THE EARLY MODERN EUROPEAN (NON) RECEPTION OF TH E ZHUANGZI TEXT

This essay draws attention to the neglect of a key foundational text of Daoism, namely the Zhuangzi in early modern European discourses about China. It traces the contrasting Jesuit interaction with Confucianis m as opposed to Buddhism and Daoism in order to emphasize how a text like the Zhuangzi was unable to be assimilated with the Catholic mission of accomodationism. It contrasts the non reception of the text in early modern Europe with its later popularity following publication of full English translations at the end of the nineteenth century. It argues that the early neglect and later explosive discovery of the Zhuangzi in the West can tell us much about shifts in intellectual history, specifically the misapp ropriations and misunderstandings of Daoist traditions as filtered through the European mind

The evolution of the cemented habit in the bivalved molluscs

The ability to cement to a hard substratum has evolved repeatedly in the bivalved molluscs. Twenty clades of cementing bivalves have been identified from a broad range of bivalve taxa. Such polyphyletic acquisition of the habit raises a number of questions concerning the preadaptations which allow bivalves to cement and the selection pressures which favour this mode of attachment. Detailed examination of cementation in members of the Ostreidae reveals that a calcareous extra-periostracal cement is responsible for attachment. Spherulitic growth of cement, whose composition is identical to that of the shell layers, results in structures reminiscent of diagenetic cements. These observations suggest that extrapallial fluid leaks' through a permeable periostracum; resulting in precipitation of calcium carbonate between the periostracum and the substratum. Similar observations are made for most other living shell cementing bivalves, implying a convergence of mechanism. The only exception are the chamids which appear to utilise a weaker organic bond. Less than 10% of fossil Chamacea are preserved attached to their substrata, suggesting that this weaker mode of attachment has been employed in this superfamily throughout its evolutionary history. Having established a common mechanism by which most bivalves cement it is possible to suggest the possible preadaptations. Principal requirements are the possession of a thin and 'leaky' periostracum, a highly extensible mantle edge and a suitable life orientation. Indeed, most cementing bivalves have evolved from pleurothetic byssate stock. The Pectinidae, in which the cemented habit has evolved at least four times, are shown to possess these key preadaptations. Mytiloids have never cemented despite having members which have dwelt on hard substrates since the Ordovician. Examination of modem Mytilacea suggests that the group lacks all the fundamental preadaptations for cementation. There is little evidence to support the traditional view that cementation is an adaptation to life in a high energy environment. The independent appearance of many of the cementing clades during the early Mesozoic coincides with the increased predation pressure which has been documented for that time. A causal link is implied by experimental work: predators display a significant preference for more easily manipulated byssate prey

Pregnancy and the Voice: Surveying Effects from the Singer\u27s Perspective

Pregnancy and the Voice: Surveying Effects from the Singer\u27s Perspectiv

Synthesis and Cyclic Voltammetry of A2E

As aging occurs, great exposure to light leads to the build-up of fluorescent materials called lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelial cells. This accumulation of lipofuscin is correlated to the progression of age related macular degeneration and other retinal dystrophies. No cure for macular degeneration has been found, so lipofuscin is of great interest. The lipofuscin has been associated with an increase in radiation intake and a loss of photoreceptors in the retina. The compound A2E is being studied in this project because it is frequently found in the lipofuscin. The goal of this project is to further characterize A2E in the hope of better understanding retinal diseases. In this study, A2E was synthesized and cyclic voltammetry was used in an attempt to determine the reduction potential. This information may be helpful in clarifying the chemical properties of A2E

Synthesis and Cyclic Voltammetry of A2E

As aging occurs, great exposure to light leads to the build-up of fluorescent materials called lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelial cells. This accumulation of lipofuscin is correlated to the progression of age related macular degeneration and other retinal dystrophies. No cure for macular degeneration has been found, so lipofuscin is of great interest. The lipofuscin has been associated with an increase in radiation intake and a loss of photoreceptors in the retina. The compound A2E is being studied in this project because it is frequently found in the lipofuscin. The goal of this project is to further characterize A2E in the hope of better understanding retinal diseases. In this study, A2E was synthesized and cyclic voltammetry was used in an attempt to determine the reduction potential. This information may be helpful in clarifying the chemical properties of A2E

Flowering curves and the summer-gap mystery

Results from year-round weekly monitoring of 93 taxa (179 accessions) at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) are presented in the form of flowering curves. These are provisionally grouped into classes, and hypotheses are suggested to explain the different patterns. Attention is drawn to a prominent ‘summer gap’ in flowering in some species, and possible explanations for the gap are discussed

The role of terrrestrial habitat in the population dynamics and conservation of pond-breeding amphibians

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 25, 2007)Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.I used both demographic modeling and experimental field research to evaluate the role of terrestrial habitat in the population dynamics and conservation of pond-breeding amphibians. I began by using literature data to develop stochastic, stage-structured demographic models for two pond-breeding amphibian species and used these models to determine the potential effects of a range of core terrestrial habitat areas on population size and persistence. I next carried out field experiments designed to improve model accuracy. First, I manipulated terrestrial densities of juvenile amphibians and followed individual growth and survival of over one year. Results suggest that terrestrial density should be considered in models of amphibian population dynamics. I also carried out field experiments to determine the effects of specific forestry practices on the survival of juvenile wood frogs and American toads. The results of these experiments indicate that forestry practices interact with existing landscape structure to determine microclimate and thereby influence amphibian survival. Returning to the model building process, I used the results of my field experiments to develop a demographic model designed to evaluate the potential effects of forestry practices on wood frog populations in Missouri.The results of my dissertation research indicate that the quantity and quality of terrestrial habitat available to pond-breeding amphibians can have substantial population level consequences including increased extinction probabilities and decreased population sizes.Includes bibliographical reference