Digital Commons Network^™

Diversity Of Navel Microbiome In Young Adults, Shreya Shah, Teresa Donze-Reiner, Vishal Shah

Biology Faculty Publications

Introduction. Human skin microbial communities represent a tremendous source of genetic diversity that evolves as a function of human age. Microbiota differs between regions of oily and moist skin, and appears to stabilize with age.

Aim. We have a minimal understanding of the time frame required for the stabilization of skin microbiota, and the role played by gender. In the current study, we examined the microbiota present in the navel region of college-attending young adults in the age group of 18–25 years and investigated if diversity is associated with gender (male and female).

Method. The study involved 16 female and …

Loading Rate Has Little Influence On Tendon Fascicle Mechanics, Michael V. Rosario, Thomas J. Roberts

Biology Faculty Publications

Mechanically, tendons behave like springs and store energy by stretching in proportion to applied stress. This relationship is potentially modified by the rate at which stress is applied, a phenomenon known as viscosity. Viscoelasticity, the combined effects of elasticity and viscosity, can affect maximum strain, the amount of stored energy, and the proportion of energy recovered (resilience). Previous studies of tendons have investigated the functional effects of viscoelasticity, but not at the intermediate durations of loading that are known to occur in fast locomotor events. In this study, we isolated tendon fascicles from rat tails and performed force-controlled tensile tests …

Energetic And Physical Limitations On The Breaching Performance Of Large Whales, Paolo S. Segre, Jean Potvin, David E. Cade, John Calambokidis, Jacopo Di Clemente, Frank E. Fish, Ari S. Friedlaender, William T. Gough, Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport, Claudia Oliveira, Susan E. Parks, Gwenith S. Penry, Malene Simon, Alison K. Stimpert, David N. Wiley, K. C. Bierlich, Peter T. Madsen, Jeremy A. Goldbogen

Biology Faculty Publications

The considerable power needed for large whales to leap out of the water may represent the single most expensive burst maneuver found in nature. However, the mechanics and energetic costs associated with the breaching behaviors of large whales remain poorly understood. In this study we deployed whale-borne tags to measure the kinematics of breaching to test the hypothesis that these spectacular aerial displays are metabolically expensive. We found that breaching whales use variable underwater trajectories, and that high-emergence breaches are faster and require more energy than predatory lunges. The most expensive breaches approach the upper limits of vertebrate muscle performance, …

Measuring Functional Brain Recovery In Regenerating Planarians By Assessing The Behavioral Response To The Cholinergic Compound Cytisine, Oné R. Pagán, Debra L. Baker, Sean Deats, Mary O'Brien, Rochelle Dymond, Gabriella Demichele

Biology Faculty Publications

Planarians are traditional model invertebrates in regeneration and developmental biology research that also display a variety of quantifiable behaviors useful to screen for pharmacologically active compounds. One such behavior is the expression of seizure-like movements (pSLMs) induced by a variety of substances. Previous work from our laboratory showed that cocaine, but not nicotine, induced pSLMs in intact but not decapitated planarians. Interestingly, as decapitated planarians regenerated their heads, they gradually recovered their sensitivity to cocaine. These results suggested a method to assess planarian brain regeneration and a possible way of identifying compounds that could enhance or hold back brain regeneration. …