Digital Commons Network^™

Responsible, Renewable, And Redesigned: How The Renewable Energy Movement Can Make Peace With The Endangered Species Act, Kalyani Robbins

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

Country Of Origin Labeling Revisited: Processed Chicken From China And The Usda Processed Foods Exception, Daniel S. Schuppert

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

The Nacirema Revisited, Jeffrey D. Kahn

SMU Law Review

In 1956, anthropologist Horace Miner published the article for which he is best known, "Body Ritual among the Nacirema." This short but groundbreaking essay described personal rituals practiced by a fascinating but poorly understood people. Inspired by Miner's work and based on close-quarters field research, this essay revisits the strange world of the Nacirema. Two of the more "legal" features of their society are explored: (1) what might be termed the higher-order constitutional design of their society, and (2) the mechanisms of day-to-day maintenance of their social order.

Accommodation, Establishment, And Freedom Of Religion, Richard W. Garnett

Journal Articles

This short essay engages the argument that it would violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause to exempt an ordinary, nonreligious, profit-seeking business – such as Hobby Lobby – from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage rules. In response to this argument, it is emphasized that the First Amendment not only permits but invites generous, religion-specific accommodations and exemptions and that the Court’s Smith decision does not teach otherwise. In addition, this essay proposes that laws and policies that promote and protect religious freedom should be seen as having a “secular purpose” and that because religious freedom, like clean air, is an …

Some Aspects Of The Biology Of Monogenean (Platyhelminth) Parasites Of Marine And Freshwater Fishes, Graham C. Kearn

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Müller was the first to describe a monogenean, collected from the skin of the halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus). However, he regarded the parasite as a leech and named it Hirudo hippoglossi. It was not until 1858 that its status as a monogenean was established by van Beneden and named Epibdella (now Entobdella) hippoglossi. Van Beneden published a detailed and accurate description of the parasite and one of his excellent illustrations is reproduced here. Entobdella hippoglossi is one of the largest monogeneans, measuring up to 2 cm in length. It has a smaller relative, measuring 5 to …

Pentastomids Of Wild Snakes In Australia, Crystal Kelehear, David M. Spratt, Denis O'Meally, Richard Shine

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Pentastomids are endoparasites of the respiratory system of vertebrates, maturing primarily in carnivorous reptiles. Adult and larval pentastomids can cause severe pathology resulting in the death of their intermediate and definitive hosts. The study of pentastomids is a neglected field, impaired by risk of zoonoses, difficulties in species identification, and life cycle complexities. We surveyed wild snakes in the tropics of Australia to clarify which host species possess these parasites, and then sought to identify these pentastomids using a combination of morphological and molecular techniques. We detected pentastomid infections in 59% of the 81 snakes surveyed. The ubiquity of pentastomid …

Seussapex, A New Genus Of Lecanicephalidean Tapeworm (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) From The Stingray Genus Himantura (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) In The Indo-West Pacific With Investigation Of Mode Of Attachment, Kirsten Jensen, Shelbi L. Russell

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

A new lecanicephalidean genus, Seussapex gen. n., is erected for specimens collected from stingrays from the Indo-West Pacific resembling the little known species Tenia [sic] narinari MacCallum, 1917 from the spotted eagle ray, Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen). Members of this new genus are unique in their possession of a multi-tiered apical structure comprising a bipartite apical modification of the scolex proper, and an externally bipartite apical organ with anterior and posterior glandular compartments internally. The appearance of the scolex varies dramatically depending on state of protrusion and/or evagination of these different parts which appear to be able to function independently. Seussapex …

Announcement: Transfer Of The U. S. National Parasite Collection, Eric P. Hoberg, Anna J. Phillips

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

In 2013 an agreement was articulated between the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) and the Smithsonian Institution to transfer the United States National Parasite Collection (USNPC) in its entirety (fluid specimens, slide specimens, frozen tissues and reprints) to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington, DC. Current collections staff, including senior curator Dr. Eric P. Hoberg and support scientists/managers from the ARS will be transferred with the collection and with adjunct appointments in the NMNH will provide continuity and assistance for curation and accessibility during and after the relocation. New curatorial controls will be …

Infection In Soybeans And On Multiple Host Plants In Puerto Rico By An Isolate Of Cowpea Mild Mottle Virus., Jose C. V. Rodrigues, Difabachew B. Kondidie, C. Estevez-Jensen, E. W. Kitajima, R. M. Huckaba, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Seed companies in the USA grow winter soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) nurseries in Puerto Rico to advance their breeding programs and seed increase. However, the soybean nurseries are being threatened by a viral disease that cause stunting, leaf and stem necrosis and shoot wilting that leads to death of the whole plant. In the present study transmission assays were conducted using stem grafting, mechanical inoculation, and whiteflies (WFs), Bemisia tabci (Gennadius). Cultivated and wild host plants infested by WFs were surveyed at Dow AgroSciences Research Station and nearby farms at Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico. Based on previous report …

Yeast Pheromone Pathway Modeling Using Petri Nets, Stephen D. Scott, Abhishek Majumdar, Jitender S. Deogun, Steven D. Harris

School of Computing: Conference and Workshop Papers

Background: Our environment is composed of biological components of varying magnitude. The relationships between the different biological elements can be represented as a biological network. The process of mating in S. cerevisiae is initiated by secretion of pheromone by one of the cells. Our interest lies in one particular question: how does a cell dynamically adapt the pathway to continue mating under severe environmental changes or under mutation (which might result in the loss of functionality of some proteins known to participate in the pheromone pathway). Our work attempts to answer this question. To achieve this, we first propose a …

Phosphatase 1 Nuclear Targeting Subunit Is An Essential Regulator Of M-Phase Entry, Maintenance, And Exit, Laura A. Fisher, Ling Wang, Lan Wu, Aimin Peng

College of Dentistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Mitotic progression is regulated by reversible protein phosphorylation involving kinases and phosphatases.

Results: Pnuts functions as a master regulator of mitosis by modulating PP1; Pnuts expression peaks in mitosis and is degraded at mitotic exit.

Conclusion: This study reveals the function and regulation of a new and essential mitotic regulator.

Significance: This study improves our understanding of M-phase regulation.

Human Periodontal Ligament Cells Response To Commercially Available Calcium Hydroxide Pastes, Fahd Alsalleeh, Gerald L. Stephenson, Nickolas Lyons, Ashley Young, Stetson Williams

College of Dentistry: Faculty Publications

Several studies have shown that calcium hydroxidebased medicaments have a cytotoxic effect on human cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytoxicity of several calcium hydroxideproducts on periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. Calcium hydroxide powder (Avantor Performance Materials Inc.), Calasept® (Nordiska Dental AB), Metapaste® (Meta Biomed Co., Ltd.), Vitapex® (Neo Dental International Inc.), Ultracal® (Ultradent Products, Inc.), and Pulpdent® (Pulpdent Corporation) products were tested. PDL cells were exposed to various concentrations of calcium hydroxidefrom each product (1.0, 0.5, 0.25, and 0.125 mg/mL). Cell viability was measured after 24 h and 48 h by Cell Proliferation Assay. All materials …

The Emerging Field Of Geogenomics: Constraining Geological Problems With Genetic Data, Paul A. Baker, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Christopher W. Dick, Andrew J. Eckert, Brian K. Horton, Stefano Manzoni, Camila C. Ribas, Carmala N. Garzione, David S. Battisti

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The development of a genomics-derived discipline within geology is timely, as a result of major advances in acquiring and processing geologically relevant genetic data. This paper articulates the emerging field of “geogenomics,” which involves the use of large-scale genetic data to constrain geological hypotheses. The paper introduces geogenomics and discusses how hypotheses can be ad-dressed through collaboration between geologists and evolutionary biologists. As an example, geogenomic methods are applied to evaluate competing hypotheses regarding the timing of the Andean uplift, the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, the onset of trans-Amazon drainage, and Quaternary climate variation in the Neotropics.

Steganography Attack Based On Discrete Spring Transform And Image Geometrization, Qilin Qi, Aaron Sharp, Yaoqing Lamar Yang, Dongming Peng, Hamid Sharif

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

In order to prevent harmful secret information sharing by steganography, a new active-warden countermeasure approach against steganography is proposed in this paper. Differently from the other countermeasure approaches presented in current literature which need to have some knowledge of the steganographic algorithms to be attacked, our proposed method is a generic method which is independent of any particular steganography methods being utilized. In other words, our approach blindly attacks the steganography without any prior knowledge of the used algorithms or their existence. In general, the hidden information is embedded in a carrier by adjusting the coefficients of the audio or …

Discursive Struggles Animating Individuals’ Talk About Their Parents’ Coming Out As Lesbian Or Gay, Diana Breshears, Dawn O. Braithwaite

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The goal in the present study was to understand the discourses that animate children’s talk about having a parent come out and how these discourses interplay to create meaning. Data were gathered through 20 in-depth interviews with adults who remembered a parent coming out to them as lesbian or gay. One discursive struggle animated the participants’ talk about their parents’ coming out: the discourse of lesbian and gay identity as wrong vs. the discourse of lesbian and gay identity as acceptable. Analysis of participants’ talk about their familial identities revealed a range of avenues for resisting the negative discourses regarding …

Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium-Infected Pigs With Different Shedding Levels Exhibit Distinct Clinical, Peripheral Cytokine And Transcriptomic Immune Response Phenotypes, Susan Knetter, Shawn Bearson, Ting-Hua Huang, Dason Kurkiewicz, Martine Schroyen, Dan Nettleton, Daniel Berman, Valorie Cohen, Joan Lunney, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Michael Wannemuehler, Christopher Tuggle

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Foodborne salmonellosis costs the US $2.7 billion/year, including $100.0 million in annual losses to pork producers. Pigs colonized with Salmonella are usually asymptomatic with varied severity and duration of fecal shedding. Thus, understanding the responses that result in less shedding may provide a mechanism for control. Fifty-four pigs were inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) and clinical signs, fecal ST shedding, growth performance, peripheral cytokines and whole blood gene expression were measured. Persistently shedding (PS) pigs had longer pyrexia and elevated serum IL-1β, TNF-α and IFN-ϒcompared with low shedding (LS) pigs, while LS pigs had brief pyrexia, less shedding …

Allergic Sensitization: Screening Methods, Gregory S. Ladics, Jeremy Fry, Richard E. Goodman, Corinne Herouet-Guicheney, Karin Hoffman-Sommergruber, Charlotte B. Madsen, Andre Penninks, Anna Pomes, Erwin L. Roggen, Joost Smit, Jean-Michel Wal

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Experimental in silico, in vitro, and rodent models for screening and predicting protein sensitizing potential are discussed, including whether there is evidence of new sensitizations and allergies since the introduction of genetically modified crops in 1996, the importance of linear versus conformational epitopes, and protein families that become allergens. Some common challenges for predicting protein sensitization are addressed: (a) exposure routes; (b) frequency and dose of exposure; (c) dose-response relationships; (d) role of digestion, food processing, and the food matrix; (e) role of infection; (f) role of the gut microbiota; (g) influence of the structure and physicochemical properties of the …

In Silico And Ex Vivo Approaches Identify A Role For Toll-Like Receptor 4 In Colorectal Cancer, Daniel A. Sussman, Rebeca Santoalalla, Pablo A. Bejarano, Monica T. Garcia-Buitrago, Maria T. Perez, Maria T. Abreu, Jennifer L. Clarke

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Inflammation increases the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We and others have described a role for TLR4, the receptor for LPS, in colon cancer. To explore the relationships between TLR4 expression and CRC, we combined the strength of transcriptome array data and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Methods: TLR4 signal intensity was scored in the stromal and epithelial compartments. Detection of differential expression between conditions of interest was performed using linear models, Cox proportional hazards models, and empirical Bayes methods. Results: A strong association between TLR4 expression and survival was noted, though a dichotomous relationship between survival and specific TLR4 transcripts …

Safety Assessment Of The Calcium-Binding Protein, Apoaequorin, Expressed By Escherichia Coli, Daniel L. Moran, Afua O. Tetteh, Richard E. Goodman, Mark Y. Underwood

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Calcium-binding proteins are ubiquitous modulators of cellular activity and function. Cells possess numerous calcium-binding proteins that regulate calcium concentration in the cytosol by buffering excess free calcium ion. Disturbances in intracellular calcium homeostasis are at the heart of many age-related conditions making these proteins targets for therapeutic intervention. A calcium-binding protein, apoaequorin, has shown potential utility in a broad spectrum of applications for human health and well-being. Large-scale recombinant production of the protein has been successful; enabling further research and development and commercialization efforts. Previous work reported a 90-day subchronic toxicity test that demonstrated this protein has no toxicity by …

Grain Sorghum Whole Kernel Oil Lowers Plasma And Liver Cholesterol In Male Hamsters With Minimal Wax Involvement, Bo Hyun Lee, Thomas M. Carr, Curtis Weller, Susan L. Cuppett, Ismail M. Dweikat, Vicki Schlegel

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The lipid fraction of the grain sorghum whole kernel (GS-WK) (i.e., phytosterol rich oil or policosanol rich wax) responsible for lowering cholesterol in hamsters fed the crude lipid (wax + oil) was determined. As expected, hamsters fed an atherogenic diet for a four week period presented with higher plasma non-HDL plasma and liver esterified cholesterol than those on the low fat diet. However, the atherogenic diet containing 5% (w/w) oil significantly lowered non-HDL plasma and liver cholesterol. Although the 5% wax supplement did not affect either plasma or liver cholesterol, excreted neutral sterol and bile acid were slightly higher than …

Investigation Of Bacterial Diversity In The Feces Of Cattle Fed Different Diets, M. Kim, J. Kim, L. A. Kuehn, J. L. Bono, E. D. Berry, N. Kalchayanand, Harvey C. Freetly, Andrew K. Benson, J. E. Wells

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study is to investigate individual animal variation of bovine fecal microbiota including as affected by diets. Fecal samples were collected from 426 cattle fed 1 of 3 diets typically fed to feedlot cattle: 1) 143 steers fed finishing diet (83% dry-rolled corn, 13% corn silage, and 4% supplement), 2) 147 steers fed late growing diet (66% dry-rolled corn, 26% corn silage, and 8% supplement), and 3) 136 heifers fed early growing diet (70% corn silage and 30% alfalfa haylage). Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were determined from individual fecal samples using next-generation pyrosequencing technology. A total …

Activation Of Autophagy And Ampk By Gamma-Tocotrienol Suppresses The Adipogenesis In Human Adipose Derived Stem Cells, Lu Zhao, Jung-Heun Ha, Meshail Okla, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Scope: This study investigated the mechanistic details by which gamma-tocotrienol (γ-T3) manipulates adipocyte differentiation in human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs).

Methods and results: γ-T3 specifically inhibited the early stage of adipocyte differentiation by acting on downstream of C/EBP-β but upstream of C/EBP-α in hASCs. In searching a potential mechanism, we identified that γ-T3 promoted two catabolic signaling pathways: (i) AMP kinase (AMPK), and (ii) enhanced autophagy, as assessed by autophagic flux and cytosolic autophagosome (LC3II) accumulation. In addition, chronic exposure of γ-T3 induced caspase3-mediated apoptotic cell death. The blockage of AMPK by a dominant negative mutant of …

Structure Of Clostridium Difficile Pilj Exhibits Unprecedented Divergence From Known Type Iv Pilins, Kurt H. Piepenbrink, Grace A. Maldarelli, Claudia F. Martinez De La Pena, George L. Mulvey, Greg A. Snyder, Leon De Masi, Erik C. Von Rosenvinge, Sebastian Gunther, Glen D. Armstrong, Michael S. Donnenberg, Eric J. Sundberg

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Type IV pili are produced by many pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria and are important for processes as diverse as twitching motility, cellular adhesion, and colonization. Recently, there has been an increased appreciation of the ability of Gram-positive species, including Clostridium difficile, to produce Type IV pili. Here we report the first three-dimensional structure of a Gram-positive Type IV pilin, PilJ, demonstrate its incorporation into Type IV pili, and offer insights into how the Type IV pili of C. difficile may assemble and function. PilJ has several unique structural features, including a dual-pilin fold and the incorporation of a structural …

Epidemic Clostridium Difficile Strains Demonstrate Increased Competitive Fitness Compared To Nonepidemic Isolates, Catherine D. Robinson, Jennifer M. Auchtung, James Collins, Robert A. Britton

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Clostridium difficile infection is the most common cause of severe cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and is a significant health burden. Recent increases in the rate of C. difficile infection have paralleled the emergence of a specific phylogenetic clade of C. difficile strains (ribotype 027; North American pulsed-field electrophoresis 1 [NAP1]; restriction endonuclease analysis [REA] group BI). Initial reports indicated that ribotype 027 strains were associated with increased morbidity and mortality and might be hypervirulent. Although subsequent work has raised some doubt as to whether ribotype 027 strains are hypervirulent, the strains are considered epidemic isolates that have caused severe …

Development And Evolution Of Risk Assessment For Food Allergens, Rene W. R. Crevel, Joseph Baumert, Athanasia Baka, Geert Houben, André C. Knulst, Astrid Kruizinga, Stefano Luccioli, Stephen L. Taylor, Charlotte B. Madsen

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The need to assess the risk from food allergens derives directly from the need to manage effectively this food safety hazard. Work spanning the last two decades dispelled the initial thinking that food allergens were so unique that the risk they posed was not amenable to established risk assessment approaches and methodologies. Food allergens possess some unique characteristics, which make a simple safety assessment approach based on the establishment of absolute population thresholds inadequate. Dose distribution modelling of MEDs permitted the quantification of the risk of reaction at the population level and has been readily integrated with consumption and contamination …

Teacher Support Mediates Concurrent And Longitudinal Associations Between Temperament And Mild Depressive Symptoms In Sixth Grade, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Patrick Pössel, Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, Kate Niehaus

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The combination of changes occurring at the transition to middle school may be a catalyst for the onset of depressive symptoms, yet teacher support at this transition is protective. Research points to certain temperamental traits as risk factors for developing depressive symptoms. This study examines student reports of teacher support and teacher reports of student–teacher relationship (STR) quality as mediators of associations between child temperament (i.e. negative emotionality at age 4½ : and emotional reactivity in elementary grades) and depressive symptoms in sixth grade. Results indicate (a) negative emotionality predicted emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms; (b) emotional reactivity predicted depressive …

Traditional Alcohol Production And Use In Three Provinces In Vietnam: An Ethnographic Exploration Of Health Benefits And Risks, Bich Ngoc Luu, Thi Thieng Nguyen, Ian M. Newman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: Gaps exist in knowledge about the production and use of traditional alcohols, particularly in Asia. This study adds new information about the nature, production and sale of traditional distilled spirit alcohol in Vietnam. Method: This was an ethnographic study of traditional distilled spirit alcohol production in rural areas of three provinces in Vietnam. Researchers interviewed more than 300 individuals and recorded responses to general open-ended questions about local alcohol production. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and studied to discern what information about traditional alcohol was important to the speakers. Results: Methods of production followed long-held traditions. Participants listed both personal …

How Hot Is Too Hot? Live-Trapped Gray Wolf Rectal Temperatures And 1-Year Survival, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, L. David Mech

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

The ability of physically restrained and anesthetized wolves to thermoregulate is lessened and could lead to reduced survival, yet no information is available about this subject. Therefore, we analyzed rectal temperatures related to survival 1 year post-capture from 173 adult (non-pup) gray wolves (Canis lupus) captured in modified foot-hold traps for radiocollaring during June–August, 1988–2011, in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota, USA. The maximum observed rectal temperature (“maxtemp,” ˚F, ˚C) in each wolf during capture (x=104.0, 40.0; SD=2.0, 1.1;min.=95.9, 35.5; max.=108, 42.2) was not a significant predictor of survival to 1 year post-capture. Although no weather …

Successes And Challenges From Formation To Implementation Of Eleven Broad-Extent Conservation Programs, Erik A. Beever, Brady J. Mattsson, Matthew J. Germino, Max Post Van Der Burg, John B. Bradford, Mark W. Brunson

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

Integration of conservation partnerships across geographic, biological, and administrative boundaries is increasingly relevant because drivers of change, such as climate shifts, transcend these boundaries. We explored successes and challenges of established conservation programs that span multiple watersheds and consider both social and ecological concerns. We asked representatives from a diverse set of 11 broadextent conservation partnerships in 29 countries 17 questions that pertained to launching and maintaining partnerships for broad-extent conservation, specifying ultimate management objectives, and implementation and learning. Partnerships invested more funds in implementing conservation actions than any other aspect of conservation, and a program’s context (geographic extent, United …

Spring Phenology And Timing Of Breeding In Short-Distance Migrant Birds: Phenotypic Responses And Offspring Recruitment Patterns In Common Goldeneyes, Robert G. Clark, Hannu Pöysä, Pentti Runko, Antti Paasivaara

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

Understanding how organisms adjust breeding dates to exploit resources that aff ect fi tness can provide insights into impacts of climate change on avian demography. For instance, mismatches have been reported in long-distance migrant bird species when environmental cues experienced during spring migration are decoupled from conditions on breeding grounds. Short-distance migrant bird species that store reproductive nutrients prior to breeding may avoid or buff er adverse phenological eff ects. Furthermore, reduced short-term reproductive success could be off set by higher future recruitment of surviving off spring. We evaluated whether recruitment of locally-hatched female off spring was related to hatching …