Digital Commons Network^™

Small-Scale Variation In Fuel Loads Differentially Affects Two Co-Dominant Bunchgrasses In A Species-Rich Pine Savanna, Paul R. Gagnon, Kyle E. Harms, William J. Platt, Heather A. Passmore, Jonathan A. Myers

Faculty Publications

Ecological disturbances frequently control the occurrence and patterning of dominant plants in high-diversity communities like C 4 grasslands and savannas. In such ecosystems disturbance-related processes can have important implications for species, and for whole communities when those species are dominant, yet mechanistic understanding of such processes remains fragmentary. Multiple bunchgrass species commonly co-dominate disturbance-dependent and species-rich pine savannas, where small-scale fuel heterogeneity may influence bunchgrass survival and growth following fires. We quantified how fire in locally varying fuel loads influenced dynamics of dominant C 4 bunchgrasses in a species-rich pine savanna in southeastern Louisiana, USA. We focused on two congeneric, …

The Mechanical Properties Of Epoxy Composites Filled With Rubbery Copolymer Grafted Sio2, Jianing Gao, Junting Li, Brian C. Benicewicz, Su Zhao, Henrik Hillborg, Linda S. Schadler

Faculty Publications

This study demonstrated a method for toughening a highly crosslinked anhydride cured DGEBA epoxy using rubbery block copolymer grafted SiO2 nanoparticles. The particles were synthesized by a sequential reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The inner rubbery block poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) (PHMA) had a glass transition temperature below room temperature. The outer block poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) was matrix compatible. A rubbery interlayer thickness of 100% and 200% of the particle core radius was achieved by grafting a 20 kg/mol and a 40 kg/mol PHMA at a graft density of 0.7 chains/nm² from the SiO₂ surface. The 20 kg/mol rubbery …

Ecological Guild Evolution And The Discovery Of The World's Smallest Vertebrate, Eric N. Rittmeyer, Allen Allison, Michael C. Gründler, Derrick K. Thompson, Christopher C. Austin

Faculty Publications

Living vertebrates vary drastically in body size, yet few taxa reach the extremely minute size of some frogs and teleost fish. Here we describe two new species of diminutive terrestrial frogs from the megadiverse hotspot island of New Guinea, one of which represents the smallest known vertebrate species, attaining an average body size of only 7.7 mm. Both new species are members of the recently described genus Paedophryne, the four species of which are all among the ten smallest known frog species, making Paedophryne the most diminutive genus of anurans. This discovery highlights intriguing ecological similarities among the numerous independent …

Protein Docking Prediction Using Predicted Protein-Protein Interface, Bin Li, Daisuke Kihara

Faculty Publications

Background: Many important cellular processes are carried out by protein complexes. To provide physical pictures of interacting proteins, many computational protein-protein prediction methods have been developed in the past. However, it is still difficult to identify the correct docking complex structure within top ranks among alternative conformations.Results: We present a novel protein docking algorithm that utilizes imperfect protein-protein binding interface prediction for guiding protein docking. Since the accuracy of protein binding site prediction varies depending on cases, the challenge is to develop a method which does not deteriorate but improves docking results by using a binding site prediction which may …

Differences In Spectral Sensitivity Within And Among Species Of Darters (Genus Etheostoma), Jennifer M. Gumm, Ellis R. Lowe, Tamra C. Mendelson

Faculty Publications

We examined variation in the visual system both within and among seven species of darters, colorful freshwater fishes of the genus Etheostoma. Using microspectrophotometry, we found that darters possess rod photoreceptor cells, single cone photoreceptor cells containing middle wavelength sensitive (MWS) visual pigments, and twin photoreceptor cells containing (LWS) visual pigments. No variation in peak sensitivity was detected among species or individuals in the rod class. In the MWS class, significant variation was detected among species and a strong statistical trend suggests differences among individuals. By contrast, all differences in the LWS class could be attributed to variation among individuals. …

Uncoupling Of Inflammation And Insulin Resistance By Nf-Κb In Transgenic Mice Through Elevated Energy Expenditure (Journal Of Biological Chemistry (2010) 285, (4637-4644)), Tianyi Tang, Jin Zhang, Jun Yin, Jaroslaw Staszkiewicz, Barbara Gawronska-Kozak, Dae Young Jung, Hwi Jin Ko, Helena Ong, Jason K. Kim, Randy Mynatt, Roy J. Martin, Michael Keenan, Zhanguo Gao, Jianping Ye

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Categorical Preaching, Steven D. Paulson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Treatments Using Mat-28 For Pine Site Preparation, Andrew W. Ezell, Jimmie L. Yeiser, Pat Minogue

Faculty Publications

Site preparation for pine plantation establishment continues to be the principal use of herbicides in the South. Due to the timing of the work and the cost involved, these applications are critical in both biological and economic terms. In an effort to improve performance in both considerations, a study was undertaken to evaluate a number of herbicide compounds in site preparation applications. A total of 12 treatments were applied with three replications on three sites in a randomized complete block design. Applications were completed in mid-July using a total spray volume of 15 gpa. Treatments included MAT-28 applied alone at …

Controlling Roadside Noncrop Pine In Se Oklahoma Using Selected Glyphosate Formulations With And Without Li 700 And Milestone Vm Plus, Jimmie L. Yeiser, M. Finke, Jason Grogan

Faculty Publications

Noncrop pine control is a major issue confronting managers of openings along roadsides and in clearcuts.Herbicides containing glyphosate are commonly used for pine control. Traditionally, managers have applied 4 quarts product/acre with inconsistent results. LI 700 is a penetrating non-ionic surfactant that contains lecithin. Selected treatments of Makaze, Accord Concentrate and Accord XRT II, some with and without LI 700 or Milestone VM Plus, were tested for control of loblolly (Pinus taeda L) and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill) pines in southeastern OK. Herbicides were applied at 15 GPA on 10-Jun-08. Plots were evaluated for control on 14- Jun-09. Three glyphosate …

Stereo Photo Series For Estimating Natural Fuels In The Netherlands, Volume I: Veluwe Region, Brian P. Oswald, Cathelijne Stoof

Faculty Publications

The photo series are collections of photos and associated field data representing a region of The Netherlands. Volume I includes vegetation types in the Veluwe Region, including Heather, Grasslands, Beech/Hardwoods, Scots Pine, and Douglas-fir. Volume 2 includes dune vegetation types on the island of Texel, plus a site on the mainland near Haarlam. For each vegetation type, sites were sampled with varying fuel loads. The description of the sites consists of a wide-angle site photo, supplemented with field data on the various fuel loads and vegetative layers. The photo series is an important ecological tool to assess landscapes by analyzing …

Improved Self-Control Associated With Using Relatively Large Amounts Of Glucose: Learning Self-Control Is Metabolically Expensive, Matthew T. Gailliot

Faculty Publications

The current study examined whether changes in glucose during a self-control task would predict changes in self-control performance later on. Participants attended two experimental sessions, spaced two weeks apart. During each session, they had their glucose measured, completed the Stroop task as a measure of self-control, and then had their glucose measured again. Larger decreases in glucose (from before to after the Stroop task) during the first session predicted larger increases in improvement on the Stroop task during the second session, in the form of increased speed. Learning self-control might benefit from using larger amounts of glucose. Learning self-control is …

Mortality Salience And Metabolism: Glucose Drinks Reduce Worldview Defense Caused By Mortality Salience, Matthew T. Gailliot

Faculty Publications

The current work tested the hypothesis that a glucose drink would reduce worldview defense following mortality salience. Participants consumed either a glucose drink or placebo, wrote about either death or dental pain, and then completed a measure of worldview defense (viewing positively someone with pro-US views and viewing negatively someone with anti-US views). Mortality salience increased world- view defense among participants who consumed a placebo but not among participants who consumed a glucose drink. Glucose might reduce defensiveness after mortality salience by increasing the effectiveness of the self-controlled suppression of death-related thought, by providing resources to cope with mortality salience …

A Study Of Visual Puffery In Fragrance Advertising: Is The Message Sent Stronger Than The Actual Scent?, Mark Toncar, Marc Fetscherin

Faculty Publications

Purpose - This paper investigates visual exaggerations of fragrance advertisements by comparing subjects’ expectations resulting from print ads to their subsequent product evaluations. It then considers whether the actual scents fall short, meet or exceed these expectations.

Design/methodology/approach - By means of a semiotic analysis we capture the corresponding literary attributes of the ads to develop adjective pairs describing the meaning of the ads. Interviews are conducted to assess the meaning that consumers draw from the fragrance ads and we supplement these findings by performing a blind olfactory product evaluation of the fragrances. Paired sample t-tests are used to compare …

Characterizing Performance Guarantees For Real-Time Multiagent Systems Operating In Noisy And Uncertain Environments, Damian M. Lyons, Ronald Arkin, Stephen Fox, Shu Jiang, Prem Nirmal, Munzir Zafar

Faculty Publications

Autonomous robots offer the potential to conduct Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) missions in an efficient and robust manner. However, to leverage this potential, a mission designer needs to be able to determine how well a robot system will operate in the noisy and uncertain environments that a C-WMD mission may require. We are developing a software framework for verification of performance guarantees for C-WMD missions based on the MissionLab software system and a novel process algebra approach to representing robot programs and operating environments.

In this paper, we report on our initial research for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency …

Practical Objectivity: Keeping Natural Science Natural, Alan G. Padgett

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Anthocyanins And Flavonoids Of Vaccinium L., Zushang Su

Faculty Publications

Vaccinium L., comprising approximately 450 species primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, is a genus of shrubs or lianas in the family Ericaceae. The berries of many species are harvested for household consumption and commercial sale. The genus produces a wide range of compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonoids, chromones, coumarins, lignans, benzoic acids, iridoids, sterols, and triterpenoids, but is best known for the production of anthocyanins and flavonoids. Extracts and isolates of anthocyanins and flavonoids from Vaccinium fruits or leaves showed antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiviral, vasoprotective, and antifungal activities. To data, more than 116 anthocyanins and flavonoids compounds have been isolated …

Phytochemical Constituents And Pharmacological Activities Of Eryngium L.(Apiaceae), Ping Wang, Zushang Su, Wei Yuan, Guangrui Deng, Shiyou Li

Faculty Publications

Eryngium L. is the largest and arguably the most taxonomically complex genus of the family Apiaceae. The genus has approximately 250 species throughout the world, with the center of diversity in South America. Some Eryngium species are cultivated as ornamental, vegetable, or medicinal crops for folk uses. With increasing chemical and biological investigations, Eryngium has shown its potential as pharmaceutical crops. This review focuses on phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of 127 compounds isolated and identified from 23 species of Eryngium, particularly nonessential oil compounds such as terpenoids, triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, polyacetylenes, and steroids. Eryngium extracts or isolates have shown …

Design Optimization Of Transistors Used For Neural Recording, E J. Basham, David W. Parent

Faculty Publications

Neurons cultured directly over open-gate field-effect transistors result in a hybrid device, the neuron-FET. Neuron-FET amplifier circuits reported in the literature employ the neuron-FET transducer as a current-mode device in conjunction with a transimpedance amplifier. In this configuration, the transducer does not provide any signal gain, and characterization of the transducer out of the amplification circuit is required. Furthermore, the circuit requires a complex biasing scheme that must be retuned to compensate for drift. Here we present an alternative strategy based on the design approach to optimize a single-stage common-source amplifier design. The design approach facilitates in circuit characterization of …

Reproductive Strategy Of Male And Female Eastern Spiny Lizards Sceloporus Spinosus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) From A Region Of The Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico, A. Ramirez-Bautista, B. P. Stephenson, X. Hernandez-Ibarra, U. Hernandez-Salinas, R. Cruz-Elizalde, A. Lozano, Geoffrey R. Smith

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Contribution To The Knowledge Of The Ochid Bes Of The Los Amigos Biological Station, Peru (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) [Abstract], R. Niemack, Ismael A. Hinojosa-Diaz, Daniel J. Bennett, C. S. Chaboo

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of An Invasive Plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera), On Development And Survival Of Anuran Larvae, Taylor B. Cotten, Matthew Kwiatkowski, Daniel Saenz, Michael Collyer

Faculty Publications

Amphibians are considered one of the most threatened vertebrate groups. Although numerous studies have addressed the many causes of amphibian population decline, little is known about effects of invasive plants. Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) is an exotic deciduous tree that has invaded the southeastern United States. Amphibian larvae in environments invaded by T. sebifera may be impacted negatively as autumn leaf litter decomposes in natal areas. We compared effects of leaf litter decomposition from T. sebifera and two native tree species on survival and development of four species of anuran larvae from eastern Texas. Larvae from Pseudacris fouquettei, Lithobates (Rana) …

New Species Of Macrocephalic Halictine Bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) [Abstract], Michael S. Engel, Ismael A. Hinojosa-Diaz, Daniel J. Bennett

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Use Of Aminocyclopyrachlor For Forestry Site Preparation In The Southeastern U.S., Andrew W. Ezell, Ronnie Turner, Jimmie L. Yeiser

Faculty Publications

It is not often that new chemistry is made available for use in forestry applications. Aminocyclopyrachlor is a new active ingredient which may have usefulness as a forestry herbicide. Research using this active ingredient began in 2005 and is continuing in university projects across the South. Both hardwood control efficacy and pine tolerance have been evaluated in these trials. A total of 60 different treatments have been evaluated for use in site preparation applications in Mississippi and Texas. This herbicide is effective on a number of species including some invasive exotics. It will probably not be a stand alone treatment, …

Short-Term Carbon Partitioning Fertilizer Responses Vary Among Two Full-Sib Loblolly Pine Clones, Jeremy P. Stovall, John R. Seiler, Thomas R. Fox

Faculty Publications

We investigated the effects of fertilizer application on the partitioning of gross primary productivity (GPP) between contrasting full-sib clones of Pinus taeda (L.). Our objective was to determine if fertilizer growth responses resulted from similar short-term changes to partitioning. A modeling approach incorporating respiratory carbon (C) fluxes, soil CO2 efflux (FS), and biomass was applied to a factorial design with two clones, fertilizer and control treatments, and four sequential monthly harvests of seedlings planted in a greenhouse. Partitioning was integrated over 121 days to above, belowground, and total net primary production (ANPP + BNPP = NPP), total belowground C flux …

Nest Success And Hatchling Survival Of American Alligators Within Inland Wetlands Of East Texas, Warren C. Conway, Gary Calkins, David Saalfeld

Faculty Publications

Because of liberalization of American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) harvest management in Texas, estimates of nest success and hatchling survival for inland populations are essential for long-term, sustainable population and harvest management. To date, few studies have examined American alligator nest success and hatchling survival. We initiated a 3-year study from 2006 to 2008 to document alligator nest success and hatchling survival within several wetlands in east Texas. From June 2006 to August 2008, we located 30 nests from 3 wetlands within east Texas, where overall nest success was 44.2% (95% CI=25.1– 63.1%), irrespective of year. Nest circumference and day during …

Snowy Plover Nest Site Selection, Spatial Patterning, And Temperatures In The Southern High Plains Of Texas, David Saalfeld, Warren C. Conway, William P. Johnson, David A. Haukos

Faculty Publications

Snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) populations have declined throughout their range, in part because of habitat degradation and poor nest success, making information regarding regionally specific nest site selection and spatial patterns important when considering habitat conservation and management guidelines. We determined nest site selection characteristics (n=80) and examined spatial patterns (n=215) of snowy plover nests in saline lakes in the Southern High Plains (SHP) of Texas. At 104 nests, we examined the influence of substrate type on nest temperatures and heat mitigation. Snowy plover nests were more likely to be found near an object, on pebble substrate, and with fewer …

Information Fusion And Quantum Logic In Family Medicine, F. Matthew Mihelic

Faculty Publications

A time-tested model for information fusion and analysis is provided by Family Medicine. Family Medicine is a discipline that operates in the realms of botJ1 technical and social sciences to analyze massive amounts of information from mulriple sources in order to make decisions that bring about tJie integration and coordination of interdisciplinary interventions involving scientific, psychological, and social aspects of medical care. This generalist function serves to lower the organizational entropy of complex systems and thereby improve efficiency while reducing ilie risk of catastrophic failure. Simply bringing a group of specialists together in one place does not bring about the …

A Systematic Genetic Screen To Dissect The Microrna Pathway In Drosophila, Sigal Pressman, Catherine A. Reinke, Xiaohong Wang, Richard W. Carthew

Faculty Publications

A central goal of microRNA biology is to elucidate the genetic program of miRNA function and regulation. However, relatively few of the effectors that execute miRNA repression have been identified. Because such genes may function in many developmental processes, mutations in them are expected to be pleiotropic and thus are discarded in most standard genetic screens. Here, we describe a systematic screen designed to identify all Drosophila genes in ~40% of the genome that function in the miRNA pathway. To identify potentially pleiotropic genes, the screen analyzed clones of homozygous mutant cells in heterozygous animals. We identified 45 mutations representing …

Preservice Teachers Respond To And Tango Makes Three: Deconstructing Disciplinary Power And The Heteronormative In Teacher Education, Donna Kalmbach Phillips, Mindy Legard Larson

Faculty Publications

This study employs Foucauldian concepts to analyse macro and micro contexts of publicly spoken and silent discourses describing ‘homosexuality,’ ‘education’ and ‘teacher’ in order to identify teacher subject positions available to preservice teachers. The macro context is analysed by tracing heteronormative discourses found in newspaper stories involving teachers and public schools that address conflicting views of homosexuality. The macro context analysis indicates two binary teacher subject positions: martyred (unemployed) teacher/silent (employed) teacher and sophisticated teacher/unsophisticated teacher. The micro context analysis is of preservice teachers' responses to And Tango Makes Three, a picture book by Richardson and Parnell. This analysis …

Will Coastal Wetlands Continue To Sequester Carbon In Response To An Increase In Global Sea Level?: A Case Study Of The Rapidly Subsiding Mississippi River Deltaic Plain, R. D. Delaune, J. R. White

Faculty Publications

The highly visible coastal phenomenon of wetland loss in coastal Louisiana (LA) was examined through the prism of carbon accumulation and loss. Carbon storage or sequestration in rapidly subsiding LA coastal marsh soils was based on vertical marsh accretion and aerial change data. Marshes sequester significant amount of carbon through vertical accretion however, large amounts of carbon previously sequestration in the soil profile is lost through annual deterioration of these coastal marshes. Hurricanes, such as Katrina and Rita, have triggered instantaneous large carbon losses of sequestered soil carbon through the destruction of large areas of marsh. This analysis shows proposed …