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A Passive Acoustic And Experimental Study Of Juvenile Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus, Sound Production And Agnostic Behavior In The Tidal Freshwater James River, Laura Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, are an invasive species in the James River, VA. They produce stridulation sounds and passive acoustic monitoring may prove useful in locating and monitoring their populations. Little is known about their behavior, therefore my goal was to examine agonistic behavior and the use of sound in defending a territory. This thesis consists of two manuscripts: 1) A passive acoustic study of the tidal freshwater James River, 2) An experimental study of agonistic behavior in juvenile Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus. The first study showed that three sounds (click, run croak) occurred more often in warmer months than …

Planar Cell Polarity And Neurodevelopment, Simon Sun

Theses and Dissertations

Planar cell polarity (PCP) is a developmental signaling mechanism that establishes a polarity within the plane of an epithelium. PCP has been shown to play a role in guiding numerous neurodevelopmental processes such as convergent extension, neuron migration, and axon pathfinding. Certain commissural neurons in the dorsal spinal cord make a series of guidance decisions en route to the brain: first, a ventral projection along the D-V axis, followed by a midline crossing, and after exiting the floorplate, a dorso-anterior turn along the A-P axis. Here, we provide in vivo evidence that the axons of the Commissural Primary Ascending (CoPAs) …

Risd Pod 2014 Alumni Research Report, Project Open Door

Publications + Documents + Videos

Research and report by Craig Dreeszen, Ph.D., Dreeszen & Associates with Dr. Paul Sproll, Head, Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design (TLAD) and TLAD MA research assistants, Karina Esperanza Yanez, En-Ling Lu, and Lauren Allen, Rhode Island School of Design Funding for the research provided by the Surdna Foundation. Dreeszen & Associates was commissioned to work with the Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design faculty and graduate research assistants. The research objective was to identify, find, and collect data and stories about the paths taken by Rhode Island teens (RI POD alumni) who …

Understanding The Role Of Stylochus Ellipticus As A Predator Of Crassostrea Virginica In Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, Marion Kensey Barker

Theses and Dissertations

Predation may be a key component of the unsuccessful restoration of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica), a former keystone species in Chesapeake Bay. Here, I examine the polyclad flatworm Stylochus ellipticus and its potential role as an important predator of C. virginica. Using small-fragment size C. virginica specific DNA primers, oyster DNA was successfully detected in whole organisms homogenates of wild-caught S. ellipticus individuals. Of the 1,575 individuals tested, 68.1% tested positive, thus predation occurred. Predation did not appear to be affected by salinity or temperature; however, season did appear to have an effect on both predation and S. ellipticus …

May 5, 2014 Aasu Faculty Senate Special Session Minutes, Armstrong State University

Armstrong Faculty Senate: Minutes (Archived)

May 5, 2014 AASU Faculty Senate Special Session Minutes

En Banc Brief Of Amici Curiae Law Professors James G. Dwyer, J. Herbie Difonzo, Jennifer A. Drobac, Deborah L. Forman, Marsha Freeman, William Ladd, Ellen Marrus, John E.B. Myers, And Deborah Paruch In Support Of The Appellees, James G. Dwyer, J. Herbie Difonzo, Jennifer A. Drobac, Deborah L. Forman, Marsha Freeman, William Ladd, Ellen Marrus, John E.B. Myers, Deborah Paruch

Briefs

No abstract provided.

The Potential Role Of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy In Image-Guided Radiotherapy., Mai Lin Nguyen, Brooke Willows, Rihan Khan, Alexander Chi, Lyndon Kim, Sherif G Nour, Thomas Sroka, Christine Kerr, Juan Godinez, Melissa Mills, Ulf Karlsson, Gabor Altdorfer, Nam Phong Nguyen, Gordon Jendrasiak

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive technique to detect metabolites within the normal and tumoral tissues. The ability of MRS to diagnose areas of high metabolic activity linked to tumor cell proliferation is particularly useful for radiotherapy treatment planning because of better gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation. The GTV may be targeted with higher radiation dose, potentially improving local control without excessive irradiation to the normal adjacent tissues. Prostate cancer and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are two tumor models that are associated with a heterogeneous tumor distribution. Preliminary studies suggest that the integration of MRS into radiotherapy planning for these …

The Restorative Effects Of Natural Decor, Tobias Burnham

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Humans are continually opting to live in urban environments, furthering us from the innate connection to the natural environment we have evolved with over millennia. These urban settings place several stressors on us in the form of stimuli that requires directed attention (cars, billboards, traffic lights, etc.) in which deplete our attentional resources leading to Direct Attention Fatigue (DAF). Attentional Restoration Theory (ART) is based on the ability of natural environments to have restorative effects on these depleted resources due to the relative ease of experiencing nature through involuntary attention. The focus of this study is to determine how nature-based …

Does Size Matter In The Field?: Female Police Bodies In Online Television, Carmen M. Cusack

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to investigate how female officers’ body sizes are depicted on the TV show, “Police Women of Broward County.” Little literature examines the media’s depiction of bodies belonging to women who are involved in traditionally masculine professions. However, feminist and masculinist literature, along with biophysical literature, tends to suggest that women are smaller and weaker than men or are perceived that way in society. It stands to reason that media may portray female officers this way or portray women attempting to overcome this stigma personally and professionally to appeal to viewers or as a reflection …

Does Participating In A Music Program In High School Lead To Academic Achievement In College?, Vanessa Lynn Almaraz

Theses and Dissertations

Music education has and continues to become a constant issue in the cultural aspect and views of the educational system. How does music play a factor in our educational system? This thesis investigates the influence of how music plays in an individual’s educational development. Research has shown that while students in high school who participated in a music program, had significant increases in how they achieved academically in school, with this, students may also have the chance of excelling in their academics while attending a college or university. In this study, I measured the academic excellence amongst several social demographic …

Deafdigest: Gold Edition, May 4, 2014, Barry Strassler

DeafDigest Gold 2014

No abstract provided.

Commencement Convocation Program, St. Petersburg Campus, May 4, 2014, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

King O'Neal Scholars - Christine Bruzek and Katherine Audrey van Dommelen; Outstanding Graduate - Erik Richardson

Greenscreen: Software To Improve Campus Water And Energy Use, Andrew T. Silva

University Scholar Projects

Water and energy are intrinsically linked together. Energy is required to produce clean water and water is used heavily to generate energy. These two resources are constantly held in check, as they are vital to the sustained operation of towns, cities, and campuses. At the University of Connecticut (UConn), the consumption of water and energy is reduced by an efficient power plant and a brand new water reclamation facility. To reach beyond these accolades, it is essential that a deeper understanding of campus water usage is developed. Linking this knowledge with information about the energy consumption of UConn facilities will …

Reclaiming The Efficacy Of Β-Lactam–Β-Lactamase Inhibitor Combinations: Avibactam Restores The Susceptibility Of Cmy-2-Producing Escherichia Coli To Ceftazidime, Krisztina M. Papp-Wallace, Marisa L. Winkler, Julian A. Gatta, Magdalena A. Taracila, Sujatha Chilakala, Yan Xu, J. Kristie Johnson, Robert A. Bonomo

Chemistry Faculty Publications

CMY-2 is a plasmid-encoded Ambler class C cephalosporinase that is widely disseminated in Enterobacteriaceae and is responsible for expanded-spectrum cephalosporin resistance. As a result of resistance to both ceftazidime and β-lactamase inhibitors in strains carrying blaCMY, novel β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor combinations are sought to combat this significant threat to β-lactam therapy. Avibactam is a bridged diazabicyclo [3.2.1]octanone non-β-lactam β-lactamase inhibitor in clinical development that reversibly inactivates serine β-lactamases. To define the spectrum of activity of ceftazidime-avibactam, we tested the susceptibilities of Escherichia coli clinical isolates that carry blaCMY-2 or blaCMY-69 and investigated the inactivation kinetics of CMY-2. Our analysis showed that …

The Experience Of Stress In Women Diagnosed With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Amanda Canavatchel

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder that affects multiple organ systems within the female body, hallmarked by infertility, the possibility of androgen excess, and the possibility of ovulatory dysfunction. Along with a myriad of physiological symptoms, PCOS is also associated with many psychological issues, including an increased incidence of depression, anxiety, and lower reported quality of life among women diagnosed with PCOS. The need for treatment directed to attenuate any psychological implications of the syndrome has become increasingly important are of research. While some researchers have focused on PCOS in a psychosocial perspective, including analysis on depression, …

Illinois Wesleyan Celebrates Class Of 2014, Kim Hill

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Commencement 2014 (Program And Video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Commencement Ceremonies

No abstract provided.

Human Disease - Unintended Globalization, Christopher J. Dellana

Celebration

Before man was exchanging goods and ideas, he was exchanging germs. As such, the spread of infectious disease constitutes the first truly global phenomenon and, therefore, marks the beginnings—primitive though they may have been—of what today we have finally termed ‘globalization.’ The global spread of disease, then, proves that globalization is not new and that its origins were the result of a different narrative than the ones we read from globalization theorists; it further demonstrates that the modern conception of the phenomenon is only now so well recognized because the accelerated and efficient processes that inform its daily activities have …

The State Of The Upper Bay Of Panama Wetlands: Ecological Significance, Environmental Policy, Urbanization, And Social Justice, Madeline A. Price

Celebration

I conducted this research while studying abroad with SIT Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Conservation. This is a multidisciplinary investigation of the Upper Bay of Panama wetlands, a 49,000 hectare region east of Panama City that features mangrove, intertidal mudflat, and grassland habitat internationally recognized as a stopover site for two million shorebirds every migration season. However, with economic pressure to increase urban development in the area, this land’s protected status under the Ramsar convention was suspended for a year in April 2012. By compiling scientific studies, news articles, photographs, and interviews with local conservationists and community members, …

Celebration Schedule 2014 (Saturday), Provost's Office

Celebration

Full presentation schedule for Celebration, Saturday, May 3, 2014

Observations And Modeling Of Microbial Water Quality At Recreational Beaches, Zhixuan Feng

Open Access Dissertations

To comply with federal law Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, beach monitoring programs have been adopted and implemented to protect beachgoers from health risks caused by harmful microorganisms. Present monitoring programs around the United States heavily rely on sparse water sampling (usually daily to weekly) with time-consuming microbial laboratory analysis, thereby potentially causing unnecessary beach closures or human health risks for beaches that remain open. The objective of this dissertation is to use both field observations and numerical models to investigate the linkages between microbiological, hydrological, and morphological processes …

Project Parenthood: Efficacy Of Evidence-Based Parenting And Safer Sex Education Program In An At-Risk Adolescent Population, Jasmin Scott

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Project Parenthood was developed to support the growth of adolescent parenting education and to provide a resource for adolescent safer sex education and repeat pregnancy prevention.

Methods: Through the use of pre- and post-surveys, three key variables were measured: (1) knowledge, (2) perspective, and (3) skill. Survey questions were categorized as measuring one of the variables. Survey data was aggregated to create a pre- and post-composite score for each question. The percentage of questions that resulted in an increase, decrease, or no change was calculated for each variable. A Paired t-Test analysis was run to evaluate whether or not …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Graduate, May 3, 2014, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Presidential Management Fellowship - Terrill Curtis; Fulbright U.S. Student Program - Trina Halfhide and Lauren Shumate

164th Commencement, Spring

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Tangled Nets: Evaluating The Status Of International Cooperation On Sustainable Fisheries Management In The North Atlantic, Colin Beaumont

Washington Semester Program

No abstract provided.

Defining The Genetic Basis For Seed Yield In Arabidopsis Thaliana, David Goad, Ann Carlson, Hui Gong, Robert Swanson

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Seed number per fruit is a vitally important trait because it determines total agricultural yield. Despite its importance, the genes that direct seed yield remain relatively unknown. We are using Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) in the weedy plant Arabidopsis thaliana to explore the heritability of seed yield and genetically map the genes responsible. Up to eight fruits were collected per plant from each RIL. Seeds were scanned using a flatbed scanner and counted using Adobe Photoshop CS6. With this data, we performed an ANOVA to calculate heritability, the amount of variance in the seed yield trait due to genetics. The …

Spectrofluorometric Quantification Of Optical Brighteners In Ambient Water, Sean Kennedy

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

A spectrofluorometric method was established and used to detect and quantify optical brighteners (OB) in ambient water samples. Optical brighteners are added to products such as laundry soaps, detergents, and cleaning agents for the purpose of making the fabric appear brighter after washing. Because a large fraction of OBs are discharged into wastewater, they are ideal for use as indicators of failing septic systems, sewage leaks, or lack of wastewater treatment. The method described here uses moderately priced equipment to provide rapid and accurate detection of minute levels of contamination. Standard curves were prepared with disodium diaminostilbene disulfonate solutions ranging …

Expressive Writing As A Manipulation To Reduce Test Anxiety, Chelsea Kiehl, Brittney Groulx, Torrie Decker

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Students of all ages struggle with test anxiety. Not only does this anxiety affect the mental well-being of a student but it can also impair test performance. Previous research has found that expressive writing about the feelings a student may have before an exam can significantly reduce test anxiety. Prior experiments were carried out in a laboratory setting and without serious consequences for participants. These conditions do not clarify whether the results found could be helpful for a typical university exam. The goal of this study is to determine whether this manipulation can help students at Valparaiso University. Before exam …

Developing A Numerical Water Quality Model For Brewster Lake, Kasey Marley, Sarah Brunsvold, Zuhdi Aljobeh

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The purpose of this research study was to develop an advanced two-dimensional "process-oriented" numerical water quality model for Brewster Lake that incorporates the physical, chemical, and biological interactions that occur within the lake. The study included measuring and obtaining the basic physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the lake to develop the model and appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Two rounds of measurements, one in the beginning of June and one at the end of July 2013, of the physical and chemical variables were conducted and were used to develop and calibrate the model. A hydrodynamic analysis of the lake's …

The Binding Affinity Of Gas Molecules To The Heme Protein Cooa, Jessica Lyza, Teryn Gerhed

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

This research aims to characterize the binding specificity of heme proteins to various gas signal molecules. Heme proteins in the gas-sensing family bind to specific gas signal molecules, causing a certain biological function to be activated or deactivated. In this study, variants of the carbon monoxide sensing heme protein CooA from the bacteria R.rubrum and C. hydrogenoformans are compared. Key differences in signal binding specificity and heme environment configuration will be investigated. This is done by using site-directed mutagenesis to alter the heme environment, isolating the CooA proteins through protein purification, and analyzing the isolated products through DNA binding assays. …