Life Sciences Commons^™

Studies On Organogenesis During Regeneration In The Earthworm, Eudrilus Eugeniae, In Support Of Symbiotic Association With Bacillus Endophyticus, Elaiya Raja Subramanian, Dineshkumar Sudalaimani, Johnson Retnaraj Samuel Selvan Christyraj, Kalidas Ramamoorthy M, Nino Gopi D, Jackson Durairaj Selvan Christyraj, Kasimani Renganathan, Sundar Krishnan, Sudhakar Sivasubramaniam

Turkish Journal of Biology

Organogenesis and animal adaptation upon loss of body parts are crucial events in regeneration of all traits, and both are uncovered areas in biology. The organogenesis of the mouth and anus during regeneration was studied in Eudrilus eugeniae. It was found that the earthworm regenerates a functional mouth and anus in six days. During the course of organogenesis, the earthworm adopts unique starvation behavior for 5 days, and the starvation triggers the gut microflora of E. eugeniae to produce riboflavin. One of the efficient riboflavin-producing bacteria, Bacillus endophyticus, confirmed through 16S rRNA sequencing, has been isolated from its gut. The …

Hyper-Activation Of Pp60(Src) Limits Nitric Oxide Signaling By Increasing Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Levels During Acute Lung Injury, Sanjiv Kumar, Xutong Sun, Satish Kumar Noonepalle, Qing Lu, Evgeny Zemskov, Ting Wang, Saurabh Aggarwal, Christine Gross, Shruti Sharma, Ankit A. Sesai, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

The molecular mechanisms by which the endothelial barrier becomes compromised during lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mediated acute lung injury (ALI) are still unresolved. We have previously reported that the disruption of the endothelial barrier is due, at least in part, to the uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and increased peroxynitrite-mediated nitration of RhoA. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which LPS induces eNOS uncoupling during ALI. Exposure of pulmonary endothelial cells (PAEC) to LPS increased pp60^Src activity and this correlated with an increase in nitric oxide (NO) production, but also an increase in …

The Mtt Viability Assay Yields Strikingly False-Positive Viabilities Although The Cells Are Killed By Some Plant Extracts, Di̇dem Karakaş, Ferda Ari, Engi̇n Ulukaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

The MTT assay is one of the often used cell viability/cytotoxicity assays. However, when the methanol extracts of plants are used to test their cytotoxic potential, interference may occur, resulting in false-positive viability results. Therefore, in this study, the reliability of the MTT assay was investigated in the case of plant use. The methanol extracts of three different plants (Hypericum adenotrichum, Salvia kronenburgii, and Pelargonium quercetorum) were tested in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) using the MTT assay and the results were compared to the ATP assay, which is a much more sensitive and reliable assay due to …

Exploration Of The Binding Pocket Of Histone Deacetylases: The Design Of Potent And Isoform-Selective Inhibitors, Abdullahi̇ İbrahi̇m Uba, Kemal Yelekçi̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that act on histone proteins to remove the acetyl group and thereby regulate the chromatin state. HDACs act not only on histone protein but also nonhistone proteins that are key players in cellular processes such as the cell cycle, signal transduction, apoptosis, and more. "Classical" HDACs have been shown to be promising targets for anticancer drug design and development. However, the selectivity of HDAC inhibitors for HDAC isoforms remains the motivation of current research in this field. Here, we explored Class I HDACs and HDAC6 by sequence alignment and structural superimposition, catalytic channel extraction, and …

Characterization Of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Core Histones By Top-Down Mass Spectrometry Reveals Unique Algae-Specific Variants And Post-Translational Modifications, Aliyya Khan, Carlo Eikani, Hana Khan, Anthony Iavarone, James Pesavento

School of Science Faculty Works

The unicellular microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has played an instrumental role in the development of many new fields (bioproducts, biofuels, etc.) as well as the advancement of basic science (photosynthetic apparati, flagellar function, etc.). Chlamydomonas' versatility ultimately derives from the genes encoded in its genome and the way that the expression of these genes is regulated, which is largely influenced by a family of DNA binding proteins called histones. We characterize C. reinhardtii core histones, both variants and their post-translational modifications, by chromatographic separation, followed by top-down mass spectrometry (TDMS). Because TDMS has not been previously used to study Chlamydomonas proteins, …

Mapping The Albuquerque Aquifer’S Potentiometric Surface In 2016, Lucas Curry

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

This professional project will examine and map the water levels in Albuquerque for the year 2016 using ArcGIS. The potentiometric surface of Albuquerque’s aquifer will be estimated using data from the USGS, the City of Albuquerque, Sandia National Labs, and Rio Rancho. Problem Statement:

The aquifer underlying the city of Albuquerque is a complex system that continues to be studied, and its capacity was vastly overestimated until the 1990s when local water levels began to drastically decrease. Following the implementation of water conservation measures in the city, Albuquerque further changed its approach to water management in 2008 by incorporating surface …

Distribution, Diversity, And Den Locations Of Canidae And Hyaenidae Species Across Habitat Type At Enashiva Nature Refuge, Grace Bullington

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to the importance of top-trophic level predators have on their environment including regulating prey species and influencing ecosystem biodiversity, it is important to monitor top-trophic level predators to understand how they shape their ecosystem. While top-trophic level predators can benefit the ecosystem, they can also cause problems for surrounding human settlements like predation on livestock. Species in the Canidae and Hyaenidae families occupy the top-trophic level and can influence their ecosystem and cause human-wildlife conflict.

This study looked at the distribution, diversity, and den locations of Canidae and Hyaenidae species at Enashiva Nature Refuge over the course of 21 …

Pteropus Voeltzkowi And The Understory: A Study Of The Behavioral Impacts Of The Pemba Flying Fox On The Vegetation And Soil Quality Of Pemba Island, Lea Davidson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the impact of Pteropus voeltzkowi , colloquially known as the Pemba Flying Fox, on biodiversity and health of the forest ground layer. Known to serve as reforesters, high concentrations of both fruit seeds and nutrient dense guano are introduced into specific environmental locations due to the bat's behavioral patterns. Working around two roost locations, one in Ngezi Forest and the other at the Kidike conservation site near Mjini Ole, diversity of juvenile vegetation was measured and quantified. In a laboratory setting, soil samples from both sites were analyzed for impacts of guano concentration on soil chemical properties. …

The Effects Of Thermal Stress On Fluorescent Protein Expression In An Indo-Pacific Scleractinian Coral Species, Acropora Tenuis, Anna Knochel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The scleractinian coral species that so heavily define tropical coral reefs are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic global warming. Rising sea surface temperatures in combination with light stress causes the photosynthetic breakdown of the coral’s algal symbiont, Symbiodinium. Corals have developed a number of physiological responses to handle acute stressors, such as the production of ultraviolet-protecting amino acids, heat shock proteins, the ability to shift symbionts, and the production of fluorescent proteins. The latter has been thought to play a photoprotective role in the coral holobiont, and studies have shown evidence that corals orient these pigments to divert harmful light away …

Wetland Seed Dispersal By White-Tailed Deer In A Large Freshwater Wetland Complex, Kelley L. Flaherty, James S. Rentch, James T. Anderson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Mechanisms of long-distance dispersal are important in establishing and maintaining plant populations in isolated wetland habitats. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been cited as long-distance dispersers of both native and exotic plant species in North America; however, knowledge regarding their influence in wetlands is limited. Given traditional classification methods for seed dispersal, white-tailed deer are not likely viewed as important dispersal mechanism for wetland plants. We collected naturally deposited white-tailed deer faecal pellet piles from wetlands in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, USA. Pellet piles were cold-stratified and germinated seedlings over a layer of sterile potting mix. The percentage of germinated …

Factors Affecting Availability For Detection: An Example Using Radio-Collared Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus), Christopher M. Lituma, David A. Buehler, Evan P. Tanner, Ashley M. Tanner, Patrick D. Keyser, Craig A. Harper

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Avian monitoring strategies are usually linked to bird singing or calling behavior. Individual availability for detection can change as a result of conspecific factors affecting bird behavior, though the magnitude of these effects is difficult to quantify. We evaluated behavioral and temporal factors affecting Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) breeding season individual availability for detection during three common survey times (3 min, 5 min, 10 min). We conducted 10-minute surveys associated with radio-collared male Northern Bobwhites on Peabody Wildlife Management Area, Kentucky, from 2010–2011. We homed to within 50 m of radio-collared males and recorded number of distinct Northern …

Using Extremophile Bacteriophage Discovery In A Stem Education Professional Development Partnership To Explore Model Classroom Research Experiences Integrating The Three Dimentions Of The Next Generation Science Standards, Carrie L. Boudreau Ms

All Student Scholarship

The National Research Council’s (NRC) A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas describes a vision of what it means to be proficient in science. The project discussed in this thesis was developed with a NIH SEPA Grant 8R25OD010937 to the Virology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the University of Southern Maine (USM) under the direction of Dr. S. Monroe Duboise. The goal of the project was to explore using discovery of extreme environment bacteria and their bacteriophages as a model for using the three dimensions of learning to teach Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Specifically, …

Analysis Of Microbial Diversity In Disturbed Soil, Tyler G. Sanda

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper uses the composition and abundance of microbial species to analyze soil recovery in disturbed land. Surface mining disturbs ecological communities throughout the world. As organizations seek to reclaim these disturbed lands, a proper analysis of recovery is needed. In previous studies, recovery of disturbed land was limited to surface examinations, which do not characterize the possible unseen devastating effects of the subsoil. Soil microorganisms are extremely sensitive to environmental changes such as strip mining. It is proposed that these microorganisms may serve as better indicators of recovery post disturbance. Our analysis indicates microbial recovery, however it may not …

Quantification And Analysis Of Carbon-13 And Nitrogen-15 Stable Isotope Variation In Brood V Cicada Nymph Exoskeletons, Eric Aho

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Endemic to eastern North America, the periodical cicada of the genus Magicicada is an insect that has captured people’s curiosity for centuries. Feeding on root xylem for 13 or 17 years, these insects emerge from the earth by the millions and shed their exoskeletons before maturing into reproductive adults. The short 2-3 month window in which periodical cicadas are active provides a short yet large resource pulse to both consumers and soil. Capitalizing on the 2016 emergence of Brood V, this study examined the d¹³C and d¹⁵N values of cicada nymph exoskeletons, seeking to identify patterns …

The Effects Of Methamphetamine Exposure On Cardiovascular Development In Combination With Hypoxia In Danio Rerio, Sarah Donaldson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of methamphetamine combined with hypoxia on the development and function of the cardiovascular system in Danio rerio embryos. It was hypothesized that the combined effect of the drug and decreased oxygen concentration would result in decreased cardiac parameters due to underdevelopment of the ventricle and vessels resulting from cardiomyopathy and lack of blood flow to tissues. It was found that methamphetamine exposure correlated to an increase in stroke volume, caudal artery and vein diameters and RBC velocities alone, while having a multiplicative effect of increasing arterial RBC velocity when combined …

Wetland Connectivity And Macroinvertebrate Diversity, Samantha M. Hodgson, Jacob Pollock, Dr. Anne E. Wiley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Wetlands are important in filtering pollutants from aquatic ecosystems and also serve as habitats for a diverse array of organisms. However, wetland-river networks are often subject to human disturbances such as dyke construction. These decreases in connectivity have the potential to impede movement of organisms and nutrients between habitats.

This study examined how the food web structure and diversity of macroinvertebrate communities differ between wetland sites connected and disconnected to nearby rivers. According to macroinvertebrate surveys in wetlands connected to nearby rivers and dyked wetlands (not connected to nearby rivers), there is an increase in average species richness and diversity …

The Impacts Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Herbivory On The Forage Quality Of Forest Vegetation, Jonathan David Becker

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are abundant across North America. Deer impact ecosystems, both directly and indirectly. These impacts are driven by the foraging preferences of deer. The energy, protein, mineral, fiber, and secondary metabolite content of plants are important factors that inform the selective herbivory of deer. I examined the interactions between forage quality and deer impacts in northern Wisconsin using deer exclosures. I examined the forage quality of four focal species (Acer saccharum, Maianthemum canadense, Dryopteris intermedia and Carex pensylvanica) in both control and exclosure plots. Forage quality parameters measured were energy, protein, ash, phosphorus, silica, fiber, and saponins. …

Determinants Of Host Use In Tachinid Parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae) Of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Southwest Ohio, Matthew W. Duncan

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Tachinid parasitoids in the subfamily Phasiinae are important natural enemies of heteropteran bugs. Host location by these flies occurs via antennal reception to the pheromones of their hosts; however little is known regarding the mechanisms which underlie host selection. Halyomorpha halys, the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, represents a potential novel host species in North America. This study was conducted to determine the suitability of H. halys as a host for phasiine species, and to assess cues used in host selection by the species Gymnoclytia occidua. Field attraction to pentatomid pheromones by both phasiines and pentatomids in Southwest Ohio were …

Vitamin D3 And Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling Proteins Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In An Alzheimer's Disease Like-Model Consisting Of Microglial And Neuronal Co-Cultures, Alexander Evdokiou

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This study examined the inflammatory effects of amyloid-beta (A[beta]42) in a microglial-neuronal co-culture system and determined whether 1a, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) along with suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS 3 mimetics would attenuate the inflammatory response to A[beta]42. This culture system, when seeded with A[beta]42, serves as an in vitro model for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In a neuronal-microglia co-culture, A[beta]42 stimulated microglia to secrete TNF-a, but with the addition of 1,25-(OH)2D3, TNF-a levels dropped by nearly eight-fold and to near zero values in the presence of both 1,25-(OH)2D3 and SOCS1 and SOCS 3 mimetics. The reduction of the inflammatory …

Effect Of Hyperglycemia And Thiazolidinediones On Cardiac Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In Db/Db Diabetic Mice, Rucha Fadnavis

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Type 2 diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Despite availability of several antidiabetic medications, the cardiovascular outcomes remain unchanged. Activation of renin angiotensin system is one of the critical factors in development of diabetic complications. Hyperglycemia causes an increase in tissue and circulating Angiotensin II. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2) and neprilysin (NEP) are angiotensin (1-7) forming enzymes. ACE2 was first cloned from heart failure patients and has cardioprotective and renoprotective properties. Combination of angiotensin receptor antagonism and NEP inhibition is a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of heart failure. The aim of this study was …

Dnp63a Suppresses Cell Invasion By Targeting Rac1 Through Mir-320a, Amjad Ahmed Aljagthmi

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DNp63a, a member of the p53 family of transcription factors, is overexpressed in a number of cancers and known to play a role in proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion. DNp63a has been shown to regulate several microRNAs that play a role in both development and cancer, but to date there has not been a global analysis of p63- regulated miRNA. Using next-generation sequencing of small RNA from wild type and sip63 transfected HaCaT cells, our laboratory recently identified a number of DNp63a- regulated miRNAs by RNA-Seq studies which may serve as biomarkers of cancer progression. We identified a novel miRNA, …

Cx43 Expression Increases In Response To Increased Temperature Incubation In The Developing Chicken Embryonic Brain, Erick A. Barrios

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We used the chicken embryo model to examine whether altered incubation temperature during chicken embryo development would alter the protein expression of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), hsp90, and connexin 43 (cx43) in the brain. We incubated eggs in either optimal (37.6°C, Con), increased (39.6°C, +2), or decreased (35.6°C, -2) temperature conditions until they reached embryonic day 16 (E16). The -2 condition significantly increased incidence of embryonic mortality. As shown in the literature, the development of the eggs was accelerated or decelerated due to increased or decreased temperature respectively. To control for this, we incubated eggs at optimal temperature (37.6°C) …

Effect Of Hyperglycemia And Thiazolidinediones On Cardiac Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In Db/Db Diabetic Mice., Rucha Fadnavis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Despite availability of several antidiabetic medications, the cardiovascular outcomes remain unchanged. Activation of renin angiotensin system is one of the critical factors in development of diabetic complications. Hyperglycemia causes an increase in tissue and circulating Angiotensin II. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2) and neprilysin (NEP) are angiotensin (1-7) forming enzymes. ACE2 was first cloned from heart failure patients and has cardioprotective and renoprotective properties. Combination of angiotensin receptor antagonism and NEP inhibition is a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of heart failure. The aim of this study was …

Effects Of Novel Fragment-Warhead Adducts In Situ And In Vitro With Glutaredoxin Orthologs., Andrew J. Caras

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) is a method of pharmaceutical research involving characterization of small “fragment” molecule interactions with a target protein. These fragments are optimized with the addition of a nucleophilic “warhead” moiety. Several novel fragment-warhead adducts have been synthesized in house by group member Ram Khattri Ph.D. The experiment investigates reactivity of these adducts with glutaredoxin protein (Grx) orthologs from Homo sapiens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Brucella melitensis. Three novel fragment-warhead adducts have been identified to cause weakly bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal effects, most with minimum inhibitory concentration values near 1.28 mg/mL. Discussed herein are molecular effects of these fragment-warhead …

Upstream Regulators Of Vrac Activation In Human 1321n1 Astrocytoma Cells, Courtney Elyse Moore

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Cells rely on a constant volume not only for structural stability but also for normal homeostatic processes to occur. In the brain and CNS, cells can regain their normal volume through a process termed regulatory volume decrease (RVD). A key component of a cells' response to cell swelling is the activation of channel(s) responsible for the efflux of chloride current, ICl,swell. Volume regulated anion channels (VRAC) which mediate ICl,swell have been implicated in controlling cell volume during RVD, but the mechanisms which activate this channel are not completely understood. In this study, I examined the role of G protein-coupled signaling …

Muskmelon Variety Trial In Southwest Indiana — 2016, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie

Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Research Reports

This is a compilation of 21 research trial reports from four land-grant universities in the Midwestern United States. Crops include cantaloupe, pickling cucumber, pepper, potato, pumpkin, summer squash and zucchini, sweet corn, tomato, and watermelon. Somecrops were evaluated in high tunnels or hoophouses. Most trials evaluated different cultivars or varieties. One report addressed plant spacing for sweet corn and one addressed soil block for production of tomato seedlings. A list of vegetable seed sources and a list of other online sources of vegetable trial reports are also included.

Watermelon Variety Evaluations In Southwest Indiana, 2016, Wenjing Guan, Dan Egel, Dennis Nowaskie

Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Research Reports

This is a compilation of 21 research trial reports from four land-grant universities in the Midwestern United States. Crops include cantaloupe, pickling cucumber, pepper, potato, pumpkin, summer squash and zucchini, sweet corn, tomato, and watermelon. Somecrops were evaluated in high tunnels or hoophouses. Most trials evaluated different cultivars or varieties. One report addressed plant spacing for sweet corn and one addressed soil block for production of tomato seedlings. A list of vegetable seed sources and a list of other online sources of vegetable trial reports are also included.

Potassium Applications And Yellow Shoulder Disorder Of Tomatoes In High Tunnels, Elizabeth Maynard, Israel S. Calsoya, Jill Malecki

Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Research Reports

Tomatoes grown in unheated high tunnels can suffer significant loss in quality due to yellow shoulder disorder, particularly in susceptible varieties. This paper reports on a preliminary trial to determine whether incidence and severity of the disorder could be influenced by applying potassium fertilizers. Plots with higher leaf potassium content tended to have less fruit with severe yellow shoulder disorder, but increasing the amount of potassium fertilizer applied did not significantly reduce the disorder. From this study it isn’t possible to make specific recommendations for reducing yellow shoulder disorder with potassium applications.

Midwest Vegetable Trial Report For 2016, Elizabeth Maynard, Brad Bergefurd

Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Research Reports

This is a compilation of 21 research trial reports from six land-grant universities in the midwestern United States. Crops include dry beans, cantaloupe, cucumber, pepper, pumpkin, sweet corn, summer squash, winter squash, strawberry, tomato, watermelon, and winter melon. Several crops were evaluated in high tunnels or hoop houses. Most trials evaluated different cultivars or varieties. Three reports addressed specific growing practices: the use of poly-coated urea to supply nitrogen to sweet corn, potassium fertilization for high tunnel tomatoes, and use of cereal rye cover crop in butternut squash.

Strawberry Variety Evaluation For High Tunnel Production In Southwest Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Larry Sutterer

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

No abstract provided.