Matching Items (120)
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Description

Color vision in birds is mediated by four types of cone photoreceptors whose maximal sensitivities (λmax) are evenly spaced across the light spectrum. In the course of avian evolution, the λmax of the most shortwave-sensitive cone, SWS1, has switched between violet (λmax > 400 nm) and ultraviolet (λmax < 380

Color vision in birds is mediated by four types of cone photoreceptors whose maximal sensitivities (λmax) are evenly spaced across the light spectrum. In the course of avian evolution, the λmax of the most shortwave-sensitive cone, SWS1, has switched between violet (λmax > 400 nm) and ultraviolet (λmax < 380 nm) multiple times. This shift of the SWS1 opsin is accompanied by a corresponding short-wavelength shift in the spectrally adjacent SWS2 cone. Here, we show that SWS2 cone spectral tuning is mediated by modulating the ratio of two apocarotenoids, galloxanthin and 11’,12’-dihydrogalloxanthin, which act as intracellular spectral filters in this cell type. We propose an enzymatic pathway that mediates the differential production of these apocarotenoids in the avian retina, and we use color vision modeling to demonstrate how correlated evolution of spectral tuning is necessary to achieve even sampling of the light spectrum and thereby maintain near-optimal color discrimination.

ContributorsToomey, Matthew B. (Author) / Lind, Olle (Author) / Frederiksen, Rikard (Author) / Curley, Robert W. (Author) / Riedl, Ken M. (Author) / Wilby, David (Author) / Schwartz, Steven J. (Author) / Witt, Christopher C. (Author) / Harrison, Earl H. (Author) / Roberts, Nicholas W. (Author) / Vorobyev, Misha (Author) / McGraw, Kevin (Author) / Cornwall, M. Carter (Author) / Kelber, Almut (Author) / Corbo, Joseph C. (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2016-07-12
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Description

Studying the thermoelectric effect in DNA is important for unravelling charge transport mechanisms and for developing relevant applications of DNA molecules. Here we report a study of the thermoelectric effect in single DNA molecules. By varying the molecular length and sequence, we tune the charge transport in DNA to either

Studying the thermoelectric effect in DNA is important for unravelling charge transport mechanisms and for developing relevant applications of DNA molecules. Here we report a study of the thermoelectric effect in single DNA molecules. By varying the molecular length and sequence, we tune the charge transport in DNA to either a hopping- or tunnelling-dominated regimes. The thermoelectric effect is small and insensitive to the molecular length in the hopping regime. In contrast, the thermoelectric effect is large and sensitive to the length in the tunnelling regime. These findings indicate that one may control the thermoelectric effect in DNA by varying its sequence and length. We describe the experimental results in terms of hopping and tunnelling charge transport models.

ContributorsLi, Yueqi (Author) / Xiang, Limin (Author) / Palma, Julio (Author) / Asai, Yoshihiro (Author) / Tao, Nongjian (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor)
Created2016-04-15
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Description

Measuring small molecule interactions with membrane proteins in single cells is critical for understanding many cellular processes and for screening drugs. However, developing such a capability has been a difficult challenge. We show that molecular interactions with membrane proteins induce a mechanical deformation in the cellular membrane, and real-time monitoring

Measuring small molecule interactions with membrane proteins in single cells is critical for understanding many cellular processes and for screening drugs. However, developing such a capability has been a difficult challenge. We show that molecular interactions with membrane proteins induce a mechanical deformation in the cellular membrane, and real-time monitoring of the deformation with subnanometer resolution allows quantitative analysis of small molecule–membrane protein interaction kinetics in single cells. This new strategy provides mechanical amplification of small binding signals, making it possible to detect small molecule interactions with membrane proteins. This capability, together with spatial resolution, also allows the study of the heterogeneous nature of cells by analyzing the interaction kinetics variability between different cells and between different regions of a single cell.

ContributorsGuan, Yan (Author) / Shan, Xiaonan (Author) / Zhang, Fenni (Author) / Wang, Shaopeng (Author) / Chen, Hong-Yuan (Author) / Tao, Nongjian (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor)
Created2015-10-23
Description

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats.

Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits.

Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation.

ContributorsSadd, Ben M. (Author) / Barribeau, Seth M. (Author) / Bloch, Guy (Author) / de Graaf, Dirk C. (Author) / Dearden, Peter (Author) / Elsik, Christine G. (Author) / Gadau, Juergen (Author) / Grimmelikhuijzen, Cornelis J. P. (Author) / Hasselmann, Martin (Author) / Lozier, Jeffrey D. (Author) / Robertson, Hugh M. (Author) / Smagghe, Guy (Author) / Stolle, Eckart (Author) / Van Vaerenbergh, Matthias (Author) / Waterhouse, Robert M. (Author) / Bornberg-Bauer, Erich (Author) / Klasberg, Steffen (Author) / Bennett, Anna K. (Author) / Camara, Francisco (Author) / Guigo, Roderic (Author) / Hoff, Katharina (Author) / Mariotti, Marco (Author) / Munoz-Torres, Monica (Author) / Murphy, Terence (Author) / Santesmasses, Didac (Author) / Amdam, Gro (Author) / Beckers, Matthew (Author) / Beye, Martin (Author) / Biewer, Matthias (Author) / Bitondi, Marcia MG (Author) / Blaxter, Mark L. (Author) / Bourke, Andrew FG (Author) / Brown, Mark JF (Author) / Buechel, Severine D. (Author) / Cameron, Rossanah (Author) / Cappelle, Kaat (Author) / Carolan, James C. (Author) / Christiaens, Olivier (Author) / Ciborowski, Kate L. (Author) / Clarke, David F. (Author) / Colgan, Thomas J. (Author) / Collins, David H. (Author) / Cridge, Andrew G. (Author) / Dalmay, Tamas (Author) / Dreier, Stephanie (Author) / du Plessis, Louis (Author) / Duncan, Elizabeth (Author) / Erler, Silvio (Author) / Evans, Jay (Author) / Falcon, Talgo (Author) / Flores, Kevin (Author) / Freitas, Flavia CP (Author) / Fuchikawa, Taro (Author) / Gempe, Tanja (Author) / Hartfelder, Klaus (Author) / Hauser, Frank (Author) / Helbing, Sophie (Author) / Humann, Fernanda (Author) / Irvine, Frano (Author) / Jermiin, Lars S (Author) / Johnson, Claire E. (Author) / Johnson, Reed M (Author) / Jones, Andrew K. (Author) / Kadowaki, Tatsuhiko (Author) / Kidner, Jonathan H. (Author) / Koch, Vasco (Author) / Kohler, Arian (Author) / Kraus, F. Bernhard (Author) / Lattorff, H. Michael G. (Author) / Leask, Megan (Author) / Lockett, Gabrielle A. (Author) / Mallon, Eamonn B. (Author) / Marco Antonio, David S. (Author) / Marxer, Monika (Author) / Meeus, Ivan (Author) / Moritz, Robin FA (Author) / Nair, Ajay (Author) / Napflin, Kathrin (Author) / Nissen, Inga (Author) / Niu, Jinzhi (Author) / Nunes, Francis MF (Author) / Oakeshott, John G. (Author) / Osborne, Amy (Author) / Otte, Marianne (Author) / Pinheiro, Daniel G. (Author) / Rossie, Nina (Author) / Rueppell, Olav (Author) / Santos, Carolina G (Author) / Schmid-Hempel, Regula (Author) / Schmitt, Bjorn D. (Author) / Schulte, Christina (Author) / Simoes, Zila LP (Author) / Soares, Michelle PM (Author) / Swevers, Luc (Author) / Winnebeck, Eva C. (Author) / Wolschin, Florian (Author) / Yu, Na (Author) / Zdobnov, Evgeny M (Author) / Aqrawi, Peshtewani K (Author) / Blakenburg, Kerstin P (Author) / Coyle, Marcus (Author) / Francisco, Liezl (Author) / Hernandez, Alvaro G. (Author) / Holder, Michael (Author) / Hudson, Matthew E. (Author) / Jackson, LaRonda (Author) / Jayaseelan, Joy (Author) / Joshi, Vandita (Author) / Kovar, Christie (Author) / Lee, Sandra L. (Author) / Mata, Robert (Author) / Mathew, Tittu (Author) / Newsham, Irene F. (Author) / Ngo, Robin (Author) / Okwuonu, Geoffrey (Author) / Pham, Christopher (Author) / Pu, Ling-Ling (Author) / Saada, Nehad (Author) / Santibanez, Jireh (Author) / Simmons, DeNard (Author) / Thornton, Rebecca (Author) / Venkat, Aarti (Author) / Walden, Kimberly KO (Author) / Wu, Yuan-Qing (Author) / Debyser, Griet (Author) / Devreese, Bart (Author) / Asher, Claire (Author) / Blommaert, Julie (Author) / Chipman, Ariel D. (Author) / Chittka, Lars (Author) / Fouks, Bertrand (Author) / Liu, Jisheng (Author) / O'Neill, Meaghan P (Author) / Sumner, Seirian (Author) / Puiu, Daniela (Author) / Qu, Jiaxin (Author) / Salzberg, Steven L (Author) / Scherer, Steven E (Author) / Muzny, Donna M. (Author) / Richards, Stephen (Author) / Robinson, Gene E (Author) / Gibbs, Richard A. (Author) / Schmid-Hempel, Paul (Author) / Worley, Kim C (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-04-24
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Description

Exposure to fine particles can cause various diseases, and an easily accessible method to monitor the particles can help raise public awareness and reduce harmful exposures. Here we report a method to estimate PM air pollution based on analysis of a large number of outdoor images available for Beijing, Shanghai

Exposure to fine particles can cause various diseases, and an easily accessible method to monitor the particles can help raise public awareness and reduce harmful exposures. Here we report a method to estimate PM air pollution based on analysis of a large number of outdoor images available for Beijing, Shanghai (China) and Phoenix (US). Six image features were extracted from the images, which were used, together with other relevant data, such as the position of the sun, date, time, geographic information and weather conditions, to predict PM2.5 index. The results demonstrate that the image analysis method provides good prediction of PM2.5 indexes, and different features have different significance levels in the prediction.

ContributorsLiu, Chenbin (Author) / Tsow, Francis (Author) / Zou, Yi (Author) / Tao, Nongjian (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor)
Created2016-02-01
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Description

Background: Urbanization can strongly impact the physiology, behavior, and fitness of animals. Conditions in cities may also promote the transmission and success of animal parasites and pathogens. However, to date, no studies have examined variation in the prevalence or severity of several distinct pathogens/parasites along a gradient of urbanization in animals

Background: Urbanization can strongly impact the physiology, behavior, and fitness of animals. Conditions in cities may also promote the transmission and success of animal parasites and pathogens. However, to date, no studies have examined variation in the prevalence or severity of several distinct pathogens/parasites along a gradient of urbanization in animals or if these infections increase physiological stress in urban populations.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we measured the prevalence and severity of infection with intestinal coccidians (Isospora sp.) and the canarypox virus (Avipoxvirus) along an urban-to-rural gradient in wild male house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). In addition, we quantified an important stress indicator in animals (oxidative stress) and several axes of urbanization, including human population density and land-use patterns within a 1 km radius of each trapping site. Prevalence of poxvirus infection and severity of coccidial infection were significantly associated with the degree of urbanization, with an increase of infection in more urban areas. The degrees of infection by the two parasites were not correlated along the urban-rural gradient. Finally, levels of oxidative damage in plasma were not associated with infection or with urbanization metrics.

Conclusion/Significance: These results indicate that the physical presence of humans in cities and the associated altered urban landscape characteristics are associated with increased infections with both a virus and a gastrointestinal parasite in this common songbird resident of North American cities. Though we failed to find elevations in urban- or parasite/pathogen-mediated oxidative stress, humans may facilitate infections in these birds via bird feeders (i.e. horizontal disease transmission due to unsanitary surfaces and/or elevations in host population densities) and/or via elevations in other forms of physiological stress (e.g. corticosterone, nutritional).

ContributorsGiraudeau, Mathieu (Author) / Mousel, Melanie (Author) / Earl, Stevan (Author) / McGraw, Kevin (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-02-04
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Description

In vitro rearing is an important and useful tool for honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) studies. However, it often results in intercastes between queens and workers, which are normally are not seen in hive-reared bees, except when larvae older than three days are grafted for queen rearing. Morphological classification (queen

In vitro rearing is an important and useful tool for honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) studies. However, it often results in intercastes between queens and workers, which are normally are not seen in hive-reared bees, except when larvae older than three days are grafted for queen rearing. Morphological classification (queen versus worker or intercastes) of bees produced by this method can be subjective and generally depends on size differences. Here, we propose an alternative method for caste classification of female honey bees reared in vitro, based on weight at emergence, ovariole number, spermatheca size and size and shape, and features of the head, mandible and basitarsus. Morphological measurements were made with both traditional morphometric and geometric morphometrics techniques. The classifications were performed by principal component analysis, using naturally developed queens and workers as controls. First, the analysis included all the characters. Subsequently, a new analysis was made without the information about ovariole number and spermatheca size. Geometric morphometrics was less dependent on ovariole number and spermatheca information for caste and intercaste identification. This is useful, since acquiring information concerning these reproductive structures requires time-consuming dissection and they are not accessible when abdomens have been removed for molecular assays or in dried specimens. Additionally, geometric morphometrics divided intercastes into more discrete phenotype subsets. We conclude that morphometric geometrics are superior to traditional morphometrics techniques for identification and classification of honey bee castes and intermediates.

ContributorsDe Souza, Daiana A. (Author) / Wang, Ying (Author) / Kaftanoglu, Osman (Author) / De Jong, David (Author) / Amdam, Gro (Author) / Goncalves, Lionel S. (Author) / Francoy, Tiago M. (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-04-20
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Description

The production, characterization, and antioxidant capacity of the carotenoid fucoxanthin from the marine diatom Odontella aurita were investigated. The results showed that low light and nitrogen-replete culture medium enhanced the biosynthesis of fucoxanthin. The maximum biomass concentration of 6.36 g L-1 and maximum fucoxanthin concentration of 18.47 mg g-1 were

The production, characterization, and antioxidant capacity of the carotenoid fucoxanthin from the marine diatom Odontella aurita were investigated. The results showed that low light and nitrogen-replete culture medium enhanced the biosynthesis of fucoxanthin. The maximum biomass concentration of 6.36 g L-1 and maximum fucoxanthin concentration of 18.47 mg g-1 were obtained in cultures grown in a bubble column photobioreactor (Ø 3.0 cm inner diameter), resulting in a fucoxanthin volumetric productivity of 7.96 mg L-1 day-1. A slight reduction in biomass production was observed in the scaling up of O. aurita culture in a flat plate photobioreactor, yet yielded a comparable fucoxanthin volumetric productivity. A rapid method was developed for extraction and purification of fucoxanthin. The purified fucoxanthin was identified as all-trans-fucoxanthin, which exhibited strong antioxidant properties, with the effective concentration for 50% scavenging (EC50) of 1,1-dihpenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical being 0.14 and 0.03 mg mL-1, respectively. Our results suggested that O. aurita can be a natural source of fucoxanthin for human health and nutrition.

ContributorsXia, Song (Author) / Wang, Ke (Author) / Wan, Linglin (Author) / Li, Aifen (Author) / Hu, Qiang (Author) / Zhang, Chengwu (Author) / Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2013-07-23
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Description

A novel portable wireless volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring device with disposable sensors is presented. The device is miniaturized, light, easy-to-use, and cost-effective. Different field tests have been carried out to identify the operational, analytical, and functional performance of the device and its sensors. The device was compared to a

A novel portable wireless volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring device with disposable sensors is presented. The device is miniaturized, light, easy-to-use, and cost-effective. Different field tests have been carried out to identify the operational, analytical, and functional performance of the device and its sensors. The device was compared to a commercial photo-ionization detector, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and carbon monoxide detector. In addition, environmental operational conditions, such as barometric change, temperature change and wind conditions were also tested to evaluate the device performance. The multiple comparisons and tests indicate that the proposed VOC device is adequate to characterize personal exposure in many real-world scenarios and is applicable for personal daily use.

ContributorsDeng, Yue (Author) / Chen, Cheng (Author) / Xian, Xiaojun (Author) / Tsow, Francis (Author) / Verma, Gaurav (Author) / McConnell, Rob (Author) / Fruin, Scott (Author) / Tao, Nongjian (Author) / Forzani, Erica (Author) / Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2016-12-03
Description
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder that can affect individuals at nearly every stage of life. Women are especially vulnerable to MDD in part, from ovarian hormone level fluctuations. In this thesis, I focused on MDD using a rat model in middle-age to explore potential sex differences

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder that can affect individuals at nearly every stage of life. Women are especially vulnerable to MDD in part, from ovarian hormone level fluctuations. In this thesis, I focused on MDD using a rat model in middle-age to explore potential sex differences in response to a corticosterone (CORT) – induced depressive-like state. Estradiol (E2), a naturally occurring steroid sex hormone in humans and rats, is implicated in mood changes, which is especially prominent during the menopause transition. CORT, a stress hormone, was used to create a depressive-like state in middle-aged female (F) and male (M) rats with their gonads surgically removed. This produced the following independent treatment groups: Sex (F, M), CORT (vehicle = V ml/kg, C 40mg/kg), E2 (V 0.1 ml, E 0.3µg/0.1ml). CORT and E2 injections were injected daily, s.c) for 7 days before behavioral testing began and continued throughout the study when behavior was assessed. For my honor’s thesis, I focused on the social interaction test and elevated plus maze to investigate whether CORT enhanced social avoidance and anxiety, and whether E2 mitigated the CORT effects. In the social interaction test, three new behaviors were assessed (interacting, grooming, and immobility) to better understand exploratory and anxiety profiles of the rats, and these behaviors were quantified over two 5-minute periods in the 10-minute trial. These new quantifications showed that for the female rats, C+E and V+V enhanced the interaction with the novel rat significantly more than an inanimate object, which was not observed in the females given CORT only or E2 only. The males in all conditions showed a significant preference for side with the novel rat compared to the object, however no treatment differences were observed. In both sexes, the overall time spent interacting decreased in the second five minutes of quantification compared to the first five minutes. No effects were observed with grooming or immobility, in part from the high variability across rats. For EPM, female rats treated with CORT and E2 exhibited a lower anxiety index than compared to female rats given CORT only, indicating that E2 mitigated the depressive-like effects of CORT. Males showed no CORT or E2 effects. The result in part supported my hypothesis, as the CORT-treated females exhibited reduced socialization and E2 improved socialization in CORT-treated females, as this was seen in the F-C-E group. Interestingly, CORT failed to produce a depressive-like effect in males in both behavioral tests, which was an unexpected outcome. These results suggest that administration of E2 with CORT mitigated the depressive-like state created by CORT in female rats, however failed to produce these outcomes in males. The outcome of this work will give us insight into the potential mechanisms that may contribute to sex differences with MDD.
ContributorsSladkova, Sara (Author) / Conrad, Cheryl (Thesis director) / Amdam, Gro (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05