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Molecular Phylogenetic, Morphometric, And Life History Analyses Of The Special Concern Freshwater Mussels: Obovaria Jacksoniana (Frierson, 1912) And Villosa Arkansasensis (Lea, 1862), Kentaro Inoue

Student Theses and Dissertations

The special concern Obovaria jacksoniana occurs from the Mississippi Interior Basin to Mobile River drainage. Villosa arkansasensis is often difficult to distinguish from O. jacksoniana based on conchological characters. Since both species have been ranked with conservation status, determining taxonomy and classification are important for conservation. The overall goal of my thesis was to better understand the taxonomic relationship between two species. Molecular phylogenetics, morphometrics, and life history analysis were three approaches used to provide a clearer picture of the genetic and taxonomical status of two species. Based on the findings of individual chapters, my overall conclusion is that O. …

Compensating For Wetland Losses Under The Clean Water Act (Redux): Evaluating The Federal Compensatory Mitigation Regulation, Royal C. Gardner, Joy Zedler, Ann Redmond, R. Eugene Turner, Carol A. Johnston, Victoria R. Alverez, Charles A. Simenstad, Karen L. Prestegaard, William J. Mitsch

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Curriculum And Academic Policy Committee Minutes, May 13, 2009

Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee Minutes

Minutes from the Wright State University Faculty Senate Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee meeting held on May 13, 2009.

The Structure Of The Cornified Claw Sheath In The Domesticated Cat (Felis Catus): Implications For The Claw-Shedding Mechanism And The Evolution Of Cornified Digital End Organs, Dominique G. Homberger, Kyungmin Ham, Tolulope Ogunbakin, Jonathan A. Bonin, Brooke A. Hopkins, Michelle L. Osborn, Imtiaz Hossain, Heath A. Barnett, Kenneth L. Matthews, Leslie G. Butler, Hermann H. Bragulla

Faculty Publications

The morphology of cornified structures is notoriously difficult to analyse because of the extreme range of hardness of their component tissues. Hence, a correlative approach using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, three-dimensional reconstructions based on x-ray computed tomography data, and graphic modeling was applied to study the morphology of the cornified claw sheath of the domesticated cat as a model for cornified digital end organs. The highly complex architecture of the cornified claw sheath is generated by the living epidermis that is supported by the dermis and distal phalanx. The latter is characterized by an ossified unguicular hood, which overhangs …

Genome Degradation In Brucella Ovis Corresponds With Narrowing Of Its Host Range And Tissue Tropism, Renee M. Tsolis, Rekha Seshadri, Renato L. Santos, Felix J. Sangari, Juan M. García Lobo, Maarten F. De Jong, Qinghu Ren, Garry Myers, Lauren M. Brinkac, William C. Nelson, Robert T. Deboy, Samuel Angiuoli, Hoda Khouri, George Dimitrov, Jeffrey R. Robinson, Stephanie Mulligan, Richard L. Walker, Philip E. Elzer, Karl A. Hassan, Ian T. Paulsen

Faculty Publications

Brucella ovis is a veterinary pathogen associated with epididymitis in sheep. Despite its genetic similarity to the zoonotic pathogens B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis, B. ovis does not cause zoonotic disease. Genomic analysis of the type strain ATCC25840 revealed a high percentage of pseudogenes and increased numbers of transposable elements compared to the zoonotic Brucella species, suggesting that genome degradation has occurred concomitant with narrowing of the host range of B. ovis. The absence of genomic island 2, encoding functions required for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, as well as inactivation of genes encoding urease, nutrient uptake and utilization, and outer …

The Structure Of The Cornified Claw Sheath In The Domesticated Cat (Felis Catus): Implications For The Claw-Shedding Mechanism And The Evolution Of Cornified Digital End Organs, Dominique G. Homberger, Kyungmin Ham, Tolulope Ogunbakin, Jonathan A. Bonin, Brooke A. Hopkins, Michelle L. Osborn, Imtiaz Hossain, Heath A. Barnett, Kenneth L. Matthews, Leslie G. Butler, Hermann H. Bragulla

Faculty Publications

The morphology of cornified structures is notoriously difficult to analyse because of the extreme range of hardness of their component tissues. Hence, a correlative approach using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, three-dimensional reconstructions based on x-ray computed tomography data, and graphic modeling was applied to study the morphology of the cornified claw sheath of the domesticated cat as a model for cornified digital end organs. The highly complex architecture of the cornified claw sheath is generated by the living epidermis that is supported by the dermis and distal phalanx. The latter is characterized by an ossified unguicular hood, which overhangs …

A Gene Expression Predictor Of Response To Egfr-Targeted Therapy Stratifies Progression-Free Survival To Cetuximab In Kras Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Justin M. Balko, Esther P. Black

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab is used in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), and predicting responsive patients garners great interest, due to the high cost of therapy. Mutations in the KRAS gene occur in ~40% of CRC and are a negative predictor of response to cetuximab. However, many KRAS-wildtype patients do not benefit from cetuximab. We previously published a gene expression predictor of sensitivity to erlotinib, an EGFR inhibitor. The purpose of this study was to determine if this predictor could identify KRAS-wildtype CRC patients who will benefit from cetuximab therapy.

METHODS: Microarray data from 80 metastatic CRC patients subsequently …

Risk Factors And Protective Factors For Depression In Early Maturing Females, Lauren Lirio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early onset of menstruation and biological father absence on depression in females. Participants (n=46) were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and a series of psychometric assessments. It was hypothesized that females who reached puberty earlier than their peers as well as females growing up in a one-parent household, with the biological father absent, would experience more depressive symptoms than females who reached puberty later than their peers or were being raised in two-parent households. Statistical analyses revealed early maturing females reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than on-time …

Some Impacts To Paper Birch Trees Tapped For Sap Harvesting In Alaska, Lori Trummer, Tom Malone

Publications

As the non-timber forest products industry increases on a commercial scale, the need for assessments of tree health and sustainability of these practices also increases. Harvesting birch sap for subsistence purposes has occurred for decades but commercial interests in this process and resource is expanding. In this evaluation, we review literature related to birch sap harvesting practices, report on a pilot study that assessed impacts to birch trees from sap harvesting, and review the “Best Practices” guidelines for tree tapping developed by the Alaska Birch Syrupmakers’ Association.

Assesment Of Florida Bass, (Micropterus Floridanus), Stocking In Several Arkansas Lake Largemouth Bass, (M. Salmoides), Populations Using Microsatellite Analysis, Ryan Martin Allen

Student Theses and Dissertations

Arkansas largemouth bass populations have been stocked with the exotic Florida bass for several decades to enhance lake fisheries. This study sampled 1,474 bass from eight Arkansas lakes to determine the success of introducing Florida bass alleles and hybridization events between bass species. Microsatellite data was then compared to historical allozyme data. Additionally, relationships were identified between Florida bass allele frequencies and lake characteristics as well as phenotypes and condition and length at age. A wide range of Florida bass allele frequencies were identified between lakes (10 - 70%), with the most highly correlated variable for successful stocking being reservoir …

The Use Of Soil Enzyme Activities And Active Carbon As Indicators Of Soil Quality In Response To Management Practices, Tracy Marie Woodruff

Student Theses and Dissertations

In order to meet the increasing needs of food, fiber, and fuel, management practices that enhance the soil health must be sought out. The two studies conducted examined the effects of management practices on soil enzyme activities and active carbon concentration. A forested ecosystem in Oregon was examined following nutrient treatments on forest plots. The effects of tillage, residue management and time on soil enzyme activities and active C were measured in a greenhouse study from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR, USA. In both studies, β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, acid phosphatase, and active carbon were analyzed in soil samples. Results …

Closing The Seed Dispersal Loop For Guettarda Viburnoides (Rub.): Connecting Patterns Of Avian Seed Dispersal With Population Growth In A Neotropical Savanna, Andrea Patricia Loayza

Dissertations

This study connects data on frugivore activity, post-dispersal seed fate and plant population demography using stage-specific demographic modeling to examine the role of individual dispersers for plant population dynamics of the fleshy-fruited Neotropical tree Guettarda viburnoides (Rubiaceae) in northeastern Bolivian savannas. Detailed information on frugivory and seed dispersal of G. viburnoides reveals that the endocarps of this plant are dispersed mainly by two species of birds: Cyanocorax cyanomelas and Pteroglossus castanotis, which are defined as the quantitatively important dispersers of G. viburnoides. These two species differ in several qualitative aspects of seed dispersal: 1) They select fruits of …

Tritrophic Interactions In Forests: Direct And Indirect Interactions Between Birds, Insect Herbivores, And Oaks, Nicholas Anthony Barber

Dissertations

This study examines direct and indirect relationships between three trophic levels to determine effects on plant damage, herbivore abundance and community structure, and bird distribution in forest ecosystems. Exclusion experiments on white oak (Quercus alba) revealed that bird predation effects to not vary spatially despite variation in abundance of both birds and insects. Using a leaf quality manipulation, I demonstrated that bird impacts do not differ with host plant quality. Rather, birds and plant traits had additive effects on herbivore damage. Bottom-up effects of leaf quality were also more important than top-down effects of birds in structuring the insect herbivore …

Sr-08-09-42 Cc, Marshall University

Recommendations

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, May 12, 2009, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 132, Issue 54

Mustang Daily, May 12, 2009

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Minutes For May 12, 2009, University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the May 12, 2009 Board of Regents Meeting

Contemporary Proton Therapy Systems Adequately Protect Patients From Exposure To Stray Radiation, Wayne D. Newhauser, Jonas D. Fontenot, Phillip J. Taddei, Dragan Mirkovic, Annelise Giebeler, Rui Zhang, Anita Mahajan, David Kornguth, Marilyn Stovall, Pablo Yepes, Shiao Woo, Radhe Mohan

Faculty Publications

Proton beam therapy has provided safe and effective treatments for a variety of adult cancers. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in utilizing proton therapy for pediatric cancers because it allows better sparing of healthy tissues. Minimizing exposures of normal tissues is especially important in children because they are highly susceptible to consequential late effects, including the development of a radiogenic second cancer, which may occur years or even decades after treatment of the first cancer. While the dosimetric advantage of therapeutic proton beams is well understood, relatively little attention has been paid to the whole-body exposure to …

Effective Dose From Stray Radiation For A Patient Receiving Proton Therapy For Liver Cancer, Phillip J. Taddei, Sunil Krishnan, Dragan Mirkovic, Pablo Yepes, Wayne D. Newhauser

Faculty Publications

Because of its advantageous depth-dose relationship, proton radiotherapy is an emerging treatment modality for patients with liver cancer. Although the proton dose distribution conforms to the target, healthy tissues throughout the body receive low doses of stray radiation, particularly neutrons that originate in the treatment unit or in the patient. The aim of this study was to calculate the effective dose from stray radiation and estimate the corresponding risk of second cancer fatality for a patient receiving proton beam therapy for liver cancer. Effective dose from stray radiation was calculated using detailed Monte Carlo simulations of a double-scattering proton therapy …

Aluminum Nitride Deposition/Characterization & Pmems/Saw Device Simulation/Fabrication, Vincent Richard Pagan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aluminum Nitride (AlN) is a promising material for piezoelectric MicroElectroMechanical Systems (pMEMS) and Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices. AlN is a direct bandgap semiconductor possessing moderate piezoelectric coefficients, a high Curie temperature, and a high acoustic velocity. Potential applications of AlN thin film devices include high temperature pMEMS microvalves for use in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) flow control systems and high frequency/sensitivity SAW platforms for use in biosensors.;Since AlN is a robust material capable of operating at high temperatures and harsh environments, it can be used in settings where other widely used piezoelectrics such as Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) …

Foraging Ecology Of Male Cerulean Warblers And Other Neotropical Migrants, Gregory A. George

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding foraging ecology provides insight into species resource requirements and overall conservation needs. We examined foraging behavior and tree species selection of male Cerulean Warblers (Dendroica cerulea ) (n = 673) in response to varying degrees of habitat disturbance from silvicultural treatments at four study sites in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, during the 2006 and 2007 breeding seasons. Cerulean Warblers foraged primarily in the forest canopy, along branch tips by gleaning insects off leaf surfaces, often adjacent to canopy gaps, both pre- and post-harvest. Tree species availability, based on importance values (IV) calculated from density, frequency and basal areas, …

Um Offers Introductory Class On Cancer During Summer Session, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 5/12/2009, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Multiple Step Antioxidant Nutritional Supplementation Protocol On High-Intensity Cycling Performance, Ryan Hobbs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose. To determine if 5 days of antioxidant supplementation coupled with a pre-ride antioxidant/energy supplement improves cycling performance or reduces oxidative stress in trained cyclists.;Methods. Eight well-trained cyclists participated in a double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled study. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2Max), peak power output (WMax) and total work during a 15-minute time trial were determined. Subjects consumed an antioxidant supplement (S) or a placebo (P) for 5 days before each trial and a pre-exercise supplement or isocaloric placebo (4 kcal·kg-1) 45 minutes before each trial. Subjects performed an endurance ride of 90 minutes followed immediately by a time trial requiring accumulation of …

Studies Of Chemomechanical Gels And Collective Behavior In Chemical Systems, Zhaoyang Huang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The synthesis, structure and properties of stimuli responsive gels are reviewed. A flow through reactor is constructed by attaching a secondary chamber to the output of a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The dynamical behavior of the primary and secondary chambers is characterized by carrying out the bromate-sulfite-ferrocyanide reaction in the reactors. The dynamical behavior of the secondary chamber was found to mimic that of the primary chamber. In addition, the secondary chamber offers spatially homogeneous and non-stirred pH oscillations for chemomechanical oscillators and walkers. Chemomechanical oscillators are obtained by placing poly(NIPAAm-co-MAAc) gel rods of diameters less than 530 mum …

A Needs Assessment Of West Virginia Environmental Educators: West Virginia Environmental Education Association And West Virginia University County Extension Agents, Amanda Rae Swecker See

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia is a state full of a variety of environmental education (EE) programs---both formal and nonformal. However, in order to be effective, educators must have the most updated and user friendly resources readily accessible through various supporting organizations or agencies. The WVEEA is a new state-wide group dedicated to improving EE programs, and supporting EE through its members.;The ultimate goal of EE programs is to improve environmental literacy and foster environmentally responsible behavior. Environmental literacy gives people the awareness, knowledge, ability, motivation, commitment and skill to work with others to resolve environmental problems and prevent new ones. EE activities …

A Panax-Centric View Of Invasive Species And A Case Study On The Effects Of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Kerry Lynn Wixted

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a long-lived, valuable herb found throughout the eastern United States. Habitat degradation, harvest pressures, overbrowsing by deer and reduced genetic diversity are believed to be the primary causes of decline for this rare species; however the widespread threat of invasive species has yet to be investigated. Therefore, my research focused on examining the level of exposure of individuals and populations of ginseng to invasive plant species as well as partitioning the effects of a particular invasive, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata ), into those owing to competition and allelopathy. For my first study, I used …

Three Dimensional Shape Comparison Of Flexible Proteins Using The Local-Diameter Descriptor, Yi Fang, Yu-Shen Liu, Karthik Ramani

School of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background

Techniques for inferring the functions of the protein by comparing their shape similarity have been receiving a lot of attention. Proteins are functional units and their shape flexibility occupies an essential role in various biological processes. Several shape descriptors have demonstrated the capability of protein shape comparison by treating them as rigid bodies. But this may give rise to an incorrect comparison of flexible protein shapes.

Results

We introduce an efficient approach for comparing flexible protein shapes by adapting a local diameter (LD) descriptor. The LD descriptor, developed recently to handle skeleton based shape deformations [1], …

Electronic Clinic Journaling: The Use Of Weblogs To Support Evidence -Based Practice In Doctor Of Audiology Students, Gayle B. Neldon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a strategy for the provision of high quality health care. The use of journals to document clinical experiences and reflection has been used in speech-language pathology as well as nursing and psychology. This study uses qualitative analysis to study what AuD students learn about evidence-based practice from writing and reading clinic Weblogs, as well as to investigate AuD students' reactions to writing and reading these Weblogs and evidence-based practice as they have experienced it. The value of sharing evidence supporting clinical practice via electronic clinic journals in the form of Weblogs among peers was explored. Analysis …

The Effect Of C8-Arylguanine Adducts On B/Z-Dna Equilibrium: Implications In Aryl Hydrazine Carcinogenesis, Vorasit Vongsutilers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aryl hydrazines and related compounds have been shown to be carcinogenic but the mechanism is still unclear. C8-Arylguanine adducts, formed from oxidative metabolites of aryl hydrazines, are suspected to be the cause of carcinogenesis. Z-DNA formation facilitated by the aryl adduct are among the potential mechanisms and has been investigated in this study. Z-DNA may be involved in carcinogenesis as several studies have indicated that Z-DNA may play an important role in gene expression and to induce mutagenic genetic deletions. C8-Arylguanine adducts may cause carcinogenesis by promoting the formation of Z-DNA which in turn disturbing gene regulation and leading to …