Life Sciences Commons^™

Fiducial-Free Alignment Verification Techniques For Intracranial Radiosurgery, Kenneth Williams

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

The current process of intracranial radiosurgery treatment uses implanted titanium fiducials in the skull to assist in alignment of the patient. These fiducials add an element of physical and emotional stress to the patient, and scheduling the implantation procedures adds a delay of a few extra days before the radiosurgery procedure can begin. During the radiosurgery treatment, each proton beam is manually aligned by the therapist/physician with X-ray images and the fiducials that are visible on these images. This method of alignment can be time-intensive and requires personnel who are specifically trained in patient alignment. We propose a new method …

Biology And Society Bio 396, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Information Age: From Politics To Medicine Bio 181g, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

The Fate Of Carbon In Sediments Of The Xingu And Tapajós Clearwater Rivers, Eastern Amazon, Dailson J. Bertassoli Jr., André O. Sawakuchi, Henrique O. Sawakuchi, Fabiano N. Pupim, Gelvam A. Hartmann, Michael M. Mcglue, Cristiano M. Chiessi, Matthias Zabel, Enno Schefuß, Tatiana S. Pereira, Rudney A. Santos, Samantha B. Faustino, Paulo E. Oliveira, Denise C. Bicudo

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

The Xingu and Tapajós rivers in the eastern Amazon are the largest clearwater systems of the Amazon basin. Both rivers have “fluvial rias” (i.e., lake-like channels) in their downstream reaches as they are naturally impounded by the Amazon mainstem. Fluvial rias are widespread in the Amazon landscape and most of the sedimentary load from the major clearwater and blackwater rivers is deposited in these channels. So far, little is known about the role of Amazon rias as a trap and reactor for organic sediments. In this study, we used organic and inorganic geochemistry, magnetic susceptibility, diatom, and pollen analyses in …

Gait Changes In A Line Of Mice Artificially Selected For Longer Limbs, Leah M. Sparrow, Emily Pellattt, Sabrina S. Yu, David A. Raichlen, Herman Pontzer, Campbell Rolian

Publications and Research

In legged terrestrial locomotion, the duration of stance phase, i.e., when limbs are in contact with the substrate, is positively correlated with limb length, and negatively correlated with the metabolic cost of transport. These relationships are well documented at the interspecific level, across a broad range of body sizes and travel speeds. However, such relationships are harder to evaluate within species (i.e., where natural selection operates), largely for practical reasons, including low population variance in limb length, and the presence of confounding factors such as body mass, or training. Here, we compared spatiotemporal kinematics of gait in Longshanks, a long-legged …

Dietary Risk Assessment Of V-Atpase A Dsrnas On Monarch Butterfly Larvae, Huipeng Pan, Xiaowei Yang, Keith Bidne, Richard L. Hellmich, Blair Siegfried, Xuguo Zhou

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

By suppressing the expression of genes with essential biological functions, in planta RNAi can negatively affect the development and survival of target pests. As a part of a concerted effort to assess the risks of RNAi transgenic crops on non-target organisms, we developed an in vivo toxicity assay to examine the impacts of ingested dsRNAs incurred to the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), an iconic eco-indicator in North America. To create the worst case scenario, the full-length v-ATPase A cDNAs from the target pest, western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and the non-target D. plexippus were respectively cloned. A 400 …

Dietary Risk Assessment Of V-Atpase A Dsrnas On Monarch Butterfly Larvae, Huipeng Pan, Xiaowei Yang, Keith Bidne, Richard L. Hellmich, Blair D. Siegfried, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

By suppressing the expression of genes with essential biological functions, in plantaRNAi can negatively affect the development and survival of target pests. As a part of a concerted effort to assess the risks of RNAi transgenic crops on non-target organisms, we developed an in vivo toxicity assay to examine the impacts of ingested dsRNAs incurred to the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), an iconic eco-indicator in North America. To create the worst case scenario, the full-length v-ATPase A cDNAs from the target pest, western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and the non-target D. plexippus were respectively cloned. A …

The Mirnaome Of Catharanthus Roseus: Identification, Expression Analysis, And Potential Roles Of Micrornas In Regulation Of Terpenoid Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis, Ethan M. Shen, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Jayadri S. Ghosh, Barunava Patra, Priyanka Paul, Ling Yuan, Sitakanta Pattanaik

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate numerous crucial biological processes in plants. However, information is limited on their involvement in the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites in plants, including Catharanthus roseus that produces a number of pharmaceutically valuable, bioactive terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). Using small RNA-sequencing, we identified 181 conserved and 173 novel miRNAs (cro-miRNAs) in C. roseus seedlings. Genome-wide expression analysis revealed that a set of cro-miRNAs are differentially regulated in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA). In silico target prediction identified 519 potential cro-miRNA targets that include several auxin response factors (ARFs). The presence of cleaved transcripts of miRNA-targeted ARFs in C. roseus …

Kentucky Alfalfa Awards History, Kentucky Alfalfa And Stored Forages Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The Kentucky Alfalfa Awards Program was initiated in 2000 at the 20th Anniversary of the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference. The Awards Program is funded annually from revenues generated each year for the Silent Auction during the Annual Conference.

Photo Highlights Of The 36th Kentucky Alfalfa And Stored Forages Conference, Kentucky Alfalfa And Stored Forages Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Alfalfa Conference Speakers From The Beginning, Kentucky Alfalfa And Stored Forages Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Save The Date! [Announcement], S. Ray Smith, Krista Lea

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is an announcement of upcoming events.

Selecting Summer Annual Varieties Using Yield And Digestibility, Christopher D. Teutsch

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Although cool-season grasses can provide ample and high quality forage for grazing livestock in the spring and fall, forage growth during the summer months is often restricted by high temperatures (Figure 1). In contrast warm-season annual grasses are most productive during the summer months and do not reach peak growth until temperatures approach 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer annual grasses such as forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) can provide high quality summer grazing for ruminant livestock in many regions of the United States.

The Economics Of Hay Quality, Madeline L. Dant, Kenneth H. Burdine, Brandon Sears

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Hay quality is often discussed when one considers the viability of cash hay operations. A great deal is known about how production impacts quality and how quality impacts animal performance. This knowledge certainly has economic implications, but the economics of hay quality has primarily been evaluated from the animal performance perspective. Analyzing the economics of hay quality from the cash hay producer’s prospective becomes more difficult due to data limitations.

There are approximately 2.5 million acres of hay produced in Kentucky annually. The vast majority of this hay is grass type hay that is produced and fed on beef cattle …

What Is New In Seed Coatings, Bill Talley

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Seed Coatings started many centuries ago when the Chinese wrapped their rice seed in a mud ball when planting their rice fields. The ball would keep the seed from floating to the top when they flooded their fields. Seed treatment of Alfalfa first began with preinoculation of the seed to make it more convenient to plant. The farmer did not have to go through the process of inoculating the seed himself, and this was a great improvement at the time. In 1975 Ramsey Seed in California acquired technology from a New Zealand company to begin coating seed with a buildup …

Western Hay Production Vs. Eastern Hay Production, Tom Keene

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Early in the history of mankind, man was nomadic and moved from location to location in order to gather and find sustenance for themselves as well as their livestock. At some point in time, man decided that rather than keep moving, they would establish a community in one location, usually near running water (or fresh water of some kind), and would begin to sustain themselves with production agricultural practices.

Planting and harvesting soon took the place of packing up and moving every time the current resources had been depleted. Each year a new crop would be planted; livestock also became …

Why Is Intake Reduced When Cattle Are Fed Tall Fescue?, James L. Klotz

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

A major problem for the cattle producer that utilizes tall fescue forage is the unrealized or reduced gains in body weight in growing animals. This result has been reproduced across numerous studies evaluating cattle performance on tall fescue (Hoveland et al., 1983; Boling, 1985; Schmidt et al., 1986; Goetsch et al., 1987). Cattle have gained from 30 to 100% less consuming toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue compared to consumption of an endophyte-free tall fescue (Paterson et al., 1995). This effect of reduced gain is a consequence of a fungal endophyte present within the grass that produces toxins called ergot alkaloids. Fungal …

Understanding And Improving Fermentation In Alfalfa And Grass Baleage, Dennis Hancock

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The ancient Egyptian and Carthaginians are believed to be the first conserve forage by ensiling it in the absence of oxygen. Though the technique has been refined in the 3500 years since, the basic fermentation process has not changed. Populations of naturally-occurring bacteria on the plant surface can consume some of the readily available carbohydrates and produce organic acids. These organic acids lower the pH of the forage material and prevent fungal deterioration of the product. Fermentation has been used for millennia as a natural method for preserving food. Similar bacterial fermentation occurs when one makes yogurt, sour cream, or …

Hay Making Weather In Kentucky: How To Get Good Information, Matthew Dixon, Tom Priddy

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The UK Agricultural Weather Center, housed within the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, was developed in 1978. As part of the Cooperative Extension Service, the goal of the Ag Weather Center is to minimize weather and climate related surprise for Kentucky residents and their agricultural needs, ultimately for profitable and sustainable production. In doing so, numerous tools and models have been developed throughout the years to further help farmers and producers in management and production related decisions.

Foreword Of Kentucky Alfalfa And Stored Forages Conference [2017], S. Ray Smith, Krista Lea

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Composition And Quantification Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Deep-Pelagic Fauna, Cruises Dp01 And Dp02 From May 2015 - August 2015, Isabel C. Romero

DEEPEND Datasets

This data set includes the biological PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) data of target species collected during the DP01 (May 1-8, 2015) and DP02 cruises (August 8-21, 2015) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. The target fish species include Ceratoscopelus warmingii, Chaulidus spp., Diaphus spp., Argyropelecus spp, Lampanyctus alatus, and Sigma elongatum. Also, analysis of shrimp (Acanthephyra purpurea) and cephalopod (Grimalditeuthis bonplandi, Histioteuthis corona, Japetella diaphana) samples were conducted. PAHs were analyzed following modified EPA method 8270D and QA/QC strict protocols. Detection and quantification of PAHs were performed using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometric detector (GC/MS/MS).

Secondary Metabolite Production In A Newly Discovered Endophyte Species Of Veratrum Californicum, Ashton Densley, Dr. Bradley Geary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Veratrum californicum, a montane perennial of Western America, is known to produce several bioactive alkaloids with teratogenic, antibiotic and antiproliferative propertiesi; the most notable is the anticancer compound cyclopamine.ii A synthetic derivative of cyclopamine had shown promise in clinical trials before the increasing production costs became prohibitory, effectively halting research.iii V. californicum’s unsuitability for agriculturalization, low cylopamine production (0.24% of roots), and the subsequent ineffective chemical synthesis steps (1% yield) have limited supplies.3,iv However, research has overlooked the potential for similar analog production by endophytes. Endophyte production represents a solution to the limited supply and troublesome growth characteristics of V. …

Identification And Characterization Of An Efficient Acyl-Coa:Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 1 (Dgat1) Gene From The Microalga Chlorella Ellipsoidea, Xuejie Guo, Chengming Fan, Yuhong Chen, Jingqiao Wang, Weibo Yin, Richard R. C. Wang, Zanmin Hu

Forage and Range Research Laboratory Publications

Background: Oil in the form of triacylglycerols (TAGs) is quantitatively the most important storage form of energy for eukaryotic cells. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) is considered the rate-limiting enzyme for TAG accumulation. Chlorella, a unicellular eukaryotic green alga, has attracted much attention as a potential feedstock for renewable energy production. However, the function of DGAT1 in Chlorella has not been reported.

Results: A full-length cDNA encoding a putative diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1, EC 2.3.1.20) was obtained from Chlorella ellipsoidea. The 2,142 bp open reading frame of this cDNA, designated CeDGAT1, encodes a protein of 713 amino acids showing …

The Molecular Basis For The Lack Of Inflammatory Responses In Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells And Their Differentiated Cells, William D'Angelo, Chandan Gurung, Dhiraj Acharya, Natalya Ortolano, Fengwei Bai, Yan-Lin Guo

Faculty Publications

We reported previously that mouse embryonic stem cells do not have a functional IFN-based antiviral mechanism. The current study extends our investigation to the inflammatory response in mouse embryonic stem cells and mouse embryonic stem cell–differentiated cells. We demonstrate that LPS, TNF-α, and viral infection, all of which induce robust inflammatory responses in naturally differentiated cells, failed to activate NF-κB, the key transcription factor that mediates inflammatory responses, and were unable to induce the expression of inflammatory genes in mouse embryonic stem cells. Similar results were obtained in human embryonic stem cells. In addition to the inactive state of NF-κB, …

Effectiveness Of A Novel Qigong Meditative Movement Practice For Impaired Health In Flight Attendants Exposed To Second-Hand Cigarette Smoke, Peter Payne, Steven Fiering, James C. Leiter, David T. Zava, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau

Dartmouth Scholarship

This single-arm non-randomized pilot study explores an in ervention to improve the health of flight attendants (FA) exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke prior to the smoking ban on commercial airlines. This group exhibits an unusual pattern of long-term pulmonary dysfunction. We report on Phase I of a two-phase clinical trial; the second Phase will be a randomized controlled trial testing digital delivery of the intervention. Subjects were recruited in the Northeastern US; testing and intervention were administered in 4 major cities. The intervention involved 12h of training in Meditative Movement practices. Based on recent research on the effects of nicotine …

Phosphatases Generate Signal Specificity Downstream Of Ssp1 Kinase In Fission Yeast, Lin Deng, Mid Eum Lee, Katherine L. Schutt, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

AMPK-related protein kinases (ARKs) coordinate cell growth, proliferation, and migration with environmental status. It is unclear how specific ARKs are activated at specific times. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the CaMKK-like protein kinase Ssp1 promotes cell cycle progression by activating the ARK Cdr2 according to cell growth signals. Here, we demonstrate that Ssp1 activates a second ARK, Ssp2/AMPKα, for cell proliferation in low environmental glucose. Ssp1 activates these two related targets by the same biochemical mechanism: direct phosphorylation of a conserved residue in the activation loop (Cdr2-T166 and Ssp2-T189). Despite a shared upstream kinase and similar phosphorylation sites, Cdr2 …

Adaptation To Blue Light In Marine Synechococcus Requires Mpeu, An Enzyme With Similarity To Phycoerythrobilin Lyase Isomerases, Wendy M. Schluchter, Rania Mohamed Mahmoud, Joseph Sanfilippo, Adam A. Nguyen, Johann A. Strnat, Frédéric Partensky, Laurence Garczarek, Nabil Kassem, David M. Kehoe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Marine Synechococcus has successfully adapted to environments with different light colors, which likely contributes to this genus being the second most abundant group of microorganisms worldwide. Populations of Synechococcus that grow in deep, blue ocean waters contain large amounts of the blue-light absorbing chromophore phycourobilin (PUB) in their light harvesting complexes (phycobilisomes). Here, we show that all Synechococcus strains adapted to blue light possess a gene called mpeU. MpeU is structurally similar to phycobilin lyases, enzymes that ligate chromophores to phycobiliproteins. Interruption of mpeU caused a reduction in PUB content, impaired phycobilisome assembly and reduced growth rate more strongly in …

Molecular And Morphological Data Reveal Three New Cryptic Species Of Chiasmocleis (Mehely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae) Endemic To The Atlantic Forest, Brazil, Mauricio C. Forlani, João F. R. Tonini, Carlos A. G. Cruz, Hussam Zaher, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Three new cryptic species of Chiasmocleis from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil are described. Two of these species occur in the northeastern states of Sergipe and Bahia, whereas the third species is found in the southeastern state of São Paulo. The new species can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the molecular data, as evidenced in the phylogeny, and by a combination of morphological characters including: size, foot webbing, dermal spines, and coloration patterns. Chiasmocleis species differ in osteological traits, therefore we also provide an osteological description of each new species and comparisons with data reported for other species …

Rapid Increase In Genetic Diversity In An Endemic Patagonian Tuco-Tuco Following A Recent Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Sharon Kam, Mauro N. Tammone, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Catastrophic natural events can have profound impacts on patterns of genetic diversity. Due to the typically unpredictable nature of such phenomena, however, few studies have been able to directly compare patterns of diversity before and after natural catastrophic events. Here, we examine the impacts of a recent volcanic eruption in southern Chile on genetic variation in the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis), a subterranean species of rodent endemic to the area most affected by the June 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex. To provide a comparative context for interpreting changes in genetic variation in this species, we …

Nourishing Nycha: Food Policy As A Tool For Improving The Well-Being Of New York City’S Public Housing Residents, Nevin Cohen, Nicholas Freudenberg, Craig Willingham

Publications and Research

This policy brief examines food environments in New York City public housing. It looks at the food public housing residents buy, prepare and eat and the role food plays in the health, environment and economy of the city’s NYCHA population. Our goal is to contribute new insights into how NYCHA can use food policy and programs to improve the well-being of its residents and make New York City healthier, more self-sufficient, safer and more sustainable.