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2005

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Forest Regeneration Under Ficus Tuerckheimii And Sideroxylon Portoricense In Former Pasturelands, August 2005, Michael Perkins Aug 2005

Forest Regeneration Under Ficus Tuerckheimii And Sideroxylon Portoricense In Former Pasturelands, August 2005, Michael Perkins

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Forest regeneration in abandoned pastures is often slower than in areas of natural disturbance. Lack of seed dispersers is often the major limiting factor. Shade trees left in pastures are potential perch sites and food sources for birds that act as seed dispersers. This study compared diversity and stem density of colonizing tree species under the crowns of Ficus tuerckheimii and Sideroxylon portoricense and compared change in diversity from a previous study measuring the same parameters at the same site. Ficus tuerckheimii had a significantly greater diversity of seedlings than Sideroxylon portoricense. For Ficus and Sideroxylon, significant negative correlation was …


Coleopteran Diversity On An Elevational Gradient In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, 2005, Colin Weerts Aug 2005

Coleopteran Diversity On An Elevational Gradient In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, 2005, Colin Weerts

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Most insect diversity decreases with increased altitude. However, little is known about how coleopteran (beetle) diversity changes with respect to altitude in tropical habitats (Hanski and Cambefort 1991). Coleopterans were collected on the property of Estación Biológica Monteverde at three site locations at different elevations using pit-fall traps baited with mango, human scat, or soapy water. The number of individuals and number of species collected were analyzed and divided by morphology into species by comparison with the collection of the Estación Biológica. A relationship existed between the abundance of Coleoptera and the elevation at which they are found. There were …


Lichen Succession On Cecropia Spp. Trunks In A Lower Montane Wet Secondary Forest, August 2005, Megan M. Smith Aug 2005

Lichen Succession On Cecropia Spp. Trunks In A Lower Montane Wet Secondary Forest, August 2005, Megan M. Smith

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Cecropia spp. are common pioneer tree species in regenerating forest ecosystems and are often covered in trunk colonizers such as lichen, moss, and vines. As the tree ages and a more mature forest closes in, the microhabitat becomes darker and wetter, thus forcing species to change along a vertical species gradient as the succession of epiphytes tends more toward vascular plants. This study looks at epiphytic succession by measuring the percent lichen cover at a constant height on the trunks of Cecropia spp. It was hypothesized that percent lichen cover would decrease as tree diameter increased. One hundred trees were …


Groundwater Remediation Technologies For Trichloroethylene And Technetium-99., John Nicholas Uhl 1960- Aug 2005

Groundwater Remediation Technologies For Trichloroethylene And Technetium-99., John Nicholas Uhl 1960-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Innovative Treatment Remediation Demonstration Program (ITRD) made technology recommendations after reviewing thirty in situ remediation technologies for implementation at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) to treat groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and technetium-99 (Tc-99). The 1999 data used in the ITRD final report were considered to be obsolete as of the year 2004. In this work, cost and performance of the ITRD recommended technologies were updated and compared to newer technologies not in the original review. The technologies were described and case studies were used to evaluate cost and performance with costs …


Effect Of The Cycle-Run Transition On Running Economy In Triathletes, James J. Swanson Aug 2005

Effect Of The Cycle-Run Transition On Running Economy In Triathletes, James J. Swanson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prior cycling on running economy (RE) during the running portion of a simulated Olympic distance triathlon. Six triathletes and one duathlete participated in four consecutive laboratory trials: (1) maximal treadmill tests, (2) independent 40km cycling trial (IC), (3) independent 10km treadmill running (IR) and (4) 40km cycling (TC) followed by a 10km treadmill run (TR). Pulmonary data were collected every minute using an automated breath-by-breath system and compared between the first and last ten minutes of each trial. The data showed a significant increase was seen in RE from …


Rna-Activated Protein Kinase, Pkr, Yumiko Kobayashi Aug 2005

Rna-Activated Protein Kinase, Pkr, Yumiko Kobayashi

Honors Scholar Theses

The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) activated protein kinase, PKR, is one of the several enzymes induced by interferons and a key molecule mediating the antiviral effects of interferons. PKR contain an N-terminal, double-stranded RNA binding domain (dsRBD), which has two tandem copies of the motifs (dsRBM I and dsRBM II). Upon binding to viral dsRNA, PKR is activated via autophosphorylation. Activated PKR has several substrates; one of the examples is eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2a). The phosphorylation of eIF2a leads to the termination of cell growth by inhibiting protein synthesis in response to viral infection. The objective of this project …


A Legislative Solution To The Problem Of Concierge Care, Cynthia A. Smith Aug 2005

A Legislative Solution To The Problem Of Concierge Care, Cynthia A. Smith

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.


A Comprehensive Comparison Of The Growth-Management Programs Of Oregon And Florida, And The Possible Implications For Tennessee's Growth-Management Programs, Steven Lampkins Aug 2005

A Comprehensive Comparison Of The Growth-Management Programs Of Oregon And Florida, And The Possible Implications For Tennessee's Growth-Management Programs, Steven Lampkins

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The state of Tennessee adopted The Comprehensive Growth plan in 1997 in an effort to coordinate and control growth. The state legislative assembly recognized that coordinated and controlled growth is essential to maintain the quality of life thatTennessee residents expect.The creation of growth-management legislation is a significant step in the right direction; the adoption of a bottom-up management method has seriously compromised the effectiveness of the growth-management program in the state. The state has failed to allocate the necessary funding and has not established an effective incentive program to facilitate compliance with a bottom-up growthmanagement method.The state has also placed …


New Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Information: Preparing For The Change, Joseph A. Woelfel Aug 2005

New Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Information: Preparing For The Change, Joseph A. Woelfel

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.


Appeasement Reconsidered: Investigating The Mythology Of The 1930s, Jeffrey Record Dr. Aug 2005

Appeasement Reconsidered: Investigating The Mythology Of The 1930s, Jeffrey Record Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

U.S. use of force since 1945 has been significantly influenced by the perceived consequences of appeasing Hitler in the 1930s, and from the mid-1970s to 2001 by the chilling effect of the Vietnam War. As the United States approached its second war with Iraq, proponents cited the Munich analogy to justify the war, whereas opponents argued that the United States was risking another Vietnam. Though reasoning by historical analogies is inherently dangerous, an examination of the threat parallels between Hitler and Saddam Hussein, and between the Vietnam War and the situation the United States has confronted in post-Baathist Iraq, reveals …


Cross-Cultural Studies Of Implicit Theories Of Creativity: A Comparative Analysis Between The United States And The Main Ethnic Groups In Singapore, Suzanna J. Ramos Aug 2005

Cross-Cultural Studies Of Implicit Theories Of Creativity: A Comparative Analysis Between The United States And The Main Ethnic Groups In Singapore, Suzanna J. Ramos

Creative Studies Graduate Student Master's Theses

This thesis explored the extent of influence of culture on implicit theories of creativity among laypeople from the United States and Singapore, as well as the ethnic groups in Singapore - the Chinese, the Malays, and the Indians, in regard to adaptive and innovative styles of creativity as well as their own conceptions of creativity. A total of 523 participants were involved in this study. They comprised 139 participants from the United States and 199 participants from Singapore, 84 Chinese, 54 Malays, and 47 Indians. The participants completed the first part of a questionnaire that consisted of a ten-point scale …


Baseline Susceptibility Of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Crysomelidae) To Cry3bb1 Bacillus Thuringiensis Toxin, Blair D. Siegfried, Ty T. Vaughn, Terrence A. Spencer Aug 2005

Baseline Susceptibility Of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Crysomelidae) To Cry3bb1 Bacillus Thuringiensis Toxin, Blair D. Siegfried, Ty T. Vaughn, Terrence A. Spencer

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Susceptibility to Cry3Bb1 toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was determined for western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, neonates from both laboratory and field populations collected from across the Corn Belt. Rootworm larvae were exposed to artificial diet treated with increasing Cry3Bb1 concentrations, and mortality and growth inhibition were evaluated after 4Ð7 d. The range of variation in Bt susceptibility indicated by growth inhibition was similar to that indicated by mortality. Although interpopulation variation in susceptibility was observed, the magnitude of the differences was comparable with the variability observed between generations of the same population. In general, the toxin was …


Flight Behavior Of Methyl-Parathion-Resistant And –Susceptible Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Populations From Nebraska, Jenny A. Stebbing, Lance J. Meinke, Steve E. Naranjo, Blair Siegfried, Robert J. Wright, Laurence D. Chandler Aug 2005

Flight Behavior Of Methyl-Parathion-Resistant And –Susceptible Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Populations From Nebraska, Jenny A. Stebbing, Lance J. Meinke, Steve E. Naranjo, Blair Siegfried, Robert J. Wright, Laurence D. Chandler

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Relative flight behavior of methyl-parathion-resistant and -susceptible western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte populations, was studied as part of a larger effort to characterize the potential impact of insecticide resistance on adult life history traits and to understand the evolution and spread of resistance. A computer interfaced autograph was used to compare flight of resistant and susceptible individuals, and flight of resistant individuals with and without prior exposure to methyl-parathion. In each case, mean trivial and sustained flight durations were compared among treatments. In general, there were few differences in trivial or sustained flight characteristics as affected by beetle …


Potential Of Restored Prairie Wetlands In The Glaciated North American Prairie To Sequester Atmospheric Carbon, Robert A. Gleason, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Rhonda L. Mcdougal, Kevin E. Kermes, Edward N. Steadman, John A. Harju Aug 2005

Potential Of Restored Prairie Wetlands In The Glaciated North American Prairie To Sequester Atmospheric Carbon, Robert A. Gleason, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Rhonda L. Mcdougal, Kevin E. Kermes, Edward N. Steadman, John A. Harju

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) covers about 900,000 km2 (347,500 mi2), which is approximately a fourth of the area in the Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership region. Specifically, the PPR covers portions of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Canada. Formed largely by glacial events, this region historically was dominated by grasslands interspersed with shallow palustrine wetlands.
Prior to European settlement, this region may have supported more than 20 million ha (49 million acres) of wetlands, making it the largest wetland complex in North America. …


Effectiveness Of A Motion-Activated Laser Hazing Systemfor Repelling Captive Canada Geese, Scott J. Werner, Larry Clark Aug 2005

Effectiveness Of A Motion-Activated Laser Hazing Systemfor Repelling Captive Canada Geese, Scott J. Werner, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Effective management techniques are needed to disperse Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and reduce the human–wildlife conflicts associated with high population densities. We evaluated the effectiveness of a motion-activated laser hazing system for repelling captive Canada geese. The system decreased occupancy of 8 pairs of geese on the treated subplot by 83% during habituation trials. When an additional pair of geese were added to the experiment, occupancy of the treated subplot decreased .92% during each of the 20 nights of the extended habituation test. Avoidance (conditioned during the test) remained ,80% of pretreatment levels during the 2 days immediately following the …


First Report Of Crown And Stem Rot Of Orchid (Orchis Palustris) Caused By Sclerotinia Minor, C. Eken, S. Ercişli, A. Eşitken, E. Demirci, G. Y. Yuen Aug 2005

First Report Of Crown And Stem Rot Of Orchid (Orchis Palustris) Caused By Sclerotinia Minor, C. Eken, S. Ercişli, A. Eşitken, E. Demirci, G. Y. Yuen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Orchis palustris Jacq. is a wild orchid native to wetlands in eastern Anatolia. During June of 2003, near Erzurum, Turkey, a decline of this orchid was observed in several meadows that had been irrigated for forage production. Stems were chlorotic, wilted, and collapsed. There was a soft, watery rot at the crowns and lower stems. White mycelium and black sclerotia formed on necrotic stem and crown tissues. The fungus was isolated from sclerotia on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and identified as Sclerotinia minor Jagger on the basis of small sclerotia (0.5 to 2.5 mm long) scattered throughout the colonies (2). …


Manure Use Planning: An Evaluation Of A Producer Training Program, Charles S. Wortmann, Richard K. Koelsch, Charles A. Shapiro, Richard L. Deloughery, David D. Tarkalson Aug 2005

Manure Use Planning: An Evaluation Of A Producer Training Program, Charles S. Wortmann, Richard K. Koelsch, Charles A. Shapiro, Richard L. Deloughery, David D. Tarkalson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A training program for producers in manure use planning was evaluated. The potential for runoff nutrient loss to surface water can reduced and the value of manure increased through better planning of manure use. Training was conducted throughout Nebraska in 2002 and 2003. Livestock producers who attended evaluated the event at the end of the last class. The need for and impact of the training was greater for continuing operational and maintenance skills of manure utilization that are regularly needed for strategic planning skills. We recommend that training focus primarily on operational and maintenance skills.


Farnesol Concentrations Required To Block Germ Tube Formation In Candida Albicans In The Presence And Absence Of Serum, Daniel D. Mosel, Raluca Dumitru, Jacob M. Hornby, Audrey L. Atkin, Kenneth W. Nickerson Aug 2005

Farnesol Concentrations Required To Block Germ Tube Formation In Candida Albicans In The Presence And Absence Of Serum, Daniel D. Mosel, Raluca Dumitru, Jacob M. Hornby, Audrey L. Atkin, Kenneth W. Nickerson

Papers in Microbiology

Concentrations of (E,E)-farnesol needed to inhibit germ tube formation were determined for Candida albicans strains A72 and SC5314 by using six different conditions known to trigger germination. For defined media, 1 to 2 μM farnesol was sufficient. However, with serum at 2 to 20%, up to 250 μM farnesol was required. Farnesol blocked germ tube formation but did not block elongation of existing germ tubes.


Tuberculous Epididymitis And Fertility In North Jordan, Mohammed A. Al-Ghazo, Kamal E. Bani-Hani, Zouhair O. Amarin Aug 2005

Tuberculous Epididymitis And Fertility In North Jordan, Mohammed A. Al-Ghazo, Kamal E. Bani-Hani, Zouhair O. Amarin

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics of tuberculous epididymitis and its effect on male subfertility in a general hospital in the north of Jordan. METHODS: A retrospective case study of the hospital records of patients with genitourinary tuberculosis managed at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital in Irbid, North Jordan during the period of 1994-2001. RESULTS: Of the 16 patients with genitourinary tuberculosis, 9 were found to have tuberculous epididymitis. The mean age was 41.2 years. The main presentation was an insidious onset of painful scrotal swelling, mostly on the left side. Mean duration of symptoms was 10.6 weeks. Most patients had …


Treatment Trends Of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In Saudi Arabia Aug 2005

Treatment Trends Of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to evaluate treatment trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which is endemic according to the records of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate so. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to dermatologists and general practitioners working at health care centers in different parts of KSA through the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health. This questionnaire consisted of 4 categories divided into 10 points covering the patients9 demographics, severity of the disease, treatment types and regimen. The response of 107 physicians was …


Intervention Study Of Needle Stick Injury In Iran, Sina Mobasherizadeh, Sayed A. Abne-Shahidi, Nazafarin A. Mohammadi, Fereshteh Abazari Aug 2005

Intervention Study Of Needle Stick Injury In Iran, Sina Mobasherizadeh, Sayed A. Abne-Shahidi, Nazafarin A. Mohammadi, Fereshteh Abazari

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Injury resulting from contaminated sharp devices among health care workers (HCWs) is one of the most important concerns in medical centers. This can lead to dangerous infections such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus among such people. The documentation of needle stick injuries started in Sadi Hospital, Isfahan, Iran in 2003, and our objective was to study cases of injuries by sharp devices before and after the implementation of intervention methods. METHODS: In an intervention survey of the type of before and after study, we studied injuries by needle and other sharp devices among …


The Effect Of Breast Milk And Lanolin On Sore Nipples, Ashraf Mohammadzadeh, Ahmadshah Farhat, Habibolah Esmaeily Aug 2005

The Effect Of Breast Milk And Lanolin On Sore Nipples, Ashraf Mohammadzadeh, Ahmadshah Farhat, Habibolah Esmaeily

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of rubbing breast milk versus lanolin in the treatment of symptoms of sore nipples. METHODS: We carried out this randomized clinical trial on 225 mothers with sore nipples in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran from April 2001 for 2 years. We randomly divided the patients into 3 groups. The first group rubbed the hind milk on their nipples at the end of each breast-feeding session, and the second group used lanolin locally on the nipple 3 times a day, and cleaned the nipple with a wet cloth before …


Effects Of Human Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor On Fracture Healing In Rats, Murat Bozlar, Bahadir Aslan, Aydiner Kalaci, Lutfu Baktiroglu, Ahmet N. Yanat, Arzu Tasci Aug 2005

Effects Of Human Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor On Fracture Healing In Rats, Murat Bozlar, Bahadir Aslan, Aydiner Kalaci, Lutfu Baktiroglu, Ahmet N. Yanat, Arzu Tasci

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Granulocyte colony stimulation factor (G-CSF) is generally used to prevent and cure the neutropenia associated with chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. In addition to its effects on neutrophil function, G-CSF was found to have the characteristic of modulating the cytokines in the inflammatory response. Then, the question to answer is whether it has any effect on fracture healing and to what extent? In this study, we test the effects of G-CSF on the healing of tibia fracture in a rat model. METHODS: This study was performed at Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey between July 2003 and August 2004. Twenty female, …


Selective Breeding For High Endurance Running Increases Hindlimb Symmetry, Theodore Garland Jr., Patricia W. Freeman Aug 2005

Selective Breeding For High Endurance Running Increases Hindlimb Symmetry, Theodore Garland Jr., Patricia W. Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Comparative studies provide correlational evidence of morphological adaptations for high locomotor performance, such as the classical indicators of cursoriality in mammals, long limbs and high metatarsal/femur ratios. More recently, enlarged femoral condyles have been suggested as an adaptation for high endurance running in the genus Homo. Asymmetry of locomotor appendages should adversely affect locomotor abilities, but this has not been studied in a rigorous evolutionary context. We used experimental evolution to test for morphological adaptations associated with high voluntary wheel running in selectively bred lines of mice. Surprisingly, the classical indicators of cursoriality had not evolved in concert with …


Spread Of An Exotic Fish-Gill Trematode: A Far-Reaching And Complex Problem, Andrew J. Mitchell, Robin M. Overstreet, Andrew E. Goodwin, Thomas M. Brandt Aug 2005

Spread Of An Exotic Fish-Gill Trematode: A Far-Reaching And Complex Problem, Andrew J. Mitchell, Robin M. Overstreet, Andrew E. Goodwin, Thomas M. Brandt

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Centrocestus formosanus, the gill trematode, has caused serious losses among fish raised by tropical fish producers since the early 1980s and is believed to be harmful to wild fish populations, including the federally listed endangered fountain darter (Etheostoma fonticola), in the Comal River near San Marcos, Texas. The parasite appears to infect in many fishes from Hawaii, Florida, Texas, and Utah. The gill trematode has a complex life cycle involving definitive hosts (aquatic birds and occasionally some mammals) and intermediate hosts (aquatic snails and several fish species). In the United States, the green heron (Butorides virescens …


Attitudes Mediate The Association Between Childhood Disciplinary History And Disciplinary Responses, Mary Bower-Russa Aug 2005

Attitudes Mediate The Association Between Childhood Disciplinary History And Disciplinary Responses, Mary Bower-Russa

Peer Reviewed Articles

According to recent estimates, childhood abuse victims are at 12 times higher risk for child abuse perpetration than those without such abusive histories. This study focused on delineation of the mechanisms by which intergenerational patterns of abuse may occur and, in particular, the role that disciplinary attitudes may play in mediating the relation between disciplinary history and risk for abusive parenting. Participants (n = 459) completed a series of questionnaires to assess childhood history, disciplinary attitudes, and disciplinary practices. Structural equation modeling indicated that the association between disciplinary history and disciplinary responses was partially mediated by attitudes, with more than …


On The Design Of An Immersive Environment For Security-Related Studies, Yougu Yuan Aug 2005

On The Design Of An Immersive Environment For Security-Related Studies, Yougu Yuan

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The Internet has become an essential part of normal operations of both public and private sectors. Many security issues are not addressed in the original Internet design, and security now has become a large concern for networking research and study. There is an imperative need to have an simulation environment that can be used to help study security-related research problems. In the thesis we present our effort to build such an environment: Real-time Immersive Network Simulation Environment (RINSE). RINSE features flexible configuration of models using various networking protocols and real-time user interaction. We also present the Estimate Next Infection (ENI) …


False Claims Act Liability For Off-Label Promotion Of Pharmaceutical Products, Stephanie Greene Aug 2005

False Claims Act Liability For Off-Label Promotion Of Pharmaceutical Products, Stephanie Greene

Penn State Law Review (2003 - Present)

No abstract provided.


"Sibling Species, Advertisement Calls, And Reproductive Isolation In Frogs Of The Leptodactylus Pentadactylus Species Cluster (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae), W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá, A. Rettig Aug 2005

"Sibling Species, Advertisement Calls, And Reproductive Isolation In Frogs Of The Leptodactylus Pentadactylus Species Cluster (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae), W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá, A. Rettig

Biology Faculty Publications

A recent re-evaluation of morphological and advertisement call variation in the large species of frogs of the Leptodactylus pentadactylus cluster discovered more examples of sibling species as defined by Ernst Mayr in his influential book Animal Species and Evolution. All previously documented instances of sibling species in frogs demonstrated advertisement call differentiation consistent with the calls serving as pre-mating isolating mechanisms. However, we find one instance of two species with nondistinguishable adult morphologies as well as nondistinguishable advertisement calls. Presumably, the new instances of sibling species reflect retention of ancestral adult morphologies and advertisement calls. Larval and habitat differentiation appear …


Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Niles P. Donegan, Martha L. Graber, Sarah E. Buckingham, Michael Zegans, Ambrose Cheung, George A. O'Toole Aug 2005

Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Niles P. Donegan, Martha L. Graber, Sarah E. Buckingham, Michael Zegans, Ambrose Cheung, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Heparin, known for its anticoagulant activity, is commonly used in catheter locks. Staphylococcus aureus, a versatile human and animal pathogen, is commonly associated with catheter-related bloodstream infections and has evolved a number of mechanisms through which it adheres to biotic and abiotic surfaces. We demonstrate that heparin increased biofilm formation by several S. aureus strains. Surface coverage and the kinetics of biofilm formation were stimulated, but primary attachment to the surface was not affected. Heparin increased S. aureus cell-cell interactions in a protein synthesis-dependent manner. The addition of heparin rescued biofilm formation of hla, ica, and sarA …