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Trial-based Measurements as an Index of Response Strength
Get PDFIdentifying and evaluating dependent variables within functional analyses are essential steps that affect the assessment\u27s overall acceptability. Although most of the studies on functional analyses suggest that measuring repeated occurrences of behavior with rate measurements generates the most accurate data, several researchers suggest using alternative measurement methods to avoid the heavy burden of the procedure. In the present study, I partially replicated a study by Thomason-Sassi and colleagues (2011) that evaluated the correspondence between latency measures of responding and rate. Additionally, trial-based measurements, such as the occurrence of the behavior, represented in the percentage of trials, were compared with rate measurements. The research outcomes have shown that trial-based measurements could be useful measures of responding when latency and rate are impractical to arrange or undesirable due to the heavier observer burden these measurements represent. The results indicate a correspondence between the three measurement methods. Implications for trial-based measurements and future directions for research are discussed
Marine Fishery Management Agent-Based Modeling
Get PDFFisheries in the United States not only provide seafood for us to enjoy and contribute significantly to the American economy, they also help us to sustain ecological balance and protect our ocean resources. Fishery management agencies in the United States conduct stock assessments to discover the changes in the abundance of fishery stocks in response to changes in the environment and effects of commercial and recreational fishing. Efficient stock assessment enables maintenance of healthy fisheries without permanently damaging the marine ecosystem. In order to forecast the future trend of fisheries, predicting fish migration patterns in response to the environmental factors is important. We present an agent-based model which through emergence, predicts migration patterns of Mackerel by exploiting their biological characteristics. We generalized the agent-based model proposed by SEASIM [ 4 ] by employing an optimal temperature of Mackerel for fish movement in response to environmental data. The experimental results suggested that integration of bio-energetics and an energy budget for each agent was necessary for improving the accuracy of the Mackerel spatial dynamics in the simulation
The Elements of Us: Poetry, Short Stories, & Creative Nonfiction
No full textThe Jewish oral tradition has a distinct understanding of the four elements; water (mayim), air (ruach), fire (aish), and earth (adamah) are embedded in Jewish rituals. Whether lighting a candle or bathing in a ritual bath, each practice relates to an elementβs unique natural properties that open new access points to G-d. This thesis is a collection of original prose and poetry inspired by Jewish interpretations of the four elements. The narrators of the collection, which features poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, experience each element as they accomplish major milestones
Identifying the role of cholesterol and the cholesterol transfer protein, YSP1-2, in cell-cell fusion in Tetrahymena thermophila
Get PDFA cellβs shape directly affects how it behaves as oneβs structure directly correlates to its function. The shape of cells and organelles is driven in part by the lipid bilayer that makes up their membranes. The process by which cells systematically adjust the types of lipids in membranes to facilitate changes in membrane shape remain uncertain. In our research, we aimed to address this issue by studying the role of lipid transfer proteins in the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophilia. Specifically, we focus on the process of cell-cell fusion during mating in Tetrahymena as this requires a drastic change in membrane shape at a specific time and place along the cell membrane. Using methyl-Ξ²-cyclodextrin (MBCD), we showed that the curvature accommodating lipid, cholesterol, is required for mating in Tetrahymena. Through bioinformatics analysis, we were able to identify a potential cholesterol transfer protein, TTHERM_ 00129660 (YSP1-2), that is expressed during the fusion process and that contains domains consistent with membrane binding and deformation as well as lipid transfer. We were able to clone this gene and its key functional domains with a yellow fluorescent protein with the goal of determining their function and localization. Future experiments involve determining the localization and function of domains within YSP1-2, as well as testing the effects of cholesterol sequestration on cell-cell fusion specifically. Importantly, we think that because of the conservation and importance of cell-cell fusion in higher eukaryotes, we believe that the information that we glean from this research can be applicable to the broader understanding of cell-cell fusion