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Using Stable Isotope Analysis To Study Altitudinal And Latitudinal Bat Migration, Lily Arias

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The general lack of knowledge on basic aspects of the biology of temperate and tropical bats, their low reproductive rates, and threats such as white-nose syndrome, wind farms, and habitat loss, make them very susceptible to population declines. My research uses an innovative technique, the analysis of stable isotopes, to study the ecology of bat migration with the main goals of contributing significantly to the understanding of bat biology and assessing the conservation status and susceptibility of bats. In the first chapter, I measured the content of hydrogen isotopes in fur samples of migratory bat species killed at a wind …

Commencement Program, May (2014), Minnesota State University Moorhead

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Engaging Allied-Health Students With Virtual Learning Environment Using Course Management System Tutorial Site†, Andrew Nguyen, Mangala Tawde

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Daily Eastern News: May 01, 2014, Eastern Illinois University

May

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Response To Intervention On Academic Achievement In High School Literacy And Mathematics, Scott Embrey

College of Education Dissertations

This study examined the effects of a multi-tiered Response to Intervention (RTI) framework on literacy and math in an effort to determine the potential benefits in a secondary setting. Specifically, this study compared literacy and mathematics achievement for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students, as measured by end-of-course exams, between a secondary school utilizing RTI and a secondary school not using RTI. Furthermore, the disaggregated test scores based on gender and socioeconomic status were analyzed from each school to determine the disparity in academic performance between groups of students, referred to as the “achievement gap”.

A quantitative, causal-comparative strategy was …

Lean Body Mass May Explain Apparent Racial Differences In Carotid Intima-Media Thickness In Obese Children., Shahryar M. Chowdhury, Melissa H. Henshaw, Brad Friedman, J Philip Saul, Girish S. Shirali, Janet Carter, Bryana M. Levitan, Tom Hulsey

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Racial differences in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) have been suggested to be associated with the disproportionally high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in black adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cardiovascular risk factors on the racial differences seen in cIMT in obese children.

Methods: Obese subjects aged 4 to 21 years were recruited prospectively. Height, weight, blood pressure, fasting insulin, glucose, lipid panel, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were obtained. B-mode carotid imaging was analyzed by a single blinded physician.

Results: A total of 120 subjects (46 white, 74 …

Illegitimate Borders: Jus Sanguinis Citizenship And The Legal Construction Of Family, Race, And Nation, Kristin Collins

Faculty Scholarship

The citizenship status of children born to American parents outside the United States is governed by a complex set of statutes. When the parents of such children are not married, these statutes encumber the transmission of citizenship between father and child while readily recognizing the child of an American mother as a citizen. Much of the debate concerning the propriety and constitutionality of those laws has centered on the extent to which they reflect gender-traditional understandings of fathers’ and mothers’ respective parental roles, or instead reflect “real differences” between men and women. Based on extensive archival research, this Article demonstrates …

Terrestrial Hydrological Controls On Land Surface Phenology Of African Savannas And Woodlands, Kaiyu Guan, Eric F. Wood, David Medvigy, John S. Kimball, Ming Pan, Kelly K. Caylor, Justin Sheffield, Xiangtao Xu, Matthew O. Jones

Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group Publications

This paper presents a continental-scale phenological analysis of African savannas and woodlands. We apply an array of synergistic vegetation and hydrological data records from satellite remote sensing and model simulations to explore the influence of rainy season timing and duration on regional land surface phenology and ecosystem structure. We find that (i) the rainy season onset precedes and is an effective predictor of the growing season onset in African grasslands. (ii) African woodlands generally have early green-up before rainy season onset and have a variable delayed senescence period after the rainy season, with this delay correlated nonlinearly with tree fraction. …

The Human Dimensions Of Waterfowl Hunters At Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Barton County, Kansas, Jason K. Black

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

An on-site human dimension survey was applied at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (CHBW), Kansas, to evaluate waterfowl hunters’ support for three alternative management strategies. The strategies included in the survey were: 1) the creation of a refuge-in-time where hunting would be allowed for the entire day, but only on odd-numbered calendar dates, 2) the designation of an existing pool as a primitive pool, i.e., no motorized watercraft allowed, and 3) the creation of a refuge-in-time where hunting would only be allowed in a given pool from ½ hour before sunrise to 1300 hours, but hunting would be allowed every day …

Negative Experiences In Physical Education Class And Avoidance Of Exercise, Daphne Brown

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

One of our nation’s growing concerns is obesity and the effect it has on one’s health and overall quality of life. Determining the underlying causes for an individual’s avoidance of exercise is crucial in battling the obesity crisis. The impact negative feelings involving Physical Education classes taken in adolescence may have on one’s current exercise routines and barriers to current participation in exercise were examined in the current study. Measures of barriers to exercise, self-esteem, current exercise routines and negative experiences involving Physical Education classes were examined. A total of 101 participants completed the measures of barriers to exercise, self-esteem, …

Timing And Intensity Of Steer Use On Old World Bluestem (Bothriochloa Ischaemum) And Blue Grama (Bouteloua Gracilis) In Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie, Jessica Casey

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Yellow bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum), an invasive species, was introduced as a forage species and as a roadside grass for erosion control. Yellow bluestem can negatively interact with native grasslands and reduce biodiversity. Livestock tend to avoid yellow bluestem after accumulation of standing lignified tissue, particularly at the end of the growing season. Mowing has been used in pasture situations to remove excess grass for hay and over coarse grass left from the previous season. It is essential to understand the role livestock play as either a catalyst for control or preventing further invasion of yellow bluestem. Quantification of the timing …

Description Of An Unusual Cervical Vertebral Column Of A Plesiosaur From The Kiowa Shale, Ian N. Cost

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Early Cretaceous (Albian) Kiowa Shale of Clark County, Kansas consists mainly of dark gray shale with occasional limestone deposits that represent a near shore environment. Faunal lists have been published based on fragmentary materials; however, few individual specimens have been described in the last 100 years. Here an unusual plesiosaur specimen (KUVP 16375) is described. The specimen consists of 17 cervical vertebrae: 10 articulated and 7 disarticulated. Some of the vertebrae are uniquely preserved with an atypical ventral excavation not present in known plesiosaur vertebrae. It is not clear whether or not this character is of phylogenetic or diagnostic …

Antimicrobial Resistance Of Channel Catfish Intestinal Microflora In The Arkansas And Ninnescah Rivers In Kansas, Jordan R. Hofmeier

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Antimicrobial compounds have been used by humans to counteract bacterial infections since 1910. Overuse of these compounds in clinical and agricultural applications has led to rapid evolution and global spread of antimicrobial resistance and rivers are the main receiving body for antimicrobials and resistant bacteria from urban effluents and agricultural runoff. When antimicrobial-resistant bacteria enter the aquatic environment, water acts as a physical pathway for their distribution. Subsequently, resistance genes become established in natural systems and pose threats to human health and ecological processes. Due to these potential threats, antimicrobial resistance in the aquatic environment should be closely monitored. To …

Construct Validity Of The Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised (Pcl-R) For The Purposes Of Predicting Recidivism In Sex Offenders, Courtney Mccue

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

To be eligible for civil commitment under the Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act (K.S.A 59-29a02,1994), three criteria must be satisfied; being the person must have past sex offenses, a mental abnormality, and be likely to sexually recidivate within the community. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) (Hare, 2003) is a tool often used by clinicians completing sexual predator evaluations as a means to assess for psychopathy, a mental disorder capable of satisfying criteria two. However, due to the amount of literature linking psychopathy to recidivism, the PCL-R has been presented and/or interpreted to also satisfy criteria three within the law, likely …

Bird-Habitat Associations Along A Canopy Cover Gradient Of Eastern Redcedar In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Grassland birds have declined more rapidly than any other avian taxa in North America. While woody encroachment is often cited as a threat, some grassland-dependent species requiring habitat with scattered trees or shrubs also are declining at statistically significant rates. To better understand the ecological costs and benefits of woody vegetation from a brush management perspective, I studied bird-habitat associations along a canopy cover gradient of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Habitat associations were tested by the comparing the relative abundance of breeding birds between 3 habitat treatment levels (0% eastern red cedar canopy cover [open grassland], < 5% eastern red cedar canopy cover [light encroachment], and > 5-25% eastern red …

Nest Survival Of Grassland Breeding Birds In A Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

As a group, grassland birds have been declining significantly since European settlement of the prairie. The subsequent plowing of the prairie by settlers was compounded by fire suppression, resulting in a patchwork of cultivated fields with intermittent tracts of overgrown grassland. Over an interval of ~200 years, these practices lead to an estimated decline of 96 % of native tallgrass prairie habitat. Due to the imperiled status of grassland birds, an emphasis has been placed on managing for this particular group throughout the southern mixed-grass prairie region. I investigated the effects of adaptive three-pasture rotational grazing treatments (3ROT) versus traditional …

Possible Effects Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Ludovicianus) On Abundance And Diversity Of Raptors And Small Mammals In Mixed And Shortgrass Prairie Of Western Kansas, Nina M. Luna

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a burrowing rodent native to the Great Plains currently experiencing large population declines. It is debated whether prairie dogs are keystone species; however, areas with prairie dogs have higher levels of biodiversity and presumably increased biotic interactions. The goal of this study is to quantify the importance of black-tailed prairie dogs, hereafter prairie dog, by comparing abundance and diversity of raptors and small mammals on prairie dog (PD) and non-prairie dog (NON) inhabited prairie. A significant difference was detected between the two treatments (PD and NON) in the number of raptors counts; the …

Distance Sampling As A Technique To Monitor Pronghorn In Kansas, Jared H. Oyster

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Accurate and precise estimates of abundance are crucial for wildlife management. Wildlife agencies spend large amounts of time and money to obtain estimated abundance. The Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has conducted strip transect (ST) counts biannually since 1963 to estimate pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) abundance in Kansas. However, the accuracy and reliability of results are questionable. Distance sampling (DS) is a method used to estimate abundance of a biological population. All perpendicular distances of objects to the transect line are recorded; however, there is no designated strip width and no assumption that all objects are detected. I …

Dispersal Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Near Central Great Plains Feedlots, Jennifer R. Pfannenstiel-Klaus

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in medical and veterinary settings. Resistance can be worsened by misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Such situations can give rise to highly resistant organisms. Ciprofloxacin, a synthetic, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat gram-positive and gram-negative infections in humans, has similar chemical structure to enrofloxacin, which is used to treat animals. Cross-resistance might arise because of that similarity. This research describes the dispersal and prevalence of bacteria that exhibit ciprofloxacin resistance in relation to feedlots in the central Great Plains region. Six times in 2013, six feedlots were sampled for airborne bacterial communities at, upwind …

Comparison Of Small Mammal Communities In Ephemeral Wetlands And Wet Meadows During Drought, Brian M. Zinke

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Ephemeral wetlands are characterized by a cyclical hydropattern, ranging from complete inundation to a total absence of surface water. This cycle between wet and dry phases is necessary for the flora of ephemeral wetlands to perpetuate. However, little research has been done to study the response of the non-avian fauna to these cycles, particularly during the dry phase. I live trapped small mammals by using Sherman live traps and conducted vegetation surveys monthly (May–August in 2012 and May–July in 2013) in the ephemeral wetlands and the surrounding wet meadows of the Cheyenne Bottoms basin in central Kansas. Drought occurred both …

Inferring Herpetofaunal Distributions And Habitat Preferences For Conservation Planning, Lisa M. Prowant

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Global climate change is a serious threat to global biodiversity (IPCC, 2001). Due to their limited dispersal ability, reptiles and amphibians might be more vulnerable to rapid climate change than are other taxonomic groups (Gibbons et al., 2000). Herpetofauna in south-central Kansas was sampled from May through August in 2012 and 2013. Seven study sites spanning Meade, Clark, Comanche, and Barber counties were sampled. Drift fence and cover-board traps were arranged in transects at each site to capture reptiles and amphibians. Species were also sampled through surveys on all-terrain vehicles and on foot. Two thousand nine hundred and forty five …

Life History Of A Dune-Dwelling Rhaphidophorid, Utabaenetes Tanneri Tinkham, In The San Rafael Desert Of Utah, Ryan M. Shofner

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The camel cricket, Utabaenetes(tanneri Tinkham, has been little studied. This study gathered information on the basic life history and behavior of this species, which is found only in the San Rafael Desert and adjacent Colorado Plateau in areas of loose sand or active dunes. The daily activity pattern is matutinal, and individuals construct burrows for shelter in the afternoon. The diet of U.(tanneri is omnivorous, composed of plant material, detritus, and conspecific crickets. Utabaenetes(tanneri has been found in the diet of several predatory species, although the total number of observed predation instances is low. Utabaenetes(tanneri might be a Batesian mimic …

Redox Active Motifs In Selenoproteins, Fei Li, Yuliya Pepelyayeva, Elias S. J. Arner, Craig A. Bayse, Sharon Rozovsky

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Selenoproteins use the rare amino acid selenocysteine (Sec) to act as the first line of defense against oxidants, which are linked to aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Many selenoproteins are oxidoreductases in which the reactive Sec is connected to a neighboring Cys and able to form a ring. These Sec-containing redox motifs govern much of the reactivity of selenoproteins. To study their fundamental properties, we have used Se-77 NMR spectroscopy in concert with theoretical calculations to determine the conformational preferences and mobility of representative motifs. This use of Se-77 as a probe enables the direct recording of the properties of …

Supporting Positive Parent-Toddler Relationships And Reducing Toddler Tantrums: Evaluation Of Pcat-E, Tara M. Sjuts

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

At the most fundamental level, a positive parent-child relationship is the foundation of child success. However, the toddler period may present difficulties for the parent-child relationship. As toddlers explore their autonomy, they challenge parents with noncompliance and temper tantrums, which may be difficult for the parent-child relationship. This study examined the impact of an extension of Parent-Child Attunement Therapy (Parent Child Attunement Therapy – Enhanced; PCAT-E) on parenting behaviors, toddler tantrum behaviors, and the parent-toddler relationship. This extension featured eight individual didactic and coaching sessions with parent-child dyads focused on teaching positive parenting skills, effective commands, and emotion language modeling. …

Diversity And Ecology Of Host-Seeking Mosquitoes In Irrigated Agro-Ecosystems Of Clay County, Nebraska, Alister K. Bryson

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In the United States, Nebraska has the third highest incidence of human West Nile virus (WNV). Since WNV was first detected in the state in 2002, 3,422 confirmed cases and 57 deaths have been reported. Irrigated agro-ecosystems, which have been associated with elevated WNV incidences in other states, are prevalent in Nebraska. The objectives of this investigation were to 1) characterize mosquito abundance and diversity in irrigated agro-ecosystems, and 2) evaluate associations of two primary vectors of WNV, Culex tarsalis and Culex pipiens, with irrigation methods (sprinkler vs. surface) and crop type (corn vs. soybean). Investigations were conducted …

Mechanisms Of Differential Toxicity Between Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Castes With An Emphasis On Coumaphos, Lizette Dahlgren

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Acaricides are used to treat honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies to control the parasitic Varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman), a worldwide threat to honey bee health. As such, these compounds act as drugs to mitigate bee losses but may also stress the bees. This dissertation quantifies differences between queen and worker tolerance of five acaricides and clarifies the honey bee mechanism of tolerance for coumaphos. Selected acaricides were topically applied to adult queen and worker bees to generate dose-response curves and LD₅₀s. Twenty-four hours after treatment, queens were 3-times more tolerant of tau-fluvalinate …

Leaving Myself Behind, Shea Montgomery

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This work presents poems detailing different events of my life in an almost chronological order, while at the same time juxtaposing them against the backdrop of a life changing car accident I suffered through when I was 21. The events detailed within the poems reflect moments in my life that occurred either before or after this car accident, and I have arranged them in such a way that I hope will show my own struggles with masculinity while growing up, while at the same time realizing my own mortality by the end.

The poems contained within this work detail my …

Pectin From Apple Pomace: Extraction, Characterization, And Utilization In Encapsulating Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate, Lucia G. Miceli-Garcia

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pomace is the main byproduct from apple juice and cider industry. Valuable compounds, such as pectin, can be obtained from apple pomace. Despite the wide utilization of pectin in the food industry, the available knowledge on the complicated extraction process and chemistry of pectin is limited. Pectin is a versatile food ingredient that can be utilized in the development of functional food ingredients. This research covers two main areas of importance on the production and utilization of pectin. The first study was aimed at optimizing process conditions for the acid extraction of pectin from apple pomace. Three extraction factors (hot …

Starch-Pectin Matrices For Encapsulation Of Ascorbic Acid, Yiwei Liu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Starch and pectin are two food-grade carbohydrates widely utilized in the food industry. Starch and pectin polymers have been investigated in encapsulating functional food ingredients and in pharmaceutical applications. Resistance to enzyme hydrolysis, differential solubilities, depending on the pH, and the ability to ‘protect’ unstable molecules are considered some of the beneficial properties of starch and pectin polymers, for encapsulation applications. Food ingredients could be delivered in a controlled manner to a specific target by encapsulating in micro-scale particles, i. e., microencapsulation. Two studies were conducted to investigate the ability of selected starch-pectin blends in microencapsulating ascorbic acid (vitamin C) …

Response Of Large River Fishes To A Prolonged High Water Event In The Missouri River, Nebraska, Nicholas Paul Hogberg

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Regulation and modification of large rivers to accommodate human uses have been a root cause of freshwater biodiversity declines. The Missouri River is among the most drastically-altered large river systems in North America, with a series of mainstem impoundments in the upper watershed altering flow characteristics downstream, and channelization throughout the lower river homogenizing instream habitat and reducing off-channel habitat. Precipitation events during the winter and spring 2010-2011 caused flooding of the greatest magnitude and duration since reservoir completion. The large magnitude and long duration of this flood made it unlike any flood in recent history and provided a unique …