Off-Host Biology and Ecology of Immature Gulf Coast Ticks (Amblyomma Maculatum Koch) in Mississippi

Little is understood about off-host behavior and ecology of immature Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Gulf Coast tick). A more complete understanding of this tick is essential to protect human and animal health. My research focused on seasonality and distribution of immatures in Mississippi, potential suitability of some insect and human hosts to larvae, and aspects of nymphal questing behavior. A single larva was collected (third off-host collection reported) when sampling A. maculatum habitat using a novel device. Collection of this larva in November expands the stage’s known seasonality and confirmed a prediction concerning seasonality of larval A. maculatum. Low frequency of immatures (8.3%) confirmed that they’re incredibly difficult to collect off-host. Nymphal collections peaked in March, and known seasonality was extended for both nymphs and adults. I examined known records, elucidating seasonality and distribution of A. maculatum in Mississippi. Either multiple generations per year or diapause are responsible for observed bi-modal distribution of immature collections. Additionally, I compiled the most extensive host record of immature A. maculatum in Mississippi and investigated seasonality patterns using USDA plant hardiness zones. I compiled the most complete record of ticks found on arthropods. Amblyomma americanum and A. maculatum were both confirmed to crawl onto arthropods, giving support to occasional, unintentional dispersal by phoresy. There was no conclusive evidence that larval A. maculatum feed on arthropods, however data supported feeding by larval A. americanum. These results have interesting implications regarding evolution of pathogens/endosymbionts. I provided the first evidence that larval A. maculatum can attach to humans. Rickettsia parkeri, a human pathogen transmitted by this species has recently been shown to be capable of transovarial transmission. Therefore, larval A. maculatum may provide another avenue of transmission. I have demonstrated that A. maculatum are difficult to collect off-host in part because they prefer to quest low to the ground. In choice studies, 5-cm-tall stems were most likely to be occupied by nymphs released into an array of stems. Low vapor pressure deficit encouraged questing, while higher VPD and warmer temperature increased questing height. These results may have implications in understanding host-seeking behavior in other tick species as well

Beyond the information technology agreement : harmonization of standards and trade in electronics

Product standards can have a dual impact on production and trade costs. Standards may impose additional costs on exporters as it may be necessary to adapt products for specific markets (cost-effect). In contrast, standards can reduce exporters'information costs if they convey information on industrial requirements or consumer tastes that would be costly to collect in the absence of standards (informational-effect). Using a new World Bank database of European standards for electronic products, the authors examine the impact of internationally-harmonized European standards on European Union imports. They find that European Union standards for electronic products that are harmonized to international standards have a positive and significant effect on trade. The results suggest that efforts to promote trade in electronic products could be complemented by steps to promote standards harmonization. This might include, for example, re-starting talks to extend the Information Technology Agreement to non-tariff measures and commitments to harmonize national standards in electronic products.Information Security&Privacy,Technology Industry,Scientific Research&Science Parks,Science Education,Labor Policies

Map of chartreusin and elsamicin binding sites on DNA

AbstractThree DNA restriction fragments designated tyrT, 102-mer and 70-mer, have been used as substrates for footprinting studies using DNase I in the presence of the structurally similar antibiotics chartreusin and elsamicin A, The sequence-selective binding sites of the antibiotics can be mapped in regions which are rich In guanine+cytosine. Chartreusin and elsamicin appear to recognize and bind preferentially to sequences containing a CpG step. Regions containing a TpG step also seem to be a good binding site. The binding of elsamicin to these sites appears to be more concentration-dependent. A comparative analysis is performed of the sizes and locations of the different binding sites, aimed to infer whether the different biological effects of chartreusin and elsamicin A can be correlated to differences in their sequence-selective binding to DNA

Informe de Expediente Civil No 02228-2017-0-0401-JR-CI-10 Sobre Obligación de Dar Suma de Dinero. Informe de Expediente Administrativo No 3427-2010/CPC Sobre Protección al Consumidor

Materia: Obligación de Dar Suma de Dinero Nº de Expediente: 02228-2017-0-0401-JR-CI-10. El expediente analizado versa sobre la obligación de dar suma de dinero sobre la base de un pagaré, dando lugar a un proceso único de ejecución, que a diferencia de los procesos cognitivos parte de un derecho cierto cuya ejecución se pretende realizar con la mediación de la autoridad judicial. El pagaré que se puso a cobro en este proceso cumplía con las condiciones para ser tratado con como un título con mérito ejecutivo, y la contradicción planteada por el demandado sobre nulidad formal del título, así como el llenado del título incompleto contra los acuerdos previos, no fueron debidamente sustentados ni acreditados. Este proceso llego hasta la Corte Suprema vía el recurso de casación que fuera declarado improcedente por no cumplir con los requisitos de procedencia de este medio impugnatorio extraordinario. Materia: Protección al Consumidor Nº de Expediente: 3427-2010/CPC. El expediente materia del presente informe jurídico versa sobre el procedimiento impulsado por la denuncia de una consumidora respecto a la adquisición de un par de lotes, los cuales no fueron entregados en la fecha establecida inicialmente. Asimismo, la denunciante cuestionó que no se haya brindado en forma oportuna información relevante sobre la aplicación de penalidades y que se hayan introducido cláusulas abusivas en el contrato. De acuerdo a la denuncia formulada, se imputaron cargos contra el proveedor, siendo un elemento importante para el análisis de los mismos el contrato de compraventa. De los extremos formulados, solo en uno de ellos: la infracción al deber de idoneidad, existieron resoluciones contradictorias. Con la resolución de la Sala Especializada en Protección al Consumidor se agotó la vía administrativa, no atribuyéndose responsabilidad administrativa al proveedor denunciado en ninguno de los cargos imputados

Exploring Inclusive Design and Digital Humanities: Enabling Bilingual Digital Narratives for Deaf Children

The collaboration between designers and digital humanists has indeed gained increasing significance in crafting effective projects, with design serving as a centralizing force in the realm of digital humanities by establishing interfaces for individuals to engage with technological resources. Therefore, design's methodological practices, encompassing various research and experiential facets, play a pivotal role in enhancing the usability and accessibility of digital resources within the social sphere. This study aims to expand the discourse on the characteristics and potential of the interplay between inclusive design and digital humanities practices, with a specific focus on the development of bilingual digital narratives (utilizing Brazilian Sign Language and Portuguese). The research adopts a collaborative, qualitative approach, encompassing processes of evaluation, validation, and enhancement. Digital visual narratives are presented as a facilitating tool for integrating LIBRAS and Portuguese, thereby aiding in language acquisition for deaf children. The article contributes to the discussion of the humanistic approach to design, emphasizing the values of empathy, ethics, and social responsibility in the creation of inclusive and accessible projects

The Impact of natural resources on economic development in Africa

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Development Policy,2016This paper studied the association between economic development in Africa and natural resource wealth founded on panel data econometric techniques. With three different indicators that could proxy for resource dependence, the outcomes suggested that natural resources were important to predict economic growth in African countries. Some indicators have negative and other indicators have positive coefficients and are not statistically significant in all the models estimated. Overall, the results show that the natural resources were insignificant to predict economic development in Africa, at least over the sample period considered. The evidence is robust to alternative model specifications such as different sets of control variables and regression methods.1. Introduction 2. Literature Review 3. Background of Economic Development in Africa 4. The Data Collection and Specification 5. Methodology 6. Empirical Results 7. Conclusions RemarksmasterpublishedKilton Jose Luis Lauter PORTUGAL

Hippocampal long-term potentiation is disrupted during expression and extinction but is restored after reinstatement of morphine place preference

Learned associations between environmental cues and morphine use play an important role in the maintenance and/or relapse of opioid addiction. Although previous studies suggest that context-dependent morphine treatment alters glutamatergic transmission and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, their role in morphine conditioned place preference (CPP) and reinstatement remains unknown. We investigated changes in synaptic plasticity and NMDAR expression in the hippocampus after the expression, extinction, and reinstatement of morphine CPP. Here we report that morphine CPP is associated with increased basal synaptic transmission, impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), and increased synaptic expression of the NR1 and NR2b NMDAR subunits. Changes in synaptic plasticity, synaptic NR1 and NR2b expression, and morphine CPP were absent when morphine was not paired with a specific context. Furthermore, hippocampal LTP was impaired and synaptic NR2b expression was increased after extinction of morphine CPP, indicating that these alterations in plasticity may be involved in the mechanisms underlying the learning of drug–environment associations. After extinction of morphine CPP, a priming dose of morphine was sufficient to reinstate morphine CPP and was associated with LTP that was indistinguishable from saline control groups. In contrast, morphine CPP extinguished mice that received a saline priming dose did not show CPP and had disrupted hippocampal LTP. Finally, we found that reinstatement of morphine CPP was prevented by the selective blockade of the NR2b subunit in the hippocampus. Together, these data suggest that alterations in synaptic plasticity and glutamatergic transmission play an important role in the reinstatement of morphine CPP

CONTRIBUIÇÕES DE DESCARTES PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE ESTUDOS CIENTÍFICOS ACERCA DO PSICOSSOMATISMO

Este resumo pretende apresentar o que é a ciência psicossomática, a sua importância e a sua função, considerando que o seu precursor na modernidade é o filósofo e matemático René Descartes e de que modo seus estudos contribuíram para o desenvolvimento científico dessa temática, edificando a Psicologia, a principal área que se debruçará em investigar a interação mente e corpo inerente a todo ser humano