Digital Commons Network^™

Integration Of Daylighting Into Educational (School) Building Design For Energy Efficiency, Health Benefit, And Mercury Emissions Reduction Using Heliodon For Physical Modeling, Angela Read

Theses

This thesis examines the concept of incorporating daylight into a school using a heliodon device and Illuminance Rendering in Cloud for Revit software to create a physical and computer model of how the building will function in its given location as a tool to improve the institution’s economy, society, and environment. To properly design the inclusion of natural light in a school building, the climate and weather of the location and the unique timing of occupant use must be considered as daylighting design practices often include concepts that could increase glare or cooling loads. By carefully examining the impacts of …

Accelerating Stochastic Random Projection Neural Networks, Swathika Ramakrishnan

Theses

Artificial Neural Network (ANN), a computational model based on the biological neural networks, has a recent resurgence in machine intelligence with breakthrough results in pattern recognition, speech recognition, and mapping. This has led to a growing interest in designing dedicated hardware substrates for ANNs with a goal of achieving energy efficiency, high network connectivity and better computational capabilities that are typically not optimized in software ANN stack. Using stochastic computing is a natural choice to reduce the total system energy, where a signal is expressed through the statistical distribution of the logical values as a random bit stream. Generally, the …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …

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, …

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 …

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 …

Presence And Prevalence Of Microplastics In The Water And Marine Organisms Of The Gulf Of Santa Elena, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, December 2017, Eliot Headley

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Marine environments are sinks for microplastic pollution. Microplastics are widely dispersed through the world’s Ocean and can be fibrous. Synthetic microfibers shed from clothing, wash into rivers, and eventually into the Ocean. These microplastic pieces can be deleterious to marine organisms and the humans that consume them. My aim was to investigate the presence and prevalence of microplastics in the Gulf of Santa Elena, Costa Rica. Microplastics were collected through a plankton net and through dissection of fish guts from local fishermens’ catch. Microplastics, most of which microfibers, were observed in every plankton net sample and in six of the …

Species Distribution Of The Rocky Intertidal Zone Organisms At La Islita In Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica, December 2017, John La Bonte

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

The rocky intertidal zone is an area of the seashore between the high and low tide marks with a hard substrate for organisms to move on. The organisms in this habitat face biotic and abiotic factors that determine their distribution and abundance through a biological mechanism called vertical zonation. I studied the rocky intertidal zone of La Islita near Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica in an effort to find the species that are present in this habitat and their relative abundance throughout the zone. I surveyed five transects that spanned the majority of La Islita to find where and in what abundance …

Adaptive Significance And Abundance Of Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates In The Cuajiniquil Bay, December 2017, Zac Durall

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Bioluminescence in nature is a phenomenon that is found in many different organisms, including fungi, fish and bacteria. Of bioluminescent organisms, dinoflagellates are some of the most common. Despite their abundance, the ecological function of the bioluminescence in dinoflagellates is not fully understood. In my study I attempted to explain the ecological function of this bioluminescence by observing dinoflagellate abundances at different times of day. I collected water samples in the Cuajiniquil Bay in Costa Rica, over the course of seven days, and counted the total number of organisms that I found. This was done to try to find a …

Diet Of Frugivorous Birds And Bats In Monteverde: Potential Seed Dispersal In Naturally Disrupted Areas, December 2017, Yibing Yu

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

After a natural disruption clears away the previous plant community, plants from the new vegetation succession will exploit the newly opened up spaces and start growing in this area. Seed dispersal by aerial animals is important in the new vegetation succession because it allows seeds from places relatively far away to access the area. In early October the storm Nate caused flash floods and landslildes, which disturbed many natural habitats in Monteverde. In this study I investigated plant species that naturally grow in disrupted areas by looking at what kind of seeds are dispersed by the frugivorous birds and bats …

Foster The Future, Gabriela Zuno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thousands of foster children are moving on to becoming adults without the needed life skills education to be successful in life. Chamberlain’s Children Center is a non-profit organization that provides services and housing for foster children. The administration department is the division in the organization that is implementing the life skills course for the teen girls. The project is an educational workshop series addressed to meet the need of daily living skills education for the future success of foster youth. The course consisted of weekly two-and-a-half-hour lessons prepared by community professionals and volunteers for a total of six weeks during …

Does Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Cause Clinical Remission In Patients With Ulcerative Colitis?, Amandeep Singh

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does Fecal Microbiota Transplantation cause Clinical Remission in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis?”

Study Design: Review of three English language primary studies published in 2015.

Data Sources: Two randomized control trials and a cohort study determining if fecal microbiota transplantation does lead to clinical remission of Ulcerative Colitis were found by using PubMed and Cochrane databases.

Outcome(s) Measured: The outcomes measured in all three studies were patient oriented evidence that matters which is clinical remission. The outcomes in the Moayyedi et al. was …

Is Mdma-Assisted Psychotherapy An Effective Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd)?, Joey Rudd

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Study Design: Systematic review of three published, randomized controlled trials (double-blind, placebo-controlled) between 2008-2013.

Data Sources: All articles used were published in English, in peer-reviewed journals, and found using PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Review databases.

Outcomes Measured: The primary outcome measure in all three studies was the severity of PTSD symptoms. The primary outcome measure was assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Severity of Symptoms Scale for PTSD (SSSPTSD). …

Effects Of Flood Control Strategies On Long-Term Flood Resilience Under Socio-Hydrological Disturbances, Kyungmin Sung

Open Access Theses

Human societies typically depend on hard engineering infrastructure such as dams and levees to protect themselves from floods. However, in this era of global change, this conventional approach is being increasingly challenged for its lack of adaptiveness. A growing number of studies suggest that an alternative strategy of flood control is needed to build long-term flood resilience. This study tackles this challenge by developing a conceptual model of the interplay between flood control strategies and long-term human-flood interaction. Our model development is motivated by a case of community-based flood protection system in coastal Bangladesh. We used the model to examine …

Parental Perceptions Of Stem Enrichment For Young Children, Juliana Tay, Alissa Salazar, Hyeseong Lee

Department of Education Studies Graduate Student Publications

Most pre-kindergarten and kindergarten curricula are challenging and engaging, but few are strongly grounded in STEM education. In this study, the authors examined parental perception (N=55) of the influences of a Saturday STEM enrichment program in one university center on pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students and their attitudes towards STEM learning. Using survey data collected from 2013 – 2016, the authors studied parental comments about benefits, drawbacks, and memorable moments they observed from their children’s experiences during the program. These comments were analyzed qualitatively using NVivo and three main themes were developed. The themes were children’s reactions to STEM …

Physical Aggressiveness And Gray Matter Deficits In Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex, David S. Chester, Donald R. Lynam, Richard Milich, C. Nathan Dewall

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

What causes individuals to hurt others? Since the famous case of Phineas Gage, lesions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) have been reliably linked to physically aggressive behavior. However, it is unclear whether naturally-occurring deficits in VMPFC, among normal individuals, might have widespread consequences for aggression. Using voxel based morphometry, we regressed gray matter density from the brains of 138 normal female and male adults onto their dispositional levels of physical aggression, verbal aggression, and sex, simultaneously. Physical, but not verbal, aggression was associated with reduced gray matter volume in the VMPFC and to a lesser extent, frontopolar cortex. Participants …

A Novel Three-Way Interaction Among A Fish, Algae, And A Parasitic Copepod, John Waldman

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Don's Conference Notes-Racing To The Crossroads: The 32nd Annual Nasig Conference, Donald T. Hawkins

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Delayed Effects Of Sub-Lethal Lampricide, 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol (Tfm), Exposure On The Metabolic Physiology Of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens), Matthew J. Symbal

All NMU Master's Theses

The lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) can be lethal to juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) at high concentrations used to control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Little is known about how TFM would affect juvenile lake sturgeon (age-0) at the sub-lethal concentrations encountered during routine lampricide treatments; specifically, its effects on growth, stress response, and metabolism. Age-0 lake sturgeon were exposed to TFM concentrations at levels 0.0x, 0.5x, and 1.0x the minimum lethal concentration (mlc) of TFM required to kill 99.9% of sea lamprey larvae during a routine stream treatment. The mlc was estimated based on pH and alkalinity …

An Unstable Container, John Lapine

All NMU Master's Theses

An Unstable Container is a collection of short creative nonfiction essays and poetry, with influences from personal memoir, lyric essays, race and gender studies, and poetry. The work examines the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, and the ways in which language, society, and the human body contribute to the construction of one's sense of self. Through the lenses of language, modern technology, medicine, and genetics, An Unstable Container explores blackness, queerness, masculine identity, growing up in rural Michigan, and the dangers and pleasures of corporeality. The collection also interrogates the social institutions of marriage and religion, gender roles, and …

A Road Out Of Naknek Part One: The Tide Turns, Keith Wilson

All NMU Master's Theses

I make an annual summertime return to Naknek, a town on Bristol Bay where the salmon have made their own annual summertime return for thousands of years. My thesis is a series of nonfiction essays about my background there, both as a commercial fisherman and my upbringing. It is something I consider the “Part One” of a book still under the process of writing. It is a series of essays, alternating these two motifs of the salmon and of my experiences growing up somewhere like Naknek.

I constructed this thesis to read like the tide. Bristol Bay salmon go out …

What Legally Prescribed Functions Tell Us: Role Differences Between Adult And Juvenile Probation Officers, Moana Hafoka, Youngki Woo, Ming-Li Hsieh, Jacqueline Van Wormer, Mary K. Stohr, Craig Hemmens

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The authors' current study, which is built on prior attempts to explore legally prescribed probation functions across 50 states and the District of Columbia, examines the statutorily prescribed duties of adult and juvenile probation officers in the past 10 years. Analyses of role shifts and the complementarities and differences that exist in the statutes are also explored.

News From Hope College, Volume 49.2: Winter, 2017, Hope College

News from Hope College

No abstract provided.

Managing Herbicide Resistance: Listening To The Perspectives Of The Practitioners, Jill Schroeder, David Shaw, Michael Barrett, Harold Coble, Amy Asmus, Raymond Jussaume, David E. Ervin

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Library Analytics: Shaping The Future-How Analytics Helped Smith College Discover The Best Bento, John Mcdonald, Kathleen Mcevoy

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.