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2004

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Evaluation Of A Deer-Activated Bioacoustic Frightening Device For Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gildorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Greg M. Clements, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman Jan 2004

Evaluation Of A Deer-Activated Bioacoustic Frightening Device For Reducing Deer Damage In Cornfields, Jason M. Gildorf, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Greg M. Clements, Erin E. Blankenship, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deer (Odocoileus spp.) can cause substantial damage to agricultural crops, resulting in economic losses for producers. We developed a deer-activated bio-acoustic frightening device to reduce white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) damage in agricultural fields. The device consisted of an infrared detection system that activated an audio component which broadcast recorded distress and alarm calls of deer. We tested the device against unprotected controls in cornfields during the silking–tasseling stage of growth in July 2001. The device was not effective in reducing damage: track-count indices (F1,4=0.02, P=0.892), corn yield (F1,9=1.27, P=0.289), and estimated damage levels (F1,10=0.87, P=0.374) did not differ between experimental …


Predacides For Canid Predation Management, K. A. Fagerstone, J. J. Johnston, P. J. Savarie Jan 2004

Predacides For Canid Predation Management, K. A. Fagerstone, J. J. Johnston, P. J. Savarie

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Throughout the livestock industry in the western United States, control of canid predators was considered to be of considerable importance to the livestock industry, especially to sheep producers, who sufkred high losses from coyotes and wolves. In the 19th century, the demand for predator control was communicated to Congress and the western state assemblies, with the result that predator control was provided in western states by the Fedcral Bureau of Biological Survey in cooperation with state agencies, and by trappers hired by stockmen. Steel traps and poisons were the principal methods used for predator control during the early years of …


The Accidental Plant Pathologist, Anne K. Vidaver Jan 2004

The Accidental Plant Pathologist, Anne K. Vidaver

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

This article presents the experiences of a woman in academic plant pathology from the 1950s to today. Topics include the social climate for women in science, personal and professional developments and research discoveries, public policy issues in agriculture and biotechnology affecting plant pathology, and projections for the future of plant pathology.


Biography Of James L. Van Etten, Christen Brownlee, James L. Van Etten Jan 2004

Biography Of James L. Van Etten, Christen Brownlee, James L. Van Etten

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Green algae, in surface layers of almost every lake or stream, are some of the most common aquatic creatures. However, unbeknownst to researchers until recently, viruses that infect algae are almost as widespread. Entire ecosystems of algal hosts and their corresponding viruses lay hidden until the 1980s, when James L. Van Etten, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln), and his colleague Russ Meints discovered and began to characterize the first member of what is now a rapidly expanding family of algal viruses. Van Etten and his colleagues have continued to study these intriguing viruses, focusing …


The Selfish Nature Of Generosity: Harassment And Food Sharing In Primates, Jeffrey R. Stevens Jan 2004

The Selfish Nature Of Generosity: Harassment And Food Sharing In Primates, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Animals may share food to gain immediate or delayed fitness benefits. Previous studies of sharing have concentrated on delayed benefits such as reciprocity, trade and punishment. This study tests an alternative model (the harassment or sharing–under–pressure hypothesis) in which a food owner immediately benefits because sharing avoids costly harassment from a beggar. I present an experiment that varies the potential ability of the beggar to harass, and of the owner to defend the food, to examine the effects of harassment on food sharing in two primate species: chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis). For …


A Conceptual Framework For Non-Kin Food Sharing: Timing And Currency Of Benefits, Jeffrey R. Stevens, Ian C. Gilby Jan 2004

A Conceptual Framework For Non-Kin Food Sharing: Timing And Currency Of Benefits, Jeffrey R. Stevens, Ian C. Gilby

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Many animal species, from arthropods to apes, share food. This paper presents a new framework that categorizes nonkin food sharing according to two axes: (1) the interval between sharing and receiving the benefits of sharing, and (2) the currency units in which benefits accrue to the sharer (especially food versus nonfood). Sharers can obtain immediate benefits from increased foraging efficiency, predation avoidance, mate provisioning, or manipulative mutualism. Reciprocity, trade, status enhancement and group augmentation can delay benefits. When benefits are delayed or when food is exchanged for nonfood benefits, maintaining sharing can become more difficult because animals face discounting and …


Great Plains Ecosystems: Past, Present, And Future, Fred B. Samson, Fritz L. Knopf, Wayne Ostlie Jan 2004

Great Plains Ecosystems: Past, Present, And Future, Fred B. Samson, Fritz L. Knopf, Wayne Ostlie

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Little questions exists that the main bodies of North American prairie (i.e., the tall-grass, mixed, and shortgrass) are among the most endangered resources on the continent. The purpose of this paper is to provide a past and present biological base- line by which to understand North American prairies and to provide a platform for future conservation. Events both immediate to the end of the Pleistocene and historic suggest that the present grassland conditions are different from those within which most of the grassland organisms evolved. Our analysis suggests that few grassland landscapes remain adequate in area and distribution to sustain …


Federal Listing Of Prairie Grouse: Lessons From The Attwater’S Prairie Chicken, Michael Morrow, Terry A. Rossignol, Nova J. Silvy Jan 2004

Federal Listing Of Prairie Grouse: Lessons From The Attwater’S Prairie Chicken, Michael Morrow, Terry A. Rossignol, Nova J. Silvy

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Considerable controversy has often surrounded proposals to confer official status (i.e., list) species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 as amended or its precursors. Recent proposals to list the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), the western sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus phaios), and the Gunnison sage grouse (C. minimus) were met with strong opposition by those concerned with prospects of an increased regulatory environment associated with such an action. The Attwater's prairie-chicken (T. cupido attwateri) was one of the first species listed under The Endangered Species Conservation Act of …


Safety Of Brucella Abortus Strain Rb51 In Black Bears, Steven C. Olsen, Jack Rhyan, T. Gidlewski, Jesse Goff, W. C. Stoffregen Jan 2004

Safety Of Brucella Abortus Strain Rb51 In Black Bears, Steven C. Olsen, Jack Rhyan, T. Gidlewski, Jesse Goff, W. C. Stoffregen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In two studies conducted from October 1999 to March 2000 and December 2000 to April 2001, adult black bears (Ursus americanus) were orally inoculated with 1.4–3.1X1010 colony-forming units (CFU) of Brucella abortus strain RB51 (SRB51, n=12) or 2 ml of 0.15 M NaCl solution (saline, n=11). We did not detect a difference (P>0.05) in antibody titers to SRB51 in serum obtained before vaccination, at 8 wk after vaccination, or at necropsy at 21 or 23 wk after vaccination between SRB51-vaccinated and nonvaccinated bears. The SRB51 vaccine strain was recovered from tissues obtained at …


History Of Greater Sage-Grouse In The Dakotas: Distribution And Population Trends, Joe T. Smith, Lester D. Flake, Kenneth F. Higgins, Gerald D. Kobriger Jan 2004

History Of Greater Sage-Grouse In The Dakotas: Distribution And Population Trends, Joe T. Smith, Lester D. Flake, Kenneth F. Higgins, Gerald D. Kobriger

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) has declined throughout its range and its status is of major concern to federal, state, and provincial wildlife agencies. We collected information on current and historical greater sage-grouse distribution and lek activity in western North and South Dakota. A steady decline in lek attendance by males occurred over the entire recorded period in North Dakota (1951-2002) and South Dakota (1972-2002). There was no apparent change in numbers of known active leks due to discovery of new leks, but there was an abandonment of regions once occupied by active leks.


Crop And Soil Productivity Response To Corn Residue Removal: A Literature Review, Wallace Wilhelm, J.M.F. Johnson, J. L. Hatfield, W.B. Voorhees, D.R. Linden Jan 2004

Crop And Soil Productivity Response To Corn Residue Removal: A Literature Review, Wallace Wilhelm, J.M.F. Johnson, J. L. Hatfield, W.B. Voorhees, D.R. Linden

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Society is facing three related issues: over-reliance on imported fuel, increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and producing sufficient food for a growing world population. The U.S. Department of Energy and private enterprise are developing technology necessary to use high-cellulose feedstock, such as crop residues, for ethanol production. Corn (Zea mays L.) residue can provide about 1.7 times more C than barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], soybean [Glycine max L.) Merr.], sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues based on …


Old-Field Grassland Successional Dynamics Following Cessation Of Chronic Disturbance, Susan Tunnell, David Engle, Eric Jorgensen Jan 2004

Old-Field Grassland Successional Dynamics Following Cessation Of Chronic Disturbance, Susan Tunnell, David Engle, Eric Jorgensen

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Question: Does increasing i>Festuca canopy cover reduce plant species richness and, therefore, alter plant community composition and the relationship of litter to species richness in old-field grassland?
Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, USA.
Methods: Canopy cover by species, species richness, and litter mass were collected within an old-field grassland site on 16, 40 m x &#;40 m plots. Our study was conducted during the first three years of a long-term study that investigated the effects of low-level nitrogen enrichment and small mammal herbivory manipulations.
Results: Succession was altered by an increase in abundance of Festuca over the 3-yr study period. Species …


Resource Allocation In A Breeding Program For Phosphorus Concentration In Maize Grain, Brandon M. Wardyn, W. Ken Russell Jan 2004

Resource Allocation In A Breeding Program For Phosphorus Concentration In Maize Grain, Brandon M. Wardyn, W. Ken Russell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

When beef cattle (Bos taurus) are fed grain of maize (Zea mays L.) in which the concentration of phosphorus (P) exceeds the animal’s need for this element, the excess P is excreted in the feces. Spreading this manure on cropland increases the potential for P pollution of surface waters by run-off. Experiments were undertaken to determine the relative magnitudes of genotypic and nongenotypic variances of P concentration in maize grain (P-Gr) to assess the ability to select maize genotypes in which this trait more closely matches the dietary need of beef cattle. Genetic variability was found in …


Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album) Interference With Corn Across The North-Central United States, David W. Fischer, R. Gordon Harvey, Thomas T. Bauman, Sam Phillips, Stephen E. Hart, Gregg A. Johnson, James J. Kells, Philip Westra, John L. Lindquist Jan 2004

Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album) Interference With Corn Across The North-Central United States, David W. Fischer, R. Gordon Harvey, Thomas T. Bauman, Sam Phillips, Stephen E. Hart, Gregg A. Johnson, James J. Kells, Philip Westra, John L. Lindquist

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Variation in crop–weed interference relationships has been shown for a number of crop–weed mixtures and may have an important influence on weed management decision-making. Field experiments were conducted at seven locations over 2 yr to evaluate variation in common lambsquarters interference in field corn and whether a single set of model parameters could be used to estimate corn grain yield loss throughout the north-central United States.


Factors Affecting The Realized Niche Of Common Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) In Ridge-Tillage Corn, Michael G. Burton, David A. Mortensen, David B. Marx, John L. Lindquist Jan 2004

Factors Affecting The Realized Niche Of Common Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) In Ridge-Tillage Corn, Michael G. Burton, David A. Mortensen, David B. Marx, John L. Lindquist

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Because soil characteristics and weed densities vary within agricultural landscapes, determining which subfield areas are most favorable to weed species may aid in their management. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted to determine whether subfield environments characterized by higher soil organic carbon (SOC), or ridge vs. furrow microsites, affect common sunflower seed germination after winter burial, seedling emergence, or the control afforded by a preemergence herbicide in a ridge-tillage corn production system. Among seeds buried in situ during winter months and germinated in the laboratory, no differences in common sunflower seed germination or mortality were detected between high-SOC (1.8% mean) …


Test Of The Hybrid-Maize Model For Simulation Of Soil Moisture Dynamics And Maize Response To Water Deficit, Haishun S. Yang, Achim R. Dobermann, Kenneth G. Cassman, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Timothy J. Arkebauer, Shashi Verma, Daniel T. Walters Jan 2004

Test Of The Hybrid-Maize Model For Simulation Of Soil Moisture Dynamics And Maize Response To Water Deficit, Haishun S. Yang, Achim R. Dobermann, Kenneth G. Cassman, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Timothy J. Arkebauer, Shashi Verma, Daniel T. Walters

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The Hybrid-Maize model (Yang et al, 2004), which has been validated under optimal water conditions, was evaluated for its ability to simulate soil moisture dynamics in the root zone and effects of water deficits on maize development and final yields (Fig. 1). The experimental data for this evaluation were obtained from ongoing field studies of the Carbon Sequestration Program (CSP) at the University of Nebraska. The studies include three cropping systems, each located in a quarter-section field (57 ha), two of which are irrigated by central-pivots and the third is rainfed. One irrigated field is in continuous maize and the …


Selective Primary Hepatocyte Adhesion On Polyelectrolyte Multilayer : Template For Patterned Cell Co-Culture, Srivatsan Kidambi, Ilsoon Lee, Christina Chan Jan 2004

Selective Primary Hepatocyte Adhesion On Polyelectrolyte Multilayer : Template For Patterned Cell Co-Culture, Srivatsan Kidambi, Ilsoon Lee, Christina Chan

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

The ability of surfaces to modulate cellular behavior such as adhesion, migration, proliferation and differentiation is an important facet of tissue and organ formation and in the eventual realization of functional biomaterials. The presence of micro or nanostructures on a surface permits the manipulation of cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions to better control cellular function and behavior. Commonly, proteins and cells indiscriminately attach onto medically implantable surfaces, which may ultimately lead to undesired fibrous encapsulation, detrimental clinical complications, increased risk of infection, and poor device performance. 1, 2 Consequently, by generating so-called bioinert materials, one may attempt to first reduce any …


Molecular Mapping And Identification Of Soybean Fatty Acid Modifier Quantitative Trait Loci, D. L. Hyten Jr., Vincent R. Pantalone, Arnold M. Saxton, Michael E. Schmidt, Carl E. Sams Jan 2004

Molecular Mapping And Identification Of Soybean Fatty Acid Modifier Quantitative Trait Loci, D. L. Hyten Jr., Vincent R. Pantalone, Arnold M. Saxton, Michael E. Schmidt, Carl E. Sams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Altering FA content in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] oil for improved functionality is a research goal of many soybean breeders. Several of the genes that alter palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids are modifier genes with small effects, causing these FA traits to act as quantitative traits. The objective of this study was to identify modifier FA quantitative trait loci (QTL) in soybean. A recombinant inbred line population was created from two prominent ancestors of currently avail-able U.S. cultivars (Essex and Williams) and grown in five environments. One hundred simple se-quence repeat markers spaced throughout the genome …


Implementation Of A Mitochondrial Mutator, Sally Mackenzie, Ricardo Vilela Abdelnoor Jan 2004

Implementation Of A Mitochondrial Mutator, Sally Mackenzie, Ricardo Vilela Abdelnoor

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Plant MSH1 polynucleotides and polypeptides are described. Also described are methods for the use and modulation of such MSH1 polynucleotides and polypeptides.


Residual Effects Of Manure And Compost Applications On Corn Production And Soil Properties, Bahman Eghball, Daniel Ginting, John E. Gilley Jan 2004

Residual Effects Of Manure And Compost Applications On Corn Production And Soil Properties, Bahman Eghball, Daniel Ginting, John E. Gilley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Residual effects of manure or compost application on crop production and soil properties can last for several years. This study was conducted to evaluate residual effects of annual or biennial applications of N- and P-based composted and non-composted beef cattle (Bos Taurus) feedlot manure, chemical fertilizer, and no-treatment check on corn (Zea mays L.) production and soil properties. Manure and compost were applied from 1992 to 1995, and the residual effects were determined from 1997 to 1999. Residual effects of N- and P-based manure and compost applications on corn grain yield and N uptake lasted for at …


Changes In Composition And Thermal Transition Temperatures Of Grain Sorghum Wax During Storage, Keum Taek Hwang, Curtis L. Weller, Susan L. Cuppett, Milford Hanna Jan 2004

Changes In Composition And Thermal Transition Temperatures Of Grain Sorghum Wax During Storage, Keum Taek Hwang, Curtis L. Weller, Susan L. Cuppett, Milford Hanna

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) wax is composed mainly of aldehydes, alcohols, and acids. Aldehydes, comprising about one-half of the wax, are readily converted to acids in presence of air. In this study, whole sorghum wax and an aldehyde fraction from sorghum wax were subjected to oxidative conditions. Changes in the major components and thermal transition temperatures were determined using HPLC and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), respectively. The aldehyde fraction was oxidized markedly to acids over 4 months in storage at room temperature. Acid content, in the fraction, was initially 5–7% and increased to 42–51% after 135 days in …


Controlled Release Systems For Dna Delivery, Angela K. Pannier, Lonnie D Shea Jan 2004

Controlled Release Systems For Dna Delivery, Angela K. Pannier, Lonnie D Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Adapting controlled release technologies to the delivery of DNA has the potential to overcome extracellular barriers that limit gene therapy. Controlled release systems can enhance gene delivery and increase the extent and duration of transgene expression relative to more traditional delivery methods (e.g., injection). These systems typically deliver vectors locally, which can avoid distribution to distant tissues, decrease toxicity to nontarget cells, and reduce the immune response to the vector. Delivery vehicles for controlled release are fabricated from natural and synthetic polymers, which function either by releasing the vector into the local tissue environment or by maintaining the vector at …


Development Of An Instrumented Deep−Tillage Implement For Sensing Of Soil Mechanical Resistance, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Andrey V. Skotnikov, Justin D. Speichinger, Michael F. Kocher Jan 2004

Development Of An Instrumented Deep−Tillage Implement For Sensing Of Soil Mechanical Resistance, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Andrey V. Skotnikov, Justin D. Speichinger, Michael F. Kocher

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Variable−depth tillage has the potential for economic and environmental benefits to modern crop production. Varying tillage depth according to local soil conditions prevents the waste of energy and preserves soil ecology. A prototype instrumentation system was developed based on a conventional implement for deep tillage. It was equipped with two load cells and two sets of strain gauges for sensing the load applied to the implement during tillage. Two linear pressure distribution models (full and redundant) were used to describe the change of soil mechanical resistance with depth. These models were then used to compare estimates of soil mechanical resistance …


Predicting Tractor Fuel Consumption, Robert D. Grisso, Michael F. Kocher, David H. Vaughan Jan 2004

Predicting Tractor Fuel Consumption, Robert D. Grisso, Michael F. Kocher, David H. Vaughan

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Reports from the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory (NTTL) show improved fuel efficiency during the past 20 years. A 4.8% decrease in average annual specific volumetric fuel consumption for the data used in the ASAE Standards was shown. Using fuel consumption and power data from the NTTL reports, new equations for fuel consumption were established that predict fuel consumption for diesel engines during full and partial loads and under conditions when engine speeds are reduced from full throttle.


Field Efficiency Determination Using Traffic Pattern Indices, Robert D. Grisso, Michael F. Kocher, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Paul J. Jasa, Mark A. Schroeder Jan 2004

Field Efficiency Determination Using Traffic Pattern Indices, Robert D. Grisso, Michael F. Kocher, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Paul J. Jasa, Mark A. Schroeder

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Field efficiency is an important criterion for determining field capacity during field operations and, indirectly, for making important machinery management decisions. Geographic location data gathered with a yield monitor during harvest and a data logger during planting were used to provide time−motion studies of equipment and operator productivity. This study used these spatial and temporal data to quantify field performance of a combine and a planter. Seven Nebraska fields were used to compare results from soybean and corn production systems. Fields that were relatively flat with straight rows were contrasted with contoured fields with slopes of 3% to 5%. Two …


Measurement And Analyses Of Growth And Stress Parameters Of Viburnum Odoratissimum (Ker-Gawl) Grown In A Multi-Pot Box System, Suat Irmak, Dorota Z. Haman, Ayse Kilic, James W. Jones, Kenneth L. Campbell, Thomas L. Crisman Jan 2004

Measurement And Analyses Of Growth And Stress Parameters Of Viburnum Odoratissimum (Ker-Gawl) Grown In A Multi-Pot Box System, Suat Irmak, Dorota Z. Haman, Ayse Kilic, James W. Jones, Kenneth L. Campbell, Thomas L. Crisman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Two colors (white and black) of a recently introduced irrigation-plant production system [multi-pot box system (MPBS)] for container-grown nurseries were researched and results were compared with those obtained from the sprinkler-irrigated conventional (control) system (CS). Experiments were carried out in summer and fall of 2001 in Gainesville, Fla. Plant growth [growth index (GI), growth rate (GR), and dry matter] and stress parameters[stomatal resistance (rs), crop water stress index (CWSI), plant water potential (PWP), and substrate temperature (ST)] were measured and analyzed for Viburnum odoratissimum (Ker-gawl). In both seasons, plants grown in the white MPBS has significantly higher GI …


Reconsidering The Evolution Of Eukaryotic Selenoproteins: A Novel Nonmammalian Family With Scattered Phylogenetic Distribution, Sergi Castellano, Sergey V. Novoselov, Gregory V. Kryukov, Alain Lescure, Enrique Blanco, Alain Krol, Vadim N. Gladyshev, Roderic Guigo Jan 2004

Reconsidering The Evolution Of Eukaryotic Selenoproteins: A Novel Nonmammalian Family With Scattered Phylogenetic Distribution, Sergi Castellano, Sergey V. Novoselov, Gregory V. Kryukov, Alain Lescure, Enrique Blanco, Alain Krol, Vadim N. Gladyshev, Roderic Guigo

Vadim Gladyshev Publications

While the genome sequence and gene content are available for an increasing number of organisms, eukaryotic selenoproteins remain poorly characterized. The dual role of the UGA codon confounds the identification of novel selenoprotein genes. Here, we describe a comparative genomics approach that relies on the genome-wide prediction of genes with in-frame TGA codons, and the subsequent comparison of predictions from different genomes, wherein conservation in regions flanking the TGA codon suggests selenocysteine coding function. Application of this method to human and fugu genomes identified a novel selenoprotein family, named SelU, in the puffer fish. The selenocysteinecontaining form also occurred in …


Reconsidering The Evolution Of Eukaryotic Selenoproteins: A Novel Nonmammalian Family With Scattered Phylogenetic Distribution, Sergi Castellano, Sergey V. Novoselov, Gregory V. Kryukov, Alain Lescure, Enrique Blanco, Alain Krol, Vadim N. Gladyshev, Roderic Guigo Jan 2004

Reconsidering The Evolution Of Eukaryotic Selenoproteins: A Novel Nonmammalian Family With Scattered Phylogenetic Distribution, Sergi Castellano, Sergey V. Novoselov, Gregory V. Kryukov, Alain Lescure, Enrique Blanco, Alain Krol, Vadim N. Gladyshev, Roderic Guigo

Vadim Gladyshev Publications

While the genome sequence and gene content are available for an increasing number of organisms, eukaryotic selenoproteins remain poorly characterized. The dual role of the UGA codon confounds the identification of novel selenoprotein genes. Here, we describe a comparative genomics approach that relies on the genome-wide prediction of genes with in-frame TGA codons, and the subsequent comparison of predictions from different genomes, wherein conservation in regions flanking the TGA codon suggests selenocysteine coding function. Application of this method to human and fugu genomes identified a novel selenoprotein family, named SelU, in the puffer fish. The selenocysteinecontaining form also occurred in …


Clark’S Nutcrackers (Nucifraga Columbiana) And The Effects Of Goal-Landmark Distance On Overshadowing, Aleida J. Goodyear, Alan Kamil Jan 2004

Clark’S Nutcrackers (Nucifraga Columbiana) And The Effects Of Goal-Landmark Distance On Overshadowing, Aleida J. Goodyear, Alan Kamil

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

Three groups of Clark’s nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) were trained to find a goal location defined by an array of 4 landmarks that varied in goal–landmark distance. The arrays for each group differed in the distance of the closest landmark and contained goal–landmark distances that were common across groups, allowing for the examination of the effects of both relative and absolute goal–landmark distance on encoding of a landmark array. All 3 groups readily learned the task and were subsequently tested in probe tests with only single landmarks from the array available. Search error in tests with single landmarks was …


Social Play In Kaka (Nestor Meridionalis) With Comparisons To Kea (Nestor Notabilis), Judy Diamond, Alan B. Bond Jan 2004

Social Play In Kaka (Nestor Meridionalis) With Comparisons To Kea (Nestor Notabilis), Judy Diamond, Alan B. Bond

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

Social play in the kaka (Nestor meridionalis), a New Zealand parrot, is described and contrasted with that of its closest relative, the kea (Nestor notabilis), in one of the first comparative studies of social play in closely related birds. Most play action patterns were clearly homologous in these two species, though some contrasts in the form of specific play behaviors, such as kicking or biting, could be attributed to morphological differences. Social play in kakas is briefer, more predictable, and less sequentially diverse than that shown by keas. Kaka play also appears to be restricted to …