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Accuracy Of Climate-Based Forecasts Of Pathogen Spread, Annakate M. Schatz, Andrew M. Kramer, John M. Drake

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Species distribution models (SDMs) are a tool for predicting the eventual geographical range of an emerging pathogen. Most SDMs, however, rely on an assumption of equilibrium with the environment, which an emerging pathogen, by definition, has not reached. To determine if some SDM approaches work better than others for modelling the spread of emerging, non-equilibrium pathogens, we studied time-sensitive predictive performance of SDMs for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a devastating infectious fungus of amphibians, using multiple methods trained on time-incremented subsets of the available data. We split our data into timeline-based training and testing sets, and evaluated models on each set …

The Fleas (Arthropoda: Insecta: Siphonaptera) Of Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Lance A. Durden, Henry W. Robison, Matthew B. Connior

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) are important ectoparasites of cats, dogs, other mammals (including humans), and birds, and are an important component of the biota of North America. In addition, they can be nuisance biters and serve as vectors or intermediate hosts of several flea-borne disease agents and parasites that negatively affect mammals and birds. In Arkansas, there have been no recent comprehensive summaries of fleas in the last 45+ years. Here, we provide a summary of the 29 species of fleas within 7 families that have been recorded from the state, update their taxonomy, and note their medical and veterinary importance.

Surveillance Of Emerging Livestock Viruses, Faten A. Okda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and rapid diagnostic tests are essential for the management and control of emerging infectious diseases. Therefore, the overall goals of studies presented in this dissertation were to provide improved diagnostic and surveillance capabilities for several emerging viral diseases impacting the livestock industry and to provide insight into appropriate control strategies. Recent, severe outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in Asia and North America highlighted the need for well-validated diagnostic tests for identification of PEDV infected animals and evaluation of their immune status. PEDV was first detected in the U.S. in May 2013 and another swine coronavirus, porcine deltacoronavirus …

Habitat Useage Of Tri-Colored Bats (Perimyotis Subflavus) In Western Kentucky And Tennessee Post-White Nose Syndrome, Katherine Schaefer

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) has declined severely across its range since 2006 due to white nose syndrome, a fungal disease causing massive bat mortality in North America. My objective was to determine distinguishing characteristics of roost trees and habitat used by tri-colored bats so that the species’ needs can be considered in management plans. I mist-netted for tri-colored bats in western Kentucky and Tennessee during the summers of 2015 and 2016, and attached a radio transmitter to each captured adult bat. I tracked 15 bats to their day roosts and collected habitat data at 38 roost areas …

Predicting Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Efficacy For Women Using A Preclinical Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic In Vivo Model, Angela Wahl, Phong T. Ho, Paul W. Denton, Katy L. Garrett, Michael G. Hudgens, Glenn Swartz, Cynthia O'Neill, Fulvia Veronese, Angela D. Kashuba, J. Victor Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

The efficacy of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) relies on adherence and may also depend on the route of HIV acquisition. Clinical studies of systemic tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) PrEP revealed reduced efficacy in women compared to men with similar degrees of adherence. To select the most effective PrEP strategies, preclinical studies are critically needed to establish correlations between drug concentrations (pharmacokinetics [PK]) and protective efficacy (pharmacodynamics [PD]). We utilized an in vivo preclinical model to perform a PK-PD analysis of systemic TDF PrEP for vaginal HIV acquisition. TDF PrEP prevented vaginal HIV acquisition in a dose-dependent manner. PK-PD modeling of …

A Tale Of Two Regulators : Characterization Of The Novel Transcription Factor Abmr And The Small Non-Coding Rna Mcr11 In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Roxanne Candice Girardin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Genes of unknown function make up nearly one third of Mtb’s genome (Cole,

Aftermath Of The Human Genome Project: An Era Of Struggle And Discovery, Zainab Hamdoun, Hashimul Ehsan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The collaboration between the Human Genome Project and the Sanger Institute, spurred on by their contemporary- Celera Genomics, in the race to sequence the human genome, opened the door to a generation of research concerned with the study of the nucleic manual. Following this monumental achievement, the genomic era was born, heralding the development of gene therapy, personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics, and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing systems. These 'omic' disciplines offer a wide range of applications in the treatment of disease and the betterment of the quality of human life. Their notability, however, manifests in the unique mix of sociological and scientific discourse …

Museum Collections: Natural History Training Bridges Time, Space, And Digital Platforms., Anna Monfils, Karen Powers, Christopher J. Marshall, James F. Smith, Chris Martine, L. Alan Prather

Faculty Journal Articles

Natural history collections offer a number of unique physical and virtual opportunities to create formal and informal progressive learning environments. Collections provide direct interaction with biodiversity as it changes through time and space. Collections-based experiences lead to an increased understanding and substantive interaction with the living world. Recent studies demonstrate how nature and outdoor experiences can improve learning. We discuss how collections, and the data associated with collections, are a critical component linking nature and scientific inquiry. Partnerships that develop around collections and collections-based science can foster innovative educational and research experiences that are enhanced by access to museum specimens. …

Infection Prevalence In A Novel Ixodes Scapularis Population In Northern Wisconsin, Mary Lynn Westwood

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ixodes scapularis (i.e. the blacklegged or deer tick) is an important vector of emerging human pathogens. Over the past few decades, the incidence of blacklegged tick-associated zoonotic diseases have increased in accordance with an expansion of the blacklegged tick geographic range. Data concerning the infection prevalence of blacklegged ticks in this region is highly variable and fragmentary. Using a novel population of these ticks, constituting part of the invasion front in Vilas County, Wisconsin, I examined infection prevalence and vector aspects of their ecology. During the summer of 2016, I collected 461 blacklegged ticks and screened them using a standard …

Survey Of Anuran Chytrid (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis) In Kansas And The Influence Of Anuran Life History In Occurrence, Ariel Snyder

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of organisms worldwide. Introduction of non-native predators and habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation can be attributed to many declines. However, declines in protected areas might be due to the emergence of novel diseases such as ranavirus and chytridiomycosis. Chytridiomycosis has been implicated in the decline of many species world-wide, including the decline of Boreal Toads and Yellow-Legged Frogs in North America. Chytridiomycosis is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or “chytrid”. Chytrid has been detected in Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, and was first reported in two counties in south-central Kansas in 2014. …

Defining The Risk Of Zika And Chikungunya Virus Transmission In Human Population Centers Of The Eastern United States, Carrie A. Manore, Richard S. Ostfeld, Folashade B. Agusto, Holly Gaff, Shannon L. Ladeau

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The recent spread of mosquito-transmitted viruses and associated disease to the Americas motivates a new, data-driven evaluation of risk in temperate population centers. Temperate regions are generally expected to pose low risk for significant mosquito-borne disease; however, the spread of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) across densely populated urban areas has established a new landscape of risk. We use a model informed by field data to assess the conditions likely to facilitate local transmission of chikungunya and Zika viruses from an infected traveler to Ae. albopictus and then to other humans in USA cities with variable human …

Biology News, Winter 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

--Greetings From the Department of Biology
--Department of Biology Alumni
--Kelly Bahl Interns at Epcot in Disney World
--Former Student, Susann Ahrabi-Fard, Working With the Zika Virus
--Department News
--Study Abroad Course to the Galapagos
--UNI Maintains Strength in Undergraduate Research
--Biology Faculty Incorporate Their Artistic Skills Into the Classroom and Publications
--Faculty Retirement
--Alumni In Residence
--University of Northern Iowa Awarded Grant Through the Roy J. Carver Foundation
--Reconnect With the Department of Biology
--You Can Make a Difference
--Scholarships and Funding

The Progression Of Lyme Disease In The State Of Virginia, Margaret Michel

Honors Theses

Lyme disease has spread in the United States from the northeast to more southern and western parts of the country. It has been shown that the tick which most often carries the Lyme disease pathogen (Borrelia burgdorferi) in North America, Ixodes scapularis, has also spread to these new areas of concern. In Virginia, the disease has progressed from the eastern shore to the western, more mountainous regions. Through obtaining historical museum specimens of mice from 11 locations in Virginia, we seek to determine whether the Lyme disease causing pathogen, B. burgdorferi, has always been present in …

An Observational Study Of Ticks On The 30 Acre Lake Trail At Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Robert E. Shadix Jr.

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Ticks are known carriers of bacterial pathogens that cause diseases in humans and other mammals. Hosts (mice, chipmunks, rabbits, deer, and elk) must be in the tick’s questing range to fulfill the life cycle. The questing range depends on the life stage of the tick, vegetation, and host accessibility. Mammal densities directly affect the number of questing ticks observed in the environment. The 30 Acre Lake Trail site was selected for this study due to the high density of Dermacentor species ticks observed in past studies and the only known site of Rickettsia rickettsii pathogen isolated from ticks on the …

Pseudopecoelus Mccauleyi N. Sp. And Podocotyle Sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) From The Deep Waters Off Oregon And British Columbia With An Updated Key To The Species Of Pseudopecoelus Von Wicklen, 1946 And Checklist Of Parasites From Lycodes Cortezianus (Perciformes: Zoarcidae), Charles K. Blend, Norman O. Dronen, Gábor R. Rácz, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Pseudopecoelus mccauleyi n. sp. (Opecoelidae: Opecoelinae) is described from the intestine of the bigfin eelpout, Lycodes cortezianus (Gilbert, 1890) (Perciformes: Zoarcidae), collected at 200–800 m depths in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off Oregon and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The new species is distinguished by possessing a unique combination of the following diagnostic characters: vitelline fields that extend to the posterior margin of the ventral sucker; a slender, tubular and sinuous seminal vesicle that extends some distance into the hindbody; an unspecialized, protuberant ventral sucker; a genital pore at pharynx level; lobed to deeply multilobed testes; a lobed ovary; and an …

A New Species Of Catenotaenia (Cestoda: Catenotaeniidae) From Pygeretmus Pumilio Kerr, 1792 From The Gobi Of Mongolia, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan, Batsaikhan Nyamsuren, Danielle Marie Tufts, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

From 1999 through 2012, a total of 541 individual rodents (jerboas of the family Dipodidae) were collected from several habitat types, primarily from the Gobi region of Mongolia, and were examined for helminth and protistan parasites. Of those rodents, 25 were identified as Pygeretmus pumilio Kerr, 1792 (Rodentia: Dipodidae), whereas 516 were other species of jerboa from the provinces of Dornogobi, Dundgobi, Omnogobi, Ovorhangai, Bayanhongor, Gobi Altai, and Hovd. During our field work, we collected several cestodes; some of which represented undescribed species, and these new species occurred in 40% of P. pumilio from four separate collecting localities. We designate …

Nematodes Associated With Mammals In The Great American Biotic Interchange (Gabi), F. Agustin Jimenez, Juliana Notarnicola, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

The Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) is a large-scale zoogeographic event that illustrates the exchange and diversification of mammals between North and South America. This phenomenon was accelerated by the connection of both landmasses during the Pliocene. Support for this phenomenon includes the extant distribution of xenarthrans, didelphiomorph marsupials, hystricognath and cricetine rodents, sciurids and carnivores, as well as the distribution of fossils in the stratigraphic record and the coalescence of genotypes. Contrasting with the relatively well-documented role and history of mammals in GABI, the role of their parasites has been largely neglected. As a consequence, the reconstructions of the …

Host Allometry Influences The Evolution Of Parasite Host-Generalism: Theory And Meta-Analysis, Josephine G. Walker, Amy Hurford, Jo Cable, Amy R. Ellison, Stephen J. Price, Clayton E. Cressler

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Parasites vary widely in the diversity of hosts they infect: some parasite species are specialists—infecting just a single host species, while others are generalists, capable of infecting many. Understanding the factors that drive parasite host-generalism is of basic biological interest, but also directly relevant to predicting disease emergence in new host species, identifying parasites that are likely to have unidentified additional hosts, and assessing transmission risk. Here, we use mathematical models to investigate how variation in host body size and environmental temperature affect the evolution of parasite host-generalism. We predict that parasites are more likely to evolve a generalist strategy …

Host Allometry Influences The Evolution Of Parasite Host-Generalism: Theory And Meta-Analysis, Josephine G. Walker, Amy Hurford, Jo Cable, Amy R. Ellison, Stephen J. Price, Clayton E. Cressler

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Parasites vary widely in the diversity of hosts they infect: some parasite species are specialists—infecting just a single host species, while others are generalists, capable of infecting many. Understanding the factors that drive parasite host-generalism is of basic biological interest, but also directly relevant to predicting disease emergence in new host species, identifying parasites that are likely to have unidentified additional hosts, and assessing transmission risk. Here, we use mathematical models to investigate how variation in host body size and environmental temperature affect the evolution of parasite host-generalism. We predict that parasites are more likely to evolve a generalist strategy …

A Method For Measuring The Attachment Strength Of The Cestode Hymenolepis Diminuta To The Rat Intestine, Wanchuan Xie, Gábor R. Rácz, Benjamin S. Terry, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

A unique adaptation of many internal parasites of mammals is their ability to stay in the intestine for extended periods of time and resist the normal peristaltic movements and forces that push and expel material. To better understand parasite adhesion behavior and replicate their attachment method in medical devices, an experiment was designed and performed using the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta. The experiment employed a tensile test machine and a digital scale and was designed to calculate the attachment strength of the scolex to the mucosa through the change of the value of the digital scale during the tensile …

A 2-Part Study Examining; Hepatitis B Vaccination Rates Among High-Risk Adults And The Influence Of Education On Knowledge And Awareness Of Hepatitis B And The Use Of Vaccines As A Safe, Preventative Measure Among University Of Ms Students, Ariel Wilson

Honors Theses

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be prevented and controlled through vaccination. However, vaccination among high-risks adults in the U.S. is still low (50%). This poses serious threats for HBV transmission between infected individuals and high-risk individuals. Objective: The specific aims of this research were to (a) explore the prevalence of hepatitis B vaccination uptake from 2011-2014 (b) to examine intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational level factors associated with receiving hepatitis B vaccination among high-risk adults. Methods: Data were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011-2014 to (1) assess the prevalence of hepatitis B vaccination and …

Identification And Characterization Of Tumor-Associated Antigens (Taas) And Anti-Taas Autoantibodies As Biomarkers In Immunodiagnosis Of Human Osteosarcoma By Serological Proteome Analysis (Serpa), Jitian Li

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common highly malignant primary solid bone-tumor. Despite its relatively low incidence rate among overall cancers, it remains one of the most harmful primary malignant tumors in childhood and adolescence. Although some tumor markers like mutant p53 can be potentially used as biomarker to detect OS, its extensive association with the clinical outcome is poorly understood. The establishment of a methodology to identify patient with early stage of OS remains to be investigated. It is now evident that serum autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) could be used as serological cancer biomarkers in types of cancers, which …

The Contribution Of Alternative Splicing Toward The Global Control Of Sumo1 Sumoylation, Myriah Lorraine Acuna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

SUMOylation, the attachment of the Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) to a target protein, is a post-translational modification similar to that of Ubiquitination in terms of the cascade of events required to produce the final modified target. However, instead of targeting proteins for degradation, as Ubiquitination usually does, SUMOylation appears to regulate many vital cellular processes including nucleocytoplasmic transport, transcription, apoptosis, protein stability, response to stress, and progression through the cell cycle (Hay, R.T, 2005). This versatility exhibited by the SUMOylation system makes it an optimal target for viral manipulation, as our laboratory has previously described for Influenza A virus (Pal, …

Vector Competence Of Aedes Sierrensis And Culex Pipiens Complex (Diptera: Culicidae) For Dirofilaria Immitis (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) In Northern California, Jeffrey Allan Kurosaka

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Dirofilaria immitis Leidy (dog heartworm) is a life-threatening parasite transmitted by mosquitoes to domestic dogs. Endemic in the eastern United States, cases have become more prevalent over the last few decades. While prevalence in California is generally low, Lake and San Joaquin Counties have reported rates comparable to the East Coast at 3.73% and 0.71%(CAPC 2017), respectively. Aedes sierrensis is thought to be responsible for transmission in California, but in some cases, it exists in inadequate quantities and temporal ranges to explain parasite activity. Based on Huang et al. (2013) and Tran (2016), bloodfeeding patterns, and other vector criteria, Culex …

Protective Effect Of Anti-Phosphatidylserine Antibody In A Guinea Pig Model Of Advanced Hemorrhagic Arenavirus Infection, John M. Thomas, Philip E. Thorpe

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

Objective: Host derived markers on virally infected cells or virions may provide targets for the generation of antiviral agents. Recently, we identified phosphatidylserine (PS) as a host marker of virions and virally-infected cells.

Methods and Materials: Under normal physiological conditions, PS is maintained on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane facing the cytosol. Following viral infection, activation or pre-apoptotic changes cause PS to become externalized. We have previously shown that bavituximab, a chimeric human-mouse antibody that binds PS complexed with β2-glycoprotein I (β2GP1), protected rodents against lethal Pichinde virus and cytomegalovirus infections.

Results: Here, we determined the antiviral activity …

Monitoring Insecticide Resistance Mechanisms In Culex Tarsalis From Sutter County, California, Bridgette Danielle Hughes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Culex mosquitoes are known for carrying several harmful viruses in the United States. Culex tarsalis is found in rural as well as some residential areas in the Western United States, so they are under insecticide pressure from both agricultural spraying and vector control. In response to insecticide pressure, mosquitoes can evolve two primary resistance mechanisms: target site insensitivity, as a result of DNA mutation, and elevated levels of detoxifying enzymes (GST, alpha and beta esterases, and P450 oxidases). The two types of target site insensitivity studied here in Cx. tarsalis are kdr, which is a mutation in the para-type voltage …

Small Noncoding Rna Expression During Extreme Anoxia Tolerance Of Annual Killifish (Austrofundulus Limnaeus) Embryos, Claire L. Riggs, Jason E. Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Small noncoding RNAs (sncRNA) have recently emerged as specific and rapid regulators of gene expression, involved in a myriad of cellular and organismal processes. MicroRNAs, a class of sncRNAs, are differentially expressed in diverse taxa in response to environmental stress, including anoxia. In most vertebrates, a brief period of oxygen deprivation results in severe tissue damage or death. Studies on sncRNA and anoxia have focused on these anoxia-sensitive species. Studying sncRNAs in anoxia-tolerant organisms may provide insight into adaptive mechanisms supporting anoxia tolerance. Embryos of the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus are the most anoxia-tolerant vertebrates known, surviving over 100 days …

Habitat Usage Of Tri-Colored Bats (Perimyotis Subflavus) In Western Kentucky And Tennessee Post-White Nose Syndrome, Katherine Schaefer

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) has declined severely across its range since 2006 due to white nose syndrome, a fungal disease causing massive bat mortality in North America. My objective was to determine distinguishing characteristics of roost trees and habitat used by tri-colored bats so that the species’ needs can be considered in management plans. I mist-netted for tri-colored bats in western Kentucky and Tennessee during the summers of 2015 and 2016, and attached a radio transmitter to each captured adult bat. I tracked 15 bats to their day roosts and collected habitat data at 38 roost areas …

A Presence-Only Species Distribution Model Comparison Predicting The Distribution Of The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis), Melanie L. Torres

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Global anthropogenic impacts have incited devastating effects on both human and wildlife populations. Emerging infectious diseases (EID) are one consequence of these impacts. One particular EID, chytridiomycosis, is a threat to global amphibian populations, causing massive die-offs and several species extinctions. While predictive modeling has helped the general understanding of where the aquatic pathogen causing chytridiomycosis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), could spread to, most models are on continental or countrywide scales. This coarse-scale modeling makes local management and conservation planning for imperiled amphibians difficult. In addition, modeling efforts can vary depending on location and species, making it necessary to test the …

The Replication Initiator Of The Cholera Pathogen’S Second Chromosome Shows Structural Similarity To Plasmid Initiators, Natalia Orlova, Matthew Gerding, Olha Ivashkiv, Paul Dominic B. Olinares, Brian T. Chait, Matthew K. Waldor, David Jeruzalmi

Publications and Research

The conserved DnaA-oriC system is used to initiate replication of primary chromosomes throughout the bacterial kingdom; however, bacteria with multipartite genomes evolved distinct systems to initiate replication of secondary chromosomes. In the cholera pathogen, Vibrio cholerae, and in related species, secondary chromosome replication requires the RctB initiator protein. Here, we show that RctB consists of four domains. The structure of its central two domains resembles that of several plasmid replication initiators. RctB contains at least three DNA binding winged-helix-turn-helix motifs, and mutations within any of these severely compromise biological activity. In the structure, RctB adopts a headto- head dimeric configuration …