Digital Commons Network^™

Airborne Lead In El Paso, 1977-1999, Ingrid B. Camacho

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Airborne lead is an important component of the biogeochemical make-up of ambient air. Most of the lead emitted to the atmosphere has been in the form of particulate matter.

This study evaluated airborne lead levels in the El Paso airshed at different intervals over the span of three decades between 1977 and 1999. Levels of lead and related metals for a number of years and from a number of sampling stations in El Paso were available from Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses previously conducted in Prof. Pingitore's laboratory at UTEP.

Data consisted of some 200 samples, each a …

Gemini Metallo-Surfactants: Chemical And Physical Properties, Erich Ivan Valenzuela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Gemini surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that consist of two surfactant molecules chemically joined together by a spacer group. These molecules tend to self‐assemble into vesicles at much lower concentrations than traditional surfactants and have found many applications in catalysis, adsorption applications, drug‐delivery, nanoscale technology, and biotechnology. In this thesis, the synthesis, characterization and physical properties of a new type of Gemini surfactant derived from dinuclear Cu(II) metal complexes is presented. We call these molecules Gemini Metal‐Organic Surfactants (GMOs).

Three newly developed new GMOs (compounds 1‐3) are composed of Cu(II) ions ligated to a lipid‐functionalized triamine group and the metals are …

Implications Of Surface Runoff Recharge In Semi-Arid Regions On Groundwater Sustainability, Omar M. Al-Qudah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Amargosa Desert, Nevada regional groundwater studies show that the surface runoff infiltration occurring in the arroyos following runoff producing storms, and this infiltration is considered to be a major source of groundwater recharge. Groundwater infiltration through alluvium was investigated in the Amargosa Desert using borehole drill cuttings, groundwater chemistry, and applying a novel method for collecting runoff water. The sampling process included sediment, precipitation, and runoff water. In total, 176 runoff, 182 sediment, and 45 precipitation samples were collected between January, 2009 and January, 2011.Water chemistry, chloride concentrations, and stable isotopes of water collected from specially designed runoff samplers, placed …

Flexible Use Of Anti-Predator Defences, Ximena J. Nelson, Robert R. Jackson

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Belonging to a size category that makes them vulnerable to a wide variety of predators, spiders have evolved a bewildering array of anti-predator adaptations, which can be clustered under two broad categories, primary and secondary defence. Primary defences are ploys by which the spider avoids provoking pursuit by, and interaction with, the predator. Camouflage and masquerade are especially common examples. Secondary defences come into play once an interaction with a predator is under way, and these are the defences that have been most thoroughly studied. However, elements of anti-predator defence may often be integrated into other aspects of the spider's …

Fungal Communities On Speleothem Surfaces In Kartchner Caverns, Arizona, Usa., Michael J. Vaughan, Raina M. Maier, Barry M. Pryor

International Journal of Speleology

Kartchner Caverns, located near Benson, Arizona, USA, is an active carbonate cave that serves as the major attraction for Kartchner Caverns State Park. Low-impact development and maintenance have preserved prediscovery macroscopic cavern features and minimized disturbances to biological communities within the cave.. The goal of this study was to examine fungal diversity in Kartchner Caverns on actively-forming speleothem surfaces. Fifteen formations were sampled from five sites across the cave. Richness was assessed using standard culture-based fungal isolation techniques. A culture-independent analysis using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to assay evidence of community homogeneity across the cave through the …

Natural Product Drug Discovery Against Tropical Diseases, Wai Sheung Ma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the isolation of secondary metabolites from natural origins through a series of chromatographic techniques and spectrometric characterization in the effort of drug discovery. The isolated compounds obtained were used as drug leads against tropical diseases, namely malaria and leishmaniasis. While first chapter offers an introduction on the use of a natural product by itself as an effective therapeutic and its role on inspiring the discovery of new drugs, the later chapters will concentrate on isolation and characterization of bioactive natural products from an Antarctic sponge and mangrove endophytic fungi during the dissertation work.

The second chapter describes …

Analysis Of Differential Gene Expression And Alternative Splicing In The Liver And Gastrointestinal Tract In The Lactating Rat, Antony Thomas Athippozhy

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Rat exon microarrays were utilized to detect changes in mRNA expression and alternative splicing in the liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of the lactating rat when compared to age-matched virgin controls. Analysis of data at the level of gene expression revealed differential expression of genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis in each tissue examined, suggesting increased Sterol Response Element Binding Protein activity. We also detected decreased mRNA from components of the T-cell signaling pathway in the jejunum and ileum. We characterized expression of solute carrier and adenosine triphosphate binding cassette proteins. In addition to characterizing genes by pathway, we have also …

Fate Of Stable Isotope Label During Predation Of 15N-Tagged Wild-Type Escherichia Coli By Protozoa, Ashley M. Barton

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Currently, bacterial movement in karst aquifers is not well understood. Use of stable isotopes to label non-pathogenic Escherichia coli as a particulate groundwater tracer in karst systems has been examined in previous studies. Loss of the stable isotope signal is anticipated in traces greater than 500 m in length. Potential loss of ¹⁵N due to predation by protozoa was examined. Filter-sterilized water from Royal Spring in Georgetown, Kentucky, was inoculated with a mixture of either Tetrahymena pyriformis or Colpoda steinii and ¹⁵N-enriched E. coli and stored in the dark at 14°C. Samples were analyzed for their nitrogen isotope …

Polarographic Determination Of Anticancer Drug Vitamin K_3 With Direct And Indirect Methods/Application To Serum And K_3 Injection Solution, Ümmi̇han Taşkoparan Yilmaz, Güler Somer

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

In this work, direct and indirect methods for determination of vitamin K_3 were developed using differential pulse polarography. The reaction between sulfite and the quinone (Q) form of vitamin K_3 was used for indirect determination, since the sulfite peak at -0.7 V is sharp and very reproducible in 0.1 M HAc NaAc (pH = 5.5). It was found that at pH 4.5-5.5, this reaction was quantitative and very fast when the temperature was 45 °C. For its direct determination, on the other hand, vitamin K_3 was standardized by the indirect method using standard sulfite as the reducing agent. The calibration …

Assimilable Organic Carbon Generation From Algogenic Organic Matter In Drinking Water, Ji-Hoon Kim, Young-Ju Kim, Tahir Imran Qureshi

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A study of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) derived from algogenic organic matter in different drinking water resources was conducted. Seasonal changes in the concentration of AOC at Kamafusa Dam were dependent on the algal cell numbers. Variations in AOC concentrations were found to be more reliant on the AOC-P17 component than the AOC-NOX component. The algal culture experiment showed that extracellular organic matter (EOM) released during the growth of Phormidium tenue in M-11 culture medium led to a significant increase in AOC concentration; however, no significant variations of AOC concentration were observed in CT culture medium containing high amounts of …

Simultaneous Determination Of Copper And Cadmium In Environmental Water And Tea Samples By Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry, Mohammad Bagher Gholivand, Alireza Pourhossein, Mohsen Shahlaei

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A sensitive and selective method for the simultaneous determination of copper and cadmium in seawater, river water, and tea samples is described. The method is based on the adsorptive accumulation of 2,2--dithiosalicylic acid complexes of these elements onto a hanging mercury drop electrode, followed by reduction of adsorbed species by voltammetric scan using differential pulse modulation. Optimal analytical conditions were as follows: ligand concentration of 11 nM, pH of 9.5, and an adsorption potential at --300 mV versus Ag/AgCl, with an accumulation time of 60 s. The peak currents are proportional to the concentration of copper and cadmium over the …

Cascading Migrations And Implications For Vertical Fluxes In Pelagic Ecosystems, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Joel A. Quenette, Alexander B. Bochdansky

OES Faculty Publications

Diel vertical migration is widespread across diverse taxa in the world's lakes and seas, yet its biogeochemical consequences are still poorly understood. The biologically mediated vertical flux of material in the ocean (also known as the "biological pump") is a matter of major interest and concern, as it is thought to play an important role in regulating ocean carbon storage, and by extension, the global carbon cycle. Recent studies spanning multiple trophic levels from fish to dinoflagellates have led us to a concept of coupled vertical migrations that we refer to as "cascading migrations". That is, migrations that …

Part-I Characterization Of Phorbol Ester; The Predominant Toxic Component Of Jathropha Curcas And Development Of An Efficient Process For The Detoxification Of Jathropha Curcas Meal Part-Ii Quantification Of 2-Hydroxy-4-(Methylthio) Butanoic Acid And Pantothenic Acid In Bovine Serum And Sea Water Matrices, Balaji Viswanathan

Doctoral Dissertations

"Jatropha curcas is has often been touted as the most sustainable biofuel source. Jatropha curcas is a drought resistant perennial plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. Interest in this plant as a biofuel source is related to high lipid (triglyceride) content of its seeds. However, economics of jatropha as a biofuel source has been marred by the toxicity of the oil and its protein rich meal. As a result of high toxicity the protein rich meal is used only as a very low or no economic value organic fertilizer. Economic return from jatropha can be dramatically enhanced through development of …

Spreadsheets Across The Curriculum, 3: Finding A List Of Mathematical Skills For Quantitative Literacy Empirically, H L. Vacher, Emily Lardner

Numeracy

What mathematical topics do educators committed to teaching mathematics in context choose for their students when given the opportunity to develop an educational resource explicitly to teach mathematics in context? This paper examines the choices made for the 55 modules by 40 authors in the General Collection of the Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum (SSAC) library. About half of the modules were made by authors from natural science, and about 60% of the other modules were by authors from mathematics. The modules are tagged with terms of a search vocabulary developed for the browse page of the collection. The four terms …

Can Salmonids (Oncorhynchus Spp.) Be Identified To Species Using Vertebral Morphometrics?, Harriet R. Huber, Jeffery C. Jorgensen, Virginia L. Butler, Greg Baker, Rebecca Stevens

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Remains of anadromous Pacific salmon and trout (genus Oncorhynchus) are common in archaeological sites from California to Alaska; however, morphological similarity generally precludes species identification, limiting the range of questions that salmonid remains can address in relation to past human use and ongoing efforts in conservation biology. We developed a relatively simple, rapid, and non-destructive way to classify salmon and trout vertebrae from archaeological contexts to species using length, height and the ratio of length to height. Modern reference material was obtained from all seven anadromous Oncorhynchus species native to the west coast of North America. A minimum of ten …

Fragmentation Sensitivity And Its Consequences On Demography And Host-Ectoparasite Dynamics In Amazonian Birds, Erik I. Johnson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Amazon rainforest is experiencing rapid deforestation due to ranching, agriculture, and urban development, which often leads to remnant patches serving as refugia for forest organisms. By mist-netting passerines in 11 forest fragments (1-, 10-, and 100-ha patches) and nearby continuous forest at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragmentation Project near Manaus, Brazil, I conducted a series of studies to identify mechanisms that drive population changes in fragmented landscapes. First, I examined the age structure of bird populations from six ecological guilds in fragments and continuous forest. Immatures are the dispersing age group in birds, and their relative abundance in …

Evaluation Of Selected Plant Products As Dietary Protein Sources For Florida Pompano (Trachinotus Carolinus), Gregory Lech

LSU Master's Theses

Profitability of aquaculture enterprises worldwide has been affected by rising fish meal prices. Plant proteins are promising replacements for fish meal because of their lower cost and worldwide availability. The goal of this research was to provide nutritional information for the development of all-plant diets for Florida pompano by evaluating growth of fish fed soy-based, fish-meal-free diets and assessing the nutritional value of several plant protein sources. In the first experiment, juvenile Florida pompano were fed five, soy-based, fish-meal-free diets containing graded levels of soybean meal (SBM, or M) at 0, 20, 25, 30, or 35%, with the remaining protein …

Temporal Changes Of Coastal Community Resilience In The Gulf Of Mexico Region, Kenan Li

LSU Master's Theses

The Gulf of Mexico Region is a region where coastal hazards are frequently occurring. To study the resilience of the counties along the Gulf of Mexico is of great importance to its sustainable planning and development. It also plays a huge role in coastal hazard mitigation. This study assesses the temporal changes of coastal community resilience of 132 counties along the Gulf of Mexico. The basic analytical framework to assess resilience consists of three dimensions (exposure, damage, and recovery) and two relationships (vulnerability and adaptability). Vulnerability refers to the relationship between exposure and damage, whereas the relationship between damage and …

Effects Of Row Spacing And Debris Distribution On Small Mammal And Vegetation Communities In Newly Established Loblolly Pine Plantations, Louisiana, Joshua Lee Grace

LSU Master's Theses

Commercial pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southeastern United States are key to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. Concern has arisen over possible effects of intensive forest management techniques, including row spacing and distribution of woody debris after logging, on plant and wildlife communities. Therefore, we quantified response of plant and small mammal communities in replanted loblolly pine (P. taeda) stands to mechanical site preparation including 2 levels of row spacing and 2 methods of distributing woody debris following harvest in north and southeastern Louisiana, USA. Sites (n=16) were prepared with a combination of row spacing between planting …

Early Season Depletion Of Dissolved Iron In The Ross Sea Polynya: Implications For Iron Dynamics On The Antarctic Continental Shelf, Peter N. Sedwick, C. M. Marsay, B. M. Sohst, A. M. Aguilar-Islas, M. C. Lohan, M. C. Long, K. R. Arrigo, R. B. Dunbar, M. A. Saito, W. O. Smith, G. R. Ditullio

OES Faculty Publications

The Ross Sea polynya is among the most productive regions in the Southern Ocean and may constitute a significant oceanic CO₂sink. Based on results from several field studies, this region has been considered seasonally iron limited, whereby a "winter reserve" of dissolved iron (dFe) is progressively depleted during the growing season to low concentrations (~ 0.1 nM) that limit phytoplankton growth in the austral summer (December-February). Here we report new iron data for the Ross Sea polynya during austral summer 2005-2006 (27 December-22 January) and the following austral spring 2006 (16 November-3 December). The summer 2005-2006 data show …

System Dynamics Modeling As A Potentially Useful Tool In Analyzing Mitigation Strategies To Reduce Overdose Deaths Associated With Pharmaceutical Opioid Treatment Of Chronic Pain, Wayne Wakeland, Teresa D. Schmidt, Aaron Gilson, J. David Haddox, Lynn Webster

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective. To illustrate a system-level, simulationbased approach for evaluating mitigation strategies to address the dramatic rise in abuse, addiction, and overdose deaths associated with the use of pharmaceutical opioid analgesics to treat chronic pain.

Simulated Interventions. Making available drug formulations with increased tamper-resistance, prescriber education programs, and programs that reduce rates of medical user-related abuse and addiction.

Simulated Outcome Measure. Number of overdose deaths of medical users of pharmaceutical opioid analgesics, including those who abuse or have become addicted.

Methods. A demonstration system dynamics model is developed, tested, and used to evaluate the impact of candidate mitigation strategies on the …

Influences Of Landscape Characteristics On The Nesting Ecology Of Female Wild Turkeys And Behavior Of Raccoons, Michael E. Byrne

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nest predation is the principle source of reproductive failure in many bird species. Understanding nest predation requires knowledge of interactions between landscape characteristics, and the ecology and behavior of birds and local nest predators. I studied nesting ecology and multi-scale habitat selection of female wild turkeys and the habitat selection and searching behaviors of raccoons, an important nest predator, in a bottomland hardwood forest in Louisiana. My objective was to evaluate the relationships between habitat, wild turkey nest site selection, and raccoon foraging behavior. I used first-passage time (FPT) analysis on nightly foraging tracks of raccoons during the turkey nesting …

Gender Differences In Lung Cancer Treatment And Survival, Margaret Anne Kowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to test treatment and survival differences between women and men with lung cancer as there is minimal investigation in the literature. Three research questions were developed with statistical testing for gender differences based on similar cancer type, stage, treatment assignment and survival. Data for 44,863 primary lung cancer cases were collected from eight U.S. state-based cancer registries to investigate the research questions. The lung cancer incidence data included the morphological cell-types of adenocarcinoma (AC); squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); large cell carcinoma (LCC) and small cell carcinoma (SCC). Stage, grade, treatment type, as well as, …

Dna Methylation And Its Association With Prenatal Exposures And Pregnancy Outcomes, Jennifer Straughen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Altered DNA methylation may lead to suboptimal fetal programming, increasing the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as small for gestational age (SGA); however, few studies have examined the associations between DNA methylation, prenatal exposures, and fetal outcomes. Cross-sectional data from a larger, ongoing study were used to assess the impact of prenatal smoking on gene specific methylation of umbilical cord blood derived DNA and to investigate the association between gene-specific methylation and risk of SGA. The association between gene-specific DNA methylation and birthweight was also assessed. Maternal and infant covariates were abstracted from medical records, cigarette smoke exposure was …

The Correlation Of The Concentration Of Selected Metals Determined In Water And Fish Samples From A Public Pond., Paula Kay Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) were measured in water, and fish samples caught from the pond at Fishery Park in Unicoi County, TN. The water samples were collected once a week for 8 weeks. The amounts of metals in the muscle tissues, gill, and liver of the two fish species were measured. This was to determine if any correlation exists between the metal contents in water and those in the fish samples. The concentration ranges for the heavy metals found in the water samples are as follows: Zn 0.04-0.13; Cu, 0.00-0.00; Pb, 0.00-0.59; Cd, …

Extraction And Determination Of A Selected Polyphenol From Selected Red And Black Grapes By High Performance Liquid Chromatography., Summer Nicole Niles

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Polyphenols are a group of compounds found naturally in plants and they provide much of the flavor, color, and taste to fruits, vegetables, seeds, and other parts of the plants They also act as antioxidants which provide numerous health benefits by protecting cells against damage caused by free radicals. Their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties have also contributed to the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers by slowing the rate of oxidative stress on cells. This study was aimed at the identification and quantitation of a specific polyphenol, quercetin, found in grapes commonly purchased at grocery …

An Investigation Of How Surface Coal Mining Affects Water Quality., Sara Moore

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Surface coal mining has become the ideal method for extracting coal from the Appalachia Mountains. However, surface coal mining generates large amounts of waste which may decrease the water quality in central Appalachia. This research is an attempt to determine whether surface coal mining negatively impacts water quality. This research consists of a literature review in addition to an analysis of data obtained through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. This data was analyzed at three separate locations along the Clinch River, VA to determine trends and cycles in pH, temperature, total hardness, and chloride, sulfate and metal concentrations. After …

Ua1b1/2 L.Y. Lancaster Lecture Series, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records regarding the L.Y. Lancaster Lecture Series.

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Farm Animals And Animal Products. Volume 1: Main Report, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The projected increase in the production and consumption of animal products is likely to put further pressure on the globe’s freshwater resources. The size and characteristics of the water footprint vary across animal types and production systems. The current study provides a comprehensive account of the global green, blue and grey water footprints of different sorts of farm animals and animal products, distinguishing between different production systems and considering the conditions in all countries of the world separately. The following animal categories were considered: beef cattle, dairy cattle, pig, sheep, goat, broiler chicken, layer chicken and horses. The study shows …

Farmers' Markets In Kentucky: A Geospatial, Statistical, And Cultural Analysis, Elizabeth Ann Schmitz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To assess what factors are driving the exponential growth of farmers’ markets in Kentucky, geospatial and statistical analysis of a database of 121 farmers’ markets was conducted. A statewide survey of market leaders and a case study of a single farmers’ market both identified reasons for growing support of farmers’ markets in Kentucky.

Market distribution, vendor levels, and gross sales were mapped against a backdrop of county urban classification, median household income, and education levels. Kruskal-Wallace analysis was used to identify if Kentucky’s rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan markets differ significantly in terms of their age, number of vendors, and market …