Digital Commons Network^™

Aging-Dependent Effects Of Repetitive Loading Exercise And Antioxidant Supplementation On Oxidative Stress In Skeletal Muscle, Michael J. Ryan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aging is associated with a reduced ability to buffer oxidants along with an increase in oxidant production, resulting in chronic oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a putative factor responsible for reducing function ability of skeletal muscle and increasing oxidative damage. The objective of this set of investigations was to evaluate the efficacy of reducing oxidative stress on improving muscle function the adaptive response of skeletal muscle to repetitive loading exercise in aging rodents. To achieve this objective, three methods of reducing oxidative stress were utilized; the antioxidant vitamins E&C were used to buffer oxidants, the nutraceutical resveratrol was used to …

Ve-Cadherin Expression And Regulation Of Sensitivity To Apoptosis In Philadelphia Chromosome Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Heather A. O'Leary

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The bone marrow microenvironment serves as the primary site for post-natal hematopoiesis allowing for HSC development and maturation. More specifically, B lineage cells rely on key signals from both the physical and soluble components of the marrow for their survival and maturation. In addition to normal hematopoiesis the bone marrow has been shown to be a sanctuary for leukemic cells, as well as other tumors, that can interact with cues from the microenvironment allowing for their protection during chemotherapy. The studies described in this dissertation focus on two supportive components of the bone marrow microenvironment, osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal …

Effects Of Level Of Concentrate Supplementation On Milk Production And Ruminal Ph In Lactating Cows On Pasture, Gatha R. Clevenger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The effects of concentrate supplementation on milk production and ruminal fermentation was evaluated in six ruminally cannulated lactating Holstein dairy cows in a Latin rectangle design. Cows were fed 4 (C4), 8 (C8), and 12 (C12) kg DM/d of a concentrate supplement. Increasing amounts of concentrate supplement decreased pasture intake, but increased overall dry matter intake (DMI) and increased milk production without changing milk composition. Daily mean and minimum ruminal pH was similar for all treatments. Increasing supplementation increased time spent below pH 5.8, and resulted in a reduction in the in situ degradability of DM and NDF at 24 …

Predicting Species Composition In An Eastern Hardwood Forest With The Use Of Digitally Derived Terrain Variables, Richard D. Flanigan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis addresses the need for improved classification of remotely sensed imagery in the complex hardwood forests of West Virginia. A geographic information system (GIS) was used in conjunction with forest plot data to develop a model to predict species composition in the eastern hardwood forest of West Virginia. The study area was located on the West Virginia University Research Forest (WVURF) in northern West Virginia. Terrain variables including aspect, curvature and slope change drastically at a local scale within the forest to greatly influence species composition. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data was collected for the entire WVURF, which …

Satisfaction Of Contract Poultry Producers In Virginia And West Virginia, Christina L. Richmond

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated the satisfaction of contract poultry producers in West Virginia and Virginia using a mailed questionnaire. Producers were asked to provide feedback on their company, income, debt load and grower relations. Producers indicated they were satisfied with their business decision to raise contract poultry. Level of satisfaction was significantly different for producers in the two states. Producers who raise pullets or broiler breeders exhibited greater satisfaction that broiler producers. The income level of producers has increased, however more producers have indicated they are losing money. Producers showed high levels of satisfaction with their service personnel who come directly …

Utilization Of Leaf Meal As A Potential Feed Source, Jason K. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alternative feeds are currently utilized by producers throughout much of animal agriculture as a method of reducing feed costs. Under careful resource management, and proper understanding of their potential effects on animal performance, some deciduous tree leaves may prove to be a valuable feed resource, as substantial tonnage exists in the forests of the United States. In order to assess their value as a feed source, fall-dropped Quercus alba (white oak) and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar) leaves were collected at the Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center in Beaver, WV by the USDA-ARS. Proximate analysis and fiber determination, as well as …

Evaluation Of Information Transfer Between Beef Producers And Extension Agents In West Virginia, Travis J. Cullen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine how information passes between beef producers and Extension Agents in West Virginia in the areas of teaching methods and program advertisement. A descriptive research design was used to collect the data for this study. The target population was all beef producers and the Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension Agents in West Virginia. The study found that beef producers and Extension Agents tend to be in agreement on both the methods of advertising and teaching. However, the programs beef producers desire differs from those the West Virginia University Extension Service offers.

Tennessee Farm Bureau News - May 2010, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation

Tennessee Farm Bureau News

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Corn Silage Hybrids And Dietary Nonforage Fiber Sources On Productive Performance In Early Lactating Dairy Cows Fed High Forage Diets, Michael Shane Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of corn silage hybrids and nonforage fiber sources (NFFS) in high forage diets formulated with high dietary proportion of alfalfa hay (AH) and corn silage (CS) on ruminal fermentation and productive performance by early lactating dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (4 ruminally fistulated) averaging 36 ± 6.2 d in milk were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows were fed 1 of 4 dietary treatments during each of the four 21-d periods. Treatments were: 1) conventional corn …

Avian Piscivores As Vectors For Myxobolus Cerebralis In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Todd M. Koel, Billie L. Kerans, Scott C. Barras, Katie C. Hanson, John S. Wood

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Myxobolus cerebralis, the cause of whirling disease in salmonids, has dispersed to waters in 25 states within the USA, often by an unknown vector. Its incidence in Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri within the highly protected environment of Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, is a prime example. Given the local abundances of piscivorous birds, we sought to clarify their potential role in the dissemination of M. cerebralis. Six individuals from each of three bird species (American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus, and great blue heron Ardea herodias) were fed known-infected or …

Comparison Of Agricultural Area Source Ammonia Gas Concentration And Flux Measurements, Emyrei Reese

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted in order to compare and evaluate a variety of ammonia (NH₃) measurement techniques for determination of ambient gas phase concentration and evaluation of system fluxes. This was accomplished by measuring NH3 emitted from area sources within two dairies, one located in south-central Idaho and another in central California. The measurement techniques utilized included: an array of passive diffusion samplers, a single annular denuder system, a single or paired Fourier transform infrared spectrometer(s) (FTIR), a paired (upwind and downwind) set of differential optical absorption spectrometers (DOAS), and a portable wind tunnel in conjunction with a …

Introduced Sport Fish And Fish Conservation In A Novel Food Web: Evidence Of Predatory Impact, Kevin Lee Landom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study addressed a fundamental question in applied ecology and conservation; what is the predatory impact of introduced piscivorous sport fish on imperiled native fish populations? More specifically, which of many introduced species and size-classes represent the greatest threats and should be targeted for control? In order to explore this important question, an integrated analysis of stable isotopes, quantified observed diet analysis, and stable isotope mass-balance models were used to quantify trophic interactions. These tools were used to construct food web models that were then compared to draw inferences regarding the relative contribution of prey fish, including rare native fish, …

Learning Ability And Factors Influencing Nest Establishment Of The Solitary Bees Osmia Lignaria And Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Cory A. Vorel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the last several decades, the use of solitary bees as an alternative to honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) for pollination of commercial crops has increased, in part as a response to ongoing problems faced by commercial honey bee populations. Two solitary bee species have exhibited great commercial potential: the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say, and the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). However, growth of O. lignaria and M. rotundata populations is limited in commercial systems, mainly due to low establishment of females at provided nesting sites, possibly due to mortality, dispersal, or other causes. …

Intercomparison Of Prism And Daymet Temperature Interpolation From 1980 To 2003, Rebecca A. Scully

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As ecosystem modeling becomes increasingly integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) there is a rise in demand for spatially and temporally continuous meteorological data. But in order to justify management decisions or to provide robust scientific insights, the accuracy of meteorological data used as model input must be thoroughly quantified. Current methods to create spatially continuous climate data from discrete weather station data include inverse distance weighting, geostatistical techniques such as kriging and splines, local regression models such as Parameter-Elevation Regression on Independent Slope Model (PRISM) and Daymet, and regional regression models. For the conterminous United States, PRISM and Daymet …

Development Of A Laboratory Based System For Selecting Insect Pathogenic Fungi With Greatest Potential For Success In The Field, Chad Alton Keyser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many insects are important agricultural pests, and active control is necessary to keep them at abeyance. The naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium is a promising tool to control pest insects, and its use avoids the well-known harmful side effects of chemical pesticides. Thousands of unique isolates of Metarhizium exist throughout the world. These isolates vary widely in their ability to cause infection and to tolerate stressful habitats. The research reported here tests the THESIS: A laboratory-based system can be devised that identifies, from among many Metarhizium isolates, those isolates with the greatest potential for successful biological control of pest insects …

Quantifying Legacy Effects Of Managed Disturbance On Sagebrush Steppe Resilience And Diversity, Julie Ripplinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Land-use legacies can affect landscapes for decades to millennia. A long history of shrub management exists in the sagebrush steppe of the Intermountain West where shrub-removal treatments, a type of managed disturbance, have been implemented for over 50 years to reduce sagebrush cover. The assumption behind managed disturbances is that they will increase forage for domestic livestock and improve wildlife habitat. However, the long-term effects of managed disturbance on plant community composition and diversity are not well understood. We investigated the legacy effects of three common types of managed disturbance (chemical, fire, and mechanical treatments) on plant community diversity and …

History Steps Off The Page: The Past In The Future, A Case Study Of How The Mormon Battalion Is Making History Interactive, Allyson Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis addresses the presentation of the Mormon Battalion's history in three interactive forms. The Battalion served in the U.S.-Mexican War between 1846 and 1847. In 2008 a group known as Battalion Trek chose to rehike the original trail as closely as possible. The three chapters of this thesis address the reenactors who planned and completed the rehike, the blog they kept as they did so, and a program which allows those interested to learn more about the trail. Analyzing what such presentations have to offer is important as history moves into the hands of the public and as the …

The Effects Of Pedagogical Agents On Mathematics Anxiety And Mathematics Learning, Quan Wei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the mathematics anxiety treatment messages in a computer-based environment on ninth-grade students' mathematics anxiety and mathematics learning. The study also examined whether the impact of the treatment messages would be differentiated by learner's gender and by learner's prior mathematics anxiety levels (High vs. Medium vs. Low). Participants were 161 ninth-grade students, who took a required introductory algebra class in a public high school neighboring Utah State University. The learning environment was integrated with a pedagogical agent (animated human-like character) as a tutor. This study employed a pretest and posttest …

Applying Information Visualization To Computer Security Applications, Robert Bruce Whitaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis presents two phases of research in applying visualization to network security challenges. The first phase included discovering the most useful and powerful features in existing computer security visualizations and incorporating them into the AdviseAid visualization platform, an existing software package. The incorporation of such a complete feature set required novel resolution of software engineering, human factors, and computer graphics issues. We also designed additional novel features, such as plugin interfaces, allowing for rapid prototyping and experimentation with novel visualization features and capabilities. The second phase of the research focused on the development of novel visualization techniques themselves. These …

Comparative Ecology Of Narrowly Sympatric Horned Lizards Under Variable Climatic Conditions, Kevin V. Young

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We studied the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma mcallii, and the Sonoran Horned Lizard, P. goodei, in an area of narrow sympatry near Yuma, Arizona, and found they overlapped broadly in use of available food resources, body size, and growth rates. We compared diet (Chapter 2), growth and reproduction (Chapter 3), and survivorship (Chapter 4) of P. mcallii and P. goodei during two years of drought followed by a year of higher-than-average rainfall. We predicted that P. mcallii would be more tolerant of drought conditions than its congener, since P. mcalliiis found only in an extremely arid region while …

Object-Based Segmentation And Classification Of One Meter Imagery For Use In Forest Management Plans, W. Kevin Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research developed an ArcGIS Python model that extracts polygons from aerial imagery and assigns each polygon a vegetation type based on a modified set of landcover classes from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project. The model showed an ability to generate polygons that accurately represent vegetation community boundaries across a large landscape. The model is for use by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to assist in the preparation of forest management plans. The model was judged useful because it was easy to use, it met a designated 50% threshold of useable polygons, and it met …

Identifying And Understanding The Spatial Distribution Of Bobcat And Coyote Behavior, Ryan Radford Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A common observation in animal space use studies is that animals do not use space uniformly, but rather use some areas of their home ranges and territories with much higher intensity than others. Numerous methods have been developed to estimate these "core areas"; however, all of the current methods available are based on arbitrary rules. Additionally, most studies do not attempt to understand what behavioral processes lead to the observed patterns of non-uniform space use. This study has four main objectives: 1) to develop an objective and more precise method for estimating core areas, 2) to understand the processes leading …

A Comparative Study To Identify Factors Affecting Adoption Of Soil And Water Conservation Practices Among Smallhold Farmers In The Njoro River Watershed Of Kenya, Steven P. Huckett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Natural resource conservation is important for human well-being, especially in fragile environments of developing countries. This study occurred in 2006 among 6,500 smallhold farmers residing along a 25-km segment of a heavily utilized river. Research objectives were to determine use and adoption constraints for 14 soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs). Farms were reportedly contributing to a decline in river water quality via soil erosion. Recent occupation of the upper watershed by immigrants magnified concerns that resource degradation could escalate. A multi-method approach incorporating quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and participant observation was used to interpret constraining factors within the biophysical …

Comparative Performance Of Fluorometry And High Performance Liquid Chromatography In The Detection Of Aflatoxin M1 In Two Commercial Cheeses, Gustavo Peña

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM₁) is frequently found in milk and dairy products. It is a metabolite formed in cows from aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁), contained in animal feeds. In cheese production AFM₁ distributes between curds and whey. In this study, cows were fed 64 µg/AFB₁/d for the high treatment, and 5 µg/AFB₁/d for the low treatment, to obtain milk contaminated with AFM1 over the 0.5 µg/L and under 0.05 µg/L restrictions, respectively. Cheese was manufactured with milk contaminated with AFM₁ at 0.8 and 0.03 ìg/kg by the higher and lower …

Genes Involved In Mushroom Body Development And Behavior In Drosophila, Christine Nicole Serway

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mushroom bodies (MBs) are the site of multi modal sensory integration critical for associative conditioning in Drosophila. They have been central to research on the structure function relationship in the brain for over one hundred years due to their unique shape and readily accessible physiology. This dissertation incorporates three different approaches to further elucidate the genetic and molecular nature of this structure function relationship.

First, the suite of genetic and molecular tools available in Drosophila melanogaster, facilitated the molecular mapping of a 25-year old MB structural mutant called mushroom body miniature B (mbmB) to the gene Pendulin [Pen, also known …

Emergent Literacy Skills Of Young Children With Autism: A Comparison Of Teacher-Led And Computer-Assisted Instruction, Jason Christopher Travers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Young children with autism often are identified as experiencing problems in language, social, and behavioral development. Current research typically focuses on these three areas with little attention paid to the academic learning of these children. Because of this, young children with autism often do not engage in typical early literacy experiences (e.g.., emergent literacy activities). This can result in these children being at risk for developing poor literacy skills. It is important that researchers begin to explore systematic literacy instruction for young children with autism to not only increase literacy learning, but also facilitate the inclusion of these children in …

Use Of An Animal Model To Explore Prenatal Predictors Of Insulin And Glucose Metabolism In Southwestern Alaskan Yupiit, Julie Jo Kachinski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Compared to other North American indigenous populations, Southwest Alaskan Yupiit exhibit very low rates of type 2 diabetes despite the occurrence of common risk factors. Contemporary Yupiit obtain a substantial portion of their calories from traditional foods, which contain high amounts of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Epidemiological and experimental animal research has linked glucose and insulin homeostasis with a diet high in omega-3s. This study used an experimental animal model to explore potential diabetes protective effects (for adult offspring) of prenatal maternal nutrition modeled on traditional locally-obtained Yupiit diets. The results of this study showed that the adult offspring whose …

The Role Of Ecdysone Signaling In Fat-Body Tissue Remodeling And Pupal Metabolism, Nichole Dinell Bond

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Holometabolous insects undergo an astonishing transition during their development. During metamorphosis, the larva dramatically changes form and becomes an adult fly. During this process obsolete larval tissues must be eliminated, while tissues required for further development are retained and often remodeled to meet the needs of the adult fly. Tissue remodeling is characterized by morphological changes of the cells in a tissue mass. In many cases, remodeling is characterized by dissociation of the tissue mass, releasing cells to move freely around the body cavity. This process is also common in wound healing and is a key feature of human disease …

Solace In St. Louis: A Case Study In Heroic Cultural Nostalgia, Amanda J. Pinney

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis examines the response of American popular culture to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. By utilizing the September 17, 2001 pre-game ceremony, held at Busch Stadium as a case study example, larger generalizations are made about the role popular culture played in the days following the tragedy. In order to analyze this example, I have developed heroic cultural nostalgia, a framework that combines elements of myth, nostalgia and national identity. Heroic cultural nostalgia provides an explanation of how popular culture plays a role in crisis response. The framework highlights the role of individuals with heroic characteristics in …

A Visualization Approach For Message Passing In Parallel Computing Systems, Arunkumar Sadasivan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Information Visualization has been used as an effective method in transforming textual information into a visual form that enables users to effectively communicate and understand the information. MPI (Message Passing Interface) usually involves a large amount of data, which necessitates exploring innovative ideas to visualize such data effectively.

In this thesis, we implement a graph visualization tool called MPROV to effectively visualize communication patterns of message passing using log files from MPI applications. The tool provides several interaction techniques to effectively reduce the amount of data displayed on the screen. We have also developed protocol conformance checking, which verifies the …