746 research outputs found
Award: Certificate of Appointment to the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commision
No full textThe certificate of appointment to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission containing the full list of appointees and signed by Thomas P. O'Neill, Strom Thurmond, and Ronald Reagan. 1 page.The Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library acknowledges the generous support of the Joseph & Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights, the Joseph Echols Lowery Irrevocable Trust, and other donors in supporting the processing and digitization of Morehouse College's Joseph Echols and Evelyn Gibson Lowery Collection
Achieving high production of micropropagated seaweed through optimization of the culture protocol
No full textKappaphycus and Eucheuma are the two carrageenanproducing red algae extensively cultured and farmed in tropical and subtropical waters. Seaweed production accounted for 5.4 percent of the world’s aquaculture production in 2019, which was over USD 15 billion in value. With this value share, the production of seaweed farming was higher than other aquatic commodities, such as tilapia, carp, shrimps, and others (Cai et al., 2021). The red algae production of the Philippines started in the 1960s (Ronquillo & Gabral-Llana, 1989), and by the early 2000s, the country had become the world’s top supplier of seaweed, particularly Kappaphycus sp., until 2007, when Indonesia outperformed it.
Problems and challenges in seaweed farming, including climate change, pests and diseases, and biosecurity issues, caused the continuous decline of the seaweed production yield (Faisan, Sollesta-Pitogo, & de la Peña, 2022). Furthermore, the deterioration of seaweed quality caused by the repetitive use of vegetative cutting methods has also become one of the most pressing concerns in seaweed farming. Unfortunately, this procedure of growing plantlets for farming is one of the most common methods many seaweed farms used in the Philippines and other countries.
Research in SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (AQD) looks into breaking from the conventional method of farming seaweed plantlets and optimizing laboratorybased production. With this, it hopes to create a more sustainable source of propagules, better growth and survival in grow-out, and a higher carrageenan quality in cultured Kappaphycus alvarezii
Induction of immunity and resistance to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in shrimp Penaeus monodon (Fabricius) by synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide and bacterial DNA
No full textShrimps like all invertebrates are believed to lack true adaptive immunity but recent evidence indicate that they can be protected against pathogenic organisms by priming their immune system with immunostimulatory substances. Here, we describe results of investigation aimed to strengthen shrimp immunity as a preventive strategy against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) with and without Cytosine-Guanine (CpG) motifs, and Vibrio harveyi genomic DNA (VHD) were administered by intramuscular injection and shrimp responses were assessed by ex vivo assays and experimental infection trials. Results showed that CpG ODN significantly increased ex-vivo immunity indices such as total hemocyte count (THC), plasma agglutination titer (PAT) and hemocyte lysate agglutination titer (HLAT). VHD significantly increased immune indices such as THC, plasma total protein (PTP) and HLAT. Reverse (GpC) motifs increased THC only. At a lower viral challenge dose, both CpG and GpC motifs, and VHD, were able to reduce shrimp mortality significantly but only CpG and VHD did so at a higher challenge dose. Strengthening shrimp immunity by the use of immunostimulatory nucleotides and bacterial genomic DNA could be a feasible preventive approach in the management of WSSV infections in shrimp.This study was supported by research funds from SEAFDEC AQD and the Regional Fish Disease Project of the Government of Japan Trust Fund Phase 4 under Study Code 8001-T-FD-FH1204
Efficacy of an inactivated vaccine and nutritional additives against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in shrimp (Penaeus monodon)
No full textAlthough the immune system of shrimps is not comparable to that of vertebrates, shrimps can acquire protection against pathogenic challenge by building up immunity. In this study, formalin-inactivated virus (FIV) was administered by injection, bath-immersion, or orally to determine levels of vaccination-mediated protection against the pathogenic white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Diets supplemented with alfalfa, methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), or wheat grass were provided with or without FIV. Shrimp injected with FIV and challenged 3, 15, or 30 days after vaccination had cumulative and relative survivals of 83%, 67%, and 33%, respectively. Survival of shrimp challenged by bath-immersion 3-45 days after vaccination by immersion was significantly higher than in the unvaccinated control. Orally vaccinated shrimp challenged by bath-immersion were partially protected up to 45 days after vaccination (cumulative survival 63.7%, relative 61.7%) but not til 60 days after vaccination (cumulative 8%, relative 3.2%). Survival of unvaccinated shrimp challenged by bath-immersion improved when shrimp were fed a diet supplemented with wheat grass or MSM, but not alfalfa. Survival was further enhanced when FIV was provided together with diets supplemented with wheat grass (cumulative 72.7%, relative 94.8%) or MSM (cumulative 73.3%, relative 96.3%)
Field efficacy evaluation of a formalin-inactivated white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) vaccine for the preventive management of WSSV infection in shrimp grow-out ponds
No full textA shrimp grow-out trial was conducted in four 700 m2 earthen ponds in Dumangas Brackishwater Station of SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, in Iloilo, Philippines to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of immersion- and orally-administered formalin inactivated vaccine (FIV) as an antiviral strategy against WSSV. Purified virus prepared by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation was inactivated by overnight incubation in 0.5% buffered formalin. PCR-screened Penaeus monodon postlarvae (PL14) obtained from a commercial hatchery were divided into two groups: 1) immersed in FIV solution for 2 h before stocking in ponds (VAC); and 2) unexposed control (CON). Both groups were stocked at a density of 15 m−2 and grown for 115 d following recommended good practices. Pond water was aerated using two 20-HP electric blowers. Shrimp were given commercial feed following the manufacturer's protocol. They were booster-vaccinated by administering FIV-coated feed every 15 d until the termination of the trial. Shrimp samples were regularly collected to obtain estimates of growth, survival, and feed conversion ratio. In addition, shrimp and extraneous crustacean species were analyzed for the presence of WSSV and IHHNV by PCR. Water quality and bacterial load were monitored regularly. After 115 d of culture (DOC), shrimps grew to 12.93 ± 1.26 g in VAC and 8.54 ± 0.78 g in CON. Likewise, survival and yield was higher in VAC (71.2 ± 3.13% and 1311 ± 70.4 kg ha−1, respectively) compared to CON (52.7 ± 5.05% and 640 ± 3.0 kg ha−1, respectively). PCR analysis showed both shrimp and extraneous crustaceans to be lightly infected with WSSV and IHHNV. A few dead shrimp were noted during routine pond inspection as shrimp biomass increased towards the end of the trial. However, no mass mortalities occurred and shrimp were successfully harvested on 115 DOC. VAC and CON shrimp were also collected on day 70, 90, and 105 and experimentally infected with WSSV in tanks. Significant differences in survival rates (p < 0.05) between the groups were obtained 15 d post-challenge. Further studies in tanks and in ponds on prophylactic oral delivery of antiviral treatments with the use of protein vaccines and vectors/carriers are recommended.This work was fully supported by project funds from SEAFDEC/AQD and the Government of Japan Trust Fund under Study Code 8400-T-RD-FH0210. We wish to thank the management of the Dumangas Brackishwater Station (DBS) for use of the facilities during the field trial. The generous assistance of DBS and Fish Health Section staff are gratefully acknowledged
Interview with Professor Mark Brodin about his book William P. Homans Jr.: A Life In Court
No full textBoston lawyer William P. Homans Jr. devoted his fifty-year career to the defense of the poor and downtrodden, the protection of our most basic civil liberties, and the abolition of the death penalty. Descendant of two of Boston\u27s oldest and most prominent families, and combat veteran of both the British and American Navies during World War II, Homans became unlikely guru to the 1960s generation of radical lawyers and antiwar activists. He was on the defense team in the 1968 conspiracy trial of Dr. Benjamin Spock and four other leading opponents of the Vietnam War accused of aiding and abetting resistance to the military draft, and represented Dr. Kenneth Edelin in the 1975 manslaughter prosecution arising out of a lawful abortion performed after Roe v. Wade. The narrative contrasts Bill Homans\u27 storied legal career with a troubled personal life in a balanced but unvarnished manner, testifying to the strength of the human spirit when committed to the pursuit of the common good. About the author: Mark S. Brodin is Professor of Law at Boston College Law School and the author of numerous books and law journal articles in the areas of civil and criminal procedure, evidence, litigation, and employment discrimination. A graduate of Columbia College (1969) and Columbia Law School (1972), he served as law clerk to United States District Judge Joseph L. Tauro and staff attorney with the Lawyers\u27 Committee for Civil Rights in Boston. He has also practiced for brief periods as a public defender in Boston and a prosecutor in Norfolk County
Finance and its reform : beyond laissez-faire
No full textThat the financial sector should be liberalized was the orthodox view in the mid-1970s, during a pendulum swing toward reliance on the free market. In the early 1980s, the pendulum swung back to the left, based partly on evidence - especially from Latin America - that overly rapid reform had real costs, and partly on an increased appreciation of financial market failure. Blind adherence to free market principles was no longer appropriate. Now a counter-counterrevolution is in sight, with some swing back toward the view that the market makes a mess of it, but the government makes it even worse. The authors agree that market-oriented financial systems appear to do a better job than systems with extensive government involvement, but contend that the assumption that perfect competition will solve all problems in finance - especially in banking - can be dangerous. Information problems, implicit or explicit government guarantees associated with the payments system make banks unique. Governments implicitly recognize banking's uniqueness - few allow just anyone to enter banking - but public pronouncements and observers'recommendations often favor a move to more competition. Perfect competition, however, is optimal under the assumption, among others, of no government guarantee. In fact, most governments differ only in how explicit they are about their deposit insurance schemes. The financial reforms most likely to succeed are those that give banks an incentive to engage in safe and sound banking. When excessive competition is allowed, the charter value of banking diminishes to the point that it is no longer profitable for bankers to behave prudently. A consideration of finance's role, and a look at how reforming economies have fared, suggest also that gradual reform is often to be preferred in this domain. Deregulation of credit markets and interest rates can be counterproductive in unstable macroeconomic conditions and when banks are unsophisticated or have weak balance sheets. And changes in the charter value may evolve only slowly after reform. Faster progress and greater efforts should be made, however, in bank supervision and regulation and in institutional development, including accounting, auditing, legal and judicial reform, and training (of bankers and other finance professionals). In sum, many economies would benefit from less government intervention in financial markets, but the prescription should not be abrupt or total government withdrawal from the financial sector. Rather than intervening heavily in credit allocation decisions, governments should focus on doing what only they can do: providing an enabling environment for the private financial and nonfinancial sectors, and ensuring that financial operations are safe and sound.Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Financial Intermediation,Economic Theory&Research,Financial Crisis Management&Restructuring
Human,climatic and oceanographic influences on the marine environment of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
No full textFile PB200200 could not be included in folder EFR1. Full data available on disc with print copy held at the University of Waikato Library.Coral reefs and marine resources are culturally, as well as economically, vital to Pohnpei, situated in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Farming and fishing are the main sources of livelihood for most Pohnpeian communities. Pohnpei has eleven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) where nine are situated in the Pohnpei Island Lagoon and two MPAs on the outer low-lying atolls. Like many other Pacific Island countries Pohnpei is on the verge of creating more MPAs. However, the marine environment continues to be significantly threatened by human and natural influences. The recognised threats are yet to be methodically investigated.
This thesis used a combination of sediment, coral, fish, climatic, and oceanographic data, and focused on the Pohnpei Lagoon, examining a range of natural and human issues in the marine environment both at the local level (focusing on that within the Pohnpei Lagoon) and regional level (focusing on the western Pacific region).
Evidence from historical, archaeological, and modern experience has influenced various marine impacts that have altered the coastline and the marine environment of the Pohnpei Lagoon. Humans have greatly impacted on the coral diversity and fish populations in the Pohnpei Lagoon by over-fishing and contributing to accelerated sediment inputs. My study findings shows that that increased sea surface temperature (SST) caused by El Ni o events is not the only cause of coral bleaching, but also cooling of SST, and other human factors. However, when corals bleach they recover by symbiont shuffling . This is an ingenious way in which corals host one or more varieties of their zooxanthelle (Symbiodinium symbiont clades) that are more tolerant of the stress caused by increased SST and human factors.
The recognised natural climatic variability, particularly the El Ni o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), may pose a significant threat to the Pohnpei Lagoon. El Ni o events are associated with: a change in trade winds and stronger wind gusts attributed to typhoons; lower rainfall causing drought; a decrease in SST attributed to cooling of the marine environment; increase of salinity in marine estuaries affecting development and recruitment of marine species communities; and a steep fall in sea level exposing corals to other elements. The various on-going human threats and El Ni o-like conditions have caused giant clams (Tridacna gigas) to become extinct, have endangered herbivorous fish populations, and caused coral bleaching by cooling of SST.
Although high SSTs are normally blamed for coral bleaching, the last major bleaching event in Pohnpei (2002) was likely to be due to a reduction in salinity (freshwater runoff and lower sea level), and there has been strong recovery. However, decreasing water temperatures rather than increases of SSTs may contribute to coral bleaching in the Pohnpei Lagoon and the Micronesian region. The Micronesian region appears to have suffered relatively few episodes of regional coral bleaching events. This is due to the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) where sea surface temperatures exceed 29 C but also where various feedback mechanisms limit the maximum SSTs.
The management aims of Pohnpei's MPAs are to move forward, while still respecting traditional practices. However, a lack of scientific monitoring, technical support and funding restricts our understanding of human and natural influences on the existing MPAs and the Pohnpei Lagoon. With respect to our policy makers the findings of the present research have implications on the future work in Pohnpei's marine environment and for policy makers, to make more-informed decisions before establishing new MPAs.
My key recommendations were: 1.) Integrate coral and fish monitoring during and after El Ni o events to understand El Ni o effects on the Pohnpei environment. 2.) Undertake herbivorous fish investigation into their populations inside and outside the MPAs. 3.) Do not cut down vegetation along coastline areas, as it prevents erosion 4.) Investigate Symbiodinium coral clades in Pohnpei Lagoon and the outer low-lying atolls
Writing and the rights of reality: usurpation and potentiality in Derrida, Plato, Nietzsche, and Beckett
No full textThe thesis critically evaluates Jacques Derrida's conferral of the rights of reality on writing, focussing on his theory of an arche-text in light of the speculative nature of this theory. The theory is initially considered in the context of Derrida's elucidation of the usurpatory status of writing within the Platonic and Nietzschean texts. This consideration reveals an admission of writing's usurpatory status by both writers while at the same time demonstrating their awareness of the intrinsically speculative nature of this view, the significance of writing lying in its ability to exteriorise the radically indeterminate status of consciousness m relation to reality rather than its ability to displace consciousness or reality The analyses, therefore, not only bring the Derridean hypothesis of a repressive or phonocentric metaphysical episteme into question but also exhibit the historical and philosophical role of potentiality in relation to writing, writing's ultimate significance lying in its capacity to exteriorise our existence as a mode of potentiality. Accordingly, in the second half of the thesis the Derridean theory of writing is countered with a specifically Aristotelian theory of the text as it is exhibited in the prose of Samuel Beckett, an author whose significance lies in his close alignment with Derridean theory within contemporary criticism. It is demonstrated that this identification has obviated an awareness of the significance of potentiality within the Beckettian text, his work consequently being appraised in the previously neglected context of Aristotelian metaphysics
Temporal changes in innate immunity parameters, epinecidin gene expression, and mortality in orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides experimentally infected with a fish pathogen, Vibrio harveyi JML1
No full textChanges in innate immunity parameters and epinecidin mRNA transcript levels were examined to characterize the non-specific immune response of E. coioides to pathogenic V. harveyi JML1 isolated from affected cage-cultured fish. After fish had been injected with bacteria at a dose causing 30% mortality, blood and tissue samples were collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 240 h post-infection (hpi) for assessment of indices such as the oxidative burst (OB) and phagocytic index (PI) of head kidney cells, and lysozyme activity (LYS) and total immunoglobulin (Total Ig) levels of the plasma. The epinecidin mRNA transcript levels (EGE) from skin, gills, liver, kidney, and spleen tissues were also determined by gelbased RT-PCR. Lastly, daily mortality (DM), liver total bacterial load (TBC), and presumptive Vibrio count (TVC) were monitored up to 240 hpi. The results revealed that bacteria proliferated rapidly in fish tissue, reaching peak densities at 24 hpi for both TBC and TVC but was on a downward trend thereafter. The pattern in fish mortality closely correlated with TBC and TVC. Total Ig, OB, and PI in E. coioides were suppressed in the early part of infection when V. harveyi load was high but recovered and later increased as bacterial density declined. LYS and EGE were consistently high and their activities were not hampered by bacterial infection. The study demonstrated that V. harveyi JML1 interacts with E. coioides by transiently inhibiting some immune parameters resulting in mortalities. However, consistently high LYS, upregulated EGE, and resurgent PI, OB and Total Ig conferred resistance and subsequent recovery in the fish. The study provides new insights on the interaction between E. coioides and V. harveyi JML1 that can aid in formulating health management strategies for groupers. Further studies on prophylactic interventions to enhance the innate immune response in grouper during infection with V. harveyi JML1 are suggested.This study was supported by SEAFDEC/AQD under Study Code 5203-T-RD-FH0510. The assistance of the Fish Health Section Staff is gratefully acknowledged
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