Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science articles from April 1 2005

Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science archives from April 1 2005

Editor's notes.(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... HISTORY The Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science (NDAS) was first published in 1948, with Volume I reporting the business and scientific papers presented for the 40th annual meeting, May 2-3, 1947. Through Volume XXI, the...

Undergraduate communications in the A. Rodger Denison Competition.(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... SCHEDULE OF PRESENTATIONS--Badlands and Governors Rooms--UND Memorial Union Badlands Room (Session A)--session will be chaired by A. Rodger Denison Competition judges 1:00 Mindy Anderson (VCSU) COMPARING SEED GERMINATION IN WESTERN...

Comparing seed germination in western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles) seeds planted in grazed and ungrazed plots.(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles) of the family Orchidaceae has been known to inhabit the Sheyenne National Grasslands in southeastern North Dakota for years. The plant has been federally listed as...

Effects of nutrient restriction and dietary selenium on cellular proliferation in fetal ovarian follicles obtained from sheep in late pregnancy.(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Hypertrophy and hyperplasia are the major processes for tissue growth and development during fetal growth. The fetal ovaries represent a type of tissue which grows rapidly and express high cellular proliferation rates. During folliculogenesis...

Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor modulation of hippocampal CA3 network activity.(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Norepinephrine (NE) has demonstrated excitatory and inhibitory properties; however, the specific pharmacology of these actions of NE has not been clearly established. To address this, we studied the effect of NE on the frequency of hippocampal...

Microabsorption or absorption contrast in 'real' materials.(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... In using X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld method, there are a number of factors that can influence the results. Once such factor is what has historically been termed microabsorption. When accounted for, microabsorption has typically been...

Determining seed production rates in the federally listed threatened plant, the western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles).(Collegiate Communication--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The federal government listed the western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles) as a threatened species in 1989. It is North Dakota's only federally listed plant species. There is little knowledge about the number of...

Burrowing with a kinetic snout in a snake (Elapidae: Aspidelaps scutatus).(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Few elongate, fossorial vertebrates have been examined for their mechanics of burrowing. Of those that have, all were found to use an akinetic, reinforced skull to push into the soil, powered mostly by contractions of trunk muscles (1-6). In...

Strike kinematics in death adders: convergence with vipers?(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)(prey capture behavior of Elapids)
April 1, 2005... Death adders (Acanthophis) are terrestrial elapids who superficially resemble vipers. They are ambush hunters with large, triangular heads, slender necks, and stout bodies (1). Elapids and vipers differ significantly in cranial musculoskeletal...

Depth profile study of the composition of urinary stones and crystals from canines and felines using X-ray diffraction.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Typically, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses are conducted on finely crushed powders rather than whole objects. Using XRD, we have attempted to conduct a depth profile study on spherical or irregularly shaped bladder stones taken from canines...

Clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and olivine chemistries in ultramafic to mafic xenoliths.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Xenoliths are rock fragments or inclusions that are torn from the sides of lava tubes and caught up in magma as it moves through Earth. Xenoliths provide samples of the deep parts of the lower crust and upper mantle. We analyzed several...

Detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) through the application of fluorescent lifetime probes.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Our research group has implemented novel fluorescence measurement technology developed by our collaborators at Dakota Technologies, Inc. Fluorescence emission is excited by short pulses of light from a microchip laser and complete fluorescence...

The assessment of the Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) population at upper souris wildlife refuge.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The Rana pipiens population has been decreasing in recent years throughout its range (1). It is important to determine the population status of Rana pipiens in North Dakota and to note any abnormalities. During the Summer 2004 I tried to find...

On the formation of brownmillerite via thermal routes.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The Rietveld method is a quantitative analysis tool for X-ray diffraction (XRD). It relies on known structures in order to quantify the weight percentage of diffracting materials. Solid solution phases are common in 'real life' materials;...

High membrane potential sensitivity to hydroquinone by root cortex cells of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Many plant-derived phenolic compounds elicit phytotoxic responses in a broad range of plants (Einhellig, 2004). Earlier laboratory and greenhouse experimentation into the mechanisms of action of hydroquinone (HQ) has demonstrated that plants...

Is topoisomerase II implicated in translocations involving the MLL gene?(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The Myeloid Lymphoid Leukemia (MLL) breakpoint cluster region is located on the long arm of chromosome 11. In this 8.3 kilobase (kb) section, specific, reciprocal translocations are common. A translocation occurs when two non-homologous...

Variation in metamorphic timing can be induced by variation in density without differences in growth rate in the frog, Rana utricularia.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... The standard model for understanding the timing of amphibian metamorphosis provided by Wilbur and Collins predicts that a growing larva will delay metamorphosis in order to take advantage of a good growth opportunity; if a larval habitat...

The effects of light cycle on metamorphosis in salamanders.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)
April 1, 2005... Immersion of frog tail tissue in thyroid hormone in the absence of light fails to initiate metamorphosis, evidenced as tail resorption (1). The observation, coupled with (a) the fact that almost all obligate cave dwelling salamanders are...

Sexual behavior and education intervention: assessment of effectiveness.(Collegiate Communications--Undergraduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The Popular Opinion Leader (POL) model was used to assess sexual behaviors and effectiveness of an education intervention in college aged (18-22) women at UND. The perceived level of risk was compared to actual risk behaviors before and after...

Graduate communications in the A. Rodger Denison Competition.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... SCHEDULE OF PRESENTATIONS--Lecture Bowl and River Valley Room--UND Memorial Union Lecture Bowl (Session A)--session will be chaired by A. Rodger Denison Competition judges 1:00 Laura Parnas (UND): DOPAMINE TRANSPORTER LIGAND BINDING...

Theoretical studies of [Ti.sub.2][H.sub.5] + and related molecules.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Titanium hydrides are well known for their catalytic activity in many reactions including polymerization of olefins and nitrogen fixation (1). Dititanium hydrides ([Ti.sub.2][H.sub.6]) have been studied previously in detail (2) and are known to...

TRPC3-VAMP2 interaction dictates plasma membrane localization and function of TRPC3 in neuronal and non-neuronal cells.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Mammalian homologues of the Drosophila Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are the putative calcium ion channels, which function through receptor-operated calcium entry mechanism. Our results indicate that TRPC3 channel are present in...

Gap junctional proteins connexins (Cx) 26, 32, 37 and 43 mRNA expression in the ovine ovarian follicles during the periovulatory period.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... The transition of the preovulatory follicle into the corpus luteum is very critical event that involves structural and functional changes in nonvascular granulosa and highly vascular theca layers of the preovulatory follicle. However, this...

Expression of the major angiogenic factors in the placenta of adolescent ewes.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Establishment of functional fetal and placental circulations is some of the earliest events during embryonic/placental development. It has been shown that the large increase in transplacental exchange, which supports the exponential increase in...

Syntaxin 1A regulates dopamine transporter phosphorylation and activity.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... The dopamine transporter (DAT) is an integral membrane protein located in dopamine-producing neurons and is responsible for clearing the synapse of secreted dopamine (DA) following neural depolarization and synaptic release. As well as...

A model of osteoarthritic cartilage damage: action of Fibronectin Fragments.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. Previous studies from our laboratory...

Lanthanide metal chemistry: catalysis of biodegradable and biofriendly polymers.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... As the rapid depletion of petrochemical feedstock continues, the production of new, useful and environmental benign polymers is of great importance. Such polymers have been found to be biodegradable and bioassimilable and are derived from...

Characterization of Boron's anti-inflammatory effect: down-regulation through the NF-kappab pathway.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... We have previously demonstrated that dietary boron (B) supplementation was able to prevent the onset of, and ameliorate ongoing, collagen-induced arthritis, as well as significantly reduce the incidence of experimental autoimmune...

An epidemiological review of a fatal neurodegenerative disease outbreak: quantification of genetic risk and the impact of lateral transmission in the outbreak.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Scrapie in sheep and goats, a fatal neurodegenerative disease, is a member of the family of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which includes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, chronic wasting disease in deer and...

Brownian dynamics simulations of interactions between fish aldolase and G-or F-actin.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... The intracellular milieu is not a simple, homogenous, aqueous state. Protein - protein interactions play an essential role in cellular organization of metabolic pathways. Actin filaments may play a vital role in compartmentation and substrate...

Acute effects of dopamine and transport blockers on dopamine transporter phosphorylation and regulation.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a synaptic transmembrane protein found on dopaminergic neurons. It maintains homeostasis in synaptic neurotransmission by regulated dopamine uptake. In addition, DAT act as the target for psychostimulants like...

Toxicity of nanomaterials to living cells.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... We have investigated the toxicity of nanomaterials to living cells at the cellular and molecular levels. Recently, nanomaterials have being rapidly developed and shown great potential for use in various bioapplications due to their unique...

Modulation of SRC-like tyrosine kinase Lyn plays a role in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in lung cells.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) can cause severe infection in immunodeficient individuals, such as Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients. The initial contact and subsequent invasion of alveolar epithelium by the bacterium involves a series of proteins and...

Substitution and price effects of carbon emission penalties on C[O.sub.2] emissions reduction from electric power plants.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Eight years after its inception, the Kyoto Protocol finally entered into force on February 16, 2005. In this respect, it is imperative to explore different greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions reduction options in developing countries under the...

Fluorescent nanosensor for targeting selenium in a mixture.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... We have developed a novel nanosensor method for the highly sensitive determination of selenium in predigested organic samples. Recently, human studies have identified that trace amount of selenium provides a strong protecting effect against...

Nucleotide diversity of chalone isomerase in common bean (P. Vulgaris).(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Evolution is a complex process in which several changes take place at the nucleotide level which are mainly indels and SNP (Single nucleotide polymorphisms). These changes are responsible for changes in translated proteins producing different...

Aromatic tosylate esters as ligands for metal ions.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... We are investigating aromatic EDTA analogs as ligands for metal cations. X-ray crystallographic data and chemical reactivity of some of the tosylate ester intermediates indicate that the two aromatic rings face each other suggesting...

Computer modeling of electrostatic interactions between LDH and actin.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(lactate dehydrogenase)
April 1, 2005... F-actin may play an important role in cellular metabolism by providing the conditions for high specificity for reactions within various metabolic pathways (1). The interaction of F-actin and glycolytic enzymes is one mechanism by which...

HLA-DQ8ab transgenic mice demonstrate an increased resistance to the plague.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... The number of different antigenic peptides that can be presented by a Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class II molecule varies greatly from allele to allele. The more restricted the presentation, the less likely that molecule is to...

Effects of estradiol ([E.sub.2]) and linseed meal (LSM) on organ weights in ovariectomized ewes.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Flaxseed contains secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG), a phytoestrogen (PE) proposed to have both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties. The objective of the current study was to determine the estrogenic properties of SDG in OVX ewes....

USGS 30-m and LiDAR 1-m DEMs to assess the accuracy of elevations in the Red River basin of the North.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Digital elevation models (DEMs) are important data sources for land elevation information, and are increasingly used at a variety of mapping scales for a range of applications such as telecommunications, forestry, agriculture, urban planning,...

Dopamine transporter ligand binding domains analyzed through photoaffinity labeling.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Dopamine neurotransmission in the brain is terminated by the dopamine transporter (DAT), a presynaptic transmembrane protein. This process regulates synaptic dopamine concentration and accessibility. A wide range of structurally distinct...

Using high spatial resolution satellite imagery to map leafy spurge (euphorbia esula) and Canada thistle (cirsium arvense) in the North unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The aggressive invasions of both leafy spurge and Canada thistle into Theodore Roosevelt National Park (THRO) have gained much attention because of their ability to severely degrade large areas of land and displace native flora. The North Unit...

[A.sub.1]-adrenergic-mediated enhancement of hippocampal CA3 network activity.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Norepinephrine (NE), an endogenous neurotransmitter, has been shown to reinforce certain memory processes. The hippocampus, a higher cortical structure that receives extensive adrenergic inputs, is known to be critically involved in learning...

Whole-body versus skeletal calcium retention in rats: short-and long-term comparisons using [sup.47]Ca and [sup.41]CA tracers.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... We sought to determine if whole body calcium (Ca) retention reflects skeletal uptake of calcium and to evaluate the feasibility of using urinary (41) Ca for measurement of bone resorption. Adult, female, Sprague--Dawley rats were injected...

The influence and effectiveness of reclamation seeding on grassland recovery.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Research regarding road effects on plant communities has primarily focused on roadside vegetation and its relation to intact roads; these studies have documented compositional changes (1), declines in native species richness and increases in...

Glycolytic enzyme interactions with F-actin: comparing rabbit and yeast.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)
April 1, 2005... Filamentous actin (F-actin) is the polymerized form of actin and constitutes the main component of the cytoskeleton. F-actin plays an important role in cellular metabolism by providing conditions for high specificity of reactions in a variety...

Indications for strong metal support interactions: the case of C[O.sub.2] adsorption on Cu nano particles supported on ZnO(0001).(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The strong metal support interaction (SMSI) (1,2), defined as a close chemical and physical interaction between metal deposits (clusters) and a metal oxide support, is of great importance in heterogeneous catalysis. The concept is generally...

Photochemistry of 2-nitrobenzyl enol ethers: oxidative C=C bond scission.(Collegiate Communications--Graduate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Enols are important reactive intermediates in organic chemistry. We investigated their photochemical generation from the photolysis of 2-nitrobenzyl enol ethers. Photogeneration of enols will provide a temporal and spatial control over the...

Communications professional.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... SCHEDULE OF PRESENTATIONS--Lecture Bowl and River Valley Room--UND Memorial Union Lecture Bowl (Session A)--Glenn Lykken (Univ. North Dakota) session chair 9:00 Carolyn Jordan (LIND EERC): ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF SELENIUM'S...

Intergenerational effects of in-utero stress: perpetuation of hypertension as a response to developmental plasticity.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Several investigators have suggested that fetal stress predisposes the adult to pathologic conditions including insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and hypertension [1, 2]. Yet, little is known about the mechanism contributing to long-term...

Functional genomics and development of a ecotoxicological model using salamander.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... We are using a functional genomic approach to develop use of salamander (the axolotl, Arnbystoma mexicanum) as a ecotoxicological model. Our objective is to develop an in vivo bioassay to test water borne chemicals for endocrine disruption at...

Glutathione depletion increases oxidative stress and promotes motor neuron-like cell apoptosis.(Professional Communications)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The mechanism of selective and age-dependent motor neuron degeneration in human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has not been defined and the role of glutathione (GSH) in association with motor neuron death remains largely unknown. A motor...

Comparison of the levels of the spicing factor PSF in individuals with dystonia.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by sustained involuntary muscle contraction. One or more sites of the body is involved resulting in twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal posture. There are at least thirteen separate...

Another model of osteoarthritic cartilage damage: actions of collagen fragments/peptides and a global mechanism in which matrix degradation fragments determine the fate of injured cartilage.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... In osteoarthritis (OA), extensive degradation of articular cartilage occurs, resulting not only in loss of mechanical properties but also presentation of new signaling molecules, proteolytic fragments derived from the matrix, that may interact...

Design of gas-solid fixed-bed reactors using computational fluid dynamics.(Professional Communications)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The critical parameters influencing heat-transfer augmentation in a gas-solid fixed-bed reactor are being studied. In order to understand the fluid flow, heat, and mass transfer characteristics occurring in the fixed beds, a computational...

Environmental implications of selenium's effects on mercury retirement.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Growing awareness of the presence of mercury (Hg) in the environment and in food sources has led to mounting public concern and increasing policy consideration by legislative and regulatory agencies. Because of its longevity in the ecosystem...

A petrographic analysis of extended middle missouri ceramics from North Dakota.(Professional Communications)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... This paper summarizes a petrographic analysis often thin sections prepared from Riggs and Fort Yates ware sherds (ca. 1200 to 1450 A.D.) collected from McLean County, North Dakota. This is the first study of its kind conducted on prehistoric...

Genetic control of leaf expansion in Arabidopsis.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... The long term goal of this project is to understand the molecular/genetic mechanism by which the plant hormone auxin (indole acetic acid) directs development in plants. Auxin hormone receptors have been characterized and selective degradation...

Electrodeposition of polypyrrole on aluminum alloy 2024-t3 in the presence of different mediating compounds for the purpose of corrosion protection.(Professional Communications)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... Aluminum alloys such as Al 2024-T3 are widely used as light-weight construction materials and corrosion protection of such alloys is an important industrial problem. Conjugated polymer coatings for corrosion protection of aluminum alloys were...

The radon we breathe: its seasonality in the human body and the environment.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Radon-induced lung cancer can be traced to 16th century miners in Europe; there is now world-wide concern that elevated radon progeny levels in dwellings may be implicated in lung cancer (1); however radon distribution throughout the body has...

Nanotechnology: aligning protein molecules in monolayer films of nanometer thickness.(Professional Communications)(Brief article)
April 1, 2005... The main objective of this research project was to prepare clean monolayers of protein molecules in a rapid, continuous fashion. Using a rotating glass cylinder embedded in a thick poly-Teflon block fulfills these requirements. This novel...

Comparison of DNA damage resulting from exposure to various nickel species.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Inhalation exposures to particulate materials containing nickel compounds have been associated with toxicity and increased risk of respiratory cancers. However, there are significant differences in the modes and potencies of carcinogenic action...

Physiological implications of mercury's effects on selenium availability.(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that humans are exposed to in the form of methylmercury (MeHg) present in fish. The toxic effects of MeHg make it a potential health problem, and it is listed by the International Program of Chemical Safety as...

Studies of chromosome rearrangement and gene fusions involving the human myeloid-lymphiod leukemia gene (MLL).(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... Nonrandom chromosome exchanges known as chromosome translocations are a hallmark of specific subtypes of leukemia and have been valuable tools in identifying genes associated with malignant transformation of blood cells. MLL is one such gene,...

Structure activity relationship: the case of C[O.sub.2]/ZnO(0001) and CO/Cu-ZnO(0001).(Professional Communications)
April 1, 2005... One of the ultimate goals in surface science is to set up a relationship between the structure and reactivity of catalysts' surfaces. Although the structure activity relationship (SAR) has been well established in organic and biological...

Constitution of the North Dakota Academy of Science.(Constitution and By-Laws)
April 1, 2005... Founded 1908, Official State Academy 1958 ARTICLE I--Name and Purpose Section 1. This association shall be called the NORTH DAKOTA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. Section 2. The purpose of this association shall be to promote and conduct...

Minutes (unapproved) of the North Dakota Academy of Science annual business meeting.(Minutes)(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... 12:00 pm, Ramada Inn Plaza Suites, Fargo, ND, April 30, 2004 The first order of business was to approve minutes of previous business meeting, from the March 2003 business meeting in Minot, ND. The minutes were approved ass printed in the...