Robert Page - US grants

This study will focus on the heat transfer in the vicinity of the reattachment of a free shear layer. The research comprises both theoretical and experimental studies to: explore the flow field of a subsonic turbulent radical jet which reattaches on an adjacent plane surface; determine the heat transfer between a subsonic turbulence radical jet and an adjacent plane surface; and explore the manufacturing and applications of a radical jet reattachment.

Kin recognition is a fundamental mechanism in animal behavior. Many animal species, including humans, are able to discriminate between close relatives and other individuals of the same species, and to behave preferentially to close relatives. Often, the signals used by animals to make these discriminations are odors, but only in the honey bee have specific chemical compounds been identified that enable animals to tell relatives from non- relatives. This project will provide new information on how these odors are used by honey bees, will identify additional such odors, and will enhance our understanding of how the production of odors is inherited. In a practical sense, the project will suggest new ways to manipulate honey bee colonies so that beekeeping practices may be improved. The results may prove to be particularly important in suggesting ways of preventing the African honey bee from disrupting beekeeping operations.

The PI proposes to make use of the facilities of the Radial Jet Reattachment Laboratory to perform exploratory studies on non-steady submerged radial jet impingement heat transfer. Prior studies by the PI on steady radial jet impingement resulted in very high heat transfer rates. Studies of non- steady non-radial jets by other investigators have demonstrated enhanced heat transfer performance. There is thus a good possibility that a non-steady radial jet may also offer enhanced heat transfer performance compared to conventional jets and steady radial jets.

ABSTRACT CTS-9301287 Robert H. Page A new concept to utilize the non-steady impinging jet from a self oscillating nozzle is proposed. Enhancing the surface heat transfer due to a submerged jet impingement is to be studied theoretically and experimentally. The concept centers around the potential of modifying standard in-line jet nozzles such that they become self oscillating and have the ability to force an oscillating boundary layer development on the impingement surface. It is believed that this agitated surface boundary layer occurrence can be exploited to increase the heat transfer from an impinging jet. The Infrared Heat Transfer Jet Impingement Facility (HJIF) at Texas A&M University will be used for the experimental studies of the impingement. The objective will be to obtain a better understanding of this non-steady phenomena in order that it can be applied to this physical situation to improve the heat transfer as well as to gain the necessary enlightenment about self oscillating or resonant flows, such that the knowledge may have future use for additional surface boundary layer interaction conditions involving mass transfer and chemical reactions.

Dr. Page will examine the gene structure, distribution of gene expression, and ligand specificity of two biogenic amine receptors whose genes have been cloned. Biogenic amines modulate behavior similarly in both invertebrates and vertebrates. They are particularly interesting due to their implication in human neurological disorders including schizophrenia, manic depression, and drug addiction. Some insects provide an ideal model system for studying the role of biogenic amines in behavioral control due to the caste structure of their societies which results in the division of stereotypic behavioral repertoires between individuals according to sex, caste, and age. Dr. Page's work will provide a complete molecular genetic characterization of two insect receptor genes. This will include the localization of gene expression in the central nervous system in insects of each sex and caste. Antibodies will be produced for each of the receptor proteins for use in protein regulation studies. Finally, the receptors will be expressed in Baculovirus transfected insect cells and a ligand binding profile of each receptor will be determined. This work will provide the basis for future studies describing the genetic basis of behavioral control and social integration.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies display a remarkable division of labor that is based on the genotypes of individual workers bees, their stages of behavioral development (or age), and their environment. The behavioral acts (tasks) that are performed by honey bee workers are stereotypic, well known, and have been categorized into distinguishable sets. The last set of tasks performed by a worker bee is that of foraging where she will often specialize on collecting either pollen or nectar. However, many bees become generalists and perform both tasks, collecting both pollen and nectar. Previous studies have demonstrated the effects of two major genes on foraging task "decisions" of honey bees. These major quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped and verified using DNA markers on a relatively small population of 38 colonies. As a consequence, genes with smaller effects on behavior were probably not detected, and the map locations of the mapped loci are imprecise. The research proposed here will result in a more complete, and usable genomic map of honey bee foraging behavior, and a better understanding of the action of genes on behavior. The specific aims are: 1) to complete a genomic map of foraging behavior on 159 colonies; 2) to verify any new QTLs that are mapped; 3) to merge the new map with the original one in order to "saturate" mapped genomic regions with more markers so that QTL map locations can be determined with greater precision; 4) to produce better, more specific, DNA markers in those regions that contain mapped QTLs; 5) to study mechanisms of gene action of individual, mapped quantitative trait loci. Many of the behavioral questions asked of honey bees regarding the effects of genes, development, and environment on behavior are remarkably similar to questions about the dimensions of normal human behavior and behavioral disorders. The honey bee offers many advantages for general behavioral studies of gene action, development, and environment. 1) It can be selectively bred. 2) It has distinct developmental stages associated with behavior and these developmental stages can be manipulated. 3) Stimuli associated with specific behavior are well known and easily manipulated. 4) It has a high rate of meiotic recombination that facilitates mapping and the eventual isolation and characterization of major genes affecting observed, variable behavior. The additional characteristics that honey bees are social and can be studied in a natural context make them plausible surrogate models for studies of individual and social behavior.

97-28608 Genetic, Developmental and Environmental Determinants of Honey Bee Foraging R. E. Page, Jr. Non-Technical Summary Honeybee colonies are normally composed of a queen and thousands of non-reproductive workers. The workers demonstrate a division of labor for behavioral tasks resulting in the survival, maintenance, and reproduction of the colony. One of the most interesting examples is the division of labor between workers inside the nest raising brood, constructing wax comb, processing honey, etc. and those that forage outside the nest. This division of tasks is often related to a worker's age. Some foragers specialize further in collecting nectar and others in collecting only pollen. Honeybee colonies must respond to changing conditions in the environment, such as the availability of food, and they must respond to changes in colony needs, such as the amount of pollen protein needed to feed a growing colony. Genetic make up is also important. Bees with some genetic constitutions are more likely to forage for pollen under a specific set of environmental conditions than are individuals of a different genotype. Building on previous research, this project will employ molecular genetic methodology to examine the influence of identified genes on foraging specialization, and to comprehensively examine how the influences of these genes interact with developmental (age) effects and environmental conditions.

This proposal is for a workshop focused on the integration of new, developing genetic/genomic technology into the study of behavior. The need for such an integration to maintain cohesion in the field of animal behavior is well argued by the PI. The PI has also enlisted the participation of an outstanding group of scientists to explore how gene mapping, functional genomics, bioinformatics and gene transformation can be applied to a better understanding of animal behavior at all levels. The workshop will provide a forum for sharing information, stimulate discussion on the scope of possible advances in this field, and discuss the support needs associated with potential growth. The agenda has been altered so that there will be more time for discussion than is noted in the proposal to that both goals, the sharing of information as well as the definition of the field and facilitation of its growth can be accomplished in the time frame of the workshop. This workshop is both timely and important. It will aid in the process of incorporation of new genetic and genomic technologies in to the study of complex behavioral phenomena.

Recent advances in genetic technology have provided tools for studying the genetics of behavior. These techniques have been applied to studying the foraging behavior of honey bees. Some bees specialize on collecting pollen while others collect nectar. Variation among bees for foraging behavior has been shown to be a consequence of at least 3 major genes. These genes affect other behavioral traits as well, such as how bees perceive the taste of sugar, the sizes of the pollen and nectar loads they collect, and the age at which they begin foraging. The objective of this proposal is to better understand the effects and interactions of the genes that have been identified. Genetic analyses will be performed on strains of honey bees that were selected for their differences in foraging behavior. The genetic relationships between the different components of foraging behavior and the development of foraging behavior will be determined using DNA and behavioral analyses.

These studies will lead to a better understanding of the genetic organization of behavioral traits. Honey bees share many neuro-physiological characteristics in common with other animals, including humans. However, honey bees are much easier to study because they can be bred, dissected, probed. What is learned from honey bee behavioral genetics can easily be transferred into the classroom and used as a model for a broader understanding of genetics and behavior.

The genetic architecture of honey bee sucrose response thresholds

Robert E. Page, Jr.

The long term objective of this project is to better understand variation in behavior. Behavior is a consequence of the genetic makeup, development, and environment of an individual. Observed differences in behavior between individuals can be a consequence of any of these factors, or the interactive combination of any or all of them. There is relatively little known about the underlying causes of variation in behavior for any organism. Honey bees afford a unique opportunity to study behavioral variation because their behavior is stereotypic and well known, they live in social groups, they undergo age related changes in behavior, they have very high rates of genetic recombination that facilitate the genetic mapping of their genes, and many genetic studies of their behavior have been performed.
For this proposal, a detailed genetic map will be constructed in order to map major genes associated with a sensory trait, the perception of sugar and water. It has been clearly demonstrated that this trait correlates with important behavioral "decisions" of worker honey bees with respect to foraging. A detailed map will provide a test of the hypothesis that the same genes previously mapped for pollen hoarding behavior (the storing of surplus pollen in the nest) also effect sensory perception. It will also identify new genes associated with sensory perception and will lead to a better understanding of how genes interact and affect behavior. Finally, sets of genetic markers will be developed that are close to the mapped genes that can be used in future studies of gene and environment interactions that affect the behavior, and for use in population studies of this naturally varying behavioral trait.

The objective of this research project is to investigate the effects of social evolution on aging and mortality patterns in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L). The study of social influences on aging is largely restricted to investigations on humans that have a necessarily limited experimental approach. Social insect colonies are complex adaptive systems representing one of the major evolutionary transitions. They allow studies of aging at different levels of biological organization including the social unit, the individual, physiological processes, and their interactions. Already a model in a number of biological disciplines, the honey bee thus will constitute an important, social model organism for aging research. The first aim is to investigate social determinants of honey bee lifespan, specifically addressing the following questions: a) What are the relative contributions of individual (genetic) properties and social environment to individual lifespan? b) How do group demographics (group size and age composition) affect individual lifespan? How does brood care (intergenerational transfer) influence lifespan? Each of these questions will be addressed in a series of experiments that involve extensive colony manipulations and demographic surveys, age-specific survival measures of multiple, focal cohorts, and direct measures of resource allocation in individuals and colonies. The data will be analyzed to validate concurrent theoretical advances in conjunction with other collaborators in the program project. The second aim is to determine different components of behavioral senescence in honey bee workers. Honey bee foraging performance declines with age. Deterioration of sensory (olfactory, gustatory, visual responsiveness), and motor (flight and locomotion) systems at advanced ages will be studied. Furthermore, higher-order processes such as cognitive abilities (learning and memory) and recruitment behavior (dance tempo) will be investigated for age effects. Honey bee foragers of different age classes will be subjected to well-established behavioral assays. Potential links between the various measures of behavioral senescence and physiological measurements will be investigated, and the role of senescence for societal organization will be scrutinized.

Arizona State University's (ASU) Innovation through Institutional Integration (I-3): The Modeling Institute integrates the efforts of its most successful NSF-sponsored initiatives in STEM teacher education and more: Modeling Physics (numerous NSF programs); Project Pathways (MSP); Professional Learning Community Resources (TPC); Project Learning through Engineering Design and Prime the Pipeline Project (ITEST); Ask-a-Biologist (NSDL); SMALLab (CISE & IGERT); Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER); and MARS (NASA). The I-3 Modeling Institute focuses on the integrative theme of critical educational junctures at the middle grades level. The result of this I-3 effort is intended to be the production of 200 middle grades teachers with STEM endorsements through a program of study that integrates modeling as the core construct; development of ten STEM sustainability-themed master's level courses; persistence of these STEM teachers as professionals through the establishment of Scientific Villages (professional learning communities); STEM-net (a Phoenix area STEM teacher professional development network) and Ask-A-Scientist resources (a web-based portal for on-demand learning); and College For Kids (a summer camp for middle school students and practicum for nascent STEM middle grades teachers).

The I-3 Modeling Institute draws upon ASU's seminal work in modeling and employs it as the integrative construct, connecting mathematics and scientific content through meaningful activity. The I-3 Modeling Institute's theory of action emanates from research studies that show the capacity to create models of scientific phenomena and to test those models is dependent on the development of mathematical ways of thinking about the phenomena, including the ability to make sense of patterns in data. Moreover, studies of student learning demonstrate that context is critical for coming to understand mathematical concepts and skills. This project incorporates cutting-edge research-based instructional and assessment methods, centered on Modeling Instruction in a sustainability context.

Innovative aspects of the I-3 Modeling Institute include: recruiting and preparing a large number of in-service elementary teachers to become middle grades STEM teachers; infusing the modeling construct into a master's level STEM education program; integrating sustainability science as a problem-solving context in the science and mathematics courses; and coordinating across STEM departments, resulting in powerful linkages to research scientists as part of the STEM education learning community. The I-3 Modeling Institute supports the career trajectory of elementary school teachers towards a disciplinary specialization that enables them to enrich the educational experiences of middle school students. The I-3 Modeling Institute focuses on improving the learning of middle grades students, themselves. Research indicates that middle school is where interest in mathematics and science begins to wane, along with test scores and STEM career aspirations. I-3 Modeling Institute graduates are equipped with a toolbox of knowledge and skills to engage students in dynamic mathematics and science learning.

The I-3 Modeling Institute, developed in partnership with two of the fastest growing school districts in Arizona, leverages the most successful aspects of each of the programs to be integrated in order to generate an enduring STEM certification and professional development program for elementary school teachers to become middle school science and mathematics teachers in urban Phoenix and rural Maricopa county schools. Ultimately, the partnership upon which this program rests is the nucleus for a vibrant STEM education community supporting ongoing professional development and collaborations among university researchers and secondary STEM educators.