Life Sciences Commons^™

Minerva 2004, The Honors College

Minerva

This issue of Minerva includes an article on HON 350: An Introduction to Functional Genomics; an article on the creation and inaugural year of HON 180: A Cultural Odyssey; a profile on Honors alumnus, Charles Stanhope and his 2004 Distinguished Honors Graduate Lecture; and interviews with Allison Kelly, Jessica Hudec, and Jennifer Merchant on their experiences as Honors student-athletes.

Biomimetic Actuators: Where Technology And Cell Biology Merge [Review Article], Michael Knoblauch, Winfried Peters

Winfried S. Peters

Bicistronic And Fused Monocistronic Transcripts Are Derived From Adjacent Loci In The Arabidopsis Genome, Jyothi Thimmapuram, Hui Duan, Lei Liu, Mary A. Schuler

Cyber Center Publications

Comparisons of full-length cDNAs and genomic DNAs available for Arabidopsis thaliana described here indicate that some adjacent loci are transcribed into extremely long RNAs spanning two annotated genes. Once expressed, some of these transcripts are post-transcriptionally spliced within their coding and intergenic sequences to generate bicistronic transcripts containing two complete open reading frames. Others are spliced to generate monocistronic transcripts coding for fusion proteins with sequences derived from both loci. RT-PCR of several P450 transcripts in this collection indicates that these extended transcripts exist side by side with shorter monocistronic transcripts derived from the individual loci in each pair. The …

2004 Scholars And Artists Bibliography, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Friends Of The Michael Schwartz Library

Scholars and Artists Bibliographies

This bibliography was created for the annual Friends of the Michael Schwartz Library Scholars and Artists Reception, recognizing scholarly and creative achievements of Cleveland State University faculty, staff and emeriti

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 46 Number 2, Fall 2004, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - PRIZE-WINNING POETRY By Alexander Matthew Weyand '04. A poem by an SCU junior wins two student poetry competitions at SCU.

10 - I HAVE A QUESTION By Miriam Schulman. The director of communications for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at SCU explores the ethics of Internet research.

14 - JUSTICE IS SERVED By Susan Vogel. The Santa Clara University Community Law Center celebrates 10 years of service with a new endowment and a new name.

Layer-By-Layer Self -Assembly For Enzyme And Dna Encapsulation And Delivery, Amish Patel

Doctoral Dissertations

Thin wall microcapsules were formed via Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly of alternate adsorption of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte on microcores. After the core dissolution, empty polymeric shells with 20–25 nm thick walls were obtained. These microcapsules were loaded with Myoglobin, Hemoglobin and Glucose Oxidase by opening capsule pores at low pH and closing them at higher pH. The native structure of the enzyme was not affected due to different treatments. Biocompatible nanoshells were also prepared for encasing DNA. Using the same Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly approach nanoparticle were constructed containing DNA as one of the layers. The nanoparticles of different architecture were used to deliver …

Seasonal Aeration Rates For The Eastern United States Based On Long-Term Weather Patterns, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Thomas C. Bridges

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Most aeration fans are sized to produce a minimum airflow rate of 0.1 m³/min/t (0.1 cfm/bu) in on-farm grain storage structures. At this airflow rate a significant amount of time is required to move a cooling front completely through a bin. The desired grain temperature and prevailing weather conditions will have a significant effect on required fan size. Thirty years of weather data were analyzed for the eastern United States to determine the amount of time available in temperature windows between 0 to 15.C and 0 to 17.C. Contour maps were generated with ArcMap 8.3 for the percentage …

Vertical Wall Loads In A Model Grain Bin With Non-Axial Internal Inserts, Marek Molenda, Michael D. Montross, Jozef Horabik, Sidney A. Thompson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A study was conducted to estimate the degree of load asymmetry in a bin with non-axial internal inserts. Internal inserts in the form of an annulus segment were attached to the wall, and their influence on vertical wall loads during centric filling and discharge in a model bin were measured. Wall and floor loads were measured in a corrugated-wall model grain bin with a diameter of 2.44 m and a height of 7.3 m filled with soft red winter wheat to a depth of 6.7 m (height-to-diameter ratio of 2.75). Tests were conducted with inserts that extended circumferentially 30°, 60°, …

Immunogold Labeling To Enhance Contrast In Optical Coherence Microscopy Of Tissue Engineered Corneal Constructs, Chris B. Raub, Elizabeth J. Orwin, Richard C. Haskell

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Our lab has used an optical coherence microscope (OCM) to assess both the structure of tissue-engineered corneal constructs and their transparency. Currently, we are not able to resolve cells versus collagen matrix material in the images produced. We would like to distinguish cells in order to determine if they are viable while growing in culture and also if they are significantly contributing to the light scattering in the tissue. In order to do this, we are currently investigating the use of immunogold labeling. Gold nanoparticles are high scatterers and can create contrast in images. We have conjugated gold nanoparticles to …

An Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers, David R. Bohnhoff, Sundaram Gunasekaran, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Faculty of the Biological Systems Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are considering modifications to their undergraduate engineering curriculum that will result in graduates who are better prepared for positions as agri-industrial facility designers.

Design Considerations For The Construction And Operation Of Feed Milling Facilities. Part I: Planning, Structural, And Life Safety Considerations, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Feed mills represent an important segment of our food production system, supplying the nutritional need for animals in our meat supply system. Agri-industrial facilities such as feed mills have a number of unique design requirements that are relatively unknown. The purpose of this paper is to summarize state of the art design procedures for feed milling facilities constructed in North America. To this end, in Part I of this series, planning, life safety, and structural design criteria for these facilities are examined and relevant theory is presented. Additional resources are cited for further study of concepts. This paper should be …

Design Considerations For The Construction And Operation Of Feed Milling Facilities. Part Ii: Process Engineering Considerations, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Gregory D. Williams

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Feed milling facilities represent an important segment of our food production system, because they manufacture the majority of products used to meet the nutritional needs of livestock in our meat supply chain. Agri-industrial facilities such as feed mills have a number of unique design requirements. In an effort to summarize state of the art design procedures for feed milling facilities constructed in North America, an overview of these procedures and accepted standards has been assembled. Specifically, this paper focuses on process engineering considerations. Consequently, engineers and designers should become familiar with the distinctive design process for these facilities and develop …

Design Considerations For The Construction And Operation Of Grain Elevator Facilities. Part Ii: Process Engineering Considerations, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Gregory D. Williams

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Grain elevators play a key role in U.S. agriculture, and fulfill three main functions: post-harvest handling and storing of cereal grains and oilseeds, conditioning and preserving of grain, and facilitating the delivery of grain to domestic feeding and processing, as well as overseas, end-use destinations. These facilities have evolved from mere storage sites to large, high-throughput, highly automated, processing plants. This trend has been driven by the consolidation of local country elevators, which has been due, in part, to both local economic conditions as well as changing railroad regulations. Another reason has been an increased demand for grain storage space, …

Design Considerations For The Construction And Operation Of Grain Elevator Facilities. Part I: Planning, Structural, And Life Safety Considerations, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Grain elevators represent a major link our food production system. To date, information about the unique design requirements of these facilities has been limited. In an effort to summarize state of the art design procedures for grain elevator facilities constructed in North America, an overview of accepted standards and procedures has been assembled. With this paper engineers should become more familiar with specific design considerations for grain handling facilities and develop appropriate references to expand their knowledge base. Educators may find this paper useful too.

Can-Based Distributed Control For Autonomous Vehicles, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer, John P. Fulton

Matthew J. Darr

Through the work of researchers and the development of commercially available products, automated guidance has become a viable option for agricultural producers. One limiting factor of many commercially available technologies is that they only automate one function of an agricultural vehicle and that their control systems are proprietary to a single machine model.The objective of this project was to evaluate a controller area network (CAN bus) as the basis of an automated agricultural vehicle. The prototype system utilized several microcontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a system wide CAN bus. Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and …

Application Rate And Timing Effects On Urease Inhibitor Performance For Minimizing Ammonia Emissions From Beef Cattle Feedyards, David B. Parker, Syam Pandrangi, L. Wayne Greene, Lal K. Almas, N. Andy Cole, Marty B. Rhoades, Jacek A. Koziel

Jacek A. Koziel

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate how rate and timing of urease inhibitor application affects ammonia emissions from simulated beef cattle feedyard surfaces. The urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) was applied at rates of 0, 1 and 2 kg/ha, at 8, 16, and 32 day frequencies, and with or without simulated rainfall. Synthetic urine was added every 2 days to the manure surface. Gaseous NH3 was trapped in a sulfuric acid solution using a vacuum system and analyzed for nitrogen using automated procedures. NBPT applied every 8 days was most effective, with the 1 and 2 kg/ha NBPT treatments …

Multidimensional Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry For Identification And Prioritization Of Malodors From Confined Animal Feeding Operations, Donald W. Wright, David K. Eaton, Lawrence T. Nielsen, Fred W. Kuhrt, Jacek A. Koziel, Jarett P. Spinhirne, David B. Parker

Jacek A. Koziel

Odor profiling efforts were directed at applying to high-density livestock operations, some of the lessons learned in resolving past, highly diverse, odor-focused investigations in the consumer product industry. Multidimensional-GC-Olfactometry was utilized in an attempt to define and prioritize the basic building blocks of odor character associated with representative cattle feedyard and swine feeding operations. Although scores of potential odorant volatiles have been previously identified in high-density livestock operations, the odor profile results developed herein suggest that only a very few of these may constitute the preponderance of the odor complaints associated with these environments. This appeared to be especially true …

Evaluation Of Sample Recovery Of Malodorous Gases From Air Sampling Bags, Spme, And Sampling Canisters, Jacek A. Koziel, Jarett P. Spinhirne, Jenny D. Lloyd, David B. Parker, Donald W. Wright, David K. Eaton, Lawrence T. Nielsen

Jacek A. Koziel

Odorous gases associated with livestock operations are complex mixtures of hundreds if not thousands of compounds. Research is needed to know how best to sample and analyze these compounds. The main objective of this research was to compare recoveries of a standard gas mixture of 11 odorous compounds from the Carboxen/PDMS 75 µ m SPME fibers, PVF (Tedlar), FEP (Teflon), foil, and PET (Melinex) air sampling bags, and standard 6 L Stabilizer™ sampling canisters after sample storage at room temperature. A standard mixture consisted of 7 VFAs from acetic to hexanoic, and 4 semi-VOCs including p-cresol, indole, 4-ethylphenol, and 2'-aminoacetopheone …

Educational Needs For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers And Managers, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater, David R. Bohnhoff

Kurt A. Rosentrater

This paper summarizes educational needs for agri-industrial facility designers and mangers. Relevant skills required for the design, planning, and operation of agri-industrial facilities are discussed. Continuing and University educational needs for facility designers and managers are also presented.

Analysis Of Factors Affecting Corn Masa Byproduct Generation, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The production of corn masa-based products in the U.S. has been increasing over the last several years, and consequently, so has the volume of waste materials generated from this processing sector. These byproducts, which consist of corn dry matter losses that occur during the nixtamalization process, are currently underutilized, but have much potential for value-added processing and utilization, and thus hold the simultaneous promises of economic benefit for corn processors as well as decreased potential impact on surrounding ecosystems. Because information concerning masa byproducts, and the rate at which they are generated, is currently very limited and not readily available, …

Comparison Of Vrt Granular Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Steven F. Higgins, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Matthew J. Darr, Dennis W. Hancock, Edward L. Hutchins

Matthew J. Darr

Granular applicators equipped with variable-rate technology have gained popularity in recent years due to increased interests in variable-rate application. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize distribution patterns at varying rates and quantify rate transitions from various granular applicators. Both uniform- and variable-rate tests were conducted to assess the accuracy of variable-rate application from four granular applicators (2 spinner spreaders and 2 pneumatic applicators). The patterns results indicated a consistent triangular pattern for spinner spreader B and consistent patterns for pneumatic applicators C and D. However, applicator D produced pattern variations at the center and right side. Simulated overlap …

Ambient Ammonia And Hydrogen Sulfide Concentrations At A Beef Cattle Feedlot In Texas, Jacek A. Koziel, Bok-Haeng Baek, Jarett P. Spinhirne, David B. Park

Jacek A. Koziel

Concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in ambient air were semicontinuously measured at a 50,000-head cattle feedyard in Texas panhandle in three seasons: fall 2002 (10 days), winter 2003 (14 days), and spring 2003 (15 days). Sampling was conducted at 1.5 m above the ground at one location each season at the western fence line of cattle pens. Gas concentrations were measured using continuous analyzers housed in an onsite instrument shelter. Measured concentrations were upwind or downwind of the feedyard pens depending on the wind direction. Wind directions, wind velocity, and air temperature were measured to correlate them …

Effect Of Moisture Content And Broken Kernels On The Bulk Density And Packing Of Corn, Samuel G. Mcneill, Sidney A. Thompson, Michael D. Montross

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Shelled yellow dent corn samples were conditioned to three moisture content levels (12%, 15%, and 18% w.b.) and mixed with a prescribed amount of broken corn particles of known size (geometric mean diameter of 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 2.8, and 4.0 mm) and concentration (2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5% by weight) levels. The initial bulk density and grain compaction under simulated overburden pressure tests were determined for each sample. Uniaxial compression tests were performed for seven vertical pressure levels (3.4, 6.9, 14, 28, 55, 110, and 165 kPa) with a minimum of three replications each. Tests were performed at two locations with …

Estrogen Content Of Dairy And Swine Wastes, D. Raj Raman, Elizabeth L. Williams, Alice C. Layton, Robert T. Burns, James P. Easter, Adam S. Daugherty, Michael D. Mullen, Gary S. Sayler

D. Raj Raman

Naturally occurring estrogens in animal wastes may cause negative environmental impacts, yet their abundance in animal waste treatment and storage structures is poorly documented. To better quantify estrogen concentra tions in animal wastes, multiple waste samples were collected from treatment and storage structures at dairy and swine facilities and analyzed for concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and 17α-estradiol by gas chromatography−mass spectroscopy and by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (E2 only). Mass ratios of each estrogen to the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were also determined. Because manure application rates are typically macronutrient-based, estrogen to macronutrient ratios are proportional to …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 46 Number 1, Summer 2004, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - A PUZZLING PROFESSOR By Adam Breen. Byron Walden, an assistant professor of mathematics at SCU, draws on his knowledge of numerical analysis to create crossword puzzles for The New York Times.

10 - THE LAUNCHING PAD By Larry Sokoloff J.D. '92. Top government agencies, other universities, and companies are relying on the University's Robotics Systems Lab-and its students-to build and monitor satellites.

16 - A NOVEL TEAM By Kristin Lenore '04. The University's publishing partnership with Heyday Books aims to help preserve California's cultural legacy.

Energy-Landscape-Model Analysis For Irreversibility And Its Pulse-Width Dependence In Cells Subjected To A High-Intensity Ultrashort Electric Pulse, R. P. Joshi, Q. Hu, Karl H. Schoenbach, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

We provide a simple, but physical analysis for cell irreversibility and apoptosis in response to an ultrashort (nanosecond), high-intensity electric pulse. Our approach is based on an energy landscape model for determining the temporal evolution of the configurational probability function p(q). The primary focus is on obtaining qualitative predictions of a pulse width dependence to apoptotic cell irreversibility that has been observed experimentally. The analysis couples a distributed electrical model for current flow with the Smoluchowski equation to provide self-consistent, time-dependent transmembrane voltages. The model captures the essence of the experimentally observed pulse-width dependence, and provides a possible physical picture …

A High -Order Finite Difference Method For Solving Bioheat Transfer Equations In Three-Dimensional Triple -Layered Skin Structure, Haofeng Yu

Doctoral Dissertations

Investigations on instantaneous skin burns are useful for an accurate assessment of burn-evaluation and for establishing thermal protections for various purposes. Meanwhile, hyperthermia with radiation is important in the treatment of cancer, and it is essential for developers and users of hyperthermia systems to predict, and interpret correctly the biomass thermal and vascular response to heating. In this dissertation, we employ the well-known Pennes' bioheat transfer equation to predict the degree of skin burn and the temperature distribution in hyperthermia cancer treatment.

A fourth-order compact finite difference scheme is developed to solve Pennes' bioheat transfer equation in a three-dimensional single …

Suitability Of A Gps Collar For Grazing Studies, Carmen T. Agouridis, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Stephen R. Workman, Benjamin K. Koostra, Dwayne R. Edwards, Eric S. Vanzant

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The traditional means of tracking animal location in a field is by visual observation. Not only is this method labor intensive, it is also prone to error as the observer can alter cattle movement, observation periods are often too short to obtain confidence in general daily behavior patterns, and observer fatigue becomes an issue. In the 1990s, the University of Kentucky began using GPS collars on cattle to track their position with the goal of incorporating this information into cattle management practices. One of the key unanswered questions regarding the GPS collars is the accuracy of the position data recorded …

Aaas Lecture Series On Women In Science And Engineering, Maribel Vazquez

Publications and Research

The winning essay for a Travel Award from the American Association for the Advancement in Science Women Lecture Series.

http://ehrweb.aaas.org/womeninscience/essays/vazquez.htm

Food Based Approaches For A Healthy Nutrition In Africa, Mamoudou Hama Dicko

Pr. Mamoudou H. DICKO, PhD

The latest estimates of the FAO demonstrate the problems of the fight against hunger. These problems are manifested by the ever-increasing number of chronically undernourished people worldwide. Their numbers during the 1999-2001 period were estimated at about 840 million of which 798 million live in developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa alone represented 198 million of those. In this part of Africa the prevalence of undernourishment ranges from 5-34%, causing growth retardation and insufficient weight gain among one third of the children under five years of age and resulting in a mortality of 5-15% among these children. Malnutrition resulting from undernourishment is …