Variation in cheese quality due to geographic location is important to cheese producers, consumers, and retailers on a global level. Understanding the impacts of geographic location of cheese plants may be useful to businesses for marketing, cost reduction, and quality improvement. Many aspects of variation due to geography have been...
Mycobacteriosis is a common disease of laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio). Different infection patterns occur in zebrafish depending on mycobacterial species. Mycobacterium marinum and M. haemophilum produce virulent infections associated with high mortality, whereas M. chelonae is more wide spread and not associated with high mortality. Identification of mycobacterial infections to...
In this study I discuss the state of Free-Choice Learning research, and an investigation into the use of personal ubiquitous technology on visitors' experiences at a science center. The three manuscripts included in this document:
1. Review published research on free-choice learning from 1997-2007 from selected journals
2. Examine visitors'...
Science is one of the fundamental building blocks of modern societies, and though some science topics are easily accepted by public audiences, others generate intense social controversy by challenging beliefs that are fundamental to a person’s, or group’s, identity. The Theory of Evolution is one of these “hot-button” issues, as...
Microplastics, plastic marine debris less than 5 mm in size, is a threat to the health of our oceans. One important way to reduce microplastics in our oceans is to educate people about the issue, particularly future decision-makers. In this study, a middle school curriculum was developed using current scientific...
Zoos and aquariums are among the best informal education avenues for individuals to further develop conservation beliefs and values. Research documented the presence of conservation messages at aquariums, that visitors expect such messages, and staff and volunteers at conservation organizations increase their conservation-related knowledge and behaviors. This research often focuses...
Museum settings including aquariums, zoos and science centers rely heavily on their volunteer docent populations to interact with and communicate science and conservation concepts to the visiting public. The interactions docents have with museum visitors are important to meeting the educational expectations of museums and improving public science literacy as...
It is often perceived that late maturity of grape gives a more complex aroma
profile to Pinot noir wine, however, there is little understanding of the basic flavor
chemistry of grape maturity on wine aroma. The aroma contributing compounds in
Pinot noir were first identified by aroma extract dilution analysis...
The water status of grape vine throughout the growing season is a primary determinant of vine vigor and berry composition. The concentrations of volatile compounds and precursors in grape berries are highly influenced by viticultural practices. Imposing a water deficit on the vine during berry development is an important vineyard...
European hazelnut, Corylus avellana L., is the only economically important nut crop
in the family Betulaceae. One of the threats to the hazelnut industry in the Pacific
Northwest is the fungal disease eastern filbert blight (EFB) caused by the
pyrenomycete Anisogramma anomala. Host genetic resistance to EFB identified in the...
The hundred-year history of the hazelnut industry in the Pacific Northwest is threatened by eastern filbert blight (EFB) caused by the fungus Anisogramma anomala (Peck) E. Müller. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been extensively used for ‘Gasaway’ resistance in the hazelnut breeding program at Oregon State University. Concern over breakdown of...
New highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). were developed from several sources. The markers were characterized, and segregation in a mapping population allowed to assign them to linkage groups. Their transferability across genera and species in the Betulaceae family was investigated. SSR markers...
The Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests (PNNF) are located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. A center of biological diversity, they are also within a few hours’ drive of much of the population of the United States. Therefore, there are many desires and objectives the public has for how these national...
Within the Pacific Northwest, USA, root diseases of conifers are a major forest health concern. These diseases are primarily caused by basidiomycete fungi. These fungal associates play a vital role in carbon sequestration but also have a significant negative economic impact within the timber industry. As a result, research on...
As the forest industry moves toward the use of younger trees and production of an increasing number of composite products improving durability has gained importance. Coatings are one of the most widely used methods for improving wood durability because they improve resistance to water penetration, and subsequent shrinking and swelling,...
Lycopodium alkaloids have generated enormous amounts of interest from the scientific community, both as synthetic targets and for their medicinal properties. Herein is described work towards a unifying approach to large segments of the Lycopodium family. An organocatalyzed intramolecular heteroatom Michael reaction method, for the construction of piperidine and piperizine...
Pectinmethylesterase (PME) activity in fresh cucumber
fruit was determined. The effects of several cationic
species, temperature, pH, and acetic acid on the activity
of cucumber PME was investigated. The efficacy of
blanching, infiltration with CaCl₂ or acetic acid, and
fermentation with 0 and 40 mM CaCl₂ on inhibition of
cucumber...
Zebrafish, Danio rerio, are widely used as vertebrate research organisms yet little is know about their responses to husbandry stressors. This dissertation examined the whole-body cortisol responses of zebrafish to husbandry stress. Additionally, the effects of stress on the susceptibility to mycobacteriosis and microsporidiosis (Pseudoloma neurophilia) were determined including effects...
Wildfires in the modern era have grown ever more destructive and dangerous following decades of suppression-only policies and climate change. Because of this, the wildfire incident management teams (IMTs) and their public information officers (PIOs) that manage these fires have taken on a more visible and important role, especially in...