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Ecological Effects Of Invasive European Bird Cherry (Prunus Padus) On Salmonid Food Webs In Anchorage, Alaska Streams, David A. Roon

Biological Sciences

Invasive species are a concern worldwide as they can displace native species, reduce biodiversity, and disrupt ecological processes. European bird cherry (Prunus padus) (EBC) is an invasive ornamental tree that is rapidly spreading and possibly displacing native trees along streams in parts of urban Alaska. The objectives of this study were to: 1) map the current distribution of EBC along two Anchorage streams, Campbell and Chester creeks, and 2) determine the effects of EBC on selected ecological processes linked to stream salmon food webs. Data from the 2009 and 2010 field seasons showed: EBC was widely distributed along Campbell and …

A Morphological And Genetic Review Of The Pardosa Groenlandica Species Complex (Araneae: Lycosidae), Jozef Slowik

Biological Sciences

The Pardosa groenlandica species complex comprises seven recognized species, P. groenlandica (Thorell 1872), P. dromaea (Thorell 1877), P. tristis (Thorell 1877), P. prosaica Chamberlin and Ivie 1947, P. bucklei Kronestedt 1975, P. albomaculata Emerton 1885, and P. lowriei Kronestedt 1975. These species have overlapping distributions, creating sympatric occurrences with at least one other member of the complex. They can be found in Greenland, throughout Canada, and occur in the United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, through Alaska, and as far as eastern Siberia. These species' genitalia, which bear the primary diagnostic characters, are very similar and …

Genetic And Phenotypic Divergence Within And Between Cinnamon Teal (Anas Cyanoptera) And Blue-Winged Teal (A. Discors), Robert E. Wilson

Biological Sciences

Spatial heterogeneity in selection pressures can lead to extensive morphological variation and differences at functional genes between populations across a species' range without corresponding genetic variation at neutral loci. Divergent selection among populations may thus lead to intraspecific variation and in many cases speciation. Phenotypic and genetic structure within and between Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) and the closely related Blue-winged Teal (A. discors) was assessed using body size measurements and neutral genetic markers in conjunction with a functional locus, hemoglobin. Cinnamon Teal are composed of five subspecies corresponding to distinct ecogeographic regions in North and South America. Subspecies and geographic …

Development Of Novel Bio/Nano Interfaces For Materials Science And Biomedical Applications, Carlee Ashley

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Virus-like particles (VLPs) of MS2 bacteriophage possess a variety of characteristics that enable their use in biomedical and materials science applications. MS2 VLPs are perfectly monodisperse and possess a highly regular periodic structure. Their protein capsids can be modified in precise locations via chemical conjugation or genetic display of peptides, and their interior volumes can be readily loaded with a variety of non-genomic materials by taking advantage of their ability to self-assemble in the presence of RNA and RNA-modified cargos. Using peptides identified by filamentous phage display, I have demonstrated the utility of MS2 VLPs as targeted nanocarriers capable of …

Intractable Alcoholism In A Patient With A Levine Shunt, Bruce Blumenthal, Ms, Howard Field, Md, Ed Gottheil, Md, Linda Guerra, Ma, Willis Maddrey, Md, Ron Serota, Md, Ellen Shaw, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

Ellen Shaw. M.D., Fellow in Hepatology: Mr. J is a forty-six-year-old white male who was initially seen on the medical service in July 1982. At that time he presented with hepatic encephalopathy, jaundice, and ascites. A liver biopsy was performed, confirming the clinical diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis superimposed on cirrhosis. Following discharge it was difficult to maintain Mr. J as an outpatient. He did not follow dietary restrictions or take diuretics as prescribed. Additionally he was unable to control his drinking. Finally about a year ago a Levine shunt was implanted in an effort to control his ascites. Subsequently he …

On The Outskirts Of Babel, John Matt Dorn, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

INTRODUCTION

I admit to a fondness for book lists that began on Wednesdays in the eighth grade, when feet perched imperiously on the table in the corner I would review with inordinate glee the list of recommended reading. What seemed to others an onerous and pedantic exercise was to me a treasure map that dissolved the walls of the school around me.

Munchausen’S Syndrome: Towards A Psychodynamic Understanding, Sharon Riser, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

INTRODUCTION

The third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders cites two essential criteria for the diagnosis of chronic factitious disorder with physical symptoms, more poetically known as Munchauseri's Syndrome:

a) Plausible presentation of physical symptoms that are apparently under the individual's voluntary control to such a degree that there are multiple hospitalizations;

b) The individual's goal is apparently to assume the "patient " role and is not otherwise understandable in light of the individual's environmental circumstances(I).

Additionally noted is the frequent occurrence of a true physical illness entailing extensive hospital treatment during the childhood or adolescence …

Brandao V. Atty Gen Usa

2011 Decisions

Agency Filed 08/15/11, No. 09-4185

Bats Of The Western Indian Ocean Islands, John O'Brien

KIP Articles

The natural colonisation of many remote oceanic islands by bats, including those of the western Indian Ocean, has been facilitated by their unique capability among mammals for powered flight. In the western Indian Ocean region, only the Malagasy islands of Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago have been naturally colonised by non-volant mammals. Despite their greater potential for inter-island dispersal, and thus gene transfer, endemicity of Chiroptera in the western Indian Ocean islands is high. Given their vulnerability to stochastic and anthropogenic disturbances, greater focus needs to be placed on investigating the demographic and ecological history of bats on Western Indian …

Estimating The Timing Of Early Eukaryotic Diversification With Multigene Molecular Clocks, Laura Wegener Parfrey, Daniel J.G. Lahr, Andrew H. Knoll, Laura A. Katz

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Although macroscopic plants, animals, and fungi are the most familiar eukaryotes, the bulk of eukaryotic diversity is microbial. Elucidating the timing of diversification among the more than 70 lineages is key to understanding the evolution of eukaryotes. Here, we use taxon-rich multigene data combined with diverse fossils and a relaxed molecular clock framework to estimate the timing of the last common ancestor of extant eukaryotes and the divergence of major clades. Overall, these analyses suggest that the last common ancestor lived between 1866 and 1679 Ma, consistent with the earliest microfossils interpreted with confidence as eukaryotic. During this interval, the …

Structural And Biochemical Insights Into The Mechanism Of Fosfomycin Phosphorylation By Fosfomycin Resistance Kinase Foma, Svetlana Pakhomova, Sue G. Bartlett, Pamela A. Doerner, Marcia E. Newcomer

Faculty Publications

We present here the crystal structures of fosfomycin resistance protein (FomA) complexed with MgATP, with ATP and fosfomycin, with MgADP and fosfomycin vanadate, with MgADP and the product of the enzymatic reaction, fosfomycin monophosphate, and with ADP at 1.87, 1.58, 1.85, 1.57, and 1.85 Å resolution, respectively. Structures of these complexes that approximate different reaction steps allowed us to distinguish the catalytically active conformation of ATP and to reconstruct the model of the MgATP•fosfomycin complex. According to the model, the triphosphate tail of the nucleotide is aligned toward the phosphonate moiety of fosfomycin, in contast to the previously published MgAMPPNP …

Early Detection Of Pathogens In Blood, Matt Ewert, Philip Amuso, Andrew Cannons

USF Patents

The present invention is a method of extracting infectious pathogens from a volume of blood including the steps of creating a fibrin aggregate confining the pathogens and introducing a fibrin lysis reagent to expose the pathogens for analysis. The fibrin lysis reagent is preferably composed of plasminogen and streptokinase frozen in coincident relation until the fibrin lysis reagent is needed whereby streptokinase enzymatically reacts with plasminogen to form plasmin upon thawing. The plasminogen is suspended in an aqueous salt solution prior to freezing including NaCl and Na3PO4.

Materials And Methods For Treatment Of Cancer And Identification Of Anti-Cancer Compounds, Said M. Sebti, Richard Jove

USF Patents

The subject invention pertains to the treatment of tumors and cancerous tissues and the prevention of tumorigenesis and malignant transformation through the modulation of JAK/STAT3 intracellular signaling. The subject invention concerns pharmaceutical compositions containing cucurbitacin I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or analog thereof, to a patient, wherein the tumor is characterized by the constitutive activation of the JAK/STAT3 intracellular signaling pathway. The present invention further pertains to methods of moderating the JAK and/or STAT3 signaling pathways in vitro or in vivo using cucurbitacin I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or analog therof. Another aspect of the present invention concerns …

Deriving Fuel Mass By Size Class In Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga Menziesii) Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning, Carl Seielstad, Crystal Stonesifer, Eric Rowell, Lloyd Queen

Forest Management Faculty Publications

Requirements for describing coniferous forests are changing in response to wildfire concerns, bio-energy needs, and climate change interests. At the same time, technology advancements are transforming how forest properties can be measured. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) is yielding promising results for measuring tree biomass parameters that, historically, have required costly destructive sampling and resulted in small sample sizes. Here we investigate whether TLS intensity data can be used to distinguish foliage and small branches (less than or equal to 0.635 cm diameter; coincident with the one-hour timelag fuel size class) from larger branchwood (>0.635 cm) in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga …

Mutant Alcohol Dehydrogenase Leads To Improved Ethanol Tolerance In Clostridium Thermocellum, Steven D. Brown, Adam M. Guss, Tatiana V. Karpinets, Jerry M. Parks

Dartmouth Scholarship

Clostridium thermocellum is a thermophilic, obligately anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium that is a candidate microorganism for converting cellulosic biomass into ethanol through consolidated bioprocessing. Ethanol intolerance is an important metric in terms of process economics, and tolerance has often been described as a complex and likely multigenic trait for which complex gene interactions come into play. Here, we resequence the genome of an ethanol-tolerant mutant, show that the tolerant phenotype is primarily due to a mutated bifunctional acetaldehyde-CoA/alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adhE), hypothesize based on structural analysis that cofactor specificity may be affected, and confirm this hypothesis using enzyme assays. …

Hessian Fly-Associated Bacteria: Transmission, Essentiality, And Composition., Raman Bansal, Scot Hulbert, Brandi Schemerhorn, John C. Reese, R Jeff Whitworth, Jeffrey J. Stuart, Ming-Shun Chen

Department of Entomology Faculty Publications

Plant-feeding insects have been recently found to use microbes to manipulate host plant physiology and morphology. Gall midges are one of the largest groups of insects that manipulate host plants extensively. Hessian fly (HF, Mayetiola destructor) is an important pest of wheat and a model system for studying gall midges. To examine the role of bacteria in parasitism, a systematic analysis of bacteria associated with HF was performed for the first time. Diverse bacteria were found in different developmental HF stages. Fluorescent in situhybridization detected a bacteriocyte-like structure in developing eggs. Bacterial DNA was also detected in eggs …

William Labounty, William P. Labounty '52, Daniel Maurer 2012

All oral histories

William LaBounty, Class of 1952, majored in Business Administration before attending ISU, where he was a Director of Printing. He continues to volunteer at the McLean County Museum of History today.

The Use Of Internet-Based Social Media As A Tool In Enhancing Student’S Learning Experiences In Biological Sciences, Maribel Beltran Cruz, Shannen Belle B. Cruz

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study explored the use of social media as a tool in enhancing student’s learning experiences, by using online instruction as a supplement to a face-to-face general education course, such as biological sciences. Survey data were collected from 186 students who were enrolled in a Biological Sciences course. The course was taught in a blended format using Facebook and Edmodo online social networks. A four point Likert scale was used to interpret the data collected. Findings indicated that, when traditional face-to-face instruction was combined with online components, students’ learning was enhanced. Findings from this study indicate that students had better …

New Academic Leadership In Place For Start Of Academic Year, Winthrop University

Winthrop News 2011

• Debra Boyd, acting vice president for academic affairs, hopes to focus on sustainability and program innovation in the coming year, as well as the full implementation of the University-Level Competencies.
• Incoming freshmen also will be the first class fully engaged in the Global Learning Initiative.

2011-2012, Collin College

Course Catalogs

Contains information on courses and class descriptions as well as campus resources at Collin College.

Eng 3702-002: American Literature: Mid-19th Century To 1900, John Allison

Fall 2011

No abstract provided.

Structure-Activity Relationships For The Interactions Of 2'- And 3'-(O)-(N-Methyl)Anthraniloyl-Substituted Purine And Pyrimidine Nucleotides With Mammalian Adenylyl Cyclases, Cibele Pinto, Gerald H. Lushington, Mark Richter, Andreas Gille, Jens Geduhn, Burkhard König, Tung-Chung Mou, Stephen R. Sprang, Roland Seifert

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Membranous adenylyl cyclases (ACs) play a key role in signal transduction and are promising drug targets. In previous studies we showed that 2',3'-(O)-(N-methylanthraniloyl) (MANT)-substituted nucleotides are potent AC inhibitors. The aim of this study was to provide systematic structure-activity relationships for 21 (M)ANT-substituted nucleotides at the purified catalytic AC subunit heterodimer VC1:IIC2, the VC1:VC1 homodimer and recombinant ACs 1, 2 and 5. (M)ANT-nucleotides inhibited fully activated VC1:IIC2 in the order of affinity for bases hypoxanthine>uracil>cytosine>adenine∼guanine≫xanthine. Omission of a hydroxyl group at the 2' or 3'-position reduced inhibitor potency as did introduction of a γ-thiophosphate group or omission …

Physiological Trade-Offs In Self-Maintenance: Plumage Molt And Stress Physiology In Birds, Jamie M. Cornelius, Nicole Perfito, Richard Zann, Creagh W. Breuner, Thomas P. Hahn

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Trade-offs between self-maintenance processes can affect life-history evolution. Integument replacement and the stress response both promote self-maintenance and affect survival in vertebrates. Relationships between the two processes have been studied most extensively in birds, where hormonal stress suppression is down regulated during molt in seasonal species, suggesting a resource-based trade-off between the two processes. The only species found to differ are the rock dove and Eurasian tree sparrow, at least one of which performs a very slow molt that may reduce resource demands during feather growth, permitting investment in the stress response. To test for the presence of a molt–stress …

Green Beans, Brianne Sherwood, Elizabeth Inman

USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter

Green beans are thought to have originated in Peru and spread through South and Central America by Indian tribes. Spanish explorers introduced them into Europe in the 16th century. Surveys indicate that 60% of commercially grown green beans are produced in the United States. Particularly, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin produce the greatest amount of green beans in the United States.

Lectin-Functionalized Carboxymethylated Kappa-Carrageenan Microparticles For Oral Insulin Delivery, Kok Hoong Leong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

We hypothesized that pH-responsive carboxymethylated kappa-carrageenan microparticles could protect entrapped oral insulin from acidic and proteolytic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to prepare and characterize insulin entrapped in lectin-functionalized carboxymethylated kappa-carrageenan microparticles and to evaluate their therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. The encapsulation of insulin was performed using an ionic gelation technique and was optimized to give an encapsulation efficiency of 94.2 ± 2.6% and a drug-loading capacity of 13.5 ± 0.4%. The microparticles were further surface-lectin-functionalized for improved intestinal mucoadhesiveness. The oral administration of insulin entrapped in the microparticles led …

Water Molecules: A Closer Look At Their Behavior At Protein-Protein Interfaces And Their Contributions To The Docked Model Of Pyridoxal Kinase - Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase Complex, Mostafa H. Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The work in this thesis is divided into two aims. The first aim is to provide a detailed analysis of water molecules at protein-protein interfaces as well as quantifying their contributions with respect to different residue types. To achieve this aim a data set of 4741 water molecules abstracted from 179 high-resolution (≤ 2.30 Å) X-ray crystal structures of protein-protein complexes was analyzed with a suite of modeling tools based on HINT. The second aim is to observe the effect of adding interfacial water molecules in developing a model for the protein-protein interaction between pyridoxal kinase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase. This …

Dynamic Characterization Of The Ikk:Κbα:Nfκb Negative Feedback Loop Using Real-Time Bioluminescence Imaging, Britney Moss

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

The transcription factor NF-κB is a pivotal regulator of mammalian cell function, modulating genes implicated in cellular stress responses, proliferation, differentiation, cell survival and apoptosis, as well as immune and inflammatory responses. Improper regulation of NF-κB signaling has been implicated in a myriad of human pathological disorders, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, chronic inflammation, and various cancers. A key regulatory node within canonical NF-κB signaling is the IKK:NF-κB: IκBα negative feedback loop that plays a major role in regulating the strength and duration of NF-κB transcriptional activity. We have developed and characterized an unique bioluminescent reporter (κB_5àIκBα-FLuc) …

Study On Wines Produced From Monostroma Nitidum Hydrolysate Solution, Shao-Chi Wu, Fu-Jin Wang, Jiun-Ru Chen, Chorng-Liang Pan

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Two yeast groups, S5: Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae BCRC21686 and S. cerevisiae BCRC21962, and S6: S. cerevisiae BCRC21824 and S. cerevisiae BCRC21962, were used to ferment Monostroma (M.) nitidum hydrolysate (MNH) solution under various conditions, such as (1) M. nitidum powder; (2) carbon source; (3) nitrogen source; and (4) yeast group inoculation concentrations, respectively, at 25°C in a 10-day M. nitidum wine study. First, the 2.5% M. nitidum powder particles in the MNH solution elicited better alcohol content than the other concentrations did. Then, the 15% sucrose and 0.500% proline in the MNH solution produced good alcohol content in a carbon …

Comparison Of Genomic And Proteomic Data In Recurrent Airway Obstruction Affected Horses Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, Julien Racine, Vinzenz Gerber, Marybeth Miskovic Feutz, C Paige Riley, Jiri Adamec, June E. Swinburne, Laurent Couetil

Department of Comparative Pathobiology Faculty Publications

Background: Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a severe chronic respiratory disease affecting horses worldwide, though mostly in the Northern hemisphere. Environmental as well as genetic factors strongly influence the course and prognosis of the disease. Research has been focused on characterization of immunologic factors contributing to inflammatory responses, on genetic linkage analysis, and, more recently, on proteomic analysis of airway secretions from affected horses. The goal of this study was to investigate the interactions between eight candidate genes previously identified in a genetic linkage study and proteins expressed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from healthy and RAO-affected horses. The …

Late-Onset Visual Loss In Osteopetrosis, Abdul-Majid Wangai, Sheila Waa, Maryam Amayo, Erastus, Oluoch Olunya

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Late-onset visual loss is a complication of nerve entrapment and increased intracranial pressure. We hereby describe the first case in Eastern Africa. A 23 year-old lady presented with sudden blindness, headaches and body weakness. She had previously had treatment for multiple unexplained fractures. Findings of optic nerve entrapment explained this blindness. This case highlights the need to have a high index of suspicion in cases of unexplained fractures with late-onset blindness.