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Microbial Communities And Their Impact On Bioenergy Crops In Dynamic Environments, Brandon Monier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native perennial grasses, such as prairie cordgrass (PCG, Spartina pectinata Link), and switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum L.) have a great potential as bioenergy crops, because they require fewer inputs, produce more energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to annual cropping systems such as corn and soybean. SG has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for development as bioenergy crop, but studies have shown that PCG can outcompete switchgrass in terms of biomass production. These crops can also form associations with a wide variety of plant growth promoting microbes including arbuscular mycorrhial (AM) fungi. In CHAPTER 2, …

Total Antioxidant Levels Of Individual Foods Versus Combinations Of Food And The Effect On Apoptotic Induction In Hela Cells, Natalie Van Ochten

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Cancer affects over 14.5 million U.S. citizens of all ages, socioeconomic statuses, and races. Some countries have much lower cancer incident rates than the U.S. One major contributing factor to the lower incident rates is diet. Diets in countries with low rates of cancer include antioxidant-rich foods like raw fruits, raw vegetables, and spices. Studies have shown that antioxidants in black tea and berries induce apoptosis in cancerous cells. Because studies have shown that diet and cancer rates are related, it is important to analyze what we eat and how it impacts us. In this study, I quantified antioxidant levels …

Effectiveness Of Bitter Melon Extract In The Treatment Of Ischemic Wounds In Rats, Öznur Gürlek Kisacik, Ülkü Güneş, Mustafa Volkan Yaprakci, Korhan Altunbaş

Turkish Journal of Biology

There is no consensus on the properties of an ideal dressing for treating wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dressings using topically administered bitter melon extract with olive oil, pure olive oil, nitrofurazone, and saline in the healing of ischemic wounds. A sample group of 48 rats was used in the trial. Their wounds were treated with bitter melon extract, pure olive oil, nitrofurazone, and saline. Data were collected between October 2014 and April 2015. The highest percentage (94.7%) of wound healing was observed in the bitter melon extract group and the lowest percentage …

Identification Of Qtl Modifying The Activity Of The Tcb1-S Locus And Characterization And Sequencing Of Two Plutonium-Beryllium Induced Reduced Gametophyte Transmission Mutants In Maize, Merritt Bryer Burch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is split into two independent projects both involving the male gametophyte generation of maize. The first project looks at how pollen interacts with the female gametophyte to reduce its transmission in cross-incompatible reactions controlled by the unilateral cross-incompatibility system, teosinte crossing barrier 1. The second project explores two plutonium-beryllium induced male gametophyte mutants and attempts to uncover their genetic basis.

Identification of QTL Modifying the Activity of the Tcb1-s Locus
Teosinte crossing barrier 1 (Tcb1) is a unilateral cross-incompatibility system present in maize that provides a pre-zygotic pistil barrier to plants carrying Tcb1-s (strong allele) from pollen …

The Effects Of Acidic Conditions And Tannins On The Survival, Development, And Behavior Of Cope’S Gray Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis), Caleb E. Dodd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As amphibians decline around the world, freshwater acidification resulting from pollutants and acid rain may be a contributor. The ability of organisms to cope with environmental changes is greatly mediated by behavior, and recent studies indicate that anthropogenic acidification impairs behavioral responses by impacting olfactory abilities of aquatic organisms. Responding appropriately to novel stimuli is important for individual performance and survival, and pollutants may cause organisms to behave maladaptively. In this study I sought to: a) determine whether the oviposition site choices of adult female frogs correspond with the pH and tannin conditions that maximize tadpole survival and performance in …

A Link Between Gut Microbes & Depression: Microbial Activation Of The Human Kynurenine Pathway, Christina Cobb

CMC Senior Theses

Our gut microbiota is involved in human development, nutrition, and the pathogenesis of gut disorders, but has more recently been implicated as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of several brain disorders, including disorders of mood and affect, such as depression. Researchers have referred to this dynamic, bidirectional signaling pathway between the gut and the brain as the “gut-brain axis.” However, most research on this axis has been limited to rodent studies, and there has been little insight into the mechanism behind it. I propose that the kynurenine pathway, where tryptophan is converted to kynurenine, is a compelling mechanism mediating …

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries And Cte: A Review Highlighting The Connection Between The Two, Leandre Kennedy

Biology and Microbiology Graduate Students Plan B Research Projects

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a traumatic brain injury based disease that is garnering a lot of attention in the United States. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an extensive review of the information available about the condition. Recently there has been a limited amount of published information and treatment opportunities are rare since the only way of diagnosing has come post mortem. Various literary reviews and experiments were analyzed for appropriate information regarding CTE’s pathology and treatments and only peer reviewed published works were allowed in this paper. This resulted in promising information about the disease and …

Marine Bioactives From Saccharina Latissima, Orlaith O'Connell

Masters

Due to rapid global urbanization and therefore increased adoption of a 'Westernized' lifestyle, including decreased physical activity and increased consumption of highly processed and refined foods with a high sugar, fat and salt content, prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders are on the rise. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in particular is closely associated with this type of lifestyle. IBD is a term used to describe chronic inflammatory conditions which affects all or parts of the gastrointestinal tract. It includes conditions such as Crohn's Disease, which affects all the gastrointestinal tract and Ulcerative Colitis which mainly affects the colan. Due to the role …

Full Issue: Volume 11, Number 2

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Cyanotoxins (Microcystins/Nodularins) In Hepatic Tissues And Epidermal Mats Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Northeast Florida, Amber Brown

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The St. Johns River (SJR; Jacksonville, FL, USA) is a large, brackish, estuarine system characterized by considerable anthropogenic pollution, recurrent harmful algal blooms (HABs), and diverse toxin-producing cyanobacteria. The most prevalent toxins in SJR water samples are microcystins/nodularins (MCs/NODs). Additionally, the SJR provides critical habitat for a genetically and behaviorally distinct estuarine community of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that routinely uses and strands in low mesohaline and oligohaline areas of the river. This population has been subject to two unusual mortality events (UME) since 2010 and has since been described as having substantial declines in population health, characterized …

Genome-Wide Screening Of Potential Rnase Y-Processed Mrnas In The M49 Serotype Streptococcus Pyogenes Nz131, Zhiyun Chen, Rahul Raghavan, Fengxia Qi, Justin Merritt, Jens Kreth

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

RNase Y is a major endoribonuclease in Group A streptococcus (GAS) and other Gram‐positive bacteria. Our previous study showed that RNase Y was involved in mRNA degradation and processing in GAS. We hypothesized that mRNA processing regulated the expression of important GAS virulence factors via altering their mRNA stabilities and that RNase Y mediated at least some of the mRNA‐processing events. The aims of this study were to (1) identify mRNAs that were processed by RNase Y and (2) confirm the mRNA‐processing events. The transcriptomes of Streptococcus pyogenes NZ131 wild type and its RNase Y mutant (Δrny) were …

An Evaluation Of Trap-Neuter-Release Practices For Free-Roaming Cat Populations, Brian Gaston

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

As of 2002, estimates of free-roaming domestic cat (Felis catus) populations exceeded 100 million individuals, throughout the United States. Many lost or abandoned cats will revert to living outdoors as free-roaming individuals. To try to control the abundance of free-roaming cats, trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs have been implemented across the United States. The goal of many TNR programs is to reduce cat populations by sterilizing the individuals to prevent breeding, while also providing food and water to the unconfined colony. However, wildlife conservationists question the effectiveness of TNR programs. The objectives of my study were to: determine the population size and …

The Missing Metric: An Evaluation Of Microorganism Importance In Wetland Assessments, Aaron John Onufrak

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the contiguous US, an estimated 50% of original wetland areas have been lost since the late 1700s. In growing recognition of the importance of preserving wetland ecosystem function, federal and state agencies have developed proxy-based functional-assessment procedures to manage and preserve remaining wetland areas. Ohio uses the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM) to score wetland quality based on six metrics: wetland size, buffer width and surrounding land use, hydrology, habitat alteration and development, special wetland communities, and vegetation. Currently, the ORAM, and many other wetland scoring systems, do not consider microorganisms when determining wetland quality. This is particularly notable, …

Effects Of Trimethylamine Oxide (Tmao) And Loading Duration On The Shoot Tip Cryopreservation Of Loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica), Tianqi Huang, Muhammad Qasim Shahid, Faheem Shahzad Baloch, Shunquan Lin, Xiang Hui Yang

Turkish Journal of Biology

Two cryoprotectant solutions, including trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and several loading durations were used to evaluate the cryopreservation of the shoot tip of Eriobotrya plants. The best results for regrowth (59.91%) were obtained from 10% TMAO compared to 10% DMSO as cryoprotectant, although nonsignificant differences were found for survival between the two cryoprotectants. We detected pronounced effects of loading duration on survival and regrowth rates of shoot tips. The maximum regrowth (56.36%) was observed at 9 h of loading duration. The cryoprotectants and loading durations greatly affected the regrowth of Eriobotrya shoot tips, and TMAO could be …

Identification Of Conserved Mirna Molecules In Einkorn Wheat (Triticum Monococcum Subsp. Monococcum) By Using Small Rna Sequencing Analysis, Ercan Selçuk Ünlü, Sara Bataw, Di̇dem Şen, Yunus Şahi̇n, Nusret Zenci̇rci̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

Triticum monococcum subsp. monococcum as a first cultivated diploid wheat species possesses desirable agronomic and quality characteristics. Drought and salinity are the most dramatic environmental stress factors that have serious impact on yield and quality of crops; however, plants can use alternative defense mechanisms against these stresses. The posttranscriptional alteration of gene expression by microRNAs (miRNAs) is one of the most conserved mechanisms. In plant species including wheat genomes, miRNAs have been implicated in the management of salt and drought stress; however, studies on einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum subsp. monococcum) are not yet available. In this study, we aimed to …

Cold Tolerance, Diapause And Winter Survival Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha Halys), Naomi Sibayan

All Master's Theses

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is native to eastern Asia and is an invasive pest in the United States. Limited research has been done regarding the factors influencing this species’ winter survival within invaded northern regions. Cold tolerance has been previously evaluated in the eastern United States, bot nut within western populations. Winter diapause. Along with any potential links between diapause and cold tolerance remain unstudied. I examined characteristics of cold tolerance, diapause and overwintering sites to evaluate the factors contributing to the winter survival and, ultimately, persistence of this pest within central Washington. This study measured seasonal …

Role Of Nest Site Microclimate And Food Availability In Chick Development And Reproductive Success In Black-Legged Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla), Lindsay Mae Lacey

Honors Theses

Seabirds are marine top predators, and as such are often studied as bioindicators of climate shifts (Oswald and Arnold 2012). Though many studies have analyzed the effect of macroclimatic variation on marine prey species availability and thus seabirds, few have analyzed effects of microclimate - fine spatial patterns of climate (Mantua and Hare 2002; Hatch 2013; Kim and Monaghan 2005a). I tested the hypothesis that localized temperature and humidity at nest sites interact with food availability to alter black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) nest site quality, chick body condition during growth and development, and reproductive parameters including Julian lay …

Development Of A Novel Salivary Cortisol Laboratory Experiment For Undergraduate Physiology Students, Charmin C. Guy

Honors Theses

Developing an endocrine-based laboratory exercise for undergraduate students is challenging because of the limitations that are characteristic of endocrine processes. These laboratory exercises often involve invasive methods and expensive biochemical analysis. They are also time consuming because of the slow-acting endocrine responses. A potential endocrine-based exercise that can be completed in 2-3 hours, is non-invasive, and at a low cost is a salivary assay. This assay is not without drawbacks, however, including sample collection outside the laboratory classroom. Cortisol is a hormone that is accessible in saliva and provides some insight into the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis), also known as …

Analyzing Formation Of Silver Nanoparticles From The Filamentous Fungus Fusarium Oxysporum And Their Antimicrobial Activity, Abd-Almohaimen Ahmed, Haider Hamzah, Mohammed Maaroof

Turkish Journal of Biology

In recent years much attention has been paid to the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their important medical applications. The current study employs Fusarium oxysporum for the formation of silver nanoparticles and examines the antimicrobial activity of the particles against some multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbes. Silver nitrate was transformed into silver oxide, forming well-dispersed nanoparticles, by the action of F. oxysporum metabolically. The size of the nanoparticles ranged from 21.3 to 37.3 nm, and UV-spectroscopy showed a peak at 408-411 nm. Moreover, SEM, TEM, and AFM results revealed spherical and oval shapes and showed no sign of aggregation. Furthermore, the …

A Minimally Invasive Transfer Method Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells To The Intactperiodontal Ligament Of Rat Teeth: A Preliminary Study, Ni̇sa Gül Amuk, Gokmen Kurt, Melis Kartal Yandim, Aysun Adan, Yusuf Baran

Turkish Journal of Biology

The aim of this study was to introduce a minimally invasive procedure for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transfer into the intact periodontal ligament (PDL) of the molar teeth in rats. Ten 12-week-old Wistar albino rats were used for this preliminary study. MSCs were obtained from bones of two animals and were labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Four animals were randomly selected for MSC injection, while 4 animals served as a control group. Samples were prepared for histological analysis, Cox-2 mRNA expression polymerase chain reaction analysis, and fluorescent microscopy evaluation. The number of total cells, number of osteoclastic cells, and …

In Vitro Evaluation Of The Effects Of Capsaicin On Normal And Cancerouscells Of Human Cartilage, Nagi̇han Helvaci, Sabahatti̇n Cömertpay

Turkish Journal of Biology

Chondrosarcoma is a common form of bone cancer which affects the fibrous connective tissue around a joint. It most commonly develops in legs, arms, shoulder blades, rib cage, and pelvis. Capsaicin is an active bitter compound found in red pepper, the fruit of the species Capsicum annuum, and it has been shown to have a lethal effect on different types of cancer. However, to date, investigation of its effect on human chondrosarcoma cells has remained limited. In the study presented here, we determined IC50 values of capsaicin for chondrosarcoma and chondrocyte cells in both fetal bovine serum (FBS)-containing and FBS-deprived …

Life On The Edge: Risk Of Predation Drives Selection Of Habitat And Survival Of Neonates In Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep, Shannon Forshee

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Long-term viability of endangered populations requires development of effective management strategies that target the population vital rate with the highest potential to influence population trajectories. When adult survival is high and stable, juvenile recruitment is the vital rate with the greatest potential to improve population trajectories. For my thesis I examined how lactating Sierra Nevada Bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis sierra) balance forage and predation risk during the neonatal period. I first identified resource selection strategies employed by lactating females to promote survival of neonates and then determined the primary factors affecting survival of neonates. I found lactating females selected for …

Delivering On Seafood Traceability Under The New U.S. Import Monitoring Program, Demian A. Willette, Samantha H. Cheng

Biology Faculty Works

The United States is the world’s largest fish importer. Recent reports, however, indicate that 25–30% of wild-caught seafood imported into the US is illegally caught, heightening concerns over the country’s significant role in driving Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. In January 2017, NOAA enacted the Seafood Import Monitoring Program in an effort to combat IUU fishing through mandating improved seafood traceability requirements. This program requires reporting of fisheries data from harvest to arrival at the US border. Given the role of the US as a major global importer of seafood, this regulation could be a transformative action on fisheries …

Context-Dependent Interactive Effects Of Non-Lethal Predation On Larvae Impact Adult Longevity And Body Composition, Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran, Samyuktha Rao Kandregula, Suhel Quader, Steven A. Juliano

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Predation impacts development, behavior and morphology of prey species thereby shaping their abundances, distribution and community structure. Non-lethal threat of predation, specifically, can have a strong influence on prey lifehistory characteristics. While investigations often focus on the impact of predation threat on prey in isolation, tests of its interactive effects with food availability and resource competition on prey survival and fitness can improve understanding of costs, benefits and trade-offs of anti-predator strategies. This study, involving Aedes aegypti mosquitoes as a model organism, investigates both simple and interactive effects of predation threat during the larval stage on survival, size at and …

Rethinking Solutions To Seafood Fraud, Demian A. Willette, Samantha H. Cheng, Jerry A. Greenberg, Paul H. Barber

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Fast Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Currents And Action Potential Firing In R6/2 Skeletal Muscle, Eric Joshua Reed

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a degenerative disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the Huntingtin gene, which results in cognitive problems as well as muscle weakness, chorea, rigidity, and dystonia. Most research in HD has focused on neurodegeneration, but recent studies have found peripheral defects that may help explain the debilitating motor symptoms of HD. We have shown that skeletal muscle from the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of HD is hyperexcitable due to decreases in resting chloride and potassium currents. Other groups have speculated that the fast voltage-gated sodium channels may be affected in Huntington’s disease as well. To fully …

The Effects Of Temperature On Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Resistance And Heart Rate In The Polymorphic Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon Cinereus, Joseph Alan Demarchi

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Infection Generate Immunity–Fecundity Tradeoffs In Drosophila, Justin L. Buchanan, Colin D. Meiklejohn, Kristi L. Montooth

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Physiological responses to short-term environmental stressors, such as infection, can have long-term consequences for fitness, particularly if the responses are inappropriate or nutrient resources are limited. Genetic variation affecting energy acquisition, storage, and usage can limit cellular energy availability and may influence resourceallocation tradeoffs even when environmental nutrients are plentiful. Here, we utilized Drosophila mitochondrial– nuclear genotypes to test whether disrupted mitochondrial function interferes with nutrient-sensing pathways, and whether this disruption has consequences for tradeoffs between immunity and fecundity. We found that an energetically-compromised genotype was relatively resistant to rapamycin—a drug that targets nutrient-sensing pathways and mimics resource limitation. Dietary …

Energy Demand And The Context-Dependent Effects Of Genetic Interactions Underlying Metabolism, Luke A. Hoekstra, Cole R. Julick, Katelyn M. Mika, Kristi L. Montooth

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Genetic effects are often context dependent, with the same genotype differentially affecting phenotypes across environments, life stages, and sexes.We used an environmental manipulation designed to increase energy demand during development to investigate energy demand as a general physiological explanation for context-dependent effects of mutations, particularly for those mutations that affect metabolism. We found that increasing the photoperiod during which Drosophila larvae are active during development phenocopies a temperature-dependent developmental delay in a mitochondrial-nuclear genotype with disrupted metabolism. This result indicates that the context-dependent fitness effects of this genotype are not specific to the effects of temperature and may generally result …

Synbiotics For Improved Human Health: Recent Developments, Challenges, And Opportunities, Janina A. Krumbeck, Jens Walter, Robert W. Hutkins

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Research on combining pro- and prebiotics as synbiotics to enhance human and animal health has accelerated in the past 10 years, including many clinical trials that have assessed a diverse range of synbiotic formulations. In this review, we summarize these studies as well as the commercial applications of synbiotics that are available. In particular, we critically assess the claimed health benefits of synbiotic applications and the ecological and therapeutic factors to consider when designing synbiotics and discuss the implications of these concepts for future research in this field.