Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Sources Of Aeolian Mineral Dust: Present And Past, Daniel R. Muhs, Joseph M. Prospero, Matthew C. Baddock, Thomas E. Gill

United States Geological Survey: Publications

Aeolian mineral dust is an important component of the Earth’s environmental systems, playing roles in the planetary radiation balance, as a source of fertilizer for biota in both terrestrial and marine realms and as an archive for understanding atmospheric circulation and paleoclimate in the geologic past. Crucial to understanding all of these roles of dust is the identification of dust sources. Here we review the methods used to identify dust sources active at present and in the past. Contemporary dust sources, produced by both glaciogenic and non-glaciogenic processes, can be readily identified by the use of Earth-orbiting satellites. These data …

Humic Substances Interfere With Detection Of Pathogenic Prion Protein, Christen B. Smith, Clarissa J. Booth, Tyler J. Wadzinski, Giuseppe Legname, Rick Chappell, Christopher J. Johnson, Joel A. Pedersen

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Studies examining the persistence of prions (the etiological agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) in soil require accurate quantification of pathogenic prion protein (PrP^TSE) extracted from or in the presence of soil particles. Here, we demonstrate that natural organic matter (NOM) in soil impacts PrP^TSE detection by immunoblotting. Methods commonly used to extract PrP^TSE from soils release substantial amounts of NOM, and NOM inhibited PrP^TSE immunoblot signal. The degree of immunoblot interference increased with increasing NOM concentration and decreasing NOM polarity. Humic substances affected immunoblot detection of prion protein from both deer and hamsters. We also …

Comparative Population Structure Of Cavity-Nesting Sea Ducks Estructura Poblacional Comparada De Patos Marinos Que Anidan En Cavidades, John M. Pearce, John M. Eadie, Jean-Pierre L. Savard, Thomas K. Christensen, James Berdeen, Eric J. Taylor, Sean Boyd, Arni Einarsson, Sandra L. Talbot

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

A growing collection of mtDNA genetic information from waterfowl species across North America suggests that largerbodied cavity-nesting species exhibit greater levels of population differentiation than smaller-bodied congeners. Although little is known about nest-cavity availability for these species, one hypothesis to explain differences in population structure is reduced dispersal tendency of larger-bodied cavity-nesting species due to limited abundance of large cavities. To investigate this hypothesis, we examined population structure of three cavity-nesting waterfowl species distributed across much of North America: Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), Common Goldeneye (B. clangula), and Bufflehead (B. albeola). We compared patterns of population structure using both variation …

Tissue-Specific Molecular Immune Response To Lipopolysaccharide Challenge In Emaciated Anadromous Arctic Charr, Mathilakath Vijayan, Anju Philip, Even Jørgensen, Alec Maule

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Anadromous Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) undergo voluntary winter fasting for months in the Arctic. We tested the hypothesis that extended fasting will compromise the ability of this species to evoke an immune response. Charr were either fed or fasted for 85 days and challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the molecular immune response in the liver and spleen assessed at 8 and 96 h post-injection. LPS increased IL-1β, IL-8, and serum amyloid protein A (SAA) mRNA levels in both groups, but the liver IL- 1β and IL-8, and spleen IL-8 responses were reduced in the fasted group. Fasting upregulated SOCS-1 and …

Estimating Evapotranspiration And Groundwater Flow From Water-Table Fluctuations For A General Wetland Scenario, Martha L. Carlson Mazur, Michael Wiley, Douglas Wilcox

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The use of diurnal water-table fluctuation methods to calculate evapotranspiration (ET) and groundwater flow is of increasing interest in ecohydrological studies. Most studies of this type, however, have been located in riparian wetlands of semi-arid regions where groundwater levels are consistently below topographic surface elevations and precipitation events are infrequent. Current methodologies preclude application to a wider variety of wetland systems. In this study, we extended a method for estimating sub-daily ET and groundwater flow rates from water-level fluctuations to fit highly dynamic, non-riparian wetland scenarios. Modifications included (1) varying the specific yield to account for periodic flooded conditions and …

Effects Of Prey Metapopulation Structure On The Viability Of Black-Footed Ferrets In Plague-Impacted Landscapes: A Metamodelling Approach, Kevin Shoemaker, Robert Lacy, Michelle Verant, Barry Brook, Travis Livieri, Philip Miller, Damien Fordman, H. Resit Akcarkaya

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

1. Species interactions have been largely ignored in extinction risk assessment. However, the black-footed ferret Mustela nigripes exemplifies a class of endangered species for which strong species interactions cannot be ignored. This species is an obligate predator of prairie dogs Cynomys spp., and sylvatic plague Yersinia pestis epizootics threaten to undermine recovery efforts by functionally eliminating the prey base. Multispecies ‘metamodelling’ techniques offer new opportunities for exploring population dynamics under strong species interdependencies and disease.

2. To investigate ferret extinction risk in plague-affected landscapes, we simultaneously modelled plague epidemiological processes, prairie dog metapopulation dynamics and ferret demographic responses. Ferret population …

Scale Criticality In Estimating Ecosystem Carbon Dynamics, Shuqing Zhao, Shuguang Liu

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Scaling is central to ecology and Earth system sciences. However, the importance of scale (i.e. resolution and extent) for understanding carbon dynamics across scales is poorly understood and quantified. We simulated carbon dynamics under a wide range of combinations of resolution (nine spatial resolutions of 250 m, 500 m, 1 km, 2 km, 5 km, 10 km, 20 km, 50 km, and 100 km) and extent (57 geospatial extents ranging from 108 to 1 247 034 km²) in the southeastern United States to explore the existence of scale dependence of the simulated regional carbon balance. Results clearly show …

Exposure And Food Web Transfer Of Pharmaceuticals In Ospreys (Pandion Haliaetus): Predictive Model And Empirical Data, Rebecca S. Lazarus, Barnett A. Rattner, Bryan W. Brooks, Bowen Du, Peter C. Mcgowan, Vicki S. Blazer, Mary Ann Ottinger

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a well‐known sentinel of environmental contamination, yet no studies have traced pharmaceuticals through the water–fish–osprey food web. A screening‐level exposure assessment was used to evaluate the bioaccumulation potential of 113 pharmaceuticals and metabolites, and an artificial sweetener in this food web. Hypothetical concentrations in water reflecting “wastewater effluent dominated” or “dilution dominated” scenarios were combined with pH‐specific bioconcentration factors (BCFs) to predict uptake in fish. Residues in fish and osprey food intake rate were used to calculate the daily intake (DI) of compounds by an adult female osprey. Fourteen pharmaceuticals and a drug …

Identifying Priority Conservation Areas For The American Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus Americanus (Coleoptera: Silphidae), A Habitat Generalist, Jessica D. Jurzenski, Christopher F. Jorgensen, Andy Bishop, Roger Grosse, John Riens, W. Wyatt Hoback

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Conservation efforts leading to the recovery of the federally endangered American burying beetle (ABB), Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, have been challenging because of the unknown causes of its decline, difficulty in establishing habitat requirements, and unclear population distribution across the species’ range. Extant populations of this widespread generalist species occur in broadly separated regions of North America with varying habitat characteristics. A habitat suitability model for ABB in the Nebraska Sandhills was developed over the course of 3 years resulting in a final cross-validated spatial model. The succession of models from 2009 to 2011 indicated that most of the predictive variables …

Laboratory Manual For Physics Of Lasers And Modern Optics, 13th Ed, Stephen Ducharme

Stephen Ducharme Publications

You will encounter challenging puzzles and explore new and exciting physical phenomena. You will be provided with sufficient tools, guidance and other resources, but what you learn depends on your inquisitiveness and creativity. This laboratory course is designed to serve two purposes: 1) To explore a variety of physical principles using the fascinating and diverse behavior of light. 2) To learn some of the principles behind the pervasive and expanding area of optical and laser technology. This course is suitable for students of science, life sciences, and engineering, or any student who is curious about light. The prerequisites are the …

Chirally Sensitive Electron-Induced Molecular Breakup And The Vester-Ulbricht Hypothesis, J. M. Dreiling, Timothy J. Gay

Timothy J. Gay Publications

We have studied dissociative electron attachment in sub-eV collisions between longitudinally polarized electrons and chiral bromocamphor molecules. For a given target enantiomer, the dissociative Br anion production depends on the helicity of the incident electrons, with an asymmetry that depends on the electron energy and is of order 3 × 10⁻⁴. The existence of chiral sensitivity in a well-defined molecular breakup reaction demonstrates the viability of the Vester-Ulbrict hypothesis, namely, that the longitudinal polarization of cosmic beta radiation was responsible for the origins of biological homochirality.

Identifying Legal, Ecological And Governance Obstacles, And Opportunities For Adapting To Climate Change, Barbara Cosens, Lance Gunderson, Craig R. Allen, Melinda Harm Benson

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Current governance of regional scale water management systems in the United States has not placed them on a path toward sustainability, as conflict and gridlock characterize the social arena and ecosystem services continue to erode. Changing climate may continue this trajectory, but it also provides a catalyst for renewal of ecosystems and a window of opportunity for change in institutions. Resilience provides a bridging concept that predicts that change in ecological and social systems is often dramatic, abrupt, and surprising. Adapting to the uncertainty of climate driven change must be done in a manner perceived as legitimate by the participants …

Foreword, Marcia A. Shobe

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Inquiry: The University Of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal - Volume 16 - Spring 2014, Inquiry Editors

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

A Solution-Based Approach To Rejecting Trademark Licenses In Bankruptcy, 13 J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop. L. 621 (2014), Chandra J. Critchelow

UIC Review of Intellectual Property Law

The Seventh Circuit created a circuit split in bankruptcy law regarding the rejection of trademark licenses in its 2011 decision in Sunbeam Prods., Inc. v. Chi. Am. Mfg. LLC. All other courts have held that when a trademark license is rejected under 11 U.S.C. § 365 in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding, the licensee may no longer use the licensed trademark. All other forms of intellectual property are subject to § 365(n), which prevents automatic termination of the licensee’s rights. In Sunbeam, the court held that the rejection of a trademark license under § 365 does not automatically terminate the …

Regulating Toxics: Sex And Gender In Canada's Chemicals Management Plan, Sarah Lewis, Dayna Nadine Scott

Osgoode Legal Studies Research Paper Series

Chemical substances are found everywhere in our environment. Whether it be at home, outdoors, or in the workplace, we are continuously coming into contact with various chemicals through our air, water, food, cosmetics, clothes, personal care products and everyday household items (Cooper, Vanderlinden, and Ursitti 2011; Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment 2008). As our detection methods improve, we are increasingly forced to confront the evidence of these exposures: biomonitoring studies now show that nearly everyone has measurable amounts of almost all known toxic chemicals stored somewhere in their bodies (CDC 2013; Environmental Defence 2009; Statistics Canada 2012). At …

Qos Aware Geographic Opportunistic Routing In Wireless Sensor Networks, Long Cheng, Jianwei Niu, Jiannong Cao, Sajal K. Das, Yu Gu

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

QoS routing is an important research issue in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), especially for mission-critical monitoring and surveillance systems which requires timely and reliable data delivery. Existing work exploits multipath routing to guarantee both reliability and delay QoS constraints in WSNs. However, the multipath routing approach suffers from a significant energy cost. In this work, we exploit the geographic opportunistic routing (GOR) for QoS provisioning with both end-to-end reliability and delay constraints in WSNs. Existing GOR protocols are not efficient for QoS provisioning in WSNs, in terms of the energy efficiency and computation delay at each hop. To improve the …

“Levavi Oculos” An Institutional Study Of Hollins University, Jenny Call

Faculty and Staff Papers, Articles, etc.

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of Flow Devices Used To Reduce Flooding By Beavers: A Review, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Russell D. Singleton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Dams created by American beavers (Castor canadensis) are associated with positive and negative values, and beaver management decisions are based on stakeholder perception and levels of tolerance. Lethal trapping is a widely used and accepted tool to reduce beaver damage caused by flooding; however, acceptable and efficacious non-lethal tools are increasingly desired by the public. We traced the origin of non-lethal tools used to reduce beaver flooding as far back as the early 20th century, when beavers received protective status and were reintroduced to many areas across North America. These tools focus on 2 general factors—exclusion and deception—and can be …

Influence Of Habitat Structure And Food On Patch Choice Ofcaptive Coyotes, Sharon A. Poessel, Eric M. Gese, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing urban development can have significant effects on wildlife species, includingcarnivores. Some carnivore species have been able to adapt to and even thrive in urban envi-ronments, including coyotes (Canis latrans). The presence of carnivores in urban areas cansometimes lead to conflicts with humans and their pets. Although coyotes may frequentlyuse urban areas, they also inhabit natural areas surrounding urban development. Under-standing the various factors affecting patch choice of urban coyotes may assist wildlifeofficials in managing human-coyote conflicts. Both sex and behavioral profile can influ-ence patch choice; bold individuals are more likely to be exploratory than shy animals,which can …

Responses To Canopy Loss And Debris Deposition In A Tropical Forest Ecosystem: Synthesis From An Experimental Manipulation Simulating Effects Of Hurricane Disturbance, Aaron B. Shiels, Grizelle González, Michael R. Willig

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Hurricanes, cyclones, or typhoons are intense and broad-scale disturbances that affect many island and coastal ecosystems throughout the world. We summarize the findings of the articles that compose this special issue of Forest Ecology and Management, which focuses on a manipulative experiment (the Canopy Trimming Experiment, CTE) that simulates two key aspects of hurricane effects in a wet tropical forest. Although previous studies of tropical and subtropical forests have documented changes resulting from hurricanes, it is not clear which of the two simultaneously occurring direct effects of hurricanes—canopy openness or debris deposition—most influence responses. In the Luquillo Experimental Forest …

Households, Terese Desimio

University Libraries' Staff Publications

New to this chapter in the Eighth Edition are e-resources that can be offered as alternatives to print resources. While the e-resources may not be as comprehensive as the print resources, they can provide some good information in the event that access to print resources is not possible. All of the print resources listed are appropriate for a basic library reference collection or circulating collection and most are appropriate for home libraries. From cocktails to cockatiels, this chapter supports a wide variety of reader interests.

Uc Hastings (Fall 2014), Hastings College Of The Law Alumni Association

Hastings Alumni Publications

No abstract provided.

Diminished Returns: The Exorbitance Of Collecting Dna From All Arrestees, Carlos Jordi

St. Thomas Law Review

This comment will examine the effects of a criminal justice system where DNA is collected from everyone who is arrested, regardless of the seriousness of the charge. Part L.A will begin with an analysis of King to provide an understanding of how the Supreme Court decision may permit states to collect DNA from all arrestees. DNA is used in the criminal justice system because of its ability to effectively identify people. Part I.B discusses DNA science and provides a cursory understanding of how information is gathered from an individual's genetic code. Part I.C displays how law enforcement uses DNA for …

Development And Evaluation Of High Resolution Simulation Tools To Improve Fire Weather Forecasts, Brian K. Lamb, Jason M. Forthofer, Peter R. Robichaud

Joint Fire Science Program Research Project Reports

Fire weather forecasts rely on numerical weather simulations where the grid size is 4 km x 4 km or larger. In areas of complex terrain, this model resolution will not capture the details of wind flows associated with complicated topography. Wind channeling in valleys, wind speed-up over mountains and ridges, and enhanced turbulence associated with rough terrain and tall forest canopies are poorly represented in current weather model applications. A number of numerical wind flow models have been developed for simulating winds at high resolution; however, there are limited observational data available at the spatial scales appropriate for evaluating these …

Exploring How Deliberation On Scientific Information Shapes Stakeholder Perceptions Of Forest Management And Climate Change, Troy E. Hall, Jarod J. Blades

Joint Fire Science Program Research Project Reports

Climate change has resulted in rapid biophysical changes in forests of the western U.S. and has prompted the need for an increased understanding of potential impacts and adaption measures. Land managers, policy makers, and community officials lack locally relevant climate change science and are urgently calling for research to inform management decisions. Nevertheless, a substantial disconnect remains between emerging scientific information and its application in management decisions. Effective action depends on understanding regional and local implications of climate change and open, reasoned discussions about current research and potential mitigation actions among researchers, land managers, and other stakeholders. Boundary objects have …

Fire Effects On Seedling Establishment Success Across Treeline: Implications For Future Tree Migration And Flammability In A Changing Climate, F. S. Chapin Iii, Teresa N. Hollingsworth, Rebecca E. Hewitt

Joint Fire Science Program Research Project Reports

Understanding the complex mechanisms controlling treeline advance or retreat in the arctic and subarctic has important implications for projecting ecosystem response to changes in climate. Changes in landcover due to a treeline biome shift would alter climate feedbacks (carbon storage and energy exchange), ecosystem services such as wildlife and berry habitat, and landscape flammability. Wildfire frequency and extent has increased in the last half-century in the boreal forest and tundra in response to warmer weather and lower precipitation. Invasion of tundra by trees may be facilitated by wildfire disturbance, which exposes new seedbeds, increases nutrient availability immediately post-fire, and creates …

Annual Patterns And Budget Of Co2 Flux In An Arctic Tussock Tundra Ecosystem, Walter C. Oechel, Cheryl A. Laskowski, George Burba, Beniamino Gioli, Aram A. M. Kalhori

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The functioning of Arctic ecosystems is not only critically affected by climate change, but it also has the potential for major positive feedback on climate. There is, however, relatively little information on the role, patterns, and vulnerabilities of CO₂ fluxes during the nonsummer seasons in Arctic ecosystems. Presented here is a year-round study of CO₂ fluxes in an Alaskan Arctic tussock tundra ecosystem, and key environmental controls on these fluxes. Important controls on fluxes vary by season. This paper also presents a new empirical quantification of seasons in the Arctic based on net radiation. The fluxes were computed …

The Value Of Public Philosophy To Philosophers, Massimo Pigliucci, Leonard Finkelman

Faculty Publications

Philosophy has been a public endeavor since its origins in ancient Greece, India, and China. However, recent years have seen the development of a new type of public philosophy conducted by both academics and nonprofessionals. The new public philosophy manifests itself in a range of modalities, from the publication of magazines and books for the general public to a variety of initiatives that exploit the power and flexibility of social networks and new media. In this paper we examine the phenomenon of public philosophy in its several facets, and investigate whether and in what sense it is itself a mix …

Dtaf Dye Concentrations Commonly Used To Measure Microscale Deformations In Biological Tissues Alter Tissue Mechanics., Spencer E Szczesny, Rachel S. Riley, Dawn M Elliott

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Identification of the deformation mechanisms and specific components underlying the mechanical function of biological tissues requires mechanical testing at multiple levels within the tissue hierarchical structure. Dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein (DTAF) is a fluorescent dye that is used to visualize microscale deformations of the extracellular matrix in soft collagenous tissues. However, the DTAF concentrations commonly employed in previous multiscale experiments (≥2000 µg/ml) may alter tissue mechanics. The objective of this study was to determine whether DTAF affects tendon fascicle mechanics and if a concentration threshold exists below which any observed effects are negligible. This information is valuable for guiding the continued use of …