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Determination of Extra-Pair Fertilization and Inbreeding Using Microsatellite Genotyping in a Captive Population of Zebra Finches
No full textMentor: Debora ChristensenTrue monogomy is atypical among animal species. The zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, is an exception,
renown for forming life-long monogamous relationships. We explored the extent of monogamy
in a captive population of breeding zebra finches by determining the rate of extra-pair fertilizations
(EPFs). Six pairs of finches were placed in a large flight cage and daily observations established
pair-bond formation, nest building, and incubation behaviors. Zebra finches provide biparental
care, and our observations revealed five established male-female pairs and one group of three (two
males and a female). Both males and females vigorously guard and defend the nest, but males also
engage in mate-guarding, protecting his female from the attentions of nearby males. If no EPFs occur,
all eggs within a given nest should be those belonging to a specific, identifiable, pair of birds.
EPFs are detected when the expected female is the mother but a different male is revealed as the father.
Egg dumping is a less well documented phenomenon that occurs when a female deposits fertile
eggs in a nest other than her own so the chicks are raised by foster parents. To determine the extent
of EPFs, egg dumping, and relatedness in our captive population, we took blood samples from 13 potential
parent zebra finches and 39 of their offspring, isolated genomic DNA, and amplified 5 microsatellite
regions known to the zebra finch genome. Analysis of the DNA sequencing allowed us to
assign maternity and paternity to individual zebra finches using single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNP’s).Drake University, College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biolog
Cervical Hypolordosis: A Case Study Report Of Treatments And Outcomes
No full textMentor: Rhonda Cross BeemerCervical hypolordosis is a condition affecting the cervical vertebrae in which the normal anterior curvature
shifts posteriorly from its original position, creating a flattening, causing pain and neuropathy
in patients. Little data exists on the causes, treatment, and progression of this condition which gives
motive for this case study report.
A moderately active 51 year old female patient sought chiropractic treatment after experiencing
numbness in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th digits of the left hand. She was diagnosed with a strain within the supraclavicular
region. A hypolordotic curve of the cervical vertebrae was noted upon visual examination.
She was treated using chiropractic techniques and regained 90% pre injury strength eradicating
her symptoms. The patient later returned to the clinic with further neuropathy signs and symptoms. A
differential diagnosis included thoracic outlet syndrome or disk herniation of the cervical vertebrae.
An MRI revealed reverse cervical curvature and otseophytes along the lateral bodies of C5/C6 vertebrae.
A treatment plan and protocol was followed addressing biochemical changes utilizing proprioceptive
neuromuscular facilitation, stretching exercises, and a home exercise program. Within only 4
treatments the patient reported 90% self improvement of symptoms. With so little evidence about cervical
hypolordosis it is important to note the positive outcomes of this patient and to utilize the information
to treat and/or educate others who suffer from cervical hypolordosis.Drake University, College of Pharmacy & Health Science
Re-imagining Shakespeare - Twelfth Night (program 2)
No full textThis exhibition represents the cross-discipline collaboration of more than sixty of Drake's students. After studying several of the Bard's plays, students in Sarah Hogan's Reading Shakespeare courses (ENG 058) worked in small groups to direct and perform scenes from "The Merchant of Venice", "Hamlet", and "Twelfth Night". They then collectively drafted a series of short essays on their imagined full-length productions. These modern adaptations, explained in the collaboratively-authored programs, ranged from a "Hamlet" set in the impoverished town of Denmark, South Carolina, to a "Twelfth Night" that explores the gender politics of corporate America. Students in the Graphic Design Two courses (ART 116) taught by Hilary Williams then worked in pairs to create theater posters and program covers that drew on these materials for inspiration and interpretation. All along the way, students have shared ideas, debated visions, and re-imagined Shakespeare.William Shakespeare was no stranger to collaboration. More than a few of his plays were co-authored with fellow dramatists or adapted by others in the process of publication, while performances of his works have always depended on the efforts of actors, investors, and even audiences. Indeed, in his time, Shakespeare was part of a commercial company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and later, the King's Men. Bringing his works to both light and life has therefore always required the imaginative labor of many.Drake University English Department, Professor Sarah Hogan, and Drake University Graphic Design Department, Professor Hilary Williams. Funding provided by Drake University Women's Studies. Exhibit hosted by Drake University, Cowles Library
Classifying Networks For Network Coding
Get PDFNetwork coding is a relatively recent development in the realm of maximizing information
transfer in communications and computer networks. Traditional networks operate by simply
storing and forwarding data along. Network coding, however, allows intermediate network
nodes to combine data using arithmetic operations. In many instances, this can lead
to more efficient use of network resources. Since there is a significant throughput input in
some networks, some studies have been done on what kinds of networks will benefit from
coding. A coding advantage is defined as a situation where a network coded graph has a
lower cost to send given information per unit time session than the same un-coded graph. It
has been proven that for two simple single-sender-single-receiver communication sessions
that a graph must have one of two special graph-theoretic structures called the butterfly and
grail in order to yield a coding advantage. We decided to focus our efforts on a different
traffic scenario: a multicast session with a single sender and multiple receivers. Through
our research we proved that a multicast-version of the butterfly network structure is needed
within a single session multicast with two sinks and one source in order to gain a coding
advantage. We also performed a simulation-based study in order to study the structures of
multicast sessions with a larger number of receivers. The study involved the random generation
of networks using several graph generation techniques. We also considered a variety
of different edge-weighting constraints. Given a particular graph with set edge weights, the
coding advantage problem was modeled as a linear program and run through the simulator
to determine if a coding advantage was gained. Based on visual inspection of these results,
it appears that variations of the multicast butterfly are ultimately the dominant structure
allowing for a coding advantage. We also found that many types of random networks only
very rarely resulted in a coding advantage. Only the graphs generated using the rectangular
grid method showed a coding advantage, with a coding advantage percentage of 0.005%
for 4 sinks in a 30 node network, with the coding advantage percentage going up as the
number of sinks within the network increased
Carbonyl Reduction of Bupropion in Human Liver Cytosol
No full textMentor: Alan L. MyersHuman carbonyl reductases (CBRs) are a class of phase I drug metabolizing enzymes that metabolize
numerous medications. Patients with pharmacogenetic variations in CBRs have suffered adverse
clinical consequences when administered drugs that are CBR substrates. Thus there is a pressing
need for pre-screening patients for pharmacogenetic variations in CBRs. Phenotyping patients for
pharmacogenetic variations in drug metabolizing enzymes classically involves using a probe substrate
for the enzyme. To date, a phenotypic probe for any of the CBRs is currently unknown. A novel
probe substrate for CBRs may be bupropion, which is reduced to two diastereomers: erythrohydrobupropion
(EBUP) and threohydrobupropion (TBUP). Although speculative, bupropion reduction is
likely catalyzed by one or more CBRs. Hence, the objective of this study is to identify the carbonyl
reductase(s) responsible for bupropion metabolism in human liver cytosol (HLC). The mean rate of formation (±s.d.) of EBUP and TBUP from bupropion in fresh HLC was 2.27(0.82) pmole/mg/min
and 17.4(0.35) pmole/mg/min, respectively. This reaction was NADPH dependent and nullified in
the presence of heat-inactivated HLC. The formation of EBUP and TBUP were analyzed in the presence
of CBR inhibitors: menadione, flufenamic acid, and 4-methylpyrazole. Menadione, a specific
inhibitor of the human carbonyl reductase (CR) enzyme, exhibited an IC50 towards bupropion reduction
at 27.3 μM (EBUP) and 87.9 μM (TBUP). EBUP and TBUP formation was not inhibited by
flufenamic acid or 4-methylpyrazole. To summarize, bupropion is metabolized to TBUP and EBUP
in HLC by CR, suggesting that bupropion has promise as a novel probe substrate for identifying pharmacogenetic
variations in CR.Drake University, College of Pharmacy & Health Science
Using Social Network Analysis As A Tool To Evaluate Medication Management In Ambulatory Care
No full textMentor: Dr. Andrea KjosThe goal of this project is to describe existing systems of medication management in ambulatory care
using network analyses methods. This study will identify how network patterns may produce clues to
how they link to patient outcome characteristics and patient safety. A longitudinal, roster survey will
be used for collecting data in order to conduct network analysis. A longitudinal design is important to
be able to collect an accurate representation of medication management over the long-term. Roster
survey instruments are a method used to collect data in social network analysis when the research objective
is to track who communicates within a given complete network. For this study, medication
management will be defined as any task, communication, or other exchange that links a minimum of
two persons in the network regarding a patient’s medication therapy. The network analysis will be
described in terms of nodes (individual staff, providers and patients) and ties (the number of communications
between them). Each network analysis will focus on the interconnectedness (density) and
the prominence (centrality) of nodes in each network as is consistent with examining public health
systems. Results from the proposed study will determine the utility of a quantitative social network
analysis of organizational or ‘structural’ dynamics for evaluation of medication management in ambulatory
care. Findings from this study will be useful in two ways: 1) it will determine feasibility of
an assessment tool and 2) it will broaden the application of a methodology not previously use in ambulatory
care.Drake University, College of Pharmacy & Health Science
Re-imagining Shakespeare - Hamlet (program 1)
No full textThis exhibition represents the cross-discipline collaboration of more than sixty of Drake's students. After studying several of the Bard's plays, students in Sarah Hogan's Reading Shakespeare courses (ENG 058) worked in small groups to direct and perform scenes from "The Merchant of Venice", "Hamlet", and "Twelfth Night". They then collectively drafted a series of short essays on their imagined full-length productions. These modern adaptations, explained in the collaboratively-authored programs, ranged from a "Hamlet" set in the impoverished town of Denmark, South Carolina, to a "Twelfth Night" that explores the gender politics of corporate America. Students in the Graphic Design Two courses (ART 116) taught by Hilary Williams then worked in pairs to create theater posters and program covers that drew on these materials for inspiration and interpretation. All along the way, students have shared ideas, debated visions, and re-imagined Shakespeare.William Shakespeare was no stranger to collaboration. More than a few of his plays were co-authored with fellow dramatists or adapted by others in the process of publication, while performances of his works have always depended on the efforts of actors, investors, and even audiences. Indeed, in his time, Shakespeare was part of a commercial company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and later, the King's Men. Bringing his works to both light and life has therefore always required the imaginative labor of many.Drake University English Department, Professor Sarah Hogan, and Drake University Graphic Design Department, Professor Hilary Williams. Funding provided by Drake University Women's Studies. Exhibit hosted by Drake University, Cowles Library
A Content Analysis Of The Congruence Between The Evaluation Criteria Of Superintendents And The Iowa Standards For School Leaders
Get PDFonline resource (112 leaves)The Problem: This study was designed to analyze the evaluation criteria of the
instruments used to evaluate superintendents, the job descriptions for those superintendents, and
the goals written as part of their Individual Administrator Professional Development Plans
(IAPDPs) to determine whether superintendents are being held accountable for serving as
instructional leaders.
Procedure: The job descriptions, evaluation instruments, and goals contained in IAPDPs
provided by superintendents were coded using content analysis to identify those that describe
instructional leadership as part of Standard 2 of the Iowa Standards for School Leaders (ISSL).
The criteria were disaggregated and further sorted by district size. An analysis was conducted
from the sampling units representing 20 of the 86 eligible superintendents in certain school
districts with large high school enrollments, indicated by their membership in Class 3A or 4A for
football during the 2009–2010 school year. Of the 20 randomly selected superintendents, 18
provided the three documents to be analyzed. A total of 52 sampling units were analyzed as part
of this study.
Findings: There was little congruence between the job descriptions and the criteria
associated with instructional leadership in Standard 2. Only 17% of the 518 recording units were
coded as Standard 2 in the ISSL. Additionally, there was little congruence between the goals
written in IAPDP and the criteria in Standard 2 of the ISSL. Of the 87 recording units, only 25%
were coded as Standard 2 in the ISSL. The size of the school district made little difference
related to Standard 2 criteria in the sampling units. Of the 18 districts reporting, 15 (83%) have
implemented the ISSL standards as part of their evaluation criteria. There were nearly twice as
many recording units (29%) from the evaluation instruments coded to Standard 2 than there were
in the job descriptions (17%), so it was determined that the instruments were not congruent with
one another
Synthesis and Characterization of Enamine- And Schiff-Base Metal Complexes
Get PDFMentor: Dr. Colin CairnsEnamine- and Schiff-Base metal complexes have shown the potential to be catalysts in oxidation reduction reactions. To model these potential catalytic abilities, acetylacetone and 2-acetyldimedone
were used to prepare enamine- and Schiff-Base metal complexes. Preliminary characterization of the
ligands and metal complexes was carried out using infrared spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.Drake University, College of Arts & Science
