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Evaluating Snowmelt Runoff, Infiltration, And Erosion In A Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystem, Eric K. Duffin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Production of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) has created a need for safe storage facilities. These facilities must be capable of isolating radioactive waste and preventing contamination from physical or biological intrusion until the waste material is isotopically stable. At the present time, managers of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) have a substantial database characterizing rainfall events and the subsequent impact on integrity of shallow land burial sites used for storage of LLRW. Little information has been gathered describing the processes of snow accumulation/ablation and the resulting impact on storage facilities. This study examines snowmelt runoff, infiltration, and …

Growth Of Clostridium Sporogenes Pa3679 In A Vacuum-Packaged Meat-Vegetable Product, Julie M. Racz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 spores were inoculated into a meat-vegetable mixture before extrusion, cooking, and vacuum packaging into "stewsticks" to simulate Clostridium botulinum growth. The experiment was a 3 x 5 x 2 x 3 factorial which determined the influence of pH, water activity, initial spore load, and storage period on spore survival. Spore levels decreased throughout storage for all treatments. Spore levels decreased linearly (P = 0.02) as water activity increased, in samples that were heated to kill vegetative cells and activate spores. Other significant interactions of heat-treated samples were observed with inoculum level (P < 0.01) and storage time (P < 0.01). Spore levels in stored products were also significantly affected by water activity * inoculum level (P = 0.03), pH * time, water activity * time (P = 0.01), inoculum level * time (P < 0.01), and water activity * inoculum levels * time (P < 0.01). The interaction between pH * water activity * time tended towards significance (P = 0.06). Most probable number estimates in nonheated samples accounted for naturally occurring viable cells and spores, and added spores and were significantly affected by the main effects of inoculum level (P < 0.01) and time (P < 0.01). The two-way interactions of water activity * inoculum level (P = 0.04), pH * inoculum level (P < 0.01), water activity * time (P < 0.01), and three-way interaction of pH * inoculum level * time (P = 0.03) were significant. Spore levels approached 10², or less …

Influence Of Carbohydrate Starvation On The Culturability And Amino Acid Utilization Of Lactococcus Lactis, Mark R. Stuart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lactococci are widely used in the cheese industry as a starter culture. Starter cultures face carbohydrate starvation due to the absence of a fermentable carbohydrate in the cheese curd after pressing. Starvation leads to a decreased ability to synthesize ATP, generate a proton motive force, and accumulate nutrients necessary to maintain viability. The aim of this work was to investigate the culturability of lactococci grown with and without lactose in a chemically defined medium, and to define the metabolic changes that occur during carbohydrate starvation.

Lactose metabolism provided energy for logarithmic phase growth and greater cell density in L. lactis …

In Vitro Growth Of Muscle Satellite Cells Isolated From Normal And Callipyge Lambs, Beatriz T. Rodriguez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The muscle hypertrophy of lambs expressing the Callipyge phenotype is possibly linked to characteristics of their muscle satellite cells. Therefore, characteristics (proliferation, fusion %, and protein accretion) of cultured satellite cells isolated from the longissimus muscle of Callipyge (n = 3) and normal (n = 3) lambs were compared in this study. In the first experiment, we tested whether or not the lll proliferation rates differ for satellite cells isolated from Callipyge or normal sheep when cultured in the presence of different serum types (horse, normal lamb, or Callipyge lamb). The average population doubling time (PDT, h) during log phase …

Prevalence And Possible Causes Of Vitamin B-6 Deficiency Among Women In The Philippines, Siew Sun Wong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recently maternal intake of multivitamins has been associated with a reduced risk of orofacial clefts (OFC) in human epidemiologic studies. In the Philippines, vitamin B-6 deficiency was found to be associated with increased risk of OFCs. The birth prevalence of OFCs in the Philippines is among the highest known, but Filipino emigrants in the United States have lower rates, indicating that environmental factors may play an important role in causing OFCs in the Philippines.

The prevalence and possible causes of vitamin B-6 deficiency were investigated through dietary and biochemical assessments in case-control study in Negros Occidental, Philippines. Mothers with OFC …

Using Maslow's Needs Model To Assess Individuals' Attitudes Toward Money, Mark D. Oleson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Few things occupy as central a place in our lives as money. Although the study of money has a long history in the behavioral sciences, others have only recently begun examining this important topic. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between basic human need levels and money attitudes in a university-age cohort utilizing a theory of hierarchical needs. Needs theory, introduced by Abraham Maslow, suggests that as we interact with the environment we accumulate specific needs that motivate us to respond to life experiences.

Three hundred thirty-eight college students attending Utah State University satellite campuses responded …

Four Levels Of Sexual Involvement, And Their Association With Dating Patterns, Family Relationships, And Other Related Factors, Bruce H. Monson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined four levels of sexual involvement among adolescents. Levels of sexual involvement were (1) adolescents who had experienced sexual intercourse; (2) adolescents who had been involved in petting but had never had intercourse; (3) adolescents who had made out but had never petted or had sexual intercourse; and (4) adolescents who had never made out, petted, or had sexual intercourse. The sample consisted of 308 eleventh graders from a semi-rural area of the state of Utah.

Dating patterns, particularly early age at first date, were found to be significantly associated with most levels of sexual involvement. Early age …

The Effects Of Salmon Availability, Social Dynamics, And People On Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) Fishing Behavior On An Alaskan Salmon Stream, Danielle K. Chi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary goals of this research were to investigate 3 ecological factors influencing black bear (Ursus americanus) foraging behavior on an Alaskan salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) stream: fish availability, social dynamics, and human activity. Over 900 observation hours were logged at 2 falls from July 1-September 1 1993-1995; the lower falls were open to public for wildlife viewing, but the upper falls were restricted to research personnel.

In general, black bears responded to differences in fish accessibility on both spatial and temporal scales. All years of the study, 3 indices of bear activity (bear minutes, bear numbers, bout …

The Role Of Iron And Reactive Oxygen Species In Particulate Air Pollution-Dependent Biochemical And Biological Activities, Kevin Richard Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Particulate air pollution is known to exacerbate respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in humans. It has been proposed that transition meta ls from inhaled particles may play a role in this exacerbation by generating radical species leading to damage in the lungs.

The aim of this research was to determine the role that iron from particulate air pollution played in the generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequently the induction of inflammatory mediators in cells in culture. The production of reactive oxygen species by particulate air pollution was found to be dependent on the mobilization …

Home Range (?) Of The Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard Phrynosoma Mcallii, Peggy Anderson Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Area used by male and female Phrynosoma mcallii (Hallowell) was studied in a population located on the Barry M. Goldwater Aerial Gunnery Range near Yuma, Arizona. Area used by males and females shifted through time and did not fit the definition of home range. Summer male and female area used was not significantly different (F=2.625, df=1, P=0.131), but male areas used were significantly larger for 15-day time periods (F=9.67, P=0.0003). Males overlapped the area they occupied in consecutive 15-day time periods more often than did females. Female area used never overlapped within a 15-day time period. Male area used overlapped …

The Effect Of The Estimate Of Resting Metabolic Rate On The Correlation Between Energy Expenditure As Estimated Using Self-Reports Of Physical Activity And Food Intake Records In Older Adults, Judy Hurd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study measured total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) in adults at least 50 years of age. The goal was to determine the effect of the estimate of resting metabolic rate (RMR) on the relationship between energy expenditure estimates made using (a) self-reports of physical activity and (b) food intake records. The objectives were to determine if (a) RMR estimates based on body composition, body weight, and the metabolic cart were strongly related to each other, and (b) TDEE estimates based on a 7-day physical activity diary and a 7-day food intake record were more strongly related to each other when …

The Effect Of Biofeedback Training On Marital Communication And Physiological Arousal, Kent E. Nabers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is well documented that the communication patterns of distressed couples are characterized by more negative and fewer positive behaviors. It has also been postulated that there is an association between physiological arousal and negative behaviors. According to this theory, as individuals become increasingly aroused, the number of negative behaviors also increases. This study explored the relationship between physiological arousal and marital communication. The three couples participating in the study received intensive biofeedback training with the hypothesis that an ability to control physiological arousal would result in improved marital communications. The Rapid Couples Interaction Scoring System was employed as a …

Predicting Lumbar Fusion Surgery Outcomes From Presurgical Patient Variables: The Utah Lumbar Fusion Outcome Study, M. Scott Deberard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lumbar fusion surgery is a commonly used procedure to treat severe spinal pathology and associated chronic disabling low back and leg pain. Despite the common incidence of spinal fusion surgery, few studies have examined patient outcomes or predictive correlates of this procedure. The objectives of this study were to characterize Utah workers who received lumbar fusion surgery in terms of relevant presurgical and outcome variables and to identify presurgical correlates of patient outcomes. An archival prospective research design was utilized consisting of a retrospective medical chart review and a postsurgical telephone outcome survey.

Subjects were 203 workers' compensation patients from …

The Role Of An Invasive Exotic Plant On The Structure Of Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages: Tamarix In The Southwest United States, Bert Lewis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past 100 years, riparian vegetation communities throughout the Southwest United States have been extensively invaded by Tamarix spp. (saltcedar). Saltcedar derives its common name from its physiological adaptation to excrete salts. The production of Tamarix detritus with associated secondary chemicals may affect the quality of aquatic invertebrate food and habitat resources. An alteration in food and habitat quality may affect the composition and structure of aquatic invertebrate assemblages.

A series of experiments was conducted contrasting aquatic invertebrate assemblage densities, colonization rates, and growth rates associated with Tamarix versus native vegetation, Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Salix exigua (willow), to …

Assessing Mental Health Of Native American Children: Relationship Of Acculturation With Social, Emotional, And Behavioral Functioning, Christopher H. Morris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The literature indicates that, in comparison to children of other ethnic minority groups, Native American children may be at greater risk for a variety of emotional and behavioral Ill disorders and negative psychosocial conditions. Many may also struggle to resolve issues related to cultural identity. Understanding how Native American children and families relate to the cultures within which they live is a critical aspect of preventing and treating childhood mental disorders. Although Native children and families face persistent social pressure to adapt to a multicultural world, no systematic research exists examining the relationship between families' experience of acculturation and their …

Management Of Microbial Nitrate Production In Agricultural Soils, Wei Shi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrate (NO₃^-) is of central importance in the internal soil nitrogen (N) cycle. While animal wastes and nitrification inhibitors have been used in modern agriculture for decades, their effects on soil NO₃^- concentrations in relation to microbial NO₃^- production have not been well characterized. The objective of this research was to determine microbial NO₃^- production in relation to ammonium (NH₄⁺) availability and nitrifier population activity in agricultural soils receiving animal wastes or nitrification inhibitors.

Several laboratory and field studies assessed the impacts of variously treated dairy wastes and …

Traditional And Contemporary Lakota Death, Dying, Grief, And Bereavement Beliefs And Practices: A Qualitative Study, Joseph B. Stone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bereavement beliefs and practices in the modern, American culture have been well documented. However, virtually no research has been conducted on traditional and contemporary death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices among native tribes, such as the Lakota.

The present study was conducted with the Lakota, and fulfilled two goals. iii First, the contemporary and traditional death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices of the Lakota were documented and summarized. Such documentation may help bereaved Lakota tribal members who are experiencing problems with death and bereavement, and may help preserve traditional knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Second, the consensus …

Predicting Family Strength In Families Caring For Children With Disabilities, Katrina J. F. Ericson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research sought to identify factors that might be useful in helping to predict family strengths in families caring for a child with a disability. Based on the ABCX model designed for families in crisis, this research examined severity of child's disability (A); the family's existing resources of household income, education of the mother, and mother's marital status (B); the family's perception of family resources, family support, and parenting stress (C); and how these influence family strength (X) over time. In relation to the ABCX model, it was hypothesized that the aforementioned constructs would be associated with each other, and …

Utilization Of Spatially Distributed Soil Resources By Several Species Common To The Great Basin, Sarah Duke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Heterogeneous spatial and temporal distributions of soil resources important to plant growth have been documented in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. There can exist as much variability in soil resources within the root zone of individual plants as exists across an entire field. The objective of this dissertation research was to evaluate how plants respond to, utilize and influence the spatial heterogeneity of soil resources. The three specific sets of questions addressed are outlined in the three main chapters of this dissertation.

My first study addressed how the number and concentration of phosphorus (P) patches in the root zone of an …

The Effects Of A Very-Low-Calorie-Diet On Resting Energy Expenditure, Body Composition, And Biochemical Data In Obese Outpatients, Charlene A. Perkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Obesity is a disease of major proportion in the United States. The Surgeon General has identified obesity as a national health problem that affects approximately 34 million Americans.

The aim of this study was to investigate the very-low-calorie diet, Optifast 70. Measurements for resting energy expenditure (REE} and body composition via circumference measurements (CBF} and infrared photospectromerty (NIR} with a Futrex 5000 were collected at weeks 1, 7, 13, 19, and 25. Biochemical data, including serum chemistry panel (SMA-12} and complete blood count (CBC}, were collected on weeks 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, and 25. Lipid profiles were drawn …

Influence Of Boat Density Levels On Boaters' Satisfaction At Hyrum Lake, Utah, Floyd Alma Powell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of boat density on boaters' satisfaction at Hyrum Lake State Park, Utah. The study evaluated relationships between boaters' satisfaction with their Hyrum Lake experience and density of boats at different locations on the lake and among participants in different boating activities.

The participants in this study were boaters who used Hyrum Lake between May and September of 1996. An oral, on-site interview survey was randomly given to 282 boaters as they left the lake for the day. The surveys were conducted on high-density days (weekends) and low-density days (weekdays), which …

Familial And Extrafamilial Correlates Of Children's Child-Care Perceptions, Michael K. Godfrey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the individual, familial, and child-care characteristics related to children's perceptions of their nonparental child-care environments. One-hundred seventy-five children, their families, and child-care providers participated in this study. Children attended one of three forms of child care: large center-based child-care settings, home-based child-care settings, and a preschool. Correlates of children's perceptions of their child-care experiences came from variables classified into six categories: individual child characteristics, family structure, family processes, previous child-care experiences, child-care structure, and child-care processes.

Children's perceptions were elicited through the Child Care Game Assessment (CCGA), a role-playing game-like experience for …

Risk Factors In Adolescent Problem Behaviors Among Native And Nonnative Americans, Roger B. Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The high incidence of adolescent problem behaviors in the United States raises major concerns. These problem behaviors include: sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, suicide, depression, substance abuse, crime against persons and property, and delinquency. Consequently, there continues to be a high level of concern and interest in different ethnic populations of adolescents and their level of risk.

This study evaluated the following problem behaviors: substance abuse, suicide, delinquency, and sexual intercourse; and the risk factors that increase the probability of these problem behaviors occurring. Specifically, the study identified the profiles of the population in relationship to the problem behaviors comparing …

Relationship Between Teton Science School Programs And Teachers' Ability To Teach About The Environment, Jennifer A. Levy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis presents an analysis of 1996/97 survey research data regarding the relationship between three types of Teton Science School (TSS) programs and classroom teachers ' ability to teach about the environment. Based on observations by resident instructors and faculty at TSS, three research questions were developed. The primary objective of the research questions was to consider the relationship between TSS residential education programs and participating teachers' ability to teach about the environment.

Analyses are based on comparing descriptive statistics of teachers who have participated in one of the three types of TSS programs or a combination of the three …

Effects Of Uv-B Radiation On Egg And Larval Golden Shiner (Notemigonus Crysoleucas) In Castle Lake, California, Jai-Ku Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied effects of UV-B radiation on egg and larval golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) in Castle Lake, California, USA. To compare egg hatching and survival of larval golden shiner, I exposed eggs and larval fish to three different UV-B treatments, low UV-B (4% UV-B), high UV-B (92% UV-B), and ambient (100% UV-B). The egg experiment was conducted in lake and pond water, whereas proto- and mesolarval stage experiments were conducted in lake water only.

High and ambient UV-B radiation affected the hatching rate of golden shiner eggs. The mean hatching rate was 13% lower in high UV-B, and …

Perceived Fairness And Effectiveness Of Rangeland Collaborative Processes, Kimberly J. Richardson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Involvement in collaborative partnerships in natural resource management has become a popular method for natural resource management agencies to collect public input, cope with conflicts, and develop ecosystem management plans. This thesis evaluates various collaborative processes, emphasizing multiple-owner partnerships. Qualitative interviews of 46 landowners in Utah were conducted to reveal concerns and suggestions regarding multiple-owner landscape-level collaborative partnerships. Landowners were concerned about private property rights infringement and losing control of their private land. Landowners were primarily concerned about the fairness and effectiveness of any partnership in which they were involved.

However, they were willing to consider participating if certain procedural …

Perceptions And Use: A Survey Of Visitors In The Lakes Management Area, Kamas Ranger District, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah, Ronald E. Vance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

New planning and management paradigms for the USDA Forest Service suggest that future Forest Plans incorporate the best available science and the public's values into Forest Plan revisions. Revised plans should focus on the ecological capabilities of the land and how to sustain them. The means to manage the land for these outcomes should be developed with considerable and ongoing public involvement. One outcome of this public involvement can be the development of a "desired future condition" for the area being managed and the needed regulations to maintain and monitor the desired conditions.

In order to provide preliminary information on …

Limitations On Canada Goose Production At Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Utah, Dorie S. Stolley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) recently have become management problems in some areas due to overpopulation. At Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), managers are concerned with the opposite situation. Despite attempts to boost production, only 18 to 34 goslings of the western Canada goose (B. c. moffitti) were produced per year, from 1989 to 1993. I studied the breeding population from March to July in 1996 and 1997. Results suggest that production is limited in 3 ways: low gosling survival, low nesting success for ground nests, and low number of breeding pairs.

Gosling survival to fledging …

Protein Production In The Milk Of Genetically Engineered Animals, Katherine M. Bates

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There are numerous proteins that have potential uses in commercial and scientific applications that are not utilized to their full potential. this is partly because it is not economically feasible to isolate some of these proteins from their natural sources or to produce them using bacterial fermentation methods. The purpose of this research was to target recombinant protein expression to the mammary glands of genetically engineered or transgenic animals. Foreign protein expression has been achieved in the mammary glands of rabbits, sheep, cows, and swine. By using a strong mammary gland promoter and signal peptide fused to the protein, it …

The Role Of Ammonia In Reproductive Inefficiency In High-Producing Dairy Cows Fed Excess Rumen Degraded Protein, Douglas Scott Hammon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The role of ammonia in reproductive inefficiency in early lactation dairy cows was studied in a series of experiments designed to determine the concentrations of ammonia in normal bovine follicular fluid (bFF), to determine the effects of ammonia on the bovine embryo during specific stages of development, and to test the hypothesis that elevated plasma urea nitrogen concentration is associated with elevated ammonia and urea nitrogen concentrations in the reproductive fluids.

In the first study, ammonia concentration in different size follicles and the effect of ammonia during in vitro maturation on embryo development were determined. Ammonia concentration in the bFF …