Digital Commons Network^™

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 17, 2009, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Taking Back The Knife: The Ulu As An Expression Of Inuit Women's Strength, Patricia Hansen Gillam

Rural Development

The ulu is an enduring object in the lives of Inuit women which has multiple meanings as both a tool and symbol of traditional subsistence activity. While it continues to be recognized as a symbol of identity for Inuit women across the Arctic, it has received little attention by Western scientists and academics. Following the twists and turns of both de-colonizing and engendering the ulu encourages a comprehension of the profoundly symbolic meaning of the ulu with respect to Inuit women's identity. The collecting phase of the Smithsonian in Alaska and the classifying impulse of archaeological reports are examined for …

Modeling Discharge Using Hbv In The Imnavait Basin, North Slope, Alaska, Erin Dawn Trochim

Engineering

"The Arctic fresh water hydrological cycle is dominated by the melting of the seasonal snow cover and scattered precipitation events during the summer months. Predicting and characterizing potential hydrological response is an important component for engineering infrastructure for the appropriate climatic conditions. A semi-distributed Swedish conceptual model, HBV, has been applied to the Imnavait basin, located in the headwaters of the Kuparuk River on the North Slope of Alaska, to examine runoff during spring and summer months. The methodology began by analyzing the long-term climatic records of the Imnavait basin from 1986 to present. Initial calibration work was completed in …

Total Serum Immunoglobulin Y In Steller's Eiders And A Surrogate Species As A Marker Of Humoral Immune Status And Viral Response, Maryann Bozza

Marine Biology

"Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and other sea duck species have undergone population declines in recent decades, and the causes for the declines remain largely unknown. As part of a study to investigate the role of disease in sea duck population declines, I further characterized Steller's eider humoral immunity by quantifying total serum immunoglobulin Y (IgY). Baseline values of total serum IgY were determined for a captive flock of Steller's eiders housed at the Alaska SeaLife Center using species-specific assays. There were no significant differences in total serum IgY between males and females or between seasons (molt and winter) for captive …

The Impact Of Sea Kayak Tourism And Recreation On Harbor Seal Behavior In Kenai Fjords National Park: Integrating Research With Outreach, Education, And Tourism, Caroline M. Jezierski

Marine Biology

"Increasing numbers of sea kayakers in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska prompted a study to evaluate human disturbance on harbor seals. Harbor seal behavior recorded during the molt from 2004-2006 via remotely controlled cameras and direct field observations were used to evaluate effects of human activities. Behaviors of the seals observed in the presence and absence of kayakers/walkers were contrasted by method of collection, year, presence of humans, presence of a guide, and guide training. Results demonstrated that harbor seals abandoned the ice and were more alert when kayakers were present than when humans were absent. Harbor seals became progressively …

Survey Indicators For Pygmy Rabbits: Temporal Trends Of Burrow Systems And Pellets, Dana M. Sanchez, Janet L. Rachlow, Andrew P. Robinson, Timothy R. Johnson

Western North American Naturalist

Obtaining estimates of absolute abundance for rare or cryptic species can be challenging. In these cases, methods using indirect indicators such as sign might offer useful indices of population size. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are small, burrowing lagomorphs for which methods for population assessment and monitoring are needed. Current tools for estimating relative abundance rely on detecting and assessing fecal pellets and burrow systems. We evaluated temporal changes in each of these indicators to gauge their potential usefulness as indicators of relative and absolute abundance of pygmy rabbits. Pellet persistence was strongly influenced by environmental exposure, and based …

Reproductive Cycle Of The Lizard Sceloporus Mucronatus With Comments On Intraspecific Geographic Variation, Maricela Villagrán–Santa Cruz, Oswaldo Hernández-Gallegos, Fausto R. Méndez–De La Cruz

Western North American Naturalist

Sceloporus mucronatus is a viviparous lizard that inhabits high altitudes in central México. Lizards from Tecocomulco, Hidalgo, México, were collected monthly at 2500 m throughout one year. Macro- and microscopic evidence of gonads showed that both sexes reproduce synchronously during the fall. In males, after a short testicular quiescence in December, the recrudescence begins in winter (January) and continues through spring and summer (July), with maximum activity occurring from late summer to early fall (August–September). Regression takes place simultaneously with copulation during the fall (October–November). In females, vitellogenesis occurs during summer and fall (August–November), with ovulation in the fall (November–December). …

Summer Burrows Of Ord's Kangaroo Rats (Dipodomys Ordii) In Western Nebraska: Food Content And Structure, Jeremy A. White

Western North American Naturalist

Extent of larder hoarding differs among species of kangaroo rats, and limited information is available for food stored in burrows by Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii)—the most widespread species of Dipodomys. I excavated 9 burrows recently used by adult D. ordii during summer in the Sandhill Region of Nebraska. I observed only small quantities of food stored in burrows. Eight of 9 burrows contained segments of sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) in limited quantities. These segments consisted of upper leaves with fruits (containing seeds) housed in sheaths. My observations represent the first documentation of D. ordii storing …

Grassland Bird Associations With Introduced And Native Grass Conservation Reserve Program Fields In The Southern High Plains, Thomas R. Thompson, Clint W. Boal, Duane Lucia

Western North American Naturalist

We examined relative abundances of grassland birds among Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields seeded with 2 monocultures of introduced grass species and 2 mixes of native grasses in the Southern High Plains of Texas. We assessed bird compositions among these 4 cover types and between the cover types pooled into categories of introduced and native fields. Breeding season bird diversity and total abundance did not differ among cover types or between introduced and native fields. Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), Cassin's Sparrows (Aimophila cassinii), and Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) accounted for more than 90% of …

Avian Use Of Harvested Crop Fields In North Dakota During Spring Migration, Alegra M. Galle, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, William J. Bleier

Western North American Naturalist

Broad-spectrum herbicide applications and improved harvesting efficiency of crops have reduced the availability of weed seeds and waste grains for game and nongame wildlife. Over the last decade, corn and soybean plantings have steadily increased in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota, while sunflower plantings have declined. The PPR is an important corridor for migratory birds, and changes in food availabilities at stopover habitats may affect how food resources are used. In early spring 2003 and 2004, we compared bird use of harvested fields of sunflower, soybeans, small grains, and corn in the PPR of North Dakota. Across …

Arthropod And Plant Communities As Indicators Of Land Rehabilitation Effectiveness In A Semiarid Shrubsteppe, Eric T. Gardner, Val J. Anderson, Robert L. Johnson

Western North American Naturalist

We describe a case study evaluating the ecological impact of Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass) invasion following fire disturbance and the effectiveness of revegetation as a means of rehabilitation in a degraded semiarid shrubsteppe system. The effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts was assessed relative to arthropod richness, vegetation and arthropod community composition, and ground-cover characteristics in 3 habitats: undisturbed, burned and weed infested (B. tectorum), and burned then rehabilitated with native and nonnative vegetation. Arthropods were collected in each habitat using pitfall traps. Differences in arthropod richness were compared using rarefaction curves. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and nonparametric multivariate statistical procedures, …

Records Of The Yellow-Nosed Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Ochrognathus) In Southwestern New Mexico, Keith Geluso

Western North American Naturalist

The yellow-nosed cotton rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus) previously was known only from extreme southwestern New Mexico in the Peloncillo and Animas mountains. Here I document S. ochrognathus at 3 localities from the Big Burro and Mogollon mountains in southwestern New Mexico. My northernmost capture represents an extra-limital record of 160 km north of prior records in southern New Mexico and represents the northernmost occurrence in North America. Lack of intensive mammalian surveys in the region render it difficult to interpret my recent captures, but the most parsimonious explanation is that captures likely represent overlooked populations. I captured S. ochrognathus …

Studies On Inositol Polyphosphates And Their Role In Programmed Cell Death, Rakhee Agarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The agents that induce apoptosis in cancerous cells are considered as potential candidates for cancer therapy. Inositol polyphosphates, the naturally occurring compounds, regulate diverse cellular processes including induction of apoptosis in certain cancerous cells and hence can be considered as potential anticancer agents. The aim of this research dissertation was to establish firmly the role of inositol polyphosphates in induction of apoptosis by examining their mechanism of action. The overall hypothesis was that alterations in intracellular levels of inositol polyphosphates would bring about apoptotic changes. The hypothesis was tested by changing endogenous inositol polyphosphates by way of chemical treatments known …

Influence Of Soil Water Repellency On Post-Fire Revegetation Success And Management Techniques To Improve Establishment Of Desired Species, Matthew D. Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

The influence of soil water repellency (WR) on vegetation recovery after a fire is poorly understood. This dissertation presents strategies to broaden opportunities for enhanced post-fire rangeland restoration and monitoring of burned piñon and juniper (P-J) woodlands by: 1) mapping the extent and severity of critical and subcritical WR, 2) determining the influence of WR on soil ecohydrologic properties and revegetation success, and 3) evaluating the suitability of a wetting agent composed of alkylpolyglycoside-ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers as a post-fire restoration tool for ameliorating the effects of soil WR and increasing seedling establishment. Results indicate that:

• Post-fire patterns …

Ecological Linkages Between Headwater Streams And Riparian And Downstream Habitats In The Eastern Cascade Range, Washington, Usa, Elizabeth C. Green

Biological Sciences

"I examined how headwater streams are ecologically linked with the terrestrial environment and upstream waters. I examined relationships between fish (rainbow and cutthroat trout), invertebrates, and habitat in 15 headwater streams in two ecoregions (wet, dry) and timber harvest scenarios (logged, unlogged) in the Wenatchee River sub-basin in the eastern Cascade Mountain Range, Washington state, USA. Fish biomass, density, and size were not related to ecoregion or to logging history. Invertebrate drift manipulations in 13 streams influenced fish movement (fish moved downstream in sites that were not supplemented with food) and diet (fish consumed less prey when drifting invertebrates were …

Reproductive Patterns In King Eiders, Rebecca L. Bentzen

Biological Sciences

Mammalian predation, avian predation, female body condition and food availability on the breeding ground are likely the main factors influencing nesting success in tundra-nesting waterfowl. These driving factors are mediated by the primary life history characteristics; incubation behavior, female body size, nesting associations, and nest site selection. I created a conceptual model illustrating how these factors are interrelated and how they impact nest success through a variety of pathways to better understand the evolution of a species' nesting strategy and patterns observed in the field. The importance of the driving factors likely varies between sites and with the species nesting …

University Of Montana Events Monday, Dec. 21, 2009, Through Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

The Girl-Wife And The Alienists: The Forgotten Murder Trial Of Josephine Terranova, Jacob M. Appel

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.

Evidence—The Motion In Limine And The Marketplace Of Ideas: Advocating For The Availability Of The Necessity Defense For Some Of The Bay State's Civilly Disobedient, Luke Shulman-Ryan

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.

Blaine Amendments And Polygamy Laws: The Constitutionality Of Anti-Polygamy Laws Targeting Religion, Elijah L. Milne

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Paradigm Recursion: Is It More Accessible When Introduced In Middle School?, Katherine Gunion, Todd Milford, Ulrike Stege

The Journal of Problem Solving

Recursion is a programming paradigm as well as a problem solving strategy thought to be very challenging to grasp for university students. This article outlines a pilot study, which expands the age range of students exposed to the concept of recursion in computer science through instruction in a series of interesting and engaging activities. In this study, a small number of students (n = 9) aged 11 to 13 years, were presented with a new and unique recursion curriculum involving hands-on experiences over a seven-week period at the University of Victoria, Canada. The curriculum was comprised of a series of …

Examining The Role Of Manipulatives And Metacognition On Engagement, Learning, And Transfer, Daniel M. Belenky, Timothy J. Nokes

The Journal of Problem Solving

How does the type of learning material impact what is learned? The current research investigates the nature of students’ learning of math concepts when using manipulatives (Uttal, Scudder, & DeLoache, 1997). We examined how the type of manipulative (concrete, abstract, none) and problem-solving prompt (metacognitive or problem-focused) affect student learning, engagement, and knowledge transfer. Students who were given concrete manipulatives with metacognitive prompts showed better transfer of a procedural skill than students given abstract manipulatives or those given concrete manipulatives with problem-focused prompts. Overall, students who reported low levels of engagement showed better learning and transfer when getting metacognitive prompts, …

Modeling Human Performance In Restless Bandits With Particle Filters, Michael S.K. Yi, Mark Steyvers, Michael Lee

The Journal of Problem Solving

Bandit problems provide an interesting and widely-used setting for the study of sequential decision-making. In their most basic form, bandit problems require people to choose repeatedly between a small number of alternatives, each of which has an unknown rate of providing reward. We investigate restless bandit problems, where the distributions of reward rates for the alternatives change over time. This dynamic environment encourages the decision-maker to cycle between states of exploration and exploitation. In one environment we consider, the changes occur at discrete, but hidden, time points. In a second environment, changes occur gradually across time. Decision data were collected …

Causal Induction From Continuous Event Streams: Evidence For Delay-Induced Attribution Shifts, Marc J. Buehner, Jon May

The Journal of Problem Solving

Contemporary theories of Human Causal Induction assume that causal knowledge is inferred from observable contingencies. While this assumption is well supported by empirical results, it fails to consider an important problem-solving aspect of causal induction in real time: In the absence of well structured learning trials, it is not clear whether the effect of interest occurred because of the cause under investigation, or on its own accord. Attributing the effect to either the cause of interest or alternative background causes is an important precursor to induction. We present a new paradigm based on the presentation of continuous event streams, and …

New Perspectives On Human Problem Solving, Robert L. Goldstone, Zygmunt Pizlo

The Journal of Problem Solving

No abstract provided.

In Defense Of Charities: A Case For Maintaining The Massachusetts Damages Cap For Certain Employment Discrimination Claims, Nathan A. Olin

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.

12/16/2009 Obituary Records, Hawaii Obituaries

Obituaries

List of Obituaries for individuals who passed away on 12/16/2009. Scroll down to see the names and obituary description.

Collection Development For The Department Of Psychology,, Charles D. Bernholz

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Collection Development Policies

The University of Nebraska was founded in Lincoln in 1871, but it took almost two decades until psychology courses were offered. The man who was singularly responsible for bringing psychology to the University was Professor Harry Kirk Wolfe, and thus the history of the Psychology Department begins with him.

Harry K. Wolfe enrolled as an undergraduate in the University in 1876, just five years after the University was chartered. Four years later, he graduated in a class of eight. Three years later, he went to Leipzig Germany to study in the laboratory of the founder of experimental psychology, Professor Wilhelm …

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 16, 2009, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

The Enemy Within: Microbes And Genes, Jamuna Vadivelu

Archival Material (2000s)

Life as we know would not exist without bacteria to decompose waste and dead organisms. These bacteria ensure that the cycle of chemical exchange between organisms and their environment is continuous. The environment plays a critical role as a source for the emergence of pathogens and in the manifestation, course, and prognosis of human and animal diseases. Bacteria survive in a host of environmental niches such as soil, surface waters, plants, and in humans. In each of these niches they have specific roles in order to survive. Amongst environmental factors the physiological characteristics, temperature and humidity are critical. In the …