Life Sciences Commons^™

Brainstem Cholinergic Modulation Of Muscle Tone In Infant Rats, Andrew J. Gall, Amy Poremba, Mark S. Blumberg

Faculty Publications

In week-old rats, lesions of the dorsolateral pontine tegmentum (DLPT) and nucleus pontis oralis (PnO) have opposing effects on nuchal muscle tone. Specifically, pups with DLPT lesions exhibit prolonged bouts of nuchal muscle atonia (indicative of sleep) and pups with PnO lesions exhibit prolonged bouts of high nuchal muscle tone (indicative of wakefulness). Here we test the hypothesis that nuchal muscle tone is modulated, at least in part, by cholinergically mediated interactions between these two regions. First, in unanesthetized pups, we found that chemical infusion of the cholinergic agonist carbachol (22 mM, 0.1 µL) within the DLPT produced high muscle …

Variability In The Bulk Composition And Abundance Of Dissolved Organic Matter In The Lower Mississippi And Pearl Rivers, Shuiwang Duan, Thomas S. Bianchi, Alan M. Shiller, Karl Dria, Patrick G. Hatcher, Kevin R. Carman

Faculty Publications

[1] In this study, we examined the temporal and spatial variability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) abundance and composition in the lower Mississippi and Pearl rivers and effects of human and natural influences. In particular, we looked at bulk C/N ratio, stable isotopes (delta N-15 and delta C-13) and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry of high molecular weight (HMW; 0.2 mu m to 1 kDa) DOM. Monthly water samples were collected at one station in each river from August 2001 to 2003. Surveys of spatial variability of total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen ( DON) were also conducted …

Low Temperature Induces Two Growth-Arrested Stages And Change Of Secondary Metabolites In Bursaphelenchus Xylophilus, L. L. Zhao, W. Wei, David L. Kulhavy, Xing Yao Zhang, Jiang Hua Sun

Faculty Publications

The third-stage dispersal juvenile (JIII) is the stage for survival and dispersal in the winter of the pine wood nematode,

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Through investigations at different temperatures, we found two kinds of growth-arrested development, including the adult longevity extension and JIII formation induced by low temperature. They showed similar characters: densely packed lipid droplets and extended longevity. We considered that there were four stages in the formation of growth-arrested stages: induction, growth-arrested pathway, growth-arrested development and cold-tolerance duration. Moreover, at 4◦C there were significant changes in secondary metabolites, which may be related to signal communication and metabolism associated with …

A Direct Role Of Jh In The Control Of Imaginal Disc Formation And Growth In Manduca, J. W. Truman, K. Hiruma, J. P. Allee, S.G.B. Macwhinnie, David Champlin Ph.D., L. M. Riddiford

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Revision Of The Nonequilibrium Thermal Dissociation And Stringent Washing Approaches For Identification Of Mixed Nucleic Acid Targets By Microarrays, Alex E. Pozhitkov, Robert D. Stedtfeld, Syed A. Hashsham, Peter A. Noble

Faculty Publications

Microarray experiments typically involve washing steps that remove hybridized nonspecific targets with the purpose of improving the signal- to- noise ratio. The quality of washing ultimately affects downstream analysis of the microarray and interpretation. The paucity of fundamental studies directed towards understanding the dissociation of mixed targets from microarrays makes the development of meaningful washing/ dissociation protocols difficult. To fill the void, we examined activation energies and preexponential coefficients of 47 perfect match ( PM) and double- mismatch ( MM) duplex pairs to discover that there was no statistical difference between the kinetics of the PM and MM duplexes. Based …

Upper-Ocean Response To Hurricane Ivan In A 1/25 Degrees Nested Gulf Of Mexico Hycom, T. G. Prasad, Patrick J. Hogan

Faculty Publications

[ 1] A 20-layer, 1/25 degrees nested Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) has been employed to examine the evolving three-dimensional ocean response to Hurricane Ivan during 14 - 16 September 2004. Results from several combinations of numerical experiments with and without assimilation of satellite-altimetry sea-surface height (SSH) are being analyzed and compared for the September 2004 hurricane period. A comparison of simulated zonal and meridional velocities using data assimilation shows improved agreement with profiler observations. The amplitude of the cold wake ( similar to 6 degrees C) produced by these simulations compared reasonably well with the …

Inhibitory Effects Of Estrogen Receptor Beta On Specific Hormone-Responsive Gene Expression And Association With Disease Outcome In Primary Breast Cancer, Chin-Yo Lin, Anders Strom, Li Say Kong, Silke Kietz, Jane S. Thomsen, Jason B. S. Tee, Vinsensius B. Vega, Lance D. Miller, Johanna Smeds, Jonas Bergh, Jan-Ake Gustafsson, Edison T. Liu

Faculty Publications

The impact of interactions between the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ER(alpha) and ER(beta), on gene expression in breast cancer biology is not clear. The goal of this study was to examine transcriptomic alterations in cancer cells co-expressing both receptors and the association of gene expression signatures with disease outcome. Methods: Transcriptional effects of ER(beta) overexpression were determined in a stably transfected cell line derived from ER(alpha) -positive T-47D cells. Microarray analysis was carried out to identify differential gene expression in the cell line, and expression of key genes was validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Microarray and clinical data …

Investigation Of The Summer Kara Sea Circulation Employing A Variational Data Assimilation Technique, G. Panteleev, A. Proshutinsky, M. Kulakov, Dmitri A. Nechaev, W. Maslowski

Faculty Publications

[ 1] The summer circulations and hydrographic fields of the Kara Sea are reconstructed for mean, positive and negative Arctic Oscillation regimes employing a variational data assimilation technique which provides the best fit of reconstructed fields to climatological data and satisfies dynamical and kinematic constraints of a quasi-stationary primitive equation ocean circulation model. The reconstructed circulations agree well with the measurements and are characterized by inflow of 0.63, 0.8, 0.51 Sv through Kara Gate and 1.18, 1.1, 1.12 Sv between Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, for mean climatologic conditions, positive and negative AO indexes, respectively. The major regions of …

Tandem Repeat Regions Within The Burkholderia Pseudomallei Genome And Their Application For High Resolution Genotyping, Richard A. Robison, Jana M. U'Ren, James M. Schupp, Talima Pearson, Heidie Hornstra, Christine L. Friedman Clark, Kimothy L. Smith, Rebecca R. Leadem Daugherty, Shane D. Rhoton, Ben Leadem, Shalamar Georgia, Michelle Cardon, Lynn Y. Huynh, David Deshazer, Steven P. Harvey, Daniel Gal, Mark J. Mayo, David Wagner, Bart J. Currie, Paul Keim

Faculty Publications

The facultative, intracellular bacterium Burkholderia pseudomalle is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious infectious disease of humans and animals. We identified and categorized tandem repeat arrays and their distribution throughout the genome of B. pseudomallei strain K96243 in order to develop a genetic typing method for B. pseudomallei. We then screened 104 of the potentially polymorphic loci across a diverse panel of 31 isolates including B. pseudomallei, B. mallei and B. thailandensis in order to identify loci with varying degrees of polymorphism. A subset of these tandem repeat arrays were subsequently developed into a multiple-locus VNTR analysis to examine …

Spotted Cotton Oligonucleotide Microarrays For Gene Expression Analysis, Joshua Udall, Lex E. Flagel, Foo Chung, Andrew W. Woodward, Ran Hovav, Ryan A. Rapp, Jordan M. Swanson, Jinsuk J. Lee, Alan R. Gingle, Dan Nettleton, Christopher D. Town, Z. Jeffrey Chen, Jonathan F. Wendel

Faculty Publications

Microarrays offer a powerful tool for diverse applications plant biology and crop improvement. Recently, two comprehensive assemblies of cotton ESTs were constructed based on three Gossypium species. Using these assemblies as templates, we describe the design and creation and of a publicly available oligonucleotide array for cotton, useful for all four of the cultivated species. Results: Synthetic oligonucleotide probes were generated from exemplar sequences of a global assembly of 211,397 cotton ESTs derived from <50 different cDNA libraries representing many different tissue types and tissue treatments. A total of 22,787 oligonucleotide probes are included on the arrays, optimized to target the diversity of the transcriptome and previously studied cotton genes, transcription factors, and genes with homology to Arabidopsis. A small portion of the oligonucleotides target unidentified protein coding sequences, thereby providing an element of gene discovery. Because many oligonucleotides were based on ESTs from fiber-specific cDNA libraries, the microarray has direct application for analysis of the fiber transcriptome. To illustrate the utility of the microarray, we hybridized labeled bud and leaf cDNAs from G. hirsutum and demonstrate technical consistency of results. Conclusion: The cotton oligonucleotide microarray provides a reproducible platform for transcription profiling in cotton, and is made publicly available through http://cottonevolution.info.

The Niemann-Pick Type C2 Protein Loads Isoglobotrihexosylceramide Onto Cd1d Molecules And Contributes To The Thymic Selection Of Nkt Cells, Paul B. Savage, Nicolas Schrantz, Yuval Sagiv, Yang Liu, Albert Bendelac, Luc Teyton

Faculty Publications

The Niemann-Pick type C2 (NPC2) protein is a small, soluble, lysosomal protein important for cholesterol and sphingolipid transport in the lysosome. The immunological phenotype of NPC2-deficient mice was limited to an impaired thymic selection of Valpha 14 natural killer T cells (NKT cells) and a subsequent reduction of NKT cells in the periphery. The remaining NKT cells failed to produce measurable quantities of interferon-gamma in vivo and in vitro after activation with alpha-galactosylceramide. In addition, thymocytes and splenocytes from NPC2-deficient mice were poor presenters of endogenous and exogenous lipids to CD1d-restricted Valpha 14 hybridoma cells. Importantly, we determined that similar …

First Record Of A Sleeper Shark In The Western Gulf Of Mexico And Comments On Taxonomic Uncertainty Within Somniosus (Somniosus), George W. Benz, Eric R. Hoffmayer, William B. Driggers, Dan Allen, Lougan E. Bishop, David A. Brown

Faculty Publications

A sleeper shark, Somniosus (Somniosus) sp., is reported from Alaminos Canyon in the western Gulf of Mexico at a depth of about 2647 m based on observations made using a remotely operated vehicle. This is the first record of a sleeper shark (Somniosus, Somniosidae) from the western Gulf of Mexico and deepest record of any shark from the Gulf of Mexico. Despite claims to the contrary in the literature, no taxonomic character has been identified to date that can be used to unequivocally identify all representatives of Somniosus (Somniosus), and as a result, some species records must be considered dubious.

Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes Spp.) Play A Pivotal Trophic Role In Enhancing Ruppia Maritima, Donna Drury Mccall, Chet R. Rakocinski

Faculty Publications

Coupled trophic-engineer interactions are potentially important for maintaining habitat function and ecosystem services. As ephemeral submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), Ruppia maritima has a short well-defined growth-senescence cycle and should benefit from any ecological interaction that enhances its physical condition and longevity. Grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.) are abundant facultative grazers of epiphytic algae and conveyors of nutrients in tidal marsh and SAV habitats. Grass shrimp addition consistently enhanced Ruppia biomass and shoot density in a series of three field experiments conducted in Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, USA. In two experiments, epiphyte grazing by grass shrimp enhanced Ruppia by …

The Effects Of Seeding Time On Native Plant Establishment In A Prairie Reconstruction, Dave W. Williams, Daryl D. Smith

Faculty Publications

The Iowa DOT is seeking ways to improve practices associated with revegetation projects to increase establishment of native grasses and forbs. One of these practices is to seed native grasses and forbs between Apr 01 - June 30 and between Aug. 01 - Aug. 31 (Iowa DOT 2001). We investigated seeding at different times during the growing season to determine the most appropriate seeding time for optimal establishment of prairie grasses and wildflowers.

The Effects Of Seeding Rate Of Prairie Grasses And Forbs On Native Plant Establishment In A Prairie Reconstruction. Iowa Department Of Transportation Final Report., Dave W, Williams, Daryl D. Smith

Faculty Publications

The Iowa DOT is seeking ways to improve practices associated with revegetation projects to increase establishment of native grasses and forbs. Iowa DOT has developed various seed mixes for re-vegetation projects (Iowa DOT 2005). Each seed mix has the potential to result in a different plant community. Results from this research project will provide information on the seeding rates for species needed for optimal establishment of grasses and wildflowers in future Iowa DOT prairie plantings as well as determine if current seeding practices are adequate. This information can be used to revise or develop seeding rate recommendations for revegetation projects.

Avpv Neurons Containing Estrogen Receptor-Beta In Adult Male Rats Are Influenced By Soy Isoflavones, Edwin D. Lephart, Lihong H. Bu

Faculty Publications

Background Isoflavones, the most abundant phytoestrogens in soy foods, are structurally similar to 17beta-estradiol. It is known that 17beta-estradiol induces apoptosis in anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) in rat brain. Also, there is evidence that consumption of soy isoflavones reduces the volume of AVPV in male rats. Therefore, in this study, we examined the influence of dietary soy isoflavones on apoptosis in AVPV of 150 day-old male rats fed either a soy isoflavone-free diet (Phyto-free) or a soy isoflavone-rich diet (Phyto-600). Results: The occurrence of apoptosis in AVPV was examined by TUNEL staining. The incidence of apoptosis was about 10 times …

Model-Based Compartmental Analysis Indicates A Reduced Mobilization Of Hepatic Vitamin A During Inflammation In Rats, Sin Gieng, Michael Green, Joanne Green, Francisco Rosales

Faculty Publications

Vitamin A (VA) kinetics was studied in rats with marginal VA stores before, during, and after inflammation. Rats received orally [11,12-3H(N)]retinol ([3H]VA; day 0), and inflammation was induced on day 21 with lipopolysacchride (LPS) for 3 days (n = 5) or recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) for 7 days (n = 5). Both the fraction of [3H]VA and retinol concentrations in plasma were reduced significantly by LPS or rhIL-6. Compartmental analysis using the Windows version of Simulation, Analysis, and Modeling software was applied to group mean data, and non-steady-state models were developed. After absorption, VA kinetics was described by a three-compartment …

Vertical Transmission Of A Phylogenetically Complex Microbial Consortium In The Viviparous Sponge Ircinia Felix, Susanne Schmitt, Jeremy B. Weisz, Niels Lindquist, Ute Hentschel

Faculty Publications

Many marine demosponges contain large amounts of phylogenetically complex yet highly sponge-specific microbial consortia within the mesohyl matrix, but little is known about how these microorganisms are acquired by their hosts. Settlement experiments were performed with the viviparous Caribbean demosponge Ircinia felix to investigate the role of larvae in the vertical transmission of the sponge-associated microbial community. Inspections by electron microscopy revealed large amounts of morphologically diverse microorganisms in the center of I. felix larvae, while the outer rim appeared to be devoid of microorganisms. In juveniles, microorganisms were found between densely packed sponge cells. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) …

Morphological And Molecular Analyses Of Microorganisms In Caribbean Reef Adult Sponges And In Corresponding Reproductive Material, Susanne Schmitt, Markus Wehrl, Niels Lindquist, Jeremy B. Weisz, Ute Hentschel

Faculty Publications

Caribbean reef sponges were surveyed for the presence of microorganisms in the mesohyl tissue of adult sponges and the respective reproductive material (embryos, larvae). A clear correlation was found in that high microbial abundance (HMA) sponges always contained microorganisms in their reproductive stages. In contrast, low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges did not contain microorganisms in their reproductive stages. Based on these data, Ircinia felix Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864 was chosen as a model organism for the molecular analysis of microorganisms within the adult sponge and its larvae and juveniles. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences revealed …

From Observers To Participants: Joining The Scientific Community, Catherine A. Reinke, Susan R. Singer, Carl Mcdaniel, Carolyn J. Ferguson, Julia Vandermeer, Adam Williamson

Faculty Publications

In this essay, we have integrated the voices of our mentors and students to explore 45 years of undergraduate research experiences and their role in shaping our scientific community. In considering our collective experiences, we see undergraduate involvement in research as a rich source of community development, one that has both touched our lives and influenced our teaching.

Spatial Ecology Of The Coachwhip, Masticophis Flagellum (Squamata: Colubridae), In Eastern Texas, Richard W. Johnson, Robert R. Fleet, Michael B. Keck, D. Craig Rudolph

Faculty Publications

We radio-tracked nine Masticophis flagellum (Coachwhips) to determine home range, habitat use, and movements in eastern Texas from April to October 2000. Home ranges of Coachwhips contained more oak savanna macrohabitat than early-successional pine plantation or forested seep, based on the availability of these three macrohabitats in the study area. Likewise, within their individual home ranges, Coachwhips used oak savanna more than the other two macrohabitats, based on availability. An analysis of microhabitat use revealed that, relative to random sites within their home range, Coachwhips were found at sites with fewer pine trees and more herbaceous vegetation taller than 30 …

Selection For Salt Tolerance In Tidal Freshwater Swamp Species: Advances Using Bald Cypress As A Model For Restoration (Chapter 14), David Creech

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Foraging Behavior, D. Craig Rudolph, Richard N. Conner, Richard R. Schaefer, Nancy E. Koerth

Faculty Publications

We studied Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) to examine the effect of status and gender on foraging behavior. Foraging behavior of breeding pairs extended beyond separation by foraging height to include zones (bole, trunk in crown, primary limb, secondary limb) of the tree used and foraging methods (scaling, probing, excavating). Helper males and juvenile females maintained partial spatial separation from breeding adults. Helper males maintained spatial separation from breeding adults by exploiting limbs within tree crowns in both longleaf (Pinus palustris) and loblolly-shortleaf (P. taeda, P. echinata) pine forests, but also increased use of boles in loblolly-shortleaf pine in concert with …

Enzymes As Feed Additive To Aid In Responses Against Eimeria Species In Coccidia-Vaccinated Broilers Fed Corn-Soybean Meal Diets With Different Protein Levels, J. Parker, E. O. Oviedo Rondon, Beatrice A. Clack, S. Clemente-Hernandez, J. Osborne, J. C. Remus, H. Kettunen, H. Makivuokko, E. M. Pierson

Faculty Publications

This research aimed to evaluate the effects of adding a combination of exogenous enzymes to starter diets varying in protein content and fed to broilers vaccinated at day of hatch with live oocysts and then challenged with mixed Eimeria spp. Five hundred four 1-d-old male Cobb-500 chickens were distributed in 72 cages. The design consisted of 12 treatments. Three anticoccidial control programs [ionophore (IO), coccidian vaccine (COV), and coccidia-vaccine + enzymes (COV + EC)] were evaluated under 3 CP levels (19, 21, and 23%), and 3 unmedicated-uninfected (UU) negative controls were included for each one of the protein levels. All …

A New N-Terminal Recognition Domain In Caveolin-1 Interacts With Sterol Carrier Protein-2 (Scp-2), Rebecca D. Parr, Gregory G. Martin, Heather A. Hostetler, Megan E. Schroeder, Kiran D. Mir, Ann B. Kier, Judith M. Ball, Friedhelm Schroeder

Faculty Publications

Although plasma membrane domains, such as caveolae, provide an organizing principle for signaling pathways and cholesterol homeostasis in the cell, relatively little is known regarding specific mechanisms, whereby intracellular lipid-binding proteins are targeted to caveolae. Therefore, the interaction between caveolin-1 and sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2), a protein that binds and transfers both cholesterol and signaling lipids (e.g., phosphatidylinositides and sphingolipids), was examined by yeast two-hybrid, in vitro binding and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analyses. Results of the in vivo and in vitro assays identified for the first time the N-terminal amino acids (aa) 1−32 amphipathic α helix of SCP-2 …

Selective Cholesterol Dynamics Between Lipoproteins And Caveolae/Lipid Rafts, Stephen M. Storey, Adalberto M. Gallegos, Barbara P. Atshaves, Avery L. Mcintosh, Gregory G. Martin, Rebecca D. Parr, Kerstin K. Landrock, Ann B. Kier, Judith M. Ball, Friedhelm Schroeder

Faculty Publications

Although low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-mediated cholesterol uptake through clathrin-coated pits is now well understood, the molecular details and organizing principles for selective cholesterol uptake/efflux (reverse cholesterol transport, RCT) from peripheral cells remain to be resolved. It is not yet completely clear whether RCT between serum lipoproteins and the plasma membrane occurs primarily through lipid rafts/caveolae or from non-raft domains. To begin to address these issues, lipid raft/caveolae-, caveolae-, and non-raft-enriched fractions were resolved from purified plasma membranes isolated from L-cell fibroblasts and MDCK cells by detergent-free affinity chromatography and compared with detergent-resistant membranes isolated from the same cells. Fluorescent sterol …

Full-Length, Glycosylated Nsp4 Is Localized To Plasma Membrane Caveolae By A Novel Raft Isolation Technique, Stephen M. Storey, Thomas F. Gibbons, Cecelia V. Williams, Rebecca D. Parr, Friedhelm Schroeder, Judith M. Ball

Faculty Publications

Rotavirus NSP4, initially characterized as an endoplasmic reticulum intracellular receptor, is a multifunctional viral enterotoxin that induces diarrhea in murine pups. There have been recent reports of the secretion of a cleaved NSP4 fragment (residues 112 to 175) and of the association of NSP4 with LC3-positive autophagosomes, raft membranes, and microtubules. To determine if NSP4 traffics to a specific subset of rafts at the plasma membrane, we isolated caveolae from plasma membrane-enriched material that yielded caveola membranes free of endoplasmic reticulum and nonraft plasma membrane markers. Analyses of the newly isolated caveolae from rotavirus-infected MDCK cells revealed full-length, high-mannose glycosylated …

Assessment Of Genetic Diversity In The Usda And Cip-Fao International Nursery Collections Of Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.) Using Microsatellite Markers [Abstract], S. A. Christensen, Donald B. Pratt, C. Pratt, P. T. Nelson, M. R. Stevens, Eric N. Jellen, C. E. Coleman, D. J. Fairbanks, A. Bonifacio, Peter J. Maughan

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ultrastructure Of Teliospores And Promycelium And Basidiospore Formation In The Four-Spored Form Of Gymnoconia Nitens, One Of The Causes Of Orange Rust Of Rubus, C. W. Mims, E. A. Richardson, Josephine Taylor

Faculty Publications

Orange rust of Rubus is an interesting disease because of the fact that it can be caused by three different rust fungi that produce virtually identical symptoms. One is Gymnoconia peckiana (Howe in Peck) Trotter, which is a demicyclic species, while the other two are endocyclic forms historically referred to as Gymnoconia nitens (Schwein.) Kern & H.W. Thurston. Although the spores produced on infected Rubus leaves by these latter two forms are morphologically identical to the aeciospores of G. peckiana, they actually function as teliospores. However, the teliospores of one of the forms gives rise to two-celled promycelia that …

Updated And New Amphibian And Reptile Records From Clark County, Illinois [Abstract], C. Drew Foster, Stephen J. Mullin

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.