Life Sciences Commons^™

Pseudomonas Syringae Type Iii Effectors: Targets And Roles In Plant Immunity, Tania Y. Toruño

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

Pseudomonas syringae is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that infects many crops. A central virulence strategy P. syringae uses to successfully infect plants is the injection of type III effector proteins (T3Es) into plant cells through a type IIII protein secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS is a molecular syringe found in many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens of plants and animals that transport T3Es from the bacterial cytosol into eukaryotic cells. T3Es disrupt host processes in the plant immune system required to restrict pathogen ingress. The plant innate immune system is divided in two branches, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered …

U.S. Drought Monitor, December 9, 2014, Anthony Artusa

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for December 9, 2014 (12/9/14) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

Assessment Of Macroinvertebrate Communities And Heavy Metal Contamination Along The Intracoastal Waterway In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Robert Bernhard

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Sediments from four areas adjacent to marinas and a background site in the Intracoastal Waterway were assessed for macroinvertebrate composition and heavy metal contamination. Sediment core samples were collected in 2004 and 2005 for analyses of macroinvertebrate composition and sediment grain size. Additional sediment samples were collected in 2005 for chemical analyses of metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Ni and Zn). MANOVA and dendograms using Bray-Curtis similarity matrices grouped the sites into two clusters: the 3 sites closest to the New River formed one group, and the two end sites formed the other. The sites nearest …

Competitive Replacement Of Invasive Congeners May Relax Impact On Native Species: Interactions Among Zebra, Quagga, And Native Unionid Mussels, Lyubov E. Burlakova, Brianne L. Tulumello, Alexander Y. Karatayev, Robert A. Krebs, Donald W. Schloesser, Wendy L. Paterson, Traci A. Griffith, Mariah W. Scott, Todd Crail, David T. Zanatta

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Determining when and where the ecological impacts of invasive species will be most detrimental and whether the effects of multiple invaders will be superadditive, or subadditive, is critical for developing global management priorities to protect native species in advance of future invasions. Over the past century, the decline of freshwater bivalves of the family Unionidae has been greatly accelerated by the invasion of Dreissena. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current infestation rates of unionids by zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (D. rostriformis bugensis) mussels in the lower Great Lakes region 25 …

Oregon Wine Board Meeting Minutes December 9, 2014, Oregon Wine Board

Oregon Wine Board Documents

These meeting minutes list individuals in attendance and missing from the December 9, 2014 Oregon Wine Board (OWB) meeting, held at the Aquariva Restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The meeting included reports from the finance, marketing/communications, and education committees, as well as a discussion of Board governance. The Board went into Executive Session for approximately 30 minutes; upon reconvening, the Board reviewed viticulture and enology research. The meeting lasted 3 hours 24 minutes (including the time spent in Executive Session).

Not Just A Theory--The Utility Of Mathematical Models In Evolutionary Biology, Maria R. Servedio, Yaniv Brandvain, Sumit Dhole, Courtney L. Fitzpatrick, Emma E. Goldberg, Caitlin A. Stern, Jeremy Van Cleve, D. Justin Yeh

Biology Faculty Publications

Progress in science often begins with verbal hypotheses meant to explain why certain biological phenomena exist. An important purpose of mathematical models in evolutionary research, as in many other fields, is to act as “proof-of-concept” tests of the logic in verbal explanations, paralleling the way in which empirical data are used to test hypotheses. Because not all subfields of biology use mathematics for this purpose, misunderstandings of the function of proof-of-concept modeling are common. In the hope of facilitating communication, we discuss the role of proof-of-concept modeling in evolutionary biology.

The Effects Of An Exercise Program On Cardiovascular Risk Factors At A Faith Based University, Annisa R. Albury, Jacob D. Forsythe, Greggory M. Thorpe

Exercise Science Senior Research Projects

Physical inactivity is a significant risk factor for heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer according to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2013). A simple form of physical activity that improves health and also has a high adherence rate is walking (Dishman, 1994). Walking has been shown to lower fasting blood glucose, decrease total cholesterol, and reduce hypertension when introduced to college faculty and staff as part of a comprehensive wellness program (Haines, 2007). PURPOSE: To determine if a walking program would lower cardiovascular risk factors for faculty and staff who adhere to a faith based values …

Nitrous Oxide Emissions From A Commercial Cornfield (Zea Mays) Measured Using The Eddy Covariance Technique, H. Huang, J. Wang, D. Hui, D. R. Miller, S. Bhattarai, S. Dennis, D. Smart, T. Sammis, K. C. Reddy

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Increases in observed atmospheric concentrations of the long-lived greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) have been well documented. However, information on event-related instantaneous emissions during fertilizer applications is lacking. With the development of fast-response N2O analyzers, the eddy covariance (EC) technique can be used to gather instantaneous measurements of N2O concentrations to quantify the exchange of nitrogen between the soil and atmosphere. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of a new EC system, to measure the N2O flux with the system, and finally to examine relationships of the N2O flux with soil temperature, soil moisture, precipitation, and …

Biology Department Receives $111,253 Award For Migratory Birds Project, Barbara J. Pierce

Barbara J. Pierce

Barbara Pierce, associate professor of biology at Sacred Heart University, has received a grant award of $111,253 from the National Science Foundation in support of her research project on migratory birds. Her area of specialization is physiological ecology, and her research project is titled “Collaborative Proposal: Fat Metabolism and Oxidative Stress in Exercising Migratory Birds.” The NSF grant extends through August 31, 2017.

Quality Change And Thermal Inactivation Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Non-Intact Beef And Veal Patties By Double Pan-Broiling, Kawang Li

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ECOH) may translocate from meat surfaces to internal tissues during grinding processes. This study evaluated the inactivation of ECOH in ground beef and veal by cooking to various internal temperatures (55°C, 62.5°C, 71.1°C, and 76°C). Grounded beef/veal were inoculated with 6 log ECOH and prepared into patties, stored aerobically (4°C, 4 -days) before double-pan-broiling to the internal temperatures mentioned above with a three-minute rest. Samples’ color were monitored, which changed significantly during storage and cooking. Pathogen concentration was measured by plating the homogenized sample on TSA and McConkey agar. The pathogen population was below detectable limit when …

Study Of A Contemporary Diet In One Household In The Yucatan, Ericka K. Hardin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The history of the Yucatan has played a major role in the development of the food system of the area and the nutritional status of the population. Originating from an agricultural based diet, which forms the foundation of the traditional Yucatan diet, there has been a recent shift away from whole and natural foods to a more processed and convenient food supply due to the influx of American products and culture. Coinciding with the influx of these unhealthy foods, there has also been a rise in the health problems of the Mexican population such as heart disease and diabetes, both …

Examining The Role Of Dax-1 In Regulation Of Cell Proliferation In Human Breast Cells, Amy E. Scandurra

Master's Theses

DAX-1 is a member of the Nuclear Hormone Receptor superfamily and acts as a transcriptional repressor. DAX-1 plays an important role in the development of adrenal and gonadal tissues. In addition to its role in normal cell development and differentiation, DAX-1 appears to have some influence on the progression of cancer. This work aims to examine the role of DAX-1 in regulation of proliferation in breast cancer. In our study, we have expressed DAX-1 in a DAX-1 deficient breast cancer cell line as well as knocked down DAX-1 expression in normal DAX-1 positive breast cells. Through these experiments, we were …

Impacts Of Land-Cover Change And High Rainfall On Soil Erosion Among Three Farms In Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, Panamá., Madeline Happ

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Soil erosion is a key source leading to the depletion of Earth’s natural resources. Beginning with deforestation, soils are stripped of their rich vegetation cover, leaving them vulnerable to wind, water, and sometimes total exhaustion. One of the major causes of deforestation, if not the primary cause, is for agricultural purposes. Extensive agricultural fields, steep slopes, and heavy rains characterize the highlands of Chiriquí; thus, the land displays potential for severe loss of soil. This paper illustrates and discusses the extent of soil erosion in Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, specifically considering the steep terrains and very wet environment that impact the …

Thylakoid Phosphorylation And Cell Morphology In The Antarctic Psychrophile, Chlamydomonas Sp. Uwo241, Beth Szyszka-Mroz

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The unicellular green microalga, Chlamydomonas sp. UWO 241, was isolated from Lake Bonney, Antarctica. A unique characteristic of this algal strain is its inability to undergo state transitions combined with an altered thylakoid protein phosphorylation profile, which suggests the absence of LHCII phosphorylation, and preferential phosphorylation of a set of novel proteins. Examination of the unique phosphoproteins revealed that they are associated with a large pigment-protein supercomplex, which contains components of both photosystem I and the cytochrome b₆/f complex and likely functions in cyclic electron flow (CEF).

The absence of phosphorylation of LHCII proteins, associated with state …

Argument Map: Loewi's Argument That Neuro-Transmission Works With Chemical Signals Instead Of Eletrical (Short Version), Michael Hoffmann

Michael H.G. Hoffmann

This argument shows how the hypothesis that muscles are probably stimulated exclusively by chemical signals and not by electrical ones can be justified by Loewi's experimentum crucis.

Nmp-7 Inhibits Chronic Inflammatory And Neuropathic Pain Via Block Of Cab3.2 T-Type Calcium Channels And Activation Of Cb2 Receptors, N. Daniel Berger, Vinicius M. Gadotti, Ravil R. Petrov, Kevin Chapman, Philippe Diaz, Gerald W. Zamponi

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: T-type calcium channels and cannabinoid receptors are known to play important roles in chronic pain, making them attractive therapeutic targets. We recently reported on the design, synthesis and analgesic properties of a novel T-type channel inhibitor (NMP-7), which also shows mixed agonist activity on CB₁ and CB₂ receptors in vitro. Here, we analyzed the analgesic effect of systemically delivered NMP-7 (intraperitoneal (i.p.) or intragstric (i.g.) routes) on mechanical hypersensitivity in inflammatory pain induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) and neuropathic pain induced by sciatic nerve injury.

Results: NMP-7 delivered by either i.p. or i.g. routes produced …

Lingnan Gardeners Newsletter (No. 1) = 嶺南彩園通訊 (第1期), Lingnan Gardeners, Kwan Fong Cultural Research And Development Programme, Lingnan University

Lingnan Gardeners Newsletter 嶺南彩園通訊

No abstract provided.

Differences In The Diversity Of Frogspecies Between Sierra Lloronaand El Valle, Panama, Kei Okabe Thurber

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Panama is home to the greatest diversity of species in all of Central America. It is home to 174 species of frogs, 35 of which are endemic to Panama. Frogs are a vital part of many ecosystems. They maintain insect populations and act as food sources for larger predators. Their job of maintaining insect populations is essential to curbing the spread of diseases. Additionally, scientists have found chemical compounds in the skin of frogs that can be used to treat pain and prevent infections. The main threat to the majority of frogs is the deadly fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), or …

Hypothesis Generation And Testing: A Template For Biomedical Research, Michael Hoffmann

Michael H.G. Hoffmann

This argument map provides a template for the testing of hypotheses in biomedical research. It can be used in science education to direct students' attention to all components that need to be clarified to justify a scientific hypothesis in a specific experimental setting, including the justification of appropriate sample sizes in experiments, determination of background theories, description of experimental design, data collection methods, significance level, etc. To use this template, go to http://agora.gatech.edu/, search for argument map 3363, and copy the map.

Effect Of Intracellular Expression Of Antimicrobial Peptide Ll-37 On Growth Of Escherichia Coli Strain Top10 Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Wei Liu, Shi Dong, Fei Xu, Xue Wang, T. Withers, Hongwei Yu, Xin Wang

Hongwei Yu

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can cause lysis of target bacteria by directly inserting themselves into the lipid bilayer. This killing mechanism confounds the identification of the intracellular targets of AMPs. To circumvent this, we used a shuttle vector containing the inducible expression of a human cathelicidin-related AMP, LL-37, to examine its effect on Escherichia coli TOP10 under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Induction of LL-37 caused growth inhibition and alteration in cell morphology to a filamentous phenotype. Further examination of the E. coli cell division protein FtsZ revealed that LL-37 did not interact with FtsZ. Moreover, intracellular expression of LL-37 results …

Design, Assessment, And In Vivo Evaluation Of A Computational Model Illustrating The Role Of Cav1 In Cd4+ T-Lymphocytes, Brittany D. Conroy, Tyler A. Herek, Timonthy D. Shew, Matthew Latner, Joshua J. Larson, Laura Allen, Paul H. Davis, Tomáš Helikar, Christine E. Cutucache

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a vital scaffold protein heterogeneously expressed in both healthy and malignant tissue. We focus on the role of CAV1 when overexpressed in T-cell leukemia. Previously, we have shown that CAV1 is involved in cell-to-cell communication, cellular proliferation, and immune synapse formation; however, the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated.We hypothesize that the role of CAV1 in immune synapse formation contributes to immune regulation during leukemic progression, thereby warranting studies of the role of CAV1 in CD4⁺ T-cells in relation to antigen-presenting cells. To address this need, we developed a computational model of a CD4⁺ immune …

Design, Assessment, And In Vivo Evaluation Of A Computational Model Illustrating The Role Of Cav1 In Cd4+ T-Lymphocytes, Brittany D. Conroy, Tyler A. Herek, Timothy D. Shew, Matthew Latner, Joshua J. Larson, Laura Allen, Paul H. Davis, Tomáš Helikar, Christine E. Cutucache

Biology Faculty Publications

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a vital scaffold protein heterogeneously expressed in both healthy and malignant tissue. We focus on the role of CAV1 when overexpressed in T-cell leukemia. Previously, we have shown that CAV1 is involved in cell-to-cell communication, cellular proliferation, and immune synapse formation; however, the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. We hypothesize that the role of CAV1 in immune synapse formation contributes to immune regulation during leukemic progression, thereby warranting studies of the role of CAV1 in CD4⁺ T-cells in relation to antigen-presenting cells. To address this need, we developed a computational model of a CD4^{+ …}

Sensory Abnormalities In Focal Hand Dystonia And Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Angelo Quartarone, Vincenzo Rizzo, Carmen Terranova, Demetrio Milardi, Daniele Bruschetta, Maria Felice Ghilardi, Paolo Girlanda

Publications and Research

It has been proposed that synchronous and convergent afferent input arising from repetitive motor tasks may play an important role in driving the maladaptive cortical plasticity seen in focal hand dystonia (FHD).This hypothesis receives support from several sources. First, it has been reported that in subjects with FHD, paired associative stimulation produces an abnormal increase in corticospinal excitability, which was not confined to stimulated muscles. These findings provide support for the role of excessive plasticity in FHD. Second, the genetic contribution to the dystonias is increasingly recognized indicating that repetitive, stereotyped afferent inputs may lead to late-onset dystonia, such as …

Screening Of Cyanobacteria And Microalgae For Their Ability To Synthesize Silver Nanoparticles With Antibacterial Activity, Vijay Patel, David Berthold, Pravin Puranik, Miroslav Gantar

Department of Biological Sciences

The aim of this study was to assess the ability of selected strains of cyanobacteria and microalgae to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by using two procedures; (i) suspending the live andwashed biomass of microalgae and cyanobacteria into the AgNO3 solution and (ii) by adding AgNO3 into a cellfree culture liquid. Ag-NPs were biosynthesized by 14 out of 16 tested strains. In most of the cases Ag-NPs were formed both in the presence of biomass as well as in the cell-free culture liquid. This indicates that the process of Ag-NPs formation involves an extracellular compound such as polysaccharide. TEM analysis showed …

Antifungal Amphiphilic Aminoglycoside K20: Bioactivities And Mechanism Of Action, Sanjib K. Shrestha, Cheng-Wei Tom Chang, Nicole Meissner, John Oblad, Jaya P. Shrestha, Kevin N. Sorensen, Michelle M. Grilley, Jon Y. Takemoto

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

K20 is a novel amphiphilic antifungal aminoglycoside that is synthetically derived from the antibiotic kanamycin A. Reported here are investigations of K20′s antimicrobial activities, cytotoxicity, and fungicidal mechanism of action. In vitro growth inhibitory activities against a variety of human and plant pathogenic yeasts, filamentous fungi, and bacteria were determined using microbroth dilution assays and time-kill curve analyses, and hemolytic and animal cell cytotoxic activities were determined. Effects on Cryptococcus neoformans H-99 infectivity were determined with a preventive murine lung infection model. The antifungal mechanism of action was studied using intact fungal cells, yeast lipid mutants, and small unilamellar lipid …

Avian Diversity Across Three Distinct Agricultural Landscapes In Guadalupe, Chiriquí Highlands, Panama, Jarred Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Deforestation of tropical forest for agricultural purposes threatens habitat loss of native species. The value of various agricultural landscapes in conserving avian populations is useful in determining diversity-conscious development plans. However, generalized results from regionalscale studies cannot be implemented to insular avian habitats. This study serves as the only current avian diversity study of the Chiriquí Highlands. To determine the effect of agricultural land use within an insular avian habitat, I compared avian diversity and site population similarity in Guadalupe, Chiriquí Highlands of the Talamanca Range, Panama. I hypothesized that avian diversity is greatest at forest edge followed by forest …

Cascades Island Lamprey Passage Structure: Evaluating Passage And Migration Following Structure Modifications, Siena Marie Lopez-Johnston

Dissertations and Theses

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), an endemic species to the Columbia River Basin, U.S.A, has experienced staggering decreases in returns to spawning territories in recent decades. As lamprey are threatened severely by a lack of passage at mainstem dams, lamprey specific passage structures have been designed and constructed to address the problem. The Cascades Island Lamprey Passage Structure (LPS) at Bonneville Dam is the longest and steepest structure of its type, following the addition of an exit pipe which allows lampreys to travel from the tailrace of the dam to the forebay. The intent of this study was to …

Report Of The Working Group On Animal Distress In The Laboratory, Marilyn Brown, Larry Carbone, Kathleen Conlee, Marian Dawkins, Ian J. Duncan, David Fraser, Gilly Griffin, Victoria A. Hampshire, Lesley A. Lambert, Joy A. Mench, David Morton, Jon Richmond, Bernard E. Rollin, Andrew N. Rowan, Martin L. Stephens, Hanno Würbel

Andrew N. Rowan, DPhil

Finding ways to minimize pain and distress in research animals is a continuing goal in the laboratory animal research field. Pain and distress, however, are not synonymous, and often measures that alleviate one do not affect the other. Here, the authors provide a summary of a meeting held in February 2004 that focused on distress in laboratory animals. They discuss the difficulties associated with defining ‘distress,’ propose methods to aid in recognizing and alleviating distressful conditions, and provide recommendations for animal research conduct and oversight that would minimize distress experienced by laboratory animals.

Decline Of Diporeia In Lake Michigan: Was Disease Associated With Invasive Species The Primary Factor?, Courtney S. Cave, Kevin Strychar

Funded Articles

Populations of the freshwater amphipod Diporeia spp. have steadily declined in Lake Michigan since the late 1980’s. Prior studies have provided inconclusive data on possible reasons for their decline. However, some authors suggest that food competition and/or diseases associated with aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), may have caused the collapse of Diporeia. In this project, the possibility of pathogens as the cause of the collapse of Diporeia has been examined. Linear regression modeling show a significant positive linear association between percent of Diporeia exhibiting a pathogenic infection and year (r=0.7202264, p2 = …

A Comparative Map Of Seasonal Home Ranges Of Pumas By Sex, Jordan Ellington

Biology Presentations

The Ladder Ranch is a 156,439 acre property located in the southwestern portion of New Mexico. The ranch has a diverse set of biomes from pine forests to desert grasslands which supports a large array of biodiversity (bison to mountain lions to wolves). Ted Turner, the owner of the ranch, largely supports the conservation of its biodiversity, especially mountain lions (Turner Enterprises Inc., 2012). In order to properly conserve this species, the scientific community must first understand what impacts this species. M.M Grigione et al (2002) found that sex, body mass, deer relative abundance, and study site all influence home …