Ecology of Neotropical Arboreal Snakes and Behavior of New World Mollusk-Eating Snakes

The Neotropics is a biologically diverse region that provides man opportunities for ecological and behavioral studies. I utilized the speciose ophidian fauna of central Panama to explore the general ecology of arboreal snakes, the defensive behaviors of the snake community, and the diet of mollusk-eating snakes. I studied arboreal species to understand interspecilic relationships in several morphometric characters and to examine preferences in habitat. There were significant morphometric differences in relative length of jaw, mass, tail length, and size at midbody. The arboreal realm was partitioned among species by distance to ground, distance to water, and diameter of the perch. Correlations were found in some species between body mass or length and distance to the ground and leaf length. Additionally, man arboreal species have been documented to bridge gaps in vegetation, but few studies have investigated this hehavior systematically. I tested average bridging ability of five Neotropical arboreal snakes and investigated morphological elements underlying differences in relative cantilevering ability. I found significant interspecific differences in average and maximum distances bridged. Species with the relative heaviest mass had the lowest cantilever ratios. Defensive behaviors which are employed for protection from predators, also were evaluated. I document interspecific differences in these behaviors at the community level. With knowledge gained from the ophidian community in Panama, I further documented on the defensive behaviors of other New World mollusk-eating snakes. Finally, I studied the diet of selected mollusk-eating snakes. I evaluated fecal samples of Dipsas and Sibon and found that their diet is broader than mollusks alone. In fact, a majority of Dipsas in central Panama were feeding on oligochaetes. Some species of Sibon were feeding on mollusks, whereas others fed primarily on amphibian eggs and oligochaetes. The discovery of a broader diet in these taxa may have conservation implications as populations of amphibians and terrestrial mollusks decline worldwide. The expansion of our knowledge of the natural history, ecology, and behavior of Neotropical snakes has provided information that will be important for future studies of community- and ecosystem-level interactions and for the conservation of the biota of central Panama

Hospital Language Services for Patients with Limited English Proficiency: Results From a National Survey

Describes current practices, common barriers, and the specific resources and tools needed to provide language services to patients with limited English proficiency. Includes a summary of key findings and resource list for further study

Performance enhancement in the measurement of 5 endogenous steroids by LC-MS/MS combined with differential ion mobility spectrometry

pre-printBackground: Challenges for steroid analysis by LC-MS/MS include low ionization efficiency, endogenous isobars with similar fragmentation patterns and chromatographic retention. Differential ion mobility spectrometry (DMS) provides an additional degree of separation prior to MS/MS detection, and shows promise in improving specificity of analysis. We developed a sensitive and specific method for measurement of corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, 11-deoxycorticosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and progesterone in human serum and plasma using an ABSciex 5500 mass spectrometer equipped with a differential ion mobility interface. Methods: 250 μL aliquots of serum were spiked with deuterated internal standards and extracted with MTBE. The samples were analyzed using positivemode electrospray LC-DMS-MS/MS. Themethod was validated and compared with immunoassays and LC-MS/MS methods of reference laboratories. Results: Inter and intra assay imprecision was b10%. Limits of quantification and detection in nmol/L were 0.18, 0.09 for corticosterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 0.30, 0.16 for 11-deoxycortisol, 0.12, 0.06 for progesterone and 0.06, 0.03 for 11-deoxycorticosterone. Comparison for progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone with immunoassay showed slopes of 0.97 and 1.0, intercepts of 0.16 and 0.10 and coefficients of determination (r2) of 0.92 and 0.97, respectively. Progesterone by immunoassay showed positive bias in samples measuring b3.18 nmol/L. Reference intervals for progesterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone in post-menopausal women were found to be b2.88 and b0.28 nmol/L respectively. Conclusions: We developed and validated an LC-DMS-MS/MS method for analysis of five endogenous steroids suitable for routine measurements in clinical diagnostic laboratories. Specificity gained with DMS allows reducing the complexity of sample preparation, decreasing LC run times and increasing speed of the analysis

Selected Information Management Resources for Implementing New Knowledge Environments: An Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography reviews scholarly work in the area of building and analyzing digital document collections with the aim of establishing a baseline of knowledge for work in the field of digital humanities. The bibliography is organized around three main topics: data stores, text corpora, and analytical facilitators. Each of these is then further divided into sub-topics to provide a broad snapshot of modern information management techniques for building and analyzing digital documents collections

Examination of Web-based teaching strategies at the University of North Texas.

This study examined the degree to which University of North Texas (UNT) instructors involved in Web-based instruction are implementing teaching strategies as identified in Chickering and Gamson's (1987) model, seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. In addition, the study examined training received by instructors in developing and delivering a Web-based course and the relationships between their training and reported use of the teaching strategies in the seven principles. The study also examined the relationship between the number of Web-based courses taught and the use of the teaching strategies. Seventy-two surveys were distributed, with a return rate of 90.3%. Results of the first three research questions were as follows: (a) Self-taught (49%) and UNT Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) (31%) were the most frequently used types of training in preparation for teaching a Web-based course, whereas peer taught (17%) and conferences/workshops (3%) were the least used; (b) the average number of Web-based courses taught by the instructors was M = 8.26; and (c) the most frequently used principles were "Gives prompt feedback" and "Communicates high expectations." UNT CDL assists faculty with the development and delivery of online courses, offering a series of training courses to better prepare faculty to use Web-CT. The relationship between the training received and the instructors' reported use of the teaching strategies was examined using correlations and a MANOVA analysis. The correlations resulted in both positive and negative relationships between the four types of training and three of the principles. The MANOVA procedure found significant differences between self taught instructors and instructors that received most of their training through the CDL in relation to the principle "Respects diverse talents and ways of learning." The final research question examined the relationship between the number of courses taught and instructors' reported use of the teaching strategies, revealing that a positive correlation existed between the number of courses taught and four of the seven principles

Knowledge and Confidence of Speech-Language Pathologists Regarding Autism

The increased prevalence rate of autism has immense implications for speech language pathologists (SLPs) who are directly involved in the education and service delivery for students with autism. However, few studies have documented the effectiveness of the knowledge and confidence of SLPs regarding autism. The purpose of this study was to measure the knowledge and confidence of SLPs regarding autism and the extent to which their educational and professional training prepared them to work effectively with this population. An online survey was administered to and returned by 336 SLPs nation-wide. Two multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine the variables that explained overall knowledge and confidence. The number of students with autism on one's caseload explained most of the variance. Independent sample t-test results depicted knowledge and confidence scores of SLPs who were behaviorally trained versus those who were not behaviorally trained. SLPs who were behaviorally trained had higher mean scores on measures of knowledge and confidence when compared to those without formal behavioral training. Finally, a bivariate correlation was conducted to explore the relationship between knowledge and confidence of SLPs, however, results were not statistically significant

Distribution record of Tantilla alticola Boulenger, 1903 (Squamata: Colubridae) in Coclé Province, Republic of Panama

A single specimen of Tantilla alticola was collected from Parque Nacional G. D. Omar Torrijos Herrera of Coclé Province, Republic of Panama. This record fills in a gap in the distribution for this species within the cloud forests of Central America

Cultivating an Environment Inclusive of Students with Varying Developmental, Emotional, and Learning Needs

The learning needs of students today represent a unique shift in the way we think about student preparedness for the academic experience and our duty to create the optimal learning environment for them. This presentation provides different ways Department Chairs have led faculty to help students with varying needs find success in higher education

An Experiential Approach to Mentoring Academic Leaders: Review, Practice, Report

This session presents a leadership development program where new department chairs discuss best practices and realistic challenges with seasoned chairs, helping all to improve their leadership skills through a supportive group process. The program includes a summer book study, monthly meetings, a department chair handbook, and leadership resources

System Definition of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM)

The Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) provides the critical functions and the environment for the four science instruments on JWST. This complex system development across many international organizations presents unique challenges and unique solutions. Here we describe how the requirement flow has been coordinated through the documentation system, how the tools and processes are used to minimize impact to the development of the affected interfaces, how the system design has matured, how the design review process operates, and how the system implementation is managed through reporting to ensure a truly world class scientific instrument compliment is created as the final product