Digital Commons Network^™

Observations Of Brachygnathia Superior (Underbite) In Wild Ruminates In Western Montana, Usa, J. A. Hoy, G. T. Haas, R. D. Hoy, Pamela Hallock

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Since spring of 1995 developmental malformations have been observed on many species of vertebrates. The most frequently observed of a range of skeletal anomalies is brachygnathia superior, also called mandibular prognathia, resulting from underdevelopment in length and width of the premaxillary bone forward of the upper premolars on ruminant species. To quantify these observations, facial anatomy was examined for bone and dental malformations on 1061 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that were accident-killed or died of natural causes between January 1996 and December 2010 in northern Ravalli County in the Bitterroot Valley of west-central, Montana, USA. Observations of brachygnathia …

Late Summer Dietary Survey Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata), Jeff H. Bardwell, Christopher M. Ritzi, Scott P. Lerich, Alan M. Fedynich

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

This survey examines late summer dietary habits of a Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) population from Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Brewster County, Texas in 2002. Quail crop contents were quantified by frequency of occurrence and volumetric abundance. Results mirror summer and fall diet trends in the literature based on Scaled Quail populations in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Two age classes were examined (juvenile and adult) and between areas with and without spread dams. Newly documented genera included Amsinckia, Iva, and Stellari, while Opuntia was conspicuously absent. Food items of highest consumption based on volumetric abundance were Acalypha …

Dove Density In The Rio Grande Delta: 2007-2008, Michael F. Small, Margaret L. Collins, John T. Baccus, Jared B. Timmons

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

We used a grid sampling method to estimate Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) and White-winged Dove (Z. asiatica) densities in south Texas via distance sampling. We sampled over summers in 2007 and 2008 and calculated mean estimated density across years as well. Time (between years) did not affect density estimates for Mourning Doves but was significantly different for White-winged Doves. Species’ distribution and a separate banding study suggest a possible reason for the difference between years in White-winged Dove density estimates.

Use Of Urban Bird Feeders By White-Winged Doves And Great-Tailed Grackles In Texas, Alayne B. Fronimos, John T. Baccus, Michael F. Small, Joseph A. Veech

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

As White-winged Doves (Zenaida asiatica) and Great-tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus) expanded their range northward, these species have shown an increased affinity for urban areas, perhaps because of a constant supply of anthropogenic food sources. We compared use of bird feeders by both of these species to established avian species in urban central Texas. We used 15 feeding stations in San Marcos and 15 in San Antonio. We digitally recorded interaction events for half-hour intervals in summer 2009 and winter 2010. We used recordings to calculate total time spent by each species at each feeding station, count the number of aggressive …

Predation Of A White-Winged Dove Nest By A Fox Squirrel, William Colson, Trevor Kalich, Alan Fedynich, Shelly Kremer

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

No abstract provided.

The Texas Caver, Volume 57, No. 4, October - December 2011, Mark Alman

The Texas Caver

Contents: Assembling and Adjusting Vertical (Frogging) Gear - Gruta Escondida de Tara— - Return to the Deep— - Robber Baron Hosts Biggest Open House Yet! - NSS Board of Governors meeting in Houston, TX, October 21 – 23, 2011 - A Whole Lotta Longhorn! - Hutto’s Sinkhole (Satellite Sink) Trip Report - The Chuck Stuehm Award Winners and TCR Wrap-Up

Adding Value To Graduate Education: The Comprehensive Examination, John L. Lindquist, Samuel E. Wortman, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Virtually all graduate study requirements for MS or PhD degrees include a written comprehensive and an oral exam, the latter most often a presentation of thesis or dissertation results. The written exam takes many forms, but the goals are to test the candidate for technical competence and affirm that the prior program course work has been effective in bringing the candidate to an acceptable level of understanding of the discipline in which she or he has been immersed. Although long accepted as a useful hurdle on the path to a degree, for some exceptional students who have already demonstrated competence …

0606 Legislative Task Force To Study School Discipline, Colorado Legislative Council

All Publications (Colorado Legislative Council)

No abstract provided.

Experiential Interior Design: Branding Entertainment And Nightlife For The Postmodern Young Urban Professional, Niccole S. Skomal

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

Past study on Interior Design has been primarily looked at through the lenses of aesthetics and functionality. Only recently have scholars begun to see the influence marketing, in the form of branding, can have on the Interior Design process in targeting specific lifestyle groups. The purpose of this research is to understand the fabric of the postmodern Young Urban Professional lifestyle as a marketing tool for branding and designing services in the form of entertainment and nightlife. With an increasing lack of community and social connectedness in today’s postmodern society, Young Urban Professionals tend to consume entertainment and nightlife as …

Exploratory Case Study: How The Inclusion Of Nature In The Design Of Learning Environments Affects Learning Among Children, Cheryl Knodel

Interior Design Program: Student Creative Activity

The theoretical framework of Stephen R. Kellert linking nature and the built environment was used as the basis for this research. This case study research was conducted to describe the effect nature had on learning among children 3 to 6 years of age attending two north central Florida Montessori learning environments. Methods were examined by which this phenomenon might be studied in more detail in order to: (a) provide verification of the independent and dependent variables, (b) establish the empirical measure of learning outcomes, and (c) provide the refinement of the variable learning outcomes as influenced by nature.

A qualitative …

Wikipedia, Ipods, And Chickens: An Active Learning Exercise To Teach Evaluation Of Information, Latisha Reynolds, Anna Marie Johnson

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2009

Librarians at the University of Louisville developed an evaluation of information exercise that is completely interactive. Students learn evaluation skills by participating in a small-group exercise, after which, the groups teach their classmates what they have learned.

Each small-group is assigned a different publication to evaluate such as a book, a website, a scholarly article, magazine or newspaper. They also have questions to answer in order to evaluate each source. After they evaluate the sources, each group chooses a student to present the information in front of the class.

The librarian acts as a facilitator to guide the students and …

The Embedded Librarian: Integrating Library Resources Into Course Management Systems, Emily Daly

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2009

Duke University librarians have collaborated with Instructional Technology staff to integrate subject-specific library resources into Blackboard, the university’s course management system. What began as a manual process on a small scale has grown to an automated process in which every course offered at Duke is linked to a subject-specific LibGuide developed by a subject specialist or instruction librarian. Guides may include instructional tutorials on using Duke’s databases, tips for conducting subject-specific searches and librarians’ contact information. Success of the project has been assessed through student surveys, faculty interviews and focus groups; feedback from students, faculty and librarians alike has been …

Using A Pre- And Post-Survey Method To Assess The Effectiveness And Usability Of An Online Information Literacy Tutorial, Lesley M. Moyo

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2009

The presentation is a case study reporting on the assessment of Virginia Tech’s online Information Skills Modules (ISM): http://info-skills.lib.vt.edu/. The ISM is an information literacy tutorial developed for use either as a teaching tool or independently. The evaluators used a pre and post survey method to determine the ISM impact on research skills of agricultural economics students who used the tutorial as a textbook for a component of their course. The session will cover methods and instruments employed in collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, and how the data was analyzed. Discussion will include detailed findings and recommendations.

A New Model For Evaluating The Online Tutorial: Does Your Tutorial Reflect Your Mission?, Paulette Kerr, Jana Valejs

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2009

The online tutorial has emerged as a ubiquitous representation of information literacy instruction and often is the visible face of these programs. Academic libraries currently boast an expanding array of tutorials which are presented as effective alternatives and supplements to face-to-face instruction. A growing body of literature exists about the design and evaluation of the online tutorial (Atwater-Singer & Metcalf, 2006; Dewald, 1999; Hrycaj, 2005; Tronstad, Phillips, Garcia, & Harlow, 2009). Typically, evaluations focus on the quality of the tutorial or its effect on student learning. Quality questions ask whether it is engaging, easy to navigate, and up-to-date. Effectiveness questions …

Herpetofaunal Diversity At Yankee Hill State Lake And Wildlife Management Area, Lancaster County, Nebraska, Shelby Klima

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A survey for amphibians and reptiles was conducted in March through October 2011 at Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, Nebraska. The survey was conducted using several different techniques including: visual and auditory encounters, artificial and natural cover objects, aquatic trappings and road surveys. A total of 145 individuals representing 12 species were identified including seven reptiles and five amphibians. A total of 48% of the species that may potentially occur on the site were encountered, all of which are common, widely distributed generalist species. Neither Graham’s Crayfish Snake nor the Massasauga, both target species for this survey, …

The Monetary Effects Of Deer Damage On The Environment, Scott Mendlik

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The focus of my study was deer damage that occurred to crops and trees in Northeast Nebraska, around Wisner in Cuming County. I collected data from corn fields and harvest yields to determine the monetary losses landowners receive to deer damage. The damage can be anywhere from minimal to significant and affects each person differently. I study used test plots to collect data for an average damage per acre, and variable-sized plots to accurately estimate the level of damage occurred. I also incorporated data from tree nurseries to estimate the damage tree farmers and landowners would have when planting new …

Empathy-Based Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Conservation Policy And Decision-Making, Kaitlyn Delashmutt

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In the late 20^th century, neuroscientists in Italy discovered a neuron in the brain capable of mentally mimicking the emotions derived from the actions of others (Rizzolatti and Craighero, 2004). It is the process that makes your elbow ache when someone else knocks their elbow on the counter or the uncontrollable smile that creeps up when someone smiles at you. No questions asked, people intuitively sense what others are feeling. The old school of thought was that humans deduced through logic and reason the actions of others and interpreted the emotions through a rational process (Carew et al, 2008). …

Heterogeneous Rates Of Molecular Evolution Among Cryptic Species Of The Ciliate Morphospecies Chilodonella Uncinata, Laura A. Katz, Jennifer Deberardinis, Meaghan S. Hall, Alexandra M. Kovner, Micah Dunthorn, Spencer V. Muse

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

While molecular analyses have provided insight into the phylogeny of ciliates, the few studies assessing intraspecific variation have largely relied on just a single locus [e.g., nuclear small subunit rDNA (nSSUrDNA) or mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I]. In this study, we characterize the diversity of several nuclear protein-coding genes plus both nSSU-rDNA and mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU-rDNA) of five isolates of the ciliate morphospecies Chilodonella uncinata. Although these isolates have nearly identical nSSU-rDNA sequences, they differ by up to 8.0% in mtSSU-rDNA. Comparative analyses of all loci, including b-tubulin paralogs, indicate a lack of recombination between strains, demonstrating that the …

Use Of The Health Belief Model To Assess Hand Hygiene Knowledge, Perceptions, And Practices Of Saudi Students Studying In The U.S., Najla Khateeb

All Theses

Many factors influence hygiene but those that have the greatest impact vary widely across population groups. Our aim was to characterize hand hygiene practices of Saudi students studying in the U.S. by completing two objectives: (1) assess hand hygiene knowledge, perceptions, and practices of Saudi students studying in the U.S. and (2) determine the relationship among knowledge, perceptions, and practices.
A modified version of the Health Belief Model was the theoretical framework to characterize hand hygiene practices. A web-based instrument was posted to the ¬DSaudis Studying in USAÁÂ Facebook page. The instrument was prepared in English then translated into Arabic. …

Restoring Salt Marsh And Functions To Newly Acquired Shoreline In North Mill Pond, Portsmouth, David M. Burdick

PREP Reports & Publications

A berm of construction debris used to fill salt marsh and steepen the shoreline along North Mill Pond many decades ago was removed in 2010 after the land was deeded to the City. Removal of the berm reestablished regular tidal flooding to over 2,400 ft2 of tidal marsh. From 2009 to 2011, the fifth grade classes at New Franklin School learned about the project and planted mussels, shrubs and marsh plants at the site. Plant survival was excellent in the low marsh (94%) and good in the high marsh (77%). By September 2011 (Year Two) plant cover increased to 42% …

Party Identification, Values, Risk Perceptions And Public Opinion On Climate Change, Jacob Sohlberg

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

While the scientific debate over climate change has been settled, the U.S. public is profoundly divided. Some people view climate change as a huge problem that needs to be resolved, whereas others dismiss it as non-issue. It is vital that we understand what is driving attitudes on this issue since climate change is likely to alter our world in multiple, mostly negative, ways. In this dissertation, I rely on experiments, surveys and content analysis to examine the relative merits of two broad perspectives on what is driving public opinion on climate change. One perspective centers on the role of party …

Functional Analysis Of Poliovirus Protein 2catpase In Viral Rna Replication And Encapsidation Using Alanine Scanning Mutagenesis, Chunling Wang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Polypeptide 2CATPase is one of the most thoroughly studied but least understood proteins in the life cycle of poliovirus. Within the protein, multiple functional domains, important for uncoating, host cell membrane alterations, RNA replication and encapsidation have previously been identified. In this study, charged to alanine scanning mutagenesis was used to generate conditional-lethal mutations in hitherto uncharacterized domains of the 2CATPase polypeptide, particularly those possibly involved in morphogenesis. Adjacent or clustered charged amino acids (2-4), scattered along the 2CATPase coding sequence, were replaced with alanines. RNA transcripts of mutant poliovirus cDNA clones were transfected into HeLa cells. Subsequently, ten lethal, …

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2011, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Exploring Factors Of Media Characteristic Influencing Flow In Learning Through Virtual Worlds, Beomkyu Choi, Youngkyun Baek

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aims to find out factors of media characteristic which are considered to influence flow in learning through virtual worlds. One hundred ninety eight elementary students who are eleven to twelve years old participated in this study. After the exploratory factor analysis, to extract media characteristics of virtual worlds, seventy-eight elementary students who are eleven years old were used in the analysis of exploring relationships between factors influencing flow.

The results of this study show that distinct media characteristics of virtual worlds affecting engagement were labeled 'interactivity', 'representational fidelity', 'immediacy of communication', 'consistency', and 'persistence' after the exploratory factor …

The Daily Gamecock, Thursday, December 1, 2011, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

December

No abstract provided.

Missouri National Recreational River, Natural Resource Condition Assessment, Kevin J. Stark, Lucas J. Danzinger, Michael R. Komp, Andy J. Nadeau, Shannon Amberg, Eric J. Iverson, David Kadlec, Barry Drazkowski

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

As a unit in the National Park Service (NPS), Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) is responsible for the management and conservation of natural resources within its boundaries. This mandate is supported by the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, which directs the NPS to:

conserve the scenery and natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

In 2003, NPS Water Resources Division received funding through the Natural Resource Challenge …

The Comment, December 1, 2011, Bridgewater State University

The Comment

No abstract provided.

Biology Of Ict-Based Communication Paradigm, D. Darmawan, D. Supriadie, B. Asra

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

A simple phenomenon and sometimes forgotten by all educators, both of basic and higher higher education levels, whereas this phenomenon is the basis of the meaningfulness of a Learning Interaction. In the context of Communication, the phenomenon should be developed, applied, and analyzed by all educators, especially to create the instructional communication quality in every lesson. This paper discussed about the analysis of biological communications technology-based on biological analysis for learners in a learning process. In-depth analysis focused on the effect of the learning stimulus packaged in the form of computer-based instruction (CBI). Results of analysis and verification Learning Interaction …

Developing Human Resource For The Animation Sector: A Case Study Of Animation Programs In Malaysian Universities And Colleges, F. Abdullah

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Malaysian animation sector is observed to have high potential due to the rapid development of digital and electronic technology that involve directly in the digital content industry. For malaysia to venture into this industry, it is imperative to have strong policies, educations and trainings for talents recruitment in order to be be able to Compete in the global market. This article looks into the state of animation education in Malaysia to assess how new talents are being recruited into the industry. For this purpose, an overview of animation education in Malaysia will be presented and the implementation of animation programs …

Development Of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Through Project–Based Learning, Z. Hosseini, M.Y. Tee

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The aim of this case study was to better understand how TPCK can be developed through Project-based Learning (PjBL). Accordingly, a course was designed and a purposively sampled group was selected for collecting in-depth data. The findings of the study demonstrated that teachers' knowledge and conception of using technology for teaching developed in three levels. With each level, there was an improvement of teachers' TPCK and its components as a result of performing PjBL activities. First level was limited to using technology for exhibiting curriculum information. The participants used software and Internet facilities for exhibiting curriculum information corresponding to the …