Digital Commons Network^™

Estimating Aboveground Carbon Stocks Of A Forest Affected By Mountain Pine Beetle In Idaho Using Lidar And Multispectral Imagery, Benjamin C. Bright, Jeffrey A. Hicke, Andrew T. Hudak

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Mountain pine beetle outbreaks have caused widespread tree mortality in North American forests in recent decades, yet few studies have documented impacts on carbon cycling. In particular, landscape scales intermediate between stands and regions have not been well studied. Remote sensing is an effective tool for quantifying impacts of insect outbreaks on forest ecosystems at landscape scales. In this study, we developed and evaluated methodologies for quantifying aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks affected by mountain pine beetle using field observations, lidar data, and multispectral imagery. We evaluated methods at two scales, the plot level and the tree level, to ascertain the …

Midday Stomatal Conductance Is More Related To Stem Rather Than Leaf Water Status In Subtropical Deciduous And Evergreen Broadleaf Trees, Yong-Jiang Zhang, Frederick C. Meinzer, Jin-Hua Qi, Guillermo Goldstein, Kun-Fang Cao

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Midday depressions in stomatal conductance (g_s) and photosynthesis are common in plants. The aim of this study was to understand the hydraulic determinants of midday g_s, the coordination between leaf and stem hydraulics and whether regulation of midday g_s differed between deciduous and evergreen broadleaf tree species in a subtropical cloud forest of Southwest (SW) China. We investigated leaf and stem hydraulics, midday leaf and stem water potentials, as well as midday g_s of co-occurring deciduous and evergreen tree species. Midday g_s was correlated positively with midday stem water potential across both …

Climate Change On The Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: A Synthesis Of Past Climate, Climate Projections, And Ecosystem Implications, Janine Rice, Andrew Tredennick, Linda A. Joyce

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Shoshone National Forest (Shoshone) covers 2.4 million acres of mountainous topography in northwest Wyoming and is a vital ecosystem that provides clean water, wildlife habitat, timber, grazing, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic value. The Shoshone has experienced and adapted to changes in climate for many millennia, and is currently experiencing a warming trend that is expected to accelerate in the next century. Climate change directly and indirectly affects the Shoshone’s high-elevation, mountainous terrain that supports unique and sometimes rare ecological components. Several vulnerable and very responsive resources and processes on the Shoshone could interact to produce unforeseeable or undesirable ecosystem …

Perceptions Of Teacher Efficacy In Changing Times, Jack Lee Parker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were twofold: determine how teacher perceptions change over time in their ability to create a desired effect on student learning and examine the differences between principal and teacher perceptions of teacher efficacy. Principals and teachers at 150 public schools, broken down as 50 from elementary schools with a grade configuration of pre-kindergarten through Grade 5, 50 from middle schools with a grade configuration of Grade 6 through Grade 8, and 50 from high schools with a grade configuration of Grade 9 through Grade 12 were selected to participate in the study. Each principal was sent …

Next Generation Immigrant Negotiation Practices, Erika Angelique Buckley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Activity And Diet Of Bats In Apple Orchards Of Southern Michigan, Brenna Lynn Smith

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

I studied activity and diet of bats in apple orchards in southern Michigan. There was no difference between organic and conventional orchards in number and composition of insects captured with light traps, number of bats captured with mist nets, or number of acoustic files of bat activity that were recorded. The majority of insects captured were Coleptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Trichoptera. Only two species of bats were caught: big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) and eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis). Most calls were produced by big brown bats, followed by hoary bats (L. cinereus), red …

Structure And Reversible Pyran Formation In Molybdenum Pyranopterin Dithiolene Models Of The Molybdenum Cofactor, Benjamin R. Williams, Yichun Fu, Glen P. A. Yap, Sharon J. Nieter Burgmayer

Chemistry Faculty Research and Scholarship

The syntheses and X-ray structures of two molybdenum pyranopterin dithiolene complexes in biologically relevant Mo(+4) and Mo(+5) states are reported. Crystallography reveals these complexes possess a pyran ring formed through a spontaneous cyclization reaction of a dithiolene side-chain hydroxyl group at a C=N bond of the pterin. NMR data on the Mo(+4) complex suggests a reversible pyran ring cyclization occurs in solution. These results provide experimental evidence that the pyranopterin dithiolene ligand in molybdenum and tungsten enzymes could participate in catalysis through dynamic processes modulated by the protein.

Methodological Orientation Of Research Articles Appearing In Higher Education Journals, Sherri E. Ritter

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to understand the methodologies authors in higher education journals used to obtain knowledge in their fields. This study looked at five peer-reviewed journals of higher education and analyzed the methods of research employed by the authors to help them answer their respective research questions. The methods of research are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods. Additionally, this study examined the effects of author, gender, and academic rank on the selection of research methods.

Attachment Patterns And The Development Of Depression: Path Analysis Of Avoidant And Ambivalent Models, Jessica Lynn Taylor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two attachment-based models of depression were tested with path analysis. In the first model, it was proposed that avoidant attachments to one’s father and mother and a family milieu supporting the suppression of feelings would influence one’s attachment to partner and level of shame, making one susceptible to depression. In the second model, it was proposed that ambivalent attachments to one’s father, mother, and partner would influence one’s levels of rumination and shame, making one susceptible to depression. Data were from a previous study and consisted of 126 participants’ de-identified Beck Depression Inventory-II and Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire scores. …

Small-Scale Fishing Communities With Marine Protected Area In Cebu Province, Philippines: Mpa Management & Enforcement And Community Welfare, Dexter S. Ontoy, Jay P. Picardal, Richard B. Parilla, Christine Marie I. Gohetia, Nimfa R. Pansit

CNU Journal of Higher Education

This study attempts to validate the ‗spill-over effect‘ which has been used as theoretical foundation of MPA establishment that would guarantee improved fish catch and henceforth the welfare of the households. Given their socio-economic characteristics, small-scale fishing communities are still the most vulnerable sector in the country. The use of multiple indicators was preferred to capture the different dimensions of the issue of living standard and poverty, in response to the criticisms on these different indicators. The main data gathering method employed in this study was the households, through field survey. The communities‘ level of acceptance possibly influenced an MPAs …

Diagnosing The Marketing Management System Of Value-Driven Organization: Case Of The Epoch Times Taiwan, Hsiu-Ching Lin, Hung-Hwei Liu

CNU Journal of Higher Education

Since the end of 1980, corporate marketing management system has been influenced by the innovation of information technology, trend of globalization and the increasing complexity of the market which includes the macro-environment, like global warming, climate change and hostile, conflict-ridden society, and micro-roles of employees and customers. The culture of having which emphasizes consumerism and materialism has brought lots of social problems and even society crisis. All of these have impacted business not only in marketing strategies formulation but also the relationships with its employees, customers and society. In this paper, value-driven approaches, including corporate social responsibility (CSR), Economy of …

Fractal Statistics And Data Roughness, Roberto N. Padua, Daisy R. Palompon, Dexter S. Ontoy, Enfren O. Barabat

CNU Journal of Higher Education

We examine the power-law distribution with fractional exponents as a parent distribution of a random sample. The power-law distribution is shown to be similar to the Pareto distribution used in statistics for analyzing income distribution. Data roughness is described in terms of a fractal dimension (λ) which always exists even in cases where the variance (the usual measure of variability) may not exist. Estimate of data roughness for each observation xi is provided. The statistical properties of the fractal dimension of a random variable X are explored. Visual representation of data roughness are likewise provided.

Rainfall, Temperature And The Incidence Of Dengue In Central Visayas, Philippines Are Not Correlated, Jay P. Picardal, Allan Roy B. Elnar

CNU Journal of Higher Education

Climatic factors have been considered as agents of the transmission and spread of the dengue virus in the Philippines. This present paper investigated the correlation of two climatic factors; rainfall and temperature, to the cases of dengue fever observed in Region 7, Philippines from 2006-2010. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to determine the extent of correlation between incidence of dengue and climatic factors. Results showed no significant correlation (r2 = 0.2, p = 0.964) between either rainfall or temperature and the prevalence of dengue cases.

Interfacing Random And Non-Random Genet, Roberto N. Padua, Jay P. Picardal, Jezyl T. Cempron, Dexter S. Ontoy, Sherlenie Tecson

CNU Journal of Higher Education

The study tested whether genetic mutations (point mutations) are random or non-random phenomena through simulation experiments using the amino acid sequencing of human CD4 lymphocytes. The randomness or lack thereof of point mutations has crucial implications to Darwin‘s theory of evolution and natural selection. A single hypothesis is tested in the study , namely, that genetic mutations can be regarded as both random and deterministic. This hypothesis was accepted since no significant difference was noted in the mutations induced by a purely random process (Beta(.5,.5)) and a deterministic chaotic dynamical function (logistic function on [0,1]). The beta density was used …

Annual Higher Ground Women's Leadership Conference 2012, The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute At Virginia Commonwealth University

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

No abstract provided.

American Woodcock: Population Status, 2012, Thomas R. Cooper, Rebecca D. Rau

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Singing-ground Survey data for 2012 indicate that indices for singing American woodcock (Scolopax minor) males in the Eastern and Central Management Regions are not significantly different from 2011. There was no significant 10-year trend for woodcock heard in the Eastern or Central Management Regions during 2002-12. This marks the ninth consecutive year that the 10-year trend estimate was not significant in the Eastern Region and the second year that the 10-year trend in the Central Management Region was non-significant. Both regions have a longterm (1968-12) declining trend of -0.8 % per year. The 2011 recruitment index for the …

Band-Tailed Pigeon Population Status, 2012, Todd A. Sanders

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

This report summarizes information on the abundance and harvest of band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) in the western United States and British Columbia from 1968 through 2011. The all-bird Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provides an annual index to abundance of Pacific Coast and Interior band-tailed pigeons since 1968, while the Mineral Site Survey (MSS), implemented in 2004, was developed specifically to index abundance of Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons. Harvest and hunter participation are estimated from the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program. The BBS provided evidence that the abundance of Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons decreased (–2.1% per year, credible interval …

Effects Of Temperature On The Intensive Culture Performance Of Larval And Juvenile North American Burbot (Lota Lota Maculosa), James M. Barron, Nathan R. Jensen, Paul J. Anders, Joshua P. Egan, Susan C. Ireland, Kenneth D. Cain

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on growth and survival of larval and juvenile burbot, Lota lota maculosa. Burbot aquaculture is developing primarily in response to declining wild stocks and a need to restore such populations. Beyond conservation efforts, there is also potential to culture this species commercially. However, many important aspects of burbot culture remain unaddressed. In this study larval and juvenile burbot were reared at three constant water temperatures (10, 15, and 20 °C) in an intensive culture setting. Two 30 day trials were conducted during the larval life stage and …

Diagnosis Of Porcine Teschovirus Encephalomyelitis In The Republic Of Haiti, Ming Y. Deng, Max Millien, Rodney Jacques-Simon, J. Keith Flanagan, Alexa J. Bracht, Consuelo Corrillo, Roger W. Barrette, Andrew Fabian, Fawzi Mohamed, Karen Moran, Jessica Rowland, Sabrina L. Swenson, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Leo Koster, Bruce V. Thomsen, Gregory Mayr, Dave Pyburn, Paula Morales, John Shaw, Thomas Burrage, William White, Michael T. Mcintosh, Samia Metwally

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

In February and March 2009, approximately 1,500 backyard pigs of variable age became sick, and approximately 700 of them died or were euthanized in the Lower Artibonite Valley and the Lower Plateau of the Republic of Haiti. The main clinical sign was posterior ataxia followed by paresis and/or paralysis on the second or third day of illness. No gross lesions were observed at postmortem examinations. The morbidity and mortality were approximately 60% and 40%, respectively. Diagnostic samples (whole blood, brain, tonsil, lymph nodes, spleen, and lung) were negative for Classical swine fever virus and African swine fever virus. Porcine …

Diagnosis Of Porcine Teschovirus Encephalomyelitis In The Republic Of Haiti, M. Y. Deng, Max Millien, Rodney Jacques-Simon, J. Keith Flanagan, Alexa J. Bracht, Consuelo Carrillo, Roger W. Barrette, Andrew Fabian, Fawzi Mohamed, Karen Moran, Jessica Rowland, Sabrina L. Swenson, Melinda Jenkins-Moore, Leo Koster, Bruce V. Thomsen, Gregory Mayr, Dave Pyburn, Paula Morales, John Shaw, Thomas Burrage, William White, Michael T. Mcintosh, Samia Metwally

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

In February and March 2009, approximately 1,500 backyard pigs of variable age became sick, and approximately 700 of them died or were euthanized in the Lower Artibonite Valley and the Lower Plateau of the Republic of Haiti. The main clinical sign was posterior ataxia followed by paresis and/or paralysis on the second or third day of illness. No gross lesions were observed at postmortem examinations. The morbidity and mortality were approximately 60% and 40%, respectively. Diagnostic samples (whole blood, brain, tonsil, lymph nodes, spleen, and lung) were negative for Classical swine fever virus and African swine fever virus. Porcine teschovirus …

Crystal Structures Of Human Pyridoxal Kinase In Complex With The Neurotoxins, Ginkgotoxin And Theophylline: Insights Into Pyridoxal Kinase Inhibition, Amit Gandhi, Jigar V. Desai, Mohini S. Ghatge, Martino L. Di Salvo, Stefano Di Biase, Richmond Danso-Danquah, Faik N. Musayev, Roberto Contestabile, Verne Schirch, Martin A. Safo

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Several drugs and natural compounds are known to be highly neurotoxic, triggering epileptic convulsions or seizures, and causing headaches, agitations, as well as other neuronal symptoms. The neurotoxic effects of some of these compounds, including theophylline and ginkgotoxin, have been traced to their inhibitory activity against human pyridoxal kinase (hPL kinase), resulting in deficiency of the active cofactor form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP). Pyridoxal (PL), an inactive form of vitamin B6 is converted to PLP by PL kinase. PLP is the B6 vitamer required as a cofactor for over 160 enzymatic activities essential in primary and secondary metabolism. …

Discovery Of Prostamide F2Α And Its Role In Inflammatory Pain And Dorsal Horn Nociceptive Neuron Hyperexcitability, Luisa Gatta, Fabiana Piscitelli, Catia Giordano, Serana Boccella, Aron H. Lichtman, Sebatino Maione, Vincenzo Di Marzo

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

It was suggested that endocannabinoids are metabolized by cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the spinal cord of rats with kaolin/λ-carrageenan-induced knee inflammation, and that this mechanism contributes to the analgesic effects of COX-2 inhibitors in this experimental model. We report the development of a specific method for the identification of endocannabinoid COX-2 metabolites, its application to measure the levels of these compounds in tissues, and the finding of prostamide F2α (PMF2α) in mice with knee inflammation. Whereas the levels of spinal endocannabinoids were not significantly altered by kaolin/λ-carrageenan-induced knee inflammation, those of the COX-2 metabolite of AEA, PMF2α, were strongly elevated. The …

The Interleukin 3 Gene (Il3) Contributes To Human Brain Volume Variation By Regulating Proliferation And Survival Of Neural Progenitors, Xiao-Jian Luo, Ming Li, Liang Huang, Khwangsik Nho, Min Deng, Qiang Chen, Daniel R. Weinberger, Alejandro A. Vasquez, Mark Rijpkema, Venkata S. Mattay, Andrew J. Saykin, Li Shen, Guillen Fernandez, Barbara Franke, Jing-Chun Chen, Xiang-Ning Chen, Jin-Kai Wang, Xiao Xiao, Xue-Bin Qi, Kun Xiang, Ying-Mei Peng, Xiang-Yu Cao, Yi Li, Xiao-Dong Shi, Lin Gan, Bing Su

Psychiatry Publications

One of the most significant evolutionary changes underlying the highly developed cognitive abilities of humans is the greatly enlarged brain volume. In addition to being far greater than in most other species, the volume of the human brain exhibits extensive variation and distinct sexual dimorphism in the general population. However, little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying normal variation as well as the observed sex difference in human brain volume. Here we show that interleukin-3 (IL3) is strongly associated with brain volume variation in four genetically divergent populations. We identified a sequence polymorphism (rs31480) in the IL3 promoter which …

Improving Intensity-Based Lung Ct Registration Accuracy Utilizing Vascular Information, Kunlin Cao, Kai Ding, Joseph M. Reinhardt, Gary E. Christensen

Radiation Oncology Publications

Accurate pulmonary image registration is a challenging problem when the lungs have a deformation with large distance. In this work, we present a nonrigid volumetric registration algorithm to track lung motion between a pair of intrasubject CT images acquired at different inflation levels and introduce a new vesselness similarity cost that improves intensity-only registration. Volumetric CT datasets from six human subjects were used in this study. The performance of four intensity-only registration algorithms was compared with and without adding the vesselness similarity cost function. Matching accuracy was evaluated using landmarks, vessel tree, and fissure planes. The Jacobian determinant of the …

Preserved Ex Vivo Inflammatory Status In Decidual Cells From Women With Preterm Labor And Subclinical Intrauterine Infection, Violeta Castro-Leyva, Aurora Espejel-Nunez, Gerardo Barroso, Veronica Zaga-Clavellina, Arturo Flores-Pliego, Iyari Morales-Mendez, Silvia Giono-Cerezo, Scott W. Walsh, Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez

Obstetrics and Gynecology Publications

Objective

To compare the inflammatory response preserved ex vivo by decidual cells isolated from women who experienced preterm labor with and without subclinical intrauterine infection.

Methods

Fetal membranes were obtained after cesarean section from 35 women who delivered before 37 weeks of gestation following spontaneous preterm labor, with no clinical evidence of intrauterine infection. Decidua was microbiologically tested and cultured. Concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-8, MMP-9) were measured in the supernatants using Bio-Plex, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was measured by enzyme immunoassay.

Results …

Bacterial Artificial Chromosome Clones Of Viruses Comprising The Towne Cytomegalovirus Vaccine, Xiaohong Cui, Stuart P. Adler, Andrew J. Davison, Larry Smith, El-Sayed E. Habib, Michael A. Mcvoy

Pediatrics Publications

Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones have proven invaluable for genetic manipulation of herpesvirus genomes. BAC cloning can also be useful for capturing representative genomes that comprise a viral stock or mixture. The Towne live attenuated cytomegalovirus vaccine was developed in the 1970s by serial passage in cultured fibroblasts. Although its safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy have been evaluated in nearly a thousand human subjects, the vaccine itself has been little studied. Instead, genetic composition and in vitro growth properties have been inferred from studies of laboratory stocks that may not always accurately represent the viruses that comprise the vaccine. Here we …

Hemorrhage Detection And Segmentation In Traumatic Pelvic Injuries, Pavani Davuluri, Jie Wu, Yang Tang, Charles H. Cockrell, Kevin R. Ward, Kayvan Najarian, Rosalyn H. Hargraves

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

Automated hemorrhage detection and segmentation in traumatic pelvic injuries is vital for fast and accurate treatment decision making. Hemorrhage is the main cause of deaths in patients within first 24 hours after the injury. It is very time consuming for physicians to analyze all Computed Tomography (CT) images manually. As time is crucial in emergence medicine, analyzing medical images manually delays the decision-making process. Automated hemorrhage detection and segmentation can significantly help physicians to analyze these images and make fast and accurate decisions. Hemorrhage segmentation is a crucial step in the accurate diagnosis and treatment decision-making process. This paper presents …

A Comparison Of Two Distinct Murine Macrophage Gene Expression Profiles In Response To Leishmania Amazonensis Infection, Christian M. Probst, Rodrigo A. Silva, Juliana P.B. Menezes, Tais F. Almeida, Ivana N. Gomes, Andréia C. Dallabona, Luiz S. Ozaki, Gregory A. Buck, Daniel P. Pavoni, Marco A. Krieger, Patrícia S.T. Veras

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Background

The experimental murine model of leishmaniasis has been widely used to characterize the immune response against Leishmania. CBA mice develop severe lesions, while C57BL/6 present small chronic lesions under L. amazonensis infection. Employing a transcriptomic approach combined with biological network analysis, the gene expression profiles of C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after L. amazonensis infection in vitro, were compared. These strains were selected due to their different degrees of susceptibility to this parasite.

Results

The genes expressed by C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after infection, differ greatly, both with respect to absolute number as well as …

Genome-Wide Association Study Heterogeneous Cohort Homogenization Via Subject Weight Knock-Down, Andre X. C. N. Valente, Joseph Zischkau, Joo H. Shin, Yuan Gao, Abhijit Sarkar

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Population structure can be a source of both false-positive and false-negative findings in a genome-wide association study. This article proposes an approach that helps to reduce the false-positives. It consists of homogenizing the diseased/healthy phenotype ratio across the cohort, by decreasing the statistical weight of selected individuals. After homogenization, the cohort is statistically handled as if originating from a single well-mixed population. The method was applied to homogenize a Parkinson's disease genome-wide association study cohort.

Common Data Set, Office Of Institutional Research And Effectiveness, Mississippi State University

Common data set

No abstract provided.