Digital Commons Network^™

Parental Care And The Development Of The Parent Offspring Conflict In Discus Fish (Symphysodon Spp.), Jonathan Buckley

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Parental care has evolved across the animal kingdom to increase the probability of offspring surviving in an environment fraught with danger. While parental care is common among mammals and birds, it is relatively rare in fish with the vast majority of fish showing no form of parental care at all, whilst those that do, often just provide parental care to developing eggs pre-hatch. The provision of parental care in discus fish (Symphysodon spp.) is, therefore, interesting in that parents provide mucus to offspring as a source of nutrition during the first few weeks of care. In mammals this post-birth provision …

Molecular Studies Of Karenia Mikimotoi (Dinophyceae) From The Celtic Sea Region, Manal A. Al-Kandari

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

K. mikimotoi has been classified under many names and has been mis-assigned to different species and genera in the North Atlantic and Pacific because of its morphological similarities to other Gymnodinoid species. It is now known to be widely distributed, but there remain unresolved questions about whether K. mikimotoi was introduced into the North Sea from Japanese waters, or whether it has always inhabited this region and been erroneously classified as Gymnodinium spp. or has been a part of the hidden flora prior to be recognised in a bloom off the Norwegian coast in 1966. To address questions about geographical …

Fifth Graders' Discussions Of Graphic Novels Facilitated By De Bono Thinking Skills, Kimberly Ann Jennings

Graduate Research Papers

The effectiveness of graphic novels, heavily illustrated novels and traditional novels as a reading teaching tool has not been heavily researched. During the 5th grade school year of the 2011-2012, 24 students were required to read six novels, two in each format. During and after the reading, students were required to complete assigned assessments. The results of the study were graded based on a rubric system and by the number of responses per novel. The graphic novel received the highest scores in all categories. The graphic novel should be considered as an alternate method of teaching reading to 5th graders.

Leadership Of Identified Gifted Compared To High-Potential Students Studying Iowa's Natural History, Katie E. Broeg

Graduate Research Papers

At one time, students were only considered gifted if they received a score of 140 or higher on an IQ test. Renowned gifted researcher, Joseph Renzulli, challenged this notion with his three-ring conception of giftedness; an interaction between above average ability, creativity, and task-commitment in areas of passion. Renzulli also promoted the development of leadership and social capital through Operation Houndstooth.

Today, the national definition for gifted children acknowledges academics, leadership, arts, and creative talents. Schools are beginning to expand their definitions and identification procedures to acknowledge students with creative talents and leadership abilities. How do these students compare when …

Implementing Electronic Storybooks And The Effects On Reading Achievement At The Elementary Level, Chelsey Heidemann

Graduate Research Papers

Electronic storybooks are an innovative way to support the reading needs of students today. This literature review discusses the positive and negative effects electronic storybooks have on students' reading abilities. It focuses specifically on word accuracy, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Examples and information were taken from published journal a1ticles found through online databases and books. The review concludes that electronic storybooks can have a positive effect on a student's reading ability when using an electronic storybook that meets the needs of the learner.

Teachers' Perceptions Of Skills Needed For Children's Entry Into Kindergarten, Jessica Blohm

Graduate Research Papers

Kindergarten readiness is an ever-increasing topic in the field of early education among educators. Research has indicated that children learn better if parents, preschool and kindergarten teachers' expectations are aligned. The purpose of this project is to understand local preschool and kindergarten teachers' perceptions of skills needed for children's entry into kindergarten. Teachers from two school districts and local preschools and daycares will be surveyed using the local Head Start Kindergarten Readiness Goals. Information gained will potentially lead to modifications in curriculum and learning goals for children, aid in professional development practices for teachers, and better prepare children in the …

Late Miocene Palaeoclimate And Ecosystem Dynamics In Southwestern Bulgaria − A Study Based On Pollen Data From The Gotse-Delchev Basin, Dimiter A. Ivanov, Torsten Utescher, A. Rahman Ashraf, Volker Mosbrugger, Vladimir Bozukov, Nadezhda Djorgova, Evgenia Slavomirova

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

A profile 63 m thick in the Late Miocene in the Gotse-Dechev Basin (SW Bulgaria) was sampled for pollen analysis in the Kanina opencast mine. The exposed sequence comprises a basal unit with brown coal-clay cycles and clayey/siliciclastic cover layers partly representing a lacustrine facies. A total of 60 pollen samples were analysed, but quantitative data are confined to 30 polleniferous samples. The palynological analysis carried out provides data about the composition and structure of the fossil vegetation. The main vegetation type was a mixed mesophytic forest dominated by Carya, Fagus, Betula, Quercus, and Ulmus. Accessory elements included Magnolia, Corylopsis, …

Discovery Of A Mississippian Reef In Turkey: The Upper Viséan Microbial-Sponge-Bryozoan-Coral Bioherm From Kongul Yayla (Taurides, S Turkey), Julien Denayer, Markus Aretz

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

For the first time, a Mississippian reef is described from Turkey. This microbial-sponge-bryozoan-coral bioherm has been discovered in the Central Taurides (South Turkey), at Kongul Yayla located between Hadim and Taşkent. The bioherm contains a rich and diversified fauna: sponges and rugose corals are of particular interest. The bioherm shows four main facies reflecting distinct growth stages from the base to the top: (1) the basal bioclastic beds, (2) the core facies formed of framestone comprising rugose corals, lithistid sponges, fistuliporid bryozoans and microbial boundstone, (3) the crest facies with large colonies of cerioid rugose corals and chaetetid sponges, and …

Stereoscopic Avatar Interfaces : A Study To Determine What Effect, If Any, 3d Technology Has At Increasing The Interpretability Of An Avatar's Gaze Into The Real-World, Mark Dunne, Brian Mac Namee, John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

An approach to displaying avatar interfaces monoscopically such as the Turning, Stretching and Boxing (TSB) technique (a combination of three graphical processes) has been shown to improve the communication efficiency of avatars by increasing a user's ability to interpret an avatar's gaze direction through the delivery of a sustained 3D illusion of the avatar on a standard 2D display. A reasonable question to ask about this approach is whether or not the improvement in interpretability can be matched or surpassed by using a standard 3D display technology (stereoscopic) with or without the fore-mentioned approach? This paper presents an experiment that …

Effects Of Phenolic Acids On Gastrointestinal Smooth Muscle Complications In Streptozotocine-Induced Diabetic Rats, Nurcan Bektaş, Yusuf Öztürk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To identify the effects of antioxidants on gastrointestinal smooth muscle complications in 6-week streptozotocine (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods: The following steps were carried out: 1. Three weeks after STZ injection, saline and 10 mg/kg p-OH benzoic, protocatechic, and gallic acids were separately administered to the rat groups every day for 3 weeks. 2. The responses of the fundus and ileum to agonists were recorded using isolated organ bath experiments. Results: Diabetic smooth muscle complications developed in the diabetic rats. The responses of the ileum to acetylcholine increased whereas the responses of the fundus to serotonine decreased in the …

Effects Of Long-Term Passive Smoking On The Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor And Apoptosis Marker Expression In The Retina And Choroid: An Experimental Study, Sema Dündar, Fati̇h Özcura, İbrahi̇m Meteoğlu, Mehmet Erkut Kara

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate the effects of smoking, reported as a risk factor for age related macular degeneration (ARMD), on the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and apoptosis in the retina and choroid of rats. Materials and methods: This experimental study included 38 Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups. Groups 1 (males) and 2 (females) were exposed to smoke beginning on day 21 after birth, whereas groups 3 (males) and 4 (females) were not exposed to smoke. At the end of the fourth month, the right eyes of all of the rats were enucleated. Immunohistochemical analysis was …

Effect Of Dietary Β-Sitosterol On Fecal Bacterial And Colonic Biotransformation Enzymes In 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine–Induced Colon Carcinogenesis, Albert Baskar Arul, Khalid Al Numair, Mohammed Al Saif, Ignacimuthu Savarimuthu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The present study was designed to investigate the modulatory effect of \beta-sitosterol administration on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced fecal bacterial and colonic biotransformation enzyme activities. Materials and methods: The chemopreventive potential of \beta-sitosterol in colon carcinogenesis was assessed by injecting DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously into male Wistar rats and supplementing with \beta-sitosterol throughout the experimental period of 16 weeks at 3 different doses (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight). Results: Amplified activities of fecal bacterial (\beta-glucuronidase, \beta-glucosidase, \beta-galactosidase, nitroreductase, hyaluronate lyase, and sulfatase) and colonic biotransformation (\beta-glucuronidase, \beta-glucosidase, \beta-galactosidase, and nitroreductase) enzymes were considered hallmarks of colon carcinogenesis. DMH-induced …

Integrated Management Of The Red Imported Fire Ant In Pastures, William Sullivan Hilbun

LSU Master's Theses

The effects and interactions of chemical, cultural, and biological control of red imported fire ant (RIFA) populations were evaluated in two replicated studies in pastures. The first study was conducted from 2005 through 2007 in Washington parish, Louisiana (WP) where the biological control Psuedacteon tricupsis phorid flies were present and at the LSU AgCenter St. Gabriel Research Station in St. Gabriel, Louisiana (SG) where Psuedacteon tricuspis flies were absent. The second study was conducted from May 2009 to May 2010 at St. Gabriel in the presence of phorid flies. In both studies, RIFA population indices in sites treated with methoprene …

Identifying U.S. First Ladies Involved With Child And Youth Serving Organizations, Greta A. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to identify how U.S. First Ladies have significantly impacted child or youth programs and causes. This will cover six First Ladies from the 1900's to the present which include: 1) Lou Hoover; 2) Lady Bird Johnson; 4) Nancy Reagan; 3) Barbara Bush; 5) Laura Bush; and 6) Michelle Obama.

Multicultural Boards: An Examination Of The Pertinent Literature Of The Understanding Of An Individual’S Roles Serving On An International Nonprofit Board Of Directors, Carrie E. Radloff

Graduate Research Papers

An increase in the number of international nonprofits has necessitated the need for inclusion of culturally, socio-economically, and gender diverse board members. Existing literature shows that board members in different organizations understand their roles differently and therefore affect their performance on the board of directors as well as the performance of the board of directors as a whole. This paper is a literature review to establish how individual members of nonprofits understand their roles and whether diversity has an influence on their understanding of their roles. Also examined is the board's performance as influenced by diversity, as well as the …

Misconceptions In Science Education, Angela Francis

Graduate Research Papers

Like many science teachers today, I am a constructivist. I believe that students need to be active constructors of their own knowledge. I also understand that, prior to entering my classroom, students have had innumerable experiences that have led them to develop their own unique understanding of the natural world. This reality has certain advantages and disadvantages. One critical disadvantage is that students' prior knowledge and common-sense understandings about science can be at odds with the nature of science that is generally accepted within the scientific community. In order to be an effective teacher, I must identify and understand the …

Forensic Science: An Applied Chemistry Single Semester Course, Theresa A. Theis

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Professional Development For The Library Para Educator: Developing A Guide To Answer Questions About School Libraries In The 21st Century, Tifini Foglesong

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a manual for new and existing library paraprofessionals as well as administrators who coordinate teacher librarian professional inservice days. This information will provide content for library paraprofessionals to understand both the procedures and principles of school libraries.

Try To See Me As Me: Understanding Autism In Children's Literature, Brandee Roelfs

Graduate Research Papers

Autism diagnosis is growing each year. While the diagnosis is growing, the information available for elementary children is. The purpose of this project is to create a children's book that will enhance student's understanding of autism in their peers. Research questions guide this study:

1. What should be the nature of the characters and storyline in a fiction book that educates children about autism?

2. What particular information about autism should be interwoven into a fictional story featuring autism?

This children's book created is for elementary students, targeted to grades second and third. The book compares a brother to his …

Boy's Recreational Reading In A One-To-One Computer School, Michaela Seeman

Graduate Research Papers

High school boys are often not motivated to read when required, let alone read for enjoyment. With the use of advanced technology provided through a one-to-one computer educational setting and resources, high school boys may have a different approach and attitude to reading for enjoyment.

The purpose of this study was to examine what high school boys chose to read, print and electronic, for enjoyment in an Iowa one-to-one computer educational setting. The questions asked in this research study included:

1. What topics do high school boys spend time investigating? What resources do they use?

2. How do high school …

Library And Technology Combined Curriculum For Kindergarten/First Grade Common Core, Dyann K. Vilez

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create for Kindergarten and first grade students a curriculum that incorporated library and technology skills to make sure that each student was getting the knowledge and instruction in these areas that they need to become successful.

The standards, benchmarks, objectives, and skills in the following documents were referenced when creating this curriculum; American Association of School Librarians (AASL), Norwalk Community School District Literacy, Common Core English Language Arts, International Society for Technology/National Educational Technology Standards (ISTE/NETS), Norwalk Community School District Technology Standards and the Norwalk Community School District Technology Skills List. This project …

Social Bookmarking In The Classroom, Sara Richardson

Graduate Research Papers

The vast amount of content on the Internet causes complications when struggling to tame it. The purpose of this literature review is to uncover the viability of social bookmarking for managing Internet content for classroom learning. It also reveals how collaboration in social bookmarking can increase its effectiveness in the classroom and how social bookmarking models best facilitate learning. Sources researched were published in the last seven years, when social bookmarking started to become widely recognized. Studies in the areas of content organization, searching, collaboration, and education were reviewed. The conclusions acknowledge social bookmarking as not a replacement for, but …

Early Algona: A Digital Story, Kathy Bottaro

Graduate Research Papers

The 1986 classic teen movie, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off' contains a scene that is all too familiar in today's high school classrooms. The history/economics teacher is addressing a classroom full of seemingly comatose students: In 1930, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the ... anyone? anyone? the Great Depression, passed the ... anyone? anyone? the tariff bill? The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act? Which, anyone? Raised or lowered? ... raised tariffs, in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal government. Did it work? Anyone? Anyone know the effects? It did not work, and …

Role Of Intraocular Leptospira Infections In The Pathogenesis Of Equine Recurrent Uveitis In The Southern United States, Florence Polle

LSU Master's Theses

To investigate the role of intraocular leptospiral infections in horses with Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), ocular fluid samples were collected from donated and client-owned horses with a history and ocular findings consistent with chronic ERU. Additionally, eyes were harvested from horses with normal ophthalmic examinations as a control group. Blood samples were obtained for Leptospira serology using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Aqueous and vitreous humor samples were aseptically obtained and submitted for aerobic culture and Leptospira culture, PCR and MAT. Twenty-one control horses (40 eyes) and 31 ERU horses (46 eyes) were available for study. Serology results were available for …

Characterization Of The Promoter And Insulator Activities Of The Scs' Insulator, Yu Ge

LSU Master's Theses

Eukaryotic gene expression is regulated by regulatory elements. Insulators are one class of regulatory sequences. They can prevent heterochromatin from spreading into euchromatin, block distal enhancer activity, or both. Insulators function by recruiting several associated proteins. The scs’ insulator, which is located at one end of the 87A7 hsp 70 locus, is bound by BEAF. In the Drosophila genome, more than 85 % of BEAF binding sites are found within 300 bp of transcription start sites, suggesting BEAF may be involved in promoter function. Based on previous insulator position effect assays, two sequences were found to be necessary for full …

Hepatoprotective Effect Of Vitamins C And E Against Gasoline Vapor-Induced Liver Injury In Male Rats, Friday Effiong Uboh, Patrick Ekong Ebong, Henry Dan Akpan, Itoro Friday Usoh

Turkish Journal of Biology

The protective effect of vitamins C and E against gasoline vapor-induced liver injury was investigated in rats. Liver injury was assessed from the activities of liver function diagnostic indices including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (\gamma-GT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, total serum protein (TSP), albumin concentrations, and the histological architectures of the liver tissues of the experimental animals. The results showed that gasoline vapors caused a significant (P = 0.05) higher than that of vitamin C. The results of our study suggest a protective effect of vitamin C and vitamin E against gasoline vapor-induced liver …

Fatty Acid Composition Of The Seeds Of Some Species Of Peucedanum (Kral Otu) From Turkey, Nükhet Akpinar, Sali̇h Görgün, Hüseyi̇n Aşkin Akpulat, Mehmet Ali̇ Akpinar, Apdurahman Aktümsek, Ali̇ Emre Akpinar

Turkish Journal of Biology

The fatty acid compositions of the seeds of Peucedanum ruthenicum, Peucedanum chryseum, Peucedanum palimbioides, Peucedanum obtusifolium, and Peucedanum zedelmeierianum were investigated by gas chromatography (GC). The main fatty acids in the species were found to be palmitic acid (C 16:0, 5.78%-14.68%), oleic acid (C 18:1 \omega-9, 31.28%-68.06%), and linoleic acid (C 18:2 \omega-6, 15.99%-33.74%). Trace amounts of cis-vaccenic acid (C 18:1 \omega-7, 0.82%-1.40%) were found in the seed oils of all of the species investigated.

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Calcium Oxalate Crystal Types In Three Oak Species (Quercus L.) In Turkey, Bedri̇ Serdar, Hati̇ce Demi̇ray

Turkish Journal of Biology

Crystal types from 3 oak species representing 3 different sections of the genus Quercus were identified. Crystals were studied with scanning electron microscopy after localisation by light microscopy. The crystals were composed of calcium oxalate silicates as whewellite (calcium oxalate monohydrate) composites. In Quercus macranthera Fisch. et Mey. subsp. syspirensis (C.Koch) Menitsky (İspir oak) from the white oaks (section Quercus: Leucobalanus), whewellite and trihydrated weddellites coexisted. Axial parenchyma cells included 30 crystal chains with walls as chambers in uniseriate ray cells; some cells had many crystals without any chambers and were small. Long thin crystals were found adherent to the …

Antioxidant Enzymes And Gst Activity In Natural Populations Of Holandriana Holandrii From The Bosna River, Jelena Vrankovic, Svetlana Labus-Blagojevic, Bela Csanyi, Jarmila Makovinska, Olga Cvetkovic, Zoran Gacic, Dusko Blagojevic, Momir Paunovic

Turkish Journal of Biology

Specimens of the freshwater snail Holandriana holandrii affected by different levels of contamination were collected from 3 sites within the Bosna River Basin, i.e. Visoko, Doboj, and Modrica. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were investigated in order to understand their variation with respect to the pollution status of the sampling locations. The results revealed a significant increase in CAT, GPx, and GST activities in the snails collected from Modrica, suggesting that the animals at this location are exposed to a higher level of oxidative …