Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Plant Architecture On The Foraging Behavior And Prey Capture Success Of Two Generalist Predators Attacking The Russian Wheat Aphid, Teresa L. Clark

Biology

This research investigated the effects of plant architecture on the foraging behavior and prey capture success of two generalist predators of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). One study examined plant architectural effects on the behavior of a native predator, the common green lacewing, Chrysoperla plorabunda Fitch; a second study examined host plant effects on larvae and adults of the fourteen-spotted ladybird beetle, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.), which is native to Eurasia and has been released in the United States for potential control of D. noxia. Behavioral observations of each of these predators were conducted on two architecturally diverse …

Hnk-1 Immunoreactivity In In Situ Adult Teleost Retina, Kie Hoon Jung

Biology

To identify HNK-1 bearing molecules, anti-HNK-1 was used to probe adult hybrid bass retina, including mature, central retina and the circumferential germinal margin (CGM), where new cells are constantly added to the neural circuitry. The HNK-1 antigen was heavily distributed in both of the plexiform (synaptic) layers, in tufts of Müller cell microvilli at the outer limiting membrane, throughout the optic fiber layer, and in tubular processes surrounding cone horizontal cells in the inner nuclear layer. A differential fixation scheme suggested that the Müller cell microvillar and tubular process HNK-1 immunoreactivity was due primarily to glycoproteins, with the remainder possibly …

Hybrid Bass Retinal Cells In Situ And In Vitro: Structure And Immunocytochemistry, Kyeongsuk Ki

Biology

The morphologies of intact retina and acutely isolated retinal neurons are described for a relatively newcomer model for studies of visual physiology, the hybrid bass (Morone chrysops x M. saxatilus). These features are indistinguishable from the white bass (M. chrysops) at the light microscopic level. In situ immunolocalization patterns for several glial and neuronal markers also match previous work in the white bass. Carbonic anhydrase is found in retinal layers corresponding to Müller (glial) cells and horizontal cells; glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and glutamine synthetase are found in Müller cells only; and the intermediate M, …

Secondary Reproductive Strategies Of The Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus Tyrannus), Assessed By Dna Fingerprinting And Egg Physiognomy, Diane L. Rowe

Biology

Extra-pair fertilization, a secondary breeding strategy, was detected in the eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) using multi-locus DNA fingerprinting. I assessed the genetic parentage of 20 broods in a population of kingbirds in central New York. Two DNA probes were used to test for exclusion of nestlings as true offspring of one or both social parents. Band-sharing coefficients and the number of novel bands were used to discern which parent was not a first-degree relative of the nestling in question. No cases of conspecific brood parasitism or quasi-parasitism were documented. However, extra-pair paternity was found to be very common, …

Superoxide Dismutase And Catalase In Trichoderma Harzianum, A Biological Control Fungus Of Rhizoctonia Solani Disease Of Sugar Beet, June Inez Pounder

Biology

A strain of Trichoderma harzianum (referred to as Tex) and its chemically generated mutant, T95, produced antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase. The mutant and wild type had similar enzyme activity levels but differed in isozyme patterns and response to exogenous activated oxygen species. Superoxide dismutases had manganese and copper-zinc prosthetic groups, determined by selective inactivation with sodium azide, potassium cyanide, diethyldithiocarbamate, and hydrogen peroxide. Catalases from Tex and T95 were inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. Antioxidant enzymes may be important in survival of T. harzianum and its effective biocontrol of root diseases. In its role as a biocontrol agent, T. harzianum …

Plant- Versus Predator-Mediated Interactions Between Cereal Aphids On A Shared Host Plant, Erin Bergeson

Biology

This research investigates plant- and predator-mediated effects of the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) on the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). I combined a suite of population-level experiments with behavioral observations to determine whether the two aphids interacted principally through a common host, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum [Fisher ex Link] Schultes), or a common predator, larvae of the green lacewing (Chrysoperla plorabunda [Fitch]). The population-level experiments revealed some evidence of host-mediated interspecific competition but only at extremely high aphid densities (>2000 individuals per greenhouse seedling). In addition, some of these experiments suggested that the bird …

Dna-Protein Cross-Linking By Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids, Gail L. Drew

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are natural plant compounds found in hundreds of plant species worldwide and are reported to have cytotoxic, carcinogenic, antimitotic, and genotoxic activity. PAs are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system to the pyrrole or the N-oxide form. The pyrroles are bifunctional electrophilic alkylators that bind cellular nucleophiles such as DNA and proteins and sirupt normal cell processes, including DNA replication and gene transcription and can cause megalocytosis. The pyrroles dehydrosenecionine (DHSN) and dehydromonocrotaline (DHMO) are among the most potent PA cross-linkers and inducers of megalocytosis. DHSN and DHMO-induced cross-links in cultured normal (MDBK) and neoplastic (MCF7) …

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Information And Intervention Strategies For School, Home, And Therapeutical Settings, Mindy Dawn Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

I was introduced into the world of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome winter quarter, 1996. My goals for that year included researching this topic in order to understand what it was physically, behaviorally, and on a cognitive level. My assignment involved writing a research paper around those characteristics, along with the development of their speech and language, presenting my findings to my classmates, and competing at the USU Scholar's Day competition in May of 1996. I received 2nd place at this competition. During the summer of that year, I researched FAS more to receive the needed resources to compile an annotated bibliography …

Optimizing Conjunctive Use And Groundwater Yield, Richard C. Peralta, Rahman Rahimzadegen, Narendra K. Tyagi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Advances in computer power and mathematical optimization procedures can improve planning and developing sustainable irrigation systems. Simulation and optimization models can help plm1 groundwater and conjunctive use strategies to best achieve management goals while satisfying mm1agement a11d physical constraints. Simulation/optimization models that couple calibrated flow and transport simulation models with optimization algorithms can help design the best water management strategies. Mm1agers can be relatively sure that the groundwater system will respond acceptably when appropriate procedures are employed to develop the water management strategies. Presented case studies illustrate situations in which developed strategies simultaneously address conflicting management goals such as: maximizing …

Litter Decomposition And Nutrient Release Patterns In A Subalpine Forest In Northern Utah, Amber Denton Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In the arid subalpine zone of the intermountain west it is common to see patchy forests interspersed with open meadows containing scattered clusters of trees referred to as tree islands. These tree islands are often composed of subalpine fir [Abies lasiocarpa (Hook) Nutt.] and Englemann spruce [Picea englemannii (Parry)]. In desert ecosystems, where lack of water is the most important factor limiting growth and nutrient dynamics, it is not unusual to see individual plants (especially in the shrub community) creating "islands of fertility", in which the plants collect nutrients by pumping them from deeper in the soil profile and redepositing …

The Job Task Model As A Means For Understanding Computer Usage In The Work Place, Vicki S. Napper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A qualitative study of a workplace was conducted through the use of interviews and observation of ten participants working in hardware and software engineering. The study arose from a lack of information on computer usage in workplace settings and a lack of identified functional needs for skills-based training.

There were three primary guiding questions and areas of findings in this study:

l. Does the job task model define the areas of computer literacy for the individual worker?

The job task model proved to be an effective method for analyzing tasks, tools, and the environment for usage of computer technologies in …

Language, Play, And Toy Sharing In Infancy, Lisa A. Newland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Toy sharing between 97 infants and their mothers was used to measure shared reference, mother and infant attention-directing strategies, and maternal and infant responsiveness. The association of toy sharing with early language and symbolic play was assessed. Infants were videotaped in a 10-minute free-play session at 11 months. Videotapes were coded for frequency of toy exchanges and level of infant symbolic play. Language was assessed at both 11 and 14 months. Maternal responsiveness to infant-initiated toy exchanges was positively related to symbolic play at 11 months. Maternal responsiveness was also related to Productive, Receptive, and Total Language scores at 14 …

An Implementation Study Of Nonsecure Residential Juvenile Sex Offender Programs In Utah, Katrina Holgate Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An inventory, the Juvenile Sex Offender Program Provider Implementation Tool (JSSOPIT), was constructed from guidelines stipulated by the Network on Juveniles Offending Sexually (NOJOS), Medicaid, and the Utah Department of Human Services. Seven nonsecure residential programs for juvenile sex offenders in Utah were evaluated with the JSSOPPIT for implementation in six areas: (a) target population, (b) intake criteria and procedures, (c) treatment constellation, (d) supervision, (e) aftercare, and (f) staff qualifications and training. Favorable implementation was found in several areas, including an appropriate risk level in the target population; youths' understanding of treatment goals, treatment regimen, and physical environment; and …

Parenting Styles And Family Communication As Correlates Of Juvenile Delinquency, Montone White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The goal of this study was to examine parenting styles and family communication as correlates of juvenile delinquency. A review of the literature was completed in the areas of parenting styles, family communication, and juvenile delinquency. The literature that was reviewed for this study was examined mainly from juvenile perceptions. This study was approached from a general systems theory perspective.

A sample of juveniles (N = 78) from Weber County, Utah, involved in the juvenile justice system completed a survey assessing their perception of parenting styles and family communication. The survey was a 25-item questionnaire measuring kindness, unkindness, communication, …

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Information And Intervention Strategies For School, Home, And Therapeutical Settings, Mindy Dawn Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

I was introduced into the world of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome winter quarter, 1996. My goals for that year included researching this topic in order to understand what it was physically, behaviorally, and on a cognitive level. My assignment involved writing a research paper around those characteristics, along with the development of their speech and language, presenting my findings to my classmates, and competing at the USU Scholar's Day competition in May of 1996. I received 2nd place at this competition. During the summer of that year, I researched FAS more to receive the needed resources to compile an annotated bibliography …

Grazing Systems As Management Tools To Meet Multiple Objectives, Lacy Nicole Hadley

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Grazing systems have in the past been developed to increase or maintain livestock production without degrading the land (Archer and Smeins, 1991). A grazing system is a "specialization of grazing management which defines the periods of grazing and non-grazing" (Jacoby, 1989). However, these systems can be developed for other uses besides just livestock. Grazing systems can be used as management tools by manipulating vegetation in specific directions to meet desired objectives. This is done by the livestock themselves because they act as "ecosystem regulators" by having a direct impact on the vegetation (Holechek et al., 1995). Livestock can alter the …

Artistic Truth, Jennifer Jones

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Since I began writing personal essays I have looked at others' writings differently. I analyze writing techniques and look for hidden how-to instructions from which I can learn more about the craft from the masters. One technique that has continually fascinated and challenged me as a writer is the weaving of fact and fiction into meaningful and colorful works of art. As I grew more serious about writing creative non-fiction my senior year, my interest in the shaping of truth in writing intensified and the idea for this study was born. Part One of the following is a compilation of …

Exploring The Structure And Function Of The Snf1 Kinase Gene In The Slime Mold Dictyostelium Discoideum, Bryan Donald Whitemarsh

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

All organisms must respond to different environmental stresses. For unicellular organisms, the most important source of stress is starvation or nutrient depletion. These microscopic life forms must respond to a constantly changing food supply in which short periods of nutrient availability are interspersed with extended periods of famine. In addition to complete starvation, these organisms are affected by other chemical changes, such as forced switching from a desirable to a less desirable carbon source, and physical changes, such as heat shock. Many microorganisms respond to such stresses by entering a different phase of their life cycle. For example, the budding …

The Proper Role Of Women (And Men): A Comparison Of Beliefs From 1980 And 1997 For Utah State University Students, Tavia Elaine Simmons

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Since 1970, the United States has seen an explosion in the rate of women working and a change towards equality in men's and women's roles. In 1980, Helal Mobasher Liaey gave a survey to measure what Utah State University students thought were proper roles for women, in categories ranging from occupations to decision making. He did this research at a time when traditional and egalitarian role views were still furiously clashing, especially in Utah, which is generally considered to be one of the most conservative states in the country since it is primarily LDS. This study revisits how gender roles …

The Geomorphic Basis Of Colorado Squawfish Nursery Habitat In The Green River Near Ouray, Utah, Cynthia L. Rakowski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nursery habitat availability is considered a bottleneck to successful recruitment of Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus Lucius). Detailed geomorphic studies were conducted in a 1.5-km reach to examine channel response to flows and the geomorphic setting of nursery habitats during a 2-year period. Videography was used to extend relationships in the 1.5-km reach to a longer 10-km reach.

Nursery habitat availability varied yearly with little persistence in location or geomorphic setting of individual habitats for the 2 years of this study. A small number of habitats provided most of the area of high-quality (i.e., deep) habitat, and most of the …

Evaluation Of Translocation Criteria For Trumpeter Swans Reintroduced To Northern Utah: Habitat Quality And Interactions With Tundra Swans, Katharina A. M. Engelhardt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fifty-seven Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) were translocated to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the Bear River Club Company in northern Utah. The purpose of this effort was to encourage dispersal of the Rocky Mountain population of Trumpeter swans during the winter, and to reestablish a migratory route to southern wintering grounds. I assessed the success of the translocation by evaluating 13 translocation criteria proposed in the literature. In this study I addressed two of these criteria in detail by evaluating habitat quality at the translocation sites and by analyzing potential competitive interactions with Tundra swans ( …

A Hydrogeochemical Study Of The Evolution Of The Headwaters Of The Bear River In The Uinta Mountains, Utah, Michael F. Leschin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The headwaters of the Bear River in the Uinta Mountains of Utah provide a good setting in which to examine the influence of geological materials on stream chemistry. Ionic contributions to the stream-water from soils, vegetation, and the atmosphere generally are sparse enough that they do not mask the geologic contributions. Samples from 37 sites on the four major headwater streams and several minor tributaries were examined geochemically. Data derived from the samples allowed the construction of a hydrogeochemical weathering model specific to the study area. A significant feature of this model is that carbonic acid is the dominant chemical …

Evaluation Of Two-Dimensional Hydraulic Modeling In A Natural River And Implications In Instream Flow Assessment Methods, Karl L. Tarbet

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Logan River was used as a study site to assess the capabilities of two-dimensional depth-averaged hydraulic modeling in the x-y plane of a natural river for use with instream flow studies. Data were collected to spatially represent the study reach with depth, velocity, northing, easting, elevation, and substrate values using a total station and electronic velocity meter. Computational finite element meshes were generated using four different density levels of geometry data to examine the relationship between field data density and computational mesh on geometry errors. Geometry errors were found to be related to smoothing effects, which removed complex channel …

Predicting Resistance And Stability Of Vegetation In Floodplains, David E. Werth Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To calculate flow or depth in a waterway, it is necessary to accurately determine the flow resistance. Past research has made considerable progress in predicting the roughness of nonvegetated uniform channels based on both theoretical and experimental investigations. However, to determine the flow resistance associated with vegetated compound flow channels and floodplains, the effects of the vegetation must be considered.

Recent advancements have led to greater understanding of the effects of partially submerged uniform vegetation in a waterway. However, to accurately determine flow resistance, it is imperative that the effects of both submerged and partially submerged vegetation be taken into …

The Role Of Cold Acclimatization On The Biogeography Of The Mountain Chickadee (Parus Gambeli) And The Juniper Titmouse (Parus Ridgwayi), Sheldon J. Cooper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Biogeographic patterns of animals are shaped by biotic interactions, such as competition, and by abiotic factors, such as climate. Mountain Chickadees (Parus gambeli) and Juniper Titmice (Parus ridgway) are permanent residents of regions of western North America and are ecologically similar, but have different northern range limits. l measured several physiological variables, including basal metabolic rate (BMR), peak metabolic rate (PMR = maximal thermogenic capacity), metabolic response to varying environmental temperature (MRT), evaporative water loss (EWL), and daily energy expenditure (DEE) for summer-and winter-acclimatized Mountain Chickadees and Juniper Titmice to determine if seasonal and interspecific variation in cold tolerance and …

Mean Length Of Utterance In Relation To Gender And Preschool Activity Area, Angela Sisson Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Factors influencing language development and use are many. Teacher influences such as teacher:child ratio and teaching experience can affect the types of language children produce. Classroom influences including activities, size of the room, and length of the day also play a role in the development of language. All of these areas need to be considered in order to provide the best possible language environment for the preschool child.

In this study, the researchers examined the mean length of utterance (MLU) values of preschool children while participating at three areas in a preschool classroom: art, dramatic play, and snack. Gender differences …

Maternal Beliefs And Management Strategies Of Peer Interactions As Correlates Of Social Competence In Korean Children, Sunhee Ahn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the links between the family and peer systems by examining whether mothers' beliefs about social skills and management practices of peer interactions were related to their children's social relations with peers. The sample was comprised of 185 mothers of preschool children, ranging in age from 44 to 81 months, who resided in Seoul, Korea. Children of the participating mothers were enrolled in center-based preschool programs. Mothers were asked to complete the Maternal Beliefs Scale, the Mothers' Management Strategies Scale, and demographic measures. Using the Child Behavior Scale, teachers rated the social competence of each child whose mother …

Attachment, Identity Development, And Sexual Behavior Among College Students, Diana D. Coyl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of nonmarital sexual behavior among adolescents continues to rise, as does the number of sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and unwanted pregnancies. College-age adolescents appear to be even more susceptible to these problems. Sound theoretical knowledge would seem useful in designing more effective prevention programs. The purpose of this study was to identity theoretical factors that contribute to or decrease such behaviors.

Two hundred fifty-two single college students completed measures designed to examine relations among identity development, attachment patterns, gender, and sexual behavior in older adolescents. Attachment and identity measures were used to explore variations in sexual behavior relating …

The Effects Of Temperature Regime And Food Availability On Growth Rates Of Young-Of-The-Year Colorado Squawfish (Ptychocheilus Lucius) In The Green River, Utah, Craig J. Schaugaard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of different daily temperature regimes and food availability on growth rates of Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus lucius) were determined using field and laboratory experiments. Daily temperature and food gradients were observed in river backwaters (important nursery habitat for juvenile Colorado squawfish). High fluctuating temperatures (± 5-8° C) were observed daily in the shallow, terminal ends of backwaters. Where backwaters were in contact with the river (mouth), daily temperature fluctuations decreased (± 2° C). Food availability also varied spatially between the mouth and end of each backwater. To test whether Colorado squawfish growth rates varied in different areas …

Interaction Of The Human Serine Protease Inhibitor Alpha-1-Antitrypsin With Cryptosporidium Parvum, John Russell Forney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The human serine protease inhibitor (serpin) alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) was studied for potential interaction with components of the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. A homogenate prepared from C. parvum oocysts was incubated with purified human AAT, and complexes formed between the serpin and components of the homogenate were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serpin:parasite infections were effectively blocked by preincubating AAT with a cognate target enzyme, porcine pancreatic elastase, prior to performing the ELISA on the homogenate. Incubation of a mixture of C. parvum oocysts and sporozoites with AAT demonstrated preferential fluorescence labeling of the sporozoite surface membrane by indirect …