Life Sciences Commons^™

Divergent Trends In Ecosystem Services Under Different Climate-Management Futures In A Fire-Prone Forest Landscape, Joshua S. Halofsky, Jessica E. Halofsky, Miles A. Hemstrom, Anita T. Morzillo, Xiaoping Zhou, Daniel C. Donato

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

While ecosystem services and climate change are often examined independently, quantitative assessments integrating these fields are needed to inform future land management decisions. Using climate-informed state-and-transition simulations, we examined projected trends and trade-offs for a suite of ecosystem services under four climate change scenarios and two management scenarios (active management emphasizing fuel treatments and no management other than fire suppression) in a fire-prone landscape of dry and moist mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon, USA. Focal ecosystem services included fire potential (regulating service), timber volume (provisioning service), and potential wildlife habitat (supporting service). Projections without climate change suggested active management in …

The Effect Of Time Of Day Of Chronic Exercise On Neural Response To Visual Food Cues, Jessica Taylor Davies

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of an 8-week, progressive exercise intervention on neural responses, specifically N2 amplitude as a measure of inhibitory control, to pictures of food. Healthy women ages 18-44 years were randomized to a morning (AM) exercise group or evening (PM) exercise group. The AM group did moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise on 4 days per week between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. while the PM group had the identical volume of exercise between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Neural responses, eating behaviors, cardiovascular fitness outcomes, and body weight/composition were measured at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. The N2 amplitude in …

Degree Of Free Fatty Acid Saturation Influences Chocolate Rejection In Human Assessors, Cordelia Running, John E. Hayes, Gregory R. Ziegler

Department of Nutrition Science Faculty Publications

In foods, free fatty acids (FFA) traditionally have been viewed as contributing an odor, yet evidence has accumulated that FFA also contribute a unique taste (“oleogustus”). However, minimal work has been conducted using actual foods to test the contribution of FFA to taste preferences. We chose to investigate flavor, taste, and aroma contributions of added FFA in chocolate, as some commercial manufacturers already use lipolysis of triglycerides to generate unique profiles. We hypothesized small added concentrations of FFA would increase preferences for chocolate while higher added concentrations would decrease preferences. We also hypothesized a saturated fatty acid (stearic C18) would …

Arkansas Cotton Variety Test 2016, Fred Bourland, W. Barnett, C. Kennedy, L. Martin, A. Rouse, B. Robertson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Test is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas.

Economic Botany: General References, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

Amoebozoans Are Secretly But Ancestrally Sexual: Evidence For Sex Genes And Potential Novel Crossover Pathways In Diverse Groups Of Amoebae, Yonas I. Tekle, Fiona C. Wood, Laura A. Katz, Mario A. Cero ́ N-Romero, Lydia A. Gorfu

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sex is beneficial in eukaryotes as it can increase genetic diversity, reshuffle their genomes, and purge deleterious mutations. Yet, its evolution remains a mystery. The eukaryotic clade supergroup Amoebozoa encompasses diverse lineages of polymorphic amoeboid forms, including both free-living and parasitic lineages. The group is generally believed to be asexual, though recent studies show that some of its members are implicated in cryptic forms of sexual cycles. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive inventory and analysis of genes involved in meiosis and related processes, in order to investigate the evolutionary history of sex in the clade. We analyzed genomic …

Beyond The Mhc: A Canine Model Of Dermatomyositis Shows A Complex Pattern Of Genetic Risk Involving Novel Loci, Jacquelyn M. Evans, Rooksana E. Noorai, Kate L. Tsai, Alison N. Starr-Moss, Cody M. Hill, Kendall J. Anderson, Thomas R. Famula, Leigh Anne Clark

Publications

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a chronic inflammatory myopathy and vasculopathy driven by genetic and environmental influences. Here, we investigated the genetic underpinnings of an analogous, spontaneous disease of dogs also termed dermatomyositis (DMS). As in JDM, we observed a significant association with a haplotype of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) (DLA-DRB1*002:01/-DQA1*009:01/-DQB1*001:01), particularly in homozygosity (P-val = 0.0001). However, the high incidence of the haplotype among healthy dogs indicated that additional genetic risk factors are likely involved in disease progression. We conducted genome-wide association studies in two modern breeds having common …

Increasing Fruit And Vegetable Intake Among Children And Youth Through Gardening-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Although there are numerous health benefits associated with eating fruit and vegetables (FV), few children are consuming recommended amounts. Gardening interventions have been implemented in various settings in an effort to increase FV consumption of children by expanding knowledge, exposure, and preferences for a variety of FV.
Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify the effectiveness of gardening interventions that have been implemented to increase FV consumption among children.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted using four electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. English language studies conducted in developed countries between …

Estimating Biomass Of Berries Consumed By Gray Wolves, Thomas Gable, Steve K. Windels, John G. Bruggink

Journal Articles

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) consume berries and other wild fruits seasonally when available or abundant. However, a method to convert percent frequency of occurrence or percent volume of berries in wolf scats to percent biomass has not yet been developed. We used estimates of the average number of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) seeds in 10 individual wolf scats collected in and adjacent to Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, USA, along with published values of the number of seeds per blueberry and blueberry masses to estimate that a wolf scat containing only berries equated to an average of 0.468 kg …

Diversity Of Lepidopteran Stemborers And Their Parasitoids On Maize And Wild Host Plants In The Rain Forest Of Kisangani, Dr Congo, Onésime Mubenga Kankonda, Benjamin Dudu Akaibe, George Otieno Ong’Amo, Bruno Pierre Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Lepidopteran stemborers are considered as the most important insect pests of cereal crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, limited information exists on stemborers and their parasitoids in the rain forest of the DR Congo. In order to enhance the understanding of the pest ecology, sampling in both cultivated and wild habitats has been recommended as a bottom line to any action aiming at the design of pest management measures. Following this recommendation, a survey was carried out in the rain forest of the DR Congo on maize and wild host plants. We collected eighteen stemborer and one earborer species belonging to …

At Lunch With A Killer: The Effect Of Weaver Ants On Host-Parasitoid Interactions On Mango, Valentina Migani, Sunday Ekesi, Katharina Merkel, Thomas Hoffmeister

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Predator-prey interactions can affect the behaviour of the species involved, with consequences for population distribution and competitive interactions. Under predation pressure, potential prey may adopt evasive strategies. These responses can be costly and could impact population growth. As some prey species may be more affected than others, predation pressure could also alter the dynamics among species within communities. In field cages and small observation cages, we studied the interactions between a generalist predator, the African weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda, two species of fruit flies that are primary pests of mango fruits, Ceratitis cosyra and Bactrocera dorsalis, and their two exotic …

Beyond The Obvious: Emerging Contaminants And Biogeochemistry As A Cause And Solution For Nitrogen Pollution, Stephanie L. Devries

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Following a comprehensive review of the occurrence and impacts of antibiotics and related pharmaceutical compounds on the terrestrial N-cycle, three experiments were performed to explore the topic of biogeochemistry as a source or a sink for N-pollution. The first of these experiments addresses the question of whether environmentally relevant concentrations of antibiotics (µg·kg^-1) have a significant effect on denitrification or N₂O production, a question that has not been well addressed in previous studies. Having determined that there is a significant shift, the second study aims to comprehensively follow changes to soil N pools and N_{2 …}

Transcriptional And Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Histone Variant H2a.Z During Sea Urchin Development, Mihai Hajdu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Histone variant H2A.Z promotes chromatin accessibility at transcriptional regulatory elements and is developmentally regulated in metazoans. We characterize the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of H2A.Z in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. H2A.Z depletion by antisense translation-blocking morpholino oligonucleotides during early development causes developmental collapse, in agreement with its previously demonstrated general role in transcriptional multipotency. During H2A.Z peak expression in 24-h embryos, endogenous H2A.Z 3’ UTR sequences stabilize GFP mRNAs relative to those with SV40 3’ UTR sequences, although the 3’UTR of H2A.Z does not determine the spatial distribution of H2A.Z transcripts during embryonic and postembryonic development. We …

Impact Of Urbanization On Temperature Variation In Big Cities: Measuring Health Risk While Targeting Vulnerable Population, Maryam E. Karimi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Densely populated cities are experiencing Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects and localized hotspots. Cities, such as New York can form heat islands all year round. This is primarily due to land surface modifications, radiative trapping in urban canyons and lack of cooling through evapotranspiration caused by displaced trees and vegetation. UHI refers to an increase in air and surface temperature in cities compared to surrounding suburban and rural areas. Large scale environmental forcing can cause subdivisions of UHI throughout a city. The combined of environmental forcing effects lead to the formation of hot pockets within the cities at micro-scale. The …

Physical Mechanisms And Biological Consequences Of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Modulation By Fhf Proteins, Yue Liu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Purpose: FHFs are cytosolic proteins that bind to voltage-gated sodium channels (Na_Vs) and modulate their functions to control membrane excitability. FHFs raise the voltage dependence of Na_V fast inactivation to promote excitability, while A isoforms FHF (A-FHFs) also capture open sodium channels into a long-term inactivated (LTI) state to limit excitability. My research has addressed how FHFs balance membrane excitability as it relates to normal and pathological brain functions. Part of this work stemmed from the discovery of a missense FHF1 mutation in patients with severe early onset epilepsy. Methods and Results: Wild-type FHF1A and FHF1B were …

Dopamine D1 And D3 Receptor Polypharmacology In Cocaine Reward And Cocaine Seeking, Ewa J. Galaj

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: In the search for efficacious pharmacotherapies to treat cocaine addiction much attention has been given to agents targeting D1 or D3 receptors because of the involvement of these receptors in cocaine-related behaviors. D1 and D3 receptor partial agonists and antagonists have been shown to reduce cocaine reward, reinstatement of cocaine seeking and conditioned place preference (CPP) in rodents and non-human primates. However, translation of these encouraging results with selective D1 or D3 receptor agents has been limited due to a number of factors including toxicity, poor pharmacokinetic properties and extrapyramidal and sedative side effects.

Purpose: Given the …

Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of The Drosophila Anterior Determinant, Bicoid, John Mclaughlin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In a wide variety of biological contexts, messenger RNA (mRNA) is known to have a complex and dynamic life cycle. In particular, the localization and translational control of mRNA are essential for proper development in eukaryotes. The fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model for studying these processes. During D. melanogaster oogenesis, several mRNAs are trafficked and localized within the developing egg chamber, and regulated at the translational level to enable embryo patterning. One such mRNA, bicoid, is localized at the anterior of the oocyte and translated in the early embryo, where its encoded protein directs formation of the fly's …

Chloride And Proton Binding In The E. Coli 2cl¯:1h+ Clc Exchanger, Catherine Chenal

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The CLC family of membrane proteins is a ubiquitously expressed class of proton and usually voltage-activated chloride transporters involved in a myriad of physiological functions. Crystallographic structures identify up to three chloride binding sites: external, central and intracellular located in the inner half of the trans-membrane domain. The CLC proteins, except for the kidney isoforms, are gated by the extracellular side-facing gating Glutamate (Ex, E148 in CLC-ec1, the E. coli exchanger), which is thought to undergo a conformational change upon protonation.

To sort out how the thermodynamic paths to H+ coupled Cl¯ binding and conformational change in CLC-ec1 at the …

Environmental Changes Turn On The Sinorhizobium Melitloti Exor-Exos/Chvi (Rsi) Host Invasion Switch, Shari N. Walcott

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The free-living Gram-negative soil bacterium, Sinorhizobium meliloti, must switch into its host-invading form in order to infect the root hairs of the host plant, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and establish a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. The activation of the switch is believed to occur inside the infection chamber that is formed by curling of the root hairs. It is not fully understood what signals in the environment of the root hairs trigger and infection chamber S. meliloti to switch into a host-invading form since these signals were not extensively examined until now. This switch can be observed directly, due to …

Lipid Sensing By Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin, Deepak Menon

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein kinase that integrates nutrient and growth factor signals to promote cellular growth and proliferation. mTOR exists in two complexes - mTORC1 and mTORC2 that are distinguished by their binding partners and signaling inputs. mTORC1 is responsive to growth factors, amino acids and glucose and is associated with Raptor; whereas, mTORC2 is responsive primarily to growth factors and is associated with Rictor. Raptor and Rictor confer substrate specificity to mTORC1 and mTORC2 respectively. Phosphatidic acid (PA), a lipid second messenger and a central metabolite for membrane phospholipid biosynthesis, is required for the stability …

Body Size And Symbiotic Status Influence Gonad Development In Aiptasia Pallida Anemones, Judith F. Carlisle, Grant K. Murphy, Alison M. Roark

Biology Publications

Pale anemones (Aiptasia pallida) coexist with dinoflagellates (primarily Symbiodinium minutum) in a mutualistic relationship. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of these symbionts in gonad development of anemone hosts. Symbiotic and aposymbiotic anemones were subjected to light cycles that induced gametogenesis. These anemones were then sampled weekly for nine weeks, and gonad development was analyzed histologically. Anemone size was measured as mean body column diameter, and oocytes or sperm follicles were counted for each anemone. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the influence of body size and symbiotic status on whether gonads …

Establishment And Development Of The Intestinal Microbiota Of Preterm Infants In A Lebanese Tertiary Hospital, Tarek Itani, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Imad Melki, Clotilde Rousseau, Irène Mangin, Marie José Butel, Dolla Karam Sarkis

All Works

© 2016 The Authors The establishment and development of the intestinal microbiota is known to be associated with profound short- and long-term effects on the health of full-term infants (FTI), but studies are just starting for preterm infants (PTI). The data also mostly come from western countries and little information is available for the Middle East. Here, we determined the composition and dynamics of the intestinal microbiota during the first month of life for PTI (n = 66) and FTI (n = 17) in Lebanon. Fecal samples were collected weekly and analyzed by quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and temporal temperature gradient …

Genes Encoding Two Theileria Parva Antigens Recognized By Cd8+ T-Cells Exhibit Sequence Diversity In South Sudanese Cattle Populations But The Majority Of Alleles Are Similar To The Muguga Component Of The Live Vaccine Cocktail, Diaeldin A. Salih, Roger Pelle, Joram M. Mwacharo, Moses N. Njahira, Wani L. Marcellino, Henry Kiara, Agol K. Malak, Abdel Rahim M.E.L. Hussein, Richard Bishop, Robert A. Skilton

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

East Coast fever (ECF), caused by Theileria parva infection, is a frequently fatal disease of cattle in eastern, central and southern Africa, and an emerging disease in South Sudan. Immunization using the infection and treatment method (ITM) is increasingly being used for control in countries affected by ECF, but not yet in South Sudan. It has been reported that CD8+ T-cell lymphocytes specific for parasitized cells play a central role in the immunity induced by ITM and a number of T. parva antigens recognized by parasite-specific CD8+ T-cells have been identified. In this study we determined the sequence diversity among …

Selection Of Fungal Isolates For Virulence Against Three Aphid Pest Species Of Crucifers And Okra, W. Bayissa, S. Ekesi, S. A. Mohamed, G. P. Kaaya, J. M. Wagacha, R. Hanna, N. K. Maniania

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Aphids are regarded as important pest problems of vegetable crops worldwide. Most vegetable growers in sub-Saharan Africa heavily rely on synthetic chemical insecticides for aphids’ control. Fungus-based biopesticides are being considered as alternatives to chemical insecticides. This study evaluates virulence of five isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and three of Beauveria bassiana against Brevicoryne brassicae, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae, and Aphis gossypii, and their thermotolerance and conidial yield as a prerequisite for strain selection. The study also evaluates performance of the best isolate in screenhouse experiment against target aphid species. Three isolates of M. anisopliae ICIPE30, ICIPE62, and ICIPE69 outperformed the others, causing …

Clarifying The Source Of Conicofrontia Sesamoides Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Population In South African Sugarcane Using Morphological Identification And Mitochondrial Dna Analysis, Y. Assefa, M. Goftishu, C. Capdevielle-Dulac, B. Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Valid identification of a novel pest species and clarifying its origin are the primary steps in understanding population structure and development of biocontrol programs. In this study geographical populations of Conicofrontia sesamoides Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) collected during surveys conducted in the years 2009, 2014 and 2015 were morphologically identified and their genetic diversity was analysed by using sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I (COI) gene in an attempt to examine host plant, or/and altitude associated differences among populations and determine the source of the newly recorded population of this species in the South African sugarcane. The C. sesamoides specimens …

Can Toxicants Used Against Cotton Mealybug Phenacoccus Solenopsis Be Compatible With An Encyrtid Parasitoid Aenasius Bambawalei Under Laboratory Conditions?, Hayat Badshah, Farman Ullah, Paul Andre Calatayud, Hidayat Ullah, Bashir Ahmad

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae) is a serious pest of various cultivated plants in Pakistan. Recent reports show that the parasitoid Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a good biocontrol agent of the pest. Compatibleness is important in any IPM programme, and the insecticide used must have little or no effects on the biological control agent. This study investigated the compatibility of neem treatments and a commercial insecticide, imidacloprid on A. bambawalei. Bioassays were laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) under laboratory conditions. Results showed that the adult stage of the parasitoid was more susceptible …

Whole Genome Expression Profiling Associates Activation Of Unfolded Protein Response With Impaired Production And Release Of Epinephrine After Recurrent Hypoglycemia, J Kim, Edmund La Gamma, T Estabrook, N Kudrick, Bistra Nankova

NYMC Faculty Publications

Recurrent hypoglycemia can occur as a major complication of insulin replacement therapy, limiting the long-term health benefits of intense glycemic control in type 1 and advanced type 2 diabetic patients. It impairs the normal counter-regulatory hormonal and behavioral responses to glucose deprivation, a phenomenon known as hypoglycemia associated autonomic failure (HAAF). The molecular mechanisms leading to defective counter-regulation are not completely understood. We hypothesized that both neuronal (excessive cholinergic signaling between the splanchnic nerve fibers and the adrenal medulla) and humoral factors contribute to the impaired epinephrine production and release in HAAF. To gain further insight into the molecular mechanism(s) …

Phylogenetic Patterns And The Adaptive Evolution Of Osmoregulation In Fiddler Crabs (Brachyura, Uca), Samuel Coelho Faria, Diogo Borges Provete, Carl Leo Thurman, John Campbell Mcnamara

Faculty Work

Salinity is the primary driver of osmoregulatory evolution in decapods, and may have influenced their diversification into different osmotic niches. In semi-terrestrial crabs, hyperosmoregulatory ability favors sojourns into burrows and dilute media, and provides a safeguard against hemolymph dilution; hypo-osmoregulatory ability underlies emersion capability and a life more removed from water sources. However, most comparative studies have neglected the roles of the phylogenetic and environmental components of inter-specific physiological variation, hindering evaluation of phylogenetic patterns and the adaptive nature of osmoregulatory evolution. Semi-terrestrial fiddler crabs (Uca) inhabit fresh to hyper-saline waters, with species from the Americas occupying higher …

Exploring For Plants: A Bibliography, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

The Scientific Names Of Plants, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.