Life Sciences Commons^™

In Vitro Antimicrobial And Antioxidant Activities Of Methanol And Hexane Extract Of Astragalus Species Growing In The Eastern Anatolia Region Of Turkey, Ahmet Adigüzel, Münevver Sökmen, Hakan Özkan, Güleray Ağar, Medi̇ne Güllüce, Fi̇kretti̇n Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

This study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the hexane and methanol extracts of the aboveground parts and roots of some Astragalus species grown in the vicinity of Erzurum, located in the eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The methanol extract, which was obtained from the aboveground parts of Astragalus species, exhibited mild free radical scavenging activity providing 50% inhibition at the concentrations between 68.8 and 400.4 \mug/ml. The hexane/dichloromethane extracts of the aboveground parts of Astragalus species did not show any free radical scavenging activity. However, the linoleic acid oxidation inhibition ability of the non-polar extracts seems to …

Comparison Of Gst Isoenzyme Expression In Normal And Neoplastic Breast Tissue: Correlation With Clinical And Prognostic Factors, Serpi̇l Oğuztüzün, Mesude İşcan, Müzeyyen Özhavzali, Serpi̇l Di̇zbay Sak

Turkish Journal of Biology

Glutathione S-transferases in breast tissue play an important role in the susceptibility to the mutagenic effects of chemical carcinogens and in the response of breast tumors to chemotherapy. In this study the immunohistochemical staining characteristics of glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes (alpha, mu, pi, and theta) were investigated in invasive duct carcinomas and in normal breast tissue of 43 patients. The relationships between the expression of the GST isoenzymes and some clinicopathological features were also examined. Diffuse cytoplasmic staining of varying intensity was observed for GST alpha, theta, and pi in normal and tumorous breast tissue in 100% of the samples. In …

The Effect Of Interaction Of Rauwolfia Vomitoria Root Bark Extract With Vitamin E On Rats’ Liver Enzymes, Monday I. Akpanabiatu, Friday E. Uboh, Theresa B. Ekanem, Imeh Ben Umoh, Eyong Ubana Eyong, Sylvanus O. Ukafia

Turkish Journal of Biology

In our previous paper we demonstrated the influence of Rauwolfia vomitoria root bark extract on cardiac enzymes of normal Wistar rats and the effectiveness of this root bark as a source of antihypertensive agent, as determined by the marker enzymes, would be a useful index for the toxicity of this plant in clinical application. In this paper we present the results of the effect of Rauwolfia vomitoria root bark extract and its interaction with vitamin E on the liver function enzymes, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (\gamma-GT), and the …

Production And Characterization Of Multifunctional Endoxylanase By Bacillus Sp. X13, Ashabil Aygan, Burhan Arikan

Turkish Journal of Biology

A multifunctional endoxylanase producing Bacillus sp. was isolated from soil. Enzyme synthesis occurred at temperatures between 20 °C and 60 °C with an optimum 37 °C. Analysis of the enzyme by SDS-PAGE revealed 4 active enzyme bands, which were estimated to be 66.5 kDa, 80.6 kDa, 95.5 kDa, and 108.4 kDa. The enzyme has a broad temperature range, between 20 and 90 °C, with an optimum at 40 °C; and maximum activity was at pH 6.0. The enzyme showed a gradual decrease in the remaining activity as the pre-incubation temperature increase. Thermostability was not also increased in the presence of …

Comparative Susceptibilities Of Six Insect Cell Lines To Infection By Malacosoma Neustria Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Manenpv), İsmai̇l Demi̇r, Nurten Gürel, Remzi̇ye Nalçacioğlu, Zi̇hni̇ Demi̇rbağ

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, 6 lepidopteran cell lines derived from Trichoplusia ni (Tn5), Lymantria dispar (LdElta), Bombyx mori (Bm-5), Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf21), Spodoptera exigua (Se-1), and Choristoneura fumiferana (Cf-124T) were investigated for susceptibility to Malacosoma neustria nucleopolyhedrovirus (ManeNPV) isolated in Turkey. Infection of Malacosoma disstria (Md203) cell line by ManeNPV was used as a control. In ManeNPV-Md203 infection, polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBs) were detected at 36 h p.i. and observed in all infected cells by 120 h p.i., and the infectious virus titer increased 10^3-fold. At 24 h p.i., the efficient replication of viral DNA was detected. In this study, we …

Eicosanoids Act In Nodulation Reactions To Bacteria Serratia Marcescensin Hemipteran Pest, Eurygaster Integriceps, Hasan Tunaz

Turkish Journal of Biology

In insects, nodulation is the first step in cellular defense reactions to bacterial, fungal, and some viral infections. The hypothesis was posed that the hemipteran pest E. integriceps produces melantoic nodulation reactions to bacterial challenge and that eicosanoids mediate these reactions. Treating the adult of E. integriceps with Serratia marcescens induced nodulation reactions in a challenge dose-dependent manner. Injecting the adult E. integriceps with eicosanoid biosynthesis inhibitors, immediately before intrahemocoelic injections of the bacterium Serratia marcescens, sharply reduced the nodulation response to bacterial challenges. Separate treatments with specific inhibitors including dexamethasone (a phospholipase A_2 inhibitor), indomethacin, naproxen, ibuprofen, piroxicam (cyclooxygenase …

Multielement Determination In Fruit, Soaps And Coffee Of Pistacia Terebinthus L. By Icp-Oes, Mehmet Sayim Karacan, Fatma Çağran

Turkish Journal of Biology

Multielement analyses were carried out on whole fruit, soaps, gummy extract, and fresh infusions of Pistacia terebinthus using the ICP OES technique. Digestion processes were optimized in a microwave oven. Qualitatively, the elements Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pd, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Te, Ti, V, W, and Zn were found in the fresh fruit. Al, Cd, and Pb levels in the infusions of gummy extract exceeded the upper limits specified by the Turkish Food Codex and filtration was …

Larvicidal Activity Of Extracts From Three Plumbago Spp Against Anopheles Gambiae, Barasa M. Maniafu, Lwande Wilber, Isaiah O. Ndiege, Cornelius C. Wanjala, Teresa Ayuko Akenga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Three Plumbago spp have been tested for mosquito larvicidal activity. The crude extracts exhibiting the highest larvicidal activity against Anopheles gambiae were hexane (LC50 = 6.4 μg/mL) and chloroform (LC50 = 6.7 μg/mL) extracts from Plumbago zeylanica Linn, chloroform (LC50 = 6.7 ug/mL) extract from Plumbago stenophylla Bull and ethyl acetate (LC50 = 4.1 μg/mL) extract from Plumbago dawei Rolfe. These LC50 values were within 95% confidence limits. 5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (plumbagin) 1 (LC50 = 1.9 μg/mL) and β-sitosterol 2 were characterised from ethyl acetate extract of root bark of P. dawei, a native medicinal plant growing in Kenya, based on spectral …

The Detection And Analysis Of Selected Pathogens In The Water Supply Of Dairy Cohort Herds., Niall Drummond

Theses

The issue of food safety is a growing concern to Irish agriculture and to the food industry. In the last twenty years, many novel pathogens, which can cause concern to the food industry, have been identified. Organisms such as Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) cause hemorrhagic colitis and Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which is the major cause of acute renal failure in children in many countries, and it’s presence in food is a cause of growing concern. Other pathogens causing concern are those implicated as causative agents of Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) and these can be bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms.

Consumption …

Participation And Determinants Of Physical Activity Amongst Irish 3rd Level Students., Jonathan Lerner

Theses

Currently, there is a dearth of research investigating physical activity patterns among Irish third level young adults (17-22 year olds). Both national and international research report that levels of physical activity decline in adolescence, this trend being most pronounced among females. Various biological, psychological, social, and environmental determinants have been found to influence physical activity; however, specific factors associated with the decline in activity during adolescence remain largely unknown. This research study examines participation and determinants of physical activity among Irish third level students.

A “National questionnaire” was administered to a sample of 532 students from Health Education Authority (HEA) …

Honors Convocation Speech (Text And Audio), Jonathan Dey

Honorees for Teaching Excellence

No abstract provided.

When Every Drop Counts: The Public Health Impact Of Drought, Steven Konkel

Environmental Health Planning and Policy

No abstract provided.

Inactivation Of Escherichia Coli In Orange Juice Using Ozone, Sonal Patil, Paula Bourke, Jesus Maria Frias, Brijesh Tiwari, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

This research investigated the efficacy of gaseous ozone for the inactivation of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and NCTC 12900 strains in orange juice. Orange juice inoculated with E. coli (10⁶ CFU mL^-1) as a challenge microorganism was treated with ozone at 75-78µg mL^-1 for different time periods (0-18 min). The efficacy of ozone for inactivation of both strains of E. coli was evaluated as a function of different juice types: model orange juice, fresh unfiltered juice, juice without pulp, and juice filtered through 500mm or 1mm sieves. Fast inactivation rates for total reduction of E. coli …

An Investigation Of The Sensory Properties Of Legumes As Influenced By Irish Consumer's Knowledge And Acceptance., Anne O'Leary, Therese G. Cadden, Ivano Caprioli

Conference papers

The health benefits related to legume consumption are many and varied, however the acceptability of this nutritive food has received very little attention.

The aim of this research is to investigate consumer knowledge of the health benefits associated with regular consumption of legumes and to explore consumer acceptability of legumes.

The study highlights how recipe formulation, consumption patterns, health behaviour and sensory properties all intertwine to shape an individuals acceptance of legumes.

Silver Doped Perfluoropolyether-Urethane Coatings: Antibacterial Activity And Surface Analysis, Niall Stobie, Brendan Duffy, Steven Hinder, Patrick Mchale, Declan Mccormack

Articles

The colonisation of clinical and industrial surfaces with pathogenic microorganisms has prompted increased research into the development of effective antibacterial and antifouling coatings. There is evidence that implanted biomedical surfaces coated with metallic silver can be inactivated by hysiological fluids, thus reducing the bioactivity of the coating. In this work, we report the biofilm inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis using a roomtemperatureprocessedsilver dopedperfluoropolyether-urethane coating. The release of silver ions from these fluoropolymers over a six-day period inhibited bacterial encrustation – as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated differences in carbon, fluorine and sodium surface composition …

Evaluating Acute Toxicity Of Cadmium To Chironomid Using Hemoglobin As A Molecular Biomarker, Jun Taek Oh

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Effects of cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal contaminant, on hemoglobin were investigated in aquatic midge fly larvae of the Family, Chironomidae. In this study, chironomid populations from one polluted site, Kearny Marsh, New Jersey, two reference sites, North East Creek, and Bass Harbor, ME, and a laboratory population were taxonomically identified and tested for their sensitivity to Cd. Heavy metals in tissue, water and sediment were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Water quality at each site was assessed by measuring pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), oxidation-reduction potential ( eH), salinity and temperature. Hemoglobin proteins in individual larvae were easily detected using …

Aryl Ethers From Arenediazonium Tetrafluoroborate Salts: From Neat Reactions To Solvent-Mediated Effects, James A. Shriver, Daniel P. Flaherty, Cameron C. Herr

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A general procedure for the synthesis of various aryl ethers via the thermal decomposition of benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate salts is described. Studies performed in neat alcohol at 60°C gave aryl ethers in yields ranging from 0-73%. Upon completion of a series of reactions, the effect of solvent was explored to expand the scope and relevance of this procedure. It was found that even solvents that are traditionally non-nucleophilic gave rise to products including bi-aryls and N-aryl acetamides. The utilization of an ionic liquid, l-butyl-4-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, resulted in yields comparable to reactions performed in neat alcoholic solvents.

The Freshwater Mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionidae) Of The Channelized Missouri River, Ellet Hoke

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The lower Missouri River has historically been viewed as a fauna! barrier for unionids due to high sediment load. However this survey of the lower (channelized) Missouri River documented the presence of 14 unionid species and the exotic Corbicula fluminea (Muller, 1774). Unionids are present in stable substrates sheltered from the effects of the river's strong currents. Analysis of early literature on the Missouri River suggests reports of an absence of unionids were not based upon thorough fieldwork, and the most commonly cited rationale for their reported absence, the high sediment load in the river, is not convincing. Pre-1938 unionid …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Homocysteine On Development Of Contractions And Expression Of Β-Catenin In Chick Embryo Precardiac Mesoderm, Michelle Lee Formanek

Honors Program Theses

In the chick embryo, homocysteine (Hcys) is teratogenic at elevated levels, causing neural tube defects and cardiac malformations. There is evidence for several Hcys mechanisms of action, including inhibition of cyclin A and cdk2 in the cell cycle, increasing cytosolic calcium levels, and acting as a calcium chelator within adhesion molecules. Elevated Hcys also promotes detachment of endothelial cells, increases migration and proliferation of trunk neural crest cells, and acts as an antagonist to the NMDA receptor that mediates sympathetic pathways to the cardiovascular system. Elevated Hcys' effects on the cell cycle, intracellular and blood calcium levels, and cell proliferation …

The Effect Of Elevated Homocysteine On The Expression Of Cadherins 6b, 7, And 11 In Migrating Neural Crest Cells Of Chick Embryos, Chelsea L. Reinhard

Honors Program Theses

Following neurulation in the chick embryo, the pleuripotent neural crest cells (NCC) migrate from the dorsal neural tube to form a variety of tissues, including the dorsal root ganglia, craniofacial cartilage, melanocytes, and the adrenal medullae. Type II cadherins, calcium-dependent mesenchymal cell adhesion molecules, are expressed in NCCs prior to and during migration, including a period of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Among teratogenic substances known to cause congenital malformations, including heart and neural tube defects, which involve NCCs, homocysteine (Heys) is a natural blood amino acid known to disrupt EMT. The purpose of this thesis was to study the effect of …

Assessing The Potential Habitat Value Of Biomass Production Fields For Grassland Birds, Mandy Larson

Honors Program Theses

In this paper, I researched the habitat requirements of grassland birds in general, including an in-depth analysis of the specific habitat requirements of four selected species: Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Dickcissel (Spiza Americana), Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis). In the second part of my research, I evaluated three possible scenarios that could be used for biomass production in Iowa and reviewed the methods producers employ in establishing and managing their fields. I evaluated area, species diversity, timing of harvest, edge habitats, and fertilizers/chemicals used during production. Then I compared these three biomass production scenarios to the habitat …

What's Up With Fiddler Crabs: Does Larval Dispersal Render Genetic Similarity In The Disjunct Distribution Of Uca Minax (Uca: Ocypodidae)?, Alexa Warwick

Honors Program Theses

The red-jointed fiddler crab, Uca minax, has a disjunct distribution along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in North America. Previous studies have not found any significant discrepancies in morphology, physiology, or allozymes between the two groups of U.minax. The primary objective of this study was to use DNA sequence data to test whether genetic variation is consistent with patterns of morphological, physiological, and allozyme variation of the disjunct populations. We collected mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and nuclear internal transcribed spacer sequences from approximately 100 individuals distributed across the range. Phylogenetic analyses of the haplotypes revealed no genetic differentiation …

Comparison Of Cotton Damage From Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) And Southern Green Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Adults And Nymphs, F. R. Musser, K. S. Knighten, J. T. Reed

Midsouth Entomologist

Tarnished plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) and southern green stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) infest cotton and cause similar symptoms. To increase our understanding of the feeding preferences of these insects so that thresholds and management strategies for these species can be improved, southern green stink bug and tarnished plant bug adults and nymphs were caged on cotton plants containing both squares and bolls. At harvest, bolls were analyzed for lint yield and quality in relation to their position on the plant when infested. The five nodes immediately below the infested flower node (small bolls when infested) had fewer undamaged bolls on …

Insects Associated With Sweetpotato, Ipomoea Batatas (L.), In Mississippi, J. T. Reed, D. E. Fleming, T. L. Schiefer, D. Bao, C. S. Jackson

Midsouth Entomologist

Seventy-two species or genera of insects collected from or observed in commercial sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.]) fields or research plots during a five-year period are listed. Twenty-two species are known to damage sweetpotato storage roots, 13 species are recognized as serious pests of sweetpotato, and 43 species have the potential for feeding on sweetpotato foliage. The primary root-damaging pests are beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Brentidae, Curculionidae, Elateridae and Scarabeidae), and noctuid moth larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Other insects from the orders Hemiptera (8 species), Lepidoptera (9 species), Orthoptera (1 species), and Thysanoptera (3 species) are listed. Thrips, aphids, and several beetle species …

Examination Of The Internal Morphology Of The Ixodid Tick, Amblyomma Maculatum Koch, (Acari: Ixodidae); A “How-To” Pictorial Dissection Guide, K. T. Edward, J. Goddard, A. S. Varela-Stokes

Midsouth Entomologist

There is inadequate documentation of how to dissect ticks, a process required for many tick and disease studies. While the literature may contain numerous line drawings and instructions describing the process, none is adequate for the novice tick dissector. We present a “how-to” description and pictorial essay outlining our approach to tick dissection. The ticks used in this study were adult male and female Gulf Coast ticks, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, though the methods described herein could be applied to any species. None of the A. maculatum specimens we dissected adequately demonstrated ovaries, so we used one female A. americanum L.tick …

The Discovery And Pursuit Of American Boutonneuse Fever: A New Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis', J. Goddard, A. Varela-Stokes

Midsouth Entomologist

There is a new tick-borne disease similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) that was recently described from the southern United States. Cases of the disease are a subset of reported RMSF cases and therefore constitute a “disease within a disease.” The causative agent of this RMSF-like disease, however, is Rickettsia parkeri as opposed to R. rickettsii, the pathogen causing RMSF. Both organisms are in the spotted fever group (SFG) of rickettsiae, cross-react in laboratory tests used to diagnose RMSF, and therefore are difficult to differentiate serologically. The new malady has been tentatively named “American Boutonneuse Fever” (ABF) based on …

Evaluation Of Pre-Plant And Lay-By Soil-Incorporated Insecticides For Control Of Sweetpotato Pests, J. T. Reed, D. Bao, C. S. Jackson, D. Cook

Midsouth Entomologist

Pre-plant-incorporated and lay-by incorporated insecticides were evaluated for efficacy against foliage- and root-feeding insect pests of sweetpotato in a field in Calhoun Co., MS.

Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes Flavipes) Found Damaging Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas) In Mississippi, D. E. Fleming

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

The Regulatory Corner: Citrus Not So Green With Citrus Greening, H. Fulton

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.