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Biology

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Theses and Dissertations

2016

Biology

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

The Function Of Renalase, Brett Allen Beaupre Aug 2016

The Function Of Renalase, Brett Allen Beaupre

Theses and Dissertations

Renalase was originally reported to be an enzyme secreted into the blood by the kidney to lower blood pressure and slow heart rate. Despite multiple reports claiming to confirm this activity in vivo there has been considerable discord in regards to the reaction catalyzed by renalase. The structural topology of renalase resembles that of known flavoprotein oxidases, monooxygenases and demethylases, but the conserved active site residues are unique to renalase. It has been reported that the catalytic function of renalase is to oxidize circulating catecholamines, however in vitro studies have failed to demonstrate a catalytic activity in the presence of …


Individual Movement Rates Are Sufficient To Determine And Maintain Dynamic Spatial Positioning Within Uca Pugilator Herds, Eilea R. Knotts Jun 2016

Individual Movement Rates Are Sufficient To Determine And Maintain Dynamic Spatial Positioning Within Uca Pugilator Herds, Eilea R. Knotts

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial location within aggregations (i.e. periphery, central) is of biological significance to gregarious animals. Because these positions are a potential consequence of consistent individual behavioral differences, or personality, a better understanding of potential mechanisms concerning personality is central to predicting an individuals’ location. To determine the effects of individual personality on the dynamic spatial positioning of Uca pugilator while herding, field data collection and agent-based modeling were employed. Individuals were assayed to establish their personalities and returned to the field for observation as a means of identifying location preference within selfish herds. There was a significant difference between the extreme …


Accepting Evolution And Believing In God: How Religious Persons Perceive The Theory Of Evolution, Katherine F. Manwaring Feb 2016

Accepting Evolution And Believing In God: How Religious Persons Perceive The Theory Of Evolution, Katherine F. Manwaring

Theses and Dissertations

Students frequently hold an incorrect view of evolution. There are several potential barriers that prevent students from engaging evolutionary theory including lack of knowledge, limited scientific reasoning ability, and religiosity. Our research provides tools for overcoming barriers related to religiosity and diagnoses the barriers preventing students from fully engaging in learning the theory of evolution. This was a two-part study. The first part of our study addressed two hypothesized barriers to learning evolutionary theory among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon): (1) religious views stemming from incorrect understanding of the Church's neutral stance …