Life Sciences Commons^™

A Model Compound Study: The Ecotoxicological Evaluation Of Five Organic Contaminants With A Battery Of Marine Bioassays, Ailbhe Macken, Michelle Giltrap, Barry Foley, Evin Mcgovern, Brendan Mchugh, Maria Davoren

Articles

This paper describes the ecotoxicological evaluation of five organic contaminants frequently detected in marine sediments (tributyltin, triphenyltin, benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene, and PCB 153) using three marine species (Vibrio fischeri, Tetraselmis suecica, and Tisbe battagliai). The sensitivity of each species varied for all compounds. The triorganotins were consistently the most toxic to all species. The applicability of each test system to assess the acute toxicity of environmental contaminants and their use in Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) is discussed. Suitability of the Microtox and T. battagliai tests for employment in TIE studies were further assessed through spiking experiments with tributyltin. Results demonstrated that …

Wind, Waves, And Wing Loading: Their Relative Importance To The At-Sea Distribution And Movements Of North And Central Pacific Albatrosses, R M. Suryan, D J. Anderson, Scott A. Shaffer, D D. Roby, Y Tremblay, D P. Costa, F Sato, K Ozaki, G Balogh

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Among the varied adaptations for avian flight, the morphological traits allowing large-bodied albatrosses to capitalize on wind and wave energy for efficient long-distance flight are unparalleled. Consequently, the biogeographic distribution of most albatrosses is limited to the windiest oceanic regions on earth; however, exceptions exist. Species breeding in the North and Central Pacific Ocean (Phoebastria spp.) inhabit regions of lower wind speed and wave height than southern hemisphere genera, and have large intrageneric variation in body size and aerodynamic performance. Here, we test the hypothesis that regional wind and wave regimes explain observed differences in Phoebastria albatross morphology and we …

Perspectives In Ornithology: Application Of Tracking And Data-Logging Technology In Research And Conservation Of Seabirds, A E. Burger, Scott A. Shaffer

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

The N-Terminus Of Apolipoprotein A-V Adopts A Helix-Bundle Molecular Architecture, Kasuen Wong, J. A. Beckstead, D. Lee, P. M.M. Weers, E. Guigard, C. M. Kay, R. O. Ryan

Faculty Publications

Previous studies of recombinant full-length human apolipoprotein A-V (apoA-V) provided evidence of the presence of two independently folded structural domains. Computer-assisted sequence analysis and limited proteolysis studies identified an N-terminal fragment as a candidate for one of the domains. C-Terminal truncation variants in this size range, apoA-V(1-146) and apoA-V(1-169), were expressed in Escherichia coli and isolated. Unlike full-length apoA-V or apoA-V(1-169), apoA-V(1-146) was soluble in neutral-pH buffer in the absence of lipid. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis yielded a weight-average molecular weight of 18811, indicating apoA-V(1-146) exists as a monomer in solution. Guanidine HCl denaturation experiments at pH 3.0 yielded a one-step …

Diet Of Western Slimy Salamander, Plethodon Albagula (Caudata: Plethodontidae), From Two Mountain Ranges In Arkansas, Joseph Milanovich, Stanley E. Trauth, Tanja Mckay

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

We identified stomach contents of 80 Plethodon albagula (Western Slimy Salamander) from two mountain ranges in Arkansas (Ozark and Ouachita) to examine if regional differences in diet occur. Museum specimens from 1985 to 2005 were used from locations throughout each mountain range. Although a wide variety of prey were found in stomachs, Hymenoptera: Formicidae and Coleoptera: Carabidae were found to be the most important food items in the diet of P. albagula. Ants and beetles constituted 85% abundance of their total diet (79.6% Ozark and 90.1% Ouachita) and 52.2% of their total biomass (42.6% Ozark and 64.1% Ouachita). Seventy-eight and …

Selective Gene Expression By Postnatal Electroporation During Olfactory Interneuron Nurogenesis, Alexander T. Chesler, Claire E. Le Pichon, Jessica H. Brann, Ricardo C. Araneda

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Neurogenesis persists in the olfactory system throughout life. The mechanisms of how new neurons are generated, how they integrate into circuits, and their role in coding remain mysteries. Here we report a technique that will greatly facilitate research into these questions. We found that electroporation can be used to robustly and selectively label progenitors in the Subventicular Zone. The approach was performed postnatally, without surgery, and with near 100% success rates. Labeling was found in all classes of interneurons in the olfactory bulb, persisted to adulthood and had no adverse effects. The broad utility of electroporation was demonstrated by encoding …

Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity, Bmi And Waist Girth In 7- To 16- Year-Old Children And Adolescents, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Different approaches to measuring physical activity and fatness in youth have resulted in studies reporting relationships ranging from very strong to non-existent.

Methods: The sample comprised 787 males and 752 females aged between 7 and 16 years. Pedometer-determined physical activity, height, weight and waist girth measures were taken.

Results: Significant differences were found in activity level between BMI-determined weight categories for the females (F(1, 742) = 9.07, p = .003) but not for the males (F(1, 777) = 3.59, p = .06) and between truncal adiposity groupings for both the males (F(1, 777) = 4.69, p = .03) and …

Fitness, Motor Competence And Body Composition As Correlates Of Adolescent Neck/Shoulder Pain: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study, Mark Perry, Leon Straker, Peter O'Sullivan, Anne Smith, Beth P. Hands

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Adolescent neck/shoulder pain (NSP) is a common and sometimes debilitating problem. Several risk factors for this condition have been investigated, but no studies have previously evaluated associations between fitness, motor competence, body composition and adolescent NSP.

Methods: 1608 males and females of mean age 14 years answered questions on their history of NSP (4 measures), and were tested for aerobic fitness, upper and lower limb power, trunk endurance, grip strength, shoulder flexibility, motor competence and anthropometric factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to test for associations between NSP and physical variables.

Results: There were significant gender differences …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Motor Competence And Health-Related Fitness In 14-Year-Old Adolescents, Beth P. Hands, Dawne Larkin, Helen Parker, Leon Straker, Mark Perry

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Physical activity, physical fitness, and motor competence are important health-related constructs. However, the relationship between them, particularly among children and adolescents, is still unclear. In this study, motor competence (measured by the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development), pedometer-determined physical activity and physical fitness (aerobic fitness, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition) were examined in a cohort of 1585 adolescents (771 girls, 814 boys) of mean age 14.1 yrs. Significant gender differences were observed for all measures except motor competence. Apart from hip and shoulder flexibility, males outperformed females. For both males and females, motor competence was associated with …

Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain – Sub-Groups Or A Single Mechanism?, Benedict M. Wand, Neil E. O'Connell

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Low back pain is a substantial health problem and has subsequently attracted a considerable amount of research. Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of a variety of interventions for chronic non-specific low back pain indicate limited effectiveness for most commonly applied interventions and approaches.

Many clinicians challenge the results of clinical trials as they feel that this lack of effectiveness is at odds with their clinical experience of managing patients with back pain. A common explanation for this discrepancy is the perceived heterogeneity of patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. It is felt that the effects of treatment may be …

Systematically Increasing Contextual Interference Is Beneficial For Learning Novel Motor Skills, Jared Marak Porter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Traditionally, contextual interference (CI) has been investigated by the use of extreme low and high levels of CI (blocked and random practice schedules); with results generally suggesting that higher rather than lower amounts of CI facilitated motor skill learning (Magill & Hall, 1990). To better understand the CI effect, two experiments were conducted investigating an alternative form of practice schedule. Practice using this alternative schedule provided novices experiences with systematic increases in CI, which were compared to traditional blocked and random scheduling. Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that practicing variations of the same tasks with systematic increases in CI would …

Novel Methods For The Control Of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), Thomas Michael Mascari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In arid and semi-arid parts of the Old World, Phlebotomus paptasi is a significant biting pest of man and is the primary vector of Leishmania major, the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL). Phlebotomus papatasi exhibits a close association with the burrowing rodents that serve as the reservoirs of L. major. Rodent burrows are considered to be the primary habitat of immature P. papatasi in ZCL foci, and sand fly larvae have been observed feeding on rodent feces. In laboratory studies, five insecticides (diflubenzuron, novaluron, methoprene, pyriproxyfen, or ivermectin) were incorporated into the diet of Syrian hamsters and evaluated …

The Use Endocrine Markers To Predict And Monitor Performance In Strengh [Sic] And Power Activities, Jason B. Winchester

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Hormones are typically considered to be chemical messengers, which are designed to be released from specific cells where they are carried to their target tissues for binding to receptors. It is this binding of a hormone molecule to its specific receptor which allows for an action to occur (Hadley and Levine 2006). Testosterone is the predominant androgen in the majority of mammalian species and is largely responsible for regulation of reproduction and maintenance of sexual function. In addition, in adult mammals, T has multiple other roles including the growth of muscle and bone, hematopoesis, blood coagulation, development and regulation of …

Annual Secondary Production Of Fungal And Bacterial Decomposers Associated With Standing And Benthic Litter Of The Freshwater Emergent Macrophyte, Typha Angustifolia , Brian Matthew Ohsowski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Fungi and bacteria are significant decomposers of plants within wetlands, but annual secondary production investigations are lacking. Microbial carbon assimilation into biomass and CO₂ mineralization may contribute considerably to wetland biogeochemical cycling and energy flow. Naturally-occurring Typha angustifolia detritus was collected to determine annual areal carbon flow through secondary decomposers. Two decay phases, standing-dead and benthic litter, were analyzed concurrently to determine fungal (¹⁴C-acetate incorporation) and bacterial (³H-leucine incorporation) production estimates. Gradual collapse of the 2004 cohort standing-dead stocks resulted in lowest litter biomass at study's end while benthic detrital stocks displayed little biomass fluctuation. …

Rapid Measurements Of Periphytic Responses To Nutrients Using Pam Fluorimetry, Sarah Brooke Whorley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Water quality monitoring has traditionally been done by measuring periphytic algal biomass that has grown on fertilized or unfertilized patches of habitat produced by nutrientdiffusing substrata (NDS). This method requires the destruction of the accumulated periphyton communities and thus does not allow for convenient monitoring through time. Optical fluorometric methods of estimating biomass and photosynthetic activity have been used in saline environments, but generally not over different nutrient treatments and not for a substantial duration. This study evaluated the use of a pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer for measuring biomass and photosynthetic activity in conjunction with NDS over several weeks. …

Comparison Of Long-Term Care Residents' Food Intake, Body Weight, And Food Costs Between Two Meal Service Styles, Dee Murphy

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if residents (n = 26) living in an Iowa long-term care facility had differences in food intake at their noon meal and body weight when served traditional tray meal service for 10 weeks compared to being served restaurant-style meal service for 10 weeks. The study also evaluated the facility’s raw food costs of the two meal service styles.

Mean meal intake scale scores improved when residents were served restaurant-style meal service (0.4±0.3) compared to traditional tray meal service. Residents did not show a significant percent weight (1.1%±3.7%) change or percent BMI (0.9%±3.7%) …

A Survey Of Registered Dietitians' Perceptions Of Constructivist And Behaviorist Instructional Approaches And Delivery Methods In Accredited Dietetics Programs, Martha A. Smith

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This purpose of this research study was to test learning theories and models of teaching (constructivist vs. behaviorist) used in dietetic education programs. Additionally, the focus of accreditation for dietetics education is the quality and integrity of a program regardless of its instructional delivery method. Therefore, this study examined the variations between on-line and on-campus delivery methods.

Research questions that guided this study included:

1) To what extent do educators use constructivist or behaviorist theoretical approaches during instructional delivery?

2) What are the differences in learning between on-line education and oncampus delivery methods?

3) As far as constructivist and behaviorist …

Design Of A Microscopy-Based Screening Method For Stomatal Development Genes In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Mercedes Tatiana Quinteros Perez

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Stomata are microscopic pores in the epidermis of plants that regulate gas exchange and transpiration. Regulation of stomatal behavior offers opportunity for crop improvement; stomata are also useful for research into cell patterning, differentiation, and development. The purpose of this project was to create a reverse genetics, microscopy-based screening method to identify Arabidopsis genes important in guard cell development. It was hypothesized that gene coexpression analysis would facilitate identification of gene candidates involved in stomatal development. Plants harboring mutations in the candidate genes were analyzed to detect a stomatal phenotype, using dental resin impressions and light microscopy. Coexpression screening was …

Molecular Diversity And Coat Protein Expression Of Sweet Potato Leaf Curl Virus, Dina Lida Gutierrez Reynoso

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Leaf curl virus diseases have been reported in sweetpotato throughout the world. One of the causal agents is Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) which belongs to the genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae). In the United States, SPLCV has been found infecting an ornamental sweetpotato and several breeding lines but not in sweetpotatoes grown for commercial production. SPLCV does not cause symptoms on Beauregard, the predominant sweetpotato cultivar in the US, but it can reduce its yield. Since SPLCV could become an important constraint for sweetpotato production; diagnosis, identification, and characterization are essential steps to develop an effective management program. The …

Accelerated Exchange Of Exon Segments In Viperid Three-Finger Toxin Genes (Sistrurus Catenatus Edwardsii; Desert Massasauga), Robin Doley, Susanta Pahari, Stephen P. Mackessy, Manjunatha Kini

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Snake venoms consist primarily of proteins and peptides showing a myriad of potent biological activities which have been shaped by both adaptive and neutral selective forces. Venom proteins are encoded by multigene families that have evolved through a process of gene duplication followed by accelerated evolution in the protein coding region. RESULTS: Here we report five gene structures of three-finger toxins from a viperid snake, Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii. These toxin genes are structured similarly to elapid and hydrophiid three-finger toxin genes, with two introns and three exons. Both introns and exons show distinct patterns of segmentation, and the insertion/deletion …

Editorial, First Science And Policy Issue, Jscas

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Inflammation: The Key To Health And Disease, Prakash Nagarkatti Ph. D, Donald J. Dipette M. D.

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Solution Chemical Synthesis Of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials, Xiaohua Ji, Terry M. Tritt, Xinbing Zhao, Joe W. Kolis

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Phonon Scattering Effects On Thermal Conductivity Of Tinisn-Based Half-Heusler Alloys, S. Bhattacharya, T. M. Tritt, M. J. Skove, M. Russell, S. J. Poon, V. Ponnambalam, Y. Xia, N. Thadhani

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Common Carp (Cyprinus Carpio) Population Characteristics And Recruitment In Two Nebraska Sandhill Lakes, David P. Coulter, Jeffrey C. Jolley, Kris R. Edwards, David W. Willis

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are a non-native fish in the United States. Due to their prolific nature, they may have detrimental effects on fish and waterfowl communities, including those of Nebraska Sandhill lakes. Information regarding population structure, age, and growth of common carp in Nebraska Sandhill lakes is lacking. We examined adult common carp populations from Marsh and Pelican lakes on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. We described size and age structure, growth, and recruitment patterns for these two populations. Age-frequency histograms revealed consistent recruitment of common carp through age 7 in Marsh Lake but inconsistent recruitment in …

Multiple Paths To Critical Reflection: A Flexible Model Of Teacher Learning And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Susan B. Koba, Carol T. Mitchell

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

This research evaluated impact of the Omaha Public Schools' Urban Systemic Program professional development model on mathematics and science teacher change and student achievement. The model offered various participation pathways, focused teachers' learning in three areas (beliefs, content, and pedagogy) and required teacher reflection during classroom strategy implementation. To determine teacher change, observations, interviews, action research, pre-post perception profiles, retrospective pre-post surveys (beliefs and understandings), and exit surveys were completed. Participants' action research determined impact . on students' understandings. Criterion Referenced· Tests, as well as leadership pre- and post- surveys, action research and interviews determined school change. To evaluate program …

Exercise And Diabetes Influence Antioxidant Activity And Gene Expression In Female Rats, Janet E. Steele, Karynn E. Kucera, Cory A. Ciccone, Mary E. Connealy

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The goal of this study was to examine the influence of exercise training and type I diabetes on the activity of aconitase and superoxide dismutase (SOD), on levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), on the expression of genes responsible for glutathione synthesis (Gclc, g-glutamylcysteine synthase; Gss, glutathione synthetase), and on the expression of genes responsible for the formation of two potassium channels (Kcnd2, I_to; KCNQl, I_Ks) in cardiac muscle. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sedentary controls, sedentary diabetics, trained controls, and trained diabetics. Diabetes was induced via streptozotocin injection, and training consisted of …

Mitochondria In Energy-Limited States : Mechanisms That Blunt The Signaling Of Cell Death., Steven Hand, Michael Menze

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Cellular conditions experienced during energy-limited states – elevated calcium, shifts in cellular adenylate status, compromised mitochondrial membrane potential – are precisely those that trigger, at least in mammals, the mitochondrion to initiate opening of the permeability transition pore, to assemble additional protein release channels, and to release pro-apoptotic factors. These proapototic factors in turn activate initiator and executer caspases. How is activation of mitochondria-based pathways for the signaling of apoptotic and necrotic cell death avoided under conditions of hypoxia, anoxia, diapause, estivation and anhydrobiosis? Functional trade-offs in environmental tolerance may have occurred in parallel with the evolution of diversified pathways …

Clostridium Difficile: Comparative Evaluation Of Two Detection Techniques And Characterisation Of Clinical Isolates., Rebecca Dennehy

Theses

Clostridium difficile is one of the most common causes of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. The presence of C difficile in stool samples may be detected by a variety of means including enzyme immunoassays and culture. Enzyme immunoassays detect the presence of the toxins produced by the organism, toxin A and/or toxin B, but are known to lack sensitivity. The aim of this study was to compare the commercial ELISA assay currently used for the detection of C difficile toxins in Waterford Regional Hospital to culture for the organism to selective media. To compare the sensitivity of the two methods serial dilutions …

Participatory Strategic Plan For The Marketing Of Chicken Broilers Produced By Beneficiary Families In The Area Of Influence Of The Benson Institute, In The City Otavalo, A. Lourdes Paola García

Theses and Dissertations

This study was done with the objective of helping families that produce poultry to market their product. Therefore, we determined that it is important to develop a strategic marketing plan to help producers reach their sales targets.
As such, this research is focused on the development of chapters that sustain and support the importance and benefits that will be achieved through the development and execution of the plan. This will help with the satisfaction of demand expectations.
The first chapter shows the theoretical framework, which explains basic concepts about diagnosis, marketing plan, marketing, projects, chicken broilers, and other related topics. …