Life Sciences Commons^™

Forage News [2005-12], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Grazing Conference in Cave City
• Renew KFGC Membership
• National Forage Meetings
• Still Room for Improvement
• Growth Performance by Fall-Calving Cows Grazing Tall Fescue Pastures with Different Proportions Stockpiled Until Late Fall
• Effect of Maturity on Quality of Various Small Grains
• Effect of N Prices on Fertilization of Cool-Season Grasses
• Value and Amount of Nitrogen Fixed by Various Legumes
• Reflections: 2005
• Upcoming Events

Sal-Site: Integrating New And Existing Ambystomatid Salamander Research And Informational Resources, Jeramiah J. Smith, Srikrishna Putta, John A. Walker, D. Kevin Kump, Amy K. Samuels, James R. Monaghan, David W. Weisrock, Chuck Staben, S. Randal Voss

Biology Faculty Publications

Salamanders of the genus Ambystoma are a unique model organism system because they enable natural history and biomedical research in the laboratory or field. We developed Sal-Site to integrate new and existing ambystomatid salamander research resources in support of this model system. Sal-Site hosts six important resources: 1) Salamander Genome Project: an information-based web-site describing progress in genome resource development, 2) Ambystoma EST Database: a database of manually edited and analyzed contigs assembled from ESTs that were collected from A. tigrinum tigrinum and A. mexicanum, 3) Ambystoma Gene Collection: a database containing full-length protein-coding sequences, 4) Ambystoma Map and Marker …

Distribution Pattern Variability Of Granular Vrt Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Stephen F. Higgins, Dennis Wayne Hancock, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Granular applicators equipped with variable-rate technology (VRT) have gained popularity in recent years as a result of increased interest in variable-rate application. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize distribution patterns at varying rates for different granular applicators. Uniform-rate (UR) tests were conducted to assess the accuracy of variable-rate application from four granular applicators: two spinner-disc spreaders (A and B), and two pneumatic applicators (C and D). Pattern results indicated a consistent triangular pattern for spinner spreader B and consistent patterns for the pneumatic applicators (C and D). However, applicator D produced pattern variations at the center and right …

Rate Response Assessment From Various Granular Vrt Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Stephen F. Higgins, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Variable-rate technology (VRT) adds complexity to application equipment, thereby confounding the assessment of applicator performance. The intent of this investigation was to assess the rate response of various VRT granular applicators: two spinner spreaders (A and B), and two pneumatic applicators (C and D). Variable-rate (VR) tests were conducted to quantify the rate response characteristics (delay and transition times) for the applicators. A sigmoidal function was used to model the rate response for five of the six tests. Applicator A exhibited a linear response during decreasing rate changes. Results indicated that only applicator B demonstrated consistent delay and transition times, …

Forage News [2005-11], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• KFGC Awards: Nominations Due by December 14
• Forages at KCA
• Program Set for Grazing Conference
• Alfalfa Conference to be in Lexington
• How Sensitive is Alfalfa to Low Soil pH?
• Fertilizer Value in Hay
• Prussic Acid and Nitrate Poisoning Are Not the Same
• Hay May be Tight
• Consider Grazing Crop Residue
• Ever Been to a Hay Auction………?
• Upcoming Events

Agricultural Situation And Outlook Fall 2005, Matt Ernst, Kenneth H. Burdine

Agricultural Situation and Outlook

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2005-10], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Kentucky Agricultural Income Tops Four Billion Dollars
• New Tall Fescue Book
• Alfalfa Hay for Horses: Myths and Realities
• Building Hay Storage Structures with Agriculture Development Board’s Cost Share Program
• KFGC Fall Board Meeting
• AFGC Annual Meeting - San Antonio March 10-14
• Late Fall Fertilization of Cool Season Grasses
• Prussic Acid Poisoning
• Comparative Lamb and Heifer Growth Rates on Non-Toxic and Endophyte-Free Tall Fescue
• Upcoming Events

Forage News [2005-09], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Scott County to Host Fall Grazing School
• Now is the Time to Test
• Economics of Grazing Stocker Cattle as a Sustainable Alternative to Row Crops
• Roundup Ready Alfalfa
• Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue
• Is It Too Late to Stockpile This Year?
• KFGC Awards
• KFGC Executive Committee to Meet September 6
• Wisconsin Grazing Dairy Farms
• Upcoming Events

Effects Of Commercial Diazinon And Imidacloprid On Microbial Urease Activity In Soil And Sod, C. W. Ingram, Mark S. Coyne, David W. Williams

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Diazinon [O,O-diethyl O-2-isopropyl-6-methyl(pyrimidine-4-yl) phosphorothioate] and imidacloprid [1-(1-[6-chloro-3-pyridinyl]methyl)-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine] are applied to lawns for insect control simultaneously with nitrogenous fertilizers such as urea, but their potential effect on urease activity and nitrogen availability in turfgrass management has not been evaluated. Urease activity in enzyme assays, washed cell assays, and soil slurries was examined as a function of insecticide concentration. Intact cores from field sites were used to assess the effect of insecticide application on urease activity in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) and bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) sod. Bacterial urease fromBacillus pasteurii and plant …

Effects Of Dietary Curcumin Or N-Acetylcysteine On Nf-Kappab Activity And Contractile Performance In Ambulatory And Unloaded Murine Soleus, Mehran Farid, Michael B. Reid, Yi-Ping Li, Eric Gerken, William J. Durham

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Unloading of skeletal muscle causes atrophy and loss of contractile function. In part, this response is believed to be mediated by the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). Both curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, inhibit activation of NF-kappaB by inflammatory stimuli, albeit by different mechanisms. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that dietary curcumin or NAC supplementation would inhibit unloading-induced NF-kappaB activity in skeletal muscle and thereby protect muscles against loss of mass and function caused by prolonged unloading.

METHODS: We used hindlimb suspension to unload the hindlimb muscles of …

Fatigue Resistance Of Rat Extraocular Muscles Does Not Depend On Creatine Kinase Activity, Colleen A. Mcmullen, Katrin Hayeß, Francisco H. Andrade

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Creatine kinase (CK) links phosphocreatine, an energy storage system, to cellular ATPases. CK activity serves as a temporal and spatial buffer for ATP content, particularly in fast-twitch skeletal muscles. The extraocular muscles are notoriously fast and active, suggesting the need for efficient ATP buffering. This study tested the hypotheses that (1) CK isoform expression and activity in rat extraocular muscles would be higher, and (2) the resistance of these muscles to fatigue would depend on CK activity.

RESULTS: We found that mRNA and protein levels for cytosolic and mitochondrial CK isoforms were lower in the extraocular muscles than in …

Composition And Methods Of Using The Mirabilis Mosaic Caulimovirus Sub-Genomic Transcript (Sgt) Promoter For Plant Genetic Engineering, Indu B. Maiti, Nrisingha Dey

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Patents

The isolation of and methods of using a sub-genomic transcript (Sgt) promoter from Mirabilis mosaic virus (MMV) are described. A 333 bp MMV Sgt promoter fragment (sequence−306 to +27 from the transcription start site, TSS) was found to be sufficient for strongest promoter activity. This MMV Sgt promoter fragment shows comparable promoter activity to the MMV FLt promoter both in transgenic plants and in protoplasts. The MMV Sgt promoter also demonstrates much greater activity compared to Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 19S promoter and 35S promoter. The MMV Sgt promoter fragment and any chimeric gene to which it may be linked …

Comparative Genetic Studies Of Native And Introduced Coccinellidae In North America, Elliot S. Krafsur, John J. Obrycki, James D. Harwood

Entomology Faculty Publications

During the past four decades, several species of aphidophagous Coccinellidae became established in North America, including Coccinella septempunctata, Harmonia axyridis, Hippodamia variegata, and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata. After their establishment, unknown circumstances favoured a rapid increase in population densities and distribution of H. axyridis and C. septempunctata at localities hundreds and thousands of kilometers from their release sites. Propylea quatuordecimpunctata and Hippodamia variegata have spread more slowly after becoming established in northeastern North America. Comparative studies based upon allozyme variation in these four introduced species and in six native North American species of ladybird beetles revealed …

Quantifying Aphid Predation Rates Of Generalist Predators In The Field, James D. Harwood, John J. Obrycki

Entomology Faculty Publications

The community of predators within agroecosystems has the potential to restrict aphid populations, especially early in the season before exponential increases in density and prior to the arrival of specialist natural enemies. Although direct observations of predation, laboratory feeding trials and manipulative field studies have been used to estimate levels of biological control exerted by different species (or potentially negative interactions between them), it is often difficult to extrapolate results to naturally occurring interactions in the field.

Over 100 investigations have utilized gut-content analysis to estimate aphid predation rates by predators. Throughout the last century, gut dissection, which enables the …

C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase (Jnk) Is Required For Survival And Proliferation Of B-Lymphoma Cells, Murali Gururajan, Roger Chui, Anbu K. Karuppannan, Jiyuan Ke, C. Darrell Jennings, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Several primary murine and human B lymphomas and cell lines were found to constitutively express high levels of the activated form of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Proliferation of murine B lymphomas CH31, CH12.Lx, BKS-2, and WEHI-231 and the human B lymphomas BJAB, RAMOS, RAJI, OCI-Ly7, and OCI-Ly10 was strongly inhibited by SP600125, an anthrapyrazolone inhibitor of JNK, in a dose-dependent manner. The lymphoma cells underwent apoptosis and arrested at the G2/M phase of cell cycle. Furthermore, JNK-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited the growth of both murine and human B lymphomas. …

Runx-Dependent Expression Of Pkc Is Critical For Cell Survival In The Sea Urchin Embryo, Carrie Dickey-Sims, Anthony J. Robertson, Dawn E. Rupp, John J. Mccarthy, James A. Coffman

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Runx transcription factors play critical roles in the developmental control of cell fate and contribute variously as oncoproteins and tumor suppressors to leukemia and other cancers. To discover fundamental Runx functions in the cell biology of animal development, we have employed morpholino antisense-mediated knockdown of the sea urchin Runx protein SpRunt-1. Previously we showed that embryos depleted of SpRunt-1 arrest development at early gastrula stage and underexpress the conventional protein kinase C SpPKC1.

RESULTS: We report here that SpRunt-1 deficiency leads to ectopic cell proliferation and extensive apoptosis. Suppression of the apoptosis by pharmacological inhibition of caspase-3 prevents the …

Forage News [2005-08], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• International Grassland Congress
• Grazing School
• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• U.K. All Commodity Field Day
• Alfalfa Hay Acres Up
• Time to Line Up Seed for Fall Planting
• Hay/Barn Fires
• Remember to Stockpile Fescue Starting Now
• USDA-ARS Forage-Animal Production Research Unit
• Field Experience with Strip Grazing Standing Corn as an Economical Alternative for Wintering Beef Cows in the Midwest
• Grazing Corn: Impact of Harvest Date on Yield
• Poultry Litter Rate Study in Tall Fescue
• Upcoming Events

Spatial Variation Of Protein, Oil, And Starch In Corn, Samuel G. Mcneill, Michael D. Montross, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Significant spatial yield variations are known to exist in cornfields with different soil types, topsoil depth, and other variables. Similarly, variations might also be found among the highly valued chemical components (oil, protein, and starch) in corn kernels due to local differences in soil type, fertility, acidity/pH, organic matter, etc. This study quantified the spatial variability of protein, oil, and starch content of corn from two conventional cornfields and two high-oil cornfields. Whole ears were harvested by hand from 20 to 40 randomly selected locations within each field. A differential global positioning system (DGPS) receiver recorded the location of each …

Forage News [2005-07], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• U.K. All Commodity Field Day to be Held in Princeton July 28
• WKU Wins AFGC Grassland Evaluation Contest
• Kentuckian’s Fair Well at AFGC
• Using Poultry Litter on Pastures
• Hay Moisture Meters and More
• Does Fertilizer Harm Soil Microbes?
• Upcoming Events

Fertilizer, Tillage, And Dairy Manure Contributions To Nitrate And Herbicide Leaching, C. S. Stoddard, John H. Grove, Mark S. Coyne, William O. Thom

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Few studies have examined the water quality impact of manure use in no-tillage systems. A lysimeter study in continuous corn (Zea mays L.) was performed on Maury silt loam (fine, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Paleudalf) to evaluate the effect(s) of tillage (no-till [NT] and chisel-disk [CD]), nitrogen fertilizer rate (0 and 168 kg N ha⁻¹), and dairy manure application timing (none, spring, fall, or fall plus spring) on NO₃–N, atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine), and alachlor [2-chloro-2′-6′-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl)acetanilide] concentrations in leachate collected at a 90-cm depth. Herbicides were highest immediately after application, declining to less …

Forage News [2005-06], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• UK College of Agriculture Research Farm Celebrates 50 Years
• Maintaining Healthy Horse Pastures (New Poster)
• Barren County Continued as Cattle Capital of Kentucky
• Toward Higher Quality Hay
• Harvest and Storage Method Affects Ergot Alkaloid Concentration in Tall Fescue
• Intake, Digestion, and N Metabolism in Steers Fed Endophyte-Free, Ergot Alkaloid-Producing Endophyte-Infected, or Nonergot-Alkaloid Producing Endophyte-Infected Fescue Hay
• Upcoming Events

Manganese Distribution Across The Blood-Brain Barrier. Iv. Evidence For Brain Influx Through Store-Operated Calcium Channels, Janelle S. Crossgrove, Robert A. Yokel

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Manganese (Mn) is a required co-factor for many ubiquitous enzymes; however, chronic Mn overexposure can cause manganism, a parkinsonian-like syndrome. Previous studies showed Mn influx into brain is carrier-mediated, though the putative carrier(s) were not established. Studies conducted with cultured bovine brain microvascular endothelial cells (bBMECs), which comprise the blood–brain barrier, revealed ⁵⁴Mn (II) uptake positively correlated with pH, was temperature-dependent, and was sodium- and energy-independent. Brain ⁵⁴Mn uptake correlated inversely with calcium (Ca) concentration, but ⁴⁵Ca uptake was unaltered by high Mn concentration. Lanthanum (La), a non-selective inhibitor of several Ca channel types, as well as …

Effect Of Fat And Casein Particles In Milk On The Scattering Of Elliptically Polarized Light, Czarena L. Crofcheck, Jeremie Wade, Janakiraman N. Swamy, Mustafa M. Aslan, M. Pinar Mengüç

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In this article, we present an experimental approach to determine the milk fat content using scattered light intensity profiles. The elements of the scattering (Mueller) matrix have been shown to provide valuable information about variation of the optical properties of scattering particles. The scattering behavior of fat and casein in terms of the scattering matrix elements was experimentally determined for milk with varying fat levels ranging from 0.05 wt% (skim) to 3.20 wt% (whole). Three of the scattering Mueller matrix elements, specifically S₁₁, S₁₂/S₁₁, and S₃₃/S₁₁, were found to be …

Airflow Resistance Of Seeds At Different Bulk Densities Using Ergun's Equation, Marek Molenda, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Jozef Horabik

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Airflow resistance of grains and oilseeds has been extensively studied. Traditionally the data has been presented using Shedd’s curves. However, this assumes that airflow resistance is independent of grain depth. Grain undergoes compaction during storage that changes the bulk density, porosity, and therefore the airflow resistance. Ergun’s equation is a function of particle size and porosity of the granular material. Airflow resistance by Ergun’s equation was used to predict the pressure drop across a column of corn, soft white winter wheat, soft red winter wheat, and soybeans at three moisture content levels and two bulk densities. The maximum root mean …

Permeability Of Corn, Soybeans, And Soft Red And White Winter Wheat As Affected By Bulk Density, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Darcy’s law is a function of viscosity, permeability, and velocity and can be used to predict the airflow resistance in granular materials at low air velocities. Permeability also governs the magnitude of natural convection currents during periods of non-aerated grain storage. The permeability of corn, soybeans, soft white winter wheat, and soft red winter wheat were measured as a function of bulk density and moisture content. Air was passed through a column of grain and the flow rate and pressure drop measured. Bulk density and kernel density were also measured to determine the porosity of grain in the test column. …

Crop Yield Response To Precision Deep Tillage, Larry G. Wells, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Experimental precision deep tillage was applied at three sites in central Kentucky with relatively well-drained silt loam soils in no-till crop production. Fields were divided into 0.4 ha (1 ac) grid cells using DGPS mapping. Assessment of soil compaction by machinery traffic was made using multiple soil cone penetrometer measurements and expressed as cone index (CI). Corn, wheat, and soybean yields were depressed in grid cells with CI_avg ≥ 1.5 MPa (218 psi) prior to application of tillage treatments at sites 1 and 3, whereas at site 2, where most of the highest average CI values ranged from 1.44 …

Forage News [2005-05], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Spring Grazing School
• KFGC Officers
• Productivity of Simple and Complex Mixtures of Forages Compared in On-Farm Pastures
• Last Chance for the National Forage Conference in 2005
• Summary of Good Hay-Making Practices
• Losses from Alfalfa During Harvest Operations
• Changes in Alfalfa Quality with Rain Damage
• Alfalfa Reduces Energy Needs for Food Production
• Does Fertilizer Harm Soil Microbes?
• pH Makes a Difference!
• Upcoming Events

Thinking Critically About Science And Religion: Disclosure Interviews Massimo Pigliucci, Jeff West, Viva Nordberg

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

No abstract provided.

'Paclims': A Component Lim System For High-Throughput Functional Genomic Analysis, Nicole Donofrio, Ravi Rajagopalon, Douglas Brown, Stephen Diener, Donald Windham, Shelly Nolin, Anna Floyd, Thomas Mitchell, Natalia Galadima, Sara Tucker, Marc J. Orbach, Gayatri Patel, Mark Farman, Vishal Pampanwar, Cari Soderlund, Yong-Hwan Lee, Ralph A. Dean

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in sequencing techniques leading to cost reduction have resulted in the generation of a growing number of sequenced eukaryotic genomes. Computational tools greatly assist in defining open reading frames and assigning tentative annotations. However, gene functions cannot be asserted without biological support through, among other things, mutational analysis. In taking a genome-wide approach to functionally annotate an entire organism, in this application the approximately 11,000 predicted genes in the rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe grisea), an effective platform for tracking and storing both the biological materials created and the data produced across several participating institutions was required.

RESULTS: …

Forage News [2005-04], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Thanks to Barnhart Fund for Excellence
• Kentucky Grazing School
• New Alfalfa Website
• Ancient Crop: Modern Use?
• Kentucky Van to AFGC in Illinois
• Pennington Seed & AgResearch Announce Part Settlement of Tall Fescue Endophyte Patent Lawsuit
• Contracting Toxic-Endophyte Contamination Between Endophyte-Free and Nontoxic-Endophyte Tall Fescue Pastures
• Upcoming Events