Dunce mutants of Drosophila melanogaster: mutants defective in the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase enzyme system

The cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities present in flies of six mutant strains of the dunce gene and in the parent wild- type strains are characterized. All of the mutants exhibit aberrant cyclic AMP metabolism. The mutant strains dunceM14, dunceM11, and dunceML appear to be amorphic, because they completely lack the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase normally present in adult flies. These strains exhibit extremely high levels of cAMP. The mutant strains dunce1, dunce2, and dunceCK are hypomorphic and exhibit reduced levels of the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase. These strains exhibit less marked increases in cAMP content compared with the three amorphic strains. The dunce2 strain possesses a residual enzyme activity that exhibits anomalous kinetics compared with those of the normal enzyme. The possibility that the dunce locus is the structural gene for the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase is discussed

Competitive Ability of Native and Non-Native Prairie Species in Response to Soil Nitrogen and Density

The objective of this paper is to determine how competitive response varies between the prairie native Solidago rigida and the closely related Solidago canadensis, an invasive prairie species. I tested the idea that invasive species would exhibit greater biomass under increased nitrogen levels, while native species would not show significant difference across differences in nitrogen. I tested to see if variations in plant density changed how both of these plants respond to increased and ambient nitrogen levels. I found the invasive S. canadensis to have significantly higher biomass than the native S. rigida at high nutrient availabilities (total biomass: F1, 1 = 15.34, p =.0002). I also found that biomass for S. canadensis decreased as soil nitrogen levels decreased, while biomass for S. rigida did not decline from high to ambient nitrogen and at some densities it increased. While change in biomass from high to ambient nitrogen decreased at all densities for S. canadensis, the highest four densities for S. rigida demonstrated an increase in biomass. Our findings suggest that that as soil nutrients decrease, competitive dynamics between native and invasive species change. The results show that when grown under lower soil nitrogen conditions, S. rigida may be able to outcompete invasive neighbors, particularly when local densities are high. The findings also show the importance of considering density when comparing invasive and native responses to soil nitrogen, since S. rigida only exhibits a higher level of competitive ability at high densities and low levels of nitrogen

ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATIONS AND THE PROCESSING OF HYPERACTIVE SCHOOL CHILDREN

Hyperactive behavior as a medically defined social problem is examined, in order to emphasize the role of political economy as it applies to social problems research. Much of the research on hyperkinesis tends to adopt an ahistorical, symbolic interactionist perspective and fails to account for the structural bases of social control practices. Structural (economic and legal) determinants are examined which influenced the emergence and development of hyperactive behavior as a social problem. The implications for other medically defined social problems are suggested

Fire in the Bread, Life in the Body: The Pneumatology of Ephrem the Syrian

The fourth century debates about the status and personhood of the Son later expanded to reflections on the status and person of the Holy Spirit. In this dissertation I examine the pneumatology of Ephrem the Syrian, who is often over-looked in discussions about fourth century pneumatology. I argue that Ephrem displays a high pneumatology that fits within the broad contours of the pro-Nicene movement. I begin with a discussion of Ephrem’s Syriac heritage and focus on the themes and language surrounding the Holy Spirit in pre-Nicene Syriac texts. Pre-Nicene Syriac authors speak about the Spirit’s role in liturgical practices, often using feminine or maternal language to describe the Spirit’s work. I proceed then to a discussion of the grounding principle of Ephrem’s theology, the concept of true and borrowed names. Ephrem’s focus on divine names shows a clear concern for and response to the theology of Eunomius and Aetius. The logic that Ephrem uses to combat Eunomius’s understanding of divine names bears a marked similarity to Basil’s logic in Contra Eunomium. Next, I assert that Ephrem affirms the unity of divine operations in the Trinity because of his assertion that the Holy Spirit participates in the act of creation. Ephrem does not believe that the Holy Spirit is the “wind/spirit” that hovers of the primordial waters in Gen. 1:2b, because creation does not proceed from those waters. In addition, he does affirm the Spirit’s creative action in the waters of baptism. Because Jesus left the Spirit to his followers after his ascension, Ephrem believes that the locus of the Holy Spirit’s activity is the life of the church. In the sacraments the Holy Spirit forgives sin and creates new believers, thus performing the same actions as the Father and Son. Lastly, in his most vivid image of the Trinity, Ephrem affirms that God is the undiminished giver, who is present to all without suffering loss in God’s self. God’s presence is evident in the life of Christians by the presence of the Holy Spirit who is present everywhere without diminishing. Ephrem’s pneumatology affirms several key pro-Nicene commitments without recourse to the same exegetical traditions. Such an affirmation highlights that the transmission of orthodox theological ideas, based upon the common sources of the Bible and sacraments, integrated into the contexts beyond the traditional Latin and Greek divide

Class Size Reduction: A Facilitator of Instructional Program Coherence

This case study evaluation explored how class size reduction (CSR) combined with other reform initiatives and contextual factors to affect student achievement. The evaluand was an elementary school that implemented Wisconsin\u27s fortified CSR program named SAGE. Evidence was collected from existing records and purposively selected teachers via a focus group. A three-phase cut and paste analysis strategy was used to reduce data, display data, and draw and verify conclusions. Main and interaction effects are reported. Findings suggest smaller classes may affect student achievement by facilitating the coherence of school-level instructional programs

Physical Layer Simulation Study for the Co-existence of WLAN Standards

Interference is a prime factor that limits the performance of devices within the 2.4 GHz ISM Band. Due to the ISM Band being unlicensed and free to all users, there is an abundance of devices within this frequency range. The three most prominent of such devices used for data communication consist of Bluetooth, Wifi, and Zigbee. In order to understand whether these three protocols can co-exist with each other, a physical layer system model will be developed for each protocol. These systems models will be combined and their interaction with each other examined to determine the effects of the interference under different channel conditions. The channel models will consist of general AWGN and Rayleigh fading channels, along with a site-specific case involving both Ricean and Rayleigh fading

Screen usage relates to neuroanatomy underlying reward processing.

Today’s world is inundated with technology and our use of screens. It is possible that screen usage might affect the structural development of brain systems underlying motivation, reward, and addiction. Two hundred and thirty-two 10-year-old individuals’ structural MRI and behavioral data from a publicly accessible database were analyzed to find relations between the cortical and subcortical regions of the reward circuits of the brain and the usage of social media, texting, television, YouTube and other video applications, video games, and video chat applications. Both cortical and subcortical results yielded significant relationships with variables of screen time usage. Most significantly, subcortical brain regions known to be involved in the reward system were structurally affected by duration of screen usage. These results implicate brain changes beyond the explicit structural changes in response to the ubiquitous use of screens within our society and warrant the further study of how this affects our reward system and attention

The Boom and Bust Patterns of Communities within the Energy Rich Region of West Virginia: A Case Study of Moundsville

The increasing worldwide demand for energy will provide Energy Rich Regions (ERRs) the opportunity to increase their wealth and quality of living. However, a reoccurring pattern of boom and bust cycles in ERRs suggests the need for more sustainable development strategies.;A mixed methods approach (case study) is employed to explore the wicked human problems occurring in one community, Moundsville, WV and to discover development patterns that might inform sustainable development strategies for the future.;This study explores briefly the distant past development patterns, and in greater detail the pre-boom and most current boom in natural gas. First, data will be derived from a conceptual Energy Rich Region Template that explores the sustainability of development from the inclusive wealth forms of natural, human, and physical capital. The qualitative data analysis software (MAXQDA) is used to systematically collect and organize data and information into a community-wide knowledge base (specifically the seven years of city council minutes).;This framework can assist future research dedicated to similar cases. Furthermore, this case may support communities and or policymakers in the development of a programming guide for converting the natural capital into other reproducible capital forms, thus avoiding the development cycle of boom and bust