The risks posed by rapidly evolving RNA viruses to human and animal health are well recognized. Epidemics in managed and wildlife populations can lead to considerable economic and biodiversity losses. Yet, we lack understanding of the ecological and evolutionary factors that promote disease emergence. Host-switching viruses may be a particular threat to species important for human welfare, such as pollinating bees. Both honeybees and wild bumblebees have faced sharp declines in the last decades, with high winter mortality seen in honeybees. Infectious and emerging diseases are considered one of the key drivers of declines, acting in synergy with habitat loss and pesticide use. Here I focus on multihost viruses that pose a risk to wild bumblebees. I first identify the risk factors driving viral spillover and emergence from managed honeybees to wild bumblebees, by synthesising current data and literature. Biological factors (i.e. the nature of RNA viruses and ecology of social bees) play a clear role in increasing the risk of disease emergence, but anthropogenic factors (trade and transportation of commercial honeybees and bumblebees) creates the greatest risk of viral spillover to wild bees. Basic knowledge of the pathogenic effect of many common pollinator viruses on hosts other than A. mellifera is currently lacking, yet vital for understanding the wider impacts of infection at a population level. Here, I provide evidence that a common bumblebee virus, Slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV), reduces the longevity of Bombus terrestris under conditions of nutrition stress. The invasion of Varroa destructor as an ectoparasitic viral vector in European honeybees has dramatically altered viral dynamics in honeybees. I test how this specialist honeybee vector affects multi-host pathogens that can infect and be transmitted by both honeybees and wild bumblebees. I sampled across three host species (A. mellifera, B. terrestris and B. pascuorum) from Varroa-free and Varroa-present locations. Using a combination of molecular and phylogenetic techniques I find that this specialist honeybee vector increases the prevalence of four multi-host viruses (deformed wing virus (type A and B), SBPV and black queen cell virus) in sympatric wild bumblebees. Furthermore, wild bumblebees are currently experiencing a DWV epidemic driven by the presence of virus-vectoring Varroa in A. mellifera. Overall this thesis demonstrates that wild bumblebees are at high risk of viral disease emergence. My research adds to the ever-expanding body of evidence indicating that stronger disease controls on commercial bee operations are crucial to protect our wild bumblebees.

The purpose of this thesis is to design and study an aircraft which implements the Co-Flow Jet (CFJ) airfoil concept, as well as to study the CAARC standard highrise building. The design concept is verified mainly by the use of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package. A thorough methodology for geometry and mesh generation is developed, and subsequently applied to the two cases. The first case studied is that of the CFJ Airplane (CFJA). It consists of a threedimensional, highly blended, ying wing geometry implementing the Co-Flow Jet airfoil concept. Though a thorough comparison to a baseline geometry, it is shown that usage of the CFJ airfoil cross-section greatly improves aircraft performance by increasing lift, reducing drag, and providing a source of thrust over the operational range of angles of attack. A steady state CFD simulation is used for this case, as the air ow around an airfoil cross-section is inherently steady for attached ows. CFD results are used to support the Engineless Aircraft" concept, where the CFJ airfoil is used as the sole form of propulsion. The second case studied consists of a rectangular high-rise building undergoing a wind condition with Mach number of 0:1 and a Reynolds number of 160000. Due to the non-streamlined geometry of the building cross-section, aerodynamic instabilities due to uid separation are present, and therefore an unsteady CFD analysis is necessary to fully resolve all of the ow phenomena. Preliminary steady state results are presented, and a plan is laid down for the future study of this highly complex case. Results are presented for a variety of angles of attack in the case of the CFJA, and for the main ow direction in the case of the CAARC building. Results are compared with baseline geometry in the case of the CFJ Airplane. The CFJ Airplane case is simulated using a 3rd order steady state scheme, which is sufficient to achieve valid results for the ow regime. The CAARC building, which has inherent ow separation, requires the use of high order schemes.

In this study a mechanism which produced flapping and pitching motions was designed and fabricated. These motions were produced by using a single electric motor and by exploiting flexible structures. The aerodynamic forces generated by flexible membrane wings were measured using a two degree of freedom force balance. This force balance measured the aerodynamic forces of lift and thrust. Two sets of wings with varying flexibility were made. Lift and thrust measurements were acquired as the mechanism flapped the wings in a total of thirteen cases. These thirteen cases consisted of zero velocity free stream conditions as well as forward flight conditions of five meters per second. In addition, flapping frequency was varied from two Hertz to four Hertz, while angle of attack offsets varied from zero degrees to fifteen degrees. The four most interesting conditions for both sets of wings were explored in more detail. For each of these conditions, high-speed video of the flapping wing was taken. The images from the video were also correlated with cycle averaged aerodynamic forces produced by the mechanism. Several observations were made regarding the behavior of flexible flapping wings that should aid in the design of future flexible flapping wing vehicles.

none

Although the physics of interstitial fluid balance is relatively well understood, clinical options for the treatment of edema, the accumulation of fluid in the interstitium, are limited. Two related reasons for this failure can be identified. First, the processes involved in the transfer of fluid and proteins into the interstitium from the microvasculature, and their transfer out of the interstitium via the lymphatic system, are governed by complex equations that are not amenable to manipulation by physiologists. Second, the fundamental processes involved include complex anatomical structures that are not amenable to characterization by engineers. The dual tools of the batwing model and simplified mathematical modeling can be used to address the main objective: to integrate microvascular, interstitial, and lymphatic function to determine the effect of their interaction on interstitial fluid volume. In order to address this objective and the limitations of the current state of knowledge of the field, three specific aims were achieved. 1) Develop a simple, transparent, and general algebraic approach that predicts interstitial fluid pressure, volume and protein concentration resulting from the interaction of microvascular, interstitial and lymphatic function. These algebraic solutions provide a novel characterization of interstitial fluid pressure as a balance point between the two processes that determine interstitial inflow and outflow. 2) Develop a simple, algebraic formulation of Edemagenic Gain (the change in interstitial fluid volume resulting from changes in effective microvascular driving pressure) in terms of microvascular, interstitial and lymphatic structural parameters. By separating the structural parameters from functional variables, this novel approach indicates how these critical parameters interact to determine the tendency to form edema. 3) To expand the list of known interactions of microvascular, interstitial, and lymphatic functions to include the direct interaction of venular and lymphatic function. Venomotion was found not only to extrinsically pump lymph but also to mechanically trigger intrinsic lymphatic contractions. These three advances together represent a new direction in the field of interstitial fluid balance, and could only be possible by taking an interdisciplinary approach integrating physiology and engineering.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes special report study entitled: Meditation space for church architecture. Includes bibliographical references.

Research efforts in this dissertation address aerodynamics and flight performance of flapping wing aircraft (ornithopters). Flapping wing aerodynamics was studied for various wing sizes, flapping frequencies, airspeeds, and angles of attack. Tested wings possessed both camber and dihedral. Experimental results were analyzed in the framework of momentum theory. Aerodynamic coefficients and Reynolds number are defined using a reference velocity as a vector sum of a freestream velocity and a stroke-averaged wingtip velocity. No abrupt stall was observed in flapping wings for the angle of attack up to vertical. If was found that in the presence of a freestream lift of a flapping wing in vertical position is higher than the propulsive thrust. Camber and dihedral increased both lift and thrust. Lift-curve slope, and maximum lift coefficient increased with Reynolds number. Performance model of an ornithopter was developed. Parametric studies of steady level flight of ornithopters with, and without a tail were performed. A model was proposed to account for wing-sizing effects during hover. Three micro ornithopter designs were presented. Ornithopter flight testing and data-logging was performed using a telemetry acquisition system, as well as motion capture technology. The ability of ornithopter for a sustained flight and a presence of passive aerodynamic stability were shown. Flight data were compared with performance simulations. Close agreement in terms of airspeed and flapping frequency was observed.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 1999. / Title from PDF t.p.

Zugl.: Braunschweig, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009

Thesis (PH.D.)--Michigan State University. Criminal Justice, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Aug. 11, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 284-301). Also issued in print.