Digital Commons Network^™

Organic Farmers' Need For And Attitude Towards Extension, Robert Agunga, Chris Igodan

Journal of Extension

The study reported here sought to determine sustainable agriculture farmers' perceived attitude towards Extension. A random sample of 99 sustainable agriculture farmers in Ohio showed a highly favorable attitude towards Extension and an expression of a great need for Extension information, particularly on environmental issues. However, the study also found that the vast majority of sustainable agriculture farmers do not feel that Extension educators neither understand the needs of sustainable agriculture farmers nor have the know-how to assist them. Thus, the researchers recommend an examination of Extension educators' need for sustainable agriculture training.

Agri-Cultural Tourism: Linking The Arts And Humanities With Agricultural Direct Marketers And Specialty Producers, Rhoda Burrows, Anne Fennell, Meredith Redlin, Lynn Verschoor

Journal of Extension

In South Dakota, we are linking artists and specialty producers in a unique "Agri-Cultural Tourism" approach. In sparsely populated areas, agritourism enterprises have a difficult time attracting potential tourists. By partnering specialty agricultural enterprises with nearby or regional artists and other cultural entities and events, a critical mass of attractions can be created. This article provides an example of the critical partnership between cooperative extension, stakeholders, and numerous allied organizations that served as a catalyst for an on-going Agri-Cultural tourism alliance. It also highlights key issues and steps identified by the participants to assure continued development progress in the state.

Modulation Of Tgf-Beta Signaling By Proinflammatory Cytokines In Articular Chondrocytes., Jorge A. Roman-Blas, David G. Stokes, Sergio A. Jimenez

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The normal structure and function of articular cartilage are the result of a precisely balanced interaction between anabolic and catabolic processes. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of growth factors generally exerts an anabolic or repair response; in contrast, proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) exert a strong catabolic effect. Recent evidence has shown that IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha, and the TGF-beta signaling pathways share an antagonistic relationship. The aim of this study was to determine whether the modulation of the response of articular chondrocytes to TGF-beta by IL-1beta or TNF-alpha signaling pathways …

Removing The Greek From Feta And Adding Korbel To Champagne: The Paradox Of Geographical Indications In International Law., Michelle Agdomar

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Phylogeny, Adaptive Radiation, And Historical Biogeography Of Bromeliaceae Inferred From Ndhf Sequence Data, Thomas J. Givnish, Kendra C. Millam, Paul E. Berry, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Cladistic analysis of ndhF sequences identifies eight major bromeliad clades arranged in ladderlike fashion. The traditional subfamilies Tillandsioideae and Bromelioideae are monophyletic, but Pitcairnioideae are paraphyletic, requiring the description of four new subfamilies, recircumscription of Pitcairnioideae and Navioideae, the sinking of Ayensua, and description of the new genus Sequencia. Brocchinioideae are basalmost, followed by Lindmanioideae, both restricted to the Guayana Shield. Next is an unresolved trichotomy involving Hechtioideae from Central America, Tillandsioideae, and the remaining bromeliads in subfamilies Navioideae, Pitcairnioideae, Puyoideae, and Bromelioideae. Bromeliads arose as C₃ terrestrial plants on moist infertile sites in …

Towards A Comprehensive Survey Of C3 And C4 Photosynthetic Pathways In Cyperaceae, Jeremy J. Bruhl, Karen L. Wilson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Members of the family Cyperaceae were surveyed by original observation and from the literature to assess the distribution of C₃ and C₄ photosynthetic pathways in the family. All 107 genera were included in the current sample, with 91 genera assessed as consistently C₃ and 11 genera as C₄. The genera Abildgaardia, Cyperus, Eleocharis, Fimbristylis, and Rhynchospora are variable for this trait. Of the total number (1474) of specific (1406) and infraspecific (68) taxa sampled, 938 taxa (63%) are C₃, 527 taxa (36%) are C₄, and nine species …

A Preliminary Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Grass Subfamily Pooideae (Poaceae), With Attention To Structural Features Of The Plastid And Nuclear Genomes, Including An Intron Loss In Gbssi, Jerrold I Davis, Robert J. Soreng

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Phylogenetic relationships in the grass family (Poaceae), with specific attention to the internal structure of subfamily Pooideae, are analyzed on the basis of nucleotide sequence variation in plastid-encoded genes (matK, ndhF, ndhH, and rbcL). The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis was examined with attention to the taxonomic distributions of two inversions and an insertion/deletion within ndhF, the absence of intron 10 of the nuclear gene GBSSI (waxy), and positions of the boundaries between the Short Single Copy (SSC) region and the neighboring Inverted Repeat (IR) regions of the plastid genome, relative to the endpoints of ndh …

Phylogenetic Relationships Among The One-Flowered, Determinate Genera Of Bambuseae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), Lynn G. Clark, Soejatmi Dransfield, Jimmy Triplett, J. Gabriel Sánchez-Ken

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Bambuseae (woody bamboos), one of two tribes recognized within Bambusoideae (true bamboos), comprise over 90% of the diversity of the subfamily, yet monophyly of the tribe is generally only moderately supported, and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe are poorly understood. In addition, there appears to be some level of conflict between morphological and molecular data within the tribe. We conducted a parsimony analysis of 43 species of Bambuseae, three of Olyreae (herbaceous bamboos), and two outgroup taxa using morphological and plastid rpl16 intron sequence data to (1) further test the monophyly of Bambuseae, (2) test the monophyly of Chusqueinae …

Phylogenetics Of Chloridoideae (Gramineae): A Preliminary Study Based On Nuclear Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer And Chloroplast Trnl–F Sequences, J. Travis Columbus, Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa, Michael S. Kinney, Maria Elena Siqueiros-Delgado, Hester L. Bell, M. Patrick Griffith, Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogeny of Chloridoideae (Gramineae) was inferred from parsimony analyses of DNA sequences from two genomes—the chloroplast trnL intron, trnL 3' exon, and trnL–F intergenic spacer, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2). Eighty species representing 66 chloridoid genera were sampled, including all but four of the native New World genera. Analyses of the individual and combined data sets were performed. The phylogenies were found to be highly congruent. Of the four tribes and seven subtribes of Chloridoideae sensu Clayton and Renvoize (1986) whose phylogenetic status could be tested with our …

Dr. Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsoon, Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsson

Shabbat Shalom: A Journal for Jewish-Christian Reconciliation

No abstract provided.

Temporal Fatty Acid Fluctuations Of Pachygrapsus Crassipes In Southern California, April Dawn Sjoboen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The current investigation identified fatty acids (FAs) and quantified total and specific FA concentrations in the striped shore crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes. I examined changes in the abundance of individual FAs and FA saturation categories (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) over months and between sexes. Fatty acid fluctuations were compared with reported temperatures from a location near the collection site to determine whether temperature significantly contributed to these changes. The abundances of palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were found to fluctuate significantly on a monthly basis, with a higher abundance in warm months than in cold months. This fluctuation appeared …

Spatial Ecology Of The Desert Tortoise: Sampling Frequency And Biological Influences, Meagan L. Harless

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Understanding the spatial ecology of an animal is crucial for making positive efforts to provide for its recovery. As a part of this understanding, home range estimates are used to answer a variety of questions in ecological studies. However, home range estimates based on a collection of radio-telemetry locations are sensitive to methodological variables, such as sample size, sampling frequency, and the choice of estimator. Further confounding these estimates are a number of physical, social, and ecological factors. Identifying the main determinants of space use patterns by a species may aid conservation efforts.

The Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)of the …

Immediate Implant Placement In Extraction Sites With Periapical Lesions: A Retrospective Study, Yuan-Lung Hung

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Immediate implant placement into fresh extraction sites has become a relatively routine clinical procedure with a favorable prognosis. However, immediate placement into extraction sockets with lesions has not been extensively documented in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively determine the survival rate of implants placed into extraction sockets with visible periapical lesions.

Patient charts of 544 immediately placed implants from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Center for Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry were examined. Eighty-six of the 544 implants had been placed immediately into extraction sockets with periapical lesions and they were included in this study. …

Impact Of Treatment On Body Image In Obese Children, Danusia Nedilskyj

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pediatric obesity is a national epidemic with serious medical implications. Currently, almost one-quarter of children in the United States are overweight. Without intervention, children typically are unable to outgrow obesity and the majority of overweight children become overweight adults. Further, childhood obesity results in numerous psychological consequences, including dissatisfaction with body image. Thus, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity are crucial to protect children from the resultant physical and psychological risk factors which will impact their future health. The Growing Fit Program is a pediatric clinic in the Department of Pediatrics at Loma Linda University, which seeks to serve the …

Vygotsky’S Theory Of The Creative Imagination: A Study Of The Influences On Preservice Teachers’ Creative Thinking Capacities, Stephen J. Worst

Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of formal instruction in the use of creative thinking skills on preservice teachers' capacities for increased creative activity. It emerged from Vygotsky's theory of the creative imagination. Emphasizing the impact of formal schooling on the growth of creative activity, he implied that individuals who are continually adding to accumulation of knowledge develop an abundant imagination from which creativity flows.

This quantitative study used a quasi-experimental design and attempted to test Vygotsky's assumptions within a sample population of 113 preservice teachers. Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking served as the pre- and post-tests that measured the creative …

Gordie News, December 2007, West Chester University Of Pennsylvania

Gordon Natural Area History & Strategic Plan Documents

No abstract provided.

Most Caenorhabditis Elegans Micrornas Are Individually Not Essential For Development Or Viability, Eric A. Miska, Ezequiel Alvarez-Saavedra, Allison L. Abbott, Nelson C. Lau, Andrew B. Hellman, Shannon M. Mcgonagle, David P. Bartel, Victor R. Ambros, H. Robert Horvitz

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a large class of short noncoding RNAs found in many plants and animals, often act to post-transcriptionally inhibit gene expression. We report the generation of deletion mutations in 87 miRNA genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, expanding the number of mutated miRNA genes to 95, or 83% of known C. elegans miRNAs. We find that the majority of miRNAs are not essential for the viability or development of C. elegans, and mutations in most miRNA genes do not result in grossly abnormal phenotypes. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that there is significant functional redundancy among miRNAs …

Acts Of Being: Hamlet And The Philosophy Of Soren Kierkegaard, Michael Brandon Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This study is specifically concerned with analyzing the existential elements in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, utilizing as methodology the works of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard.

The aims of this study are chiefly to illuminate the usefulness of existentialism as an important, prescient, and timely methodology for criticism, as well as to reveal the applicability of Kierkegaard's works for literary analysis. There have, prior to this study, been other critical examinations of Shakespeare's work, utilizing the philosophy of Kierkegaard - however, unlike those other works of criticism, this project has undertaken comprehensive analysis of the play, making broad use of Kierkegaard's …

Hyperprolactenemia In Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematusus, Meroj A. Jasem

Baghdad Science Journal

Recent accumulated evidences suggest that prolactin is an important immunomodulator and may have a role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of hyperprolactinemia in women with SLE and to evaluate its correlation with disease flares. Serum prolactin levels were measured in 62 women with SLE and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In patients and control groups prolactin levels were determined by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). The prolactin level was found to be higher than normal rang in (40.3%) of SLE patients in active stage versus only (8.06%) of …

Development Of Photography Curriculum Program: Facilitating The Transition From Academic Theory To Business Practice, John M. Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

Competition for job openings is becoming increasingly difficult for college graduates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007), "Photographers can expect keen competition for job openings. The number of individuals interested in positions is much greater than the number of openings" (~27). As a result of this increasing competition, this study is intended to develop a model curriculum for a four-year baccalaureate degree program in photography with a business emphasis. More specifically, this study is aimed at developing curriculum that will enable students to more readily transition from academic theory into business and industrial practice.

In this study, a …

Habitat Availability For Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus Amarus) Pena Blanca, Rio Grande, New Mexico, Leeanna T. Torres

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Similar to many dams around the world, Cochiti Dam [since its construction in 1975 on the Middle Rio Grande (MRG), New Mexico] has contributed both benefits and negative impacts to those who make use of the MRG. Built primarily for flood control, the dam has resulted in significant geomorphic changes below the dam. This has caused the decline of some native organisms adapted to the river. Since 1994, the Rio Grande silvery minnow (RGSM) (Hybognathus amarus) has been federally listed as an endangered species. Habitat availability is a concern for the species, which currently occupies only about 7% of its …

Monitoring Old Growth In Frequent-Fire Landscapes, Carl E. Fiedler, Peter Friederici, Mark Petruncio

Forest Management Faculty Publications

In this article, we discuss how to monitor the structural and functional attributes of old growth, as well as its associated plant communities and wildlife, both to determine the possible need for treatment and to assess post-treatment progress toward desired conditions. Monitoring can be used to detect conditions (or agents) that threaten existing old growth and also to document indicators of healthy, functioning old-growth systems.

Managing For Old Growth In Frequent-Fire Landscapes, Carl E. Fiedler, Peter Friederici, Mark Petruncio, Charles Denton, W. David Hacker

Forest Management Faculty Publications

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing frequent-fire, old-growth forests. However, there are general guidelines to follow: 1) set objectives for both structure (tree density, diameter distribution, tree species composition, spatial arrangement, amount of coarse woody debris) and function (nutrient cycling, desired tree species regeneration); 2) prioritize treatments according to ecological, economic, and social needs and risks; 3) identify the potential treatments (natural fire, prescribed fire, silvicultural cutting) that best meet the objectives and scale of the project; and 4) implement the treatment (s). We discuss each of these guidelines in this article.

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Profiling Of The Cyclic Amp-Dependent Signaling Pathway During Morphogenic Transitions Of Candida Albicans, Yong-Sun Bahn, Matthew Molenda, Janet F. Staab, Courtney A. Lyman, Laura J. Gordon, Paula Sundstrom

Dartmouth Scholarship

Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that causes systemic candidiasis as well as superficial mucosal candidiasis. In response to the host environment, C. albicans transitions between yeast and hyphal forms. In particular, hyphal growth is important in facilitating adhesion and invasion of host tissues, concomitant with the expression of various hypha-specific virulence factors. In previous work, we showed that the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in morphogenic transitions and virulence of C. albicans by studying genes encoding adenylate cyclase-associated protein (CAP1) and high-affinity phosphodiesterase (PDE2) (Y. S. Bahn, J. Staab, and P. Sundstrom, Mol. …

Statistics In The Jury Box: How Jurors Respond To Mitochondrial Dna Match Probabilities, David H. Kaye, Valerie P. Hans, B. Michael Dann, Erin J. Farley, Stephanie Albertson

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

This article describes parts of an unusually realistic experiment on the comprehension of expert testimony on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing in a criminal trial for robbery. Specifically, we examine how jurors who responded to summonses for jury duty evaluated portions of videotaped testimony involving probabilities and statistics. Although some jurors showed susceptibility to classic fallacies in interpreting conditional probabilities, the jurors as a whole were not overwhelmed by a 99.98% exclusion probability that the prosecution presented. Cognitive errors favoring the defense were more prevalent than ones favoring the prosecution. These findings lend scant support to the legal argument that mtDNA …

University Reporter - Volume 12, Number 04 - December 2007

1996-2009, University Reporter

This issue of the University Reporter includes articles about J. Keith Motley’s appointment as UMass Boston’s Eighth chancellor, the University's involvement with OpenCourseWare initiatives, a celebration of Native American heritage on campus, the Gastón Institute's analysis of community responses to recent immigration raids, and other news from UMass Boston.

And They Were There -- Reports Of Meetings -- 27th Annual Charleston Conference, Ramune K. Kubilius

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Panorama December 2007, Southern Adventist University

Panorama Parent Newsletter

This issue of the Panorama parent newsletter highlights student missions, provides information on counseling and tutoring services, and profiles the Psychology Club and Students in Free Enterprise.

Using Science, Engineering, And Education To Address Water Supply Challenges In The Highlands Of Guatemala, Andrew Curtis Elmore, William Fahrenholtz

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Guatemalan Highlands is a Popular Destination for Non-Government Organizations Interested in Performing Relief Projects. U.S.-Based Organizations Such as Rotary International, Engineers Without Borders, and Various Religious Organizations Travel to Guatemala to Conduct Humanitarian Activities Which May Be Effective for the Short Term, But It is Not Clear that the Efforts Have a Systematic Impact. Students and Faculty at the University of Missouri-Rolla Have Systematically Studied Water Supply Issues Including Undergraduate and Graduate Research Projects and Undergraduate Engineering Courses Such as International Capstone Design. Materials Engineers Have Been Involved in the Study of Ceramic-Based Water Treatment Devices. These Microfilters Have …

Mycorrhizal Fungi In Epiphytic And Terrestrial Oerstedella Exasperata (Orchidaceae), December 2007, Nicole M. Williams

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

All orchids have a relationship with mycorrhizae during germination. Nutrient availability in soils often determines whether these relationships are maintained into adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of mycorrhizae infection in epiphytic and terrestrial Oerstedella exasperata. Since orchids that are rooted in the ground may have greater access to, or more consistent supplies of, nutrients I predicted that mycorrhizae would be found less often in terrestrial individuals. Furthermore, since plant fitness may be affected by the presence or absence of mycorrhizae or the availability of nutrients, fitness of epiphytic and terrestrial plants, with and without …