Digital Commons Network^™

Variation Of Occludin Expression In As3+ And Cd 2+-Transformed Urotsa Cells And Corresponding Putative Cancer Stem Cells, Kaylee Scott

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Graphic Design Students’ Perceptions Of Using Apple Ipads To Create Sketches And Promote Idea Generation, Elizabeth Becker

Theses and Dissertations

Artists and designers typically utilize sketching during the early stages of the design process because it provides them with an opportunity to transfer ideas from their head onto paper, computer, or mobile device. Sketching is regarded by researchers in the field of design to be an essential part of the design process.

The existing research in this field is focused on comparing paper and pencil sketches with sketches completed on computers. There is a void in the literature examining sketching completed on mobile devices like the Apple iPad. Therefore, this study aimed to fill that void.

The purpose of this …

Measuring The Effect Of Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Comprehension: A Comparison Of Academic And Tier Ii Words, Eiley C. Berg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was (a) to determine if 4th grade students could learn academic vocabulary words or tier II general words using a vocabulary intervention program referred to as the lexicon enhancement program (LeEP), and b) to determine if the category of vocabulary words (tier II general vs. academic) impacts the number of vocabulary words learned, general vocabulary abilities, and reading comprehension. A total of 111 fourth graders participated in this study. Six classrooms were randomly assigned as either the academic group, tier II group, or control group. Pre- and posttest scores of the Zero-One-Two (ZOT; Robinson, 2013) …

The Relationship Of Substance Use, Biological Sex, And Age To Defender Behaviors In Middle And High School Students In Rural Schools, Amanda D'Ottavio

Theses and Dissertations

While there are many studies looking at the characteristic of defenders in bullying situations, the literature regarding defender behaviors and substance use is lacking. In a sample of rural adolescents, the current study aims to examine the relationship between defender behaviors, substance use, biological sex and age. Rural middle and high school youth from six Northern Plains schools in the Midwest (N = 264) completed a self-report survey. Surveys were created to examine defender behaviors and substance use, and a demographic questionnaire collected biological sex and grade level. Grade level was used in place of age. A relationship between defender …

Old Tales, New Renditions: The Foundations And Development Of Anti-Semitic Ritual Murder Libels With Emphasis On A Shift In Centrality From Crucifixion To Blood Motifs In Late Medieval And Early Modern German Contexts, Evan John Halbach

Theses and Dissertations

The terms “ritual murder libel” and “blood libel” both refer primarily to medieval and early modern anti-Semitic allegations that Jews murdered Christian children on religious holidays, either to abuse or profane Christ and Christians, or to acquire Christian blood for use in Jewish ritual, sorcery, or as a medicine to treat stereotypical racial infirmities. Scholars to this point have generally treated the two libels as either synonymous, or have considered distinctions to be relatively insignificant. Insufficient treatment has been given to an inversion of primary and secondary motivations attributed to the libels’ constructed villains. In “ritual murder libels,” contempt for …

Exploring Pedagogical Decision Making And Metacognition Of Faculty Teaching Abroad, Yuliya Kartoshkina

Theses and Dissertations

The number of faculty-led short-term study abroad programs is growing rapidly. However, the literature on pedagogical design of such programs is very limited. This qualitative research study was conducted to explore how faculty members make pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad as well as cognitive processes they engage in when making these decisions. Six faculty members from different institutions and academic departments were interviewed. Their colleagues recognized them as experts in the field based on years of teaching abroad and effectiveness of their practice.

Two important findings came out of this study. First, when making pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad, all …

The Minnesota Army National Guard And Gender Expectations, Corbin David Routier

Theses and Dissertations

Women have never formally served in U.S. Army combat roles. It was announced in December, 2015 that U.S. Army combat roles would undergo gender integration. The objective of this research was to measure attitudes of current all-male infantry units in the Minnesota Army National Guard (MNARNG). The research was framed using status expectations theory. Surveys were distributed to two MNARNG companies (N = 116). The research examined how infantrymen rated male and female soldiers differently on 14 traits as well as their support for female integration. The results showed that infantrymen rated men higher than women. In addition, men who …

Not Your Business: Pedagogical Lessons Of Activist Resistance To Neoliberalism In Canadian Higher Education, Jorunn Thordarson

Theses and Dissertations

The growing power and permeation of neoliberal ideology across all facets of social life has been instrumental in promoting and orchestrating a shift among Canadian post-secondary institutions towards a reductive view of schooling at the expense of a more liberatory vision of education. The aim of this study was to examine the connections between power, education, and democracy in relation to the neoliberal restructuring of higher education in Canada, while simultaneously exploring discourses of resistance to neoliberal hegemony. Using critical discourse analysis, this study begins by establishing the promotion and naturalization of neoliberal ideology within the policy landscape of Canadian …

A Dual-Level Approach To Enrollment Management, Jason Trainer

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing institutional dependency on tuition revenue paired with rising political pressures towards student success outcomes has many institutions turning to enrollment management (EM) to improve their institution’s enrollment outcomes. EM is a comprehensive and inclusive process focused on achieving the optimum recruitment, retention, and graduation institutional outcomes. The academic community remains at the epicenter of this EM process. Chief enrollment officers failing to create an institutional partnership with the academic community will unlikely attain desired enrollment outcomes.

This study seeks to assist institutions by assessing how a “shared sense of responsibility” for enrollment outcomes is developed through the eyes of …

Examining Multiple Methods Of Analysis To Guide The Development Of A Postsecondary Institution Rating System, Eddie Gene Walker Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Rankings of higher education institutions have been developed as a method for evaluating universities and colleges as the competition for students, faculty, and financial support grew stronger (Shin & Toutkoushian, 2011). Historically these rankings relied mostly upon institutional reputation, but recently there has been a call for quantifiable data. US President Obama (2013) discussed the need for a postsecondary institution ratings system that holds universities accountable to provide accurate information related to accessibility, affordability, and educational outcomes. Once a method of rating institutions is developed, the ratings can be utilized to rank similar institutions, which results in a ranking system …

The Effects Of Resistance Training Programs On Physical Self-Perceptions In College Females, Kelsey Lauren Zachman

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of resistance training on females’ self-perception. Introduction: It is generally accepted that exercise enhances physical self-perceptions, but the impact of resistance training programs on females’ self-perceptions is unclear. Because exercise is an important public health behavior, and because physical self-perceptions have motivational implications, this study has potential to add knowledge that is relevant to exercise promotion. Purpose: The primary aim of the study was to explore the effect of two different types of resistance training programs on physical self-perceptions of college age females. Methods: Participants (n=30) were randomized to muscular strength, muscular endurance resistance training groups or a …

The Effect Of Ignoring Statistical Interactions In Regression Analyses Conducted In Epidemiologic Studies: An Example With Survival Analysis Using Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Model, Kristina Vatcheva, Joseph B. Mccormick, Mohammad H. Rahbar

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective: To demonstrate the adverse impact of ignoring statistical interactions in regression models used in epidemiologic studies.

Study design and setting: Based on different scenarios that involved known values for coefficient of the interaction term in Cox regression models we generated 1000 samples of size 600 each. The simulated samples and a real life data set from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort were used to evaluate the effect of ignoring statistical interactions in these models.

Results: Compared to correctly specified Cox regression models with interaction terms, misspecified models without interaction terms resulted in up to 8.95 fold bias in estimated …

The Role Of Creative Language In Addressing Political Asymmetries: The Israeli-Arab Water Agreements, Itay Fischhendler, Aaron T. Wolf, Gabriel E. Eckstein

Faculty Scholarship

International water agreements are often used as mechanisms for fostering and institutionalizing political cooperation. Yet, since water resources in many places are being driven to the edge of their natural limits, a number of international organizations have formulated legal principles and norms aimed at helping states resolve water disputes. While states have been urged to adopt these principles, it seems that they often embrace other less-traditional alternatives that may better address their own political needs. The aim of this study is to examine why states fail or decline to adopt several of the general principles of customary law formulated by …

Venom Expelled By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) Across Different Prey Sizes, Prey Taxa, And Snake Body Temperatures, Kari Lynn Spivey

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Pit vipers possess a sophisticated venom delivery system enabling them to efficiently disable prey. To avoid retaliatory countermeasures, pit vipers typically release envenomated prey which are then trailed and consumed after succumbing to venom effects. Successful retrieval of released prey should vary with venom resistance and trail ability of prey types. The effects of prey size and prey type (mice, lizards, and frogs) on foraging behavior and venom expenditure in a cohort of juvenile cottonmouths was examined. Venom expenditure did not vary significantly among prey sizes or prey types. However, lizard prey were held significantly more often than mice. The …

Effectiveness Of The Qar Reading Strategy On Science Reading, Courtney Anne Broser

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Questions-Answer Relationship (QAR) is a reading strategy that guides student comprehension by allowing the student to demonstrate their ability to determine importance, make inferences, and monitor comprehension through questions. The study was conducted on high school students in physical science to determine if the implementation of the QAR would improve content area literacy knowledge and confidence from pre-test and post-test data. Pedagogies included modeling, collaboration, independent work, guided practice, direct instruction, and inquiry laboratories. Through the implementation of the QAR method, the researcher found that students that learned new reading strategies gained confidence and were more engaged in the …

The Effectiveness Of Visits To Dickerson Park Zoo On Guests' Conservation Mindedness And Behavior, Sarah K. Foster

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Today, there are more than 10,000 zoos worldwide that provide the public with opportunities to observe and learn about endangered and threatened species from ecosystems all over the world. Through direct and emotional interactions with wildlife at zoos, more than 600 million guests a year have a chance to evolve from spectators to participants of conservation. A mixed-method survey strategy took place at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield Missouri about the Species Survival Plan to understand guest’s conservation mindedness and behavior changes after a visit. Initial surveys were given in the zoo and the follow-up surveys were given online a …

Friends In Low Places: Responses Of A Benthic Stream Fish To Intra-Guild Alarm Cues, Kelsey Ann Anderson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many aquatic species produce chemical alarm cues that serve as a warning to nearby conspecifics. In mixed-species aggregations, individuals may also benefit by “eavesdropping” on the chemical alarm cues of other species that are in the same prey-guild. Rainbow Darters (Etheostoma caeruleum) are benthic fish that co-occur with native Ozark Minnows (Notropis nubilus), recently-introduced Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and native Oklahoma Salamanders (Eurycea tyrnerensis), all of whom are vulnerable to the same predators. We tested the responses of darters to the damage-released alarm cues of conspecifics (positive control), minnows, and mosquitofish; alarm cues from Bumblebee Gobies (Brachygobius doriae) served as …

Behavioral Responses By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) To Chemical And Visual Predator Cues, Kristen Lee Kohlhepp

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Predator detection and assessment of predation risk have important survival consequences for animals. However, responses to predatory threats can vary with different stimuli. Chemical cues are important for predator recognition but visual cues may elicit defensive responses. Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) exhibit an array of antipredatory behaviors that have been thoroughly characterized in response to human aggressors, but their responses to cues from other predators are poorly known. I conducted three experiments to evaluate cottonmouth responses to visual and chemical stimuli from predators and non-predators. Snakes exposed to predator chemical cues exhibited elevated tongue-flick rates compared to controls but did not …

Size-Selective Predation By Ringed Crayfish (Orconectes Neglectus) On Native And Invasive Snails, Whitney Marie Kelley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

As invasive species are introduced into new habitats, predator-prey interactions can be altered. Cipangopaludina chinensis is a large snail that has been introduced into numerous waterbodies throughout the United States, where it coexists with native snails and their crayfish consumers. This study examined the relative susceptibility of C. chinensis and two native snails (Elimia potosiensis and Physella gyrina) to predation by the ringed crayfish (Orconectes neglectus). I conducted field surveys of snails and crayfish in three Ozark streams, plus a series of four lab experiments to determine feeding rates and prey preference by O. neglectus on these three snail species. …

The End Of An Era? Federal Civil Procedure After The 2015 Amendments, Adam N. Steinman

Faculty Scholarship

The recent amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were the most controversial in decades. The biggest criticisms concerned pleading standards and access to discovery. Many feared that the amendments would undermine the simplified, merits-driven approach that the original drafters of the Federal Rules envisioned and would weaken access to justice and the enforcement of substantive rights and obligations.

This Article argues that the amendments that came into effect on December 1, 2015, do not mandate a more restrictive approach to pleading or discovery. Although there was legitimate cause for alarm given the advisory committee’s earlier proposals and supporting …

The More Copyright Laws Change, The More Digital Challenges Stay The Same, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

This essay was a contribution to the Liber Amicorum for Professor Jan Rosén of Stockholm University, a former president of the International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property (ATRIP). Drawing on Professor Rosén's scholarship, the essay shows how today's judges, legislators, policymakers and commentators continue to address questions that copyright and media law scholars have explored in the past decades.

Specifically, this essay focuses on two topics. The first topic concerns the exhaustion of distribution rights in computer software and other digital works, including regional exhaustion within the European Union. The second topic covers the …

The Competing Objectives Underlying The Protection Of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

One topic that has received considerable academic and policy attention concerns the key objectives underlying the establishment of this new framework. To help us develop a better and deeper understanding, this article outlines eight most widely documented objectives. While some of these objectives overlap or conflict with each other, others touch on issues that are of only marginal concern to some constituencies. By focusing on each objective in turn, this article aims to underscore the divergent, and at times competing, interests among the many stakeholders involved in the framework.

Although some readers may find the description of all eight underlying …

Effect Of Polymer Concentration, Rotational Speed, And Solvent Mixture On Fiber Formation Using Forcespinning, Nancy Obregon, Victor Agubra, Madhab Pokhrel, Howard Campos, David Flores, David De La Garza, Yuanbing Mao, Javier Macossay, Mataz Alcoutlabi

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers were produced using Forcespinning® (FS). The effects of PCL concentration, solvent mixture, and the spinneret rotational speed on fiber formation were evaluated. The concentration of the polymer in the solvents was a critical determinant of the solution viscosity. Lower PCL concentrations resulted in low solution viscosities with a correspondingly low fiber production rate with many beads. Bead-free fibers with high production rate and uniform fiber diameter distribution were obtained from the optimum PCL concentration (i.e., 12.5 wt%) with tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent. The addition of N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to the THF solvent promoted the gradual formation …

Slip-Jump Model For Carbon Combustion Synthesis Of Complex Oxide Nanoparticles, A. A. Markov, Mkhitar A. Hobosyan, Karen S. Martirosyan

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Carbon Combustion Synthesis of Oxides (CCSO) is a promising method to produce submicron- and nano- sized complex oxides. The CCSO was successfully utilized for producing several complex oxides, a complete theoretical model including the sample porosity, fl ow parameters and reaction energetics is needed to predict the combustion parameters for CCSO. In this work, we studied the ignition temperature and combustion wave axial temperature distribution, activation energy, combustion heat and thermal losses for a typical CCSO synthesis for cylindrical samples of Ni-Zn ferrites with high (>85%) porosity. We developed a two level combustion model of chemically active nano-dispersed mixture, …

Alterations Of The Volatile Metabolome In Mouse Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Bruce A. Kimball, Donald A. Wilson, Daniel W. Weason

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the present study, we tested whether the volatile metabolome was altered by mutations of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-implicated amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) and comprehensively examined urinary volatiles that may potentially serve as candidate biomarkers of AD. Establishing additional biomarkers in screening populations for AD will provide enhanced diagnostic specificity and will be critical in evaluating disease-modifying therapies. Having strong evidence of gross changes in the volatile metabolome of one line of APP mice, we utilized three unique mouse lines which over-express human mutations of the APP gene and their respective non-transgenic litter-mates (NTg). Head-space gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) …

Plant Community Shifts Caused By Feral Swine Rooting Devalue Florida Rangeland, Brittany Bankovich, Elizabeth Boughton, Raoul Boughton, Michael L. Avery, Samantha M. Wisely

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species threaten agriculture by changing agroecosystem structure and function, reducing habitat value, decreasing biodiversity and ecosystem services and increasing management costs. Grazing lands in south central Florida are a mosaic of sown pastures, native grasslands, wetlands and woodlands that provide a variety of ecosystem services. Disturbance of these pastures and native grasslands by invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) can have negative consequences for both economic productivity and biodiversity. In this study, we show that the effect of rooting on plant diversity depends on ecosystem type and initial levels of plant species diversity. For example, in native grassland pasture, rooting …

Bait Preference Of Free-Ranging Feral Swine For Delivery Of A Novel Toxicant, Nathan P. Snow, Joseph M. Halseth, Michael J. Lavelle, Thomas E. Hanson, Chad R. Blass, Justin A. Foster, Simon T. Humphrys, Linton D. Staples, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) cause extensive damage to agricultural and wildlife resources throughout the United States. Development of sodium nitrite as a new, orally delivered toxicant is underway to provide an additional tool to curtail growth and expansion of feral swine populations. A micro-encapsulation coating around sodium nitrite is used to minimize detection by feral swine and maximize stability for the reactive molecule. To maximize uptake of this toxicant by feral swine, development a bait matrix is needed to 1) protect the micro-encapsulation coating so that sodium nitrite remains undetectable to feral swine, 2) achieve a high …

Defending Against Disparate Marine Turtle Nest Predators: Nesting Success Benefits From Eradicating Invasive Feral Swine And Caging Nests From Raccoons, Richard M. Engeman, David Addison, J. C. Griffin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nest predation can threaten marine turtle nesting success, and having to address dissimilar predator species complicates nest protection efforts. On Florida’s Keewaydin Island predation by raccoons Procyon lotor and invasive feral swine Sus scrofa are disparate, significant threats tomarine turtle nests. Using 6 years of nesting data (mostly for loggerhead marine turtles Caretta caretta) we examined the impacts of swine predation on nests and the benefits of swine eradication, caging nests to protect them from raccoon predation, and the effects of nest caging on swine predation. Nest predation by swine began in mid nesting season 2007, after which swine …

Evaluation Of An Avian Radar System In A Midwestern Landscape, Michael B. Gerringer, Steven L. Lima, Travis L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird strikes in aviation are an increasing threat to both aircraft and human safety. Management efforts have focused largely on the immediate airport environment. Avian radar systems could potentially be useful in assessing bird strike threats at greater distances from the airport, at higher altitudes, and at night, but few studies have been conducted to assess the capabilities of avian radar systems. Thus, our goal was to assess the detection and tracking abilities of a commercially available avian radar system in an airport environment in Indiana, USA, during October 2011–March 2012. Transits by free-flying birds allowed us to assess radar …

Retention Time Of Chlorophacinone In Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Informs Secondary Hazards From A Prairie Dog Rodenticide Bait, Gary W. Witmer, Nathan P. Snow, Rachael S. Moulton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Secondary toxicity in mammals and birds that consume animals containing residues of anticoagulant rodenticides represents a persistent conflict between conservation, agriculture and environmental contamination. Chlorophacinone residues in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) represent a secondary exposure hazard to predatory and scavenging avian and mammalian species in the Central Plains of the United States, especially considering efforts to re-establish black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). Rozol® Prairie Dog Bait (chlorophacinone 0.005%) is registered to control black-tailed prairie dogs in ten states throughout themidwestern and western United States.

RESULTS:We fed Rozol Prairie Dog Bait to captive black-tailed prairie dogs …