Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Similarities Within And Between Human Populations, D. J. Witherspoon, S. Wooding, A. R. Rogers, E. E. Marchani, W. S. Watkins, M. A. Batzer, L. B. Jorde

Faculty Publications

The proportion of human genetic variation due to differences between populations is modest, and individuals from different populations can be genetically more similar than individuals from the same population. Yet sufficient genetic data can permit accurate classification of individuals into populations. Both findings can be obtained from the same data set, using the same number of polymorphic loci. This article explains why. Our analysis focuses on the frequency, ω, with which a pair of random individuals from two different populations is genetically more similar than a pair of individuals randomly selected from any single population. We compare ω to the …

Electrical Skin Impedance At Acupuncture Points, Sean Pearson, Agatha P. Colbert, James Mcnames, Meggan Baumgartner, Richard Hammerschlag

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To test whether electrical skin impedance at each of three acupuncture points (APs) is significantly lower than at nearby sites on the meridian (MP) and off the meridian (NP). Design: Two instruments—Prognos (MedPrevent GmbH, Waldershof, Germany), a constant-current (DC) device, and PT Probe (designed for this study), a 100-Hz sinusoidal-current (AC) device—were used to record electrical impedance at three APs (right Gallbladder 14, right Pericardium 8, and left Triple Energizer 1), and two control sites for each AP. Each AP, MP, and NP was measured four times in random order with each device. Setting: The study was conducted over …

Volume 44, Number 70: May 01, 2007, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Heteroscedasticity On Tests Of Equivalence, Jamie A. Gruman, Robert A. Cribbie, Chantal A. Arpin-Cribbie

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Tests of equivalence, which are designed to assess the similarity of group means, are becoming more popular, yet very little is known about the statistical properties of these tests. Monte Carlo methods are used to compare the test of equivalence proposed by Schuirmann with modified tests of equivalence that incorporate a heteroscedastic error term. It was found that the latter were more accurate than the Schuirmann test in detecting equivalence when sample sizes and variances were unequal.

On The Product Of Maxwell And Rice Random Variables, M. Shakil, B. M. Golam Kibria

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The distributions of the product of independent random variables arise in many applied problems. These have been extensively studied by many researchers. In this paper, the exact distributions of the product |XY| have been derived when X and Y are Maxwell and Rice random variables respectively, and are distributed independently of each other. The associated cdfs, pdfs, and kth moments have been given.

Mathmatics In Volume I Of Scripta Universitatis, Shlomo S. Sawilowsky

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Immanuel Velikovsky’s journal, Scripta Universitatis, edited by Albert Einstein and first published in 1923, played a significant role in the establishment of the library, and hence, Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The inaugural issue contained an article by the French mathematician Jacques Hadamard. Excerpts from Velikovsky’s diary pertaining to the rationale for the creation of the journal, and the interest in Jewish scholars such as Hadamard, are translated here.

End Matter, Jmasm Editors

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

No abstract provided.

Intrapersonal Communication And Well-Being, James Abbott

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the experience of self-talk (intrapersonal communication) among subjects of varying well-being, considering multiple characteristics of self-talk such as tone, content, timing, and subject awareness. The research questions were: (R1) How is intrapersonal communication used and experienced by those with higher and lower levels of self-assessed well-being? (R2) To what extent are subjects of varying well-being states aware of their intrapersonal communication?

Twenty semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with individuals of varying well-being and other characteristics such as age and occupation. The subjects ranged in age from approximately twenty-one to eighty. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and …

The Power Of Ridicule: An Analysis Of Satire, Megan Leboeuf

Senior Honors Projects

Satire is an art form that has existed throughout recorded history. Examples of satirical work exist from long before the genre had even been defined, and this powerful tool for social critique is alive and well today, perhaps even more prevalent than ever. The use of absurdity and often humor to demonstrate the problems with a particular human behavior, vice, or social issue makes satire engaging and persuasive in a way that a direct statement of the facts is not. These qualities make satire the perfect tool for advocating social and political change in times of unrest. In recent years, …

The Extracellular Matrix And Blood Vessel Formation: Not Just A Scaffold, John M. Rhodes, Michael Simons

Dartmouth Scholarship

The extracellular matrix plays a number of important roles, among them providing structural support and information to cellular structures such as blood vessels imbedded within it. As more complex organisms have evolved, the matrix ability to direct signalling towards the vasculature and remodel in response to signalling from the vasculature has assumed progressively greater importance. This review will focus on the molecules of the extracellular matrix, specifically relating to vessel formation and their ability to signal to the surrounding cells to initiate or terminate processes involved in blood vessel formation.

Use Of Logic Game To Improve High School Students' Logical Reasoning Skills : Results Of A Teaching Experiment, Frank Forte

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

High school students often struggle with the concept of logical reasoning. A study conducted with 37 ninth grade geometry students involved a teaching experiment. This study documented whether instruction on a logic game called the Color of the Board Game helped students’ logical reasoning skills, and if those skills could be reflected in a “‘pencil and paper” test. Each student in a control and treatment group received a pre-test with 25 multiple-choice logic questions and an open-ended question. Multiple-choice questions were based on geometry and contextual logic. The treatment group received the Color of the Board Instructional Unit between the …

A Population Genetic Study Of The Zostera Marina (Eelgrass) Ecotypes Of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey And Implications For Grass Bed Restoration, Stephanie Marie Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Zostera marina is a species of seagrass widely found in the northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. It is primarily a cold-water adapted plant that is capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Zostera marina serves many ecological roles, including stabilizing sediments, reducing current velocity, preventing erosion and providing food and shelter to many organisms. Eelgrass populations have suffered numerous large-scale declines due to both natural as well as human-induced causes. Specifically within Bamegat Bay, New Jersey, the Z. marina populations have declined by over 62% within the past 20 years. Restoration efforts have had diverse growth and survival rates, …

Musical Mystique : How Today’S Pop Music Can Be Interpreted By Young Audiences, Amy Melissa Young

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Music is everywhere and so is its influence. Like all media, music can help us express ourselves, but it also can impact our lives. The following study investigates pop music by female artists and how this genre impacts the lives of young audiences. The research asks what images of women and relational scripts are offered through this genre, but this study also asks what audiences are doing with it.

Media studies have taken us from “The Magic Bullet” to “Uses and Gratifications” and almost everywhere in between. Somewhere in the middle of all of these theories lies Hall’s view of …

“You May Explore Yourself Freely" : Gender And The Fantastic In Jeanette Winterson And Angela Carter, Elissa Cording

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Angela Carter and Jeanette Winterson’s novels contain magical moments in which reality is questioned and a reader suspends disbelief in the fantastic. While we know that a living heart cannot be kept in ajar and a woman cannot be born with wings, we are meant to accept these moments as possible. The use of fantastical elements in The Passion, Sexing the Cherry and Nights at the Circus supports Winterson and Carter’s unique portrayals of gender. The blending of fantasy and reality allows for the exploration of non-traditional gender roles because as these authors rewrite genre they are also rethinking gender. …

Effects Of Infertility Insurance Mandates On Fertility, Lucie Schmidt

Economics: Faculty Publications

Infertility currently affects over 6 million individuals in the United States. While most health insurance plans nationwide do not cover infertility diagnoses or treatments, to date 15 states have enacted some form of infertility insurance mandate. In this paper, I use data from the Vital Statistics Detail Natality Data and Census population estimates to examine whether these state-level mandates were successful in increasing fertility rates. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I exploit variation in the enactment of mandates both across states and over time, and identify treatment and control groups that should have been differentially affected by infertility coverage. My results …

Landscape Scale Correlates Of Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) Presence , Kristin Meehan

All Theses

Although declining throughout the southeast, fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) populations are found on some golf courses in rapidly developing coastal South Carolina. This study used 2001 National Landcover Database data to investigate the relationship between fox squirrel presence on golf courses and landscape-scale habitat features. Results indicated that the best predictor of fox squirrel presence on a course was the presence of a fox squirrel population on the nearest neighbor course, regardless of distance. Course age and the total area of undeveloped features on the course were the best predictors of fox squirrel presence on golf courses without …

New Technology In Education As Viewed Through The Utopic And Dystopic Worlds Of Science Fiction, Vivian Elaine Jackson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The use of educational technology has become a focus of reform efforts designed to enrich student learning. Proponents of technology view it as the panacea of education while others ask us to question this myth-information. Throughout America, school districts are designating millions of dollars for technology. Nevertheless, while there are schools with desirable infrastructures, too many schools are ill equipped for enhancing learning through technology. In addition, many classrooms house computers used to merely advance traditional teaching modes, e.g., drill and practice, rather than teach the importance of social responsibility for humankind and the environment through our use of technology. …

Seasonal Habitat Use Of The Florida Manatee (Trichecus Manatus Latirostris) In The Crystal River Natural Refuge With Regards To Natural And Anthropogenic Factors, Ryan Willard Berger

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Natural and anthropogenic factors work together to influence species habitat use. Kings Bay in Crystal River, Florida serves as critical habitat for the Florida manatee, but is also used extensively by humans. This study documented the seasonal dispersion and behavioral patterns of manatees in Kings Bay with regards to natural and anthropogenic factors from May 2005-June 2006. Survey stations were established across the bay and the number of manatees, people in the water, and boats were counted. The behavioral patterns of four major states were recorded using focal animal observations. During the winter, manatees aggregated in areas containing both springs …

Type I Error Rates Of The Kenward-Roger Adjusted Degree Of Freedom F-Test For A Split-Plot Design With Missing Values, Miguel A. Padilla, James Algina

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The Type I error rate of the Kenward-Roger (KR) test, implemented by PROC MIXED in SAS, was assessed through a simulation study for a one between- and one within-subjects factor split-plot design with ignorable missing values and covariance heterogeneity. The KR test controlled the Type I error well under all of the simulation factors, with all estimated Type I error rates between .040 and .075. The best control was for testing the between-subjects main effect (error rates between .041 and .057) and the worst control was for the between-by-within interaction (.040 to .075). The simulated factors had very small effects …

Phylogeny And Population Genetics Of Allotheuthis (Loliginidae) And Discovery Of A Cryptic Species, Adria Pilsits

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Genetic Analysis Of Germline Development In The Model Organism C. Elegans, Kaitlyn A. Wurz

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

My research investigated the relationships among several transcriptional and/or post-transcriptional regulators in the C. elegans germ line. I examined the relationship between the rha-1 gene and three other regulatory genes, ego-1, glp-1 and csr-1. These genes function in germline proliferation and differentiation and are required for fertility. Because these genes regulate similar processes, we have investigated the relationships among them. The rha-1 gene encodes an RNA helicase that is required for germline development, chromatin regulation, and RNA interference (RNAi). The ego-1 gene encodes an RNA-directed RNA polymerase that is also required for these processes. Although many of the rha-1 and …

Mind, Metaphor, Law, Mark L. Johnson

Mercer Law Review

Change, as John Dewey observed, is a basic fact of human experience. We are temporal creatures, and the situations we find ourselves in, the situations that make up the fabric of our lives, are always evolving and developing. The omnipresence of change throughout all human experience thus creates a fundamental problem for law, namely, how can law preserve its integrity over time, while managing to address the newly emerging circumstances that continually arise throughout our history? If, following one extreme, we think of law as fixed, static, and univocal in its content, then law runs the risk of losing its …

Re-Embodying Law, Steven L. Winter

Mercer Law Review

It was fun to watch the audience of mostly first-year students during Mark Johnson's presentation. Seven weeks into their first semester of law school, this was clearly the most fun they had had so far. And it was easy to see why: law school takes place "from the neck up," so to speak. It is so relentlessly about reason abstracted from the ordinary interests, passions, and other embodied considerations of everyday (not to mention college) life. This deracination of law is ritualized metaphorically in the black robes that enshroud our judges' bodies as if to say, "See, it is all …

Student Honors And Awards Program 2007, University Relations

UMM Honors and Awards Ceremony

In recognition of students who demonstrate academic excellence and enrich campus life.

Compensation Mechanisms For Altered Membrane Sterol Compositions In The Yeast: Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, David M. Dewolfe

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Cell Membranes are composed of several different lipid and sterol products. Among these are, chiefly, phospholipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, various proteins and sterols. The sterol that is prevalent in fungi, including yeast, is ergosterol. It plays the same physiological role as cholesterol in mammalian cells. That is, mainly, to control membrane fluidity. Membranes in general are extremely important to the normal functioning of any cell and its sub-cellular compartments. The primary factor in the normal functioning of a membrane is the relative composition of the previously mentioned components. Even though there is a high amount of traffic between different membranes within …

The Role Of Estrogen Receptor Beta In Neonatal Oocyte Development, Kelsey E. Breen

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Establishment of the pool of primordial follicles is essential for reproduction. Shortly after their formation, female germ cells undergo a series of incomplete cell divisions resulting in clusters called cysts. After birth, mouse germ cell cysts break down into individual oocytes (a process referred to as cyst breakdown) that are surrounded by somatic pre-granulosa cells to form primordial follicles. During the process of cyst breakdown, a subset of oocytes in each cyst dies with only a third of the initial number of oocytes surviving. The mechanisms controlling cyst breakdown and programmed cell death are unknown. Previous studies have focused on …

Molecular Analysis Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Genes Involved In Stress Response, Jessica M. Whitlock

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Arabidopsis thaliana is an excellent model plant to study various plant processes, including plant’s response to environment, its interactions with other organisms, etc. In this study I characterized eight Arabidopsis genes that are likely to regulate plant’s responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Microarray analysis was done previously in our lab to identify Arabidopsis genes that are differentially expressed in response to various biotic and abiotic stresses and several plant hormones. The biotic stresses include bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens (both virulent and avirulent strains), sucking and chewing insects. The abiotic stresses include chemicals that induce variety of oxidative stresses …

Characterization Of Type Ii Secretion Mutants Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Sijung Suh

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants PA0686, PA3102, PA3103, and PA5210 carry transposon insertions in uncharacterized genes in the PA01 background. The biofilms formed by these mutants show different phenotypes than PA01, their wild-type counterpart. BLAST searches and phylogenomic mapping tools indicate that protein products of the mutated genes are involved in P. aeruginosa type-II secretion, which is linked to twitching motility. In this study, 96-well microtitre plate biofilm assays, UV/visible spectrophotometer analysis, and motility assays were used to demonstrate a link between type-II secretion, twitching motility and biofilm formation. The results show that the PA5210 mutant forms a biofilm that is less …

Root Production And Herbivory In An Upland Grassland Community In Yellowstone National Park, Anna M. Stewart

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Few investigations have been conducted on belowground plant consumption and production due to the difficulty of examining root systems over time without significant disturbance. In most field studies, roots are sampled monthly, a time interval that cannot capture the rapid growth and death of fine roots. The purpose of this study was to estimate rates of root production (growth) and consumption in an upland grassland inYellowstoneNational Park. Root lengths were digitized in four minirhizotron tubes, four times per month (at three-day intervals over ten days) from May - September 2005. I attributed root length that disappeared over each three-day period …

Loss Of Visual Function In Light-Stressed Mice, Ana Stachowiak

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Because of the highly devastating effects of retinal degenerative diseases, the study of mechanisms of vision loss is imperative. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading causes of blindness in the elderly. In this study I examined how extreme light exposure, which causes light stress in rodents, affects the visual and retinal function of 3 strains of mice. I hypothesized that, three strains of mice, C57BL/6J, ALR/Lj and BALB/c, would all show significant changes in visual and retinal function. I used behavior testing to assess visual acuity and contrast sensitivity as well as electroretinogram (ERG) recordings to assess retinal function. …