Life Sciences Commons^™

An Intertidal Sea Star Adjusts Thermal Inertia To Avoid Extreme Body Temperatures, Sylvain Pincebourde, Eric Sanford, Brian Helmuth

Faculty Publications

The body temperature of ectotherms is influenced by the interaction of abiotic conditions, morphology, and behavior. Although organisms living in different thermal habitats may exhibit morphological plasticity or move from unfavorable locations, there are few examples of animals adjusting their thermal properties in response to short-term changes in local conditions. Here, we show that the intertidal sea star Pisaster ochraceus modulates its thermal inertia in response to prior thermal exposure. After exposure to high body temperature at low tide, sea stars increase the amount of colder than-air fluid in their coelomic cavity when submerged during high tide, resulting in a …

Lifelines Fall 2009, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Fall 2009 issue of Lifelines includes articles on Southern's Ancient DNA Project, an alumni feature, student research, and news from the Pre-Dent Club.

Interaction Of Fish Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Paralogs (Ahr1 And Ahr2) With The Retinoblastoma Protein, Rebeka R. Merson, Sibel I. Karchner, Mark E. Hahn

Faculty Publications

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates the toxic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin (TCDD) and related compounds. In some mammalian cell lines, TCDD induces G1 cell cycle arrest, which depends on an interaction between the AHR and the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (RB). Mammals possess one AHR, whereas fishes possess two or more AHR paralogs that differ in the domains important for AHR-RB interactions in mammals. To test the hypothesis that fish AHR paralogs differ in their ability to interact with RB, we cloned RB cDNA from Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, and studied the interactions of killifish RB protein with killifish AHR1 and …

Protozoan Vaccine Candidate Homologues In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Justin Schumacher

Senior Honors Projects

Tetrahymena thermophila is a member of the phylum Ciliophora (the ciliated protozoa) and is currently of great interest due to its unique qualities that make it useful as a model for research directed towards understanding how eukaryotic cells function. Recently, the T. thermophila genome was sequenced, and made available online. Since Tetrahymena is a member of the Alveolata, the major eukaryotic clade that also contains the apicomplexan parasites that cause a number of serious human and animal diseases, we sought to determine whether the genes coding for apicomplexan vaccine candidates were represented in the genome of Tetrahymena. In addition, we …

Common-Path Multimodal Optical Microscopy, Marla Tipping, Chandra S. Yelleswarapu, Sri-Rajasekhar Kothapalli, Alexey Veraksa, D.V.G.L.N. Rao

Biology Faculty Publications

We have developed a common-path multimodal optical microscopy system that is capable of using a single optical source and a single camera to image amplitude, phase, and fluorescence features of a biological specimen. This is achieved by varying either contrast enhancement filters at the Fourier plane and/or neutral density/fluorescence filters in front of the CCD camera. The feasibility of the technique is demonstrated by obtaining brightfield, fluorescence, phase-contrast, spatially filtered, brightfield + fluorescence, phase +fluorescence, and edge-enhanced+fluorescence images of the same Drosophila embryo without the need for image registration and fusion. This comprehensive microscope has the capability of providing both …

Stem Cell Order Was Immoral And Unnecessary, Nicanor Austriaco

Theology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Faculty Should Consider Peer Review As A Means Of Improving Students' Scientific Reasoning Skill, Briana Eileen Timmerman, Denise Strickland

Faculty Publications

The following article provides highlights of a larger body of work on the impact of peer review on undergraduate biology students’ scientific reasoning, scientific writing and attitudes. Results suggest that undergraduates, even freshman can be effective peer reviewers and that peer review improves scientific writing, content knowledge, and scientific reasoning skills. Students report peer review to be a beneficial experience both within the course and in terms of helping them to develop as aspiring scientists. Science faculty are therefore encouraged to consider incorporating peer review as a regular part of instruction.

Children Should Be Begotten And Not Made, Nicanor Austriaco

Theology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

From Cells To Coastlines: How Can We Use Physiology To Forecast The Impacts Of Climate Change?, Brian Helmuth

Faculty Publications

The interdisciplinary fields of conservation physiology, macrophysiology, and mechanistic ecological forecasting have recently emerged as means of integrating detailed physiological responses to the broader questions of ecological and evolutionary responses to global climate change. Bridging the gap between large-scale records of weather and climate (as measured by remote sensing platforms, buoys and ground-based weather stations) and the physical world as experienced by organisms (niche-level measurements) requires a mechanistic understanding of how ‘environmental signals’ (parameters such as air, surface and water temperature, food availability, water flow) are translated into signals at the scale of the organism or cell (e.g. body temperature, …

An Essay On Evolution: Evolution And The Origin Of Life Are Separate And Distinct Concepts, Kenneth Nickerson

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Two years ago on a Saturday morning, I was asked quite pointedly by two friends how I could be both spiritual and a scientist. My questioning friends felt that these qualities were incompatible. It turned out their church taught that scientists were ‘the enemy’ because scientists believe in evolution. Since that time, Letters to the Editor regarding evolution have attracted my attention. Many of the published letters stated that the author did not believe in evolution, and argued in support of his/her position that God had created life. The authors thoroughly confuse two concepts which are separate and distinct: Evolution …

Gamebird 2006: Quail Vi And Perdix Xii, Sandra B. Cederbaum, Brant C. Faircloth, Theron M. Terhune, Jeffrey J. Thompson, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Foreword v

Acknowledgements vi

Editorial Panel vii

Sponsors x

Invited Manuscripts 2

Integrating Management, Research, and Monitoring: Balancing the 3-Legged Stool. Michael J. Conroy & James T. Peterson . 2

Management of Southern African Gamebirds: Opportunities and Threats. Tim Crowe . 11

Taking the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative to the Next Level. Donald F. McKenzie . 16

Restoring a Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) Population and the Future of Predation Control. G.R. Potts . 24

Abundance Estimation 27

The GWCT Partridge Count Scheme: A Volunteer-Based Monitoring and Conservation Promotion Scheme. Julie Ewald, Nevile Kingdon, & Hugues Santin-Janin . 27

Refining the …

Biology And Conservation Of Horseshoe Crabs, John T. Tanacredi, Mark L. Bottom, David R. Smith

School of Marine and Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

We dedicate this book to Drs. Carl N. Shuster, Jr. and Koichi Sekiguchi for their life-long contributions to the biology and conservation of the magnificent horseshoe crab.

Biology In Mathematics At The University Of Richmond, Lester Caudill

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

In an effort to meet the needs of science students for modeling skills, three new courses have been created at the University of Richmond: Scientific Calculus I and II, and Mathematical Models in Biology and Medicine. The courses are described, and lessons learned and future directions are discussed.

Carbon Dioxide Expulsion By Ceanothus Spinosus In Response To Predawn Sunlight, Eian Carter, Jon Pauwels, Brittany Wilkins

Featured Research

In our experiment we studied the respiratory qualities of green bark ceanothus (Ceanothus spinosus). Plants are generally thought to undergo respiration during the night, building up carbon dioxide stores that are released in response to light. In resprouts with large root crowns, such as C. spinosus, we expected to see large amounts of carbon dioxide released right after dawn. This can be shown with the use of a portable gas exchange system. In C. spinosus, we compared normal respiration rates, based on carbon dioxide expulsion, to values obtained at predawn. We were able to show that …

Lifelines Winter 2009, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2009 issue of Lifelines features articles on RAM Clinics, Dr. Earl Aagaard's retirement, the addition of Richard Seidel to the faculty, and a pictorial directory of the 2009 biology and allied health graduates.

Soil Salinity And Stomatal Conductance On Chaparral Plants, Ron King, Lisa Malyak, Kelly Rausch

Featured Research

In our experiment we evaluated the soil salinity and corresponding stomatal conductance rates of Malosma laurina and Rhus integrifolia located near the coast and farther inland. Our prediction was that stomatal conductance would vary with the change in location of each species. Stomatal conductance was measured using a simple diffusion porometer and soil salinity was measured using a refractometer. We concluded that soil salinity caused a decline in stomatal conductance in both chaparral species. M. laurina was also found to be more sensitive to an increase in soil salinity, as its stomatal conductance rates declined more than that of R. …

Species Vs. Height As Predictors Of Increased Growth Rate In New England Canopy Trees, Kiely Schultz

Honors Projects

As part of a larger study on the effect of an experimentally-created gap within a forest on adult canopy trees, focuses on the possible effect of tree height versus type of species on radial growth response to gap creation. Sample includes fifty trees within four transects next to a gap in the Yale-Myers Experimental Forest in Connecticut, with results showing that type of species affects radial growth response.

Localization Of Ufd2a Transcripts In Adult And Fry Zebrafish, Serena J. Kankash

Honors Projects

Examines the spacio-temporal expression of the three alternative splice forms of UFD2A in zebrafish to further understanding of UFD2A's role in muscle development

Coiled-Coil-Mediated Dimerization Is Not Required For Myosin Vi To Stabilize Actin During Spermatid Individualization In Drosophila Melanogaster, Tatsuhiko Nogushi, Deborah J. Frank, Mamiko Isaji, Kathryn G. Miller

Biology Faculty Publications & Presentations

Myosin VI is a pointed-end-directed actin motor that is thought to function as both a transporter of cargoes and an anchor, capable of binding cellular components to actin for long periods. Dimerization via a predicted coiled coil was hypothesized to regulate activity and motor properties. However, the importance of the coiled-coil sequence has not been tested in vivo. We used myosin VI's well-defined role in actin stabilization during Drosophila spermatid individualization to test the importance in vivo of the predicted coiled coil. If myosin VI functions as a dimer, a forced dimer should fully rescue myosin VI loss of function …

Measuring Water Use Efficiency In Large And Small Leaves Of Malosma Laurina, Caitlin Ishibashi, Dan Kaczrowski, Evan Mattiansen

Featured Research

Our study set out to compare Water Use Efficiency (WUE) levels of Malosma laurina plants in both small and large leaves. We collected a total of 3 data sets, with each set consisting of 5 small leaves and 5 large leaves from a single specimen of Malosma laurina located on Pepperdine’s campus. Parameters including transpiration and photosynthesis were measured to calculate WUE of small and large leaves using an LI- 6400 Gas Exchange System. We hypothesized that small leaves would have a higher WUE rate than large leaves of the M. laurina. Analysis of this data via a paired …

The Effect Of Hydraulic Lift In Quercus Agrifolia On The Health Of Venegasia Carpesioides, Kelly Donovan, Brittany Wagner

Featured Research

Hydraulic lift was studied in live and dead Quercus agrifolia (Coastal Live Oak) in order to test its impact on surrounding Venegasia carpesioides (Canyon Sunflower). Hydraulic lift causes soil moisture to rise around the base of deep-rooted plants where neighboring plants can utilize this excess water. We predicted that the hydraulic lift of the Coastal Live Oak would increase soil moisture, causing higher stomatal conductance and higher water potential in nearby plants. Pvalues of .5258 and .6392 indicated there were no significant differences in soil moisture or in stomatal conductance of the Canyon Sunflowers. A p-value of .0378 showed a …

The Effects Of Light Intensity And Color Absorption Of Diurnal Leaf Movements Of Malva Parviflora, Amy Lawrence, Ben Young, Matthew Yarborough

Featured Research

Our group measured the heliotropic response rate of the Malva parviflora under various light environments in order to see the effect that light color and intensity had on daily leaf movement. In our experiment we measured the leaf angle of plants under white, blue, red and green light, as well as plants under shade, over a specific duration of time in order to determine the rate of change. We ran a One-Way Analysis of Variance on leaf angle for light color as well as coverage at a 0.05 level using SPSS 17.0. The ANOVA test showed no significance for light …

Comparison Of Uva Absorbance In Sun And Shade Leaves, James Newton, Kevin Rivera, James Kim

Featured Research

In observing chaparral species’ resistance to abiotic plant stresses, this investigation sought to study plant defense against UVA radiation in sun and shade leaves. We predicted that sun leaves would have higher absorbance of UV radiation considering their day-long exposure to sunlight.

UVA (350nm-400nm) absorbance in sun and shade leaves of Heteromeles arbutifolia and Malosma laurina were measured using an integrating sphere. Four leaves from each group were surveyed for reflectance and absorbance. Using the spectrophotometer, reflectance in the green wavelengths (500-600nm) was measured and divided by reflectance in the red (600-700nm) to give a quantitative estimation of the redness …

Expression Of Three Novel Alternative Splice Forms Of Ufd2a During Zebrafish Development, Nicole Gadbois

Honors Projects

Ufd2a is a ubiquitylation enzyme that is involved in protein degradation, cell division, and apoptosis signaling. Data has shown that cardiac and skeletal muscle cells of adult rodents and humans express alternatively spliced isoforms of Ufd2a. Ufd2a I (exons 1-6, 8-27) has been found to be expressed in murine myoblasts, but, upon differentiation, myotubes began to express Ufd2a II (includes exon 7), followed by Ufd2a III (includes exon 7a). Since zebrafish are an ideal in vivo model organism, this study examines the spatial-temporal expression patterning of Ufd2a and its isoforms in zebrafish embyros during development.