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Camel Spider (Solifugae) Use Of Prairie Dog Colonies, B. D. Duval, W. G. Whitford

Western North American Naturalist

Solifugids (camel spiders) are widespread throughout arid regions of western North America and are thought to be important in structuring desert arthropod communities. Despite the ubiquity of camel spiders, little is known about their ecology. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are also widespread in western North America and are important ecosystem engineers, but they have been reduced in extent because of human activity. Here we report significantly greater numbers of camel spiders on black-tailed prairie dog colonies in southern New Mexico. The difference in vegetation structure created by prairie dog activity is likely the reason for the increased …

Factors Influencing Selection Of Road Culverts As Winter Roost Sites By Western Burrowing Owls, Damon Williford, Marc C. Woodin, Mary Kay Skoruppa

Western North American Naturalist

The conversion of coastal prairie to farmland in southern Texas has drastically reduced the number of available animal burrows, thereby forcing western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) wintering in southern Texas to use nontraditional roost sites such as roadside culverts. We studied factors influencing the selection of road culverts as roost sites by Burrowing Owls by comparing characteristics of 34 occupied and 100 unoccupied culverts. All occupied culverts were in agricultural habitat. Culverts with small diameters (≤16 cm) and those with an east–west orientation were occupied by Burrowing Owls in greater proportions than were culverts with larger diameters …

Phytogeography And Floristics Of Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands In Northern Arizona, Kyle Christie

Western North American Naturalist

This study assesses the floristic diversity and affinities of pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodlands in northern Arizona at 2 different scales: regionally within the context of North American floristic patterns and locally within the 2500-m elevation gradient of the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF). An analysis based upon 245 North American floras indicates that the PJ woodlands of the SFVF share strong affinities with the adjacent Colorado Plateau and Apachian floristic elements but also show high floristic similarity to the Great Plains. Data suggest that mid-elevation woodlands of the Colorado Plateau share floristic affinities with the Great Plains that are as strong …

Selective Herbivory By The Desert Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), Monte P. Sanford, Nancy Huntly

Western North American Naturalist

We studied herbivory by the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) on Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Mojave Desert to determine whether N. lepida fed selectively based on leaf nitrogen content. We measured leaf nitrogen content and the location and amount of herbivory by woodrats on Y. brevifolia trees in southwestern Utah, USA. Neotoma lepida removed the outer tips of leaves (1/3 to 2/3 of total leaf length) but left leaf bases, which had lower nitrogen content, uneaten. Herbivory by N. lepida also was concentrated on rosettes that were oriented south, and these had significantly higher nitrogen …

Bats Along The Republican River And Its Tributaries In Southwestern Nebraska: Distribution, Abundance, And Reproduction, Matthew R. Serbousek, Keith Geluso

Western North American Naturalist

Thirteen species of bats occur in Nebraska, but limited information is available on those inhabiting southwestern parts of the state. We investigated the distribution, abundance, and reproductive activity of bats in 5 counties in extreme southwestern Nebraska (Chase, Hays, Dundy, Hitchcock, and Red Willow). From April 2007 to April 2008, we deployed mist nets on 15 occasions at 8 localities over the Republican River and its tributaries. We captured 100 individuals representing 5 species, including the evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), big brown bat (Eptesicus …

Predator-Specific Mortality Of Pronghorn On Yellowstone's Northern Range, Kerey K. Barnowe-Meyer, P. J. White, Troy L. Davis, John A. Byers

Western North American Naturalist

Yellowstone National Park supports a small population (<300) of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Some individuals migrate during summer to areas characterized by reduced visibility, mixed habitat types, and a diverse predator community. Across areas selected by migratory and nonmigratory pronghorn, we documented cause-specific mortality of adults and fawns and assessed relative risk of predation by various predators. Coyotes (Canis latrans) accounted for 56% of adult predation and up to 79% of fawn predation. Cougars (Puma concolor) and wolves (Canis lupus) accounted for additional predation of adults, while cougars, black bears (Ursus americanus), and Golden …

Genetics Of Allopatric Populations Of The Montane Vole (Microtus Montanus) And Mogollon Vole (Microtus Mogollonensis) In The American Southwest, Jennifer K. Frey

Western North American Naturalist

Variation at 21 allozyme loci and 10 restriction enzymes within the mitochondrial DNA control region was assessed among 3 allopatric populations of montane vole (Microtus montanus) in the American Southwest. Among populations of M. montanus, the population from the White Mountains, Arizona, was most genetically divergent. Genetic and biogeographic evidence supported recognition of the White Mountains population as a distinct subspecies, M. m. arizonensis. Results also supported recognition of the Mogollon vole (Microtus mogollonensis) as distinct from the Mexican vole (Microtus mexicanus).

Ant Assemblages In Intact Big Sagebrush And Converted Cheatgrass-Dominated Habitats In Tooele County, Utah, Steven M. Ostoja, Eugene W. Schupp, Kelly Sivy

Western North American Naturalist

Biological invasions are one of the greatest threats to native species in natural ecological systems. One of the most successful invasive species is Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass), which is having marked impacts on native plant communities and ecosystem processes. However, we know little about the effects of this invasion on native animal species in the Intermountain West. Because ants have been used to detect ecological change associated with anthropogenic land use, they seem well suited for a preliminary evaluation of the consequences of cheatgrass-driven habitat conversion. In our study, we used pitfall traps to assess ant community assemblages in intact …

American Pikas Inhabit Low-Elevation Sites Outside The Species' Previously Described Bioclimatic Envelope, William G. Simpson

Western North American Naturalist

It has been suggested that Nearctic pikas (Ochotona spp.) are good biogeographic indicators of regions containing rocky, mesic, and cool habitat characterized by long winters and short summers. I examined whether populations of pikas inhabiting distinct low-elevation locales (121–255 m) are faithfully restricted to long-winter and short-summer conditions by monitoring the climate associated with American pikas (Ochotona princeps) in the southern part of the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. Ambient air temperatures and weather conditions in the vicinity of 4 pika-occupied rockslides were monitored with remote temperature loggers and weather stations from June 2000 to June 2001. Temperatures …

Captures Of Crawford's Gray Shrews (Notiosorex Crawfordi) Along The Rio Grande In Central New Mexico, Alice Chung-Maccoubrey, Heather L. Bateman, Deborah M. Finch

Western North American Naturalist

We captured >2000 Crawford's gray shrews (Notiosorex crawfordi) in a riparian forest mainly consisting of cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico. Little has been published about abundance and habitat of Crawford's gray shrew throughout its distributional range. During 7 summers, we captured shrews in pitfall traps at 13 study sites in Bernalillo, Valencia, and Socorro counties. Capture rates of shrews were greatest in August and September, and we did not detect a response of shrews to restoration treatments that removed nonnative plants from riparian forests. Results from our study indicate that …

Selective Herbivory By The Desert Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), Monte P. Sanford, Nancy Huntly

Biology Faculty Publications

We studied herbivory by the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) on Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Mojave Desert to determine whether N. lepida fed selectively based on leaf nitrogen content. We measured leaf nitrogen content and the location and amount of herbivory by woodrats on Y. brevifolia trees in southwestern Utah, USA. Neotoma lepida removed the outer tips of leaves (1/3 to 2/3 of total leaf length) but left leaf bases, which had lower nitrogen content, uneaten. Herbivory by N. lepida also was concentrated on rosettes that were oriented south, and these had significantly higher nitrogen …

Ada News - 07/13/2009, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Cryptococcus Gattiivgi In A Spinnerdolphin (Stenella Longirostris) From Hawaii, David S. Rotstein, Kristi West, Gregg Levine, Shawn R. Lockhart, Stephen Raverty, Muhammad G. Morshed, Teri Rowles

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

A spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) was found stranded in Hawaii with cutaneous nodules and enlarged lymph nodes. Numerous Cryptococcus gattii VGI yeast were observed in multiple organs with minimal inflammation. This case represents the first reported infection of C. gattii in a dolphin from Hawaii.

Spectator 2009-07-13, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Improving Ad-Hoc Team Performance Using Video Games, Jeff David Craighead

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the effects of distributed, multiplayer training video games on the performance of distributed teams of robot operators. Two hypotheses were tested, the first hypothesis stated that online, game-based team training will improve the performance of an ad-hoc team versus an ad-hoc team formed of individually trained teammates. The second hypothesis stated that the fractal dimension of a robot's path can be used as an indicator of its operator's skill. Forty-one volunteers participated in an experiment in which they played a distributed, online training game which showed them the basics of operating an Inuktun Extreme VGTV for a …

July 13, 2009 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Antidepressants On Driving And Cognitive Tasks, Holly J. Dannewitz

Theses and Dissertations

Antidepressants are a common form of treatment for individuals with depression. Research has found that impaired cognitive performance is correlated with individuals taking anti-depressants. Specifically, driving performance may be impaired by the use of antidepressants. The current study recruited 60 individuals to participate in a driving simulator and a divided attention task requiring tracking. A total of 31 participants were taking at least one type of antidepressant, while the 29 control participants were taking no medications with the exception of oral contraceptives. Analyses found that the group taking antidepressants performed significantly worse than the control group on several of the …

Dna-Binding By Haemophilus Influenzae And Escherichia Coli Ybab, Members Of A Widely-Distributed Bacterial Protein Family, Anne E. Cooley, Sean P. Riley, Keith Kral, M. Clarke Miller, Edward Demoll, Michael G. Fried, Brian Stevenson

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Genes orthologous to the ybaB loci of Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae are widely distributed among eubacteria. Several years ago, the three-dimensional structures of the YbaB orthologs of both E. coli and H. influenzae were determined, revealing a novel "tweezer"-like structure. However, a function for YbaB had remained elusive, with an early study of the H. influenzae ortholog failing to detect DNA-binding activity. Our group recently determined that the Borrelia burgdorferi YbaB ortholog, EbfC, is a DNA-binding protein. To reconcile those results, we assessed the abilities of both the H. influenzae and E. coli YbaB proteins to bind DNA …

Central Florida Future, Vol. 41 No. 60, July 13, 2009

Central Florida Future

Committee to decide fate of four programs; Buono Mangiare; Military research building started; UCF ADLab students' art selected for campus for campus venue.

Characterization Of The Novel 7a5 And Bog25 Death Domain In Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, Eric D. Koppelman

Theses and Dissertations

BOG25 contains multiple protein-protein interaction domains at the N-terminus that are characteristic of the EH (Eps15 Homology) network family of proteins involved in endocytosis and a C-terminal death domain characteristic of proteins involved in apoptosis. This combination of protein-protein interaction domains had not been identified in other known proteins until a National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) human genome BLAST search using the BOG25 amino acid sequence identified a novel gene, 7a5. The current study hypothesized that: (1) BOG25 and 7a5 are related proteins; and (2) the BOG25 death domain is biologically active and has a functional role in apoptosis …

Age -Related Behavioral Change In Ames Dwarf Mice, David P. Austin

Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of the Ames dwarf mouse in the early 1960s has given researchers an exciting opportunity to study the hormonal effects of aging. The Ames dwarf mice have a recessive mutation of the PROP-1 gene that causes hereditary dwarfism. The abnormality produced an anterior pituitary deficiency which resulted in the lack of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and prolactin. Researchers noticed that these mice were smaller than their normal siblings but lived approximately twice as long. The purpose of the present research was to determine if the reduced hormones in the Ames dwarf mouse delay the loss of memory and …

Needs Assessment For The Greenway Grand Forks -East Grand Forks Development And Public Education, Laura Munski

Theses and Dissertations

Following the flood of 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included the Greenway Grand Forks—East Grand Forks (the Greenway) as a flood control measure for Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. It extends along both the Red River of the North and the Red Lake River, encompassing 2200 acres of land. The cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks hired consultants to assist with the postflood planning process. The planning process culminated with the Red River of the North Greenway Final Report (Flink, 1998). The purpose of this study was to determine if the development …

Adjusting The Rearview Mirror: Higher Level Reflection Strategies In First-Year Composition, Jessica Ann Green

Theses and Dissertations

Part of the curriculum in many composition classrooms contains a reflection component where students are required to think back over their writing and discuss strengths and weaknesses. Yet many of the reflections that students write fall short of the purpose of reflection when students fail to analyze their writing practices or to make future goals for themselves, a problem that occurs when higher level reflection strategies are not taught and practiced in the classroom. When students are taught to use reflection as a way to critically evaluate their writing, to make connections between class assignments and course objectives, and to …

Gene Expression Responses In Male Fathead Minnows Exposed To Binary Mixtures Of An Estrogen And Antiestrogen., Natalia Garcia-Reyero, Kevin J. Kroll, Li Liu, Edward F. Orlando, Karen H. Watanabe, Maria S. Sepulveda, Daniel L. Villeneuve, Edward J. Perkins, Gerald T. Ankley, Nancy D. Denslow

Department of Forestry & Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Background

Aquatic organisms are continuously exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals, many of which can interfere with their endocrine system, resulting in impaired reproduction, development or survival, among others. In order to analyze the effects and mechanisms of action of estrogen/anti-estrogen mixtures, we exposed male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) for 48 hours via the water to 2, 5, 10, and 50 ng 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE₂)/L, 100 ng ZM 189,154/L (a potent antiestrogen known to block activity of estrogen receptors) or mixtures of 5 or 50 ng EE₂/L with 100 ng ZM 189,154/L. We analyzed gene …

Spatio-Temporal Cluster Analysis Of County-Based Human West Nile Virus Incidence In The Continental United States, Ramanathan Sugumaran, Scott R. Larson, John P. Degroote

Faculty Work

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a vector-borne illness that can severely affect human health. After introduction on the East Coast in 1999, the virus quickly spread and became established across the continental United States. However, there have been significant variations in levels of human WNV incidence spatially and temporally. In order to quantify these variations, we used Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic and Anselin's Local Moran's I statistic to uncover spatial clustering of human WNV incidence at the county level in the continental United States from 2002– 2008. These two methods were applied with varying analysis thresholds in order …

July 13, 2009, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Thiomicrospira Crunogena: A Chemoautotroph With A Carbon Concentrating Mechanism, Kimberly P. Dobrinski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gammaproteobacterium Thiomicrospira crunogena thrives at deep-sea vents despite extreme oscillations in the environmental supply of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; =CO₂ + HCO₃^- + _CO3^-2). Survival in this habitat is likely aided by the presence of a carbon concentrating mechanism (CCM). Though CCMs are well-documented in cyanobacteria, based on this study T. crunogena is the first chemolithoautotroph to have a physiologically characterized CCM. T. crunogena is capable of rapid growth in the presence of 20 micrometers DIC, has the ability to use both extracellular HCO₃^- and CO₂, and generates intracellular DIC concentrations …

Enzymatic Regulation Of Opioid Antinociception And Tolerance, Lynn Hull

Theses and Dissertations

ENZYMATIC REGULATION OF OPIOID ANTINOCICEPTION AND TOLERANCE By Lynn C. Hull, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Director: William L. Dewey, Ph.D. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology The involvement of kinases in opioid actions has long been established. The acute actions of opioids, through the Gi/Go G-proteins, cause the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and therefore a decrease in protein kinase A (PKA) activation. Additionally, acute opioid administration may cause the G-protein to activate the phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated cascade leading to the …

Institutional Repositories, Paul Royster

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

Summary of collection strategies at UNL:
Be inclusive, not exclusive
Be proactive, even aggressively so
Think of the global audience
Everything open access
Everything full-text
Ample metadata—especially abstracts
Utilize work-study students
Link back to your site
Give depositors feedback — publishers don't
Measure, measure, measure, . . .

The "document" is a PDF version of the PowerPoint slides plus the spoken text; the PowerPoint file itself is attached (below) as an additional file.

Mozilla Firefox users: There is a known bug in the Firefox PDF plug-in (which opens PDFs within the browser window) that will crash if a file exceeds …

July 11, 2009 (Pages 3419-4086), Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau

Volume 39 (2009)

No abstract provided.