Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biology

PDF

Selected Works

2005

Articles 1 - 22 of 22

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Modeling The Acquisition Of Social Rank In Crayfish: Winner And Loser Effects And Self-Structuring Properties, Karlo Hock, Robert Huber Dec 2005

Modeling The Acquisition Of Social Rank In Crayfish: Winner And Loser Effects And Self-Structuring Properties, Karlo Hock, Robert Huber

Robert Huber

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Climatic Unpredictability And Parasitism Of Caterpillars: Implications Of Global Warming, John O. Stireman Iii, Lee A. Dyer, D. H. Janzen, M. S. Singer, J. T. Lill, R. J. Marquis, R. E. Ricklefs, G. L. Gentry, W. Hallwachs, P. D. Coley, J. A. Barone, H. F. Greeney, H. Connahs, P. Barbosa, H. C. Morais, I. R. Diniz Nov 2005

Climatic Unpredictability And Parasitism Of Caterpillars: Implications Of Global Warming, John O. Stireman Iii, Lee A. Dyer, D. H. Janzen, M. S. Singer, J. T. Lill, R. J. Marquis, R. E. Ricklefs, G. L. Gentry, W. Hallwachs, P. D. Coley, J. A. Barone, H. F. Greeney, H. Connahs, P. Barbosa, H. C. Morais, I. R. Diniz

Robert Marquis

Insect outbreaks are expected to increase in frequency and intensity with projected changes in global climate through direct effects of climate change on insect populations and through disruption of community interactions. Although there is much concern about mean changes in global climate, the impact of climatic variability itself on species interactions has been little explored. Here, we compare caterpillar–parasitoid interactions across a broad gradient of climatic variability and find that the combined data in 15 geographically dispersed databases show a decrease in levels of parasitism as climatic variability increases. The dominant contribution to this pattern by relatively specialized parasitoid wasps …

Go to article

The Three Dimensional Detection Of Microvasculatory Bed In The Brain Of White Rat Rattus Norvegicus By A Ca2+ -Atpase Method., Amaiak Chilingaryan, Amayak Chilingaryan, Gary Martin Nov 2005

The Three Dimensional Detection Of Microvasculatory Bed In The Brain Of White Rat Rattus Norvegicus By A Ca2+ -Atpase Method., Amaiak Chilingaryan, Amayak Chilingaryan, Gary Martin

Gary Martin

A procedure is described which allows for the selective and non-injectional staining of the three-dimensional microvasculatory bed (MVB) in thick sections (60–140 μm) of formalin-fixed brain tissue of white rats Rattus norvegicus. This histochemical method detects ATPase activity and takes place between pH 10.5 and 11.2. Calcium ion is used to capture inorganic phosphate, calcium phosphate is converted to lead phosphate, and subsequently converted to black or dark brown lead sulfide. All vessels are revealed due to a precipitate on the endothelium and smooth muscle cells of arterioles. In some vessels, red blood cells also stain. The background is transparent …

Go to article

Spiroplasma Penaei Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortalities In Penaeus Vannamei, Pacific White Shrimp, Linda M. Nunan, Donald V. Lightner, Marietta A. Oduori, Gail E. Gasparich Oct 2005

Spiroplasma Penaei Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortalities In Penaeus Vannamei, Pacific White Shrimp, Linda M. Nunan, Donald V. Lightner, Marietta A. Oduori, Gail E. Gasparich

Gail Gasparich

A new bacterial strain, designated SHRIMPT, isolated from the haemolymph of the Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, was serologically distinct from other spiroplasmas. Cells of this strain were helical in form and variable in length. Examination by electron microscopy revealed wall-less cells delineated by a single cytoplasmic membrane. The organisms grew well in M1D media supplemented with 2 % NaCl. Strain SHRIMPT grew at temperatures of 20–37 °C, with optimum growth occurring at 28 °C. The strain catabolized glucose and hydrolysed arginine, but did not hydrolyse urea. The G+C content of the DNA was 29±1 mol%. Strain SHRIMPT (=ATCC BAA-1082T=CAIM …

Go to article

Spiroplasma Leucomae Sp. Nov., Isolated In Poland From White Satin Moth (Leucoma Salicis L.) Larvae, Marietta A. Oduori, Jerzy J. Lipa, Gail E. Gasparich Oct 2005

Spiroplasma Leucomae Sp. Nov., Isolated In Poland From White Satin Moth (Leucoma Salicis L.) Larvae, Marietta A. Oduori, Jerzy J. Lipa, Gail E. Gasparich

Gail Gasparich

Spiroplasma sp. strain SMAT, isolated in Poland from white satin moth larvae, Leucoma salicis L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), was serologically distinct from other Spiroplasma species, groups or subgroups. Dark-field microscopy of the cells revealed the classical helical shape and subsequent transmission electron microscopy revealed cells surrounded by only a single cell membrane (lacking a cell wall). Growth of strain SMAT occurred in M1D medium at 30 °C. Strain SMAT catabolized both glucose and arginine, but did not hydrolyse urea. The G+C content of the DNA was 24±1 mol% as determined by melting temperature analysis. Serological analysis revealed a very weak cross-reactivity …

Go to article

Callose (Β-1,3 Glucan) Is Essential For Arabidopsis Pollen Wall Patterning, But Not Tube Growth, Rob Swanson Oct 2005

Callose (Β-1,3 Glucan) Is Essential For Arabidopsis Pollen Wall Patterning, But Not Tube Growth, Rob Swanson

Rob Swanson

Background: Callose (β-1,3 glucan) separates developing pollen grains, preventing their underlying walls (exine) from fusing. The pollen tubes that transport sperm to female gametes also contain callose, both in their walls as well as in the plugs that segment growing tubes. Mutations in CalS5, one of several Arabidopsis β-1,3 glucan synthases, were previously shown to disrupt callose formation around developing microspores, causing aberrations in exine patterning, degeneration of developing microspores, and pollen sterility. Results: Here, we describe three additional cals5 alleles that similarly alter exine patterns, but instead produce fertile pollen. Moreover, one of these alleles (cals5-3) resulted in the …

Go to article

Problem Solving: A Foundation For Modeling, Janet Hodder, George Middendorf, D. Ebert-May Sep 2005

Problem Solving: A Foundation For Modeling, Janet Hodder, George Middendorf, D. Ebert-May

George Middendorf

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Regulatory Functions Of Phospholipase D And Phosphatidic Acid In Plant Growth, Development, And Stress Responses, Xuemin Wang Sep 2005

Regulatory Functions Of Phospholipase D And Phosphatidic Acid In Plant Growth, Development, And Stress Responses, Xuemin Wang

Xuemin (Sam) Wang

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Graduate Colloquium, Borbala Mazzag Aug 2005

Graduate Colloquium, Borbala Mazzag

Borbala Mazzag

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Androdioecy Inferred In The Clam Shrimp Eulimnadia Agassizii (Spinicaudata : Limnadiidae), Stephen Weeks, Ryan Posagi, Michele Cesari, Franca Scanabissi Jul 2005

Androdioecy Inferred In The Clam Shrimp Eulimnadia Agassizii (Spinicaudata : Limnadiidae), Stephen Weeks, Ryan Posagi, Michele Cesari, Franca Scanabissi

Stephen C. Weeks

Androdioecy (mixtures of males and hermaphrodites) is a rare mating system in both the plant and animal kingdoms. Androdioecy has been described in three branchiopod species, and is best known from the clam shrimp Eulimnadia texana Packard. Herein we describe sex ratio, genetic and histological evidence from the clam shrimp Eulimnadia agassizii Packard that suggest androdioecy is also found in this species. The E. agassizii population sampled had all-females, and when these females were isolated and allowed to produce eggs, those eggs yielded 100% female offspring in 15 out of 15 cases. Additionally, the originally isolated females proved to be …

Go to article

Digenic Control Of Colouration In The Two-Spot Gourami Trichogaster Trichopterus Trichopterus, Jack Frankel Jul 2005

Digenic Control Of Colouration In The Two-Spot Gourami Trichogaster Trichopterus Trichopterus, Jack Frankel

Jack Frankel

Labyrinth  fishes  of  the  families  Anabantidae,  Belontiidae,Helostomatidae,  and  Osphronemidae  comprise the  tradi-tional  anabantoids,  a  group  of  about  80  relatively  small African  and  southeast  Asian  species (Linke  1991).  Many of  the  anabantoids  are  popular  with  aquarium  hobbyists because of their interesting reproductive behaviours, with males of most species brooding eggs in their mouths or in floating bubble nests (Vevers 1980; Linke 1991; Axelrod and Vorderwinkler 1995; Mills 2000). They have also beenthe focus of several environmental, morphological, and gene-tic  investigations  (Sommer  1982;  Gosline  1985;  Waki-yama  et  al. 1997;  Frankel  1992,  2001).  The  two-spot gourami,   Trichogaster  trichopterus  trichopterus  Pallas (Osphronemidae),  is …

Go to article

Quasistatic And Continuous Dynamic Characterization Of The Mechanical Properties Of Silk From The Cobweb Of The Black Widow Spider Latrodectus Hesperus, Todd A. Blackledge, John E. Swindeman, Cheryl Y. Hayashi Apr 2005

Quasistatic And Continuous Dynamic Characterization Of The Mechanical Properties Of Silk From The Cobweb Of The Black Widow Spider Latrodectus Hesperus, Todd A. Blackledge, John E. Swindeman, Cheryl Y. Hayashi

Todd A. Blackledge

Spider silks are among the strongest and toughest known materials, but investigation of these remarkable properties has been confined largely to orb-weaving spiders. We investigated the mechanical performance of silk from the cobweb-weaving spider Latrodectus hesperus. Both silk from the scaffolding region of the web and sticky gumfooted capture lines had material properties similar to the major ampullate silk that orb weavers use as the framework for their orb webs. Major ampullate fibers obtained from anaesthetized Latrodectus spiders were similar, but exhibited increased stiffness and reduced extensibility. Novel continuous dynamic analysis of the silks revealed that the loss tangent (tan …

Go to article

What Communities Should Do Pre-Event To Support Public Health Post-Event Assessments, Surveillance And Monitoring, Thomas Lyons Carr Iii Feb 2005

What Communities Should Do Pre-Event To Support Public Health Post-Event Assessments, Surveillance And Monitoring, Thomas Lyons Carr Iii

Thomas Lyons (Thom) Carr III Appl.Sc., CEM

[Abstract written March 2008, TLC] Under worst-case planning assumptions used by some major metropolitan areas, a Neighbor-to-Neighbor self-help program model is the primary link between citizens and the professional response personnel of the responsible government agencies.

In the Neighbor-to-Neighbor self-help program model or a Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) calls on the citizens in neighborhoods to identify and establish cluster emergency preparedness committees, Cluster Emergency Coordination Centers (CECC) and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Missing from these plans or what is not articulated is how constant Public Health Post-Event Surveillance, Monitoring and Assessments will be done. Given the worst-case planning …

Go to article

Biogeography Of The Nearshore Rocky-Reef Fishes At The Southern And Baja California Islands, Daniel Pondella, Brooke Gintert, Jana Cobb, Larry Allen Jan 2005

Biogeography Of The Nearshore Rocky-Reef Fishes At The Southern And Baja California Islands, Daniel Pondella, Brooke Gintert, Jana Cobb, Larry Allen

Daniel Pondella

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Classical Conditioning Of Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon Cinereus, Scott Kight Dec 2004

Classical Conditioning Of Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon Cinereus, Scott Kight

Scott Kight


We examined associative learning as it relates to the sensory ecology of the red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, using a classical conditioning design to evaluate the response of salamanders to different kinds of stimuli.  Conditioned stimuli (CS) reflected visual, chemosensory, and mechanosensory modalities of P. cinereus, with brief exposures to (I) white light, (II) acetic acid fumes, (III) low-frequency sound, and (IV) low-frequency vibration.  In all experiments, a gentle mechanical stimulation of the tail served as the unconditioned stimulus (US), which consistently elicited movement of the head or body as the unconditioned response (UR).  For two days, the US …

Go to article

Yeast Puf3 Mutants Reveal The Complexity Of Puf-Rna Binding And Identify A Loop Required For Regulation Of Mrna Decay, Wendy Olivas, S. S. Houshmandi Dec 2004

Yeast Puf3 Mutants Reveal The Complexity Of Puf-Rna Binding And Identify A Loop Required For Regulation Of Mrna Decay, Wendy Olivas, S. S. Houshmandi

Wendy Olivas

The eukaryotic Puf proteins regulate mRNA translation and degradation by binding the 3' untranslated regions of target mRNAs. Crystal structure analysis of a human Puf bound to RNA suggested a modular mode of binding, with specific amino acids within each of eight repeat domains contacting a single nucleotide of the target RNA. Here we study the mechanism by which the yeast Puf3p binds and stimulates the degradation of COX17 mRNA. Mutation of the predicted RNA-binding positions of Puf3p to those found in Puf5p demonstrated that a single amino acid change in Puf3p abolished detectable binding to COX17. Since this amino …

Go to article

Profiling Condition-Specific, Genome-Wide Regulation Of Mrna Stability In Yeast, Wendy Olivas, B. C. Foat, S. S. Houshmandi, H. J. Bussemaker Dec 2004

Profiling Condition-Specific, Genome-Wide Regulation Of Mrna Stability In Yeast, Wendy Olivas, B. C. Foat, S. S. Houshmandi, H. J. Bussemaker

Wendy Olivas

The steady-state abundance of an mRNA is determined by the balance between transcription and decay. Although regulation of transcription has been well studied both experimentally and computationally, regulation of transcript stability has received little attention. We developed an algorithm, MatrixREDUCE, that discovers the position-specific affinity matrices for unknown RNA-binding factors and infers their condition-specific activities, using only genomic sequence data and steady-state mRNA expression data as input. We identified and computationally characterized the binding sites for six mRNA stability regulators in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which include two members of the Pumilio-homology domain (Puf) family of RNA-binding proteins, Puf3p and Puf4p. We …

Go to article

Plant Ontology (Po): A Controlled Vocabulary Of Plant Structures And Growth Stages, Pankaj Jaiswal, Shulamit Avraham, Katica Ilic, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Susan Mccouch, Anuradha Pujar, Leonore Reiser, Seung Y. Rhee, Martin M. Sachs, Mary L. Schaeffer, Lincoln Stein, Peter Stevens, Leszek Vincent, Doreen Ware, Felipe Zapata Dec 2004

Plant Ontology (Po): A Controlled Vocabulary Of Plant Structures And Growth Stages, Pankaj Jaiswal, Shulamit Avraham, Katica Ilic, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Susan Mccouch, Anuradha Pujar, Leonore Reiser, Seung Y. Rhee, Martin M. Sachs, Mary L. Schaeffer, Lincoln Stein, Peter Stevens, Leszek Vincent, Doreen Ware, Felipe Zapata

Peter Stevens

The Plant Ontology Consortium (POC) (www.plantontology.org) is a collaborative effort among several plant databases and experts in plant systematics, botany and genomics. A primary goal of the POC is to develop simple yet robust and extensible controlled vocabularies that accurately reflect the biology of plant structures and developmental stages. These provide a network of vocabularies linked by relationships (ontology) to facilitate queries that cut across datasets within a database or between multiple databases. The current version of the ontology integrates diverse vocabularies used to describe Arabidopsis, maize and rice (Oryza sp.) anatomy, morphology and growth stages. Using the ontology browser, …

Go to article

Computational Technique For Flow In Blood Vessels With Porous Effects, Dr. Anil Kumar Dec 2004

Computational Technique For Flow In Blood Vessels With Porous Effects, Dr. Anil Kumar

Dr. Anil Kumar

A finite element solution for the Navier-Stokes equations for steady flow under the porosity effects through a double branched two-dimensional section of a threedimensional model of a canine aorta was obtained. The numerical solution involves transforming a physical coordinates to a curvilinear boundary fitted coordinate system. The steady flow, branch flow and shear stress under the porous effects were discussed in detail. The shear stress at the wall was calculated for Reynolds number of 1 000 with branch to main aortic flow rate ratio as a parameter. The results are compared with earlier works involving experimental data and it has …

Go to article

Poor Taxon Sampling, Poor Character Sampling, And Non-Repeatable Analyses Of A Contrived Dataset Do Not Provide A More Credible Estimate Of Insect Phylogeny: A Reply To Kjer., T. Heath Ogden Dec 2004

Poor Taxon Sampling, Poor Character Sampling, And Non-Repeatable Analyses Of A Contrived Dataset Do Not Provide A More Credible Estimate Of Insect Phylogeny: A Reply To Kjer., T. Heath Ogden

T. Heath Ogden

The wealth of data available for phylogenetic analysis of the insect orders, from both morphological and molecular sources, is steadily increasing. However, controversy exists among the methodologies one can use to reconstruct ordinal relationships. Recently, Kjer (2004) presented an analysis of insect ordinal relationships based exclusively on a single source of information: 18S rDNA sequence data. Kjer claims that his analysis resulted in a more ‘‘credible’’ phylogeny for the insect orders and strongly criticized our previous phylogenetic results. However, Kjer only used a subset of the data that are currently available for insect ordinal phylogeny, misrepresented our analyses, and omitted …

Go to article

Phylogeny Of Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Based On Molecular Evidence, T. Heath Ogden Dec 2004

Phylogeny Of Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Based On Molecular Evidence, T. Heath Ogden

T. Heath Ogden

This study represents the Wrst molecular phylogeny for the Order Ephemeroptera. The analyses included 31 of the 37 families, representing »24% of the genera. Fifteen families were supported as being monophyletic, Wve families were supported as nonmonophyletic, and 11 families were only represented by one species, and monophyly was not testable. The suborders Furcatergalia and Carapacea were supported as monophyletic while Setisura and Pisciforma were not supported as monophyletic. The superfamilies Ephemerelloidea and Caenoidea were supported as monophyletic while Baetoidea, Siphlonuroidea, Ephemeroidea, and Heptagenioidea were not. Baetidae was recovered as sister to the remaining clades. The mayXy gill to wing …

Go to article

Spiroplasma Atrichopogonis Sp. Nov., From A Ceratopogonid Biting Midge, R. Thomas Koerber, Gail E. Gasparich, Mark F. Frana, William L. Grogan Dec 2004

Spiroplasma Atrichopogonis Sp. Nov., From A Ceratopogonid Biting Midge, R. Thomas Koerber, Gail E. Gasparich, Mark F. Frana, William L. Grogan

Gail Gasparich

Spiroplasma sp. strain GNAT3597T was isolated from the biting midge genus Atrichopogon (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). It was serologically distinct from other Spiroplasma species, groups or subgroups. Dark-field microscopy of the cells revealed the classical helical shape and subsequent transmission electron microscopy revealed cells surrounded by only a cell membrane (i.e. lacking a cell wall). Growth of strain GNAT3597T occurred in M1D medium at 30 °C. Strain GNAT3597T catabolized both glucose and arginine, but did not hydrolyse urea. The DNA G+C content of strain GNAT3597T was 29±1 mol%. Only one strain, SMCAT (Spiroplasma mirum), is serologically related to strain GNAT3597T, although the …

Go to article