Life Sciences Commons^™

A New Microsporidium In Alfalfa Weevil Populations: Distribution And Characterization, Leellen F. Solter, Stephen J. Roberts, Joseph V. Maddox, Edward J. Armbrust

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A microsporidium species, not previously reported, was found infecting field populations of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica, in Illinois. The pathogen is widely distributed thoughout the state. Percent infection ranged from 1 % to 50% at different collection locations. Characteristics of the microsporidium and possible modes of transmission are presented.

Effects Of Nitrogen Fertilization On Monoterpenes Of Jack Pine Seedlings And Weight Gain Of Jack Pine Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Deborah G. Mccullough, Paul D. Swedenborg, Herbert M. Kulman

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Nine-month old jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings were grown in a greenhouse under four nitrogen fertilization regimes. Levels of total nitrogen and five monoterpenes in new foliage were measured. Fertilization resulted in four significantly different levels of foliar nitrogen; means ranged from 1.8-4.5 percent dry weight. Contrary to predictions of resource availability theory, seedlings grown under the highest fertilization regime had higher foliar monoterpene levels than seedlings in the other treatments. Newly molted, sixth-instar female jack pine budworm (Choristoneura pinus pinus [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]) larvae were allowed to feed for four days on new foliage of the seedlings. …

Dytiscidae And Noteridae Of Wisconsin (Coleoptera). Iii. Distribution, Habitat, Life Cycle, And Identification Of Species Of Colymbetinae, Except Agabini, William L. Hilsenhoff

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Nineteen species of Colymbetinae, excluding Agabini, were collected in Wisconsin over the past 30 years. Included are three species of Colymbetes, two species of Copelatus, three species of Coptotomus, two species of Matus, two species of Neoscutopterus, and seven species of Rhantus. Species keys are provided for adults, but larvae are poorly known and species keys are provided only for larvae of Matus and Neoscutopterus. Information on distribution and abundance in Wisconsin, habitat, life cycle, and identification is provided for each species based on a study of 9,857 adults and 834 larvae. Most …

Solvent Deactivation Of Mimosa Webworm Larval Webbing (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), Robert C. North, Elwood R. Hart, Lu Mingxian

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Untreated larval webbing of the mimosa webworm, Homadaula anisocentra stimulated oviposition. Six-week-old webbing was as active as two-day-old webbing. Stimulatory activity of webbing was lost after rinsing with highly polar solvents, but not after rinsing with nonpolar solvents. Addition of the polar solvent rinses did not induce activity in other substrates nor restore activity to rinsed webbing. No differences in structure were found in a scanning electron microscope examination of unrinsed webbing and webbing rinsed with solvents of varying polarity.

Seasonal Abundance And Species Diversity Of Adult Tabanidae (Diptera) At Lake Lansing Park-North, Michigan, Jeffrey D. Strickler, Edward D. Walker

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A two year study was undertaken to determine the seasonal abundance and diversity of adult deer flies and horse flies, to compare two methods of sampling (Malaise trap and sweep net), and to estimate attack rates by tabanids on people at Lake Lansing Park-North, Ingham County, Michigan, in 1990 and 1991. Tabanids were sampled using dry ice-baited Malaise traps, and by making over- head sweeps with a standard insect net while hiking a trail. Hybomitra spp. (299 individuals of 9 species) peaked in abundance in mid-May to early June in both years. Chrysops spp. (11,675 individuals of 14 species) and …

Seasonal Flight Patterns Of Miridae (Hemiptera) In A Southern Illinois Black Walnut Plantation, J. E. Mcpherson, B. C. Weber, T. J. Henry

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The seasonal flight patterns of 92 species of Miridae collected in window traps in a southern Illinois black walnut plantation are compared with similar data from a North Carolina black walnut plantation. Flying height distributions and seasonal flight activities of Amblytylus nasutus, Deraeocoris nebulosus, Leptopterna dolabrata, Lopidea heidemanni, Lygus lineolaris, and Plagiognathus politus are considered in detail. Six species are newly recorded for Illinois.

Absence Of Behavioral Induction In Oviposition Preference Of Papilio Glaucus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), J Mark Scriber

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This study addressed the possible behaviora induction effects of previous exposure to several specific host plants on subsequent host "preference hierarchy" and "specificity" (i.e .. how far down the ranking order a female will go) the most polyphagous swallowtail butterfly in the world, Papilio glaucus (Papilionidae). Multi-choice preference bioassays using individual females in revolving arenas were used to assess one of the potentially most significant non-genetic sources of variation: learned (or induced) oviposition preferences. Results of the 4-choice studies using tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera; Magnoliaceae), black cherry (Prunus serotina; Rosaceae), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides; …

Morphological Variation And Inter-Relationships Of Quantitative Traits In Enset (Ensete Ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) Germplasm From South And South-Western Ethiopia, Zerihun Yemataw, Alemayehu Chala, Daniel Ambachew, David J. Studholme, Murray R. Grant, Kassahun Tesfaye

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Student Research

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) is Ethiopia’s most important root crop. A total of 387 accessions collected from nine different regions of Ethiopia were evaluated for 15 quantitative traits at Areka Agricultural Research Centre to determine the extent and pattern of distribution of morphological variation. The variations among the accessions and regions were significant (p ≤ 0.01) for all the 15 traits studied. Mean for plant height, central shoot weight before grating, and fermented squeezed kocho yield per hectare per year showed regional variation along an altitude gradient and across cultural differences related to the origin of the collection. Furthermore, …

Smokejumper Obituary: Beavers, Clarence H. (Pendleton 1945), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Managed Relocation: Reducing The Risk Of Biological Invasion, Edward E. Clark Jr., Dan Simberloff, Mark Schwartz, Brent Stewart, John Peter Thompson

National Invasive Species Council

Key Finding

Any organism that is relocated to a novel ecosystem has the potential to become an invasive species or spread “hitching” invasive species, or both. Managed Relocation is not congruent with Executive Order 13112 to the extent that it might facilitate “economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health.” Consequently, the actions by federal agencies or those entities supported by federal funding to engage in managed relocation need to be addressed in a manner consistent with EO 13751 Section 3(3), which compels Agencies to:

Refrain from authorizing, funding, or implementing actions that are likely to …

Advanced Biotechnology Tools For Invasive Species Management, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Increasingly, genetic tools are being used to detect and solve pressing environmental, social, and health-related challenges. It is clear that investments in technology innovation can be game changing, as advances in biotechnology may provide new methods to protect the nation’s resources from the negative impacts of invasive species. The current toolbox of management options is recognizably insufficient to deal with many of the high-impact species that have been introduced. However, “surrendering” to these species is generally not a viable option from ecological, health, economic, socio-cultural, or political perspectives. Cost-efficient solutions to these “grand invasive species challenges” need to be found. …

Nuclear Genome Size Diversity Of Marine Invertebrate Taxa Using Flow Cytometric Analysis, Kyle Roebuck

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Genomic analysis provides a substantial amount of information on evolutionary history, novel genes, transcriptomic expression and regulation in response to environmental stimuli, how efficiently organisms utilize their genome, and directional genome evolution. Genome size analysis serves as the first step in the sequencing process, because sequencing and annotation costs are directly correlated with genome size. Invertebrates represent the vast majority of faunal diversity on the planet, and, to a greater extent, the marine environment, although they are vastly understudied when compared to vertebrate genomes. Flow cytometry is a widely used, reliable, and accurate means of estimating genome sizes and has …

Development And Testing Of An Agricultural Nozzle Clog Detection Device Prototype, Chin Nee Vong

Student Theses and Dissertations

Nozzle clogging during spray application results in poor weed management and increased cost in re-spraying. A device that can detect nozzle clogging during the spraying operation is necessary. A novel method and device for detecting clogged nozzles that is externally attachable to each nozzle on the sprayer’s boom has been developed in the Precision Application Technology Lab at Arkansas State University. The study’s objectives include developing prototypes of this device and comparing the spray droplet size and spray pattern in controlled condition and spray coverage in field condition with and without using the device. The research demonstrated that this new …

Pros And Cons Of Marine Zoological Parks According To Marine Conservationists, Kayla L. Patama

HCNSO Student Capstones

Throughout history zoos and aquariums have satisfied a number of different, albeit to some, conflicting roles (Ballantyne, Packer, Hughes, & Dierking, 2007). In recent years, zoos and aquariums have shifted their focus on taking a proactive role in wildlife conservation and promoting conservation learning among their visitors. The present capstone addresses the justifications that marine conservationists see in marine zoological parks and how they believe parks can become more relevant and valuable in the future. A 65 question survey (Appendix I) was distributed to marine science professionals online through personal contact between June and September 2017 questioning participant’s personal opinions …

Reducing Biomass Recalcitrance By Heterologous Expression Of A Bacterial Peroxidase In Tobacco (Nicotiana Benthamiana), Ayalew Ligaba-Osena, Bertrand Hankoua, Kay Dimarco, Robert Pace, Mark Crocker, Jesse Mcatee, Nivedita Nagachar, Ming Tien, Tom L. Richard

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

Commercial scale production of biofuels from lignocellulosic feed stocks has been hampered by the resistance of plant cell walls to enzymatic conversion, primarily owing to lignin. This study investigated whether DypB, the lignin-degrading peroxidase from Rodococcus jostii, depolymerizes lignin and reduces recalcitrance in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana). The protein was targeted to the cytosol or the ER using ER-targeting and retention signal peptides. For each construct, five independent transgenic lines were characterized phenotypically and genotypically. Our findings reveal that expression of DypB in the cytosol and ER does not affect plant development. ER-targeting increased protein accumulation, and …

A Teachable Unit On Soft Corals With Instructional Method Variances, Emily Breech

Honors Projects

The soft coral Sinularia flexibilis contains an aqueous alcohol extract that has shown antineoplastic activity against lymphocytic leukemia (Weinheimer and Matson, 1977). It also has other biological properties that work as antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory agents, and cytotoxicity activities (Kamel and Slattery, 2005). There is much research on the effects of flow rate on growth and morphology (Khalesi, Beeftink, & Wijffels, 2007) and the effects of light-dependency on growth rate (Khalesi, Beeftink, & Wijffels, 2009). The purpose of this student project was to further research on S. flexibilis, as well as incorporate that research into evaluating the effects of lecture-based teaching …

A Redescription Of The Ichnospecies Koreanaornis Anhuiensis (Aves) From The Lower Cretaceous Qiuzhuang Formation At Mingguang City, Anhui Province, China, Li-Da Xing, Yuan-Chao Hu, Jian-Dong Huang, Qing He, Martin G. Lockley, Michael E. Burns, Jun Fang

Research, Publications & Creative Work

The Cretaceous bird trackway originally labeled Aquatilavipes anhuiensis, in 1994, had previously been examined, photographed and replicated, but never described or illustrated in detail. However, it has been part of a widening discussion about the distribution of Aquatilavipes and Koreanaornis in China (and Korea). Here we illustrate and formally describe the holotype in detail and assign it to Koreanaornis (Koreanaornis anhuiensis) as informally proposed by previous authors. We also demonstrate that most authenticated reports of Koreanaornis, including the Anhui occurrence, are from the Lower Cretaceous, not from the Upper Cretaceous as previously reported.

Enhancing Federal-Tribal Coordination Of Invasive Species, Blaine Parker, Chuck Bargeron, Sean Southey, Lori Buchanan, Miles Falck, Chris Fisher, Joe Maroney, Mervin Wright, Gintas Zavadkas

National Invasive Species Council

Invasive species are defined by the United States government to mean “with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health” (Executive Order [EO] 13751). The ecosystems to which invasive species are introduced or spread are not delimited by jurisdictional boundaries; they intersect with lands managed by federal, tribal, state, territorial, and county governments, as well as properties under private ownership. For this reason, effective coordination and cooperation across jurisdictions is of paramount importance in the prevention, eradication, and control of …

Pembentukan Ubi Mikro Kentang (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Pada Berbagai Komposisi Media In Vitro, Inneke Amalia, Anne Nuraini, Sumadi, Syariful Mubarok, Erni Suminar

Jurnal Kultivasi

Permasalahan umum terkait pada produksi kentang adalah penggunaan benih sumber yang kurang bermutu dan mengalami kemunduran benih. Penelitian bertujuan untuk menentukan zat penghambat tumbuh coumarin, jasmonic acid dan paklobutrazol yang tepat untuk pertumbuhan stek dan pembentukan ubi mikro kentang secara in vitrosehingga dapat digunakan untuk penyediaan bibit berkualitas. Percobaan dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Kultur Jaringan Teknologi Benih Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran Jatinangor, Sumedang, pada bulan Oktober 2015 sampai Mei 2016. Metode percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) yang merupakan kombinasi dari media, retardan coumarin (105 mg L-1 dan 120 mg L-1), paklobutrazol (0.4 mg L-1 dan 1 mg L-1) …

Methylglyoxal Requires Ac1 And Trpa1 To Produce Pain And Spinal Neuron Activation, Ryan B. Griggs, Don E. Laird, Renee R. Donahue, Weisi Fu, Bradley K. Taylor

Physiology Faculty Publications

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a metabolite of glucose that may contribute to peripheral neuropathy and pain in diabetic patients. MG increases intracellular calcium in sensory neurons and produces behavioral nociception via the cation channel transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1). However, rigorous characterization of an animal model of methylglyoxal-evoked pain is needed, including testing whether methylglyoxal promotes negative pain affect. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether methylglyoxal is sufficient to activate neurons in the spinal cord dorsal horn, whether this requires TRPA1, and if the calcium-sensitive adenylyl cyclase 1 isoform (AC1) contributes to MG-evoked pain. We administered intraplantar methylglyoxal and then evaluated …

Comparative Analysis Of Double-Stranded Rna Degradation And Processing In Insects, Indrakant K. Singh, Satnam Singh, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Jayendra Nath Shukla, Subba R. Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

RNA interference (RNAi) based methods are being developed for pest management. A few products for control of coleopteran pests are expected to be commercialized soon. However, variability in RNAi efficiency among insects is preventing the widespread use of this technology. In this study, we conducted research to identify reasons for variability in RNAi efficiency among thirty-seven (37) insects belonging to five orders. Studies on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) degradation by dsRNases and processing of labeled dsRNA to siRNA showed that both dsRNA degradation and processing are variable among insects belonging to different orders as well as among different insect species within …

Prep-Hplc Method Development To Isolate Potentially-Carcinogenic, Arginine-Based Heterocyclic Amines, Victoria S. Kim

Honors Theses

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are carcinogenic molecules generated from the reaction of creatin(in)e and amino acids at high cooking temperatures in meat. Previous research has shown that replacing creatine with arginine leads to new, uncharacterized HCA molecules. This research entails implementing and optimizing the preparative HPLC analysis of extracts from multiple burnings of arginine with phenylalanine. Isolated fractions from the prep-HPLC analysis were further analyzed using the Ames test to identify mutagenic compounds. Prep-HPLC provides quality control to the burning process along with isolation of larger quantities of materials for further characterization and molecular structure identification.

Validation Of Minimally-Invasive Sample Collection Methods For Measurement Of Telomere Length, Stephanie A. Stout, Jue Lin, Natalie Hernandez, Elysia Poggi Davis, Elizabeth Blackburn, Judith E. Carroll, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Objective: The discovery of telomere length (TL) as a biomarker of cellular aging and correlate of age-related disease has generated a new field of research in the biology of healthy aging. Although the most common method of sample collection for TL is venous blood draw, less-invasive DNA collection methods are becoming more widely used. However, how TL relates across tissues derived from these sample collection methods is poorly understood. The current study is the first to characterize the associations in TL across three sample collection methods: venous whole blood, finger prick dried blood spot and saliva.

Methods: TL …

Developmental Nonlinearity Drives Phenotypic Robustness, Rebecca M. Green, Jennifer L. Fish, Nathan M. Young, Francis J. Smith, Benjamin Roberts, Katie Dolan, Irene Choi, Courtney L. Leach, Paul Gordon, James M. Cheverud, Charles C. Roseman, Trevor J. Williams, Ralph S. Marcucio, Benedikt Hallgrímsson

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Robustness to perturbation is a fundamental feature of complex organisms. Mutations are the raw material for evolution, yet robustness to their effects is required for species survival. The mechanisms that produce robustness are poorly understood. Nonlinearities are a ubiquitous feature of development that may link variation in development to phenotypic robustness. Here, we manipulate the gene dosage of a signaling molecule, Fgf8, a critical regulator of vertebrate development. We demonstrate that variation in Fgf8 expression has a nonlinear relationship to phenotypic variation, predicting levels of robustness among genotypes. Differences in robustness are not due to gene expression variance or …

Respon Pertumbuhan Bibit Nilam Aceh (Pogostemon Cablin Benth.) Klon Sidikalang Pada Media Tanam Subsoil Dengan Pemberian Pati Beras Dan Pupuk Hayati, Mira Ariyanti, Cucu Suherman, Intan Ratna Dewi Anjarsari, Dewi Santika

Jurnal Kultivasi

Media tanam berupa topsoil masih menjadi andalan untuk mendukung pertumbuhan tanaman nilam karena kandungan mineral dan bahan organiknya yang tinggi. Seiring dengan pemanfaatannya, ketersediaan topsoil semakin berkurang dan dirasa perlu untuk mencari alternatif lain yaitu dengan memanfaatkan subsoil. Peningkatan unsur hara dalam subsoil dilakukan dengan cara pemberian pupuk organik berupa pati beras dan pupuk hayati. Percobaan dilakukan di Kebun Percobaan Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran Jatinangor pada Juni 2011- September 2011. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok terdiri dari 11 kombinasi perlakuan diulang tiga kali. Perlakuan percobaan meliputi top soil, sub soil + pupuk anorganik N 1.75 g, sub soil + 25 …

Peran Konservasi Tanah Terhadap Cadangan Karbon Tanah, Bahan Organik, Dan Pertumbuhan Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.), Yenni Asbur, Mira Ariyanti

Jurnal Kultivasi

Penerapan konservasi tanah di perkebunan kelapa sawit dapat dilakukan secara vegetatif dan mekanik. Secara vegetatif dengan memanfaatkan tanaman yang banyak tumbuh di bawah tegakan kelapa sawit seperti Asystasia gangetica dan Nephrolepis biserrata sebagai tanaman penutup tanah, sedangkan secara mekanik dengan memotong panjang lereng melalui pembuatan teras gulud. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui peran konservasi tanah terhadap cadangan karbon tanah, bahan organik, dan pertumbuhan kelapa sawit. Penelitian dilaksanakan dari Agustus 2014-April 2015 di perkebunan kelapa sawit (tahun tanam 2005) PTPN VII, Lampung Selatan. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan tersarang faktorial dengan enam ulangan tersarang di dalam perlakuan. Perlakuan terdiri dari teras gulud (tanpa teras …

Pertumbuhan Dan Produksi Pucuk Kolesom Pada Intensitas Cahaya Rendah, Rina Ekawati

Jurnal Kultivasi

Intensitas cahaya rendah merupakan salah satu faktor eksternal lingkungan yang dapat mempengaruhi pertumbuhan suatu tanaman. Intensitas cahaya yang optimal dapat meningkatkan pertumbuhan tanaman. Kolesom merupakan salah satu jenis sayuran fungsional yang dapat digunakan sebagai tanaman obat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari pengaruh intensitas cahaya rendah terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil pucuk kolesom. Percobaan ini dilakukan di Politeknik Lembaga Pendidikan Perkebunan (LPP) Yogyakarta, dari bulan Maret hingga September 2016. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok faktor tunggal dengan 2 taraf perlakuan, yaitu tanpa naungan (N0) dan naungan (N1). Setiap perlakuan diulang tiga kali sehingga terdapat 6 satuan percobaan. Hasil percobaan menunjuk-kan bahwa …

The Pul37 Tegument Protein Guides Alphaherpesvirus Retrograde Axonal Transport To Promote Neuroinvasion, Alexsia L. Richards, Patricia J. Sollars, Jared D. Pitts, Austin M. Stults, Ekaterina E. Heldwein, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

A hallmark property of the neurotropic alpha-herpesvirinae is the dissemination of infection to sensory and autonomic ganglia of the peripheral nervous system following an initial exposure at mucosal surfaces. The peripheral ganglia serve as the latent virus reservoir and the source of recurrent infections such as cold sores (herpes simplex virus type I) and shingles (varicella zoster virus). However, the means by which these viruses routinely invade the nervous system is not fully understood. We report that an internal virion component, the pUL37 tegument protein, has a surface region that is an essential neuroinvasion effector. Mutation of this region rendered …

Validation Of Minimally-Invasive Sample Collection Methods For Measurement Of Telomere Length, Stephanie A. Stout, Jue Lin, Natalie Hernandez, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Judith E. Carroll, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: The discovery of telomere length (TL) as a biomarker of cellular aging and correlate of age-related disease has generated a new field of research in the biology of healthy aging. Although the most common method of sample collection for TL is venous blood draw, less-invasive DNA collection methods are becoming more widely used. However, how TL relates across tissues derived from these sample collection methods is poorly understood. The current study is the first to characterize the associations in TL across three sample collection methods: venous whole blood, finger prick dried blood spot and saliva.

Methods: TL …

In Silico Study Of Newly Synthesized Opioid Analgesics Bound To Three Opioid Receptors, Abdullah Allaoa, Mai Zahran

Publications and Research

Opioids are the most widely used drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe, chronic pain. They achieve antinociception by activation of mu (MOR-1), kappa (KOR-1), and delta (DOR-1) opioid receptors. Natural products found in kratom plant, Mitragyna speciosa, represent diverse chemical groups with opioid activity, providing opportunities to better understand opioid pharmacology. Pharmacology studies show that Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl is a mu agonist/delta antagonist opioid with a signaling bias for G-protein-mediated signaling pathways in vitro and which produced potent antinociception in vivo. Respiratory depression assays along with other behavioral testing also showed that some of the major problems …