Digital Commons Network^™

Negative Skeletal Effects Of Locally Produced Adiponectin, Marcia J. Abbott, Theresa M. Roth, Linh Ho, Liping Wang, Dylan O'Carroll, Robert A. Nissenson

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Epidemiological studies show that high circulating levels of adiponectin are associated with low bone mineral density. The effect of adiponectin on skeletal homeostasis, on osteoblasts in particular, remains controversial. We investigated this issue using mice with adipocyte-specific over-expression of adiponectin (AdTg). MicroCT and histomorphometric analysis revealed decreases (15%) in fractional bone volume in AdTg mice at the proximal tibia with no changes at the distal femur. Cortical bone thickness at mid-shafts of the tibia and at the tibiofibular junction was reduced (3–4%) in AdTg mice. Dynamic histomorphometry at the proximal tibia in AdTg mice revealed inhibition of bone formation. AdTg …

An Introduction To Soil Concepts And The Role Of Soils In Watershed Management, Jon E. Schoonover, Jackie F. Crim

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Soil is a non-renewable dynamic natural resource that is essential to life. Water movement, water quality, land use, and vegetation productivity all have relationships with soil. This article introduces many important soil concepts including development, classification, properties (physical, chemical, and biological), quality, and conservation. A general understanding of soil concepts and these interwoven relationships is essential to making sound land management decisions.

Exploring Differences Among Illegal Activities In The Ugalla Game Reserve Of Western Tanzania, Paulo Wilfred

Tanzania Journal of Science

Conservation efforts in Tanzania rarely assess the extent to which different resource user activities are related. This study aimed to explore the differences among various illegal activities occurring in Ugalla Game Reserve, western Tanzania. The study used a combination of ranger–collected data, from 2003 to 2010, and foot surveys of illegal activity signs in the reserve. Illegal activity signs were recorded for five different types of offence: illegal fishing, bushmeat hunting, illegal logging, other activity (any sign that indicated any other type of unauthorised user presence) and honey gathering. The most frequent activity was logging (602 signs; 58% of offenders …

Unraveling Host-Vector-Arbovirus Interactions By Two-Gene High Resolution Melting Mosquito Bloodmeal Analysis In A Kenyan Wildlife-Livestock Interface, David Omondi, Daniel K. Masiga, Yvonne Ukamaka Ajamma, Burtram C. Fielding, Laban Njoroge, Jandouwe Villinger

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The blood-feeding patterns of mosquitoes are directly linked to the spread of pathogens that they transmit. Efficient identification of arthropod vector bloodmeal hosts can identify the diversity of vertebrate species potentially involved in disease transmission cycles. While molecular bloodmeal analyses rely on sequencing of cytochrome b (cyt b) or cytochrome oxidase 1 gene PCR products, recently developed bloodmeal host identification based on high resolution melting (HRM) analyses of cyt b PCR products is more cost-effective. To resolve the diverse vertebrate hosts that mosquitoes may potentially feed on in sub-Saharan Africa, we utilized HRM profiles of both cyt b and 16S …

Educational Policies Committee Program Proposal, Emma Eccles Jones College Of Education And Human Services, July 31, 2015 – Phd In Neuroscience, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Utah State University (USU), Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, proposes to offer an interdisciplinary doctoral program in neuroscience.

Cerebellar Modulation Of Dorsolateral Striatal Dopamine Release: Functional Significance To Autism Spectrum Disorder, Chase Reid Presley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant impairments in social-interaction, repetitive behavior, and early onset. Several neuropathologies exist in individuals with ASD including cerebellar hypoplasia, a reduction in Purkinje cells, and an enlargement of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). These abnormalities have been found to alter dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the mPFC and contribute to repetitive behaviors and cognitive deficits commonly found in ASD. The nigrostriatal pathway provides DA to the striatum where it acts to modulate proper action selection and motor control. Research now suggests that th cerebellum may modulate nigrostriatal DA release in the …

Traditional Medicinal Uses Of Small Mammal Products: A Case Study Of The African Savannah Hares, Crested Porcupines And Rock Hyraxes In Serengeti District, Tanzania, Flora John Magige

Tanzania Journal of Science

Traditional medicines, both plant and animal products, have been used to cure various diseases since time immemorial especially in rural areas worldwide. Many studies have focused on traditional plant products, but little research has been conducted on animal traditional medicines. This study investigated  the use of small mammal  products for medicinal purposes in three villages bordering Serengeti National Park in Serengeti District, Tanzania. A total of 71 respondents were interviewed in Kisangura, Nyamburi and Machochwe villages in November 2010, using questionnaires. Villagers hunted small mammals mainly by dogs for cultural and ornamental reasons. Products of African savannah hare (Lepus microtis), …

Woman As A Dirty Machine: A Question Of Objectification On E.E. Cummings, Titis Pratiwi

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The pervasiveness of female objectification in the treatment of women by men has been called out as a manifestation of gender hierarchy and domination. This research analyzed the figurative languages used in E.E. Cummings’ poem first she like a piece of ill-oiled to identify his treatment of women seen through the illustration of the persona’s actions, thoughts and feelings. Dynamics of the personas’ sexual relationships are then identified to analyze how aspects of objectification appear in the relation between men and women. In order to reinforce the notion of objectification, dehumanization as its extension is utilized as a supporting theory. …

What Would You Do? Neuroethics Sheds Light On Our Darkest Dilemmas, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Public Philosophy: Cross-Cultural And Multi-Disciplinary, Anand Jayprakash Vaidya

Comparative Philosophy

In this paper I propose a future direction for comparative philosophy on which it enters the space of public philosophy by capitalizing on the fact that it is already cross-cultural, and adding multi-disciplinary research to its proper foundation. This is not a new thesis. Rather, it is an ideological articulation of thought that is already underway in what is sometimes called fusion philosophy, as found in the work of Evan Thompson, Jay Garfield, or Christian Coseru. My articulation begins with a non-exhaustive delineation of distinct types of public-philosophy that are already well known in the public space. One core distinction …

Recent Case Decisions, Daniel Franklin, John Curtis, Jarrod H. Gamble, Patrick J. Hoog, Taylor C. Venus, Jordan D. Volino

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Bugging The Oil And Gas Industry: The American Burying Beetle In Oklahoma, Brett Thomas

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

First Amendment; Freedom Of The Press; Erosion Of New York Times Co. V. Sullivan; Herbert V. Lando, Edward Howlett

Akron Law Review

In Herbert v. Lando the Supreme Court announced that the first amendment does not require a constitutional privilege foreclosing direct inquiry into the editorial process. While the decision may seem correct in its overturning of the absolute privilege afforded to the editorial process by the Second Circuit, nevertheless, by refusing to grant even a qualified privilege to the editorial process the Court may have upset the delicate balance between an individual's interest in his reputation and society's interest in a free flow of information recognized in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan.

Book Review: Lawsuit: By Stuart M. Speiser, Lawrence P. Wilkins

Akron Law Review

The seven ages of a lawsuit are portrayed in new light through the lively prose of Mr. Speiser, as he tells the backstage stories in seven major tort cases in which he or members of his firm have participated during his distinguished career. More than just chronicled events observable by anyone, the author's stories reveal some of the thinking processes which turn the seven ages of a lawsuit into working tools in the resolution of controversies. More than just another collection of "stories-about-cases-the-author-has-won," the book is a discourse on the author's thesis that the American "trinity of torts" (jury trial, …

Patentability Of Micro-Organisms, Diamond V. Chakrabarty, Ann Amer Brennan

Akron Law Review

The decision rendered by the Supreme Court in Diamond v. Chakrabarty allows the new science of biotechnology to come out of the closet and to take its place in the public domain with other scientific achievements that have, for better or for worse, shaped the industrial life of the United States. It is probable that the products which will result from this emerging science will affect each of us in some way during our lifetimes.

The Courtroom Status Of The Polygraph, John A. Turlik

Akron Law Review

This comment will inform the reader of the status and various uses of the polygraph available to the criminal attorney, with an emphasis on Ohio law.

Exemptions And Lien Avoidance Under The Bankruptcy Reform Act Of 1978 And Ohio Law, Karen L. Edwards

Akron Law Review

Specified property of a debtor is exempt from the bankruptcy estate. State law has generally specified the property of a bankrupt which may be exempted from the estate. The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 institutes a new federal policy regarding exemptions. The new federal provisions, however, are under attack. Currently in Ohio, the applicability of the federal avoidance power contained in section 522(f) of the Bankruptcy Code is being questioned. This section provides for the avoidance of certain liens encumbering property otherwise exemptable. Legislation in Ohio specifically provides that the exemption provisions do not affect a security interest of personal …

The Probative Value Of Testimony From The Hypnotically Refreshed Recollection, Kevin L. Pelanda

Akron Law Review

"The experience of the last three centuries of judicial trials has demonstrated that in disputed issues one cannot depend upon the mere assertion of anybody, however plausible, without scrutiny into its basis." The recent increase in the use of hypnotic memory enhancement on the victims and witnesses of crimes, as well as on defendants' and plaintiffs' witnesses, necessitates an in-depth examination of the reliability of hypnosis as a basis for testimony or statements of persons who are speaking from a hypno-enhanced recollection. Such an examination of hypnosis reveals that hypnotically enhanced memories are likely to be fraught with fantasized and …

Development Of Immunomodulatory Biomaterials For The Islet Transplant Niche, Ethan Y. Yang

Open Access Dissertations

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a life-long autoimmune disease where immune cells destroy the beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans, eliminating the patient’s ability to secrete insulin in response to glucose. While the implantation of allogeneic islets into T1D patients can restore glucose control, the duration of the islet transplant is compromised by immune attack through both innate and adaptive pathways. Therefore, we sought to engineer biomaterial strategies to lessen immunological attack and improve transplant outcomes. This dissertation presents immunomodulatory biomaterials seeking to modulate the local transplant microenvironment, specifically: 1) the chemoselective tethering of TGF-β1 to PEG brush surfaces …

Evaluation Of Cardiac Involvement In Children With Dengue By Serial Echocardiographic Studies, Tawatchai Kirawittaya, In-Kyu Yoon, Sineewanlaya Wichit, Sharone Green, Francis A. Ennis, Robert V. Gibbons, Stephen J. Thomas, Alan L. Rothman, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Anon Srikiatkhachorn

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Background:

Infection with dengue virus results in a wide range of clinical manifestations from dengue fever (DF), a self-limited febrile illness, to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) which is characterized by plasma leakage and bleeding tendency. Although cardiac involvement has been reported in dengue, the incidence and the extent of cardiac involvement are not well defined.

Methods and Principal Findings:

We characterized the incidence and changes in cardiac function in a prospective in-patient cohort of suspected dengue cases by serial echocardiography. Plasma leakage was detected by serial chest and abdominal ultrasonography. Daily cardiac troponin-T levels were measured. One hundred and eighty …

Myricetin Inhibits Proliferation Of Cisplatin-Resistant Cancer Cells Through A P53-Dependent Apoptotic Pathway, Haizhi Huang, Allen Y. Chen, Xingqian Ye, Bingyun Li, Yon Rojanasakul, Gary O. Rankin, Yi Charlie Chen

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

Cisplatin is a commonly used drug for cancer treatment by crosslinking DNA, leading to apoptosis of cancer cells, resistance to cisplatin treatment often occurs, leading to relapse. Therefore, there is a need for the development of more effective treatment strategies that can overcome chemoresistance. Myricetin is a flavonoid from fruits and vegetables, showing anticancer activity in various cancer cells. In this study, we found myricetin exhibited greater cytotoxicity than cisplatin in two cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines, OVCAR-3 and A2780/CP70, and it was less cytotoxic to the normal ovarian cell line IOSE-364. Myricetin selectively induced apoptosis in both cisplatin-resistant cancer …

Thanksgiving Brunch Mitzvah Or, The End Of The World For Women, Marleen S. Barr

Publications and Research

This is a short story.

Emerging Cultural Conflicts In Italy: A Challenge For Criminal Law, Raffaele Muzzica, Tracy Tamborra, Giuseppe Amarelli

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Because of recent and rapid increases in immigration rates, Italy has been confronted with new forms of cultural conflicts. Cultural conflicts have resulted in cultural offenses; these are acts committed and promoted by people belonging to a minority culture that are considered to be offenses by the majority controlled legal system. In addition to defining cultural offenses and presenting defenses that are presented when cultural offenses are tried, this paper highlights pros, cons and potential pitfalls of considering culture under Italian law. Finally, suggestions to improve legal considerations of cultural diversity in Italy are presented; specifically the creation of laws …

2015 Utah State University Student Orientation Guide, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

A special supplemental magazine provided by The Utah Statesman to take a closer look at some of the services and departments available at Utah State University.

The Terrestrial Isopoda (Crustacea, Oniscidea) Of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), With Descriptions Of Two New Species, Stefano Taiti, Judson Wynne

KIP Articles

Nine species of terrestrial isopods are reported for the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) based upon museum materials and recent collections from field sampling. Most of these animals are non-native species, but two are new to science: Styloniscus manuvaka sp. n. and Hawaiioscia rapui sp. n. Of these, the former is believed to be a Polynesian endemic as it has been recorded from Rapa Iti, Austral Islands, while the latter is identified as a Rapa Nui island endemic. Both of these new species are considered ‘disturbance relicts’ and appear restricted to the cave environment on Rapa Nui. A …

Native/Aboriginal Students Use Natural Health Products For Health Maintenance More So Than Other University Students, Fidji Gendron, Samiah Naji Alqahtani, Sarah Omar Alkholy, Dina Haque, Maria Pontes Ferreira

Nutrition and Food Science Faculty Research Publications

Background and aim: University student use of Natural Health Products (NHP) for health maintenance (HealthM) is assessed in Canada. We hypothesize greater use of NHP by Native/Aboriginal and female students. Demographic predictor variables and the top ten NHP used are determined.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 963 students (n=212 Native/Aboriginal; n=751 non-Native/Aboriginal) was conducted. χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests analyzed group differences. Multiple logistic regressions determined predictor variables of NHP use.

Results: Of 963 surveyed students, 268 (27.8%) used NHP for HealthM, while 695 students (72.2%) did not. More Native/Aboriginal students used commercial tobacco (47% vs. 13%, P<0.001) and NHP (67% vs. 45%, P<0.001) than non- Native/Aboriginal students. Gender was not associated with NHP use (P=0.527). Canadians used echinacea more than non-Canadians (Odds Ratio [OR]=4.96; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.2-21.0). Ginger (OR=0.39; 95% CI: 0.2-0.78) and garlic (OR=0.28; 95% CI: 0.13-0.6) were popular amongst non-Canadians. Native/Aboriginal students used homeopathics (OR=39.9; 95% CI: 8.6-185.4) and rat root (OR=56.73; 95% CI: 6.91-465.8). Chamomile was less used by males (OR=0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.83) and used more by upperclassmen (OR=2.6 95% CI: 1.3-5.3).

Conclusion: Homeopathics …

Configuring Learning Theory To Support Teaching, David Kirshner

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Electronic Journals Overlap Analysis 2015, Michael A. Cerbo Ii

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Overlap analysis for the University of Rhode Island's electronic journals are complied alphabetically by database name. The report shows the number or titles that are exclusive to that database as compiled by Serials Solutions.

The table located under the report gives a brief explanation of the headings used in the analysis.

Final Report For 2015 Er&L + Ebsco Library Fellowship Research Project, Tao Zhang, Xi Niu

Libraries Reports

We report findings from a comprehensive assessment of e-book user experience (search and information seeking) from transaction logs, e-book usage data, and user tests. There are differences between e-book and general searches in terms of query length, number of queries and actions per session. There are also distinctive reading patterns from e-book usage data. The user tests showed that experience levels with e-books and features of e-book platforms influenced users’ information seeking behavior. Results of the assessment have significant implications for the design of e-book features to support users’ reading strategies and help libraries create a consistent e-book user experience.

Big Data: Challenges And Opportunities For Digital Libraries, Richard Hacken

Faculty Publications

Presented as a Keynote Address to the International Conference on Computing in Engineering and the Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 30, 2015.

This is an abstract of the speech:

Thanks to technological progress, thanks to the copious Internet, thanks to geometrically burgeoning social media and to quickly proliferating sensors, the flood of data available to us is surging larger and larger, faster and faster. Paradigms for management and analysis are at the core of data-driven businesses and institutions, fueling the velocity of scientific research and development. The phrase “Big Data” was itself coined by scientists as they manipulated exploding …