Digital Commons Network^™

White Paper On Engineering Controls For Bioaerosols In Non-Industrial/ Non-Healthcare Settings, Cheri L. Marcham, American Conference Of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

Publications

The list of disease pathogens that can be transmitted in the air is extensive. This list includes the common cold, SARS, measles, Hansen's disease (leprosy), polio, influenza, Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever), and tuberculosis (TB). TB, SARSCoV-1, avian influenza, varicella, and now SARS-CoV-2 all have received public notice due not only to their known or assumed ability to be transmitted in the air rapidly from one individual to another, but also for their virulence. Other bioaerosols that can be transmitted through the air include bacteria, fungal spores and fragments, dust mites, and pollen. This document was developed to address …

How Policies Portray Students: A Discourse Analysis Of Codes Of Conduct In Academic Libraries, Megan Bresnahan

Faculty Publications

In academic libraries, “codes of conduct” are policies that define what people who use those libraries are allowed to do in library spaces and serve as rules for enforcement. In this policy discourse analysis, the author examines these policies to understand what dominant discourses emerge about students who use libraries. The discourses represented in these policies portray students through frames of deficit thinking, adultism, exclusion, and surveillance. The study advocates for a critical shift in the design and purpose of these policies, and the results may inspire academic librarians to revise their policies to center care and respect for students.

Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase (Pde6): Activation And Inactivation Mechanisms During Visual Transduction In Rods And Cones, Rick H. Cote

Faculty Publications

Rod and cone photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina utilize cGMP as the primary

intracellular messenger for the visual signaling pathway that converts a light stimulus into an electrical response. cGMP metabolism in the signal-transducing photoreceptor outer segment reflects the balance of cGMP synthesis (catalyzed by guanylyl cyclase) and degradation (catalyzed by the photoreceptor phosphodiesterase, PDE6). Upon light stimulation, rapid activation of PDE6 by the heterotrimeric G-protein (transducin) triggers a dramatic drop in cGMP levels that lead to cell hyperpolarization. Following cessation of the light stimulus, the lifetime of activated PDE6 is also precisely regulated by additional processes. This review summarizes …

"Forever Chemicals": Pfas Contamination And Public Health, Mackenzie Moyer

Penn State Law Review (2003 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Building Bridges With Language And Culture In Russia (Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad): Focusing On Intercultural Sensitivity, Alla Kourova, Florin M. Mihai

Russian Language Journal

In our progressively globalized world, the need to build bridges between people of different languages and cultures has grown exponentially. The phrases globalization , global citizen, and increasingly interconnected world are frequently present in public discourse (Kulturel-Konak, Konak, and D’Allegro 2017). Educators can potentially play a core role in bridging linguistic and cultural gaps between people, groups, and institutions. Closing these gaps was the main goal of the Building Bridges with Language and Culture in Russia project. The project was funded by the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program, which aims to improve US intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural …

Using Authentic Online Resources In Russian For Stem Coursework For Novice Through Superior Level Learners, Molly Thomasy Blasing

Russian Language Journal

This article makes a case for incorporating STEM content into Russian language courses at the Novice through Superior levels of proficiency. The author presents models of asynchronous learning activities based on authentic online resources developed for a Russian for STEM pilot course taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. These lessons can be employed in online or face-to-face courses to prepare students to speak, read, write, and understand the language of STEM fields in Russian.

Review: “The Nose”: A Stylistic And Critical Companion To Nikolai Gogol’S Story, Sara Jo Powell

Russian Language Journal

Ksana Blank’s companion to Gogol’s “The Nose” is an excellent new resource for students of Russian language and literature. The book consists of two sections: the first, a series of annotations to the story’s text, and the second, several short essays on a wide range of related topics. Finally, readers are provided with a carefully selected bibliography of secondary sources, which will be particularly valuable for those new to Gogol research and criticism.

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development & Search Tips Checklist (Revised), Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development and Search Tips Checklist is a tool that is used in instructional sessions with nurses in reference to evidence-based practice and literature searching. It is intended as a reference handout. The revised handout contains information related to the databases that may be searched as well as about Google Scholar.

It is under a creative commons license. If you would like a version that can be rebranded for your organization to use, please contact the author for an editable version.

"Something's Happening Here/But You Don't Know What It Is": How Jurors (Mis)Construe Autism In The Criminal Trial Process, Michael L. Perlin, Heather Ellis Cucolo

Articles & Chapters

In the past 50 years, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has gone from a narrowly defined, rare disorder of childhood onset to a well-publicized, advocated, and researched lifelong condition, recognized as both fairly common and heterogeneous. Although the autism rights movement has drastically altered the perceptions of ASD within the last two decades, how autism is “processed” in the criminal trial process is a topic that is still largely under the radar and yet to be fully explored.

As research into this population increases, and as more and more children are diagnosed on the spectrum and enter into adulthood, the number …

Pursuing Gender Equality Through The Courts: The Role Of South Africa’S Women Judges,, Penelope Andrews

Articles & Chapters

The appointment of female judges in South Africa is part of the transformative constitutional project. This chapter examines the question of gender equality, specifically the contribution of female judges to the transformation of the judiciary. It explores whether women judges have, in their judgments, conscripted and interpreted the constitution to highlight and guarantee its transformative potential and possibilities. I looked at the impacts of women judges on constitutional jurisprudence and how the influence of women judges has interacted with the broader transformation of the judicial and political system after apartheid. I conclude that the presence of women in the judiciary …

On The Occurrence Of A Highly Localized Outbreak Of A Saturniid In Lowland East Ecuador: A Case Study And Literature Review, Samantha Sutton, Sarah C. Pasquini, Todd Swanson, Walter P. Carson

Neotropical Biodiversity

For decades, outbreaks of insect herbivores in tropical forests were considered unusual or rare events primarily because of high plant diversity and the top-down impact of enemies. An alternative explanation is that these outbreaks are common but occur on sparsely distributed hosts high in the canopy and at scales of one or a few individual trees. Here, we report an outbreak of a saturniid in the genus Citioica Travassos & Noronha near the Amazon Basin of Ecuador on a single tree of Inga edulis Mart. The outbreak caused near complete defoliation (>90% leaf loss) and did not occur on …

Responses Of Polylepis Birds To Patch And Landscape Attributes In The High Andes, C. Steven Sevillano-Ríos, Amanda D. Rodewald

Neotropical Biodiversity

Habitat loss and fragmentation can devastate biodiversity, especially at regional and global scales. However, generalizing to individual species is challenging given the wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape species-specific responses – particularly among species that are specialists, generalists, or adapted to naturally patchy landscapes. In this study, we examined how patch and landscape attributes affected bird communities within Polylepis forest ecosystems, which are patchily distributed within landscapes of Puna grasslands and shrublands in the High Andes of Peru (3,300–4,700 m). We surveyed birds in 59 Polylepis patches and 47 sites in the Puna matrix, resulting in 13,210 …

Nesting Biology And Nest Survival Of The Grassland Sparrow (Ammodramus Humeralis) In Grazed Grasslands Of Central-Eastern Argentina, Martín Alejandro Colombo, Adrián Jauregui, Exequiel Gonzalez, Luciano Noel Segura

Neotropical Biodiversity

Knowledge of the breeding biology of grassland birds is important given the accelerated rate of transformation of their habitats, which has led to noticeable population declines of many species. Although several species in South America are of conservation concern due to habitat alteration, information on their nesting biology is generally sparse. During three seasons we studied a breeding population of a poorly studied ground-nesting bird, the Grassland Sparrow (Ammodramus humeralis), in grasslands used for cattle grazing in central-eastern Argentina. We described its breeding parameters, estimated nestling growth curves, and analyzed daily nest survival rates (DSR) as a function of grassland …

Using Noninvasive Techniques To Monitor Game Species Targeted By Poaching In Misiones, Argentina, Pryscilha M. Delgado, Carina F. Argüelles, Karen E. Dematteo

Neotropical Biodiversity

Misiones, Argentina contains the largest remnant of Upper Paraná Atlantic forest; however, half of it is unprotected. The long-term survival of its biodiversity is threatened by poaching and habitat loss, which eliminate animal populations and decrease genetic variability in species. Noninvasive techniques were used to evaluate the presence of four mammals [white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), tapir (Tapirus terrestris), and paca (Cuniculus paca)] often targeted by poachers. With detection dogs, 179 scats were collected across intact and modified habitats in the northern-central zones of Misiones. Of the samples collected, 76.5% (n = 137) could be genetically confirmed …

Herpetofauna Of The Reserva De La Biósfera Estación Biológica Del Beni And The Chimane Reserve Indigenous Territory, Bolivia, Cord B. Eversole, Randy L. Powell, Dennis Lizarro, Ashton V. Crocker, Gonzalo Calderón Vaca, Paola De La Quintana

Neotropical Biodiversity

Identifying patterns of herpetofaunal diversity is imperative to the conservation of these species and the ecosystems on which they rely. In this study, we determined species occurrence and composition of the herpetofauna at the Reserva de Biósfera Estación Biológica del Beni and the Chimane Reserve Indigenous Territory. Combined data resulted in documentation of 97 species belonging to 22 families and 50 genera. Reptiles were represented by 14 families and 47 species, while amphibians were represented by eight families and 50 species. This study provides a robust inventory and report of the herpetofauna at this site and delivers data that can …

First Comprehensive Insights Into The Biogeography Of The Caribbean Intertidal Oribatid Mite Fauna (Ameronothroidea), Tobias Pfingstl

Neotropical Biodiversity

A decade ago the Caribbean was almost completely uncharted in terms of intertidal ameronothroid mites. Now the present data show that these organisms are a common component of the fauna of Caribbean shorelines. Two families of Ameronothroidea are present, the Fortuyniidae with three genera and four species and the Selenoribatidae with five genera and nine species. The most common species are the fortuyniid Alismobates inexpectatus and the selenoribatid Carinozetes mangrovi, both taxa were found in the Northern Caribbean, the Greater and Lesser Antilles as well as on Central American coasts. Six species are endemic to the Caribbean, Litoribates bonairensis, L. …

Dna Barcoding Approach To Characterize Microalgae Isolated From Freshwater Systems In Ecuador, Isabel Ballesteros, Paulina Terán, Cristina Guamán-Burneo, Nory González, Alejandra Cruz, Pablo Castillejo

Neotropical Biodiversity

The use of suitable DNA barcodes and the generation of databases with reference sequences have been considered a promissory approach for the identification of Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta microalgae. In this study, we carried out a molecular characterization and identification of strains isolated from freshwater systems in Ecuador using a dual barcode method. The target sequences for Chlorophyta were 18S rDNA and rbcL genes, and 16S rDNA and 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer (ITS) for Cyanophyta. We reported these DNA barcodes for 20 different Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) for Chlorophyta and 10 for Cyanophyta. Our results show that the 18S V4 …

Population Genetic Analysis Of Two Polylepis Microphylla (Wedd.) Bitter (Rosaceae) Forests In Ecuador, Esteban W. Bastidas-León, David A. Espinel-Ortiz, Katya Romoleroux

Neotropical Biodiversity

Habitat fragmentation is a severe problem that negatively affects forests around the world. This phenomenon has consequences at a genetic level in populations such as genetic diversity and gene flow reduction. As a result, population fitness decreases, and the possibility of extinction increases. Polylepis (Rosaceae) forests are endemic to the Andes and their distribution reflects hundreds of years of human activities. Polylepis microphylla is the most endangered species of the genus in Ecuador and is represented by only two known forests in Chimborazo province, separated from each other by 1,6 km. The present study focused on i) exploring the genetic …

Are Populations Of Polylepis Australis Locally Adapted Along Their Elevation Gradient?, Paula Inés Marcora, Paula A Tecco, María Cecilia Ferrero, Ana Elisa Ferreras, Sebastián Rodolfo Zeballos, Guillermo Funes, Diego Ezequiel Gurvich, Gonzalo. Arias, Yolanda Cáceres, Isabell Hensen

Neotropical Biodiversity

Mountain ecosystems are characterized by steep environmental gradients. Species with broad elevation distribution are exposed to contrasting climatic conditions along their gradients. In response to those changes, species might develop ecotypes adapted to the local climate. Early regeneration is the most critical stage for plant populations and, therefore, withstands strong selection pressures. Previous studies showed a unimodal pattern of intraspecific variability in fitness components among Polylepis australis populations along their elevation gradient in the mountains of central Argentina. Whether this variability is the result of local populations’ adjustments to their respective site remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that P. …

Pollen Limitation And Reproductive Incompatibility System In A Critically Endangered Tree, Polylepis Incarum (Bitter) M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb (Rosaceae), Cecilia L. López, Alejandra I. Domic, César Mayta, Emilia García, Jorge A.N. Quezada, Silvia C. Gallegos

Neotropical Biodiversity

Anemophilous species depend on wind for sexual reproduction. When plants do not receive enough pollen and/or pollen has poor quality, they may experience pollen limitation. This can reduce the production of fruits and seeds with negative consequences on population dynamics. The self-compatibility system also plays an important role on the likelihood of a species suffering pollen limitation as it determines if plants can produce fruits and seeds in the absence of compatible mates. Here, we studied the breeding system of the Andean anemophilous tree Polylepis incarum, a critically endangered species endemic to Lake Titicaca. We conducted controlled experimental pollination experiments …

The Structure Of Tardigrade Communities At Fine Spatial Scales In An Andean Polylepis Forest, Balbina P.L. Ramsay, Nigel J. Marley, David T. Bilton, Simon D. Rundle, Paul M. Ramsay

Neotropical Biodiversity

Little is known about distribution patterns of micrometazoan organisms at different spatial scales and the mechanisms driving these patterns across different environments. Here we explore the fine-scale structure of tardigrades in a high-elevation Polylepis forest in northern Ecuador. To investigate spatial patterns of tardigrade abundance, we collected samples from different bryophyte taxa (hosts) on the woodland floor. We identified some tardigrades to species, but most taxa were considered at the level of morphological operational taxonomic units. Tardigrade assemblages differed in composition between host taxa, with some tardigrade taxa associated more with certain hosts, which might relate to host architecture or …

Herbivory And Leaf Traits Of Two Tree Species From Different Successional Stages In A Tropical Dry Forest, Fernando Henrique De Sena, Bruno Melo Lustosa, Silvia Roberta Santos Silva, Hiram Marinho Falcão, Jarcilene Silva De Almeida

Neotropical Biodiversity

Leaf traits are analyzed as essential drivers for the evolutionary and ecological role of plant defense mechanisms. Plants show leaf trait variation as a response to the diverse environmental conditions, like different successional stages. Those variations can impact leaf herbivory rates and drive changes in the allocation of plant resources. In this study, we aimed at comparing the expression of leaf defenses in established plants over different successional stages in a tropical dry forest to understand how these defenses modify the plant–herbivore interactions based on herbivory rates. We analyzed physical leaf traits (specific leaf area, thickness, and density), nutrient content …

Distribution Shifts In Habitat Suitability And Hotspot Refugia Of Andean Tree Species From The Last Glacial Maximum To The Anthropocene, Alejandra I. Domic, José M. Capriles

Neotropical Biodiversity

Forecasting the effects of climate change on the distribution of Andean trees (Polylepis, Rosaceae) is important to understand how species respond to climate variability and to assess their resilience to the ongoing climate crisis. Here, paleodistribution modelling is used to assess distribution shifts of 17 Polylepis species during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene (MH), and the Anthropocene in the central Andes. Species distribution models (SDMs) were computed by combining presence records and current climatic conditions using Maxent and projected onto three climatic scenarios for the LGM (~22,000 yr BP), the MH (~6,000 yr BP), and the Anthropocene (1,970–2,000). Subsequently, …

Cantos De Las Ranas Y Los Sapos De Colombia: Estado Actual Del Conocimiento Y Perspectivas De Investigación En Ecoacústica, Mauricio Rivera-Correa, Ana María Ospina-L, Maribel Rojas-Montoya, Khristian Venegas-Valencia, Luis Alberto Rueda-Solano, Paul David Alfonso Gutiérrez-Cárdenas, Fernando Vargas-Salinas

Neotropical Biodiversity

Vocalizations are one of the most important communication modalities in amphibian biology, and advertisement call is the type of vocalization mostly emitted by anurans (frogs and toads). In the present study, we carried out a scientometric analysis of the advertisement call in species of anurans in Colombia to determine the state of knowledge of this science in the country. We recorded the number of call descriptions and its trend throughout more than 60 years; in addition, we identified how many species there are with the call described per taxonomic family, geographic units and threat status. According to our review, between …

It Is Not Just About Birds: What Do Acoustic Indices Reveal About A Costa Rican Tropical Rainforest?, Mónica Retamosa Izaguirre, Jimy Barrantes-Madrigal, David Segura Sequeira, Manuel Spínola-Parallada, Oscar Ramírez-Alán

Neotropical Biodiversity

Acoustic monitoring is used to assess biodiversity across large spatial and temporal scales. However, extracting meaningful information from large data sets might be exceedingly time consuming. For this reason, acoustic indices have been proposed as proxies for biodiversity monitoring. Although acoustic indices hold great promise for standardizing acoustic data analysis, the complexity of acoustic conditions requires careful examination of the relationship between an index and the underlying process of interest. We evaluated 11 acoustic indices at two operational levels: (1) acoustic community level (an aggregation of species that produces sound), using birds as an example to assess how well acoustic …

Leaf Morphoanatomical Traits Of Jacquinia Armillaris Jacq. (Theophrastoideae - Primulaceae) In Two Xeric Shrublands From Venezuela, Yutcelia Carolina Galviz, Rosanna Valerio

Neotropical Biodiversity

This study aimed to investigate the leaf anatomy of Jacquinia armillaris plants in two different Venezuelan xeric shrublands to evaluate possible variations caused by the environments, which differ in rainfall and soil salinity. Leaf samples were collected in two sites: La Tortuga Island, a dryer and salty environment than the other collecting site, Turpialito, a coastal location in the mainland. The epidermis and the mesophylls were observed with a light microscope and measured with an ocular micrometer inserted in one of the eyepieces. The results show that J. armillaris has many characteristic anatomical traits of xerophytes, among them: thick cuticles …

Sampling Performance Of Bait Traps In High Andean Fruit-Feeding Butterflies, Carlos Federico Álvarez, Alejandra Clavijo-Giraldo, Sandra Inés Uribe, Tomasz Wilhelm Pyrcz, Cristiano Agra Iserhard, André Victor Lucci Freitas, Mario Alejandro Marín

Neotropical Biodiversity

Studies on model organisms such as butterflies are useful tools for conservation decision-making. However, in tropical ecosystems with an intrinsic high diversity a full understanding of biotic communities is difficult to obtain. Bait trap samplings have traditionally been used for community appraisals related to ecological and conservation issues. Nonetheless, in the Andes Mountains, there is little knowledge related to the effectiveness of bait traps for butterfly sampling. In this study, we tested the success of fermented fruits and rotten fish baits for butterfly sampling in four land-cover types (páramo, cloud forests, mixed, and pasture) in the upper Rio Chico basin …

Cuantificación De Plomo (Pb) En Tejidos Blandos Y Óseo De Murciélagos (Mammalia: Chiroptera) Provenientes De Zonas De Influencia Urbana En La Costa Occidental De Ecuador, Michelle Baquerizo, Jaime A. Salas

Neotropical Biodiversity

Lead (Pb) has generated a worldwide concern for its genotoxic effects on human health, and its ability to be bioaccumulative in ecosystems, but nevertheless, there are no estimates of wildlife from terrestrial habitats in Ecuador. Our objective was to determine the concentration of Pb in soft and bone tissues from bats species collected in areas with urban influence in Guayas province, western Ecuador. The specimens were collected with mist nets, manual capture from animals found dead or dying in the streets, and museological collections. We applied Mann-Whitney U test to analyze differences between males and females, and between guilds. 66 …

Filling Biogeographical Gaps Through Wildlife Roadkills: New Distribution Records For Six Snake Species From Ecuador (Anilius Scytale, Drymarchon Corais, Erythrolamprus Breviceps, Micrurus Lemniscatus, Oxyrhopus Vanidicus, Trilepida Anthracina), Pablo Medrano-Vizcaíno, David Brito-Zapata

Neotropical Biodiversity

Monitoring wildlife roadkills is a valuable method to identify critical areas where animals are more susceptible to collision with vehicles, likewise, this type of work can let us know which species are more vulnerable to this human impact. Besides these relevant utilities used for mitigation purposes, this effort can provide very important information about the biology, ecology and biogeography of species. In this paper, we report new geographic records found while working on a road ecology study. These data increase the distribution of six snakes’ species (Anilius scytale, Drymarchon corais, Erythrolamprus breviceps, Micrurus lemniscatus, Oxyrhopus vanidicus and Trilepida anthracina), from …

“A Local! A Monster!”: Harmful Tropes Of Indigeneity In Thomas Adès’S The Tempest, Rosie Rogers

Student Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.