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Molecular Mechanisms Involved In Anhydrobiosis Of Insect Cells, Diyagama Arachchi Ralalage Dilini Sewwandi Samarajeewa

Masters Theses

Animals possessing tolerance to extreme water stress are termed anhydrobiotes. Many desiccation tolerant organisms respond to water stress by intracellular accumulation of selected sugars such as trehalose and larger macromolecules such as Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins and thereby maintain the cell viability. Evidence indicates that the presence of trehalose and Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins may work synergistically to confer cellular protection during drying in eukaryotic cells. We evaluated any increase in cellular desiccation tolerance by expressing different LEA proteins in a non-desiccation tolerant insect cell line Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) (Kc167 cells) in the presence of trehalose.

Transgenic …

Examining The Relationship Between Environmental Policy And Economic Competitiveness In The United States And The European Union, Scott A. Trail

Masters Theses

In sum, when considering the findings of all three chapters of this thesis cumulatively, several implications are worth noting in regards to the relationship between environmental policy and economic competitiveness. First, the notion that adopting stringent environmental standards will impede on a state's ability to remain economically competitive was shown to be the exception, rather than the rule in all of the cases surveyed in this thesis. Moreover, the cumulative research throughout this thesis has shown the depth of complexity that exists between environmental and economic policy networks. Each chapter illustrated how the general relationship between government and private interests …

Large-Scale Spatial Synchrony And Cross-Synchrony In Acorn Production By Two California Oaks, Walter D. Koenig, Johannes M.H. Knops

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Seed production that varies greatly from year to year, known as ‘‘masting’’ or ‘‘mast-fruiting’’ behavior, is a population-level phenomenon known to exhibit geographic synchrony extending, at least in some cases, hundreds of kilometers. The two main nonexclusive hypotheses for the driver of such geographically extensive synchrony are (1) environmental factors (the Moran effect), and (2) the mutual dependence of trees on outcrossed pollen (pollen coupling). We tested 10 predictions relevant to these two hypotheses using 18 years of acorn production data on two species of California oaks. Data were obtained across the entire ranges of the two species at 12 …

Population-Level Scaling Of Avian Migration Speed With Body Size And Migration Distance For Powered Fliers, Frank A. La Sorte, Daniel Fink, Wesley M. Hochachka, John Delong, Steve Kelling

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Optimal migration theory suggests specific scaling relationships between body size and migration speed for individual birds based on the minimization of time, energy, and risk. Here we test if the quantitative predictions originating from this theory can be detected when migration decisions are integrated across individuals. We estimated population-level migration trajectories and daily migration speeds for the combined period 2007–2011 using the eBird data set. We considered 102 North American bird species that use flapping or powered flight during migration. Many species, especially in eastern North America, had looped migration trajectories that traced a clockwise path with an eastward shift …

An Investigation Of First-Year Teacher Induction Programs In Jesuit Secondary Schools Within The California Province, Justin James Dixon Christensen

Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed methods study invited principals (n=5) and first-year teachers (n=25) in five Jesuit secondary schools in the California Province to participate. Online surveys and follow-up online interviews were designed to assess the degree to which the schools met 11 standards that constituted the conceptual framework for the study: (a)Program vision, goals, and institutional commitment, (b)Formation of the Ignatian educator, (c)Program administration and communication, (d)Principal engagement, (e)Program assessment, evaluation, and accountability, (f)Assessing first-year teacher practice, (g)First-year teacher professional development and learning communities, (h)Mentor role and responsibilities, selection, assignment, and assessment, (i)Mentor professional development and learning communities, (j)Focus on instructional practice, …

Tips For Capturing 2014 Federal Court Clerkships, Carl Tobias

Vanderbilt Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Granite, 2013, University Of New Hampshire

The Granite – Yearbook

The yearbook of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, 1909-1922, the University of New Hampshire, 1923-

Geog 140: Human Geography—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Katherine Nashleanas

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio will systematically evaluate my course in relation to ACE and Advanced Placement Human Geography standards and objectives. It will enable me to evaluate ways of increasing student engagement in large lecture classes, student retention, and organization that supports student mental health. As a result of writing this portfolio, I will be able to evaluate the internal consistency and coherence of my course. This portfolio provides a conceptual structure and physical place to put observations and notes about course improvement from semester to semester, which will enable me to become even more secure about the intellectual and pedagogical …

Unmasking Tonto: Can Title Vii "Make It" In Hollywood, Megan Basham

American Indian Law Review

No abstract provided.

Policies Of Inequity--A World Apart: A Comparison Of The Policies Toward Indigenous Peoples Of A Post-Colonial Developing Nation To Those Of A Post-Industrial Developed Nation, Caitlain Devereaux Lewis

American Indian Law Review

No abstract provided.

Climate Change And Its Effect On Indigenous Peoples Of The Southwest, Josh Merrill

American Indian Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Widespread Distribution For Arostrilepis Tenuicirrosa (Eucestoda: Hymenolepididae) Among Arvicoline Rodent Hosts (Cricetidae) From The Palearctic Based On Molecular And Morphological Criteria: Historical And Biogeographic Implications, Kurt Galbreath, K Ragaliauskaite, L Kontrimavicius, A Makarikov, Eric Hoberg

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Ezh2 Knockdown Suppresses The Growth And Invasion Of Human Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells., Zhaomei Mu, Hua Li, Sandra V Fernandez, Katherine R Alpaugh, Rugang Zhang, Massimo Cristofanilli

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most metastatic variant of breast cancer with the poorest survival in all types of breast cancer patients and presently therapeutic targets for IBC are very limited. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is frequently expressed in human IBC and its expression positively correlates with worse clinical outcome. However, the molecular basis for EZH2 promoting IBC has not been explored. Here, we investigated the functional role of EZH2 in IBC cells by examining the effects of its knockdown on the formation of tumor spheroids and invasion of these cells in vitro and in vivo …

Historical Hydroclimatic Change At Theodore Roosevelt National Park: 1895 - 2011, Rhonda Jan Fietzek-Devries

Theses and Dissertations

Although numerous studies have examined hydroclimatic and climatic changes in our national parks, no previous studies have examined historical temperature, precipitation and hydroclimatic changes at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit). Documenting historical trends in temperature, precipitation and hydroclimatic variables is important for understanding present and future changes in vegetation and wildlife.

I used 117 (1895 - 2011) years of temperature and precipitation data obtained from the PRISM data network to construct the historical climatic water budget time series based upon the Thornthwaite water-budget model. Trend lines and descriptive statistics are used to analyze the monthly, seasonal and annual climatic …

Lavinia's Voice: Verbal And Nonverbal Expression In Shakespearean Performance, Kelly Kilgore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For my MFA internship requirement, I currently serve as an acting intern at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF. I was cast as Lavinia in OST’s spring production of Titus Andronicus, and I will use this as my thesis role. It will be the very last show of my MFA career, and it will provide an exceptional opportunity for me to utilize all the skills learned during my three years of MFA classes and training. Jim Helsinger, Artistic Director at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater and Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida, will direct the production. …

Interactionz: Engaging Lgbtq+ Youth Using Theatre For Social Change, Jonathan Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theatre for social change is a term used to describe a wide range of theatre-based techniques and methods. Through implementation of performance techniques, participants are encouraged to creatively explore and communicate various ideas with the specific intention of eliciting a societal or political shift within a given community. Through this thesis, I will explore the impact of applying theatre for social change in a youth-centered environment. I will discuss my journey as creator, facilitator, and project director of interACTionZ, a queer youth theatre program in Orlando, FL formed through a partnership between Theatre UCF at the University of Central Florida …

Belief And Christmas: Performing Belief And The Theory And Practice Of Christmas Performance, Brenna Nicely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, Christmastime has become a time of tension between the holy ideals of family togetherness, childhood innocence, and goodwill towards men and commercial idolatry. Christ and Santa Claus are pitted against each other in the war on Christmas between religion and secularism instead of feasting together on ham and figgy pudding in the traditional fashion. While many would agree that the everyday realities of the Christmas season do not often live up to the ideals imposed upon the holiday, few are able to tell why this is so or even trace the roots of their discontent. In …

This Stuff Is Finished: Amiri Baraka's Renunciation Of The Ghosts Of White Women And Homosexuals Past, Susan Stone-Lawrence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines auto/biographical, theoretical, critical, literary, and dramatic works by and about LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, primarily focusing on the eruption of “Hate Whitey” sentiment and rhetoric that characterized a decadelong cultural nationalist phase of the henceforth selfdeclaredly Black poet-playwright’s career. As a black militant, LeRoi Jones left his white wife and other white associates in Greenwich Village, moved to Harlem, changed his name to Amiri Baraka, converted to Islam, and started the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School. This thesis contends that Baraka’s Black Arts Movement era plays emphasize negation of the value of white women and gay men, who had …

The Recipe Of A Digital Story: An Analysis Of The Residency "The Recipe Of Me", Amanda Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the processes and outcomes of “The Recipe of Me,” a digital storytelling residency whose goals were to foster autonomy and community among disadvantaged youth aged twelve to fifteen living in the Orlando Union Rescue Mission. Using on-site experience and data, I explore the possibilities and advantages digital storytelling offered the students living in this population and consider the challenges of creating digital stories specific to this site. This case study provides a portrait of the residency which outlines the phases, techniques, tools and approaches used to create the digital stories and empower youth to create using multiple …

All Of Chinese Literature Condensed: A Sourcebook From The Playwright, Director, And Biggest Fan, Whitney Emerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aristotle stated in his Poetics that theatre’s dual purpose was to educate and entertain. Centuries later the Roman Horace and Indian Bharata echoed his same sentiments. I intend to realize all three theorist’s ideas on the theatre by creating an original educational and entertaining work and bringing it to performance. The audience will retain information without being aware of learning if it is presented in a pleasurable way. The most important geopolitical relationship of this century will be between China and America. In order to educate the American public about the culture of The Middle Kingdom, I propose to write …

Historical Catch Trends And Efficacy Of Video Surveillance Monitoring Of Catch Per Unit Effort At Recreational Fishing Piers In South Carolina, Charles Christian Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, recreational anglers claim declining catch rates in the shore-based pier fishery in South Carolina. The study seeks to evaluate whether catch data supports angler testimony in this region, to examine the relationship of landings at piers in context of the regional level, and to test a method which would enhance the ability of managers to monitor landings of this under-studied fishery. Novel, non-standardized catch series extending back to 1973 were acquired from fishing piers and examined in an attempt to produce significant trends in measures of catch. King mackerel catch (Scomberomorus cavalla) was tested for correlation to …

Impact Of Macroconsumers On Leaf Breakdown And Detritivores In Wet And Dry Wetlands On A Southeastern Us Coastal Plain Floodplain, Bryanna Libby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interactions among macroconsumers (predators and large omnivores) and detritus breakdown are poorly understood on river floodplains. I evaluated the impact of macroconsumers on leaf breakdown, macroinvertebrate abundance and biomass, and fungal biomass on the Great Pee Dee River floodplain using exclosures in 6 wetlands. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) leaves were held in mesh bags and in leaf packs. After 301 days, breakdown rates (k) were low in all treatments (k < 0.003 day-1) and did not significantly differ. Fungal biomass also did not significantly differ between treatments nor did overall macroinvertebrate abundance or biomass. Collector-gatherer invertebrates were significantly more abundant in treatments open to macroconsumers in mesh bags (P<0.001). Shredders had significantly higher biomass in packs held in exclosures closed to macroconsumers (P=0.048). Lack of rain limited stream-floodplain connectivity so a second, shorter study was done in one flooded wetland. After 98 days, pre-conditioned leaves in mesh bags open to macroconsumers had significantly higher breakdown rates (k = 0.0078 day-1) than those closed to macroconsumers (k = 0.0058 day-1; P= 0.050). Fungal biomass did not significantly differ between treatments. Total macroinvertebrate abundance (but not biomass) was higher in mesh bags open to macroconsumers (P=0.014). Scrapers and predators were significantly more abundant in mesh bags opens to macroconsumers (P=0.001 and P=0.004, respectively) than those closed to macroconsumers. These results indicated macroconsumers had a larger impact on litter breakdown in wet floodplain wetlands than in dry ones.

Age-Associated Changes In The Neuroinflammatory Response To Toll-Like Receptor 4 And 9 Stimulation, Leah Beth Christensen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

During the perinatal time period, the mammalian brain is developing rapidly and is particularly sensitive to inflammation. Inflammation during this time period may be linked to later neurological illness in humans. Disease-associated alterations in learning and behavior can be modeled in rodents using perinatal immune stimulation with either infectious agents or Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. Although the gestational period is a particularly sensitive time for neurodevelopment, it is not known for how long after birth this sensitivity persists. In mice, susceptibility to neurological infection declines dramatically during the first weeks of life. Therefore, we sought to compare the neuroinflammatory responses …

Understanding The Dynamics Of Species Distributions Under Climate Change: Linking Empirical Evidence, Ecological Theory, And Statistical Models, Shawn M. Crimmins

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Climate change is threatening biota all over the world through dictating changes in species distributions. The ability to predict the effects of climate on species distributions requires an understanding of how climatic and disturbance factors relate to species distributions. I examined the relationship between climate, disturbance, and geographic distributions of vascular plants in the western United States.

Within the mountain ranges of California, woody plants have largely shifted their distributions downhill during the 20th century. These shifts were strongly related to observed changes in climatic water balance, consistent with theoretical predictions. Downhill shifts were most prominent for species occurring at …

Can One Hear...? An Exploration Into Inverse Eigenvalue Problems Related To Musical Instruments, Christine Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The central theme of this thesis deals with problems related to the question, “Can one hear the shape of a drum?” first posed formally by Mark Kac in 1966. More precisely, can one determine the shape of a membrane with fixed boundary from the spectrum of the associated differential operator? For this paper, Kac received both the Lester Ford Award and the Chauvant Prize of the Mathematical Association of America. This problem has received a great deal of attention in the past forty years and has led to similar questions in completely different contexts such as “Can one hear the …

2013-2014 Undergraduate Catalog, Morehead State University

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2013-2014 undergraduate catalog for Morehead State University.

The Process Of Directing Edward Albee's The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia, Shelley Whitehead

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This paper will follow director Shelley Whitehead's process of bringing The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee to production at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Within the paper the director discusses her initial concepts and ideas; a historical look at the playwright and play; journals regarding the rehearsal and performance process; a dissection of that process to ascertain success or failure of the ideas set forth in the first chapter; and a final look at how her years at Minnesota State Mankato shaped her as a director. Included in the paper is an Appendix to supplement the paper's findings. …

Ruminate, Violet L. Goode

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Work and research conducted by Violet Love Goode between 2011-2013 as part of the Master of Arts curriculum for the Department of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Can't Get A Date, Date A Dog, Dana Marie Sikkila

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

My work is about redefining a space, taking away the idea of the white cube that is known as the gallery. I want to take my viewer to another space without having them leave the room. My work overtakes the gallery and gives it a new meaning. The use of wallpaper and house hold appliances transforms the viewer to an era that no longer exists. The use of repetition and female imagery overwhelms the viewer. Over thousands of individually silkscreened and hand cut prints are combined with household appliances to create a three-dimensional sculpture. It takes a two dimensional thing …

The Ambiguity Of Panem: Capitalism, Nationalism, And Sexuality In Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games Series, Megan Ann Peters

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The publication of and the critical and public success of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy marks a significant departure from the norms of traditionally-popular young adult literature, particularly in its portrayal of a fiercely active female protagonist. This thesis argues that despite the noticeable progress these novels make in representing a strong female character, The Hunger Games series fails to adequately challenge other important aspects of oppression. I conduct a feminist literary analysis of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay, focusing specifically on representations of capitalism and commodification, national and district pride, and sexual objectification and sexual harassment …