Digital Commons Network^™

Trade-Offs Between Predation Risk And Forage Differ Between Migrant Strategies In A Migratory Ungulate, Mark Hebblewhite, Evelyn Merrill

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Trade-offs between predation risk and forage fundamentally drive resource selection by animals. Among migratory ungulates, trade-offs can occur at large spatial scales through migration, which allows an "escape'' from predation, but trade-offs can also occur at finer spatial scales. Previous authors suggest that ungulates will avoid predation risk at the largest scale, although few studies have examined multi-scale trade-offs to test for the relative benefits of risk avoidance across scales. Building on previously developed spatial models of forage and wolf predation risk, we tested for trade-offs at the broad landscape scale and at a finer, within-home-range scale for migratory and …

Don't Diss Integration: A Comment On Ricklefs's Disintegrating Communities, Rob W. Booker, Ragan M. Callaway, Lohengrin A. Cavieres, Zaal Kikvidze, Christopher J. Lortie, Richard Michalet, Francisco I. Pugnaire, Alfonso Valiente-Banuet, Thomas G. Whitham

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Economic Development Paradox: The Impact Of Linkages And Synergies Among Local Agents In The Development Of An Emergent Bioscience Cluster And Associated Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Francisco Montalvo

Student Scholarship

Although bioscience industrial clusters have been widely researched in the last decade, the role of knowledge creation, management, and transfer as driving forces for industrial cluster competitiveness remains unclear. A better appreciation of knowledge creation and retention as determinants of industrial cluster success, and the role of foreign direct investment may be of value to industry decision makers, policy makers, and researchers worldwide. Our research revealed a paradox regarding the intensity of foreign direct investment (FDI) by multinational companies (MNCs) and the limited development of a local entrepreneurial ecosystem in an emergent bioscience cluster. While cluster development seems a logical …

An Examination Of The Organizational, Social And Psychological Climate For Individuals Infected With Or Affected By Hiv/Aids, Rashone Scott-Williams

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

An examination of the organizational, social and psychological climate for individuals infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Enclosed is an identification of the organizational (household), social (family, spouse, friends, church, etc.) and psychological (mental health, thoughts, feelings etc.) press/environment effecting individuals diagnosed with the virus or disease. This project examines and applies the elements of Ekvall’s 10 dimensions of a creative environment for women who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS; the results are reflected in a Creative Climate Survey. The participants of the survey were anonymous and voluntary. The survey was distributed throughout an entire month to a …

Attempted Cloning Of A Wnt Gene From Botrylloides Violaceus, Manasa Chandra, James Tumulak

Biological Sciences

Botrylloides violaceus is a colonial ascidian with the ability to undergo sexual and asexual reproduction as well as regeneration. The canonical pathway starts with the extracellular protein Wnt and ends with β-catenin, a transcription factor, which also functions in cell adhesion. The Wnt signaling pathway is involved in embryogenesis and regeneration in a variety of other species. In our studies we attempt to isolate and sequence both a Wnt gene and from Botrylloides via degenerate primer design and PCR. Using bioinformatic methods we aligned sequences from other organisms, as the Botrylloides genome has not yet been sequenced. Using mouse, Ciona, …

Learning Condition-Specific Networks, Sushmita Roy

Computer Science ETDs

Condition-specific cellular networks are networks of genes and proteins that describe functional interactions among genes occurring under different environmental conditions. These networks provide a systems-level view of how the parts-list (genes and proteins) interact within the cell as it functions under changing environmental conditions and can provide insight into mechanisms of stress response, cellular differentiation and disease susceptibility. The principle challenge, however, is that cellular networks remain unknown for most conditions and must be inferred from activity levels of genes (mRNA levels) under different conditions. This dissertation aims to develop computational approaches for inferring, analyzing and validating cellular networks of …

Analysis Of Higher Education Employee Exercise Behaviors, Michele Linder

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With the introduction of technology into our daily lives, the need for physical exertion has decreased, which has led to an increase in sedentary lifestyles. Sedentary lifestyles lead to the state of obesity, and nearly two-thirds of the Unites States’ adult population is considered overweight or obese. This has resulted in a reduced quality of life, adverse health effects that strain the health care system, and tension on the financial condition of American companies. Current literature indicates that organizations that had implemented exercise or wellness programs reported healthier and more productive employees, an improved morale within the company, and significant …

Satellite-Based Estimation Of Chlorophyll-Α Concentration In Turbid Productive Waters, Wesley Moses

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Inland, coastal, and estuarine waters, which are often turbid and biologically productive, play a crucial role in maintaining global bio-diversity and are of immense value to aquatic life as well as human-beings. Concentration of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) is a key indicator of the trophic status of these waters, which should be regularly monitored to ensure that their ecological balance is not disturbed. Remote sensing is a powerful tool for this.

Due to the optical complexity of turbid productive waters, standard algorithms that use blue and green reflectances are unreliable for estimating chl-a concentration. Algorithms based on red and near-infrared (NIR) reflectances …

Fully Exponential Laplace Approximation Em Algorithm For Nonlinear Mixed Effects Models, Meijian Zhou

Department of Statistics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nonlinear mixed effects models provide a flexible and powerful platform for the analysis of clustered data that arise in numerous fields, such as pharmacology, biology, agriculture, forestry, and economics. This dissertation focuses on fitting parametric nonlinear mixed effects models with single- and multi-level random effects. A new, efficient, and accurate method that gives an error of order O(1/n²), fully exponential Laplace approximation EM algorithm (FELA-EM), for obtaining restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimates in nonlinear mixed effects models is developed. Sample codes for implementing FELA-EM algorithm in R are given. Simulation studies have been conducted to evaluate …

Explicit And Exact Solutions With Multiple Arbitrary Analytic Functions Of Jimbo–Miwa Equation, Sheng Zhang, Ying-Na Sun, Jin-Mei Ba, Ling Dong

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, a generalized F-expansion method is used to construct exact solutions of the (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa equation. As a result, many new and more general exact solutions are obtained including single and combined non-degenerate Jacobi elliptic function solutions, hyperbolic function solutions and trigonometric function solutions, each of which contains six arbitrary analytic functions. It is shown that with the aid of symbolic computation the generalized F-expansion method may provide a straightforward and effective mathematical tool for solving nonlinear partial differential equations.

Remarks On The Stability Of Some Size-Structured Population Models Vi: The Case When The Death Rate Depends On Juveniles Only And The Growth Rate Depends On Size Only And The Case When Both Rates Depend On Size Only, M. El-Doma

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

We continue our study of size-structured population dynamics models when the population is divided into adults and juveniles, started in El-Doma (to appear 1) and continued in El-Doma (to appear 2). We concentrate our efforts in two special cases, the first is when the death rate depends on juveniles only and the growth rate depends on size only, and, the second is when both the death rate and the growth rate depend on size only. In both special cases we assume that the maximum size for an individual in the population is infinite. We identify three demographic parameters and show …

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 …

Water Uptake Threshold Of Rabbiteye (Vaccinium Ashei) Blueberries And Its Influence On Fruit Splitting, Donna A. Marshall-Shaw, James M. Spiers, Kenneth J. Curry

Faculty Publications

Split-resistant and split-susceptible rabbiteye blueberry fruit were evaluated at all stages of development to determine ''water uptake thresholds'' by soaking in distilled water. Weight increase after soaking was measured, and percent weight gain was calculated to take into consideration the weight increase of the fruit from development. The ratio of percent increase in volume to weight increase resulting from water uptake was calculated. Ratios of percent water uptake to weight increase between splitsusceptible 'Tifblue' and split-resistant 'Premier' blueberries were found to be similar. The split-susceptible 'Tifblue' had a 1.6 g/50 fruit increase with a 1.7% water uptake and a ratio …

Bard Free Press, Vol. 11, No. 4 (December 2009), Bard College

Bard Free Press - All Issues (2000-2018)

No abstract provided.

A Fast Nir Spectrometer For Examining Explosive Events: Emission Of Petn Based Explosives And H2O Absorption Method Feasibility, Scott Piecuch

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The chemical dynamics and decomposition pathways of explosive materials are not entirely known. Measurements of chemical transients during explosive events can lead to enhanced knowledge of the detailed chemistry and eventually control of the end products; however, these measurements are often difficult to obtain due to fast time scales and harsh environments. Optical diagnostics present fast-response, minimally invasive methods for resolving properties in detonation environments and previous fast spectroscopic measurements have been recorded in the ultra-violet and visible regions. This work extends the range of such measurements to the near-infrared (NIR) through the development of a fiber-coupled NIR spectrometer utilizing …

Dietary Response Of Sympatric Deer To Fire Using Stable Isotope Analysis Of Liver Tissue, W.D. Walter, T. J. Zimmerman, D. M. Leslie Jr., J. A. Jenks

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in biological samples from large herbivores identify photosynthetic pathways (C3 vs. C4 ) of plants they consumed and can elucidate potential nutritional characteristics of dietary selection. Because large herbivores consume a diversity of forage types, δ13C and δ15N in their tissue can index ingested and assimilated diets through time. We assessed δ13C and δ15N in metabolically active liver tissue of sympatric mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) to identify dietary disparity resulting from use of burned and unburned areas in a largely forested landscape. Interspecific variation in dietary disparity of deer …

Nesting Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse Centrocercus Urophasianus At The Eastern Edge Of Their Historic Distribution, Katie M. Herman-Brunson, Kent C. Jensen, Nicholas W. Kaczor, Christopher C. Swanson, Mark A. Rumble, Robert W. Klaver

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus populations in North Dakota declined approximately 67% between 1965 and 2003, and the species is listed as a Priority Level 1 Species of Special Concern by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The habitat and ecology of the species at the eastern edge of its historical range is largely unknown. We investigated nest site selection by greater sage-grouse and nest survival in North Dakota during 2005 - 2006. Sage-grouse selected nest sites in sagebrush Artemisia spp. with more total vegetative cover, greater sagebrush density, and greater 1-m visual obstruction from the nest than at random …

Psyche + Physique, Janet Winkie

Theses

Through this thesis I explore how human perceptions are made regarding masculinity and the impact that apparel and environment have on the male psyche and physique. I perceive the function of men's apparel as providing a hinge, or entry point into the male identity, ultimately examining themes such as gender roles, sexuality, social class and age. In this thesis exploration, I intend to examine the male physique and embody it using male and female byproducts, found objects and accessories.

Incorporating themes such as space and place, this practice of assemblage and installation offers the "staging" of male-themed spaces, providing dialogue …

Electro-Osmotic Actuation For Micropump Applications, Sean O'Brien

Theses

An electro-osmotic actuation mechanism is explored for micropump applications where self contained, low power, miniaturized pumps are necessary. The principle of electro-osmosis through a cation selective membrane is used to develop a differential pressure which is used to deflect a pump membrane. In an electro-osmotic cell, there are electrolyte filled chambers on either side of an ion specific membrane. Hydrated cations migrate in an applied electric field, effectively pulling water molecules to the cathodic chamber. In such a setup, the polarity of the current can be periodically reversed causing the chambers to alternately fill and discharge. Since the chemical reactions …

Favecity: A Visual Exploration Of City Travel Information, Ching-Ping Chen

Theses

Web 2.0 provides a great environment for interactive information sharing and collaboration. We are no longer to receive information passively. On the contrary, everyone can contribute content and share personal experiences. It is a perfect social media for travelers to be connected. faveCITY is a visual exploration of what do people think and how do they feel about their favorite cities. It collects users' opinions about the city such as city emotion, favorite city feature, best season to visit and a souvenir recommendation. The goal of this project is to combine Web 2.0 features with information visualization to create an …

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 …

United States Food Law Update: Food Allergy Labels, Reaching Organic Equivalence, Misbranding Litigation And Regulatory Takings, A. Bryan Endres, Michaela N. Tarr

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The start of 2009 found the nation transitioning to a new presidential administration, speculating on the impact new appointees to the executive branch may have on regulatory priorities and monitoring a bill' making its way through Congress that seeks a substantial overhaul of the food regulatory system. This version of the Food Law Update will analyze two major developments in food allergy labeling: finalization of rules requiring the labeling of Cochineal extract/ carmine and an analysis of the proposed "gluten-free" product labels. The update next discusses the execution of an equivalency agreement between the United States and Canada with respect …

Sci-Tech Book News Reviews, Susan Fingerman

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

On The Cover

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

News From Hope College, Volume 41.3: December, 2009, Hope College

News from Hope College

No abstract provided.

A Response From Steve Mckinzie, Steve Mckinzie

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Issues In Vendor/Library Relations - Blackwell’S, Bob Nardini

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Under The Hood: Viel Danke, Xan Arch

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Full Page Ads, Editor

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

From The Reference Desk, Thomas Gilson

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.