Digital Commons Network^™

Iowa Prairie: Original Extent And Loss, Preservation And Recovery Attempts, Daryl D. Smith

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Iowa's prairie has to be assessed in the context of the pre- and post-agriculturally dominated ecosystem in which it now exists. This requires an understanding of prairies and of society's perspective of prairies. Therefore, the attitudes of people through time have to be considered; (1) those who were involved in the demise of the prairie, (2) those who helped saved the pieces of the prairie and (3) those who may be called upon to recover the prairie ecosystem.

Iowa Academy Of Science Membership Directory, 1998-99, Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Editorial Board, Journal ... 5
Committees ... 6
Sections ... 18
ISTS Regional Directors ... 22
Awards of Merit ... 24
Excellence in Science Teaching Awards ... 25
Past Presidents ... 26
Membership Roster ... 27
Corporate Sponsors ... 35

Creating A Canonical Scientific And Technical Information Classification System For Ncstrl+, Melissa E. Tiffany, Michael L. Nelson

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to describe the new subject classification system for the NCSTRL+ project. NCSTRL+ is a canonical digital library (DL) based on the Networked Computer Science Technical Report Library (NCSTRL). The current NCSTRL+ classification system uses the NASA Scientific and Technical (STI) subject classifications, which has a bias towards the aerospace, aeronautics, and engineering disciplines. Examination of other scientific and technical information classification systems showed similar discipline-centric weaknesses. Traditional, library-oriented classification systems represented all disciplines, but were too generalized to serve the needs of a scientific and technically oriented digital library. Lack of a suitable existing …

The Determination Of The Potential Of Australian Native Plants To Phytoremediate Lead, Desmond Dev Menon

Theses : Honours

Industrial activities and natural occurrences of mineral ores can both result in the presence of high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil. These toxic metals have been shown to adversely affect human health and the environment. Currently, three main technologies are being used to solve this problem of soil contamination. These are incineration, landfill construction and physico-chemical treatments. The economic and environmental costs of each of these technologies tend to outweigh the merits of their application, especially where contaminated areas are small. These techniques do not necessarily remove the heavy metals from the soil, and can also inhibit biological …

Reefs As Contributors To The Diversity Of Epiphytic Algal Communities In Seagrass Meadows, B. R. Van Elvan

Theses : Honours

It has recently become dogma that reef systems arc a source of diversity to algal epiphyte communities in adjacent seagrass meadows. While this theory had not been tested, it was often cited as the reason for unexpected results in algal studies and marine pollution monitoring. This study examined whether reefs do in fact contribute to the diversity of seagrass epiphytes by testing the effect of distance from reef on seagrass epiphyte communities. The study was conducted in the vicinity of Carnac and Garden Islands and Parmelia Bank, off the coast of Fremantle, Western Australia. Three habitat types were selected as …

The Soil Acarine Fauna Of Selected Agroecosystems Within The York Shire, Derek Juan Swarts

Theses : Honours

The practice of broadacre, dryland farming is known to affect the physico-chemical structure of the soil but our knowledge or its impact on the biological structure is rudimentary. The soil acarine (mite) communities which inhabit these soils display a variety of responses to this agricultural practice. With the increasing focus on developing ecologically sustainable agricultural techniques, an understanding of the soil acari becomes increasingly important. This study investigated the impact of two agricultural practices (designated here us Conventional and Non-Conventional) upon the abundance and diversity of the soil acari. Conventional agricultural practice involved broad scale chemical application to weeds and …

The Birds And Habitat Of Kings Park, Bradley W. Cox

Theses : Honours

Kings Park is a large urban park in the centre of Perth with extensive areas of semi-natural bushland. The park is an important refuge for birds in the metropolitan area but is losing species through habitat disturbance. Understanding the way in which birds are related to their habitat helps to understand the effect of habitat disturbance on the bird community. The aim of this project was to generate guidelines which will aid in the management and conservation of birds in the park, through an understanding of the relationship of the birds to their habitat. The avifauna and various habitat factors …

Carbon Sequestration Of Two Oil Mallee Species, Eucalyptus Loxophleba Subsp. Lissophloia And Eucalyptus. Kochii Subsp. Plenissima In The Semi-Arid Environment Of The Central Wheatbelt Of Western Australia, Andrew Phillip Mccarthy

Theses : Honours

The planting of "Oil malices" have a number of implications in terms of environmental management within Western Australia. Firstly, the incorporation of perennial trees on a large scale into the agricultural landscape can assist in balancing the hydrological cycle and other land degradation problems (Bird et. al. 1992; Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, 1996). Secondly, harvesting the above-ground biomass can produce an economic return because of the oil contained within the leaves. This oil has the potential to replace ozone damaging solvents (Barton and Knight, J997; Wildy, 1996). Finally, "oil mallees" have the potential to offset greenhouse gas emissions, because …

1080 Operational Procedures Manual - Second Edition, Agriculture Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) is an extremely toxic substance which can be a danger to humans if handled incorrectly. At the same time 1080 is the most effective and efficient poison for the control of Western Australia's main vertebrate pest species including rabbits, wild dogs and foxes. One of the main reasons for its usefulness in Western Australia is that many native animals have a high tolerance to it and so may not be affected by baiting.

Industry Resource Protection Program (IRPP) This program, part of Agriculture Western Australia, supports feral animal control carried out by its staff and community groups. …

The Cave Exploration Group Of East Africa And Volcanic Caves In Kenya, Michael Declan Kennedy

International Journal of Speleology

This paper looks at the history of the Cave Exploration Group of East Africa with special reference to the exploration of volcanic caves. It demonstrates that the group has concentrated on two main areas, the Chyulu HiIls and Mt. Suswa, although other areas have also been studied. The Cave Exploration Group of East Africa has had to cope with various problems. The most important of which are related to the socio-economic conditions of a developing country. These problems have not prevented the group from making a valuable contribution to vulcanospeleology.

Paramagnetic Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Nmr) Studies On The Calcium Binding Site Of [Alpha]-Lactalbumin, Thomas Kurt Ritter

Dissertations and Theses

Paramagnetic NMR has drawn interest as a technique for extending the range of systems that can be investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of paramagnetic two-dimensional and relaxation techniques allows for assigning resonances corresponding to residues forming the metal binding site of proteins in which the metal is coordinated exclusively by amino acid side chains and which have been previously inaccessible to assignment.

α-Lactalbumin (LA) is a calcium binding protein with relatively broad NMR signals; this broadness has prevented complete assignment. LA has been the subject of many studies, because it can form a …

Comparison Of Recent Coral Life And Death Assemblages To Pleistocene Reef Communities: Implications For Rapid Faunal Replacement On Recent Reefs, Benjamin J. Greenstein, Lora A. Harris, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Marine ecologists and paleoecologists are increasingly recognizing that the Pleistocene and Holocene fossil record of coral reefs is the exclusive database from which an assessment of the long-term responses of reef communities to environmental perturbations may be obtained. The apparent persistence of coral communities in the face of intense fluctuations in sea level and sea surface temperature during glacial and interglacial stages of Pleistocene time is in marked contrast to dramatic fluctuations in reef community structure documented by short-term monitoring studies. We compared the taxonomic structure of live and dead coral communities on a modem patch reef currently undergoing a …

Paleosols As Holocene Proxy Climate Indicators, Mclean County, North Dakota, Deborah L. Beck

Theses and Dissertations

An exposure with 15 buried A-horizons near Douglas Creek, Lake Sakakawea, central North Dakota, has provided an excellent opportunity for paleoclimate reconstruction. Analyses included texture, stable carbon, radiocarbon, pollen, and phytoliths. The variations in these properties between individual soil horizons served to reconstruct the former environments of each soil horizon.

The paleosols were developed in a sequence of deposits in a mile-long tributary to the Missouri River. The soils are in a shallow valley fill exposed by wave action along the north shore of Lake Sakakawea. The 1996 exposure was up to 4m high and 51.5m wide. There were up …

Values Of The Federal Public Lands, Douglas S. Kenney, Gabriel D. Carter, Joshua M. Kerstein, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, University Of Colorado Boulder. School Of Law, Turner Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation

Books, Reports, and Studies

v, 158 p. ; 28 cm

The Evolution Of Chiral Stationary Phases For Liquid Chromatography, Daniel W. Armstrong

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of effective chiral stationary phases (CSPs) and separation strategies for the liquid chromatographic (LC) resolution of enantiomers has been beneficial to many scientific disciplines. Over the last decade the number and type of CSPs has expanded tremendously. Not only have new classes of chiral selectors been introduced, but also many of the first CSPs have been changed and/or improved. The second or third generation of a CSP often can be different from the original. This can be confusing and intimidating to someone just entering the area of LC enantiomeric separations. Fortunately, all CSPs can be categorized in one …

Statistical Dynamics Of The Royal Road Genetic Algorithm, Erik Van Nimwegen, James P. Crutchfield, Melanie Mitchell

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Metastability is a common phenomenon. Many evolutionary processes, both natural and artificial, alternate between periods of stasis and brief periods of rapid change in their behavior. In this paper an analytical model for the dynamics of a mutation-only genetic algorithm (GA) is introduced that identifies a new and general mechanism causing metastability in evolutionary dynamics. The GA’s population dynamics is described in terms of flows in the space of fitness distributions. The trajectories through fitness distribution space are derived in closed form in the limit of infinite populations. We then show how finite populations induce metastability, even in regions where …

A Complex-Systems Perspective On The “Computation Vs. Dynamics” Debate In Cognitive Science, Melanie Mitchell

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

I review the purported opposition between computational and dynamical approaches in cognitive science. I argue that both computational and dynamical notions will be necessary for a full explanatory account of cognition, and give a perspective on how recent research in complex systems can lead to a much needed rapprochement between computational and dynamical styles of explanation.

The Role Of Management In The Movement Towards Sustainability: Perceived Responsibilities, Challenges, And Opportunities, Martin Brueckner

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this thesis was to explore the role of management in the movement towards ecologically sustainable development (ESD), investigating perceived responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities facing business management today. The point of departure for this study was the acknowledgement of the present paucity of references to ESD within the management literature, widespread amoral business conduct, and the dominance of economic rationalism within business science. This research provided an analytical review of ESD related literature, concentrating on the history and rise of the ESD paradigm, its ethical underpinnings, and economic implications to management practice. The paper highlighted the importance of …

A Comparison Of Advanced Time Series Models For Environmental Dependent Stock Recruitment Of The Western Rock Lobster, Saarah A. Farag

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Time series models have been applied in many areas including economics, stuck recruitment and the environment. Most environmental time series involve highly correlated dependent variables, which makes it difficult to apply conventional regression analysis, Traditionally, regression analysis has been applied to the environmental dependent stock and recruitment relationships for crustacean species in Western Australian fisheries. Alternative models, such as transfer function models and state space models have the potential to provide unproved forecasts for these types of data sets. This dissertation will explore the application of regression models, transfer function models, and state space models to modelling the puerulus stage …

Protection Of Bangladesh Waters Against Accidental Oil Pollution From Ships, Khondaker Md. Asaduzzaman

World Maritime University Dissertations

Bangladesh, as being a flag, coastal and port state, has a genuine concern about the threat of oil pollution from marine transportation in its waters. However, her concern for accidental oil pollution from ships is not adequately matched by appropriate preventive and remedial measures. As a result, the country continues to be in an absolutely vulnerable position with respect to the dangers of oil pollution. This dissertation is a study of the need for and the ways of protecting the marine environment of Bangladesh from oil pollution incidents. The threats of accidental spills in Bangladesh waters are discussed and the …

Global Warming: A Threat To Human Societies And Natural Ecosystems, Yunus D. Mgaya

Tanzania Journal of Science

The possible influences of increases of mean sea surface temperatures are briefly reviewed. It is virtually certain that human activities are changing the composition and behavior of the atmosphere, leading to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. Recent analyses and model predations show that risks to human societies and natural ecosystems from enhanced greenhouse effect may be large. A rising sea level could result in quite dramatic changes in maritime boundaries (as states to act to protect their maritime zones. It is concluded that in setting management goals with respect to mitigating the effects of global warming, one needs to recognize …

The Temperature Dependent Modification Of The Ca2+ Release Mechanism Of Skeletal Muscle Sarcoplasmic Reticulum, Shawn Patrick Mullen

Dissertations and Theses

The Ca²⁺ release protein/ryanodine receptor from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum is shown to be modulated in a unique manner by small changes in temperature. Thiol oxidants and reducing agents modify channel function in a biphasic manner at 40° C, while at 34° C the channel exhibits only a monophasic behavior. Elevated temperature appears to expose a second set of reactive groups that, when either oxidized or reduced, alter function. Previous studies have focused on the properties of the release mechanism at or below 37° C. This study shows that at 40° C, which more reflects the body temperature of …

Probing The Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding Of Water Molecules At The Ccl4/Water Interface In The Presence Of Charges Soluble Surfactant, D. E. Gragson, G. L. Richmond

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The molecular structure and hydrogen bonding of water molecules at the CCl₄/water interface in the presence of a charged soluble surfactant has been explored in this study using vibrational sum frequency generation. By examining OH stretching modes that are highly sensitive to the local hydrogen bonding environment it is found that water molecules at the CCl₄/water interface both in the presence and absence of a charged soluble surfactant are predominantly in a tetrahedral arrangement much like the structure ofice. Isotopic dilution studies have been employed to further characterize this icelike interfacial structure. Ablueshift ofapproximately120 cm^{-1 …}

Nucleotide Or Nucleoside Photoaffinity Compound Modified Antibodies, Methods For Their Manufacture And Use Thereof As Diagnostics And Therapeutics, Boyd E. Haley, Heinz Köhler, Krishnan Rajagopalan, Gabriela Pavlinkova

Chemistry Faculty Patents

Sites on antibodies having affinity for photoaffinity compounds, in particular purine or azidopurine containing compounds are taught. These sites provide for the site-specific attachment of nucleotide photoaffinity compounds to antibodies, e.g., ATP- or GTP-analog photoaffinity compounds by photochemical means. These nucleotide photoaffinity compounds may additionally be attached to molecules having a desired therapeutic or diagnostic activity, and the resultant conjugates used as diagnostics or therapeutics.

Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation Of The [2fe-2s]1--Containing “Rieske-Type” Protein From Xanthobacter Strain Py2, Richard C. Holz, Frederick J. Small, Scott A. Ensign

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Proton NMR spectra of the Rieske-type ferredoxin from Xanthobacter strain Py2 were recorded in both H₂O and D₂O buffered solutions at pH 7.2. Several well-resolved hyperfine-shifted ¹H NMR signals were observed in the 90 to −20 ppm chemical shift range. Comparison of spectra recorded in H₂O and D₂O buffered solutions indicated that the signals at −11.4 (L) and −15.5 (M) ppm were solvent-exchangeable and thus were assigned to the two histidine N^ε2H protons. The remaining observed signals were assigned based upon chemical shift, T₁ values, and one-dimensional …

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 13, Number 10, December 1997, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

A twelve page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

Shielding Strategies For Human Space Exploration Chapter 9: Hze Interactions In Biological Materials, M. Eugene Rudd

M. Eugene Rudd Publications

It is shown that most of the energy deposited by fast charged particles traversing matter occurs through ionization, i.e., the ejection of electrons during the atomic collision. The important mechanisms of ionization are identified and several methods of calculating the relevant differential and total cross sections are described. These include both classical and quantum theoretical methods and two semi-empirical models. The calculational methods were intended only for light, bare-ion projectiles, and care must be exercised in extending them to heavy, dressed projectiles.

Studies On Resolution Of Enantiomeric Dialkylaryl Sulfonium Ions With Nmr Shift Reagents, Ea-Ji-Ru Son

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Praseodymium(III) NMR shift reagent, which is an upfield shift reagent, is focused on for assessment of enantiomeric excess and resolution of methyl sulfonium ions. A series of alkylmethylphenylsulfonium ions were analyzed, where alkyl is ethyl (I), butyl(H), octyl (III), and benzyl(IY). The praseodymium agent gives base-lined resolution of the ortho hydrogens resonance for I and IH. All spectra are strongly temperature-dependent. I is shifted more than ED, consistent with a steric effect. Assignments for I were made by gradually increasing the concentration of the shift reagent and by analyzing R-enriched I. Racemization of R-enriched isomer of I by pyramidal inversion …

The Probe, Issue 183 - December 1997

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

Contents:
Animal Rights Revisited
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Reports From the 4th Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society
Techniques for Managing Predation on Domestic Livestock and Big Game Animals
Attitudes of Private and Public Land Managers in Wyoming Toward Beaver
Grizzly Bear-Cattle Interactions on Two Cattle Allotments in Northwest Wyoming
The Effects of Wolf Colonization on Coyote Behaviors
Video Review: “Rob Erickson’s Live Trapping Urban Beaver, Vols. 1-2”
Reed-Joseph Donates to NADCA
Riot Police Quell Big Mac Attack
Oregon Cougars on the Rise
Confronting Anti-Trap Initiatives
Current Status and Future Prospects for Mesurol as a Bird Repellent
Prescribed Predation Management: …

Three-Dimensional Camera Calibration Technique For Stereo Imaging Velocimetry Experiments, Mark D. Bethea, James A. Lock, Frank Merat, Paul Crouser

Physics Faculty Publications

A three-dimensional camera calibration technique is developed by combining two, 2-D camera calibrations for an orthogonal stereo viewing geometry. The left camera view (YZ view) and the right camera view (XZ view) are calibrated separately and then combined to produce an XYZ (3-D) calibration routine, Our technique employs three parallel calibration planes. One is placed along the main diagonal of the cubic experimental chamber, and the other two planes are placed known distances in front of it and behind it within the chamber. Both cameras view the calibration points on the planes simultaneously. Given the coordinates of a number of …