Length, Weight, and Yield in Channel Catfish, Lake Diane, MI

Background: Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are important to both commercial aquaculture and recreational fisheries. Little published data is available on length-weight relationships of channel catfish in Michigan. Though there is no record of public or private stocking, channel catfish appeared in Lake Diane between 1984 and 1995 and it has developed into an excellent fishery. 
Materials and Methods: Sport angling provided 38 samples which were weighed and measured (fork length). Fillets were also weighed. The best fit estimates of parameters a and b in the model, W(L) = aLb, were obtained by both linear least-squares (LLS) regression (log(W) = log(a) + b log(L)) and non-linear least-squares (NLLS) regression. Best-fit parameters of an improved model, W(L) = (L/L1)^b, were also determined by NLLS regression; the parameter L1 is the typical length of a fish weighing 1 kg. The resulting best-fit parameters, parameter standard errors, and covariances are compared between the two models. The average relative weight for this sample of channel catfish is also determined, along with the typical meat yield obtained by filleting. 
Results: NLLS regression yields parameter estimates of b = 3.2293 and a = 0.00522. The improved model yields the same estimate for the exponent, b, and a length estimate (parameter L1) of 45.23 cm. Estimates of uncertainty and covariance are smaller for the improved model, but the correlation coefficient is r = 0.995 in both cases. LLS regression produced different parameter values, a = 0.01356 and b = 2.9726, and a smaller correlation coefficient, r = 0.980. On average, catfish in the sample weighed 106.0% of the standard weight, (Brown et al.) and the linear regression (no slope) of fillet yield vs. total weight suggests a typical fillet yield of 28.1% with r = 0.989.
Conclusion: Most of the fish in the sample were above the standard weight, heavier than the 75th percentile for their length. Channel catfish are doing well in Lake Diane and the population is well matched to the food supply. Management should attempt to maintain current population levels. In this case, the improved length-weight model, W(L) = (L/L1)^b, provided lower uncertainties in parameter estimates and smaller covariance than the traditional model.
&#xa

LET IT IN AND LET IT GO

The following ten chapters comprise the beginning of a larger novel, one which focuses on a young woman’s journey to both accept the mistakes she has made and forgive herself for making them. Carson Cadwell returns to her small hometown after spending the last six months at college in the nearby big city. During this time her mother, who has struggled with breast cancer for years, has finally passed away. Carson, who cut off all contact with her family while she was at school, is now forced to face the reality of what she left behind. Carson, who moves into her mother’s old bedroom, comes across a journal that her mother wrote when she was a teenager. Through the reading of this journal, as well as various interactions with the people who live in the town, Carson comes to realize a side of her mother that she didn’t know before. It is with the help of these journal entries, as well as various interactions with those who live in town and her own family, that Carson begins to confront the guilt she feels for leaving behind those she loved when they needed her most

LET IT IN AND LET IT GO

The following ten chapters comprise the beginning of a larger novel, one which focuses on a young woman’s journey to both accept the mistakes she has made and forgive herself for making them. Carson Cadwell returns to her small hometown after spending the last six months at college in the nearby big city. During this time her mother, who has struggled with breast cancer for years, has finally passed away. Carson, who cut off all contact with her family while she was at school, is now forced to face the reality of what she left behind. Carson, who moves into her mother’s old bedroom, comes across a journal that her mother wrote when she was a teenager. Through the reading of this journal, as well as various interactions with the people who live in the town, Carson comes to realize a side of her mother that she didn’t know before. It is with the help of these journal entries, as well as various interactions with those who live in town and her own family, that Carson begins to confront the guilt she feels for leaving behind those she loved when they needed her most

Ruth Miller and the poetics of literary maternity

Includes bibliographical references.Ruth Miller's poetry was written between 1940 and the year of her death in 1969, and is published in three volumes, Floating Island (1965), Selected Poems (1968), and Ruth Miller: Poems Prose Plays (1990). In this thesis, I modify the concept of literary maternity suggested by Joan Metelerkamp in her article, “Ruth Miller: Father's Law or Mother's Lore?” (1992). My approach is informed by a model of literary maternity that is not defined in terms of a female figure but in terms of a relation between the earliest parent and the child, or what is referred to in psychoanalytic terms as the preoedipal relation. My thesis is concerned to show how Miller's poetry and a theory on the maternal function of literature reinterpret each other; it includes a consideration of Miller's literary legacy, the critical literature describing her oeuvre, and the issues of continuity and authority that arise in the context of literary publication

The Role of Speech-Language Pathologists in Swallowing Treatment of Individuals with HIV/AIDS

The role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the assessment and treatment of dysphagia in individuals living with HIV/AIDS is relatively absent from the literature. Dysphagia is described as difficulty swallowing that can be caused by oral indicators, structural dysfunction, and neurological disease (Bladon & Ross, 2007; Bobba et al., 2007; Nkuize et al., 2010). Dysphagia is a prevalent symptom secondary to the HIV/AIDS virus, yet dysphagia in the HIV/AIDS population often goes untreated (Bladon & Ross, 2007). One way to improve assessment and treatment of dysphagia is to ensure medical professionals are knowledgeable of the communication and swallowing disorders that can occur in this population. There is an increasing demand for the professional services of SLPs in the clinical assessment and treatment of individuals with dysphagia secondary to HIV/AIDS. A survey design for the current study examined trends, attitudes, and opinions of individuals living with HIV/AIDS by studying a sample of that population (Creswell, 2009). The design allowed a web-based survey to be available to individuals living with HIV/AIDS while maintaining anonymity of the participants. Twenty-one individuals living with HIV/AIDS responded to this survey. All participants reported experiencing at least one symptom related to dysphagia. Eight participants indicated receiving services from an SLP for dysphagia symptoms. Overall, results from the current study suggest SLPs are not involved in the care of individuals with dysphagia symptoms secondary to HIV/AIDS

Carrots and cancer : the bioavailability of polyacetylene from carrots and their assocation with biomarkers of cancer risk

PhD ThesisDiets high in fruit and vegetables are correlated with better health outcomes and lower risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bioactive phytochemicals, including polyphenols, carotenoids and isothiocyanates, in these foods are thought to be at least partly responsible for these protective effects. Specific foods also correlate well with these outcomes, such as carrots. As carrots are high in β-carotene, this compound is commonly thought to be the bioactive substance eliciting the anti-cancer effect, and there are many observational data to suggest higher intakes, and higher plasma levels, confer a reduced risk of cancer. However, supplement studies have little effect and can even increase the risk of cancer in certain populations. The polyacetylene group of compounds, also present in carrots, are gaining interest due to their anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory actions in vitro and in rodent studies. However, little is known about their effect in humans. This work provides novel analysis of the polyacetylene content of carrots, related vegetables, and mixed dishes containing them to create a database of polyacetylene values for commonly eaten foods. The resulting database was used to investigate the intake in a population of adults from the UK. The effect of cooking was also investigated to ensure the retention of compounds during processing. Little is known about the bioavailability of these compounds and so a human trial was conducted to investigate whether polyacetylenes could be seen in blood plasma after consumption of either 100g or 250g of boiled carrots. Finally, a dietary intervention trial was conducted, investigating the effect of consumption of 100g of boiled white carrot (containing polyacetylenes but not β-carotene), served with butter, on biomarkers of cancer risk compared to a fibre-matched control (oatcakes). Cooked carrots were the most important source of polyacetylenes in the diet of the UK population investigated. Therefore, carrots were chosen to be a viable method of polyacetylene intake for a dietary intervention study. Boiled carrot retained phytochemicals better than fried carrot, and cooking the carrot whole rather than in disks or quarters could offer protection from losses during cooking. Falcarinol and falcarindiol-3-acetate were detected in the blood plasma after consumption of carrot. This is the first study to show the presence of polyacetylenes in blood plasma after consumption of whole boiled carrot. The results of a dietary intervention showed a trend for a reduction in prostaglandin E2 metabolite in the carrot group (p=0.07) but not the oatcake control group. There was no effect on any other biomarker measured (IL-6 or lymphocyte DNA damage). Regular consumption of a moderate amount of carrot can reduce a marker of inflammation in healthy adults.Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB

Testing the effects of gene flow on adaptation, fitness, and demography in wild populations

Includes bibliographical references.2015 Summer.Gene flow should reduce differences among populations, potentially limiting adaptation and population growth. But small populations stand to benefit from gene flow through genetic and demographic factors such as heterosis, added genetic variation, and the contribution of immigrants. Understanding the consequences of gene flow is a longstanding and unresolved challenge in evolutionary biology with important implications for conservation of biodiversity. My dissertation research addresses the importance of gene flow from evolutionary and conservation perspectives. In the first study of my dissertation I characterized natural patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity among remaining populations of Arkansas darters (Etheostoma cragini) in Colorado, an endemic to drying streams of the Great Plains, and a candidate for listing under the US Endangered Species Act. I found low diversity and high isolation, especially among sites with low water availability, highlighting this as a species that might eventually benefit from a well-managed manipulation of gene flow. I then turned to the Trinidadian guppy system to test the effects of gene flow using a model species for studying evolution in natural populations. My work capitalized on a series of introduction experiments that led to gene flow from an originally divergent population into native recipient populations. I was able to characterize neutral genetic variation, phenotypic variation, and population size in two native populations before the onset of gene flow. The goal of my first study using this system was to evaluate the level of gene flow and phenotypic divergence at multiple sites downstream from six introduction sites. I found that traits generally matched expectations for local adaptation despite extensive homogenization by gene flow at neutral loci, suggesting that high gene flow does not necessarily overwhelm selection. I followed up on this study by measuring many of the same traits in a common garden environment before and after gene flow to test whether gene flow caused genetically based changes in traits, and to evaluate the commonly held 'gene flow constrains divergence' hypothesis versus the 'divergence in the face of gene flow' hypothesis. I found that gene flow caused most traits to evolve, but whether those changes constrained adaptation depended on initial conditions of the recipient population. Finally, to link gene flow to changes in fitness and demography I conducted a large-scale capture-mark-recapture survey of two native populations beginning three months prior and following 26 months after upstream introductions took place. I genotyped all individuals from the first 17 months of this study to compare the relative fitness (survival and population growth rate) of native, immigrant, and hybrid guppies. In total this survey spanned 8-10 guppy generations and documented substantial increases in genetic variation and population size that could be attributed to gene flow from the introduction site. As a whole, the results from my research suggest that gene flow, even from a divergent population, can provide major demographic benefits to small populations, without necessarily diminishing locally important traits

Roe V. Wade and Beyond

Within our Zine Roe v. Wade and Beyond, our group has examined the implications of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and how this affects different groups. This zine explores the history of this landmark Supreme Court case, and helps readers understand what the effects of this decision are. In addition to looking at the politics that are associated with this debate and this decision, the Zine also investigates different problems associated with obtaining an abortion such as education and skin color. The Zine seeks to educate readers about how abortion affects a variety of women, as well as help others decide how they can get involved if they are passionate about reproductive justice. Through the creative design and useful information provided in our project, we hope that this will provide readers with useful information pertaining to abortion, Roe v. Wade, and more.https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/spring_2023/1008/thumbnail.jp

Reeling in Big Phish with a Deep MD5 Net

Phishing continues to grow as phishers discover new exploits and attack vectors for hosting malicious content; the traditional response using takedowns and blacklists does not appear to impede phishers significantly. A handful of law enforcement projects — for example the FBI\u27s Digital PhishNet and the Internet Crime and Complaint Center (ic3.gov) — have demonstrated that they can collect phishing data in substantial volumes, but these collections have not yet resulted in a significant decline in criminal phishing activity. In this paper, a new system is demonstrated for prioritizing investigative resources to help reduce the time and effort expended examining this particular form of online criminal activity. This research presents a means to correlate phishing websites by showing that certain websites are created by the same phishing kit. Such kits contain the content files needed to create the counterfeit website and often contain additional clues to the identity of the creators. A clustering algorithm is presented that uses collected phishing kits to establish clusters of related phishing websites. The ability to correlate websites provides law enforcement or other potential stakeholders with a means for prioritizing the allocation of limited investigative resources by identifying frequently repeating phishing offenders