Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-78). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Arizona University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-147). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Arizona University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-147).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-121). Also available via the World Wide Web.

No description available.

Vector control is an essential and effective approach for controlling transmission of vector-borne diseases. However, increasing resistance to insecticide and drugs suggests that new strategies to control vector-borne diseases are needed. One possible strategy involves replacing mosquito populations with disease-resistant transgenic mosquitoes. Transposable elements (TEs) are an important component in this new strategy due to their ability to integrate exogenous DNA into chromosomes. They could potentially be useful tools in assisting the spread of disease-resistant genes in mosquito populations. This research focuses on two related subjects, TEs and their regulation. The first subject is on a Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) retrotransposon in the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, namely Belly. The second subject focuses on the characterization of piwi genes in the dengue and yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. For the first subject we characterized Belly by identifying the two identical LTRs and one intact open reading frame. We also defined the target site duplications and boundaries of the full-length Belly element. This novel retrotransposon has nine full-length copies in the An. gambiae sequenced genome and their nucleotide similarity suggests that there has been fairly recent retrotransposon. We have shown that Belly is transcribed and translated in An. gambiae. Single LTR circles were recovered from An. gambiae cells, which is consistent with active transposition of Belly. The second subject focuses on the piwi genes of Ae. aegypti. We found nine potential piwi genes in Ae. aegypti and two in An. gambiae. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that these piwis formed two subgroups and gene duplication within each group occurred after the divergence between the two mosquito species. RT-PCR and transcriptome analysis showed Ago3 as well as all the seven tested piwi genes were expressed either in germline tissues or developing embryos. Differential expression patterns were observed. While most piwis were transcribed in the ovaries, testis, and embryos, two piwis appear to have a zygotic expression. Three piwi genes (piwi 3, piwi 4, and Ago3) were also detected in adult somatic tissues of Ae. aegypti. The expansion of the number of piwi genes in Ae. aegypti compared to An. gambiae and D. melanogaster may be correlated with a larger genome size and greater amount of TEs. The finding of piwi expression in adult somatic tissues is intriguing. It is possible that these piwi genes were expressed in the adult stem cells. It is also possible that they may be involved with anti-viral defense. Both of these hypotheses require further testing. / Master of Science

Review of Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection

How Belly Dance practitioners in England construct a sense of self-identity, social-identity and identity-in-practice in a border-crossing Belly Dance ethnoscape is of interest for this research project. What kinds of identities-in-practice do Belly Dancers in England construct in order to authenticate their performance? By applying social theories of education and identity formation, in particular Holland et al’s “figured worlds” (2001), it is possible to critically frame the development of a practitioner’s Belly Dance identity over a period of time. The research presents the case that Belly Dance in England has an identifiable past and present practice, one that continually wrestles with ownership of what is apparently a Middle Eastern cultural export. Drawing from a literature based case study of two pioneering artists in the early 1980s, Hilal and Buonaventura, the research describes a distinctive English Belly Dance tradition and identities. There is an explanation of how the English Belly Dance form has since competed on the global stage. The research also describes how current inheritors of that tradition −Anne White, Caroline Afifi and Siouxsie Cooper are taken as case studies− appropriate and signal Egyptian Belly Dance as the dominant reference point from which to authenticate their dancing practice; whilst at the same time subverting the Orientalist paradigm underpinning the Belly Dance trope. Identifying “narratives of authenticity” enable the current generations of English Belly Dancers to form distinctive Belly Dancing identities-in-practice. Drawing from both social theories of education and identity formation and reflexive ethnographic modes of inquiry, Walk like an Egyptian examines Belly Dance in England as a translocated dance form, and the mechanisms which allow its authenticity are analysed. In answer to the research question it is possible for an English practitioner of Belly Dance to produce an authentic Belly Dance performance through the production of various narratives of authenticity, narratives which both borrow from and resist pre-existing narratives of authenticity.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, November, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 272-299)

The purpose of this research was to investigate the creative process of six professional American Belly Dancers: Shannon Conklin, Elena Villa, Lila McDaniel, TC Skinner, Manny Garcia, and Cera Byer. I took a class with each dancer, witnessed each dancer creating movement, and witnessed each dancer perform. After each experience I held discussions with each dancer. I learned that, for some of the dancers, music is everything, but for others, Belly Dance can be performed to any sound. For some of the dancers, Belly Dance is highly codified, and for others it is experimental. For some of the dancers, Belly Dance is a solo endeavor, but for others, dancing with a troupe is essential. Following these findings, I created six movement explorations - one based on each professional Belly Dancer in my study. Supplemental video footage of these explorations can be viewed as a companion to this written document.