Life Sciences Commons^™

Pleiotrophin And Its Role In Regulating Haemopoietic Stem Cell Regeneration, Rebecca Smith

Masters

HSCs are cells that have the capacity to self renew, proliferate and differentiate, providing cells of the mature blood system throughout a lifetime. The concept of such a cell was first considered in 1961 subsequent to the injection of healthy marrow into a lethally irradiated recipient mouse which mediated the reconstitution of mature blood cells in the irradiated host(Till and Mc Culloch, 1961). This finding provided preliminary experimental evidence that all of the blood cells were derived from a single type of progenitor cell, also known as HSC. The majority of mature blood cells have a limited life span, red …

Stream Invertebrate Responses To A Catastrophic Decline In Consumer Diversity, Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, Matt R. Whiles, Karen R. Lips, Catherine M. Pringle, Susan Kilham, Roberto Brenes, Scot D. Peterson

Biology: Faculty Publications

Tadpoles are often abundant and diverse consumers in headwater streams in the Neotropics. However, their populations are declining catastrophically in many regions, in part because of a chytrid fungal pathogen. These declines are occurring along a moving disease front in Central America and offer the rare opportunity to quantify the consequences of a sudden, dramatic decline in consumer diversity in a natural system. As part of the Tropical Amphibian Declines in Streams (TADS) project, we examined stream macroinvertebrate assemblage structure and production for 2 y in 4 stream reaches at 2 sites in Panama. One site initially had healthy amphibians …

Cell-Cell Junction Signaling Regulating Dna Double-Strand Break Repair In Breast Cells, Sinduja Ethiraj

Theses and Dissertations

Genomic instability and acquisition of invasiveness through the basement membrane extracellular matrix (ECM) are two major processes for epithelial cell malignancy in breast cancer. DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) is one of the processes that get misregulated during breast cancer progression. In addition, radiation induced breaks such as those induced during radiation therapy to treat breast cancer patients are repaired by DSBR, rendering this pathway relevant for therapy as well. DSBR can occur either by homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). HR is accepted as the more error-free pathway. HR is regulated by the cell cycle status such that …

Temporal Variations Of Surface Phytoplankton, Nutrients And Chlorophyll A In The Dardanelles (Turkish Straits System): A Coastal Station Sample In Weekly Time Intervals, Muhammet Türkoğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, weekly distributions of inorganic nutrients and phytoplankton cell volumes were investigated in relation to the hydrology of the Dardanelles. The data were collected between March 2001 and March 2002. NO^{-}_{2}+NO^{-}_{3}, PO_{4}^{-3}, and SiO_4 concentrations ranged between 0.050-6.887 µM, 0.051-1.152 µM, and 0.64-10.74 µM, respectively. During the study, the highest nutrient values were measured between late fall and mid-winter. Inorganic N:P and Si:P ratios in the surface water were lower due to high PO_{4}^{-3} concentrations. The chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 8.67 µg L^{-1}. Phytoplankton cell density and cell volume ranged from 1.54E + 05 to …

The Interactive Effect Of Heavy Metals And Uv-B Radiation On Two Cucumber Cultivars, Shweta Mishra, Suruchi Singh, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Shashi Bhushan Agrawal

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of supplemental UV-B (sUV-B) irradiance, and Cd and Ni treatment alone and in combination were evaluated on heavy metal accumulation, and growth, biomass, and yield responses in 2 cucumber cultivars (Cucumis sativus L. cultivars Local Super Green and Tripti-19). Responses to the combined application of Cd and Ni in both cultivars were antagonistic. Cultivar Tripti-19 showed more sensitivity in terms of yield response towards sUV-B and heavy metals than did Local Super Green. sUV-B exposure increased the concentration of Cd/Ni in the roots, shoots, and fruits of cucumber plants, as compared to the unexposed plants. Bioaccumulation of Cd, …

Cadmium-Induced Antioxidant Status And Sister-Chromatid Exchanges In Vicia Faba L., Serpi̇l Ünyayar, Ayşi̇n Güzel Değer, Ayla Çeli̇k, Fazi̇let Özlem Çeki̇ç, Sertan Çevi̇k

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of cadmium (Cd) on antioxidant responses and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were studied in Vicia faba L. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR), and the levels of ascorbate (ASC), glutathione (GSH), hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA, indicator of lipid peroxidation) were measured. Genotoxicity was evaluated by measuring the changes in the mitotic index (MI) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE). Increased activities of SOD and CAT were observed in plants treated with 50 and 100 µM Cd. It was found that APX activity increased remarkably with 50 µM Cd, but …

A Native Glomus Sp. From Fields In Aydın Province And Effects Of Native And Commercial Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants On The Growth Of Some Vegetables, Ayhan Yildiz

Turkish Journal of Biology

Seventy soil samples were collected from 25 different plant varieties grown in fields in Aydın province. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were found in 59 soil samples; 58 of these were identified as Glomus sp. and 1 as Gigaspora sp. Due to its adaptation characteristics, growth rates, and colonization properties, Glomus sp. was selected for further study. The effects of Glomus sp. and BioOrganics (Glomus aggregatum, G. clarum, G. deserticola, G. intraradices, G. monosporus, G. mosseae, Gigaspora margarita, and Paraglomus brasilianum) on tomato, pepper, and cucumber plant development were evaluated. The indigenous Glomus sp. showed positive effects on cucumber and tomato …

Siderophore, Hemolytic, Protease, And Pyrazinamidase Activities And Antibiotic Resistance In Motile Aeromonas Isolated From Fish, Belgi̇n Erdem, Ergi̇n Kari̇ptaş, Tayfun Kaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

A total of 120 fresh water fish samples were evaluated for the presence of Aeromonas spp. A. hydrophila, A. caviae, and A. veronii bv. sobria were isolated from the gills, intestines, livers, and skins of fish, and 78 isolated Aeromonas spp. strains were further examined for siderophore, hemolytic, protease, and pyrazinamidase activities and antibiotic resistance. Siderophore production was demonstrated in almost all of the A. hydrophila and A. caviae strains except for 2 strains of A. veronii bv. sobria. The strains identified as A. hydrophila and A. veronii bv. sobria were the stronger producers of hemolysin, whereas the A. caviae …

Callus Culture From Leaf Blade, Nodal, And Runner Segments Of Three Strawberry (Fragaria Sp.) Clones, Manosh Kumar Biswas, Monzur Hossain

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present investigation was conducted to study the effects of auxin and cytokinin on callus induction from leaf blade, nodal, and runner segments of 3 strawberry clones. Among the 32 media combinations tested, 4.0 mg/L NAA + 1.5 mg/L IBA yielded the highest percentage of callus in all types of explants. The rate of adventitious shoot regeneration from callus was also influenced by explant type and concentration of BA in MS medium. The highest shoot regeneration rate was observed in leaf derived callus of clone Rabi-01 on media having 3 mg/L BA. Adventitious shoots were rooted, acclimatized, and subsequently transplanted …

The Effects Of The Pho85 Signaling Pathway On The Invertase Biosynthesis And Glucose Uptake In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Sezai̇ Türkel, Eli̇f Arik

Turkish Journal of Biology

Glucose signaling controls a wide range of metabolic events in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Glucose sensing and signaling processes require a variety of membrane-bound and cytoplasmic sensor proteins. Pho85p is a cyclin-dependent protein kinase that controls different metabolic events upon binding to its cyclin partners in the cytoplasm of yeast cells. In this study, we investigated the roles of Pho85p in the glucose signaling pathways that control invertase biosynthesis and glucose uptake in yeast. The biosynthesis of invertase enzyme from the SUC2 gene is controlled by glucose repression and derepression mechanisms in S. cerevisiae. However, the results of this research …

Antioxidant And Antibacterial Activities Of Ranunculus Marginatus Var. Trachycarpus And R. Sprunerianus, Gülen İrem Kaya, Nehi̇r Ünver Somer, Si̇bel Konyalioğlu, H. Tansel Yalçin, N. Ülkü Karabay Yavaşoğlu, Buket Sarikaya, Mustafa Ali̇ Onur

Turkish Journal of Biology

Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Ranunculus marginatus d'Urv. var. trachycarpus (Fisch. & Mey.) Azn. and R. sprunerianus Boiss. were tested in vitro for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by DPPH radical scavenging and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays. Methanol extracts showed the highest antioxidant activity in both assays. The total phenolics in the extracts were determined colorimetrically by using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. The total flavonoid content of the extracts was evaluated by a spectrophotometric method. The results obtained in the antioxidant activity tests were in positive correlation with the total …

Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activities Of An Aquatic Plant: Duckweed (Lemna Minor L.), İlhami̇ Gülçi̇n, Ekrem Ki̇reçci̇, Ebru Akkemi̇k, Fevzi̇ Topal, Olcay Hi̇sar

Turkish Journal of Biology

Duckweed (Lemna minor L. Lemnaceae) is a widespread, free-floating aquatic macrophyte, a source of food for waterfowl and a shelter for small aquatic invertebrates. It grows quickly and reproduces faster than other vascular plants. The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant, antiradical, antimicrobial, and anticandidal activities of duckweed using different in vitro methodologies. For evaluation of antioxidant and antiradical activities, 2,2´-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS.+) radical scavenging, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH.) free radical scavenging, total antioxidant activity by ferric thiocyanate, total reducing power by potassium ferricyanide reduction method, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and ferrous ions chelating activities were …

Evaluation Of Hypoglycemic And Hypolipidemic Activity Of Buteamonosperma Fruit In Diabetic Human Subjects, Fizza Naeem, Sohail Hassan Khan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Evaluation of the hypoglycemic activity of local Butea monosperma (Palas papra) fruit in normal and diabetic human volunteers was conducted. Sampling was accomplished in and around the city of Faisalabad, especially at the Khadija Mahmood Trust Hospital and at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Volunteers were categorized into normal and diabetic subjects on the basis of their blood glucose levels. Male and female diabetic volunteers aged between 30 and 60 years participated in the study. All the diabetic volunteers suffered from diabetes type II, i.e. non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The subjects were divided into 5 groups as follows: Group …

Importance Of Contact Chemical Cues In Host Recognition And Acceptance By The Braconid Larval Endoparasitoids Cotesia Sesamiae And Cotesia Flavipes, Meshack Obonyo, Fritz Schulthess, Bruno Le Ru, Johnnie Van Den Berg, Jean François Silvain, Paul André Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The ability of the congeneric braconid parasitoids Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) and Cotesia flavipes Cameron to discriminate between stemborer larval cues upon contact was studied using their natural hosts, namely the noctuid Busseola fusca (Fuller) and the crambid Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), respectively, and the pyralid non-host Eldana saccharina (Walker). When the natural host larvae were washed in distilled water, parasitoid behavior was similar to that displayed when in contact with E. saccharina, characterized by the absence of ovipositor insertion. When washed host or non-host larvae were bathed with water extracts of their natural host, the parasitoids showed a significant increase in …

Geographic And Breed Distribution Patterns Of An A/G Polymorphism Present In The Mx Gene Suggests Balanced Selection In Village Chickens, S. Ommeh, L. N. Jin, H. Eding, F. C. Muchadeyi, S. Sulandari, M. S.A. Zein, G. Danbaro, C. E. Wani, S. G. Zhao, Q. H. Nie, X. Q. Zhang, M. Ndila, R. Preisinger, G. H. Chen, I. A. Yousif, K. N. Heo, S. J. Oh, M. Tapio, D. Masiga, O. Hanotte, H. Jianlin, S. Weigend

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An A/G Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) at position 1,892 of the Mx gene coding sequence has been linked to susceptibility/resistance to avian viral infection in vitro. Using PCR-RFLP and sequencing methods, 1,946 samples from 109 populations from Asia, Africa and Europe; grouped as indigenous village, commercial, fancy chicken as well as wild junglefowl were genotyped for the polymorphism. Allele and genotype frequencies were calculated. Only the G allele was present in Ceylon junglefowl Gallus lafayetti. Using the wild red junglefowl G. gallus population as reference, we assessed if the A/G alleles and genotypes frequencies have been affected by the breeding …

Phage Lysins - Structure, Genetics And Applications, Jennifer Garry

Theses

Antibiotics are of the utmost importance in the fight against pathogenic bacteria, however, in recent years there has been a continual increase in the development of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. As a result it has become essential to develop new technologies to combat these pathogens. One such technology is the application of phage lysins as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic infections. A promising phage lysin is LysK, a 495 amino-acid protein derived from Staphylococcal Phage K. LysK can lyse a wide range of staphylococcal species including MRSA. It is also capable of killing both live and dead cells increasing its potential …

Biosynthesis Of Exopolysaccharides From Lactic Acid Bacteria And Evaluation Of Their Prebiotic Potential, Colette Ann Forde

Theses

In this study, two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) namely Weissella kimchii F28 and W. confusa MGl were used for the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from sucrose. Both strains produced glucan polysaccharides. In the case of W. kimchii F28, the EPS isolation procedure was performed six times, making modifications in order to optimize the yield of EPS. The maximum yield of EPS for this strain was 16 g per litre of culture. In the case of W. confusa MGl, the EPS isolation procedure was followed five times, resulting in a maximum yield of EPS for this strain of 34.4 …

Detection And Molecular Characterization Of Canine Enteric Viruses In Southern Ireland., Susan Mcelligott

Theses

Enteric viruses, such as canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV), are a major cause of gastroenteritis in dogs. More serious clinical symptoms occur in young pups, or when both of these viruses infect an animal simultaneously. Caliciviruses and rotaviruses can also cause gastroenteritis in dogs, but these viruses, while causing significant problems in other animal species and humans, are considered to be less significant pathogens of canines. However, on occasion, these viruses have been reported to produce severe clinical symptoms such as vomiting, haemorrhagic enteritis and severe dehydration.

Many viral vaccines for canines are formulated using old vaccine viral …

Automated Interpretation Of The Tandem Mass Spectra Of Peptides Using Artificial Neural Networks, Timothy Patrick Manning

Theses

The manual interpretation of mass spectra is a complex and time consuming task. The problem of manually interpreting this data is further exacerbated by the large numbers of mass spectra which can potentially be produced in a single proteoniics experiment. This shows the need for high throughput approaches to the interpretation of mass spectra. Existing automated approaches are however error prone due to the complexity of the task. Accordingly, this thesis discusses and evaluates the application of neural networks to improving the sensitivity, specificity and robustness of current approaches to the automated interpretation of such mass spectral data.

Several neural …

Purification And Properties Of Amycolatopsis Mediterranei Dsm 43304 Lipase And Its Potential In Flavour Ester Synthesis, Dharmendra Dheeman, Gary Henehan, Jesus Maria Frias

Articles

An extracellular thermostable lipase from Amycolatopsis mediterranei DSM 43304 has been purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by anion exchange chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. This protocol resulted in 398 fold purification with 36% final recovery. The purified A. mediterranei DSM 43304 lipase (AML) has an apparent molecular mass of 33 kDa. The N-terminal sequence, AANPYERGPDPTTASIEATR, showed highest similarity to a lipase from Streptomyces exfoliatus. The values of and for p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP) under optimal temperature (60°C) and pH (8.0) conditions were 0.10 ± 0.01 mM and 2.53 ± 0.06 mmol/minmg, respectively. The purified …

Postharvest Hardness And Color Evolution Of White Button Mushrooms (Agaricus Bisporus)., Debabandya Mohapatra, Zuberi M. Bira, Joseph Kerry, Jesus Maria Frias, Fernanda A.R. Oliveira

Articles

The quality evaluation of mushrooms was studied by storing fresh white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) for 6-8 days, at various controlled temperature conditions (3.5 -15°C) and measuring the instrumental textural hardness and color of the mushroom cap for different product batches. A non linear mixed effect weibull model was used to describe mushroom cap texture and color kinetics during storage considering the batch variability into account. Storage temperature was found to play a significant role in controlling texture and colour degradation. On lowering storage temperature i) the extent of the final browning extent in the mushroom after storage …

Substrate Profiling And Aldehyde Dismutase Activity Of The Kvβ2 Subunit Of The Mammalian Kv1 Potassium Channel, A. Kumari, Barry Ryan, J. Dolly, Gary Henehan

Articles

Voltage-dependent potassium channels (Kv) are involved in various cellular signalling processes by governing the membrane potential of excitable cells. The cytosolic face of these α subunit-containing channels is associated with β subunits that can modulate channel responses. Surprisingly, the β subunit of the mammalian Kv1 channels, Kvβ2, has a high level of sequence homology with the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily of proteins. Recent studies have shown that Kvβ2 can catalyze the reduction of aldehydes and, most significantly, that channel function is modulated when Kvβ2-bound NADPH is concomitantly oxidized. As a result, the redox chemistry of this subunit is crucial to …

Enhancement Of The Antibacterial Properties Of Silver Nanoparticles Using Beta-Cyclodextrin As A Capping Agent, Swarna Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Niall Stobie, Patrick Mchale, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by reducing silver salts using NaBH4 followed by capping with varying concentrations of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and were physically characterised. Antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was determined by a microtitre well method. The AgNPs were spherical under TEM while DLS showed average diameters of capped particles to be smaller (4-7 nm) than their uncapped equivalents (17 nm). Capped particles demonstrated superior photostability when exposed to intense UV radiation for 4 hours and a significantly (p

High Crimes, Not Misdemeanors: Deterring The Production Of Unsafe Food, Rena I. Steinzor

Faculty Scholarship

In the fall of 2008, Minnesota public health officials became alarmed by an unusually high number of illnesses and deaths caused by salmonella poisoning. Federal and state regulators and the news media eventually traced the outbreak back to products supplied by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). Employees shipped batches that tested positive for salmonella from a plant with a leaking roof, mold growing on ceilings and walls, rodent infestation, filthy processing receptacles, and feathers and feces in the air filtration system. Under an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Georgia state inspectors visited the PCA plant nine …

Nih Guidelines On Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research In Context: Clarity Or Confusion?, Karen H. Rothenberg, Michael R. Ulrich

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Dietary Patterns And Markers For The Metabolic Syndrome In Australian Adolescents, Gina L. Ambrosini, Rae-Chi Huang, Trevor A. Mori, Beth P. Hands, Therese O'Sullivan, Nicholas H. De Klerk, Lawrence J. Beilin, Wendy H. Oddy

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background and Aims: Overweight and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as their clustering, or the metabolic syndrome, are increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents. We examined dietary patterns, CVD risk factors, and the clustering of these risk factors, in 1139 14 year olds living in Western Australia.

Methods and Results: Usual dietary intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Two dietary patterns, ‘Western’ and ‘Healthy’, were identified using factor analysis. Associations between these dietary patterns and BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting levels of serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL C, LDL C, triglycerides …

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques For Chronic Pain In Adults, Neil E. O'Connell, Benedict M. Wand, Louise Marston, Sally Spencer, Lorraine H. De Souza

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Description of the condition: Chronic pain is a common problem. When defined as pain of greater than three months duration, prevalence studies indicate that up to half the adult population suffer from chronic pain, and 10 to 20% experience clinically significant chronic pain (Smith 2008). In Europe 19% of adults experience chronic pain of moderate to severe intensity with serious negative implications for their social and working lives and many of these receive inadequate pain management (Breivik 2006). Chronic pain is a heterogenous phenomenon that results from a wide variety of pathologies including chronic tissue injury such as arthritis, peripheral …

Body Mass Index, Adiposity Rebound And Early Feeding In A Longitudinal Cohort (Raine Study), Paola Chivers, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker, Max K. Bulsara, Lawrence Beilin, Garth Kendall, Wendy Oddy

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: This study examined the influence of type and duration of infant feeding on adiposity rebound and the tracking of body mass index (BMI) from birth to 14 years.

Methods: A sample of 1330 individuals over eight follows-ups was drawn from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. Trajectories of BMI from birth to adolescence using linear mixed model (LMM) analysis investigated the influence of age breastfeeding stopped and age other milk introduced (binomial 4-month cut-point). A sub-sample of LMM predicted BMI was used to determine BMI and age at nadir for early infant feeding groups.

Results: Chi square analysis …

Carbohydrate Sources And Maximizing The Use Of Supplemental Amino Acids In Diets For Weanling Pigs, Victor D. Naranjo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of this research were 1) to determine the effect of replacing dried whey (DW) with milk chocolate product (MCP), dried whey permeate (DWP) with candy oats (CO), and spray-dried plasma protein (SDPP) with a novel swine nutritional supplement (SNS) on growth performance of weanling pigs, and 2) to determine the maximum level of supplemental L-Lys, along with DL-Met, L-Thr, and L-Trp that can be added in diets for 6- to 12 and 13- to 23-kg pigs. Three experiments were conducted to compare the feeding value of MCP (20% lactose and 60% sugars) and DW (70% lactose). Results from …

Continued Viability: A Review Of The Life Sciences Library At Indiana University In A Time Of Institutional Change And Proposed Branch Library Downsizing, J B. Hill, Brian Winterman

Faculty Scholarship

There has been a growing realization that academic libraries need to change to serve a new generation of learners and researchers. Efforts to enhance the "Main Library" on campus with extended hours, coffee shops, and information commons have created modern, user-friendly environments that support changing student needs and expectations.  Generally fewer resources have been given to upgrading smaller branch libraries. The need to modernize older spaces along with the availability of electronic collections, campus demands for classroom/lab space and financial pressures on libraries have prompted a rethinking of the role of branch libraries. Actively pursuing initiatives to re-envision library spaces …