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Bigheaded Carp Reproduction In Large River Tributaries With Evaluation Of Sampling Gear Performance, Daniel R. Roth

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Temperature Increase On Freshwater Fish Species: Energetics And Muscle Mechanics Of Two Centrarchids, Israt Jahan

Masters Theses

Fishes have evolved physiologically to live within a specific range of environmental variation and existence outside of that range can be stressful or fatal. These ranges can coincide for fishes that evolved in similar habitats. This study investigates physiological processes limiting thermal tolerance, specifically how changes in water temperature affect the swimming energetics and muscle mechanics in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). I focused on the impact of temperature change at the muscle level in these two species and the capacity to adapt to rapid changes in the environment. Fish were housed at …

Investigation Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Protein In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Nicotiana Tabacum, Allen Potter

Masters Theses

The NLG (Novel Leaf Gene) is a recently discovered gene from aspen (Populus tremula x alba). Previous research indicates that NLG impacts leaf shape. Our preliminary analyses indicate that NLG may function as a membrane bound protein with possible localization in plasma membrane and/or nucleus. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus trichocarpa identified four homologous genes in Arabidopsis and five in Populus. Gene expression analysis was done using online tools and indicated that NLG is expressed in multiple tissue types but predominately in stem and flowers. The protein coding region of the NLG orthologs genes from aspen …

The Transcriptional Response Of Trametes Versicolor To Growth On Maple Chips And Miscanthus Straw, Maha Alanazi

Masters Theses

This thesis research explored the transcriptional response of Trametes versicolor, a white-rot fungus, in response to fundamentally different types of lignocellulosic biomass (miscanthus and maple) and rich medium (malt extract agar). After five weeks of growth by the fungus on the biomass, the fungal RNA was extracted from three biological replicates per biomass type and mRNA was sequenced (approximately 30 million reads per sample). The reads were processed using ArrayStar to covert to RPKM and annotated using JGI's T. versicolor GO annotation file along with NCBI's BLAST. Comparisons were made between average gene expression of the fungus grown on …

Chemotaxis Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Zoospores In Response To Live Amphibians, David Bartholow

Masters Theses

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is one of the primary drivers of amphibian decline, and has spread rapidly on a global scale, but the mechanisms of Bd movement on small spatial scales are poorly understood and may play a role in transmission and infection. The flagellated zoospores of this fungus exhibit chemotaxis in response to single chemical cues, towards potential nutrient sources and away from metabolites of anti-fungal bacteria (AFB) present on amphibian skin. Levels of cutaneous AFB were manipulated on Eurycea bislineata hosts (either by bathing in a culture of the AFB Janthinobacterium lividum, or bathing in antibiotics) …

Apan Production Through Photooxidation Of Isoprene In The Presence Of NoX, Timothy Glidewell

Masters Theses

Peroxyacyl nitrates (PANs, RC(O)OONO₂) are of great importance in atmospheric chemistry. They act as transporters of reactive nitrogen, and radical delivery agents. There are no known natural emission sources of PANs; they are produced through reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) in the atmosphere.

VOCs can enter the atmosphere through biogenic and anthropogenic pathways. It has been estimated that isoprene makes up 70% of the biogenic VOCs (BVOCs) emitted annually. Isoprene has been shown to impact ozone levels in both rural and urban areas by sequestering and transporting NO_x in the form …

The Influence Of Road Salt On Seasonal Mixing And Redox Stratification In Three Southwest Michigan Kettle Lakes, Danielle Dupuis

Masters Theses

Influxes of saline water from roads treated with deicers can alter the density structure of urban lakes. This can delay or halt turnover events, which may lead to persistent hypolimnetic anoxia in nutrient-rich lakes. In this study, the lake columns of two urban lakes (Woods Lake and Asylum Lake) and one rural lake (North Lake), were sampled once a month from March 2016 to June 2017. Lake column water was analyzed for conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, ferrous iron, manganese, sulfide, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride and methane concentrations as a function of depth. All three lakes are eutrophic with anoxic hypolimnia …

The Effect Of Auditory Stimuli On Test Performance: Testing The Arousal Hypothesis, Ian Thomas Kells

Masters Theses

Since the publication of Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky’s study in 1993 on the “Mozart Effect”, the study of music and its effect on cognition and performance has gained significant attention. Roth and Smith (2008) investigated this “Mozart Effect” and suggested a continuation of research and interpretation through an arousal theory. This study examined the effects of a subject-identified arousing stimulus on performance on the Verbal Reasoning portion of the GRE, analyzed through an arousal theory framework. A sample of 24 non-music Western Michigan University students took part in one 60-minute testing period using subject-preferred music, which was then analyzed across …

Finite Element Analysis Of Tibiofemoral Contact Mechanics, Erika Fojtik

Masters Theses

The effects of lateral meniscus posterior root avulsions (LMPRA) have been studied in combination with meniscofemoral ligament (MFL) deficiencies. The purpose of this study is to validate a set of biomechanical finite element analyses against previously reported experimental results to predict the contact area and peak contact pressure in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment of the knee during lateral meniscal root avulsions in combination with MFL deficiencies. Patient specific MRI data was used to develop finite element models for three distinct testing conditions: 1) intact, 2) lateral meniscus posterior root avulsion, and 3) lateral meniscus posterior root avulsion with deficient meniscofemoral …

Evaluating The Affective Impact Of A Place-Based Learning Course Project In The Geosciences, Nathan Charlton

Masters Theses

Coping with issues such as climate change and depletion of natural resources demands a scientifically literate public. For many students, the only exposure to earth science comes in a college-level general education geoscience course. One way to engender positive attitudes toward and interest in earth science among these students (the future public) is to connect learning to actual places to which students have a personal attachment.

This study seeks to evaluate the impact of a place-based learning project (MyPlace) currently in use in an introductory geosciences general education course at Western Michigan University. Students in the MyPlace project select a …

Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction In The Headwater Of The White River, Manistee National Forest, Michigan, Ziqian Li

Masters Theses

Groundwater is a significant fresh water source in most areas and can be affected by potential changes to climate and precipitation from anthropogenic influences. Considering groundwater and surface water can be regarded as one hydrologic system, it is significant to understand the dynamics between precipitation, shallow groundwater and surface water in order to manage these resources.

Water samples were collected roughly biweekly from July 2016 to June 2017, and analyzed for electrical conductivity and stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. During sample collection site visits, stream discharge and the groundwater heads from different wells were measured.

The stable isotopes of …

Testing The Arousal Hypothesis: The Effect Of Music On Arousal As Measured By Electrodermal Activity During Verbal Processing, Meghan E. Feeman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to assess the arousal hypothesis by implementing an auditory stimulus (music) at various times during a task (Verbal Processing section of the GRE) to analyze changes in arousal, as measured by electrodermal activity (EDA). Testing is administered for one hour with music implemented before testing and twice during testing. EDA levels are used to measure physiological response and are collected over the one hour testing period. For analysis, testing material is broken into different time blocks to assess arousal levels through mean slope, mean skin conductance level (SCL), mean skin conductance response (xSCR), …

Surveying The Circular Rep Encoding Single Stranded (Cress) Dna Viral Consortium Found In Invasive Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis) And Sediments Of The Central Lake Michigan Benthos, Nicholas Gezon

Masters Theses

Globalization and resulting increases in international trade has allowed for the movement of species between almost all ecosystems on Earth. The Great Lakes in particular has seen a number of high impact invasive species that have moved in following the opening of the lakes to intercontinental shipping trade. This research specifically focuses on the benthic community of Lake Michigan which has seen significant community shifts including declines of the amphipods Diporeia spp. and the expansion of invasive quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis). Little is known about the viral community in the benthos of Lake Michigan and how …

The Effect Of Dietary Specialism And Generalism On Evolutionary Longevity In An Early Paleogene Mammalian Community, Samantha Glonek

Masters Theses

This study examines the relationship between relief index (RFI) on first and second mandibular molars and longevity of the genus. The molars were extracted from small-bodied, arboreal mammals during the late-Paleocene, early-Eocene in the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming. This study site is a well-known location to research and study fossil mammals of this time period. The study was conducted and analyzed at the genus level due to the relatively small number of specimens available and identifiable at the species level. Dietary breadth, or how broad or narrow a dietary preference is for a mammal, is an area of concentration within …

Brook Trout Behavioral Thermoregulation And Habitat Selection In A Small Michigan Coldwater Stream: Implications For Successful Management, Justin Emory Wegner

Masters Theses

Global warming and conversion of forests for urbanization, agriculture and mineral extraction are increasing water temperatures throughout Brook Trout’s range causing population declines; particularly in populations persisting in marginal habitats and in the southern limits of their distribution. The Brook Trout is an ectotherm that can cope with elevated water temperature by moving to coldwater refuge such as groundwater seeps, coldwater tributary confluences, and headwaters. Availability of coldwater refuge is vital for the survival of Brook Trout populations threatened by increasing water temperatures. I used radio telemetry to study the movement, habitat use, and behavioral thermoregulation of Brook Trout living …

Phosphorus Retention In West Michigan Two-Stage Agricultural Ditches, Emily Kindervater

Masters Theses

Input of excess nutrients into a water body can negatively impact ecological structure and function, as well as the economic vitality of surrounding communities, by contributing to eutrophication. For example, phosphorus (P) and sediment inputs from agricultural drainage have facilitated the development of hypereutrophic conditions in Lake Macatawa, a drowned river mouth lake located in Holland, Michigan. Two-stage ditches, an agricultural best management practice (BMP), are used in some areas of the Midwest to reduce N export downstream via denitrification. This BMP simulates a mini-floodplain by replacing a traditional, trapezoidal ditch with a channel that has excavated benches on each …

Bimusicality: Pedagogical Insights For Music Educators From "Second-Music" Learning Experiences, Kerry Digiacomo

Masters Theses

This study explores the development of “bimusicality” in adolescent and adult music learners to discover correlations between this experience and second language acquisition processes. North American music educators need to be equipped to help their students grow in their understanding of diverse musical styles, genres, and traditions, and the ethnomusicological concept of bimusicality, in connection with existing research on second-language acquisition as a sociocultural phenomenon, offers a new frame of reference for understanding how music learners may interact with distinct musical styles. Survey research with a group of 98 adult musicians, followed by ethnographic interviews of 16 of these survey …

Identification Of Deletions In The Hdc Gene Of Drosophila Melanogaster Generated Through Transposon-Excision Mutagenesis, Gregory A. Wesseling

Masters Theses

Histamine is a biogenic amine that functions as a neurotransmitter in a number of vertebrate and invertebrate systems and is synthesized from its precursor histidine by the enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC). In Drosophila, histamine has been shown to have function in photoreceptors, mechanoreceptor cells, as well as centrally located neurons. Mutations of the Hdc gene, such as Hdc^JK910, exhibit defects in histamine synthesis and display altered behaviors such as blindness, inability to groom, impaired thermal tolerance, and altered sleep rhythms. However, all Hdc mutants obtained thus far demonstrate some transcriptional activity.

In order to remove Hdc expression …

From Subject To Cyborg: Reframing Identity Within Female Spaces In Neil Gaiman's Black Orchid And A Game Of You, Mary A. Ruge

Masters Theses

Whether they are secret or whether they are household names, identities are paramount in superhero comics. Yet those that create these identities do so from a place of privilege in a hierarchy which results in inauthentic characters and repetitive plots. For the superhero genre, the misrepresentation of female characters (perhaps related to a severe underrepresentation of female creators) has resulted in highly patriarchal storylines that are reductive, stereotypical, and often violent toward women. To combat this trend, one must consider the ways in which a more complex female character violates the current framework and offer a solution. For superhero comics, …

Yellow Perch Genetic Stock Structure In Eastern Lake Michigan: What Is The Importance Of Drowned River Mouth Lakes?, Gregory M. Chorak

Masters Theses

Habitat heterogeneity has the possibility of structuring populations. Even in connected landscapes, there can be cryptic structuring of populations that coincides with landscape features that limit gene flow or select for different phenotypes within a species. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is an economically and ecologically prominent fish in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In the Lake Michigan basin, yellow perch reside in nearshore Lake Michigan, including drowned river mouths (DRMs, lake-like habitats that link tributaries to Lake Michigan). The goal of this study was to understand whether yellow perch populations are structured in eastern Lake Michigan by the connected …

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Concentrations In Fish From Lake Michigan Tributaries And A Preliminary Risk Assessment Concerning Their Consumption By Sport And Tribal Fishermen, Amanda K. Potter

Masters Theses

Human and environmental health continues to be threatened by persistent organic pollutants in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Polycholorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are considered one of the most toxic contaminants in the Great Lakes due to their recalcitrance, bioaccumulation, lipid solubility, and adverse health effects.

The three main questions examined in this research were: 1) Do PCB concentrations vary between largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), northern pike (Esox Lucius), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and walleye (Sander vitreus) in west Michigan tributaries of Lake Michigan; 2) Do PCB concentrations vary on a watershed level among Manistee …

Influence Of Socioeconomic Status On Event-Free Survival In Children Diagnosed With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Jordan L. Chester

Masters Theses

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in children. However, little is known about how socioeconomic status (SES) influences the outcomes of children diagnosed with ALL. The goal of the research study was to understand how SES impacted the outcomes of children diagnosed with ALL, with a particular interest in children living in West Michigan. Children ages 0-14 years who received treatment for ALL at Spectrum Health’s Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Hematology and Oncology program between the years 2002-2011 were considered for this study. Eligible participant’s zip codes and dates of relapse/death were obtained …

Seasonal Ecology Of Mottled Sculpin And Brown Trout In A Coldwater Michigan Stream, Susanna K. Lagory

Masters Theses

In temperate regions, environmental conditions vary distinctly between seasons. This variation can strongly impact in-stream environmental conditions. Winter is often thought to be harsher than other seasons for stream fishes, given the adverse environmental conditions that arise from low temperatures during winter in temperate regions. Low temperatures, episodic elevated discharge, and ice formation associated with winter are hypothesized to reduce movement, body condition, and survival of stream fishes. However, few studies test this hypothesis through formal comparisons, and most studies of seasonal stream fish ecology focus on salmonids. To address this knowledge gap, I estimated and compared body condition, net …

The Role Of Affective Forecasting And The Impact Bias In Nutritional Health Behaviors, Matthew D. Fallon

Masters Theses

Previous literature on affective forecasting has studied its role in health decisions, but there is little research investigating affective forecasting in diet choices and eating behaviors. The present study collected affective forecasts from 43 college participants before eating an indulgent snack and then observed emotions immediately after eating the snack. We predicted that emotion predictions would be significantly stronger than observed emotions, in support of previous literature on the impact bias. We also predicted that optimism would predict a stronger impact bias and that extraversion and neuroticism would have a role in forecasts and observed emotions. Contrary to our hypothesis, …

Effects Of Aging And Dietary Phytoestrogens On Sperm Production In Sprague Dawley Rats, Brian Cutler

Masters Theses

Estrogens, in addition to testosterone, are physiologically relevant to normal sperm production in the testis and sperm maturation in the epididymis. Previous studies from our lab demonstrated that daily sperm production declines from 15 to 18 months of age in Sprague Dawley rats, and treatment with estrogen during this period attenuated the age-associated decline. Phytoestrogens are present in standard rodent diets at high levels (350-650 mg/kg) and may be potential endocrine disruptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of removing dietary phytoestrogens during aging on sperm production. Retired breeder Sprague Dawley rats were obtained at 9 …

Nest-Site Selection And Neonate Survival Of Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) In Michigan’S Northern Lower Peninsula, Joseph T. Altobelli

Masters Theses

Turtles (Order Testudines) are experiencing global declines largely due to anthropogenic influences such as habitat fragmentation, illegal collection and sales, and the threat of global climate change. Removal of individuals from the adult age-classes means there is now a greater need to understand the survival of neonate and juvenile turtle age-classes. In this study I examined a population of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at the northern limit of their range in Michigan’s lower peninsula. The objectives of my thesis were 1. to determine the microhabitat factors that influence nestsite selection by female box turtles and how …

Voltage Controller For Simulating Transition Between Boost –Buck -Boost Converter, Aula Jameel Al-Kamil

Masters Theses

In the present work, a voltage tracking controller is developed for DC-DC Buck-Boost converter using software model. The software developed can track the voltage and the mode of operation (Buck or Boost), which depends on the value of the duty cycle ratio (D). The error between ��_{��������}(reference voltage) and output voltage is minimized by using step input as reference. The simulation results show that the designed software controller can successfully track the voltage with low error and with short settling time. The values for the Buck-Boost circuit components, the capacitor and the inductor, are tuned and selected so …

Defining The Immune Response And Cellular Pathologies In Multiple System Atrophy, Annamarie Valenti

Masters Theses

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-Syn) in oligodendrocytes of the central nervous system (CNS). A previous study in our lab used Affymetrix DNA microarray analysis to show the downregulation of various mitochondrial related genes, as well as the upregulation of genes involved in inflammatory/immune responses in MSA brain tissue. Therefore, it is hypothesized that an increased presence of immune proteins exists in the MSA brain accompanied by glial cell pathology including decreases in cell metabolism and cell viability. This study uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) to show the increased presence of CD68 …

Atmospheric Microbial Community Sampling System For Varying Altitude Collection, Kenneth David Domingue

Masters Theses

The study of airborne microbial communities in the vertical atmosphere is an area of research in which very little data has been collected and analyzed. Developing a vehicle to house biological sampling equipment that collects, and mitigates contamination is required by a team of biology researchers to perform sampling of atmospheric microbial communities. This study uses a sampler box that is attached to aerostatic vehicles: zero pressure balloons and tethered balloon/kite structures. Zero pressure balloons are used for sampling at altitudes above 150 m above sea level, and tethered balloon/kite structures are used for sampling at 30 m and 150 …

The Role Of Calcium In Regulation Of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor By Skeletal Muscle Cells, Alicia M. Boynton

Masters Theses

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is an important signaling molecule for the somatic motor nervous system. GDNF protein is produced and secreted by skeletal muscle cells and helps maintain motor neuron innervation at the neuromuscular junction. Treatment with exogenous GDNF prevents denervation which is characteristic of aging and neurodegenerative disease. The therapeutic potential of GDNF cannot be fully explored without understanding the mechanisms by which GDNF protein production is regulated. The primary objective of this study was to determine the role of calcium in regulating GDNF protein expression by skeletal muscle cells. Skeletal muscle cells (C2C12) were grown in …