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Effects Of Resveratrol Supplementation On Glycemic Response And Oxidant Status In Moderately Exercised Mature Quarter Horse Geldings, Jennie L. Zambito

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring phytocompound is known to exert numerous health benefits including improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, along with decreased tissue damage due to reactive oxygen species (ROS). This compound is incorporated in a multitude of supplements targeted to performance horses, yet no research in an athletic equine model has been completed to date. Therefore, this study was performed to test the hypothesis that resveratrol supplementation would improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, while reducing oxidant damage in an exercising model. Six, healthy, fit aged (10.5+/-1.5yr, ~500kg) Quarter Horse geldings were assigned to three treatment groups in a …

Evaluating The Effects Of Morrow's Honeysuckle Control On Vertebrate And Vegetation Assemblages, And Small Mammal Foraging Ecology At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Charnee Lee Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exotic, Japanese bush honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.; Caprifoliaceae) are tied to a variety of impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) has become a persistent invader in eastern North America. We organized a restoration initiative at Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), Pennsylvania, USA from 2004--2010. Concurrently, we studied the consumption of Morrow's honeysuckle fruits by small mammals from October--November 2009 and July--August 2010, and determined habitat variables that affected visitation rate to foraging stations. Areas of FONE were invaded by Morrow's honeysuckle after the land had been cleared for agriculture, and routine mowing ceased in the mid-1980s. Our restoration …

Imperial Intentions And Independent Interests: The Ohio Company Of Virginia And Its Agents, Thomas Cresap And Christopher Gist, 1748--1752, Emily S. Hager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thomas Cresap and Christopher Gist, two common men from Maryland, began working for the Ohio Company of Virginia in 1748, in an attempt to expand the British Empire's claim in the Ohio River Valley by enlarging the colony of Virginia. This thesis analyses these two agents of empire and their trade and diplomacy with the Indians of the Ohio Valley, as well as their mapping and surveying. This thesis argues that these two "on the ground" agents were building the British Empire, through their work for the Ohio Company of Virginia. However, this was not their only imperial tie, there …

Model Based Evaluation Of The Differences Between Full And Partial Flow Particulate Matter Sampling Systems, Nathan Kimble

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

PM has been shown to be harmful to people, animals, and the environment. For this reason PM is a regulated emission. As federal regulation of particulate matter (PM) becomes tighter, the need to accurately measure it becomes paramount. As the limit decreases, it becomes more difficult to measure PM due to the inaccuracies in the measurement equipment, and the nature of the particles to be lost in the sampling system.;This study investigated the error propagation and particle loss in two common PM mass measurement systems, the full flow sampling system, also called the constant volume sampling (CVS), and the partial …

Edaphic And Land Use Influences On Central Appalachian Fens, Sarah Deacon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Local and landscape-scale factors influence peatland floristic assemblages. Our goal in this paper was to assess the interactions between wetland vegetation communities, edaphic factors, and surrounding land cover in central Appalachian peatlands. Specifically we quantified plant community dynamics in relation to edaphic factors and land cover and identified species level responses to human altered landscapes. Cluster analysis on vegetation data identified 3 vegetation groups; an emergent floristic assemblage, a shrub dominated group, and a group with mixed shrub and emergent vegetation. We found that wetlands with emergent vegetation cover were more often associated with natural land cover, higher pH and …

Preference Reversals And Effects Of D-Amphetamine On Within-Session Delay Discounting In Rats, Christopher A. Krebs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Impulsive choice is correlated with behavioral problems such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder and can be assessed using delay-discounting procedures in which subjects choose between a smaller, more immediate reinforcer (impulsive choice) and a larger, more delayed reinforcer (self-controlled choice). A within-session delay-discounting procedure in which choice was between one food pellet delivered immediately and three food pellets delivered after increasing delays was used to examine effects of adding or subtracting delays common to both reinforcers on impulsive choice in male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 8). For all subjects, delay discounting was observed regardless of whether delays common to both reinforcers were added …

An Assessment Of Cwa Section 303(D) Prioritization Of Impaired Water Bodies In Illinois, Daniel Jablonski

Theses

Water quality has been an issue of concern since the settlement of man and continues to be of great concern today in many locations around the world. In the United States, to address the issues of water pollution, the U.S. Congress passed the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972. This study examines the implementation and prioritization of impaired water bodies listed on the Illinois CWA section 303(d) list between 1992 and 2004. This study used the Delphi survey method to obtain opinions from water quality/management experts that reside in the state of Illinois. The goal of this study was to …

Serious Play: Evaluating The Comedic, Political And Religious Relationships Between The Daily Show, The Colbert Report And South Park, Noah Jerome Springer

Theses

The goal of this paper is to create a framework through which the television programs The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and South Park can be evaluated collectively. The framework of "serious play" permits the analysis of the relationship between the three programs, specifically regarding their comedic, political and religious functions. This textual analysis proposes that when examined together through serious play, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and South Park are best visualized through a legal analogy which is supported by serious play.

Using Discrete Event Computer Simulation To Analyze The Effects Of Proposed Changes To Personnel In A Hospital Medical Laboratory, Gerardo Morales

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A discrete event computer simulation is used to model a portion of the medical laboratory at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in order to assess the current situation as well as to review the planed personnel changes. The area under observation is the section in which the processor(s) receive, label and distribute the patient samples. There are four cases modeled in the simulation: The main focus is to determine if one or two processors are needed per shift and if the high level of phone calls poses a significant delay to the processors’ workflow. The simulation results indicate that having two …

Variation In Parenting Style In A Captive Group Of Western Lowlands Gorillas, Ana E. Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Parenting styles were examined in a group of western lowland gorillas to determine the relationship between parenting style and multiple births with a single individual. Another interest in this study was on varying ways that motherhood can be approached, with partial attention to the relationship between parenting style and social rank. Observational data was collected by means of focal animal sampling and used to analyze contact behaviors in mother-infant relationship. Results indicated that parenting style stayed consistent within the same mother, but different between mothers.

Monitoring Atrazine-Degrading And Atrazine-Tolerant Bacterial Populations In Lower Rio Grande Valley Agricultural Canals Using Quantitative-Pcr And Internal Atza Primers, Ibdanelo Cortez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The research hypothesis was that atrazine-degrading bacteria would be detectable during the planting and rainy seasons with their populations dissipating during non-planting and dry seasons in 2010-2011. Atrazine concentration was detected in March, May, June and August for all canals with June having the highest average concentration of 0.77ppb. Gene atzA abundance was detected from June through August with July samples having the highest gene abundance of 250.6 (pg). Tolerant bacterial densities were detectable from March through June. Atrazine concentration and population abundance were not statistically different during planting and non-planting, rainy and dry seasons, although there was a trend …

Differential Expression Of Voltage-Gated K+ Currents In Medial Septum/Diagonal Band Complex Neurons Exhibiting Distinct Firing Phenotypes, Emilio R. Garrido-Sanabria, Miriam G. Perez-Cordova, Luis V. Colom

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

The medial septum/diagonal band complex (MSDB) controls hippocampal excitability, rhythms and plastic processes. Medial septal neuronal populations display heterogeneous firing patterns. In addition, some of these populations degenerate during age-related disorders (e.g. cholinergic neurons). Thus, it is particularly important to examine the intrinsic properties of theses neurons in order to create new agents that effectively modulate hippocampal excitability and enhance memory processes. Here, we have examined the properties of voltage-gated, K+ currents in electrophysiologically-identified neurons. These neurons were taken from young rat brain slices containing the MS/DB complex. Whole-cell, patch recordings of outward currents were obtained from slow firing, fast-spiking, …

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Maternal And Umbilical Cord Blood From Pregnant Hispanic Women Living In Brownsville, Texas, Ken Sexton, Jennifer J Salinas, Thomas J Mcdonald, Rose M Z Gowen, Rebecca P Miller, Joseph B Mccormick, Susan P Fisher-Hoch

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Venous blood was drawn from 35 pregnant Hispanic women living in Brownsville, Texas, and matched cord blood was collected at birth. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to measure concentrations of 55 individual PAHs or groups of PAHs. Results indicate that these women and their fetuses were regularly exposed to multiple PAHs at comparatively low concentrations, with levels in cord blood generally exceeding levels in paired maternal blood. While the possibility of related adverse effects on the fetus is uncertain, these exposures in combination with socioeconomically-disadvantaged and environmentally-challenging living conditions raise legitimate public health concerns.

Socioeconomic Strata, Mobile Technology, And Education: A Comparative Analysis, Paul Kim, Teresita Hagashi, Laura Carillo, Irina Gonzales, Tamas Makany, Bommi Lee, Alberto Garate

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Mobile devices are highly portable, easily distributable, substantially affordable, and have the potential to be pedagogically complementary resources in education. This study, incorporating mixed method analyses, discusses the implications of a mobile learning technology-based learning model in two public primary schools near the Mexico-USA border in the state of Baja California, Mexico. One school was located in an urban slum and the other in a rural village community. Empirical and ethnographic data were collected through a series of achievement tests, observations, surveys, and interviews involving 160 s grade school children recruited by convenience sampling. The general technology infrastructure, distinctive features …

Imagery And Contamination Aversion, Thomas Grover Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Contamination-based obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the most common form of OCD. Recent research indicates that the emotion of disgust may play a primary role in the etiology and maintenance in contamination-based OCD (CB-OCD). However, little is known about the effects of disgust on compulsive behaviors related to CB-OCD (e.g.,, hand-washing). The present study utilized an imagery-priming paradigm to test the effects of experienced disgust on compulsive hand-washing. Seventy-eight participants were selected for high or low symptoms of CB-OCD. Following response training, participants were submitted to a disgust or neutral imagery task. Following the imagery task, participants rated their subjective fear …

Ozark Highland Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata): Descriptions And Keys To Genera Found To Occur In The Region And A New Phylogenetic Hypothesis For The Family, Michael Joseph Skvarla

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fourteen genera of Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata) are reported from the Ozark Highlands for the first time. Descriptions, diagnoses, and illustrated keys to genera and world species are given. Five new species are described and illustrated and an additional 6 known species are recorded from the region. The first rigorous phylogenetic hypothesis for Cunaxidae is presented. Based on morphology, it suggests the current subfamilial classification scheme does not reflect the evolutionary history of the family. Unfortunately, bootstrap values and resolution are low, suggesting the need for further indepth molecular analyses.

Stability And Sensory Properties Of Rice Bran Peptide Fraction Incorporated Orange Juice, Mirna Georges Khairallah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Functional foods offer consumers added benefits beyond the sole nutritional content of the food. Food companies are aggressively seeking new and cheaper sources of functional ingredients. Kannan et al. (2008) characterized anticancer peptides and peptide fraction from rice bran. However, information about their application and stability in food is lacking. In this study the stability of the peptide fraction in water at pH 7.2, at pH 3.5, and in orange juice was studied. The effect of the addition of the peptide fraction on the quality parameters of orange juice including sensory was also assessed. The results showed that the peptide …

Effects Of Ergot Alkaloids And Antioxidants On Bovine Sperm Motility, Ryan James Page

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The studies that comprise this thesis were performed in an attempt to identify and eliminate stressful conditions that may lead to infertility in the male bovine. The first project was performed to determine if ergot alkaloids directly affect bovine sperm motility. Percentage of motile spermatozoa was affected (P = 0.015) by a three-way interactions between time, concentration, and alkaloid. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine decreased (P = 0.01) sperm motility in a concentration and time dependant manner and ergonovine had a minimal effect on overall sperm motility. The number of static spermatozoa also was affected (P < 0.01) by a three way interaction and increased as ET and DHET concentrations increased. Percentages of progressively motile and rapidly motile spermatozoa decreased (P < 0.01) in a two way interaction between alkaloid and concentration. Overall, sperm motility was decreased by ET and DHET. Furthermore, the qualities of motility as represented by progressive, rapid, path velocity (VAP), progressive velocity (VSL), track speed (VCL), beat frequency (BCF), lateral amplitude (ALH), straightness (STR), elongated, and area were decreased by those alkaloids. These data verify that ergot alkaloids commonly found in toxic tall fescue are detrimental to bovine spermatozoa. In the second study two antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid) were added to bovine sperm culture media and cryopreservation extender. The antioxidant capabilities of these two vitamins could help reduce free radical production and help preserve sperm viability. There was an interactive effect between ascorbic acid concentration and storage method on the bovine sperm motility characteristics: motile, progressive, rapid, track speed (VCL), and straightness (P < 0.05). A bull by ascorbic acid interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for motile, progressive, rapid, path velocity (VAP), progressive velocity (VSL), and VCL characteristics. Alpha tocopherol had no affects on sperm motility characteristics. Lipid peroxidation was affected (P < 0.01) by bull and ascorbic acid. Malondialdehyde concentrations for ascorbic acid treatments (0, 5, 10, 20 mM) were 3.25, 4.2, 2.96, and 2.15 ìM respectively. Results from the second study indicate that the addition of ascorbic acid may reduce sperm motility, but help prevent lipid peroxidation.

Changing Dairy Market Environment: Effect On Cooperative Organization, Competition, And Price Risk Management: Comparative Analysis Between Germany And The United States, Pieter Vermeersch

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The dairy market environment in the United States of America and in Europe is changing partially due to a change in policies supporting free markets. The effect of the change in the dairy market environment in the United States and Germany on cooperative organization, competition, and price risk management is elaborated in this thesis by means of a literature survey including governmental documents, industry documents, and published scientific articles. The thesis provides a closer look to the interaction between two players within the dairy market chain, i.e. the farmers and the processors. Both players are confronted with increasing accessibility of …

Mathematical Methods For Biosensor Models, Qi Wang

Doctoral

A biosensor is defined as a compact analytical device incorporating a biological sensing element integrated within a physico-chemical transducer whose aim is to produce optical or electronic signals proportional to the concentration of an analyte in a sample. Biosensors offer enormous potential to detect a wide range of analytes in health care, the food industry, environmental monitoring, security and defence. The beneficial impact on society as a result of the availability of such systems is immense, therefore investigating any strategy that could reduce development times and costs and reveal alternative designs is of utmost importance. In particular, mathematical modelling and …

Assessing Environmental Conditions At The Friar Tuck Mining Complex, Dugger, Indiana, Windy Jo Mcbride

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many abandoned mine lands (AML) continue to present significant environmental concerns. The abandoned Friar Tuck Mining Complex in Greene and Sullivan counties, Indiana, continues to impair local water quality despite closing in 1952 for operations and multiple remediation attempts. Most areas within the Friar Tuck Mining Complex have been successfully remediated; however, the area of research interest requires additional treatment and continues to be impacted by runoff from gob piles. Subsequently, areas characterized by a loss of vegetation where mine seeps occur behave unpredictably and are characterized by the exposure of bare soil. These mine seep areas are of particular …

Circadian Rhythm And Vigorous Activity: Do They Make A Difference In Executive Function?, Janie Sue Ryland

Dissertations

PL 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a federally mandated accountability system based on standards, attendance, and dropout rates has forced educational leaders to explore new avenues of student improvement. Research suggests that all three factors are impacted by scheduling preferences that are relative to time of day. The aim of this study was to extend evidence of executive function as it is impacted by time of day and diurnal preference when exposed to vigorous exercise conditions. Data were collected from a sample that included 100 sixth graders (60 females and 40 males) during the spring semester …

The Impact Of Shrimp Farming On Mangrove Ecosystems And Local Livelihoods Along The Pacific Coast Of Ecuador, Stuart Edward Hamilton

Dissertations

This manuscript examines the expansion of Ecuador’s shrimp aquaculture industry since 1970 and the implications of this expansion on coastal residents’ food security and livelihood options. Shrimp aquaculture expanded from essentially nothing in 1970; to account for 26% of all Ecuadorian private exports by 1998. The rapid expansion of shrimp aquaculture in Ecuador’s estuaries has caused a fundamental shift in livelihoods among those who live and work in the immediate vicinity of the newly created shrimp farms. This research not only details the important land use change that has occurred within Ecuador’s estuaries during the transition from mangrove estuary to …

Does The Use Of A Graphing Calculator Tutorial Affect The Attitudes, Achievement, And Calculator Ability Of Non-Mathematics Majors In A Calculus Course?, Kari Michelle Everett

Dissertations

The use of graphing calculators in a mathematics classroom is becoming more common place. Teaching with technology has allowed for advancements in the rapidity with which students learn and the degree to which they retain the material taught. As a result, teachers have time to delve more deeply into mathematical topics that might otherwise have merely been touched upon.

This study shows the effects of a graphing calculator tutorial for non-mathematics major students taking calculus as a required course. Qualitative methods were used in order to provide information about the types of students taking a calculus course for nonmathematic students. …

Strong Ties And Strong Influences: Social Networks And Hiv Prevention, Nicole M. Wengerd

Master's Theses - Sociology and Anthropology

This research builds on the social-oriented literature of HIV-risk behaviors in Gondar, Ethiopia by investigating influential social networks and why individuals would deviate from the norms established by their community.

Sage-Grouse Habitat In Utah. A Guide For Landowners And Managers, Todd A. Black

All Current Publications

This publication addressing sage-grouse habitat in Utah noting that the loss and fragmentation of sagebrush landscapes in the West have caused the decline of sage-grouse populations.

Utilization Of Heterosis In A Beef Cow Herd, D. R. Zobell, J. Severe

All Current Publications

This publication defines heterosis in cows and gives information on the fundamentals, needs, and types of heterosis.

European Earwig (Forficula Auricularia), Diane G. Alston, Andrew Tebeau

All Current Publications

The European earwig (Order Dermaptera, which means “skin wings” to describe their leathery wings) (Fig. 1) is native to Europe, western Asia, and parts of Africa. The common name “earwig” comes from a myth that the insect would climb into the ears of humans and chew into the brain, but this is false. The European earwig was first introduced into Utah in the early 1900s. Establishment and population growth have been remarkably successful in northern Utah.

Prosodic Synchrony In Co-Operative Task-Based Dialogues: A Measure Of Agreement And Disagreement, Brian Vaughan

Conference papers

Prosodic synchrony has been reported to be an important aspect of conversational dyads. In this paper, synchrony in four different dyads is examined. A Time Aligned Moving Average (TAMA) procedure is used to temporally align the prosodic measurements for the detection of synchrony in the dyads. An overlapping windowed correlation procedure is used to measure synchrony for six different prosodic parameters: mean pitch, pitch range, mean intensity, intensity range, centre of gravity and spectral slope. This study shows that a windowed correlation procedure better captures the dynamic nature of speech synchrony than a single measure across a whole conversation. This …

Information Needs Of Agricultural Consultants In Ohio, Florian Diekmann, Marvin T. Battle

Journal of Extension

The research reported here aimed to better further a better understanding of Ohio agricultural consultants' information needs and use. Our sample represented private consultants from organizations of different sizes and types servicing various segments of the agricultural sector. Findings of an online survey show that a high demand exists for information related to crops and environment/conservation subject-matter areas. Agribusiness/economics information also ranked high in importance. Respondents were familiar with the services Ohio State University Extension provided and reported to frequently use Extension information. Most popular were print publications and electronic newsletters followed by visits to Extension websites.