Books from 2022
Centered on Jesus: A Lenten Devotional from the Faculty of Bethel University, Christopher Gehrz, Esther Shull, Carl Albing, Rebekah Bain, Andy Bramsen, Susan Leigh Brooks, Jeannine K. Brown, Michael Crawford, Julie Anne De Haan, Joy Doan, Dale Durie, Julie Finnern, Barrett Fisher, Joel Frederickson, Laura Gilbertson, Rhonda Gilbraith, Ann Holland, Stephen Hunt, Rachel Jorgensen, Patricia Kelly, Denise Muir Kjesbo, Marion H. Larson, Erik Leafblad, Elisabeth E. Lefebvre, Jim Lewis, Joyce LeMay, Alison Lo, Gary A. Long, Christopher Moore, Katherine Nevins, Pauline E. Nichols, Meredith Nyberg, Chad Osgood, Jeanine Parolini, Richard Peterson, Dan Ritchie, Matt Runion, Robin Rylaarsdam, Kristin E. Sandau, Sara L. H. Shady, Angela Shannon, Marta Shaw, Paula A.G. Soneral, Peter T. Vogt, Laura Wennstrom, Gloria Wiese, Brandon Winters, Yu-li Chang Zacher, and Nick Zeimet
For the 2022 season of Lent, Bethel faculty and staff members collaborated to pen Centered on Jesus: A Lenten Devotional from the Faculty of Bethel University. The daily devotionals in Centered on Jesus are intended to help the Bethel commu...
Fluorescent sensors of siderophores produced by bacterial pathogens, Ashish Kumar, Taihao Yang, Somnath Chakravorty, Aritri Majumdar, Brittany L. Nairn, David A. Six, Naara Marcondes dos Santos, Sarah L. Price, Matthew B. Lawrenz, Luis A. Actis, Marilis Marques, Thomas A. Russo, Salete M. Newton, and Phillip E. Klebba
Siderophores are iron-chelating molecules that solubilize Fe3+ for microbial utilization and facilitate colonization or infection of eukaryotes by liberating host iron for bacterial uptake. By fluorescently labeling membrane receptors and b...
Submissions from 2021
Uncovering roles of streptococcus gordonii SrtA-processed proteins in the biofilm lifestyle, Brittany L. Nairn, Grace T. Lee, Ashwani K. Chumber, Patrick R. Steck, Mahmoud O. Mire, Bruno P. Lima, and Mark C. Herzberg
Streptococcus gordonii is a commensal oral organism. Harmless in the oral cavity, S. gordonii is an opportunistic pathogen. S. gordonii adheres to body surfaces using surface adhesive proteins (adhesins), which are critical to subsequent fo...
An Investigation into the Use of an Herbal Labor Induction Tincture Containing Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Partridgeberry, And Motherwort on Contractile Responses Produced from Isolated Strips of Mouse Uterine Tissues, Clayton Neuenschwander, Katrina Wu, and Teresa F. DeGolier
Introduction: Alternative solutions in the form of herbal remedies meant to ease or expedite the process of labor have often been pursued and administered but have seldom been quantitatively tested for efficacy. Published research has shown...
Fires Slow Population Declines of a Long-lived Prairie Plant through Multiple Vital Rates, Scott W. Nordstrom, Amy B. Dykstra, and Stuart Wagenius
In grasslands worldwide, modified fire cycles are accelerating herbaceous species extinctions. Fire may avert population declines by increasing survival, reproduction, or both. Survival and growth after fires may be promoted by removal of c...
Submissions from 2019
Smaller classes promote equitable student participation in STEM, Cissy J. Ballen, Stepfanie M. Aguillon, Azza Awwad, Anne E. Bjune, Daniel Challou, Abby Grace Drake, Michelle Driessen, Aziza Ellozy, Vivian E. Ferry, Emma E. Goldberg, William Harcombe, Steve Jensen, Christian Jørgensen, Zoe Koth, Suzanne McGaugh, Caroline Mitry, Bryan Mosher, Hoda Mostafa, Renee H. Petipas, Paula A.G. Soneral, Shana Watters, Deena Wassenberg, Stacey L. Weiss, Azariah Yonas, Kelly R. Zamudio, and Sehoya Cotner
As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms in higher education transition from lecturing to active learning, the frequency of student interactions in class increases. Previous research documents a gender bias in ...
Use of Four Grassland Types by Small Mammal Species in Southern Minnesota, Jeff Port, Christine Crawford, Bethany Campbell, Rose Larson, Patty Lin-Celeste, and Melody Walton
Small mammal populations in a series of grassland plantings were studied over a five-year period spanning 2008–2014. A central aim of this study was to establish the role of specific grassland compositions in promoting the restoration of sm...
Integrating CRISPR-Cas9 technology into undergraduate courses: Perspectives from a National Science Foundation (NSF) workshop for undergraduate faculty, June 2018, Michael J. Wolyniak, Shane Austin, Lucian F. Bloodworth, Dawn Carter, Scott H. Harrison, Tiffany Hoage, Lisa Hollis-Brown, Felicia Jefferson, Alison Krufka, Farida Safadi-Chamberlin, Maria S. Santisteban, Paula A.G. Soneral, Beth Van Winkle, and Anil K. Challa
As CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9 technology becomes more mainstream in life science research, it becomes critical for undergraduate instructors to devise engaging ways to bring the technology into t...
Submissions from 2018
Quillaja saponins are a potent contractor of uterine smooth muscle tissue in vitro, Brian Bristol and Teresa F. DeGolier
Caulophyllum thalictroides, commonly known as blue cohosh, is a plant indigenous to the northeastern region of North America. The roots and rhizomes have been used in herbal medicine for centuries as they are thought to stimulate uterine co...
“Is this class hard?" Defining and analyzing academic rigor from a learner’s perspective, Sara A. Wyse and Paula A.G. Soneral
Despite its value in higher education, academic rigor is a challenging construct to define for instructor and students alike. How do students perceive academic rigor in their biology course work? Using qualitative surveys, we asked students...
Submissions from 2017
A Call to Develop Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for Nonmajors Courses, Cissy J. Ballen, Jessamina E. Blum, Sara Brownell, Sadie Hebert, James Hewlett, Joanna R. Klein, Erik A. McDonald, Denise L. Monti, Stephen C. Nold, Krista E. Slemmons, Paula A.G. Soneral, and Sehoya Cotner
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) for non–science majors (nonmajors) are potentially distinct from CUREs for developing scientists in their goals, learning objectives, and assessment strategies. While national calls to...
Chemically imaging bacteria with super-resolution SERS on ultra-thin silver substrates, Aeli P. Olson, Kelsey B. Spies, Anna C. Browning, Paula A.G. Soneral, and Nathan C. Lindquist
Plasmonic hotspots generate a blinking Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) effect that can be processed using Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) algorithms for super-resolved imaging. Furthermore, by imaging through...
The Effect of Floristic Composition on Bird Communities in a Set of Four Grassland Reconstruction Types, Jeff Port and Shawn P. Schottler
With most native prairie now lost, focus has turned to reconstructing grasslands with the aim of replicating ecosystem function for grassland fauna and flora. We report the results of a seven-year study (2008–2014) on the use of four floris...
A SCALE-UP mock-up: Comparison of student learning gains in high- and low-tech active-learning environments, Paula A.G. Soneral and Sara A. Wyse
Student-centered learning environments with upside-down pedagogies (SCALE-UP) are widely implemented at institutions across the country, and learning gains from these classrooms have been well documented. This study investigates the specifi...
Male and female parental care in the golden-rumped euphonia (Euphonia cyanocephala), Zachary Wright, Jeff Port, and Harold F. Greeney
A single nest of the Golden-rumped Euphonia (Euphonia cyanocephala) was filmed for 72 hours near the Yanayacu Biological Station in Ecuador located in tropical montane forest. Recording was between 15-21 February 2014. We report the first o...
Submissions from 2016
Aqueous extracts of castor seed (Ricinus communis) increase the contractile activities of mouse uterine tissues in vivo, Nick Quam, Katrina Wu, and Teresa F. DeGolier
Administration of castor oil from seeds of Ricinus communis is a commonly cited herbal preparation used to induce labor. The ricinoleic acid found in castor oil is more polar than most fats and activates uterine EP3 prostanoid receptors. Th...
Submissions from 2015
Small Mammal Habitat Preferences in a Patchwork of Adjacent Reconstructed Grasslands Subject to Semiannual Burns, Teresa F. DeGolier, Jeff Port, and Shawn P. Schottler
This study used small mammal capture-recapture methods within a mosaic of side-by-side prairie reconstructions to evaluate the relationship between floristic diversity, the effect of prescribed burns, and habitat use. This unique 10.4 ha st...
Parental Care of Nestlings in the Slaty-Backed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus Fuscater) in Eastern Ecuador, Andrzej Dyrcz, Jeff Port, Romuald Mikusek, and Harold F. Greeney
The Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus fuscater) (Fig. 1) is an uncommon to locally fairly common Andean thrush (family Turdidae). It is found in dense, mossy, humid montane forest, in foothills and lower temperate highlands at 600–3...
The Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens): male and female parental effort during the nestling period, Jeff Port and Harold F. Greeney
We document male and female roles in nestling care of Spotted Barbtails (Premnoplex brunnescens) including feeding rates and temporal patterns of provisioning by each sex. Using 128.5 hrs of video from color marked and molecularly sexed ind...
Breeding biology of Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys in eastern Ecuador, Elisabeth Wetherell, Harold F. Greeney, and Jeff Port
Descriptions of nesting behaviour for Neotropical hummingbirds remain incomplete. Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys inhabits Neotropical montane cloud forests, at elevations of 1,000–2,500 m, from Venezuela to Argentina. Monomorphi...
Submissions from 2014
The Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens): Observations on the parental care behavior of a montane Neotropical Furnariid, Jeff Port, Harold F. Greeney, and Elizabeth Boyd
We document the nestling care of the Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens) including provisioning rates and items brought to the nest. Based on 230 hours of video spanning from hatch to fledging at a single nest, we confirm that both se...
Submissions from 2013
Neurotensin and cholecystokinin contract gallbladder circular muscle in chickens, Teresa F. DeGolier, D. R. Brown, Gary E. Duke, M. M. Palmer, J. R. Swenson, and Robert E. Carraway
The contractile effects of neurotensin (NT) and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on isolated circular smooth muscle strips of chicken gallbladder were investigated. The NT (0.25-300 nM) produced concentration-dependent contractions on sm...
Release of avian neurotensin in response to intraluminal contents in the duodenum of chickens, Teresa F. DeGolier and Robert E. Carraway
Peripheral and hepatic-portal plasma levels of neurotensin (NT) in fed and fasted chickens were determined using RIA. Portal levels of NT1-13 (fed = 61.3 ± 3.9 fmol/mL; fasted = 44.5 ± 3.9 fmol/mL) were significantly higher than peripheral ...
Submissions from 2012
Choosing orientation: Influence of cargo geometry and ActA polarization on actin comet tails, Catherine I. Lacayo, Paula A.G. Soneral, Jie Zhu, Mark A. Tsuchida, Matthew J. Footer, Frederick S. Soo, Yu Lu, Younan Xia, Alexander Mogilner, and Julie A. Theriot
Networks of polymerizing actin filaments can propel intracellular pathogens and drive movement of artificial particles in reconstituted systems. While biochemical mechanisms activating actin network assembly have been well characterized, it...
Submissions from 2010
Using critical-thinking skills to substantiate or challenge controversial claims endorsing a myriad of weight-loss products, Teresa F. DeGolier
This exercise engages students in critically evaluating weight-loss products and programs. Specific objectives are to investigate, analyze, and substantiate claims made by the weight-loss industry and interpret how these claims may be fraud...
Modeling leptin receptor insensitivity by comparing how leptin or leptin receptor mutations in mice affect body weight, basal metabolism, body temperature and feeding behaviors, Jessica Patton and Teresa F. DeGolier
Leptin, a protein hormone produced principally in adipose tissue, plays a major role in the regulation of food intake, hunger, satiety and metabolism. Most obesity is likely the result of the body's resistance to leptin. The purpose of this...
Submissions from 2008
Pharmacological Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Caulophyllum thalictroides (Blue Cohosh) on Isolated Mus musculus Uteri, Jennifer Berger and Teresa F. DeGolier
The roots and rhizomes of Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohos), traditionally used as an aid for childbirth, contain several active alkaloids and saponins, which act directly on uterine smooth muscle resulting in an oxytocic response. Th...
Neurotensin and cholecystokinin depress motility in isolated Lumbricus terrestris crop-gizzard preparations, Sara Gibbs and Teresa F. DeGolier
The effects of neurotensin (NT) and cholecystokinin (CCK) were studied on isolated crop-gizzard preparations of Lumbricus terrestris suspended in a smooth muscle organ bath. Changes in the amplitude and frequency of contractions associated ...
An efficient method for quickly surveying pheasant nesting site preferences, Shawn P. Schottler, Jeff Port, and Teresa DeGolier
Influence of floristic diversity on songbird nesting preferences in a suite of adjacent reconstructed grasslands (Wisconsin), Shawn P. Schottler, Jeff Port, and Teresa DeGolier
Submissions from 2007
Lung specific developmental expression of the Xenopus laevis surfactant protein C and B genes, Brian A. Hyatt, Ernesto R. Resnick, Natalie S. Johnson, Jamie L. Lohr, and David N. Cornfield
Efforts to characterize the mechanisms underlying early lung development have been confounded by the absence of a model that permits study of lung development prior to the onset of endodermal differentiation. Since Xenopus laevis developmen...
Submissions from 2003
The Educational Imperative of Creation Care, Kenneth L. Petersen
This article argues that our educational systems generally have failed to help students understand their vital connections to and responsibility for the non-human creation. But environmental education, as it matures, can put us on the right...
Submissions from 2002
Cold war: Flora's undercover agents - A campus winter field trip to illustrate that plants do indeed thermoregulate, Teresa F. DeGolier
Using a guided-inquiry approach for investigating metabolic rate in mice, Teresa F. DeGolier
Submissions from 2000
Neurotensin elevates hepatic bile acid secretion in chickens by a mechanism requiring an intact enterohepatic circulation, Xianyong Gui, Teresa F. Degolier, Gary E. Duke, and Robert E. Carraway
Neurotensin (NT), given intravenously at 10-50 pmol/kg per min to anesthetized female chickens equipped with a bile duct fistula, dose- dependently elevated hepatic bile flow and bile acid output but only when the enterohepatic circulation ...
Submissions from 1999
Relationships of Avian Cecal lengths to food habits, taxonomic position, and intestinal lengths, Teresa F. DeGolier, Sheila A. Mahoney, and Gary E. Duke
Body mass, intestinal lengths, and the occurrence and relative size of ceca from 154 species of birds representing 21 orders and a diversity of food habits were compared. Well-developed ceca occur in the Anseriformes, Galliformes, Gruiforme...
Effect of galanin on isolated strips of smooth muscle from the gastrointestinal tract of chickens, Teresa F. DeGolier, Jeff N. Nordell, Melody H. Pust, and Gary E. Duke
The contractile effects of galanin on isolated longitudinal smooth muscle strips of pre-crop esophagus, proventriculus, duodenum, colon, and cecum of chickens were investigated. Application of galanin (5.0-100.0 nM) evoked strong contractio...
Neurotensin modulates the composition of pancreatic exocrine secretions in chickens, Teresa F. DeGolier, Allen R. Place, Gary E. Duke, and Robert E. Carraway
The effects of neurotensin on pancreatic exocrine secretion were examined in fasted, conscious White Leghorn hens. A cannula was surgically implanted in the central duct serving the ventral lobe of the pancreas in order to collect pure panc...
Submissions from 1997
Neurotensin Decreases Pepsin Output and Gastrointestinal Motility in Chickens, Teresa F. DeGolier, Gary E. Duke, and Robert E. Carraway
Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of neurotensin on gastric secretion and gastrointestinal motility in conscious chickens. Chickens were surgically fitted with a cannula to collect secretions from the proventriculus and...