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The Identity Of Zachaenus Roseus Cope, 1890 (Anura: Species Inquirenda), Esteban O. Lavilla, J. J. Nuñez, F. E. Rabanal, José A. Langone, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Zachaenus roseus Cope, 1890, has puzzled systematists working in southern South America. A single individual, the holotype, has ever been collected and this specimen is in extremely poor preservation condition. Herein, the precise location of the type locality of Z. roseus is determined based on a historical review of the literature. Furthermore, following a careful comparison with all species that inhabit the southern austral forest, and that could potentially correspond to Zachaenus roseus, we conclude that this taxon is placed in the synonymy of Eupsophus calcaratus (Günther, 1881)

In Vivo Measurement Of Rat Skeletal Muscle Oxygen Consumption Following Brief Periods Of Ischemia With Reperfusion As Assessed By Phosphorescence Quenching Microscopy, William Nugent

Theses and Dissertations

Brief periods of skeletal muscle ischemia (ischemic pre-conditioning) alter cellular metabolism in a way that confers protection over subsequent ischemic episodes. The mechanisms behind this effect have been studied indirectly through assays for the byproducts of ATP synthesis and in vitro studies of cellular signaling cascades and ROS generation. There have been no direct, in vivo assessments of the changes in respiration during reperfusion. We employed phosphorescence quenching microscopy in conjunction with a flow-arrest technique to assess the influences of external, pressure-induced 1- to 10-min focal ischemia on interstitial oxygenation (PISFO2) and the consumption of oxygen (VO2) in spinotrapezius muscles …

Clemson Connect: Collaborating To Reach All Incoming Students, Suzanne Rook Schilf, Anne Grant

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Model Detection Based Upon Amino Acid Properties, Kit J. Menlove

Theses and Dissertations

Similarity searches are an essential component to most bioinformatic applications. They form the bases of structural motif identification, gene identification, and insights into functional associations. With the rapid increase in the available genetic data through a wide variety of databases, similarity searches are an essential tool for accessing these data in an informative and productive way. In our chapter, we provide an overview of similarity searching approaches, related databases, and parameter options to achieve the best results for a variety of applications. We then provide a worked example and some notes for consideration. Homology detection is one of the most …

S-Glutathionylation Activates Stim1 And Alters Mitochondrial Homeostasis., Brian J Hawkins, Krishna M Irrinki, Karthik Mallilankaraman, Yu-Chin Lien, Youjun Wang, Cunnigaiper D Bhanumathy, Ramasamy Subbiah, Michael F Ritchie, Jonathan Soboloff, Yoshihiro Baba, Tomohiro Kurosaki, Suresh K Joseph, Donald L Gill, Muniswamy Madesh

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Oxidant stress influences many cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and cell death. A well-recognized link between these processes and oxidant stress is via alterations in Ca(2+) signaling. However, precisely how oxidants influence Ca(2+) signaling remains unclear. Oxidant stress led to a phenotypic shift in Ca(2+) mobilization from an oscillatory to a sustained elevated pattern via calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC)-mediated capacitive Ca(2+) entry, and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1)- and Orai1-deficient cells are resistant to oxidant stress. Functionally, oxidant-induced Ca(2+) entry alters mitochondrial Ca(2+) handling and bioenergetics and triggers cell death. STIM1 is S-glutathionylated at cysteine 56 in response to …

Pairing Educational Robotics With Geospatial Technologies In Informal Learning Environments, Bradley Barker, Neal Grandgenett, Gwen Nugent, Viacheslav Adamchuk

Journal of Youth Development

Educational robotics, when paired with geospatial technologies and taught in an informal educational environment, can be an innovative strategy to teach youth about science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) concepts. However, little is known about the true effects on conceptual knowledge and associated attitudes. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the short- term effects of a series of five-day summer robotics/geospatial camps held in Nebraska. The study was conducted at six diverse locations and consisted of a five-day 4-H camp experience. The study examined the experiences of 147 youth between the ages of 10 and 15. A pretest- posttest …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - August 8, 2010, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the August 8, 2010 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• COM Class of 2014 Introduced To Medical School During Orientation This Week
• Your Top Picks For Online Resources
• Dr. Kathy B. Porter Enters New Chapter
• USA Medical Students Learn Clinical Skills With Standardized Patients
• Eran and N.Q. Adams Endowed Lecture and Visiting Professorship in Neurology to Feature Dr. Phillip A. Low

Canopy Disturbance And Reproduction In Cornus Florida L., Daniel Carr

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined aspects of local reproductive variation in the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) coincident with recent differences in primary canopy architecture. The dogwood trees in this study were impacted by a hurricane that created numerous treefall gaps, which created fine scale heterogeneity in the primary canopy. Fine scale disturbances in a forest can result in changes for multiple members of the forest community, including the reproductive responses of the trees and interspecific pollination mutualisms. Previously determined differences in offspring genetic structure suggested that pollen movement among genetically unstructured maternal individuals was significantly impacted between open, or disturbed, canopy …

Parenting Style And The Timing Of Jewish Adolescents’ Sexual Debut, Robby Etzkin, Rosemary Barnett, Suzanna Smith, Stuart Schwartz

Journal of Youth Development

Parenting style and its effect on the timing of Jewish adolescents’ sexual debuts were examined in the reported study. One hundred sixty-eight research participants between the ages of 18 and 22 from a large university in the Southeast participated in the study. A survey instrument was administered at three fraternities and two sororities to examine parenting style and sexual debut retrospectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency chi square tests, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA); while post hoc results were determined through Tukey’s honestly significant difference. Results found that authoritative parenting provides a delay in the age of sexual …

Factors Affecting Cytoplasmic And Nuclear Structures Of Mouse Gametes And Embryos Using Immunocytochemistry Technique., Nooraain Hashim

Student Works (2010-2019)

Experiment 1 was conducted with the main objective to establish ICC technique for morphological analysis of the mouse oocytes and embryos in local laboratory. Several tests were conducted to achieve specific aims which included; a) to study efficacy of the available instruments and system for detecting fluorescence signals from mouse oocytes, b) to compare efficiency of improved methods to reveal oocyte morphology. Fluorescence images of the meiotic spindles, cortical granules and nuclear materials were compared between sample preparations methods. The results showed that the methods employed were reliable to be used for detecting the meiotic spindle, cortical granules and nuclear …

Clemson Commencement Program, August 2010, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, August 7, 2010, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

President's Fellow Medallion - Rhea F. Law; King O'Neal Scholars - Mateo Duque, Rohini Komarla, and Wade Pratt; Outstanding Senior - Ashley Sims

A Mechanistic Study Of Strain Rate Sensitivity And High Rate Property Of Tendon, John Steeneck Clemmer

Theses and Dissertations

The ultrastructural mechanism for strain rate sensitivity of collagenous tissue has not been well studied at the collagen fibril level. The objective is to reveal the mechanistic contribution of the collagen fibril to strain rate sensitivity. Collagen fibrils underwent significantly greater fibril strain relative to global tissue strain at higher strain rates. A better understanding of tendon mechanisms at lower hierarchical levels would help establish a basis for future development of constitutive models and assist in tissue replacement design. High rate mechanical property of tendon was also studied. Tendon was compressed under high strain rate (550 /s) using a polycarbonate …

Fire Ant Response To Management Of Native Grass Field Buffers, Sarah Lucinda Hale

Theses and Dissertations

Imported fire ants are invasive and cause injury to people, crops, livestock and wildlife. Disturbance may increase abundance and activity of fire ants. However, native grass field buffers established for grassland birds require periodic disturbance. I experimentally tested if fire ant mound density and foraging activity changed after burning and disking in native grass buffers and examined relationships among fire ants, vegetation, and grassland bird and butterfly metrics in undisturbed buffers. In 2008, disking increased mound density and foraging activity, but burning did not. In 2009, disking had no effect, but effects of disking the previous season persisted. Fire ant …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Among Wellness, Perceived Stress, Mattering, And At-Risk Status For Dropping Out Of High School, Janice Cummins Lemon

Theses and Dissertations

High school dropout continues to be an issue of national concern, and the inability of educators and researchers to find means of effectively reducing the dropout rate may be grounded in their approach to understanding this issue. Because there is limited prior research in addressing wellness, perceived stress, and mattering in relationship to at-risk status for dropping out of high school, this study concentrates on the gap in the educational and counseling literature documenting the extent to which these variables can contribute to the prediction of students who are at risk of dropping out of high school. Specifically, wellness, perceived …

Characterization Of The Occ Gene Cluster Required For The Production Of Antifungal Compound Occidiofungion In Burkholderia Contaminans Strain Ms14, Ganyu Gu

Theses and Dissertations

Strain MS14, exhibiting antifungal activity, was classified to belong to Burkholderia contaminans. Occidiofungin produced by strain MS14 is an octapeptide dedicated to a broad range of antifungal activities of the bacterium. The 58.2-kb genomic fragment containing 18 open reading frames (ORFs), named occidiofungin (occ) gene cluster, is required for occidiofungin production. Putative proteins encoded by five nonribosomal peptide synthetase genes (occA – occE) of the gene cluster were predicted to contain the catalytic modules responsible for the biosynthesis of occidiofungin. Transcription of all the ORFs identified in the region except ORF1 and ORF16 was regulated by both ambR1 and ambR2, …

Accuracy Of Estimating Age And Antler Size Of Photographed Deer, Jeremy J. Flinn

Theses and Dissertations

Objective and accurate techniques are needed to estimate age and antler size of live white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), because these parameters are essential to many white-tailed deer management strategies. I developed and evaluated accuracy of methods for estimating age and antler size from photographs of live, male white-tailed deer using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I estimated size of photographed, known-score mounted antlers accurately using a fixed-scale object and photographed, live deer using anatomical features. I determined if a series of morphometric ratios could be used to predict age of deer from photographs using a dichotomous key procedure. Mean percentage error …

A Study Of Doctoral Students' Perceptions Of The Doctoral Support And Services Offered By Their Academic Institution, James Boulder

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined doctoral students‟ perceptions of the doctoral support and services offered by Mississippi State University (MSU). The research design used was descriptive, non-experimental design. Validity of the online survey instrument was established by a panel of experts. Internal consistency and reliability was determined using factor analysis, Cronbach‟s alpha, and test/retest reliability which revealed that the instrument was consistent and reliable. Participants included 172 doctoral students in the seven colleges which offer doctoral programs and 172 doctoral alumni who had graduated within the last 5 years. Data was collected in fall 2009. Responding participants equaled 142 (41% return rate). …

A Study Of Grain Rotations And Void Nucleation In Aluminum Triple Junctions Using Molecular Dynamics And Crystal Plasticity, Matthew William Priddy

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, coupled with a discrete mathematical framework, and crystal plasticity (CP) simulations to investigate micro void nucleation and the plastic spin. The origin and historical use of the plastic spin are discussed with particular attention to quantifying the plastic spin at the atomistic scale. Two types of MD simulations are employed: (a) aluminum single crystals undergoing simple shear and (b) aluminum triple junctions (TJ) with varying grain orientations and textures undergoing uniaxial tension. The high-angle grain boundary simulations nucleate micro voids at or around the TJ and the determinant of the deformation gradient …

Design And Analysis Of Static Windrow Piles For In-House Broiler Litter Composting, Amy M. Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

In-house windrow composting of broiler litter has been studied to reduce microbial populations between flocks. Published time-temperature goals are used to determine the success of the composting process for microbial reductions. Spatial and temporal density of temperature measurement can influence the ability to determine what portion of a windrow pile has achieved specified time-temperature goals. Based on this motivation, an investigation of the heating profile in windrowed litter and the identification of the effects of spatial and temporal sampling densities on the prediction of the heating profile in windrowed broiler litter were executed. Likewise, an investigation of the effects of …

Tissue Engineering Cartilage For Focal Defects, Scott Chi Tran

Theses and Dissertations

Articular cartilage provides a near frictionless surface for the articulating ends of bones. Cartilage functions to lubricate and transmit compressive forces resulting from joint loading and impact. If damaged, whether by traumatic injury or disease, cartilage lacks the ability for self-repair. This study explores the production of scaffoldree cartilage and investigates the effect of Tissue Growth Technologies’ CartiGen Bioreactor on the cartilage. Chondrocyte and bone marrow-derived stem cell (BMSC) attachment to chitosan is also investigated in hopes of producing a bilayered construct for osteochondral repair. Results demonstrate that culturing of scaffoldree cartilage in the CartiGen bioreactor resulted in an enhancement …

A Heuristic Search Algorithm For Learning Optimal Bayesian Networks, Xiaojian Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Bayesian network is a popular machine learning tool for modeling uncertain dependence relationships among the random factors of a domain. It represents the relations qualitatively by using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) and quantitatively by using a set of conditional probability distributions. Several exact algorithms for learning optimal Bayesian networks from data have been developed recently. However, these algorithms are still inefficient to some extent. This is not surprising because learning Bayesian network has been proven to be an NP-Hard problem. Based on a critique of these algorithms, this thesis introduces a new algorithm based on heuristic search for learning …

Characterization Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Mutants Lacking A Jumonji Domain Containing Histone Demethylase And A Set Domain Containing Histone Methyl Transferase, Swetha Mamidi Reddy

Theses and Dissertations

Condensation of chromatin and alteration of chemical groups in the proteins around which the DNA is wrapped play major role in regulation of transcription. Histones are basic proteins rich in arginine and lysine residues which form the nucleosomal core. Histone modifications like acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, etc. have broadened the horizon for researchers to study epigenetics more in detail. Histone methyl transferases and histone demethyl transferases are enzymes which add or remove methyl groups on histone lysine and arginine residues respectively. In this study a jumonji domain containing putative histone demethyltransferase has been shown to be responsible in controlling flowering phenotype …

Competition Control In Mid-Rotation Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.) Stands, Nicholas Tristian Biasini

Theses and Dissertations

Woody competition during mid-rotation limits available nutrients to crop species. Mid-rotation competition control was evaluated to determine if applications would result in significant increase in growth. Two studies were initiated using herbicides and prescribed burning on mid-rotation loblolly pine plantations. The first study contained afforested stands in Mississippi. Combination of imazapyr and burn was applied. The second study contained reforested sites in Mississippi. Treatments consisted of imazapyr and burn, imazapyr only, burn only, and a control. Five-year post-treatment measurements for the first study showed no significant treatment differences in height, diameter, basal area, or volume growth. Nine-year post-treatment measurements for …

Effects Of Aspirin, Meloxicam, Deracoxib, And Carprofen On Platelet Function In Dogs, Kathleen Brannon Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

Little research has been published evaluating the effect of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on platelet function in dogs. The effects of aspirin and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective NSAIDS on platelet function were evaluated. Eight dogs received aspirin 10 mg/kg PO every 12 hours for 10 days, and then were randomly assigned to 4 groups, with each group receiving one of the following PO for 7 days in a crossover study design: carprofen 2.2 mg/kg every 12 hours, carprofen 4.4 mg/kg every 24 hours, meloxicam 0.2 mg/kg every 24 hours first day then 0.1 mg/kg every 24 hours for 6 days, or …

Effects Of Timber Harvesting On Upland Oak Forests In The Missouri Ozarks, Qi Yao

Theses and Dissertations

Oak decline-induced mortality and failure of oak regeneration have become a concern in upland oak forests in the Missouri Ozarks. This project investigated the effects of timber harvesting on both oak regeneration and mortality of oak residuals following a suite of harvesting treatments in the Missouri Ozarks based on the sixteen-year monitoring data from the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP). On dry sites by year 10, clearcutting improved the density of oak reproduction the most, and that intermediate cutting and clearcutting increased the proportion of black oak reproduction with 2% and 3%, respectively in the composition of the forests …

Dielectrophoretic Characterization Of Particles And Erythrocytes, Soumya Keshavamurthy Srivastava

Theses and Dissertations

Medical lab work, such as blood testing, will one day be near instantaneous and inexpensive via capabilities enabled by the fast growing world of microtechnology. In this research study, sorting and separation of different ABO blood types have been investigated by applying alternating and direct electric fields using class=SpellE>dielectrophoresis in microdevices. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microdevices, fabricated by standard photolithography techniques have been used. Embedded perpendicular platinum (Pt) electrodes to generate forces in AC dielectrophoresis were used to successfully distinguish positive ABO blood types, with O+ distinguishable from other blood types at >95% confidence. This is an important foundation for exploring …

Damage And Failure In The Carotid Artery: A Mechanistic Approach, Lauren Beatty Priddy

Theses and Dissertations

Blunt carotid artery injury (BCAI), resulting primarily from automobile accidents, is a major contributor to the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with carotid artery dissection. More work is needed to characterize carotid artery injury mechanisms, quantify stages of damage, and elucidate failure modalities as a result of this type of injury. The present study examines the structure and mechanics of the carotid artery in the circumferential and axial directions by employing uniaxial tensile testing, high speed videography, interruption testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), histological analysis, real-time environmental SEM assessment, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results are as follows: (i) …

Depuration As A Method To Reduce Vibrio Vulnificus Populations In Live Crassostrea Virginica Oysters, Oleksandr S. Tokarskyy

Theses and Dissertations

Vibrio vulnificus is a foodborne bacterial pathogen associated with raw oyster consumption. Shellfish depuration for 48 hours is a dynamic process where coliform bacteria are purged; however, this process is ineffective against V. vulnificus. The current study investigated the use of prolonged two-week depuration on V. vulnificus populations in Gulf Coast oysters. The study evaluated the impact of prolonged depuration on V. vulnificus fatty acid profile change and the ability to survive in simulated gastric fluid. Oyster depuration in seawater (10 or 22oC, 14 days) reduced V. vulnificus counts, but not to non-detectable level, indicating close ecological relationship between the …

A Comparison Of Experiential Learning Activities Available To Juniors And Seniors In Secondary Agriscience Education And Science Education Courses, Brittany Leigh Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if secondary agricultural education courses provide students with more experiential learning opportunities than other science-based courses in the high school curriculum. An ex post facto research design was employed for the study. A researcher created instrument was distributed to a sample of Alabama agriscience teachers (23), science teachers (35), and agriscience students (909). Based on the responses of 8 agriscience teachers, 12 science teachers, and 103 students, there was a statistically significant difference in the percentage of class time students spent participating in experiential learning activities. Teachers and students indicated that agriscience …