Digital Commons Network^™

Mapping The Terrestrial Reptile Distributions In Oman And The United Arab Emirates, Andrew S. Gardner

All Works

The terrestrial reptile fauna of Oman and the United Arab Emirates is rich, with at least 79 species of lizards and snakes and a single species of worm lizard. However, to date there have been no accurate maps published of their distribution ranges, and distribution data relies on scattered museum specimen localities and published accounts. Considerable numbers of locality data points do exist, collected by visting and resident herpetologists, and more recently, from ecologists working on surveys for environmental impact assessments and biodiversity action plans. These data are invaluable, as amongst other uses, they can assist conservation planning and management, …

Optimization Of A Retrofit Urea-Scr System, Clinton R. Bedick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from legacy diesel engines are often many times over currently mandated standards, contributing significantly to degradation of air quality and negative environmental impact. A retrofit urea-SCR (selective catalytic reduction) aftertreatment system offers a viable solution for reducing NOx emissions from older diesel engines. A stand-alone retrofit urea-SCR aftertreatment system was previously developed by West Virignia University (WVU) engineers, implementing a pre-SCR NOx sensor, open-loop feed-forward control, and stoichiometric NOx reduction logic. During experimental testing at WVU, the urea-SCR system demonstrated NOx reductions of 2% to 53%, depending on the test cycle. In order to optimize …

The Fearful Face And Beyond: Fmri Studies Of The Human Amygdala, Jillian E. Hardee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The amygdala has been labeled as a "detector of threat", evidenced by its heightened response to fearful faces in human neuroimaging studies. A critical element of the fearful face is an increase in eye white area, hypothesized to be crucial for the rapid detection of fear in another's face. Yet other facial expressions can also increase eye white area in a manner that is similar (a lateral shift in gaze) or identical (surprise) to fear. It is unknown if the amygdala can differentiate between these types of increases in eye white area and those that are specifically associated with fear …

Locomotion Grows Up: The Neuromechanical Control Of Interlimb Coordinating Mechanisms In Crayfish, Marc D. Rinehart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Locomotion requires many dynamic interactions between organism and environment at several levels. It is not known how the nervous system controls all of these relationships to ultimately produce and guide locomotor behavior. Furthermore, it is not known whether the nervous system needs to recognize and control all of the possible body-environment interactions. In this study the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is used as a model system to test how size influences locomotor behavior and how a single, simplified neuromechanical system can accommodate these changes.;A set of behavioral experiments was conducted to characterize kinematics of freely walking juvenile crayfish to compare with …

Pandemic Potential Of Reassortant Swine Influenza A Viruses, Christy Brockwell Staats

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Influenza A viruses are capable of causing disease in several species, including birds, humans and swine. Host specificity of the viruses is not absolute, and is influenced by a range of factors. Swine play a pivotal role in the interspecies transmission of influenza A viruses, as they are susceptible to infection with both human and avian strains and have been implicated as a “mixing vessel” for the reassortment of influenza A viruses from different species. The reassortment of influenza A viruses of human and avian origin led to human influenza pandemics in 1957 and 1968.

The dynamics of swine influenza …

December 1, 2009, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Bias In Closed Population Capture-Recapture, Candace M. Lynn

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Our primary question was the effect of departures from assumptions on population estimates obtained using three maximum likelihood population size estimators: M0 (all individuals have the same capture probability on all occasions), Mb (behavior is affected by prior capture) and Mt (all individuals have the same capture probability that varies by occasion). After examining the initial results and observing substantial negative bias (underestimates), we attempted to model the bias for M0 and Mb capture scenarios as these situations had consistent patterns. The Mt scenario with its erratic behaviors was not modeled. We noted that M0 and Mt performed equally well …

Chopping And Storing Quality Corn Silage, Clark Israelsen, James Barnhill, Linden Greenhalgh, Michael Pace, Jody Gale

All Current Publications

This publication explains proper harvesting and storage of corn silage as a quality forage.

Bed Bugs: For Homeowners, Ryan S. Davis, Erin W. Hodgson, Jay B. Karren, Alan H. Roe

All Current Publications

Bed bugs are notorious around the world for their impact on humans and have been recognized as important pests for hundreds of years. Infestations were common before World War II, but heavy insecticide use eliminated most bed bugs in North America for almost 30 years.

Bed Bugs: For Pest Control Operators, Ryan S. Davis

All Current Publications

Over the past decade reports of bed bug infestations (Cimicidae: Cimex lectularius) throughout North America and abroad have been on the rise. Accordingly, bed bug submissions to the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab have also been increasing.

Bear River Oneida Narrows Recreation Use And Preference Study, Douglas Reiter

All Current Publications

As part of the study necessary for consideration of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensing of the Twin Lakes Canal Company’s proposed Bear River Narrows Dam, Utah State University researchers collected data pertaining to existing recreational use and use patterns, and potential impacts of the proposed dam on recreational use.

Evaluation Of Best Management Practices To Reduce Nutrients Runoff In Watersheds In Arkansas, Hector German Rodriguez Diaz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are many non point sources (NPS) of pollution issues across the state of Arkansas. Each region of the state has different concerns. Many watersheds have been included in the Arkansas's 2008 303(d) list for NPS impairments with sediment and nutrients being the primary causes of concern. This research hypothesized that there are no cost or net returns risks when adopting best management practices (BMPs) to control nutrients runoff and that selection, timing, placement and cost have no impact on the implementation of BMPs. Using two priority watersheds, the L'Anguille River and the Lincoln Lake, as examples, the environmental benefits …

Applications Of Variable Number Tandem Repeat Genotyping In The Validation Of An Animal Medical Model And Gene Flow Studies In Threatened Populations Of Reptiles, Candace D. Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We used variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) to validate the chicken as a human medical model for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. We identified seven regions on four chromosomes and interrogated for VNTR markers that significantly associate with Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome/ascites. In those regions, we identified 7 candidate genes; AGTR1, ACE, p38MAPK, SST, 5HT2B, NET1, and CALM3 for further analysis as significantly contributing QTL for ascites/PHS. We also used variable number tandem repeats to measure gene flow and gather evidence for multiple paternity in a population of Timber rattlesnakes, Crotalus horridus. We were able to verify 1 VNTR that can be used …

Production And Characterization Of Novel Shaped Fibers For Fluid Sorption And Transport, Lisa Fuller

All Dissertations

This work investigated the production and characterization of novel shaped fibers for fluid adsorption and transport. Shaped fibers such as Y, H, and octolobal, as well as conventional round fibers, were extruded using a research melt extruder. The fibers were extruded from 18 melt flow index (MFI) polypropylene (PP) and blends of 18 MFI PP and 400 MFI PP. Hydrophilic spin finish Bozzetto Favorol SF2 was applied to the surface of extruded fibers and hydrophilic polyester additive LB-100 was included in the blend of some H fibers to increase the hydrophilicity of the fiber surface. The geometric shape retention of …

Gene Expression Profile Of Tumor Cell-Fused Or Noni (Morinda Citrifolia)-Treated Dendritic Cells, Melissa O'Connor

All Dissertations

Dendritic cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy employs several ways to engage tumor antigens. We have demonstrated both in pre-clinical animal studies and early clinical trials that dendritomas, highly purified hybrids between dendritic cells and tumor cells, are superior activators of anti-tumor immunity. In the present study, we examined the expression profile of several inflammatory chemokine and chemokine receptors of dendritomas by RNA microarray and real-time RT-PCR. The results indicate that dendritomas made from immature DCs and tumor cells express higher levels of CCL3, CCL5, and CCL22 and lower levels of CCR2 and CCR5, which mimics LPS matured DCs, while dendritomas made from …

Functional Characterization Of Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase 32 From Arabidopsis, Rucha Karve

All Dissertations

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) are major plant Ca2+ sensors, many of which have roles in plant stress responses. The Arabidopsis genome encodes 34 CPK isoforms. Here we report characterization of AtCPK32 gene function. Analysis of transgenic plants expressing pCPK32-GUS shows that CPK32 is highly expressed in roots, pollen and embryo, as well as leaf hydathodes, and the abscission zone of mature siliques. Real time RT-PCR and promoter expression patterns show that CPK32 is responsive to abiotic and biotic stresses. Plants treated with salt, ABA, osmotic stress (PEG), wounding, and flagellin 22 peptide show up-regulation of CPK32 upon these stress treatments. …

Simulation, Synthesis, And Characterization Of Hydrogels And Nanocomposite Gels., Kamleshkumar J. Suthar

Dissertations

Stimuli-responsive gels are three-dimensional, cross-linked polymeric materials that undergo large physical change in response to the environmental stimuli, like temperature, pH, electrical potential, and irradiation. Ferrogels are colloidaldispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in the hydrogel network. The magnetic nanoparticles are attached to the polymeric network by different adhesive forces; as a result, it becomes sensitive to the applied magnetic field.

The main objective of this research is the simulation, synthesis, and characterization of the hydrogel and ferrogel. Simulation of the hydrogel response was performed for various environmental stimuli using a multiphysics finite element analysis software, COMSOL. The pH and electrical response …

European Union Food Law Update, Emilie H. Leibovitch

Journal of Food Law & Policy

In June 2009, citizens of the European Union elected a new European Parliament. Some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were reelected while some were not. The majority party is the EPP, the Group of the European People's Party, and the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats has the second majority of the seats. The elections were still governed by the Treaty of Nice, since up until very recently, the future of the Treaty of Lisbon was still uncertain. The Treaty of Lisbon was up until now rejected by a few Member States, who, by their reluctance …

The Perfect Mindstorm: 4-H Robotics In Afterschool Settings, Dave Francis, Deb Jones

Journal of Youth Development

As the 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Mission Mandate unfolds, robotics provides an opportunity to involve youth in SET activities. Utah 4-H utilized Lego Mindstorms Robotics kits to teach youth about robotics. Evaluations demonstrated that robots increase youth’s interest in science, engineering and technology.

Dialogic Cosmopolitanism And Global Justice, Eduard Christiaan Jordaan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Although the term “cosmopolitan-communitarian debate” never really caught on, a national-global fault line remains prominent in debates about global justice. “Dialogic cosmopolitanism” holds the promise of bridging this alleged fault line by accepting many of the communitarian criticisms against cosmopolitanism and following what can be described as a communitarian path to cosmopolitanism. This article identifies and describes four key elements that distinguish dialogic cosmopolitanism: a respect for difference; a commitment to genuine dialogue; an open, hesitant and self-problematising attitude on the part of the moral subject; and an undertaking to expand the boundaries of moral concern to the point of …

On The Untraceability Of Anonymous Rfid Authentication Protocol With Constant Key-Lookup, Bing Liang, Yingjiu Li, Tieyan Li, Robert H. Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In ASIACCS'08, Burmester, Medeiros and Motta proposed an anonymous RFID authentication protocol (BMM protocol [2]) that preserves the security and privacy properties, and achieves better scalability compared with other contemporary approaches. We analyze BMM protocol and find that some of security properties (especial untraceability) are not fulfilled as originally claimed. We consider a subtle attack, in which an adversary can manipulate the messages transmitted between a tag and a reader for several continuous protocol runs, and can successfully trace the tag after these interactions. Our attack works under a weak adversary model, in which an adversary can eavesdrop, intercept and …

Dialogic Cosmopolitanism And Global Justice, Eduard Jordaan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Although the term “cosmopolitan-communitarian debate” never really caught on, a national-global fault line remains prominent in debates about global justice. “Dialogic cosmopolitanism” holds the promise of bridging this alleged fault line by accepting many of the communitarian criticisms against cosmopolitanism and following what can be described as a communitarian path to cosmopolitanism. This article identifies and describes four key elements that distinguish dialogic cosmopolitanism: a respect for difference; a commitment to genuine dialogue; an open, hesitant and self-problematising attitude on the part of the moral subject; and an undertaking to expand the boundaries of moral concern to the point of …

The Cartography Of National Humiliation And The Emergence Of China’S Geobody, William A. Callahan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Maps are an important site of the production and consumption of the national image. This essay examines modern Chinese maps to show how the very material borders between foreign and domestic space are the outgrowth of the symbolic workings of historical geography and the conventions of Chinese cartography. These maps do much more than celebrate the extent of Chinese sovereignty; they also mourn the loss of national territories through a cartography of national humiliation. The goal of this essay is to shift our attention from the diplomatic issues of international borders to examine what Chinese maps of China can tell …

An Entity Sui Generis In The Wto: Taiwan's Wto Membership And Its Trade Law Regime, Han-Wei Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

As one of the founding members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), Taiwan (the Republic of China or ROC) - the 17th largest economy, was granted accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2001 after its observer status of eleven years. Taiwan, classified by most commentators as an "unrecognized state" or an "entity sui generis", has been excluded from most of the major international organizations. Taiwan's accession to the WTO, therefore, is considered to be an important breakthrough in diplomacy for the past decades. Notwithstanding its WTO membership, the Taiwanese Government has employed numerous trade …

The Daily Egyptian, November 30, 2009, Daily Egyptian Staff

November 2009

No abstract provided.

2009-11-30 Unm News Minute, University Of New Mexico Communication And Marketing Department

UNM News Minute 2009

No abstract provided.

The Utah Statesman, November 30, 2009, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Subcutaneous Administration Of Tc007 Reduces Disease Severity In An Animal Model Of Sma, Virginia B. Mattis, Marina Y. Fosso, Cheng-Wei Tom Chang, Christian L. Lorson

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Background Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of infantile death. It is caused by the loss of functional Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1). There is a nearly identical copy gene, SMN2, but it is unable to rescue from disease due to an alternative splicing event that excises a necessary exon (exon 7) from the majority of SMN2-derived transcripts. While SMNΔ7 protein has severely reduced functionality, the exon 7 sequences may not be specifically required for all activities. Therefore, aminoglycoside antibiotics previously shown to suppress stop codon recognition and promote translation read-through have been examined to increase the …

Lanthorn, Vol. 44, No. 27, November 30, 2009, Grand Valley State University

Volume 44, July 8, 2009 - June 10, 2010

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Faculty Senate Agenda, November 30, 2009, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Faculty Evaluation Committee Report
• Athletic Council Report
• ASUSU Report
• Retention and Student Success Report
• EPC Items
• PRPC Code changes Section 401.3 & .4 – Composition and Authority of the Faculty (Partial changes) - First Reading
• Faculty involvement in President’s evaluation of administrators (Refer to Code Section 104.3.6(3) on Human Resources Webpage)
• Recommendation to form an Ad Hoc Committee to review university reports of non-adherence to the Faculty Code