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The Long and the Short of It: Mechanisms of Synchronous and Compensatory Dynamics Across Temporal Scales
No full textSynchronous dynamics (fluctuations that occur in unison) are universal phenomena with widespread implications for ecological stability. Synchronous dynamics can amplify the destabilizing effect of environmental variability on ecosystem functions such as productivity, whereas the inverse, compensatory dynamics, can stabilize function. Here we combine simulation and empirical analyses to elucidate mechanisms that underlie patterns of synchronous versus compensatory dynamics. In both simulated and empirical communities, we show that synchronous and compensatory dynamics are not mutually exclusive but instead can vary by timescale. Our simulations identify multiple mechanisms that can generate timescale-specific patterns, including different environmental drivers, diverse life histories, dispersal, and non-stationary dynamics. We find that traditional metrics for quantifying synchronous dynamics are often biased toward long-term drivers and may miss the importance of short-term drivers. Our findings indicate key mechanisms to consider when assessing synchronous versus compensatory dynamics and our approach provides a pathway for disentangling these dynamics in natural systems
Characterization of the Yeast Gene YDL218W: A Role in Cell Wall Biosynthesis and Maintenance
No full textThe goal of this research project is to characterize the function of a particular gene in budding yeast. The budding yeast is a common model organism used to study eukaryotic cell and molecular biology. The budding yeast is a fungus with a cell wall that makes it an excellent model for the study of anti-fungal agents. The gene of interest I am studying, YDL218W, is a gene of unknown function, but it is believed to be involved in cell wall maintenance. The reason behind this particular study is that the number of fatal fungi related diseases in humans are becoming more prevalent all around the world. This increase in fatal fungi related cases is in part due to fungi becoming resistant to the few anti-fungal drugs available. As this becomes more of a problem, there is a need for effective anti-fungal drugs
Effects of Stress in Male Adolescent C57BL/6J Mice on Adult Psychiatric-Related Behaviors
No full textStress is known to affect mental health and cognitive performance in humans. Mouse models are used to understand the neurobiological changes underlying the behavioral effects of stress. It is well-established that chronic stress in adult mice can increase anxiety- and depressive-like behavior and impair cognitive performance, similar to what occurs in humans. Surprisingly, little is known about the long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral effects of adolescent stress in mouse models. In this study, we stressed adolescent C57BL/6J mice between postnatal days (PND) 25-27 and then assessed their psychiatric-related behaviors once fully grown (PND 56). We hypothesized that stress during adolescence would result in long-lasting behavioral effects; specifically, increased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior and diminished cognitive performance in adulthood. To test this hypothesis, we used the open field test (OF) and the elevated plus maze (EPM) as measures of anxiety-like behavior, the tail suspension test (TST) as a measure of depressive-like behavior, and the Y-maze (YM) to test spatial working memory, an indicator of cognitive performance. Interestingly, adolescent stress increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood as measured by reduced center entries in the OF. We also found a trend for adolescent stress to increase anxiety-like behavior in the EPM as measured by reduced percent open arm entries (p=0.07). Taken together, these results so far suggest that stress during adolescence may result in increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. In future studies, we will increase our sample sizes and perform similar behavior tests on female mice
Introduction: The \u3cem\u3eComedia\u3c/em\u3e Under Siege
No full textThis introduction engages with the meaning and socio-cultural impact of a variety of artistic contributions within the realm of Hispanic theater that have been carried out in the Spanish-speaking world in order to keep production of the comedia afloat during the confinement due to COVID-19. It discusses what this implies for an inherently live medium such as the theater and, ultimately, introduces the content of the rest of the volume
Social Studies Teachers as Instructional Gatekeepers for Issues of Race and Justice
No full textThis paper examines data from a statewide survey of K-12 social studies teachers in one midwestern state regarding their perceptions on the ways in which they integrate issues of race and justice into their classes, or their reasons for not doing so in their role as Instructional Gatekeeper
EXPRES. III. Revealing the Stellar Activity Radial Velocity Signature of ε Eridani with Photometry and Interferometry
No full textThe distortions of absorption line profiles caused by photospheric brightness variations on the surfaces of cool, main-sequence stars can mimic or overwhelm radial velocity (RV) shifts due to the presence of exoplanets. The latest generation of precision RV spectrographs aims to detect velocity amplitudes ≲10 cm s−1, but requires mitigation of stellar signals. Statistical techniques are being developed to differentiate between Keplerian and activity-related velocity perturbations. Two important challenges, however, are the interpretability of the stellar activity component as RV models become more sophisticated, and ensuring the lowest-amplitude Keplerian signatures are not inadvertently accounted for in flexible models of stellar activity. For the K2V exoplanet host ϵ Eridani, we separately use ground-based photometry to constrain Gaussian processes for modeling RVs and TESS photometry with a light-curve inversion algorithm to reconstruct the stellar surface. From the reconstructions of TESS photometry, we produce an activity model, which reduces the rms scatter in RVs obtained with EXPRES from 4.72 m s−1 to 1.98 m s−1. We present a pilot study using the CHARA Array and MIRC-X beam combiner to directly image the starspots seen in the TESS photometry. With the limited phase coverage, our spot detections are marginal with current data but a future dedicated observing campaign should allow for imaging, as well as the stellar inclination and orientation with respect to its debris disk to be definitely determined. This work shows that stellar surface maps obtained with high cadence, time-series photometric and interferometric data can provide the constraints needed to accurately reduce RV scatter
The Golden Hour. In \u3cem\u3eSomeone in Time: Tales of Time-Crossed Romance\u3c/em\u3e
No full textTime-travel is a way for writers to play with history and imagine different futures - for better, or worse. When romance is thrown into the mix, time-travel becomes a passionate tool, or heart-breaking weapon. A time agent in the 22nd century puts their whole mission at risk when they fall in love with the wrong person. No matter which part of history a man visits, he cannot not escape his ex. A woman is desperately in love with the time-space continuum, but it doesn\u27t love her back. As time passes and falls apart, a time-traveler must say goodbye to their soulmate. With stories from best-selling and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Alix E. Harrow and Nina Allan, this anthology gives a taste for the rich treasure trove of stories we can imagine with love, loss and reunion across time and space-- Back cove
Phenotype Characterization of sas-7(or1945) C. elegans
Full text linkThe ability to form a bipolar spindle is crucial for accurate cell division. In the nematode C. elegans several genes have been described with roles in spindle assembly including sas-7. The centriole is a key organizer of mitotic spindles. The sas-7 protein is a centriole component that regulates centriole duplication, elongation, and assembly. To date, most work on sas-7 was using a conditional non-null allele. In this study, phenotypes associated with the loss-of-function sas-7(or1945) null allele were characterized. Homozygous sas-7(or1945) hermaphrodites have reduced brood sizes with no viable embryos compared to wild-type and heterozygotes. When they do produce embryos, they become multinucleated suggesting failures in spindle formation and cell division. As adults, homozygous hermaphrodites also appear to have protruding vulvas with the eventual gut explosion from the vulva. Adult homozygous hermaphrodites also appear to have uncoordinated movement. Homozygous sas-7(or1945) males have misshapen tails, and they appear unable to mate. Whether they produce viable sperm is unknown at this time. We conclude that sas-7(or1945) C. elegans have phenotypes suggesting possible sterility. As cell division and developmental processes are well conserved in animals, what we learn from our studies in C. elegans may help us to understand these processes in other organisms as well
Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship at Ohio Wildlife Center
Full text linkOhio Wildlife Center treats approximately 8,000 sick, orphaned, or injured native Ohio wildlife every year. Throughout the spring semester, we completed a three-month internship to learn all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. During our time at the Ohio Wildlife Center, we learned basic handling skills of a variety of species, including orphaned animals. Spring is the busiest time of year and most of our time was consumed with doing intake exams and tube feedings of infant animals. In addition to the wildlife hospital, the Ohio Wildlife Center has a pre-release facility located in Powell. Once a patient is deemed healthy enough to leave the medical supervision of the veterinary technicians at the hospital, they are typically sent to the pre-release facility (PRF). The facility has outdoor, open cages so that the wildlife patients can become acclimated to living outside before they are released into the wild. At PRF, we provided the patients with supervision, food, and personalized medical attention, so they would be fully healed and independent before release. During our time at the wildlife hospital, an avian influenza outbreak was prevalent across the United States. Our hospital had to adhere to certain protocols to prevent outbreaks of avian influenza. We were trained on how to examine and treat intake patients who were suspected of being carriers of this virus. We developed a variety of valuable skills on how to properly treat and rehabilitate many different species. Learning the inner workings of a wildlife center will be helpful during our future career paths in zoology
Gender and Streaming - A comprehensive study on how gender impacts experience
No full textVideo games are one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment in the 21st century. Because of this massive rise in gaming, many people have turned to watching people play video games as a form of entertainment. This is known as streaming and it has quickly taken over as a dominating form of media during the pandemic. Twitch basically has a monopoly on streaming platforms making it a very important media source to study to make sure that people are being treated equally. The purpose of this study was to study how different genders (male, female, and non-binary) are treated differently on Twitch while they are streaming. Using grounded theory, a series of semi-structured interviews were conducted to find out what kinds of experiences these people shared and didn’t share. It was found that the similar experiences were being treated differently because of gender and experiencing harassment across a few common games. Using these findings, a documentary was made to demonstrate the scope of the issue in hopes to persuade an audience to take action to combat the injustices that take place commonly on this platform