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Engendering Meaning Within The High School Experience: A Consideration Of Movement And Dance, Stephanie A. Morris Jan 2010

Engendering Meaning Within The High School Experience: A Consideration Of Movement And Dance, Stephanie A. Morris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dance, movement, and kinesthetic learning are among the most powerful ways in coming to know, yet they are amid the most ignored processes at the high school level. Dance has the power to change lives as it offers aesthetic ways of viewing and connecting with the world through its creative, reflective, and imaginative embodied experiences. I have observed these valuable outcomes and address the nature and power of them with the following questions: (1) How has dance and movement influenced my journey? (2) How has this influence affected the high school experience of my students? The heuristic method of qualitative …


Listeria Survival After Isoelectric Solubilization And Precipitation Of Fish Protein With Organic Acids, Rachel Otto Jan 2010

Listeria Survival After Isoelectric Solubilization And Precipitation Of Fish Protein With Organic Acids, Rachel Otto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With mechanical fish processing, a substantial amount of protein is discarded as byproducts. Isoelectric solubilization and precipitation (ISP) is a process that recovers previously discarded protein using extreme pH shifts to solubilize and precipitate protein from byproducts. Typically, strong acids are used for pH reduction but have limited impact on bacterial load; therefore, organic acids were used during ISP processing to test the impact on Listeria ssp. concentrations. The goals of these studies were to determine the effectiveness of organic acids, specifically acetic and citric acids, to reduce L. innocua during the protein recovery process of ISP and to determine …


Maximizing Broiler Performance And Health Through Feed., Kelley Grace Stacey Lilly Jan 2010

Maximizing Broiler Performance And Health Through Feed., Kelley Grace Stacey Lilly

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Feed represents approximately 70% of the costs required to produce broiler chickens. A concern in commercial poultry production is pellet quality and the cost required to make pellets of high quality. However, improvements in broiler performance attributed to improved pellet quality may help to alleviate these costs. In Chapter 2, two experiments were conducted at West Virginia University: Experiment 1) pellets were manufactured by utilizing varying processing techniques in order to create five dietary treatments, unique in feed form and Experiment 2) was conducted to explain variations in feed form on broilers of varying sex categories with consistent nutrient availability …


Parenting Practices Mediate Parenting Stress And Child Inhibited, Shy Behavior, Ying Dong Jan 2010

Parenting Practices Mediate Parenting Stress And Child Inhibited, Shy Behavior, Ying Dong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parenting practices were investigated as mediators between parenting stress and child inhibited, shy behavior. Parenting stress was also examined as a moderator between parenting practices and child inhibited, shy behavior. Twenty-seven preschool-aged children (14 boys, 13 girls; mean age =3.5 years) and their mothers (mean age =34 years) participated in the study. Mothers completed a battery of questionnaires to assess parenting stress, parenting practices, and child inhibited, shy behavior. Regression analyses were conducted and it was found that parenting practices do not mediate the relation between parenting stress and inhibited, shy behavior. However, there appears to be an indirect relation …


The Influence Of Heat Production Relative To Drill Wear During Osteotomy Preparation By Different Implant Drill Systems: A Comparison Study Between Ceramic And Conventional Implant Drill Systems, Waleed Alyassin Jan 2010

The Influence Of Heat Production Relative To Drill Wear During Osteotomy Preparation By Different Implant Drill Systems: A Comparison Study Between Ceramic And Conventional Implant Drill Systems, Waleed Alyassin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Repeated use of implant drills progressively increases their wear and decreases their efficiency, thus producing more frictional heat. Multiple factors have been linked to heat production during surgery including drill sharpness. The purpose of this research is to focus on the heat generated by an implant drill and how the wear factor and the material of the drill effect the heat generated by that drill when drilling through bone.;Two implant drill Systems were evaluated in vitro using bovine back rib bones. Two implant drill system were used. System A was stainless steel surgical drills sizes 2.3, 2.8 and 3.4 mmD …


Role Of Protein Kinase Ck2 And Phosphatase Pp2a In Notch-Mediated Lateral Inhibition, Anasua Bose Jan 2010

Role Of Protein Kinase Ck2 And Phosphatase Pp2a In Notch-Mediated Lateral Inhibition, Anasua Bose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Notch signaling pathway is highly conserved in vertebrates and invertebrates and regulates binary cell fate specifications in diverse developmental contexts. In a process termed lateral inhibition, Notch signaling restricts a particular cell fate to a single cell from a group of multi-potential cells. This mechanism ensures precision in cell fate assignations, which are vital for histogenesis and organogenesis. Studies during Drosophila neurogenesis, specifically development of the compound eye and the mechanosensory bristles, have provided the most detailed insights into the underlying mechanisms. During this process, Notch signaling results in the selection of single R8 photoreceptors or bristle sensory organ …


Selenium Removal By Nano-Magnetite Impregnated Diatomaceous Earth, Isabel Cardona Jan 2010

Selenium Removal By Nano-Magnetite Impregnated Diatomaceous Earth, Isabel Cardona

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to remove selenium from aqueous solution using nano-magnetite impregnated diatomaceous earth (DE) as an adsorbent. The adsorbent was prepared at the laboratory with a ratio of magnetite/DE of 10%. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of pH, temperature, adsorbent concentration, selenium speciation, contact time and presence of competing anions on selenium removal efficiency in conjunction with studies on adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and adsorptive thermodynamics. Rapid adsorption occurred within 30 min and selenium uptake decreased with increase in temperature. Low pH values (i.e. 2--4) favored selenium adsorption as expected for anion adsorption …


Extraction Of Metal Sensitizers Under Physiologically Relevant Conditions, Matthew G. Duling Jan 2010

Extraction Of Metal Sensitizers Under Physiologically Relevant Conditions, Matthew G. Duling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Metal and metal alloys are critical components of high-tech applications. Beryllium (Be), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) are among the most economically important metals for high-tech applications because of their extraordinary physical properties. These metals pose two different problems for workers who work with them: (1) allergic contact dermatitis from exposure to Cr and Ni, which is widely accepted to account for a significant percentage of occupational skin irritations and (2) possible systemic sensitization from skin contact with airborne Be. Proper assessment of skin contact with allergenic metals during work is difficult. Current practices for the assessment of skin exposure …


Site Characterization Of Hemlock Stands At Allegheny National Forest, Daniel Farcas Jan 2010

Site Characterization Of Hemlock Stands At Allegheny National Forest, Daniel Farcas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec, and from the southern Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and Alabama.;This majestic tree is threatened with elimination by an invasive species Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) Adelges tsugae introduced in the USA in 1924, which is believed to be a native of Asia. HWA reduces shoot growth, provokes branch dieback, and eventually tree death.;One strategy to help mitigate the fast spread of HWA is to determine what may cause host potential resistance to HWA and how to use this …


You Are And You Ain't: Redneck Literature And The Imposition Of Identity, Matthew Joseph Ferrence Jan 2010

You Are And You Ain't: Redneck Literature And The Imposition Of Identity, Matthew Joseph Ferrence

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Redneck images pervade contemporary American culture and provide a pattern for national behavior. As globalization and multiculturalism change the demographics of the nation, covert Redneck codes enforce previous hegemonies of race, class, and gender. Imbued with incontestable American character, the Redneck becomes an ideological force capable of defending the nation from destabilizing cultural incursions. The maintenance of these Redneck codes relies on the continued reassertion of Southern and Appalachian stereotypes, since these regions must be maintained as authentic homelands for the identity character.;In this project, I locate a literary genealogy for the American Redneck and examine the roots and function …


The Influence Of Anxiety, Depression, And Negative Affect On Recall Of Dental Pain, Brandon N. Kyle Jan 2010

The Influence Of Anxiety, Depression, And Negative Affect On Recall Of Dental Pain, Brandon N. Kyle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research suggests mood can influence recall of emotionally-relevant information. Yet, despite multiple studies examining the association of anxiety and exaggerated prediction and recall of dental pain, the influence of other moods on prediction and recall of dental pain remains poorly investigated. Further, the potential moderation and mediation effects for dental fear, fear of pain, and mood state have not been properly researched. The present study investigated variables associated with predicted pain (pain expected during the dental procedure) and recalled pain in oral surgery patients. Data were provided by a sample of 157 patients undergoing tooth extraction under local anesthetic. Patients …


Phospholipid Enhanced Separation With Capillary Electrophoresis, Ruijuan Luo Jan 2010

Phospholipid Enhanced Separation With Capillary Electrophoresis, Ruijuan Luo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Phospholipids were used as an additive in capillary electrophoresis to enhance the separation of glycans derived from alpha1-acid glycoprotein, fetuin, and ribonuclease B. The properties of phospholipid preparations were dependent upon composition, hydration, and temperature. Separation performance was evaluated as a function of these variables. A preparation of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and 1,2-dihexanoyl-snglycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), with [DMPC]/[DHPC] = 2.5, in 10% lipid/aqueous buffer at 25 °C provided the best separation efficiency at an electric field strength of 400 V/cm. Resolution was enhanced with the additive as well.;Phospholipids were also investigated as an additive for capillary electrophoresis separation of DNA molecules. Lipid preparations …


Essays On Risk Management Applications To Appalachian Grass -Fed Beef, Maitreyi Mandal Jan 2010

Essays On Risk Management Applications To Appalachian Grass -Fed Beef, Maitreyi Mandal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study area of this dissertation is the Appalachian state of West Virginia, where pasture-based livestock has traditionally dominated the state's agricultural production sector. Enhanced production risk has been identified as one of the key risk factors in grass fed beef production. This study aims to look into various risk management options that are available to grass-fed beef producers. One such management option is the various livestock insurance and rangeland, forage and grass land protection policies recently introduced and marketed by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) of USDA. The Livestock Risk Protection Plan (LRP) has been available to West Virginia …


A Ten-Year Evaluation Of Structural And Compositional Development In Unmanaged Central Appalachian Clearcuts, Jonathan R. Marden Jan 2010

A Ten-Year Evaluation Of Structural And Compositional Development In Unmanaged Central Appalachian Clearcuts, Jonathan R. Marden

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The varied growing conditions, fractured topography, and diversity of woody species in the Central Appalachians ensure that the harvest response of forest stands in the region will never be easily predictable. Clearcutting exposes the seedbed and freshly cut stumps of a harvested forest to full sunlight, encouraging the regeneration of the greatest number of species possible for that region. Gathering information on stand response to a complete removal in the mixed mesophytic forests of West Virginia will add valuable information to the silvicultural database for the most complex hardwood ecosystem in North America.;Beginning in 1998, U.S. Forest Service personnel installed …


Chemotherapy-Induced Damage Of The Bone Marrow Microenvironment, Stephanie Lynne Rellick Jan 2010

Chemotherapy-Induced Damage Of The Bone Marrow Microenvironment, Stephanie Lynne Rellick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The bone marrow microenvironment is characterized as the anatomical site including specialized niches that support stem cells. In addition, these niches also provide both soluble and physical cues leading to the differentiation of stem cells into all the cells of the blood. The studies in this dissertation focus on two supportive niches in the bone marrow microenvironment, osteoblasts (HOB) and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), in the setting of high dose chemotherapy and the potential damage that chemotherapy treatment causes to the cells of the bone marrow microenvironment.;In the first study, we investigated the effects of melphalan and Etoposide (VP-16) …


General And Emotion-Specific Parenting Styles As Predictors Of Children's Internalizing And Externalizing Behavior, Jessica W. Rupenthal Jan 2010

General And Emotion-Specific Parenting Styles As Predictors Of Children's Internalizing And Externalizing Behavior, Jessica W. Rupenthal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between general parenting practices (e.g., authoritative and authoritarian) and emotion-specific parenting practices (supportive and non-supportive). In addition, a second goal of this study was to examine the manner which general parenting practices and emotion-specific parenting practices collectively contribute to children's displays of fear/anxiety and hostility/aggression. Data were gathered from 27 mothers (mean age = 34 years) and their preschool-aged children (14 boys, 13 girls; mean age = 3.5 years) in Morgantown, West Virginia. The majority (92%) of mothers were White (4% Black, 4% Bi-racial). Mothers completed a series of questionnaires. …


Genetic Characterization, Ginsenoside Analysis And Micropropagation Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L.), Samuel G. Obae Jan 2010

Genetic Characterization, Ginsenoside Analysis And Micropropagation Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L.), Samuel G. Obae

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), is an economically important medicinal plant native to eastern deciduous forests of North America. Like many other medicinal plants worldwide, P. quinquefolius is mainly collected from the wild. And because of its growing demand, abundance of wild populations is threatened with over harvesting. In West Virginia, P. quinquefolius is available both in cultivation and in the wild. Even though P. quinquefolius occurs in all 55 counties in West Virginia, patterns of its harvesting and cultivation vary across the state. As described in chapter 2, the genetic diversity and population structure of P. quinquefolius under two …


The Effects Of A Phytogenic Feed Additive Versus An Antibiotic Feed Additive On Oxidative Stress In Broiler Chicks And A Possible Mechanism Determined By Electron Spin Resonance And The Effect Of Allopurinol, Uric Acid Sodium Salt Administration, And Inosine On Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity And Plasma Uric Acid In Broilers., Tabatha L. Settle Jan 2010

The Effects Of A Phytogenic Feed Additive Versus An Antibiotic Feed Additive On Oxidative Stress In Broiler Chicks And A Possible Mechanism Determined By Electron Spin Resonance And The Effect Of Allopurinol, Uric Acid Sodium Salt Administration, And Inosine On Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity And Plasma Uric Acid In Broilers., Tabatha L. Settle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the first study was to compare a phytogenic feed additive and an antibiotic feed additive when measuring oxidative stress in young broilers. Phytogenic feed additives are plantderived products used in poultry feeding to improve overall performance of broilers. Although the precise mechanism by which the increased growth rate is realized remains uncertain, these products have antioxidant components that are known to reduce oxidative stress. This is considered important in that reactive oxygen species (ROS), the causative factor of oxidative stress, can result in damage to biological systems within the bird. In this study, 588 one day-old Cobb …


Analysis Of Carrion Fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Population Genetics Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (Aflp) Profiles., Christine J. Picard Jan 2010

Analysis Of Carrion Fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Population Genetics Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (Aflp) Profiles., Christine J. Picard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Worldwide, there are over 1000 species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Blow flies display a variety of habits, however they are best known for their role in the decomposition of carrion. As yet, there are few studies of their population genetic structure, although such data would contribute to such fields as pest management, taxonomy, forensic entomology and veterinary medicine. Although it is typically assumed that carrion fly populations are panmictic, this has been disputed. This research focused on developing a new protocol to understand the population genetic structure in carrion flies using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) profiles. My specific …


The Evaluation Of Virulent And Hypovirulent Inocula Of The Chestnut Blight Fungus, Cryphonectria Parasitica, To Incite Infection And Spermatize Virulent Cankers., Shawn C. Kenaley Jan 2010

The Evaluation Of Virulent And Hypovirulent Inocula Of The Chestnut Blight Fungus, Cryphonectria Parasitica, To Incite Infection And Spermatize Virulent Cankers., Shawn C. Kenaley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Transgenic hypovirulent (HV) strains of Cryphonectria parasitica [Murrill] M.E. Barr engineered to contain an infectious cDNA copy of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (Hypoviridae; CHV1) may provide an efficient mechanism to introduce hypoviruses into genetically heterogeneous populations of the chestnut blight fungus. However, elucidating the factors that affect the infection of chestnut and spread of C. parasitica is needed to fully utilize the potential of transgenic HV strains for the biological control of chestnut blight. In one study, three experiments were conducted at a forested site near Bartow, West Virginia. The seasonality of HV and virulent canker development was measured in the …


Mechanism For Heterogeneous Reduction Of Selenite By Zero Valent Iron-Steel Wool., Donglin Huang Jan 2010

Mechanism For Heterogeneous Reduction Of Selenite By Zero Valent Iron-Steel Wool., Donglin Huang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although selenium is as essential element for animal and human growth, selenium released from coal mining process and coal combustion residues to surface and groundwater may cause toxicity to aquatic life. There is urgent need for an easy and accurate analytical method to speciate and determine trace selenium concentrations in waters impacted by coal mine drainage, and treatment technique to remove selenium from aqueous solution. The primary objective of present work is to develop a speciation procedure and analytical method for inorganic selenium species (Se0, SeIV, SeVI) with Multimode Sample Introduction System-Inductive Coupled Plasma Optic Emission Spectrometer (MSIS-ICP). Experiments showed …


Examining The Influence Of Indicator Variables On Crowding And Visitor Experience: A Case Study Of The White Salmon River In Washington, Candace L. Weaver Jan 2010

Examining The Influence Of Indicator Variables On Crowding And Visitor Experience: A Case Study Of The White Salmon River In Washington, Candace L. Weaver

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to assess social carrying capacity on the White Salmon River. The study chose a series of evaluative standards and indicator variables to test the relationship between possible predictors and feelings of crowding for river users. The study also sought to discover any relationships between the user's feelings of crowding and overall visitor satisfaction. Interviews and surveys were conducted during the summer of 2009 onsite at the three possible White Salmon River whitewater exit points. The findings were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. It was found that river users were very satisfied with their river …


Long-Term Climate Trend In Mid-Atlantic Region, Usa, Chenjie Wu Jan 2010

Long-Term Climate Trend In Mid-Atlantic Region, Usa, Chenjie Wu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climate change on global scale has been studied by many researchers while regional studies are limited. The most recent international summary of climate change science (IPCC 2007) suggested a remarkable trend of increasing global surface temperature but no statistically significant trend in precipitation on a global average due to large variability in both space and time. Thus, this study focused on detecting climate changes and effects in the Mid-Atlantic Region, an important ecological system in the US and the world. Climate data from 25 stations with daily measurements for more than 100 years from the National Climate Data Center were …


Regulation Of Anoikis By Ankyrin Complexes, Sanjeev Kumar Jan 2010

Regulation Of Anoikis By Ankyrin Complexes, Sanjeev Kumar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Anoikis is a subset of apoptosis, suppressed by cell-extracellular matrix association. It is a safeguard mechanism against tumor metastasis. The present study was designed to understand the role of cortical cytoskeletal protein ankyrin-G and its interacting proteins in anoikis. E-cadherin and ankyrin-G are function partners and during epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), both gets downregulated. During cell-extracellular matrix dissociation, ankyrin-G shifts to cytoplasm from cytoskeleton and loses spectrin interaction. Overexpression of ankyrin-G induced apoptosis in death domain dependent manner, promoted by the presence of ankyrin-G death domain interacting partner, RIP1 (Receptor Interacting Protein with death domain). Ankyrin-G also interacted with a MAGE family …


Development Of A Coal Reserve Gis Model And Estimation Of The Recoverability And Extraction Costs, Chandrakanth Reddy Apala Dec 2009

Development Of A Coal Reserve Gis Model And Estimation Of The Recoverability And Extraction Costs, Chandrakanth Reddy Apala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States has the world largest coal resource and coal will serve as the major and dependable energy source in the coming 200 years or more. However, the amount of recoverable coal reserve depends on the geological formations and quality of the coal seams, future development of mining technology and the extraction cost. A NETL sponsored cooperative research was conducted by the researchers at Carnegie Mallon University (CMU) and West Virginia University (WVU) to estimate the recoverable coal reserve. This thesis presents some of the works that WVU performed to enhance the coal reserve model including characterization of coal …


Abet Accreditation Criteria, Outcome H And Global Competencies In Engineering Education, Elisabeth Sanchez-Goni Dec 2009

Abet Accreditation Criteria, Outcome H And Global Competencies In Engineering Education, Elisabeth Sanchez-Goni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The dissertation focuses on one aspect of the accreditation process of engineering programs in the United States, which is conducted under the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Engineering programs seeking accreditation are required to comply with the so called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000), which has been divided into eleven "learning outcomes," labeled a through k. The dissertation addresses one of them, "Outcome h", which specifically calls for "the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.";The dissertation examines what engineering departments, from the Southern Regional …


Characteristics Of Subordinate Follicles Following Removal Of The Dominant Follicle: Induction Of Selection, Matthew Dean Dec 2009

Characteristics Of Subordinate Follicles Following Removal Of The Dominant Follicle: Induction Of Selection, Matthew Dean

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In mammals, ovarian follicles begin as primordial follicles. Over time these follicles are gradually activated and begin growth. As they proceed, granulosal and thecal cells are acquired. Eventually, the follicles become dependent on FSH for survival. Two or three times each cycle, a transient increase in FSH allows a cohort of follicles, including the follicle that will ovulate, to continue growing. However, these follicles secrete inhibin and estradiol, which suppress FSH secretion. Eventually, all the follicles of the cohort undergo atresia due to the declining concentrations of FSH, except for the follicle which has the potential to ovulate. This follicle …


Optimization Of A Retrofit Urea-Scr System, Clinton R. Bedick Dec 2009

Optimization Of A Retrofit Urea-Scr System, Clinton R. Bedick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from legacy diesel engines are often many times over currently mandated standards, contributing significantly to degradation of air quality and negative environmental impact. A retrofit urea-SCR (selective catalytic reduction) aftertreatment system offers a viable solution for reducing NOx emissions from older diesel engines. A stand-alone retrofit urea-SCR aftertreatment system was previously developed by West Virignia University (WVU) engineers, implementing a pre-SCR NOx sensor, open-loop feed-forward control, and stoichiometric NOx reduction logic. During experimental testing at WVU, the urea-SCR system demonstrated NOx reductions of 2% to 53%, depending on the test cycle. In order to optimize …


The Fearful Face And Beyond: Fmri Studies Of The Human Amygdala, Jillian E. Hardee Dec 2009

The Fearful Face And Beyond: Fmri Studies Of The Human Amygdala, Jillian E. Hardee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The amygdala has been labeled as a "detector of threat", evidenced by its heightened response to fearful faces in human neuroimaging studies. A critical element of the fearful face is an increase in eye white area, hypothesized to be crucial for the rapid detection of fear in another's face. Yet other facial expressions can also increase eye white area in a manner that is similar (a lateral shift in gaze) or identical (surprise) to fear. It is unknown if the amygdala can differentiate between these types of increases in eye white area and those that are specifically associated with fear …


Locomotion Grows Up: The Neuromechanical Control Of Interlimb Coordinating Mechanisms In Crayfish, Marc D. Rinehart Dec 2009

Locomotion Grows Up: The Neuromechanical Control Of Interlimb Coordinating Mechanisms In Crayfish, Marc D. Rinehart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Locomotion requires many dynamic interactions between organism and environment at several levels. It is not known how the nervous system controls all of these relationships to ultimately produce and guide locomotor behavior. Furthermore, it is not known whether the nervous system needs to recognize and control all of the possible body-environment interactions. In this study the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is used as a model system to test how size influences locomotor behavior and how a single, simplified neuromechanical system can accommodate these changes.;A set of behavioral experiments was conducted to characterize kinematics of freely walking juvenile crayfish to compare with …