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Full-Text Articles in Biology

Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble Jul 2010

Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble

Britto P. Nathan

Epidemiological studies suggest that estrogen therapy protects against clinical expression of chronic neurological diseases. These beneficial effects of estrogen therapy are highly modified by apolipoprotein E (apoE) through an unknown mechanism. We examined the short-term effects of estradiol replacement in ovariectomized mice on apoE expression and markers for cell proliferation, reactive gliosis, neuronal maturation, and synaptogenesis in the primary olfactory pathway of wild-type (WT) and apoE knockout (KO) mice. Three days of estradiol replacement increased apoE expression in the olfactory nerve and in the glomerular layer. Estradiol treatment also increased cell proliferation, total cell numbers, number of mature neurons in …


Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert Struble Jul 2010

Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert Struble

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Epidemiological studies suggest that estrogen therapy protects against clinical expression of chronic neurological diseases. These beneficial effects of estrogen therapy are highly modified by apolipoprotein E (apoE) through an unknown mechanism. We examined the short-term effects of estradiol replacement in ovariectomized mice on apoE expression and markers for cell proliferation, reactive gliosis, neuronal maturation, and synaptogenesis in the primary olfactory pathway of wild-type (WT) and apoE knockout (KO) mice. Three days of estradiol replacement increased apoE expression in the olfactory nerve and in the glomerular layer. Estradiol treatment also increased cell proliferation, total cell numbers, number of mature neurons in …


Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble Jul 2010

Acute Responses To Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System Of Apoe-Deficient And Wild-Type Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Epidemiological studies suggest that estrogen therapy protects against clinical expression of chronic neurological diseases. These beneficial effects of estrogen therapy are highly modified by apolipoprotein E (apoE) through an unknown mechanism. We examined the short-term effects of estradiol replacement in ovariectomized mice on apoE expression and markers for cell proliferation, reactive gliosis, neuronal maturation, and synaptogenesis in the primary olfactory pathway of wild-type (WT) and apoE knockout (KO) mice. Three days of estradiol replacement increased apoE expression in the olfactory nerve and in the glomerular layer. Estradiol treatment also increased cell proliferation, total cell numbers, number of mature neurons in …


A Sketch-Based Language For Representing Uncertainty In The Locations Of Origin Of Herbarium Specimens, Barry J. Kronenfeld, Andrew Weeks Jan 2010

A Sketch-Based Language For Representing Uncertainty In The Locations Of Origin Of Herbarium Specimens, Barry J. Kronenfeld, Andrew Weeks

Barry J. Kronenfeld

Uncertainty fields have been suggested as an appropriate model for retrospective georeferencing of herbarium specimens. Previous work has focused only on automated data capture methods, but techniques for manual data specification may be able to harness human spatial cognition skills to quickly interpret complex spatial propositions. This paper develops a formal modeling language by which location uncertainty fields can be derived from manually sketched features. The language consists of low-level specification of critical probability isolines from which a surface can be uniquely derived, and high-level specification of features and predicates from which low-level isolines can be derived. In a case …


Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

While goldenrod species are often found to be allelopathic in laboratory settings, its importance in controlling plant community dynamics has been much more difficult to assess. We designed a study to determine whether allelopathy is related to the success of goldenrods in abandoned agricultural land. To accomplish this, we conducted laboratory bioassays for six co-occurring goldenrod species and compared these results to the cover and impacts of these species in the field. We determined the germination responses of two target species to a gradient of leaf extract concentrations to assess the allelopathic potential of these goldenrods. We also used long-term …


Reconstitution Of The Olfactory Epithelium Following Injury In Apoe-Deficient Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Salina Gairhe, Ikemefuna Nwosu, Stephen Clark, Robert G. Struble Jan 2010

Reconstitution Of The Olfactory Epithelium Following Injury In Apoe-Deficient Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Salina Gairhe, Ikemefuna Nwosu, Stephen Clark, Robert G. Struble

Britto P. Nathan

ApoE, a protein component of lipoproteins, is extensively expressed in the primary olfactory pathway. Because apoE has been shown to play a vital role in nerve repair and remodeling, we hypothesized that apoE expression will increase in the injured olfactory epithelium (OE), and that apoE deficiency in apoE knockout (KO) mice will lead to delayed/incomplete reconstitution of the OE following injury. To directly test this hypothesis, we compared OE regeneration in wild-type (WT) and KO mice following injury induced by intranasal irrigation of Triton X-100. OE was collected at 0, 3, 7, 21, 42, and 56 days post lesion. The …


Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Lianas have the potential to shape forest communities and alter forest regeneration. However, impacts of lianas on forest regeneration, particularly in temperate forests, are largely unstudied. To understand potential liana impacts on the community we need to first know the location and intensity of liana burdens on host trees. We examined liana-tree host references within a series of young regenerating deciduous forests in the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Established trees ($ 5 cm dbh) and the lianas associated with each tree were surveyed in 2008. The five most abundant liana species were Celastrus orbiculatus, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, …


Relative Allelopathic Potential Of Invasive Plant Species In A Young Disturbed Woodland, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Relative Allelopathic Potential Of Invasive Plant Species In A Young Disturbed Woodland, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Invasive plant species are often more successful within introduced areas when compared to their natural ranges. Allelopathy has been suggested as a potential mechanism for this success because invasive plants frequently establish monocultures and may produce allelochemicals evolutionarily novel to the recipient community. However, species are typically tested in isolation making the relative strength of allelopathy difficult to assess. We conducted laboratory bioassays for 10 co-occurring non-native species to determine the relative strength of their allelopathic potential. These species represented a suite of successful invaders within a young forest and were from a variety of plant life forms: trees, lianas, …


Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Although they are important components of forest communities, the general ecology and spatiotemporal patterns of temperate lianas during forest regeneration are largely unknown. The dependence of lianas on other plants for physical support makes them a potentially important driver of community dynamics. We examined 50 years of vegetation data from an old-field succession study to determine the dynamics and community controls on liana expansion within the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Four lianas, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis spp., occurred in enough abundance for detailed analyses. In general, liana cover peaked during mid-succession (20–30 years post-abandonment) …


Reconstitution Of The Olfactory Epithelium Following Injury In Apoe-Deficient Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Salina Gairhe, Ikemefuna Nwosu, Stephen Clark, Robert G. Struble Jan 2010

Reconstitution Of The Olfactory Epithelium Following Injury In Apoe-Deficient Mice, Britto P. Nathan, Salina Gairhe, Ikemefuna Nwosu, Stephen Clark, Robert G. Struble

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

ApoE, a protein component of lipoproteins, is extensively expressed in the primary olfactory pathway. Because apoE has been shown to play a vital role in nerve repair and remodeling, we hypothesized that apoE expression will increase in the injured olfactory epithelium (OE), and that apoE deficiency in apoE knockout (KO) mice will lead to delayed/incomplete reconstitution of the OE following injury. To directly test this hypothesis, we compared OE regeneration in wild-type (WT) and KO mice following injury induced by intranasal irrigation of Triton X-100. OE was collected at 0, 3, 7, 21, 42, and 56 days post lesion. The …


Evaluating The Illinois Stream Valley Segment Model As An Effective Management Tool, Stephen S. Warrner, Robert U. Fischer, Ann M. Holtrop, Leon C. Hinz Jr., James M. Novak Jan 2010

Evaluating The Illinois Stream Valley Segment Model As An Effective Management Tool, Stephen S. Warrner, Robert U. Fischer, Ann M. Holtrop, Leon C. Hinz Jr., James M. Novak

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Stream habitat assessments are conducted to evaluate biological potential, determine anthropogenic impacts, and guide restoration projects. Utilizing these procedures, managers must first select a representative stream reach, which is typically selected based on several criteria. To develop a consistent and unbiased procedure for choosing sampling locations, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Natural History Survey have proposed a technique by which watersheds are divided into homogeneous stream segments called valley segments. Valley segments are determined by GIS parameters including surficial geology, predicted flow, slope, and drainage area. To date, no research has been conducted to determine if …


Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Lianas have the potential to shape forest communities and alter forest regeneration. However, impacts of lianas on forest regeneration, particularly in temperate forests, are largely unstudied. To understand potential liana impacts on the community we need to first know the location and intensity of liana burdens on host trees. We examined liana-tree host references within a series of young regenerating deciduous forests in the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Established trees ($ 5 cm dbh) and the lianas associated with each tree were surveyed in 2008. The five most abundant liana species were Celastrus orbiculatus, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, …


Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although they are important components of forest communities, the general ecology and spatiotemporal patterns of temperate lianas during forest regeneration are largely unknown. The dependence of lianas on other plants for physical support makes them a potentially important driver of community dynamics. We examined 50 years of vegetation data from an old-field succession study to determine the dynamics and community controls on liana expansion within the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Four lianas, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis spp., occurred in enough abundance for detailed analyses. In general, liana cover peaked during mid-succession (20–30 years post-abandonment) …


Mechanisms Of Apoptosis In Crustacea: What Conditions Induce Versus Suppress Cell Death?, Michael A. Menze, Grady Fortner, Suman Nag, Steven C. Hand Jan 2010

Mechanisms Of Apoptosis In Crustacea: What Conditions Induce Versus Suppress Cell Death?, Michael A. Menze, Grady Fortner, Suman Nag, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Arthropoda is the largest of all animal phyla and includes about 90% of extant species. Our knowledge about regulation of apoptosis in this phylum is largely based on findings for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Recent work with crustaceans shows that apoptotic proteins, and presumably mechanisms of cell death regulation, are more diverse in arthropods than appreciated based solely on the excellent work with fruit flies. Crustacean homologs exist for many major proteins in the apoptotic networks of mammals and D. melanogaster, but integration of these proteins into the physiology and pathophysiology of crustaceans is far from complete. Whether apoptosis …


Review Of The Timber Press Dictionary Of Plant Names, Henry R. Owen Jan 2010

Review Of The Timber Press Dictionary Of Plant Names, Henry R. Owen

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.


Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott Meiners Jan 2010

Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

While goldenrod species are often found to be allelopathic in laboratory settings, its importance in controlling plant community dynamics has been much more difficult to assess. We designed a study to determine whether allelopathy is related to the success of goldenrods in abandoned agricultural land. To accomplish this, we conducted laboratory bioassays for six co-occurring goldenrod species and compared these results to the cover and impacts of these species in the field. We determined the germination responses of two target species to a gradient of leaf extract concentrations to assess the allelopathic potential of these goldenrods. We also used long-term …


Does Evolutionary Exposure Mediate Allelopathic Effects?, Nikki Leigh Pisula Jan 2010

Does Evolutionary Exposure Mediate Allelopathic Effects?, Nikki Leigh Pisula

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


A Model Cost Analysis Comparing Solar, Wind And Geothermal Energies, Including Alternatives To Changing Energy Sources, Using Texas Households And Weather, Kimberly Speed Jan 2010

A Model Cost Analysis Comparing Solar, Wind And Geothermal Energies, Including Alternatives To Changing Energy Sources, Using Texas Households And Weather, Kimberly Speed

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


Feathers As Bioindicators Of Pcb Exposure In Clapper Rails, Jay W. Summers, Karen F. Gaines, N. Garvin, Warren L. Stephens Jr., James C. Cumbee Jr., Gary L. Mills Jan 2010

Feathers As Bioindicators Of Pcb Exposure In Clapper Rails, Jay W. Summers, Karen F. Gaines, N. Garvin, Warren L. Stephens Jr., James C. Cumbee Jr., Gary L. Mills

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

In this study we used feathers to biomonitor exposure to the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Aroclor 1268 congener mixture in clapper rails (Rallus longirostris). This species has been used as an indicator species of environmental damage for the LCP superfund site located in Brunswick, GA, USA which is contaminated with Aroclor 1268, a congener mixture that has been used in limited amounts elsewhere and therefore can be used as a contaminant marker. The Aroclor 1268 congener mixture, including congener profiles, were quantified in feathers using gas chromatography (GC). Concurrently, each sample was quantified for the total Aroclor 1268 congener mixture using …


Responses Of Bats To Forest Fragmentation In The Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Arkansas, Usa, Rex E. Medlin Jr., Matthew B. Connior, Karen F. Gaines, Thomas S. Risch Jan 2010

Responses Of Bats To Forest Fragmentation In The Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Arkansas, Usa, Rex E. Medlin Jr., Matthew B. Connior, Karen F. Gaines, Thomas S. Risch

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Intense conversion of bottomland hardwood forests to rice and soybeans in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas has restricted the remaining forest to isolated fragments. Habitat fragmentation has proven to be detrimental to population sustainability of several species, and is the subject of intense study with often species and latitude specific responses. We compared both coarse land area classes and landscape fragmentation metrics from six 30 km × 30 km subsets centered on publicly owned management areas to bat captures obtained from a 2005 population study. Patch density was the strongest predictor of total captures (R 2 = 0.801, p …


Dna Double-Strand Breakage As An Endpoint To Examine Metal And Radionuclide Exposure Effects To Water Snakes On A Nuclear Industrial Site, Stephanie M. Murray, Karen F. Gaines, James M. Novak, Michael Gochfeld, Joanna Burger Jan 2010

Dna Double-Strand Breakage As An Endpoint To Examine Metal And Radionuclide Exposure Effects To Water Snakes On A Nuclear Industrial Site, Stephanie M. Murray, Karen F. Gaines, James M. Novak, Michael Gochfeld, Joanna Burger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

This study examined metal levels (especially U and Ni) in the tail tissues of water snakes from contaminated (Tim’s Branch) and reference areas on the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS). Home ranges of snakes were quantified to determine the ratio of the habitat that they use in relation to the contaminated areas to better estimate exposure Compared to conventional methods that do not. The exposure assessment indicated that water snakes in the contaminated areas could expect U exposure at 3–4 orders of magnitude greater than the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’sMinimum Risk Level (MRL) from ingestion …


Tissue-Diet Discrimination Factors And Turnover Of Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotopes In White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus Leucopus), Rachel L. Demots, James M. Novak, Karen F. Gaines, Aaron J. Gregor, Christopher S. Romanek, Daniel A. Soluk Jan 2010

Tissue-Diet Discrimination Factors And Turnover Of Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotopes In White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus Leucopus), Rachel L. Demots, James M. Novak, Karen F. Gaines, Aaron J. Gregor, Christopher S. Romanek, Daniel A. Soluk

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Stable isotope analysis has become an increasingly valuable tool in investigating animal ecology. Here we document the turnover rates for carbon in the liver, muscle, and whole blood tissue, as well as the tissue-diet discrimination values for carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the liver, whole blood, muscle, and hair, of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque, 1818)). A 168-day diet-switching experiment was conducted with a laboratory population of white-footed mice. The δ13C values for all tissues deviated less than 1‰ from those of the diet except for whole blood, which had a slightly higher tissue-diet discrimination factor of 1.8‰. All …


Surveys Of Stylisma Pickeringii Var. Pattersonii (Convolvulaceae), Its Associated Plant Species, And Its Insect Visitors, Ann E. Claerbout, Brent L. Todd, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen, Donald W. Webb, John E. Ebinger, William E. Mcclain Jan 2010

Surveys Of Stylisma Pickeringii Var. Pattersonii (Convolvulaceae), Its Associated Plant Species, And Its Insect Visitors, Ann E. Claerbout, Brent L. Todd, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen, Donald W. Webb, John E. Ebinger, William E. Mcclain

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Stylisma pickeringii var. pattersonii (Convolvulaceae) is endangered in Illinois and Iowa, and occurs in scattered populations in other states. During 1999 and 2000, two insect species previously unreported from Illinois were observed visiting its flowers. This study was undertaken to survey additional insect visitors, as well as to characterize the plant community where S. pickeringii occurs. The objectives were to survey: 1) floral traits (anthesis and flower density) of S. pickeringii, 2) associated plant species, and 3) insect visitor characteristics. Floral traits were determined and associated plant species surveyed in Mason County (degraded hay field on private property) and Henderson …


Prey Preference As A Function Of Feeding Experience And Prey Type In Neonate Gartersnakes (Colubridae: Thamnophis), Kathryn B. Hale Jan 2010

Prey Preference As A Function Of Feeding Experience And Prey Type In Neonate Gartersnakes (Colubridae: Thamnophis), Kathryn B. Hale

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


Population Ecotoxicology Of The Common Snapping Turtle In Agriculturally Impacted Lotic Ecosystems, Derrick L. Douros Jan 2010

Population Ecotoxicology Of The Common Snapping Turtle In Agriculturally Impacted Lotic Ecosystems, Derrick L. Douros

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


The Seasonality Of Parasites In Illinois House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus): Effect Of Stress On Infection Parameters, Tiffany C.M. Gibson Jan 2010

The Seasonality Of Parasites In Illinois House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus): Effect Of Stress On Infection Parameters, Tiffany C.M. Gibson

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


A Spatially Explicit Model To Predict Radiocesium Body Burdens In White-Tailed Deer On The Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site, Christopher W. Bobryk Jan 2010

A Spatially Explicit Model To Predict Radiocesium Body Burdens In White-Tailed Deer On The Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site, Christopher W. Bobryk

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


Effects Of Forest Edges On Population Dynamics In A Successional System, Kimberly Anne Lang Jan 2010

Effects Of Forest Edges On Population Dynamics In A Successional System, Kimberly Anne Lang

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


Multiple Endpoints Of Endocrine Disruption In Gravid Watersnakes (Colubridae:Nerodia) As A Function Of Ingestion Of A Common Herbicide, Lorin Anne Neuman-Lee Jan 2010

Multiple Endpoints Of Endocrine Disruption In Gravid Watersnakes (Colubridae:Nerodia) As A Function Of Ingestion Of A Common Herbicide, Lorin Anne Neuman-Lee

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.


Soil Variability And Its Influence On Plant Performance, Jeremy R. Klass Jan 2010

Soil Variability And Its Influence On Plant Performance, Jeremy R. Klass

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.