Biology Commons^™

Update Of Clostridium Difficile Infection Due To Pcr Ribotype 027 In Europe, 2008, Denise Drudy, E. J. Kuijper, F. Barbut, J. S. Brazier

Articles

Since the emergence of a new virulent strain of Clostridium difficile characterised as toxinotype III, North American pulsedfield type 1 (NAP1), restriction-endonuclease analysis group type BI and PCR-ribotype 027 (Type 027), multiple outbreaks have been reported in North America and Europe [1-9]. The increased virulence of C. difficile Type 027 is thought to be associated with a 1 base pair deletion at position 117 of the tcdC gene which leads to an increased or prolonged production of toxins A and B, and possibly the production of a binary toxin [1-3]. However, these virulence factors are not unique for Type 027 …

Polyomaviruses In Pediatric Renal Disease, Julie Moran

Masters

BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV) are ubiquitous in the human population and frequently reactivate during periods of immune suppression. The emergence of polyomavirus-associated diseases among renal and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients has highlighted the lack of knowledge of the natural history of BKV and JCV in humans. In the pediatric population, in particular, immune suppressive therapy is commonly used as a treatment for primary renal diseases. To date, there has been limited investigation of polyomavirus reactivation in pediatric patients with renal transplants or with primary renal disease. Given the association of polyomavirus reactivation with the use of …

Use Of Trees By The Texas Ratsnake (Elaphe Obsoleta) In Eastern Texas, Josh B. Pierce, Robert R. Fleet, Lance D. Mcbrayer, D. Craig Rudolph

Biology: Faculty Publications

We present information on the use of trees by Elaphe obsoleta (Texas Ratsnake) in a mesic pine-hardwood forest in eastern Texas. Using radiotelemetry, seven snakes (3 females, 4 males) were relocated a total of 363 times from April 2004 to May 2005, resulting in 201 unique locations. Snakes selected trees containing cavities and used hardwoods and snags for a combined 95% of arboreal locations. Texas Ratsnake arboreal activity peaked during July and August, well after the peak of avian breeding activity, suggesting arboreal activity involves factors other than avian predation.

Organochlorine Pesticide Contamination And Its Potential Effects On Eggshell Characteristics Of Dickcissels (Spiza Americana), Bridget Wall '08

Honors Projects

Dickcissels (Spiza americana) are small, sparrow-like songbirds that nest in grasslands in the U.S. and winter in Venezuela. Fanners in Venezuela intentionally spray dickcissel flocks with organochlorine (DC) and other illegal pesticides in an attempt to kill them when they feed in both rice and sorghum fields. Previous studies have shown that organochlorine (DC) pesticide' contaminants (e.g., DDT) have significantly reduced eggshell thickness in eagles and falcons.. Although DDT was banned in the United States more than twenty years ago, DC compounds and their metabolites still persist in wildlife, possibly resulting in reduced reproductive success and in disrupted endocrine systems …

Distribution Of Bipinnaria And Pilidium In Relation To Physical Structure And Uv-B Light In The Water Column Off Anvers Island, Antarctica, William Jaeckle

Scholarship

Feeding larvae of Antarctic bottom invertebrates have proven to be scarce in the plankton and consequently our knowledge of their ecology is limited. We collected bipinnaria larvae assignable to the genus Odontaster and several types of pilidium larvae of nemertean worms in quantitative net tows taken during the austral spring and summer 1997-1998 and considered their distribution with respect to the density stratification of the water column and the potential exposure to UV-B (λ = 308 nm). The average number of pilidium and bipinnaria larvae in the upper 40 m of the water column was 0.5 ± 1.0 per m3 …

Validation Of An Nsp-Based (Negative Selection Pattern) Gene Family Identification Strategy, Ronald L. Frank, Cyriac Kandoth, Fikret Erçal

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: Gene family identification from ESTs can be a valuable resource for analysis of genome evolution but presents unique challenges in organisms for which the entire genome is not yet sequenced. We have developed a novel gene family identification method based on negative selection patterns (NSP) between family members to screen EST-generated contigs. This strategy was tested on five known gene families in Arabidopsis to see if individual paralogs could be identified with accuracy from EST data alone when compared to the actual gene sequences in this fully sequenced genome. Results: The NSP method uniquely identified family members in all …

Cell Cycle Analysis Of Atrazine-Treated Human Cells, Daniel Pelzer

Honors Program Theses

Atrazine is the second most-commonly applied herbicide in the United States. Studies have correlated herbicide exposure with a variety of health risks in non-target organisms, including humans and amphibians. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that low-level atrazine exposure inhibits cell growth and may delay progression through the cell cycle.

The purpose of the current study is to determine the effect of environmentally-relevant levels of atrazine on the expression of cyclin D 1, a protein that regulates the G 1 phase of the cell cycle. HepG2 human liver cells were exposed to increasing levels of atrazine (0, 50, 100, …

Series Activity: Watching Wildlife [Iowa Academy Of Science National Wildlife Audio Series], Iowa Academy Of Science

Open Educational Resources

Observing wildlife can be fun whether you are at one of Iowa’s National Wildlife Refuges, a local park or your own back yard. Make watching wildlife a hobby and you will begin to recognize habits and patterns in the actions of the wildlife around you. You might be able to predict when certain wildlife will come to an area to feed, the sounds a bird makes when attempting to protect its young or what will trigger a rabbit to freeze in place. You’ll also be practicing the skills scientists use to make their observations: comparing and contrasting, measuring, counting and …

Evaluating Salivary Alpha-Amylase As A Biomarker Fro Stress, Denise L. Alfano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Evaluation Of Cortisol And Dhea As Biomarkers For Stress, Jennifer A. Smith

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Effect Of Thyroid Hormone Concentration On The Transcriptional Response Underlying Induced Metamorphosis In The Mexican Axolotl (Ambystoma), Robert B. Page, S. R. Voss, A. K. Samuels, J. J. Smith, S. Putta, C. K. Beachy

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Background: Thyroid hormones (TH) induce gene expression programs that orchestrate amphibian metamorphosis. In contrast to anurans, many salamanders do not undergo metamorphosis in nature. However, they can be induced to undergo metamorphosis via exposure to thyroxine (T4). We induced metamorphosis in juvenile Mexican axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) using 5 and 50 nM T4, collected epidermal tissue from the head at four time points (Days 0, 2, 12, 28), and used microarray analysis to quantify mRNA abundances. Results: Individuals reared in the higher T4 concentration initiated morphological and transcriptional changes earlier and completed metamorphosis by Day 28. In contrast, initiation of metamorphosis …

Transcriptional Response Of Mexican Axolotls To Ambystoma Tigrinum Virus (Atv) Infection, J. D. Cotter, A. Storfer, Robert B. Page, C. K. Beachy, S. R. Voss

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Background: Very little is known about the immunological responses of amphibians to pathogens that are causing global population declines. We used a custom microarray gene chip to characterize gene expression responses of axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) to an emerging viral pathogen, Ambystoma tigrinum virus (ATV). Result: At 0, 24, 72, and 144 hours post-infection, spleen and lung samples were removed for estimation of host mRNA abundance and viral load. A total of 158 up-regulated and 105 down-regulated genes were identified across all time points using statistical and fold level criteria. The presumptive functions of these genes suggest a robust innate immune …

Retinal Tissue Engineering Using Mouse Retinal Progenitor Cells And A Novel Biodegradable, Thin-Film Poly(E-Caprolactone) Nanowire Scaffold, Stephen Redenti, Sarah Tao, Jing Yang, Ping Gu, Henry Klassen, Sunita Saigal, Tejal Desai, Michael J. Young

Publications and Research

Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) can be combined with nanostructured polymer scaffolds to generate compos- ite grafts in culture. One strategy for repair of diseased retinal tissue involves implantation of composite grafts of this type in the subretinal space. In the present study, mouse retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) were cultured on laminin- coated novel nanowire poly(e-caprolactone)(PCL) scaf- folds, and the survival, differentiation, and migration of these cells into the retina of C57bl/6 and rhodospsin −/−mouse retinal explants and transplant recipients were analyzed. RPCs were cultured on smooth PCL and both short (2.5μm) and long (27μ m) nanowire PCL scaffolds. Scaffolds with …

Evaluation Of Aerial Cluster Sampling Of Double-Crested Cormorants On Aquaculture Ponds In Mississippi, Brian S. Dorr, Loren W. Burger Jr., Scott C. Barras

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concern over increasing numbers of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and their impacts on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture has resulted in increased need for quantitative information to develop and evaluate depredation management efforts. We evaluated aerial surveys in a stratified cluster sampling (SCS) design to estimate and monitor abundance of cormorants on catfish aquaculture ponds in the Yazoo River Basin of Mississippi, USA (hereafter Yazoo Basin). Twice monthly abundance estimates and coefficient of variation during winter averaged 8,128 (n = 29, SE = 1,233) and 33% (n = 29, SE = 0.02), respectively. Counts of cormorants …

Tertiary Climate Change And The Diversification Of The Amazonian Gecko Genus Gonatodes (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata), Tony Gamble, Andrew M. Simons, Guarino R. Colli, Laurie J. Vitt

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The genus Gonatodes is a monophyletic group of small-bodied, diurnal geckos distributed across northern South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. We used fragments of three nuclear genes (RAG2, ACM4, and c-mos) and one mitochondrial gene (16S) to estimate phylogenetic relationships among Amazonian species of Gonatodes. We used Penalized Likelihood to estimate timing of diversification in the genus. Most cladogenesis occurred in the Oligocene and early Miocene and coincided with a burst of diversification in other South American animal groups including mollusks, birds, and mammals. The Oligocene and early Miocene were periods dominated by …

Effect Of Ethanol On Microbial Community Structure And Function During Natural Attenuation Of Benzene, Toluene, And O-Xylene In A Sulfate-Reducing Aquifer, Kevin Feris, Doug Mackay, Nick De Sieyes, Irina Chakraborty, Murray Einarson, Krassimira R. Hristova, Kate M. Scow

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Ethanol (EtOH) is a commonly used fuel oxygenate in reformulated gasoline and is an alternative fuel and fuel supplement. Effects of EtOH release on aquifer microbial ecology and geochemistry have not been well characterized in situ. We performed a controlled field release of petroleum constituents (benzene (B), toluene (T), o-xylene (o-X) at ∼1–3 mg/L each) with and without EtOH (∼500 mg/L). Mixed linear modeling (MLM) assessed effects on the microbial ecology of a naturally sulfidic aquifer and how the microbial community affected B, T, and o-X plume lengths and aquifer geochemistry. Changes in microbial community structure …

Mitochondrial Biogenesis: Is An Old Dog Still Teaching Us New Tricks? Meeting On The Assembly Of The Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain, Rosemary A. Stuart, Peter Rehling

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Is Involved In Hormone-Induced Mouse Oocyte Meiotic Maturation In Vitro, Jing Chen, Stephen M. Downs

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

We have previously shown that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) can induce the resumption of meiosis in mouse oocytes maintained in meiotic arrest in vitro. The present study was carried out to determine whether AMPK activation is involved in hormone-induced maturation. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the EGF-like peptide, amphiregulin (AR), are potent inducers of maturation in cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO). Within 3 h of FSH treatment, phospho-acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) levels were increased in germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes when compared to non-stimulated controls and remained elevated throughout 9 h of culture, indicating AMPK activation. A similar response to AR was observed …

The Spinobulbar System In Lamprey, James T. Buchanan, James F. Einum

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Locomotor networks in the spinal cord are controlled by descending systems which in turn receive feedback signals from ascending systems about the state of the locomotor networks. In lamprey, the ascending system consists of spinobulbar neurons which convey spinal network signals to the two descending systems, the reticulospinal and vestibulospinal neurons. Previous studies showed that spinobulbar neurons consist of both ipsilaterally and contralaterally projecting cells distributed at all rostrocaudal levels of the spinal cord, though most numerous near the obex. The axons of spinobulbar neurons ascend in the ventrolateral spinal cord and brainstem to the caudal mesencephalon and within the …

Failure To Replicate Evidence Of Decapod Crustacean Nociception, Sakshi Puri, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Introduction Here, we attempt to replicate their experiments with two other species of decapod crustaceans that bracket P. elegans phylogenetically: white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) and Louisiana red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Litopenaeus setiferus have a similar ecology to prawns. Procambarus clarkii is widely used in the study of neurobiology, and would be an excellent candidate for further neurophysiological studies.

Discussion We found no behavioral evidence of nociception in either L. setiferus or P. clarkii. This outcome contrasts sharply with results that indicated P. elegans had nociception (Barr et al. 2007).

Using Color Infrared Imagery To Detect Sooty Mold And Fungal Pathogens Of Glasshouse-Propagated Plants, Kenneth R. Summy, Christopher R. Little

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Fungi are major biotic constraints for optimum production and quality of glasshouse plants. When plants are infested with sooty mold (Capnodium spp.) or infected with pathogens, the reflected wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum are altered. Spectroradiometric measurements and color infrared (CIR) images of control, honeydew- coated, and sooty mold-infested saplings and individual leaves from trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata), sour orange (Citrus aurantium), ‘Valencia’ orange (C. sinensis), and ‘Bo’ tree (Ficus religiosa) were obtained. Grapefruit saplings and individual leaves infected with Mycosphaerella citri (greasy spot) were imaged under glasshouse conditions. Similarly, muskmelon foliage showing low and high levels of powdery mildew …

Neptunia Plena (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) Rediscovered In Texas, Alfred Richardson, Ken King

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

On October 17, 1938, Robert Runyon collected a specimen of Neptunia plena from a shallow pond south of Armstrong in Kenedy County, Texas. No subsequent collections from Texas have been reported . It was assumed that it was not a permanent member of our flora. On October 27, 2007, a population of N. plena was found near the same locality.

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El 17 de octubre de 1938, Robert Runyon recogió un espécimen de Neptunia plena de una charca somera de Armstrong en el condado de Kenedy, Tejas. No se ha encontrado ninguna colección posterior de Tejas. Fue asumido que no …

Additions To The Breeding Avifauna Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The breeding avifauna of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas has experienced many changes during the 20th century, primarily because of declines in native habitats due to land being converted to agriculture and urban habitats. This paper summarizes changes in breeding avifauna from 2003–2007 in the area. Breeding has been confi rmed for Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii), Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), and Mangrove Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia oraria) for the fi rst time, and for Gray-crowned Yellowthroat (Geothlypis poliocephala) and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) after periods of apparent absence. Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus) is a possible breeder, based …

Functional Characterization Of Upd3 In Drosophila Development, Liqun Wang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The JAK/STAT pathway is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway that is well conserved and highly re-utilized in many mammalian and Drosophila developmental processes. Compared to dozens of ligands and receptors in mammalian JAK/STAT, Drosophila JAK/STAT pathway is simpler with one receptor and three ligands, Upd, Upd2 and Upd3, which have similar amino acid sequences. Previous literature shows that upd and upd2 exhibit the same dynamic striped expression pattern in embryos and have semi-redundant functions during embryogenesis. Do Upd and Upd3 also have redundant functions? To answer this question, the functions of Upd3 in Drosophila development were investigated in this …

Comparative Biology Of Seed Dormancy-Break And Germination In Convolvulaceae (Asterids, Solanales), Kariyawasam Marthinna Gamage Gehan Jayasuriya

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The biology of seed dormancy and germination of 46 species representing 11 of the 12 tribes in Convolvulaceae were compared in laboratory (mostly), field and greenhouse experiments. Seeds were tested for kind of dormancy and storage behavior; artificial or simulated natural treatments were applied to break physical dormancy (PY); the initial route of water entry (“water gap”) into seeds was identified; the morphoanatomy of the water gap was compared in seeds of 17 species; ontogenetical differences between water gap and seed coat away from the hilum were described in Ipomoea lacunosa seeds; cycling of sensitivity to dormancy break was elucidated …

The Influence Of Ca2+ Regulation In Synaptic Facilitation Of Motor Nerve Terminals In Crayfish And Drosophila As Well As In The Physiological Regulation Of Larval Drosophila Heart, Mohati Desai-Shah

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Intracellular Ca²⁺ ions are highly regulated in animal cells for them to function normally. Since the tight regulation of [Ca²⁺]i is so ubiquitous among cells, it is not surprising that altered function in [Ca²⁺]i regulation is associated with a myriad of disease states in humans. This is particularly evident in pacing myocytes and nerve terminals related to synaptic transmission. A common thread through this dissertation is on the role of three regulators proteins that are common to many cell types. These are the plasmalemmal Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX), the Ca²⁺-ATPase (PMCA) …

Towards Cloning The Clk-3 Gene In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Suchita Umesh Desai

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Mutations in the clk-1, clk-2, clk-3 and gro-1 genes in Caenorhabditis elegans show alterations in developmental and behavioral timing and lifespan, collectively termed the Clk phenotype. While the clk-1, clk-2, and gro-1 genes have been cloned, clk-3 gene has not been identified. Gene expression changes in clk-3 mutant worms were determined using microarray expression data. I examined genes in the region to which clk-3 gene maps, for strongly reduced expression in the clk-3 mutants and identified thirteen clk-3 candidate genes. RNAi feeding vectors for all these candidate genes were picked and cultured from the RNAi library. …

Plant Growth Promoting Properties Of Rhizobacteria Isolated From Wheat And Pea Grown In Loamy Sand Soil, Dilfuza Egamberdieva

Turkish Journal of Biology

Microbes are important catalysts to regulate functional properties of terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, rhizosphere and phyllosphere bacteria were isolated from wheat and peas and examined for their plant growth promoting properties. The effects of bacterial inoculants on the growth of peas and wheat were studied in a series of pot experiments using loamy sand soil. The results showed that the colonisation of bacteria was higher in the rhizosphere as compared to the phyllosphere of both plants. Bacterial strains were identified as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Kocuria, and Microbacterium, and Cellulomonas species. The response of wheat and peas when inoculated with bacteria …

A Comparative Study On Colchicine Application Methods In Obtaining Doubled Haploids Of Tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum L.), Betül Bürün, Ülkü Emi̇roğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

In order to obtain androgenic doubled haploids of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Karabağlar 6265) colchicine was applied at 3 different stages of anther culture. Before culture, anthers were treated with 0.4% aqueous solution of colchicine for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h. Culture response of anthers decreased as the treatment duration increased (except 12 h) and the highest diploidization of 29.7% was obtained with 6 h. During culture, when macroscopic embryoids appeared in dehisced anthers, they were wrapt up in sterile cotton saturated with 0.2% colchicine for 3 days and transferred to fresh medium. This application resulted …

An Expression Profile Of Cadherin-11 In Developing Chicken Embryos, Kacie Flaherty

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The properties of cadherin-11 adhesiveness allow it to play a dynamic role in development. Known primarily as a mesenchymal cadherin, cadherin-11 expression may be correlated with morphogenetic events in developing embryos. Although cadherin-11 expression has been studied in the mouse and Xenopus, its expression pattern in the important avian model has not been described. We investigated cadherin-11 's expression profile using a monoclonal antibody in fluorescence immunolocalization, assisted by microwave antigen retrieval; in Hamburger-Hamilton stages 13-22 chicken embryos (approx. 46-96 hrs). Cadherin-11 was expressed in mesenchymal tissue surrounding the eye, pharynx and aortic arches, auditory vesicles, lung buds and stomach, …