Digital Commons Network^™

Stratigraphic, Microfossil, And Geochemical Analysis Of The Neoproterozoic Uinta Mountain Group, Utah: Evidence For A Eutrophication Event?, Dawn Schmidli Hayes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several previous Neoproterozoic microfossil diversity studies yield evidence for a relatively sudden biotic change prior to the first well‐constrained Sturtian glaciations. In an event interpreted as a mass extinction of eukaryotic phytoplankton followed by bacterial dominance, diverse assemblages of complex acritarchs are replaced by more uniform assemblages consisting of simple leiosphaerid acritarchs and bacteria. Recent data from the Chuar Group of the Grand Canyon (770‐742 Ma) suggest this biotic change was caused by eutrophication rather than the direct effects of Sturtian glaciation; evidence includes total organic carbon increases indicative of increasing primary productivity followed by iron speciation values that suggest …

Design Of A BiobrickTm Compatible Gene Expression System For Rhodobacter Sphaeroides, Junling Huo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The concept of introducing engineering principles of abstraction and standardization into synthetic biology has received increasing attention in the past several years and continues to be in the forefront of synthetic biology. One direction being pursued by synthetic biologists is creation of modular biological parts (BioBrick^TM) that can be readily synthesized and mixed together in different combinations. However, most standard BioBrick^TM parts in the Registry were designed for E. coli, although synthesis of specific BioBrick^TM parts for other bacteria, such as for yeast and cyanobacteria, have begun. Besides, at the present time, there are only …

Testing The Efficacy Of Merrill’S First Principles Of Instruction In Improving Student Performance In Introductory Biology Courses, Joel Lee Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One learning problem is that public understanding of science is limited. Many people blame at least part of the problem on the predominant lecture approach for students' lack of science understanding. Current research indicates that more active instructional approaches can improve student learning in introductory undergraduate biology courses. Active learning may be difficult to implement because methods and strategies, ranging from in-class collaborative problem-solving to out of class multimedia presentations, are diverse, and sometimes difficult to implement. Merrill's First Principles of Instruction (hereafter referred to as "First Principles" or "First Principles of Instruction") provides a framework for implementing active learning …

Comparative Studies On Scale-Up Methods Of Single-Use Bioreactors, Emily B. Stoker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was performed to increase knowledge of oxygen mass transfer (kLa) and mixing times in the scale-up of disposable bioreactors.Results of oxygen mass transfer studies showed kLa to increase with increasing agitation and aeration rates. By maintaining a scale-up constant such as gassed power to volume or shear, an almost constant k_La was achieved during scale-up from 50 to 2000 L. Using the scale-up constant P_g/V resulted in statistically higher kLa values at greater reactor volumes. Mixing times were revealed to be significantly affected by agitation, but not by the aeration rates tested. No pattern …

Stress Response And Pathogenesis Of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium, Jigna D. Shah

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Salmonella is a food-borne pathogen that leads to substantial illness worldwide. The clinical syndromes associated with Salmonella infection are enteric (typhoid) fever and gastroenteritis, in healthy humans. Typhoid fever is caused by host-adapted S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi. Gastroenteritis is caused by serovars usually referred to as non typhoidal Salmonellae (NTS). In recent years, an increasing number of outbreaks due to NTS, despite increased efforts in food safety, were reported because of persistence of Salmonella in the food chain. Thus I hypothesized that Salmonella is able to withstand stresses in the environment and treatments used during food processing …

Fluoro-Silane As A Functional Monomer For Protein Conformational Imprinting, Yun Peng

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By using the technology of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), we propose to synthesize a protein conformational imprint that also acts as a plastic enzyme, inducing protein structural transitions. The imprint aims at MIP-induced stabilization and / or formation of bound protein secondary structure and the applications associated with analysis and correction of misfolded proteins. The screening of polymeric functional monomers being able to induce the conformational transitions in proteins is investigated in this report.

The fluoro-silanes (3-heptafluoroisopropoxy)propalethoxysilane (7F) and 3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethoxysilane (3F) were employed as functional monomers for synthesis of this catalytic protein conformational imprint via sol-gel reactions. 3F was demonstrated …

Individualistic Response Of Piñon And Juniper Tree Species Distributions To Climate Change In North America's Arid Interior West, Jacob R. Gibson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Piñon and juniper tree species have species-specific climatic requirements, resulting in unique distributions and differential responses to climate change. Piñons and junipers co-dominate the arid woodlands of North America as groups with widespread hybridization. Two piñons, Pinus edulis; P. monophylla, and four junipers, Juniperus deppeana var. deppeana; J. monosperma; J. occidentalis; J. osteosperma, are endemic to the midlatitude interior west and form three groups of hybridizing sister species, P. edulis-P. monophylla; J. deppeana var. deppeana-J. monosperma; J. occidentalis-J. osteosperma. Recent droughts have caused widespread mortality among piñons, but have had less impact on …

Riparian Bird-Habitat Association Models: A Framework For Informing Management And Developing Restoration Guidelines In Utah, Hillary M. White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Approximately 75% of the avian species in Utah use riparian habitats at some time during their life cycles and at least 80% of this habitat in Utah has been lost or altered since settlement; currently 0.6% of land cover in Utah is considered riparian. In 1992, with the support of Utah Partner's in Flight, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources began a statewide neotropical migratory bird (NTMB) and habitat monitoring program to assess the status of bird populations at 31 sites. Additional sites (up to 52) were added in later years; bird and habitat assessments at 37 riparian sites have …

Variability Of Water Storage And Instream Temperature In Beaded Arctic Streams, Madeline F. Merck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate variation in water export and instream temperatures throughout the open water season in a beaded Arctic stream, consisting of small pools connected by shallow chutes. The goals are to better understand heat and mass movement through these systems, how this may impact chemical and biological processes, and the resulting shifts with changes in climate. This is accomplished by first examining the extent and variability of water storage and export through qualitative analysis of observational data. Further, heat fate and transport is examined through development of an instream temperature model. The model formulation, …

Behavioral Responses Of Willow Flycatchers, Empidonax Traillii, To A Heterogeneous Environment, Amanda V. Bakian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spatial heterogeneity impacts population and community-level dynamics including species-level dispersal patterns, the use and availability of refugia, predator/prey dynamics, and reproductive fitness. Understanding how wild animal populations respond to environmental heterogeneity is essential for their proper management and conservation. In this study, I examine the responses of Willow Flycatchers to spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of their food and habitat resources. Over the course of three breeding seasons, I radio- tracked Willow Flycatchers at Fish Creek in Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah, recorded detailed behavior data at each radio location, and collected fecal, feather and insect samples. I formulated …

Habitat Characteristics And Occupancy Rates Of Lewis's Woodpecker In Aspen, Amy M. Vande Voort

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lewis‘ woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) are generally associated with open ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), open riparian, and burned pine habitats in the West; however, this species has recently been found to nest in aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands in Utah. This study describes the habitat characteristics of Lewis‘ woodpecker nest sites in aspen and investigates how well aspen stand characteristics predict Lewis‘ woodpecker occupancy. I surveyed for Lewis‘ woodpeckers at previously occupied nesting locations in aspen and took habitat measurements at nest sites. In addition, nest-centered Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)-type plots provided stand-level habitat characteristics. I used logistic regression to …

Therapists' And Families' Views On Family Involvement In Adolescent Residential Treatment, Jonathan D. Zabriskie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study of 24 therapists and 64 family members representing 109 adolescent residents of six residential treatment centers aimed to better understand therapists' and family members' points of view about family involvement in residential treatment for troubled adolescents. The study also provided the therapists' and family members' recommendations for family involvement in residential treatment.

Findings from this mixed-methods study suggest that (a) the families from this study were involved in many different ways in their adolescents' treatment, including phone calls, visits to the treatment center, participation in therapy, and so forth; (b) there were areas in which therapists and family …

Understanding The National Science Foundation Career Award Proposal Genre: A Rhetorical, Ethnographic, And System Perspective, David M. Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With tightening university budgets, never before has the activity level of research grant proposal writing been more intense. With increased proposal numbers, including for the National Science Foundation's (NSF) prestigious CAREER award, has also come increased competition and decreased funding rates. This dissertation has searched for successful and unsuccessful characteristics from funded and unfunded CAREER proposals.

The research focused on a study of two key subjects: 1) a corpus of 20 texts that included 12 funded proposals and 8 unfunded proposals from across NSF programs, and 2) an ethnographic analysis comprised from interviews with 14 NSF program officers (PO) from …

Characterization And Application Of Dynamic In Vitro Models Of Human Airway, Hemangkumar J. Patel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years, respiratory diseases have emerged as a leading cause of mortality across the globe. In the United States alone respiratory diseases are the fourth leading cause of deaths annually. Moreover, with the rapid increase of industrialization and urbanization, the occurrences of respiratory diseases are expected to remain high with strong chances of increasing in the future. To ameliorate the epidemic of respiratory disease, it is first important to understand its underlying mechanisms.

Respiratory research studies in animals have elucidated the chronological order of the pathological events and systemic responses inside the lung, but understanding the response of individual …

A Study On The Applications And Toxicity Assessments Of Carbon Nanotubes In Tissue Engineering, Rena Baktur

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the most popular nanomaterials. There has been increasing interest in the development and applications of carbon nanotubes due to their huge potential in industrial and medical applications. Recent applications of carbon nanotubes include development of scaffolds and drug delivery systems. Despite rapidly emerging applications of CNTs, little is known about the impact of CNTs on cellular processes, especially mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)'s differentiation. Also, the effects of nanoparticle exposure under different conditions on cellular responses have not been well characterized yet.

To characterize the effects of CNTs on creating nanoscale scaffolds for tissue engineering, …

Perching Using A Quadrotor With Onboard Sensing, Jeremy C. Goldin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis presents an implementation of autonomous indoor perching using only onboard sensors on a low-cost, custom-built quadrotor. The perching aggressive maneuver is representative of a class of control problems for aerobatics that requires an agile and robust control system for maneuvering accurately at high speeds. Such research extends the typical functionality of micro air vehicles (MAV) from low speed and stationary observation to dynamic aerobatic transitions for broader operational capabilities including confined landings and evasive maneuvering. To achieve this, three major challenges are overcome: precise and real-time positioning, sensing of the perch and path to the perch, and control …

The Relationship Between Coaching Mentors, Age, And Adolescent Problem Behaviors, Derek J. Hoke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined coaches as potential mentors who could influence adolescent problem behaviors. By using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study compared adolescents who self-reported not having any adult mentors in their life against adolescents who self-reported having a coach mentor in their life on various problem behaviors (i.e., sexual attitudes and behaviors, tobacco, marijuana, steroid, and alcohol use). This study also looked ages of adolescents to see what, if any, influences age presented. Results of this study indicated that in some areas coaches might have a positive effect, albeit slight. When age was analyzed …

15n Tracer And Modeling Analyses Of Nutrient Transport Through Lakes In A Subalpine Watershed, David M. Epstein

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lakes have historically been overlooked as important nutrient processors within their watersheds. In general ecologists have focused on streams as zones of uptake and transformation, while viewing lakes as simple nutrient traps. However, recent research has highlighted the large influence that lakes may have on water chemistry within their watersheds. Within the field of limnology, researchers have traditionally focused on the pelagic zone for in-lake production. Further research in shallow lakes has highlighted the role benthic production within the littoral zone plays in the lake ecosystem. The greater influence of lakes is highlighted when comparing watersheds containing lakes with watersheds …

The Shape Of Grief: A Generational Legacy Of The Vietnam War, Benjamin A. Quick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A well-known memoirist once said that a true war story never seems to end, that it just keeps going and going. The question begs: If the war story never ends, then how does it manifest in future generations? In my case, as the first-born son of a Vietnam veteran, the war story has played out physically, within my body, in the form of an Agent Orange-related disability and a resulting set of limitations and adaptations. Fortunately, for me the limitations have been few and the adaptations many. But despite this, I’ve known, since a relatively young age, that I am …

Preventative Behavioral Parent Training: A Preliminary Investigation Of Strategies For Preventing At-Risk Children From Developing Later Conduct Problems, Jessica L. Malmberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children exhibiting conduct problems comprise the largest source of referrals to children's mental health services in this county. Significant research has been conducted in an attempt to identify specific risk factors that result in increased vulnerability of a child developing conduct problems. Knowledge of these factors increases our ability to identify young children who are at greater risk for developing conduct problems. The treatment for conduct problems that possesses the greatest amount of empirical support is behavioral parent training. Yet behavioral parent training fails to address behaviors and risk factors that are present during a child's early development. Preventative behavioral …

The Decline And Conservation Status Of North American Bumble Bees, Jonathan Berenguer Koch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several reports of North American bumble bee (Bombus Latreille) decline have been documented across the continent, but no study has fully assessed the geographic scope of decline. In this study I discuss the importance of Natural History Collections (NHC) in estimating historic bumble bee distributions and abundances, as well as in informing current surveys. To estimate changes in distribution and relative abundance I compare historic data assembled from a >73,000 specimen database with a contemporary 3-year survey of North American bumble bees across 382 locations in the contiguous U.S.A. Based on my results, four historically abundant bumble bees, B. …

Propagating Bigtooth Maple, Melody Richards

All Current Publications

Native plants are playing an increasing role in sustainable landscapes that use fewer resources such as water and fertilizer

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Erin Petrizzo, Diane G. Alston

All Current Publications

Brown marmorated stink bug (Order Hemiptera: Family Pentatomidae) (BMSB) was accidentally introduced into the eastern U.S. from Asia in the late 1990s. In 2001 it was officially identified in Pennsylvania, and has since spread along the eastern seaboard and westward into the Great Lakes region.

Hydrologic Controls On Equilibrium Soil Depths, L. Nicótina, David G. Tarboton, Teklu K. Tesfa, A. Rinaldo

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper deals with modeling the mutual feedbacks between runoff production and geomorphological processes and attributes that lead to patterns of equilibrium soil depth. Our primary goal is an attempt to describe spatial patterns of soil depth resulting from long-term interactions between hydrologic forcings and soil production, erosion, and sediment transport processes under the framework of landscape dynamic equilibrium. Another goal is to set the premises for exploiting the role of soil depths in shaping the hydrologic response of a catchment. The relevance of the study stems from the massive improvement in hydrologic predictions for ungauged basins that would be …

The Utah Statesman, April 29, 2011, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Timing Of Seasonal Migration In Mule Deer: Effects Of Climate, Plant Phenology, Andlife-History Characteristics, Kevin L. Monteith, Vernon C. Bleich, Thomas R. Stephenson, Becky M. Pierce, Mary M. Conner, Robert W. Klaver, R. Terry Bowyer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Phenological events of plants and animals are sensitive to climatic processes. Migration is a life-history event exhibited by most large herbivores living in seasonal environments, and is thought to occur in response to dynamics of forage and weather. Decisions regarding when to migrate, however, may be affected by differences in life-history characteristics of individuals. Long-term and intensive study of a population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, allowed us to document patterns of migration during 11 years that encompassed a wide array of environmental conditions. We used two new techniques to properly account for interval-censored …

Autism Awareness: Research--Unlocking The Mystery Of Asds, Center For Persons With Disabilities

Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

The Utah Statesman, April 25, 2011, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Utah Statesman, April 18, 2011, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Utah Statesman, April 15, 2011, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.