Digital Commons Network^™

Legacy Effects Of Habitat Degradation By Lesser Snow Geese On Ground-Nesting Savannah Sparrows Along The Hudson Bay Lowlands, Stephen L. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Little is known of the direct and indirect legacy of Lesser Snow Goose (LSGO) habitat degradation in northern Canada on the biodiversity of other avian species. It is believed that a human-induced trophic cascade caused in part by agricultural habitat modification along migratory routes and wintering grounds has contributed to the increase in LSGO numbers, which has resulted in increased foraging pressure by LSGO on northern breeding and stopover sites. This habitat degradation may lead to decreased abundance and richness of Arctic / sub-Arctic avian species across landscapes that LSGO utilize and degrade.

Here we evaluated the annual change in …

Mule Deer And Wildlife Crossings In Utah, Usa, Megan Schwender

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) negatively impact wildlife populations and create dangerous driving situations for motorists. In Utah, USA, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) encounter a variety of hazards as they attempt to cross highways and interstates, some of which are 8 lanes wide. Agencies have sought to mitigate the risks posed to drivers and mule deer by building crossing structures for wildlife. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of crossing structures in Utah to safely pass mule deer under highways and to determine the variables that best explain mule deer passage use. From 2008 - 2011 …

Correcting Errors Due To Species Correlations In The Marginal Probability Density Evolution Algorithm, Abiezer Tejeda

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Synthetic biology is an emerging field that integrates and applies engineering design methods to biological systems. Its aim is to make biology an “engineerable” science. Over the years, biologists and engineers alike have abstracted biological systems into functional models that behave similarly to electric circuits, thus the creation of the subfield of genetic circuits. Mathematical models have been devised to simulate the behavior of genetic circuits in silico. Most models can be classified into deterministic and stochastic models. The work in this dissertation is for stochastic models.

Although ordinary differential equation (ODE) models are generally amenable to simulate genetic …

The Influence Of Widowhood And Sociodemographic Moderators On Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease Risk, Daniel Joseph Hatch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are dramatic public health problems. In recent years, researchers have uncovered evidence demonstrating that chronic stress can lead to these conditions. Because of this, researchers have also investigated whether widowhood, one of the most stressful life events, may also lead to dementia and AD. However, these studies are conflicting, and few have investigated whether the influence of widowhood on dementia and AD varies in different contexts associated with aging and widowhood. For instance, evidence suggests that widowhood may exert greater influence among males and among those with a history of depression. Other such contextual factors …

Resilience And Resistance In Academically Successful Latino/A Students, Dennis Heaton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this case study was to examine and explain the success of a group of Latino/a students whose educational success substantially exceeds the success of their peers. Ten middle school students, their parents, and selected school personnel who worked with them were interviewed. The student participants were purposefully selected based on their grades, attendance, and test scores. The adult participants were selected based on their relationship to the student participants.

The student participants were interviewed twice and the adult participants were interviewed once, using a semi-structured format designed to allow the interviewees to go beyond the interviewer’s initial …

Physiological Response Of Kentucky Bluegrass Under Salinity Stress, Lijun Wang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Salinity is a significant stress for plants world-wide. In agriculture, salts reduce germination, overall growth, yield, and sometimes death in crop plants. Salinity similarly affects turfgrass in our urban landscapes. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is the most widely used cool-season grass in the northern part of the United States, including the cool-arid West, but generally is a salt sensitive species. The overall objectives of this study were to study the physiological responses of Kentucky bluegrass to salt stress and to evaluate the genetic similarity among the cultivars used in the research.

Four Kentucky bluegrass entries, two salt-tolerant and …

Reproductive Biology And Impacts Of Energy Development On Physaria Congesta And Physaria Obcordata (Brassicaceae), Two Rare And Threatened Plants In The Piceance Basin, Colorado, Sarah Lynn Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Oil and gas development has increased profoundly over the last 20 years in the United States. A large underground deposit of natural gas has been found in the Piceance Basin, which is located in the northwestern part of the state of Colorado. This deposit occurs in an area inhabited by two rare mustard species commonly named the Dudley Bluffs bladderpod and the Dudley Bluffs twinpod. These two plant species are also listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Concerns about gas development effects on these rare plants have motivated research that quantifies these potential impacts. Through funding …

Local And Regional Drivers Of Biodiversity: From Life-History Traits To System-Level Properties, Sarah R. Supp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Biodiversity research includes the study of where species occur, the commonness and rarity of species, the number of species, and the diversity of life-history traits that occur in a single location, or community. Research is increasingly recognizing that a combination of local and regional scale processes influence community dynamics over ecological and evolutionary time-scales. However, ecologists currently lack a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving biodiversity in different systems and at different spatial scales. This presents a critical problem because without understanding the important mechanisms that determine and maintain biodiversity, it is difficult to accurately predict community response to environmental …

Catalytic Decomposition Of Nitrous Oxide Monopropellant For Hybrid Motor Ignition, Matthew D. Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), a commonly-used industrial gas, is also often used as a rocket motor oxidizer. It has been used in both hybrid rocket motors (using a solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer) and liquid rocket engines (using liquid fuel and oxidizer).

As a liquid form, nitrous oxide is highly stable, but in vapor form it can be decomposed, releasing large amounts of heat as it dissociates into nitrogen and oxygen. This project investigates using the energy from decomposing nitrous oxide to ignite a hybrid or liquid rocket. Such a system would be practical in rocket …

Enhancement Of Random Forests Using Trees With Oblique Splits, Andrejus Parfionovas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Statistical classification is widely used in many areas where there is a need to make a data-driven decision, or to classify complicated cases or objects. For instance: disease diagnostics (is a patient sick or healthy, based on the blood test results?); weather forecasting (will there be a storm tomorrow, based on today's atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and wind velocity?); speech recognition (what was said over the phone, based on the caller's voice level and articulation); spam detection (can the unsolicited commercial e-mails be identified by their content?); and so on.

Classification trees …

Evaluation Of The Tgf-Ss Inhibitor Repsox On The Expression Of Pluripotency Pathways In Murine And Bovine Cells, Davin M. Larsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Embryonic stem cells are cells which are isolated from early stage embryos and have the theoretical ability to become any adult cell type in the body. In the past few years much research has focused on the use of embryonic stem cells for clinical applications in the treatment of degenerative diseases. Consequently they are a promising tool in the treatment of diseases such as Diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, and could potentially be used in the repair of permanently damaged tissue. However, since these cells are isolated from early stage embryos their successful isolation often results in the destruction of the …

Forest Recovery, Nutrient Cycling And Carbon Sequestration In A Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest, Patrick T. Moore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Our forests provide us with a variety of services from clean water, forest products and wildlife habitat to the lesser known functions of nutrient cycling and carbon
sequestration. This research helps to demonstrate the extent of some of these services in a heavily disturbed southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest within Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the most heavily visited National Park in the United States. Following a catastrophic infestation of the non-native balsam wooly adelgid, the future of this forest was unknown, causing some to speculate about the future of this sensitive forest type. Though predictions about this forest’s future varied …

Evolutionary Optimization Algorithms For Nonlinear Systems, Ashish Raj

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the real world, we encounter a number of problems which require iterative methods rather than heuristic approaches to solve them. Not every problem can be solved with a definitive method. Optimization algorithms come to the aid of such instances. These algorithms carry out multiple iterations or generations to try to achieve the lowest value of a cost function. The demand for fast and robust stochastic algorithms to cater to the optimization needs is very high. The faster the convergence to a low value of the cost function, the better the algorithm is. This is attained in greedy criterion approaches, …

Comparison Of Topographic Surveying Techniques In Streams, Sara G. Bangen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Fish and Wildlife Program (FWP) mitigates impacts, including mortality, from hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin for ESA-listed salmon and steelhead populations and other species of special concern. Given the extensive economic resources invested in mitigation and the incredible diversity of in-stream habitat across the Columbia River basin, questions have arisen about which sampling strategies are most tractable across the entire Columbia River Watershed, but also produce datasets that allow researchers to answer meaningful questions about salmonid populations and trends in habitat. In response to these issues, the NOAA Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring …

A Multi-Scale Investigation Of Factors Limiting Bull Trout Viability, Tracy Bowerman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent declines in many species of aquatic organisms have raised concerns about loss of biodiversity in river systems and the need to protect populations in peril. To conserve endangered species, scientists need to know information about the habitats organisms use throughout their life cycle and how environmental stressors cause populations to grow or decline. The goal of this research was to improve our understanding of the life-cycle requirements for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), a threatened freshwater fish species. I assessed environmental factors that affect bull trout egg incubation success and quantified juvenile bull trout movement patterns and survival …

Increased Production And Extraction Efficiency Of Triacylglycerides From Microorganisms And An Enhanced Understanding Of The Pathways Involved In The Production Of Triacylglycerides And Fatty Alcohols, Robert M. Willis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The continued increase in the demand for fossil fuels combined with their ever dwindling supply has prompted the search for a suitable alternative fuel. The research contained within this dissertation seeks to increase the lipid (fat) content of cellular feedstocks, improve extraction efficiencies of lipids, and to understand the pathways involved in the production of fatty alcohols and triacylglycerides, compounds commonly used in many industrial processes, from microbial feedstocks. This work has been done in an attempt to increase the overall economic viability of microbial biofuels production.

The production of biofuels from microalgae used as a feedstock allows for the …

Race And Ethnic Differences In Parent Time Spent On Children's Education, Zurishaddai A. Garcia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Academic success including high school completion is greatly important for today’s youth. Greater opportunities, such as college and work acceptance, are available to youth who graduate high school. For this reason, the differences that exist in high school completion rate across race and ethnicity as a nation are a major concern.

Research shows an association between parents being involved in their children’s education and students’ improved academic achievement. Parents can play a role in their children’s education and setting aside time to do so is a good place to start.

The present study used the American Time Use Survey to …

Effects Of Non-Surface-Disturbing Restoration Treatments On Native Grass Revegetation And Soil Seed Bank Composition In Cheatgrass-Invaded Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystems, Alexandra D. Reinwald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sagebrush-steppe communities of the Great Basin have been dramatically transformed by the invasion of the non-native annual grass cheatgrass. In many areas of the Great Basin, this invasion has resulted in the loss of native plant species and ultimately the conversion to cheatgrass-dominated communities. As healthy sagebrush communities provide multiple ecosystem services such as diverse wildlife habitat, forage for cattle grazing, and water filtration, restoration of these communities is a high priority to landowners and land management agencies. Established perennial grasses can successfully compete with non-native annual grasses and increase the resistance of plant communities to invasion by non-native …

Characterization And Potential Utility Of Porcine Trophoblast-Derived Stem-Like Cells, Edison A. Suasnavas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In mammalian pregnancy, the placenta is a very important organ which helps to establish a healthy pregnancy. Its functions could be described in four points: 1) It allows the fetus to receive gases and nutrients from the mother in a safe way; 2) it lets the fetus get rid of waste through the mother's kidneys; 3) it releases essential pregnancy-related hormones and growth factors that let the uterus hold the fetus; 4) it secretes immune response regulators to give the fetus immune protection against the mother. Abnormalities in the placenta can be the cause of death to the fetus. Mammalian …

Applications Of Bayesian Statistics In Fluvial Bed Load Transport, Mark L. Schmelter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The science of fluvial sediment transport studies the processes involved in the movement of river sediments. It is commonly understood that when rivers flood they have a great capacity to move sand, gravel, and even larger cobbles and boulders. This process is not only limited to the big floods that usually attract so much attention, but also the more common river flows play a very important role in forming a river. As engineers and scientists, we like to be able to develop equations and relationships that describe some natural phenomenon—in this case, fluvial sediment transport. While we are able to …

A Data-Intensive Assessment Of The Species Abundance Distribution, Elita Baldridge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the most commonly observed patterns in ecology is the fact that at most locations there are a large number of relatively rare species, composed of only a few individuals per species, and a small number of relatively common species. This pattern of commonness and rarity is quantified by the species abundance distribution. As one of the most commonly observed patterns in ecology, it has been studied intensively for over 100 years.

A major emphasis of this research has been developing models to try to understand the forces that generate such a general pattern. As a result, there are …

Uc Agenda 2013-05-01, Northern Illinois University

University Council Archives

No abstract provided.

A Social–Ecological Approach To Conservation Planning: Embedding Social Considerations, Natalie C. Ban, Morena Mills, Jordan Tam, Christina C. Hicks, Sarah Klain, Natalie Stoeckl, Madeleine C. Bottrill, Jordan Levine, Robert L. Pressey, Terre Satterfield, Kai M. A. Chan

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Many conservation plans remain unimplemented, in part because of insufficient consideration of the social processes that influence conservation decisions. Complementing social considerations with an integrated understanding of the ecology of a region can result in a more complete conservation approach. We suggest that linking conservation planning to a social–ecological systems (SES) framework can lead to a more thorough understanding of human–environment interactions and more effective integration of social considerations. By characterizing SES as a set of subsystems, and their interactions with each other and with external factors, the SES framework can improve our understanding of the linkages between social and …

Design Of An Experimental Approach To Study The Growth Of Biofilm On Polymethylmethacrylate, Eireen S. Escalona

Biomedical Engineering

Biofilms are present in virtually every solid-liquid contact surface and are partially responsible for some diseases and water cleaning. They are a community of a variety of organisms that live symbiotically and are bound together by extracellular polymeric substances, or EPS. Biofilms go through five stages of development. These include initial and irreversible attachments, maturations I and II, and dispersion. In the dental world, biofilms are often associated with mouth infections including dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. Elderly denture wearers are susceptible to the pathogen-causing bacteria associated with these diseases, particularly those who have Alzheimer's disease or other forms of …

Stochastic Simulations Of The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascade: On Chemical Waves As A Mechanism For Signal Transduction, Daniel Case

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Using Rnai In C. Elegans To Demonstrate Gene Knockdown Phenotypes In The Undergraduate Biology Lab Setting, Nicole M. Roy

Biology Faculty Publications

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful technology used to knock down genes in basic research and medicine. In 2006 RNAi technology using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine and thus students graduating in the biological sciences should have experience with this technology. However, students struggle conceptually with the molecular biology behind the RNAi technology and find the technology difficult to grasp. To this end, we have provided a simple, streamlined and inexpensive RNAi procedure using C. elegans that can be adopted in upper level biology classes. By using an unknown RNAi-producing bacteria, students perform novel …

Nursing Students’ Cultural Immersion In Kenya: A Case For A Clinical Capstone Site, Nancy C. Wilk

Nursing Faculty/Staff Publications

Awareness of cultural concepts is an important component of nursing education and cultural immersion experiences are invaluable in fostering understanding of them. These types of experiences take students out of their comfort zone and challenge them both personally and professionally.

For several years, students on all levels have been participating in a 10-day trip to Kenya led by nursing faculty. Undergraduate students who go on the trip receive clinical credit for their community health course and are required to journal daily about their experiences while on the trip and write a reflection paper for the course when they return. The …

Opportunities For The Sustainable Use Of The Camel In Qatar, Corby Jayne Elford

Theses and Dissertations

In the course of the modernization of Qatar, the need for camels has greatly diminished; herds have reduced in numbers and are now confined to enclosures. Overall, neglect of this valuable resource means that the camel is threatened with extinction. Currently, there is a need to address problems about sustainable development in Qatar by taking actions such as investing in the existing natural heritage to develop the use of indigenous animals like the camel. Through a review of past and present use of the native dromedary, a new type of sustainable agritourism will be developed that will provide a type …

Groundcover Management System And Nutrient Source Impact Physical Soil Quality Indicators In An Organically Managed Apple Orchard, Neal Mays

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In March 2006, four groundcover management systems (GMS) and two nutrient sources (NS) were implemented for their ability to alter the soil physical condition of a newly established, organically managed apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) orchard. Annual applications of municipal green compost (GC), shredded office paper (SP), wood chips (WC), and mow-blow (MB) grass mulch were utilized as GMS, and NS supplied to trees were from composted poultry litter (PL), a commercial organic fertilizer (CF), or an untreated control (NF) in a 4x3 factorial study. An established, conventionally-managed orchard was located adjacent to the organic research orchard on the same …

Predicting Complex Phenotype-Genotype Relationships In Grasses: A Systems Genetics Approach, Stephen Ficklin

All Dissertations

It is becoming increasingly urgent to identify and understand the mechanisms underlying complex traits. Expected increases in the human population coupled with climate change make this especially urgent for grasses in the Poaceae family because these serve as major staples of the human and livestock diets worldwide. In particular, Oryza sativa (rice), Triticum spp. (wheat), Zea mays (maize), and Saccharum spp. (sugarcane) are among the top agricultural commodities. Molecular marker tools such as linkage-based Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping, Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), Multiple Marker Assisted Selection (MMAS), and Genome Selection (GS) techniques offer promise for understanding the mechanisms behind …