Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Agave Chewing And Dental Wear: Evidence From Quids, Emily E. Hammerl, Melissa A. Baier, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Agave quid chewing is examined as a potential contributing behavior to hunter-gatherer dental wear. It has previously been hypothesized that the contribution of Agave quid chewing to dental wear would be observed in communities wherever phytolith-rich desert succulents were part of subsistence. Previous analysis of coprolites from a prehistoric agricultural site, La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos in Durango, Mexico, showed that Agave was a consistent part of a diverse diet. Therefore, quids recovered at this site ought to be useful materials to test the hypothesis that dental wear was related to desert succulent consumption. The quids recovered from the …

Impaired Executive Function In Concussed Athletes, Marisa Gretz

Neuroscience Summer Fellows

Concussions are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI). An individual that has sustained a concussion will experience symptoms such as nausea, possible memory loss, blurry vision, or loss of balance. Most symptoms subside within a few days, but a large pool of research raises concern for the recovery of executive function, specifically impulse control. Executive function relates to all tasks that require deliberate attention. Past research has shown adolescents record the highest number of sports concussions when compared to collegiate and professional athletes. The frontal lobe, which controls executive function, is not fully developed during the time of adolescence. …

Understory Tree Composition, Diversity And Natural Regeneration Status Of Uluguru Forests In Morogoro- Tanzania, David S. Kacholi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Most of the studies on tropical forests vegetation have tended to focus on trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater or equal to 10cm, and limited attention has been paid to understory. This study was conducted in Uluguru forests in Morogoro region, Tanzania, with an objective of describing the understory tree composition, diversity and natural regeneration of some threatened species in the seven surveyed forests. Sampling was done in the forests whereby classification of understory was done into three layers: seedling (individuals with height < 1m), small sapling (DBH ≤ 3 cm), and large sapling (3 < DBH < 10 cm) layers. Large saplings were sampled in 20m × 20m plots, while subplots of 5m ×5m and 2m ×2m were placed at the centre of each plot for sampling small saplings and seedlings, respectively. A total of 2119 seedlings, 1798 small saplings, and 2585 large saplings belonging 91, 102, and 104 species, respectively, were recorded. Fabaceae was the most speciosefamily in all the studied compartments, and had higher familial importance value (FIV). The seedling layer had higher tree density than the large and small sapling layers, but the large and small sapling layers were more diverse than the seedling layer (p < 0.05).The species richness in each forest was significantly higher in the understory than overstory layer (p < 0.034); and the pairing was strongly positively correlated (r = 096, p = 0.0003). The Sørensen coefficients of similarities between understory and overstory ranged between 0.53–0.77, and were higher within each forest than among them. All forests revealed to have good regeneration, though it is important to understand that some species unveiled poor or hampered regeneration pattern.In summary, the understory was observed to be speciose than overstory layer; it was dominated by family Fabaceae, and the natural regeneration of the forests were good, however, some species need due attention.

Epidemiological Associations Between Brachycephaly And Upper Respiratory Tract Disorders In Dogs Attending Veterinary Practices In England, Dan G. O'Neill, Caitlin Jackson, Jonathan H. Guy, David B. Church, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Peter Thomson, Dave C. Brodbelt

Epidemiology Collection

Background: Brachycephalic dog breeds are increasingly common. Canine brachycephaly has been associated with upper respiratory tract (URT) disorders but reliable prevalence data remain lacking. Using primary-care veterinary clinical data, this study aimed to report the prevalence and breed-type risk factors for URT disorders in dogs. Results: The sampling frame included 170,812 dogs attending 96 primary-care veterinary clinics participating within the VetCompass Programme. Two hundred dogs were randomly selected from each of three extreme brachycephalic breed types (Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug) and three common small-to medium sized breed types (moderate brachycephalic: Yorkshire Terrier and non-brachycephalic: Border Terrier and West Highland …

Scalable Euclidean Embedding For Big Data, Zohreh S. Alavi, Sagar Sharma, Lu Zhou, Keke Chen

Kno.e.sis Publications

Euclidean embedding algorithms transform data defined in an arbitrary metric space to the Euclidean space, which is critical to many visualization techniques. At big-data scale, these algorithms need to be scalable to massive dataparallel infrastructures. Designing such scalable algorithms and understanding the factors affecting the algorithms are important research problems for visually analyzing big data. We propose a framework that extends the existing Euclidean embedding algorithms to scalable ones. Specifically, it decomposes an existing algorithm into naturally parallel components and non-parallelizable components. Then, data parallel implementations such as MapReduce and data reduction techniques are applied to the two categories of …

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V11n2, Summer 2015, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Table of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science --- 1, 3
ICTM-ISTS Math Science Conference --- 2, 3
ISTS Pre-conference Event --- 3
IAS Education Programs --- 4, 5
National Congress on Science Education --- 6
128th IAS Annual Meeting --- 7
New Horizon's Flyby --- 7
Corporate Members --- 7
Contact IAS --- 8
Institutional Members --- 8

Unowned Cat Management In The State Of Ohio: Elements Of Best Practice In Public-Private Collaborative Efforts, Daniel D. Spehar

HSU STUDENT THESES AND CAPSTONE PROJECTS

A contentious debate over the management of free-roaming cat populations is ongoing. Nevertheless, disparate groups of stakeholders share a common goal of fewer community cats. Unowned cat management typically necessitates a choice between utilization of lethal or non-lethal measures. Research has indicated strong public support for employment of non-lethal methods, like trap-neuter-return (TNR). Collaborative TNR programs are experiencing success in a growing number of communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify new or underutilized public-private collaborative practices, and associated elemental factors, that have the potential to be used as—or incorporated into—templates of best practice for the non-lethal …

Interdisciplinary Modeling For Water-Related Issues Graduate Course, Laurel Saito, Alexander Fernald, Timothy Link

All ECSTATIC Materials

The science and management of aquatic ecosystems is inherently interdisciplinary, with issues associated with hydrology, atmospheric science, water quality, geochemistry, sociology, economics, environmental science, and ecology. Addressing water resources issues in any one discipline invariably involves effects that concern other disciplines, and attempts to address one issue often have consequences that exacerbate existing issues or concerns, or create new ones (Jørgensen et al. 1992; Lackey et al. 1975; Straskraba 1994) due to the strongly interactive nature of key processes (Christensen et al. 1996). Thus, research and management of aquatic ecosystems must be interdisciplinary to be most effective, but such truly …

Evaluating A Potential Commercial Tool For Healthcare Application For People With Dementia, Tanvi Banerjee, Pramod Anantharam, William L. Romine, Larry Wayne Lawhorne

Kno.e.sis Publications

The widespread use of smartphones and sensors has made physiology, environment, and public health notifications amenable to continuous monitoring. Personalized digital health and patient empowerment can become a reality only if the complex multisensory and multimodal data is processed within the patient context, converting relevant medical knowledge into actionable information for better and timely decisions. We apply these principles in the healthcare domain of dementia. Specifically, in this study we validate one of our sensor platforms to ascertain whether it will be suitable for detecting physiological changes that may help us detect changes in people with dementia. This study shows …

Container Vegetable Gardening, Terri James, David Lott

Nebraska Cooperative Extension: Faculty and Staff Publications

If well-managed, vegetables grown in containers can provide high-quality produce in a small space.

Container vegetable gardening is a wonderful option for people who have limited space, impaired physical mobility, or conditions that interfere with in-ground gardening, such as poor garden soil. It also can help avoid problems with soilborne diseases and nematode pests that can exist in the soil in traditional, in-ground gardens. People who do not have access to a garden space, or simply do not want to grow a full-scale garden, may choose container vegetable gardening to provide them with enjoyment and produce. Containers are available in …

Embracing Multiple Definitions Of Learning, Andrew B. Barron, Eileen A. Hebets, Thomas A. Cleland, Courtney L. Fitzpatrick, Mark E. Hauber, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Eileen Hebets Publications

Definitions of learning vary widely across disciplines, driven largely by different approaches used to assess its occurrence. These definitions can be better reconciled with each other if each is recognized as coherent with a common conceptualization of learning, while appreciating the practical utility of different learning definitions in different contexts.

Learning is a major focus of research in psychology, neuro- science, behavioral ecology, evolutionary theory, and computer science, as well as in many other disciplines. Despite its conceptual prevalence, definitions of learning differ enormously both within and between these disciplines, and new definitions continue to be proposed [1]. Ongoing disputes …

Wpa News 97 (2015), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2015), number 97

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Domain Specific Document Retrieval Framework For Real-Time Social Health Data, Swapnil Soni

Kno.e.sis Publications

With the advent of the web search and microblogging, the percentage of Online Health Information Seekers (OHIS) using these online services to share and seek health real-time information has in- creased exponentially. OHIS use web search engines or microblogging search services to seek out latest, relevant as well as reliable health in- formation. When OHIS turn to microblogging search services to search real-time content, trends and breaking news, etc. the search results are not promising. Two major challenges exist in the current microblogging search engines are keyword based techniques and results do not contain real-time information. To address these challenges, …

Predictors Of Preschool Children's Body Mass Index: Breastfeeding Duration, Child Eating Behaviors, And Parental Feeding Practices, Amy J. Encinger

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The current study examined how breastfeeding duration, child eating behaviors (Satiety and Food Responsiveness), and parental feeding practices (Environment and Parental Control over Food) are related to body mass index (BMI) among preschool-aged children. Participants were 224 primary caregivers (M age = 30.36; 90% mothers) of preschool-aged children (M age = 4.22 years, 55% male) from three Midwestern preschools serving low-income children. Mediated multiple regression analyses examined the effects of the various child eating behaviors and parental feeding practices as mediators of the relation between breastfeeding duration and child BMI. Three main findings emerged. There was a significant …

Executive Function Predictors Of Children's Talk, Jacqlyne D. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and language development, and even fewer have researched hot and cool EF as a predictor language development. This study is an investigation into the relationship between EF and language development in preschool aged children. More specifically, the ability for hot or cool EF to predict language, this will be the focus of the study. It was found that hot EF was a better predictor of language development in preschool aged children.

Cost-Benefit Analysis And Potential Spillover Effects Of Farmer Field Schools In Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case Of Cocoa, Francis Tsiboe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of two studies analyzing the first phase of the Cocoa Livelihood Program (CLP-I), a current World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) development project, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and aimed at improving the livelihood of small scale cocoa producers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The first study uses a difference-in-differences econometric model to estimate yield enhancements attributable to farmer field schools which CLP implements. The results show a 32%, 34%, 50% and 62% increase in cocoa yield for Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Cameroon, respectively. These yield enhancements have the potential to increase income by 26%, 29%, 48%, …

Computers And Procrastination: Why So Little Research?, Nick Breems

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

As computer and internet technology becomes an ever-greater part of the fabric of our everyday lives, we find that not all of the effects are as beneficial as we might like. One frequently noticed example of this that working on a computer seems to make us more prone to procrastination. While this there is significant anecdotal evidence for this phenomenon, and it is nearly taken for granted in the popular press and productivity blogs, there has been very little research that directly addresses the intersection of computer use and procrastination. For a tool widely perceived to enhance our productivity, this …

Neonatal Isolation Stress Inhibits Pre-Weaning Weight Gain And Mild-Stressor Induced Locomotor Activity In Early Adolescent Male And Female Rats, Peter Villavecchia, Mindy Miserendino

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study looked at the effects of neonatal isolation, an early life stress experience, in male and female early adolescent rats, an age which is underrepresented in the early stress literature. Four stress-sensitive indices were assessed: weight gain during the pre-weaning period, open field activity, and locomotor activity in response to two mild stressors: exposure to a novel environment, and a single IP saline injection. Rats in the neonatal isolation condition were removed from dam and littermates on postnatal days 2-9 in accord with the procedure used by Kehoe et al. (1995); behavioral testing occurred on PN25-PN30 during …

Lidar And Machine Learning Estimation Of Hardwood Forest Biomass In Mountainous And Bottomland Environments, Bowei Xue

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Light detection and ranging (lidar) has been applied in various forest applications, such as to retrieve forest structural information, to build statistical models for identification of tree species, and to monitor forest growth. However, despite significant progress in these areas, the choice of regression approach and parameter tuning remains an ongoing critical question. This study focused on choosing the right spatial generalization level to transform lidar point clouds to 2D images which can be further processed by mature image processing and pattern recognition approaches. It also compared the prediction ability of popular machine learning algorithms applied to aboveground forest biomass …

The Impact Of A Ballot Education Program On Arkansas Voters, Kristin Netterstrom Higgins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture’s Public Policy Center has educated Arkansas voters about statewide ballot issues for 10 years. The ballot issue education program, was evaluated during the 2014 election cycle to determine the program’s impact on voters. This descriptive study sought to describe program participants, to determine knowledge transfer of county agents, to describe knowledge acquisition of program participants, and to measure whether people who attended Cooperative Extension Service presentations made informed choices on Election Day. Researchers found that program participants were mostly older, educated, White women. There were increases in knowledge among participants who read fact …

The Ability Of Select Probiotics To Reduce Enteric Campylobacter Colonization In Broiler Chickens, Sandip Shrestha

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter is the leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide and is often associated with consumption and/or mishandling of contaminated poultry products. Probiotic use in poultry has been an effective strategy in reducing other enteric foodborne pathogens but not consistently for Campylobacter. As Campylobacter resides and utilizes intestinal mucin for growth, isolates selected on the basis of mucin utilization might be a strategy to screen for efficacious probiotic bacterium. In this study, bacterial isolates demonstrating increased growth rates in mucin, in vitro (trials 1 or 2), or isolates demonstrating a reduction of Campylobacter counts when co-incubated with mucin, in vitro (trials …

Food Waste At Retail, Erin G. Killeen Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food waste at retail represents forgone sales and embodies store management and disposal costs. Fresh produce is the largest contributing sector to food waste at retail and bulky, seasonal products are an added challenge when stores experience a high waste event. In order to improve, retailers need to better understand the costs of food waste, as well as how management strategies can impact these costs.

Using pumpkins as an example of bulky, seasonal products, a twofold research project was conducted to better understand contributors to, and costs of food waste at the retail level. In part one, using data from …

Grass Finishing Systems For Lambs, Erin Leigh Smyth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is strong interest in sustainably produced meat. Grass-fed lamb could fulfill this market by reducing off-farm inputs. The objective was to examine the effect of grass-finishing or minimal supplementation on performance of lambs in the southeastern US. Katahdin lambs born in October 2013 and 2014 and February 2014 were weaned in January 2014/2015 and May 2014, respectively. Lambs were blocked by gender (fall; winter included only ram lambs) and randomly assigned to receive no (NON) or grain co-product supplement (SUP; 15% CP) at 0.5% of BW/d. Lambs were rotationally grazed on predominantly grass. Body weight, fecal egg counts (FEC), …

Full Issue, Volume 3, Number 2, Nancy Franz, Barry A. Guest, Donna J. Peterson

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

From Farm Results Demonstrations To Multistate Impact Designs: Cooperative Extension Navigates Its Way Through Evaluation Pathways, Allison Nichols, Stephanie M. Blake, Scott Chazdon, Rama Radhakrishna

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article explores how evaluation has been developed and expanded within the Cooperative Extension system, from the beginning of agricultural education in America in 1800 to the present day. Important periods across the history of Extension evaluation have been identified and categorized according to major themes and significant contributions of Extension individuals and organizations. Challenges for the future of evaluation within Extension are discussed.

The Effects Of Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation On The Discriminability And Generalizability Of Learning, Bengt Grua, Dr. C Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this study was to determine how sleep affects memory recall in an academic setting with relation to memory discrimination and memory generalization. Memory generalization depends on the computational process of pattern completion, which is the brain’s ability to retrieve a memory representation based on a partial or modified stimulus (such as viewing a false statement as true if it has many true elements embedded in it). Memory discrimination depends on the computational process of pattern separation, which is the brain’s ability to store a memory as distinct and separate from other, similar memories. Current models of sleep …

The Effect Of Exercise On Inhibitory Control To Images Of High And Low Calorie Food, Cory Pettit, Michael J. Larson, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise on the neural correlates of response inhibition to high and low calorie foods. Specifically, we aimed to explore whether engaging in forty-five minutes of moderate intensity exercise affects brain activity that denotes inhibitory control while a person withholds practiced responses to pictures of high or low calorie food. We quantified inhibitory control by measuring the amplitude of the N2 event related potential (ERP; described below) using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology.

Kafkas Das Urteil Und Die Philosophie Des Strafsystems, Amelia Smith

CrissCross

No abstract provided.

Text To Screen Adaptation: Examining Reverse Ekphrasis In Joe Wright’S Films Adapting For, Hannah Dhue

CrissCross

Adapting for the screen is an arduous task – one that never seems to fulfill readers’ expectations. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman expertly illustrated this phenomenon with his award-winning script, Adaptation (2002). In the film, Nicholas Cage plays both Charlie, a scatterbrained but devoted screenwriter, and Donald, Charlie’s laid-back twin. Charged with adapting Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief, Charlie lets his fear of failing to meet his audience’s expectations turn his work into a nightmarish, insurmountable task. When Charlie’s boss suggests that he make the book’s two main characters fall in love in the film version, he challenges the deviation from the …

The Price Of Snow: Albedo Valuation And A Case Study For Forest Management, David A. Lutz, Richard B. Howarth

Dartmouth Scholarship

Several climate frameworks have included the role of carbon storage in natural landscapes as a potential mechanism for climate change mitigation. This has resulted in an incentive to grow and maintain intact long-lived forest ecosystems. However, recent research has suggested that the influence of albedo-related radiative forcing can impart equal and in some cases greater magnitudes of climate mitigation compared to carbon storage in forests where snowfall is common and biomass is slow-growing. While several methodologies exist for relating albedo-associated radiative forcing to carbon storage for the analysis of the tradeoffs of these ecosystem services, they are varied, and they …