Brazilian late Pleistocene snakes have an extensive fossil record and are recognized for southern, northeastern and northern regions of this country. This fossil record is represented by the families Boidae, 'Colubridae', Viperidae and Elapidae. Here is presented the first record for Eunectes Wagler for the late Pleistocene of the Brazilian northern region. The material described is a single incomplete dorsal vertebra, and although it shares several vertebral features with most Boidae taxa, it can be distinguished from all other boids because is a robust and wide vertebra with a slightly depressed neural arch, relatively thick and robust zygosphene with a prominent median turbercle. The taxonomic allocation to E. murinus (Linnaeus) is based on the exceptionally large size of the vertebra. The discovery of E. murinus in the late Pleistocene of Tocantins State indicates the presence of a large body of water in a region that has previously been interpreted as relatively arid during this time.

Although five genera of procyonids are currently present in South America, only two of the extant genera, Procyon and Nasua are represented in the South American fossil record. A recent discovery of a procyonid lower second molar in Late Pleistocene deposits of Aurora do Tocantins, northern Brazil, offers potential to further our understanding of the stratigraphic and temporal range of South American fossil procyonids. We use geometric morphometric analysis of two-dimensional landmarks and semilandmarks to explore morphological variation in the lower second molars of extant Procyon lotor and Procyon cancrivorus and multivariate methods to support the identification of the Pleistocene specimen as P. cancrivorus. This material represents the second fossil record of P. cancrivorus in South America Procyonids entered South America in two phases: the first comprising by Cyonasua and Chapadmalania during the Late Miocene, and the other recent genera, beginning in the Late Pleistocene. These Late Miocene procyonids were more carnivorous than Late Pleistocene-Recent omnivorous taxa and possible went extinct due to competition with other placental carnivorans that entered South America and diversified during the latest Pliocene-Early Pleistocene.

Quercus praedelavayi Xing Y.W. et Zhou Z.K. sp. nov. is reported from the upper Miocene of the Xianfeng flora in central Yunnan, southwestern China. The fossil species is identified based on the detailed leaf morphological and cuticular examinations. The primary venation is pinnate and the major secondary venation is craspedodromous with regular spacing. Stomata are anomocytic and occur on abaxial epidermis. Trichome bases are unicellular and multicellular. The new fossil species shows the closest affinity with Quercus delavayi, an extant species distributing in southwestern China. The responses of the functional leaf traits to the climate change were studied by comparing the leaf characters of fossil species and its nearest living relative. The stomatal density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than Q. delavayi, which suggests a lower palaeoatmospheric CO2 concentration during the late Miocene. The trichome base density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than the extant Q. delavayi. Considering the palaeoclimatic reconstruction of Xianfeng flora, it rejected the hypothesis that increase in trichome density is an adaptation to the drier environment.

Brazilian late Pleistocene snakes have an extensive fossil record and are recognized for southern, northeastern and northern regions of this country. This fossil record is represented by the families Boidae, 'Colubridae', Viperidae and Elapidae. Here is presented the first record for Eunectes Wagler for the late Pleistocene of the Brazilian northern region. The material described is a single incomplete dorsal vertebra, and although it shares several vertebral features with most Boidae taxa, it can be distinguished from all other boids because is a robust and wide vertebra with a slightly depressed neural arch, relatively thick and robust zygosphene with a prominent median turbercle. The taxonomic allocation to E. murinus (Linnaeus) is based on the exceptionally large size of the vertebra. The discovery of E. murinus in the late Pleistocene of Tocantins State indicates the presence of a large body of water in a region that has previously been interpreted as relatively arid during this time.

The occurrences of Staphylea L. (Staphyleaceae) fossils have been abundantly documented from the Cenozoic of Eurasia, but none has been confirmed from North America to date. In this study, we describe Staphylealevisemia sp. nov. on the basis of seed remains from the latest Miocene to earliest Pliocene of northeastern Tennessee, southeastern USA. The seeds are characterized by a smoothly inflated body, a large hilar scar perforated by several vascular traces and bordered by a distinctive lip-like rim, a cuticle coating the seed coat interior, and seed coat section containing weakly developed tiny lumina. According to the paleogeographic distribution of the genus, it is hypothesized that Staphylea originated from western Eurasia no later than the late Oligocene, and arrived in eastern North America no later than the late Neogene, most possibly through the North Atlantic land bridges like many other seed plants.

Twenty-one fossil foliage, identified as Fokienia shengxianensis sp. nov. (Cupressaceae), were collected from the upper Miocene Shengxian Formation in Tiantai and Ninghai counties, Zhejiang Province of eastern China. These fossils can likely be distinguished from other extant genera in the family Cupressaceae s.l. except Fokienia by leaf external morphology alone. Foliar cuticular comparison with the only modern species in this genus, Fokienia hodginsii Henry et Thomas, further suggests that the present fossil species closely resembles the modern counterpart. Paleoecologically, the occurrence of Fokienia from the Shengxian Formation appears to support that the fossil site was covered by subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and under warm and humid conditions during the late Miocene, consistent with evidence from previously published fossil plants.

Thesis advisor: Masayuki Wasa / This dissertation describes the development of cooperative catalyst systems for the functionalization of monocarbonyl compounds and stereoselective transformations of alpha-C–H bonds of N-alkylamines, inspired by the concepts of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). Prior to this dissertation research, practical and broadly applicable C–C and C–heteroatom bond forming reactions involving the FLP complexes that provide synthetically desirable products with high enantioselectivity remained to be developed. Chapter 1 of this dissertation describes the recent advances in the transformations involving FLPs and B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed reactions. Inspired by the unique capability of FLP catalysts to activate otherwise unreactive molecules, and circumvent undesirable acid–base complexation, we have developed potent cooperative acid/base catalysts for C–C bond forming reactions of various monocarbonyl compounds and an appropriate electrophile, which will be discussed in Chapter 2. Another reactivity of FLPs to be explored has to do with the catalytic and enantioselective reactions of N-alkylamines, where two Lewis acid catalysts with potentially overlapping functions, work cooperatively to activate alpha-amino C–H bonds and promote the enantioselective C–C bond forming reaction between N-alkylamines and a nucleophilic species. In Chapter 3, B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed union of N-alkylamines and silicon enolates followed by the enantioselective B(C₆F₅)₃/Mg–PyBOX-catalyzed alpha-alkylation of N-alkylamines and alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds to form beta-amino carbonyl compounds will be described. In Chapter 4, B(C₆F₅)₃/Cu–PyBOX-catalyzed alpha-C–H alkynylation of N-alkylamines and the applications in late-stage functionalization and stereoselective synthesis will be discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

Experiencing the death of a loved one is often life changing, and learning ways to cope is an important part of the healing process. Such a change can be particularly difficult for late adolescents (individuals between 18 and 25 years of age) who are already going through significant life changes. Spirituality and mental health has received increasing scholarly attention in recent years, and the Association for Spirituality, Ethics, and Religious Values in Counseling has developed competencies for counselors to use when working with clients who wish to incorporate spirituality in their treatment. Despite increased interest in the field, there is little scholarly literature on the use of spirituality in counseling late adolescents who are experiencing grief and loss. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the meaning and role of spirituality and spiritual practices in the grieving processes of late adolescents. Existential theory provided the framework for the study. Participants were recruited from a local grief center, college, and university as well as CESnet and ASERVIC listservs. Seven late adolescents took part in semistructured interviews regarding their grieving process. Lindseth and Norberg's phenomenological hermeneutical method was used to analyze the data consisting of naïve reading, structural analysis, and comprehensive understanding. Themes included experiences with death, surviving the loss, and changes. Findings indicated that spiritual practices were beneficial in helping grieving late adolescents cope with the death of a loved one. Results may provide counselors with additional ways to work with this population during their grieving process.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two forms of perspective-taking training on interpersonal and ideological identities of 18- to 21-year-old college students. The primary predictions of the study were that social perspective-taking training would have its greater effect on interpersonal identity and that ideological perspective-taking training would have its greater effect on ideological identity. Ninety-six subjects were pretested for the study. Subject loss occurred due to attrition and the elimination of subjects who scored above set criterion for inclusion in the study. A total of 50 participants who were assigned to one of two treatment groups or to the control group completed the study. Both experimental and control subjects were engaged for two one-hour sessions per week for four weeks. Subjects completed posttesting the week following the last week of training. Nonparametric tests and repeated measures analysis of variance were computed for the pretest and posttest scores. Advances in ideological identity were observed for both the social and ideological perspectivetaking groups. Neither training was effective in promoting interpersonal identity. There was some evidence that formal operational skills also were advanced from social perspective-taking training. The validity and reliability of the measures used were discussed in conjunction with discussion of the findings. Implications for future research and clinical applications were presented.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The frequency and magnitude of flooding events on the Lower Ohio River and their relationship with climate are investigated using a ca. 2000-year-long sediment core collected from Goose Pond, Indiana. Using high-resolution radiocarbon dating (n = 25), late Holocene sedimentation rates were calculated for Goose Pond. Changes in sediment accumulation rates are attributed to variations in the frequency of flooding events on the lower Ohio River. Elevated sedimentation rates immediately following the formation of Goose Pond ca. 2000 years ago persisted until 680 CE, suggesting regular flooding during this interval. Between 680 and 1190 CE, sedimentation rates decreased dramatically and abruptly, indicating a reduction in flood frequencies. Sedimentation rates subsequently increased again at ca. 1190 CE and persisted at a similar level until 1850 CE, suggesting that flooding frequencies increased during a time that overlapped with the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1250-1850 CE). Sedimentation rates increased again at ca. 1850 CE, reaching a 2000-year high (3.33 cm/yr) at 1970 CE and indicating a period characterized by frequent flooding and landscape erosion. The flood record from Goose Pond shows similarities with other Lower Ohio River flood reconstructions from Avery Lake, IL, and Hovey Lake, IN, suggesting the Goose Pond record reflects the regional flooding history for the lower Ohio River. Comparison with paleoclimate records from the Midwest supports the idea that lower Ohio River flood frequencies prior to Euro American occupation in the 1800s increased during times when winter precipitation predominated as a result of atmospheric circulation changes resembling the Pacific North vii American mode (PNA) that appear to have been driven in part by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Following Euro-American land clearance, lower Ohio River flooding increased dramatically despite a decrease in winter precipitation. This likely reflects an increase in runoff and erosion as a result of deforestation and landscape conversion to intensive row crop agriculture. As climate continues to change and the Midwestern United States continues to see an increase in precipitation, both winter and summer, flood frequencies could be expected to increase still further.