The study was conducted within a forested ecosystem at Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, Virginia. I placed 10 belt transects (1m x 20m) on lawn substrate and 10 identical transects in deciduous forest leaf litter substrate. I performed repeated visual census via eyeshine and manual capture of up to three individuals per transect …

Neurodevelopmental Vulnerability To Gestational Ozone Exposure, Vishnupriya Alavala, Sarah E. Brent, Christopher G. Canal, Joseph Wang, Russell P. Hunter, Matthew J. Campen, Andrew K. Ottens

UROP Posters

Ambient air pollution accounts for about 4.2 million premature deaths annually per the World Health Organization. Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive air pollutant found in smog and is implicated in cellular damage leading to organ dysfunction. Ambient air pollution is associated with neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and cognitive disorders though ozone’s role is unknown. Studies here look at ozone exposure shortly after implantation vs. shortly before term to evaluate differences in neurodevelopmental susceptibility over time.

To inquire on the effects of ozone on the fetal brain, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed once to 0.3 ppm of O3 or filtered air (FA) …