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Articles 451 - 480 of 714

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Phytoremediation: An Affordable Green Technology For The Clean-Up Of Metal-Contaminated Sites In Sri Lanka, Nishanta Rajakaruna, Kathleen M. Tompkins, Peter G. Pavicevic Jan 2006

Phytoremediation: An Affordable Green Technology For The Clean-Up Of Metal-Contaminated Sites In Sri Lanka, Nishanta Rajakaruna, Kathleen M. Tompkins, Peter G. Pavicevic

Biological Sciences

Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remediate sites contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants, and phytomining, the technology involved in extracting the pollutants removed for commercial purposes, are rapidly-growing industries with multi-million dollar markets. This solar-driven, green technology is oftenfavored over more conventional methods of clean-up due to its low cost, low impact, and wider public acceptance. In this paper we discuss phytoremediation as a valid alternative for remediating contaminated bodies of soils and water in developing countries like Sri Lanka, where clean-up can often be stalled due to the high costs associated with traditional remediation technologies. While phytoremediation techniques …

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Fossil History Of Billfishes (Xiphioidei), Harry L. Fierstine Jan 2006

Fossil History Of Billfishes (Xiphioidei), Harry L. Fierstine

Biological Sciences

This review characterizes each of the five extinct and extant families of billfishes and discusses the relevant literature. Families include: Hemingwayidae (monotypic; late Paleocene, Turkmenistan), Blochiidae (1 genus, 2 species; middle Eocene, Italy), Palaeorhynchidae (4 genera, ca. 22 species; early Eocene-possibly early Miocene, Europe, Iran, Russia, U.S.A.), Xiphiidae that includes the subfamilies Xiphiorhynchinae (1 genus, 9 species; early Eocene-late Oligocene, Egypt, Europe, U.S.A.) and Xiphiinae (monotypic; middle Miocene-present, world-wide temperate- tropical seas), and the Istiophoridae (3 genera, 13 species; middle Miocene-present; world-wide temperate-tropical seas). Billfishes first appeared in the region of the ancient Tethys Sea (or Paratethys), except for the …

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Using Latent Effects To Determine The Ecological Importance Of Dissolved Organic Matter To Marine Invertebrates, Dean E. Wendt, Collin H. Johnson Jan 2006

Using Latent Effects To Determine The Ecological Importance Of Dissolved Organic Matter To Marine Invertebrates, Dean E. Wendt, Collin H. Johnson

Biological Sciences

The uptake and utilization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by marine invertebrates is a field that has received significant attention over the past 100 years. Although it is well established that DOM is taken up by marine invertebrates, the extent to which it contributes to an animal's survival, growth, and reproduction (that is, the ecological benefits) remains largely unknown. Previous work seeking to demonstrate the putative ecological benefits of DOM uptake have examined them within a single life stage of an animal. Moreover, most of the benefits are demonstrated through indirect approaches by examining (1) mass balance, or (2) making …

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Factors That Influence Elastomeric Coating Performance: The Effect Of Coating Thickness On Basal Plate Morphology, Growth And Critical Removal Stress Of The Barnacle Balanus Amphitrite, D. E. Wendt, G. L. Kowalke, J. Kim, I. L. Singer Jan 2006

Factors That Influence Elastomeric Coating Performance: The Effect Of Coating Thickness On Basal Plate Morphology, Growth And Critical Removal Stress Of The Barnacle Balanus Amphitrite, D. E. Wendt, G. L. Kowalke, J. Kim, I. L. Singer

Biological Sciences

Silicone coatings are currently the most effective non-toxic fouling release surfaces. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to the performance of silicone coatings is necessary to further improve their design. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of coating thickness on basal plate morphology, growth, and critical removal stress of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite. Barnacles were grown on silicone coatings of three thicknesses (0.2, 0.5 and 2 mm). Atypical (“cupped”) basal plate morphology was observed on all surfaces, although there was no relationship between coating thickness and i) the proportion of individuals with the atypical morphology, or …

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Interspecific Variation In Patterns Of Adhesion Of Marine Fouling To Silicone Surfaces, Eric R. Holm, Christopher J. Kavanagh, Anne E. Meyer, Deborah Wiebe, Brian T. Nedved, Dean Wendt, Celia M. Smith, Michael G. Hadfield, Geoff Swain, Christina D. Wood, Kathryn Truby, Judith Stein, Jean Montemarano Jan 2006

Interspecific Variation In Patterns Of Adhesion Of Marine Fouling To Silicone Surfaces, Eric R. Holm, Christopher J. Kavanagh, Anne E. Meyer, Deborah Wiebe, Brian T. Nedved, Dean Wendt, Celia M. Smith, Michael G. Hadfield, Geoff Swain, Christina D. Wood, Kathryn Truby, Judith Stein, Jean Montemarano

Biological Sciences

The adhesion of six fouling organisms: the barnacle Balanus eburneus, the gastropod mollusc Crepidula fornicata, the bivalve molluscs Crassostrea virginica and Ostrea/Dendrostrea spp., and the serpulid tubeworms Hydroides dianthus and H. elegans, to 12 silicone fouling-release surfaces was examined. Removal stress (adhesion strength) varied among the fouling species and among the surfaces. Principal component analysis of the removal stress data revealed that the fouling species fell into two distinct groups, one comprising the bivalve molluscs and tubeworms, and the other the barnacle and the gastropod mollusc. None of the silicone materials generated a minimum in removal stress …

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Lassen Volcanic National Park Small Vertebrate Inventory Project: Preliminary Results 2000-2004, John D. Perrine Jan 2006

Lassen Volcanic National Park Small Vertebrate Inventory Project: Preliminary Results 2000-2004, John D. Perrine

Biological Sciences

Biologists at Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California conducted an inventory of non-flying small mammals, amphibians and reptiles from 2000 through 2004. The four primary habitat types in the park (brush, forest, riparian and subalpine) were each sampled at one high elevation and one mid-elevation site in the park. Each of the eight sites was sampled for four six-day periods between June and September each year using a combination of pitfall, Sherman and Tomahawk traps, coverboards and unbaited automatic camera stations. This effort yielded 12,150 captures and 776 photo detections. A total of 649 voucher specimens, representing 19 mammal, …

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The Ball Lightning Conundrum, William D. Stansfield Jan 2006

The Ball Lightning Conundrum, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

The article focuses on the issue regarding the existence of ball lightning. The phenomenon regarding its existence is a reality accepted by most scientists, but how it is formed and maintained has yet to be fully explained. According to the author the rarity of ball lightning and the ease with which some of its characteristics can be confused with other Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) that makes it unlikely to be the source of all but a few UFO reports.

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The Enigma Of Coral Castle, William D. Stansfield Jan 2006

The Enigma Of Coral Castle, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

The article discusses the mystery of how Coral Castle near Miami, Florida was built. It is believed that the castle was built by a single man using only simple hand tools. The man who said to built the castle was Latvia-born Edward Leedskalnin. How he supported himself and paid for the land and tools for building a castle is an important part of the mystery.

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Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Growth Under Low-Iron Conditions And Survival Under High-Magnesium Conditions, Chia-Hsin Ju, P.S. Marie Yeung, Jessica Oesterling, Daniel A. Seigerman, Kathryn J. Boor Jan 2006

Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Growth Under Low-Iron Conditions And Survival Under High-Magnesium Conditions, Chia-Hsin Ju, P.S. Marie Yeung, Jessica Oesterling, Daniel A. Seigerman, Kathryn J. Boor

Biological Sciences

Since 1996, Vibrio parahaemoiyticus serotype 03:K6 and closely related strains have been associated with an increased incidence of V. parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis worldwide, suggesting the emergence of strains with enhanced abilities to cause disease. One hypothesis for the recent emergence of V. porahaemolyticus 03:K6 and related strains is an enhanced capacity for environmental survival relative to other strains, which might result in increased human exposure to these organisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that survival or growth characteristics of clinical V. parahaemolyticus isolates differ from those of nonclinical isolates under different environmental conditions. Twenty- six …

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Rockfish Resources Of The South Central California Coast: Analysis Of The Resource From Partyboat Data, 1980-2005, John Stephens, Dean Wendt, Debra Wilson-Vandenberg, Jay Carroll, Royden Nakamura, Erin Nakada, Steven Reinecke, Jono Wilson Jan 2006

Rockfish Resources Of The South Central California Coast: Analysis Of The Resource From Partyboat Data, 1980-2005, John Stephens, Dean Wendt, Debra Wilson-Vandenberg, Jay Carroll, Royden Nakamura, Erin Nakada, Steven Reinecke, Jono Wilson

Biological Sciences

Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) have historically comprised a large proportion of catches in the nearshore recreational fishery in California, but declining populations of some species have led to increasingly restrictive management of the resource. This report summarizes new and existing data on rockfishes of the south central coast of California. In 2003, the California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo placed observers on commercial passenger fishing vessels (partyboats) from the region. By the end of 2005, we had observed catches from 258 trips (8,839 fisher hours). We appended these data to partyboat catch statistics collected by the California Department of …

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Characterizing The Resident, Fermentative Microbial Consortium In The Hindgut Of The Temperate-Zone Herbivorous Fish, Hermosilla Azurea (Teleostei: Kyphosidae), Pat M. Fidopiastis, Daniel J. Bezdek, Michael H. Horn, Judith S. Kandel Jan 2006

Characterizing The Resident, Fermentative Microbial Consortium In The Hindgut Of The Temperate-Zone Herbivorous Fish, Hermosilla Azurea (Teleostei: Kyphosidae), Pat M. Fidopiastis, Daniel J. Bezdek, Michael H. Horn, Judith S. Kandel

Biological Sciences

The zebraperch, Hermosilla azurea Jenkins and Evermann, a warm-temperate marine fish species with a strictly macroalgal diet, has a relatively long digestive tract with an enlarged hindgut and an associated blind caecum (HC). In zebraperch sampled off Santa Catalina Island, California (33°19′42′′N; 118°18′37′′W) in years 1995 through 2001, direct cell counts, gut epithelium assessment of bacterial attachment, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analyses verified that the zebraperch HC possesses a dense and morphologically diverse, fermentative microbiota. Bacterial cell counts and morphological diversity were significantly higher in HC contents compared to anterior gut regions, suggesting that microbial populations were growing along …

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Select Listeria Monocytogenes Subtypes Commonly Found In Foods Carry Distinct Nonsense Mutations In Inla, Leading To Expression Of Truncated And Secreted Internalin A, And Are Associated With A Reduced Invasion Phenotype For Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells, K. K. Nightingale, K. Windham, K. E. Martin, M. Yeung, M. Wiedmann Dec 2005

Select Listeria Monocytogenes Subtypes Commonly Found In Foods Carry Distinct Nonsense Mutations In Inla, Leading To Expression Of Truncated And Secreted Internalin A, And Are Associated With A Reduced Invasion Phenotype For Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells, K. K. Nightingale, K. Windham, K. E. Martin, M. Yeung, M. Wiedmann

Biological Sciences

The surface protein internalin A (InlA) contributes to the invasion of human intestinal epithelial cells by Listeria monocytogenes. Screening of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from human clinical cases (n=46), foods (n=118), and healthy animals (n=58) in the United States revealed mutations in inlA leading to premature stop codons (PMSCs) in L. monocytogenes ribotypes DUP-1052A and DUP-16635A (PMSC mutation type 1), DUP-1025A and DUP-1031A (PMSC mutation type 2), and DUP-1046B and DUP-1062A (PMSC mutation type 3). While all DUP-1046B, DUP-1062A, DUP-16635A, and DUP-1031A isolates (n=76) contained inlA PMSCs, ribotypes DUP-1052A and DUP-1025A ( …

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Carotenoid Availability Affects The Development Of A Colour-Based Mate Preference And The Sensory Bias To Which It Is Genetically Linked, Gregory F. Grether, Gita R. Kolluru, F. Helen Rodd, Jennifer De La Cerda, Kaori Shimazaki Oct 2005

Carotenoid Availability Affects The Development Of A Colour-Based Mate Preference And The Sensory Bias To Which It Is Genetically Linked, Gregory F. Grether, Gita R. Kolluru, F. Helen Rodd, Jennifer De La Cerda, Kaori Shimazaki

Biological Sciences

Regardless of their origins, mate preferences should, in theory, be shaped by their benefits in a mating context. Here we show that the female preference for carotenoid colouration in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) exhibits a phenotypically plastic response to carotenoid availability, confirming a key prediction of sexual selection theory. Earlier work indicated that this mate preference is genetically linked to, and may be derived from, a sensory bias that occurs in both sexes: attraction to orange objects. The original function of this sensory bias is unknown, but it may help guppies find orange-coloured fruits in the rainforest streams of …

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Two-Dimensional Gel Analysis Of The Heat-Shock Response In Marine Snails (Genus Tegula): Interspecific Variation In Protein Expression And Acclimation Ability, Lars Tomanek Aug 2005

Two-Dimensional Gel Analysis Of The Heat-Shock Response In Marine Snails (Genus Tegula): Interspecific Variation In Protein Expression And Acclimation Ability, Lars Tomanek

Biological Sciences

The degree to which temperature acclimation modifies the acute synthesis of the entire heat-shock protein (Hsp) complement is still unknown, but it may constitute an important mechanism for understanding the differences in acclimation ability among closely related ectothermic species that occupy widely varying thermal environments. In general, eurythermal (heat-tolerant) species modify physiological function in response to an increase in acclimation temperature to a greater extent than stenothermal (heat-sensitive) species. In the present work I used 35S-labelled amino acids and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to test this assumption for how acclimation affects acute Hsp expression (referred to as phenotypic plasticity) in …

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Genetic Analysis Of Two Bile Salt Hydrolase Activities In Lactobacillus Acidophilus Ncfm, Olivia Mcauliffe, Raul J. Cano, Todd R. Klaenhammer Aug 2005

Genetic Analysis Of Two Bile Salt Hydrolase Activities In Lactobacillus Acidophilus Ncfm, Olivia Mcauliffe, Raul J. Cano, Todd R. Klaenhammer

Biological Sciences

Two genes, bshA and bshB, encoding bile salt hydrolase enzymes (EC 3.5.1.24) were identified in the genome sequence of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM. Targeted inactivation of these genes via chromosomal insertion of an integration vector demonstrated different substrate specificities for these two enzymes.

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Elevated Levels Of Trace Elements In Cores Of Otoliths And Their Potential For Use As Natural Tags, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Scott L. Hamilton, Michael J.H. Hickford, Georges L. Paradis, Michael S. Sheehy, Julie D. Standish, Ofer Ben-Tzvi, Robert R. Warner Aug 2005

Elevated Levels Of Trace Elements In Cores Of Otoliths And Their Potential For Use As Natural Tags, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Scott L. Hamilton, Michael J.H. Hickford, Georges L. Paradis, Michael S. Sheehy, Julie D. Standish, Ofer Ben-Tzvi, Robert R. Warner

Biological Sciences

Variation in the chemical composition of fish otoliths has been used in recent years to address a range of ecological questions, including levels of stock mixing, variation in habitat use, and rates of larval exchange. While some of these questions have been answered with varying success, the degree to which discrete populations are connected via larval exchange remains unknown. To identify larval sources using natural variation in otolith chemistry, we must distinguish and measure the chemical composition of the otolith core, the portion of the otolith formed at the spawning site. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), …

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Patterns, Causes And Consequences Of Regional Variation In The Ecology And Life History Of A Reef Fish, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Alison J. Haupt, Angel I. Chiriboga, Robert R. Warner Jul 2005

Patterns, Causes And Consequences Of Regional Variation In The Ecology And Life History Of A Reef Fish, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Alison J. Haupt, Angel I. Chiriboga, Robert R. Warner

Biological Sciences

Many species vary in their ecology across their geographic ranges in response to gradients in environmental conditions. Such variation, which can influence life history traits and subsequent demography of populations, usually occurs over large spatial scales. However, describing and understanding the causes of such variation is difficult precisely because it occurs over such large spatial scales. In this study, we document spatial variation in the ecology of a common reef fish, Stegastes beebei, in the Gala´pagos Islands and test a number of potential causal mechanisms. The pattern resembles that seen in latitudinal variation: individuals are larger, occur in higher densities, …

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Adaptive Sampling Of Phytoplankton Responses To Episodic Physical Forcing In The Nearshore Coastal Ocean, Mark A. Moline Jul 2005

Adaptive Sampling Of Phytoplankton Responses To Episodic Physical Forcing In The Nearshore Coastal Ocean, Mark A. Moline

Biological Sciences

The original proposal focused on the linkages between in-water physical, biological and optical dynamics and to assess the degree to which remote sensing could be applied. These areas were approached during the 2001 sampling season and with follow on studies, as part of the extension of the grant through the PECASE award, there are three specific areas of work that have evolved from these original efforts. The first is a further examination of the coherence between convergence zones, general current patterns and spatial distribution of in-water biological signals (phytoplankton). The second is a remote sensing focus, attempting to define the …

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Proliferation Zones In The Salmon Telencephalon And Evidence For Environmental Influence On Proliferation Rate, Sean C. Lema, Mark J. Hodges, Michael P. Marchetti, Gabrielle A. Nevitt Jul 2005

Proliferation Zones In The Salmon Telencephalon And Evidence For Environmental Influence On Proliferation Rate, Sean C. Lema, Mark J. Hodges, Michael P. Marchetti, Gabrielle A. Nevitt

Biological Sciences

Cell proliferation occurs in the brain of fish throughout life. This mitotic activity contributes new neurons to some brain subdivisions, suggesting potential for plasticity in neural development. Recently we found that the telencephalon in salmonids (salmon, trout) is significantly reduced in fish reared in hatcheries compared to wild fish, and that these differences resulted in part from rearing conditions. Here, we describe localized areas of cell proliferation in the telencephalon of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and begin to explore whether mitotic activity in these areas is sensitive to environmental conditions. Using the 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) cell birthdating technique, …

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Xiphiorhynchus Cf. X. Eocaenicus (Woodward, 1901), (Scombroidei: Xiphiidae: Xiphiorhynchinae) From The Middle Eocene Of Mississippi, The First Transatlantic Distribution Of A Species Of Xiphiorhynchus, Harry L. Fierstine, James E. Starnes Jun 2005

Xiphiorhynchus Cf. X. Eocaenicus (Woodward, 1901), (Scombroidei: Xiphiidae: Xiphiorhynchinae) From The Middle Eocene Of Mississippi, The First Transatlantic Distribution Of A Species Of Xiphiorhynchus, Harry L. Fierstine, James E. Starnes

Biological Sciences

An anterior (distal) rostrum (MMNS 2957) from the Moodys Branch Formation (late middle Eocene). Tesheva Creek, Yazoo County, Mississippi, U.S.A., is described and identified as Xiphiorhynchus cf. X. eocaenicus. The specimen is compared to various species of Xiphiorhynchus, especially the holotype of X. eocaenicl.ls (BMNH 25744), Braeklesham Group, early middle Eocene, England. This represents the first record of a species of Xiphiorhynchl.ls in deposits on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean. Xiphiorhynchus eocaenicus is thought to have had similar environmental prtoferences and habits as the extant swordfish, Xiphias gladius. Since the swordfish prefers oceanic water and makes transatlantic movements, …

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A New Aglyptorhynchus (Perciformes: Scombroidei) From The Lincoln Creek Formation (Late Oligocene, Washington, U.S.A.), Harry L. Fierstine Jun 2005

A New Aglyptorhynchus (Perciformes: Scombroidei) From The Lincoln Creek Formation (Late Oligocene, Washington, U.S.A.), Harry L. Fierstine

Biological Sciences

A partial rostrum with an attachcd lower jaw, a posterior neurocranium, and a proximal hyomandibular from the Lincoln Creek Formation (late Oligocene, Washington) arc described and identified as Aglyptorhynchlls coillmhianlls sp, nov. In addition. ten articulated anterior caudal vertebrae presumably from the Lincoln Creek Formation arc described and identified as Aglyptorhyllchlls sp. This is a second record of an Aglyptorhynchus from a deposit bordering the Pacific Ocean, The specimens are compared with other billfishes (Perciformes: Scombroidei), both extant and extinct. Unusual features include a tripartite celous occipital condyle composed equally of the basioccipital and cxoccipitals, a lower jaw that is …

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Sexual Size Dimorphism And Growth Plasticity In Snakes: An Experiment On The Western Diamond‐Backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus Atrox), Emily N, Taylor, Dale F. Denardo Jun 2005

Sexual Size Dimorphism And Growth Plasticity In Snakes: An Experiment On The Western Diamond‐Backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus Atrox), Emily N, Taylor, Dale F. Denardo

Biological Sciences

We conducted an experiment to examine the effects of sex and food intake on growth, mass gain, and attainment of sexual maturity in Western Diamond‐backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox). We also measured testosterone levels to determine whether testosterone might be involved in the male‐biased sexual size dimorphism observed in this species. We collected neonate rattlesnakes and raised them in the laboratory for 2 years on either a high‐intake diet (fed one mouse per week) or a low‐intake diet (fed one mouse every 3 weeks). High‐intake snakes grew and gained mass more rapidly than low‐intake snakes, but males did not …

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Effects Of Food Supplementation On The Physiological Ecology Of Female Western Diamond‐Backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Atrox), Emily N. Taylor, Michael A. Malawy, Dawn M. Browning, Shea V. Lemar, Dale F. Denardo Jun 2005

Effects Of Food Supplementation On The Physiological Ecology Of Female Western Diamond‐Backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Atrox), Emily N. Taylor, Michael A. Malawy, Dawn M. Browning, Shea V. Lemar, Dale F. Denardo

Biological Sciences

Food availability is an important factor in the life histories of organisms because it is often limiting and thus can affect growth, mass change, reproduction, and behaviors such as thermoregulation, locomotion, and mating. Experimental studies in natural settings allow researchers to examine the effects of food on these parameters while animals are free to behave naturally. The wide variation among organisms in energy demands and among environmental food resources suggest that responses to changes in food availability may vary among organisms. Since most supplemental feeding field experiments have been conducted on species with high energy demands, we conducted a supplemental …

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Taxonomic Revision And Stratigraphic Provenance Of Histiophorus Rotundus Woodward 1901 (Teleostei, Perciformes), Kenneth A. Monsch, Harry L. Fierstine, Robert E. Weems Jun 2005

Taxonomic Revision And Stratigraphic Provenance Of Histiophorus Rotundus Woodward 1901 (Teleostei, Perciformes), Kenneth A. Monsch, Harry L. Fierstine, Robert E. Weems

Biological Sciences

Until recently, Histiophorus rotundus Woodward 1901, was known from a single, poorly preserved rostrum from the Tertiary phosphate beds near Charleston, South Carolina, an area from which many fossils have been described. The specimen is relatively featureless externally; its internal anatomy is unknown and the documentation of its geological provenance was poor. In an earlier revision the species was transferred to the fossil billfish genus Xiphiorhynchus Van Beneden, 1871. Here we confirm this designation, supported by new morphological studies of the holotype, recently found specimens of tXiphiorhynchus rotundus (Woodward, 1901), and the stratigraphic record of tXiphiorhynchus. The systematic paleontology we …

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A Multi-Platform Bathyphotometer For Fine-Scale, Coastal Bioluminescence Research, Christen M. Herren, Steven H.D. Haddock, Cyril Johnson, Cristina M. Orrico, Mark A. Moline, James F. Case May 2005

A Multi-Platform Bathyphotometer For Fine-Scale, Coastal Bioluminescence Research, Christen M. Herren, Steven H.D. Haddock, Cyril Johnson, Cristina M. Orrico, Mark A. Moline, James F. Case

Biological Sciences

Although bioluminescence (BL) in the open ocean has been extensively studied, coastal BL remains poorly understood due, in large degree, to a lack of BL instrumentation appropriate to measure the fine-scale biological and physical complexity of the coastal regime. As a contribution toward understanding coastal BL, we developed the Multipurpose Bioluminescence Bathyphotometer (MBBP). This compact, self-contained bathyphotometer (BP) was designed to function in a variety of deployment modes, including conventional shipboard profilers, towed platforms, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and profiling moorings. In all configurations, the instrument preserves signal structure at centimeter to meter scale resolution, the scale at which higher-flow …

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Making Babies By The Flip Of A Coin?, Matthew A. Carlton, William D. Stansfield May 2005

Making Babies By The Flip Of A Coin?, Matthew A. Carlton, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

Many probability and genetics textbooks pose standard questions about eye color, birth defects, sexes of children, and so on. Solutions to these questions, specifically about sexes, generally make two assumptions: first, that a randomly selected embryo is equally likely to be male or female; second, that the sexes of successive children from the same parents are independent. In other words, probabilists (and some geneticists) treat sexes of children like flips of a fair coin: two possible outcomes, each equally likely, with outcomes independent from trial to trial. But are these assumptions realistic? Demographic data suggest that neither a balance of …

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The Metalloprotease Of Listeria Monocytogenes Controls Cell Wall Translocation Of The Broad-Range Phospholipase C, P.S. Marie Yeung, Nicholas Zagorski, Helene Marquis Apr 2005

The Metalloprotease Of Listeria Monocytogenes Controls Cell Wall Translocation Of The Broad-Range Phospholipase C, P.S. Marie Yeung, Nicholas Zagorski, Helene Marquis

Biological Sciences

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterial pathogenthat multiplies in the cytosol of host cells and spreads directlyfrom cell to cell. During cell-to-cell spread, bacteria becometemporarily confined to secondary vacuoles. The broad-rangephospholipase C (PC-PLC) of L. monocytogenes contributes tobacterial escape from secondary vacuoles. PC-PLC requires cleavageof an N-terminal propeptide for activation, and Mpl, a metalloproteaseof Listeria, is involved in the proteolytic activation of PC-PLC.Previously, we showed that cell wall translocation of PC-PLCis inefficient, resulting in accumulation of PC-PLC at the membrane-cellwall interface. In infected cells, rapid cell wall translocationof PC-PLC is triggered by a decrease in pH and correlates withcleavage …

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Hunters Ring Dinner Bell For Ravens: Experimental Evidence Of A Unique Foraging Strategy, Crow White Apr 2005

Hunters Ring Dinner Bell For Ravens: Experimental Evidence Of A Unique Foraging Strategy, Crow White

Biological Sciences

We have long known that corvids are adaptively flexible in behavior, but have rarely tested their flexibility and creativity in solving problems outside the laboratory. Through a carefully controlled experiment conducted in the wild, I have found that Common Ravens (Corvus corax) fly toward gunshot sounds, presumably in order to locate animal gut piles left by hunters. This is the first conclusive evidence of any scavenger species pursuing gunshots. Furthermore, ravens exhibited this behavior only when gunshots were fired from within forested habitat, when the shots may be most valuable to them for locating gut piles. Interestingly, raven behaviors suggest …

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An Autonomous Vehicle Approach For Quantifying Bioluminescence In Ports And Harbors, Mark A. Moline, Paul Bissett, Shelley Blackwell, James Mueller, Jeff Sevadjian, Charles Trees, Ron Zaneveld Mar 2005

An Autonomous Vehicle Approach For Quantifying Bioluminescence In Ports And Harbors, Mark A. Moline, Paul Bissett, Shelley Blackwell, James Mueller, Jeff Sevadjian, Charles Trees, Ron Zaneveld

Biological Sciences

Bioluminescence emitted from marine organisms upon mechanical stimulation is an obvious military interest, as it provides a low-tech method of identifying surface and subsurface vehicles and swimmer tracks. Clearly, the development of a passive method of identifying hostile ships, submarines, and swimmers, as well as the development of strategies to reduce the risk of detection by hostile forces is relevant to Naval operations and homeland security. The measurement of bioluminescence in coastal waters has only recently received attention as the platforms and sensors were not scaled for the inherent small-scale nature of nearshore environments. In addition to marine forcing, many …

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Monitoring Water Transparency And Diver Visibility In Ports And Harbors Using Aircraft Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, Charles C. Trees, Paul W. Bissett, Heidi Dierssen, David D.R. Kohler, Mark A. Moline, James L. Mueller, Richard E. Pieper, Michael S. Twardowski, J. Ronald V. Zaneveld Mar 2005

Monitoring Water Transparency And Diver Visibility In Ports And Harbors Using Aircraft Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, Charles C. Trees, Paul W. Bissett, Heidi Dierssen, David D.R. Kohler, Mark A. Moline, James L. Mueller, Richard E. Pieper, Michael S. Twardowski, J. Ronald V. Zaneveld

Biological Sciences

Diver visibility analyses and predictions, and water transparency in general, are of significant military and commercial interest. This is especially true in our current state, where ports and harbors are vulnerable to terrorist attacks from a variety of platforms both on and below the water (swimmers, divers, AUVs, ships, submarines, etc.). Aircraft hyperspectral imagery has been previously used successfully to classify coastal bottom types and map bathymetry and it is time to transition this observational tool to harbor and port security. Hyperspectral imagery is ideally suited for monitoring small-scale features and processes in these optically complex waters, because of its …

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