Digital Commons Network^™

Researching Colorado Local Government Law, Robert Linz

Other Faculty Publications

As citizens, our daily lives are directly affected by local law. For example, many of us consider the speed limit (and whether we'll get caught exceeding it) as we drive to work each day, as well as the amount of property tax we pay each year. Given the immediate impact of local laws on residents, it seems counterintuitive that the body of local law is obscure and difficult to research. This article presents an overview of Colorado local government organization and the resources available to help researchers find law by and about local government.

Assessing Threat Of Introduction Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish Marmorkrebs Into North American Waters, Stephanie A. Jimenez, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Background/Question/Methods

Marmorkrebs are parthogenetic crayfish in the genus Procambarus. Their provenance is unknown, but they were discovered in hobbyists' aquaria in Germany in the mid 1990s, and have since been introduced into the North American pet trade. Marmorkrebs are a potential invasive pest species. For example, they have already been introduced into Madagascar, where they may threaten endemic crayfish species. We are trying to estimate the risk, and possible consequences, of any accidental introduction of Marmorkrebs into North American waters. First, we conducted an online survey of hobbyists who keep Marmorkrebs as pets to estimate how widely, and how …

Using Bald Eagles To Track Spatial And Temporal Trends Of Contaminants In Michigan's Aquatic Systems, Michael Ray Wierda

All Dissertations

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is an extensively researched tertiary predator. Studies have delineated information about its life history and the influences of various stressors on reproduction. Due to the bald eagles position at the top of the food web, it is susceptible to biomagnification of a wide array of xenobiotics. In Michigan the bald eagle population has recovered strongly since the population bottle-neck of the 1960s. In the 1960s when Michigan's eagle population was first being monitored less than 100 nests were occupied yearly (i.e., active breeding pairs existed). Today there are approximately 500 occupied nests each year and …

The Development And Nutritional Characteristics Of An Omega-3-Enhanced Egg Product, Nissan Michelle Kassis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Novel, nutritionally-enhanced egg product was developed by substituting saturated fat and cholesterol-containing yolk with omega-3 fatty acids-rich (o-3 FA) flaxseed, menhaden, algae, and krill oils. The o-3 FA-fortified eggs are typically developed through alteration of hen feed. However, the present study aimed at creating such a product via processing. Experimental batters were developed to match composition, color, and texture of hen eggs (whole egg). The batters, whole egg, and liquid egg product (egg beaters) were cooked, analyzed, and compared. Moisture, protein, and fat content of experimental eggs matched (P>0.05) whole egg. Nutritionally, amino acid profile (AAP) analysis showed no …

Improvement Of The Physical And Nutritional Quality Of Pelleted Feed, Curran Kenji Gehring

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Experiments were conducted to improve the physical and nutritional quality of pelleted feed. One experiment focused specifically on improvement of pellet quality using functional muscle proteins. A second experiment examined the effects of increasing mixer-added fat (MAF) on feed manufacture variables, broiler performance variables and carcass composition. In experiment 1, muscle proteins (myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic) were recovered using isoelectric/solubilization precipitation, and a functional paste (TPP) was formed by mixing recovered proteins with typical surimi additives. Trout protein paste was included in broiler diets at 0, 2.5 or 5%. A tap water treatment (3.9%) was included to match the moisture added …

Adoption Levels Of Integrated Pest Management Among Corn Producers In West Virginia, Hari K. Vommi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modernization of agriculture has exponentially increased the use of pesticides in the last six decades. Pesticides were considered to be the only solution to control weeds, insect pests and diseases to enhance and sustain productivity in agriculture. This led to indiscriminate use of pesticides causing severe pollution to air, water, food and fiber. Integrated pest management (IPM) is the use of combinations of several alternative pest control measures to keep the pests under the economic threshold level. The United States Department of Agriculture has promoted the use of integrated pest management for the past three decades with a goal to …

The Effects Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Ampk Activation And Lipid Metabolism In Skeletal Muscle, Myra Ellen Woodworth-Hobbs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Intramyocellular lipid accumulation and low lipid oxidative capacity contribute to the formation of insulin resistance, but omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are shown to attenuate insulin resistance caused by high levels of saturated fats. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) promotes lipid oxidation and oxidative gene expression, highlighting its possible role in promoting insulin sensitivity by reducing lipid content and improving oxidative capacity. This study evaluated the effects of n-3 PUFA on the AMPK pathway and alterations to lipid content, oxidative markers, and insulin signaling proteins in a muscle cell culture model, with the hypothesis that n-3 PUFA would attenuate …

Paradoxical Effects Of Shock: The Role Of Shock Intensity And Interresponse Times Followed By Shock, Jessica B. Long

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In operant conditioning experiments concerned with punishment, when electric shock is contingent on an animal's response, response rates typically decrease. In some cases, however, response rates increase. Four experiments investigated these paradoxical effects of shock by manipulating shock intensity and the time between two consecutive responses (interresponse time) that produces shock. Lever pressing by rats was maintained by a variable-interval 40-s schedule of food reinforcement. Shock followed either relatively long (Experiments 1 and 2) or relatively short (Experiments 3 and 4) interresponse times. The range of interresponse times eligible for shock was raised by lowering or raising the interresponse times …

Role Of Endothelin 1 In Follicular And Luteal Function In The Sheep, Fernando P. Perea-Ganchou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Three experiments were carried out in order to examine the role of endothelin in follicular steroid secretion in vitro and in spontaneous and PGF2alpha-induced luteolysis in sheep.;In experiment 1, it was hypothesized that endothelin 1 (END1) acting through its receptors ENDRA and/or ENDRB, on granulosal cells of ovine preovulatory follicles would inhibit steroid production, and therefore, prevent the premature luteinization of granulosal cells of those follicles. Data from estrogen-inactive 20 follicles collected from 13 ewes were analyzed. Accumulation of E 2 and P4 by cultured granulosal cells was not affected by either LH or END1 or the END receptor blockers. …

The Influence Of Forgiveness And Apology On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Mental Stress, Matthew C. Whited

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study sought to investigate the relation between forgiveness and cardiovascular reactivity and recovery in the laboratory as influenced by apology. Men (n = 29) and women (n = 50) were chosen for participation based on scoring in the top or bottom third of the Forgiving Personality Inventory. Participants were exposed to an interpersonal transgression (i.e., harassment by the experimenter) while performing a serial subtraction task. Cardiovascular activity was measured before, during, and following the task. Also following the task, approximately half of the participants received an apology from the experimenter for his/her scripted rude behavior. No reactivity differences during …

Didox Modulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production And Inflammatory Events Induced By Lipopolysaccharide (Lps) And Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (Ahr) Ligands In Raw 264.7 Murine Macrophages., Thabe Matsebatlela

All Dissertations

Aberrant activation of macrophages during inflammation results in oxidative burst release of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) which are widely accepted to participate in pathogenesis of cancer, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease), rheumatoid arthritis, and ageing. It is demonstrated here that Didox (3,4-Dihydroxybenzohydroxamic acid) possesses antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that can protect against inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligands (PCB126, E804, and IO) in Raw 264.7 murine macrophages. In brief, it is demonstrated here that Didox inhibits LPS-induced oxidative stress, …

Understanding The Antioxidant Mechanism Of Inorganic Selenium, Oxo- Sulfur, And Polyphenol Compounds, And The Biological Implications Of Functionalized Nanoparticles, Ria Ramoutar

All Dissertations

Inorganic selenium, oxo-sulfur, and polyphenol compounds are found in foods and dietary supplements, and are recognized for their nutritional benefits and their potential to treat or prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress. In our experiments to determine the effects of inorganic selenium compounds on iron-mediated DNA damage, Na₂SeO₃3 and SeO₂ exhibit antioxidant and pro-oxidant activities depending on concentrations of both the compound and hydrogen peroxide. Additional experiments demonstrate that iron coordination is a novel mechanism responsible for the observed activities. In similar experiments, oxo-sulfur compounds prevent Cu+/ H₂O₂-mediated DNA damage significantly …

Therapeutic Benefits Of Nature Images On Health, Ellen Vincent

All Dissertations

This thesis is a journey that travels back in time, when nature and health were inseparable, and forward to a time when science was the impetus for separation between the natural landscape and healing (chapter two), then into the present when nature and health are being reunited, only through science (chapter three).
The research conducted in 2008-2009 is reported in the form of three journal articles. The first article (chapter four) developed a methodology using sequential methods to select the nature images that would be used in the experiment. Appleton's prospect refuge theory was the basis for four image categories. …

Effects Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Multidrug Resistance And Dna Methylation In Human Cancer Cell Lines, Cheng-Yi Kuan

All Dissertations

Accumulating evidences indicate that dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can affect various cellular processes and improve response of cancer cells to chemotherapy. The mechanisms by which PUFAs affect this response are not well understood. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), encoded by the multidrug resistance gene MDR1, is a drug efflux transporter that plays an important role in the bioavailability of anti-cancer drugs. Effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on MDR1 gene expression and functional activity in the human colon cancer cell line Caco-2 were studied in this research. Caco-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of three PUFAs: eicosapentaenoic acid …

Assessing The Variation Of Driver Distraction With Experience, Nagaanupama Akuraju

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Driver distraction has been a major concern in highway safety. Driver distraction is related to crashes and crash rate varies with age. Driving experience obviously increases with age. The purpose of this study is to determine the relation between driver experience and distraction. The study measures the distraction levels of various drivers and assesses the variation in distraction based on experience and also gender.;Distraction was defined as looking away from the center of the roadway for more than 2 seconds. Factors like distraction duration, percent time spent looking at the center of roadway and number of glances away from the …

Kinetic Analysis Of Coal And Biomass Co-Gasification With Carbon Dioxide, Jiachuan Bu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Based on Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) experimental data, a kinetic analysis of the Boudouard reaction was studied for three different coal chars, three different biomass chars, and their mixtures. The coal chars included: North Dakota Lignite, Illinois No.6, and Powder River Basin char; the biomass chars included: Hardwood, Switchgrass, and Corn Stove char. The reaction temperature ranged from 900°C to 1100°C. Different kinetic models were used for modeling the reaction rate. For the simplified Dutta and Wen model, it was found that the reaction rate was first order with respect to both CO2 and carbon. For the modified shrinking sphere model, …

Fast Rendering Of Forest Ecosystems With Dynamic Global Illumination, Jay Steele

All Dissertations

Real-time rendering of large-scale, forest ecosystems remains
a challenging problem, in that important global illumination effects,
such as leaf transparency and inter-object light scattering, are
difficult to capture, given tight timing constraints and scenes
that typically contain hundreds of millions of primitives.
We propose a new lighting model, adapted from
a model previously used to light convective clouds and other
participating media,
together with GPU ray tracing, in order to achieve these global illumination
effects while maintaining near real-time performance. The lighting
model is based on a lattice-Boltzmann method in which
reflectance, transmittance, and absorption parameters are
taken from measurements …

Narrative Theory And Fort Berthold's Stories Of The Paranormal Or Supernatural, Waylon C. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The author collected stories of the paranormal and supernatural from 10 enrolled members of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold, North Dakota. The research participants were members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes. Five research questions guided the study: (1) Where did these contemporary stories of the paranormal or supernatural originate? (2) What is the meaning behind these stories? (3) How are these stories different from other stories of the paranormal or supernatural? (4) Do the respondents “believe” in these stories of the paranormal? (5) Do these stories connect to traditional American Indian customs and beliefs?

The content …

Alternative Fuels For Ground Support Equipment, Samuel Enlof

Theses and Dissertations

Airlines are in desperate need of reliable methods and materials to save and transform traditional ground operation fuel. This topic has taken precedence within the airline and aviation industries due to alarming product costs in accordance with the dilapidation of global and domestic economies. This is also in conjunction with similarly volatile geo-environmental atrocities being committed at an alarming rate-- often due to harsh chemicals and other pollutants evoked by the airline industry. It is imperative to determine which alternative fuels are conducive to the modern airline industry. The advantages and disadvantages of each alternative fuel needs to be evaluated …

The Animal Coming Together, Rodney Gomez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This project is an ekphrastic collection of poems. The term 'ekphrasis' is usually used to refer to texts that respond to or are influenced by particular works of visual art, but it can sometimes be used to refer to texts that respond to non-visual art as well, such as musical compositions. I take the more inclusive approach to ekphrasis: most of the poems in this collection are based on paintings, but several are based on photos, films, sculpture, multimedia works, musical compositions, and art generally. Most of the poems are based on Chican@ and Latin American art. The collection is …

Reaction-Diffusion Systems With A Nonlinear Rate Of Growth, Yubing Wan

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In the literature there are quite a few elegant approaches which have been proposed to find (he first integrals of nonlinear differential equations. Recently, the modified Prelle-Singer method for finding the first integrals of second-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) has attracted considerable attention. Many researchers used this method to derive the first integrals to various systems. In this thesis, we are concerned with the first integrals for reaction-diffusion systems with a nonlinear rate of growth. Under certain parametric conditions we express the first integrals explicitly by applying an analytical method as well as the modified Prelle-Singer method.

Field Of Tears: A Tribute To Los Braceros, Maria Esperanza Balboa

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

With this thesis I intend to honor my Mexican-American heritage by portraying the roots of the Mexican and Mexican-American migrant workers in America. Using the experiences of my father, my relatives, and the history of the Braceros I will also describe the struggles, the pain, the sorrows of the migrant workers. My artwork which consists of black and white photographs, video, and installation will be the tools to give these people which have been forgotten, their long awaited voice. Interpreting ideas and inspiration from Mexican and Mexican-American political art, photography, and installation I have depicted the struggles and pain of …

Effects Of Color And Animation On Visual Short -Term Memory In Computer-Environment Learning Tasks, Marc Debiase

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goals of this research study were to gain a better understanding of the effects of color and animation on visual short-term memory (STM) in computer-environment learning tasks. The research methodology was based on an investigative design that attempted to address weaknesses of previous visual STM research (Klauer & Zhao, 2004) to provide information readily applicable to instructional design and technology. A 3 x 2 x 3 totally-within participants, repeated-measures Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) design was utilized to investigate limitations on visual short-term memory learning processes in computer-learning environments. Participant scores for accuracy of visual learning tasks and participant …

Differential Mortality Drives Life-History Evolution And Population Dynamics In The Fish Brachyrhaphis Rhabdophora, Jerald B. Johnson, J. Jaime Zuniga-Vega

Faculty Publications

Life-history theory predicts that populations experiencing different levels of extrinsic mortality will evolve divergent reproductive strategies. Previous work in the live bearing fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora shows that individuals from populations that occur with piscivorous fish mature earlier and at smaller sizes and have more and smaller offspring than fish from populations without predators. However, until now, there have been no data to demonstrate that differences in mortality rates actually exist between predator and predator free sites. Here we present the results of a serial mark-recapture field study designed to estimate mortality rates in natural populations of B. rhabodophora from Costa …

Trunk Rotation Movement In Tennis Backhand, Hsin-Chen Fanchiang

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the effects of gender, strike technique, power level, and trial factors on tennis athletes performing backhand strokes with the incoming ball launched by a serving-stand. Five male and five female college tennis athletes volunteered as subjects. Each subject had 25 data points including joint centers of right and left sides for the 5th metatarsal, lateral malleolus, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists and MP joints, chin, forehead, seven points on the racket (handle, head, neck, upper right and left rims, and lower right and left rims), and the ball were recorded by two video cameras (60Hz). Each of …

The Role Of One Religiously Affiliated Law School, Michael Herz

Articles

No abstract provided.

Integration Of The Bscs 5e Instructional Method And Technology In An Anatomy And Physiology Lab, Tamilselvi Gopal

Dissertations

This research provides an understanding of how the 5E instructional method combined with educational technology tools can be used in teaching undergraduate college level anatomy and physiology laboratory classes. The 5E instructional model is the exemplary instructional model in teaching biology for high school students. The phases in the 5E learning cycle are Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. In every step of the learning cycle, the researcher used appropriate technology tools to enhance the teaching and learning processes. The researcher used the Dynamic Instructional Design model to identify the appropriate technology tools for instruction. The topics selected for modification …

A Psychometric Evaluation Of The Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale Of The Mmpi-2, Ginger Burge Debrule

Dissertations

The present study tested the psychometric properties of the Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale (PSM-R) of the MMPI-2. This scale purportedly measures the respondent's explanatory style on a dimension of optimism and pessimism. Participants included 92 college undergraduates and 2,729 participants from archived outpatient data. The PSM-R is a reliable measure, based on test-retest reliability and internal consistency. However, the construct validity of the measure is questionable. Evaluation of the PSM-R items suggests that the items are not all related to the optimism-pessimism construct. In addition, convergent validity of the PSM-R was assessed using measures of attributional style, dispositional optimism, hope, depression, …

The Relationship Between Calcium Intake, Obesity, And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: The Jackson Heart Study, Marjuyua Lartey-Rowser

Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health risk in the United States. Major indicators of CVD risk include obesity, blood lipids, and blood pressure. Modifiable risk factors associated with CVD include body composition (body mass index and waist circumference), serum lipids, and blood pressure. Data suggest calcium intake may play a role in regulation of weight, serum lipids, and blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to assess relationships of dietary calcium intake with weight status, and cardiovascular disease risks in African American population participating in the Jackson Heart Study.

The subjects included 4,267 African American adults ages 21-95 …

Does Change In Timbre Alter Stereotypy Movements Exhibited By Three Persons With Diagnoses Of Mental Retardation And Autism Spectrum Disorder: Three Case Studies, Kathy Wade Webb

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe and collect data while monitoring the responses of three individuals to recorded presentations of four folk songs. The individuals, or participants, were all residents of a state-run facility in the southern region of the United States. The participants were females diagnosed with mental retardation and autism spectrum disorder, and they all exhibited one or more stereotypy behaviors in some form or another. The primary purpose of the study was to see if change in timbre of the songs would alter the stereotypy movements exhibited by these participants as the songs were presented …