Biochemical Markers for Thermal Stress in North American Pikas (Ochotona princeps)

North American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are a high altitude keystone species that are indicative of that ecosystem’s condition. Over the last twenty years, numerous populations of pikas have declined or disappeared. Because pikas are exceptionally sensitive to high ambient temperatures, it has been suggested that these declines are due to thermal stress imposed by climate change. Thermal stress has been shown to cause oxidative stress through an increased cellular concentration of oxygen radicals. Therefore, levels of oxidative stress markers are strong indicators of thermal stress. In order to quantify the degree of thermal stress placed on pika populations, fecal and plasma samples were assayed for a number of biochemical markers over a range of altitudes and ambient temperatures. Fecal corticosterone levels were assayed as a marker for long-term stress. Oxidative stress markers, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy guanosine (8-OH-dG) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), were used to assess disparities in oxidative stress among pika populations. Results show low elevation pikas to have higher corticosterone levels in early summer when compared to late summer but no other correlations have been found. More sampling and testing are required to determine if other relationships exist

Monitored fitness programs can improve fitness for special olympic athletes.

MONITORED FITNESS PROGRAMS CAN IMPROVE FITNESS FOR SPECIAL OLYMPIC ATHLETES Brooke Nearpass, Health and Human Performance, Donna Bainbridge (Facility Advisor) PURPOSE: Physical fitness is important for Special Olympic athletes, as they tend to be more sedentary. There are limited fitness programs available for Special Olympic athletes currently. I evaluated the effectiveness of individualized fitness programs for this population. METHODS: I tested two middle age women with varying abilities. My two athletes were part of a larger group study. I worked along with five others to test and evaluate multiple athletes. The field tests I performed included: Sit n’ reach, modified apley test, timed sit to stand, partial sit-up, seated push-up, multidirectional functional reach test, single leg stance (eyes open and closed), and three minute walk test. These tests fell under categories of flexibility, strength, balance, and aerobic fitness. I created two individualized programs for my athletes that fit their needs, strengths, and goals. I monitored their progress weekly, made adjustments when necessary, and retested the athletes after six weeks. ORIGINALITY: I used the cohens statistic to evaluate my results. I calculated the average and standard deviation in order to get effect size. The effect size for sit to stand ended up being .50, which falls in the category of medium improvement. A result of 0.1-0.3 is a small improvement, whereas, 0.5 is a high improvement in results. In total, I saw improvements in flexibility and strength between my athletes. SIGNIFICANCE: This population is varying in terms of fitness abilities. The improvement I saw suggests that with more time their results could continue to improve. We were able to see improvements in many different areas between the groups. This program encouraged physical activity and provided beneficial results for Special Olympic athletes

Solo for multiple percussion and tape.

There is no abstract available for this creative project.Thesis (M.M.)School of Musi

Solo for multiple percussion and tape.

There is no abstract available for this creative project.School of MusicThesis (M.M.

<i>Musing on Medium: Photography, Painting, and the</i> Plein Air <i>Sketch</i>

The relationship of photography and painting has greatly intrigued art historians in recent years, as has the uneasy status of photography as “art” and/or “documentation.” An in-depth study of 19th-century landscape images suggests two new premises on the subject: first, that opinions differed on photography's status as an art in the 19th Century, just as they differ today; and, second, that the landscape photograph is more closely related to the plein air oil sketch than to the finished studio easel painting. For ease of comparison, the visual material used here will consist primarily of landscapes made in and around Yosemite Valley, California, in the 1860s and 1870s; comparisons will be made among paintings by Albert Bierstadt, photographs by Carleton Watkins and Eadweard Muybridge, and works in both media by less famous artists.</jats:p