Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Coral Stressing On The Feeding Preferences Of The Coral Predator, Acanthaster Planci, Harriet Booth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coral predators have always been a natural occurrence on coral reefs, but recent studies have begun to focus on the feeding preferences of these predators in relation to bleached and damaged corals. The recent mass bleaching events, mainly resulting from factors of climate change, have motivated researchers to study the effects of predation on the affected corals to determine the extent of harm these large-scale disturbances may be causing to reefs. This study examined how coral stressing affects the feeding preferences of Acanthaster planci, a coral-feeding starfish that has been known to cause widespread damage to coral reefs, especially during …

Dr7a: Changes In Ecosystem Services And Migration In Low-Lying Coastal Areas Over The Next 50 Years, Robert Costanza, Ida Kubiszewski, Joe Roman, Paul Sutton

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

This paper examines the history and current status of ecosystem services in low-lying coastal areas (LLCAs), their potential changes because of wider environmental and social shifts, and the potential impacts of these changes on human migration. We synthesised information from a number of sources on the status and value of ecosystem services in LLCAs, including information about key ecosystems that are likely to be particularly vulnerable to environmental change. We created maps of ecosystem and human population changes in LLCAs and then estimated changes in ecosystem services. Estimating the impacts of these potential changes depends on the future scenario one …

The Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Protein Turnover During The Progression Of Cancer Cachexia In The ApcMin/+ Mouse, James P. White, John W. Baynes, Stephen L. Welle, Matthew C. Kostek, Lydia E. Matesic, Shuichi Sato, James A. Carson

Faculty Publications

Muscle wasting that occurs with cancer cachexia is caused by an imbalance in the rates of muscle protein synthesis and degradation. The Apc(Min/+) mouse is a model of colorectal cancer that develops cachexia that is dependent on circulating IL-6. However, the IL-6 regulation of muscle protein turnover during the initiation and progression of cachexia in the Apc(Min/+) mouse is not known. Cachexia progression was studied in Apc(Min/+) mice that were either weight stable (WS) or had initial (≤5%), intermediate (6-19%), or extreme (≥20%) body weight loss. The initiation of cachexia reduced %MPS 19% and a further ∼50% with additional weight …

Some Like It Hot: The Influence And Implications Of Climate Change On Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus Hampei) And Coffee Production In East Africa, Juliana Jaramillo, Eric Muchugu, Fernando E. Vega, Aaron Davis, Christian Borgemeister, Adenirin Chabi-Olaye

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The negative effects of climate change are already evident for many of the 25 million coffee farmers across the tropics and the 90 billion dollar (US) coffee industry. The coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), the most important pest of coffee worldwide, has already benefited from the temperature rise in East Africa: increased damage to coffee crops and expansion in its distribution range have been reported. In order to anticipate threats and prioritize management actions for H. hampei we present here, maps on future distributions of H. hampei in coffee producing areas of East Africa. Using the CLIMEX model we relate …

Paleoamerican Diet, Migration And Morphology In Brazil: Archaeological Complexity Of The Earliest Americans, Sabine Eggers, Maria Parks, Gisela Grupe, Karl J. Reinhard

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

During the early Holocene two main paleoamerican cultures thrived in Brazil: the Tradição Nordeste in the semi-desertic Sertão and the Tradição Itaparica in the high plains of the Planalto Central. Here we report on paleodietary singals of a Paleoamerican found in a third Brazilian ecological setting – a riverine shellmound, or sambaqui, located in the Atlantic forest. Most sambaquis are found along the coast. The peoples associated with them subsisted on marine resources. We are reporting a different situation from the oldest recorded riverine sambaqui, called Capelinha. Capelinha is a relatively small sambaqui established along a river 60 km from …

The Application Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy To Chronic Pain Management, Jacob S. Iwaszewski

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pain affects more than 50 million Americans annually, costs over 150 billion dollars each year in healthcare and legal expenses, and results in decreased work productivity and missed work days (Ballantyne, 2006; Boll, Raczynski, & Leviton, 2004; Thom, 2004). It is estimated that chronic pain negatively impacts 15% to 33% of the US population (Bokarius et al., 2008). Third-wave acceptance-based therapies, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), have demonstrated significant improvements in mental health functioning for a variety of populations (Carmody & Baer, 2008; Cusens, Duggan, Thome, & Burch, 2010). DBT, one of the primary treatment modalities for Borderline Personality …

The Effects Of 24 Weeks Of Resistance Training With Simultaneous Elastic And Free Weight Loading On Muscular Performance Of Novice Lifters, Robert Rovetti

Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science Faculty Works

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of variable resistance as provided through elastic plus free weight techniques in college aged males and females. Twenty novice lifters were randomly assigned to a traditional free weight only (6 males and 5 females) or elastic band plus free weight group (5 males and 5 females) and 9 more normally active controls (5 males and 4 females), were recruited to maintain normal activity for the duration of the study. No differences existed between control, free weight and elastic band at baseline for age, body height, body mass, body mass index, …

Movelets: A Dictionary Of Movement, Jiawei Bai, Jeff Goldsmith, Brian Caffo, Thomas A. Glass, Ciprian M. Crainiceanu

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

Recent technological advances provide researchers a way of gathering real-time information on an individual’s movement through the use of wearable devices that record acceleration. In this paper, we propose a method for identifying activity types, like walking, standing, and resting, from acceleration data. Our approach decomposes movements into short components called “movelets”, and builds a reference for each activity type. Unknown activities are predicted by matching new movelets to the reference. We apply our method to data collected from a single, three-axis accelerometer and focus on activities of interest in studying physical function in elderly populations. An important technical advantage …

Study On The Electrochemical Behaviors Of Gc Electrode Modified With Carbon Nanotube-Polyelectrolytes And Its Application For Rutin Detection, Liang Hua, Xia-Qin Wu, Rong Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical behaviors of rutin and ascorbic acid at single-wall carbon nanotube and polyelectrolytes (dimethyl-diallylammonium chloride, PDDA) film modified glassy carbon electrode was investigated. The cyclic voltammetric results showed that electron transfer of rutin at PDDA/SWCNTs/GC modified electrode is an adsorption-controlled process. The separation of oxidation peak potentials of rutin and ascorbic acid was more than 200 mV. The rutin concentration in the presence of AA were detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The experimental results indicated that the PDDA/SWCNTs/GC modified electrode can be used for the detection of rutin in the presence of high concentration of AA. The DPV …

Extreme Variation In The Sagittal Crest Of Tapirus Polkensis (Mammalia Perissodactyla) At The Gray Fossil Site Northeastern Tn., Aaron Randall Abernethy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The preservation and quantity of fossil tapirs (Tapirus polkensis) from the Gray Fossil Site in northeastern Tennessee provides a unique opportunity for comparison and analysis of skeletal characters. Intraspecifically, modern tapirs show little to no variation in the morphology of the sagittal crest. However, several different morphologies exist within the sample at Gray. No osteological evidence of sexual dimorphism exists for tapirs, and no correlation between crest shape and sex was observed. Several juveniles display well defined crests, while some adults have only minor thickening of the temporal ridges; therefore, no distinct correlation between age and crest state …

Severe 2010 Cold-Water Event Caused Unprecedented Mortality To Corals Of The Florida Reef Tract And Reversed Previous Survivorship Patterns, Diego Lirman, Stephanie Schopmeyer, Derek Manzello, Lewis J. Gramer, William F. Precht, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Kenneth Banks, Brian Barnes, Erich Bartels, Amanda Bourque, James Byrne, Scott Donahue, Janice Duquesnel, Louis Fisher, David S. Gilliam, James C. Hendee, Meaghan E. Johnson, Kerry Maxwell, Erin Mcdevitt, Jamie Monty, Digna Rueda, Rob Ruzicka, Sara Thanner

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Background

Coral reefs are facing increasing pressure from natural and anthropogenic stressors that have already caused significant worldwide declines. In January 2010, coral reefs of Florida, United States, were impacted by an extreme cold-water anomaly that exposed corals to temperatures well below their reported thresholds (16°C), causing rapid coral mortality unprecedented in spatial extent and severity.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Reef surveys were conducted from Martin County to the Lower Florida Keys within weeks of the anomaly. The impacts recorded were catastrophic and exceeded those of any previous disturbances in the region. Coral mortality patterns were directly correlated to in-situ and satellite-derived …

Ferritin Diversity: Mechanistic Studies, Disease Implications, And Materials Chemistry, Robert Joseph Hilton

Theses and Dissertations

The study of ferritin includes a rich history of discoveries and scientific progress. Initially, the composition of ferritin was determined. Soon, it was shown that ferritin is a spherical, hollow protein. Eventually, over several decades of research, the structure and some function of this interesting protein was elucidated. However, the ferritin field was not completely satisfied. Today, for example, researchers are interested in refining the details of ferritin function, in discovering the role of ferritin in a variety of diseases, and in using ferritin for materials chemistry applications. The work presented in this dissertation highlights the progress that we have …

Isu Chem-Letter, Fall 2011, Illinois State University, Department Of Chemistry

Chem Letter

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry

Estimating Cost Efficiencies Of Propane Use In Broiler Production: Case Study From Savoy, Arkansas And Trnaca Pri Laborci, Slovak Republic, Zuzana Petrikova

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on analyzing the common practice of U.S. broiler farmers to operate on cash basis instead open credit lines for operating cost of propane gas for heating. Data for analysis were taken over from U.S. ABRF at Savoy and Slovak Farm Univerza at Trnava pri Laborci. Predicting the propane gas usage and propane gas cost was analyzed using the OLS model. It describes impact of selected factors on gas usage and cost. The overall purpose of the thesis is to find out which approach from designed scenarios is more economically efficient for farmer: (a) to pre-purchase propane gas …

Dietary Patterns And Cognitive Decline In Aged Populations, Austin J. Bowles

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In this paper, we discuss distinctive features of longitudinal studies, and illustrate two regression-based methods for the analysis of longitudinal data. A study of dietary patterns and cognitive decline (Cache County Memory Study) is used to motivate our discussion and analysis. Cognitive decline is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of all deaths among Americans. The study attempted to identify dietary patterns associated with reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline in elderly populations. Higher levels of adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and/or Mediterranean diets were found to be associated with increased cognitive …

Ecologically-Based Manipulation Practices For Managing Bromus Tectorum-Infested Rangelands, Beth Fowers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive annual grass common in several semiarid plant communities in the western U.S. B. tectorum presence increases fire frequency and size, reducing species diversity, and leading to annual species-dominated systems with inconsistent livestock forage potential and degraded wildlife habitat value. Most efforts to manage B. tectorum-dominated rangelands have focused on controlling the plant itself rather than addressing the causes of vegetation change. An alternative approach, ecologically-based invasive plant management (EBIPM), identifies treatments that can alter factors associated with the causes of succession, leading to a more desirable vegetation state. This study utilized …

Reducing Reliance On Supplemental Winter Feeding In Elk (Cervus Canadensis): An Applied Management Experiment At Deseret Land And Livestock Ranch, Utah, Dax L. Mangus

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildlife managers have fed elk in North America for nearly 100 years. Giving winter feed to elk can compensate for a shortage of natural winter range and may boost elk populations while also helping prevent commingling with livestock and depredation of winter feed intended for livestock. In contrast to these benefits of supplemental feeding, there are economic and environmental costs associated with feeding, and elk herds that winter on feeding grounds have a higher risk of contracting and transmitting disease. Brucellosis is of primary concern now, and Chronic Wasting Disease may be in the future. Many see the discontinuation of …

Iron Limitation Of A Springtime Bacterial And Phytoplankton Community In The Ross Sea: Implications For Vitamin B12 Nutrition, Erin M. Bertrand, Mak A. Saito, Peter A. Lee, Robert B. Dunbar, Peter N. Sedwick, Giacomo R. Ditullio

OES Faculty Publications

The Ross Sea is home to some of the largest phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean. Primary production in this system has previously been shown to be iron limited in the summer and periodically iron and vitamin B-12 colimited. In this study, we examined trace metal limitation of biological activity in the Ross Sea in the austral spring and considered possible implications for vitamin B-12 nutrition. Bottle incubation experiments demonstrated that iron limited phytoplankton growth in the austral spring while B-12, cobalt, and zinc did not. This is the first demonstration of iron limitation in a Phaeocystis antarctica-dominated, early …

No-Net-Loss Not Met For Nutrient Function In Freshwater Marshes: Recommendations For Wetland Mitigation Policies, Katie Hossler, Virginie Bouchard, M. Siobhan Fennessy, Serita D. Frey, Evelyn Anemaet, Ellen Herbert

Faculty Publications

Wetlands provide many important services throughout the world, with an estimated economic value that, in comparison to other ecosystems, far exceeds their relatively small global extent. In recognition of their importance, both national and international regulations exist to protect the world's remaining wetlands. Of growing interest is the “no-net-loss” policy which permits unavoidable destruction of wetlands if compensated by restoration of degraded wetlands or creation of new wetlands. The fundamental assumption of no-net-loss is that wetlands can be created which function equivalently to natural wetlands. One integral function that wetlands perform is cycling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Here we …

The Molecular Mechanism Of Migraine, Kristin Dawn Watson

Theses and Dissertations

Migraine is a common, episodic neurological disorder that includes headache, nausea and hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. During the headache phase of migraine, migraine patients can be especially hypersensitive to thermal stimuli. The unpredictable and episodic nature of migraine makes it difficult to treat and much of the mechanism of migraine has yet to be elucidated. A T44A substitution in casein kinase 1δ is inherited with migraine with aura. A transgenic mouse model suggests that animals with this mutation exhibit increased sensitivity to thermal stimuli after injection with nitroglycerin (NTG). We performed behavior assays that measure animal responses to thermal stimuli, …

Development Of An Assessment Of Quantitative Literacy For Miami University, Rose Marie Ward, Monica C. Schneider, James D. Kiper

Numeracy

Quantitative Literacy is a competence as important as general literacy; yet, while writing requirements are seemingly ubiquitous across the college curriculum, quantitative literacy requirements are not. The current project provides preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of a quantitative literacy measure suitable for delivery online. A sample of 188 undergraduate students from Miami University, a midsize university in the midwestern U.S., participated in the current study. Scores on the measure, were inversely related to statistical/mathematical anxiety measures, directly related to subjective assessment of numeracy, and did not differ across gender or year in school. The resulting measure provides a …

Winter Ridge Ha Wild Horse Gather And Removal Plan, United States Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Land Management

Environmental Assessments (UT)

The Winter Ridge HA encompasses approximately 46,500 acres of public and private land, within Grand and Uintah Counties in Utah. The HA is approximately 90 miles south of Vernal, Utah. The BLM has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze the environmental impacts associated with the gather and removal; refer to DOI-BLM-UT-010-2010-0208.

Sustainability Series: Creating Student Sustainable Practices Within Sfs And Beyond, Staci Hagen

Capstone Collection

The School for Field Studies (SFS) is a non-profit environmental research based study abroad program that integrates academic, research, social and community activities in a holistic education model. One of the six SFS centers is the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Baja California Sur, Mexico. At CCS, students take courses that explore local and regional environmental, social and economic problems and they have the opportunity to design their own research project. Even though students study these problems and come up with sustainable solutions, it does not mean that they make personal choices with the least impact on the environment. …

Application Of Raman Spectroscopy To Lubricants, Lubricated Surfaces And Lubrication Phenomena, David W. Johnson

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Recent advances in lasers and detector technologies and the development of low-cost instruments and fiber-optic probes have brought about an explosion in the lubrication systems being studied by Raman spectroscopy. This article provides examples of the use of Raman spectroscopy in the study of lubrication phenomena, including the characterization of liquid lubricants, lubricant additives, and solid lubricants; the study of vapor-phase lubrication; and the use of coated nanoparticles as lubricants.

Evaluation Of Algorithm Thresholds For Crop Canopy Sensor-Based In-Season Nitrogen Application In Corn, Brian Theodore Krienke

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nitrogen fertilizer is frequently the most limiting nutrient in corn production. Typically most nitrogen is applied before planting. Since nitrogen can leave the soil system fairly easily, the result can be an inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer. Previous research has shown increased efficiency with no reduction in yield by applying nitrogen later in the season when the crop is actively growing, with rates regulated spatially through the use of active crop canopy sensors. This study evaluated the potential for N cutoff thresholds using a sufficiency index as the threshold value for areas with poor stand or an unrecoverable N deficiency. …

Comparison Of Soil Chemistry And Microbial Communities That Inhabit The Rhizosphere Of Native And Non-Native Grasses Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Jacqueline Valencia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Non-native grasses can modify the soils they invade. This study investigated microbial variation among native and non-native grasses in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. We hypothesized that rhizospheres of non-native grasses would support a higher density of microorganisms; therefore microbial communities of invasive plants would exploit more carbon sources than those of native plants. A second hypothesis stated that Streptomyces bacteria from the rhizosphere of non-native grasses would be better competitors. Samples of grasses, and soil from their respective rhizospheres were obtained in Arroyo City, TX. Results indicated a higher bacterial colony density, total activity and number of substrates utilized …

Phytosterol Stearate Esters Elicit Similar Responses On Plasma Lipids And Cholesterol Absorption But Different Responses On Fecal Neutral Sterol Excretion And Hepatic Free Cholesterol In Male Syrian Hamsters, Mark M. Ash, Jiliang Hang, Patrick Dussault, Timothy P. Carr

Patrick Dussault Publications

The dietary impact of specific phytosterols incorporated into phytosterol fatty acid esters has not been elucidated. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that phytosterol esters containing different sterol moieties (sitosterol, sitostanol, or stigmasterol) but the same fatty acid moiety (stearic acid) produce different effects on cholesterol metabolism. Male Syrian hamsters were fed sitosterol, sitostanol, and stigmasterol stearate esters (25 g/kg diet) in an atherogenic diet containing cholesterol (1.2 g/kg) and coconut oil (80 g/kg). The phytosterol stearates produced no decrease in cholesterol absorption or plasma non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol despite a reduction in liver free cholesterol in hamsters fed both sitosterol and …

A Novel Methodology For Evaluating User Interfaces In Health Care, Luca Longo, Bridget Kane

Conference papers

A pilot study is reported to identify an improved method of evaluating digital user interfaces in health care. Experience and developments from the aviation industry and the NASA-TLX mental workload assessment tools are applied in conjunction with Nielsen heuristics for evaluating an Electronic Health Record System in an Irish hospital. The NASA-TLX performs subjective workload assessments on operators working with various human-computer systems. Results suggest that depending on the cognitive workload and the working context of users, the usability will differ for the same digital interface. We conclude that incorporating the NASA-TLX with Nielsen's heuristics offers a more reliable method …

Income Inequality And Spatial Distribution : Firm Location, Product Quality And Welfare Of Poor., Namrata Gulati Dr.

Doctoral Theses

The key idea explored in this thesis is the following: though being poor in itself is a huge disadvantage, the situation might be influenced considerably by the type of neighbourhood the poor lives in as private establishments like educational institutions, health care facilities or credit institutions take both the location and income mix of people into account while making strategic decisions like whether to enter into the neighbourhood at all, and, upon entry, what price and quality to choose for their products and services. Is staying with the rich a virtue for the poor or a source of resentment? Are …

Linking Rates Of Diffusion And Consumption In Relationto Resources, Tal Avgar, Daniel Kuefler, John M. Fryxell

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The functional response is a fundamental model of the relationship between consumer intake rate and resource abundance. The random walk is a fundamental model of animal movement and is well approximated by simple diffusion. Both models are central to our understanding of numerous ecological processes but are rarely linked in ecological theory. To derive a synthetic model, we draw on the common logical premise underlying these models and show how the diffusion and consumption rates of consumers depend on elementary attributes of naturally occurring consumer-resource interactions: the abundance, spatial aggregation, and traveling speed of resources as well as consumer handling …