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Mechanisms Underlying Weight Loss And Metabolic Improvements In Rodent Models Of Bariatric Surgery, Deanna M. Arble, Darleen A. Sandoval, Randy J. Seeley

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Obesity is a growing health risk with few successful treatment options and fewer still that target both obesity and obesity-associated comorbidities. Despite ongoing scientific efforts, the most effective treatment option to date was not developed from basic research but by surgeons observing outcomes in the clinic. Bariatric surgery is the most successful treatment for significant weight loss, resolution of type 2 diabetes and the prevention of future weight gain. Recent work with animal models has shed considerable light on the molecular underpinnings of the potent effects of these ‘metabolic’ surgical procedures. Here we review data from animal models and how …

Functional Characterization Of The Plant 15-Cis-Zeta-Carotene Isomerase Z-Iso, Jesus Alonso Beltran Zambrano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Vitamin A deficiency is a widespread health issue in the tropics. To solve this issue, efforts are underway to increase provitamin A carotenoids such as β-carotene in staple crops which can be achieved by breeding, metabolic engineering or a combination of both approaches. However, rational strategies to improve carotenoid content in crops require sufficient knowledge of pathway regulation. Therefore, to better understand how plants synthesize provitamin A and to guide metabolic engineering strategies in crops such as maize, the functional characterization of the new ζ-carotene isomerase (Z-ISO) is of significant importance.

Z-ISO was recently discovered in maize and Arabidopsis (Chen …

In Situ Nitrogen Mineralization, Nitrification, And Ammonia Volatilization In Maize Field Fertilized With Urea In Huanghuaihai Region Of Northern China, Xuelin Zhang, Qun Wang, Jun Xu, Frank S. Gilliam, Nicolas Tremblay, Chaohai Li

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Nitrogen (N) fertilization potentially affects soil N mineralization and leaching, and can enhance NH₃ volatilization, thus impacting crop production. A fertilizer experiment with five levels of N addition (0, 79, 147, 215 and 375 kg N ha^-1) was performed in 2009 and 2010 in a maize field in Huanghuaihai region, China, where > 300 kg N ha^-1 has been routinely applied to soil during maize growth period of 120 days. Responses of net N mineralization, inorganic N flux (0–10cm), NH₃ volatilization, and maize yield to N fertilization were measured. During the growth period, net N mineralization …

Trehalose Is A Chemical Attractant In The Establishment Of Coral Symbiosis, M. Hagedorn, V. Carter, N. Zuchowicz, M. Phillips, C. Penfield, B. Shamenek, Elizabeth A. Vallen, F. W. Kleinhans, K. Peterson, M. White, P. H. Yancey

Biology Faculty Works

Coral reefs have evolved with a crucial symbiosis between photosynthetic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) and their cnidarian hosts (Scleractinians). Most coral larvae take up Symbiodinium from their environment; however, the earliest steps in this process have been elusive. Here we demonstrate that the disaccharide trehalose may be an important signal from the symbiont to potential larval hosts. Symbiodinium freshly isolated from Fungia scutaria corals constantly released trehalose (but not sucrose, maltose or glucose) into seawater, and released glycerol only in the presence of coral tissue. Spawning Fungia adults increased symbiont number in their immediate area by excreting pellets of Symbiodinium, and …

The Body Size Dependence Of Trophic Cascades, John Delong, Benjamin Gilbert, Jonathan B. Shurin, Van M. Savage, Brandon T. Barton, Christopher F. Clements, Anthony I. Dell, Hamish S. Greig, Christopher D.G. Harley, Pavel Kratina, Kevin S. Mccann, Tyler D. Tunney, David A. Vasseur, Mary I. O’Connor

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Trophic cascades are indirect positive effects of predators on resources via control of intermediate consumers. Larger-bodied predators appear to induce stronger trophic cascades (a greater rebound of resource density toward carrying capacity), but how this happens is unknown because we lack a clear depiction of how the strength of trophic cascades is determined. Using consumer-resource models, we first show that the strength of a trophic cascade has an upper limit set by the interaction strength between the basal trophic group and its consumer and that this limit is approached as the interaction strength between the consumer and its predator increases. …

Recent Origin Of Low Trabecular Bone Density In Modern Humans, Habiba Chirchir Phd, Tracy L. Kivell, Christopher B. Ruff, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Kristian J. Carlson, Bernhard Zipfel, Brian G. Richmond

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Humans are unique, compared with our closest living relatives (chimpanzees) and early fossil hominins, in having an enlarged body size and lower limb joint surfaces in combination with a relatively gracile skeleton (i.e., lower bone mass for our body size). Some analyses have observed that in at least a few anatomical regions modern humans today appear to have relatively low trabecular density, but little is known about how that density varies throughout the human skeleton and across species or how and when the present trabecular patterns emerged over the course of human evolution. Here, we test the hypotheses that (i) …

Machilus Thunbergii Extract Inhibits Inflammatory Response Inlipopolysaccharide-Induced Raw264.7 Murine Macrophages Viasuppression Of Nf-$\Kappa$B And P38 Mapk Activation, Shu-Ju Wu, Wen-Bin Len, Chien-Yi Huang, Chian-Jiun Liou, Wen-Chung Huang, Chwan-Fwu Lin

Turkish Journal of Biology

Machilus thunbergii Sieb. and Zucc. (Lauraceae) is a medicinal plant used to treat edema and pain in China and Taiwan. The anti-inflammatory effects of M. thunbergii were not clear. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of M. thunbergii extract in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The cells were pretreated with various doses (12.5 μg/mL-100 μg/mL) of M. thunbergii extract and activated with LPS. We found that 25 μg/mL M. thunbergii extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, as well as levels of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor …

Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate Applications On Ht-29 And Mcf-7 Cell Lines Andevaluation Of Tumor Suppressor Gene Methylation, Yunus Kasim Terzi̇, Özge Özer Kaya, Özlem Darcansoy İşeri̇, Zerri̇n Çeli̇k, Feri̇de İffet Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Eukaryotic Expression, Purification, Identification, And Tissuedistribution Of Porcine Pid1, Xiaoling Chen, Huan Wang, Bo Zhou, Zhiqing Huang, Gang Jia, Guangmang Liu, Hua Zhao

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Mart Gene On Biofilm Production Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Burcu Yener İlçe, Nefi̇se Akçeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Western-Style Diet High In Cholesterol And Saturated Faton The Rabbit Exocrine Pancreas, María Alba Martínez Burgos, Maria Dolores Yago Torregrosa, Maria Dolores Mesa García, Maria Belen López Millán, Jesús Alcalá Bejarano Carrillo, Ana Rivas Velasco, Ángel Gil Hernández, Mariano Mañas Almendros, Emilio Martínez De Victoria Muñoz

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Development Of Therapeutic Proteins: Advances And Challenges, Muhammad Sajid Hamid Akash, Kanwal Rehman, Muhammad Tariq, Shuqing Chen

Turkish Journal of Biology

Therapeutic proteins have shown to be effective against a variety of diseases. Pharmaceutical companies are progressively focusing on research using proteins in search of novel effective therapeutics. The significant attention by researchers has resulted in considerable advances in the production and usage of therapeutic proteins in recent years. In the current study we focused on the understanding of therapeutic proteins and their impact on the human health care system. Advancements in the field of biotechnology have increased and facilitated the production of therapeutically significant proteins to combat various fatal diseases. Although protein-based therapeutics have taken center stage in drug discovery …

Aspects Of Mycorrhizal Colonization In Adaptation Of Sweet Marjoram (Origanum Majorana L.) Grown On Industrially Polluted Soil, Marieta Hristozkova, Maria Geneva, Ira Stancheva, Madlen Boychinova, Efrosina Djonova

Turkish Journal of Biology

The current study reveals the effects of mycorrhization on heavy metal uptake and accumulation, antioxidant potential, and essential oil composition of Origanum majorana L., grown on soil polluted with industrial Cd and Pb. Two strains of Claroideoglomus claroideum (EEZ 54 and EEZ 55) were isolated from soil that is naturally rich in metals. EEZ 35 (Funneliformis mosseae) was isolated from a place with industrial contamination. The percentage of mycorrhizal colonization with the EEZ 54 strain was higher than those of the other strains; there was no significant difference between EEZ 55 and EEZ 35. The highest value of the total …

Influence Of Carbon Sources On Growth And Gc-Ms Based Metabolite Profiling Of Arnica Montana L. Hairy Roots, Maria Petrova, Ely Zayova, Ivayla Dincheva, Ilian Badjakov, Mariana Vlahova

Turkish Journal of Biology

Arnica montana L. (Asteraceae) is an economically important herb that contains numerous valuable biologically active compounds accumulated in various parts of the plant. The effects of carbon sources (sucrose, maltose, and glucose) at different concentrations (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) on growth were studied and GC-MS based metabolite profiling of A. montana hairy roots was conducted. The optimal growth and biomass accumulation of transformed roots were observed on an MS nutrient medium containing 3% or 5% sucrose. GC-MS analysis of hairy roots of A. montana showed the presence of 48 compounds in polar fractions and 22 compounds in apolar …

Effects Of Turkish Propolis Extract On Secretion Of Polymorphonuclear Elastase Following Respiratory Burst, Yaşam Barlak, Orhan Değer, Meltem Uçar, Tuğba Ni̇gar Çakiroğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

Propolis is a natural, resinous, hive product with various bioactive properties. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) use both oxygen-dependent (respiratory burst) and oxygen-independent mechanisms (releasing proteolytic enzymes such as elastase) to destroy infectious agents. The in vitro effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extract of Turkish propolis on the secretion of PMN elastase from PMNLs following respiratory burst was studied. Phorbol myristate acetate was used to stimulate respiratory burst. The Flow Cytometric CellProbe Oxidative Burst Test was used to determinate if respiratory burst occurred or not and what its severity was after a 4 h incubation with propolis extracts (0 mg/mL, 0.625 mg/mL, …

Ultrastructural Effects Of Lead Acetate On The Spleen Of Rats, Mesure Türkay, Hüseyi̇n Türker, Turan Güven

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this experiment, the ultrastructural effects of orally administered lead acetate on rat (Rattus rattus) spleen were studied. Rats weighing approximately 200-250 g were used in this experiment. They were divided into five groups, each one including five rats. Group I served as the normal control group while the others served as the experimental groups. The rats were exposed to oral administrations of lead acetate of 2.5 mg dissolved in 1 mL of drinking water per day. The administration lasted 96, 144, 336, and 432 h. The animals were anesthetized using chloroform inhalation and the peritoneum was stripped open and …

Phytofabrication Of Biomolecule-Coated Metallic Silver Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extracts Of In Vitro-Raised Bamboo Species And Its Anticancer Activity Against Human Pc3 Cell Lines, Kalamegam Kalaiarasi, Govindaraj Prasannaraj, Shivendra Vikram Sahi, Perumal Venkatachalam

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study describes the biosynthesis of metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from silver ions using in vitro-grown leaf samples of Bambusa arundinacea (Ba) and Bambusa nutans (Bn) and their anticancer activity against human prostatic cancer cell lines (PC3). The metallic AgNPs were synthesized at room temperature by treating the leaf extracts of Bambusa arundinacea and Bambusa nutans with 2 mM silver nitrate using the boiled method. The characterization of synthesized BaAgNPs and BnAgNPs was performed using UV-Vis spectrum (absorption peak at 365 nm), FTIR, TEM (spherical shape), SEM (size of 30-90 nm), and EDX analysis. Cell viability assays were carried …

An Improved Pvs2 Cryopreservation Technique For Ascocenda Wangsa Gold Orchid Using Protocorm-Like Bodies, Arulvilee Rajasegar, Asyraf Mansor, Ranjetta Poobathy, Elayabalan Sivalingam, Uma Rani Sinniah, Sreeramanan Subramaniam

Turkish Journal of Biology

Ascocenda Wangsa Gold is a new and fascinating orchid hybrid in the Malaysian flower industry. An efficient plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) cryopreservation technique was developed for protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) of Ascocenda Wangsa Gold orchid. Parameters assessed included the effect of PVS2 exposure periods, thawing duration, temperature, and culture conditions based on 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride absorbance readings and regrowth rates. A regrowth rate of 33.3% was obtained after 2 months when the PLBs were dehydrated in PVS2 for 30 min. The growth rate was improved to 47% when thawing was conducted at 45 °C for 85 s. The highest growth rate …

Enhancing The Expression Of Aspergillus Niger Ss-Mannanase In Pichia Pastoris By Coexpression Of Protein Disulfide Isomerase, Xiaoling Chen, Bo Zhou, Meng Xu, Zhiqing Huang, Gang Jia, Jiayun Qiao, Guangmang Liu

Turkish Journal of Biology

A gene encoding ß-mannanase from Aspergillus niger GIM3.452 was amplified and inserted into a pPIC9K vector. The resulting recombinant plasmid, pPIC9K-MAN, was transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115. One strain (GSKM-1) having the highest ß-mannanase activity of 26.6 U/mL was obtained. In order to increase the secretion of ß-mannanase in P. pastoris, we constructed a double recombinant yeast and made it coexpress protein disulfide isomerase. One strain (GSKZ\alphaM2) with the highest ß-mannanase activity of 40 U/mL was then obtained and used to optimize expression conditions. When the GSKZ\alphaM2 strain was induced under the optimized conditions (methanol concentration 1.5%, induction time 7 …

Artichoke Compound Cynarin Differentially Affects The Survival, Growth, And Stress Response Of Normal, Immortalized, And Cancerous Human Cells, Ceren Gezer, Sevi̇nç Yücecan, Suresh Inder Singh Rattan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Cynarin (CYN) is the main derivative of caffeoylquinic acid, found in leaves and heads of artichoke. It may have hepatoprotective, antiatherosclerotic, antioxidative, choleretic, and cholesterol-lowering effects. We tested the effects of various doses of CYN on the proliferative potential, survival, morphology, and stress response (SR) markers heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) in normal human skin fibroblasts (FSF-1), telomerase-immortalized mesenchymal stem cells (hTERT-MSC), and cervical cancer cells (HeLa). The effects of CYN on cell proliferation and morphology were dose- and cell type-dependent, with 500 µM CYN as the upper limit for all cell types. While the growth and …

Estradiol Receptors Mediate Estradiol-Induced Inhibition Of Mitochondrialca^{2+} Efflux In Rat Caudate Nucleus And Brain Stem, Snjezana Petrovic, Maja Milosevic, Danijela Ristic-Medic, Natasa Velickovic, Dunja Drakulic, Ivana Grkovic, Anica Horvat

Turkish Journal of Biology

Our earlier studies found that in vitro estradiol modulates mitochondrial Ca2+ transport in discrete brain regions. The present study examined the role of estradiol receptors (ERs) in estradiol-induced inhibition of Ca^{2+} efflux from synaptosomal mitochondria isolated from rat caudate nuclei and brain stems. Radioactively labeled CaCl_2 (0.6?0.75 µCi ^45CaCl_{2}) was used for Ca^{2+} transport monitoring. The results revealed that in the presence of ER antagonist 7\alpha,17ß-[9[(4,4,5,5,5-pentafluoropentyl)sulfinyl]nonyl]estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17-diol (ICI 182,780) (1 µmol/L), the inhibitory effect of estradiol on mitochondrial Ca^{2+} efflux was more than 60% decreased, suggesting the involvement of ER in this mode of estradiol neuromodulatory action. When particular contributions of …

Prokaryotic Expression, Purification, Polyclonal Antibody Preparation, And Tissue Distribution Of Porcine Six1, Meng Xu, Xiaoling Chen, Zhiqing Huang, Wanxue Wen, Shuai Chang, Xiaoyan Wang, Daiwen Chen, Bing Yu, Junqiu Luo, Guangmang Liu

Turkish Journal of Biology

Sine oculis homeobox 1 (Six1), a member of the Six homeoproteins, plays an important role in skeletal myogenesis and the specification of myofiber diversity. In this study, in order to scale up the production of recombinant porcine Six1 (pSix1), a pET-30a(+)-pSix1 plasmid was constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant pSix1 could be induced for efficient expression with 2 mM IPTG for 2 h at 30 °C, yielding approximately 4.6 mg/L. The protein was then purified and identified by western blot, and it was used for preparing its polyclonal antibody. The recombinant pSix1 was tagged with a …

Heterologous Expression And Purification Of Porcine Fat Mass Andobesity-Associated Gene In Escherichia Coli, Bo Zhou, Xiaoling Chen, Zhiqing Huang, Gang Jia, Guangmang Liu

Turkish Journal of Biology

A porcine fat mass and obesity-associated gene (pFTO) was cloned into the expression vector pET30a(+) and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The effects of isopropyl ß-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) concentration and induction time on the expression of recombinant pFTO were assessed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the molecular mass of the recombinant pFTO protein was about 56 kDa, and the recombinant protein could be induced efficiently in E. coli BL21 by the addition of 0.75 mM IPTG for 4 h at 30 °C. The recombinant pFTO fusion protein was purified using Ni-IDA affinity chromatography with a yield of about 1.8 …

Marker-Assisted Selection For Rice Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata Lugens)Resistance Using Linked Ssr Markers, Mahmoodreza Shabanimofrad, Mohd Rafii Yusop, Sadegh Ashkani, Mohamed Hanafi Musa, Nur Azura Adam, Iffah Haifa, Abdul Rahim Harun, Mohammad Abdul Latif

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Animal Nutrition, Diet Prep, And Feedings At Willow Park Zoo, Erica Brothersen

Biology Posters

No abstract provided.

Developmental Ethanol Exposure Leads To Dysregulation Of Lipid Metabolism And Oxidative Stress In Drosophila, Theresa Logan-Garbisch, Anthony Bortolazzo, Peter Luu, Audrey Ford, David Do, Payam Khodabakhshi, Rachael French

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Ethanol exposure during development causes an array of developmental abnormalities, both physiological and behavioral. In mammals, these abnormalities are collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). We have established a Drosophila melanogaster model of FASD, and have previously shown that developmental ethanol exposure in flies leads to reduced expression of insulin like peptides (dILPs) and their receptor. In this work, we link that observation to dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation. Further, we show that developmental ethanol exposure in Drosophila causes oxidative stress, that this stress is a primary cause of the …

2015 Annual Report Department Of Biological Sciences, Ronald L. Frank, Chen Hou, Yue-Wern Huang, Adam R. Martin, Melanie R. Mormile, Dev Niyogi, Julie A. Semon, Katie S. Shannon, Matthew S. Thimgan, David J. Westenberg, Terry Wilson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Warm Microhabitats Drive Both Increased Respiration And Growth Rates Of Intertidal Consumers, Luke P. Miller, Bengt J. Allen, Felicia A. King, Daisy R. Chilin, Vanessa M. Reynoso, Mark W. Denny

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Rocky intertidal organisms are often exposed to broadly fluctuating temperatures as the tides rise and fall. Many mobile consumers living on the shore are immobile during low tide, and can be exposed to high temperatures on calm, warm days. Rising body temperatures can raise metabolic rates, induce stress responses, and potentially affect growth and survival, but the effects may differ among species with different microhabitat preferences. We measured aerial and aquatic respiration rates of 4 species of Lottia limpets from central California, and estimated critical thermal maxima. In a variety of microhabitats in the field, we tracked body temperatures and …

Ua94/6/15 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Wku Dorris Hutchinson, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Correspondence and publications created by and about the Dorris Hutchison during her time at Sloan-Kettering Institute.

Does Upper Extremity Training Influence Body Composition After Spinal Cord Injury?, Justin A. Fisher, Meredith A. Mcnelis, Ashraf S. Gorgey, David S. Dolbow, Lance L. Goetz

Biology Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to serious body composition adaptations characterized by increasing whole body fat mass and decreased soft tissue lean mass (LM). These adaptations in body composition may lead to several cardio-metabolic disorders that reduce the quality of life, increase patients’ and caregivers’ burden and eventually leads to mortality. Exercise, an appropriate dietary regimen, and an active lifestyle may alleviate several of the negative effects on body composition after a SCI. Today however, there is no established consensus on the recommended dose, frequency or type of exercise to ameliorate several of the body composition sequelae after an acute …