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Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Identifying Topographic Controls Of Terrestrial Vegetation Using Remote Sensing Data In A Semiarid Mountain Watershed, Idaho, Usa, Ricci Loughridge
Identifying Topographic Controls Of Terrestrial Vegetation Using Remote Sensing Data In A Semiarid Mountain Watershed, Idaho, Usa, Ricci Loughridge
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Global climate change is a significant research focus area in contemporary Earth science. Changes in climatic patterns have already resulted in shifting energy flows with associated changes in hydrologic and ecologic systems. More specifically, changes in vegetation distribution and abundance are one of the most visible and potentially significant effects of a changing climatic regime. However, to monitor and predict future changes in vegetation, the initial conditions must be well characterized. This thesis examines the distribution of vegetation in a semiarid mountain watershed in three important ways: (1) quantifying the factors affecting the distribution of broad classes of vegetation at …
Traffic Noise Decreases Body Condition And Stopover Efficiency Of Migrating Songbirds, Heidi Elise Ware
Traffic Noise Decreases Body Condition And Stopover Efficiency Of Migrating Songbirds, Heidi Elise Ware
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Numerous studies document impacts of roads on wildlife, and suggest traffic noise as a primary cause of population declines near roads. For migratory birds faced with increasingly human-altered habitats, noise may pose a serious threat. Using an array of speakers, we applied traffic noise to a roadless landscape, directly testing the effect of noise alone on an entire songbird community. Focusing on individuals that stayed despite the noise, we demonstrate that songbirds show a near halving of ability to gain body condition when exposed to traffic noise during migratory stopover. This marked degradation in stopover efficiency may help explain dramatic …
Ciliates Of Sagebrush-Steppe Soils Of Southwestern Idaho: Species Richness And Its Relationship To Changed Soil Variables After Wildfire Events, Laura G. Wendell
Ciliates Of Sagebrush-Steppe Soils Of Southwestern Idaho: Species Richness And Its Relationship To Changed Soil Variables After Wildfire Events, Laura G. Wendell
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
I conducted a pilot study to examine species richness of terrestrial ciliates associated with big sagebrush habitat (Artemisia tridentata) in southwestern Idaho, USA. As wildland fires are a naturally occurring disturbance in this area, soil variables associated with these fires (% C, % N, pH, soil texture, and % clay) were measured at three sites, both in burned and unburned areas. These soil characteristics were compared to corresponding ciliate diversity and ratios of r-selected colpodeans to K-selected polyhymenophorans (C/P) in non-flooded Petri dish preparations. A total of 85 ciliate taxa were observed across the three sites, including …
Evolutionary Search For Models Of Planarian Regeneration Using Experimental Data, Marianna Viktorovna Budnikova
Evolutionary Search For Models Of Planarian Regeneration Using Experimental Data, Marianna Viktorovna Budnikova
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
The ability of science to produce experimental data greatly surpasses our current ability to effectively visualize, conceptualize, and integrate the vast volumes of available data into a unified understanding of how complex biological systems work. This inability is a hindrance to scientific progress, and is particularly daunting when one considers multidimensional and shape-based observations as in the field of regenerative biology. For example, for at least the last 200 years, scientists have been interested in the exceptional ability of Planaria to regenerate lost tissues from damage, and there is a large amount of experimental data available on this organism. However, …
Mechanistic And Substrate Specificity Studies On Burkholderia Mallei Quorum Sensing Signal Synthesis Enzyme, Aubrey N. Montebello
Mechanistic And Substrate Specificity Studies On Burkholderia Mallei Quorum Sensing Signal Synthesis Enzyme, Aubrey N. Montebello
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Gram-negative bacteria use acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) based quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the expression of genes that give the bacteria a selective advantage over host defenses and antibiotic treatment. Burkholderia mallei is an antibiotic resistant pathogen that causes Glanders disease. B. mallei BmaI1 AHL-synthase uses octanoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein (C8ACP) and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to synthesize the AHL, octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C8HSL). Inhibiting AHL-synthases has been difficult because mechanistic and substrate specificity details for these enzymes are not well understood. Our goal was to determine how BmaI1 activity and enzymatic mechanism changes with nonspecific, variable acyl chain acyl-ACP substrates. We found that catalytic …
Exploration Into The Cellular Effects Of Aziridinomitosenes, Christopher M. Mallory
Exploration Into The Cellular Effects Of Aziridinomitosenes, Christopher M. Mallory
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Aziridinomitosenes (AZMs) are organic compounds structurally related to the mitomycins, a class of anti-tumor agents and antibiotics. The cytotoxicity of the mitomycins is correlated to their ability to covalently link complimentary strands of DNA, forming DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). Currently, there has been limited investigation into the biological activity of AZMs, likely due to difficulties in their synthesis. Our lab has synthesized and evaluated the cellular effects of two AZMs, (1S, 2S)-6-desmethyl(methylaziridino)mitosene (H/H-AZM) and (1S, 2S)-6-methyl(methylaziridino)mitosene (Me/H-AZM). We hypothesize that AZMs exhibit their cytotoxicity and cellular effects following a similar pathway to that of mitomycin C (MC) including …
The Effect Of Attentional Focus Instructions On Golf Swing Performance In Recreational Golfers, Jeffrey D. Eggleston
The Effect Of Attentional Focus Instructions On Golf Swing Performance In Recreational Golfers, Jeffrey D. Eggleston
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Previous research has addressed the effectiveness of attentional focus instructions in improving golf performance with a single training session. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of external (EF) attentional focus instructions on recreational golfers’ performance over a distributed training period and extended retention interval. Performance was measured by club head velocity (CHV) and X-factor as both have been correlated with greater performance. The current study extends the work of An, Wulf, and Kim (2013), by increasing the training period and retention interval. It was hypothesized EF group would have greater CHV and X-factor measurements during …
Effect Of Weight Loss Training Protocol Using Two Different Treadmills For Obese Individuals, Kristi Lynn Bercier
Effect Of Weight Loss Training Protocol Using Two Different Treadmills For Obese Individuals, Kristi Lynn Bercier
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill allows individuals to walk at reduced body weight by using lower body positive pressure (LBPP). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to discern if the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill was an effective tool to use in a weight loss walking program with obese individuals when compared to walking on a traditional treadmill. METHODS: Fifteen male (n = 3) and female (n = 12) obese participants, aged 18-55 years old with an average body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2), were randomly assigned to the AlterG treadmill (AlterG; n = 6) and traditional treadmill (TT; …
Quantifying Habitat Relationships Of Songbirds In Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides) And Other Montane Communities Of The Jarbidge Mountains, Nevada, Kevin Patrick Glueckert
Quantifying Habitat Relationships Of Songbirds In Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides) And Other Montane Communities Of The Jarbidge Mountains, Nevada, Kevin Patrick Glueckert
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands are expected to be sensitive to climate change, and have declined in parts of the West. Great Basin mountain ranges may be near the limits of aspen’s climatic threshold, in terms of temperature and aridity, and thus are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Birds associating with aspen are likely to undergo regional population fluctuations and changes in distribution as a result of changes in aspen availability or distribution. Thus, understanding the habitat relationships of avian communities in aspen and other montane cover types is important for tracking the impacts of future landscape change. …
Behavioral Responses Of Burrowing Owls To Experimental Clutch Manipulations: An Investigation Of Conspecific Brood Parasitism And Laying Determinacy, Jamie Lynn Groves
Behavioral Responses Of Burrowing Owls To Experimental Clutch Manipulations: An Investigation Of Conspecific Brood Parasitism And Laying Determinacy, Jamie Lynn Groves
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
During 2012-2013, I investigated the behavioral responses of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in southwestern Idaho to experimental conspecific brood parasitism to determine if they were capable of egg discrimination, and if they would accept or reject a parasitic egg introduced into their nest. I experimentally added one egg derived from source nests to host nests either during the egg-laying period or just after adult females initiated incubation and examined acceptance or rejection of the parasitic egg in relation to control nests where eggs were handled but not exchanged. Burrowing owl responses to parasitic eggs varied with …
Osteoblast Oncostatin M Signaling In Modeled Spaceflight, Jacob Goyden
Osteoblast Oncostatin M Signaling In Modeled Spaceflight, Jacob Goyden
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Bone deterioration is a challenge in long-term spaceflight with significant connections to terrestrial disuse bone loss. Prolonged unloading and radiation exposure, defining characteristics of space travel, have both been associated with changes in inflammatory signaling via IL-6 class cytokines in bone. While there is also some evidence for perturbed IL-6 class signaling in spaceflight, there has been scant examination of the connections between free fall, radiation, and inflammatory stimuli in bone. Our lab and others have shown that the IL-6 class cytokine oncostatin M (OSM) is an important regulator of bone remodeling. We hypothesize that spaceflight alters osteoblast OSM signaling, …
Construction And Characterization Of Non-Toxic Bacterial Enterotoxins As Vaccine Adjuvants, Lavanya Vempati
Construction And Characterization Of Non-Toxic Bacterial Enterotoxins As Vaccine Adjuvants, Lavanya Vempati
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
The development of adjuvants that can promote the delivery of purified subunit vaccines by mucosal routes, such as the nose or the mouth, is recognized as a top priority for vaccine research. The bacterial enterotoxins; cholera toxin (CT) and E.coli heat-labile toxin (LTI), have long been recognized as powerful adjuvants with the ability to stimulate specific immune responses to co-administered antigens when delivered to mucosal surfaces. Shiga toxin 1 (ST1) and pertussis toxin (PT) are structurally homologous bacterial toxins secreted by Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Bordetella pertussis respectively. ST1 and PT also have reported adjuvant activity but it is less …
Population Response To Climate Change: Wintering Strategy Has Carryover Effects On The Timing Of Nest Initiation And Mate Choice In A Partial Migrant, The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius), Alexandra Marie Anderson
Population Response To Climate Change: Wintering Strategy Has Carryover Effects On The Timing Of Nest Initiation And Mate Choice In A Partial Migrant, The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius), Alexandra Marie Anderson
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
The ability of a population to respond to climate change will depend on phenotypic plasticity, adaptation, or both. Bird populations have already responded to warming temperatures by shifting their distributions, adjusting migration distance and timing, and breeding earlier. A population of American kestrels (Falco sparverius) in southwestern Idaho has advanced its nesting by approximately 30 days, on average, in the last 30 years and this has been correlated with changes in winter climate. The mechanisms allowing for this shift, however, are not clearly understood. I investigated if assortative mating of wintering kestrels and non-wintering kestrels is accompanying to …
Influence Of Wildfire Disturbance And Post-Fire Seeding On Vegetation And Insects In Sagebrush Habitats, Ashley T. Rohde
Influence Of Wildfire Disturbance And Post-Fire Seeding On Vegetation And Insects In Sagebrush Habitats, Ashley T. Rohde
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Disturbance events alter community composition and structure because of differences in resistance and resilience of individual taxa, changes in habitat resulting in colonization by new taxa and alteration of biotic interaction patterns. Recent changes in disturbance types, frequencies and intensities caused by anthropogenic activities may further alter community composition and structure if these disturbances exceed the tolerances or adaptations of some taxa. In sagebrush steppe habitats of the western United States, wildfire is the current dominant disturbance type, burning millions of hectares annually. Further, up to 90% of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic influences such as invasive species. Post-fire …
Making More Sensitive Dna Sensors Using Gold Nanoparticles And Dna-Based Amplification Networks, Herbert M. Huttanus
Making More Sensitive Dna Sensors Using Gold Nanoparticles And Dna-Based Amplification Networks, Herbert M. Huttanus
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
This study focuses on the use of gold nanoparticles with DNA-based signal amplification as a detection method for low concentrations of DNA bio-markers. Biotechnology is a rapidly evolving field with primarily medical applications. Early detection is a challenging process for some cancers and other diseases yet is so critical to successful treatment. Increasingly sensitive detection techniques are being developed, but the current gold standard for detecting nucleotide biomarkers at low concentrations is polymerase chain reaction. While this technique is sensitive, it requires the use of active enzymes, a thermocycler, and trained personnel working in a clean environment, and is thus …