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 1411 - 1440 of 3669

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Board Out Of Your Mind: Mapping Players' Mental Models Of Game Systems And Potentials For Systems-Thinking Instruction, Joe A. Wasserman Jan 2016

Board Out Of Your Mind: Mapping Players' Mental Models Of Game Systems And Potentials For Systems-Thinking Instruction, Joe A. Wasserman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite evidence that game-based instruction is effective, and suggestive evidence that they are specifically effective for teaching systems thinking---the ability to think about complex systems---the mechanisms behind this learning are not well understood. One promising perspective on game-based learning is rooted in the development of mental models of game systems. Mental models are cognitive representations of the perceived entities and relationships between entities in a system. This study explores the entities and entity relationships in novice players' mental models of an analog game. Grounded, interpretive analysis of mental models externalized through cognitive mapping identified five categories of entities: formal game …

Go to article

Effects Of Parent And Peer Behaviors On Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Are Positive And Negative Peer Behaviors Moderators?, S. Michelle Watson Jan 2016

Effects Of Parent And Peer Behaviors On Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Are Positive And Negative Peer Behaviors Moderators?, S. Michelle Watson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescents and young adults account for a significantly high proportion of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection cases in the United States. According to Jessor's Problem Behavior Theory, combined protective factors, such as exposure to positive parenting and peer behaviors, create an environment that is supportive of conventional behaviors and discouraging of problem behaviors. There is an extensive amount of literature on parent and peer influences on adolescent sexual behavior but few studies address the interactive influence of both parent and peer behaviors on adolescent sexual risk-taking. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal supportiveness …

Go to article

Perceptions Of The Bereaved: Attributions, Emotions, And Prosocial Behavior, Christine Weir Jan 2016

Perceptions Of The Bereaved: Attributions, Emotions, And Prosocial Behavior, Christine Weir

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored a new application of Weiner's Attributional Model to suicide bereavement, and how friends and coworkers respond in their emotions and prosocial behavior. This is a comprehensive theoretical model addressing how people respond to negative events occurring in the lives of others. Its premise is the influence of attributions on the behavior, affect, and cognitive processes of the helper. The model's broad underpinnings are that attributions for challenging behavior can in turn produce a crucial effect on helping behavior. Previous qualitative research on suicide survivors has suggested that attitudes and beliefs towards suicide survivors by those in the …

Go to article

Migratory Genomics Of Lake Sturgeon, Justine Whitaker Jan 2016

Migratory Genomics Of Lake Sturgeon, Justine Whitaker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lake sturgeon are large, freshwater fish and the only species of sturgeon native to the Great Lakes. Their historic range extends from the Hudson Bay, down through the Great Lakes and into the Mississippi River basin. In the early 1900's, sturgeon became a valuable fishery and were soon overfished for both meat and caviar. This, in combination with damming, pollution, and habitat degradation, caused a drastic decline in their population. Some populations were extirpated, while others have been reduced to 1% of their historic population size (Auer, 1996). The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) hosts one of the largest lake …

Go to article

Wilderness Recreation---An Analysis Of Social Carrying Capacity, Regional Differences, And The Role Of Gender, Katharina Will Jan 2016

Wilderness Recreation---An Analysis Of Social Carrying Capacity, Regional Differences, And The Role Of Gender, Katharina Will

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The overall purpose of this thesis was to identify gender-based and regional differences in wilderness recreation. First, demographic information, trip characteristics, motivation satisfaction, crowding and conflict variables were analyzed across all wilderness areas. Then, regional differences and gender-based differences were examined.;On-site surveys were conducted in eight wilderness areas in the Klamath National Forest and the Stanislaus National Forest in California, as well as in the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests in Oregon. Data collection took place in summer and early fall of 2010 and resulted in a total of 2,559 usable surveys. Frequencies and valid percentages were used to describe …

Go to article

The Role Of Nad(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tumorigenesis And Lung Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance, Brian Madajewski Jan 2016

The Role Of Nad(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tumorigenesis And Lung Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance, Brian Madajewski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. The five-year survival rates for those patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), continues to be an abysmal 15%. One of the major reasons for the poor survival rate amongst NSCLC patients is the lack of early detection and subsequent late stage initial diagnosis. Tumors discovered at later stages are often refractory toward chemotherapy and radiation regimens. One theory as to why tumors become resistant to therapy relies heavily on the cells that make up the cancer stem cell (CSC) niche. This small percentage of cells within the …

Go to article

Shp2 Promotes Triple Negative Breast Cancer By Mediating Crosstalk Between Egfr And Wnt Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathways, Elisha Martin Jan 2016

Shp2 Promotes Triple Negative Breast Cancer By Mediating Crosstalk Between Egfr And Wnt Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathways, Elisha Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Basel-like/ Triple Negative Breast Cancer (BTBC) are a subtype of Breast Cancer that are clinically characterized as an aggressive and highly metastatic disease phenotype and poor outcome for women who are diagnosed with this disease. Patients with BTBCs lack treatment options for target therapeutics that are available for other Breast Cancer subtypes (e.g. tamoxifen and herceptin) and have been shown to have a disproportional mortality rate in minority and in young woman of all races. The need to find and characterize a potential therapeutic target for BTBC is an exterimal important focus for many researcher laboratories. Src-homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase 2 …

Go to article

Real-Time Monitoring And Prediction Of The Pilot Vehicle System (Pvs) Closed-Loop Stability, Tanmay Kumar Mandal Jan 2016

Real-Time Monitoring And Prediction Of The Pilot Vehicle System (Pvs) Closed-Loop Stability, Tanmay Kumar Mandal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding human control behavior is an important step for improving the safety of future aircraft. Considerable resources are invested during the design phase of an aircraft to ensure that the aircraft has desirable handling qualities. However, human pilots exhibit a wide range of control behaviors that are a function of external stimulus, aircraft dynamics, and human psychological properties (such as workload, stress factor, confidence, and sense of urgency factor). This variability is difficult to address comprehensively during the design phase and may lead to undesirable pilot--aircraft interaction, such as pilot-induced oscillations (PIO). This creates the need to keep track of …

Go to article

Effects Of Palmitic Acid On Milk Production And Insulin Sensitivity In Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows, Alice Treffry Mathews Jan 2016

Effects Of Palmitic Acid On Milk Production And Insulin Sensitivity In Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows, Alice Treffry Mathews

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This masters of science research evaluates the effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) supplementation on milk production and insulin sensitivity in mid-lactation dairy cows. The ability of saturated fatty acids (SFA) to enhance milk yield in dairy cows may be due to shifts in glucose utilization caused by reduced insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) on milk production and insulin sensitivity in cows. Twenty multiparous mid-lactation Holstein cows were enrolled in a study consisting of a 5 d covariate, 49 d treatment, and 14 d post-treatment period. All cows received a …

Go to article

Ecological Factors Influencing Incidence And Severity Of Beech Bark Disease, David P. Mccann Jan 2016

Ecological Factors Influencing Incidence And Severity Of Beech Bark Disease, David P. Mccann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American beech have long been observed to escape both signs and symptoms of beech bark disease (BBD). Some may be resistant to Cryptococcus fagisuga (beech scale), a primary component of the BBD complex; research indicates about 1-2% of American beech inherit resistance to beech scale. At the landscape level a variety of environmental factors may induce ecological resistance, a transient condition allowing potentially susceptible individuals to remain disease-free. This project investigated factors that may contribute to ecological resistance, focusing on biotic and abiotic stand characteristics and their relation to BBD incidence and severity. Plots were established at fifteen sites in …

Go to article

The Role Of Reculturalization In Adaptation: A Comparison Of Humor Styles In The Uk And U.S. Versions Of "The Office", Rachael A. Mckinney Jan 2016

The Role Of Reculturalization In Adaptation: A Comparison Of Humor Styles In The Uk And U.S. Versions Of "The Office", Rachael A. Mckinney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose -- The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of humor styles used in an original British television show and its adapted U.S. version.;Methodology -- A total of 28 episodes from the UK and U.S. version of the television sitcom The Office were classified under the four humor styles described by Martin et al. (2003).;Findings -- Humor styles used in television sitcoms significantly differ between the two countries. The UK uses more aggressive and self-defeating humor than the U.S., while affiliative humor is the predominant humor style found in the U.S. and is used more frequently …

Go to article

Bee Natural History, Diversity, And Management In West Virginia, Matthew Mckinney Jan 2016

Bee Natural History, Diversity, And Management In West Virginia, Matthew Mckinney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The value of bees as providers of pollination, an incredibly important ecosystem service, is well understood. Since the detection of colony collapse disorder, the concern over the health of both managed and naturally occurring bee populations has been in the limelight, sometimes being discussed nearly as much in popular media as it is in scientific research. While an ideal situation may be the complete recovery of Apis mellifera populations, the causes of colony losses are not fully understood. Therefore, we must also consider our alternative options such as managing areas to better support natural bees and utilizing alternative managed species, …

Go to article

Development Of Inducible Anti-Influenza Therapies, Cynthia Marie Mcmillen Jan 2016

Development Of Inducible Anti-Influenza Therapies, Cynthia Marie Mcmillen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Influenza viruses continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality each year despite the development of vaccines and antiviral therapies targeting these viruses. The inherent ability of influenza viruses to accumulate mutations over time has led to the emergence of strains resistant to antiviral therapies. Furthermore, genetic reassortment creates antigenically diverse viruses, making it difficult to develop vaccines that yield broad protection. The objective of the following research studies is to develop two alternative approaches to current methods of antiviral therapeutics.;Six new siRNAs targeting influenza protein expression by RNA interference (RNAi) were characterized. Three siRNAs (M747, M776, M832) knocked down the …

Go to article

Why Do Adolescents Use Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Strategies? The Role Of Perceived Effectiveness, Distress Tolerance, And Impulsivity, Karena M. Moran Jan 2016

Why Do Adolescents Use Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Strategies? The Role Of Perceived Effectiveness, Distress Tolerance, And Impulsivity, Karena M. Moran

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much is known about outcomes associated with adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. However, less research has explored predictors of strategy use. The present study examined perceived effectiveness of strategies (i.e., how effective individuals believe a strategy is at decreasing negative affect or increasing positive affect) as a predictor of strategy use. The sample of 139 adolescents (Mage =15.50, 60.4% male) reported their use of regulatory strategies for positive and negative emotions and how effective they believed each strategy was at changing their emotional state in the desired direction (i.e., more positive, less negative). Strategies were aggregated into adaptive and …

Go to article

The Role Of Mirnas In Niche Regulation Of All Phenotype, Blake Stephen Moses Jan 2016

The Role Of Mirnas In Niche Regulation Of All Phenotype, Blake Stephen Moses

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

While modern acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment regimens have dramatically improved the survival of ALL patients, disease relapse still occurs in approximately 20% of cases. ALL relapse is, in part, due to the inability of traditional chemotherapeutic agents to efficiently target quiescent, non-dividing tumor cells. The number of viable remaining leukemia cells in patients after initial treatment, termed minimal residual disease (MRD), is directly correlated with likelihood of disease relapse. This reflects the proliferative potential of these refractory cells, consistent with the ability of their healthy hematopoietic progenitor pro- and pre-B cell counterparts. Developing novel therapies to combat refractory disease …

Go to article

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Lumbosacral Stenosis In Labrador Retrievers, Meenakshi Mukherjee Jan 2016

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Lumbosacral Stenosis In Labrador Retrievers, Meenakshi Mukherjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lumbosacral stenosis (LS) is a structural narrowing of the spinal canal in the canine lumbosacral spine. Large-sized working and sporting dog breeds such as Labrador retrievers are predisposed for reasons that are incompletely understood. Early diagnosis is essential for maximizing the quality of life, and minimizing the likelihood of early retirement in working dogs. Lumbosacral stenosis is usually considered to be a condition associated with degenerative changes observed with normal aging, however presence of the disease in young and middle aged working dogs has also been reported. This leads to the probable theory that some dogs in large breeds like …

Go to article

Characteristics Of Bubble Behavior In Microgravity Conditions, Thilanka Munasinghe Jan 2016

Characteristics Of Bubble Behavior In Microgravity Conditions, Thilanka Munasinghe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main objective of this thesis is to study the characteristics of bubbles in pool boiling under microgravity conditions with and without the influence of a magnetic field. In order to create microgravity conditions, the parabolic path of an aircraft was used for a period of 20-30 seconds, during which time the experiment was conducted. Two cylindrical tanks were used for the boiling process in the experiment. One tank had a permanent magnet attached at the bottom, and the other one was kept as the control. MnCl2 was dissolved in distilled water to make a paramagnetic liquid, and which used …

Go to article

Gender Estimation From Fingerprints Using Dwt And Entropy, Sneha Nagabhyru Jan 2016

Gender Estimation From Fingerprints Using Dwt And Entropy, Sneha Nagabhyru

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gender estimation from fingerprints have wide range of applications, especially in the field of forensics where identifying the gender of a criminal can reduce the list of suspects significantly. Although there have been quite a few research papers in the field of gender estimation from fingerprints most of those experiments used a lot of features but were only able to achieve poor classification results. That being the motivation behind the study we successfully proposed two different approaches for gender estimation from fingerprints and achieved high classification accuracy.;In this study we have developed two different approaches for gender estimation from fingerprints. …

Go to article

The Regulation Of Alternative Pre-Mrna Splicing In Photoreceptor Cells., Daniel P. Murphy Jan 2016

The Regulation Of Alternative Pre-Mrna Splicing In Photoreceptor Cells., Daniel P. Murphy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alternative pre-mRNA splicing provides an important mechanism for generating the diverse array of proteins required to generate complex tissue and cell types from a limited genome. Therefore, the proper regulation of alternative splicing is vital to shape cellular identity and function. As consequence, defects in alternative splicing are associated with disease phenotypes that can range from systemic syndromes to the dysfunction of single cell types. For example, heterozygous mutations in ubiquitously expressed components of the spliceosome lead to photoreceptor specific cell death. This suggests that the topography of alternative splicing in photoreceptors cells may be unique, a notion which is …

Go to article

Development Of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Wood-Derived Carbon Thin Films: Influence Of Processing Parameters On Mechanical, Thermal, And Electrical Properties, Nan Nan Jan 2016

Development Of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Wood-Derived Carbon Thin Films: Influence Of Processing Parameters On Mechanical, Thermal, And Electrical Properties, Nan Nan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first goal of this research was to explore the potential value of hardwood-derived carbon materials as fillers for reinforcing polymer materials, and investigate the effect of filler content on various properties of reinforced composites. Three loading levels of biochar particles, 2wt%, 6wt%, and 10wt% (by weight) were added to a 10wt% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution (by weight) and composites were formed via the film-casting method. The morphological, tensile, thermal, and dynamic mechanical properties of PVA/biochar composite films were tested and analyzed. Tensile tests indicated that the addition of biochar reduced the tensile strength and elongation at break of the …

Go to article

Hydroclimatic Assessment Of Changing Climate On Diarrheal Diseases With Reference To Cholera, Fariborz Nasr Azadani Jan 2016

Hydroclimatic Assessment Of Changing Climate On Diarrheal Diseases With Reference To Cholera, Fariborz Nasr Azadani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The association of cholera with the climatic processes is well documented. However the effects of changing climate on occurrence of cholera is not yet evaluated, perhaps due to unavailability of geophysical data and their quantitative linkages with cholera. Global climate models (GCMs) outputs are available at coarse resolution of 200-300km, but the diseases usually occur at 10-15 km, therefore, it is rather challenging to link any GCM outputs with a disease. The goal of this research is to develop algorithms that can link diarrheal diseases with changing climatic conditions. Within this context, cholera is used as a model disease due …

Go to article

Associations Among Task Self-Efficacy, Physical Activity And Subjective Wellbeing, Abigail M. Nehrkorn Jan 2016

Associations Among Task Self-Efficacy, Physical Activity And Subjective Wellbeing, Abigail M. Nehrkorn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The physical and psychological health benefits resulting from physical activity engagement have been documented in previous literature, including the connection between physical activity and subjective wellbeing (SWB). Associations have also been found between task-related self-efficacy and physical activity, connecting these concepts to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT; Bandura, 1982, 1997), such that retaining a higher belief in one's physical activity abilities has been associated with successful physical activity engagement. Previous literature has documented these separate associations, but not as much focus has been placed on examining task self-efficacy, physical activity, and SWB in one model, especially during the time of …

Go to article

How College Instructors Use Social Media For Instruction, Benson Njoroge Jan 2016

How College Instructors Use Social Media For Instruction, Benson Njoroge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of social media has increased tremendously in recent years with many sectors using it for the purpose of communicating, sharing ideas, gathering information and stating opinions. The use of social media has trickled down into education with instructors using it for teaching and learning. This study used Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction as a framework to investigate the types of social media applications used, and how they are specifically used for instructional purpose in colleges. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze data. Results indicated that about 31% of instructors use different social media types …

Go to article

Pretreating Underutilized Woody Biomass For Value-Added Biofuels And Bioproducts, Amy K. Falcon Jan 2016

Pretreating Underutilized Woody Biomass For Value-Added Biofuels And Bioproducts, Amy K. Falcon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biomass pretreatment is a key techno-economic factor affecting the yield and economics of bioenergy or bioproduct production. The cost of pretreatment significantly increases if the sugars cannot be efficiently recovered once they are removed from the complex wood structure. Separation of the liquid extract from the solid particulates is important, especially in cellulose and hemicellulose recovery. A urea pretreatment of woody biomass was studied in this paper due to the ability of urea to decompose into ammonia molecules and carbon dioxide. Glucose separation from woody biomass was analyzed as an indication of pretreatment efficiency using three separation techniques: Whatman 113 …

Go to article

Grainyhead-Like 2 Reverses The Metabolic Changes Induced By The Oncogenic Epithelialmesenchymal Transition: Effects On Anoikis, Joshua C. Farris Jan 2016

Grainyhead-Like 2 Reverses The Metabolic Changes Induced By The Oncogenic Epithelialmesenchymal Transition: Effects On Anoikis, Joshua C. Farris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

When deprived of connections to their extracellular matrix, normal epithelial cells trigger a process of programmed cell death referred to as anoikis. The transcriptional reprogramming event known as Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers anoikis resistance and ultimately, increased metastatic potential. Distant metastatic disease contributes to the majority of deaths occurring in many cancer types, especially those originating in breast tissue. The ability to metastasize depends critically upon a cancer cell's ability to evade anoikis. Heterogeneity of tumors containing anoikis, therapy resistant populations likely explains the tendency of disease to reappear in distant locations after a period of apparent remission. The wound …

Go to article

Complex Regulation Of Protein Trafficking And Photoreceptor Cell Development By Small Gtpases, Zachary C. Wright Jan 2016

Complex Regulation Of Protein Trafficking And Photoreceptor Cell Development By Small Gtpases, Zachary C. Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Photoreceptor cells are specialized neurons optimized for the capture of light and the signal transduction to downstream cells that provides vision. Proper photoreceptor cell function depends heavily on efficient regulation of protein-protein interactions both during development and in the adult retina. Despite years of research on photoreceptor development and protein trafficking, the components vital to these processes are poorly understood. Interestingly, there are a number of small GTPases, which act as molecular switches, that are believed to play a role in regulating such interactions throughout the process of ciliogenesis, OS formation and protein trafficking. However, research into the role of …

Go to article

Cardiac And Mitochondrial Impacts Of Acute Pulmonary Xenobiotic Exposure, Cody Edward Nichols Jan 2016

Cardiac And Mitochondrial Impacts Of Acute Pulmonary Xenobiotic Exposure, Cody Edward Nichols

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With every breath, we breathe in foreign materials, xenobiotic particles. These particles can interact with our tissues and influence the systems within. Airborne xenobiotic particles classically refer to ambient particulate matter (PM), but with technological advancement and the flourishing of nanotechnology, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have become entwined in the definition. Because the term xenobiotic particles encompasses particles with a broad range of size, shapes and chemical composition, definition of the properties that induce toxicity can be difficult, yet crucial to understand and predicting which of these characteristics is capable of inducing toxicity. This concept is crucial as nanotechnology moves forward …

Go to article

Novel Immunoregulatory Elements In A Murine Model Of Epicutaneous Chemical Sensitization: A Role For Regulatory T Cells And Microrna 210, Carrie Mae Long Jan 2016

Novel Immunoregulatory Elements In A Murine Model Of Epicutaneous Chemical Sensitization: A Role For Regulatory T Cells And Microrna 210, Carrie Mae Long

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is a low molecular weight chemical sensitizer and a major cause of occupational allergic disease and asthma. The roles of immunomodulatory elements such as microRNAs, which alter gene expression, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress T cell-mediated responses, in chemical sensitization are not fully elucidated. In order to further investigate the functional role of miR-210 and Tregs during TDI sensitization, BALB/c mice were dermally exposed to a single, sensitizing dose of TDI (0.5-4% v/v) and evaluated for immunologic endpoints. dLN T regs were phenotyped during TDI sensitization and a heterogeneous, expanded population was observed. To examine …

Go to article

Echo Phenomena In Populations Of Chemical Oscillators, Tianran Chen Jan 2016

Echo Phenomena In Populations Of Chemical Oscillators, Tianran Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emergence of collective behavior has been observed in all levels of biological systems, for example, the aggregation of slime mold, swarm motion of insects and the collective motion in schools of sh. Synchronization is one of the most important collective behaviors and can play a pivotal role in maintaining the normal function of a living system, such as pacemaker cells in the heart, circadian rhythms, and insulin release from pancreatic cells. Synchronization typically arises as a result of the interaction of large ensembles of oscillators. Studies of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) chemical oscillators have shown a variety of collective dynamical …

Go to article

Does Enhanced Nitrogen Input Affect The Structure And Composition Of Forest Vegetation? Results From Long-Term Experiments At The Fernow Experimental Forest, Christopher Alan Walter Jan 2016

Does Enhanced Nitrogen Input Affect The Structure And Composition Of Forest Vegetation? Results From Long-Term Experiments At The Fernow Experimental Forest, Christopher Alan Walter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition have been studied in many ecosystems, and one general pattern of response that has emerged from these studies is a decline in species richness. Globally, anthropogenic deposition of N has more than doubled the ambient input of N in terrestrial ecosystems, and the rate at which humans produce reactive N continues to increase annually. As a result of both the current and projected future rates of N input, N deposition is a threat to biodiversity worldwide and is projected to contribute, along with other global change factors, to species extinction. To prevent the loss …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last