Digital Commons Network^™

Caves In Caves: Evolution Of Post-Depositional Macroholes In Stalagmites, Nurit Shtober-Zisu, Henry P. Schwarcz, Tom Chow, Christopher R. Omelon, Gordon Southam

International Journal of Speleology

In a previous paper (Shtober-Zisu et al., 2012) we described millimeter to centime-sized fluid-free holes within the interiors of stalagmites of widely varying origin. We present here further observations of this phenomenon, using X-ray tomography, macroscopic and microscopic observation of sections of twenty-six stalagmites from various sites in North America and the Caribbean region. We can distinguish three types of cavities in speleothems: primary µm-sized fluid inclusions; mm to cm sized holes, aligned along the stalagmite growth axis which are clearly syngenetic; and µm to cm-sized holes away from the growth axis (“off-axis holes or OAHs”) deeply buried inside their …

Niche Differentiation In Meta Bourneti And M. Menardi (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) With Notes On The Life History, Stefano Mammola, Marco Isaia

International Journal of Speleology

Meta menardi and M. bourneti are two species of spiders inhabiting caves and other subterranean habitats. The occurrence of both species within the same cave has never been proved convincingly and several authors hypothesized a complete niche differentiation mainly based on microclimatic conditions.In order to study the apparent niche differentiation of the two species, we studied several populations of M. menardi and M. bourneti occurring in six caves in the Western Italian Alps (NW Italy). A series of squared plots were monitored monthly from March 2012 to February 2013. At each survey, we counted individuals and we collected the main …

Full Issue 43(3)

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Importance Of Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus Lineolaris) As An Ars Research Priority And Overview Of Tpb Ars Research Opportunities, R. G. Luttrell, E. G. King

Midsouth Entomologist

Environmental and economic management of tarnished plant bug (TPB) (Lygus lineolaris) on cotton has been an area of continuous study by USDA scientists in Stoneville, Mississippi since the 1960s. Maintaining economically viable cotton production has required dynamic research information and increasingly sophisticated management approaches for this native insect that feeds on many cultivated and wild host plants. In close collaboration with university partners, USDA scientists in Stoneville accumulated a wealth of scientific information on TPB that routinely addressed changing management challenges and continues to provide benchmark information needed to sustain economic cotton production in the Mississippi Delta. More than 60 …

Mississippi Delta Native Strain Of Beauveria Bassiana For Control Of Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus Lineolaris), M. Portilla, G. L. Snodgrass, R. G. Luttrell

Midsouth Entomologist

Previous works reported that Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) isolates from tarnished plant bug, TPB, Lygus lineolaris Palisot de Beauvois, (Hemiptera: Miridae) have shown a great potential to be used as a microbial control for TPB, particularly the NI8 strain, isolated from TPB from the Mississippi Delta. The Mississippi Delta native strain NI8 has been studied for more than ten years. Results from those studies demonstrated that NI8 strain has better characteristics of pathogenicity based on LC50 values, in vitro conidia production, temperature growth optima, tolerance to solar radiation, and production of beauvericin than the commercially available strain, GHA. The NI8 strain …

Small Molecule Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Of Erbb2/Her2/Neu In The Treatment Of Aggressive Breast Cancer., Richard L. Schroeder, Cheryl L. Stevens, Jayalakshmi Sridhar

Faculty and Staff Publications

he human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a member of the erbB class of tyrosine kinase receptors. These proteins are normally expressed at the surface of healthy cells and play critical roles in the signal transduction cascade in a myriad of biochemical pathways responsible for cell growth and differentiation. However, it is widely known that amplification and subsequent overexpression of the HER2 encoding oncogene results in unregulated cell proliferation in an aggressive form of breast cancer known as HER2-positive breast cancer. Existing therapies such as trastuzumab (Herceptin^®) and lapatinib (Tyverb/Tykerb^®), a monoclonal antibody inhibitor …

Solenopsis Invicta Virus (Sinv-1) Infection And Insecticide Interactions In The Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Danielle M. Tufts, Wayne B. Hunter, Blake Bextine

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is of great concern because of its destructive nature to endemic wildlife, livestock, and people. Various methods for managing this pest are currently being developed, including the use of viruses as biological control agents. In this study, the effectiveness of the Solenopsis invicta virus (SINV-1), (a positive sense, single-stranded RNA virus in the Dicistroviridae family (Genus: Aparavirus) which only infects the Genus Solenopsis) as an effective biological control agent against S. invicta infestation combination with commonly used insecticides was investigated. Surprisingly, ants treated with the virus experienced significantly greater survival …

Improving The Efficiency Of Electrical Stimulation Activities After Spinal Cord Injury, David Dolbow, William R. Holcomb, Ashraf Gorgey

Faculty Publications

In order to enhance spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation programs using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) it is important to examine the manner in which muscle fibers are recruited and the dose–response relationship. A review of the literature suggests that premature force decline and early fatigue with NMES and FES activities may be alleviated with decreased current frequency and increased current intensity. Dose–response relationships with NMES and FES are dependent on the goals of interest as reversing muscle atrophy can be achieved with activities 2–3 times per week for 6 or more weeks while increasing bone …

Influence Of Resource Levels, Organic Compounds And Laboratory Colonization On Interspecific Competition Between The Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes Albopictus (Stegomyia Albopicta) And The Southern House Mosquito Culex Quinquefasciatus, D.W. Allgood, Donald A. Yee

Faculty Publications

The mosquitoes Aedes albopictus (Stegomyia albopicta) (Skuse) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) are common inhabitants of tyres and other artificial containers, which constitute important peridomestic mosquito breeding habitats. We tested the hypotheses that interspecific resource competition between the larvae of these species is asymmetrical, that the concentration of chemicals associated with decomposing detritus affects the competitive outcomes of these species, and that wild and colonized strains of Cx. quinquefasciatus are affected differently by competition with Ae. albopictus. We conducted two laboratory competition experiments wherein we measured survivorship and estimated population growth (λ′) in both species under …

Molecular Characterization Of Two Opecoelid Trematodes From Fishes In The Gulf Of Mexico, With A Desceiption Of A New Species Of Helicometra, Michael J. Andres, Candis L. Ray, Eric E. Pulis, Stephen S. Curran, Robin M. Overstreet

Faculty Publications

The plagioporine opecoelids Helicometra fasciata (Rudolphi, 1819) Odhner, 1902, and Macvicaria crassigula (Linton, 1910) Bartoli, Bray, and Gibson, 1989 have been reported from fishes in expansive geographic regions, disjointed from their type localities. New material of M. crassigula was collected from near its type locality as well as specimens resembling Helicometra fasciata sensu lato from three triglids in the Gulf of Mexico. Comparisons of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences, comprising the partial 18S rDNA, internal transcribed spacer region (= ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2), and partial 28S rDNA gene, from M. crassigula and Helicometra fasciata sensu lato in the Gulf of …

Analysis And Design Of Footwear Antennas, Domenico Gaetano

Doctoral

Wearable technologies are found in an increasing number of applications including sport and medical monitoring, gaming and consumer electronics. Sensors are used to monitor vital signs and are located on various parts of the body. Footwear sensors permit the collection of data relating to gait, running style, physiotherapy and research. The data is sent from sensors to on-body hubs, often using wired technology, which can impact gait characteristics. This thesis describes the design of footwear antennas for wireless sensor telemetry. The work addresses the challenges of placing antennas close to the foot as well as the proximity to the ground. …

The Lotic Intersite Nitrogen Experiments: An Example Of Successful Ecological Research Collaboration, Linx Collaborators, Walter K. Dodds, Jackson R. Webster, Chelsea L. Crenshaw, Ashley M. Helton, Jonathan M. O'Brien, Eugenia Marti, Anne E. Hershey

Faculty Publications

Collaboration is an essential skill for modern ecologists because it brings together diverse expertise, viewpoints, and study systems. The Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiments (LINX I and II), a 17-y research endeavor involving scores of early- to late-career stream ecologists, is an example of the benefits, challenges, and approaches of successful collaborative research in ecology. The scientific success of LINX reflected tangible attributes including clear scientific goals (hypothesis-driven research), coordinated research methods, a team of cooperative scientists, excellent leadership, extensive communication, and a philosophy of respect for input from all collaborators. Intangible aspects of the collaboration included camaraderie and strong team …

Doctor, Doctor, Mr. M.D.: Dr./Patient Privilege In Mt, Cynthia Ford

Faculty Journal Articles & Other Writings

No abstract provided.

L2 Learners' Sensitivity To Semantic And Morphophonological Information On Swahili Nouns, P. Spinner, Jamie A. Thomas

Linguistics Faculty Works

Previous research demonstrates that L2 learners are sensitive to morphophonological and semantic information regarding grammatical gender in European languages (e.g., Spinner & Juffs, 2008). In this study we examine the use of morphophonological and semantic information by two groups of English-speaking learners acquiring Swahili gender (noun class). The results of an oral agreement-marking task, a written gender assignment task, and interviews indicate that learners are sensitive to morphophonological information regarding gender in Swahili. The findings for semantic information are more complex; learners appear to be sensitive to animacy but not to other “minor” semantic information such as tree or active …

Nuclear And Mitochondrial Trna-Lookalikes In The Human Genome., Aristeidis G Telonis, Phillipe Loher, Yohei Kirino, Isidore Rigoutsos

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

We are interested in identifying and characterizing loci of the human genome that harbor sequences resembling known mitochondrial and nuclear tRNAs. To this end, we used the known nuclear and mitochondrial tRNA genes (the "tRNA-Reference" set) to search for "tRNA-lookalikes" and found many such loci at different levels of sequence conservation. We find that the large majority of these tRNA-lookalikes resemble mitochondrial tRNAs and exhibit a skewed over-representation in favor of some mitochondrial anticodons. Our analysis shows that the tRNA-lookalikes have infiltrated specific chromosomes and are preferentially located in close proximity to known nuclear tRNAs (z-score ≤ -2.54, P-value ≤ …

Ipulse: September 2014, Lynn University

Student Newspapers

Issues:

• September 8, 2014
• September 15, 2014
• September 16, 2014
• September 17, 2014
• September 18, 2014
• September 19, 2014
• September 22, 2014
• September 23, 2014
• September 25, 2014
• September 29, 2014
• September 30, 2014

Anal Fistula. Past And Present, Ahmad M. Zubaidi

Saudi Medical Journal

Anal fistula is a common benign condition that typically describes a miscommunication between the anorectum and the perianal skin, which may present de novo, or develop after acute anorectal abscess. Athough anal fistulae are benign, the condition can still negatively influence a patient’s quality of life by causing minor pain, social hygienic embarrassment, and in severe cases, frank sepsis. Despite its long history and prevalence, anal fistula management remains one of the most challenging and controversial topics in colorectal surgery today. The end goals of treatment include draining the local infection, eradicating the fistulous tract, and minimizing recurrence and incontinence …

A Method To Develop Neck Injury Criteria To Aid Design And Test Of Escape Systems Incorporating Helmet Mounted Displays, Jeffrey C. Parr

Theses and Dissertations

HMDs are becoming common human-machine interface equipment in manned military flight, but introducing this equipment into the overall aircraft escape system poses new and significant system design, development, and test concerns. Although HMDs add capabilities, which improve operator performance, the increased capability is often accompanied by increased head supported mass. The increased mass can amplify the risk of pilot neck injury during ejection when compared to lighter legacy helmets. Currently no adequate USAF neck injury criteria exist to effectively guide the requirements, design, and test of escape systems for pilots with HMDs. This research effort presents a novel method to …

Identification Of Sex‐Specific Molecular Markers Using Restriction Site‐Associated Dna Sequencing, Tony Gamble, David Zarkower

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

A major barrier to evolutionary studies of sex determination and sex chromosomes has been a lack of information on the types of sex‐determining mechanisms that occur among different species. This is particularly problematic in groups where most species lack visually heteromorphic sex chromosomes, such as fish, amphibians and reptiles, because cytogenetic analyses will fail to identify the sex chromosomes in these species. We describe the use of restriction site‐associated DNA (RAD) sequencing, or RAD‐seq, to identify sex‐specific molecular markers and subsequently determine whether a species has male or female heterogamety. To test the accuracy of this technique, we examined the …

Chloride Channels In Stellate Cells Are Essential For Uniquely High Secretion Rates In Neuropeptide-Stimulated Drosophila Diuresis, Pablo Cabrero, Selim Terhzaz, Michael F. Romero, Shireen A. Davies, Edward M. Blumenthal

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Epithelia frequently segregate transport processes to specific cell types, presumably for improved efficiency and control. The molecular players underlying this functional specialization are of particular interest. In Drosophila, the renal (Malpighian) tubule displays the highest per-cell transport rates known and has two main secretory cell types, principal and stellate. Electrogenic cation transport is known to reside in the principal cells, whereas stellate cells control the anion conductance, but by an as-yet-undefined route. Here, we resolve this issue by showing that a plasma membrane chloride channel, encoded by ClC-a, is exclusively expressed in the stellate cell and is required …

Highlights Of 30 Years Of Research On Tpb In The Mississippi Delta, G. L. Snodgrass

Midsouth Entomologist

The tarnished plant bug (TPB), Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is a mirid species indigenous to North America. It is extremely well adapted to its habitat in the mid-South, and can feed and reproduce on most plant species in the mid-South when they bloom or have developing fruit. TPB nymphs produce adults in diapause on weed hosts in response to decreasing day lengths during the fall (beginning in September). Diapausing adults can overwinter on weed hosts or in plant debris, and adults overwintering in plant debris break diapause during January using an internal clock. Diapausing adults on weed hosts can …

Dedication Of Special Issue Honoring Dr. Gordon Snodgrass, K. A. Parys, K. T. Edwards

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Urbanization And Stream Salamanders: A Review, Conservation Options, And Research Needs, Kyle Barrett, Steven J. Price

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Urban areas are increasing in size and human population density. The implications of widespread urbanization are apparent for a wide variety of stream organisms, but the responses of stream-dwelling salamanders to urbanization have been understudied historically. Studies on this assemblage have increased sufficiently over the last decade to warrant a review and synthesis of current knowledge. Our survey of the literature indicates a research bias toward species within the Piedmont ecoregion of the USA and a strong emphasis on changes in species richness, relative abundance, and occupancy along an urbanization gradient. Very few investigators have examined vital rates for specific …

Factors Limiting The Spread Of The Protective Symbiont Hamiltonella Defensa In Aphis Craccivora Aphids, Hannah R. Dykstra, Stephanie R. Weldon, Adam J. Martinez, Jennifer A. White, Keith R. Hopper, George E. Heimpel, Mark K. Asplen, Kerry M. Oliver

Entomology Faculty Publications

Many insects are associated with heritable symbionts that mediate ecological interactions, including host protection against natural enemies. The cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, is a polyphagous pest that harbors Hamiltonella defensa, which defends against parasitic wasps. Despite this protective benefit, this symbiont occurs only at intermediate frequencies in field populations. To identify factors constraining H. defensa invasion in Ap. craccivora, we estimated symbiont transmission rates, performed fitness assays, and measured infection dynamics in population cages to evaluate effects of infection. Similar to results with the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, we found no consistent costs to infection using …

Comparison Of Isokinetic Hip Abduction And Adduction Peak Torques And Ratio Between Sexes, Dai Sugimoto, Carl G. Mattacola, David R. Mullineaux, Thomas Gerard Palmer, Timothy E. Hewett

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate hip abductor and adductor peak torque outputs and compare their ratios between sexes.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional laboratory-controlled study.

SETTING: Participants visited a laboratory and performed an isokinetic hip abductor and adductor test. All participants performed 2 sets of 5 repetitions of concentric hip abduction and adduction in a standing position at 60 degrees per second. Gravity was determined as a function of joint angle relative to the horizontal plane and was corrected by normalizing the weight of the limb on an individual basis.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 36 collegiate athletes.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Sex (20 females and 16 …

Endogenous Retrovirus Insertion In The Kit Oncogene Determines White And White Spotting In Domestic Cats, Victor A. David, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, Andrea Coots Wallace, Melody E. Roelke, James Kehler, Robert Leighty, Eduardo Eizirik, Steven S. Hannah, George Nelson, Alejandro A. Schaffer, Catherine J. Connelly, Stephen J. O'Brien, David K. Ryugo

Biology Faculty Articles

The Dominant White locus (W) in the domestic cat demonstrates pleiotropic effects exhibiting complete penetrance for absence of coat pigmentation and incomplete penetrance for deafness and iris hypopigmentation. We performed linkage analysis using a pedigree segregating White to identify KIT (Chr. B1) as the feline W locus. Segregation and sequence analysis of the KIT gene in two pedigrees (P1 and P2) revealed the remarkable retrotransposition and evolution of a feline endogenous retrovirus (FERV1) as responsible for two distinct phenotypes of the W locus, Dominant White, and white spotting. A full-length (7125 bp) FERV1 element is associated with white …

Sedimentology Of Marine Vertebrate Burial In The Miocene Pisco Fm., Peru, Monte A. Fleming

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Miocene Pisco Basin of Peru is known for abundant, well-preserved marine vertebrate fossils (Esperante et al. 2000). Cetacean fossils are particularly abundant—so much so that we were able to locate 10 outcrops containing specimens in cross section, which allowed us to do detailed sedimentological studies of the beds surrounding the whales. We discovered that six of the 10 specimens were buried in channels; the details of the other four burials are too disparate to meaningfully group together in categories. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 describe and discuss the six specimens found in channels, while Appendix A contains descriptions and …

Nesting Ecology Of Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata) On Utila, Honduras, Lindsey Renee Eggers Damazo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) has a circumtropical distribution and plays an important role in maintaining the health of coral reefs. Unfortunately, hawksbill populations have been decimated, and estimated numbers in the Caribbean are less than 10% of populations a century ago. The hawksbill is considered Critically Endangered, and researchers are coordinating worldwide efforts to protect this species. One country where we lack knowledge regarding hawksbills is Honduras. This study aimed to increase our understanding of hawksbill nesting ecology in Caribbean Honduras. Characteristics of hawksbill nesting activity and a nesting beach on the island of Utila were …

Cognitive Function In The Alcohol Addiction Treatment Population, Suranee Abeyesinhe

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Chronic alcohol abuse has been linked to several cognitive deficits, such as problems with spatial processing, decreased executive functioning, impaired verbal fluency, poor working memory, response inhibition, and social problems such as aggression and social deviance. In order for patients to benefit from treatment, they must be able to utilize multiple cognitive functions. Research has shown that patients suffering from cognitive impairments are much more likely to drop out of treatment early, thereby lending them to higher relapse rates. This study aimed to identify cognitive deficits present in the alcohol addiction treatment population, demographic factors associated with higher levels of …

The Impact Of Physical Activity On Depressed Mood In Older Seventh-Day Adventists, Benjamin J. Silber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research has shown physical activity (PA) to result in a reduction in depressed mood. The effects have been examined for different age groups, however, it is unclear whether PA effects differ in older adults. A prospective cohort study (N = 6,463) examined duration and intensity of PA in relation to mood in the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study (BRHS). Depressed mood indices were expected to be predicted by lower levels of PA and individuals in younger age groups were expected to receive a greater reduction in depressed mood after PA than those in older age groups. Previous PA (minutes of …