Digital Commons Network^™

Micro-Hardiness Agriculture Zones In The North Star Borough, Alaska: Past And Future Scenarios, Ellen W. Hatch

Senior Theses

Agriculture in the Arctic is often limited by the low receipt of heat energy, which is often measured in growing degree days (GDD). With the advent of increasingly powerful climate modeling, projection and downscaling techniques, it is becoming possible to examine future climates in high resolution. Recent availability in Alaska has prompted interest in examining the distribution of current and the potential future of local agriculture. The goal of this study was to utilize Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP) downscaled, ensemble projections to examine this in terms of GDDs in the Fairbanks North Star Borough of Alaska. Historic and …

Cannabinoid-Mediated Inhibition Of Recurrent Excitatory Circuitry In The Dentate Gyrus In A Mouse Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Muthu D. Bhaskaran, Bret N. Smith

Physiology Faculty Publications

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological condition associated with neuron loss, axon sprouting, and hippocampal sclerosis, which results in modified synaptic circuitry. Cannabinoids appear to be anti-convulsive in patients and animal models of TLE, but the mechanisms of this effect are not known. A pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus mouse model of TLE was used to study the effect of cannabinoid agonists on recurrent excitatory circuits of the dentate gyrus using electrophysiological recordings in hippocampal slices isolated from control mice and mice with TLE. Cannabinoid agonists WIN 55,212-2, anandamide (AEA), or 2-arachydonoylglycerol (2-AG) reduced the frequency of spontaneous and tetrodotoxin-resistant excitatory …

Perspectives, Richard George Taylor

Student Theses and Dissertations

I chose to name my show "Perspectives" because so many of my sculptures rely on the laws of perspective to create their visual effects. The pieces that do not depend on visual perspective tend to reflect my political perspectives. Therefore, I felt the title would be representative.

Bjc Today

BJC Today

No abstract provided.

Habitat Characteristics Of Black Oystercatcher Breeding Territories, Brooke A. Mcfarland

Marine Biology

Habitat use in birds is often related to forage resources and predation avoidance. The large, long-lived black oystercatcher is a shorebird that defends a composite breeding territory for foraging in the intertidal zone and nesting in the immediate upland. Predation on young is a major source of mortality for many bird species, including black oystercatcher. As these are long-lived birds with many reproductive opportunities, adult survival, associated with forage resources, is expected to be more important in habitat use than less-predictable breeding success. To identify which factors most influence black oystercatcher breeding territory use, logistic regression models were developed and …

A Review Of The Species Status Of The Angayukaksurak Charr (Salvelinus Anaktuvukensis) Of Northern Alaska: Perspectives From Molecular And Morphological Data, Scott David Ayers

Fisheries

"The Arctic, known for its dynamic past, is a significant place to examine drivers of and spatial variation in diversity of life history strategies in fishes. Diversity in heritable life history traits can lead to speciation, as may be the case for the putative Angayukaksurak chair (Salvelinus anaktuvukensis). The goal of this study was to determine the species status of this fish, the only described freshwater species endemic to Alaska. I examined and compared the morphology and genetics of Angayukaksurak charr and its most closely related species, the Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma). Meristic characters divided the specimens into three forms …

The Ecological Niche Of Storm-Petrels In The North Pacific And A Global Model Of Dimethylsulfide Concentration, Grant R. Humphries

Biological Sciences

Ecological niche modeling techniques were used to create global, monthly predictions of sea surface dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations, and breeding season distribution of Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma luncorhoa) and Fork-Tailed Storm-Petrel (O. furcata) in the North Pacific. This work represents the first attempt to model DMS concentrations on a global scale using ecological niche modeling, and the first models of Storm-Petrel distribution for the North Pacific. Storm-Petrels have been shown to be attracted to DMS, and it is therefore likely that a model of sea surface DMS concentration would help explain and predict Storm-Petrel distribution. We have successfully created the most accurate …

Trichodectes Canis, An Invasive Ectoparasite Of Alaskan Wolves: Detection Methods, Current Distribution, And Ecological Correlates Of Spread, Theresa M. Woldstad

Biological Sciences

Trichodectes canis, (Ischnocera: Trichodectidae), was first documented on Alaska gray wolves (Canis lupis) in 1981. Two hypotheses may explain why T. canis was not observed in Alaska until the 1980s. Symptomatic wolves could be predisposed to pediculosis, whereas mild infestations outside the observed infestation region are undetected by visual inspection. A second possible explanation is that T. canis is an invasive ectoparasite, and Alaska wolves outside the infestation region do not harbor lice. We examined wolf hides from December 2003 to February 2009, to investigate potential sampling locations, determine T. canis current distribution within Alaska, and investigate potential ecological correlates …

Microfiltration Membrane Material Properties And Surface Water Characteristics: Effects On Membrane Fouling, N/A N/A

Engineering

"Surface water can be challenging to treat due to high concentrations of organic matter. Membrane filtration produces high quality effluent but membrane fouling reduces system efficiency. A bench-scale, dead end filtration system was used to investigate the fouling effects of natural source waters on microfiltration flat sheet membranes. Membrane materials were selected to represent a range of surface charge characteristics and hydrophobicity. The source waters included an arctic lake, a subarctic river, as well as modified water samples, pre-filtered to include only the dissolved organics, or with deliberately changed pH values. Bench-scale results were compared with a pilot-system's seasonal performance. …

Polymorphism In The Duck Mx Gene And Association With Influenza Infection, Danielle M. Dillon

Biological Sciences

"Myxovirus-resistant (Mx) proteins are induced by interferon and inhibit viral replication as part of the innate immune response to viral infection in many vertebrates. Influenza A virus appears to be especially susceptible to Mx antiviral effects. We characterized exon 13 and the 3' UTR of the Mx gene in wild ducks, the natural reservoir of influenza virus and explored its potential relevance to influenza infection. We observed a wide range of intra- and interspecies variation. Total nucleotide diversity per site (π/bp) was 0.00 14, 0.0027, 0.0044, 0.005 1, and 0.0061 in mallards, northern shovelers, northern pintails, American wigeon, and American …

Investigating Controls Over Methane Production And Bubbling From Interior Alaskan Lakes Using Stable Isotopes And Radiocarbon Ages, Laura S. Brosius

Biological Sciences

"Large uncertainties in first-order estimates of the magnitude of CH₄ emissions from lakes (global lakes: 8-48 Tg CH₄ yr⁻¹ Bastviken et al. 2004) result from variation in ebullition (bubbling) rates between and within lakes. Based on a comparison of two interior Alaska thermokarst lakes, I suggest that variation in CH₄ ebullition observed within and between lakes can be explained by a few key differences in substrate quality and sediment density. Killarney Lake, which has a 130 cm-thick modern sediment package, emitted 120 mg CH₄ M⁻² day⁻¹ produced from a mixture of modern C and permafrost C sources, while Goldstream Lake, …

Use Of Anthropogenic Foods By Glaucous Gulls (Larus Hyperboreus) In Northern Alaska, Emily L. Weiser

Biological Sciences

"Glaucous Gulls are abundant predators in northern Alaska and prey upon several bird species of conservation concern. To assess the benefit gulls may receive from scavenging garbage, I studied diet and reproduction at eight to ten breeding colonies in northern Alaska in 2008-2009. Garbage occurrence in diet was positively correlated with fledging rate; thus any development that increased available garbage could potentially subsidize gull populations through enhanced reproductive success. Garbage could also increase gull populations by enhancing subadult survival. Subadult gulls around the city of Barrow consumed much more garbage than breeding adults, which apparently switch to a mostly natural …

Hormonal Regulation Of Alternative Reproductive Strategies, Tawna Morgan

Biological Sciences

Variation in reproductive behavior permits individuals to optimize fitness given their genetics, physiological condition, social status, age and current environmental conditions. For species with alternative reproductive strategies, behavioral differences are driven by natural and sexual selection and further mediated by the endocrine system. In this study, I explore endocrinological mechanisms associated with alternative reproductive strategies in the ruff (Philomachus pugnax). Ruffs breed on leks, where males use one of three genetically determined alternative reproductive strategies or phenotypes. Resident males rely on male-male aggression, colorful plumage, large body size and intensive display activity to establish courts on a lek and attract …

Hush, Little Baby: Exploring The Need For Interpersonal Affection In Infancy, Estrella D. Lee

Communication

"This study seeks to explore the links that are being made between a lack of interpersonal affection during infancy and an individual's later integration into society. Researching neglect proves difficult due to the limited ways in which data can be collected. Therefore, the base of this study employs qualitative content analysis of secondary data sources, with a supplemental piece employing standardized open-ended interviews. Interpretation of results informed the following five links, each connecting a lack of interpersonal affection to: arrested physiological development, an inability to fulfill attachment needs, erratic behavior, an inability to connect socially, and the ability to effectively …

Harnessing Intercultural Energy: Developing Interdisciplinary Insight And Solidarity Through An Organizational Communication Study, Charu Uppal

Communication

"Globalization provides us with an opportunity to interact on a daily basis with our counterparts across the globe. This study attempts to delineate the working of a multicultural department in an atmosphere of globalization. In order to conduct the organizational analysis, three main ideas were utilized (a) communities of practice; (b) diversity is the key to innovation, and (c) engineering the engineer, a process of socialization. These theoretical ideas guide the process of understanding the lived experiences of organizational members within a multicultural engineering department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This human science research is grounded in the epistemology …

Monsters And Wedding Flowers, Andrew N. Sall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This narrative comprised of short stories, essays, and sketches serves as the culmination of my work as a fiction writer in the MFA in the Memphis creative writing program. Although the materials in this text form a single, cohesive plot, each individual portion should stand on its own merits. I have attempted to establish certain themes that resonate throughout the collection and inform the emotional tone of the story.

"Never Happy And Honest At The Same Time": History, Duality, And Impossible Choices In Jonathan Safran Foer's "Everything Is Illuminated, Julie W. Ruth

English

"Jonathan Safran Foer's first novel, 'Everything is Illuminated', blends historical fiction, moral dilemmas, and post-modern techniques to examine the relationship between victims and perpetrators during the Holocaust and how this relationship affects later generations. Foer focuses on memory and stories within families and cultures, and within these records of identity, concepts of opposition and duality figure prominently. Although Foer implies a worldview is too simple when composed of opposites, such as absence/presence, good/evil, Jew/non-Jew, the ideas of opposition and duality signify conflict and unfilled potential for reconciliation. Patterns of opposites add weight and permanence to fleeting experiences and give purpose …

Ecotourists' Loyalty: Will They Tell About The Destination Or Will They Return?, Manuel Antonio Rivera, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of price, value, satisfaction, quality, and performance on the ecotourists' loyalty towards the destination. By using an attitudinal approach, loyalty is conceptualised by analysing the post-purchase decision-making of the ecotourists (intent to return or recommend). The analysis is based on 454 on-site surveys collected from ecotourists visiting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The results from path analysis indicate that ecotourists are not likely to return but are willing to recommend the destination. The findings suggest that the Galapagos Islands might be perceived as an iconic destination and considered a ‘once …

A Study On Denitrification In A Fluidized Bed Bioreactor, L. Prasanna Lakshmi, Y. Pydi Setty, K. Vimala

The 13th International Conference on Fluidization - New Paradigm in Fluidization Engineering

The work involves experimental investigation on biological denitrification in a fluidized bed reactor under anaerobic conditions using the microorganism Pseudomonas Stutzeri and plastic beads as fluidizing medium. The influence of various parameters like pH, initial nitrate concentration, Carbon/Nitrogen ratio, hydraulic retention time on nitrate-nitrogen removal rate from synthetic effluent prepared at the laboratory were studied in detail. The optimum operating conditions of pH, initial nitrate concentration, Carbon/Nitrogen ratio and flow rate obtained are 7.0–7.5, 15 mg/l, 1.5–2.0 and 4.41 x 10-5 m3/s respectively.

Mimosa: A System For Minimotif Annotation, Jay Vyas, Ronald J. Nowling, Thomas Meusburger, David P. Sargeant, Krishna Kadaveru, Michael R. Gryk, Vamsi Kundeti, Sanguthevar Rajasekaran, Martin Schiller

Life Sciences Faculty Research

BACKGROUND:

Minimotifs are short peptide sequences within one protein, which are recognized by other proteins or molecules. While there are now several minimotif databases, they are incomplete. There are reports of many minimotifs in the primary literature, which have yet to be annotated, while entirely novel minimotifs continue to be published on a weekly basis. Our recently proposed function and sequence syntax for minimotifs enables us to build a general tool that will facilitate structured annotation and management of minimotif data from the biomedical literature.

RESULTS:

We have built the MimoSA application for minimotif annotation. The application supports management of …

Origin Of The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 And Gene Silencing By An E(Z) Homolog In The Unicellular Alga Chlamydomonas, Scott Shaver, J. Armando Casas-Mollano, Ronald L. Cerny, Heriberto D. Cerutti

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Polycomb group proteins play an essential role in the maintenance of cell identity and the regulation of development in both animals and plants. The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is involved in the establishment of transcriptionally silent chromatin states, in part through its ability to methylate lysine 27 of histone H3 by the Enhancer of zeste [E(z)] subunit. The absence of PRC2 in unicellular model fungi and its function in the repression of genes vital for the development of higher eukaryotes led to the proposal that this complex may have evolved together with the emergence of multicellularity. However, we report …

Exercises For The Presentation Of Diplomas (May 16, 2010), William & Mary Law School

Commencement Exercises

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Model Evaluation Methods To Develop A Comprehensive Watershed Simulation Model, Misgana K. Muleta

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Comprehensive environmental models such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) are becoming an integral part of decision making processes for effective planning and management of natural resources. Before their use as decision making aid, however, models must be properly evaluated to improve their prediction accuracy and reduce the likelihood of making decisions that could lead to undesirable policy outcomes. Model evaluation refers to practices such as quality analysis of input data, sensitivity analysis, calibration and verification, and uncertainty analysis. Many methodologies have been developed for model evaluations over the years. One of the major limitations of the existing …

The Conundrum Of Sensitization When Recording From Nociceptors, Geoffrey M. Bove, Andrew Dilley

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Nociceptors are sensory neurons that detect harmful, or potentially harmful, stimuli, and can become sensitized following injury or repetitive stimulation. When sensitized, nociceptors often exhibit activity in the absence of apparent or additional stimulation, called ongoing (or spontaneous) activity (OA). In this report, we provide evidence that OA in nociceptors can be caused by the stimuli typically used to identify and characterize the neuron, which must by definition be noxious and therefore potentially sensitizing. Such OA caused by the experimental methodology can confound interpretation. In our nerve inflammation model, OA can potentially arise from multiple sites, including the lesion site …

Ists E-Newsletter, May 15, 2010, Iowa Academy Of Science

ISTS Newsletter

In this issue:

--Message from the ISTS Chair, Kathy Megivern

--Message from the Fall Conference Chair, De Anna Tibben

--Message from the Vice Chair, Adam Puderbaugh

--Announcements

--Opportunities

--News

--Your ISTS Leadership Team

Growth Rate Of Mugil Cephalus From Two Isolated Ponds In Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina, Matthew Vincent

Honors Theses

Measurement of growth of the euryhaline teleost Mugil cephalus is quite common in open ocean settings, but growth rates of M. cephalus in isolated areas is non-existent. Two isolated ponds in Huntington Beach State, Horry County, South Carolina were selected to study the growth rate of M. cephalus; Sandpiper Pond with virtual no hydrologic connection to the ocean and Jetty Pond with adequate hydrologic connection to the ocean were the sites of sample collection. Scales from M. cephalus in both ponds were collected then aged by two readers, where agreeing ages were kept in the dataset. A von Bertalanffy growth …

Unrelated Business Income Taxes: What The Federal Courts Have Said, Barry Long

Honors Theses

Several issues impact the management of accounting for large not-for-profit organizations that would not arise normally in a regular for-profit corporation. These issues vary widely from how much annual salary the executives rightfully deserve as compensation to the way the organization raises funds for its day-to-day activities. Slightly less common, but still very important, is the issue of taxes. Yes, not-for-profit corporations have to pay taxes, but only on certain forms of revenue. In many instances, large not-for-profit corporations operate similar to a for-profit firm. The money not-for-profits have to pay tax on falls under the Internal Revenue Code sections …

The Portland Spectator, May 2010, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

Portland Spectator

Editor: Joe Wirtheim

Articles in this issue include: What now, ASPSU?; Students for unity delivers; Conservative corner: taxed to death; Rebuilding a reputation; State elections; Saltzman fights - sort of; Welcome to the federal farm; Discussing terrorism and Islamic radicalism; and You have to start somewhere

2010 Commencement Program, Columbia College Chicago

Commencement Programs

The commencement program of the 2010 Columbia College Chicago graduation ceremonies.

Thoracic Aortic Disease In Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Molecular Pathogenesis And Potential Therapies In Tsc2+/- Mice, Jiumei Cao, Limin Gong, Dong-Chuan Guo, Ulrike Mietzsch, Shao-Qing Kuang, Callie S Kwartler, Hazim Safi, Anthony Estrera, Michael J Gambello, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder with pleiotropic manifestations caused by heterozygous mutations in either TSC1 or TSC2. One of the less investigated complications of TSC is the formation of aneurysms of the descending aorta, which are characterized on pathologic examination by smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation in the aortic media. SMCs were explanted from Tsc2(+/-) mice to investigate the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysms caused by TSC2 mutations. Tsc2(+/-) SMCs demonstrated increased phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), S6 and p70S6K and increased proliferation rates compared with wild-type (WT) SMCs. Tsc2(+/-) SMCs also had reduced expression of …