Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

Osteohistological Assessment Of Edmontosaurus Radii From The Liscomb Bonebed, Prince Creek Formation, North Slope, Alaska, Emma Griffin

Student Research Poster Presentations 2024

Hadrosaurs were one of the most diverse dinosaur groups in the Late Cretaceous period and are known for their numerous articulated skeletons and monodominant bonebeds (Wosik et al., 2020). They are more commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs and are found globally including latitudinal extremes such as the artic and Antarctica. Edmontosaurus, a genus of hadrosaur, are herbivores and are very large growing up to 8,000 pounds. Edmontosaurus were known to travel in herds as a defense mechanism and were one of the last non-avian dinosaurs living during the late Campanian stage through the end of the Maastrichtian stage, right up …

Ethical Issues And Standards Of Responsible Research Conduct And Monitoring In An Adventist Institution Of Higher Learning - The Babcock Experience, Kayode O. Ogunwenmo, Godswill N. Anyasor, Grace O. Tayo

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Ethical issues and standards of responsible research conduct involving human participants are important considerations in any institution of higher learning and in particular Adventist institutions. Research conduct and ethics are reviewed and approved before they begin by the Babcock University Health Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC)

Methylene Blue Inhibits Cromakalim-Activated K+ Currents In Follicle-Enclosed Oocytes, Dmytro Isaev, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Georg Petroianu, Dietrich Ernst Lorke, Murat Oz

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The effects of methylene blue (MB) on cromakalim-induced K⁺ currents were investigated in follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes. In concentrations ranging from 3–300 μM, MB inhibited K⁺ currents (IC₅₀: 22.4 μM) activated by cromakalim, which activates K_ATP channels. MB inhibited cromakalim-activated K⁺ currents in a noncompetitive and voltage-independent manner. The respective EC₅₀ and slope values for cromakalim-activation of K⁺ currents were 194 ± 21 µM and 0.91 for controls, and 206 ± 24 µM and 0.87 in the presence of 30 μM MB. The inhibition of cromakalim-induced K⁺ currents by MB was not …

Cilia Proteins Are Biomarkers Of Altered Flow In The Vasculature, Ankan Gupta, Karthikeyan Thirugnanam, Madhan Thamilarasan, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Hadeel T. Zedan, Shubhangi Prabhudesai, Meghan R. Griffin, Andrew D. Spearman, Amy Pan, Sean P. Palecek, Huseyin C. Yalcin, Surya M. Nauli, Kevin R. Rarick, Rahima Zennadi, Ramani Ramchandran

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cilia, microtubule-based organelles that project from the apical luminal surface of endothelial cells (ECs), are widely regarded as low-flow sensors. Previous reports suggest that upon high shear stress, cilia on the EC surface are lost, and more recent evidence suggests that deciliation—the physical removal of cilia from the cell surface—is a predominant mechanism for cilia loss in mammalian cells. Thus, we hypothesized that EC deciliation facilitated by changes in shear stress would manifest in increased abundance of cilia-related proteins in circulation. To test this hypothesis, we performed shear stress experiments that mimicked flow conditions from low to high shear stress …

The Impacts Of Embryonic Arsenic Exposure Of Fundulus Heteroclitus, Torey Bowser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid that exceeds safe drinking water standards in groundwater in many locations worldwide. Arsenic exposure in fish has been linked to destruction of gill tissues, impairment of growth, decreased muscle mass, memory impairment, increased aggression, and avoidance behaviors. We examined the behavior of mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) following arsenic exposure during development in two studies. Embryos were collected from fish from three reference sites: Scorton Creek (SC), Massachusetts, Wells Harbor (WE), Maine, and Block Island (BLOC), Rhode Island and two contaminated sites: Callahan Mine (CM), Brooksville, Maine, and New Bedford Harbor (NBH), Massachusetts. Embryos were …

Effect Of Supplemental Garlic On The Incidence Of Anemia In Horses, Victoria Willis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a spice that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes or flavoring in food. Garlic has also been commonly used as a fly and pest control for horses and is still commonly used for that purpose today. Recent research has shown garlic may cause Heinz body anemia in horses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of Heinz body anemia in horses supplemented with varying rates of garlic. This study included 12 horses divided into 4 groups (control and 3 supplement rates: low (0.0625 g/kg), medium (0.125 g/kg), high (0.1875 g/kg)) …

Tpr-Containing Proteins Control Protein Organization And Homeostasis For The Endoplasmic Reticulum, Jill Bradley-Graham

Doctoral Dissertations

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a complex, multifunctional organelle comprised of a continuous membrane and lumen that is organized into several functional regions. It plays various roles including protein translocation, folding, quality control, secretion, calcium signaling, and lipid biogenesis. Cellular protein homeostasis is maintained by a complicated chaperone network, and the largest functional family within this network consists of proteins containing tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). TPRs are well-studied structural motifs that mediate intermolecular protein-protein interactions, supporting interactions with a wide range of ligands or substrates. Nine TPR-containing proteins have been shown to localize to the ER and control protein organization and …

Patterns Of Morphological Plasticity In Metriaclima Zebra And Danio Rerio Suggest Differently Canalized Phenotypes Due To Form-Function Relationships, Dylan Jockel

Masters Theses

In order to ascertain the degree of compatibility in developmental restructuring and behavioral plasticity between two fish species frequently made subject of laboratory research (Metriaclima zebra & Danio rerio), alternative trophic niche exposure experiments utilizing novel three-prong feeding treatments were conducted to obtain morphometric data, which demonstrated both species do bear some degree of plasticity. The results are somewhat complicated by differences in locality of detectable restructuring, which may be due to disparity in the form-function relationship for each species’ lineage. Each is notable in the manner of respective species’ jaw protrusion, as it is driven by anterior …

Fetal Programming Of Intrauterine Growth Restricted Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell Function, Micah Most

Honors Theses

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) reduces skeletal muscle mass in fetuses and offspring. The objective of this study was to determine if myoblasts (skeletal muscle stem cells) from maternal inflammation induced intrauterine growth-restricted (MI-IUGR) fetuses are less responsive to proliferation-stimulating factors in culture. Ovine MI-IUGR fetal myoblasts were isolated at 125 days of gestational age (dGA, term = 150 dGA), grown for 72 hours in complete growth media spiked with insulin, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), or unspiked (basal), and analyzed for ex vivo proliferative capacity via a 2 hour EdU pulse. A second set of myoblasts were differentiated in differentiation …

Relación Entre La Grasa Subcutánea Y Desempeño Maternal En Vacas Angus Primerizas, Esteban Mendoza De La Pava, Adel David Kalil Rey

Zootecnia

El objetivo del presente estudio, tuvo como finalidad lograr identificar el porcentaje de grasa dorsal que se moviliza en vacas Angus primerizas posterior al parto y cómo este podría verse relacionado con el desempeño maternal y el peso al destete del ternero. Para poder lograr este objetivo, se evaluaron doce vacas primerizas de la raza Angus del CIC (centro de investigación y capacitación) San Miguel en Facatativá, Cundinamarca, con diversos parámetros productivos como: peso corporal, puntaje de condición corporal del preparto y al destete, espesor de grasa dorsal (preparto y destete), espesor de grasa en el anca (preparto y destete), …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Slime Gland Refilling In Pacific Hagfish (Eptatretus Stoutii), Sarah Schorno, Todd E. Gillis, Douglas S. Fudge

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Hagfishes use their defensive slime to ward off gill-breathing predators. Slime gland refilling is a surprisingly slow process, and previous research has shown that the composition of the slime exudate changes significantly during refilling, which likely has consequences for the functionality of the slime. This study set out to expand our understanding of slime gland refilling by examining the cellular processes involved in refilling of the glands, as well as determining where in the gland the main slime cells – the gland thread cells and gland mucous cells – arise. Slime glands were electro-stimulated to exhaust their slime stores, left …

Investigation Of Zebrafish Larvae Behavior As Precursor For Suborbital Flights: Feasibility Study, Pedro Llanos, Kristina Andrijauskaite, Mark Rubinstein, Sherine S.L. Chan

Pedro J. Llanos (www.AstronauticsLlanos.com)

An Examination Of Preimplantation Embryos And Endometrium Developed During Induced Aluteal Cycles In The Mare, Chelsey Audra Leisinger

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Changes to the embryonic environment that occur within the first few days of development can have significant effects on subsequent fetal development. The following studies investigate the effects of progesterone-deprivation during the early preimplantation period in the mare. The first study described embryo morphology (diameter, stage, and quality grade) collected from mares with induced aluteal cycles. The second study evaluated the effect of induced aluteal cycles on the future fertility of embryo collections as a potential method for cycle manipulation of embryo donor mares. The third study characterized embryonic and endometrial transcript expression of progesterone-mediated transcripts as well as those …

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Maternally Provisioned Cues For Phenotypic Plasticity In The Annual Killifish, Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Amie L. Romney, Jason E. Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Genotype and environment can interact during development to produce novel adaptive traits that support life in extreme conditions. The development of the annual killifsh Austrofundulus limnaeus is unique among vertebrates because the embryos have distinct cell movements that separate epiboly from axis formation during early development, can enter into a state of metabolic dormancy known as diapause and can survive extreme environmental conditions. The ability to enter into diapause can be maternally programmed, with young females producing embryos that do not enter into diapause. Alternately, embryos can be programmed to “escape” from diapause and develop directly by both maternal …

Localization And Distribution Of Primary Cilia In The Adult Mouse Heart, Ali Zarban, Hannah C. Saternos, Andrea L. Kalinoski, Lijun Liu, Surya M. Nauli, Wissam A. Aboualaiwi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Although primary cilia have been shown to play crucial roles in the development of embryonic mouse heart, their presence and function in adult mouse heart remains controversial. In this study, the presence of primary cilia in adult mouse heart was investigated. The presence of primary cilia was initially demonstrated in the surface of cardiac cells of mouse hearts from both young and adult mice by immunostaining with acetylated α-tubulin, a ciliary structural marker. The presence of cardiac primary cilia in 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month old mice was further confirmed by staining heart tissues with an antibody against pericentrin, a …

Identification And Characterization Of Heat Shock Transcription Factor 1 Isoforms In Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus Coioides), Tingyu Wang

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Vaccination Of Rainbow Trout Against Enteric Redmouth Disease (Erm) Induces An Early Balanced Expression Of Cytokines In The Spleen But A Heightened Expression Of Acute Phase Proteins And Antimicrobial Peptides In Both Spleen And Gills, Eakapol Wangkahart, Christopher J. Secombes, Tiehui Wang Dr

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Influencing Pathways That Cause Metastasis And Stemness In Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Alyse Lynn Huisken-Hill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 35 and 74. With 22 thousand new cases and 15 thousand deaths annually ovarian cancer is among the most deadly cancers with a death to incidence ratio of 68%. With 70% of cases High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most common type of ovarian cancer and causes 90% of ovarian cancer deaths. 80% of patients have reoccurrence within five years and only 15-30% of patients with recurrent metastatic ovarian cancer respond to current therapies, chemotherapy and surgery. One reason for the high …

Characterization And Transplantation Of Felid Spermatogonial Stem Cells, Robin H. Powell

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) self-renew and differentiate into spermatozoa throughout the life of the male. SSC transplantation is a potential method for the propagation of genetically important males. These cells have been isolated in different mammalian species using specific cell surface markers, but not in felines.

The goal of this study was to explore a relevant strategy for conservation of endangered felids by characterizing domestic cat (Felis catus) SSCs and assessing their ability for self-renewal after transplantation. Firstly, SSC and pluripotent surface markers, identified in non-feline species, were tested for expression in mixed germ cells from adults by …

The Development Of Skeletal Muscle In Young Horses: An Ultrasonography And Satellite Cell Approach, Emma K. Lavigne

Honors Scholar Theses

Muscle growth in young horses is characterized by an increase in muscle cross-sectional area, which can be accomplished through the activation and differentiation of satellite cells. Satellite cells can be stimulated or inhibited in response to different cytokines and growth factors and are key mediators of muscle hypertrophy and regeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle in horses under 5 years of age and to obtain preliminary data on satellite cell behavior in foals. The area, width, height, and subcutaneous fat were measured using ultrasonography at 6-month increments over the …

Gene Expression Patterns That Support Novel Developmental Stress Buffering In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Josiah T. Wagner, Jason E. Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: The cellular signaling mechanisms and morphogenic movements involved in axis formation and gastrulation are well conserved between vertebrates. In nearly all described fish, gastrulation and the initial patterning of the embryonic axis occur concurrently with epiboly. However, annual killifish may be an exception to this norm. Annual killifish inhabit ephemeral ponds in South America and Africa and permanent populations persist by the production of stress-tolerant eggs. Early development of annual killifish is unique among vertebrates because their embryonic blastomeres disperse randomly across the yolk during epiboly and reaggregate several days later to form the embryo proper. In addition, annual …

Managing Devil Facial Tumour Disease In Tasmanian Devils (Sarcophilus Harrisii): An Investigation Of Heat Shock Proteins As Potential Vaccine Adjuvants, Monika Payerhin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), is facing extinction from a deadly, highly communicable cancer that has already decimated over 85% of devil populations in the wild: devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). DFTD cells effectively evade recognition by the immune system, and every devil that contracts the disease dies from it. Many attempts have been made at developing a vaccine that could help save this now-threatened species. Heat shock proteins have been linked to enhanced immune recognition of pathogens, making them potential candidates for acting as adjuvants to such a vaccine against DFTD. In this study, …

Comparison Of Th1 Cytokines And T Cell Markers Gene Expressions Between Virulent And An Attenuated Eiav Vaccine Strain, Talia R. Henkle

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is closely related to HIV and has been used as a model to identify protective mechanisms against lentivirus infection. In horses, EIA infection progresses for about a year before infected horses manage to control virus replication. This naturally-gained protection is absolutely dependent on active immune responses as evidenced by the fact that immunosuppressive drugs can induce the recurrence of disease. As the resolution of initial viremia correlates with the appearance of virus specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), we believe that cellular immune responses play a key role in controlling EIAV in the horse. In …

Gonadotropin Concentrations, Follicular Development, And Luteal Function In Pituitary Stalk-Transfected Ewes Treated With Bovine Follicular Fluid, G. Larson, David Mallory, R. Dailey, P. Lewis

David S. Mallory

Two experiments, each arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial, were conducted in ewes to examine direct effects of bovine follicular fluid (bFF) on follicular development and luteal function and to further characterize follicular development and luteal function after pituitary stalk transection (SS). In Exp. 1, ewes were sham-operated or SS on d 6 of an estrous cycle and received 5 ml of saline or bFF three times daily on d 5 through 11 of the same cycle. In Exp. 2, all ewes were SS on d 6 of an estrous cycle and treated with saline or bFF three times …

Intracellular Expression Of An Ice Nucleation Protein Reduces Cryoinjury In Insect Cells, Avril M. Harder

Student Honors Theses

Exposure of insect cells to subzero temperatures typically leads to cell membrane disruption and lethal intracellular ice formation. This study seeks to examine the cryoprotective value of trangenically expressing a bacterial ice nucleation protein (INP) in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-21) cells. The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae naturally produces a membrane-bound INP (inaZ), capable of structuring water and initiating ice formation at temperatures as high as -2 °C. I hypothesized that intracellular expression of an altered form of inaZ (PsINP) in Sf-21 cells will mediate highly regulated ice nucleation when cells are cooled to -80 °C in a slow, controlled manner, …

Investigating The Mechanism Of Nur77-Induced Apoptosis In T Cells, Heather E. Fogarty

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Nur77 is a member of the orphan nuclear receptor family, where it is known to play an important role in apoptosis in both negative selection in T cells and in cancer cell lines. In the development of T cells, it is critical for the immune system to discriminate self from non-self by eliminating auto-reactive cells. It was originally thought that Nur77 initiated apoptosis by activating downstream gene targets. However, it is now clear that Nur77 has its own distinct role outside of the nucleus and the precise mechanisms by which Nur77 induces apoptosis in T cells still needs to be …

In Vivo Investigations Of Polymer Conjugates As Therapeutics, Elizabeth M. Henchey

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Polymer conjugates offer a way to introduce materials into the body that would normally be rejected or cause toxicity. Two polymers are investigated in vivo for uses in chemotherapeutic delivery, protein therapeutics, and DNA transfection. A novel polymer, polyMPC, has the ability to increase doxorubicin loading and its solubility, and is conjugated in a way to release its payload in a low pH environment. Through its conjugation, blood clearance time of doxorubicin is increased, and thus tumor exposure to the drug is increased with a single administration. It can be administered at ten times the concentration of free doxorubicin, and …

The Differential Roles Of D-Pax2 Variants In Regulating Drosophila Eye And Bristle Development, Colin J. O’Shea

Honors Theses

The ability to appropriately interact with the environment is crucial to an organism’s survival. The establishment of functional sensory systems, such as the bristles and eyes in Drosophila, is a critical event during the development of the organism. The transcription factor D Pax2 is involved in the differentiation of the shaft and glial cells in the developing bristle (Kavaler et al., Dev, 126:2261-2272, 1999) and of the cone and primary pigment cells in the developing eye (Fu and Noll, Genes Dev, 11:389-405, 1997). How D-Pax2 contributes to distinct differentiative pathways in different cell types is not known. Recent work by …

Characterizing The Role Of Phaeobacter In The Mortality Of The Squid, Euprymna Scolopes, Brian Shawn Wong Won

Honors Scholar Theses

The subject of our study is the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, which is known for its model symbiotic relationship with the bioluminescent bacterium, Vibrio fischeri. The interactions between E. scolopes and V. fischeri provide an exemplary model of the biochemical and molecular dynamics of symbiosis since both members can be cultivated separately and V. fischeri can be genetically modified 1. However, in a laboratory setting, the mortality of embryonic E. scolopes can be a recurrent problem. In many of these fatalities, the egg cases display a pink-hued biofilm, and rosy pigmentation has also been noted in the deaths of …

Distribution And Conservation Genetics Of The Cow Knob Salamander, Plethodon Punctatus Highton (Caudata: Plethodontidae), Matthew R. Graham

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Being lungless, plethodontid salamanders respire through their skin and are especially sensitive to environmental disturbances. Habitat fragmentation, low abundance, extreme habitat requirements, and a narrow distribution of less than 70 miles in length, makes one such salamander, Plethodon punctatus, a species of concern (S1) in West Virginia. To better understand this sensitive species, day and night survey hikes were conducted through ideal habitat and coordinate data as well as tail tips (10 to 20 mm in length) were collected. DNA was extracted from the tail tips and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fragments. …