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Fluctuating Asymmetry In Two Common Freshwater Fishes As A Biological Indicator Of Urbanization And Environmental Stress Within The Middle Chattahoochee Watershed, William I. Lutterschmidt, Samantha L. Martin, Jacob F. Schaefer

Faculty Publications

Deviations in bilateral symmetry or fluctuating asymmetry of an organism may result under environmental stressors that reduce developmental homeostasis and stability. Anthropogenic stressors such as increased urbanization can negatively impact environmental quality of aquatic ecosystems. Researchers have stressed the value in finding easy, accurate and inexpensive methods for assessing potential stress within ecosystems. Here we use fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as a useful quantitative tool in assessing the environmental quality and potential urban-based stressors within eight creeks of the Bull and Upatoi Creeks Watershed within the larger watershed of the Middle Chattahoochee. Using Geographic Information System (GIS), we characterize land-use patterns …

A Polyaniline-Based Sensor Of Nucleic Acids, Partha Sengupta, Jared Gloria, Marcus K. Parker, Alex S. Flynt

Faculty Publications

Detection of nucleic acids is at the center of diagnostic technologies used in research and the clinic. Standard approaches used in these technologies rely on enzymatic modification that can introduce bias and artifacts. A critical element of next generation detection platforms will be direct molecular sensing, thereby avoiding a need for amplification or labels. Advanced nanomaterials may provide the suitable chemical modalities to realize label-free sensors. Conjugated polymers are ideal for biological sensing, possessing properties compatible with biomolecules and exhibit high sensitivity to localized environmental changes. In this article, a method is presented for detecting nucleic acids using the electroconductive …

Mathematical Foresight: Thinking In The Future To Work In The Present, Wes Maciejewski, Bill Barton

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Originating from interviews with mathematics colleagues, written accounts of mathematicians engaging with mathematics, and Wes's reflections on his own mathematical work, we describe a process that we call mathematical foresight: the imagining of a resolution to a mathematical situation and a path to that resolution. In a sense, mathematical foresight is the process of imagining a not-yet-experienced mathematical event—the solution to a problem solving scenario, or the creation of a mathematical model for a biological system, for examples that could occur in the future. This future thinking process guides the mathematician's present mathematical activity, motivates them, and bolsters persistence.

Monk Parakeets, Michael L. Avery, James R. Lindsay

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Since their introduction to the United States in the 1960s, monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) have thrived (Figure 1). Until recently, annual Christmas Bird Count data have shown the population to be increasing exponentially. In the U.S., monk parakeets are an urban and suburban species with few natural predators, diseases or other factors limiting their population growth. They exploit backyard bird feeders and non-native ornamental plants for food. Monk parakeets often construct nests on man-made structures, such as electric utility facilities and cell phone towers. Because the birds build and maintain nests throughout the year, management of parakeet populations …

The Update, November-December 2016, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside This Issue:
--CHAS Briefs
--Spotlight--Alumni Derek Miller
--Spotlight--Faculty Sade Barfield
--Women's and Gender Studies Clothesline Project
--Computer Science Sara Diesburg
--Featured Story--Heather Hamilton
--Spotlight--Alumni Amanda Chan
--Spotlight--Alumni Kelly Bahl
--Calendar of Events

Innocent Suffering: The Unavailability Of Post-Conviction Relief In Virginia Courts, Kaitlyn Potter

Law Student Publications

This comment examines actual innocence in Virginia: the progress it has made, the problems it still faces, and the possibilities for reform. Part I addresses past reform to the system, spurred by the shocking tales of Thomas Haynesworth and others. Part II identifies three of the most prevalent systemic challenges marring Virginia‘s justice system: (1) flawed scientific evidence; (2) the premature destruction of evidence; and (3) false confessions and guilty pleas. Part III suggests ways in which Virginia can, and should, address these challenges to ensure that the justice system is actually serving justice.

Head And Neck Manifestations Of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Systematic Review., Jared M. Goldfarb, Mindy R. Rabinowitz, Shristi Basnyat, Gurston G. Nyquist, Marc R. Rosen

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To conduct the first and only systematic review of the existing literature on head and neck manifestations of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis to guide clinical decision making for the otolaryngologist.

DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and LILACS.

REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review of the aforementioned sources was conducted per the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS: From an initial 574 studies, 28 trials and reports were included, accounting for a total of 1175 patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Among clinical and cohort studies, 48.0% to 96.0% of all included patients presented with head and neck manifestations. In a distinct group …

The Life Cycle Stages Of Pneumocystis Murina Have Opposing Effects On The Immune Response To This Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen, Heather M. Evans, Grady L. Bryant Iii, Beth A. Garvy

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The cell wall β-glucans of Pneumocystis cysts have been shown to stimulate immune responses in lung epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and alveolar macrophages. Little is known about how the trophic life forms, which do not have a fungal cell wall, interact with these innate immune cells. Here we report differences in the responses of both neonatal and adult mice to the trophic and cystic life cycle stages of Pneumocystis murina. The adult and neonatal immune responses to infection with Pneumocystis murina trophic forms were less robust than the responses to infection with a physiologically normal mixture of cysts and …

To What Extent Should Dental Implant Placement Be Adopted As A Standard For Diabetic Patients?, Ahmed S. Alzahrani, Hassan H. Abed

Saudi Medical Journal

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered one of the major chronic diseases in the world. Long-term hyperglycemia considerably affects the body tissues, and consequently, can lead to morbidity and mortality. Moreover, many oral complications have been observed with DM but little consideration in relation to the placement of dental implants has been investigated. Dental research has analyzed the relation of dental implants and bone osseointegration in diabetic patients. Theoretically, an impaired immune system and delayed wound healing of these patients might decrease the success rate of implant placement; however, with noticeable advances in evidence-based dentistry and statistically significant results, successful implant …

Tall Cell Variant Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma In Saudi Patients: A Clinicopathological And Outcomes Analysis, Khalid H. Al-Qahtani, Mutahir A. Tunio, Mushabbab Al Asiri, Yasser Bayoumi, Walaa A. Alshehri, Naji J. Aljohani, Ahmed Amir Ali, Hanadi Fatani

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of papillary thyroid carcinoma tall cell variant (PTC-TCV) in Saudi population. Methods: This retrospective study were medical records of 776 treated PTC patients between December 2007 and 2015, at King Fahad Medical City and King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was probed for PTC-TCV. Total 42 (5.4%) patients were found to have PTC-TCV, which were investigated for demographic, symptoms, histopathological features, and treatment outcomes locoregional control (LRC), distant metastasis control (DMC), disease free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates. Results: Mean age of cohort was 52.3 years …

Tdec 2016 Annual Report, Tennessee. Department Of Environment & Conservation.

Annual Report

No abstract provided.

Diagnosis Of Strongyloides Stercoralis: Detection Of Parasite-Derived Dna In Urine, Nilanjan Lodh, Reynaldo Caro, Shterna Sofer, Alan Scott, Alejandro Krolewiecki, Clive J. Shiff

Clinical Lab Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Detecting infections of Strongyloides stercoralis is arduous and has low sensitivity. Clinically this is a major problem because chronic infections may disseminate in the host and lead to a life threatening condition. Epidemiologically, S. stercoralis is often missed in surveys as it is difficult to identify by standard stool examination procedures. We present, for the first time, evidence that the infection can be detected in filtered urine samples collected and processed in the field and subsequently assayed for the presence of parasite DNA. Urine specimens (∼40 mL) were collected from 125 test and control individuals living in rural and peri-urban …

Social Support Seeking And Early Adolescent Depression And Anxiety Symptoms: The Moderating Role Of Rumination, C. E. Vélez, E. D. Krause, A. Mckinnon, S. M. Brunwasser, D. R. Freres, R. M. Abenavoli, Jane Gillham

Psychology Faculty Works

This study examined how social support seeking and rumination interacted to predict depression and anxiety symptoms 6 months later in early adolescents (N = 118; 11-14 years at baseline). We expected social support seeking would be more helpful for adolescents engaging in low rather than high levels of rumination. Adolescents self-reported on all measures at baseline, and on depression and anxiety symptoms 6 months later. Social support seeking predicted fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety at low rumination levels but was not associated with benefits as rumination increased. For depression symptoms, social support seeking predicted more symptoms at high rumination …

Grow Up Virginia: Time To Change Our Filial Responsibility Law, Sylvia Macon

Law Student Publications

This comment discusses the background and development of filial responsibility laws in England, the United States, and Virginia in Part I. Part II explains the purpose behind implementation of such laws while Part III discusses the problems enforcing the filial responsibility law may cause. Lastly, Part IV explains why past reasons for keeping the law are no longer valid.

Effects Of The Expression Of The Bacterial Yefm-Yoebspn Chromosomal Toxin-Antitoxin System In Arabidopsis Thaliana / Fauziah Abu Bakar, Abu Bakar Fauziah

Student Works (2010-2019)

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are extensively found in bacteria as well as in archaea where they play diverse roles in important cellular functions. Bacterial TA systems usually comprise of a pair of genes encoding a stable toxin and its cognate labile antitoxin and are located in the chromosome or in plasmids. Chromosomally-encoded TA systems are involved in a variety of cellular processes including as part of the global stress response of bacteria, and as mediators of programmed cell death as well as biofilm formation, in which the activation of the toxins usually leads to cell death or dormancy. The genome of …

Plymouth — A World Harbour Through The Ages, Antony M. Knights, Louise B. Firth, Richard C. Thompson, Anna L.E. Yunnie, Keith Hiscock, Stephen J. Hawkins

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Plymouth Sound and adjacent estuaries, UK has been used as a working harbour throughout the ages and has a place in maritime history as the port from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for North America in 1620 on the Mayflower and Charles Darwin departed from on the HMS Beagle on his trip to Galapagos in 1831. Today, it remains a working harbour, home to the largest naval base in Western Europe, the host of numerous cruise ships and recreational boats, yet its complex of estuaries (Tamar, Plym, Lynher) and creeks is nationally and internationally recognised as of conservation importance due …

Evaluating The Efficiency Of Treatment Comparison In Crossover Design By Allocating Subjects Based On Ranked Auxiliary Variable, Yisong Huang, Hani Samawi, Robert Vogel, Jingjing Yin, Worlanyo E. Gato, Daniel Linder

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

The validity of statistical inference depends on proper randomization methods. However, even with proper randomization, we can have imbalanced with respect to important characteristics. In this paper, we introduce a method based on ranked auxiliary variables for treatment allocation in crossover designs using Latin squares models. We evaluate the improvement of the efficiency in treatment comparisons using the proposed method. Our simulation study reveals that our proposed method provides a more powerful test compared to simple randomization with the same sample size. The proposed method is illustrated by conducting an experiment to compare two different concentrations of titanium dioxide nanofiber …

Innocent Suffering: The Unavailability Of Post-Conviction Relief In Virginia Courts, Kaitlyn Potter

University of Richmond Law Review

This comment examines actual innocence in Virginia: the progress it has made, the problems it still faces, and the possibilities for reform. Part I addresses past reform to the system, spurred by the shocking tales of Thomas Haynesworth and others. Part II identifies three of the most prevalent systemic challenges marring Virginia's justice system: (1) flawed scientific evidence; (2) the premature destruction of evidence; and (3) false confessions and guilty pleas. Part III suggests ways in which Virginia can, and should, address these challenges to ensure that the justice system is actually serving justice.

Grow Up Virginia: Time To Change Our Filial Responsibility Law, Sylvia Macon

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Flex-Ro: Design, Implementation, And Control Of Subassemblies For An Agricultural Robotic Platform, Jared Patrick Werner

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Automation technology in agriculture is growing, making agricultural robotics viable. Innovative field usable multi-purpose robotic platforms are needed for the successful progression of agricultural robotics. Furthermore, the field of agricultural robotics would benefit from a robotic platform design allowing for variable height, thus accommodating navigation throughout various crop growth stages. A variable height machine, Flex-Ro was developed to accommodate this feature. Multiple sub-assemblies were designed and implemented for Flex-Ro. An electronic control unit (ECU) enabled engine was used to power Flex-Ro. An embedded application program was developed to control engine speed using proprietary Controller Area Network (CAN) messages in conjunction …

Citations Increase With Manuscript Length, Author Number, And References Cited In Ecology Journals, Charles W. Fox, C. E. Timothy Paine, Boris Sauterey

Entomology Faculty Publications

Most top impact factor ecology journals indicate a preference or requirement for short manuscripts; some state clearly defined word limits, whereas others indicate a preference for more concise papers. Yet evidence from a variety of academic fields indicates that within journals longer papers are both more positively reviewed by referees and more highly cited. We examine the relationship between citations received and manuscript length, number of authors, and number of references cited for papers published in 32 ecology journals between 2009 and 2012. We find that longer papers, those with more authors, and those that cite more references are cited …

Whole-Genome Identification, Phylogeny, And Evolution Of The Cytochrome P450 Family 2 (Cyp2) Subfamilies In Birds, Daniela Almeida, Emanuel Maldonado, Imran Khan, Liliana Silva, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Guojie Zhang, Erich D. Jarvis, Stephen J. O'Brien, Warren E. Johnson, Agostinho Antunes

Biology Faculty Articles

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) superfamily defends organisms from endogenous and noxious environmental compounds, and thus is crucial for survival. However, beyond mammals the molecular evolution of CYP2 subfamilies is poorly understood. Here, we characterized the CYP2 family across 48 avian whole genomes representing all major extant bird clades. Overall,12 CYP2 subfamilies were identified, including the first description of the CYP2F, CYP2G, and several CYP2AF genes in avian genomes. Some of the CYP2 genes previously described as being lineage-specific, such as CYP2K and CYP2W, are ubiquitous to all avian groups. Furthermore, we identified a large number of CYP2J copies, which have …

Zoning’S Centennial: A Complete Account Of The Evolution Of Zoning Into A Robust System Of Land Use Law—1916-2016 (Part Ii), John R. Nolon

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The idea that local land use law can intelligently shape settlement patterns was not a familiar concept in the late 1960s when the Town of Ramapo, New York adopted an ordinance that delayed development permits until the Town could provide needed infrastructure. Ramapo was experiencing unprecedented growth as one of the closest northern suburbs of New York City. Developers, who in some cases had to wait years for services to their land, sued; they argued that these phased development controls were intended to prohibit subdivisions and restrict population growth, which is not authorized under the state’s zoning enabling legislation.

New …

Optimal Property Rights For Emerging Natural Resources: A Case Study On Owning Atmospheric Moisture, Jianlin Chen

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Article critically examines the design of property rights for emerging natural resources—naturally occurring substances that humans have only recently come to be able to exploit viably—through a case study of how the fifty states allocate ownership in, and regulate the use of, atmospheric moisture, an issue that has emerged in the context of weather modification (particularly cloud seeding). Building on the surprising finding that legislative declarations of state ownership have not resulted in greater regulatory control or other substantial restrictions on private use, this Article highlights a dimension of property rights design that has yet to receive concerted scholarly …

Contextualizing Patent Disclosure, Colleen V. Chien

Vanderbilt Law Review

One of the main justifications for a patent system is that patents disclose useful technical information that others can learn from. However, patents are not performing this function well. The average patent is written in legalese, uses vague language, and is hard to connect to commercial activity. Legal scholars have responded with calls to improve the patent document through better writing, more examples, and better enforcement of patent doctrines. The courts have sought to ensure that patent specifications are robust and justify the grant of a monopoly. This follows from the Supreme Court's characterization of technical teachings within a patent …

What's Hope Got To Do With It? A Narrative Inquiry Into The Hope Levels Of High School Students Diagnosed With Soft Disabilities, Cynthia Norbeck

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This two-phase qualitative study was designed to explore the hope levels of high school students receiving special education services for mild intellectual disabilities or emotional/behavioral disabilities using a narrative inquiry approach. In order to better understand how student participants perceived their special education experiences and how their individual perceptions related to their hope levels, the Adult Hope Scale (AHS) was administered to seven students and scored during the study’s first phase. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with five high school students chosen from the original group for the study’s second phase. Interviews were reported in narrative form and key common …

Fetal Brain Lesions After Subcutaneous Inoculation Of Zika Virus In A Pregnant Nonhuman Primate, Kristina M. Adams Waldorf, Jennifer E. Stencel-Baerenwald, Raj P. Kapur, Colin Studholme, Erica Boldenow

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

We describe the development of fetal brain lesions after Zika virus (ZIKV) inoculation in a pregnant pigtail macaque. Periventricular lesions developed within 10 d and evolved asymmetrically in the occipital-parietal lobes. Fetal autopsy revealed ZIKV in the brain and significant cerebral white matter hypoplasia, periventricular white matter gliosis, and axonal and ependymal injury. Our observation of ZIKV-associated fetal brain lesions in a nonhuman primate provides a model for therapeutic evaluation.

Office Of Regulatory Affairs Strategies For Building An Integrated National Laboratory Network For Food And Feed, Barbara Kowalcyk, Mark R. Mclellan, Lynn Goldman, David Goldman, Harvey T. Holmes, Connie Weaver

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

An interconnected network of accredited federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial laboratories is critical to ensuring the safety of the U.S. food supply and the development of the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS). In 2004, as part of a national policy to defend the U.S. food supply against terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies, the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) was created to integrate the nation’s multilevel (i.e., federal, state, local, tribal, territorial) food-testing laboratories to detect, identify, respond to, and recover from a bioterrorism act affecting the safety of the food supply, or a public health emergency/outbreak involving …

Scientific Engagement At Fda: A Report To The Fda Science Board From The Scientific Engagement Subcommittee, Anthony Bahinski, Maria C. Friere, Mark R. Mclellan, Bruce M. Psaty, Dan M. Roden, Scott J. Steele

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Maintaining active interactions with the broad external scientific community is vital for FDA to fulfill its expanding public health mission. It is essential for the Agency to be well positioned to address emerging areas of regulatory science and rapidly advancing technologies.

Scientific engagement also helps FDA accomplish its mission by increasing awareness of FDA’s responsibilities and helping with the Agency’s critical recruitment and succession planning needs. FDA uses a range of mechanisms for scientific exchange. The Subcommittee was charged with considering:

a. how FDA can improve its interface with the outside scientific community, particularly regarding public-private partnerships (PPPs) and fellowship …

Cho Endonuclease Functions During Dna Interstrand Crosslink Repair In Escherichia Coli, Anthonige Vidya Perera, James Brian Mendenhall, Charmain T. Courcelle, Justin Courcelle

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

DNA interstrand crosslinks are complex lesions that covalently link both strands of the duplex DNA. Lesion removal is proposed to initiate via the UvrABC nucleotide excision repair complex, however less is known about the subsequent steps of this complex repair pathway. In this study, we characterized the contribution of nucleotide excision repair mutants to survival in the presence of psoralen-induced damage. Unexpectedly, we observed that the nucleotide excision repair mutants exhibit differential sensitivity to psoralen-induced damage, with uvrC mutants being less sensitive than either uvrA or uvrB. We show that Cho, an alternative endonuclease, acts with UvrAB and is …