Life Sciences Commons^™

On The Movement Of Beluga Whales In Cook Inlet, Alaska: Simulations Of Tidal And Environmental Impacts Using A Hydrodynamic Inundation Model, Tal Ezer, Roderick Hobbs, Lie-Yauw Oey

CCPO Publications

The population of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska, is in decline, and since 2000 these whales have been under consideration for designation as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act (and were placed on the list in October 2008, just before this article went to press). In order to study environmental and hydrodynamic impacts on the belugas' movements and survival in the unique habitat of the inlet, a three-dimensional ocean circulation and inundation model is combined with satellite-tracked beluga whale data. Model-wale data comparisons from two whale paths during a five-day period (september 17-21, 2000) covering 10 tidal cycles suggest …

Comparison Of Electrically Mediated And Liposome-Complexed Plasmid Dna Delivery To The Skin, Loree C. Heller, Mark J. Jaroszeski, Domenico Coppola, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Electroporation is an established technique for enhancing plasmid delivery to many tissues in vivo, including the skin. We have previously demonstrated efficient delivery of plasmid DNA to the skin utilizing a custom-built four-plate electrode. The experiments described here further evaluate cutaneous plasmid delivery using in vivo electroporation. Plasmid expression levels are compared to those after liposome mediated delivery.

METHODS: Enhanced electrically-mediated delivery, and less extensively, liposome complexed delivery, of a plasmid encoding the reporter luciferase was tested in rodent skin. Expression kinetics and tissue damage were explored as well as testing in a second rodent model.

RESULTS: Experiments …

Exploring The Mialome Of Ticks: An Annotated Catalogue Of Midgut Transcripts From The Hard Tick, Dermacentor Variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae), Jennifer M. Anderson, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Jesus G. Valenzuela

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Ticks are obligate blood feeders. The midgut is the first major region of the body where blood and microbes ingested with the blood meal come in contact with the tick's internal tissues. Little is known about protein expression in the digestive tract of ticks. In this study, for analysis of global gene expression during tick attachment and feeding, we generated and sequenced 1,679 random transcripts (ESTs) from cDNA libraries from the midguts of female ticks at varying stages of feeding.

Results: Sequence analysis of the 1,679 ESTs resulted in the identification of 835 distinct transcripts, from these, a total …

Dinoflagellate Cysts Within Sediment Collections From The Southern Chesapeake Bay, And Tidal Regions Of The James, York, And Rappahannock Rivers, Virginia, David W. Seaborn, Harold G. Marshall

Virginia Journal of Science

The upper 2 cm of sediment core samples from 70 stations in the tidal waters of three Virginia rivers and at 23 stations in the lower Chesapeake Bay were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts. The river sediment cysts were dominated by three common bloom producing species (Heterocapsa triquetra, Scrippsiella trochoidea, and Cochlodinium polykrikoides), whereas these were in low concentration on the Chesapeake Bay sediments which contained mainly dinoflagellate cysts of neritic and oceanic taxa. The mean sediment concentrations from stations in the James, York, and Rappahannock rivers were respectively 1174.8, 536.2, and 323.6 cysts g^-1. The mean …

Induction Of Winter Breeding In Small Mammals By 6-Mboa, Robert K. Rose, Roger K. Everton, Gregory E. Glass

Virginia Journal of Science

A plant-derived cyclic carbamate, 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA), is

known to initiate reproductive activity in Microtus montanus. We studied

overwintering populations of four other rodent species, and observed increased

reproduction in experimental populations of two herbivorous species, Microtus

pennsylvanicus and Sigmodon hispidus, but not in two omnivorous species,

Oryzomys palustris and Mus musculus. These results suggest that low

concentrations of 6-MBOA may trigger seasonal breeding primarily in

herbivorous small mammals.

Spatial Analyses And Repletion Of Gargathy Coastal Lagoon, Loreto Herraiz Gomez

OES Theses and Dissertations

Coastal lagoons and bays vary in shape and size in response to antecedent topography, geologic processes and sea level rise. Variations in shape and environmental conditions of coastal basins are believed to influence the distribution of benthic sub-environments and the exchange of water with the ocean and other adjacent coastal systems. Gargathy Inlet and its coastal lagoon vary spatially from the inlet, where the greatest depths are observed, to the mainland, dominated by shallow intertidal areas, colonized by marsh. Hypsographic and hydro-hypsographic analyses of Gargathy's coastal lagoon were the primary techniques applied to understand the relative distribution of the benthic …

Identifying Determinants Of Physical Activity In Maritime Union Members Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Susan Atkinson Tweed

Health Services Research Dissertations

This study examined the usefulness of the Theory of Planned Behavior to predict how attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention are associated with physical activity in longshoremen from the Hampton Roads Shipping Association-International Longshoreman's Association (HRSA-ILA). The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, five focus groups were conducted to elicit information about the health behaviors of longshoremen. From the results of these focus groups, a 90-question, theory based, self-reported questionnaire was developed to identify beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions that contribute to longshoremen engaging in physical activity. In the second …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Induce A Mitochondria-Independent Apoptosis In B16f10 Melanoma Cells In Vitro, Wentia Elissa Ford

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) are ultra-short pulses that induce direct electric field and biological effects that initiate apoptosis. Here the application of ten 300ns pulses ranging in electric fields from 12kV/cm-60kV/cm was administered to determine the effects on B16F10 melanoma cells evaluated by in vitro studies. Initial application of nsPEFs demonstrated apoptosis induction in an electric field- and pulse number-dependent manner measured by caspase activation that correlated with decrease in cell viability 24hr post pulse. In addition caspase activity was shown to be independent of calcium mobilization though ions may play a part in other aspects of apoptosis. The …

In Vivo Murine Melanoma Tumor Responses To Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Treatment, Xinhua Chen

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

High intensity nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) were applied to melanoma tumors to observe functional and structural biological changes and to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms responsible. An animal model was set up by injecting B16F10 mouse melanoma cells into SKH-1 mice. A treatment (Tx) of 100 pulses: 300 nanosecond duration; 40 kV/cm field strength; at 0.5 Hz rate were delivered to melanoma tumors in 120 mice. The nsPEF Txcaused tumor self-destruction with sharply decreased cell volumes and shrunken nuclei. The apoptotic biochemical tests confirmed nsPEF Tx induced apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. Examination of gross vessel and micro-vessel density …

A Phylogeny Of The Snappers (Lutjanidae; Percoidei) Inferred From Cytochrome B Sequence Data, Matthew R. Semcheski

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The Lutjanidae are economically and ecologically important fishes commonly known as snappers. A morphological study of Lutjanidae concluded that it contained four subfamilies and that together with the family Caesionidae, form the superfamily Lutjanoidea. Although this view was supported elsewhere in the literature, it was later contradicted, treating the caesionids as members of the Lutjanidae. In order to infer a phylogeny of genera within Lutjanidae, the complete cytochrome b gene (1140bp) of 21 lutjanid taxa was sequenced and analyzed along with 19 lutjanid, caesionid, and outgroup sequences obtained from GenBank. Data were analyzed for base composition stationarity and saturation. Phylogenetic …

Pge2 Receptor Subsets Mediate Hcg Regulation Of The Plasminogen Activator/Plasmin System In Primate Periovulatory Follicles, Nune Markosyan

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Elevated follicular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels are necessary for follicle rupture during ovulation. As the degradation of the follicle wall requires proteolysis, it was hypothesized that regulation of proteolysis by gonadotropins is PGE2 mediated.

There are four PGE2 receptors: EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4. To determine which PGE2 receptors are present in monkey periovulatory follicles, granulosa cells and whole ovaries were collected 0, 12, 24, and 36 hours after administration of an ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), or 36 hours after hCG from monkeys that received the prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibitor celecoxib. All EP receptor mRNAs were present …

Comparison Of Dna Pyrosequencing With Alternative Methods For Identification Of Mycobacteria, Loree C. Heller, Michael Jones, Ray H. Widen

Bioelectrics Publications

Identification of mycobacterial clinical isolates by pyrosequencing within the hypervariable A region of the 16S rRNA gene was compared to other identification methods. For >90% of isolates, these identifications correlated to the level of complex or species. For identification of many mycobacteria, pyrosequencing offers an inexpensive alternative to traditional sequencing.

Transmission Of Panulirus Argus Virus 1 (Pav1) And Its Effect On The Survival Of Juvenile Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Mark J. Butler Iv, Donald C. Behringer Jr., Jeffrey D. Shields

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus, an important fisheries species, is host to Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1), a lethal, unclassified virus-the first found in any species of lobster-prevalent in juvenile lobsters. We describe a series of laboratory experiments aimed at assessing the likely modes of disease transmission, determining the survival of lobsters relative to each transmission pathway and identifying potential alternate hosts. Given evidence for lower prevalence of PaV1 in large lobsters, the effect of lobster size on susceptibility was also examined. Results demonstrated that PaV1 can be transmitted to juvenile lobsters via inoculation, ingestion of diseased tissue, contact …

Topographic Factors Affecting The Tree Species Composition Of Forests In The Upper Piedmont Of Virginia, Rachael C. Brown, Todd S. Fredericksen

Virginia Journal of Science

There are many factors that influence forest species composition and many are linked to topographical features. This study, conducted on the Ferrum College campus in the Upper Piedmont Physiographic Province of Virginia revealed three major forest types associated with topographic factors using cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis . The first type of forest occurred mostly on northeastern slopes on toe slope topographic positions and was mainly composed of tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and red maple (Acer rubrum). The second type of forest was found on shoulder and side slope positions and was composed mostly of …

New Records, Biogeography, And Habitat Protection Needs Of Four Species Of Potamon (Decapoda: Brachyura) In Greece, Eugene G. Maurakis, David V. Grimes

Virginia Journal of Science

Objectives are to determine the occurrence of species of Potamon in eastern Crete and the Aegean Islands (Chios, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Tinos and Andros); generate phylogenetic relationships among species to propose a biogeographic hypothesis relative to current distributions of the four species of the freshwater crab genus, Potamon, in Greece; and comment on the need to protect habitat suitable for the survival of species of Potamon in the country. Our collections, made in areas not previously sampled by researchers, indicate the presence of Potamon fluviatile on Tinos, N axos, and Andros, and Potamon potamios from central to eastern Crete; …

Cannabinoids: A Novel Treatment Strategy For Retinal Neurodegenerative Disorders, Sandeep Samudre

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids are known to decrease intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucomatous damage to the retina and optic nerve progresses even after therapy to maintain normal intraocular pressure (IOP). Topical application of cannabinoids decreases IOP while not affecting blood pressure or heart rate. Based upon their effects on other tissues, we hypothesize that these analogs reduce IOP and may also confer direct neuroprotective effects on the retina, possibly via CB1 and/or CB2 receptors. The purpose of this study is to determine if the newly synthesized CB agonists, lipid soluble O-1812 (CB 1), and water soluble O-2545 (CB 1

The …

Influences Of The Loggerhead Sponge (Spheciospongia Vesparium) And The Vase Sponge (Ircinia Campana) On Nearshore Hard-Bottom Community Development In The Florida Keys, Scott Donahue

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Sponges, octocorals, and stony corals are the dominant sessile fauna within shallow, hard-bottom communities in the Florida Keys, FL (USA). The sponge component of these communities is not well studied and has been cyclically decimated from as early as 1844, most recently in south-central Florida Bay in 1991 and 1992, in apparent association with phytoplankton blooms. The purpose of this research was to examine ways in which sponges may contribute to the maintenance of hard-bottom communities. Specifically, I investigated: 1) the effect of sponges and physical structures on local sea floor scouring and thus the potential for maintenance of hard-bottom; …

Spatial And Trophic Dynamics Of A Macrofaunal Community On A High Energy Intertidal Sandflat, Sharon Ann Tatem

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Spatial and trophic interactions between macrofaunal species were studied in a high energy intertidal system during spring-summer low tides. Bioturbation by the enteropneust hemichordate, Balanoglossus aurantiacus (Girad), as evidenced by large fecal mounds, was a conspicuous feature on the sandflat Sediment characteristics were compared between ambient (non-fecal) and B. aurantiacus fecal mound types (fresh-oxidized, fresh-reduced, aged-oxidized, and aged-reduced). Fecal material was differentiated by age based on the presence or absence of mucus and the time of fecal deposition. The color of fecal material was used to assign oxidative state. Multiple isotopes (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur) were used to determine the origins …

The Regulation Of Endothelial And Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression In The Preglomerular Vessels By The Increase In Intracellular Calcium Concentration, Stephanie Thomas Montgomery

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

This purpose of this study was to examine the regulation of endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the preglomerular vessels of mature and immature porcine kidneys by the increase in intracellular calcium concentration. Angiotensin II can increase intracellular calcium concentrations in two ways; either through the mobilization of intracellular calcium stores or through the influx of calcium from the extracellular fluid through calcium channels. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a calcium control, a calcium-free control, L- and T-type voltage-gated calcium channel blockers, an internal calcium store release agent, KCI, and EDTA on …

A Modelling Study Of Developmental Stage And Environmental Variability Effects On Copepod Foraging, Jerry D. Wiggert, Eileen E. Hofmann, Gustav-Adolf Paffenhöfer

CCPO Publications

We used a stochastic Lagrangian model to study how behaviour contributes to copepod grazing success. The model simulates distinct foraging behaviours of Clausocalanus furcatus, Paracalanus aculeatus, and Oithona plumifera. Three sets of simulations were performed to investigate the effects of (a) prey-size preference; (b) variation in prey-size spectra; and (c) turbulence intensity on these species’ grazing rates. The size preference simulations demonstrate that, compared with copepodites, mature females have cell ingestion rates that are an order of magnitude lower, while carbon uptake is reduced by 35%. A prey spectrum that is skewed towards cells ,<6 >μm promotes copepodite …

Historical Mammal Extinction On Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) Correlates With Introduced Infectious Disease, Kelly B. Wyatt, Paula F. Campos, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis, Wayne H. Hynes, Rob Desalle, Peter Daszak, Ross D.E. Macphee, Alex D. Greenwood

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

It is now widely accepted that novel infectious disease can be a leading cause of serious population decline and even outright extinction in some invertebrate and vertebrate groups (e. g., amphibians). In the case of mammals, however, there are still no well-corroborated instances of such diseases having caused or significantly contributed to the complete collapse of species. A case in point is the extinction of the endemic Christmas Island rat (Rattus macleari): although it has been argued that its disappearance ca. AD 1900 may have been partly or wholly caused by a pathogenic trypanosome carried by fleas hosted …

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Air Plasma Jet For Medical Applications, Juergen Friedrich Kolb, A.-A H. Mohamed, R. O. Price, R. J. Swanson, A. Bowman, R. L. Chiavarini, Michael W. Stacey

Bioelectrics Publications

By flowing atmospheric pressure air through a direct current powered microhollow cathode discharge, we were able to generate a 2 cm long plasma jet. With increasing flow rate, the flow becomes turbulent and temperatures of the jet are reduced to values close to room temperature. Utilizing the jet, yeast grown on agar can be eradicated with a treatment of only a few seconds. Conversely, animal studies show no skin damage even with exposures ten times longer than needed for pathogen extermination. This cold plasma jet provides an effective mode of treatment for yeast infections of the skin.

Genome-Wide Compensatory Changes Accompany Drug-Selected Mutations In The Plasmodium Falciparum Crt Gene, Hongying Jiang, Jigar J. Patel, Ming Yi, Jianbing Mu, Jinhui Ding, Robert Stephens, Roland A. Cooper, Michael T. Ferdig, Xin-Zhuan Su

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mutations in PfCRT (Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant transporter), particularly the substitution at amino acid position 76, confer chloroquine (CQ) resistance in P. falciparum. Point mutations in the homolog of the mammalian multidrug resistance gene (pfmdr1) can also modulate the levels of CQ response. Moreover, parasites with the same pfcrt and pfmdr1 alleles exhibit a wide range of drug sensitivity, suggesting that additional genes contribute to levels of CQ resistance (CQR). Reemergence of CQ sensitive parasites after cessation of CQ use indicates that changes in PfCRT are deleterious to the parasite. Some CQR parasites, however, persist in the …

Systematic Revision Of Elaphoglossum (Dryopteridaceae) In French Polynesia, With The Description Of Three New Species, Germinal Rouhan, David H. Lorence, Timothy J. Motley, Judith Garrison Hanks, Robbin C. Moran

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Species descriptions and a key for the nine species of Elaphoglossum (Dryopteridaceae) in French Polynesia are provided. Three new species are described: E. austromarquesense from the southern Marquesas Islands, E. florencei from Raiatea and Moorea, and E. meyeri from Rapa. Each species is illustrated by a line drawing of the habit, and spore images using a scanning electron microscope. Images of scales, one of the most important diagnostic characters in the genus, are also included. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London.

Physical And In Silico Approaches Identify Dna-Pk In A Tax Dna-Damage Response Interactome, Emad Ramadan, Michael Ward, Xin Guo, Sarah S. Durkin, Adam Sawyer, Marcelo Vilela, Christopher Osgood, Alex Pothen, Oliver J. Semmes

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: We have initiated an effort to exhaustively map interactions between HTLV-1 Tax and host cellular proteins. The resulting Tax interactome will have significant utility toward defining new and understanding known activities of this important viral protein. In addition, the completion of a full Tax interactome will also help shed light upon the functional consequences of these myriad Tax activities. The physical mapping process involved the affinity isolation of Tax complexes followed by sequence identification using tandem mass spectrometry. To date we have mapped 250 cellular components within this interactome. Here we present our approach to prioritizing these interactions via …

The Use Of Extractable Lipofuscin For Age Determination Of Crustaceans: Reply To Sheehy (2008), H. Rodger Harvey, David H. Secor, Se-Jong Ju

OES Faculty Publications

The heterogeneous mixture of metabolic by-products termed lipofuscin (LF) or age pigments has long been known to accumulate in post mitotic cells with increasing age. In crustaceans several approaches have been developed over the years to track LF accumulation and provide a proxy for chronological age. Histological approaches have been traditionally used for LF determination of crustaceans (e.g. Sheehy et al. 1994, Mar Biol 121:237-245), but over the last decade extraction approaches for neural tissues have been introduced (Ju et al. 1999, Mar Ecol Prog Ser 185:171-179) and tested (Ju et al. 2001, Mar Ecol Prog Ser 224:197-205; 2003, Fish …

Food Limitation In Larval Fish: Ontogenetic Variation In Feeding Scope And Its Potential Effect On Survival, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Peter Grønkjær, Pierre Pepin, William C. Leggett

OES Faculty Publications

We used the radiated shanny Ulvaria subbifurcataas a model species to explore the relative gut fullness from hatch to metamorphosis of wild larvae, and compared these values with those of laboratory-reared larvae fed at maximum rates. Ingestion rates of most wild larvae were above starvation levels but below the maximum feeding levels of laboratory-reared larvae. Twenty-six percent of freshly-hatched wild larvae and 11% of large, pre-settlement wild larvae had insufficient food in their stomach to satisfy metabolic requirements. These results, taken on their own, are consistent with the much hypothesized increased foraging performance and survival of larger larvae relative …

An Efficient Algorithm For Biomarker Identification, Jiang Li, Rick Mckenzie, Lisa Cazares, Richard Drake, John Semmens

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Co2 Sensitivity Of Southern Ocean Phytoplankton, Philippe D. Tortell, Christopher D. Payne, Yingyu Li, Scarlett Trimborn, Bjorn Rost, Walker O. Smith, Christina Riesselman, Robert B. Dunbar, Peter Sedwick, Giacomo R. Ditullio

OES Faculty Publications

The Southern Ocean exerts a strong impact on marine biogeochemical cycles and global air-sea CO₂ fluxes. Over the coming century, large increases in surface ocean CO₂ levels, combined with increased upper water column temps. and stratification, are expected to diminish Southern Ocean CO₂ uptake. These effects could be significantly modulated by concomitant CO₂-dependent changes in the region's biol. carbon pump. Here we show that CO₂ concentrations affect the physiology, growth and species composition. of phytoplankton assemblages in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Field results from in situ sampling and ship-board incubation experiments demonstrate that inorganic …

Turbulent Lifestyle: Microbial Mats On Earth’S Sandy Beaches—Today And 3 Billion Years Ago, Nora Noffke

OES Faculty Publications

Archean Earth history is very difficult to reconstruct. Until recently, only bacterial cells preserved in chert, microborings, and stromatolites provided the few clues to ancient life. Now, siliciclastic “microbially induced sedimentary structures” (MISS) are adding to our knowledge of both past life and paleoenvironments. MISS rise from the interaction of photoautotrophic microbial mats with physical sediment dynamics in siliciclastic, shallow-marine settings. Archean MISS can be understood through observations of living microbial mats and modern biotic-physical sedimentary processes. Such geobiological studies are key to the interpretation of the early evolution of prokaryotes. For example, the 2.9 Ga Pongola Supergroup, South Africa, …