Klepzig, Logan - Covid-19 Journal

EIU student Logan Klepzig documents travel from Charleston, IL to Mohomet, IL (approximately 1 hour) to deliver groceries to, and visit his grandparents. He also describes the difficulty of not being able to celebrate birthdays, and see family. His journal also includes a number of links to regional and national news stories from the months of March and April of 2020, as well as images documenting pandemic restrictions around the EIU campus

\u3ci\u3eDendroctonus Valens\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eHylastes Porculus\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Scolytidae): Vectors of Pathogenic Fungi (Ophiostomatales) Associated With Red Pine Decline Disease.

A study was conducted to determine whether Dendroctonus valens and Hylastes porculus could vector their commonly associated fungi to red pine. Field collected adult D. valens transmitted Leptographium terebrantis, Leptographium procerum and Ophiostoma ips into 45%, 30%, and 5%, respectively of the wounded red pine roots onto which they were caged. Field collected H. porculus transmitted L. terebrantis, L. procerum and O. ips into 55%, 40%, and 5%, respectively, of the wounded red pine roots onto which beetles were caged. None of the control roots, which were mechanically wounded only, were found to contain O. ips, whereas only one control root contained L. terebrantis and only one control root contained L. procerum. This work demonstrates that D. valens and H. porculus can vector their associated Leptographium fungi to red pine trees and that these organisms are likely involved in red pine decline disease

MASTER’S PROJECT: STORY-DWELLING: AN EXPLORATION OF RELATIONAL HEALING, COMMUNITY, AND SELF LIBERATION, IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC.

The Covid 19 pandemic has led to significant changes within the theatre industry. During this time, many of my colleagues and I committed to a process of assessing and attending to some of the harmful practices that have permeated our systems and the culture of our venues. This capstone project emerged from this process and focused on the questions: What harm and healing is currently happening in our community? How might we honor the wisdom that is emerging to support liberation, healing, and deepened accountability practices? Throughout this project I engaged with a suite of methods that focused on my own internal conditions while simultaneously attending to my role, responsibilities, leadership, and relationships within the theatre industry. This project led me to realize the personal and collective reflection necessary to create the future we were envisioning. I explored parallels between natural ecosystems and community, tended to a relationship with my own grief and identity, and created accountability structures around the ways that my foundational values show up in my work. As I return to leadership roles and imagine the future of the theatrical art form, I am committed to creating space for storytelling that amplifies the complexity of the human experience, celebrates difference, and centers empathy as a tool for cultural healing and reform

Effects of Feeding by Two Folivorous Arthropods on Susceptibility of Hybrid Poplar Clones to a Foliar Pathogen

We investigated variation in folivore-induced effects on subsequent plant suitability to a foliar pathogen. We used a leaf disk assay to expose three clones of hybrid poplar, NC11382, NE332 and NM6, to colonization by a leaf spot pathogen, Septoria musiva. Undamaged leaf disks of NE332 were the most resistant to S. musiva, followed by NM6 and NC11382, respectively. To test the effects of prior herbivory on subsequent susceptibility to this fungal pathogen, we inoculated S. musiva on leaf disks taken from leaves which had been exposed to feeding by Tetranychus mites or cottonwood leaf beetles. Prior activity by mites and cottonwood leaf beetle affected the subsequent susceptibility of clones NC 11382 and NE332 to S. musiva

Costs of delayed dispersal and alloparental care in the fungus-cultivating ambrosia beetle Xyleborus affinis Eichhoff (Scolytinae: Curculionidae)

Body reserves may determine the reproductive output of animals, depending on their resource allocation strategy. In insects, an accumulation of reserves for reproduction is often obtained before dispersal by pre-emergence (or maturation) feeding. This has been assumed to be an important cause of delayed dispersal from the natal nest in scolytine beetles. In the cooperatively breeding ambrosia beetles, this is of special interest because in this group delayed dispersal could serve two alternative purposes: "selfish” maturation feeding or "altruistic” alloparental care. To distinguish between these two possibilities, we have experimentally studied the effect of delayed dispersal on future reproductive output in the xyleborine ambrosia beetle Xyleborus affinis. Females experimentally induced to disperse and delayed dispersing females did not differ in their body condition at dispersal and in their founding success afterwards, which indicates that females disperse independently of condition, and staying adult females are fully mature and would be able to breed. However, induced dispersers produced more offspring than delayed dispersers within a test period of 40days. This suggests that delayed dispersal comes at a cost to females, which may result primarily from alloparental care and leads to a reduced reproductive output. Alternatively, females might have reproduced prior to dispersal. This is unlikely, however, for the majority of dispersing females because of the small numbers of offspring present in the gallery when females dispersed, suggesting that mainly the foundress had reproduced. In addition, "gallery of origin” was a strong predictor of the reproductive success of females, which may reflect variation in the microbial complex transmitted vertically from the natal nest to the daughter colony, or variation of genetic quality. These results have important implications for the understanding of proximate mechanisms selecting for philopatry and alloparental care in highly social ambrosia beetles and other cooperatively breeding arthropod

Competitive Interactions among Symbiotic Fungi of the Southern Pine Beetle

The southern pine beetle, a damaging pest of conifers, is intimately linked to three symbiotic fungi. Two fungi, Ceratocystiopsis ranaculosus and Entomocorticium sp. A, are transported within specialized structures (mycangia) in the beetle exoskeleton and are mutualists of the beetle. A third fungus, Ophiostoma minus, is transported externally on the beetle exoskeleton (phoretically) and is an antagonist of the beetle. This study examined competitive interactions among these three fungi. The results of de Wit replacement series and primary and secondary resource capture assays with these fungi provide strong evidence for differential competition between the phoretic and mycangial fungi. O. minus was the most able to capture both uncolonized and colonized resources. Entomocorticium sp. A and C. ranaculosus, although equal to one another in compet- itive abilities, differed in their ability to compete with O. minus. Entomocorticium sp. A was able to maintain space free of O. minus to a much greater degree than was C. ranaculosus. The outcome of such competitive interactions may have significant impacts on the biology of this ecologically and economically important beetle

Statistical Study in Relative Grading

School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Science

Fungus Cultivation by Ambrosia Beetles: Behavior and Laboratory Breeding Success in Three Xyleborine Species

Fungus cultivation by ambrosia beetles is one of the four independently evolved cases of agriculture known in animals. Such cultivation is most advanced in the highly social subtribe Xyleborina (Scolytinae), which is characterized by haplodiploidy and extreme levels of inbreeding. Despite their ubiquity in forests worldwide, the behavior of these beetles remains poorly understood. This may be in part because of their cryptic life habits within the wood of trees. Here we present data obtained by varying a laboratory breeding technique based on artificial medium inside glass tubes, which enables behavioral observations. We studied species of the three most widespread genera of Xyleborina in the temperate zone: Xyleborus, Xyleborinus, and Xylosandrus. We raised several generations of each species with good breeding success in two types of media. The proportion of females of Xyleborinus saxesenii Ratzeburg producing offspring within 40 d depended significantly on founder female origin, which shows a transgenerational effect. Labor-intensive microbial sterilization techniques did not increase females' breeding success relative to a group of females shortly treated with ethanol. Gallery productivity measured as the mean number of mature offspring produced after 40 d varied between species and was weakly affected by the type of medium used and foundress origin (field or laboratory) in X. saxesenii, whereas different preparation and sterilization techniques of the beetles had no effect. Behavioral observations showed the time course of different reproductive stages and enabled to obtain detailed behavioral information in all species studied. We propose that the laboratory techniques we describe here are suited for extensive studies of sociality and modes of agriculture in the xyleborine ambrosia beetles, which may yield important insights into the evolution of fungal agriculture and advanced social organizatio

Entwicklung und Validierung eines physikalisch-chemischen Prozessmodells für die Primär- und Sekundärtrocknungsphase der Gefriertrocknung

In dieser Arbeit wurde ein physikalisch-chemisches Prozessmodell für Simulation der Primär- und Sekundärtrocknungsphase der Lyophilisation entwickelt und validiert. Betrachtet wurde die Trocknung von Saccharose in Injektionsvials. Saccharose wurde als typisches Bulk-Material als Beispielsystem gewählt. Ziel der Arbeit war die Entwicklung eines Modells, welche drei Zielgrößen beschreibt: jeweils die Dauer von Primär- und Sekundärtrocknung sowie die Restfeuchte, welche sich aus gefrorenem sowie gebundenem Wasser zusammensetzt. Die untersuchten Parameter Stellflächentemperatur und Kammerdruck sowie Dauer der Nachtrocknung wurden ausgewählt, da sie die direkt am Gefriertrockner einstellbaren und messbaren Prozessgrößen darstellen, mit welchen ein Lyophilisationsprozess entwickelt wird. Die Gefriertrocknung wird zur Erhöhung der Haltbarkeit und Transportfähigkeit von Lebensmitteln und Pharmazeutika eingesetzt. Die Trocknung in Injektionsvials ist aufgrund der genauen Dosierung und der relativ simplen Rehydrierung gerade für pharmazeutische Wirkstoffe interessant. Prozessmodellierung hat sich in der Vergangenheit bereits als vielversprechender Ansatz für die beschleunigte Prozessentwicklung und -optimierung sowie zum Scale-Up bewiesen. Zudem kann sie, gekoppelt mit einem Konzept zur Prozessanalysetechnik (PAT), für die beschleunigte Prozessentwicklung und on-line Optimierung von Prozessen eingesetzt werden. Hierfür muss eine Rechendauer erreicht werden, welche weit unter der Prozesszeit selbst liegt. Die präsentierte Arbeit umfasst eine umfassende Literaturstudie zu den Themen Lyophilisation und Prozessmodellierung, sowohl allgemein als auch auf die Grundoperation bezogen. Auf dieser Grundlage wurde ein physikalisch-chemisches Prozessmodell entwickelt, welches den Anspruch hat, in Zukunft unter anderem zur on-line Optimierung von Gefriertrocknungsprozessen eingesetzt zu werden. Dieser Anspruch wurde durch eine Rechenzeit von wenigen Minuten erfüllt. Die Verifizierung des Modells hat durch einen Vergleich von simulierten Daten mit einem Experiment aus der Literatur stattgefunden. Die Validierung hinsichtlich Präzision und Genauigkeit erfolgte anhand eines in der Literatur etablierten Arbeitsablaufs. Aufgrund der statistischen Auswertung und dem Vergleich von experimentell gewonnen und simulierten Ergebnissen konnten begründete Empfehlungen für die Weiterentwicklung des Modells gegeben werden.In this work, a physico-chemical process model was developed and validated for simulation of the primary and secondary drying phases of freeze-drying. The drying of sucrose in injection vials was considered. Sucrose was chosen as a typical bulk material as an system to be worked with. The aim of the work was to develop a model that describes three target variables: the duration of primary and secondary drying phase and the residual moisture, which is composed of frozen and bound water. The parameters investigated, i.e. the temperature and pressure of the drying chamber and the duration of secondary drying, were selected because they represent the process variables that can be directly adjusted and measured at the freeze dryer and are used to develop a lyophilization process. Freeze drying is used to increase the shelf life and transportability of food and pharmaceuticals. Drying in injection vials is especially interesting for pharmaceutical agents due to the precise dosing and the relatively simple rehydration. Process modeling has already proven to be a promising approach for accelerated process development and optimization as well as for scale-up. Moreover, coupled with a process analytical technology (PAT) concept, it can be used for accelerated process design and on-line optimization of processes. For this purpose, a computation time should be achieved, which is far below the process time itself. The presented work includes a comprehensive literature study on the topics of lyophilization and process modeling, both in general and related to the process of freeze-drying itself. On this basis, a physico-chemical process model was developed, which has the claim to be used in the future for on-line optimization of freeze-drying processes, among other applications. This claim was fulfilled by a computation time of a few minutes. Verification of the model has taken place by comparing simulated data with an experiment from the literature. Validation in terms of precision and accuracy was performed using a workflow established in the literature. Based on the statistical evaluation and the comparison of experimentally obtained and simulated results, well-founded recommendations for the further development of the model could be given

Die Bedeutung von Prokollagen Typ I aminoterminalem Propeptid (P1NP) zur Diagnostik von Knochenmetastasen bei Karzinompatienten

Zielsetzung: In dieser Arbeit sollte untersucht werden, ob sich der Knochenformationsmarker P1NP zur frühen Diagnostik von Knochenmetastasen bei Patienten mit Prostata -, Nierenzell - und Ovarialkarzinomen eignet. Zum Vergleich wurden der bereits in der klinischen Routine etablierte Knochenmarker AP, sowie weitere spezielle Tumormarker (PSA, CEA, CA 125) herangezogen. Patienten und Methoden: Die Messung von P1NP erfolgte mit Hilfe des Immunoassays „ECLIA“ und dem Analysenautomat Elecsys 2010 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). Insgesamt wurden Serumproben von 54 Patienten mit Knochenmetastasen und 128 Patienten ohne Knochenmetastasen analysiert. Die 182 Patienten wurden in 3 Kollektive aufgeteilt: 100 Patienten mit benigner Prostatahyperplasie und Prostatakarzinom, 36 Patienten mit Nierentumor und 46 Patientinnen mit Ovarialkarzinom. Ergebnisse: Patienten mit Knochenmetastasen zeigen signifikant (p < 0,001) höhere P1NP Werte als Patienten ohne Knochenmetastasen. Unter Chemotherapie sinken die Serumkonzentrationen von P1NP in den Normbereich. Es fällt auf, dass Frauen insgesamt höhere P1NP Werte haben als männliche Kollektive. P1NP erreicht für die Diagnostik von ossären Metastasen eine Sensitivität von 89,6% und eine Spezifität von 74,2%. Vergleicht man die Flächen (AUC) unter den Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC) erkennt man, dass P1NP unabhängig von der Tumorpathologie eine sehr gute diagnostische Leistung von ca. 90% aufweist. Nur mit PSA (AUC 91,1%) erhält man beim Prostatakarzinom eine vergleichbar sichere Diagnose. Die Aussagefähigkeit der AP schwankt zwischen 60 - 80%, die der gynäkologischen Tumormarker CEA und CA 125 zwischen 50 - 60%. Schlussfolgerung: P1NP ist den in der Routine etablierten Markern und radiologischen Verfahren zur frühen Diagnostik von Knochenmetastasen deutlich überlegen und eignet sich auch, um 103 bei Patienten mit Knochenmetastasen den Erfolg einer Chemotherapie zu überwachen. Aufgrund der postmenopausalen Osteoporose müssen für Frauen bei der Diagnostik von Knochenmetastasen höhere Cutoff Werte verwendet werden.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate, whether the bone formation marker P1NP could be useful for the early detection of bone metastases in patients with prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma and ovarian cancer. The bone turnover marker AP, which is already applied in clinical routine and other special tumor markers (PSA, CEA, CA 125) were measured in comparison. Patients and Methods: Serum P1NP was measured with the immunoassay “ECLIA” using the Elecsys 2010 analyzer (Roche Co., Mannheim, Germany). Serum samples of 54 patients with bone metastases and 128 patients without bone involvement were analysed. The 182 patients were divided into 3 groups: 100 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer, 36 patients with renal cell carcinoma and 46 patients with ovarian cancer. Results: The serum P1NP level was significantly (p < 0,001) higher in patients with bone metastases than in patients without bone involvement. Patients, who had been treated with chemotherapy, showed levels within the normal range. It is interesting to note, that women showed higher P1NP concentrations than male patients. The sensitivity for P1NP was 89,6 %, the specificity was 74,2%. The areas (AUC) under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC) reveal, that P1NP - independent of tumor pathology - has a diagnostic ability of about 90%. Only PSA (AUC 91,1 %) seems to be of similar applicability in patients with prostate carcinoma. The diagnostic performance of the AP ranges between 60 and 80 %, the gynaecological tumor markers range between 50 and 60 %. Conclusion: P1NP is a very useful marker for the early diagnosis of bone metastases and is superior to other commonly applied markers and radiological methods. Furthermore, P1NP measurements appear to be helpful for monitoring the success of chemotherapy in patients with bone metastases. As postmenopausal osteoporosis influences P1NP serum 105 levels, higher cutoff values have to be applied for the diagnostic of bone metastases in women