Life Sciences Commons^™

Small Packages, Big Returns: Uncovering The Venom Diversity Of Small Inverebrate Conoidean Snails, J. Gorson, M. Holford

Publications and Research

Venomous organisms used in research were historically chosen based on size and availability. This opportunity-driven strategy created a species bias in which snakes, scorpions, and spiders became the primary subjects of venom research. Increasing technological advancements have enabled interdisciplinary studies using genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to expand venom investigation to animals that produce small amounts of venom or lack traditional venom producing organs. One group of non-traditional venomous organisms that have benefitted from the rise of -omic technologies is the Conoideans. The Conoidean superfamily of venomous marine snails includes, the Terebridae, Turridae (s.l), and Conidae. Conoidea venom is used for …

Beach Nourishment: Effects On The Hatching & Emergence Success Rates Of Leatherback (Dermochelys Coriacea), Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta), And Green (Chelonia Mydas) Sea Turtles, Jenna Caderas

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Broward County, Florida is a popular tourism destination. Due to its popularity, much of the shoreline has been modified and natural habitats were replaced with infrastructure such as houses, condominiums, resorts, and restaurants. The same Broward County beaches utilized by tourists and residents are important for three species of nesting sea turtles, including the Leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea, Loggerhead, Caretta caretta, and Green, Chelonia mydas, Turtles. The Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program (BCSTCP) collects yearly data in order to study these endangered reptiles. Increased anthropogenic effects including further coastal development (public & private), public beach events, public beach access, as …

Forage News [2016-07], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Heart of America Grazing Conference Highlight: Native Warm-Season Grasses (NWSG): Naturally Adapted Productive Pastures
• Nitrate Test Kits available - KY County Extension Offices
• Featured Publication: Forage-Related Disorders in Cattle: Nitrate Poisoning (UK pub ID-217)
• Forage News Quote of the Month: "Insanity: Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results"
• Program and registration - KFGC Annual Field Day
• Scott County Field Day Replaces Annual UK Equine Field Day for 2016
• Dairymen and Horse Owners: Caution with rye straw
• The Forage-Livestock Community Says Goodbye to a Forage Legend: Russell Hackley
• Webinar on Hi-Gest® Low Lignin Alfalfa
• New Holland …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 3, July 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome New Faculty - ESA-NCB Award Winners - Student Award Winners - Grants - Congratulations! - Student News - Publications - Travel - Meet Airene Millsap, an Online Student - Beekeeping Workshops

Lawn Establishment In Kentucky [2016], Gregg Munshaw

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

The methods you use, the grass you select and the time of year that you plant your lawn will often determine the quality and ease of maintenance. A quality lawn will increase the value and appeal of your property, and maintaining it can be satisfying work. When it comes to establishing a new lawn, the key is to do everything properly from the start so you will not have to try to fix the lawn once it is established.

Providing Water For Beef Cattle In Rotational Grazing Systems, Stephen F. Higgins, Lee Moser, Kevin Laurent

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Water is the most essential nutrient for cattle production. Water is used in almost every bodily function, including digestion, milk production, and excretion. Given the role and function of water in relation to animal production, health, and welfare, it is critical that abundant, clean water is available in any livestock production operation. Livestock must have immediate access to water within every paddock of a rotational grazing system to realize maximum efficiency and production.

Synthetic Investigation On The Biomimetic Metal-Catalyzed Sulfoxidations And Photochemical Generation Of A Highly Reactive Ruthenium(V)-Oxo Porphyrin, Weilong Luo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Catalytic oxidation plays a crucial role in current chemical and pharmaceutical industries which is also a leading technology for green chemical processes. In Nature, the ubiquitous cytochrome P450 enzymes can catalyze a wide variety of oxidation reactions with high efficiency and selectivity. Many transition metal catalysts are designed as the biomimetic model of cytochrome P450 enzymes. In this work, series of metalloporphyrins and metallocorroles have been successfully synthesized to investigate and develop catalytic selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides.

Manganese(III) porphyrin complexes (2) and manganese(III) corrole complexes (6) with iodobenzene diacetate [PhI(OAc)2] as a mild oxygen source exhibited remarkable catalytic …

Employing Extant Stable Carbon Isotope Data In Gulf Of Mexico Sedimentary Organic Matter For Oil Spill Studies, Brad E. Rosenheim, Matthew A. Pendergraft, George C. Flowers, Robert Carney, José L. Sericano, Jeff Chanton, Zeynep Dincer, Terry L. Wade

Marine Science Faculty Publications

We have compiled and mapped available carbon isotope data from sedimentary organic material sampled from the Gulf of Mexico prior to 2010. These data provide a baseline to which any changes in the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill can be compared. The mean (±1σ) δ¹³C values, relative to PDB, are −21.4±1.9‰ (entire Gulf of Mexico), −21.7±1.2‰ (shelf sediments), −20.4±1.6‰ (deepwater sediments), and −25.2±4.1‰ (seep-affected sediments). We compare pre-spill mean δ¹³C values to carbon isotope measurements of sedimentary organic material from coretop samples collected after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil …

Changes In Sediment Redox Conditions Following The Bp Dwh Blowout Event, D. W. Hastings, Patrick Schwing, G. R. Brooks, R. A. Larson, J. L. Morford, T. Roeder, K. A. Quinn, T. Bartlett, Isabel C. Romero, David Hollander

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Following the blowout of the Macondo well, a pulse in sedimentation resulted in changes in sedimentary redox conditions. This is demonstrated by downcore and temporal changes in the concentration of redox sensitive metals: Mn, Re, and Cd. Sediment cores collected in the NE Gulf of Mexico (GoM) reveal increased sedimentation after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout. The formation of mucous-rich marine snow in surface waters and subsequent rapid deposition to underlying sediments is the likely cause. Respiration of this material resulted in decreased pore-water oxygen concentration and a shoaled redoxcline, resulting in two distinct Mn peaks in sediments following …

Seascapes As A New Vernacular For Pelagic Ocean Monitoring, Management And Conservation, Maria T. Kavanaugh, Matthew J. Oliver, Francisco P. Chavez, Ricardo M. Letelier, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Scott C. Doney

Marine Science Faculty Publications

For terrestrial and marine benthic ecologists, landscape ecology provides a framework to address issues of complexity, patchiness, and scale—providing theory and context for ecosystem based management in a changing climate. Marine pelagic ecosystems are likewise changing in response to warming, changing chemistry, and resource exploitation. However, unlike spatial landscapes that migrate slowly with time, pelagic seascapes are embedded in a turbulent, advective ocean. Adaptations from landscape ecology to marine pelagic ecosystem management must consider the nature and scale of biophysical interactions associated with organisms ranging from microbes to whales, a hierarchical organization shaped by physical processes, and our limited capacity …

Comparative Genomics, Transcriptomics, And Physiology Distinguish Symbiotic From Free-Living Chlorella Strains, Cristian F. Quispe, Olivia Sonderman, Maya Khasin, Wayne R. Riekhof, James L. Van Etten, Kenneth Nickerson

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Most animal–microbe symbiotic interactions must be advantageous to the host and provide nutritional benefits to the endosymbiont. When the host provides nutrients, it can gain the capacity to control the interaction, promote self-growth, and increase its fitness. Chlorella-like green algae engage in symbiotic relationships with certain protozoans, a partnership that significantly impacts the physiology of both organisms. Consequently, it is often challenging to grow axenic Chlorella cultures after isolation from the host because they are nutrient fastidious and often susceptible to virus infection. We hypothesize that the establishment of a symbiotic relationship resulted in natural selection for nutritional and metabolic …

Wpa News 100 (2016), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2016), number 100

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Multitrophic Diversity Effects Of Network Degradation, Elizabeth Nichols, C. A. Peres, J. E. Hawes, S. Naeem

Biology Faculty Works

Predicting the functional consequences of biodiversity loss in realistic, multitrophic communities remains a challenge. No existing biodiversity–ecosystem function study to date has simultaneously incorporated information on species traits, network topology, and extinction across multiple trophic levels, while all three factors are independently understood as critical drivers of post-extinction network structure and function. We fill this gap by comparing the functional consequences of simulated species loss both within (monotrophic) and across (bitrophic) trophic levels, in an ecological interaction network estimated from spatially explicit field data on tropical fecal detritus producer and consumers (mammals and dung beetles). We simulated trait-ordered beetle and …

Wildlife Benefits Of Switchgrass Production In Kentucky, S. Ray Smith, Krista Lea, Thomas Clarkson Keene, Laura Mary Jane Schwer

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a warm-season perennial grass native to much of the United States including Kentucky (USDA). Switchgrass can be grown on marginal soils and regularly produces high biomass yields (4 to 8 tons of dry matter per acre) in Kentucky. Switchgrass varieties are broadly classified into two ecotypes: lowland and upland. Lowland varieties, such as ‘Alamo,’ typically produce higher yields, while upland varieties, such as ‘Cave-in-Rock’ and ‘Kanlow,’ generally have higher forage quality.

An Ipm Scouting Guide For Common Problems Of High Tunnel And Greenhouse Vegetable Crops In Kentucky, Shubin Saha, Emily Pfeufer, Ricardo Bessin, Shawn Wright, Cheryl A. Kaiser

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Long before the term “sustainable” became a household word, farmers were implementing sustainable practices in the form of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. IPM uses a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods to reduce and/or manage pest populations. These strategies are used to minimize environmental risks, economic costs, and health hazards. Pests are managed (although rarely eliminated) to reduce their negative impact on the crop.

Scouting and monitoring diseases, insects, weeds, and abiotic disorders in order to identify potential problems before they result in serious losses is essential to the IPM approach. The key to effective monitoring is …

Cloning, Characteristics, And Functional Analysis Of Rabbit Nadph Oxidase 5, Feng Chen, Caiyong Yin, Christiana Dimitropoulou, David J.R. Fulton

Bioelectrics Publications

Background: Nox5 was the last member of the Nox enzyme family to be identified. Functionally distinct from the other Nox isoforms, our understanding of its physiological significance has been hampered by the absence of Nox5 in mouse and rat genomes. Nox5 is present in the genomes of other species such as the rabbit that have broad utility as models of cardiovascular disease. However, the mRNA sequence, characteristics, and functional analysis of rabbit Nox5 has not been fully defined and were the goals of the current study.

Methods: Rabbit Nox5 was amplified from rabbit tissue, cloned, and sequenced. COS-7 cells were …

Enhanced Bovine Colostrum Supplementation Shortens The Duration Of Respiratory Disease In Thoroughbred Yearlings, Clara K. Fenger, Thomas Tobin, Patrick J. Casey, Edward A. Roualdes, John L. Langemeier, Ruel Cowles, Deborah M. Haines

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Bovine colostrum (BC) is used in humans as a nutritional supplement for immune support and has been shown to reduce Respiratory disease (RD). Other nutritional supplements, minerals and vitamins including mannan oligosaccharides (MOS), zinc and vitamins A, C and E have also been used for immune support. The aim of this prospective blinded randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of a BC, MOS, zinc and vitamin based enhanced bovine colostrum supplement (BCS) on incidence and duration of RD occurring in yearling horses. 109 yearlings on two Thoroughbred farms in Central Kentucky were randomly assigned to treatment or placebo …

Northern Demersal Scalefish Managed Fishery, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

An operators’ guide to the management arrangements 2016 Version 2.0

Oregon State Rank Assessment For A Caddisfly (Farula Constricta), Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for a caddisfly (Farula constricta) using NatureServe methodology, 2016.

Quality Changes And Freezing Time Prediction During Freezing And Thawing Of Ginger, Poonam Singha, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Publications

Effects of different freezing rates and four different thawing methods on chemical composition, microstructure, and color of ginger were investigated. Computer simulation for predicting the freezing time of cylindrical ginger for two different freezing methods (slow and fast) was done using ANSYS® Multiphysics. Different freezing rates (slow and fast) and thawing methods significantly (P < 0.05) affected the color and composition of essential oil in ginger. Fresh ginger was found to contain 3.60% gingerol and 18.30% zingerone. A maximum yield of 7.43% gingerol was obtained when slow frozen gingers when thawed by infrared method. Maximum zingerone content of 38.30% was achieved by thawing slow frozen gingers using infrared-microwave method. Microscopic examination revealed that structural damage was more pronounced in slow frozen gingers than fast frozen gingers. Simulated freezing curves were in good agreement with experimental measurements (r = 0.97 for slow freezing and r = 0.92 for fast freezing). Slow freezing damaged ginger’s cellular structure. Data obtained will be helpful in selecting appropriate thawing method to increase desirable essential oil components in ginger. Computer simulation for predicting freezing time may help in developing proper storage system of ginger.

Louisiana Agriculture Summer, 2016, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

No abstract provided.

Red-Shifted Aequorin Variants Incorporating Non-Canonical Amino Acids: Applications In In Vivo Imaging, Kristen M. Grinstead, Laura Rowe, Mark Ensor, Smita Joel, Pirouz Daftarian, Emre Dikici, Jean-Marc Zingg, Sylvia Daunert

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The increased importance of in vivo diagnostics has posed new demands for imaging technologies. In that regard, there is a need for imaging molecules capable of expanding the applications of current state-of-the-art imaging in vivo diagnostics. To that end, there is a desire for new reporter molecules capable of providing strong signals, are non-toxic, and can be tailored to diagnose or monitor the progression of a number of diseases. Aequorin is a non-toxic photoprotein that can be used as a sensitive marker for bioluminescence in vivo imaging. The sensitivity of aequorin is due to the fact that bioluminescence is a …

Ici, Sprayseed And The W.A. Department Of Agriculture, Geoff Pearce

All other publications

The story which follows tells how the systems for planting cereals, developed on research stations over a period of about 40 years, has been changed by a Commercial Chemical Company using newly developed herbicides to replace cultivation.

Structural Characterization Of Tick Cement Cones Collected From In Vivo And Artifical Membrane Blood-Fed Lone Star Ticks (Ambylomma Americanum), Rebekah Bullard, Paige Allen, Chien-Chung Chao, Jessica Douglas, Pradipta K. Das, Sarah E. Morgan, Wei-Mei Ching, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

The Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is endemic to the southeastern United States and capable of transmitting pathogenic diseases and causing non-pathogenic conditions. To remain firmly attached to the host, the tick secretes a proteinaceous matrix termed the cement cone which hardens around the tick’s mouthparts to assist in the attachment of the tick as well as to protect the mouthparts from the host immune system. Cement cones collected from ticks on a host are commonly contaminated with host skin and hair making analysis of the cone difficult. To reduce the contamination found in the cement cone, we have adapted …

Understanding Tradeoffs Between Food And Predation Risks In A Specialist Mammalian Herbivore, Jamie L. Utz, Lisa A. Shipley, Janet L. Rachlow, Tamara Johnstone-Yellin, Meghan Camp, Jennifer Sorenson Forbey

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding habitat use by animals requires understanding the simultaneous tradeoffs between food and predation risk within a landscape. Quantifying the synergy between patches that provide quality food and those that are safe from predators at a scale relevant to a foraging animal could better reveal the parameters that influence habitat selection. To understand more thoroughly how animals select habitat components, we investigated tradeoffs between diet quality and predation risk in a species endemic to sagebrush Artemisia spp. communities in North America, the pygmy rabbitBrachylagus idahoensis. This species is a rare example of a specialist herbivore that relies almost entirely …

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 38, No. 3, Late Summer 2016, Scott Lyell Gardner

American Society of Parasitologists: Newsletter

Newsletter issue of the American Society of Parasitologists.

High-Input Management Systems Effect On Soybean Seed Yield, Yield Components, And Economic Break-Even Probabilities, John M. Orlowski, Bryson J. Haverkamp, Randall G. Laurenz, David A. Marburger, Eric W. Wilson, Shaun N. Casteel, Shawn P. Conley, Seth L. Naeve, Emerson D. Nafziger, Kraig L. Roozeboom, William J. Ross, Kurt D. Thelen, Chad Lee

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Elevated soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] prices have spurred interest in maximizing soybean seed yield and has led growers to increase the number of inputs in their production systems. However, little information exists about the effects of high-input management on soybean yield and profitability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of individual inputs, as well as combinations of inputs marketed to protect or increase soybean seed yield, yield components, and economic break-even probabilities. Studies were established in nine states and three soybean growing regions (North, Central, and South) between 2012 and 2014. In each site-year …

Molecular Underpinnings Of Diabetic Polyneuropathy, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Only Women Report Increase In Pain Threshold Following Fatiguing Contractions Of The Upper Extremity, Kathy J. Lemley, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter, Marie K. Hoeger Bement

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The perception of pain in response to a noxious stimulus can be markedly reduced following an acute bout of exercise [exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH)]. Sex differences in EIH frequently occur after exercise but may be confounded by the sex differences in muscle fatigue. The purpose was to determine if sex differences in pain relief occur after an exercise protocol when muscle fatigue is similar for both young and older men and women.

Methods

Pain perception of 33 men (15 young) and 31 women (19 young) was measured using a pressure pain stimulus on the left index finger before and after …

Characterizing Active And Inactive Brown Adipose Tissue In Adult Humans Using Pet-Ct And Mr Imaging, Aliya Gifford, Theodore F. Towse, Ronald C. Walker, Malcolm J. Avison, E Brian Welch

Peer Reviewed Articles

Activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays an important role in thermogenesis and whole body metabolism in mammals. Positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) imaging has identified depots of BAT in adult humans, igniting scientific interest. The purpose of this study is to characterize both active and inactive supraclavicular BAT in adults and compare the values to those of subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT). We obtained [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([¹⁸F]FDG) PET-CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 25 healthy adults. Unlike [¹⁸F]FDG PET, which can detect only active BAT, MRI is capable of detecting both active …