Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessing Women's Attitudes Towards Genetic Testing For Hereditary Breast Cancer, Taylor Jane Apostolico

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVES: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) is an autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome with a 46-87% lifetime risk of breast cancer. Unaffected women who have HBOC are eligible for more screening procedures and prophylactic surgeries that may reduce the risk of developing cancer by up to 95%. The objectives of this study were to assess women’s awareness of and interest in breast cancer genetic testing services, as well as women’s attitudes and beliefs regarding the clinical utilization of HBOC genetic testing across demographic categories. METHODS: Two-hundred and sixty-eight women completed a 35-item survey designed to capture perceptions of HBOC …

Prediction Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness From Maximal Anaerobic Capacity, Elizabeth Ann Tanner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Incremental treadmill VO2max protocols are often considered the superior method of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness. These exercise test protocols stress aerobic energy production pathways. However, at the point of VO2max attainment anaerobic energy systems are the predominant mechanisms of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Likewise, the Wingate cycle test, a commonly accepted method of anaerobic capacity assessment stresses anaerobic energy pathways. Based on the utilization of energy production pathways at the point of VO2max and maximal anaerobic capacity attainment a relationship between VO2max and Wingate exercise test protocols may exist. This potential relationship may facilitate the prediction of cardiorespiratory fitness from maximal …

Neural Processes Underlying Auditory Context Effects, Breanne Yerkes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Auditory information within our natural environments is disorganized and often ambiguous, leaving our auditory systems with a complex task: organizing sound into coherent objects. The auditory system uses both current and prior information to assist in completing this task. The influences of previous context on current perception have been referred to as context effects. A contrastive context effect results in a current perception that is opposite of what is expected based on the physical stimulus properties presented during an immediate context. A facilitative context effect results in a current perception that is the same as the perception during the immediate …

Are Vending Machine Selections Healthier? Trends In Dietary Quality Of Vending Machine Food And Beverage Selections Among Nhanes Participants Age 6-19 Years Between 2003-2012, Aurora Maria Buffington

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dietary intake is related to 4 major causes of death and may be influenced by the food environment, which includes the $64.3 billion revenue-producing vending machine industry. Most machines contain low nutrient energy dense foods and beverages associated with poor dietary choices, while healthier vending initiatives are seen as a strategy to increase access to healthy foods. Elementary and secondary schools have increasingly adopted healthier vending standards in response to federal child nutrition regulation and student wellness policy implementation, however an association between vending and diet has not been made using a large sample of nationally representative data. The purpose …

Gene Expression Profiling In The Larval Fat Body Of Desiccation Selected Drosophila Melanogaster, Adriana Michelle Charles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Drosophila melanogaster selected for resistance to desiccation (no food or water) display slower development and a higher body mass compared to fed controls due to an extended third larval instar. I hypothesize that desiccation selected D. melanogaster larvae will have a different gene expression profile compared to fed controls. Separate populations of D. melanogaster were subjected to desiccation (no food or water), starvation (no food) until 80-85% mortality, for 75 generations. mRNA from the larval fat body was collected at 88 hours, 96 hours, 112 hours and 120 hours post-hatching. Four replicate samples were used for each condition and time …

A Variant Pfcrt Isoform Can Contribute To Plasmodium Falciparum Resistance To The First-Line Partner Drug Piperaquine, Satish K. Dhingra, Devasha Redhi, Jill M. Combrinck, Tomas Yeo, John Okombo, Philipp P. Henrich, Annie N. Cowell, Purva Gupta, Matthew L. Stegman, Jonathan M. Hoke, Roland A. Cooper, Elizabeth Winzeler, Sachel Mok, Timothy J. Egan, David A. Fidock

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Current efforts to reduce the global burden of malaria are threatened by the rapid spread throughout Asia of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies, which includes increasing rates of clinical failure with dihydroartemisinin plus piperaquine (PPQ) in Cambodia. Using zinc finger nuclease-based gene editing, we report that addition of the C101F mutation to the chloroquine (CQ) resistance-conferring PfCRT Dd2 isoform common to Asia can confer PPQ resistance to cultured parasites. Resistance was demonstrated as significantly higher PPQ concentrations causing 90% inhibition of parasite growth (IC₉₀) or 50% parasite killing (50% lethal dose [LD₅₀]). This mutation …

Aging And Fermentation As Adaptive Food Management Strategies In The Arctic, Celeste Giordano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation is composed of three papers: one published article, one article under review for publication, and one published commentary. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the dissertation as a whole – a work that investigates food aging and fermentation techniques in an indigenous Yup’ik Alaskan community, proposes an adaptive explanation for these strategies in the circumpolar north, and explores the potential importance of them cross-culturally and evolutionarily. Chapter 2 is a paper that describes the seal poke storage system – an indigenous food preservation and storage technique that Yup’ik Alaskans used to manage food security up until approximately one …

Sparking A Dolphin's Curiosity: Individual Differences In Dolphins' Reactions To Surprising And Expectation-Violating Events, Malin Katarina Lilley

Master's Theses

Non-scientific literature consistently describes dolphins as “curious animals,” but there has been little systematic research on curiosity in dolphins. Curiosity in humans and certain non-human animal species, including birds and non-human primates, has been studied by examining individual differences in exploration and reactions to novel stimuli. Additionally, research has explored how human infants and non-human animals react when an event violates their expectations. The present study explored dolphins’ reactions to spontaneously surprising and expectation-violating stimuli. The reactions of dolphins, 15 bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and 6 rough-toothed (Steno bredanensis), at Gulf World Marine Park were analyzed in …

The Effect Of Boat Type On Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Trucatus) Behavior In The Mississippi Sound, Maria Zapetis

Master's Theses

Increases in oceanic shipping are a global phenomenon, and a leading cause of concern for marine animal welfare. While it may be difficult to assess the effect of boat traffic on all species in all contexts, it is vital to report anthropogenic impacts where longitudinal data is available, and doubly so where a dearth of information exists. The purpose of this study is to describe how dolphin behavior changed in the presence of boats in the Mississippi Sound between 2006 and 2012, and more specifically, to detail how different boat types impacted dolphins’ behavioral states. This study is unique in …

Investigating Localization And Activity-Dependent Translation Of Astrocyte Mrna, Rohan Khazanchi

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

Over the past two and a half years, I have studied fundamental aspects of astrocyte biology by investigating the existence and mechanism of astrocyte local translation peripherally around tripartite synapses consisting of pre- and post-synaptic neuron terminals and an associated astrocyte. Astrocytes are critical components of central nervous system synapses (which are predominately tripartite in nature); thus, it is important to consider how astrocyte dysregulation and dysfunction could contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases of synaptic connectivity such as autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, seizure disorders, and more. Overall, my projects involved the development of novel methods to identify astrocyte-specific …

Book Review Essay: Pimp State: Sex, Money, And Equality By Kat Banyard, Christopher Adam Bagley

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

In this strongly recommended book, Banyard effectively demolishes six myths which defenders of unregulated commercial sexual exploitation of girls and women offer: 1) “Demand for sex work is inevitable; 2) Being paid for sex is regular service work; 3) Porn is fantasy; 4) Objecting to the sex trade makes you a pearl-clutching, sexually conservative prude; 5) Decriminalizing the entire prostitution trade makes women safe; and 6) Resistance is futile.” I add to Banyard’s analysis my views on the following topics: 1) the sexual exploitation of minors as an essential part of the commercial sex industry; 2) recent Canadian experience in …

The Vocal Babbling Behavior And Its Sibling Effects In A Wild Parrot, Tatiana Dolgushina

Theses and Dissertations

Vocal learning is a rare trait in the animal kingdom, defined as the sensorimotor imitation of sounds, and is only found in select groups of birds and mammals. Parrots are a behaviorally complex group of birds, famous for their ability to mimic social companions, but how they develop this ability in the wild has received little attention. The vocal learning period consists of a complex vocal babbling stage, a crucial developmental precursor for imitation of adult vocalizations in humans and songbirds, but has not been described in any of the 360+ parrot species. This project quantifies potential individual variation in …

Multifunctionality Of Cover Crops On Organic Vegetable Farms In South Texas, Savannah M. Rugg

Theses and Dissertations

Situated in deep South Texas, the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is considered one the most productive agricultural regions in the southern US. With the highest concentration of organic farms in the state (Hidalgo county), finding management practices that comply with organic certification is increasingly pertinent. Cover cropping can serve multiple functions in an agroecosystem such as: suppressing weeds, increasing soil organic matter (SOM), increasing soil nitrates, and enhancing soil biodiversity. The four cover crops (lablab, sunn hemp, sudangrass, and pearl millet) were assessed to see their potential to increase soil nitrogen, to increase soil organic matter, and to suppress …

Production Of Antibodies For Specific Detection Of Dengue Virus-2 By Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, E. Ashley Thompson

Honors Theses

Dengue Virus (DENV) is a flavivirus spread by mosquitoes that are endemic in tropic and subtropic climates. It is the causative pathogen of Dengue Fever, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, and Dengue Shock Syndrome. Besides mosquito transmission, DENV can also be transmitted through blood transfusion. Due to the high expense and expertise needed to run tests like ELISA and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based-assays for DENV detection, a rapid, sensitive and cost effective gold nanoparticles mediated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) assay has been developed as an alternative assay to detect DENV. In this project, I successfully produced a monoclonal antibody that specifically …

The Regulatory Relationship Of Transcriptional Regulators Msab And Cody In Capsule Production In Staphylococcus Aureus, Brittany L. Trunell

Honors Theses

There are many transcriptional regulators found in pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Many of these regulators are essential for the organism’s ability to switch from commensal form to the virulent pathogenic form. One of these main regulators is CodY. This regulator has been shown to be responsive to nutrient availability during phases of growth. Additionally, we have recently found that MsaB, the only protein coding ORF of the msaABCR operon, is a putative co-regulator of capsule along with CodY. To explore these regulator interactions, we produced mutations of codY and msaABCR individually and a double mutation of msaABCR/ codY. We have observed …

Altering The Structure Of Carboxysomal Carbonic Anhydrase Csosca To Determine The Necessity Of The N-Terminal Domain In Csosca Function, Dana L. Dillistone

Honors Theses

In this project, a DNA construct was designed and developed to remove the first fifty amino acids of the CsoSCA protein in the chemolithotrophic bacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus. The csoS3 gene codes for a carbonic anhydrase enzyme (CsoSCA) that is unique to a structure called a carboxysome. Carboxysomes are polyhedral microcompartments where carbon fixation is housed. The carbonic anhydrase is a shell-associated protein that improves the catalytic efficiency of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the enzyme that catalyzes the fixation of carbon. By deleting the first fifty amino acids of the carbonic anhydrase, the necessity of the amino acids in carboxysome function was …

Effect Of Physical Activity On Quality Of Life For College Students: A Comparative Gender Study, Sarah J. Boozer

Honors Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity levels in college students and health related quality of life scores. Additional analysis was used to determine whether more of a relationship exists between female or male students’ in terms of activity versus quality of life.

Methods

Students for this study were gathered through their involvement in kinesiology based organizations on campus. Two surveys were utilized, the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Health Related Quality of Life survey. Students were also asked to record their gender, which allowed for the second analysis. After scoring the …

Ecological Consequences Of Water Loss Under Climate Change In Small Ectotherms, Eric Alexander Riddell

All Dissertations

Warming climates threaten to reduce biodiversity across the planet, yet the capacity of organisms to minimize the effects of climate change are rarely considered in current ecological predictions of climate change. Organisms can minimize the effect of warming through behavioral, physiological, and morphological processes that limit exposure to lethal conditions or improve performance. Therefore, integrating these mechanisms into ecological models might improve predictions on the loss of biodiversity under climate change. For my dissertation, I focus on the physiological processes that influence habitat suitability in a group of terrestrial, lungless salamanders (Plethodon spp.) found in the core of the global …

Mechanism Of Substrate Reduction By Nitrogenase, Nimesh Khadka

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrogen (N) is a vital element of life and the main component of chemical fertilizer. The industrial Haber-Bosch process fulfills the demands of today’s nitrogen need and is therefore considered as one of the major scientific breakthroughs of the last century. However, the Haber-Bosch process operates at very high temperature and pressure, and requires fossils fuels to drive the reaction, making it an energy expensive process. The energy demand for this process accounts for almost 3% of the total global energy consumption. In addition, the rapid population growth, economic development and depletion of limited non-renewable fossil fuels have already created …

Spatial Ecology Of Coyotes And Cougars: Understanding The Influence Of Multiple Prey On The Spatial Interactions Of Two Predators, Peter J. Mahoney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The coyote (Canis latrans) has expanded throughout much of North America over the past century following the regional extirpation of apex predators. These highly adaptable canids can occupy a variety of landscapes from the rainforests of Central America to the dense, human-dominated urban centers of the United States. As a generalist predator, coyotes can capitalize on a variety of food resources, including anthropogenic subsidies such as domestic livestock and food tailings at landfills. These tendencies often bring coyotes in direct conflict with humans, forcing managers to consider mitigation strategies ranging from the targeted removal of problem individuals to …

Analysis Of Beef Steaks Of Varying Usda Quality Grades And Thicknesses Cooked On Low And High Grill Surface Temperatures, Tonirae Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this project was to analyze the thermodynamics (thermal conductivity and diffusivity as well as protein denaturation) and physical properties (percent expressible moisture, cooking loss, change in steak thickness, shear force, texture profile analysis and rheological behavior) of beef steaks of different USDA quality grades (Upper 2/3 Choice and Select), thicknesses (thick and thin), and grill surface temperatures (high and low) cooked to the same internal degree of doneness to determine if a specific set of cooking parameters would create a profound difference in the eating characteristics, described by the tenderness and juiciness of cooked beef strip steaks. …

The Influence Of Wind Energy Development On Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus Phasianellus Columbianus) Breeding Season Ecology In Eastern Idaho, Matthew C. Proett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus; CSTG) has experienced range-wide population declines, primarily as a result of habitat loss or degradation, and currently occupies <10% of its historic range. Expansion of wind energy developments across the remaining occupied CSTG range has been identified as a potential threat to the species. To assess the potential influence of wind energy development of CSTG breeding season ecology, I captured and radio-marked 135 female CSTG drugin 2014-2015 at leks located between 0.1-13.8 km from wind turbines in restored grassland habitats. Using radio-telemetry, I monitored 147 nests and 68 broods and developed models to assess the influence of wind turbines, roads, habitat features temporal factors, and precipitation on CSTG nest site selection, nest survival, brood success, and chick survival. Female CSTG in my study selected nest sites in grassland habitats where >30% of the canopy cover in the nesting core use area was composed of forbs (i.e., broadleaf plants). The strength of selection for this habitat type increased as its availability increased on the landscape. Nest survival increased with higher visual obstruction readings (i.e., concealment) at the nest bowl and in grassland habitats where forb cover exceeded 30% in the nesting core use area. I did not detect an influence of wind turbines or …

Effects Of Changing Environments On Survival Of A Widely Distributed Ungulate, S Andrew Sims

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildlife species distributed over large areas of land inhabiting varying environments are experiencing shifts in their home ranges due to human expansion and climate change. As these species home ranges shifts out of familiar, critical habitat they are forced to interact with novel environments, which in turn affects the species population demographics. In order to manage and conserve these species accordingly, specifically in a time of large-scale change, it is imperative that we add to current understandings of how they interact with various environments. Furthermore, frequently generating short-term predictions of demographic drivers will allow for conservation and management insight that …

Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Resistance To Mountain Pine Beetle: An Evaluation Of Dendroctonus Ponderosae Host Selection Behavior And Reproductive Success In Pinus Longaeva, Erika L. Eidson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) is a native bark beetle that attacks and kills most species of pines (Pinus) throughout its range in western North America. Due to the strong relationship between thermal conditions and mountain pine beetle population success, climate change-induced changes in mountain pine beetle outbreaks are a major concern for land managers. Over the past several decades, warmer than average temperatures allowed mountain pine beetle populations to reach epidemic levels across much of the western U.S. and Canada, including high elevations where outbreaks were previously limited by cool temperatures. Many high-elevation pine …

Spatial And Behavioral Patterns Of Captive Coyotes, Jeffrey T. Schultz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Environmental enrichment is a technique used at many captive animal facilities that can improve the well-being of their animals. It seeks to enhance habitat features and promote natural behavior by providing a variety of practical ways for captive animals to control their environmental settings, especially during stressful circumstances. Enclosure features, such as shelter structures, are one tool that promotes wild behavior by adding complexity to an enclosure’s physical environment. Enrichment efforts for captive wildlife are most effective when they are specialized to the biological needs of the animals. Human activity may alter captive animal behavior and utility of enclosure features, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Utah Farm Field Days, Paige Wray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah farm field day events seek to increase agricultural literacy among elementary students. Although these events are occurring statewide, no formal evaluation has been conducted to determine student increases in agricultural literacy related to these events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two such events to see what students knew about agriculture before they attended the farm field day, what they wanted to learn about concerning agriculture, and what they learned after attending the event. Results showed that these children were below average for expected grade level understandings or agricultural awareness before the event. However, after the event, …

Nitrogen Excretion Of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed An Alfalfa Hay- Or Birdsfoot Trefoil Hay-Based High-Forage Diet, Mohammad Ghelich Khan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Legumes that contain condensed tannins (CT) may have lower protein degradability than alfalfa. The present study investigated the effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) hay on lactation performance and N utilization. Eight multiparous Holstein cows in mid lactation (150 ± 22.3 d-in-milk) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 rations [alfalfa hay-based TMR (AHT) or birdsfoot trefoil hay-based TMR (BFTT)] in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods. Each experimental period lasted 16 d (14 d of adaptation and 2 d of total collection), and the 2 experimental periods were separated by a 7-d washout period. In the …

The Role Of The Fatty Acid Signaling Pathway In Dietary-Induced Obesity, Melissa N. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years, dietary fat has been shown to be capable of activing taste receptor cells in the tongue. Fatty acids (FAs), which act as the chemical cue and are found in dietary fat, activate a cellular signaling pathway that results in a unique signal being sent to the brain that is then interpreted as the taste of fat. One important element in this pathway is the ion channel TrpM5. It is responsible for depolarizing the taste cells that are activated by fatty acids; depolarization is an essential step in cellular response, making TrpM5 essential in the functioning of the …

Interactions Between Plant Water-Stress And Neonicotinoid Insecticides On Spider Mite Infestations In Corn, Alice Ruckert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) are an important agricultural pest of many crops and landscape plants. They can reproduce rapidly and quickly develop resistance to many pesticides, making them difficult to manage. Plant water-stress and high temperatures promote spider mite infestations, while spider mite outbreaks can also result from neonicotinoid insecticide applications. Drought is predicted to increase in the Intermountain West due to increases in temperature and reduced frequency of precipitation events in the region, and neonicotinoids are currently one of the most widely used classes of insecticides in field crops. I studied the interactive effect of these two simultaneously occurring …

The Influence Of Aspen Chemistry And The Nutritional Context On Aspen Herbivory, Kristen Y. Heroy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumption of aspen by herbivores is one major force causing aspen decline in North America. In this Dissertation, I aimed to determine why herbivores prefer browsing on certain aspen stands over others, and why they prefer consuming aspen that contains chemical defenses over understory forages like grasses, forbs, and shrubs. I explored the influence of nutrients and chemical defenses within aspen on aspen intake and preference by lambs in pen experiments. I also explored drivers of aspen preference on the landscape by looking at relationships between aspen herbivory, indicators of aspen health, amount of nutrients available in the understory, and …