The Chandeleur Islands (Louisiana) contain nursery habitats for lemon sharks that provide abundant prey and protection from predation. Other local shark species (Atlantic sharpnose, bull, and blacktip sharks) co-occur with lemon sharks in the same region, including the nearby Biloxi Marshes. To better assess how lemon sharks use these nursery habitats, I measured diet and prey availability of young of the year and juvenile lemon sharks from 2009 to 2010. Young lemon sharks at the Chandeleur Islands have a relatively reduced diet breadth in comparison to those from nurseries in Bimini (Bahamas) and the Florida Keys. At the Chandeleur Islands, young lemon sharks appear to be opportunistically feeding on the most abundant prey items, resulting in high prey abundance and low diversity in their diet. Opportunistic feeding by young lemon sharks suggests minimal dietary overlap with other local shark species, resulting in minimal competition for resources.

Previous investigations of FePd circular island arrays have shown the hysteresis-free switching from vortex to collinear magnetic state at high temperatures [1]. This raises interest in the exploration of the temperature and inter-island interaction effect on the magnetization dynamics in this kind of structures. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements allow for the investigation of the magnetization response to time-dependent magnetic field excitations. In this work, the dynamics of a square lattice of circular Fe20Pd80 alloy islands were investigated. The micromagnetic simulations of FMR response were carried out with the parameters similar to those used in the experiments. The experimentally measured FMR absorption spectra were qualitatively reproduced employing micromagnetic simulations. Furthermore, the spatial maps of th estanding spin wave modes were calculated. It was confirmed that the features arising in the FMR absorption spectra are governed by both the temperature and the inter-island interactions.

Durante muito tempo as ilhas vêm sendo fundamentais para pesquisa em ecologia e biologia evolutiva. Esses estudos tornaram possível a elaboração de importantes teorias nesses campos e que puderam ser extrapoladas para diversos outros ambientes. O aumento dos desmatamentos e da fragmentação de habitats tem levado ao isolamento dos organismos em \"ilhas\" dentro do continente. A perda de diversidade em fragmentos é uma situação preocupante. Populações restritas a ilhas ou fragmentos possuem maior probabilidade de extinção. As abelhas possuem um papel fundamental nos ecossistemas e por isso a extinção de uma população terá impacto nos outros níveis tróficos. Em virtude disso, o objetivo desse trabalho foi testar a hipótese de que populações das abelhas Tetragonisca angustula e Bombus morio de ilhas com mais de 100 ha localizados nos estados de Santa Catarina (SC), Paraná (PR), São Paulo (SP) e Rio de Janeiro (RJ), e populações continentais em áreas próximas a remanescentes de Mata Atlântica nos estados de Minas Gerais (MG), PR, RJ, SC e SP possuem baixa diversidade genética e, por isso, estariam mais propensas à extinção. Nossos resultados mostraram que a espécie T. angustula apresenta alta filopatria de rainhas e baixa diversidade genética mitocondrial. Por outro lado, os microssatélites mostraram menor estruturação e alta/moderada diversidade genética, indicando que os machos são o sexo dispersor. Para a espécie B. morio, a diversidade genética observada para ambos os marcadores foi alta, com exceção de duas populações. As fêmeas também apresentaram maior estruturação populacional, enquanto que para os machos essa estruturação praticamente não existiu. Portanto, as populações das espécies T. angustula e B. morio não apresentam inclinação à extinção. A sobrevivência em ambientes urbanos e a grande capacidade de migração dos machos parecem ser fatores fundamentais para isso. Além disso, essas características parecem ser as responsáveis pelo não isolamento genético entre muitas das populações geograficamente isoladas / Islands have been key research fields on the ecology and evolutionary biology for a long time. The study of their biota has made possible the development of important theories that could be extrapolated to other environments. The increase in deforestation and habitat fragmentation has led to isolation of the organisms in \"islands\" within the continent. Loss of diversity in fragments is a concern, because nowadays many species only exist in fragments. Populations restricted to islands or fragments have higher probability of extinction. Bees have a key role in ecosystems and the extinction of their populations will impact other trophic levels. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that populations of two bee species, Tetragonisca angustula and Bombus morio, in islands with more than 100 ha located in the states of Santa Catarina (SC), Paraná (PR), São Paulo (SP) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ), and mainland populations in areas near the Atlantic Forest remnants in the states of Minas Gerais (MG), PR, RJ, SC and SP have low genetic diversity and therefore would be more prone to extinction. Our results to T. angustula showed low mitochondrial genetic diversity which can be associated to queen philopatry behavior. Moreover, microsatellites showed lower structure and moderate/high genetic diversity, indicating a greater dispersion by males. The genetic diversity observed for B. morio for both markers was high, excepting two populations. Females also had higher population structure than detected for males. Therefore, most of T. angustula and B. morio populations are not prone to extinction, mainly because of their capability to survive in urban environments and high male migration. Therefore, these characteristics seem to be responsible for allowing many of the geographically isolated populations do not present genetic isolation

Food production, or the cultivation and processing of edible materials, is closely linked to both the physical environment and human social systems. This is especially true on the islands of Remote Oceania, where cultivation of plants introduced with colonization has always been a key component of survival. This project centers on the production systems of an island in the west central Pacific: Pohnpei, Micronesia. It addresses the fundamental question of how food production is related to changes in social and physical environments and also addresses the optimum ways to archaeologically study plant remains in tropical oceanic environments with poor preservation. In order to examine these questions, this project looks at human-environment interrelationships using historical ecology. A multi-pronged approach was used in this research. Archaeological survey was used to identify prehistoric and historic features on the landscape and to map the distribution of food production activities. Excavation of selected archaeological features, including breadfruit fermentation pits, yam enclosures, and cooking features, was conducted to examine formation patterns. Paleoethnobotanical analysis included collection and analysis of flotation samples for carbonized plant macroremain analysis and sediment samples for phytolith analysis. Finally, because a reference collection is key to all paleoethnobotanical research, plant specimens from multiple Pacific locations were collected and processed for phytolith reference. Botanical data show that phytolith analysis is very useful in the Pacific region, as many economically important taxa produce phytoliths. However, because of differential silica uptake, it should be used in conjunction with other methods. Archaeological phytolith analysis of the garden landscape shows disturbance caused by pigs, which were introduced historically, a change from the prehistoric phytolith record, which shows no major shifts. Combined analysis of plant macroremains and phytoliths from secure archaeological contexts shows the use of banana leaves in breadfruit cooking in the historic period, highlighting the importance of multi-method paleoethnobotanical study. These data point towards an anthropogenic environment and stable agricultural system that was present in late prehistoric Pohnpei. Major changes occurred in the historic period, although production of plant foods that were important for centuries continues to flourish today.

The West Kendall Tree Island site (8DA1081) is a black dirt midden situated on the northeast end of an everglades tree island. The site has been intensely disturbed by excavation pits, particularly on the highest elevations of the site, and becomes increasingly disturbed by a growing Kendall population. Faunal remains recovered in 2008 are examined to reconstruct past ecological habitats, comparing the faunal composition to tree island sites within the Florida Everglades. Based upon identifications, the composition of the site is similar to those of the region, being comprised primarily of freshwater aquatic species and aquatic reptiles, with minimal selection of terrestrial faunal resources. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Wong, Mei Fung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 207-251). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iv / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vi / PUBLICATIONS BASED ON WORK IN THIS THESIS --- p.vii / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.viii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.x / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Diabetes Mellitus --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Structure and Functions of the Pancreas --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Size of Pancreatic β-Cells --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Signaling Pathways of Insulin Secretion from Pancreatic β-Cells --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Classification of Diabetes --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Type 1 Diabetes --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Type 2 Diabetes --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Pathologies of Type 2 Diabetes --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Hyperglycemia --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4.1.1 --- A dvanced Glycosylation End Products --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.1.2 --- Protein Kinase C Activation --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.1.3 --- The Glucosamine Pathway --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.1.4 --- Oxidative Stress --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Insulin Resistance --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Loss of β-Cell Mass and β-Cell Dysfunction --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5 --- Complications of Diabetes Mellitus --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Cardiovascular Diseases --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Diabetic Retinopathy --- p.22 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Diabetic Nephropathy --- p.23 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Neuropathy --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6 --- Anti-Diabetic Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Secretagogues --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Sensitizers --- p.26 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Peptide Analogs --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6.4.1 --- Incretin Mimetics --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6.4.2 --- Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors --- p.28 / Chapter 1.7 --- Insights of Porcine Islets in Treatment of Diabetics --- p.28 / Chapter 1.8 3 --- -Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase (HMG CoA Reductase) --- p.31 / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Statins --- p.32 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Pleiotropic Effects of Statins --- p.36 / Chapter 1.8.2.1 --- Statins and Isoprenylated Proteins --- p.36 / Chapter 1.8.2.2 --- Statins and Endothelial Functions --- p.38 / Chapter 1.8.2.3 --- Statins and Platelet Functions --- p.39 / Chapter 1.8.2.4 --- Statins and Plaque Stability --- p.39 / Chapter 1.8.2.5 --- Statins and Vascular Inflammation --- p.40 / Chapter 1.9 --- Clinical Studies of Statins on Diabetics --- p.41 / Chapter 1.10 --- Possible Factors Involved in Simvastatin-Regulated Insulin Secretion --- p.44 / Chapter 1.10.1 --- AMP-Activated Protein Kinase --- p.44 / Chapter 1.10.2 --- Caveolin-1 --- p.46 / Chapter 1.10.3 --- Sterol-Regulatory Elementary Binding Protein --- p.50 / Chapter 1.10.4 --- Protein Phosphatase 2A --- p.52 / Chapter 1.10.5 --- Calcium Sensing Receptor --- p.55 / Chapter 1.11 --- Objectives of Study --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS --- p.60 / Chapter 2.1 --- Materials --- p.60 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Solutions --- p.60 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Antibodies --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2 --- Methods --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Maintenance of Pancreas Function --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Islet Isolation --- p.65 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) Staining --- p.65 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Simvastatin and Simvastatin-Na+ --- p.66 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- AICAR --- p.67 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Compound C --- p.67 / Chapter 2.2.7 --- Incubation of Islets --- p.67 / Chapter 2.2.8 --- Western Blot --- p.68 / Chapter 2.2.9 --- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) --- p.69 / Chapter 2.2.10 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.71 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- HISTOLOGY OF PORCINE PANCREATIC ISLETS OF LANGERHANS --- p.72 / Chapter 3.1 --- Comparison of Sizes of Porcine Pancreatic Islets in Histological Sections of Pancreas --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- PROTEIN EXPRESSION OF HMG COA REDUCTASE --- p.75 / Chapter 4.1 --- Effect of Incubation Time on HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2 --- Short-Term Effect of Simvastatin on HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.78 / Chapter 4.3 --- Long-Term Effect of Simvastatin on HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.81 / Chapter 4.4 --- Effect of Osmolality on HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.83 / Chapter 4.5 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Ser871 p-HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.87 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF SIMVASTATIN IN INSULIN SECRETION VIA HMG CO A REDUCTASE REGULATION --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Insulin Secretion --- p.90 / Chapter 5.2 --- Effect of Different Concentrations of Simvastatin on Insulin Secretion --- p.94 / Chapter 5.3 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Insulin Content --- p.96 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- ROLE OF AMPK EXPRESSION IN INSULIN SECRETION PATHWAY --- p.100 / Chapter 6.1 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Thr172 p-AMPK α and AMPK α1 Expressions --- p.100 / Chapter 6.2 --- Evaluation of the Role of Simvastatin in AMPK Regulation --- p.104 / Chapter 6.3 --- Evaluation of the Role of PP2A in AMPK Regulation --- p.108 / Chapter 6.4 --- Evaluation of the Role of Simvastatin on Insulin Secretion via AMPK Regulation --- p.111 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- AMPK Regulation on Releasable Insulin Secretion --- p.111 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- AMPK Regulation on Non-Releasable Insulin Content and Total Insulin Content --- p.112 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- EFFECT OF SIMVASTATIN ON THE EXPRESSION OF REGULATORY PROTEINS INVOLVED IN INSULIN SECRETION --- p.119 / Chapter 7.1 --- Effect of Simvastatin on SREBP-2 Expression --- p.119 / Chapter 7.2 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Caveolin-1 Expression --- p.121 / Chapter 7.3 --- Effect of Simvastatin on Calcium Sensing Receptor Expression --- p.123 / Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- EFFECT OF SIMVASTATIN-NA+ ON INSULIN SECRETION --- p.126 / Chapter 8.1 --- Effect of Simvastatin-Na+ on HMG CoA Reductase Expression --- p.126 / Chapter 8.2 --- Effect of Simvastatin-Na+ on Insulin Secretion --- p.128 / Chapter 8.3 --- Effect of Different Concentrations of Simvastatin-Na+ on Insulin Secretion --- p.130 / Chapter 8.4 --- Effect of Simvastatin-Na+ on Insulin Content --- p.132 / Chapter CHAPTER 9 --- EFFECT OF PRAVASTATIN ON INSULIN SECRETION --- p.136 / Chapter 9.1 --- Effect of Pravastatin on Insulin Secretion --- p.136 / Chapter 9.2 --- Effect of Pravastatin on Insulin Content --- p.138 / Chapter CHAPTER 10 --- EFFECT OF METHYL-B-CYCLODEXTRIN ON INSULIN SECRETION --- p.142 / Chapter 10.1 --- Effect of Methyl-β-cyclodextrin on Insulin Secretion --- p.142 / Chapter 10.2 --- Effect of Methyl-β-cyclodextrin on Insulin Content --- p.144 / Chapter CHAPTER 11 --- DISCUSSION --- p.149 / Chapter 11.1 --- Importance of Studying Porcine Pancreatic Islets and Islet Distribution --- p.150 / Chapter 11.2 --- Screening of Concentration and Incubation Time of Simvastatin on Porcine Pancreatic Islets --- p.152 / Chapter 11.3 --- Glucose-Independent Effect of Simvastatin on Protein Expression of HMG CoA Reductase --- p.154 / Chapter 11.4 --- Role of AMPK in HMG CoA Reductase-Modulated Insulin Secretion --- p.159 / Chapter 11.5 --- Role of SREBP-2 in Simvastatin-Modulated Regulation --- p.174 / Chapter 11.6 --- Role of Calcium Sensing Receptor in Simvastatin-Modulated Regulation --- p.175 / Chapter 11.7 --- Role of Caveolin-1 in Simvastatin-Modulated Regulation --- p.179 / Chapter 11.8 --- "Effects of Simvastatin-Na+， Pravastatin and Methyl-β-cyclodextrin, and Importance of Endoplasmic Reticulum in Insulin Secretion" --- p.183 / Chapter CHAPTER 12 --- CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER STUDIES --- p.197 / Chapter 12.1 --- Conclusions --- p.197 / Chapter 12.2 --- Further Studies --- p.203 / REFERENCES --- p.207

Volcanicity in six stages is described from tee Plio/Pleistocene volcanoes on the north coast of Viti Levu, Fiji; the larger one at Vutukoula shown eruption in five stages of rocks of the alkaline olivine basalt — trachyte association and the smaller one at Vatia, six miles away.

In the summer of 2007, the number of people living in the world’s urban areas exceeded that of those living in the countryside. Such urbanisation tends to modify the climates of towns and cities as a result of a number of factors which together form the ‘urban heat island’ effect. In order to better design buildings and urban areas to cope with these effects, it is first necessary to understand the heat transfer mechanisms which are taking place. The aim of the current research has therefore been to provide convective heat transfer data appropriate for low-rise urban environments by investigating the effects of wind speed, direction and street geometry. The research has employed the naphthalene sublimation technique which has been extended in several fundamental areas including development of a novel approach to measure the rate of sublimation from wind tunnel models. This technique has permitted measurements to be made over an array of discrete locations, revealing the variation across building surfaces. The uncertainty in the convective heat transfer coefficients obtained was calculated to be approximately ±6%. Tests were conducted in the BRE wind tunnel with an atmospheric boundary layer simulation appropriate to inner city areas. Cube models were arranged so as to form long rows of flat-roofed buildings referred to as ‘street canyons’. A series of correlations have been derived from the experimental results from which the rate of convection occurring from each building surface may be obtained with respect to wind speed. The greatest rates of convective heat transfer have been shown to occur at the top of the windward wall and leading edge of the roof, the lowest rates from the leeward wall of a building. Convection was found to be reduced in narrow street canyons. In wider street canyons, the convective coefficients on the exposed windward and roof surfaces of buildings were higher, but the values on the leeward wall are lessened due to the distancing of the downstream windward vortex. The effect of wind direction was found to be relatively small and therefore it is proposed that the convective heat transfer relationships presented may be applied irrespective of wind direction.

Communicatio in sacris est l’expression par laquelle l’Église de Rome a cherché à définir et discipliner toute forme de participation d’un catholique aux célébrations liturgiques et aux sacrements d’un culte non catholique. Durant les XVIIe et XVIIIe siècle, cette pratique était particulièrement répandue dans la Méditerranée orientale – à cause de la coexistence traditionnelle entre Grecs et Latins – et dans l’Empire ottoman et ses environs, à la suite des succès des missionnaires dans la conversion des communautés chrétiennes locales. Ce travail a pour but d’utiliser les pratiques concrètes comprises sous cette étiquette comme point de départ et clé interprétative pour une réflexion plus approfondie sur le processus de construction des identités confessionnelles au Levant à l’époque moderne. En plus d’étudier le débat théorique (théologico-canonique) sur la question, notre intérêt porte principalement sur la reconstruction des différents contextes sociaux, politiques et religieux qui rendaient inévitable la communicatio. La relation entre «catholique latins» et «grec-orthodoxes» est analysée dans les cas de l’archipel égéen des Cyclades et dans les îles ioniennes soumises à la domination de Venise. Les affrontements entre les orientaux convertis au catholicisme et ceux restés fidèles à leur Église sont pris en considération en étudiant les communautés arméniennes de Constantinople et de l’Anatolie orientale. L'analyse repose sur un vaste éventail de sources, particulièrement sur un dépouillement des cas de communicatio présents dans les archives du Saint-Office et de la Propagande, aussi bien que sur la documentation produite par le réseau consulaire français. / Communicatio in sacris is the expression employed by the Roman Church to define (and simultaneously restrict) all kind of participation of a Catholic to the liturgical celebrations and sacraments of a non-Catholic worship. During the 17th and 18th century, this practice was particularly widespread in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Ottoman Empire, because of the traditional coexistence between Greeks and Latins but also as a result of the success of the missionaries in the conversion of Eastern Christians settled there. My work aims at using the concrete practices included under this label as a starting point and as an interpretive key for a deeper reflection on the process of confession building in the Early Modern Levant. In addition to the study of the theoretical (theological-canonical) debate on the issue, the thesis focuses mainly on the reconstruction of the different social, political and religious contexts that produced the communicatio and made it «necessary». The relationship between «Latin Catholics» and «Greek-Orthodox» is examined both for the case of the Aegean Cyclades and of the Ionian islands subject to the domination of Venice; the clashes between the Oriental Christians who converted to Catholicism and those who remained faithful to their Church are instead considered through the study of the Armenian communities of Constantinople and Eastern Anatolia. The overall analysis is based on a wide range of sources, particularly on the inventory of the cases of communicatio found in the archives of the Holy Office and of Propaganda, as well as on the documentation produced by the French consular networks.

Pancreatic beta cell specification is a complex process, requiring proper function of numerous transcription factors. Nkx2.2 is a transcription factor that is crucial for beta cell formation, and is expressed early and throughout pancreatic development. Nkx2.2-/- mice display complete loss of the beta cell lineage and defects in the specification of other endocrine cell types, demonstrating the importance of Nkx2.2 in establishing proper endocrine cell ratios. Recent studies have also demonstrated a role for Nkx2.2 within the mature beta cell to maintain identity and function. This thesis work investigated the timing of pancreatic beta cell specification and the mechanism of this process. In these studies, Nkx2.2 was ablated specifically within the Ngn3-expressing endocrine progenitor population in vivo. These mice displayed defects similar to Nkx2.2-/- mice. Surprisingly, the disruption of endocrine cell specification did not require loss of expression of multiple essential transcription factors known to function downstream of Nkx2.2, including Ngn3, Rfx6, and NeuroD1. While these factors are all necessary for beta cell specification, their preserved expression did not rescue beta cell formation. ChIP-Seq analyses also revealed co-occupancy of Nkx2.2, Rfx6, and NeuroD1 near endocrine-related genes, suggesting Nkx2.2 may cooperate with its downstream targets to regulate beta cell fate. These results have revealed a unique requirement for Nkx2.2 during a critical window of beta cell development. In addition, the role of a conserved domain of Nkx2.2, the specific domain (SD), was assessed using Nkx2.2SDmutant mice. Transcriptional profiling of Nkx2.2SDmutant endocrine progenitors revealed a critical role for the SD domain in regulating the transcription of endocrine fate genes early in the process of endocrine differentiation. In addition, beta cell-specific deletion of the Nkx2.2 SD domain resulted in hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance and dysregulation of beta cell functional genes. This suggests the SD domain is important for mediating Nkx2.2 function within the beta cell to maintain glucose homeostasis. Together, these results have elucidated a critical developmental window for beta cell specification and demonstrated an essential role for Nkx2.2 and specifically its SD domain in this process. Furthermore, these studies suggest that beta cell transcription factors may also regulate endocrine fate in a combinatorial manner, and exert changes within the endocrine progenitor lineage. These findings have provided us with a better understanding of in vivo pancreatic development, and will improve current research efforts to differentiate beta cells in vitro from hPSCs.