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Title: Dengue virus antibodies enhance Zika virus infection.
Creator: Paul, Lauren M, Carlin, Eric R, Jenkins, Meagan M, Tan, Amanda L, Barcellona, Carolyn M, Nicholson, Cindo O, Michael, Scott F, Isern, Sharon
Abstract/Description: For decades, human infections with Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus, were sporadic, associated with mild disease, and went underreported since symptoms were similar to other acute febrile diseases. Recent reports of severe disease associated with ZIKV have greatly heightened awareness. It is anticipated that ZIKV will continue to spread in the Americas and globally where competent Aedes mosquito vectors are found. Dengue virus (DENV), the most common mosquito-transmitted...
Show moreFor decades, human infections with Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus, were sporadic, associated with mild disease, and went underreported since symptoms were similar to other acute febrile diseases. Recent reports of severe disease associated with ZIKV have greatly heightened awareness. It is anticipated that ZIKV will continue to spread in the Americas and globally where competent Aedes mosquito vectors are found. Dengue virus (DENV), the most common mosquito-transmitted human flavivirus, is both well-established and the source of outbreaks in areas of recent ZIKV introduction. DENV and ZIKV are closely related, resulting in substantial antigenic overlap. Through antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), anti-DENV antibodies can enhance the infectivity of DENV for certain classes of immune cells, causing increased viral production that correlates with severe disease outcomes. Similarly, ZIKV has been shown to undergo ADE in response to antibodies generated by other flaviviruses. We tested the neutralizing and enhancing potential of well-characterized broadly neutralizing human anti-DENV monoclonal antibodies (HMAbs) and human DENV immune sera against ZIKV using neutralization and ADE assays. We show that anti-DENV HMAbs, cross-react, do not neutralize, and greatly enhance ZIKV infection in vitro. DENV immune sera had varying degrees of neutralization against ZIKV and similarly enhanced ZIKV infection. Our results suggest that pre-existing DENV immunity may enhance ZIKV infection in vivo and may lead to increased disease severity. Understanding the interplay between ZIKV and DENV will be critical in informing public health responses and will be particularly valuable for ZIKV and DENV vaccine design and implementation strategies.
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Date Issued: 2016-12-16
Identifier: 10.1038/cti.2016.72, fgcu_ir_000083, http://doi.wiley.com/10.1038/cti.2016.72
Format: Citation

Title: Release of Dengue Virus Genome Induced by a Peptide Inhibitor.
Creator: Lok, Shee-Mei, Costin, Joshua M., Hrobowski, Yancey M., Hoffmann, Andrew R., Rowe, Dawne K., Kukkaro, Petra, Holdaway, Heather, Chipman, Paul, Fontaine, Krystal A., Holbrook,...
Show moreLok, Shee-Mei, Costin, Joshua M., Hrobowski, Yancey M., Hoffmann, Andrew R., Rowe, Dawne K., Kukkaro, Petra, Holdaway, Heather, Chipman, Paul, Fontaine, Krystal A., Holbrook, Michael R., Garry, Robert F., Kostyuchenko, Victor, Wimley, William C., Isern, Sharon, Rossmann, Michael G., Michael, Scott F., Lee, Young-Min
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Abstract/Description: Dengue virus infects approximately 100 million people annually, but there is no available therapeutic treatment. The mimetic peptide, DN59, consists of residues corresponding to the membrane interacting, amphipathic stem region of the dengue virus envelope (E) glycoprotein. This peptide is inhibitory to all four serotypes of dengue virus, as well as other flaviviruses. Cryo-electron microscopy image reconstruction of dengue virus particles incubated with DN59 showed that the virus particles...
Show moreDengue virus infects approximately 100 million people annually, but there is no available therapeutic treatment. The mimetic peptide, DN59, consists of residues corresponding to the membrane interacting, amphipathic stem region of the dengue virus envelope (E) glycoprotein. This peptide is inhibitory to all four serotypes of dengue virus, as well as other flaviviruses. Cryo-electron microscopy image reconstruction of dengue virus particles incubated with DN59 showed that the virus particles were largely empty, concurrent with the formation of holes at the five-fold vertices. The release of RNA from the viral particle following incubation with DN59 was confirmed by increased sensitivity of the RNA genome to exogenous RNase and separation of the genome from the E protein in a tartrate density gradient. DN59 interacted strongly with synthetic lipid vesicles and caused membrane disruptions, but was found to be non-toxic to mammalian and insect cells. Thus DN59 inhibits flavivirus infectivity by interacting directly with virus particles resulting in release of the genomic RNA.
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Date Issued: 2012-11-30
Identifier: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050995, fgcu_r_000058, http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050995
Format: Citation

Title: Mechanistic Study of Broadly Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibodies against Dengue Virus That Target the Fusion Loop.
Creator: Costin, J. M., Zaitseva, E., Kahle, K. M., Nicholson, C. O., Rowe, D. K., Graham, A. S., Bazzone, L. E., Hogancamp, G., Figueroa Sierra, M., Fong, R. H., Yang, S.-T., Lin, L.,...
Show moreCostin, J. M., Zaitseva, E., Kahle, K. M., Nicholson, C. O., Rowe, D. K., Graham, A. S., Bazzone, L. E., Hogancamp, G., Figueroa Sierra, M., Fong, R. H., Yang, S.-T., Lin, L., Robinson, J. E., Doranz, B. J., Chernomordik, L. V., Michael, S. F., Schieffelin, J. S., Isern, S.
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Abstract/Description: There are no available vaccines for dengue, the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease. Mechanistic studies with anti-dengue virus (DENV) human monoclonal antibodies (hMAbs) provide a rational approach to identify and characterize neu- tralizing epitopes on DENV structural proteins that can serve to inform vaccine strategies. Here, we report a class of hMAbs that is likely to be an important determinant in the human humoral response to DENV infection. In this study, we identified...
Show moreThere are no available vaccines for dengue, the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease. Mechanistic studies with anti-dengue virus (DENV) human monoclonal antibodies (hMAbs) provide a rational approach to identify and characterize neu- tralizing epitopes on DENV structural proteins that can serve to inform vaccine strategies. Here, we report a class of hMAbs that is likely to be an important determinant in the human humoral response to DENV infection. In this study, we identified and characterized three broadly neutralizing anti-DENV hMAbs: 4.8A, D11C, and 1.6D. These antibodies were isolated from three different convalescent patients with distinct histories of DENV infection yet demonstrated remarkable similarities. All three hMAbs recognized the E glycoprotein with high affinity, neutralized all four serotypes of DENV, and mediated antibody-depen- dent enhancement of infection in Fc receptor-bearing cells at subneutralizing concentrations. The neutralization activities of these hMAbs correlated with a strong inhibition of virus-liposome and intracellular fusion, not virus-cell binding. We mapped epitopes of these antibodies to the highly conserved fusion loop region of E domain II. Mutations at fusion loop residues W101, L107, and/or G109 significantly reduced the binding of the hMAbs to E protein. The results show that hMAbs directed against the highly conserved E protein fusion loop block viral entry downstream of virus-cell binding by inhibiting E protein-mediated fusion. Characterization of hMAbs targeting this region may provide new insights into DENV vaccine and therapeutic strategies.
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Date Issued: 2013-01-01
Identifier: 10.1128/JVI.02273-12, fgcu_ir_000061, http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/doi/10.1128/JVI.02273-12
Format: Citation

Title: Variable Inhibition of Zika Virus Replication by Different Wolbachia Strains in Mosquito Cell Cultures.
Creator: Schultz, Michaela J., Isern, Sharon, Michael, Scott F., Corley, Ronald B., Connor, John H., Frydman, Horacio M., Diamond, Michael S.
Abstract/Description: Mosquito-borne arboviruses are a major source of human disease. One strategy to reduce arbovirus disease is to reduce the mosquito's ability to transmit virus. Mosquito infection with bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis wMel, is a novel strategy to reduce Aedes mosquito competency for flavivirus infection. However, experiments investigating cyclic environmental temperatures have shown a reduction in maternal transmission of wMel potentially weakening the integration of this strain...
Show moreMosquito-borne arboviruses are a major source of human disease. One strategy to reduce arbovirus disease is to reduce the mosquito's ability to transmit virus. Mosquito infection with bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis wMel, is a novel strategy to reduce Aedes mosquito competency for flavivirus infection. However, experiments investigating cyclic environmental temperatures have shown a reduction in maternal transmission of wMel potentially weakening the integration of this strain into a mosquito population relative to other Wolbachia strains. Consequently, it is important to investigate additional Wolbachia strains. All Zika virus (ZIKV) suppression studies are limited to the wMel Wolbachia strain. Here we show ZIKV inhibition by two different Wolbachia strains: wAlbB (isolated from Aedes albopictus mosquitoes) and wStri (isolated from the planthopper Laodelphax striatellus) in mosquito cells. The Wolbachia strain wStri inhibited ZIKV most effectively. Single-cycle infection experiments showed that ZIKV RNA replication and nonstructural protein 5 translation were reduced below the limits of detection in wStri-containing cells, demonstrating early inhibition of virus replication. ZIKV replication was rescued when Wolbachia was inhibited with a bacteriostatic antibiotic. We observed a partial rescue of ZIKV growth when Wolbachia infected cells were supplemented with cholesterol-lipid concentrate, suggesting competition for nutrients as one of the possible mechanisms of Wolbachia inhibition of ZIKV. Our data show that wAlbB and wStri infection causes inhibition of ZIKV making them attractive candidates for further in vitro mechanistic and in vivo studies and future vector-centered approaches to limit ZIKV infection and spread.
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Date Issued: 2017-04-26
Identifier: 10.1128/JVI.00339-17, fgcu_ir_000053, http://jvi.asm.org/lookup/doi/10.1128/JVI.00339-17
Format: Citation

Title: Crystal structure of triphenyl(vinyl)phosphonium tetraphenylborate.
Creator: Bradfield, Joseph L., Braun, Richard A., White, Frankie, Hendrich, Jeffrey M., Sykora, Richard E., Mirjafari, Arsalan
Abstract/Description: The title ionic salt, C21H20P+􏰀C24H20B􏰁, crystallized with two independent vinyltriphenylphosphonium cations and two independent tetraphenylborate anions per asymmetric unit. These four independent moieties contain nearly perfect tetrahedral symmetry about their respective central C atoms. In the crystal, there are no 􏰄-stacking or other intermolecular interactions present.
Date Issued: 2014-10-01
Identifier: 10.1107/S1600536814021357, fgcu_ir_000075, http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?S1600536814021357
Format: Citation

Title: The Curious Case of Goldenhar-Gorlin Syndrome: Identification and Skeletal Manifestation.
Creator: Lopez, Dayanira, Walsh-Haney, Heather, FGCU Research Day
Abstract/Description: Goldenhar-Gorlin Syndrome, also known as oculo-auriculo-vertebral dysplasia (OAVD), is a congenital disease characterized by malformations of several facial bones and the vertebral column. In some cases, there may be complete absence of different skeletal elements, as well as poor development of external processes such as the ear. Previous research has identified the dysplasia of the first and second branchial arches, important in the development of the jaws in utero, in relation to the...
Show moreGoldenhar-Gorlin Syndrome, also known as oculo-auriculo-vertebral dysplasia (OAVD), is a congenital disease characterized by malformations of several facial bones and the vertebral column. In some cases, there may be complete absence of different skeletal elements, as well as poor development of external processes such as the ear. Previous research has identified the dysplasia of the first and second branchial arches, important in the development of the jaws in utero, in relation to the expression of this syndrome. Clinical diagnoses range between 1:3500 and 1:5600 live births with a male to female ratio of 3:27. However, in a forensic setting, the lack of such a unique diagnosis can make proper identification of this syndrome difficult for law enforcement and medical examiner personnel. In death investigations, the role of the forensic anthropologist is to evaluate skeletal remains for any evidence of antemortem (in-life), perimortem (at or around the time of death) or postmortem (after death) changes, as well as to recreate the biological story of an individual. To do so, it is important that we can identify (and differentiate) distinct antemortem pathologies, such as Goldenhar-Gorlin Syndrome, to add strength to the biological story of an individual, while assisting law enforcement and medical examiner personnel in an identification. In the present case study, skeletal analysis coupled with an ethnoforensic anthropological interview was conducted for an individual with clinical diagnosis of Goldenhar-Gorlin Syndrome. The remains were donated to the Human Identity and Trauma Analysis program at Florida Gulf Coast University as an anatomical gift for teaching and research purposes in accordance with the provisions of Florida Statutes section 765.510, et seq. The ability to conduct such a thorough investigation is one not encountered very frequently and will edify the scientific community in identifying the unique expression of this pathology on the human skeleton in its various forms.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: fgcu_UGR_0072
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Crystal structure of a methimazole-based ionic liquid.
Creator: Gaitor, Jamie C., Zayas, Manuel Sanchez, Myrthil, Darrel J., White, Frankie, Hendrich, Jeffrey M., Sykora, Richard E., O'Brien, Richard A., Reilly, John T., Mirjafari, Arsalan
Abstract/Description: The structure of 1-methyl-2-(prop-2-en-1-ylsulfanyl)-1H- imidazol-3-ium bromide, C7H11N2S+􏰀Br􏰁, has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry. In the crystal, the components are linked by N—H􏰀􏰀􏰀Br and C—H􏰀􏰀􏰀Br hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure of the title compound undeniably proves that methimazole reacts through the thione tautomer, rather than the thiol tautomer in this system.
Date Issued: 2015-12-01
Identifier: 10.1107/S2056989015022136, fgcu_ir_000082, http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?S2056989015022136
Format: Citation

Title: Sympatric elasmobranchs and fecal samples provide insight into the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish.
Creator: Poulakis, Gregg R, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Stevens, Philip W., DeAngelo, Jacquelyn A., Timmers, Amy A., Grubbs, R.Dean, Fisk, Aaron T., Olin, Jill A.
Abstract/Description: Growing concerns about the conservation of elasmobranchs have prompted a surge in research, because scientific studies that can support management actions are needed. Sawfishes are among the most threatened fishes worldwide and epitomize the challenge of conserving widely distributed, large-bodied marine fishes. We used a comparative approach to provide data on the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata in the western Atlantic coastal waters of southwest Florida, USA....
Show moreGrowing concerns about the conservation of elasmobranchs have prompted a surge in research, because scientific studies that can support management actions are needed. Sawfishes are among the most threatened fishes worldwide and epitomize the challenge of conserving widely distributed, large-bodied marine fishes. We used a comparative approach to provide data on the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata in the western Atlantic coastal waters of southwest Florida, USA. Specifically, we applied (1) stable isotope techniques to fin tissues of smalltooth sawfish and 2 sympatric elasmobranch species that have well-documented diets (i.e. bull shark Carcharhinus leucas and cownose ray Rhinoptera bonasus), and muscle tissue from a variety of known and potential prey species; and (2) an 18S rRNA gene sequencing technique to identify prey taxa in sawfish fecal samples. These analyses provided evidence that the smalltooth sawfish feeds primarily on teleost and elasmobranch fishes at all life stages even though sawfish move from estuarine to coastal habitats during their ontogeny. Although both sawfish and bull sharks occupy estuarine waters as juveniles and are piscivorous, the results also indicate that these species partition habitat. The cownose ray has been thought of as migratory throughout its range, but these data indicate that non-migratory, estuarine populations exist at lower latitudes. Collectively, these results will aid in the development of management decisions regarding these species and in improving long-term recovery planning for the smalltooth sawfish.
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Date Issued: 2017-06-15
Identifier: 10.3354/esr00824, fgcu_ir_000033, http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v32/p491-506/
Format: Citation

Title: Influence of Environmental Variables on Gambierdiscus spp. (Dinophyceae) Growth and Distribution.
Creator: Xu, Yixiao, Richlen, Mindy L., Liefer, Justin D., Robertson, Alison, Kulis, David, Smith, Tyler B., Parsons, Michael L., Anderson, Donald M., Ferse, Sebastian C. A.
Abstract/Description: Benthic dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus produce the ciguatoxin precursors responsible for the occurrence of ciguatera toxicity. The prevalence of ciguatera toxins in fish has been linked to the presence and distribution of toxin-producing species in coral reef ecosystems, which is largely determined by the presence of suitable benthic habitat and environmental conditions favorable for growth. Here using single factor experiments, we examined the effects of salinity, irradiance, and...
Show moreBenthic dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus produce the ciguatoxin precursors responsible for the occurrence of ciguatera toxicity. The prevalence of ciguatera toxins in fish has been linked to the presence and distribution of toxin-producing species in coral reef ecosystems, which is largely determined by the presence of suitable benthic habitat and environmental conditions favorable for growth. Here using single factor experiments, we examined the effects of salinity, irradiance, and temperature on growth of 17 strains of Gambierdiscus representing eight species/phylotypes (G. belizeanus, G. caribaeus, G. carolinianus, G. carpenteri, G. pacificus, G. silvae, Gambierdiscus sp. type 4–5), most of which were established from either Marakei Island, Republic of Kiribati, or St. Thomas, United States Virgin Island (USVI). Comparable to prior studies, growth rates fell within the range of 0–0.48 divisions day-1. In the salinity and temperature studies, Gambierdiscus responded in a near Gaussian, non-linear manner typical for such studies, with optimal and suboptimal growth occurring in the range of salinities of 25 and 45 and 21.0 and 32.5°C. In the irradiance experiment, no mortality was observed; however, growth rates at 55μmol photons · m-2 · s-1 were lower than those at 110–400μmol photons · m-2 · s-1. At the extremes of the environmental conditions tested, growth rates were highly variable, evidenced by large coefficients of variability. However, significant differences in intraspecific growth rates were typically found only at optimal or near-optimal growth conditions. Polynomial regression analyses showed that maximum growth occurred at salinity and temperature levels of 30.1–38.5 and 23.8–29.2°C, respectively. Gambierdiscus growth patterns varied among species, and within individual species: G. belizeanus, G. caribaeus, G. carpenteri, and G. pacificus generally exhibited a wider range of tolerance to environmental conditions, which may explain their broad geographic distribution. In contrast, G. silvae and Gambierdiscus sp. types 4–5 all displayed a comparatively narrow range of tolerance to temperature, salinity, and irradiance.
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Date Issued: 2016-04-13
Identifier: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153197, fcu_ir_000090, http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153197
Format: Citation

Title: Carbon Sequestration and Sedimentation in Mangrove Swamps Influenced by Hydrogeomorphic Conditions and Urbanization in Southwest Florida.
Creator: Marchio, Daniel, Savarese, Michael, Bovard, Brian, Mitsch, William
Abstract/Description: This study compares carbon sequestration rates along two independent tidal mangrove creeks near Naples Bay in Southwest Florida, USA. One tidal creek is hydrologically disturbed due to upstream land use changes; the other is an undisturbed reference creek. Soil cores were collected in basin, fringe, and riverine hydrogeomorphic settings along each of the two tidal creeks and analyzed for bulk density, total organic carbon profiles, and sediment accretion. Radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb were...
Show moreThis study compares carbon sequestration rates along two independent tidal mangrove creeks near Naples Bay in Southwest Florida, USA. One tidal creek is hydrologically disturbed due to upstream land use changes; the other is an undisturbed reference creek. Soil cores were collected in basin, fringe, and riverine hydrogeomorphic settings along each of the two tidal creeks and analyzed for bulk density, total organic carbon profiles, and sediment accretion. Radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb were used to estimate recent sediment accretion and carbon sequestration rates. Carbon sequestration rates (mean ± standard error) for seven sites in the two tidal creeks on the Naples Bay (98 ± 12 g-C m−2·year−1 (n = 18)) are lower than published global means for mangrove wetlands, but consistent with other estimates from the same region. Mean carbon sequestration rates in the reference riverine setting were highest (162 ± 5 g-C m−2·year−1), followed by rates in the reference fringe and disturbed riverine settings (127 ± 6 and 125 ± 5 g-C m−2·year−1, respectively). The disturbed fringe sequestered 73 ± 10 g-C m−2·year−1, while rates within the basin settings were 50 ± 4 g-C m−2·year−1 and 47 ± 4 g-C m−2·year−1 for the reference and disturbed creeks, respectively. These data support our hypothesis that mangroves along a hydrologically disturbed tidal creek sequestered less carbon than did mangroves along an adjacent undisturbed reference creek.
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Date Issued: 2016-05-30
Identifier: 10.3390/f7060116, fgcu_ir_000086, http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/6/116
Format: Citation

Title: Rotation, activity, and stellar obliquities in a large uniform sample of Kepler solar analogs.
Creator: Buzasi, Derek, Lezcano, Andy, Preston, Heather L.
Abstract/Description: In this study, we undertook a deep photometric examination of a narrowly-defined sample of solar analogs in the Kepler field, with the goals of producing a uniform and statistically meaningful sample of such stars, comparing the properties of planet hosts to those of the general stellar population, and examining the behavior of rotation and photometric activity among stars with similar overall physical parameters. We successfully derived photometric activity indicators and rotation periods...
Show moreIn this study, we undertook a deep photometric examination of a narrowly-defined sample of solar analogs in the Kepler field, with the goals of producing a uniform and statistically meaningful sample of such stars, comparing the properties of planet hosts to those of the general stellar population, and examining the behavior of rotation and photometric activity among stars with similar overall physical parameters. We successfully derived photometric activity indicators and rotation periods for 95 planet hosts (Kepler objects of interest [KOIs]) and 954 solar analogs without detected planets; 573 of these rotation periods are reported here for the first time. Rotation periods average roughly 20 d, but the distribution has a wide dispersion, with a tail extending to P > 35 d which appears to be inconsistent with published gyrochronological relations. We observed a weak rotation-activity relation for stars with rotation periods less than about 12 d; for slower rotators, the relation is dominated by scatter. However, we are able to state that the solar activity level derived from Virgo data is consistent with the majority of stars with similar rotation periods in our sample. Finally, our KOI sample is consistently approximately 0.3 dex more variable than our non-KOIs; we ascribe the difference to a selection effect due to low orbital obliquity in the planet-hosting stars and derive a mean obliquity for our sample of v 1⁄4 6þ5􏰁 , similar to that seen in the solar system.
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Date Issued: 2016-10-25
Identifier: 10.1051/swsc/2016033, fgcu_ir_000094, http://www.swsc-journal.org/10.1051/swsc/2016033
Format: Citation

Title: Geographic Variation in Egg Size and Lipid Provisioning in the Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin.
Creator: Allman, Phil E., Place, Allen R., Roosenburg, Willem M.
Abstract/Description: Understanding phenotypic differentiation among populations of wide-ranging species remains at the core of life-history research, because adaptation to local environmental conditions is expected. For example, when energy resources influence offspring fitness (as in oviparous ectotherms), the egg and hatchling environments are expected to influence selection by acting on the amount of energy allocated to offspring. Here we identify population variation in egg mass, length, width, and volume...
Show moreUnderstanding phenotypic differentiation among populations of wide-ranging species remains at the core of life-history research, because adaptation to local environmental conditions is expected. For example, when energy resources influence offspring fitness (as in oviparous ectotherms), the egg and hatchling environments are expected to influence selection by acting on the amount of energy allocated to offspring. Here we identify population variation in egg mass, length, width, and volume from diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin eggs collected in Rhode Island (RI), Maryland (MD), and South Carolina (SC). Egg size (mean volume: 7.6, 8.1, and 9.1 cc in RI, MD, and SC, respectively) and clutch size (mean no. eggs: 16.1, 12.2, and 6.0 in RI, MD, and SC, respectively) differed among populations, which indicated that females produce larger clutches with smaller eggs at high latitudes and smaller clutches of larger eggs at lower latitudes. Lipid analyses indicated that eggs from SC contained yolks with a higher proportion of nonpolar lipids than did eggs from MD or RI (mean percentage of nonpolar lipids: 22.3%, 22.5%, and 31.8% in RI, MD, and SC, respectively). Thus, female terrapins in SC are laying larger eggs with increased lipid content to provide more energy for the developing embryo. Interestingly, total triacylglycerol (energetic lipid) was greater in southern populations but occurred in higher proportions in northern populations (total triacylglycerol: 88.0%, 85.4%, and 81.9% in RI, MD, and SC, respectively). This variation in triacylglycerol levels demonstrates the necessity for quantifying each lipid component. These data indicate a difference in reproductive strategy by which females in northern populations invest in higher fecundity with less energetic resources per offspring, whereas females in southern populations invest in larger eggs with considerably greater energy reserves.
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Date Issued: 2012-09
Identifier: 10.1086/667412, fgcu_ir_000071, http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/667412
Format: Citation

Title: Coastal Inundation Research:An overview of the Process.
Creator: Gayathri, R., Bhaskaran, Prasad K., Jose, Felix
Abstract/Description: Coastal inundation is the flooding of coastal zone resulting from increased river discharge, spring tides, severe storms, or generation of powerful waves from tectonic activity (tsunami). This article discusses the critical factors that contribute to coastal inundation. Among the probable factors that cause coastal flooding and destruction, storm surge is the most frequent, and hence this article provides a detailed evaluation of the progress made in storm inundation research. Recent advances...
Show moreCoastal inundation is the flooding of coastal zone resulting from increased river discharge, spring tides, severe storms, or generation of powerful waves from tectonic activity (tsunami). This article discusses the critical factors that contribute to coastal inundation. Among the probable factors that cause coastal flooding and destruction, storm surge is the most frequent, and hence this article provides a detailed evaluation of the progress made in storm inundation research. Recent advances in coastal inundation modelling include efforts to understand the nonlinear dynamic interaction of near-shore waves, wind and atmospheric pressure with still water sea level and coastal currents, and their combined effects on storm surge along the coast and interaction with coastal morphology. An advanced storm-surge model comprises different modules, viz. an atmospheric component, and two ocean components for surge and wave simulations; these modules are coupled with each other. The nesting of regional coastal model with an ocean-wide model captures the far-field boundary forcing of extreme events that usually originate from the warm open ocean. Even though significant advancements reported on the efficiency and accuracy of storm surge and inundation prediction, further studies are required to understand the nonlinear interaction of storm surge with coastal landforms and their vegetation (land cover). In the context of rising sea level, increased tropical cyclone activity and rapid shoreline change, it is pertinent to evaluate the future flooding risk associated with landfall of tropical cyclones in densely populated coastal cities.
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Date Issued: 2017-01-25
Identifier: 10.18520/cs/v112/i02/267-278, fgcu_ir_000085, http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/112/02/0267.pdf
Format: Citation

Title: Stress response of a marine ammonia-oxidizing archaeon informs physiological status of environmental populations.
Creator: Qin, Wei, Amin, Shady A, Lundeen, Rachel A, Heal, Katherine R, Martens-Habbena, Willm, Turkarslan, Serdar, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Costa, Kyle C, Hendrickson, Erik L, Wang, Tony,...
Show moreQin, Wei, Amin, Shady A, Lundeen, Rachel A, Heal, Katherine R, Martens-Habbena, Willm, Turkarslan, Serdar, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Costa, Kyle C, Hendrickson, Erik L, Wang, Tony, Beck, David AC, Tiquia-Arashiro, Sonia M, Taub, Fred, Holmes, Andrew D, Vajrala, Neeraja, Berube, Paul M, Lowe, Todd M, Moffett, James W, Devol, Allan H, Baliga, Nitin S, Arp, Daniel J, Sayavedra-Soto, Luis A, Hackett, Murray, Armbrust, E Virginia, Ingalls, Anitra E, Stahl, David A
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Abstract/Description: High representation by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in marine systems is consistent with their high affinity for ammonia, efficient carbon fixation, and copper (Cu)-centric respiratory system. However, little is known about their response to nutrient stress. We therefore used global transcriptional and proteomic analyses to characterize the response of a model AOA, Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, to ammonia starvation, Cu limitation and Cu excess. Most predicted protein-coding genes were...
Show moreHigh representation by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in marine systems is consistent with their high affinity for ammonia, efficient carbon fixation, and copper (Cu)-centric respiratory system. However, little is known about their response to nutrient stress. We therefore used global transcriptional and proteomic analyses to characterize the response of a model AOA, Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, to ammonia starvation, Cu limitation and Cu excess. Most predicted protein-coding genes were transcribed in exponentially growing cells, and of ~74% detected in the proteome, ~6% were modified by N-terminal acetylation. The general response to ammonia starvation and Cu stress was downregulation of genes for energy generation and biosynthesis. Cells rapidly depleted transcripts for the A and B subunits of ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) in response to ammonia starvation, yet retained relatively high levels of transcripts for the C subunit. Thus, similar to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, selective retention of amoC transcripts during starvation appears important for subsequent recovery, and also suggests that AMO subunit transcript ratios could be used to assess the physiological status of marine populations. Unexpectedly, cobalamin biosynthesis was upregulated in response to both ammonia starvation and Cu stress, indicating the importance of this cofactor in retaining functional integrity during times of stress.
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Date Issued: 2018-02-20
Identifier: 10.1038/ismej.2017.186, fgcu_ir_000036, http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ismej.2017.186
Format: Citation

Title: 100 years of ecology: what are our concepts and are they useful?.
Creator: Reiners, William A., Lockwood, Jeffrey A., Reiners, Derek S., Prager, Steven D.
Abstract/Description: On the occasion of the Ecological Society of America's centennial, we sought to learn which ecological concepts members value in terms of their utility. This required defining “concept,” and selecting concepts from current ecology textbooks that might arguably belong to a normative set. All ESA members were invited to participate in an online survey in October 2014 in which they rated 70, randomly selected concepts (out of a total set of 131) in terms of utility. Alternative to rating,...
Show moreOn the occasion of the Ecological Society of America's centennial, we sought to learn which ecological concepts members value in terms of their utility. This required defining “concept,” and selecting concepts from current ecology textbooks that might arguably belong to a normative set. All ESA members were invited to participate in an online survey in October 2014 in which they rated 70, randomly selected concepts (out of a total set of 131) in terms of utility. Alternative to rating, respondents could mark the concept as unfamiliar. Respondents were also able list concepts that were important to them that were not encountered in the survey. Fifteen percent (1324) of the ESA membership participated in the survey. Of these, 89% were addressed in North America, 62% were male, 77% held Ph.D. degrees, 67% were involved in academia through employment or as students, and about one-half of the total were divided between community and ecosystem ecology domains of interest. The 10 highest ranked concepts (in descending order) for utility were scales (small, local, regional, global, etc.), ecosystem, habitat, species, disturbance/perturbation, organism, population, community, competition, and species life history. The 10 lowest ranked concepts (in descending order) for utility were Lotka-Volterra predator–prey/competition models, Allee effect, nutrient spiraling, character displacement, doubling time, climax, Hardy-Weinberg equation, red queen hypothesis, chemoautotroph/chemoautotrophy, and mimicry. Respondents entered 2800 terms not encountered in the survey. After parsing for concepts missed due to the survey's random presentation process, for semantic redundancy and for terms deemed non-concepts, 119 candidate concepts emerged. Many of these deserve consideration for inclusion in a normative set and introduction in textbooks. This research provides a well-considered definition of “concept,” a basis for defining a normative set of concepts expected to be known to all ecologists, and a measure of familiarity but, more importantly, a measure of usage by contemporary ecologists who were members of ESA. These results help us to understand ourselves and our science, to better teach ecology, to guide the initiatives of the collective ecological community, and to further explore the extent and intellectual structure of the principal concepts by which ecologists pursue their work.
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Date Issued: 2017-02-16
Identifier: 10.1002/ecm.1243, fgcu_ir_000050, http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ecm.1243
Format: Citation

Title: Evidence of a Late Jurassic Ridge Subduction Event: Geochemistry and Age of the Quartz Mountain Stock, Manastash Inlier, Central Cascades, Washington.
Creator: MacDonald, James H., Schoonmaker, Adam
Abstract/Description: Previous studies of rocks in California and Oregon suggest that a Late Jurassic ridge subduction event occurred. The geology of the Manastash inlier in Washington State supports this Late Jurassic ridge subduction. The biotite horn- blende granodiorite and biotite hornblende tonalite of the Quartz Mountain stock and its cupolas are located in the Manastash inlier, central Cascades, Washington. This stock and its cupolas intrude the low-PT metamorphosed Look- out Mountain Formation turbidites...
Show morePrevious studies of rocks in California and Oregon suggest that a Late Jurassic ridge subduction event occurred. The geology of the Manastash inlier in Washington State supports this Late Jurassic ridge subduction. The biotite horn- blende granodiorite and biotite hornblende tonalite of the Quartz Mountain stock and its cupolas are located in the Manastash inlier, central Cascades, Washington. This stock and its cupolas intrude the low-PT metamorphosed Look- out Mountain Formation turbidites—which are interpreted to have formed in a forearc depositional setting—and the suprasubduction zone Hereford Meadow amphibolite. A new single-crystal sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe– reverse geometry U-Pb age from stock zircons has an age of 157.4 5 1.2 Ma (2j). This new age corroborates the published age from the stock and is interpreted to be the crystallization age of the stock. New whole-rock major- and trace-element geochemistry suggests that the granitoids from this stock were generated by shallow mantle melting in a subduction zone setting. Geochemistry also suggests that the stock assimilated minor amounts of its wall rock and that the cupolas were generated from the same magmatic source as the main phase of the stock. The intrusion of the Quartz Mountain stock into the low-PT turbidites of the Lookout Mountain Formation and the suprasubduction zone Hereford Meadow amphibolite suggest that the magmas were generated by the subduction of a Late Jurassic spread- ing ridge. The geochemistry of the Quartz Mountain stock is similar to that of granitoids of the Taitao Peninsula, Chile, which were generated by the subduction of the Chile ridge during the late Neogene.
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Date Issued: 2017-07
Identifier: 10.1086/692099, fgcu_ir_000056, http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/692099
Format: Citation

Title: Building a bridge between aprotic and protic ionic liquids.
Creator: Mirjafari, Arsalan, Pham, Lam N., McCabe, John R., Mobarrez, Niloufar, Salter, E. Alan, Wierzbicki, Andrzej, West, Kevin N., Sykora, Richard E., Davis, James H.
Abstract/Description: ILs of dications with linked protic and aprotic centres have been prepared. They have rich H-bonding and a Brønsted acid–base character like small DpKa protic ILs, but very low apparent vapour pressures, more akin to aprotic ILs.
Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: 10.1039/C2RA22752E, fgci_ir_000060, http://xlink.rsc.org/?DOI=C2RA22752E
Format: Citation

Title: Nitrogen inputs and losses in response to chronic CO₂ exposure in a subtropical oak woodland.
Creator: Hungate, B. A., Duval, B. D., Dijkstra, P., Johnson, D. W., Ketterer, M. E., Stiling, P., Cheng, W., Millman, J., Hartley, A., Stover, D. B.
Abstract/Description: Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may alter the nitrogen (N) content of ecosystems by changing N inputs and N losses, but responses vary in field experiments, possibly because multiple mechanisms are at play.We measured N fixation and N losses in a subtropical oak woodland exposed to 11 years of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We also explored the role of herbivory, carbon limitation, and competition for light or nutrients in shaping the response of N fixation to elevated CO2....
Show moreRising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may alter the nitrogen (N) content of ecosystems by changing N inputs and N losses, but responses vary in field experiments, possibly because multiple mechanisms are at play.We measured N fixation and N losses in a subtropical oak woodland exposed to 11 years of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We also explored the role of herbivory, carbon limitation, and competition for light or nutrients in shaping the response of N fixation to elevated CO2. Elevated CO2 did not significantly alter gaseous N losses, but lower recovery and deeper distribution in the soil of a long-term 15N tracer indicated that elevated CO2 increased leaching losses. Elevated CO2 had no effect on nonsymbiotic N fixation, and had a transient effect on symbiotic N fixation by the dominant legume. Elevated CO2 tended to reduce soil and plant concentrations of iron, molybdenum, phosphorus, and vanadium, nutrients essential for N fixation. Competition for nutrients and herbivory likely contributed to the declining response of N fixation to elevated CO2. These results indicate that positive responses of N fixation to elevated CO2 may be transient and that chronic exposure to elevated CO2 can increase N leaching. Models that assume increased fixation or reduced N losses with elevated CO2 may overestimate future N accumulation in the biosphere.
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Date Issued: 2014-06-23
Identifier: 10.5194/bg-11-3323-2014, fgcu_ir_000072, http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/3323/2014/
Format: Citation

Title: The viability of an ecologically valid chronic sleep restriction and circadian timing protocol: An examination of sample attrition, compliance, and effectiveness at impacting sleepiness and mood.
Creator: Dickinson, David L., Drummond, Sean P. A., McElroy, Todd, Rao, Hengyi
Abstract/Description: Chronic sleep restriction (SR) increases sleepiness, negatively impacts mood, and impairs a variety of cognitive performance measures. The vast majority of work establishing these effects are tightly controlled in-lab experimental studies. Examining commonly-experienced levels of SR in naturalistic settings is more difficult and generally involves observational methods, rather than active manipulations of sleep. The same is true for analyzing behav- ioral and cognitive outcomes at circadian...
Show moreChronic sleep restriction (SR) increases sleepiness, negatively impacts mood, and impairs a variety of cognitive performance measures. The vast majority of work establishing these effects are tightly controlled in-lab experimental studies. Examining commonly-experienced levels of SR in naturalistic settings is more difficult and generally involves observational methods, rather than active manipulations of sleep. The same is true for analyzing behav- ioral and cognitive outcomes at circadian unfavorable times. The current study tested the ability of an at-home protocol to manipulate sleep schedules (i.e., impose SR), as well as create a mismatch between a subject’s circadian preference and time of testing. Viability of the protocol was assessed via completion, compliance with the SR, and success at manipu- lating sleepiness and mood. An online survey was completed by 3630 individuals to assess initial eligibility, 256 agreed via email response to participate in the 3-week study, 221 showed for the initial in-person session, and 184 completed the protocol (175 with complete data). The protocol consisted of 1 week at-home SR (5-6 hours in bed/night), 1 week wash- out, and 1 week well-rested (WR: 8-9 hours in bed/night). Sleep was monitored with actigra- phy, diary, and call-ins. Risk management strategies were implemented for subject safety. At the end of each experimental week, subjects reported sleepiness and mood ratings. Pro- tocol completion was 83%, with lower depression scores, higher anxiety scores, and morn- ing session assignment predicting completion. Compliance with the sleep schedule was also very good. Subjects spent approximately 2 hours less time in bed/night and obtained an average of 1.5 hours less nightly sleep during SR, relative to WR, with 82% of subjects obtaining at least 60 minutes less average nightly sleep. Sleepiness and mood were impacted as expected by SR. These findings show the viability of studying experimental chronic sleep restriction outside the laboratory, assuming appropriate safety precautions are taken, thus allowing investigators to significantly increase ecological validity over strictly controlled in-lab studies.
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Date Issued: 2017-03-20
Identifier: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174367, fgcu_ir_000077, http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174367
Format: Citation

Title: Adaptive stimulus optimization for sensory systems neuroscience.
Creator: DiMattina, Christopher, Zhang, Kechen
Abstract/Description: In this paper, we review several lines of recent work aimed at developing practical methods for adaptive on-line stimulus generation for sensory neurophysiology. We consider various experimental paradigms where on-line stimulus optimization is utilized, including the classical optimal stimulus paradigm where the goal of experiments is to identify a stimulus which maximizes neural responses, the iso-response paradigm which finds sets of stimuli giving rise to constant responses, and the system...
Show moreIn this paper, we review several lines of recent work aimed at developing practical methods for adaptive on-line stimulus generation for sensory neurophysiology. We consider various experimental paradigms where on-line stimulus optimization is utilized, including the classical optimal stimulus paradigm where the goal of experiments is to identify a stimulus which maximizes neural responses, the iso-response paradigm which finds sets of stimuli giving rise to constant responses, and the system identification paradigm where the experimental goal is to estimate and possibly compare sensory processing models. We discuss various theoretical and practical aspects of adaptive firing rate optimization, including optimization with stimulus space constraints, firing rate adaptation, and possible network constraints on the optimal stimulus. We consider the problem of system identification, and show how accurate estimation of non-linear models can be highly dependent on the stimulus set used to probe the network. We suggest that optimizing stimuli for accurate model estimation may make it possible to successfully identify non-linear models which are otherwise intractable, and summarize several recent studies of this type. Finally, we present a two-stage stimulus design procedure which combines the dual goals of model estimation and model comparison and may be especially useful for system identification experiments where the appropriate model is unknown beforehand. We propose that fast, on-line stimulus optimization enabled by increasing computer power can make it practical to move sensory neuroscience away from a descriptive paradigm and toward a new paradigm of real-time model estimation and comparison.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00101, fgcu_ir_000066, http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncir.2013.00101/abstract
Format: Citation

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