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Focal Spot, Summer/Fall 2005

Focal Spot All Issues

No abstract provided.

The Small Mammals Of Isle Of Wight County, Virginia, As Revealed By Pitfall Trapping, Robert K. Rose

Virginia Journal of Science

In a study conducted in mid-winter, pitfall traps were used to assess the small mammal communities on 14 grids set in open habitats in Isle of Wight County in eastern Virginia. In all, 136 shrews of three species and 103 rodents of five species were trapped. Least shrews (n=110) comprised 46 percent of small mammals and 80 percent of shrews. Eastern harvest mice (n=62) were the most common rodents. Reproduction was detected only in pine voles and southern bog lemmings. The majority of small mammals of the region were trapped during this month-long study.

Unpalatable Plants Protect Neighbors From Grazing And Increase Plant Community Diversity, Ragan M. Callaway, David Kikodze, Marina Chiboshvili, Liana Khetsuriani

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Tasty plants can be protected from herbivores by unpalatable neighbors. We used experimental exclosures, removal of unpalatable species, and transplants of palatable and unpalatable species in subalpine meadows of the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia to study the effects of two unpalatable species on plant communities. We found that Cirsium obalatum and Veratrum lobelianum, two large native perennial herbs that invade after heavy grazing, had strong facilitative effects on communities through their indirect effects on livestock herbivores. These unpalatable invaders had different effects on community composition when livestock were present than when livestock were excluded. Furthermore, removing Cirsium and Veratrum …

Susceptibility Of Biofilms To Bdellovibrio Bacteriovorus Attack, Daniel Kadouri, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Biofilms are communities of microorganisms attached to a surface, and the growth of these surface attached communities is thought to provide microorganisms with protection against a range of biotic and abiotic agents. The capability of the gram-negative predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus to control and reduce an existing Escherichia coli biofilm was evaluated in a static assay. A reduction in biofilm biomass was observed as early as 3 h after exposure to the predator, and an 87% reduction in crystal violet staining corresponding to a 4-log reduction in biofilm cell viability was seen after a 24-h exposure period. We observed that …

Effects Of Estradiol On Lipopolysaccharide And Pam3cys Stimulation Of Ccl20/Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 3 Alpha And Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production By Uterine Epithelial Cells In Culture, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau, Charles R. Wira

Dartmouth Scholarship

We have previously demonstrated that rat uterine epithelial cells (UEC) produce CCL20/macrophage inflammatory protein 3 alpha (MIP3alpha) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in response to live and heat-killed Escherichia coli and to the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Pam3Cys. To determine whether estradiol (E2) modulates PAMP-induced CCL20/MIP3alpha and TNF-alpha secretion, primary cultures of rat UEC were incubated with E2 for 24 h and then treated with LPS or Pam3Cys or not treated for an additional 12 h. E2 inhibited the constitutive secretion of TNF-alpha and CCL20/MIP3alpha into culture media. Interestingly, E2 pretreatment enhanced CCL20/MIP3alpha secretion due to …

Ursinus Magazine, Spring / Summer 2005, Wendy Greenberg, Kim Roussin, Katherine Diana, Robert Dawley, Carol Taney, Charlie Jamison, Roger Coleman, Catherine Chambliss, Michael Lello, Philip Zwerling, Erika Compton, Timothy Raub, Dan Reimold, Sarah Willig, Nina Simoncavage, Mike Keeper

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art calendar • On the other side of the lectern: A letter to fellow Ursinus alumni • Howler monkeys, roosters and bats, oh my!: A typical biology class in Costa Rica • Alumni forum • Ursinus in the news • Organic garden cultivates a community • Pre-law experience anything but moot • Commencement 2005 • Faculty transitions • Putting the college back in Collegeville: Ursinus presence will play a role in revitalization • Bridging generations: Two courses where students share experiences • Pericles in Pottstown: A creative writing course for the ages • …

Determining The Undeterminable: The Best Interest Of The Child Standard As An Imperfect But Necessary Guidepost To Determine Child Custody, Steven N. Peskind

Northern Illinois University Law Review

Since the 1960s, our nation's courts have almost universally relied on a legal standard known as the "best interest of the child" in order to resolve contested issues involving child custody. Critics of the standard conclude that, due to the complexities of defining what will serve a child's best interests, the standard is at best not helpful, and is perhaps even useless. Critics also charge that the standard is indeterminate, and depends too heavily on the subjective values and life experience of the individual fact finder--the trial judge. In this article, Steven Peskind will review the history of standards used …

Relocation Custody Disputes - A Binuclear Family-Centered Three-Stage Solution, Robert E. Oliphant

Northern Illinois University Law Review

This article argues that the best method for courts to adopt during relocation custody disputes is a binuclear, family-centered process. A binuclear family is defined as a large, interconnected family, with one household headed by the ex-wife and the other by the ex-husband, with the child being a member of both. The author contends that the current methods, which include the endangerment standard and the "new family" theory, are both inadequate to deal with a relocation custody dispute. Specifically, the author discusses a proposed three-step process for dealing with a relocation custody dispute. Step one involves the creation of a …

A Late Devonian Isoetalean Lycopsid, Otzinachsonia Beerboweri Gen. Et Sp Nov., From North-Central Pennsylvania, Usa, Walter L. Cressler, H W. Pfefferkorn

Earth & Space Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Predator- And Competitor-Induced Plasticity: How Changes In Foraging Morphology Affect Phenotypic Trade-Offs, Rick A. Relyea, Josh R. Auld

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Property, Laurence P. Colton, Nigamnarayan Acharya, Michael J. Bootcheck

Mercer Law Review

This Article surveys case law developments in the area of intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks, relevant to Georgia during the period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004. The authors have not attempted to include all cases that touch upon intellectual property, but instead have selected decisions that are of more significance or interest or that may indicate a particular direction in the areas of law. While the cited cases often have multiple issues, the authors have reported only on the more relevant or interesting issues.

Sustainability As A Meta-Norm For Democratizing Technology, Tyler Veak

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper I argue that the goal of “democratizing technology” (as espoused by Feenberg, Winner, Sclove and others) must be linked to some kind of overarching norm or objective. That by itself, the apparently worthwhile aim of democratizing technological design is nebulous. [Is it the case that democratizing technology will necessarily lead to an overall improvement in the built environment? Obviously, this question raises a host of additional questions: How does one define “improvement”? Or, better for whom? And, who gets to decide these questions?] Although some democratic norms have been suggested, I will argue that the concept of …

Naval Power In The Twenty-First Century, Peter Dombrowski

Newport Papers

This anthology of articles from the quarterly, the "Naval College Review," is divided into three sections. The first section introduces the changing security environment facing the United States and, by extension, the U.S. Navy. The articles examine both the external position of the nation and the emerging internal political and institutional contexts that constrain military and naval policies and decision making. The second section looks specifically at the roles and missions of the Navy at the beginning of the 21st century. Its articles cover both long-standing issues, such as forward presence, and the new missions the Navy has assumed in …

Relating The Gamma Distribution And The Laplace Distribution, Larry Davis

Theses (Pre-2016)

N/A

Assay Development For Stachybotry’S Identification, Michelle L. Davis

Theses (Pre-2016)

Pyrosequencing is a new DNA sequencing method relying on the sequencing-bysynthesis principle and bioluminometric detection of nucleotide incorporation events. The objective of this thesis is to design a protocol for the improvement of the identification of fungi and mold samples in the outdoors and in enclosed environments. Fungi (mold) and bacteria are naturally present in both indoor and outdoor environments. Pyrosequencing method has been introduced as an alternative detection. Efforts are currently shifting from structural to functional genomics, in which the related functions of genomic sequences are being studied. An· application of this is in determination of potential toxicity of …

Book Review: A Review Of Chinese Law On Sars By Chenglin Liu, Vincent R. Johnson, Brian T. Bagley

Penn State International Law Review (1982 - 2011)

No abstract provided.

Making Sense Of The Sense Of Justice, Markus Dirk Dubber

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Unfortunately, White-Collar Is The Default Setting: Boys And Higher Education, John Henry Schlegel

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Asymmetrical Competition And Patterns Of Abundance Of Aedes Albopictus And Culex Pipiens (Diptera : Culicidae), Katie S. Costanzo, Kimberly Mormann, Steven A. Juliano

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

We tested for competitive advantage among larvae of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex pipiens L. in a laboratory experiment and determined the frequency and spatial and temporal patterns of co-occurrence in the field in East St. Louis, IL. In a laboratory competition experiment at multiple combined densities of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens larvae, Ae. albopictus survivorship, and developmental times were significantly affected by conspecific densities but not by Cx. pipiens densities. In contrast, Cx. pipiens survivorship, and developmental times were significantly affected by both conspecific and Ae. albopictus densities. Per capita rate of increase (r') for Ae. albopictus cohorts …

Mixing Small Batches Of Pesticide From Concentrate (Based On Percent Active Ingredient), Gregg Carlson, Jim Wilson

SDSU Extension Extra Archives

Small hand-pump spray bottles of pesticide in a “readyto- use” dilution are commonly available as a convenience for consumers. Frequently they contain lower concentrations of pesticide than would be recommended for an agricultural use. This is a safety precaution because it is assumed that consumers may over-apply the product. Ready-to-use products may add convenience, but generally they are much more expensive than concentrated products based on the amount of active ingredient. Mixing your own dilutions from concentrated pesticides allows you to choose the concentration of active ingredient, often at a much lower price than pre-mixes.

Vol. 25, No. 3, Summer 2005: Table Of Contents, Northern Illinois University Law Review

Northern Illinois University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Lynn Magazine - Summer 2005, Lynn University

Lynn Magazine / LYNN

Main Stories:

• Family tradition
• Fantastic voyage
• Destination: Lynn

Korean Education In Cultural Context, Sunwoo Shin, Myung-Sook Koh

Essays in Education

This study is overview of Korean education in cultural context and comparison of Korean and American education. Effects of Confucianism on Korean society and education are reviewed. Also, history and development of Korean education, educational reform movement, educational system, educational concerns, and discipline issues are organized and reveiwed, and Korean education is compared with American education.

Protecting The Parent-Child Relationship: The Need For Illinois Courts To Extend Standing To Non-Biological Parents In Regard To Visitation Proceedings, Desiree Sierens

Northern Illinois University Law Review

Each year, children in Illinois are denied the opportunity to visit a "parent" because the children's families do not fit into traditionally defined family units. Under Illinois law, one "parent" in these non-traditional families lacks standing to petition for custody and visitation. While Illinois courts have a tradition of extending rights to common law parents, current courts have declined to follow previous rulings when asked to extend standing to the same-sex partner of the biological parent, even in cases where the couple, together, agreed to have the child. This comment will argue that maintaining relationships between a non-biological parent and …

Effectively Using Recurrently-Connected Spiking Neural Networks, Eric Goodman, Dan A. Ventura

Faculty Publications

Recurrently-connected spiking neural networks are difficult to use and understand because of the complex nonlinear dynamics of the system. Through empirical studies of spiking networks, we deduce several principles which are critical to success. Network parameters such as synaptic time delays and time constants and the connection probabilities can be adjusted to have a significant impact on accuracy. We show how to adjust these parameters to fit the type of problem.

Peer Mentoring: An Intrusive Approach, Monica Shea Correll

Essays in Education

The profile of the postsecondary student is changing. Support services must be willing to change and adapt in order to better serve students. One possible method for meeting students’ diverse needs is through peer mentoring. The following article is a peer mentoring program administered through a federal grant program for disadvantaged students as defined by the Department of Education’s TRiO programs. The participants and peer mentors are students at a Master’s College and University I institution as listed by the Carnegie Foundation. The results listed are from the 2003-2004 academic year, with findings of the majority of students responding to …

Home Range And Provisioning Use Of Semi-Free-Ranging Ringtailed Lemurs (Lemur Catta), Jennifer Ann Savage

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The ringtailed lemur (Lemur catta) population on St. Catherines Island (SCI) may serve as a model system for reintroduction. Free-ranging troops of ringtailed lemurs have been managed on SCI since 1985 and are monitored and provisioned daily. There has been no assessment of the effects of provisioning or seasonal dependence on provisioning to date. Ringtailed lemur troop home ranges and use of provisions were quantified to examine seasonal patterns and changes in relation to habitat quality of the home range. Activity, ranging behavior, and provisioning use were monitored for one year. Habitat assessment of forage species was conducted through stratified …

Seroprevalence And Genomic Divergence Of Circulating Strains Of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Among Felidae And Hyaenidae Species, Jennifer L. Troyer, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Melody E. Roelke, Warren E. Johnson, Sue Vandewoude, Nuria Vazquez-Salat, Meredith Brown, Laurence Frank, Rosie Woodroffe, Christiaan Winterbach, Hanlie Winterbach, Graham Hemson, Mitchell Bush, Kathleen A. Alexander, Eloy Revilla, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infects numerous wild and domestic feline species and is closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Species-specific strains of FIV have been described for domestic cat (Felis catus), puma (Puma concolor), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), and Pallas' cat (Otocolobus manul). Here, we employ a three-antigen Western blot screening (domestic cat, puma, and lion FIV antigens) and PCR analysis to survey worldwide prevalence, distribution, and genomic differentiation of FIV based on 3,055 specimens from 35 Felidae and 3 Hyaenidae species. …

Mannose Binding Lectin Genotypes Influence Recovery From Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Chloe L. Thio, Timothy L. Mosbruger, Jacquie Astemborski, Spencer Greer, Gregory D. Kirk, Stephen J. O'Brien, David L. Thomas

Biology Faculty Articles

Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is a central component of the innate immune response and thus may be important for determining hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence. Since single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding MBL (mbl2) alter the level of functional MBL, we hypothesized that mbl2 genotypes are a determinant of HBV persistence or recovery from viral infection. We tested this hypothesis by using a nested case control design with 189 persons with HBV persistence matched to 338 individuals who had naturally recovered from HBV infection. We determined genotypes of two promoter and three exon 1 SNPs in mbl2 …

Plant Virus Hc-Pro Is A Determinant Of Eriophyid Mite Transmission, Drake C. Stenger, Gary L. Hein, Frederick E. Gildow, Kempton M. Horken, Roy C. French

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The eriophyid mite transmitted Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV; genus Tritimovirus, family Potyviridae) shares a common genome organization with aphid transmitted species of the genus Potyvirus. Although both tritimoviruses and potyviruses encode helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) homologues (required for nonpersistent aphid transmission of potyviruses), sequence conservation is low (amino acid identity, ~16%), and a role for HC-Pro in semipersistent transmission of WSMV by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella [Keifer]) has not been investigated. Wheat curl mite transmissibility was abolished by replacement of WSMV HC-Pro with homologues of an aphid transmitted potyvirus (Turnip mosaic virus), …