Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Of Stomatal Conductnace To Mechanical Strength In Leaves Of Santa Monica Plants, Russell P. Mott, Steven R. Fleming, John R. Macbeth

Featured Research

The Santa Monica Mountains ecosystem has a high diversity of plants with different lifestyles that produce different physiological characteristics individual to all plants. Studies in Australia, another Mediterranean ecosystem, have shown that mechanical strength of leaves is relatable to soil stress. This experiment seeks to determine whether mechanical strengths of leaves correlate to stomatal conductance of leaves across different species in the Santa Monica Mountains. Four species of plants are tested for their stomatal conductance in the field, and the leaves are tested for tensile strength using Young’s Modulus for comparison across leaves. These data show that there was no …

Stomatal Conductance Trends Of The Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata) In Relation To Circadian Rhythm Entrainability, Katie Cahoon, Martin Garcia, Matthew Pierga

Featured Research

The effect of an inverse light cycle on a Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant was observed in the study. CAM plants are unique in that they open their stomata at night in order to conserve water, an evolution that has come about because these plants primarily exist in very arid climates. By placing a plant in a chamber in which the lights could be programmed to turn on when it was dark out, and to turn off during normal daylight hours, the stomatal conductance of the leaves of a jade plant (Crassula ovata) were recorded several times a day over …

The Effect Of Dirt On Inhibition Of Light Absorption In Musa Leaves, Lorelle Knight, Alexis Carrington, Angela French, Roxanne Barker

Featured Research

Dirt can be transported by wind, human activity and many other factors. It was hypothesized that dirt particles collected on leaves will decrease leaf reflectance and thus make the leaf less healthy. The rationale for this is that the more dirt present on the leaf, the more inhibited photons will be in reaching leaf pigments. The leaf will therefore be less healthy as it will be less able to perform photosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, eight leaf samples with varying amounts of dirt present, were collected from the plant, Musa. A Unispec spectrophotometer was used to test the reflectance of …

The Effect Of Riparian And Arid Environments On Stomatal Conductance In Baccharis Salicifolia And Heteromeles Arbutifolia, Danalit Rangel, Vicki Mac, Ariel Lan

Featured Research

A riparian environment is characterized by higher moisture levels than an arid environment; therefore they have different species of plants that can adapt to their natural habitats. It is critical that we explore the characteristics plants have in relation to their native environments. We propose to test the hypothesis that Baccharis salicifolia would have a higher stomatal conductance rate to water vapor loss compared to Heteromeles arbutifolia because Baccharis salicifolia thrives in a riparian environment in which water abundance would increase stomatal opening thereby contributing to the greater conductance. Using the LI-6400, we measured the conductance rate, photosynthetic rate, CO2 …

A Comparison Of Brittlebush (Encelia Farinosa) Productivity And Health During Drought And Post Rainfall, Gabi Diciolli, Karre Lawson, Anders Reimer

Featured Research

Encelia farinosa is well adapted for drought tolerance as its leaves transform color based on water availability. We were puzzled by a question that any desert botanist must consider. How does the photosynthetic efficiency of E. farinosa fluctuate as it transitions from a state of drought to a state of soil saturation within a 72 hour period? In this experiment we looked at the effects of irrigation on the health and quantum yield of the brittlebush by looking at photosynthetic rates using the portable photosynthesis system LI-COR 6400 when applied to two leaves on a given plant and water potential …

Technology In Practice. The Diy Patron: Rethinking How We Help Those Who Don't Ask, Meredith G. Farkas

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

The article presents information on services provided by library reference desks for do-it-yourself (DYI) patrons. The author looks at online instructional content, how-to tutorials, and in-person reference services. The article also discusses the importance of understanding library users' information-seeking behaviors.

The Ase Research Model: A Lightning Talk, Kimberly Willson-St. Clair

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

This PowerPoint describes the Analyze, Search, Evaluate (ASE) model for building a research strategy. This pedagogical model was field tested by Dr. Melissa Gross and Dr. Don Latham in a large, IMLS funded study of Florida college students who were targeted for remedial instruction regarding research skills and information literacy. Using this method at the Portland State University Library in research classes for freshman and international students, I have found the ASE research model to be an engaging way to organize an hour library class so that students learn an efficient and easy way to construct their research strategies.

Diagnosing Prince Myshkin, Brian R. Johnson

Russian Faculty Works

The article presents literary criticism of the book "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It focuses on the medical history of the character Prince Myshkin. According to the author, Myshkin's diagnosis of and treatment for epilepsy play an important role in his character and in the plot of the novel. Topics discussed include recognition, Dostoyevsky's medical knowledge, and the 19th-century medical concept of idiotism.

The Icsid Under Siege, Leon E. Trakman

Cornell International Law Journal

Rights-based processes, including binding arbitration and traditional court trials, have limited remedies and may not address the full range of interests and needs that the parties may have. Disputes resolved on the basis of power (e.g. through gunboat diplomacy, or at the extreme, violence and war) weight the outcome in favour of the party with the most leverage, status and resources, but this may be costly on the relationships involved and may result in failure to vindicate rights.(1)

The History Of Internet Cafés And The Current Approach To Their Regulation, Marc W. Dunbar, Daniel R. Russell

UNLV Gaming Law Journal

This Article will examine the rise of Internet cafés by tracing their gambling roots back to the early evolution of gray market slot machines, such as mint dispensers, up to more modern pull-tab machines. It will also provide an overview of how local governments, state regulators, attorneys general, and state legislatures are dealing with the spread of Internet cafés and the “simulated gambling machines” played therein. Finally, it will offer some options to communities faced with these gambling operations when state laws provide insufficient guidance, regulation, or law enforcement to address the legitimacy of these operations.

Changing Public Policy And The Evolution Of Roman Civil And Criminal Law On Gambling, Suzanne B. Faris

UNLV Gaming Law Journal

In Ancient Rome, gambling, at least in the form of dice games, was generally considered a vice, yet the only known criminal statutes prohibiting it were only sporadically and selectively enforced. Otherwise, aside from a legal prohibition on the enforceability of gambling debts and some limited private rights of action, the Roman state as a whole displayed what can only be described as a “laissez faire” policy toward all forms of gambling. What we would now call “sports betting” was exempted from the statutory prohibition altogether. This remained the case well into the Christian period, when a general crackdown might …

High-Tech Casino Advantage Play: Legislative Approaches To The Threat Of Predictive Devices, David W. Schnell-Davis

UNLV Gaming Law Journal

This paper examines how device laws in the United States have dealt with predictive devices over the years and how device laws can be improved. Part I of this paper looks at how different laws address predictive devices. In addition, Part I examines three device laws in depth and compares their effectiveness. Part II discusses the history and evolution of several types of predictive devices, and how the laws in Part I have been applied. Part III proposes a model device law designed to address the shortcomings of current laws. Finally, Part IV looks at the future of device laws, …

Electron Beam Induced Luminescence Of Sio2 Optical Coatings, John R. Dennison, Amberly Evans, Gregory Wilson, Charles W. Bowers, Robert Meloy

All Physics Faculty Publications

Optical coatings of disordered thin film SiO2/SiOx dielectric samples on reflective metal substrates exhibited cathodoluminescence under electron beam irradiation. Measurements of the absolute radiance and emission spectra as functions of incident electron energy, flux and power over a range of sample temperatures are reported. Radiance reached a saturation plateau at high incident electron power. Well below saturation radiance scaled with deposited power, that is linearly with incident power for lower-energy non-penetrating electrons and decreasing with increasing energy for penetrating radiation. Four bands were observed in spectral measurements from 300 nm to 1000 nm. Changes in peak intensity and shifts in …

The U.S. No Longer Makes The Grade: Economic Inequality Put An End To The 'American Century', David S. Mason

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

In his State of the Union address last January, U.S. President Barack Obama said that "anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn't know what they're talking about." Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, when in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, warned that unless Americans changed directions, they would see the "end of the American century by 2015." As bright and capable as both of these politicians are, they are both whistling in the wind. The American century - the post-World War II era of U.S. global leadership and dominance …

Review Of "The Church Event: Call And Challenge Of A Church Protestant", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "The Church Event: Call and Challenge of a Church Protestant" by Vitor Westhelle.

Review Of "Take My Hand: A Theological Memoir", Brent A. R. Hege

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

A review of "Take My Hand: A Theological Memoir" by Andrew Taylor-Troutman.

The Quantitative Soil Pit Method For Measuring Belowground Carbon And Nitrogen Stocks, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Steven P. Hamburg, Joel D. Blum, Michael J. Pennino, Ruth D. Yanai, Chris E. Johnson

All Materials

Many important questions in ecosystem science require estimates of stocks of soil C and nutrients. Quantitative soil pits provide direct measurements of total soil mass and elemental content in depth-based samples representative of large volumes, bypassing potential errors associated with independently measuring soil bulk density, rock volume, and elemental concentrations. The method also allows relatively unbiased sampling of other belowground C and nutrient stocks, including roots, coarse organic fragments, and rocks. We present a comprehensive methodology for sampling these pools with quantitative pits and assess their accuracy, precision, effort, and sampling intensity as compared to other methods. At 14 forested …

Overlease Plots Profile - October 2012, Gerard Hertel, Janet Ebert

William Overlease Plant Succession Study Documents

No abstract provided.

Happenings@Hannon, October 2012, William H. Hannon Library

Happenings @ Hannon

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Supplemental Fish Oil On Blood Pressure And Morning Cortisol In Normotensive Adults: A Pilot Study, Eric E. Noreen, Josef Brandauer

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: To determine the effects of 6wk of supplementation with fish oil (FO) on blood pressure and the morning salivary cortisol concentration in normotensive adults.

Methods: Testing was performed following an overnight fast. Subjects (n=40; 35+/-13y, mean+/-SD) rested supine for 40 min, at which time blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Saliva was collected and analyzed for cortisol. Subjects were then randomly assigned to either: 4g/d of Safflower Oil (SO); pr 4g/d of FO supplying 1,600mg/d eicosapentaenoic acid and 800mg/d docosahexaenoic acid. Testing was repeated following 6wk treatment.

Results: Compared to SO, there was a significant decrease …

Acronyms, Douglas E. Abrams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Empowering Settlors: How Proper Language Can Increase The Enforceability Of A Mandatory Arbitration Provision In A Trust, S. I. Strong

Faculty Publications

With hostile trust litigation reaching epidemic proportions, many people within the trust industry are interested in identifying new and less expensive ways to resolve trust-related disputes. Arbitration is often proposed as a possible alternative, although questions exist about whether and to what extent a mandatory arbitration provision found in a trust will be considered enforceable by a court. Up until now, most commentary in this area of law has focused on purely jurisprudential issues, with little attention being paid to the practical efforts that settlors can make to increase the enforceability of arbitration provisions found in trusts. This Article takes …

Suicide Rate In The Dental Profession: Fact Or Myth And Coping Strategies, Brian M. Lange, Eric Y.K. Fung, David G. Dunning

Journal Articles: College of Dentistry

This article summarizes relevant scientific data on the alleged high suicide rate among dentists as compared to other health care professions. Potential contributing risk factors for the dental profession are identified. In addition, a brief review is provided for major depressive disorder, a contributor to increased suicide, along with its symptoms, underlying theory, drug treatment and coping skills to combat this disorder.]

Promises Policies And Principles The Supreme Court And Contractual Obligation In Labor Relations, Daniel P. O'Gorman

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Identifying The Effect Of Wic On Very Low Food Security Among Infants And Children, Brent Kreider, John V. Pepper, Manan Roy

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

The Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) is considered a crucial component of the social safety net in the United States, yet there is limited supporting evidence on the effects of WIC on the nutritional well-being and food security of infants and young children. Two key identification problems have been especially difficult to address. First, the decision to take up WIC is endogenous as households are not randomly assigned to the program; recipients are likely to differ from nonrecipients in unobserved ways (e.g., prior health) that are related to associated outcomes. Second, survey respondents often fail to report receiving public …

Gold & Blue, Fall 2012, St. Mary's University- San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Summer 2012 edition of Gold & Blue which is St. Mary's University's official school publication.

Light And Vision In The Deep-Sea Benthos: I. Bioluminescence At 500-1000 M Depth In The Bahamian Islands, Sönke Johnsen, Tamara M. Frank, Steven H.D. Haddock, Edith A. Widder, Charles G. Messing

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Bioluminescence is common and well studied in mesopelagic species. However, the extent of bioluminescence in benthic sites of similar depths is far less studied, although the relatively large eyes of benthic fish, crustaceans and cephalopods at bathyal depths suggest the presence of significant biogenic light. Using the Johnson-Sea-Link submersible, we collected numerous species of cnidarians, echinoderms, crustaceans, cephalopods and sponges, as well as one annelid from three sites in the northern Bahamas (500–1000 m depth). Using mechanical and chemical stimulation, we tested the collected species for light emission, and photographed and measured the spectra of the emitted light. In addition, …

Development And Characterization Of 11 Novel Microsatellite Loci For The Roundscale Spearfish Tetrapturus Georgii And Their Cross-Species Amplification Among Other Istiophorid Species, Andrea M. Bernard, Kevin A. Feldheim, Mahmood S. Shivji

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Eleven novel polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed and characterized for the recently validated roundscale spearfish Tetrapturus georgii. Characterization of these markers, based on 35 roundscale spearfish from the western North Atlantic, revealed two to 21 alleles per locus with an average expected heterozygosity (HE) of 0·09–0·94, and all loci conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectations. Cross-amplification of these 11 loci against all other eight known istiophorid species indicates promising prospects for the utility of these markers for istiophorids in general.

A Lager Landscape: The Cultural Economy Of Beer In The Great Southwest, Clements Center For Southwest Studies

Programs and Advertisements

No abstract provided.

Star Wars Rebooted: Global Missile Defense In 2017, Bruno Gruselle

WMD Proceedings

At present and for the near future, missile defense (MD) is not in peril of dismemberment. Indeed, the level of political consensus on the need for a missile defense runs high, as demonstrated by the Obama administration since 2009.1 But there probably will be questions about the most appropriate policy and technical options going forward when the President and administration take office in 2017 either as incumbents or new arrivals. While the debate in Washington will probably concern such matters as whether the United States needs a maritime or land-based MD and where within the program the Nation should place …