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Functional Characterization Of The Nonstructural Protein 2 Of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 17, Gary Christopher Fillmore

Biology

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropod-borne pathogen that causes bluetongue disease (BD) throughout the world, with economic losses primarily coming from infection of domestic livestock. Although BTV has been well studied at the molecular level since 1969, the mechanism of viral replication has not yet been fully determined. The virus is composed of seven structural and four nonstructural proteins, and the role of each protein has been investigated but has not been conclusively established within the viral life cycle. This study focused on the nonstructural protein NS2 in an attempt to examine its functions as part of the viral replication …

Stomatal Responses In Intact Leaves: Stomatal Interactions Within An Areole, Freya W. Denne

Biology

The objective of this project was to study the interactions among adjacent stomata in response to environmental conditions. Fully expanded and intact leaves from cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) plants grown in a controlled-environment greenhouse were clamped to a microscope stage for observation. Changes in stomatal apertures in response to changes in photon flux density (PFD) and evaporative demand (Δw, the water vapor mole fraction gradient between leaf and air) were measured. Increases in PFD elicited no significant coordinating responses among stomata. Responses of stomata to decreases in PFD were suggestive of coordination, but not conclusive. However, stomatal …

Pooled And Individual Bycatch Quotas: Exploring Tradeoffs Between Observer Coverage Levels, Bycatch Frequency, Pool Size, And The Precision Of Bycatch Estimates, Landon S. Jensen

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

The North Pacific Ocean is highly productive, hosting many of the world's largest groundfish populations and supporting a thriving fishing industry. Numerous regulations have been implemented to control the incidental take of non-target bycatch. Individual and Pooled Bycatch Quotas have recently been proposed as instruments that could further encourage the avoidance of such bycatch and increase enforceability of bycatch caps at less-than-entire-fishery levels of operation. The recent advent of fishing cooperatives such as the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative and the Pollock Conservation Cooperatives create an additional impetus for examining the characteristics of pool and vessel specific bycatch quotas.

We have …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Single Season Wild-Strain Mallard Releases On Local Breeding Population Densities, Charles E. Dixon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 1993, to determine if wild-strain mallard releases could be used as a management practice to increase local mallard breeding populations, I released 2,344, 4.5- week-old mallard ducklings (1,200 females and 1,144 males) to wetlands on 12,10.4-km² sites (approximately 200 per site, 100 females, 100 males) in the North Dakota Prairie Pothole Region. I monitored the release sites to determine if any relationship existed between site characteristics and time of release to duckling survival estimates. I conducted breeding pair surveys during 1994 and 1995 on treatment and paired control sites to compare post-release population levels. Lastly, I analyzed return …

Identification Of Fungal Pathogens Of Grasshoppers, M. J. Bidochka, Donald W. Roberts

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fathers, Mothers, Marriages, And Children: Toward A Contextual Model Of Positive Paternal Influence, Ariel Rodriguez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research explored positive paternal involvement in the lives of children within the broader familial context of marital dynamics and positive maternal involvement. The National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) was used to obtain a longitudinal subsample of 582 first-married couples, as well as the wide range of variables necessary to explore this broader context of paternal influence. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What is the unique contribution of positive paternal involvement—with respect to positive maternal involvement and marital quality—in children's development? (2) How does the influence of positive paternal involvement interact with the influence of positive …

Carpenter Ants And Control In Homes, Jay B. Karren, Alan H. Roe

All Current Publications

Carpenter ants are members of the insect order Hymenoptera, which includes bees, wasps, sawflies, and other ants. Carpenter ants can be occasional pests in the home and are noted particularly for the damage they can cause when nesting in wood. In Utah they are more of a nuisance rather than a major structural pest.

Chapter 8: Tourism Wildlife And Parks, Lisa R. Romney

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Ecotourism has been widely promoted for its potential to sustainably finance both conservation and economic development (Boo 1990, Card and Vogelsong 1995). While definitions of ecotourism vary, proponents envision it as a form of tourism that: (1) caters to environmentally and culturally sensitive tourist; (2) avoids negative cultural and environmental impacts; (3) promotes the conservation of natural resources; (4) contributes to local economic development; (5) encourages local participation in the development of tourism-related industries; and (6) utilizes low technology and low energy infrastructure.

Cognition In Non-Demented Elderly With A Family History Of Alzheimer's Disease, Christopher John Weight

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Objective: To assess differences in cognition in a population of non-demented elderly individuals as a function of a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We screened 5092 elderly residents of Cache County, UT for dementia, using standard DSMIII-R dementia criteria, in a stepwise protocol involving a brief cognitive test, an informant telephone Dementia Questionnaire, and a clinical examination. The resultant non-demented study population (4505) consisted of all remaining self-responding individuals who agreed to apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping. Using multiple linear regression models, controlling for age, gender, education, health status on day of testing, past medical conditions, and …

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And Rev. Billy Graham: The Nature Of Man, J. Travis Paasch

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

First, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. moralized individual Christian activism to create dogmatically ethical changes in American society. Second, the Rev. Billy Graham prescribed that the only hope for humanity was in a personal reliance upon the puissant power of Christ's expiative. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how these two individual's respective views concerning the nature of man do not allow them to have congruent ideas of social activism.

The Relationship Of Human Psychological Characteristics With Athletic Performance, Grant P. Murray

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

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a literature review summary on the topic of the relationship of human psychological characteristics with athletic performance. Two research questions guided its development: (1) Is there any evidence that there is a relationship between individual human psychological characteristics and athletic performance? (2) If there is any evidence that there is a relationship between individual human psychological characteristics and athletic performance, is there further evidence that those individual characteristics translate in some way into group dynamics or attributes that may similarly influence team performance?

Low Seasonal Temperatures Promote Life Cycle Synchronization, Janette Lee Jenkins

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

In this paper, we discuss how seasonal temperature variation and dormancy can synchronize the development of exothermic organisms. Using a simple aging model, it is shown that minimal seasonal temperature variation and periods of dormancy during extreme temperature conditions are sufficient to establish stable, univoltine ovipositional cycles. Dormancy, in fact, promotes synchronous oviposition emergence. The mountain pine beetle, an important insect living in extreme temperature conditions and showing no evidence of diapause, invites direct application of this model. Simulations using mountain pine beetle parameters are used to determine temperature regimes for which stable, ovipositional cycles exist.

School-Based Primary Prevention Of Internalizing Disorders, Carol M. Moore

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

This paper provides an overview of childhood internalizing disorders, including the symptomatology, prevalence rates, comorbidity of other psychopathologies, correlated factors, treatment, and prognosis. Previous research in the area of primary and secondary prevention of depression and anxiety is reviewed, and the need for school-based prevention programs discussed. Several curricular and comprehensive elementary-level programs that are currently available and supported by research are reviewed to highlight their efficacy, theoretical rationale, targeted risk factors, and implementation concerns. Conclusions and recommendations for implementation and future research are presented.

Eating Disorder Risk Factors: A Prospective Analysis, Anne C. Dobmeyer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study examined whether elevations on four variables (drive for thinness, depressed mood, maladaptive cognitions, and ineffectiveness) were related to increased risk of developing an eating disorder over a 4-year prospective interval. Subjects (N = 191) were female undergraduates who were assessed with the Anorexia-Bulimia Inventory (ABI), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), and a structured clinical interview.

Results indicated that individuals with elevated scores on each of the four variables at the initial assessment did not show higher absolute eating disorder incidence rates over the 4-year interval. However, initial scores on the four variables together explained approximately 13% of both …

A Follow-Up Study Of A Primary Prevention Program Targeting Childhood Depression, Norman Chris Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children have not historically been the subject of research focusing on internalizing disorders (i.e., childhood depression), even though childhood depression continues to be viewed as one of the most prevalent affective problem within this population. Over the past two decades, a small portion of that literature describes prevention efforts in public schools. There has been a growing body of literature centered on childhood depression. However, there are only three studies that report on longitudinal findings that have taken a primary prevention approach.

The present study was a follow-up investigation to delineate the effects of a school-based primary prevention program. The …

A Case Study Of The Undergraduate Biomedical Research Component Of A Federally Funded Minority Student Development Program, Nancy A. Drickey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tremendous growth in the biomedical science workforce has increased the need for trained scientists. The current workforce is severely underrepresented by minority groups, particularly Native Americans. To address this issue, the federal government funded programs that encouraged Native American students to participate in undergraduate biomedical science courses and research. One such program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is the Minority Student Development Program at Northern Arizona University. Little research has been done on educational programs for minority populations.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe qualities and characteristics of the undergraduate research component of the …

Affinity Purification Of Bovine Lactoferrin And Bovine Transferrin From Using Immobilized Gangliosides, Seung-Hee Nam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bovine lactoferrin (BLF) and bovine transferrin (BTF) are major-iron transport and regulation proteins found in bovine whey. BLF and BTF must interact with the eukaryotic cell surface to mediate their biological function of iron delivery and cellular functions of inflammatory and immunological modulation. As common components of the eukaryotic cell surface, gangliosides were used for affinity purification of BLF and BTF.

Bovine gangliosides were isolated from fresh buttermilk and covalently immobilized onto controlled-pore glass beads (66 μg/g beads). After the matrix was loaded with whey protein (WPI or WPC), lactoferrin was eluted with 1 M NaCl and identified by N-terminal …

Health And Lifestyle Among Ute Native American Elders, Laura L. Prestwich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A basic health and lifestyle questionnaire was given to a convenience sample of 103 Ute elders, age 50 and older. Fifty-three percent reported being diagnosed with diabetes. The mean BMI (body mass index) was 33.31 (SD=8.72). For descriptive purposes, BMI was divided into three categories: less than 25, 25-29.99, 30 or above. Eleven percent were in the BMI category of less than 25. Thirty percent of Ute elders reported a BMI between 25-29.99. Fifty two percent had a BMI of 30 or above. Diabetes rates among this Ute elder sample were significantly lower with a lower income, lower education level, …

The Effect Of Buttermilk Fraction Concentrates On Growth And Iron Uptake And Transport By Caco-2 Cell Cultures, Yoo-Hyun Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To examine the effect of buttermilk fractions on growth, iron transport, and uptake, Caco-2 cells (human colon adenocarcinoma) were grown in a bicameral chamber. The Caco-2 cell culture system is a useful model to study micronutrient utilization in the human enterocyte, because Caco-2 cells continuously differentiate and form a monolayer, which has high polarity, a well-developed brush border, and a tight junction.

Iron bioavailabilty in various milks is very different depending upon milk composition. The fat fraction especially is known to be associated with iron absorption, because the fat fraction has milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), which contains bioactive molecules …

Effects Of Ph And Calcium Level On Extrusion-Textured Whey Protein Products, Andrea B. Hale

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of altering pH and calcium level during whey protein extrusion were assessed by measuring the protein solubility and WHC of the textured whey protein (TWP). TWP samples were produced by extruding dry mixtures of 2/3 WPC 80 (80% protein) and 1/3 cornstarch using screw speed of 200 rpms, feed rate of 23 g/min, water flow rate of 11 g/min, and product temperature of 150°C. The levels of acid and base were adjusted by adding concentrated HCl or NaOH, respectively, to the water source. Calcium was added to the raw mix in the form of calcium chloride dihydrate before …

Promoting Development Through Play: A Migrant Head Start Parent-Child Enrichment Program, Dana K. Mortensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to assess the efficacy of an early intervention project focusing on early stimulating experiences through parent-child play interactions, and their impact on young migrant Latino children's mental, motor, social-emotional, and language development. An experimental group of 30 children from 26 families and a control group of 14 children from 14 families participated in this assessment. Dependent measures included the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Preschool Language Scale. Demographic data such as parent level of education, number of individuals living in the home, and family income were among the independent measures. Research hypotheses predicted the …

The Relationship Between Erikson's Developmental Tasks And Children Identified As At-Risk, Michael Mcmaken

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated task resolution for Erik so n's first four psychosocial stages, and overall psychosocial maturity, as predictors of risk in elementary school children Sample groups consisted of children already identified by their schools as being "at-risk," and children from the same schools identified as "not-at-risk'' Subjects completed a revised version of the Erikson Psychosocial Inventory Scale measuring trust, autonomy, initiative, and industry, as well as measures of self-esteem and school commitment. The not-at-risk group had substantially higher mean scores than the at-risk group in all the subscales. Correlation coefficients indicated strong relationships between psychosocial task resolution and predictors …

A Dynamic Analysis Of The Global Timber Market And Carbon Flux Of Forest Under Global Warming: An Integrated Modeling Approach, Dug Man Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As global warming migrates ecosystems toward the poles, the result has been a change in the distribution of ecosystem types and the productivity of ecosystem as well. Similar to other natural resources, forests are also potentially affected as ecosystems move toward the poles. Consequently, human beings are forced to adapt, and global warming will generate an impact on the global timber market through changes in timber harvests, regeneration inputs, stumpage prices, etc. In addition, the dynamic process of forest change in response to economic activities of human beings will accelerate or dampen the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. In …

Effect Of Land In Commons On The Decision-Making Behavior Of The Pastoralists In The Central Rangelands Of Somalia, Abdinasir Mohamed Abdulle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Degradations of the rangelands is very common around the permanent settlements of the central rangelands of Somalia. This degradation is attributed to overstocking resulting form the fact that the rangelands are communally owned and herders are ignoring the shadow value of the forage. Information about the optimal herd size would help halt the rangeland degradation.

In this study, two allocation mechanisms were compared. The first was the private ownership solution where someone owns the rangeland and decides how many animals should be grazed there. The second was the solution where the rangeland is owned in common by the dwellers of …

The Geography Of Exploration: A Study In The Process Of Physical Exploration And Geographical Discovery, Joseph St.Onge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Exploration has been a common literary topic throughout the history of humans. However, much of this historical tradition has possessed a fairly narrow focus, emphasizing the drama and heroics of an individual explorer or concentrating on a description of a particular exploration. There has been little attempt at understanding the process of exploration and placing this important process in context with the historic and geographic phenomena that both affect and are affected by it. In this thesis, the author has broken the process of exploration down into a theoretical structure that is presented in a holistic model. This model has …

Responses Of Sphagnum And Carex Peatlands To Ultraviolet-B Radiation, And A Meta-Analysis Of Uv-B Effects On Vascular Plants, Peter S. Searles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The severity of stratospheric ozone depletion in the temperate and polar latitudes has raised concerns about the sensitivity of terrestrial vegetation and ecosystems to solar ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. This dissertation examined the responses of plants and microbes to solar UV-B for 3 years in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (55° S). This region is under the influence of the Antarctic "ozone hole" during the austral spring. Additionally, a quantitative review of the UV-B literature was conducted using a set of statistical techniques known as meta-analysis.

For the field studies in Tierra del Fuego, plots were established in a Sphagnum moss peatland …

Altered T Cell-Mediated Immunity And Infectious Factors In Autism, Yong Hu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three major questions were addressed in this dissertation: 1) Do immune abnormalities associated with autism primarily alter CD4+ T cell-mediated or humoral immune responses? 2) Are specific T cell clones expanded in autism? 3) Which, if any, infectious agents play a role in autism?

CD4+ T cell-mediated (Th1) or humoral (Th2) immune responses can be distinguished on the basis of the cytokines expressed. CD4+ T-cells secrete interleukin type 2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ, whereas a Th2 response is associated with secretion of interleukin type 4(IL-4). mRNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear nuclear cells (PBMC) showed significantly increased levels of IL-2 and …

Rotational Structure Of Extremely Floppy Van Der Waals Complexes: Adiabatic Separation Of Angular And Radial Motion, P. Daniel Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The adiabatic or Born-Oppenheimer approximation is often used in molecular calculations to simplify the solution to the Schrödinger equation. The basis of the approximation is the large difference in the relative motions of the nuclei and electrons in the molecule—the electrons are able to respond almost instantly to the movements of the nuclei. Thus, the nuclei may be regarded as being fixed in a certain position and the Schrödinger equation can then be solved using the potential obtained by solving the electronic problem at fixed nuclear configuration.

A similar argument can be used to decouple the angular and radial motions …

Studies On The Roles Of Atp In Nitrogenase Catalysis, Wei Wu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrogenase is the enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of nitrogen to ammonia in a reaction requiring MgATP hydrolysis. Two component proteins of nitrogenase are the iron protein (Fe protein) and the molybdenum-iron protein (MoFe protein).

Nitrogenase contains two nucleotide binding sites. During catalysis, the Fe protein binds two MgATP first. The conformational changes induced upon MgATP binding allow the Fe protein to associate with the MoFe protein. After the formation of the Fe protein-MoFe protein complex, a single electron is transferred from the Fe protein to the MoFe protein, an event that is coupled to MgATP hydrolysis in the Fe …

Development And Testing Of A Rapid Assessment Methodology For Instream Habitat, Nathan R. Kennard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several methods were undertaken to develop a rapid assessment methodology for predicting the relative magnitude of available habitat as measured by normalized weighted useable area, NWUA, based on limited watershed characteristics and/or limited field data observations. Data from 170 river sites primarily in Idaho, comprising 645 cross sections, were used. The three methodologies considered were generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models (GAM), and a newly developed comparative cross-section method (CCM). The GLM and GAM methods relied on a combination of field data and information readily obtained or derivable using geographic information systems (GIS). They also require the delineation of …