Digital Commons Network^™

In Situ Measurements Of Saltwater Flux Through Tidal Passes Of Lake Pontchartrain Estuary By Hurricanes Gustav And Ike In September 2008, Chunyan Li, Eddie Weeks, Joao L. Rego

Faculty Publications

Storm surge induced saltwater flux through multiple inlets has never been documented. This article reports in situ measurements of saltwater flux through major tidal passes by two consecutive storm surges impacting Lake Pontchartrain estuary in Louisiana during the first two weeks in September 2008. The main peak of inward saltwater flux lasted for 1.9 days during the flood, followed by more than 8 days of outward salt flux. The salt flux rate reached close to 200 tons/sec through the northern channel and 16 tons/sec through the southern channel. Outward flux of salt during Gustav amounted to more than 16 million …

Louisiana Agriculture Fall, 2009, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

Encoding Properties Of Auditory Neurons In The Brain Of A Soniferous Damselfish: Response To Simple Tones And Complex Conspecific Signals, Karen P. Maruska, Timothy C. Tricas

Faculty Publications

The fish auditory system encodes important acoustic stimuli used in social communication, but few studies have examined response properties of central auditory neurons to natural signals. We determined the features and responses of single hindbrain and midbrain auditory neurons to tone bursts and playbacks of conspecific sounds in the soniferous damselfish, Abudefduf abdominalis. Most auditory neurons were either silent or had slow irregular resting discharge rates ~130 Hz but ranged from 80 to 400 Hz with strong phase-locking. This low-frequency sensitivity matches the frequency band of natural sounds. Auditory neurons were also modulated by playbacks of conspecific sounds with thresholds …

Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Oxidative Stress And Cytotoxicity In Airway Epithelial Cells, Baher Fahmy, Stephania A. Cormier

Faculty Publications

Metal oxide nanoparticles are often used as industrial catalysts and elevated levels of these particles have been clearly demonstrated at sites surrounding factories. To date, limited toxicity data on metal oxide nanoparticles are available. To understand the impact of these airborne pollutants on the respiratory system, airway epithelial (HEp-2) cells were exposed to increasing doses of silicon oxide (SiO2), ferric oxide (Fe2O3) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, the leading metal oxides found in ambient air surrounding factories. CuO induced the greatest amount of cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner; while even high doses (400 μg/cm2) of SiO2 and Fe2O3 were non-toxic …

F09rs Sgr No. 7 (Equine Science Program), Caffarel

Student Senate Enrolled Legislation

No abstract provided.

Ethylene Dichloride Disruption Of Fertility In Male Mice, Harold J. Daigle, Derek N. Cole, J. Andrew Carlson, William R. Lee, Vincent L. Wilson

Faculty Publications

Ethylene dichloride (EDC) is a high use compound in chemical industry today. Although a potent alkylating agent and carcinogen, EDC has not been associated previously with adverse fertility consequences. Intraperitoneal 5 to 40 mg/kg once a day for five days in C57BL/6 mice rendered males infertile for 6 months and longer. Two of three mice treated with EDC at 5 mg/kg recovered to fertility after a 3 and 5-week sterile period, respectively. Significant testicular pathology was evident within 8 days post treatment with EDC, which progressed to resemble Sertoli Cell-Only syndrome. Although the observed effects on Leydig cell populations were …

Identification Of An Antisense Transcript To Zim2 In The Primate Lineage, Jennifer M. Huang, Sungryul Yu, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

In this study, we identified an antisense transcript to ZIM2 (zinc finger imprinted gene 2) in the human, called ZIM2as. Sequence analysis of the 110 kb region spanned by this transcript revealed a cluster of tandemly repeated sequence in the human, orangutan, and chimpanzee as well as a loss of approximately 70 kb from the corresponding region in the rhesus. The homologous region in most mammals contains a cluster of olfactory receptor (OLFR) genes, but this gene cluster has been lost from the primate lineage. Expression analyses confirmed that ZIM2as is expressed in the human brain and testis. Two CpG …

Releases, Distribution And Abundance Of Gratiana Boliviana (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), A Biological Control Agent Of Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum Viarum, Solanaceae) In Florida, W. A. Overholt, R. Diaz, K. L. Hibbard, A. L. Roda, D. Amalin, A. J. Fox, S. D. Hight, J. C. Medal, P. A. Stansly, B. Carlisle, J. H. Walter, P. J. Hogue, L. A. Gary, L. F. Wiggins, C. L. Kirby, S. C. Crawford

Faculty Publications

From 2003 to 2008, 176,643 Gratiana boliviana Spaeth (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) were released in Florida as part of a biological control program targeting tropical soda apple (TSA) Solanum viarum Dunal (Solanaceae). The spatial distribution of releases was clustered with more beetles released in south/central Florida than further north. A survey conducted in the fall of 2008 found G. bolviana present at >70% of randomly selected locations between 26° and 29° latitude, but no beetles were found at sites further north. The presence of beetles and beetle damage were associated with smaller TSA plants and fewer fruits per plant. The absence of …

Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As An Orally Delivered Biomarker For Rodents And A Feed-Through Transtadial Biomarker For Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), T. M. Mascari, L. D. Foil

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of rhodamine B as an orally delivered biomarker for rodents and a feed-through transtadial biomarker for phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae ). Rhodamine B-treated hamsters were visibly marked for up to 8 wk, and their feces were fluorescent when examined under a fluorescence microscope. The development and survival of sand fly larvae fed feces of rhodamine B-treated hamsters were not significantly different from control sand flies. Adult male and female sand flies, that had been fed as larvae the feces of rhodamine B-treated hamsters, were fluorescent when examined using fluorescent …

Homegrown Yankees: Tennessee's Union Cavalry In The Civil War, Daniel W. Crofts

Civil War Book Review

Telling the Complex Story of Unionism

Yy1 Is Autoregulated Through Its Own Dna-Binding Sites, Jeong D. Kim, Sungryul Yu, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

Background: The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional protein that controls a large number of genes and biological processes in vertebrates. As a general transcription factor, the proper levels of YY1 protein need to be maintained for the normal function of cells and organisms. However, the mechanism for the YY1 homeostasis is currently unknown. Results: The current study reports that the YY1 gene locus of all vertebrates contains a cluster of its own DNA-binding sites within the 1st intron. The intact structure of these DNA-binding sites is absolutely necessary for transcriptional activity of the YY1 …

The 1.85 Å Structure Of An 8r-Lipoxygenase Suggests A General Model For Lipoxygenase Product Specificity, David B. Neau, Nathaniel C. Gilbert, Sue G. Bartlett, William Boeglin, Alan R. Brash, Marcia E. Newcomer

Faculty Publications

Lipoxygenases (LOX) play pivotal roles in the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and other biologically active eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid. A mechanistic understanding of substrate recognition, when lipoxygenases that recognize the same substrate generate different products, can be used to help guide the design of enzyme-specific inhibitors. We report here the 1.85 A ° resolution structure of an 8R-lipoxygenase from Plexaura homomalla, an enzyme with a sequence ∼40% identical to that of human 5-LOX. The structure reveals a U-shaped channel, defined by invariant amino acids, that would allow substrate access to the catalytic iron. We demonstrate that mutations within the channel …

Metabolic Depression Is Delayed And Mitochondrial Impairment Averted During Prolonged Anoxia In The Ghost Shrimp, Lepidophthalmus Louisianensis (Schmitt, 1935), Jeremy D. Holman, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Publications

Lepidophthalmus louisianensis burrows deeply into oxygen-limited estuarine sediments and is subjected to extended anoxia at low tides. Large specimens (> 2 g) have a lethal time for 50% mortality (LT50) of 64 h under anoxia at 25 °C. Small specimens (< 1 g) have a significantly higher LT50 of 113 h, which is the longest ever reported for a crustacean. Whole body lactate levels rise dramatically under anoxia and exceed 120 μmol g.f.w.- 1 by 72 h. ATP, ADP, and AMP do not change during 48 h of anoxia, but arginine phosphate declines by over 50%. Thus arginine phosphate may help stabilize the ATP pool. Surprisingly, when compared to the aerobic resting rate, ATP production under anoxia declines only moderately during the first 12 h, and drops to only about 30% between 12 and 48 h. Finally, after 48 h of anoxia, a major metabolic depression to less than 5% occurs. Downregulation of metabolism is delayed in L. louisianensis compared to many invertebrates that exhibit facultative anaerobiosis. Bioenergetic constraints as a result of eventual metabolic depression lead to ionic disturbances like calcium overload and compromised membrane potential of mitochondria. Because these phenomena trigger apoptosis in mammalian species, we evaluated the susceptibility of ghost shrimp mitochondria to opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and associated damage. Energized mitochondria isolated from hepatopancreas possess a pronounced capacity for calcium uptake. Exogenous calcium does not stimulate opening of the MPTP, which potentially could reduce cell death during prolonged anoxia. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dna Methylation Analysis Of The Mammalian Peg3 Imprinted Domain, Jennifer M. Huang, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

In this study, we performed the first systematic survey of DNA methylation status of the CpG islands of the PEG3 (Paternally expressed gene 3) imprinted domain in the mouse, cow, and human genomes. Previous studies have shown that the region surrounding the first exon of PEG3 contains a differentially methylated CpG island. In addition, we have discovered two previously unreported differentially methylated regions (DMR): one in the promoter region of mouse Zim3 and another in the promoter region of human USP29. In the cow, the Peg3-CpG island was the only area that showed DMR status. We have also examined the …

Application Of Ground Penetrating Radar In Detecting The Hazards And Risks Of Termites And Ants In Soil Levees, Xiuhao Yang, Gregg Henderson, Lixin Mao, Ahmad Evans

Faculty Publications

A ground penetrating radar (GPR) technique was used to detect Formosan subterranean termite (Coptoterrnesfonnosanus) and red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) hazards and risks (targets) in a soil levee at the London Avenue Canal in New Orleans, LA. To make this assessment, GPR signal scans were examined for features produced by termite or ant activities and potential sources of food and shelter such as nests, tree roots, and voids (tunnels). The total scanned length of the soil levee was 4,125 m. The average velocity and effective depth of the radar penetration was 0.080 m/ns and 0.61 m, respectively. Four hundred …

Sperm Motility Initiation And Duration In A Euryhaline Fish, Medaka (Oryzias Latipes), H. Yang, T. R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

The medaka, Oryzias latipes, is a well-recognized fish model for biomedical research. An understanding of gamete characteristics is necessary for experimental manipulations such as artificial fertilization and sperm cryopreservation. The goal of this study was to investigate sperm characteristics of motility initiation, duration, and retention in medaka. First, motility was initiated by osmolality values ranging from 25 to 686 mOsm/kg, which included deionized water and hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic Hanks' balanced salt solution. The percentage of motile sperm was >80% when osmolality was /kg and decreased as osmolality increased. This is different from most fish with external fertilization in which …

Positional Identification Of Variants Of Adamts16 Linked To Inherited Hypertension, Bina Joe, Yasser Saad, Norman H. Lee, Bryan C. Frank, Ovokeraye H. Achinike, Truong V. Luu, Kathirvel Gopalakrishnan, Edward J. Toland, Phyllis Farms, Shane Yerga-Woolwine, Ezhilarasi Manickavasagam, John P. Rapp, Michael R. Garrett, David Coe, Suneel S. Apte, Tuomo Rankinen, Louis Pérusse, Georg B. Ehret, Santhi K. Ganesh, Richard S. Cooper, Ashley O'Connor, Treva Rice, Alan B. Weder, Aravinda Chakravarti, Dabeeru C. Rao, Claude Bouchard

Faculty Publications

A previously reported blood pressure (BP) quantitative trait locus on rat Chromosome 1 was isolated in a short congenic segment spanning 804.6 kb. The 804.6 kb region contained only two genes, LOC306664 and LOC306665. LOC306664 is predicted to translate into A Disintegrin-like and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs-16 (Adamts16). LOC306665 is a novel gene. All predicted exons of both LOC306664 and LOC306665 were sequenced. Non-synonymous variants were identified in only one of these genes, LOC306664. These variants were naturally existing polymorphisms among inbred, outbred and wild rats. The full-length rat transcript of Adamts16 was detected in multiple tissues. Similar to ADAMTS16 …

Yy1'S Role In Dna Methylation Of Peg3 And Xist, Jeong Do Kim, Keunsoo Kang, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

Unusual clusters of YY1 binding sites are located within several differentially methylated regions (DMRs), including Xist, Nespas and Peg3, which all become methylated during oogenesis. In this study, we performed conditional YY1 knockdown (KD) to investigate YY1's roles in DNA methylation of these DMRs. Reduced levels of YY1 during spermatogenesis did not cause any major change in these DMRs although the same YY1 KD caused hypermethylation in these DMRs among a subset of aged mice. However, YY1 KD during oogenesis resulted in the loss of DNA methylation on Peg3 and Xist, but there were no changes on Nespas and H19. …

Modulation Of Lung Inflammation By Vessel Dilator In A Mouse Model Of Allergic Asthma, Xiaoqin Wang, Weidong Xu, Xiaoyuan Kong, Dongqing Chen, Gary Hellermann, Terry A. Ahlert, Joseph D. Giaimo, Stephania A. Cormier, Xu Li, Richard F. Lockey, Subhra Mohapatra, Shyam S. Mohapatra

Faculty Publications

Background: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its receptor, NPRA, have been extensively studied in terms of cardiovascular effects. We have found that the ANP-NPRA signaling pathway is also involved in airway allergic inflammation and asthma. ANP, a C-terminal peptide (amino acid 99-126) of pro-atrial natriuretic factor (proANF) and a recombinant peptide, NP73-102 (amino acid 73-102 of proANF) have been reported to induce bronchoprotective effects in a mouse model of allergic asthma. In this report, we evaluated the effects of vessel dilator (VD), another N-terminal natriuretic peptide covering amino acids 31-67 of proANF, on acute lung inflammation in a mouse model …

Orientation Of Grasshopper Sparrow And Eastern Meadowlark Nests In Relation To Wind Direction, Ashley M. Long, William E. Jensen, Kimberly A. With

Faculty Publications

Orientation of the entrances of bird nests may be especially important in grasslands, where protective cover from solar radiation and wind is minimal. We examined orientation patterns of nest-dome entrances in two grassland bird species, the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and the Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). We noted how these patterns changed over the nesting season and how they related to prevailing wind direction. We found that Grasshopper Sparrow (n = 333) and Eastern Meadowlark (n = 272) nests were oriented nonrandomly, toward the northeast (ā = 33.4° and 52.9°, respectively). Prevailing wind in the study region was approximately from …

Decoupling Development And Energy Flow During Embryonic Diapause In The Cricket, Allonemobius Socius, Julie A. Reynolds, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Publications

Respiration rate increases 6.3-fold during 15days of post-oviposition development in embryos of the Southern ground cricket, Allonemobius socius. This ontogenetic increase in metabolism of non-diapause insects is blocked during diapause, such that metabolic rate is only 36% of the rate measured for 15 days developing embryos. Surprisingly, however, there is not an acute metabolic depression during diapause entry at the point when developmental ceases (4-5days post-oviposition), as measured by blockage of morphological change and DNA proliferation. The results indicate a decoupling of developmental arrest from metabolism. Both non-diapause and diapause embryos have unusually high [AMP]:[ATP] ratios and low [ATP]:[ADP] ratios …

Louisiana Agriculture Summer, 2009

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

Decomposition In Tropical Forests: A Pan-Tropical Study Of The Effects Of Litter Type, Litter Placement And Mesofaunal Exclusion Across A Precipitation Gradient, Jennifer S. Powers, Rebecca A. Montgomery, E. Carol Adair, Francis Q. Brearley, Saara J. Dewalt, Camila T. Castanho, Jerome Chave, Erika Deinert, Jörg U. Ganzhorn, Matthew E. Gilbert, José Antonio González-Iturbe, Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin, H. Ricardo Grau, Kyle E. Harms, Ankila Hiremath, Silvia Iriarte-Vivar, Eric Manzane, Alexandre A. De Oliveira, Lourens Poorter, Jean Baptiste Ramanamanjato, Carl Salk, Amanda Varela, George D. Weiblen, Manuel T. Lerdau

Faculty Publications

Litter decomposition recycles nutrients and causes large ?uxes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is typically assumed that climate, litter quality and decomposer communities determine litter decay rates, yet few comparative studies have examined their relative contributions in tropical forests. 2. We used a short-term litterbag experiment to quantify the effects of litter quality, placement and mesofaunal exclusion on decomposition in 23 tropical forests in 14 countries. Annual precipitation varied among sites (7605797 mm). At each site, two standard substrates (Raphia farinifera and Laurus nobilis) were decomposed in ?ne- and coarse-mesh litterbags both above and below ground for approximately …

Embryonic Diapause Highlighted By Differential Expression Of Mrnas For Ecdysteroidogenesis, Transcription And Lipid Sparing In The Cricket Allonemobius Socius, Julie A. Reynolds, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Publications

Embryos of the ground cricket, Allonemobius socius, enter diapause 4-5days post-oviposition and overwinter in this dormant state that is characterized by developmental arrest. Suppressive subtractive hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR reveal eight candidate genes in pre-diapause embryos that show promise as regulators of diapause entry, when compared with embryos not destined for diapause. Identifications are based both on the magnitude/consistency of differential mRNA abundances and the predicted functions of their products when placed in context of the physiological and biochemical events of diapause characterized in our companion paper. The proteins CYP450, AKR and RACK1 (associated with ecdysteroid synthesis and signaling) …

The Effect Of Ambiguous Data On Phylogenetic Estimates Obtained By Maximum Likelihood And Bayesian Inference, Alan R. Lemmon, Jeremy M. Brown, Kathrin Stanger-Hall, Emily Moriarty Lemmon

Faculty Publications

Although an increasing number of phyiogenetic data sets are incomplete, the effect of ambiguous data on phylogenetic accuracy is not well understood. We use 4-taxon simulations to study the effects of ambiguous data (i.e., missing characters or gaps) in maximum, likelihood (ML) and Bayesian frameworks. By introducing ambiguous data in a way that removes confounding factors, we provide the first clear understanding of 1 mechanism, by which ambiguous data can mislead phylogenetic analyses. We find that in both ML and Bayesian frameworks, among-site rate variation can interact with, ambiguous data to produce misleading estimates of topology and branch, lengths. Furthermore, …

The Potential To Control Haemonchus Contortus In Indigenous South African Goats With Copper Oxide Wire Particles, A. F. Vatta, P. J. Waller, J. B. Githiori, G. F. Medley

Faculty Publications

The high prevalence of resistance of Haemonchus contortus to all major anthelmintic groups has prompted investigations into alternative control methods in South Africa, including the use of copper oxide wire particle (COWP) boluses. To assess the efficacy of COWP against H. contortus in indigenous South African goats, 18 male faecal egg-count-negative goats were each given ca.1200 infective larvae of H. contortus three times per week during weeks 1 and 2 of the experiment. These animals made up an "established" infection group (ESTGRP). At the start of week 7, six goats were each given a 2-g COWP bolus orally; six goats …

Aebp2 As A Potential Targeting Protein For Polycomb Repression Complex Prc2, Hana Kim, Keunsoo Kang, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

AEBP2 is a zinc finger protein that has been shown to interact with the mammalian Polycomb Repression Complex 2 (PRC2). In the current study, we characterized this unknown protein and tested its potential targeting roles for the PRC2. AEBP2 is an evolutionarily well-conserved gene that is found in the animals ranging from flying insects to mammals. The transcription of mammalian AEBP2 is driven by two alternative promoters and produces at least two isoforms of the protein. These isoforms show developmental stage-specific expression patterns: the adult-specific larger form (51 kDa) and the embryo-specific smaller form (32 kDa). The AEBP2 protein binds …

Why Some Species Of Birds Do Not Avoid Inbreeding: Insights From New Zealand Robins And Saddlebacks, Ian G. Jamieson, Sabrina S. Taylor, Lisa N. Tracy, Hanna Kokko, Doug P. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

When dispersal options are limited and encounters with relatives are likely, individuals need to recognize and avoid mating with kin to avoid the fitness costs of close inbreeding. New Zealand robins and saddlebacks are genetically monogamous and possess life-history traits that predict they should show zero tolerance of close inbreeding. However, of 11 population-years of pedigree data, there was evidence of inbreeding avoidance in only 1 year. We also found no indication that incestuous pairings were avoided or that individuals were choosing genetically dissimilar mates based on microsatellite DNA analysis. Furthermore, a review of the literature revealed that inbreeding avoidance …

Civil War Treasures: Binding Contracts: Papers Illustrate Tenuous Relationship Between Former Slaves And Masters, Leah Wood Jewett

Civil War Book Review

Binding Contracts

Papers illustrate tenuous relationship between former slaves and masters

The Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Glycoprotein D (Gf) Cytoplasmic Terminus And Full-Length Ge Are Not Essential And Do Not Function In A Redundant Manner For Cytoplasmic Virion Envelopment And Egress, Cheol Lee Hyun, Vladimir N. Chouljenko, Dmitry V. Chouljenko, Marc J. Boudreaux, K. G. Kousoulas

Faculty Publications

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) acquires its final envelope by budding into cytoplasmic vesicles thought to be derived from trans-Golgi network membranes. This process is facilitated by interactions among the carboxyl termini of viral glycoproteins and tegument proteins. To directly investigate the relative importance of the carboxyl terminus of glycoprotein D (gD) in the presence or absence of gE, a recombinant virus (gDΔct) was constructed to specify a truncated gD lacking the carboxy-terminal 29 amino acids. Furthermore, two additional recombinant viruses were constructed by mutating from ATG to CTG the initiation codons of gE (gEctg) or both gE and …