Biology Commons^™

Co-Encapsulation Of Gallium With Gentamicin In Liposomes Enhances Antimicrobial Activity Of Gentamicin Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Majed Halwani, B. Yebio, Zacharias E. Suntres, M. Alipour, Ali Azghani, A. Omri

Ali Azghani

Distribution Patterns Of Sciurus Niger (Eastern Fox Squirrel) Leaf Nests Within Woodlots Across A Suburban/Urban Landscape, Carmen M. Salsbury

Carmen M. Salsbury

To determine habitat characteristics that influence Sciurus niger (Eastern Fox Squirrel) abundance and distribution within a suburban/urban landscape in the midwestern United States, I documented the density and placement of fox squirrel leaf nests in 20 woodlots in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Marion County, IN. The woodlots varied in size (0.94 to 19.5 ha), approximate age, shape, and degree of isolation from other woodlots and suitable squirrel habitat in the surrounding area. Only 8.0% of nests were located in a tree with another nest, and nests were randomly distributed in all but one woodlot, where they were uniformly dispersed. Nest …

Two Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor Kinases Mediate Signaling, Linking Cell Wall Biosynthesis And Acc Synthase In Arabidopsis, Shou-Ling Xu, Abidur Rahman, Tobias Baskin, Joseph J. Kieber

Tobias Baskin

The plant cell wall is a dynamic structure that changes in response to developmental and environmental cues through poorly understood signaling pathways. We identified two Leu-rich repeat receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis thaliana that play a role in regulating cell wall function. Mutations in these FEI1 and FEI2 genes (named for the Chinese word for fat) disrupt anisotropic expansion and the synthesis of cell wall polymers and act additively with inhibitors or mutations disrupting cellulose biosynthesis. While FEI1 is an active protein kinase, a kinase-inactive version of FEI1 was able to fully complement the fei1 fei2 mutant. The expansion defect in …

Effect Of Post Composting On Vermicompost Of Spent Mushroom Substrate, Adi Ainurzaman Jamaludin, Noor Zalina Mahmood

Adi Ainurzaman Jamaludin

By using Lumbricus rubellus, vermicomposting started after 3 weeks of pre composting. Five treatments in different ratio of cow dung : spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 80:20 (T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 7 weeks of vermicomposting, macronutrient elements of vermicompost produced were measured and the process continues with composting when all the earthworms were taken out from the treatments. Macronutrient elements of compost produced were also measured after 20 weeks of composting. The data reveals that 7 weeks for vermicomposting of cow dung and …

Reflections On Recycling, Pollution And History Or, How To Beat The High Cost Of Living, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

Lessons learned during the Great Depression and World War II may have to be relearned. The three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) were essential then to individual and national survival. A fourth R, repair, was practised as well. These lessons, if relearned, will stand us in good stead when dealing with the current economic climate as well as with problems of pollution and global warming.

Intercourse Between Cell Wall And Cytoplasm Exemplified By Arabinogalactan Proteins And Cortical Microtubules, Azeddine Driouich, Tobias Baskin

Tobias Baskin

How does a plant cell sense and respond to the status of its cell wall? Intercourse between cell wall and cytoplasm has long been supposed to involve arabinogalactan proteins, in part because many of them are anchored to the plasma membrane. Disrupting arabinogalactan proteins has recently been shown to disrupt the array of cortical microtubules present just inside the plasma membrane, implying that microtubules and arabinogalactan proteins interact. In this article, we assess possibilities for how this interaction might be mediated. First, we consider microdomains in the plasma membrane (lipid rafts), which have been alleged to link internal and external …

Demographic Parameters Of Yellowfin Croaker, Umbrina Roncador (Perciformes: Sciaenidae), From The Southern California Bight, Daniel Pondella, John Froeschke, Lynne Wetmore, Eric Miller, Charles Valle, Lea Medeiros

Daniel Pondella

The yellowfin croaker, Umbrina roncador Jordan & Gilbert, 1882, is a common nearshore and surf-zone species in the southern California bight. Age was determined for individuals (n = 1,209) using annual increments in otoliths, and size at age was modeled using the von Bertalanffy growth curve (L∞ = 307.754 mm, k = 0.278 yr−1, t0 = −0.995 yr; maximum age = 15 yr). Females (L∞= 313.173 mm, k = 0.307 yr−1, t0 = −0.771 yr) grew significantly faster and larger than males (L∞= 298.886, k = 0.269 yr−1, t0 = −1.072 yr). Age and growth modeling based upon otolith length …

Quorum-Sensing Signals In The Microbial Community Of The Cabbage White Butterfly Larval Midgut, Bradley R. Borlee, Grant D. Geske, Courtney Jaime Robinson, Helen E. Blackwell, Jo Handelsman

Courtney Robinson

A Darwinist View Of The Living Constitution, Scott Dodson

Scott Dodson

The metaphor of a “living" Constitution imports terms from biology into law and, in the process, relies on biology for its meaning. A proper understanding of biology is therefore central to understanding living constitutionalism. Yet despite its rampant use by both opponents and proponents of living constitutionalism, and despite the current fervent debate over whether biology can be useful to the law, no one has evaluated the metaphor from a biological perspective.

This Essay begins that inquiry in an interdisciplinary study of law, science, and philology. The Essay first evaluates the metaphor as it is currently used and concludes that …

Causes Of Mortality Of Wild Birds Submitted To The Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador From 2002-2004, Patricia Parker, Nicole L. Gottdenker, Timothy Walsh, Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, Franklin Betancourt, Marilyn Cruz, Catherine Soos, R. Eric Miller

Patricia Parker

Graded Hedgehog And Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling Independently Regulate Pituitary Cell Fates And Help Establish The Pars Distalis And Pars Intermedia Of The Zebrafish Adenohypophysis, Burcu Guner, A. Tuba Ozacar, Jeanne E. Thomas, Rolf O. Karlstrom

Rolf O Karlstrom

The vertebrate adenohypophysis forms as a placode at the anterior margin of the neural plate, requiring both hedgehog (Hh) and fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) mediated cell-cell signaling for induction and survival of endocrine cell types. Using small molecule inhibitors to modulate signaling levels during zebrafish development we show that graded Hh and Fgf signaling independently help establish the two subdomains of the adenohypophysis, the anteriorly located pars distalis (PD) and the posterior pars intermedia (PI). High levels of Hh signaling are required for formation of the PD and differentiation of anterior endocrine cell types, whereas lower levels of Hh signaling …

Soluble Factors From Plasmodium Falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes Induce Apoptosis In Human Brain Vascular Endothelial And Neuroglia Cells, Winston A. Anderson

Winston Anderson

Impact Of Apoe Deficiency During Synaptic Remodeling In The Mouse Olfactory Bulb, Ikemefuna Nwosu, Salina Gairhe, Robert G. Struble, Britto P. Nathan

Britto P. Nathan

In this study we examined the role of apoE on the rate of synaptic recovery in the olfactory bulb (OB) following olfactory epithelium (OE) lesioning in mice. We used both immunoblotting and immunohistochemical techniques to compare the density of OB synaptophysin (Syn, a synaptic marker) in apoE-gene deficient/knockout (KO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice following OE lesion. We found that the whole bulb concentrations of Syn, measured by immunoblotting, declined sharply following injury in both WT and KO mice during the degenerative phase (3–7 days). After this initial decline, the Syn concentration gradually increased to normal levels by 56 days …

Biocidal Performance Of Acrylated Glyphosate In A Model Photopolymerizable Coating Formulation, Victoria Piunova, Daniel Berger, Douglas C. Neckers, George Bullerjahn, R. Michael Mckay, Andrei V. Federov

George Bullerjahn

Acrylated glyphosate was blended into a model polyolacrylate formulation and copolymerized. The resulting copolymer retains herbicidal activity similar to that of the monomer as indicated by the results of biological tests. No release of biocide from the coating was observed. The potential value of these biologically active acrylic formulations as biofouling compositions has been demonstrated by field trials.

Biocidal Performance Of Acrylated Glyphosate In A Model Photopolymerizable Coating Formulation, Victoria Piunova, Daniel Berger, Douglas C. Neckers, George S. Bullerjahn, Robert Michael Mckay, Andrei V. Federov

Robert Michael McKay

Acrylated glyphosate was blended into a model polyolacrylate formulation and copolymerized. The resulting copolymer retains herbicidal activity similar to that of the monomer as indicated by the results of biological tests. No release of biocide from the coating was observed. The potential value of these biologically active acrylic formulations as biofouling compositions has been demonstrated by field trials.

Structure Of A Signal Transduction Regulator, Rack1, From Arabidopsis Thaliana, Hemayet Ullah

Hemayet Ullah

Unraveling Protein Networks With Power Graph Analysis, Loïc Royer, Matthias Reimann, Bill Andreopoulos, Michael Schroeder

William B. Andreopoulos

African Genetic Diversity: Implications For Human Demographic History, Modern Human Origins, And Complex Disease Mapping, Michael C. Campbell, Sarah A. Tishkoff

Michael C. Campbell

Hydrodynamic Performance Of The Minke Whale (Balaenoptera Acutorostrata) Flipper, L N. Cooper, N Sedano, S Johansson, B May, J D. Brown, C M. Holliday, B W. Kot, Frank E. Fish

Frank E. Fish

Minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata) are the smallest member of balaenopterid whales and little is known of their kinematics during feeding maneuvers. These whales have narrow and elongated flippers that are small relative to body size compared to related species such as right and gray whales. No experimental studies have addressed the hydrodynamic properties of minke whale flippers and their functional role during feeding maneuvers. This study integrated wind tunnel, locomotion and anatomical range of motion data to identify functional parameters of the cambered minke whale flipper. A full-sized cast of a minke whale flipper was used in wind tunnel …

Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats (Tadarida Brasiliensis) As Insect Pest Regulators In Transgenic And Conventional Cotton Crops, P. Federocp, T. G. Hallam, Gary F. Mccracken, S. T. Purucker, W. E. Grant, A. N. Correa-Sandoval, J. K. Westbrook, R. A. Medellin, C. J. Cleveland, C. G. Sansone, J. D. Lopez Jr., M. Betke, A. Moreno-Valdez, T. H. Kunz

Gary F. McCracken

During the past 12 000 years agricultural systems have transitioned from natural habitats to conventional agricultural regions and recently to large areas of genetically engineered (GE) croplands. This GE revolution occurred for cotton in a span of slightly more than a decade during which a switch occurred in major cotton production areas from growing 100% conventional cotton to an environment in which 95% transgenics are grown. Ecological interactions between GE targeted insects and other insectivorous insects have been investigated. However, the relationships between ecological functions (such as herbivory and ecosystem transport) and agronomic benefits of avian or mammalian insectivores in …

Rules Of Engagement: Interspecies Interactions That Regulate Microbial Communities, Ainslie Little, Courtney Jaime Robinson, S Brook Peterson, Kenneth F. Raffa, Jo Handelsman

Courtney Robinson

Dna Inside, Lori B. Andrews

Lori B. Andrews

Psf2 Plays Important Roles In Normal Eye Development In Xenopus Laevis, Brian Walter, Kimberly Perry, Lisa Fukui, Erica Malloch, Jason Weaver, Jonathan Henry

Brian Walter

No abstract provided.

Writing Research Proposal: Literature Review And Database Search, Mamoudou H. Dicko Prof.

Pr. Mamoudou H. DICKO, PhD

Life On The Edge: Morphological And Behavioral Adaptations For Survival On Wave-Swept Shores, Luke P. Miller

Luke P. Miller

Wave-swept rocky shores serve as a home to a great diversity of organisms and are some of the most biologically productive habitats on earth. This burgeoning community exists in spite of the fact that the zone between the high and low tide marks can be one of the most physically harsh environments on earth. Large forces imposed by breaking waves and wide swings in temperature require the organisms living on rocky shores to adapt to a constantly changing environment or risk extirpation by physical forces. I have explored a number of hypothesized adaptations for survival on rocky shores and discuss …

Short Report: Detection Of Plasmodium Falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein Ii In Saliva Of Malaria Patients, Nana Wilson, Andrew A. Adjei, Winston A. Anderson, Stella Baidoo, Jonathan K. Stiles

Winston Anderson

An Allometric Scaling Law For Understanding Mammalian Sleep, Ji-Huan He

Ji-Huan He

An allometric scaling law is established for explaining sleep time per day which scales with brain mass. The theoretical prediction agrees well with Savage and West’s experimental data.

Why Are Incubation Periods Longer In The Tropics? A Common-Garden Experiment With House Wrens Reveals It Is All In The Egg, Given Harper, W. Douglas Robinson, John D. Styrsky, Brian J. Payne, Charles F. Thompson

Given Harper

Anisotropic Contraction In Forisomes: Simple Models Won't Fit, Winfried Peters, Michael Knoblauch, Stephen Warmann, William Pickard, Amy Shen

Winfried S. Peters

Development Of Genetic And Genomic Research Resources For Brachypodium Distachyon, A New Model System For Grass Crop Research, David F. Garvin, Yonb-Qiang Gu, Robert Hasterok, Samuel P. Hazen, Glyn Jenkins, Todd C. Mockler, Luis A J Mur, John P. Vogel

Samuel P Hazen

Grass crop genomics research frequently is hindered by large genome sizes and polyploidy. While rice is an attractive system for grass genomics due to its small genome size and available genome sequence, it is not particularly well-suited as a robust model system for all grass crops. The wild grass species Brachypodium distachyon (L.) P. Beauv. (Brachypodium) has recently gained favor as a new model system for grass crop genomics research because it possesses a suite of biological traits desired in a model system. Further, it is more closely related to the large and diverse group of cool season grass crops …