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A Comparative Description Of The Thorax Chaetotaxy Of The Dolichopodidae (Diptera), Mariya A. Chursina, Oleg P. Negrobov, Olga V. Selivanova

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A study of 270 species belonging to 210 genera of the family Dolichopodidae was conducted to examine their characters of thorax chaetotaxy. The quantity of acrostichal setae series, number of dorsocentral setae pairs, and quantity and degree of developed scutellar setae were studied. The humeral, posthumeral, intraalar, notopleural, supraalar, postalar, and sutural setae were also investigated. Combinations of chaetotaxy characters typical of the family Dolichopodidae were discovered. A detailed analysis of these characters allowed for the determination of the diagnostic characters of the subfamilies. The comparative analysis of Dolichopodidae morphology and outgroup taxa allowed for the identification of apomorphic and …

Unique Allosteric Mechanism Regulating Protein-Protein Interaction Through Phosphorylation: A Case Study Of The Conformational Changes In The Syk Tandem Sh2 Protein, Duy Phuong Hua

Open Access Dissertations

Spleen tYrosine Kinase (Syk) is one of the crucial signaling proteins involved in the development of immune cells and the initiation of inflammatory responses. Syk is a 72-kDa kinase comprising three folded domains: two SH2 domains and a catalytic domain. The tandem SH2 domains connected by linker A are key to the regulation of Syk activity. Immune signaling through Syk is initiated by the binding of the tandem SH2 to the dpITAMs found on immune cell receptors. The high-affinity, bifunctional binding of Syk tandem SH2 to the immunoreceptor requires that the two phosphotyrosines (pTyr) of the dpITAM fit the spacing …

Graph Diffusions And Matrix Functions: Fast Algorithms And Localization Results, Kyle Kloster

Open Access Dissertations

Network analysis provides tools for addressing fundamental applications in graphs such as webpage ranking, protein-function prediction, and product categorization and recommendation. As real-world networks grow to have millions of nodes and billions of edges, the scalability of network analysis algorithms becomes increasingly important. Whereas many standard graph algorithms rely on matrix-vector operations that require exploring the entire graph, this thesis is concerned with graph algorithms that are local (that explore only the graph region near the nodes of interest) as well as the localized behavior of global algorithms. We prove that two well-studied matrix functions for graph analysis, PageRank and …

Studies Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Containing Α4 And Α6 Subunits In Nicotine-Induced Synaptic Plasticity In Brain Reward Areas, Staci Engle

Open Access Dissertations

Tobacco addiction is a serious threat to public health in the United States and abroad, and development of new therapeutic approaches is a major priority. Nicotine, the primary psychoactive compound in tobacco smoke, activates and/or desensitizes nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) throughout the brain. nAChRs in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons are crucial for the rewarding and reinforcing properties of nicotine. Nicotine causes cellular changes in VTA DA neurons, including the enhancement of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) function. This enhancement sensitizes the VTA to excitatory input and promotes drug seeking in animal models. However, which nAChR subtype(s) are responsible for …

Integrated Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment Of Nitrate Contamination In Central Indiana, Won Seok Jang

Open Access Dissertations

Groundwater is not easily contaminated, but it is difficult to restore once contaminated. Therefore, groundwater management is important to prevent pollutants from reaching groundwater. A common step in developing groundwater management plans is assessment of aquifer risk using computational models. Groundwater modeling with a geographic information system (GIS) for efficient groundwater management can provide maps of regions where groundwater is contaminated or may be vulnerable and also can help select the optimal number of groundwater monitoring locations.

Parasite Assemblages Infecting Native Versus An Introduced Population Of Yellow Bass, Rick Klann

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The parasite assemblage infecting yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis) inhabiting their native range was compared to the assemblage infecting an introduced population. The gills and alimentary canal of 47 yellow bass collected from the Mississippi River (native) and 41 yellow bass collected from Otter Creek Lake in Tama County, Iowa, (introduced) were examined for metazoan parasites. Species richness was higher in the sample from the native population compared to the introduced sample (8 versus 3, respectively). Yellow bass from the introduced sample hosted species that were generalist fish parasites, and these infections were at low intensities. On the other …

Center For Global Health Newsletter, Center For Global Health, Old Dominion University

Center for Global Health Newsletter

January-June 2016 issue of Old Dominion University's Center for Global Health Newsletter.

United States Marine Mammal Commission Annual Report 2016

United States Marine Mammal Commission

United States Marine Mammal Commission Annual Report 2016

Marine Mammal Commission Review Of Stock Assessment Reports Full Report

United States Marine Mammal Commission

No abstract provided.

The Ecological Role Of Marine Mammal-Eating Killer Whales In The North Pacific Ocean Surrounding Alaska

United States Marine Mammal Commission

No abstract provided.

Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, 2015-2016, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering News

• Letter from the Department Chair
• New Faculty
• Student Success
• University NanoSatellite Program P-Spec Mission
• WALI Student Opportunities
• Study of Blind Cane Vibration

Romantic Relationship Experiences From Late Adolescence To Young Adulthood: The Role Of Older Siblings In Mexican-Origin Families, Lorey A. Wheeler, Sarah E. Killoren, Shawn D. Whiteman, Kimberly A. Updegraff, Susan M. Mchale, Adriana J. Umana-Taylor

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Youth's experiences with romantic relationships during adolescence and young adulthood have far reaching implications for future relationships, health, and well-being; yet, although scholars have examined potential peer and parent influences, we know little about the role of siblings in youth's romantic relationships. Accordingly, this study examined the prospective longitudinal links between Mexican-origin older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences and variation by sibling structural and relationship characteristics (i.e., sibling age and gender similarity, younger siblings' modeling) and cultural values (i.e., younger siblings' familism values). Data from 246 Mexican-origin families with older (M = 20.65 years; SD = 1.57; 50% …

Family Influences On Mexican American Adolescents’ Romantic Relationships: Moderation By Gender And Culture, Fanita A. Tyrell, Lorey A. Wheeler, Nancy A. Gonzales, Larry Dumka, Roger Millsap

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

This study examined prospective associations between the family context and adolescents’ romantic relationships as moderated by adolescents’ gender and culture among Mexican American families (N = 189). Adolescents at Time 1 (early adolescence) were on average 12.29 years of age (SD = .50) and 54% female. Mothers and fathers reported on family structure and dynamics during early adolescence, and youth reported on their romantic relationship involvement and quality during middle and late adolescence. Results from path analyses indicated that family structure and dynamics (supportive parenting, consistent discipline, parent-adolescent, and interparental conflict) were associated with adolescents’ romantic involvement and …

Broome County Inventory Database, Julian Shepherd

Biological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Mckee Library Annual Report 2015-2016, Southern Adventist University

Annual Reports

The 2015-2016 Annual Report includes statistics on library usage, updates on research and writing services, and updates on special collections and other services offered.

Catalog 2016-2017, University Of North Florida

UNF Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

2016-2017 Catalog, Wku Graduate School

Graduate School

Graduate School catalog regarding admissions, curriculum and policies.

Moving From The Shadows: Shedding Light On Mixed-Citizenship Status Latino Families And Emotional Well-Being—A Mixed Methods Study, Ashley-Marie Vollmer Hanna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history and in contemporary U.S. society, immigration policies and practices have been laced with racist nativism, benefiting the dominant (white, male elite) society at the expense of Immigrants of Color (Chavez, 2008; Hanna & Ortega, 2016; Huag, n.d.; Ortega, Hanna, & Haffejee, 2014; Pérez-Huber, 2008). Today, Latinos are particularly vulnerable as they are the target of racist nativist immigration policy and practices and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

This dissertation examines the emotional well-being of Latino youths and young adults in mixed-citizenship status families using mixed methods research methodology. The study is informed by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latina/o Critical Race …

Living Divided No More: An Exploration Of Authenticity In Philosophically Inspired Schools, Melanie Reiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores school authenticity (SA) by conducting research at three philosophically inspired schools. The study investigates consciousness to identity, integrity to that identity, and ascertains characteristics of authenticity across settings through an investigation of the school's congruence between the philosophy and the school ecology. Two frameworks are utilized to explore school congruence. The first framework addresses establishment of identity--the school's attention to and congruence between the philosophy and their identified core educational principles. The second investigates integrity by exploring adherence to identity--in other words, the school's attention to and congruence between educational principles and the school ecology. I explore …

Pathways From Childhood Abuse To Positive Adapation: The Moderating Roles Of Social Support And Coping Style, Sarah Elizabeth Cleary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies show that up to 50% of children worldwide are affected by physical, emotional, sexual abuse and/or neglect. While these traumatic events can have profound consequences on development across the lifespan, it is important to note that approximately 20-30% of childhood abuse survivors do not report negative impacts. One explanation for this difference in outcomes is the concept of resilience, defined as successful adaptation in spite of the experience of high-risk trauma. Many studies have been conducted to delineate factors fostering resilience. Some researchers argue that individuals' ability to achieve resilience is a direct result of the environment, while others …

Missed Appropriations: Uncovering Heidegger's Debt To Kierkegaard In Being And Time, Kenneth David Geter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is widely held that Martin Heidegger appropriated several existential concepts from Søren Kierkegaard in his 1927 work, Being and Time. Most scholars agree that Heidegger did not sufficiently credit Kierkegaard. What was the extent of the appropriation, and why did Heidegger not duly cite Kierkegaard? This work will focus on the concept of anxiety which appears throughout Being and Time and which was influenced by the concept of the same name presented in Kierkegaard's 1844 work The Concept of Anxiety. It will also be seen how the structure of Being and Time closely resembles that of Concept …

Design And Development Of The Ebear: A Socially Assistive Robot For Elderly People With Depression, Amirhossein Kargarbideh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been tremendous progress in the field of robotics in the past decade and especially developing humanoid robots with social abilities that can assist human at a socio-emotional level. The objective of this thesis is to develop and study a perceptive and expressive animal-like robot equipped with artificial intelligence in assisting the elderly people with depression. We investigated how social robots can become companions of elderly individuals with depression and improve their mood and increase their happiness and well-being. The robotic platform built in this thesis is a bear-like robot called the eBear. The eBear can show facial expression …

Smart Environments & The Convergence Of The Veillances: Privacy Violations To Consider, Christine Perakslis, Katina Michael, M.G. Michael

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

As a vast array of embedded smart devices will connect to the IoT (Internet of Things), society is rapidly moving into the unchartered territory of Pervasive Technology. Networks of devices will be unobtrusive; thereby freeing humans from the effort of human-to-machine (H2M) interactions, as well as elements of everyday decision-making. Technology will be far more intelligent and ubiquitous, thinking and acting for us behind the lines of visibility. The purpose of this paper is to probe the attributes of pervasive technologies (e.g. smart environments) within the context of the rapidly converging four veillances (i.e. surveillance, dataveillance, sousveillance, and uberveillance), so …

Enhancing Conservation Options: An Argument For Statutory Recognition Of Options To Purchase Conservation Easements (Opces), Federico Cheever, Jessica Owley

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

The most dynamic component of the conservation movement in the United States for the past three decades has been land conservation transactions. In the United States, land conservation organizations have protected roughly 40 million acres of land through transactions. Most of these acres have been protected using conservation easements. Climate change threatens the vast conservation edifice created by land conservation transactions. The tools of land conservation transactions are, traditionally, stationary. Climate change means that the resources that land conservation transactions were intended to protect may no longer remain on the land protected. Options to purchase conservation easements (OPCEs) have long …

College Of Medical Sciences Master Of Biomedical Sciences 2016, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Ecology, Livelihoods And Rift Valley Fever Disease In Ijara Division, Garissa County, North Eastern Kenya, Geoffrey O Muga

All PhD Dissertations

Although scholars have advocated for a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of human and animal health, available evidence suggests that such studies are still limited. This thesis attempts to bridge this gap by focusing on the anthropology of Rift Valley Fever. It explores the interactions of ecology, livelihoods and Rift Valley Fever in Ijara division, North Eastern Kenya. Specifically, the thesis examines the adaptive strategies of pastoralist system as a livelihood practice and their influence on Rift Valley Fever occurrence as well as the socio-cultural, economic and political drivers of vulnerability to Rift Valley Fever. The indigenous knowledge base pertaining …

An Autodissemination Strategy Using Entomopathogenic Fungi And Kairomonal Attractants For Managing Thrips On Grain Legumes, Kupesa Mfuti

All PhD Dissertations

Grain legumes are among the key economical crops widely grown in western and eastern Africa as important sources of food and animal fodder. However, the production of grain legumes in Kenya is seriously affected by a complex of insect pests particularly thrips. Yield losses of 20 to 100% have often been reported in some areas. The bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti is considered to be the most important thrips pest of grain legumes. Chemical control is still the main management strategy, with detrimental consequences on the environment, users and consumers. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are among the most promising alternatives …

Predatory And Plant-Use Specialization By Evarcha Culicivora, An East African Salticid Spider, Chan Deng

All PhD Dissertations

Using Evarcha culicivora, a salticid spider from East Africa, my goal was to understand some of the different specific ways in which predatory specialization might be expressed. This spider was already known for its unusual prey-choice behaviour. It feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by actively choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey and, as its preferred mosquitoes, actively chooses Anopheles, the genus to which all-human malaria vectors belong. Here I investigated another two distinct contexts in which predatory specialization is expressed by this species, adaptive timing of predatory activity and reliance on specific nutrients during the first active life-history stage. Using …

Cardiac Mitochondrial Respiratory Dysfunction And Tissue Damage In Chronic Hyperglycemia Correlate With Reduced Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 Activity, Vishal R. Mali, Guodong Pan, Mandar Deshpande, Rajarajan A. Thandavarayan, Jiang Xu, Xiao-Ping Yang, Suresh S. Palaniyandi

Hypertension and Vascular Research Articles

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 2 is a mitochondrial isozyme of the heart involved in the metabolism of toxic aldehydes produced from oxidative stress. We hypothesized that hyperglycemia-mediated decrease in ALDH2 activity may impair mitochondrial respiration and ultimately result in cardiac damage. A single dose (65 mg/kg; i.p.) streptozotocin injection to rats resulted in hyperglycemia with blood glucose levels of 443 ± 9 mg/dl versus 121 ± 7 mg/dl in control animals, p<0.0001, N = 7-11. After 6 months of diabetes mellitus (DM) induction, the rats were sacrificed after recording the functionality of their hearts. Increase in the cardiomyocyte cross sectional area (446 ± 32 μm2 Vs 221 ± 10 μm2; p<0.0001) indicated cardiac hypertrophy in DM rats. Both diastolic and systolic dysfunctions were observed with DM rats compared to controls. Most importantly, myocardial ALDH2 activity and levels were reduced, and immunostaining for 4HNE protein adducts was increased in DM hearts compared to controls. The mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR), an index of mitochondrial respiration, was decreased in mitochondria isolated from DM hearts compared to controls (p<0.0001). Furthermore, the rate of mitochondrial respiration and the increase in carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP)-induced maximal respiration were also decreased with chronic hyperglycemia. Chronic hyperglycemia reduced mitochondrial OXPHOS proteins. Reduced ALDH2 activity was correlated with mitochondrial dysfunction, pathological remodeling and cardiac dysfunction, respectively. Our results suggest that chronic hyperglycemia reduces ALDH2 activity, leading to mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction and consequently cardiac damage and dysfunction.

Programs And Courses Catalog 2016-2017, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Programs and Courses Catalogs

This catalog is published for students and other persons who want to know more about the University of Northern Iowa. Its purpose is to communicate as objectively and completely as possible what the university is and what it does. The catalog is presented in sections to give a general view of the university as well as the detailed information required for informed decision making.