Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Low Maternal Aldosterone On Offspring Cardiovascular Development, Travis Dean Mckee

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Maternal conditions are well known to affect fetal cardiovascular development. This study was designed to investigate in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), the effects of maternal aldosterone suppression on the development of hypertension in the offspring. A sham procedure or a right adrenalectomy combined with cryodestruction of the zona glomerulosa of the left adrenal gland was performed on SHR females. The rats were mated and male offspring were implanted at 11-13 weeks of age with a PA-C40 remote monitoring device placed into the femoral artery to record cardiovascular parameters for 4 weeks. Systolic (mmHg), diastolic (mmHg), and mean blood pressure (mmHg), …

Influences Of Adjacent Land-Use On Avian Community Structure In Sub-Boreal Peatlands Of The Midwest, Lucas J. Wandrie

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Surrounding land use influences avian community structure; moreover, anthropogenic manipulation of habitat can alter bird species richness and composition. In the first chapter of my thesis work, I conducted avian surveys at 20 sub-boreal peatlands in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin to detect correlations between land development and bird community structure. Peatlands are wetlands that accumulate decaying organic plant material (peat) and provide valuable and diverse habitats to a variety of flora and fauna. I measured urban and cropland development at three spatial scales (500 m, 1000 m, and 2500 m radii). Effects of development on avian communities also were …

Direct Fitness Correlates And Thermal Consequences Of Facultative Aggregation In A Desert Lizard, Alison R. Davis Rabosky, Ammon Corl, Heather E.M. Liwanag, Yann Surget-Groba, Barry Sinervo

Biology Faculty Publications

Social aggregation is a common behavioral phenomenon thought to evolve through adaptive benefits to group living. Comparing fitness differences between aggregated and solitary individuals in nature – necessary to infer an evolutionary benefit to living in groups – has proven difficult because communally-living species tend to be obligately social and behaviorally complex. However, these differences and the mechanisms driving them are critical to understanding how solitary individuals transition to group living, as well as how and why nascent social systems change over time. Here we demonstrate that facultative aggregation in a reptile (the Desert Night Lizard, Xantusia vigilis) confers …

Systematics Of Leptopelis (Anura: Arthroleptidae) From The Itombwe Plateau, Eastern Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Francisco Portillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leptopelis, a genus of Central African treefrogs, includes 51 species that live in tropical forests and savannas. Currently, only two species of Leptopelis are known from the poorly explored Itombwe Plateau in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Itombwe is renowned among conservationists for its rich and endemic amphibian fauna, including: Xenopus itombwensis, Chrysobatrachus cupreonitens, Laurentophryne parkeri, Hyperolius leleupi and at least three species of Arthroleptis. Evolutionary relationships of Itombwe Leptopelis were examined by sequencing two mitochondrial genes (16S: 557 bp [base pairs], cyt b: 620 bp) and one nuclear gene (RAG1: 761 bp). Results recovered strong support for …

Spatial Ecology Of The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis Subocularis) In The Chihuahuan Desert Of Trans-Pecos Texas, Arturo Rocha

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis subocularis) is a medium to large rat snake that occurs from south-central New Mexico, south-central Texas, down into the north-central and northeastern states of Mexico. There is paucity in the ecology of B. subocularis to date. Some North American colubrid snakes, such as Thamnophis sirtalis, are the most represented species in thermal ecology and life history studies in all reptiles. There is nothing known on the winter ecological aspects of this species, and very little information regarding its overall ecology. The goal of this study is to determine home range, movement patterns, habitats and utilization …

Miip: The Monomer Identification And Isolation Program, Christopher Bun, William Ziccardi, Jeffrey Doering, Catherine Putonti

Bioinformatics Faculty Publications

Repetitive elements within genomic DNA are both functionally and evolutionarily informative. Discovering these sequences ab initio is computationally challenging, compounded by the fact that selection on these repeats is often relaxed; thus sequence identity between repetitive elements can vary significantly. Here we present a new application, the Monomer Identification and Isolation Program (MiIP), which provides functionality to both search for a particular repeat as well as discover repetitive elements within a larger genomic sequence. To compare MiIP’s performance with other repeat detection tools, analysis was conducted for synthetic sequences as well as several α21-II clones and HC21 BAC sequences. The …

Do Species Distribution Models Predict Species Richness In Urban And Natural Green Space? A Case Study Using Amphibians, Joseph Milanovich, William E. Peterman, Kyle Barrett, Matthew Hopton

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Five Nuclear Loci Resolve The Polyploid History Of Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.) And Relatives, Jimmy K. Triplett, Yunjing Wang, Jinshun Zhong, Elizabeth A. Kellogg

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Polyploidy poses challenges for phylogenetic reconstruction because of the need to identify and distinguish between homoeologous loci. This can be addressed by use of low copy nuclear markers. Panicum s.s. is a genus of about 100 species in the grass tribe Paniceae, subfamily Panicoideae, and is divided into five sections. Many of the species are known to be polyploids. The most well-known of the Panicum polyploids are switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and common or Proso millet (P. miliaceum). Switchgrass is in section Virgata, along with P. tricholaenoides, P. amarum, and P. amarulum, whereas P. miliaceum is in sect. Panicum. We have …

A Comparison Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin And Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone On The Induction Of Spermiation And Amplexus In The American Toad (Anaxyrus Americanus), Andrew J. Kouba, Javier Delbarco-Trillo, Carrie K. Vance, Callie Milam, Meghan Carr

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Background: Captive breeding programs for endangered amphibian species often utilize exogenous hormones for species that are difficult to breed. The purpose of our study was to compare the efficacy of two different hormones at various concentrations on sperm production, quantity and quality over time in order to optimize assisted breeding. Methods: Male American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) were divided into three separate treatment groups, with animals in each group rotated through different concentrations of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog (LHRH; 0.1, 1.0, 4.0 and 32 micrograms/toad), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 50, 100, 200, and 300 IU), or the control over 24 …

The Molecular And Behavioral Characterization Of Cav1.3 Over-Expressing Mice, Jamie Nicole Slater

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Age-related cognitive decline refers to the memory impairment and difficulty learning new tasks that occurs during the normal process of aging. There are many possible changes that occur at the neuronal level that could account for age-related cognitive decline. One hypothesis suggests that a dysregulation of neuronal intracellular calcium concentration contributes to age-related cognitive deficits. Previous research suggests that an increase in neuronal L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs) occurs in the brain during aging. This increase could account for altered intracellular calcium concentration and lead to agerelated cognitive decline. A line of transgenic mice that over-express the LVGCC Ca_{V …}

Activity And Diet Of Bats In Apple Orchards Of Southern Michigan, Brenna Lynn Smith

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

I studied activity and diet of bats in apple orchards in southern Michigan. There was no difference between organic and conventional orchards in number and composition of insects captured with light traps, number of bats captured with mist nets, or number of acoustic files of bat activity that were recorded. The majority of insects captured were Coleptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Trichoptera. Only two species of bats were caught: big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) and eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis). Most calls were produced by big brown bats, followed by hoary bats (L. cinereus), red …

Ultrasonic Wave Propagation Assessment Of Native Cartilage Explants And Hydrogel Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering, Sean S. Kohles, Shelley S. Mason, Anya P. Adams, Robert J. Berg, Jessica Blank, Fay Gibson, Johnathan Righetti, Lesha S. Washington, Asit K. Saha

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Non-destructive techniques characterising the mechanical properties of cells, tissues, and biomaterials provide baseline metrics for tissue engineering design. Ultrasonic wave propagation and attenuation has previously demonstrated the dynamics of extracellular matrix synthesis in chondrocyte-seeded hydrogel constructs. In this paper, we describe an ultrasonic method to analyse two of the construct elements used to engineer articular cartilage in real-time, native cartilage explants and an agarose biomaterial. Results indicated a similarity in wave propagation velocity ranges for both longitudinal (1500-1745 m/s) and transverse (350-950 m/s) waveforms. Future work will apply an acoustoelastic analysis to distinguish between the fluid and solid properties including …

Differential Responses Of Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus) To Conspecifics And Centipedes, A. A. Burgett, Geoffrey R. Smith

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Temporal Variation In The Abundance Of Poblana Alchichica In Near-Shore Habitat Of The High Elevation Lake, Lago De Alchichica, Puebla, Mexico, G. A. Woolrich-Pina, Geoffrey R. Smith, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, R. Montoya-Ayala, L. E. Avila-Bocanegra, E. B. Carduno

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Year Survey Of Meiofaunal Abundance From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Continental Shelf And Slope, Stephen C. Landers, Frank A. Romano Iii, Paul M. Stewart, Steve Ramroop

Research, Publications & Creative Work

This 3-yr (2007–09) survey documented meiofauna abundance across the northern Gulf of Mexico on the continental shelf and slope from south Texas to south Florida. Sediment samples were collected from depths ranging from 29 to 509 m (average = 132 m) on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admistration ship Gordon Gunter during the annual fall small pelagics fish-sampling cruise. A total of 259 sediment samples from 99 ShipekH grabs were analyzed. Meiofauna were isolated from the sediment by sieving (63-mm sieve) and concentrating the organisms via LudoxH centrifugation. Each year the two dominant animal groups were nematodes and copepods, followed …

Genomic Amplification Of An Endogenous Retrovirus In Zebrafish T-Cell Malignancies, J. Kimble Frazer, Lance A. Batchelor, Diana F. Bradley, Kim H. Brown, Kimberly P. Dobrinski, Charles Lee, Nikolaus S. Trede

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Genomic instability plays a crucial role in oncogenesis. Somatically acquiredmutations can disable some genes and inappropriately activate others. In addition, chromosomal rearrangements can amplify, delete, or even fuse genes, altering their functions and contributing to malignant phenotypes. Using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), a technique to detect numeric variations between different DNA samples, we examined genomes from zebrafish (Danio rerio) T-cell leukemias of three cancerprone lines. In all malignancies tested, we identified recurring amplifications of a zebrafish endogenous retrovirus. This retrovirus, ZFERV, was first identified due to high expression of proviral transcripts in thymic tissue from larval and adult fish.We …

Anoxia Tolerance During Vertebrate Development - Insights From Studies On The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Jason E. Podrabsky, Claire L. Riggs, Jeffrey M. Duerr

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is chapter 1 from Anoxia -- This book reviews how severe oxygen deprivation affects biological systems - from the molecular to the ecological level. The contributing authors come from diverse regions of the world, which proves the interest in the academic analysis of oxygen deprivation. The diversity in the experimental approach scientists take, in order to understand the influence oxygen deprivation has on living systems, is apparent throughout this book. One of the presented ideas deals with the exploration and examination of the physiological, cellular and genetic characteristics of killifish embryos and nematodes exposed to anoxia. Furthermore, the book …

Management In A Neotropical Show Cave: Planning For Invertebrates Conservation, Thais Giovannini Pellegrini, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

International Journal of Speleology

Lapa Nova is a dolomitic cave about 4.5 km long located in northwestern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The cave experiences intense tourism, concentrated over a single period of the year, during the Feast of Our Lady of Lapa. In order to evaluate the impacts felt by the invertebrate community from this tourism, a new methodology was proposed. Four types of areas (intense visitation area, outlying visitation areas, moderate visitation areas and no-visitation areas) were sampled for invertebrates. There was one sampling prior and another on the last day of the 128^th feast, to evaluate the effects of visitation on …

Diversity And Dynamics Of Bacterial Communities In Early Life Stages Of The Caribbean Coral Porites Astreoides, Koty H. Sharp, Dan Distel, Valerie J. Paul

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

In this study, we examine microbial communities of early developmental stages of the coral Porites astreoides by sequence analysis of cloned 16S rRNA genes, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging. Bacteria are associated with the ectoderm layer in newly released planula larvae, in 4-day-old planulae, and on the newly forming mesenteries surrounding developing septa in juvenile polyps after settlement. Roseobacter clade-associated (RCA) bacteria and Marinobacter sp. are consistently detected in specimens of P. astreoides spanning three early developmental stages, two locations in the Caribbean and 3 years of collection. Multi-response permutation procedures analysis …

Hormone And Metabolite Changes Associated With Extended Breeding Fasts In Male Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga Angustirostris), Daniel E. Crocker, Rudy M. Ortiz, Dorian S. Houser, Paul M. Webb, Daniel P. Costa

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

We measured metabolic hormones and several key metabolites in breeding adult male northern elephant seals to examine the regulation of fuel metabolism during extended natural fasts of over 3 months associated with high levels of energy expenditure. Males were sampled twice, early and late in the fast, losing an average of 23% of body mass and 47% of adipose stores between measurements. Males exhibited metabolic homeostasis over the breeding fast with no changes in glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, or blood urea nitrogen. Ketoacids increased over the fast but were very low when compared to other fasting species. Changes within individuals …

Predator-Induced Vertical Behavior Of A Ctenophore, Josefin Titelman, Lars Johan Hansson, Trygve Nilsen, Sean Colin, John H. Costello

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Although many studies have focused on Mnemiopsis leidyi predation, little is known about the role of this ctenophore as prey when abundant in native and invaded pelagic systems. We examined the response of the ctenophore M. leidyi to the predatory ctenophore Beroe ovata in an experiment in which the two species could potentially sense each other while being physically separated. On average, M. leidyi responded to the predator’s presence by increasing variability in swimming speeds and by lowering their vertical distribution. Such behavior may help explain field records of vertical migration, as well as stratified and near-bottom distributions of M. …

Biomimetic And Live Medusae Reveal The Mechanistic Advantages Of A Flexible Bell Margin, Sean Colin, John H. Costello, John O. Dabiri, Alex Villanueva, John B. B. Blottman, Brad J. Gemmell, Shashank Priya

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Flexible bell margins are characteristic components of rowing medusan morphologies and are expected to contribute towards their high propulsive efficiency. However, the mechanistic basis of thrust augmentation by flexible propulsors remained unresolved, so the impact of bell margin flexibility on medusan swimming has also remained unresolved. We used biomimetic robotic jellyfish vehicles to elucidate that propulsive thrust enhancement by flexible medusan bell margins relies upon fluid dynamic interactions between entrained flows at the inflexion point of the exumbrella and flows expelled from under the bell. Coalescence of flows from these two regions resulted in enhanced fluid circulation and, therefore, thrust …

Opportunities For Public Aquariums To Increase The Sustainability Of The Aquatic Animal Trade, Michael F. Tlusty, Andrew L. Rhyne, Les Kaufman, Michael Hutchins, Gordon Mcgregor Reid, Chris Andrews, Paul Boyle, Jay Hemdal, Frazer Mcgilvray, Scott Dowd

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The global aquatic pet trade encompasses a wide diversity of freshwater and marine organisms. While relying on a continual supply of healthy, vibrant aquatic animals, few sustainability initiatives exist within this sector. Public aquariums overlap this industry by acquiring many of the same species through the same sources. End users are also similar, as many aquarium visitors are home aquarists. Here we posit that this overlap with the pet trade gives aquariums significant opportunity to increase the sustainability of the trade in aquarium fishes and invertebrates. Improving the sustainability ethos and practices of the aquatic pet trade can carry a …

Shedding Light On The Larval Genus Eretmocaris: Morphological Larval Features Of Two Closely Related Trans-Isthmian Lysmata Species (Decapoda: Caridea: Hippolytidae) Described On The Basis Of Laboratory Cultured Material, Cátia Bartilotti, Ricardo Calado, Andrew L. Rhyne, Antonina Dos Santos

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Complete larval series are known for only three of the 39 valid species worldwide in the genus Lysmata. The present work deals with the larval development of two closely related trans-isthmian species of Lysmata, L. galapagensis (eastern Pacific Ocean), and L. moorei (southwestern Atlantic Ocean), using laboratory cultured material. The morphological features of the first four zoeal stages of both species, the fifth to seventh stages of L. galapagensis, and the last stage of L. moorei are described and compared with the larval descriptions currently available for the genus. Larvae of both species hatch with a …

Revealing The Appetite Of The Marine Aquarium Fish Trade: The Volume And Biodiversity Of Fish Imported Into The United States, Andrew L. Rhyne, Michael F. Tlusty, Pamela J. Schofield, Les Kaufman, James A. Morris Jr, Andrew W. Bruckner

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The aquarium trade and other wildlife consumers are at a crossroads forced by threats from global climate change and other anthropogenic stressors that have weakened coastal ecosystems. While the wildlife trade may put additional stress on coral reefs, it brings income into impoverished parts of the world and may stimulate interest in marine conservation. To better understand the influence of the trade, we must first be able to quantify coral reef fauna moving through it. Herein, we discuss the lack of a data system for monitoring the wildlife aquarium trade and analyze problems that arise when trying to monitor the …

Educators Of Prospective Teachers Hesitate To Embrace Evolution Due To Deficient Understanding Of Science/Evolution And High Religiosity, Guillermo Paz-Y-Miño-C, Avelina Espinosa

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Acceptance of evolution by educators of prospective teachers remains superficially studied despite their role in having mentored schoolteachers whose weak support of evolution is known. Here, we contrast the views of New England educators of prospective teachers (n = 62; 87% Ph.D./doctorate holders in 32 specializations) with those of the general faculty (n = 244; 93% Ph.D./doctorate holders in 40 disciplines), both members of 35 colleges and universities, and with college students (n = 827; subsample of the 35 institutions) who were polled on: (1) the controversy evolution vs. creationism vs. intelligent design (ID), (2) their understanding of how science/evolution …

Point Of Care Diagnostics: Status And Future, Vladimir Gubala, Leanne Harris, Antonio J. Ricco, Ming X. Tan, David Williams

Articles

The most commonly used test for monitoring heparin therapy is the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The response of available aPTT reagents to heparin varies significantly. The aim of this study was to highlight the differences between aPTT reagents stored in a dried format to select the most suitable formulations to be used for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices used for monitoring of unfractionated heparin dose response.

METHODS:

Ten reagents were analysed in terms of their performance in liquid and in dried form after storage for 24 h and 14 days. Performance was assessed by measurement of the clotting …

Properties Of Biological Activity Of Ten Wild Almond (Prunus Amygdalus L.) Species, Ali Jahanban Esfahlan, Rashid Jamei

Turkish Journal of Biology

To compare the antioxidant and antiradical activity of phenolic extracts of different species of wild almond kernels (including the brown skin), 10 wild almond species were selected from Shahindezh and Qasemloo Valley in West Azarbaijan Province, Iran. The fruits of these almonds were collected, their kernels were separated from their hulls and shells and then ground, and methanolic extracts were prepared from the kernels. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and a colorimetric method, respectively. The extracts were also evaluated on their reducing power and their capacity to scavenge for DPPH radicals. Significant differences …

The Histopathologic Effects Of Morus Alba Leaf Extract On The Pancreas Of Diabetic Rats, Jamshid Mohammadi, Prakash R. Naik

Turkish Journal of Biology

Many traditional treatments have been recommended in the alternative system of medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Mulberry (Morus alba) is a nontoxic natural therapeutic agent shown to possess hypoglycemic, hypotensive, and diuretic properties. The purpose of this study was to examine the histopathologic effects of Morus alba leaf extract on the pancreas of diabetic rats. The animals were treated with mulberry leaf extract at dosages of 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight for 35 days. The various parameters studied included blood glucose, the relative body weight of the pancreas, the diameter of islets, and the number of \beta …

A Study On The Characterization And Pathogenicity Of Bacteria From Lymantria Dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), İsmai̇l Demi̇r, Emi̇ne Eryüzlü, Zi̇hni̇ Demi̇rbağ

Turkish Journal of Biology

Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), is one of the most serious pests affecting fruit, forest, industrial, and foliage plants worldwide. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize pathogenic bacteria from this pest and determine their pathogenicity. L. dispar larvae were collected from various populations in the forest areas of the Black Sea region of Turkey in May and June of 2008 and 2009, and 9 culturable bacterial isolates were obtained from these larvae. Morphological and physiological characteristics of bacterial isolates were determined by conventional and routine techniques, and biochemical properties and metabolic enzyme profiles were …