Life Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Foliar Applied Plant Elicitors On Microbial And Nematode Populations In The Root Zone Of Potato, H. P. Collins, D. A. Navare, E. Riga, F. J. Pierce

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a process whereby a plant that successfully
resists a pathogen becomes highly resistant to subsequent infection not only by the original pathogen but also by a wide variety of pathogens. Most SAR research has focused on resistance in leaves, so much less is known about the effectiveness of foliar applications of SAR compounds in the protection of plant roots and associated microorganisms in soil. This study was conducted to determine if foliar SAR-inducing applications (BTH or harpin) negatively impact the potato root system beneficial rhizosphere microbial populations and activity or influence pathogenic nematode populations. Foliar …

Un-Ionized Ammonia Exposure In Nile Tilapia: Toxicity, Stress Response, And Susceptibility To Streptococcus Agalactiae, Joyce J. Evans, David J. Park, Gregg C. Brill, Phillip H. Klesius

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the toxicity, behavior, blood glucose stress response, and disease susceptibility in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus following un-ionized ammonia (UIA) exposure. The acute toxicity of un-ionized ammonia to Nile tilapia was measured in a 96-h static test. The median lethal concentration (LC50) was 1.46 mg/L UIA at 24 and 48 h postexposure, 1.33 mg/ L at 72 h postexposure, and 0.98 mg/L at 96 h postexposure. No mortalities were noted in unexposed (0 mg/ L) control fish or fish exposed to 0.5 mg/L UIA. However, 93–100% mortalities were observed within 24 h among …

International Shipping Of Fumonisins From Maize Extracts On C18 Sorbent, R. T. Riley, O. A. Torres, E. Palencia

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Fumonisins are mycotoxins found in maize. In developing countries, the resources required for analysis are often lacking, and the shipping of maize between countries can be difficult since the importation of plant materials requires permits/ inspection to prevent the entry of pests that frequently infest maize. A simple, safe and legal method for shipping maize extracts to the USA was needed to conduct a survey of fumonisins in Central America. The objective was to develop a method for isolating and shipping maize extracts for fumonisin analysis so as to facilitate a survey of fumonisin exposure. The results indicate that fumonisins …

Improvements In Channel Catfish Growth After Two Generations Of Selection And Comparison Of Performance Traits Among Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, And Hybrid Catfish Fingerlings In An Aquarium Rack System, Brian C. Small

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A 9-week growth study was conducted to compare the fingerling performance of two genetic groups of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] 103 and USDA303) with that of blue catfish I. furcatus and their hybrid in an aquarium rack system. Fish of approximately 20 g were randomly selected from multifamily populations and acclimated to the aquarium rack system for 2 weeks prior to the start of the 9-week study. Differences in growth indices, feed and protein efficiency, nitrogen retention, whole-body proximate composition, and plasma cortisol levels were determined at the completion of the study. The USDA303 …

Restoration Of Spermatogenesis And Male Fertility By Transplantation Of Dispersed Testicular Cells In The Chicken, Pavel Trefil, Alena Micáková, Jitka Mucksová, Jiń Hejnar, Martin Poplstein, Murray R. Bakst, Jirí Kalina, Jean-Pierre Brillard

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Transplantation of male germ cells into sterilized recipients has been widely used in mammals for conventional breeding and transgenesis purposes. This study presents a workable approach for germ cell transplantation between male chickens. Testicular cells from adult and prepubertal donors were dispersed and transplanted by injection directly into the testes of recipient males sterilized by repeated gamma irradiation. We describe the repopulation of the recipient seminiferous epithelium up to the production of heterologous sperm in about 50% of transplanted males. In comparison to males transplanted with testicular cell preparations from adult donors, in which the first ejaculates with sperm were …

Human Emanations And Related Natural Compounds That Inhibit Mosquito Host-Finding Abilities, Ulrich R. Bernier, Daniel Kline, Kenneth H. Posey

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

One mechanism by which the action of semiochemicals can be classified is based on the behavioral impact within or external to the species of interest. As such, one can classify a chemical as one of the following^2,3:

1. Pheromone, if it results in response between insects of the same species
2. Kairomone, if it results in response in another species that benefits the species receiving the chemical cue
3. Allomone, if it results in response in another species that benefits the species releasing the chemical cue

However, the distinctions can be more specific by classification of chemical cues …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Avian Odors For Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Attraction, S. A. Allan, Ulrich R. Bernier, D. L. Kline

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Attraction of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, Culex nigripalpus Theobald, and Aedes aegypti (L.) to avian and other host odors was investigated in a dual-port olfactometer. Although attraction to a human arm was high for Ae. aegypti (>80%) and low for all Culex spp. (<25%), all species responded similarly to a chicken (55.3-73.6%). Responses of Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. nigripalpus to feathers were low (<20%) but greater than to controls. There was no difference in attraction of Cx. tarsalis to feathers or controls. Responses to CO₂ (5 ml/min) were low for all species (<15%) except Cx. tarsalis, which were moderate (24.5%). When feathers were combined with CO2, the resulting attraction was additive or lower than responses …

2006 Wildflower Of The Year: Spicebush, Lindera Benzoin, W. John Hayden

Biology Faculty Publications

Spicebush is a multistemmed deciduous shrub that grows to a height of one to three meters. Young stems are delicate and may be smooth or finely hairy. Leaves are alternate and simple, with an elliptic to obovate blade that tapers at both the base and apex and is bounded by a smooth margin. Examined closely, the margin will reveal a series of fine hairs that project directly out from the leaf edge. In size, leaves are neither remarkably large nor small; they range from one to six inches in length and up to about two and a half inches wide, …

Genetic And Hybridization Evidence Confirms That A Geographic Population Of Gonatocerus Morrilli (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) From California Is A New Species: Egg Parasitoids Of The Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Homalodisca Coagulata (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), Jesse H. De León, Walker A. Jones, Mamoudou Sétamou, David J. W. Morgan

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

We investigated the differentiation and reproductive isolation among different geographic populations of Gonatocerus morrilli, egg parasitoids of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca coagulata), to confirm previous observations that there may exist a cryptic species complex or a new species. Two mitochondrial genes [cytochrome oxidase subunits I (COI) and II (COII)] and the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) of several individuals per population were sequenced. G. morrilli populations from Texas (TX), Florida (FL), California (CA), and an outgroup (G. ashmeadi) were analyzed. For comparison, a population from Argentina (G. annulicornis) morphologically similar to G. …

The Effects Of Light Reduction Treatments On Mobile Epifaunain An Amphibolis Griffithii (Black) Den Hartog Seagrass Ecosystem, Helen Barwick

Theses : Honours

One of the main anthropogenic disturbances to seagrass meadows in Australia is reduction in light availability, through nutrient enrichment or suspended sediments. Dredging can create suspended sediment plumes from the expulsion of particulates into the water column and in tum reduces light penetration to seagrass ecosystems. Preliminary investigations have demonstrated that light reduction for different intensities and durations results in reduced seagrass and epiphytic algae biomass. The main aim of this study was to determine the effects of different intensities and durations of light reduction on epifaunal assemblages in Amphibolis griffithii seagrass meadows in Jurien Bay, Western Australia. This was …

Changes In Demersal Wild Fish Aggregations Beneath A Sea-Cage Fish Farm After The Cessation Of Farming, Fernando Tuya, Pablo Sanchez-Jerez, Tim Dempster, Arturo Boyra, Ricardo Haroun

School of Natural Sciences Publications

Demersal, non-cryptic, wild fish were counted in replicate 100 m2 transects beneath a floating sea-cage fish farm and two nearby sandy locations at Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, eastern Atlantic) four times before and after the cessation of farming. Cessation of farming involved the removal of farmed fish and ceasing of the daily feeding, although farm structures (cages and moorings) remained. A “beyond-BACI” sampling design provided the framework to detect the effect of the cessation of farming, which produced qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition and structure of the fish assemblages beneath the sea-cage fish farm compared with two nearby …

Modulation Of The Serotonin Reuptake Transporter In Raw264.7 Macrophages, Sienna Marie Arenas Malubay

Theses and Dissertations

Serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role as both a neurotransmitter and animmune modulator. The serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) clears the extracellular space of 5-HT, which decreases the effects of 5-HT on target cells. This study demonstrated that the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line expresses SERT function, measured by assays of 3H-5HT uptake. The 5-HT uptake in RAW264.7 macrophages was more than 10-fold that of peritoneal macrophages, indicating that these cells are an excellent model for studying regulation of the SERT. Activation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased SERT activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and Western blots indicate that the …

Movements And Habitat Selection Of Raccoons In A Rural Illinois Landscape, Erin E. Barding

Masters Theses

Conversion of native plant communities for purposes such as urban development, agriculture and industry reduces the amount of intact wildlife habitat and fragments that which remains. Much of the natural habitat in the Midwestern U.S. has been converted to agricultural use. Population declines of many avian species have been attributed to high rates of predation in fragmented landscapes. Furthermore, edge-related increases in nest predation are one of the main factors in reducing reproductive success. Studies throughout Illinois have suggested that the entire state may be a population sink for several species of birds. Mesocarnivores, particularly raccoons (Procyon lotor) and skunks …

Urea: A Natural Cryoprotectant In The Freeze-Tolerant Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica), Elizabeth A. Fincel

Masters Theses

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of only a few vertebrates that are able to withstand freezing of their body fluids. Various organic osmolytes play a central role in physiological adaptation to freezing and other osmotic stresses in diverse taxa, but in R. sylvatica only one cryoprotectant, glucose, has been identified. The objective of this study was to determine whether urea, an osmolyte that naturally accumulates in the tissues of overwintering R. sylvatica, also functions to limit freeze/thaw injury. Secondly, it was investigated whether hyperuremia is associated with increased osmolyte concentration to counteract any negative effect of urea.

Using …

Seedling Development N Stylisma Pickeringii Var. Pattersonii (Convolvulaceae), An Endangered Illinois Species, Jason B. Cunningham

Masters Theses

Stylisma pickeringii (Torr.) Gray var. pattersonii (Fern. & Schub.) Myint (Convolvulaceae) is listed as an endangered plant species in Illinois and is commonly known as Patterson bindweed or Patterson dawnflower. It is a prostrate vine that occurs in well-drained sand prairies and sandy open woods. High temperature, low moisture holding ability and blowing sand in these prairies create a harsh environment for seedling establishment.

Seedlings of Stylisma pickeringii show a unique pattern of development, which may enhance their ability to become established. Following radicle and cotyledon emergence, an enlarged ring encircling the radicle, referred to as the transition zone, develops. …

Spatial And Temporal Differences In Fish Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Illinois: Methods For Community Comparisons And Documentation Of Species' Range Expansion, Mark J. Fincel

Masters Theses

Anthropogenic disturbance has been recognized as having adverse effects on native flora and fauna in an environment. One such disturbance that has received increasing attention in recent years is the effects of water altering structures such as reservoirs, dams, dykes, and levees. For the past 6 years, Eastern Illinois University has conducted an intensive sampling program in an effort to document spatial and temporal heterogeneity of an 8.5 km reach of the Sangamon River beginning just below Lake Decatur Dam in Decatur, Illinois. My objective has been to characterize stream habitat and to assess differences in stream fish assemblages above …

Role Of Apoe In Regeneration, Maturation And Synaptogenesis Of Olfactory Receptor Neurons In Mice, Salina Gairhe

Masters Theses

Previous studies have shown that apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, is involved in the growth and regeneration of injured neurons. apoE is a key molecule involved in lipid transport system associated with compensatory sprouting and synaptic remodeling after neuronal injury. Also, transport of cholesterol and phospholipids in brain is regulated by the coordinated expression of apoE and its main Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) receptors during the different phases of the neuronal reinnervation processes. The discovery of apolipoprotein E4 genotype, a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), is suggestive of involvement of dysfunctional apoE lipid transport system in …

Defining Edge Gradients Using Plant Species Composition In Oak-Hickory Forest Patches, Elise M. Tulloss

Masters Theses

Forest conservation is greatly enhanced with an increased understanding of the transitional nature of edges. Edge characteristics control ecological flows into the forest that may influence its structure and composition. Most forests in east-central Illinois exist as small patches, making the region an ideal location for studying edge effects. The objectives of this study were to identify the mechanisms and processes that determine gradients of plant composition and to develop a predictive model of edge effects using plant species composition as an indicator of edge influence. A data set was gathered to relate understory forest species composition to several environmental …

Expression Of Apoe In The Mouse Olfactory System During Development And Post Injury, Sreenivas Nannapaneni

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a prominent player in transporting cholesterol and metabolizing plasma lipoproteins, has emerged as a major risk factor in causing Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE, extensively expressed in the primary olfactory pathway, binds to its low-density lipoprotein receptor and related receptors to play a role both in development and in control of the immune system. Previous studies have shown that apoE is expressed at high concentrations in the olfactory nerve (ON) and around the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (OB) and that the apoE levels in these regions increase substantially following lesioning of the olfactory epithelium (OE). Studies from …

The Effects Of Apoe On Olfactory Neuron Plasticity In Mice, Ikemefuna T. Nwosu

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, is a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that apoE is expressed at high concentrations in the olfactory nerve (ON) and around the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (OB) and that the apoE levels in these regions increase substantially following lesioning of the source of the olfactory nerves, the olfactory epithelium (OE). However, the mechanism(s) underlying the contribution of apoE to neuronal functioning and developing AD are not clearly understood. To investigate and better clarify the role of apoE in nerve regeneration, I examined the presence and …

The Effects Of Remnant Seed Source Size On Plant Performance In A Prairie Restoration, William L. Stewart

Masters Theses

Tallgrass prairies have been drastically reduced to a few remnant areas that are both small and isolated. As a result, species within these areas may be exposed to a significant level of inbreeding depression and loss in genetic diversity, which can cause an overall loss of fitness in the population, increasing the chance of local extinction. In many cases, prairie restorations rely on seed collections from these small, isolated populations, which may lead to many of the same problems in the restored areas. This study specifically addressed the question: Does the dependence on seed collections from small, isolated remnants lead …

Beaver Home Ranges And Movement Patterns On The Embarras River Watershed In East Central Illinois, Randall P. Havens

Masters Theses

The beaver (Castor canadensis) is an ecologically and economically important species that has been much studied and exploited during its long association with humans (Bradt 1938, Hodgdon 1978, Novak 1987, Muller-Schwartze and Schulte 1999). Beavers have been described as ecosystem engineers and a keystone species because of their ability to physically modify, maintain, or create wetlands thereby controlling resources used by other organisms and altering the physical state of the environment (Jones et al. 1994). They are capable of impacting the local environment through dam construction, selective tree harvest, and den construction. For example, beaver dams impact stream hydrology, nutrient …

A Survey And Developmental Biology Of Iliamna Remota Greene (Malvaceae), An Endangered Species In Illinois, April Lyn Mcdonnell

Masters Theses

Iliamna remota Greene (Malvaceae), or Kankakee mallow, is an endangered species in Illinois that is limited to Langham Island in the Kankakee River, Kankakee County. Plants are herbaceous and perennial with a racemose inflorescence consisting of showy, slightly fragrant flowers ranging in color from almost white to lavender. Leaves are alternate and shallowly palmately lobed and stems and leaves are coarsely pubescent.

In Memoriam: Lauri Saxén (1927-2005), Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Generation Of Novelty: The Province Of Developmental Biology, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

A response to Michael Ruse's "Forty Years A Philosopher Of Biology: Why EvoDevo Makes Me Still Excited About My Subject".

Use Of Culture-Independent Methods To Compare Bacterial Assemblages On Feathers Of Crested And Least Auklets (Aethia Cristatella And Aethia Pusilla) With Those Of Passerines, M. D. Shawkey, M. Jawaad Hussain , '09, Aaron Leigh Strong , '06, J. Hagelin, Amy Cheng Vollmer, G. E. Hill

Biology Faculty Works

Despite recent interest in the interactions between birds and feather microbes, little is known about the identity of these microbes, and all studies of feather microbes thus far have focused on passerines living in temperate regions. Comparisons of the microbial groups living on different groups of birds may provide valuable insight into the ecological roles microbes play on feathers. We used culture-independent molecular techniques to identify the assemblages of bacteria found on the feathers of two closely related seabirds (Crested and Least Auklets (Aethia cristatella and A. pusilla)) and, for comparison, domestic Chickens (Gallus gallus). Some isolates were found on …

Investigations Of Rhizobium Biofilm Formation, Nancy Fujishige

Biology Faculty Works

The development of nitrogen-fixing nodules of the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis, especially the early stages of root hair deformation and curling, infection thread formation, and nodule initiation, has been well studied from a genetic standpoint. In contrast, the factors important for the colonization of surfaces by rhizobia, including roots-an important prerequisite for nodule formation-have not been as thoroughly investigated. We developed conditions for analyzing the ability of two fast-growing rhizobia, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, to produce biofilms on abiotic surfaces such as glass, plastic microtiter plates, sand and soil as a prelude to characterizing the genes important for aggregation …

Impaired Glutamate Transport In A Mouse Model Of Tau Pathology In Astrocytes, Deepa V. Dabir

Biology Faculty Works

Filamentous tau inclusions in neurons and glia are neuropathological hallmarks of tauopathies. The discovery of microtubule-associated protein tau gene mutations that are pathogenic for a heterogenous group of neurodegenerative disorders, called frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome-17 (FTDP-17), directly implicate tau abnormalities in the onset/progression of disease. Although the role of tau pathology in neurons in disease pathogenesis is well accepted, the contribution of glial pathology is essentially unknown. We recently generated a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of tau pathology in astrocytes by expressing the human tau protein under the control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. …

On The Taxonomy Of Plantaginaceae Juss. Sensu Lato: Evidence From Sem Of The Seed Coat, Azza Ahmed Shehata, Mohamed Hesham A. Loutfy

Turkish Journal of Botany

SEM of the seed coat was studied in 41 taxa of the Plantaginaceae sensu lato. The study included 31 taxa of Plantago L. and 10 taxa that were formerly assigned to the Scrophulariaceae, representing the genera Antirrhinum L., Digitalis L., Linaria Mill. and Veronica L. The obtained data were analysed by the NT sys-PC program package using the UPGMA clustering method. The study showed that Veronica possessed certain affinities to Plantago species, thus giving extra support to earlier views that Plantaginaceae sensu stricto and Scrophulariaceae sensu lato are allied through Veronica. The study also favoured the paraphyly of Plantago subgenus …

Microfungi Identified From The Flora Of Ordu Province In Turkey, Şanli Kabaktepe, Zeli̇ha Bahçeci̇oğlu

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, 101 species of microfungi and their hosts, which were found in Ordu Province are described. The research was carried out between 2002 and 2004. Approximately 1465 vascular plant specimens, plants infected with microfungi or not, were collected from the area. At the end of the study of the host plants, 35 families, 114 genera, and 138 host plant species (151 taxa) were established. The 101 species of microfungi were observed on the collected host specimens. These species belong to 23 genera and 13 families; 24 species belong to Ascomycota, 73 to Basidiomycota, and 4 to Mitosporic Fungi …