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The Phylogenetics Of Tachinidae (Insecta: Diptera) With An Emphasis On Subfamily Structure, Daniel J. Davis

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The parasitoid flies of the Tachinidae family are an important and diverse (>10,000 species) lineage of insects. However, tachinids are not well studied partially due to their confusing classification and taxonomy. DNA sequences were obtained from twenty tribal representatives of Tachinidae, along with eight outgroups in order to phylogenetically reconstruct the superfamilial, subfamilial and tribal relationships of Tachinidae. Seven gene regions of six genes (18S, 28S, COI, CAD, Ef1a, and TPI) were sequenced for each taxon (6214 bp total). Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods were used to infer phylogenies. The Sarcophagidae and Oestridae were usually reconstructed as monophyletic. …

Anomalies In Sensor Network Deployments: Analysis, Modeling, And Detection, Giovani Rimon Abuaitah

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A sensor network serves as a vital source for collecting raw sensory data. Sensor data are later processed, analyzed, visualized, and reasoned over with the help of several decision making tools. A decision making process can be disastrously misled by a small portion of anomalous sensor readings. Therefore, there has been a vast demand for mechanisms that identify and then eliminate such anomalies in order to ensure the quality, integrity, and/or trustworthiness of the raw sensory data before they can even be interpreted.

Prior to identifying anomalies, it is essential to understand the various anomalous behaviors prevalent in a sensor …

Can Antibiotics From Recently Discovered Marine Actinobacteria Slow The Tide Of Antibiotic Resistance?, Lorraine Susan Tangeman

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Actinobacteria, one phylum of gram positive bacteria, are found throughout all the environments on earth. Actinobacteria have long been studied for the benefits they provide, both to their environment and to humans, and have a great capacity for adaptation and evolution. They decompose organic matter, replenishing nutrients into the soil, and as such are important members of the food chain. Humans benefit from the exploitation of Actinobacterial metabolites as antimicrobial drugs. These antimicrobials have been effectively utilized for decades in the fight against infectious disease. Despite the success of this drug arsenal we are now in the midst of an …

Likely Successors Of Ash Species In Response To The Emerald Ash Borer In Ohio Forests, Brian Michael Good

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Invasive species have the capability to alter landscapes and change the composition of a forest in a very short time. The recent invasive pest, Agrilus planipennis, emerald ash borer, was unintentionally introduced to the United States via ship route to Michigan. The pest attacks and kills all five native ash species in Ohio. This study focused on an area in west central Ohio not yet affected by the borer. Ash centered plots were used to record all species and sizes (diameter at breast height) within a 5m radius of a central ash tree. Plots ranged in topography and all five …

Novel Approaches For The Eradication Of Hiv Latently Infected Cells, Sally Al Ali

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The development of a suitable experimental cell model to study HIV latency in primary cells could have a massive effect on the current approaches to eradicate virus in latently infected cells. The main proposal of this paper is to develop an in vitro HIV cell model that represents HIV latency in vivo, then to create a more effective viral vector in order to target HIV reservoirs. For this goal, a directed evolution method is suggested to be used in order to mutate the AAV cap gene to generate a recombinant AAV vector that is capable of infecting primary resting CD4+ …

The Effects Of Cerebrovascular Accidents On Prospective Memory, Scott A. Magnuson

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Prospective memory is the ability to remember to do something in the future, also known as meta-remembering. Prospective memory is required to complete certain tasks, such as remembering to take medications, pay bills, and perform various activities of daily living. The Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) is a standardized objective assessment of prospective memory that has been utilized to document impairment in prospective memory in various clinical populations such as Alzheimer's Disease, mild cognitive impairment, mild traumatic brain injury, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), schizophrenia, and Parkinson's Disease (Raskin, 2009). The current research project utilized the MIST to identify the …

Examination Of The African-American Father-Daughter Relationship: Application Of The Marschack Interaction Method, Amber N. Thornton

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Early research on the Black family implied an enormous lack of African-American father presence and involvement among African-American fathers. However, more current research negates those findings by highlighting the contributions African-American fathers make when parenting their children (Coley, 2003; Cooper, 2009; Mandara, Murray & Joyner, 2005). In spite of facing unique psychological and social challenges, such as disproportionate levels of poverty, and race related social barriers, such as the invisibility syndrome (Franklin & Boyd-Franklin, 2000), researchers who have studied the African-American father-daughter dyad have discovered that this relationship has many benefits for African-American girls, including cognitive and academic enhancements, reductions …

Co2/Ph Signaling Of Respiratory Control Neurons In The Bullfrog, Lithobates Catesbeianus: Development Of A Comparative Model, Joseph M. Santin

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The locus coeruleus (LC) in the brainstem senses alterations in CO₂/pH and influences ventilatory adjustments that restore blood gas values to starting levels in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus). We hypothesized that neurons of the bullfrog LC are sensitive to changes in CO₂/pH and that chemosensitive responses are intrinsic to individual neurons. In addition, we hypothesized putative respiratory control neurons of the bullfrog LC would be stimulated by hypercapnic acidosis within physiological ranges of PCO₂/pH. 84% of LC neurons depolarized and increased firing rates during exposure to hypercapnic acidosis (HA). A pH dose response …

Batwoman And Catwoman: Treatment Of Women In Dc Comics, Kristen Coppess Race

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DC Comics has existed through the first, second, and third waves of feminism, publishing popular female characters who appeal to a mass market. By focusing on depictions of Batwoman and Catwoman, this paper examines the contrast between the social and political progress forms of feminism promised for women and the increasingly violent treatment of female characters in DC Comics, focusing on Batwoman and Catwoman. M. Thomas Inge maintains that male "comic book heroes [...] tend to fit most of the classic patterns of heroism in Western culture" (142). These heroes are designated by their completion of quests or missions, their …

Wing Damage Effect On Dragonfly's Aerodynamic Performance During Takeoff, Kuo Gai

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Insect wing damage resulted from living environment or predation commonly happens in nature. This usually results in deterioration of insect's flight performance and as a consequence, the insect needs adjustment of flapping wings to compensate the effect from the wing loss. In this study, a dragonfly (Erythemis simpliciolis) with and without wing loss is chosen to study the change of aerodynamic performance of flapping wings. Three cases including flight with intact wings (IW), flight with one-sided forewing damage (OFD), and flight with double-side forewing damage (DFD) are determined. An integrated study using high-speed photogrammetry, three-dimensional surface reconstruction, and direct numerical …

The Dog Days Fourth Amendment Jurisprudence, Kit Kinports

Faculty Scholarship

This Article discusses Florida v. Harris and Florida v. Jardines, the two Fourth Amendment drug dog opinions issued by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Together the cases hold that a narcotics detection dog effects a “search” when it intrudes on a constitutionally protected area in order to collect evidence, but that the dog’s positive alert is generally sufficient to support a finding of probable cause. The piece argues that both cases essentially generate a bright-line rule, thereby deviating from precedent that favored a more amorphous standard considering all the surrounding circumstances. Like many purportedly clear rules, the ones …

Symptom-Based Gun Control Symposium Article, Fredrick E. Vars

Articles

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Judicial Fourth Amendment: The Prosecutor's Role, Russell M. Gold

Articles

No abstract provided.

More Vitiating Paradoxes: A Response To Steven D. Smith - And Smith A Discussion Of Religious Freedom In America, Paul Horwitz

Articles

No abstract provided.

Still Standing In The Schoolhouse Door: Deconstructing Brown's Bias And Reconstructing Its Remedy, Bryan K. Fair

Articles

No abstract provided.

The Structure Of Standing At 25: Introduction To The Symposium Symposium: The Structure Of Standing At 25, Heather Elliott

Articles

No abstract provided.

Preamble Sovereignty And Religious Liberty Book Review: Democratic Politics: Principles And Practice, Paul Horwitz, Linda Mcclain

Essays, Reviews, and Shorter Works

No abstract provided.

Success And Backlash: The Remarkable (Continuing) Story Of The Clean Water Act, William L. Andreen

Articles

The Clean Water Act has produced a tremendous amount of progress over the past forty years Both municipal and industrial discharges have declined sharply the loss of wetlands has been cut decisively and water quality has broadly improved Much more work however remains to be done Not surprisingly given the limits of human forethought and political capacity the original statutory design was not perfect Furthermore the statutes implementation has not been perfect due in large part to often straitened budgets instances of bureaucratic timidity and lethargy and the hostility that some administrations and some Congresses have exhibited towards strong environmental …

Reframing The Graphic Novel For In-Service Teachers: Reading, Writing, And Creating Comics, Joellen Maples

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Role Of Bax, Ibpa, Ibpb And Csph Genes In Protecting Cft073 (Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli) Against Salt And Urea Stress, Pavani Beesetty

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Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the primary cause of 80 to 90% of uncomplicated urinary tract infections. After entering the urinary tract, uropathogenic E.coli has to tolerate high levels of salt and urea in urine to cause a successful infection. The osmotic stress imposed by urea is different from that by NaCl, as urea can freely move across the cell membrane and is a protein denaturant. Hence, microarray experiments were performed to observe the differential expression of genes in CFT073 (UPEC) due to the presence of 0.3 M NaCl and 0.6 M urea in K medium individually. Based on the …

Effect Of Rat Strain Stereotactic Coordinates On Infarct Volume, Saagar K. Sanghvi

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Ischemic stroke makes up 87% of all hospital-admitted stroke cases annually; the primary treatment for these cases is intravenous administration of tPA within a 3.5 hour window from stroke onset. A long-term delayed ischemic stroke treatment proposed by this study was a combination of the pharmaceuticals Fluoxetine (SSRI), Simvastatin (statin), and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). 51 adult rat subjects (10-12 months of age; 44 Sprague Dawley, 7 Long Evans) were given a combination of the drugs for 31 days. Drugs were given through voluntary oral administration via sugar cookie-dough balls to reduce inhibition of neurogenesis through stress-related glucocorticoid production. Drug …

Dangerous Feminine Sexuality: Biblical Metaphors And Sexual Violence Against Women, Lisa M. Ewing

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This analysis responds to an ongoing debate between feminist and traditional readings of sexually violent (SV) metaphors in the prophetic texts of Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and the New Testament book of Revelation. Whereas feminist scholars have often argued that such metaphors are built upon the exploitation of women's sexuality, traditionalist scholars have insisted that the metaphors are merely literary devices that should only be read within their historical and literary contexts. Taking a moderate position, this analysis uses the cognitive metaphor theory to explain that the SV metaphors depend on cognitive associations of dangerous feminine sexuality to relate to …

Analysis Of Human Echolocation Waveform For Radar Target Recognition, Kandarp Patel

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Some blind humans have developed the remarkable capability of echolocation, similar to the type used by mammals such as the bat, dolphin and whale. This population of human has shown the ability to classify targets based on their location, size, shape and material in diverse environmental conditions simply by listening to the reflected echoes of tongue clicks generated by their mouth. To date, much of the research into human echolocation has been confined exclusively to behavioral science and the analysis is inconsistent with the approaches used in engineering. The waveforms used in current radar systems appear different to those typical …

Enhancing Herbicide Efficacy On Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris Arundinacea) By Testing A Plant Growth Hormone, Application Times, And Herbicide Type, Denise Lynn Fong

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Phalaris arundinacea, also known as reed canary grass (RCG), is a non-native invasive grass that thrives in floodplains. RCG plants displace native flora which reduces diversity in otherwise species rich wetlands. This is a widespread problem throughout many parts of the USA. RCG can grow by its seeds or its rhizomes. Its seeds are capable of surviving long periods in soil. RCG can potentially be controlled by multi-year treatments in early spring and early fall with broad spectrum or grass specific herbicides. The goal of this study was to optimize methods to control RCG, in order to increase species …

Hpai H5n1: A Global Pandemic Concern, With Implications For Pandemic Preperation And Public Health Policy, Lauren M. Koontz

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Research on highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 has gained much attention in recent years due to its devastating impact within the bird population. While transmission to humans is rare, infections are fatal in more than half of the cases. One of the main concerns among the scientific community is the ability for this virus to mutate in a way much like seasonal influeanza that would allow it to be transmitted efficiently among the human population. Two researchers were able to separately create mutant isolates of H5N1 influenza A virus that could be transmitted via the respiratory route between …

Characterization Of Stimulation-Induced Volume Changes In The Ca1 Region Of Rat Hippocampus Slices, Amanda Brooke Gutwein

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Intrinsic optical signals (IOS) were used to evaluate volume regulation mechanisms during Schaffer collateral stimulation-induced volume changes in hippocampal slices. The effects of stimulation frequency, synaptic function, ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) activation, glutamate uptake, and volume regulatory anion channels (VRAC) were examined with IOS. Data were analyzed using ANOVA with Dunnett's post hoc test (p<0.05 indicated significance). IOS changes were stimulation frequency dependent between 1 Hz and 10 Hz with full recovery of IOS within 5 min. Synaptic blockage reduced the rate of swelling by 81% compared to the control and the IOS did not fully recover. Recovery rate was reduced with iGluR inhibition. Inhibition of glutamate uptake reduced the rate of swelling by 70% compared to vehicle controls. During stimulation, action potentials, iGluR activation, and glutamate uptake contribute to swelling. Regulatory volume mechanisms during stimulation were glutamate-mediated via iGluRs and VRAC independent.

Palaeoecological Analysis Of The Decline In Stromatolite Abundance During The Ordovician Period, Noran Mhm El-Sherif

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A stromatolite is a laminated benthic microbial deposit. Its uniqueness arises from being present since the Precambrian to the present. Stromatolites recorded a peak time during the Mesoproterozoic, subsequently they witnessed abrupt rises and falls in abundance with the steepest decline in the Ordovician period, from which it never recovered from. There is no consensus yet regarding the reasons behind the decline of stromatolites. Thus the decline of these microbial deposits remains an enigma. Additionally, a literature gap exists regarding the reasons that specifically led to the Ordovician decline. Accordingly, the focus of this literature-based MSc. thesis is to find …

New Insights Into The Spinal Recurrent Inhibitory Pathway Normally And After Motoneuron Regeneration, Ahmed Zayed Obeidat

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Despite more than seven decades of intensive research, uncertainty is the hallmark of spinal recurrent inhibition. The simplest possible structure that is formed between the a-motoneuron and its inhibitory interneurons has been the subject of long lasting scientific debate. To date, there is no consensus on the functional significance of this circuit. Even the simplest assumption of a negative feedback loop does not hold true. The current work used the technique of in vivo intracellular recording from the adult rat a-motoneurons to study the normal function and the plasticity after nerve injury and regeneration of this simple, yet intricate spinal …

Tolfenamic Acid Induces Cell Apoptosis And Inhibits Collagen Accumulation In Keloid Fibroblasts, Dan Yi

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Keloid scar is a fibroproliferative disorder which results from the accumulation of collagen through the activation of TGF-B/Smad signaling. Tolfenamic acid (TA) has been found to inhibit collagen synthesis in animal and induce cancer cell apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of DMSO on cell apoptosis, TA on collagen deposition, and TA on collagen type I and smad2 protein expression in human normal fibroblasts (NFs) and human keloid fibroblasts (KFs). In the dose- and exposure time- response assays, we found that 1% DMSO for 48h treatment did not obviously induce NF and KF apoptosis and that 0.55x10-3 M …

The Case For A Custer Battalion Survivor: Private Gustave Korn's Story, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Almost all of these claims of men having survived Custer’s Massacre at the Battle of the Little Bighorn have proven to be false, Gustave Korn’s case has merit. He was with Company I of Custer’s Battalion when it was attacked and later overwhelmed by the Indians. Korn claimed that his horse was wounded, became unmanageable, and carried him away from the Custer’s Battalion before it was wiped out. The circumstantial evidence supports his claim, and many of the other men in the Seventh Cavalry believed him. Korn was also famous because he cared for Comanche, the horse that was badly …