Digital Commons Network^™

Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels Of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes (Vulpes Macrotis Mutica) In Natural And Urban Habitats, Julia L. Nelson, Scott Creel, Brian L. Cypher

Western North American Naturalist

Animals that are exposed to environmental stressors may experience chronically elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels, which can lead to deleterious effects such as immune and reproductive system suppression. Such effects are of special concern in rare species. We measured fecal GC concentrations in endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica) to assess stress responses in natural and urban habitats. Basal GC levels were significantly higher (P < 0.01) among urban foxes (5.3 ± 2.2 ng cortisol/g dry feces; n = 32) than among foxes in natural habitats (4.7 ± 0.5 ng cortisol/g dry feces; n = 179). In the natural habitat, potential stressors included predation risk, particularly in areas …

Assessing The Value Of Potential "Native Winners" For Restoration Of Cheatgrass-Invaded Habitat, Rebecca S. Barak, Jeremie B. Fant, Andrea T. Kramer, Krissa A. Skogen

Western North American Naturalist

Native plants that are able to persist and reproduce in highly disturbed habitats (i.e., “native winners”) may be useful to include in seed mixes when restoring similarly disturbed habitat. Establishing whether these plants produce viable seeds that germinate to a high degree under appropriate conditions is a first step to determining their utility as restoration species. We identified 10 potential native winners at sites degraded by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), an invasive annual grass ubiquitous in the Colorado Plateau. We assessed seed viability for each species to determine its potential to reproduce within a cheatgrass-invaded site, and conducted a …

Antioxidant Capacity Of Wyoming Big Sagebrush (Artemisia Tridentata Ssp. Wyomingensis) Varies Spatially And Is Not Related To The Presence Of A Sagebrush Dietary Specialist, Xinzhu Pu, Lisa Lam, Kristina Gehlken, Amy C. Ulappa, Janet L. Rachlow, Jennifer Sorensen Forbey

Western North American Naturalist

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) in North America is an abundant native plant species that is ecologically and evolutionarily adapted to have a diverse array of biologically active chemicals. Several of these chemicals, specifically polyphenols, have antioxidant activity that may act as biomarkers of biotic or abiotic stress. This study investigated the spatial variation of antioxidant capacity, as well as the relationship between a mammalian herbivore and antioxidant capacity in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis). We quantified and compared total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of leaf extracts from sagebrush plants from different spatial scales and at different levels …

Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology Since Darwin By Tim Birkhead, Jo Wimpenny, And Bob Montgomerie, Howard O. Clark Jr.

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Uncertain Path: A Search For The Future Of National Parks By William C. Tweed, Julia J. Hicks

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

End Matter, Vol. 75 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Baselines To Detect Population Stability Of Threatened Alpine Plant Packera Franciscana (Asteraceae), James F. Fowler, Carolyn Hull Sieg, Shaula Hedwall

Western North American Naturalist

Population size and density estimates have traditionally been acceptable ways to track species’ response to changing environments; however, species’ population centroid elevation has recently been an equally important metric. Packera franciscana (Greene) W.A. Weber and Á. Löve (Asteraceae; San Francisco Peaks ragwort) is a single mountain endemic plant found only in upper treeline and alpine talus habitats of the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona and is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. We used 2 recreational trails, which pass through its elevational distribution in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness …

Effects Of Ungulate Disturbance And Weather Variation On Pediocactus Winkleri: Insights From Long-Term Monitoring, Deborah J. Clark, Thomas O. Clark, Michael C. Duniway, Cody Flagg

Western North American Naturalist

Population dynamics and effects of large ungulate disturbances on Winkler cactus (Pediocactus winkleri K.D. Heil) were documented annually over a 20-year time span at one plot within Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. This cactus species was federally listed as threatened in 1998. The study began in 1995 to gain a better understanding of life history aspects and threats to this species. Data were collected annually in early spring and included diameter, condition, reproductive structures, mortality, recruitment, and disturbance by large ungulates. We used odds ratio and probability model analyses to determine effects of large ungulate trampling and weather on …

An Assessment Of Metrics To Measure Seasonal Variation In And Grazing Effects On Riparian Plant Communities, Caroline M. Laine, Karin M. Kettenring, Brett B. Roper

Western North American Naturalist

Several riparian plant community and streambank metrics were evaluated in 5 streams subject to grazing on public lands in central eastern Idaho. In this study, we evaluated 3 attributes associated with the ground cover on streambanks: percent cover of live vegetation, litter, and bare ground; and we evaluated 4 attributes that describe the vegetation community: plant species richness, wetland index value, percent cover of forbs, and percent cover of graminoids. We were particularly interested in how these attributes differed between grazed and ungrazed sites, how the attributes changed through time, and ultimately how the attributes were able to discriminate the …

Front Matter, Vol. 75 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Charging And Discharging Of Lichtenberg Electrets, Monika Wood

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The research presented here describes a unique way to deposit a large amount of charge onto the surface of a thin dielectric sheet to create a Lichtenberg electret that can be discharged elsewhere to form spectacular Lichtenberg figures. This study examines how the amount of charge deposited onto the surface, the geometry of the probes, and the type of material used can all impact the formation of the Lichtenberg figures. Photographs of the Lichtenberg figures were taken and used to determine the voltage, current, and energy released during each discharge. It was found that a single discharge can release 0.49 …

Uab To Host Top Names In Infectious Diseases Research, Jim Bakken

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Learning Outcomes From International Service-Learning, Joseph Lam, Geoffrey Shea, Paulus Bawole, Willy Sudiarto Raharjo

Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning 亞太地區服務研習會議

To raise students' awareness of global issues is one of the main objectives in service learning, students in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) are encouraged to apply their learning outcomes to serve the underprivileged community for rather long term benefits. This paper will discuss how PolyU students from different disciplines committed a service learning project in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Together with students from Duta Wacana Christian University(DWCU) with different disciplines, a group of students from PolyU joined a service learning project"Yogyakarta Kampung Field School"(YKFS) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. YKFS aims at exploring the need of the local rural community and proposing …

Biyaheng Jeep : A Look Into The Sl-Db Initiatives In The Junior Engagement Program (Jeep), Ma Criselda Dana P. Buñag, Ara Marie Leal R. Rodriquez

Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning 亞太地區服務研習會議

The Junior Engagement Program (JEEP) is one of the four subcomponents of the Integrated Ateneo Formation (InAF) Programs. As a formation program designed for third year undergraduate students of the Ateneo de Manila University, it serves as the praxis component for the Philosophy of the Human Person class. This class is part of the core curriculum of the university, making this program mandatory for all its students. The JEEP program enables students to go beyond themselves by engaging with the "other," or those outside of their social milieu. This is done through their experience of labor in marginalized sectors. The …

Defining The Circumstellar Habitable Zone, Blake Cervetti, Joanna Mccall

DePaul Discoveries

The study of habitable exoplanets is a rapidly expanding field in astronomy. Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars other than our own sun. One of the keys to knowing whether or not an exoplanet is habitable is by studying the circumstellar habitable zone, or CHZ. Over the past several years, the defined limits of the CHZ have become susceptible to change as new parameters and factors are found to affect a planets habitability. There are many factors that affect its habitability, including the composition of the star, the mass of the planet, the planets atmosphere, etc. Our focus is divided …

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Flux In A Restored Tallgrass Prairie; Does Chamber Material Matter?, Peter L. Mccollam

DePaul Discoveries

Tallgrass prairie ecosystems play a vital role in the carbon cycle; their restoration may be an important component of mitigating future climate change. To quantify the biosphere-to-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases, enclosure based chamber systems are frequently used because they are simple and inexpensive to construct, and can be easily replicated in a variety of ecosystems. We tested for differences between paired PVC and galvanized steel chambers in methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions within a restored prairie at Nachusa Grasslands in June and July 2014. We found that there were no significant differences between PVC and steel chambers …

Generation And Assessment Of Muscular Mutations In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Katie N. Reget

DePaul Discoveries

A study of egg laying muscular mutations in C. elegans was conducted over a span of ten weeks. Parent (EGL-19) and wild type (N2) were exposed to mutagenesis and integration mutation techniques to generate genetic and physical different mutants. Overall, four genetic, physical and phenotypically unique worms were generated for the process of mutagenesis. The worms used in the process of integration were found to have shortened life spans, reduced size and decrease numbers of progeny.

Predation In A Natural Community Of Marine Mollusks: Using Morphology To Determine Predator-Prey Ecology, Danielle N. Araiza, Erica Valdez

DePaul Discoveries

Predatory gastropod mollusks in the family Naticidae feed on bivalve mollusks and leave distinctive markings in the form of countersunk circular boreholes on the shells. These boreholes possess both an inner borehole diameter (IBD) and an outer borehole diameter (OBD) which are proportional to the size of the predator. It has been proposed that the ratio of IBD to OBD can be used to identify predator species. Variation in the ratio of the IBD to OBD was examined in two prey species (Dwarf surf clam, Incongruous ark clam) collected from Otter Island beach in South Carolina to determine if clams …

Size-, Side- And Site-Related Predation Of Naticid Gastropods On Dwarf Surf Clams (Mulinia Lateralis) And Incongruous Ark Clams (Anadara Brasiliana) On The Atlantic Coast, Erica Valdez, Danielle N. Araiza

DePaul Discoveries

Naticid gastropods are common predatory mollusks in marine systems where they feed on bivalve mollusks. Predation involves boring a hole through the shell of the prey, which provides the opportunity for beach collections of shells to be used to determine feeding preferences of predators in nature. We examined whether naticids exhibited preferences for prey size, valve side (left vs. right) and valve site (location on the shell) and whether these preferences differed between prey species (Mulinia lateralis, dwarf surf clam; Anadara brasiliana, incongruous ark clam). Random samples of A.brasiliana and M.lateralis were collected from Otter Island, …

Phosphorylation Of Gap-43 And The Effect On App Processing, Kaitlynn Tracy, Eric Norstrom

DePaul Discoveries

The phosphorylation of Growth Associated Protein may affect the rate of interaction between GAP-43 and the Amyloid Precursor Protein. By synthesizing mutants of the GAP-43 protein, the amount of C-terminal fragments of APP that results from the interaction could be observed under various conditions. The two mutants, S41A and S41D, and the wild type GAP-43 were both co-expressed with APP in moues neuroblastoma cells and analyzed on a Western blot. The mutant used to block phosphorylation showed a greater rate of interaction with APP, while the mutant that was created to mimic the effect of phosphorylation showed less interaction. Further …

Knowledge Of Clinical Measures And Healthcare Adherence In Young Gay And Bisexual Men Living With Hiv/Aids, Harry A. Persaud, Douglas Bruce

DePaul Discoveries

Knowledge of HIV/AIDS test results and adherence to healthcare interventions are two important outcomes that reflect proper HIV/AIDS management. This study aimed to determine which demographic and HIV acceptance measures were significantly associated with health literacy and adherence indicators in young MSM. 200 HIV/AIDS positive young MSM completed computer based surveys regarding demographics, HIV/AIDS health literacy indicators, and HIV/AIDS acceptance measures. It was found that young African American MSM, in comparison to young white MSM, had lower odds of knowing both viral load and CD4 measures; health literacy indicators. Further, participants who had a high school diploma were found to …

The Effects Of Environmental Factors On Bromeliad Invertebrate Biodiversity, Maya E. Navarro

DePaul Discoveries

Bromeliaceae is a family of Neotropical plants that retain water between leaves of a rosette arrangement. Each water-retaining tank is referred to as a phytotelma. This particular system is important to consider in the understanding of biodiversity because it creates an ecosystem of its own, providing a habitat for many invertebrates and larvae. In this study, the relationship between environmental factors such as water quality and the biodiversity of invertebrates in epiphytic bromeliads was examined in two different settings. Sample sizes of ten bromeliads were taken from the primary and secondary forests of the Las Cruces Biological Station in Coto …

Measuring Rates Of Atmospheric Phosphorus Deposition Into A Fresh Water Wetland, Cassandra Shah

DePaul Discoveries

No abstract provided.

Homelessness As A Determinant Of Health Disparities Between Young Gay And Bisexual Males In Chicago, Jaclyn M. Shea, Douglas Bruce

DePaul Discoveries

There is limited research documenting health disparities between gay and bisexual males. This study aimed to examine the health behaviors and outcomes of young gay and bisexual males in Chicago, including substance use, mental health, and homelessness. Data was from a cross-sectional survey of 180 bisexual and gay males age 16-24. Bivariate results indicate that bisexual males experience higher rates of homelessness, daily marijuana use, depressive symptoms, lifetime gonorrhea and chlamydia. Logistic regression results reveal homelessness was significantly associated with marijuana use, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and depressive symptoms. Research on disparities within sexual minorities and homelessness are needed to better understand …

Chronic Inflammation As A Result Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Review Of The Literature, Samantha L. Lane

DePaul Discoveries

Approximately 170 million people are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide^5,6. It is estimated that roughly 80% of those infected suffer from persistent infection with the virus; this persistence of infection is progressive, and over time can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma⁷. Chronic inflammation and apoptotic deregulation are both hallmarks of chronic HCV infection, and many molecular pathways are initiated in both the innate and adaptive immune responses during infection with this viral pathogen. The aim of this review was to survey some of the major molecular mechanisms responsible for the induction of …

A Preliminary Study Of Soundscape Analysis As A Measurement Of Ecosystem Health, Veronica M. Jachowski, Lisa Kenny, Michelle Hauer, Andrew Kühn, Spencer Barrett

DePaul Discoveries

In this study, acoustic ecology, the analysis of soundscapes -- composed of geophony, biophony, and anthrophony -- is applied as a potential measurement of ecosystem health. Recordings were taken from four locations in the greater Chicago area. By combining traditional ecological assessments including soil analysis, worm density surveys, and vegetation surveys, and correlating the results with acoustic data we highlight the value of soundscape analysis and suggest lines of future inquiry.

Diol-Mediated Versus Water-Mediated Proton Transfer Reactions, Angela Moses

DePaul Discoveries

The triple-proton-transfer reactions of 8H-1,8-naphthyridin-2-one (8H-naph) have been investigated by employing different ab initio quantum mechanical methods. The proton transfer reactions studied were facilitated through an adjacent 1,3-propanediol molecule or two adjacent water molecules. Identical proton transfer reactions were studied using a model system of 8H-naph to investigate the validity of computational approaches that use model systems to study more complex systems. The solvent effects on the structures were investigated for comparison to the initial gas phase calculations. The potential energy, reaction force, and work profiles were studied along the intrinsic reaction coordinate to monitor the developing proton transfer reactions.

Western News, May 28, 2015, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Survey confirms BTR Park is huge success; Summer events mark WMU’s return to Fort St. Joe site; Dining hall project to close part of Ring Road, groundbreaking set; WMU inventors win Lemelson-MIT ‘Cure it!’ prize; On Campus with Drew Martin.

Lignocellulose Metabolism In A Fungus-Gardening Ant Symbiosis, Alexandria Demilto

Biology Theses

Fungus-gardening ants exhibit a unique interaction with specific fungi in an obligatory symbiosis; ants feed and prune their fungal symbiont in exchange for nourishment. Cellulose is the most abundant plant compound found on earth and may serve as a rich carbon source to ants. Recent studies show that leaf-cutting (Atta and Acromyrmex) ants' fungus does not typically digest cellulose, but there have been few comparisons to the other higher attine fungus gardening ants. In this study, I measured the lignocellulose consumption of the higher fungus-gardening ants Trachymyrmex septentrionalis and Trachymyrmex arizonensis. Colonies were fed either a diet of Texas Red …

Habitat Selection Of A Coastal Shark Species Estimated From An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, D. E. Haulsee, M. W. Breece, D. C. Miller, Bradley M. Wetherbee, D. A. Fox, M. J. Oliver

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Quantifying habitat selection in marine organisms is challenging because it is difficult to obtain species location information with multiple corresponding habitat measurements. In the ocean, habitat conditions vary on many spatiotemporal scales, which have important consequences for habitat selection. While macroscale biotic and abiotic features influence seasonal movements (spatial scales of 100-1000 km), selectivity of conditions on mesoscales (1-100 km) reflects an animal’s response to the local environment. In this study, we examined habitat selectivity by pairing acoustic telemetry with environmental habitat parameters measured by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), and demonstrate that migrating sand tiger sharks Carcharias taurus along …