Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 2221 - 2250 of 2809

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Development Of A Standardized Abrasive Scale: An Analysis Of Commercial Prophylaxis Pastes., Karen D. Avey Jan 2004

Development Of A Standardized Abrasive Scale: An Analysis Of Commercial Prophylaxis Pastes., Karen D. Avey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Currently, no standard abrasive scale exists for dental prophylaxis pastes. Manufacturers determine their definition of abrasive grit levels. The purpose of this study was to measure resulting surface roughness on bovine enamel of a representative sample of prophylaxis pastes. The study consisted of a survey of prophylaxis paste manufacturers, a pilot study and an analysis of bovine tooth specimens. Prophylaxis pastes, pumice and toothpaste comprised the sample. Equipment was constructed for applying abrasives to specimens at 2500 rpm for five seconds under a load of 145-grams. Pre and post-test surface roughness readings were recorded. Repeated measures ANOVA determined that the …

Go to article

Cloning And Molecular Characterization Of Calpain/Calpastatin Genes From Rainbow Trout. A Potential Biogenetic Tool For Monitoring Muscle Growth And Texture Development., Mohamed Sewalim Salem Jan 2004

Cloning And Molecular Characterization Of Calpain/Calpastatin Genes From Rainbow Trout. A Potential Biogenetic Tool For Monitoring Muscle Growth And Texture Development., Mohamed Sewalim Salem

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study demonstrated that rainbow trout muscle contains at least two forms of the Ca2+-dependent neutral protease calpain along with their endogenous inhibitor calpastatin (CAST). These calpain-system components can be separated with one DEAE-anion exchange column. Rainbow trout muscle calpains are less sensitive to Ca2+ than their mammalian counterparts. We described cloning and sequencing of the rainbow trout calpain small (regulatory) subunit (cpns) cDNA. This represents the first fish and lower vertebrate full cDNA of cpns. The rainbow trout cpns cDNA was used to retrieve the zebra fish and Japanese flounder homologues. We presented evidence that fish cpns unlike the …

Go to article

Insertion Of Genes And Operons Into The Escherichia Coli Genome Through Targeted Recombination, Dennis Coss Jan 2004

Insertion Of Genes And Operons Into The Escherichia Coli Genome Through Targeted Recombination, Dennis Coss

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A method whereby DNA sequences of varying size may be accurately inserted into pre-determined locations within the Escherichia coli genome was developed. Using a binary vector system that takes advantage of either the E. coli RecET enzyme tandem or bacteriophage lambda's Redalphabeta recombinatory proteins, this method has the benefits of being both inducible and self-degrading, thereby offering a level of control to the experimenter as well as alleviating any problems that may be associated with leaving residual DNA in the bacterium. To demonstrate the usability of this system, two antibiotic resistance genes, as well as the pyrroloquinoline quinone (pqq) and …

Go to article

The Land Systems Of Colonial America: European And Native American Land Tenure Issues In The Colonial Eras Of The Americas., Shane Freeman Jan 2004

The Land Systems Of Colonial America: European And Native American Land Tenure Issues In The Colonial Eras Of The Americas., Shane Freeman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis is a comparative analysis of the transference of land tenure and land claims in the colonial age of the Americas. The time frame for this work begins in 1521 with Cortes’ entrada in Mexico and ends with the formation of the United States Indian Policy concerning land. The critical analysis is concerned with the ability of Native Americans to maintain there sovereignty over land and the methods that Europeans used to effect colonization. As well as the legal and political rights that were given or retained by Native American societies. The history of the colonial Americas, here, includes …

Go to article

Spectral Analysis And Regularity Quantification Of Skeletal Muscle Signals As A Non-Invasive Assessment Of Muscle Activity., Israel Restus Hall Jan 2004

Spectral Analysis And Regularity Quantification Of Skeletal Muscle Signals As A Non-Invasive Assessment Of Muscle Activity., Israel Restus Hall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research presented here was carried out at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Morgantown, West Virginia. At NIOSH, there is a strong need for modes of analyzing a wealth of biomedical data. In this particular case, that data was comprised of numerous muscleinduced force-time series, derived from two groups of experimental subjects. One group was comprised of rats exposed to vibration similar to that experienced by human workers who work with certain hand-tools or equipment. The other group was a control group, not exposed …

Go to article

An Analysis Of Computer-Mediated Communication Technologies As Tools To Enhance Learning., Ana I. Casanova Jan 2004

An Analysis Of Computer-Mediated Communication Technologies As Tools To Enhance Learning., Ana I. Casanova

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The integration of computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies into the higher educational settings have required faculty to change their roles from the direct instructional model to a model based on constructivists' ideas. CMC instructional tools (ITs) have provided a change by shifting a traditional teacher-centered setting into a teacher facilitator environment. Teacher's professional development has become an important task to effectively integrate technology into their courses. Questions concerning the implementation and value of CMC technologies and their impact in higher education are not yet clear. The purpose of this research study was to determine the extent to which CMC technologies promoted …

Go to article

Parallel Structures And Binary Oppositions In Andre Gide's "L'Immoraliste" And "La Porte Etroite"., Jennifer Lawrence Jan 2004

Parallel Structures And Binary Oppositions In Andre Gide's "L'Immoraliste" And "La Porte Etroite"., Jennifer Lawrence

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Two of André Gide’s books, L’Immoraliste and La Porte étroite, exemplify the ethical struggles that defined the author’s life through the codependence of their singular message. By submitting these two intrinsically similar works to a structuralist analysis of the binary oppositions that exist between them, the relationship between good and evil becomes solidified through the structures and semiotic codes of the novels, the opposition of the protagonists, and the motifs of geography, personal relationships, nature, and religion.

Go to article

The Effects Of Environmental Chemicals On Glioblastoma Cell Growth., Rebecca L. Merritt Jan 2004

The Effects Of Environmental Chemicals On Glioblastoma Cell Growth., Rebecca L. Merritt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignancy known for its rapid progression. During tumor invasion, the breakdown of brain tissue releases lipid-associated foreign contaminants. This study assesses the growth response of two human glioblastoma cell lines, T98G and U138-MG, to environmental chemicals stored within the brain. Proliferative or cytotoxic responses to treatment were determined using an MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5- (3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] metabolic activity assay and morphological analysis. Although cytotoxic effects were seen in both T98G and U138-MG cells, proliferative responses occurred only in the T98G cell line. DDT, DDE, and PCB 153 were cytotoxic in both lines, while PCB 81 caused cell death …

Go to article

Water Quality Trends In The Blackwater River Watershed, Canaan Valley, West Virginia., Jessica M. Smith Jan 2004

Water Quality Trends In The Blackwater River Watershed, Canaan Valley, West Virginia., Jessica M. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Blackwater River, historically an excellent brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) fishery, has been affected by logging, fires, coal mining, acid rain, and land development. Trends in water quality data from 12 sites in the Blackwater River watershed were examined for a 14-year period (1980–1993) using the information-theoretic method and the seasonal Kendall with correlation correction analysis. For most sites (except Beaver Creek), downward trends in acidity and upward trends in alkalinity, conductivity, and hardness were consistent with decreases in hydrogen ion concentration. Dissolved oxygen trended downward possibly due to natural conditions, but remained above biological thresholds. The seasonal Kendall trend …

Go to article

The Effects Of Personality Traits And Playing Video Games On Aggressive Thoughts And Behaviors., Vincent Cicchirillo Jan 2004

The Effects Of Personality Traits And Playing Video Games On Aggressive Thoughts And Behaviors., Vincent Cicchirillo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effects of individuals’ trait hostility and affective orientation in conjunction with their playing a video game upon aggressive thoughts, negative evaluations, and hostile behaviors. College students’ trait hostility and affective orientation were measured along with their video game usage. Approximately two weeks later 64 of these students came into a laboratory and played one of two video games that differed in their violent content. Students were left alone for 10 minutes to play the video game after which they completed a word completion task, an interaction skills grading form, and evaluations of the researcher’s competence, courteousness, …

Go to article

A General Method For Genome Search And Discovery., Yue Jiang Jan 2004

A General Method For Genome Search And Discovery., Yue Jiang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increasing amount of easily available genomic data has heightened the importance of computational tools in the analysis genome databases, especially the human genome. In this study, we develop a new methodology based on the suffix tree data structure to identify unknown targets of gene families. We use the identification of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) as a model system. HIF-1 is important in human normal physiological functions and in many human diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. We selected 17 known HIF-1 target gene sequences as a training set. We use the suffix tree data structure to extract a …

Go to article

Saprophagous Caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Herminiinae): Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Application In Forest And Laboratory Settings., Karen Jeanine Kish Jan 2004

Saprophagous Caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Herminiinae): Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Application In Forest And Laboratory Settings., Karen Jeanine Kish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The larvae of the Herminiinae are macrodecomposers of forest leaf litter. Eight species were studied to determine the effects of aerially applied Btk. Adults were collected weekly by light trap for 7 consecutive seasons. The first 2 years provided baseline information, followed by 2 years of Btk treatment and 3 post-treatment years. Idia aemula (Hübner)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae were collected from control plots and treated with Btk in the laboratory to determine susceptibility. Untreated larvae were reared to adulthood and mated to obtain information on their biology. Differences in light trap counts between years were significant for all 8 species. Forest …

Go to article

Critical Thinking And Web-Based Education In Maryland Community Colleges: How The Medium Promotes Development., George E. Perry Jan 2004

Critical Thinking And Web-Based Education In Maryland Community Colleges: How The Medium Promotes Development., George E. Perry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Surveys have found that employers want today's community college graduates to be able to work in teams, make decisions, and critically assess job situations. In short they want the students to think critically. Due to the changing demographics, web-based education has become a larger part of college curriculum in the past several years. This research project explored critical thinking in web-based courses offered at Maryland community colleges to determine what courses were being offered by the different academic disciplines, the methods used to promote critical thinking, and the types of critical thinking assessment used in these web-based courses. The content …

Go to article

A Symbolist Melodrama: The Confluence Of Poem And Music In Debussy's "La Flute De Pan"., Laurel Astrid Ewell Jan 2004

A Symbolist Melodrama: The Confluence Of Poem And Music In Debussy's "La Flute De Pan"., Laurel Astrid Ewell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Composed by Debussy in 1913, as incidental music for Psyche , a dramatic poem by French symbolist poet and playwright Gabriel Mourey, the work for solo flute known today as Syrinx, has since become a standard of the solo flute repertoire. Anders Ljungar-Chapelon, editor of a new edition based on a recently recovered period manuscript, has challenged traditional conceptions of the work's compositional context. Debussy's original title for Syrinx was La Flute de Pan and appeared as a musical component of a melodrame within the play, just prior to the death of Pan. The recovery of a probable primary source …

Go to article

Heritage To Legacy: A Content Analysis Of The Coretta Scott King Award-Winning Picture Books From 1976-2004., Khafilah Abdel-Malik Jan 2004

Heritage To Legacy: A Content Analysis Of The Coretta Scott King Award-Winning Picture Books From 1976-2004., Khafilah Abdel-Malik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the text and images in the Coretta Scott King illustrated award winning picture books published from 1974-2004 in order (1) to discover the themes and messages conveyed in text and illustrations, (2) to analyze the illustrations and text messages of the CSK illustrated award winning picture books for representations of holistic portrayals of African Americans, and (3) to determine cultural perspectives about African Americans. Data were categorized using matrices, cultural and holistic portrayals were addressed using Sims-Bishop's criteria, and a descriptive summary was presented in narrative form using Eisner's (1981) artistic approach.

Go to article

Kinship Migration To Northwestern Virginia, 1785-1815: The Myth Of The Southern Frontiersman, Philip W. Sturm Jan 2004

Kinship Migration To Northwestern Virginia, 1785-1815: The Myth Of The Southern Frontiersman, Philip W. Sturm

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For nearly 100 years American historians, with few exceptions, have maintained that migration of colonists to the trans-Appalachian frontier was a communal experience for those from New England and Northern regions but that the Southern frontiersman represented a non-communal, individualistic spirit of colonization. This dissertation traces the migration and settlement patterns of the earliest colonists along the northwestern Virginia frontier, the area organized as Wood County in 1799, from three Eastern regions, New England, the Middle Atlantic, and the Northern Neck of Virginia. It determines that emigrants from all regions migrated cohesively and sequentially in large kinship/neighbor groups and that …

Go to article

Estimating The Economic Value Of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: A Contingent Valuation Approach., Christopher A. Klocek Jan 2004

Estimating The Economic Value Of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: A Contingent Valuation Approach., Christopher A. Klocek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge protects a unique ecosystem in the Mid-Atlantic region. Because public goods such as ecosystem preservation are not sold in markets the value of this type of good is not always obvious. Policy makers need guidance on how society should allocate resources to preserve wildlife habitat and wilderness recreation opportunities. The goals of this study were to measure the economic benefits associated with providing a wildlife refuge in Tucker County, West Virginia; determine how value for the refuge is affected by distance of the respondents from the refuge; and determine the types of activities and amenities …

Go to article

The Role Of Mitochondria In Mediating Silica-Induced Apoptosis And Inflammatory Cytokine Production Of Alveolar Macrophages., Shuiying Hu Jan 2004

The Role Of Mitochondria In Mediating Silica-Induced Apoptosis And Inflammatory Cytokine Production Of Alveolar Macrophages., Shuiying Hu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exposure to silica dust induces lung inflammation and a progressive development of pulmonary fibrosis. The objective of the current study is to provide in vitro and in vivo correlations of a mechanism through which silica induces apoptosis in Alveolar Macrophage (AM), and to examine the potential relationship between silica-induced apoptosis and cellular production of proinflammatory cytokines. For in vivo studies, AM from male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to saline or 20 mg/rat silica by intratracheal instillation were isolated and characterized for cytokine production and apoptosis. For in vitro studies, AM from normal rats were isolated and characterized for cytokine production and …

Go to article

Characterization Of A Conserved Chromosome Breakpoint At 10q21.3 In Human And 10b5.1 In Mouse: Possible Role In Cancer., Jamie Riemann Senft Jan 2004

Characterization Of A Conserved Chromosome Breakpoint At 10q21.3 In Human And 10b5.1 In Mouse: Possible Role In Cancer., Jamie Riemann Senft

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Genetic regions that are consistently altered in cancers of both mice and humans indicate regions of the genome that are good candidates for harboring genes that are critical in the development of cancer. Nearly identical breakpoints were identified at 10q21.3 in human melanoma and at the homologous 10B5.1 region in mouse lung adenocarcinoma. A previously hypothetical gene was located within the minimal breakpoint region. The gene was characterized and identified as an immediate early gene with increased expression in several of the tumor cell lines.

Go to article

Pharmaceutical Quality Performance Of Folic Acid Supplements, Islam Rasem Younis Dec 2003

Pharmaceutical Quality Performance Of Folic Acid Supplements, Islam Rasem Younis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The vitamin folic acid has received considerable attention in the 1990s because of its preventative role against diseases such as neural tube defects, cardiovascular diseases, and psychiatric illness.;A primary concern is the pharmaceutical quality, potency, and efficacy of commercially available folic acid products and label claims. The results showed that there has been significant progress since the 1990's in the improved quality of commercially available folic acid products in meeting USP standards.;Products were also tested in physiologically relevant solutions. Most notably, all the tested products failed to release more than 75% of the active ingredient in 60 minutes in simulated …

Go to article

Ecology And Management Of Raccoons Within An Intensively Managed Forest In The Central Appalachians, Sheldon F. Owen Dec 2003

Ecology And Management Of Raccoons Within An Intensively Managed Forest In The Central Appalachians, Sheldon F. Owen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), a generalist meso-predator, is commonly found throughout the eastern United States. Many researchers have examined the ecology and spatial requirements of raccoons in agricultural and wetland areas of the mid-western and southeastern United States. However, no studies have quantitatively examined raccoon habits in the forested central Appalachians and their response to forest management. During the fall of 2000 through the spring of 2003, I monitored the spatial movements and den site selection of raccoons within an intensively managed forest.;I investigated the occurrence of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in raccoons (Procyon lotor) within my study area. I …

Go to article

Fungi Associated With Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra ) Acorns, Dawn M. Washington Dec 2003

Fungi Associated With Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra ) Acorns, Dawn M. Washington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Poor regeneration of northern red oak is widespread in the central hardwood region. A two-part study was conducted to determine what fungi are associated with and cause cotyledon discoloration of northern red oak acorns. The field study determined that simulated small mammal notching, surface sowing, time, and site all play a significant role in the amount of cotyledon discoloration in acorns as well as the number of acorns with discoloration. However, germination rate was only affected by site and surface sowing, while seedling vigor ratings were actually higher when acorns had discolored cotyledons. The five species of fungi isolated most …

Go to article

Temporal Control And Response Strength In A Free -Operant Psychophysical Procedure, Lori M. Lieving Dec 2003

Temporal Control And Response Strength In A Free -Operant Psychophysical Procedure, Lori M. Lieving

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the present experiments was to examine the relation between timing and response strength. Pigeons responded on a two-component multiple schedule consisting of the free-operant psychophysical procedure, in which trials lasted 50 s. During the first 25 s of each trial, responding on the left key was reinforced according to a variable interval (VI) schedule of reinforcement. During the second 25 s of each trial, responding on the right key was reinforced according to a VI schedule of reinforcement. In Experiment 1, responding in one component was maintained by a VI 30-s schedule (rich component) and responding in …

Go to article

Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams Dec 2003

Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mountaintop removal mining, a mining technique used in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and nearby states, converts mature forests to grassland and shrub-pole habitats. I sampled terrestrial herpetofauna using drift fences with pitfalls and funnel traps from 2000--2002 to evaluate habitat use of unmined native habitat (intact forest), mined habitat (reclaimed grassland, reclaimed shrub-pole habitat, and fragmented forest), and early successional off-mine habitats that were created by other types of disturbance and were structurally similar to reclaimed grasslands and reclaimed shrubpole habitats. I searched transects in valley fill and reference streams from 2001--2002 to evaluate impacts of valley fill …

Go to article

Seasonal Movements Of Yellow-Phase American Eels ( Anguilla Rostrata) In The Shenandoah River, West Virginia, Stephen D. Hammond Dec 2003

Seasonal Movements Of Yellow-Phase American Eels ( Anguilla Rostrata) In The Shenandoah River, West Virginia, Stephen D. Hammond

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American eels undergo extensive upstream migration in Atlantic coastal river systems. Few studies, however, have focused on movements of large yellow-phase American eels near dams in upper watersheds of Atlantic coastal rivers. We examined relationships between stream flow, water temperature, and lunar phase, and movements of radio-tagged yellow-phase American eels (518--810 mm TL) near Millville hydroelectric dam in the lower Shenandoah River, West. Movements of yellow-phase American eels differed among seasons. Water temperature and stream flow were associated with upstream migration during spring. Downstream movements during fall corresponded with decreasing water temperatures and darker nights near the new moon. Localized …

Go to article

Aquaculture-Related Stress On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Arctic Char (Salvelinus Alpinus), Christopher D. Nelson Dec 2003

Aquaculture-Related Stress On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Arctic Char (Salvelinus Alpinus), Christopher D. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent expansions in aquaculture characterize it as one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. agricultural sector. Expansion has been facilitated by increased production of many important aquatic species including catfish, salmon, trout, tilapia, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish. West Virginia aquaculture, also an expanding industry, is currently characterized by small-scale, widely dispersed farms. To facilitate future expansion of aquaculture in West Virginia, focuses on product quality as well as production efficiency, identification of limiting factors and investigation into new or alternative management techniques are needed. Objectives of this project were to determine the effects of nitrite and carbon dioxide …

Go to article

Enhancing Quality And Extending Shelf Life Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) By Vitamin E Supplementation And Post-Harvest Antimicrobial Intervention, Nalini Kamireddy Dec 2003

Enhancing Quality And Extending Shelf Life Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) By Vitamin E Supplementation And Post-Harvest Antimicrobial Intervention, Nalini Kamireddy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rainbow trout were fed a control (191 mg/kg) or the control diet supplemented with 5000 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg. Fish were sampled at 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 weeks of feeding; at each week fillets were evaluated at 0, 7, and 14 d. Supplementation increased fillet alpha-tocopherol content, and TBARS value were not affected. A feeding by storage time interaction was observed for fat content, psychrotrophic counts, cook yield, and shear force. For antimicrobial intervention, fillets were not treated or were dipped in water, 50 ppm ASC, and 1000 ppm ASC for 30 s. Fillets were stored at 1--2°C for …

Go to article

Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Movement And Habitat Use In A Headwater Stream Of The Central Appalachian Mountains Of West Virginia, Marisa Nel Logan Dec 2003

Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Movement And Habitat Use In A Headwater Stream Of The Central Appalachian Mountains Of West Virginia, Marisa Nel Logan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are the only salmonid native to the Appalachians. They are a resilient species, populating small, low productive streams. Although such streams have historically been abundant in the Appalachians, brook trout populations have been threatened due to habitat degradation such as logging and acidification of waters. The objective of this study was to evaluate brook trout habitat use, home range, and movement patterns in an Appalachian headwater stream during spring and more specifically high flow events. I implanted brook trout with radio tags and tracked their movement for approximately 30 days during late spring 2002 and early …

Go to article

Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer Dec 2003

Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During 2001 and 2002, I surveyed three mountaintop mining/valley fill (MTMVF) complexes in southern West Virginia to determine vegetation characteristics important to nest site selection and to estimate nest success for Grasshopper Sparrow populations inhabiting these complexes. I also performed genetic analyses to assess overall population structure, mating system, parentage, kinship, and gender of individuals comprising these populations. A total of 415 grasshopper sparrows were captured and systematic searches of study plots produced 75 active nests. Nest survival for 2001--2002 breeding season (33%) is comparable to survival rates previously reported in the literature. Nest survival rates decreased with increased reclamation …

Go to article

Metallothionein Isoform 3 Expression In Human Bladder Urothelium, Seongmi Park Dec 2003

Metallothionein Isoform 3 Expression In Human Bladder Urothelium, Seongmi Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The third isoform of metallothionein, MT-3 is shown to have a restricted pattern of tissue distribution with expression confined to the neural tissue. Previous work done by this laboratory has shown that MT-3 is not expressed in the normal bladder but is over-expressed in bladder cancer with levels correlating to the type and grade of tumor. Recently, a new bladder epithelial cell line UROtsa has been characterized that does not express the MT-3 gene and may serve as a useful in vitro model system of the normal human urothelium. The goal of this study was to see the effect of …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last