Other Life Sciences Commons^™

Electrochemical Sensors Based On Graphene Oxide/Pedot:Pss Composite Decorated With Bimetallic Gold–Silver Nanoparticles For H2o2 Detection, Rayyan Azzahra Hidayat, Budi Riza Putra, Munawar Khalil, Wulan Tri Wahyuni

Makara Journal of Science

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a biomarker that indicates oxidative stress levels in the human body; thus, rapid and accurate detection methods are necessary to diagnose various disorders. This study developed a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for detecting H₂O₂ using bimetallic gold–silver nanoparticles (Au–Ag NPs) combined with graphene oxide and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)-modified glassy carbon electrode. The surface properties of the modified electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The electrochemical performance of the modified electrodes was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and differential pulse voltammetry. The bimetallic Au-Ag …

Everyday Practices In Seed Sovereignty, Tapiwa Singini, Wu Xu

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Seed sovereignty is increasingly recognized as central to debates around food security, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods, particularly in the Global South. In Malawi, seed is not merely an agricultural input but a carrier of memory, resilience, and political agency. This paper explores how smallholder farmers in rural Malawi engage in everyday acts of resistance to maintain seed sovereignty amidst expanding corporate influence, restrictive state policies, and climate variability. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Mchinji District, I employ a political ecology framework and peasant resistance theory to analyze the lived strategies of farmers. These include seed saving, informal …

What’S That Smell? It’S Climate Change!, Perry Gregory

Capstones

Climate change is going to make New York City smell worse. Reporter Perry Gregory breaks down the process of olfaction and explains how heat affects what we smell. The piece features a collage of voices of New Yorkers describing the current smell profile of the city. The report features insight from several Atmospheric Scientists into why New York City is getting hotter and more humid, and how those climate changes will make the existing smells of the city stronger, and worse. The most economically vulnerable New Yorkers, who cannot afford air conditioning to buffer them from heat, will be the …

A Geological And Geochemical Study Of The Philipsburg Mining District, Granite County, Montana, Celine M. Beaucamp

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Philipsburg district, renowned for its rich mining history, has contributed significantly to Montana's mineral production, ranking as the state's second-most productive district. Active from 1865 to the 1980s, it yielded an impressive array of Ag (50-60 million oz), with notable outputs of Au, Zn, Pb, Cu, and battery-grade MnO2. The district features Cordilleran polymetallic veins, some of which are along bedding in Mississippian and Devonian limestone, and others are steeply dipping quartz veins in silicate-rich sedimentary rocks and in the Philipsburg batholith. The veins exhibit a district-wide mineral zonation, marked by Cu- and Ag-rich ores near granite porphyries, with …

Aqueous Geochemistry Drives Microbial Cu, Fe, And Zn Uptake Rates In Yellowstone, A Continental Hydrothermal System, Eva Carolina Andrade-Barahona

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Microbial uptake of trace metal cofactors such as copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) is governed by biogeochemical processes in hydrothermal systems where metal bioavailability varies widely. In situ microbial metal uptake rates were quantified by applying metal stable isotope probing (MSIP) in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system across diverse geochemical conditions in hydrothermal springs. The findings in these studies revealed that pH exerts a dominant influence on microbial copper uptake rate, also enhanced by increased Cu²⁺ ion availability and dissolved oxygen. Microbial iron uptake, in contrast, displayed a broad tolerance to environmental variability, occurring across a pH range of …

Development Of Microcrystalline Tests For Fentanyl, Clonazepam, And Diazepam Identification, Karis French

Honors Projects

Microcrystalline tests are chemical tests that involve the mixing of a substance with a specific reagent resulting in the formation of a crystal structure. Currently, microcrystalline tests are used as presumptive tests in forensic drug chemistry laboratories to provide the suspected identity of unknown substances. There is, however, a limited amount of research on this use of microcrystalline structures. Additionally, this existing research is outdated and does not include some of the newer commonly encountered controlled substances including fentanyl, clonazepam, and diazepam. This literature-based review attempts to identify reagents that could be used in microcrystalline tests for the identification of …

Impacts Of Nutrient Addition And Disturbance On Coastal Dune Arthropod Communities And Trophic Interactions, Kayla Beitzel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal dune ecosystems face ongoing threats from human-mediated disturbance and altered resource availability. Because these dunes provide critical habitat for many organisms, including shorebirds, beach mice, and arthropods, changes in disturbance regimes or resource availability can impact plant communities and higher trophic levels by altering plant richness and productivity, which in turn influence arthropod abundance and diversity. To examine how disturbance and nutrient addition affect arthropod communities, we established twenty 5×5 m plots on Dauphin Island, crossing mechanical disturbance with a 10 g m⁻² addition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, replicated across five experimental blocks. Arthropods were sampled using three …

The Ecology Of Arthropod Rain In A Tropical Forest., Andrew Robert Seiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tropical forests are structured by complex vertical linkages and nutrient exchanges between canopy and understory habitats. These linkages include the downward flux of organisms, the movement of canopy fauna, and the recycling of nutrients through litter and organic matter deposition. This dissertation investigates arthropod rain and its role in connecting the canopy and forest floor processes in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Chapter 2 quantifies “arthropod rain”, the fall of canopy arthropods into the understory. Using pan and pole traps, I measured the composition, abundance, and biomass of arthropods falling from the canopy and assessed environmental drivers of the …

Effect Of Polymer Contaminants Sourced From Coated Paper On The Performance Of The Resulting Recycled Paper, Ezekiel J. Guevarra

All Theses

The growing demand for sustainable packaging has accelerated the use of paper-based materials as alternatives to plastics. To provide barrier and functional properties, these materials are often modified with polymer coatings. While beneficial during use, such coatings can persist as contaminants during recycling, potentially disrupting fiber bonding and reducing the quality of recycled paper. This study examined the impact of extrusion-coated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films and two aqueous dispersions (Vapor/Water-Barrier, Acrylic Film (VWAF) and Oil & Grease Barrier (OGBF)) on contaminant distribution and mechanical performance of recycled handsheets. Kraft paper coated at varying levels was repulped and formed into handsheets, …

A Guided Ungrading Example For Independent Research Projects In An Upper-Division Ecosystem Ecology Stem Course, Christine S. O'Connell

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Ungrading is a pedagogical approach that, in some iterations, emphasizes formative feedback and student self-assessment over traditional point-based grading. While increasingly popular in the humanities and social sciences, ungrading remains uncommon in STEM courses, particularly those that are content-intensive. This article presents a structured example of ungrading implemented in an upper-division ecosystem ecology course through a 7-week independent research project. Students used public or previously collected ecological data to investigate a scientific question, culminating in a short-format, manuscript-style research paper and a 10 min oral presentation. The project was scaffolded with multiple checkpoints, including structured reflections, peer review, and instructor …

Multiscale Modelling Of Eg5: Structural Insights Into Microtubule Interactions, Atp Hydrolysis, And Allosteric Inhibition Mechanisms, Soundarya Priya Alexandar Ms

Theses and Dissertations

The mitotic kinesin EG5 is essential for spindle bipolarity and accurate chromosome segregation during cell division, making it a validated anti-cancer target. Unlike conventional microtubule-targeting agents, EG5 inhibitors offer mitosis-specific action, reducing neurotoxicity. Although inhibitors targeting EG5’s allosteric site-I have been extensively studied, mechanistic insights into inhibition at site-II, and their combined effects, remain underexplored. This thesis systematically investigates the structural and dynamic mechanisms underlying EG5 function and its inhibition using an integrative computational approach.

Conformational analysis, coarse-grained dynamics, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, and protein network analysis were performed on EG5 motor domain structures and EG5-microtubule complexes. Results show that …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

Dosimetric Comparison Of Dynamic Conformal Arc Using Ezfluence Versus Dynamic Conformal Arc With A Posterior Static Field, A Retrospective Thoracic Spine Study, Michelle Klemm

Masters Projects

Purpose

Spinal metastases are a common complication of advanced cancer, often requiring palliative radiation therapy. This study compares two dynamic conformal arc (DCA) based techniques for thoracic spine metastases: a single arc plan generated using EZFluence and a hybrid technique combining DCA with a posterior-anterior (PA) static field. The goal was to evaluate dosimetric differences in target coverage and organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing.

Methods

Ten thoracic spine computed tomography (CT) datasets from The Cancer Imaging Archive were retrospectively planned with both techniques using Eclipse v16.0. Each plan prescribed 3000 cGy in 10 fractions to a planning target volume (PTV) encompassing T5–T9 …

“Asking For Help Feels Like A Weakness”: Factors Shaping First-Year Students’ Expectations Of Stem Course Office Hours, Jeremy L. Hsu, Grace Holick, Rebecca M. Green, Elaine Benaksas Schwartz, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Office hours are one of the most ubiquitous resources for students in STEM courses. However, there has been only limited work examining what students think of STEM course office hours, and we are not aware of any past work that has examined (1) how students perceive STEM course office hours upon entering college, and (2) how these perceptions change over time and the factors that shape these perceptions and expectations of what will occur in office hours. Here, we utilize a longitudinal series of surveys to capture first-year students’ perceptions and expectancies for office hours at the beginning of …

Sustainability: Buzz Word Or Future Of Fashion? Measuring The Feasibility Of Outright Sustainability Among Fast Fashion’S Biggest Agents, Ryan Miller

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The fashion industry is currently experiencing unsustainable rates of pollution within its supply chains. The rapid increase in demand for short lead times perpetrated by large-scale retailers has led to hazardous practices negatively affecting both the environmental conditions and working conditions of producing countries. With this increased pressure, relationships between brands and suppliers have become untenable. Limited transparency and imbalanced power dynamics at the hand of the industry’s leading retailers require restructuring in order to build more sustainable and equitable supply-chain practices. Further, governmental regulation is currently limited in its capacity to enforce sustainable business practices on a global …

Pediatric Occupational Therapists’ Perception On How Nature-Based Play Affects Fine Motor Development, Abbi M. Rosenow

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study aimed to explore the benefits of nature-based pediatric occupational therapy and the influence of nature and nature-based play on fine motor development. It was hypothesized that nature and nature-based play would positively impact a child’s fine motor skills, and that nature-based occupational therapy would offer unique benefits to a child’s therapeutic experience. To examine these relationships, a survey was distributed to pediatric occupational therapists across the United States. The survey was designed to gather insights into how occupational therapy supports fine motor development, how nature-based play/therapy enhances these skills, and the perceived benefits of incorporating nature into therapeutic …

Agent-Based Model Outputs Regarding Error Associated With Drone-Based Animal Surveys, Emma Schultz, Natasha Ellison-Neary, Landon R. Jones, Kristine O. Evans, Raymond B. Iglay

Research Data

Count results from different scenarios of an agent-based model simulating various drone flight patterns across a survey area with differing animal distributions (clumped, random, uniform). Each Excel worksheet contains count results from surveys with specific numbers of animals (n = 4, 9, 25, 49, 100) programmed within the agent-based model survey area.

The Astrobiological Figure Of Humboldt As Pioneer In The Rock Varnish Research, Jose Jordan-Soria

Homage to Alexander von Humboldt: Travels to and from Spain Throughout the Centuries / Homenaje a Alexander von Humboldt: Viajes hacia y desde España de todos los siglos

From Humboldt is particularly interesting -and little know- his description of mineral coatings on rocks 200 years ago, reported in his book Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent during the years 1799-1804, co-written with Aimé Bonpland, for which is considerate the father of rock coating research. On June 5th 1799 set sail from A Coruña -Spain- to Cumaná -Venezuela- beginning five years of expedition. While they explored the Orinoco River system, in th eriver basin waterfalls, Humboldt observed the presence of dark coating depositions. He ascertained a manganese-rich accretion, reporting similar structures in other …

Changes In Rfi Values Of Omomyid Mandibular Molars In Response To Climatic Shifts, Hannah Vanooteghem

Masters Theses

Molar anatomy reflects the functional demands of food mastication, and dental topography provides a quantitative method for evaluating how molar structure relates to dietary niche. Relief index (RFI), a dental topographic measure, has been successfully used to infer diet in extant and fossil mammals. This study tests two hypotheses regarding mandibular molars of early Eocene omomyids: (1) There is an association between changes in omomyid RFI values of first and second mandibular molars and changes in climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) from Wa0 to Wa5, and (2) The first and second mandibular molar RFI values of omomyid species are significantly …

Factors Influencing Student Motivations And Experiences In Stem Course Office Hours, Gabriella R. Dauber, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Office hours are a part of nearly all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, with many academic and affective benefits for students who attend. However, despite their ubiquity, there has only been limited past work examining the sources of knowledge students draw from to shape their perceptions of office hours, as well as the factors that influence students' experiences in STEM course office hours. Here, we conducted semistructured interviews with 20 students enrolled in an introductory STEM course to investigate what motivates students to attend STEM course office hours, the factors that shape their experiences in office hours, and …

Design, Implementation, And Reflection From An Interdisciplinary Course In Museum Studies, Brenna L. Decker

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

In Spring of 2023, I developed a special topics course titled Collection Material Handling to introduce students to museum management using Utah State University collections on the Logan, UT campus. The cross-listed upper-level course brought 16 USU students together from two disciplines: anthropology and natural sciences. The publication details how I used various learning theories to guide the creation of course content and how I structured and implemented activities in the classroom and in the collections. Examples of worksheets, activities, student feedback, and recommended improvements to assignments are provided. I encourage …

Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Quadrata) As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish

Poster Presentations

Coastal erosion is heavily impacting coastal ecosystems across the Gulf. For instance, the state of Louisiana loses a football field worth of land every 100 minutes (Couvillion, 2017). The drastic loss of coastline highlights the dire need for restoration in the Northern Gulf Coast. An unexpected solution to this sediment loss may solve two major environmental issues at once by diverting millions of tons of glass waste from entering America’s landfills each year. By crushing glass to create sand and gravel for coastal restoration, we may generate a consistent and sustainable source of substrate. Our goal is to determine the …

Assessing The Viability Of A Proposed Third-Party Reusable Foodware System: An Environmental And Economic Comparison, Margaret Milani

All Theses

The United States generates 73 million tons of plastic waste annually, with over 6% attributed to the restaurant industry. The EPA recommends that restaurants reduce their plastic waste by transitioning to reusable foodware items. Previous studies have shown that using a single reusable foodware item, such as a cup, can result in lower environmental impacts and greater economic benefits compared to single-use plastic alternatives. However, the upfront costs of purchasing reusables, commercial dishwashers, and other associated expenses remain significant barriers for restaurants, leading many to continue using single-use plastic foodware. This study aims to analyze and compare the environmental impacts …

Biodegradable Active Packaging: Exploring The Antimicrobial Efficacy And Compostability Of Chitosan-Based Films, Rachel Mchugh

All Theses

The overarching purpose of this experiment is to create an active packaging component that has both antimicrobial and biodegradable properties specifically designed for poultry food products. For the scope of this study, the packaging component created would theoretically be used in conjunction with another material, such as a poultry tray which are commonly used for fresh poultry products. Based on the scope and purpose of this experiment, biopolymer films and coatings were considered after the initial literature review. Due to the goals of the packaging component, chitosan, a polysaccharide shown to have antimicrobial properties and an inherent ability to biodegrade, …

Fully Bio-Based, Flexible, Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Foams With High Lignin Content For Protective Packaging Applications, Kathryn N. Evancho

All Theses

Polyurethane foam is a valuable material with applications across the automotive, packaging, construction, appliance, and furniture industries. However, traditional polyurethane foams are made from petroleum-based precursors including harmful isocyanates. Isocyanates are the leading cause of workplace asthma and are made from toxic phosgene gas, representing a challenge to green chemistry principles such reducing risk and environmental footprint. To address these concerns, non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) foams have been the focus of research for the past decade, but they still face significant challenges in achieving commercial viability. NIPUs replace the traditional polyurethane reaction with a safer, non-isocyanate process most often employing cyclic …

Empowering Diversity: A Comprehensvie Approach To Minority Risk Management Education, Jahqethea Johnson

Applied Science Program: Theses

Federal programs are pivotal to the foundation of the United States agricultural sector. Program payments impact the economic well-being of agricultural producers, yet accessibility, outreach and education disparities remain prevalent among socially disadvantaged producer and agriculturists. From 2020-2024, an average of $21.7 billion dollars in federal agricultural payments have been paid to producers. Although federal funding historically supports commodity crops, livestock producers also depend on a distinct set of federal risk management programs, which are often less visible but pertinent for operational sustainability. There is a growing focus on the need for addressing disparities faced by socially disadvantaged producers and …

Functional Analysis Of Chromatin Remodeler Csb In Parp1/2- Mediated Oxidative Dna Lesion Repair, Rabeya Bilkis

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

The ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler Cockayne syndrome protein B (CSB) is essential for maintaining genome integrity. Mutations in CSB are the primary cause of Cockayne syndrome (CS), a premature aging disorder with severe sun sensitivity and neurodevelopmental symptoms. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the disease etiology remain poorly understood. Given the critical roles of oxidative stress in aging and neurodegenerative disorders, this research sought to determine the mechanisms of CSB’s functions in oxidative DNA damage repair.

In the first aim, we investigated how CSB participates in PARP1/2-mediated oxidative DNA repair. We showed that PARP1 and PARP2 recruit CSB to oxidized chromatin …

Using Mathematical Modeling To Study The Dynamics Of Legionnaires’ Disease And Consider Management Options, Mark Z. Wang, Christina J. Edholm, Lihong Zhao

Faculty Articles

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a largely understudied and underreported pneumonic environmentally transmitted disease caused by the bacteria \textit{Legionella}. It primarily occurs in places with poorly maintained artificial sources of water. There is currently a lack of mathematical models on the dynamics of LD. In this paper, we formulate a novel ordinary differential equation-based susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) model for LD. One issue with LD is the difficulty in its detection, as the majority of countries around the world lack the proper surveillance and diagnosis methods. Thus, there is not much publicly available data or literature on LD. We use parameter estimation for …

Training The Brain For Better Aging, Abby Martin

Honors Projects

Aging is associated with natural changes in brain function, but certain interventions can help sustain cognitive health and mitigate risks of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. This presentation explores the significance of brain fitness as a non-pharmacological approach to enhancing cognitive function. It covers the normal aging process of the brain, key indicators of abnormal aging, and the impact of Alzheimer’s disease, including genetic predispositions and current treatment limitations. Emphasis is placed on brain training exercises, such as puzzles, board games, video games, and nostalgia-based activities, which have been shown to improve memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the role …

Gubic: The Global Urban Biological Invasions Compendium For Plants, Daijiang Li, Luke J. Potgieter, Myla F. J. Aronson, Irena Axmanová, Benjamin Baiser, Marta Carboni, Laura Celesti-Grapow, Sonja Knapp, Ingolf Kühn, Ana Carolina Lacerda De Matos, Zdeňka Lososová, Flavia A. Montaño-Centellas, Petr Pyšek, David M. Richardson, Lauren B. Trotta, Rafael D. Zenni, Sarel S. Cilliers, Bruce D. Clarkson, Amy J. S. Davis, Rebecca W. Dolan, Marcin M. Dyderski, Franz Essl, Orou G. Gaoue, Joanne Gui, Charly Géron, Gustavo Heringer, Cang Hui, Anzar A. Khuroo, Stefan Klotz, Peter M. Kotanen, Holger Kreft, Frank A. Sorte, Jonas J. Lembrechts, Bernd Lenzner, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Scott Macivor, Cristina Martínez-Garza, Akira S. Mori, Charles Nilon, Jan Pergl, Stefan J. Siebert, Alyona S. Tretyakova, Toby P. N. Tsang, Kei Uchida, Mark Van Kleunen, Montserrat Vilà, Hua-Feng Wang, Patrick Weigelt, Peter Werner, Nicholas S. G. Williams, Marten Winter, Marc Cadotte

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Abstract Urban areas are foci for the introduction of non-native plant species, and they often act as launching sites for invasions into the wider environment. Although interest in biological invasions in urban areas is growing rapidly, and the extent and complexity of problems associated with invasions in these systems have increased, data on the composition and numbers of non-native plants in urbanized areas remain scattered and idiosyncratic. We assembled data from multiple sources to create the Global Urban Biological Invasions Compendium (GUBIC) for vascular plants representing 553 urban centres from 61 countries across every continent except Antarctica. The GUBIC repository …