Digital Commons Network^™

The Waning Days Of Projection In The Mountain West, Samuel Gwinn Dunnington

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Waning Days of Projection in the Mountain West is a novel featuring a young narrator named Argus, who worked for years as an apprentice and assistant to a documentary filmmaker named Max Morgen. The novel begins years after Argus and Max have gone their separate ways. Max has recently died, and his final wish was that his son send Argus all the footage they’d acquired over their years together in order to edit and complete the film Max originally set out to make. Argus must decide how to proceed.

A Comprehensive Forensic Case Report With The University Of Montana Forensic Anthropology Lab University Of Montana Forensic Case #167, Tyler J. Trettin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This report consists of an inventory of the skeletal remains of case# 167, assessment of the minimum number of individuals (MNI), a biological profile if possible, and a literature review of the assessment and understanding of ballistic trauma. The skeletal remains are consistent with an MNI of one. The remains are likely from a male individual, and skeletal features are representative of a person of Caucasian ancestry. The individual is estimated to be between of 35-65 years old with an estimated stature of between 5’5” and 5’9”.

Y-Chromosome Dna Extraction From Post-Cranial Skeletal Elements, Mykala D. Ward

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The use of DNA in forensic science has become an integral tool for victim and perpetrator identifications, missing person’s cases, paternity testing, etc. A major use of DNA is in the identification of unknown deceased individuals. With a reported number of individuals well over 8,000 in the United States, improved methods to accurately collect and analyze DNA from modern human bone are needed.

This project took the preliminary steps to improve DNA sampling and extraction methods by analyzing the Y-chromosome DNA yield from the two bone types. While both types are composed of the same materials, cortical bone is the …

The Genetic And Demographic Outcomes Of Mixed-Source Reintroductions Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout In Montana, Colter Austin Feuerstein

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Deriving Surface Fuels From Uas Imagery Forfire Models, Matthew R. Cunningham

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding how fuel, weather, and terrain interact to produce fire behavior continues to motivate fire science andhas resulted in development of new physics-based fire behavior models that place increased demands on input data such as fuels. Recent technological advancements in computing, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and sensors (RGB, multispectral, thermal, and hyperspectral cameras) can provide new opportunities for land managers and scientists to advance knowledge of fuels and fire behavior and their interactions on the landscape. In this study, imagery from high resolution multispectral cameras mounted on UAS were used to build orthomosaics and point clouds of surface fuelbeds in …

Unleaded: Montana’S Silent Epidemic, Erica Zurek

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Lead is a cumulative toxin that can affect multiple systems in the human body. Exposure occurs through various sources, such as outdated and deteriorating infrastructure, paint, soil and drinking water. This project, a three-part audio series on lead exposure in Montana highlights various paths of exposure and how young children under age six years of age are particularly vulnerable. Part one is a story about a new state requirement to test all k-12 schools for lead in water fixtures. Part two: A house remodel exposes a family’s children to lead. Getting a diagnosis wasn’t easy. Part three: A look at …

Underwater: Science & Story In Aquatic Communities, Lena J. Beck

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

How do we manage fish species, and how do fish, in turn, impact us? This portfolio of three stories will explore some of the ways in which humans interact with aquatic landscapes. First, we’ll go to Flathead Lake in Montana, where invasive lake trout have all but decimated native trout species, and learn what the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are doing to address the issue. Then, we’ll examine stories of a legendary Big Fish in Alaska’s Lake Iliamna, and think about what it means to scientifically prove something as real. The last story looks at the aquaculture industry in …

Growing Tiny Plants In Common Environments: Assessing Patterns And Mechanisms Of Drought Response Within Species, Mariah Kathryn Mcintosh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

As climate changes and drought frequency and intensity increases, understanding how plants respond will be critical both for predicting potential for adaptation to future climate and for implementing effective ecosystem conservation and management at a time of rapid change. However, gaps in knowledge about the extent to which species vary in key traits across their ranges and the evolutionary and physiological mechanisms which underlie this variation limits both theoretical understanding and effective management. The broad theme of this dissertation is to address within-species variation both to improve understanding of adaptation to future climate and inform ecosystem conservation and management. The …

Morphometric Ancestral Analysis Of Infraorbital Foramen And Maxillo-Facial Landmarks Of Adult North American Skulls Using X-Ray And Computed Tomography Scans, Anna-Marie Lynn David

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Skeletal remains provide a variety of information about a species population and the sub populations within that species. The infraorbital foramen has previously been used to understand dietary niches, paleoecology, the nervous system, and the effect of the nervous system on other bone functions in the facial region in humans and other mammals. In medicine, the precise location of the infraorbital foramen has been studied to aid and guide maxillo-facial procedures and surgeries. In this research project, the null hypothesis states that the placement and location of the infraorbital foramen in relation to other facial landmarks were the same between …

Wilderness As An Aesthetic Concept, Nathan A. Pagel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In this paper I argue that many of the philosophical problems with the concept of wilderness can be mitigated by thinking of wilderness as an aesthetic concept rather than as a real feature of the world or a special metaphysical category. In Section 1, I respond to arguments for wilderness no longer being extant in the world as well as being conceptually contradictory by examining the ways in which people continue to experience wilderness in spite of these challenges. To resolve this tension, I offer an account of wilderness as an aesthetic concept, that is, as something that cannot be …

Feeling The Burn: Assessing The Effects Of Fire Severity On Elk Nutritional Resources And Resource Selection, Lauren Ashley Snobl

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfires in the western United States have been increasing in size and severity over the last several decades, and climate forecasts suggest a continued increase in wildfire activity in the future. Large-scale wildfires often burn in a mosaic-like pattern of varying fire severity creating a heterogenous landscape with concomitant effects on vegetation communities. By changing vegetative structure, fire severity potentially alters the availability and distribution of key resources for wildlife such as food and cover, ultimately influencing habitat use. However, the impact of fire on wildlife has frequently been treated as binary (i.e., burned vs unburned), and a deeper understanding …

The Effects Of Fatigue On Landing Impact Forces And Postural Steadiness In Collegiate Volleyball Players, Zebadiah P. Boos

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: The onset of exhaustion can reduce the performance of an athlete and may add to the risk of injury. This establishes the necessity to understand when and how the athlete’s performance is altered as they become fatigued in competition or practice. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fatigue on dynamic and static tasks in collegiate volleyball athletes by implementing a fatiguing jump protocol. Methods: To replicate an in-game or in-practice situation, five sets of 30 countermovement jumps (CMJ) at 85% maximal height was implemented. Prior to the fatigue protocol, a baseline measure of CMJ …

Understanding The Utilization Of Woody Biomass Through The Perspectives Of Southwest United States Forest Service Land Managers: A Qualitative Study, Mary-Ellen Reyna

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dry ponderosa pine/mixed conifer stands in the Southwestern United States create an overabundance of woody biomass during restoration and fuel treatments. It has been the job of land managers and resource specialists to develop management goals and practices to treat stands and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires while managing for accumulations of woody biomass. Knowing the limitations, setbacks, and successes will help researchers, the United States Forest Service, and other land managers better improve woody biomass utilization. In conjunction with three previous ForBio Southwest studies, we present results from ten phone interviews from three Arizona and New Mexico ranger …

Evaluating The Use Of Camera Traps To Monitor Populations Of Ungulate Prey In The Russian Far East, Scott Johnston Waller

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Efforts to recover endangered carnivore populations are often limited by insufficient populations of prey. When recovering prey populations, estimates of population density are invaluable metrics to monitor recovery efforts. In Russia, wildlife managers use the Formozov-Malyushev-Pereleshin (FMP) snow tracking method to estimate densities of ungulate prey of the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris). Yet, increasing variability in snow conditions and other challenges have limited its reliability. Camera traps offer a promising alternative approach since managers already use cameras to monitor tigers. However, the assumptions and study design necessary to implement capture-recapture models for tigers are different from those needed …

24-Hour Total Energy Expenditure During Ultra-Endurance Cross-Country Cycling, Patrick S. Dodds

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have used the doubly labelled water (DLW) method to evaluate the total energy expenditure (TEE) during Ironman, ultra-marathon trail runs and competitive road cycling. However, the technique has not been applied to a 24-hour cross-country mountain bike event. This case study examined the TEE, cycling metrics and ad libitum nutrient/fluid intake in a trained male cyclist during a 24-hour cross-country mountain bike race. A trained male cyclist (41 y, 74.1 kg, 172.4 cm) received an oral dose of DLW prior to the 24-hour event for the calculations of TEE and water turnover (rH₂O). Nude body …

The Combination Of Tlr7/8 And Tlr4 Adjuvants In An Influenza Vaccine Produce Unique Antigen-Specific Adaptive Immunity And Protect Against Lethal Heterologous Influenza Challenge, Shelby Lynn Cole

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Influenza virus infection is a global health concern resulting in death and illness each year, which disproportionally effects high-risk individuals. While there are several approved vaccines for seasonal influenza, there are some limitations to consider: current vaccines provide minimal cross protection against seasonally drifted influenza subtypes, influenza vaccine strains change each year, requiring timely manufacture of a new vaccine. Thus, vaccines capable of inducing a more robust and broadly protective immune response to multiple influenza subtypes remains a critical unmet need. Adjuvants and novel delivery systems are an interesting and promising avenue of exploration for enhancing and broadening seasonal influenza …

Functional And Pharmacological Characterization Of Glun3-Containing Nmda Receptors, Nirvan Rouzbeh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are a member of ionotropic glutamate receptors that mediate excitatory neurotransmission across the mammalian central nervous system. NMDA receptors are organized into heterotetrameric assemblies containing two obligatory GluN1 subunits and two GluN2A-D, or GluN3A-B subunits. GluN1 and GluN3A-B bind glycine or D-serine, whereas GluN2A-D bind glutamate. The structural, functional, and pharmacological investigation of GluN1/3 NMDA receptors has been greatly hindered by their unconventional properties such as impermeability to Ca2+, insensitivity to the voltage-dependent block by Mg2+, and robust desensitization upon binding their endogenous agonist glycine. Another major barrier in GluN3 research has been the lack of selective …

Making “Habitat Quality” Meaningful: Quantifying Demographic Effects Of Habitat In Two Sympatric Species, Anna Katherine Moeller

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Habitat quality may be an underlying factor driving or exacerbating mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population declines across their range and concurrent white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population increases. A clearer understanding of how the two species respond to habitat variables is needed to disentangle the drivers of mule deer decline and identify opportunities to change population trajectories through habitat management. Capitalizing on extensive monitoring data for sympatric populations of mule deer and white-tailed deer, this dissertation improves understanding of habitat quality by exploring and developing modeling approaches that connect habitat and demographics in these two species.

Using a resource selection function …

Genetic Monitoring And Rescue In Mid-Atlantic Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Poulations, Zachary Lorn Robinson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations have experienced dramatic declines throughout their native range, in part, due to anthropogenic land use and habitat fragmentation. In the mid-Atlantic region, brook trout populations often occupy small, headwater habitat fragments in demographic and genetic isolation, making them vulnerable to inbreeding and genetic drift. My dissertation evaluates different methods for genetic assessment, monitoring, and management of small, isolated brook trout populations. First, I examined the potential value of effective number of breeders (N_b) estimates for genetic monitoring by determining whether N_b estimates were sensitive to habitat characteristics known to affect …

Bacteriophage Infection Induces Intracellular Polyamine Accumulation As A Defense Mechanism In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Camilia Dornelles De Mattos

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Cells are constantly monitoring their extracellular environment for danger signals that warn of imminent threats. When cells are killed by physical or other non-infectious injuries, they release concentrated intracellular molecules into the surrounding area. These danger-associated molecules alert other cells that danger is nearby. When cells are killed by pathogens, they release both damage-associated and pathogen-associated signals. Both eukaryotic and bacterial cells sense these molecules and make threat assessments of cellular injury. Here, I show that lysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacterial species releases high concentrations of polyamines that are in turn taken up by surviving cells in a …

Cases Vs. Statistics: A Crux In The History Of Medicine, Stewart Justman

Global Humanities and Religions Faculty Publications

During the 1720s in England, inoculation was described as a kind of engrafting, and we might say that proponents like James Jurin, the secretary of the Royal Society, engrafted the procedure itself onto their customary modes of thinking and doing. In Jurin’s case the transplant was particularly awkward, in that inoculation had already broken through the limitations he imposed on it by the time he picked up his pen.

December 2021 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Montana Kaimin, October 7, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Friends Of The Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum, No. 38, University Of Montana--Missoula. Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum

Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum (UMZM) Newsletters

From the Curator -- Welcome Back, Soon! -- Specimens in Flight -- 2021 Marmot Madness Report -- Avis Marvelous -- Facility Feature -- Backroom Notes -- Who's in the Museum

Explicit Instruction In Legal Education: Boon Or Spoon?, Beth A. Brennan

Faculty Law Review Articles

While legal education unquestionably hones students’ critical thinking skills, it also privileges students who are faster readers and have prior background knowledge or larger working memories. According to the prevailing mythology of law school pedagogy, students learn by struggling to find their way out of chaos. Only then is their learning deep enough to permit them to engage in critical thinking and legal reasoning. Learning theory and research suggest this type of “inquiry” learning is not an effective way to introduce novice learners to a subject. Lacking basic substantive and procedural knowledge, students’ struggles are often unproductive and dispiriting. Initial …

Montana Business Quarterly, Fall 2021, University Of Montana--Missoula. Bureau Of Business And Economic Research

Montana Business Quarterly, 1949-2021

This is an academic publication produced by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) at the University of Montana’s College of Business. This is volume 59, number 3.

Montana Kaimin, Fall 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula. This special issue was published in fall 2021.

Montana Kaimin, September 9, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Montana Kaimin, September 2, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Neur 280.01: Fundamentals Of Neuroscience, Katie M. Holick, Michael P. Kavanaugh

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.