The bioavailability of chemical compounds in the marine environment fundamentally influences the growth and physiology of microorganisms. Organic and inorganic chemicals that are produced by some marine plankton can be consumed by other plankton for energy production, growth, or to initiate essential physiological processes. Cultures of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana,...
Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from d'Anjou pears was purified and some
molecular properties were studied. The extraction of PPO was
accomplished in the presence of the phenolic binder AG 2X-8 and Triton
X-100. Chlorophyll pigment was removed by chromatography resulting in
a clear, colorless enzyme extract. Three fractions of pear PPO...
Phytoplankton initiate the marine carbon cycle by fixing carbon dioxide into biologically available compounds. These abundant single celled organisms mediate carbon flux from the atmosphere to the deep ocean and are the base of the marine food web, supplying new carbon to higher trophic levels. Phytoplankton are highly diverse and...
Toxin production by cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) in freshwater systems has lasting ecological and human impacts. Nutrients, light availability, hydrology, and microbial community composition impact the frequency and intensity of toxic cyanoHABs. Climate change will exacerbate toxic cyanoHABs, making real time and predictive monitoring a vital tool for managing...
The objective of this research is to assess the performance measurement systems currently used in today's distribution centers. A comprehensive investigation of distribution centers' performance measurement system is completed. Three major research phases are included in this study. An overview of distribution centers, including background, components, functions, and material handling...
Trichloroethene (TCE) is the most frequently detected organic contaminant in groundwater, is classified as a probable human carcinogen, and exhibits toxicological effects on the human endocrine, immune, developmental, and reproductive systems. While significant research efforts have been devoted to the development of strategies for remediating TCE-contaminated groundwater, their advancement is...
Bumble bees provide vital pollination services in both native and agricultural landscapes. However, in recent years, bumble bee populations have experienced global population declines. The primary causes of these declines have been attributed to the environmental impacts of pathogens, pesticide use and habitat fragmentation. While research has examined the impacts...
Many studies suggest that weedy plant species are most successful when
soil nitrogen in abundant. Consequently, I used soil nitrogen manipulations to
determine if altering nitrogen would affect the establishment of both weedy and
native plant species in a western Oregon wetland prairie. In two studies, we
added carbon amendments...
Higher education literature lacks frameworks and models that consider women of color mentoring and fewer that discuss virtual mentorship among women of color. This work examined a successful and productive virtual mentorship and explored the key features of the mentorship, how the mentorship was maintained virtually, and the benefits and...
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has become the world's foremost health threat and is the number one killer in Zimbabwe. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome impacts not only the individual who has AIDS, but on nuclear and extended families, and all aspects of society in Zimbabwe. Since studies have indicated that...
Academics and practitioners agree that in water governance, the quality of a decision making process should influence the quality of the outcome and the degree to which it is accepted by interested parties. However, finding a feasible way to evaluate and then improve the quality of a decision making process...
Pseudomonas butanovora, Mycobacterium vaccae, and Nocardioides sp. CF8 utilize distinctly different butane monooxygenases (BMOs) to initiate degradation of recalcitrant chlorinated ethenes (CEs) that pollute aquifers and soils. BMO-dependent degradation of CEs such as trichloroethylene (TCE) can lead to cellular toxicities. The type and severity of TCE transformation-dependent damage can have...
There is a wealth of research on issues surrounding teacher burnout and school reform. The literature on burnout, however, does not provide information on system-based burnout prevention models. Comprehensive reform, although intended to improve schools as a whole, does not look at reform models developed as sources of teacher support....
This study examined the relationships between business, education, and the economy, and specifically addressed the significant impact that business has had on education and educational policy. A large amount of research exists on the history of school reform and the development of educational policy, but none of the research examined...
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Chris L. Ward, PhD.
This study examined the relationships between business, education, and
Nitrification is a critical step in the global nitrogen cycle involving the biological oxidation of ammonia (NH₃) to nitrite (NO₂⁻ ) and then to nitrate (NO₃⁻). The first step in nitrification is carried out by NH₃-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), and the second by NO₂⁻-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In addition...
This research addresses the large-scale group fleet replacement problem with multiple vehicle types of multiple units, under budget and demand constraints. Past research in group fleet replacement is limited and has focused on one vehicle type, with multiples units and constraints. Many studies in fleet replacement have also dealt with...
The research presented in this dissertation addresses the Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MMRCPSP) in the presence of resource unavailability. This research is motivated by the scheduling of engineering design tasks in automotive product development to minimize the project completion time, but addresses a general scheduling situation that is applicable...
Freshwater systems cycle carbon along a spatial and temporal biogeochemical continuum, across which ecosystem processes contribute to transformations of organic matter (OM). Various ecological constraints impact rates OM transformation and production and consumption of the energetic end of respiration, methane. Microbiological processing and complete reduction of carbon substrates to methane...
Healthcare discrimination is associated with various health-related attitudes, behaviors, intentions, and outcomes including provider avoidance, underutilization or increased use of healthcare services, use of alternative means of healthcare, delays in medical care, less satisfaction with care, poor health behaviors, and poorer health outcomes. Since 2001, Muslims and Arabs in the...
Background/Purpose: US public health, criminal justice, and many other social and scientific processes are affected by the quality of data obtained about death. Yet, little research has focused on how death investigations are conducted. The overall goal of this research was to examine the process by which information was obtained...
Photoacclimation is the process by which plants and phytoplankton adjust the concentration and composition of their photosynthetic machinery (i.e. their photoacclimation state) in response to changes in their light or nutrient environment. The purpose of photoacclimation is to balance the rate at which light energy is absorbed with the energetic...
The aim of the study was to determine whether a higher correlated color temperature of the fluorescent lighting in an elementary school classroom influenced student on-task behavior as compared to fluorescent lighting with a lower correlated color temperature. A conceptual theoretical framework on interior lighting and human behavior was developed...
Theoretical derivations to describe pan evaporation, E[subscript p], and evapotranspiration, ET[subscript r], were developed based on a flow equation expressed as the product of the driving force for vapor between the evaporative surface and a plane of reference times a conductivity coefficient of vapor through air. Under the assumptions of...
Large dams and their respective reservoirs can provide renewable energy and water security, but also profoundly alter riverine ecosystems. In the Pacific Northwest, dams and reservoirs cause discontinuities in river networks that have been particularly problematic for anadromous fishes. As barriers to the upstream and downstream migration of anadromous fishes,...
Lesser quadriceps explosive strength following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) may result in the use of altered landing mechanics that increase the risk for a second ACL injury. Reduced capacity to produce explosive strength in the quadriceps is potentially driven, at least in part, by quadriceps arthrogenic muscle inhibition...
Coral reefs, found in tropical regions, are renowned for their rich biodiversity and their contributions to ecological, cultural, and economic aspects worldwide. The success of coral reefs hinges on the symbiotic partnership between corals and their dinoflagellate algae, from the family Symbiodiniaceae. The algae reside within the coral host’s gastrodermal...
Although the incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is greater among women than men athletes, the factors that contribute to this greater risk of injury are not well understood. One relevant question is whether decision making during landing influences the biomechanical and neuromuscular factors thought to contribute to...
The feasibility of managing codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), with mixtures
of Bacillus thuringiensis-based microbial and selected chemical insecticides was
studied under laboratory and field conditions. Joint actions (synergism, additivity and
antagonism) of these mixtures were determined for both egg and larval stages. Higher
rates of microbial control agents (MCAs),...
The usefulness of preplant nitrogen (N) in establishing
alfalfa in colder production areas has not been
well characterized. This study was conducted to determine
the effect of preplant N and soil temperature on
yield, percent N derived from biological nitrogen fixation
(PBNF), and shoot N concentration in alfalfa (Medicago
sativa...
We have determined the seismic crustal structure of the
northern part of the Gorda Ridge using signals generated by
explosive charges and recorded on Ocean Bottom Seismometers. The
shot pattern forms two parallel lines, one on the east flank and the
other along the median valley. Inversion of the travel...
In the last twenty years, human trafficking has gained attention in government agendas and media coverage, while anti-trafficking projects have burgeoned worldwide. Anti-trafficking efforts, however, have almost exclusively addressed the issue of sex trafficking with a focus on rescuing women, while overlooking other types of exploitation. This is noteworthy, given...
The thesis begins with an introduction to signal transduction
and an analysis of current understanding of plant signal
transduction. There are similarities between plants and animals,
but also key differences, including lack of protein kinase C and of a
cAMP signaling pathway in plants, and presence in plants of
calcium...
Plant growth, development, and environmental responsiveness are
dependent on hormone-induced gene expression. This dissertation reports
multiple interactions between the plant hormones auxin and ethylene and
investigates their contribution to the gravitropic response, elongation
growth, adventitious root formation, callus and tracheary element initiation
and growth, and flower development.
Four mutants of...
This work introduces a new methodology to design transportation fuels offering improved efficiency and reduced emissions, aimed to complement both traditional and emerging engine technologies. Many of these emerging technologies are centered around exploiting low temperature combustion (LTC) strategies that offer improved efficiency and reduced emissions. However, a standardized fuel...
There is significant interest in titanium oxide and germanium-silicon oxide nanocomposites for optoelectronic, photocatalytic, and solar cell applications. The ability of the marine diatom Pinnularia sp. to uptake soluble metal oxides from cell culture medium, and incorporate them into the micro- and nano-structure of their amorphous silica cell walls, called...
The use of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) as molecular markers to identify the contributions of regional and long-range atmospheric transport, as well as current and historic sources, and contaminant deposition in remote ecosystems of the Western U.S. was investigated. Trans-Pacific air masses influenced by Siberian biomass burning events had elevated...
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill was a major perturbation of nearshore habitats of Prince William Sound, a wintering area for harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). This research was designed to evaluate harlequin duck population recovery from the oil spill from 1995 to 1998, using a demographic approach to assess both...
The Mimulus washingtonensis complex is a group of morphologically similar
species centered in the Pacific Northwest. All are rare, and most are under
consideration for listing as endangered. Morphometric and pollination data were
used in developing a revised taxonomy for the group. Five species and two varieties
are recognized. Mimulus...
The field of toxicology is challenged with a vast number of environmental chemicals and mixtures to which humans and ecosystems are exposed with limited toxicity data available. Chemical hazard assessment traditionally utilizes mammalian models and can be both cost- and time-limiting and may pose ethical concerns. To rapidly tackle this...
All animals have developed the critical ability to detect, respond to, and detoxify a large array of environmental chemicals and stressors that can cause adverse health effects. Important examples of landmark contaminants around the world are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and dioxins, both of which can act via the aryl...
The closed insulated pallet system (CIPS) was evaluated for growth, yield, and
fruit quality of tomato genotypes with determinate growth habit. Plants were irrigated
with several levels of sodium chloride (NaCl) salinized water. Tomato growth and yield
were significantly greater in CIPS than in conventional surface-irrigated containers,
regardless of irrigation...
Bangladesh is a developing country with burdens of environmental pollution and disparities in maternal and child health. Arsenic, manganese, and lead are pervasive environmental contaminants throughout Bangladesh with major exposures through drinking water and ambient pollution. Chronic exposures to arsenic, manganese, and lead in sensitive populations such as pregnant women,...
SOCs volatility and persistence properties cause many SOCs to become ubiquitous in the environment as well as accumulate in areas with lower temperatures such as polar or orographic regions. Many anthropogenic SOCs pose a serious risk to human and ecosystem health because of their persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic properties in...
Kernel hardness (KHA) is a major factor determining break flour yield (BFY) and end-use quality of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Within the soft wheat class, genotypes with consistently softer grains than common soft wheat are considered to be 'extra-soft'. In addition, 'extra-soft' wheats have greater BFY than common soft...
The Champoeg townsite first developed due to its ideal settlement and trade location within the Willamette Valley, becoming the ‘legal birthplace of Oregon’ in 1843. However, by 1860 Champoeg’s significance had begun to decline, and in December of 1861 a devastating flood wiped out the townsite. Archaeological excavations took place...
Currently, the technologies used to separate lignocellulosic biomass into its component parts (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and enzymatically hydrolyze the cellulose to glucose for conversion to ethanol could be improved economically and in terms of efficiency. A major impediment to utilizing the biomass is the presence of residual lignin. The...
Understory species associations and their association with tree species were examined on three intensively studied stands. We studied the chronosequence of understory species associated with different aged singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla Torr. and Frem.) trees. Mid- to late pinyon-juniper understory succession was found to be more spatial than floristic in...