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The dissertation examines the significant yet neglected career of Yamei Kin, a Chinese woman whose transnational career influenced medicine and women’s rights in the United States and China. Although men dominated medicine, female doctors and nurses played an important role serving the poor and reaching women in China and Japan, where social norms restricted contact between the sexes. Thus, female medical professionals, represented by Yamei Kin, promoted the general welfare of the people, spread medical knowledge, and inspired more women to independence and excellence by their medical work. Yamei Kin is the first Chinese woman who obtained a medical degree in the United States (1885). A trailblazing physician, Kin broke the Chinese and Japanese prejudice against Western medicine and opened the medical profession to women in these two countries. She gave public lectures around America and England on women’s issues such as suffrage and prison reforms. She served as China correspondent of international women’s congress and shuttled among China, U.S. and Europe to improve women’s social status and promote the importance of women’s education. During World War I, she headed the research on soy food of the department of agriculture of the United States to study the potential of protein in soy and overcome a meat shortage during the war, enabling the public to maintain the same nutrition in their bodies even without meat.

Levels of sociality vary depending on the costs and benefits associated with grouping behavior. Grouping species form either ephemeral aggregations due to resource availability, or structured groups based on familiarity of individuals. Because there are different costs and benefits associated with different types of groups, it is important to understand more about group structure before making predictions about specific behaviors. Female Hippopotamus amphibius are known to aggregate in the wild but the true nature of their grouping behavior is still not understood. My objective was to determine if captive female hippos form either ephemeral aggregations or social groups. Behavioral data, using continuous focal animal sampling and scan sampling, were collected on a group of nine captive female hippos housed at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The behavioral data were used to analyze interactions between hippos, association patterns for kin and non-kin as well as familiarity, dominance hierarchy, and habitat preferences. My results support the hypothesis that hippos are forming social groups due to the attraction to particular individuals. There were more associations between kin than non-kin and also between individuals that have been together longer. Captive female hippos were also found to exhibit dominance patterns within the group. The results from this study may aid in the general understanding of hippopotamus behavior and aid in the captive management of hippos. Using my results as a starting point, research can begin looking at grouping patterns and its costs and benefits of sociality in wild hippopotamus populations.

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<p>Plants and mycorrhizal fungi form a mutualism in which plants donate carbon to the fungus and, in return, receive benefits such as increased nutrient uptake and water. Mycorrhizal fungi colonize plant roots, forming nutrient exchange structures. The fungi also colonize the soil by growing long strands of hyphae that forage for nutrients and attach plants, forming a common mycorrhizal network (CMN). Plants attached to a well-supported CMN will receive greater benefits than those attached to a lesser CMN because the more carbon donations the fungal partner receives, the more it can grow and colonize the soil, accessing hard to reach soil nutrients. Kin selection theory predicts that relatives should donate more carbon to the fungal partner than non-relatives because benefits gained by neighbouring relatives through the CMN lead to inclusive fitness gains. Thus, social environment, i.e. relatedness of the group, could affect the mycorrhizal mutualism. Moreover, the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in the soil could affect plant responses to their social environment.</p> <p>For my PhD thesis I have investigated whether mycorrhizal fungi respond to plant social environment and whether the presence of mycorrhizal fungi affects plant responses to relatedness. I have addressed these topics in three greenhouse studies and two field studies, using herbaceous plants and trees. I have found strong evidence that siblings have an increased association with their mycorrhizal partner compared to strangers, resulting in greater benefits for siblings. Taken together, the results from this thesis demonstrate that the ability for plants to recognize kin has implications beyond intra-specific competitive interactions and that plant social environment has important effects on a widespread inter-specific mutualism. Additionally, the recently discovered phenomenon of plant kin recognition has been put into the context of mycorrhizae, and I have shown that mycorrhizal plants respond differently to their social environment than non-mycorrhizal plants.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Jerome Frieman / Male and female Phodopus campbelli were investigated for kin recognition abilities, assessed by kin discrimination of bedding, urine, fecal, or midventral glandular secretion odors. Using a habituation-discrimination paradigm, subjects were presented either the odors of a pair of their own brothers (C[subscript 1]) or a pair of brothers that were unrelated to them (C[subscript 2]). All subjects were then presented with a final test discrimination odor from a male donor unrelated to themselves or the first donors. All subjects differentiated between the bedding and glandular odors of two unrelated males, regardless of condition assignment. Subjects did not statistically differentiate between the odors of two brothers. These results suggest Phodopus campbelli are capable of recognizing kin based on bedding and midventral gland odors.

Many plant species recognize kin and respond with changes in functional traits. Researchers hypothesize that siblings compete less than strangers. However, no study has directly tested whether siblings are less competitive. Measuring natural selection on kin recognition responses in root allocation and other destructively measured traits is challenging, since trait and fitness cannot be measured on the same individual. Here, a methodology using family-level selection is developed, measuring the trait on one individual and measuring its fitness value using another related individual. Three greenhouse pot experiments were conducted using six Brassica oleracea cultivars at two nutrient levels. We investigated whether root allocation and morphological traits were under natural selection. We tested whether or not there was cultivar recognition or resource partitioning in B. oleracea. We found that putative competitive traits (size, height, emergence and root allocation) had expected patterns of individual selection for an increase in each trait and group selection for a reduction of each trait. There was no indication that resource partitioning was occurring or that B. oleracea could recognize cultivars. However, plants were experiencing competitive interactions within pots. In conclusion, we demonstrate that using family-level selection estimates the fitness consequences of root allocation and morphological traits. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

Many active processes in cells are driven by highly specialised motor proteins, which interact with the cytoskeleton: a network of filamentous structures, e.~g.~ actin filaments and microtubules, which organises intracellular transport and largely determines the cell shape. These motor proteins are able to transduce the chemical energy, stored in ATP molecules, to do mechanical work while interacting with a filament. Certain motor proteins, e.~g.~members of the KIN-13 kinesin subfamily, are able to interact specifically with filament ends and induce depolymerisation of the filament ends. One important role for KIN-13 family members is in the mitotic spindle, a microtubule structure that is formed in the process of cell division and is responsible for separation and distribution of the duplicated genetic material to the forming daughter cells. The aim of this work is to develop a theoretical framework capable of describing experimentally observed behaviour and shed light on underlying principles of motor induced filament depolymerisation. We use two different theoretical approaches to describe motor dynamics in this non- equilibrium situation: On the one hand we use phenomenological continuum equations which themselves are to a large extent independent of the underlying molecular details of the system. Molecular details of the system are incorporated in the equations through the specific values of macroscopic parameters which are determined by the underlying details. On the other hand, we use one- and two-dimensional discrete stochastic descriptions of motors on a filament. These kind of descriptions enable us to investigate the effects of different microscopic mechanisms of filament depolymerisation, and to investigate the role of fluctuations on the dynamic behaviour of motor proteins. We additionally discuss filament depolymerisation in the case where motors are not free to move but are fixed to a common anchoring point and depolymerise filaments under the influence of applied forces, mimicking the situation in the mitotic spindle. Our results can be related to recent experiments on members of the KIN-13 subfamily and predictions made in our theory can be tested by further experiments. Although motivated by experiments involving members of the KIN-13 subfamily, our theory is not restricted to these motors but applies in general to associated proteins which regulate dynamics of filament ends.

This study had as objective to study the in vitro regeneration of cedar (Cedrela fissilis Vell.), a native tree of economic interest, belonging to Meliaceae family. For seeds desinfestation, different treatments with sodium hypochlorite in different concentration and immersion times were tested combined with differents culture mediums. To establish the nodal segments in vitro, benlate at 300 mg.l-1 and streptomicine sulphate at 10 mg.l-1 were added to the culture medium WPM reduced to ¾ of its salts concentration, isolated or not. After that, the hypocotyl segments from the 30 days in vitro cultured plants were used as explant in sprouts multiplication in culture mediums MS and WPM combined or not with the cytokinins BAP and KIN at 5μM.l-1 . It was also tested, in hypocotyl segments, the influence of BAP (0; 1,25; 2,5 and 5,0 μM.l-1) combined with the IBA or NAA (0,55μM.l- 1), in culture medium WPM during two subcultives. 60 days hypocotyl segments from cultive in BAP (0;1,25; 2,5 and 5,0 μM.l-1) were transferred to WPM medium added of only GA3 at 3μM.l-1 remaining during more than 30 days. Seeds desinfestated with sodium hypochlorite at 2% during 10 minutes showed a lower index of fungal contamination (8,7%) and the higher index of germination (80%), the mediums MS and WPM allowed the germination of 72,5%. The nodal segments from 3 years old plants showed an average index of bacterial contamination (13% 21 days after the inocultation) when cultivated in WPM culture medium added of benlate (300mg.l-1) plus streptomicine sulphate (10 mg.l-1) and survival index of 83%. The explants from the hypocotyl region showed average indexes of regeneration of 2,8 when cultivated in WPM medium supplemented with BAP at 5μM.l-1, on the other hand, in MS medium, the average tax of formation was 2,5 sprouts per explant. When tested in WPM culture medium, in different BAP concentrations, only at 30 days of cultive there was an interaction between the cytokinins doses and the presence of auxins IBA and NAA. BAP at 5μM showed explants with higher taxes of multiplication, regardless the auxins addition to the culture medium. In the following subcultives there was not an interaction between the concentrations and the effect of auxin presence, where the medium without auxin, associated to BAP at 5μM, promoted a higher average of sprouts per explant 2,29 (60 days). The average number of knots at 30 days of cultive was of 2,84 when evaluated the medium with ANA plus 2,5μM of BAP. At 60 days, the culture medium without the auxine promoted an average of 4,15 knots per explant, differing statistically from the mediums with auxin. At 90 days, the number of knots were 5,59 when BAP was used at 5μM plus IBA. The average length of the sprouts in the medium with NAA showed to be the more efficient (0,86 cm) at 30 days of cultive. At 60 days, the average length of the sprouts was of 0,95 and, at 90 days the average length of the sprouts was of 1,14. The formation of callus in the base of the explants happened when cytokinins were added to the medium, and the roots formation happened in the absence of these and in the presence of the auxin, generating complete plants. Explants exposed to GA3 at 60 days of cultive showed a partial reversion, showing an increase in formed roots and average length of the sprouts. / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o estudo da regeneração in vitro de cedro (Cedrela fissilis Vell.), uma árvore nativa de interesse econômico, pertencente à família Meliaceae. Para a desinfestação de sementes, foram testadas diferentes concentrações e tempos de imersão em hipoclorito de sódio e para a germinação, diferentes meios de cultura. Para o estabelecimento in vitro de segmentos nodais, foram adicionados ao meio de cultura WPM, reduzido a ¾ de sua concentração original, benlate (300 mg.l-1) e sulfato de estreptomicina (10 mg.l-1). Após, segmentos do nó cotiledonar advindos de plântulas germinadas in vitro com 30 dias de idade, foram utilizados para a multiplicação de brotações nos meios de cultura MS e WPM, em combinação ou não com 5μM.l-1 de BAP ou KIN . Foi testado também, a influência da citocinina BAP (0; 1,25; 2,5 e 5,0 μM.l-1) combinada ou não com as auxinas AIB ou ANA (0,5μM.l-1) em meio de cultura WPM durante dois subcultivos. Os segmentos do nó cotiledonar com 60 dias de cultivo em meio WPM e BAP (0; 1,25; 2,5 e 5,0 μM.l-1) foram transferidos para meio WPM adicionado apenas de GA3 a 3μM.l-1 permanecendo por mais 30 dias. Os resultados demonstram que as sementes desinfestadas com hipoclorito de sódio a 2% durante 10 minutos apresentaram a menor taxa de contaminação por fungos (8,7%) e a maior percentagem de germinação (80%), os meios MS e WPM proporcionaram percentagem de germinação de 72,5%. Os segmentos nodais de plantas de três anos de idade apresentaram uma taxa média de contaminação por bactérias de 13% após 21 dias de inoculação quando cultivados em meio de cultura WPM adicionado de benlate (300mg.l-1)mais sulfato de estreptomicina (10 mg.l-1)e taxa de sobrevivência de 83%. Os explantes provenientes da região do nó cotiledonar apresentaram regeneração média de brotações de 2,8 quando cultivados em meio WPM suplementado com BAP a 5μM.l-1, enquanto que, no meio MS, a taxa média de brotações foi de 2,5 por explante. Quanto testados em meio de cultura WPM, em diferentes concentrações de BAP, apenas aos 30 dias de cultivo, houve interação entre as doses da citocinina e a presença das auxinas AIB e ANA. O BAP a 5μM apresentou explantes com maiores taxas de multiplicação de brotações independente da adição das auxinas ao meio de cultura. Nos subcultivos subseqüentes, não houve interação entre as concentrações e o efeito da presença de auxina, em que o meio sem a presença desta, adicionado o BAP a 5μM, proporcionou a maior média de brotações por explante 2,29 (60 dias). O número médio de nós aos 30 dias de cultivo foi de 2,84 no meio contendo ANA mais 2,5 μM de BAP. Enquanto que, aos 60 dias, o meio de cultura sem auxina proporcionou uma média de 4,15 nós por explante, diferindo estatisticamente dos meios contendo auxina. Aos 90 dias de cultivo, o número de nós foi de 5,59 quando utilizado BAP a 5μM mais AIB ao meio de cultura. Quanto ao comprimento médio das brotações, o meio contendo ANA mostrou ser o mais eficiente (0,86 cm) aos 30 dias de cultivo. Aos 60 dias, o comprimento médio das brotações foi de 0,95 e, aos 90 dias o comprimento médio de brotações foi de 1,14. A formação de calos na base dos explantes ocorreu quando foi adicionada citocinina ao meio, e a formação de raízes ocorreu na ausência desta e na presença de auxina, gerando plantas completas. Explantes expostos ao GA3 aos 60 dias de cultivo mostraram parcial reversão, apresentando um aumento na percentagem de raízes formadas e comprimento médio de brotações.