Life Sciences Commons^™

Foraging Plasticity And Mercury Contamination In Red-Legged Kittiwakes: A Multiple Stressor Perspective, Sam E. Clay

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arctic seabirds are facing increasing stress from climate change, yet the interactive effects of multiple stressors on behavior remain poorly understood. Adopting a multiple stressor perspective promises to advance understanding of avian behavioral responses to climate change, as climate change is exposing Arctic and subarctic animals to a complex set of stressors rather than a single stressor in isolation. Using the red-legged kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) as a model, I examined how multiple stressors, including mercury (Hg) exposure, shifting wind conditions, and varying foraging conditions linked to sea surface temperature (SST) may interact to constrain behavioral plasticity and energetically expensive behavior …

Dendroclimatic Response Of The Wet Miombo Woodland Species: A Case Study Of Mufulira District, Copperbelt Province, Zambia, Collins Chibuye Malubeni

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Zambia is a tropical, landlocked country that lies in the South-Central part of Africa. The climate in Zambia includes distinct dry and rainy seasons, mainly influenced by the north-south movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which shifts seasonally. This research is focused on understanding the relationship between tree growth and climate using dendrochronology. Forty-nine tropical species, including Julbernardia paniculata, Brachystegia longifolia, and Pericopsis angolensis, were analysed for dendroclimatic potential, and 70% showed clear ring formation, indicating that trees in this locality produce distinct annual ring boundaries. For the single species chronology, thirteen cores from eight trees that were initially …

Analysis Of Developmental Cardiogenic Processes Mediated By Fox And Zinc-Finger Transcription Factors, Rajnandani Katariya

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiogenesis is a highly choreographed biological process requiring the precise integration of gene regulatory networks to govern cell division, fate determination, and spatial positioning. Disruptions in these mechanisms lead to congenital heart defects (CHDs), which affect approximately 1% of live births globally. Due to the evolutionary conservation of cardiac signaling pathways and the structural homologies between the Drosophila dorsal vessel and the early vertebrate heart tube, Drosophila melanogaster serves as a powerful model for dissecting the fundamental mechanisms of heart development. This dissertation investigates the molecular orchestration of cardiac development, specifically focusing on the roles of the transcription factors Jumu …

Trawling For Clues: Examining Nefmc Herring Amendment 8, Christopher Santoro

Honors Scholar Theses

In 2007, almost twenty years ago, the Magnuson-Stevens Act changed the landscape of fisheries management in the US. Through the establishment of Fisheries Management Councils (FMCs), it paved the way for top-down management approaches that helped the government combat nationwide declines or collapses in fish stocks. Among the myriad responsibilities of the FMCs was the expectation that amendments to existing fisheries management plans would be a necessity to adapt to modern circumstances. This thesis focuses on New England Fisheries Management Council's (NEFMC's) Herring Amendment 8 (A8). This amendment, passed in 2021, attempts to lay the groundwork for sustainable management of …

Teaching Beyond The Textbook, Jada Fritzemeier

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

As part of the Community Engaged Learning component in our Community Psychology class, we worked closely with St. Joseph Catholic School and Saint John’s Preparatory School to support students’ learning and understanding of their education and its values. Both schools have shared values and work to promote the integration of faith and the Benedictine values into their daily lives. While there, we provided one-on-one support to students with various academic and well-being needs as well as classroom assistance. These include after-school tutoring, mindfulness walks with students, interactive activities to promote community, and helping teachers and students in the classroom. By …

Unveiling The Biochemical Pathway Responsible For Ankyloglossia (Tongue-Tie) By Tracking Enzymatic Activity Of Apoptosis Pathways, Becca Ringstad

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Ankyloglossia (Tongue-tie) is a condition that is caused by failed cellular degeneration leading to a short lingual frenulum. This short lingual frenulum tethers the tongue to the bottom palate of the mouth and leads to problems, including breastfeeding for infants, depriving them of important proteins that build the gut microbiome, strengthen the immune system, and fight off antigens. If left untreated, it leads to problems with speech articulation, airway development, and obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment involves a frenectomy, which is the release of the short lingual frenulum using surgical scissors or a laser. Ankyloglossia can occur with conditions such as …

Cancer Gets Extreme: How Extremophiles Can Improve Research And Therapy, Jason Malmgren

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Extremophiles are organisms that can survive in extreme environmental conditions, and their unique biological adaptations have gained attention for potential applications in cancer research. This paper explores how the molecular characteristics of extremophiles, such as enhanced DNA repair, resistance to oxidative stress, and structural stability, may be useful in improving cancer treatment strategies. A range of studies were examined to understand both direct and indirect roles of extremophile-derived compounds in oncology. Some research shows that compounds from organisms like Deinococcus radiodurans and extremophilic Streptomyces species can inhibit cancer cell growth, increase reactive oxygen species, and trigger apoptosis. Other studies highlight …

Lipid Deposition In Beef Cattle, Kyra L. Elliott

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Both the amount and types of lipid deposition in beef cattle are key determinants of carcass value and meat quality. Amounts of intramuscular, subcutaneous, and visceral fat influence carcass grading outcomes, palatability, and composition traits that are important to beef producers as well as consumers. The objectives of this thesis were to: 1) compare beef grading camera estimates of intramuscular fat to amounts of chemically extractable lipid, 2) characterize the lipidomes of beef intramuscular fat, subcutaneous fat, and lean muscle using shotgun lipidomics, and 3) identify and characterize a novel genetic variant in cattle that may have important implications for …

Characterization Of Activity Changes In Gilts During Estrus Using The NuTrack Livestock Monitoring System, Emily P. Aquino

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Early and accurate detection of estrus in replacement gilts is essential for reproductive success and to ensure efficient production. The objective of this study was to evaluate activity changes occurring relative to first estrus of gilts and subsequent cycles. At ~ 110 days of age, 112 gilts were randomly assigned to 14 pens and placed under continuous video monitoring until the end of the trial at ~ 200 days of age. Daily boar exposure (~ 10 minutes per day) began at ~ 122 days of age. During this period, recorded observations included vulva scores (based on swelling and redness), mounting …

Evaluation Of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance Administration And Feed Access Time On Finishing Cattle Performance, Behavior, And Carcass Characteristics, Carsten L. Loseke

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Novel products and bunk management techniques may significantly influence economically relevant performance metrics of feedlot cattle. The objective of the first experiment was to evaluate maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (mBAS) administration on performance, carcass, health, and cortisol outcomes of yearling steers. Steers (n = 1,754, initial BW = 423 kg, SD = 25 kg) were received and assigned to pens for treatment allocation. Steers received either 10 mL of the mBAS or a mineral oil placebo at initial processing and reimplant. Hair samples were collected from a subset (n = 4 steers/pen) on d 0 and d 14. …

Integrating Growth Performance And Pathogen Detection To Investigate Disease Resilience In Commercial Swine, Emmalise Hope Marie Meyer

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Disease resilience is an important trait in commercial swine production, influencing both animal health and growth performance under natural disease challenge. The primary objective of this study was to integrate growth performance data with longitudinal pathogen detection to better understand factors contributing to disease resilience in commercial pigs. A population of 1,014 pigs across four batches was monitored from weaning through the grow-finish phase, with body weights collected to calculate average daily gain (ADG). Genome-wide association analyses were conducted using BayesC and BayesIM approaches to identify genomic regions associated with growth performance. Longitudinal pathogen surveillance was performed using pen-level oral …

Tail Biting In The Nursery: Evaluating Postural, Spatial, And Behavioral Differences Between Tail Biter And Victim Pigs, Storey L. Forster

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examined behavioral differences among pigs classified as tail biters, victims, or neutral during the nursery period. A total of 192 undocked nursery pigs were assigned to eight pens and monitored for 30 days using the NUtrack system. Tail biting events were identified from video observations, and pigs contributing to the top 25% of observed tail biting activity were classified as tail biters. Based on weekly tail scoring, pigs assigned a maximum tail injury score ≥ 2 were classified as victims. All other pigs were considered neutral. A total of 700 tail biting events were observed. Thirty-eight pigs …

Application Of High-Pressure Processing To Improve The Color Of Dark Beef, Kara Ann Reynolds

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Deviation of beef from the bright cherry-red color preferred by consumers is often discounted or discarded at retail, resulting in substantial annual economic loss to the beef industry. One such deviation is dark cutting beef, which is characterized by a darker lean appearance that is undesirable to consumers and often rejected. Similarly, beef from mature cattle tends to exhibit a darker surface color, which can also reduce consumer acceptability. High-Pressure processing (HPP) has been investigated as a strategy to improve the color of dark cutting beef. Previous studies have focused on identifying pressure levels and holding times that optimize color …

Preclinical Animal Modeling To Investigate Redox-Mediated Molecular Dysfunction In Traumatic Brain Injury, Brandon Z. Mcdonald

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Impacts associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) induce a multitude of neurological morbidities mediated by a spread of biochemical dysfunction. Redox stress is a significant contributor to TBI pathophysiology and several redox stress markers have substantial evidence to support their role in diagnosing preclinical and clinical TBI. However, there is a critical need to verify their translational utility through correlations with behavioral, imaging, and molecular modalities. In chapter two, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of an antioxidant treatment (NPC3) using a controlled cortical impact (CCI) mouse model of TBI. NPC3 alleviated glial expression and reactivity while influencing the expression of …

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Free Choice Vitamin & Mineral Supplementation Programs, Tanner K. Wansing

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While free choice vitamin and mineral supplements are widely used within the cow/calf sector, large knowledge gaps exist around the proper management of those supplements. This thesis discusses two factors affecting the efficacy of supplementation. The first interest was the stability of vitamin A when stored with a common free choice mineral supplement. This research addressed a critical data gap by generating information on vitamin A stability within the beef industry, as current data are predominantly based in the swine industry. Vitamin A was discovered to be stable until 4 months of storage regardless of storage conditions, whereas after 4 …

Cytoplasmic Shift Of Interferon Regulatory Factors Co‐Evolved With Jawed Vertebrate Innate Immunity, Vanessa M. Hubing

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The emergence of jaws in early vertebrates introduced a novel feeding apparatus and powerful oral defenses, but it also increased the risk of physical injury and pathogen exposure. Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) play critical roles in orches-trating innate immunity and inflammation in response to invading microbes and tissue damage, with their subcellular local-ization being essential to some IRFs' function. Our results indicate that IRF members underwent independent expansion and diversification in two distinct vertebrate lineages: jawed and jawless vertebrates. The jawed vertebrate-specific factor, IRF5, has maintained conserved nuclear export sequences throughout evolution, while newly diversified IRF members in jawed verte-brates …

Forage Responses To Biological Inoculant And Seed Rates In The Intermountain West, Roy Reid

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Improving the efficiency of fertilizer and seed use is increasingly important for forage producers in the Intermountain West, where alfalfa and silage corn form the foundation of dairy and livestock feed. This thesis evaluates two strategies designed to boost crop productivity: microbial fertilizer coatings and variable-rate seeding.

The first study examined whether Powercoat®, a fertilizer-applied microbial inoculant, could enhance yield, forage quality, or soil phosphorus availability in alfalfa grown on four commercial fields in northern Utah. Across all locations, fertilizer increased yield at only two sites, and Powercoat did not provide additional improvements in yield, forage quality, or soil nutrient …

Impact Of Inhibiting Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake On Calcium Homeostasis And Postmortem Metabolism In Porcine Muscle, Fatema Rahaman Mishu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

After harvesting the animal, pork muscle continues to undergo changes as it turns from muscle into meat. During this early period, the muscle uses up energy and produces acid, which lowers pH and can affect important quality traits such as color and how well the meat holds water. A key driver of these early changes is calcium, a natural mineral inside muscle cells that helps control contraction and energy use. In this study, we tested whether mitochondria (the cell’s “powerhouse”) help control calcium after harvest and, in turn, influence early postmortem changes in pork. We used a research compound (DS16570511) …

Influence Of Predation Risk On Elk Feeding Behavior In A Multi-Predator Environment, Rosemarie C. Pugh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sometimes predators don’t just affect prey by killing them, they can also change how prey behave. For example, animals may spend more time watching for danger and less time eating, which could affect their health and survival. In Yellowstone National Park, past research has suggested that elk may reduce feeding because they are trying to avoid predators like wolves and cougars. However, most previous studies have only looked at elk behavior during the daytime and have often looked at responses from single predators rather than multiple.

In this study, I used high-resolution tracking collars equipped with motion sensors to directly …

Effects Of Mineral Supplementation On Ovine Performance, Forage Selectivity, And Rangeland Utilization In Southern Utah, Ryan A. Spurling

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sheep producers in the Intermountain West region of the US rely on productive rangeland ecosystems that vary widely in forage composition and nutrient availability. As such, supplementation is often necessary to offset dietary deficiencies. Soils and forages grown on rangelands are known to be highly variable in mineral content. Even so, a third to half of the producers in the Intermountain West choose not to provide a complete mineral supplement. Rangeland environments are often characterized by rugged geographical features that make optimal supplement placement difficult. New advances in technology have allowed us to measure individual animal intake on rangelands via …

Alfalfa Yield, Quality, And Nutrient Use Response To Pivot Sprinkler Technology, Deficit Irrigation, And Genetics, Dakota Boren

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In water limited environments, alfalfa is often criticized for its high water use, prompting implementation of new irrigation technologies, deficit irrigation, and adapted crop genetics. Cumulative potential benefits from combining, or stacking, these water-optimizing practices have not been identified. The objective of this on-farm research study was to determine how irrigation technologies, deficit irrigation, genetics, and combinations of these practices impact alfalfa yield and forage quality. Trials were conducted at three sites in Utah from 2020 to 2022 on young alfalfa stands (establishment and first one to three production years). Treatments included five irrigation technologies, four irrigation rates, and two …

Effect Of Agroecological Feeding Systems Of Dairy Cattle On The Nutritional Composition Of Milk, Sree Bhavya Immadi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

How food is produced can influence both its nutritional quality and its impact on the environment. In recent years, regenerative (agroecological) farming practices have gained attention for their potential to improve soil health, biodiversity, and the nutritional value of foods. In dairy production, these practices often involve growing more diverse forage crops, reducing soil disturbance, and relying less on monoculture-grown feed rations. However, there is still limited real-world evidence showing how these practices affect the nutritional composition of milk produced on commercial dairy farms.

This dissertation explores how regenerative feeding and feed production practices influence the nutritional quality of milk, …

Effects Of Serum And Commercial Serum-Free Media On Development Of In Vitro Produced (Ivp) Embryos In Cattle, Kyla Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Serum-containing media has been shown to increase incidence of large offspring syndrome and to alter gene expression, protein synthesis, and cell signaling. These factors together can result in increased pregnancy loss when combined with assisted reproduction technologies. However, there are very few direct comparisons of commercial serum-free media (IVF Bioscience™) and serum-containing media on both IVF and cloned embryo development in cattle. The aim of this study was to determine the role of serum in oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development. Three culture systems, including in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC), were used in this study. Both …

Exploring The Correlation Between Malnutrition And Food And Nutrition Insecurity In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Heather Burr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) may increase the risk of malnutrition because of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and restrictive eating. In addition, patients with IBD may experience food and nutrition insecurity. Therefore, we conducted an online survey to assess risk of malnutrition and food and nutrition insecurity among adult patients with IBD in outpatient and community settings. Patients were recruited between July and December 2025, aiming to reach adults in the Rocky Mountain Region diagnosed with IBD. Data collected included demographics, health-related factors, risk of nutrition insecurity, risk of food insecurity, and barriers and facilitators to dietary management of IBD.

Fifty-seven patients …

Evaluating Short-Day And Intermediate-Day Sweet Onions As Early-Season High Tunnel Onions In West Virginia, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

High tunnels can be used to grow winter alliums such as onions, garlic and leeks.  Onions are  diverse and include groups such as short-day and intermediate-day bulb onions as well as non-bulbing scallions or green onions.  Onions can be diverse in color, size and shape.  Short day onions are typically sweet onions which start bulbing when photoperiods reach 10-12 hours. Short-day onions are typically planted in November-December in the Deep South of the U.S. for spring harvest.   Intermediate day onions start bulbing when the photoperiod is 12-14 hours.  Intermediate day onions are planted in the spring in the Mid-Atlantic region. …

Developing Training And Streamlining Training Management Process For Smithfield Fire Department Employees In Aha, Naemt, And Aap Certifications, Michael Christopher Popa Ii

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The rapid operational expansion of the Smithfield Fire Department and EMS (SFD)—marked by a 300% increase in call volume and a transition to a fully professional, independent paramedic service—exposed critical systemic inefficiencies in clinical preparedness and personnel credentialing. This project addresses the "HALO Paradox," wherein high-acuity, low-occurrence emergencies require expert-level proficiency that cannot be maintained through call volume alone. Historically, the agency relied on fragmented, external continuing education (CE) that incurred high financial costs, lacked equipment standardization, and created administrative bottlenecks during biannual recertification cycles. The central objective of this capstone was to engineer a sustainable, in-house training infrastructure that …

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Host: Fleas And The History Of Pikas In North America, Josh Pletcher

All NMU Master's Theses

Parasite phylogenetics can offer windows into the cryptic evolutionary history of hosts, often highlighting events that are not recorded by the phylogenetics of the host. Pikas (small lagomorphs) host a diverse parasite community comprising endoparasites (e.g., coccidians, nematodes, and cestodes) and ectoparasites (e.g., fleas and mites). Phylogenetic analysis of pika endoparasites has revealed pikas evolved in Asia and colonized North America in two waves, and that contact between these two pika lineages allowed parasites to be transferred from one lineage to another and to survive the extinction of their original host. To uncover these cryptic histories, understanding the biogeography of …

Cell-Type Specific Control Of Visual Fixation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Meagan Leung

Biological Sciences

Navigation in complex environments requires precise visual processing. To move effectively through their surroundings, animals must orient toward and maintain fixation on objects of interest to preserve a stable heading. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this behavior remain poorly understood. We use Drosophila melanogaster as our model organism because its visual behavior can be precisely measured and the availability of genetic tools which enables us to perturb the underlying neural circuits. Using a closed-loop virtual reality environment combined with locomotion tracking, we developed a stimulus protocol that reliably elicits fixation responses. To determine whether specific visual neurons drive fixation responses, …

Long-Term Stimulant Use Is Associated With Normalized White Matter Integrity In The Vta-Nacc Pathway In Adolescents, Isaac T. Arsenault

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Medical practitioners are diagnosing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at a high and ever-increasing rate. The use of stimulant medication to treat ADHD is also increasing and is associated with changes in the brain. Past research found that children with ADHD have lower volume in reward neurocircuitry, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Research has also found that stimulant usage in those with ADHD might “normalize” the reward circuits. However, few longitudinal studies have directly tested the long-term effects of stimulant medication on brain development. Here we tested whether long-term stimulant use is associated with changes …

Dfend: A Nutrition Education Intervention To Improve Food Budgeting, Shopping, And Meal Preparation Skills Among Adults In Arkansas, Samantha K. Edwards

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Preventive strategies targeting modifiable lifestyle factors related to food, nutrition, and health are needed as chronic health conditions continue to rise. Nutrition literacy refers to having the knowledge and skills needed to obtain, understand, and apply nutrition information to make informed dietary decisions. Without adequate nutrition education and food security, vulnerable populations are at risk of malnutrition and poor dietary behaviors. Educational interventions that increase food literacy can help improve dietary choices and food selection skills.

The purpose of this creative project was to develop a nutrition education toolkit for Extension agents to implement among rural populations with low health …