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Parameterization Of Microwave Assisted Oil Extraction And Its Transesterification To Biodiesel, Akanksha V. Kanitkar

LSU Master's Theses

Currently, a majority of the world’s energy needs are met through use of fossil fuels, petroleum, coal and natural gas. The depletion of petroleum reserves, rising and extremely volatile crude oil prices, and environmental concerns have led to search for renewable and environmentally friendly fuels. The ultimate goal of this research was to develop, test and optimize a batch microwave system using traditional and alternate non-food feedstocks. Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) of oil from conventional feedstocks (soybeans and rice bran) and an alternative feedstock (Chinese tallow tree (CTT) seeds) was carried out. The study concluded that MAE of oil is …

Rare Earth Elements As An Investigative Tool Into The Source, Age, And Ecology Of Late Miocene To Late Pleistocene Fossils From The Tunica Hills, Louisiana, Lindsey Theresa Yann

LSU Master's Theses

Rare earth elements were investigated for their potential to determine provenance and depositional environments of vertebrate fossils found as float in creeks of the Tunica Hills region of Louisiana. Elemental analyses are used to test the hypotheses that fossils span multiple time periods, from late Miocene to late Pleistocene, and that elemental profiles can distinguish terrestrial depositional settings from possible estuarine deposits. In addition, the animals present were then used to test the hypothesis that Tunica Hills had late Pleistocene environmental conditions much like the modern Great Lakes region. This study is important because it provides new insight on the …

National Board For Professional Teaching Standards, Michelle Oslin Griffen

Graduate Research Papers

As part of my masters requirements, I decided to go through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Process. The NBPTS process requires teachers to thoroughly analyze their practices in order to improve their teaching and student learning. The three entries I chose to highlight in this paper are: Writing: Thinking through the Process, Integrating Mathematics with Science, and Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning. Every entry required contextual information about my school and classroom.

Differentiating Instruction In The High School Science Classroom: Instructional Accommodations For Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, English Language Learners, And Gifted Learners, Nicole M. Kesselring

Graduate Research Papers

Students in today's classrooms come from many different backgrounds and have many different educational needs and learning styles. Today's education emphasizes inclusion of students with learning disabilities and a reduction of out-of-class services for gifted learners. Working to meet the needs of the broad spectrum of students is a big challenge for many of today's science teachers. Indications are that most teachers are making few proactive modifications based on learner variance. Inclusion of students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and English Language Learners (ELL) in science classrooms along with gifted learners calls for a need of differentiated or academically responsive instruction. …

Middle School Students’ Opinions On Using Physical Activity Monitors, Christopher R. Mekelburg

Graduate Research Papers

Since the mid 1980's, childhood obesity population in the United States has increased consistently each year (Flegal, Carroll, Ogden, 2002). A new initiative has been made by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to promote physical activity and quality physical education in schools. The CDC recommends that children obtain 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The current study was conducted to analyze the opinions of middle school students and their master teacher on a new activity monitor created to calculate a child's activity throughout an extended period of time. …

Waging Word Wars: A Discourse Analysis Of The Patterns Of Norse Masculinity Presented Through Mannjafnaor In The Icelandic Sagas, Jonathan Mark Broussard

LSU Master's Theses

The mannjafnaðr is a verbal dueling competition containing boasts and insults through which Norse men compare their achievements and exploits against those of other men in bids to prove themselves more honorable in the eyes of the Norse community. This thesis examines the structure, content, and themes of the mannjafnaðr presented in the Morkinskinna, Magnussona, Brennu-Njals, and the Orvar-Oddr sagas as manifestations of the Norse conception of masculinity. My analysis reveals that these encounters are highly structured and provide interactants opportunities to evaluate adherence to culturally dictated strictures of honor – their own and their opponents’. Through a complex discourse …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Aphrodisiac Activity And Curative Effects Of Pedalium Murex (L) Against Ethanol Induced Infertility In Male Rats, Gunasekaran Balamurugan, P. Muralidharan, Satyanarayana Polapala

Turkish Journal of Biology

It has been suggested that chronic ethanol exposure may result in testicular damage and infertility in males. Petroleum ether extract of Pedalium murex, family Pedaliaceae (PEPM), is evaluated in this study for its ability to increase aphrodisiac activity and to cure ethanol induced germ cell damage and infertility in male rat models. Doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg of PEPM showed a significant increase (P < 0.01, P < 0.001) in mating and mounting behaviour. The effect on fertility factors such as total body weight, percentage of pregnancy, litter size were also significantly increased (P < 0.01) in comparison with the ethanol-treated group. Significant increases in sperm motility and count were observed in PEPM-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01; P < 0.001) as compared with the ethanol-treated group. Similarly, reductions in the percentage of abnormal sperm were noted in animals treated with PEPM 400 mg/kg. The effects of PEPM on total protein, total cholesterol and testosterone were satisfactory, the levels being increased significantly for protein (P < 0.05), cholesterol (P < 0.01) and testosterone (P < 0.05) by 400 mg/kg PEPM. Microtome sections of the testes of animals treated with 400 mg/kg PEPM exhibited restoration and recovery of germinal cells and the luminal spermatozoa and were comparable with the control group animals. These effects of PEPM make this natural herb ideal as an aphrodisiac and a potent fertility enhancing drug.

The Interactive Effect Of Heavy Metals And Uv-B Radiation On Two Cucumber Cultivars, Shweta Mishra, Suruchi Singh, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Shashi Bhushan Agrawal

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of supplemental UV-B (sUV-B) irradiance, and Cd and Ni treatment alone and in combination were evaluated on heavy metal accumulation, and growth, biomass, and yield responses in 2 cucumber cultivars (Cucumis sativus L. cultivars Local Super Green and Tripti-19). Responses to the combined application of Cd and Ni in both cultivars were antagonistic. Cultivar Tripti-19 showed more sensitivity in terms of yield response towards sUV-B and heavy metals than did Local Super Green. sUV-B exposure increased the concentration of Cd/Ni in the roots, shoots, and fruits of cucumber plants, as compared to the unexposed plants. Bioaccumulation of Cd, …

Cadmium-Induced Antioxidant Status And Sister-Chromatid Exchanges In Vicia Faba L., Serpi̇l Ünyayar, Ayşi̇n Güzel Değer, Ayla Çeli̇k, Fazi̇let Özlem Çeki̇ç, Sertan Çevi̇k

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of cadmium (Cd) on antioxidant responses and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were studied in Vicia faba L. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR), and the levels of ascorbate (ASC), glutathione (GSH), hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA, indicator of lipid peroxidation) were measured. Genotoxicity was evaluated by measuring the changes in the mitotic index (MI) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE). Increased activities of SOD and CAT were observed in plants treated with 50 and 100 µM Cd. It was found that APX activity increased remarkably with 50 µM Cd, but …

Ultrastructural Changes In Rat Liver By Methyleugenol And Evaluation Of Some Biochemical Parameters, Ayşegül Çerkezkayabeki̇r, Gülnur Kizilay, Fi̇gen Ertan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study investigated the effect of methyleugenol, a food flavoring and fragrance agent, on the livers of laboratory rats. Doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg/day of methyleugenol (in 0.5% methylcellulose) were administered intragastrically (IG) to 2 dose groups for 10 days alongside a control group (n = 10 for each group). Gains in body weight were not statistically significant for either dose. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities decreased (P < 0.05) for both dose groups, but AST (aspartate aminotransferase) activity decreased significantly (P < 0.05) only in the 30 mg/kg/day methyleugenol dose group. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity did not change significantly in either group. The total amount of glucose remained unchanged, but glycogen in the liver decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the 30 mg/kg/day methyleugenol dose group. There was also an increase of swelling in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum sacs (sER), electron dense accumulations in the sER, cytoplasmic vacuolization, a slight increase of mitochondria and lysosomes, and invaginations in the nucleus membranes of hepatocytes. Extensions in bile canaliculi and increasing microvilli of bile canaliculi in the liver were also observed. These findings indicate the ultrastructural toxic effect of methyleugenol on rat livers in 10 and 30 mg/kg/day doses. Therefore, we may speculate that the toxic effect of methyleugenol needs to be examined in detail.

Siderophore, Hemolytic, Protease, And Pyrazinamidase Activities And Antibiotic Resistance In Motile Aeromonas Isolated From Fish, Belgi̇n Erdem, Ergi̇n Kari̇ptaş, Tayfun Kaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

A total of 120 fresh water fish samples were evaluated for the presence of Aeromonas spp. A. hydrophila, A. caviae, and A. veronii bv. sobria were isolated from the gills, intestines, livers, and skins of fish, and 78 isolated Aeromonas spp. strains were further examined for siderophore, hemolytic, protease, and pyrazinamidase activities and antibiotic resistance. Siderophore production was demonstrated in almost all of the A. hydrophila and A. caviae strains except for 2 strains of A. veronii bv. sobria. The strains identified as A. hydrophila and A. veronii bv. sobria were the stronger producers of hemolysin, whereas the A. caviae …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Fau Climate Change Initiative Priority Theme: Research, Engineering, And Adaption To A Change Climate., Leonard Berry, Marguerite Koch, Center For Environmental Studies, Brian Benscoter, Xavier Comas, Donna Devlin, Maria Fadiman, E. Gerstein, Denise L. Herzing, Tobin Hindle, Sarah L. Milton, Anton E. Oleinik, C. Edward Proffitt, Jorge I. Restrepo, Tara L. Root, Jeanette Wyneken,, Zhixiao Xie, Xing-Hai Zhang, Ann-Margaret Esnard, Diana Mitsova, J. Murley, J. Vos, Monica Escaleras, M. Mehallis, Eric H. Shaw, Guillermo John Hardman, Julie Lambert, G. Thomas, Madasamy Arockiasamy, Frederick Bloetscher, G. Carvalho,, Manhar R. Dhanak, George V. Frisk, Evangelos I. Kaisar, Hari Kalva, Daniel E. Meeroff, Jarice Rodriguez, Panagiotis (Pete) D. Scarlatos, Ravi Shankar, Ramesh Teegavarapu, Clifford T. Brown, Francis Mcafee, Patricia Widener, Fraser R. Dalgleish, M. Dennis Hanisak, S. Mcmulloch, Gregory O'Corry-Crowe, Shirley A. Pomponi, John K. Reed, John Scarpa, Joshua Voss, Barry N. Heimlich, R. Alvarez, J. Jolley, A. Edwards, Charles E. Schmidt College Of Science, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, College Of Business, Dorothy F. Schmidt College Of Arts And Letters, College Of Education, College Of Engineering And Computer Science

Faculty Scholarship

Globally, sea level rise has the potential to impact two billion people living along coastlines. In South Florida, sea level rise is already a threat to coastal infrastructure and will continue to require new engineering solutions. Research universities, particularly those with strengths in hydrology, engineering, and ocean sciences, will play a major role in human adaptation to a rapidly changing climate; FAU can be one of these institutions with its current interdisciplinary climate change research. FAU’s premier engineering program provides opportunities to develop and apply new technologies to ascertain climate change impacts and develop solutions to assist in adaptation

Comparative Studies Of Innate Host Defense Mechanisms Against Virulent And Avirulent Species Of Microsporidia, Amber Lynn Mathews

LSU Master's Theses

Microsporidia are ubiquitous, obligate intracellular eukaryotes that cause chronic diarrhea and disseminated diseases in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Macrophages, cellular components of the innate immune system, are believed to be the source of dissemination of this pathogen throughout the body. Little is known about the innate immune response to microsporidia. Macrophages are a source of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 and play an essential role in the link between innate and adaptive immunity. The focus of this thesis is the investigation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling mechanisms and IL-12 and IL-23 production regulated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) …

Towards Cloning A Tyrosinase Gene From Pitayas, Kurt J. Chamberlain

Honors Program Theses

Betalains, such as those produced by pitayas, are water-soluble nitrogen-containing pigment molecules (Gandia-Herrero et al., 2005). In most families of the Caryophyllales, betalains replace anthocyanins, which are the pigment molecules found in all other families of flowering plants (Strack et al., 2001). Betalains accumulate in the flowers, fruits, and occasionally vegetative tissues of these plants (Strack et al., 2001). Depending on the structure of the molecule, betalains are classified as either betacyanins or betaxanthins. Betacyanins contribute to red-violet coloration, while betaxanthins contribute to the yellow-orange coloration found only in a limited number of plant species (Gandia-Herrero et al., 2005). The …

Formation Of The Neural Tube Epithelium Basement Membrane During Secondary Neurulation In The Chick Embryo, Leslie Ann Mataya

Honors Program Theses

Neurulation, the formation of the neural tube, is an important process in the development of vertebrates. Because this organ ultimately becomes the central nervous system of the organism, the proper development of a fully-functioning neural tube is paramount to its survival. Neural tube defects, like spina bifida and anencephaly, are among the most common congenital malformations present in live human births. The prevalence of these defects is a definite concern to medicine and human health.

Structure Elucidation Of A Glycosylated Benzyl Ester Of Salicylic Acid From The North American Prairie Plant Oligoneuron Rigidum, Sarah Katherine Miesner

Honors Program Theses

The organic extract from Oligoneuron rigidum displayed anti-microbial activity, indicating a potential future use as a natural food preservative. Three novel compounds were isolated from the active extract. The skeletal structure of the three compounds was determined by spectral methods, and the final structural component that remained to be determined was the locations of the acetate groups. Neutral permethylations were performed on the compounds as the first step in determining the locations of the acetate groups; however, the permethylation technique proved to be ineffective, causing cleavage of the native compounds. The structure elucidation will be complete when a non-degradable method …

Evaluation: Writing, Performing, And Producing A Comedy Show To Critically Examine Social Issues, Eva Elizabeth Andersen

Honors Program Theses

Upon completion of my experience in the UNI Honors Program, I wanted to create a thesis project that demonstrated my performance skills gained in communication coursework at UNI, as well as my capability as a writer, director, and producer. For me, a creative project was an obvious choice. I wanted nothing more than to have a tangible, professional piece of work to hand to entertainment industry producers and be able to say, "I created this during my undergraduate career at the University of Northern Iowa."

In order to fulfill these goals, I chose to create a show that was intelligent …

The Impact Drama Has On Enabling International University Students To Assimilate Into The American Culture, Julie Baldwin

Honors Program Theses

We often take for granted how accepted we are by others around us. Without realizing it, we may forget we belong to a larger community connected by the culture of the United States that shapes the way we understand the world. Culture plays an invaluable role in much of how we live. According to Marcelle E. DuPraw and Marya Axne, authors of the article, "Working on Common Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge, "our culture "influences how we approach problems, and how we participate in groups and in communities" by shaping our communication and decision-making styles, attitudes toward conflict and disclosure, and approaches …

Show And Tell: A Unique Approach To The Professional Educator's Portfolio, Elizabeth Hubler Cameron

Honors Program Theses

Today's educators need to be increasingly innovative in their self-marketing to ensure the best outcome of any job search or promotion opportunity. Skills and credentials are important, but increasing importance is being placed on tangible materials and substantiated data that one has to support their teaching style and educational philosophy. New job applicants need to find ways present themselves as distinct from other applicants. The following proposal outlines a creative thesis project that seeks to utilize traditional portfolio and resume components, combined with unique and technologically advanced selections, re-designed to demonstrate the fullest creative and innovative potential. The complete title …

Designing A Library Program To Increase The Number Of Fourth Grade Reading Goals, Jodonna Carlson

Graduate Research Papers

The problem identified by this research was at School C, 37% of the fourth grade students were not meeting their reading goal. The library at School C may not have been designed to meet the needs of these students. Action research using both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather data was used in this study. Parental permission was given for four fourth grade students to participate in this study. Two fourth grade teachers also agreed to participate in this study. Field notes were used to gather data during observations of book checkout for each class. Open-ended questions were asked each …

Sheldon Community History Traveling Trunk Project, Jan M. Kinderknecht

Graduate Research Papers

National, state, and local standards guide education in what is taught in the classrooms today. A lack of resources is often a problem in teaching these standards, especially at the local level. The Sheldon third grade teachers needed resources to fulfill the teaching expectations about their local community. The purpose of this project was to develop a traveling trunk filled with primary and secondary resources to be used in the teaching of a social studies unit on the community of Sheldon. Deciding what people, places, and events to include in these resources is often a concern. Another concern was what …

A Need For Picture Books Showing Girls Playing Organized Team Sports, Lisa A. Heiden

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a children's picture storybook depicting female characters participating in competitive team athletics. The book shows a young girl learning about the game of basketball and sharing the experience with her older sister. The researcher has a long history of athletic participation and a deep passion for sports. These experiences allowed the researcher to capture the essence of the sport of basketball and create a picture book for children that engages the reader and possibly encourages participation in athletics for children of various ages. The book gives young, athletic girls an early experience …

Identifying Wildlife Crossing Zones For The Prioritization Of Highway Mitigation Measures Along U.S. Highway 2: West Glacier, Mt To Milepost 193, Mike J. Roesch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Highways have been shown to fragment wildlife habitats and populations. In order to mitigate the effects that highways have on wildlife, it is important to assess where wildlife appear to be moving in close proximity to the highway. I surveyed for wildlife trails that approached either side of a ~64 km stretch U.S. Highway 2 (US-2) and monitored these trails with remote cameras. Ungulates, especially deer, were the most commonly photographed animals on trails. A limited number of photographs were also taken of coyote, black bear, snowshoe hare, wolf, and cougar. Camera images showed that wildlife tended to use roadside …

Assessing Cumulative Human Impacts On Northern Woodland Caribou With Traditional Ecological Knowledge And Resource Selection Functions, Jean Lieppert Polfus

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are federally listed and declining across Canada because of the cumulative impacts of human infrastructure development. The Atlin northern mountain herd, in the territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN), British Columbia, is less affected by development than southern herds. However, recent low productivity in this herd suggests that the impacts of development (i.e., roads, mines, cabins and towns) may be accumulating. To predict the cumulative impact of human development on the Atlin herd, we developed seasonal resource selection functions (RSF) at 2 spatial scales with data from 10 global positioning system collared …

Biological Control: Effects Of Tyria Jacobaeae On The Population Dynamics Of Senecio Jacobaea In Northwest Montana, Kimberly Kay Crider

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Biological control, using introduced, specialist insects is a common strategy for controlling plant invasions. However, the efficacy of biological control agents in controlling their host plants is rarely quantified population level. I quantified the impact of a specialist biological control agent, the cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) on its host plant, tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) in northwest Montana. Cinnabar moth damage and its effects on important plant vital rates were tested with and without specialist herbivores. The presence of moth larvae corresponded to a reduction in population growth rates to less than one, compared to herbivore-free controls, indicating the potential for …

Elemental Stoichiometry Of Freshwater Hyporheic Microorganisms, Alejandra Valenzuela

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The work presented herein is part of the Microbial Observatory Project in the Nyack Floodplain. The Nyack Valley Floodplain is a glacier-carved floodplain in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River on the south west border of Glacier National Park and north of the Great Bear Wilderness in northwest Montana. The study focuses on the bacterial diversity including elemental stoichiometry along a hyporheic flowpath underlying the Nyack floodplain. We isolated and characterized 44 bacterial strains, sampled microbial biofilm communities across the floodplain, characterized the bacterial isolates and determined elemental ratios (C:N:P). We tested the hypothesis that while the elemental stoichiometry …

Escaping The Extinction Vortex: Identifying Factors Affecting Population Performance And Recovery In Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep, Heather Elizabeth Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

An extinction vortex is one of the greatest threats to endangered species; when demographic, environmental, and genetic stochasticity interact with each other and with deterministic factors, such as habitat quality, to reinforce the demise of a small population. To successfully escape an extinction vortex and enable species recovery, all processes that affect endangered populations should be comprehensively assessed and incorporated into conservation plans. For my dissertation, I worked in conjunction with California Department of Fish and Game to develop a comprehensive research program to guide recovery efforts for federally endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, the rarest subspecies of mountain sheep …

Expanding The Role Of Criterion A2 In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Daniel Evan Dewey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric construct that refers to symptoms that may follow exposure to a traumatic event. The current definition of a traumatic event differentiates between the objective event, criterion A1, and an individual’s subjective response, criterion A2. This study investigated the importance of criterion A2 and other intense negative emotions in the development of PTSD. Self-report measures were used to determine the presence or absence of the event criteria A1 and A2, PTSD symptoms, and intensity of emotion type at the time of an event. Criterion A2 emotions at the time of the event were associated with …