Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Three Yarrowia Lipolytica Strains For Lipase Production: Nbrc 1658, Ifo 1195, And A Local Strain, Özgür Kebabci, Ni̇lüfer Ci̇hangi̇r

Turkish Journal of Biology

Lipase production was examined with 3 strains of Yarrowia lipolytica: NBRC 1658, IFO 1195, and a local strain. All strains were obtained from Hacettepe University's Department of Food Engineering. The addition of nitrogen and carbon sources and the effects of initial pH and temperature parameters were studied. For all 3 strains, the growth temperature range was 20-40 °C, and maximum growth was determined at 30 °C. The initial pH range was 6-9 for growth and 3-6 for lipase production. Maximum growth results were detected as follows: Y. lipolytica NBRC 1658 at 30 °C and pH 8, Y. lipolytica IFO 1195 …

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Different Extracts From Three Salvia Species, Eli̇f Çadirci, Hali̇s Süleyman, Peri̇han Gürbüz, Ayşe Uz, Zühal Güvenalp, Lütfi̇ye Ömür Demi̇rezer

Turkish Journal of Biology

Salvia L. species have been used for the treatment of various inflammatory ailments in traditional medicine. In order to evaluate this ethnobotanical information, water, methanol, n-butanol, acetone, and chloroform extracts from 3 Salvia species (S. fruticosa, S. verticillata, and S. trichoclada) were screened for their anti-inflammatory activity using in vivo experimental models in rats. For this purpose a carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw edema model was used. All extracts demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities; however, n-butanol extract of Salvia fruticosa (syn. S. triloba), which is known as Turkish sage, was found to be the most active. It can be expected that the active flavonoids, …

Folk Medicines In The Villages Of Ilıca District (Erzurum, Turkey), Ufuk Özgen, Yusuf Kaya, Peter Houghton

Turkish Journal of Biology

The villages of Ilıca District in Erzurum Province, Turkey, were surveyed in terms of plants and animals used traditionally for medicinal purposes. Plants were compiled according to their families, botanical names, local names, usages, and applications. A total of 70 plant species belonging to 29 families are used by village people to treat a wide range of complaints, such as hemorrhoids, urinary system infections, stomach disorders, respiratory diseases, skin diseases, rheumatism, and jaundice. In addition, 3 animal species are used for the treatment of some diseases. The collected data were compared with those formerly recorded.

Coexistence Patterns Of Two Invasive Thistle Species, Carduus Nutans And C. Acanthoides, At Three Spatial Scales, Emily S.J. Rauschert, Katriona Shea, Ottar N. Bjørnstad

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

To better understand the competitive processes involved in invasion by congeners, we examine coexistence patterns of two invasive species, Carduus nutans and C. acanthoides, at three spatial scales. A roadside survey of 5 × 5 km blocks in a previously identified overlap zone provided information about the regional scale. At smaller scales, we surveyed four fields of natural co-occurrence, quantifying the spatial patterns at the field scale by randomly placed 1 × 1 m quadrats and at the smallest scale by detailing plant position within the quadrats. The patterns observed are strikingly different at the different scales. At the regional …

A Guide To Missouri's Freshwater Mussels, Stephen E. Mcmurray, J. Scott Faiman, Andy Roberts, Bryan Simmons, M. Christopher Barnhart

Faculty Books

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Fine-Scale Habitat Associations In Structuring Spider Assemblages: Determinants Of Spatial Patterns In Community Compostion, Stephanie M. Cobbold

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.

Livestock Foraging Behavior In Response To Sequence And Interactions Among Alkaloids, Tannins, And Saponins, Tiffany L. Jensen

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.

The Pentatomidae, Or Stink Bugs, Of Kansas With A Key To Species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), Richard J. Packauskas Ph.D.

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Forty eight species of Pentatomidae are listed as occurring in the state of Kansas, nine of these are new state records. A key to all species known from the state of Kansas is given, along with some notes on new state records.

Size Assortment In Mixed-Species Groups Of Juvenile-Phase Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iserti) In The Bahamas, Paul Switzer, Daniel Quinn

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Striped parrotfish (Scarus iserti) often form heterospecific groups with other reef fishes. In this study, we examined the species and body size composition of these groups on reefs in The Bahamas. Groups averaged approximately 4 S. iserti and 2 associated species, with surgeonfish (Acanthurus chirurgus and A. bahianus), slippery dick (Halichoeres bivittatus), and bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) as the most common associates. Fewer groups than expected had only 1 associate; groups with 3 or more associates were more common than expected. Both the S. iserti and associated species tended to be closely sizematched within a group, perhaps due to benefits …

A Functional Trait Perspective On Plant Invasion, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Brenda J. Grewell, Carla M. D'Antonio

Biology

Global environmental change will affect non-native plant invasions, with profound potential impacts on native plant populations, communities and ecosystems. In this context, we review plant functional traits, particularly those that drive invader abundance (invasiveness) and impacts, as well as the integration of these traitsacross multiple ecological scales, and as a basis for restoration and management.
We review the concepts and terminology surrounding functional traits and how functional traits influence processes at the individual level. We explore how phenotypic plasticity may lead to rapid evolution of novel traits facilitating invasiveness in changing environments and then oscale up' to evaluate the relative …

Determination Of Mutagenic Potencies Of Aqueous Extracts Of Thermopsis Turcica By Ames Test, Recep Li̇man, Yasi̇n Eren, Di̇lek Akyil, Muhsi̇n Konuk

Turkish Journal of Biology

Thermopsis turcica is an endemic species of Turkey popularly known as Eber Sarısı or Piyam; it is a member of the Thermopsis genus, which contains plants considered to be medicinal throughout the world. In this study, the mutagenic effect of aqueous extracts obtained from the leaves, root, stem, and flowers of T. turcica were evaluated by the Ames test, using Salmonella typhimurium TA97, TA98, TA100, and TA102 strains with and without an S9 activation system. The results obtained were analyzed statistically using SPSS for Windows, and the Mann-Whitney test was performed for comparisons. The results showed that all of the …

The Effects Of Seasonal Variation On The Fatty Acid Composition Of Total Lipid, Phospholipid, And Triacylglycerol In The Dorsal Muscle Of Capoeta Trutta Found In The Tigris River (Turkey), Eli̇f İpek Satar, Ersi̇n Uysal, Erhan Ünlü, Mehmet Başhan, Ali̇ Satar

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of seasonal variation on the fatty acid composition of total lipid, triacylglycerol, and phospholipid in the dorsal muscle of Capoeta trutta were assessed by gas chromatographic method. A total of 18 different fatty acids were determined in the composition of C. trutta. The variations in fatty acid composition of total lipid, triacylglycerol, and phospholipid were recorded throughout the seasons. The total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the most important groups of total lipid. Total saturated fatty acid (SFA) and total MUFA were seen to increase from spring to summer while total PUFA decreased …

Deep-Sea Origin And In-Situ Diversification Of Chrysogorgiid Octocorals, Catherine S. Mcfadden, Eric Pante, Scott C. France, Arnaud Couloux, Corinne Cruaud, Sarah Samadi, Les Watling

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

The diversity, ubiquity and prevalence in deep waters of the octocoral family Chrysogorgiidae Verrill, 1883 make it noteworthy as a model system to study radiation and diversification in the deep sea. Here we provide the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Chrysogorgiidae, and compare phylogeny and depth distribution. Phylogenetic relationships among 10 of 14 currently-described Chrysogorgiidae genera were inferred based on mitochondrial (mtMutS, cox1) and nuclear (18S) markers. Bathymetric distribution was estimated from multiple sources, including museum records, a literature review, and our own sampling records (985 stations, 2345 specimens). Genetic analyses suggest that the Chrysogorgiidae as currently described is …

Nef Functions In Blt Mice To Enhance Hiv-1 Replication And Deplete Cd4+Cd8+ Thymocytes, Wei Zou, Paul W. Denton, Richard L. Watkins, John F. Krisko, Tomonori Nochi, John L. Foster, J. Victor Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: The outcome of untreated HIV-1 infection is progression to AIDS and death in nearly all cases. Some important exceptions are the small number of patients infected with HIV-1 deleted for the accessory gene, nef. With these infections, disease progression is entirely suppressed or greatly delayed. Whether Nef is critical for high levels of replication or is directly cytotoxic remains controversial. The major problem in determining the role of Nef in HIV/AIDS has been the lack of tractable in vivo models where Nef’s complex pathogenic phenotype can be recapitulated.

Results: Intravenous inoculation (3000 to 600,000 TCIU) of BLT …

Phylogenetic Characterization, Antimicrobial Susceptibilities, And Mechanisms Of Resistance In Bacteria Isolates From A Poultry Waste-Polluted River, Southwestern Nigeria, Olawale Olufemi Adelowo, Obasola Ezekiel Fagade

Turkish Journal of Biology

Bacteria resistance to antibiotics has become a worldwide problem impacted partly by antibiotics use in livestock production. The present study investigated the pattern and mechanisms of resistance in 21 bacteria species isolated from a river used as a waste-dump by a poultry farm in Ogbomoso, southwestern Nigeria. Bacteria were isolated on nutrient agar supplemented with 50 µg/mL of tetracycline, their identities were determined by PCR amplification, and sequencing of their 16s rRNA genes and their susceptibility to 6 antimicrobials determined by broth dilution. The molecular basis of resistance among the isolates was also investigated by the PCR amplification of class …

It Isn't Always Sexy When Both Are Bright And Shiny: Considering Alternatives To Sexual Selection In Elaborate Monomorphic Species, K. A. Tarvin, Troy G. Murphy

Biology Faculty Research

Since the dawn of abstract thinking, humans have wondered about the seemingly unnecessary elaborate ornamentations of birds. Gaudy colours, cumbersome tails, complex vocalizations and bizarre displays are found in bird species from all corners of the globe. Darwin (1871) provided an elegant explanation for the existence of these non-utilitarian traits: they increase mating success, and although they may impair survival, the costs of producing and bearing elaborate ornaments can be repaid in the currency of additional offspring. Darwin’s model still serves as the foundation for our concept of sexual selection but great strides have been made in our understanding of …

Carotenoid-Based Ornaments Of Female And Male American Goldfinches (Spinus Tristis) Show Sex-Specific Correlations With Immune Function And Metabolic Rate, R. J. Kelly, Troy G. Murphy, K. A. Tarvin, G. Burness

Biology Faculty Research

Conspicuous ornamentation has been linked to immunological and physiological condition in males of many species. In species where both sexes are ornamented, it is unclear whether the signal content of ornaments differs between males and females. We examined the immunological and physiological correlates of carotenoid-based bill and plumage ornamentation in American goldfinches Spinus tristis, a species in which bright orange bills are sexually monomorphic but yellow plumage is sexually dimorphic during the breeding season. Because bill color is dynamic over short periods while plumage color is static over longer time frames, we tested whether these signals have the potential to …

Prey Responses To Predator Chemical Cues: Disentangling The Importance Of The Number And Biomass Of Prey Consumed, Michael W. Mccoy, Justin C. Touchon, Tobias Landberg, Karen M. Warkentin, James R. Vonesh

Biology Publications

To effectively balance investment in predator defenses versus other traits, organisms must accurately assess predation risk. Chemical cues caused by predation events are indicators of risk for prey in a wide variety of systems, but the relationship between how prey perceive risk in relation to the amount of prey consumed by predators is poorly understood. While per capita predation rate is often used as the metric of relative risk, studies aimed at quantifying predator-induced defenses commonly control biomass of prey consumed as the metric of risk. However, biomass consumed can change by altering either the number or size of prey …

Dopamine-Beta-Hydroxylase And Norepinephrine Transporter Immunoreactivity In Rat Taste Buds, Jenna Ashley Walton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Of the handful of neurotransmitters modulating taste response, norepinephrine (NE) may be the least understood. Although the physiological role of NE has been tested, it is still unclear whether the rat taste bud may serve as an endogenous source of neurotransmitter or if it must be taken up from outside the taste bud. Immunocytochemical analysis of DBH has shown that DBH–LIR is present in taste cells of the rat circumvallate papillae. Specifically, DBH–LIR is present in a subset of Type II taste cells. Nearly all (98%) DBH–LIR cells express PLCβ2–LIR, and about half (41%) of PLCβ2–LIR cells express DBH–LIR. DBH–LIR …

The Discovery Of Insulin: A Case Study Of Scientific Methodology, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

The nature of scientific research sometimes involves a trial-and-error procedure. Popular reviews of successful results from this approach often sanitize the story by omitting unsuccessful trials, thus painting the rosy impression that research simply follows a direct route from hypothesis to experiment to scientific discovery. The discovery of insulin is a classical case study in this genre that begs for an explanation to our students because it is so often ignored or misrepresented even in biology and physiology textbooks.

Acute Alcohol Ingestion And Sympathetic Neural Responses During Orthostatic Stress In Humans, Sarah F. Stream

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Acute alcohol consumption has been reported to decrease mean arterial pressure (MAP) during orthostatic challenge, a response that may contribute to alcohol-mediated hypotension and eventually syncope. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) increases during orthostatic stress to help maintain MAP, yet the influence of alcohol on MSNA during orthostatic stress has not been determined. We hypothesized that alcohol ingestion would blunt arterial blood pressure and MSNA responses to progressive lower body negative pressure (LBNP). MAP, MSNA, and heart rate (HR) were recorded during progressive LBNP (-5, -10, -15, -20, -30, and -40 mmHg; 3 min/stage) in 30 subjects(age 24 ± 1 …

Functional Analysis Of Rice Bidirectional Promoters, Surendar R. Dhadi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Bidirectional promoters regulate adjacent genes organized in a divergent fashion (head to head orientation). Several Reports pertaining to bidirectional promoters on a genomic scale exists in mammals. This work provides the essential background on theoretical and experimental work to carry out a genomic scale analysis of bidirectional promoters in plants.

A computational study was performed to identify putative bidirectional promoters and the over-represented cis-regulatory motifs from three sequenced plant genomes: rice (Oryza sativa), Arabidopsis thaliana, and Populus trichocarpa using the Plant Cis-acting Regulatory DNA Elements (PLACE) and PLANT CARE databases. Over-represented motifs along with their possible …

Current Methods For Detecting The Presence Of Botulinum Neurotoxins In Food And Other Biological Samples, Luisa W. Cheng, Kirkwood M. Land, L. H. Stanker

College of the Pacific Faculty Books and Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Changes In Seed Reserve Composition During Germination And Initial Seedling Development Of Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.), Muhammet Tonguç, Ruzi̇ye Elkoyunu, Sabri̇ Erbaş, Yaşar Karakurt

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study was carried out to determine the changes in some reserve molecules of safflower seeds during germination and early seedling growth. The seeds of 2 safflower cultivars were used as plant material (Dinçer 5-118 and Montola 2000). Seeds were germinated for 72 h and observations were taken every 12 h throughout the study. Changes in total oil content (%), total protein content (%), total soluble sugar contents (TSS, mg g^{-1}), and reducing sugar contents (RS, mg g^{-1}) were determined for each cultivar during germination and seedling growth. The oil content of the cultivars decreased from 54.7% and 57.4% …

Respiratory Evaporative Water Loss During Hovering And Forward Flight In Hummingbirds, Donald R. Powers, Philip W. Getsinger, Bret W. Tobalske, Susan M. Wethington, Sean D. Powers, Douglas R. Warrick

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Hummingbirds represent an end point for small body size and water flux in vertebrates. We explored the role evaporative water loss (EWL) plays in management of their large water pool and its use in dissipating metabolic heat. We measured respiratory evaporative water loss (REWL) in hovering hummingbirds in the field (6 species) and over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel (1 species) using an open-circuit mask respirometry system. Hovering REWL during the active period was positively correlated with operative temperature (Te) likely due to some combination of an increase in the vapor-pressure deficit, increase in lung ventilation rate, …

Effects Of An Invasive Plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera), On Development And Survival Of Anuran Larvae, Taylor B. Cotten, Matthew Kwiatkowski, Daniel Saenz, Michael Collyer

Faculty Publications

Amphibians are considered one of the most threatened vertebrate groups. Although numerous studies have addressed the many causes of amphibian population decline, little is known about effects of invasive plants. Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) is an exotic deciduous tree that has invaded the southeastern United States. Amphibian larvae in environments invaded by T. sebifera may be impacted negatively as autumn leaf litter decomposes in natal areas. We compared effects of leaf litter decomposition from T. sebifera and two native tree species on survival and development of four species of anuran larvae from eastern Texas. Larvae from Pseudacris fouquettei, Lithobates (Rana) …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Poplar Propolis On Mutans Streptococci And Caries Development In Rats, Soley Arslan, Si̇bel Si̇li̇ci̇, Duygu Perçi̇n, Ayşe Nedret Koç, Özgür Er

Turkish Journal of Biology

The influence of the different extracts of propolis and chlorhexidine on mutans streptococci and the development of dental caries in rats was examined in this study. Specifically, the antimicrobial effects of propolis extracts (including ethanol, methanol, chloroform, hexane, propylene glycol, and ethyl acetate) on Streptococcus mutans UA159 and Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 were studied. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration were determined using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards broth macrodilution method. In the animal study, the rats were infected with S. sobrinus and fed a cariogenic diet. They were treated topically twice a day with both ethanol extract …

Receptor Chimeras Demonstrate That The C-Terminal Domain Of The Human Cytomegalovirus Us27 Gene Product Is Necessary And Sufficient For Intracellular Receptor Localization, Lance K. Stapleton, Kathleen L. Arnolds, Angela P. Lares, Tori M. Devito, Juliet V. Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is ubiquitous in the population but generally causes only mild or asymptomatic infection except in immune suppressed individuals. HCMV employs numerous strategies for manipulating infected cells, including mimicry of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The HCMV US27 gene product is a putative GPCR, yet no ligand or signaling has been identified for this receptor. In the present study, immunofluorescence microscopy was used to examine the cellular distribution of wild type US27, as well as US27 deletion mutants and chimeric receptors.

Results

In transiently transfected cells, wild type US27 was found primarily in intracellular compartments, in striking contrast …

Nutraceutical Antioxidants And Their Therapeutic Potential In Neurodegeneration, Erika Kristine Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neuromuscular disease that affects motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord. Many studies indicate that mitochondrial oxidative stress (MOS) is a principal mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of this and other devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we investigated a unique whey protein supplement (Immunocal®) to determine its neuroprotective efficacy in several in vitro models of MOS and in an in vivo mouse model of ALS. This non-denatured whey supplement contains cystine which is an oxidized form of cysteine, an essential precursor for synthesis of the endogenous antioxidant, glutathione (GSH). In primary cultured rat cerebellar …

An At Mutational Bias In The Tiny Gc-Rich Endosymbiont Genome Of Hodgkinia, James T. Van Leuven, John Mccutcheon

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The fractional guanine + cytosine (GC) contents of sequenced bacterial genomes range from 13% to 75%. Despite several decades of research aimed at understanding this wide variation, the forces controlling GC content are not well understood. Recent work has suggested that a universal adenine + thymine (AT) mutational bias exists in all bacteria and that the elevated GC contents found in some bacterial genomes is due to genome-wide selection for increased GC content. These results are generally consistent with the low GC contents observed in most strict endosymbiotic bacterial genomes, where the loss of DNA repair mechanisms combined with the …