Digital Commons Network^™

Using Mosses To Assess Conditions In Northern White Cedar Swamps, Vaula L. M. Lukkarinen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) (NWC) swamps are valuable both commercially and ecologically. Unfortunately, many NWC swamps are degraded and information about them is not abundant. Especially there have been no definitive studies about mosses in northern white cedar swamps and how they react to disturbances. Mosses are sensitive to changes in their environment and thus they could be used to assess ecosystem conditions of NWC swamps.

The objective of this study was to determine if mosses could be used to asses conditions in NWC swamps and if there are differences between moss communities in disturbed and …

Design, Synthesis And Applications Of Fluorescent And Electrochemical Probes, Giri K. Vegesna

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

“Seeing is believing” the proverb well suits for fluorescent imaging probes. Since we can selectively and sensitively visualize small biomolecules, organelles such as lysosomes, neutral molecules, metal ions, anions through cellular imaging, fluorescent probes can help shed light on the physiological and pathophysiological path ways. Since these biomolecules are produced in low concentrations in the biochemical pathways, general analytical techniques either fail to detect or are not sensitive enough to differentiate the relative concentrations. During my Ph.D. study, I exploited synthetic organic techniques to design and synthesize fluorescent probes with desirable properties such as high water solubility, high sensitivity and …

Lgbt Homeless Youth In Boston Ma: Experiences Regarding Resources And Potential Barriers, Brittney Connery

Undergraduate Review

LGBT youth are at an escalated risk of leaving home, mental health concerns, victimization, substance abuse, and risky sexual behavior. However, research shows a lack of LGBT-specific resources. This raises concern as LGBT youth comprise 20 to 40 percent of homeless youth – disproportionate to the general youth population which is only 10 percent LGBT. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of LGBT homeless youth in Boston, Massachusetts regarding their use of resources and any potential barriers they may face. Furthermore, this study examined whether or not current resources are safe, welcoming …

Preliminary Assessment Of Instrumental Methods To Evaluate The Purity Of Biodiesel Produced From Waste Vegetable Oil, Michael Macmurdo

Undergraduate Review

America’s transportation sector is the key link between our growing dependency on oil, and resulting global warming pollution. Petroleum in our cars and trucks accounts for two-thirds of our total oil used and one-third of the U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel source and an alternative to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel burns much cleaner than petroleum diesel, producing a significantly lower amount of toxic and greenhouse gas emissions.1 Whereas, there is only a finite amount of petroleum in the earth, biodiesel is produced from renewable resources and even recycled resources such as waste vegetable oil. Despite the benefits, …

Lab Roster 2014, Booth Library

Rosters

No abstract provided.

Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma, Marianne Berwick

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Preventive Medicine

This study was designed to investigate whether early detection of melanoma through skin self-examination could improve chances of survival. The researchers collected data from 650 Connecticut residents with a primary cutaneous melanoma diagnosed between January 15, 1987 and May 15, 1989 and from a control group of 573 Connecticut residents selected through random digit dialing. The researchers designed a structured questionnaire to assess subject characteristics such as basic demographics, familial history of skin cancer, pigmentary characteristics, health history, and potential confounding factors such as recreational and occupational sun exposure and sunlamp use. Data has been analyzed and the results published …

Think Like A (Mindful) Lawyer: Incorporating Mindfulness And Professional Identity Into The First-Year Curriculum, Nathalie Martin

Faculty Scholarship

In this article, I add to the existing mindfulness literature by discussing other ways that law teachers might consider incorporating mindfulness and emotional intelligence into one or more of their classes. I also discuss the related idea of helping students develop a professional identity. Next, I focus on providing these tools in a first-year mandatory class and then attempt to provide a rationale, and a roadmap, for doing this. After explaining briefly what mindfulness and emotional intelligence are, I review literature from other disciplines on the benefits of mindfulness practice and emotional intelligence training. Next, I discuss how this training …

Literature Search Strategy For Pain Management During In-Office Hysteroscopic Sterilization, Emily N. Schneider

Clinical and Translational Science Center Scholarly Output

No abstract provided.

Do Spiny Lobsters Prefer To Associate With Familiar Individuals?, K. Cunningham, J. Ellis, M. Childress

Focus on Creative Inquiry

Juvenile spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) are known to be gregarious. We studied the preference of spiny lobsters in their association with other individuals. Twenty lobsters were captured for this experiment, paired, and divided into either "dominant" or "subordinate" status. The pairs of lobsters were then placed into the cattle tank with another pair and allowed to interact throughout the night. Spiny lobsters spent significantly more time in their "home" den than the "away" den and were much more likely to be in their "home" den with a familiar individual than with an unfamiliar individual."

Unm Health Sciences Center Research Annual Report 2014, Michael Haederle, Sara Mota, Peter Arathoon, Furhana Afrid, John Arnold, Cindy Foster, Luke Frank, Kara Mckinney, Michele Sequeira, Rebecca Gustaf

Research Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

2014 Program, Belmont University

Humanities Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

A History Of Sockeye Salmon Research, Karluk River System, Alaska, 1880–2010, Richard Gard, Richard Lee Bottorff

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

One of Alaska’s most famous runs of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, returns each year to spawn in the pristine waters of the Karluk River drainage on Kodiak Island. The sheer magnitude and long duration of the run are remarkable. Within recorded history, this run has, in peak years, exceeded 4,000,000 fish, a wondrous spectacle of nature. This abundance is particularly striking since, physically, the Karluk River is relatively small when compared with other notable salmon-stream systems of Alaska and the Pacific Coast. Such vibrant profusion has riveted human attention for as long as people have occupied Kodiak Island, an …

Esterification Pretreatment Of Free Fatty Acid In Biodiesel Production, From Laboratory To Industry, Ming Chai, Qingshi Tu, Jeffrey Y. Yang, Mingming Lu

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

In the United States, biodiesel producers usually follow the 19.8:1 methanol-to-FFA molar ratio for free fatty acid (FFA) esterification, as suggested by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) without optimization studies. In this paper, both laboratory studies and industrial practices of the esterification process were compared, and an optimization study of a used vegetable oil with 5% FFA was conducted. The optimal conditions of this oil, i.e., methanol-to-FFA molar ratio of 40:1, and sulfuric acid usage of 10%, fell out of the suggested range of 19.8:1. The activation energy of the esterification reaction is 20.7 kJ/mol at the optimized condition …

Associations Between Prenatal Exposure To Air Pollution, Small For Gestation Alage,And Term Low Birthweight In A State-Widebirth Cohort, Lisa C. Vinikoor-Imler, J. Allen Davis, Robert E. Meyer, Lynne C. Messer, Thomas J. Luben

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

A range of health effects, including adverse pregnancy outcomes, have been associated with exposure to ambient concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and ozone(O3). The objective of this study was to determine whether maternal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) andO3 during pregnancy is associated with the risk of term low birth weight and small for gestational age infants in both single and co-pollutant models. Term low birth weight and small for gestational age were determined using all birth certificates from North Carolina from 2003 to 2005. Ambient air concentrations of PM2.5 and O3 were predicted using a hierarchical Bayesian model …

Remote Sensing Of Co2 Leakage From Geologic Sequestration Projects, Joshua L. Verkerke, David J. Williams, Eben Thoma

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Monitoring for leak hazards is an important consideration in the deployment of carbon dioxide geologic sequestration. Failure to detect and correct leaks may invalidate any potential emissions benefits intended by such projects. Presented is a review of remote sensing methods primed to serve a central role in any monitoring program due to their minimally invasive nature and potential for large area coverage in a limited timeframe or in real-time as a continuous monitoring program. Methods investigated were divided into those capable of indirect detection of carbon dioxide leakage, such as monitoring for vegetative stress and ground surface deformation, and those …

In Vitro And Modelling Approaches To Risk Assessment From The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxcast Programme, Richard Judson, Keith Houck, Matt Martin, Thomas Knudson, Russell Thomas, Nisha Sipes, U.S. Epa, National Center For Computational Toxicology, Research Triangle Park, John Wambaugh, Kevin Crofton

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

A significant challenge in toxicology is the ‘too many chemicals’ problem. Human beings and environmental species are exposed to tens of thousands of chemicals, only a small percentage of which have been tested thoroughly using standard in vivo test methods. This study reviews several approaches that are being developed to deal with this problem by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under the umbrella of the ToxCast programme (http://epa.gov/ncct/toxcast/). The overall approach is broken into seven tasks: (i) identifying biological pathways that, when perturbed, can lead to toxicity; (ii) developing highthroughput in vitro assays to test chemical perturbations of these pathways; …

Transparent Stakeholder Engagement In Practice: Lessons Learned From Applying Comprehensive Environmental Assessment To Research Planning For Nanomaterials, Christina Powers, Christine Hendren, Amy Wang, Michael Davis

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

As efforts to develop new applications of engineered nanoscale materials (ENMs) continue to grow, so too has interest in the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of these materials. However, thorough evaluation and interpretation of such implications could require substantial resources (e.g., estimated as >$120 million per year in federal funding 2013– 2017). A structured, strategic approach for transparently planning research would support improved linkages between ENM research and risk assessments, and thereby enhance the utility of financial and other resources for EHS studies of ENMs. For this reason, we applied Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) as an approach to provide …

Incorporating Resilience And Innovation Into Law And Policy: A Case For Preserving A Natural Resource Legacy And Promoting A Sustainable Future, Tarsha Eason, Alyson C. Flournoy, Heriberto Cabezas, Michael A. Gonzalez

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

The concept of sustainability has been widely embraced by society and in environmental law and policy as a measure to ensure a heritage of economic viability, social equity, and environmental stewardship. In a large number of statutes, Congress and many state legislatures have begun to adopt the goals of protecting a natural resource legacy and promoting sustainable use of the nation's valuable natural resources. However, many of the statutes enacted have been virtually unenforceable due to lack of standards and guidance on reconciling complex and often competing priorities. Moreover, reports continue to surface regarding such problems as diminishing natural resources, …

Bringing Resilience To Wildlife Management And Biodiversity Protection, Melinda Harm Benson, Matthew E. Hopton

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Biological diversity can be considered both temporally (Le., evolutionary time) and/or spatially and reflects the number, variety, and variability of organisms. It includes diversity within species (Le., genetic and morphological), between species (Le., alpha and beta), and among ecosystems (Le., beta and gamma). Over the past few hundred years, human activities have increased species extinction rates by as much as 1,000 times above the background rates that were typical over Earth's history (Figure 2.1) (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; but see He and Hubbell 2011). In the United States, there are approximately 1,900 species listed as threatened or endangered, with potentially …

Land Use And Climate Variability Amplify Carbon, Nutrient, And Contaminant Pulses: A Review With Management Implications, Sujay S. Kaushal, Peter M. Mayer, Philippe G. Vidon, Rose M. Smith, Micheal J. Pennino, Tamara A. Newcomer, Shuiwang Duan, Claire Welty, Kenneth T. Belt

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and urbanization is increasing globally at the same time climate extremes have increased in frequency and intensity. We review >200 studies of hydrologic and gaseous fluxes and show how the interaction between land use and climate variability alters magnitude and frequency of carbon, nutrient, and greenhouse gas pulses in watersheds. Agricultural and urban watersheds respond similarly to climate variability due to headwater alteration and loss of ecosystem services to buffer runoff and temperature changes. Organic carbon concentrations/exports increase and organic carbon quality changes with runoff. Nitrogen and phosphorus exports increase during floods (sometimes by an …

An Environmental Oestrogen Disrupts Fish Population Dynamics Through Direct And Transgenerational Effects On Survival And Fecundity, Adam R. Schwindt, Dana L. Wrinkelman, Kristen Keteles, Mark Murphy, Alan M. Vajda

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

1. Increased need for water and projected declines in precipitation due to climate change could leave waterways increasingly dominated by wastewater effluent. Understanding how components of wastewater influence fish populations is necessary for effective conservation and management. Despite research demonstrating effects of oestrogens, such as 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2), on fish physiology and population failure, the generality of population responses is uncertain and the underlying mechanisms affecting population declines are unknown. EE2 is the steroid oestrogen in human contraceptive pills and has been measured up to 11 ng L ^-1 in the environment.

2. We identify disrupted population dynamics due to direct …

Mass Trauma: Disasters, Terrorism, And War, Allan Chriman, Joseph Dougherty

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

• Mass-exposure events, such as disaster, terrorism, and war, have unique impacts on children.
• Effective conceptual approaches must balance risk and resilience from a developmental perspective.
• Models of mass trauma effects and exposures include exposure dose, cumulative risk, determinants, and moderators.
• Children are a special needs population particularly vulnerable to the impact of mass trauma due to a lack of experience, skills, and resources to independently meet their mental and behavioral health needs.
• The National Commission on Children and Disaster’s Report recommends a greater focus on the disaster mental and behavioral health needs of children throughout planning, training, exercises, and response …

Trends In Caffeine Use And Association Between Clinical Outcomes And Timing Of Therapy In Very Low Birth Weight Infants, Nicole R. Dobsin, Ravi M. Patel, P. Brian Smith, Devon R. Kuehn, Jennifer Clark, Shilpa Vyas-Read, Amy Herring Scd, Matthew M. Laughon Md, Mph, David Carlton Md, Carl E. Hunt Md

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Objective: To examine the effect of early initiation of caffeine therapy on neonatal outcomes and characterize the use of caffeine therapy in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Study design: We analyzed a cohort of 62 056 VLBW infants discharged between 1997 and 2010 who received caffeine therapy. We compared outcomes in infants receiving early caffeine therapy (initial dose before 3 days of life) and those receiving late caffeine therapy (initial dose at or after 3 days of life) through propensity scoring using baseline and early clinical variables. The primary outcome was the association between the timing of caffeine initiation …

Application Of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound To The Study Of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Joseph T. Mccabe, Chantal Moratz, Yunbo Liu, Ellen Burton, Amy Morgan, Craig Budinich, Bennell Lowe, John Rosenberger, Huazhen Chen, Jiong Liu, Matthew Myers

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Though intrinsically of much higher frequency than open-field blast overpressures, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pulse trains can be frequency modulated to produce a radiation pressure having a similar form. In this study, 1.5-MHz HIFU pulse trains of 1-ms duration were applied to intact skulls of mice in vivo and resulted in blood-brain barrier disruption and immune responses (astrocyte reactivity and microglial activation). Analyses of variance indicated that 24 h after HIFU exposure, staining density for glial fibrillary acidic protein was elevated in the parietal and temporal regions of the cerebral cortex, corpus callosum and hippocampus, and staining density for the …

Henipavirus Microsphere Immuno-Assays For Detection Of Antibodiesagainst Hendra Virus, Leanne Mcnabb, J. Barr, G. Crameri, S. Juzva, S. Riddell, A. Colling, V. Boyd, C. Broder, L.-F. Wang, R. Lunt

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

tHendra and Nipah viruses (HeV and NiV) are closely related zoonotic pathogens of the Paramyxoviridaefamily. Both viruses belong to the Henipavirus genus and cause fatal disease in animals and humans,though only HeV is endemic in Australia. In general and due to the acute nature of the disease, agentdetection by PCR and virus isolation are the primary tools for diagnostic investigations. Assays for thedetection of antibodies against HeV are fit more readily for the purpose of surveillance testing in dis-ease epidemiology and to meet certification requirements in the international movement of horses. Thefirst generation indirect ELISA has been affected by non-specific …

Depressive Symptoms And Observed Eating In Youth, Mira Mooreville, Lauren B. Shomaker, Samantha A. Reina, Louise M. Hannallah, L. Adelyn Cohen, Amber B. Courville, Merel Kozlosky, Sheila M. Brady, Tania Condarco, Susan Z. Yanovski, Marian Tanofsky-Kraff, Jack A. Yanovski

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Depressive symptoms in youth may be a risk factor for obesity, with altered eating behaviors as one possible mechanism. We tested whether depressive symptoms were associated with observed eating patterns expected to promote excessive weight gain in two separate samples. In Study 1, 228 nontreatment- seeking youth, ages 12–17 y (15.3 ± 1.4 y; 54.7% female), self-reported depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory. Energy intake was measured as consumption from a 10,934-kcal buffet meal served at 11:00 am after an overnight fast. In Study 2, 204 non-treatment-seeking youth, ages 8–17 y (13.0 ± 2.8 y; 49.5% female), self-reported depressive …

Filaria Zoogeography In Africa: Ecology, Competitive Exclusion, And Public Health Relevance, David Molyneux, Edward Mitre, Moses J. Bockarie, Louise A. Kelly-Hope

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Six species of filariae infect humans in sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesise that these nematodes are able to polyparasitise human hosts by having successfully, through competitive exclusion, adapted to distinct niches. Despite inhabiting the same host, adult stages reside in different tissue sites. Microfilariae of some species exhibit temporal separation by reaching peak levels in the blood at specific times of day. Spatial and temporal distributions in microfilaria location are exploited by the vector feeding-behaviour whereas adult survival is enhanced by occupying exclusive ‘ecological’ niches of the body. We present specific examples to demonstrate this concept, which is not only important …

Risk For Suicidal Behaviors Associated With Ptsd, Depression, And Their Comorbidity In The U.S. Army, Holly J. Ramsawh, Carol S. Fullerton, Holly B. Herberman Mash, Tsz Hin H. Ng, Ronald C. Kessler, Murray B. Stein, Robert J. Ursano

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Background: Suicide rates have risen considerably in the United States Army in the past decade. Suicide risk is highest among those with past suicidality (suicidal ideation or attempts). The incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive illnesses has risen concurrently in the u.s. Army. We examined the relationship of PTSD and depression, independently and in combination, and rates of pastyear suicidality in a representative sample of U.S. Army soldiers. Methods: This study used the 000 Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel (000 HRB) (N=5927). Probable PTSD and depression were assessed with the PTSD Checklist (PCL) …

The Inky Story Of The Dinky Oak Gall, Ken Sulak

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Maybe you have noticed these little spheres before – but did not give them much thought. Or maybe, you puzzled: What are these wooden pearls? How did they get there? Well, a tiny wasp, called the pea galler wasp or gallfly, Belonocnema treatae, is the culprit. The diminutive female gallfly (one of nearly a thousand species in the gall wasp family Cynipidae), about the size of a fire ant, lays eggs on a freshly budded live oak leaf in spring. When the larva hatches, it produces a chemical that induces the oak to enclose it in a protective and …

Integrating Land Cover Modeling And Adaptive Management To Conserve Endangered Species And Reduce Catastrophic Fire Risk, David Breininger, Brean Duncan, Mitchell J. Eaton, Fred Johnson, James Nichols

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Land cover modeling is used to inform land management, but most often via a two-step process, where science informs how management alternatives can influence resources, and then, decision makers can use this information to make decisions. A more efficient process is to directly integrate science and decision-making, where science allows us to learn in order to better accomplish management objectives and is developed to address specific decisions. Co-development of management and science is especially productive when decisions are complicated by multiple objectives and impeded by uncertainty. Multiple objectives can be met by the specification of tradeoffs, and relevant uncertainty can …