Digital Commons Network^™

A New Emoia Samoensis Group Lizard (Squamata: Scincidae) From The Cook Islands, South-Central Pacific, George R. Zug, Alison M. Hamilton, Christopher C. Austin

Faculty Publications

The first published report of a large treeskink from Rarotonga, Cook Islands, appeared in 1988. The first museum voucher specimen was collected in 1984. Although this skink seems likely to be a recent arrival to the island of Rarotonga, it represents a unique member of the Emoia samoensis species group. We compare this population with other members of the E. samoensis group and describe the population as Emoia tuitarere n. sp., distinguished by a suite of external characters including SVL, number of dorsal scale rows, and number of subdigital lamellae of the fourth toe. We provide preliminary definitions for the …

The Principle Of Legality In International Criminal Law, Beth Van Schaack

Faculty Publications

This short piece contains remarks made at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law on the topic of the principle of legality in international criminal law (nullum crimen sine lege or NCSL). Summarizing conclusions from a longer piece (Crimen Sine Lege: Judicial Lawmaking at the Intersection of Law & Morals, 97 Geo. L. J. 119 (2008)), this piece argues that the NCSL jurisprudence does not compromise the fundamental fairness of modern international criminal law proceedings because it is largely consistent with the international formulations of the principle, authoritative interpretations emerging from institutions charged with enforcing human …

Analysis Of Common And Specific Mechanisms Of Liver Function Affected By Nitrotoluene Compounds, Youping Deng, Sharon A. Meyer, Xin Guan, Barbara Lynn Escalon, Junmei Ai, Mitchell S. Wilbanks, Ruth Welti, Natàlia Garcia-Reyero, Edward J. Perkins

Faculty Publications

Background: Nitrotoluenes are widely used chemical manufacturing and munitions applications. This group of chemicals has been shown to cause a range of effects from anemia and hypercholesterolemia to testicular atrophy. We have examined the molecular and functional effects of five different, but structurally related, nitrotoluenes on using an integrative systems biology approach to gain insight into common and disparate mechanisms underlying effects caused by these chemicals.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Sprague-Dawley female rats were exposed via gavage to one of five concentrations of one of five nitrotoluenes [2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2ADNT) 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoulene (4ADNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4DNT) and 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6DNT)] with necropsy …

Isolation Of A Rickettsial Pathogen From A Non-Hematophagous Arthropod, Chutima Thepparit, Piyanate Sunyakumthorn, Mark L. Guillotte, Vsevolod L. Popov, Lane D. Foil, Kevin R. Macaluso

Faculty Publications

Rickettsial diversity is intriguing in that some species are transmissible to vertebrates, while others appear exclusive to invertebrate hosts. Of particular interest is Rickettsia felis, identifiable in both stored product insect pests and hematophagous disease vectors. To understand rickettsial survival tactics in, and probable movement between, both insect systems will explicate the determinants of rickettsial pathogenicity. Towards this objective, a population of Liposcelis bostrychophila, common booklice, was successfully used for rickettsial isolation in ISE6 (tick-derived cells). Rickettsiae were also observed in L. bostrychophila by electron microscopy and in paraffin sections of booklice by immunofluorescence assay using anti-R. felis polyclonal antibody. …

The Nlrp3 Inflammasome Instigates Obesity-Induced Inflammation And Insulin Resistance, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Yun Hee Youm, Anthony Ravussin, Jose E. Galgani, Krisztian Stadler, Randall L. Mynatt, Eric Ravussin, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Vishwa Deep Dixit

Faculty Publications

The emergence of chronic inflammation during obesity in the absence of overt infection or well-defined autoimmune processes is a puzzling phenomenon. The Nod-like receptor (NLR) family of innate immune cell sensors, such as the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (Nlrp3, but also known as Nalp3 or cryopyrin) inflammasome are implicated in recognizing certain nonmicrobial originated 'danger signals' leading to caspase-1 activation and subsequent interleukin-1β 2 (IL-1β 2) and IL-18 secretion. We show that calorie restriction and exercise-mediated weight loss in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes is associated with a reduction in adipose tissue expression of Nlrp3 as well …

High-Throughput Cryopreservation Of Spermatozoa Of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus Furcatus): Establishment Of An Approach For Commercial-Scale Processing, E. Hu, Huiping Yang, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Hybrid catfish created by crossing of female channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and male blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are being used increasingly in foodfish aquaculture because of their fast growth and efficient food conversion. However, the availability of blue catfish males is limited, and their peak spawning is at a different time than that of the channel catfish. As such, cryopreservation of sperm of blue catfish could improve production of hybrid catfish, and has been studied in the laboratory and tested for feasibility in a commercial dairy bull cryopreservation facility. However, an approach for commercially relevant production of cryopreserved blue catfish …

Education And Levels Of Salivary Cortisol Over The Day In Us Adults, Jennifer B. Dowd, Nalini Ranjit, D. Phuong Do, Elizabeth A. Young, James S. House, George A. Kaplan

Faculty Publications

Background - Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is hypothesized to be an important pathway linking socioeconomic position and chronic disease.

Purpose - This paper tests the association between education and the diurnal rhythm of salivary control.

Methods - Up to 8 measures of cortisol (mean of 5.38 per respondent) over two days were obtained from 311 respondents aged 18-70, drawn from 2001-2002 Chicago Community Adult Health Study. Multi-level models with linear splines were used to estimate waking level, rates of cortisol decline, and area-under-the-curve over the day, by categories of education.

Results - Lower education (0-11 years) was associated …

Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Human Infant Temperament In The Rhesus Monkey, Daniel B. Kay, Michael Marsiske, Stephen J. Suomi, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

The triadic model of human infant temperament, involving Negative Affectivity, Orienting/ Regulation, and Surgency/Extraversion factors, was applied to the rhesus neonate using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Replicating and expanding earlier work in rhesus monkeys, the three factor solution produced latent constructs comparable to human neonatal temperament.

Measurement Of Particle Size Distribution In A Swine Building, Sheryll B. Jerez, Yuanhui Zhang, X Wang

Faculty Publications

The majority of the research in animal buildings has been on measured concentrations of contaminants that the workers and animals are exposed to; emission measurements have only gained attention in recent years due to potential federal regulations on air quality emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs). The contribution of AFOs to ambient PM10 and PM2.5 entails reliable measurement of particle size distribution. The objective of this study was to measure and compare the size distribution of particulate matter (PM) at multiple locations inside and at the exhausts of a wean‐to‐finish commercial swine building. The particle size distribution was measured by …

Spatial And Temporal Distributions Of Dust And Ammonia Concentrations In A Swine Building, Sheryll B. Jerez, Yuanhui Zhang, X Wang

Faculty Publications

Pollutants, especially dust, are rarely uniformly distributed within ventilated air spaces due to non‐uniform flow fields, particle inertia, gravitational settling, and diffusion. Thus, selecting suitable sampling locations for representative sampling is a challenge. The objective of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distributions of dust and ammonia concentrations(NH3) in a swine building. Results of this study are useful in the design of sampling strategies that require limited sampling locations and in studying pollutant transport. This study was conducted in a commercial swine building in Illinois. The total suspended particulate (TSP) matter and ammonia concentrations were measured at …

Spread Of Plague Among Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Is Associated With Colony Spatial Characteristics, Christopher Frey, Tammi L. Johnson, Jack Cully Jr., Sharon K. Collinge, Chris Ray, Brett Sandercock

Faculty Publications

Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) is an exotic pathogen that is highly virulent in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and causes widespread colony losses and individual mortality rates >95%. We investigated colony spatial characteristics that may influence inter-colony transmission of plague at 3 prairie dog colony complexes in the Great Plains. The 4 spatial characteristics we considered include: colony size, Euclidean distance to nearest neighboring colony, colony proximity index, and distance to nearest drainage (dispersal) corridor. We used multi-state mark–recapture models to determine the relationship between these colony characteristics and probability of plague transmission among prairie dog colonies. Annual mapping of …

Involving The Public In Restoring The Role Of Fire In The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Of Upland Island Wilderness, Brian P. Oswald, Ike Mcwhorter, Penny Whisenant

Faculty Publications

The 13,250-acre Upland Island Wilderness (UIW) in Texas was established in 1984 and is managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS). Historically, portions of it consisted of open and diverse longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystems which depend on frequent, low-intensity surface fires. As in many other relatively small wilderness areas, the vegetation and fuel conditions in the UIW underwent extensive changes after wilderness designation. Lightning-caused wildfires were no longer allowed to burn with the frequency or intensity that characterized the natural fire regime. This has resulted in an increase of shade-tolerant trees and shrubs, heavy accumulations of …

Skin Blood Flow Response To 2-Hour Repositioning In The Long-Term Care Residents: A Pilot Study, Vivian K. Wong

Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this noninvasive pilot study was to examine the changes in transcutaneous oxygen (tcO2), skin temperature, and hyperemic response in the heels, sacrum, and trochanters in a 2-hour loading-unloading condition in nursing home residents who are positioned in supine and lateral positions. DESIGN: A 1-group, prospective, repeated-measures design was used. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Nine subjects (5 males, 4 females) with a mean age of 85.3 ± 10.86 years (mean ± SD) who required help in turning and positioning at a skilled nursing facility participated in the study. METHODS: Oxygen and temperature sensors were placed on the heels, …

"Putting On The Neighbor": The Ciceronian Impulse In Luther's Christian Approach To Practical Reason, Gary M. Simpson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Preparation And Characterization Of A Standardized Anticonvulsant Ginseng Rb Extract From Panax Quinquefolius L., Xiao-Yuan Lian, Zhizhen Zhang

Faculty Publications

A ginseng Rb extract (GRbE) containing three major ingredients of ginsenoside Rb1 (G-Rb1), ginsenoside Rb3 (G-Rb3) and ginsenoside Rd (G-Rd) has been shown to have anticonvulsant and neuroprotective activity. As such, sufficient characterization and standardization of this active GRbE are demanded to facilitate an ongoing preclinical investigation on its potential for the treatment of epilepsy. In the investigation, the methods for generating the active GRbE and isolating G-Rb1, G-Rb3, and G-Rd in large scale from Panax quinquefolius are described. The chemical profile of GRbE was characterized by identifying the structure of the individual ingredients using NMR, and the concentration of …

Review Of Ernesto Cardenal’S Pluriverse: New And Selected Poems (Edited By Jonathan Cohen), Anne Fountain

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Saying Goodbye To Friends: Situation Comedy As Lived Experience, Anne Marie Todd

Faculty Publications

The series finale for NBC’s sitcom Friends was a media event, a two-hour broadcast promoted for months, and immediately followed by cast appearances on late night comedy shows and the next morning’s news shows. The show’s popularity demonstrated by fan response to the last episode positions the online and broadcast media discourse surrounding the finale as a rich cultural text for examining the influence of the modern sitcom on fans’ cultural identities and social communities. The Friends broadcast finale taken together with the online discussion of the show creates a site for the production and consumption of fan culture in …

Straight Is Better: Why Law And Society May Legitimately Prefer Heterosexuality, George W. Dent

Faculty Publications

America is embroiled in a culture war over homosexuality. The homosexual movement demands the end of “heteronormativity” - the social and legal preference for heterosexuality. It insists that “Gay Is Good” - just as good as heterosexuality. This article presents a defense of heteronormativity; it argues that straight is better. In particular, it argues that naturally conceiving, bearing and raising children is intrinsically good for parents; that it is both intrinsically and instrumentally good for children to be raised by their biological parents who are married to each other; and that traditional marriage is both intrinsically and instrumentally good for …

A Picture Of Eight Turtles: The Child’S Understanding Of Cardinality And Numerosity, Emily Slusser, B Sarnecka

Faculty Publications

An essential part of understanding number words (e.g., eight) is understanding that all number words refer to the dimension of experience we call numerosity. Knowledge of this general principle may be separable from knowledge of individual number word meanings. That is, children may learn the meanings of at least a few individual number words before realizing that all number words refer to numerosity. Alternatively, knowledge of this general principle may form relatively early and proceed to guide and constrain the acquisition of individual number word meanings. The current article describes two experiments in which 116 children (2½- to 4-year-olds) were …

The Evolution Of Multi-Component Visual Signals In Darters (Genus Etheostoma), Jennifer M. Gumm, Tamra C. Mendelson

Faculty Publications

As complex traits evolve, each component of the trait may be under different selection pressures and could respond independently to distinct evolutionary forces. We used comparative methods to examine patterns of evolution in multiple components of a complex courtship signal in darters, specifically addressing the question of how nuptial coloration evolves across different areas of the body. Using spectral reflectance, we defined 4 broad color classes present on the body and fins of 17 species of freshwater fishes (genus Etheostoma) and quantified differences in hue within each color class. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that most color traits were expressed in …

Chemical Composition And Product Quality Control Of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa L.), Shiyou Li, Wei Yuan, Guangrui Deng, Ping Wang, Peiying Yang, Bharat Aggarwal

Faculty Publications

Chemical constituents of various tissues of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) have been extensively investigated. To date, at least 235 compounds, primarily phenolic compounds and terpenoids have been identified from the species, including 22 diarylheptanoids and diarylpentanoids, eight phenylpropene and other phenolic compounds, 68 monoterpenes, 109 sesquiterpenes, five diterpenes, three triterpenoids, four sterols, two alkaloids, and 14 other compounds. Curcuminoids (diarylheptanoids) and essential oils are major bioactive ingredients showing various bioactivities in in vitro and in vivo bioassays. Curcuminoids in turmeric are primarily accumulated in rhizomes. The essential oils from leaves and flowers are usually dominated by monoterpenes while those from …

An Exotic Species Is The Favorite Prey Of A Native Enemy, Yiming Li, Zunwei Ke, Supen Wang, Geoffrey R. Smith, Xuan Liu

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Content Analysis Of Indirect, Verbal, And Physical Aggression In Television Programs Popular Among School-Aged Girls, Jennifer Ruh Linder, Kelsey Ann Lyle

Faculty Publications

A content analysis of indirect, verbal, and physical aggression was conducted of 77 hours of television programming popular among fifth grade girls. Eighty-eight percent of programs contained aggression. Physical aggression occurred at a rate of 9.6 acts per hour, whereas indirect and verbal aggression occurred at a rate of 3.7 and 2.8 acts per hour, respectively. Rates of aggression varied by gender, age, and attractiveness of perpetrators, as well as by relationship between perpetrator and victim. Additionally, motivation and consequences of aggressive acts varied by form of aggression. Implications of the findings are discussed in light of current research and …

Dickens And Shakespeare’S Household Words, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

Faculty Publications

Though Dickens' Shakespearean qualities have often been noted, less attention has been paid to the way that Dickens constructed the terms of his comparison to Shakespeare, scripting the response he received from critics from the nineteenth century to the present and shaping Shakespeare's reception as well. Focusing on The Pickwick Papers and David Copperfield in the context of their Victorian reception, this essay shows how Dickens used Shakespearean quotation to market his characters' quotability, turning them into household words and popularizing Shakespeare's sayings in turn, even as he challenged the universality of quotable phrases.

Supercomputers And Supercomputing, Jeffrey S. Cook

Faculty Publications

What is a Supercomputer? A Supercomputer is defined as the fastest type of computer used for specialized applications that require a massive number of mathematical calculations. The term “supercomputer” was coined in 1929 by the New York World, referring to tabulators manufactured by IBM. To modern computer users, these tabulators would probably appear awkward, slow, and cumbersome to use, but at the time, they represented the cutting edge of technology. This continues to be true of supercomputers today, which harness immense processing power so that they are incredibly fast, sophisticated, and powerful.

Integrating Stomach Content And Stable Isotope Analyses To Quantify The Diets Of Pygoscelid Penguins, Michael J. Polito, Wayne Z. Trivelpiece, Nina J. Karnovsky, Elizabeth Ng, William P. Patterson, Steven D. Emslie

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Troubled Waters Of The Gulf Of Mexico, N.N. Rabalais

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Gennet: A Platform For Hybrid Network Experiments., Kispersky Tj, Economo Mn, Randeria P, White Ja

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Funding Stem Cell Research: The Convergence Of Science, Religion & Politics In The Formation Of Public Health Policy, Edward A. Fallone

Faculty Publications

The controversy over the funding of stem cell research by the federal government is used as a case study for examining how policy choices are made in the field of public bioethics. This article examines the manner in which the decision to fund stem cell research has been influenced by the convergence of evolving scientific knowledge, conflicting religious values, and the role of elected officials in a representative democracy. The article begins by reviewing the current state of scientific knowledge concerning adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and the process of direct cell re-programming. Because each …

Private Rights In Public Lands: The Chicago Lakefront, Montgomery Ward, And The Public Dedication Doctrine, Joseph D. Kearney, Thomas W. Merrill

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.