Life Sciences Commons^™

The “Precautionary Principle” – A Work In Progress, Shelley Adamo

Animal Sentience

The target article by Birch illustrates the practical difficulties with the “Animal Sentience Precautionary Principle” (ASPP) while presenting potential solutions. However, the ASPP will be difficult to use without guidelines detailing how evidence of sentience should be assessed. Moreover, extrapolating conclusions found for a single species to all species within an Order is problematic. Finally, I recommend that Birch demonstrate his ASPP framework using a controversial test case to help show how it could be used in real-world situations.

What If All Animals Are Sentient?, Arthur S. Reber

Animal Sentience

Birch develops a useful framework for determining when the Animal Sentience Precautionary Principle (ASPP) should be invoked. He rightly notes that there is a lack of agreement among social scientists, ethicists, and legislators even about whether the precautionary principle is useful, let alone when and how it should be implemented. His proposal is to establish a kind of cognitive threshold, and only when an animal shows a sufficient level of sentience would the ASPP be appropriate. From the point of view of the Cellular Basis of Consciousness model (Reber, 2016), all animals are sentient. If correct, the problems Birch identifies …

Scientific Uncertainty And The Animal Sentience Precautionary Principle, Michael L. Woodruff

Animal Sentience

Jonathan Birch offers the animal sentience precautionary principle (ASPP) as a framework for assigning sentience to animals. In doing this, he defines a BAR which when crossed will lead to action (ACT) and implementation of the ASPP. His effort to create a clear empirical basis for implementation of the precautionary principle in the area of animal welfare regulation is important. I argue, however, that his BAR is so low that the evidence supporting ACT is in danger of being overwhelmed by the problems of induction and the underdetermination of theory by evidence. If this happens, policy makers might well disregard …

Refining The Precautionary Framework, Jonathan Birch

Animal Sentience

Most of the commentators so far agree that the precautionary principle can be usefully applied to the question of animal sentience. I consider various ways of refining my proposals in light of the suggestions. I amend BAR to implement C. Brown’s suggestion that the scope of animal welfare law should be extensible by phylogenetic inference from orders in which credible indicators of sentience are found. In response to C. Brown, Mallatt, and Woodruff, I amend ACT to allow that a single credible indicator may sometimes call for urgent further investigation rather than immediate protection. In response …

Moderate-Load Muscular Endurance Strength Training Did Not Improve Peak Power Or Functional Capacity In Older Men And Women, Simon J. Walker, Greg G. Haff, Keijo K. Häkkinen, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The present study determined the effects of muscular endurance strength training on maximum strength and power, functional capacity, muscle activation and hypertrophy in older men and women. Eighty-one men and women acted as an intervention group while 22 acted as non-training controls (age range 64-75 y). Intervention training included super-sets (i.e., paired exercises, immediately performing the second exercises following completion of the first) with short rest intervals (30-60 s between sets) at an intensity of 50-60% one-repetition maximum (1-RM) for 15-20 repetitions. Concentric leg press actions measured maximum strength (1-RM) and concentric peak power. Functional capacity was assessed by maximum …

Response And Recovery Of A Mixed Tropical Seagrass Assemblage To Variation In The Frequency And Magnitude Of Light Deprivation. Report Of Theme 5 - Project 5.5.3 Prepared For The Dredging Science Node, John Statton, Kathryn Mcmahon, Rosin Mccallum, Gary Kendrick, Paul Lavery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The capacity of seagrasses to cope with episodes of light deprivation from overlying turbid waters may not only depend on the absolute quantity of light they receive during that episode, but also on how the light deprivation varies through time. For example, turbidity and therefore light reduction may be relatively constant over the episode or it may fluctuate depending on the frequency of pulsed turbidity events.

This report presents findings from a controlled mesocosm experiment that aimed to determine the responses of seagrasses to, and recovery from, differences in the pattern of the delivery of light. The study focussed on …

Effects Of Dredging-Related Pressures On Critical Ecological Processes For Organisms Other Than Fish Or Coral. Report Of Theme 9 - Project 9.1 Prepared For The Dredging Science Node, Jessie Short, Matthew Fraser, Dianne Mclean, Gary Kendrick, Maria Byrne, Julian Caley, Doug Clarke, Andy Davis, Paul Ertemeijer, Stuart Field, Sam Gustin-Craig, John Huisman, John Keesing, Mick Keough, Paul Lavery, Ray Mansini, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kerrie Mergersen, Michael Rasheed, John Statton, Jim Stoddart, Paul Wu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study reviewed environmental windows for organisms other than corals and fish such as sessile invertebrates, macroalgae and seagrasses. Environmental windows are periods of critical importance to the life history of a marine species, like reproduction and recruitment.

Aims

• To review the scientific literature on the timing and spatial extent of critical ecological processes relevant to tropical WA for marine primary producers and invertebrates (i.e. organisms other than coral and finfish) and the state of knowledge regarding potential effects of dredging on these key ecological processes. The review also had a particular focus on ecological processes in marine primary producers …

The Effect Of A Neuromuscular Training Program On Jump Landing Performance, Richard Alan Aley

Theses

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is highly prevalent within competitive sports of all levels and types. Female athletes are at higher risk for sustaining an ACL injury. specifically those participating in field and court based sports involving large dynamic movements, such as soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and gymnastics. The use of neuromuscular training to promote proper mechanics during jumping and change of direction activities may decrease the risk of ACL injury.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a neuromuscular trai11ing program on jump landing mechanics in female college athletes.

METHODS: Forty-three female Division …

Cognitive Dissonance Or Contrast? It Could Be Both, Thomas Zentall

Animal Sentience

My target article suggested that cognitive dissonance may be accounted for by a simpler mechanism: contrast. Whether contrast can explain all cognitive dissonance effects is an empirical question, but it is always useful to try to distinguish simpler mechanisms from more complex cognitive ones. The insistence that cognitive dissonance is a human-only process quite different from contrast may be a self-serving means of justifying the exploitation of animals.

Freshwater Future: The Influence Of Exposure To Extreme Summer Rainfall Events On The Resistance And Recovery Patterns Of An Estuarine Seagrass, Chanelle Webster

Theses : Honours

Restoring and maintaining the ecological resilience of seagrass ecosystems will be a major challenge of the 21st century. The decline of seagrasses worldwide is attributed to the erosion or elimination of their ecological resilience driven by human impacts, extreme climate events and climate change. Ecological resilience refers to the ability of ecosystems to resist or recover from disturbances whilst maintaining their integral structure and function. Seagrass resilience is influenced by life history, meadow form (transitory or enduring) and habitat type. The purpose of this honours project was to investigate the influence of extreme climate events and meadow form on a …

Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviors In Urban Chinese Children: Grade Level Prevalence And Academic Burden Associations, Xihe Zhu, Justin A. Haegele, Yan Tang, Xueping Wu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The objectives of this study were (a) to report grade level prevalence in physical activity and sedentary behaviors and (b) to examine academic burden associations with these behaviors. School-aged children (n = 48,118) reported their physical activity, perception of physical activity sufficiency, factors for activity insufficiency, homework hours, and screen time in a typical week. Data were analyzed using general linear models and logistic regression models of Complex Samples. Prevalence results showed that children had lower physical activity and lower screen viewing time, but higher homework time during transition grades (6th, 9th, and 12th) and high school years. Academic burden …

Frequency Of Chronic Gastrointestinal Distress In Runners: Validity And Reliability Of A Retrospective Questionnaire, Patrick B. Wilson

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms may affect up to 90% of competitors during endurance races. Studies have typically assessed GI symptoms retrospectively or only over an acute timeframe, and information on the validity and reliability of the questionnaires employed is lacking. This investigation aimed to estimate the frequency of GI distress experienced by runners over 30 days and to establish the validity and reliability of a retrospective GI symptom questionnaire. Runners (70 men, 75 women) recorded GI symptoms with a prospective journal for 30 days. Retrospective GI symptom data were then collected after the 30-day period on two occasions within one week. …

Characterization Of Genic Microsatellite Markers (Est-Ssrs) In The Endangered Oak Species Quercus Georgiana M.A.Curtis, Priyanka Dipak Kadav

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Quercus is important ecologically and economically because it provides food and habitat for wildlife, wood and paper products for humans. Oaks are endangered due to various factors like shifting climates, habitat loss, drought, pathogens and genetic swamping. Quercus georgiana (M.A. Curtis) is an endangered and restricted oak species which is remaining only in the southeastern part of the US. Efforts are required to conserve this endangered species from extinction. Conservation of this species can be done through these methods: ex-situ conservation (arboretum and botanical garden) and in-situ conservation strategies which protect the species in its natural habitat. For this conservation …

Assessing Growth, Yield, And Carbon Dynamics In Upper Great Lakes Jack Pine And Hybrid Poplar Managed For Biomass Production, Ashlee Baker Lehner

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Woody biomass for use as coal-replacing bioenergy has garnered increasing interest as federal and local governments require larger portions of energy production to come from renewable sources. Woody biomass can be produced from dedicated plantations grown and harvested solely for biomass production, or non-dedicated sources such as harvest residues from traditional timber operations. The creation of site index curves for hybrid poplar were established from the Michigan Technological University Hybrid Poplar Network in the upper Great Lakes Region. These site index models are to be used for landowners to assess the predicted yield at established plantations, or possibly within spatial …

Models Of Forest Inventory For Istanbul Forest Using Airborne Lidar And Spaceborne Imagery, Mustafa Kagan Ozkal

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Active remote sensing technology (LiDAR) and passive remote sensing technology (Pleiades and Göktürk-2 satellites) were used to find a meaningful relationship between ground data and remote sensing instruments for Istanbul Forest, Turkey. Two dominant species in the field, oak (deciduous trees) and maritime pine (coniferous trees), were researched. There were 86 plots total, 41 for maritime pine and 45 for oak. Three diameter at breast height (DBH) thresholds were studied. Trees of any DBH (DBH≥0.1 cm), trees ≥8 cm DBH thresholds and, trees ≥10 cm DBH thresholds. Both satellite image metrics were derived from Grey Level Co-occurrence Measures (GLCM). All …

Characterization Of Ecological Water Stress In The U.S. Great Lakes Region Using A Geospatial Modeling Approach, Sara Alian

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Anthropocentric water resources management affects aquatic habitats by changing streamflow regime. Understanding the impacts of water withdrawal from different sources and consumption by various economic sectors at different spatial and temporal scales is key to characterizing ecologically harmful streamflow disturbances. To this end, we developed a generic, integrative framework to characterize catchment scale water stress at annual and monthly time scales. The framework accounts for spatially cumulative consumptive and non-consumptive use impacts and associated changes in flow due to depletion and return flow along the stream network. Application of the framework to the U.S. Great Lakes Region indicates that a …

Portulaca Oleracea Extract Can Inhibit Nodule Formation Of Colon Cancer Stem Cells By Regulating Gene Expression Of Notch Signal Transduction Pathway, Li Chen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Portulaca oleracea extract on tumor formation in colon cancer stem cells and chemotherapy sensitivity. In addition, this study analyzed the genetic changes within the Notch signal transduction pathway associated with the effects of the extracts. Serum-free cultures of colon cancer cells (HT-29) and HT-29 stem cells were treated with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU to assess sensitivity. Injections of the stem cells were also given to BALB/c mice to confirm tumor growth and characteristics. In addition, the effect of different concentrations of P. oleracea extract was tested on the …

The Effects Of Early Pruning On The Near-Ground Branch Density Of Four Live Fencing Species, Aric Devens

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Crop losses in home gardens greatly impact the wellbeing of rural West African families. Herbivory by migratory or local livestock represents a significant source of crop loss. Live-fencing gardens with thorny hedges is a low-cost and sustainable strategy for reducing losses due to herbivory. However, guidance on the establishment of thorny hedges is inconsistent, poorly publicized, and often anecdotal. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of three early pruning treatments on near-ground branch density of four thorny species: Vachellia nilotica, Senegalia laeta, Senegalia mellifera, and Prosopis juliflora. Physical measurements and photographic data indicated that after one growing season, V. …

Development Of Bioinformatics Tools And Algorithms For Identifying Pathway Regulators, Inferring Gene Regulatory Relationships And Visualizing Gene Expression Data, Chathura J. Gunasekara

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In the era of genetics and genomics, the advent of big data is transforming the field of biology into a data-intensive discipline. Novel computational algorithms and software tools are in demand to address the data analysis challenges in this growing field. This dissertation comprises the development of a novel algorithm, web-based data analysis tools, and a data visualization platform. Triple Gene Mutual Interaction (TGMI) algorithm, presented in Chapter 2 is an innovative approach to identify key regulatory transcription factors (TFs) that govern a particular biological pathway or a process through interaction among three genes in a triple gene block, which …

Development Of Gene-Based Microsatellite Markers In Acer Saccharum Marsh., Monica Harmon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh) is an important ecological and economic resource. Despite its significance, there are few molecular genetic resources available to date. This study used previously developed EST libraries generated for sugar maple and other hardwood species to develop and characterize EST-SSRs in sugar maple and test their transferability to other Acer species. Out of 58 markers tested, 22 showed amplification in the expected size range. From these, 16 polymorphic markers were selected to test transferability and 13 of these showed amplification in at least one other Acer species.

Heterologous Expression And Purification Of Full-Length Human Polybromo-1 Protein, Sarah Hopson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Over the past decade, it has become apparent that the human polybromo-1 protein (BAF180) has a critical role in cancer. BAF180 is known to be a driver mutation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, where it has been found to be mutated in approximately 40% of cases. Mutations have also been found in several other cancers, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and epithelioid sarcomas. BAF180 is the chromatin targeting subunit of the PBAF (Polybromo-associated BRG1-associated factor) chromatin remodeling complex, a role facilitated by its nine domains: six bromodomains, which recognize and bind to acetylated lysines on histones; two BAH (bromo-adjacent homology) domains, …

Neutral And Adaptive Genetic Variation In North American Hardwood Tree Species, Sudhir Khodwekar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

'Northern Hardwoods,’ are a characteristic composition of multiple tree species and a part of the rich and diverse northeastern forests. Hardwoods e.g. oaks (Quercus: Fagaceae and Sugar maple), serve as foundation species and offer ecological and economical gains to wildlife and humans. Most of the forest trees go through many biotic and abiotic stresses, for example climate change in their long life span. To overcome these threats and to adapt to changing conditions, tree species need to maintain variation especially in adaptive genes. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze genetic diversity within forest tree populations and take appropriate …

The Spatial Ecology Of Gray Wolves In The Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, 1994–2013, Shawn O'Neil

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

All natural processes are dynamic in space and time. Establishing the links between spatiotemporal patterns and ecological processes is critical for improving our understanding of natural systems. Empirical data representing wildlife populations is accumulating and increasingly involves spatiotemporal components. Wildlife monitoring programs for threatened, endangered, or other species of interest often involve radio-tracking of a sample of individual animals combined with census data. Such data are valuable both for conservation and management of populations and for testing ecological theories about species distribution and what influences patterns over time. We used 20 years of radio telemetry and snow tracking data to …

Blossomsttm Hub – An Online Tool For Designing Sttm Vectors And Visualizing Phenotypic Changes Of Sttm Transgenic Lines, Avinash Subramanian

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Small RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are widely present in plants. They are transcribed from non-coding small RNA genes and then play as regulators to modulate the levels of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of protein-coding genes via sequence pairings. This is because a paired complementary double sequence helix structure can trigger mRNA degradation or interfere with mRNA translation. Short Tandem Target Mimic (STTM) is a recently developed technology that can be used to produce a complementary sequence to a miRNA and destroy it or reduce the expression level of this miRNA via the formation of paired double-strand …

Methane Fluxes And Porewater Dissolved Organic Carbon Dynamics From Different Peatlands Types In The Pastaza-Marañon Basin Of The Peruvian Amazon., Jhon Del Aguila-Pasquel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Relevant components of the carbon budget such as methane fluxes and porewater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are poorly characterized in the Peruvian Pastaza Marañon basin (PMB). PMB is associated with a tropospheric hotspot for methane and therefore it may represent a significant methane source. We aimed to quantify the magnitude of CH₄ fluxes and porewater DOC; and to determine their predictors across different peatland types in the PMB (open peatland, palm swamp, and pole forest). The study was conducted in two peatland sites covering the three main vegetation types in PMB. We collected gas and water samples using chamber-based …

Effects Of Post-Fire Salvage Logging On Compaction, Infiltration, Water Repellency, And Sediment Yield And The Effectiveness Of Subsoiling On Skid Trails, Iskender Demirtas

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Post-fire salvage logging operations can induce environmental problems. This study assessed the effects of different disturbances from post-fire salvage logging on soil bulk density, water repellency, field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), ground cover, and sediment yields after the 2013 Rim Fire in California. Hillslope plots were installed in three locations (Sawmill, lower Femmons, and upper Femmons). The plot-scale disturbances were burned and untrafficked (low and high slope controls and logged only with no traffic), or burned and trafficked (few and many pass skid trails). Additional measurements were made in nearby areas that included the plot-scale disturbances as well as feller …

Phytoplankton Plastid Proteomics: Cracking Open Diatoms To Understand Plastid Biochemistry Under Iron Limitation, Skyler J. Nunn, Phoebe Dreux Chappell, Kristofer Gomes, Anasthasia Bonderenko, Bethany D. Jenkins, Brook L. Nunn

OES Faculty Publications

Diatoms, such as Thalassiosira pseudonana, are important oceanic primary producers, as they sequester carbon dioxide (CO₂) out of the atmosphere, die, and precipitate to the ocean floor. In many areas of the world’s oceans, phytoplankton, such as diatoms, are limited in growth by the availability of iron (Fe). Fe is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton, as it is central in the electron transport chain component of photosynthesis. Through this study, we examined if Fe-limitation makes a significant difference in the proteins expressed within the chloroplast, the power source for diatoms. Here, we utilized a new plastid isolation technique specific …

Activation Des Éosinophiles Humains Par Des Nanoparticules, Denis Girard, Maxime Marion-Murphy

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’économie du Canada, comme celle de bien d’autres pays industrialisés, bénéficie du développement des nanotechnologies dont le fort potentiel peut être exploité dans plusieurs secteurs industriels. Un nombre croissant d’entreprises québécoises de production de nanoparticules (NP) est d’ailleurs déjà implanté et tout porte à croire que d’autres emboîteront le pas dans les années à venir. Ce faisant, non seulement le nombre de travailleurs œuvrant dans la fabrication et la synthèse des NP augmentera sensiblement, mais également le nombre de ceux qui seront appelés à en manipuler et à en transformer dans les domaines des nanotechnologies en général. Une des conséquences …

Metagomics: A Web-Based Tool For Peptide-Centric Functional And Taxonomic Analysis Of Metaproteomics Data, Michael Riffle, Damon H. May, Emma Timmins-Schiffman, Molly P. Mikan, Daniel Jaschob, William S. Noble, Brook L. Nunn

OES Faculty Publications

Metaproteomics is the characterization of all proteins being expressed by a community of organisms in a complex biological sample at a single point in time. Applications of metaproteomics range from the comparative analysis of environmental samples (such as ocean water and soil) to microbiome data from multicellular organisms (such as the human gut). Metaproteomics research is often focused on the quantitative functional makeup of the metaproteome and which organisms are making those proteins. That is: What are the functions of the currently expressed proteins? How much of the metaproteome is associated with those functions? And, which microorganisms are expressing the …

Effect Of The National Accelerated Agricultural Inputs Access Subsidy Program On Fertilizer Usage And Food Production In Kakamega County, Western Kenya, Abednego Kiwia Mavuthu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 25 years of concerted efforts by African governments to adopt consistent policies for increasing food production, hunger and poverty are still prevalent in the continent. Using Bernanke's conceptualization of the credit channel theory of monetary policy, the purpose of this correlational study was to investigate whether a subsidy program, the National Accelerated Agricultural Inputs Access Program (NAAIAP), affected the rates of fertilizer usage and food production in Kakamega County, Western Kenya. Purposive stratified sampling was used to select 114 participants consisting of 72 farmers in each of the 2 groups: NAAIAP beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries. Participants completed a survey on …