bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uganda's Intra-East African Community Customs Union Trade Performance in Comparison to other Trading Blocs: A Gravity Model Analysis
Authors: Shinyekwa Isaac M.B. , Othieno Lawrence
Published: February 2022

The paper estimates determinants of Uganda's trade flows and compares the performance of the different trade blocs on Uganda's trade. The empirical question is whether Uganda's trade is getting more integrated in the EAC region or is still dominated by other trading blocs. The augmented gravity model is applied. The panel data are extracted from COMTRADE for the period 2001 – 2009. Uganda's trade flows have conspicuously adjusted to the gravitational forces of the EAC during the progress of the integration. Whereas exports are being integrated more into the EAC and COMESA regions, imports are also integrated into these regions as well as in the Asian and EU trading blocs. To continue consolidating and deepening the trade gains within the EAC, Uganda should implement the frameworks, protocols and provisions of the treaty and seek industrialization as a priority.
Growth and Institutions in African Development
Authors: Asongu Simplice A.
Published: February 2022

Augustin K. Fosu, a leading and respected expert in the field of African development has edited an interesting bulk of studies in a book entitled: Growth and Institutions in African Development. The book is a timely contribution to knowledge that offers very interesting insights into views and agenda within rigorous theoretical and empirical frameworks on policy issues surrounding the relevance of growth and institutions in African development. The book's coverage comprises of 15 chapters presented into two main subject areas, namely: growth and institutions. Each of the two subjects is further divided into two parts. On the one hand, the growth area covers: (i) growth determinants (industrial embeddedness, innovation, exchange-rate regimes and environmental quality); and (ii) sectors, dynamics and distribution of growth. On the other hand, the institutions area entails: (i) institutional development; and (ii) institutions and development outcomes. An interesting common denominator among authors of various chapters in the two subject areas is that the empirical results are succinctly summarised to enhance accessibility and readability by interested readers who might have required technical reading skills to understand the rigorous empirical analyses and resulting policy insights. Hence, it is an easy-to-read and richly policy-relevant book for both specialists and non-specialists. Moreover, the underlying ease of readership is facilitated with an introductory chapter by Augustin K. Fosu which lays out the general framework with hard but interesting stylized facts, before summarising the key motivations and contributions of various chapters with very accessible and non-technical language. This is a critical review of the book.
Implications of Monetary Policy for Credit and Investment in Sub-Saharan African Countries
Authors: Ndikumana Léonce
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the implications of monetary policy for domestic investment through its effects on bank lending to the private sector and interest rates in sub-Saharan African countries. The study argues that the pursuit of inflation control through contractionary monetary policy carries high costs in terms of reduced investment and ultimately slower economic growth. The econometric evidence based on a sample of 37 sub-Saharan African countries over 1980-2012 shows that contractionary monetary policy affects domestic investment negatively both indirectly through the bank lending or quantity channel as well as directly through the interest rate or cost of capital channel. The results suggest that policies that maintain a low interest rate regime would stimulate bank lending to the private sector, which in turn would boost domestic investment. The results have important policy implications for African countries in their efforts to achieve and sustain high growth rates as a means of reaching their national development goals notably employment creation and poverty reduction.
Human Capital and Economic Growth: Is Africa Different?
Authors: Gyimah-Brempong Kwabena , Wilson Mark
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the difference in growth effects of human capital in African countries and the rest of the world. Using an expanded neoclassical growth model, panel data, a dynamic panel estimator and a broader definition of human capital including both health and education, we find that the effect of human capital on the growth rate of per capita GDP in Africa does not differ significantly from the growth impact of human capital in the rest of the world. Our results suggest that Africa does not grow any differently than the rest of the world. The observed growth differential between Africa and the rest of the world can be attributed to the fact that Africa has low endowments of growth-enhancing characteristics. Our results suggest that Africa should be treated like any other part of the world and that researchers and policy makers alike should forget about the “African difference,” and formulate more efficient growth policies for Africa.
Some Surprising Effects of Better Law Enforcement against Child Trafficking
Authors: Dessy Sylvain E. , Pallage Stéphane
Published: February 2022

In this note, we highlight some economic effects of the existence of child trafficking. We show that the risk of child trafficking on the labor market acts as a deterrent to supply child labor, unless household survival is at stake. Better law enforcement against child trafficking, by raising the expected gains parents derive from sending their children to work, might have the undesirable effect of causing a rise in the number of child laborers and possibly in the incidence of child trafficking. Our findings support the view that the fight against child trafficking can only be won by effectively combining legislation with other policy measures, including better quality for education, redistribution, or appropriately targeted poverty alleviation programs.
Market Implications of COMESA's Accession to the Free Trade Area: A Gravitational Investigation
Authors: Gbetnkom Daniel
Published: February 2022

This paper derives and uses a variant of the gravity model to assess the market implications of the COMESA's accession to the Free Trade Area. The results show that the traditional explanatory variables of the gravity model are the significant determinants of trade flows in the COMESA region, and that belonging to this grouping fosters trade. Hence policy advice should focus on strengthening these factors, which are likely to enhance the possibility of greater intra-regional trade. This can contribute to drawing foreign direct investment to the region, enhancing policy credibility, and bringing greater economic and political stability. This paper also highlights the importance of a combination of unilateral and preferential economic reforms in the preferential trade arrangements in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Spy Story Behind The Third Man
Authors: Riegler Thomas
Published: February 2022

The Third Man symbolically stands for espionage. Indeed, though its storyline concerns friendship and the hunt for an unscrupulous black-market dealer, the film has been connected to the Cold War struggle between intelligence services since its release in 1949. This perception is partly related to the film's setting—the bombed-out ruins of Vienna— which was then (and still remains) a major hub for spies. What has been less noted, however, is that the film's origins itself represent an espionage story. All major figures involved had a background in intelligence, from the author Graham Greene, to the producer Alexander Korda and the figure of Harry Lime, whose real-life model was the KGB mole Kim Philby. By drawing upon archival material as well as secondary literature, this article explores this other history of The Third Man and puts the film in the context of postwar Austria, and highlights how real-life events and personalities inspired its story.
Jumbled Mosaics: Exploring Intracategorical Complexity in the Memoirs of Jewish Austrian (Youth) Emigrants to the United States
Authors: Corbett Tim
Published: February 2022

This article offers a comparative analysis of a selection of memoirs of Jewish Austrians who fled to the United States under National Socialism, drawing primarily on unpublished memoirs from the Austrian Heritage Collection held at the Leo Baeck Institute in New York. The article applies an intersectional approach to demonstrate how these memoirs can contribute to a more nuanced historiographical reconstruction of the complex processes of memory and identity formation that accompanied persecution, flight, exile, and survival abroad than have often been undertaken hitherto. Intergenerational discourse is of particular interest here, as is the intersection of age and generation with other analytical categories such as religious and/or cultural identity within the family, gender, schooling, friendships and social networks, class and political orientation, as well as practical issues surrounding integration in the United States during and after the 1940s such as language and the consequent transculturality of the Jewish Austrian exile community. The article demonstrates that each life story constitutes its own idiosyncratically “jumbled mosaic” – a compelling epithet used by one of the memoirists that captures perfectly both the unique subjectivity but also intracategorical complexity of the individual life stories.
Rand, Paterson, and the Problem of Anarchism
Authors: Cox Stephen
Published: February 2022

This essay is concerned with individualist arguments for and against anarchism. It analyzes the views of Ayn Rand, Isabel Paterson, and libertarian anarchists, with special emphasis on the concepts of consent, non-initiation of force, and non-self-sacrifice. The essay concludes with a critical assessment of individualist anarchist and limited-government theories, suggesting that while some are more useful than others, none can be considered complete, conclusive, or fully consistent.
Understanding What Influences Successful Black Commuter Students' Engagement in College
Authors: Yearwood Trina Lynn , Jones Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study is to assess successful black undergraduate commuter students' engagement in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development using quantitative research methods and National Survey of Student Engagement data from the City University of New York to improve student engagement and, ultimately, learning.
A Fabricated Resistivity Apparatus to Explore Buried Structures on the Bench and in the Field
Authors: Booterbaugh Aaron P. , Lachhab Ahmed , Stepanik Nicholas E.
Published: February 2022

In the following study, an electrical resistivity apparatus was created and implemented in the laboratory as well as tested in the field, to accurately identify the location of a buried building foundation. The primary goal of the study was to test the accuracy of the apparatus which costs a fraction of the price of available electrical resistivity instrument. The apparatus consists of four electrodes set in a linear spread. An electrical current, produced by a standard 12-volt battery, is injected into earth material through the outer electrodes and the potential voltage is measured across the inner electrodes using a multimeter. The recorded potential and current values can then be used to calculate apparent resistivity of any given material. The study implemented Wenner array which consists of four electrodes placed equally distant from each other and also allows for higher accuracy and greater resolution when investigating lateral variations of resistivity in near-surface formations.

The device successfully produced consistent results on the bench level revealing the location of small bricks buried under soil material. In the field, multiple transects were conducted in the summer of 2010 on Susquehanna University Campus where the foundation of Gustavus Adolphus Hall is located. The apparatus consistently provided accurate results when compared to a commercially produced electrical resistivity device, Iris SYSCAL R1+, and successfully revealed the location of the foundation.
Relationship between Exotic Invasive Shrubs and American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Nest Success and Habitat Selection
Authors: Miller H. Eric , Jordan Mark J.
Published: February 2022

Habitat loss is thought to be a cause of woodcock population declines, however little is known about the impact of exotic invasive vegetation on woodcock nest site selection and nesting success. In March and April of 2009 and 2010, we examined nest success and nesting habitat selection in relation to the abundance of exotic invasive vegetation at 13 nests in southeastern Pennsylvania. We used logistic regression and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) to determine the best models for nest success and habitat use. Woodcock avoided exotic invasive vegetation when selecting nest sites. Nest success and habitat use decreased significantly with an increase in percentage of exotic invasive woody vegetation. Models containing percentage of exotic invasive woody vegetation were highly supported for nest success and habitat selection. We recommend that managers attempt to control and remove exotic invasive vegetation to promote increased woodcock nesting success and habitat use.
Additional Evidence for Barotrauma as a Cause of Bat Mortality at Wind Farms
Authors: Brownlee Sarah A. , Whidden Howard P.
Published: February 2022

The discovery of extensive bat mortality at wind farms has puzzled biologists, especially since many carcasses found under turbines exhibit no obvious injuries. A recent study proposed barotrauma – damage to body tissues caused by changes in pressure – as a possible explanation. We tested this hypothesis by examining 146 carcasses of hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus), eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), and silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) collected during mortality surveys at a wind farm in eastern Pennsylvania. All carcasses were examined for both external and internal injuries. To assess barotrauma, we looked for blood in the nose and mouth, hemorrhaging in the lungs, and pooled blood in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. Of 146 carcasses examined internally, 54 (37%) had signs of barotrauma but no external injuries, 48 (33%) had external injuries but no signs of barotrauma, and 44 (30%) had both signs of barotrauma and considerable external injuries. A chi-square test found no association between the age or sex of bats and the incidence of barotrauma. These results support barotrauma as a contributing cause of bat mortality at wind farms.
Sportsmen's Perceptions of Coyotes and Coyote Origins in Pennsylvania
Authors: Bovard Brittany N. , Hartstone-Rose Adam , Rowland Nicholas J. , Lynn Mulvey Kelly
Published: February 2022

We surveyed central Pennsylvania sportsmen about the origins of the eastern coyote/coywolf (Canis latrans x lycaon) in Pennsylvania, the perceived effect coyotes have on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population size, and the prevalence of coyote attacks on humans and domestic animals. Though studies suggest that coyote populations expanded into Pennsylvania naturally, a significant proportion of our participants believed that automobile insurers or the Pennsylvania Game Commission introduced coyotes to the state to control deer populations. Participants overestimated the threat posed by coyotes to humans and animals. Policy makers, especially those responsible for animal control and land management, should consider the level of misinformation concerning coyotes when making policy decisions that impact these canids and the people who must live with them.
2012 Darbaker Prize: Morphometric Analysis of Nuclei, Lumens, and Shape of Lactiferous Ducts in Cancerous Breast Tissue
Authors: Barrieres Kelly , White Jennifer L. , Cerra Carmine J. , Tinsley John P.
Published: February 2022

As the most common form of breast cancer in women, ductal carcinoma accounts for 70–80% of breast cancer cases. Pathologists often use the Nottingham grading system to assess the abnormality and aggressiveness of invading cancerous cells in ductal carcinoma. A grade of one to three is assigned using a point system based upon variation in nuclear appearance, tubule formation, and mitotic count, but these features are generally not quantified. We collected morphometric data on nuclei and ducts to attempt to quantify nuclear variation and tubule formation. Measurements of over 2000 nuclei and nearly 100 ducts were made using slides of normal breast tissue and the three grades of ductal carcinoma from anonymous patients at Pocono Medical Center. A ratio of luminal area to ductal area in cancerous tissue within each grade was also calculated, and shapes of duct outlines were examined. ANOVA revealed significant differences in nuclear diameter among grades: both diameter and variation in diameter increased with grade. Variability and irregularity of nuclear and duct shape also increased with grade. Lumen/duct area ratios decreased with severity of invasion and approached zero in grade three. Although preliminary, these morphometric data suggest that it may be possible to develop more objective and quantifiable criteria for grade designations.
LIPID HYDROPEROXIDE LEVELS, OXIDATIVE STATUS AND GLUCOSE ABSORPTION IN RODENTS FOLLOWING BDE-85 EXPOSURE
Authors: VAGULA MARY C , KUBELDIS NATHAN R , Nelatury Charles
Published: February 2022

The Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) are a class of synthetic flame retardant compounds which are available in three commercial forms, penta BDEs, octa BDEs, and deca BDEs. Because of their extensive commercial use they have become widespread environmental contaminants. BDE-85 is a congener of the penta variety; to the best of the authors' knowledge there are no studies reported on the toxicity potential of this compound. This study reports the effects of BDE-85 on the oxidative stress and glucose absorption in rodents. Oxidative stress was measured using oxidative stress markers, lipid hydroperoxides in conjunction with activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and catalase in mice kidney and intestine tissues after exposure to 0.25 mg/kg body weight of BDE-85 via intraperitoneal route for four days. Mice tissues showed significant alterations (p<0.05) in the oxidative stress markers. Lipid hydroperoxide levels were elevated, indicating increased lipid peroxidation, while the activities of GPx, SOD, catalase and GST were reduced despite increased lipid peroxidation pointing to disruption in oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium. In addition to this, glucose absorption and Na+/K+ ATPase activities were studied in rats using isolated small intestinal segments exposed to 5 μg/mL of BDE-85 in vitro. The results showed a significant reduction (-63.97%) in the absorption of glucose through the small intestine along with decreased Na+/K+ ATPase activity, indicating significant disruption in the sodium-dependant glucose absorption process in the small intestine.
QUANTIFYING WING DAMAGE OF SUMMER BATS IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
Authors: FRANCL KAREN E. , CANNIFF TESSA K. , R. CRAIG BLAND , SPARKS DALE W. , BRACK, VIRGIL
Published: February 2022

While conducting mist net surveys for the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) in West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania, we quantified wing damage on 422 bats of four species: big brown (Eptesicus fuscus, N = 190), eastern red (Lasiurus borealis, N = 82), little brown (M. lucifugus, N = 55), and northern myotis (M. septentrionalis, N = 95) bats. From 15 May – 15 August 2010, we photographed back-lit wings to reveal damage such as scars, holes, and blotching (non-uniform pigmentation). After quantifying the percent cover of these damage types using image-analysis software, we used generalized non-linear mixed models to determine if percent area of damage differed among scores associated with the categorical wing damage index (WDI) developed by Reichard and Kunz (2009). Although quantified damage did generally increase with WDI score across all species, statistical separation by WDI was only documented for the big brown bat (blotching, scars, blotching + scars combined) and northern myotis (blotching, blotching + scars). We suggest that studies like ours can provide quantitative species-specific datasets that can be examined in a more precise manner than a categorical index.
Survey of the Prevalence and Diversity of Intestinal Parasites Through Scat Analysis of Canids at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Authors: Kindlin Lana R. , Kindlin Craig M. , Stewart Richard L.
Published: February 2022

The increased spread of Echinococcus multilocularis into novel areas has created a need for early detection and monitoring of parasites within wild canid populations. In order to survey the prevalence and relative intensity of helminthes in wild canid populations, coyote, red fox and gray fox scat samples were collected during February and March 2012 at Letterkenny Army Depot, in south central Pennsylvania, USA. Using standard fecal flotation, 13 different parasites were identified in 75 fecal samples, of which 40% of coyote (n=35) and 72.5% (n=40) of fox samples contained evidence of at least one parasite. This represents 8 new species now known to parasitize coyotes and foxes in Letterkenny Army Depot when compared with previous published research. Eleven of the 13 parasites identified were shared between coyotes and foxes. Fox samples had a higher prevalence of parasitism than did coyote samples; however, the relative intensity of parasitism was greater in coyote samples. While parasitism with Taenia sp., Capillaria sp., Isospora sp., Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Strongyloides stercoralis and Uncinaria stenocephala is likely detrimental, we did not identify Echinococcus sp. or other zoonotic parasites. We recommend continued surveillance for parasites found within wild canids through standard fecal flotation techniques as well as molecular and specific DNA analyses.
Analysis of the Impact of Acid Mine Drainage on Bacterial Populations in the Upper Tioga Watershed
Authors: Honey Whitney , Yenilaitus Tracey , Kagle Jeanne
Published: February 2022

The Upper Tioga Watershed (UTW) in northern Pennsylvania is exposed to acid mine drainage (AMD), resulting in decreased population sizes and diversity of macrobiota. Few studies thus far, however, have assessed the impact of AMD on the microbial communities in streams receiving AMD. Using taxonomic (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP)) and metabolic (Biolog EcoPlates) analyses, bacterial biodiversity and community structure in AMD-impacted and non-impacted sites of the UTW were compared. The results indicate that bacterial communities in sediments of streams receiving AMD differ from those at a non-impacted site and are less diverse. Analysis of T-RFLP patterns and metabolic patterns from Biolog EcoPlates revealed two main clusters of community similarity among the sites. The pattern suggests that the bacterial communities may be more resistant to negative effects of AMD than macroscopic organisms. One AMD-impacted site is dominated by one taxonomic group, putatively identified as Beijerinckiaceae.
Occurrence of the Giant Kidney Worm (Dioctophyma renale) in Long-Tailed Weasels (Mustela frenata) from Pennsylvania
Authors: Kauffman James C. , Harle Kimberly K. , Swallow Matthew J. , Huffman Jane E.
Published: February 2022

Three adult giant kidney worms (Dioctophyma renale) were found in the right kidneys of two male long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata) from Pike County, Pennsylvania. At necropsy, both weasels showed no clinical signs of decreased fitness. The right kidneys of both animals were enlarged and contained nematodes. This is the first described infection of long-tailed weasels by giant kidney worms in Pennsylvania. A more thorough investigation of long-tailed weasels across their range is recommended to determine prevalence rates of this parasite and potential impacts on weasel populations.
Middle Creek Water Assessment Using Water Quality Index (WQI)
Authors: Lachhab Ahmed , Beren Matthew , Zuidervliet Brian
Published: February 2022

Water quality Index (WQI) provides a single value to express overall quality of water which is calculated based on a number of measurable parameters. WQI was calculated based on 10 parameters that were determined during the period between June and July of 2012 and July of 2013 in an effort to assess the water quality of Middle Creek (MC) (Snyder, CO. PA). The Middle Creek (MC) is a 2nd order tributary stream flowing into Penn's Creek before joining the Susquehanna River. In this study, eleven sites were selected along MC between the head waters and its confluence with Penn's Creek. Physical properties were measured in the field, and grab-samples were tested for P, NO2−, NO3−, NH3, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS). The Composite WQI for all sites along MC was calculated to be 89.71, indicating that MC is in good condition regarding water quality and is capable of buffering nutrient and chemical runoff. Results have shown that certain parameters, such as temperature (T°), COD or BOD, can be used as proxies for predicting the WQI. Due to good correlation with WQI values, T°, COD or BOD can be used to assess water quality within a short period of time. In this study, T° and COD were found to give the best forecasting parameters, followed by BOD. The relationships found between WQI and these three parameters, allow for a simple test to provide an adequate assessment of the water quality of a given stream system.
Factors Influencing Walleye (Sander vitreus) Year Class Strength in the Upper Susquehanna River
Authors: Wnuk Robert T.
Published: February 2022

Age-0 Walleye were monitored in the upper Susquehanna River from 1995 through 2010. I used these data to examine factors that influenced year class strength and to construct a predictive model. Mean river flow in May demonstrated the strongest relationship with year class strength (r2 = 0.57). A model consisting of May flow, June flow, and July air temperature explained 86.7% of the variation in the data from 1995 through 2006. This model successfully predicted Walleye year class strength for data from 2007 through 2010 (mean prediction error = 13.1/hr).
Native Americans in the Susquehanna River Valley: An Archaeological Summary
Authors: Minderhout David J.
Published: February 2022

Native Americans have lived in the Susquehanna River Valley for at least 10,000 years. Archaeological research along the banks of the river has discovered a rich prehistory stretching from the Paleoindian era through the Archaic and Woodland periods up to and through early contact with Europeans. This paper summarizes the major environmental changes that affected the cultural evolution of Native Americans over this long time span and the technological innovations that occurred. Because the same areas in which Native Americans made their camps or villages have also been desirable areas for subsequent European settlement and industrial development, the archaeological record is incomplete and a number of questions remain unanswered and require additional research. Among them are the origins of various archaeological cultures; the size of native populations at in various time periods; and why agriculture/horticulture was so late in developing along the river. A brief discussion of Native American migrations and relocation in the Contact Period is included. Attention is also given to the emergence of organizations over the last two decades in the river basin which claim native descent.
Water Quality Assessment of the Lower West Branch – Susquehanna River: Focus on Sewage Treatment
Authors: Zimmerman Melvin C. , Dooley Lynette
Published: February 2022

The object of this study was to describe and determine the water quality of the Lower West Branch of the Susquehanna River between Lock Haven and Sunbury. Sites were selected in relation to location of sewage treatment plants along this stretch of river. Water chemistry data (pH, alkalinity, nitrate nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, orthophosphorus, total phosphorus, total dissolved solids, and turbidity) are presented from 2005 to 2013. Macroinvertebrate kick samples were collected from sample sites in the summer of 2013. These data were subjected to the EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol II (RBA-Family Level), Hillsenhoff Biotic Index and Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index in an attempt to describe water quality. All nine of the sewage treatment plants in this section of the river have made improvements to address discharge and combined sewer overflows (CSO's) concerns in the last decade. The overall quality of the water appears to have improved as a number of Chesapeake Bay Initiatives on sewage treatment plants has taken place. Noticeable success of the new standards for sewage treatment plants that have been or are currently being upgraded will need continued monitoring to demonstrate overall water quality improvements.
Effects of Transport on Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels in Captive-Bred Cotton-Top Tamarins (Sanguinus oedipus)
Authors: Keller Karen L. , Fritz R. Scott , Zoubek Carlie M. , Kennedy Erica H. , Cronin Katherine A. , Rothwell Emily S. , Serfass Thomas L.
Published: February 2022

The relocation of animals can induce stress when animals are placed in novel environmental conditions. The movement of captive animals among facilities is common, especially for non-human primates used in research. The stress response begins with the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which results in the release of glucocorticoid hormones (GC), which at chronic levels could lead to deleterious physiological effects. There is a substantial body of data concerning GC levels and reproduction, and rank and aggression in primates. However, the effect of transport has received much less attention. Fecal samples from eight (four male and four female) captive-bred cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) were collected at four different time points (two pre-transport and two post-transport). The fecal samples were analyzed using an immunoassay to determine GC levels. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated that GC levels differed among transport times (p = 0.009), but not between sexes (p = 0.963). Five of the eight tamarins exhibited an increase in GC levels after transport. Seven of the eight tamarins exhibited a decrease in GC levels from three to six days post-transport to three weeks post-transport. Most values returned to pre- transport levels after three weeks. The results indicate that these tamarins experienced elevated GC levels following transport, but these increases were of short duration. This outcome would suggest that the negative effects of elevated GC levels were also of short duration.
Fatal Disseminated Toxoplasmosis in a Black Bear Cub
Authors: Huffman Jane E. , Roscoe Douglas E.
Published: February 2022

A black bear (Ursus americanus) cub with signs of neurological disease was captured in West Milford, NJ. The animal died in captivity and was examined because of suspected rabies. At necropsy, the lungs were reddened and noncollapsed and had multiple pale round foci. Foci of necrosis were associated with Toxoplasma gondii cysts and tachyzoites in several organs. Rabies antigen was not detected.
Comparision of Growth Among Different Age Classes of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Populations in Two Impoundents in Northwest Pennsylvania
Authors: Enright Michael , Brenner Fred J. , Cassano Larissa , Beyer-Kramer Katherine R.
Published: February 2022

The length of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), as determined from scale samples, was calculated based on the formula Ln = (Sn/S)L. Ln is length in the nth year, Sn is the length of the annulus in the nth year, S is the total scale length and L is the total length of the fish at capture. These values were compared for two impoundments, Lake Latonka and Lake Wilhelm in northwestern Pennsylvania. The weight (Wo) of fish at capture was compared with the estimated weight (We) based on a regression equation We = aln and the length-weight relationship We = ln. Fish in both Lake Latonka and Lake Wilhelm exhibited a significant length-weight correlation, except for the 0+ age class in Lake Latonka. There was a significant correlation between the expected and observed weight in both impoundments. During the first year, largemouth bass in Lake Latonka, exceeded the growth of largemouth bass in Lake Wilhelm, but in succeeding years the growth of fish in Lake Wilhelm exceeded that of fish in Lake Latonka. This difference may be the result of food availability.
Effect of Road Proximity on Reproductive Effort and Movement Patterns of the Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)
Authors: Engberg Katherine E. , Rothenberger Megan B.
Published: February 2022

Nearly half of the amphibian species in northeastern North America rely on vernal pools as their primary breeding habitat. The problem is that, because vernal pools are small and isolated, they are often left unmonitored and unprotected. A primary threat to both amphibians and vernal pools is habitat destruction and fragmentation, but our knowledge of the species-specific impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on all phases of the amphibian life cycle are still rudimentary. The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) was the focus of this research because it is considered the most common vernal pool indicator in Pennsylvania. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of road proximity on vernal pool hydrology and water chemistry, reproductive effort of wood frogs (i.e., numbers of egg masses deposited), and upland movement patterns of wood frogs. These parameters were compared between three isolated pools (> 1000 m from the nearest road) and two pools in a fragmented habitat (< 100 m from two roads) within a Pennsylvania state park. This study indicates that, although road proximity did not have a significant effect on vernal pool water chemistry and egg mass abundance was greater in the fragmented location, habitat fragmentation by roads did have a significant effect on the movement patterns of wood frogs in surrounding terrestrial habitat. At the isolated site where there were no barriers to movement, wood frogs were distributed randomly around the pools. However, wood frogs in the fragmented location were trapped at a lower frequency near roads than expected by chance, indicating that the presence of roads may reduce the amount of upland habitat utilized by adult wood frogs. Although this was a small and localized study, the results indicate the challenging nature of conserving species with complex life cycles in human dominated landscapes and highlight the importance of considering life-cycle and species-specific habitat requirements when designing vernal pool conservation plans.
Optimization of Cell Culture Conditions for the Earthworm Eisenia hortensis: a Study Investigating the Effects of Media, Carbon Dioxide, Temperature, Serum, and Anti-Fungal Agents
Authors: Fuller-Espie Sheryl L. , Harris Darcy R. , Daly Jennifer H. , Jakeman Juliann M.
Published: February 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for culturing coelomocytes (leukocytelike cells) from the annelid Eisenia hortensis. It was of particular interest to determine if CO2 could be omitted to permit more wide-spread use of earthworms in cell biology curricula using standard incubators. Two different types of media, DMEM and SFX-Insect Media, were used at varying conditions including: temperature, serum concentration, antimycotic concentration, CO2, and time. Cell viability was measured using propidium iodide and flow cytometry in addition to analysis of forward and side light scatter properties. It was found that the coelomocytes of E. hortensis exhibit the highest level of cell viability when cultured with DMEM supplemented with 10% newborn calf serum at 25 °C. Longer incubations showed lower cell death when CO2 was provided, but CO2 could be omitted for shorter periods of culture without significant loss of cell viability providing 10 mM HEPES was included in the culture medium. It was also observed that SFX-Insect Medium was a suitable alternative to DMEM and was used without the need for 5% CO2, but a minimum of 5% serum needed to be included. The toxicity of amphotericin B was tested and 0.875 μg/ml in DMEM and SFX-Insect Medium did not compromise cell viability. This information shows that earthworms can be cultured easily without the need for a CO2 incubator, thus simplifying laboratory conditions and minimizing costs associated with using earthworms for cell biology curricula and research purposes.
Re-Analysis of Breeding Bird Density in Eastern Pennsylvania Woodlots
Authors: Mancke Ralph G. , Gavin Thomas A.
Published: February 2022

Previously, we developed statistical models for the densities of 36 breeding bird species occurring in 176 woodlots in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Here, we present a re-analysis of the same data after eliminating many highly correlated variables (|r| > 0.5), decreasing our number of candidate models from thousands to 12, and correcting a statistical error that we had made previously. Our distance-to-edge variable was a measure of depth in the woodlot that depended on distances to 4 woodlot edges. We could not use our area variable because of its very high correlation with our distance-to-edge variable. Our isolation variable was not highly correlated with either our distance-to-edge or area variable. Two other key variables related to buildings at the woodlot edges. As previously, our models were nonlinear, and we used bootstrapped data sets to help ascertain the best model for each species. We determined that 3 species were forest-interior species, and 2 of these also responded negatively to increasing isolation. We found 3 edge species, plus 2 modified edge species that occurred only at suburban or urban edges; both of the latter are known to nest on buildings. Our results agreed well but were conservative compared to an extensive literature. However, they did not agree well with our previous analysis. In particular, we were not able to confirm our previous conclusion that buildings near the edges of woodlots were important to many bird species in eastern Pennsylvania, USA.
An Inexpensive and Mobile See-Through Tunnel for Collecting Bird Flight Performance Data in the Field
Authors: Corbin Clay E. , Pallis Kenneth E. , Gray Brandan L.
Published: February 2022

Flight performance data for flying animals are valuable for estimating energetic budgets and may be necessary for testing hypotheses of optimal foraging, predator-prey response, and physiological demand. However, measuring the flight performance of birds, particularly in the field, may be expensive and time consuming. Additionally, depending on the level of biological scale or the particular research question, apparatuses such as laboratory-bound wind tunnels may be inappropriate. We offer a see-through tent as an inexpensive alternative for certain situations where the goal is simply to constrain the flight path of a bird for videography. Data on acceleration and morphology were sampled from birds in an old-field habitat in central Pennsylvania, USA and demonstrate the utility of the apparatus.
The Use of a Brine Shrimp Assay to Detect Bioactivity in the Endophyte-Infected Grass, Agrostis hyemalis
Authors: Kolbeck Matthew K. , Tintjer Tammy E.
Published: February 2022

Endophytic fungi of grasses in the genus Epichloë produce protective alkaloids that are known to deter herbivory. In addition to direct measurement of alkaloids, various feeding tests are used to assess bioactivity. Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) assays have been used to detect bioactivity in plants and fungi, including endophytic fungi of medicinal plants. We tested the utility of a brine shrimp assay to detect bioactivity in the endophyte-infected (symbiotic) grass Agrostis hyemalis. We exposed brine shrimp larvae (nauplii) to whole plant aqueous extracts as well as to fermentation cultures of the isolated fungus and observed nauplii survival after 24 hours. Whole plant extracts of symbiotic grasses reduced survival, compared to brine shrimp survival in the extracts of grass lacking the endophyte. Furthermore the effect of symbiotic grass extracts was dose-dependent, with reduced survival in the higher concentration compared to lower. These results suggest that the brine shrimp assay detects bioactivity of endophyte-produced toxins. This short-term assay is simple, inexpensive, requires no specialized equipment, is suitable for student research projects, and could potentially serve as an initial screening of symbiotic grasses for alkaloid production.
Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens of Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in New Jersey
Authors: Chern Kacie , Bird Meaghan , Frey Kaitlyn , Huffman Jane E.
Published: February 2022

Information on the role that American black bears (Ursus americanus) play in hosting ticks and tick-borne pathogens is limited. In this study, Dermacentor variabilis, Ixodes scapularis, and blood were collected from black bears (U. americanus) in northwestern New Jersey in the summer of 2015. D. variabilis was collected from more bears and in greater abundance overall. Two hundred and fifty-six adult D. variabilis from 18 bears were tested for Francisella tularensis and Rickettsia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One to five ticks were pooled into 69 groups according to sex, species, life stage, and individual host. Rickettsia spp. were detected in 6 of 69 D. variabilis pools (8.6%). All D. variabilis were negative for F. tularensis. Twenty-nine I. scapularis (23 adults and 6 nymphs) were collected from 11 bears and were subsequently pooled into 14 groups in the same manner. Fourteen pools of I. scapularis from the bears were screened for Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella spp. by PCR. B. burgdorferi was detected in 3 of 14 pools of I. scapularis (21.4%), Babesia spp. in 2 of 14 (14.2%), A. phagocytophilum in 1 of 14 (7.1%), and Bartonella spp. in 2 of 14 (14.2%). Fourteen bear blood samples were tested for F. tularensis, Rickettsia spp., B. burgdorferi, Babesia spp., A. phagocytophilum, and Bartonella spp. by PCR. One of 14 bear blood samples was positive for Babesia spp. (7.1%). None of the 14 bear blood samples were positive for F. tularensis, Rickettsia spp., B. burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum, or Bartonella spp. Although Babesia spp. were detected in black bear blood, it remains unclear whether or not this pathogen can be transmitted from infected bears to uninfected ticks. The number of studies on this relationship is limited and these findings warrant further investigation of the black bear's potential role as a reservoir.
The First British Edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's “Feathertop” inHome Circle(1852)
Authors: Basdeo Stephen
Published: February 2022

This article is an introduction to the publication of the first British edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's “Feathertop” in Home Circle in 1852. Hawthorne scholars have previously been unaware of the appearance of “Feathertop” in this magazine. However, a commentary on the appearance of Hawthorne's work in this little-known periodical reveals, even though no correspondence survives, Hawthorne's hitherto-unknown connections to the world of nineteenth-century British popular fiction.
A qualidade de vida pela ótica das pessoas vivendo com vírus da imunodeficiência humana: um estudo das representações sociais
Authors: Marques Sergio Corrêa , Antunes Rômulo Frutuoso , Oliveira Denize Cristina , Machado Yndira Yta , Stefaisk Renata Lacerda Marques , Almeida Camila Laporte
Published: February 2022

Introdução: A representação social da qualidade de vida expressa a subjetividade das necessidades materiais, espirituais e de saúde intrínsecas ao cotidiano e à individualidade de cada sujeito ao seu modo de viver. Objetivo: Descrever a qualidade de vida de pessoas vivendo com vírus da imunodeficiência humana na cidade do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Métodos: É um estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa apoiado na Teoria do Núcleo Central das representações sociais realizado em dois Serviços de Assistência Especializada em Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana/aids localizados no município do Rio de Janeiro com 120 pessoas vivendo com vírus da imunodeficiência humana. Na coleta de dados utilizaram-se um questionário socioeconômico e clínico e a técnica de evocação livre de palavras ao termo indutor “qualidade de vida”. Os dados socioeconômicos foram organizados no software Excel, e as evocações foram analisadas pela técnica do quadro de quatro casas utilizando o software EVOC 2005, que indica os possíveis conteúdos centrais da representação do grupo. Resultados: A maioria do grupo é do sexo masculino (83,3%), com idade entre 30 e 39 anos (30%), foi exposta ao vírus da imunodeficiência humana por contato homossexual/ homens que fazem sexo com homens (60%); 94,2% fazem uso regular de antirretrovirais e 95% informam não sentir sintomas decorrentes do vírus da imunodeficiência humana. Na estrutura da representação da qualidade de vida, verifica-se no núcleo central os elementos boa, boa alimentação e saúde, cujas frequências e ordem média de evocação sugerem que sejam os elementos centrais. Na primeira periferia consta atividade física e lazer. Verificam-se uma avaliação positiva da qualidade de vida no núcleo central e um conjunto de conteúdos que refletem atenção à saúde e práticas ou comportamentos que podem assegurar a ausência de doenças e promover a manutenção da saúde. Conclusão: A representação social da qualidade de vida está apoiada nas práticas de promoção da saúde, como ter uma vida saudável, estável e com saúde. Evidenciam aspectos a serem considerados no cuidado à saúde desse grupo social.