Life Sciences Commons^™

Influences On Student College-Major Decision And Satisfaction Rate Among Students In The School Of Agriculture, Danielle Shafer

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence students to choose agriculture majors and agriculture careers and measure the level of satisfaction with their major based on these influences. There are many factors that influence students to choose a major in college and college-major satisfaction. These influences and satisfaction with major may have an impact on a student’s decision to choose a college career path. Some of the influences mentioned in studies are family, friends, educators, extension programs, clubs, financial, and recruitment efforts. The degree to which each of these influence students may depend on the …

Comparative Finite Element Method-Based Optimisation Of Coir Fibre Laminates: Aluminium Skins Versus Carbon Cloth Skins, Muhamed Swaleh Ahmed, Bernard Wamuti Ikua, Abel Nyakundi Mayaka

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Natural fibre composites offer a sustainable alternative to conventional composite materials. Their mechanical efficiency is influenced by laminate structure and skin material selection. This study presents a comparative finite element analysis and optimisation of coir fibre-reinforced laminates employing either aluminium skins or carbon cloth skins. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to determine their mechanical response. Optimisation was performed using the BOBYQA algorithm to enhance load sharing between the coir core and skin materials. Results indicated that aluminium-skinned laminates achieve superior compressive and flexural performance, achieving a peak compressive strength of 210 MPa and sustaining a flexural load of 0.65 kN at …

Green Hydrogen-Based Decarbonization Approach For Steel Industry With Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources, Raju Kumar Maurya, Dharmbir Prasad, Rudra Pratap Singh

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This work provides a micro-pilot techno-economic and environmental assessment of a green hydrogen-driven decarbonization scenario for low-carbon steel production at the capacity of 1 ton steel produced (i.e., requiring 50 kg of green hydrogen). In this work an integrated renewable energy (RE) scenario for the steel production site at Jamuria, West Bengal, India is planned to utilize solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines (WTs), battery storage and a diesel backup generator to meet the hydrogen production load from an electrolyzer using HOMER Pro software. The results show that the proposed micro-pilot system produces excess electricity with respect to the plant's operating …

An Intuitionistic Fuzzy Hypergraph Model Enhanced ‎By Forest-Of-Walks Dynamics For Medical Image ‎Segmentation, Brinthaguru Thangaraj, Karthick Palanisamy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The process of accurately segmenting Urolithiasis and pulmonary nodules from medical images presents significant difficulties because of three main factors which include nonuniform intensity distribution and the presence of weak object borders and the uncertainty caused by anatomical structure overlaps. The study introduces F-Zinhger as a solution to these problems through its application of the Forest of Walks technology. The method uses superpixels as fundamental elements which form a multi-scale hypergraph that establishes hyperedges through three criteria: intensity similarity, spatial proximity, and Z-intuitionistic fuzzy hesitation to capture complex contextual connections. The system incorporates a random walk-based label propagation system. The …

Recycling Of Plastic Into Fibers Using A Novel Machine Design And Analysis Of Fiber Characteristics, Mahmoud Khamees, Nasser Ayoub, Sabreen Addullah Abdelwahab, M. M. Maghawry

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study presents a modified extrusion-based recycling system with an improved nozzle design and controlled fiber production capability. The machine was conceptualized and fabricated to efficiently process waste plastic and extrude it into fibers of varying diameters. The study focuses on evaluating how fiber diameter influences critical material properties. Microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted to investigate the morphology and fiber diameters, while tensile testing provided insights into mechanical performance, including strength and elongation. Moisture absorption tests were also performed to assess durability and environmental resistance. The results demonstrate clear correlations between fiber diameter and the examined …

Managing Multi-Drug Resistance: An Evolutionary Game Theory And Optimal Control Approach, Shukhrat Nasrulloev

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-drug resistance is an evolutionary process in which treatment eliminates sensitive cells, allowing resistant clones to dominate. This thesis investigates this process using a framework integrating population dynamics, evolutionary game theory, and optimal control theory. We develop a two-population logistic growth model describing competition between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells under treatment, construct dose-dependent payoff matrices and replicator dynamics to characterize evolutionary competition, and derive a critical drug level D_crit = (r_S - rR)/(dS - d_R) at which resistant cells gain a fitness advantage. An optimal control problem is formulated via Pontryagin's Maximum Principle to identify schedules …

Perceived Barriers To Physical Activity And Campus Recreation Facility Usage In College Students Referred Or Not Referred To An Exercise Is Medicine® On Campus Program, Benjamin M. Colbert

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 36-50% of college students are inactive and report numerous barriers to being physically active. Physical activity (PA) barriers are any obstacle an individual believes affects their PA participation. Individuals who perceive more barriers are less likely to participate in PA and as such, interventions that target barriers may increase PA participation. Exercise is Medicine^® on Campus (EIM-OC) is one intervention that may improve PA levels on college campuses by reducing barriers. The purpose of this study was to document PA and campus recreation facility barriers in university students and examine the influence of an individualized EIM-OC intervention …

Cover Crop Effects On Soil Porewater Nutrients And Hydrothermal Properties, Md Mahadi Hasan

Theses and Dissertations

Adoption of winter cover crops in the U.S. Midwest may reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) leaching from soils, potentially shrinking the hypoxic zone by limiting nutrient runoff into the Gulf of Mexico. To evaluate the impact of selected winter cover crops on soil porewater N and P concentration, a field study was conducted at the Illinois State University Research Farm (ISURF) and the Western Illinois University Research Farm (WIURF). The experimental design was a block experiment with four replications.  Cover crop treatments included a winter fallow, wild pennycress (WPC), golden pennycress (GPC), cereal rye (CR), annual ryegrass (AR), and …

Effects Of Compost Incorporated Versus Surface Applied On Soybean Yield And Soil Health, Maheshwari Kuchanapally

Theses and Dissertations

Compost application is increasingly recognized as a sustainable soil management practice that enhances soil health and crop production. However, the method of application, incorporated versus surface applied, may influence its effectiveness in improving soil properties and crop productivity. This study evaluated the effects of compost application method on soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) yield and soil health at Illinois State University Research Farm in Lexington, Illinois, across two growing seasons, 2024 and 2025. The 2024 experiment used a Completely Randomized Design comparing incorporated versus surface-applied compost (n = 4; 8 plots). The 2025 experiment used a Randomized Complete Block Design …

Interactive Effects Of Bti Larviciding And Predation On Culex Pipiens And Its Ephemeral Pond Communities, Jaclyn S. Everly

Theses and Dissertations

Populations of adult vector mosquitoes can be controlled by reducing larval mosquito abundances in aquatic habitats. This can be achieved via predation by introduced or naturally-occurring enemies (i.e., biocontrol or conservation control) or by applying pesticides to larval mosquito habitats (i.e., larviciding). The larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is commonly applied to ephemeral ponds to control populations of Culex pipiens mosquitoes that vector West Nile virus. However, there is concern that Bti may directly or indirectly harm non-target organisms such as dragonfly and damselfly naiads, which provide a natural source of mosquito biocontrol. Bti or predators may also induce positive …

The Effect Of Sex On The Signal Transmission Of Duetting Bay Wrens, Rachel C. Schinzler

Theses and Dissertations

During communication, senders send signals for their benefit to elicit a behavioral response from a receiver. Acoustic signals are efficient for long-distance signaling; however, they are influenced by environmental features, such as foliage density, humidity, temperature, and time of day. Individuals can overcome these challenges by using signals with a trajectory of peak frequency, frequencies, volumes, and timing best suited to signal transmission in their environment. Signal transmission has been studied at the species level; however, not much is known about sex differences within the same species. Duetting species provide a useful system for examining sex-specific challenges in transmission, as …

The Synergy Between A Silver-Ruthenium Antimicrobial And Aminoglycosides Is Based On Severe Macromolecular Damage, Emmanuel Parkay Oladokun

Theses and Dissertations

The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens, including uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), highlights the urgent need for alternative treatment strategies to restore antibiotic efficacy. The silver-ruthenium antimicrobial AGXX exerts potent bactericidal effects through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, its potential synergy with antibiotics has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we show that sublethal concentrations of AGXX strongly enhance aminoglycoside-mediated killing across a diverse panel of Gram-negative and Gram-positive MDR clinical isolates, including highly aminoglycoside-resistant strains. Combinational treatments significantly reduced the effective concentrations of gentamicin, tobramycin, kanamycin, and amikacin required to kill bacteria. Mechanistic analyses revealed that AGXX/aminoglycoside …

Interaction Of The Gram-Positive Human Pathogen Staphylococcus Aureus With Host Lipids, Sharanya Paul

Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent pathogen that is known to incorporate straight-chain unsaturated fatty acids (SCUFAs) into its lipids in addition to the normally biosynthesized branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Furthermore, it has recently been shown that the incorporation of oleic acid into S. aureus lipids significantly enhanced the growth of the organism at low temperatures due to the greater fluidity imparted to the membrane. Together with others in the Wilkinson and Dahl laboratory, I have shown that low-temperature growth is enhanced by various SCUFAs, including the human antimicrobial fatty acids sapienic acid, linoleic acid, and …

Prevalence Of Grip And Leg Strength Asymmetries In U.S. Youth, Elyse M. Deschryver

Theses and Dissertations

Early-life physical activity is important for building muscular strength, supporting healthy growth and disease prevention, and for establishing physical activity and strength habits that often track into adulthood. Although grip strength asymmetry is a well-documented risk factor in older adults, evidence in children and adolescents is limited and largely based on small, sport-specific samples. PURPOSE: To describe grip and leg extension strength asymmetries in a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth aged 6–15 years using the National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS). METHODS: The analysis included 1,214 participants (606 boys, 608 girls) with valid grip or leg extension data. Age, sex, …

Predicting Tilt In Esports: A Psychophysiological Approach To Understanding Player Emotional Regulation, Nathan Rhea

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Emotional regulation and stress management are important to both casual and competitive esports players. When players become dysregulated, they experience a phenomenon known as “tilt” within the gaming community, where they often lose control of their emotions and their performance declines. This study aimed to investigate whether a psychophysiological variable in heart rate variability could predict tilt in college-age esports players. Additionally, the relationship between heart rate variability and emotions predicted by the Tiltometer system with gameplay performance and winning or losing was tested.

This study used a quantitative correlational research design. Participants for this study were college-age players (N=23) …

Insights Into Site Fidelity Of A Low-Density Dugong Population Using Small-Drone Imagery And Photo-Identification, Roxana Newman, Ashwag Asseri, William David Paterson, Deni Porej, Harry Clark, Mishari Alghrair, Winston Cowie, David Charles Wells, Amanda Jane Hodgson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The feasibility of using unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs, ‘drones’) to collect high-resolution still and video imagery of dugongs (Dugong dugon) for photo-identification (photo-ID) in the Sindalah Archipelago, NEOM (area ~ 84 km²), within the northeast Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, was evaluated during opportunistic marine megafauna searches. Drone searches were conducted whenever possible over one year (January 2024 to January 2025). A total of 48 dugong observations were made during 91 days of drone flights, covering a cumulative distance of 5,962 km of flying. Of these, 35 (72.9%) were repeat sightings (range = 2 to 8 resights) of nine …

Population Genomics Data For The Temperate Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa, John Whale, Elizabeth Sinclair, Chanelle Webster, Nicole Said, Ankje Frouws, David Field, Kathryn Mcmahon

Research Datasets

Seagrasses are flowering plants commonly found along coastal waters, globally, where they provide important ecosystem services such as habitat provision, sequestering carbon, and sediment stabilization. They can reproduce both clonally and sexually where sexual reproduction can result in new, potentially adaptive, variants and the existence of both reproductive methods means that meadows can be highly variable in clonal diversity. The temperate seagrass, Posidonia sinuosa, occurs across a latitudinal gradient along the Western Australian coastline. Some meadows have experienced significant decline as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation of coastal areas. We investigated spatial genetic diversity, structure, and local adaptation using …

Example Imagery Survey Data And Project Files To Test Wisdam Software, Amanda Hodgson, Christophe Cleguer

Research Datasets

This example dataset is designed to support our WISDAM (Wildlife Image Survey Detection and Mapping) software—a free, open‑source application (available at www.WISDAMapp.org) created for researchers conducting wildlife imagery surveys. WISDAM enables users to generate data suitable for abundance estimation and spatial modelling from aerial photographic surveys of marine and terrestrial megafauna.

Influence Of Rice Hull Biochar And Cedar Bark Media On Strawberry Productivity And Carbon Sequestration Potential In Hydroponic Systems, Sakalya Rajapakse, Munehiro Tanaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study evaluated the influence of rice hull biochar (RHB) and cedar bark media (CBM) as sustainable substrates for hydroponic strawberry cultivation. The total yield from virgin CBM was 413 g/plant and that from virgin RHB was 354 g/plant. Used CBM increased the yield by 4 % (429 g/plant) while used RHB increased yield by 18 % (419 g/plant) compared to the virgin, with no significant substrate differences. Fruit yields and physical properties were strongly correlated, particularly with particle density (R2 = 0.573). After 7 years of cultivation, plant residues had accumulated in both substrates. Uncarbonized carbohydrates in RHB indicated …

Differentiation Of Cell Populations In Saliva-Skin Mixtures Using Autofluorescence Profiling, Kara Fairfax

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

While DNA profiling of sexual assault evidence can identify biological contributors, determining the tissue source of recovered profiles remains a significant challenge, particularly in cases of suspected oral assault involving mixtures of epithelial cells. The initial goal of this study was to identify non-genetic signatures for differentiating two types of epithelial cells relevant to oral assaults, saliva epithelial cells and epidermal skin cells. To develop tissue-specific signatures, reference cell populations from saliva and epidermal skin surfaces were collected from 20 donors and analyzed using full spectrum flow cytometry.

Results from single-source reference samples showed that saliva-derived particle populations exhibited higher …

Impact Of Prostate Cancer Tumor Microenvironment On Alternative Splicing Landscapes In Nk Cells: An Lncap-Based In Vitro Model, Pratham N. Modi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

NK cells play a significant role in anti-tumor activity, yet the transcriptomic mechanisms underlying NK cell dysfunction in the prostate cancer tumor microenvironment remain generally poorly characterized. While most transcriptomic studies focus on gene-level expression, alternative splicing and isoform-level analysis may reveal additional levels of regulation not identified in traditional analysis. The overall goal of this study was to characterize gene and isoform-level changes in NK cells exposed to in vitro prostate cancer conditions and to evaluate whether isoform-level analysis could provide additional depth and insights beyond gene-level analyses. NK92-MI cells were co-cultured with LNCaP prostate cancer cells using direct-contact …

Transcriptomic And Epigenetic Analysis Of Dormant Grape Buds During Chilling Fulfillment, Imasha Thilakarathna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Perennial Clover Living Mulch And Reduced Tillage Effects On Weed Suppression, Crop Metrics, And Yield Of Organic Cabbage And Sweet Corn In The Northern Great Plains, Kristina Harms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vegetable farmers often face weed management and soil health challenges, such as nitrate leaching, soil compaction, and top-soil loss. Sustainable agriculture is a forefront of innovation compared to conventional agriculture. Living mulches, non-cash crops grown alongside cash crops, have demonstrated weed suppression and impact on the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Yet studies have not evaluated established living mulch systems on cash crop quality and yield. This study conducted in 2023, 2024, and 2025 at SDSU Southeast Research Farm, Beresford, SD, USA evaluates the impact of established ‘Dynamite’ red clover (Trifolium pratense), ‘Domino’ white clover (T. repens), and ‘Aberlasting’ white × …

Chemical Load: An Unseen Herbicide Filter In Restored Prairies?, Rylie Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community Assembly Theory is a framework used to describe the process by which species from a regional species pool disperse and encounter various abiotic and biotic conditions that act as filters, limiting which species will populate a specific local community. Prairie restoration success can be improved by understanding abiotic and biotic filters. As agricultural practices have adopted integrated weed management plans, that include the use of both chemical and non-chemical techniques, another filter needs to be considered during restoration: the chemical load of soils, i.e., herbicide residue from recent on-site applications and herbicide drift from adjacent areas. To examine the …

The Role Of Resistance Training In Managing Menopause-Related Changes, Alyson K. Strauss

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Resistance training serves as a critical non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating the physiological and psychological declines associated with the menopausal transition. This natural biological phase, marked by declining estrogen levels, typically leads to accelerated bone mineral density loss, sarcopenia, metabolic regulation disturbance, and heightened mood disturbances. To evaluate the efficacy of targeted exercise interventions, a systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. From an initial pool of 60 relevant articles, 13 studies met the specific inclusion criteria, focusing on structured resistance training protocols for perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal cohorts.

The synthesis of these studies indicates that resistance training is a highly …

Friends In Niche Places: An Examination Of Anole Abundance And Habitat Use In An Urban Environment Using Point Transect Distance Sampling, Ethan Gau

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Lizards in the genus anolis occupy a wide range of ecological niches, often sharing the same environment due to niche partitioning. In central Florida, the main species of anoles found are the native A. carolinensis and the invasive A. sagrei, two generalist anole species that partition into trunk-crown and trunk-ground niches in each other’s presences respectively. I surveyed the UCF main campus using Apollo Circle as the border for my study area, and I used point sampling to estimate the population abundance and density, while also collecting data on perch substrate, height, and canopy coverage. Population estimates for A. …

Differing Circulating Microrna Profiles Of Long-Lived Polish Populations, Fabrizzio Lijeron-Herrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Exceptional longevity, defined as a lower biological age relative to chronological age and maintenance of functional capacity or a slowing of functional decline, is a phenotype most readily observed in centenarians and nonagenarians. These individuals exhibit a phenomenon known as compressed morbidity, spending substantially less time in poor health compared to younger elderly populations, thus representing a unique human model of delayed aging. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), potent post-transcriptional regulators of molecular pathways, have emerged as important modulators of aging-related pathways; however, no study has comprehensively profiled miRNAs from serum in long-lived individuals from Central Europe. In particular, Polish populations present …

Recurrence And Co-Occurrence Of Enhancer-Promoter Interactions Across Human Samples, Satvik Gunjala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Experimental mapping of enhancer-promoter interactions (EPIs) is resource-intensive, and current computational prediction methods struggle with intrinsic genomic complexity and reliance on limited training data. To address this bottleneck and provide insights for improved computational methods, this study systematically analyzed chromatin contact datasets to investigate the recurrence and co-occurrence of enhancer-promoter interactions across human samples. Putative interactions were evaluated across two HiChIP datasets comprising 218 total samples and one Hi-C dataset comprising 266 samples to assess recurrence across samples and assess sequencing depth related to unique EPIs. Additionally, a preliminary item-based collaborative filtering recommender model was developed to assess co-occurrence patterns …

Quantifying Amendment Impact On Microbial Respiration Rate, Qwynn Starrwalker

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Wetlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle by acting as carbon sinks, where the flooded anaerobic conditions cause slow microbial respiration compared to other soils. Comparatively more carbon is stored in the soil as organic matter than is released as carbon dioxide (CO₂). Making wetland pools of soil organic matter less available to microbes for respiration could reduce overall atmospheric CO₂ and slow global warming. This study examined the effect of kaolinite, goethite, and lime on microbial respiration rates in wetland soils under alternating hydrologic conditions. Homogenized soil from a cypress dome was separated …

The Role Of The Amygdala In Huntington Disease-Associated Aggression, Luis Torres

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a trinucleotide CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). HD is characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms that significantly impact patient and caregiver quality of life. Psychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and irritability, are common manifestations of HD and can emerge years before the onset is clinically diagnosed. Aggression is a common and challenging psychiatric symptom in HD, often misunderstood and associated with caregiver stress, early institutionalization, and reduced quality of life. Despite its clinical impact, aggression in HD lacks effective, targeted treatment options. Similar to HD …