Digital Commons Network^™

Sexual Dimorphism In A Mouse Model Of Dry Eye Disease, Neal Mecum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dry eye can result from multiple causes, including a reduction in the quantity or altered composition of tears. The lacrimal gland is the major supplier of the aqueous tear components, including water, electrolytes, and proteins. Reduced output from the lacrimal glands results in aqueous tear deficiency, a specific subclass of dry eye disease (DED) marked by inadequate tear volume. The prevalence of DED is 1.5-2 times greater in women than men, yet a comprehensive comparison of dry eye symptoms in male and female animals in an animal model of DED has not been performed. We excised the lacrimal gland to …

Spruce Budworm Defoliation Dynamics And Its Influence On The Acadian Forest, Cen Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spruce budworm (SBW; Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) is the primary forest defoliator in North America. SBW defoliation has affected tens of millions ha of forests during its periodic outbreaks and caused severe growth reduction and mortality of spruce-fir (Picea-Abies) species. Evaluating these damaging effects of SBW defoliation requires understandings of the variation and dynamics of defoliation, as well as trees' variable responses to defoliation in consideration of various tree- stand-, and site-level factors. In this dissertation, we developed statistical models to 1) evaluate influences of SBW defoliation on spruce-fir stand dynamics of annual volume net growth, mortality, …

Towards A Unified Disease Mechanism For Trna Synthetase-Mediated Peripheral Neuropathy, Emily L. Spaulding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a debilitating inherited peripheral neuropathy resulting in progressive distal muscle atrophy and loss of sensation. CMT is genetically heterogeneous, with mutations in over 80 different genes leading to demyelinating or axonal forms. There are genetically similar subgroups, including the largest protein family implicated in the disease, the tRNA synthetases (ARSs). ARSs are responsible for aminoacylation of tRNAs during translation and are therefore ubiquitously expressed and essential proteins. Dominant mutations in at least five ARSs cause axonal forms of CMT. How mutations in ARSs cause CMT is unclear, however, the similar clinical presentation of patients suggests shared …

The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dickeya dianthicola (Samson) causing blackleg and soft rot was first detected in potatoes grown in Maine in 2014. Previous work has suggested that insects, particularly aphids, may be able to vector bacteria in this genus between plants, but no conclusive work has been done to confirm this theory. In order to determine whether insect-mediated transmission is likely to occur in potato fields, two model potato pests common in Maine were used: the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decimlineata Say) and the green peach aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Olfactometry and recruitment experiments evaluated if either insect discriminates between infected and …

The Effects Of Sediment Acidification And Temperature On The Immune Capacity Of The Atlantic Jackknife (Razor) Clam (Ensis Leei M. Huber, 2015), Brian Preziosi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sediment acidification has been shown to negatively impact clams of economic importance such as the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria Linnaeus, 1758, and hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758). Effects of sediment acidification on razor clams, including the Atlantic jackknife clam Ensis leei M. Huber, 2015, are unknown. E. leei has been identified as a species with potential for aquaculture operations on the New England coast. E. leei may be resilient to acidification and thus persist in acidified sediments where other clams cannot. To this end, the impact of acidified surface sediment on the internal immune capacity of adult (mean shell …

Validation Of A Fluorescence-Based Bacteria Enumeration And Viability Determination Method Using Image Cytometry, Matthew R. Hodgkin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Craft beer production in the United States has been increasing significantly in recent years. As production and participation in the industry increases, so have consumer demands for more beer options. Breweries have met this call with experimentation of ingredients in their beer and also the styles they brew. One such beer, the sour beer, is an example of this experimentation and new product development. Sour beers are a style that differ from most other beers by how they are manufactured. Instead of being fermented with only yeast, both a lactic acid-producing bacteria and yeast are used. With increased competition amongst …

Evaluating The Occurrence Of Age-Related Peripheral Neuropathy In Het3 Mice And Development Of A Whole Tissue Imaging Technique For Analyzing Total Innervation In The Subcutaneous Adipose Depot, Jake Willows

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adipose tissue can be characterized as either being a white (energy storing) depot or a brown (energy expending) depot and both have been found to contain dense networks of neural innervation. This adipose nerve supply regulates numerous metabolic functions and likely plays an important role in the function of adipose blood vessels. Recently our lab has shown in the C57BL/6 mouse model that peripheral neuropathy, or the dying back and dysfunction of the nerves in the superficial tissues such as the skin, can extend into the subcutaneous adipose tissue in conditions commonly associated with the neuropathic phenotype (i.e. diabetes, obesity, …

Fish Passage And Hydropower: Investigating Resource Agency Decision-Making During The Ferc Hydropower Relicensing Process, Sarah Vogel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hydropower dams represent a significant challenge for the successful migration of sea-run fish, many species of which are in decline. Most hydropower dams in the United States are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), an independent federal agency responsible for granting 30 to 50-year licenses to projects for their continued operation. Licenses typically include conditions for the conservation of sea-run fish such as fish passage construction, operational changes, monitoring of effectiveness, and other mitigative conditions. While FERC remains the primary authority in licensing, the current regulatory framework stipulates input from other federal and state resource and regulatory agencies, …

Landings, Vol. 27, No. 12, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to

Maine’s lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) started publication of Landings, a 24-page newsletter in January 2013 as the successor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) Newsletter. As of 2022, the MLCA published over 6,500 copies of …

Getting Over The Dam: Overcoming Institutional Barriers To The Recovery Of Atlantic Salmon By Navigating The Social-Science/Policy Interface, Melissa E. Flye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The term governance has undergone somewhat of an evolution since its inception, originally describing the act of governing, it has come to represent a more collaborative form of governing which is distinct from hierarchical control models (Marin and Mayntz, 1991). Collaborative governance refers to the systems associated with public policy decision making and resource management which span the jurisdictional boundaries of public agencies, levels of government, and/or public and private spheres in order to pursue a public policy goal or outcome (Emerson et al., 2012). Environmental management is often considered an inherently collaborative effort, as ecological systems and species rarely …

Identification Of Chromatin Regulators Perturbed In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cell Aging, Eraj S. Khokhar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As lifespan is increasing globally, there is a critical need to identify strategies to extend healthspan and prevent chronic diseases into older age. The long-term goal of my research is to identify novel strategies to ameliorate aging-induced decline in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. HSCs give rise to all mature blood and immune cells. With age, HSCs undergo defects in their differentiation ability which correlates with a decline in immune function. Comprehensive knowledge of gene regulatory and epigenetic mechanisms underlying this defect is a barrier to developing therapies to ameliorate aging-associated decline in HSC function. Therefore, my project focuses on …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In The Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure Of Rock Pools Along The Penobscot River, Maine, Chase R. Gagne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pools of water that form in the fissures and depressions of rock outcrops, known as rock pools, are fairly common aquatic habitats that can easily be found along the rocky banks of many of Maine’s major rivers. In general, rock pools and the aquatic invertebrates inhabiting them have received little research attention and, though ubiquitous, have never been studied in Maine. My research addressed this knowledge gap by surveying 40 rock pools at four sites along the Penobscot River in Maine. The rock pools themselves had highly variable environmental characteristics and differed across sites and over time, especially in hydroperiod. …

Land Cover Composition, But Not Weather, Affects Female Wild Turkey Roost Site Selection, Kaj Overturf

Honors College

Populations at a species’ northern range extent are often presented with more challenges than those in more southern regions, given that winters are generally harsher, and the reproductive season is shorter in these northern regions. Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are near their northern range limit in Maine, and there have been no studies that have researched turkey roosting here. Wild turkeys roost in trees at night, and we predicted that roost selection would be affected by changing weather conditions, particularly during winter when temperatures are expected to be coldest. We also predicted that land cover composition would affect …

Cpsa Protein-Protein Interactions In Group B Streptococcus, Ben Tero

Honors College

Group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections pose a great threat to mortality in neonates. Neonates are often exposed to GBS both before, during, and after delivery, which can cause a range of health problems including meningitis, sepsis, or stillbirth. One of the major virulence factors that contributes to the infectivity of the pathogen is the bacterial capsule. The capsule is a polysaccharide matrix surrounding the cell which helps in the evasion of host defenses, and penetration into normally sterile sites like the bloodstream. The highly conserved GBS protein CpsA has been shown to regulate expression of the capsule. The objective of …

Framing The Discussion Of Microorganisms As A Facet Of Social Equity In Human Health, Suzanne L. Ishaq, Maurisa Rapp, Risa Byerly, Loretta S. Mcclellan, Maya R. O'Boyle, Anika Nykanen, Patrick J. Fuller, Calvin Aas, June M. Stone, Sean Killpatrick, Manami M. Uptegrove, Alex Vischer, Hannah Wolf, Fiona Smallman, Houston Eymann, Simon Narode, Ellee Stapleton, Camille C. Cioffi, Hannah F. Tavalire

Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Scholarship

What do “microbes” have to do with social equity? These microorganisms are integral to our health, that of our natural environment, and even the “health” of the environments we build. The loss, gain, and retention of microorganisms—their flow between humans and the environment—can greatly impact our health. It is well-known that inequalities in access to perinatal care, healthy foods, quality housing, and the natural environment can create and arise from social inequality. Here, we focus on the argument that access to beneficial microorganisms is a facet of public health, and health inequality may be compounded by inequitable microbial exposure.

Landings, Vol. 27, No. 11, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to

Maine’s lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) started publication of Landings, a 24-page newsletter in January 2013 as the successor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) Newsletter. As of 2022, the MLCA published over 6,500 copies of …

S1e2: Would You Feed Your Dog Biscuits That Were Made With Green Crabs?, Ron Lisnet, Angela Myracle, Denise Skonberg

The Maine Question

The green crab is a voracious invasive species that is wreaking havoc on many popular types of seafood species and in Maine’s fishing communities. What if a use could be found for this invasive species that turned them into a desirable product? Food scientists at UMaine are attempting to do just that and if they are successful it could mean a special treat for a land-based animal- none other than man’s best friend. Beyond that it could make for some tasty options on the menu the next time you visit your favorite seafood restaurant.

S1e1: What Is Edna And How Will It Change Maine’S Coastal Communities?, Ron Lisnet, Michael Kinnison

The Maine Question

From streams and ponds to the Gulf of Maine, water defines the state of Maine in many ways. For thousands of years, counting or harvesting the plants and animals in those bodies of water has been pretty low-tech, usually involving nets of some sort. Now a new technology can do this counting using DNA and this tool will revolutionize and expand how this work is done. Beyond that it will allow the public, school groups, coastal residents and others to contribute as citizen scientists and it will enhance Maine’s workforce and promote high-tech jobs as well. Michael Kinnison, a professor …

Landings, Vol. 27, No. 10, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to

Maine’s lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) started publication of Landings, a 24-page newsletter in January 2013 as the successor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) Newsletter. As of 2022, the MLCA published over 6,500 copies of …

Examining The Microbiome Of Porphyra Umbilicalis In The North Atlantic, Margaret Aydlett

Honors College

Marine macroalgae host a diverse microbiota. Bacteria are the most prominent group, and relationships between the algae and bacteria are complex and dynamic. The goal of this project was to examine the distribution and ASV diversity of Bacteria associated with Porphyra umbilicalis with special focus on some isolates, including studies of their temperature dependence and consideration of how they may affect Porphyra. Previous studies showed that some bacteria are required for normal algal morphology and growth. Porphyra umbilicalis is an abundant red macroalga found in the intertidal zone and is an important food for invertebrates. Because of its significance in …

The Dandy Scroll, Fall 2019, University Of Maine Pulp And Paper Foundation

General University of Maine Publications

The Fall 2019 issue of The Dandy Scroll newsletter produced by the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Maine Epscor Fall 2019 Newsletter, Maine Epscor

General University of Maine Publications

As the Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET) completes its final year, several other National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded grants and activities throughout the state have continued a legacy of positively impacting the state’s capacity for research, development, and STEM education.

Maine EPSCoR’s newest Track-1 grant, Molecule to Ecosystem: Environmental DNA as a Nexus of Coastal Ecosystem Sustainability for Maine (or Maine-eDNA), is no exception. It has had a strong start, and we aim to continue strengthening collaborations among partner institutions, while conducting highly impactful research, education, and outreach of benefit to Maine.

In this newsletter, you’ll learn more about:
• …

Landings, Vol. 27, No. 9, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to

Maine’s lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) started publication of Landings, a 24-page newsletter in January 2013 as the successor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) Newsletter. As of 2022, the MLCA published over 6,500 copies of …

Dynamic Regulation Of G-Protein Signaling, William C. Simke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in numerous signaling processes ranging from neuronal growth to immune cells tracking invaders. GPCR signaling plays a role in many human diseases and thus GPCRs are important drug targets. Yeast respond to mating pheromone using a GPCR signaling system homologous to those used in humans to polarize their cytoskeleton toward the pheromone source. This is accomplished by initializing a MAPK signaling cascade to arrest the cells in mitosis and upregulate expression of chemotropic proteins. Pathway desensitization is accomplished by the Regulator of G-protein Signaling (RGS). RGS abrogates signaling by binding to the active GPCR, …

Identification Of High-Risk Food Coping Strategies Of Maine Food Pantry Clients, Kathryn Cutting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food coping strategies are strategies adopted by individuals in order to obtain enough food for themselves and their family. Food coping strategies can range from using coupons (couponing) and buying in bulk to skipping meals and stealing food. Although not all strategies are considered to be high risk, all strategies should be accounted for so that nutrition education programming caters to strategies that individuals are employing. This topic has not been widely researched in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify common food coping strategies of food pantry clients across nine counties in Maine, explore identified …

Intravital Imaging In A Zebrafish Model Elucidates Interactions Between Mucosal Immunity And Pathogenic Fungi, Linda S. Archambault

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Candida yeasts are common commensals that can cause mucosal disease and life-threatening systemic infections. While many of the components required for defense against Candida albicans infection are well established, questions remain about how various host cells at mucosal sites assess threats and coordinate defenses to prevent normally commensal organisms from becoming pathogenic. Using two Candida species, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, which differ in their abilities to damage epithelial tissues, we used traditional methods (pathogen CFU, host survival, and host cytokine expression) combined with high-resolution intravital imaging of transparent zebrafish larvae to illuminate host-pathogen interactions at the cellular level …

Social-Ecological Heterogeneity Shapes Resilience Of Small-Scale Fisheries: An Interdisciplinary Analysis Of The Mexican Chocolate Clam Fishery In Loreto, Mexico, Kara E. Pellowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

All benefits provided by natural systems are embedded within coupled social-ecological systems (SESs). Fisheries are clear examples of SESs: through fishing, humans affect ecosystem structure and functioning, and in turn, receive benefits, including sustenance, employment, and cultural value. Resilience, the ability to maintain structure and function in the face of change, is key to sustaining the social and ecological components of fisheries-related SESs and their interactions. Many factors contribute to resilience, including heterogeneity. By identifying heterogeneity in these complex systems, we are better able to understand the capacity of fishery-related SESs to adapt to change, and contribute to management that …

Microbial Diversity Of The Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria And Yeast (Scoby) And Its Impact On The Organoleptic Properties Of Kombucha, Danielle L. St-Pierre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kombucha is an effervescent fermented tea beverage that is gaining popularity for its probiotic nature and purported health benefits. The market for kombucha is expected to reach $1.8 billion by the year 2020. The composition of microbes that compose the symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) is highly variable with some species commonly found from the Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, Zygosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces, and Schizosaccharomyces genera.

It was hypothesized that different SCOBYs, obtained from different sources would vary in microbial diversity and produce different biochemical and flavor profiles in the resulting beverage over several generations. Kombucha is a fermented …

Deep Benthic Coral Habitats Of Glacier Bay National Park And Preserve, Alaska, Elise C. Hartill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Southeast Alaska is a system of fjords that presents an ideal natural laboratory to study terrestrial, aquatic and marine patterns of succession due to its unique and recent history of deglaciation. The patterns of deep benthic community assemblages in the fjords of Glacier Bay were investigated by quantitative assessment of underwater photo-quadrats collected using a remotely operated vehicle. The percent cover and diversity of species were lowest near the glaciated heads of the fjords and highest in the Central Channel and at the mouths of the fjords of Glacier Bay, where oceanographic conditions …

The Dispersal Pattern Of Thekopsora Minima In Wild Blueberry Determined By A Molecular Detection Method, Nghi Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blueberry rust caused by Thekopsora minima is a common disease in wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) and other Vaccinium genera. Understanding the spore dispersal pattern and disease cycle of fungal pathogens in wild blueberry is crucial for the development of a more efficient disease management program. Molecular assays for rapid detection and quantification of Thekopsora minima were developed to be incorporated with a spore trap sampling method and weather data collection to examine spore dispersal pattern and production in three different fields: Blueberry Hill Farm in Jonesboro, East Machias, and Spring Pond in Deblois, Maine, in three years 2014, …