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The Rise And Fall Of Kin Structure In The Neotropical, Family-Living Buff-Breasted Wren (Cantorchilus Leucotis) In Gamboa, Panama, Sarah C. Alessi

Masters Theses

Family-living species provide an exciting model to examine how natal dispersal and kin structure influence genetic structuring within local populations. Juvenile buff-breasted wrens (Cantorchilus leucotis) of both sexes delay dispersal and exhibit short-distance natal dispersal, which should lead to kin-structured populations in which relatives of both sexes occupy neighboring territories. Blood samples collected from juvenile and adult wrens in Gamboa, Panama were analyzed using microsatellite markers to determine whether related individuals are spatially clustered on neighboring territories, spatial clusters of relatives change over time, and if kin structure is sex-specific. Global and local spatial autocorrelation analyses detected genetic …

Laboratory Measures Of Aggression In Methadone Patients, Catherine M. Gayman

Masters Theses

Research suggests that current heroin users and individuals with a prior history of heroin dependence tend to be more aggressive than nonusers. No study has yet investigated whether opioid withdrawal affects aggressive responses on a laboratory task. The present study investigates whether mild opioid withdrawal affects aggression in six males and six females (N=12) undergoing methadone maintenance therapy. Aggressive behavior is measured using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (Cherek, 1981) computer task. Participants press buttons to earn money towards gift certificates. Money subtractions occur periodically and these are attributed to the behavior of a partner who is actually fictitious. Participants …

Early Arrest Mutant Ogre: A Defect In Cytokineis Caused By A Mutation In The Gene Racgap1, April Wicklund

Masters Theses

The early arrest mutant ogre, isolated in the Tübingen screen, has a block in cytokinesis (Kane et al., 1996). Here I use genetic and molecular techniques to demonstrate that the ogre phenotype is caused by a lesion in the gene encoding Racgap1. I performed fine mapping studies using microsatellite markers to a 0.15 cM region containing the ogre locus. DNA sequence data revealed a nonsense mutation in the Racgap1 gene of ogre mutants, and in situ hybridization experiments showed a loss of racgap1 mRNA at later stages of development, likely by nonsense mediated decay. This evidence supports the abolishment …

Tropisetron As A Neuroprotective Agent Against Glutamate-Induced Excitotoxicity: Potential Mechanisms Of Neuroprotection, Michael M. Swartz

Masters Theses

Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity has been shown to play a key role in a number of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) significantly protects various types of neuronal tissues from excitotoxic cell death (Kaneko et al., 1997; Dajas-Bailador et al., 2000; Wehrwein et al., 2004; Thompson et al., 2006). Tropisetron is a highly selective 5-HT3 class serotonin receptor antagonist that is also a partial acetylcholine (ACh) agonist of the α7 nAChR (Papke et al., 2005). In the current study we aim to determine if tropisetron offers protection to adult pig RGCs. We further aim to …

Characterizing The Internal Architecture Of Upper Bone Spring Limestone Turbidites And Mass-Transport Deposits (Mtds) Utilizing High-Resolution Image Log Technology, Jason J. Asmus

Masters Theses

Characterization of reservoir scale (less than 1 meter thick) turbidites and mass-transport deposits (MTDs) using conventional subsurface data is complex, due to millimeter-centimeter scale architectural heterogeneity exhibited by these deposits.

Limited studies of the Bone Spring carbonate turbidites and MTDs within the Delaware Basin subsurface emphasized the use of conventional wire-line log and seismic data to evaluate reservoir potential of such strata. As a result, limited resolution offered by these data sets do not allow for accurate characterization of reservoir, and sub-reservoir scale, architectural and compositional variations.

The present investigation integrates high-resolution (centimeter scale) electrical borehole image logs with conventional …

Anthropological Apologetics: A Proposal Of An Anthropological Compendium As Evidence For The Imago Dei, Jeffrey R. Dickson

Masters Theses

Evangelical scholarship has shown great admiration for the work of Gary Habermas and others in their contribution to Christian apologetics by validating the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a list of minimal facts generally agreed to by historical and biblical scholars. This thesis will explore the methodology of the minimal facts approach and appropriate it as a tool to explore the data within the field of anthropology which offers evidence for the biblical concept of the Imago Dei. This study will focus on Wolfhart Pannenberg in his critically acclaimed work demonstrating the importance of the theological perspective …

The Role Of Saturated Fatty Acids In Connexin Expression On Endothelial Cells And Eosinophils, Kurt Anthony Ashack

Masters Theses

Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils that becomes elevated in the tissues in response to inflammation and increased adiposity. Therefore, eosinophil migration into adipose tissue should increase in diet-induced obese individuals, yet it does not. This suggested to us that something within the cellular microenvironment of diet-induced obese individuals might be altering the endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules (ELAM) such as VCAM-1 or selectins on the endothelial cells, thus preventing eosinophils from entering the inflamed tissue. Connexons are gap junctions in endothelial cells and on immune cells such as macrophages that are composed of connexins and have been shown to …

Laboratory And Field Performance Of The Biosand Point Of Use Water Filtration System In The Artibonite Valley, Haiti, Andrew John Sisson

Masters Theses

The research presented here is summary two years of studying the Biosand filter (BSF) both in Haiti during March 2011 and in the laboratory. In Chapter 2, we examined the long term use and sustainability 55 BSF systems near Deschapelles, Haiti and 47% were found to be no longer in use. Interviews with BSF owners revealed problems related to intermittent filter use. A review of 17 BSF field studies also was included to compare and substantiate observations made in Haiti. Together, previous field studies and our observations point toward the importance of providing culturally appropriate technologies and education materials explaining …

Operating The Silencer: Muted Group Theory In The Great Gatsby, Sarah Funderbruke

Masters Theses

This master's thesis examines gender and social roles seen in dialogue in the American classic novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The researcher conducted a coding and rhetorical analysis to determine if elements of muted group theory were in the novel. Muted group theory was developed by Edwin and Shirley Ardener after their research indicated that a culture's values and social structure were voiced through rhetoric. The theory states that dominance in certain groups mutes, or silences, others from communicating effectively. Five passages from The Great Gatsby were selected for this analysis. These passages highlighted dialogue between the …

Origin Of Great Lakes Brown Trout, Salmo Trutta: A Phylogeographic Analysis Using Mtdna Sequence Variation, David Baisch

Masters Theses

The brown trout, Salmo trutta, was first introduced to the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1887 from European broodstocks to found a recreational salmonid fishery; however, the origins of these progenitor lineages remain largely unknown. Trout from these regions are very specialized to their native habitats and matching North American stocks to similar watersheds may help increase survivability by introducing the stock to a more appropriate environment. The objective of this study was to determine the European origins of brown trout found in the Great Lakes. We analyzed 144 brown trout from ten watersheds across Michigan and Wisconsin and identified …

Fabrication Of Printed Substrate For Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Ali Eshkeiti

Masters Theses

A novel surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate was successfully fabricated on a silicon wafer using inkjet printing and on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using gravure printing. Silver (Ag) nanoparticle (NP) based ink, was used for roughening of the surface of silicon and PET. A thickness of 400 nm was measured for the printed Ag NP printed film on silicon and the thickness of the single and double layered films on PET were measured as 340 nm and 680 nm, respectively by using vertical scanning interferometry. The Ag NP printed SERS substrate was tested for application with heavy metal compounds like …

Synthesis Of 1,1-Dialkyhydrazines And Their Hydroxyl Radical Degradation In Aqueous Environments, Benjamin F. Strong

Masters Theses

Determination of hydroxyl radical rate constants are essential to ensure adequate degradation of contaminants in wastewater. Hydrazines are an important class of organic contaminants and are the focus of this research. Ten 1,1-dialkylhydrazines are synthesized by the zinc reduction of the corresponding N-nitrosamines. Their hydroxyl radical rate constants are determined using the linear accelerator at the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory at pH 4, 7, and 10.

Their rate constants are found to depend on the protonation state of the molecule. At pH 4 the molecules are fully protonated and hydrogen atom abstraction is favored from the alkyl chains. At …

Catalytic Engineering Of The Flagellin Protein, Alexandra M. Haase

Masters Theses

Flagellin is the protein monomer that comprises the bacterial flagella for most bacteria, including Salmonella typhimurium. This protein has attracted attention for protein engineering because it is exported out of the cell, polymerized into stable fibers, is produced in large quantities and is relatively simple to purify. Using rational design with computer modeling, potential active sites in the flagellin protein structure were modeled after the human carbonic anhydrase II tetrahedral zinc binding site. In total, three locations were selected as potential active sites and the necessary mutations were successfully introduced. Flagella formation for the flagellin variants was demonstrated through …

Generation Of Tanapoxvirus Ankyrin Repeat Gene Deletion Mutant For Evaluating Its Role In Cell Tropism, Yogesh Suryawanshi

Masters Theses

The host range of poxviruses is highly regulated and is limited to certain hosts. A number of genes in different poxviruses have been identified that contribute to cell tropism. The ankyrin (ANK) repeat genes encode for proteins characterized by the repetitive motifs in its amino acid sequence. These genes have been found to play a role in determining the ability of poxviruses to replicate in certain cell types. Tanapoxvirus (TPV) Kenya genome analysis indicated the presence of six ANK repeat genes of which T146R, T147R and T148R are present in the terminal part of the TPV-Kenya genome. To understand the …

Effects Of Oak Savanna Restoration And Thinning On Gypsy Moth Predation Rates And Small Mammal Communities, Angela Lynn Larsen

Masters Theses

The United States Forest Service is conducting an oak savanna restoration using thinning and prescribed burning in the Manistee National Forest in Michigan to provide habitat for Karner blue butterflies (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Since this is a federally endangered species, alternatives to spraying pesticides to control exotic invasive defoliators, such as European gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar), are necessary. Although gypsy moths are invasive to North America, there are several predators, such as whitefooted mice (Peromyscus leucopus), other small mammals, invertebrates, and parasitoids, keeping gypsy moth populations low. This study investigated whether the interaction between …

A Narrative Life Story Of Activist Phyllis Lyon And Her Reflections On A Life With Del Martin, Dianna Lee Johnson

Masters Theses

Phyllis Lyon met the love of her life in 1953. Her name was Del Martin. When they fell in love, homosexuality was an illness that needed to be cured, a sin to be confessed and an illegal act that should be punished. Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon are legendary in the lesbian community for originating the Daughters of Bilitis--an underground lesbian social club in San Francisco formed in the 1950s. They spent the next 55 years together confronting society and policy about the inequity of gays, lesbians, and women. In each of these social movements, however, they were the minority …

Aquatic Mesohabitats: Abiotic And Biotic Comparisons In A Sand-Dominated, 3rd Order, Michigan Stream, Edward M. Krynak

Masters Theses

Mesohabitats are visually distinct areas within a stream that provide habitat heterogeneity and increase invertebrate diversity. As such, mesohabitats represent an important spatial scale that underpins the emergent properties, ecology, and ecosystem structure and function of a stream. Within a Western Michigan stream, woody debris, macrophyte beds, and organic matter pools, were examined to determine if visual distinction also relates to a significant difference in abiotic and biotic parameters. Habitats were sampled from July, 2010 – June, 2011 for chemical-physical characteristics including velocity, temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and organic matter. Biotic sampling occurred during the same time span and included …

Determining The Sufficiency Of The Bhlh Gene Nato3 In Dopamine Neurogenesis, Darcy Nichole Kaufman

Masters Theses

Floor plate cells of the mesencephalon have the ability to become more floor plate cells or differentiate into dopamine containing neurons. Maturation of these neurons can be marked by the stage of differentiation. When dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta are no longer able to communicate with the corpus striatum due to a marked loss in the neurotransmitter dopamine, movement disorders such as those present in Parkinson’s disease occur. The bHLH transcription factor Nato3 is known to be necessary for normal dopamine neuron formation, however, our lab was interested in its sufficiency to drive a dopaminergic lineage. The …

Winter Habitat Selection And Genetic Relatedness Of Southern Flying Squirrels In Southwest Michigan, Sheila M. Miara

Masters Theses

Few studies have examined winter habitat selection for southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) in northern latitudes where winter conditions are harsher than southern latitudes and resource availability is particularly limiting. Winter den tree characteristics and use by 19 southern flying squirrels (10 females and 9 males) were investigated from November through February in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. The mean home range size using 100% minimum convex polygon for 18 individuals was 3.40 ha (±0.46 0.46 SE) and there was no significant difference between genders (P= 0.56) or ages (P=0.50). The mean 95% fixed kernel home range size was 0.15 …

The Effect Of Ad Libitum Hydration On Cognitive Function Following Exercise In The Heat, Matthew Wittbrodt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of different hydration strategies on physiological and cognitive variables after an exercise bout in the heat. On three occasions, twelve males performed three heat stress tests of 50min at 60%VO_2peak in a hot environment (32°C; 65%RH). The heat stress tests differed in hydration strategy to be implemented during exercise (NF: no fluid, AL: ad libitum, FR: full fluid replacement). A cognitive battery was administered pre-­ and post-­exercise to examine alterations in cognition. Fluid loss during NF was greater than the AL and FR (NF: 1.54 %; AL: 0.29 …

When Black Meets White In The Heart Of Worship: A Case-Study Of Musical Changes In A Multiracial Church, Serge Volpe

Masters Theses

The Worldwide Church of God began as a denomination relying on certain Jewish practices and other Euro-centric distinctions to define its' identity. In the New York City area, African-American churchgoers exceeded that of whites; yet church liturgy retained its European-American flavor. When the denomination underwent transformation in the 1990s, many congregants were unable to accept changes, including new musical styles, and reacted in a manner inconsistent with what church leaders had hoped for. This thesis examines what some African-Americans experienced during this period when liturgy changed to include music representative of their culture. Interviews were conducted with African-American churchgoers from …

Archaeological Investigations Of Control And Autonomy At The Colony Farm Of The Michigan State Asylum, 1880-1950, Alison Thornton

Masters Theses

This project is designed to look into mechanisms of control and patient autonomy in institutional confinement, using Colony Farm in Kalamazoo, Michigan as a case study. I have chosen to specifically examine landscape, architecture, foodways, and personal goods/dress as avenues in which to parse out information regarding control and autonomy. The main themes throughout this paper are work as a cure, patient labor, and the blurring of roles between patients, staff members, and paid hired workers. These themes are intertwined with landscape, architecture, foodways, and personal goods/dress and highlight the contradictions inherent in institutional confinement, especially in the context of …

Integrating Depositional Facies And Stratigraphy In Characterizing Hydrothermal Dolomite Reservoirs: Trenton Group Of The Albion-Scipio Trend, Michigan, Marcel R. Robinson

Masters Theses

Reservoir characterization of carbonate rocks requires understanding the role of depositional and diagenetic parameters in reservoir distribution. This is especially true for the diagenetically-altered and structurally-influenced Trenton-Black River reservoirs of the Michigan Basin. Evaluating the depositional evolution and reservoir characteristics of component depositional facies through modeling and stratigraphic reconstruction would aid in exploration and characterization through providing a prediction tool for reservoir distribution, both within and outside of the Michigan Basin.

Results indicate that reservoir development is controlled by primary rock fabric related to depositional facies. Depositional and stratigraphic reconstructions show facies distribution trends occur consistently and therefore predictably away …

The Kappa Opioid Agonist, Salvinorin A, Attenuates Locomotor Effects Of Morphine But Not Morphine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Stacy Dianne Engebretson

Masters Theses

Salvinorin A (SA), a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist, is the main psychoactive ingredient in the plant Salvia divinorum. The addiction potential of this naturally occurring hallucinogen is currently under investigation using well-validated preclinical screening procedures, including conditioned place preference (CPP). The primary aim of the current study was to determine the effects of SA on CPP established by morphine in adult rats. A secondary aim was to determine if the vehicle used to dissolve SA, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), influenced the outcome of SA place conditioning. Rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: morphine (10 mg/kg) vs. …

Promoting Understanding Of Informed Consent, Michael N. Reynolds

Masters Theses

Several studies have shown that research participants who have consented to participate in a study often have limited comprehension of the information presented in the informed consent process. This study compared performance on an end-of-study consent document information retention measure between a read-and-sign consent procedure control group and an enhanced consent procedure experimental group. The enhanced consent procedure consisted of a pre-consent educational module and a question-and-answer style consent document. The control group scored an average of 78.7% correct on the multiple-choice question measure of participant retention of information contained within the consent documents. The experimental group scored an average …

I'M The Same Me: Communication And Renegotiation Of Identity In The Weight-Loss Surgery Experiences Of Women, Heather D. Schild

Masters Theses

Adult obesity rates are on the rise in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control (2009) which has led to an increase in obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Weight-loss surgery (WLS) has become accepted as a "cure" for obesity by the medical community. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of obese individuals electing to undergo WLS every year; 82% of these individuals are women (AHRQ, 2007). More women may be electing to undergo these procedures than men due to the pressures women face in American culture to achieve social standards of …

Hybridization Facilitates The Rapid Evolution Of Reduced Herbicide Sensitivity In The Widely-Managed Invasive Aquatic Plant, Eurasian Watermilfoil, Elizabeth Ann Larue

Masters Theses

Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is one of North American’s most invasive and widely managed aquatic weeds. Eurasian watermilfoil also hybridizes with the native northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum) to produce many invasive and genetically diverse populations of hybrid watermilfoils. Both Eurasian and hybrid watermilfoils are commonly controlled with herbicides, but there has been recent concern that some hybrids exhibit reduced herbicide sensitivity. There is a lack of studies comparing the response of Eurasian and hybrid watermilfoils to commonly used herbicides. To determine if hybrids exhibit reduced herbicide sensitivity, I compared the sensitivity of hybrid and Eurasian watermilfoil …

Organic Options For Striped Cucumber Beetle Management In Cucumbers, Katie Brandt

Masters Theses

Striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittata F.) are a serious pest of cucurbits, particularly on organic farms. These pests are the vector and overwintering host for bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila), which kills plants and can render cucumbers, melons and other produce unmarketable. During field research in 2009, row covers, compost tea and reflective mulch were compared on a commercial organic farm in Ottawa County, Michigan. I collected data on plant growth, incidence of bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila), marketable and unmarketable yields and profits. I found that row covers led to significant increases in plant growth, significant increases in marketable yield during …

The Effects Of Berberine And Nitroxl (Hno) On The Glucose Uptake In L929 Fibroblast Cells, Jude Terver-Jeremiah Chenge

Masters Theses

Berberine, which has a long history of use in Chinese medicine, has recently been shown to have efficacy in the treatment of diabetes. While the hypoglycemic effect of berberine has been clearly documented in animal and cell line models, such as 3T3-L1 adipocytes and L6 myotube cells, the mechanism of action appears complex with data implicating activation of the insulin signaling pathway as well as activation of the exercise or AMP kinase-mediated pathway. There have been no reports of the acute affects of berberine on the transport activity of the insulin-insensitive glucose transporter, GLUT1. Therefore, we examined the acute effects …

Gender And The Boundaries Of National Identity: U.S. Women As A Citizen Class In The Long 1960s, Sara Bijani

Masters Theses

This text analyzes the public ideologies and institutions that underpinned women's unequal status within the national collective of United States citizens during the long 1960s, paying particular attention to the executive office of Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the national security establishment. Women were frequently framed within these institutions as a separate special class of citizen, with rights and responsibilities not akin to those of the elite—male bodied—members of the national collective. Allowing for the imaginative construction of "women" as a subject class in U.S. society, this text argues that even with the guarantee of formal political rights in place, women …