Life Sciences Commons^™

Increasing Usage Of Rapid Diagnostics For Dengue Virus Detection In Pakistan, Zahra Hasan, Saher Razzak, Muhammad Farhan, Maryam Rahim, Nazneen Islam, Azra Samreen, E. Khan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

I Use The Student Recreation Center, But I Would Use It More If…: Understanding Male And Female Constraints To Student Recreation Center Use, Christopher L. Stankowski, Nate E. Trauntvein, Stacey L. Hall

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Studies have found that there is a positive relationship between the number of student visits to campus recreation and academic outcomes such as rates of graduation and grade point average (Huesman, Brown, Lee, Kellogg, & Radcliffe, 2009). Despite the strong correlation between use of fitness facilities and academic performance some students choose not to visit, while some who use the facilities may not be maximizing such use due to constraints (barriers). The purpose of this study was to understand the constraints to using the campus recreation facility at a midsized New England university. Moreover, this study sought to understand the …

Phytohormone Signaling In Chlorella Sorokiniana: Perspectives On The Evolution Of Plant Cell-To-Cell Signaling, Maya Khasin

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cell-to-cell communication is a key aspect of microbial physiology and population dynamics, and a cornerstone in understanding the evolution of multicellularity. Quorum sensing in bacteria is a canonical example of microbial cell-to-cell signaling, in which bacteria use small molecule signals in order to monitor their population size and modulate their physiology accordingly. We propose that the evolution of plant hormone signaling arose in unicellular green algae, analogously to quorum sensing in bacteria, and that the complexity of these pathways required the recruitment of increasingly specific enzymes to increasingly sophisticated gene networks throughout the course of phytohormone signaling evolution. Using Chlorella …

Changes In The Breeding Range Of The Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo Platypterus) Due To Habitat Fragmentation In The Northern Appalachian Region, Rachael M. Pruitt

Student Publications

The Broad-winged Hawk (BWHA), Buteo platypterus, a small, secretive hawk with distinguishing broad black tail bands, breeds in northeastern North America. The hawks nest in deciduous or mixed forest, often near water, and close to clearings or forest edges. Land conversion and fragmentation alters the landscape and reduces the area of contiguous forest used by BWHA. This study seeks to determine the habitat metrics that may be influencing the apparent breeding range declines of the BWHA at the landscape scale. Landscape characteristics and BWHA presence data from 18,684 Breeding Bird Atlas blocks (each about 25km2) from Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, …

An Attempt To Update A Checklist And Some Other Aspects Of Murree Hills’ Avifauna, Abulhasan Faiz, Fakhar -I- Abbas, Adila Nazli, Fakhra Nazir

Journal of Bioresource Management

Birds are vital component of biodiversity as they are playing a significant role in an ecosystem. Increasing human interference might have affected previously reported diversity of birds. This study was designed to collect information about birds check list data of Murree hills. Area was surveyed at different times of day and different months of season. During visits, pictures of birds were taken and identification as well as preparation of list was carried out. Comparison of new checklist with previous literature was done in order to get revised checklist of existing species.

A Revision And Pectoral Guide To The Checklist Of Birds Of Salt Range, Zahid Iqbal Khan, Adila Nazli, Fakhra Nazir, Madeeha Manzoor

Journal of Bioresource Management

Birds as major important component of biodiversity provide a vital aspect of nature’s beauty and completes important ecological role in ecosystem. Current study was designed to gather baseline information about birds of salt range which tends to be modifying with the passage of time. The area was surveyed, pictures of birds were taken and after identification a checklist was formulated and changes in biodiversity was notified.

A Check List Of The Avifauna Of Loi-Bher Wildlife Park Islamabad, Madeeha Manzoor, Sabiha Shamim, Fida Muhammad Khan

Journal of Bioresource Management

Despite its relatively small area, Loi-Bher wild life park is quite diverse with respect to the avifauna. The common bird species found in the area are: bulbuls, pies, pigeons, parakeets, mynas, babblers, warblers, rollers, bee-eaters, doves, crows and pheasants. Over 40 species of Broad-leaved trees, shrubs and woody climbers have been identified in this zone e.g. Acacia modesta, Morus alba, Bauhinia variegata, Punica granatum, Aristida cynnantha, Acacia nilotica, Dalbergia sisso, etc. Human settlements in designated natural areas of the Loi-Bher wild life park constitute the most serious threat to the park resources.

A Study On The Birds Of Urban Islamabad In Moonsoon Season, Ehjaz Raza Abbas, Sabiha Shamim, Fida Muhammad Khan

Journal of Bioresource Management

Every species constituting the fauna of an environment plays an important role in various aspects of Ecology. Cataloging of available diversity provides base line for any advancement in conservation. This study was designed to gather information from the field and literature to formulate a checklist of birds. Compartments of study area were visited on appropriate timing and compared with available literature. A checklist was formulated. Comparisons with the existing lists were made and the new distribution of birds was reported.

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2017), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue contains the 2016 South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Annual Report.

[Page] 3 Opportunities With Oats SDSU Researchers Strive to Improve Varieties [Page] 6 Stopping Stem Canker Plant Pathologists Making Progress To Keep This Disease At Bay
[Page] 7 Disease Detectives Vet Scientists Researching Another Emerging Virus [Page] 8 Community Support Devastating West River Fire Brings Ag Industry Together
[Page] 10 Research In Progress Dakota Lakes Research Farm Investigates Three Big Ideas
[Page] 14 Water Quality Quest Understanding E. Coli Behavior Aims To Aid Water Quality In Rivers & Streams
[Page] 15 Verifying Ag Land Valuation Researchers Assist In …

The Incidence Of Mrsa Infections In The United States: Is A More Comprehensive Tracking System Needed?, Kevin T. Kavanagh, Said Abusalem, Lindsay E. Calderon

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

A review of epidemiological studies on the incidence of MRSA infections overtime was performed along with an analysis of data available for download from Hospital Compare (https://data.medicare.gov/data/hospital-compare). We found the estimations of the incidence of MRSA infections varied widely depending upon the type of population studied, the types of infections captured and in the definitions and terminology used to describe the results. We could not find definitive evidence that the incidence of MRSA infections in U.S. community or facilities is decreasing significantly. Of concern are recent data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) on MRSA bloodstream infections which …

Effect Of Wood Chips And Rice Hulls On Water Holding Capacity Of A Peat­‐Based Substrate, Jakob Johnson, Will Wheeler, Mara Braddy, Bruce Bugbee

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

The study included 13 substrates with different ratios of four media components. Four species of plants were grown (Vinca, Verbena, Impatiens, and Petunia), each with two replicate plants of each of the 13 substrates.

Each 1 Liter container, with approximately 850 mL of media volume, was fully hydrated and weighed to determine a maximum mass. Plants were then grown for three days until they wilted. Wilting was visually quantified on each pot. When the plant wilted, the container was weighed again to determine the minimum mass. The container was then re-­‐hydrated to determine a second replicate maximum mass. The two …

Ignatian Pedagogy Certificate Final Project, G. Patrick Duffie

Ignatian Pedagogy Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Differential Response Of Coral Symbiotic Dinoflagellates To Bacterial Toxins That Produce Bleaching In Stony Corals, Diego L. Gil-Agudelo, Yael Ban-Haim, Eugene Rosenberg, Garriet W. Smith

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Bleaching of corals and other organisms with symbiotic zooxanthellae is a worldwide phenomenon with increasing importance due to global warming scenarios. Bleaching has been historically related to changes in the environment, especially water temperature increase, that stress corals and provoke the release of zooxanthellae. The discovery of Vibrio shilonii, a bacterium causing bleaching under thermal stress in corals of the Mediterranean Sea has changed our thinking about the cause (or explanation) for bleaching of corals worldwide. During this study, we evaluated the effect of a proline rich toxin, extracted from Vibrio shilonii, on zooxanthellae obtained from: Oculina patagonica from the …

Human Neuroblastoma Adaptation To Cobalt Chloride-Induced Hypoxia, Conor Mcauliffe

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hypoxia is a frequent characteristic of the solid tumor microenvironment, which occurs when cancer cells lack adequate access to oxygen. By selecting for cells that can adapt to and grow in low oxygen conditions, tumor hypoxia contributes to a more aggressive and invasive cancer phenotype that portends a poor clinical outcome. While many aspects of the cellular response to hypoxia have been explored, the roles of some factors have not been fully explained. Cell signaling factors, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), the mu opioid receptor (MOR), and the delta opioid receptor (DOR), as well as changes …

Computing Spatiotemporal Heat Maps Of Lipid Electropore Formation: A Statistical Approach, Willy Wriggers, Frederica Castellani, Julio A. Kovacs, P. Thomas Vernier

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

We extend the multiscale spatiotemporal heat map strategies originally developed for interpreting molecular dynamics simulations of well-structured proteins to liquids such as lipid bilayers and solvents. Our analysis informs the experimental and theoretical investigation of electroporation, that is, the externally imposed breaching of the cell membrane under the influence of an electric field of sufficient magnitude. To understand the nanoscale architecture of electroporation, we transform time domain data of the coarse-grained interaction networks of lipids and solvents into spatial heat maps of the most relevant constituent molecules. The application takes advantage of our earlier graph-based activity functions by accounting for …

Management Strategy Evaluation For The Atlantic Surfclam (Spisula Solidissima) Using A Spatially Explicit, Vessel-Based Fisheries Model, Kelsey M. Kuykendall, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klink, Paula T. Moreno, Robert T. Leaf

CCPO Publications

The commercially valuable Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) is harvested along the northeastern continental shelf of the United States. Its range has contracted and shifted north, driven by warmer bottom water temperatures. Declining landings per unit of effort (LPUE) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) is one result. Declining stock abundance and LPUE suggest that overfishing may be occurring off New Jersey. A management strategy evaluation (MSE) for the Atlantic surfclam is implemented to evaluate rotating closures to enhance Atlantic surfclam productivity and increase fishery viability in the MAB. Active agents of the MSE model are individual fishing vessels with …

Zebrafish As A Model For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Bernadette Johnson

Honors Theses

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder with limited treatment options. Molecular mechanisms that cause PTSD remain unclear due to a lack of viable animal models. Considering the behavioral similarities between zebrafish (Danio rerio) and humans, their social nature, and functional parallels between select brain regions, we hypothesized that zebrafish can demonstrate PTSD and that antioxidant treatment will prevent PTSD induction. To test this hypothesis, adult zebrafish were exposed to a traumatic event then were tested immediately and three weeks after the event. Traumatized fish exhibited non-social behavior, spending 7000 fold less time interacting with tank mates then their …

Pcr-Activated Cell Sorting As A General, Cultivation-Free Method For High-Throughput Identification And Enrichment Of Virus Hosts, Shaun W. Lim, Shea T. Lance, Kenneth M. Stedman, Adam R. Abate

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Characterizing virus-host relationships is critical for understanding the impact of a virus on an ecosystem, but is challenging with existing techniques, particularly for uncultivable species. We present a general, cultivation-free approach for identifying phage-associated bacterial cells. Using PCR-activated cell sorting, we interrogate millions of individual bacteria for the presence of specific phage nucleic acids. If the nucleic acids are present, the bacteria are recovered via sorting and their genomes analyzed. This allows targeted recovery of all possible host species in a diverse population associated with a specific phage, and can be easily targeted to identify the hosts of different phages …

Editorial: Genetics, Genomics And –Omics Of Thermophiles, Kian Mau Goh, Kok-Gan Chan, Rajesh Kumar Sani, Edgardo Ruben Donati, Anna-Louise Reysenbach

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria occupy heated environments. Advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS), single-cell analyses, and combinations of –omics and microscopic technologies have resulted in the discovery of new thermophiles. This e-book consists of a review, and 10 original articles authored by 94 authors. The main aim of this Research Topic of Frontiers in Microbiology was to provide a platform for researchers to describe recent findings on the ecology of thermophiles using NGS, functional genomics, comparative genomics, gene evolution, and extremozyme discovery.

Rolling Circle Mutagenesis Of Gst-Mcherry To Understand Mutation, Gene Expression, And Regulation, Jessica Cole, Amanda Ferguson, Verónica A. Segarra, Susan Walsh

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Undergraduates are often familiar with textbook examples of human mutations that affect coding regions and the subsequent disorders, but they may struggle with understanding the implications of mutations in the regulatory regions of genes. We have designed a laboratory sequence that will allow students to explore the effect random mutagenesis can have on protein function, expression, and ultimately phenotype. Students design and perform a safe and time-efficient random mutagenesis experiment using error-prone rolling circular amplification of a plasmid expressing the inducible fusion protein glutathione S-transferase (GST)-mCherry. Mutagenized and wild-type control plasmid DNA, respectively, are then purified and transformed into bacteria …

School Of Biological Sciences News, 2017, School Of Biological Sciences

School of Biological Sciences News

Alumni newsletter of Illinois State University's School of Biological Sciences.

Molecular Detection Of Candidatus Bartonella Mayotimonensis In North American Bats, Thomas M. Lilley, Cali Ann Wilson, Riley F. Bernard, Emma V. Wilcox, Eero J. Vesterinen, Quinn Mr Webber, Laura Ann Kurpiers, Jenni M. Prokkola, Imran Ejotre, Allen Kurta, Kenneth A. Field, Deeann M. Reeder, Arto T. Pulliainen

Faculty Journal Articles

Candidatus Bartonella mayotimonensis was detected in 2010 from an aortic valve sample of a patient with endocarditis from Iowa, the United States of America. The environmental source of the potentially new endocarditis-causing Bartonellaremained elusive. We set out to study the prevalence and diversity of bat-associated Bartonella in North America. During 2015, mist nets and harp traps were used to capture 92 bats belonging to two species: little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugusLe Conte 1831, n = 73) and the gray myotis (M. grisescens A.H. Howell 1909, n = 19) in Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. DNA preparations …

Crassulacean Acid Metabolism As A Continuous Trait: Variability In The Contribution Of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (Cam) In Populations Of Portulacaria Afra, Lonnie J. Guralnick, Kate Gladsky

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Portulacaria afra L. is a dominant facultative CAM species growing in the Southeastern Cape of South Africa. P. afra is well adapted to regions of the Spekboom thicket in areas of limited and sporadic rainfall. P. afra populations occur in isolated drainages. We hypothesized the utilization of CAM would vary in the different populations in response to rainfall and temperature gradients. Carbon isotope composition can be used to determine the contribution of CAM in leaf tissue. P. afra leaves of populations were analyzed in transects running south to north and east to west in locations from the coast to elevations …

Can The Fitzroy River Declaration Ensure The Realisation Of The First Law Of The River And Secure Sustainable And Equitable Futures For The West Kimberley?, Michelle Mei Ling Lim, Anne Poelina, Donna Bagnall

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Threats to the unique cultural and ecological values of the river - events that led to the evolution and conclusion of the Declaration - legal and governance options for realising the objectives of the declaration - establishing a Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) - achieving sustainable and equitable futures in the West Kimberley - importance of harnessing momentum.

Clinical Significance Of A False Positive Glucose Challenge Test In Patients With A High Body Mass Index, A Borja, M Moretti, Nisha Lakhi

NYMC Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is an increased maternal or neonatal morbidity in overweight and obese patients with a false positive glucose challenge test (GCT). METHODS: Patients with a body mass index (BMI) >/=25.0 at registration were included in this prospective 36-month study. The study cohort consisted of patients with a false positive (FP) GCT, with two comparison cohorts: those with a (1) screen negative (SN) GCT result and (2) true positive (TP) GCT result. Risks were reported as odd ratios with 95% confidence intervals, with a P/=4000 g in the FP cohort, but this fell short of reaching statistical …

Hla-B*57:01 Allele Prevalence In Hiv-Infected North American Subjects And The Impact Of Allele Testing On The Incidence Of Abacavir-Associated Hypersensitivity Reaction In Hla-B*57:01-Negative Subjects, Catherine Small, D Margolis, M Shaefer, L Ross

NYMC Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The presence of the HLA-B*57:01 allele in HIV-infected subjects is associated with a higher risk of abacavir-associated hypersensitivity reaction (ABC HSR). HLA-B*57:01 allele prevalence varies in different populations, but HLA-B*57:01 testing with immunological confirmation has had a negative predictive value for ABC HSR between 97 and 100%. METHODS: In the ASSURE study (EPZ113734), the HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in virologically suppressed, antiretroviral treatment-experienced, HIV-infected subjects from the United States, including Puerto Rico, was assessed. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty-five subjects were screened; 13 were HLA-B*57:01 positive and 372 were negative. Only HLA-B*57:01-negative, abacavir-naive subjects were eligible to enroll into the ASSURE trial. …

Crispr-Based Knockout Screening In Primary Neurons, Ben Callif

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Axon growth is coordinated by multiple interacting proteins that remain incompletely characterized. High content screening (HCS), in which manipulation of candidate genes is combined with rapid image analysis of phenotypic effects, has emerged as a powerful technique to identify key regulators of axon outgrowth. Here we explore the utility of a genome editing approach referred to as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Palindromic Repeats) for knockout screening in primary neurons. In the CRISPR approach a DNA-cleaving Cas enzyme is guided to genomic target sequences by user-created guide RNA (sgRNA), where it initiates a double-stranded break that ultimately results in frameshift mutation …

Genetic Hitchhiking And Resistance Evolution To Transgenic Bt Toxins: Insights From The African Stalk Borer Busseola Fusca (Noctuidae), P. Campagne, C. Capdevielle-Dulac, R. Pasquet, S. J. Cornell, M. Kruger, J. F. Silvain, B. Lerü, J. Van Den Berg

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Since transgenic crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins were first released, resistance evolution leading to failure in control of pests populations has been observed in a number of species. Field resistance of the moth Busseola fusca was acknowledged 8 years after Bt maize was introduced in South Africa. Since then, field resistance of this corn borer has been observed at several locations, raising questions about the nature, distribution and dynamics of the resistance trait. Using genetic markers, our study identified four outlier loci clearly associated with resistance. In addition, genetic structure at neutral loci reflected extensive gene flow among populations. …

Emergence, Competition, And Management Of Glyphosate-Resistant Common Ragweed (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia L.) In Nebraska Soybean, Ethann R. Barnes

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is a competitive annual broadleaf weed in soybean (Glycine max) production fields throughout North America. The recent confirmation of glyphosate-resistant common ragweed in Nebraska justified the need to assess the emergence pattern and competitive ability of common ragweed in soybean and to evaluate alternative herbicide programs for effective management. The objectives of this research were to: 1) evaluate the effect of tillage and develop a predictive model for the emergence pattern of common ragweed in Nebraska; 2) model the competitive interaction between soybean and common ragweed as influenced by density and irrigation …

High And Low Yielding Soybean Lines From An Irrigated Selection Environment: Performance Evaluation In Irrigated And Droughted Environments, Jorge E. Perez Arocho

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Drought is the most significant abiotic stress affecting agricultural production. Improving seed yield under water stress is an important breeding objective. Soybean cultivars that tolerate water stress could help improve and stabilize production in water-stressed environments. “Drought” needs to be defined, because water stress can vary in intensity, timing, and duration. Other factors including ambient temperature, soil texture, depth, and fertility will influence the impact of limited water on crop productivity. This research addresses the impact of water stress on soybeans adapted to the north-central US, where the majority of soils are relatively deep, fertile silt loams or silty clay …