The Effect of oestrogen in a series of models related to schizophrenia and Alzheimer¿s disease. A preclinical investigation into the effect of oestrogen on memory, executive function on and anxiety in response to pharmacological insult and in a model of natural forgetting.

Alzheimer¿s disease is associated with aging and is characterised by a progressive cognitive decline. Its onset in women coincides with the abrupt depletion of ovarian steroids prompting the investigation of utilising oestrogen replacement therapy as restoration or a preventative measure. Gonadal steroids have also recently been implicated in other disease states, particularly schizophrenia. In addition to the cognitive decline, sufferers of Alzheimer¿s disease and schizophrenia display anxiety related behaviour which gonadal steroids have also been shown to ameliorate. In this thesis several paradigms were used to investigate the effects of oestradiol benzoate (EB) on cognition and anxiety, utilising the NMDA receptor antagonist PCP, the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine and the dopamine releasing agent amphetamine to induce a cognitive deficit in rats by different pharmacological mechanisms. The thesis also investigated the effects of EB on a delay dependent cognitive deficit model of forgetfulness in natural aging. Results showed that subchronic PCP dosing failed to induce a significant deficit in the novel object recognition task. Locomotor activity tests demonstrated that the PCP treated rats were sensitised to the treatment suggesting that the PCP dosing regimen was successful. There was no significant effect of oestrogen in the reversal learning model or in the plus maze task designed to explore EB¿s effects on anxiety. However, in the latter task there was a trend towards an anxiogenic effect of EB. Results from the delay dependent model of forgetfulness in natural aging demonstrated that EB could enhance recognition memory, but not spatial memory. The results are discussed in the context of the role of gonadal steroids especially oestrogen in combating the cognitive decline seen in schizophrenia, neurodegenerative disease and natural aging

Investigating the morphology of ipRGCs in control vs. glaucomatous retinas

Glaucoma is a build-up of pressure in the eye that leads to the gradual loss of sight. The intention of this study was to investigate how glaucoma affects intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGCs). These cells contain melanopsin, a photopigment, that enables the cells to react to light. Four-month-old control and five-month-old glaucoma mice retinas were dissected, stained using primary and secondary antibodies, then traced using ImageJ’s Simple Neurite Tracer. There were no significant differences in soma size, total dendritic length, dendritic field size, and dendritic field diameter between control and glaucoma ipRGCs. However, further research is needed to provide conclusive evidence regarding glaucoma’s effects on retinal cells

Assessing California commercial fishing community well-being in the context of marine protected area (MPA) formation

Marine protected areas (MPAs)—defined geographic areas where fishing and harvesting activity is limited or restricted—have emerged as a popular marine biodiversity and climate resilience strategy worldwide. MPA monitoring efforts often follow MPA designation to help inform the adaptive management of MPAs and MPA networks. In 2012, California completed the largest statewide system of MPAs to date, consisting of 124 MPAs covering 16% of state waters. Following MPA implementation, the state initiated a long-term monitoring program (2019-2022) to help inform the 10-year MPA management review. This two-chapter thesis presents findings from a state-funded project to conduct long-term socioeconomic monitoring for human uses of the MPA network. Chapter 1 describes the novel methodological framework we developed to assess commercial fishing community well-being in relation to long-term MPA management in California. To address the need for standardized, contextual data—and the unique context, scale, and budget constraints of this study—we conducted mixed-methods focus groups with commercial fishing “community-experts” in 18 major California ports/port groups. The focus groups followed a structured, deliberative format that yielded both quantitative and qualitative data. Participants were asked to rate and discuss 15 questions related to fishing community well-being and outcomes from MPAs. Due to pandemic conditions at the time of data collection, focus groups were held over Zoom. Chapter 1 goes on to demonstrate the capabilities of the approach, including the type of data collected and adjustments made in light of the coronavirus pandemic, and discusses participant feedback on the virtual process and lessons learned from the project team’s perspective. Chapter 2 offers an in-depth exploration of the major findings gleaned from the focus group approach discussed in Chapter 1. Results indicated that fishing communities across California were experiencing challenges in their environmental, economic, and social well-being. Results did vary at the port/port group level, suggesting that well-being conditions were uneven across fishing communities. A majority of participants expressed negative views about ecological and livelihood outcomes of MPAs and dissatisfaction with the management of the California MPA network. While MPAs were not reported as the cause of the well-being challenges revealed in the results, focus group data suggested MPAs had interacted with and—in many cases—exacerbated pre-existing well-being challenges, many of which had arisen from structural shortcomings in California fisheries. This study contributes to the growing yet small literature and methodologies on the linkage between community well-being and MPAs, and demonstrates the strengths and capabilities of using a well-being approach for long-term socioeconomic monitoring and adaptive management of MPAs and MPA networks like that in California

Michigan’s Revocation of Paternity Act: The Plight of the Putative Father

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

Ancient Egyptian Burial Practices & Connection to the Gods

The rich history from Ancient Egypt the old kingdom alone is extensive. The research that is within this paper is mainly to look over certain burial practices that were used throughout Ancient Egypt, but mainly the old kingdom. Then looking at the reasons for these practices to be used. What they were thought to accomplish for the soul and body in the afterlife. For each burial practice that is looked at connecting it to a god and a aspect of the afterlife. Such as pyramid building and shape, housing and guiding souls to the underworld. As well as mummification and the multiple aspects that are connected to multiple different gods of mummification and burials. These burial practices and the gods that they are connected to are subject to change over time based off of the political alignments that have power; and also can show how stable each kingdom and dynasty are depending on how much effort and detail are put in to the practice

Le je dans le nous : repenser la valeur documentaire de Dans un gant de fer à l’aube du 21e siècle

Cet article examine le rôle pionnier que joue Dans un gant de fer (1965-66) dans les questionnements féministes des années 1960. À quelques exceptions près, la critique a initialement limité ses commentaires à la spéculation concernant la vraisemblance de l’autobiographie de Claire Martin. Les 40 dernières années ont vu le développement d’outils d’analyse qui permettent de cerner les qualités littéraires des autobiographies et d’interroger ladite condition féminine, ce qui a enrichi l’étude du texte revendicateur qui nous intéresse. Bien que Dans un gant de fer ne soit pas souvent reconnu comme un texte esthétiquement féministe, quelques chercheurs ont récemment signalé, sur le plan global de ce récit, l’incorporation d’éléments formels traditionnellement féminins et masculins. Pour notre part, nous analysons de près des passages spécifiques afin de mieux comprendre la déstabilisation que Martin effectue relativement à la caractérisation binaire du masculin et du féminin. Nous lisons Dans un gant de fer notamment à côté de deux documents de réforme officiels qui lui sont contemporains, à savoir les Rapports Bird et Parent. Tous les textes étudiés abordent deux enjeux-clés des revendications des années 1960 : les rôles changeants des femmes et la restructuration des écoles québécoises. L’examen de leurs similarités formelles nous permettra de démontrer comment l’autobiographie de Claire Martin remet en question la séparation conventionnelle de l’objectif et du subjectif ainsi que du public et du privé

The use of pollen cues in resource location by a pollinator and a pest

This thesis presents evidence that pollen colour and odour may be used as cues in resource-location by pollen feeding insects; namely, the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, a pest of cruciferous crops such as oilseed rape, Brassica napus (OSR), and the honey bee, Apis mellifera, an economically important generalist pollinator. Pollen beetle adults were attracted to both the colour and odour of OSR flowers in a wind tunnel, and linear track olfactometer studies showed that part of the attractive floral odour emanated from pollen. Beetles were attracted to OSR floral odour throughout their life cycle, indicating that 'innate' search images may be important in location of hosts upon which they can reproduce. Responses to floral odours from plants upon which the beetles do not reproduce varied according to the beetle's sex, life cycle phase and feeding history. There was some evidence for the use of pollen cues in oviposition, when oviposition incidence in male-fertile buds containing pollen and male-sterile buds without pollen were compared in the field. In feeding studies conducted in the laboratory, larvae displayed obligatory requirements for the resources from OSR flowers; they were unable to develop in field bean, Vida faba (FB) flowers. Although pollen consumption was not obligatory for larval survival and development, it reduced developmental time, and improved survival and 'fitness'. Restrained honey bees were able to learn the odours of OSR and FB pollens associatively, and could discriminate between them in the conditioned proboscis extension bioassay. This ability was confirmed in more natural conditions; free-flying bees discriminated between OSR and FB pollens on the basis of their odour, but showed a colour preference for the yellow OSR pollen over the grey pollen of FB. The relative importance of pollen as an attractive signal in OSR and FB is discussed