Digital Commons Network^™

Lsuhsc Facilities Biweekly Update: May 2007, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates: 2007

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates from May 11 and 25, 2006.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

Improving Natural History Research With Image Analysis: The Relationship Between Skin Color, Sex, Size And Stage In Adult Red-Spotted Newts, Andrew K. Davis, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Faculty Publications

Natural history researchers are increasingly using digital cameras and computer software to measure their study animals. Adult Red-spotted Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) are known to display a range of skin colors, from brown to green, but it has not been possible to quantify this variation until the advent of image analysis technology. We used an image analysis approach to compare skin color between sexes, across a range of sizes, and between aquatic and post-breeding (emigrating to the terrestrial habitat) stage adult newts. From 232 individuals (53% male, 47% female) we documented a wide but subtle range of skin …

Local Property Law: Adjusting The Scale Of Property Protection, Christopher Serkin

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

This Article proposes that local governments should be able to decide for themselves how to protect private property, and then be held to that choice as if it were a local constitutional pre-commitment. Specifically, the Article proposes state enabling legislation to create a mechanism for local pre-commitments around the most contested takings and land use issues, like the meaning of public use, the extent of just compensation, the diminution of value that triggers compensation, and others. The resulting local variation in property regimes would allow consumers - homeowners, developers, and any other property owners - to select the property protection …

Population Size And Passage Efficiency Of Alabama Shad Reaching Jim Woodruff Lock And Dam, Patrick Ely

All Theses

In this study, I estimated the population size of migrating Alabama shad below Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam (JWLD) in the Apalachicola River located in the central panhandle of Northwest Florida using mark recapture and relative abundance techniques. The number of marked fish was adjusted for tag loss, emigration and mortality. The population size of migrating Alabama shad near JWLD was estimated at 26,029 (95% C.I. = 15,174 - 49,040) in 2005 and as 972 (95% C.I. = 270 - 9,720) in 2006. Due to the small sample size, a relative abundance method was used to independently estimate a population …

The Proliferative Response Of Equine Chondrocytes To Bovine Lymph Node Proteins In Vitro , Alison Reed

All Theses

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic lameness in horses. Many treatment options for osteoarthritis have limited effectiveness and are expensive. Treatments that stimulate cartilage development may promote cartilage healing. Bovine supramammary lymph nodes are available at no cost and contain bioactive growth factors that could promote cartilage healing. The purpose of this study was to measure the proliferative response of equine chondrocytes to bovine lymph node proteins. Chondrocytes were harvested from adult horses. Lymph node extract (LNE) was prepared by mixing freeze-dried lymph node powder with PBS. Experiments compared BGS and LNE on equal and unequal protein bases. Additional …

The Interpretation Of Comingtee Plantation, Kimberly C. Norton

All Theses

This thesis provides a long term preservation plan for Comingtee Plantation, located at the confluence of the east and west branch of the Cooper River in Berkeley County, South Carolina. The plantation, owned by the Ball Family for almost two hundred years, includes the ruins of an eighteenth- century house, a nineteenth-century rice mill, as well as yet undiscovered archaeological resources. The site is owned by the Department of Natural Resources, a state agency, and is accessible to the public, though use is generally limited to hunting activities. During the summer of 2006 I participated in an internship project with …

The Effects Of Gaze Guidance On Educational Software, Brian Murphy

All Theses

There are currently three main kinds of eye tracking applications: gaze-responsive, gaze-aware, and gaze-contingent. A fourth classification, termed gaze-guiding, to our knowledge, coined and implemented for the first time. The gaze-guiding technique is the use of motion, light, color, or other visual stimuli to modify the user's fixation to predetermined locations when the user fixates on specific areas of interest. To test the technique, an education software program that teaches physics through the use of gaze-guidance was developed. It is suggested that a natural mapping exists between gaze-guidance and the software's built-in lesson plan. It is also speculated that gaze-guidance …

Gamma Sigma Delta Newsletter - Nebraska Chapter, Issue #33, May 2007

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

CONTENTS:
President’s Message
2007 Major Activities Calendar
GAMMA SIGMA DELTA COMMITTEES 2007
The 2006 Initiation and Awards Banquet
Award of Merit for Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture
Excellence in Teaching Award
Excellence in Research Award
Excellence in Extension Award
2006 Gamma Sigma Delta New Members
In Memoriam
2007 ANNUAL DUES NOTICE FOR NEBRASKA CHAPTER
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM

Ut Arlington Library Notes, V.13, No.1, Spring 2007, University Of Texas At Arlington Library

UT Arlington Library Notes

Former publication of the UT Library intended to foster community support and appreciation for Library Programs and services and to spotlight grants and contributions. It was published during the 1990s and 2000s.

Effects Of Habitat On Avian Antipredator Behavior, May 2007, Jodi Anderson

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

A variety of anti-predator behaviors have evolved in birds because of the far-reaching effects of predation risk. The use of anti-predator behavior is a trade off, as it can dissuade a predator, but it also depletes time and energy from foraging and other activities. Forests provide better protection from predators than do open field habitats. Birds were tested in both forest and open habitat to determine if habitat type had an effect on frequency or aggressiveness of anti-predator behavior. Calls of two different predators were played at different sites in each habitat type, where reactions of birds were observed and …

Effect Of Colony Size On Age Structure And Behavior Of Metabus Gravidus (Araneidae) In The Monteverde Cloud Forest, May 2007, Laura Peterson

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Metabus gravidus are semi-social orb-weaving spiders living in colonies of up to 70 individuals over slow moving water. Buskirk (1975a) found that the time budget of spider behaviors differs within colonies of various sizes. I recorded the frequency and time spent on orb maintenance, aggressive behavior, spider displacement, and prey capture for spiders of varying sizes. Spider and web sizes were measured and then I observed 21 spiders of each size for an hour to record the time and frequency of the four behaviors. In the twenty-four colonies studied, small spiders were more abundant. Small colonies had a greater number …

Network Industry Regulation: Between Flexibility And Stability, Alexandre Ditzel Faraco, Diogo R. Coutinho

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

An Emotional Mimicking Humanoid Biped Robot And Its Quantum Control Based On The Constraint Satisfaction Model, Quay Williams, Scott Bogner, Michael Kelley, Carolina Castillo, Martin Lukac, Dong Hwa Kim, Jeff S. Allen, Mathias I. Sunardi, Sazzad Hossain, Marek Perkowski

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The paper presents a humanoid robot that responds to human gestures seen by a camera. The behavior of the robot can be completely deterministic as specified by a Finite State Machine that maps the sensor signals to the effector signals. This model is further extended to the constraints-satisfaction based model that links robots vision, motion, emotional behavior and planning. One way of implementing this model is to use adiabatic quantum computer which quadratically speeds-up every constraint problem and will be thus necessary to solve large problems of this type. We propose to use the remotely-connected Orion system by DWAVE Corporation.

Chemical Signaling And Resource Use By African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Erek Stephen Napora

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In polygynous, sexually dimorphic species like the African elephant, Loxodonta africana, resource distribution influences female dispersion, while the location of females shapes male dispersion. Human constriction of viable habitat has affected elephant movements and impact. Elephants travel in matriarchal family groups, as single males or bachelor groups often looking for receptive females, and in mixed associations. Waterholes serve to meet the physical needs of elephants and as areas for information exchange, especially for males in search of females. When widely spaced, waterholes may be impacted heavily by elephants. I examined elephant use of a permanent waterhole to determine 1) the …

Art Curriculum: Self-Expression By Connecting To Real World Events, Sarah Mccormick

Theses

Self-expression in art to connect with real world events is an art curriculum intended for any art teacher across America. The rational for the art curriculum project is to encourage students to learn how to express themselves visually. Actively experiencing history in art as well as the logic of certain artists' reasoning will promote understanding of the real world. Although it would be very easy to have the students follow directions, step-by-step, where the entire class will get the same or similar outcomes. These "cookie-cutter" pieces inhibit students' development as a human being. We, as teachers, need to notice the …

Developing A Habitat Suitability Model For The Spotted Turtle Using A Hybrid-Deductive Approach, Bryan Correa-Berger

Theses

Knowledge of species with multiple habitat needs for conservation and species survival planning is scarce. In order to predict areas of habitat suitability and potential further research, suitability modeling is necessary. This research created a GIS-based model to predict habitat suitability potential for the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) in four counties of western New York. Because of scarce and conflicting information on spotted turtle habitat needs, a survey was sent out to experts that evaluated spotted turtle habitat parameters. The goal of the habitat model was to predict optimal habitat for sustainable spotted turtle populations in an area where viable …

Identification Of Factors Affecting Bovine Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Efficiency And Characterization Of Transcriptional Profiles Of Nuclear Transfer Embryos And Cotyledons, Kenneth Ivan Aston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Since the production of the first sheep by somatic cell nuclear transfer a great deal of effort has been made to improve efficiency and to understand nuclear reprogramming mechanisms. Unfortunately efficiency remains low, and nuclear reprogramming mechanisms remain uncharacterized. The objectives of this research were to identify factors associated with somatic cell nuclear transfer efficiency and to analyze the transcriptome of blastocyst-stage clone and control embryos and cotyledonary tissue in an effort to elucidate mechanisms responsible for the low developmental efficiency and high post-implantation losses.

The experiments reported here identify factors including oocyte source and timing of activation following nuclear …

A Water-Efficient Landscape: Public Lands Center, Montrose, Co, Marcus Pulsipher

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The problem of water-wasting landscapes is prevalent throughout the western United States. For decades western settlers struggled to turn their arid lands into the more familiar settings of lush vegetation found in their native New England and Western Europe. This mind set has been passed down through generations and has transformed into the basis of the current western water crisis (Brundin and Pearson 2001). Only in the last few decades has this mentality been challenged and we've seen the emergence of several water-efficient landscape models. Through careful application of water-efficient landscape principles, western communities can greatly extend the life of …

Common Nutritional Deficiencies In The Three Richest Versus The Poorest Countries In The World: Why Are They Similar Or Different?, Ginger Ann Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Over one billion people suffer from nutritional deficiencies, and they reside in both the poorest and the richest countries in the world. What needs to be determined is if the deficiencies are similar or different, and most importantly why. By learning what nutritional deficits exist in these countries and why they occur, we are then able to create appropriate interventions in order to improve the nutritional status of populations worldwide.

Child Sexual Abuse: Development Of Psychiatric Disorders And Interventions, Toshikazu Kuroda

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Child sexual abuse has become a serious social concern due to the recent report of its higher incidence rate than commonly believed. This form of child abuse has been proposed to bring about adverse effects on children's development since more than one century ago. However, research over past decades reveals that effects of sexual abuse are extremely complex and diverse. Particularly, there appear to be many unclear factors increasing the probability for the development of psychiatric disorders in sexually abused children. The present paper investigated how child sexual abuse creates diversity over the course of the victims' development from multiple …

Sustainable Materials In High-End Residential Interior Design, Sarah Platt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Our most contemporary architecture is the biggest culprit contributing to global warming. We see the results globally, from one corner to the other affecting everything in between: Phillipine forests are clear-cut for plywood used to construct Japanese offices; homes in Southern California are framed with old-growth lumber from Washington and powered by burning coal strip-mined from Navajo sacred lands in Arizona. Point being, the destructive power of poor design isn't limited to the end-user, if affects everyone. Additionally, not only are these buildings forever altering the landscape they are placed upon and everywhere their resources were pulled from, but everything …

Infant Feeding Practices: History, Nutrient Needs, Assessment Of Nutriture, And Special Concerns, Katy Lynn Bodily

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Ideas regarding infant feeding practices have changed drastically over the past 100 years. Research discovered the composition of human milk, followed by the invention of human milk substitute (HMS). These discoveries lead to many changes in the way people feed infants. The macro and micronutrient needs of infants have been determined, and are used to develop ideal feeding practices for infants. There are many choices available for feeding infants including human milk, HMS, and solid foods. There are many guidelines available that provided suggestions on what to feed an infant, and at what age. Assessing the adequacy on infant feeding …

Can't, Shouldn't, And Love Juice: A Midsummer Night's Dream And The Phaedra-Hippolytus Myth, Katherine Shakespeare

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

One of the oldest recurring western mythical traditions finds its roots in the Ancient Near East. At the core of this abiding tale is a high-ranking woman, often married, who attempts to seduce a young man, who spurns her. The affronted woman then accuses the youth of assault and either he or both meet a violent end. Often at the heart of each tale lies something monstrous about the potential union of the two individuals.

In the Greek and Roman tradition, one example of this "spurned-woman" motif manifests itself in the Phaedra-Hippolytus myth. No fewer than three ancient playwrights-Sophocles, Euripides, …

A Nationwide Comparison Of Aviation Programs, D. Jason Mcconnell

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Students considering a college education have many different priorities in mind. When considering a career in aviation after graduation, it brings a whole new set of priorities into the picture. When I was searching for a university degree in aviation I had two major concerns: location and quality of the flight school. Cost was also on my list of concerns but more as a restriction than an option. In other words, I was willing to pay more for the schooling provided it did not get so excessive that I could no longer afford to go. Utah State was among three …

Design Response To Humanitarian Crisis: An Analysis Of Low-Income Labor Camps In Doha, Qatar In The Context Of A Student Charrette, Holly Murdock

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

"Imagine a future where design can alter the quality of life." So began the instructions for "Charrette: A 48 hour Design Challenge" hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts in Qatar. ("Charrette," 2007.) Combining sustainable design solutions with issues of human rights, an experiment in design education was created to challenge students to improve the quality of life for some of the world's most disadvantaged workers.

Investigating The Role Of Transcription Factor Ap-2�� In Reproduction, Anne Rachelle Howlett

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The proper formation of gametes is critical for the propagation of species and for the fertility of the individual. The molecular pathways involved in gamete formation remains elusive, therefore, identification of genes involved is an important prerequisite to further our understanding of reproduction. This research will improve infertility treatments and prevention methods in animals and humans. We created mutants that lacked AP-2�� transcription factor after the mouse had entered meiosis and initiated folliculogenesis. The AP-2�� mutants were still fertile and phenotypically similar to normal mice that expressed AP-2�� transcription factor. We also produced mutants that lacked AP-2�� transcription factor during …

A Formal Approach To Specifying And Verifying Spacecraft Behavior, Allan I.S. Mcinnes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Process algebra can provide spacecraft designers with a mathematical formalism for specifying, understanding, analyzing, and verifying spacecraft system behavior. Although it is standard practice to mathematically model and analyze the subsystems of a spacecraft to ensure that they will function correctly when built, the system-level behavior of the spacecraft is generally understood in much less rigorous terms. This leaves the spacecraft system vulnerable to design errors which may not become apparent until the integration and test phase, when design changes are most expensive. In this dissertation, we develop a formal approach to engineering spacecraft behavior, based on mathematical models of …

Effects Of A Synthetic Cannabinoid On The Reinforcing Efficacy Of Ethanol In Rats, Ericka M. Bailey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The co-abuse of alcohol and marijuana is widespread, although the mechanisms underlying this behavior are unclear. There is some evidence of a relationship between the neural processes that mediate the effects of ethanol and marijuana. For example, research has shown that exposure to marijuana increases responding for, and intake of, ethanol. The alcohol deprivation effect is an anima l model of alcoholism that suggests that the reinforcing efficacy of ethanol, as measured by intake, increases following a period of deprivation. Recent research indicates that rats chronically exposed to marijuana during periods of alcohol deprivation consume ethanol above and beyond deprivation …

Student Teachers' Explicit And Implicit Perceptions Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Hollie K. Berglof

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined student teachers' explicit and implicit perceptions of ADHD and the relationship between perceptions of ADHD and social desirability. In addition, the relationship between a current measure of implicit perceptions of ADHD and one that was adapted for this study was also investigated. Findings indicate that student teachers view a student portrayed as exhibiting symptoms consistent with ADHD more negatively than a "normal" child in terms of their self-reported first impressions of the child as well as their predictions for the child's future success. Participants' perceptions, as measured by two implicit measures, however, were mixed, with results from …

Use Of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy For The Classification And Identification Of Bacteria Of Importance To The Food Industry, Sarah Pegram

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The aim of this work was to use Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to characterize and identify bacteria of particular significance to the food industry. FT-IR spectroscopy is a rapid technique that can be applied to all groups of bacteria. The two objectives were to determine a suitable sampling procedure to record a spectrum and to determine a suitable statistical technique to identify characteristic regions of the spectrum associated with the genus and, potentially, the species. Pure cultures of bacteria were grown in broth, suspended in saline and dried to produce a film on a halide salt crystal. These films were …