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Urban environments have lower bird diversity and higher dominance of invasive avian species than rural environments
No full textUrbanization reduces the amount of natural habitat for numerous organisms, which has reshaped community structure in many ways. Birds perform essential ecosystem functions and connect ecosystems through their migration. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how changing landscapes affects their community diversity and thus community health. We examined if urbanization was reducing bird diversity. Over a 15-year period, we performed 250 x 1000m Emlen transects to estimate abundances of bird populations in both an urban (Ada, Ohio) and a rural habitat (Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve, near Kenton, Ohio). We then calculated the Shannon Diversity Index (H) to estimate diversity in each community. We found that the urban environment (Ada) had significantly lower diversity than the rural environment (Lawrence Woods) and was dominated by species that can readily adapt to an urban environment, such as the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). We conclude that urbanization may reduce avian diversity in northwest Ohio, and that the higher dominance of non-native species in urban habitats may be due to these species being ecosystem generalists that tend to be more resilient to habitat disturbances. The reduction in avian diversity in urban habitats may be due to both the removal of necessary resources and the increase in frequency and severity of disturbance events common among urban landscapes
An Empty Guarantee?
Get PDFSelf-governance constitutes the foundation of a republican form of governance. Three pressing threats to self-governance warrant closer scrutiny of the long-forgotten and wrongly interpreted Guarantee Clause (the Clause). Election interference and other limitations on the right to vote may deny individuals the control over their officials required by republican governance. Corporate consolidation of economic, cultural, and political capital likewise threatens to disturb the ability of individuals to act as free agents—unbeholden to one or a few companies for critical information and free and able to pursue their own private goals. And, finally, intentional manipulation of citizens by state governments in order to increase lottery revenues, which diminishes the economic security of individuals already struggling to get by. Each of these threats constitutes a significant antirepublican trend. This essay makes three important contributions to a growing body of scholarship focused on defending republican values and governance. First, that the three aforementioned threats may trigger the federal government’s obligations under the Guarantee Clause. Second, the Guarantee Clause protects not only republican forms of governance but also the substance of republican self-governance. And, third, that specific federal interventions may be necessary to stem the aforementioned threats
The Evolution of Race-Based Admissions in American Higher Education
Get PDFThis Article examines the Supreme Court’s evolving position on racebased admissions policies over the past 127 years. Between Plessy and Brown, universities used race-based policies to exclude black applicants from white universities. Brown shifted admissions policies from blocking black students to accepting them. As affirmative action gained momentum, universities escalated from merely accepting minority candidates to proactive recruitment by using quotas and lowering their admissions standards. The Court in Bakke set the ground rules for race-based admissions during that period. In 2003, Grutter upheld the university’s pursuit for a “critical mass” of minority students in its entering class. Two decades later, the “critical mass” rule was invalidated by SFFA v. Harvard in 2023, ending race-based admissions. This Article concludes that the Court consistency in its jurisprudence on race-based admissions policies lasted only a few decades.7 The change of composition in the Court as a result of political influences was a major driving force behind its shifting positions
Effect of Vitamin K Supplementation on Insulin Resistance: A Review
Get PDFInsulin resistance is one of the pathological hallmarks that leads to the development of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Around 40% of people aged 18 to 44 living in the United States have insulin resistance. Recent research, coupled with a better understanding of how vitamin K functions in the body, suggests that this vitamin could potentially help reduce insulin resistance. Vitamin K is not included in the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for the treatment of insulin resistance, but it has been shown to have some benefits in patients with T2DM. It may also serve as a treatment option for patients at risk of developing insulin resistance. Upon evaluation of clinical trials, the effects of vitamin K supplementation on insulin resistance were assessed in various populations. The studies indicated that vitamin K supplementation may be considered in patients suffering from or at risk of developing insulin resistance. Providers can use this information to provide counseling on drug interactions as well as offer options for supplemental vitamin K through foods and over-the-counter products
How Divorce Affects Black Women
No full textDivorce is a concept that impacts many across the board. Divorces are not as relevant in the black community because of the family structure. In fact, African American women are disproportionately impacted by divorce because of financial reasons. They are stuck in a vicious cycle due to systemic and socioeconomic reasons such as poverty, the prison system, and gender dynamics. African American women are more likely to be in impoverished communities, then the financial strain leads to higher likeliness of martial instability and then divorce typically leaves women in a greater financial strain. The way that divorce impacts Black women is by financially burdening them
Characterization of Sorption Behavior of Phosphate Esters And Other P-bearing Compounds.
No full textDissolved phosphorus is a nutrient of concern in the Great Lakes basin, particularly in the western basin of Lake Erie. Dissolved reactive P (DRP) is largely responsible for the formation of harmful algal blooms and the continued eutrophic status of the Lake. Attempts to mitigate P losses into the Lake have met with mixed success. Sorption and desorption of P from river sediments has been identified as a potential driver of lags between implementation of best management practices and observable results. Adsorption and desorption occur when any change in the chemical equilibrium of the phosphorus concentration is made, such as the appearance of competing forms of P that bind to sediments. Our research aims to characterize the sorption behavior of different types of phosphate esters and other P-bearing compounds. This semester, we have been identifying interferences and analytical obstacles to quantitative study of binding constants, with an aim to better characterize the existing assay protocols
How Education Methods Affect Nurse Confidence Regarding Ultrasound Guided Intravenous Access.
No full textAbstract
Problem: Ultrasound Guided IV (USGIV) can be used to establish IV access in patients with difficult IV access. Although this is an evidence-based method to increase probability of access on the first attempt, many health systems are not using USGIV. If USGIV is being used, most nurses are not trained and so USGIV is not being used during IV attempts.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to identify if USGIV training results in increased use of USGIV, confidence and skill of nurses, and patient satisfaction.
Methods: This study is a pre-survey/post-survey design. Nurses will be trained on use of USGIV. Nurses\u27 confidence and skill with USGIV will be measured pre and post training. The number of times USGIV has been used will be measured 6 months prior to training and for 6 months following. Patient satisfaction with USGIV will be measured.
Conclusion: Most hospitalized patients will require intravenous access. Some patients consider this access the most stressing part of the hospital stay. By relieving the stressors patients may have a shorter recovery time since their actions are focused on healing. If more there is a streamlined education process to educate medical professionals to insert better, longer lasting, and less distressing intravenous access patient satisfaction may rise
Minimizing the Gap between Pre-and Post Spaceflight: Preliminary Study
Get PDFLong-duration space missions pose significant challenges to astronaut health, primarily due to the detrimental effects of microgravity on musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. This research proposal aims to address the critical gap between pre- and post-spaceflight physiological conditions, focusing on the marked decline in muscle mass, bone density, and cardiovascular function. Existing countermeasures, such as resistive exercise, are insufficient to prevent muscle atrophy and bone demineralization, highlighting the need for novel solutions. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) emerges as a promising intervention, capable of eliciting muscle contractions to maintain function and mitigate atrophy. By integrating NMES into existing exercise regimens, we hypothesize enhanced efficacy in preserving lower body musculature, maintaining bone density, and supporting cardiovascular health. This proposal leverages findings from dynamometer force acquisition and bed rest studies, combined with meta-analytic insights into NMES\u27s effectiveness in clinical settings, to optimize protocols for spaceflight application. The ultimate goal is to develop robust countermeasures ensuring astronaut health for safe interplanetary travel. Further investigations including OpenSim software modeling and predictive framework will be investigated in this research for later implementation and analysis
Historical vs. Modern Uses of Low-Head Dams and Modern Potential Effects on Hellbender Populations
No full textHistoric low-head dams, once used for milling, farming, or mining industries, have been abandoned and left to naturally decay within countless waterways in the eastern portion of the United States. Dams and other impoundments have been known to cause a variety of geomorphological changes to streams and rivers that impact the water quality via the reduced flow and potential upstream ponding. Impounded waterways have increased levels of suspended sediments, increased levels of suspended solids, and lower biodiversity overall. The affected waterways have exhibited an inability to support indicator species, like hellbender salamanders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). These salamanders require specific habitat requirements of clear, unpolluted water with swiftly-running riffle habitats and an abundance of large flat rocks or logs in cold, permanent streams and rivers. Current hellbender populations occupy only a small portion of their historic range which has been attributed to habitat deterioration. In order to enhance the probability of successful repatriation of historic hellbender sites, we must examine water quality and dispersal restrictions caused by structures like low-head dams. That said, low-head dams are often hard to remove. Dams may be privately-owned, in an area where demolition may be difficult, owned by a city that does not want to remove the dam, or abandoned and unrecorded. The removal of low-head dams within the historic range of hellbender salamanders may provide a significant conservation contribution, and the hellbender can serve as a charismatic creature to bring attention to concerns of low-head dam persistence
Comparison of Historical Fish Abundance Data to Present Data in Ohio Freshwater Habitats
No full textSurveillance of sensitive taxa in Ohio waterways is crucial to monitoring changes in stream habitats that could impact species that rely on certain conditions in order for survival. Water chemistry parameters can be measured to detect change and are important factors in understanding specifically what is affecting freshwater habitats. A combination of chemical factors and the biological assessment of sensitive species such as fish can provide better insight as to why population abundances change. Historically, Ohio Northern University has conducted fish surveys via electrofishing in streams and lakes across Ohio. This study aims to compare fish communities across years, pooling historical datasets and current sampling data to understand how fish communities may have changed throughout Ohio over time and in response to changing environmental factors. We compiled fish community data collected from the 1980s, 1990s, and the 2020s, sorted them by year and geographical location, and calculated catch per unit effort (CPUE) and a Shannon diversity index for each data subset. We hope to use these data to track trends in fish community abundance and diversity across Ohio over the past four decades