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Avian Food Selection With Application To Pesticide Risk Assessment: Are Dead And Dessicated Insects A Desirable Food Source?, Jennifer M. Stafford

Biology

When evaluating avian pesticide exposure, a number of factors must be considered to form an accurate risk assessment. In the past, such assessments have been conducted with substantial uncertainty about avian consumption of exposed food items. One such uncertain factor is whether or not the avian species would consume contaminated invertebrates that were killed by a chemical application, and which may present an increasing concentration of the chemical as they desiccate over time. Therefore I asked the question: do birds select dead and desiccated insects as food items? I addressed the research question in two steps. First, a laboratory study …

Variations In The Histamine Content Of Mink Testes Due To Injections Of Gonadotrophic Hormones And Application Of Free Radicals In Vitro, Grant I. Wilson

Biology

It was hypothesized that gonadotropic hormones and oxygen-derived free radicals affect histamine production in the testes. Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, a combination of these three hormones, or saline (controls) were injected for either 4 or 7 days into seven wild-type (demi) and seven dark male mink per group. All mink were euthanized with carbon monoxide. Their testes were removed and frozen on dry ice. The histamine content was analyzed using radioimmunoassay. The control wild-type mink injected for either 4 or 7 days had histamine values of 8.15 μg/g and 7.56 μg/g, respectively. In wild-type mink, there was no …

Ecology Of Treeline Whitebark Pine (Pinus Albicaulis) Populations In Central Idaho: Successional Status, Recruitment, And Mortality, And A Spring Temperature Reconstruction From Whitebark Pine Tree Rings, Dana Lee Perkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research investigated the successional status of treeline whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) populations on 14 stands in central Idaho and used empirical statistical models to determine the principal factors affecting recruitment and mortality. The longest lived whitebark pines from four additional high-elevation sites were used to develop a tree-ring chronology to reconstruct over 1,000 years of average April-May temperature.

The assessment of stand structures using size-frequency distributions generally provides evidence that treeline whitebark pine populations are currently self-sustaining in areas of low to nonexistent incidence of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola). However the presence of …

Recreation, Livestock Grazing, And Protected Resource Values In The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Lael Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis reports the results of a project which identified differences in characteristics of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument user groups as they related to their perceptions of how they experience the Monument as recreationists. It explored opinions of four groups: hikers vs. hunters and pre-designation users vs. post-designation users. Responses of these groups were compared for attribution of perceived resource damage, feelings of crowding, acceptability of management action, and importance of identified monument values to their visit. In addition, characteristics of the users were examined to determine if demographic characteristics accounted for differences in perception toward the resources. Finally, how …

Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescents: Assessment And Relationship To Self-Concept, Sue Ann Dowd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Internalizing disorders cause serious psychological problems for many adolescents. The effects can be both debilitating and long lasting. However, assessment of internalizing disorders has been plagued by limited measurement strategies. Historically, individual measures were developed to assess the narrow-band symptoms that are subsumed under the broad construct of internalizing disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and social withdrawal). Recently, the Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents has been created. The Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents is a short screening measure that includes newer models of affect such as the tripartite model of affect. Additionally, there has been limited research on the …

Testing Models Of Depression And Paranoia In Men And Women: The Role Of Cognitive Style, Guilt, Shame, And Defense Mechanisms, Chad Sombke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Gender differences in psychopathology have long been of interest in the fields of clinical, developmental, and personality psychology. Lewis proposed two models to explain the emergence of the development of gender differences in depression and paranoia. Lewis stated that gender differences in depression and paranoia can be traced to corresponding gender differences in cognitive style, guilt-proneness, shame-proneness, and the use of specific defense mechanisms. Although research evidence has validated certain components of these two models, neither model has ever been tested in its entirety. This research project intended to test Lewis's models in their entirety by utilizing structural equation modeling. …

The Use Of Therapeutic Rituals In Substance Abuse Treatment, Becky L. Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored the use of rituals in substance abuse counseling. Data were obtained from a total of 25 mental health workers in the substance abuse field from the northern region of Utah. Four research questions were asked about rituals and their use in substance abuse counseling: (1) Are addictions therapists using rituals? (2) How did therapists determine when to use rituals? (3) What types of rituals do they use? and (4) How do therapists assess ritual effectiveness? Results indicated that about three fourths of the mental health workers questioned were using rituals in their treatment protocol with substance abuse …

PkA Determination Of Enzyme Bound Coenzyme M With Epoxyalkane: Com Transferase, Matthew Stephen Mciff

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Epoxide metabolism in the aerobic bacterium Xanthobacter strain Py2 proceeds by a coenzyme M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid), NADPH, and NAD⁺ dependent carboxylation reaction that form beta keto acids as products. Epoxide carboxylase, the enzyme catalyzing this reaction, was resolved into four protein components that are required for functional reconstitiution of epoxide carboxylase activity. Component I, the first step in epoxide carboxylation, catalyzes the conversion of R and S-epoxypropane into Rand S-hydroxypropyl-coenzyme M respectively. This reaction consists of an epoxide ring opening, nucleophilic addition of coenzyme M, and oxygen reduction. Coenzyme M, a compound previously found only in the methanogenic Archaea, …

Development Of A Bird-Avoidance Model For Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, Edward J. Zakrajsek

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bird strikes (collisions between birds and aircraft) pose a significant threat to aviation safety. For example, Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, lost an F-18 jet to a bird strike in October 1995. To help combat the bird-strike threat at Naval Air Facility El Centro, I developed a bird-avoidance model as a risk-management tool for the installation. It can be used to schedule flights at NAF El Centro and its two associated practice-bombing ranges during times of low-bird activity. I calculated bird-strike risks and published them in web-page format on both the installation's server and the USGS/Utah State University, College …

Correlates Of Antidepressant Medication Compliance Use Among Depressed Women, Pamela Linton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Medication compliance/noncompliance was examined in context of: severity of symptoms; medical side effects; medication education; perceived stigma; and effects on family/social support system. A null hypothesis was formulated for each correlate, stating that those patients who reported a high level of an independent variable (IV) would not be any more likely to discontinue their medication than patients who reported a low level of an IV. To obtain data, a medical usage questionnaire and a depression, assessment (OQ™-45.2) were used. Statistical significance was not obtained for any of the hypothesized relationships but trends were consistent with the established literature. The implication …

Juvenile Females Who Sexually Offend: A Beginning Typology, Jason M. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was broken into two sections, the first being a comprehensive meta-analysis describing a profile of the juvenile female who sexually offends. The second section was the collection of data of juvenile females who sexually offend in the State of Utah. After the data were collected, a profile was described and compared to that found in the Review of the Literature and a typology was presented.

Ecosystemic legacies were shown to be passed down from one generation to the next. The juveniles were found to come from highly chaotic homes, and subject to maltreatment. Diagnostically, they show symptoms of …

Teaching Tolerance Of Sexual Orientation In Schools, Amanda Marie Mcfarland

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

All students deserve the chance to learn in an environment where they feel safe from both physical and verbal abuse. Also, all students must learn how to work with a variety of people, including people of different cultures, religious beliefs, ability levels, and race in order to prepare them for a diverse world. This also includes people of different sexual orientations, which heretofore will be referred to as gay. Skills to get along with others are important for everybody. Learning how to respect people with various sexual orientations is as important as respecting people of various cultures, races and genders. …

Phytochemicals And Health, Heather Rebecca Stone

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Objectives: Define phytochemicals as currently recognized in the United States and discuss food sources. Identify aims and challenges of current research. Review touted health effects of phytochemicals in cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), immune function, and other benefits. Present dietary recommendations. Methods: A literature search was conducted through Medline to find peer-reviewed journal articles from the past five years. Articles were found that identified the compounds and highlighted recent research relating phytochemicals to disease. The review of literature focused on an introductory understanding of phytochemicals. Results: Studies show that phytochemicals are undefined under current U.S. food regulations. They are biologically …

A Comparative Review Of Wetland Mitigation Practices: Monitoring, Maintaining, And Funding Mitigated Wetlands, Giselle Marie Groshart

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The objective of this project was to examine alternatives for monitoring, maintaining and funding of mitigated wetlands, as part of a larger project on wetland mitigation strategies. Research methods included a literature review, questionnaire, and telephone survey to determine current wetland mitigation practices. A variety of methods and techniques are presented, each with varying application for incorporation into a specific wetland mitigation strategy. Key components that came out of this study are the importance of maintaining flexibility, referring to project objectives, and planning throughout the process.

A Guide To Utah Native Plants And Their Use In The Landscape, Jared F. Barnes

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

As a landscape architecture student, I am interested in the use of plant materials; they are a fundamental part of my design palette. However, I am concerned with the quantity of water used for irrigation of mostly non-native plant materials in built landscapes of the arid west. An estimated 60-65% of water consumed in Utah from May September is used to irrigate landscapes. Landscape architects must do their part in dealing with the impending water crisis by modifying current practices. An important first step is to use and encourage others to use more drought tolerant native plants. The purpose of …

Spatial Perception And Integration Of The Interior And Exterior Environments, Eric Don Howard

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

My course of study, which focused on spatial perception and integration of the interior and exterior environments, has fulfilled my expectations completely. The underlying premise of my personal design philosophy is the idea of integrating the man-made environment with the natural environment. I felt before I undertook this specialized coursework, and feel so even more now, that there is much to learn about the multitude of effects -- therapeutic, emotional, psychological and experiential, to name a few -- that designed spaces have on people.

A River Runs Through Us: The Bear River Watershed Education Project, Robert M. Parrish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Teachers have the difficult job of creating an educational climate in which subjects are linked and system are mutually dependent. Watershed education affords teachers thi s opportunity by using water quality monitoring as a basis for the study of any academic subject. A Ri ver Run Through Us: The Bear River Watershed Education Project (BRWEP) is a student-based program in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. The program aims to increase understanding and concern for the Bear River watershed by engaging students in water quality monitoring. Based on our experi ence in creating, managing, and evaluating this program, a process model for …

A Natural Channel Design To Restore The Greenwater River, Washington, Gregory J. Laurie

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Channelization of the Greenwater River has resulted in a loss of habitat for Chinook salmon, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In order to restore habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms, a design was developed to restore meanders to the original floodplain. The channel design process began at the watershed scale, and progressed down to the scale of the stream channel. A twelve-step design process was followed that considered the influence of watershed disturbances on channel forming processes. Trends in sediment yield were assessed using an existing landslide inventory, and changes in channel pattern were …

Bear-Viewing Ecotourism In British Columbia: Ecological, Economic, And Social Perspectives Using A Case-Study Analysis Of Knight Inlet Lodge, Bc, Julian S. Smith

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Following a worldwide pattern of rapid ecotourism growth, British Columbia's wildlife-viewing industry is poised to expand in the near future. Using a case study example of Knight Inlet Lodge, the province's first and to date only destination for viewing grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the wild, I examine three criteria for sustainability that may help determine the short- and long-term direction and success of this industry: economic viability, ecological sensitivity, and cultural appropriateness.

A high demand for ecotourism and wildlife viewing, both worldwide and in British Columbia in particular, is tempered by the potential economic pitfalls of ecotourism …

Factors Influencing Milk Consumption In An Elementary School Lunch Program, Andrea G. Payne

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This study investigated milk consumption in an elementary school and whether it could be affected by milk temperature and/or nutrition education. This study was of interest because of the increasing amount of nutritionally related diseases, and the effect that calcium intake could have in diminishing some of those diseases. It was also of interest because the younger generation is drinking less milk and more soda, therefore setting themselves up for nutritionally related diseases later in life.

The study was conducted at an elementary school containing grades K-5. The study was conducted Monday through Friday for a seven week time period. …

Predicting Successful Weight Loss Maintenance With The Health Locus Of Control And Other Behavioral Modification Factors, Kimberley Ann Mcmahon

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine if health locus of control (LOC) is a reliable indicator of weight Joss maintenance. It was hypothesized that a high internal locus of control (ILOC) is a reliable indicator for weight loss maintenance in individuals, while external locus of control (ELOC) contributes to weight re-gain after weight loss.

The study involved 203 adults who completed a seven section questionnaire. Subjects were separated into groups based on their sub-category of locus of control, as well as their degree within the sub-category (high, moderate, or low in either internal (ILOC), external (ELOC), or fate, …

Benthic Invertebrate Assemblage Structure In Mountain Streams: The Influence Of Spatial Scale Of Observation And Organism Size On Relationships With Environmental Factors, James N. Hogue

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The description of pattern in nature depends on the size and scale of both the observer and the phenomena being observed. The relative influence that different environmental factors have on organism distributions depends not only on scales of variation inherent to each factor, but also on the size and scale of the organisms. 

I used data from 649 sites within 45 mountain streams in California to quantify relationships between environmental factors and organism distribution. I compared these relationships across analyses conducted at different spatial and biotic scales of resolution. I also examined relationships between environmental variation and assemblage size structure …

Mothers' Eating Beliefs And Behaviors And Their Relationship To Daughters' Bulimic And Anorexic Symptoms, Colette M. Candy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study examined whether there was a relationship between daughters' eating disorder symptomology and maternal food control and health-conscious eating attitudes. Eighty-eight females with a continuum of eating disorder behaviors (DSM-IV eating disorders through nondieters) and 74 of their mothers participated. Participants completed the Anorexia Bulimia Inventory, two subscales from the Eating Disorder Inventory, the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Family Environment Scale, the Maternal Food Control and Meal Preparation Scale, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.

Results indicated that, in general, daughters' reported eating disorder symptomology and perceived familial control were related. Some of the more specific …

Biochemistry And Application Of Exopolysaccharide Production In Mozzarella Cheese Starter Cultures, Brent Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study sought to investigate the role of the C₅₅ undecaprenol lipid carrier in the production of exopolysaccharide (EPS), the effect of exopolysaccharide producing (EPS⁺) starter cultures on the viscosity of Mozzarella cheese whey, and the possible protective characteristics of capsular EPS against freezing and freeze drying. Efforts to investigate the role of the lipid carrier in EPS production employed pAMbacA, a plasmid that encodes an enterococcallipid kinase that confers bacitracin resistance by increasing intracellular levels of undecaprenol phosphate lipid carrier. Unfortunately, this avenue of study was thwarted by the inability to demonstrate bacA …

Relationship Between Cag Repeats Of The N Terminal Region Of The Androgen Receptor And Body Shape, Michael John Wen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Androgen receptor (AR) gene CAG polymorphisms may be associated with body shape, and are associated with certain breast and prostate cancers. In addition, body shape is associated with risk for a variety of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. The CAG repeat in exon l of the AR gene was quantified using Perkin Elmer Applied Biosystems GeneScan analysis software in 96 and 59 healthy Caucasian men and women, respectively, who were over the age of 50 years. All participants had body measurements taken and donated a blood sample. Waist measurements included circumferences at the 1) umbilicus …

Morphometric Evaluation Of The Whitefish Complex In Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho, Alan Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Whitefish populations around the world have long been difficult to categorize taxonomically. The whitefish of Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho are no exception. There are three recognized species of Prosopium that are endemic to the lake. Two of these species, Prosopium spilonotus and Prosopium abyssicota, have previously been indistinguishable outside of spawning times. Previous studies have proposed additional taxa within P. spi/onotus to further complicate the identification among these taxa.

Morphological characteristics were quantified on wild whitefish from Bear Lake, as well as from progeny reared in the laboratory from the wild adult fish. The purported taxa were separated in the field …

Female Adolescent Role Models And Body Image, Tracy L. Funk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study primarily examined the relationship between role model choices and body image of female adolescents. More specifically this study sought to examine the relationship between the reasons that adolescent females give for choosing a role model and body image. Because body image dissatisfaction has been found to be associated with self-esteem and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, these variables also were investigated. Body image was examined by using two measures of the body image construct· the Figure Rating Scale and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Both were used in order to capture a greater portion …

Therapeutic Benefits Of A Wilderness Therapy Program And A Therapeutic Community Program For Troubled Adolescents, Kreg J. Edgmon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wilderness therapy is increasingly seen as a viable treatment alternative for troubled youth, yet there is a noticeable dearth of research comparing the effectiveness of wilderness therapy with more traditional treatment programs. To help address this research need, this study conducted an exploratory analysis of the therapeutic benefits of a wilderness therapy program, Wilderness Quest (WQ), compared to a therapeutic community program, Life-Line (LL). The WQ and LL programs both are based on a 12- step recovery philosophy and emphasize the integral role of the family in adolescent treatment.

The study employed a qualitative methodology, beginning with an extended period …

The Effect Of Parental Divorce On Young Adult Women's Marital Attitudes, Anne Catherine Schmidt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examines how the experience of a parent's divorce during adolescence affects young adult women's attitudes about relationships, marriage and divorce.
Research questions looked at how participants felt about marriage, their relationship with their parents following the divorce, and how the experience of parental remarriage shapes attitudes about marriage. Fifteen young adult women were interviewed.

The most significant findings were that experiencing a parental divorce leads to
fee lings of ambivalence about marriage. Religious beliefs and positive role models can alleviate some of the negative feelings about marriage that may be present following a parental divorce. Experiencing parental conflict …

Language, Social Interactions, And Attention As Predictors Of Reading Development In Second Grade, Lisa A. Newland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social interactions between 153 mother-infant dyads in the laboratory were examined for associations with language and play preferences when infants were 14 months old. Later associations with reading skills, attention, and book reading were examined at the end of second grade. Mothers and infants were videotaped in a 20-minute laboratory observation at 14 months, and joint visual attention and social toy play were coded from the interactions. Language was assessed at 14 months using a standardized instrument, and mothers rated their own and their infants' preferences for specific types of play. A follow-up study, conducted at the end of second …