Life Sciences Commons^™

Drosophila Adult Eye Model To Teach Scanning Electron Microscopy In An Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory, Meghana Tare, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Sarah M. Oros, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

We have devised an undergraduate laboratory exercise to study tissue morphology using fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as the model organism. Drosophila can be reared in a cost effective manner in a short period of time. This experiment was a part of the undergraduate curriculum of the cell biology laboratory course aimed to demonstrate the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique to study the morphology of adult eye of Drosophila. The adult eye of Drosophila is a compound eye, which comprises of 800 unit eyes, and serves as an excellent model for SEM studies. We used flies that …

Remarks On The Stability Of Some Size-Structured Population Models V: The Case When The Death Rate Depends On Adults Only And The Growth Rate Depends On Size Only, M. El-Doma

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

We continue our study of size-structured population dynamics models when the population is divided into adults and juveniles, started in El-Doma (To appear). We concentrate our efforts in the special case when the death rate depends on adults only, the growth rate depends on size only and the maximum size for an individual in the population is infinite. Three demographic parameters are identified and are shown to determine conditions for the (in)stability of a nontrivial steady state. We also give examples that illustrate the stability results. The results in this paper generalize previous results, for example, see Calsina, et al. …

Remarks On The Stability Of Some Size-Structured Population Models Iv: The General Case Of Juveniles And Adults, M. El-Doma

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The stability of some size-structured population dynamics models is investigated when the population is divided into adults and juveniles. We determine the steady states and study their stability. We also give examples that illustrate the stability results. The results in this paper generalize previous results, for example, see Calsina, et al. (2003), El-Doma (2006), Farkas, et al. (2008), and El-Doma (2008 a).

Two-Layered Model Of Blood Flow Through Composite Stenosed Artery, Padma Joshi, Ashutosh Pathak, B. K. Joshi

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper a steady, axisymmetric flow, with a constricted tube has been studied. The artery has been represented by a two-layered model consisting of a core layer and a peripheral layer. It has been shown that the resistance to flow and wall shear stress increases as the peripheral layer viscosity increases. The results are compared graphically with those of previous investigators. It has been observed that the existence of peripheral layer is useful in representation of diseased arterial system.

Common Genetic Variation And The Control Of Hiv-1 In Humans, Jacques Fellay, Dongliang Ge, Kevin V. Shianna, Sara Colombo, Bruno Ledergerber, Elizabeth T. Cirulli, Thomas J. Urban, Kunlin Zhang, Curtis Gumbs, Jason P. Smith, Antonella Castagna, Alessandro Cozzi-Lepri, Andrea De Luca, Philippa Easterbrook, Huldrych F. Gunthard, Simon Mallal, Cristina Mussini, Judith Dalmau, Javier Martinez-Picado, Jose M. Miro, Niels Obel, Steven M. Wolinsky, Jeremy J. Martinson, Roger Detels, Joseph Margolick, Lisa Jacobson, Patrick Descombes, Stylianos E. Antonarakis, Jacques S. Beckmann, Stephen J. O'Brien, Norman L. Letvin, Andrew J. Mcmichael, Barton F. Haynes, Mary Carrington, Sheng Feng, Amalio Telenti, David B. Goldstein, Niaid Center For Hiv/Aids Vaccine Immunology (Chavi)

Biology Faculty Articles

To extend the understanding of host genetic determinants of HIV-1 control, we performed a genome-wide association study in a cohort of 2,554 infected Caucasian subjects. The study was powered to detect common genetic variants explaining down to 1.3% of the variability in viral load at set point. We provide overwhelming confirmation of three associations previously reported in a genome-wide study and show further independent effects of both common and rare variants in the Major Histocompatibility Complex region (MHC). We also examined the polymorphisms reported in previous candidate gene studies and fail to support a role for any variant outside of …

The Acute Effects Of Whole Body Vibration On Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Performance, W. Guy Hornsby, Mark A. South, Ashley Kavanaugh, Andrew S. Layne, G. Gregory Haff, William A. Sands, Marco Cardinale, Michael W. Ramsey, Michael H. Stone

ETSU Faculty Works

Acute exposure to vibration has been suggested to produce transient increases in muscular strength (1,2,8), vertical jump displacement (4,8), and power output (2,6,7) recorded while performing various tasks. It has been hypothesized that the reported acute vibration induced increases in performance occur as a result of alterations in neuromuscular stimulation (1,3,4). Specifically, most studies have ascribed the observed improvements to the likeliness of Whole Body Vibration (WBV) in producing a “tonic vibration reflex” (TVR) in which the primary nerve endings of the Ia afferents of the muscle spindle are activated. This is thought to result in the excitation of the …

Skeleton Weed In Western Australia, Pocket Guide, State Skeleton Weed Committee, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia, Agriculture Protection Board

Bulletins 4000 -

The Skeleton Weed Program is a coordinated approach to eradicating skeleton weed in Western Australia. It is run jointly by the State Skeleton Weed Committee, the Department of Agriculture and the Agriculture Protection Board. It is funded through the skeleton weed levy collected from grain growers each harvest, and pooled in the Skeleton Weed Eradication Trust Fund.

Skeleton weed is targeted as a declared plant as it can drastically reduce crop yields (more than 1 tonne/ha in cereals) by competing for moisture and nutrients, mainly nitrogen. Its wiry stems impede headers and the sticky latex they contain cause machinery to …

Sim-Plete Feeding Trial, Kelsey Johnson

Animal Science

A. An internship with ENI will offer an opportunity to work in the field with horse owners, feeds, marketing, and nutrition. I will be assisting in the placement of a product in the field and evaluating response. It is the first step in evaluating if this product is an appropriate and marketable product.

B. The responsibilities will be to place a new equine feed product with 10-15 horse owners (approximately 30-45 horses) and measure customer response and potential marketability of the product. Including:

1. Delivery of the product
2. Creation of Questionnaires (one will be given before the owners begin feeding the …

The Malawi Project: From Conventional To Holistic Decision Making, Grace Wetmore

Animal Science

How the Cal Poly Malawi Appropriate Technologies Team, and other development groups, can use Holistic Management to aid developing countries in an effort towards a sustainable future.

Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Using Parallelized Rule Induction From Coverings, Leong Lee, Cyriac Kandoth, Jennifer Leopold, Ronald L. Frank

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Protein 3D structure prediction has always been an important research area in bioinformatics. In particular, the prediction of secondary structure has been a well-studied research topic. Despite the recent breakthrough of combining multiple sequence alignment information and artificial intelligence algorithms to predict protein secondary structure, the Q3 accuracy of various computational prediction algorithms rarely has exceeded 75%. In a previous paper [1], this research team presented a rule-based method called RT-RICO (Relaxed Threshold Rule Induction from Coverings) to predict protein secondary structure. The average Q3 accuracy on the sample datasets using RT-RICO was 80.3%, an improvement over comparable computational methods. …

Assessment Of Lactate Response After The Completion Of Three Different Volume Patterns Of Power Clean, Anand Date

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The ability of continuous lactate clearance and the inflection points of the lactate curve are two important determinants of performance of competitive field athletes. Current training practices for improving lactate tolerance such as high intensity aerobic activities and the combination of aerobic and resistance training seem to have undesired physiological adaptations (e.g. muscle loss, change in fiber types). The Role of Explosive power movements in lactate accumulation has not been studied properly. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess lactate response after the completion of three different volume patterns of the power clean movement. Ten male recreational athletes …

Inactivation Of The Fliy Gene Encoding A Flagellar Motor Switch Protein Attenuates Mobility And Virulence Of Leptospira Interrogans Strain Lai, Sumei Liao, Ai-Hua Sun, David M. Ojcius, Senlin Wu, Jinfang Zhao, Jie Yan

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Background: Pathogenic Leptospira species cause leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease of global importance. The spirochete displays active rotative mobility which may contribute to invasion and diffusion of the pathogen in hosts. FliY is a flagellar motor switch protein that controls flagellar motor direction in other microbes, but its role in Leptospira, and paricularly in pathogenicity remains unknown.

Results: A suicide plasmid for the fliY gene of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai strain Lai that was disrupted by inserting the ampicillin resistance gene (bla) was constructed, and the inactivation of fliY gene in a mutant (fliY-) was confirmed by PCR and …

Population Ecology And Reproductive Biology Of The Diamondback Watersnake, Nerodia Rhombifer (Serpentes: Colubridae), In Southernmost Texas, Ruben D. Zamora

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Nerodia rhombifer is a polytypic, semi-aquatic snake with a broad geographical distribution ranging from the American Midwest southward to Chiapas, Mexico. Although relatively abundant throughout much of its range, few ecological studies of the species have been conducted. This study provides basic population ecology information in a subtropical habitat. Population data were obtained in a mark-recapture study at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Hidalgo County, Texas, from August 1995 to December 1998. Specimens taken elsewhere in Hidalgo County provided information on the reproductive biology. This study provides the first absolute density estimates from anywhere within the species’ range. Quantitative information …

Transferability Of Simple Sequence Repeat (Ssr) Markers Developed In Litchi Chinensis To Blighia Sapida (Sapindaceae), Marius R.M. Ekué, Oliver Gailing, Reiner Finkeldey

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Ackee (Blighia sapida, Sapindaceae) is a multipurpose fruit tree species of high economic importance, native to the Guinean forests of West Africa, and belongs to the same family as that of lychee (Litchi chinensis). In this study, a set of 12 primer pairs for simple sequence repeats (SSRs) previously developed for lychee has been evaluated for polymorphism in 16 ackee trees from different populations. Seven primer pairs have been found to be transferable, and four have revealed polymorphisms. However, the average number of alleles per locus has dropped from 4.9 for lychee to 3.7 for ackee. Characterization of the four …

Steinernema Diaprepesi (Nematoda: Steinernematidae): Its Occurrence In Western Mexico And Susceptibility Of Engorded Cattle Ticks Boophilus Microplus (Acari: Ixodidae), Jaime Molina-Ochoa, Khuong B. Nguyen, Martín González-Ramírez, Miguel Guadalupe Quintana-Moreno, Roberto Lezama-Gutiérrez, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) belong to the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae. They infect a wide range of insect hosts and are used to control numerous species of soil borne insect pests (Grewal 2002). We identified EPN genera based on the color of cadavers of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella L., in which Heterorhabditis and Steinernema, produce red and tan colors, respectively, according to Woodring & Kaya (1988). We obtained an isolate of an EPN from sandy loam soil with the Galleria technique (Bedding & Akhurst, 1975) from grasslands in the Campus Tecomán of the Universidad de Colima, and we designated it …

Community Structure And Seasonal Dynamics Of Dactylogyrus Spp. (Monogenea) On The Fathead Minnow (Pimephales Promelas) From The Salt Valley Watershed, Lancaster County, Nebraska, Alaine Knipes, John J. Janovy Jr.

John J. Janovy, Jr. Publications

The gill monogene communities of Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) in three distinct sites on converging streams were investigated from 2004 to 2006 in three different seasons. Thirty collections of P. promelas were made in southeastern Nebraska along three converging tributaries: Elk Creek (40.88534°N, 96.83366°W), West Oak Creek (40.9082°N, 96.81432°W), and Oak Creek (40.91402°N, 96.770583°W), Lancaster County, Nebraska. In all, 103 P. promelas were collected from Elk Creek, 115 from West Oak Creek, and 78 from Oak Creek and examined for gill monogenes. Among the P. promelas collected, 93.5% were infected with up to three species of Dactylogyrus, including Dactylogyrus …

Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus Californicus) Life History, Population Status, Population Threats, And Habitat Assessment Of Conditions At Fort Hunter Liggett, Monterey County, California, Jacquelyn Petrasich Hancock

Master's Theses

The arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus) is a federally endangered species found on Fort Hunter Liggett, Monterey County, California. The species was discovered in 1996 and was determined to occupy 26.7 km of the San Antonio River from approximately 2.4 km northwest of the San Antonio Mission de Padua, to the river delta above the San Antonio Reservoir. The construction of the San Antonio Reservoir dam in 1963 isolated this northern population of arroyo toads. Through time, the Fort Hunter Liggett landscape has changed drastically. The land was heavily grazed by cattle until 1991, which considerably reduced vegetation in riparian areas. …

Identification Of A Conserved Cluster In The Rh Domain Of Grk Critical For Activation By Gpcrs, Faiza Baameur

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

One of the most critical aspects of G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) regulation is their rapid and acute desensitization following agonist stimulation. Phosphorylation of these receptors by GPCR kinases (GRK) is a major mechanism of desensitization. Considerable evidence from studies of rhodopsin kinase and GRK2 suggests there is an allosteric docking site for the receptor distinct from the GRK catalytic site. While the agonist-activated GPCR appears crucial for GRK activation, the molecular details of this interaction remain unclear. Recent studies suggested an important role for the N- and C-termini and domains in the small lobe of the kinase domain in …

The Physiological And Biochemical Understanding Of 5’-Amp Induced Deep Hypometabolism, William G. O'Brien

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Our laboratory’s ability to induce deep hypometabolism (DH) via an injection of adenosine monophosphate (5’-AMP) followed by placement in an ambient temperature (Ta) around 15oC currently can last about 3-9 hours. While we have insight into how 5’-AMP induced hypometabolism is initiated, it remains unclear how arousal from hypometabolism is controlled. Other laboratory members have been unable to prolong this process safely and effectively with previous attempts of re-injecting a dose of 5’-AMP upon arousal or by decreasing the Ta. While these methods worked in suppressing arousal, the mortality rate is also increased. To gather a better understanding of the …

Hydrodynamics Of Freshwater Turtles: Maneuverability, Stability, And Effects Of Shell Shape, Gabriel Rivera

All Dissertations

Aquatic organisms exhibit tremendous diversity in body design and modes of propulsion that can strongly influence locomotor performance. Understanding how such differences affect locomotor performance is a major focus of research in integrative organismal biology and can provide insight into the evolutionary origins of such variation. Turtles are unique among extant tetrapods (i.e., amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) in that they possess rigid bodies. In turtles, the vertebrae are fused dorsally with a bony carapace, precluding movement of the axial skeleton between the base of the neck and the tail. As a result of their immobilized axial skeleton and reduced …

We're Here Now: An Exploratory Study Of The Relationships Between Tourism And Post-Migration Community Participation And Sense Of Community, Jason Draper

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
Research has suggested that visiting a community can result in an inclination (Cuba, 1989) or likelihood of moving there (McHugh, 1990). One reason that may contribute to the decision to move is tourism experiences provide an opportunity for visitors to compare the destination to their current community and determine if voids that exist would be filled should they relocate (Haug, Dann, & Mehmetoglu, 2007). However, should tourists decide to relocate, research is needed that examines how tourists transition to being a resident (Oigenblick & Kirschenbaum, 2002) and policy implications of residential growth. The purpose of this exploratory study was …

Measuring The Impact Of Varied Instructional Approaches In An Introductory Animal Science Course, Brian Bolt

All Dissertations

The objectives of this project were to: evaluate the impact of demographic descriptors (gender, class rank and final grade) on student's self perceived level of engagement in classroom activities; measure the impact of varying teaching styles on a student's likelihood of correctly answering a knowledge based question and: assessing the relationship of knowledge acquisition with their level of engagement. Data were collected on students in the AVS 150, introductory animal science class (n=155) at Clemson University during the fall of 2008. Ten to fifteen minutes of class time were classified as conforming exclusively to one of three types of material …

Sequence Analysis And Characterization Of The Dihydrodiol Dehydrogenase And Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Genes In'' Sphingomonas Paucimobilis'' Epa505, Jaleh Jalili

All Dissertations

A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library was previously constructed from genomic DNA of Sphingomonas paucimobilis EPA505 at Clemson University Genomic institute (CUGI). To isolate and identify the bphB gene from the genome of S. paucimobilis EPA505, a set of primers was designed based on conserved regions of the bphB gene encoding dihydrodiol dehydrogenase of Sphingomonas CHY-1 and Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B1. Routine PCR was performed and a PCR fragment of approximately 500 bp that confirmed the presence of pbhB gene in Sphingomonas paucimobilis EPA505 was produced. Hybridization of the PCR product with BAC library was performed and one hundred two positive …

Observations Of Badgers Preying On Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Daniel S. Licht

The Prairie Naturalist

American badgers (Taxidea taxus) often visit black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies, most likely in search of prey (Lomolino and Smith 2004, Shaughnessy and Cifelli 2004). Badgers are well suited to hunting fossorial prey such as prairie dogs by excavating burrows and capturing individuals belowground (Lindzey 2003). However, the ecological literature is sparse regarding details of how badgers hunt and capture prairie dogs underground. Eads and Biggins (2008) documented three occurrences of a badger excavating prairie dogs. That badger (apparently the same individual) had a den within the prairie dog town where captures occurred. This note …

Mortality Of Cranes (Gruidae) Associated With Powerlines Over A Major Roost On The Platte River, Nebraska, Gregory D. Wright, Timothy J. Smith, Robert K. Murphy, Jeffery T. Runge, Robert R. Harms

The Prairie Naturalist

Two 69-kilovolt powerlines spanning the Platte River in south central Nebraska are suspected to cause substantial mortality to sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) and pose a threat to endangered whooping cranes (G. americana) that roost overnight on the river during spring and fall migrations. Most studies of crane collisions with powerlines in the region have focused on counts of carcasses away from night roosts on the river and none have accounted for potential biases in detecting carcasses. We found 61 carcasses of sandhill cranes below over-river segments of the two powerlines during 4 March to 7 April …

Age Comparisons Of Bone Density And Geometry In Men, Vanessa D. Sherk, Murat Karabulut, Michael G. Bemben, Debra A. Bemben

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to examine tibia bone density and geometry in young and middle aged men, and to explore relationships between pQCT- and DXA-derived body composition variables.

Methods: Healthy males (18-30 years old, n=31; 50-64 years old, n=37) had their total body areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and body composition measured with Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Volumetric bone characteristics, muscle cross-sectional area (MCSA) and fat cross-sectional area (FCSA) of the leg were measured with peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT).

Results: Young men were significantly (p<0.05) lighter and had less fat mass than older men. Total volumetric BMD (vBMD) at 66% of the tibia length was significantly lower (p<0.05) in older men. Bone-free lean body mass values were useful predictors of total and cortical area and content (R(2)=0.338-0.467). MCSA was more predictive of leg BFLBM than total body BFLBM, and those relationships were stronger in older men.

Conclusions: Differences in tibial bone area and density existed between …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2009, D. G. Dombeck, R. D. Bond, I. L. Eldridge, R. M. Pryor

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Corn and grain sorghum performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The tests provide information to companies marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating recommendations for producers.

Alternative Sampling And Analysis Methods For Digital Soil Mapping In Southwestern Utah, Colby W. Brungard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Digital soil mapping (DSM) relies on quantitative relationships between easily measured environmental covariates and field and laboratory data. We applied innovative sampling and inference techniques to predict the distribution of soil properties, soil attributes, taxonomic classes, and dominant vegetation across a 30,000-ha complex Great Basin landscape in southwestern Utah. This arid rangeland was characterized by rugged topography, diverse vegetation, and intricate geology. Environmental covariates calculated from digital elevation models (DEM) and spectral satellite data were used to represent factors controlling soil development and distribution. We investigated optimal sample size and sampled the environmental covariates using conditioned Latin Hypercube Sampling (cLHS). …

A Family Home Evening Based Method For Improving Physical Activity Levels In Families, Megan Maughan Wyatt

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of physical inactivity has been recognized as a risk factor for multiple chronic disease conditions in both adults and children. Recently efforts to increase healthy behaviors have been promoted through religious groups (Ken Resnicow et al., 2002). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has a unique program called Family Home Evening (FHE) that could be used to teach and potentially improve physical activity. Six FHE lessons were designed to be taught in 6 consecutive weeks within a family environment. A total of 84 families (parents and children) were recruited for participation. Participating families were randomized …

Costs Of Implementing Collective Action And Capacity Building Among Pastoralists In Southern Ethiopia, D. Layne Coppock, Seyoum Tezera, Solomon Desta

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Since 2000, the PARIMA project has implemented risk-management activities among semi-settled pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. The goal has been to improve human welfare via collective action and capacity building. Outcomes include progress in income generation, asset conservation, and livelihood diversification. Fifty-nine collective-action groups were created. Dominated by women, they included over 2,000 founding members and groups have recently merged to form 37 cooperatives, consistent with government policy. Creating sustainable impacts via collective action and capacity building requires many inputs. Taking raw, illiterate volunteers and transforming them into sustainable groups took up to three years, on average. Costs of implementing this …