Brotherly Love in Twelfth Night

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night draws an intriguing contrast between brotherly love and romantic love. Through the relationships of Sebastian-Antonio and Viola-Orsino, the playwright illustrates these two types of love in the lives these characters, showing that the two distinct types of love may conflict or harmonize, depending on the situation. An analysis of these two relationships provides insight into the tension between the two types of love in the play. The comparison of the motives, characteristics, expectations, and transience of the four characters’ amicable relationships illustrates the benefits and shortcomings of amity

Insight into the Community: Bee Similes in the Iliad and the Aeneid

This paper offers a comparative analysis of the bee similes in Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid to demonstrate that there are significant thematic connections between the similes in the two epics. In both works, bee similes illustrate the structure of the ideal society, as a close reading of each simile reveals. This paper demonstrates that both Homeric and Virgilian bee similes focus on the concept of community. In the Iliad, Homer’s first extended simile compares the Greek forces to a colony of bees. This prominent placement foreshadows the significance of bee similes in the Homeric epic. As a Greek poet, Homer demonstrates that his understanding of community has been influenced by the social structure of the individualistic Greek city-states. In the Iliad, his bee similes exemplify a tension between unity and self-interest within the Greek camp. Homer’s bee similes emphasize the need for mutual interest and cooperation, lest the Greek forces disintegrate. For Homer, the ideal community is not homogeneous, but it is unified. Unlike Homer’s similes, Virgil’s three bee similes exalt homogeneity as a central characteristic of the ideal society. Individuality is erased in the bee similes of the Aeneid. The wellbeing of the hive transcends the purpose of the individual. This paper examines these similes as a unit to provide a unique perspective on the two poets’ worldviews, thus contributing to the analysis of the relationship between the epics. Clearly, Virgil is well aware of the Homeric epics, and intentionally provides further commentary on the ideal society through his bee similes. When compared with each other, Homer’s and Virgil’s similes artfully depict two divergent portraits of the ideal society

Truly Jewish: Diasporic Identity and “Chosen Glory” in “Monte Sant’Angelo”

In her memoir Unorthodox, Deborah Feldman observes, “A Jew can never be a goy... even if they try to become one. They may dress like one, speak like one, live like one, but Jewishness is something that can never be erased” (96). Her intriguing observation parallels the major themes of Arthur Miller’s short story “Monte Sant’Angelo,” which explores Jewish identity. The modern psychological constructs of diasporic identity, “chosen glory,” and “chosen trauma,” developed after the short story was written, help to interpret the psychological drama unfolding in the little village of Monte Sant’Angelo. Bernstein, a diasporic Ashkenazi Jew, struggles with his Jewish-American heritage. His internal conflict burgeons as he watches his Italian friend Appello enthusiastically explore his ancestral village. He acutely senses his lack of a homeland, a people, and a heritage. Rather than identify with his Jewish heritage, which he perceives to be insufficient, he tries to embrace his American heritage but fails. Through his experiences with his friend Appello and the assimilated Italian Jew Mauro di Benedetto, Bernstein realizes that he will find identity security not by renouncing his Jewishness, but by embracing a diasporic identity and “chosen glory” along with his American identity. Bernstein’s visceral struggle with shame ends in triumphant security as he at last embraces his diasporic identity and “chosen glory.” Feldman aptly summarizes this newfound identity in describing her own reconciliation with her heritage: “For a while, I thought I could un-Jew myself. Then I realized that being Jewish is not the ritual or the action. It is one’s history. I am proud of being Jewish, because I think that’s where my indomitable spirit comes from, passed down from ancestors who burned in the fires of persecution because of their blood, their faith. I am Jewish; I am invincible” (250). By reconciling with his heritage, Bernstein has also become invincible

An investigation into the flow behavior of a single phase gas system and a two phase gas/liquid system in normal gravity with nonuniform heating from above

The fluid behavior in normal gravity of a single phase gas system and a two phase gas/liquid system in an enclosed circular cylinder heated suddenly and nonuniformly from above was investigated. Flow visualization was used to obtain qualitative data on both systems. The use of thermochromatic liquid crystal particles as liquid phase flow tracers was evaluated as a possible means of simultaneously gathering both flow pattern and temperature gradient data for the two phase system. The results of the flow visualization experiments performed on both systems can be used to gain a better understanding of the behavior of such systems in a reduced gravity environment and aid in the verification of a numerical model of the system

Truly Jewish: Disaporic Identity and Chosen Glory in Monte Sant\u27Angelo

Undergraduate Textual or Investigativ

Establishing a Protocol for the Long-term Sampling and Analysis of Tick-borne Pathogens in the Lehigh Valley

Establishing a Protocol for the Long-term Sampling and Analysis of Tick-borne Pathogens in the Lehigh Valley Rachel Heist1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Lehigh Valley Health Network Abstract The blackedlegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, transmits several human pathogens including the spirochete that causes Lyme disease (Borellia burgdorferi), which is endemic to the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Additional tick-borne diseases have also been emerging in the region including tick-borne relapsing fever (caused by Borrelia miyamotoi), human granulocytic anaplasmosis (caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum), and human babesiosis (caused by Babesia microti). The dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, is capable of transmitting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (caused by Rickettsia rickettsii). To determine the entomological risk of infection by a tick-borne pathogen, a protocol was established to gather data for a long-term study. Eleven collection sites were screened and selected for analysis throughout the three-year duration of the study, and the iPhone application TRAILS was selected to digitally document collection paths. A sample size of 50 ticks per site was determined to create a total sample size of 550 ticks for the Lehigh Valley region. A total of 1596 ticks were collected during a one-month period, with an average of 136 deer tick nymphs, 2.7 deer tick adults, 6 dog ticks and 0 lone star ticks per site. Molecular studies will be conducted to determine the prevalence of pathogens carried by the ticks and used in conjunction with the tick abundance data to produce a risk assessment of tick-borne illnesses in the Lehigh Valley. Introduction Ticks transmit many infectious diseases that have become of increasing concern throughout the Lehigh Valley. The region is composed mainly of suburban environments in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties and houses approximately 650,000 residents. This region provides suitable environments for several enzootic pathogen cycles; especially those that involve tick interactions with the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus as well as other small mammals and birds. Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), also known as deer ticks, are endemic to this mid-Atlantic region with a humid continental climate and plenty of undisturbed forests. Deer ticks are known vectors of several human pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (ha strain), Babesia microti, and Borrelia miyamotoi. Dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) are capable of transmitting the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. Finally, lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) may induce meat allergies by transferring an alpha-gal sugar into the blood stream of the host, eliciting an immune response. Ticks may be infected with a single pathogen or co-infected with multiple infections, which may be the result of contracting different pathogens from different hosts or by taking a blood meal from a single co-infected host (Hersh et al. 2014). Ticks in the nymph life stage have taken a single blood meal, and thus the ticks that we will test have had only one possible source of contraction. Lyme disease is the result of infection with the spirochete B. burgdorferi (senso lato). In 2013 Pennsylvania accounted for approximately 18% of the confirmed national cases of Lyme Disease (CDC, 2015). Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is caused by a strain of the intracellular bacterium, Anaplasma phagocytophilum that infects neutrophils. Babesia microti, a protozoan parasite of red blood cells, causes human babesiosis. Babesiosis is emerging in the Lehigh Valley where three cases were reported in 2013. B. miyamotoi is the causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever (Scoles et al., 2001). Although no human cases have been reported in Pennsylvania, one case of infection with B. miyamotoi was reported in New Jersey in 2012 (Gugliotta et al., 2013). Rickettsia rickettsii is the causative agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and is transmitted by Dog ticks. This infection is currently rare in Pennsylvania, and in 2010, 0.2-1.5 cases per 1 million persons were reported in the state according to the CDC (2013). The objective of this study is to establish a series of methods for determining the infection rates of B. burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum, B. microti, and B. miyamotoi in deer ticks in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. We established a series of methods to locate sampling sites, collect samples and determine a sample size for analysis. We also established a baseline of the current tick populations so that we will be able to accurately describe changes over time regarding species distributions and the pathogens that are carry. This information will allow us to construct a risk assessment of contracting tick-borne illnesses in this region. Assessing the prevalence of these human pathogens in ticks, and understanding the likelihood of humans to contract tick-borne illnesses in these regions, can help to guide health care providers in time-sensitive clinical decisions regarding prophylaxis and treatments. Methods Collection sites were found using the satellite images of Google Maps to locate closed-canopy, forested areas in the Lehigh Valley. Each location was then placed on a map to ensure that we were representing a broad range of the area of interest. Each location was screened to determine if it would qualify to be included. For each site we asked a series of five questions to ensure the compatibility of the site with our study. The criteria were: 1. Can a sufficient number of ticks be collected to provide a minimally representative sample? 2. Is the understory possible to navigate? 3. Will the environment remain relatively unchanged for the next 20 years? 4. Can we obtain permission to collect from the site? 5. Where is the site located in relation to the other sites in the study? All locations that conformed to the first four questions and provided additional geographic distribution were included (Figure 1). Ticks were collected in June and July of 2015 by dragging a 1-m2 white corduroy cloth in forested areas throughout Lehigh, Berks, and Northampton Counties. We conducted 30-minute drag “transects” in which we walked through the forest towing the cloths over leaf litter and low vegetation. We attempted to drag over logs and rocks preferentially, and took care to ensure that we did not drag over the same area twice. Drag cloths were checked for the presence of ticks approximately every 20 meters to avoid previously bound ticks falling off. We recorded the number of ticks found during each 30-minute transect and used this data to determine the number of ticks found per distance and per time. The iPhone TRAILS Application (Iosphere GmbH) was used to map our paths for all transects. Topographic maps were available through this application from the work of the OpenStreetMap Community. TRAILS provided JPEX images of our locations on a topographical map of the area that we traveled that could then be layered on various different maps, including satellite images. By recording the precise locations of where ticks were collected, it will be possible to repeat the collections at the same sites in future years. Ticks were collected into vials containing 70% ethanol and stored in a -20°C freezer until DNA extraction. We recorded the temperature, humidity, dew point, weather conditions and vegetation characteristics at the start of each collection to determine the environment of each site. We then classified each tick according to species and life stage, and adults were identified as male or female. We determined a sample size that balanced our need for an adequate number of ticks to be tested as well as our ability to test large numbers of samples by determining the 95% confidence intervals for different sample sizes based on a 20% Lyme disease infection rate. All calculations were conducted according to the Clopper-Pearson method. We determined that a sample size of 50 ticks per site would constitute a total sample of 550 ticks from the Lehigh Valley, thus producing a 95% confidence interval between 16.7%- 23.6% infection (Table 1). We extracted DNA from 52 ticks from each site to allow for a 2 tick buffer in the event of a failed extraction. The number of ticks to be tested from each vial was determined by finding the proportion of the content of each vial to the total sample size for each location according to the following equation: * (52) = # nymphs for extraction from the vial The appropriate number of nymphs were randomly selected from each vial for extraction and analysis to create a final sample size of 50 ticks per site. Tick DNA was extracted using a Qiagen QIAamp Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). A no-template control was also prepared to ensure that the reagents used in the extraction process were not cross-contaminated with tick DNA. The extracted DNA will be tested for the presence of various tick-borne pathogens. All procedures for extraction and analysis are conducted according to the methods of Edwards et al. (2015). Results A total of 1596 ticks were collected over a one month period between June-July 2015. Deer tick nymphs were found to be the most abundant with an average of 136 deer tick nymphs collected per site and individual site collections ranging from 65-276 ticks (Table 2). Adult deer ticks were less abundant, with an average of 2.7 adult ticks per site, and a range between 0-15 for individual sites. An average of 6 dog ticks per site were collected, with a range of individual site counts between 0-59. Neither dog tick nymphs, nor any lone star ticks were found. We collected an average of 25.7 deer ticks per hour throughout the Lehigh Valley. Using the TRAILS software, we also determined that we collected an average of 17.2 deer ticks per kilometer. We found that the standard error of the mean for the number of ticks per hour was 9.00 and the standard error of the mean for the number of ticks per kilometer was 9.21. Graphing the deer tick prevalence for each site allowed us to observe the relative differences between sites that we will be able to compare to future collection years (Figure 2). Discussion Determining a specific method for collecting ticks, in which we track our paths is important because it allows us to account for environmental differences that may impact tick abundance. In addition, it was important that we recorded the time of year in which the collections took place as well as the weather conditions during the drags, which may also affect the life stage and density of ticks searching for blood meals. In order to accurately describe the current prevalence of tick-borne pathogens and predict future changes, we needed to first establish a baseline of both the tick and bacteria populations. The TRAILS application recorded the precise locations of where ticks were collected, which makes it possible to repeat the collections in the same areas of each site in future years. Establishing the optimum sample size for our study allowed us to test a reasonable number of samples considering the resources available to us, while still producing significant results. The sample size for each site was determined by the need for a sufficient number of samples as well as our time available to extract and test the DNA for each site. We based our calculations upon a 20% infection rate, which is the infection prevalence for an area in which doctors prescribe antibiotics as a preventative measure for tick bites. With this data we will be able to establish a risk assessment for the tested area. We based our inquiry off of the determination for entomological risk, which takes into account the size of the vector population as well as the likelihood that a given vector will be carrying, and thus able to pass along, a pathogen. Our assessment will combine the likelihood of acquiring a tick bite in the Lehigh Valley as well as the likelihood that the tick is infected, and thus able to transmit, one or more tick-borne pathogens. This assessment will be conducted on deer ticks by extracting DNA and analyzing it using qPCR for the presence of B. burgdorferi, B.miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, and B. microti. Gathering data regarding the presence of deer ticks, dog ticks and lone star ticks in the Lehigh Valley will allow us to understand the changes in these populations over time and how they will affect the health of human populations living in the region. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Luther Rhodes and the Luther Rhodes Endowment Fund of the Lehigh Valley Health Network and the Lehigh Valley Scholars Program for providing the funding to conduct this study. I would also like to thank Dr. Marten Edwards for his mentorship and assistance throughout this project. Finally, I would like to thank Bess Fleishman and Amulya Makkapatti for their participation in the collection of ticks and extraction of DNA. References CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Geographic distribution of RMSP incidence in 2010. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF): Statistics and Epidemiology. CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). Reported cases of Lyme disease by state or locality, 2004-2013. Edwards, M, Barbalato, L, Makkapati, A, Pham, K., Bugbee, L. (2015). Relatively low prevalence of Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes scapularis ticks collected in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Submited. Gugliotta, J.L., Goethert, H.K., Berardi, V.P., Telford III, S.R., (2013). Meningoencephalitis from Borrelia miyamotoi in an immunocompromised patient. N. Engl. J. Med. 368, 240–245. Hersh, M.H., Ostfeld, R.S., McHenry, D.J., Tibbetts, M., Brunner, J.L., Killilea, M.E., LoGiudice, K., Schmidt, K.A., Keesing, F., (2014). Co-Infection of Blacklegged Ticks with Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi is higher than expected and acquired from small mammal hosts. PloS One 9, e99348. Scoles, G.A., Papero, M., Beati, L., Fish, D., (2001). A relapsing fever group spirochete transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 1, 21–34. Appendix Figure 1. Tick collection sites. (A. Trexler Nature Preserve, B. Raker Wildlife Preserve, C. Park in Topton, D. Aburtis Mountain Road Tract, E. Reimert Memorial Bird Haven, F. Lehigh Uplands Preserve. G. South Mountain Preserve, H. Scholl Woodlands Preserve, I. Robert Rodale Reserve, J. Burkhart Preserve, K. Graver Arboretum.) Table 1. Determination of an appropriate sample size. Sample Size N Positive Percent Positive Lower 0.95 Confidence Limit Upper 0.95 Confidence Limit 5 1 20% 0.5% 71.6% 10 2 20% 2.5% 55.6% 25 5 20% 6.8% 40.7% 50 10 20% 10.0% 33.7% 100 20 20% 12.7% 29.2% 500 100 20% 16.6% 23.8% 1000 200 20% 17.6% 22.6% (All confidence interval values were calculated according to the Clopper-Pearson method.) Table 2. Total tick counts by site. Figure 2. Deer tick abundance by site. (A. Deer ticks per hour, B. Deer ticks per kilometer)

Population genetics of selected species of sharks

Molecular genetic techniques were used to elucidate genetic population structure in three species of sharks, the coastal sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) and Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), and the pelagic shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus). Allozyme analysis and analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used to test the null hypothesis that the mid-Atlantic Bight and the Gulf of Mexico sandbar sharks consist of a single gene pool. RFLP analysis of mtDNA was used to determine the pattern and level of genetic divergence in the sandbar shark between the western North Atlantic and the Eastern Indian Ocean, and within the entire species range of the cosmopolitan shortfin mako and the Atlantic sharpnose shark. No significant genetic divergence was detected in the sandbar shark between the mid-Atlantic Bight and Gulf of Mexico. Genetic variation was extremely low but homogeneously distributed. A significant degree of genetic divergence was detected between North Atlantic and Australian sandbar sharks. All Australian sandbar shark mtDNAs were fixed for alleles other than those detected in the North Atlantic. The hypothesis that the shortfin mako comprises a single panmictic population was rejected. The overall probability of drawing samples with such disparate allele frequencies from a single gene pool was &\u3c&0.001. The only barrier to gene flow detected appeared to be the equatorial Atlantic. Samples from Brazil, Australia, and California were not significantly different from each other, however all three were significantly different from the North Atlantic sample. The shortfin mako exhibited a considerably higher level of genetic variation than the sandbar shark. The Atlantic sharpnose shark did not exhibit significant differences in allele frequency throughout its range. The level of genetic variation detected in mtDNA was intermediate to that of the sandbar shark and the shortfin mako

Understanding Donor-Advised Funds: The Behavioral Economics, Macroeconomics, And Public Policies Relating To An Emerging Trend In Philanthropy

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are changing the mode of philanthropy in the United States. The lack of research on DAFs leaves nonprofit managers and policymakers with little empirical evidence or theoretical framework. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide scholarly research about why people use DAFs, how they function within the nonprofit economy, and what public policies may most effectively address public concerns. To this end, the dissertation is a combination of three peer-reviewed scholarly articles covering these topics. The first article tests behavioral economic concepts relating to charitable giving that help to explain why people use DAFs. The results showed that lower prices of giving lead to increases in charitable giving amounts and that increases in agency lead to higher participation rates in giving. The second article addresses how money flows through DAFs to other charities, and how this grantmaking is affected by macroeconomic factors. The study uses a panel data set of about one thousand DAF sponsors over a ten-year period, and merges this data with four macroeconomic factors. The findings suggest that money flows relatively quickly through DAFs to other nonprofits, and that giving out of DAFs is more resilient to recession economies than other forms of charitable giving. The third article reviews the public policy debates around donor-advised funds and makes public policy recommendations. The paper starts by reviewing the three major policy issues with DAFs: 1) the timing of donations and tax deductions, 2) transparency issues, and 3) the costs to the federal government. After analyzing current proposals within a historical context, the paper makes recommendations designed for the best interest of the nonprofit sector as a whole. The dissertation as a whole represents a seminal effort to conduct empirical research on donor-advised funds to better understand them and provide a theoretical framework for public policy

Effects of Variation in Hunger Levels on Begging Behavior of Nestlings and the Provsioning Behavior of Male and Female Eastern Phoebes

Nestling birds solicit food from their parents using conspicuous vocalizations and visual begging displays and there is considerable empirical evidence suggesting that nestling begging represents honest signals of need, and that adults use these signals to determine provisioning rates. Less is known about how males and females may differ in their response to changes in nestling begging behavior as a result of variation in hunger levels, or how nestling begging and adult provisioning may be influenced by brood number (i.e., first versus second broods). To examine these parent-offspring interactions, I first manipulated hunger levels of whole broods of nestling Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) during the 2011 breeding season at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison Co., KY, to determine if nestling begging was positively correlated with hunger. Both first and second broods were divided into three treatments: (1) hand-feeding to satiation all nestlings in a brood (fed treatment, N = 12), (2) depriving all nestlings of food (deprived treatment, N = 16), and (3) feeding some nestlings in a brood and depriving the others (some deprived/some fed treatment, N = 14). Nestling begging and adult provisioning behavior was videotaped both before and after treatments were administered to analyze responses to experimental manipulation of nestling hunger level. Nestling begging behavior varied significantly among treatments, but there was no significant interaction between brood and treatment, and the begging behavior of nestling phoebes was not affected by the sex of the visiting adult. When broods were food-deprived, nestling begging intensity increased. Conversely, when whole broods were fed, both begging intensity and proportion of nestlings begging decreased. For some deprived/some fed broods, the change in begging intensity after treatment was between that of fed and deprived broods. Adult Eastern Phoebes adjusted their provisioning rates in response to changes in the begging intensity of nestlings, provisioning food-deprived nestlings at higher rates and nestlings in fed and some fed/some deprived broods at lower rates. These results suggest that nestling begging is an honest signal of need and that parents respond to variation in nestling begging by adjusting their provisioning behavior, consistent with predictions of signaling models. Although the overall provisioning rates of male and female phoebes did not differ, post-treatment responses of adults to changes in the begging behavior of nestlings differed for first and second broods. For both first and second broods, adult phoebes reduced provisioning rates to nestlings in fed and some fed/some deprived broods. However, food-deprived nestlings in first broods were fed at similar rates before and after treatment, whereas food-deprived nestlings in second broods were provisioned at much higher rates after treatment. Differences in the provisioning of first and second broods by adult phoebes may be a result of environmental factors, including weather and prey availability, or may represent a trade-off between investment in current and future reproduction

Both Sides of the Brain: Strategies for Reinvention for Solo Video Journalists

Technological advances have made it possible for one video journalist to do the work of three. These solo video journalists perform the research and writing functions of a reporter, the field production tasks of a videographer, and the post-production assembly of an editor. Many of these hybrid journalists are veterans of the industry; once single-skilled journalists who have retrained themselves to work alone. However, while technology makes it possible, it takes much more than technical mastery for a professional to make this transition. Not everyone will be able to make the transition. From a series of qualitative interviews with former videographers and reporters, this text examines what factors are required for a successful transition into becoming a solo video journalist, including training, newsroom support, motivation, production competency and personal qualities