Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Understanding Of Endocrine-Active Compounds In Pulp And Paper Mill Condensates Using A Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus) Bioassay, Robert John Gary Rutherford

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Since the late 1990s an investigation of cause (IOC) study at Irving Pulp and Paper Ltd (IPP), a bleached kraft mill in Saint John, NB, Canada, has successfully identified an in-mill waste stream (5th effect evaporator condensates) as containing endocrine disrupting substances (EDSs). These EDSs affect levels of reproductive steroids in a native estuarine fish, the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus). To confirm the minimal concentration at which whole condensates impact reproductive endpoints, adult mummichog were exposed to 2% and 4% (v/v) whole condensates for 14 days. Plasma testosterone was significantly depressed in males in the 4% (v/v) treatment, confirming …

Cd-Induced Responses In Plasma Ionic Regulation And Oxidative Stress In Rainbow Trout (O. Mykiss) Or Lake Whitefish (C. Clupeaformis) During Chronic Waterborne Exposure, Amanda Mancini

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

During chronic exposure to Cd or other metals, freshwater fish generally undergo physiological changes that results in acclimation, following a phase of damage and subsequent repair. The mechanisms associated with deleterious cellular effects induced by Cd throughout long-term exposures are less understood than those of acute toxicity, and may relate to an over-production of reactive oxygen species. The objectives of the present study were to examine the changes in, and relationship between, tissue-specific oxidative damage and antioxidant response, as well as plasma ionic regulation and tissue accumulation, in two freshwater salmonids throughout chronic Cd exposure. Rainbow trout (O. mykiss …

The Evolution Of Sexual Reproduction In Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae), Michael Wright

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae), the dodders, is a genus of ca. 200 species of obligate stem parasites distributed across a great diversity of habitats worldwide. The existence of a handful of species that are dangerous crop weeds has led researchers to historically focus on their growth and control. Consequently, there is a dearth of information about their biodiversity, ecology, and in particular their reproductive biology. This thesis surveys aspects of sex allocation, floral evolution, floral rewards for pollinators, and mechanisms of reproductive assurance across the genus. I demonstrate that Cuscuta has evolved a broad spectrum of breeding systems, from obligate selfing to …

You Can’T Go To Zion With A Carnal Mind: Slackness And Culture In The Music Of Yellowman, Brent Hagerman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Jamaican deejay Yellowman is best known for “slackness” lyrics centred on masculine heterosexual potency, sexist objectification of women and graphic sexual narratives. Yet a deeper look at Yellowman’s life and recorded output suggests that when his slackness is read in the context of Afro-Jamaican culture, reggae history and his Rastafarian faith, a more complex interpretation of his slackness is needed. This study will draw on Carolyn Cooper’s (2001) theory that slackness is a “metaphorical revolt against law and order, an undermining of consensual standards of decency” (p. 141). Whereas the term “culture” is used in reggae to depict music that …

The Effects Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids On Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Inositol Pathway Mutants, Daniel Antonio Colon Hidalgo, Marlene Murray-Nseula

Honors Theses

Bipolar disease is a severe and chronic debilitating mental disorder affecting 1-3% of the population. Omega-3-fatty acids have been shown to relieve symptoms of bipolar disorder and are not associated with the negative side effects of lithium and valproate, two of the commonly used drugs for treating this condition. The mechanism of action of omega-3-fatty acids remains unknown. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine if, like lithium and valproate, omega-3-fatty acids affect inositol metabolism. This was accomplished by investigating the effect of the omega-3-fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA) on the growth of inositol pathway mutants. To measure …

Dermal Reduction Of Urushiols Using An Activated Charcoal Formulated Dermal Care Patch, Celena Cameron

Honors Theses

For centuries, activated Charcoal (AC) has been used externally in a poultice form to adsorb "poisons" trapped in the outer layers of skin and internally to relieve intestinal discomfort and to remove toxic materials. The largest use for activated charcoal, in our society, is as a filter bed in air and water remediation cartridges. Recently, scientists have formulated AC into a nonstick dermal bandage called the Charcoal Patch (CP), but the adsorption properties are not well understood for this new formulation. Experiments have been conducted to see if these dermal bandages can be used to adsorb oils such as poison …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Imino Stilbenes, Shieun Jang

Honors Theses

We are in the process of developing a two-step synthesis of imino stilbenes as potential molecular switches, which are important in biology, electronics and other applications especially at nanoscopic scale. While both imines and stilbenes are well known, we have not uncovered any prior research and documentation on our proposed imino stilbenes in the scientific literature. In pursuit of our goal we have developed a new procedure for synthesis of t-butyl imines derived from aromatic aldehydes and ketones. We are also currently evaluating four different stilbene synthesis methods. Future work will systematically investigate the effect of electron withdrawing and donating …

Eaarth: Making A Life On A Tough New Planet [Review] / Mckibben, Bill, Tom Goodwin

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Testing Of Second Generation Azatilbenes, Maurice Hardy

Honors Theses

Based on previous research, azastilbenes have been reported as effective chemical sensors for organophosphates and organothiophosphates; they are related classes and the active components of agricultural pesticides, environmental pollutants and chemical warfare agents. This project builds on previous work and involves the synthesis of a variety of these azastilbenes and the testing of their respective properties. Azastilbene sensors are prepared using high-yield organic synthetic methodology developed in Professor Murray's lab. The next step involves testing the sensors through a measure, by UV-Vis spectroscopy and fluorometry, of an optical change upon the addition of analyte to a solution containing azastilbene sensor.

The Effects Of Valproate Prodrugs On The Inositol Biosynthetic Pathway In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Yeast, Lisa Thompson

Honors Theses

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric disorder characterized by episodes of abnormally elevated mood followed by periods of extreme depression. Currently, valproate is one of the drugs used to treat the disorder but it is associated with many negative side effects. The goal of this project is to create a prodrug with structural similarities to valproate and determine if its effect on growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is similar to that of valproate. Yeast cells were grown in media with or without the prodrug in the presence or absence of inositol. The results showed that the prodrug inhibited growth.

Non-Labeled, Real-Time Detection Of H1n1 Dna Hybridization Using Combined Qcm-D System, Sandra P. Prieto

Honors Theses

Detection of H1N1 or other seasonal and highly contagious viruses are of vital importance, since early diagnosis from a patient's fluid, such as saliva, would accelerate treatment and containment of the flu. Current lab tests often require cumbersome labeling steps and several hours to detect the presence of viral DNAs. The QCM-D (quartz crystal microbalances with dissipation) technology was used to detect presence as well as distinguish H1N1 and H1N5 DNAs in real-time (a few minutes) with the use of relatively small sample volume (200-500 ul). Single stranded complementary H1N1 DNA was immobilized via Neutravidin-biotin linkage on a gold substrate …

The Role Of Ci(-) Channel-Inhibition In The Brain On The Phonotactic Selectivity Of Female Crickets, Brent H. Sherwin

Honors Theses

The goal of this project was to determine if picrotoxin influences phonotactic selectivity of female crickets when nanoinjected into the supraesophageal ganglion. Adult females of Acheta domesticus were pre-tested for phonotaxis on a treadmill to a range of calling songs with different syllable periods. Following dissection to expose the brain, 9.2 nL of either saline (control group) or 10-5 M picrotoxin (experimental group) was nanoinjected into the supraesophageal ganglion. Post-tests following saline injection (10 min later) were similar to the pre-tests. Picrotoxin-treated females became more phonotactically selective displaying a preference for calling songs with the shorter syllable periods.

The Creation Of The Soul, The Creation Of The Body: Dual Creations In Christian Tradition, Karen K. Abrahamson

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

No abstract provided.

Specialization In Plant-Hummingbird Networks Is Associated With Species Richness, Contemporary Precipitation And Quaternary Climate-Change Velocity, B Dalsgaard, E Magard, J Fjeldsa, Amm Gonzalez, C Rahbek, Jm Olesen, J Ollerton, R Alarcon, Ac Araujo, Pa Cotton, C Lara, Cg Machado, I Sazima, M Sazima, A Timmermann, S Watts, B Sandel, Wj Sutherland, J-C Svenning

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Short-Term Exposure To Warm Microhabitats Could Explain Amphibian Persistence With Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis., Joshua H. Daskin, Ross A. Alford, Robert Puschendorf

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Environmental conditions can alter the outcomes of symbiotic interactions. Many amphibian species have declined due to chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), but many others persist despite high Bd infection prevalence. This indicates that Bd's virulence is lower, or it may even be a commensal, in some hosts. In the Australian Wet Tropics, chytridiomycosis extirpated Litoria nannotis from high-elevation rain forests in the early 1990 s. Although the species is recolonizing many sites, no population has fully recovered. Litoria lorica disappeared from all known sites in the early 1990 s and was thought globally extinct, but a …

Fresh Waters And Fish Diversity: Distribution, Protection And Disturbance In Tropical Australia., Stephanie R. Januchowski-Hartley, Richard G. Pearson, Robert Puschendorf, Thomas Rayner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

BACKGROUND: Given the globally poor protection of fresh waters for their intrinsic ecological values, assessments are needed to determine how well fresh waters and supported fish species are incidentally protected within existing terrestrial protected-area networks, and to identify their vulnerability to human-induced disturbances. To date, gaps in data have severely constrained any attempt to explore the representation of fresh waters in tropical regions. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: We determined the distribution of fresh waters and fish diversity in the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia. We then used distribution data of fresh waters, fish species, human-induced disturbances, and the terrestrial protected-area network …

Numerical Investigation Of Deep Water Circulation In The Faroese Channels, Nataliya Stashchuk, Vasiliy Vlasenko, Toby J. Sherwin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The overflow of dense water from the Nordic Seas through the Faroese Channels is investigated numerically using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model. The model is forced by the removal of a barrier that separates different water masses in the bottom layer of the Faroe-Shetland Channel at the north-eastern boundary. An analysis of the output reveals that during its adjustment in the rotating channel the propagating flow is unstable and forms cyclonic and anti-cyclonic eddies in the Faroese Channels. The life-time of the cyclonic eddy is about 10 days, but an anti-cyclonic eddy that is formed upstream of …

The Human Right To Health And Hiv/Aids: South Africa And South-South Cooperation To Reframe Global Intellectual Property Principles And Promote Access To Essential Medicines, Erika George

Faculty Scholarship

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has had a devastating and disproportionate impact in countries of the Global South. The experience of an individual infected with HIV in Africa is very different than that of an individual infected with HIV in America. Life expectancy varies sharply. The ability or inability to access medicines essential for treatment accounts for much of the variance. This article examines how the rhetoric of human rights used in the context of South Africa's AIDS crisis resonated across the Global South, resulted in a powerful social movement for access to medicines, and contributed to important changes in international intellectual …

What’S In A Name? How Nations Define Terrorism Ten Years After 9/11, Sudha Setty

Faculty Scholarship

Ten years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, it almost goes without saying that the acts of grotesque violence committed on that day have had enormous effects on national security law and policy worldwide. To be labeled a terrorist, or to be accused of involvement in an act of terrorism, carries far more severe repercussions now than it did ten years ago. This is true under international law and under domestic law in nations that have dealt with serious national security concerns for many years.

Given the U.N.’s global mandate to combat terrorism and that being defined as a …

Alteration Of Hydrogen Bonding In The Vicinity Of Histidine 48 Disrupts Millisecond Motions In Rnase A, Nicolet Doucet, Gennady Khirich, Evgenii L. Kovrigin, J. Patrick Loria

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

The motion of amino acid residues on the millisecond (ms) time scale is involved in the tight regulation of catalytic function in numerous enzyme systems. Using a combination of mutational, enzymological, and relaxation-compensated ¹⁵N Carr−Purcell−Meiboom−Gill (CPMG) methods, we have previously established the conformational significance of the distant His48 residue and the neighboring loop 1 in RNase A function. These studies suggested that RNase A relies on an intricate network of hydrogen bonding interactions involved in propagating functionally relevant, long-range ms motions to the catalytic site of the enzyme. To further investigate the dynamic importance of this H-bonding network, this …

Public Perceptions Of Bears And Management Interventions In Japan, Ryo Sakurai, Susan K. Jacobson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conservation of bears is a challenge globally. In Japan, Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos) are considered a nuisance because of agricultural and property damage and personal human danger due to occasional human casualties. Reduction of human–bear conflicts in Japan would improve long-term conservation of bears and reduce risks to human health and safety. To understand Japanese perceptions of and experience with bears, we analyzed results of 5 public surveys and reviewed 29 articles from the research and gray literature in Japan. We compared recommendations for interventions to reduce human–bear conflicts with …

Using Stable Isotope Analysis To Quantify Anthropogenic Foraging In Black Bears, Jerod A. Merkle, Jonathan J. Derbridge, Paul R. Krausman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deciding whether to monitor, aversively condition, relocate, or destroy a problem black bear (Ursus americanus) can be difficult for wildlife managers. Understanding the extent of anthropogenic foraging within bear populations can provide insight for management decisions about black bears. An innovative way to estimate opportunistically the amount of anthropogenic food in an individual or a population of bears is through stable isotope analysis (SIA), where hair samples can provide an index of assimilated nutrients (i.e., diet) for the period of hair growth. Our objective was to use SIA to determine whether there was a difference between diets of …

Using Radar Cross-Section To Enhance Situational Awareness Tools For Airport Avian Radars, Tim J. Nohara, Robert C. Beason, Peter Weber

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Digital avian radars can track bird movements continuously in the vicinity of airports without interruption. The result is a wealth of bird-track data that can be used in mitigation efforts to reduce bird strikes on and near airfields. To make the sheer volume of bird track data generated by digital avian radars accessible to users, we developed tools to transform these data into analytical and visualization products to improve situational awareness for wildlife and airfield personnel. In addition to the parameters traditionally associated with radar tracking (latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and heading), we have implemented a procedure to estimate the …

Using Whatman Fta® Cards To Collect Dna For Bird-Strike Identifications, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy A. Heacker, James F. Whatton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Identification of species of birds is fundamental to implementation of all management and mitigation issues involving bird–aircraft collisions (bird strikes). Methods of identifying bird remains have recently been enhanced to include the use of molecular techniques but the degraded condition of the fi eld sample remains problematic. The Whatman FTA® card is a novel way to instantly fi x DNA and inhibit degradation of DNA samples post-collection. During 2008–2009, we analyzed >200 FTA cards containing tissue blots, body fluids, or blood samples from bird strikes to evaluate the performance of these cards in real-time situations. We analyzed the success of …

Bird Strikes And Aircraft Fuselage Color: A Correlational Study, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Jim Gaffney, Bradley F. Blackwell, Patrice Baumhardt

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between birds and aircraft (bird strikes) pose safety risks to the public, cost airports and airlines money, and result in liability issues. Recent research suggests that aircraft visibility could be enhanced to increase detection and avoidance by birds. We questioned whether aircraft color scheme might play a role in bird-strike frequency. We used public records of bird strikes along with information on flights that were gathered by federal agencies in the United States. We estimated the bird-strike rates and compared them among airline companies using different fuselage color schemes, while controlling for aircraft type. Using an avian vision modeling …

Response To Rogers And Mansfield (2011) And Stringham (2011), Valerius Geist

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Rodent Population Management At Kansas City International Airport, Gary W. Witmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Birds pose serious hazards at United States airports because of the potential for collisions with aircraft. Raptors, in particular, are hazardous to aircraft safety due to their size, hunting behavior, and hovering and soaring habits. Reduction of rodent populations at an airport may decrease raptor populations in the area and, therefore, reduce risk that raptors pose to aircraft. Rodent populations can be reduced by population management (i.e., use of rodenticides) or by habitat management (i.e., vegetation and land-use management) that reduces the area’s carrying capacity for rodents. I found that zinc phosphide-treated oats reduced rodent populations by >94% at the …

Canada Goose Crop Damage Abatement In South Dakota, Troy M. Radtke, Charles D. Dieter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) can cause considerable damage to crops during summer when geese are flightless. We evaluated the effectiveness of a program designed to alleviate crop damage on soybeans by Canada geese in South Dakota, USA. The applications of electric fences, feeding stations, and propane cannons reduced the area of crop damage by 90% in 2006 and 80% in 2007, but the timing was important. Fields where abatement practices were applied early in the growing season had less damage than fields where they were applied later. Abatement practices that were properly applied as soon as damage started …

Does Diversionary Feeding Create Nuisance Bears And Jeopardize Public Safety?, Lynn L. Rogers

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Diversionary feeding of black bears (Ursus americanus) around campgrounds and residential areas has received little study because of concerns that it might create nuisance bears and jeopardize public safety. To evaluate those concerns and assess its effectiveness in mitigating human–bear conflict, we studied diversionary feeding, habituation, and food conditioning at a U.S. Forest Service campground and residential complex near Ely, Minnesota. During 1981 to 1983, 6 bears (2/year) had been removed from this area as nuisances; but during 8 years of diversionary feeding (1984 to 1991), the only removals were 2 bears that had newly immigrated to the …

Condition, Survival, And Productivity Of Mule Deer In Semiarid Grassland-Woodland In East-Central New Mexico, Louis C. Bender, Jon C. Boren, Heather Halbritter, Shad Cox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are an economically important species to wildlife enterprises throughout New Mexico and the western United States, but populations are declining, limiting recreational and revenue potential to private and public wildlife managers. We documented body condition, survival, production of fawns, and trends in population size of a declining mule deer population on the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center (CRLRC), a multiple-use research ranch in east-central New Mexico owned by New Mexico State University. Mule deer females were in poor condition, characterized by accrual of little body fat or lean tissue (muscle mass) reserves. Annual …