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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Amyloid Fibril Formation By Bovine Milk Alpha(S2)-Casein Occurs Under Physiological Conditions Yet Is Prevented By Its Natural Counterpart, Alpha(S1)-Casein, David Thorn, Heath Ecroyd, M Sunde, Stephen Poon, John Carver Dec 2011

Amyloid Fibril Formation By Bovine Milk Alpha(S2)-Casein Occurs Under Physiological Conditions Yet Is Prevented By Its Natural Counterpart, Alpha(S1)-Casein, David Thorn, Heath Ecroyd, M Sunde, Stephen Poon, John Carver

Heath Ecroyd

The calcified proteinaceous deposits, or corpora amylacea, of bovine mammary tissue often comprise a network of amyloid fibrils, the origins of which have not been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate by transmission electron microscopy, dye binding assays, and X-ray fiber diffraction that bovine milk alpha(s2)-casein, a protein synthesized and secreted by mammary epithelial cells, readily forms fibrils in vitro. As a component of whole alpha(s)-casein, alpha(s2)-casein was separated from alpha(s1)-casein under nonreducing conditions via cation-exchange chromatography. Upon incubation at neutral pH and 37 degrees C, the spherical particles typical of alpha(s2)-casein rapidly converted to twisted, ribbon-like fibrils similar to 12 …


Protective Interactions Of Dairy Peptides With Fibril Structures And Relevance To Alzheimer's Disease, Louise Bennett, Williams Roderick, Heath Ecroyd, Yanqin Liu, Sunanda Sudharmarajan, John Carver Dec 2011

Protective Interactions Of Dairy Peptides With Fibril Structures And Relevance To Alzheimer's Disease, Louise Bennett, Williams Roderick, Heath Ecroyd, Yanqin Liu, Sunanda Sudharmarajan, John Carver

Heath Ecroyd

Selected dairy caseins have been shown to have capacity for chaperone-like regulation of folding pathways of other caseins, specifically in preventing development of fibrillar aggregates of beta sheet structure. An assay based on fibril formation by reduced and carboxymethylated-kappa casein (RCM-kCn) was thus used to screen for anti-fibril activity among a selection of dairy protein hydrolysates, in order to discover peptides with possible anti-fibril, chaperone activity. From the selection of eight dairy hydrolysates based on different dairy protein fractions, two of the hydrolysates of whey protein exhibited superior anti-fibril bioactivity against RCM-kCn and amyloid beta (Aβ), the peptide associated with …


Investigating The Impact Of Restricted Irrigation Practices On Soil Moisture Variability And Distribution In A Dry Farmed Vineyard Site, Boise, Idaho, J. Duffin, David Wilkins, J. Guenther Dec 2011

Investigating The Impact Of Restricted Irrigation Practices On Soil Moisture Variability And Distribution In A Dry Farmed Vineyard Site, Boise, Idaho, J. Duffin, David Wilkins, J. Guenther

David E. Wilkins

Changing climate in semiarid regions may result in increased water stresses for agricultural production as timing and form of precipitation may result in diminished surface water for irrigation. To prepare for these changing conditions, studies are being conducted on the possibility of dry farmed agriculture as an alternative to irrigated production. This study specifically investigates the ability to grow productive wine grapes with limited or zero irrigation in the Boise Front Foothills, West Foothills TIC Vineyard, located in a climate zone receiving less than 300 mm of annual precipitation. Traditional vineyard performance factors such as planting densities, soil type, rootstock, …


Sophomore Field Experiences As An Introduction To The Nature Of Geosciences: Data Collection And Analysis Using Dendrochronology, David Wilkins, M. Kunkel Dec 2011

Sophomore Field Experiences As An Introduction To The Nature Of Geosciences: Data Collection And Analysis Using Dendrochronology, David Wilkins, M. Kunkel

David E. Wilkins

Opportunities for field experiences are often presented as a primary reason that undergraduate students gravitate towards geosciences as a major field of study. What those students may not understand is that, for professional geoscientists, field experiences go beyond the freshman-level field trip, and students may overlook the processes of observation, data collection and analysis that are inherent to the science. The Department of Geosciences at Boise State has developed a set of sophomore field experience courses designed to "set the hook" into new majors and prepare them for field experiences in upper division coursework. These sophomore courses have been shown …


Journeys Between Nature And Culture, Diana Wood Conroy, Lesley Head, Jennifer Lamb Oct 2011

Journeys Between Nature And Culture, Diana Wood Conroy, Lesley Head, Jennifer Lamb

Diana Wood Conroy

No abstract provided.


Professional Development For Graduate Students Through Outreach Partnerships With Science Learning Centers, Karen Viskupic, Jennie Rylee, Cindy Busche, Sara Focht, David Cannamela, Annelise Carleton-Hug, James Belthoff, David Wilkins Sep 2011

Professional Development For Graduate Students Through Outreach Partnerships With Science Learning Centers, Karen Viskupic, Jennie Rylee, Cindy Busche, Sara Focht, David Cannamela, Annelise Carleton-Hug, James Belthoff, David Wilkins

David E. Wilkins

With funding from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education program (GK-12), students from Boise State University’s graduate programs in biology and geosciences gain experience in curriculum development and delivery in a wide range of settings. The project uniquely partners graduate students with educators at three informal science centers that use their settings to focus on science and environmental issues of local, regional, and global importance. Two-three graduate students per year (GK-12 Fellows) are placed at each learning center where they work to create, modify, and deliver learning activities that incorporate local and regional themes as well …


The Fall-Out From Emerging Technologies: On Matters Of Surveillance, Social Networks And Suicide, M.G. Michael, Katina Michael Aug 2011

The Fall-Out From Emerging Technologies: On Matters Of Surveillance, Social Networks And Suicide, M.G. Michael, Katina Michael

Professor Katina Michael

No abstract provided.


Physiographic Factors Defining The Snake River Valley Ava; Beyond "Vin De Idaho", David Wilkins, Virginia Gillerman, Krista Shellie, Ron Bitner, Gregory Jones Apr 2011

Physiographic Factors Defining The Snake River Valley Ava; Beyond "Vin De Idaho", David Wilkins, Virginia Gillerman, Krista Shellie, Ron Bitner, Gregory Jones

David E. Wilkins

Beginning in 1971 with the first plantings of wine grapes, the wine and wine grape industry in southwest Idaho have grown to become significant contributors to the state economy with an annual impact of $75 million (Bierle et al., 2008). With around 1600 acres under cultivation in 50 vineyards producing at least 24 varietals (as of 2007), wine grapes are the state's second largest fruit crop in acreage, with the majority of the crop (USDA, 2008) being produced in the western Snake River Plain of southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. In April, 2007, a 21,400 sq. km area in this …


Computers And Networks, Lisa Zilinski Dec 2010

Computers And Networks, Lisa Zilinski

Lisa Zilinski

Understanding how computers work requires knowledge of the physical structures and capabilities of the hardware, as well as how these capabilities are organized and controlled through software. Effective computer management also requires the ability to understand and support users' activities while at the same time anticipating potential threats to the system. Computing and communication technologies continue to evolve, which means that the system manager must also find ways to keep up with advances that improve the capability, reliability, and accessibility of these important tools for information management.


Race And Human Diversity: A Biocultural Approach, Robert Anemone Dec 2010

Race And Human Diversity: A Biocultural Approach, Robert Anemone

Robert L. Anemone

No abstract provided.