Digital Commons Network^™

Brown-Headed Cowbird Brood Parasitism In Bison-Grazed And Ungrazed Tallgrass Prairie, Alexandra C. Latham '00

Honors Projects

The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater has long been associated with bison (Bos bison) in North America on the Great Plains (Friedmann 1929). As a result, I anticipated that cowbirds would parasitize host nests more frequently in the presence of bison than in their absence. I predicted that several common ground-nesting avian species, Dickcissels (Spiza americana), Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), and Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), would suffer higher frequencies of brood parasitism in bison-grazed habitat than in ungrazed habitat on the tallgrass Konza Prairie Research Natural Area, located in northeastern Kansas. The frequency of cowbird parasitism for all species combined was …

Genetic Variation Among Endosymbionts Of Widely Distributed Vestimentiferan Tubeworms, Carol A. Di Meo, Ami E. Wilbur, William E. Holben, Robert A. Feldman, Robert C. Vrijenhoek, S. Craig Cary

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Vestimentiferan tubeworms thriving in sulfidic deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps are constrained by their nutritional reliance on chemoautotrophic endosymbionts. In a recent phylogenetic study using 16S ribosomal DNA, we found that endosymbionts from vent and seep habitats form two distinct clades,vith little variation within each clade. In the present study, we used two different approaches to assess the genetic variation among biogeographically distinct vestimentiferan symbionts, DNA sequences were obtained for the noncoding, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the rRNA operons of symbionts associated with six different genera of vestimentiferan tubeworms. ITS sequences from endosymbionts of host genera collected …

Integronlike Structures In Campylobacter Spp. Of Human And Animal Origin, Brigid Lucey, D. Crowley, P. Moloney, B. Cryan, M. Daly, F. O'Halloran, E. J. Threlfall, S. Fanning

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Resistance to antimicrobial agents used to treat severe Campylobacter spp. gastroenteritis is increasing worldwide. We assessed the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp. isolates of human and animal origin. More than half (n = 32) were resistant to sulphonamide, a feature known to be associated with the presence of integrons. Analysis of these integrons will further our understanding of Campylobacter spp. epidemiology.

Responses Of Phytoplankton And Pfiesteria-Like Dinoflagellate Zoospores To Nutrient Enrichment In The Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, Usa, James L. Pinckney, Hans W. Paerl, Elin Haugen, Patricia A. Tester

Faculty Publications

The recently described toxic dinoflagellate Pfiestena piscicida and morphologically similar Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates have become a major water quality issue with possible fish mortality and reported human health implications. The linkages between accelerated nutrient loading, eutrophication, and the proliferation of this group of dinoflagellates, however, are not well established for natural Systems. Phytoplankton pnmary production may provide a key link between nutrient inputs and potential outbreaks of Pfiesteria-like biflagellated zoospores in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina. The impacts of nutrient (NO₃^- -nitrogen and PO₄^3- -phosphorus) supply rates, sediment-water column exchange, water column mixing, and phytoplankton prey …

Raccoons As Potential Vectors Of Radionuclide Contamination To Human Food Chains From A Nuclear Industrial Site, Karen F. Gaines, Christine G. Lord, C. Shane Boring, I. Lehr Brisbin Jr., Michael Gochfeld, Joanna Burger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although the raccoon (Procyon lotor) is commonly harvested and consumed throughout the southeastern United States, little is known regarding the fate and effects of environmental pollutants to this species, and the potential for it to act as a contaminant vector to humans or other predators. Muscle and liver tissues were collected from 76 raccoons from locations on and near the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina and analyzed for radiocesium (137Cs). Raccoons were trapped from areas near a former reactor cooling reservoir known to be contaminated from former nuclear production activities, a stream drainage system also …

Energy Metabolism In Uncoupling Protein 3 Gene Knockout Mice, A. Vidal-Puig, D. Grujic, C. Zhang, T. Hagen, O. Boss, Y. Ido, A. Szczepanik, Jennifer Wade, V. Mootha, R. Cortright, D. M. Muoio, B. B. Lowell

Biology Faculty Publications

Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is a member of the mitochondrial anion carrier superfamily. Based upon its high homology with UCP1 and its restricted tissue distribution to skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue, UCP3 has been suggested to play important roles in regulating energy expenditure, body weight, and thermoregulation. Other postulated roles for UCP3 include regulation of fatty acid metabolism, adaptive responses to acute exercise and starvation, and prevention of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. To address these questions, we have generated mice lacking UCP3 (UCP3 knockout (KO) mice). Here, we provide evidence that skeletal muscle mitochondria lacking UCP3 are more …

Expression Of Human Α2-Adrenergic Receptors In Adipose Tissue Of Β3-Adrenergic Receptor-Deficient Mice Promotes Diet-Induced Obesity, P. Valet, D. Grujic, Jennifer Wade, M. Ito, M. C. Zingaretti, V. Soloveva, S. R. Ross, R. A. Graves, S. Cinti, M. Lafontan, B. B. Lowell

Biology Faculty Publications

Catecholamines play an important role in controlling white adipose tissue function and development. β- and α2-adrenergic receptors (ARs) couple positively and negatively, respectively, to adenylyl cyclase and are co-expressed in human adipocytes. Previous studies have demonstrated increased adipocyte α2/β-AR balance in obesity, and it has been proposed that increased α2-ARs in adipose tissue with or without decreased β-ARs may contribute mechanistically to the development of increased fat mass. To critically test this hypothesis, adipocyte α2/β-AR balance was genetically manipulated in mice. Human α2A-ARs were transgenically expressed in the adipose tissue of mice that were either homozygous (−/−) or heterozygous (+/−) …

Evidence For Microbial Fe(Iii) Reduction In Anoxic, Mining-Impacted Lake Sediments (Lake Coeur D’Alene, Idaho), David E. Cummings, Anthony W. March, Benjamin Bostick, Stefan Spring, Frank Caccavo Jr., Scott Fendorf, Frank Rosenzweig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mining-impacted sediments of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, contain more than 10% metals on a dry weight basis, approximately 80% of which is iron. Since iron (hydr)oxides adsorb toxic, ore-associated elements, such as arsenic, iron (hydr)oxide reduction may in part control the mobility and bioavailability of these elements. Geochemical and microbiological data were collected to examine the ecological role of dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacteria in this habitat. The concentration of mild-acid-extractable Fe(II) increased with sediment depth up to 50 g kg⁻¹, suggesting that iron reduction has occurred recently. The maximum concentrations of dissolved Fe(II) in interstitial water (41 mg liter …

Mainstreaming Feminist Critique Into The Biology Curriculum, Scott F. Gilbert, Biology And Gender Study Group

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Levels Of Vitamins A, E And C And Selenium In Rhubarb(Rheum Ribes L.), Ömer Munzuroğlu, Fi̇kret Karataş, Nazmi̇ Gür

Turkish Journal of Biology

The levels of vitamins A, E and C and selenium in young shoots of Rheum ribes L. collec-ted at various altitudes from Elazığ and Tunceli Basins were examined experimentally. The vitamin le-vels and the amount of selenium were determined by HPLC and fluorometers. It was determined that the levels of A, E and C vitamins and selenium in the young shoots of Rheum ribes L. were in the ranges of 0.255 ± 0.019 - 0.363 ± 0.015 µg.gr -1 , 0.614 ± 0.014 - 0.765 ± 0.021 µg.gr -1 , 197.6 ± 10.47 - 282.3 ± 17.46 µg .gr -1 …

Phenotypic Effects Of Leptin In An Ectotherm: A New Tool To Study The Evolution Of Life Histories And Endothermy?, Peter H. Niewiarowski

Biology Faculty Research

Leptin is a hormone that regulates energy expenditure and body mass in mammals, and it has attracted considerable attention because of its potential in treating human obesity. Comprehensive data from both pathological and non-pathological systems strongly support a role for leptin in regulating energy metabolism, in thermoregulation and in regulating the onset of puberty. We report here that daily injections of recombinant murine leptin in fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) produce phenotypic effects similar to those observed when leptin injections are given to mice, Lizards injected with leptin had body temperatures 0.6 degrees C higher, ate 30 % less food and …

Improving The Quality Of Foliage Transplants For Supply To The Kerry Foliage Industry, Gwen Lanigan

Theses

The possibility of improving the quality of transplants of ornamental foliage species, Eucalyptus perriniana, E. parvifolia and Pittosporum tenuifolium, for supply to the Kerry Foliage Industry was investigated. At present transplants (seedlings) are propagated from seed under glass and subsequently transplanted into the field. Therefore nursery practices for seed propagation, such as optimum sowing date, pot and medium selection, irrigation and fertilisation regimes, were investigated and optimised. The possibility of eliminating the occurrence of J- roots, a major problem with Eucalyptus species was also investigated. Vegetative propagation methods, such as cutting propagation and in vitro micro-propagation were investigated for comparative …

Plant Quality And Spider Predation Affects Grasshoppers (Acrididae): Food-Quality-Dependent Compensatory Mortality, Mark A. Oedekoven, Anthony Joern

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

For insect herbivores, population responses reflect interactions among multiple factors, including abiotic conditions, food plant availability, and biotic interactions guided by food limitation and natural enemies. In this set of field experiments, we evaluated the interactive, dynamic effects of limited food supply and predation from wolf spiders (Lycosidae) on mortality in Ageneotettix deorum, a common grasshopper (Acrididae) from North American sandhills grasslands. We attempted to determine whether the combined effects of food availability and spider predation on mortality were (1) noncompensatory, with the effects of each factor summing to determine ultimate population size, or (2) compensatory, where the effect …

Studying The Expression Of A Novel Microsatellite Mrna In Chironomous Riparius, Mina Ranzurmal

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The expression of a unique mRNA containing a microsatellite sequence was studied in C. riparius using differential display. First, the rnicrosatellite fragment was sequenced using Sanger's Sequencing method. The microsatellite cDNA contained 11 "ACA" repeats, 12 "AC" repeats, and 5 "CTC" repeats. Second, the affects of cadmium and heat shock on rnicrosatellite mRNA expression were studied. In cadmium experiments, larvae were exposed to low cadmium concentrations (0, 0.04, 0.4, and 4.0 mM) for 24 and 48 h and high cadmium concentrations (0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 mM) for 48 h. The effects of cadmium on fed larvae at …

Black-Tailed Deer Habitat Changes In A Portion Of The Mount St. Helens Blast Zone, Ronald W. Davis

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized Landsat TM imagery to evaluate black-tailed deer habitat changes in a portion of the Mount Saint Helens blast zone in western Washington. The purpose of this study was to compare the post eruption vegetation changes with population trends for black tailed deer. The 55,000-acre study area comprises a Washington Department of Game Management unit (GMU 524) located to the northnorthwest of Mount St. Helens. Approximately 80% ofthe mostly forested study area was affected by lateral blast from the 1980 eruption. The area is predominantly private land managed for timber production but a small portion falls within the …

Evolutionary And Acclimation-Induced Variation In The Heat-Shock Responses Of Congeneric Marine Snails (Genus Tegula) From Different Thermal Habitats: Implications For Limits Of Thermotolerance And Biogeography, Lars Tomanek, George N. Somero

Biological Sciences

Heat stress sufficient to cause cellular damage triggers the heat-shock response, the enhanced expression of a group of molecular chaperones called heat-shock proteins (hsps). We compared the heat-shock responses of four species of marine snails of the genus Tegula that occupy thermal niches differing in absolute temperature and range of temperature. We examined the effects of short-term heat stress and thermal acclimation on the synthesis of hsps of size classes 90, 77, 70 and 38 kDa by measuring incorporation of (35)S-labeled methionine and cysteine into newly synthesized proteins in gill tissue. Temperatures at which enhanced synthesis of hsps first occurred …

Cartilage Regeneration On A Large Articular Surface Facilitated By Stress Shielding, Charles L. Mcdowell, Jennifer S. Wayne, Robert Tuten, Hunter H. Mcguire Jr.

Virginia Journal of Science

An animal model for the study of articular cartilage regeneration in-vivo facilitated by stress-shielding is introduced. The object of the model is to test the hypothesis that some form of cartilaginous tissue will grow upon a large joint surface in vivo with the joint in normal motion. The model utilizes the known capability of immature cells to differentiate. The source of cells is bleeding subchondral bone. In addition, the model provides a mechanically shielded environment in which cell differentiation and maturation can occur. The study showed that a substantial amount of tissue will grow in the animal model only when …

Conservation Implications Of Dietary Dilution From Debris Ingestion: Sublethal Effects In Post-Hatchling Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Shannon J. Mccauley, Karen A. Bjomdal

Biological Sciences

Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by marine species has been documented extensively; fewer studies have attempted to quantify the sublethal effects caused by debris ingestion. One potential sublethal effect is reduced nutrient gains from diets diluted by consumption of debris. Post-hatchling and juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) consume substantial quantities of debris. We evaluated the effects of dietary dilution on voluntary intake in post-hatchling loggerheads to assess their ability to compensate for the presence of inert diluents in their diet by increasing dry mass intakes to maintain nutrient gains. Mean daily intakes of dry mass did not increase …

Reactive Oxygen Species Generated By Depletion Of Cellular Glutathione Mediate Cadmium Cytotoxicity, Jun Xu

Masters Theses

Studies were put forth to test whether or not reactive oxygen species, which are influenced by the cellular level of reduced glutathione, mediate the toxicity of cadmium. Cadmium has been a focal point in the health care community in the past few years because it has been shown to induce the development of tumors, interfere with cellular signaling, and cause damage to organs, tissues, and biomolecules. Although various studies and theories have been proposed, little direct evidence, especially from studies utilizing primary cells in culture, has accumulated to show the mechanism by which the cadmium induced toxicity occurs.

Our studies …

The Translocation Of Barramundi. A Discussion Paper., Makaira Pty Ltd

Fisheries Management Papers

There is recognisable economic benefit to the translocation of barramundi, but there is also a need to ensure the translocation will not adversely impact upon the genetic diversity, introduce disease or impact on the natural environment and biodiversity. This discussion paper has been prepared to provide information to assist in the assessment of the possible impact of translocation of barramundi into and within Western Australia, for the purposed of recreational stock enhancement, aquaculture development and domestic stocking. In contemplating the translocation any aquatic species, signigicant economic and social benefits must be balanced with biological and environmental risks; that is, the …

Capillary Density Of Skeletal Muscle: A Contributing Mechanism For Exercise Intolerance In Class Ii–Iii Chronic Heart Failure Independent Of Other Peripheral Alterations, Brian D. Duscha, William E. Kraus, Steven J. Keteyian, Martin J. Sullivan, Howard J. Green, Fred H. Schachat, Anne M. Pippen, Clinton A. Brawner, Jason M. Blank, Brian H. Annex

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

Isolation, Cloning, And Identification Of Syringomycin E Action Genes Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Stephen D. Stock

Biology

Members of the syringomycin family of antifungal cyclic lipodepsipeptides are produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strains as secondary metabolites. These metabolites are potent antifungal agents effective against a broad range of fungi. The antifungal mechanism of action of these compounds has been investigated using syringomycin E and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model fungal system. Mutants resistant to the growth inhibitory effects of syringomycin E were isolated after mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine. These mutants were screened for the production of ergosterol and by complementation with syr2 mutants to eliminate mutants belonging to known syringomycin E-resistant complementation groups. From a total of …

Bush Lupine Mortality, Altered Resource Availability, And Alternative Vegetaion States, John L. Maron, Robert L. Jefferies

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Nitrogen-fixing plants, by altering the availability of soil N, potentially facilitate plant invasion. Here we describe how herbivore-driven mortality of a native N-fixing shrub, bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus), increases soil N and light availability, which promotes invasion by introduced grasses to the detriment of a native plant community.

Soils under live and dead lupine stands contained large amounts of total N, averaging 3.14 mg N/g dry mass of soil (398 g/m²) and 3.45 mg N/g dry mass of soil (438 g/m²), respectively, over four years. In contrast, similar lupine-free soil was low in N …

Chemical Communication Of Estrous Cycle Status And Change In Social Behaviors With Reproductive State In Captive Female Asian Elephants, Elephas Maximus, Barbara Elaine Slade

Dissertations and Theses

Elephants use several well-developed sensory systems for communicating within and between social groups. Female elephants sniff, touch and flehmen to the urine and genitals of herdmembers. In addition, communication through social behaviors is prevalent. Female elephants frequently communicate through affiliate tactile and aggressive behaviors. Furthermore, although female elephants are not known to display behavioral signs of estrus, these females exhibit a tail slapping behavior that may be an implement for dispersing chemical signals to conspecifics or nearby male elephants.

The present study addresses two areas of research. The purpose of part one was first, to determine if female Asian elephants …

Rainfall Stimulation Of Primary Production In Western Atlantic Ocean Waters: Roles Of Different Nitrogen Sources And Co-Limiting Nutrients, Hans W. Paerl, Joan D. Willey, Malia Go, Benjamin L. Peierls, James L. Pinckney, Marilyn L. Fogel

Faculty Publications

Using shipboard bioassays, we examined the roles rainfall, individual and combined nutrients play in accelerating primary production in coastal, Gulf Stream and pelagic (Sargasso Sea) locations in the North Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina, USA, from 1993 to 1995. Photosynthetic CO₂ fixation and net chlorophyll a (chl a) production were measured In replicated bioassays to assess individual and combined impacts of different constituents of atmospheric deposition, including natural rainfall, a synthetic rain mix, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NH₄⁺ ,NO₃^-), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; urea),phosphorus (PO₄^3-) and iron (as EDTA-chelated and …

Nitrate Versus Chloride Nutrition Effects In Asoil-Plant System On The Growth, Nitrateaccumulation And N, K, Na, Ca And Clcontent Of Carrot Daucus Carota L., Ali̇ İnal, Aydin Güneş, Mehmet Alpaslan, Köksal Demi̇r

Turkish Journal of Biology

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effets of various NO 3 /CI percentages on growth, nitrate accumulation and mineral absorption in carrot Daucus carota L. plants in a controlled enviroment. The experiment included two CI sources (KCI and CaCl 2 ) and five NO 3 /CI percentages at 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, and 60/40 with total-N concentration of 400 mg NO 3 /kg soil in 100/0 treatment. The fresh and dry weights of shoots and storage roots, and the length and diameter of storage roots increased significantly more with mixed NO 3 /CI treatments and CI sources than with …

The Effects Of Dietary Vitamin E On Sera Lipids Andlipid Peroxida Peroxidation In Diabetic Rats, Sait Çeli̇k, Ökkeş Yilmaz

Turkish Journal of Biology

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of dietary vitamin E on some biochemical sera parameters in diabetic rats. Thirty wistar rats were used in the experiments. They were randomly divided into three groups, each consisting of ten rats. The first group was the control, the second was diabetic, and the third was diabetic but fed vitamin E. At the end of 12 weeks, the levels of insulin, HDL and vitamin E in the sera were lower but the levels of MDA, glucose, fosfolipidis, cholesterols, triglycerides, free fatty acids, LDL and VLDL were in the second …

Distribution Of The Sucker Family (Pisces: Catostomidae) In The Ohio River, Tara L. Rose

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The family Catostomidae represents a major component of the fish fauna in the Ohio River. Because of their abundance, large biomass, and susceptibility to environmentally-induced anomalies, suckers are expected to significantly influence the Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn), a biological index being developed by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) for large river systems. To correctly interpret information obtained from ORFIn, the impact of suckers upon the index must be thoroughly understood, including relative importance and uneven spatial distribution of Ohio River suckers. In this study, suckers represented 7.1 percent of the total fish captured and 36.6 percent …

A Medicinal Plant Survey In Marketplaces Of Ecuador, Pamela Bailey

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A medicinal herb survey was conducted in ten major marketplaces in Andean and coastal communities of Ecuador. Collections were made during the summer of 1997. Four plant collections from each market were pressed, dried, identified, and the medicinal information for each plant was recorded. Photographs of fresh plants, market vendors and the marketplaces were taken.

Fifty three families were represented in the 112 species collected. Forty-two species (37%) were introduced to Ecuador while seventy species (63%) were native to Ecuador. Plant taxa were grouped into 22 categories of medicinal usage. The most common 3 uses were: 1. General tonic and …

Response To Dietary Dilution In An Omnivorous Freshwater Turtle: Implications For Ontogenetic Dietary Shifts, Shannon J. Mccauley, Karen A. Bjorndal

Biological Sciences

Several species of freshwater turtles in the family Emydidae undergo an ontogenetic dietary shift; as juvenile turtles mature, they change from a primarily carnivorous to a primarily herbivorous diet. It has been hypothesized that this shift results from an unfavorable ratio of gut capacity to metabolic rate that prevents small reptiles from processing adequate volumes of plant material to meet their energetic demands. Effects of dietary dilution on intake were evaluated in two size classes of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) to test whether small reptiles have a lower capacity to compensate for low-quality diets through increased intake …