The primary research aims of this thesis were to analyse the mechanism of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) signalling during conidial germination and conidial anastomosis tube (CAT)-mediated fusion in Neurospora crassa. Ca2+ is an ubiquitous signalling molecule that regulates many important processes in filamentous fungi including spore germination, hyphal growth, mechanosensing, stress responses, circadian rhythms, and the virulence of pathogens. Transient increases in cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]c) act as intracellular signals. As the primary intracellular Ca2+ receptor, calmodulin (CaM) converts these Ca2+ signals into responses by regulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Ca2+-free medium, antagonists of L-type Ca2+ channels, CaM and calcineurin were found to inhibit CAT fusion. In addition, my results showed that CAT chemotropism is dependent on extracellular Ca2+. 65 genes were identified as likely components of the Ca2+ signalling machinery of N. crassa based on a comparative genomic analysis of S. cerevisiae, A. fumigatus and C. albicans. Deletion mutants of 29 of these genes were characterized in relation to their possible roles during colony initiation and development. Four of these mutants (Δcna-1, Δcnb-1, Δcamk-1, Δplc-2, and Δrgs-1), which were homokaryons, exhibited strong morphological phenotypes associated with CAT fusion. To identify the protein machinery involved in Ca2+/CaM signalling during colony initiation, proteins that directly or indirectly interacted with CaM were isolated from germlings by immunoprecipitation and analyzed by mass spectroscopy. A total of 286 putative Ca2+/CaM-interacting proteins were identified in this way and 30 of these proteins contained CaM-binding motifs. This proteomics analysis provided evidence for Ca2+/CaM signalling playing a role in regulating the activity of a wide range of proteins including MAP kinases in the cell integrity pathway, Ras/Rho signalling pathway, and microtubule and actin cytoskeletal proteins. GFP labelled CaM localized as dynamic spots associated with the plasma membrane and cytoplasm in both germ tubes and CATs. Significant CaM accumulation was observed in the tips of CATs growing towards each other, around fusion pores at sites of CAT fusion, and at developing septa in germ tubes. CaM localization was influenced by the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton during the colony initiation. Inhibition of F-actin polymerization with latrunculin-A suppressed the pronounced accumulation of CaM at growing germ tube and CAT tips. The movement of CaM associated with spindle pole bodies was prevented by treatment with the microtubule polymerization inhibitor benomyl. The absence of myo-5 resulted in reduced CAT fusion and the lack recruitment of CaM at growing tips indicating a role for the motor protein, myosin-5, in these processes. Finally, by expressing the genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor GCaMP6s under the control of tef-1 promoter in N. crassa, I have been able to image [Ca2+]c dynamics in this fungus for the first time. Using this I have been able to detect localized [Ca2+]c spikes and waves in conidia, germ tubes and CATs. However, I obtained no clear evidence for localized [Ca2+]c changes being associated with CAT chemotropism or fusion.

Few superhero scholars, if any, are discussing physical age or definitions of maturity. It seems Hollywood and consumers are reluctant to associate "adult" content with anything other than pornography, immature language, and excessive violence—a reluctance that should be explored by scholars and critics alike. Most superhero characters only reflect the insecurities of audiences who are currently undergoing the transition between adolescence and young adulthood. There are very few older, middle-aged, or retired superheroes depicted juggling the demands of a family along with their daring rescues. It is possible that superhero films could continue to enjoy longer, lasting success if they include more than the previously targeted immature audience. Live-action superhero films can target all ages more efficiently by avoiding the static "mature" audience narratives and presenting relatable and realistic adulthood with novelistic maturity along with adolescence and childhood.

Les gamètes femelles appelés ovocytes sont produits par un type spécifique de division cellulaire appelée méiose. Afin de produire des gamètes haploïdes, et contrairement aux divisions mitotiques des cellules somatiques, la méiose implique une seule étape de réplication du génome suivie de deux étapes de ségrégation des chromosomes. La fidélité de la ségrégation des chromosomes pendant la méiose est cruciale pour éviter l’aneuploïdie embryonnaire qui entraînerait des défauts de développement ou un avortement spontané. Dans la plupart des types cellulaires, la ségrégation des chromosomes repose sur un fuseau composé de microtubules. En parallèle à l'assemblage du fuseau, des complexes multi-protéiques appelés kinétochores s’assemblent sur le côté des chromosomes et leur permettent d’interagir avec les microtubules dynamiques du fuseau. Étonnamment, la ségrégation des chromosomes dans l'ovocyte de C. elegans se déroule d'une manière atypique indépendante des kinétochores. Le mécanisme alternatif utilisé dans ces oocytes pour la ségrégation des chromosomes est cependant inconnu. Au cours de mon doctorat, j'ai utilisé une combinaison d'imagerie photonique à haute résolution temporelle, corrélée à de la microscopie électronique à haute résolution spatiale. J’ai également utilisé de la photoablation par laser des microtubules et réalisé l'inhibition ciblée de protéines clés pour disséquer le mécanisme atypique de ségrégation des chromosomes dans l'ovocyte de C. elegans. Mes résultats montrent que la ségrégation des chromosomes est produite par une force dépendante des microtubules qui pousse les chromosomes. Par une analyse détaillée de l’organisation des microtubules dans des fuseaux en anaphase partiellement reconstruits par microscopie électronique en tomographie, je propose un modèle impliquant la génération de force par l'allongement d’un réseau de courts microtubules formant le fuseau central. De plus, je démontre que l'activité de l'orthologue de CLASP chez C. elegans (CLS-2) est essentielle pour l'assemblage du fuseau en anaphase. Ce travail est actuellement sous presse dans le journal Nature Communications. Parallèlement, j'ai disséqué le rôle de CLS-2 dans l'assemblage du fuseau d'ovocytes et la ségrégation chromosomique. J'ai perturbé de manière systématique les domaines individuels et les résidus conservés de manière évolutive dans CLS-2 pour déterminer leur contribution à la fonction et à la localisation de cette protéine pendant la première méiose femelle. Dans l'ensemble, mes résultats montrent que la ségrégation chromosomique dans l'ovocyte de C. elegans consiste en un mécanisme de poussée chromosomique atypique et dépendant de CLS-2. / Female gametes called oocytes are produced through a specific type of celldivision termed meiosis. In order to produce haploid gametes, and unlike mitoticdivisions of somatic cells, meiosis involves a single round of genome replication followed by two rounds of chromosome segregation. Accuracy of chromosome segregation during meiosis is crucial to avoiding embryonic aneuploidy that wouldlead to developmental defects or spontaneous abortion. In most cell types,chromosome segregation relies on a microtubule-based spindle. Concomitant tospindle assembly, multi-protein complexes termed kinetochores assemble on the side of chromosomes and couple microtubule dynamics to chromosomal movements. Strikingly, in the C. elegans oocyte chromosome segregation occurs in an atypical kinetochore-independent manner. The alternative mechanism used in these oocytes for chromosome segregation is however unknown. During my PhD, I used a combination of high spatial and temporal resolution live imaging, correlated light and electron tomography, laser-mediated photoablation of microtubules, and targeted inhibition of key proteins to dissect this a typical mechanism of chromosome segregation in the C. elegans oocyte. Myresults show that chromosome segregation is driven by a microtubule-dependent force that pushes the segregating chromosomes apart during anaphase. Aftercareful analysis of partially reconstructed anaphase spindles by electrontomography for microtubule quantity, length, orientation, and overlaps, I proposea model involving the elongation and/or sliding of tiled microtubules in the central spindle as the candidate structure responsible for this force generation. Additionally, I demonstrate that the activity of the C. elegans CLASP ortholog CLS-2 is essential for proper anaphase spindle assembly. This work is currently in press at Nature Communications.In parallel, I have more closely examined the role of the C. elegans CLS-2 in oocyte spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. I have thoroughly and systematically perturbed the individual domains and evolutionarily conserved residues in CLS-2 to determine their contribution to the function and localization ofthis protein during the first female meiosis. Overall my results show that chromosome segregation in the C. elegans

DYSPHONIA is a music and dance work, for violin soloist with a live chamber orchestra, including multiple laptops and a custom-built gesture detection system worn by a dancer. The piece was choreographed by Professor Charlotte Adams of the University of Iowa Dance Department and premiered at the Faculty Graduate Dance Concerts in February of 2015. This piece is inspired by ongoing research into computer programming, gesture and music-making, artificial intelligence (AI), and creative algorithms. While the actual algorithms I developed for use in this piece are far from sentient, it is my hope that this piece may bring about discussion and further interest in creative AI. In our initial discussions, choreographer Charlotte Adams and I discovered that we both have witnessed a large number of people buying into immersive technologies without questioning the total cost to their well being, without questioning whether the technology has a positive impact on their lives, and without an understanding regarding the complex changes being wrought in our society due to the mass adoption of such technologies. Thus we designed this piece around the technology itself, so that the union between the dancer and the prosthesis is brought about by the movement and action that takes place in the piece. The intent was to create a scene where the audience suddenly becomes aware that something new is happening, namely that the dancer’s glove has started to make noise and there is a new connection made between the music and the dance.

The Long Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program is a 20-year program initiated by the Federal Highway Administration to better understand the behavior of highway bridges as they deteriorate due to environmental variables and vehicle loads. Part of this program includes the periodic testing of selected bridges. The Lambert Road Bridge was subjected to nondestructive testing in the fall of 2009. Part of this testing included a live load test. This test involved driving two heavy trucks across the instrumented bridge on selected load paths. The bridge was instrumented with strain, displacement, and tilt sensors. This collected data was used to calibrate a finite element model. This finite element model was used to determine the theoretical live load distribution factors. Using the controlling distribution factor from the finite element model, the inventory and operating ratings of the bridge were determined. These load ratings were compared to those obtained from using the controlling distribution factor from the AASHTO LRFD Specifications. This thesis also examined how different parameters such as span length, girder spacing, parapets, skew, continuity, deck overhang, and deck thickness affect the distribution factors of box girder bridges. This was done by creating approximately 40 finite element models and comparing the results to those obtained by using the AASHTO LRFD Specifications.

Premise and Objectives In our increasingly technology driven society, the impact of technology touches nearly every aspect of our lives in some form or another. This has been acutely felt within the world of percussion, with electroacoustic works representing perhaps the most rapidly expanding area of concert percussion over the last twenty years. Electroacoustic music couples electronic technology with traditional acoustic instruments and/or performance practices. Broadly, this paper outlines a systematic approach to teaching electroacoustic performance practice, based on elements found in a cross-section of percussion literature. In using such an approach, not only does each student become more capable of dealing with this growing body of literature, but also the process of educating these students becomes more efficient for the teacher. As a result, delivery becomes more effectively standardized, and resources can be shared more efficiently among multiple students who may be studying different types of electroacoustic repertoire. Method To organize this exploration, three main genres of electroacoustic repertoire for percussion are compared: prerecorded soundscape, live processing, and electronic pieces. This comparison illuminates the tools and techniques that are relevant to each type of repertoire and reflects not only the narrower focus of electroacoustic percussion, but also the broader goals of applied percussion instruction in the context of a “total” percussion program. Each classification is explored by addressing its critical elements using prime examples from the relevant standard repertoire. For the first classification of works, tape pieces, the project includes discussion on signal flow, balancing electronic and acoustic sound sources, an introduction to digital audio workstations (DAWs), and monitoring techniques. Two primary examples of the repertoire are used to contribute to this discussion; Javier Alvarez’s Temazcal for maracas and tape, and Brian Blume’s Strands of Time. Live processing works present increased challenges with concepts, including sound reinforcement, recording production, how to edit and creatively manipulate sound both in post-production and live, and detailed concepts of signal flow, often including MIDI protocol. To explore the concepts specifically relevant to live processed works, Nigel Westlake’s classic work, Fabian Theory, for amplified marimba and three toms, is offered. Electronic works give students further opportunity to explore MIDI mapping, patch and parameter changes using both hardware and software, and sometimes sound design. In this context, there is a brief exploration of Steve Reich’s Violin Phase. Finally, an exploration of Hans Werner Henze’s, Prison Song demonstrates how all of this technology and technique can come together in combination works. The work requires live sound reinforcement, pre-recorded soundscapes, separate monitoring, live processing, and live MIDI controllers. The paper closes with a brief summary of extra pedagogical considerations, including resource management, pedagogical philosophy, and further implications. Conclusion By examining the logical steps of pedagogically developing through the different broad categories of electroacoustic music, with an emphasis on its reflection of broader liberal values and critical applied analysis, it is believed that this research could yield a model for a more thoughtful approach for applied percussion teachers.

While mechanical loading is essential for articular cartilage homeostasis, it also plays a central role in the etiology of osteoarthritis. The mechanotransduction events underlying these dual effects, however, remain unclear. Previously, we have shown that lethal amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were liberated from mitochondrial complex 1 in response to a mechanical insult. The sensitivity of this response to an actin polymerase inhibitor, cytochalasin B, indicated a link between ROS release and cytoskeletal distortion caused by excessive compressive strain. It did not, however, rule out the possibility that ROS may also mediate the beneficial effects of normal stresses that induce lower tissue strains required for proper homeostasis. If this possibility is true, one would expect the amount of ROS released in loaded cartilage to be positively correlated with the level of strain, and ROS should only reach lethal levels under super-physiological deformations. To test this hypothesis, full cartilage tissue strains were measured in cartilage explants subjected to static normal stresses of 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and1.0 MPa. After compression, the percentage of ROS-producing cells was measured using the oxidation-sensitive fluorescent probe, dihydroethidium, and confocal microscopy. In support of our theory, the percentage of fluorescing cells increased linearly with increasing strains (0-75%, r2 = 0.8, p < 0.05). Additionally, hydrostatic stress, which causes minimal tissue strain, induced minimal ROS release. In terms of cell viability, cartilage explants compressed with strains >40% experienced substantial cell death, while explants with strains

The combination of solo percussion with live electronics is one of the newest genres of music today. An outgrowth of the instrument and fixed media genre, live electronic music combines a musician on stage performing with a computer or other technology performing real-time processes. This document is a collection of five works scored for percussion and the computer program Max intended for the collegiate level. In addition, there are explanations and schematics of the patches to help the performer learn how to use Max. This document could serve as supplemental material for an undergraduate percussion curriculum to help students gain experience performing with live electronics. Most students in university music departments are not exposed to technology unless they seek it out themselves. This may cause many student instrumentalists to be hesitant to play works with technology. However, as performing with electronics becomes more common, music students without this experience are at a disadvantage. Basic knowledge of audio equipment, having experience using a microphone, sound recording, and other technical know-how is essential to becoming a successful performer in a contemporary setting. Being able to perform with electronics creates new opportunities for repertoire, collaboration, and performance. Many universities are starting new programs dedicated to interdisciplinary studies such as digital humanities. These collaborative efforts bring together musicians, dancers, writers, visual artists, computer scientists, and others to create new work. Music students who have some background in performing and working with electronics could be a part of these collaborative efforts and help produce compelling, original work.

As part of the Federal Highway Administration's Long-Term Bridge Performance Program, Live Load and Dynamic tests were conducted. A long-term monitoring plan was developed and presented for the Utah Pilot Bridge based on Live Load and Dynamic tests. As one of seven pilot bridges, the Utah Pilot Bridge is one of the first bridges used to initiate the LTBP Program. A formal permit approval process, with the Utah Department of Transportation, was followed to gain permission to conduct the tests and install long-term instrumentation. Analysis provided good results for each test completed, with a summary of test results presented. A Finite Element Model was created and refined based off test data. Instrumentation was installed and checked to ensure quality data was streaming to the collection site.

El objetivo principal de la presente tesis es exponer el conocimiento que tienen las empresas sobre las características y necesidades de los consumidores de la línea “regalos verdes” del sector de decoración y paisajismo en Lima metropolitana para desarrollar su cartera productos. Los regalos verdes forman parte de la oferta actual en el sub sector de decoración y están conformados por terrarios, kokedamas, recuerdos vivos, entre otros. Así mismo, se desprende de la investigación que estos llegaron al Perú como una tendencia de decoración que se relaciona con la realidad de los reducidos espacios para áreas verdes con los que se cuenta en la ciudad de Lima. Las interrogantes de la tesis surgen para exponer el nivel de conocimiento que tienen las empresas actuales sobre las características y necesidades de sus consumidores y conocer cómo esto contribuye al desarrollo de la cartera de productos de regalos verdes ofertada en Lima Metropolitana. Esta tesis es no experimental, con un diseño transeccional o también llamado transversal de tipo exploratorio, cuyo propósito es comenzar a conocer una variable o un conjunto de variables, una comunidad, un contexto, y analizarlo en un momento específico, dado que se trata de un problema de investigación nuevo o poco conocido. Por ello, nuestra investigación puede constituir un precedente en la información del sector de la decoración y paisajismo, más no una investigación de mercado, debido a que no abarca la perspectiva de la demanda. Para esta investigación se encuestó a los dueños, encargados o personal del área comercial con contacto directo con los clientes de 30 empresas de Lima Metropolitana. Finalmente, se plantean conclusiones y recomendaciones que derivan de la investigación. / Tesis