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2017

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Rupturing The Genre: Un-Writing Silence In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’S Americanah, Felix Mutunga Ndaka Dec 2017

Rupturing The Genre: Un-Writing Silence In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’S Americanah, Felix Mutunga Ndaka

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

This paper examines Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (2013) and it’s troubling of the silencing and policing of black female migrants. Focusing on the salon/hairdressers and Ifemelu’s blog, I argue that the former represents an intimate and politicized narrative space whose production and habitation invites us to engage with migrant/feminine interactions and non-normative feminine aesthetics. In addition, I read the virtual site of Ifemelu’s blog as a space that transcends the circumscribed nature of interracial relations and dialogues. By portraying these spaces’ cultivation of heterogeneity and polyvocality, Adichie’s text advances an alternative politics of inhabiting racially and patriarchally hierarchized foreign spaces.

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On Memory And Resistance: Motherhood, Community And Dispossession In Zora Moreno’S Coqui Corihundo Vira El Mundo (1981), Stephanie Gomez Menzies Dec 2017

On Memory And Resistance: Motherhood, Community And Dispossession In Zora Moreno’S Coqui Corihundo Vira El Mundo (1981), Stephanie Gomez Menzies

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

This paper examines Zora Moreno’s play Coquí corihundo vira el mundo (1981) as an alternative to the identitarian investment in the patriarchal myth of the gran familia puertorriqueña. I argue that by offering a feminist rewriting of Adolfina Villanueva through the protagonist Anastasia, Moreno combats the privileging of Puerto Rican identity as a light-skinned, male figure. Moreno critiques these colonial vestiges of racial discrimination through her interrogation of the spatial politics of home. Coquí corihundo vira el mundo problematizes the construction of a Puerto Rican identity that would erase Afro-Puerto Rican identity and thereby replicate a racialized hierarchy. Thus, in …

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Dutch Caribbean Women’S Literary Thought: Activism Through Linguistic And Cosmopolitan Multiplicity, Florencia V. Cornet Dec 2017

Dutch Caribbean Women’S Literary Thought: Activism Through Linguistic And Cosmopolitan Multiplicity, Florencia V. Cornet

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

In a select group of works by late 20th and early 21 st century Curaçaoan women novelists and poets such as Nydia Ecury (1926- 2012), Diana Lebacs (b.1947), Myra Römer (b.1946), Aliefka Bijlsma (b.1971), and Mishenu Osepa-Cicilia (b.1978), we see through what is often an autobiographical subjectivity, a “transnational collective plurality and difference” that describes the empowering physical and psychological possibilities that come with cross-national travel, immigration, cosmopolitanism, and linguistic multiplicity. This paper will present the politics of Curaçaoan-Dutch Caribbean women’s cosmopolitanism and linguistic multiplicity as transformative tools for personal and collective agency and activism for autonomy.

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Ion Trajectory Simulations And Design Optimization Of Toroidal Ion Trap Mass Spectrometers, Jessica Marie Higgs Dec 2017

Ion Trajectory Simulations And Design Optimization Of Toroidal Ion Trap Mass Spectrometers, Jessica Marie Higgs

Theses and Dissertations

Ion traps can easily be miniaturized to become portable mass spectrometers. Trapped ions can be ejected by adjusting voltage settings of the radiofrequency (RF) signal applied to the electrodes. Several ion trap designs include the quadrupole ion trap (QIT), cylindrical ion trap (CIT), linear ion trap (LIT), rectilinear ion trap (RIT), toroidal ion trap, and cylindrical toroidal ion trap. Although toroidal ion traps are being used more widely in miniaturized mass spectrometers, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of how the toroidal electric field affects ion motion, and therefore, the ion trap's performance as a mass analyzer. Simulation programs …

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Idioms Or Open Choice? A Corpus Based Analysis, Kaitlyn Alayne Vanwagoner Dec 2017

Idioms Or Open Choice? A Corpus Based Analysis, Kaitlyn Alayne Vanwagoner

Theses and Dissertations

The ambiguous nature of idioms has been a persistent challenge for English language learners and researches alike. Problematic issues include identifying which idioms are most pertinent for study, and the question of how frequently idiom forms found in dictionaries and other canonized resources actually function as idioms in real language use. This study differentiates between idiom forms used idiomatically (idiom-principle) versus literally (open-choice principle), and provides quantitative data to assess this difference. The data was obtained through a corpus analysis of 1,000 randomly-selected idioms in 10,000 randomly-selected contexts (10 contexts per idiom), and revealed that the majority of idiom forms …

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The Rhetoric Revision Log: A Second Study On A Feedback Tool For Esl Student Writing, Natalie Marie Cole Dec 2017

The Rhetoric Revision Log: A Second Study On A Feedback Tool For Esl Student Writing, Natalie Marie Cole

Theses and Dissertations

A common pattern in teacher feedback to ESL writing is to provide students feedback on primarily grammar, often sidelining content (Ferris, 2003). This research is a second study of an original study done by Yi (2010) on a rhetoric revision log. This Rhetoric Revision Log (RRL) helped teachers and students track content errors in writing. This research further studies the success of the RRL with some minor changes made based on previous research results. Data consists of the Rhetoric Revision Log (RRL) given to 42 students in three different ESL writing classes at the same level with four different teachers. …

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Association Between Latent Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Alzheimer's Disease, Cynthia Elizabeth Wyman Dec 2017

Association Between Latent Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Alzheimer's Disease, Cynthia Elizabeth Wyman

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Many studies have found an association between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and behavioral and cognitive changes in animal models and in humans. In addition, early findings have suggested an association between T. gondii seropositivity and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We sought to determine whether there is an association between T. gondii seropositivity and AD as well as cognitive functioning (including memory, working memory, processing speed, language functioning, executive functioning) in a large, well-characterized sample of subjects with AD and matched controls without dementia. Method: Using ELISA assays, we determined anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers in 114 control subjects and in 105 …

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Panorama December 2017, Southern Adventist University Dec 2017

Panorama December 2017, Southern Adventist University

Panorama Parent Newsletter

This issue of the Panorama parent newsletter features Southern's month of prayer, contains a Q&A with Dean Lisa Hall, and highlights some services offered at McKee Library.

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Multilingual Trends In Five London Boroughs: A Linguistic Landscape Approach, Shayla Ann Johnson Dec 2017

Multilingual Trends In Five London Boroughs: A Linguistic Landscape Approach, Shayla Ann Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Although multilingualism has been investigated in London, no studies have addressed the multilingual linguistic landscape of this linguistically diverse globalized mega-city. In addition, no previous research has addressed the linguistic impacts of colonialism on the colonizer with respect to signage in the linguistic landscape. With increasing rates of immigration and globalization in London, it is advantageous to fully document and research the nature of the linguistic landscape in order to create a baseline for future comparison. Consequently, aspects of the linguistic landscape of five London boroughs were collected and analyzed in terms of 2,062 signage items. The study noted multilingual …

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Quantitative Morphological Classification Of Planetary Craterforms Using Multivariate Methods Of Outline-Based Shape Analysis, Thomas Joseph Slezak Dec 2017

Quantitative Morphological Classification Of Planetary Craterforms Using Multivariate Methods Of Outline-Based Shape Analysis, Thomas Joseph Slezak

Theses and Dissertations

Craters formed by impact and volcanic processes are among the most fundamental planetary landforms. This study examines the morphology of diverse craterforms on Io, the Moon, Mars, and Earth using quantitative, outline-based shape analysis and multivariate statistical methods to evaluate the differences between different types of. Ultimately, this should help establish relationships between the form and origin of craterforms. Developed in the field of geometric morphometrics by paleontological and biological sciences communities, these methods were used for the analysis of the shapes of crater outlines. The shapes of terrestrial ash-flow calderas, terrestrial basaltic shield calderas, martian calderas, Ionian paterae, and …

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An Examination Of The Factor Structure Of The Trauma Inventory For Partners Of Sex Addicts (Tipsa), Heidi A. Vogeler Dec 2017

An Examination Of The Factor Structure Of The Trauma Inventory For Partners Of Sex Addicts (Tipsa), Heidi A. Vogeler

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the underlying latent factor structure of the Trauma Inventory for Partners of Sex Addicts (TIPSA), a 53-item assessment designed to assess for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the context of sexual addiction. It was theorized that the factor structure mirrored the 5 core criteria for PTSD as constituted in DSM-5. Data were gathered from 3,199 self-selected respondents (ages 21 to 55) who completed an online version of the TIPSA. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed utilizing Mplus in order to confirm the hypothesized factor structure of the TIPSA. Several modifications were …

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Strain Path Effect On Austenite Transformation And Ductility In Q&P 1180 Steel, Jeffrey Grant Cramer Dec 2017

Strain Path Effect On Austenite Transformation And Ductility In Q&P 1180 Steel, Jeffrey Grant Cramer

Theses and Dissertations

The ductility of Q&P 1180 steel was studied with regard to retained austenite transformation under different strain paths. Specimens were tested in uniaxial tension in a standard test frame as well as in situ in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Then digital image correlation (DIC) was used to compute the effective strain at the level of the individual phases in the microstructure. Stretching experiments were also performed using limiting dome height (LDH) tooling, where specimens were strained in both biaxial and plane strain tension. The experiments were done incrementally, for each strain path, and the retained austenite at each level …

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A Coverage Metric To Aid In Testing Multi-Agent Systems, Jane Ostergar Linn Dec 2017

A Coverage Metric To Aid In Testing Multi-Agent Systems, Jane Ostergar Linn

Theses and Dissertations

Models are frequently used to represent complex systems in order to test the systems before they are deployed. Some of the most complicated models are those that represent multi-agent systems (MAS), where there are multiple decision makers. Brahms is an agent-oriented language that models MAS. Three major qualities affect the behavior of these MAS models: workframes that change the state of the system, communication activities that coordinate information between agents, and the schedule of workframes. The primary method to test these models that exists is repeated simulation. Simulation is useful insofar as interesting test cases are used that enable the …

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Shadow Patching: Exemplar-Based Shadow Removal, Ryan Sears Hintze Dec 2017

Shadow Patching: Exemplar-Based Shadow Removal, Ryan Sears Hintze

Theses and Dissertations

Shadow removal is an important problem for both artists and algorithms. Previous methods handle some shadows well but, because they rely on the shadowed data, perform poorly in cases with severe degradation. Image-completion algorithms can completely replace severely degraded shadowed regions, and perform well with smaller-scale textures, but often fail to reproduce larger-scale macrostructure that may still be visible in the shadowed region. This paper provides a general framework that leverages degraded (e.g., shadowed) data to guide the image completion process by extending the objective function commonly used in current state-of-the-art image completion energy-minimization methods. This approach achieves realistic shadow …

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Recommender Systems For Family History Source Discovery, Derrick James Brinton Dec 2017

Recommender Systems For Family History Source Discovery, Derrick James Brinton

Theses and Dissertations

As interest in family history research increases, greater numbers of amateurs are participating in genealogy. However, finding sources that provide useful information on individuals in genealogical research is often an overwhelming task, even for experts. Many tools assist genealogists in their work, including many computer-based systems. Prior to this work, recommender systems had not yet been applied to genealogy, though their ability to navigate patterns in large amounts of data holds great promise for the genealogical domain. We create the Family History Source Recommender System to mimic human behavior in locating sources of genealogical information. The recommender system is seeded …

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Relative Navigation Of Micro Air Vehicles In Gps-Degraded Environments, David Orton Wheeler Dec 2017

Relative Navigation Of Micro Air Vehicles In Gps-Degraded Environments, David Orton Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

Most micro air vehicles rely heavily on reliable GPS measurements for proper estimation and control, and therefore struggle in GPS-degraded environments. When GPS is not available, the global position and heading of the vehicle is unobservable. This dissertation establishes the theoretical and practical advantages of a relative navigation framework for MAV navigation in GPS-degraded environments. This dissertation explores how the consistency, accuracy, and stability of current navigation approaches degrade during prolonged GPS dropout and in the presence of heading uncertainty. Relative navigation (RN) is presented as an alternative approach that maintains observability by working with respect to a local coordinate …

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Influence Of Epstein-Barr Virus On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Development And The Role Of Depression On Disease Progression, Caleb Cornaby Dec 2017

Influence Of Epstein-Barr Virus On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Development And The Role Of Depression On Disease Progression, Caleb Cornaby

Theses and Dissertations

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease affecting 20 to 250 individuals per 100,000 worldwide. Symptomology includes dermatological manifestations such as discoid lesions, acute cutaneous rashes, and oral and nasal ulcers, along with musculoskeletal, pulmonary, and renal complications. Abnormal T and B lymphocyte function and apoptosis, immune complex clearance, complement function, and nucleosome processing are typical of disease pathophysiology. SLE is the result of both environmental and genetic factors, which together create the conditions leading to disease onset and progression. Of these environmental factors, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is known to cause the genesis of cross-reactive antibodies in SLE …

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Real-Time Beamforming Algorithms For The Focal L-Band Array On The Green Bank Telescope, Mark William Ruzindana Dec 2017

Real-Time Beamforming Algorithms For The Focal L-Band Array On The Green Bank Telescope, Mark William Ruzindana

Theses and Dissertations

A phased array feed (PAF) provides a contiguous, electronically synthesized wide field of view for large-dish astronomical observatories. Significant progress has been made in recent years in improving the sensitivity of PAF receivers though optimizing the design of the antenna array, cryogenic cooling of the front end, and implementation of real-time correlation and beamforming in digital signal processing. FLAG is a 19 dual-polarized element phased array with cryogenic LNAs, direct digitization of RF signals at the front end, digital signal transport over fiber, and a real time signal processing back end with up to 150 MHz bandwidth. The digital back …

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Early Restoration Councils, 1830–1838: A Tool To Refine Individuals, Nicholas Andrew Davis Dec 2017

Early Restoration Councils, 1830–1838: A Tool To Refine Individuals, Nicholas Andrew Davis

Theses and Dissertations

When Joseph Smith founded the Church of Christ in April 1830, he also established the framework for councils, the decision-making mechanism of the early Church. Early councils included a group of men holding the priesthood and often included a congregation. They would gather and make authoritative decisions, including if someone accused of wrongdoing was guilty and should receive formal disciplinary action. As the Church grew, Smith further developed this council system. Elders and high priests frequently formed councils, which gradually gave way to bishop's councils. In 1834, high councils began to establish an appellate court where disgruntled Church members could …

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The Effectiveness Of Utilizing The Treatment Support Measure For Treatment Planning In Youth Mental Health Services, Adam D. Garland Dec 2017

The Effectiveness Of Utilizing The Treatment Support Measure For Treatment Planning In Youth Mental Health Services, Adam D. Garland

Theses and Dissertations

The use of treatment support tools to enhance client outcomes is not well understood in the youth treatment literature. Adult outcome researchers have found that the use of Clinical Support Tools (CST) leads to improved outcomes with clients identified as at risk for treatment failure. However, the American Psychological Association (APA) has noted that understanding important client factors that influence treatment is critical during the clinical formulation and treatment planning phase of therapy. No studies to date have evaluated the effectiveness of utilizing a CST as a treatment planning tool with youth clients. The purpose of this study was to …

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Design And Analysis Of Compressed Air Power Harvesting Systems, Zachary James Sadler Dec 2017

Design And Analysis Of Compressed Air Power Harvesting Systems, Zachary James Sadler

Theses and Dissertations

Procedure for site discovery, system design, and optimization of power harvesting systems is developed with an emphasis on application to air compressors. Limitations for the usage of infrared pyrometers is evaluated. A system of governing equations for thermoelectric generators is developed. A solution method for solving the system of equations is created in order to predict power output from the device. Payback analysis is proposed for determining economic viability. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize the power harvesting system payback with changing quantities and varieties of thermoelectric generators, as well as the back work put into cooling the thermoelectric …

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Vocalizations And Associated Behaviors Of The White-Nosed Coati, Nasua Narica, December 2017, Jeremy Giampaoli Dec 2017

Vocalizations And Associated Behaviors Of The White-Nosed Coati, Nasua Narica, December 2017, Jeremy Giampaoli

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Vocalizations emitted by mammals in a social context can be linked to behavioral states. These different states may exhibit specific acoustic characteristics, such as long call duration, harmonics, and wide frequency range. My objective in this study was to describe the different vocalizations of White-Nosed Coatis (Nasua narica) according to their behavioral context. I recorded vocalizations of ten individual males and a social group of coatis in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Based on the associated behaviors, I grouped the calls into three behavioral states: aggressive, relaxed, and alarmed. After analyzing the acoustic characteristics of the vocalizations using spectrograms, I further discriminated …

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The Effectiveness Of Cover Crops As A Control For Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Spp.) In Coffee (Coffea Arabica), December 2017, Joyce Silva Dec 2017

The Effectiveness Of Cover Crops As A Control For Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Spp.) In Coffee (Coffea Arabica), December 2017, Joyce Silva

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Root Knot Nematodes are members of the family Meloidognidae and can be detrimental to the overall health and productivity of infected crops. Evidence of the presence of these nematodes can be seen by the galls or “swollen nodules” that form where these worms have been feeding. In order to avoid the use of harmful nematicides some farms have chosen to use cover crops as a more sustainable approach to combating these pests. For my study I decided to test if the cover crops used at LIFE Monteverde were effective in reducing the prevalence of root knot nematodes in the roots …

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Differential Maternal Defense Behavior In Three Species Of Treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae), December 2017, Mackenzie Kui Dec 2017

Differential Maternal Defense Behavior In Three Species Of Treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae), December 2017, Mackenzie Kui

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Maternal care in the animal kingdom can vary immensely from species to species, but the reason for its ubiquity underlies an evolutionary impulse to pass on favorable genes to the next generation. In treehoppers, maternal care increases the rate of offspring survival through species-specific levels of protection from both predation and parasitism. To investigate the factors that influence maternal care, I introduced a variety of animate and inanimate stimuli to both brooding and non-brooding treehoppers in three species: Antianthe expansa, Alchisme grossa, and Umbonia crassicornis. By quantifying their responses as proxies for energy output, I concluded that maternal defense is …

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An Analysis Of Temporal And Frequency Niches During The Dawn Chorus Of Birds In Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2017, Brianne Nguyen Dec 2017

An Analysis Of Temporal And Frequency Niches During The Dawn Chorus Of Birds In Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2017, Brianne Nguyen

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Many animals communicate using acoustic signals, making frequency bands a limited resource. To deal with this, animals can partition themselves into acoustic frequency niches. Species of insects, anurans, and birds have been observed to call at discrete frequencies when sharing space with each other. In this study, I recorded and analyzed the temporal and frequency overlap in bird calls around dawn in Monteverde, Costa Rica over the course of ten days. I found very little temporal overlap in the sample I recorded. The calls that did overlap often also overlapped in frequency. My results suggest that frequency niches are not …

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Vertical Stratification Of Web-Building Spiders In Strangler Fig Trees?, December 2017, Justin N. Daniel Dec 2017

Vertical Stratification Of Web-Building Spiders In Strangler Fig Trees?, December 2017, Justin N. Daniel

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Web building spiders rely on their silk structures to capture prey. The morphologies of the webs produced by spiders vary greatly and they provide insight into spiders’ behavior and ecology. Strangler fig trees, due to a life history that results in trunks with complicated structures, host a great diversity of web-building spiders. I studied the vertical distribution of the web-building spiders that inhabit strangler figs. I used a Single Rope method of canopy access to climb five strangler fig trees to record webs and web-building spiders. Whether a vertical stratification of these spiders exists remains unclear. Apparent patterns, which were …

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Activity Patterns Of Costa Rican Bat Species, December 2017, Nicole Orsi Dec 2017

Activity Patterns Of Costa Rican Bat Species, December 2017, Nicole Orsi

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

In Costa Rica, bats are important nocturnal pollinators and seed dispersers. In this study, I investigated how diet type, species, levels of moonlight and moon phases, and nightly weather influenced the activity of bats. To do this, I used mist nets and an ultrasound detector for 11 nights to capture bats and record their species, sex, diet, and forearm length. Each night two to four mist nets were open from 17:30 to 20:00 and checked at 20 minute intervals. Nets were placed in Bajo del Tigre, the Monteverde Institute, San Luis, the Crandell Memorial Reserve, and La Estación Biológica Monteverde. …

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Biological Treatment Of Monteverde Gray Water Using Effective Microorganisms And Mountain Microorganisms, December 2017, Sierra Raby Dec 2017

Biological Treatment Of Monteverde Gray Water Using Effective Microorganisms And Mountain Microorganisms, December 2017, Sierra Raby

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

As in many rural or less structurally developed areas, homeowners and businesses in Monteverde, Costa Rica filter grey water through grease traps or biojardineras or release it directly into their yards. This study evaluates the efficacy of two concentrations of Effective Microorganisms (EM) and Mountain Microorganisms (MM) in improving local grey water. These solutions contain biologically beneficial bacteria, yeast, and fungi. I collected grey water from six residential and commercial sources, treated each source with EM and MM in different concentrations, and gathered water quality metrics from each group for seven days. The metrics included surface cover, sedimentation, layering, smell, …

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Color Change In Dolabrifera Dolabrifera (Sea Hare) In Response To Substrate Change, December 2017, Jennay Argiris Dec 2017

Color Change In Dolabrifera Dolabrifera (Sea Hare) In Response To Substrate Change, December 2017, Jennay Argiris

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Dolabrifera dolabrifera is an Opisthobranch (sea slug) known for its cryptic coloration. This coloration is an important defense mechanism, but D. dolabrifera have never been studied to see if they change colors to increase their cryptic nature. After photographing 12 D. dolabrifera on different substrates, the color of the slugs and their substrate were determined. These colors were then depicted as hue values. Each D. dolabrifera was photographed three times, in different tide pools and over time. Every D. dolabrifera was graphed with the hue value found for the slug, substrate and reference for the three photographs taken. After analyzing …

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Insect Communities Across Forest Fragments Of Different Sizes In Monteverde, December 2017, Jesse Laine Dec 2017

Insect Communities Across Forest Fragments Of Different Sizes In Monteverde, December 2017, Jesse Laine

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Forest fragmentation creates numerous boundaries and microclimates that affect organisms of all taxa. I studied the composition of insect communities across two forest fragments of different sizes, as well as continuous forest and pasture. Pitfall traps and sweep netting techniques were used to sample 888 insects overall. The fragments had similar numbers of insects and morphospecies, regardless of size. The pasture had the most morphospecies present. In addition, Forest edges consistently showed higher abundance and diversity than forest cores. This indicates that reduction of habitable land does not always reduce the numbers of individuals and species, and in some cases …

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