Digital Commons Network^™

Producing Knowledge: The Social Made Visible In The Division Of Environmental Biology Of The National Science Foundation, Patrick Southern

Capstone Collection

This inquiry explores how knowledge is produced in the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) of the National Science Foundation. Beginning from a poststructuralist understanding of science as firmly embedded in the unequal relations of society, this study sought to examine how the policies and procedures of funding research proposals in DEB influence and are influenced by those relations. Using an institutional ethnography approach to analysis, data were collected from analyzing publicly available texts from the division, NSF, Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and the research community. The analysis demonstrates how the activities of DEB could maintain or exacerbate …

Feeding Ecology Of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon In Afognak Lake, Alaska, Natura Richardson

Fisheries

Much attention has been given to juvenile Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) ecology with particular focus on pelagic food webs in deep nursery lakes. In contrast, this study took place at Afognak Lake, Alaska, to better understand juvenile Sockeye Salmon foraging ecology, potential consumer interactions, and metabolic opportunities and constraints in a shallow nursery lake. I collected fish every two weeks from Afognak Lake from May through August, 2013. I described ontogenetic and temporal variation in the diets of juvenile Sockeye Salmon and a potential competitor, adult Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Notably, this study revealed that adult aquatic insects are an …

The Effect Of Hofmeister Series Counterions On The Colloidal And Antimicrobial Properties Of Triple-Headed Cationic Amphiphiles, Kirstie A. Thompson

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Antibacterial resistance is becoming increasingly prominent, causing a great need for novel antibacterial products. This work focuses on developing an understanding of the relationship between counterion identity on colloidal and antibacterial activity for cationic amphiphiles. In an amphiphile series with three hydrophilic quaternary ammonium bromide head groups and one hydrophobic tail, the amphiphile with a linear hydrocarbon chain with 18 carbons is more antibacterial than those with longer or shorter tails. Counterion exchange of the bromide counterions with various Hofmeister series anions significantly affects both antibacterial and colloidal activity. The logarithm of critical aggregation concentration [log(CAC)] was found to have …

Mandala Spring/Summer 2016, Center For Southeast Asian Studies

Mandala

No abstract provided.

Student Honors And Awards Program 2016, University Relations

UMM Honors and Awards Ceremony

In recognition of students who demonstrate academic excellence and enrich campus life

Assessment Of Behavior And Social Dynamics In A Newly-Forming Group Of Captive Western Lowland Gorillas, Sarah Murphey Huskisson

Graduate Theses

This study presents behavioral data of a recently-formed western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) group at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, from the initial stages of group formation through the first several months after introduction. The group consists of a male (19 years), two half-sisters (both 10 years), and an unrelated female (20 years). I collected 15-minute focal animal samples for three hours twice a week in two observation blocks, the first lasting from 7/17/15 to 9/11/15, and the second lasting from 10/30/15 to 1/3/16. A total of 99.25 observation hours were collected. It was predicted that …

Species-Recognition Program: A Computer-Assisted Approach To Recognizing Species, Steve Kelsch, Jeffrey Carmichael

Biology Faculty Publications

Species recognition is a crucial component for many types of biological studies. To that end, broadly trained students must be able to accurately identify many different types of organisms. Courses that focus on learning the names of different species traditionally rely on preserved specimens viewed during class or laboratory time. Unfortunately, reliance on preserved specimens comes with many challenges in providing students with an optimal learning experience. The curriculum activity described here uses a modified PowerPoint file (species-recognition program—SRP) as a means of helping students learn to recognize and identify fishes based on subtle visual cues. Our results indicate that …

Affinity Cryo-Electron Microscopy: Methods Development And Applications, Guimei Yu

Open Access Dissertations

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is an emerging powerful tool for structural studies of macromolecular assemblies. Although less concentrated and smaller amounts of samples are required for single particle cryo-EM compared to X-ray crystallography, it remains challenging to study specimens that are low-abundance, low-yield, or short-lived. The recent development of affinity grid techniques holds great promise to tackle these challenging samples by combining the sample purification and freezing on TEM grids steps in cryo-EM grid preparation into a single step, revolutionize the grid preparation of cryo-EM, and extend single particle cryo-EM to a routine structural biology tool to characterize structures …

Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Pathogen Defense: The Role Of Jmj3 In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Nelson Trysler

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The Raina lab studies plant-pathogen interactions through genetics and molecular biology by using the model organism, Arabidopsis thaliana. A group of genes in A. thaliana, the Jumonji gene family, regulates gene expression by epigenetic mechanisms. Jumonji genes influence histone demethylation. Previous research in the Raina lab has shown that some Jumonji (JMJ) genes play a role in immune signaling in A. thaliana in response to pathogens. My project is to characterize JMJ3 gene, and see if there was any role that JMJ3 played in pathogen defense in A. thaliana.

The goal of my study was …

Fatty Acid Profiling And Oxidative Damage Assessment Of Caenorhabditis Elegans As An Indicator For Evaluating Exposure To Pentachlorophenol, Demilade K. Adisa

Theses (2016-Present)

Lipids over the years have been given far less relevance for the roles they play in the body. In recent times, the role of lipids are being studied and it is being brought to light that lipids play far more important roles in the body of living organisms than early stipulated. Lipids have been known for their role in the storage of energy and in the formation of cell membrane but right now; recent studies have shown lipids to have far more diverse and complex biological roles in the human body as they function as molecular messengers and signaling molecules …

Algal Growth Response To Nutrient Loading On The Lower Boise River, Idaho, Ian Penn

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Nitrate and phosphate concentrations in the Lower Boise River become increasingly elevated with distance downstream. While there is correlative evidence that there is algal growth from elevated nutrients, no one has formally evaluated the algal growth response from nutrient loading. We quantified algal biomass in response to increased nutrient concentrations by sampling benthic algal biomass from natural substrata (rocks) and artificial substrata that also assessed nutrient limitation along a 64 mile reach from near Diversion Dam to the city of Parma that exhibited an increase of nitrate (0.01 mg/L to 3.40 mg/L) and phosphate (below detection to 0.56 mg/L). Samples …

A Model For Collective Dynamics In Ant Raids, Shawn D. Ryan

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Ant raiding, the process of identifying and returning food to the nest or bivouac, is a fascinating example of collective motion in nature. During such raids ants lay pheromones to form trails for others to find a food source. In this work a coupled PDE/ODE model is introduced to study ant dynamics and pheromone concentration. The key idea is the introduction of two forms of ant dynamics: foraging and returning, each governed by different environmental and social cues. The model accounts for all aspects of the raiding cycle including local collisional interactions, the laying of pheromone along a trail, and …

Evaluating College Biology Laboratory Accommodations For Students With Blindness And Visual Impairments, Barbara Rae Heard

All Theses And Dissertations

Studies show that active participation in science laboratory activities promotes student learning. However, students with blindness and visual impairments (BVI) often confront obstacles to active participation in the required activities of the college biology laboratory. Legislation requires institutions of higher education to provide accommodations for students with disabilities, yet the institutions must also maintain the academic integrity of their courses and programs. While college biology instructors provide specific accommodations, such as tactile models and audible devices, to enable active participation by students with BVI, they do so without research-supported guidelines for best practices. This mixed methods study sought to evaluate …

Insights Into Determinants That Contribute To Colonization, Virulence And Antibiotic Resistance In Enterococci, Maria Camila Montealegre

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are increasingly common as causative agents of human infections, many of which are very difficult to treat due to multi-drug resistance. The work presented in the first part of this dissertation elucidates a mechanism for the regulation of pilus expression. I showed that ATT is the initiation codon of ebpA, the first gene of an operon that codes for the endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili (Ebp), a recognized virulence factor in E. faecalis. The presence of this rare start codon downregulates EbpA translation and protein levels, diminishing biofilm and binding abilities of …

Utah Lotus: North American Legume For Possible Use In Rangeland Revegetation In The Southern Great Basin Of The Western United States, Jason M. Stettler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis project explored the production and forage quality characteristics of Utah lotus (Lotus utahensis Ottley) and scrub lotus (L. wrightii (A. Gray) Greene) seed collections during a two-year period. The variation of 14 Utah lotus and five scrub lotus seed collections was evaluated by measuring important plant characteristics at three common garden sites in northern Utah. In addition, the genetic structure of the collections was determined by molecular biological techniques. Large variation was observed among collections for all phenotypic traits measured, with Utah lotus and scrub lotus being phenotypically quite different. Two collections of Utah lotus (LU-5 …

In Vitro Investigation Of The Effect Of Exogenous Ubiquitin On Processes Associated With Atherosclerosis, Chase W. Mussard

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atherosclerosis, characterized by the build-up of cholesterol, immune cells and cellular debris within arterial walls, is accelerated following myocardial infarction by poorly understood mechanisms. Ubiquitin, a small, well-studied intracellular protein involved in protein turnover via the proteasome pathway, has recently been shown to exert extracellular effects on cardiac myocytes, in vitro, and in mice undergoing myocardial remodeling. This study investigates the potential role of extracellular ubiquitin in atherosclerosis by determining its effects on two critical atherosclerotic processes: the migration of vascular smooth muscles cells and the uptake of modified LDL by monocyte/macrophages in foam cell formation. In the presence …

An Agent-Based Modeling Approach To Determine Overwintering Habits Of American Robins And Eastern Bluebirds, Samuel Iselin, Shannon Segin

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

American Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) are two species of migratory thrushes that breed in Northwest Indiana but historically are uncommonly present during the winter season (November 1 - March 1). These trends have changed recently, and both species are seen more abundantly during the winter. Recently invaded non-native fruiting plants continue to provide nutrients for the birds throughout the winter and may contribute to the increased avian populations during that time. To measure the effect these food sources contribute to thrush wintering habits, we created an agent-based computer model to simulate the …

Comparative Analysis Of Comprehension Of Non-Content Specific Collegiate Vocabulary In Southern Adventist University Students, Molly C. Theus

Capstone Research Projects

In the HAPS community there is a documented phenomenon appearing to show a lack of mastery in non-content specific collegiate vocabulary in Anatomy and Physiology students. This research seeks to investigate possible causation and propose a solution using the microcosm of Southern Adventist University students. A knowledge-based questionnaire was distributed to six subpopulations composed of lower and upper division Biology, nursing and non-science major students. The questionnaire is comprised of two parts: a section on background and reading habits, and a section with twenty multiple choice vocabulary questions. The results were compiled into a comparative analysis

Arthropods Infesting Small Mammals (Insectivora And Rodentia) Near Cedar Point Biological Station In Southwestern Nebraska, Lindsey Howell, Katelyn Jelden, S. Elizabeth Rácz, Scott L. Gardner, Donald D. Gettinger

Insecta Mundi

Cedar Point Biological Station (CPBS) is located in the mixed grass prairie of the central Great Plains, at the transition between the subregions known as the “tall grass” and “short grass” prairies. Adding to the habitat diversity, there are wetlands and riparian habitats associated with the North Platte River and the edge of the Sandhills region of north central Nebraska. This concurrence of habitats supports a diverse small mammal community. The purpose of this paper is to assemble all published information on ectoparasites associated with small mammals (Insectivora, Rodentia) of southwestern Nebraska, and to report the results of an intensive …

College Senate Minutes May 12, 2016, Bronx Community College Senate

BCC Governance Archives

Minutes for the meeting of the College Senate on May 12, 2016.

Integrated Systems Biology Analysis Of Transcriptomes Reveals Candidate Genes For Acidity Control In Developing Fruits Of Sweet Orange (Citrus Sinensis L. Osbeck), Dingquang Huang, Yihong Zhao, Minghao Cao, Liang Qiao, Zhi-Liang Zheng

Publications and Research

Organic acids, such as citrate and malate, are important contributors for the sensory traits of fleshy fruits. Although their biosynthesis has been illustrated, regulatory mechanisms of acid accumulation remain to be dissected. To provide transcriptional architecture and identify candidate genes for citrate accumulation in fruits, we have selected for transcriptome analysis four varieties of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) with varying fruit acidity, Succari (acidless), Bingtang (low acid), and Newhall and Xinhui (normal acid). Fruits of these varieties at 45 days post anthesis (DPA), which corresponds to Stage I (cell division), had similar acidity, but they displayed differential acid …

Schendel V. Curtis: Dna Standards Misapplied To Fusion Protein Patents, Lisa C. Elsevier

Journal of Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Tidal Hydrodynamics Under Future Sea Level Rise And Coastal Morphology In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Davina L. Passeri, Scott C. Hagen, Nathaniel G. Plant, Matthew V. Bilskie, Stephen C. Medeiros, Karim Alizad

Faculty Publications

This study examines the integrated influence of sea level rise (SLR) and future morphology on tidal hydrodynamics along the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) coast including seven embayments and three ecologically and economically significant estuaries. A large-domain hydrodynamic model was used to simulate astronomic tides for present and future conditions (circa 2050 and 2100). Future conditions were simulated by imposing four SLR scenarios to alter hydrodynamic boundary conditions and updating shoreline position and dune heights using a probabilistic model that is coupled to SLR. Under the highest SLR scenario, tidal amplitudes within the bays increased as much as 67% (10.0 …

Section Abstracts: Biology

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Biology Section for the 94th Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 18-20, 2016, at University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

Ua77/1 Wku Spirit, Wku Alumni Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU's alumni magazine. Contents:

• Ransdell, Gary. Letter from the President
• From College to University: WKU Pylon
• WKU Honored for Programs Helping Veterans, Students in the Military
• Larry Snyder Named Dean of Potter College of Arts & Letters
• Brian Kuster to Lead Student Affairs for Next 2 Years
• Confucius Institute at WKU Honored at Global Conference
• 2 Gatton Academy of Mathematics & Science Students Named Emperor Science Award Winners
• WKU Student Awarded U.S. Foreign Service Internship – Alexandria Knipp
• WKU Continues to Climb in Open Doors Study Abroad Rankings
• U.S. News Ranks WKU Online Programs Among Best in Nation
• Family & …

Proceedings Of The 94th Annual Virginia Academy Of Science Meeting, 2016

Virginia Journal of Science

Full proceedings of the 94th Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 18-20, 2016, at University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

Is Metabolism Goal-Directed? Investigating The Validity Of Modeling Biological Systems With Cybernetic Control Via Omic Data, Frank T. Devilbiss

Open Access Dissertations

Cybernetic models are uniquely juxtaposed to other metabolic modeling frameworks in that they describe the time-dependent regulation of cellular reactions in terms of dynamic "metabolic goals." This approach contrasts starkly with purely mechanistic descriptions of metabolic regulation which seek to explain metabolic processes in high resolution — a clearly daunting undertaking. Over a span of three decades, cybernetic models have been used to predict metabolic phenomena ranging from resource consumption in mixed-substrate environments to intracellular reaction fluxes of intricate metabolic networks. While the cybernetic approach has been validated in its utility for the prediction of metabolic phenomena, its central feature, …

The Effects Of Low Dam Removal And Kayak Run Installation On The Biodiversity Of Fish And Macroinvertebrates In The Great Miami River In Downtown Dayton, Ohio, Sarah Anne Stalder

Honors Theses

Five Rivers Metroparks and the Miami Conservancy District have made plans to remove the upper portion of the Monument Avenue low-head dam in downtown Dayton due to the hazard it poses for recreation on the river and its negative impact on water quality and biodiversity. The plans also include modifying the dam with “kayak drops” and the construction of a second kayak drop slightly upstream of the location of the current low dam to enhance recreational opportunities on the river. Typically, low dam removal alter the flow and depth of a river, especially above the dam in the impounded area …

Photochemical Electrocyclic Ring Closure And Elimination Reactions Of N-(Oxothioxanthenyl)Naphthothiophene Carboxamides, Himali Devika Jayasekara

Dissertations (1934 -)

Photochemical cleavage reactions have found a widespread used in biological applications that require the photorelease of biologically active molecules such as proteins, peptides, neurotransmitters, and nucleotide phosphates. This research focuses on the design of photoremovable protecting groups which can be utilized to release these biomolecules by photolysis. These biomolecules are attached to the photoremovable protecting group at the sites of functional groups that are present within these substrates. Such functional groups are carboxylates, phosphates, thiolates, or phenolates, which upon exposure to light, are released as anions of varying basicities. The photochemical reaction involved is an electrocyclic ring closure between aromatic …

Beta Linear Failure Rate Geometric Distribution With Applications, Broderick O. Oluyede, Ibrahim Elbatal, Shujiao Huang

Mathematical Sciences: Faculty Publications

This paper introduces the beta linear failure rate geometric (BLFRG) distribution, which contains a number of distributions including the exponentiated linear failure rate geometric, linear failure rate geometric, linear failure rate, exponential geometric, Rayleigh geometric, Rayleigh and exponential distributions as special cases. The model further generalizes the linear failure rate distribution. A comprehensive investigation of the model properties including moments, conditional moments, deviations, Lorenz and Bonferroni curves and entropy are presented. Estimates of model parameters are given. Real data examples are presented to illustrate the usefulness and applicability of the distribution.