Biology Commons^™

Host Species, And Not Environment, Predicts Variation In Blood Parasite Prevalence, Distribution, And Diversity Along A Humidity Gradient In Northern South America, Robert Ricklefs, Paulo C. Pulgarín‐R, Juan P. Gómez

Robert Ricklefs

Ethyleneproduction As An Indicator Of Stress Conditions In Hydroponically-Grown Strawberries, Justin D. Hogan, Elizabeth E. Murray, Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello Phd

Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello

As a soilless system, hydroponics eliminates competing weeds and soil-born pests while conserving water and providing conditions that can be quickly altered to suit specific crops. However, stress-induced physiological conditions may arise within the system from factors such as mechanical injury, pests, or inconsistent nutrient flow rates that result in some plants receiving too much or too little water. Most abiotic stress conditions result in increased production of the plant hormone ethylene. High levels of ethylene inhibit growth, cause premature ripening, and induce the onset of senescence, potentially reducing the productivity of hydroponically-grown crops. In this study, we demonstrate that …

Red Light Regulation Of Ethylene Biosynthesis And Gravitropism In Etiolated Pea Stems, C. L. Steed, L. K. Taylor, Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello Phd

Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello

During gravitropism, the accumulation of auxin in the lower side of the stem causes increased growth and the subsequent curvature, while the gaseous hormone ethylene plays a modulating role in regulating the kinetics of growth asymmetries. Light also contributes to the control of gravitropic curvature, potentially through its interaction with ethylene biosynthesis. In this study, red-light pulse treatment of etiolated pea epicotyls was evaluated for its effect on ethylene biosynthesis during gravitropic curvature. Ethylene biosynthesis analysis included measurements of ethylene; the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC); malonyl-conjugated ACC (MACC); and expression levels of pea ACC oxidase (Ps-ACO1) and …

Hydraulic Fracturing: Toxicity In Aqueous Enviromnent Studied On Lithobates Sylvaticus Tadpoles, Eduardo Vargas

Eduardo Vargas

No abstract provided.

Atypical Pkciota Contributes To Poor Prognosis Through Loss Of Apical-Basal Polarity And Cyclin E Overexpression In Ovarian Cancer, Astrid M. Eder, Xiaomei Sui, Daniel G. Rosen, Laura K. Nolden, Kwai Wa Cheng, John P. Lahad, Madhuri Kango-Singh, Karen H. Lu, Carla L. Warneke, Edward N. Atkinson, Isabelle Bedrosian, Khandan Keyomarsi, Wen-Lin Kuo, Joe W. Gray, Jerry C. P. Yin, Jinsong Liu, Georg Halder, Gordon B. Mills

Madhuri Kango-Singh

We show that atypical PKCι, which plays a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of epithelial cell polarity, is genomically amplified and overexpressed in serous epithelial ovarian cancers. Furthermore, PKCι protein is markedly increased or mislocalized in all serous ovarian cancers. An increased PKCι DNA copy number is associated with decreased progression-free survival in serous epithelial ovarian cancers. In a Drosophila in vivo epithelial tissue model, overexpression of persistently active atypical PKC results in defects in apical-basal polarity, increased Cyclin E protein expression, and increased proliferation. Similar to the Drosophila model, increased PKCι proteins levels are associated with …

Raised Intracellular Calcium Contributes To Ischemia-Induced Depression Of Evoked Synaptic Transmission, Shirin Jalini, Hui Ye, Alexander A. Tonkikh, Milton P. Charlton, Peter L. Carlen

Hui Ye

Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) leads to depression of evoked synaptic transmission, for which the mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that increased presynaptic [Ca²⁺]_i during transient OGD contributes to the depression of evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs). Additionally, we hypothesized that increased buffering of intracellular calcium would shorten electrophysiological recovery after transient ischemia. Mouse hippocampal slices were exposed to 2 to 8 min of OGD. fEPSPs evoked by Schaffer collateral stimulation were recorded in the stratum radiatum, and whole cell current or voltage clamp recordings were performed in CA1 neurons. Transient ischemia led to increased presynaptic [Ca^{2+ …}

Specific Intensity Direct Current (Dc) Electric Field Improves Neural Stem Cell Migration And Enhances Differentiation Towards Βiii-Tubulin+ Neurons, Huiping Zhao, Amanda Steiger, Mitch Nohner, Hui Ye

Hui Ye

Control of stem cell migration and differentiation is vital for efficient stem cell therapy. Literature reporting electric field–guided migration and differentiation is emerging. However, it is unknown if a field that causes cell migration is also capable of guiding cell differentiation— and the mechanisms for these processes remain unclear. Here, we report that a 115 V/m direct current (DC) electric field can induce directional migration of neural precursor cells (NPCs). Whole cell patching revealed that the cell membrane depolarized in the electric field, and buffering of extracellular calcium via EGTA prevented cell migration under these conditions. Immunocytochemical staining indicated that …

Vesicle Biomechanics In A Time-Varying Magnetic Field, Hui Ye, Austen Curcuru

Hui Ye

Background Cells exhibit distortion when exposed to a strong electric field, suggesting that the field imposes control over cellular biomechanics. Closed pure lipid bilayer membranes (vesicles) have been widely used for the experimental and theoretical studies of cellular biomechanics under this electrodeformation. An alternative method used to generate an electric field is by electromagnetic induction with a time-varying magnetic field. References reporting the magnetic control of cellular mechanics have recently emerged. However, theoretical analysis of the cellular mechanics under a time-varying magnetic field is inadequate. We developed an analytical theory to investigate the biomechanics of a modeled vesicle under a …

Rotating Magnets Produce A Prompt Analgesia Effect In Rats, Zhong Chen, Hui Ye, Haiyun Xu, Shukang An, Anmin Jin, Chusong Zhou, Shaoan Yang

Hui Ye

The beneficial effects of chronic/repeated magnetic stimulation on humans have been examined in previous studies. Although pain relief effects have been reported several weeks after magnetic treatment, no report is available regarding the prompt effect of magnetic stimulations. In this study, a novel apparatus was developed to generate time-varying magnetic fields with rotating magnets. Adult, conscious rats were exposed to the rotating magnets in a posture in which their spines were parallel to the induced electric current. The magnetic field suppressed the paw withdrawal reflex in the anesthetized rats, and the suppression effect disappeared 5 minutes after magnets stopped rotating. …

The Double-Edges Role Of Copper In The Fate Of Amyloid Beta In The Presence Of Anti-Oxidants, Hui Ye, Jing Yang, Xueli Zhang, Yiying Zhu, Emily Lenzowski, Yanli Tian, Can Zhang, Markus Hardt, Chunhua Qiao, Rudolph E. Tanzi, Anna Moore, Chongzhao Ran

Hui Ye

The biological fate of amyloid beta (Aβ) species is a fundamental question in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. The competition between clearance and aggregation of Aβs is critical for the onset of AD. Copper has been widely considered to be an inducer of harmful crosslinking of Aβs, and an important triggering factor for the onset of AD. In this report, however, we present data to show that copper can also be an inducer of Aβ degradation in the presence of a large excess of well-known intrinsic (such as dopamine) or extrinsic (such as vitamin C) anti-oxidants. The degraded fragments were identified …

Regulation Of Gonad Morphogenesis In Drosophila Melanogaster By Btb Family Transcription Factors, Diane Silva, Kenneth W. Olsen, Magdalena Bednarz, Andrew Droste, Christopher P. Lenkeit, Jennifer Mierisch, Edwin Chaharbakhshi, Emily R. Temple-Wood

Ken Olsen

During embryogenesis, primordial germ cells (PGCs) and somatic gonadal precursor cells (SGPs) migrate and coalesce to form the early gonad. A failure of the PGCs and SGPs to form a gonad with the proper architecture not only affects germ cell development, but can also lead to infertility. Therefore, it is critical to identify the molecular mechanisms that function within both the PGCs and SGPs to promote gonad morphogenesis. We have characterized the phenotypes of two genes, longitudinals lacking (lola) and ribbon (rib), that are required for the coalescence and compaction of the embryonic gonad in Drosophila melanogaster. rib …

Mode And Rate Of Evolution Of Haemosporidian Mitochondrial Genomes: Timing The Radiation Of Avian Parasites, Patricia Parker, M Andreína Pacheco, Nubia E. Matta, Gediminas Valkiūnas, Beatriz Mello, Craig E. Stanley Jr, Miguel Lentino, Maria Alexandra Garcia-Amado, Michael Cranfield, Sergei L Kosakovsky Pond, Ananias A. Escalante

Patricia Parker

Lethal And Sublethal Effects Of Novel Terrestrial Subsidies From An Invasive Shrub (Lonicera Maackii) On Stream Macroinvertebrates, Ryan W. Mcewan, Kevin W. Custer, Eric B. Borth, Sean D. Mahoney

Ryan McEwan

The biology of headwater streams is intimately linked to that of the surrounding terrestrial environment through organic matter subsidies. Lonicera maackii, an invasive shrub that is becoming abundant in headwater stream riparian areas, deposits substantial quantities of organic matter into the aquatic system. This organic material has allelopathic effects on terrestrial plants and insects, and a growing body of work suggests strong connections between L. maackii invasion and aquatic biota. Lonicera maackii deposits fruit and flowers in quantities and timings that are unique, and we tested the hypothesis that these subsidies would negatively affect survival and growth of laboratory-cultured …

Changes In Feeding Selectivity Of Freshwater Invertebrates Across A Natural Thermal Gradient, Timothy A C Gordon, Joana Neto-Cerejeira, Paula C. Furey, Eoin J. O’Gorman

Paula Furey

No abstract provided.

Maternal Allocation Of Carotenoids To Eggs In An Anolis Lizard, Beth Reinke, Yasmeen Erritouni, Ryan Calsbeek

Beth Reinke

The Role Of Environmental Filtering In Structuring Appalachian Tree Communities: Topographic Influences On Functional Diversity Are Mediated Through Soil Characteristics, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Ryan McEwan

Identifying the drivers of community assembly has long been a central goal in ecology, and the development of functional diversity indices has provided a new way of detecting the influence of environmental gradients on biotic communities. For an old-growth Appalachian forest, we used path analysis to understand how patterns of tree functional diversity relate to topography and soil gradients and to determine whether topographic effects are mediated through soil chemistry. All of our path models supported the idea of environmental filtering: stressful areas (high elevation, low soil moisture, low soil nutrients) were occupied by communities of low functional diversity, which …

Landscape Genomics: Natural Selection Drives The Evolution Of Mitogenome In Penguins, Barbara Ramos, Daniel González-Acuña, David E. Loyola, Warren E. Johnson, Patricia G. Parker, Melanie Massaro, Gisele P. M. Dantas, Marcelo D. Miranda, Juliana A. Vianna

Patricia Parker

Urban Stream Microbial Communities Show Resistance To Pharmaceutical Exposure, E. J. Rosi, H. A. Bechtold, D. Snow, M. Rojas, A. J. Reisinger, J. J. Kelly

John Kelly

No abstract provided.

The Positive Effect Of Role Models In Evolution Instruction, Emily A. Holt, T. Heath Ogden, Susan L. Durham

T. Heath Ogden

Life’S A Beach: Using Role-Playing Scenarios To Facilitate Water Quality Studies, Supplementary Materials, Christie Sampson, Lauren Garcia-Chance, Erica Linard

Christie Sampson

Emma Lucy Braun's Forest Plots In Eastern North America, Robert E. Ricklefs

Robert Ricklefs

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Test Methods For Assessing Porcine Carotid And Uterine Artery Burst Pressure Following Ex Vivo Ultrasonic Ligature Seal And Transection, Carissa M. Krane, Margaret Pinnell, Courtney Gardner, Mercedes Thompson, James Coleman, Robert Wilkens

Robert J. Wilkens

A test method was developed to identify those variables important for assessing the performance of ultrasonic surgical devices in ex vivo ligature sealing of porcine carotid and uterine arteries. Ruggedness testing using a small sample size in pilot experiments was conducted using a newly developed test method in an effort to assess the usefulness of this methodology and to identify test variables that might warrant further testing. The development of this test method included the use of a custom-designed prototypic tension device for load-controlled ex vivo vessel stretching during saline perfusion and subsequent seal and transection of porcine arteries with …

A Survey Of Lepidopteran Diversity And Abundance At Longwood University’S Lancer Park, Victoria Acosta, Sujan Henkanaththegedara

Victoria Acosta

Recent Diatoms Reported From The Central United States: Register Of Taxa And Synonyms, Mark E. Eberle

Mark E. Eberle

This list of diatoms summarizes information for more than 1000 taxa and synonyms reported in published accounts of collections made in the central United States, principally within the states of Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, but also including adjacent areas in eastern Colorado and western Missouri. The objective was to provide people working on diatom projects in this region with a base reference to help them assess the results of their research. Records from Master’s theses and references focused on fossil diatoms were not incorporated into this list. Specimens were not examined, so taxa presented here are those reported in the …

Freshwater Mussels Of Kansas: Register Of Taxa, Synonyms, And Assumed Misidentifications, Mark E. Eberle

Mark E. Eberle

The literature on freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Margaritiferidae and Unionidae) of Kansas includes a collection of names of species and subspecies that makes it difficult for even experienced malacologists to decipher which taxa actually were collected. Compounding this problem is the absence of voucher specimens for some of the studies conducted in the state. This list was compiled to aid those who are conducting research and want to assess their results with reference to the earlier accounts. The alphabetical list of valid taxa, synonyms, and assumed misidentifications of freshwater mussels of Kansas is drawn from the literature and not an examination …

Biology 141 Principles Of Biology I Fall 2015, David M. Wilson, Bryab Krall

David Wilson

No abstract provided.

Biology 141 Principles Of Biology I Spring 2015, Scott Siechen, David M. Wilson

David Wilson

No abstract provided.

The Genetic Architecture Of Fluctuating Asymmetry Of Mandible Size And Shape In A Population Of Mice: Another Look, James M. Cheverud, Larry J. Leamy, Christian Peter Klingenberg, Emma Sherratt, Jason B. Wolf

James Cheverud

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), typically measured by variation in the differences between right and left sides of bilateral traits, is commonly used to assess developmental instability (DI) in populations. A previous quantitative trait locus (QTL) investigation using an F2 intercross mouse population found little evidence of individual loci affecting FA in mandible size, but an abundance of epistatic interactions between loci. Here we extend this work by testing whether these patterns replicate in an F3 population derived from the same intercross. Using a large number of molecular markers genotyped in over 1200 mice, we uncovered significant interactions between loci (QTLs) affecting …

Using Whole-Genome Sequences Of The Lg/J And Sm/J Inbred Mouse Strains To Prioritize Quantitative Trait Genes And Nucleotides, Igor Nikolskiy, Donald F. Conrad, Sung Chun, Justin C. Fay, James M. Cheverud, Heather A. Lawson

James Cheverud

Background The laboratory mouse is the most commonly used model for studying variation in complex traits relevant to human disease. Here we present the whole-genome sequences of two inbred strains, LG/J and SM/J, which are frequently used to study variation in complex traits as diverse as aging, bone-growth, adiposity, maternal behavior, and methamphetamine sensitivity. Results We identified small nucleotide variants (SNVs) and structural variants (SVs) in the LG/J and SM/J strains relative to the reference genome and discovered novel variants in these two strains by comparing their sequences to other mouse genomes. We find that 39% of the LG/J and …

The Effect Of Dietary Fat Intake On Hepatic Gene Expression In Lg/J And Sm/J Mice, Charlyn G. Partridge, Gloria L. Fawcett, Bing Wang, Clay F. Semenkovich, James M. Cheverud

James Cheverud

Background The liver plays a major role in regulating metabolic homeostasis and is vital for nutrient metabolism. Identifying the genetic factors regulating these processes could lead to a greater understanding of how liver function responds to a high-fat diet and how that response may influence susceptibilities to obesity and metabolic syndrome. In this study we examine differences in hepatic gene expression between the LG/J and SM/J inbred mouse strains and how gene expression in these strains is affected by high-fat diet. LG/J and SM/J are known to differ in their responses to a high-fat diet for a variety of obesity- …