Life Sciences Commons^™

Preparing For A National Weightlifting Championships: A Case Series, S. Kyle Travis, Satoshi Mizuguchi, Michael H. Stone, William A. Sands, Caleb D. Bazyler

Caleb D. Bazyler

INTRODUCTION: Monitoring an athlete’s psychological, physiological, and performance level is important when preparing for a major competition. No study to date has tracked a high-level weightlifter peaking for a major competition all the way up to the day of competition. Assessing performance at a competition is vital to ascertain if the athlete has reached a peaked and if peak performance will actually be expressed during the competition. PURPOSE: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine when peak jumping performance was achieved and whether psychological or physiological variables explained any jump performance changes in a high-level female weightlifter preparing …

In-House Daily Consensus Conference: An Important Quality Control/Quality Assurance Activity--Experience At A Major Referral Center., Amna Khurshid, Zubair Ahmad, Asim Qureshi

Zubair Ahmad

Background:For every practicing histopathologist, improvement of diagnostic accuracy is an important objective. Personal consults are an important component of quality control (QC)/quality assurance (QA) in our Section of Histopathology. In addition, the College of American Pathologists recommends a daily in-house consensus conference, which is a prospective system by which all difficult and problematic cases are reviewed and discussed and signed out by consensus. Design: In-house consensus conference is held daily using a multi-headed microscope. This collegial session is run by the seniormost consultant in the section and is attended by all histopathology consultants and residents. The consultants and residents …

Corn And Soybean Production With A Winter Rye Cover Crop, John E. Sawyer, Jose L. Pantoja, Daniel W. Barker

John E. Sawyer

Objectives of this project were to study corn nitrogen (N) fertilization requirement and corn/soybean yield response when grown in a rye cover cropping system. Multiple rates of N fertilizer were applied, with measurement of corn yield response to applied N and soybean yield with and without a fall planted winter rye cover crop. The study was conducted at multiple research farms, with the intent for comparison of with and without a cover crop system across varying soil and climatic conditions in Iowa.

Corn And Soybean Production With A Winter Rye Cover Crop, John E. Sawyer, Jose L. Pantoja, Daniel W. Barker

John E. Sawyer

Objectives of this project were to study corn nitrogen (N) fertilization requirement and corn/soybean yield response when grown in a rye cover cropping system. Multiple rates of N fertilizer were applied, with measurement of corn yield response to applied N and soybean yield with and without a fall planted winter rye cover crop. The study was conducted at multiple research farms, with the intent for comparison of with and without a cover crop system across varying soil and climatic conditions in Iowa.

Characterization Of Ceriporiopsis Subvermispora Bicupin Oxalate Oxidase Expressed In Pichia Pastoris, Patricia Moussatche, Eric Hoffer, Ellen W. Moomaw, Et Al.

Ellen Moomaw

Oxalate oxidase (E.C. 1.2.3.4) catalyzes the oxygen-dependent oxidation of oxalate to carbon dioxide in a reaction that is coupled with the formation of hydrogen peroxide. Although there is currently no structural information available for oxalate oxidase from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CsOxOx), sequence data and homology modeling indicate that it is the first manganese-containing bicupin enzyme identified that catalyzes this reaction. Interestingly, CsOxOx shares greatest sequence homology with bicupin microbial oxalate decarboxylases (OxDC). We show that CsOxOx activity directly correlates with Mn content and other metals do not appear to be able to support catalysis. EPR spectra indicate that the Mn is …

Fungal Oxalate Decarboxylase Activity Contributes To Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum Early Infection By Affecting Both Compound Appressoria Development And Function, Xiaofei Liang, Ellen W. Moomaw, Jeffrey A. Rollins

Ellen Moomaw

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis requires the accumulation of high levels of oxalic acid (OA). To better understand the factors affecting OA accumulation, two putative oxalate decarboxylase (OxDC) genes (Ss-odc1 and Ss-odc2) were characterized. Ss-odc1 transcripts exhibited significant accumulation in vegetative hyphae, apothecia, early stages of compound appressorium development and during plant colonization. Ss-odc2 transcripts, in contrast, accumulated significantly only during mid to late stages of compound appressorium development. Neither gene was induced by low pH or exogenous OA in vegetative hyphae. A loss-of-function mutant for Ss-odc1 (Δss-odc1) showed wild-type growth, morphogenesis and virulence, and was not characterized further. Δss-odc2 mutants hyperaccumulated …

Characterization Of Ceriporiopsis Subvermispora Bicupin Oxalate Oxidase Expressed In Pichia Pastoris, Patricia Moussatche, Eric Hoffer, Ellen W. Moomaw, Et Al.

Ellen Moomaw

Oxalate oxidase (E.C. 1.2.3.4) catalyzes the oxygen-dependent oxidation of oxalate to carbon dioxide in a reaction that is coupled with the formation of hydrogen peroxide. Although there is currently no structural information available for oxalate oxidase from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CsOxOx), sequence data and homology modeling indicate that it is the first manganese-containing bicupin enzyme identified that catalyzes this reaction. Interestingly, CsOxOx shares greatest sequence homology with bicupin microbial oxalate decarboxylases (OxDC). We show that CsOxOx activity directly correlates with Mn content and other metals do not appear to be able to support catalysis. EPR spectra indicate that the Mn is …

Fungal Oxalate Decarboxylase Activity Contributes To Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum Early Infection By Affecting Both Compound Appressoria Development And Function, Xiaofei Liang, Ellen W. Moomaw, Jeffrey A. Rollins

Ellen Moomaw

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis requires the accumulation of high levels of oxalic acid (OA). To better understand the factors affecting OA accumulation, two putative oxalate decarboxylase (OxDC) genes (Ss-odc1 and Ss-odc2) were characterized. Ss-odc1 transcripts exhibited significant accumulation in vegetative hyphae, apothecia, early stages of compound appressorium development and during plant colonization. Ss-odc2 transcripts, in contrast, accumulated significantly only during mid to late stages of compound appressorium development. Neither gene was induced by low pH or exogenous OA in vegetative hyphae. A loss-of-function mutant for Ss-odc1 (Δss-odc1) showed wild-type growth, morphogenesis and virulence, and was not characterized further. Δss-odc2 mutants hyperaccumulated …

A Level Of Discomfort! Exploring The Relationship Between Maternal Sexual Health Knowledge, Religiosity And Comfort Discussing Sexual Health Issues With Adolescents, Fiona Farringdon, Courtney Holgate, Fleur Mcintyre, Max Bulsara

Fleur McIntyre

This pilot study explored if a relationship existed between maternal sexual health knowledge, religiosity and comfort discussing sexual health issues with adolescents. Seventy-six mothers with adolescent children aged between 10 and 19 completed a combined survey addressing religiosity, sexual health knowledge and comfort discussing sexual health issues. Mann–Whitney U tests were performed to compare the median scores, Spearman’s rho tests were performed to determine correlations between the median scores, Fisher’s exact tests were computed to test for significant differences between proportions and a logistic regression model was used to investigate significant factors. No significant differences or relationships between maternal total …

Reef Fish Assemblage Structure Variability Off Southeast Florida: Ongoing Research, R. Navarra, Aarti Raja

Aarti Raja

No abstract provided.

Integration Of Scientific Concepts Through A Hands-On Learning Program: Science Alive!, T. Gali, Aarti Raja

Aarti Raja

No abstract provided.

Telithromycin. Fresh From The Pipeline, Aarti Raja, J. Lebbos, P. Kirtpatrick

Aarti Raja

In April 2004, telithromycin (Ketek; Aventis), the first of a new class of antibacterial drugs derived from macrolides, was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of several respiratory-tract infections. After a delay in its approval owing to a need to address potential safety issues, is it likely to now attain the blockbuster status that had originally been widely predicted?

Fcas Service Learning Projects Winter Semester 2013, Aarti Raja, Robert P. Smith, L. Vigesaa

Aarti Raja

No abstract provided.

Interaction Of Hiv Reverse Transcriptase With Structures Mimicking Recombination Intermediates, Aarti Raja, J. Jeffrey, J. J. Destefano

Aarti Raja

Interactions between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT) and structures mimicking intermediates proposed to occur during recombination (strand transfer) were investigated. One mechanism proposed for strand transfer is strand exchange in which a homologous RNA (acceptor) "invades" a donor RNA.DNA duplex (replication intermediate) on which DNA synthesis is occurring. The acceptor displaces the donor of the duplex and binds to the DNA. During exchange a transient trimeric structure forms. A model structure was designed with a replication intermediate to which an acceptor RNA was bound. The acceptor was bound to the 5'-end of the DNA over a 54-base region, …

In Vitro Strand Transfer From Broken Rnas Results In Mismatch But Not Frameshift Mutations, Jeffrey J. Destefano, Aarti Raja, Jason V. Christofaro

Aarti Raja

An in vitro system to compare the fidelity of strand transfers from truncated vs full-length RNAs was constructed. A donor RNA, on which reverse transcriptase (RT)-directed DNA synthesis was initiated, shared homology with an acceptor RNA, to which DNAs initiated on the donor could transfer. All RNAs were derived from the N-terminal portion of the alpha-lac gene. On full-length donors, transfers occurred when DNAs migrated to the acceptor prior to being completed on the donor. On donors that were truncated, most transfers occurred after DNAs reached the end of the donor. Transfer products were amplified by PCR and used to …

Biology On The Go – Science Outreach For K To 12 And Beyond!, A. William, Aarti Raja

Aarti Raja

No abstract provided.

The Phenc Project Final Report: Interactive Video Analysis To Develop Learning And Assessment Of University Students’ Practical And Communication Skills, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker, Anne Coffey, Karen Clark-Burg, Annie Das, Pam Gerrard, Chris Hackett, Suzanne Jenkins, Jean Macnish, Donna Miller, Paul Rycroft, Christina Van Staden, Kate Gilomen, Brad Flynn

Jean MacNish

The objective and authentic assessment of practical skills in tertiary settings is a challenge. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the usefulness of a video analysis software program as a teaching and/or assessment tool for practical and professional skills in five different undergraduate programs. Barnett’s (1989) model of ‘reflective thought through action’ highlights the importance of reflective observation of an event in order to plan and implement positive behavioural changes. When the practice activities are directly linked with expected skill outcomes then learning is meaningful and reflective practitioners are developed. Further, most Generation Y students better engage in …

Taxonomics – Next Generation Taxonomists, Ana Sofia Reboleira

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

On Person-Centred Therapy, Ebinepre A. Cocodia

Ebinepre Cocodia

No abstract provided.

Reflective Frameworks And The Assessment Of Ethical Issues, Ebinepre A. Cocodia

Ebinepre Cocodia

No abstract provided.

On Happiness In Counselling Practice, Ebinepre A. Cocodia

Ebinepre Cocodia

No abstract provided.

Occupational Risks And Pregnancy And Infant Health Outcomes In Florida Farmworkers, Jennifer Runkle, Joan D. Flocks, Jeannie Economos, J. Antonio Tovar-Aguilar, Linda Mccauley

Joan D. Flocks

The agricultural industry has some of the highest incidence rates and numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses in the United States. Injuries and illnesses in agriculture result from accidents, falls, excessive heat, repetitive motion and adverse pesticide exposure. Women working in agriculture are exposed to the same hazards and risks as their male counterparts, but can face additional adverse impacts on their reproductive health. Yet, few occupational risk assessment studies have considered the reproductive health of female farmworkers. The objective of this community-based participatory research study was to conduct a retrospective, cross-sectional survey to collect information on workplace conditions and …

Implementing A Community-Based Social Marketing Project To Improve Agricultural Worker Health, Joan D. Flocks, Leslie Clarke, Stan Albrecht, Carol Bryant, Paul Monaghan, Holly Baker

Joan D. Flocks

The Together for Agricultural Safety project is a community-based social marketing project working to reduce the adverse health effects of pesticide exposure among fernery and nursery workers in Florida. In 3 years, the collaboration between university and community researchers has embodied many of the principles of community-based research while completing multiple stages of formative data collection required for a social marketing project. This hybrid approach to developing a health intervention for a minority community has been successful in its early stages because the community partners are organized, empowered, and motivated to execute research activities with the assistance of academic partners. …

Pesticide Policy And Farmworker Health, Joan D. Flocks

Joan D. Flocks

Although data on the carcinogenicity of agricultural pesticides are still being generated and are thus incomplete, research such as the Agricultural Health Study indicates that populations with increased, regular exposure to pesticides have high rates of a variety of cancers (National Institutes of Health & Environmental Protection Agency 2008). Policies that regulate toxins such as pesticides are envisioned by the public to be empirical and objective, but toxins are socially produced and their regulation is just as often based on political and economic factors as it is on science (Luke 2000). This does not bode well for farm- workers who …

A Role For A Rab4-Like Gtpase In Endocytosis And In Regulation Of Contractile Vacuole Structure And Function In Dictyostelium Discoideum, John Bush, Lesly A. Temesvari, Juan Rodriguez-Paris, Greg Buczynski, James Cardelli

Lesly Temesvari

The small Mr Rab4-like GTPase, RabD, localizes to the endosomal pathway and the contractile vacuole membrane system in Dictyostelium discoideum. Stably transformed cell lines overexpressing a dominant negative functioning RabD internalized fluid phase marker at 50% of the rate of wild-type cells. Mutant cells were also slower at recycling internalized fluid. Microscopic and biochemical approaches indicated that the transport of fluid to large postlysosome vacuoles was delayed in mutant cells, resulting in an accumulation in acidic smaller vesicles, probably lysosomes. Also, RabD N121I-expressing cell lines missorted a small but significant percentage of newly synthesized lysosomal alpha-mannosidase precursor polypeptides. However, the …

Mud And Silk In The Dark: A New Type Of Millipede Moulting Chamber And First Observations On The Maturation Moult In The Order Callipodida, Ana Sofia Reboleira, Henrik Enghoff

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Wetland Ecosystem Response To Hydrologic Restoration And Management: The Everglades And Its Urban- Agricultural Boundary (Fl, Usa), Pamela L. Sullivan, Evelyn E. Gaiser, Donatto Surratt, David T. Rudnick, Stephen E. Davis, Fred H. Sklar

Evelyn E. Gaiser

Wetland restoration success depends on understanding ecohydrological complexities in addition to the historical extent and legacies of past modifications. Restoration effectiveness in the Florida Everglades has been studied for several decades. We focused this special issue on the effects of hydrologic restoration in the southeastern Everglades, as this region provides a model for understanding wetland and estuarine response to management and restoration along an urban-agricultural-wetland boundary. We synthesize several decades of interdisciplinary wetland ecosystem restoration studies examining the influence of hydrologic and biogeochemical changes on spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem structure and function. Our goal is to improve restoration …

Distribution Of Diatoms Along Environmental Gradients In The Charlotte Harbor, Florida (Usa), Estuary And Its Watershed: Implications For Bioassessment Of Salinity And Nutrient Concentrations, Emily Nodine, Evelyn Gaiser

Evelyn E. Gaiser

The relative abundance of diatom species in different habitats can be used as a tool to infer prior environmental conditions and evaluate management decisions that influence habitat quality. Diatom distribution patterns were examined to characterize relationships between assemblage composition and environmental gradients in a subtropical estuarine watershed. We identified environmental correlates of diatom distribution patterns across the Charlotte Harbor, Florida, watershed; evaluated differences among three major river drainages; and determined how accurately local environmental conditions can be predicted using inference models based on diatom assemblages. Sampling locations ranged from freshwater to marine (0.1–37.2 ppt salinity) and spanned broad nutrient concentration …

Using Mixed Methods To Measure The Perception Of Community Capacity In An Academic–Community Partnership For A Walking Intervention, Charkarra Anderson-Lewis, Diana Castellanos, Arnecca Byrd, Karen Zynda, Alicia Sample, Vickie Reed, Mary Beard, Latessa Minor, Kathleen Yadrick

Diana Cuy Castellanos

H.U.B. City Steps is a 5-year community-based participatory research walking intervention designed to help lower blood pressure in a majority African American population in southern Mississippi via community collaboration and capacity building, increased walking, culturally tailored health education sessions, and motivational interviewing. Building community capacity for physical activity is a key component of this intervention. Qualitative and quantitative methods have been used to assess how project stakeholders perceive the community capacity-building efforts of the project. This article illustrates the baseline results of this mixed methods approach from the perspective of three groups of stakeholders: project researchers and staff, community advisory …

Density, Abundance, And Habitat Associations Of The Inland Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza Georgiana Georgiana) In Iowa, Tyler Harms, Stephen Dinsmore

Tyler Harms

Wetlands continue to decline throughout North America and the Prairie Pothole Region, thus emphasizing the importance of understanding population trends and habitat associations of wetland species to ensure effective conservation and habitat management of those species. We estimated density and abundance and evaluated habitat associations of the Inland Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana georgiana) in Iowa. We conducted standardized distance sampling surveys for Swamp Sparrows and measured habitat characteristics at 307 wetlands in two regions of Iowa in 2009 and 2010. We used Program Distance to model detection probability and estimate region-specific breeding densities of Swamp Sparrows at Iowa …