Digital Commons Network^™

Species Interactions Weakly Modify Climate-Induced Tree Co-Occurrence Patterns, Paige E. Copenhaver-Parry, David M. Bell

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Aims: Species distributions are hypothesized to be underlain by a complex association of processes that span multiple spatial scales including biotic interactions, dispersal limitation, fine-scale resource gradients and climate. Species disequilibrium with climate may reflect the effects of non-climatic processes on species distributions, yet distribution models have rarely directly considered non-climatic processes. Here, we use a Joint Species Distribution Model (JSDM) to investigate the influence of non-climatic factors on species co-occurrence patterns and to directly quantify the relative influences of climate and alternative processes that may generate correlated responses in species distributions, such as species interactions, on tree co-occurrence patterns. …

Analysis Of Form And Function In Snakes, Acacia Young

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Modeling Pulse Exposures From Copper Algaecides And Effects On Target And Non-Target Species, Alyssa J. Calomeni

All Dissertations

Pulse exposures are fundamentally different from static exposures in that they temporarily exceed pretreatment concentrations. Given this fundamental difference, responses of organisms to pulse exposures should also differ from responses to static exposures. In this dissertation, copper-based algaecides were studied because they have notable characteristics that can be used to ask questions regarding pulse exposure durations and consequent effects. Specifically, the time, location and applied concentration are predetermined allowing for measurement of copper exposures in situ. Additionally, algaecides are intended to result in effects to noxious species so that responses can be measured. For the first experiment in this dissertation, …

Black And Brown Pauls: A Pauline Case Of Racial Profiling; A Hermeneutical Reading Of Acts 21:27‐40a And 22:23‐29 And The Reality Of The African American And Hispanic Communities In The United States, Dempsey Rosales Acosta

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

The present study analyzes the socio-historical context and setting narrated in the canonical episode of Paul’s arrest and his treatment in Jerusalem according to the narrative of Acts 21:27-40a and 22:23-29. The pericopes become the fundamental platform through which it is possible to present both a hermeneutical and theological interpretation of the liabilities and ultimate consequences of racial profiling, especially when it is exercised by the civil authorities, an institutionalized power, or a general culture. The diachronic and synchronic exegetical analysis of the pericopes are combined with the methodological approaches of cognitive semantics and the practical theology that lead to …

Eigenstate–Specific Temperatures In Two–Level Paramagnetic Spin Lattices, Mark Masthay, Calley N. Eads, Amber N. Johnson, R. Gerald Keil, Phillip Miller, Ross E. Jones, Joe D. Mashburn, Harry B. Fannin

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Increasing interest in the thermodynamics of small and/or isolated systems, in combination with recent observations of negative temperatures of atoms in ultracold optical lattices, has stimulated the need for estimating the conventional, canonical temperature Tconvc of systems in equilibrium with heat baths using eigenstate-specific temperatures (ESTs). Four distinct ESTs—continuous canonical, discrete canonical, continuous microcanonical, and discrete microcanonical—are accordingly derived for two-level paramagnetic spin lattices (PSLs) in external magnetic fields. At large N, the four ESTs are intensive, equal to Tconvc, and obey all four laws of thermodynamics. In contrast, for N < 1000, the ESTs of most PSL eigenstates are non-intensive, differ from Tconvc, and violate each of the thermodynamic laws. Hence, in spite of their similarities to Tconvc at large N, the ESTs …

Island Biogeography Of Small Mammals And Associated Ectoparasites In The Ozark Glades, Emily M. Beasley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Island Biogeography Theory (IBT) explains and quantifies broad-scale ecological patterns among islands and isolated habitat patches. IBT predicts that the number of species per habitat patch varies as a function of area and isolation as a result of local colonization and extinction. IBT has been extended to habitat islands and hosts as islands for their associated parasites. In the latter system, host body mass acts as a substitute for island area, whereas host population density is used as a measure of isolation. Using the fragmented Ozark glades and the small mammals therein as a model system, I 1) used a …

Assessment Of Reliability And Stability Of Various Visual Search Parameters, Michael Don Mizer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Research in social science has been on a continuous self-correcting path as scientists find new ways to look at old problems. Recent technology has given us the ability to perform compounded calculations in a fraction of previous times while recording complex measurements with greater degrees of precision. While this is helpful regarding corporeal measures, quantifying cognition is still a difficult task. Recently, many computer-aided eye tracking devices have been developed and used to validate visual search theories. However, few inquiries have been made assessing the reliability and stability of these methods. This study assessed the reliability and stability of visual …

Ecology Of Hatchling Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Sarah J. Spangler

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Little is known about the first year of life for many of the world’s freshwater turtles. This is due in part to their cryptic nature and the difficulty of locating hatchlings in the wild. The lack of information about this demographically important age group has led researchers to draw conclusions from indirect inferences about survival rates and ecological roles of hatchlings that may or may not be accurate. To begin filling in some of these gaps, I focused on the first year in an alligator snapping turtle’s life. I studied: (1) circadian and circannual patterns of activity, (2) growth rates …

An Assessment Of North Korean Threats And Vulnerabilities In Cyberspace, Jeremiah Van Rossum

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis answers the fundamental questions of what North Korean capabilities and intent in cyberspace are and what North Korean threats and vulnerabilities are associated with these. It argues that although North Korea’s cyberspace resources and capabilities have increased and reached a level that represents an advanced persistent threat, its cyberspace operations have remained restrained and regional. It also argues that North Korea’s valuable assets include its ability to control cyberspace within North Korea and its ability to engage in cyberspace activities and operations from abroad. The thesis recommends that the United States government exploit these assets by denying and …

Block Copolymer Nanostructures For Inorganic Oxide Nanopatterning, Krishna Pandey

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Self-assembled nature of block copolymer (BCP) makes them ideal for emerging technologies in nanometer scale. The micro phase separation between two or more dissimilar polymer blocks of BCP leads to uniform periodic nanostructures of different domains of dimension in the range of 5-100 nm, good for the development of emerging microelectronic and optoelectronics devices. Molecular weight and chain architecture of each blocks govern the morphology evolution; gives different structure like spherical, micelles, lamellae, cylindrical, gyroid etc. The morphology evolution of BCP nanostructure also depends on different external factors as well. In the first work of this thesis, three external factors …

Altering The Expression Of Artemisinin Through Osmotic Manipulation, Tyler Friesen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Artemisinin is an anti-malarial drug used in combination therapy to treat all malarial parasites in the blood stage. The expression of artemisinin within the plant Artemisia annua is only 1% of the dry weight. Methods for increasing the level of artemisinin within the plant were proposed. This paper looks into finding homologous enzymes across multiple species in order to find species where genetic manipulations will be useful. The second part of this paper looks at the use of osmotic stress to increase the reactive oxygen species in order to increase the amount of artemisinin within the plant. The database portion …

Measurement Of Peptoid Concentration Using Uv Spectroscopy, Katie Holland

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this research is to establish a relationship between ultraviolet adsorption and peptiod concentration to be used to determine the concentration of an unknown peptoid sample. This will allow for the measurement of concentration differences of peptoid samples before and after incubation with membrane surfaces. Samples were prepared nine know concentrations and diluted 50 fold. The UV absorbances of each sample was measured using a UV spectrophotometer at wavelengths from 200 to 450 nanometers. This process was repeated, and the maximum absorbance of each replicate was averaged to yield an absorbance value for each concentration of peptoid. …

Kdoqi Us Commentary On The 2017 Kdigo Clinical Practice Guideline Update For The Diagnosis, Evaluation, Prevention, And Treatment Of Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral And Bone Disorder (Ckd-Mbd), Tamara Isakova, Thomas L. Nickolas, Michelle Denburg, Sri Yarlagadda, Daniel E. Weiner, Orlando M. Gutiérrez, Vinod Bansal, Sylvia E. Rosas, Sagar Nigwekar, Jerry Yee, Holly Kramer

Nephrology Articles

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) encompasses laboratory and bone abnormalities and vascular calcification and has deleterious effects on clinical outcomes. KDOQI (Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative), an initiative of the National Kidney Foundation, addressed this issue with the publication of a clinical practice guideline for bone metabolism and disease in CKD in 2003, and 2 years later, a new definition and classification scheme for CKD-MBD was developed following a KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) Controversies Conference. The initial KDIGO guideline on CKD-MBD was then published in 2009. New evidence was subsequently reviewed at the 2013 KDIGO Controversies …

An Unusual Case Of Suspected Head Injury, Pallavi Kamra, Rahul Kaila, Jeff Louie

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

A healthy two-year-old female child presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with lethargy and recurrent episodes of non-bilious and non-projectile emesis after sustaining a fall. On examination, she was found to be drowsy, but could be easily aroused with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 15. Her abdominal examination revealed a left quadrant mass. Initial laboratory test showed low haemoglobin. In the setting of trauma, the low haemoglobin and abdominal mass, there was a concern for splenic injury and haemorrhage. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a large mass arising from the left kidney suggestive of Wilms tumour. …

The Effect Of Interaction With Therapy Horses On University Students' Perceived Stress Level, Alexa Chapman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research project investigates how university students are affected by interacting with therapy horses. Stress is the factor that will be evaluated in this particular study. The self-rated stress scores will be acquired from University of Arkansas students both before and after interacting with specially trained therapy horses during an Equine Assisted Activity and Therapy (EAAT) class offered at the University. Stress will be evaluated by students taking a survey inquiring about daily stressors including finances, school, work and relationships. The data collected will be compared by pre- and post- interactions with the horses. We expect that the pre- and …

Application Of Hydrogeophysical Imaging In The Reynolds Creek Critical Zone Observatory, Travis Nielson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The critical zone is defined as the upper most portion of the crust extending from the top of unweathered bedrock to the top of the vegetation canopy. It is the zone in which inorganic rock is transformed into biologically useful soils and saprolites in a process termed weathering. Because the critical zone is the connection between the subsurface and surface it plays a role in a wide variety of biological, hydrologic, and climatic processes. Understanding the critical zone though is inherently difficult because its scale and heterogeneity often means direct sampling methods, e.g. soil pits and cores, under represent the …

Deriving Landscape-Scale Vegetation Cover And Aboveground Biomass In A Semi-Arid Ecosystem Using Imaging Spectroscopy, Andrew Poley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Environmental disturbances in semi-arid ecosystems have highlighted the need to monitor current and future vegetation conditions across the landscape. Imaging spectroscopy provide the necessary information to derive vegetation characteristics at high-spatial resolutions across large geographic areas. The work of this thesis is divided into two sections focused on using imaging spectroscopy to estimate and classify vegetation cover, and approximate aboveground biomass in a semi-arid ecosystem.

The first half of this thesis assesses the ability of imaging spectroscopy to derive vegetation classes and their respective cover across large environmental gradients and ecotones often associated with semi-arid ecosystems. Optimal endmember selection and …

Acyl-Homoserine Lactone Based Modulators For Rhli, A Quorum Sensing Signal Synthase In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Daniel D. Shin

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) autoinducer based signal system, known as quorum sensing (QS), to modulate the gene expression for such traits as biofilm formation, toxin production, and antibiotic resistance. Therefore, there is great potential in pursuing quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) as a means of achieving antivirulence. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen commonly found in healthcare-related infections, use two LuxI/R type systems to regulate AHL-based quorum sensing: LasI/R and RhlI/R. LasI (initiator protein/signal synthase) and LasR (receptor) use 3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone signal molecule while RhlI and RhlR use butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone autoinducer. Thus far, most of the studies have …

Criminal Justice Majors: Are They Tougher On Crime?, Anthony Javornik

Honors College Theses

The United States of America incarcerates more individuals than any other nation in the world. Therefore, the United States has one of the most active correctional systems and it is imperative to examine the system thoroughly. Generally speaking, there have been 3 accepted models of the correctional system since the 1940’s: custodial, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Although it is possible to find institutions that subscribe to each of these models respectively, the custodial model is the most common in the United States. Therefore, this study seeks to examine college students’ perception of crime, in order to help explain why the general …

December 2017 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Controls On Modern Erosion And The Development Of The Pearl River Drainage In The Late Paleogene, Chang Liu, Peter D. Clift, Andrew Carter, Philipp Böning, Zhaochu Hu, Zhen Sun, Katharina Pahnke

Faculty Publications

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. The Pearl River and its tributaries drains large areas of southern China and has been the primary source of sediment to the northern continental margin of the South China Sea since its opening. In this study we use a combination of bulk sediment geochemistry, Nd and Sr isotope geochemistry, and single grain zircon U-Pb dating to understand the source of sediment in the modern drainage. We also performed zircon U-Pb dating on Eocene sedimentary rocks sampled by International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 349 in order to constrain the source of sediment to the rift before …

Advertising Effect On Consumer Emotions, Judgements, And Purchase Intent, Tamilla Curtis, Anke Arnaud, Blaise P. Waguespack

Publications

Advertising has been found to induce consumer reactions, including emotions and judgements, which in turn are believed to relate to important outcomes, such as purchase intents. Marketing researches seek to understand these consumer reactions and their decision-making processes to influence purchase intents. This study focuses on the information role of emotion in understanding advertising effects and influencing consumer choices. Individuals use affective responses to evaluate information and to form judgements, which are critical in the decision-making process. This research further expands the Informative Strategy Model by adding judgement as a mediator. The results of a multiple mediation analysis provide support …

A Pilot Study Of Computerized, Tailored Intervention To Promote Hpv Vaccination In Mexican-Heritage Adolescents, Angela Chia-Chen Chen, Michael Todd, Ashish Amresh, Usha Menon, Laura Szalacha

Publications

This study examined feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a computer-tailored intervention aimed at promoting HPV vaccination in Mexican-heritage adolescents aged 11-17. Among 46 Mexican-heritage parents who had one or more eligible children who had not received HPV vaccines, 91% (n = 42) completed the intervention and assessments via touchscreen tablet computers in a vaccine clinic. Mean knowledge scores increased significantly from pre- to post-intervention. After the intervention, 95% (n = 40) of parents intended to get their children vaccinated; 50% (n=21) of them consented to vaccination immediately, resulting in 24 adolescents being vaccinated at that time. All parents reported …

Horizontal Transmission Of Helicoverpa Armigera Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Hearnpv) In Soybean Fields Infested With Helicoverpa Zea (Boddie), Joseph Lee Black

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Helicoverpa armigera Nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) is a commercially available viral biopesticide that targets Heliothines, including Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the most damaging pest of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) in the Mid-South. Previous formulations of HearNPV have been well studied; however, no research has been published on current formulations. The first objective of this thesis was to assess the rate of horizontal transmission of HearNPV in a soybean field infested with H. zea when HearNPV was applied as a bio-insecticide, and to identify arthropods that are important obligate carriers in dissemination. HearNPV spread 200 feet in 3 fields, and was …

Fungi Of Forests: Examining The Diversity Of Root-Associated Fungi And Their Responses To Acid Deposition, Donald Jay Nelsen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global importance of forests is difficult to overestimate, given their role in oxygen production, ecological roles in nutrient cycling and supporting numerous living species, and economic value for industry and as recreational zones. Fitness of the forest-forming trees strongly depends on microbial communities associated with tree roots. In particular, fungi impact tree fitness: mycorrhizal species provide water and nutrients for the trees in exchange for C, endophytic fungi play key roles in host defense against pathogenic organisms, and saprotrophic fungi decompose dead organic matter and facilitate nutrient cycling. In addition, pathogenic fungal species strongly affect forest fitness. Despite their importance, …

Evaluation Of A Direct Pcr Method And The Qiagen Investigator 24plex Go! Kit For Typing Blood, Saliva And Touch Dna On Multiple Substrates, Angelita Pierre-Noel

Student Theses

In forensic DNA typing, omitting the DNA extraction procedure and adding the sample directly to the polymerase chain reaction (direct PCR) mixture has several advantages. Without extraction and purification, there is less of a risk of sample loss, sample mix up, or contamination. This study tested the feasibility of direct PCR using the Qiagen® Investigator® 24plex GO! Kit, a megaplex kit that amplifies 22 polymorphic STR markers and the Amelogenin sex determination alleles. Test samples included blood, saliva and skin cells on porous substrates, specifically denim, white cotton, polyester fabric, and paper tissue. Glass slides were used to represent non-porous …

Evidence For Aposematic Coloration Of The Sea Urchin Astropyga Pulvinata, December 2017, Nathan Howell

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Astropyga pulvinata is a brightly colored urchin found in some tropical pacific waters including the coast of Costa Rica. The aim of this study was to test a possible explanation for the coloration of A. pulvinata. I tested the hypothesis that the coloration of A. pulvinata is aposematic. I tested this by poking A. pulvinata and another species of urchin, the uniformly black Diadema mexicanum, then comparing their reactions. The results indicated that A. pulvinata were more likely to move as a response to the poking stimulus than D. mexicanum, which was contrary to the predicted hypothesis. 100% of A. …

Growing Trichoderma Asperellum, A Natural Fungicide, On Coffee Pulp And Husks, December 2017, Amber Devries, Georgia Van Tyne

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Coffee farms often rely on chemical fungicides to control fungal crop diseases such as ojo de gallo (Mycena citricolor) and red rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Trichoderma is a genus of fungus known to parasitize other fungi and it can be used to treat these crop diseases. Research has already proved that Trichoderma spp. can be cultivated on various organic substrates. Our goal was to help coffee farmers discover which coffee waste products could grow Trichoderma asperellum best. To do this, we collected three coffee by-products from Café de Monteverde: “young” coffee pulp, “old” coffee pulp, and coffee husks. We mixed these …

Species Abundance Of Fungi Is Greater In Landslide Areas Compared To Undisturbed Areas Of The Forest In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, December 2017, Sunshine Lopez

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Fungi plays an important role in the ecosystem by decomposing dead plants, and other organic matter. Without this process, there would be an accumulation of organic material in the forest which would go un-decomposed. Fungi which are saprotrophic macrofungi from the phyla Basidioycota and Ascomycota have the vital job of recycling nutrients from dead plant material in the forest back into the soil. The abundance of organic material created by the landslides on the reserve behind Estación Biológica in Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica may have given rise to nearly twice the amount of different species of fungi (n=31) compared to …

Zooplankton Morphospecies And Abundance In Relation With Tide In Mangroves Of Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica, December 2017, Stephanie Li

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

In two decades, at least 35% of the world’s mangroves have been lost, which is more than both tropical rain forests and coral reefs (Valiela et al. 2001). Mangroves act as an important habitat and feeding grounds for fish (Sasekumar et al. 1992). Zooplankton are abundant in the mangroves and are important organisms to study to get an understanding of the foundation of ecosystem’s food chain. Zooplankton eat phytoplankton and get eaten by small fish and other sea animals, providing a food source and extending the food chain. I aimed to ask and answer the following question: is there a …