Digital Commons Network^™

Foraging Preferences Of Captive Canada Geese Related To Turfgrass Mixtures, Brian E. Washburn, Scott C. Barras, Thomas W. Seamans

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Overabundant populations of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) cause economic and safety concerns associated with collisions with civil and military aircraft. Habitat management techniques that reduce the use of airfield habitats by geese might reduce these concerns. The objective of this study was to determine if captive Canada geese exhibited a foraging preference between a vegetation mixture consisting mostly of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens) versus an endophyte-infected tall fescue- (Festuca arundinacea) based vegetation mixture.

In Memory, Spring 2007, Human-Wildlife Conflicts

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Kenny Acord lost his year-long battle with cancer on June 30, 2006. He was 25. Kenny was the son of Bobby Acord, the former deputy administrator of USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services. Kenny earned an M.S. degree in anthropology/archeology at Northern Arizona University in 2005. He was employed by the National Park Service as an archeologist at Navajo National Monument. He is survived by his true love and partner DeeAnn Tracy, his parents Bobby and Anna Acord, and his sister Leigh Anna Willard.

20,25-Diazacholesterol As An Oral Contraceptive For Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Population Management, Paul Nash, Carol A. Furcolow, Kimberly S. Bynum, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller, John J. Johnston

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies can become overcrowded, and the colonies, landscape, and people affected by them may benefit from controlled populations. Contraception is a method that may be useful, particularly where lethal control is inappropriate or illegal. We investigated if oral administration of 20,25-diazacholesterol (DiazaCon®), an inhibitor of cholesterol and reproductive steroid hormone production, could reduce reproductive success of treated black-tailed prairie dogs in a fi eld trial. Ten treatments of approximately 45-mg DiazaCon per black-tailed prairie dog yielded a 47% reduction of young:adult ratios compared to control sites. Over a 3-month period, desmosterol, a cholesterol …

Successful Use Of Neck Snares To Live-Capture Red Foxes, S. Nicole Frey, Michael R. Conover, Gary Cook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Box traps and ^foot-hold snares are common methods to live-c^apture study animals. However, these methods are frequent^ly ineffective due to factors such as weather constraints, food availabi^lity, and target an_imal behavior. Duri_ng a study of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) behavior, we examined the use of neck snares to live-trap study anima^ls. We m^odified the neck snare using swi^vel cam-locks, d^eer stops to minimize damage to the animal. Additionally, we utilized our knowledge of red-fox behavior to set traps in …

Deer–Human Conflict And Hunter Access In An Exurban Landscape, Daniel J. Storm, Clayton K. Nielson, Eric M. Shauber, Alan Woolf

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Exurban development (non-metropolitan, residential development) poses unique challenges for wildlife managers through increases in human–wildlife interactions. However, little is known about hunting activity and human attitudes toward white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in exurban areas. In 2004, we surveyed exurbanites near Carbondale, Illinois, regarding their experiences with and attitudes toward deer, whose population in the study area was at or above cultural carrying capacity. Deer–vehicle collisions (DVC) were common and a concern for most respondents (84%). However, DVCs were less influential than plant damage in determining landowner tolerance of deer. Only 19% of respondents allowed hunting on their property, …

In The News, Spring 2007, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

High Country News reported that on November 8, 2006, the body of 22-year-old Joel Carnegie was found at Points North Landing in the northern boreal forest of Saskatchewan, Canada. Investigators believe Carnegie was attacked by a group of 2 to 4 wolves when he was walking alone near a mining exploration company camp. The attack is the first documented case of a fatal wolf attack in North America since 1900, but a nonfatal wolf attack occurred a year earlier in the same area. In that incident, wolves attacked and injured a jogger. Wildlife biologists linked the attacks to the presence …

Predicting Physicians' Intention To Measure Body Mass Index And Assessing Their Identification And Evaluation Practices In Overweight Children And Adolescents, Rahul Khanna

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One health challenge receiving a lot of attention today is childhood obesity. Numerous public and professional organizations recommend that physicians periodically measure BMI in children and adolescents. In addition, guidelines recommend medical evaluation of overweight children and adolescents. However, studies have shown an inconsistent use of body mass index (BMI). This study uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify factors that explain physicians' intention to measure BMI in children and adolescents. Salient beliefs associated with intention were compared between intenders and nonintenders. The study also determines how physicians identify and evaluate …

Effect Of Oxidative Stress Induced By Low-Level Engineered Nanoparticles On Microbial Viability And Resistance To Uv Irradiation, Hang Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction of engineered nanomaterials into water systems has potential of affecting microbial viability and resistance to commonly used disinfectants. We studied how photocatalytically induced oxidative stress by engineered nanoparticles can affect bacterial viability and resistance to UVC at 254 nm. Flow cytometry analysis, fecal viability analysis and respiratory measurements showed that oxidative stress induced by engineered TiO2 nanoparticles with concentrations in ppb range can cause sublethal effects and lowered oxygen utilization rate. Respiratory measurements showed that degree of reduction in oxygen utilization depended on exposure time to oxidative stress but was not sensitive to nanoparticle concentrations examined in the study.;Fecal …

Evaluation Of A Guided Decision Aid For Treatment Selection In Follicular Non -Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Angela J. Lowery

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decision aids for treatment selection have improved the decision-making process by increasing patient knowledge, decreasing decisional conflict (or uncertainty), increasing strength of preference for an option, and increasing decision satisfaction. Decision aids provide information and assist patients in making informed medical decisions. Guided decision aids help patients weigh pros and cons of options. This study involved the creation and evaluation of a guided decision aid for patients with follicular lymphoma, a disease with multiple complex treatment options. The aid was evaluated in a non-patient sample (30 males and 30 females, aged 40 to 79). Participants received either the guided decision …

"Our Families For God": A Family Worship Seminar For The Hamilton Mountain Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Wesley Rocha Torres

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Family worship is highly esteemed by the members of the Hamilton Mountain Seventh-day Adventist Church, yet the quality and practice of this spiritual activity could still be improved among the church families. It was the researcher’s presupposition that the design of a practical, creative, and attractive family worship seminar, incorporating new ideas and suggestions, could motivate and assist the church members to enhance their spiritual experience and fellowship with God, as well as within their family circles.

Method

The topic of family worship was brought to the church through a series of sermons and also the children’s story segment …

Climate Change And International Human Rights Litigation: A Critical Appraisal, Eric A. Posner

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

Litigation over the effects of climate change has taken various forms, of which litigation based on international human rights law is perhaps the most ambitious. Plaintiffs argue that major emitters of greenhouse gases have violated rights to life and health by contributing to environmental and health injuries associated with global warming. International human rights litigation in international tribunals is unlikely to have any effect, but conceivably American courts might be open to these arguments in Alien Tort Statute litigation. If so, this would be a mistake. Because the health of the global climate is a public good, because American courts …

Diaspora Philanthropy: The Colombian Experience, Maria Aysa-Lastra

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

This study is part of a series on diaspora philanthropy commissioned by The Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. and the Global Equity Initiative at Harvard University and supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The principal aims of this paper are to document and analyze diaspora giving from the United States to Colombia and to provide recommendations to enhance diaspora giving to this country.

Climate Change And International Human Rights Litigation: A Critical Appraisal, Eric A. Posner

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

Litigation over the effects of climate change has taken various forms, of which litigation based on international human rights law is perhaps the most ambitious. Plaintiffs argue that major emitters of greenhouse gases have violated rights to life and health by contributing to environmental and health injuries associated with global warming. International human rights litigation in international tribunals is unlikely to have any effect, but conceivably American courts might be open to these arguments in Alien Tort Statute litigation. If so, this would be a mistake. Because the health of the global climate is a public good, because American courts …

Contraindicated Drug Courts, Josh Bowers

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

Over the past two decades, drug treatment courts have gained traction as popular alternatives to the conventional war on drugs (and to its onedimensional focus on incarceration). Specifically, the courts are meant to divert addicts from jails and prisons and into coerced treatment. Under the typical model, a drug offender enters a plea of guilty and is enrolled in a longterm outpatient treatment program that is closely supervised by the drug court. If the offender completes treatment, his plea is withdrawn and the underlying charges are dismissed. But, if he fails, he receives an alternative termination sentence. My premise is …

Showing What We See: Psychoanalytic Vision, Transparency, And Linguistic Pragmatics, Scott Bortle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the possibilities that pragmatic linguistic analytic methods might have for psychoanalysis, both in the latter's attempts to establish itself as an empirically grounded endeavor and in its understanding of its own theoretical constructs. I begin with a discussion of some of the troubles psychoanalysis has had in legitimizing itself in the eyes of its peers since in inception, suggesting that a closer relationship with already-established sociolinguistic sciences (i.e. pragmatic analysis of linguistic interaction) may aid in its promotion.

I then describe how these methods have already been taken up within the field of psychology in the study …

The Development Of Small Christian Communities In The Catholic And Among The Lugbara People Of Uganda After The Second Vatican Council: A Historical, Theological And Pastoral Investigation, Diego Cadri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation depicted the events in the lives of the Lugbara Ethnic group, who will go down in the history of Uganda, through their actual existence, their deeds, their accomplishments and their contributions, but particularly because of their successful, "small Christian communities," an important segment in all its facets, in the Lugbara Christian life. The new way of being Church that came out of the Second Vatican Council, that is, since the 1960s was the small Christian community. These pages narrated the development, the early struggle, the uncertainty, the needs, the goals, the purposes, the accomplishments and the success of …

Civic-Ness In The Caribbean: Civic Society And Governance In Barbados And Jamaica, Liam Carstens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tests the hypothesis of Robert Putnam (Making Democracy Work) which posits that 'civic-ness' explains why democracy works better in some cases than in others. This paper seeks to determine whether this variable explains "good governance" in the Caribbean as well as it does for the Mediterranean.

In order to establish whether or not 'civic-ness' determines 'good governance,' two extreme cases in the Caribbean are examined. Barbados and Jamaica are case studies of variance in economic performance, government, and the social situation. The two are compared in terms of their levels of 'civic-ness,' an independent variable resembling Putnam's but …

The Experience Of Transitioning To The Caregiving Role For A Family Member With Alzheimer's Disease Or A Related Dementia, Kathleen Czekanski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic, debilitating disease that currently affects approximately 5.1 million Americans (Alzheimer's Association 2007). The majority of these individuals are being cared for at home by family caregivers who are known to suffer from more depression and burden than any other group of caregivers. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of transitioning to the role of caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. The study followed purposeful sampling and eight women and two men with a mean age of 66.3 participated in the study. These …

Oncology Nurses' Attitudes Toward Cancer Clinical Trials And Their Perceptions Of Patients' Understanding, Paul D'Amico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clinical trials in oncology that evaluate new cancer treatments are essential. However, in the United States only 2%-4% of eligible adult cancer patients participate in the National Cancer Institute's clinical trials annually. Oncology nurses have a major role in the care of patients contemplating enrollment into cancer clinical trials, yet little is known about their attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions.

The Modified Nursing Attitude Survey and a demographic form were used to collect data. This study discovered significant predictors to attitudes and perceptions; however, all R² (coefficient of determination) values were very low, which indicates that some other unknown variables could …

The Bloody Truth: A Psychological And Cultural Study Of Menstruation As Lived And Experienced By Women, Carolyn Deforest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present research explores the negation and affirmation of menstrual life as found in culture, theory, and the concrete experiences of individual women. A phenomenological and hermeneutical thematic analysis is used throughout. In this study, the aspects of culture analyzed include language, humor, art, television, film, literature, print and television advertising, menstrual education, medicine, and some of the historical influences in the perception of women. Additionally, the formal psychological literature is examined as part of the cultural data, as is the researcher's own observations and cultural experiences.

Overall, this research reveals that the experience of menstrual bleeding has been culturally …

Social Competence Difficulties, Loneliness, And Victimization By Peers As Predictors Of Eating Disturbance In Young Girls: A Longitudinal Investigation, Marissa Deleel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1950s, epidemiological studies have shown a steady increase in the number of children and adolescents with eating disorders (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003). Moreover, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness (Sullivan, 1995). Historically, eating disorders were believed to occur predominantly in Caucasian adolescent and adult females from middle to upper socio-economic status (SES). Presently, studies are beginning to include more diversified samples and are discovering the presence of maladaptive eating behaviors. The current longitudinal study utilized a large community sample of girls who were assessed at age 9 and again at age 10. …

Adolescent Males Involvement In Pregnancy Prevention: Deliberate Action To Protect Future Goals, Judy Didion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the process of adolescent male involvement in teen pregnancy prevention. Grounded theory method was used to discover the meaning of pregnancy prevention from the adolescent male perspective. Individual interviews were conducted with eighteen 18-year old boys who were seniors in high school. The data collected from the interviews were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling techniques. The concepts and constructs which emerged from the data analysis depict the social processes of adolescent male relationships in regards to pregnancy prevention.

The findings revealed that these adolescent boys were very involved in …

Characterization Of Steroid Sulfatase In Human And Mouse Tissues And In The Mouse Mc3t3-E1 Pre-Osteoblastic Cell Line, Heidi Difrancesca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Steroid sulfatase cleaves the sulfate group from 3Β-hydroxysteroid sulfates. This enzyme is widely distributed among mammalian tissues, and it has been suggested to play a role in the in situ conversion of inactive steroids to active forms in a variety of tissues. Two tissues in which steroid sulfatase may be particularly important are breast cancer and bone. Our laboratory is interested in the role of steroid sulfatase; consequently, I worked on four projects characterizing steroid sulfatase in human and mouse tissues and investigating the role of this enzyme in mouse bone cells. Recent evidence indicates that steroid sulfatase could be …

School Success Among African American Male Adolescents: An Existential Examination Of Protective Factors, Carol Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many adolescents who live in a high-risk neighborhood, harsh and sometimes dangerous circumstances often interfere with the ability to enjoy school success. While quantitative methods have been employed to reveal protective factors among African American male adolescents, few qualitative studies exist that analyze the lived experiences of this population of youth and their ability to flourish despite environmental disadvantages. This study is a phenomenologically-oriented narrative case study of five African American male adolescents who attend high school in a small, rural community and who are on track to graduate. The primary philosophies that framed this study were Ryan and …

A Comparison Of Self-Acceptance Among Counselor Education Master's Degree Students At The Beginning, Practicum Level, And Graduation From Their Program Of Studies, Baljinder Uppal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was counselor trainees' self-acceptance; because this examiner proposed there is a parallel process between the client's relationship with the counselor and the counselor's relationship with oneself. This study was an investigation of the differences between three nonequivalent groups: Group A - Beginning Counselor Students, Group B -- Beginning Practicum Counselor Students, and Group C - Graduating Counselors to measure differences between the three groups. The study was researching their responses from the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire-Revised (USAQ-R) as an individual assessment instrument. This investigator measured the effects of gender to determine if group differences in response …

Ocpat: An Online Codon-Preserved Alignment Tool For Evolutionary Genomic Analysis Of Protein Coding Sequences, Guozhen Liu, Monica Uddin, Munirul Islam, Morris Goodman, Lawrence I. Grossman, Roberto Romero, Derek E. Wildman

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Rapidly accumulating genome sequence data from multiple species offer powerful opportunities for the detection of DNA sequence evolution. Phylogenetic tree construction and codon-based tests for natural selection are the prevailing tools used to detect functionally important evolutionary change in protein coding sequences. These analyses often require multiple DNA sequence alignments that maintain the correct reading frame for each collection of putative orthologous sequences. Since this feature is not available in most alignment tools, codon reading frames often must be checked manually before evolutionary analyses can commence.

Results

Here we report an online codon-preserved alignment tool (OCPAT) that generates …

Whole Genome Expression Profiling Reveals A Significant Role For Immune Function In Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Guy M. Lenk, Gerard Tromp, Shantel Weinsheimer, Zoran Gatalica, Ramon Berguer, Helena Kuivaniemi

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a common disorder with an incompletely understood etiology. We used Illumina and Affymetrix microarray platforms to generate global gene expression profiles for both aneurysmal (AAA) and non-aneurysmal abdominal aorta, and identified genes that were significantly differentially expressed between cases and controls.

Results

Affymetrix and Illumina arrays included 18,057 genes in common; 11,542 (64%) of these genes were considered to be expressed in either aneurysmal or normal abdominal aorta. There were 3,274 differentially expressed genes with a false discovery rate (FDR) ≤ 0.05. Many of these genes were not previously known to be involved in …

Repressor Element-1 Silencing Transcription Factor/Neuronal Restrictive Silencer Factor (Rest/Nrsf) Can Regulate Hsv-1 Immediate-Early Transcription Via Histone Modification, Rajeswara C. Pinnoji, Gautam R. Bedadala, Beena George, Thomas C. Holland, James M. Hill, Shao-Chung V. Hsia

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

During primary infection of its human host, Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1) establishes latency in neurons where the viral genome is maintained in a circular form associated with nucleosomes in a chromatin configration. During latency, most viral genes are silenced, although the molecular mechanisms responsible for this are unclear. We hypothesized that neuronal factors repress HSV-1 gene expression during latency. A search of the HSV-1 DNA sequence for potential regulatory elements identified a Repressor Element-1/Neuronal Restrictive Silencer Element (RE-1/NRSE) located between HSV-1 genes ICP22 and ICP4. We predicted that the Repressor Element Silencing Transcription Factor/Neuronal Restrictive Silencer Factor …

Socioeconomic Position And Incident Mobility Impairment In The Cardiovascular Health Study, Cheryl K. Nordstrom, Ana V. Diez Roux, Richard Schulz, Mary N. Haan, Sharon A. Jackson, Jennifer L. Balfour

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

We investigated if personal socioeconomic position (SEP) factors and neighborhood characteristics were associated with incident mobility impairment in the elderly.

Methods

We used data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal, population-based examination of coronary heart disease and stroke among persons aged 65 and older in the United States.

Results

Among 3,684 persons without baseline mobility impairment, lower baseline SEP was associated with increased risk of incident mobility disability during the 10-year follow-up period, although the strengths of these associations varied by socioeconomic indicator and race/sex group.

Conclusion

Among independent-living elderly, SEP affected development of mobility impairment into …

Characteristics Of Facilities With Specialized Programming For Drinking Drivers And For Other Criminal Justice Involved Clients: Analysis Of A National Database, Cynthia L. Arfken, Sheryl Kubiak

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Offering specialized programming at substance abuse treatment facilities can help diversify clientele and funding sources, potentially enhancing the facilities' ability to survive and/or expand. Past research has shown that facilities only offering specialized programming for driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated offenders (DUI) are predominately private-for-profit owned. As criminal justice populations, both DUI and other criminal justice offenders, comprise a large proportion of those in community-based substance abuse treatment knowing facilities' characteristics would be important for administrators and policymakers to consider when updating programming, training staff or expanding capacity to ensure efficient use of scarce resources. However, while …