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Diet And Foraging Behaviors Of Timber Rattlesnakes, Crotalus Horridus, In Eastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz, Christopher E. Petersen, Robert K. Rose, John D. Kleopfer, Alan H. Savitzky

Biology Faculty Publications

During a 17-yr telemetry study, we examined the diet and ambush behavior of a population of Crotalus horridus in southeastern Virginia. Forty dietary items were identified from 37 fecal samples. We documented 722 instances of snakes in an ambush posture, 61% of which were in a vertical-tree posture, as if hunting arboreal prey at the base of a tree. The most common prey items were Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), which accounted for 45% of all dietary items and represented an estimated 78% of total biomass consumed by C. horridus. Prey was not consumed in proportion to availability, based on …

The Role Of Blue Sky Laws After Nsmia And The Jobs Act, Rutheford B. Campbell Jr.

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

State securities laws—in particular, state laws requiring that securities offered by issuers be registered with the states—have been an impediment to the efficient movement of capital to its highest and best use. The pernicious effects of these laws—generally referred to as “blue sky laws”—have been felt most acutely by small businesses, a vital component of our national economy.

It has been difficult to remedy this problem. States and state regulators have been tenacious in protecting their registration authority from federal preemption. The Securities and Exchange Commission, on the other hand, has been reluctant to advocate for preemption and unwilling to …

Investigating Intra-Island Translocation As A Conservation Strategy For The Turks And Caicos Iguana: The Impact Of Homing And Stress, Tarren Kay Wagener

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

The Turks and Caicos iguana, Cyclura carinata, is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature due to introduced mammals and habitat alteration from human development. Inter-island translocations are a key conservation strategy for the species and, while resource intensive, have been successful to date. However suitable islands for translocation (good habitat and free of mammals) are scarce despite a surplus of animals threatened by human development. Intra-island translocation strategies that complement human needs must be found. Big Ambergris Cay (supporting the single largest remaining population of TCI iguanas) presents a unique opportunity to determine …

Specific Emotions And Altruistic Decision Making - A Study In Relational Perspective, Srinwanti Hazra Chaudhury

Psychology Theses - Archive

The role of emotions in decision making processes has long been of interest to researchers due to its relevance in our daily consumption decisions. Recent experimental studies have suggested that specific emotions prime different implicit goals. However, despite their importance in applied settings, there has been a lack of clear understanding of how specific emotions might influence prosocial activities, such as donating money to charitable organizations, or engaging in volunteering behavior. To explore the effect of specific emotions on altruism, a between-subjects study was conducted to examine four emotion conditions (e.g., anxiety, sadness, pride, hope) along with a control neutral …

An Investigation Of Critical Thinking Outcomes In An Online Developmental Psychology Learning Environment, Michael C. Natishyn

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

Critical thinking (CT) has become a hot topic in academic and mainstream media, where the development of these skills may influence efficacy and productivity in educational and career environments, potentially impacting academic success, employability, and even routine decisions encountered in everyday life. Since the learning environment is germane to reinforcement of CT skills and as institutions shift towards online learning, the online classroom has potential for influencing CT skills and cultivating technically adept high-quality college graduates. The current project sought to investigate relationships between CT and course outcomes within multiple semesters of an online Developmental Psychology course. Data were comprised …

Is There A Difference In Law Enforcement Perception In The Ability To Identify The Primary Aggressor In A Family Violence Dispute By Gender, Race, And Rank?, Sheri Denise Brock

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

When law enforcement responds to a family violence incident, it is not always clear who the primary aggressor was at the incident and it typically ends up being a “he said, she said” incident. The purpose of this study is to understand factors associated with determining the primary aggressor when responding to family violence. The introduction is covered in chapter one and it describes the issues that law enforcement officers have when they respond to a family violence call and if law enforcement responses to the questions being analyzed vary based on gender, race, and rank. Chapter two offers a …

Human Trafficking In Dallas: An Assessment Of Local Law Enforcement Traning, Awareness, And Effectiveness In Recognizing Victims, Nazeeya Pervaiz Zubairie

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine the training, awareness, and effectiveness of a local law enforcement agency in recognizing victims of human trafficking. The research questions of this study were: are local law enforcement officers able to recognize victims of human trafficking during their beat, and does time in service effect their ability to recognize victims. This research study was conducted as a blind study, and provided a sample of local law enforcement officers with a self-administered survey that evaluated their perceptions of recognizing human trafficking victims. The officers' effectiveness in recognizing the victims was evaluated by whether …

Design Of Flow Control Device For Dynamic Cold Plate And Optimization Of Servers To Decrease Junction Temperature Of Heat Sinks, Kunal Atulkumar Shah

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Electronics cooling research is facing the challenges of high heat flux removal and increased pumping power. Not much attention has been focused related to server and module level cooling. The continued increase in heat fluxes at the chip level due to new and robust technology nodes following Moore’s law is starting to push the limits of air cooling and especially for high end servers. An alternative to air cooling is liquid (water and oil immersed) cooling. The optimized dynamic cold plates that use water as the cooling fluid have shown over 28 % and 52% of reduction in pumping power …

Evaluating Increasing Hospital Closure Rates In U.S: A Model Framework And A Lean Six Sigma Deployment Approach For Quality Improvement Initiatives To Prevent Further Closures In Rural And Disadvanaged Locations, Soma Sekar Balasubramanian

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Hospital Closures occur from time to time. Several rural hospitals were closed in the U.S recently in an unprecedented manner and hundreds of others are at the risk of closing. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which was amended in 2010, has brought sea of changes in the healthcare industry right from changing the way how hospitals receive reimbursements by introducing several new programs targeting hospitals’ quality of care to expanding health insurance for millions of poor and underprivileged populations in the country. The goal of this study is to understand the closure of rural hospitals in line …

Dynamic Wireless Interrogation Of Antenna‐Sensor In Harsh Environment, Jun Yao

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Microstrip antenna-sensor has received considerable interests in recent years due to its simple configuration, compact size, and multi-modality sensitivity. Due to its simple and conformal planar configuration, antenna-sensor can be easily attached on the structure surface for Structure Health Monitoring (SHM). As a promising sensor, the resonant frequency of the antenna-sensor is sensitive to different structure properties: such as planar stress, temperature, pressure and moisture. As a passive antenna, antenna-sensor’s resonant frequency can be wirelessly interrogated at a middle range distance without using an on-board battery. However, a major challenge of antenna-sensor’s wireless interrogation is to isolate the antenna backscattering …

In Pueblo's Wake; Flawed Leadership And The Role Of Juche In The Capture Of The Uss Pueblo, James A. Duermeyer

History Theses - Archive

On January 23, 1968, North Korea attacked and seized an American Navy spy ship, the USS Pueblo. In the process, one American sailor was mortally wounded and another ten crew members were injured, including the ship's commanding officer. The crew was held for eleven months in a North Korean prison. Today, the ship remains in North Korea as a gray, steel museum, glorifying the success of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Navy in its struggle against the imperialist American aggressors. This thesis examines two primary question: How could the capture and retention of a U.S. Navy warship by a …

Associations Between Weight Status And Post-Tonsillectomy Pain Experiences In Children: A Retrospective Study, Shirley Smith Martin

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

There has been little research on pain outcomes in obese and overweight (OB/OW) children undergoing surgery. Tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy (T&A) is one of the most common painful surgeries performed in children. The estimated number of OB/OW children undergoing T&A each year approaches 200,000. Post-tonsillectomy pain (PTP) management after surgery is complicated by potential for airway obstruction or altered drug metabolism in OB/OW children. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between weight status and PTP outcomes in the PACU. A retrospective correlational cohort design was used. Data were obtained from 180 electronic health records of children who had …

A Retrospective Descriptive Study Of Chemically Impaired Nurses In Texas, Mercy Ngosa Mumba

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

There are approximately 3.1 million nurses in the Unites States (US Census Bureau, 2016) and approximately 8% of them suffer from chemical dependency and substance use disorders (Kunyk, 2015). In Texas, nurses with impaired practice are referred to peer assistance programs such as the Texas Peer Assistance Program for nurses (TPAPN), a monitoring program for nurses as they seek rehabilitation and recovery. Nurses are referred for various reasons including diversion of medications from patients and impairment at work. Currently, 348 nurses in TPAPN are actively participating in the program for substance abuse related offenses. Many nurses are also referred to …

Women's Experiences During An Acute Myocardial Infarction, Dena R. Allen

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

Objective: The objective was to describe the lived experience of women having a myocardial infarction and seeking health care, using the framework of the stress and coping theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Setting: Three acute care hospitals in a major metropolitan area in the North Texas region were the settings for the study. Method: A total of 20 English speaking women were interviewed about their experience when having an acute myocardial infarction from the onset of their symptoms through their hospital stay. The interview questions and findings were aligned with the stress and coping theory concepts. Results: The women realized …

Trajectory Tracking Control Of A Quadrotor During Cooperative Operation Between Uav And Ugv, Ajibola S. Fowowe

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

In recent times, there has been an increase in the use and application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs are used for various operations ranging from military applications to civilian purposes such as traffic monitoring, photography, surveillance and others. Within the UAV family, rotorcrafts take precedence over the fixed wing aircraft especially because of their unique features such as vertical takeoff and landing, increased payload, high maneuverability and more. They can be used to perform dangerous tasks and access environments that pose danger to man such as observatory wood and building fire, military purposes etc. This project focused on one …

Implementation Of A Java Processor On A Fpga, Omkar Joshi

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

Java, a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in 1991, now managed by Oracle, has become one of the most popular computer languages for application development. This popularity can be credited to Java being architectural neutral and portable. It means that a Java program executed on any computer will yield the same result, irrespective of the underlying hardware. When a Java program is compiled it creates a Java class file. The class file contains instructions known as Bytecodes, which are executed by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The JVM is an abstract processor, which interprets and translates the bytecodes into …

Optimal Attribute Weighting In A Nearest Neighbor Classifier, Jugal Raju Sheth

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

Nearest Neighbor algorithms are non-parametric algorithms that use distance measure techniques for classification and regressions. This thesis, first improves the traditional nearest neighbor classifier by optimizing its distance measure using a second order training algorithm. It then presents a second order method to adjust center vectors. It is shown that the distance measure weight optimization and center vector optimization, individually and together reduce the final classification error. The testing error of our algorithm is shown to be less than that of LVQ V.2.1

Temporal Variability Of Diapycnal Mixing In The Northern South China Sea, Hui Sun, Qingxuan Yang, Wei Zhao, Xinfeng Liang, Jiwei Tian

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Temporal variability of diapycnal mixing over 7 months in the northern South China Sea was examined based on McLane Moored Profiler observations from 850 to 2200 m by employing a finescale parameterization. Intensified diffusivity exceeding the order of 10⁻³ m²/s in magnitude was found over the first half of October 2014, and from 2 December 2014 to 21 January 2015 (a typical wintertime). Strong internal tides and winds in winter were the likely candidates for the high‐level diapycnal mixing in winter. As for the enhanced mixing during October 2014, we suspect the generation of near‐bottom near‐inertial waves …

The Effects Of Feeders On Pollen Abundance And Diversity Carried By Hummingbirds, December 2016, Georgia Riggs

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Hummingbird feeders may appear to be something that brings life and excitement close to viewers. However, not much is known about how this unlimited food source alters the pollination of plants that rely on hummingbirds. It could be possible that feeders deter hummingbirds from visiting flowers. I studied the effects of feeders on hummingbird-carried pollen abundance and diversity. I used two sites for my study, one that has had feeders for nearly 20 years and another site where I introduced feeders for the first time. With these feeders, I collected pollen samples from the heads of visiting hummingbirds and then …

A Comparison Of Soil Ph, Leaf Caffeine Concentration, And Disease Prevalence In Coffea Arabica, December 2016, Sofia Lochner

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

This study investigates the relationship between soil pH, caffeine content in leaves, and disease prevalence in Coffea arabica. Caffeine is a secondary metabolite that acts as an insecticide and antimicrobial to protect the coffee leaves, shoots, and fruits from fungus and herbivory. I used caffeine water extraction and UV/V spectrophotometry to analyze the caffeine content in leaf samples from a total of forty trees in four different sites at the Life Monteverde farm in Cañitas, Guanacaste. At each tree a soil sample was collected for pH analysis and a disease survey was conducted for Hemileia vastatrix, Mycena citricolor, and herbivory. …

The Effect Of Abundance Of Surrounding Trees On The Abundance Of Mycorrhizae In Ocotea Monteverdensis (Lauraceae), December 2016, Jenna Lindsay

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

A very important mutualism for many plant species is the association between mycorrhizal fungi and its host plant. Mycorrhizal fungi assist in nutrient and water uptake, helping to protect the plant from desiccation. The hyphae of the fungus can spread into the surrounding soil and link with other mycorrhizae to form mycorrhizal networks. The network then allows for interplant communication either between the same or different species of plant. This study examines how the number and size of surrounding trees impacts the abundance of mycorrhizae present in the roots of Ocotea monteverdensis. I collected one root from 28 different Ocotea …

Captive Jaguar Behavior And Best Practice Management, December 2016, Kathleen E. Knight

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

As the number of jaguars in captivity grows, the need to better understand the activity level and behavioral effects of captive jaguars increases. By understanding the specific activities and behaviors of jaguars in captivity, it is possible to better provide for the overall health of these animal in rescue centers, zoos, and wildlife sanctuaries. This first part of this study consists of a comprehensive activity budget report, which assesses the activity and inactivity levels in a male jaguar and female jaguar at the Centro Rescate de Las Pumas in Cañas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. These activity budgets were constructed through an …

Archinsects And Arachnitects: The Leaf Structures That Arthropods Construct In The Protected Areas Of Monteverde, December 2016, Holly Eichrodt

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

This study aimed to understand which insect and arachnid families manipulate leaves to make shelters and for what purposes they make them. I investigated the types of structures they create and how this may benefit their survivorship within three diverse protected areas of Monteverde- Estación Biológica Monteverde, Bajo del Tigre and Rachel Dwight Crandell Reserve. I collected a total of 56 individuals in the orders Lepidoptera, Araneae, and Orthoptera. I quantified the different types of leaf modifications made as well as the plant family in which they were made. I wanted to determine if there was specificity within the different …

Differences In Root Systems Among Common Genera Of Orchidaceae In A Tropical Cloud Forest, December 2016, Taryn Sena Dunivant

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Most tropical forests consist of a dense stem count, presenting many opportunities for epiphytes to find a niche and diversify. Orchidaceae is a strong example of biodiversity in a tropical cloud forest, which is supported by representing one of the largest families within angiosperms and containing countless epiphytic species. Their unique abilities to survive as epiphytes are showcased in their complex root systems. A key structure to these impressive root systems are the outermost layer termed the velamen. The velamen is comprised of spongy dead cells ranging from one to eighteen cells thick. This sheath-like layer serves as a source …

Conservation And Tourism In The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, December 2016, Kurtis Bonano

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The goal of protected areas is to protect the flora and fauna contained within them. Tourism may adversely affect the species contained in the protected area while also generating revenue to keep a protected area open. This study aimed to find if there is a correlation between number of tourists and the abundance of wildlife within the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Mammal and bird abundance and tourist abundance estimates were made using Bushnell HD camera traps over 96 trap nights. A positive correlation was found between the number of visitors and the number of animal individuals photographed at night …

Nectar Glands Possibly Lessen Herbivory On Yayo (Rehdera Trinervis) Leaves And Flowers, December 2016, Steven Dittmer

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The Yayo tree, Rehdera trinervis, is a largely unstudied tree that produces foliar extrafloral nectar glands that are commonly exploited by a wide variety of insect species. These nectar glands are positively correlated with number of fruit, a commonly accepted metric of plant reproductive potential and fitness. Though there are many cases of ant-plant mutualistic systems, it is yet unclear if the Yayo tree represents one of those cases or if the nectar glands have a different adaptive significance. This paper studies the possibilities that nectar glands facilitate ant-plant mutualism and explores the Distraction Hypothesis stating that nectar glands distract …

Microbial Diversity On The Skin Of Frogs, December 2016, Ashley Clow

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Frogs interact with their environment directly through their skin through activities that are necessary for survival, such as respiration and rehydration. This causes vulnerability to pathogens like B. dendrobatidis, the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus, that can be picked up in the environment and passed between individuals. I ask if other types of fungi are present on the skin of frogs and whether they are picked up in the environment or living on the skin. To answer these questions, I swabbed 19 individuals from five species of frogs and cultured the fungi that I collected. Nine different types of fungi or fungal …

Starfruit Leaves As Glucose Absorption Inhibitor In Mice’S Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Rifqi Y. Muhammad, Ramdan Panigoro, Julius B. Dewanto

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola) leaves contain flavone derivatives that exhibit anti-hyperglycemic effects. This study aims to determine the effect of starfruit leaves in reducing glucose absorption in intestinal epithelial cells of mice. Methods: This study was done by performing perfusion on the small intestines of mice. The mice that were used in this study were divided into four groups. The control group was given glucose solution without infused starfruit leaves whereas, the remaining 3 groups were given 3 mmol (540 mg/dL) glucose solution with infused starfruit leaves of varying concentrations; 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg. Samples were collected at 0, …

Does Title Vii Work For Temps? Faush V. Tuesday Morning Reconsiders The Employment Relationship, Shane O'Halloran

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

No abstract provided.

A Novel Codon-Optimized Siv Gag-Pol Immunogen For Gene-Based Vaccination, Catherine M. Crosby, Eric A. Weaver, Reeti Khare, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is a robust pathogen used in non-human primates to model HIV vaccines. SIV encodes a number of potential vaccine targets. By far the largest and most conserved protein target in SIV is its gag-pol protein that bears many epitopes to drive multivalent immune T cell responses. While gag-pol is an attractive antigen, it is only translated after a frame shift between gag and pol with the effect that gag and pol are expressed at an approximate 10/1 ratio. The codon bias of native lentiviral genes are also mismatched with the abundance of tRNAs in mammalian cells …