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Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Total Heterotroph And Fecal Coliform Bacteria In An Urban Stream, Heather R. English

Masters Theses

Total heterotroph bacteria populations in the Sangamon River in east central Illinois, U.S.A. were monitored during a period between June and October in 2003 and 2004. Fecal coliforms (FC) were also monitored during this period in 2004. The four sites monitored were upstream and downstream of the Sanitary District of Decatur (SOD). All areas ofthe river monitored showed similar populations ofboth total heterotrophs and FCs. No correlations could be made between increases in populations of total heterotrophs or FC in relation to flow rate, dissolved oxygen, or total solids. Most sites were found to exceed the recommended amount ofFC for …

Long Term Population Dynamics For Rosa Multiflora In A Successional System, Stephen Eugene Banasiak

Masters Theses

There is a real need for long term studies of invasions to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that influence species spread. Rosa multiflora was chosen to study to address this issue due to its pervasiveness throughout the study site's successional history. The study-site was composed of 10 abandoned agricultural fields near an old growth forest with fifty years of annual vegetation data collection. R. multiflora colonization and extinction rates were examined along with frequency and coefficient of variance since field abandonment. Environmental factors such as rainfall, tree cover, and common species and their effects on R. multiflora …

The Influence Of Extreme Hydrologic Events On Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Decatur, Illinois, Catherine E. Ciak

Masters Theses

One of the most extreme disturbances to aquatic systems is river impoundment. Dams alter a river's ecological processes by changing the flow of water, nutrients, sediment, biota and energy. Anthropogenic flow variability can lead to changes in natural seasonal variation, which has subsequent effects on biological assemblages within the ecosystem. This study investigated the influence of extreme hydrologic events on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages within the Sangamon River in Decatur, Illinois. Four sites were sampled from June-August 2006 using the EPA 20 jab method. Samples were processed and macroinvertebrates were identified to family or lowest identifiable taxonomic group. Primer 6.1.6 was …

Mda-7/Il-24, Novel Anticancer Cytokine: Focus On Bystander Antitumor, Radiosensitization And Antiangiogenic Properties And Overview Of The Phase I Clinical Experience (Review), Irina V. Lebedeva, Luni Emdad, Zao-Zhong Su, Pankaj Gupta, Moira Sauane, Devanand Sarkar, Michelle R. Staudt, Shi-Jian Liu, Mohiuddin M. Taher, Ruoyu Xiao, Paola Barral, Seok-Geun Lee, Dongning Wang, Nicollaq Vozhilla, Eun Sook Park, Lejuan Chatman, Habib Boukerche, Rajagopal Ramesh, Satoshi Inoue, Sunil Chada, Rong Li, Anthony L. De Pass, Parameshwar J. Mahasreshti, Igor P. Dmitriev, David T. Curiel, Adly Yacoub, Steven Grant, Paul Dent, Neil Senzer, John J. Nemunaitis, Paul B. Fisher

Publications and Research

Subtraction hybridization applied to a ‘differentiation therapy’ model of cancer employing human melanoma cells resulted in the cloning of melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24). Initial studies confirm an inverse correlation between mda-7 expression and melanoma development and progression. Forced expression of mda-7 by means of a plasmid or via a replication incompetent adenovirus (Ad.mda-7) promotes growth suppression and induces apoptosis in a broad array of human cancers. In contrast, mda-7 does not induce growth suppressive or toxic effects in normal cells. Based on structure (containing an IL-10 signature motif), secretion by cells (including subsets of T-cells) and location on chromosome …

Ecophysiological Boundaries For The Distribution Of The Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti), Anna Fredrickson, Timothy R. Brophy, Norman Reichenbach

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Redox Potential Measurement In Aqueous Solutions And Biological Media, Mark M. Goldin, G. J. Blanchard, A. K. Evseev, V. A. Kolesnikov, Yu S. Goldfarb, A. G. Volkov, Mikhail M. Goldin

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Pathways Of Anaerobic Carbon Cycling Across An Ombrotrophic–Minerotrophic Peatland Gradient, Jason K. Keller, Scott D. Bridgham

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Peatland soils represent globally significant stores of carbon, and understanding carbon cycling pathways in these ecosystems has important implications for global climate change. We measured aceticlastic and autotrophic methanogenesis, sulfate reduction, denitrification, and iron reduction in a bog, an intermediate fen, and a rich fen in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for one growing season. In 3-d anaerobic incubations of slurried peat, denitrification and iron reduction were minor components of anaerobic carbon mineralization. Experiments using 14C-labeled methanogenic substrates showed that methanogenesis in these peatlands was primarily through the aceticlastic pathway, except early in the growing season in more ombrotrophic peatlands, …

A Practical Approach To Phylogenomics: The Phylogeny Of Ray-Finned Fish (Actinopterygii) As A Case Study, Chenhong Li, Guillermo Orti, Gong Zhang, Guoqing Lu

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Molecular systematics occupies one of the central stages in biology in the genomic era, ushered in by unprecedented progress in DNA technology. The inference of organismal phylogeny is now based on many independent genetic loci, a widely accepted approach to assemble the tree of life. Surprisingly, this approach is hindered by lack of appropriate nuclear gene markers for many taxonomic groups especially at high taxonomic level, partially due to the lack of tools for efficiently developing new phylogenetic makers. We report here a genome-comparison strategy to identifying nuclear gene markers for phylogenetic inference and apply it to the …

Electrical And Behavioral Courtship Displays In The Mormyrid Fish Brienomyrus Brachyistius, Ryan Y. Wong, Carl D. Hopkins

Biology Faculty Publications

Mormyrid electric fish rely on the waveform of their electric organ discharges (EODs) for communicating species, sex, and social status, while they use the sequences of pulse intervals (SPIs) for communicating rapidly changing behavioral states and motivation. Little is known of electric signaling during courtship behavior because of two major difficulties: (1) the fish are not easily bred in captivity and (2) there is no reliable means of separating electric signals from several individuals in natural communication settings. Through simulating artificial rain conditions, we have successfully induced courtship and succeeded in breeding a mormyrid electric fish (Brienomyrus brachyistius) in the …

Use Of Diadema Antillarum Spines By Juvenile Fish And Mysid Shrimp, Taryn Townsend, Paul Ax Bologna

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This research has the following objectives: 1) identify the size structure of D. antillarum among 3 coastal bays of St. John, United States Virgin Islands and 2) determine relationships between urchin presence and spine utilization by fish and mysid shrimp.

Does Increasing Biology Teacher Knowledge Of Evolution And The Nature Of Science Lead To Greater Advocacy For The Teaching Of Evolution In Schools?, Ross Nehm, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

This study investigated whether or not an increase in secondary science teacher knowledge about evolution and the nature of science gained from completing a graduate-level evolution course was associated with greater preference for the teaching of evolution in schools. Forty-four precertified secondary biology teachers participated in a 14-week intervention designed to address documented misconceptions identified by a precourse instrument. The course produced statistically significant gains in teacher knowledge of evolution and the nature of science and a significant decrease in misconceptions about evolution and natural selection. Nevertheless, teachers' postcourse preference positions remained unchanged; the majority of science teachers still preferred …

Activated Carbon Open Circuit Potential Shifts In Aqueous Solutions, Mikhail M. Goldin, Gary Blanchard, Alexander Volkov, Mogely Khubutiya, Vladimir Kolesnikov, Anatoly Evseev, Mark Goldin

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Interaction of certain organic compounds with activated carbon and its effect on the carbon open circuit potentials were studied. It was shown that shifts in open circuit potentials depended on the filling of the activated carbon surface. Whereas adsorption of the investigated compounds on the carbon led to positive potential shifts, their elimination (desorption) from carbon surface led to shifts in the opposite direction. It was also observed that the time dependence of potential shifts is similar for different carbon brands. The magnitude of shifts depended on adsorption activity and porometric characteristics of the carbon adsorbent, as well as the …

Three Position Papers On Intelligent Design In The Public Schools, Charles Detwiler

Faculty Publications and Presentations

These brief working documents are used in my Biology 101 course to encourage students to draw together what they know about science, politics, and the theology of the human will to speak to a current issue.

In a team format, they are encouraged to compare these positions and select one which they (as a team) wish to identify with. The preponderance of teams are attracted to the third position. Assumptions made toward the end of this third position are accepted with little critical thought. It has been a fascinating exercise in using a biological issue to address fundamental philosophical problems …

Foraging Ecology Of Black-Crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax Nycticorax) In The New York City Area, Andrew James Bernick

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Over 1,700 pairs of colonial wading birds (i.e., herons, egrets, and ibis) breed and forage in the industrialized ecosystem of metropolitan New York City (NYC). Wading bird colonies are located on 7 islands that lie between western Staten Island and Long Island Sound. The Black-crowned Night-Heron (BCNH), a mainly nocturnal forager, is the numerically dominant breeding heron in these colonies, and has been undergoing population declines both locally and region-wide since the mid-1990s. My objective was to determine how BCNHs forage in NYC's urban estuarine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. From March-September 2002-2004, I conducted weekly night surveys on Staten Island, …

The Effects Of Microwave Frequency Electromagnetic Fields On The Fecundity Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Emel Atli, Hacer Ünlü

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, the effects of microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) on the fecundity of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. The Oregon strain females of Drosophila melanogaster were exposed to 10 GHz EMF continuously (3 h, 4 h and 5 h) and discontinuously (3 h exposure + 30 min interval + 3 h exposure). The fecundity of females were determined. In the 4 h and 5 h exposed groups, it was found a statistically significant decrease in mean fecundity as compared to the control (P < 0.05). There was a reduction in the 3 h and 3 + 3 h exposed groups but this reduction was not significant statistically (P > 0.05).

Expression Analysis Of Genes In The Nif Cluster Of Clostridium Beijerinckii, Murat Kasap, Jiann Shin Chen

Turkish Journal of Biology

The nif genes of Clostridium beijerinckii NRRL B593 occupy a region of about 16 kilobases. Besides the two glnB-like genes, five other genes are interspersed between the nifNB and the nifVw genes. An expression analysis of the nif genes in nitrogen-fixing and non-nitrogen-fixing cells with probes generated from various regions of the nif cluster by northern blot analysis revealed the presence of four different transcripts in nitrogen-fixing cells. Two of these transcripts had the predicted sizes spanning from nifH to nifK and from nifVw to nifVa, respectively. The other two transcripts did not have the expected sizes, but they suggested …

Cytotoxic And Antitumor Potential Of Fagonia Cretica L., Ahsan Hussain, Muhammad Zia, Bushra Mirza

Turkish Journal of Biology

According to traditional knowledge, Fagonia cretica has medicinal potential, especially against cancer and tumors. In the present study, this information was analyzed at laboratory level by performing cytotoxic, antitumor (potato disc) and DNA damage assay. Significant cytotoxic activity was found against brine shrimps at LD_50 118.89 ppm, while antitumor assay showed that the extract inhibited tumor induction on potato discs. Significant antitumor activity was found against all the tumor-inducing Agrobacterium strains tested (At6, At10 and At77), with maximum tumor inhibition (77.04%) against At10. However, the extract did not show any lethal activity against Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, and furthermore, no DNA …

Blood, Serum Glucose And Renal Parameters In Lead-Loaded Albino Rats And Treatment With Some Chelating Agents And Natural Oils, Abd El Rahiem A. Ashour, Maged M. Yassin, Nahed M. Abu Aasi, Rokaya M. Ali

Turkish Journal of Biology

This study investigated lead impact on blood, serum glucose and kidney function and the efficacy of treatment with chelating agents meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaNa_2-EDTA) and natural olive and garlic oils to reduce lead toxicity in albino rats. Oral administration of 1000 or 2000 ppm lead acetate significantly decreased red blood cell count, hemoglobin level and hematocrit value at 20, 40 and 60 days compared with control groups (rats administered deionized water and 1000 or 2000 ppm sodium acetate). Serum glucose was also decreased significantly with both doses of lead acetate administration. In contrast, serum urea, uric …

Variation Of Callus Induction Through Anther Culture In Water Chestnut (Trapa Sp.), Aminul Hoque, Manosh Kumar Biswas, Shamiul Alam

Turkish Journal of Biology

Effects of culture media and genotypes of water chestnut (Trapa sp.) on the frequency of callus induction from anther culture were investigated. Results revealed that the N_6 media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BA, 0.5 mg/l NAA and 0.1 mg/l GA_3 were suitable for callus induction. Callus yielded poorly in MS-containing media compared to that of N_6 media. No callus was induced on 2, 4-D containing media. Among the tested 18 genotypes, only 15 genotypes produced calli.

The Growth Of Spirulina Platensis In Different Culture Systems Under Greenhouse Condition, Tolga Göksan, Ayşegül Zekeri̇yaoğlu, İlknur Ak

Turkish Journal of Biology

We aimed in this experiment to compare the growth characteristics of Spirulina, which was cultivated in different culture vessels under greenhouse condition. Three types of culture vessels, i.e. transparent jars, polyethylene bags and raceway ponds, were used in the experiment. The jar cultures supported higher cell densities due to their higher culture temperature compared to the others. The dry weight amount in jar cultures was 0.99 g L^{-1} at the end of the experiment, while it was 0.5 g L^{-1} in the others. Specific growth rates were found to be 0.32, 0.21 and 0.20 day^{-1} in the jar, bag and …

In Vitro Antibacterial Studies Of Ciprofloxacin-Imines And Their Complexes With Cu(Ii),Ni(Ii),Co(Ii), And Zn(Ii), Muhammad Imran, Javed Iqbal, Shahid Iqbal, Nazia Ijaz

Turkish Journal of Biology

Some new transition metal complexes of ciprofloxacin-imines derived from ciprofloxacin and p-substituted anilines were synthesized and characterized on the basis of physical properties, conductance measurements, elemental analysis, UV/Vis., infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These ligands as well as their metal complexes were also evaluated for their antibacterial activity against several bacterial strains, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilus, Salmonella typhae, and E. coli. It was found that metal complexes are more antibacterial as compared to uncomplexed ligands. The present study was carried out in search of a target antibiotic instead of a broad spectrum one.

Molecular Characterization Of Borrelia Burgdorferi Linear Plasmids By Dna Hybridization, Pcr, Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis, And Electron Microscopy, Ali̇ Karami, Seyed Javad Hosseyni, Yaser Kiarudi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the predominant cause of Lyme disease. B. burgdorferi strains carry several linear and circular plasmids and this may be also used as a distinguishing property of the bacteria. The presence of a mixed population of linear and circular plasmids makes separation and characterization of each kind very difficult. In this study, 7 clinical strains of skin and CSF isolates were determined by clonal selection and plasmid profile of B. burgdorferi by electron microscopy and 2-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis. The results demonstrate that the skin isolate (DK1) has 2 different phenotypes A and B, but the …

Identification And Characterization Of The Rat Dvl2 Gene Using Bioinformatic Tools, Lokman Varişli, Osman Çen

Turkish Journal of Biology

We identified and characterized the rat DVL2 gene using bioinformatics. In addition to the structure and chromosomal localization of the rat DVL2 gene, the transcribed and translated protein product of the gene was analyzed in silico. Results showed that the rat DVL2 gene consists of 15 exons and is located on the rat genomic contig WGA1854.3 on chromosome 10. Database searches using the rat DVL2 amino acid sequence as a query showed a number of homologous protein sequences in different species, including M. musculus, P. troglodytes, C. familiaris, H. sapiens, B. taurus, D. rerio, X. laevis, and T. nigroviridis. DAX, …

Photosynthetic And Yield Responses Of Nigella Sativa L. To Pre-Sowing Seed Treatment With Ga3, Shoukat H. Shah

Turkish Journal of Biology

Surface sterilized seeds of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) were soaked in 10^{-6}, 10^{-5}, or 10^{-4} M aqueous solution of gibberellic acid (GA_3) for 5, 10, or 15 h and sown in pots with sandy loam soil. The plants were then sampled at 50, 70, and 90 days after sowing, for the analysis of shoot length, leaf area, dry mass, carbonic anhydrase activity (E.C. 4.2.1.1), leaf chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and net photosynthetic rate. Seed yield was recorded at harvest (130 DAS). All parameters were found to be significantly enhanced by the hormone (GA_3) treatment, with maximum stimulation being noted …

What Is The Relationship Within The Family Lamnidae?, Mi̇ne Dosay Akbulut

Turkish Journal of Biology

Uncertainties remain about the relationship within the family Lamnidae, which includes the white shark, 2 makos, the porbeagle, and salmon shark. Several alternative hypotheses have been suggested related to the Lamnidae phylogeny. The aim of this study was to find an accurate answer to the family Lamnidae interrelationship. To that extend, the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was studied in all the Lamnidae species and 2 outgroups from the families Alopiidae and Odontaspididae. The monophyly of 2 makos were obtained from both DNA and amino acid (AA) parsimony analysis. Based on our analysis, first the white shark joins this group, which …

Defoliation Effects On Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) Seed Yield And Oil Quality, Sabri̇ Erbaş, Hasan Baydar

Turkish Journal of Biology

The objective of the present study was to determine the influence of artificial defoliation on sunflower seed yield, oil content, and fatty acid composition. The research was carried out at Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey, during 2002 and 2003. Six defoliation levels [0 (control), 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 leaves per plant] were applied at the preflowering stage from bottom to top leaves. The results demonstrate a close relationship between yield reduction and the defoliation levels. The higher the defoliation level, the higher the yield reduction. Complete and partial leaf removal treatments reduced oil percentage of seed when compared …

Modified Path To High Lint Yield In Upland Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Under Two Temperature Regimes, Saeed Rauf, Tariq Manzoor Khan, Abdul Naveed, Hassan Munir

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study 23 genotypes, including 8 cultivars and 15 advanced lines were consecutively grown under 2 temperature regimes in 2004 and 2005 at the Post Graduate Agriculture Research Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Lint yield and its component traits, i.e. lint weight per boll, lint weight per seed, fiber length, fibers per seed, fibers per unit surface area, lint weight per unit surface area, and fiber weight per unit surface area, were measured and analyzed for heritability, genetic advance, and correlations. Phenotypic correlations were also partitioned into path coefficients, keeping lint yield as the resultant variable and other …

Changes In Growth, Biochemical Constituents, And Antioxidant Potentials In Radish (Raphanus Sativus L.) Under Cobalt Stress, Kaliyamoorthy Jayakumar, Cheruth Abdul Jaleel, Packirisamy Vijayarengan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of cobalt (Co) stress on seedling vigor, photosynthetic pigment content, biochemical constituents, mineral status, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in Raphanus sativus L. were studied. The plants were raised in earthen pots containing soils amended with different concentrations of Co (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mg kg^{-1}). Growth parameters (root and shoot length, and total leaf area), photosynthetic pigments content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll), biochemical constituents (total sugar, amino acid, and protein content), mineral content (macro- and micronutrients), and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO)) were …

Cadmium-Induced Changes In The Growth And Carbonic Anhydrase Activity Of Chickpea, Syed Aiman Hasan, Barket Ali, Shamsul Hayat, Aqil Ahmad

Turkish Journal of Biology

The seedlings of Cicer arietinum, grown in sand culture, were supplied with 0, 50, 100 or 150 µM of cadmium in the form of cadmium chloride at 5, 15 or 25 day stage and assessed for specific characteristics, 10 days after each treatment. It was a general observation in all the samplings that length, fresh and dry mass of both root and shoot and activity of carbonic anhydrase in leaf decreased, whereas proline content both in leaf and root increased. The intensity of the damage was proportionate with the concentration of the metal but was prominent at the earliest stage …

Effect Of Nigella Sativa Extract And Oil On Aflatoxin Production By Aspergillus Flavus, Anwar Maraqa, Najwa F. Al-Sharo'a, Husni Farah, Wafa M. Elbjeirami, Ashok K. Shakya, Abdul-Karim J. Sallal

Turkish Journal of Biology

: Crude extract of Nigella sativa, N. sativa oil, ground coffee beans and caffeine were tested for their effects on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus. Crude extract of N. sativa inhibited the production of three types of aflatoxins (B1, B2 and G1) at 5% (w/v) concentration, while N. sativa oil inhibited all four types of aflatoxins using 3% (v/v) concentration. However, coffee inhibited the production of B1, G1 and G2 aflatoxins at 6% (w/v), while caffeine inhibited only G1 and G2 aflatoxin. Our results suggest the investigated ingredients may have a significant fungal antitoxic activity which can be exploited as …