Life Sciences Commons^™

Utilization Of Finite Element Analysis Techniques For Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgical Planning, Michael A. Polanco

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, a three-dimensional deformity of the thoracolumbar spine, affects approximately 1-3% of patients ages 10-18. Surgical correction and treatment of the spinal column is a costly and high-risk task that is consistently complicated by factors such as patient-specific spinal deformities, curve flexibility, and surgeon experience. The following dissertation utilizes finite element analysis to develop a cost-effective, building-block approach by which surgical procedures and kinematic evaluations may be investigated. All studies conducted are based off a volumetric, thoracolumbar finite element (FE) model developed from computer-aided design (CAD) anatomy whose components are kinematically validated with in-vitro data. Spinal ligament stiffness …

The Influences Of Disperser Behavior, Host Availability, And Environmental Conditions On The Distribution Of Oak Mistletoe [Phoradendron Leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst.] In Eastern Virginia And North Carolina, Nicholas Pearce Flanders

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mistletoes are shrubs that typically parasitize the branches of host trees and rely on avian frugivores for seed dispersal. Because mistletoes are restricted to a narrow range of suitable recruitment sites and avian frugivores are more visible than other guilds of seed dispersers, mistletoe-frugivore systems afford opportunities for assessing the roles of dispersal limitation and local environment in determining plant distribution. These mechanisms have been proposed as determinants of the observed association of oak mistletoe [Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst.] with forested wetlands in eastern Virginia and North Carolina, USA. I tested the alternative hypothesis that …

Physical Activity, Social Support, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Adults With Visual Impairment, Tayah Lynn Otterness

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in physical activity (PA), social support for exercise, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with visual impairments (VI). Due to limited existing literature, this study was used to investigate variables that may impact HRQoL among the specified population. This study used a cross-sectional design and online surveys to determine relationships between the examined variables. Data was collected via Qualtrics Surveying and Google Forms Software. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Version (IPAQ-SF), a 7-day recall of walking, moderate PA, vigorous PA, …

Nestedness And Modularity Of Avian Metacommunities Across Gradients Of Chesapeake Bay Island Characteristics, Grant Walter Bowers

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Islands are not only great models for understanding the ways in which communities are linked by the dispersal of their members to form metacommunities, but are of particular interest to conservationists. One important aspect of metacommunity structure is the degree of nestedness—whether or not less speciose communities are perfect subsets of more speciose communities. Another important metric of metacommunity structure is modularity—the degree to which communities belong to modules composed of other communities that share the same species but have little species overlap with communities from different modules. Environmental gradients have received insufficient attention as predictors of metacommunity nestedness and …

The Genetic Basis For Panicle Trait Variation In Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum), Li Zhang, Alice Macqueen, Xiaoyu Weng, Kathrine D. Behrman, Jason Bonnette, John L. Reilley, Francis M. Rouquette, Philip A. Fay, Yanqi Wu, Felix B. Fritschi, Robert B. Mitchell, David B. Lowry, Arvid R. Boe, Thomas E. Juenger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Key message: We investigate the genetic basis of panicle architecture in switchgrass in two mapping populations across a latitudinal gradient, and find many stable, repeatable genetic effects and limited genetic interactions with the environment. Abstract: Grass species exhibit large diversity in panicle architecture influenced by genes, the environment, and their interaction. The genetic study of panicle architecture in perennial grasses is limited. In this study, we evaluate the genetic basis of panicle architecture including panicle length, primary branching number, and secondary branching number in an outcrossed switchgrass QTL population grown across ten field sites in the central USA through multi-environment …

Current Ecotoxicity Testing Needs Among Selected U.S. Federal Agencies, Patricia Ceger, Natalia Garcia-Reyero Vinas, David Allen, Elyssa Arnold, Raanan Bloom, Jennifer C. Brennan, Carol Clarke, Karen Eisenreich, Kellie Fay, Jonathan Hamm, Paula F.P. Henry, Katherine E. Horak, Wesley Hunter, Donna Judkins, Patrice Klein, Nicole Kleinstreuer, Kara Koehrn, Carlie A. Lalone, James P. Laurenson, Jessica K. Leet, Anna Lowit, Scott G. Lynn, Teresa Norberg-King, Edward J. Perkins, Elijah J. Petersen, Barnett A. Rattner, Catherine S. Sprankle, Thomas Steeger, Jim E. Warren, Sarah Winfield, Edward Odenkirchen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

U.S. regulatory and research agencies use ecotoxicity test data to assess the hazards associated with substances that may be released into the environment, including but not limited to industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, and color additives. These data are used to conduct hazard assessments and evaluate potential risks to aquatic life (e.g., invertebrates, fish), birds, wildlife species, or the environment. To identify opportunities for regulatory uses of non-animal replacements for ecotoxicity tests, the needs and uses for data from tests utilizing animals must first be clarified. Accordingly, the objective of this review was to identify the ecotoxicity test data …

Defining An Epidemiological Landscape That Connects Movement Ecology To Pathogen Transmission And Pace-Of-Life, Kezia Manlove, Mark Wilber, Lauren White, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Anni Yang, Marie L.J. Gilbertson, Meggan E. Craft, Paul C. Cross, George Wittemyer, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Pathogen transmission depends on host density, mobility and contact. These components emerge from host and pathogen movements that themselves arise through interactions with the surrounding environment. The environment, the emergent host and pathogen movements, and the subsequent patterns of density, mobility and contact form an ‘epidemiological landscape’ connecting the environment to specific locations where transmissions occur. Conventionally, the epidemiological landscape has been described in terms of the geographical coordinates where hosts or pathogens are located. We advocate for an alternative approach that relates those locations to attributes of the local environment. Environmental descriptions can strengthen epidemiological forecasts by allowing for …

Investigating Conserved Mechanisms For Embryonic Eye Regrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Cindy Kha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Regeneration is a complex process to replace or restore tissue after damage. However, animals vary in their ability to regenerate tissue, and humans are limited in their abilities. Understanding how regeneration occurs in highly regenerative vertebrates, such as in Xenopus laevis frogs will lead to defining common regeneration mechanisms. In recent years, eye regeneration research in Xenopus laevis tadpoles provided new promising insight into the mechanisms necessary for repair of damaged eye tissue. Much progress has been made towards understanding the regenerative capability of the complex eye since Xenopus tadpoles can regenerate mature eye tissues, including: the optic nerve, retina, …

Strategic Plan For Genomic Competencies Into Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum, Myerann Royce M. Mangalino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Problem: As genomics research continues to grow in medicine and in popular culture, an educational gap in nursing is inevitable. Nurses must have a strong understanding of genetics and genomics to effectively integrate them into current practice.Objectives: The objective is to identify gaps in the current undergraduate curriculum and build threads that may be incorporated into the current curriculum to fill the identified gaps. Methods: The foundation of this project was the Essentials of Genetic and Genomic Nursing: Competencies, Curricula Guidelines, and Outcome Indicators, 2nd Edition (Consensus Panel on Genetic/Genomic Nursing Competencies, 2008). A strategic plan was created to increase …

Hyperspectral Image Analysis Of Food For Nutritional Intake, Shirin Nasr Esfahani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The primary object of this dissertation is to investigate the application of hyperspectral technology to accommodate for the growing demand in the automatic dietary assessment applications. Food intake is one of the main factors that contribute to human health. In other words, it is necessary to get information about the amount of nutrition and vitamins that a human body requires through a daily diet. Manual dietary assessments are time-consuming and are also not precise enough, especially when the information is used for the care and treatment of hospitalized patients. Moreover, the data must be analyzed by nutritional experts. Therefore, researchers …

Quantifying Road Bicycle Wheel Vibration, Kyle Petersen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Understanding factors that influence wheel vibration may have practical applications for cyclists and manufacturers. However, a reliable method to measure these vibrations and tools to interpret the data are needed. PURPOSE: To establish a methodology to measure vibration of the road bicycle wheel and to quantify measured vibrations resulting from changes velocity, tire pressure, and surface roughness. METHODS: A single participant cycled on stationary cycle rollers with different tire pressure, speed, and surface roughness conditions. An accelerometer was mounted to rim of the front wheel. Data were analyzed in the frequency domain following a Fourier Transformation. Data were reduced by …

Management Of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Sahara Mustard (Brassica Tournefortii), And Elongated Mustard (Brassica Elongata) In Utah, Natalie Layne Fronk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The invasive mustard species Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) and elongated mustard (Brassica elongata) negatively impact a variety of ecological systems across the state of Utah. The distribution of these species in Utah is relatively limited at the current time. If prompt action is taken, it may be possible to contain and manage these species before irreparable ecological and agricultural damage occurs. For this reason, all three mustards are listed by the State of Utah as weeds of high priority for management.

This project tested multiple strategies to determine effective species-specific …

Skeletal Muscle Growth Of Beef Cattle: Cattle Breed Types And Anabolic Implants, Caleb C. Reichhardt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two potential methods that can be used by the U.S. to help further improve environmental and economic sustainability of the beef industry are through the use anabolic implants, typically composed of the hormones estradiol and trenbolone acetate, and by crossbreeding Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle. How anabolic implants operate to improve growth, and their resulting relationship with different cattle breed types have yet to be determined. However, crossbreeding these cattle breed types has been found to have a positive influence on economically important traits such as average daily gain and carcass characteristics. Therefore, we hypothesized that the different hormones …

Spatial-Temporal Responses Of Cow Elk To Targeted And Non-Targeted Hunting Risk, Randall Mcbride

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Predation is one of the most important interspecies interactions that affect a wildlife population. Predator-prey interactions may cause species to shift their behavior, such as changing the use of their habitat in both space and time, based on their ability to assess risk. Wildlife population responses to predation stresses have been studied in the past, but individuals' responses to these stresses have not been studied in fine detail. For this study, cow elk were collared with GPS collars, and hunters carried hand-held GPS units. GPS locations were taken at 10-minute intervals for both cow elk and hunters during the hunting …

Natural History And Development Of Melittobia Acasta On Megachile Rotunda , Alan R. Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Alfalfa is one of the most economically important crops in North America. To produce alfalfa seed, a pollinator must release plant reproductive organs by applying pressure to keel petals. The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata, is the primary commercial pollinator of alfalfa. U.S. bee managers struggle to maintain populations due to many mortality factors. One cause is attack from parasitoid wasps such as Melittobia acasta. Females can lay hundreds of eggs and have multiple generations, which can decimate bee stocks. Chapter Two investigates the life cycle and base temperature that allows development of M. acasta on bee hosts. …

Student Attitudes Contribute To The Effectiveness Of A Genomics Cure, David Lopatto, Anne G. Rosenwald, Rebecca C. Burgess, Catherine Silver Key, Melanie Van Stry, Matthew Wawersik, Justin R. Diangelo, Amy T. Hark, Matthew Skerritt, Anna K. Allen, Consuelo Alvarez, Sara Anderson, Cindy Arrigo, Andrew Arsham, Daron Barnard, James E.J. Bedard, Indrani Bose, John M. Braverman, Martin G. Burg, Paula Croonquist, Chunguang Du, Sondra Dubowsky, Heather Eisler, Matthew A. Escobar, Michael Foulk, Thomas Giarla, Rivka L. Glaser, Anya L. Goodman, Yuying Gosser, Adam Haberman, Charles Hauser, Shan Hays, Justin Thackeray

Biology

The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) engages students in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE). To better understand the student attributes that support success in this CURE, we asked students about their attitudes using previously published scales that measure epistemic beliefs about work and science, interest in science, and grit. We found, in general, that the attitudes students bring with them into the classroom contribute to two outcome measures, namely, learning as assessed by a pre- and postquiz and perceived self-reported benefits. While the GEP CURE produces positive outcomes overall, the students with more positive attitudes toward science, particularly with respect …

Characterization Of The Wee1 Homologues And The Investigation Of Factors Promoting Cellular Enlargement In Cryptococcus Neoformans, Rodney J. Colón Reyes

All Dissertations

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen, infecting mainly immunocompromised individuals. As the main cause of cryptococcosis, it is responsible for over 180,000 deaths every year. As an environmental yeast, it has unique adaptations that allow it to proliferate in the human host. Among these adaptations its capacity to transition to an extreme phenotype known as Titan cells is of special interest to researchers. With sizes above 10 um and able to reach 70 um or more in cell size. This size is accompanied with a large vacuole, larger polysaccharide capsule, and an increased resistance to fluconazole (FLC). FLC is …

Gaps In Patient Education On Safe Handling And Disposal Of Oral Chemotherapy Drugs: A Pilot Prospective Cohort Survey Study, Sun Yang, Priya Patel, Alexandra Corcoran, Eric Dobberpuhl, Samantha Isidro, Dustin Le, Analise Klassen, Jay Rho, David Tran, Richard Beuttler, Neda Noori Nassr, Katherine Gruenberg, Siu-Fun Wong

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Oral anticancer chemotherapy (OC) has been misperceived as being safer than intravenous chemotherapy, leading to its increased risk of improper handling and disposal. This survey study assessed the knowledge, practices and attitudes of pharmacists and patients regarding OC handling and disposal, gaps in knowledge and barriers to patient education. Methods

Surveys were developed based on literature review and pilot study validation results. Patients completed a 33-item paper or electronic survey whereas pharmacists completed a 38-item electronic survey. Descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test computed using the R Project were used for analyses. Results

Pharmacist group (16/25, 62.5%) and patient …

Identification And Quantitation Of Unspecified Impurities Discovered In Novel Oral Irinotecan By Lc-Ms/Ms And Uhplc, Laura B. Miller

Forensic Science Master's Projects

Irinotecan is a cancer medication approved for medical use in the United States in 1996. It is currently administered via intravenous injection. However, intravenous dosing has disadvantages such as requirement of administration by a trained professional in a medical facility, possible severe adverse effects, pain at the injection site, and possible hemolysis if injected too rapidly. Previously oral administration was not feasible because the p-glycoprotein (p-GP) on the cell membrane of stomach cells acts as a defense mechanism against harmful substances by pumping the irinotecan back into the intestinal lumen for excretion. With the discovery of the p-GP inhibitor encequidar …

Pestfacts Wa Issue 12 - August 2022, Alan Lord, Ciara Beard, Cindy L. Webster

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 12 - August 2022 contents:

• Native budworm activity update
• Sclerotinia update
• Oat disease webinar recording can now be viewed online
• Explainer video for new PestFacts WA Reporter app

Pestfacts Wa Issue 14 - August 2022, Cindy L. Webster, Alan Lord, Lizzy Lowe, Ciara Beard, Geoff J. Thomas

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 14 - August 2022 contents:

• Russian wheat aphid activity update
• Native budworm moth numbers are increasing
• Beneficials insecticide toxicity table
• Late season wheat powdery mildew management

Chromosome Number Evolution, Phylogeography, And The Effects Of Climate Change On Species Distributions In Polyploid Plant Systems, Courtney H. Babin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, a term used to describe organisms with cells having more than two paired sets of chromosomes, is a significant driver of diversification among land plants. Over a century of research has advanced our understanding of polyploidization in some taxa, but polyploid organisms remain understudied. In this dissertation, I investigate chromosome number evolution, phylogeographic structure, genetic differentiation, and the effects of climate change on ploidy level distribution using polyploid plant systems. In the first chapter, I inferred a molecular phylogeny of Allium, an economically important genus that includes cultivated crops and ornamentals, to investigate evolutionary transitions in chromosome number …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, July & August 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 5

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Resources for Student Success
Page 4 Welcome to New Faculty & Staff
Page 5 Summer Activities in CNS
Page 9 Celebrating the lives of those who touched the College
Page 10 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 12 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 13 Snaps from he start of the semester
Page 14 Science as Art Competition

Systematic Overexpression Of Genes Encoded By Mycobacteriophage Waterfoul Reveals Novel Inhibitors Of Mycobacterial Growth, Danielle Heller, Isabel Amaya, Aleem Mohamed, Ilzat Ali, Dmitri Mavrodi, Padraig Deighan, Viknesh Sivanathan

Faculty Publications

Bacteriophages represent an enormous reservoir of novel genes, many of which are unrelated to existing entries in public databases and cannot be assigned a predicted function. Characterization of these genes can provide important insights into the intricacies of phage–host interactions and may offer new strategies to manipulate bacterial growth and behavior. Overexpression is a useful tool in the study of gene-mediated effects, and we describe here the construction of a plasmid-based overexpression library of a complete set of genes for Waterfoul, a mycobacteriophage closely related to those infecting clinically important strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and/or Mycobacterium abscessus. The arrayed …

A Microfluidics-Based Approach For Isolation Of Antigen-Specific Cd8+ T Cells, Meredith Frank

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancer is a global epidemic: there are predicted to be 200 million new cases this year alone. Almost a quarter of all cancer-related deaths are caused by lung cancer, for which 5-year survival rates are just above 20%. 85% of lung cancer diagnoses are classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for which 5-year survival rates in metastatic disease are less than 10%. Early detection and targeted therapies have improved prognoses, yet relapse is still common among patients.

Immunotherapies that leverage tumor-specific CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells have shown great promise for the treatment of NSCLC. However, although highly promising, …

An Economic Analysis Of A Case Farm Involved In Hemp Production For Cbd At Small Scale, Benjamin Daniel Joost Jacobs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of studies examining cost of production differences between outdoor (open-air) and indoor (greenhouse) production of hemp flower on a small-scale hemp farm. Investigated also are oil extraction processes as well as drying costs and methods i) under controlled ambient conditions (air-drying) for 14 days at 65-70°F and 45-60% ambient humidity, ii) using infrared radiation (IR) for varying durations at an intensity of 2.51 kW per square meter, and iii) freeze-drying or lyophilization based on literature review. Critically, these drying methods involve tradeoffs related to time required, amount of energy consumed, and investment required. Also, they impact …

Examining The Expression Patterns Of Desulfotalea Psychrophila Dsrab Operon And Pit At Subfreezing Temperatures And Different Concentrations Of Sulfate Salts As A Model For Mars And Icy Worlds Survival And Colonization, Sergio Luis Mosquera Mora

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since ancient times, Humanity has been fascinated with the idea of what lies beyond the borders of our planet. Fortunately, the combined efforts of many nations have made it possible to send unmanned spacecraft to orbit planets located close to Earth. These missions have the principal goal to collect data that could help us understand the basic environmental conditions that persist on those planets, or for evidence of past or present life. Equally important, landers and rovers have been successfully deployed to start the in-situ exploration of many planets of the Solar System. Among them, Mars has been extensively studied …

Characterization Of Genetic Pathways Involved In Resistance To A Novel Antifungal Peptide, Kayla L. Haberman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance is increasing prevalence, particularly in Candida glabrata. This opportunistic pathogen is closely phylogenetically related to Saccharomyces cerevisiae; however, its characterization is limited. C. glabrata is only second to Candida albicans as a fungal pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Commonly resistant to azoles, the most common fungal therapy, it has become costly and challenging to treat. A histatin 5 derived antifungal peptide, KM29, has a high degree of efficacy in Candida species and S. cerevisiae. The objective of this work is to advance our understanding of the mechanism of action of KM29 against C. glabrata. Previous work in the lab …

Effects Of Shoreline Development And Freshwater Discharge On Nekton Assemblage And Trophic Structure In A Northern Gulf Of Mexico Estuary, Glenn Schumacher

Master's Theses

Coastal salt marshes support a diversity of nekton and facilitate critical ecosystem functions but are threatened by shoreline development and climate change. Therefore, coastal ecosystem managers have begun incentivizing the use of living shorelines (LS), erosion control structures incorporating native plantings, to mitigate ecological consequences of marsh loss. However, post-restoration climate changes may shift habitat templates and negate positive effects of ecosystem restoration. I evaluated the ecology nekton along LS, natural marshes, hardened shorelines and greyed shorelines within Biloxi Bay, Mississippi, during a high freshwater discharge (HFD) period by comparing nekton assemblage (using species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and relative abundance), …

State-Of-The-Art Review: Evidence On Red Meat Consumption And Hypertension Outcomes, Tara Shrout Allen, Harpreet S Bhatia, Alexis C Wood, Shabnam R Momin, Matthew A Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Hypertension (HTN) is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. The prevalence of HTN, as well as mortality rates attributable to HTN, continue to increase, particularly in the United States and among Black populations. The risk of HTN involves a complex interaction of genetics and modifiable risk factors, including dietary patterns. In this regard, there is accumulating evidence that links dietary intake of red meat with a higher risk of poorly controlled blood pressure and HTN. However, research on this topic contains significant methodological limitations, which are described in …