Life Sciences Commons^™

Role Of Bcl-2 Family Members In Caspase-Independent Apoptosis Due To Chlamydia Infection, Jean-Luc Perfettini, John C. Reed, Nicole Israel, Jean-Claude Martinou, Alice Dautry-Varsat, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Infection with an obligate intracellular bacterium, the Chlamydia trachomatis lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV/L2) strain or the guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis serovar of Chlamydia psittaci, leads to apoptosis of host cells. The apoptosis is not affected by a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, and caspase-3 is not activated in infected cells, suggesting that apoptosis mediated by these two strains of Chlamydia is independent of known caspases. Overexpression of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, Bax, was previously shown to induce caspase-independent apoptosis, and we find that Bax is activated and translocates from the cytosol to the mitochondria in C. psittaci-infected cells. C. psittaci-induced apoptosis is …

Cd28 Costimulation Requirement For Interferon-Y Secretion By Natural Killer T Cells During Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Paul J. Renick

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells) are a unique subset of lymphocytes that express natural killer (NK) and T cell receptors (TCR). The NKT cell population includes four separate subclasses. This paper will focus on Category I NKT cells which possess a canonical TCR receptor (Va14Ja281) that recognizes only hydrophobic antigens presented by CD1d molecules. These cells are believed to play an important regulatory role in immunity. A variety of disease conditions, including cancer, infections and Type I diabetes, are controlled by NKT cells. NKT cells are also capable of secreting large quantities of cytokines, namely interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma …

Decomposition Dynamics In Restored And Naturally Recovering Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis Thyoides) Wetlands, Edward Ratcliffe Crawford

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Restoration efforts and ecologically based management practices for Atlantic white cedar wetlands have recently focused on soil organic matter sequestration and aggradation as critical ecosystem functions in the maintenance of this imperiled community type. This work addresses how developmental stage, litter quality and environmental conditions influenced above ground leaf litter and below ground root decay in naturally regenerating and restored Atlantic white cedar wetlands. Using standard litterbags for leaf litter and a modified litterbag technique for roots, decay dynamics of naturally regenerating and restored Atlantic white cedar stands were measured to compare ecosystem development trends with restoration conditions. Effects on …

Regulation And Measurement Of Nitrification In Terrestrial Systems, D. R. Smart, S. C. Hart, K. A. Haubensak, John M. Stark

Biology Faculty Publications

Nitric oxide (NO) is a relatively short-lived trace gas that reacts with oxygen in the troposphere to produce the air pollutant ozone. It also reacts with water vapor to form nitric and nitrous acids, which acidify precipitation and increase N deposition. Models currently used to predict soil NO fluxes are based on the assumption that NO flux is proportional to the gross rate of nitrification or N mineralization; however, this assumption has not been tested because of the difficulty in measuring gross N-cycling rates in situ. We measured soil NO fluxes, gross and net N-cycling rates, and a variety of …

Apoptosis Pathways: Presence And Significance In Ejaculated Human Spermatozoa, Steven Lewis Taylor

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Ejaculated sperm display markers that are indicative of apoptosis in somatic cells. The question remains as to whether sperm have operative apoptosis mechanisms. The aim of this research was to test the hypothesis that apoptosis markers in sperm and somatic cells are different.

Ejaculated human sperm from patients and donors were separated into high and low motility fractions using Percoll™ gradients. Contaminating cells were removed using anti-CD45 conjugated paramagnetic beads. Fractions were divided into groups: staurosporine, anti-Fas antibody, and hydrogen peroxide treated and control. Direct enzymatic measurement of caspase activity, flow cytometric evaluation of phosphatidylserine translocation, immunoblots, and immunocytochemistry were …

2002 Weed Science Research Report - Blue Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2002. It includes work on corn, soybean and the management of several weeds in North Dakota.

2002 Weed Science Research Report – Pink Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2002. It includes work on several noxious weeds, including, Canada thistle, leafy spurge and perennial sowthistle in North Dakota.

2002 Weed Science Research Report – Tan Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2002. It includes work on effects of spray volume, nozzles and adjuvants.

2002 Weed Science Research Report – Yellow Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2002. It includes work on several crops such as barley, canola, chickpea and flax in North Dakota.

Formulation Of Balanced Diets In Base Of Grains Of Left-Over Of Corn, Wheat, And Barley For Guinea Pigs (Cavia Porcellus), Egresado Hever Patricio Castro Calvache

Theses and Dissertations

The present investigation was carried out in the rural community La Rinconada, located in the canton Ibarra of the province of Imbabura. The field work was developed during 12 months. Previous activities were developed to the rehearsal like socialization of the program; training in areas of: poscosecha of grains, alfalfa cultivation and systems of growth of guinea pigs. The rehearsal lasted 70 days and it was developed in the property of three families of the community. The formulation of diets balanced based on grains of waste of corn, wheat and barley for the growth and increment of weight of guinea …

Biochemical Components In The Secretion Of The Bulb Urethral Glands Of Llama (Lama Glama) In Three Ages, Demetrio Laruta Flores

Theses and Dissertations

The present study was performed in the Zoo-Technical Engineering department of the Tiahuanaco Rural Academic Unit of the Bolivian Catholic University. The biochemical components of the secretions produced by the bulb urethral glands of male llama that were studied are glucose, inorganic phosphorus, creatinine, total proteins, albumin, total lipids, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Spectrophotometer standardized techniques were used in nine animals of three, four, and five years of age from communities of the Ingavi province. Groups comprised of three animals each were selected by age criteria. After dissecting and separating the pelvic urethra, gland secretion was obtained by finger pressure. The …

Spacing Between Rows And Plants In Two Ecotypes Of Kanawa (Chenopodium Pallidicaule Aellen) In The Northern Highlands, Wilfredo Pablo Marín Parra

Theses and Dissertations

The study "Distance between rows and plants in two ecotypes of canihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) in the northern Altiplano" was conducted during the agricultural period of 1999-2000 in the community of Achaca, Tiahuanaco canton, Ingavi province, department of La Paz, Bolivia. It was at 3854 meters above sea level, 16°35' South latitude by 68°41' West longitude. Precipitation was 474.6 mm and the soil was a loose sandy texture. The genetic material was composed of the ecotypes of yellow Lasta, red Lasta, yellow Saihua, and red Saihua, from the Belén Experimental Station, part of the Faculty of Agronomy, San Andrés Higher …

Organic Beef A Production Guide, Steven Mccoy

Bulletins 4000 -

Premium markets are expanding worldwide for certified organic and biodynamic beef products – those grown in accordance with recognised organic production and processing standards.

Many agricultural areas in Australia have the potential to produce organic beef, and several Western Australian and Eastern States organic producers are already exporting to Japan. Supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths have started to build the Australian domestic market.

Converting to an organic system can be easier - requiring fewer changes - in ‘low input’ rangeland cattle production than in more intensive pasture-based or feedlot production. But regardless of the type of enterprise, managing organic …

A Guide To Grazing Systems And Animal Production, Kylie Woodgate, Western Australian Department Of Agriculture, Australian Wool Innovation Ltd.

Bulletins 4000 -

This manual has been produced as a joint venture between the Wool and Meat Programs of Agriculture Western Australia. It is intended to provide current information on most animal production issues today. It has been modified from the current Woolpro and Prograze manuals distributed to farmers and is designed for use mainly by Agricultural Colleges and Secondary Schools teaching Agriculture. It should be used in conjunction with these manuals.

Geostatistical Analysis Of The Small-Scale Distribution Of European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Larvae And Damage In Whorl Stage Corn, Robert J. Wright, Terry A. Devries, Linda J. Young, Keith J. Jarvi, Ronald C. Seymour

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The small-scale spatial distribution of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), larvae and damage in whorl stage corn, Zea mays L., was characterized using geostatistics. Spatial distribution of O. nubilalis larval feeding damage was studied at Clay Center, North Platte, and Concord, NE, during June-July 1992-1994, and spatial distribution of O. nubilalis larvae and damage was studied at Clay Center in June 1997. Semivariograms were calculated to model the change in spatial correlation with increasing distance between samples. Spatial distribution of larval damage during 1992-1994 was best described using a spherical model. Damage was spatially correlated among plants at distances …

Registration Of N547 Maize Germplasm Line, Nora E. D'Croz-Mason, John E. Foster, Stephen C. Mason

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

N547 germplasm line (Reg. no. GP-367, PI 615526) was released by the Agriculture Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, on 24 Aug. 1999. N547 is a yellow endosperm maize inbred germplasm with resistance to stalk and shank tunneling damage caused by the second generation of the European corn borer (ECB) Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner).

N547 was derived by selfing a selected full-sib family from MBITA, a tropical population developed by CIMMYT, Mexico. MBITA was created to recombine sources of resistance to temperate and subtropical stalk borers. These insects included ECB, southwestern corn borer (SWCB) Diatraea grandiosella …

Random Amplified Polymorphic Dna Markers For Discriminating Cochliomyia Hominivorax From C. Macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae), S. R. Skoda, Saowaluck Pornkulwat, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is one of the most important pests of livestock in the Western Hemisphere. During early immature stages it is morphologically very similar (first instars are virtually indistinguishable) to the secondary screwworm, C. macellaria (Fabricius). Here, the utility of the random amplified polymorphic DNA–polymerase chain reaction (RAPD–PCR) was explored as a technique for developing molecular genetic markers for these two species. Of the 120 arbitrary primers screened, 21 primers produced markers that were further investigated. Seven of the 21 primers produced clear and reproducible markers that were tested with DNA of five individuals from four populations …

Reduction Of Moniliformin During Alkaline Cooking Of Corn, Graciela Pineda-Valdes, Dojin Ryu, David S. Jackson, Lloyd B. Bullerman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The incidence of moniliformin (MON) producing Fusarium spp. in selected corn (Zea mays L.) samples from Mexico and the United States and the effects of alkaline cooking and the tortilla manufacturing processes on the reduction of MON were determined. The percentage of infected kernels with Fusariumspp. ranged from 0 to 22% in eight food-grade corn samples, including six from Mexico and two from the United States. Complete (100%) reduction of MON was observed when a naturally contaminated com sample containing 1.4 µg of MON/g of corn was used in a pilot-scale alkaline cooking and tortilla manufacturing process. In …

Enzymatic Process For Nixtamalization Of Cereal Grains, David S. Jackson, Deepak Sahai

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Disclosed are novel methods of producing food compositions by the use of an enzymatic digestion of the component parts of whole portions of cereal grains, and grain materials, to impart advantageous qualities to the resulting flour and dough related products produced therefrom. The present invention specifically relates to the fields of making flour and dough, used for totillas, corn chips, totilla chips, snacks, half-products and related products from the component parts and whole portions of cereal grains, and related materials.

Leafy Spurge, R. M. Nowiersky, R. W. Pemberton

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L., is an invasive, deep-rooted perennial herb that is native to Eurasia. The plant spreads through explosive seed release and vigorous lateral root growth, forming large, coalescing patches that can dominate rangeland, pastures, prairies and other non-crop areas in the Great Plains region of North America.

Spotted Knapweed, J. Story

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa Lamarck, is a purple-flowered, herbaceous, perennial weed, living three to five years on average. It infests semiarid range lands in the western United States and roadsides and fields in the eastern part of the country. Infested areas are dominated by the plant, reducing their grazing value and suppressing native plant communities. The plant, originally from Central Asia, has been in North America for over 120 years.

Swallow-Worts, L. Tewksbury, R. Casagrande, A. Gassmann

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

There are three European species of swallow-worts found in North America: Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench (black swallow-wort), Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleo.) Barb. (pale swallow-wort or dog strangling-vine), and Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik. (white swallow-wort) (Sheeley and Raynal, 1996). Swallow-worts are in the family Asclepiadaceae. Vincetoxicum nigrum and V. rossicum now are naturalized in northeastern North America, and both are invasive in natural areas and abandoned pastures (Lawlor, 2000). Swallow-worts are found in gardens and fields, along fencerows, roadways, grassy slopes, wooded edges, and streambanks. Tangled masses of swallow-wort vines shade and suppress native plants (Sheeley and Raynal, 1996). In Rhode Island, heavy …

Phylogenetic And Phenotypic Analysis Of Hiv Type 1 Env Gp120 In Cases Of Subtype C Mother-To-Child Transmission, Hong Zhang, Guillermo Ortí, Qiujiang Du, Jun He, Chipepo Kankasa, Ganapati Bhat, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C constitutes a majority of the newly transmitted cases of HIV-1 in many developing countries. There is growing evidence suggesting that subtype C viruses may display characteristics that make them distinct from subtype B and other subtypes, and such differences may affect its transmission and pathogenesis in infected individuals. In this study, HIV-1 sequences from the C2–V4 region of the envelope gene were analyzed from four infected mother–infant pairs (MIPs) after perinatal transmission in Zambia. We found that all viral isolates from four Zambian MIPs were of the subtype C HIV-1 subgroup. All …

Genomewide Identification Of Proteins Secreted By The Hrp Type Iii Protein Secretion System Of Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Tomato Dc3000, Tanja Petnicki-Ocwieja, David J. Schneider, Vincent C. Tam, Scott T. Chancey, Libo Shan, Yashitola Jamir, Lisa M. Schechter, Misty Janes, C. Robin Buell, Xiaoyan Tang, Alan Collmer, James R. Alfano

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The ability of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 to be pathogenic on plants depends on the Hrp (hypersensitive response and pathogenicity) type III protein secretion system and the effector proteins it translocates into plant cells. Through iterative application of experimental and computational techniques, the DC3000 effector inventory has been substantially enlarged. Five homologs of known avirulence (Avr) proteins and five effector candidates, encoded by genes with putative Hrp promoters and signatures of horizontal acquisition, were demonstrated to be secreted in culture and/or translocated into Arabidopsis in a Hrp-dependent manner. These 10 Hrp-dependent outer proteins (Hops) were designated HopPtoC (Avr- PpiC2 …

The P23 Protein Of Citrus Tristeza Virus Controls Asymmetrical Rna Accumulation, Satyanarayana Tatineni, Siddarame Gowda, Maria A. Ayllon, Maria R. Albiach-Marti, Shailaja Rabindran, William O. Dawson

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), a member of the Closteroviridae, has a 19.3-kb positive-stranded RNA genome that is organized into 12 open reading frames (ORFs) with the 10 3' genes expressed via a nested set of nine or ten 3'-coterminal subgenomic mRNAs (sgRNAs). Relatively large amounts of negative-stranded RNAs complementary to both genomic and sgRNAs accumulate in infected cells. As is characteristic of RNA viruses, wild-type CTV produced more positive than negative strands, with the plus-to-minus ratios of genomic and sgRNAs estimated at 10 to 20:1 and 40 to 50:1, respectively. However, a mutant with all of the 3' genes …

Influence Of Protein Tyrosine Kinases On Cell Volume Change-Induced Taurine Release, Herminia Pasantes-Morales, Rodrigo Franco

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Taurine efflux occurs in association with cell swelling in both hyposmotic and isosmotic conditions and during cell shrinkage in apoptotic death. Release occurs through a leak pathway, is largely Ca²⁺-independent and is sensitive to Cl^– channel blockers. Taurine efflux elicited by hyposmolarity is reduced or suppressed by tyrosine kinase blockers and increased by tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. The specific kinases involved are still unknown and may be different in the various cell types. Non-receptor and scr-related protein kinases have been identified in some cells as elements that directly phosphorylate the taurine efflux pathway. Possible tyrosine kinase targets are …

‘Neuroecologists’ Are Not Made Of Straw, Robert R. Hampton, Susan D. Healy, Sara J. Shettleworth, Alan Kamil

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

In the October issue of Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Bolhuis and Macphail criticized the functional/evolutionary approach to the neural mechanisms of learning and memory, and concluded that the approach is ‘often misleading and might provide us with the wrong answers’ [1]. Their critique touches on a number of interesting issues, and provides a useful prompt to examine the role of an adaptationist approach to the study of cognition. In their effort to stimulate discussion, however, Bolhuis and Macphail have overstated positions they attribute to ‘neuroecologists’.

Spatial And Social Cognition In Corvids: An Evolutionary Approach, Russell P. Balda, Alan Kamil

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

The central research questions that have guided our studies since 1981 combine issues and techniques from both comparative psychology and avian ecology. Most of our questions originate from the cognitive implications of extensive field studies on the natural history, ecology, and behavior of seed-caching corvids. Because our questions have evolved as our studies progressed, we have chosen to give a historical perspective outlining the progression of our ideas and questions.

Kinetic Properties Of Bifunctional 6-Phosphofructo-2-Kinase/Fructose-2,6-Bisphosphatase From Spinach Leaves, Jennifer E. Markham, Nicholas J. Kruger

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

A cDNA encoding 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase was isolated from a Spinacia oleracea leaf library and used to ex­press a recombinant enzyme in Escherichia coli and Spodoptera frugiperda cells. The insoluble protein expressed in E. coli was purified and used to raise antibodies. Western blot analysis of a protein extract from spinach leaf showed a single band of 90.8 kDa. Soluble protein was purified to homogeneity from S. frugiperda cells infected with recombinant baculovirus harboring the isolated cDNA. The soluble protein had a molecular mass of 320 kDa, estimated by gel filtration chromatography, and a subunit size of 90.8 kDa. The purified pro­tein …

Identification And Analysis Of A Conserved Immunoglobulin E-Binding Epitope In Soybean G1a And G2a And Peanut Ara H 3 Glycinins, Ping Ziang, Tom A. Beardslee, Michael G. Zeece, John P. Markwell, Gautam Sarath

Gautam Sarath Publications

To identify conserved immunoglobulin E (IgE)-binding epitopes among legume glycinins, we utilized recombinant soybean G2a and G2a-derived polypeptide fragments.