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Conservation Of Lapping Mechanism In Marsupials, Angela Brkic Jan 2022

Conservation Of Lapping Mechanism In Marsupials, Angela Brkic

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The oral behavior of drinking includes interactions between the tongue, jaw, and liquid being ingested to provide hydration to the animal. Different mechanisms may be used to ingest liquid such as lapping, licking, or sucking. The objective of the study was to compare the mechanism of lapping across marsupial species through comparison of the length of gape cycle, and the amplitude of jaw pitch and tongue protraction between the two marsupial species, Didelphis virginiana and Monodelphis domestica. I hypothesized that there would be no differences in any of the variables for the lapping mechanism between species. Previous work demonstrates …

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Immunohistochemistry Of The Zebrafish Retina, Alison Ruf Jan 2022

Immunohistochemistry Of The Zebrafish Retina, Alison Ruf

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The retina is made up of many different essential parts that work together to allow for vision of many different species. Some of these crucial cells and proteins include ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptors, synaptic markers, such as VGLUT, and receptors that bind glutamate. The basis of this project is to use immunohistochemistry to identify these important aspects of the retina in zebrafish via monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The goal being to compare specific cells in a control group retina to an experimental group of zebrafish.

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Impacts And Dispersal Of Invasive Bivalves, Dreissena And Corbicula Spp., On Stream Benthic Communities, Darrin Scott Hunt Jan 2022

Impacts And Dispersal Of Invasive Bivalves, Dreissena And Corbicula Spp., On Stream Benthic Communities, Darrin Scott Hunt

Wayne State University Dissertations

Asian clams (Corbicula spp.), zebra and quagga mussels (Dreisenna spp.) have invaded and spread throughout North American surface waters. Corbicula and Dreisenna species bio foul aquatic systems, occupy benthic substrates and degrade environments through shell deposition. I explored how Dreissena and Corbicula invasions affect benthic fish and macroinvertebrate communities, and examine how their impacts differ between urban and rural systems, and temperate and tropical climates. Macroinvertebrate and fish communities were evaluated at sites with increasing shell densities in the Rouge, and Huron rivers (MI, USA) using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBP). Urban and rural macroinvertebrate …

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Beyond The Identification Of Differential Gene Expression Using Rna-Seq In Plants, Feng Tao Jan 2022

Beyond The Identification Of Differential Gene Expression Using Rna-Seq In Plants, Feng Tao

Wayne State University Dissertations

Since 2008, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become an essential tool in transcriptomics research. Though identification of differential gene expression is the main purpose for most of the studies, RNA-seq is a catch-all tool including almost 100 distinct approaches which could be applied to different biological areas. Here, I presented the three applications of RNA-seq in plants: 1. I applied the comparative phylogenetic approaches with five tissues RNA-seq data from three closely related species Arabidopsis thalian, A. lyrata, and Capsella rubella to categorize the evolutionary trajectories of recent duplicate genes in the genus Arabidopsis; 2. I extended the RNA-seq dataset to …

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A Comparison Of Impa2 & Isyna1 Gene Expression And Intracelular Myo-Inositol Levels In Bipolar And Non-Bipolar Disorder Derived Human Lymphoblasts, Christina Rosette Jan 2022

A Comparison Of Impa2 & Isyna1 Gene Expression And Intracelular Myo-Inositol Levels In Bipolar And Non-Bipolar Disorder Derived Human Lymphoblasts, Christina Rosette

Master's Theses

The thesis objective was to determine if myo-inositol concentration levels and the gene expression of IMPA2 & ISYNA1 differ among bipolar disorder types 1 and 2 compared to healthy controls (non-bipolar disorder). Previous studies have correlated different myo-inositol concentration levels with specific phases of bipolar and pharmaceutical treatments. Two genes, inositol monophosphatase 2 (IMPA2) and inositol-3-phosphate synthase 1 (ISYNA1), involved in de novo myo-inositol biosynthesis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar. In this study, differences in myo-inositol concentration and IMPA2 & ISYNA1 gene expression in lymphoblasts derived from subjects with bipolar types 1, 2, and healthy control were …

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Peruvian Mammals Collected By The Andrews University. Department Of Biology : Expeditions & Patterns Of Diversity, Kieran M. Taylor Jan 2022

Peruvian Mammals Collected By The Andrews University. Department Of Biology : Expeditions & Patterns Of Diversity, Kieran M. Taylor

Master's Theses

The Department of Biology at Andrews University conducted three expeditions to Peru in 1964, 1965, and 1968. During the expeditions, thousands of specimens were collected of several taxa, including mammals. As far as we know, no complete summary of the expeditions and the mammals collected has been created. Knowledge of the expeditions and evaluation of the mammals collected compared to current literature could have conservation implications. My purpose was to recreate the story of the expeditions and use this contextual information to catalog and identify the number of mammal species collected and evaluate the mammal diversity collected according to current …

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Feeling The Burn: Assessing The Effects Of Fire Severity On Elk Nutritional Resources And Resource Selection, Lauren Ashley Snobl Jan 2022

Feeling The Burn: Assessing The Effects Of Fire Severity On Elk Nutritional Resources And Resource Selection, Lauren Ashley Snobl

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfires in the western United States have been increasing in size and severity over the last several decades, and climate forecasts suggest a continued increase in wildfire activity in the future. Large-scale wildfires often burn in a mosaic-like pattern of varying fire severity creating a heterogenous landscape with concomitant effects on vegetation communities. By changing vegetative structure, fire severity potentially alters the availability and distribution of key resources for wildlife such as food and cover, ultimately influencing habitat use. However, the impact of fire on wildlife has frequently been treated as binary (i.e., burned vs unburned), and a deeper understanding …

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A Call To Action: Education Driven Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Blue Economy Initiatives At Coastal Universities, Matthew Tallino Jan 2022

A Call To Action: Education Driven Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Blue Economy Initiatives At Coastal Universities, Matthew Tallino

Education Theses

Microplastic pollution impacts the earth’s oceans. Research at the deep sea and surface level, as well as research examining different bodies of water, indicates this problem is widespread. This research examines data from 2012 to the present to assess the impact the human stressor of microplastic has on marine ecosystems and ocean sampling and the insight that peer reviewed research on microplastics can provide as coastal universities create Blue Economy strategic action plans. Data indicates microplastics are a critical issue to the oceans overall health. The implications of the research are designed to target a variety of community members at …

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Chemogenetic Induced Tinnitus Model, Cara Bunner Jan 2022

Chemogenetic Induced Tinnitus Model, Cara Bunner

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will use chemogenetic drug activation in the inferior colliculus (IC) to formulate a new tinnitus model in animals. Gq-signaling DREADD [AAV8-CaMIIKa-HDM2(Gq)-mCherry] will be used to selectively activate glutamatergic neurons in the mouse, then the brain will be dissected to obtain the IC. The IC will be immunohistochemically stained to visualize the AAV mCherry, the glutamatergic neuron distribution, and the GABAergic neuron distribution within the IC. Thus, the findings of this study will better our understandings of the pathological mechanisms of tinnitus.

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Decomposition Of Organic Matter Above And Below Dams, Olivia Muntz Jan 2022

Decomposition Of Organic Matter Above And Below Dams, Olivia Muntz

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Dams produce hydroelectric power and control flooding, but they also cause negative ecological consequences such as habitat fragmentation and altered water quality. The goal of this study was to determine whether dams alter rates of organic matter decomposition. Decomposition rates in impoundments and in free-flowing sections of the Huron River were measured using the cotton strip assay. We hypothesized that if water temperature is the main driver of decomposition rates, then higher rates of decomposition would be expected behind dams due to anticipated warmer water temperatures in the impoundment. If oxygen concentrations are a main driver of decomposition rates, lower …

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Vocal Analysis Of The Newly Described Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog, Carrie J. Kosiba Jan 2022

Vocal Analysis Of The Newly Described Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog, Carrie J. Kosiba

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Urbanization alters animal behaviors and especially impacts amphibians due to their sensitivity to environmental change, small home ranges, and reliance on acoustic communication to locate mates. A newly discovered leopard frog species, Rana kauffeldi, was recently described from the New York City metro area. This species was previously characterized as R. sphenocephala due to their nearly identical morphology, but the two species are distinguished based on genetics and calling characteristics. The goal of this project was to document calling intensity and phenology (timing) differences between urban and rural populations of R. kauffeldi, as well as describe variation across …

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Understanding The Effects Of Embryonic Hyperglycemia On Retinal Development And Maintenance, Kayla Titialii-Torres Jan 2022

Understanding The Effects Of Embryonic Hyperglycemia On Retinal Development And Maintenance, Kayla Titialii-Torres

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Hundreds of millions of people are affected by diabetes worldwide. Whether they are diagnosed with prediabetes or Type I or II diabetes, there are a variety of mechanisms in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Diabetes is a disease which consists of recurring states of hyperglycemia that can be difficult to manage due to either lack of insulin production or improper utilization of insulin. While these mechanisms of action differ, complications induced by diabetes occur in both poorly regulated Type I and II. Common complications of diabetes include nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. Eye damage specifically is called diabetic retinopathy …

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Modeling Als-Associated Matrin-3 Toxicity In Yeast, Widad El-Zein Jan 2022

Modeling Als-Associated Matrin-3 Toxicity In Yeast, Widad El-Zein

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord leading to progressive paralysis and ultimately death. Perturbations in RNA metabolism and RNA binding proteins have emerged as underlying defects in ALS pathogenesis. Matrin-3 is a multifunctional RNA binding protein that has been linked to familial and sporadic ALS. Matrin-3 is normally found in the nucleus, but mutations in the gene cause mislocalization of the protein from the nucleus into the cytoplasm of neuronal cells where it forms protein aggregates. In this study, we show that over-expressing human MATR3 in …

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Increased Signal Complexity Is Associated With Increased Mating Success, Noori Choi, Matt Adams, Kasey Fowler-Finn, Elise Knowlton, Malcolm Rosenthal, Aaron Rundus, Roger D. Santer, Dustin J. Wilgers, Eileen Hebets Jan 2022

Increased Signal Complexity Is Associated With Increased Mating Success, Noori Choi, Matt Adams, Kasey Fowler-Finn, Elise Knowlton, Malcolm Rosenthal, Aaron Rundus, Roger D. Santer, Dustin J. Wilgers, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

The evolution of complex signals has often been explored by testing multiple functional hypotheses regarding how independent signal components provide selective benefits to offset the costs of their production. In the present study, we take a different approach by exploring the function of complexity per se. We test the hypothesis that increased vibratory signal complexity— based on both proportional and temporal patterning—provides selective benefits to courting male Schizocosa stridulans wolf spiders. In support of this hypothesis, all of our quantified metrics of vibratory signal complexity predicted the mating success of male S. stridulans. The rate of visual signalling, which is …

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Description Of The Courtship And Copulation Behaviours Of The Wall Spider Oecobius Concinnus (Oecobiidae), Diego Solano-Brenes, Laura Segura-Hernández, Gilbert Barrantes Jan 2022

Description Of The Courtship And Copulation Behaviours Of The Wall Spider Oecobius Concinnus (Oecobiidae), Diego Solano-Brenes, Laura Segura-Hernández, Gilbert Barrantes

Eileen Hebets Publications

Courtship and copulation behaviours are yet scantily described in many spider families, and this lack of information limits our understanding of the evolution of such behaviours within and across families. Here, we provide a detailed description of both courtship and copulation behaviour for Oecobius concinnus Simon, 1893. A striking characteristic of the male courtship is the construction of a tubular web (mating web) in which most courtship and copulation occurs. This web likely functions to restrain the female in a reduced space and as a substrate for male pheromones. The courtship consists of a complex web of interactions between both …

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Exploring Higher-Order Conceptual Learning In An Arthropod With A Large Multisensory Processing Center, Kenna D. S. Lehmann, Fiona G. Shogren, Mariah Fallick, James Colton Watts, Daniel Schoenberg, Daniel D. Wiegmann, Verner P. Bingman, Eileen A. Hebets Jan 2022

Exploring Higher-Order Conceptual Learning In An Arthropod With A Large Multisensory Processing Center, Kenna D. S. Lehmann, Fiona G. Shogren, Mariah Fallick, James Colton Watts, Daniel Schoenberg, Daniel D. Wiegmann, Verner P. Bingman, Eileen A. Hebets

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Comparative cognition aims to understand the evolutionary history and current function of cognitive abilities in a variety of species with diverse natural histories. One characteristic often attributed to higher cognitive abilities is higher-order conceptual learning, such as the ability to learn concepts independent of stimuli—e.g., ‘same’ or ‘different’. Conceptual learning has been documented in honeybees and a number of vertebrates. Amblypygids, nocturnal enigmatic arachnids, are good candidates for higher-order learning because they are excellent associational learners, exceptional navigators, and they have large, highly folded mushroom bodies, which are brain regions known to be involved in learning and memory in insects. …

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The Ecology Of Wealth Inequality In Animal Societies, Eli D. Strauss, Daizaburo Shizuka Jan 2022

The Ecology Of Wealth Inequality In Animal Societies, Eli D. Strauss, Daizaburo Shizuka

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Individuals vary in their access to resources, social connections and phenotypic traits, and a central goal of evolutionary biology is to understand how this variation arises and influences fitness. Parallel research on humans has focused on the causes and consequences of variation in material possessions, opportunity and health. Central to both fields of study is that unequal distribution of wealth is an important component of social structure that drives variation in relevant outcomes. Here, we advance a research framework and agenda for studying wealth inequality within an ecological and evolutionary context. This ecology of inequality approach presents the opportunity to …

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Functional Response Of Harmonia Axyridis To The Larvae Of Spodoptera Litura: The Combined Effect Of Temperatures And Prey Instars, Yasir Islam, Farhan Mahmood Shah, Ali Güncan, John Paul Delong, Xingmiao Zhou Jan 2022

Functional Response Of Harmonia Axyridis To The Larvae Of Spodoptera Litura: The Combined Effect Of Temperatures And Prey Instars, Yasir Islam, Farhan Mahmood Shah, Ali Güncan, John Paul Delong, Xingmiao Zhou

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Functional responses are central to predator–prey dynamics and describe how predation varies with prey abundance. Functional responses often are measured without regard to prey size (i.e., body mass) or the temperature dependence of feeding rates. However, variation in prey size within populations is ubiquitous, and predation rates are often both size and temperature-dependent. Here, we assessed functional responses of larvae and adult Harmonia axyridis on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instars of the prey Spodoptera litura across a range of temperatures (i.e., 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35◦C). The type and parameters of the functional responses were determined using logistic …

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Social Networks In The Single Cell, Moira Rodriguez, Ana Martinez-Hottovy, Alan C. Christensen Jan 2022

Social Networks In The Single Cell, Moira Rodriguez, Ana Martinez-Hottovy, Alan C. Christensen

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Plant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can become damaged in many ways. A major repair mechanism is homologous recombination, which requires an undamaged DNA template. Presumably, this template comes from a different mitochondrion in the same cell. Plant mitochondria undergo fission and fusion to form transient networks which could allow the exchange of genetic information. To test this hypothesis, Chustecki et al. (2022) used msh1 mutants with defective DNA repair, and showed that mitochondrial interactions increased, revealing a link between the physical and genetic behavior of mitochondria.

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Late Pleistocene Megafauna Extinction Leads To Missing Pieces Of Ecological Space In A North American Mammal Community, Felisa A. Smith, Emma A. Elliott Smith, Amelia Villaseñor, Catalina P. Tomé, S. Kathleen Lyons, Seth D. Newsome Jan 2022

Late Pleistocene Megafauna Extinction Leads To Missing Pieces Of Ecological Space In A North American Mammal Community, Felisa A. Smith, Emma A. Elliott Smith, Amelia Villaseñor, Catalina P. Tomé, S. Kathleen Lyons, Seth D. Newsome

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The conservation status of large-bodied mammals is dire. Their decline has serious consequences because they have unique ecological roles not replicated by smaller-bodied animals. Here, we use the fossil record of the megafauna extinction at the terminal Pleistocene to explore the consequences of past biodiversity loss. We characterize the isotopic and body-size niche of a mammal community in Texas before and after the event to assess the influence on the ecology and ecological interactions of surviving species (>1 kg). Preextinction, a variety of C4 grazers, C3 browsers, and mixed feeders existed, similar to modern African savannas, with …

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Fishing Regulations, Sexual Dimorphism, And The Life History Of Harvest, Lyndsie S. Wszola, Zachary S. Feiner, Christopher J. Chizinski, Jamilynn B. Poletto, John P. Delong Jan 2022

Fishing Regulations, Sexual Dimorphism, And The Life History Of Harvest, Lyndsie S. Wszola, Zachary S. Feiner, Christopher J. Chizinski, Jamilynn B. Poletto, John P. Delong

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Freshwater recreational fisheries regulations are a vital tool for achieving social and ecological fisheries objectives. However, angler behavior and fish biology may interact to influence regulation efficacy in unexpected ways. We combined models of fish growth and angler behavior to explore how angler behavior interacts with fish life history to shape the probability of fish harvest given capture across ages, life stages, and sexes of walleye (Sander vitreus). Compared to females, males grew more quickly as juveniles, matured earlier, and reached smaller maximum sizes. Male walleye were therefore vulnerable to harvest for more of their reproductive lives than …

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An Empiricist’S Guide To Using Ecological Theory, Tess N. Grainger, Athmanathan Senthilnathan, Po-Ju Ke, Matthew A. Barbour, Natalie T. Jones, John Delong, Sarah P. Otto, Mary I. O'Connor, Kyle E. Coblentz, Nikunj Goel, Jawad Sakarchi, Megan C. Szojka, Jonathan M. Levine, Rachel M. Germain Jan 2022

An Empiricist’S Guide To Using Ecological Theory, Tess N. Grainger, Athmanathan Senthilnathan, Po-Ju Ke, Matthew A. Barbour, Natalie T. Jones, John Delong, Sarah P. Otto, Mary I. O'Connor, Kyle E. Coblentz, Nikunj Goel, Jawad Sakarchi, Megan C. Szojka, Jonathan M. Levine, Rachel M. Germain

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

A scientific understanding of the biological world arises when ideas about how nature works are formalized, tested, refined, and then tested again. Although the benefits of feedback between theoretical and empirical research are widely acknowledged by ecologists, this link is still not as strong as it could be in ecological research. This is in part because theory, particularly when expressed mathematically, can feel inaccessible to empiricists who may have little formal training in advanced math. To address this persistent barrier, we provide a general and accessible guide that covers the basic, step-by-step process of how to approach, understand, and use …

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Towards An Integrative View Of Virus Phenotypes, John P. Delong, Maitham A. Al-Sammak, Zeina Al-Ameeli, David Dunigan, Kyle F. Edwards, Jeffry J. Fuhrmann, Jason P. Gleghorn, Hanqun Li, Kona Haramoto, Amelia O. Harrison, Marcia F. Marston, Ryan M. Moore, Shawn W. Polson, Barbra D. Ferrell, Miranda E. Salsbery, Christopher R. Schvarcz, Jasmine Shirazi, Grieg F. Steward, James L. Van Etten, K. Eric Wommack Jan 2022

Towards An Integrative View Of Virus Phenotypes, John P. Delong, Maitham A. Al-Sammak, Zeina Al-Ameeli, David Dunigan, Kyle F. Edwards, Jeffry J. Fuhrmann, Jason P. Gleghorn, Hanqun Li, Kona Haramoto, Amelia O. Harrison, Marcia F. Marston, Ryan M. Moore, Shawn W. Polson, Barbra D. Ferrell, Miranda E. Salsbery, Christopher R. Schvarcz, Jasmine Shirazi, Grieg F. Steward, James L. Van Etten, K. Eric Wommack

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Understanding how phenotypes emerge from genotypes is a foundational goal in biology. As challenging as this task is when considering cellular life, it is further complicated in the case of viruses. During replication, a virus as a discrete entity (the virion) disappears and manifests itself as a metabolic amalgam between the virus and the host (the virocell). Identifying traits that unambiguously constitute a virus’s phenotype is straightforward for the virion, less so for the virocell. Here, we present a framework for categorizing virus phenotypes that encompasses both virion and virocell stages and considers functional and performance traits of viruses in …

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Predator Functional Responses And The Biocontrol Of Aphids And Mites, John Delong, Stella Uiterwaal Jan 2022

Predator Functional Responses And The Biocontrol Of Aphids And Mites, John Delong, Stella Uiterwaal

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Biocontrol with predators is a key tool for controlling agricultural pests and preserving the productive efficiency of crops. Determining which predators to use for biocontrol often involves measuring their functional response—the relationship between foraging rate and prey abundance, yet comparisons of functional responses across predators are complicated by differences in experimental procedures. Here we use a compilation of functional responses standardized for time and space units to illustrate key sources of variation in functional responses for predators being tested for control of aphids and mites. Our results show that arena size (as a proxy for habitat structure) is a crucial …

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Toxicity Of The Technology Critical Elements Germanium And Yttrium To Daphnia Magna And Hyalella Azteca And The Influence Of Toxicity Modifying Factors, Rashid Shah Jan 2022

Toxicity Of The Technology Critical Elements Germanium And Yttrium To Daphnia Magna And Hyalella Azteca And The Influence Of Toxicity Modifying Factors, Rashid Shah

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Technology critical elements (TCEs) are increasingly used in high and green technologies but there is little aquatic toxicity data for TCEs, particularly in fresh water. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of two TCEs, Ge and Y, to Daphnia magna and Hyalella azteca and to understand the role of natural organic matter and cations on toxicity modification. Testing followed standard methods. The 48 h EC50 for D. magna was 11.6 (95% CI of 9.64-13.8) mg Ge/L based on measured dissolved concentrations at test end. The addition of NOM at 10 mg DOC/L resulted in a significant …

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Determinants Of Population Genetic Structure In Chamaecrista Fasciculata (Michx.) Greene (Fabaceae) In The Southeastern United States, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad, Lisa E. Wallace Jan 2022

Determinants Of Population Genetic Structure In Chamaecrista Fasciculata (Michx.) Greene (Fabaceae) In The Southeastern United States, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad, Lisa E. Wallace

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Chamaecrista fasciculata is a widely distributed, phenotypically variable species in the eastern U.S. Whereas studies have demonstrated genetic structure and local adaptation in northern areas of its distribution, there has been no comparison of genetic variability among populations at the southern extent where phenotypic variation is more complex. We characterized genetic variation at 14 microsatellite loci for populations in Mississippi and Alabama and compared this to variation in a phenotypic trait, leaf pubescence. Geographic distance, climatic variables, and elevation were evaluated as factors to explain the observed patterns of genetic diversity. A significant amount of variation (19%) resided among populations, …

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Understanding The Cellular And Physiological Mechanisms Of Fertilization And Early-Stage Seed Development, Mohammad Foteh Ali Jan 2022

Understanding The Cellular And Physiological Mechanisms Of Fertilization And Early-Stage Seed Development, Mohammad Foteh Ali

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Flowering plants have evolved a unique double-fertilization process. Two sperm cells fuse with two female gametophytic cells, the egg and central cells within the ovule, giving rise to the embryo and endosperm, respectively. Sperm cells in flowering plants are nonmotile and delivered in close proximity to the egg and central cells by the pollen tube. Flowering plants have established filamentous actin (F-actin) based sperm nuclear migration system for successful fertilization. Prior to fertilization, the female gamete forms a mesh-like structure of F-actin that shows constant inward movement from the plasma membrane periphery to the center of the cell where the …

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Exosome- And Microrna-Based Therapeutic Approach For Tendinopathy, Angela Wang Ilaltdinov Jan 2022

Exosome- And Microrna-Based Therapeutic Approach For Tendinopathy, Angela Wang Ilaltdinov

Dissertations and Theses

Tendinopathy, characterized by degeneration and chronic inflammation, is a significant clinical burden. Current treatments focus on symptom management but do not sufficiently address its underlying pathology; however, stem cell-based approaches aimed at repairing diseased tissues may overcome this limitation. Therapeutic effects of stem cells may be due in part to paracrine actions, including some mediated by exosomes – extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that play a role in cell communication. MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA carried by exosomes, are likely responsible for many exosome effects. Exosomes and miRNA therapies show promise in treating diseases such as cancer and arthritis, but …

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Response Of Antarctic Soil Fauna To Climate-Driven Changes Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Andre L.C. Franco, Byron J. Adams, Melisa A. Diaz, Nathan P. Lemoine, Nicholas B. Dragone, Noah Fierer, W. Berry Lyons, Ian Hogg, Diana H. Wall Jan 2022

Response Of Antarctic Soil Fauna To Climate-Driven Changes Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Andre L.C. Franco, Byron J. Adams, Melisa A. Diaz, Nathan P. Lemoine, Nicholas B. Dragone, Noah Fierer, W. Berry Lyons, Ian Hogg, Diana H. Wall

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Understanding how terrestrial biotic communities have responded to glacial recession since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) can inform present and future responses of biota to climate change. In Antarctica, the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) have experienced massive environmental changes associated with glacial retreat since the LGM, yet we have few clues as to how its soil invertebrate-dominated animal communities have responded. Here, we surveyed soil invertebrate fauna from above and below proposed LGM elevations along transects located at 12 features across the Shackleton Glacier region. Our transects captured gradients of surface ages possibly up to 4.5 million years and the soils …

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Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema Jan 2022

Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The integument plays essential roles in the structural support, protection, and hydrodynamic capability among fishes. Most shark skin research has been done on the external epidermal layer containing the dermal denticles, while the larger dermis layer has been mostly ignored. The dermis layer in sharks is composed of two layers, the upper stratum laxum and the lower stratum compactum, holding supportive collagen and elastin fibers. There may be morphological and compositional differences in the dermis layers across various species of sharks, although the extent of such is unknown. These potential differences may be represented by various dermal thicknesses and different …

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