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Articles 31 - 60 of 337

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Diapause And Anhydrobiosis In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Metabolic Depression, Lea Proteins And Water Stress, Steven C. Handel, Yuvraj Patil, Shumin Li, Nilay Chakraborty, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Leaf C. Boswell, Daniel Moore, Mehmet Toner Jan 2013

Diapause And Anhydrobiosis In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Metabolic Depression, Lea Proteins And Water Stress, Steven C. Handel, Yuvraj Patil, Shumin Li, Nilay Chakraborty, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Leaf C. Boswell, Daniel Moore, Mehmet Toner

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Metabolic depression is typically correlated with extended survival of environmental challenge and energy-limitation in early life stages of various invertebrates and vertebrates. Diapause is an ontogenetically-programmed reduction of development and often metabolism seen in many invertebrates. When embryos of Artemia franciscana enter the state of diapause, the overall metabolic depression is estimated to be greater than 99%. These embryos also contain trehalose and express multiple isoforms of Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, constituents often present in a number of such anhydrobiotic animals. The mRNA levels for LEA proteins are highest in diapause and post-diapause embryos that possess desiccation tolerance, but …


Comparative Anatomy And Dorsal Fin Muscle Activity During Turning Maneuvers In Two Shark Species, Anabela Maia, Cheryl Wilga Jan 2013

Comparative Anatomy And Dorsal Fin Muscle Activity During Turning Maneuvers In Two Shark Species, Anabela Maia, Cheryl Wilga

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Stability and procured instability characterize two opposing types of swimming, steady and maneuvering, respectively. Fins can be used to manipulate flow to adjust stability during swimming maneuvers either actively using muscle control or passively by structural control. The function of the dorsal fins during turning maneuvering in two shark species with different swimming modes is investigated here using musculoskeletal anatomy and muscle function. White-spotted bamboo sharks are a benthic species that inhabits complex reef habitats and thus have high requirements for maneuverability. Spiny dogfish occupy a variety of coastal and continental shelf habitats and spend relatively more time cruising in …


Isoform-Specific Effects Of Apoe On Neurite Outgrowth In Olfactory Epithelium Culture, Aseem Hussain, Minh Luong, Apryl Pooley, Britto Nathan Jan 2013

Isoform-Specific Effects Of Apoe On Neurite Outgrowth In Olfactory Epithelium Culture, Aseem Hussain, Minh Luong, Apryl Pooley, Britto Nathan

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) genotype is a major risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Inheritance of apoE4 is also associated with impairments in olfactory function in early stages of AD. In this project we examined the effects of the three common isoforms of human apoE (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4) on neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth in explant cultures of mouse olfactory epithelium (OE).


Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins Protect Human Hepatoma Cells During Acute Desiccation, Shumin Li, Nilay Chakraborty, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Steven C. Hand Nov 2012

Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins Protect Human Hepatoma Cells During Acute Desiccation, Shumin Li, Nilay Chakraborty, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Expression of late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins is highly correlated with desiccation tolerance in anhydrobiotic animals, selected land plants, and bacteria. Genes encoding two LEA proteins, one localized to the cytoplasm/nucleus (AfrLEA2) and one targeted to mitochondria (AfrLEA3m), were stably transfected into human HepG2 cells. A trehalose transporterwas used for intracellular loading of this disaccharide. Cellswere rapidly and uniformly desiccated to low water content (<0.12 g H2O/g dry weight) with a recently developed spin-drying technique. Immediately on rehydration, control cells without LEA proteins or trehalose exhibited 0% membrane integrity, comparedwith 98% in cells loaded with trehalose and expressing AfrLEA2 or AfrLEA3m; surprisingly, AfrLEA3m without trehalose conferred 94% protection. Cell proliferation across 7 d showed an 18-fold increase for cells dried with AfrLEA3m and trehalose, compared with 27-fold for nondried controls. LEA proteins dramatically enhance desiccation tolerance in mammalian cells and offer the opportunity for engineering biostability in the dried state.


Metabolic Preconditioning Of Mammalian Cells: Mimetic Agents For Hypoxia Lack Fidelity In Promoting Phosphorylation Of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Steven C. Hand Nov 2012

Metabolic Preconditioning Of Mammalian Cells: Mimetic Agents For Hypoxia Lack Fidelity In Promoting Phosphorylation Of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase, Apurva Borcar, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Induction of HIF-1α by oxygen limitation promotes increased phosphorylation and catalytic depression of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and an enhanced glycolytic poise in cells. Cobalt chloride and desferrioxamine are widely used as mimics for hypoxia because they increase the levels of HIF-1α. We evaluated the ability of these agents to elicit selected physiological responses to hypoxia as a means to metabolically precondition mammalian cells, but without the detrimental effects of hypoxia. We show that, while CoCl2 does increase HIF-1α in a dose-dependent manner, it unexpectedly and strikingly decreases PDH phosphorylation at E1α sites 1, 2, and 3 (Ser293, Ser300, and …


Long-Term Effects Of Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble Sep 2012

Long-Term Effects Of Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System, Britto P. Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert G. Struble

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Olfactory dysfunction often precedes other clinical symptoms in chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Estrogen deficiency and apoE genotype are known risk factors in these diseases and these factors also affect olfaction. Therefore we examined the effects of estradiol replacement following ovariectomy on expression of apoE and markers of cell proliferation, neuronal maturation, synaptogenesis and reactive gliosis in the primary olfactory pathway of wild-type (WT) and apoE knockout (KO) mice. Estradiol replacement increased apoE staining in the olfactory nerve and glomerular layers. Estradiol increased astrocyte density and olfactory epithelium (OE) thickness regardless of the genotype. In addition estradiol …


Long-Term Effects Of Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System, Britto Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert Struble Sep 2012

Long-Term Effects Of Estradiol Replacement In The Olfactory System, Britto Nathan, Michael Tonsor, Robert Struble

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Olfactory dysfunction often precedes other clinical symptoms in chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Estrogen deficiency and apoE genotype are known risk factors in these diseases and these factors also affect olfaction. Therefore we examined the effects of estradiol replacement following ovariectomy on expression of apoE and markers of cell proliferation, neuronal maturation, synaptogenesis and reactive gliosis in the primary olfactory pathway of wild-type (WT) and apoE knockout (KO) mice. Estradiol replacement increased apoE staining in the olfactory nerve and glomerular layers. Estradiol increased astrocyte density and olfactory epithelium (OE) thickness regardless of the genotype. In addition estradiol …


Long-Term Survival Of Anoxia Despite Rapid Atp Decline In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Jason E. Podrabsky, Michael A. Menze, Steven C. Hand Aug 2012

Long-Term Survival Of Anoxia Despite Rapid Atp Decline In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Jason E. Podrabsky, Michael A. Menze, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Embryos of the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus can survive for months in the complete absence of oxygen. Survival of anoxia is associated with entry into a state of metabolic dormancy known as diapause. However, extreme tolerance of anoxia is retained for several days of post-diapause development. Rates of heat dissipation in diapause II and 4 days post-diapause II embryos were measured under aerobic conditions and during the transition into anoxia. Phosphorylated adenylate compounds were quantified in embryos during entry into anoxia and after 12 hr of aerobic recovery. Rates of heat dissipation were not affected by exposure to anoxia in …


A New Species Of Saphonecrus (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea) Associated With Plant Galls On Castanopsis (Fagaceae) In China, Zhiwei Liu, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Yi-Yuan He Jul 2012

A New Species Of Saphonecrus (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea) Associated With Plant Galls On Castanopsis (Fagaceae) In China, Zhiwei Liu, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Yi-Yuan He

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A new cynipid species, Saphonecrus hupingshanensis Liu, Yang, et Zhu, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini), is described from China. This is the first species of the inquilinous tribe Synergini ever known to have an association with chinquapins (Fagaceae: Castanopsis). The biology and implication to species diversity of Cynipidae in eastern and southeast Asia are discussed.


A New Species Of Saphonecrus (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea) Associated With Plant Galls On Castanopsis (Fagaceae) In China, Zhiwei Liu, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Yi-Yuan He Jul 2012

A New Species Of Saphonecrus (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea) Associated With Plant Galls On Castanopsis (Fagaceae) In China, Zhiwei Liu, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Yi-Yuan He

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A new cynipid species, Saphonecrus hupingshanensis Liu, Yang, et Zhu, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini), is described from China. This is the first species of the inquilinous tribe Synergini ever known to have an association with chinquapins (Fagaceae: Castanopsis). The biology and implication to species diversity of Cynipidae in eastern and southeast Asia are discussed.


Taxonomic Revision Of True Morels (Morchella) In Canada And The United States, Michael Kuo, Damon R. Dewsbury, Kerry O'Donnell, M. Carol Carter, John David Moore, Stephen A. Renner, Jean-Marc Moncalvo, Stephen A. Canfield, Steven L. Stephenson, Andrew S. Methven, Thomas J. Volk Apr 2012

Taxonomic Revision Of True Morels (Morchella) In Canada And The United States, Michael Kuo, Damon R. Dewsbury, Kerry O'Donnell, M. Carol Carter, John David Moore, Stephen A. Renner, Jean-Marc Moncalvo, Stephen A. Canfield, Steven L. Stephenson, Andrew S. Methven, Thomas J. Volk

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed the existence of at least 50 species of Morchella worldwide and demonstrated a high degree of continental endemism within the genus. Here we describe 19 phylogenetic species of Morchella from North America, 14 of which are new (M. diminutiva, M. virginiana, M. esculentoides, M. prava, M. cryptica, M. frustrata, M. populiphila, M. sextelata, M. septimelata, M. capitata, M. importuna, M. snyderi, M. brunnea and M. septentrionalis). Existing species names (M. rufobrunnea, M. tomentosa, M. punctipes and M. angusticeps) are applied to four phylogenetic species, and formal description of one species (M. sp. "Mel-8") is …


Trehalose Transporter From African Chironomid Larvae Improves Desiccation Tolerance Of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells, Nilay Chakraborty, Michael A. Menze, Heidi Elmoazzen, Halong Vu, Martin Yarmush, Steven C. Hand, Mehmet Toner Apr 2012

Trehalose Transporter From African Chironomid Larvae Improves Desiccation Tolerance Of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells, Nilay Chakraborty, Michael A. Menze, Heidi Elmoazzen, Halong Vu, Martin Yarmush, Steven C. Hand, Mehmet Toner

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Dry preservation has been explored as an energy-efficient alternative to cryopreservation, but the high sensitivity of mammalian cells to desiccation stress has been one of the major hurdles in storing cells in the desiccated state. An important strategy to reduce desiccation sensitivity involves use of the disaccharide trehalose. Trehalose is known to improve desiccation tolerance in mammalian cells when present on both sides of the cell membrane. Because trehalose is membrane impermeant the development of desiccation strategies involving this promising sugar is hindered. We explored the potential of using a high-capacity trehalose transporter (TRET1) from the African chironomid Polypedilum vanderplanki[21] …


Taxonomic Revision Of True Morels (Morchella) In Canada And The United States, Michael Kuo, Damon Dewsbury, Kerry O'Donnell, M. Carter, John Moore, Stephen Renner, Jean-Marc Moncalvo, Stephen Canfield, Steven Stephenson, Andrew Methven, Thomas Volk Apr 2012

Taxonomic Revision Of True Morels (Morchella) In Canada And The United States, Michael Kuo, Damon Dewsbury, Kerry O'Donnell, M. Carter, John Moore, Stephen Renner, Jean-Marc Moncalvo, Stephen Canfield, Steven Stephenson, Andrew Methven, Thomas Volk

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed the existence of at least 50 species of Morchella worldwide and demonstrated a high degree of continental endemism within the genus. Here we describe 19 phylogenetic species of Morchella from North America, 14 of which are new (M. diminutiva, M. virginiana, M. esculentoides, M. prava, M. cryptica, M. frustrata, M. populiphila, M. sextelata, M. septimelata, M. capitata, M. importuna, M. snyderi, M. brunnea and M. septentrionalis). Existing species names (M. rufobrunnea, M. tomentosa, M. punctipes and M. angusticeps) are applied to four phylogenetic species, and formal description of one species (M. sp. "Mel-8") is …


Effectiveness And Utility Of Acoustic Recordings For Surveying Tropical Birds, Antonio Celis-Murillo, Jill Deppe, Michael Ward Jan 2012

Effectiveness And Utility Of Acoustic Recordings For Surveying Tropical Birds, Antonio Celis-Murillo, Jill Deppe, Michael Ward

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although acoustic recordings have recently gained popularity as an alternative to point counts for surveying birds, little is known about the relative performance of the two methods for detecting tropical bird species across multiple vegetation types. During June and July 2008, we collected species detection/nondetection data to compare the performance of a quadraphonic acoustic recording system and point counts for estimating species richness and composition and detection probabilities of 15 rare, moderately common, and common tropical bird species across six structurally distinct vegetation types (coastal dune scrub, mangrove, low-stature deciduous thorn forest, early and late successional medium-stature semievergreen forest, and …


Sequencing And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Wsp Gene Of Wolbachia In Three Geographic Populations Of An Oak Gall Wasp, Andricus Mairei (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), From Hunan, South China, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Zhiwei Liu, Ling Zhao Jan 2012

Sequencing And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Wsp Gene Of Wolbachia In Three Geographic Populations Of An Oak Gall Wasp, Andricus Mairei (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), From Hunan, South China, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Zhiwei Liu, Ling Zhao

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

To understand the effects of Wolbachia in Andricus mairei Kieffer , an oak gall wasp ( Cynipini, Cynipidae) that forms clusters of up to 30 monothalamous galls in the catkins of Quercus glandulifera var. brevipetiolata Nakai, we examined the presence and infection frequency of Wolbachia in three widely separated geographic populations of A. mairei in Hunan Province, South China, using polymerase chain reaction and sequence determination of the wsp gene of Wolbachia from the three populations. Our survey results showed that Wolbachia infection rates were unusually high in the three test populations : 100% for the male wasps from all …


Size Assortment In Mixed-Species Groups Of Juvenile-Phase Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iserti) In The Bahamas, Paul Switzer, Daniel Quinn Jan 2012

Size Assortment In Mixed-Species Groups Of Juvenile-Phase Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iserti) In The Bahamas, Paul Switzer, Daniel Quinn

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Striped parrotfish (Scarus iserti) often form heterospecific groups with other reef fishes. In this study, we examined the species and body size composition of these groups on reefs in The Bahamas. Groups averaged approximately 4 S. iserti and 2 associated species, with surgeonfish (Acanthurus chirurgus and A. bahianus), slippery dick (Halichoeres bivittatus), and bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) as the most common associates. Fewer groups than expected had only 1 associate; groups with 3 or more associates were more common than expected. Both the S. iserti and associated species tended to be closely sizematched within a group, perhaps due to benefits …


Isolation And Characterization Of Galactinol Synthases From Hybrid Poplar, Faride Unda, Thomas Canam, Lindsay Preston, Shawn D. Mansfield Jan 2012

Isolation And Characterization Of Galactinol Synthases From Hybrid Poplar, Faride Unda, Thomas Canam, Lindsay Preston, Shawn D. Mansfield

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs) serve as transport carbohydrates in the phloem, storage compounds in sink tissues, and putative biological agents to combat both abiotic and biotic stress in several plant species. To investigate further the functional roles of this class of compounds in trees, two cDNAs encoding galactinol synthase (GolS, EC 2.4.1.123), which catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of RFOs, were identified and cloned from hybrid poplar (Populus alba3grandidentata). Phylogenetic analyses of the Populus GolS isoforms with other known GolS proteins suggested a putative role for these enzymes during biotic or abiotic stress in hybrid poplar. …


Effectiveness And Utility Of Acoustic Recordings For Surveying Tropical Birds, Antonio Celis-Murillo, Jill L. Deppe, Michael P. Ward Jan 2012

Effectiveness And Utility Of Acoustic Recordings For Surveying Tropical Birds, Antonio Celis-Murillo, Jill L. Deppe, Michael P. Ward

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although acoustic recordings have recently gained popularity as an alternative to point counts for surveying birds, little is known about the relative performance of the two methods for detecting tropical bird species across multiple vegetation types. During June and July 2008, we collected species detection/nondetection data to compare the performance of a quadraphonic acoustic recording system and point counts for estimating species richness and composition and detection probabilities of 15 rare, moderately common, and common tropical bird species across six structurally distinct vegetation types (coastal dune scrub, mangrove, low-stature deciduous thorn forest, early and late successional medium-stature semievergreen forest, and …


The Swimming Behavior Of The Aquatic Larva Of Neoneuromus Ignobilis (Megaloptera: Corydalidae: Corydalinae)., Cheng-Quan Cao, Zhiwei Liu, Shen-Zhi Chen, Chao Tong Jan 2012

The Swimming Behavior Of The Aquatic Larva Of Neoneuromus Ignobilis (Megaloptera: Corydalidae: Corydalinae)., Cheng-Quan Cao, Zhiwei Liu, Shen-Zhi Chen, Chao Tong

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

In order to explore the pattern and significance of swimming, through photos and videos we observed and recorded the swimming behavior of the aquatic larvae of Megaloptera in detail for the first time using the endemic Chinese species Neoneuromus ignobilis Navas, 1932 as the test insect, which were collected from the Dadu River and reared in nature-simulated environments. Four swimming postures are recognized and described herein in detail, i. e., vertical, parallel, back and side swimming, and these postures were used by the larvae disproportionately, with a frequency of 89.08%, 5. 49%, 4. 40% and 0. 61% , respectively. The …


The Swimming Behavior Of The Aquatic Larva Of Neoneuromus Ignobilis (Megaloptera: Corydalidae: Corydalinae)., Cheng-Quan Cao, Zhiwei Liu, Shen-Zhi Chen, Chao Tong Jan 2012

The Swimming Behavior Of The Aquatic Larva Of Neoneuromus Ignobilis (Megaloptera: Corydalidae: Corydalinae)., Cheng-Quan Cao, Zhiwei Liu, Shen-Zhi Chen, Chao Tong

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

In order to explore the pattern and significance of swimming, through photos and videos we observed and recorded the swimming behavior of the aquatic larvae of Megaloptera in detail for the first time using the endemic Chinese species Neoneuromus ignobilis Navas, 1932 as the test insect, which were collected from the Dadu River and reared in nature-simulated environments. Four swimming postures are recognized and described herein in detail, i. e., vertical, parallel, back and side swimming, and these postures were used by the larvae disproportionately, with a frequency of 89.08%, 5. 49%, 4. 40% and 0. 61% , respectively. The …


Sequencing And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Wsp Gene Of Wolbachia In Three Geographic Populations Of An Oak Gall Wasp, Andricus Mairei (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), From Hunan, South China, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Zhiwei Liu, Ling Zhao Jan 2012

Sequencing And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Wsp Gene Of Wolbachia In Three Geographic Populations Of An Oak Gall Wasp, Andricus Mairei (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), From Hunan, South China, Xiao-Hui Yang, Dao-Hong Zhu, Zhiwei Liu, Ling Zhao

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

To understand the effects of Wolbachia in Andricus mairei Kieffer , an oak gall wasp ( Cynipini, Cynipidae) that forms clusters of up to 30 monothalamous galls in the catkins of Quercus glandulifera var. brevipetiolata Nakai, we examined the presence and infection frequency of Wolbachia in three widely separated geographic populations of A. mairei in Hunan Province, South China, using polymerase chain reaction and sequence determination of the wsp gene of Wolbachia from the three populations. Our survey results showed that Wolbachia infection rates were unusually high in the three test populations : 100% for the male wasps from all …


Seed Biology Of Physaria Ludoviciana (Silvery Bladderpod; Brassicaceae ), An Endangered Species In Sand Prairies Of The Midwest, Marissa C. Grant, Ann E. Claerbout, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen Jan 2012

Seed Biology Of Physaria Ludoviciana (Silvery Bladderpod; Brassicaceae ), An Endangered Species In Sand Prairies Of The Midwest, Marissa C. Grant, Ann E. Claerbout, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Physaria ludoviciana (Nuttal) O'Kane & Al-Shehbaz (silvery bladderpod) is a state endangered species in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the eastern edge of its range. Our goal was to investigate its seed biology (production, dispersal, seed bank longevity, afterripening, seed longevity after storage using germination and emergence, and seedling establishment). This information will be useful for conservation efforts of this endangered species. Over a ten-year period, various seed biology parameters were measured. Infructescences were counted to estimate seed production with 110–744 seeds per reproductive plant. Soil samples were collected at various distances to estimate dispersal where seeds dispersed less than a …


Isolation And Characterization Of Galactinol Synthases From Hybrid Poplar, Faride Unda, Thomas Canam, Lindsay Preston, Shawn Mansfield Jan 2012

Isolation And Characterization Of Galactinol Synthases From Hybrid Poplar, Faride Unda, Thomas Canam, Lindsay Preston, Shawn Mansfield

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs) serve as transport carbohydrates in the phloem, storage compounds in sink tissues, and putative biological agents to combat both abiotic and biotic stress in several plant species. To investigate further the functional roles of this class of compounds in trees, two cDNAs encoding galactinol synthase (GolS, EC 2.4.1.123), which catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of RFOs, were identified and cloned from hybrid poplar (Populus alba3grandidentata). Phylogenetic analyses of the Populus GolS isoforms with other known GolS proteins suggested a putative role for these enzymes during biotic or abiotic stress in hybrid poplar. …


Seed Biology Of Physaria Ludoviciana (Silvery Bladderpod; Brassicaceae ), An Endangered Species In Sand Prairies Of The Midwest, Marissa Grant, Ann Claerbout, Janice Coons, Henry Owen Jan 2012

Seed Biology Of Physaria Ludoviciana (Silvery Bladderpod; Brassicaceae ), An Endangered Species In Sand Prairies Of The Midwest, Marissa Grant, Ann Claerbout, Janice Coons, Henry Owen

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Physaria ludoviciana (Nuttal) O'Kane & Al-Shehbaz (silvery bladderpod) is a state endangered species in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the eastern edge of its range. Our goal was to investigate its seed biology (production, dispersal, seed bank longevity, afterripening, seed longevity after storage using germination and emergence, and seedling establishment). This information will be useful for conservation efforts of this endangered species. Over a ten-year period, various seed biology parameters were measured. Infructescences were counted to estimate seed production with 110–744 seeds per reproductive plant. Soil samples were collected at various distances to estimate dispersal where seeds dispersed less than a …


Size Assortment In Mixed-Species Groups Of Juvenile-Phase Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iserti) In The Bahamas, Paul Switzer, Daniel Quinn Jan 2012

Size Assortment In Mixed-Species Groups Of Juvenile-Phase Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iserti) In The Bahamas, Paul Switzer, Daniel Quinn

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Striped parrotfish (Scarus iserti) often form heterospecific groups with other reef fishes. In this study, we examined the species and body size composition of these groups on reefs in The Bahamas. Groups averaged approximately 4 S. iserti and 2 associated species, with surgeonfish (Acanthurus chirurgus and A. bahianus), slippery dick (Halichoeres bivittatus), and bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) as the most common associates. Fewer groups than expected had only 1 associate; groups with 3 or more associates were more common than expected. Both the S. iserti and associated species tended to be closely sizematched within a group, perhaps due to benefits …


Teaching Ethnobotany In China, Gordon C. Tucker Nov 2011

Teaching Ethnobotany In China, Gordon C. Tucker

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

China has a rich and well documented tradition and diverse usage of plants. China provides examples of the incorporation of plant derived drugs in medicine. The diverse usage of plants is also reflected in the many kinds of Chinese food that are consumed by people of various nations around the world. China is one of the "cradles" of agriculture, the birth place of the cultivation of many important crops, including rice, millet, soybeans, and water chestnuts, and is the only undisrupted major ancient civilization in the world. Some plants find use in almost every aspect of Chinese life, such as …


Cryopreservation Of Spin-Dried Mammalian Cells, Nilay Chakraborty, Michael A. Menze, Jason Malsam, Alptekin Aksan, Steven C. Hand, Mehmet Toner Sep 2011

Cryopreservation Of Spin-Dried Mammalian Cells, Nilay Chakraborty, Michael A. Menze, Jason Malsam, Alptekin Aksan, Steven C. Hand, Mehmet Toner

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

This study reports an alternative approach to achieve vitrification where cells are pre-desiccated prior to cooling to cryogenic temperatures for storage. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells suspended in a trehalose solution were rapidly and uniformly desiccated to a low moisture content (<0.12 g of water per g of dry weight) using a spin-drying technique. Trehalose was also introduced into the cells using a high-capacity trehalose transporter (TRET1). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to examine the uniformity of water concentration distribution in the spin-dried samples. 62% of the cells were shown to survive spin-drying in the presence of trehalose following immediate rehydration. The spin-dried samples were stored in liquid nitrogen (LN2) at a vitrified state. It was shown that following re-warming to room temperature and re-hydration with a fully complemented cell culture medium, 51% of the spin-dried and vitrified cells survived and demonstrated normal growth characteristics. Spin-drying is a novel strategy that can be used to improve cryopreservation outcome by promoting rapid vitrification.


Domain And Propositions Of Succession Theory, Steward Pickett, Scott Meiners, Mary Cadenasso Jan 2011

Domain And Propositions Of Succession Theory, Steward Pickett, Scott Meiners, Mary Cadenasso

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Succession is perhaps the oldest of ecological concepts, having arisen when ecology was emerging as a self-conscious discipline (Mcintosh 1985). Yet it continues to address many fundamental issues in ecology, to support important applications, and to synthesize the insights and perspectives of other theories. Thus, it fulfills two functions key in assessing the utility of a contemporary ecological theory. First, it exhibits the attributes of a mature, welldeveloped, and intensively tested theory (Glenn-Lewin et al. 1992; Pickett and Cadenasso 2005). Second, it provides a linkage among theories and applications that have usually been considered separately (Walker et al. 2007). For …


Lea Proteins During Water Stress: Not Just For Plants Anymore, Steven C. Hand, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Leaf Boswell, Daniel Moore Jan 2011

Lea Proteins During Water Stress: Not Just For Plants Anymore, Steven C. Hand, Michael A. Menze, Mehmet Toner, Leaf Boswell, Daniel Moore

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are extremely hydrophilic proteins that were first identified in land plants. Intracellular accumulation is tightly correlated with acquisition of desiccation tolerance, and data support their capacity to stabilize other proteins and membranes during drying, especially in the presence of sugars like trehalose. Exciting reports now show LEA proteins are not restricted to plants; multiple forms are expressed in desiccation-tolerant animals from at least four phyla. We evaluate here the expression, subcellular localization, biochemical properties and potential functions of LEA proteins in animal species during water stress. LEA proteins are intrinsically unstructured in aqueous solution, but …


Quantitative Analysis Of Lignocellulosic Components Of Non-Treated And Steam Exploded Barley, Canola, Oat And Wheat Straw Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, P. K. Adapa, L. G. Schonenau, Thomas Canam, T. Dumonceaux Jan 2011

Quantitative Analysis Of Lignocellulosic Components Of Non-Treated And Steam Exploded Barley, Canola, Oat And Wheat Straw Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, P. K. Adapa, L. G. Schonenau, Thomas Canam, T. Dumonceaux

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Rapid and cost effective quantification of lignocellulosic components (cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin) of agricultural biomass (barley, canola, oat and wheat) is essential to determine the effect of various pre-treatments (such as steam explosion) on biomass used as feedstock for the biofuel industry. Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was considered as an option to achieve this objective. Regression equations having R2 values of 0.89, 0.99 and 0.98 were developed to predict the cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin compounds of biomass, respectively. The average absolute difference in predicted and measured cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in agricultural biomass was 7.5%, 2.5%, and 3.8%, respectively.