Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Elevated Temperature On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In Atlantic Sea Urchin (Arbacia Punctulata), Jackson B. Johnstone

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing surface sea water temperatures effect on growth, reproduction and development in marine organisms. Sea urchins are excellent indicator species and ideal model organisms to focus on. In this study, I tested the effect of higher temperatures on reproductive functions, heat shock protein (HSP, a chaperone protein produced by cells in response to heat stress) and nitrotyrosine protein (NTP, an indicator of reactive nitrogen species, RNS) expressions, cellular apoptosis, and ceolomic fluid (CF, a body fluid which regulates important physiological processes) conditions in Atlantic sea urchin at three different temperatures. Ten sea urchins were placed in each of six aquariums …

Contributions Of Historical Ecology To Ecological Services Assessments In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas, Julianna Katherine Schaefer Kurpis

Theses and Dissertations

Historic and current anthropogenic land-use activities affect ecological functions and ecosystem services quality. The clearing of native Tamaulipan thorn forest and riparian forests for agricultural use and expansion followed by rapid urbanization and population growth resulted in profound ecological impacts to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), Texas. The goals of this study are 1) document trends in land use change and vegetation health in the LRGV 2) evaluate and demonstrate the application of the Ecosystem Services Identification & Inventory Tool (ESII Tool) for collecting ecological data and measuring percent ecological performance and 3) use historical ecology indicators to compare …

A Snapshot Of The Age, Growth, And Reproductive Status Of Gray Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus, Gmelin 1789) On Three Artificial Reefs In The Northwest Gulf Of Mexico, Adam M. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Age, growth, and reproductive status of gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) were identified from 2015-2016 on artificial reefs in the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Individuals ranged from 232-432 mm fork length with and a mean fork length of 319 mm. Individuals from age 0.2 to 5.2 yrs were observed with a weight to length relationship of Wg = 1.1 x -104 x FL2.7 (r2 = 0.94, n = 112), where FL = fork length (mm) and Wg = weight (g). A von Bertalanffy growth equation of Lt = 326(1 - e - 0.9 (t + 1.71)) was calculated irrespective …

Effects Of Global Warming On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In The American Oyster, Sarah B. Nash

Theses and Dissertations

Global warming due to climate change is predicted to intensify the heat stress in marine and coastal organisms, affecting their development, growth and reproductive functions. In this study. I analyzed gonadal development, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), nitrotyrosine protein (NTP), dinitrophenyl (DNP) expressions, cellular apoptosis, and coelomic fluid (CF) conditions in American oyster. Oysters were placed in six aquariums and exposed to control (24°C), medium (28°C), and high (32°C) temperatures for one week. Higher temperature significantly decreased the number of eggs and sperm. CF protein concentrations also declined compared to control. In contrast, CF pH and HSP70 expression in gonad …

Co-Infection Of Zika And Dengue Virus In Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus Mosquitoes, Felicia Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The term co-infection describes an event when multiple pathogens infect a single host. For vector-borne diseases, a vector may become co-infected by feeding either on a single host that has multiple pathogens or feeding multiple hosts, each of which may be infected. Co-infection in non-vector hosts has been shown to influence immune response and eventual outcome of disease, and is likely to have a similar impact on vector species. With multiple vector-borne diseases circulating in South Texas, the potential for co-infection exists. We examined when mosquitoes are infected with one virus and subsequently infected with another. We hypothesized that the …

Impacts Of Habitat Attributes And Community Gardens On Urban Bird Communities, Samuel Glenn Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas is a major agricultural region yet has some of the highest hunger rates in the USA. Urbanization and agriculture affect biodiversity, which is well studied, but little is known about how agriculture affects biodiversity in urban areas. We investigated how different urban attributes, including those related to urban farming, impact bird communities in Brownsville and Harlingen, TX, and compared sites that have community gardens to those that do not. To study three key urban habitat characteristics, we identified sites that exhibited all possible combinations of these factors, quantified land cover classes related to …

The Relationship Between The Distance Of An External Focus Of Attention And Lower Body Power In Rugby Athletes, Donald Pump

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation is to examine the relationship between the distance effect on power output during countermovement jumps in Rugby athletes. Hypothesis Testing was conducted utilizing a Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM ANOVA) at a .05 significance level. A Pairwise comparison was conducted to determine if one variable had a greater amount of quantitative property. Statistical insignificance was determined after all data was analyzed Results were unable to show a positive relationship between the distance of an external focus of attention and lower body power output in rugby athletes.

Measuring Connective Capacity Throughout The Gulf Of Mexico Fishery Management Network, Anthony Rocha Lima

Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf of Mexico provides substantial resources along its 1,680-mile coastline, spanning 5 U.S. states and providing millions of pounds of seafood and hundreds of millions in revenue annually. Continued success of the fishery relies on the ability of a large, complex, multiagency network to find the best solutions to balance the needs of humans, as well as ensure long-term sustainability. Organizations with varying objectives require effective communication when addressing intricate ecosystem-based management topics such as endangered species and regional economies.

To better understand the connectivity within the Gulf fishery management network, an IRB reviewed survey was dispersed to the …

Improving The Active Straight Leg Raise By Active And Passive Partner Assisted Stretching, Cortney R. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

The Functional Movement Screen has been a very popular tool for assessing athlete’s movements and predicting future risk of injury. In the hierarchy of this screen, the active straight leg raise reigns supreme. They have shown that improvements in this movement correlate to improvements in other movements but not vise versa. It is important to find a way to quickly improve this functional movement, so it can be utilized in group settings to help potentially reduce the risk of injury in athletes. The findings of this study will serve to be valuable in sports injury and improvement in performance. The …

Survey Assessment Of Community Knowledge And Prevention Of Chagas Disease And Its Vector In Hidalgo And Cameron Counties, Adam Dennis Wiejaczka

Theses and Dissertations

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, kills thousands of people annually and is the dominant cause of infectious myocarditis worldwide. Kissing bugs are vectors that carry T. cruzi . and are found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). There is no vaccination nor cure for Chagas. The best mechanism of prevention is to control vector infestations. Little research is available regarding the level of understanding local communities have about Chagas.

Our goal was to test the knowledge of several communities in the LRGV on Chagas disease. Our hypothesis states that local communities do not have sufficient …

The Acute Effects Of Resistance Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction Versus Traditional Resistance Exercise On Arterial Compliance And Energy Expenditure In Recreationally Active Males And Females, Danny D. Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of various intensities of volume matched resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) and traditional resistance exercise on hemodynamic variables, arterial compliance, oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and energy expenditure (EE) during exercise and after exercise.

RESULTS: Significant condition main effects (p < 0.05) were found for RPE, HR, crPWV, fdPWV, LAE, SAE, TVI, RER during and postexercise. BFR25 cause greater increases in RPE and HR. BFR50 caused marked increases in SAE, crPWV, and fdPWV.

CONCLUSION: All BFR and traditional exercise conditions found no significant differences in EE, VCO2, and VO2. The lack of differences is likely due to time of protocol. Further protocols should implement greater time of exercise, as BFR had increased hemodynamic …

Removal Of Lead And Arsenic From Aqueous Solution By Biochar Produced From Locally-Sourced Biomass, Sergio I. Mireles

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of four adsorbent materials, pyrolyzed corn stover, orange peel, pistachio shell, and magnetic biochar for their ability to adsorb lead (Pb) and arsenic (As III, As V) from aqueous solution. An increase in adsorption was seen as the pH of the solution increased from pH 2 to pH 6. Magnetic orange peel biochar with Fe3O4 particles precipitated on the surface of biochar was synthetized by co-precipitation and used for arsenic adsorption. Initial pH value had an influence on the adsorption behavior of As (III) and As (V). In the pH range of 2–6, As (V) …

The Effects Of A Short-Term Endurance Training Program With Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs Versus Acsm Recommended Endurance Training On Arterial Compliance And Muscular Adaptations In Recreationally Active Males, Brittany N. Esparza

Theses and Dissertations

RESULTS: Significant time and group interaction found in cardiac ejection time (p<.05). Significant condition difference between blood flow restriction (BFR) and control for heart rate (HR) max (p=.05) and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2) (p<.05). Significant time difference found in pulse wave velocity femoral to distal (p<.05). Significant repetition main effect (p<.01) for root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MDF) of Thorstensson. Significant time and group interaction in vastus lateralis of MDF (p<.01). Significant repetition main effect for RMS and MDF ratio (p<.01) Significant time and repetition interaction in vastus lateralis of RMS ratio (p<.03)

CONCLUSION: The BFR session showed improvement in both post HR max and post VO2 in comparison to the control group. This may have been caused by increased tolerance to pain/metabolic by-products for HR and increased efficiency at extracting oxygen for VO2

Central Precocious Puberty Alters The Mammary Gland Epithelial Landscape In Female Rats, Alina M. Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

Precocious puberty (PP) is a serious endocrine disorder associated with an increased risk for development of breast cancer (BC) later in life. However, the lack of a strong in vivo model has made it difficult to study this relationship. Our group has established manganese (Mn) as a non-toxic activator of the pubertal process. Recently we demonstrated that Mn-induced precocious puberty (MnPP) accelerates E2-regulated mammary gland (MG) development in prepubertal female rats, resulting in persistent proliferation and adult hyperplasia. Using this model, I demonstrate that precocious puberty alters steroidal regulation of proliferation in both the prepubertal and adult virgin MG, altering …

Neuromuscular And Arterial Compliance Responses To Different Resistance Training Frequencies And Protocols, Patrick Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of blood flow restriction and resistance training on arterial elasticity, EMG activity, and strength indices among sedentary to recreationally active females who completed 6 weeks of resistance training.

RESULTS: Significant time*condition interactions occurred in LE-1RM (p

CONCLUSION: The research group(s), 1–2 days/week with and without blood flow restriction, may increase training adaptations and responses parallel to the control group (3 days/week). There appears to be no differences in arterial compliance between groups.

Applications Of Side Scan And Parametric Echosounders For Mapping Shallow Seagrass Habitats And Their Associated Organic Carbon, Austin L. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a global valuation of $1.9 trillion seagrass habitats world-wide are in decline—directly impacting the large soil carbon stocks associated with seagrasses. Many methods exist to measure the health of seagrass habitats, yet few apply to shallow coastal ecosystems. Those that do lack spatial resolution (satellite surveys) or do not provide continuous data across large areas (point-based surveys). Furthermore, carbon content of these ecosystems is largely limited to destructive and time-consuming soil core sampling. Side scan and parametric acoustics represent a unique technological opportunity to study habitat coverage and carbon content of vegetated coastal habitats (< 3 m depth). This study presents proof of concept for applications of recreational side scan and parametric sub-bottom profiling sonars in mapping both habitat coverage and organic carbon distribution in shallow seagrass habitats, and explores how these methods might be improved in future applications.

Developing A Multimetric Index To Assess Resaca Ecosystem Health, Buford J. Lessley

Theses and Dissertations

As the only freshwater ecosystem in the lower Rio Grande Valley aside from the Rio itself, resacas are critical habitat for many species of flora and fauna. Old distributaries of the Rio Grande, resacas provided conveyance routes moving floodwater to the Laguna Madre. Today these wetlands are novel ecosystems and are artificially maintained. Urbanization and agriculture have lead to sedimentation, habitat loss, contaminants, poor water quality, and invasive species. The objective of this study was to assess and monitor resaca pools and to compose the Resaca Health Index (RHI) from selected indicators of ecosystem structure and function including leaf litter …

Calculating Evapotranspiration Of Arundo Donax Along The Rio Grande, Jose R. Escamilla Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species have been recorded to cause large economic and ecological impacts on various ecosystems and their services. Locally, giant reed (Arundo donax L.), a woody grass native to the Mediterranean, adversely impacts riparian ecosystems in southwestern United States by aggressively displacing their native flora and fauna. Giant reed also has become a cause of concern for national water security, especially in water-limited areas of the arid southwestern United States. The main objective of this study is to provide the first, landscape-level estimates of water use by giant reed in the United States. Evapotranspiration was monitored using the eddy …

South Padre Island Beach Management: Assessment Of Dune Restoration, Shelby Rose Bessette

Theses and Dissertations

Dune restoration is a common method of increasing coastal resilience. A dune restoration program was initiated by the City of South Padre Island, TX in 2010 consisting primarily of plantings of Sea Oats, Uniola paniculata, and Bitter Panicum, Panicum amarum and has continued approximately annually thereafter. These restoration efforts were evaluated in this study by comparing dune ecological structure and function among reference sites and restoration plots ranging in age from 2 to 5 years. Plant and animal communities were examined using a combination of quadrat sampling, funnel traps, pit-falls and sweep nets. Soil organic content and soil electric …

The Effect Of Manganese (Mn) On Cell Proliferation And Migration In The Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (Mcf-7) Human Breast Cancer Cell Line In Vitro, Justin Lloyd Wendel

Theses and Dissertations

Manganese (Mn) is a common environmental element necessary for mammalian physiological processes. However, dietary excess or deficiency can lead to detrimental health effects. Therefore, I investigated the effect Mn has on breast cancer progression in vitro. Utilizing MCF-7 breast cancer cells an MTT assay was performed to identify proliferative potential. After 5 days, results showed 100 nM manganese chloride (MnCl2) had a significant (p<0.01) increase in cell number over control. Using a scratch wound-healing assay, 100 nM MnCl2 was found to increase cellular motility as well as induce a possible change in morphology and cytoskeletal organization. Given Mn was shown to localize in the mitochondrial, we investigated Mn-induced ROS expression. 500 nM Mn significantly decreased (p<0.05) ROS levels. Collectively, I provide evidence that Mn may potentially drive less aggressive cancer cells towards a more invasive phenotype.

The Acute Effects Of Aerobic Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs On Arterial Compliance In Males And Females, Maria M. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

RESULTS: Significant condition*gender interactions found in in SBP (p<.05), PR (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), SpO2 (p<.05), PWV carotid to femoral (p<.03), and PWV femoral to distal (p<.02). Significant condition*time interactions were found in SBP (p<.01), DBP (p<.01), MAP (p<.01), SV (p<.01), CO (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), and SAE (p<.01). Significant condition main effects were found in SBP (p<.02), DBP (p<.03), PR (p<.03), SV (p<.01), CO (p=.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), and SAE (p<.03) as well as a condition trend in PWV femoral to distal (p=.06). Significant time main effects were found in SBP (p<.01), MAP (p<.04), PP (p<.01), PR (p<.01), CO (p<.01), SVR (p<.01), TVI (p<.01), HR (p<.01), SpO2 (p<.01), LAE (p<.03), and PWV femoral to distal (p<.01).

CONCLUSION: The 60 min session at a moderate aerobic intensity might have the potential to improve arterial elasticity more than a 20 min BFR session.

Apoptotic And Necrotizing Mechanisms Of Recombinant Panton-Valentine Leukocidin In Thp1 Monocytes., Heriberto Deleon Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) is a highly specialized bacterial exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. The increased degree of invasiveness of community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CAMRSA) has been attributed to the relatively high rates of PVL produced by the pathogen, thus increasing pathogenicity and virulence. The increased rates of PVL encoding CAMRSA infections have been correlated with increased rates of necrotizing fasciitis, invasive osteomyelitis and invasive necrotizing pneumococcal infections. Previous research as revealed that PVL has the ability to induce apoptosis at low concentration (5nM-10nM) and necrosis (50-100nM) at high concentrations, with little detail on the mechanism of initiation. …

Jatropha Curcas Protoplast Isolation And Inhibitory Effects Of Culture, Christopher S. Lukaszewski

Theses and Dissertations

Improvement on the sub-tropical plant Jatropha curcas may increase the use of this drought tolerant oilseed crop for the production of biodiesel. One of the methods for enhancing a species is through genetic manipulation of the protoplast. Isolating protoplasts is challenging and culturing has many obstacles similar to those seen in tissue culture, such as oxidative browning. Successful isolation of J. curcas leaf protoplasts resulted in an average of 3.23 x 106 viable protoplasts/mL. However, protoplasts diminished within 2 days after culturing. A review of the potential solutions used for overcoming the inhibitory effects of culture may reveal further insight …

Comparing Reproductive Capacity Of Nearshore And Offshore Red Snapper, Lutjanus Campechanus, On Artificial Reefs In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Ricky J. Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Red snapper collected quarterly from four artificial reefs in south Texas were examined to compare total length, total weight, age, and the proportion of male to female red snapper, calculate gonadosomatic index values, batch fecundity, annual spawning frequency, and annual fecundity, and estimate size and age at maturity. Spawning occurred from April to September, with most active spawning observed in June (58%). Despite larger red snapper producing more eggs, and fish being larger offshore, most active spawning (68%) and egg production (74%) was observed nearshore. Female red snapper reached 50% maturity (L50) between 350-550 mm, and L75 by 600 mm. …