Life Sciences Commons^™

Pulmonary Fibroblasts Stimulate The Proliferation Of Cell Lines From Human Lung Adenocarcinomas, Maria Cekanova, T Masi, Howard Plummer, M Majidi, P Fedorocko, Hildegard Schuller

Howard K. Plummer III

Human lung cancer cell lines are widely used to test anticancer drugs. These in-vitro tests, however, preclude the detection of responses to paracrine factors from surrounding stroma. We have cocultured pulmonary fibroblasts CCD-19Lu, from a healthy donor, or HLF-A, from a patient with epidermoid carcinoma of the lung, with two human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines to test the hypothesis that the fibroblasts stimulate the growth of the tumor cells. Both fibroblast cell lines significantly increased the proliferation of the pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays, with HLF-A fibroblasts yielding the most pronounced responses ...

The Plant Structure Ontology, A Unified Vocabulary Of Anatomy And Morphology Of A Flowering Plant, Katica Ilic, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Pankaj Jaiswal, Felipe Zapata, Peter F. Stevens, Leszek P. Vincent, Shulamit Avraham, Leonore Reiser, Anuradha Pujar, Martin M. Sachs, Noah T. Whitman, Susan R. Mccouch, Mary L. Schaeffer, Doreen H. Ware, Lincoln D. Stein, Seung Y. Rhee

Peter Stevens

Cadherin-2 Participates In The Morphogenesis Of The Zebrafish Inner Ear, Sherry Babb-Clendenon, Yu-Chi Shen, Qin Liu, Katharyn E. Turner, M. Susan Mills, Greg W. Cook, Caroline A. Miller, Vincent H. Gattone Ii, Kate F. Barald, James A. Marrs

Qin Liu

Molecular mechanisms that control inner ear morphogenesis from the placode to the three-dimensional functional organ are not well understood. We hypothesize that cell-cell adhesion, mediated by cadherin molecules, contributes significantly to various stages of inner ear formation. Cadherin-2 (Cdh2) function during otic vesicle morphogenesis was investigated by examining morpholino antisense oligonucleotide knockdown and glass onion (glo) ( Cdh2 mutant) zebrafish embryos. Placode formation, vesicle cavitation and specification occurred normally, but morphogenesis of the otic vesicle was affected by Cdh2 deficiency: semicircular canals were reduced or absent. Phalloidin staining of the hair cell stereocillia demonstrated that cadherin-2 (cdh2) loss-of-function did not affect ...

Raphidophyceae [Chadefaud Ex Silva] Systematics And Rapid Identification: Sequence Analyses And Real–Time Pcr Assays, Torstein Tengs

Dr. Torstein Tengs

Species within the class Raphidophyceae were associated with fish kill events in Japanese, European, Canadian, and U.S. coastal waters. Fish mortality was attributable to gill damage with exposure to reactive oxygen species (peroxide, superoxide, and hydroxide radicals), neurotoxins, physical clogging, and hemolytic substances. Morphological identification of these organisms in environmental water samples is difficult, particularly when fixatives are used. Because of this difficulty and the continued global emergence of these species in coastal estuarine waters, we initiated the development and validation of a suite of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Sequencing was used to generate complete data sets ...

Equal Performance Of Taqman, Mgb, Molecular Beacon, And Sybr Green-Based Detection Assays In Detection And Quantification Of Roundup Ready Soybean, Torstein Tengs

Dr. Torstein Tengs

We have tested and compared the performance of 12 different assays representing four different real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chemistries in the context of genetically modified organism detection. Several different molecular beacon, SYBR Green, TaqMan, and MGB assays were designed for the event specific detection and quantification of the 3' integration junction of GTS 40-3-2 (Roundup Ready) soybean. Sensitivity as well as robustness in the presence of background DNA were tested. None of the PCR-based approaches appeared to be significantly better than any of the other, but the molecular beacon assays had the lowest efficiency and also seemed more sensitive ...

Peritrophic Membrane Of The Penaeid Shrimp, Sicyonia Ingentis; Structure, Formation And Permeability., Gary Martin

Gary Martin

Peritrophic membranes (PTMs) are secreted acellular layers that separate ingested materials from the gut epithelium in a variety of invertebrates. In insects and crustaceans, PTMs are produced in the midgut trunk (MGT, or intestine), but the MGT in decapod crustaceans, unlike that of insects, is not involved with digestion or absorption of food. We demonstrate that the PTM in the penaeid shrimp Sicyonia ingentis is similar to that in other crustaceans that have been studied and is primarily composed of chitin. The lectin WGA binds only to the PTM and glycocalyx along the microvilli of the midgut cells, which is ...

Nnk Activates Erk1/2 And Creb/Atf-1 Via Beta-1-Ar And Egfr Signaling In Human Lung Adenocarcinoma And Small Airway Epithelial Cells, E Laag, M Majidi, Maria Cekanova, T Masi, T Takahashi, Hildegard Schuller

Maria Cekanova MS, RNDr, PhD

We have shown that the tobacco nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is an agonist for -adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) and increased DNA synthesis of human lung adenocarcinoma cells with features of bronchiolar Clara cells by binding to these receptors. Using a cell line derived from a human pulmonary adenocarcinoma with Clara cell phenotype (PACC) and immortalized human small airway epithelial cells (HPLD1), the putative cells of origin of this cancer type, our current studies have analyzed signaling initiated by binding of NNK to the beta 1-AR. NNK upregulated ERK1/2 and CREB/ATF-1 phosphorylation in a PKA-dependent manner in ...

Quantitative Profiling Of Arabidopsis Polar Glycerolipids In Response To Phosphorus Starvation. Roles Of Phospholipases Dζ1 And Dζ2 In Phosphatidylcholine Hydrolysis And Digalactosyldiacylglycerol Accumulation In Phosphorus-Starved Plants, Xuemin Wang, Maoyin Li, Ruth Welti

Xuemin (Sam) Wang

“Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Of The Skull Of Rapetosaurus Krausei (Sauropoda, Titanosauria).”, Kristi Curry Rogers, J. Hertel, J. Groenke

Kristi Curry Rogers

No abstract provided.

The Localized Dynamics Of A Ca2+Channel (30-Minute Talk), Borbala Mazzag, Christoper Tignanelli, Gregory D. Smith

Borbala Mazzag

No abstract provided.

Imaging Gene Expression In Live Transgenic Mice After Providing Luciferin In Drinking Water, Daniel J. Hiler, Megan L. Greenwald, Michael Eric Geusz

Michael Eric Geusz

Mice expressing the firefly luciferase gene luc under the control of various gene promoters are used to image long-term changes in tumor growth, infection, development, and circadian rhythms. This novel approach enables ongoing regulation of gene expression to be visualized through repeated imaging of luciferase bioluminescence. Typically, luciferin, the luciferase substrate, is injected into mice before they are anaesthetized for imaging. To avoid the effects of handling and stress from injection on expression of the transgene, oral luciferin delivery methods were tested as an alternative to current methods. For unobscured imaging, a transgenic mouse line containing luc controlled by the ...

Unraveling The Mechanical Properties Of Composite Silk Threads Spun By Cribellate Orb-Weaving Spiders, Todd Blackledge, Cheryl Hayashi

Todd A. Blackledge

Orb-web weaving spiders depend upon the mechanical performance of capture threads to absorb the energy of flying prey. Most orb-weavers spin wet capture threads with core fibers of flagelliform silk. These threads are extremely compliant and extensible due to the folding of their constituent proteins into molecular nanosprings and hydration by a surrounding coating of aqueous glue. In contrast, other orb-weavers use cribellate capture threads, which are composite structures consisting of core fibers of pseudoflagelliform silk surrounded by a matrix of fine dry cribellar fibrils. Based on phylogenetic evidence, cribellate capture threads predate the use of viscid capture threads. To ...

Pulmonary Fibroblasts Stimulate The Proliferation Of Cell Lines From Human Lung Adenocarcinomas, Maria Cekanova, T Masi, Howard Plummer, M Majidi, P Fedorocko, Hildegard Schuller

Maria Cekanova MS, RNDr, PhD

Human lung cancer cell lines are widely used to test anticancer drugs. These in-vitro tests, however, preclude the detection of responses to paracrine factors from surrounding stroma. We have cocultured pulmonary fibroblasts CCD-19Lu, from a healthy donor, or HLF-A, from a patient with epidermoid carcinoma of the lung, with two human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines to test the hypothesis that the fibroblasts stimulate the growth of the tumor cells. Both fibroblast cell lines significantly increased the proliferation of the pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays, with HLF-A fibroblasts yielding the most pronounced responses ...

Genetic Divergence In The Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes Auropunctatus), A Widely Distributed Invasive Species, C-G. Thulin, D. Simberloff, A. Barun, Gary Mccracken, M. Pascals, A. Islam

Gary F. McCracken

The combination of founder events, random drift and new selective forces experienced by introduced species typically lowers genetic variation and induces differentiation from the ancestral population. Here, we investigate microsatellite differentiation between introduced and native populations of the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus). Many expectations based on introduction history, such as loss of alleles and relationships among populations, are confirmed. Nevertheless, when applying population assignment methods to our data, we observe a few specimens that are incorrectly assigned and/or appear to have a mixed ancestry, despite estimates of substantial population differentiation. Thus, we suggest that population assignments of individuals ...

Sensitive Mutation Detection In Heterogeneous Cancer Specimens By Massively Parallel Picoliter Reactor Sequencing, Torstein Tengs

Dr. Torstein Tengs

The sensitivity of conventional DNA sequencing in tumor biopsies is limited by stromal contamination and by genetic heterogeneity within the cancer. Here, we show that microreactor-based pyrosequencing can detect rare cancer-associated sequence variations by independent and parallel sampling of multiple representatives of a given DNA fragment. This technology can thereby facilitate accurate molecular diagnosis of heterogeneous cancer specimens and enable patient selection for targeted cancer therapies.

Identification Of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) Marajoara (Diptera: Culicidae) In Bolivia Using Polymerase Chain Reaction And A Restriction Endonuclease, Gary Fritz, C. L. Brelsfoard, R. Rodriguez

Gary Fritz

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) marajoara Galvão & Damasceno (Diptera: Culicidae) is a member of the Albitarsis cryptic species complex and is a primary vector of human Plasmodium in parts of Brazil. We report the first record of An. marajoara in the department of Cochabamba and confirm its presence in the department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We also describe a PCR protocol producing a single amplicon (≈340 bp) of a section of the internal transcribed spacer 2 specific for members of the Albitarsis species complex; the polymerase chain reaction protocol did not amplify the DNA of 17 other species in the subgenus Nyssorhynchus. Digestion of the amplicon with the restriction endonuclease BfaI produces two fragments specific to An. marajoara in Bolivia.

Tests Of Parallel Molecular Evolution In A Long-Term Experiment With Escherichia Coli, Margaret Riley, Robert Woods, Dominique Schneider, Cynthia L. Winkworth, Richard E. Lenski

Margaret Riley

The repeatability of evolutionary change is difficult to quantify because only a single outcome can usually be observed for any precise set of circumstances. In this study, however, we have quantified the frequency of parallel and divergent genetic changes in 12 initially identical populations of Escherichia coli that evolved in identical environments for 20,000 cell generations. Unlike previous analyses in which candidate genes were identified based on parallel phenotypic changes, here we sequenced four loci (pykF, nadR, pbpA-rodA, and hokB/sokB) in which mutations of unknown effect had been discovered in one population, and then we compared the substitution ...

Economic Value Of The Pest Control Service Provided By Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats In South-Central Texas, Gary Mccracken, C. Cleveland, M. Betke, P. Federico, J. Frank, T. Hallam, H. Horn, J. Lopez, R. Medellin, A. Moreno-Valdez, C. Sansone, J. Westbrook, T. Kunz

Gary F. McCracken

Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) form enormous summer breeding colonies, mostly in caves and under bridges, in south-central Texas and northern Mexico. Their prey includes several species of adult insects whose larvae are known to be important agricultural pests, including the corn earworm or cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea). We estimate the bats' value as pest control for cotton production in an eight-county region in south-central Texas. Our calculations show an annual value of $741 000 per year, with a range of $121 000–$1 725 000, compared to a $4.6–$6.4 million per year annual cotton harvest.

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Detection Of Overexpressed Cox-2 In Precancerous Lesions Of Hamster Pancreas And Lungs By Molecular Imaging: Implications For Early Diagnosis And Prevention, Hildegard Schuller, George Kabalka, G Smith, A Mereddy, M Akula, Maria Cekanova

Maria Cekanova MS, RNDr, PhD

The enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in many cancers, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and arthritis. Selective inhibitors of COX-2 have been developed as therapeutics or preventive agents for these diseases. However, recent reports have revealed a significant increase in cardiovascular mortality in long-term users of the COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx and Celebrex, emphasizing the need for noninvasive tests that allow the identification of individuals whose COX-2 levels are overexpressed prior to assignment to treatment with these drugs. In this study, we have prepared a radioiodinated analogue of the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib, and verified its binding to the COX-2 enzyme in ...

Sequence Analysis Of The Rdna Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 And Polymerase Chain Reaction Identification Of Anopheles Fluminensis (Diptera: Culicidae: Anopheles) In Bolivia, Corey L. Brelsfoard, Gary Fritz, Roberto Rodriguez

Gary Fritz

Anopheles fluminensis Root is a member of the Arribalzagia Series in the subgenus Anopheles. We report the first record of this species in the department of Cochabamba, Bolivia. This species was sampled from two locations in the foothills of the eastern Andes Mountains within the Chapare Valley. Larvae were collected in fast-flowing, shaded streams at the edges of rocky pools. We provide the first sequence data for the rDNA of An. fluminensis, a partial sequence of the 5.8S and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). The ITS2 of An. fluminensis, sequenced from two individuals at one site, was at ...

Selective Male Mortality In The Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta, Gary N. Fritz, Robert K. Vander Meer, Catherine A. Preston

Gary Fritz

Males in polygyne populations of Solenopsis invicta are primarily sterile diploids and thought to not express the Gp-9 gene coding for a pheromone-binding protein affecting complex social behavior.We examined an aspect of the breeding system hitherto not considered—male Gp-9 genotypes in relation to sperm stored in queens. Four sites with varying frequencies of sympatric monogyne and polygyne colonies were sampled, including sexuals, workers, and broods from four colonies. Most queens were heterozygotes storing B sperm. Although predicted to be common, only 14 of 504 males were B or BB genotypes, suggesting strong selection. Increased frequency of polygyne colonies ...

Evaluating The Monophyly Of Eulimnadia And The Limnadiinae (Branchiopoda : Spinicaudata) Using Dna Sequences, W. R. Hoeh, N. D. Smallwood, D. M. Senyo, E. G. Chapman, Stephen C. Weeks

Stephen C. Weeks

The evolutionary relationships among the six nominal genera within the spinicaudate clam shrimp family Limnadiidae, as well as the validity of the limnadiid genus Eulimnadia, have been much debated in the literature with little consensus emerging. The lack of resolution on these topics impedes evaluations of limnadiid biodiversity, phylogeny, and character evolution. To address these issues, we used Bayesian and parsimony methods to analyze DNA sequences from three genetic loci (28S, 12S, cytb) that were obtained from representatives of five nominal limnadiid genera and one undescribed limnadiid species. These analyses confirm the monophyly of Eulimnadia and the most taxonomically inclusive ...

Homeland Security: Engaging The Frontlines - Symposium Proceedings, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

The rise of the American homeland security endeavor under the leadership of the new Department of Homeland Security has been heralded by several major national strategy documents. These documents have served to organize efforts at top levels within the government and industry. However, the national strategy guidance is not getting to many organizations and people at the grass-roots level who can make the most difference in preventing attacks, protecting systems, and recovering from catastrophic events, viz. the general citizenry, private infrastructure owners, and local governments. To better understand grass-roots issues and solutions, James Madison University, in cooperation with the Federal ...

A Subset Of Mer1p-Dependent Introns Requires Bud13p For Splicing Activation And Nuclear Retention, Marc Spingola, Frederick W. Scherrer Jr

Marc Spingola

Estimating Nests Not Present At The Time Of Breeding Surveys: An Important Consideration In Assessing Nesting Populations, Peter C. Frederick, Julie A. Heath, Robert Bennetts, Heinz Hafner

Julie Heath

Counts of nest starts are often used as indicators of the size of avian nesting populations, or of avian productivity. However, the accuracy of single or repeated counts of unmarked nests over time for estimating seasonal numbers of nests may be strongly affected by nest events that fall in between survey dates, or that occurred prior to or after the survey period. Accuracy may also be affected by uncertainty in the interpretation of counts due to overlap between starting and ending dates of asynchronous nests during the intervisit interval. To measure the combined magnitude of these effects on survey accuracy ...

Phylogeography Of The Flag Cabrilla Epinephelus Labriformis (Serranidae): Implications For The Biogeography Of The Tropical Eastern Pacific And The Early Stages Of Speciation In A Marine Shore Fish, Mathew T. Craig, Phillip A. Hastings, Daniel J. Pondella Ii, D. Ross Robertson, Jorge A. Rosales-Casián

Daniel Pondella

To examine the role of previously described biogeographical boundaries in shaping phylogeographical relationships within and among two putative eastern Pacific sibling species, the flag cabrilla, Epinephelus labriformis and the Clipperton grouper, Epinephelus clippertonensis (Serranidae).

Thermal Stress On Intertidal Limpets: Long-Term Hindcasts And Lethal Limits, Mark W. Denny, Luke P. Miller, Christopher D. G. Harley

Luke P. Miller

Rapid Signaling At The Plasma Membrane By A Nuclear Receptor For Thyroid Hormone, Hemayet Ullah

Hemayet Ullah

Animating A Biology Curriculum With Research, Kathleen Tweeten, Marcella J. Myers, Cynthia G. Norton, Lynne Gildensoph, Martha M. Phillips, Deborah Wygal, John J. Pellegrini, Jill R. Welter

Lynne Gildensoph

No abstract provided.

Littoral Benthic Marcroinvertebrates Under Contrasting Drawdown In A Reservoir And A Natural Lake, Paula Furey, Rick N. Nordin, Asit Mazumder

Paula Furey

No abstract provided.