Focus is published by Oregon State University College of Forestry. Our goal is to keep Forestry alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students informed about the College of Forestry and its many activities and programs.
Short-term freeway traffic speed prediction is essential to improving mobility and safety. It has been a challenging, yet unresolved issue. Traffic speed prediction can be applied to enhance the intelligent freeway traffic management and control for applications as operational and regulation planning. For example, with more reliable traffic speed prediction,...
Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is currently considered the most important conservation area in Ethiopia. BMNP was established over forty years ago to protect Ethiopian endemic fauna and to preserve an array of habitat types including Afroalpine, Afromontane, and the second largest natural humid forest (Harenna forest) left in Ethiopia....
In advanced integrated circuit (IC) processes, the metal fill inserted to meet foundry imposed density requirements degrades the performance of interconnects and passive components which ultimately affects the overall circuit performance. Accounting for this degradation through electromagnetic and equivalent circuit modeling is becoming a critical aspect of IC design. However,...
Transcription factor (TF) genes were modified endogenously to include epitope tags for identification of TF protein binding sites by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP), followed by high throughput sequencing. We used RNA-sequencing in carbon sources of sucrose, butyrate, and oleate in far-1, far-2, and a double far-1; far-2 mutant to find transcripts...
The rising demand on freshwater resources emphasizes the benefit of biogeochemical processes that maintain clean water by removing pollutants such as excess nitrogen. The most sensitive step in the removal of nitrogen from waterways is the oxidation of ammonia, a part of nitrification, which is carried out by ammonia oxidizing...
Subduction zone earthquake and tsunami hazards affect tens of millions worldwide and the recurrence of these disasters can be evaluated with paleoseismic techniques, because earthquake cycles (and their supercycles) typically span many millennia. In these three chapters, I discuss a suite of analyses I use to evaluate the sedimentary record...
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) hay is an important source of forage for a variety of livestock species, and is most common in cool, coastal climates such as the Pacific Northwest. An endophyte fungus called Neotyphodium lolii frequently colonizes this grass to promote insect resistance, drought tolerance, and growth enhancement without...
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are vocal baleen whales that exhibit complex social interactions that vary spatially and seasonally. Across their range, humpback whales produce a wide array of vocalizations including ‘song’, foraging vocalizations, and a range of vocalizations known as social calls -- unclassified non-song vocalizations. This study investigates the...
Existing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are mostly based on petrochemicals. In this study, a novel PSA based on a renewable material, methyl oleate, was prepared and characterized. Methyl oleate was first epoxidized to form epoxidized methyl oleate that was subsequently hydrolyzed and acidified to form epoxidized oleic acid (EOA) which...
A novel, low-cost instrument capable of measuring surface water PCO₂ was designed for use in dynamic, shallow-water environments. The instrument was tested in the Yaquina River Estuary, a macrotidal estuary known to experience a wide range of conditions ranging from dominance by the coastal ocean during summer upwelling to substantial...
As scientific technologies and techniques have improved in past decades, it has become
possible to quickly collect unprecedented quantities of experimental data. In the study of gene expression, for instance, datasets comprising tens of thousands of variables and hundreds of treatments can be produced in a matter of months. When...
This thesis describes the development of a new enantioselective synthetic method employing chiral cis-2,5-diaminobicyclo[2.2.2]octane-based organometallic catalysts. The significance of this new method to organic synthesis is illustrated with preparation of enantioenriched products that are transformed to important pharmaceutical agents. Chapter 1 provides a brief historical overview of asymmetric catalysis, especially...
Novel donor-type graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) containing tetra-n-alkylammonium (TAA) cations have been synthesized by using both ion-exchange and electrochemical methods. Structural and compositional data of the resulting TAA-GICs are investigated by using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), one-dimensional electron density calculations, thermogravimetric and elemental analyses, and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). A...
BCL11B is a transcriptional regulatory protein that plays essential roles during mouse embryonic development. BCL11B is expressed and functions in the immune and nervous systems as well as within ectodermal organs. Multiple studies have characterized the roles of BCL11B in T cells, brain, and skin. However, very little is known...
Due to the wide applications of inkjet printers in industry and our daily life, characterization of liquid droplets from inkjet printers, particularly the behaviors of the impact and diffusion of the droplets on the surface of and inside porous medium is of great interest. One conventional characterization method uses high-speed...
The influence of the physical environment on organisms has long been a subject of ecological research. But, the complex drivers of environmental variation, and the multiple scales at which this can occur, make studying this topic a difficult challenge. In rocky intertidal habitats, oceanographic- and climate-scale variability influence benthic communities...
Fungi are capable of growth on a wide variety of carbon sources, both living and dead. They can produce an arsenal of enzymes and transporters for harvesting sugars, polysaccharides, amino acids, lipids and micronutrients from their environments [1]. Within the nucleus of a cell, transcription factors (TF) control whether genes...
The production of hydrogen has been one of the most heavily studied, energy related fields over the past half century, yet few methods are commercially or economically viable and none are currently sustainable. Of those aiming at the sustainable production of hydrogen using renewable resources, perhaps the most widely studied...
Maintaining variation in software is a difficult problem that poses serious challenges for the understanding and editing of software artifacts. Although the C preprocessor (CPP) is often the default tool used to introduce variability to software, because of its simplicity and flexibility, it is infamous for its obtrusive syntax and...
Carbon Nanotubes are a unique family of nanostructures that have shown remarkable promise for mechanical, electrical, and optical applications. Fundamentally similar to the earlier discovered Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀), carbon nanotubes are hollow cylinders formed from a single sheet of carbon atoms. The research presented in this dissertation investigates several carbon nanotube...
Analogous to ocean surface waves, waves in the ocean interior also experience steepening, breaking, and dissipation as they approach the coastline. Much less is known about this internal beach. In this work, extensive moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and temperature/salinity data together with optical remote sensing are combined to describe...
This research effort considers bicyclist’s left-turn behavior at roadway intersections with varying levels of traffic control; specifically, seeking to address the question where do bicyclists look to acquire information. A demographic comparison was made to determine if factors such as gender or experience influence the nature of how a bicyclist...
This project used a predictive model to map canopy cover of vegetation over seven feet in height (“tall woody vegetation”) at 30-meter resolution over nearly 29 million acres within and adjacent to the range of the greater sage-grouse in Oregon. Although the specific target of the mapping was western juniper...
Surface transient storage (STS) and hyporheic transient storage (HTS) have functional significance in stream ecology and hydrology. Both provide refugia for aquatic communities and their longer mean residence times (compared to the main flow) increase the potential for biogeochemical reactions that can improve water quality. As STS and HTS have...
Continues-Time (CT) Delta-Sigma (ΔΣ) Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) have one important constrain, namely the excess loop delay. Most previous excess lop delay compensation methods need to know the exact value of the excess loop delay in advance. However, the value of the excess loop delay is a uniformly distribution random variable....
Heterospecific competition for carrion may influence community structure as dominant species are predicted to exploit subordinate, social species to find food. We used camera traps and ungulate carcasses to assess scavenger interactions in central Oregon. Preliminary analyses indicate that raptor arrival at carcasses correlated with arrival of ravens (Corvus corax)...
Passage of blood through a sorbent device for removal of bacteria and endotoxin by specific binding with immobilized, membrane-active, bactericidal peptides holds promise for treating severe blood infections. Peptide insertion in the target membrane and stable binding is desirable, while membrane disruption and release of degradation products to the circulating...
Vessel disasters (e.g., vessels capsizing, sinking, grounding, burning) are the leading contributor to occupational fatalities in the U.S. commercial fishing industry. Vessel disasters are a vital area to target prevention efforts, yet it has been suggested that results produced in scientific studies are not efficiently exchanged between researchers, regulatory bodies...
The genus Phytophthora contains some of the most destructive pathogens of forest trees, including the most destructive pathogen of alder in recent times, Phytophthora alni. Alder trees were reported to be suffering from canopy dieback in riparian ecosystems in western Oregon, which prompted a survey of alder health and monitoring...
Previous research has shown that physically attractive people are perceived by others as being more credible. One reason for this perceived credibility may be that these individuals are using specific linguistic categories during deceptive and truthful communication that are judged to be more credible. These categories include: more self-references, less...
SAR11 Alphaproteobacteria are the most abundant aerobic chemoheterotrophs in ocean surface waters. Previous studies have indicated SAR11 cells play an important role in marine carbon cycling and consume up to half of some common dissolved organic compounds, such as amino acids. During sequencing of the first SAR11 genome, genes for...
Multiple drug resistance (MDR) Tuberculosis (TB), leads to increased use of “second-line” drugs; one of the most effective is ethionamide (ETA). ETA is a prodrug metabolized by a mycobacterial flavin-containing monooxygenase (EtaA) as well human flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs). Of the five functional FMOs of humans, FMOs 1, 2, and 3...
The purpose of this project was to research, design and build a shoe press for a local company called Soft Star Shoes. Soft Star Shoes were looking for different ways to replace their barging process, which is the process of attaching the rubber sole of the shoe to the upper...
There is no doubt that adhesive penetration plays an important role in wood bondline joint performance and durability; yet, to date there is no direct experimental evidence linking penetration depth with bond performance. This is, in part, because adhesive penetration is commonly assessed with various 2D microscopy techniques that are...
The purpose of this study was to explore the issues involved with implementing and using pedagogies of engagement in community college STEM courses. The rationale for this study was based on current and emerging STEM education policy directives calling for an updated approach to teaching undergraduates, focused on student engagement,...
Centaurea solstitialis L. (yellow starthistle) and C. × moncktonii Britt. (meadow knapweed) are members of the genus Centaurea in the Asteraceae family. Both species have become serious management concerns as invasive species in North America, often displacing native vegetation and costing land managers millions of dollars to eradicate. Seven plants...
Academic libraries play an increasingly important role in providing research data services to faculty and students at universities around the world. One of the major challenges for libraries involves the appropriate scoping of services to meet a broad range of researcher needs. Oregon State University Libraries have developed a model...
As juvenile salmon migrate from freshwater into saltwater, physiological changes must occur to allow fish to osmoregulate in the marine environment. Juvenile spring Chinook salmon migrate to the ocean at different time periods, most notably in the fall (August – November; i.e. fall smolts) and spring (February – May; i.e....
Photobiological hydrogen production -- the use of photosynthesis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen -- presents an opportunity for efficient and large-scale solar biofuel development. One of the major challenges in this area is competition for reductant between the hydrogen-evolving hydrogenase enzyme and other metabolic pathways. In this work...
With the growing popularity of kinesiology at the undergraduate level, one would expect the field to be influential. Kinesiology, however, appears to be in a paradox. The undergraduate popularity is not reflected in the rest of academia, or even the general public, many of whom feel kinesiology is not a...
A more quantitative understanding of peptide entrapment and elution from otherwise protein-repellent polyethylene oxide (PEO) brush layers will provide direction for development of new strategies for drug storage and delivery. Here we describe criteria for peptide integration and structural change within the PEO brush, and discuss the reversibility of peptide...
Imazamox-resistant wheat (Clearfield®) cultivars carry the Imi1 gene, which confers resistance to the imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide imazamox. Imazamox provides selective control of jointed goatgrass and other weeds in IMI-resistant wheat. Imi1 gene flow between IMI-resistant wheat and jointed goatgrass may occur via hybridization and backcross events. In 2009 and 2010,...
Research indicates that enduring interparental conflict before, during, and after divorce has negative effects on children. Parental conflict can be reduced utilizing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes such as mediation and collaborative divorce. The purpose of this dissertation was to produce two manuscripts examining the role of the child specialist...
Central Oregon has attracted attention as a potential location for a biomass industry based on a locally fixed source of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook) feedstock. This study identifies a supply of juniper from private lands to determine how much of the available juniper is economically supplied at alternative prices...
Efficient usage of resin is of critical importance to industry in the manufacture of wood composite panels, because resin represents a significant proportion of product costs. However, resin efficiency is poorly defined in literature, making it difficult to compare manufacturing processes in quantifiable terms. Additionally, resin content in the product...