Digital Commons Network^™

Causes And Consequences Of Geophagy In Snowshoe Hares (Lepus Americanus), An Important Generalist Herbivore Of The Boreal Forest, Suzanne Worker

Biological Sciences

Geophagy, the consumption of mineral soil, is believed to have several benefits for herbivores. Soils high in clay are often implicated in the detoxification of plant secondary metabolites. High mineral concentrations in soils may also provide nutrients that are poorly available from plants. Local observers report that snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) use a lick in the foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska. Using soil from this lick and other mineral supplements, I conducted a series of feeding trials on captive snowshoe hares fed felt-leaf willow (Salix alaxensis) or a formulated ration to determine whether geophagy resulted in a physiological benefit …

The Influence Of Climate And Tectonics On Topography In The Hayes Range And Its Foothills, Gabrielle Vance

Geosciences

Complex feedback exists among climate, tectonics, and glacial erosion in the creation of topography: climate influences glaciation; tectonics and glacial erosion modify topography; topography influences climate. The objectives of this study are to determine elevation distribution in the Hayes Range area of the central Alaska Range and to identify evidence for structural or erosional controls. I have used geospatial information systems (GIS) software to map mean elevation, calculate geomorphic indices from a digital elevation model (DEM), and characterize climatic, tectonic, and topographic patterns. Deformation, elevation, and erosion all increase southward within the range. In the northern part of the range, …

Remote Sensing Of Arctic Landscape Dynamics, Benjamin M. Jones

Geosciences

Amplified warming in the Arctic has likely increased the rate of landscape change and disturbances in northern high latitude regions. Remote sensing provides a valuable tool for assessing the spatial and temporal patterns associated with arctic landscape dynamics over annual, decadal, and centennial time scales. In this dissertation, I focused on remote sensing studies associated with four primary components of arctic landscape change and disturbance: (1) permafrost coastline erosion, (2) thermokarst lake dynamics, (3) tundra fires, and (4) using repeat airborne LiDAR for the measurement of vertical deformation in an arctic coastal lowland landscape. By combining observations from several high …

New Algorithms For The Compilation Of Glacier Inventories, Christian Kienholz

Geosciences

Glacier inventories are used for many applications in glaciology, however, their manual compilation is time-consuming. Here, we present two new algorithms for the automatic compilation of glacier inventories. The first approach is based on hydrological modeling tools and separates glacier complexes into individual glaciers, requiring a digital elevation model (DEM) and glacier complex outlines as input. Its application to > 60,000 km² of ice in Alaska (~98% success rate) and southern Arctic Canada (~97% success rate) indicates the method is robust if DEMs and glacier complex outlines of good quality are available. The second algorithm relies on glacier outlines and a …

Basal Shear Strength Inversions For Ice Sheets With An Application To Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, Marijke Habermann

Geosciences

Satellite and in situ observations of ice sheet outlet glaciers around the turn of the 21st century showed that rapid changes in ice dynamics are possible and important for the evolution of ice sheets. When attempting to model these dynamic changes the conditions at the ice-bed interface are crucial. Inverse methods can be used to infer basal properties, such as the basal yield stress, from abundant surface velocity observations by using a physical model of ice flow. Inverse methods are very powerful, but they need to be applied with care, otherwise errors can dominate the solution. In this study we …

Seismicity, Seawater And Seasonality: New Insights Into Iceberg Calving From Yahtse Glacier, Alaska, Timothy Chester Bartholomaus

Geosciences

At many of the largest glaciers and ice sheets on Earth, more than half of the annual ice loss occurs through iceberg calving into the ocean. Calving is also responsible for the most rapid ice mass changes, both directly (through the mechanical loss of ice at the terminus) and indirectly (through dynamic thinning of upstream ice initiated by terminus retreat). Yet, the mechanisms and factors that control calving are poorly understood. Recordings of glaciogenic seismic waves, known as "icequakes," produced during iceberg calving offer opportunities for insight that cannot be gleaned through other methods. In order to better understand iceberg …

Academic, Behavioral And Social Intervention Strategies For Elementary Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Kristin Flora

Counseling

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience academic, behavioral and social challenges that can interfere with their ability to participate fully in the school environment. School districts are legally mandated to provide services to students with disabilities. This paper provides definitions of ASD, addresses some of the diagnostic testing instruments, describes theoretical approaches, and looks at three evidence-based intervention strategies that could be utilized by a school counselor and staff members to work effectively with students with autism. The first is applied behavioral analysis (ABA) which centers on teaching small, measurable units of behavior systematically. The second intervention is assistive …

Glucose Transporter-4 In Mononuclear Cells Of Sled Dogs, Theresia Maria Schnurr

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) is the glucose transporter most responsive to insulin and has been thought to exist predominately in muscle and adipose cells. There have been findings that the glucose transporter-4 isoform is also expressed in subpopulations of white blood cells such as mononuclear cells. This study was designed to validate the presence of GLUT4 in subpopulations of white blood cells of sled dogs and to investigate whether changes in GLUT4 protein levels in white blood cells might be associated with age and stage of conditioning, as it has been reported in muscle. Our initial results have shown the …

Teaching A Novel Using The Common Core State Standards, Danielle Holley

Education

The purpose of this project was to explore ways that teachers can use the newly adopted Common Core State Standards to drive their instruction while teaching a novel. I created lessons for teachers to apply to the teaching of any novel and also gave specific lessons to use while teaching the novel The Adventures of Ulysses, by Bernard Evslin. I created lessons that addressed the Common Core's English Language Arts standards in reading literature, reading informational texts, writing, speaking and listening. My goal for this project was to explore how teachers could incorporate the use of informational texts, multimedia tools, …

A Judge Weakened Utah’S Anti-Polygamy Law. What Does This Say About Sex, Race, And Religion?, Nathan B. Oman

Popular Media

No abstract provided.

System For Staining Fungi And Protozoa, My Lien Dao

USF Patents

The present invention provides a method for the staining of fungi and microsporidia for observation with a light microscope based upon the presence of chitin in the composition of these organisms. With the method of the present invention a sample to be analyzed is treated with a solution of Ponceau S and Stains-all dye. The sample is then selectively decolorized and rinsed. The resulting sample is examined with a light microscope, or photographed for a permanent record, to identify the presence of a variety of microorganisms, to include fungi and microsporidia.

Garnet & Black Winter 2013, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

Garnet & Black Magazine

No abstract provided.

An Algorithm For Motion Estimation From The Tomographic Data, Alexander Katsevich, Michael Silver, Alexander Zamyatin

UCF Patents

In this paper we study local tomography (LT) in the motion contaminated case. It is shown that microlocally, away from some critical directions, LT is equivalent to a pseudo-differential operator of order one. LT also produces non-local artifacts that are of the same strength as useful singularities. If motion is not accurately known, singularities inside the object f being scanned spread in different directions. A single edge can become a double edge. In such a case the image of f looks cluttered. Based on this observation we propose an algorithm for motion estimation. We propose an empiric measure of image …

Anonymous Gift Provides Competitive Edge For Recruiting Brass Players, Katie Morrison

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Soundings 2013-12-17, N/A N/A

Soundings

No abstract provided.

Enrichment And Training Improve Cognition In Rats With Cortical Malformations, Kyle R. Jenks, Marcella M. Lucas, Ben A. Duffy, Ashlee A. Robbins, Barjor Gimi, Jeremy M. Barry, Rod C. Scott

Dartmouth Scholarship

Children with malformations of cortical development (MCD) frequently have associated cognitive impairments which reduce quality of life. We hypothesized that cognitive deficits associated with MCD can be improved with environmental manipulation or additional training. The E17 methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) exposure model bears many anatomical hallmarks seen in human MCDs as well as similar behavioral and cognitive deficits. We divided control and MAM exposed Sprague-Dawley rats into enriched and non-enriched groups and tested performance in the Morris water maze. Another group similarly divided underwent sociability testing and also underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans pre and post enrichment. A third group …

A Pil1–Sle1–Syj1–Tax4 Functional Pathway Links Eisosomes With Pi(4,5)P2 Regulation, Ruth Kabeche, Assen Roguev, Nevan J. Krogan, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

Stable compartments of the plasma membrane promote a wide range of cellular functions. In yeast cells, cytosolic structures called eisosomes generate prominent cortical invaginations of unknown function. Through a series of genetic screens in fission yeast, we found that the eisosome proteins Pil1 and Sle1 function with the synaptojanin-like lipid phosphatase Syj1 and its ligand Tax4. This genetic pathway connects eisosome function with the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] in cells. Defects in PI(4,5)P2 regulation led to eisosome defects, and we found that the core eisosome protein Pil1 can bind to and tubulate liposomes containing PI(4,5)P2. Mutations in components of …

Engaging Local Perspectives For Improved Conservation And Climate Change Adaptation, Corrine Noel Knapp

Biological Sciences

Climate change is a global process that will impact local places in heterogeneous and unpredictable manners. This dissertation considers whose knowledge and observations could contribute to conservation and climate adaptation planning, how perceptions influence social-ecological feedbacks, and how science could be more relevant to decision-makers and local residents. In Chapter 2, I report on interviews (n=36) conducted with ranchers and recreation-based business owners in Colorado to understand their self-perceptions of resilience and vulnerability. I find that ranchers perceive more exposure and sensitivity to climate change and they also demonstrate more adaptive capacity than recreation businesses. In Chapter 3, I convey …

Effects Of Environmental Characteristics On The Fish Assemblages Of High Latitude Kelp Forests In South-Central Alaska, Terril P. Efird

Marine Biology

Alaskan kelp forests are patchy habitats, varying greatly in size, physical complexity, and biotic and abiotic characteristics, and are important to fish communities. Patchy habitats often support different communities on patch edges versus interiors, while patch size and physical complexity are typically correlated to the resident community structure. This study quantified the biological and physical heterogeneity within different sized kelp forests and identified which factors are important in structuring the associated fish communities. Fish and habitat surveys were conducted at ten kelp forests of varying sizes. Significantly different fish communities were found at edge compared to interior locations. The relative …

A Departmental Focus On High Impact Undergraduate Research Experiences, Robin Kinnel, Adam W. Van Wynsberghe, Ian J. Rosenstein, Karen S. Brewer, Myriam Cotten, George C. Shields, Charles J. Borton, Sueann Z. Senior, Gregory S. Rahn, Timothy E. Elgren

Faculty Journal Articles

Undergraduate research experiences have become an integral part of the Hamilton College chemistry experience. The major premise of the chemistry department’s curriculum is that research is a powerful teaching tool. Curricular offerings have been developed and implemented to better prepare students for the independence required for successful undergraduate research experiences offered during the academic year and the summer. Administrative support has played a critical role in our ability to initiate and sustain scholarly research programs for all faculty members in the department. The research-rich curriculum is built directly upon or derived from the scholarly research agendas of our faculty members. …

Developing Guidelines For Including Mobility-Based Performance Specifications In Highway Construction Contracts, Shawn J. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Construction zones can greatly affect the traffic flow on roadways, especially when lane closures are required. Traditionally, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has used traffic management specifications that only allow lane closures and road work to be done during predetermined hours or specifications that require a certain number of lanes to be open at all times. Recently, mobility-based work-zone traffic flow maintenance has been considered. This method requires continuous monitoring of mobility-based performance data and a mechanism to send alerts to the contractors when the mobility data does not meet the standards set by the specifications. UDOT recently tested …

Three Dimensional Volcano-Acoustic Source Localization At Karymsky Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, Colin Rowell

Geosciences

We test two methods of 3-D acoustic source localization on volcanic explosions and small-scale jetting events at Karymsky Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. Recent infrasound studies have provided evidence that volcanic jets produce low-frequency aerodynamic sound (jet noise) similar to that from man-made jet engines. Man-made jets are known to produce sound through turbulence along the jet axis, but discrimination of sources along the axis of a volcanic jet requires a network of sufficient topographic relief to attain resolution in the vertical dimension. At Karymsky Volcano, the topography of an eroded edifice adjacent to the active cone provided a platform for the …

Aspen Leaf Miner (Phyllocnistis Populiella) Oviposition Site Preference Mediated By Expression Of Extrafloral Nectaries, Russell Dennis

Biological Sciences

As herbivorous insects choose where to lay their eggs, maximizing larval performance (optimal oviposition) may be at odds with adult foraging (optimal foraging). Aspen leaf miners (Phyllocnistis populiella; ALM) choose between leaves with or without extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) as oviposition sites on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). Reduced ALM mining on leaves with EFNs may be linked to predators that defend leaves and feed at EFNs, and to increased concentrations of secondary leaf compounds. However, direct responses of adult ALM to EFN expression may also explain differences in ALM mining among leaves with and without EFNs. ALM might be less …

Ecological Drivers Of Mercury Accumulation In Threespine Stickleback Fish, James J. Willacker

Biological Sciences

I utilized the ecological diversity displayed in the Cook Inlet adaptive radiation of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus species complex, hereafter 'stickleback') to examine the drivers of intra- and inter-population variation in total mercury (THg) concentrations. I examined the importance of sex, trophic position (TP), and habitat-specific foraging (measured as the proportion of the diet derived from benthic sources; a) in stickleback from Benka Lake, Alaska, a lake with both benthic and limnetic ecotypes. The results demonstrate that both sex and habitat-specific foraging are important determinants of THg concentrations in this threespine stickleback population. Specifically, male stickleback and stickleback foraging in …

Foxes And Food Subsidies: Anthropogenic Food Use By Red And Arctic Foxes, And Effects On Arctic Fox Survival, On The Arctic Coastal Plain Of Alaska, Garrett Savory

Biological Sciences

Food subsidies have the potential to impact wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)) expanded their range into Arctic regions during the 20th century, and the availability of anthropogenic foods may have contributed to their success and persistence in the Arctic. Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus (L., 1758)) are also known to forage on anthropogenic foods in Prudhoe Bay and to forage on marine mammals on the sea ice, but it is unknown whether these strategies benefit survival of Arctic foxes. This thesis examined: 1) the importance of anthropogenic foods to the diets of …

Peeking Through A Frosty Window: Molecular Insights Into The Communities Of Arctic Soil Fungi, Ina Timling

Biological Sciences

Fungi are thought to be one of the most diverse groups of organisms in the Arctic. They drive mineral and energy cycles and influence the occurrence of other organisms as mutualists (mycorrhizae, endophytes, lichens), decomposers and pathogens. Nevertheless, information on fungal biodiversity and distribution patterns in relation to environments across the Arctic is still sparse. Molecular methods were used to examine the diversity and community structures of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) associated with two principal arctic host plants, Salix aretica and Dryas integrifolia, as well as total soil fungal communities of adjacent disturbed and undisturbed areas of patterned-ground features across the …

Performance Analysis Of Three Nanofluids In Liquid To Gas And Liquid To Liquid Heat Exchangers, Dustin R. Ray

Engineering

One purpose of this research was to analyze the thermal and fluid dynamic performance of nanofluids in an automotive radiator (liquid to gas). Detailed computations were performed on an automotive radiator using three different nanofluids containing aluminum oxide, copper oxide and silicon dioxide nanoparticles dispersed in the base fluid, 60:40 ethylene glycol and water (EG/W) by mass. The computational scheme adopted was the effectiveness-Number of Transfer Unit (� -- NTU) method encoded in Matlab. The computational scheme was validated by comparing the predicted results with that of the base fluid reported by other researchers. Then, the scheme was adapted to …

Analysis Of An Oscillating Plate Coupled With Fluid, Michael J. Nash

Engineering

The mechanical vibration of an oscillating cantilever plate is studied to determine the interaction of a plate coupled with air and with water. Experimental data was collected and analyzed using multiple methods including Fast Fourier Transform, wavelet analysis, and the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) to characterize the behavior of the plate. The HHT is able to process nonlinear and nonstationary signals and provides more meaningful information compared to the traditionally used Fourier transform for similar applications. The HHT was found to be appropriate and more descriptive for the analysis of coupled fluid-structure systems. Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) was also used …

Investigating The Effects Of Land Use On Small Mammal Populations, Emily Vincent

Student Research

Introduction
The DePauw Nature Park is an excellent site to study the effects of land use on ecosystems. The recent construction of a small farm and the recent restoration of farmland into a prairie provide sites to study how changes in land use affect ecosystems. We studied the effects of land use changes on small mammal communities at the campus farm, an old field next to the campus farm, and a restored prairie.

Hypotheses
We hypothesized that the abundance and diversity of small mammals would be highest in the restored prairie and lowest in the campus farm.

Methods
We used …

Habitat Associations, Distribution, And Abundance Of Smith's Longspur (Calcarius Pictus), An Uncommon Species Of Concern In The Brooks Range, Alaska, Teri Corvus Wild

Biological Sciences

Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) is a species of conservation concern in the U.S. and Canada, yet few studies have been conducted on their breeding grounds in the Arctic, which are expected to undergo dramatic changes due to climate change. For effective conservation, we need information on breeding distribution and abundance; thus I conducted surveys for Smith's Longspur and habitat characteristics across a broad geographic range that included twelve sites within Alaska's Brooks Range, June 2003-2009. My main objectives were to (1) locate breeding populations (2) describe habitats at local and broader geographic scales, (3) develop a predictive distribution map based …