Digital Commons Network^™

Ontogenetic Diet Shifts And Prey Preference Of A Generalist Predatory Fish, Brittany Jalene Scharf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marine ecosystems are highly dynamic and contain a diverse faunal assemblage that are subject to various natural and anthropogenic variability. Globally, seagrass ecosystems are located adjacent to coastal areas that are heavily impacted by human development and urbanization potentially altering the community structure within these ecosystem. Complex food webs connect many components of these systems, often in unexpected ways, and are ultimately based on one of two pathways: benthic (i.e., seagrass, epiphytes, microalgae, detritus) and planktonic (i.e., phytoplankton). Understanding the pathway which the food web is based gives further insight regarding the biological balance of the ecosystem; thus it is …

Effect Of Long-Term Physical Exercise On Blood Pressure In African Americans, Taunjah P. Bell, Katharine A. Mcintyre, Rosamary Hadley

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 7(3) : 186-193, 2014. Long-term physical exercise has been shown to noticeably reduce blood pressure (BP) and remarkably attenuate symptoms of hypertension. It is believed that physical exercise induces these beneficial effects by increasing the blood supply to the brain, enhancing the release of growth factors from skeletal muscles into the bloodstream, facilitating neurogenesis, stimulating angiogenesis, and influencing endothelial cell proliferation and subsequent endothelial cell membrane permeability. Previous findings also revealed that physical exercise significantly elevates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations which appear to increase dramatically in BP-sensing neurons during hypertension. Elevating BDNF levels is …

Is There An Optimal Whole-Body Vibration Exposure ‘Dosage’ For Performance Improvement?, R Hugh Morton, Darryl J. Cochrane

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 7(3) : 169-178, 2014. Whole-body vibration exposure has been shown to improve performance in vertical jumping and knee extensions. Some studies have addressed the question of dose optimality, but are inconclusive and inappropriately designed. Our purpose was to more thoroughly seek an optimum combination of duration, amplitude and frequency of exposure to side-alternating whole-body vibration. We used experimental designs constructed for response surface fitting and optimisation, using both blocked and unblocked second order central composite designs with 12 participants. Immediately after each exposure a discomfort index was recorded, then peak and average torque, peak and …

07-18-2014 Swosu's Lisa Castle Wins Award From United Plant Savers, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

THE BARK ARCHIVE 2014

Southwestern Oklahoma State University Biology Assistant Professor Dr. Lisa Castle has been awarded the 2014 Medicinal Plant Conservation Award by the United Plant Savers.

An Off-Label Use Of Parental Rights? The Unanticipated Doctrinal Antidote For Professor Mnookin's Diagnosis, Emily Buss

Articles

No abstract provided.

Sometimes It Is Better Not To Be Unique: The U.S. Department Of State View On Intercountry Adoption And Child Trafficking And Why It Should Change , Chad Turner

Duke Forum for Law & Social Change

No abstract provided.

Opto-Electronic Devices With Nanoparticles And Their Assemblies, Chieu Van Nguyen

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nanotechnology is a fast growing field; engineering matters at the nano-meter scale. A key nanomaterial is nanoparticles (NPs). These sub-wavelength (< 100nm) particles provide tremendous possibilities due to their unique electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. Plethora of NPs with various chemical composition, size and shape has been synthesized. Clever designs of sub-wavelength structures enable observation of unusual properties of materials, and have led to new areas of research such as metamaterials. This dissertation describes two self-assemblies of gold nanoparticles, leading to an ultra-soft thin film and multi-functional single electron device at room temperature. First, the layer-by-layer self-assembly of 10nm Au nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes is shown to behave like a cellular-foam with modulus below 100 kPa. As a result, the composite thin film (~ 100nm) is 5 orders of magnitude softer than an equally thin typical polymer film. The thin film can be compressed reversibly to 60% strain. The extraordinarily low modulus and high compressibility are advantageous in pressure sensing applications. The unique mechanical properties of the composite film lead to development of an ultra-sensitive tactile imaging device capable of screening for breast cancer. On par with human finger sensitivity, the tactile device can detect a 5mm imbedded object up to 20mm below the surface with low background noise. The second device is based on a one-dimensional (1-D) self-directed self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by dielectric materials. Depending on the coverage density of the Au NPs assembly deposited on the device, electronic emission was observed at ultra-low bias of 40V, leading to low-power plasma generation in air at atmospheric pressure. Light emitted from the plasma is apparent to the naked eyes. Similarly, 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs mediated by iron oxide was fabricated and exhibits ferro-magnetic behavior. The multi-functional 1-D self-assembly of Au NPs has great potential in modern electronics such as solid state lighting, plasma-based nanoelectronics, and memory devices.

Adviser: Ravi F. Saraf

Educational Policies Committee Program Proposal, Emma Eccles Jones College Of Education And Human Services, July 18, 2014, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Utah State University seeks approval for the formation of a new Department of Nursing and Health Professions within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services.

From The Provost 2014-07-18, Richard Caulfield

From the Provost

No abstract provided.

Phylogenetic Patterns Of Rarity In A Regional Species Pool Of Tropical Trees, Maria Isabel Loza

Theses

Species rarity is often defined in terms of: local abundance, geographic range size and habitat breadth. It is thought that each of these rarity axes has distinct effects on extinction risk. Thus, understanding phylogenetic patterns of these three axes is of considerable interest because they provide insights into the extent to which rarity is phylogenetically conserved and, in turn, how extinction risk is distributed across phylogenies. Here I examine the extent to which the three axes of rarity show phylogenetic signal (the tendency of related species to resemble each other more than species drawn at random from the same phylogenetic …

The Emergence Of Home Advantage From Differential Perceptual Activity, Benjamin R. Meagher

Doctoral Dissertations

The creation and maintenance of physical territories are behaviors common to many species, including humans. One of the most well-documented outcomes associated with territories is the phenomenon of home advantage, the tendency for residents to prevail disproportionally over intruders during competition. Previous attempts to explain this effect have focused largely on a defense framework: residents, in response to an intruder, experience dominance motivation, which leads to more aggressive behavior. In the current work, I draw on ecological theorizing to develop an alternative account, arguing that differences in perceptual activity necessary for adaptive functioning produces distinct performance outcomes for hosts, …

July 18, 2014 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Direct Comparison Of Apremilast And Best Supportive Care Using A Discrete Event Simulation, Zoe Clancy, Pharmd

Master of Science in Applied Health Economics and Outcomes Research Capstone Presentations

Apremilast is compared to best supportive care (BSC), and response to treatment is assessed after a trial period of 16 weeks, which corresponds to the primary efficacy endpoint in the apremilast clinical trials. DES is a technique that is event-based and models a population at the individual level in terms of utility, costs, and resource use. The DES was implemented as a series of input, calculation, and output flowcharts in Arena®. The DES reported an incremental QALY per patient of 0.16 and incremental cost per patient of $17,325. The Markov model reported an incremental QALY of 0.18 and incremental cost …

Adolescent Behavioral Adjustment In Girls Adopted From China: Examining Pre-Adoption And Post-Adoption Factors, Derek Justin Powers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite research that indicates that internationally adopted children are at greater risk for poor developmental outcomes than their non-adopted peers (Bimmel, Juffer, IJzendoorn, Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2003; Juffer, & van IJzendoorn, 2005), girls adopted from China into Western culture tend to thrive, exhibiting high self-esteem, low behavior problems (i.e., both externalizing and internalizing), and excelling academically (Rojewski, Shapiro, & Shapiro, 2000; Tan & Jordan-Arthur, 2012). However, few studies have examined whether this trend continues into adolescence, as well as to what factors lead to these positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of mental health outcomes among internationally …

Leaving A Bequest: Living On Through Charitable Gifts, A Sargeant, C Routley

Plymouth Business School

Decisions taken in respect of the disposition of possessions often parallel a life transition or change in identity. In this article, we examine decisions taken in a will where disposition can be viewed not as a representation of the identities an individual wishes to shed, but rather as the continuation of those for which the deceased wishes to be remembered. We examine the meaning that such donors ascribe to their giving and the rich pattern of utility it offers both the individual and those he or she will ultimately leave behind. Using grounded theory, we report the results of 20 …

Examining The Factors Influencing Female African American Doctoral Students To Select Higher Education Leadership As A Career, Rosalynn Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The objective of this study was to identify reasons why African American women who are enrolled in higher education administration doctoral programs become senior higher education leaders, i.e., college presidents, chief academic officers, and vice-presidents. This study applied the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to examine these reasons. The research population included female African American doctoral students enrolled in higher education administration programs from 12 institutions located in the southern United States. Using multistage sampling, a sample of 29 was established. Data were collected using the SCCT survey questionnaire which consisted of five parts: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, vocational interests, barriers, …

Probabilistic Seismic Loss Analysis For Design Of Steel Structures - Optimizing For Multiple-Objective Functions, Sanaz Saadat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

An optimized seismic performance-based design methodology considering structural and non-structural system performance and seismic losses is considered to design steel structures. Multi-objective optimization methodology is implemented considering various sets of optimization objectives which would take into account minimization of the initial construction cost, associated with the weight of the structural system, and the expected annual loss considering direct economic losses, and a social loss parameter defined as expected annual social loss. A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm method is implemented for the multi-objective optimization. Achieving the desired confidence levels in meeting performance objectives of interest are set as constraints of the …

Modeling Giardia-Host Interactions: Mechanisms Of Barrier Dysfunction And Immune Suppression, Bridget Sutton Fisher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The protozoan parasite, Giardia lamblia (syn. G. intestinalis, G. duodenalis), is a leading cause of pathogen-induced gastrointestinal disease throughout the world. Upon Giardia colonization of the proximal small intestine, epithelial barrier dysfunction is induced through enterocyte apoptosis and disruption of the tight-junction protein complexes. Intestinal barrier disruption promotes the translocation of luminal contents, including commensal bacteria and Giardia-derived excretory-secretory products (ESPs), into the mucosal tissue. In an attempt to elucidate the cellular mechanisms of giardiasis, we constructed a novel in vitro co-culture model of epithelial cells (Caco-2 cells) and macrophages (IC-21 cells) for evaluating long-term host-parasite interactions. We show that …

Interventions To Regulate Confusion During Learning, Blair Allison Lehman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Confusion provides opportunities to learn at deeper levels. However, learners must put forth the necessary effort to resolve their confusion to convert this opportunity into actual learning gains. Learning occurs when learners engage in cognitive activities beneficial to learning (e.g., reflection, deliberation, problem solving) during the process of confusion resolution. Unfortunately, learners are not always able to resolve their confusion on their own. The inability to resolve confusion can be due to a lack of knowledge, motivation, or skills. The present dissertation explored methods to aid confusion resolution and ultimately promote learning through a multi-pronged approach. First, a survey revealed …

Construcciones De La Identidad Femenina En El Espacio Virtual: El Caso De La Blogósfera Española Y La Literatura Digital Del Blook, Jennifer Byron

Nomenclatura: aproximaciones a los estudios hispánicos

En el siglo veintiuno nuestra vida se está cruzando constantemente con la tecnología, tanto que algunos declaran que nuestro mundo se ha hecho posthumano; ya que cada vez más no se puede separar al ser humano de la máquina en sus interacciones sociales. Aunque algunos se sienten amenazados por estas tecnologías, otros están abrazando internet y aprovechándose de las oportunidades infinitas que ofrece. Uno de estos elementos fundamentales que internet posibilita es la capacidad de comunicarse directamente con otras personas. El blog—bitácora en español—permite que los usuarios proyecten a sus pseudo-identidades e ideas a través del texto que escriben en …

The Role Of The Testa During Development And In Establishment Of Dormancy Of The Legume Seed, Petr Smýkal, Vanessa Vernoud, Matthew W. Blair, Aleš Soukup, Richard D. Thompson

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Timing of seed germination is one of the key steps in plant life cycles. It determines the beginning of plant growth in natural or agricultural ecosystems. In the wild, many seeds exhibit dormancy and will only germinate after exposure to certain environmental conditions. In contrast, crop seeds germinate as soon as they are imbibed usually at planting time. These domestication-triggered changes represent adaptations to cultivation and human harvesting. Germination is one of the common sets of traits recorded in different crops and termed the “domestication syndrome.” Moreover, legume seed imbibition has a crucial role in cooking properties. Different seed dormancy …

Oroya Fever And Verruga Peruana: Bartonelloses Unique To South America, Michael F. Minnick, Burt E. Anderson, Amorce Lima, James M. Battisti, Phillip G. Lawyer, Richard J. Birtles

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bartonella bacilliformis is the bacterial agent of Carrión's disease and is presumed to be transmitted between humans by phlebotomine sand flies. Carrión's disease is endemic to high-altitude valleys of the South American Andes, and the first reported outbreak (1871) resulted in over 4,000 casualties. Since then, numerous outbreaks have been documented in endemic regions, and over the last two decades, outbreaks have occurred at atypical elevations, strongly suggesting that the area of endemicity is expanding. Approximately 1.7 million South Americans are estimated to be at risk in an area covering roughly 145,000 km2 of Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. Although disease …

The Trade-Off Between Dietary Salt And Cardiovascular Disease; A Role For Na/K-Atpase Signaling?, Joe X. Xie, Anna Pearl Shapiro, Joseph I. Shapiro Md

Biochemistry and Microbiology

It has been postulated for some time that endogenous digitalis-like substances, also called cardiotonic steroids (CTS), exist, and that these substances are involved in sodium handling. Within the past 20 years, these substances have been unequivocally identified and measurements of circulating and tissue concentrations have been made. More recently, it has been identified that CTS also mediate signal transduction through the Na/K-ATPase, and consequently been implicated in profibrotic pathways. This review will discuss the mechanism of CTS in renal sodium handling and a potential “trade-off” effect from their role in inducing tissue fibrosis.

At Bernheim Arboretum Maintaining The Hollies, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Serum Metabolomic Response Of Myasthenia Gravis Patients To Chronic Prednisone Treatment, Manjistha Sengupta, Amrita Cheema, Henry J. Kaminski, Linda Louise Kusner

Neurology Faculty Publications

Prednisone is often used for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases but they suffer from variable therapeutic responses and significant adverse effects. Serum biological markers that are modulated by chronic corticosteroid use have not been identified. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder caused by antibodies directed against proteins present at the post-synaptic surface of neuromuscular junction resulting in weakness. The patients with myasthenia gravis are primarily treated with prednisone. We analyzed the metabolomic profile of serum collected from patients prior to and after 12 weeks of prednisone treatment during a clinical trial. Our aim was to identify metabolites …

Environment Restoration Operations Consolidated Quarterly Report (January - March) - July 2014, Sandia National Laboratories/Nm

Environmental Restoration

Environmental Restoration Operations Consolidated Quarterly Report, July 2014 for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia Corporation that addresses all quarterly reporting (January through March 2014) required under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Module of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit, the Compliance Order on Consent and the Chemical Waste Landfill Closure Plan for Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico, Environmental Protection Agency identification number NM5890110518.

Transcriptome Analysis Of A Petal Anthocyanin Polymorphism In The Arctic Mustard, Parrya Nudicaulis, Timothy Butler, Cynthia Dick, Matthew L. Carlson, Justen B. Whittall

Biology

Angiosperms are renown for their diversity of flower colors. Often considered adaptations to pollinators, the most common underlying pigments, anthocyanins, are also involved in plants’ stress response. Although the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway is well characterized across many angiosperms and is composed of a few candidate genes, the consequences of blocking this pathway and producing white flowers has not been investigated at the transcriptome scale. We take a transcriptome-wide approach to compare expression differences between purple and white petal buds in the arctic mustard, Parrya nudicaulis, to determine which genes’ expression are consistently correlated with flower color. Using mRNASeq and de …

Emu Today, July 17, 2014, Eastern Michigan University

EMU Today

No abstract provided.

New Digital-Profiling Technology Is Available To Researchers, Traci Bratton

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

The Comparability Of Men Who Have Sex With Men Recruited From Venue-Time-Space Sampling And Facebook: A Cohort Study, Alfonso C. Hernandez-Romieu, Patrick S. Sullivan, Travis H. Sanchez, Colleen F. Kelley, John L. Peterson, Carlos Del Rio, Laura F. Salazar, Paula M. Frew, Eli S. Rosenberg

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: Recruiting valid samples of men who have sex with men (MSM) is a key component of the US human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) surveillance and of research studies seeking to improve HIV prevention for MSM. Social media, such as Facebook, may present an opportunity to reach broad samples of MSM, but the extent to which those samples are comparable with men recruited from venue-based, time-space sampling (VBTS) is unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the comparability of MSM recruited via VBTS and Facebook. Methods: HIV-negative and HIV-positive black and white MSM were recruited from June 2010 …