Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Fire Frequency And The Red Imported Fire Ant On Native Insects In A Louisiana Longleaf Pine Savanna, Deanna M. Colby

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ants and ground beetles were collected in pitfall traps from a longleaf pine savanna in the early stages of restoration. Insect abundance and species richness were compared among four treatment combinations of two fire frequencies and presence and absence of an exotic ant, Solenopsis invicta, the red imported fire ant. Amdro® was used to suppress S. invicta. Fire treatments consisted of a single fire in a two year period or two fires in a two year period, one applied each year. Fires were applied late in the growing season both years. Ten of the 28 ground beetle species …

Vagal Modulation Of The Heart And Central Hemodynamics During Dynamic Handgrip Exercise And Forearm Occlusion Following Forearm Exercise Training, Heidi A. Kluess

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose was to examine the cardiovascular response to an acute bout of handgrip exercise before and after non-dominant arm exercise training. 19 people participated in 16 sessions of exercise training and 16 participants acted as controls (age: 20±1yrs). Blood flow measurements were taken at rest and following 3-min of forearm occlusion (RHBF) using plethysmography. Pneumotachometer, ECG, and blood pressure data were continuously collected during three testing conditions (spontaneous breathing (SB1: 5min), handgrip exercise (0.5hz) at 60%MVC with 50mmHg of pressure on the arm (H60+50mmHg: 5 min), and forearm occlusion (FAO: 3min)). Data were analyzed for respiratory rate, mean R-R …

Adoption Of Best Management Practices In The Louisiana Dairy Industry, Noro C. Rahelizatovo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The traditional view of the agricultural community as a good steward of the environment has been challenged by increasing concerns about the complex relationship between agricultural production activities and environmental quality. Agriculture provides a large range of products to satisfy human needs. It has also been singled out as major source of water pollution. Largely improved surface water quality has been assessed in the U.S. since the enactment of the Clean Water Act. However, efforts to reduce water pollution continue, targeting discharges from identifiable sources of water pollution and diffused discharges from nonpoint sources. Agricultural producers are encouraged to voluntarily …

Effects Of High-Load Eccentric Exercise Training On Rat Soleus Muscle Myofibrillar Disruption Following One-Week Of Hindlimb Suspension Unloading And Subsequent Reloading, Rhonda Dianne Prisby

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Purpose: This investigation evaluated the effects of a high-load (50% body weight) eccentric exercise training protocol on reloading myofibrillar damage in soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in rats following 7 days (d) of hindlimb suspension unloading (HSU). Methods: 48 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly stratified to four experimental groups; exercise + hindlimb suspension unloading (ExHSU), hindlimb suspension unloading (HSU), exercise (Ex) and control (C). The ExHSU and Ex groups underwent a high-load eccentric exercise protocol for ~2.5 weeks. Following exercise training, the ExHSU and HSU groups underwent 7 d of hindlimb suspension unloading and a subsequent 16-19 …

Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Ecology On Genetically Engineered Bollgard And Bollgard Ii Cottons, Jeffrey Gore

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ecology of bollworms, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), on Bollgard and Bollgard II cottons, Gossypium hirsutum L., was studied in field and laboratory experiments. Neonate bollworm larvae were placed on selected components of cotton squares and flowers from non-Bollgard, Bollgard, and Bollgard II cotton varieties. Larval survival was higher on flower anthers and square anthers than on other floral parts for each cultivar. Bollworm survival was lowest on all Bollgard II floral structures. To evaluate larval behavior on Bollgard cotton, first instar bollworms were placed on terminals of non-flowering and flowering cotton plants. Larvae were recovered lower on Bollgard cotton than …

Superfetation In Beef Cattle, Joel Andrew Carter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although superfetation has been reported in cattle and other species, there is considerable skepticism as to its existence due to the lack of clear evidence in these reports. Other explanations such as embryonic diapause or differential growth of twins have been suggested as more accurate descriptions of the cases reported as superfetation. The hypothesis of this study is that if a viable pregnancy can ensure maternal recognition in cattle, an asynchronous embryo can develop in a more chronologically advanced uterine environment. The objective was to produce superfetation by (1) ovulation induction and artificial insemination (AI) of pregnant cows and (2) …

A Potential Nutraceutical From Leuconostoc Mesenteroides B-742 (Atcc 13146); Production And Properties, Chang-Ho Chung

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is an emerging market for functional oligosaccharides for use in foods. Currently, technology for the production of oligosaccharides is limited to extraction from plant sources, acid or enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides or synthesis by transglycosylation reactions. Oligosaccharides also can be produced using a Leuconostoc fermentation and restricting the polymer size by the addition of maltose. Maltose limits the dextransucrase reaction, yielding high concentrations of a-glucooligosaccharides. Branched oligomers produced by this process were found to be readily catabolized by bifidobacteria and lactobacillus but were not readily utilized by either Salmonella sp., or E. coli, pointing toward their use in intestinal …

Nutrient Profile, Functional Properties, And Microstructure Of Dried Waste Milk Products For Use As A Potential Animal Feed, Ronald I. Thompson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of concentrating the wastewater of a butter/powder factory for use as an animal feed. Two concentrated products were evaluated: recovered milk product (RMP), which is the direct factory waste stream; and formulated recovered milk product (FRMP), which is a product made by combining RMP and separator de-sludge in a 3:1 ratio. Three pilot scale dryer systems were used to concentrate the product: a spray dryer, a roller dryer, and a pulse combustion dryer. Dried samples were analyzed for fat, moisture, protein, ash, nitrates, chloride, pH, calcium, phosphorus, sodium and amino acids. Values …

Dynamic Econometric Modeling Of The U.S. Wheat Grain Market, Carlos Walter Robledo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Structural-time series models have not gained much ground in commodity market modeling despite the overwhelming popularity of time series approaches in forecasting and dynamic analyses. This dissertation contributes by applying developments in seasonal cointegration and structural-time series analysis (e.g., Zellner and Palm (1974); Hsiao (1997); Lee (1992); Franses and Kunst (1999); Ghysels and Osborn, 2001) to the study of agricultural commodity markets. The focus is on three research themes. The first theme investigates the role of cointegration and seasonal cointegration for market data, an issue considered timely because most applications assume deterministic seasonal components. The second issue breaks new ground …

Development Of Diagnostic Tools For Detecting Expression Of Resistance-Associated Esterases In The Tobacco Budworm, Heliothis Virescens (F.), Huazhang Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Esterase-based metabolic resistance was studied using biochemical and biological assays with organophosphate (OP)- and pyrethroid (PYR)- resistant tobacco budworms, Heliothis virescens. In biochemical assays, results suggest that: (1) esterase activities toward all substrates used were enhanced in both resistant strains compared with the susceptible strain, suggesting that esterases were involved in resistance; (2) esterase profiles differed depending on the strain and substrate used, and these differences were visualized by using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; 3) esterase activities toward some pyrethroid substrates were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) in the PYR-R strain than those in the OP-R strain. These results suggest …

Multidemensional Goals Of Farmers In The Beef Cattle An Dairy Industries, Aydin Basarir

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Farm firm decision making processes have long been of concern to agricultural economists. The concept of maximizing utility rather than profit is an important concept in multidimensional goal research. The prevalence of low or negative net returns in Louisiana beef and dairy production leads to the hypothesis that goals other than profit maximization compete strongly in producers' decisions. The objective of this study is to determine the hierarchy of goals that motivate beef and dairy producers and evaluate them in a multi-dimensional framework. Seven goals were evaluated in producer decision making: Maintain and Conserve Land, Maximize Profit, Increase Farm Size, …

Germination Of Threadleaf Sedge (Cyperaceae: Carex Filifolia), Gina R. Tichota, James L. Stubbendieck

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Threadleaf sedge (Carex filifolia Nutt.) is one ofthe most important dryland plants native to the grasslands of the northern Great Plains. Low seed production and poor germination are primary reasons making prairie restorations that include this species a challenge. The principal objective of this research was to investigate the influences of warm and cold pretreatments, moisture regime, and substrate type on germination. The work was conducted in a germination chamber with seeds (achenes) collected at two sites and in two years in western Nebraska. Average germination was relatively low with the common pretreatments of cold-wet alone (39% in 1998 …

Morphological Variation Of Allocreadium Lobatum (Digenea: Allocreadiidae) In The Creek Chub, Semotilus Atromaculatus (Osteichthyes: Cyprinidae), In Nebraska, Usa, Monte S. Willis

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Allocreadium lobatum Wallin 1909, a parasite of fresh-water fish, was originally described as having distinct lobate testes, and subsequent descriptions have left this original description unchanged. The present study quantifies the observation of distinctly non-lobate testes that could be categorized as round or asymmetrical in addition to the previously described lobate testes. Six hundred thirty-six A. lobatum were collected from 228 Semotilus atromaculatus over a 9 month period. Overall, 21.3%, 61.6%, and 16% were found to be round, asymmetrical, and lobate testes respectively (N = 1,071). Analysis of testis morphology found the increasing presence of lobate testis as …

Insects And The Native Vegetation Of Nebraska, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Paul C. Hammond

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The principal plant biomes in Nebraska are briefly reviewed. The relationships of insects, particularly scarab beetles and butterflies, to these biomes are discussed, especially as it relates to their distributions. Human-induced alteration of habitat has significantly influenced the present distributions of both plants and insects relative to their historical distributions at the time of Euro-american colonization of Nebraska in the mid-1800s. Examples of range expansion or contraction are presented for exemplar taxa of scarab beetles and butterflies

Use Of Spectral Radiance To Estimate In-Season Biomass And Grain Yield In Nitrogen- And Water-Stressed Corn, S.L. Osborne, James S. Schepers, D.D. Francis, Michael R. Schlemmer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Current technologies for measuring plant water status are limited, while recently remote sensing techniques for estimating N status have increased with limited research on the interaction between the two stresses. Because plant water status methods are time-consuming and require numerous observations to characterize a field, managers could benefit from remote sensing techniques to assist in irrigation and N management decisions. A 2-yr experiment was initiated to determine specific wavelengths and/or combinations of wavelengths indicative of water stress and N deficiencies, and to evaluate these wavelengths for estimating in-season biomass and corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield. The experiment was …

Effects Of Calyx Fluid From A Population Of Cotesia Sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) On The Immune Response Of Its Host Busseola Fusca Fuller (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Moses B. Mochiah, Adele J. Ngi-Song, William A. Overholt, M. Botchey

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Busseola fusca Fuller is one of the major lepidopteran stemborers of maize and sorghum in Africa. Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an indigenous, gregarious larval endoparasitoid that attacks mid- to late-instar stemborer larvae, which is reported to be one of the most important larval parasitoids of B. fusca in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work has shown that two biotypes of C. sesamine occur in Kenya which express differential abilities to develop in B. fusca. A biotype from western Kenya successfully develops in B. fusca, while a biotype from the eastern coastal area does not. We treated fourth-instars …

Effect Of Temperature On The Development Of Orius Albidipennis Reuter, A Predator Of The African Legume Flower Thrips, Megalurothrips Sjostedti Trybom, L. M. Gitonga, B. Löhr, W. A. Overholt, J. K. Magambo, J. M. Mueke

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The effects of temperature on the development of Orius albidipennis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), reared on its prey, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were studied in the laboratory. Nymphal mortality was 87, 48 and 38% at 20, 25 and 30 °C, respectively. With the exception of first-instar nymphs, percentage mortality was lowest at 25 °C. Pre-oviposition period and longevity decreased with an increase in temperature. Mean daily and total fecundity were 2.1 and 76.4 respectively at 25 °C. The mean developmental period from oviposition to adult eclosion was 27.7, 14.1 and 10.9 days at 20, 25 and 30 °C respectively. There …

Annual Review Of The World Pheasant Association 2001/2002, World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Chairman of Trustees' report, Richard P. Howard

The way ahead, Dick Potts

Treasurer's report and accounts, Ian F. Hoggarth

Conservation activities in 2001/2002 (including South Asia Office), Philip J. K. McGowan and Rahul Kaul

Pheasant Specialist Group report, Peter J. Garson

Partridge, Quail and Francolin Specialist Group report, John P. Carroll

Grouse Specialist Group report, Ilse Storch

Megapode Specialist Grouse report, René W. R. J. Dekker

Cracid Specialist Group report, Daniel M. Brooks

Conservation Breeding Activities, Han Assink, John Corder, and Gary Robbins

Plight of prairie grouse in Kansas, R. J. Robel

Bruijn's brush-turkey observed in the wild for the …

Complement Resistance In Agrobacterium Tumefaciens Isolates, Michael E. Mccormick

Honors Theses

The word "pathogen" ofen brings to mind morose images and other words such as "illness," "malaria," and "outbreak": words associated with animal pathogens, in particular, the ones that make us humans sick. However, some pathogens also affect another major kingdom, plants, and one of the more devastating pathogens to the plant kingdom is the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This organism has a Type IV Secretion System that allows it to transfer a piece of t-DNA into the host cell; this DNA integrates into the eukaryotic genome and establishes in ction by utilizing the host's transcription machinery. This unique and effective means …

Response Of Anchovy (Engaulis Ringens) Off Northern Chile To The 1997-1999 El Niño-La Niña Sequence, José L. Blanco, Patricio Barria, Jorge Castillo, Larry P. Atkinson

CCPO Publications

No abstract provided.

Linking Ethiopian And Kenyan Pastoralists & Strengthening Cross-Border Collaboration, D. Layne Coppock, Solomon Desta

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Increasing Tenderness Of Beef Round And Sirloin Muscles Through Prerigor Skeletal Separations, B.C. Shanks, D.M. Wulf, B.J. Reuter, R.J. Maddock

Animal Science Faculty Publications

Crossbred steers (n = 30) were used to explore and compare tenderness improvements in beef round and sirloin muscles resulting from various methods of pre-rigor skeletal separations. Animals were slaughtered according to industry procedures, and at 60 min postmortem one of six treatments was applied to each side: A) control, B) saw pelvis at the sirloin round junction, C) separate the pelvic-femur joint, D) saw femur at mid-point, E) combination of B and C, and F) combination of B and D. After 48 h, the following muscles were excised from each side: semi-membranosus, biceps femoris, semi-tendinosus, and adductor from the …

Peptide Hydrolysis, Amino Acid Oxidation, And Nitrogen Uptake In Communities Seasonally Dominated By Aureococcus Anophagefferens, Margaret R. Mulholland, Christopher J. Gobler, Cindy Lee

OES Faculty Publications

Elevated levels of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) are among the factors implicated in the initiation of algal blooms. However, the degree to which phytoplankton augment their autotrophic metabolism with heterotrophic uptake of organic carbon that is associated with DON is unknown. We evaluated the relative importance of peptide hydrolysis, amino acid oxidation, and amino acid uptake over a seasonal cycle in an embayment on Long Island, New York, that had high concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and a bloom of the brown tide pelagophyte, Aureococcus anophagefferens. Amino acids were a significant component (up …

The Transformation Of Iodate To Iodide In Marine Phytoplankton Cultures, George T. F. Wong, Ajcharaporn U. Piumsomboon, William M. Dunstan

OES Faculty Publications

Six species of phytoplankton, representing 6 major phylogenetic groups (2 oceanic species: a cyanobacteria, Synechococcus sp., and a coccolithophorid, Emiliania huxleyi; and 4 coastal species: a prasinophyte, Tetraselmis sp., the green algae Dunaliella tertiolecta, the diatom Skeletonema costatum and a dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae) were tested for their ability to reduce iodate to iodide in batch cultures. They all did so to varying degrees. Thus, the reduction of iodate to iodide by phytoplankton may be a general phenomenon in the marine environment. At ambient concentrations of iodate, the rates of depletion of iodate and appearance of …

Morphology, Swimming Performance And Propulsive Mode Of Six Co-Occurring Hydromedusae, Sean Colin, John H. Costello

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Jet propulsion, based on examples from the Hydrozoa, has served as a valuable model for swimming by medusae. However, cnidarian medusae span several taxonomic classes (collectively known as the Medusazoa) and represent a diverse array of morphologies and swimming styles. Does one mode of propulsion appropriately describe swimming by all medusae? This study examined a group of co-occurring hydromedusae collected from the waters of Friday Harbor, WA, USA, to investigate relationships between swimming performance and underlying mechanisms of thrust production. The six species examined encompassed a wide range of bell morphologies and swimming habits. Swimming performance (measured as swimming acceleration …

Testing For Toxic Effects Of Prey On Zooplankton Using Sole Versus Mixed Diets, Sean Colin, Hans G. Dam

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Prey Resource Utilization By Coexistent Hydromedusae From Friday Harbor, Washington, Usa, John H. Costello, Sean Colin

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Prey selection patterns were quantified for a sympatric group of hydromedusae from Friday Harbor, WA. Selection patterns varied between species, but were largely replicable between sample dates and resembled dietary patterns found in similar studies from neighboring regions. Ambush-foraging medusae (Aglantha digitale, Sarsia tubulosa, and Proboscidactyla flavicirrata) fed primarily on crustacean and ciliated prey but the dietary niches of these hydromedusan species centered on different fractions of the available plankton. Consequently, little dietary overlap occurred between the ambush foraging hydromedusae. In contrast, the dietary niches of cruising predators (Aequorea victoria, Mitrocoma cellularia, and …

Organizing Learning And Practice To Enhance The Acquisition Of Psychomotor Skills In Athletic Training, Ansley Y. Hendrick

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

No abstract provided.

Behavioral And Reproductive Aspects Of Captive Maxwell's Duiker (Cephalophus Mawellii) Husbandry, Janet Mcneill Mackinnon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Female Maxwell's duikers (Cephalophus maxwellii) were studied at the Wildlife Survival Center on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. The objectives were to quantify the effects of housing on activity budgets and progesterone cycling. Four animals were studied across two housing situations: housed individually versus housed in a grouped setting. Behavioral observations revealed no significant change in access to resources, rumination, or repetitive behaviors, once animals were housed together. Fecal samples were collected in order to determine levels of progesterone through radioimmunoassay (RIA). Fluctuations in progesterone levels revealed no clear estrous cycles. Animals showed less variability in progesterone levels and …

Production Of Poly-B-Hydroxybutyrate (Phb) By Some Rhizobium Bacteria, Nazi̇me Mercan, Belma Aslim, Zehra Nur Yüksekdağ, Yavuz Beyatli

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, the production of Poly-b-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) was determined in 1 Rhizobium japonicum, 6 Rhizobium cicer, 8 Rhizobium spp. and Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110. The content of according to dry cell weight was determined to be 1.38-40.0%. In our study, Rhizobium spp. 2426, which produced the highest percentage yield of PHB, and Rhizobium spp. 640, which produced the intermediate percentage yield of PHB, were first selected among all the strains, and then the effect of different carbon and nitrogen sources on PHB production in these strains was tested. While the strains produced less PHB in yeast extract mannitol (YEM) …