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Taste Sensitivity To 6-N-Propylthiouracil (Prop) As A Biological Marker For Vulnerability To Stress In Mothers And Children, Deann Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Some people are genetically more vulnerable to stress than others, leading them towards poorer outcomes following stressful events. Mothers' vulnerability to stress may, in turn, influence their children, leading their children towards poor outcomes as well. A biological marker of vulnerability to stress may indicate mothers who are at greater risk for experiencing parenting stress, depression, and less support of the infant's emotional development, and infants who are at greater risk for development of poor emotion regulation and behavior problems. Taste sensitivity to propylthiouracil (PROP) is proposed as a biological marker of stress vulnerability in mothers and children. This research …

Production Performance And Profiles Of Milk Fatty Acids Of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed Whole Safflower Seed Containing High Fat And Low Fiber, Christopher M. Dschaak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Oil seeds are natural sources of fat and protein in diets for lactating cows, and are usually fed whole or crushed. A recently released variety of safflower seed, 'Nutrasaff,' contains high fat (47% crude fat) and low fiber (26% NDF), and has a potential to be effectively used as a fat supplement for lactating dairy cows. Therefore, a lactating dairy cow trial was conducted to assess production performance of dairy cows when fed graded levels of whole Nutrasaff safflower seed (NSS), to determine the optimum level of NSS supplementation in the diet and to identify its impact on milk fat …

Hydraulics Of Ideal Drip Irrigation Systems, Evan J. Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The hydraulics of IDEal drip irrigation system components were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions and the results can be applied to the design of IDEal systems. The hydraulic loss coefficient for the lateral-submain connector valves was determined based on laboratory measurements. It was found that the hydraulic loss due to friction in the lay-flat laterals can be accurately estimated with standard friction loss equations using a smaller effective diameter based on the wall thickness and inlet pressure head. The equivalent length barb loss, expressed as an equivalent length of lateral, was calculated for button emitters, as well as for micro-tubes …

Characterizing Subsurface Textural Properties Using Electromagnetic Induction Mapping And Geostatistics, Hiruy Abdu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Knowledge of the spatial distribution of soil textural properties at the watershed scale is important for understanding spatial patterns of water movement, and in determining soil moisture storage and soil hydraulic transport properties. Capturing the heterogeneous nature of the subsurface without exhaustive and costly sampling presents a significant challenge. Soil scientists and geologists have adapted geophysical methods that measure a surrogate property related to the vital underlying process. Apparent electrical conductivity (EC_a) is such a proxy, providing a measure of charge mobility due to application of an electric field, and is highly correlated to the electrical conductivity of …

Microbial Growth Inhibition And Decomposition Of Milk Mineral And Sodium Tripolyphosphate Added To Media Or Fresh Ground Beef, Rossarin Tansawat

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Milk mineral (MM) is a type II antioxidant (metal chelator) that can bind iron and prevent iron catalysis of lipid oxidation. Thus, MM might have microbial growth inhibition effects on iron-dependent bacteria. Objective 1 was to evaluate effects of MM on growth of non-pathogenic iron-dependent bacterial strains (Listeria innocua, Eschericia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens). MM (1.5 % w/v) did not significantly inhibit growth of Listeria and E. coli. However, growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens was consistently and significantly reduced by ~1 log colony forming units per ml (CFU/ml) with all levels of MM (0.5, 0.75, 1.5 % …

Evolutionary Consequences Of The Introduction Of Eleutherodactylus Coqui To Hawaii, Eric Michael O'Neill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The introduction of a species to areas outside its native range can result in ecological and genetic changes of evolutionary significance. The frog Eleutherodactylus coqui was introduced to Hawaii, from Puerto Rico, in the late 1980s and has lost genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA. The extent to which founder effects have influenced phenotypic variation in the introduced range is unknown. In this study I compared phenotypic variation in life-history traits, advertisement calls, and stripe patterns among introduced and native populations of the frog Eleutherodactylus coqui. I also conducted laboratory experiments to determine the influence of genetics and temperature on …

Surgical Sterilization Of Coyotes To Reduce Predation On Pronghorn Fawns, Renee Seidler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Coyote (Canis latrans) predation accounts for the majority of neonatal pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) mortality in many areas and may influence local population declines. Current techniques used to manage coyote predation on wildlife species generally focus on lethal control methods. However, these methods may be controversial to the general public. Coyote sterilization is an alternative predation control method which is more acceptable to the public and has been shown to be effective in reducing sheep predation. We hypothesized that surgical sterilization of coyotes may increase pronghorn fawn survival; in the same way it reduces coyote predation on …

Patch-Scale Effects Of An Invasive Ecosystem Engineer On The Structure And Function Of A Eutrophic Stream, Samuel J. Hochhalter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent theoretical and technological advances in ecosystem science have dramatically expanded the ways in which scientists can pursue and explore ecological questions. For my thesis research, I integrated the recent theoretical concept of organisms as ecosystem engineers with the relatively recent development of stable isotope tracer tests to ask the question: how does the invasive common carp affect stream ecosystem structure and function? To investigate the structuring role of carp, I measured autotroph seasonal distribution and abundance and macroinvertebrate seasonal abundance and diversity within two stream reaches in Spring Creek, Utah, USA; one with low carp biomass (LCB) and one …

Characterization Of The Substrate Specificity And Mechanism Of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1, Whitney Lyn Wooderchak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) posttranslationally modify protein arginine residues. Type I PRMTs catalyze the formation of monomethylarginine (MMA) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) via methyl group transfer from S-adenosyl methionine onto protein arginine residues. Type II PRMTs generate MMA and symmetric dimethylarginine. PRMT-methylation affects many biological processes. Although PRMTs are vital to normal development and function, PRMT-methylation is also linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.

Thus far, nine human PRMT isoforms have been identified with orthologues present in yeast, plants, and fish. PRMT1 predominates, performing an estimated 85% of all protein arginine methylation in vivo. Yet, the substrate …

River Network Structure: A Template For Understanding Predator-Prey Dynamics And Potential Anthropogenic Impacts, Catherine L. Hein

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A landscape perspective is critically important for understanding community structure, particularly in systems dominated by migratory fauna. I aimed to understand how the structure of riverscapes in Puerto Rico mediates potential anthropogenic impacts, predator-prey interactions, and the migratory behavior of a diadromous species. I surveyed fishes and shrimps at sites throughout two watersheds, designed transplant experiments that investigated the role of natural barriers on predator-prey interactions, and developed models of shrimp migration specific to a particular river network. I did not detect an effect of anthropogenic changes to the landscape on fish and shrimp species distributions in two watersheds that …

Terrestrial Small Mammals From The Gamba Complex In Gabon: Distribution Patterns And Landscape Influences, Carrie J. O'Brien

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The small mammal communities of central Africa are not well understood, and the southwestern section of Gabon has not been previously surveyed except for some recent work in Monts Doudou. At five sites within the Gamba Complex we set out to 1) document the species of terrestrial rodents (Muridae) and shrews (Soricidae) weighing less than 100 g, 2) compare the community composition between inland and coastal sites, and 3) evaluate our sampling protocols. Using a combination of pitfall lines, Sherman live traps, and snap traps we captured 721 individuals of 12 rodent and 10 shrew species in 15,792 trap-nights. The …

Grandparents As Adult Mentors On Reported Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviors, Thane R. Goodrich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescent risk-taking behaviors, both negative and positive, continue to be a point of interest for researchers and of concern for society. Negative risk-taking behaviors threaten healthy adolescent development and may have deleterious effects on the remainder of the adolescent's life. Positive risk-taking behaviors promote healthy development and can aid in pro-social outcomes. Mentoring has been an established means of assisting adolescents through this sometimes difficult stage of life. Researchers have identified those elements which tend to make the greatest impact in mentoring programs. Among those known elements are adults who are found in "naturally" occurring settings. Teachers in schools, religious …

Individual Endorsement Of Remarriage Beliefs, Consistency Of Cognitions Between Spouses, And Outcomes In Remarriage, Lyndy Sue Agee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite the increasing prevalence of remarriages over the last several decades, little work has been done in establishing theories and models specific to remarried couples and stepfamilies. To address this gap, the multidimensional cognitive development model for individuals in stepfamilies was utilized. To evaluate the model, this study tested the consistency tenet, which is central to the model. Consistency of cognitions is assumed to be of primary importance in stepfamily relationships and a balanced system is one that is defined by consistency of cognitions. Data were analyzed from the "Relationship Quality and Stability in Utah Newlywed Remarriages" study. With a …

Greater Sage-Grouse Ecology, Chick Survival, And Population Dynamics, Parker Mountain, Utah, David K. Dahlgren

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We estimated survival of ~ 1-day-old chicks to 42 days based on radio-marked individuals for the Parker Mountain greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population. Chick survival was relatively high (low estimate of 0.41 and high estimate of 0.50) compared to other studies. Brood-mixing occurred for 21 % of radio-marked chicks, and within 43 % of radio-marked broods. Our study showed that brood-mixing may be an important ecological strategy for sage-grouse, because chicks that brood-mixed experienced higher survival. Additionally, modeling of chick survival suggested that arthropod abundance is important during the early brood-rearing period (1 - 21 days). We also …

Optimal Compost Rates For Organic Crop Production Based On A Decay Series, Jeffrey B. Endelman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the more challenging aspects of organic farming is the development of an appropriate fertility plan, which may include crop rotation, cover crops, and/or soil amendments. When fertility is maintained by applying manure and/or compost, a pressing question is how much should be used. A framework was developed to address this question based on the idea of a decay series, which is a sequence of numbers quantifying the effects of compost on crop yield over a multi-year period. Prior research has focused on decay series expressed in nitrogen fertilizer equivalents. Given this information, I show how to calculate what …

Predation On Domestic Sheep On Summer Range Lands In Southwestern Utah, Brian Carl Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Much of the decline of the U.S. sheep industry has been attributed to losses caused by predators. Most predatory losses are inflicted on lambs rather than ewes. Losses have historically ranged from 4-8% of lamb crops, inflicting significant financial loss on ranchers. However, most research providing data on sheep predation is over 20 years old. Changes in the sheep industry as well as predation rates may make previous loss rates inapplicable to current conditions. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are the primary predator of concern when it comes to sheep losses, but increasingly, cougars (Felis concolor) and black …

Cascade Lake: A Novel, Camille Marian Pack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Twenty-two-year-old Macy Oman narrates the book in retrospect from Cascade, Oregon, where she is visiting her mother. Macy's father moved with her to Portland shortly after the accidental death of her brother, Nick, seven years before the narration begins. Macy's mother stayed behind in Cascade. Thematically the work centers on the emotional repercussions of these losses. Macy's, and her older lover Jason's, involvement with Nick's death is unknown to everyone. Her guilt and her mother's perceived betrayal are disabling. Taking her longing for closeness to nature and to her reclusive friend Celia, Macy discovers folklore that inspires a vision quest …

Soil Organic Carbon And Site Characteristics In Aspen And Evaluation Of The Potential Effects Of Conifer Encroachment On Soil Properties In Northern Utah, Mical K. Woldeselassie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the Intermountain West, aspen (Populus tremuloides) has declined mainly due to a combination of successional processes, fire suppression and long-term use of ungulates which has led to replacement by conifers, sagebrush or other shrub communities. Conifer encroachment is believed to cause critical changes in the ecosystem properties. In order to understand the impacts of conifer encroachment on soil properties such as soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, soil morphology, and soil chemical properties, and the implications of such changes, it is very important to assess the soil properties under the two vegetation types. The objectives of this study …

Modeling Potential Native Plant Species Distributions In Rich County, Utah, Kathryn A. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Georeferenced field data were used to develop logistic regression models of the geographic distribution of 38 frequently common plant species throughout Rich County, Utah, to assist in the future correlation of Natural Resources Conservation Service Ecological Site Descriptions to soil map units. Field data were collected primarily during the summer of 2007, and augmented with previously existing data collected in 2001 and 2006. Several abiotic parameters and Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery were used to stratify the study area into sampling units prior to the 2007 field season.

Models were initially evaluated using an independent dataset extracted from data collected by …

Detecting Organic Molecules On The Surface Of Inorganic Dust Particles Using Aerosol Mass Spectrometry, Sileola B. Akinsiku

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Detection of organic molecules present on the surface of dust particles is important in homeland security, agriculture, and several other applications. The research presented reports the ability of the aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) to detect molecules on the surface of dust particles without detecting the particle core.

Experiments were carried out to detect semi-volatile organic compounds adsorbed onto the surface of particulates without interference from the dust particle core. Methyl salicylate, oleic acid, and organophosphorus pesticides such as Malathion were detected on the surface of particles representative of dust-type materials. Zeolite powders were used as aerosol support, representative of a …

Speciation, Species Concepts, And Biogeography Illustrated By A Buckwheat Complex (Eriogonum Corymbosum), Mark W. Ellis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The focus of this research project is the complex of infraspecific taxa that make up the crisp-leaf buckwheat species Eriogonum corymbosum (Polygonaceae), which is distributed widely across southwestern North America. This complex provides an ideal taxonomic group for research into population relationships and speciation. To avoid unnecessary debates about taxonomic validity or contentious issues regarding appropriate species definitions, the historical evolution of the species concept is first reviewed in detail, demythologizing an often-assumed species problem. Following that review, the E. corymbosum complex is examined specifically.

Although eight varieties of E. corymbosum are currently recognized based on morphological characters, this group …

Disordered: A Tale Of The Body, Elizabeth M. Benson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While a body of creative nonfiction writing exists regarding experiences with various psychological disorders, few personal accounts have been written about the physical complications of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Some memoirs tell a tale of serious illness in a straightforward narrative line. On the opposite end of this spectrum, other memoirs intentionally blur the lines of truth and heighten the confusion of a disorder. This thesis is as much a narrative of my experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder as it is a response to the void in creative nonfiction surrounding this specific disorder and the narrative forms others have chosen to …

Optimal Candidate Generation In Spatial Co-Location Mining, Zhongshan Lin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Existing spatial co-location algorithms based on levels suffer from generating extra, nonclique candidate instances. Thus, they require cliqueness checking at every level. In this thesis, a novel, spatial co-location mining algorithm that automatically generates co-located spatial features without generating any nonclique candidates at any level is proposed. Subsequently, this algorithm generates fewer candidates than other existing level-wise, co-location algorithms without losing any pertinent information. The benefits of this algorithm have been clearly observed at early stages in the mining process.

Design And Evaluation Of Oligonucleotide Microarrays For The Detection Of Bovine Pathogens, Ryan Weldon Black

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two microarray designs were developed and produced to screen for multiple bovine pathogens commonly found in the cattle industry today. The first microarray was designed, built, and processed in-house using conventional material and equipment and targeted Pasteurella multocida, Manheimia haemolytica, Histophilus somni, and Arcanobacterium pyogenes. For each pathogen, 12 perfect-match oligonucleotide probes, which were also designed in-house, targeted different sections of the respective 16S ribosomal genes, and were coupled with 12 corresponding mismatched probes for background. These arrays were able to produce distinct hybridization patterns for each pathogen that were easily visible without the need for …

Modeling The Evolution Of Insect Phenology With Particular Reference To Mountain Pine Beetle, Brian P. Yurk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is likely to disrupt the timing of developmental events (phenology) in insect populations in which development time is largely determined by temperature. Shifting phenology puts insects at risk of being exposed to seasonal weather extremes during sensitive life stages and losing synchrony with biotic resources. Additionally, warming may result in loss of developmental synchronization within a population, making it difficult to find mates or mount mass attacks against well-defended resources at low population densities. It is unknown whether genetic evolution of development time can occur rapidly enough to moderate these effects.

The work presented here is largely motivated …

Exploring The Spawning Dynamics And Identifying Limitations To The Early Life-History Survival Of An Important, Endemic Fish Species, Sara Elizabeth Seidel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For many native, imperiled salmonid species, the prioritization of recovery and conservation efforts hinges upon the identification of a species most limiting life stage. The early life-history stage can be a limiting life stage for fish, and given the importance of the reproductive stage to overall persistence, there is a need to better understand the spawning ecology and early life history of many salmonids. The Logan River, in northern Utah, contains one of the largest metapopulations of imperiled Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) throughout the Bonneville Basin. Little research has evaluated the temporal and spatial distribution of BCT spawning nor quantified …

Linking Space Use And Behavior In Clark's Nutcracker: An Explanation For Seasonal Variation In Space Use, Teresa J. Lorenz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) are important seed dispersers for at least 10 species of conifer in western North America and are obligate mutualists for the subalpine tree, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis). Despite the important role they play in forest regeneration, space use by nutcrackers has not been formally studied. Several hypotheses exist to explain their year-round space use patterns. I tested one hypothesis that Clark's Nutcrackers migrate altitudinally between summer and autumn in one population in the Cascade Range, Washington. In 2006 and 2007, I compared seasonal differences in summer and autumn space use by 26 …

Mycorrhizae In Sagebrush-Steppe Community Restoration: Mycorrhizal Dependency Of Invasive And Native Grasses With Intraspecific And Interspecific Competition, Dara S. Scherpenisse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mycorrhizae have been used in restoration for decades. However, studies assessing the use of mycorrhizae in Bromus tectorum-invaded areas of the Great Basin are limited. Two greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to assess the role of mycorrhizae in sagebrush restoration.

The first objective (Chapter 2) was to determine the response of Pseudoroegneria spicatum, Elymus elymoides, and B. tectorum to mycorrhizal symbiosis by altering phosphorus, density, species, presence of mycorrhizae and water levels in a 5 factor design. To assess the mycorrhizal response, a variety of morphological and physiological traits were measured, such as tissue P concentration, specific …

"Big, Smelly, Salty Lake That I Call Home": Sense Of Place With A Mixed Amenity Setting, Carla Koons Trentelman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Drawing from literature on place, this dissertation studies place dynamics in relationships between people and a mixed amenity place. Using Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, as a case study, I use a social constructionist approach to examine the sense of place held by those who live nearest to the lake. I analyze qualitative interview and focus group data as well as quantitative survey data to discern the meanings the lake holds for these nearest neighbors and to examine distinctions between people who see the lake differently.

This study is relatively unique in its examination of relationships with a mixed amenity …

The Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Greater Sage-Grouse On Anthro Mountain, Duchesne County, Utah 2008 Annual Report, Eric Thacker, Terry A. Messmer

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