Digital Commons Network^™

Traits Underlying Invasiveness: A Comparison Of Widespread And Endemic Species In The Genus Gambusia (Poeciliidae), Jennifer Schopf Rehage

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the irreversible nature of biological invasions, prediction has been a key area of emphasis in invasion biology. Specifically, the degree to which species-specific traits may help us predict invasion success is a core issue in the field. My research examined a series of traits and asked whether they were good predictors of invasion success, particularly establishment success. I compared traits among four species of the poeciliid fish Gambusia, two of them highly invasive (G. affinis and G. holbrooki) and two of them non-invasive (G. hispaniolae and G. geiseri).I examined abiotic tolerances, feeding behavior, behavioral responses to novel predation …

Recognizing Toxic Species In Aquatic Habitats: A Potential Concern In Lake Management, Mikolaj Kokocinski, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The importance of distinguishing toxic and non-toxic algal species is becoming a more common problem for management decisions associated with various freshwater and estuarine habitats. An example is given where two dinoflagellates, originally unidentified as closely resembling the toxin producing Pfiesteria spp., have been compared to these species. In order to clarify any relationship to Pfiesteria spp., scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the plate tabulation patterns of these dinoflagellates and make comparisons to the tabulation present in Pfiesteria spp. The results indicated significant differences in the plate tabulations of these taxa to distinguish them from Pfiesteria …

Algal Composition And Abundance In The Neuston Surface Micro Layer From A Lake And Pond In Virginia (U.S.A.), Lubomira Burchardt, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A comparative study was conducted that characterized the algae within the neuston, ca 2 mm below the surface, and the algae in the water column from two freshwater habitats. There were significant differences in total algal abundance and the abundance of diatoms, cyanoprokaryotes, and chlorophytes between the neuston and water column algae of these two regions during each season and at both sites. The pond neuston was dominated by chlorophytes, with total algal abundance ranging seasonally from 0.6 to 59.6 x 10^-3 cells ml^-1 compared to water column algal concentrations of 4.1 to 40.4 x 10-3 cells ml-1. …

The Tower Clock 2003, Tower Clock

Tower Clock Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Questioning The Universality Of Human Rights, Paul J. Magnarella

Human Rights & Human Welfare

A review of:

Universal Human Rights? edited by Robert G. Patman. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000. 244pp.

and

Dealing with Human Rights: Asian and Western Views on the Value of Human Rights edited by Martha Meijer. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press, 2001. 183pp.

and

The Philosophy of Human Rights by Patrick Hayden. St. Paul: Paragon House, 2001. 686pp.

Beyond The Black Heart: The United States And Human Rights, Daniel J. Whelan

Human Rights & Human Welfare

A review of:

The United States and Human Rights: Looking Inward and Outward edited by David P. Forsythe. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. 404pp.

In Our Own Best Interest: How Defending Human Rights Benefits Us All by William F. Shultz. Boston: Beacon Press, 2001. 235pp.

In the National Interest, 2001: Human Rights Policies for the Bush Administration by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. New York: Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 2001. 157pp.

Sharing Indigenous Knowledge: To Share Or Not To Share? That Is The Question, Christine Hagar

Faculty Publications

The Internet and digital technology create new possibilities for the development of cultures,communities and knowledge. Over the last twenty years there has been a great increase in interest inindigenous knowledge from a variety of groups, including academia, development agencies and thecorporate world. Within this diverse range of interests, there have been initiatives to facilitate a globalnetwork to exchange indigenous knowledge by development agencies such as the World Bank's'Indigneous Knowledge for Development Program' and UNESCO's 'Best Practices of IndigenousKnowledge' database. The development agencies appear to be mainly concerned with systematizingindigenous knowledge and looking at the notion of indigenous knowledge as forming …

Judging Distance Across Texture Discontinuities, Cary S. Feria, M. L. Braunstein, G. J. Andersen

Faculty Publications

Sinai et al (1998 Nature 395 497 - 500) showed that less distance is perceived along a ground surface that spans two differently textured regions than along a surface that is uniformly textured. We examined the effect of texture continuity on judged distance using computer-generated displays of simulated surfaces in five experiments. Discontinuities were produced by using different textures, the same texture reversed in contrast, or the same texture shifted horizontally. The simulated surface was either a ground plane or a frontoparallel plane. For all textures and both orientations, less distance was judged in the discontinuous conditions than in continuous …

Comparative Serological And Molecular Analysis Of Group Viii Spiroplasma From Australia And North America, April Carmita Murphy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Spiroplasma bacteria (Mollicutes: Spiroplasmataceae) are characterized by motility, helical morphology and are most frequently found in insect guts and phloem tubes of plants. Traditionally, Spiroplasma have been classified by serology. Recent work has generated 16S rDNA sequences that generally correlate with the serological findings. Although the serology and the 16S rDNA sequence analysis clearly classifies strains to the group level, they do not distinguish between strains within the same group. The goal of this project was to investigate the utility of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region sequence as a means to distinguish these closely related strains.

We chose Group …

Mosquitoes, West Nile Virus, Attractants, Competition, Environmental Conditions, And Insecticide Resistance, Alan Bradley Wells

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

The six main objectives of this project were: 1) test for levels of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes collected at a Fulton County Recreational Facility, 2) assay various mosquito oviposition attractants on West Nile virus positive female mosquitoes, 3) test effects of distance between mosquito infusion attractants, 4) determine effects of study site location, treatment, and competition distances on mosquito collections, 5) test for any correlation between environmental factors and mosquito abundance, and 6) measure levels of enzymatic insecticide resistance present in species of female mosquitoes that tested positive for the presence of West Nile Virus. Ofthe two species that …

Biological Signature Of Scotian Shelf Water Crossovers On Georges Bank During Spring 1997, Karen F. Wishner, Dian J. Gifford, Barbara K. Sullivan, James J. Bisagni, Dawn M. Outram, Donna E. Van Keuren

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Episodic crossovers of cold low salinity Scotian Shelf Water (SSW) onto the Northeast Peak of Georges Bank are a potentially important mechanism transporting plankton species, including the copepod Calanus finmarchicus and its prey and predators, onto the Bank each spring. We provide the first detailed investigation of horizontal and vertical zooplankton distributions in SSW crossovers compared to other onbank locations from three GLOBEC cruises during spring 1997. SSW crossovers are physically and biologically distinct from other Bank locations. In late spring, chlorophyll concentrations and in vivo fluorescence are elevated and light transmission is reduced in SSW, while during early spring, …

Highly Branched Isoprenoid Alkenes From Diatoms: A Biosynthetic And Life Cycle Investigation, Guillaume Gabriel Masse

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

In addition to the production of phytol (from chlorophylls) and sterols, a limited number of diatom species are capable of synthesising unusual C25 and C30 highly branched isoprenoid (HBl) alkenes. At the outset of the current investigation, the structures of most C25 and C30 HBIs had been identified. Some environmental factors had been shown to control their production, although a detailed understanding of these remained unclear. In addition, the biological functions of the chemicals remained unknown, and the reasons for their production by some species and not by others, was not understood. Investigations on the distributions of C25 and C30 …

Speciation Analysis Of Arsenic And Selenium By Hplc And Mass Spectrometry, Sarah Fitzpatrick

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

New methodologies have been developed for the determination of arsenic and selenium species in a variety of environmentally important matrices. A simple liquid chromatographic separation technique based upon mini-column technology was developed to obtain a simultaneous, fast, efficient and reliable separation of relatively toxic from relatively non-toxic arsenic and selenium species. The relatively toxic arsenic and selenium species studied were inorganic Asv, AsIII, SeVI and SeIV. The relatively non-toxic species of arsenic and selenium studied were AsBet, DMA and Se Met. Optimum conditions were found to be the use of a Hamilton PRP X100 12-20 µm anion-exchange resin with column …

Investigation Of Primary Productivity Along The Atlantic Meridional Transect (50°N To 33°S) Through Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry, Claudia Yuki Omachi

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Phytoplankton physiology and primary productivity at basin scales were determined using in situ data from fast repetition rate (FRR) fluorometry. Samples were collected along the Atlantic Meridional Transect cruise 11 (AMTll, September-October 2000), between 50°N and 33°S in the Atlantic Ocean. Because of the large-scale nature of the study, consistent knowledge about oceanographic conditions and the phytoplankton community structure of each sampling station were required. The province analysis was carried out by detecting the regional variations of water mass characteristics in the upper 200 m layer. Temperature versus salinity diagrams were plotted at each station and further analyses of nitrate …

Uncertainty Contributions To Species Specific Isotope Dilution Analysis, Rob Clough

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Mercury speciation in solid sample matrices has been investigated using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with multicollector sector field (MCSF) and quadrupole (Q) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for species specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). 199Hg enriched methylmercurychloride has been synthesised and recovered in the solid form for use as a spike material. The stability of methylmercury during the IDMS procedure was investigated using 199Hg and 13C labelled methylmercury isotopomers and ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. IntermoIecuJar exchange of the methylmercury halide counter ion was observed, the halide counter ion order of preference was l>Br>Cl. …

In Situ Measurement Of Trace Metals In Coastal Waters, Kate Ann Howell

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

This thesis describes the use of in situ and laboratory techniques for monitoring of trace metals and master variables in the environment. Chapter 1 presents a general overview of trace metals, their sources, sinks and roles in estuaries and near coastal zones, their general characteristics and the importance of their behaviour in estuaries. Filtration and commonly used analytical methods for trace metals detemriinations in natural waters are also discussed. Chapter 2 highlights the importance of colloids (in the size range 0.2 to 0.4 \im) to membrane clogging and concludes that cojloids account for a significant part of clogging of membrane …

Characterisation Of Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity In The Sea Anemone Aiptasia Pallida And An Evaluation Of Responses To Environmental Stress, Clare Emma Morrall

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Studies were undertaken to investigate the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS; E.C. 1.14.13.39) activity in number of cnidarian species from shallow marine subtropical environments. Enzyme activity was assayed by measuring the conversion of 3H L-arginine to 3H L-citrulline (the citrulline assay). This assay was shown to be sufficiently sensitive for studies of this nature but was not optimised for use with cnidarian preparations. As a result, confidence in the accuracy of the generated assay results is limited. NOS activity was nevertheless demonstrated in the sea anemone A. pallida, in the zooxanthellae associated with A. pallida, Symbiodinium spp. and in …

The Oceanography And Modelling Of The Pontevedra Ria (Nw Spain), Andrew W. Dale

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

A multidisciplinary study the oceanography of the Pontevedra Ria (NW Spain), including hydrography, biogeochemistiy and biogeochemical modelling, has been performed. The hydrographical variability of the Pontevedra Ria was dependent on freshwater inputs and upwelling of nutrient-rich East North Atlantic Central Water from the shelf. Intrusions of the Poleward Current were also detected during winter. A stratified box model approach predicted that upwelling water fluxes into the ria of 2-4x10³ m³ s-1, of which >30% rises to the surface waters inside the ria. Freshwater residence time varied from ~4-9 d in the central ria and 1-4 d in the internal ria. …

Sandy Tin Tailings In Malaysia: Characterization And Rehabilitation, David Stuart Tompkins

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Cassiterite extraction in West Malaysia has left a legacy of some 80,000 hectares of nutrient-poor, drought-prone, quartz sandy tailings. Their proximity to urban centres has long made them a target for agricultural and forestry enterprises, and various techniques have been developed to overcome their intractability, including amendment with bulky organic matter and replacement with natural soils. Although reasonably successful, these approaches have often failed to acknowledge that a percentage of the original heavy mineral suite remains in sandy tailings, exerting possible phytotoxic effects and certainly raising concerns about the suitability of sandy tailings for agronomic crop production. To determine the …

Risk Factors Associated With The Mucociliary Apparatus In Intensive Care Patients, Ross James Kay

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Initially, there were two principal aims of this investigation. A laboratory based project studying the effect of elevated fraction of inspired oxygen on the ciliary coverage of rat trachea in culture and a clinically based investigation of the ciliary coverage and frequency of ciliary ultrastructural abnormalities in the bronchus of intensive care unit patients. The mucociliary apparatus is the main airway defence mechanism protecting the lungs from respiratory infections. It is vital in intubated patients, as they lack the back up clearance mechanism normally provided by the cough reflex. Ciliary coverage and ultrastructural integrity are two key components of effective …

Detection Of Gaps In The Spatial Coverage Of Coral Reef Monitoring Projects In The Us Caribbean And Gulf Of Mexico, Rebecca G. Asch, D. D. Turgeon

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

As part of the US Coral Reef Task Force's National Program to Map, Assess, Inventory, and Monitor US Coral Reef Ecosystems, a comprehensive survey of projects/programs monitoring coral reef ecosystems and related habitats (i.e., seagrass beds and mangroves) in the US Caribbean and Pacific was undertaken. Information was gathered on a total of 296 monitoring and assessment projects conducted since 1990 in the US Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Substantial gaps in monitoring coverage of US coral reef ecosystems were revealed through geographic information system (GIS) analysis of survey metadata. Although southern Florida contains approximately two-thirds of all marine …

J Am Coll Dent 2003 70 1

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD) publishes scholarly articles, editorials, essays, and reflections addressing the ethical, professional, and social dimensions of dentistry. The Journal serves as a forum for advancing ethics, professionalism, leadership, and excellence within the dental community. By fostering dialogue across disciplines and perspectives, JACD provides readers with insights that encourage ethical, professional practice, lifelong learning, and service to the public, reinforcing dentistry’s commitment to advancing oral healthcare and the common good.

An Investigation Of T Cell Dysregulation In B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, Sophie Grace Scrivener

Other Faculty of Health Theses

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) is characterized by an accumulation of clonal malignant B cells within lymphoid tissue, the bone marrow and the peripheral blood. Whilst abnormalities of these B cells are the essential cause of this disease, the aim of this research project was to investigate whether the T cell compartment may play a role in the aetiology of this disease by evaluating the expression of key surface antigens involved in both activation of and interaction with B cells and other antigen presenting cells of the immune system. There were marked abnormalities in the expression of certain key activation …

The Role Of Acute Normovolaemic Haemodilution In Gastro-Intestinal Surgery, Grant Sanders

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Background: Allogeneic transfusion confers a risk to the recipient and the recent introduction of leucocyte depleted blood has increased cost pressure on health resources. Colorectal surgery is a high blood usage field with 43% of all patients in our unit being transfused, over a three year period. Patient perceptions: Despite the risks associated with transfusion, a majority of patients are willing to have an allogeneic transfusion (85%) and think it is safe (89%), which may have implications in the uptake of alternatives available. The effect of bowel preparation Picolax bowel preparation causes significant dehydrating effects which may impair acute normovolaemic …

A Study Of The Molecular Genetics Of Renal Cell Carcinoma In Man, Martin Ollerenshaw

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The aim was to measure the expression levels of hypoxia inducible factor 1-α (HJF-lα), glucose transporter one (GLUT-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoforms 165 and 189 mRNA in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients with RCC underwent radical nephrectomy at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. Tumour as well as matched normal tissue from the kidney was harvested, snap frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen, and used to quantitate VEGF 165, VEGF 189, GLUT-1 and HJF-1α mRNA expression using ribonuclease protection assays, and quantified using a Phosphor-imager system. The VEGF 165 isoform was increased in the tumour tissue in comparison …

The Effect Of Field Boundary Type On The Community Structure, Spatial Distribution And Physiological Condition Of Overwintering Arthropods, With Special Reference To Carabidae And Staphylinidae (Coleoptera), Georgianne J.K. Griffiths

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

The potential of different field boundary types in lowland farmland to contribute to arthropod biodiversity and sustainable agriculture was investigated. Field boundaries, categorised according to nationally applicable definitions, were found to represent ecologically differing habitats based on their woody abundance and the frequency of young and mature emergent trees. These habitat characteristics were determining factors in the community structure and composition of overwintering epigeal arthropods. Hedgerows supported the most species rich carabid and staphylinid assemblage. Degraded hedgerow boundaries supported the most equitable carabid community, and provided a refuge for carabid species with poor dispersal power to a greater extent that …

Benefits Of Fermented Liquid Diets For Sows And Their Piglets, Vlasta Demeckova

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

A programme of study was undertaken to asses the antimicrobial and potential immunological properties of fermented liquid feed fed to sows in late gestation period. A liquid feed fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum fed to the pregnant sow in late gestation had the potential to beneficially modify the microflora the lactating sows introduces into the environment, which was consequently reflected in beneficial changes in the gut microflora of their litters. In addition, colostrum from sows fed FLF had a significantly greater mitogenic activity on both intestinal ce11s (79326 ± 3069 CPM) and blood lymphocytes (1903 ± 204 CPM) compared with colostrum …

Philosophies Of Colour: Gender And Acculturation, Helen V Andrew

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

My hypothesis is that 'Colour' as idea acts as a dynamic in the production of meaning and as such is part of what Le Doeuff (1991: 46-49) argues are deeply held epistemes that structure and govern our ways of thinking. I have dealt with the difficulties attendant on the analysis of a phenomenon as insubstantial as colour (as idea and as precept) by assuming Goethe's (1810: 305-323) concept of the enrobement of colour to objects without also attaching Goethe's theoretical hypothesis of moral associations to colour. Thus I combine four different methodologies to broadly related areas and cloak each in …

The Kinesfield : A Study Of Movement-Based Interactive And Choreographic Art, Gretchen Elizabeth Schiller

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Through the exploration of practice and theory, this thesis aims to elucidate the characteristics of movement-based interactive art and the kinesfield, a term developed during the course of the research to describe the publics' body-medium. Movement-based interactive art is based on choreographed movements of the body, media and specialized technologies which facilitate new forms of participatory movement experience. This emergent art form has initiated new methods of experiencing and presenting dance in the public domain. lt is argued that this leads to new artistic developments which may constitute a paradigm shift of the concept of the body-medium in the field …

Children And Family Values : A Critical Appraisal Of 'Family' In Schools, Rowena Alexandra Passy

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Prompted by the Labour government's proposal to introduce education on family relationships into the National Curriculum, this research project was set up to investigate how teachers portrayed 'family' within the classroom and the reactions that children had to the images that were presented. The intention was to highlight any problems that might arise from including 'family' into the formal curriculum. The fieldwork was conducted in three primary and three secondary schools. Two of each of the schools were located in the West Country and the remaining two, in order to give some ethnic and cultural balance to the project, were …