During the lifetime of an organism, key events are orchestrated by a confluence of environmental, social, and physiological factors to promote reproductive success. Steroid hormones are critical regulators of fundamental aspects of reproductive life history, including gametogenesis, secondary sexual characteristics, sexual behavior, territory establishment and defense, and parenting. The steroid hormones investigated herein (testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (KT), 17b-estradiol (E2) and cortisol) are linked through steroidogenic conversion pathways. This dissertation utilized an integrative approach to investigate the neuroendocrine and social contexts that regulate transitions among phenotypes in a bi-directionally hermaphroditic haremic fish, Lythrypnus dalli. Conventional sex roles are reversed, such that only males provide nest care, females exhibit intra-sexual competition and male reproductive success is associated with female courtship solicitation. Females living in stable social groups maintain dramatic differences in status, morphology, and tissue T, KT, E2, and cortisol. Parasitic male morphs, mini males, do not defend territories and have morph-typical water-borne and tissue profiles of T, E2, and KT. Two life history transitions, socially induced sex change and male parenting, are associated with increase in rates of behavior and KT levels. The regulation of these life history transitions by KT was investigated via two types of endocrine manipulations. Coupling systemic KT implants with a social context permissive to sex change caused rapid, but transient effects on agonistic behavior in dominant females, and secondary effects on subordinates during a period of social instability. Despite elevated brain and systemic KT 5 d after implant, overall rates of aggressive behavior remained unaffected, demonstrating a key role for context in regulating steroid associated changes in behavior. Intracerebroventricular inhibition of the enzyme 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, reduced KT, elevated cortisol, and reduced male parenting behavior. 11-Ketotestosterone rapidly rescued parenting when administered along with the inhibitor, while cortisol had no effects on parenting. During reduced male nest attendance caused by KT inhibition, dominant, but not subordinate females, exhibited transient parenting and elevated brain KT. Taken together, rapid and/or local modulation of steroids allows for context-specific regulation of dynamic changes in behavior in an environment that requires an organism to successfully coordinate multiple activities to enhance fitness.

During the lifetime of an organism, key events are orchestrated by a confluence of environmental, social, and physiological factors to promote reproductive success. Steroid hormones are critical regulators of fundamental aspects of reproductive life history, including gametogenesis, secondary sexual characteristics, sexual behavior, territory establishment and defense, and parenting. The steroid hormones investigated herein (testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (KT), 17b-estradiol (E2) and cortisol) are linked through steroidogenic conversion pathways. This dissertation utilized an integrative approach to investigate the neuroendocrine and social contexts that regulate transitions among phenotypes in a bi-directionally hermaphroditic haremic fish, Lythrypnus dalli. Conventional sex roles are reversed, such that only males provide nest care, females exhibit intra-sexual competition and male reproductive success is associated with female courtship solicitation. Females living in stable social groups maintain dramatic differences in status, morphology, and tissue T, KT, E2, and cortisol. Parasitic male morphs, mini males, do not defend territories and have morph-typical water-borne and tissue profiles of T, E2, and KT. Two life history transitions, socially induced sex change and male parenting, are associated with increase in rates of behavior and KT levels. The regulation of these life history transitions by KT was investigated via two types of endocrine manipulations. Coupling systemic KT implants with a social context permissive to sex change caused rapid, but transient effects on agonistic behavior in dominant females, and secondary effects on subordinates during a period of social instability. Despite elevated brain and systemic KT 5 d after implant, overall rates of aggressive behavior remained unaffected, demonstrating a key role for context in regulating steroid associated changes in behavior. Intracerebroventricular inhibition of the enzyme 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, reduced KT, elevated cortisol, and reduced male parenting behavior. 11-Ketotestosterone rapidly rescued parenting when administered along with the inhibitor, while cortisol had no effects on parenting. During reduced male nest attendance caused by KT inhibition, dominant, but not subordinate females, exhibited transient parenting and elevated brain KT. Taken together, rapid and/or local modulation of steroids allows for context-specific regulation of dynamic changes in behavior in an environment that requires an organism to successfully coordinate multiple activities to enhance fitness.

Submitted by LIVIA BOARINI FERRONI null (livia_boarini@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-01-11T05:14:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_LIVIA_BOARINI_FERRONI.pdf: 2624969 bytes, checksum: 03f6ce20315d584b186428da15d04fb8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-01-12T13:20:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 boarini ferroni_l_dr_jabo.pdf: 2624969 bytes, checksum: 03f6ce20315d584b186428da15d04fb8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-12T13:20:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 boarini ferroni_l_dr_jabo.pdf: 2624969 bytes, checksum: 03f6ce20315d584b186428da15d04fb8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A infecção por Clostridium difficile é na maioria das vezes de manifestação subclínica em leitões jovens. E como atualmente este agente tem tido grande importância na medicina veterinária e possivelmente potencial zoonótico, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a transmissão de C. difficile por via naso-nasal e aerógena em leitões jovens, utilizando analises microbiológicas, histopatológicas e moleculares. Leitões foram divididos em três grupos (Infectado, Sentinela e Controle), e distribuídos em baias isoladoras. Os grupos Infectados receberam inóculo 109 UFC.mL-1 e 108UFC.mL-1 de C. difficile 096 para via de transmissão naso-nasal e aerógena, respectivamente. Suabes anorretais foram colhidos diariamente para análises microbiológicas e moleculares da excreção nas fezes, utilizou-se técnica de PCR com iniciadores oligonucleotídeos que codificam os genes das toxinas TcdB e TcdA de Clostridium difficile para identificação molecular. Realizou-se eutanásia dos leitões, após 18 dias de infecção experimental, para avaliações histopatológicas e microbiológicos de intestino delgado, cólon, fígado, baço, tonsilas palatinas e linfonodos. Os grupos Infectado e Sentinela da via naso-nasal desenvolveram sinais clínicos de enfermidade, enquanto os animais da via aerógena não apresentaram sinais de infecção. Os leitões avaliados por via naso-nasal foram positivos para o gene TcdB nos grupos Infectado e Sentinela, enquanto os leitões desafiados por via aerógena foram positivos para TcdB apenas no grupo Infectado. Nas análises histopatológicas dos leitões da via naso-nasal foram observadas diversas lesões nos órgãos alvos tanto dos animais do grupo Infectado quanto no Sentinela; nos leitões da via aerógena avaliados histologicamente, apenas o grupo Infectado apresentou lesões nos órgãos, sendo que em ambas as vias, as lesões mais notáveis foram no intestino delgado. A transmissão de Clostridium difficile foi confirmada com a técnica de PCR apenas na via naso-nasal, inclusive com sinais clínicos durante período experimental no grupo Sentinela. Com isso, destaca-se a importância do controle preventivo deste agente nas granjas, a fim de minimizar a ocorrência de infecções em leitões jovens. Conclui-se que experimentalmente o Clostridium difficile pode ser transmitido entre leitões jovens pelo contato focinho-focinho, desencadeando doença clínica. Por outro lado, a transmissão pela via aerógena não ocorreu entre suínos jovens em situação experimental. / Clostridium difficile infection is most often of subclinical manifestation in young piglets. As this agent has been of great importance in veterinary medicine and also zoonotic potential, the objective of this research was to evaluate the naso-nasal and aerogenic transmission of C. difficile in young pigs, using microbiological, histopathological and molecular analyzes. Piglets were divided into three groups (Infected, Sentinel and Control), and distributed in isolation bays. The infected group received inoculum 109 CFU.mL-1 and 108 CFU.mL-1 of C. difficile 096 for the naso-nasal and aerogenic transmission route, respectively. Anorectal swabs were harvested for microbiological and molecular analyzes of faecal excretion, a PCR technique was used with primers that encode the TcdB and TcdA toxin genes of Clostridium difficile for molecular identification. Euthanasia of piglets after 18 days of experimental infection was performed for histopathological and microbiological evaluations of small intestine, colon, liver, spleen, palatine tonsils and lymph nodes. The Infected and Sentinel groups of the naso-nasal route developed clinical signs of disease, whereas the animals in the aerogenic showed no signs of infection. The naso-nasal piglets were positive for the TcdB gene in the Infected and Sentinel groups, while the pigs challenged by the aerogenic route were positive for TcdB only in the Infected group. In the histopathological analyzes of piglets of the naso-nasal route, several lesions were observed in the target organs of both the Infected group and the Sentinel; in the piglets of the aerogenic histologically evaluated, only the Infected group presented lesions in the organs, and in both routes, the most notable lesions were in the small intestine. Only the naso-nasal route confirmed transmission of Clostridium difficile, including clinical signs during the experimental period in the Sentinel group. With this, it stands out as a preventive control of this agent in the farms, in order to minimize an occurrence of infections in young piglets. It is concluded that experimentally, Clostridium difficile can be transmitted between young piglets the snout-snout contact, triggering clinical disease. On the other hand, aerial transmission did not occur among young experimental pigs

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / To date five classes of resistance proteins have been identified in plants and these include the intracellular protein kinases, receptor-like protein kinases with extracellular leucinerich repeat (LRR) domain, LRR proteins that encode membrane bound extracellular proteins, toxin reductase and intracellular LRR proteins with a nucleotide-binding site (NBS). These proteins recognise "invading pathogen" and in turn trigger defence response systems that act to protect plants from invading pathogens. The NBS-LRR genes which constitutes the major class encode a family of resistance proteins that are made up of a centrally located nucleotide binding site domain and a C-terminal leucine rich repeat receptor. This class of genes constitute the largest family of resistance genes identified in plants to date. They make up the majority of proteins involved in the plant basal and inducible defence systems against pathogen infection. / South Africa

<p> The purpose of this thesis is to challenge the scholarly consensus regarding the historical circumstances which led to the writing of 1 Chronicles by a close examination of the nature and function of the Chronicler's treatment of David. There has to be a reason for the stress which is placed on David by the Chronicler, especially at a time when there was no monarchy ruling in Judah. Much of the study which has been carried out on Chronicles has concentrated to a large extent on linguistic evidence. Linguistic evidence alone, however, is insufficient for drawing any solid conclusions. Thus, the attempt is being maae here to seel-: some answers on thematic evidence. This involves a close study of the Chronicler's treatment of David and the suggestion that David is to be equated with the post-exilic governor of Judah, Zerubbabel. The concentration on the Chronicler's interpretation of the figure of ravid is being used to demonstrate the possibility of reaaing 1 Chronicles as the historical expression of the :novement inspired by the prophecies of Haggai and Proto Zechariah.</p> <p> During the course of the thesis, attention is drawn to the difficulties surrounding the dating of 1 Chronicles as a result of the work of many red.actors, which is evident throughout the book. It becomes more difficult to assign the entire work, in its present form, to 8ny one period in the post-exilic era. However, despite this difficulty, a comparison of the major themes in 1 Chronicles and those in Haggai and Proto Zechariah shows that it is at least possible to date the original form of 1 Chronicles somewhere in the period of 520-515 BCE.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

In a challenge trial, “healthy volunteers are intentionally exposed to pathogens in a controlled environment, in order to promote understanding of the pathogenesis, transmission, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in humans.” (WHO 2021, Preface). Intentional infection is an uncomfortable concept, and as a result there is a widely held belief amongst research ethics scholars and commentators that a significant ethical concern with challenge trials is their potential to negatively impact the public’s trust in the institution of medical research (Eyal 2022, 4). However, the relationship between public trust and the ethics of conducting and assessing challenge trials is complex and existing literature on the subject does not sufficiently clarify it. This paper will begin by examining the ethical permissibility of challenge trials. Once these trials are shown to be ethically permissible under particular circumstances, I will explore how concerns about the way these trials allegedly exacerbate public mistrust largely result from ambiguities in the terms ‘public’ and ‘trust’. After both terms are defined, I will formulate my own account of how public trust should apply to a risk/benefit analysis for the purpose of trial design selection called the community engagement account, which argues that trial design selection policy should focus on demonstrating trustworthiness rather than garnering trust. Because demonstrating trustworthiness requires meeting a set of known expectations, this account identifies local, specific publics as those whose expectations should be of concern when discussing public trust and trial design selection. To examine the expectations of these publics, this account defends community engagement as the measure which should be used to acquire evidence of harmful public mistrust towards the institution of science that could potentially result from conducting a challenge trial. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy / In a challenge trial, “healthy volunteers are intentionally exposed to [diseases] in a controlled environment,” to give researchers a better understanding of a disease in order to develop cures or preventative measures for it (WHO 2021, Preface). Many research ethics scholars believe that conducting challenge trials could negatively impact the public’s faith in the institution of medical research, but the relationship between public trust and conducting challenge trials is complex and existing literature on the subject does not sufficiently clarify it. This paper begins by exploring whether or not challenge trials can be ethically conducted. Once I show that they can be under particular circumstances, I examine how public trust concerns largely result from the fact that ‘public’ and ‘trust’ are not well defined. After defining them, I formulate my own account of how public trust should apply to a risk/benefit analysis for the purpose of trial design selection.

The purpose of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of parental involvement in youth sports. The Flow Model developed by Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi is used as the basis of my theory behind the research. Although there has been recognition that it is important to study young athletes, little is known about parental involvement. Thus, my three main research questions are: (a) How do adolescents experience their participation in soccer? (b) What are the family dynamics, as expressed by parents, related to challenging and supporting their children? And (c) How do adolescents experience the relationship between these family dynamics and their participation in soccer? My methods of inquiry of this study included collecting data through two questionnaires: (a) Experience Sampling Method (ESM) and (b) Support/Challenge Questionnaire (SCQ). I also conducted in-depth interviews. My participants included 11 males and 10 females 14-15 years of age. Each of these participants were administered the two questionnaires. Of these 21 participants, eight adolescent athletes and their parents were followed up with in-depth interviews. The results of this research are organized into four main categories including communication, family interaction, goals and beliefs, and expectations. From these themes, three categories for implications were developed to encompass soccer implications, therapy implications, and research implications. Ultimately, acknowledging how adults affect the outcomes of children's stress and enjoyment, parents can deal more successfully with the social, emotional, and psychological needs of their young athletes (Scanlan & Lewthwaite, 1986). / Ph. D.

Previous research suggests that employees can experience different types of demands at work. Challenge demands are motivating and goal oriented, whereas hindrance demands are excessively difficult and / or goal irrelevant. Similarly, previous research indicates that employees may think about work in different ways. Affective rumination involves unproductive, emotionally negative work-related thoughts, whereas problem-solving pondering involves productive, unemotional work-related thoughts. I assess challenge and hindrance demands as potential antecedents to the facets of work-related rumination and indicators of employee recovery and well-being (exhaustion and vigor) in both within- and between-person analyses. I additionally consider the role of work schedule and assess my hypothesized model on a sample including both traditionally scheduled and shift workers. My final sample consisted of 92 full-time (80 traditionally scheduled, 12 shift) employees who were sent three surveys per day over a 28-day survey period. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, I found evidence that work-related rumination may operate as a mechanistic pathway linking work demands to recovery indicators. Additionally, evidence from this dissertation suggests that problem-solving pondering may be detrimental to employee recovery at the daily level, but that it may be beneficial to employee recovery at the between-person level. This dissertation contributes to scientific understanding of potential antecedents of the different types of rumination and suggests that hindrance demands, which are almost universally treated as detrimental to employee recovery, may have competing positive and negative relationships with employee recovery. / Doctor of Philosophy / Research suggests that the demands of a job can be thought of as motivating, attainable challenges or as useless or impassible hindrances. Research additionally suggests that when we think about work during non-work time, those thoughts can be problem focused and productive or emotionally driven and unproductive. This dissertation explores the relationships between these two types of work demands, these two types of work-related rumination, and indicators of employee recovery from work (exhaustion and vigor). Additionally, I consider whether work schedule (traditional 9:00-5:00 vs. shift work) changes the ways these variables relate to each other. In a sample of 92 full-time workers (80 traditional, 12 shift), I find evidence to suggest that these types of work demands do relate to work-related rumination. Additionally, these types of work demands have different patterns of relationships with exhaustion and vigor. By assessing this model both in terms of changes in relationships for a person day to day (within-person) and in terms of changes in relationships between different people on average (between-person), I find evidence for potentially competing beneficial and harmful consequences of hindrance demands on employee recovery.

Humanoid robots have captured the imagination of authors and researchers for years. Development of the bipedal walking necessary for humanoid robots began in earnest in the late 60's with research in Europe and Japan. The the unique challenges of a bipedal locomotion led to initial robots keeping power, computation, and perception systems off-board while developing the actuators and algorithms to enable locomotion. As technology has improved humanoid and exoskeleton systems have finally incorporated all the various subsytems to build a full independent system. Many of the groups building these platforms have developed them based on knowledge acquired through decades of prior development. For groups developing new humanoid systems little guidance on the pitfalls and challenges of humanoid design exist. Virginia Tech's robot ESCHER, developed for the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), is the 4th generation full sized humanoid developed at the University. This paper attempts to quantify the design trades and techniques used to predict performance of ESCHER and how these trades specifically affected the design of the upper body. The development of ESCHER became necessary when it became obvious that the original design assumptions behind the previous robot THOR left it incapable of completing the DRC course and the necessary upgrades would require an almost complete redesign. Using the methods described in this paper ESCHER was designed manufactured and began initial testing within 10 months. One and a half months later ESCHER became the first humanoid to walk the 60 m course at the DRC. The methods described in this paper provide guidance on the decision making process behind the various subsystems on ESCHER. In addition the methodology of developing a dynamic simulation to predict performance before development of the platform helped provide design requirements that ensured the performance of the system. By setting design requirements ESCHER met or exceeded the goals of the team and remains a valuable development platform that can provide utility well beyond the DRC. / Master of Science

Cognition, defined as the mechanism by which an animal acquires, processes, stores, and uses information present in the environment, is a trait that is sensitive to developmental conditions. Existing research supports the idea that the ability to develop and maintain cognitive abilities depends on the physiological condition of the individual, which can be influenced by the early environment. Alterations in maternal care, social stress, and malnutrition are some examples of environmental conditions that impact development and resulting cognitive abilities across taxa. The primary goal of this research was to determine whether immune system challenge during the critical song learning period in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) would lead to long term negative impacts on song quality and learning, spatial learning, and neophobia. Immune challenge during this period of development did not produce long term impacts on learning or memory, nor did it lead to any changes in neophobic responses. However, birds that were hatched later in a clutch performed better on the motoric and spatial tasks, and were less neophobic. Future research in zebra finches that can describe the variation in song attributes as a function of hatching order would be a useful first step in determining a mechanistic link between hatch order and song learning outcomes. / Master of Science