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Tallgrass Prairie Center Newletter, Autumn 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Tallgrass Prairie Center Newsletter

Inside This Issue:

-- The Tallgrass Prairie Center Goes to Washington (and Missouri, West Virginia, and Colorado)
-- 2015 Iowa Prairie Conference
-- ISAC Excellence in Action Award to UNI's Native Seed Distribution Program
-- What You Sow Is What Will Grow
-- The effect of summer floods on plant and wildlife diversity in managed prairie plantings: observations from a "natural experiment" in the Cedar River floodplain
-- Ecological Restoration Seminar
-- Friends of the Tallgrass Prairie Center
-- New Grad Student/Employees
-- Name that plant?

Down-Regulation Of Mir-210 Enhances Sensitivity Towards 1'S-1'-Acetoxychavicol Acetate (Aca) In Human Cervical Carcinoma Cells, P.N. Hun, M. Nurul Azmi, H. Ibrahim, Khalijah Awang, N.H. Nagoor

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

No abstract provided.

Fuzzy Based Multi-Source Data Fusion For Children's Age Estimation, S.M. Mirhassani, A. Zourmand, H.N. Ting

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Estimation of speaker's age is a challenge in speech processing area. This paper a novel approach for estimating a speaker's age is addressed. The method employs a "divide and conquer" strategy wherein the processing speech data are divided into six groups based on the vowel classes. Afterward, Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients are computed for each group and single layer feed-forward neural networks are applied to the features to make a primary decision. The extreme learning machine (ELM) method is used to train the classifiers. Subsequently, fuzzy data fusion is employed to provide an overall decision by aggregating the classifier's outputs. The …

Patterns Of Information Sources Used By Graduate Students: A Citation Analysis Of Doctoral Dissertations In The Field Of Islamic Studies, Raihanah Abdullah, Asmak Ab Rahman, Nor Azzah Kamri

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

This article depicts the results of a study carried out to ascertain the information pattern based on the sources used by graduate students from the Islamic Studies Academy submitted at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. A total of 14377 citations consisting of 54 doctoral dissertations from the Year 2005 to 2009 were examined using the citation analysis. The highest citations per dissertation was 684, while the lowest being 105 citations. The result shows that the materials used by graduate students in this field vary and are multidisciplinary by nature. Books were cited more than other forms of sources contributing …

Plastic Debris Pollution On Recreational Beaches: A Malaysian Case Study, F. Shahul Hamid, N.A.A. Ibrahim

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The significance of marine debris presence particularly plastic in marine ecosystem calls for proper monitoring strategies to establish a solid foundation for mitigation measures. The objectives of this paper are to study plastic debris distribution while correlating it to the level of awareness on marine pollution among beach users. It is aimed to investigate the impacts of tourism activities and the abundance of plastic debris on the beach. To quantify plastic debris on the beach, five points with duplicates were taken for three consecutive months. These sand samples were sieved through 1.00mm, 2.80mm and 4.7mm apertures. On the other hand, …

Kernel-Based Whole-Genome Prediction Of Complex Traits: A Review, Gota Morota, Daniel Penagaricano

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Prediction of genetic values has been a focus of applied quantitative genetics since the beginning of the 20th century, with renewed interest following the advent of the era of whole genome-enabled prediction. Opportunities offered by the emergence of high-dimensional genomic data fueled by post-Sanger sequencing technologies, especially molecular markers, have driven researchers to extend Ronald Fisher and Sewall Wright’s models to confront new challenges. Inparticular, kernel methods are gaining consideration as a regression method of choice for genome-enabled prediction. Complex traits are presumably influenced by many genomic regions working in concert with others (clearly so when considering pathways), thus generating …

Folate Targeted Agents For Diagnostic And Therapeutic Uses, Mekeda Carr

All Capstone Projects

Folic acid has been frequently exploited for target therapies geared toward overexpressed folate receptors on malignant cells. The folic acid/folate-receptor high affinity interaction can be used to not only target but image cancer cells. Folate-linked nanoparticles represent a potential new drug carrier for tumor cell-selective therapeutics. Folate targeting, nanoparticles in therapeutics, and cancer cell imaging will be outlined in this literature report.

The Biogeochemical Cycling Of Zinc And Zinc Isotopes In The North Atlantic Ocean, Tim M. Conway, Seth G. John

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Zinc (Zn) is a marine micronutrient, with an overall oceanic distribution mirroring the major macronutrients, especially silicate. Seawater Zn isotope ratios (δ⁶⁶Zn) are a relatively new oceanographic parameter which may offer insights into the biogeochemical cycling of Zn. To date, the handful of published studies of seawater δ⁶⁶Zn show the global deep ocean to be both remarkably homogeneous (approximately +0.5‰) and isotopically heavier than the marine sources of Zn (+0.1 to +0.3‰). Here we present the first high‐resolution oceanic section of δ⁶⁶Zn, from the U.S. GEOTRACES GA03 North Atlantic Transect, from Lisbon to …

Effect Of High Pressure On Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria, Martina Schedler, Robert Hiessl, Ana Gabriela Valladares Juárez, Giselher Gust, Rudolf Müller

C-IMAGE Publications

The blowout of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 occurred at a depth of 1500 m, corresponding to a hydrostatic pressure of 15 MPa. Up to now, knowledge about the impact of high pressure on oil-degrading bacteria has been scarce. To investigate how the biodegradation of crude oil and its components is influenced by high pressures, like those in deep-sea environments, hydrocarbon degradation and growth of two model strains were studied in high-pressure reactors. The alkane-degrading strain Rhodococcus qingshengii TUHH-12 grew well on n-hexadecane at 15 MPa at a rate of 0.16 h(-1), although slightly slower …

Manipulation Of Light In Plasmonic Nano-Structures, Rehab Kotb Abd-Allah

Theses and Dissertations

Manipulating light at nano-scale is usually shadowed by the diffraction limit. Recently, plasmonics have emerged as a new technology that enables confining light at nano-scale. Using plasmonic structures, photonic devices can be shrunk from the micro-scale to the nano-scale. In this thesis, a novel structure to a plasmonic nano-filter is introduced and analyzed. The proposed nano-resonator has low loss, compact size and good sensing characteristics. A closed form model to the filter behavior is developed. The model is extracted from the waveguide physical parameters and provides a physical insight into the structure of the filter. An analytical model to the …

Stress Amplification During Development Of The Tendon-To-Bone Attachment, Y. Liu, A. G. Schwartz, Victor Birman, S. Thomopoulos, G. M. Genin

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Experimental Use Of Patents On The International Agenda, Ofer Tur-Sinai

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Adiponectin And The Adipocyte In Energy Metabolism And Inflammation, Sheila Kay Jacobi

Open Access Dissertations

A series of experiments were conducted to characterize the autocrine role of adiponectin in modulating fatty acid metabolism and inflammation in the pig. In the first study, we cloned and sequenced the porcine adiponectin open reading frame and evaluated the regulation of adiponectin, in vitro and in vivo. The porcine sequence shares approximately 88, 86, 85 and 83% homology with the dog, human, cow and mouse adiponectin, respectively, and 79–83% similarity with dog, human, cow and mouse proteins at the amino acid level, based on the translated porcine sequence and GenBank submissions for the other species. Analysis of serum from …

Cnt-Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposite By Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Yaeji Kim

Open Access Dissertations

Polymer matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have received significant attention due to their potential for exceptional mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. The enhancement of ultimate mechanical properties of CNT reinforced polymer composites is governed not just by the properties of the two phases but by dispersion of the CNTs, interactions in the interfacial region and local molecular changes in polymer due to the vicinity of the CNTs. Strong adhesive interactions between the matrix and CNT leads to good compatibility preventing the aggregation of the reinforcements and results in optimal mechanical response. Even though significant efforts have been …

The Voice, Fall 2014: Volume 60, Issue 1, Dordt College

The Voice Archive

• Leading Off With the President: Discipling the Next Generation
• Editor's Notes: The End is in Sight
• News: Reading Nonfiction Improves Literacy; Engineering Club Shows Its Colors in Competition; Vander Werff Named Outstanding Advisor; Faculty Bits; Miedema Returns with Ph.D. and New Expertise; 500-Year-Old Manuscript Given; Grotenhuis Music Added to Digital Collections; Digital Media Students Spent the Summer Working in their Field; Faculty Bits; Crossing Cultures in Puerto Rico in May; Dordt College Senior Design Vehicle Shipped to Africa; Crops, Nitrates, Water: Dordt and City Team Up
• Features: "Thanks for Teaching Me...": A Student Reflection; Stepping Up the Sciences; Coffee With …

October 1, 2014 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Honors Research Symposium Program Fall 2014, University Honors Program Students And Staff

Honors College: News & Publications (2008-2020)

No abstract provided.

University Honors Program Newsletter, Honors College, Georgia Southern University

Honors College: News & Publications (2008-2020)

• Honors Inquiry in Ireland
• Williams's Eye Internship
• Kayla Smith's APProach to the Medical Field
• Honors Alumni News
• Justin Yun Hikes the Appalachian Trail
• Feriante Earns Chemistry Internship
• From the Deep South to the Far East: A Year Abroad in Nisshin, Japan
• Pullen's Summer Research

Current Unrestricted Operating Budgets, Fiscal Year 2015, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of Administration And Finance

University of Montana Current Unrestricted Operating Budgets, 1993-2017

The unrestricted operating budget of the University of Montana, issued by the Office of University Planning, Budgeting and Analysis under the Office of Administration and Finance.

Do We Speak The Same Language? A Study Of Faculty Perceptions Of Information Literacy, Jonathan Cope, Jesús E. Sanabria

Publications and Research

The authors analyze twenty in-depth interviews with faculty members about how they perceive information literacy (IL) to examine two key factors: how disciplinary background influences conceptions of IL among faculty members in academic departments and how the instructors’ perception of information literacy differs from that of professionals in library and information science. The investigators analyzed these interviews by utilizing a phenomenological method. The faculty members were interviewed at a four-year college, the College of Staten Island, and at a community college, the Bronx Community College, both part of the City University of New York.

The Optimal Foraging Of Equus Burchelli At Enashiva Nature Refuge, Edward Haubenreiser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Within the country of Tanzania lies a vast ecosystem known as the Serengeti. This unique landscape, primarily of grasslands and woodlands, shapes the seasonal feeding habits of the abundant wildlife that call the area home. While these feeding habits on a large spatial scale are well understood, such behavior within a specie’s specific environment remains of interest. With the theory of optimal foraging in mind, which considers how animals should look for and select food (Green, 1990), I studied the foraging habits of resident Burchell’s zebra (Equus burchelli) by observing if they move and forage among distinct resource …

Focus On Boise State University, Kathleen Tuck (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Sex On Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Risk And Treatment Outcomes, Shambhu Aryal, Enrique Diaz-Guzman, David M. Mannino

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the most common chronic diseases and a leading cause of death, has historically been considered a disease of men. However, there has been a rapid increase in the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of COPD in women over the last two decades. This has largely been attributed to historical increases in tobacco consumption among women. But the influence of sex on COPD is complex and involves several other factors, including differential susceptibility to the effects of tobacco, anatomic, hormonal, and behavioral differences, and differential response to therapy. Interestingly, nonsmokers with COPD are more likely …

Family Unity Revisited: Divorce, Separation, And Death In Immigration Law, Albertina Antognini

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Social Regulation Of Reproduction In Male Cichlid Fishes, Karen P. Maruska

Faculty Publications

© 2014 Elsevier Inc. Social interactions and relative positions within a dominance hierarchy have helped shape the evolution of reproduction in many animals. Since reproduction is crucial in all animals, and rank typically regulates access to reproductive opportunities, understanding the mechanisms that regulate socially-induced reproductive processes is extremely important. How does position in a dominance hierarchy impact an individual's reproductive behavior, morphology, and physiology? Teleost fishes, and cichlids in particular, are ideally-suited models for studying how social status influences reproduction on multiple levels of biological organization. Here I review the current knowledge on the reproductive behavioral and physiological consequences of …

The Early History Of Chance In Evolution, Charles H. Pence

Faculty Publications

Work throughout the history and philosophy of biology frequently employs ‘chance’, ‘unpredictability’, ‘probability’, and many similar terms. One common way of understanding how these concepts were introduced in evolution focuses on two central issues: the first use of statistical methods in evolution (Galton), and the first use of the concept of “objective chance” in evolution (Wright). I argue that while this approach has merit, it fails to fully capture interesting philosophical reflections on the role of chance expounded by two of Galton's students, Karl Pearson and W.F.R. Weldon. Considering a question more familiar from contemporary philosophy of biology—the relationship between …

Contributions Of Non-Traditional Meat Animals To Global Food Security And Agricultural Economy, Surendranath P. Suman, Kenneth W. Mcmillin

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Shear Inducing Device For The Testing Of Cell Fragility, Ramnath Raghunathan

Theses

Most blood pumps are designed to boost the pumping abilities of the heart by mechanical energy transfer using a rotor. Due to the nature of blood contacting devices, the various components of blood are subjected to shear stresses caused by the device. The accurate analysis and prediction of blood damage during the design phase of a device has been difficult to achieve. This has been complicated by both the inaccuracy of computer tools used to model the blood flow and the large uncertainty in the reported values of stress that damage blood components. Different components of blood, such as red …

Utpa Stats At A Glance - Fall 2014, University Of Texas-Pan American

UTPA Archives - Stats At A Glance

No abstract provided.

Orange & White - Summer/Fall 2014, University Of Texas At Brownsville

UTB/TSC Archives - Orange & White Magazine

No abstract provided.