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The Effect Of Acute Heavy Metal (Cu And Cd) Toxicity On Ros Generation, Apoptosis, And Intracellular Glutathione Levels In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Jesse Gardner

Biology Theses

Heavy metal contamination is of growing concern as industrialization causes increasing levels to be released into the environment affecting all organisms. Cellular damage and coping mechanisms due to heavy metal toxicity vary depending upon the species of metal and organisms exposed. It is assumed that cellular damage can be attributed to the destructive effects of metal-induced ROS production, which is ameliorated, by the non-protein tripeptide glutathione, cycling between reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG). We investigate the effects of acute cadmium and copper treatment on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and determine some of the immediate cellular responses to the exposure of these metals …

A Multivariate Ecological Approach To Delineate Unionid Freshwater Mussel Species, Ava M. Laszlo

Biology Theses

Freshwater mussels represent one of the most imperiled faunal groups on the planet and are critical to freshwater ecosystems. If mussel species are not carefully defined, our conservation plans may miss differences in the habitat needs of different species and the conservation strategies may not be as successful. Because ecological niche models can be used to provide evidence to support similar or dissimilar ecological niches and habitat requirements, I used modelling to forecast suitable habitat for Fusconaia askewi and F. lananensis, two purported threatened Texas species. The modeling results indicated that these species are not ecologically different. Based upon …

Release Of Captive-Raised Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis) To Test The Success Of A Chytrid Vaccine And New Cage Design, Megan C. Kocher

Biology Theses

Researchers and managers commonly apply captive-raising and reintroductions of animals to offset losses due to worldwide amphibian declines. Recent declines in the Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) have resulted in several reintroductions that have had little success. There is evidence that chytridiomycosis (chytrid), a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), may negatively affect hellbenders post-release. Further, excessive post-release movement may result in movement away from suitable habitat and increased risk of predation which can have negative effects on the survival of released hellbenders. Caging captive-raised animals can be effective for limiting excessive post-release movement. …

Movements And Behaviors Of Resident And Translocated Northern Map Turtles (Graptemys Geographica) In The Upper Niagara River With Artificial Basking/Nesting Platforms As A Management Strategy, Chelsea L. Moore

Biology Theses

Urbanization and degradation of riparian zones has contributed to the decline of fish and wildlife populations throughout the world. Northern Map Turtles (Graptemys geographica) in the upper Niagara River face similar declines due to shoreline development and the concurrent loss of backwater habitats and terrestrial nesting sites. A project was initiated in which basking/nesting platforms were created, and Northern Map Turtles from a Lake Erie population were translocated into the river. Resident and translocated turtles were tracked using biotelemetry and their habitat use, behaviors, and swimming paths were compared. Translocated turtles exhibited homing behavior and had longer home …

In Vitro Investigation Of The Effect Of Camel Milkproteins And Its Fractions On Insulin Receptor Function, Arshida Ashraf

Biology Theses

Camel milk (CM) has been reported to have anti-diabetic properties in many in vitro and in vivo studies but the molecular basis of such beneficial properties are still elusive. Recently, camel milk whey proteins (CWPs) have been shown to positively affect the activity of the human insulin receptor (hIR) in cell lines. In this study, we profiled crude CWPs and their hydrolysates as well as camel milk lactoferrin (CMLF) for their pharmacological and functional effects on hIR activity and its downstream signaling in both human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. For this, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) …

Forensic Evaluation Of 6-Dye Chemistry Kit Composed Of 23 Loi With Casework Samples, Naeema Saleh Al Janaahi

Biology Theses

Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) are short nucleotide sequence repeats consisting of 2-8 base pairs (bp), representing approximately 3% of human DNA. Markers of STRs have been widely used as genetic markers in forensic DNA analysis and have proven to be an extremely discriminating method for human identification in forensics. The main objective of this research was to evaluate a six-dye STR multiplex assay (Virifiler™ Plus) composed of 23 autosomal STR loci, one insertion/deletion polymorphic marker on the Y chromosome, Amelogenin and two internal quality control markers (IQCS and IQCL) using biological stains found in different crime scenes. The study investigated …

Spatial And Temporal Variations In Abundance And Composition Of Benthic Macrofauna Associated With Seagrass Beds In Abu Dhabi, Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli

Biology Theses

This study compared the seasonal variations of macrofaunal communities found within the seagrass beds of protected areas and non-protected areas in Abu Dhabi. The study took into consideration the spatial and temporal differences of the sites and seasons as well as other environmental factors, like trace metals concentrations, water temperature, sediment composition, salinity and pH. The main objective and aim of this study is to investigate changes in the community structure of macrofauna with changes in location and seasons. Environmental parameters and biological samples were collected in-situ and analyzed at UAEU labs from both sites, during both seasons (winter and …

A Study Of Environmental Factors Affecting Coral Species Growth In Western Region Of Abu Dhabi – Uae And The Arabian Gulf, Khulood Ahmed Eissa Al Ali

Biology Theses

This study aims to investigate possible effects of certain environmental factors particularly, high summer water temperature and increase of water salinity on the growth rate of endemic dominant coral species at the west coasts of the United Arab Emirates. The study investigated the dissolved trace elements concentrations and its relation to coral diseases.

The methodological investigations have been conducted in a defined two sites at Baraka and Al Saadiyat area. In Barakah, three quadrates of 1.0 m3 have monitored the growth of Porites harrisoni by both photographically as well as by direct measurements of the targeted coral colonies in each …

Analysis Of Genetic Variation Of Western And Eastern Populations Of Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Nigrogularis) In The Uae, Salama Rashed Al Mansouri

Biology Theses

Understanding the genetic structure of threatened and endangered species is important in management and conservation efforts. Measuring the pattern and scale of genetic variation within and among populations is important for understanding population dynamics. It helps us improve our understanding of the ecological and genetic relation between the populations. The current research looks at the population structure of the endemic seabird of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Socotra cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis). The lack of genetic information, increased threats, and small breeding habitats of the Socotra cormorants, makes it important to investigate the genetic population structure in the …

The Characterization Of Heavy Metals In The Diet Of Socotra Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Nigrogularis) In The United Arab Emirates, Nuray Etibar Qizi Alizada

Biology Theses

This study was performed to measure the bioaccumulation of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, V, Zn, Ca, K, Na, Mg, S, Sr, and Hg in the liver, gastrointestinal tract (GI) and muscles of one hundred and five samples of Indian anchovy (Stolephorus indicus) purchased from local fisherman at the three main study areas, namely Ajman, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain in UAE. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the heavy metal concentration in the muscle, liver and gastrointestinal tract (GI) of Indian anchovy, to compare the level of …

Microbial Mercury Methylation At Caddo Lake: A Molecular Ecology Approach, Nevada King

Biology Theses

Caddo Lake in northeastern Texas is a cypress-Spanish moss dominated lake ecosystem. Contamination of mercury (Hg), especially methylmercury (MeHg), was reported in this lake a decade ago. MeHg is a neurotoxicant accumulated in major fish species and reptiles. Due to the biomagnification feature of MeHg transfer, Hg contamination in the fishes of Caddo Lake has caused health concerns for the wildlife and local people. However, the source and synthesis of MeHg in this lake, primarily the microbial Hg methylation mechanisms, have not been investigated. We investigated the lake for the past three years (2016-2018), by taking sediment and plant samples …

Gabaergic Inhibition Of Brainstem Neurons Involved In Breathing Regulation Is Disrupted In Rett Syndrome, Colin Arrowood

Biology Theses

GABA is the prominent inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and defects in the GABA system are attributable to several genetic diseases including Rett Syndrome (RTT). People with RTT show characteristic breathing disorders, suggesting a link with defects in the GABA system. Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) are CO₂ chemosensitive and play a role in breathing regulation. We conducted experiments to find out if activation of a novel group of dorsomedial LC GABAergic neurons causes instantaneous firing rate changes in LC neurons. Spike train recordings with cross-correlation analysis suggests that the dmLC neurons made monosynaptic and oligosynaptic connections …

Optogenetic Control Of Social Communication, Samantha Bowden

Biology Theses

With the rise in diagnoses of social deficit disorders comes an increased demand in elucidating the neural mechanisms that underlie social behavior. In the central nervous system arginine-vasopressin (AVP) has been shown to effect social communication, such as aggression, pair bonding, and maternal behavior, and many AVP cell bodies and fibers are distributed in a sexually dimorphic fashion. One such area is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), with males having more AVP cells than females, thus making it a likely candidate in the control of male specific social behavior. We found that activation of this specific cell …

Incidence And Prevalence Of Francisella Noatunensis Subsp. Orientalis (Fno) Pathogenic Infections In Feral Hawaiian Tilapia, Daquille Peppers

Biology Theses

Aquaculture has become a major food source for many countries and continues to grow each year. However, many of the fishes that are farmed are susceptible to pathogenic infections such as Francisellosis, a bacterial infection that contributes to disease and high mortality rate in many populations of farmed and wild fish around the world. In 1994, feral and farmed populations of tilapia (e.g. Oreochromis mossambicus) on Oahu, Hawaii were found to be infected with a novel Francisellosis strain, Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis (Fno). To prevent the spread of this pathogen, the Hawaii Department of Aquaculture (HDOA) initiated …

16s Rrna Analysis And Toxin Gene Presence In Escherichia Coli Isolated From Beach Water And Sand At A Public Beach (Erie County, Ny), Jennifer D. Jackson

Biology Theses

Every year, thousands of people utilize beaches for recreation, but most are unaware of Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination and the possibility of acquiring an infection. In this study, 173 strains of E. coli were isolated from sand and adjacent waters from a public beach in Erie County, NY and analyzed for genetic relatedness based on sequence differences in the variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Some of the variable regions (V1 and V6) proved useful in constructing phylogenetic trees but the discriminatory power of these regions was inadequate to resolve intraspecies differences. Therefore, whether extant populations …

Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira Throughout The Caribbean, Zamara R. Garcia Truitt

Biology Theses

Leptospirosis is a common widespread zoonotic disease found throughout the Caribbean. The infection is produced by a pathogenic Leptospira species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The severity of the disease ranges from a mild asymptomatic infection to death. Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease due to the lack of public awareness and health approaches. Therefore, misdiagnosis is common because the symptoms are similar to that of other tropical endemic diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in water samples collected from Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Sixty-four environmental water samples were collected throughout …

A Comparison Of Driving Versus Walking Roadkill Surveys On A Section Of Highway 212 In Baldwin County, Georgia, Kori Ogletree

Biology Theses

Due to wildlife mortality along roadways, wildlife managers need an efficient and effective way of surveying and identifying roadkill hotspots—locations that have high wildlife mortality rates. The number of roadkill in hotspots is influenced by animal movements in response to seasonal temperature changes, daily activity, surrounding habitat, road topography and physical road features. Due to ease of implementation and time constraints, driving surveys are more common because walking surveys are more labor intensive and time consuming. From February 2018 to February 2019, two survey methods, driving and walking, were used to monitor a 1.16 km section of Highway 212 in …

Genetic Variation Of Human Leukocyte Antigen (Hla) Alleles Among Rheumatiod Arthritis Patients In Fujairah, Amna Abdulla Harib Al-Dhmanie

Biology Theses

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation that affects the joints. It occurs when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and organs. The precise cause of RA is not fully understood but evidence suggests that genes, hormones and environmental factors could be involved. It has been established that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci is a strong risk factor of RA. Specifically, the shared epitope (SE) region of HLA-DRB1 and variations at position 11 and 13 of HLA-DRB1 and position 77 of HLA-A have shown strong association with RA. The hypothesis of this study was …

Gst Detoxifying Enzymes And Pyrethroid Insecticide Resistance Evaluation In The Red Palm Weevil In The Uae, Nasra Said Al Waheibi

Biology Theses

The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important date palm tree insect pest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the world. It causes severe damage to the date palm tree in the UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This insect entered the UAE in 1986 and since then it has been the most economic pest in the country. Larva is the damaging stage, which is concealed inside the tree trunk; a factor that makes early detection very difficult. Infested trees become weaker over time and can be easily broken by wind. Several chemical insecticides …

Honeybees In The Uae: Diseases, Associated Microbial Communities, And Parasitic Varroa Mites, Maitha Saif Abdullah Alshamsi

Biology Theses

Apis mellifera honeybees are the most important pollinator worldwide. Numerous diseases and parasites are causing the decreasing numbers of the A. mellifera honeybee. The main objective of this thesis was to study the A. mellifera honeybee pathogens and parasites along with the Varroa destructor mite. The study included (1) Studying bacterial communities associated with A. mellifera and A. florea in the UAE. (2) Conducting a molecular detection of A. mellifera honeybee pathogens in the UAE. (3) Studying Varroa mites and Varroa-associated pathogen in the UAE. DNA and RNA were extracted from A. mellifera honeybees and V. destructor mites. Subsequently, …

Two-Dimension Magnetotelluric Data Inversion Of Al-Mubazzarah Area (Al-Ain, Uae), Sadieh Mirza Khosravi

Biology Theses

Magnetotelluric (MT) is a geophysical technique that utilizes the naturally existing electromagnetic fields to study the electrical substructure of the Earth. The key role of MT in geothermal exploration is to detect and delineate geothermal resources and to locate the exploitable reservoirs through which hot fluids at depth can be extracted. A well-known hot spring in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in the Al-Mubazzarah area, Al Ain city. The MT method is used to study the electrical conductivity distribution beneath the Al-Mubazzarah area. This study focuses on the characterization of the subsurface electrical features and the geological structures …

Species Distribution Modeling And Cold-Tolerance Of A Fungus-Farming Ant Symbiosis, Sarah F. Senula

Biology Theses

Current anticipated climate change suggests that average global temperature will continue to rise and will cause species ranges to shift to higher latitudes and altitudes. In general, species that are tolerant to a wide range of temperatures and water availability will be able to adapt to changing global temperatures opposed to those who have smaller ranges. In the light of global climate change, many symbioses have been studied regarding stress-induced and adaptive evolution, however, one symbiosis yet to be thoroughly considered is that between fungal-gardening ants and their fungal symbionts. In the following studies, we lay foundation for such work. …

Further Purification Of An Isolated Nitrile Hydratase Fraction With Asparaginase And Glutaminase Activity From Rhodococcus Rhodochrous And Evaluation Of Its Kinetics And Properties As A Potential Treatment For Human Leukemia, Etna Milena Sanchez-Castelblanco

Biology Theses

L- Asparaginase is capable of hydrolyzing L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. This catalytic function is used for the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia resulting in the depletion of L- asparagine in the leukemia cells. Bacterial asparaginase used in current leukemia therapies has side effects and short serum half-life. This study presents the purification and characterization of nitrile hydratase (NHase) with asparaginase (ASNase) and glutaminase (GLNase) from Rhodococcus rhodochrous DAP 96253and 96622.The influence of pH, lysis buffer composition, dialysis process, anion exchange chromatography’s flow rates and pH were incorporated into the approach to purify NHase exhibiting …

Pair Bond Dynamics: Evaluating Longitudinal Changes In Behavior And 11-Ketotestosterone In Parental Convict Cichlids (Amatitlania Siquia), Celine Richards

Biology Theses

Bi-parental care and pair bonding often coincide in nature. The reproductive success of the organisms that apply this strategy is dependent upon defensive behaviors and territorial aggression. Some of these organisms also display affiliative behavior within the pair pond during the time of parental care. The behavioral dynamics that occur over the course of the pair bond and their relationship to the reproductive success of the organism is not well understood. Convict cichlids (Amatitlania siquia) form pair bonds during the breeding season and provide bi-parental care; their behavioral repertoire is ideal for studying pair bonding. The androgen profile of organisms …

Region-Specific Effects Of Microglial Depletion On Developmental Neuronal Cell Death In The Mouse Brain, Andrew Jacobs

Biology Theses

Naturally occurring perinatal cell death is a major developmental process in the formation of the brain. Microglia, the primary immunocompetent cells of the brain, have recently been implicated in actively contributing to perinatal cell death. However, the current research is contradictory. Some studies suggest that microglia induce neuronal death, while others suggest that microglia protect neurons from intrinsic cell death programs. These studies utilize many methods of manipulating microglia, they examine single regions of interest, and analyze at different times in development. These differences in analysis may be responsible for the different conclusions. In this study, we selectively reduced microglia …

Enzyme Stability Reaction For Rhodococcus Rhodochrous Dap 96253 Asparaginase As A Potential Treatment For Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Yathreb Mohamed

Biology Theses

Asparaginase derived from Eschericia coli or Erwinia crysanthum is used in the treatment of juvenile Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). ALL cells cannot make asparagine due to the lack of L-asparagine synthetase gene. Asparaginase is therefore used as a chemotherapeutic treatment for ALL through hydrolysis of the L-asparagine to aspartic acid, which leads to starvation of the ALL tumor cells, then apoptosis. In addition, the asparaginase enzyme is used in the food industry. Asparaginase can be used to reduce acrylamide in baked food formed during the Milliard reaction. In this study, in this study, Rhodococcus rhodochrous DAP 96253 asparaginase enzyme …

A Biotelemetric Study Comparing Diving Behavior And Brumation Sites Of Translocated And Resident Northern Map Turtles (Graptemys Geographica) And Their Response To Replica Model Turtles On Artificial Basking/Nesting Platforms In The Upper Niagara River, Jesse M. Karcher

Biology Theses

Anthropogenic shoreline development leading to a lack of access to terrestrial nesting sites is one of the causes for northern map turtle decline in the upper Niagara River. Translocation of adult map turtles and the development of floating basking/nesting platforms were proposed as possible remedies for this population decline. Biotelemetry along with aerial and underwater drones were used to assess habitat preferences between resident and translocated turtles. It was expected that the platforms would be used for basking and nesting and that a platform located in a natural location would be more successful than one in a developed area, due …

Detection Of Necroptosis And Pyroptosis-Associated Molecules During Experimental Maids-Related Cytomegalovirus Retinitis, Lauren-Asley Duncan

Biology Theses

Sight threatening human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) retinitis still remains a cause for concern among AIDS patients who do not respond to or do not have access to current antiretroviral (ART) therapy [1]. However, little is currently known about the degenerative mechanisms behind HHCMV retinal destruction during retroviral immunosuppression. The well-established murine AIDS (MAIDS) related murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) retinitis model closely mimics disease progression seen in AIDS patients [4]. Previous work using this model has shown that while the cell death pathway apoptosis is involved in disease progression, it is not fully responsible [1]. It has been found that the mRNA of …

Nanomedical Applications In Zebrafish: Characterizing Vlp Hk97 As A Cell-Specific Delivery Tool In Danio Rerio, Bridget A. Fitzgerald

Biology Theses

Virus Like Particles (VLPs) are self-assembling protein subunits which organize in vitro into hollow protein cages that mimic the structure of a viral capsid. VLPs possess valuable characteristics of the native virus including immunogenicity and a propensity for entrance into cells. However, they lack the viral genome and the ability to replicate, rendering them non-virulent. VLPs can be internally and externally modified utilizing genetic engineering and biochemical techniques. Applications of modified VLPs are vast in nanomedicine, and tissue-specific drug targeting is a desirable potential use for this technology. VLP HK97 is a well characterized VLP derived from a bacteriophage found …

A Polyphasic Approach In Understanding Green Algal Ecology, Blia Lor

Biology Theses

Pithophora and Cladophora are two representative genera of the order Cladophorales as filamentous Chlorophyta. These two genera are major contributors to the total algal biomass of littoral communities in freshwater and shallow marine water and have been reported as nuisance algae as they proliferate fast with the influx of nutrients. However, the wide geographical distribution and the overlap of plastic morphological characteristics between the two genera have complicated taxonomic identification at species level and phylogenetic studies. In the present study, a population of a monospecific, filamentous algal community was collected in Jewell, Georgia from the Ogeechee River. The monospecific, filamentous …