Digital Commons Network^™

Predicting Live And Dead Tree Basal Area In Bark Beetle-Affected Forests From Discrete-Return Lidar, Andrew T. Hudak, Benjamin C. Bright, Jose Negron, Robert Mcgaughey, Hans-Erik Andersen, Jeffrey A. Hicke

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

Recent bark beetle outbreaks in western North America have been widespread and severe. High tree mortality due to bark beetles affects the fundamental ecosystem processes of primary production and decomposition that largely determine carbon balance (Kurz et al. 2008, Pfeifer et al. 2011, Hicke et al. 2012). Forest managers need accurate data on beetle-induced tree mortality to make better decisions on how best to remediate beetle-affected forests and restore healthy ecosystem services (Negron et al. 2008). Discrete-return LiDAR measures canopy height and density, and LiDAR intensity provides some indication of the spectral reflectance and condition of canopy elements (foliage …

Increased Susceptibility To Metabolic Syndrome In Adult Offspring Of Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor Autoantibody-Positive Rats., Suli Zhang, Xi Zhang, Lihong Yang, Zi Yan, Li Yan, Jue Tian, Xiaoyu Li, Li Song, Li Wang, Xiaoli Yang, Ronghua Zheng, Wayne Bond Lau, Xinliang Ma, Huirong Liu

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Abstract Aims: Abnormal fetal and early postnatal growth is closely associated with adult-onset metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the underlying etiological factors remain complex. The presence of the autoantibody against the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-Ab), a known risk factor for pre-eclampsia, may create a suboptimal intrauterine fetal environment. The current study investigated whether middle-aged offspring of AT1-Ab-positive mothers were prone to metabolic disorder development. Results: The AT1-Abs was detected in placental trophoblastic cells, capillary endothelium, and milk of pregnant rats actively immunized with the second extracellular loop of the AT1 receptor. AT1-Abs in newborn rats induced vasoconstriction, increased intracellular-free …

In-Game Action List Segmentation And Labeling In Real-Time Strategy Games, Wei Gong, Ee-Peng Lim, Palakorn Achananuparp, Feida Zhu, David Lo, Freddy Chong-Tat Chua

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In-game actions of real-time strategy (RTS) games are extremely useful in determining the players' strategies, analyzing their behaviors and recommending ways to improve their play skills. Unfortunately, unstructured sequences of in-game actions are hardly informative enough for these analyses. The inconsistency we observed in human annotation of in-game data makes the analytical task even more challenging. In this paper, we propose an integrated system for in-game action segmentation and semantic label assignment based on a Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) model with essential features extracted from the in-game actions. Our experiments demonstrate that the accuracy of our solution can be as …

Extending A Mobile Device's Interaction Space Through Body-Centric Interaction, Xiang Chen, Nicolai Marquardt, Anthony Tang, Sebastian Boring, Saul Greenberg

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Modern mobile devices rely on the screen as a primary input modality. Yet the small screen real-estate limits interaction possibilities, motivating researchers to explore alternate input techniques. Within this arena, our goal is to develop Body-Centric Interaction with Mobile Devices: a class of input techniques that allow a person to position and orient her mobile device to navigate and manipulate digital content anchored in the space on and around the body. To achieve this goal, we explore such interaction in a bottom-up path of prototypes and implementations. From our experiences, as well as by examining related work, we discuss and …

Stable Bifurcations In Semelparous Leslie Models, J. M. Cushing, Shandelle M. Henson

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we consider nonlinear Leslie models for the dynamics of semelparous age-structured populations. We establish stability and instability criteria for positive equilibria that bifurcate from the extinction equilibrium at R0=1. When the bifurcation is to the right (forward or super-critical), the criteria consist of inequalities involving the (low-density) between-class and within-class competition intensities. Roughly speaking, stability (respectively, instability) occurs if between-class competition is weaker (respectively, stronger) than within-class competition. When the bifurcation is to the left (backward or sub-critical), the bifurcating equilibria are unstable. We also give criteria that determine whether the boundary of the positive cone is …

Estimates Of Body Mass For Fossil Giant Ground Squirrels, Genus Paenemarmota, H. Thomas Goodwin, Kelsey M. Bullock

Faculty Publications

Paenemarmota Hibbard and Schultz, 1948 includes 3 species of giant ground squirrels within Marmotini (Rodentia, Sciuridae) from the Late Miocene and Pliocene of central and western North America. We developed skeletal and dental models for estimating body mass across modern species of Marmotini and apply these models to Paenemarmota. The most reliable models for estimating body mass of modern species (on the basis of length and width of femur, lengths of p4 and P4) generally yielded lower estimates of body mass for Paenemarmota than less reliable models (on the basis of lengths of m1, m2, M1, and M2). Models that …

The Ranging Costs Of A Fallback Food: Liana Consumption Supplements Diet But Increases Foraging Effort In Howler Monkeys, Jacob C. Dunn, Norberto Asensio, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Jurgi Cristóbal‐Azkarate

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas are important components in the dynamics of tropical forests and represent fallback foods for some primates, yet little is known about their impact on primate ecology, behavior or fitness. Using 2 yr of field data, we investigated liana consumption and foraging effort in four groups of howler monkeys (two in bigger, more conserved forest fragments and two in smaller, less conserved fragments) to assess whether howler monkeys use lianas when and where food availability is scarce, and how liana consumption is related to foraging effort. Howler monkeys in smaller fragments spent more time consuming lianas and liana consumption was …

Expression Of Recombinant Earli1, A Hybrid Proline-Rich Protein Of Arabidopsis, In Escherichia Coli And Its Inhibition Effect To The Growth Of Fungal Pathogens And Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Lan Li, Chen Zhang, Dan Xu, Michael Schläppi, Zi-Qin Xu

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

EARLI1 is an Arabidopsis gene with pleiotropic effects previously shown to have auxiliary functions in protecting plants against freezing-induced cellular damage and promoting germinability under low-temperature and salinity stresses. Here we determined whether recombinant EARLI1 protein has anti-fungal activity. Recombinant EARLI1 protein lacking its signal peptide was produced in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) using isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction and the prokaryotic expression vector pET28a. Expression of EARLI1 was analyzed by Western blotting and the protein was purified using affinity chromatography. Recombinant EARLI1 protein was applied to fungal cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum, and membrane permeability …

Origin Of Great Lakes Brown Trout, Salmo Trutta: A Phylogeographic Analysis Using Mtdna Sequence Variation, David Baisch

Masters Theses

The brown trout, Salmo trutta, was first introduced to the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1887 from European broodstocks to found a recreational salmonid fishery; however, the origins of these progenitor lineages remain largely unknown. Trout from these regions are very specialized to their native habitats and matching North American stocks to similar watersheds may help increase survivability by introducing the stock to a more appropriate environment. The objective of this study was to determine the European origins of brown trout found in the Great Lakes. We analyzed 144 brown trout from ten watersheds across Michigan and Wisconsin and identified …

Examining The Relationship Between Emotional Schemas, Emotional Intelligence, And Relationship Satisfaction, Gregory Mears

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of the literature revealed that the relationship between emotional intelligence, emotional schemas, and relationship satisfaction has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional schemas, emotional intelligence and relationship satisfaction in a sample of married individuals, utilizing a cross-sectional, correlational design to assess the constructs via validated assessment tools. Baron and Kenny's methodology for assessing mediating relationships was used to explore the relationship between these variables. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the higher values dimension of emotional schemas accounted for 4.1% of the variance in relationship satisfaction after controlling …

Emotional Psychological And Related Problems Among Truant Youths: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis, Richard Dembo, Rhissa Briones-Robinson, Rocío Aracelis Ungaro, Laura M. Gulledge, Lora M. Karas, Ken C. Winters, Steven Belenko, Paul Greenbaum

Faculty Publications

Latent class analysis was conducted on the psychosocial problems experienced by truant youths. Data were obtained from baseline interviews completed on 131 youths and their parents/guardians involved in a NIDA-funded, Brief Intervention Project. Results identified two classes of youths: Class 1(n=9) - youths with low levels of delinquency, mental health and substance abuse issues; and Class 2(n=37) - youths with high levels of these problems. Comparison of these two classes on their urine analysis test results and parent/guardian reports of traumatic events found significant (p<.05) differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Our results have important implications for research and practice.

High Prevalence Of The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis) Across Multiple Taxa And Localities In The Highlands Of Ethiopia, David J. Gower, Thomas M. Doherty-Bone, Roman K. Aberra, Abebe Mengistu, Silvia Schwaller, Michele Menegon, Rafael O. De Sá, Samy A. Saber, Andrew A. Cunningham, Simon P. Loader

Biology Faculty Publications

Surveys of the potentially lethal amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis - Bd) in Africa are patchy, especially in some regions of high species endemicity. We present results of the first Bd surveys of wild amphibians in Ethiopia, for two upland regions on either side of the Rift Valley: the Bale Mountains and the Kaffa region. Surveys were opportunistic so that robust interpretation of the data is limited. Utilizing diagnostic qPCR assays, 51 out of 120 frogs (14 species in 10 genera) tested positive for Bd at altitudes of 1,620–3,225 m, across all genera and species, and all but …

The Development Of Dermatonotus Muelleri (Anura: Microhylidae: Gastrophryninae), Marissa Fabrezi, Silvia Quinzio, Javier Goldberg, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The monophyly of Microhylidae is supported by an overwhelming accumulation of synapomorphic larval features. Despite the distinctiveness of the microhylid tadpole, few studies have focused on larval development. Microhylid larval morphology is usually described and based on standard tables that imply that developmental events at equivalent stages of overall tadpole development are independent from species-specific patterns of developmental timing. Herein, we present additional developmental data based on external morphology and field data on larval growth for the gastrophrynine microhylid Dermatonotus muelleri. We describe internal morphological variation (e.g., skeletal and soft systems) during larval development. The results indicate that the onset …

Rapid Range Expansion In The Great Plains Narrow-Mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne Olivacea) And A Revised Taxonomy For North American Microhylids, Jeffrey W. Streicher, Christian L. Cox, Jonathan A. Campbell, Eric N. Smith, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

We investigated genetic variation within the Great Plains narrow-mouthed toad, Gastrophryne olivacea, across its geographic range in the United States and Mexico. An analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 105 frogs revealed remarkably low levels of genetic diversity in individuals inhabiting the central United States and northern Mexico. We found that this widespread matrilineal lineage is divergent (ca. 2% in mtDNA) from haplotypes that originate from the western United States and western coast of Mexico. Using a dataset that included all five species of Gastrophryne and both species of the closely related genus Hypopachus, we investigated the phylogenetic …

Panarchy And The Law, J.B. Ruhl

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Panarchy theory focuses on improving theories of change in natural and social systems to improve the design of policy responses. Its central thesis is that successfully working with the dynamic forces of complex adaptive natural and social systems demands an active adaptive management regime that eschews optimization approaches that seek stability. This is a new approach to resources management, and yet no new theory of how to do things in environmental and natural resources management, particularly one challenging entrenched ways of doing things and the interests aligned around them, is likely to gain traction in practice if it cannot gain …

Salud Y Saludos: The E-News Of The College Of Health Sciences, College Of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences

Monthly e-newsletter of the College of Health Sciences.

Compromising Scholarship: Religious And Political Bias In American Higher Education, George Yancey, Bruce A. Chadwick

BYU Studies

George Yancey, a professor of sociology at the University of North Texas, has focused his research on racial and ethnic bias. His recent books include Interracial Families: Current Concepts and Controversies and Interracial Contact and Social Change. Yancey's newest study in Compromising Scholarship documents the bias of university faculty against members of various groups. Professor Yancey, aware that scientists, just like other Americans, are hesitant to reveal any prejudice or bias, focused his study on "collegiality" in an attempt to distract respondents from the research interest in bias. Yancey conducted his study via Internet survey and blog analyses in the …

Effectiveness Of A Peer-Led Hiv Prevention Intervention In Secondary Schools In Rwanda: Results From A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial, Kristien Michielsen, Roxanne Beauclair, Wim Delva, Kristien Roelens, Ronan Van Rossem, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: While the HIV epidemic is levelling off in sub-Saharan Africa, it remains at an unacceptably high level. Young people aged 15-24 years remain particularly vulnerable, resulting in a regional HIV prevalence of 1.4% in young men and 3.3% in young women. This study assesses the effectiveness of a peer-led HIV prevention intervention in secondary schools in Rwanda on young people’s sexual behavior, HIV knowledge and attitudes.

Methods: In a non-randomized longitudinal controlled trial, fourteen schools were selected in two neighboring districts in Rwanda Bugesera (intervention) and Rwamagana (control). Students (n= 1950) in eight intervention and six control schools participated …

Patterns Of Residential Mobility Of People With Schizophrenia: Multi-Level Tests Of Downward Geographic Drift, Christopher G. Hudson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study tests the geographic drift hypothesis that the negative SES-MI correlation results from individuals first developing conditions such as schizophrenia and then moving frequently because of their disability to low income and urban areas, and to neighborhoods with high concentrations of SMI persons. This is a secondary analysis of hospital records of 1,667,956 individuals in Massachusetts, USA, between 1994 and 2000. It employs a longitudinal cohort design and techniques of multi-level modeling. Downward geographic drift of those with schizophrenia was found to be small, but greater than other groups examined. The small level of drift was best explained by …

Genetics For The Ophthalmologist., Karthikeyan A Sadagopan, Jenina Capasso, Alex V Levin

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

The eye has played a major role in human genomics including gene therapy. It is the fourth most common organ system after integument (skin, hair and nails), nervous system, and musculoskeletal system to be involved in genetic disorders. The eye is involved in single gene disorders and those caused by multifactorial etiology. Retinoblastoma was the first human cancer gene to be cloned. Leber hereditary optic neuropathy was the first mitochondrial disorder described. X-Linked red-green color deficiency was the first X-linked disorder described. The eye, unlike any other body organ, allows directly visualization of genetic phenomena such as skewed X-inactivation in …

Drifters, Sally Leaf

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Im:Pact, Tomalee Doan, Chantal Levesque-Bristol, Donalee Attardo

IMPACT Presentations

Presentation given at State Budget Commission, West Lafayette, IN. Summarizes IMPACT goals, methods and progress. IMPACT supports faculty-led course redesign with campus-wide resources and student-centered pedagogy. Gives preliminary findings of IMPACT results.

Global Cellular Regulation Including Cardiac Function By Post-Translational Protein Arginylation., Hideko Kaji, Akira Kaji

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

In this issue a very significant contribution to cardiology describing critical roles of ATE1 appears by Kurosaka et al. [1]. In view of this paper, as the discoverers of ATE1, we have been asked to contribute an article (editorial) regarding ATE1 (enzyme which transfers arginine from arginyl tRNA to protein acceptors). This short article consists of three sections: 1) a historical anecdote describing how ATE1 was discovered; 2) its possible role in aging and cellular transformation, and most importantly; 3) its role in the development and maintenance of cardiac activity. The last section has direct bearing to the Kurosaka …

Bioactive Trace Metal Distributions And Biogeochemical Controls In The Southern Ocean, Christopher Measures, Mariko Hatta, Maxime Grand

Faculty Publications

Extensive sampling in many regions of the Southern Ocean has demonstrated that surface water concentrations of dissolved Fe are low enough to limit phytoplankton growth. In contrast, there is currently no evidence that other bioactive elements (e.g., Mn, Zn, Co) are similarly limiting. Although atmospheric input of dissolved Fe to Southern Ocean surface waters appears to be low, resuspension of sediments from shallow regions around islands and the Antarctic coastline can inject significant amounts of Fe into the surrounding waters, stimulating primary production and providing a natural laboratory for studying the response of biological systems to natural Fe fertilization processes. …

The Impact Of Climate Change On Coastal Tourism In Mena Countries., Alain Safa, Nathalie Hilmi

Topics in Middle Eastern and North African Economies

No abstract provided.

Coral Reefs And Tourism In Egypt's Red Sea, Nathalie Hilmi, Alain Safa, Stéphanie Reynaud

Topics in Middle Eastern and North African Economies

No abstract provided.

Cirt Newsletter--September 2012, Center For Instruction & Research Technology (Cirt)

CIRT News

This issue contains:

Faculty Spotlight: Using Video Walk-Throughs to Illustrate Problem-Solving Processes

New in CIRT

Upcoming Events

Digital Thinking: CIRT's New Video Setup

Best Practices Online: Managing Media Files in Blackboard

Blackboard News: Bb World 2012, Mobile Testing, and DEV Course Deletes

New Survey Tool Coming to Campus: Qualtrics

App Review: UNF Mobile

News from ITS: Technology Assistance Center in the Carpenter Library

Lost Sleep And Cyberloafing: Evidence From The Laboratory And A Daylight Saving Time Quasi-Experiment, David T. Wagner, Christopher M. Barnes, Vivien K. G. Lim, D. Lance Ferris

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The Internet is a powerful tool that has changed the way people work. However, the ubiquity of the Internet has led to a new workplace threat to productivity—cyberloafing. Building on the ego depletion model of self-regulation, we examine how lost and low-quality sleep influence employee cyberloafing behaviors and how individual differences in conscientiousness moderate these effects. We also demonstrate that the shift to Daylight Saving Time (DST) results in a dramatic increase in cyberloafing behavior at the national level. We first tested the DST–cyberloafing relation through a national quasi-experiment, then directly tested the relation between sleep and cyberloafing in a …

The Control Of Posture In Newly Standing Infants Is Task-Dependent, Laura J. Claxton, Dawn Melzer, Jyoong Hyun Ryu, Jeffrey M. Haddad

Psychology Faculty Publications

The postural sway patterns of newly standing infants were compared under two conditions: standing while either holding or not holding a toy. Infants exhibited a lower magnitude of postural sway and more complex sway patterns when holding the toy. These changes suggest infants adapt postural sway in a manner that facilitates visually fixating on and stabilizing the toy in their hand. When simply standing, infants exhibited postural sway patterns that appeared to be more exploratory in nature. Exploratory sway patterns may allow infants to learn the affordances of their new standing posture. These results demonstrate newly standing infants are capable …

Triple Valve Endocarditis By Mycobacterium Tuberculosis: A Case Report., Quratulain Shaikh, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Department of Medicine

BACKGROUND:

Granulomas caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis have been observed at autopsy in the heart, pre-dominantly in the myocardium and endocardium, but rarely involving the coronary vessels and valvular structures. Mycobacterium tuberculosis valvular endocarditis is extremely rare, with most reports coming from autopsy series.

CASE PRESENTATION:

We report the case of a 17 year old immunocompetent girl who presented with history of fever, malaise, foot gangrene and a left sided hemiparesis. On investigation she was found to have infective endocarditis involving the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves. She had developed a right middle cerebral artery stroke. She underwent dual valve replacement …