Digital Commons Network^™

Historical Biogeography Of North American Nightsnakes And Their Relationships Among The Dipsadines: Evidence For Vicariance Associated With Miocene Formations Of Northwestern Mexico, Daniel G. Mulcahy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I used a hierarchical approach to study historical biogeography in a group of colubrid snakes found in western North America. I combined small regions of mtDNA sequence data from a large number of individuals, with complete mt-genomic data. First, I investigated the relationships among leptodeirines—a presumed subgroup of dipsadines, including nightsnakes (Pseudoleptodeira, Eridiphas, and Hypsiglena)—using ~1.5 kb of data (cob and nad4). The relationships differed among parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian analyses. All analyses supported the monophyly of the nightsnakes; however, none supported the monophyly of the leptodeirines. Instead, these data supported a new hypothesis …

Marital Quality, Context, And Interaction: A Comparison Of Individuals Across Various Income Levels, Victor W. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research compared measures of marital quality between married respondents who were classified as adults currently receiving government assistance (GA) or adults not currently receiving government assistance (NGA). Additional demographic/contextual variables such as gender, age, age at first marriage, religiosity, income, education, cohabitation, mental health, and substance abuse along with four interactional variables - escalating negativity, criticism, negative interpretation, and withdrawal - were measured as potential correlates with marital quality.

Results indicated statistically significant differences between GA and NGA individuals on all of the marital quality measures and on 8 of the 11 demographic/contextual variables. Additionally, the four interactional variables …

The Fellowship Of The (Devil) Ring: Ethnographic Translation In The 2002 聯經 Edition Of Tolkien's The Fellowship Of The Ring, Matthew G. Wright

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

A recent book written by Tom Standage pays homage to six drinks that helped shape the history of the world. Following his discussion of the first five drinks (beer, wine, spirits, coffee and tea), Standage concludes with what he calls, the drink of the twentieth century. "Coca-Cola encapsulates what happened in the 20th century: the rise of consumer capitalism and the emergence of America as a superpower. It's globalization in a bottle," Standage said in an interview with National Geographic News (Handwerk). Today Coca-cola is everywhere from Cuba to the Czech Republic (Standage even claims the drink is in more …

Smoking, Anemia, And Risk Of Oral Clefts In Utah, Melinda Michelle Moss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cigarette smoke contains sufficient carbon monoxide to induce maternal and fetal hypoxia. Hypoxia is a known teratogen, and consequently maternal smoking has been the focus of many studies on adverse birth outcomes, including cleft lip and palate. Current literature of epidemiological studies on smoking and clefts suggests a modest but statistically significant increase in risk of clefting associated with maternal smoking. A biological condition that may also contribute to hypoxia is anemia. Data from the Utah Child and Family Health Study was used to assess the effects of hypoxia-inducing conditions, maternal smoking, anemia, and their interaction, on the risk of …

Mortgage Default And Neighborhoods: A Case Study Of Weber County, Utah, Camille J. Pedersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine housing, demographic, and economic characteristics that are present in neighborhoods with high rates of mortgage default. In addition, the effect of minority percentage was studied in neighborhoods with high rates of default. Defaulted properties recorded in 2003-2004 in Weber County were geo-coded and assigned into one of 42 census tracts in Weber County. Descriptive statistics then profiled the characteristics of the census tracts. Correlations were used to determine which characteristics had statistical significance with mortgage default rates as well as minority percentage. Logistic regression was conducted to create a model describing the …

Lower Paleozoic Sequence Stratigraphy, Deposystems And Paleogeography Of Northwestern Ordos Basin, North China, Benjamin J. Kessel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Ordos basin rests upon the North China Block and is one of the largest sedimentary basins in north China, with more than 15 km of Phanerozoic strata. Published estimates suggest that over 2000 m of carbonates and lesser amounts of siliciclastics were deposited on the North China Carbonate Platform (NCCP) from the Lower Can1brian through the Middle Ordovician. However, lower Paleozoic facies successions and deposystems of northwestern Ordos basin remain poorly represented in western literature. This paper constrains depositional environments, lithologies, facies relationships and sea-level history of the northwestern part of the North China block (NCB) in an effort …

Vascular Plant Species Richness And Distribution In A Heterogeneous Landscape, Kelly J. Mccloskey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The distribution of vascular plant species and species richness in a mid-elevation Rocky Mountain landscape can be attributed to a number of variables. The distribution of species with respect to physiognomic type, patch size, shape, and environmental heterogeneity was assessed for a mosaic landscape comprised of conifer forest, deciduous forest, and shrub-steppe physiognomic types in the southwest comer of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. This vegetation is representative of that found in other montane landscapes of the central Rocky Mountains. The vegetation was mapped to physiognomic type; distinct vegetation patches were sampled using one or more small (50 m^{2 …}

Beneath These Red Cliffs, Ronald L. Holt

All USU Press Publications

In this new and updated edition---with a foreword by Lora Tom, chairwoman of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah---Holt recounts the survival of a people against all odds. A compound of rapid white settlement of the most productive Southern Paiute homelands, especially their farmlands near tributaries of the Colorado River; conversion by and labor for the Mormon settlers; and government neglect placed the Utah Paiutes in a state of dependency that ironically culminated in the 1957 termination of their status as federally recognized Indians. The recognition and attendant services were not restored until 1980, but the act revived the Paiutes' …

Globalization And Income Distribution Inequality Within Countries, Lei Zhou, Basudeb Biswas, Tyler J. Bowles

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

The issue studied in this paper is whether globalization affects income inequality within countries. Using the newly created Kearney (2002, 2003, 2004) data and the principal component analysis (PCA), we create two globalization indices. The Gini coefficient of a country is regressed on the indices respectively. One of the globalization indices is the equally weighted index. The other is derived from PCA. Sixty countries were involved in this study, including both developed and developing countries. The main conclusions obtained from the analysis can be summarized as follows: there is a negative relationship between the globalization index and the Gini coefficient …

A History Under Siege: Intensive Agriculture In The Mbulu Highlands, Tanzania, 19thcentury To The Present, Christopher A. Conte, Lowe Borjeson

History Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Determinants Of The Distribution Of Mortality In Mountain States Counties, Anne Whyte, L. Dwight Israelsen, Ryan D. Israelsen

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

This study identifies the significant factors that affect the distribution of mortality by county in the Mountain States by using mortality data from the Multiple Cause of Death File of the National Center for Health Statistics. From this data, mortality (age at death) Gini coefficients are calculated for males and females for each county in the Mountain States (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming). These data are available for all counties only through 1989. Hence, the model of determinants of the distribution of mortality is tested using data from 1989-1990. Previous studies of the determinants of …

An Examination Of External Influences Imbedded In The Historical Snow Data Of Utah, Randall P. Julander, Michael Bricco

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Snowpack data collection has a long and storied history in Utah as well as the western United States. Many researchers use historical snow course data for various applications ranging from water supply forecasting to climate change. These data are far from a perfect data set and data users should know the errors and limitations within them. In the current setting, only those collecting the data have access to the raw data and the site biographical information. In Utah, records extend back to at least 1912. Systematic measurements began in the mid 1920's with many long term snow courses established at …

Migration Turnover Rates In United States Counties, L. Dwight Israelsen, Ryan D. Israelsen, William J. Israelsen

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

Studies of migration typically examine migration between countries, or, in the United States, migration between states. Recently, there have been several studies done on the determinants of migration at the county level. The current study introduces a new concept into the migration literature: the migration turnover rate (MTR). The migration turnover rate is similar to an employee turnover rate in that it measures the turnover through in-migration and out-migration of the population of an area during a given period of time. The MTR is measured as the minimum of gross in-migration and gross out-migration over the period, as a percentage …

Migration Turnover Rates In Mountain States Counties, William J. Israelsen, L. Dwight Israelsen, Ryan D. Israelsen

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

Studies of migration typically examine migration between countries, or, in the United States, migration between states. Recently, there have been several studies done on the determinants of migration at the county level. The current study introduces a new concept into the migration literature: the migration turnover rate (MTR). The migration turnover rate is similar to an employee turnover rate in that it measures the turnover through in-migration and out-migration of the population of an area during a given period of time. The MTR is measured as the minimum of gross in-migration and gross out-migration over the period, as a percentage …

From The Ground Up, Colleen K. Whitley

All USU Press Publications

Mining had an enormous role, only partly measurable, in the history of Utah. Its multidimensional impact continues today. Economically, it made a major long-term contribution to the wealth, employment, and tax base of the state and stimulated a seemingly endless range of secondary businesses and enterprises. It helped shape the state's social history, determining the location, distribution, and composition of many communities and bringing transportation systems and a wide variety of institutions to them. It developed cultural diversity by drawing to Utah miners and families from otherwise underrepresented ethnic and national backgrounds. It ignited strife, particularly between labor and management, …

Access And Resilience: Analyzing The Construction Of Social Resilience To The Threat Of Water Scarcity, Ruth Langridge, Juliet Christian-Smith, Kathleen A. Lohse

All UNF Research

Resilience is a vital attribute that characterizes a system’s capacity to cope with stress. Researchers have examined the measurement of resilience in ecosystems and in social–ecological systems, and the comparative vulnerability of social groups. Our paper refocuses attention on the processes and relations that create social resilience. Our central proposition is that the creation of social resilience is linked to a community’s ability to access critical resources. We explore this proposition through an analysis of how community resilience to the stress of water scarcity is influenced by historically contingent mechanisms to gain, control, and maintain access to water. Access is …

Toward A Unified Science Of The Earth's Surface: Opportunities For Synthesis Among Hydrology, Geomorphology, Geochemistry, And Ecology, C. E. Foufoula-Georgiou, W. E. Dietrich, M. Hondzo, D. Mohrig, G. Parker, M. E. Power, I. Rodriguez-Iturbe, V. Voller, P. Wilcock

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

The Earth's surface is shaped by the interaction of tectonics, water, sediment, solutes, and biota over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and across diverse environments. Development of a predictive science of Earth surface dynamics integrates many disciplines and approaches, including hydrology, geomorphology, ocean and atmospheric science, sedimentary and structural geology, geochemistry, and ecology. This paper discusses challenges, opportunities, and a few example problems that can serve as pathways toward this integration.

General Catalog 2006-2007, Utah State University

University Catalogs

Contains course descriptions, University college calendar, and college administration

Soil Carbon Distribution And Quality In A Montane Rangeland Forest Mosaic In Northern Utah, Helga Van Miegrot, Janis L. Boettinger, Michelle A. Baker, Julia Nielson, Dave Evans, Alex Stum

T.W. "Doc" Daniel Experimental Forest

Relatively little is known about soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in montane ecosystems of the semi-arid western U.S. or the stability of current SOC pools under future climate change scenarios. We measured the distribution and quality of SOC in a mosaic of rangeland-forest vegetation types that occurs under similar climatic conditions on non-calcareous soils at Utah State University’s T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest in northern Utah: the forest types were aspen [Populus tremuloides] and conifer (mixture of fir [Abies lasiocarpa] and spruce [Picea engelmannii]); the rangeland types were sagebrush steppe [Artemisia tridentata], grass-forb meadow, and a meadow-conifer ecotone. Total SOC was …

Vegetation Treatments On Bureau Of Land Management Lands In 17 Western States, Bureau Of Land Management

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

No abstract provided.

Utah Resource Assessment, Utah Association Of Conservation Districts, Utah Department Of Agriculture And Food, Natural Resource Conservation Service

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Located in the Rocky Mountain Region, Utah derives its name from the Native American Ute tribe and means “people of the mountains”. Utah is 84,900 square miles and is ranked the 11th largest state (in terms of square miles) in the US. As hosts of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Utah boasts the “greatest snow on earth” and is the home of 18 colorful National Parks and monuments. Utah's peaks are, on average, the tallest in the country and create great contrasts that range from the snow covered peaks of the Uinta Range in the east, to the renowned natural …

In-Laws And Outlaws: Lessons In Research And Friendship And A Report From The Archives, Sarah Barringer Gordon

Arrington Annual Lecture

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, October 6, 2005, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Department of Agricultural Systems Technology and Education

• Add Multiple List

Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences

• Prerequisite Change

College of Education and Human Services

• Prerequisite Change

Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education

• Credit Hour Change
• Title Change
• Delete Course

Department of Elementary Education

• Course Number Change

Department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development

• New Course
• Title Change, Credit Hour Change
• Title Change
• Prerequisite Change
• Delete Course

Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation

• Course Number Change

Department of Psychology

• Prerequisite Change

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Delete Course

Department of Art

• Prerequisite Change

Department of English

• Add Repeatable …

American Gardens Historic Garden Styles In America, Larry A. Sagers

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Taxonomy, Larry A. Sagers, Gretchen Campbell

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

In-Situ Monitoring Of Solid Fat Content By Means Of P-Nmr And Ultrasonics, Silvana Martini, Constantin Bertoli, Maria Lidia Herrera, Ian Neeson, Alejandro Marangoni

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

An ultrasonic technique was developed to study the crystallization process of edible fats on-line. A chirp wave was used instead of the conventional pulser signal, thus achieving a higher signal-to-noise ratio. This enabled measurements to be made in concentrated systems [≈20% solid fat content (SFC)] through a 8.11-cm thick sample without significant signal loss. Fat samples were crystallized at 20, 25, and 30°C at a constant agitation rate of 400 rpm for 90 min. The crystallization process was followed by ultrasonic spectroscopy and a low-resolution pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Specific relationships were found between ultrasonic parameters [integrated response, time …

The Effect Of Wildfire On Populations Of The Jemez Mountains Salamander (Plethodon Neomexicanus) With Consideration To Arthropod Prey Availability Following The Cerro Grande Fire Of Northern New Mexico, Michelle R. Cummer

Biology

Fire regimes in North America, including the American Southwest, have undergone relatively dramatic shifts in the last century, resulting in novel stand-replacing fires that are changing landscapes in unprecedented ways. Some possible effects of these novel landscape changes on a terrestrial plethodontid salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus) were investigated. Microhabitat temperatures in four burn-severity types following recent fires were measured. Temperatures were significantly greater in high-severity and moderate-severity burn areas than in low-severity and unburned areas. Salamander presence/absence data from four burn-severity types that were documented as having salamanders prior to wildfire are considered. The proportions of presence and absence …

Alternative Futures For The Bear River Watershed, Bioregional Planning Program, Department Of Environmental Society, College Of Natural Resources, Utah State University, R. E. Toth, J. B. Baker, C. L. Bryner, J. Evans, K. E. Hinman, K. R. Kilpatrick, K. Seegmiller

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

No abstract provided.

Testing Species Disputes And Population Genetics In The Genus Phragmatopoma Using Molecular Characters, Carrie A. Drake

Biology

Phragmatopoma californica (found in the Pacific Ocean) and P. caudata (found in the Atlantic Ocean) are intertidal, marine reef-building polychaete worms that have been found to produce viable larvae in a laboratory setting, but are otherwise geographically isolated. The first study was aimed at determining their specific status by analyzing the DNA sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that P. californica individuals shared no COI haplotypes or ITS-1 sequences with P. caudata individuals and formed well supported separate clades. The molecular data therefore supports the status of …

New Technologies To Determine Solid Fat Content On-Line, Silvana Martini, Maria Lidia Herrera, Alejandro Marangoni

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

The determination of solid fat content (SFC) is an important analytical procedure in the food industry. The most common way to determine SFC is by low-resolution pulsed NMR (p-NMR). Although this technique is very sensitive and easy to use, it has the disadvantage that it cannot be used for on-line measurements. The present work compares new technologies to determine SFC on-line. On-line ultrasonic spectroscopy and NMR-MOUSE (NMR mobile universal surface explorer) techniques were compared with off-line p-NMR measurements and there was a good correlation between the values obtained. Ultrasonic measurements accurately described the SFC variation, whereas NMR-MOUSE determinations need to …