Life Sciences Commons^™

Mechanosensitive Channels: What Can They Do And How Do They Do It?, Elizabeth S. Haswell, Rob Phillips, Douglas C. Rees

Biology Faculty Research

While mechanobiological processes employ diverse mechanisms, at their heart are force-induced perturbations in the structure and dynamics of molecules capable of triggering subsequent events. Among the best characterized force-sensing systems are bacterial mechanosensitive channels. These channels reflect an intimate coupling of protein conformation with the mechanics of the surrounding membrane; the membrane serves as an adaptable sensor that responds to an input of applied force and converts it into an output signal, interpreted for the cell by mechanosensitive channels. The cell can exploit this information in a number of ways: ensuring cellular viability in the presence of osmotic stress and …

A New Species Of Westralianus Boucek 1988 (Hymenoptera:Torymidae: Megastigminae) From Turkey, Mi̇kdat Doğanlar

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A new species of the Australian genus Westralianus Boucek (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Torymidae) is described from Altınözü, Hatay, Turkey. Some new diagnostic characters of the genus are provided by inclusion of a second species in the genus. The new species, W. altinoezus n.sp., is compared with the type species, W. microstigma Boucek 1988. The new species was recorded as a parasitoid of caterpillars of an unknown species of Lepidoptera living in galls of Gymnosporangium confusum (Uredinales: Pucciniaceae) on shoots of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. A description of the new species is provided and its diagnostic characters are photographed.

Review Of Palearctic And Australian Species Of Bootanomyia Girault 1915 (Hymenoptera: Torymidae: Megastigminae), With Descriptions Of New Species, Mi̇kdat Doğanlar

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The world species of Bootanomyia Girault (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Torymidae) are reviewed. Nine species are transferred from Megastigmus to Bootanomyia as new combinations: B. almusiensis (Doğanlar, 1989), B. dorsalis (Fabricius 1789), B. dumicola (Boucek 1982), B. habui (Kamijo, 1962), B. maculipennis (Yasumatsu and Kamijo, 1979), B. nipponicus (Yasumatsu and Kamijo, 1979), B. stigmatizans (Fabricious 1789), B. synophri (Mayr 1874), and B. zhaoi (Xu & He, 2003). Megastigmus bohemanii Ratzeburg, 1848 is reinstated as a species from synonymy under M. dorsalis Fabricius and transferred to Bootanomyia as B. bohemanii (Ratzeburg, 1848) (comb. and status n.). Seven species are described as new species: …

Nutritional Properties Of The Invasive Lionfish: A Delicious And Nutritious Approach For Controlling The Invasion, James A. Morris, Jr., Amber Thomas, Andrew L. Rhyne, Nancy Breen E. Breen, Lad Akins, Barry Nash

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles, are native to the Indo-Pacific and have recently invaded the Western Atlantic Ocean. Strategies for control of this invasion have included limited removal programs and promotion of lionfish consumption at both local and commercial scales. We demonstrate that lionfish meat contains higher levels of healthy n-3 fatty acids than some frequently consumed native marine fish species. Mean lionfish fillet yield was 30.5% of the total body wet weight, a value that is similar to that of some grouper and porgy species. A sensory evaluation indicated that lionfish meet the acceptability threshold of most consumers.

Society For The Advancement Of Biology Education Research (Saber), Erika G. Offerdahl, Teri Balser, Clarissa Dirks, Kathryn Miller, Jennifer L. Momsen, Lisa Montplaisir, Marcy Osgood, Karen Sirum, Mary Pat Wenderoth, Brian White, William B. Wood, Michelle Withers, Robin Wright

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Two Mechanosensitive Channel Homologs Influence Division Ring Placement In Arabidopsis Chloroplasts, Margaret E. Wilson, Gregory S. Jensen, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

Chloroplasts must divide repeatedly to maintain their population during plant growth and development. A number of proteins required for chloroplast division have been identified, and the functional relationships between them are beginning to be elucidated. In both chloroplasts and bacteria, the future site of division is specified by placement of the Filamentous temperature sensitive Z (FtsZ) ring, and the Min system serves to restrict FtsZ ring formation to mid-chloroplast or mid-cell. How the Min system is regulated in response to environmental and developmental factors is largely unstudied. Here, we investigated the role in chloroplast division played by two Arabidopsis thaliana …

Communication For Mate Selection In Anurans: Dominant Frequency Versus Snout-Vent-Length, Shari Jean Kunert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

How Are The Torres Strait Islander's Traditional Hunting Practices Affected By The Current Rate Of Decline In Dugong And Sea Turtle Populations And The Australian Government's Co-Management Policies On Marine Preservation?, Katilyn Price

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper will attempt to identify the extent to which the Torres Strait Islanders traditional hunting practices have been disrupted by the overall decline in dugong and sea turtle populations, which has directly correlated to an increase in hunting restrictions put in place by the Australian Government. The traditional hunting of dugongs and sea turtles provides not only a food source, but brings prestige to the men who catch them and serves as an educational platform to teach the younger generations about their culture. There are many environmental threats that impact the populations of sea turtles and dugongs though the …

Lifelines Fall 2010, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Fall 2010 issue of Lifelines contains articles on the Biology Department's display at the General Conference, the addition of Randy Bishop and Dr. Benjamin Thornton to the faculty, and news from the Biology Club.

Comparisons Of Fish Species Inside And Outside Of Marine Protected Areas Off The South Central Coast Of California, David E. Rasmussen

Master's Theses

COMPARISONS OF FISH SPECIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS OFF THE SOUTH CENTRAL COAST OF CALIFORNIA

David E. Rasmussen

From 2004-2008 and 2008-2009 Cal Poly University researchers conducted two separate tag and recapture studies of nearshore fish populations along California’s central coast. Three locations were sampled that have experienced different degrees of fishing pressure. Big Creek MPA has been closed to all fishing from 1993 onwards and is the farthest from port of all locations. Cambria lies closest to port of the three locations and because of this has the highest fishing pressure. Piedras Blancas lies midway between …

Mathematical Manipulative Models: In Defense Of "Beanbag Biology", John R. Jungck, Holly Gaff, Anton E. Weisstein

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mathematical manipulative models have had a long history of influence in biological research and in secondary school education, but they are frequently neglected in undergraduate biology education. By linking mathematical manipulative models in a four-step process-1) use of physical manipulatives, 2) interactive exploration of computer simulations, 3) derivation of mathematical relationships from core principles, and 4) analysis of real data sets-we demonstrate a process that we have shared in biological faculty development workshops led by staff from the BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium over the past 24 yr. We built this approach based upon a broad survey of literature in mathematical educational …

Bio-Inspired Materials And Devices For Chemical And Biological Defense, James J. Valdes, Erica R. Valdes

Defense and Technology Papers

This report addresses materials for synthetic matrices of chemical and biological defense using a conceptual platform known as the abiotic networked threat system (ANTS). This system is based on lessons learned from biology, incorporating abiotic homologues to biological recognition events and metabolic pathways to provide programmable capabilities to sense and respond to environmental threats.

A Kinesin Motor In A Force-Producing Conformation, Elisabeth Heuston, C. Eric Bronner, F Jon Kull, Sharyn A. Endow

Dartmouth Scholarship

Kinesin motors hydrolyze ATP to produce force and move along microtubules, converting chemical energy into work by a mechanism that is only poorly understood. Key transitions and intermediate states in the process are still structurally uncharacterized, and remain outstanding questions in the field. Perturbing the motor by introducing point mutations could stabilize transitional or unstable states, providing critical information about these rarer states.

Distribution And Ecology Of Invasive Ants, Chad Tillberg, Frank Andrews, Carson Moscoso, Lily Ratliff, Claire Steele, Chris Turpin, Ben Edmonds, Alex Freauff, Erik Grimstad, Sara Grusing

2010 Projects

This project examines exactly how invasive specific types of ants are, and what effect that has on the ecosystem. To do so, most of the research must be compiled for the first time, as there is a lack of knowledge and research on this subject. Through former research, Tillberg finds that there are invasive pavement ants in Oregon state parks, but due to a lack of research on the species, their impact is unknown. The research will follow a paired design, comparing similar areas with and without pavement ants, to discover what differences this invasive species has on habitats.

Weeds In The Flower Garden: An Exploration Of Plagiarism In Graduate Students’ Research Proposals And Its Connection To Enculturation, Esl, And Contextual Factors, Joanna Gilmore, Denise Strickland, Briana Eileen Timmerman, Michelle Maher, David Feldon

Faculty Publications

Existing literature provides insight into the nature and extent of plagiarism amongst undergraduate students (e.g., Ellery, 2008; Parameswaran & Devi, 2006; Selwyn, 2008). Plagiarism amongst graduate students is relatively unstudied, however, and the existing data are largely based on self-reports. This study investigated the rates and potential causes of plagiarism amongst graduate students in master’s and doctoral programmes in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and science or mathematics education by examining actual research proposals written by graduate students. Results indicate that plagiarism is a prevalent issue at each of the three university sites sampled and across all of the investigated disciplines. …

Lps-Induced Production Of Inflammatory Mediators In The Liver Of Postnatal Animals, Valerie P. Le Rouzic

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the primary component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and is responsible for the majority of inflammatory effects of infections from Gram-negative bacteria. To gain better understanding of the effects that postnatal age has on the inflammatory response, pups were randomly assigned to be treated with 250 µg/kg of LPS or saline at postnatal day (P) 1, P21, and P70. Two hours post stimulation, the pups were sacrificed and their livers were harvested for total RN A extraction. Relative mRNA levels of inflammatory genes and �-actin were determined using RT-PCR analysis with appropriate rat sense and …

Temporal Dynamics And Spatial Analysis Of Competing Dengue 2 Virus Strains In The Americas, Stacy O'Neil Scholle

Biology ETDs

The dengue virus is the causative agent of an important re-emerging infectious disease that has become increasingly significant in tropical America and the Caribbean due to the infiltration of a more pathogenic Asian/American strain of dengue serotype 2 into the population. This invading strain is responsible for epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever, a life-threatening disease that was not previously a large public health concern in the region. Here, I create a historical map of the invasion and replacement of the endemic American strain of dengue 2 by the Asian/American strain, showing that the timing of invasion spans 25 years, and …

Genomic Organization And Molecular Phylogenies Of The Beta (Β) Keratin Multigene Family In The Chicken (Gallus Gallus) And Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata): Implications For Feather Evolution, Matthew J. Greenwold, Roger H. Sawyer

Faculty Publications

Background: The epidermal appendages of reptiles and birds are constructed of beta (β) keratins. The molecularphylogeny of these keratins is important to understanding the evolutionary origin of these appendages, especially feathers. Knowing that the crocodilian β-keratin genes are closely related to those of birds, the published genomes ofthe chicken and zebra finch provide an opportunity not only to compare the genomic organization of their β- keratins,but to study their molecular evolution in archosaurians.

Results: The subfamilies (claw, feather, feather-like, and scale) of β-keratin genes are clustered in the same 5' to 3' orderon microchromosome 25 in chicken and zebra finch, …

Student Content Knowledge Increases After Participation In A Hands-On Biotechnology Intervention, Amber L. Bigler

Theses and Dissertations

Hands-on learning is at the heart of science learning. This study examined increased changes of student content knowledge in biology, particularly biotechnology, after a hands-on biotechnology intervention was implemented into a secondary school. A traditional learning school was selected for a control. Both teachers had participated in a biotechnology professional development program called Project Crawfish. Students from both schools took the same assessment before and after their respective units (biotechnology intervention and genetics unit), and the classroom was the unit of analysis (n=5, n=6, respectively). The assessment was compared as a whole and then divided into five components, eight questions …

A Guide To The Continuing Investigation Of The Relationship Between The Cytoskeleton And Cell Wall In Developing Buds Of Physcomitrella Patens, Derek Brockman

Senior Honors Projects

Persistent questions in biology address the nature of tissue organization and how information encoded in the genome can be manifested as a physical form. While the ‘final’ product of gene expression is a protein, science has yet to elucidate how those proteins are able to interact with other cellular components and external forces to generate a specific cell shape. This complex process is critical in determining not only the shape of an individual cell but also that of an entire organ. In plants, cell shape is controlled by cellulose microfibrils of the cell wall, which are typically oriented perpendicular to …

Development Of A ‘Universal’ Rubric For Assessing Undergraduates’ Scientific Reasoning Skills Using Scientific Writing, Briana Eileen Timmerman, Denise Strickland, Robert L. Johnson, John R. Payne

Faculty Publications

We developed a rubric for measuring students’ ability to reason and write scientifically. The Rubric for Science Writing (Rubric) was tested in a variety of undergraduate biology laboratory courses (total n = 142 laboratory reports) using science graduate students (teaching assistants) as raters. Generalisability analysis indicates that the Rubric provides a reliable measure of students’ abilities (g = 0.85) in these conditions. Comparison of student performance in various biology classes indicated that some scientific skills are more challenging for students to develop than others and identified a number of previously unappreciated gaps in the curriculum. Our findings suggest that use …

Patients Do Not Need Congressman Langevin’S Clone-To-Kill Bill, Nicanor Austriaco

Theology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mold Exposure On Immune Cells, Katrin Gorham

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The relationship between exposure to mold spores and human disease is only beginning to be understood. While evidence exists of strong correlations between moldy environments and allergic and infectious diseases, the relationship between exposure to specific species and human immune responses to them is not fully understood. This paper seeks to clarify this relationship by analyzing the effects of exposing murine immune cells to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by different mold species. Mold species studied include Stachybotrys alternans; tests performed include cell viability studies and immunoassays. Results have implications for further research and treatment of mold-related diseases.

Modulation Of L-Type Calcium Current By Gaba-B Receptor Activation In The Neonatal Rat Hippocampus, Jennifer Grace Bray

Dissertations (1934 -)

During the early postnatal period, the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) facilitates current through voltage-dependent L-type calcium channels by activating metabotropic GABA_B receptors in the rat hippocampus. In the present study, the effects of the GABA_B receptor agonist baclofen on L-type currents were tested using whole-cell voltage clamp recording on neurons isolated from the superior region of hippocampi obtained from pups of various ages to determine the exact time course of L-type current facilitation. The facilitation of L-type current by GABA_B receptors is more prominent during the second week of development.

One developmental process that L-type current …

Legal, Moral And Biological Implications Of Poaching And Illegal Animal Trafficking On An International Scale, Meghan A. Pastor

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Poaching and animal trafficking is a global issue in the areas of biology, morality and politics. This paper will discuss the different areas of impact as well as consider options for the prevention and alleviation of this issue.

Part I: Evaluation Of Student Assessment Of Learning Gains (Salg)In Two Different Biology 100 Classes Part 2: What Biology Concepts Are Important In General Education?: Analysis Of Seventeen Core Concepts, Jessica Marie Rosenvall Howelle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-part study is to examine how to improve introductory level non-majors biology courses to improve student attitude and learning gains in the sciences. The first part of this study examines the collective effect of three different pedagogies (service learning, concept mapping and guest lectures) on student attitude and learning gains in a freshman, non-majors biology course. Two classes, one with the three pedagogies, and one without, were compared. Data were collected from two classes in Fall 2008 (one treatment and one control) and two similar classes replicated in Fall 2009. Learning and attitude gains were measured …

Why Some Stems Are Red: Cauline Anthocyanins Shield Photosystem Ii Against High Light Stress, Dana A. Dudle

Biology Faculty publications

Red-stemmed plants are extremely common, yet the functions of cauline anthocyanins are largely unknown. The possibility that photoabatement by anthocyanins in the periderm reduces the propensity for photoinhibition in cortical chlorenchyma was tested for Cornus stolonifera. Anthocyanins were induced in green stems exposed to full sunlight. PSII quantum yields (Ф_PSII) and photochemical quenching coefficients were depressed less in red than in green stems, both under a light ramp and after prolonged exposures to saturating white light. These differences were primarily attributable to the attenuation of PAR, especially green/yellow light, by anthocyanins. However, the red internodes also …

Organismal Climatology: Analyzing Environmental Variability At Scales Relevant To Physiological Stress, Brian Helmuth, Bernardo R. Broitman, Lauren Yamane, Sarah E. Gilman, Katharine Mach, K. A.S. Mislan, Mark W. Denny

Faculty Publications

Predicting when, where and with what magnitude climate change is likely to affect the fitness, abundance and distribution of organisms and the functioning of ecosystems has emerged as a high priority for scientists and resource managers. However, even in cases where we have detailed knowledge of current species’ range boundaries, we often do not understand what, if any, aspects of weather and climate act to set these limits. This shortcoming significantly curtails our capacity to predict potential future range shifts in response to climate change, especially since the factors that set range boundaries under those novel conditions may be different …

A Search For Genetic Modifiers Responsible For Congenital Heart Disease Variability In The Presence Of Nkx2-5 Haploinsufficiency, Julia Brandeis Winston Honold

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

While a clear heritable risk has been observed for congenital heart disease, there is considerable variation in penetrance and presentation likely due to multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. To identify causative factors and interactions responsible for variability in heart development, greater than 4,200 hearts from Nkx2-5 heterozygous knockout mice have been collected and examined. Nkx2-5+/- mice in the inbred strain background C57Bl/6 frequently have atrial and ventricular septal defects. The incidences are substantially reduced in the Nkx2-5+/- progeny of first-generation: F1) outcrosses to the strains FVB/N or A/J. Defects recur in the second generation: F2) of the F1xF1 intercross …

Spotted Ash Looper, Abraxas Pantaria (L.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), A New Ash Pest In Turkey, Hi̇kmet Özbek, Önder Çalmaşur

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Abraxas pantaria (L.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), the spotted ash looper (Light Magpie), is recognized as a new pest of common ash, Fraxinus excelsior (L.) in the eastern part of Turkey. Description of different developmental stages of A. pantaria is given. Its development, biology, damage, and parasitoids were studied in the field (Aras Valley, Karakurt, Sarıkamış, Kars Province) and partly in the laboratory during 2004-2006. In the field adults started to appear at the end of June and were seen until the middle of August. The eggs were laid mostly on the lower sides of leaves adjacent to the midrib in single …