Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of Pigment Cell Specific Genes In The Sea Urchin Embryo (Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus), Tricia Stephens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In sea urchin development, cell fate specification appears by the 60-cell stage embryo when several embryonic territories are recognized: the small micromeres, the large micromeres which will generate primary mesenchyme cells, the vegetal2 layer that will give rise to pigment cells, immunocytes, and muscle cells, the vegetal1 layer, as well as the oral and aboral ectoderm. A Delta-Notch signaling event is required for the differential specification of mesodermal cells that will give rise to secondary mesenchyme cells (SMCs). SMCs produce four cell types: pigment cells, blastocoelar cells, circumesophageal muscle cells, and coelomic pouch cells. Pigment cells are the first to …

Responses Of Small Rodents To Restoration And Management Techniques Of Florida Scrub At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florid, Alexis Suazo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proper habitat management is essential for the survival and reproduction of species, especially those listed under state or federal laws as endangered, threatened or of special concern, and those with small local populations. Land managers use a combination of mechanical cutting and prescribed burning to manage and restore degraded scrub habitat in east central Florida. This approach improves habitat for the endangered Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), but little is known about its effects on other taxa, especially the threatened southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris). This single species approach may not be beneficial to other taxa, and mechanical cutting and …

Genmapp 2: New Features And Resources For Pathway Analysis, Nathan Salomonis, Kristina Hanspers, Alexander C. Zambon, Karen Vranizan, Steven C. Lawlor, Kam D. Dahlquist, Scott W. Doniger, Josh Stuart, Bruce R. Conklin, Alexander R. Pico

Biology Faculty Works

Background: Microarray technologies have evolved rapidly, enabling biologists to quantify genome-wide levels of gene expression, alternative splicing, and sequence variations for a variety of species. Analyzing and displaying these data present a significant challenge. Pathway-based approaches for analyzing microarray data have proven useful for presenting data and for generating
testable hypotheses.

Results: To address the growing needs of the microarray community we have released version 2 of Gene Map Annotator and Pathway Profiler (GenMAPP), a new GenMAPP database schema, and integrated resources for pathway analysis. We have redesigned the GenMAPP database to support multiple gene annotations and species as well …

Hyena Societies, Heather E. Watts

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Enod40 Gene Expression And Cytokinin Responses In The Nonnodulating, Nonmycorrhizal (Nod-Myc-) Mutant, Masym3, Of Melilotus Alba Desr., Michelle Lum

Biology Faculty Works

Several nonnodulating, nonmycorrhizal (Nod-Myc-) mutants of Melilotus alba Desr. (white sweetclover) have been described. However, the details of their responses to Sinorhizobium meliloti have not been fully elucidated. We investigated rhizobial entry and colonization using Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy on the Masym1-5 mutants and isolated an early nodulin (ENOD40) gene from wild-type M. alba. We focused on Masym3, the least responsive of the mutants to S. meliloti and VA-fungi, to determine its response to cytokinin. Cytokinin appears to be a downstream signal in the nodule developmental pathway based not only on our previous observations whereby Nod-Myc- alfalfa roots treated with …

Heterozygosity And Fitness In A California Population Of The Labyrinth Spider Metepeira Ventura (Araneae, Araneidae)., Martina G. Ramirez, Sarah S. Eiman, Melissa M. Wetkowski, Miranda K. Mooers, Luningning A. Ocampo

Biology Faculty Works

The relationship between individual heterozygosity and characteristics likely to be associated with fitness was investigated in the labyrinth spider Metepeira ventura. Adult females and their egg sacs were collected at a coastal site in southern California, and three measures of bodily condition (carapace width, weight, residual index) and six measures of reproductive output (number of egg sacs, variation in egg number among sacs [coefficient of variation], total number of eggs, mean eggs/sac, mean eggs/sac divided by carapace width, mean eggs/sac divided by weight) were determined for each spider. The sample was polymorphic at three allozyme loci that were in Hardy-Weinberg …

Two New Species Of Freshwater Crabs From Mt. Elgon, East Africa With A Redescription Of Potamonautes Niloticus And Notes On Their Natural History" >, Neil Cumberlidge

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

" A Conservation Assessment Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Southern Africa" , Neil Cumberlidge, Savel R. Daniels

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Tree Calls Of Three Treefrogs (Hyla Femoralis, H. Gratiosa, And H. Squirella): Analysis Of Environmental, Behavioral, And Acoustic Characteristics, Kristine Schad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Male frogs typically call near water at dusk to attract females for breeding. During the breeding season, male treefrogs also emit diurnal "tree calls" or "rain calls" from the tops of trees. Very little is known about tree calls, although many treefrogs use them. Tree calls may be used to attract females, deter males or be triggered by weather conditions favorable for breeding: high temperature and relative humidity, and a drop in barometric pressure. As dusk approaches, male treefrogs continue tree calls from lower in the trees, and if conditions are favorable, jump to the ground and travel to a …

Dynamics Of Cicrobial Communities Associated With Typha Angustifolia (Cattail) Litter In A Wetland Ecosystem: Effects Of Litter Manipulations On Microbial Decay Processes, Andrew John Foley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Quantification of microbial processes involved in plant decomposition is important in understanding energy flow and nutrient recycling in wetlands. Prior studies examining emergent plant decomposition have often used litter that had been prematurely harvested (senescent) and/or manipulated (oven-dried). I examined the effects of litter manipulations on microbial decay dynamics associated with litter of the emergent macrophyte Typha angustifolia. Plant litter was harvested after senescence and after a period of standing-dead decay. This collected litter was either air-dried or oven-dried, placed into fine mesh (1 mm) litterbags, and submerged in the wetland. Litterbags were retrieved periodically and analyzed for microbial biomass, …

Relationships Between Body Size And Abundance In Ecology, Ethan P. White, S.K. Morgan Ernest, A. J. Kerkoff, B. J. Enquist

Biology Faculty Publications

Body size is perhaps the most fundamental property of an organism and is related to many biological traits, including abundance. The relationship between abundance and body size has received much attention, both to quantify the form of the relationship and to understand the processes that generate it. However, progress is impeded by the underappreciated fact that there are four distinct, but inter-related, relationships between size and abundance that are often confused in the literature. Here, we review and distinguish between these four patterns, and discuss the linkages between them. We argue that a synthetic understanding of size and abundance relationships …

Ecological Correlates Of Geographic Range Occupancy In North American Birds, A. H. Hurlbert, Ethan P. White

Biology Faculty Publications

The degree to which a species is predictably encountered within its range varies 36 tremendously across species. Understanding why some species occur less frequently within their 37 range than others has important consequences for conservation and for range map based analyses 38 of ecological patterns. We examined whether patterns in geographical range occupancy can be 39 explained by species level traits.

Challenges In The Application Of Geometric Constraint Models, C. R. Mcclain, Ethan P. White, A. H. Hurlbert

Biology Faculty Publications

Discerning the processes influencing geographic patterns of species richness remains one of the central goals of modern ecology. Traditional approaches to exploring these patterns have focused on environmental and ecological correlates of observed species richness. Recently, some have suggested these approaches suffered from the lack of an appropriate null model that accounts for species’ ranges being constrained to occur within a bounded domain. Proponents of these null geometric constraint models (GCMs), and the mid-domain effect these models produce, argue their utility in identifying meaningful gradients in species richness. This idea has generated substantial debate. Here we discuss what we believe …

Strategies For Odor Coding In The Piriform Cortex, Jessica H. Brann, Shari R. Saideman, Matthew T. Valley, Denise Wiedl

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Observations On The Diets Of An Anuran And Eight Lizard Taxa From Sonora, Chihuahua, And Coahuila, Mexico, With Some Notes On Clutch Sizes, Geoffrey R. Smith, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, Christopher B. Dibble, Megan E. Ogle, Joshua J. Schulte, Andrew J. Terlecky, Allison Boyd

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Pectoral Spines In Virginia Catfishes, Amanda Dawn Duvall

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish pectoral spines are an anti-predator defense mechanism. They can be bound or locked, making the fish harder to swallow, or used to produce distress calls by rubbing ridges on the dorsal process against a channel in the wall of the pectoral girdle. Growth of the pectoral spine and girdle were examined in relation to fish size within and across species that occur throughout central and eastern Virginia. These included blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), white catfish (Ameiurus catus), brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus), yellow bullheads (Ameiurus natalis), flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), margined madtom (Noturus insignis), and tadpole …

Interleukin-10 Suppresses Mast Cell Ige Receptor Expression And Signaling In Vitro And In Vivo, Sarah B. Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Mast cells are known for their role in allergy, asthma, and systemic anaphylaxis, and have been shown to play a role in inflammatory disease. Interleukin-10 can regulate inflammatory responses both in vitro and in vivo, and may be a natural regulator of mast cell activation.Objective: To examine Interleukin-10 mediated regulation of FcεRI expression and related downstream signaling molecules, and to determine how this affects mast cell function in vitro and in vivo.Methods: Mast cell FcεRI expression was evaluated with and without IL-10 treatment in human lung and skin mast cells, and on peritoneal mast cells from mice overexpressing IL-10 …

Evaluation Of Genetic Diversity In Wild Chironomid Populations Using Rapd And Hemoglobin Protein As Molecular Biomarkers, Virendrasinh N. Jadeja

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

Examination Of Post-Translational Modifications And Associate Proteins Of Pcbp1 In Neuronal Cells, Ying-Chih Lin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

Increasing Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D As A Possible Deterrent To The Onset Of Multiple Sclerosis, Nicholas J. Perretti

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

Sexual Dimorphism, Population Dynamics And Some Aspects Of Life History Of Echiniscus Mauccii (Tardigrada; Heterotardigrada), Colleen R. Mitchell, Frank A. Romano Iii

Research, Publications & Creative Work

A fifteen month study (December 2002 though February 2004) of a meiofaunal community living in moss and lichen from a Pecan tree on the campus of Jacksonville State University reports 9,791 microinvertebrates. Echiniscus mauccii was the most prevalent tardigrade species (1,329 specimens) and was chosen to determine population dynamics and some aspects of their life histories. The average length of all the specimens (adults, juveniles, males, and females) for each month was determined. A plot of all E. mauccii specimens was used to determine the following life stages of this species; juvenile, pre-reproductive, and reproductive. The studied population exhibited relatively …

The Role Of B2-Glycoprotein I In Homeostatis, Frederic Lin

Doctoral

B2-glycoprotein I (B2GPI) is a phospholipid-binding protein of 326 amino acids found in plasma at a concentration of approx. 180 ug/ml. It has a sequence of positively charged amino acids located at the carboxy terminus that mediates anionic phospholipid binding. B2GPI is suspected to have a role in inhibition of thrombosis. This suspicion is reinforced by the observation that B2GPI is the major target for autoantibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome. However, little is known about circulating levels of the protein in common thrombotic diseases of inflammation. In the first part of this thesis, we developed a sensitive sandwich-direct ELISA for …

Ambystoma: Perspectives On Adaptation And The Evolution Of Vertebrate Genomes, Jeramiah James Smith

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Tiger salamanders, and especially the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), are important model organisms in biological research. This dissertation describes new genomic resources and scientific results that greatly extend the utility of tiger salamanders. With respect to new resources, this dissertation describes the development of expressed sequence tags and assembled contigs, a comparative genome map, a web-portal that makes genomic information freely available to the scientific community, and a computer program that compares structure features of organism genomes. With respect to new scientific results, this dissertation describes a quantitative trait locus that is associated with ecologically and evolutionarily relevant …

Robustness Of Proxy-Based Climate Field Reconstruction Methods, Scott Rutherford, Michael E. Mann, Eugene Wahl, Caspar Ammann

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

We present results from continued investigations into the fidelity of covariance-based climate field reconstruction (CFR) approaches used in proxy-based climate reconstruction. Our experiments employ synthetic “pseudoproxy” data derived from simulations of forced climate changes over the past millennium. Using networks of these pseudoproxy data, we investigate the sensitivity of CFR performance to signal-to-noise ratios, the noise spectrum, the spatial sampling of pseudoproxy locations, the statistical representation of predictors used, and the diagnostic used to quantify reconstruction skill. Our results reinforce previous conclusions that CFR methods, correctly implemented and applied to suitable networks of proxy data, should yield reliable reconstructions of …

Symposium: Effects Of Human Choices On Characteristics Of Urban Ecosystems, Loren Byrne

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Most urban ecology in cities remains an “ecology in cities” rather than an “ecology of cities.” Accomplishing the latter requires the inclusion of humans within the concept of “ecosystem,” both how humans alter the properties of urban ecosystems and how these alterations in turn influence human well-being. These influences are both direct (e.g., physiological and psychological influences on the human organism) and indirect, by influencing ecosystem sustainability.

For the 2007 ESA meeting, Larry Baker, Loren Byrne, Jason Walker, and Alex Felson organized a symposium to address the relationships among human choices and urban ecosystems. In the introductory talk of this …

Functional Characteristics Of Nematocysts Found On The Scyphomedusa Cyanea Capillata, Sean Colin, John H. Costello

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Although prey capture by cnidarians is mediated through nematocysts, their influence on prey selection by cnidarians remains poorly documented. The difficulty in visualizing nematocyst–prey interactions remains the chief obstacle to understanding how the wide variety of nematocyst types influences the mechanics of prey capture. One solution to this limitation has been to assign functional roles to nematocysts based on morphological characters of discharged cnidae. Here we report results of an alternative approach based upon dynamic traits of nematocyst discharge. We examined tubule lengths, tubule discharge velocities and net-to-gross displacement ratios of tubules of discharging nematocysts possessed by the cosmopolitan scyphomedusa, …

Lysmata Rafa, A New Species Of Peppermint Shrimp (Crustacea, Caridea, Hippolytidae) From The Subtropical Western Atlantic, Andrew L. Rhyne, Arthur Anker

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Lysmata rafa n. sp. is described from freshly collected specimens from the Keys West Lakes, Florida Keys, and from a museum specimen collected at Bear Cut, Biscayne Bay, Florida. The new species is morphologically most similar to the western Atlantic Lysmata rathbunae Chace, 1970 and the eastern PaciWc Lysmata gracilirostris Wicksten, 2000, but can be distinguished from them by the number of carpal segments in the second pereiopod; the length and dentition of the rostrum; the shape and number of spines on the dactylus of the third to Wfth pereiopods; and the absence of a tooth on the pterygostomial margin …

Density-Dependent Effect On Reproductive Behaviour Of Lysmata Amboinensis And L. Boggessi (Decapoda: Caridea: Hippolytidae), Dong Zhang, Andrew L. Rhyne, Junda Lin

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

We compared the reproductive behaviours of two protandric simultaneous hermaphroditic species (Lysmata amboinensis and L. boggessi) that belong to two groups of Lysmata shrimp with different morphology, geographical distribution, and density. Lysmata amboinensis occurs in tropical waters at low population densities, and L. boggessi is found in aggregation in sub-tropical and temperate areas. Reproductive behaviour of L. boggessi under two densities and L. amboinensis in different habitats were compared. Results show that L. amboinensis was much less active during mating than L. boggessi. Male shrimp of L. amboinensis did not display obvious pre-copulation behaviour. They also took …

Nitrocellulose As A General Tool For Fungal Slide Mounts, David Barry, Cecilia Chan, Gwilym A. Williams

Articles

No abstract provided.

Threatened Fishes Of The World: Percilia Irwini (Eigenmann 1927) (Perciliidae), Evelyn Habit, Mark C. Belk

Faculty Publications

Common name: Carmelita de Concepcion (Spanish).