The Durability of Adaptation: Fate and Fortune in Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, like many of William Shakespeare’s works, is widely known in the Western literary and dramatic traditions. However, it is not a text that is firmly cemented in its textual veracity—even the earliest published editions of the play, and others in the Shakespeare canon, are dissimilar. Additionally, different versions of Romeo and Juliet have been interpreted, adapted, and performed in the 400 years since its entrance into popular culture. This reveals the uniquely fluid quality of dramatic works in literature. How, for a work as familiar as Romeo and Juliet, do different interpretations affect the enduring subjects of the play? This paper examines the theme of fate, the importance of the Prologue, and the character of Rosaline in this play, as magnified by a 1752 adaptation by J. and R. Tonson and S. Draper that changes the ways in which each of these preeminent motifs operates, as well as the action of the tragedy more generally. This 1752 version is a performance adaptation that does not include the Prologue, removes the character of Rosaline, and thereby affects the ways in which fate governs the actions, characters, and plotline of the play. Ultimately, this project explores how the nuanced construction of Romeo and Juliet’s fate plot weaves through the well-known drama’s storyline, and how different approaches to its delicate formulation by rhetorical alterations and drastic plot changes disrupt this destiny-driven narrative

The Philosophy of Ecology in John Steinbeck\u27s The Grapes of Wrath

This thesis explores the possibilities for ecocritical study in fiction through John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath. Major ecocritical interpretation has yet to gain much traction in novels; by focusing on human nature, this form’s “anthropocentric” posture seems itself to be antithetical to ecocritical efforts, which aim to unseat humans as the center of the moral universe. However, by analyzing The Grapes of Wrath’s formal, narratorial, and thematic valences, I argue that principles of social justice concurrently imply environmental justice in the philosophical currents of the text. Tenets of deep ecology and Aldo Leopold’s “land ethic” inform the novel’s overall environmental outlook. The key to my interpretation is the value of community at the center of Steinbeck’s world. To expand principles of the collectivism and compassion in the social community to include the broader ecological community, I focus on the narrative’s unique Judeo-Christian spirituality and humanistic discourse. Ultimately I identify cohesion in The Grapes of Wrath’s composition that makes a single narrative of both the natural and the human worlds, and that creates a moral universe that guides ethical behavior towards others, both human and non-human; in doing so, I argue Steinbeck’s novel both enacts and represents an ecologically minded ethic

Prediction of activity related energy expenditure using accelerometer derived physical activity under free-living conditions-a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Activity related energy expenditure (AEE) might be an important factor in the etiology of chronic diseases. However, measurement of free-living AEE is usually not feasible in large scale epidemiological studies but instead has traditionally been estimated based on self-reported physical activity. Recently, accelerometry has been proposed for objective assessment of physical activity, but it is unclear to what extent this methods explains the variance in AEE. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review searching MEDLINE database (until 2014) on studies that estimated AEE based on accelerometry-assessed physical activity in adults under free-living conditions (using doubly-labeled water method). Extracted study characteristics: sample size, accelerometer (type [uniaxial, triaxial], metrics [e.g. activity counts, steps, acceleration], recording period, body position, wear time), explained variance of AEE (R2), number of additional predictors. The relation of univariate and multivariate R2 with study characteristics was analyzed using non-parametric tests. RESULTS: Nineteen articles were identified. Examination of various accelerometers or subpopulations in one article was treated separately, resulting in 28 studies. Sample sizes ranged from 10-149. In most studies the accelerometer was triaxial, worn at the trunk, during waking hours, and reported activity counts as output metric. Recording periods ranged from 5-15 days. The variance of AEE explained by accelerometer assessed physical activity ranged from 4-80% (median crude R2=26%). Sample size was inversely related to the explained variance. Inclusion of 1 to 3 other predictors in addition to accelerometer output significantly increased the explained variance to a range of 12.5-86% (median total R2=41%). The increase did not depend on the number of added predictors. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there is large heterogeneity across studies in the explained variance of AEE when estimated based on accelerometry. Thus, data on predicted AEE based on accelerometry assessed physical activity need to be interpreted cautiously

Non-collinear spin states in bottom-up fabricated atomic chains

Non-collinear spin states with unique rotational sense, such as chiral spin-spirals, are recently heavily investigated because of advantages for future applications in spintronics and information technology and as potential hosts for Majorana Fermions when coupled to a superconductor. Tuning the properties of such spin states, e.g., the rotational period and sense, is a highly desirable yet difficult task. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the bottom-up assembly of a spin-spiral derived from a chain of Fe atoms on a Pt substrate using the magnetic tip of a scanning tunneling microscope as a tool. We show that the spin-spiral is induced by the interplay of the Heisenberg and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya components of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction between the Fe atoms. The relative strengths and signs of these two components can be adjusted by the interatomic Fe distance, which enables tailoring of the rotational period and sense of the spin-spiral.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

The Mutational Consequences of Plant Transformation

Plant transformation is a genetic engineering tool for introducing transgenes into plant genomes. It is now being used for the breeding of commercial crops. A central feature of transformation is insertion of the transgene into plant chromosomal DNA. Transgene insertion is infrequently, if ever, a precise event. Mutations found at transgene insertion sites include deletions and rearrangements of host chromosomal DNA and introduction of superfluous DNA. Insertion sites introduced using Agrobacterium tumefaciens tend to have simpler structures but can be associated with extensive chromosomal rearrangements, while those of particle bombardment appear invariably to be associated with deletion and extensive scrambling of inserted and chromosomal DNA. Ancillary procedures associated with plant transformation, including tissue culture and infection with A tumefaciens, can also introduce mutations. These genome-wide mutations can number from hundreds to many thousands per diploid genome. Despite the fact that confidence in the safety and dependability of crop species rests significantly on their genetic integrity, the frequency of transformation-induced mutations and their importance as potential biosafety hazards are poorly understood

Guanylate cyclase C limits systemic dissemination of a murine enteric pathogen

BACKGROUND: Guanylate Cyclase C (GC-C) is an apically-oriented transmembrane receptor that is expressed on epithelial cells of the intestine. Activation of GC-C by the endogenous ligands guanylin or uroguanylin elevates intracellular cGMP and is implicated in intestinal ion secretion, cell proliferation, apoptosis, intestinal barrier function, as well as the susceptibility of the intestine to inflammation. Our aim was to determine if GC-C is required for host defense during infection by the murine enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium of the family Enterobacteriacea. METHODS: GC-C(+/+) control mice or those having GC-C genetically ablated (GC-C(−/−)) were administered C. rodentium by orogastric gavage and analyzed at multiple time points up to post-infection day 20. Commensal bacteria were characterized in uninfected GC-C(+/+) and GC-C(−/−) mice using 16S rRNA PCR analysis. RESULTS: GC-C(−/−) mice had an increase in C. rodentium bacterial load in stool relative to GC-C(+/+). C. rodentium infection strongly decreased guanylin expression in GC-C(+/+) mice and, to an even greater degree, in GC-C(−/−) animals. Fluorescent tracer studies indicated that mice lacking GC-C, unlike GC-C(+/+) animals, had a substantial loss of intestinal barrier function early in the course of infection. Epithelial cell apoptosis was significantly increased in GC-C(−/−) mice following 10 days of infection and this was associated with increased frequency and numbers of C. rodentium translocation out of the intestine. Infection led to significant liver histopathology in GC-C(−/−) mice as well as lymphocyte infiltration and elevated cytokine and chemokine expression. Relative to naïve GC-C(+/+) mice, the commensal microflora load in uninfected GC-C(−/−) mice was decreased and bacterial composition was imbalanced and included outgrowth of the Enterobacteriacea family. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates the novel finding that GC-C signaling is an essential component of host defense during murine enteric infection by reducing bacterial load and preventing systemic dissemination of attaching/effacing-lesion forming bacterial pathogens such as C. rodentium

Validity and reliability of total body volume and relative body fat mass from a 3-dimensional photonic body surface scanner

OBJECTIVE: Three-dimensional photonic body surface scanners (3DPS) feature a tool to estimate total body volume (BV) from 3D images of the human body, from which the relative body fat mass (%BF) can be calculated. However, information on validity and reliability of these measurements for application in epidemiological studies is limited. METHODS: Validity was assessed among 32 participants (men, 50%) aged 20-58 years. BV and %BF were assessed using a 3DPS (VitusSmart XXL) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) with a BOD POD(R) device using equations by Siri and Brozek. Three scans were obtained per participant (standard, relaxed, exhaled scan). Validity was evaluated based on the agreement of 3DPS with ADP using Bland Altman plots, correlation analysis and Wilcoxon signed ranks test for paired samples. Reliability was investigated in a separate sample of 18 participants (men, 67%) aged 25-66 years using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) based on two repeated 3DPS measurements four weeks apart. RESULTS: Mean BV and %BF were higher using 3DPS compared to ADP, (3DPS-ADP BV difference 1.1 +/- 0.9 L, p<0.01; %BF difference 7.0 +/- 5.6, p<0.01), yet the disagreement was not associated with gender, age or body mass index (BMI). Reliability was excellent for 3DPS BV (ICC, 0.998) and good for 3DPS %BF (ICC, 0.982). Results were similar for the standard scan and the relaxed scan but somewhat weaker for the exhaled scan. CONCLUSIONS: Although BV and %BF are higher than ADP measurements, our data indicate good validity and reliability for an application of 3DPS in epidemiological studies

Conserved Charge Fluctuations from Lattice QCD and the Beam Energy Scan

We discuss the next-to-leading order Taylor expansion of ratios of cumulants of net-baryon number fluctuations. We focus on the relation between the skewness ratio, $S_B\sigma_B = \chi_3^B/\chi_1^B$, and the kurtosis ratio, $\kappa_B\sigma_B^2 =\chi_4^B/\chi_2^B$. We show that differences in these two cumulant ratios are small for small values of the baryon chemical potential. The next-to-leading order correction to $\kappa_B\sigma_B^2$ however is approximately three times larger than that for $S_B\sigma_B$. The former thus drops much more rapidly with increasing beam energy, $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$. We argue that these generic patterns are consistent with current data on cumulants of net-proton number fluctuations measured by the STAR Collaboration at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}\ge 19.6$~GeV.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, contribution to the Quark Matter 2015 proceeding

Association of body surface scanner-based abdominal volume with parameters of the Metabolic Syndrome and comparison with manually measured waist circumference

To investigate abdominal volume determined by a new body scanner algorithm as anthropometric marker for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its parameters compared to manually measured waist circumference (WC), we performed body scans in 411 participants (38% men, 20-81 years). WC and triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and fasting glucose concentrations, and blood pressure were assessed as MetS parameters. We used Spearman correlations and linear regression to investigate associations and goodness-of-fit (R(2), BIC) of abdominal volume and WC with MetS parameters, and logistic regression to analyse the discriminative power of WC and abdominal volume to assess likelihoods of MetS components and MetS. Correlations with triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and glucose concentration were slightly stronger for abdominal volume (r; 0.32, −0.32, and 0.34, respectively) than for WC (0.28, −0.28, and 0.29, respectively). Explained variances in MetS parameters were slightly higher and goodness-of-fit slightly better for abdominal volume than for WC, but differences were small. Exemplarily, glucose levels were 0.28 mmol/L higher (R² = 0.25; BIC = 945.5) per 1-SD higher WC, and 0.35 mmol/L higher (R² = 0.28; BIC = 929.1) per 1-SD higher abdominal volume. The discriminative power to estimate MetS components was similar for WC and abdominal volume. Our data show that abdominal volume allows metabolic characterization comparable to established WC