Biology Commons^™

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Scas Officers And Council Members 2010-2011

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Gold Nanospheres As Inhibitors Of Amyloid- Β Protein Aggregation Involved In Alzheimer’S Disease, Mihyun Lim, Deborah Soto-Ortega, Rahina Mahtab, Melissa Moss

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sirna-Mediated Inhibition Of The Hiv-1 Transactivator Of Transcription, Alexander Jureka, Pricilla Simon, William Jackson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Physiological Markers Of Activity-Based Anorexia In Sprague Dawley Rats, Crystal Lange, Michelle Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Inverse Correspondence Of Amh And Fsh Levels In Women Presenting For Infertility Treatments, Amara Iverson, Abdelmonium Younis, William Butler, William Roudebush

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of Small Putative Group I Introns In The Ssu Rrna Gene Locus Of Phialophora Species, Scott O. Rogers

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Group I introns (specifically subgroup IC1) are common in the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes of fungi. While most range in length from more than 200 to nearly 1800 nucleotides (nt) in length, several small putative (or degenerate) group I introns have been described that are between 56 and 81 nt. Although small, previously we demonstrated that the PaSSU intron in the rRNA small subunit gene of Phialophora americana isolate Wang 1046 is capable of in vitro splicing using a standard group I intron pathway, thus qualifying it as a functional ribozyme. Findings. Here, we describe eight short putative group …

14-3-3Γ Binds To Cam Kkα And Blocks Estrogen Signaling In Mcf-7 Cells, John M. Schmitt, Amanda P. Ankeny

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Abstract Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) is activated by estrogen (E2) downstream of CaM KK leading to cell growth in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that ERK activation may be inhibited by cAMP and PKA. PKA has numerous cellular targets including CREB, Src, Raf-1, arrestins, and CaM KK. CaM KK is inhibited by direct PKA phosphorylation and the subsequent interaction with 14-3-3γ . Agonists that activate cAMP and PKA may block CaM KK activation of ERK and cell proliferation. Our goal was to evaluate the ability of cAMP and PKA to antagonize the effects of E2 on MCF-7 …

Transcription Factor Regulation Of Erk And Estrogen In Mcf-7 Cells, John M. Schmitt, Jessica N. Magill

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Abstract ERK is activated by increased intracellular calcium downstream of the hormone estrogen (E2). E2 activates ERK via the CaM Kinases, specifically CaM KK and CaM KI in MCF-7 cells. ERK may control cell growth and proliferation through Elk-1, Rsk, SRF, CREB, and numerous other molecules and nuclear targets. Vitamin D, a hormone, has proven to be an effective antagonist of ERK and MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth. Our goal was to evaluate if the E2 pathway working through CaM KK and ERK regulated the transcription factors Elk-1, CREB, and SRF. We also examined the ability of vitamin D to …

Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (Hiv-1): Effects Of Intrapartum And Neonatal Single-Dose Nevirapine Prophylaxis And Subsequent Hiv-1 Drug Resistance At Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation, Amanda L. Harmon

CMC Senior Theses

The prevention of mother-to-child transmission is one of the most powerful tools in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) prevention and has huge potential to improve both maternal and child health. In the absence of any preventative measures, infants born to and breastfed by their HIV-positive mothers have roughly a one-in-three chance of acquiring the infection themselves. HIV can be passed on from mother-to-child during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and even after during breastfeeding.

Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP) is the foundation of preventing mother-to-child transmission in lower resource settings where it has been used alone or as …

The Characterization Of Genes Involved In Response To The Phenol Derivative And Xenoestrogen Bisphenol-A In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Sasha N. Farina

CMC Senior Theses

Bisphenol A is an estrogenic compound that is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins; humans are continuously exposed to the compound and it is believed to possess the same carcinogenic effects as estrogen (Iso, 2006). In this study, I used Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to identify mechanisms by which BPA acts based on the genomic profiling of kinase genes from a Mat-α haploid deletion library. Kinases regulate many other proteins, so the identification of a single mutant could identify an entire affected pathway of genes. I conducted a systematic screen of these mutants using the phenotype of …

Determining A Patient Recovery From A Total Knee Replacement Using Fuzzy Logic And Active Databases, Robert Azarbod

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the knowledge-based system is to predict the rehabilitation timeline of a patient in physical therapy for a total knee replacement. All patients have various attributes that contribute to their rehabilitation rate such as: weight, gender, smoking habit, medications, physical ability, or other medical problems. A combination of any one or several of these attributes will affect the recovery process. The proposed FRTP (Fuzzy Rehabilitation Timeline Predictor) is a fuzzy data mining model that can predict the recovery length of a patient in physical therapy for a total knee replacement and provide feedback to experts for revision of …

Molecular, Cellular And Systemic Effects Of Atrazine On The Xenopus Laevis Tadpole, Renee Maryanne Zaya

Dissertations

Atrazine is one of the two most commonly used herbicides in the US and it is the most studies are among the first to link physiological effects of atrazine to changes in tissue and gene expression in Xenopus laevis tadpoles. These studies provide the groundwork for future studies into the mechanisms behind responses to chemical stressors generating data resulting in a better understanding of how these chemicals affect us all. commonly found herbicide in ground water. As a result, a great deal of attention has been placed on its use and safety. It has also been implicated to play a …

Nest-Site Selection, Nocturnal Nest Desertion, And Productivity In A Common Tern (Sterna Hirundo) Colony At Detroit River, Michigan, Gregory J. Norwood

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Common terns are declining in the Great Lakes region and represent a population relatively distinct from that of eastern North America. On an artificial site, I studied the substrate and vegetation preference and productivity of nesting terns at two scales: general habitat and nest-site. Terns nested later and less successfully in large river rock (13 to 25-cm diameter) compared to more diverse substrate and limestone (2.5-5.0 cm) when it was free of dead vegetation. Within a habitat, terns chose to nest where substrate was most diverse in rock size, soil, and non-vegetative debris. Percent standing cover did not affect hatching …

Diet Of Three Mormoopid Bats (Mormoops Blainvillei, Pteronotus Quadridens, And Pteronotus Portoricensis ) On Puerto Rico, Ashley K. Rolfe

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study used visual analysis to determine the percent volume and percent frequency of orders of insects in the guano of the Antillean ghost-faced bat (Mormoops blainvillei), sooty mustached bat (Pteronotus quadridens), and Puerto Rican mustached bat (Pteronotus portoricensis). The most common orders for all three species were Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera, although the relative proportions of these orders differed among species. Variation in diet was primarily due to species, but season, habitat, and sex also affected the composition of insects in the feces. In addition, species-level identification of prey was achieved through molecular techniques …

Biology News, Winter 2011, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Department of Biology
-- Focus on UNI Biology Alumni
-- Let us hear from you...
-- Twenty Second North American Prairie Conference: Restoring a National Treasure
-- Faculty and Staff News
-- Summer Research
-- Trip to West Virginia's eastern panhandle was a success
-- Thurman on PDA in Brasil
-- Taiwan Exchange Program
-- Climate change impacts report
-- Focus on UNI Biology Students
-- Student Clubs
-- Pre-Physical Therapy Club
-- Faculty Changes - Retirements
-- You make a difference! Message from our donors
-- Why support undergraduate biological research at UNI
-- …

Using Geographically Structured Evaluations To Assess Performance And Transferability Of Ecological Niche Models For Species With Many Occurrence Records; A Test Using The Caribbean Spiny Pocket Mouse, Heteromys Anomauls, Aleksandar Radosavljevic

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Morphometric And Genetic Variation Among Populations Of The Southern Short-Tailed Shrew, Blarina Carolinensis, Located Along The Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Devon Kersten

Theses and Dissertations

The distribution of short-tailed shrews, Blarina carolinensis and B. brevicauda, demonstrates contiguous allopatry in peninsular situations in the Coastal Plain of Virginia, and in other areas. The distribution of these two species is unusual in that they do not exhibit syntopy except within a narrow corridor along the borders of their ranges. Interestingly, along the Coastal Plain of Virginia, B. carolinensis is generally found only at the distal ends of the peninsular areas, existing as local populations that appear to be isolated from each other and from the primary population that exists in south-central Virginia. It is thought that the …

Possible Behavioral Avoidance Of Uv-B Radiation And Sunlight In Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) Tadpoles, J. C. Connolly, B. L. Kress, Geoffrey R. Smith, Jessica E. Rettig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Distribution Of Tadpoles (Hyla Arenicolor) In The Pools Associated With The Rio Salado, Puebla, Mexico, G. A. Woolrich-Pina, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, Geoffrey R. Smith, R. Montoya-Ayala, Luis Oliver-López

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Elevation On Litter-Size Variation Among Lizard Populations In The Sceloporus Grammicus Complex (Phrynosomatidae) In Mexico, A. Ramirez-Bautista, A. Leyte-Manrique, J. C. Marshall, Geoffrey R. Smith

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Neuroprotective Effects Of A Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist And Modulator In The Rodent Retina, Kazuhiro Iwamoto

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to assess the potential neuroprotective effect of an alpha7 nAChR agonist, PNU-282987, and modulator, PNU-120596, in an in vitro model of excitotoxicity and an in vivo model of acute glaucoma. In in vitro studies, retinas obtained from Long Evans rats were cultured using various concentrations of the PNU compounds to analyze neuroprotection against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. After 3 days in culture, RGCs were identified using an antibody against Thy 1.1, visualized using a fluorescent dye and quantified. In culture, glutamate significantly decreased the number of RGCs. However, if either PNU compound was introduced before the …

First Record Of Alston's Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus Alstoni) From The Canal Area Of Central Panama, Thomas D. Lambert, Michaela K. Halsey, Jacob W. Dittel, Scott A. Mangan, Erika Delfosse, Gregory H. Adler, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Anolis Chrysolepis Duméril And Bibron, 1837 (Squamata: Iguanidae), Revisited: Molecular Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of The Anolis Chrysolepis Species Group, Annelise B. D'Angiolella, Tony Gamble, Teresa C. S. Avila-Pires, Guarino R. Colli, Brice P. Noonan, Laurie J. Vitt

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The Anolis chrysolepis species group is distributed across the entire Amazon basin and currently consists of A. bombiceps and five subspecies of A. chrysolepis. These lizards are characterized by moderate size, relatively narrow digital pads, and a small dewlap that does not reach the axilla. We used the mitochondrial gene ND2 to estimate phylogenetic relationships among putative subspecies of A. chrysolepis and taxa previously hypothesized to be their close relatives. We also assessed the congruence between molecular and morphological datasets to evaluate the taxonomic status of group members. On the basis of the two datasets, we present a new …

Variation, Systematics, And Relationships Of The Leptodactylus Bolivianus Complex (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae), W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Heyer, W. Ronald, and Rafael O. de Sá. Variation, Systematics, and Relationships of the Leptodactylus bolivianus Complex (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 635, viii + 58 pages, 21 figures, 20 tables, 2011.—The Leptodactylus bolivianuscomplex has been considered to consist of one or two species, L. bolivianus alone or L. bolivianus and L. insularum. Detailed morphological analyses were undertaken to evaluate variation in the complex, which ranges from Costa Rica through Panama, across northern South America in the river valleys draining to the Caribbean, and throughout much of the Amazon basin with southern limits in Bolivia. Members of …

Range Extension For The Dismal Swamp Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys Cooperi Helaletes, In Eastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The distribution of the Dismal Swamp Southern Bog Lemming is extended to include three counties west of the Dismal Swamp in southeastern Virginia, long considered its only location in the state. Evidence of lemmings was detected at 10 of 27 survey sites, and confirmed by trapping at three of five sites, all dominated by herbaceous vegetation.

Flowering Phenology Change And Climate Warming In Southwestern Ohio, Ryan Mcewan, Robert J. Brecha, Donald R. Geiger, Grace P. John

Biology Faculty Publications

Global surface temperature has increased markedly over the last 100 years. This increase has a variety of implications for human societies, and for ecological systems. One of the most obvious ways ecosystems are affected by global climate change is through alteration of organisms’ developmental timing (phenology). We used annual botanical surveys that documented the first flowering for an array of species from 1976 to 2003 to examine the potential implications of climate change for plant development. The overall trend for these species was a progressively earlier flowering time. The two earliest flowering taxa (Galanthus and Crocus) also exhibited the strongest …

Expression And Characterization Of The Bacterial Mechanosensitive Channel Mscs In Xenopus Laevis Oocytes., Elizabeth S. Haswell, Grigory Maksaev

Biology Faculty Research

We have successfully expressed and characterized mechanosensitive channel of small conductance (MscS) from Escherichia coli in oocytes of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. MscS expressed in oocytes has the same single-channel conductance and voltage dependence as the channel in its native environment. Two hallmarks of MscS activity, the presence of conducting substates at high potentials and reversible adaptation to a sustained stimulus, are also exhibited by oocyte-expressed MscS. In addition to its ease of use, the oocyte system allows the user to work with relatively large patches, which could be an advantage for the visualization of membrane deformation. …

Myosin Vi Regulates Actin Structure Specialization Through Conserved Cargo-Binding Domain Sites, Mamiko Isaji, Marta Lenartowska, Tatsuhiko Noguchi, Deborah J. Frank, Kathryn G. Miller

Biology Faculty Research

Actin structures are often stable, remaining unchanged in organization for the lifetime of a differentiated cell. Little is known about stable actin structure formation, organization, or maintenance. During Drosophila spermatid individualization, long-lived actin cones mediate cellular remodeling. Myosin VI is necessary for building the dense meshwork at the cones' fronts. We test several ideas for myosin VI's mechanism of action using domain deletions or site-specific mutations of myosin VI. The head (motor) and globular tail (cargo-binding) domains were both needed for localization at the cone front and dense meshwork formation. Several conserved partner-binding sites in the globular tail previously identified …

On The Utility Of Population Models For Invasive Plant Management: Response To Evans And Davis, Eleanor A. Pardini, John M. Drake, Tiffany M. Knight

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.