Digital Commons Network^™

Sp685 Landscaping Guidelines To Protect Your Home From Wildfire, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

As Tennessee’s population continues to grow, more people are building homes in rural forested areas. Each year Tennessee experiences approximately 2,000 wild (forest) fires. With the influx of new homeowners in and around forest land, the chances of wildfires damaging home structures increase. Improper landscaping around homes increases the likelihood of fire damage, while also hindering the activities of firefighters.

Pb726-Common Ticks Of Tennessee And Their Control, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

Ticks are external parasites of mammals, birds and reptiles and feed only on the blood of their hosts. They can be distinguished from insects and spiders because the head, thorax and abdomen are fused into a single, sac-like body region. They have four pairs of jointed legs and no antennae. Ticks are found walking on or attached to their hosts or in areas frequented by their hosts. These areas include woodlands, weedy or brushy areas, lawns, dag kennels an dog runs. Ticks frequently wait for a host on vegetation along trails and paths traveled by people or animals.

Sp341-O-Silverfish And Firebrats, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

Silverfish and firebrats eat a wide variety of food, including glue, wallpaper paste, bookbindings, paper, starch in clothing, rayon fabric, wheat flour, cereals, dried meats and dead insects. Usually they are found trapped in a bathtub, sink or washbasin.

Sp290-A-European Hornets Tapping At Your Window At Night, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

If you've seen hornets attracted to lights at night, most likely it is the European hornet, Vespa crabro. This species can be quite intimidating as they buzz and beat against lighted windows at night. They are very defensive, so be sure to maintain a safe distance between you and the hornet.

Pb1599-Carpenter Ants - Those Big Ants In Your Kitchen And Bathroom, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

Ever wondered about those big, black ants in your house? You know, the ants you spray every time you see them in the kitchen and bathroom — but they keep coming back. Or, maybe it took the occurrence of a mating flight of the winged forms (usually in the spring or summer) to alert you to their presence, since the worker ants (no wings) are most active at dusk or in the evening. This publication will help you deal with this challenging pest problem.

Pb1596-Chemical And Nonchemical Management Of Fleas, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Figure 1), is the most common flea found on cats and dogs in Tennessee. These fleas are about 1/16 inch long and are reddish-brown in color. Fleas have bodies flattened from the sides with backward projecting spines so they can easily walk through animal hair. Parts of the legs are enlarged for jumping, which allows an adult flea to jump almost 200 times its height.

Most of us are well aware of the flea and the itch produced by its bite. Not only are flea bites irritating, but fleas can also transmit several disease-causing organisms …

Sp341-I-Carpet Beetles, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

Carpet beetles feed on animal and plant substances such as wool, fur, feathers, hair, hides, horns, silk and bone, as well as cereals, cake mixes, red pepper, rye meal and flour. Other substances include powdered milk, dog and cat food, leather, book bindings, dead insects, cotton, and linen and rayon when stained with spilled food or animal excreta. The larvae cause the damage. They crawl from room to room and live behind baseboards and moldings and in heating system air ducts, dresser drawers, carpets, clothing and furniture. Adult beetles fly readily and may feed outdoors on flower pollen. Four species …

Sp341-S-Head Lice, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

In the United States, approximately 10 – 12 million people, mostly children, are infested annually with head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis DeGeer. The first indication of an infestation is the itching and scratching caused by these bloodsucking insects. Examination of the hair and scalp will usually reveal the white or grayish crawling forms (about the size of a sesame seed) and yellowish- white eggs (nits) attached to the hair shafts close to the scalp.

Lice are usually transferred by the sharing of combs, brushes, hats or bedding, or resting one’s head on upholstered furniture or pillows recently used by an …

Sp503-B-Mosquito Control Around Homes, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

There are strategies you can use to reduce the mosquito population around your home! This fact sheet will describe the different types of mosquitoes found in Tennessee as well as strategies residents can use to prevent the buildup of the most common species found around homes, mainly those species that have larvae in containers such as tires, etc.

Third Thursday 10-2006, Institute Of Agriculture

Third Thursday

No abstract provided.

Rna:Protein Ratio Of The Unicellular Organism As A Characteristic Of Phosphorous And Nitrogen Stoichiometry And Of The Cellular Requirement Of Ribosomes For Protein Synthesis, Tatiana V. Karpinets, Duncan J. Greenwood, Carl E. Sams, John T. Ammons

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- General Biology

Background

Mean phosphorous:nitrogen (P:N) ratios and relationships of P:N ratios with the growth rate of organisms indicate a surprising similarity among and within microbial species, plants, and insect herbivores. To reveal the cellular mechanisms underling this similarity, the macromolecular composition of seven microorganisms and the effect of specific growth rate (SGR) on RNA:protein ratio, the number of ribosomes, and peptide elongation rate (PER) were analyzed under different conditions of exponential growth.

Results

It was found that P:N ratios calculated from RNA and protein contents in these particular organisms were in the same range as the mean ratios reported for diverse …

Pb1633-Improving Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Wildlife and Fisheries

Wildlife viewing is becoming one of the most popular forms of outdoor recreation in America. Observing wildlife in one’s own backyard is not only enjoyable, but convenient as well. In some areas (especially rural settings), excellent wildlife habitat exists and viewing opportunities can be abundant. However, in a growing number of areas (especially suburbia), wildlife habitat has deteriorated or been destroyed entirely. This is particularly true in many subdivisions where the landscape was bulldozed and leveled-off prior to home construction. In either case, there are lots of ways to improve wildlife habitat around your home.

Pb1763-Bed Bugs - Making A Comeback In Tennessee, Too!, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Insects, Pests, Plant Diseases and Weeds

“Red coats,” “wall louse,” “bed louse” and “mahogany- flat” – do you recognize any of these terms? These are just some of the many common names given to the bed bug, a not-so-common bug making a comeback. Bed bugs take shelter in or near the cracks and crevices of beds and in bedrooms. They feed on human blood at night, often leaving an itching lump as a result of a bite.

Third Thursday 9-2006, Institute Of Agriculture

Third Thursday

No abstract provided.

Differential Expression Of Skin Cancer And Hair-Follicle Cycle Regulated Genes In Tumor Susceptible K14-Agouti Mice, Yesim Aydin Son

Doctoral Dissertations

The mouse agouti protein is transiently expressed in the skin and signals through the melanocortin 1 receptor to switch pigment production of hair-follicle melanocytes from black to yellow. Ubiquitous over-expression of agouti protein in mice carrying the spontaneous dominant mutations Ay and Avy causes a pleiotropic syndrome characterized by solid yellow hair color, obesity, diabetes, and increased susceptibility to carcinogenesis in a wide variety of tissues, including the skin. Over-expression of agouti in the skin of keratin 14 (K14)- Agouti transgenic mice promotes skin carcinogenesis, even in the absence of obesity and diabetes. In this study cDNA microarray …

Integrated Computational And Experimental Platform For Characterizing Protein Isoforms And Ptms In Microbial Systems By Top-Down Ft-Icr Mass Spectrometry, Heather Marie Connelly

Doctoral Dissertations

The goals of this dissertation research were to develop an integrated computational and experimental platform for characterizing protein isoforms and post translational modifications (PTMs) in microbial systems by top-down FT-ICR mass spectrometry. To accomplish this goal, we employed methodologies of microbial growth, intact protein and protein complex extractions, followed by sample preparation and then progressed to identification of the instrumentation needed to integrate the top-down and bottom-up proteomics methodologies used in these studies. Emphasis is placed on the development of integrated top-down and bottom-up informatics and the challenges faced in the integration of these two large mass spectrometry data sets …

Vertical Export Of Biogenic Matter In The Chukchi And Barents Seas, Catherine Lalande

Doctoral Dissertations

Drifting sediment traps were deployed in 2004 in the ChukchiSeato investigate the variability in the vertical flux of biogenic matter in the presence and absence of sea ice. Measurements of chlorophyll-a, particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen, phytoplankton, zooplankton fecal pellets, and the stable carbon isotope composition of the sinking material were accomplished along two shelf-to-basin transects. POC fluxes obtained in ice-covered and ice-free conditions were of different composition but of similar magnitude, indicating that the export fluxes in the presence of ice cover contributed significantly to the annual export of biogenic matter in the Chukchi Sea. …

Spatial Processes And Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment Modeling, Steven Thomas Purucker

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation considers the importance of spatial processes in the application of models for environmental risk assessment. The appropriate incorporation of space as an ecological variable to construct spatially delineated risk estimates can improve estimates of the risk outcomes and improve resulting risk management decisions. Three environmental problems are considered, corresponding to three different case studies measuring an ecotoxicological effect at progressively broader spatial scales. The first application addresses how the presence of spatial auto­correlation can affect the exposure of ecological receptors in the environment. The presence of significant spatial correlation can impact methods for adequately determining summary concentrations, hypothesis …

Historical Processes, Evolutionary Change, And Phenotypic Plasticity: Geographic Variation In Behavior, Morphology, And Life-History Traits Of Common Gartersnake, Thamnophis Sirtalis, Populations, John S. Playk Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

Islands have long been of interest to biologists, as they are often home to unusual species or populations of species that are characterized by unique behavior, morphology, and gene pools. My research explores the mechanisms driving and maintaining phenotypic variation in the common gartersnake, Thamnophis sirtalis, populations of the Beaver Archipelago. Specifically, I focused on antipredator-related traits, foraging/feeding-related traits, and reproductive life-history traits, as all are known to vary with differences in predator composition and resource availability, which vary among the islands of the Beaver Archipelago and between the islands and the surrounding mainland. Since the exact origin of …

Explaining Species Diversity By Linking Local And Large Scale Processes, Marc William Cadotte

Doctoral Dissertations

Large-scale processes are known to be important for patterns of species richness, yet the ways in which local and larger scale processes interact is not clear. I first examined published experiments that manipulated dispersal among local communities using meta- analyses. I show that local communities often readily increase diversity, but that there may be declines at larger spatial scales. I then used metacommunities consisting of microbial aquatic communities to examine how processes at different scales affect local and metacommunity richness. Specifically, I manipulated the potential dispersal rate, whether dispersal was localized or global, and variation in initial community composition. I …

Pb1731 Identifying Oak Trees Native To Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

From the bottomland swamps in the west to the mountain peaks in the east, Tennessee is enriched with a medley of forest trees like few other states. Diversity in soil types, climate and elevation give Tennessee an environmental gradient that provides habitats for approximately 190 native forest trees and large shrubs.

Oak trees are an important component of many Tennessee forests and are of particular interest to landowners, homeowners, the forest industry, students and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Oaks are deserving of special recognition, due to their important role in Tennessee’s history, both ancient and modern. Unmatched in economic and biological …

Third Thursday 8-2006, Institute Of Agriculture

Third Thursday

No abstract provided.

A Test Of The Enemy Release Hypothesis Using A Congeneric Pair Of Lespedeza Species, Mary Gail Caflisch

Masters Theses

The enemy release hypothesis (ERH) postulates that invasive species are released from the effects of the herbivores, predators, pathogens, and other enemies that control population sizes in the native ranges of the invasive species. In a one-year common garden experiment, I compared the native species Lespedeza capitata to the invasive species Lespedeza cuneata. I examined relative fitness and performance over the first growing season and manipulated arthropod abundance using insecticide applications. While L. capitata had higher germination and survivorship than did L. cuneata, it also sustained more natural enemy damage. Arthropod reduction increased height and apparent survivorship for L. capitata. …

Determining Wear Tolerance Of Turfgrass Species For Athletic Fields In The Transition Zone, Jordan Rhea Goddard

Masters Theses

A study to evaluate the performance of four different turfgrass varieties under simulated athletic field traffic in the transition zone was conducted in Tennesseeand Arkansas. ‘Thermal Blue’ hybrid bluegrass (Poa arachnifera Torr. x P. pratensis L.) has been introduced as a bluegrass variety bred for increased heat and drought tolerance. This variety provides a possible alternative to bermudagrass varieties in transition zone athletic fields. ‘Thermal Blue’ was compared to common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) varieties ‘Riviera’ and ‘Quickstand’ and the hybrid bermudagrass (C. dactylon L. Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burt-Davy) variety ‘Tifway’. Each turfgrass species was …

Tennessee's Kenaf Market Potential As A Feedstock In The Production Of Paper, Gerry Solano Avila

Masters Theses

The goal of this study was to assess the production feasibility and market potential of using kenaf as a feedstock for paper production in Tennessee. This thesis 1) evaluates the potential for growing this crop in Tennessee by comparing the cost and return and the break-even price for kenaf with soybean, corn, cotton and wheat, 2) identifies potential suitable production areas in the state of Tennessee, 3) analyzes the marketing opportunities that could have developed for kenaf at a price that growers would be willing to produce it, 4) identifies potential kenaf marketing structure and marketing channels, and 5) identifies …

The Viability Of The Economy Of Oromia: A Point Of Departure, Harwood David Schaffer

Masters Theses

The Oromo, an oppressed, colonized, ethno-national group within Ethiopia, are engaged in a struggle to achieve full political and economic participation within a national entity. Given an undernourishment rate approaching 50 percent and an agriculture which provides a means of livelihood for 80 percent of the labor force, any future leadership will have to address the interrelated issues of agriculture and economy. An examination of production numbers indicates that an independent Oromia would not be at an agricultural disadvantage when compared with remaining as a participating entity within the present boundaries of Ethiopia.

Policies directed toward overcoming undernutrition cannot be …

The Effects Of Hiking Poles On Performance And Physiological Variables During Mountain Climbing, Rachel Louise Duckham

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to compare performance when hiking with and without poles during a maximal effort mountain ascent. In addition, the study determined if there were differences in physiological responses, such as heart rate, estimated energy expenditure, and blood lactate accumulation. 15 physically active men and women (mean age 29±6) hiked with and without walking poles up a 4-km trail ( 426-meter elevation gain). Performance was determined by the time taken to reach the top of the mountain. In addition, differences in physiological variables including heart rate (HR), estimated energy expenditure (EE), and blood lactate accumulation …

Measuring Cell Surface Elasticity On Enteroaggregative Escherichia Coli 042 Wild Type And Dispersin Mutant By Atomic Force Microscopy, Melissa Aline Beckmann

Masters Theses

Enteroaggregative Escherichi coli (EAEC) 042 is a pathogenic strain of E.coli that produces a severe diarrhea in humans. A mutant of EAEC 042 that does not produce dispersin, a cell surface protein, is not pathogenic. It has been proposed that dispersin imparts a positive charge to the bacterial cell surface allowing the bacteria to colonize on the negatively charged intestinal mucosa. However, physical properties of the bacterial cell surface, such as rigidity, may be influenced by the presence of dispersin and may contribute to pathogenicity. Using the system developed in our laboratory for mounting and imaging bacterial cells by atomic …

Genetic Characterization Of The Hypertriglyceridemia And The Related Traits In Obese Diabetic Tallyho/Jngj Mice, Hyoung Yon Kim

Masters Theses

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common form of human diabetes, accounting for approximately 90% of cases and often coexists with obesity. Elevated triglyceride levels and small dense low density lipoprotein particles and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol constitute diabetic dyslipidemia. Diabetic patients often develop hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) at the early stage of the disease, before the onset of overt hyperglycemia (diabetes). It is well-established that genetic factors significantly influence the onset of HTG, yet no susceptibility genes for common forms of HTG have been identified in human populations to date.

TALLYHO/JngJ (TH) mice are a newly established inbred …

Measuring Effects Of Housing Densities On Property Values Using Locally Weighted Regression, Alexander Webber Young

Masters Theses

The objective of this study is to determine spatial differences in the marginal values of housing density and their implications for housing development projects. In order to achieve this objective, the values households place on neighborhood density were measured using locally weighted regression in a hedonic housing-price framework. The neighborhood housing density coefficient in the global model confirms the positive and significant value of lower neighborhood density. The spatial distribution of the housing density marginal effects from the local model shows the variation of site-specific values of neighborhood housing density. The marginal effects of lower neighborhood density gradually increase closer …