Digital Commons Network^™

Microbiology, Steelman Library, B Mcconchie Dr.

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Microbiology, Steelman Library, B Mcconchie

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Raman Spectroscopy Of Biological Molecules And Inorganic Compounds, Jasmine Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the use of multiple Raman spectroscopic techniques for the detection and characterization of non-hazardous organic and inorganic compounds. The first two applications involve the use of Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy to thoroughly analyze autoinducers (AI) produced by gram negative bacteria. The second set of applications involves the use of anti-Stokes Raman and resonance Raman spectroscopy to remotely detect inorganic compounds at distances of up to 12 meters away.

Chapters two and three describe the use of Raman spectroscopy for the characterization and discrimination of signaling molecules used in bacterial communication. Our initial work shows the …

Curriculum Development Project: Water Quality Unit, Keith Weber

Graduate Research Papers

As a cumulation of my studies and to satisfy the non-thesis option for my graduate program at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), I designed this Water Quality Unit to be used for 9th and 10th grade students. It uses both learning cycles and a constructivist approach to satisfy Dubuque Community School District and Iowa Core Curriculum Standards. Each learning cycle applies the 3-E approach [Explore, Explain and Extend]. The unit contains seven separate learning cycles and ends with a final project in which students analyze the runoff from their school's watershed for various pollutants to determine what steps can …

Seasonal Adaptation Of Vegetation Color In Satellite Images For Flight Simulations, Yuzhong Shen, Jiang Li, Vamsi Mantena, Srinivas Jakkula

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Automatic vegetation identification plays an important role in many applications including remote sensing and high performance flight simulations. This paper proposes a novel method that identifies vegetative areas in satellite images and then alters vegetation color to simulate seasonal changes based on training image pairs. The proposed method first generates a vegetation map for pixels corresponding to vegetative areas, using ISODATA clustering and vegetation classification. The ISODATA algorithm determines the number of clusters automatically. We then apply morphological operations to the clustered images to smooth the boundaries between clusters and to fill holes inside clusters. Six features are then computed …

Automatic Diagnosis For Prostate Cancer Using Run-Length Matrix Method, Xiaoyan Sun, Shao-Hui Chuang, Jiang Li, Frederic Mckenzie, Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.), Maryellen L. Giger (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in US¹. Quantitative assessment of prostate histology provides potential automatic classification of prostate lesions and prediction of response to therapy. Traditionally, prostate cancer diagnosis is made by the analysis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and histopathological images of biopsy samples under microscopes. In this application, we utilize a texture analysis method based on the run-length matrix for identifying tissue abnormalities in prostate histology. A tissue sample was collected from a radical prostatectomy, H&E fixed, and assessed by a pathologist …

2009 Lynn University Women's Softball Media Guide, Lynn University Athletics

Athletics Media Guides

The 2009 Lynn University Softball Media Guide is a product of the Lynn University Sports Information Office.

Synthesis Of Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Signal Transduction Pathways, Divya Ramamoorthy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main aim of the study described in this thesis is the development of small molecules as inhibitors targeting signal transduction pathways, thereby treating cancer. We attempted to synthesize compounds based on the hits obtained from high throughput screening of the Chemdiv diversity set compounds. Chapter One is a general introduction to cancer, history of chemotherapeutic drugs and an introduction to signal transduction pathways. The following two chapters briefly introduce the biological targets in the authors study. Chapter Two describes the role of B-cell lymphoma type xL (Bcl-xL), in apoptosis and the development of drugs targeting Bcl-xL. Examples of Bcl-xL …

Soil Nutrient Changes Following A Typha X Glauca Invasion In A Great Lakes Coastal Wetland, Lane Marie Vail

Master's Theses

Invasive species are one of the major threats to the integrity and health of Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Plant invaders, such as the hybrid cattail Typha x glauca, threaten wetlands, as they can cause shifts in ecosystem structure and function and modify biogeochemical cycles and nutrient availability. Cheboygan Marsh on the coast of Lake Huron is currently undergoing invasion by T. x glauca, and soils in T. x glauca-dominated areas of the marsh have greater soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations than in areas dominated by native vegetation. This study investigated whether T. x glauca is affecting the accumulation of carbon …

Survey Of Ifrs Accounting Practices Of Pharmaceutical Companies That Used U.S. Gaap Prior To Irfs, Meiqin Lu

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

More than 100 countries around the world currently require or permit International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) reporting in 2009. When U.S. companies convert from U.S.Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) to IFRS, they are faced with great challenges as well as opportunities to make choices on financial reporting policies. A survey of leading European pharmaceutical companies that used U.S. GAAP prior to the IFRS adoption was conducted to evaluate their first-time adoption of IFRS practices. The survey results are structured into three aspects and discussed in this thesis. First, IFRS 1 optional exemptions at transition date. Second, key accounting differences …

The Manufacture And Testing Of Perforated Composite Acoustic Panels, Robert Blackburn

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

The recent expansion of civil aviation has been accompanied by significant growth in the use of advanced composite structures with carbon fibre reinforced epoxy often the material of choice in many structures. Composite structures have a long history in engine nacelles, where an optimised design can both fulfil structural requirements and simultaneously provide an acoustic liner for sound attenuation. The "traditional process" involves the drilling of high-density multiple holes with the twin consequences of extended production times and machining waste. Elimination of this perforation process is an attractive target in a commercial environment. Structural performance could be improved by retaining …

Boldness And Behavioral Syndromes In The Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis Macrochirus, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Jean Guy J. Godin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Design Of Marine Protected Areas On High Seas And Territorial Waters Of Rockall Bank, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Mark Tasker, Marta Soffker, Sabine Christiansen, Stuart Rogers, Maria Campbell, Kjartan Hoydal

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Subtle But Significant Effects Of Co2 Acidified Seawater On Embryos Of The Intertidal Snail, Littorina Obtusata, Robert P. Ellis, Jess Bersey, Simon D. Rundle, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, John I. Spicer

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Predicting Global Habitat Suitability For Stony Corals On Seamounts, Derek P. Tittensor, Amy R. Baco, Paul E. Brewin, Malcolm R. Clark, Mireille Consalvey, Jason Hall-Spencer, Ashley A. Rowden, Thomas Schlacher, Karen I. Stocks, Alex D. Rogers

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Record Of Cenozoic Sedimentation From The Amanos Mountains, Southern Turkey: Implications For The Inception And Evolution Of The Arabia-Eurasia Continental Collision, Sarah J. Boulton

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Benthic Foraminifera Assemblages In The Central Barents Sea: An Evaluation Of Combining Live And Total Fauna Studies In Tracking Environmental Change, Mh Saher, Dk Kristensen, M Hald, S Korsun, Ll Jørgensen

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

We present living (stained) benthic foraminifera assemblage data in nine surface sediment samples from the central Barents Sea collected in 2005 and 2006. The abundances of 20 selected species are compared to these from previously published total fauna assemblages of nearby samples. Between 1 and 3 total fauna samples from various years (between 1971 and 1992) are compared with the modern (2005 and ’06) samples. The main purpose of the paper is to evaluate the applicability of this comparison. We conclude that, with proper caution, comparing live and total fauna can yield valuable results. Eliminating fragile species, and clustering species …

A Modular Planar Robotic Manipulandum With End-Point Torque Control, Ian S. Howard, James N. Ingram, Daniel M. Wolpert

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

A Sense Of Things To Come: Future Research Directions In Sensory Marketing, Ryan S. Elder, Nilufer Z. Aydinoglu, Victor A. Barger, Cindy Caldara, Helen Haeeun Chun, Chan Jean Lee, Gina Mohr, Antonios Stamatogiannakis

Faculty Publications

The exciting exploration on sensory marketing presented in this book is just the foundation upon which to build future research. There are myriad unexplored questions and innumerable directions in which to take this research. Our goal in this chapter is not to provide an exhaustive array of these future directions, but rather to stimulate the reader into exploring new ideas. We present possible future directions for each sense individually (vision, audition, smell, touch, taste), and conclude with ideas for future research addressing the interplay among multiple senses within consumer behavior.

Notions Of Distance: Communication Constraints In Long-Distance Dating Relationships, Jenny Marie Farrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study addressed communication constraints perceived by individuals in long-distance dating relationships (LDDRs) and how these constraints are managed. Internal constraints are identified within the boundaries of the individual or relationship and external constraints are those that originate from outside the boundaries of the individual or relationship. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 27 participants; ages ranged from 18-35. Participants reported perceiving 11 internal constraints (mediated communication, avoidance, talk habits, physical absence, emotions, view of outsiders, uncertainty and expectations, effort, notions of distance, visits, and miscellaneous) and five external constraints (schedules, social network, finances, and technology, miscellaneous). Participants reported managing …

Puebloan Plain-Weave Pointed/Rounded-Toe Sandals, David Toy Yoder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An assemblage of 226 Puebloan pointed/rounded-toe sandals from sites throughout the northern Southwest was examined to answer the following questions: how were these sandals constructed, when where they used, and where were they distributed. The answers to these questions were then used to investigate cultural boundaries, communities of practice, and interaction among the Anasazi. Methods of analysis included a technical analysis, soft X-ray radiography, microscopic fiber identification, spatial analysis, AMS radiocarbon dating, and experimental reconstruction.

Based on these analyses it appears that pointed/rounded-toe sandals were used as early as A.D. 631 to as late as A.D. 1178. Spatially, this sandal …

Update To Ansi/Ans-6.4.3-1991 For Low-Z And Compound Materials And Review Of Particle Transport Theory, Luis Durani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The ANSI/ANS-6.4.3-1991 Gamma-Ray Attenuation Coefficients and Buildup Factors for Engineering Materials Standard (herein known as ANS Standard), contains derived gamma-ray attenuation coefficients and buildup factors for selected engineering materials and elements for use in shielding calculations (ANSI/ANS-6.1.1, 1991). The current status of the ANS Standard is withdrawn due to the lack of any updates since its last publication. Since the last update of the ANS standard, more accurate codes for particle transport and cross sectional data have become available. As a result, this study was carried out to update gamma-ray buildup factors for iron and water as a function of …

Mineralogy And Micromorphology Of An Atacama Desert Soil, Chile: A Model For Hyperarid Pedogenesis, Michael S. Howell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Atacama Desert is the oldest and driest desert on Earth. Hyperarid soils in this desert are dominated by rare (or exclusive) salt minerals and assemblages. Previous research details salt origins and abundance, however pedogenic processes involved in salt distribution are not adequately explained. Therefore, the main goal of this investigation was to identify and document evidence for hyperarid pedogenesis (via salt mineralogy and soil micromorphology) at a field site, Oficina Ercilla, located ~80 km northeast of Antofagasta, Chile within the Central Depression and hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert. This study presents an interpretational model for hyperarid pedogenesis, which …

Midlife Career Change And Women: A Phenomenological Examination Of The Process Of Change, Terry Ann Bahr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how fourteen women between the ages of thirty-five and fifty years old experienced the essence of making a midlife career change. Of further interest were the unique dimensions of each participant in their experience of this internal process of change. This study was an exploratory and inductive search for common themes and differences that these women shared throughout their experience of making a midlife career change.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was made by the construction of profile narratives for each participant. Five emerging themes were extracted from the …

Bending Of Woody Riparian Vegetation As A Function Of Hydraulic Flow Conditions, John O. Goreham

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Vegetation encroachment reduces channel conveyance capacity below design objectives and greatly increases the risk for loss of life and property damage in the case of large flood events. Given minimal knowledge of hydraulic roughness for shrubs and woody vegetation, accurate estimation of channel capacity and water surface elevation is difficult. The ability to predict a tree's bent, reduced height in the presence of flow permits more accurate prediction of hydraulic roughness and water surface elevation.

In this study, field tests were performed to elucidate tree bending properties, which in turn served as input parameters for a numerical algorithm designed to …

Child Neglect And Trauma: The Additive Traumatic Effects Of Neglect On Maltreated Adolescents, Adrianna Rachel Wechsler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child maltreatment affects thousands of youths in the United States and poses numerous detrimental effects to individuals, families, and the community. Neglect is the most commonly reported and least studied form of child maltreatment. All types of child maltreatment may result in negative outcomes, but the chronic and pervasive nature of child neglect poses a significant threat to child development. No studies have been published evaluating the role of child neglect in the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and PTSD-related symptoms. This study examined whether neglect has an additive traumatic effect on maltreated youth. The first hypothesis was that …

When Did The Ancestors Of Polynesia Begin To Migrate To Polynesia? The Mtdna Evidence, David Lesniewski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The timing and nature of the migration of the ancestors of the Polynesian people is debated by two competing theories. The "Express Train" and "Slow Boat" theories assert that the migration of the Proto-Polynesian people began around 6,000 years before present (BP) or around 10,000 years BP respectively. Through the use of haplogroups and specific genetic mutations a direct relationship between the Proto-Polynesians and modern Polynesians was attempted to test which of these theories was correct. The ancient skeletal remains from the island of Borneo currently housed at UNLV were used in this study as their dates fall within both …

New Yarmouth, Eastern Neck, Maryland: Resistance To Town Building From The Colonial Period To The Present, Brynn Torelli

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The work presented in this thesis is an attempt to shed light on the early colonial development of Maryland's Eastern Shore and its possible relationship with current settlement patterns in the region, with particular interest in Kent County. Traditional interpretations of the lack of urban development on the Eastern Shore, both in the Colonial era and the present, have tended to focus on environmental and geographical factors. This research seeks to examine this trend toward rural living in newer and broader ways by incorporating human agency and investigating the possibility that the lack of town development during the Colonial era …

Spectral Analysis Of Pathological Acoustic Speech Waveforms, Priyanka Medida

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. The design and problem solving skills of engineering are combined with medical and biological science, which improves medical disorder diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this study is to develop an automated procedure for detecting excessive jitter in speech signals, which is useful for differentiating normal from pathologic speech. The fundamental motivation for this research is that tools are needed by speech pathologists and laryngologists for use in the early detection and treatment of laryngeal disorders. Acoustical analysis of speech was performed to analyze various features …

Experimental And Numerical Study Of A Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer For Hydrogen Production, Sachin S. Deshmukh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Hydrogen as a fuel source has received attention from researchers globally due to its potential to replace fossil based fuels for energy production. Research is being performed on hydrogen production, storage and utilization methods to make its use economically feasible relative to current energy sources. The PEM electrolyzer is used to produce hydrogen and oxygen using water and electricity. Focus of our study is to provide a benchmark experiment and numerical model of a single cell electrolyzer that can assist in improving the current state of understanding of this system. Parametric analysis of an experimental cell was performed to understand …