Biology Commons^™

Longnose Skate Jaw (Beringraja Rhina), Golda Stewart, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw from female Longnose Skate (Beringraja rhina) collected on 30/3/2021 by Golda Stewart.

Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias) Jaw Prep, Meredith M. Pratt, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Spiny dogfish jaw prep performed at NSU's Fisheries and Avian Ecology lab.

Analysis Of Student Learning Gains In A Biochemistry Cure Course During The Mandatory Covid-19 Shift To Online Learning, Ambika Kapil, Santanu De, Arthur Sikora

Biology Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, institutions across the world have had to make modifications to existing curricula, especially in the experimental science lab. There is a need to better understand student learning in this environment. Using the Participant Perception Indicator (PPI) survey, we measure the students’ knowledge, experience, and confidence (KEC) growth over the course of a fully online biochemistry course. Using a combination of video explanations, experimental procedure documents and sample data students completed the Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab (BASIL) Course-based Undergraduate Experience (CURE) in summer 2020. The results and analysis of the survey data gave light …

A Crucial Role For Antimicrobial Stewardship In The Midst Of Covid-19, Bindu Mayi, Manda Mainville, Rida Altaf, Michelle Lanspa, Sheel Vaniawala, Thomas A. Ollerhead, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

As the world deals with a pandemic, there remains another global challenge that cannot be ignored. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be justified, as we are trying to treat a novel disease condition, which, in turn, could lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance. We can decrease morbidity, mortality, and health care costs by controlling antimicrobial resistance, but it requires antimicrobial stewardship. Major components of effective and timely antimicrobial stewardship are diagnostic stewardship, infection prevention and control, and integration of COVID-19-specific flags into electronic health records, all of which may be integrated into current strategies of COVID-19 mitigation and management. …

A Crucial Role For Antimicrobial Stewardship In The Midst Of Covid-19, Bindu S. Mayi, Manda Mainville, Rida Altaf, Michelle Lanspa, Sheel Vaniawala, Thomas A. Ollerhead, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

As the world deals with a pandemic, there remains another global challenge that cannot be ignored. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be justified, as we are trying to treat a novel disease condition, which, in turn, could lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance. We can decrease morbidity, mortality, and health care costs by controlling antimicrobial resistance, but it requires antimicrobial stewardship. Major components of effective and timely antimicrobial stewardship are diagnostic stewardship, infection prevention and control, and integration of COVID-19-specific flags into electronic health records, all of which may be integrated into current strategies of COVID-19 mitigation and management. …

Binding Partners Of 14-3-3 (Ywha) Protein Isoforms Among Mammalian Species, Tissues, And Developmental Stages, Taylor R. Covington, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

The 14-3-3 (YWHA or Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/Tryptophan 5-Monooxygenase Activation proteins) are a family of abundant, highly conserved, ubiquitous, acidic, and homologous proteins expressed in most eukaryotes ranging from plants to animals, including humans, important in regulating a multitude of cellular processes such as signal transduction, cell cycle, protein trafficking, metabolism, apoptosis, and development. Mammals have been noted contain seven isoforms of these proteins (beta, epsilon, eta, gamma, sigma, tau/theta, and zeta), encoded by separate genes. The 14-3-3 proteins are known to interact with over 200 binding partners in isoform-specific, tissue-specific, and developmental stage-specific ways. The present review article encapsulates previously published …

Caracuel_ Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias) Jaw, Nicolas M. Caracuel, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Female Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) jaw collected in MBIO 3910 Lab on 11/03/2021 by Nicolas M. Caracuel.

2 cm tall at the center/middle of the jaw.

3.1cm tall at the hinges.

7.9 cm long from hinge to hinge.

Nmds For Fundulus Parasite Community Similarity, Derek Garvey, Dave Kerstetter, Christopher Blanar

Biology Faculty Datasets

Nonmetric multidimensional scaling models calculating the similarity of parasite species assemblages between Fundulus sp. populations across the Atlantic coast using Bray-Curtis similarity

The Role Of Glutamine In Supporting Gut Health And Neuropsychiatric Factors, Brett J. Deters, Mir Saleem

Biology Faculty Articles

Recent research has shown that the amino acid glutamine can positively affect gut health by supporting the gut microbiome, gut mucosal wall integrity, and by modulating inflammatory responses. As modulated by the vagus nerve, via the enteric nervous system, the gut-brain connection can impact the brain's neurochemical environment. Poor gut health can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters, which can result in neuropsychiatric based conditions such as depression. Glutamine supplementation may provide significant adjunctive nutritional support in cases of depression by promoting proper gut health and function.

Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species, Rachael Storo, Cole Easson, Mahmood S. Shivji, Jose V. Lopez

Biology Faculty Articles

Profiles of symbiotic microbial communities (“microbiomes”) can provide insight into the natural history and ecology of their hosts. Using high throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, microbiomes of five shark species in South Florida (nurse, lemon, sandbar, Caribbean reef, and tiger) have been characterized for the first time. The microbiomes show species specific microbiome composition, distinct from surrounding seawater. Shark anatomical location (gills, teeth, skin, cloaca) affected the diversity of microbiomes. An in-depth analysis of teeth communities revealed species specific microbial communities. For example, the genus Haemophilus, explained 7.0% of the differences of the teeth microbiomes …

Microscopic And Genetic Characterization Of Bacterial Symbionts With Bioluminescent Potential In Pyrosoma Atlanticum, Alexis Berger, Patricia L. Blackwelder, Tamara Frank, Tracey Sutton, Nina Pruzinsky, Natalie Slayden, Jose V. Lopez

Biology Faculty Articles

The pelagic tunicate pyrosome, Pyrosoma atlanticum, is known for its brilliant bioluminescence, but the mechanism causing this bioluminescence has not been fully characterized. This study identifies the bacterial bioluminescent symbionts of P. atlanticum collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico using several methods such as light and electron microscopy, as well as molecular genetics. The bacteria are localized within the pyrosome light organs. Greater than 50% of the bacterial taxa present in the tunicate samples were the bioluminescent symbiotic bacteria Vibrionaceae as determined by utilizing current molecular genetics methodologies. A total of 396K MiSeq16S rRNA reads provided total pyrosome …

Functional Influence Of 14-3-3 (Ywha) Proteins In Mammals, Elizabeth Barley, Santanu De

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) proteins are homologous, ubiquitous, and conserved in most organisms ranging from plants to animals and play important roles in regulating key cellular events such as cell signaling, development, apoptosis, etc. These proteins consist of seven isoforms in mammals, termed under Greek alphabetization: beta (β), gamma (γ), epsilon (ε), eta (η), tau/theta (τ), sigma (σ), and zeta (ζ). Each of these isoforms can interact with a plethora of binding partners and has been shown to serve a distinct role in molecular crosstalk, biological processes, and disease susceptibility. Protein 14-3-3 isoforms are scaffolding proteins capable of forming homodimers and …

Thermal Acclimation Of Tropical Coral Reef Fishes To Global Heat Waves, Jacob L. Johansen, Lauren E. Nadler, Adam Habary, Alyssa J. Bowden, Jodie Rummer

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

As climate-driven heat waves become more frequent and intense, there is increasing urgency to understand how thermally sensitive species are responding. Acute heating events lasting days to months may elicit acclimation responses to improve performance and survival. However, the coordination of acclimation responses remains largely unknown for most stenothermal species. We documented the chronology of 18 metabolic and cardiorespiratory changes that occur in the gills, blood, spleen, and muscles when tropical coral reef fishes are thermally stressed (+3.0°C above ambient). Using representative coral reef fishes (Caesio cuning and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) separated by >100 million years of evolution and …

Analysis Of Global Human Gut Metagenomes Shows That Metabolic Resilience Potential For Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production Is Strongly Influenced By Lifestyle, David K. Jacobson, Tanvi P. Honap, Andrew T. Ozga, Nicolas Meda, Thérèse S. Kagoné, Hélène Carabin, Paul Spicer, Raul Y. Tito, Alexandra J. Obregon-Tito, Luis Marin Reyes, Luzmila Troncoso-Corzo, Emilio Guija-Poma, Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan

Biology Faculty Articles

High taxonomic diversity in non-industrial human gut microbiomes is often interpreted as beneficial; however, it is unclear if taxonomic diversity engenders ecological resilience (i.e. community stability and metabolic continuity). We estimate resilience through genus and species-level richness, phylogenetic diversity, and evenness in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production among a global gut metagenome panel of 12 populations (n = 451) representing industrial and non-industrial lifestyles, including novel metagenomic data from Burkina Faso (n = 90). We observe significantly higher genus-level resilience in non-industrial populations, while SCFA production in industrial populations is driven by a few phylogenetically closely related species (belonging to …

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies New Loci Associated With Risk Of Hbv Infection And Disease Progression, Zheng Zeng, Liu Hankui, Xu Huifang, Lu Haiying, Yu Yanyan, Xu Xiaoyuan, Yu Min, Zhang Tao, Tian Xiulan, Xi Hongli, Guan Liping, Zhang Jianguo, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: Recent studies have identified susceptibility genes of HBV clearance, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and showed the host genetic factors play an important role in these HBV-related outcomes.

Results: In order to discover new susceptibility genes for HBV-related outcomes, we conducted a genome-wide association study in 1031 Chinese participants, including 275 HBV clearance subjects, 92 asymptomatic persistence infection carriers (ASPI), 93 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB), 188 HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients (DC), 214 HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients (HCC) and 169 healthy controls (HC). In the case-control study, we observed novel locus significantly associated with CHB …

The Role Of Neuropilin-1 In Covid-19, Bindu Mayi, Jillian A. Leibowitz, Arden T. Woods, Katherine A. Ammon, Alphonse E. Liu, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a member of a family of signaling proteins, was shown to serve as an entry factor and potentiate SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectivity in vitro. This cell surface receptor with its disseminated expression is important in angiogenesis, tumor progression, viral entry, axonal guidance, and immune function. NRP-1 is implicated in several aspects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection including possible spread through the olfactory bulb and into the central nervous system and increased NRP-1 RNA expression in lungs of severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Up-regulation of NRP-1 protein in diabetic kidney cells hint at its importance in a population at …

Black Grouper (Mycteroperca Bonaci) Neurocranium, Celeste Jaworski, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.5 cm total length. Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), collected from Denny's Seafood Market on 15/10/2021 by Celeste Jaworski.

Gafftopsail Catfish Neurocranium, Allison J. Soucier

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus), neurocranium length: 11.5 cm, collected from Keewaydin Island in Marco Florida on 15/9/2021 by Allison Soucier.

Acetaminophen Potentiates Fear: Comparing Evaluations Of Ancestral And Modern Threats, Andrew C. Gallup, Brianda K. L. Gagnon, Gillian Perry, Omar T. Eldakar

Biology Faculty Datasets

No abstract provided.