Digital Commons Network^™

Dual-Seq Transcriptomics Reveals The Battle For Iron During Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Acute Murine Pneumonia, F Heath Damron, Amanda G. Oglesby-Sherrouse, Angela Wilks, Mariette Barbier

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Determining bacterial gene expression during infection is fundamental to understand pathogenesis. In this study, we used dual RNA-seq to simultaneously measure P. aeruginosa and the murine host’s gene expression and response to respiratory infection. Bacterial genes encoding products involved in metabolism and virulence were differentially expressed during infection and the type III and VI secretion systems were highly expressed in vivo. Strikingly, heme acquisition, ferric-enterobactin transport, and pyoverdine biosynthesis genes were found to be significantly up-regulated during infection. In the mouse, we profiled the acute immune response to P. aeruginosa and identified the pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in acute response …

Oral Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos) Lessens Tumor Development In The Apcmin Mouse Model Of Spontaneous Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Jeffrey Wimsatt, Meghan Villers, Laurel Thomas, Stacey Kamarec, Caitlin Montgomery, Leo W. Y. Yeung, Yanqing Hu, Kim Innes

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for both men and women, and the third most common cause of cancer in the U.S. Toxicity of current chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal cancer, and emergence of drug resistance underscore the need to develop new, potentially less toxic alternatives. Our recent cross-sectional study in a large Appalachian population, showed a strong, inverse, dose–response association of serum perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) levels to prevalent colorectal cancer, suggesting PFOS may have therapeutic potential in the prevention and/or treatment of colorectal cancer. In these preliminary studies using a mouse model of familial colorectal …

Protein Self-Assembly Onto Nanodots Leads To Formation Of Conductive Bio-Based Hybrids, Xiao Hu, Chenbo Dong, Rigu Su, Quan Xu, Cerasela Zoica Dinu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The next generation of nanowires that could advance the integration of functional nanosystems into synthetic applications from photocatalysis to optical devices need to demonstrate increased ability to promote electron transfer at their interfaces while ensuring optimum quantum confinement. Herein we used the biological recognition and the self-assembly properties of tubulin, a protein involved in building the filaments of cellular microtubules, to create stable, free standing and conductive sulfur-doped carbon nanodots-based conductive bio-hybrids. The physical and chemical properties (e.g., composition, morphology, diameter etc.) of such user-synthesized hybrids were investigated using atomic and spectroscopic techniques, while the electron transfer rate was estimated …

Orchid Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) Of Cusuco National Park, State Of Cortés, Honduras, Kenneth W. Mccravy, Joseph Van Dyke, Thomas J. Creedy, David W. Roubik

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) are abundant and important pollinators of Neotropical forests, but orchid bee diversity is still poorly known in much of Mesoamerica, particularly in cloud forests. This paper presents results of a 2012 to 2013 survey of orchid bee diversity in Cusuco National Park, a cloud forest environment in northwest Honduras. Orchid bees were collected using insect nets at bait stations with chemical attractants. Bait stations were located at 68 sample sites throughout the park. We collected 4,293 orchid bees representing 24 species and 4 genera. One species, Euglossa imperialis Cockerell, accounted for 67.6% of the total …

Machine-Learning Approach Identifies A Pattern Of Gene Expression In Peripheral Blood That Can Accurately Detect Ischaemic Stroke, Grant C. O'Connell, Ashley B. Petrone, Madison B. Treadway, Connie S. Tennant, Noelle Lucke-Wold, Paul D. Chantler, Taura L. Barr

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Early and accurate diagnosis of stroke improves the probability of positive outcome. The objective of this study was to identify a pattern of gene expression in peripheral blood that could potentially be optimised to expedite the diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). A discovery cohort was recruited consisting of 39 AIS patients and 24 neurologically asymptomatic controls. Peripheral blood was sampled at emergency department admission, and genome-wide expression profiling was performed via microarray. A machine-learning technique known as genetic algorithm k-nearest neighbours (GA/kNN) was then used to identify a pattern of gene expression that could optimally discriminate between groups. This …

A Rapid Physical Habitat Assessment Of Wadeable Streams For Mixed-Land-Use Watersheds, Lynne Hooper, Jason A. Hubbart

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Mitigating stream and river impairment is complex, particularly in mixed-land-use watersheds given the likelihood of integrated responses of stream restoration to coupled and ongoing terrestrial ecosystem disturbance and the need for periodic reassessment and maintenance. Traditional biological sampling (e.g., macroinvertebrate sampling or other biological indices) alone seldom identifies the cause of biological community impairment and large fiscal investments are often made with no apparent improvement to aquatic ecosystem health. A stream physical habitat assessment (PHA) can yield information that, when paired with land-use data may reveal causal patterns in aquatic physical habitat degradation and help to identify sites for rehabilitation …

Soil Respiration And Its Environmental Response Varies By Day/Night And By Growing/Dormant Season In A Subalpine Forest, Zongda Hu, Shirong Liu, Xingliang Liu, Liyong Fu, Jingxin Wang, Kuan Liu, Xueman Huang, Yuandong Zhang, Fei He

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Comparisons of soil respiration (RS) and its components of heterotrophic (RH) and rhizospheric (RR) respiration during daytime and nighttime, growing (GS) and dormant season (DS), have not being well studied and documented. In this study, we compared RS, RH, RR, and their responses to soil temperature (T5) and moisture (θ5) in daytime vs. nighttime and GS vs. DS in a subalpine forest in 2011. In GS, nighttime RS and RH rates were 30.5 ± 4.4% (mean ± SE) and …

Genome-Wide Association Study For Identifying Loci That Affect Fillet Yield, Carcass, And Body Weight Traits In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Dianelys Gonzalez-Pena, Guangtu Gao, Matthew Baranski, Thomas Moen, Beth M. Cleveland, P. Brett Kenney, Roger L. Vallejo, Yniv Palti, Timothy D. Leeds

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Fillet yield (FY, %) is an economically-important trait in rainbow trout aquaculture that affects production efficiency. Despite that, FY has received little attention in breeding programs because it is difficult to measure on a large number of fish and cannot be directly measured on breeding candidates. The recent development of a high-density SNP array for rainbow trout has provided the needed tool for studying the underlying genetic architecture of this trait. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted for FY, body weight at 10 (BW10) and 13 (BW13) months post-hatching, head-off carcass weight (CAR), and fillet weight (FW) in a …

A New Algorithm For “The Lcs Problem” With Application In Compressing Genome Resequencing Data, Richard Beal, Tazin Afrin, Aliya Farheen, Donald Adjeroh

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: The longest common subsequence (LCS) problem is a classical problem in computer science, and forms the basis of the current best-performing reference-based compression schemes for genome resequencing data.

Methods: First, we present a new algorithm for the LCS problem. Using the generalized suffix tree, we identify the common substrings shared between the two input sequences. Using the maximal common substrings, we construct a directed acyclic graph (DAG), based on which we determine the LCS as the longest path in the DAG. Then, we introduce an LCS-motivated reference-based compression scheme using the components of the LCS, rather than the LCS …

Concept Of An Upright Wearable Positron Emission Tomography Imager In Humans, Christopher E. Bauer, Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, Gary Marano, Mary-Beth Mandich, Alexander Stolin, Peter Martone, James W. Lewis, Gangadhar Jaliparthi, Raymond R. Raylman, Stan Majewski

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is traditionally used to image patients in restrictive positions, with few devices allowing for upright, brain-dedicated imaging. Our team has explored the concept of wearable PET imagers which could provide functional brain imaging of freely moving subjects. To test feasibility and determine future considerations for development, we built a rudimentary proof-of-concept prototype (Helmet_PET) and conducted tests in phantoms and four human volunteers. Methods: Twelve Silicon Photomultiplier-based detectors were assembled in a ring with exterior weight support and an interior mechanism that could be adjustably fitted to the head. We conducted brain phantom tests as well …

Landscape-Scale Disturbance: Insights Into The Complexity Of Catchment Hydrology In The Mountaintop Removal Mining Region Of The Eastern United States, Andrew J. Miller, Nicolas Zegre

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

: Few land disturbances impact watersheds at the scale and extent of mountaintop removal mining (MTM). This practice removes forests, soils and bedrock to gain access to underground coal that results in likely permanent and wholesale changes that impact catchment hydrology, geochemistry and ecosystem health. MTM is the dominant driver of land cover changes in the central Appalachian Mountains region of the United States, converting forests to mine lands and burying headwater streams. Despite its dominance on the landscape, determining the hydrological impacts of MTM is complicated by underground coal mines that significantly alter groundwater hydrology. To provide insight into …

Development Of Chemical Process Design And Control For Sustainability, Shuyun Li, Gaurav Mirlekar, Gerardo J. Ruiz-Mercado, Fernando V. Lima

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This contribution describes a novel process systems engineering framework that couples advanced control with sustainability evaluation for the optimization of process operations to minimize environmental impacts associated with products, materials and energy. The implemented control strategy combines a biologically-inspired method with optimal control concepts for finding more sustainable operating trajectories. The sustainability assessment of process operating points is carried out by using the U.S. EPA’s Gauging Reaction Effectiveness for the ENvironmental Sustainability of Chemistries with a multi-Objective Process Evaluator (GREENSCOPE) tool that provides scores for the selected indicators in the economic, material efficiency, environmental and energy areas. The indicator scores …

An Ovarian Bioreactor For In Vitro Culture Of The Whole Bovine Ovary: A Preliminary Report, Matthew R. Zanotelli, Joseph D. Henningsen, Patrick M. Hopkins, Aaron P. Dederich, Tessa Herman, Tracy J. Puccinelli, Sana M. Salih

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Improved cancer therapeutics and enhanced cancer survivorship have emphasized the severe long-term side effects of chemotherapy. Specifically, studies have linked many chemotherapy agents with primary ovarian insufficiency, although an exact insult model has not yet been determined. To investigate and ultimately solve this problem, a novel device for extended study of mammalian ovaries in vitro was developed.

Methods: A bioreactor was fabricated for bovine ovarian culture that provides intravascular delivery of media to the ovary through isolation and cannulation of a main ovarian artery branch. Whole ovaries were cultured in vitro using three methods: (1) continuously supplied fresh culture …

Differential Pulmonary Effects Of Coo And La2o3 Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Responses During Aerosolized Inhalation In Mice, Jennifer D. Sisler, Ruibin Li, Walter Mckinney, Robert R. Mercer, Zhaoxia Ji, Tian Xia, Xiang Wang, Justine Shaffer, Marlene Orandle, Amy L. Mihalchik, Lori Battelli, Bean T. Chen, Michael Wolfarth, Michael E. Andrew, Diane Schwegler-Berry, Dale W. Porter, Vincent Castranova, Andre Nel, Yong Qian

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Although classified as metal oxides, cobalt monoxide (CoO) and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles, as representative transition and rare earth oxides, exhibit distinct material properties that may result in different hazardous potential in the lung. The current study was undertaken to compare the pulmonary effects of aerosolized whole body inhalation of these nanoparticles in mice.

Results: Mice were exposed to filtered air (control) and 10 or 30 mg/m3 of each particle type for 4 days and then examined at 1 h, 1, 7 and 56 days post-exposure. The whole lung burden 1 h after the 4 day inhalation of CoO …

Effect Of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase On The Modulation Of Coronary Reactive Hyperemia: Role Of Oxylipins And Pparγ, Ahmad Hanif, Matthew L. Edin, Darryl C. Zeldin, Christophe Morisseau, Mohammed A. Nayeem

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Coronary reactive hyperemia (CRH) is a physiological response to ischemic insult that prevents the potential harm associated with an interruption of blood supply. The relationship between the pharmacologic inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and CRH response to a brief ischemia is not known. sEH is involved in the main catabolic pathway of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which are converted into dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs). EETs protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury and have numerous beneficial physiological effects. We hypothesized that inhibition of sEH by t-AUCB enhances CRH in isolated mouse hearts through changing the oxylipin profiles, including an increase in EETs/DHETs ratio. Compared …

Effects Of Temperature On Development And Voltinism Of Chaetodactylus Krombeini (Acari: Chaetodactylidae): Implications For Climate Change Impacts, Jeong Joon Ahn, Youngsoo Son, Yaqian He, Eungul Lee, Yong-Lak Park

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Temperature plays an important role in the growth and development of arthropods, and thus the current trend of climate change will alter their biology and species distribution. We used Chaetodactylus krombeini (Acari: Chaetodactylidae), a cleptoparasitic mite associated with Osmia bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), as a model organism to investigate how temperature affects the development and voltinism of C. krombeini in the eastern United States. The effects of temperature on the stage-specific development of C. krombeini were determined at seven constant temperatures (16.1, 20.2, 24.1, 27.5, 30.0, 32.4 and 37.8°C). Parameters for stage-specific development, such as threshold temperatures and thermal constant, were …

Organization Of The Zone Of Transition Between The Pretectum And The Thalamus, With Emphasis On The Pretectothalamic Lamina, Emmanuel Marquez-Legorreta, Jose De Anchieta C. Horta-Junior, Albert S. Berrebi, Enrique Saldana

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The zone of transition between the pretectum, derived from prosomere 1, and the thalamus, derived from prosomere 2, is structurally complex and its understanding has been hampered by cytoarchitectural and terminological confusion. Herein, using a battery of complementary morphological approaches, including cytoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture and the expression of molecular markers, we pinpoint the features or combination of features that best characterize each nucleus of the pretectothalamic transitional zone of the rat. Our results reveal useful morphological criteria to identify and delineate, with unprecedented precision, several [mostly auditory] nuclei of the posterior group of the thalamus, namely the pretectothalamic lamina (PTL; formerly …

A Common Variant In Mir182 Is Associated With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma In The Neighborhood Consortium, Yutao Liu, Jessica Cooke Bailey, Inas Helwa, W. Michael Dismuke, Jingwen Cai, Michelle Drewry, Murray H. Brilliant, Donald L. Budenz, William G. Christen, Daniel I. Chasman, John H. Fingert, Douglas Gaasterland, Terry Gaasterland, Mae O. Gordon, Robert P. Igo Jr., Jae H. Kang, Michael A. Kass, Peter Kraft, Richard K. Lee, Paul Lichter, Sayoko E. Moroi, Anthony Realini, Julia E. Richard, Robert Ritch, Joel S. Schuman, William K. Scott, Kuldev Singh, Arthur J. Sit, Yeunjoo E. Song, Douglas Vollrath, Robert Weinreb, Felipe Medeiros, Gadi Wollstein, Donald J. Zack, Kang Zhang, Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, Pedro Gonzalez, W. Daniel Stamer, John Kuchtey, Rachel W. Kuchtey, R. Rand Allingham, Michael A. Hauser, Louis R. Pasquale, Jonathan L. Haines, Janey L. Wiggs

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

PURPOSE. Noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. We aimed to identify common variants in miRNA coding genes (MIR) associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

METHODS. Using the NEIGHBORHOOD data set (3853 cases/33,480 controls with European ancestry), we first assessed the relation between 85 variants in 76 MIR genes and overall POAG. Subtype-specific analyses were performed in high-tension glaucoma (HTG) and normal-tension glaucoma subsets. Second, we examined the expression of miR-182, which was associated with POAG, in postmortem human ocular tissues (ciliary body, cornea, retina, and trabecular meshwork [TM]), using miRNA sequencing (miRNA-Seq) and droplet digital …

Chromosome-End Knockoff Strategy To Reshape Alkaloid Profiles Of A Fungal Endophyte, Simona Florea, Timothy D. Phillips, Daniel G. Panaccione, Mark L. Farman, Christopher L. Schardl

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Molecular genetic techniques to precisely eliminate genes in asexual filamentous fungi require the introduction of a marker gene into the target genome. We developed a novel strategy to eliminate genes or gene clusters located in subterminal regions of chromosomes, and then eliminate the marker gene and vector backbone used in the transformation procedure. Because many toxin gene clusters are subterminal, this method is particularly suited to generating nontoxic fungal strains. We tested this technique on Epichloë coenophiala, a seed-transmissible symbiotic fungus (endophyte) of the important forage grass, tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum). The endophyte is necessary for maximal productivity and sustainability …

The Conserved Mapk Site In E(Spl)-M8, An Effector Of Drosophila Notch Signaling, Controls Repressor Activity During Eye Development, Mohna Bandyopadhyay, Clifton P. Bishop, Ashok P. Bidwai

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The specification of patterned R8 photoreceptors at the onset of eye development depends on timely inhibition of Atonal (Ato) by the Enhancer of split (E(spl) repressors. Repression of Ato by E(spl)-M8 requires the kinase CK2 and is inhibited by the phosphatase PP2A. The region targeted by CK2 harbors additional conserved Ser residues, raising the prospect of regulation via multi-site phosphorylation. Here we investigate one such motif that meets the consensus for modification by MAPK, a well-known effector of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling. Our studies reveal an important role for the predicted MAPK site of M8 during R8 birth. …

Potential Inhibitory Influence Of Mirna 210 On Regulatory T Cells During Epicutaneous Chemical Sensitization, Carrie M. Long, Ewa Lukomska, Nikki B. Marshall, Ajay Nayak, Stacey E. Anderson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is a potent low molecular weight chemical sensitizer and a leading cause of chemical-induced occupational asthma. The regulatory potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been recognized in a variety of disease states, including allergic disease; however, the roles of miRNAs in chemical sensitization are largely unknown. In a previous work, increased expression of multiple miRNAs during TDI sensitization was observed and several putative mRNA targets identified for these miRNAs were directly related to regulatory T-cell (T_reg) differentiation and function including Foxp3 and Runx3. In this work, we show that miR-210 expression is increased in the mouse …

Differential Effects Of Conifer And Broadleaf Litter Inputs On Soil Organic Carbon Chemical Composition Through Altered Soil Microbial Community Composition, Hui Wang, Shi-Rong Liu, Jing-Xin Wang, Zuo-Min Shi, Jia Xu, Pi-Zheng Hong, An-Gang Ming, Hao-Long Yu, Lin Chen, Li-Hua Lu, Dao-Xiong Cai

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

A strategic selection of tree species will shift the type and quality of litter input, and subsequently magnitude and composition of the soil organic carbon (SOC) through soil microbial community. We conducted a manipulative experiment in randomized block design with leaf litter inputs of four native subtropical tree species in a Pinus massoniana plantation in southern China and found that the chemical composition of SOC did not differ significantly among treatments until after 28 months of the experiment. Contrasting leaf litter inputs had significant impacts on the amounts of total microbial, Gram-positive bacterial, and actinomycic PLFAs, but not on the …

Gender Differences In Murine Pulmonary Responses Elicited By Cellulose Nanocrystals, Anna A. Shvedova, Elena R. Kisin, Naveena Yanamala, Mariana T. Farcas, Autumn L. Menas, Andrew Williams, Philip M. Fournier, Jeffrey S. Reynolds, Dmitriy W. Gutkin, Alexander Star, Richard S. Reiner, Sabina Halappanavar, Valerian E. Kagan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Cellulose-based materials have been used for centuries to manufacture different goods derived from forestry and agricultural sources. In the growing field of nanocellulose applications, its uniquely engineered properties are instrumental for inventive products coming to competitive markets. Due to their high aspect ratio and stiffness, it is speculated that cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) may cause similar pulmonary toxicity as carbon nanotubes and asbestos, thus posing a potential negative impact on public health and the environment.

Methods: The present study was undertaken to investigate the pulmonary outcomes induced by repeated exposure to respirable CNC. C57BL/6 female and male mice were exposed …

Latest Advances In The Generation Of Single Photons In Silicon Carbide, Albert Boretti, Lorenzo Rosa

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

: The major barrier for optical quantum information technologies is the absence of reliable single photons sources providing non-classical light states on demand which can be easily and reliably integrated with standard processing protocols for quantum device fabrication. New methods of generation at room temperature of single photons are therefore needed. Heralded single photon sources are presently being sought based on different methods built on different materials. Silicon Carbide (SiC) has the potentials to serve as the preferred material for quantum applications. Here, we review the latest advances in single photon generation at room temperatures based on SiC.

Data Supporting The Nuclear Phylogenomics Of The Palm Subfamily Arecoideae (Arecaceae), Jason R. Comer, Wendy B. Zomlefer, Craig F. Barrett, Dennis Wm. Stevenson, Karolina Heyduk, James H. Leebens-Mack

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This data article provides data and supplemental materials refer-enced in“Nuclear phylogenomics of the palm subfamily Arecoi-deae (Arecaceae)”(Comer et al., 2016)[1]. Raw sequence readsgenerated for this study are available through the Sequence ReadArchive (SRA Study Accession: SRP061467). An aligned super-matrix of 168 nuclear genes for 35 taxa (34 palms and one out-group taxon) is provided. Also provided are individual maximumlikelihood gene trees used for the coalescent based analyses, out-put from the maximum parsimony analyses, and twofigures.

Direct Stimulation Of Human Fibroblasts By Nceo2 In Vitro Is Attenuated With An Amorphous Silica Coating, Donna C. Davidson, Raymond Derk, Xiaoqing He, Todd A. Stueckle, Joel Cohen, Sandra V. Pirela, Philip Demokritou, Yon Rojanasakul, Liying Wang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Nano-scaled cerium oxide (nCeO2) is used in a variety of applications, including use as a fuel additive, catalyst, and polishing agent, yet potential adverse health effects associated with nCeO2 exposure remain incompletely understood. Given the increasing utility and demand for engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) such as nCeO2, “safety-bydesign” approaches are currently being sought, meaning that the physicochemical properties (e.g., size and surface chemistry) of the ENMs are altered in an effort to maximize functionality while minimizing potential toxicity. In vivo studies have shown in a rat model that inhaled nCeO2 deposited deep in the lung and induced fibrosis. However, little …

Prenatal And Early Postnatal Exposure To Cigarette Smoke Decreases Bdnf/Trkb Signaling And Increases Abnormal Behaviors Later In Life, Lan Xiao Phd, Vincent L. Kish Ms, Katherine M. Benders Ms, Zhong-Xin Wu Phd

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Cigarette smoke exposure during prenatal and early postnatal periods increases the incidence of a variety of abnormal behaviors later in life. The purpose of this study was to identify the possible critical period of susceptibility to cigarette smoke exposure and evaluate the possibe effects of cigarette smoke during early life on brain-derived neurotrophic factor/neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor B signaling in the brain.

Methods: Three different age of imprinting control region mice were exposed to cigarette smoke or filtered air for 10 consecutive days beginning on either gestational day 7 by maternal exposure, or postnatal days 2 or 21 by …

Molecular Biology And Clinical Mitigation Of Cancer Treatment-Induced Neuropathy, Gerald M. Higa, Corbin Sypult

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Disruption of microtubule function is the antitumor mechanism of several classes of drugs used to treat cancer today. However, the significant beneficial effect on tumor outcomes is frequently counterbalanced by neurotoxic complications. Despite an abundance of scientific data, our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this toxic reaction remains unclear, further hindering attempts to identify and develop effective preventive strategies. The primary goals of this review are to: (1) provide insight regarding the biology of the microtubule, (2) analyze the molecular and biochemical pathways that may be involved in the development of neurotoxicity, and (3) propose a unifying concept linking …

Twenty‐Five‐Year Response Of The Herbaceous Layer Of A Temperate Hardwood Forest To Elevated Nitrogen Deposition, Frank S. Gilliam, Nicole Turrill Welch, Anne Hockenberry Phillips, Jake H. Billmyer, William T. Peterjohn, Zachariah K. Fowler, Christopher A. Walter, Mark B. Burnham, Jeffrey D. May, Mary Beth Adams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Increasing rates of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) present a novel threat to the biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Many forests are particularly susceptible to excess N given their proximity to sources of anthropogenic N emissions. This study summarizes results of a 25-yr treatment of an entire central Appalachian hardwood forest watershed via aerial applications of N with a focus on effects of added N on the cover, species richness, and composition of the herbaceous layer. Research was carried out on two watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF), West Virginia. The long-term reference watershed at FEF (WS4) was used as …

Rainbow Vectors For Broad-Range Bacterial Fluorescence Labeling, Mariette A. Barbier, F. Heath Damron

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Since their discovery, fluorescent proteins have been widely used to study protein function, localization or interaction, promoter activity and regulation, drug discovery or for non-invasive imaging. They have been extensively modified to improve brightness, stability, and oligomerization state. However, only a few studies have focused on understanding the dynamics of fluorescent proteins expression in bacteria. In this work, we developed a set plasmids encoding 12 fluorescent proteins for bacterial labeling to facilitate the study of pathogen-host interactions. These broad-spectrum plasmids can be used with a wide variety of Gram-negative microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Shigella …