Digital Commons Network^™

Ambassadors Promote Library With Events, Projects, Edwin B. Smith

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Methods And Compositions Comprising A C-Terminal Bax Peptide (Us), Annette Khaled, Rebecca Boohaker, Michael Lee, J. Manuel Perez Figueroa

UCF Patents

The invention describes the use of the protein, Bax, as a potential therapeutic treatment for cancer.

Association Of Leisure-Time Physical Activity To Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence In Relation To Smoking Among Adult Nevadans, Masaru Teramoto, Sheniz Moonie, Chad L. Cross, Michelle Chino, Patricia T. Alpert

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

It is well known that cigarette smoking and physical activity have significant impacts on cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and morbidity. Meanwhile, it is of interest to understand whether physical activity protects against CVD for smokers in a similar manner as it does for non-smokers. The present study examined how leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with the prevalence of CVD in relation to smoking status among adult Nevadans, using data from the 2010 Nevada Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Of the 3,913 survey respondents, 8.5% self-reported that they had ever been diagnosed with CVD. People with a history of CVD …

Understorey Plant Community And Light Availability In Conifer Plantations And Natural Hardwood Forests In Taiwan, Tzu-Yang Liu, Kuo-Chuan Lin, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Ming-Zhen Chen, Meng-Yuan Huang, Teng-Chiu Lin

Faculty Publications

Questions: What are the effects of replacing mixed species natural forests with Cryptomeria japonica plantations on understorey plant functional and species diversity? What is the role of the understorey light environment in determining understorey diversity and community in the two types of forest?

Location: Subtropical northeast Taiwan.

Methods: We examined light environments using hemispherical photography, and diversity and composition of understorey plants of a 35‐yr C. japonica plantation and an adjacent natural hardwood forest.

Results: Understorey plant species richness was similar in the two forests, but the communities were different; only 18 of the 91 recorded understorey plant species occurred …

Braiding A Naturalist’S Journey Of Embracing Courage, Rhoda A. Maurer

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

My synthesis is a sharing of my journey, the accomplishments, struggles and practices essential to embracing courage from a different space of intention, from a space of supporting others, while I continue to journey myself. But it’s also a journey of tensions scaffold by walls built long ago that kept my tree from joining a collaborative forest. Through the repetitive process of revisiting, letting gestate, and revising my personal narrative, written papers, professional workbooks and daily writing practice, I share how the Science in a Changing World (SICW) program has manifest in my workplace and a growth of courage to …

Creative Problem Solving: A High School Curriculum Satisfying The Needs Of 21st Century Learner, Steve Guenin

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Designing Creative Problem Solving (CPS) – A High School Curriculum Designed to Satisfy the Needs of 21st Century Learners is my answer to the driving question: “How do teachers prepare students for an uncertain future?” Several processes influenced the curriculum design:

1) I reflected on the lessons I learned during my time in CCT. I looked back on the importance of having supportive instructors to accompany you on your journey. I realized practical and useful assignments motivate students to produce their best work. I gained a greater appreciation for the power of productive teams.

2) My growth as a stained …

Silencing Of The Oshp Gene For Increasing Abiotic Stress Tolerance In Rice, Virginia Ann Boyett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project involves increasing the tolerance to abiotic stresses in rice through silencing the OsHP gene, a homolog of Arabidopsis AtClb, which has been identified as a negative regulator of response to abiotic stresses. A fragment of the OsHP gene was cloned into a Gateway entry vector pENTR/D-TOPO, and a silencing construct was created with the Gateway destination vector pANDA through an LR clonase reaction. Embryogenic callus tissue was generated from seed of the rice cultivars `Nipponbare' and `LaGrue'. Biolistic and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedures were used to transfer the pANDA_OsHP silencing construct into the rice callus tissue. Transformed calli …

Effect Of Ebi2 On B Cell Migration, Jeffrey Mella, Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My mentored research project was a terrific experience. I have been mentored with Dr. Brian Poole for the last three years. As a result of the project that was made possible by the ORCA grant, I was the first author on an abstract submitted and accepted by the International Immunology Summit. This last October I attended the International Immunology Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Poole and I presented our research and I responded to questions from the audience. I am currently an author on a manuscript that in progress that has been submitted for review. I have enjoyed my …

Hyperosmolarity And Trophoblast Behavior In Gestational Diabetes, Preeclampsia, And Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Camilo Mejia, Juan Arroyo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pregnancy necessitates interactions between the mother and the fetus, and the placenta is the medium through which this is accomplished. Many complications during pregnancy, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) arise from abnormalities in trophoblast cells of the human placenta. Trophoblast cells form the connection between the fetus and the uterine wall. We see placental hyperosmolarity in pregnant patients with diabetes, and there are some reports of aberrant trophoblast functioning during IUGR and PE at term, but more needs to be studied regarding the hyperosmolar stress associated with these pathologies and its role in embryo development. Deviation …

Cryptanalysis Of Classic Ciphers Using Hidden Markov Models, Rohit Vobbilisetty

Master's Projects

Cryptanalysis is the study of identifying weaknesses in the implementation of cryptographic algorithms. This process would improve the complexity of such algo- rithms, making the system secure.

In this research, we apply Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to classic cryptanaly- sis problems. We show that with sufficient ciphertext, an HMM can be used to break a simple substitution cipher. We also show that when limited ciphertext is avail- able, using multiple random restarts for the HMM increases our chance of successful decryption.

Methods And Systems For Biclustering Algorithm, Donald C. Wunsch, Rui Xu, Sejun Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Methods and systems for improved unsupervised learning are described. The unsupervised learning can consist of biclustering a data set, e.g., by biclustering subsets of the entire data set. In an example, the biclustering does not include feeding know and proven results into the biclustering methodology or system. A hierarchical approach can be used that feeds proven clusters back into the biclustering methodology or system as the input. Data that does not cluster may be discarded. Thus, a very large unknown data set can be acted on to learn about the data. The system is also amenable to parallelization.

How Access To Plant & Animal Books Affects Participation In Conservation Activities, Dustin Ingram, Hassnaa Ingram

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Public libraries are an important resource for communities. Access to plant and animal books impacts a communities’ ability to learn about their environment. In this study, the number of plant and animal books available to people through local libraries in northern Kentucky, and neighboring counties in Ohio and Indiana were counted and a survey assessing one’s preferences and likeliness to participate in conservation activities was distributed to local residents. Based on the collected data, a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) was found between access to plant and animal books available at local libraries and the likelihood of people to participate in conservation activities. Further analysis was performed between the total number of shelved plant and animal books at local libraries, the total number of shelved juvenile plant and animal books and the shelved adult plant and animal books, and the total number of plant and animal books in libraries compared to the local household income and number of households near a library. This study found that people that read books about plants and animals were more likely to participate in conservation activities associated with their book preference. This study also found that people living in low-income communities with fewer households are less likely to participate in plant and animal conservation, as compared to higher-income communities with a higher number of households. Additionally, this study found that lower income areas have fewer plant and animal books on the library shelves than higher income areas. Consequently, study results suggest that if more plant and animal books were made available to low-income areas and areas of biological importance through libraries, people may be more likely to conserve the wildlife around them.

Using Land-Based Surveys To Assess Sea Duck Abundance And Behavior In Nearshore Waters Of Southern New England, Usa, Adam Smith, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Kristopher J. Winiarski, Carol L. Trocki, Brian Harris, Jason E. Osenkowski, Peter W. C. Paton

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Nearshore waters provide very important habitat for sea ducks (Tribe Mergini) during migration and winter, but gathering information on sea duck use of shallow nearshore waters is challenging because traditional aerial and boat-based surveys are expensive, are usually conducted infrequently, and are often not feasible near the coast. The objective of this study was to use land-based surveys to characterize spatiotemporal variation in the abundance and behavior (e.g., foraging, flying) of Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) and scoters (Melanitta spp.) in nearshore waters of southern New England. Surveys (60–120 min per survey, n = 1,044 surveys) were conducted …

Health Effects Of Selected NanoparticlesIn Vivo: Liver Function And Hepatotoxicity Following Intravenous Injection Of Titanium Dioxide And Na-Oleate-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles In Rodents, K Volkovova, Rd Handy, M Staruchova, J Tulinska, A Kebis, J Pribojova, O Ulicna, J Kucharská, M Dusinska

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Too Many Cooks In The Climate Change Kitchen: The Case For An Administrative Remedy For Damages Caused By Increased Greenhouse Gas Concentrations, Benjamin Reese

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Recent federal and state court decisions have made clear that federal common law claims against emitters of greenhouse gases are not sustainable; however, those same courts seem to have given state common law tort claims the green light, at least if the claims are brought in the state where the polluters are located. This Note contends that such suits are not an adequate remedy for those injured by climate change because they will face nearly insurmountable barriers in state court, and because there are major policy-level drawbacks to relying on state tort law rather than a federal solution. This Note …

A Comparison Of Plot-Based Satellite And Earth System Model Estimates Of Tropical Forest Net Primary Production, Cory C. Cleveland, Philip Taylor, K. Dana Chadwick, Kyla Dahlin, Christopher E. Doughty, Yadvinder Malhi, W. Kolby Smith, Benjamin W. Sullivan, William R. Wider, Alan R. Townsend

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Net primary production (NPP) by plants represents the largest annual flux of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere to the terrestrial biosphere, playing a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle and the Earth’s climate. Rates of NPP in tropical forests are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but debates about the magnitude, patterns, and controls of NPP in the tropics highlight uncertainty in our understanding of how tropical forests may respond to environmental change. Here, we compared tropical NPP estimates generated using three common approaches: (1) field-based methods scaled from plot-level measurements of plant …

La Souffrance Animale À Distance: Des Vétérinaires Dans L’Action Humanitaire, Frédéric Keck, Miriam Ticktin

Publications and Research

Résumé

Cet article étudie le rôle des vétérinaires dans l’humanitaire à partir de deux types de pratique : la défense des animaux contre la cruauté et la surveillance des animaux touchés par les épidémies. En suivant l’extension de l’action humanitaire aux animaux comme nouvelles figures de victimes innocentes, nous cherchons à dépasser l’approche compassionnelle de l’humanitaire pour étudier les nouvelles formes scientifiques impliquant des non-humains, comme la médecine vétérinaire légale, les neurosciences et l’immunologie. Nous soutenons finalement que ces sciences produisent de nouveaux collectifs d’humains et de non-humains.

Abstract

This article traces the role of veterinarians in humanitarian action, focusing …

The Theology Of William Hordern: Living By Grace, Gordon A. Jensen

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Malware Detection Using Dynamic Analysis, Swapna Vemparala

Master's Projects

In this research, we explore the field of dynamic analysis which has shown promis- ing results in the field of malware detection. Here, we extract dynamic software birth- marks during malware execution and apply machine learning based detection tech- niques to the resulting feature set. Specifically, we consider Hidden Markov Models and Profile Hidden Markov Models. To determine the effectiveness of this dynamic analysis approach, we compare our detection results to the results obtained by using static analysis. We show that in some cases, significantly stronger results can be obtained using our dynamic approach.

Biological Impact Assessment Of Nanomaterial Used In Nanomedicine. Introduction To The Nanotest Project, L Juillerat-Jeanneret, M Dusinska, Lm Fjellsbø, Ar Collins, Rd Handy, M Riediker

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Can We Do Better When Students Are A Threat To Self? A Review Of Legal And Policy Implications For Current Practices On College Campuses, Jennifer Ann Hemingway

Theses and Dissertations

Many colleges/universities believe that a student who is a threat to self increases campus risk and liability (Appelbaum, 2006; Massie, 2008; Pavela, 2006 & 2010). This study uses integrated policy analysis to (1) define the policy problem regarding college students who are a threat to self; (2) analyze the current legal opinion of the courts regarding institutional liability when college students are a threat to self; (3) examine the 2010 change to the direct threat provision in Title II legislation; (4) determine the implications for institutional policies and practices. The analysis illustrates, according to the courts and changes in Title …

Crop Rotational Diversity Enhances Belowground Communities And Functions In An Agroecosystem, L. K. Tiemann, A. Stuart Grandy, E. E. Atkinson, E. Marin-Spiotta, M. D. Mcdaniel

Faculty Publications

Biodiversity loss, an important consequence of agricultural intensification, can lead to reductions in agroecosystem functions and services. Increasing crop diversity through rotation may alleviate these negative consequences by restoring positive aboveground–belowground interactions. Positive impacts of aboveground biodiversity on belowground communities and processes have primarily been observed in natural systems. Here, we test for the effects of increased diversity in an agroecosystem, where plant diversity is increased over time through crop rotation. As crop diversity increased from one to five species, distinct soil microbial communities were related to increases in soil aggregation, organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial activity and decreases in …

Towards An Alternative Testing Strategy For Nanomaterials Used In Nanomedicine: Lessons From Nanotest, M Dusinska, S Boland, M Saunders, L Juillerat-Jeanneret, L Tran, G Pojana, A Marcomini, K Volkovova, J Tulinska, Le Knudsen, L Gombau, M Whelan, Ar Collins, F Marano, C Housiadas, D Bilanicova, Kenzaoui B Halamoda, Carreira S Correia, Z Magdolenova, Lm Fjellsbø, A Huk, R Handy, L Walker, M Barancokova, A Bartonova, E Burello, J Castell, H Cowie, M Drlickova, R Guadagnini, G Harris, M Harju, Es Heimstad, M Hurbankova, A Kazimirova, Z Kovacikova, M Kuricova, A Liskova, A Milcamps, E Neubauerova, T Palosaari, P Papazafiri, M Pilou, Ms Poulsen, B Ross, E Runden-Pran, K Sebekova, M Staruchova, D Vallotto, A Worth

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - May 24, 2015, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the May 24, 2015 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

Jacqueline Gonner Recognized for Customer Service

USA College of Medicine Researchers Awarded Abraham A. Mitchell Cancer Research Fund Grants

Medical Students Form Preventive Medicine Team

Dr. Adams Presents Frazer/Leigh Memorial Lecture

Histology And Morphology Of The Brain Subarachnoid Trabeculae, Parisa Saboori, Ali Sadegh

Publications and Research

The interface between the brain and the skull consists of three fibrous tissue layers, dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater, known as the meninges, and strands of collagen tissues connecting the arachnoid to the pia mater, known as trabeculae. The space between the arachnoid and the pia mater is filled with cerebrospinal fluid which stabilizes the shape and position of the brain during head movements or impacts. The histology and architecture of the subarachnoid space trabeculae in the brain are not well established in the literature. The only recognized fact about the trabeculae is that they are made of collagen …

The Effects Of Sustained, High-Velocity Exercise On Gene Expression In California Yellowtail (Seriola Lalandi), Kelli Hatter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

California Yellowtail muscle fibers have been observed to exhibit two drastically different development patterns resulting from the speeds at which they are exercised. When fish are exercised at a moderate rate their epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers grow in diameter—hypertrophy; when they are exercised at a fast speed, more new epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers are produced—hyperplasia. To determine the underlying reason for this difference in muscle development, my summer research project and honors thesis exercised fish at: fast, moderate, and control speeds for a sustained amount of time to determine what is happening on a cellular level to cause the observed …

Making The Vision A Reality: Staging The Unreal In Realist Theatre, Sarah Zentner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper seeks to understand why visionary elements are sometimes implemented in otherwise realist works of theatre. Beginning with the father of realism, Henrik Ibsen, and discussing some of the social and domestic conventions present in his work, the paper then moves through an analysis of visionary elements, as they have been implemented in the following works: August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (1987) and Two Trains Running (1990), Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949), and Elizabeth Egloff's The Swan (1993). In doing so, the paper investigates how visionary elements can be effective …

The Suitability Of Habitats And The Effects Of Human Activities In Osupuko And Olepolos Wildlife Sanctuaries On Maasai Giraffes, Sydney P. Davis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Habitat quality and resource availability within wildlife dispersal areas in the Amboseli ecosystem are experiencing degradation due to pastoralism and agriculture by humans, which negatively affects the wildlife species that utilize these dispersal areas. Maasai giraffes are a common species that utilize these areas, but information on how human activities and the presence of domestic livestock affects the Maasai giraffe is limited. This study was conducted in two wildlife sanctuaries: Osupuko and Olepolos. Habitat condition assessment was done to determine the quality of habitats found within each sanctuary. The Point-Centered Quadrat Method was used to determine the number of five …

Investigating Sleep Behaviors In Autistic Infants, Alanna R. Flynn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by social, emotional, and learning deficits. Past research suggests that ASD and sleep problems often co-occur. The goal of this research was to investigate sleeping behaviors in autistic infants in comparison to typically developing infants (TD). The data of this study has been acquired at the University of California San Diego Autism Center of Excellence. One main goal of this center is to identify early indicators of ASD in infants (1-3 years of age), which could lead to earlier treatment and better therapy techniques. The current study used a sleep questionnaire to compare parent-reported …

Commencement 2015, Taylor University

Commencement

The program of the 2015 Annual Commencement of Taylor University, May 23, 2015