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Natural Selection And Age-Related Variation In Morphology Of A Colonial Bird, Mary Bomberger Brown

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In May 1996, inclement weather led to the deaths of thousands of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) in Nebraska. Survivors had larger skeletons, shorter wings and tails, and less wing asymmetry than non-survivors. This population was followed for 10 years to study 1) whether natural selection events result in permanent microevolutionary changes, 2) if variation in climate affects the development of morphological traits, and 3) if morphological traits vary systematically with age.

Patterns in morphology exhibited by swallows following the selection event were studied by measuring yearling birds. Wing and middle tail lengths decreased, beak length and width increased, …

El Macho Sarniento: La Hipermasculinidad En Yonquis Y Yanquis De Alonso De Santos Y Entre Villa Y Una Mujer Desnuda De Sabina Berman, Joaquín M. Muñoz

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Dos obras de teatro de los años noventa del siglo XX, representativas de dos países, España y México, proporcionan espacios privilegiados para un estudio comparativo de la masculinidad. Esta tesis explora el género y la identidad masculina, y específicamente, la hipermasculinidad en las obras de teatro Yonquis y yanquis (1996), del español José Luis Alonso de Santos y Entre Villa y una mujer desnuda (1993), de la mexicana Sabina Berman. Para llevar a cabo este análisis se aborda primeramente lo polisémico que significa ser hombre en varios contextos socio-culturales, la hipermasculinidad, y también los términos que se conocen popularmente como …

Beneath The Forest, Volume 4, No. 1, Spring 2011, Johanna L. Kovarik

Beneath the Forest

Contents: Virgin Cave Survey Project - Disinfection-Just a Way of Life - Renewing Our Partnership with the Cave Research Foundation - The Attractive Nuisance at Big Ice Cave - The Three Fingers Survey Project - Regional Cave and Karst Coordinators

A Critical Phenomenology Of Civilization, J. C. Brinson

HIM 1990-2015

Civilized culture is killing the planet. At present, we are facing the largest extinction event in 65 million years and the cause, according to most scholars, is "patently" human. My question, however, is not whether the mass destruction of the biosphere is the result of an unfortunate and misguided particularity within civilization (e.g., over consumption, driving too much, etc.), but rather: Is it the case that civilization, by its very nature, entails the destruction of the natural world and of both human and non-human communities? In the vein of a fairly recent movement in scholarship, my answer is a resounding …

Microrna Regulation Of Prostate Cancer Desensitization To Androgen Receptor Antagonist Drugs During Androgen Deprivation Therapy, Robert A. Lorch

HIM 1990-2015

The current standard treatment of prostate cancer by androgen deprivation therapy involves using drugs such as bicalutamide (Casodex) to antagonistically block androgen receptors that are normally present within prostate cells. Usually, the therapy is successful in the short run at limiting the growth of prostate cancer. However, in virtually all cases tumors begin to grow aggressively again after several months of treatment and new therapies must be started. The mechanism by which these prostate cells transform from androgen sensitive to androgen independent and anti-androgen resistant is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNAs, small 15 to 18 …

Perceived Gender And Its Effect On Attributions Toward Avatars In The Video Game Spore, Victoria Marie Sweeney

HIM 1990-2015

In this study, 174 undergraduates from the University of Central Florida were asked to rate individual human and animal avatar features from the video game Spore on their level of femininity, masculinity, likability, and how well the feature represented them on a 7 point Likert scale of agreeability. Avatar features were presented on a neutral gray, quadruped body in two different views. It was expected that participants would show higher likability for avatar features that they perceived as corresponding to their Personal Attribute Questionnaire (PAQ) gender. Males liked feminine features approximately the same as females, however, in many categories females …

The Rise Of Interactive Cinema And Its Significance For Filmmakers, Audiences, And The Exhibition Industry, Rebecca M. Vazquez

HIM 1990-2015

Traditionally, movie theater audience members are passive participants. The role of the traditional spectator is to sit down in a dark theater and watch as the film unfolds. As images flash across the screen, the audience member has no obligations. All they have to do is react. However a new, more actively engaged audience member is now emerging. The new role of the active audience member can be defined as putting a conscious effort into affecting one's own movie-watching experience. The trend we are now seeing in cinema is that of an interactive experience in motion picture creation and exhibition, …

Cross-Talk Of Retinoic Acid And Adrenergic Hormone Signaling May Influence Development Of Cardiac Conduction And Rhythmicity In Utero, Sabikha Alam

HIM 1990-2015

Stress hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, have been shown to be critical for heart development. Mice lacking dopamine greek lower case letter beta]-hydroxylase (Dbh), an enzyme responsible for synthesis of these adrenergic hormones, die during mid-gestation due to cardiac failure. Prior research showed that adrenergic cells are found within the electrical conduction system of the heart, and adrenergic deficiency leads to slowed cardiac conduction during embryogenesis. Microarray analysis of wild-type (Dbh+/+) and knockout (Dbh-/-) mouse hearts revealed significant differences in expression of retinoic acid (RA) signaling genes. RA signaling has also been shown to be critical for heart development. These data …

Analysis Of The Repair Of Topoisomerase Ii Dna Damage, Eric D. Goldstein

HIM 1990-2015

A large number of anti-cancer chemotherapeutics target DNA topoisomerases. Etoposide is a specific topoisomerase II poison which causes reversible double strand DNA breaks. The focus of this project is to analyze the repair of DNA damage induced by etoposide.. Double strand DNA break repair is mediated by through either non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination. NHEJ repairs through direct ligation of a double stranded break while homologous recombination utilizes a homologous template to recover the wild type sequence. A reporter cassette, RYDR-GFP, has been stably integrated into HeLa cells. This reporter contains an ultra-high affinity topoisomerase II cleavage site …

Effectiveness Of Nonpharmacological Techniques For Procedural Analgesia In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Lauren E. Flaherty

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a critical analysis of research findings about nonpharmacological techniques used independently of pharmacological techniques to prevent or reduce procedural pain for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A synthesis of the current research related to nonpharmacological pain relief techniques for infants was conducted for this thesis. Nonpharmacological interventions reviewed in this study include: Kangaroo Care, swaddling, facilitated tucking, positioning, music, non-nutritive sucking and sucrose. An interdisciplinary review of the research was performed using the interdisciplinary databases Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, PubMED, and PsychINFO. Inclusion criteria for this …

The Effect Of Chemical Fragrances On Child Health And Development, Katie L. Gilton

HIM 1990-2015

The American public is bombarded with chemically fragranced products every day, typically in combination with each other. These products can include cosmetics, perfumes, detergents, air fresheners, soaps, and deodorants. Contained in these fragranced products are chemicals that can be harmful to child health and development. Many articles have been published examining the chemicals found in fragranced products and the effects that these chemicals can have on the human body. This integrated literature review examines empirical evidence related to the health and safety of particular chemicals used in these products. Nurses need to be aware of the actual and potential harms …

An Exploration Of Materials For Music Integration In Elementary Science Education, Nicole Jennet Mills

HIM 1990-2015

Strong educators always look for different ways to excite and enthrall their students in the curriculum. The field of science education often loses student interest due to the complexities and vocabulary found in the scientific realm. Incorporating music into the classroom has shown positive results as a way to integrate student learning and a different way of facilitating students in the learning process (Brewer, 1992; Davies, 200). Resources for implementing the integration of music and science exist throughout the Internet in a variety of mediums. This study looks at the availability of said resources and the concepts they cover, for …

On Rights A Defense And Analysis Of Rights Through Natural Law, Ramon E. Lopez

HIM 1990-2015

One of the central questions in political theory deals with the nature of rights. What sorts of rights do people possess? How are these rights justified? How ought these rights be reflected and related when seen in political, economic, and social institutions? Following the publication of John Rawls' A Theory of Justice (1971) and Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974), rights have once again returned to dominate much of contemporary political theory. However, natural law, which was the historical basis of the early Enlightenment theories of rights, is no longer the primary system appealed to when discussing rights. In …

Paul Verhoeven, Media Manipulation, And Hyper-Reality, Emmanuel William Malchiodi

HIM 1990-2015

Does the individual really matter in the post-modern world, brimming with countless signs and signifiers? My main objective in this writing is to demonstrate how this happens in Verhoeven's films, exploring his central themes and subtext and doing what science fiction does: hold a mirror up to the contemporary world and critique it, asking whether our species' current trajectory is beneficial or hazardous.; Dutch director Paul Verhoeven is a polarizing figure. Although many of his American made films have received considerable praise and financial success, he has been lambasted on countless occasions for his gratuitous use of sex, violence, and …

Plant-Made Oral Vaccines Evaluation Of Capsules, James Stewart New

HIM 1990-2015

Antigen expression through the Chloroplast Transformation Technology (CTT) produces bioencapsulated subunit-vaccines, capable of eliciting immune responses when delivered orally. Considerable challenges to effective plant-based vaccines are the normalization of dosage and preservation of accumulated antigen, which is complicated by variable high water content and protease activity. This study critically examines the efficacy of lyophilization in dehydrating plant-tissues and preserving plant-derived antigens with vaccine potential. Lyophilization was optimized through gravimetric analysis using lettuce expressing Protective Antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis (LS-HPAG) and the human autoantigen Proinsulin (Pins) fused to Cholera toxin subunit B (LS-CTB-Pins). Lyophilization for 48-hours was sufficient treatment to …

Examining The Magic Tree House Series For Historical Accuracy And Educational Implications, Nina Washington

HIM 1990-2015

Often teachers are faced with the challenge of teaching more content with less time and resources. The use of trade books within the content areas allows teachers to integrate multiple skills in one lesson. The Magic Tree House series has been popular with students and teachers on the elementary level. Using books such as these would be a good way for teachers to use their allotted time to teach all of the content that they are accountable for. This thesis will explore the historical accuracy and educational connections within the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. The purpose …

Nursing Interventions In The Care Of Patients Undergoing Induced Hypothermia, Angela D. Zimmerman

HIM 1990-2015

Use of induced hypothermia for the purpose of lowering intracranial pressure and preserving neuronal function has increased as research data reveals a trend of positive outcomes in patients treated with this therapy. Recently induced hypothermia following cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation has been deemed successful. Current research has expanded to evaluate the effectiveness of induced hypothermia as a treatment modality for severe stroke and head trauma. In spite of its efficacy, complications exist with this treatment modality. The purpose of this literature review is to examine potential complications secondary to induced hypothermia and highlight the nurse's role in managing …

Soundings 2011-05, N/A N/A

Soundings

No abstract provided.

Strange Angels, Bridgette Werner

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Strange Angels is a documentary photography project exploring the formation of family in the context of Stansberry Children’s Home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It is a creative project presented as a book of photos and text that together discuss life in the children’s home and how children with fractured families construct family systems in an institutional context. The photography was produced during two trips that I took to Santa Cruz in 2009 and 2010. On both trips I lived on the Stansberry grounds and interacted with the children and their caretakers, becoming acquainted with them and the operations of the …

Molecular Phylogeny Of Aspergillus Species Based On The Internal Transcribed Spacer Region, Tiarra Nicole Spencer

Theses (Pre-2016)

Molecular markers, also called genetic barcodes, are those segments of DNA that have unique characteristics which can be used in the identification and delineation of species, or phylotypes, in organisms. This is important in the study of phylogenetic diversity of microorganisms, 95 percent of which are unculturable. There have been ongoing research and success in recognizing markers for many organisms, such as 16S rRNA for bacteria and cytochrome oxidase I for animals. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region has been gaining popularity as a marker in fungal species identification. However, the ability of the ITS region to discriminate among geographic …

Using Web 2.0 Technology In The Classroom: Blogging For Motivation, Jennifer Jakubowicz

Education Masters

How can Web 2.0 technology be used in a classroom to help motivate children to read and write more? Using Web 2.0 technologies such as blogging, in the classroom students are motivated to write and read more. A study was conducted with three participants using a classroom blog to see if they were motivated to write and read more while completing various writing tasks on the blog. The study found the participants were motivated to read; and they wrote more. A few implications were found such as the participation gap, computer experience, and teacher experience with the computer.

Investigate Existing Non-Intrusive Inspection (Nii) Technologies For Port Cargo Inspections, Yasamin Salehi

Theses (Pre-2016)

Today, the United States Port Security is using various nonintrusive (NII) methods of screening technologies to inspect incoming cargos. The United States Ports are growing every day. This cargo must be inspected by U.S. customs officials in the most effective manner to protect our borders. The NII technologies that are currently being employed include radiation detectors, X-ray imaging systems, and Gamma-ray imaging systems. These existing NIl technologies have their own strengths and weakness. Recently, there are newer and more advanced technologies, such as the Pulsed Photonuclear Assessment (PPA) inspection technology, Passport Systems CPS), Muon Radiography (MR), Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP), …

A Survey Of Heterologous Expression Systems For The Production Of Bovine Follicle Stimulating Hormone And Luteinizing Hormone, Marcia Hesser

All Dissertations

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are glycoprotein gonadotropins from the anterior pituitary gland that are involved in reproductive functions. They are heterodimeric proteins that share a common α-subunit that is highly conserved amongst mammalian species, and is also conserved across this family of proteins. The β-subunit confers receptor specificity and is distinct. Recombinant gonadotropin expression would be an important advance for the bovine superovulation industry, as there are a number of disadvantages associated with the currently used pituitary-derived gonadotropins. For example, these pituitary products are contaminated with other proteins including hormones, exhibit batch-to-batch inconsistencies, and harbor the …

Commentary On Ward’S Interpretation Of 'De Anima' Iii 3, Myrna Gabbe

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Any interpretation of Aristotle’s phantasia should aim to account for the unusual

presentation he gives of it in De Anima III 3. The procedure of this chapter is not typical to his investigations into the soul’s faculties. His accounts usually proceed from an examination of its objects, since they determine the nature and character of its activities. But Aristotle does not clearly state what the objects of fantasiva are, leading some scholars to conclude that it has no objects of its own and, hence, is not a genuine or full faculty. Instead of detailing its objects, he begins the chapter …

Drop Dead Stylish: Mitigating Environmental Impact Of Fur Production Through Consumer Protection In The Truth In Fur Labeling Act Of 2010, Isaac P. Wakefield

Penn State Environmental Law Review (1991 - 2011)

No abstract provided.

Global Warming And Viticulture: The Ability Of Wine Regions To Adapt In Differing Regulatory Schemes, Lisa Barriger

Penn State Environmental Law Review (1991 - 2011)

No abstract provided.

Transition Without Transformation: Legal Reform In The Democratization And Development Processes, Ermal Frasheri

Journal of Civil Law Studies

Modernization relies on law as the means of transformation. Democratization and development strategies of the last 20 years, such as the Washington consensus and its successor: good governance and institution building, have embraced the instrumentalization of law in order to create democratic societies and market economies. In these great processes of transformation, from regime changes in Eastern Europe to state building across Central Asia, the process of lawmaking rests upon premises that have a tendency to perpetuate transition without transforming the relationship of the individual to power. This alienizing feature of transition is reflected in lawmaking practices. In this paper, …

Analyzing Predator-Prey Models Using Systems Of Ordinary Linear Differential Equations, Lucas C. Pulley

Honors Theses

The main operating concern of all species in any ecosystem or natural environment is rooted in the battle for survival.  This constant battle for survival is most highlighted in the two main modes of species interaction; categorized as predation or competition.  This research focused on applying biological mathematics to analyzing predation relationships, especially the relationship between the Canadian Lynx and the Snowshoe Hare.  This predation relationship is quite special, because these species interact in a relatively isolated manner compared to others, meaning their populations fluctuated in a regular cycle.  These population fluctuations can be defined and analyzed mathematically using systems …

Annual Report Of Research And Creative Productions, January To December, 2010, Research And Creative Productions Committee. Morehead State University.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Reports and Publications

2010 Annual Report of Research and Creative Productions, Morehead State University, Division of Academic Affairs, Research and Creative Productions Committee.

The Bp Spill And The Meaning Of "Gross Negligence Or Willful Misconduct", Patrick H. Martin

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.