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2008

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Articles 10501 - 10530 of 15505

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Culturally Sensitive In-Home Psychotherapy For Urban Low-Income African American Adolescents, Aaron Thomas Ellington Jan 2008

Culturally Sensitive In-Home Psychotherapy For Urban Low-Income African American Adolescents, Aaron Thomas Ellington

ETD Archive

There is a lack of outcome research in regards to the treatment of adolescents, and even less for urban low-income African American adolescents. In the past, the fields of counseling, psychology, and social work have focused on individual counseling approaches and in-patient treatment facilities as methods for dealing with adolescents with drug, alcohol, and mental health issues (as well as other delinquent behaviors). The purpose of this study is to use archival data to answer research hypotheses to gain a better understanding of what variables (more specifically treatment modality) aid in the treatment of urban low-income African American adolescents. The …

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An Examination Of Vegan's Beliefs And Experiences Using Critical Theory And Autoethnography, Christopher A. Hirschler Jan 2008

An Examination Of Vegan's Beliefs And Experiences Using Critical Theory And Autoethnography, Christopher A. Hirschler

ETD Archive

This qualitative study uses critical theory, autoethnography, and in-depth interviews with vegans to explore and analyze the initial impetus to become vegan, the sustaining motivation to persist, the impact the diet and associated practices have had on the participant, and vegan's assessment of omnivore's eating practices. In-depth interviews with three vegans in each of the following professions were conducted: medical doctor, registered dietitian, farmer, professional animal activist, and philosophy professor. Participants were asked to reflect on "narratives of experience" (Caelli, 2001), the story created from their interview. Interviews were analyzed using critical theory to critique the Western approach to diet …

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The Influence Of Research Universities On Technology-Based Regional Economic Development, Iryna V. Lendel Jan 2008

The Influence Of Research Universities On Technology-Based Regional Economic Development, Iryna V. Lendel

ETD Archive

Universities are frequently assumed to be essential contributors to regional economic development although conclusive evidence that universities trigger economic growth within their region does not exist. This dissertation presents a model that characterizes the influence of university research on regional economic outcomes, changes of total regional employment and gross metropolitan product. The model controls for industry research activity and incorporates differences in regional industrial organization. The model compares the influence of university research and industry research on changes of regional employment and gross metropolitan product during the expansion (1998-2001) and contraction (2002-2004) phases of the business cycle and over the …

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Development Of Oligonucleotide Microarray For High Throughput Dna Methylation Analysis, Xiaopeng Li Jan 2008

Development Of Oligonucleotide Microarray For High Throughput Dna Methylation Analysis, Xiaopeng Li

ETD Archive

DNA methylation is a key event regulating gene expression. DNA methylation analysis plays a pivotal role in unlocking association of epigenetic events with cancer. However, simultaneous evaluation of the methylation status of multiple genes is still a technical challenge. Microarray is a promising approach for high-throughput analysis of the methylation status at numerous CpG sites within multiple genes of interest. In this dissertation study, we conducted a systematic study to examine the use of microarray methods for methylation analysis. First, a robust universal microarray was established with more flexible in design and content, and potential cost saving over commercial arrays. …

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Technologies For Proteomic And Genomic Biomarker Analysis, Yiding Liu Jan 2008

Technologies For Proteomic And Genomic Biomarker Analysis, Yiding Liu

ETD Archive

In the first part of this dissertation, we systematically validated the application of molecular weight cut-off ultrafiltration in separation and enrichment of low-molecular-weight peptides from human serum. Under optimized conditions, both free-phase and bound LMW peptides could be separated and enriched. The method proved to be highly efficient and reproducible coupled with MALDI-TOF MS proteomic pattern analysis. Three marker peaks were found to be eligible for distinguishing normal and ovarian cancer samples. A novel organic solvent precipitation method coupled with enzymatic deglycosylation was also developed for biomarker detection from human serum. This method allowed us to generate reproducible free-phase peptide …

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Inhibition Of The Nf-Kb Signaling Pathway And Its Effects On Apoptosis And Cancer, Joseph A. Lupica Jan 2008

Inhibition Of The Nf-Kb Signaling Pathway And Its Effects On Apoptosis And Cancer, Joseph A. Lupica

ETD Archive

The Rel/NF-kB family of inducible transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved structurally and functionally, from insects to humans. They are ubiquitously expressed in a number of mature cell types, playing a pivotal role regulating cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Under normal circumstances, the proliferation of new cells is tightly regulated, as is the programmed lifespan of most cells, occasionally however cells loose their responsiveness to growth control mechanisms, resulting in a tumor or neoplasm. Sustained or chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of pathological conditions that destroy tissue and facilitate neoplastic growth. NF-kB in part mediates the opposing signals …

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Mems (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) Based Microfluidic Platforms For Magnetic Cell Separation, Pulak Nath Jan 2008

Mems (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) Based Microfluidic Platforms For Magnetic Cell Separation, Pulak Nath

ETD Archive

Microfluidic platforms for magnetic cell separation were developed and investigated for isolation of magnetic particles and magnetically tagged cells from a fluidic sample. Two types of magnetic separation platforms were considered: an Isodynamic Open Gradient Magnetic Sorter (OGMS) and a multistage bio-ferrograph. Miniaturized magnets were designed using magnetostatic simulation software, microfluidic channels were fabricated using microfabrication technology and magnetic separation was investigated using video microscopy and digital image processing. The isodynamic OGMS consisted of an external magnetic circuit and a microfabricated channel (biochip) with embedded magnetic elements. The biochip is placed inside the magnetic field of the external circuit to …

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Modeling The Human Prothrombinase Complex Components, Tivadar Orban Jan 2008

Modeling The Human Prothrombinase Complex Components, Tivadar Orban

ETD Archive

Thrombin generation is the culminating stage of the blood coagulation process. Thrombin is obtained from prothrombin (the substrate) in a reaction catalyzed by the prothrombinase complex (the enzyme). The prothrombinase complex is composed of factor Xa (the enzyme), factor Va (the cofactor) associated in the presence of calcium ions on a negatively charged cell membrane. Factor Xa, alone, can activate prothrombin to thrombin however, the rate of conversion is not physiologically relevant for survival. Incorporation of factor Va into prothrombinase accelerates the rate of prothrombinase activity by 300,000-fold, and provides the physiological pathway of thrombin generation. The long-term goal of …

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Synthesis And Characterization Of Acylphosphine Oxide Photoinitiators, Hany F. Sobhi Jan 2008

Synthesis And Characterization Of Acylphosphine Oxide Photoinitiators, Hany F. Sobhi

ETD Archive

Recently, polymerization science has assumed an increasing relevance in many applications, including orthopedic and dental biomaterials. Current technologies are based on the use of photochemically reactive systems, which are suited to absorb light to produce primary radical species capable of initiating polymerization. Acylphosphine oxides and acylphosphonates are known to be very effective photoinitiators for various unsaturated polymeric systems. The high reactivity observed was ascribed to the phosphinyl and phosphinoyl radicals generated. Because of the poor qualities of other initiators, we examined new routes to synthesize acylphosphine oxide initiators to achieve compatibility with aqueous media and improved performance. The preparation and …

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Mass Spectrometry-Based High Throughput Approach For Identification Of Molecular Modification Of Oxidative Process In Respiratory Diseases, Wei Song Jan 2008

Mass Spectrometry-Based High Throughput Approach For Identification Of Molecular Modification Of Oxidative Process In Respiratory Diseases, Wei Song

ETD Archive

Eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) have been implicated in generating reactive species and promoting oxidative modifications in numerous diseases. The detection and identification of potential pathways has been proven extremely challenge due to evanescence nature of these reactive species. An alternative approach to study the involvement of oxidative modification is to detect and quantify the stable molecular fingerprints, like oxidized tyrosine species, in biological matrices. Previously reported analytical methods for quantifying oxidized amino acids have typically been limited by: low sensitivity, specificity and the failure of detection potential oxidation products generated during sample handling. Using GC/MS in combination with …

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Functional Characterization Of Scn5a, The Cardiac Sodium Channel Gene Associated With Cardiac Arrhythmias And Sudden Death, Ling Wu Jan 2008

Functional Characterization Of Scn5a, The Cardiac Sodium Channel Gene Associated With Cardiac Arrhythmias And Sudden Death, Ling Wu

ETD Archive

No abstract provided.

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Bio-Signal Analysis In Fatigue And Cancer Related Fatigue;Weakening Of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling, Qi Yang Jan 2008

Bio-Signal Analysis In Fatigue And Cancer Related Fatigue;Weakening Of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling, Qi Yang

ETD Archive

Fatigue is a common experience that reduces productivity and increases chance of injury, and has been reported as one of most common symptoms with greatest impact on quality-of-life parameters in cancer patients. Neural mechanisms behind fatigue and cancer related fatigue (CRF) are not well known. Recent research has shown dissociation between changes in brain and muscle signals during voluntary muscle fatigue, which may suggest weakening of functional corticomuscular coupling (fCMC). However, this weakening of brain-muscle coupling has never been directly evaluated. More important information could be gained if fCMC is directly detected during fatigue because a voluntary muscle contraction depends …

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Sarah Kane's Cruelty: Subversive Performance And Gender, Rebecca L. Dluback Jan 2008

Sarah Kane's Cruelty: Subversive Performance And Gender, Rebecca L. Dluback

ETD Archive

Sarah Kane uses cruelty in her plays Blasted and Cleansed to shock the audience out of their indifference, which will then allow Kane to subvert gender norms, through performed acts on stage, and the heterosexual patriarchal authority that creates the Other in society. Kane uses the theories of Antonin Artaud and Judith Butler to create a new style that melds these two theories while bringing a fresh take to the theater. Kane was twenty-three when her first play, Blasted, opened at the Royal Court Theater Upstairs on January 12, 1995. It was met with hostility by the critics when it …

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Religiosity And Successful Aging, Jessica L. York Jan 2008

Religiosity And Successful Aging, Jessica L. York

ETD Archive

There has been an increasing amount of elderly individuals who have avoided the crippling health and physical problems that appear to vex so much of the older adult population. These successful agers have also learned to cope more effectively with both the normative and traumatic stressors they encounter over time. Successful aging has been defined in numerous ways and studied in a variety of contexts. This study set to define successful aging in terms of anxiety, depression, and subjective well-being, while also examining the relationship of successful aging with religiosity. The fundamental goal of this study was to examine the …

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Sex, Gender, And Androgyny In Virginia Woolf's Mock-Biographies "Friendships Gallery" And Orlando, Sarah Hastings Jan 2008

Sex, Gender, And Androgyny In Virginia Woolf's Mock-Biographies "Friendships Gallery" And Orlando, Sarah Hastings

ETD Archive

This is an examination of sex, gender, and androgyny in Virginia Woolf́⁰₉s ́⁰₋Friendships Gallerý⁰₊ and Orlando. These texts, written twenty years apart, highlight Woolf́⁰₉s development as a feminist who seeks to obliterate the assumed sex and gender binary. She accomplishes this through a mock biography format. Her first attempt highlights the androgynous nature of the main character Violet, whereas in Orlando her message of the constrictive nature of an assumed link between sex and gender is far more emphatically proven though the utilization of the titular character undergoing a biological sex change that ultimately leaves his/her gender unaffected

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Prion Protein As An Infectious Agent Of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, Wioleta Cyranek Jan 2008

Prion Protein As An Infectious Agent Of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, Wioleta Cyranek

ETD Archive

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are fatal neurodegenerative diseases of human, animal and yeast caused by an infectious agent designated prion. The "protein only" hypothesis proposed more than three decades ago suggests that the prions are small, infectious pathogens composed of aggregated, abnormal forms of a protein encoded in the host genome. PrPC plays primary role in neurite outgrowth, synaptic function, oxidative stress defense and long term survival of cerebellar neurons. The key event in prion disease is the conversion of the Îł-helical, cellular isoform of the prion protein to the insoluble, Îø-sheet-rich disease- causing isoform. Aggregation of misfolded prion protein …

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Road Surface Condition Detection And Identification And Vehicle Anti-Skid Control, Maosheng Ye Jan 2008

Road Surface Condition Detection And Identification And Vehicle Anti-Skid Control, Maosheng Ye

ETD Archive

Road surface condition is greatly dependent on the surface's friction coefficient. The abrupt change of the coefficient results in variation of wheel slip which likely leads to vehicle instability. Vehicle steering model and the dynamic equations for four-wheel drive vehicle is developed. A new observer, called Extended State Observer (ESO) is used to estimate the longitudinal velocity, lateral velocity and yaw rate, and more importantly an additional quantity known as system dynamics. A trained neural network was employed to help determine the friction coefficient. Fuzzy logic was employed to quickly detect the change of road surface condition and further classify …

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An Insight Into Gait Complex Mediated Translational Silencing, Purvi Kapasi Jan 2008

An Insight Into Gait Complex Mediated Translational Silencing, Purvi Kapasi

ETD Archive

Transcript-specific translational control restricts macrophage inflammatory gene expression. The pero-inflammatory cytokine IFN-Îđ induces the phosphorylation of human ribosomal protein L13a and its subsequent release from 60S ribosome. L13a is a component of the interferon-gamma-activated inhibitor of translation (GAIT). The GAIT complex binds a defined element in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of ceruloplasmin (Cp) mRNA and causes delayed silencing of translation. In this research, we elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying L13a translational silencing activity. L13a mediates translational silencing particularly, when driven by internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) that requires the initiation factor eIF4G, but is resistant to silencing when driven by …

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The Influence Of Humor On Approach And Avoidance Motivation, Stuart Jenkins Daman Jan 2008

The Influence Of Humor On Approach And Avoidance Motivation, Stuart Jenkins Daman

ETD Archive

Approach and avoidance motivation have been used to study many phenomena, but no research has yet investigated the influence of humor on approach and avoidance motivation. The feelings associated with humor are also associated with situations high in safety and low in threat. These sorts of situations are likely to result in decreases in avoidance motivation. Participants viewed either a humorous video clip or a mundane video clip and then completed a series of self-report measures to assess levels of approach and avoidance motivation. Contrary to expectations, composites of measures of approach and avoidance motivation were not influenced by the …

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Employing Strategy In Measures Of Executive Functioning, Amanda A. Yocum Jan 2008

Employing Strategy In Measures Of Executive Functioning, Amanda A. Yocum

ETD Archive

Although various dementia-related executive deficits have been identified, the functional state of the frontal lobe during healthy aging remains unclear (Raz et al., 2005). The proposed study examines the use of strategy in measures of executive functioning in younger and older adults. Specifically, the strategy types of a nonverbal fluency task are shown to differentially correlate with the actual output generated by participants. The strategies employed here are compared between the two age groups, illustrating that older adults use the best strategy significantly less than younger adults, even when controlling for output differences, which may support the frontal lobe hypothesis …

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Optimization Of The Conditions Necessary To Show Binding Of The Plasmodium Yoelii Rhop-3 Rhoptry Protein To Mouse Erythrocytes, Latoya T. Myrie Jan 2008

Optimization Of The Conditions Necessary To Show Binding Of The Plasmodium Yoelii Rhop-3 Rhoptry Protein To Mouse Erythrocytes, Latoya T. Myrie

ETD Archive

The Plasmodium Rhop-3 rhoptry protein is an erythrocyte binding protein that is secreted into the RBC membrane during merozoite invasion. Anti-Rhop-3 antibodies inhibit merozoite RBC invasion. The C-terminus of the Rhop-3 protein is highly conserved among Plasmodium species and antisera from endemic areas reacts with recombinant C-terminus of Rhop-3. The binding domain of the Rhop-3 protein is hypothesized to be within the C-terminal region of the protein. In the present study I investigated the conditions necessary for binding of the Rhop-3 protein to RBC by expressing recombinant proteins made from partial fragments of the Rhop-3 gene using the vector pDisplayTM. …

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Minority Student Perceptions Of The Veterinary Profession: Factors Influencing Choices Of Health Careers, Evan M. Morse Jan 2008

Minority Student Perceptions Of The Veterinary Profession: Factors Influencing Choices Of Health Careers, Evan M. Morse

ETD Archive

The lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the profession of veterinary medicine is widely recognized. Despite this recognition, minority representation in veterinary colleges remains very low. No demographic data shows exactly how many minority veterinarians exist however, Elmore (2003) extrapolated numbers from recent graduates and suggested that about 91 of all veterinarians in the United States were white, 5 were Hispanic, 2 were African American, 1 were Asian/Pacific Islander, and less than 1 were American Indian/Alaskan Native. For minority groups, these percentages are significantly lower than the racial distribution in the population of the United States. Limited progress has …

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The Effect Of Wetland Size And Surrounding Land Use On Wetland Quality Along An Urbanization Gradient In The Rocky River Watershed, Marilyn S. Gunsch Jan 2008

The Effect Of Wetland Size And Surrounding Land Use On Wetland Quality Along An Urbanization Gradient In The Rocky River Watershed, Marilyn S. Gunsch

ETD Archive

An intensive floristic evaluation of 17 Cleveland Metroparks (CMP) wetlands in the Rocky River Watershed (RRW) was undertaken to determine whether wetland size or anthropogenic disturbance in the surrounding landscape is a better predictor of wetland quality in this protected parkland. Wetland study sites were selected in three reservations, Hinckley, Mill Stream Run, and Rocky River. My research adds valuable information to the CMP wetland database and will contribute to its wetland management policies. Wetland quality was determined using the following floristic indices: species richness, non-native species, wetland species, mean coefficient of conservatism (C of C), floristic quality assessment index …

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A Diatom Phosphorus Inference Model For 30 Freshwater Lakes In Ne Ohio And Nw Pennsylvania, Kyle C. Scotese Jan 2008

A Diatom Phosphorus Inference Model For 30 Freshwater Lakes In Ne Ohio And Nw Pennsylvania, Kyle C. Scotese

ETD Archive

Nutrient enrichment in the form of anthropogenic phosphorous and nitrogen inputs has occurred in lakes worldwide. In the absence of historical water chemistry data, the extent to which this disturbance has impacted lakes in the Erie/Ontario drift and lake plain and Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregions remains to be determined. The objective of this study was to develop a diatom calibration set through analysis of surface sediments and water chemistry from 30 lakes spanning a phosphorous and nitrogen gradient in the glaciated regions of northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania with an additional lake in New York. No current training set exists …

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Study Of 3'-Untranslated Region Of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase And Identification Of Other Targets Of Gaitpathway, Sirisha Vadlamani Jan 2008

Study Of 3'-Untranslated Region Of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase And Identification Of Other Targets Of Gaitpathway, Sirisha Vadlamani

ETD Archive

Macrophages and other leukocytes play a vital role during inflammation. IFN-Îđ which is secreted by Th1 cells activates monocyte-macrophages and this activation leads to induction as well as suppression of certain genes expressed during inflammation. This suppression of genes may be potentially vital for resolution of inflammation. Upon IFN-Îđ stimulation, a Gamma-activated inhibitor of translation complex (GAIT) is formed, which binds to 3'-UTR of target mRNAs thereby silencing their translation. VEGF-A and ceruloplasmin are two proteins whose translation is suppressed by this pathway. The GAIT complex proteins have been identified as ribosomal protein L13a, glutamyl-prolyl tRNA synthatase (EPRS), NS-1 associated …

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Relationship Between Believed Causes Of Depression And Social Distance, Samantha Jean Tomsick Jan 2008

Relationship Between Believed Causes Of Depression And Social Distance, Samantha Jean Tomsick

ETD Archive

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between causal explanations for depression and the social distance individuals would desire from a depressed person in order to clarify whether changes to existing public awareness campaigns concerning depression might be warranted. The sample used consisted of 223 students attending a university in a large mid-western city. Each participant received a vignette that described an individual suffering from depressive symptoms and also included information regarding whether these symptoms were caused by psychosocial or biological factors. The subjects then completed a survey incorporating questions from the modified version of the …

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Fish & Wildlife News: Winter 2008 Jan 2008

Fish & Wildlife News: Winter 2008

Fish and Wildlife News

Contents:
Director’s Corner / 1
News / 3
Field Journal / 9
Landscape of Change / 10
Canine Companions / 18
The Battle for One House / 20
Miracle in the Berkshires / 22
Trading Places / 24
Around the Service / 28
Fish Tales / 39
Our People / 40
Transitions / 40
Honors / 41
In Memoriam / 44

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A High Throughput Live Transparent Animal Bioassay To Identify Non-Toxic Small Molecules Or Genes That Regulate Vertebrate Fat Metabolism For Obesity Drug Development, Kevin Jones Jan 2008

A High Throughput Live Transparent Animal Bioassay To Identify Non-Toxic Small Molecules Or Genes That Regulate Vertebrate Fat Metabolism For Obesity Drug Development, Kevin Jones

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

The alarming rise in the obesity epidemic and growing concern for the pathologic consequences of the metabolic syndrome warrant great need for development of obesity-related pharmacotherapeutics. The search for such therapeutics is severely limited by the slow throughput of animal models of obesity. Amenable to placement into a 96 well plate, zebrafish larvae have emerged as one of the highest throughput vertebrate model organisms for performing small molecule screens. A method for visually identifying non-toxic molecular effectors of fat metabolism using a live transparent vertebrate was developed. Given that increased levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) via deletion of CD38 …

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Nondestructive Estimation Of Leaf Chlorophyll Content In Grapes, Mark Steele, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Donald Rundquist Jan 2008

Nondestructive Estimation Of Leaf Chlorophyll Content In Grapes, Mark Steele, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Donald Rundquist

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Leaf chlorophyll content provides valuable information about the physiological status of plants, and there is a need for accurate, efficient, practical methodologies to estimate this biophysical parameter. Reflectance measurement is a means of quickly and nondestructively assessing, in situ, the chlorophyll content in leaves. The objective of this study was to develop a precise, efficient, nondestructive technique to estimate leaf total chlorophyll (Chl) content in grapes. A relationship was established between Chl content and the red-edge chlorophyll index, based on reflectances in the red-edge (710–720 nm) and near-infrared (755–765 nm) spectral ranges, and the algorithm for Chl retrieval was calibrated. …

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Remediating Explosive-Contaminated Groundwater By In Situ Redox Manipulation (Isrm) Of Aquifer Sediments, H.K. Boparai, Steven Comfort, Patrick J. Shea, J.E. Szecsody Jan 2008

Remediating Explosive-Contaminated Groundwater By In Situ Redox Manipulation (Isrm) Of Aquifer Sediments, H.K. Boparai, Steven Comfort, Patrick J. Shea, J.E. Szecsody

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In situ chemical reduction of clays and iron oxides in subsurface environments is an emerging technology for treatment of contaminated groundwater. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of dithionite-reduced sediments from the perched Pantex Aquifer (Amarillo, TX) to abiotically degrade the explosives RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine), HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro- 1,3,5,7-tetrazocine), and TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene). The effects of dithionite/buffer concentrations, sediments-solution ratios, and the contribution of Fe(II) were evaluated in batch experiments. Results showed that reduced Pantex sediments were highly effective in degrading all three high explosives. Degradation rates increased with increasing dithionite/buffer concentrations and soil to solution ratios (1:80–1:10 w/v). When Fe(II) was …

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