1025 research outputs found
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Power and Politics: George Orwell’s Incorporation of Political Science to the Realm of Dystopian Fiction
Get PDFAnalyzing the Effect of Light Intensity among the Abiotic Factors Influencing the Growth Rate of Red-backed Salamanders
No full textRed-backed salamanders (RBS, Plethodon cinereus), are a terrestrial species found in moist cool soils throughout eastern North America. Within these terrestrial areas, many abiotic factors contribute to the growth of RBS, such as soil temperature, soil moisture, soil pH, air temperature, and the light environment. Our study explored the relationships between these abiotic factors and salamander growth. We quantified these abiotic variables at 15 forested cover board plots at Camp Karoondinha located in Millmont, PA. Simultaneously, we quantified growth by measuring and marking each RBS found at these plots from March to December 2016. We expected that abiotic factors will impact RBS growth, with faster growth in sites that have cooler temperatures and moist soils
Examination of microglial morphology in a Mouse Model of Acute Ethanol Intoxication
No full textStressful stimuli have been shown to elicit a greater amount of alcohol consumption in females than males. Induced stress has been shown to increase the neuroinflammatory response and increase stress behaviors in both sexes while ethanol intoxication decreases stress behaviors in females but has no effect on stress behaviors in males. However, the effects of ethanol intoxication on neuroinflammation are controversial, and the difference between males and females has been insufficiently studied. To better understand the behavioral differences between males and females with ethanol intoxication, the neuroinflammatory response between sexes was analyzed through microglial activation. Microglia are the immune cells of the central nervous system and respond to stress by activating and undergoing distinct morphological changes. In the current study, male and female Swiss Webster mice were treated with an acute ethanol injection (4 g/kg of 20% ethanol) and compared to saline-injected and Naive mice. Brains were sectioned at 30 microns and prepared for immunohistochemical analysis through staining of the microglial protein, Iba-1. Microglial morphology in stress-regulating regions of the brain—the hippocampus and prefrontal cortices—were analyzed using confocal microscopy and used to evaluate the neuroinflammatory response. Current evidence suggests ethanol reduced the inflammatory response in females but not males as evidenced by a decrease in microglial activation
Mood-Induced Global Focus Does Not Diminish Cognitive Biases
No full textOn a variety of perceptual and cognitive tasks, positive mood has been associated with a broader, more global perspective, and negative mood with a narrower, more local focus. We examine the extent of this phenomenon by assessing mood effects in the domain of “mental accounting”, where a more global focus should help individuals overcome some typical decision-making biases. However, despite a strong mood manipulation, we found absolutely no evidence that mood influenced participants’ susceptibility to these biases
Induced Magnetic Fields Through Aluminum
No full textAll materials are at least slightly diamagnetic, meaning that the material’s internal magnetic field opposes external fields and therefore slightly repels. Aluminum, however, is a paramagnetic material, meaning that it’s internal magnetic field adds to an external field. Alternating current is used to produce a magnetic field in a large coil. The current in a second coil is monitored to measure how well this magnetic field travels through aluminum sheets. A decrease in the magnetic field shows that even though aluminum is a paramagnetic material, it can exhibit diamagnetic properties as a result of induction. The effect of thickness and size of the aluminum sheets on the resulting magnetic field is observed
F700-FA/FB Recombination Dynamics of Quinones in the A1 Site of PS I Complexes of the Mutants of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at Low Temperature
No full textIn photosystem I of higher plants and cyanobacteria, phylloquinone (PhQ) acts as the secondary electron acceptor occupying the A1 site between A0 and the Fe-S clusters of the electron transport chain. Phylloquinone-less mutants, menA and menB, of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 have plastoquinone (PQ) occupying the A1 site and is capable of functioning as the electron acceptor in place of PhQ. Here we report experiments in which the growth medium of the mutant cells was supplemented with highly reducing 9,10-anthraquinones (AQ). As a result, the menA and menB mutants appeared to utilize the anthraquinone in the A1 site. The potentials of the supplemented AQ’s are significantly more reducing than either PhQ and PQ by as much as 400mV. Because of this, the quinones may approach or exceed the potential of the primary acceptor, A0, and lead to unusual electron transition behaviors. The function of quinone molecules in the A1 site of the mutants was monitored by a home built pump probe laser system. The probe beam monitors the recombination of the electron from the terminal FeS clusters of PSI (e.g. P700+/FA/B-) The P700 back reaction kinetic lifetime changes as a function of quinone. The plastoquinone mutants shows a 3ms lifetime and samples containing AQs (e.g. 1-NH2-AQ) having longer lifetimes (100+ms). In decreasing the temperature, lifetimes change as a function of electron transfer pathways options. Glycerol is used as a cryogen but also seems to have a direct effect on the lifetimes. Room temperature and low temperature experiments with menA 1-NH2AQ and menB26 conc. Trimer in various glycerol concentration show an altered lifetime. We suspect that these factors may play a role in extending the kinetic back reaction of the reducing AQ in the A1 site, resulting in a loss of the longer phase. We are currently characterizing and exploring these observations to develop a hypothesis on the effect
Mechanisms Through Which Repo and PntP1 Determine Longitudinal Glial Cell Fate
No full textLateral glial cell differentiation in Drosophila melanogaster is regulated by the master gene glial cells missing (gcm). Downstream transcriptional activators, Repo and PntP1, promote glial cell fate in longitudinal glial cells, a subtype of lateral glia. Immunostaining in homozygous pnt mutants showed abnormal longitudinal glia development. Immunostaining in repo mutants was used to determine if Repo activates transcription of nazgul (cg31235), a gene that is expressed in longitudinal glial cells but not other lateral glial cells. Repo mutants showed reduced nazgul expression, which indicates that Repo activates the transcription of nazgul.
The Effects of the Globalized European Economy on the Development of the European Welfare State
Get PDFThis research focuses on the effects of the increasingly globalized European economies measured through foreign trade and direct foreign investment on the development of the European welfare state, measured through the percent of annual GDP allocated to education and socialized healthcare, within Gøsta Esping-Andersen\u27s five social welfare regime typologies. All 28 EU member states will be examined individually as well as through their respective welfare regimes - the Anglo-Saxon, Continental, Mediterranean, Scandinavian, or Transitional/New EU-member state. My theory states that in order to remain economically competitive, yet meet the demands of an increasingly welfare oriented, post-WWII, Europe, there will be an homogenization of Esping-Andersen\u27s regime typologies from 1990 to 2015
Phi Sigma Kappa
No full textPhi Sigma Kappa brothers get ready for a game of volleyball in the gym.https://scholarlycommons.susqu.edu/historic_photos/1126/thumbnail.jp
Bacterial Bio-indicators of Marcellus Shale Activities in Pennsylvania: A Molecular Ecology Survey
Get PDFThe practice of hydraulic fracking has increased over the years especially in Pennsylvania where most of the subterraneous gas-rich Marcellus Shale formations are located. Our previous work showed that headwater streams in proximity to hydraulic fracking operations have significantly different bacterial assemblages as compared to un-impacted streams in central PA. Aquatic bacterial communities are of great importance because they are often the ‘first-responders’ to environmental perturbations. We are interested in which bacteria become enriched, as this might serve as robust biomarkers of fracking, and can potentially biodegrade constituents of fracking fluids. In this study, we plan to expand upon our previous work to identify additional sentinel bacterial taxa in other areas in PA (Northeast and Southwest) heavily impacted by fracking. Water and sediment samples have been collected from Northern Pennsylvania (n=31) and Southwestern (n=11) regions upstream and downstream of fracking activities. Bacterial community profiles of these samples were generated via high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA, a robust phylogenetic marker for bacterial identification. The data generated provide a snapshot of all bacteria taxa present and their relative abundance. Thus, differences in bacterial community structure between impacted and un-impacted environments can help glean which bacterial taxa are responding to environmental perturbations associated with fracking. This research can help us generate a list of potential bioindicators of nascent fracking activities and can be used to help track impacts and bioremediation potential within environmental scenarios