Digital Commons Network^™

Migration Phenology And Patterns Of American Woodcock In Central North America Derived Using Satellite Telemetry, Joseph D. Moore, David E. Andersen, Tom Cooper, Jeffrey P. Duguay, Shaun L. Oldenburger, C. Al Stewart, David G. Krementz

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014-2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 …

Butterfly Eyespots Evolved Via Co-Option Of The Antennal Gene-Regulatory Network, Suriya Narayanan Murugesan, Heidi Connahs, Yuji Matsuoka, Mainak Das Gupta, Manizah Huq, Thomas Werner, Et. Al.

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Butterfly eyespots are beautiful novel traits with an unknown developmental origin. Here we show that eyespots likely originated via co-option of the antennal gene-regulatory network (GRN) to novel locations on the wing. Using comparative transcriptome analysis, we show that eyespots cluster with antennae relative to multiple other tissues. Furthermore, three genes essential for eyespot development (Distal-less (Dll), spalt (sal), and Antennapedia (Antp)) share similar regulatory connections as those observed in the antennal GRN. CRISPR knockout of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for Dll and sal led to the loss of eyespots and antennae, and …

The Reemergence Of Eradicated Disease Due To Ecological Impact Of Climate Change, Claudia Kolakowski

Theses and Dissertations

Global warming is radically changing aspects of the Earth. As scientists continue to research the effects, the ramifications of melting permafrost is coming to light. We build off of a previously existing Anthrax model in the hopes to include climate change as a factor in Anthrax spread. Chapter II develops a simplified version of an Anthrax model. Parameters for the model are found by using previous research and eigenvalues are analyzed in order to find thresholds and equilibria. Chapter III consider the general solutions of the model through eigenvalues and eigenvectors. This model is then extended to include a parameter …

Behavioral Analysis Of The Cryptoprocta Ferox In An Ex-Situ Condition, Emilie Alfonso

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Fossas (Cryptoprocta ferox) are the top, endemic predators of Madagascar. Their populations are dwindling and are reported as “Vulnerable” by IUCN. In an effort to combat this, zoological facilities have placed the species on a captive breeding program. This study focuses on concerns one of those zoos had about their captive C. ferox. The purpose of this study was to collect activity budgets on the C. ferox to determine if there is a change in behavior due to construction occurring around the C. ferox’s habitat, analyze behavior changes during estrus, determine any behavior changes, as well …

Epigraph Hemagglutinin Vaccine Induces Broad Cross-Reactive Immunity Against Swine H3 Influenza Virus, Brianna L. Bullard, Brigette N. Corder, Jennifer Debeauchamp, Adam Rubrum, Bette Korber, Richard J. Webby, Eric A. Weaver

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Influenza A virus infection in swine impacts the agricultural industry in addition to its zoonotic potential. Here, we utilize epigraph, a computational algorithm, to design a universal swine H3 influenza vaccine. The epigraph hemagglutinin proteins are delivered using an Adenovirus type 5 vector and are compared to a wild type hemagglutinin and the commercial inactivated vaccine, FluSure. In mice, epigraph vaccination leads to significant cross-reactive antibody and T-cell responses against a diverse panel of swH3 isolates. Epigraph vaccination also reduces weight loss and lung viral titers in mice after challenge with three divergent swH3 viruses. Vaccination studies in swine, the …

Biotic Homogenization Or Riparian Refugia? Urban And Wild Land Snail Assemblages Along A Subtropical Precipitation Gradient, Kathryn E. Perez, Briante S. Lewis Najev, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Jeffrey C. Nekola

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A noted impact of urbanization is the tendency for biotic homogenization, or the increase of similarity of geographically disparate communities. On the other hand, some urban habitats harbor biodiversity native to their region, a role potentially important in xeric landscapes, with irrigation increasing the coverage and availability of mesic habitats in an otherwise water-limited landscape. We assessed the relative importance of urban yards as agents of biotic homogenization or riparian refugia by characterizing community composition of Tamaulipan thornforest land snail assemblages across a pronounced precipitation gradient in far south Texas, USA. We quantified α- and β-diversity and assessed whether the …

Physiological Consequences Of Neuromodulation And The Cellular Properties That Underlie Them, Margaret Louise Demaegd

Theses and Dissertations

Neuronal activity is a product of more than the underlying neuronal connections. Modulatory influences like changes in the animal’s environment, the animals physiological state, or the release of neuromodulators can dramatically alter neuronal activity. Modulatory influences can be beneficial for the animal because they are a source of neuronal and behavioral plasticity, and they can provide neuronal circuits with the robustness needed to continue to function in new conditions, states, or tasks.However, malfunctions of the modulatory system can disrupt neuronal activity and lead to pathologies. Predicting how modulatory influences will alter neuronal activity is challenging because the underlying cellular and …

Occurrence Of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) On Birds In Northwestern Lower Michigan, 2011-2019, William C. Scharf, Lisa Aukland, Gary W. Shugart, Sarah A. Hamer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Abstract

Monitoring tick infestation of wildlife provides baseline tick

occurrence data that may have human or animal health implications. We collected 312 ticks of four species from 5,122 birds of 93 species while monitoring bird migration during 15 fall and spring seasons between 2011 and 2019 in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Twenty-seven of 93 bird species hosted ticks with an overall prevalence (=at least one tick) of 3.6% (185/5,122). Median burden was one tick/per infested bird with a range of 1-16 ticks per infested bird. Tick species collected were primarily Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Packard) and Ixodes scapularis Say, with …

Observational Study Of Two Ex Situ North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Julia Rifenberg

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Zoos enable the ability to study how captive conditions impact the behaviors of animals. In this study, I observed two North American river otters housed at the Central Florida Zoo to evaluate behavioral changes after the male had been removed from the female for a month-long medical examination. The aim of this study was to 1) determine if mating behaviors were still occurring between the two river otters following the male’s removal and 2) to assess the welfare of the male and female river otters in captivity by observing their interactions and individual behaviors. Observed behaviors were compared to documented …

Wastewater Clarification And Microbial Load Reduction Using Agro-Forestry And Agricultural Wastes, Joel Njewa, Ephraim Vunain, Timothy Biswick

Tanzania Journal of Science

Five agro-wastes, namely: cassava peels, Irish potato peels, Jatropha curcas seeds, Moringa oleifera seeds and rice husks were investigated as plant-based coagulants for turbidity and microbial load removal from sewage wastewater. Moringa oleifera and Jatropha curcas seeds before usage were defatted with 95% ethanol and the active coagulating component was extracted with 1.0 M NaCl. For the other three agro-wastes, their ashes were evaluated for turbidity and microbial load removal. The ash was prepared through pyrolysis of the raw biomass at a temperature of 800 °C for 3 h. The effect of pH, coagulant dose, settling time on turbidity reduction …

Acetylcholinesterase Activity And Oxidative Stress Biomarkers In Fiddler Crabs (Austruca Occidentalis) Along The Coastal Mangrove Areas Of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, James Lugata, Flora Stephano, Harishchandra Pratap

Tanzania Journal of Science

The aquatic organisms such as crustaceans serve as bioindicators of the environmental stressors which affect the aquatic ecosystems. The present study assessed environmental health status through fiddler crabs (Austruca occidentalis) towards oxidative stress biomarkers and AChE activity in mangroves with different levels of salinity and environmental contamination. Fiddler crabs were collected from Mtoni Kijichi, Kunduchi and Mbweni, which experience different levels of contamination from high to low along the Dar es Salaam coastline. Malondialdehyde the biomarker of oxidative stress was analysed by lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay and AChE activity was tested using Ellman assay in the crab tissues (muscles, hepatopancreas …

Effects Of Time On Ph, Total Bacteria Counts, And Total Hydrocarbon Contents In The Bioremediation Of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil Using Indigenous Bio-Stimulants, Ita Uwidia, Osalodion Uwidia

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of time on pH, total bacteria counts, and total hydrocarbon contents in the bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil using pig waste and sawdust as bio-stimulants. Dried soil samples (500 g each) were weighed each into seven different plastic bowls, and each bowl was contaminated with 10 g of crude oil. Six of the contaminated soil samples in six of the plastic bowls were amended with a combination of pig waste and sawdust as bio-stimulants in the ratio of 1:1 in amounts of 150 g, 125 g, 100 g, 75 g, 50 …

Floristic Studies On Herbaceous And Grass Species Growing In The University Of Lagos, Nigeria, George Nodza, Ruth Anthony, Temitope Onuminya, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe

Tanzania Journal of Science

Rapid loss in flora diversity, changing patterns of vegetation and land use patterns in the University of Lagos Akoka campus has necessitated investigation on the herb and grass species so as to determine their compositions, structures and diversity within the area. Twenty sampling plots of 10m x 10m each were studied in five selected locations using random sampling. The samples were counted and identified using Flora of West Tropical Africa. A total of 75 taxa (herbs = 53 spp and grasses = 22 spp) belonging to 26 families and 64 genera were recorded in the area. Of all the families, …

Geometric Morphometric Comparison Of Abu Mullet, Planiliza Abu (Heckel, 1843) Populations In Bushehr Basin, Iran: Fatemeh Shabaninejad, Yazdan Keivany, Dara Bagheri, Fatemeh Shabaninejad, Yazdan Keivany, Dara Bagheri

Tanzania Journal of Science

Many fish behavior and habitats could be defined based on the fish morphology, thus, using the fish body shape, in addition  to its genetic characteristics, could be used to infer the type of fish habitat and its characteristics. This study aimed to compare the body shapes of five populations of abu mullet, Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843), in Bushehr basin using geometric morphometric method. Some 162 specimens from Hendijan, Genaveh, Helleh, Kaki and Mond rivers were used. Three morphometric characters, total length (TL), fork length (FL) and standard length (SL) were measured. Samples were photographed from the left side, then 18 …

Noise Distracts Foraging Bats, Louise C. Allen, Nickolay I. Hristov, Juliette J. Rubin, Joseph T. Lightsey, Jesse R. Barber

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Predators frequently must detect and localize their prey in challenging environments. Noisy environments have been prevalent across the evolutionary history of predator–prey relationships, but now with increasing anthropogenic activities noise is becoming a more prominent feature of many landscapes. Here, we use the gleaning pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus, to investigate the mechanism by which noise disrupts hunting behaviour. Noise can primarily function to mask—obscure by spectrally overlapping a cue of interest, or distract—occupy an animal's attentional or other cognitive resources. Using band-limited white noise treatments that either overlapped the frequencies of a prey cue or did not …

Poor Compliance With An Antibiotic Directive—A Call For Intensified Monitoring, Frederik Novak, Jens T. Hørlück, Jacob D. Redder, Paul Denton, Merete Storgaard

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

In April 2017, the Central Denmark Region Antibiotic Stewardship Committee issued a directive to reduce the general use of piperacillin-tazobactam and prescribe narrow-spectrum antibiotics for mild and moderate pneumonia. The directive was distributed to all regional hospital clinicians.

Methods

Electronic medical records were used to obtain de-identified details of all antibiotics administered (together with diagnosis codes) to all in-hospital patients (pre-directive and post-directive) in the nine regional hospitals. Average moving range statistical process control charts were used to analyze pre-directive and post-directive variation in antibiotic usage patterns.

Results

Upon the distribution of the directive, a period of decline of …

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 …

Data From: Recovery From Discrete Wound Severities In Side-Blotched Lizards (Uta Stansburiana): Implications For Energy Budget, Locomotor Performance, And Oxidative Stress, Susannah S. French, Spencer B. Hudson

Browse all Datasets

Wounding events (predation attempts, competitive combat) result in injuries and/or infections that induce integrated immune responses for the recovery process. Despite the survival benefits of immunity in this context, the costs incurred may require investment to be diverted from traits contributing to immediate and/or future survival, such as locomotor performance and oxidative status. Yet, whether trait constraints manifest likely depends on wound severity and the implications for energy budget. For this study, food intake, body mass, sprint speed, and oxidative indices (reactive oxygen metabolites, antioxidant capacity) were monitored in male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) healing from cutaneous wounds of discrete …

Comparative Effects Of Chemical And Physical Sunscreen On Fertilization Of Purple Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus), Marilla Lippert, Maurice Codespoti Goodman, Nikki Adams

Biological Sciences

Organic compound-based “chemical” sunscreens dominate the commercial sunscreen market, but recent research has revealed the ingredients of these products are detrimental to the health of marine organisms. This revelation has led to increased popularity of mineral-based “physical” sunscreens, primarily containing zinc-oxide (ZnO), as environmentally safe alternatives. While they are marketed as environmentally safe, these claims are largely untested, and it is important to consider potential effects of ZnO-based sunscreens on the development of marine organisms. Though Zn is a necessary micronutrient in the ocean, excess Zn is released into marine environments from anthropogenic sources has negative effects on marine life. …

G2pminer: A Genome To Phenome Literature Review Approach, John M.A. Wojahn, Stephanie J. Galla, Anthony E. Melton, Sven Buerki

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is a gap in the conceptual framework linking genes to phenotypes (G2P) for non-model organisms, as most non-model organisms do not yet have genomic resources readily available. To address this, researchers often perform literature reviews to understand G2P linkages by curating a list of likely gene candidates, hinging upon other studies already conducted in closely related systems. Sifting through hundreds to thousands of articles is a cumbersome task that slows down the scientific process and may introduce bias into a study. To fill this gap, we created G2PMineR, a free and open source literature mining tool developed specifically for …

Artificial Nightlight Alters The Predator–Prey Dynamics Of An Apex Carnivore, Jesse R. Barber

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Artificial nightlight is increasingly recognized as an important environmental disturbance that influences the habitats and fitness of numerous species. However, its effects on wide‐ranging vertebrates and their interactions remain unclear. Light pollution has the potential to amplify land‐use change, and as such, answering the question of how this sensory stimulant affects behavior and habitat use of species valued for their ecological roles and economic impacts is critical for conservation and land‐use planning. Here, we combined satellite‐derived estimates of light pollution, with GPS‐data from cougars Puma concolor (n = 56), mule deer Odocoileus hemionus (n = 263) and locations of cougar‐killed …

The C. Neoformans Cell Wall: A Scaffold For Virulence, Christine Chrissian

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cryptococcus neoformans is a globally distributed opportunistic fungal pathogen and the causative agent of life threatening cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals, resulting in ~180,000 deaths each year worldwide. A primary virulence-associated trait of this organism is the production of melanin. Melanins are a class of diverse pigments produced via the oxidation and polymerization of aromatic ring compounds that have a characteristically complex, heterogenous, and amorphous structure. They are synthesized by representatives of all biological kingdoms and share a multitude of remarkable properties such as the ability to absorb ultraviolet (UV) light and protect against ionizing radiation. Melanin production in fungi …

Biophysical Characteristics Of Lipid-Induced Aβ Oligomers Correlate To Distinctive Phenotypes In Transgenic Mice, Jhinuk Saha, Dexter N. Dean, Shailendra Dhakal, Kelli A. Stockmal, Sarah E. Morgan, Kristy D. Dillon, Munir F. Adamo, Yona Levites, Vijayaraghavan Rangachari

Faculty Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects cognition and memory. Recent advances have helped identify many clinical sub-types in AD. Mounting evidence point toward structural polymorphism among fibrillar aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) to being responsible for the phenotypes and clinical manifestations. In the emerging paradigm of polymorphism and prion-like propagation of aggregates in AD, the role of low molecular weight soluble oligomers, which are long known to be the primary toxic agents, in effecting phenotypes remains inconspicuous. In this study, we present the characterization of three soluble oligomers of Aβ42, namely 14LPOs, 16LPOs, and GM1Os with discreet …

Editor's Choice: Honoring Joel Asaph Allen, Luis A. Ruedas

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Joel Asaph Allen (19 July 1838 to 29 August 1921; Fig. 1) was a formative figure in the early years of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). Prior to the constitution of the Society, Allen had been appointed by Hartley H. T. Jackson as a member of the Committee on the Organization of the Mammal Society (Hoffmeister 1969). By all accounts a retiring individual, he was elected to honorary membership in the Society at the first meeting of the ASM (Washington, DC, 3–4 April 1919—Hoffmeister 1969). Honorary Membership is “the highest honor that the Society bestows” (Genoways and Freeman 2001).

Biotic And Abiotic Drivers Of Plant–Pollinator Community Assembly Across Wildfire Gradients, Joseph A. Lamanna, Laura A. Burkle, R. Travis Belote, Jonathan A. Myers

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

1. Understanding how abiotic disturbance and biotic interactions determine pollinator and flowering-plant diversity is critically important given global climate change and widespread pollinator declines. To predict responses of pollinators and flowering-plant communities to changes in wildfire disturbance, a mechanistic understanding of how these two trophic levels respond to wildfire severity is needed.
2. We compared site-to-site variation in community composition (β-diversity), species richness and abundances of pollinators and flowering plants among landscapes with no recent wildfire (unburned), mixed-severity wildfire and high-severity wildfire in three sites across the Northern Rockies Ecoregion, USA. We used variation partitioning to assess the relative contributions …

Cell Cycle Progression Effects Of Albumin, Sharmeen Uddin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Progression through G₁ phase of the cell cycle is controlled largely by growth factors in early G₁ and by nutrients in late G₁ indicating sufficient raw material for cell division. We previously mapped a late G₁ cell cycle checkpoint for lipids upstream from a mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-mediated checkpoint and downstream from a mid-G₁ checkpoint known as the Restriction point. We therefore investigated a role for lipids in progression through late G₁ into S-phase. Quiescent BJ-hTERT human fibroblasts primed back into G1 with FBS treatment, were treated with a mixture of …

Using Yeast Two-Hybrid System And Molecular Dynamics Simulation To Detect Venom Protein-Protein Interactions, Ying Jia, Paulina Kowalski, Ivan Lopez

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Proteins and peptides are major components of snake venom. Venom protein transcriptomes and proteomes of many snake species have been reported; however, snake venom complexity (i.e., the venom protein-protein interactions, PPIs) remains largely unknown. To detect the venom protein interactions, we used the most common snake venom component, phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) as a “bait” to identify the interactions between PLA2s and 14 of the most common proteins in Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) venom by using yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) analysis, a technique used to detect PPIs. As a result, we identified PLA2s interacting with themselves, and lysing-49 PLA2 …

Molecular Characterization Of A Marine Turtle Tumor Epizootic, Profiling External, Internal And Postsurgical Regrowth Tumors, Kelsey Yetsko, Jessica A. Farrell, Nicholas B. Blackburn, Liam Whitmore, Maximilian R. Stammnitz, Jenny Whilde, Catherine B. Eastman, Devon Rollinson Ramia, Ana C. Leandro

School of Medicine Publications

Sea turtle populations are under threat from an epizootic tumor disease (animal epidemic) known as fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis continues to spread geographically, with prevalence of the disease also growing at many longer-affected sites globally. However, we do not yet understand the precise environmental, mutational and viral events driving fibropapillomatosis tumor formation and progression.

Here we perform transcriptomic and immunohistochemical profiling of five fibropapillomatosis tumor types: external new, established and postsurgical regrowth tumors, and internal lung and kidney tumors. We reveal that internal tumors are molecularly distinct from the more common external tumors. However, they have a small number of conserved potentially …

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 …