Life Sciences Commons^™

A Hybrid Object Detection And Temporal Attention Framework For Intelligent Video Surveillance, Sudheer Reddy Bandi, Eswari Vanaparthi, Yakshini Edapalli, Roshan Kavuri

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The rapid growth of urban areas has greatly heightened the need for smart video surveillance systems that can automatically process extensive amounts of CCTV footage. Traditional surveillance methods largely depend on human monitoring, which is not only inefficient but also susceptible to human mistakes, especially in intricate and crowded environments. To tackle these issues, this paper introduces a combined object detection and temporal attention for intelligent video surveillance that concurrently analyzes spatial and temporal data from video streams. The proposed system analyzes real-time CCTV footage utilising a multi-pathway frame extraction technique that includes slow, fast, and full-frame sampling to capture …

A Thymine Dimer Stalls A High-Fidelity Dna Polymerase By Providing No Template Information In The Same Manner As An Abasic Site, Amanda R. Walsh, Hye Rhee Kim, Lorena S. Beese, Eugene Y. Wu

Biology Faculty Publications

Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers are photolesions that form when UV-B irradiation causes adjacent thymine or cytosine bases to covalently bond and can arrest DNA synthesis by replicative polymerases. To gain insight into the effects of cis-syn cyclobutane thymine dimers (T=T) on DNA replication in a model polymerase, we conducted solution and crystallographic studies of the Bacillus DNA polymerase I large fragment (BF) in complex with a T=T-containing template and an incoming dNTP. A thymine dimer lesion blocked nucleotide addition by BF in solution. The crystal structure of the BF-T=T-dATP complex indicated that the thymine dimer is too large to enter the …

Long-Term Compositional Shifts In The Fish Community Of The Wabash River, Olivia R. Wertman

Masters Theses

There is concern about declining biodiversity in the world today and an increasing need to monitor biodiversity through collecting data and gauging changes occurring in biodiversity over time. Large river fish communities are one area of particular interest due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. One program seeking to address this is the Long-Term Survey and Assessment of Large River Fishes, LTEF, which monitors fish populations in the large rivers of Illinois. In this study, I assessed changes in the fish community of the lower 322 km of the Wabash River from 2010-2025 using annual direct current boat electrofishing surveys …

Testing The Influence Of Increased Predation On The Evolution Of Morphological Coloration Plasticity In Trinidadian Killifish (Anablepsoides Hartii), Alyssa M. Laux

Biology Theses

The ability to camouflage is a widespread trait in both vertebrates and invertebrates that enhances survival in risky environments. The ability of organisms to respond to shifts in environmental conditions and change color is a conspicuous example of camouflage. Such coloration plasticity can occur rapidly (seconds to minutes) versus longer periods of time (days to months). There are numerous examples of physiological coloration plasticity (short-term) and morphological coloration plasticity (long-term). Yet, there are few tests of the conditions that drive the evolution of physiological vs. morphological coloration plasticity. In this study we use Trinidadian killifish (Anablepsoides hartii) as …

Mechanical Property Evaluation Of Paper Die Materials In Explosive Forming, Higa Yoshikazu, Kadena Hisashi, Shimojima Ken, Iyama Hirofumi

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study investigates the feasibility of using paper materials as substitutes for molds in explosive forming by systematically evaluating their mechanical properties. Tensile tests were conducted on three paper types differing in thickness and internal fiber structure, using a custom-designed gripping tool. Specimens were prepared in multiple orientations to account for anisotropic behavior. Results indicate that coated paper, exhibiting the highest specific tensile strength and energy absorption per unit basis weight, is the most suitable for formability. In contrast, thick paper, characterized by the lowest specific tensile energy absorption, offers the best dimensional accuracy. Anisotropy was observed in matte and …

Soil Respiration Drivers And Challenges In A Changing Environment, Olivia Rae Haas

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study aims to understand post agricultural forested soils (sandy loam, silt loam, and loam) and the influences that drive carbon sequestration and soil respiration flux. Duke Farms in Hillsborough NJ, has historically been utilized as an agricultural zone for farming a variety of crops. Currently the area is protected with a focus on environmental conservation and restoration of the land. This includes getting a better understanding of the forested portions of the property. Understanding the quality of forested areas is vital as they have the potential to act as a carbon sink which can mitigate the effects of climate …

Effect Of Mid-Range Ultraviolet Light On Avian Embryonic Development, Keelie Hughes

Biology Theses

While it is a known fact that specific environmental conditions must be met to ensure proper embryonic development, the impact of changes in this delicate balance is unclear. Ultraviolet (UV) light has a narrow range of effectiveness in mature tissue, where too little can hinder molecular signaling and too much can cause damage to genetic material. This study exposed in ovo chicken embryos in the preliminary stages of development to mid-range UV radiation to examine developing embryo and tissue morphology using anthropometric methods and comparing proliferative cells among embryos exposed to varying doses of UV light. Additionally, quantitative polymerase chain …

A Machine Learning–Based Framework For Traffic Classification And Threshold-Based Load Management In 5g Network Slicing, Safi Ibrahim, Younis S. Younis, Kamal S. Hamza, Mohamed M. Ashour

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study proposes a machine learning–based framework that applies machine learning techniques to improve the efficiency of 5G network slicing through automated traffic classification and threshold-based load management . The proposed model optimizes resource allocation among the three standardized 5G slice types: enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), and massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC). Two supervised learning algorithms—K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—are trained using Quality of Service (QoS) parameters such as packet delay, loss rate, and Quality Class Identifier (QCI). Experimental evaluations were conducted on two large-scale datasets containing over 400,000 traffic instances, demonstrating that the …

Design And Fabrication Of A Scaled Automated Dairy Farm Model: A Report, Md Towfiqur Rahman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Summary

This study investigates how ventilation systems work in dairy barns and builds a scaled model to support education and research. The project is designed to help students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), K-12 learners, and researchers in animal science, veterinary medicine, and engineering gain visual experience with dairy facility components and processes. Different ventilation methods were studied, leading to the design of a 1/64-scale tunnel-ventilated dairy barn meant for 60 Holstein Friesian cows. Barn dimensions were set based on real Holstein cow measurements to ensure proper cow comfort, while airflow requirements were calculated and scaled down. Miniature fans …

Mapping Coastal Vegetation To Evaluate Salt Marsh Decline From 2016 To 2025 In South Carolina, Usa, Zak Henry Bartholomew

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Accelerating sea-level rise and storm surge events pose a substantial threat to salt marsh ecosystems, which provide critical ecosystem services. Classification and mapping of coastal vegetation through remote sensing can identify marsh dieback events and provide spatial context for patterns of marsh vulnerability. We used a multi-sensor approach that incorporated LiDAR data, multispectral imagery, and field-derived cover estimates to classify Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) dominated marsh types on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRDPI), a sea island in South Carolina, USA. In summer 2025, surveys were conducted within marsh classes to collect training and validation data. We used random …

Do Magnesium Ions Have Similar Effects As Calcium Ions On Resting Membrane Potential?, Anthony Hana, Youngwoo Kim, Joy Bidros, Katie Neglia, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Maintaining a membrane electrical potential of biological cells is a dynamic process, as some cells have a continually changing potential, like pacemaker cells, while other cells may function with large or small changes in the membrane potential. Additionally, some cells may change their electrical potential when stimulated or inhibited by electrical signals, chemical compounds, or both—either simultaneously or episodically. The persistent leak of K⁺ through two-pore-domain potassium channels (K2P) and of Na⁺ through Na⁺ leak channels (NALCNs) and the action of pumps and exchangers are primarily responsible for maintaining a resting potential. Ca²⁺ ions are known …

An Evolving View Of Lineage Diversification, Pascal O. Title, L. Francisco Henao-Díaz, Rosana Zenil-Ferguson, Thais Vasconcelos

Biology Faculty Publications

Systematists have long been fascinated by the astounding variation in species diversity across the various branches of the tree of life, a net result of the uneven rates at which lineages undergo speciation and extinction over time. The past 30 years have seen the development and widespread application of tools that allow diversification to be quantified and characterized in empirical data sets. These advances have, in turn, enabled the statistical evaluation of hypotheses about the causes behind the uneven distribution of species richness among lineages, leading to a more nuanced understanding of diversification rate variation, as reflected in an ever-expanding …

Exogenous Estradiol Does Not Regulate Daily Metabolic Rhythms Underlying Diet-Induced Obesity In Male Mice, W. Brad Osborne, Oliver Vöcking, Victoria Alvord, Oluwabukola Omotola, Yuriko Katsumata, Julie S. Pendergast

Biology Faculty Publications

Male mice fed high-fat diet become obese, but female mice are resistant to diet-induced weight gain. We previously found that circulating estradiol in females protects their daily rhythms from disruption by high-fat feeding to prevent diet-induced obesity. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of estradiol on daily metabolic rhythms in male mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with estradiol and fed high-fat diet for 2 weeks. We measured the effects of high-fat diet feeding on daily rhythms of eating behavior and locomotor activity, and on the phases, or timing, of circadian rhythms in central and peripheral …

Drinking Microstructure Analysis Of Direct Controls Of Water Intake In Male And Female Rats, Bo W. Sortman, Emalie L. Mullane, Kennedy L. Lamb, Andrea A. Edwards, Ann-Marie Torregrossa, Derek Daniels, Jessica Santollo

Biology Faculty Publications

Measures of rodent drinking (lick) patterns are used to test how various manipulations affect fluid intake. Decades of research indicate that manipulating the satiating potency of a stimulus affects the number of licking bursts whereas manipulating the hedonic value of the solution affects the size of the licking bursts or rate of licking. This type of analysis has been largely applied to manipulations that modulate drinking that is already occurring (i.e., indirect controls or modulators of intake), but there is a dearth of studies with detailed measures of licking due to stimuli that are primary drivers of intake which happen …

Effects Of Desiccation On Invasive Faucet Snail (Bithynia Tentaculata) And Trematode Survival, Elise Marie Jordahl

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Parasitism is one of the most common and diverse life history strategies, yet relatively little is known about the role of parasites as invasive species. Invasive species, which present one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, often need to overcome adverse environmental conditions as they establish and spread in new habitats. Invasive parasites are subject to these same conditions, though the effects may be mediated through their hosts. Here, I use an invasive snail and its trematode parasites to quantify the effects of desiccation on survival to better understand how processes of invasion play out in host-parasite systems. The faucet …

Photovoice Exploration Of Afghan Refugee Background Women's Food-Related Well-Being, Eileen C. Lindemann

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

More than 117,000 Afghans have been relocated to the United States following the U.S. military withdrawal in August 2021. Research indicates that Afghan refugees resettled in the U.S. are at increased risk of psychological distress, with Afghan women particularly susceptible compared with Afghan men, and diet-related chronic disease. However, research also shows that traditional food and eating customs foster cultural identity, social support, integration, and well-being. The purpose of this study was to collaboratively explore the food-related well-being and daily life contexts of resettled refugee participants through the photovoice method, a participatory research strategy in which participants photograph aspects of …

Regenerative Farming Practices Effects On Invertebrates In Wheat Systems, Daniel J. Pecenka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The modern agricultural system is based upon the Green Revolutions principle of creating more food. However, this came at a cost of invertebrate declines through habitat loss, pollution, and the introduction of agrochemicals. Here I address knowledge gaps in biological inventory of invertebrates across north, northwestern, and central North America. These invertebrates were identified and given a size scale and a dietary guild. We also examined how regenerative and conventional agricultural practices can affect invertebrate populations within the same crop. We also examined whether regenerative management wheat fields fostered great invertebrate communities while limited pest presence. Invertebrate populations were negatively …

First-Job Contract Review Cheat Sheet, Johanna Jones-Morris, Ashlee Martellacci

Teaching and Learning Resources

This cheat sheet helps first-time employees understand what to review before signing an employment contract. It highlights job duties, compensation, scheduling, employment terms, benefits, restrictive clauses, worker classification, and common red flags so that individuals can ask informed questions and recognize potentially unfair or unclear terms.

The Geminivirus Al2 Protein Interacts With Host Proteins Involved In The Plant Antiviral Response, Pheobean Atieno Odongo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Geminiviruses are economically important plant DNA viruses infecting a broad range of plant species and causing devastating crop diseases, resulting in up to 100% crop loss. As a result of these heavy losses on food and cash crops, these viruses represent a new threat to global food security and sustainability. In this research, I use Tomato golden mosaic virus (TGMV) to study host-virus relationships with an overall goal of developing sustainable and eco-friendly crop resistance. TGMV belongs to the Geminivirus subgroup, Begomovirus, that is characterized by a split genome consisting of two single-stranded circular DNAs. The TGMV genome encodes proteins …

Management-Driven Shifts In The Bison Fecal Microbiome And Its Relationship To Stec Prevalence, Ritesh Ray

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Contamination of meat samples from pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), especially in ruminants, is an ever-growing issue for the safety of global meat production. Recent studies have reported STEC in the livestock and food industry with a limited focus on wildlife. Although cattle serve as the primary reservoir for STEC, American bison (Bison bison bison) is the largest ruminant inhabiting North America, sharing similar genetics, and grazing habits, making them an ideal alternative STEC reservoir. Re-introduction for prairie conservation and meat farming has brought bison herds closer to anthropic environments than before. Recently bison meat has become …

A Review Of Mockingbird Song, Jacqueline Milander

Student Theses

The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is known for its large repertoire and highly versatile song patterns.  It is a frequent mimic that is thought to continue learning sounds from its environment for the duration of its life.  Utilizing available song studies, this is a comprehensive review of northern mockingbird song, including learning, mimicry, repertoires, song dependence on seasonal cyclicity, and song function, particularly interspecific territoriality. While much discussion has surrounded the idea that northern mockingbirds engage in interspecific territoriality and that vocal mimicry functions in intersexual selection, this review provides new insight into the possibility that latitudinal differences among populations …

Characterization Of The Effects Of Atp On Primary Brainstem Glial Cells, Donovan J. Aardema Faigh

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Migraine and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) are debilitating orofacial pain disorders that negatively impact one’s quality of life. These disorders are characterized by elevated levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and activation of central nervous system glial cells that promote and maintain central sensitization and enhance pain signaling in response to inflammatory stimuli. The goal of my study was to characterize the effects of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on intracellular calcium levels, mRNA levels, and protein expression in astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes to better understand the role of ATP in promoting central sensitization. To address this goal, primary …

Induced Degradation Of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Through Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras, Victoria Saca

Student Theses and Dissertations

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a family of heptahelical transmembrane proteins that can modulate various cellular signaling pathways and therefore are attractive drug targets. Despite high mutational rates of GPCRs in cancer there are few oncology FDA-approved anti-GPCR drugs, leaving a gap in the therapeutic landscape. Drug discovery platforms such as targeted protein degradation (TPD), provide opportunities to target oncogenic proteins by direct modulation of protein expression. TPD methodologies can be used to target oncogenic GPCRs that are overexpressed or constitutively active, as in the case of constitutively active mutants (CAMs), which have roles in cancer progression. TPD methods include …

Evolution Of A Novel Neuronal Sex-Specifically Spliced Gene In Mosquitoes, Yael Norohasimbola Tsitohay

Student Theses and Dissertations

Female mosquitoes from many species require a blood meal from an animal host as a protein source for egg development and successful reproduction. The majority of mosquito species are generalists in their host preference, feeding on a range of animals including mammals, birds, and amphibians. However, a small fraction of mosquito species have evolved a preference for human hosts. These species are mainly found in the genera Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles, and they have created a global health crisis due to their ability to transmit deadly human pathogens including dengue virus, Zika virus, West Nile Virus, and …

Reproductive Success Is Secured By A Rapidly-Evolving Short Peptide In Female Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes, Priyanka Lakhiani

Student Theses and Dissertations

The mosquito lineage spans hundreds of millions of years of evolution, and this period has honed the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, into a precise and expert predator. While nectar and plant-derived carbohydrates are sufficient sources of nutrition to maintain energy and metabolism, female mosquitoes must acquire multiple ingredients to successfully reproduce and produce offspring. Healthy, motile sperm from a conspecific male and a complete blood meal from a human host are required for females to develop viable eggs, and thus ensure species survival. What are the internal mechanisms that coordinate the acquisition of these key elements with the maturation, …

Ancient Immune Systems: Sensing And Signaling In Bacterial-Phage Conflict, Cameron Grace Roberts

Student Theses and Dissertations

Viruses are among the most significant selective pressures shaping the evolution of life on Earth. In the microbial world, bacteriophages (phage) are bacterial viruses and drive a continuous evolutionary arms race that has led to an extraordinary diversity of bacterial defense mechanisms [1]. These systems are thought to have provided the evolutionary foundation for numerous eukaryotic immune strategies [2]. Experimental studies have validated many of these anti-phage defense systems and revealed the mechanisms by which they disrupt phage infection [3]. Nonetheless, major gaps persist in our understanding of how bacterial immune systems recognize bacteriophage infection to trigger immunity. This dissertation …

The Influence Of Dna Methylation On Both H2a.Z Nucleosome Dynamics And The Zinc Finger And Homeoboxes Transcription Factor Family, Rochelle M. Shih

Student Theses and Dissertations

DNA methylation represents a widespread and heritable modification that exerts substantial influence on chromatin organization and function in many eukaryotic genomes. The presence of DNA methylation has been strongly linked to transcriptional regulation, in both activating as well as repressive ways, though exactly how a small chemical mark can enact such drastic and seemingly opposing effects on gene expression remains an open question. In my thesis work, I describe the influence DNA methylation has on two classes of chromatin proteins, the histone variant H2A.Z and the Zinc Finger and Homeoboxes (ZHX) family of transcription factors. DNA methylation and H2A.Z preferentially …

The Reinnervation Of Sensory Hair Cells Following Lesion Of The Lateral Line Cranial Nerve, Rohan S. Roy

Student Theses and Dissertations

Loss of hearing is a prevalent sensory pathology in the United States and worldwide. A significant proportion of deafness is attributed to sensorineural hearing loss, which often involves damage and retraction of the nerve fibers that relay auditory information between the mechanosensitive hair cells of the inner ear and the brain. The restoration of physiologic hearing would require the regeneration of nerve fibers back into the sensory epithelium of the cochlea, followed by the reinnervation of appropriate hair cell targets. Nerve regeneration studies in humans and other mammalian models are lacking due to the limited accessibility of the inner ear. …

Structural And Functional Studies Of The Sars-Cov-2 Niran Domain, Gabriel I. Small

Student Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic was a dramatically disruptive event, wreaking devastation across the globe and radically impacting nearly every facet of human life. For the first time, a significant amount of global money and attention was directed at coronavirus (CoV) research, propelling the field to the forefront of biomedical research. This allowed for the rapid development of a suite of vaccines and antivirals targeting SARS-CoV-2 that aided in ameliorating the effects of the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 was the third CoV zoonosis of the 21st century and is now endemic. Global understanding of the threats posed by CoVs circulating among animals in the …

Dining In The Dark Atp Sensing In The Female Aedes Aegypti Mosquito, Katherine Adriana Rosas Villegas

Student Theses and Dissertations

Blood feeding is fundamental for female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which require this protein-rich meal for egg development. After being attracted to a human host by sensory cues such as body odor, body heat, and carbon dioxide exhaled in human breath, the mosquito lands and probes under the skin to feed on blood. Probing uses the stylet, a sharp appendage ensheathed in the mosquito labium that punctures the skin and is highly specialized for blood ingestion. Previous work from the lab with GCaMP calcium imaging of stylet neurons showed that approximately 50% of stylet neurons respond to blood, and that these …