Digital Commons Network^™

Simulation Of Drosophila Circadian Oscillations, Mutations, And Light Responses By A Model With Vri, Pdp-1, And Clk, Paul Smolen, Paul E. Hardin, Brian S. Lo, Douglas A. Baxter, John H. Byrne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A model of Drosophila circadian rhythm generation was developed to represent feedback loops based on transcriptional regulation of per, Clk (dclock), Pdp-1, and vri (vrille). The model postulates that histone acetylation kinetics make transcriptional activation a nonlinear function of [CLK]. Such a nonlinearity is essential to simulate robust circadian oscillations of transcription in our model and in previous models. Simulations suggest that two positive feedback loops involving Clk are not essential for oscillations, because oscillations of [PER] were preserved when Clk, vri, or Pdp-1 expression was fixed. However, eliminating positive feedback by fixing vri expression altered the oscillation period. Eliminating …

Community Ecology Of Freshwater, Brackish And Salt Marshes Of The Rio Grande Delta, Frank W. Judd, Robert I. Lonard

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Species composition and importance, species diversity and evenness, species richness, and community similarity are compared among 6 freshwater, 9 brackish and 11 salt marshes in the Rio Grande Delta. Community similarity is generally low among marshes, but salt marshes have a greater mean coefficient of similarity than brackish marshes. Species richness per marsh ranges from 15 to 31 for freshwater marshes, 7 to 24 for brackish marshes and 7 to 26 for salt marshes. Each freshwater marsh has a different dominant species. The first six species in importance in all three kinds of marshes contribute from 72.6 to 99.8% of …

The Descent Of Darwin—A Theological Understanding Of Charles Darwin, David Kummer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In the process of seeking to understand Charles Darwin and his ideas that have come to dominate much of the modern/postmodern, western worldview, it is essential to elucidate the historical context in which both are developed is essential to elucidate. This approach asserts a reciprocity between Darwin the man (son, explorer, naturalist, husband, father, controversialist)and his ideas that not only derive from his life experiences but also contribute to them. An obvious place to start in this regard is the relationship he has with his mother. Although seemingly Freudian in tone, the purpose for this analysis does not include a …

The Community Patent And Space-Related Inventions, Anna Maria Balsano, Aude De Clercq

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Criminal Jurisdiction On The International Space Station, Hans P. Sinha

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

No Space Colonies: Creating A Space Civilization And The Need For A Defining Constitution, George S. Robinson

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Developing an understanding of the habitat usage of reptiles is important when trying to develop a management or restoration plan that is compatible with what is known of the reptile species that are being investigated. There are many lizard species found in the Mojave Desert, but there are only four known to inhabit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (LVSP) in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the LVSP, sites are going to be restored with native Mojave Desert vegetation. Since there are many habitat types in the Mojave Desert, we must determine which types would be best suited for the four species …

Remote Sensing Of Sagebrush Community Structural Patterns Across Scales, Lisa A. Langs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Throughout the Intermountain West there has been a substantial reduction in both the quantity and quality of sagebrush ecosystems. To assist current range management objectives, numerous efforts have been made to classify and map sagebrush communities using remotely sensed data. However, the amount of detail provided by these broad-scale mapping projects is often limited. This research evaluated the ability of a suite of airborne and satellite imagery to detect sagebrush community structural attributes, specifically percent canopy cover, live cover, density, size-vigor, and spatial arrangement of shrubs. Field data was collected at Camp Williams National Guard Training Facility near Bluffdale, Utah, …

Quantifying Losses Of Understory Forage In Aspen Stands On The Dixie And Fishlake National Forests, Barton R. Stam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The West has lost up to 60% of its historic aspen stands over the last century, probably as a result of the successional tendency of aspen to be replaced by coniferous species in the absence of periodic fires. One of several major impacts of this change is the loss of understory forage as conifer canopy cover increases. I measured understory biomass in aspen stands ranging from 0% to 81 % absolute conifer cover in the canopy and found that understory production declines exponentially as conifers replace aspen. I also did an economic analysis to determine the value of the forage …

Watershed Management To Control Pollution In The Ayuquila River, Jalisco, Mexico, Luis Manuel Martinez Rivera

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Ayuquila River watershed is important to western Mexico because of its biodiversity, physiography, fisheries resources, and water production. However, human activities are continuingly affecting natural resources within the basin. Soil erosion, as result of land use change, agriculture in steep land, extensive grazing activities and forest fires; and water diversion and pollution of the Ayuquila River are two relevant issues that have affected the natural resources of this watershed.

This river system plays an important role in wildlife conservation, containing 29 fish species, of which 12 are found inside the BRSM. The River also contains nine species of crustacean, …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Socioeconomic Differences In Obesity And Weight Change During The Early Adult Years, Young-Taek Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in American society. However, not enough attention has been given to weight change by temporal and dynamic detailed social characteristics, controlled for unobserved heterogeneities nested in county and state. Using the National Longitudinal Survey Youth (NLSY79), this study examined weight change and its development into unhealthy conditions like being overweight or obese, in relation to change in social characteristics including life course events. This study also examined the social characteristics of remaining at a normal weight through all time intervals over a 19-year period. Using hierarchical linear multilevel analysis, this study found that changes in …

Attachment Strategies Of Adolescents In Foster Care: Indicators And Implications, Shannon Leigh Trewartha

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of an art-based assessment to recognize the attachment strategy of adolescents in foster care. The extenuating circumstances of foster care make it imperative to develop a sensitive, accurate, and time-efficient tool. Knowledge of specific attachment strategy can better guide therapeutic interventions. This study examined adolescents’ attachment strategy as measured by the Adolescent Relationship Questionnaire (A-RSQ) in comparison to ratings on the Bird’s Nest Drawing (BND). Fourteen adolescents in foster care participated.

Due to the low number of participants, data was predominantly analyzed descriptively. On the A-RSQ, the sample had lower …

Effects Of Drought On The Growth Of Young And Mature Temperate Forests In West Virginia, Nicholas R. Doner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research suggests that the temperate deciduous forests of the eastern United States may have played a significant role in the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide over the last 100 years. However, little is known about the role of forest management and climatic variability on the productivity of these forests. The purpose of this study was to determine the variation in aboveground production between two different aged forest stands and to evaluate the effect of drought on inter-annual variation in productivity. Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) was compared with precipitation and the Palmer Drought Severity Index to determine the effects …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Goals Of Secondary Schools Physical Education In State Of Kuwait, Obaid Alshammari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of the Kuwait physical education teachers relevant to the goals of the physical education program for secondary schools. Data were collected from a sample consisting of 200 (n = 200) physical education teachers teaching in six provinces in Kuwait. For data collection, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, named "Kuwaiti Physical Education Goals" (KPEG) was designed. The instrument asked the participants to indicate the level of agreement with four categories of physical education goals. In addition, differences in teachers based on gender between physical education teachers' perceptions were investigated. An examination …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Children’S Development As Reflected In Their Artwork: An Investigation Of Children’S Drawings From The African Country Of Benin, Elizabeth Anna Smead

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This research adds to the body of knowledge related to the human figure drawing as a useful tool in assessment and to art therapists’ understanding of children who depict the human figure in cross-cultural settings. This researcher obtained a sample collection of 148 human figure drawings from African children in rural Benin, West Africa to study in comparison to a set of human figure drawings collected under similar conditions in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In this quantitative study, five of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scales (FEATS) were modified and used to tally the formal elements of each of the 148 …

Post-Flood Recovery And Distributions Of Fishes In The New River Gorge National River, West Virginia, David I. Wellman Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following thesis contains three chapters. The first chapter introduces and reviews literature on disturbances in streams (e.g. flood and drought), recovery of impacted lotic systems, introduced species and New River fish distributions. Chapter 2 provides a synthesis of native and nonnative fish distribution data of the New River Gorge National River (NRGNR). Sixty-two species were documented within or near the NRGNR. Thirty-one (50%) are considered nonnative. The third chapter consists of a study that estimated seasonal abundances of native and nonnative fishes in small tributaries of NRGNR during a 20 month time period following July 2001 floods, and examined …

Interaction Between Primary Alveolar Macrophages And Primary Alveolar Type Ii Cells Under Basal Conditions And After Lipopolysaccharide Or Quartz Exposure, Rania S. Kanj

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evidence suggests that hyperproduction of reactive oxidants and inflammatory mediators plays a critical role in adverse pulmonary responses to silica or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The main objective of this study was to contribute to advancing the understanding of the role of AM's and type II (TII) cells in the induction of pulmonary inflammation and injury in response to silica and LPS, and improve our understanding of the interaction between AM's and TII cells which would occur in vivo. To reach this objective, three aims were put forth. (1) Determine the relative responsiveness of primary rat AM's, primary rat TII cells and …

Origins And The Twentieth-Century Long Poem, Joe W. Moffett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The long poem is often seen by critics as beginning in the nineteenth-century with the publication of Walt Whitman's Song of Myself. It is generally agreed, however, that the form did not come of age until the following century when it became a premier poetic endeavor. Although the long poem has been used to various ends, one theme identifiable among a variety of twentieth-century texts is a concern with origins. In this dissertation poets are seen as seeking to evaluate the societies in which they live by looking into the past to find originary cultures from which their own descend. …

Identification And Functional Characterization Of Cataract-Specific Gene Expression Changes Reveals Important Pathways For Human Lens Maintenance, Aging And Disease, John R. Hawse Iv

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Human age-related cataract, and opacity of the eye lens, is a multifactorial disease with a poorly understood etiology and is the leading cause of world blindness and low vision. It has been estimated that any therapy that could delay the onset of age-related cataract by ten years would halve the number of individuals requiring surgery in their lifetime. To accomplish such a feat, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms and biological pathways associated with this disease. Here, I describe the global gene expression profiles of human age-related cataracts compared to clear lenses, differentiate these changes from those that …

Mechanisms Of Retroviral Reverse Transcription And Assembly, Sara Kirsten Rasmussen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The work described in these dissertation studies examines three aspects of retrovirus replication and dissects the uncovered phenomena to increase understanding of how retroviruses thrive in complex host environments. The first aspect of replication discussed is the mechanisms behind minus-strand DNA transfer, a crucial step of reverse transcription. We proved for the first time that non-viral sequences can be utilized to carry out this step of the replication process, and that the minus-strand DNA transfer step can be exploited to reconstitute a functional gene in the infected host cell. This finding serves as a proof-of-principle for a new class of …

Tests For Causes Of Rarity In Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis L.), Suzanne Sanders

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hydrastis canadensis L. (goldenseal) is becoming more uncommon within the eastern deciduous forest. I performed a series of studies that tested hypotheses about population decline and causes of rarity. First, I assessed the time-trend of a natural H. canadensis population in an Indiana nature preserve which had been censused 26 years prior. We found a negative population trajectory between the two time periods. The second goal of this dissertation was to determine the breeding system of H. canadensis. The breeding system type appears unlikely to be a major factor limiting the distribution or abundance of H. canadensis. My third objective …

Cascade Radical Cyclizations Of Benzannulated Enyne-Allenes And Development Of New Synthetic Strategies For Novel Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Yonghong Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The cascade radical cyclization of benzannulated enyne-allene generated in situ from enediynyl propargylic alcohols promoted by thionyl chloride via an SNi' reaction provides an efficient synthetic pathway to 11H-benzo[b]fluoren-11-ols and related compounds. The simplicity of the synthetic sequence and the mildness of the reaction condition make this cascade reaction sequence useful for the construction of polycyclic aromatic compounds. Interestingly, when this strategy was employed for the systems having two benzannulated enyne-allene units, it was quite unexpected that the reaction sequence led to the formation of highly twisted 1,1'-dialkyl-9,9'-bifluorenylidenes involving an unusual cleavage of a benzene ring, and spiro[1H-cyclobut[ a]indene-1,9'-[9H]fluorenes] along …

Evaluation Of Time Out-Based Discipline Strategy To Manage Children's Noncompliance With Cystic Fibrosis Treatment, Catherine Bradford Mcclellan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, terminal illness that requires intensive, time-consuming, and sometimes painful treatment for optimal health and longevity. Given the complex and aversive nature of treatment, children with CF frequently develop avoidance behaviors resulting in noncompliance to parents' treatment requests. The purpose of this study was to use a single-subject reversal design to compare children's compliance with parents' typical strategies to children's compliance when a time out based discipline strategy is in effect. Participants were two children who displayed noncompliant behavior to their parent's treatment requests. Outcome measures included parent and child behaviors as assessed by an …

Assessment Of The Learning Styles Of Students At The Eastern Caribbean Institute Of Agriculture And Forestry, Centeno, Trinidad And Tobago And Identification Of Teaching Methods Used By Instructors, Cynthia Marie Burskey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An issue in higher education is to create a learning environment that is both positive and effective. With teaching methods that take into account all the learning styles within the classroom, a teacher can make the atmosphere of the classroom more conducive to learning. This study sought to determine if the teachers at the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, Centeno, Trinidad and Tobago (ECIAF) were using instructional methods that facilitated learning in their students. A two-phase study was utilized. Phase I used a descriptive survey to determine the learning styles of 36 first-year students at ECIAF. Phase II …

Learning Styles Of Extension Agents Responsible For Pesticide Re-Certification Training Programs In West Virginia, Anne M. Custer-Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As a condition of license renewal necessary for restricted-use pesticides, private pesticide applicators are required to accumulate five hours or 10 continuing education units (CEUs) every three years. These programs provide valuable experiential learning opportunities to adult learners. As a result, adult learning is a topic of research. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI) has been used in research for many years to determine learning style preferences of adults. The purpose of the study was to categorize each agent according to their learning style and to determine if relationships exist between learning style preferences and the agents' major program area, Extension …

Factors Affecting Iron Status Among Infants Age 6--24 Months, Christopher Melonas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Iron deficiency has been shown to have a multitude of negative effects on the growing infant. The diet plays a key role in alleviating iron deficiency within a younger population. The objective of this study was to search out specific nutrients in the diet that have some affect on iron status in a population of infants age 6 to 24 months.;This was a cross-sectional study that included 57 rural infants who participated in the WIC program. Dietary intake data was collected by 2 multiple-pass 24-hour intakes done 3 to 4 days apart. Blood was collected by venipuncture and analyzed for …

Molecular Mechanism Of Vitamin D Action And Its Implications In Ovarian Cancer Prevention And Therapy, Feng Jiang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25VD), the active form of vitamin D (VD), suppresses the growth of numerous human cancer cell lines by inhibiting cell cycle progression and inducing cell death. Genes that mediate each of these activities remain largely unidentified and there are no preclinical data for 1,25VD analogues in ovarian cancer (OCa). We hypothesize that 1,25VD and its analogues inhibit the development of OCa. In this study, we demonstrated, (a) 1,25VD causes cell cycle arrest at the G1/S and G2/M transition and induces apoptosis in OCa cells. (b) We also found that gadd45 is one of primary target genes for 1,25VD-mediated …

An Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan For Blue Lake, Fairview, Oregon, Mary Pfauth, Mark Sytsma

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Blue Lake, located in Fairview, is on the 1998 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) 303(d) list of water quality impaired water bodies for violating the upper pH standard (8.5) and supporting abundant aquatic weeds and alge. The lake is eutrophic and has high algal productivity, especially in mid to late summer. Curlyleaf pondweed, a non-native, invasive aquatic plant species, restricts access to and use of Blue Lake by humans. Human uses of the lake which have been impaired including boating, water skiing, fishing, and swimming. Development of the current Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan was driven by the need …

Neurology In The 21st Century: Contemporary State Of Diagnostics And Therapeutics, Saad Shafqat, Mohammad Wasay

Department of Medicine

Although neurological disease has been recognized since antiquity, neurology as a systematic clinical discipline is less than 130 years old. Neurological practice has traditionally been constrained by the complexity of the human nervous system, which has been slow to yield its secrets. Over the last three decades, however, clinical neurology has been transformed in terms of both diagnostics and therapeutics and now marches in lockstep with the cutting edge of medicine. Efficacious treatments are now available for the majority of neurological diseases, including epilepsy, migraine, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. This neurological revolution has been enabled …

Labor Force Employment And The Future_May 2004, Lee A. Reynis, Tony Sylvester

BBER Publications

This report analyzes Raton’s shifting labor market following the end of coal mining, identifying emerging opportunities in tourism and coalbed methane extraction while documenting significant skill gaps, aging workforce trends, and over 170 current job vacancies. It emphasizes the need for expanded education, training, and coordinated community action to align labor supply with future employer demand.