http://sciflies.org/rss/project SciFlies creates a world in which people can directly accelerate science and technology research, discovery and innovation. (c) SciFlies. 2011 - Present. All rights reserved. en-us Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:54:51 -0800 http://sciflies.org/project/view/3-Prevention-of-Alzheimer’s “While these results are important in showing how an underlying brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented from causing dementia, there are many unanswered questions,” said James Mortimer, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of South Florida in Tampa Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:39:33 -0800 /project/view/3-Prevention-of-Alzheimer’s http://sciflies.org/project/view/18-Transformational-Reductions-in-Human-Schistosomiasis-by-Modifying-Agricultural-Practices Our ultimate goal is to identify simple changes to agricultural management that could vastly improve human health by simultaneously enhancing nutrition and decreasing human disease risk (intellectual merit). To address this goal, we will quantify the effects of agrochemicals on transmission of the Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:17:19 -0800 /project/view/18-Transformational-Reductions-in-Human-Schistosomiasis-by-Modifying-Agricultural-Practices http://sciflies.org/project/view/16-American-Pikas-in-Western-Oregon This research is fundamental to determining the conservation value of these peripheral populations. If we discover that they are simply demographic sinks, then their contribution to the conservation of pikas in North America is minimal. Conversely, if we find that these pikas are not only reproduc Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:00:56 -0800 /project/view/16-American-Pikas-in-Western-Oregon http://sciflies.org/project/view/23-Wheelchair-Design-Reborn-to-Express-Dancer’s-Moves The project, initiated by Merry Lynn Morris, MFA, a faculty member in the University of South Florida’s College of Arts, had the full and supportive collaboration of the USF College of Engineering’s Center for Assistive and Rehabilitation Robotics and the USF School of Physical Therapy. Early fu Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:27:54 -0800 /project/view/23-Wheelchair-Design-Reborn-to-Express-Dancer’s-Moves http://sciflies.org/project/view/19-Identifying-Brain-Changes-Associated-With-Compulsive-Hoarding This project will help to 1) identify specific brain regions associated with the cognitive problems underlying compulsive hoarding, 2) allow us to compare the brain activation patterns of compulsive hoarding and OCD, a closely-related disorder, and determine which patterns are shared between disorde Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:27:21 -0800 /project/view/19-Identifying-Brain-Changes-Associated-With-Compulsive-Hoarding http://sciflies.org/project/view/21-Red-Grouper:-Prairie-Dogs-of-Florida-Bay? The ultimate goal of my research is to explore a unique example of a marine ecosystem engineer to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which biodiversity is maintained in marine systems. In addition, our current understanding of the full ecological effects of fishing by humans is lacking. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:24:47 -0800 /project/view/21-Red-Grouper:-Prairie-Dogs-of-Florida-Bay? http://sciflies.org/project/view/22-Rediscovering-Lost-Engineering-Techniques:-Geotechnical-Investigation-of-Ancient-Embankments Two approaches will be used identify embankment construction techniques: (1) establish a detailed chronology of construction using optically stimulated luminescence for each embankment stratum and (2) identify the physical, structural, and mechanical properties of the soil using geotechnical enginee Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:33:29 -0800 /project/view/22-Rediscovering-Lost-Engineering-Techniques:-Geotechnical-Investigation-of-Ancient-Embankments http://sciflies.org/project/view/25-Diversity-of-Interactions-in-a-Tropical-Rain-Forest Over half of all described organisms in the world are involved in plant-insect-parasite interactions, yet basic ecological assumptions about diversity of these interactions still lack quantitative tests. This Sciflies proposal seeks funding to expand and continue the current ecological study of mult Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:42:21 -0800 /project/view/25-Diversity-of-Interactions-in-a-Tropical-Rain-Forest http://sciflies.org/project/view/26-Cell-based-Assays-of-Ecotoxicity:-An-Alternative-to-Animal-Testing According to Dr. Vulpe, current toxicity tests rely on expensive, slow, whole animal toxicity studies on many species, including fish. The current approach, he adds, is impractical and requires the use of whole animals to determine risks related to new and existing chemicals in fresh water ecosystem Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:14:30 -0800 /project/view/26-Cell-based-Assays-of-Ecotoxicity:-An-Alternative-to-Animal-Testing http://sciflies.org/project/view/27--Embedding-Intelligent-Mobile-Sensor-Networks-in-the-Environment We seek to continue developing sensing technology to place in the environment to measure change in the environment. The change can be man-made or natural. The sensor networks can measure chemicals, take physical measurements and sense biology from the small microbes to large animals. One area of int Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:49:39 -0800 /project/view/27--Embedding-Intelligent-Mobile-Sensor-Networks-in-the-Environment http://sciflies.org/project/view/31-Studies-of-Slime-Molds The slime molds (myxomycetes and dictyostelids) are common and often abundant organisms in all types of terrestrial ecosystems, where they appear to have an ecologically important role in nutrient cycling. However, members of the group remain understudied. The ultimate goal of this ongoing project i Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:25:24 -0800 /project/view/31-Studies-of-Slime-Molds http://sciflies.org/project/view/29-Microbiology-of-a-Major-CA-Estuary The goals of this project are shared by many microbial community nucleic acid sequencing efforts, namely, to understand the composition of microbial communities across a range of conditions and physical locations within an ecosystem, to understand distributional correlations amongst community member Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:44:27 -0800 /project/view/29-Microbiology-of-a-Major-CA-Estuary http://sciflies.org/project/view/32-Study-Melting-Antarctic-Peninsula We will build a network of robots to measure the physics, chemicstry and biology offshore Plamer Station Antarctica. The robots outfitted with global phones that will allow the robots controlled by undergraduates and faculty on campus. All the data will be posted to the web in real-time allowing a Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:46:57 -0800 /project/view/32-Study-Melting-Antarctic-Peninsula http://sciflies.org/project/view/36-Pyrolysis-of-Biomass:-A-Source-of-Renewable-Fuels The overall objective of my tar model compound studies is to optimize pyrolysis processes for the production of useful hydrocarbons that can be converted to gasoline and diesel, or be converted to aromatics and other refinery and chemical feedstocks. A fundamental mechanistic understanding of the ho Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:39:46 -0800 /project/view/36-Pyrolysis-of-Biomass:-A-Source-of-Renewable-Fuels http://sciflies.org/project/view/37-Generator-to-Produce-Electricity-from-Waste The significance of this study is its potential to generate multiple micro anaerobic digester projects, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This research will present a body of knowledge that could verify the economics of methane to electricity generation at many small to medium sized farms a Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:39:50 -0800 /project/view/37-Generator-to-Produce-Electricity-from-Waste