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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Tracking The Progression Of Defects At The Neuromuscular Junction In Huntington's Disease, Katherine A. Trittschuh
Tracking The Progression Of Defects At The Neuromuscular Junction In Huntington's Disease, Katherine A. Trittschuh
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Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic disorder associated with progressive cognitive and motor decline. Recent studies in HD models suggest primary peripheral pathologies arise independent of changes in the central nervous system. Our lab found defects in skeletal muscle occurring early in the progression of disease in transgenic R6/2 HD mice, resulting in membrane hyperexcitability. Additionally, there is evidence of decreased quantal content in late-stage R6/2 mice. Here, we investigate pre-synaptic and post-synaptic function at single neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) to make direct comparisons of disease progression in the muscle membrane and motor nerve terminal. We hypothesize that muscle membrane defects …
Exploring The Host Range, Impacts, And Distribution Of Black Rot Disease On Alliaria Petiolata, Gabriela Ivette Harney-Davila
Exploring The Host Range, Impacts, And Distribution Of Black Rot Disease On Alliaria Petiolata, Gabriela Ivette Harney-Davila
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Garlic mustard is an invasive Eurasian biennial spreading in deciduous forests of North America. Garlic mustard plants in Ohio can be infected with a strain of Xanthomonas campestris, the causal agent of black rot disease in brassicas. I examined variation in susceptibility to X. campestris among garlic mustard populations, several native wild species, and agricultural crop varieties. Twenty-four garlic mustard populations were universally susceptible to X. campestris, though disease severity varied. Cardamine concatenata and Cardamine diphylla were susceptible but can phenologically escape infection in the field. Of the 14 agricultural crops tested, three cultivars (Raphanus sativus, Brassica rapa var. Rapa …
The Impact Of Sentiment And Misinformation Cycling Through The Social Media Platform, Twitter, During The Initial Phase Of The Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout, Emily Grace Burwell
The Impact Of Sentiment And Misinformation Cycling Through The Social Media Platform, Twitter, During The Initial Phase Of The Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout, Emily Grace Burwell
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This study assesses the underlying topics, sentiment, and types of information regarding COVID-19 vaccines on Twitter during the initiation of the vaccine rollout. Tweets about the COVID-19 vaccine were collected and the relevant tweets were then filtered out using a relevancy classifier. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was used to uncover topics of discussion within the relevant tweets. The NRC lexicon was used to assess positive and negative sentiment within tweets. The type of information (information, misinformation, opinion, or question) in tweets was evaluated. The relevancy classifier resulted in a dataset of 210,657 relevant tweets. Eight topics provided the best representation …
Community-Level Effects Of A Widescale Reduction In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Density, Mariah Slaughter
Community-Level Effects Of A Widescale Reduction In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Density, Mariah Slaughter
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The prolonged overabundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) throughout the deciduous forests of eastern North America has resulted in widespread changes in the understory community. Studies have demonstrated that the exclusion of deer can allow some aspects of the understory to recover, but there are strong time-lags for deer-preferred species. Additionally, these exclosures only test the presence/absence of deer, which is not a feasible management option or desirable as deer are a part of the community. Here I evaluate how large-scale deer density manipulations within the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative of Pennsylvania affected understory vegetation communities. Using data from six …
Functional Characterization Of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Matrix Protein In Host Cellular Responses, Jeffery Ringiesn
Functional Characterization Of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Matrix Protein In Host Cellular Responses, Jeffery Ringiesn
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Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a deadly fish pathogen that poses a global threat to aquatic ecosystems and the aquaculture industry. For decades, research has focused on developing vaccine therapeutics utilizing a variety of techniques and strategies. While these studies have met with some success in identifying potential vaccine targets that provided protective immunity, a commercially viable IHNV vaccine is currently unavailable. Here we explore the relationship between the structure and function of the IHNV matrix (M) protein through the introduction of mutations that reduce anti-host effects, with the goal of developing a novel recombinant IHNV with reduced pathogenicity …
Characterizing The Effects Of 14-3-3 Isoforms On Alpha-Synuclein Toxicity In A Yeast Model, Angela Marie Braunschweiger
Characterizing The Effects Of 14-3-3 Isoforms On Alpha-Synuclein Toxicity In A Yeast Model, Angela Marie Braunschweiger
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The presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein encoded by SNCA is the primary component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites which are the histopathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. While the etiology of Parkinson’s remains unclear, SNCA mutations and copy number variations are one of several genes linked to Parkinson’s. The family of highly conserved chaperone proteins 14-3-3 have been shown to co-aggregate and share regions of 40% homology with alpha-synuclein. Mitochondrial dysfunction also plays a role in Parkinson’s disease with abnormalities in mitochondrial respiration due to interference of complex I in the electron transport chain being found in Parkinson’s patients. Alpha-synuclein increases fragmentation …
Influence Of Light Availability On Tree Growth, Defense, And Emerald Ash Borer (Agrlius Planipennis) Success In White Fringetree (Chionanthus Virginicus) And Black Ash (Fraxinus Nigra), Michael S. Friedman
Influence Of Light Availability On Tree Growth, Defense, And Emerald Ash Borer (Agrlius Planipennis) Success In White Fringetree (Chionanthus Virginicus) And Black Ash (Fraxinus Nigra), Michael S. Friedman
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White fringetree is a host for the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) despite being lower quality than black ash. Observations suggest that host trees grown in full sun are more resistant to EAB than those grown in shade, however chemical defense mechanisms and the impact of environmental stress have not been assessed. We quantified constitutive and induced defenses and other characteristics white fringetree and black ash phloem tissue grown under differential light conditions, and these traits were related to EAB larval performance. White fringetree had significantly lower constitutive and induced activities of defense associated enzymes and lignin but higher phenolic, …
Fate Of White Fringetree Through The Invasion Wave Of Emerald Ash Borer And Its Variation In Resistance To Attack, Emily A. Ellison
Fate Of White Fringetree Through The Invasion Wave Of Emerald Ash Borer And Its Variation In Resistance To Attack, Emily A. Ellison
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Ornamental white fringetrees in IL, IN, OH, and PA were reassessed in 2018 as a follow-up study to determine the fate of the white fringetree through the invasion wave of emerald ash borer. Attack rates decline by half from 2015-2018 and only 13% of trees were infested. Health of not reinfested trees in 2018 improved suggesting resilience against EAB attack whereas currently infested trees in 2018 displayed signs of declining health. Trees differed in their resistance to EAB attack and 41 additional ornamental and wild white fringetrees were studied in OH to determine if the anti-herbivory defense chemical, oleuropein, influenced …
A Planarian Kinesin Associated Protein 3 Homolog Is Required For Spermatogenesis And Ciliogenesis, Donovan Christman
A Planarian Kinesin Associated Protein 3 Homolog Is Required For Spermatogenesis And Ciliogenesis, Donovan Christman
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Microtubule-based structures are an essential part of eukaryotic cells as they are involved in a number of processes such as phagocytosis, chromosome separation, intracellular transport, and cell motility. Transport along microtubules is accomplished by kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs), which are motor proteins that bind cargo and use ATPase activity to move along microtubules in an anterograde fashion. One of the most common kinesin complexes is the heterotrimeric Kinesin 2 complex which is composed of KIF3 subunit dimers and the Kinesin Associated Protein 3 (KAP3). This complex is known as the KIF3 complex and functions along microtubules in cilia and flagella. …
Effects Of Forest Age And Composition On Coleoptera Associated With Fungal Fruiting Bodies In Southwest Ohio, Jeffrey M. Brown
Effects Of Forest Age And Composition On Coleoptera Associated With Fungal Fruiting Bodies In Southwest Ohio, Jeffrey M. Brown
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Mature forests often harbor greater biodiversity than younger woods. As this relationship of forest age to biodiversity has not been examined for all taxa, this study sought to document the diversity of mycophilous beetle communities in deciduous forests of southwest Ohio and understand how they vary in relation to forest age. I surveyed fungus associated beetles using baited traps at eight forested sites in the Dayton, Ohio region. Traps were surveyed three times during 2018 to account for seasonal variation, something that has not been done for this geographic region. Forest age had no significant effect on beetle abundance or …
Composition Of Dung Beetle Communities In A Tropical Montane Forest Alters The Rate Of Dung Removal More Than Species Diversity Alone, Elizabeth A. Engle
Composition Of Dung Beetle Communities In A Tropical Montane Forest Alters The Rate Of Dung Removal More Than Species Diversity Alone, Elizabeth A. Engle
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Dung beetles provide key ecological functions by degrading and recycling dung. I used experimentally-assembled communities to examine the role of species richness, community biomass, species diversity, species identity, and community composition in dung removal, using Ateuchus chrysopyge, Copris nubilosis, Onothophagus cyanellus, and Dichotomius satanas. I hypothesized: (1) that as species richness, biomass, and diversity increases within a community, dung removal increases; and (2) species are not functionally equivalent, so community composition should influence dung removal rates. As species richness, biomass, and diversity of experimentally-assembled communities increased, the proportion of dung removed also increased. Also, the four species in this study …
Invasive Species Shift Fungal Driven Decomposition In Midwestern Forests, Adam M. Reed
Invasive Species Shift Fungal Driven Decomposition In Midwestern Forests, Adam M. Reed
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Midwestern forests are currently impacted by two prominent invaders, Agrilus planipennis and Lonicera maackii. The Ag. planipennis induced loss of Fraxinus spp. trees can facilitate Lo. maackii invasion, which is likely altering microbial driven forest nutrient cycling. To assess these changes in microbial processes, I conducted litter bag and culture-based decomposition experiments using leaf litter from Acer spp., Quercus spp., F. nigra, F. pennsylvanica, Lindera benzoin, and Lo. maackii. For the culture-based decomposition experiment, I inoculated six species of fungi separately onto both single species and multispecies (half Lo. maackii and half native spp.) leaf litter and measured decomposition rate, …
Assessment Of In Vivo Muscle Force In The R6/2 Mouse Model Of Huntington's Disease Using Newly Designed Force Rig, Steven Russell Alan Burke
Assessment Of In Vivo Muscle Force In The R6/2 Mouse Model Of Huntington's Disease Using Newly Designed Force Rig, Steven Russell Alan Burke
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In this thesis, we develop a system to study in vivo muscle function in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease that allows for the recording of muscle force by stimulating the motor nerves or the muscles directly after a nerve block. This allows us to distinguish between defects in the nerve, such as problems with vesicle release, and primary muscle defects, such as altered intracellular calcium homeostasis. We hypothesize that there are primary defects in R6/2 skeletal muscle that are separate from neurodegeneration or defects in the CNS. In this case, we should see defects in muscle force generation during …
Identification Of A Hybrid Lethal Gene On The X Chromosome Of Caenorhabditis Briggsae, John Kelly Dougherty
Identification Of A Hybrid Lethal Gene On The X Chromosome Of Caenorhabditis Briggsae, John Kelly Dougherty
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Two closely related Caenorhabditis species, C. briggsae and C. nigoni are cross fertile and produce viable adult progeny. From C. nigoni mothers, F1 adult females are viable and fertile, F1 males are viable but sterile. In crosses that utilize C. nigoni males and C. briggsae hermaphrodites produce viable adult F1 females but F1 males arrest during embryogenesis. A mutation in the Cbr-him-8 gene is a recessive maternal-effect suppressor of male-specific lethality. Hybrid crosses with cbr-him-8 mutant mothers produce viable adult male progeny. The HIM-8 protein in C. elegans is required for the pairing of X-chromosomes during meiosis. This function is …
Effects Of Coral Reef Habitat Complexity On The Community Composition And Trophic Structure Of Marine Fish Assemblages In Indonesia’S Wakatobi Marine National Park, Kuyer Josiah Fazekas Jr.
Effects Of Coral Reef Habitat Complexity On The Community Composition And Trophic Structure Of Marine Fish Assemblages In Indonesia’S Wakatobi Marine National Park, Kuyer Josiah Fazekas Jr.
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The coral reefs within Indonesia’s Wakatobi Marine National Park support a high diversity of reef-building hard corals and associated marine fish. Climate change threatens to dramatically affect coral reef ecosystems by altering the interactions between reef fish and the specific microhabitats they depend on for survival. To examine the spatially varied effects of habitat complexity on the community composition and trophic structure of marine fish assemblages, I analyzed fish community and habitat complexity data across reef zones. Habitat complexity metrics were: structural complexity, the percentage of hard coral (HC) cover, HC genera richness, HC genera diversity (Shannon index), and HC …
Bat Species Diversity And Habitat Use Assessment With Focus On Endangered Indiana Bats In The Wright State University Woods, Megan R. Rude
Bat Species Diversity And Habitat Use Assessment With Focus On Endangered Indiana Bats In The Wright State University Woods, Megan R. Rude
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The goals of my thesis are to: 1) identify species of bats in Wright State University’s (WSU) campus woods via acoustic surveys to compare to detections from previous years (Chapter 1) (2) analyze occupancy and detection probabilities of Indiana bats in different areas throughout the woods (Chapter 1), and 3) create an acoustical approach to analyze habitat use through bat social calls (Chapter 2). In Chapter 1, I conducted stationary acoustic surveys in the Wright State University woods in hydric (riparian), edge, and old growth habitats to record bat vocalizations. The WSU woods have a diverse bat community as ten …
Nutrient Flux From Aquatic To Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities Across A Lakeside Ecotone, Hosanna B. Loreaux
Nutrient Flux From Aquatic To Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities Across A Lakeside Ecotone, Hosanna B. Loreaux
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In this study, I examined how the spatiotemporal distribution of spider webs and diet changed in a lake riparian zone with increasing distance from an aquatic resource. I surveyed twenty, one-hundred meter transects along the perimeters of Sanford and Escanaba lakes (Wisconsin). Overall, spider web abundance was highest near the lakes and decreased moving into the adjacent forest. Horizontal orb webs, vertical orb webs, and mesh webs showed strong negative relationships with distance from the lakes. Aquatic insects composed an average 36-64% of spider diet for all spider families throughout the riparian zone, suggesting that some spider families are selecting …
Mapping Hybrid Lethal Genes On The X Chromosome Of C. Briggsae, Blaine E. Bittorf
Mapping Hybrid Lethal Genes On The X Chromosome Of C. Briggsae, Blaine E. Bittorf
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In the cross of C. nigoni males to C. briggsae hermaphrodites, all F1 males arrest during embryogenesis. However in the reciprocal cross there are some viable F1 male progeny. This unidirectional male-specific lethality in the F1 hybrids has been attributed to a hybrid lethal gene in a 500 Kb region of the X chromosome of C. briggsae. Cbr-him-8 is a recessive maternal suppressor of the male-specific lethal phenotype, due to the requirement of the him-8 protein for proper X chromosome pairing. Without proper pairing of any one of the chromosomes in the Caenorhabditis genome, genes present on the unpaired chromosome …
The Effect Of Increased Quizzing On Retention Of Material By Histology Laboratory Students, R. J. Nogrady
The Effect Of Increased Quizzing On Retention Of Material By Histology Laboratory Students, R. J. Nogrady
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In traditional approaches to teaching, examinations and quizzes have been considered secondary activities, designed to assess and motivate learning, but not generally as teaching tools in themselves (Roediger and Butler, 2011). However, abundant psychological research in laboratory settings indicates that the act of taking a quiz or examination on the material can directly enhance retention of that material in ways which are distinct from and often more effective than restudying of the material. This phenomenon is now referred to as the testing effect. The testing effect hypothesis asserts that (1) repeated retrieval attempts have a longer lasting effect on retention …
Comparing Created And Natural Depressional Wetlands Through Trophic Analysis Of Macroinvertebrates, Shante N. Eisele
Comparing Created And Natural Depressional Wetlands Through Trophic Analysis Of Macroinvertebrates, Shante N. Eisele
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Macroinvertebrates are important contributors to wetland ecosystems due to their role in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and as a food resource for other organisms. Several studies have analyzed the macroinvertebrate communities in created wetlands, but few have evaluated them in the context of trophic structure in both created and natural wetlands. The objective of this study is to better understand benthic macroinvertebrate community composition and trophic structure in created and natural wetlands. My central hypotheses were that macroinvertebrate communities in created wetlands would have (1) differing composition and (2) less complex trophic structure with shorter food-chain length compared to natural wetlands. …
Osmotic Activation Of Sperm Motility Via Water Flow Through Aquaporins In The Freeze-Tolerant Cope's Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Deja Miller
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Gametes of gray treefrogs, Dryophytes chrysoscelis, are deposited into freshwater ponds. Sperm undergo spermatogenesis and maturation beginning in the seminiferous tubules and migrating to the lumen. In mammals and fishes, these cells are immotile within the isosmotic fluid of the testes and have motility activated by exposure to a hyper- or hypoosmotic medium. Water flows into or out of the sperm cell, altering intracellular ionic concentrations, and ultimately stimulates flagellar movement. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to a hypotonic environment activates motility of gray treefrog sperm. We also hypothesized that osmotic water uptake is facilitated by expression of water …
The Missing Metric: An Evaluation Of Microorganism Importance In Wetland Assessments, Aaron John Onufrak
The Missing Metric: An Evaluation Of Microorganism Importance In Wetland Assessments, Aaron John Onufrak
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In the contiguous US, an estimated 50% of original wetland areas have been lost since the late 1700s. In growing recognition of the importance of preserving wetland ecosystem function, federal and state agencies have developed proxy-based functional-assessment procedures to manage and preserve remaining wetland areas. Ohio uses the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM) to score wetland quality based on six metrics: wetland size, buffer width and surrounding land use, hydrology, habitat alteration and development, special wetland communities, and vegetation. Currently, the ORAM, and many other wetland scoring systems, do not consider microorganisms when determining wetland quality. This is particularly notable, …
Low-Impact Yoga Improves Flexibility, But Has No Effect On Heart Rate Variability In Sedentary Adult Women, Lauren Marie Shafer
Low-Impact Yoga Improves Flexibility, But Has No Effect On Heart Rate Variability In Sedentary Adult Women, Lauren Marie Shafer
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Heart disease is the leading cause of death among adults in the United States and more than 600,000 people per year die when the condition goes untreated. Many cardiovascular maladies, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, can be markedly improved with lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet and regular exercise. In this study, 15 sedentary adult women (aged 19-63 years) participated in a prescribed 12-week yoga program. Electrocardiography was used to measure Heart Rate Variability, a tool that assesses autonomic tone on the heart. Autonomic nervous system activity is assessed at VLF, LF, and HF spectral components. …
Community Structure And Epizootic Infection Prevalence Of Northern Wisconsin Anurans, Kayla Christine Watters
Community Structure And Epizootic Infection Prevalence Of Northern Wisconsin Anurans, Kayla Christine Watters
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Amphibian populations are declining globally at historically rapid rates, and while a multitude of factors have contributed to amphibian population declines, emerging infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis and ranavirus have been linked to a large proportion of the reported amphibian mass mortality events. Distribution and infection prevalence data for chytridiomycosis and ranavirus are lacking, and effective surveillance is crucial. This project aims to describe anuran richness, relative abundance, habitat occupancy, and community structure and to identify the chytridiomycosis and ranavirus infection prevalence rates of the anuran population at Dairymen's Inc. Wood frogs, spring peepers, boreal chorus frogs, northern leopard frogs, …
Monitoring Ohio Bat Communities And Populations Using Mobile Acoustics, Molly C. Simonis
Monitoring Ohio Bat Communities And Populations Using Mobile Acoustics, Molly C. Simonis
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The goal of my thesis is to: 1) provide baseline information of where Ohio bats are foraging in Wright State University's (WSU) campus woods in relation to forest age and habitat (Chapter 1), 2) determine potential roost availability for local bats (Chapter 1), and 3) examine changes in state-wide species composition following the introduction of White-nose Syndrome (WNS; Chapter 2). In Chapter 1, I created walking bat acoustic routes and used generalized linear models to determine what forest ages and habitats had the greatest bat activity in the WSU campus woods. I conducted habitat transects throughout all forest ages to …
Anthropogenic Noise Alters Avian Community Composition In Temperate Forests, Chelsea Jill Wright
Anthropogenic Noise Alters Avian Community Composition In Temperate Forests, Chelsea Jill Wright
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Noise is an under-appreciated source of pollution that can influence the spatial distribution of birds. In this study, I examined how noise frequency and intensity (both background noise (kHz) and decibel levels (dB)) affected avian richness, density, and number of birds that sing with the same frequency as anthropogenic noise (low note frequency). I also examined the responses of two species in detail, the Eastern Wood Pewee and the Acadian Flycatcher, because they lack song plasticity. I examined whether they responded to noise by avoiding "noisy" areas or shifting their song frequency. I examined the response of bird communities to …
Demography And Dendrochronology Of A Disjunct Population Of Eastern Hemlock In Southwestern Ohio, Marie Johnson
Demography And Dendrochronology Of A Disjunct Population Of Eastern Hemlock In Southwestern Ohio, Marie Johnson
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Edge and isolated plant populations provide information about the resilience and the most basic resource needs of a species. Plant demography examines changes in population size and structure over time. An isolated, disjunct eastern hemlock population in Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio consists of two distinct subpopulations each with different environmental characteristics, reproductive capacities, and health ratings. Both subpopulations at Clifton Gorge were found to exhibit significant decreases in average annual ring width through time. Linear regression modeling determined that average annual growing season precipitation and temperature were the strongest predictors of these growth trends. A comparative …
A Planarian Tau Tubulin Kinase Homolog Is Required For Spermatogenesis And Epithelial Ciliogenesis, Robert Alan Magley
A Planarian Tau Tubulin Kinase Homolog Is Required For Spermatogenesis And Epithelial Ciliogenesis, Robert Alan Magley
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Tubulin comprises the structural element of microtubules and Tau is one of many microtubule-associated proteins. Tau Tubulin Kinase (TTBK) phosphorylates both Tau and Tubulin and is required for the initial steps of cilia formation. Due to the structural similarities between cilia and sperm flagella, as well as the enriched expression of TTBK1 and TTBK2 in human testes, we hypothesized that TTBK homologs play a role in sperm maturation. This hypothesis was tested in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, a lophotrochozoan model capable of whole-body regeneration and development a complete reproductive system post-embryonically. Six TTBK homologs were identified in the genome of …
Lonicera Maackii Alters Decay Dynamics Of Coarse Woody Debris, Michaela J. Woods
Lonicera Maackii Alters Decay Dynamics Of Coarse Woody Debris, Michaela J. Woods
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Since industrialization, anthropogenic carbon emissions have led to excess atmospheric carbon dioxide that may alter the stability of ecosystem processes. Microorganisms are essential in mitigating excess carbon and play a notable role in the breakdown of organic material. This process, decomposition, is essential in forested ecosystems where microorganisms can recycle nutrients and store carbon in soil organic matter or release it through respiration. Fungi participate in decomposition through the release of enzymes responsible for carrying out the chemical reactions that break down plant material. Species introductions have the potential to alter decomposition dynamics. In the Midwestern US, the invasive shrub …
Fast Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Currents And Action Potential Firing In R6/2 Skeletal Muscle, Eric Joshua Reed
Fast Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Currents And Action Potential Firing In R6/2 Skeletal Muscle, Eric Joshua Reed
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Huntington’s disease (HD) is a degenerative disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the Huntingtin gene, which results in cognitive problems as well as muscle weakness, chorea, rigidity, and dystonia. Most research in HD has focused on neurodegeneration, but recent studies have found peripheral defects that may help explain the debilitating motor symptoms of HD. We have shown that skeletal muscle from the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of HD is hyperexcitable due to decreases in resting chloride and potassium currents. Other groups have speculated that the fast voltage-gated sodium channels may be affected in Huntington’s disease as well. To fully …