Digital Commons Network^™

Screening H3 Histone Acetylation In A Wild Bird, The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus), Daniella Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Epigenetic mechanisms are increasingly understood to have major impacts across ecology. However, one molecular epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, currently dominates the literature. A second mechanism, histone modification, is likely important to ecologically relevant phenotypes and thus warrants investigation, especially because molecular interplay between methylation and histone acetylation can strongly affect gene expression. There are a limited number of histone acetylation studies on non-model organisms, yet those that exist show that it can impact gene expression and phenotypic plasticity. Wild birds provide an excellent system to investigate histone acetylation, as free-living individuals must rapidly adjust to environmental change. Here, we screen …

Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteriophages From Fish Tank Samples, Oluwaseyi Oluwagbeminiyi Oladele-Ajose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacteriophages (phages) are viral obligate intracellular parasites that infect bacteria. Research has been carried out on alternative treatment plans for bacterial infections due to the increase in antibiotic resistance. Phages have been proposed as an alternative to antibiotics. This research focused on the isolation and characterization of bacteria from small aquariums. A total of 42 bacterial isolates were isolated from seven different fish tank water samples and were tested to determine if they possessed phages. Spot plaque assay revealed presence of lytic phage for only one of the isolated bacterial strains, which was determined to belong to Enterobacteriaceae family based …

Effect Of Macrophage Expressed Α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (Α7nachr) On Migration Of Macrophages During Inflammation, Kasey Keever

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by overwhelming inflammation, resulting in organ system damage, leading to a high mortality rate. Care in the clinical setting is supportive, and there are no approved sepsis-specific treatments. In septic mice, activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway decreases cytokine secretion by leukocytes and improves survival. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is a reflex of the parasympathetic nervous system, converging on the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nAChR) at the surface of macrophages. Signaling through the receptor blocks NF-kB activation, thus cytokine secretion. Receptor activation has other effects on macrophages, including modulating their migration to …

Breaking Virulent: The Coincidental Evolution Of Virulence Factors In Bacteria., Rhiannon Emmanuelle Cecil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how innocuous organisms can evolve to be pathogenic to humans is of increasing global concern. Further, understanding how existing pathogens may evolved to be more virulent is also vital to our ability to provide healthcare to people afflicted with diseases that promote chronic bacterial infections, such as cystic fibrosis. With the rise of antibiotic resistance in both bacteria and fungi it is paramount that new therapeutics are identified. Understanding what mutations occur that result in increased virulence in microbes can potentially provide new targets for antimicrobial drugs to combat antibiotic resistance. The Coincidental Evolution Hypothesis is a fundamental hypothesis …

Characterizing Predator-Prey Relationships Of Great Lakes Fishes Using Targeted Stomach Content Dna Analyses, Matthew Richard Charron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stomach content DNA (scDNA) analyses provide important insights into feeding ecology, trophic interactions, and diet composition of predator fishes. However, previous scDNA analyses have focused on investigating a small number of predator and prey fishes using binary presence/absence data. Here, I describe the development and validation of a panel of single-species quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays targeting the polymorphic mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) region of 28 Great Lakes prey fishes. The assay panel will significantly increase the number of targeted prey species available for predator diet assessment, while at the same time improving detection sensitivity and through-put. I …

Physiological And Behavioural Responses Of Arctic-Breeding Shorebirds To Weather And Habitat Conditions, Sara Bellefontaine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arctic-breeding shorebirds balance proximate and ultimate trade-offs in an energetically demanding environment. While these species are selective of nest sites, previous research shows that the characteristics of preferred shorebird nests do not predict increased breeding success. Thus, I aimed to identify detectable mechanisms driving nest preferences in Arctic-breeding shorebirds. Using an archival dataset, I first examined long-term nest preferences in relation to wind conditions at the East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary, on Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada. I then studied energetic responses of two shorebird species to weather conditions across various nest types in a field study using non-invasive heart rate …

Regulation Of Natural Killer Cell Responses By Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Mouse Mammary Tumors, Mary Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Natural killer (NK) cells of the innate immune system play important roles in anti-cancer immunity. NK cell functions are regulated by inhibitory and activating receptors, which recognize specific ligands on the target cells. One example is the inhibitory NKR-P1B receptor which recognizes the ligand C-type lectin-related protein b (Clr-b). Work in our lab has shown NKR-P1B:Clr-b interactions are involved in mammary tumor immunosurveillance by NK cells. However, the cellular interactions and factors involved in modulating NK cell functions via this receptor:ligand system in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are not fully understood. This project aims to understand the role of myeloid-derived …

Muscle Defects Lead To Skeletal Deformities In A Zebrafish Model Of Distal Arthrogryposis, Emily A. Tomak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Distal Arthrogryposis Type 1 (DA1) involves mild muscle weakness and limb skeletal abnormalities thought to be caused by paralysis in utero. Why the limbs are particularly affected in DA1 and the degree of paralysis that leads to these skeletal deformities in utero remains unclear. Several muscle genes are known to cause DA1, including MYLPF (myosin light chain phosphorylatable), which encodes a myosin light chain protein that binds close to the force-generating head of myosin heavy chains. The zebrafish mylpfa^-/- mutant displays a phenotype consistent with DA1, including impaired myosin activity, reduced muscle force overall, and complete fin paralysis. I …

The Relationship Between Intuitive Eating And Body Mass Index And Diet Quality In College Students, Ashley A. Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective

The objective of this research was to explore the influence of intuitive eating (IE) on body mass index (BMI) and diet quality (DQ) among college students.

Methods

A cross-sectional convenience sample of college students completed an online survey consisting of the short-Healthy Eating Index (SHEI) and the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (23 items). Body mass index was calculated using self-reported height and weight. Descriptive statistics were used to assess group characteristics. A linear regression was used to test if IE scores significantly predicted BMI. An independent t-test was used to compare BMIs of students with IE scores above and below …

Effects Of Large Wood Additions On Basal Resources, Macroinvertebrates, And Ecosystem Processes In The Narraguagus River, Maine, Val Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ecological restoration is an increasingly common practice across ecosystems, and current practices aim to restore the biological and physical processes underlying ecosystem function, often for the sake of endangered higher-level consumers. Studies of restoration outcomes often report few or inconsistent ecological changes, and monitoring of restoration projects rarely measures ecological processes. Monitoring also usually measures outcomes at a single scale, despite the prevalence of scale- dependent phenomena across ecosystems. My thesis uses measurements of ecological processes to assess restoration response and evaluates responses across multiple scales. I focus here on a long-term large wood addition project on the Narraguagus River …

Analyzing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa With Bacteriophage Tags Using Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry, Jennifer C. Schinke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of daily bacterial infections is climbing and the CDC explains that this is due to the antibiotic-resistant threat in the United States. Finding a faster way of bacterial identification is necessary as it currently takes 1-4 days for a medical lab to culture and identify bacteria. Photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) can be used as an alternative method resulting in swift identification within an hour (Edgar, 2019). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cell line PA01, will be coated in up to a few hundred red dyed phages making it detectible by the photoacoustic flow cytometry system. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that …

Molecular Detection And Characterization Of Rickettsia Sp. In Hard Ticks Collected In Nacogdoches, Texas, Haley Nicole Standifird

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of cases of tick-borne diseases is increasing in the United States. Many efforts to control ticks have been made and are continuously being developed. These methods include surveillance of ticks and detection of the tick-borne pathogens.This study examined hard ticks in Nacogdoches, Texas, to test for the presence of Rickettsia sp. 47 ticks were collected from vegetation by flagging and their species, sex, and developmental stage were determined using available keys. Individual ticks were processed for nucleic acid extraction and molecular detection of Rickettsia sp. using PCR-based methods. The citrate cynthease gene, 17kDa gene, and outer membrane protein …

Femoral Osteohistology In American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis) Reveals High Variation In Growth And Facilitates Interpretation Of An Early Pliocene Alligator, Davis Gunnin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Histological analysis of long bone thin sections is commonly used to infer growth rates and ecology of extinct vertebrates, particularly within Archosauria. However, most comparative neontological studies have used small samples of captive individuals, limiting the scope of variation. To fill this gap, 44 femoral thin sections of wild Alligator mississippiensis were prepared and analyzed. Comparison of slides revealed that larger individuals from cooler climates tend to show more LAGs compared to southerly A. mississippiensis of similar size, however, there is considerable variation. This pronounced variation in wild specimens emphasizes the need to use caution when interpreting paleohistological data with …

Exploring The Relationships Between Environmentally Influenced Foraging Behaviour, Energetics, And Breeding Decisions In Arctic Breeding Common Eiders, Erika Nissen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migratory species breeding in polar environments face highly seasonal conditions and significant temporal and spatial constraints which can limit their ability to reproduce successfully. Effective energetic management is especially important at high latitudes, where a shortened breeding season and variable spring climatic conditions can restrict seasonal food availability, impact ability to initiate reproduction and successfully raise offspring. We explored this paradigm in marine benthic foraging common eiders (Somateria mollissima), at a long-term studied colonial nesting site at East Bay (Mitivik) Island, Nunavut, Canada. Eiders rely on marine prey to gain the energy necessary to invest in reproduction when arriving at …

Conceptualization And Perceptions Of Student Preparedness In Quantitative Reasoning Among Introductory Biology Faculty, Ann Cleveland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quantitative reasoning (QR) is a crucial competency as undergraduate biology students complete their academic program and enter a workforce increasingly reliant on analyses of vast and complex data sets. The need to prepare biology majors for the 21^st century workforce was cited in Vision and Change: a Call to Action (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 2011). The Vision and Change document also advocated for curriculum reform to incorporate QR instruction in undergraduate biology programs. Biology education researchers answered this call with a wealth of research examining undergraduate QR competencies, barriers and challenges to QR learning in …

Characterization Of Molecular Content, Cytotoxicity, And Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Extractions From Eupatorium Serotinum, Jordy Sloan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation is a complex and varied immune response which can be expressed chronically or as a temporary reaction to foreign invaders. Symptoms of inflammation include swelling, pain, soreness, and difficulty of motion. Recently, the effect of sesquiterpene lactones such as Helenalin from Arnica montana have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we identified and harvested samples of Eupatorium serotinum, a plant historically used by Native Americans to treat a variety of medical illnesses. Crude extracts of the leaves, flowers, roots, and stems were prepared by ethanol extraction. The cytotoxicity of the different extracts on HEK293 cells …

Dolphin Behavioral Responses To Uncrewed Aerial Systems As A Function Of Exposure, Height, And Type, Savannah Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are becoming a standard tool in the study of cetaceans, however, a comparative assessment of animal responses to UAS has not been established to gauge the most effective systems for cetacean study. We utilized Dolphin Quest Bermuda’s eleven bottlenose dolphins as subjects for such an investigation taking place over five weeks in 2022 and five weeks in 2023. The dolphins were evaluated for investigative behavioral responses to six off-the-shelf UAS types and a custom fixed wing system. Each UAS was flown in decreasing height vertically above the main dolphin lagoon to evaluate dolphin behavioral responses in …

Comparative Energetics Of Mammalian Thermoregulatory Physiology, Ana M. Breit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothermy allows species to decouple body temperature from environmental
temperatures but does not equate to endothermic species maintaining those constant temperatures. Instead, heterothermy fluctuating body temperatures, both in and outside of torpor is common and allows endotherms to expand the limits of thermoneutrality. Thermolability is likely to be more common in the tropics and subtropics, where species live within or above their thermoneutral zone. My dissertation research focused on the heterothermic-homeothermic continuum, specifically quantifying where on the continuum different species fall at certain times and why those species have evolved to be at those points. I quantified the thermal profile …

Use Of Space And Foraging Behavior Of Loggerhead Shrikes In Urban Areas, Katie Anne Maddox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Loggerhead shrikes, Lanius ludovicianus, are a declining grassland songbird native to North America. Land-use change has been associated with the decline of grassland bird species. However, the process of urbanization creates novel short-grass habitats reminiscent of shrikes’ natural habitats. Loggerhead shrikes have been observed living in developed areas, particularly in Southeastern coastal states. Understanding the long-term impacts of urban-dwelling on loggerhead shrike populations is vital to identifying whether urban areas offer refuge or act as an ecological sink for shrike populations.

In chapter one, I quantified the use of space by shrikes in urban habitats within Horry County, South …

Neonate Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) Relative Abundance And Body Condition In Two South Carolina Estuaries Varying In Urbanization, Rileigh E. Hawk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization near estuaries has been shown to affect the growth and survival of juvenile sharks using the system as a nursery. North Inlet and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, are similarly-sized, tidally-dominated, bar-built estuaries with extensive Sporobolus-lined tidal creeks but differ in degree of human impact. Previously, Murrells Inlet was shown to have a lower abundance and diversity of large sharks than North Inlet and Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) were shown to use North Inlet as a primary nursery. To examine potential differences in neonate shark abundance and growth between a developed estuary, Murrells Inlet, and a protected estuary, North …

Deterrent Effects Of The Select Magnetic And Repellent Treated (Smarttm) Hooks And The Recently Developed "Smarter" Hooks On Sharks In Recreational Hook-And-Line And Longline Trials, Ryan Lowndes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As bycatch continues to impact global shark populations, there is a continuing need for effective bycatch reduction devices. Prior research has shown promise in exploiting sharks' electrosensory ability to this end. We tested the deterrent efficacy of the Select Magnetic and Repellant Treated (SMARTTM) and the newly developed "SMARTER" hooks in experimental longline and hook-and-line trials. Both are magnetized and contain an electropositive metal component made of magnesium (SMART) and a magnesium alloy designed to extend longevity (SMARTER). We deployed 127 longlines with SMART hooks, SMARTER hooks, controls, and procedural controls from 2021-2022 in Winyah Bay, South Carolina, and caught …

Neuronal Or Intestinal Knockdown Of C. Elegans Nadk-1 Decreases Oxygen Consumption And Reactive Oxygen Species, Jake Regan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 can damage cellular components and are formed as a byproduct of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. Studies using the nematode C. elegans have found that increasing ROS during development or early adulthood can extend lifespan, while increasing ROS during later adulthood normally decreases lifespan. NADPH provides the reducing power for several cellular antioxidants and is synthesized in a two-step reaction from NAD+ with the first step being catalyzed by NAD kinase (NADK). In this study, the effects of knocking down C. elegans cytoplasmic NADK, nadk-1 globally or in a neuron or intestine-specific manner starting from …

Development Of Three Novel Edna Assays For Detecting Coastal Sharks, Kristina Dawn Flanigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is an emerging, non-invasive community monitoring tool. This study aimed to determine if eDNA methods can be reliably used in a large brackish, partially mixed estuary by developing and testing three novel eDNA primers, for Sandbar Sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus), Blacknose Sharks (Carcharhinus acronotus), and Bonnetheads (Sphyrna tiburo). These primers were designed to target 109, 156, and 120 base pair (bp) fragments, respectively, of the highly conserved NAD2 gene in the mitochondrial genome of each species. Primer function was validated through testing against 102 known genomic source samples and 25 filtered water samples from aquaria in which …

The Evolution Of Empathy: Through The Lens Of A Rodent Model., Caroline Driscoll-Braden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Empathy is the capacity to be affected by and share the emotions of others, to discern the circumstances prompting another’s emotional state, and to identify with another by adopting their perspective. Research investigating the empathically motivated behavior of rats can help inform the evolutionary history of empathy and provide additional support of the continuity of empathy in animals and humans. In this dissertation, I examine the helping behavior of rats to explore the complexities of rodent empathy. In Chapter I, I review the multiple layers of empathy and describe both historical and contemporary research examining empathy in non-humans. I explain …

Transmission And The Evolution Of Diseases Caused By Chlamydia Trachomatis, Sars-Cov-2, And Plasmodium Species., Nathan Steffens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principles of natural selection have proven valuable for explaining why pathogens cause the diseases that they do. In theory, the evolved level of host exploitation should reflect how dependent a pathogen is on host health for transmission. This dependency is shaped by transmission mode and transmission opportunity, which should therefore be predictors of disease manifestations. In this dissertation, I apply these principles to investigations of depression in Chlamydia trachomatis and virulence of SARS-COV-2 and Plasmodium species. This dissertation has five chapters. In chapter I, I describe the theoretical foundation of my dissertation research. I also briefly introduce each study system. …

Vibroacoustic Response Of The Tympanic Membrane To Hyoid-Borne Sound Generated During Echolocation In Bats, Chelsie Snipes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The hyoid apparatus in laryngeally echolocating bats forms a mechanical connection between the larynx and auditory bullae and has been hypothesized to transfer the outgoing echolocation call to the middle ear during echolocation call emission. We used µCT data to build models of the hyoid apparatus and middle ear from six species of bats and used finite element modeling (FEM) to measure the vibroacoustic response of the tympanic membrane due to hyoid-borne sound generated during echolocation. We found that hyoid-borne sound in all six species stimulated the eardrum within a range likely heard by bats. Although there were minor differences …

Application Of Crispr/Cas9 Whole Genome Screens To Advance Macrophage Biology, Kevin Wanniarachchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advances in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies present opportunities to better understand the contribution of individual genes to complex eukaryotic cellular processes. I have applied CRISPR whole genome screen technologies to inform further mechanistic understanding of macrophage fitness and neutral lipid metabolism. This work is important because macrophages play critical roles in immune function and are implicated as causative agents in disease states. Chapter One of this dissertation provides insights into how CRISPR genome screening technologies have improved biological discovery and key findings from their application and discusses how this technology can be implemented to advance the discovery of novel macrophage …

C3 And C4 Grass Dominated Plant Communities Differ In Response To Future Larger And Less Frequent Rainfall, Zigeng Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is leading to larger and less frequent rainfall in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). We ask if this change in rainfall would influence carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in the NGP. First, we collected soils from C3 and C4 grass dominated plant communities from western South Dakota and conducted an incubation experiment to explore the effects of soil water content (SWC) and temperature on soil respiration (Rs) and N mineralization rate (ΔIN). Second, we conducted a three-year rainfallmanipulation (RaMP) experiment with two distinct rainfall regimes (frequent/small and infrequent/large events with constant total monthly precipitation) and two grasses …

The Influence Of Administrative Timing In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatments, Emily Mailloux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer accounts for 25% of all cancers in Canadian women, and 15-20% of these are triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC), which have a poorer prognosis than other breast cancer subtypes. TNBC lacks expression of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which are common therapeutic targets in breast cancer. Due to the lack of target therapy, generalized chemotherapy treatments are used instead. The standard of care for treatment of TNBC instead consists of doxorubicin (A), cyclophosphamide (C) paclitaxel (T), and carboplatin (Carbo), that target various aspects of the cell cycle to induce cell …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Probiotic Therapy For Improving Growth Performance Of Triploid Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) In Aquaculture Using A Behavioural Genomics Approach, Chelsea Frank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With an increasing human population, there has been increased production of fish to meet nutritional needs. Commercial aquaculture accounts for a significant portion of seafood production with salmonids being the major farmed finfish in Canada. To obtain greater biomass from aquaculture with minimal drawbacks (e.g., compromised flesh quality), triploidization has been implemented, altering ploidy from 2N to 3N, to induce sterility and promote energy investment towards somatic growth. Triploid individuals experience transcriptional and behavioural changes resulting in disease, mortalities, and reduced growth. Probiotic therapies (live microorganisms) have been recommended to potentially overcome drawbacks of triploidy and improve mass due to …