Digital Commons Network^™

Nitrate Uptake Kinetics In Streams: Is Carbon The Driver?, Bianca Rodriguez-Cardona

Master's Theses and Capstones

The underlying mechanisms driving the coupled interaction of organic matter quantity and uptake of inorganic nitrogen are not well understood, particularly in surface waters. To determine the relationship between background dissolved organic carbon (DOC) quantity and nitrate (NO3-) uptake kinetics in streams, a series of NO3- TASCC additions were performed in four sites within the Lamprey River Watershed, New Hampshire, with a wide range in background DOC concentrations (1 mg C/L - 8 mg C/L). Experiments were performed between the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. Across all sites and experimental dates, ambient and dynamic uptake velocity (Vf) correlated negatively with …

Remote Sensing Of Foliar Nitrogen In Cultivated Grasslands Of Human Dominated Landscapes, Paul Adam Pellissier

Master's Theses and Capstones

Foliar nitrogen (N) concentration of plant canopies plays a central role in a number of important ecosystem processes and continues to be an active subject in the field of remote sensing. Previous efforts to estimate foliar N at the landscape scale have primarily focused on intact forests and grasslands using aircraft imaging spectrometry and various techniques of statistical calibration and modeling. The present study was designed to extend this work by examining the potential to estimate the foliar N concentration of residential, agricultural and other cultivated grassland areas within a suburbanizing watershed. In conjunction with ground-based vegetation sampling, we developed …

A Landscape Genetics Approach For Comparing Connectivity Across The Range Of The New England Cottontail, Katrina Papanastassiou

Master's Theses and Capstones

Habitat connectivity is vital for dispersal and metapopulation persistence. Land use change and landscape modification alter the distribution and availability of habitat, thereby altering connectivity and impeding organisms’ dispersal abilities. Reduction of connectivity is a concern for the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis), a species of high conservation priority that has experienced a dramatic decline of its required shrubland habitat. To better understand New England cottontail connectivity, I used a landscape genetics approach to assess the impact of landscape features on cottontail dispersal in two geographically isolated study areas, one in southern Maine-seacoast New Hampshire and the other in eastern …

Unique Features Of Identity Development In Transnational Adoptions, Minori Haga Stefon

Master's Theses and Capstones

Identity formation has been defined as the process by which an individual develops a coherent self-definition of one’s uniqueness (Erikson, 1968). Arnett (2000; 2014) proposed the concept of emerging adulthood (between ages 18 and 29) as the developmental stage of later adolescence at which an individual is both cognitively and psychologically best suited for identity formation. Emerging adults who had been adopted transnationally as children often struggle to articulate their ethnic identity as a dimension of their broader individual identity (Schwartz et al., 2013) because they have characteristics that do not fit into those of the majority (Adams & Marshall, …

The Dynamic Host-Pathogen Interactions Of Verticillium Dahliae: Comparative Genomics Of V. Dahliae And Its Interactions In Cover Crop Species And Wild Strawberry (Fragaria Vesca), Garrett Gleeson

Master's Theses and Capstones

The evolutionary arms race between plants and their associated pathogens has created highly dynamic interactions. Understanding the mechanisms that drive these interactions and the phylogenetic history of the pathogens is key to developing effective disease management practices. Although there have been great advances in understanding the evolution of plant pathogens, they only scratch the surface of the true complexity of pathogens’ interactions with their hosts and their environment. In this study, the interactions between the fungal vascular wilt pathogen, Verticillum dahliae, and a variety of hosts including accessions of wild strawberry, Fragaria vesca, and several cover crop species are investigated. …

A Descriptive, Comparative Health Assessment Of Unique Older-Adult Populations In Israel, Eliana Marcus Aaron

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Background: Israel is among the nations with the fastest growing older adult population in the world, due to Baby Boomer aging, high immigration rates, and high life expectancies. The country is mandated to provide health coverage to all citizens, but it has historically been poorly equipped to provide geriatric health care. Israel's elders include numerous minorities and special groups, and despite research of many groups over decades, disparities continue to exist. Methods: A descriptive analysis of special geriatric populations and their health issues was performed based on national and international literature, government reports, and statistics. Results: Five research-based unique populations …

An Examination Of Eisenia Fetida Coelomic Fluid For Antimycobacterial Activity, Christopher William Meiers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem with real world consequences to human health and no known solution. The genus Mycobacterium contains several bacteria that can cause serious illnesses including tuberculosis and Johne’s disease. Some of these pathogens also have resistance to several antibiotics. This project sought to find antimycobacterial activity related to the phagocytic coelomocytes or soluble substances in the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. The phagocytic activity was determined by observing the adherence of phagocytes to Mycobacterium smegmatis (strain mc2155) bacteria. The antimycobacterial ability of the coelomic fluid was assessed by comparison of viable plate counts after …

Temporal Localization Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (Igf1) Positive Cells In Developing Hypothyroid Brain, Shelby Anne Kline

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Hypothyroidism has been known to result in numerous neuroanatomical defects in the developing brain. To investigate further into the mechanism in which these defects are obtained, local brain insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) was investigated in relation to the hypothyroid brain. There are many similarities between hypothyroidism and the Igf1 deficient brain. Additionally, TH (thyroid hormone) is known to interact with Igf1. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of induced congenital hypothyroidism on the temporal expression of Igf1-positive cells in the brain. To investigate the relationship between TH and Igf1 in the brain, we inhibited …

Preventative Strategies To Improve Birth Outcomes Among African American Women In Rhode Island, Yvonne Michele Heredia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite increased access to prenatal care, birth outcomes continue to be a major source of disparity among women in the United States. The focus on lifestyle choices and negative behaviors prior to a pregnancy to reduce adverse birth outcomes has become a well-documented strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine if preparing for a pregnancy in advance improves birth outcomes for African American women of childbearing age between the ages of 12 and 45 years in the State of Rhode Island (RI). The theoretical foundation for this study was based on Prochaska's model of change, which is also …

Examining Community Attitudes Toward Manufactured Housing, Lisa Tyler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the need for affordable housing, consumers have failed to recognize manufactured housing as a viable alternative to site-built housing. The decline in market share for manufactured housing and subsequent decrease in sales has threatened the sustainability of manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and support organizations. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the extent that respondents' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, perceptions of manufactured home characteristics, and perceptions of manufactured home occupants and neighborhood characteristics predicted the acceptance of manufactured homes. The model of acceptance of manufactured homes provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from 2 …

Client-Centered Care Approach To Group Home Care, Peniel Mugo Wambugu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars since the 19th century have focused on the provision of care in group homes and have demonstrated that structure (that is, the staff, facilities, and equipment), is critical in the delivery of care. The researchers, however, advocate doing for, rather than doing with the clients the activities that address the clients' welfare. The purpose of this study is to investigate how a client-centered approach would affect the quality of care delivered to the mentally challenged individuals (MCIs) in a group home. The study employed the quality-care framework in which the emphasis is on structure (skills), process (efficiency), and outcome …

Transition Metal Catalysis And The Synthesis Of Biologically Interesting Heterocycles: A Study Of Gold-Catalyzed Intermolecular Cyclization And Palladium-Catalyzed Suzuki Cross-Coupling, Alexandria E. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Two methods of transition metal catalysis were investigated as a means to synthesize biologically interesting heterocyclic molecules. The gold-catalyzed intermolecular cyclization of allenes and 1,3-dipoles was first explored. An allene, ethyl-3-hexyl-3,4-pentadienoate was subjected to a combination of one of five 1,3-dipoles ((Z)-N-benzylidenemethanamine oxide, 1-benzylidene-3-oxopyrazolidin-1-ium-2-ide, (Z)-N-benzylidenebenzenamine oxide, (E)-N-benzylidenebenylamine, and (E)-N-Benzylidene-4-methoxybenzenamine) and one of three gold catalysts (1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidenegold(I)chloride, chlorotriphenyl-phosphinegold(I), and gold(III) chloride). No heterocyclic product resulted from these catalytic reactions. The palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of a 1,3,4-oxadiazole (3-(5-(4-(bromo)phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)pyrazine-2-amine) with phenyl boronic pinacol ester was then explored, varying whether the 1,3,4-oxadiazole was unprotected or …

Investigating The Synthesis Of Heterocycles Via Gold Catalyzed Cyclizations And Cyclo-Dehydrating Reactions, Katherine L. Childers

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

The goal of this project was to study novel synthetic procedures for heterocycles. This was achieved through a two-part investigation. In the first part, a variety of conditions for the gold catalyzed cyclization of allenes were studied. This work was focused on the lesser studied intermolecular reactions of allenes. A variety of allenes were synthesized, and then reacted with 1,3-dipoles and a gold catalyst. These reactions were determined to be unsuccessful through the analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy data. In the second part of this study, the synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles was investigated. Several cited procedures were examined to determine …

Nutrient Competition Between Algae And Juncus Effusus In The Lake Fayetteville Artificial Spiral Wetland, Toryn Jones, Thad Scott

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

There is insufficient research focusing exclusively on how nutrient competition between algae and wetland macrophytes affects the growth of these species. This study examined the relationship between nutrient concentrations (N and P), algal concentrations, and the growth of Juncus effusus. Juncus effusus growth in the Lake Fayetteville artificial spiral wetland was monitored over a four month period during the prime growing season. Eighteen plants were taken from the wetland and replanted in 1 of 6 treatments: plant-only, algae-only, combined, plant-only +supplement, algaeonly +supplement, or combined +supplement. The algae and combined environments received an inoculation of algae, and the +supplement treatments …

Patterns And Processes Of Salt Efflorescences In The Mcmurdo Region, Antarctica, Kelsey M. Bisson, Kathleen A. Welch, Susan A. Welch, Julia Meyer Sheets, W. Berry Lyons, Joseph S. Levy, Andrew G. Fountain

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evaporite salts are abundant around the McMurdo region, Antarctica (~78°S) due to very low precipitation, low relative humidity, and limited overland flow. Hygroscopic salts in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) are preferentially formed in locations where liquid water is present in the austral summer, including along ephemeral streams, ice-covered lake boundaries, or shallow groundwater tracks. In this study, we collected salts from the Miers, Garwood, and Taylor Valleys on the Antarctic continent, as well as around McMurdo Station on Ross Island in close proximity to water sources with the goal of understanding salt geochemistry in relationship to the hydrology of …

Novel Delivery Systems For Iron Replenishment, Naresh Modepalli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is an integral part of hemoglobin and essential for the production of red blood cells. Iron deficiency and the resulting anemia are major nutritional deficiency disorders. The majority of patient populations suffering from iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are women of child bearing age and children of all ages. Iron deficiency is a complication of various other chronic conditions. Oral iron salts or colloidal parenteral iron formulations are treatment options for iron replenishment since several decades, but they are associated with severe side effects along with other patient noncompliance issues. Transdermal delivery of iron could be a potential alternative to …

Novel Computational Methods For Transcript Reconstruction And Quantification Using Rna-Seq Data, Yan Huang

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

The advent of RNA-seq technologies provides an unprecedented opportunity to precisely profile the mRNA transcriptome of a specific cell population. It helps reveal the characteristics of the cell under the particular condition such as a disease. It is now possible to discover mRNA transcripts not cataloged in existing database, in addition to assessing the identities and quantities of the known transcripts in a given sample or cell. However, the sequence reads obtained from an RNA-seq experiment is only a short fragment of the original transcript. How to recapitulate the mRNA transcriptome from short RNA-seq reads remains a challenging problem. We …

Is The Bay Delta Conservation Plan Adequately Funded?, Vincent Vu

UC Law Environmental Journal

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of External Funded Grants And Contracts From July 1, 2014 To June 30, 2015, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs. Morehead State University.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Reports and Publications

Annual Report of Externally Funded Grants and Contracts from July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.

The Influence Of Extracellular-Regulated Kinases (Erks) On Granulosa Cell Fate In The Bovine Follicle, Nicolette M. Schwab

Honors Theses and Capstones

Each year, infertility in cows costs the dairy industry over $400 million. This project is focused on the onset of follicular atresia in cows; the process by which the egg-bearing follicles die prematurely and can lead to infertility. The cellular mechanisms that influence programmed cell death, or apoptosis, of bovine granulosa cells (bGCs) within follicles are being investigated. In general, the extra-cellular regulated kinases (ERKs) are intracellular signaling proteins believed to influence the proliferation, survival, and differentiation of cells. In the context of follicular atresia, however, the relationship between the onset of apoptosis of bGCs and the effects of ERKs …

The Effects Of Personality On Intertemporal Choice, Nicholas Hogan

Honors College Theses

This dissertation attempts to unveil new information concerning intertemporal choice, by trying to find a correlation between personality and the temporal choices that people make. The methodology for doing so is as follows: a survey was distributed and responses were regressed using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Given that there were two questions (one formatted using a calendar date and the other using a word format) about intertemporal choice (subjects were asked to choose a certain payoff corresponding to a specific point in time), there were two models constructed. Each model had the following variable structure: the dependent variable was the …

Conceptualizing Conviviality In Urban Landscapes, María Beltrán Rodríguez, Madlen Simon

Artículos científicos

La investigación descrita en este artículo es parte de una investigación en curso sobre la relación entre las soluciones de diseño y el nivel de convivencia entre los usuarios de los paisajes urbanos, particularmente en el contexto de áreas caracterizadas por una población diversa. Este artículo específico resume una revisión de la literatura realizada sobre la convivencia y explica los hallazgos recopilados cuando se probaron conceptos teóricos en un entorno real, el parque Superkilen, como parte de un estudio piloto realizado en 2015. En la literatura se identifican tres grandes ramas como condiciones necesarias para entornos agradables: espacios físicos flexibles, …

Identity: Societal And Legal Ramifications With Special Focus On Transsexuals, Dr. Nancie Palmer Ph.D, Acsw/Lmsw, Charlene L. Smith M.A., J.D., Llm, Tova Verchow J.D. Candidate, 2015, Jennifer Dale J.D. Candidate, 2015

Nova Law Review

The law is stuck on binary or categorical approaches.2 One is either

this or that—heterosexual or homosexual; male or female; black or white;

and the list can go on and on.3 This article posits that this approach should

not be the way in which we categorize people’s personhood

Nova Law Review Full Issue

Nova Law Review

No abstract provided.

Syndecan2 Controls Vascular Smooth Muscle Development And Cytoskeletal Dynamics, Deepak Atri

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Syndecan2 is a member of the Syndecan family of transmembrane proteoglycans, expressed broadly in mammals. Syndecan2, along with Syndecan4, is expressed in the vasculature of mouse and man. Global deletion of Syndecan2 in mice does not affect viability and fertility of mice. However, it does result in defects in vascular smooth muscle cell coverage of the dermal vasculature of the mouse embryo.

We here report that lineage specific deletion of Syndecan2 in vascular smooth muscle results in delayed development of vascular smooth muscle coverage in the developing retinal vasculature. Postnatally, mice that lack Sdc2 in vascular smooth muscle mice exhibit …

Symptom Burden Among Patients Hospitalized For Heart Failure, Rabeea Feroz Khan

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Heart failure (HF) is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization and the leading

cause of 30-day readmissions. There is great interest in developing strategies to reduce

hospital utilization in this large and growing patient population. Aside from classic heart

failure symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue, other symptoms reported include decreased

appetite, pain and anxiety. These symptoms may be amenable to treatment and patients hospitalized with heart failure may benefit from intensive symptom management in the

form of palliative care. There is limited data in the heart failure population about symptom burden both during hospitalization and shortly after hospital …

Sandy Sediment Budget Of The Midcoast Of Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, Lucas Marchi De Motta, Elírio Ernestino Toldo Jr., Luiz Emílio De Sá Brito De Ameida, José Carlos Nunes

Journal of Marine Research

Calculation of the coastal sediment budget involves estimation of the timing and intensity of processes of erosion, transport, and deposition, as well as an understanding of local and regional sediment dynamics. The modern sedimentary deposits present in the coastal zone constitute the physical basis of coastal ecosystems. Knowledge of the dynamics of these sediments from the source to sink area, through regional sediment management, is critical to understanding the long-term stability of the coastal zone and the fate of these important natural resources. In this article, the littoral cell concept has been applied to the midcoast of Rio Grande do …

Water Masses And Nutrient Sources To The Gulf Of Maine, David W. Townsend, Neal R. Pettigrew, Maura A. Thomas, Mark G. Neary, Dennis J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., James O'Donnell

Journal of Marine Research

The Gulf of Maine, a semienclosed basin on the continental shelf of the northwest Atlantic Ocean, is fed by surface and deep water flows from outside the gulf: Scotian Shelf Water (SSW) from the Nova Scotian shelf that enters the gulf at the surface and slope water that enters at depth and along the bottom through the Northeast Channel. There are two distinct types of slope water, Labrador Slope Water (LSW) and Warm Slope Water (WSW); it is these deep water masses that are the major source of dissolved inorganic nutrients to the gulf. It has been known for some …

Feminism In Yellowface, Stewart Chang

Scholarly Works

This article analyzes the relationship between sexualized stereotypes of Asian women, specifically the Asian prostitute epitomized in the Suzie Wong stereotype, and the tendency of American immigration law, even in pro-women legislation such as the TVPA, to promote conservative norms regarding female sexuality and domesticity. Part I explains the significance of Asian prostitution in the history and evolution of United States immigration policy. In the nineteenth century, the Asian prostitute was constructed as the antithesis to normative American sexuality, as a foreign peril that threatened the integrity of the American domestic unity and therefore required rejection and exclusion. Part II …

From Lonesome Cowboys To Geek Masculinities: A Study Of Documentary Films On The Financial Crisis, Frank Rudy Cooper

Scholarly Works

Space is a vantage point from which masculinity can be critiqued and understood. Documentary film-makers employ specific mode(s) to relate space to masculinity by positioning themselves vis-à-vis the interviewees, and the interviewees vis-à- vis the viewers. A financial crisis may threaten the hegemonic masculinity embodied by Wall Street’s lonesome cowboys and provide a chance for film-makers to critique this type of masculinity. This article analyses three documentary films, I.O.U.S.A., Capitalism: A Love Story, and Floored, which were released after the 2008 economic crisis in the United States. The films contain three prototypes: the lonesome cowboy; white, working-class masculinity; and hypermasculinity. …