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Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Winter 2009, Scott R. Abella, Lindsay P. Chiquoine, Alice C. Newton

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

Chronology of forest structure and use in the Spring Mountains, Soil-Tech’s restoration work balancing construction with nature, species performance and treatment effectiveness for revegetation projects, and strategic research areas for Mojave conservation and management

Survey Of Digenea For Neorickettsial Dna And Phylogenetic Analysis Based On Partial 16s Rrna Gene Sequences, Jay A. Schroeder

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Activities Of Lower Mass Hyaluronan Fragments In Cartilage Degeneration, Chang Liu

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Nontraditional Women Students, Mentoring And A Journey To Voice, Patricia Ann Queen Jordheim

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Expression Of Human Keratins In Bladder Cancer And Possible Implications For Use As Biomarkers, Aaron A. Mehus

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Novel Source Of Influenza A Vaccine Production And West Nile Virus Therapeutics Antibodies, Sarah Rae Konschak

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Carbamidomethyl-Dithiothreitol Modifcations Of Cysteine-Containing Peptides : A Potentially Significant Byproduct Of Reduction-Alkylation Reactions In Proteomic Studies, Tracy Kay Ystesund

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Risky Decisions And Decision Support: Does Stress Make A Difference?, Gloria Phillips-Wren, Monica Adya

Management Faculty Research and Publications

Studies of human decision making have demonstrated that stress exacerbates risk taking. Since all decisions involve some element of risk, stress has critical impact on decision quality. Decisions are found to improve with stress up to an optimal threshold beyond which deterioration is observed. However, few studies have examined the psychological experiences underlying risk-taking behavior in conjunction with stress creators. In this paper we propose a research framework that integrates pre-conditions of stress (perceptions of high gain/loss, risk, complexity, and organizational pressure) with observed psychological experiences (time pressure, uncertainty, information overload, and dynamism) that potentially result in risky decision making. …

The Prevalence Of Consanguineous Marriages In The City Of Malatya, Turkey, Şengül Yüksel, Ayşegül Kutlubay, Leyla Karaoğlu, Sai̇m Yoloğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of consanguineous marriages and the associated factors in the city of Malatya. Materials and Methods: Thirty cluster survey methodology was used to select the study population. Selecting 13 married women per cluster, a total of 409 women were interviewed at their home. Information on the sociodemographic and fertility characteristics of the women and genetic disorders among children was gathered using a face-to-face questionnaire. Data analysis was done by SPSSWIN 13.0. Results: The overall prevalence of consanguinity was 28.4%, with a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.01081. The principal type of …

Prevalence Of Hepatitis B Infection Among Schoolchildren In Southeast Turkey, Bünyami̇n Di̇ki̇ci̇, Hakan Uzun, Ayfer Gözü, Mücahi̇t Fi̇dan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide health problem. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) on the prevalence of HBsAg carrier rate and immunity developed against HBV infection among schoolchildren in southeast Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 147,200 healthy schoolchildren between 6 to 17 years of age living in the Mardin area. A total of 802 children were randomly selected by systematic sampling method. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were analyzed …

Cost Benefit Analysis: A Policy Tool Of Anthropocentric Utilitarianism, Nora Anne Watson

Honors Theses

For the last three decades, there has been a lively debate over the best way for a govemapproach decisions of environmental policy. Adherents to anthropocentric utilitari anism - those who believe that actions are right as they tend to promote utility for humans - favor the use of cost-benefit analysis - a tool that is used to come up with recommendations the basis of their probable costs and ment to for or against particular environmental policies benefits. Although making decisions this way may seem like a straightforward approach that should be acceptable to everyone, many challenge the latent assumptions of …

Comparison Of Zeocin And G418 Resistance Markers In Pichia Pastoris, Allison Moy

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris, has been used to successfully produce and express over 700 heterologous proteins. Currently, the only two dominant selectable markers available are the Zeocin and blasticidin resistance genes. This study focused on characterizing and developing the modified G418 selectable marker so it could be used for primary selection of single copy and multicopy strains. To demonstrate its use as a selectable marker the SLPI reporter gene was inserted into the Zeocin resistance vector, pPICZB, and the new G418 resistance vector, pKANa B. The resulting constructs were then transformed into P. pastoris yJC100 cells. Piggyback strains containing …

Impact Of Aids Education On Adolescent Risky Sexual Behaviors, Anna Mackenzie Iverson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Modern sex education recognizes that adolescents need formal guidance and information regarding sexuality and sexual behaviors. From an economic policy perspective, sex education is seen as an important tool in preventing costly social outcomes such as teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Previous literature has shown that sex education was associated with earlier initiation into sexual activity but not necessarily with increased pregnancy rates (Marsiglio and Mott 1984). The evidence has also shown that the relationship may not be causal (Sabia 2006). In order to better understand these conclusions, this thesis uses data from the Center for Disease Control’s …

The Relationship Between Moving In Early Adolescence And Adolescents' First Employee-Type Jobs, Stuart J. Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

Gender Dynamics In Peer Interaction And Their Influence On Second Language Learning In The English-As-A-Second Language Classroom, Xiulian Zhu

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

Dairy Intake And 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Levels In Men At High Risk For Prostate Cancer, Marilyn Tseng, Veda Giri, Deborah Watkins-Bruner, Edward Giovannucci

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective Dairy food intake has been associated with prostate cancer in previous work, but the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Dairy calcium may suppress circulating levels of potentially cancer-protective 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D). We examined the associations of dairy, milk, calcium, and vitamin D intake with plasma 1,25(OH)2D levels among 296 men (194 black, 102 non-black) enrolled in a high risk program for prostate cancer from 10/96 to 10/07. Methods All participants completed diet and health history questionnaires and provided plasma samples, which were assessed for levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25(OH)2D. We used multivariate linear regression to examine …

Dietary Patterns And Colon Cancer Risk In Whites And African Americans In The North Carolina Colon Cancer Study, Jessie A. Satia, Marilyn Tseng, Joseph A. Galanko, Christopher Martin, Robert S. Sandler

Kinesiology and Public Health

We examined associations of dietary patterns with colon cancer risk in African Americans and Whites from a case-control study in North Carolina. Incident colon cancer cases, 40 to 80 yr (n = 636), and matched controls (n = 1,042) were interviewed in person to elicit information on potential colon cancer risk factors. A validated food frequency questionnaire adapted to include regional foods captured diet over the year prior to diagnosis (cases) or interview date (controls). Three meaningful intake patterns were identified in both Whites and African Americans: “Western-Southern,” “fruit-vegetable,” and “metropolitan.” Compared to the Western-Southern pattern, the fruit-vegetable and metropolitan …

Reflection Contributions To The Dispersion Artefact In Ftir Spectra Of Single Biological Cells., Paul Bassan, Hugh Byrne, Joe Lee, Franck Bonnier, Colin Clarke, Paul Dumas, Ehsan Gazi, Michael Brown, Noel Clarke, Peter Gardner

Articles

Fourier transform infrared spectra of a single cell in transflection geometry are seen to vary significantly with position on the cell, showing a distorted derivative-like lineshape in the region of the optically dense nucleus. A similar behaviour is observable in a model system of the protein albumin doped in a potassium bromide disk. It is demonstrated that the spectrum at any point is a weighted sum of the sample reflection and transmission and that the dominance of the reflection spectrum in optically dense regions can account for some of the spectral distortions previously attributed to dispersion artefacts. Rather than being …

Mechanisms Underlying The Association Between Breastfeeding And Obesity, Cynthia J. Bartok, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

Decades of epidemiological research have established that breastfeeding is associated with a modest reduction in risk of later overweight and obesity. However, no systematic effort has been made to delineate the mechanisms that may explain this association. This review summarizes evidence from a variety of disciplines to understand the potential mechanisms underlying this association. One possibility is that this association is spurious and that confounding factors fully or partially explain this association. Additionally, breastfeeding could confer protection by: encouraging the infant's emerging capabilities of self-regulation of intake; reducing problematic feeding behaviors on the part of caregivers that interfere with the …

Opportunities For The Primary Prevention Of Obesity During Infancy, Ian M. Paul, Cynthia J. Bartok, Danielle S. Downs, Cynthia A. Stifter, Alison K. Ventura, Leann L. Birch

Kinesiology and Public Health

Are chubby babies healthy babies? Whereas most seem well during infancy, evidence is increasing that heavier babies have a poorer long-term health trajectory than their trimmer counterparts. Data have emerged over the past 2 decades that early life growth patterns and behaviors play an important role in the etiology of obesity, yet there has been very little focus on the primary prevention of obesity during infancy by the medical, behavioral health, and public health communities. A recent report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) highlighted the need for very early intervention when it revealed that between 2003 …

Perceptions Of Nursing Students Regarding Patient Suffering, Molly Marie Shivers

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the experience of nursing students in situations involving the suffering of a patient. Through analysis of interviews of senior nursing students, six themes were gathered. The themes discovered were: Student nurses in the face of suffering, desire knowledge and support from faculty: allowing time for student interaction and sharing prior to and post experience is important; Student nurses in most cases have prior experiences with suffering that color the student nurse professional view of suffering; Student nurses stay busy in the face of suffering, feel helpless and without interventions, however, …

Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonist Raclopride's Effects On Core Temperature Alone And During Methamphetamine Administration At Varying Ambient Temperatures, Danielle Marie Fulbright

Honors Theses

Rationale Methamphetamine (METH) induces hypothermia at cool (18°) ambient temperatures and hyperthermia at neutral (24°) and warm (30°) ambient temperatures. Our objective was to determine if pretreatment with raclopride (RAC), a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist would alter METH-induced core temperature changes. Methods Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, RAC was administered alone, to determine its effects, if any, on core temperature. In Experiment 2, rats received pretreatment injections of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.2-mg/kg RAC or a saline control (sal) injection; rats then received injections of 10 mg/kg METH or sal injection. In both Experiment 1 and 2, core temperature …

Acetylcholine Muscarinic Receptor-Mediated Contractility Of Ovine Pulmonary Arteries: Changes With Maturation And Chronic Hypoxia, Dangtue Hu Nguyen

Honors Theses

Pulmonary vasculature tone is mediated by Acetylcholine Muscarinic Receptors (mAChR) located on the vascular smooth muscle wall which are responsible for vasoconstriction through the activation of Ca^'*’ dependant intracellular signaling pathways and by the endothelium which is responsible for vasodilation through the generation of Nitric Oxide (NO). The dismption and subsequent loss of the endothelium results in vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries (PA). This effect is observed in several studies utilizing different animal models. Chronic Hypoxia (CH) has been shown to dismpt the endothelium which in turn alleviates the vasodilatory response associated with acetylcholine (ACh) stimulation. The interplay between smooth muscle …

Bullying In Public Schools In Missouri, David A. Copeland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research conducted sought to find evidence and data to support or lack of support to the following questions: Do school administrators perceive a problem with bullying in their schools in Missouri? Is there a relationship between the victim of bullying and the learning process? Do female adolescents engage in cyber bullying more than male adolescents? Do public schools in Missouri have policies in place that address bullying? The researcher used the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program survey on bullying. The study examined the perceptions and beliefs of the superintendents in the State of Missouri concerning bullying and student responses from …

Upgrade Of A Raman Spectrometer With Modern Computer Control And Data Acquisition For Studies Of Hydrogen Bonding In Pyrimidine, Austin Howard

Honors Theses

The restoration of a Cold War era high resolution Raman spectrometer to working order as well as its control and data acquisition upgrade using a Labview program authored for this purpose are discussed. The restored Raman spectrometer was used in an investigation of intermolecular interactions involving pyrimidine. Following in this manuscript are three chapters. The first chapter is a brief description of the history and theory of Raman spectroscopy as well as some details of the instrumentation used in Raman spectroscopy. The second chapter contains technical details of the restoration and upgrade of the high resolution Raman spectrometer. The third …

On The Metaphysics Ofphenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry Into The Mind-Body Problem From Ordinary Intuition Ofthe Mental, Brian Kyle Ferriss

Honors Theses

Brian Kyle Ferriss-On the Metaphysics of Phenomenal Mental States: An Inquiry into the Mind-Body Problem from Ordinary Intuition ofthe Mental (Under the direction of Dr. Robert Barnard)

The purpose ofthis thesis is to explore certain metaphysical issues central to the mind-body problem. This thesis approaches the debate by first addressing ordinary intuitions about the mind arguing that such an approach is appropriate and a necessary starting point for any insightful discussion on the mind. This essay, then, applies what it claims to be ordinary beliefs about the mind to a number of philosophical and psychological theories. It investigates these theories …

The Impact Of Levene's Test Of Equality Of Variances On Statistical Theory And Practice., Joseph L. Gastwirth, Yulia R. Gel, Weiwen Miao

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Blueberry (Vaccinium Spp.) Problems In The Gulf South, Melinda A. Miller-Butler, Kenneth J. Curry, Barbara J. Smith, Jeffrey S. Braswell

Faculty Publications

The blueberry (Vaccinium) industry in Mississippi has been steadily increasing since the early 1980s, but some plants in older fields are now in decline. The root rot pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi, is endemic in the southeastern United States and has caused severe losses to blueberries in North Carolina and Arkansas. Because the warm, humid climate of Mississippi, with periods of high precipitation, provides a favorable environment for Phytophthora root rot disease, it was suspected to be the cause of plant decline in older blueberry fields. Members of the Gulf South Blueberry Growers Association were mailed surveys to determine …

Hierarchical Modeling: Biogeochemical Processes And Mechanisms That Drive Clay Nano-And Microfabric Development, Kenneth J. Curry, Richard H. Bennett, Paula J. Smithka, Matthew H. Hulbert

Faculty Publications

Conceptual scientific models of clay and clay fabric development can be constructed profitably by considering chemical and physical systems in terms of an ordered hierarchy. We develop here a hierarchical model of early stages of marine sediment development identifying processes and focusing on mechanisms. While the focus of our model is on mechanisms, the physical aspects of the hierarchy are cast in terms of the nanometer (nanofabric) level of organization of sediment fabric. This level is nested below the micrometer (microfabric) level that includes aggregates of clay signatures and is nested above the molecular level that includes edges and faces …

Parens Patriae Run Amuck: The Child Welfare System's Disregard For The Constitutional Rights Of Non-Offending Parents, Vivek Sankaran

Articles

Over the past hundred years, a consensus has emerged recognizing a parent's ability to raise his or her child as a fundamental, sacrosanct right protected by the Constitution. Federal courts have repeatedly rejected the parens patriae summary mode of decision making that predominated juvenile courts at the turn of the twentieth century and have instead held that juvenile courts must afford basic due process to parents prior to depriving them of custodial rights to their children. This recognition has led to the strengthening of procedural protections for parents accused of child abuse or neglect in civil child protection proceedings. Yet, …