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2014

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Busting Myths About ‘Species’, Charles H. Pence Jan 2014

Busting Myths About ‘Species’, Charles H. Pence

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Faculty Senate Newsletter, January 2014, Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College Jan 2014

Faculty Senate Newsletter, January 2014, Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College

LSU Faculty Senate Publications

Message from President: Throughout Louisiana and across several generations of administrators, it can easily be observed that an uptick in enthusiasm for student events and interactions inevitably precedes the end of a regime. When a president or chancellor begins appearing in student forums or develops a taste for dormitory chats, seasoned observers know that the end is near. Why? The correlation of concern for the budding youth with the end of the reigning generation points up what might be called the sometimes genial, sometimes tedious “childishness” of Louisiana higher education. Rather than calling for the political equivalent of extreme unction, …

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Cad’S Cradle: Untangling Copyrightability, Derivative Works, And Fair Use In 3d Printing, Kyle Dolinsky Jan 2014

Cad’S Cradle: Untangling Copyrightability, Derivative Works, And Fair Use In 3d Printing, Kyle Dolinsky

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

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African Arrivals And Transformations, Andrew Sluyter Jan 2014

African Arrivals And Transformations, Andrew Sluyter

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Biodistribution Of Plga And Plga/Chitosan Nanoparticles After Repeat-Dose Oral Delivery In F344 Rats For 7 Days, Sara M. Navarro, Caleb Darensbourg, Linda Cross, Rhett Stout, Diana Coulon, Carlos E. Astete, Timothy Morgan, Cristina M. Sabliov Jan 2014

Biodistribution Of Plga And Plga/Chitosan Nanoparticles After Repeat-Dose Oral Delivery In F344 Rats For 7 Days, Sara M. Navarro, Caleb Darensbourg, Linda Cross, Rhett Stout, Diana Coulon, Carlos E. Astete, Timothy Morgan, Cristina M. Sabliov

Faculty Publications

© 2014 Future Science Ltd. Aim: To quantify in vivo the biodistribution of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and PLGA/chitosan nanoparticles (PLGA/Chi NPs) and assess if the positive charge of chitosan significantly enhances nanoparticle absorption in the GI tract.Material & methods: PLGA and PLGA/Chi NPs covalently linked to tetramethylrhodamine-5-isothiocyanate (TRITC) were orally administered to F344 rats for 7 days, and the biodistribution of fluorescent NPs was analyzed in different organs.Results: The highest amount of particles (% total dose/g) was detected for both treatments in the spleen, followed by intestine and kidney, and then by liver, lung, heart and brain, with no significant …

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Biodistribution Of Plga And Plga/Chitosan Nanoparticles After Repeat-Dose Oral Delivery In F344 Rats For 7 Days, Sara M. Navarro, Caleb Darensbourg, Linda Cross, Rhett Stout, Diana Coulon, Carlos E. Astete, Timothy Morgan, Cristina M. Sabliov Jan 2014

Biodistribution Of Plga And Plga/Chitosan Nanoparticles After Repeat-Dose Oral Delivery In F344 Rats For 7 Days, Sara M. Navarro, Caleb Darensbourg, Linda Cross, Rhett Stout, Diana Coulon, Carlos E. Astete, Timothy Morgan, Cristina M. Sabliov

Faculty Publications

© 2014 Future Science Ltd. Aim: To quantify in vivo the biodistribution of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and PLGA/chitosan nanoparticles (PLGA/Chi NPs) and assess if the positive charge of chitosan significantly enhances nanoparticle absorption in the GI tract.Material & methods: PLGA and PLGA/Chi NPs covalently linked to tetramethylrhodamine-5-isothiocyanate (TRITC) were orally administered to F344 rats for 7 days, and the biodistribution of fluorescent NPs was analyzed in different organs.Results: The highest amount of particles (% total dose/g) was detected for both treatments in the spleen, followed by intestine and kidney, and then by liver, lung, heart and brain, with no significant …

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Ruminant Self-Medication Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes: Evidence, Mechanism, And Origins Ẫ†, Juan J. Villalba, James Miller, Eugene D. Ungar, Serge Y. Landau, John Glendinning Jan 2014

Ruminant Self-Medication Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes: Evidence, Mechanism, And Origins Ẫ†, Juan J. Villalba, James Miller, Eugene D. Ungar, Serge Y. Landau, John Glendinning

Faculty Publications

Gastrointestinal helminths challenge ruminants in ways that reduce their fitness. In turn, ruminants have evolved physiological and behavioral adaptations that counteract this challenge. Ruminants display anorexia and avoidance behaviors, which tend to reduce the incidence of parasitism. In addition, ruminants appear to learn to self-medicate against gastrointestinal parasites by increasing consumption of plant secondary compounds with antiparasitic actions. This selective feeding improves health and fitness. Here, we review the evidence for self-medication in ruminants, propose a hypothesis to explain self-medicative behaviors (based on post-ingestive consequences), and discuss mechanisms (e.g., enhanced neophilia, social transmission) that may underlie the ontogeny and spread …

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Group 3 Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Structural Properties And Protective Abilities During Desiccation, Leaf C. Boswell, Michael A. Menze, Steven C. Hand Jan 2014

Group 3 Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Structural Properties And Protective Abilities During Desiccation, Leaf C. Boswell, Michael A. Menze, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Publications

© 2014 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. Group 3 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are highly hydrophilic, and their expression is associated with desiccation tolerance in both plants and animals. Here we show that two LEA proteins from embryos of Artemia franciscana, AfrLEA2 and AfrLEA3m, are intrinsically disordered in solution but upon desiccation gain secondary structure, as measured by circular dichroism. Trifluoroethanol and sodium dodecyl sulfate are both shown to induce a-helical structure in AfrLEA2 and AfrLEA3m. Bioinformatic predictions of secondary-structure content for both proteins correspond most closely to conformations measured in the dry state. Because some …

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Quantification Of Cellular Protein Expression And Molecular Features Of Group 3 Lea Proteins From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana, Leaf C. Boswell, Daniel S. Moore, Steven C. Hand Jan 2014

Quantification Of Cellular Protein Expression And Molecular Features Of Group 3 Lea Proteins From Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana, Leaf C. Boswell, Daniel S. Moore, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Publications

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are highly hydrophilic, low complexity proteins whose expression has been correlated with desiccation tolerance in anhydrobiotic organisms. Here, we report the identification of three new mitochondrial LEA proteins in anhydrobiotic embryos of Artemia franciscana, AfrLEA3m-47, AfrLEA3m-43, and AfrLEA3m-29. These new isoforms are recognized by antibody raised against recombinant AfrLEA3m, the original mitochondrial-targeted LEA protein previously reported from these embryos; mass spectrometry confirms all four proteins share sequence similarity. The corresponding messenger RNA (mRNA) species for the four proteins are readily amplified from total complementary DNA (cDNA) prepared from embryos. cDNA sequences of the four mRNAs …

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Modulation Of Vacuolar Ph Is Required For Replication Of Edwardsiella Ictaluri In Channel Catfish Macrophages, Wes A. Baumgartner, Lidiya Dubytska, Matthew L. Rogge, Peter J. Mottram, Ronald L. Thune Jan 2014

Modulation Of Vacuolar Ph Is Required For Replication Of Edwardsiella Ictaluri In Channel Catfish Macrophages, Wes A. Baumgartner, Lidiya Dubytska, Matthew L. Rogge, Peter J. Mottram, Ronald L. Thune

Faculty Publications

Previous in vitro work demonstrated that Edwardsiella ictaluri produces an acid-activated urease that can modulate environmental pH through the production of ammonia from urea. Additional work revealed that expression of the E. ictaluri type III secretion system (T3SS) is upregulated by acidic pH. Both the urease and the T3SS were previously shown to be essential to intracellular replication. In this work, fluorescence microscopy with LysoTracker Red DND-99 (LTR) indicated that E. ictaluri-containing vacuoles (ECV) became acidified following ingestion by head kidney-derived macrophages (HKDM). In vivo ratiometric imaging demonstrated a lowered ECV pH, which fell to as low as pH 4 …

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Habitat Suitability Under Changing Climatic Conditions For The Exotic Ambrosia Beetle, Cnestus Mutilatus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini) In The Southeastern United States, Rabiu Olatinwo, Douglas Streett, Christopher Carlton Jan 2014

Habitat Suitability Under Changing Climatic Conditions For The Exotic Ambrosia Beetle, Cnestus Mutilatus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini) In The Southeastern United States, Rabiu Olatinwo, Douglas Streett, Christopher Carlton

Faculty Publications

The camphor shot borer, Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford) is a nonnative ambrosia beetle first reported in the United States in 1999 at Oktibbeha County in Mississippi. Although, C. mutilatus is a major pest of several trees in its native habitat in Asia, it is not yet a major pest in the United States. However, the range expansion in recent years across the southeastern region indicates that C. mutilatus could be adapting quickly to the new environment, perhaps because of the availability of numerous host trees and suitable environmental conditions that support the population. As the population increases, future outbreaks of C. …

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Host Range Tests Reveal Paectes Longiformis Is Not A Suitable Biological Control Agent For The Invasive Plant Schinus Terebinthifolia, Veronica Manrique, Rodrigo Diaz, Todd Condon, W. A. Overholt Jan 2014

Host Range Tests Reveal Paectes Longiformis Is Not A Suitable Biological Control Agent For The Invasive Plant Schinus Terebinthifolia, Veronica Manrique, Rodrigo Diaz, Todd Condon, W. A. Overholt

Faculty Publications

© 2014, International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC). The most critical step during a weed biological control program is determination of a candidate agent’s host range. Despite rigorous protocols and extensive testing, there are still concerns over potential non-target effects following field releases. With the objective to improve risk assessment in biological control, no-choice and choice testing followed by a multiple generation study were conducted on the leaf-defoliator, Paectes longiformis Pogue (Lepidoptera: Euteliidae). This moth is being investigated as a biological control agent of Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), which is one of the worst invasive plant species in Florida, …

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Temperature-Dependent Development, Cold Tolerance, And Potential Distribution Of Cricotopus Lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), A Tip Miner Of Hydrilla Verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae), Karen N. Stratman, William A. Overholt, James P. Cuda, A. Mukherjee, R. Diaz, Michael D. Netherland, Patrick C. Wilson Jan 2014

Temperature-Dependent Development, Cold Tolerance, And Potential Distribution Of Cricotopus Lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), A Tip Miner Of Hydrilla Verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae), Karen N. Stratman, William A. Overholt, James P. Cuda, A. Mukherjee, R. Diaz, Michael D. Netherland, Patrick C. Wilson

Faculty Publications

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America. A chironomid midge, Cricotopus lebetis (Sublette) (Diptera: Chironomidae), was discovered attacking the apical meristems of Hydrilla verticillata (L.f. Royle) in Crystal River, Citrus Co., Florida in 1992. The larvae mine the stems of H. verticillata and cause basal branching and stunting of the plant. Temperature-dependent development, cold tolerance, and the potential distribution of the midge were investigated. The results of the temperature-dependent development study showed that optimal temperatures for larval development were between 20 and 30°C, and these data were used to construct …

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Differential Effects Of Akt Isoforms On Somatic Cell Reprogramming, Yong Tang, Zongliang Jiang, Yan Luo, Xueming Zhao, Ling Wang, Carol Norris, Xiuchun Cindy Tian Jan 2014

Differential Effects Of Akt Isoforms On Somatic Cell Reprogramming, Yong Tang, Zongliang Jiang, Yan Luo, Xueming Zhao, Ling Wang, Carol Norris, Xiuchun Cindy Tian

Faculty Publications

© 2014. Akt plays an important role in cell growth, proliferation and survival. The specific roles of the three Akt isoforms in somatic cell reprogramming have not been investigated. Here we report that, during iPSC generation, enhanced Akt1 activity promotes complete reprogramming mainly through increased activation of Stat3 in concert with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and, to a lesser extent, through promotion of colony formation. Akt1 augments Stat3 activity through activation of mTOR and upregulation of LIF receptor expression. Similarly, enhanced Akt2 or Akt3 activation also promotes reprogramming and coordinates with LIF to activate Stat3. Blocking Akt1 or Akt3 but …

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Development Of Microsatellites For Population Genetic Analyses Of Tabanus Nigrovittatus (Diptera: Tabanidae), Claudia Husseneder, Jennifer R. Delatte, Jeremy Krumholt, Lane D. Foil Jan 2014

Development Of Microsatellites For Population Genetic Analyses Of Tabanus Nigrovittatus (Diptera: Tabanidae), Claudia Husseneder, Jennifer R. Delatte, Jeremy Krumholt, Lane D. Foil

Faculty Publications

ABSTRACT The greenhead horse fly, Tabanus nigrovittatus Macquart (Diptera: Tabanidae), is frequently found in coastal marshes of the Eastern United States. The females are autogenous (i.e., able to develop eggs without a bloodmeal), but they become a considerable pest to both humans and animals when they pursue a source of blood protein to produce additional eggs. In this study, we identified microsatellite markers to provide first insight into the population genetic structure of this notorious pest species. Because no prior genomic information was available for T. nigrovittatus,weused direct shotgun pyrosequencing technology to characterize microsatellite loci. Approximately 10% of the 105,634 …

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Gastrointestinal Helminths In Two Species Of Geckos, Gekko Vittatus, Gehyra Oceanica, And Five Species Of Skinks, Caledoniscincus Atropunctatus, Emoia Cyanogaster, Emoia Erronan, Emoia Nigra, Emoia Sanfordi (Squamata) From The Republic Of Vanuatu, Oceania, Stephen R. Goldberg, Charles R. Bursey, Alison M. Hamilton, Christopher C. Austin Jan 2014

Gastrointestinal Helminths In Two Species Of Geckos, Gekko Vittatus, Gehyra Oceanica, And Five Species Of Skinks, Caledoniscincus Atropunctatus, Emoia Cyanogaster, Emoia Erronan, Emoia Nigra, Emoia Sanfordi (Squamata) From The Republic Of Vanuatu, Oceania, Stephen R. Goldberg, Charles R. Bursey, Alison M. Hamilton, Christopher C. Austin

Faculty Publications

Two species of geckos, Gekko vittatus, Gehyra oceanica and 5 species of skinks, Caledoniscincus atropunctatus, Emoia cyanogaster, Emoia erronan, Emoia nigra, and Emoia sanfordi from the Republic of Vanuatu were examined for helminths. One species of Digenea (Mesocoelium microon), 3 species of Cestoda (Gekkotaenia novaeguineaensis, Cylindrotaenia hickmani, Ophiotaenia greeri), and 7 species of Nematoda, gravid individuals of Hedruris hanleyae, Maxvachonia chabaudi, Parapharyngodon maplestoni, Spauligodon gehyrae, Spauligodon zweifeli, juveniles assigned to the Filarioidea, and larvae of Physocephalus sp. in cysts were found. Eighteen new host records and 7 new locality records are reported. The lizards of Vanuatu are infected by generalist …

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A New Species Of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) From The Solomon Ground Skink, Sphenomorphus Solomonis (Boulenger) (Sauria: Scincidae) From Papua New Guinea, Chris T. Mcallister, Donald W. Duszynski, Robert N. Fisher, Christopher C. Austin Jan 2014

A New Species Of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) From The Solomon Ground Skink, Sphenomorphus Solomonis (Boulenger) (Sauria: Scincidae) From Papua New Guinea, Chris T. Mcallister, Donald W. Duszynski, Robert N. Fisher, Christopher C. Austin

Faculty Publications

Between September 1990 and November 1991, 19 Sphenomorphus spp. skinks, including nine S. jobiense, three S. simus, and seven Solomon ground skinks, S. solomonis (Boulenger), were collected from Madang and Morobe Provinces, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and examined for coccidia. A single S. solomonis was found to be infected with a new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875. Oöcysts of Eimeria perkinsae n. sp. are ellipsoidal with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure 18.6 × 14.7 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a fragmented polar granule is present. Sporocysts are …

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Parental Care In The Cuatro Ciénegas Cichlid, Herichthys Minckleyi (Teleostei: Cichlidae), Ronald G. Oldfield, Kapil Mandrekar, M. Xavier Nieves, Dean A. Hendrickson, Prosanta Chakrabarty, Brook O. Swanson, Hans A. Hofmann Jan 2014

Parental Care In The Cuatro Ciénegas Cichlid, Herichthys Minckleyi (Teleostei: Cichlidae), Ronald G. Oldfield, Kapil Mandrekar, M. Xavier Nieves, Dean A. Hendrickson, Prosanta Chakrabarty, Brook O. Swanson, Hans A. Hofmann

Faculty Publications

© 2014, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Behavioral studies have often examined parental care by measuring phenotypic plasticity of behavior within a species. Phylogenetic studies have compared parental care among species, but only at broad categories (e.g., care vs. no care). Here we provide a detailed account that integrates phylogenetic analysis with quantitative behavioral data to better understand parental care behavior in the Cuatro Ciénegas cichlid, Herichthys minckleyi. We found that H. minckleyi occurs in a clade of sexually monochromatic or weakly dichromatic monogamous species, but that male and female H. minckleyi have dramatically different reproductive coloration patterns, likely as a …

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Enteric Yaiw Is A Surface-Exposed Outer Membrane Lipoprotein That Affects Sensitivity To An Antimicrobial Peptide, Markus F.F. Arnold, Paola Caro-Hernandez, Karen Tan, Giulia Runti, Silvia Wehmeier, Marco Scocchi, William T. Doerrler, Graham C. Walker, Gail P. Ferguson Jan 2014

Enteric Yaiw Is A Surface-Exposed Outer Membrane Lipoprotein That Affects Sensitivity To An Antimicrobial Peptide, Markus F.F. Arnold, Paola Caro-Hernandez, Karen Tan, Giulia Runti, Silvia Wehmeier, Marco Scocchi, William T. Doerrler, Graham C. Walker, Gail P. Ferguson

Faculty Publications

yaiW is a previously uncharacterized gene found in enteric bacteria that is of particular interest because it is located adjacent to the sbmA gene, whose bacA ortholog is required for Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiosis and Brucella abortus pathogenesis. We show that yaiW is cotranscribed with sbmA in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Typhimurium strains. We present evidence that the YaiW is a palmitate-modified surface exposed outer membrane lipoprotein. Since BacA function affects the very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) modification of S. meliloti and B. abortus lipid A, we tested whether SbmA function might affect either the fatty acid modification …

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Compromised Rna Polymerase Iii Complex Assembly Leads To Local Alterations Of Intergenic Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Qing Wang, Chance M. Nowak, Asawari Korde, Dong Ha Oh, Maheshi Dassanayake, David Donze Jan 2014

Compromised Rna Polymerase Iii Complex Assembly Leads To Local Alterations Of Intergenic Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Qing Wang, Chance M. Nowak, Asawari Korde, Dong Ha Oh, Maheshi Dassanayake, David Donze

Faculty Publications

© 2014 Wang et al. Background: Assembled RNA polymerase III (Pol III) complexes exert local effects on chromatin processes, including influencing transcription of neighboring RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribed genes. These properties have been designated as 'extra-transcriptional' effects of the Pol III complex. Previous coding sequence microarray studies using Pol III factor mutants to determine global effects of Pol III complex assembly on Pol II promoter activity revealed only modest effects that did not correlate with the proximity of Pol III complex binding sites. Results: Given our recent results demonstrating that tDNAs block progression of intergenic Pol II transcription, …

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Detection Of Implausible Phylogenetic Inferences Using Posterior Predictive Assessment Of Model Fit, Jeremy M. Brown Jan 2014

Detection Of Implausible Phylogenetic Inferences Using Posterior Predictive Assessment Of Model Fit, Jeremy M. Brown

Faculty Publications

Systematic phylogenetic error caused by the simplifying assumptions made in models of molecular evolution may be impossible to avoid entirely when attempting to model evolution across massive, diverse data sets. However, not all deficiencies of inference models result in unreliable phylogenetic estimates. The field of phylogenetics lacks a direct method to identify cases where model specification adversely affects inferences. Posterior predictive simulation is a flexible and intuitive approach for assessing goodness-of-fit of the assumed model and priors in a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. Here, I propose new test statistics for use in posterior predictive assessment of model fit. These test statistics …

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Adaptation To Ephemeral Habitat May Overcome Natural Barriers And Severe Habitat Fragmentation In A Fire-Dependent Species, The Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea Aestivalis), Blain Cerame, James A. Cox, Robb T. Brumfield, James W. Tucker, Sabrina S. Taylor Jan 2014

Adaptation To Ephemeral Habitat May Overcome Natural Barriers And Severe Habitat Fragmentation In A Fire-Dependent Species, The Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea Aestivalis), Blain Cerame, James A. Cox, Robb T. Brumfield, James W. Tucker, Sabrina S. Taylor

Faculty Publications

Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a fire-dependent species that has undergone range-wide population declines in recent decades. We examined genetic diversity in Bachman's Sparrows to determine whether natural barriers have led to distinct population units and to assess the effect of anthropogenic habitat loss and fragmentation. Genetic diversity was examined across the geographic range by genotyping 226 individuals at 18 microsatellite loci and sequencing 48 individuals at mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Multiple analyses consistently demonstrated little genetic structure and high levels of genetic variation, suggesting that populations are panmictic. Based on these genetic data, separate management units/subspecies designations or translocations …

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The Influence Of The Complex Topography And Dynamic History Of The Montane Neotropics On The Evolutionary Differentiation Of A Cloud Forest Bird (Premnoplex Brunnescens, Furnariidae), Eugenio Valderrama, Jorge L. Pérez-Emán, Robb T. Brumfield, Andrés M. Cuervo, Carlos Daniel Cadena Jan 2014

The Influence Of The Complex Topography And Dynamic History Of The Montane Neotropics On The Evolutionary Differentiation Of A Cloud Forest Bird (Premnoplex Brunnescens, Furnariidae), Eugenio Valderrama, Jorge L. Pérez-Emán, Robb T. Brumfield, Andrés M. Cuervo, Carlos Daniel Cadena

Faculty Publications

Aim: To examine the effect of geographical barriers and habitat dynamics related to climatic oscillations on the phylogeography of a widespread passerine of Neotropical cloud forests, the spotted barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens). Location: Neotropical humid forests of montane areas in lower Central America and South America. Methods: We sequenced two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear intron from specimens collected across the distribution of P. brunnescens. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood methods. Groups with maximum differentiation were estimated with spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). We estimated timing of differentiation and relationships among groups with a species-tree approach and …

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Computational Redesign Of Bacterial Biotin Carboxylase Inhibitors Using Structure-Based Virtual Screening Of Combinatorial Libraries, Michal Brylinski, Grover L. Waldrop Jan 2014

Computational Redesign Of Bacterial Biotin Carboxylase Inhibitors Using Structure-Based Virtual Screening Of Combinatorial Libraries, Michal Brylinski, Grover L. Waldrop

Faculty Publications

As the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria steadily increases, there is an urgent need for new antibacterial agents. Because fatty acid synthesis is only used for membrane biogenesis in bacteria, the enzymes in this pathway are attractive targets for antibacterial agent development. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase catalyzes the committed and regulated step in fatty acid synthesis. In bacteria, the enzyme is composed of three distinct protein components: biotin carboxylase, biotin carboxyl carrier protein, and carboxyltransferase. Fragment-based screening revealed that amino-oxazole inhibits biotin carboxylase activity and also exhibits antibacterial activity against Gram-negative organisms. In this report, we redesigned previously identified lead inhibitors to …

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Engineering Behavior And Characterization Of Biomass Ashes Using Geotechnical Measurement Techniques, Francisco Javier Grau Sacoto Jan 2014

Engineering Behavior And Characterization Of Biomass Ashes Using Geotechnical Measurement Techniques, Francisco Javier Grau Sacoto

LSU Master's Theses

Biomass, the organic material derived from plants or animals in a biological process, has rapidly become a topic of worldwide interest. The need to find new types of renewable energy sources has led to the use of natural materials as an economic, sustainable and environmental alternative. Biomass can be used to produce biofuel after a conversion process. The combustion of biomass matter –which is mainly produced in industrial plants- becomes biomass ash, which contains macronutrients and micronutrients. Currently, the recycling potential is wasted and most of the biomass ash is dumped without control or just disposed in landfills. The main …

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The Fluvial Sequence Of A Latest Changhsingian, Pre-Pt Extinction River Complex, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Tara Chizinski Jan 2014

The Fluvial Sequence Of A Latest Changhsingian, Pre-Pt Extinction River Complex, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Tara Chizinski

Honors Theses

The Permian–Triassic mass extinction, dated between 251.941 ± 0.037 and 251.880 ± 0.0371 Ma, is well documented in the marine record, but details of the event on land are still ambiguous and widely debated within the scientific community. This project focuses on the stratigraphic record leading up to the PT boundary at one of the critical sections in the Karoo Basin of South Africa, Wapadsberg Pass. A transition in river styles is reported to have occurred across the landscape from meandering Permian sandstone-dominated channels to Triassic braided complexes. This transition can be recorded by architectural elements, which reflect sensitive variations …

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Optimization Of A Chemical Genetic Screen To Identify Druggable Targets In U138 Cells Treated With Laromustine, Kathryn Coe Jan 2014

Optimization Of A Chemical Genetic Screen To Identify Druggable Targets In U138 Cells Treated With Laromustine, Kathryn Coe

Honors Theses

Laromustine is an experimental sulfonylhydrazine prodrug used in late-stage clinical studies against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Despite initial promise for both indications, clinical trials for GBM have not been as successful as those for AML. To investigate methods for improving the effectiveness of laromustine in GBM and to learn more about the mechanism of action of laromustine, a chemical genetic screen will be conducted to identify agents that sensitize GBM cells to the anti-proliferative effects of laromustine. The library, which will include approximately 450 FDA-approved drugs, will be screened using a newly optimized high throughput assay …

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Variations In Intra- And Interspecific Response To Mobbing Calls By The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus), Katerina M. Faust Jan 2014

Variations In Intra- And Interspecific Response To Mobbing Calls By The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus), Katerina M. Faust

Honors Theses

Mobbing calls are produced by a variety of bird species in response to predator sightings. These mobbing calls often function in intraspecific recruitment, but have recently been shown to have an interspecific response component as well. The mobbing calls produced by the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) are distinct and encode information about the threat level of the predator. Conservation biologists often use playbacks of chickadee mobbing calls to detect species of birds and numbers of individuals in an area with higher accuracy than counts conducted without the use of playbacks. In this study, the factors that could potentially …

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Influence Of The Sea Surface Microlayer On Ozone Deposition Velocity, Kathryn Moore Jan 2014

Influence Of The Sea Surface Microlayer On Ozone Deposition Velocity, Kathryn Moore

Honors Theses

The biogeochemical cycles of both iodine and ozone are strongly linked to human health and global climate and are tightly coupled through chemical processes occurring in the surface ocean and troposphere. The concentration and distribution of these compounds have the potential to drive the oxidizing capacity and suite of chemical reactions occurring in the marine boundary layer. However, modeling coupled ocean-atmosphere systems involving them is challenging because of a limited understanding of the magnitude and dominant mechanisms controlling the fluxes of both species, in addition to temporally and spatially heterogeneous distributions of ozone and iodine in the sea surface and …

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Quantumness And Coherence In Photosynthesis, Brian Doolittle Jan 2014

Quantumness And Coherence In Photosynthesis, Brian Doolittle

Honors Theses

Long-lived oscillations lasting up to 1800 fs have been observed in the Fenna--Mathews--Olsen (FMO) Pigment-Protein complex. It is unclear if the oscillations are quantum or classical in origin. Quantized intra-pigment normal modes are responsible for these long-lived oscillations. In this thesis we simulate a bacteriachlorophyll dimer in the FMO Complex at physiological conditions. Our model describes two electronically coupled pigments coupled to the vibrational protein environment. Our goal is to find system parameters that allow long-lived quantum coherences to exist in photosynthetic complexes. We calculate the time evolution of our system's density matrix using the numerically exact quantum adiabatic path …

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