Regulation of ecdysteroid and vitellogenin levels during the molt and reproductive cycles of female dungeness crab, Cancer magister

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2005The reproductive cycle of Dungeness crabs is complicated by the requirement for molting prior to mating. The temporal requirements for molting and ovarian maturation may prohibit an annual reproductive cycle in a proportion of crabs. The goal of this study was to quantify temporal concentrations of circulating ecdysteroids and vitellogenins in female crabs during an annual cycle. Hemolymph in laboratory maintained crabs was sampled to assess physiological state (molting or reproduction). In laboratory crabs, ecdysteroid concentrations were low during intermolt (20.3 ng/ml), increased to maximal levels 15 days before ecdysis (1,886.5 ng/ml), and declined to low concentrations (<90 ng/ml) 5 days before ecdysis. Premolt duration was 150 days, with peak molting in November. Vitellogenin concentrations increased 6-fold during induced (via eyestalk ablation) ovarian maturation over a 90 ± 7.4 day vitellogenic period, and 4-fold for natural ovarian maturation over a 75 to 100 day period. The capability to predict ecdysis 150 days before molt and spawning 100 days before egg extrusion through hemolymph analysis is useful in molt and reproductive assessment of Dungeness crab populations. Additionally, in a preliminary study, reproductive failure and shell-disease were induced by physiological stress due to captive environmental conditionsGeneral introduction -- Circulating ecdysteroid concentrations in Alaskan dungeness crab (Cancer magister) -- Quantification of circulating vitellogenin in eyestalk ablated and intact female dungeness crabs Cancer magister during a reproductive cycle -- Captive environmental conditions disrupt reproduction and effect mortality in dungeness crab, Cancer magister -- General conclusions

“This Is a Picture Of…Exploring Pre-Service Teachers Experiences ‘Living a Hybrid Curriculum’

Examination of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) learning and use of Models-Based Instruction (MBI) is a relevant direction in efforts to transform physical education through increased physical education teacher effectiveness. In an effort to help PSTs learn MBI, Oslin, Collier, and Griffin (2001) suggested physical education teacher education programs utilize a ‘Living the Curriculum’ approach allowing PSTs to experience MBI within their teacher education programs

Homologs of plant PsbP and PsbQ proteins are necessary for regulation of photosystem II activity in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 W inside box sign

The mechanism of oxygen evolution by photosystem II (PSII) has remained highly conserved during the course of evolution from ancestral cyanobacteria to green plants. A cluster of manganese, calcium, and chloride ions, whose binding environment is optimized by PSII extrinsic proteins, catalyzes this water-splitting reaction. The accepted view is that in plants and green algae, the three extrinsic proteins are PsbO, PsbP, and PsbQ, whereas in cyanobacteria, they are PsbO, PsbV, and PsbU. Our previous proteomic analysis established the presence of a PsbQ homolog in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803. The current study additionally demonstrates the presence of a PsbP homolog in cyanobacterial PSII. Both psbP and psbQ inactivation mutants exhibited reduced photoautotrophic growth as well as decreased water oxidation activity under CaCl2-depleted conditions. Moreover, purified PSII complexes from each mutant had significantly reduced activity. In cyanobacteria, one PsbQ is present per PSII complex, whereas PsbP is significantly substoichiometric. These findings indicate that both PsbP and PsbQ proteins are regulators that are necessary for the biogenesis of optimally active PSII in Synechocystis 6803. The new picture emerging from these data is that five extrinsic PSII proteins, PsbO, PsbP, PsbQ, PsbU, and PsbV, are present in cyanobacteria, two of which, PsbU and PsbV, have been lost during the evolution of green plants

Predation on an Upper Trophic Marine Predator, the Steller Sea Lion: Evaluating High Juvenile Mortality in a Density Dependent Conceptual Framework

The endangered western stock of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) – the largest of the eared seals – has declined by 80% from population levels encountered four decades ago. Current overall trends from the Gulf of Alaska to the Aleutian Islands appear neutral with strong regional heterogeneities. A published inferential model has been used to hypothesize a continuous decline in natality and depressed juvenile survival during the height of the decline in the mid-late 1980's, followed by the recent recovery of juvenile survival to pre-decline rates. However, these hypotheses have not been tested by direct means, and causes underlying past and present population trajectories remain unresolved and controversial. We determined post-weaning juvenile survival and causes of mortality using data received post-mortem via satellite from telemetry transmitters implanted into 36 juvenile Steller sea lions from 2005 through 2011. Data show high post-weaning mortality by predation in the eastern Gulf of Alaska region. To evaluate the impact of such high levels of predation, we developed a conceptual framework to integrate density dependent with density independent effects on vital rates and population trajectories. Our data and model do not support the hypothesized recent recovery of juvenile survival rates and reduced natality. Instead, our data demonstrate continued low juvenile survival in the Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords region of the Gulf of Alaska. Our results on contemporary predation rates combined with the density dependent conceptual framework suggest predation on juvenile sea lions as the largest impediment to recovery of the species in the eastern Gulf of Alaska region. The framework also highlights the necessity for demographic models based on age-structured census data to incorporate the differential impact of predation on multiple vital rates

Monitoring the Depth of Anaesthesia

One of the current challenges in medicine is monitoring the patients’ depth of general anaesthesia (DGA). Accurate assessment of the depth of anaesthesia contributes to tailoring drug administration to the individual patient, thus preventing awareness or excessive anaesthetic depth and improving patients’ outcomes. In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of studies on the development, comparison and validation of commercial devices that estimate the DGA by analyzing electrical activity of the brain (i.e., evoked potentials or brain waves). In this paper we review the most frequently used sensors and mathematical methods for monitoring the DGA, their validation in clinical practice and discuss the central question of whether these approaches can, compared to other conventional methods, reduce the risk of patient awareness during surgical procedures

Vocabulary development with a whole class novel study

The research question addressed in this project was what is a practical and effective way to teach and engage senior high students in vocabulary development? The capstone research was motivated by students\u27 vocabulary deficit and the barriers that deficit presented to comprehension of literature. To Kill a Mockingbird was the whole class novel studied. The author conducted a review of related literature and provided the unit details. The project incorporated Martha Ruddell\u27s Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy and Michael F. Graves\u27 Context-Relationship Procedure as well as aspects of teaching individual words, fostering word consciousness, teaching word-learning strategies, and providing rich language experiences. The capstone describes struggles and successes in the unit and concludes that the method is engaging but time consuming