Digital Commons Network^™

Exposure Of Nervous System Cells To Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs), Results In Alterations Of Neurotrophic Factor Expression, Gordon H. Gurley

Dissertations

Toxic insult by PCBs results in learning and memory deficits in humans. Alterations in expression of neurotrophic factors (NF) and/or their receptors have been linked to changes in learning and memory. How PCBs affect cognition is not known. We suggest that PCBs affect cognition by altering NF expression.

We exposed cultured C6 rat glioblastoma cells (an astrocyte cell-line) to medium containing PCB (Aroclor 1254 (10ppm)). Control cells were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or regular medium. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to determine glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) concentrations in all samples. We also …

Inside Earth, Volume 9, No. 1, Summer 2006, Rodney D. Horrocks, Cave And Karst Program (U.S.)

Inside Earth

Contents: New Cave Discovered in Sequoia National Park -- Using SpeleoWorks and Wind Cave Inventory Database to Locate Paleo Sites in Wind Cave -- Wind Cave Survey Becomes Fourth Longest Cave in the World -- Park Updates

The Uniqueness Of Persons In The Life And Thought Of Karol Wojtyła/Pope John Paul Ii, With Emphasis On His Indebtedness To Max Scheler, Peter J. Colosi

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

The uniqueness of persons is explored philosophically in the writings of Max Scheler and Pope John Paul II.

Accelerated Non-Coding Rna Searches With Covariance Model Approximations, Jennifer A. Smith

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Covariance models (CMs) are a very sensitive tool for finding non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes in DNA sequence data. However, CMs are extremely slow. One reason why CMs are so slow is that they allow all possible combinations of insertions and deletions relative to the consensus model even though the vast majority of these are never seen in practice. In this paper we examine reduction in the number of states in covariance models. A simplified CM with reduced states which can be scored much faster is introduced. A comparison of the results of a full CM versus a reduced-state model found …

Lynn Magazine - Summer 2006, Lynn University

Lynn Magazine / LYNN

Main Stories:

• A conversation with Lynn's new President
• Hospitality’s wave of the future
• Triumph times 2

Progress Towards A Leishmania Vaccine, Khaled S. Tabbara

Saudi Medical Journal

Leishmaniasis is a vector-born protozoan disease. Approximately 12 million individuals are affected worldwide with an estimated annual incidence of 1.5-2 million. Two clinical manifestations are recognized, cutaneous, and visceral, both of which are common in the Middle East. In both forms, infection is chronic, with potential deformities, persistence following cure, and lifelong risk of reactivation. Attempts to develop an effective human Leishmania vaccine have not yet succeeded. Leishmanization, a crude form of live vaccination historically originated in this part of the world. Experimental vaccination has been extensively studied in model animals in the past 2 decades. In this review, major …

Ultrastructural Changes Of Compressed Lumbar Ventral Nerve Roots Following Decompression, Wagih G. El-Barrany, Raid M. Hamdy, Abdulmonem A. Al-Hayani, Sawsan M. Jalalah, Mohammed J. Al-Sayyad

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To study whether there will be a permanent lumbar nerve root scarring or degeneration secondary to continuous compression followed by decompression on the nerve roots, which can account for postlaminectomy leg weakness or back pain. METHODS: The study was performed at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 2003-2005. Twenty-six adult male New Zealand rabbits were used in the present study. The ventral roots of the left fourth lumbar nerve were clamped for 2 weeks then decompression was allowed by removal of the clips. The left ventral roots of the …

Topical Phenytoin Ointment Increases Autograft Acceptance In Rats, Abla Albsoul-Younes, Nidal A. Younes, Darwish H. Badran

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of topical phenytoin in preserving the skin viability and increasing acceptance rate of autograft. METHODS: We conducted this study in the Central Laboratory Animal House of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan during the period from September 2004 to June 2005. Forty-two rats were divided into 2 equal groups; full thickness dorsal skin wound (4 cm2) was created in the rats. Twenty-one rats were treated with phenytoin (10% w/w ointment), the other 21 (control) were treated with standard dressing and Vaseline. An autograft was performed one week after treatment. Rats were examined for …

Can God Be Hidden And Evident At The Same Time? Some Kierkegaardian Reflections, C. Stephen Evans

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Natural Providence: Reply To Dembski, Michael J. Murray

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Molecular Analysis Of The Effects Of Atrazine On Xenopus Laevis Frogs, Ronald Edward Celestine

Dissertations

Atrazine, the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S., has been implicated as one of the factors that may be causing the worldwide decline of amphibians. First, I examined effects of atrazine on laboratory raised Xenopus laevis tadpoles, treated from 5 days post fertilization to NF stage 65/66 with a concentrationof 25 ppb of atrazine. This study showed no significant difference in body weight, length and metamorphic rate.

Second, I used DNA microarrays to examine mRNA expression levels of genes in atrazine treated and control Xenopus laevis tadpoles. I found significant changes in gene expression levels of 18 genes. These …

Ink Jet Inks And Substrates - Novel Approaches For Their Physical And Optical Properties Characterization, Veronika Lovell

Dissertations

Undoubtedly, within the last couple of decades, the progress in non impact printing technologies has grown to an enormous level. In order to keep the development of this non impact printing method to grow even more, technicians, researchers and educators must continue in conducting investigation and provoking new ideas and questions that will lead to new outcomes and expansion of ink jet printing.

In this work, a broader area that comprises deep look into the ink jet ink and substrate performance, their physical properties and optical properties when printed is discussed in great details. Innovative techniques, novel materials and novel …

Linking The World Of The Policy-Maker To That Of The Change-Agent In Educational Change, Chi Hong Nguyen

Essays in Education

Policy cannot “mandate what matters”. In fact, policy in educational reform can set a general direction and framework, but it is local implementation that produces real outcomes. It is important to change the core of schooling or teachers’ deep beliefs in teaching practices, their values, and basic assumptions. Changing organizational culture can bring deeper forms of change that helps the organization survive and grow. This article, which stresses the importance of organizational culture in school change, is based on five arguments. First, taking a post-modernist standpoint, the paper argues that change is itself a complex process. Second, as change doers, …

People V. Caballes: An Analysis Of Caballes, The History Of Sniff Search Jurisprudence, And Its Future Impact, Brett Geiger

Northern Illinois University Law Review

This article begins by attempting to understand sniff search jurisprudence through the earliest Supreme Court precedent and the application of those cases by the various circuits. Then after a brief discussion of the Caballes case itself it attempts to discern the various arguments made by the parties in the suit, scholars, and practitioners, examining each for its relative merit. Finally, the article attempts to predict what impact Caballes will have on both the use of canines in law enforcement and other technologies that serve similar purposes.

Research View, Summer 2006

Research View

Contents of this issue include:

Wild Ride: UM scientists conduct experiments aboard NASA's 'Weightless Wonder'

Healthy Fishing: Researchers examine fly-casting injuries

A Return to Justice: UM helps win pardons for 78 convicted of sedition

Of Mice and Memory: Swimming rodents help unlock mysteries of the brain

Arboretum News, Armstrong State University

Armstrong News & Publications: Arboretum News (Archived)

A Newsletter of the Armstrong Atlantic State University Arboretum

Can You Survive Without Supplements?, Winston J. Craig

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Clear Statement Principles And National Security: Hamdan And Beyond, Cass R. Sunstein

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

In resolving conflicts between individual rights and national security, the Supreme Court has often said that Congress must unambiguously authorize presidential action; the Court has also attempted to ensure that defendants are not deprived of their liberty except pursuant to fair trials. These decisions, a form of liberty-promoting minimalism, reject claims of unilateral or exclusive presidential authority. The Court’s decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld reflects a distinctive clear statement principle, one that bans the President from convening a military commission, or otherwise departing from the standard adjudicative forms, unless Congress explicitly authorizes him to do so. The Court’s conclusion diverges …

The Nonprofit Sector: Myths And Realities, James J. Fishman

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

Which Side Are You On? Unionization In Social Service Nonprofits, Eduardo R.C. Capulong

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

The National Wildlife Research Center Research Update

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive Species
Aviary Construction at NWRC Sandusky, Ohio, Field Station
Grasses May Help Reduce Wildlife Strike Threats to Aviation
Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Efforts
Thesis on Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots Defended
Dissertation on Coyote Space Use Defended
Chemical Repellents and Barriers
Genetic Markers for Mountain Beaver Studies
Coyote Lure Operative Devices Tracked
NWRC Supports VS Program at Plum Island Animal Disease Center
Wildlife Services Scientists Travel to Asia to Assist with Avian Influenza
Population Studies
Rodent Management
International Meetings and Conferences

Invasive Predators: A Synthesis Of The Past, Present, And Future, William C. Pitt, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive predators have had devastating effects on species around the world and their effects are increasing. Successful invasive predators typically have a high reproductive rate, short generation times, a generalized diet, and are small or secretive. However, the probability of a successful invasion is also dependent on the qualities of the ecosystem invaded. Ecosystems with a limited assemblage of native species are the most susceptible to invasion provided that habitat and climate are favorable. In addition, the number of invasion opportunities for a species increases the likelihood that the species will successfully establish. The list of routes of entry or …

The Land Is In Your Hands : A Practical Guide For Owners Of Small Rural Landholdings In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Wa

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses various aspects of managing a small farm or property in Western Australia, including soil and land care, vegetation and plant control on farm holdings, water resource management, biosecurity, plant, animal and insect pest control and livestock management.

Involving People With Disabilities As Members Of Advisory Groups, Lisa Brennan, Meg Traci, Diana Spas, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

Service providers, schools, parks departments, public health agencies and other organizations make decisions and policies that profoundly affect the health, employment, income and well-being of people with disabilities. This capacity carries the obligation to involve the people most affected by including individuals with disabilities in the decision-making process. This Practice Guideline offers suggestions on how to involve people with disabilities as active members and advisors of your group. Many of these suggestions may be helpful to all participants, including those without disabilities.

Generalized Perceptual Linear Prediction (Gplp) Features For Animal Vocalization Analysis, Patrick J. Clemins, Michael T. Johnson

Dr. Dolittle Project: A Framework for Classification and Understanding of Animal Vocalizations

A new feature extraction model, generalized perceptual linear prediction (gPLP), is developed to calculate a set of perceptually relevant features for digital signal analysis of animalvocalizations. The gPLP model is a generalized adaptation of the perceptual linear prediction model, popular in human speech processing, which incorporates perceptual information such as frequency warping and equal loudness normalization into the feature extraction process. Since such perceptual information is available for a number of animal species, this new approach integrates that information into a generalized model to extract perceptually relevant features for a particular species. To illustrate, qualitative and quantitative comparisons are made …

Bacillus Anthracis Virulent Plasmid Px02 Genes Found In Large Plasmids Of Two Other Bacillus Species, Vicki A. Luna, Debra S. King, K. Kealy Peak, Frank Reeves, Lea Heberlein-Larson, William Veguilla, L. Heller, Kathleen E. Duncan, Andrew C. Cannons, Philip Amuso, Jacqueline Cattani

Bioelectrics Publications

In order to cause the disease anthrax, Bacillus anthracis requires two plasmids, pX01 and pX02, which carry toxin and capsule genes, respectively, that are used as genetic targets in the laboratory detection of the bacterium. Clinical, forensic, and environmental samples that test positive by PCR protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for B. anthracis are considered to be potentially B. anthracis until confirmed by culture and a secondary battery of tests. We report the presence of 10 genes (acpA, capA, capB, capC, capR, capD, IS1627, ORF 48, ORF 61, and repA) and the sequence for the …

Environmental Awareness Through Eco-Visualization: Combining Art And Technology To Promote Sustainability, Tiffany Holmes

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

No abstract provided.

Being Boat, Images, Basia Irland

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[From Editor's Introduction]

Basia Irland is well established in the visual and digital art world for her work with a number of media and displays of work that suggests an investment in the aboriginal, personal and environmental; we are honored to host some of her most recent work and writing on water.

Natriuretic Peptides And Nitric Oxide Stimulate Cgmp Synthesis In Different Cellular Compartments, Leslie A Piggott, Kathryn A Hassell, Zuzana Berkova, Andrew P Morris, Michael Silberbach, Thomas C Rich

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are a family of ion channels activated by the binding of cyclic nucleotides. Endogenous channels have been used to measure cyclic nucleotide signals in photoreceptor outer segments and olfactory cilia for decades. Here we have investigated the subcellular localization of cGMP signals by monitoring CNG channel activity in response to agonists that activate either particulate or soluble guanylyl cyclase. CNG channels were heterologously expressed in either human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells that stably overexpress a particulate guanylyl cyclase (HEK-NPRA cells), or cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was used to activate the …

Advancements In Frameworks For Educational Games Through Sound Software Engineering Principles., Christy M. Bogard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational games have steadily entered classrooms as a means of challenging advanced students and tutoring those lacking comprehension. However, without adequate educational benefits, instructors are struggling to continually justify the marginal value added of using these programs. It is the intent of this thesis to demonstrate that sound software engineering principles can improve the framework of educational games. First, the core framework requirements of computer-based educational games are outlined. Current educational games are then evaluated based on their ability to meet these requirements. From this analysis, necessary architectural changes are recommended to best facilitate future game advancements. Finally, to demonstrate …