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Mountain Pine Beetle Fecundity And Offspring Size Differ Among Lodgepole Pine And Whitebark Pine Hosts, Donovan Gross

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelmann) is a treeline species in the central Rocky Mountains. Its occupation of high elevations previously protected whitebark pine from long-term mountain pine beetle outbreaks. The mountain pine beetle, however, is currently reaching outbreaks of record magnitude in high-elevation whitebark pine. We used a factorial laboratory experiment to compare mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) life history characteristics between a typical host, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Engelmann), and whitebark pine. We tested the effects of natal host and brood host on beetle fecundity, offspring size, and brood sex-ratio. We reared mountain pine beetles …

Effects Of Foraging Sequence On The Ability Of Lambs To Consume Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue (Alkaloids), Birdsfoot Trefoil (Tannins), And Alfalfa (Saponins), Emily Lockard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

All plants contain primary and secondary compounds. Primary compounds are needed by plants and herbivores for maintenance, growth, and reproduction, while secondary compounds play roles as diverse as protecting plants from ultraviolet radiation, defenses against herbivores, pollination attraction, and stress resistance. Secondary compounds have nutritional and medicinal benefits for herbivores as well, especially when eaten in diverse combinations that complement one another. While complementarities among secondary compounds are an important but little understood area of plant-herbivore interactions, even less is known about how the sequences of eating plants with different compounds affects foraging behavior, though they may be critical. In …

Predicted Versus Measured Thoracic Gas Volume For The Bod Pod® Air Displacement Plethysmography System, Phil A. Blaney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference between measured values of thoracic gas volume (MTGV) and predicted values of thoracic gas volume (PTGV) using the Bod Pod®. One hundred and thirteen college freshmen, both males and females, were tested using the Bod Pod® by first measuring thoracic gas volume with the Bod Pod® technique, then by using pre-determined values based on height, weight, and age that predict thoracic gas volume. Results of a paired t test showed that measured thoracic gas volume and predicted thoracic gas volume were significantly different. A Pearson’s product-moment …

Ethylene Synthesis And Sensitivity In Crop Plants, Joseph F. Romagnano

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is a small molecule that regulates developmental change. Research was conducted in three areas: sensitivity, synthesis, and alterations to synthesis. Vegetative pea plants were more sensitive than radish plants to atmospheric ethylene. Light intensity did not affect ethylene sensitivity. Ethylene synthesis rates were measured for unstressed cotton, corn, soybean, and tomato plants. The per-plant ethylene synthesis rate ranged from 0.1-80 pmol plant^-1 s^-1. However, when normalized to net photosynthetic rate, this range was 1-4 µmol of ethylene synthesis per mol of CO₂ uptake. Diurnal cycles in ethylene synthesis were present in …

Sagestep News, Fall 2008, No. 7, Utah State University

Newsletters

Seasonal newsletter of SageSTEP.

Treatment Of Saltcedar (Tamarix Spp.): Economics And Feasibility, Christopher L. Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The invasive species Saltcedar is affecting water and land resources throughout the western states of America. Because of great water use capabilities and other ecosystem detriments, Saltcedar has been targeted for treatment.

For successful management of Saltcedar, individual landowners need to be aware of the costs and benefits of treating Saltcedar. Eleven of the most commonly reported treatment methods were evaluated for firm level economic feasibility. Evaluated on the basis of treatment cost, treatment effectiveness, Saltcedar water-use, and re-vegetation water-use, a production plan of ten years was created for each treatment method. Some treatment methods required re-treatment and were evaluated …

Identification Of Chlorinated Solvent Sources In The Indoor Air Of Private Residences Around Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Andrew Jensen Hall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volatile chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2 dichloroethane (1,2 DCA), and perchloroethylene (PCE) have been identified in the indoor air of residences located near Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah. These vapors can originate from either volatilization of contaminates from shallow contaminated groundwater and transport into residences or from sources within the residence. The focus of the thesis was the development of a testing strategy for determining sources of TCE, 1,2 DCA, and PCE in the indoor air of residences near Hill AFB.

Eight residences were selected for this study by Hill AFB based on prior detections of TCE, …

Factors That Influence The Association Between Adult Attachment And Marital Satisfaction, Daniel Leroy Hatch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adult attachment theory offers a promising conceptual framework for understanding the psychological and contextual factors that contribute to marital satisfaction. A consistent association has been found between adult attachment dimensions and marital satisfaction. The current study examined several mediating mechanisms that may explain the relationship between adult attachment dimensions and marital satisfaction. Specifically, relationship expectations, four types of responses to accommodative dilemmas (exit, neglect, voice, and loyalty), and three forms of empathy (empathic concern, perspective taking, empathic personal distress) were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between adult attachment and marital satisfaction.

Self-report data were collected from both partners of 193 …

Centering Pregnancy And Traditional Prenatal Care: A Comparison Of Health Practices, Kaylynn Shakespear

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Centering Pregnancy is an alternative method of providing prenatal care with increased education and social support with health assessment in a group setting. This study, a cross-sectional, correlational, convenience-sample design, sought to determine the difference between women who receive prenatal care in Centering Pregnancy prenatal care and those in traditional prenatal care in regards to health behaviors. Adult pregnant women (n = 125) were surveyed from at least 28 weeks gestation. The sample comprised primarily White low-income women. Using multiple linear regression, it was determined that women in Centering Pregnancy had significantly lower index health behavior scores compared with …

Mixed Methods For Mixed Reality: Overcoming Methodological Challenges To Understand User Activities In Virtual Worlds, David F. Feldon, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines the use of mixed methods for analyzing users’ avatar-related activities in a virtual world. Server logs recorded keystroke-level activity for 595 participants over a six-month period in Whyville.net, an informal science website. Participants also completed surveys and participated in interviews regarding their experiences. Additionally, the study included online ethnographic observations of Whyville and offline observations of a subset of 88 users in classroom and after-school settings during their participation. A mixed-methods analysis identified a major user emphasis on avatar appearance and customization that was invariant across user typologies. Implications for the use of mixed methods in online …

Are Delay Discounting, Probability Discounting, Time Perception, And Time Perspective Related? A Cross-Cultural Study Among Latino And White American Students, Ana Amelia L. Baumann Neves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study aimed to evaluate (a) the extent to which different impulsivity measures would be related to each other and to a risk taking measure, (b) the extent to which impulsivity, risk taking, time perception and time perspective are related to each other, and (c) the extent to which these processes differ in Latino and White American students. Experiment I was conducted at Utah State University. One hundred and forty-three participants were exposed to the delay discounting, probability discounting and temporal bisection procedures, and answered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Results showed …

Adolescent Religiosity, Religious Affiliation, And Premarital Predictors Of Marital Quality And Stability, Stacey Macarthur

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of religiosity in adolescence on several variables that have been shown to be predictors of marital quality and stability was examined using a nationally representative sample of 3,151 youth, aged 13 to 17 years, from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR). Religiosity was defined to incorporate multiple characteristics including religious beliefs, attitudes, participation, experiences, and identities. The effect of religious affiliation and religiosity was also examined for seven premarital predictors, which included relationship with parents, ideal age for marriage, right and wrong, academic achievement, sexual behavior, attitude toward cohabitation, and attitude toward divorce. Data were collected …

Pulse-Laser Infrared Photothermal Spectrometry Of Condensed-Phase Aerosols Based On Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy, Oluwatosin Olubunmi Dada

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The research reported in this dissertation is aimed at development of photothermal deflection detector that is consistent with constraints imposed by aerosols sampling and analysis. The main objectives of this project are: 1) the design and evaluation of initial apparatus prototypes and 2) a test of the prototype apparatus with surrogate substances using conventional mid-infrared gas lasers.

Experimental evaluation of reduced size photothermal apparatus is first performed with gaseous samples. Analysis of trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) and ethanol vapors is performed with both conventional large apparatus and the prototype small apparatus. Comparison studies in terms of photothermal signal from both apparatuses are …

Use Of Stimulus Management Techniques To Reduce Sedentary Behaviors Of Overweight Children, Julie A. Pelletier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An epidemic proportion of children and adolescents is currently overweight or at-risk of being overweight. This is associated with many negative outcomes, including short-term and long-term health risks, as well as increased psychosocial problems. The etiology of this problem is likely complex, though environmental factors (i.e., factors related to decreased physical activity and increased consumption of calories) have been implicated in previous research. Providing effective, easy-to-implement treatment strategies for children who are overweight or at-risk of being overweight could be helpful to reverse the current epidemic and to decrease current health care costs associated with pediatric obesity. The overall purpose …

Sources And Source Processes Of Organic Nitrogen Aerosols In The Atmosphere, Mark E. Erupe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The research in this dissertation explored the sources and chemistry of organic nitrogen aerosols in the atmosphere. Two approaches were employed: field measurements and laboratory experiments. In order to characterize atmospheric aerosol, two ambient studies were conducted in Cache Valley in Northern Utah during strong winter inversions of 2004 and 2005. The economy of this region is heavily dependent on agriculture. There is also a fast growing urban population. Urban and agricultural emissions, aided by the valley geography and meteorology, led to high concentrations of fine particles that often exceeded the national ambient air quality standards. Aerosol composition was dominated …

Reported Mental Health Issues And Marital Quality: A Statewide Survey, Joseph Ruben Smart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study included a representative random sample of 886 married individuals in Utah. This sample was surveyed to discover the relationship between demographic variables, reported mental health issues, and marital quality. In addition, this study sought to discover models, using demographic variables and reported mental health issues, to predict for separate dimensions of marital quality. This survey was a replication of a study completed primarily in Oklahoma, with the addition of questions about the participants' mental health.

Spearman's rho, Pearson's R, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The results of the study show that: religious beliefs …

Racial And Ethnic Comparison Of Migration Selectivity: Primary And Repeat Migration, Sang Lim Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study are to examine migration disparities in primary, onward, and return migration by Hispanics, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white and to inspect the differences among the various types of migration. In addition, this study explores explanations of the migration disparities. These have been rarely studied because of a lack of proper migration data. This research employs the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY79) for a logistic regression of primary migration and for a hierarchical generalized linear model (HGLM) of the two types of repeat migration, namely onward and return. The results demonstrate that whites are more …

Lessons In Humanity: A Memoir, Chelsi Joy Sutton-Linderman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the opening pages of his work, Dog Years; A Memoir, Mark Doty explains: Love for a wordless creature, once it takes hold, is an enchantment, and the enchanted speak, famously, in private mutterings, cryptic riddles, or gibberish. This is why I shouldn't be writing anything about the two dogs that have been such presences for sixteen years of my life. How on earth could I stand at the requisite distance to say anything that might matter? (1)

In this thesis I argue that Doty, among other respected contemporary writers, is saying something that matters when he writes of …

Self-Medicative Behavior Of Sheep Experiencing Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections And The Postingestive Effects Of Tannin, Larry D. Lisonbee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diet selection and self-medication are fundamental to the survival of all species. The abilities to choose healthy foods in response to past consequences are basic elements of evolution. This study explores self-medication regarding tannins both as a medication and as a dietary challenge. In the first study, sheep with natural parasite infections were offered a low quality supplement containing a dose of tannins considered to be therapeutic (medicine), while the control infected lambs received the same supplement without tannins (placebo). This study included a group of parasite-free lambs. The parasitized lambs ate more of the tannin containing supplement than non-parasitized …

Nursery Production Of Selected Actinorhizal Species, Taun D. Beddes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An important aspect of sustainable landscaping includes utilization of plants requiring few to no inputs once installed. Limited research exists for many of these species. For this research, we chose four with potential for use: Mexican cliffrose (Purshia mexicana), silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea), roundleaf buffaloberry (Shepherdia rotundifolia), and seaside alder (Alnus maritima). All are actinorhizal, meaning they form a symbiotic relationship with soil-borne Frankia bacteria that fix atmospheric N₂ for plant use. Many actinorhizal species are also native to arid environments where soils have low organic matter (OM) content. We suspect …

Hydrological Characterization Of A Riparian Vegetation Zone Using High Resolution Multi-Spectral Airborne Imagery, Osama Zaki Akasheh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Middle Rio Grande River (MRGR) is the main source of fresh water for the state of New Mexico. Located in an arid area with scarce local water resources, this has led to extensive diversions of river water to supply the high demand from municipalities and irrigated agricultural activities. The extensive water diversions over the last few decades have affected the composition of the native riparian vegetation by decreasing the area of cottonwood and coyote willow and increasing the spread of invasive species such as Tamarisk and Russian Olives, harmful to the river system, due to their high transpiration rates, …

Safety-Focused Altruism: Valuing The Lives Of Others, Kevin Lee Brady

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The value of statistical life is an estimate of the monetary benefits of preventing an anonymous death. Society's willingness to pay to eliminate private health risks determines agencies' value-of-statistical-life estimates. Most estimates ignore society's willingness to pay to eliminate others' health risks. There are two possible reasons. First, altruism does not exist: Peter is not willing to pay to save Paul's life. The second possible reason is a bit more complicated. Certain economists argue that increasing benefit estimates to account for altruism involves double-counting.

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate these possibilities. Accounting for altruism, it turns out, …

Preliminary Perspectives On The Health Needs Of Pastoral Women On The Borana Plateau Using Participatory Approaches, D. Layne Coppock, Seyoum Tezera, Solomon Desta

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Since 2000, the PARIMA project has conducted participatory research and outreach among pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. This has led to notable achievements in terms of forming collective-action groups dominated by women, stimulation of sustainable micro-finance and micro-enterprise activities, and improving linkages of pastoral producers to livestock markets. Despite such gains, there are many other challenges to be addressed. One is poor human health. PARIMA researchers used participatory and qualitative methods to conduct a preliminary assessment of women’s health problems among members of six, well-established collective-action groups from the Borana and Gugi zones in the Oromia Regional State during 2008. Conventional …

Evaluation Of Competition Between Turfgrass And Trees In The Landscape, Christopher A. Hendrickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Population growth in regions of the Intermountain West has resulted in rapid growth of residential neighborhoods. In Utah, the landscapes associated with these expanding neighborhoods consume vast quantities of treated water. This is a concern in all states of the Intermountain West, as water becomes increasingly scarce. Traditionally used turfgrasses, trees and other plants in Intermountain West landscapes require significant amounts of supplemental water considering the intense sunlight, dry winds and sparse rainfall typical of the region. Characterizing the interactions between turfgrass and tree species in these landscapes can aid in the identification of candidate species that consume less nutritional …

Nutrient Loading And Eutrophication In The Great Salt Lake, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

General Education Subcommittee Minutes, November 18, 2008, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Course Approvals

Syllabus Approval

Other Business

• Report from Assessment Subcommittee
• CIL Exam Update
• International Baccalaureate Diploma and Gen Ed Discussion
• Sustainability Criteria

Next Meeting

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes, November 17, 2008, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Athletic Council Report
• ASUSU Report
• Retention and First Year Experience Report
• Care-giving Leave Policy
• Medicare Advantage Plan
• Code Revision Committee Report

Budget And Faculty Welfare Committee Minutes, November 17, 2008, Utah State University

Budget & Faculty Welfare Committee

• Approval of Minutes
• Meeting times for the rest of the year
• Issues to be considered

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, November 17, 2008, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Athletic Council Report
• ASUSU Report
• Retention and FYE Report
• Caregiving Proposal
• Medicare Advantage Plan
• Code Revision Committee Report
• EPC Items

Academic Standards Subcommittee Minutes, November 13, 2008, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Academic Integrity Policy
• Grades from international universities