Digital Commons Network^™

The Inactivation Of The Gene Nf2 And Its Protein Product Merlin As A Mechanism Of Malignant Mesothelioma, Ty Timmer

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Malignant mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive form of cancer that affects mesothelial cells. These cells act to form a slippery and protective layer of cells that line the serous cavities and internal organs of the body. Malignant mesothelioma most often develops in the pleural space, but also arises in the peritoneum, pericardium, tunica vaginalis testis, and ovarian epithelium (Vinícius and Isoldi, 2013). Evidence has shown a strong relationship between asbestos exposure and malignant mesothelioma, and this is the most widely known disease vector of malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos is a family of carcinogenic silicate fibers that are able to infiltrate and …

Comparison Of Instrumentation To Measure Air And Soil-Surface Temperature Variability In Northern Alaska, Katrina Keleher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) project has been observing permafrost (perennially frozen ground) and its overlaying active layer (which freezes and thaws annually) in northern Alaska’s Kuparuk River watershed and throughout the polar regions since the mid 1990’s to detect long-term responses to climatic change. The soil-surface temperature data is collected by thermistors that were positioned immediately below the surface of the ground at nine locations within a transect of 1-ha plots arranged from north to south across the region. Locations within each plot were individually selected to represent a full range of microsite conditions, with distinctions in vegetation, …

Coordinate Systems In Gã, Kurt Erbach

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis presents a comprehensive description and analysis of Gã coordinate systems. Gã is spoken primarily in Accra, the capital of Ghana, and no previous research on Gã has addressed the specific type of locative language described as coordinate systems (Lewis, Simmons, & Fennig, 2013). The current study is based on a corpus of Gã locative descriptions collected through interview-style elicitation sessions with a Gã speaker. Analysis of this corpus has revealed coordinate system morphemes ŋwɛ͂ı͂ ‘up’, shĩshĩ ‘down’, hı͂ɛ͂ ‘front’, sɛ̀ɛ̀ ‘back’, nı͂nè-jwurɔ͂ ‘right’, and àbɛ̀kú ‘left’. In describing the use of these morphemes I use Levinson’s (2003) framework …

Montana Cannabis Industry Association V. State Of Montana And The Constitutionality Of Medical Marijuana, Thomas J. Bourguignon

Montana Law Review

Montana Cannabis Industry Association v. State of Montana and the Constitutionality of Medical Marijuana

The Effect Of Fluoxetine On Self-Control In Betta Splendens, Kathryn Gwen Lamp

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The present study examined the effect of fluoxetine on self-control in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens). The subjects included 17 male Betta splendens that were exposed to varying levels of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that increases levels of serotonin, and instrumental choice trials were run. A subject began each trial in the start box and, when a guillotine divider door was lifted, entered one side of a divided goal box. The checkerboard side of the choice door represented either the smaller-sooner choice (SS) or the larger-later choice (LL). When the subject had entered one side of the goal …

Sea Blue Sea: The Creation And Performance Of Educational Children's Music, Kevin Cashman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The making of Sea Blue Sea began in August, 2013 with the creation of the album’s first song ‘Blue Whale’ and was completed in March, 2014. The project’s scope was broad, including a ten-track album about endangered marine wildlife. I researched endangered marine wildlife, including eleven endangered marine species were chosen as subjects for songs, I began the writing process. I wrote six songs with minimal outside assistance and collaborated with The Whizpops for the remainder of the ten tracks included on the album. We fundraised through a Kickstarter campaign. In order to do so, we created a short film …

A Different Kind Of Vision: The Critique Of Consumerism In Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood, Nicholas L. Eilts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the tradition of Jon Lance Bacon and Steve Pinkerton, this work endeavors to show how Flannery O’Connor, along with her secular humanist contemporaries, voices a critique of modern American culture that depicts the conflicting elements of consumerism as detrimental to an individual’s personal and social well-being. This study will focus on Wise Blood, in particular, as it represents a consumerist way of life as antithetical to a religious way of life. By illustrating the emptiness of materialism and the nihilism of consumerism, O’Connor hopes to persuade her readers that Christianity is a preferable alternative. The body of this study …

An Emprirical Test Of The Effectiveness Of An Indirect Management Tool In Increasing Optional Shuttle Use At Glacier National Park, Alex Benjamin Weinberg

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Glacier National Park instituted an optional, free shuttle system on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in 2007.It was recently discovered that the shuttle system was having an adverse impact on parking congestion at the Logan Pass parking lot. This was occurring because visitors were able to park at Logan Pass all day while they performed a looped hike from the Highline trailhead to the Loop trailhead. Upon completion of their hike, visitors would take the shuttle back to their vehicles. A variety of data suggests that the shuttle system may be inadvertently adding 40-60 day-long passenger vehicles to the Logan Pass parking …

Use Of Climatic Water Balance Metrics As Site Productivity Predictors, Matthew Dilsworth Perry

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Estimates of long-term forest site productivity are required to inform multiple forest management objectives including growth and yield assessments, silvicultural planning, and biomass/carbon projections. Estimates traditionally have been quantified in the form of site index by measuring the average height-age relationships of dominant and codominant trees or using regional site index equations. Site index implementation requires that trees are free from suppression and that height growth results from the integration of the biological determinants of growth. While useful in even-aged stands, early age height growth suppression is common in uneven-aged forest structures making existing site indices difficult to assess. Additionally, …

Women And Horses: Three Centuries Of Patriarchal Control In British And American Literature, Kaitlynn Hanna Hirst

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Both literary representations of horsewomen and critical responses to such characterizations have largely failed to expose the full complexity of the cultural constraints brought to bear on women’s interactions with horses. In this thesis therefore I will argue that in response to feminist activity to dispel stereotypes of any group of women, the long development of strong, capable representations of women on horseback spanning the nineteenth through the early twenty-first century prove to be little more than repetitive archetypal images which serve to reaffirm patriarchal controls in western culture. If only threaded together by the ways the literary figure of …

Commodity Or Dignity? Nurturing Managers' Courtesy Nurtures Workers' Productivity, Montana Rafferty Moss

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dignity is the measure of people's worth determined through social interactions (Neal, 2012). As people must enjoy core capabilities to possess dignity (Ward & Syversen, 2009), work is one activity through which core capabilities provide a sense of worth (Venkatapuram, 2013). Workplace managers must enact dignity affirming discourse so their workers perceive ownership of core capabilities that afford a sense of worth and fulfillment. Dignity disaffirming (or violating) discourse obstructs core capabilities, leaving work unsatisfying and workers physiologically, psychologically, and emotionally damaged. Not only do such people suffer, but so do their organizations (Ghoshal, 2005). This study reveals that women …

Public Power, Private Matters: The American Social Hygiene Association And The Policing Of Sexual Health In The Progressive Era, Kayla Blackman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 1914, a group of professionals chartered the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA), a private reform agency dedicated to the eradication of venereal disease. Over the next several years, the ASHA formed partnerships with other reform organizations and championed education and legal reform. In 1917, during World War I, the ASHA partnered with the federal government to set standards of sexual health for all American citizens. Chapter One explores the origins of the ASHA, focusing on the organization’s attention to international issues surrounding prostitution as well as its organizational partnerships with like-minded domestic reform agencies. By placing itself in dialogue …

'This Disc Is Not For A Bird Bath, It's For My Tractor': Exploring Gender, Sustainable Agriculture, And Networks In Western Montana, Eva Kathryn Rocke

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Women’s presence in agriculture as farmers, consumers, advocates, and activists has become ever more apparent over the last two decades as census data, popular media, and academic literature increasingly reflect their work. Many of the farmers in western Montana practicing sustainable agriculture are women and have built relationships with other women farmers in the region through existing agriculture-focused organizations like Homegrown and the Western Montana Growers’ Cooperative. Even with the strong presence of these organizations, some women farmers feel there is potential for the formalization of a women farmer network in western Montana that would increase the opportunities for socialization …

The Effects Of Estrogen In Atrazine-Mediated Foxp3 Induction And Inhibition Of Cd4+ T Effector Cells, Tiffany Emmons

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Atrazine (ATR) is a chlorotriazine herbicide that is heavily used in agricultural areas. Atrazine was banned in Europe in 2006 but it is still used in the United States. It is also the most common drinking water contaminant in the United States. Atrazine has been linked to adverse health effects and displays immunotoxicity. It is a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor and has been shown to induce aromatase activity leading to elevated estrogen levels. Previous studies demonstrated that in vitro atrazine exposure inhibits CD4+ T cell activation and proliferation and increases the frequency of Foxp3+ CD4+ T cells with more severe phenotypes …

Modeling Northern Goshawk (Accipiter Gentilis) Nesting Habitat On The Lewis And Clark National Forest Using Eigenvector Filters To Account For Spatial Autocorrelation, Morganne Marie Lehr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Habitat suitability modeling has become a valuable tool for wildlife managers to identify areas of suitable habitats for management and conservation needs. The Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) has been the focus of many modeling efforts, however, the current models guiding goshawk management on the Lewis and Clark National Forest may not fully capture the unique habitat characteristics that the goshawk is actually selecting for nesting habitat. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to explore the use of Maxent for modeling suitable goshawk nesting habitat on the Lewis and Clark National Forest in central Montana. However, goshawk territoriality and …

Understanding Traditions And Practices Of Medicinal Plant Use In Carhuamayo, Junin, Peru, Anastasia Orkwiszewski

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding and preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices (TEKP) are essential for the continued resilience and cultural diversity of humanity. TEKP faces a multitude of threats from habitat loss, growth of the market economy, globalization, and acculturation. Medicinal plant use in the high Andean town of Carhuamayo, Junín, was studied to assess the vibrancy of that particular branch of TEKP in that area, in what parts of the population it was held, and what factors influence its loss or growth. Gender, age, migrant status, and acculturation levels were not found to be statistically significant in predicting medicinal plant knowledge. Analysis …

The Comet Mine: An Engendered Study Of Victorian Consumption Practices And Material Culture On A Small Mining Landscape, Ryan E. Wendel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Comet mine is an early 20th-century, largely undocumented mining

community that existed along the periphery of the Coloma Mining District in the Garnet Range of western Montana. During the summer of 2010, archaeological excavations occurred at multiple features at the site. Through an analysis of cultural material found in deposits at the Comet, this study interprets the way in which patterns of refuse can reveal information about consumption behavior and evolving gender roles in mining communities in Montana, during late Victorian era.

Virtual Screening And Discovery Of Lead Compounds As Potential Dna Methyltransferase 1 Inhibitors And Anticancer Agents, Ogar Ofuka Ichire

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Epigenetic changes consist of DNA methylation, histone modification, micro RNA and genome imprinting. DNA methylation of the CpG islands is one of the main methods of epigenetic inactivation of genes and aberrant methylations at promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes can alter gene expression and play an important role in cancer development. DNA methyltransferase I (Dnmt1) is the enzyme responsible for maintaining methylation patterns during cell division and it is overexpressed in many cancers. Thus, Dnmt1 is a promising therapeutic target for development of novel anticancer agents and epigenetic modulators. We have developed two promising class of lead candidates, compounds …

Characterization Of Nipah Virus Pathogenicity In Vitro And In Vivo And Protection From Disease Using A Single Dose Recombinant Vaccine, Blair Lynn Debuysscher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen that infects a wide species range including humans. It was first discovered in Malaysia in 1998 during a large outbreak, but since has spread to Bangladesh and India causing almost yearly outbreaks in the region since 2001. The distinct geographic locations have led to two genetically varied strains. Infection of humans by Nipah virus leads to respiratory distress and acute encephalitis. Pathology caused by the virus is characterized by vasculitis, necrosis, and edema of small vessels of the lung and brain primarily. This work investigates differences of pathology and clinical signs in the hamster …

P115-Snare Interactions Reveal A New Model Of Function For The Tethering Factor P115, Ting Wang

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The endomembrane system consists of several connected yet distinct compartments, constantly exchanging material via the flow of membrane-enclosed vesicles. Protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi is one of the most fundamental trafficking pathways in eukaryotic cells, as well as the first step in the secretory pathway. The fusion between vesicles and target membranes requires the orchestration of tethers, Rabs, SM proteins and SNAREs. Tethering factors regulate the targeting of membrane-enclosed vesicles and enhance the efficiency as well as specificity of membrane fusion. P115, a Golgin family tether, has been shown to participate in multiple stages of …

Whitefish Trail Visitor Study, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study was to provide the Whitefish Legacy Partners with information about the users of the Whitefish Trail. This includes how and why they are using the trail, the money they spent in Whitefish when they used the trail and how satisfied they were with aspects of the trail.

Theophylline And Ambrisentan Combination: Effects On Human Performance, Ams And Physiological Responses To Altitude, Hilary Linda Palakovich

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Recent research efforts have attempted to determine the effectiveness of the combination of a pharmacological cardiac stimulant (theophylline) and pulmonary vasodilator (ambrisentan) in attenuating performance losses and mountain sickness at altitude. This combination has been observed to improve hypoxic exercise performance in rats, but never tested in human subjects. In the current study, 30 male participants were tested in a paired fashion to assess whether this drug combination would improve exercise performance and/or decrease symptoms of AMS. The experimental group (EXP, n = 15) received a treatment of 400 mg theophylline and 5 mg ambrisentan, while the placebo group (PLA, …

Understanding The Nature Of Interactions Between Visitors And Mountain Goats (Oreamnos Americanus) On The Hidden Lake Trail, Glacier National Park, Sarah Ilene Markegard

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study examined interactions between visitors and mountain goats on the most heavily used trail in Glacier National Park. The primary objective was to give park managers a baseline of unbiased, reliable data with which to make informed decisions and improve the quality of interactions between visitors and mountain goats. Secondarily, this research was intended to achieve a thorough understanding of both human and wildlife responses during interactions on publically protected lands. The study was conducted over a two month period during the summer of 2013, and it was purely observational. Observations were recorded five days a week for approximately …

Emerging Models In Environmental Volunteerism: The Domestic Volunteer Vacation, John Andrew Stegmaier

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

For well over two decades, land management agencies in the U.S. have experienced trends of flat if not otherwise declining budgets with which to fulfill their respective missions. Consequently, public land management agencies at various levels have sought creative strategies such as using volunteers to extend quality services without incurring added expense. An increasingly popular form of multi-day volunteer engagements, often referred to as a ‘volunteer vacation,’ is nearly absent from the literature when it comes to domestic project settings as opposed to international and often exotic locales.

A qualitative research study was conducted in the summer of 2013 on …

Status And Contract In An Emerging Democracy: The Evolution Of Dispute Resolution In Ghana, Paul F. Kirgis

Faculty Law Review Articles

Ghana is one of the developing world’s success stories. The first sub-Saharan colony to gain independence, it is a stable democracy experiencing sustained economic growth. Yet as Ghana reaches for the material gains of participation in modern commercial life, its dual legal systems—the system of customary adjudication by traditional authorities and the formal court system—have come under increasing pressure. New legal developments have truncated the authority of traditional decisionmakers, while an overburdened court system lacks the resources to fill the resulting adjudicative gaps. To solve the problem, Ghana is now experimenting with a system of quasi-public dispute resolution, including contractual …

Food Art: Protecting "Food Presentation" Under U.S. Intellectual Property Law, Cathay Y. N. Smith

Faculty Law Review Articles

In 2006, a scandal broke in the culinary world. It was alleged that Robin Wickens, chef at (now closed) Interlude restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, had copied dishes by renowned American chefs Wylie Dufresne, Jose Andres, and Grant Achatz. It is not uncommon for chefs to borrow recipes from other chefs, and there has been a long culture of sharing in the cuisine industry. However, what made Wickens’ actions scandalous was that he had purportedly copied the artistic presentation and plating of other chefs’ dishes, not just their recipes. This Article examines whether chefs can protect the artistic presentation or plating …

For The Birds: Wind Energy, Dead Eagles, And Unwelcome Surprises, Sam Panarella

Faculty Law Review Articles

Wind turbines kill birds. A lot of birds. You would be hard pressed to find someone who is happy with that fact, including anyone in the wind energy development community. But until and unless there are technological advances in wind turbine design that eliminate their deadly impact on birds, it is something we must accept. Of course, acceptance does not and should not mean issuing a blank check to wind energy developers to wantonly injure birds. To do so would violate both the spirit and letter of a host of environmental laws that have at their core a stubborn insistence …

January 2014 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of How Ambient PmC And Pm2.5 Influence The Inflammatory Potential, Matthew Ferguson, Christopher T. Migliaccio, Tony Ward

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is one of six criteria air pollutants currently regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with existing ambient standards for PM_2.5 and PM₁₀. Currently there are no health-based regulations for the size fraction between 2.5 and 10 μm, commonly known as the coarse fraction (PM_c). The present study investigates current gaps in knowledge for PM_c including exposure toxicity and PM ratios (PM_c:PM_2.5) in PM₁₀. Throughout the world, all three PM size fractions have been shown to be associated with adverse impacts. Recent studies …

Connections, December 2013, University Of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library

Connections

No abstract provided.