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Comparative Analysis Of Hepatic And Pulmonary Immune Mediators During Postnatal Development, Michelle Mack

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Mind Perception: Real But Not Artificial Faces Sustain Neural Activity Beyond The N170/Vpp, Thalia Wheatley, Anna Weinberg, Christine Looser, Tim Moran, Greg Hajcak

Dartmouth Scholarship

Faces are visual objects that hold special significance as the icons of other minds. Previous researchers using event-related potentials (ERPs) have found that faces are uniquely associated with an increased N170/vertex positive potential (VPP) and a more sustained frontal positivity. Here, we examined the processing of faces as objects vs. faces as cues to minds by contrasting images of faces possessing minds (human faces), faces lacking minds (doll faces), and non-face objects (i.e., clocks). Although both doll and human faces were associated with an increased N170/VPP from 175–200 ms following stimulus onset, only human faces were associated with a sustained …

Library Impact Statement For Bps 555 Protein Molecular Modeling, Michael Vocino

Library Impact Statements

Library Impact Statement for BPS 555 Protein Molecular Modeling. No new resources were required to support this course.

Bmp-12 Treatment Of Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vitro Augments Tendon-Like Tissue Formation And Defect Repair In Vivo, Jonathan Y. Lee, Zuping Zhou, Peter J. Taub, Melissa Ramcharan, Yonghui Li, Takintope Akinbiyi, Edward R. Maharam, Daniel J. Leong, Damien M. Laudier, Takuya Ruike, Phillip J. Torina, Mone Zaidi, Robert Majeska, Mitchell B. Schaffler, Evan L. Flatow, Hui B. Sun

Publications and Research

We characterized the differentiation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) into tenocyte-like cells in response to bone morphogenetic protein-12 (BMP-12). BM-MSCs were prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured as monolayers. Recombinant BMP-12 treatment (10 ng/ml) of BM-MSCs for 12 hours in vitro markedly increased expression of the tenocyte lineage markers scleraxis (Scx) and tenomodulin (Tnmd) over 14 days. Treatment with BMP-12 for a further 12-hour period had no additional effect. Colony formation assays revealed that ∼80% of treated cells and their progeny were Scx- and Tnmd-positive. BM-MSCs seeded in collagen scaffolds and similarly treated with a single dose …

A Role For Amyloid In Cell Aggregation And Biofilm Formation, Melissa C. Garcia, Janis T. Lee, Caleen B. Ramsook, David Alsteens, Yves F. Dufrêne, Peter N. Lipke

Publications and Research

Cell adhesion molecules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans contain amyloid-forming sequences that are highly conserved. We have now used site-specific mutagenesis and specific peptide perturbants to explore amyloid-dependent activity in the Candida albicans adhesin Als5p. A V326N substitution in the amyloid-forming region conserved secondary structure and ligand binding, but abrogated formation of amyloid fibrils in soluble Als5p and reduced cell surface thioflavin T fluorescence. When displayed on the cell surface, Als5p with this substitution prevented formation of adhesion nanodomains and formation of large cellular aggregates and model biofilms. In addition, amyloid nanodomains were regulated by exogenous peptides. An amyloid-forming …

A Synthesis Of Plant Invasion Effects On Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales, Kristin I. Powell, Jonathan M. Chase, Tiffany M. Knight

Biology Faculty Research

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

Invasive plant species are typically thought to pose a large threat to native biodiversity, and local-scale studies typically confirm this view. However, plant invaders rarely cause regional extirpations or global extinctions, causing some to suggest that invasive species' influence on native biodiversity may not be so dire. We aim to synthesize the seemingly conflicting literature in plant invasion biology by evaluating the effects of invasive plant species across spatial scales.

METHODS:

We first conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of invasive plants on the species richness of invaded communities across a range of spatial extents. We …

Biologist Ron Peck Receives $289,000 Grant From National Institutes Of Health, Lawrence University

Press Releases

Lawrence University Assistant Professor of Biology Ron Peck has been awarded a $289,390 Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The three-year award will support Peck’s innovative research in biochemistry that employs the hardy microbe Halobacterium, which thrives in the concentrated salt water of the Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea. This tiny but strange organism makes a “sunscreen” from the same chemicals that turn tomatoes red and carrots orange.

The NIH grant will enable Peck to investigate further how Halobacterium create the proper balance of these chemicals, providing insight into how …

Circular Single-Stranded Synthetic Dna Delivery Vectors For Microrna, Christine I. Seidl, Kevin Ryan

Publications and Research

Single-stranded (ss) circular oligodeoxynucleotides were previously found to undergo rolling circle transcription (RCT) by phage and bacterial RNA polymerases (RNAPs) into tandemly repetitive RNA multimers. Here, we redesign them to encode minimal primary miRNA mimics, with the long term aim of intracellular transcription followed by RNA processing and maturation via endogenous pathways. We describe an improved method for circularizing ss synthetic DNA for RCT by using a recently described thermostable RNA ligase, which does not require a splint oligonucleotide to juxtapose the ligating ends. In vitro transcription of four templates demonstrates that the secondary structure inherent in miRNA-encoding vectors does …

East-West C3-C4 Grassland Biomass Fertilizer Plots In A Chihuahuan Desert Grassland At The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (1989-1992), James Gosz

Sevilleta LTER Program Data

This dataset contains weights of vegetation biomass collected in fertilizer plots from 1989 through 1992. The data were originally collected to analyze the effects of fertilization on vegetation productivity on the Sevilleta NWR.

Operation Of A Dna-Based Autocatalytic Network In Serum, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, William L. Hughes

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The potential for inferring the presence of cancer by the detection of miRNA in human blood has motivated research into the design and operation of DNA-based chemical amplifiers that can operate in bodily fluids. As a first step toward this goal, we have tested the operation of a DNA-based autocatalytic network in human serum and mouse serum. With the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate to prevent degradation by nuclease activity, the network was found to operate successfully with both DNA and RNA catalysts.

Lifelines Winter 2011, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2011 issue of Lifelines includes articles on research done by the Ecology class, an alumni feature, the TriBeta National Biological Honor Society, and a pictorial directory of the 2011 biology and allied health graduates.

The Unintentional Biology Librarian, Tina Chan

Upstate New York Science Librarians Conference

No abstract provided.

Is There A Relationship Between Water Potential And The Mechanical Strength Of Salix Lasiolepis?, William Cohen, Gina Fitzgerald, Joseph Liao

Featured Research



Quantitatively Measuring In Situ Flows Using A Self-Contained Underwater Velocimetry Apparatus (Scuva), Kakani Katija, Sean Colin, John H. Costello, John O. Dabiri

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The ability to directly measure velocity fields in a fluid environment is necessary to provide empirical data for studies in fields as diverse as oceanography, ecology, biology, and fluid mechanics. Field measurements introduce practical challenges such as environmental conditions, animal availability, and the need for field-compatible measurement techniques. To avoid these challenges, scientists typically use controlled laboratory environments to study animal-fluid interactions. However, it is reasonable to question whether one can extrapolate natural behavior (i.e., that which occurs in the field) from laboratory measurements. Therefore, in situ quantitative flow measurements are needed to accurately describe animal swimming in their natural …

Pinon-Juniper Dendrometer, Height, And Crown Area Measurements At Cerro Montosa, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (2006-2009), Esteban Muldavin

Sevilleta LTER Program Data

Allometry is a standard method of determining biomass and Net Primary Production of many trees. One of the standard variables used in such allometric regressions is bole diameter. On straight trunk trees measurements at breast height (DBH) taken using a DBH tape is adequate for quantifying changes in diameter over time. However, in scrub forests such as the Pinon Juniper PJ woodlands, common on the Sevilleta, both the pinon and particularly the junipers are relatively short and multi-trunked so that measurements must be taken near the ground and the consistency between measurements often lead to erroneous growth analysis. To reduce …

Hands-On Labs (Hol): Using Technology And Web-Based Resources To Transform A Traditional Lab-Based Biology Course Into A Distance Learning (Dl) Hybrid Course, Across Schools At Pace University., Erica Kipp

Cornerstone 3 Reports : Interdisciplinary Informatics

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Volume 4, Number 2

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Stress-Induced Proteolysis Of Fkbp10: Mutational Analysis And Functional Implications, Lindsey A. Murphy

Featured Research

Cellular signaling is a complex system of communication that regulates cell function through a variety of molecular messengers. When cell survival is threatened by changes in environment or by malfunction of internal regulatory pathways, signals are initiated to restore homeostasis. Deficient protein processing within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes an accumulation of misfolded proteins and stress signaling. The resulting stress signaling includes both adaptive signals (unfolded protein response) and in cases of severe ER stress apoptotic signals induced via the mitochondria. FKBP10 is a key ER luminal peptidy-prolyl isomerase (rotamase) that mediates protein folding. The production of chaperone proteins and …

Effects Of 2, 4-D On Zea Maize Physiology, Caitlin Thompson, Lori Patrick, Acacia Osbourne, Katrina Brock

Featured Research

Growth rate, fluorescence and stomatal conductance, in zea was examined to determine the effects of artificial auxin, 2-4-d, on common crop plants. We measured florescence, growth rate, and stomatal conductance. Low concentrations of 2,4-D increased light-adapted fluorescence, anthocyanin levels and height of zea maize. A high concentration of 2,4-D increased anthocyanin levels, but also caused decreased fluorescence and height and spindliness to occur. It appears 2,4-D is only beneficial to monocot crop plants in low quantities. We cannot accurately comment on the accuracy of our data, however, due to several potential sources of error.

Effects Of Soil Moisture On Photosynthesis And Fluorescence In Heteromeles Arbutifolia, Ali Alyami, Colin Byrne, Katherine Currie

Featured Research

Some plants have evolved to increase their chances of survival by being drought-adapted. Among those plant species is Heteromeles arbutifolia, native to California. Logically, the fact that Heteromeles arbutifolia tolerates the low supply of water makes this plant more likely to be within environments where the level of sun exposure is high. Thus, we hypothesized that lowering soil moisture will cause an increase in xylem pressure, causing an increase in photo-protection and florescence, and a decrease in photosynthetic rate. This has not been tested before on a native chaparral plant such as Heteromeles arbutifolia. The experiment was held …

The Effect Of Nitrogen Soil Concentration On Leaf Fluorescence In Zea Mays, Ashton Garbutt, Daniel Rossie, Anup Solsi

Featured Research

Macronutrients in the soil are essential to the growth and development of a plant. One of the most important nutrients to a plants growth is nitrogen. Nitrogen has been directly correlated to photosynthetic output in various studies and this relationship is the subject of this experiment. Since nitrogen has an effect on photosynthetic rate, there should be a correlation between nitrogen and fluorescence – a form of energy dissipation. This study attempted to show that nitrogen concentration in the soil is inversely proportional to fluorescence of the plant because the more nitrogen in the soil, the more energy should be …

The Effect Of Proximity To A Highway On The Health Of Malosma Laurina Leaves, Jessica Bermea, Haley Clayton, Jack Klobas

Featured Research

Due to an increase in air pollutants, heavy metal contaminates, and other adverse ecological conditions that plants near a road endure, it was hypothesized that plant species situated near a road would have a detectable decrease in photosynthetic performance when compared to plants away from the road. This investigation evaluated the in vivo photosynthetic status of two Malasma Laurina pairs with differing microhabitats, adjacent to the Pacific Coast Highway and 100 meters away from a Pacific Coast Highway. Maximum quantum yield and stomatal conductance measurements were recorded for each group. On average, the maximum quantum yield was greater on plants …

The Effect Of Hydration Status On Tensile Strength Of The Leaves Of Elymus Glaucus, Chelsie Corbett, Uri Hong, Scott Davis

Featured Research

Tensile strength and water potential are both factors that are essential to the life and survival of a plant. Tensile strength is a measure of the amount of force that a plant can undergo before tissue damage and breakage occur. The primary objective of this study was to examine the correlation between tensile strength and leaf hydration status, or water potential. The water potential of leaves of a monocot grass native to North America, Elymus Glaucus, commonly known as blue wildrye, was measured using the Scholander-Hammel Pressure Chamber. The tensile strength of hydrated and of dehydrated leaves was measured …

The Effects Of Agitation Upon Plant Anatomy In Phaseolus Vulgaris, Craig Sutter, Nicholas Huron

Featured Research

The earthquake that struck Japan’s coast a month ago gained national attention for the damage caused by the tsunami that was caused by the earthquake. Japan’s coast is subject to multiple earthquakes each year with tremors and aftershocks following. The quakes are bound to have an effect on the growth and development of Camellia sinensis, the tea plant, which is one of the most important exports of Japan. Due to the time restraints of this project, C. sinensis were not tested, instead two week old Phaseolus vulgaris were used to show the effects of constant agitation which might mimic …

Effects Of Dehydration Stress On The Dark Adapted Fluorescence (Fv/Fm) Of Giant Bladder Kelp (Macrocystis Pyrifera), J. Avery Powell, Leah Smith

Featured Research

The unique semi-diurnal tide system of Southern California suspends beach wrack along the beaches for approximately six hour periods before being washed back into the ocean. It has been noted in prior research that beach wrack is an essential part of Southern California's costal ecology but not much research has been done to learn about the viability of beach wrack as it dehydrates on the beach. To better understand the viability of wrack as it travels through these hydration changes, this study tested the effect of dehydration and rehydration on the fronds of Macrocystis pyrifera as they have been partially …

Exploring The Open-Close Mechanism Of Dimorphotheca Aurantiaca: Day Versus Night And Cold Versus Hot Temperatures, Tommy Chung, Kathleen Aguilar, Sunny Kim

Featured Research

In the spring of every year on Pepperdine University’s campus, patches of hills are covered with the South African native flower Dimorphotheca aurantiaca or more commonly known as the African Daisy. An observation of the opening and closing mechanism of the flower triggered an important question: does the flower change its shape based on temperature or the presence of light? At night, the African Daisy closes and then opens up again in the daytime. Because temperature has such strong effects on different species of ectodermic animals and temperature-sensitive plants, we hypothesized that the change in temperature initiates the flower’s morphological …

The Role Of Nck In Pancreatic Secretion, Cole Lightfoot

Honors Capstones

In the body, secretion is a vital process providing the release of many different and important macromolecular compounds. Using the pancreas as a model secretory organ, research was conducted pertaining to pancreatic exocytosis and the signal transduction system that controls it. The specific focus of the research is to better understand the role of Nck, a ubiquitous adaptor protein, in cytoskeleton reorganization and pancreatic secretion. The goal of the experiments conducted is to prove that upon stimulation of pancreatic acinar cells, Nck recruits to the secretory vesicles. Nck facilitates protein-protein interactions and acts as a regulator of cytoskeletal activation-dependent processes. …

The Functions Of Human Dna2 In Mitochondrial And Nuclear Dna Maintenance, Julien Duxin

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Coordination between DNA replication, DNA repair and cell-cycle progression ensures high fidelity DNA replication thus preventing mutations and DNA rearrangements. Interestingly, in addition to nuclear DNA stability, mitochondrial DNA: mtDNA) integrity is also essential for normal development. The current challenge resides in unraveling the different mechanisms that govern nuclear and mtDNA stability and to understand how these two separated genomes have evolved. This work focuses on delineating the biological functions of human Dna2: hDna2). Dna2 is a highly conserved helicase/nuclease that in yeast participates in DNA replication and Okazaki fragment maturation, DNA repair, and telomere maintenance. Immunofluorescence and biochemical fractionation …

Effects Of The Aquatic To Terrestrial Habitat Ratio On An Amphibian Predator And Its Prey, Amber Kramer

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

This dissertation explores the effects of varying the composition of aquatic and terrestrial habitats in a landscape: the aquatic to terrestrial ratio) on amphibians that use both the aquatic and terrestrial habitats during their lives. In Chapter 1, I first used meta-analysis and simulations to demonstrate that as the longevity of an amphibian increases, the elasticity of the population growth rate to perturbations in the aquatic: larval) habitat decreases. In Chapter 2, I examined the abundance of larvae of a long-lived amphibian, Ambystoma maculatum, across landscapes that varied in their aquatic to terrestrial ratios and found that larvae of this …

Interactions Between Bmp And Canonical Wnt Signaling Regulate Critical Stages Of The Osteoblast Lifecycle, Valerie Salazar

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Skeletal development and post-natal bone homeostasis are dependent on the coordinated activity of bone-forming cells called osteoblasts and bone-resorbing cells called osteoclasts. Over 10 million people in the US currently suffer from osteoporosis, which increases the risk of low-trauma fractures and accounts for health care expenditures exceeding $14 billion per year. Osteoporosis is often treated with anti-resorptive compounds, primarily bisphosphonates, which inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone destruction. However, these drugs do not restore bone mass, which can only be accomplished by activation new bone formation, as with intermittent parathyroid hormone therapy. The development of additional bone "anabolic" therapies will require genetic and …