Digital Commons Network^™

Bisbenzylisoquinoline And Hasubanane Alkaloids From Stephania Abyssinica (Dillon & A. Rich) (Menispermeceae), Ruth A. Omole, Jeremiah Gathirwa, Hosea Akala, Hamisi M. Malebo, Alex K. Machocho, Ahmed Hassanali, Isaiah O. Ndiege

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Two bisbenzylisoquinoline and one hasubanane alkaloids: (-)-pseudocurine (1), (-)-pseudoisocurine (2) and (-)-10-oxoaknadinine (3), were isolated from leaf extract of Stephania abyssinica, a plant used in traditional medicine in South Nyanza region of Kenya. They were characterized using 1D (1H, 13C and DEPT) and 2D (COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC) NMR techniques. (-)-Pseudocurine (1) and (-)-pseudoisocurine (2) exhibited strong to moderate anti-plasmodial activity while (-)-10-oxoaknadinine (3) showed moderate to mild activity. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Of Acaricide-Treated String Curtains For Control Of Two-Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus Urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) On Greenhouse Roses And Impact Of The String Curtain On The Predatory Mite Phytoseiulus Persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae), Emilie M. Deletre, Romain Bonafos, Thibaud Martin

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Foliar sprays of pesticides are frequently used to control two-spotted mites on rose flowers, but these also destroy predatory mites and pose a high risk of contamination for humans and the environment. Using a novel approach to avoid spray applications on rose plants, modified acaricide-treated string curtains were adapted to control the pest. Two main aims of this study were: (i) to identify the lethal concentration of string curtains treated with propargite, dicofol, flufenoxuron, acrinathrin or tau-fluvalinate (τ-fluvalinate) on Tetranychus urticae, and (ii) to test the design (feasibility) and efficiency of the string curtains to trap the phytophagous mites on …

Integrated Decision Support For Sustainable And Profitable Land Management In The Lowlands Of Central Asia, Nodir Djanibekov, Rolf Sommer

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Land use and crop production in the Khorezm region in western Uzbekistan, exemplarily for the irrigated lowlands of Central Asia, are challenged by the excessive, non-sustainable use of irrigation water and repeated water shortages on one hand, and soil degradation by secondary salinization on the other hand. One of the research objectives of the German-Uzbek Khorezm project, funded by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and led by Center of Development Research (ZEF) of Bonn University, was to better understand options for land use and choice of technology at the farm level in order to evaluate and propose …

Storage Of Mung Bean (Vigna Radiata [L.] Wilczek) And Pigeonpea Grains (Cajanus Cajan [L.] Millsp) In Hermetic Triple-Layer Bags Stops Losses Caused By Callosobruchus Maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), C. M. Mutungi, H. Affognon, A. W. Njoroge, D. Baributsa, L. L. Murdock

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Dry mung bean and pigeonpea grains that had sustained some insect damage but fumigated before the start of the experiment were stored in triple-layer hermetic bags (Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS™ bags) or woven polypropylene (PP) bags for 6 months. Some of the bags were artificially infested with cowpea bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (PICS1, PP1) while others were not (PICS0, PP0). In an additional trial, PP bags containing the grains were treated with Actellic Super® dust before being artificially infested (PP1Ac). Moisture content, live adult C.maculatus count, grain damage, weight loss, and seed germination were determined on a monthly basis. …

Triple Bag Hermetic Storage Delivers A Lethal Punch To Prostephanus Truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) In Stored Maize, A. W. Njoroge, H. D. Affognon, C. M. Mutungi, J. Manono, P. O. Lamuka, L. L. Murdock

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Clean shelled maize was stored in woven polypropylene (PP) or triple layer polyethylene (PICS™) bags in the presence of Prostephanus truncatus Horn (PP1; PICS1) or absence of it (PP0; PICS0) at ambient conditions for six months. Moisture content, live insect population, grain damage, weight loss, and germination were analyzed on a monthly basis. Temperature and relative humidity in both PICS- and PP-bag setups were monitored, as well as the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the PICS bags. Overall, maize stored in PICS bags had significantly lower (P<0.05) moisture content than maize stored in PP bags. Storage in PICS bag slowed growth of P.truncatus populations and blocked infestation from the surrounding storage environment. On the contrary, PP bags permitted profuse build-up of insect population and cross-infestation. At six months, grain damage was 0.0%, 3.4%, 50.5% and 73.9%, corresponding to weight loss of 0.0%, 2.0%, 36.3%, and 47.7% in PICS0, PICS1, PP0 and PP1, respectively. Germination of maize stored in PP bags dropped from 91.1% to 37.0% and 12.7% in PP0 and PP1, respectively, whereas germination of maize stored in PICS bags dropped only marginally and reached 78.1% and 71.0% in PICS0 and PICS1, respectively, in six months. Without extreme loss of grain viability, a huge decrease in insect infestation, grain damage and weight loss is achieved by storing maize in PICS bag even under P.truncatus endemic conditions. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Effects Of Anticancer Drug Docetaxel On The Structure And Function Of The Rabbit Olfactory Mucosa, Boniface M. Kavoi, Johanna Plendl, Andrew N. Makanya, Shem Ochieng', Stephen G. Kiama

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Docetaxel (DCT) is an anticancer drug which acts by disrupting microtubule dynamics in the highly mitotic cancer cells. Thus, this drug has a potential to affect function and organization of tissues exhibiting high cellular turnover. We investigated, in the rabbit, the effects of a single human equivalent dose (6.26. mg/kg, i.v.) of DCT on the olfactory mucosa (OM) through light and electron microscopy, morphometry, Ki-67 immunostaining, TUNEL assay and the buried food test for olfactory sensitivity. On post-exposure days (PED) 5 and 10, there was disarrangement of the normal cell layering in the olfactory epithelium (OE), apoptotic death of cells …

Cumulative Effects And Economic Benefits Of Intercropping Maize With Food Legumes On Striga Hermonthica Infestation, Charles A.O. Midega, Daisy Salifu, Toby J. Bruce, Jimmy Pittchar, John A. Pickett, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The parasitic weed Striga hermonthica, commonly known as striga, is a major biotic constraint to maize production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where it causes serious food insecurity and poverty in smallholder farming communities. We previously discovered an effective control method for it involving intercropping cereals with fodder legumes in the genus Desmodium, commonly known as desmodium. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate cumulative effects of intercropping maize with the commonly grown food legumes on striga infestation, and to establish any economic benefits of the same. Treatments comprised maize plots planted in monocrop stands or intercropped with five …

Biology Of The Coconut Bug, Pseudotheraptus Wayi, On French Beans, James Peter Egonyu, Sunday Ekesi, Jacques Kabaru, Lucy Irungu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The coconut bug, Pseudotheraptus wayi Brown (Heteroptera: Coreidae), is a major pest of a wide range of economically important crops in Eastern and Southern Africa. The suitability of French beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabales: Fabaceae) as an alternative food for mass rearing of P. wayi was determined by elucidating its development, survival, and reproduction on French bean pods in the laboratory. Development and survival of immatures on French beans was comparable to what is reported with two hosts previously used for rearing this species, namely coconut and cashew. Adults survived thrice longer and laid almost twice more eggs on the …

Aquaporins Are Critical For Provision Of Water During Lactation And Intrauterine Progeny Hydration To Maintain Tsetse Fly Reproductive Success, Joshua B. Benoit, Immo A. Hansen, Geoffrey M. Attardo, Veronika Michalková, Paul O. Mireji, Joel L. Bargul, Lisa L. Drake, Daniel K. Masiga, Serap Aksoy

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse flies undergo drastic fluctuations in their water content throughout their adult life history due to events such as blood feeding, dehydration and lactation, an essential feature of the viviparous reproductive biology of tsetse. Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins that allow water and other solutes to permeate through cellular membranes. Here we identify tsetse aquaporin (AQP) genes, examine their expression patterns under different physiological conditions (blood feeding, lactation and stress response) and perform functional analysis of three specific genes utilizing RNA interference (RNAi) gene silencing. Ten putative aquaporins were identified in the Glossina morsitans morsitans (Gmm) genome, two more than …

Connecting Model Species To Nature: Predator-Induced Long-Term Sensitization In Aplysia Californica, Maria J. Mason, Amanda J. Watkins, Jordann Wakabayashi, Jennifer Buechler, Christine Pepino, Michelle Brown, William G. Wright

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Previous research on sensitization in Aplysia was based entirely on unnatural noxious stimuli, usually electric shock, until our laboratory found that a natural noxious stimulus, a single sublethal lobster attack, causes short-term sensitization. We here extend that finding by demonstrating that multiple lobster attacks induce long-term sensitization (>= 24 h) as well as similar, although not identical, neuronal correlates as observed after electric shock. Together these findings establish long-and short-term sensitization caused by sublethal predator attack as a natural equivalent to sensitization caused by artificial stimuli.

Georgia Journal Of College Student Affairs, Georgia College Personnel Association (Gcpa)

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Complete Issue

Sexual Attitudes As Predictors Of Homonegativity In College Women, James G. Archibald, Tamera Dunn

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Rancorous attitudes toward lesbian women and gay men are widespread in the United States (Morrison, Parriag, & Morrison, 1999). Homonegativity is any prejudicial attitude or discriminatory behavior directed toward an individual because of his or her homosexual orientation (Morrison, McLeod, Morrison, Anderson, & O’Connor, 1997). A small amount of research has been done regarding women’s attitudes towards lesbians. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential relationship between sexual attitude expression and homonegativity. It was hypothesized that females with conservative sexual attitudes would show higher levels of homonegativity, and females with liberal sexual attitudes should show more non-homonegative …

Upcycling Church: New Hope For Transforming Declining And Plateaued Churches, Richard J. Frazer

Great Commission Research Journal

This article introduces new language and an alternative paradigm to the topic of revitalizing declining churches, which presents a transforming process for pastors, church leaders, denominational executives, and consultants to implement when coaching revitalizing churches. The biblical foundation for this writing is Jesus’ letter to the church of Sardis, recorded in Revelation 3:1–6. Five principles for upcycling a declining church are presented: embrace the crisis, answer the wakeup call, strengthen what remains, strengthen who remains, and return to spiritual roots.

Church Launch: Start Small, Stay Small—Launch Large, Grow Larger!, Dave Page

Great Commission Research Journal

Launching churches is the new paradigm for church planting in America for the twenty-first century. The old school paradigm was to plant a church and watch it grow slowly, like a tree. The new church planting metaphor is launching a church, like launching a rocket ship into space. This article argues that launching large churches is the most effective means of evangelism in the short and long run. Start small, and the church will stay small, as most do. Launch large, and the church has an opportunity to keep on growing. By launching large, churches can break church growth barriers …

Studies On The Stability And Compatibility Of Cytotoxic Drug Infusions With The Tevadaptor Device, Gj Sewell, M Massimini

School of Health Professions

Introduction: The role of closed-system drug transfer devices (CSDTD) in the preparation of cytotoxic infusions has attracted considerable interest in recent years. The use of such devices can subject drug infusions to contact with the materials used to construct the CSDTD, with potential implications for compatibility and stability of the drug. This study investigated the stability and compatibility of 11 frequently used cytotoxic drug infusions with the Tevadaptor device. Methods: Test infusions of 11 cytotoxic drugs at clinically-relevant concentrations were prepared in either prefilled syringes (5) or infusion bags (6) and were stored under controlled conditions. The syringes and bags …

School Violence Perpetrators Speak: An Examination Of Perpetrators Views On School Violence Incidents, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In the last few decades researchers have attempted to determine correlates for school violence. While the number of extreme incidents of school violence remains relatively small, extreme incidents cause the most concern for parents, teachers, law enforcement, and educational administrators. In addition to the fear these types of events cause, they also bring about a great deal of debate regarding proper responses. Some feel that stringent zero tolerance policies are the answer, while others argue for more gun control in society. Some feel that increased counseling and service to young people is the answer, while others argue for the increased …

Self-Regulating Smoking And Snacking Through Physical Activity., Hwajung Oh, Adrian H. Taylor

Peninsula Medical School

OBJECTIVE: Emotional snacking contributes to weight gain after smoking cessation. Exercise acutely reduces cravings for cigarettes and snack food. This study examined if different exercise intensities acutely reduces snack and cigarette cravings and attentional bias (AB) to video clips of snacks and cigarettes among abstinent smokers. METHODS: Abstinent smokers (and snackers; N = 23) randomly did 15 mins of moderate and vigorous cycling and a passive control in a cross-over design. Visual initial AB (IAB) and maintained AB (MAB) were assessed pre- and after treatment while watching paired snacking/neutral or smoking/neutral video clips. Desire to snack and smoke were assessed …

Disposable Platform Provides Visual And Color-Based Point-Of-Care Anemia Self-Testing, Erika A. Tyburski, Scott E. Gillespie, William A. Stoy, Robert G. Mannino, Alexander J. Weiss, Alexa F. Siu, Rayford H. Bulloch, Karthik Thota, Anyela Cardenas, Wilena Session, Hanna J. Khoury, Siobhán O'Connor, Silvia T. Bunting, Jeanne Boudreaux, Craig R. Forest, Manila Gaddh, Traci Leong, L. Andrew Lyon, Wilbur A. Lam

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Anemia, or low blood hemoglobin (Hgb) levels, afflicts 2 billion people worldwide. Currently, Hgb levels are typically measured from blood samples using hematology analyzers, which are housed in hospitals, clinics, or commercial laboratories and require skilled technicians to operate. A reliable, inexpensive point-of-care (POC) Hgb test would enable cost-effective anemia screening and chronically anemic patients to self-monitor their disease. We present a rapid, standalone, and disposable POC anemia test that, via a single drop of blood, outputs color-based visual results that correlate with Hgb levels.

METHODS. We tested blood from 238 pediatric and adult patients with anemia of varying …

An Anti-Bullying Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Catherine Rex

CMC Senior Theses

The effects of a video modeling intervention, given to six children with ASD, were evaluated through a multiple-baseline and multiple-probe design across children. The research targeted teaching children with ASD to assertively respond to physical bullying, verbal bullying, and social exclusion, as well as telling one’s mother. In baseline, the participants demonstrated inconsistent to no skills for responding to the bullying in the vignette movies (SAAS) and the generalization probe skits. During intervention the participants watched a video of a person assertively responding to bullying, and were assessed through VM questions and SAAS. Post-intervention the children participated in generalization probe …

Incongruent Premodern And Modern Beauty Ideals: A Case Study Of South Korea And India's Reconciliation Of Current Beauty Trends With Foundational Religious Ideals, Minger Bropleh

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis is an in-depth analysis of beauty ideals in South Korea and India. These two countries have recently turned to skin lightening and cosmetic surgery in order to achieve their new beauty standards. Not only do these two countries share a propensity for those two trends, but they also have an overwhelming majority of the population that identifies with a specific religion; Hinduism in the case of India and Confucianism in the case of South Korea. However, it is not clear that the current beauty ideal in each country aligns with the beauty ideal set out in the respective …

Los Bancos Del Tiempo En España: Combatiendo La Recesión Con La Moneda Social, Marco Martellini

CMC Senior Theses

Un banco del tiempo (BDT) es el nombre formal que se le da a unas instituciones comunitarias que operan con horas de tiempo personal y laboral como moneda oficial. Son sistemas organizados de moneda social que permiten a sus usuarios intercambiar su propio tiempo y destreza en forma de créditos de servicio. La unidad de moneda es una hora de trabajo. Los BDT son parte de la categoría de moneda alternativa social y representan una evolución moderna de entidades clásicas como los trueques.

Los BDT valoran conceptos como compartir, igualdad y mutualismo. Así, funcionan como un sistema alternativo a los …

The Political Incorporation Of Latino Immigrants In California, Adriana Janet Ramos

CMC Senior Theses

This paper explores and analyzes the political incorporation of Latino immigrants in California over the last several decades. Political incorporation refers to the process through which immigrants and their descendants claim their political rights and exercise their voice in politics. In order to understand the impact of Latino immigration on California state politics, the paper first examines the demographic changes in the state. This paper then provides an overview of all of the major immigration legislation in California, beginning from the anti-immigration initiatives to the California Dream Act and immigration-friendly legislation that Governor Jerry Brown signed into law in 2013.

Quantifying The Impact Of Temperature And Wind On Nfl Passing And Rushing Performance, Max A. Zipperman

CMC Senior Theses

This paper utilizes NFL game data from the 2002-2013 seasons in an investigation into the effects of temperature and wind on NFL passing and rushing performance. There are three separate analyses: (1) the general effects of weather on performance and the advantages/ disadvantages of playing at home with respect to weather, (2) a comparison of how teams respond to weather when at home vs. on the road, and (3) an examination of the effect of transitioning weather conditions on visitor performance. Teams tended to have inferior passing success in low temperatures and consequently supplant passing attempts with rushing attempts in …

A Review Of Olympic Host Cities: Analyzing The Exclusion Of South American And African States, Nicholas Hobbs

CMC Senior Theses

The Olympic Games are a global phenomenon that focus a spotlight onto the hosting city once every two years. While the athletes are judged on their physical abilities, the host city is judged on its architecture, organization and capabilities. It is a chance to showcase your city and country to the world. But while athletes from all over the world are welcome to compete in the games, becoming a host city has only been granted to a few countries, not reaching all seven continents. One must look into what it takes to host the Olympic Games and what factors are …

Speaking And Rhetoric In The Community: The Implications Of Aristotle's Understanding Of Being, Logan C. Vescio

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes Martin Heidegger's early interpretation of Aristotelian concepts. The goal is to acquire an increased understanding of the ideas underlying Aristotle's political philosophy, as well as those underlying Heidegger's own later philosophy. The investigation begins with a critique of Kantian logic and the assumptions which underlie it, which are ultimately traced back to Aristotle. The passages that pertain to Kant's interpretation are assessed by Heidegger, who concludes that it is speaking, not explicit definition, that grounds possibility for life in a human sense. To demonstrate Heidegger's argument, the thesis transitions into an assessment of the Greek view of …

Islamophobia In Public Policy: The Rise Of Right Wing Populism In Denmark, Laura Bloom

CMC Senior Theses

Nordic right wing populism began in Denmark with the requisite growth in the political and societal power of the Danish People’s Party during the Liberal-Conservative coalition government from 2001 to 2011. As the number of immigrants and asylum-seekers from Middle Eastern countries continues to grow, the “other,” the definition of which is a perceived threat against an ill-defined “people,” is increasingly understood by the Danish People’s Party as Muslim immigrants and their descendants. This thesis will use both a wide array of literature and evidence from an original research project using a Danish Prison as a loose microcosm for Danish …

The Emergence Of Leadership In Children: The Role Of Play, Athletics, And School, Shelby K. Barthold

CMC Senior Theses

Leadership studies and leadership development have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, much of this popularity has been focused on leadership in adults. This thesis explores the emergence and development of leadership skills in children as they gain experience from play, athletics, and school. The definition of leadership is examined as well as the skills needed for proficient leadership. The skills are structured around the Big Five personality factors. Each of the areas discussed – play, athletics, and school – gives children many opportunities to interact with their peers allowing for valuable development. Overall, this thesis asserts that leadership …

Ecotourism Enterprises: The Case For Indigenous Community-Owned Tourism In Ecuador, Simone A. Berkovitz

CMC Senior Theses

With the rapid growth of the global ecotourism industry, the sector has had difficulty attaining its intended goals of environmental responsibility and local development. In recent years, there has been a recognized need for greater incorporation of local communities into tourism operations. This thesis explores the challenges facing ecotourism, while arguing for the potential found in ecotourism enterprises owned and operated by indigenous communities in Ecuador. An analysis of two distinct Ecuadorian cases demonstrates the potential for multi-faceted environmental and social impact in diverse contexts. Finally, by understanding the processes that build impact embedded in the business models, this study …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Financial Performance In The Consumer And Nonconsumer Sectors, Lauren Allen

CMC Senior Theses

With corporate social responsibility (CSR) becoming more important to stakeholders and thus firms, understanding the relationship between CSR and corporate financial performance (CFP) is becoming more and more important. Although there is much research examining the general CSR-CFP relationship, there is very little, if any, research that investigates the CSR-CFP association across industries. With a sample of 429 firms from the S&P 500, my study looks to see if this association differs between the consumer and nonconsumer sectors. Time-series regression analyses reveal that while the CSR-sales relationship is negative for both consumer and nonconsumer companies, the CSR-gross profit association is …

The Circuit: An Original Television Series, Grace T. Ding

CMC Senior Theses

Between good and evil there's a whole lot of gray: Welcome to The Circuit.

A shady private security firm recruits criminals straight out of prison and sells its services to the highest bidder, saint and sinner alike (mostly sinners). Through the trials and tribulations of a diverse ensemble cast, the show explores some of my absolute favorite themes in storytelling: gray morality, found families, and unlikely heroes. Follow our gritty and guarded lead Shaye as she struggles to tame a group of talented and contentious ex-cons under the shadow of her ambitious and manipulative father, all the while struggling to …