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Physiological, Histological, And Mechanical Characteristics Of Selected Epaxial Muscles In Primates, Md Emranul Huq

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The spine is the central element of the locomotor skeleton, acting as a link between the head and limbs. However, despite well-documented differences in spinal morphology among primates, we have comparatively little quantitative documentation on the structural characteristics of muscles that move the spine. The primary goals of this investigation were: (i) to identify and characterize morphological and related physiological, histological, and mechanical aspects of selected epaxial muscles in two groups of related but behaviorally distinct primates; and (ii) to investigate if these features could be interpreted in terms of the degree of spinal mobility during locomotion. To these ends, …

The Role Of The Ctenophore Mnemiopsis Leidyi In Nutrient Cycling In Long Island Sound, Ny, Laura Mae Treible

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Gelatinous zooplankton blooms have been increasing in magnitude and frequency globally. Seasonal variations in food availability and temperature can trigger a population bloom and subsequent crash in coastal and estuarine waters. Long Island Sound (LIS) is a highly-productive urban estuary. Due to its proximity to New York City and annual summer hypoxia, there has been substantial focus on anthropogenic nutrient inputs and reductions to LIS. When determining nutrient budgets, an important process is the recycling of nutrients within a system. Gelatinous zooplankton, including the most common species in LIS, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, are capable of high rates of nutrient …

The Genetic Diversity Of Endangered Fishes In The Northwest Atlantic, Shannon Joy O'Leary

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Genetic diversity is the fundamental building block of biodiversity, harboring the adaptive potential of populations. The magnitude of the two main factors eroding genetic diversity, inbreeding and genetic drift, increases as the effective population size (Ne) decreases. Ne describes the number of reproductively mature adults effectively contributing to the next generation. In populations with overlapping generations, the effective number of breeders (Nb). Loss of genetic diversity has long been a concern for terrestrial and freshwater organisms, but traditionally less so for fisheries management due to the paradigm that marine fish populations are large, panmictic and thus resistant to the erosion …

Prey Plasticity Responses To A Native And Nonnative Predator, Alexandra Hooks

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stimuli is exceedingly common across systems and taxa. For instance, predation risk in many gastropods can induce a variety of defenses including growing thicker shells, growing shells of different shapes, and developing apertural teeth. However, the role of coevolution between species that produce these defense responses and their consumers is not well known. This thesis examines the responses of an ovoviviparous gastropod (Littorina saxatilis) with low dispersal from three different habitats (marsh habitat, rocky habitat, and cobble stone habitat) to the presence of chemical cues from a native (Dyspanopeus sayi) and nonnative (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) …

Electrotransfer Of Single-Stranded Or Double-Stranded Dna Induces Complete Regression Of Palpable B16.F10 Mouse Melanomas, Loree Heller, Vesba Todorovic, Maja Cemazar

Bioelectrics Publications

Enhanced tumor delivery of plasmid DNA with electric pulses in vivo has been confirmed in many preclinical models. Intratumor electrotransfer of plasmids encoding therapeutic molecules has reached Phase II clinical trials. In multiple preclinical studies, a reduction in tumor growth, increased survival or complete tumor regression have been observed in control groups in which vector or backbone plasmid DNA electrotransfer was performed. This study explores factors that could produce this antitumor effect. The specific electrotransfer pulse protocol employed significantly potentiated the regression. Tumor regression was observed after delivery of single-stranded or double-stranded DNA with or without CpG motifs in both …

The Behavioral And Physiological Effects Of Long-Distance Translocation On Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus), Kory Hayden Heiken

Master's Theses

Long-distance translocation (LDT), the relocation of an animal outside of its home range, is a popular strategy for mitigating conflict between humans and venomous snakes. While LDT has been demonstrated to prevent a snake’s return to the location of capture, it may result in increased mortality, magnitude and frequency of movements, and activity range sizes. Thus, it has generally been discouraged. However, the effects of LDT on stress physiology and thermoregulation have gone largely unstudied in reptiles. To elucidate these effects, we conducted an experimental LDT on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) on Vandenberg Air Force base in California. …

Design Of A Low Power Cargo Security Device Using A Micropower Ultra-Wideband Impulse Radar, Brian M. Wihl

Master's Theses

Each year, thousands of cargo containers are broken into during shipping, costing billions of dollars in lost and damaged goods. In addition to removing its contents, intruders can also add unwanted and dangerous materials to a container, posing a threat to National Security. The possibilities of cargo container break-ins require that the containers go through check points at which they are physically searched. These searches often require the opening of the container, unloading and inspecting all cargo, and then loading the container and resealing it. This is a long and costly process.

Because of the high costs of break-ins and …

Faculty Senate Newsletter, December 2013, Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College

LSU Faculty Senate Publications

Message from President: Discussion of higher education policy today takes place in the language or practicality: of productivity, of graduation targets, and of workforce development. Yet politics, even of the most pragmatic variety, is compounded as much of speculation and fantasy as of data, experience, or “reality.” Policy discussions quickly turn from what is to what should be. For decades—since the heyday of Margaret Thatcher—privatization has been heralded by “the silent majority” as the best way to increase efficiency. In academe, the twentieth-century dream of a lean, dynamic government has expressed itself in a faith in production line metrics such …

Disentangling Historical Biogeography And Anthropogenic Introductions: A Case Study Of Red Shiner (Cyprinella Lutrensis), Tracy A. Diver

Biology ETDs

Aim: Determine evolutionary events that have shaped observed patterns of diversity in Red Shiner within the Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico. Location: Pecos, Delaware, Rio Grande and Canadian Rivers, New Mexico, United States. Methods: We used DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and ND4), nuclear RAG-1 intron, and geometric-morphometric and meristic data to test alternative hypothesis regarding the evolutionary history of native populations of Red Shiner in New Mexico. Results: MtDNA gene trees revealed deeply divergent lineages (Great Plains and Coastal) with in situ diversification within each geographic lineage between the Rio Grande and Pecos River. Nuclear …

An Insurmountable Obstacle: Denying Deference To The Bia’S Social Visibility Requirement, Kathleen Kersh

Michigan Journal of Race and Law

In the last fifteen years, the Board of Immigration Appeals has imposed a requirement that persons seeking asylum based on membership in a particular social group must establish that the social group is “socially visible” throughout society. This Comment argues that the social visibility requirement should be denied administrative deference on several grounds. The requirement should be denied Chevron deference because Congress’s intent behind the Refugee Act of 1980 is clear and unambiguous and, alternatively, the requirement is an impermissible interpretation of the statute. The requirement is also arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedures Act. This Comment argues that …

Preliminary Study To Evaluate Analgesic And Behavioural Effects Of Lycopodium Clavatum In Experimental Animals, Echur Sundaram, Kushal Singh, Pratap Reddy, Sunil Kumar, Kainikkara Nair, Anil Khurana, Hari Singh, Chaturbhuja Nayak

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background and Aim: In Homoeopathy, the drug Lycopodium clavatum is prescribed for digestive upset, inflammations of urinary organs and dermal problems, but not for the treatment of central nervous system disorders unlike its use in traditional and folk medicine for central nervous system conditions. The present study was, therefore, undertaken with an aim to explore the possible analgesic and behavioural activities of the homoeopathic formulations of Lycopodium clavatum in animal models. Material and Methods: Wistar albino rats (120-140 g) of either sex were used to evaluate analgesic effect by using hot plate, ice plate and Randall-Selitto tests and behavioural effect …

Molecular Characterization Of The Freshwater Snail Physella Acuta, Journey R. Nolan

Biology ETDs

Current insights into general animal biology, including immune function, are derived mostly from a few model organisms, a necessity imposed by effort required for in-depth studies. Modern next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables genomics-level investigations to test whether specific aspects of biology are general or unique across animal phylogeny. Meaningful comparisons require thorough identification of phylogenetically-relevant species. To provide a touchstone for Biomphalaria glabrata, a freshwater snail that is a major study model for invertebrate immunity, physid snails (Physidae; Hygrophila; Panpulmonata; Gastropoda; Mollusca) will be developed as a model for comparative immunogenomics. Chapter 1 introduces current research capabilities and details the rationale …

Designing The Tangible Experience Of Interactive Memories, Miguel Angel Cardona Jr

Theses

The process for memory keeping in the digital age has become easier, immediate, and more efficient thanks to the advent of sophisticated pocket-sized toolsets that can capture everyday experiences.

Consumer-level photo and video recording products are introduced regularly and boast more fidelity, faster speeds, and greater control than their predecessors. More often than not, these expanding feature sets do not properly serve all of their users' needs.

While the technology exists to allow for a near-complete record of one's life to be made through the use of sensors and storage media, problems involve how best to meaningfully learn from and …

Rebalancing Us Military Power, Anna Simons

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Climate Impacts On Zooplankton Population Dynamics In Coastal Marine Ecosystems, Harold P. Batchelder, Kendra L. Daly, Cabell S. Davis, Rubao Ji, Mark D. Ohman, William T. Peterson, Jeffrey A. Runge

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The 20-year US GLOBEC (Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics) program examined zooplankton populations and their predators in four coastal marine ecosystems. Program scientists learned that environmental controls on zooplankton vital rates, especially the timing and magnitude of reproduction, growth, life-cycle progression, and mortality, determine species population dynamics, seasonal and spatial distributions, and abundances. Improved knowledge of spatial-temporal abundance and distribution of individual zooplankton taxa coupled with new information linking higher trophic level predators (salmon, cod, haddock, penguins, seals) to their prey yielded mechanistic descriptions of how climate variation impacts regionally important marine resources. Coupled ecological models driven by improved regional-scale climate …

A Case Study Investigating How Art Education Fosters Collaboration In An Urban Environment Through The Lens Of Public Pedagogy, Tracy Fox

Art Education Projects

This case study examines how one particular after-school arts program in an urban environment bridges the gap between a university campus and the community it serves, creating opportunities for collaboration via the arts. The study was conducted at a community center run by Buffalo State.

Over the course of the study, ten interviews were conducted with a variety of people connected to the Community Arts Center’s (CAC) arts programs, including partners in the public arts initiative. The data was collected and analyzed over the course of eight weeks through the lens of Henry Giroux’s public pedagogy, which focuses on educational …

Structural Characterization Of Super-Acid Oligomerized Fatty Esters., Esam Allehyani

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Fatty acid methyl esters can be oligomerized with very strong acid catalysts - superacids such as tetrafluoroboric or triflic acid with formation of dimer and trimer fatty acids at much lower temperature, such as 80-90 °C, than what is used presently. Insight into the reaction of polymerization of fatty esters/ acids can be obtained by structural characterization. This would determine the properties of the oligomeric products and their ability to substitute currently used materials. It was presumed that dimer fatty, trimer fatty acid esters, and oligomeric fatty acid esters are produced by polymerization of fatty acid methyl esters by a …

Phosphate Esters, Thiophosphate Esters And Metal Thiophosphates As Lubricant Additives, David W. Johnson, John E. Hils

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Phosphate esters, thiophosphate esters and metal thiophosphates have been used as lubricant additives for over 50 years. While their use has been extensive, a detailed knowledge of how they work has been a much more recent development. In this paper, the use of phosphate esters and thiophosphate esters as anti-wear or extreme pressure additives is reviewed with an emphasis on their mechanism of action. The review includes the use of alkyl phosphates, triaryl phosphates and metal containing thiophosphate esters. The mechanisms of these materials interacting with a range of iron and steel based bearing material are examined.

Utah Red Raspberry Jam: The Effects Of Formulation, Heating, And Time On Color, Flavor, Texture, And Antioxidant Capacity, Jennifer Leigh Chase

Theses and Dissertations

The amount and type of antioxidants present in raspberries is dependent upon cultivar, ripeness, and growing conditions. Previous research on raspberry jam has reported some color, antioxidant, and flavor loss after processing and storage, though it is unknown to what extent similar changes will occur in raspberries grown in Utah. Sugar concentration and heating temperature as well as storage time were evaluated in an effort to maximize color retention, flavor, antioxidant content, shelf life, and consumer acceptance of Utah-grown raspberry jam. Four types of jams were processed in two batches each: low-sugar (40-42 Brix) and typical sugar (65-68 Brix) at …

Introduction To Special Collection On Geology, Tectonics And Hydrocarbon Systems Of Se Asia, Peter D. Clift, Zhen Sun

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Social Regulation Of Male Reproductive Plasticity In An African Cichlid Fish, Karen P. Maruska, Russell D. Fernald

Faculty Publications

Social interactions with the outcome of a position in a dominance hierarchy can have profound effects on reproductive behavior and physiology, requiring animals to integrate environmental information with their internal physiological state; but how is salient information from the animal's dynamic social environment transformed into adaptive behavioral, physiological, and molecular-level changes? The African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, is ideally suited to understand socially controlled reproductive plasticity because activity of the male reproductive (brainpituitary gonad) axis is tightly linked to social status. Males form hierarchies in which a small percentage of brightly colored dominant individuals have an active reproductive axis, defend …

Evaluation Of Hand-Held Meters For Determination Of Hemolymph Lactate And Protein Concentrations In Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii, Christopher P. Bonvillain, D. Allen Rutherford, William E. Kelso, Christopher C. Green

Faculty Publications

We evaluated the accuracy of an Accutrend® lactate meter and a Reichert® Vet 360 temperature compensated refractometer for determining red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) hemolymph lactate and protein concentrations, with results compared to measurements obtained from spectrophotometric analyses. Results from the lactate meter (R2 = 0.926) and refractometer (R2 = 0.830) both demonstrated strong relationships with spectrophotometer measurements, indicating that these instruments provide rapid, reliable, and economical methods for determining crayfish hemolymph lactate and protein concentrations. Both meters can provide on-site information to commercial crayfish farmers and processors to assess crayfish health and stress levels, and can also …

Phylogeny, Diversity, And Biogeography Of Southeast Asian Spiny Rats (Maxomys), Anang S. Achmadi, Jacob A. Esselstyn, Kevin C. Rowe, Ibnu Maryanto, M. T. Abdullah

Faculty Publications

Knowledge of the diversity and relationships of species in many groups of plants and animals in Southeast Asia is severely limited, preventing an integrative understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes in island archipelagos. We generated a 3-locus DNA sequence data set to estimate phylogenetic relationships among species and populations of Maxomys, a genus of rodents endemic to Southeast Asia. Our inclusion of Crunomys as a potential outgroup supported the monophyly of Crunomys, but the genus was deeply nested within Maxomys. Because of the relatively ancient divergences (mean uncorrected p-distances up to 0.15 in cytochrome-b sequences) among species of Maxomys and …

Microfluidic Generated Egf-Gradients Induce Chemokinesis Of Transplantable Retinal Progenitor Cells Via The Jak/Stat And Pi3kinase Signaling Pathways, Uchenna J. Unachukwu, Moira Sauane, Maribel Vazquez, Stephen Redenti

Publications and Research

A growing number of studies are evaluating retinal progenitor cell (RPC) transplantation as an approach to repair retinal degeneration and restore visual function. To advance cell-replacement strategies for a practical retinal therapy, it is important to define the molecular and biochemical mechanisms guiding RPC motility. We have analyzed RPC expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and evaluated whether exposure to epidermal growth factor (EGF) can coordinate motogenic activity in vitro. Using Boyden chamber analysis as an initial highthroughput screen, we determined that RPC motility was optimally stimulated by EGF concentrations in the range of 20-400ng/ml, with decreased stimulation …

Estonia's Post-Soviet Agricultural Reforms: Lessons For Cuba, Mario A. Gonzalez-Corzo

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Solid State Simulation Of The Structure And Vibrational Modes Of Organic, Hybrid Organometallic And Inorganic Species Using The Crystal09 Code., Steven Pellizzeri

Dissertations - ALL

An investigation of the structural and vibrational information of organic, hybrid organometallic and inorganic species was conducted using solid-state density functional theory (DFT). In this work the solid state DFT modeling was accomplished using the CRYSTAL09 code to simulate the geometries and vibrational modes of a variety of systems. These studies included: (1) the investigation of three polymorphs of vanadium phosphate, (2) three studies involving the use of 5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazole, and lastly (3) the crystal structure and simulation of α,α,α’,α’-tetrabromo-p-xylene. The studies involving 5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazole are comprised of (a) the comparison of a new polymorph to previously published crystallographic information of the …

Heat Of Combustion Of Algae For Use In A Diesel Engine, Cassia Diane Davis

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

With nearly a quarter of the world’s population living without any access to electricity or modern energy, strategies for providing energy are very important. While the use of fossil fuels can bring the much needed energy to these areas they come with a host of problems. Fossil fuel use contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and ocean acidification. In many areas fossil fuels have to be transported in. The subsequent transmission and distribution can be difficult especially in rural areas. Dependence on fossil fuels also leaves the user vulnerable to disruption in deliveries and price fluctuations. While there are …

The Fc Region Of An Antibody Impacts The Neutralization Of West Nile Viruses In Different Maturation States, Phong D. Lee, Swati Mukherjee, Melissa A. Edeling, Kimberly A. Dowd, S. Kyle Austin, Carolyn J. Manhart, Michael S. Diamond, Daved H. Fremont, Theodore C. Pierson

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Neutral No More: Secondary Effects Analysis And The Quiet Demise Of The Content-Neutrality Test, Mark Rienzi, Stuart Buck

Fordham Law Review

    When the Supreme Court introduced the “secondary effects” doctrine to allow for zoning of adult businesses, critics fell into two camps. Some, like Justice William Brennan, predicted dire consequences for the First Amendment, particularly if the doctrine was used in political speech cases. Others, like Professor Laurence Tribe, predicted secondary effects analysis would be limited to sexually explicit speech and would not threaten the First Amendment. The modern consensus is that the doctrine has, in fact, been limited to cases about sex.

    Recent cases demonstrate, however, that the impact of the secondary effects doctrine on the First Amendment has been …

Mass Bays Resource Inventory: Summary And Findings From The Review Of Plans And Assessments, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The Massachusetts Bays Program (MBP) contracted with the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) of the University of Massachusetts Boston to conduct a review of papers, presentations, reports, and other relevant material produced from 1996 (the last CCMP) to present, that might inform the MBP’s update of their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The review focused on five topics identified as priority topics by the MBP: water quality, invasive species, climate change/vulnerability, continuity of estuarine habitat, and estuarine habitat protection in the geographic region of the Mass Bays Program, particularly the 47 nearshore estuaries and embayments identified in the 2012 MBP …