Digital Commons Network^™

Biotic And Abiotic Factors Influencing Infestation Levels Of The Arundo Leafminer, Lasioptera Donacis, In Its Native Range In Mediterranean Europe, Madeline Marshall, John A. Goolsby, Ann T. Vacek, Alexis Racelis

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Lasioptera donacis is a biological control agent of Arundo donax, which is an invasive weed in the riparian hab-itats of the Rio Grande Basin of Texas and Northern Mexico. Field research was conducted in the native range of L. donacis in Mediterranean Europe to evaluate the biotic and abiotic factors that influence its local infestation levels. Lasioptera donacis feeding damage was documented on 40.4 and 67.8 % of dead and decaying leaf sheaths respectively across all sites. Lasioptera donacis was active in all locations including highly disturbed sites, but showed a slight preference for sites near running freshwater sources and …

Assessing The Different Dimensions Of The Portal Quality Of Provinces Of Public Libraries Based On The Delone And Mclean Intelligence Success Model, Elahe Amir Inanloo, Fatemeh Mohammad Beigi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Method: The purpose of this research is applied research and based on the method of data collection, there is a descriptive (non-experimental) survey. The main tool for collecting data is the check list. The reliability of the check list was 0.854 by Cronbach's alpha, which indicates the reliability of the check list and the validity of the check list was confirmed through content validity and structural validity. The statistical population consists of 31 provincial portals affiliated with public libraries. RESULTS: The results of the research indicate that the quality of the system of the portal of public libraries has been …

Public Library Role For The Development Of Socio Economic Conditions Of Lodha Community In Senna And Chandana Mouza, Keshiary Block, Paschim Medinipur, Supriya Mallik, Jayanta Kr Nayek

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Public libraries play an important role in promoting rural community development of rural areas. Information needs of rural public library users (especially backward community people with lower income group) are different from other public library users. To study their need, a survey has been conducted on Lodha community in Senna and Chandana Mouza at Keshiary block of Paschim Medinipur. A structured questionnaire was prepared to collect data from different economically backward public library users. The aim of our study is to know the basic community information needs and information seeking pattern of public library users of Keshiary block, Paschim Medinipur. …

Digital Literacy Skills And Mooc Participation Among Lecturers In A Private University In Nigeria, Opeyemi Soyemi, Adebowale Ojo, Mobolude Abolarin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) promote open access to learning materials, thereby, providing learning opportunities for professional development and lifelong learning. University lecturers, especially in developing countries can leverage on the opportunities provided by MOOCs for skills acquisition. Considering that studies have highlighted digital literacy skills as a determinant of MOOC participation, this study examined lecturers’ digital literacy skills and their participation in MOOCs. The study adopted a survey research design while the population of study comprised 110 lecturers from the Management and Social Sciences discipline at a private University in Nigeria. A self-developed questionnaire was used as an instrument …

A 10-Year Bibliometric Study Of Pakistan Journal Of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Midrar Ullah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose

This study aims to carry out a bibliometric evaluation of articles published in Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PJPS) from 2006 to 2015. Bibliometric study determines publication pattern and identifies research trends in a field.

Design/Methodology/Approach

All articles published in PJPS during ten years were analysed using MS Excel.

Results

A total of 951 authors contributed 1172 articles to PJPS from 2006 to 2015. Eighty-six percent authors contributed only one article each. M. Saeed Arayne and Najma Sultana were the leading principal authors with 18 and 10 articles respectively. Ninety-seven percent articles were written by more than one author. …

Information Management As A Nexus To Promote The Use Of Indigenous Medicine And Enhance Public Healthcare Delivery: A Bibliometric Analysis, Patrick Ajibade (Phd), Stephen M. Mutula Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper uses a bibliometric analysis to explore the citations trend in ethnomedicine and information management. A text mining algorithm of a total number of 8, 333 publications (n = 8,333) was conducted based on the title, abstract and keywords to find co-occurrence of key terms in indigenous medicine and information management. The first objective was to analyze the authorship, outputs and citation trends and establish if researchers have been able to establish a nexus between indigenous herbal use and the role of information management in promoting such use. Secondly, the study sought to establish if there is already …

My Uncle In America; Or, How Danes Love And Hate "Americanness", Lars Handesten

The Bridge

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews

East Texas Historical Journal

No abstract provided.

"Presidential Politics In The Republic Of Texas", Chuck Swanlund

East Texas Historical Journal

No abstract provided.

Determination Of Atrazine Concentration In Freshwaters Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Boniface Osei Amankona

Online Theses and Dissertations

Atrazine is the most widely used herbicides in USA, but its negative impact on aquatic ecosystem cannot be over-looked. Atrazine was traditionally determined through liquid/gas chromatography or IR spectroscopy. However, these methods are either time-consuming or costly, so fluorescence spectroscopy is investigated as a more cost and time efficient alternative. Literature value of the optimal wavelength of atrazine was found to be 350 nm emission. Experimental value for emission scanned of atrazine resulted in an optimal wavelength of 363 nm. Known and unknown concentrations of atrazine will be analyzed using fluorescence spectrophotometer to develop a calibration curve.

The calibration concentration …

Alcohol Policy Initiatives Of Post-Secondary Institutions In The State Of Kentucky: An Evaluation Of Best Practice Strategies To Reduce Binge Drinking, Deniece Bell

Online Theses and Dissertations

Binge drinking has become a matter of public health. The legal drinking age is 21 in the United States; however, binge drinking by underage college students is prevalent, alarming, and consequential (Malloy & Goldman, 2002). This polarizing topic has caused great concern among policy makers, legal experts, constituents and organizations alike, and as a result they have acted with a sense of urgency to implement policies and evidence-based recommendations for prevention and treatment (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Alcohol and Health, 1990).

The purpose of this study was to examine the current alcohol policy initiatives among four …

Population Size And Habitat Association Of Etheostoma Nebra, The Buck Darter, Using Abundance Modeling In The Buck Creek System, Cumberland River Drainage, Kentucky, Harold Davidson Black

Online Theses and Dissertations

Etheostoma nebra (Buck Darter) is a recently described fish species confined to the Buck Creek system, Cumberland River drainage, Kentucky. A 2010-2012 survey of Buck Creek by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources personnel observed E. nebra at 2 of 47 historical sites. Within the entire system, individuals were found only in Flat Lick Creek around the confluence of two spring-fed tributaries, Big Spring Branch and Stewart Branch. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine population size, demographics, and habitat association of E. nebra in Big Spring Branch and Stewart Branch, (2) evaluate habitat conditions both within …

Gene Knockout Of Prfa And The Arginine Deiminase Pathway In Listeria Monocytogenes, Kearstin Edmonds

Online Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen. This species is a common cause of food-borne illness outbreaks with high fatality rates. L. monocytogenes is known to produce a number of virulence factors, including enzymes and toxins, which are involved in the disease process. The arginine deiminase pathway has the ability to regulate acidic environments by converting arginine to ammonia, ornithine, and ATP. With the help of a membrane-bound antiporter, the ornithine is transported out of the cell while the ammonia is converted to ammonium. The ATP by-product can also be used with the F0F1-ATPase system to help maintain homeostasis. …

Development Of An Avian Index Of Biological Integrity For Kentucky Wetlands, Kaitlyn Kelly

Online Theses and Dissertations

Bird communities are frequently used as bioindicators to assess environmental conditions, including in wetland habitats. I developed an avian index of biological integrity (IBI) for wetlands of Kentucky as an intensive assessment method to supplement an existing rapid assessment method used in regulatory programs. Birds are useful indicators because they are sensitive to environmental changes, abundant in various landscapes, occupy higher trophic levels, and can be sampled in a cost-effective manner. Breeding bird point count data from 103 sites were used to calculate a set of 49 avian community metrics. Avian metrics were tested for correlation with independent landscape, hydrology …

Variation In Mass And Wing Loading Of Nestling American Kestrels: Possible Effects Of Nestling Behavior And Adult Provisioning Behavior, Doug Mitchell

Online Theses and Dissertations

Among birds, the rapid growth rates of altricial young help reduce mortality by reducing the amount of time spent in the nest. However, in species where a high degree of maneuverability and speed is required (i.e. aerial insectivores), it is important that nestlings not gain excess weight. Nestlings in some species must attain an efficient wing loading just prior to fledging to facilitate mobility for hunting and evading predators. My objective was to examine the mass of nestling American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) during the mid- to late nestling period and specifically to determine the possible effects of attaching small lead …

Kentucky 4-H Minimizes Barriers To Stem Education, Rachel Elizabeth Noble

Online Theses and Dissertations

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs are a national priority. The increase in the number of jobs that require a STEM-minded workforce raises the demand for education systems and communities to focus on fostering the development of STEM competencies of students. American youth are not gaining the skills necessary to compete in the global workforce. This study investigates how Kentucky 4-H minimizes the barriers of accessing STEM programs for youth in grades 4-8. Barriers of accessing STEM programs investigated are: lack of funding and resources, time, professional development, integration across curriculum, and out-of-school experiences. 4-H is the largest youth …

The Comparative Study On The Effects Of Virtual Reality In The Application Of Case-Based Learning Approach While Studying The Human Heart, Banu Rukiye Bilen

Online Theses and Dissertations

Nurses need a solid understanding of anatomy knowledge to perform nursing skills, to understand how diseases affect the body, to understand treatment for the patient and help them for documentation. While past research has focused on using virtual learning environments to teach anatomical structures of the human body, there has been limited research on how to teach clinical anatomy by using cases while using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. This quantitative research study aimed to investigate the effects of VR in the application of case-based learning approach on learners' performance. The researcher compared two delivery modes (VR mode and paper-based mode) …

The Horse: A Driving Force For The Lifestyle Of Grooms, Nicole Foright

Online Theses and Dissertations

The fundamental components of co-occupational relationships between humans and animals and their impact on occupational identity is an area for exploration in the study of occupation. Evaluating the lives of persons whose daily occupations involve working with animals contributes to the exploration of human-animal co-occupations. The aim of this research was to understand the lifestyle of International 4-in-Hand Combined Driving grooms and their symbiotic relationship with horses. This qualitative descriptive study used three methods for data collection and triangulation: semi-structured interviews, observation, and photographs, from 4 participants who served as gatekeepers understanding the culture surrounding the driving community. The data …

Do Different Music Genres Differentially Affect Autonomic Activity? How Music And Sound Affect Autonomic Activity Aroused By Visual Stimuli, Andrew Manson

Online Theses and Dissertations

The primary researcher sought to determine whether different genres of music would differentially influence measures of autonomic nervous system activity (heart rate, galvanic skin response) while viewing visual stimuli in a sample of college students. All participants listened to the same songs and music genres and viewed the same International Affective Picture System (IAPS) images. Autonomic nervous system activity was recorded by attaching electrodes to participants' non-dominant hand and torso. Music order presentation and picture order presentation were randomly determined by E-Prime. Heart rate and skin conductance responses were both significant, with melodic metal music inducing greater intensity of responses …

The Role Of Microbial Diversity In Female Reproductive Health: An Analysis Of The Microbiome's Influence On Pregnancy Outcomes In Postparturient Mares, Gabriella Pugh

Online Theses and Dissertations

Birth is initiated by a programmed inflammatory response of the placenta and amniotic fluid carried out by maternal and fetal signals, between 37 and 42 weeks gestation for human females. When the inflammatory response occurs off schedule (prior to 37 weeks gestation), pre-term birth is initiated. Pre-term birth is most commonly associated with a maternal infection that consequently leads to infection of the placenta and amniotic fluid; however, the terms of infection are unclear, as microbiota has been discovered in placental membranes and amniotic fluid of healthy pregnancies. The objective of this study is to challenge the sterile womb hypothesis …

Oil Dries: A New Absorbent Material For Collection Of Ignitable Liquids From Semi-Porous Material, Jessica Sosa

Online Theses and Dissertations

Extraction of an ignitable liquid sample from a semi-porous surface such as concrete is especially difficult. For this purpose, two different solid oil dry absorbent materials, Instazorb and MAXXAbsorb, were researched for use of collection of ignitable liquid samples at a fire scene. These oil dries were spiked with different ignitable liquids (Coleman fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel). Isolation of the ignitable liquid from the oil dry absorbent was accomplished by passive headspace isolation. Data was obtained by gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Chromatograms obtained from both oil dries …

Application Of A Health Literacy Framework To Explore Patients’ Knowledge Of The Link Between Hpv And Cancer, Alicia L. Best, Rachel Logan, Coralia Vázquez-Otero, Whitney Fung, Vanessa Chee, Erika L. Thompson, Seiichi Villalona, Lora M. A. Thompson, Clement K. Gwede, Ellen M. Daley

Community and Family Health Faculty Publications

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection and causes most oropharyngeal (e.g., throat) and anogenital (e.g., anal, cervical) cancers. Research indicates low knowledge about the link between HPV and cancer among the general population, and similar low knowledge of HPV among individuals diagnosed with HPV-associated cancers. This is important because HPV status can have implications for treatment, prognosis, and future sexual decisions. Using a health literacy framework, this study explored how patients diagnosed with HPV-associated cancers accessed, understood, appraised, and applied HPV information. We conducted 27 in-depth interviews with patients seeking care at a comprehensive cancer center; and …

Cut And Run, Hamish Rickett

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Common Condition, Georgia D. Dennison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Rib, Taylor White

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

RIB challenges the narrative of Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden through the women of “SKULL,” “BONE,” “SCAR,” “SPINE,” “BLOOD” “CUNT,” “HAND,” and “HAIR.”

Beak Doctor, Bryn L. Agnew

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Beak Doctor is an excerpt from a novel in progress concerning the life of Brennan Madigan as he grows up in northeastern Ireland and later works as a plague doctor in Venice during the Thirty Years War. The excerpt's primary themes are loss, madness, mythology, religion, and mortality.

Cloning And Functional Assessment Of The Protein Disulfide Isomerase (Pdi-V) Gene And Its Promoter Sequences From Haynaldia Villosa, Muhammad Faheem, Muhammad Arshad, Jin Xiao, Haiyan Wang, Yingbo Li, Xiue Wang

Turkish Journal of Botany

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and PDI-like genes encode key foldase enzymes that play an important role in disulfide bond formation, isomerization, and many other metabolic functions in plants. Our previous results indicate that the PDI-V expression is tissue-specific and that it is upregulated by powdery mildew and other abiotic stress treatments. In the current study, the complete PDI-V gene and its promoter sequence were cloned to identify gene structure and the important cis-regulating motifs responsible for various genes' activities. Sequence analysis revealed the size of the cloned genomic sequence and promoter region as 5728 bp and 2086 bp, respectively. The …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of Ipomoea Nil Metallothioneins, Agnieszka Mierek-Adamska, Zuzanna Znajewska, Anna Goc, Grazyna Dabrowska

Turkish Journal of Botany

Metallothioneins are low-molecular-weight, cysteine-rich proteins able to bind a variety of heavy metal ions. They are involved in the maintenance of micronutrient homeostasis and detoxification of nonessential heavy metals. Plant metallothioneins are classified into four main types based on the number and arrangement of cysteine residues. Here we report on the isolation of novel complementary and genomic DNA from a model for a short-day plant, Ipomoea nil (Japanese morning glory), that encodes 66- or 76-amino acid residue proteins. In silico and phylogenetic analysis of putative amino acid sequences confirmed that these 66- and 76-amino acid residue proteins belong, respectively, to …

Monitoring An Endangered And Rare Plant: Population Growth And Viability Oflotus Kunkelii (Esteve) Bramwell And Davis (Gran Canaria - Canary Islands), Agustin Naranjo Cigala, Marcos Salas, Francisco Javier Diaz, Aday Miguel Gonzalez-Garcia, Ana Ramos, Jose Ramon Arevalo Sierra

Turkish Journal of Botany

Species monitoring is a valuable tool that can be used to answer a wide range of questions directly related to species conservation, management, and population improvement. We monitored the only remaining population of Lotus kunkelii on a monthly basis over 3 years to reveal important characteristics of the population that could help protect it. In this study, the main hypothesis to be tested is whether the population of L. kunkelii is stable or not. The study site is located in Gran Canaria. Monthly censuses of the population recording size (height and diameter), mortality, regeneration, and presence of reproductive structures in …

Characteristic Of Glutamate Cysteine Ligase Gene And Its Response To The Salinity And Temperature Stress In Chlamydomonas Sp. Ice-L From Antarctica, Yueyue Peng, Yu Ding, Xiaochen Tang, Jichang Jian, Jinhui Wang, Quanfu Wang

Turkish Journal of Botany

Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L, an Antarctic ice alga, has high tolerance ability to freezing and salinity. Glutathione (GSH) is an important small antioxidative molecule in the growth and stress responses of plants including algae. We cloned a full-length cDNA encoding glutamate cysteine ligase (ICE-LGCL), the key enzyme of GSH synthesis, from Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique (RACE). The cDNA has 2199 bp nucleotides with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1452 bp encoding a polypeptide of 453 amino acids. BLASTP algorithm results showed that ICE-LGCL shared 51%-70% amino acid sequence identity with the reported …